Jack Frost has an artisitc side. Besides fall colors, Maine winter ice can be used to create unusual shapes, formations.

In Maine, winter is not a hush hush word as snow, ice mean downhill and cross country skiing. Or firing up the snowsleds to take a trip, see the great Maine outdoors.

     Aroostook County offers lots of recreational options all four seasons.

Don't let a little snow detain you, curb your desire to travel North and sample it for yourself.

Picture this.

 Man messes up a lake, and lawns are the number one thing that lakes, if they could talk would gurgle angry excitement about. Many Maine lakes have local boards of folks to be pro-active not reactive to pressures that can kill or spoil a lake. The Drews Lakes Property Owner's Association (DLPOA) is a member of the Congress of Lakes  Organization(Cola) an holds yearly meetings. In the past few years a $60,000 grant from the soil and water conservation district  has helped with erosion of the roadways and undersized or missing culverts.  Another grant has helped with adding vegetation and local soil stablization to protect the lake from silt, phosphorous and other non-source point pollution.

Watersheds, wood cutting operations miles away and water racing to the lake, contaminants being brought in thru streams all mess up the water quality for fish, swimmers, loons, everyone that enjoys a clean, milfoil free Maine lake.

This year's meeting is at the New Limerick town office, July 7th, at 6:30. We are lucky to have Bill Hersey, a well known local Maine soil tester/site evalulator on board to talk about the do's and don'ts and septic regulations in a Maine  shoreland zone.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers - Protecting Maine's Resources, Being Good Steward to Our 6000 Lakes!

A watershed is the area that "drains" into a lake, brook, stream, pond, reservoir, ocean or wetland.

Wood cutting operations and development can change the lay of the land and natural drainage to cause water that drains downhill to pick up speed and carry silt into precious waterways. The trick around these natural resources is to slow the water speed and to filter it with natural riparian buffers that slow, retain or clean this water before it ends up where the fish live and you enjoy recreation. The drainage basin acts as a funnel and the water's course depends on the topography from adjacent watersheds, mountains, rolling fields. Exposed land that is not seeded down can have soil erosion from the water drainage and from wind. I grew up on a potato farm and loss of top soil is always a concern. Air harvesters that blow the dirt from the conveyors to the bulk body that holds the spuds that are destined for winter storage is just like loss of hair. Ledge or rock out croppings can show thru and suddenly there are spots of land in the field you can not plant on because the soil is gone. You could and farmers do scoop up soil from one area and over lay it on these ledge "bald spots".

     I am president of the Drews Lake Owner's Association and we have worked hard to spot the erosion areas, studies the watershed that is roughly 19 miles large around the lake. The lake itself turns over, or "refreshes" every 13 months so new water with [potential for contanimants can change the overall health of a clean Maine lake. Erosion, silt, pollution from say a dairy farm's manure pile or fertilizer nitrogen can be toxic to a lake too. These elements along with man using weed and feed on lawns, or pressure treated arsenic laced docks and decks all contribute to the stability or decline of a lake. The pressure from pollution and silt destroys habitats, spawning beds and can cause fewer game fish and more rough fish. And the worse culprit to impact our lake enjoyment in Maine is too much weed and algae growth.  The word milfoil is a scary one for southern Maine lakes that have out of control evasive plants life going wild. All land uses have the potential to add pollutants to Meduxnekeag (Drews) Lake or any precious natural resource.

     A cutting operation in a woodlot five miles away can pollute a lake with silt, run off, phosphorus and other contaminants. Property culverts on roadways, proper grading of those roadways and installation of "punge pools" can help buffer a lake. The plunge pool is a series of rocked "holes" that fill up with run off during spring snow melting or heavy summer rains so that water does not race down a steep hill, taking dirt, debris from decaying leaves, etc into a body of water. The pools fill up, over flow and fill up the next hole to slow the water's speed and what it carries with it. Planting vegetation along the shoreline helps hold the soil in place and acts as a filter between land and waterway too. Maine lakes are a blessing, a privledge and we all need to be good stewards, passing them on to our kids in better shape than we received them if they are to be saved and preserved. 

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers - Maine Is Not Over Populated And The Way Life Should Be.

Trail rides, poker runs, public suppers, silent auctions, dances with local music, children's christmas parties, beano, bingo and fun working on improving trails. Something for everyone so no reason to stay inside with a tv remote in one hand sitting on the couch while old man winter passes by slowly. Join a local Maine snowmobile club, take a turn running the tucker or groomer, help finish off that bridge over a river, cut a new trail thru the brush, put up signage so tourists on snowmobiles don't get lost and help them find gas, lodging, places to eat. Snowmobiles are a big economic boost to the Maine economy! The average sledder with the price of gas increase, spents close to $175 a day when you figure lodging, eating, gas, parts, sled registration, insurance and payment. But the sights you see, the wildlife, the cool fresh air, bright sunshine or entering a snow squal and being cozy with your friends in a small log cabin in the woods with a fire going. Get serious about more excercise this winter. Loading and getting a snowsled unstuck in new powder will help you work out and get an appetite too! The new Katahin Cedar Log Homes product Oakfield Maine clubhouse for Smoki Haulers is just off Interstate 95's Exit 286 and easy to find. Come up for the day, the weekend or the week. Plan to ice fish, get in a little skiing, but riding thru expertly groomed trails no matter what Maine system you are on. ATV's are gaining popularity although every snowsled trail is not open for ATV usage as they can damage a field or rut up a road in early spring. With snowsleds, the trail in on the top of layers of snow and frozen ground so damage is minimal if riders stay on the trail. What are trails in Maine like before you get here? The Maine Snowmobile Association has the skinny on where the winter trail riding is best! Another site more focused on this northern end of the state of Maine is outlined at this snowmobile trail site. Signage on the ITS trails is also not just to help sledders locate gas and vittles. There are safety concerns with part of a lake that is not frozen and a bridge that may be under repair or in an area of wood harvesting where sharp corners and big trucks coming at you on a fast moving sled can mean danger or death. The signage for sharp corners, bridge ahead, trucks entering all help the snowsled tourist that is passing thru know what to prepare for. The new machines have liquid cooling so heated radiation strips under your feet, heated handlebar grips and electric thumb warmers. You can hide behind the windshield but with a sled helmet and face shield , turtle fleece neck warmer and the right jacket, bib pants and gloves, you do not need to be cold. The Linneus SnoSports is below!

The Meduxnekeag Ramblers Snow Sled Club Covers The North/West Section Of ITS Trails Around Houlton, Maine! You See Their Well Light Groomer Going At All Hours Across The Fields And Thru The Woods of Aroostook County Maine! Come Sample The Fine Food (Breakfast Most Saturdays During Sled Season) And Fun Times With Poker Runs, Cross County Skiing Around The Clubhouse And Moosestompers Weekend! Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides For The Whole Family! These Sled Clubs In Littleton, Oakfield And Linneus Are Rentable For Family Functions Like Weddings, Reunions And Parties Too! What A Setting ! Next To Cary Lake! Come See What You Are Missing!