Summer in March and other current oxymorons

Usually at this time of year we still have a few feet of snow...well at least we have some. Last year we had a huge snow storm on April Fools day. This year, I have a tan, I am sitting outside in my shorts and t-shirt listening to a woodpecker peck away at it's tree. Today it was 85! This unfathomable weather has lead to temperature that usually only arrives in late May. This weather is beautiful and no one is complaining since March is usually the time that Spring Fever sets in. Many people have had enough winter but this year it might be opposite, we might have to much summer. Other than climate change, I do not know what to label this record high temperature. As the newspaper said the previous record high for March was 60 degrees and today it was in the 80's and it has consistently been in the 60's,70's, and 80's for the past few days! There is really no snow here except for the shade in our school's courtyard but a new kind of spring is in the air. There are buds on our rose bushes and lilac trees the daffodil leaves are about three inches tall and our patch of chives is growing robustly. And it's only March! I often feel like it's May and I am almost done with High School forever but it's only March! I am part sad to leave the wonderful friends I have made over the past 12 years of my school career but I am extremely ready for my next adventure. Although we seniors are not stir-crazy over the winter leaving, since it never really came and then quickly left, we are all stir-crazy to graduate and start toward our new chapter.

On a different note, I am ecstatic about the play we are performing this spring: Pride and Predjudice. I am an avid Jane Austen fan. With my mom, I grew up reading the books and when we are down, we sit together and watch Jane Austen movies our favorite being Persuasion. The best part: I get to play Lydia Bennet, the girl you love to hate. I cannot wait to have my name printed in the pamphet "Lydia played by Lydia". Oh what great fun it will be! :D

The other very exciting thing in my life is this weekend. I was selected as a YES Abroad Semi-Finalist and with that I was invited to an In-Person-Selection-Event in Denver, Colorado! The best part is they are paying for me to fly there! I love flying so much. I love the people you meet as well as the view one gets to see while in the air. :D

The next year of my life... (Plus Beaver Dam Awesomeness))

Okay, I know this is not exactly at all related to the topic of this blog, but I am a senior high school and have been dreaming & planning about going abroad for many years and this year I applied for three scholarships to go abroad since I could not afford to go otherwise. I also applied to colleges and was extremely, extremely blessed to get into my dream college with a substantial financial aid packet. I am happy to announce that as of today I am a finalist in the YES Abroad Scholarship program and as well as in the CBYX Scholarship program. I also applied to for the NSLI-Y scholarship but I did not become a semi-finalist. If am an lucky enough to be able to receive one of these scholarships I will hopefully be creating a blog about my experiences there like I did with the blog I created for Japan.

On a completely random note, I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends, family, and nature surrounding me. Today I went on a wonderful adventure in the woods behind out school and here are some pictures from it... 

 

Yes we are on a Beaver house :)

Beaver Dam Adventure: Full of Rocks, Ice, Snow, Beavers, and Cam's stinky 'ol socks

Driving Around Maine in Winter (Albeit a pretty sad excuse for one...)

So I decided to post some pictures I have taken during this picture while on the road. (Note: I was not driving the car myself when I took these pictures.) I had a dentist appointment in Portland so these are around that area for the most part...

 

This is actually down the road

 And so is this... (Gloucester Hill)

 This is a picture of the town next to mine, the one I go to school in. Above is the town hall and below is a civil war statue.

Even Uncle Sam Shovels Snow

Why I love winter in Maine, when we actually have snow. This is a picture looking at our parked car from the side walk.

This is Big Sky Baking Company an awesome bread store that I have grown up eating. It has the best bread I have ever tasted :D

We took a scenic tour to see how the "Other half lives" aka Falmouth, Yarmouth, & Cumberland Foreside

I love running, snow, and well everything!

Today was another beautiful day. I know I haven't said this before but I love to run. I am attending my last year of high school at the wonderful GNGHS. One of the best parts of my school is the running/skiing trails we have. Out of all the school's around we have the best trail system since abutting our high school and middle school is the Libby Hill Forest. (http://www.libbyhill.org/) In this forest, there are many trails which are perfect for my love of running. Here is a link to some pictures taken by people (I'm not sure who...) of the trails... They are all really pretty. https://picasaweb.google.com/100464053246982536330/BestOfLibbyHillPhotos?feat=flashalbum#
Anyway... Today was a beautiful day where the trees were covered by snow and the honey colored sunbeams projecting through the trees.

That's all folks! For now...Thanks for reading~

January 22~A perfect day

This morning, like every other Sunday of my life, I went to church except today was a special day at our church: it was our church's annual meeting which is actually a lot better than it sounds. Not only was it the first time I had attended it as an official member but it was followed by the most delicious potluck lunch ever complete with corn chowder, chili, homemade rolls & cornbread, salad, some strawberries, and too many deserts. At the meeting, I was reminded of the Roberts Rules that I learned while at Girls State last summer. I was delighted that I knew exactly what was going on and was able to participate correctly due to my Girls State Education. (Thanks GS!) After that, I went on a 9 mile run with a good friend of mine. It was such a beautiful day with the sun beaming down through the trees making the snow sparkle. We ran up "Gloucester Hill" which has a beautiful view of the surrounding area from the trees to the snow covered fields to the distant mountains. I do not have any pictures and even if I did I know that nothing could give justice to the view which I have spent my life memorizing. After we ran for the 9 miles our coach recommended we run over the weekend, I was lucky enough to be invited to watch the game (AFC championship game) with my elderly neighbors. Until this year I have not been very much into football mostly because I do not have a television at my house so it is impossible to watch but recently I have been spending my time with football fanatics. These football fanatics happen to be my best friends and running buddies so their love for the sport somehow wore off on me and I am also enthralled with it. I was at the edge of my seat and was so relieved when the Ravens missed their penalty kick thus allowing the Patriots to win!! :D

January 20th Snow

It's beginning to look a lot like winter ~ Everywhere you go~
We had some more snow today which made me thrilled :D These are some pictures around my house after today's snow.

 What Maine roads look like in the winter as I wrote in one of my college essay's: "...the sand covered roads diminished to half their normal size"

 

My house~Greek Revival house built sometime in the first half of the 19th century. My guess is 1827 since we have an original door in our basement that has that date painted on it. It was moved to it's current location sometime before 1853 by oxen.

Finally it's starting to look like winter....

Two days ago we had our first real good snow storm in winter. We had a nice amount of snow in November and as well as a couple inches here and there but it would not stay until now (fingers crossed). Below are some pictures I took around my yard. Yesterday, it was much more beautiful yesterday as it alway is right after the snow-since the trees are still have snow clinging to their bows. 

I must say the snow was most welcome and I had the pleasure of playing some snow football with some of my dearest friends. When the other team was running to their side it would have made the most beautiful picture but atlas, I did not have my camera on me. 

This tree reminds me of something out of a storybook. :D