Are Mainers Buttercups? (Portland, Ellsworth, Bar Harbor: employment, tornadoes, quality of life)

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Bliss2424

...
submariner,
Where I come from, people think of Maine as a distant mythical wonderland of endless unspoiled forests. I had never heard anything negative about it. People put it on their bucket lists. Yet I have known very few people to have ever visited Maine. I finally found one friend who had from Ohio (when she moved to the plains and folks asked where she was from she told them the Midwest. When they asked what state, she said "Ohio." "Oh that's the east coast!" People would reply. It's so far east it gets lumped into the coast. So you can only imagine how far away Maine seems. I asked her what she thought of Maine. She said "those are some sturdy people in Maine". I said, "physically?". She said, "no, constitutionally..they get some kind of snow up there!".
So that is the reputation of Mainers.. sturdy people.

That makes sense.

People who come to Maine, then later realize that they personally are not 'sturdy', are the ones we see whining about Maine.

'it is too hard to make friends'
'winter is too cold'
'taxes are too high'
'People here are too ugly'
We see these threads every week.

I am from California. Growing up I knew nothing about Maine.

During my Active Duty career, I have lived many places up and down the West Coast and the East Coast. I retired in Europe and that was when we decided that we were going to settle in Maine.

We wanted to settle somewhere rural, preferably in dense forest, with easy access to clean water. Where we could build our own house, garden and raise livestock.

It was important to me that we settle somewhere away from the droughts. Few regions of the US are free from drought. Water shortages on this continent are getting worse each year.

Most of Maine is Unorganized Townships [UTs]. The tax burden in the Maine UTs is not bad at all.

I have a small military pension, just a hair above the federal poverty level, yet in Maine, economics are such that I can support a family.

[mainegrl2011]

Nebraska has no ocean so why even discuss the place, and why oh why try to compare it to Maine.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

"and why oh why try to compare it to Maine."

There is a simple answer to that. Somebody is in Nebraska where the cold wind blows all the time so they inquire about Maine. In Maine you can sit in the sun under a big spruce or pine on a winter afternoon and cook hot dogs over a campfire; have toasted marshmallows and hot chocolate.

From what I have read about Nebraska, you can't do that in a howling wind.

[Bliss2424]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

"and why oh why try to compare it to Maine."

There is a simple answer to that. Somebody is in Nebraska where the cold wind blows all the time so they inquire about Maine. In Maine you can sit in the sun under a big spruce or pine on a winter afternoon and cook hot dogs over a campfire; have toasted marshmallows and hot chocolate.

From what I have read about Nebraska, you can't do that in a howling wind.

You got it. Either the cold wind blows or it's so hot you can fry up some Omaha steaks on the hood of your car.

The point is, Maine seems pretty darn fabulous. So very beautiful. From where I sit, if people can suck it up and live out here in extreme weather surrounded by nothing but blowing wind and endless fields of corn and cows, what kind of a buttercup moves to beautiful Maine and then complains about it when it has so much going for it?

I think Submariner is probably right, they are probably the ones who got there and then realized they aren't "sturdy" enough. They are not likely from Nebraska.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Bliss2424

I've been doing a lot of research on Maine.

... So whats up with all the complaining?

You have studied degree-days.

When I first came to this forum, I was looking at the taxes. I compared the taxes of each place where I had previously owned a home, as compared to living in Maine. I am certain that I became a 'broken record' for how often I showed people the hard numbers. For the most part, they persisted in their erroneous beliefs that Maine had high taxes. It took a few years, but eventually, I settled myself to the fact that people here will believe whatever they choose to believe, regardless of any facts laid out in front of them.

Originally Posted by Bliss2424

... The point is, Maine seems pretty darn fabulous.

I agree.

... So very beautiful. From where I sit, if people can suck it up and live out here in extreme weather surrounded by nothing but blowing wind and endless fields of corn and cows, what kind of a buttercup moves to beautiful Maine and then complains about it when it has so much going for it?

LOL

What kind of buttercup? Search through the sub-forum for 'Peter-of-the-north'.

He used to whine so much, a few of us offered to pay for him to move away.

... they are probably the ones who got there and then realized they aren't "sturdy" enough. They are not likely from Nebraska.

My high school graduating class has its own FaceBook page. I found that most of them [say well over 90%] have never lived outside of a 40-mile radius of where they were born. Most of them are convinced that where they live is the best place on earth. Even though they have no basis for comparison. I find it difficult to talk to them.

I will call that 'normalcy bias'. They live with their biases and they make false assumptions about other places.

Whereas after having lived in a dozen other places, I come to Maine with an entirely different framework.

[Kiwiluver]

Originally Posted by zalewskimm

Anyone else have this tune in their head?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLH6JLXuYtQ

My sister and brother in-law recently had had their 50th wedding anniversary. I distinctly remember that song playing over and over again at the wedding "back in the summer of 1969" to quote another good tune by Brian Adams!

[mainegrl2011]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

"and why oh why try to compare it to Maine."

There is a simple answer to that. Somebody is in Nebraska where the cold wind blows all the time so they inquire about Maine. In Maine you can sit in the sun under a big spruce or pine on a winter afternoon and cook hot dogs over a campfire; have toasted marshmallows and hot chocolate.

From what I have read about Nebraska, you can't do that in a howling wind.

seriously? or sarcastically? Hasn't the OP heard of planting trees for a windbreak. google trees to plant for windbreak in Nebraska and you can add fast-growing (to solve your wind problem that much faster)

or grow trees inside your house and cook in the fireplace; google trees to grow inside your house (pretty sure spruce was on the list)

[Bliss2424]

Originally Posted by mainegrl2011

seriously? or sarcastically? Hasn't the OP heard of planting trees for a windbreak. google trees to plant for windbreak in Nebraska and you can add fast-growing (to solve your wind problem that much faster)

or grow trees inside your house and cook in the fireplace; google trees to grow inside your house (pretty sure spruce was on the list)

This is really funny.

First of all, you can't plant furtile farm ground with a Forrests of trees or suddenly the breadbasket of America isn't producing much bread.

Second, fast growing trees snap like twigs in the wind.

We do plant trees in cities for aesthetics and between buildings and trees it does help (a little). We had an old sturdy very healthy oak in our yard. Over 100 years old. A wind storm came and twisted one huge branch that must have been over 10' in diameter and cracked it in half like nothing. Trying to plant a few trees on the prairie to block the wind is kinda like trying to use a sponge to Sop up the ocean. Why do you think there were never any trees that grew natively? Just prairie grass and buffalo.

There is a road nearby called "lone elm road" so named because pioneers could see the elm from many miles away and it was an important stopping point to collect water from a natural spring. It was the only tree for miles around.

That leaves your last option. I will let everybody here on the prairie know they should plant some trees in their house and just never leave it.

High winds are just a way of life on the plains. It's hard and you have to toughen up but it isn't impossible. It's why I am saying Nebraskans are pretty sturdy people too.

[mainegrl2011]

Originally Posted by Bliss2424

This is really funny.

First of all, you can't plant furtile farm ground with a Forrests of trees or suddenly the breadbasket of America isn't producing much bread.

Second, fast growing trees snap like twigs in the wind.

We do plant trees in cities for aesthetics and between buildings and trees it does help (a little). We had an old sturdy very healthy oak in our yard. Over 100 years old. A wind storm came and twisted one huge branch that must have been over 10' in diameter and cracked it in half like nothing. Trying to plant a few trees on the prairie to block the wind is kinda like trying to use a sponge to Sop up the ocean. Why do you think there were never any trees that grew natively? Just prairie grass and buffalo.

There is a road nearby called "lone elm road" so named because pioneers could see the elm from many miles away and it was an important stopping point to collect water from a natural spring. It was the only tree for miles around.

That leaves your last option. I will let everybody here on the prairie know they should plant some trees in their house and just never leave it.

High winds are just a way of life on the plains. It's hard and you have to toughen up but it isn't impossible. It's why I am saying Nebraskans are pretty sturdy people too.

Glad to hear you think this is funny. Quite frankly, I am finding this entire thread quite hilarious. I am pretty sure I didn't suggest planting a few trees on the prairie. You came up with that comment on your own. I probably should have clarified planting trees around your house outside so you can have a non breezy campfire with the marshmallows, etc. When I mentioned planting trees inside houses there was no requirement to never leave the house--just suggesting an option for keeping the wind from raising havoc with your fire by having a fire inside in a fireplace. Now that I've read the google search results in more detail, I see that there are people in Nebraska who believe there are several benefits to having windbreaks. I didn't see anything about trying to destroy or wanting to destroy the breadbasket. I understand the importance of farmers and farming. In Maine we grow lots of potatoes as you may know. We love our trees. More people need to be involved in farming imo even if it's only a vegetable garden for their family. Community gardens are becoming more prevalent.

Windbreaks must not be as farfetched as you try to make them out to be because when I googled it, there were search results for the University of Nebraska and Nebraska Forest Service (why would a state have a state forest service if it doesn't have a forest of some kind?) This link offers reasons why (benefits of having them) there should be windbreaks in Nebraska. If there are so many who think windbreaks are needed and possible in Nebraska, why are you seemingly so ready to dis them and so convinced that they are not a viable option?

https://www.papionrd.org/time-plan-windbreak-today/

https://journalstar.com/lifestyles/h...d3d9dac6f.html

https://nfs.unl.edu/replanting-windbreaks

https://www.omaha.com/living/the-bes...7a2c628fe.html

https://www.fast-growing-trees.com/c...SAAEgJe9fD_BwE

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal...cs144p2_027140

https://droughtresources.unl.edu/windbreak

Check out what this article in USA today has to say about Nebraska's topography...suggests that prairies and grasslands are rare https://traveltips.usatoday.com/land...ska-59083.html

[Bliss2424]

Obviously a forum like this is about generalizations. I am aware of tree planting practices. After all, we are the home state of arbor day.

But that really isn't the point of this thread. Again, the point is I think Maine gets a bad wrap but in reality, it isn't so bad.

Though I am a bit alarmed at your reactions here. Clearly you do not feel obliged to be polite. Never the less, I will remain open minded about Mainers in general.