The Nature of Maine in August
…So we dream on through the long days of summer
Until fall’s winds
Chill us back to that other world,
And the waves, inexorable,
Bring down the sandcastle dreams.
Until
Next summer.
~Marilis Hornidge, “Sunshine Dreaming”
Plants
In woods clearings and meadow edges, keep an eye out for thickets of blackberries and raspberries. These bushes often grow up in areas that have been cut or where deadfall from storms opens up sunny patches within woodlands.
Along roadsides and in wetlands, you’re likely to spot the bright hues of purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), a tall, spiky flower often mistaken for lupine. While it has an attractive bloom, purple loosestrife wreaks havoc on ecosystems by overtaking much of the native vegetation (particularly in wetlands). Avoid planting purple loosestrife as an ornamental and remove it where possible (getting rid of as much of the root mass as possible and drying or burning it rather than composting it).
Wildlife
It’s the season of meadow choruses—with the pulsating hum of grasshoppers by day and crickets by night. Their sound comes from their scraping one wing against the other, and they use this means to communicate with one another. Their chirping subsides later in the fall when night temperatures drop below 55 F. While grasshoppers are committed herbivores, their distant cousins the crickets are true omnivores—chewing down rotting plants, fruit, fungi and meat – whatever the local buffet offers!
Local Foods
August often marks the start of Maine’s harvest season, a busy time for those who like freezing or canning produce for the long winter months (see Janet Greene’s book Putting Food By for helpful guidance if you’re new to this summer ritual). Those with kitchen gardens (see www.kitchengardeners.com) are often so busy coping with tomatoes and zucchini around now that they’ll GLADLY give you some if you drop the merest hint.
Green Tip
“Quit idling” may seem like inappropriate advice to offer during the lazy, vacation days of August. So I’ll qualify: be as idle as you want, but don’t let your vehicle idle. With gas prices going ever-higher, it will save your wallet and the environment if you stop idling when dropping or picking up children; waiting in line at the bank, fast-food restaurant or transfer station; or sitting in one of those “going nowhere soon” traffic backups that happen ever so occasionally on Maine roads in peak tourist season. The website Edmunds.com advocates shutting off your engine whenever you expect to be waiting for more than one minute. Their study found that this small change delivered greater fuel savings than they expected—improving fuel economy up to 19 percent.
Notable August Dates
August 2: Last Quarter Moon
August 9: New Moon
August 16: First Quarter Moon
August 24: Full Moon (Red or Grain Moon)
See downloadable tide charts and times of sunrise/sunset in August.
