Every journey begins at home, and our home is the idyllic town of Cumberland, Maine - this week's Favorite Thing. As I write this on July 4th the weather is beautiful; our Maine summer is in glorious bloom. The picture above, taken at the annual Memorial Day Parade a month ago, shows the American flags that line Main Street this time of year. The parade is always led by a local boy in a Revolutionary War costume. I hope no one across the pond still holds a grudge!
Cumberland has been a fabulous place to raise my children. It's a place where when you say, "turn left at the light" people know exactly where you are because there's only one traffic light in town. Food Stop is where people meet in the morning for coffee. And where they pick up their pizza on Friday night. High school sports teams are followed and people show up to the fall musical, whether they have children who are teenagers or not. Kay Fowler always has great stuff at the Saturday Farmer's Market. And Police Beat usually includes a skunk that has been "dispatched".
Being a teacher in this town is a huge honor. I get to see the kids I've had in class grow and change. I make friends with a few families along the way. And Jan, the children's librarian, lets me take out stacks of books at a time. It is a privilege I don't take lightly.
I am enormously fond of this town. So, we are not running away, but rather adventuring to some place. With fireworks and all, we head out from The Shire.
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