What time is it?

Welcome to November and Day Light Savings Time. I know you are probably still wondering, what time is it? In case, you have forgotten, you are supposed to turn your clocks back one hour last night before you went to sleep. As the days get shorter, this was supposed help us to have light in morning when we try to pry ourselves out of those warm covers. But I do not really see that it makes much of difference for most folks in Mooseville, but for today at least, most people, including one perpetually late moose, do seem to get places on time or maybe even early. Shorter days and longer nights are supposed help us to save energy, but I am not convinced. If you go to church, you see that it is the one Sunday out of the year that the family that always comes in late is there on time!

Why on earth do we do this twice a year?

But once you figured out how to change all of your clocks especially those clocks in your cars – you won't have to think about it again until March when we will all spring-forward!

A friendly reminder to everyone – dig out your orange fashions, as deer hunting season kicked off yesterday and there are sure to be lots of sleeping hunters in the woods in the weeks to come. I am sure looking forward to seeing Tom Saviello at all those 4:00 AM breakfast "meetings" they have this time of year. This week's true rumor – Tom Saviello has announced that he will run for the State Senate of Maine next year.

But back to those "meetings," check The Irregular newspaper for times and locations, because you will be cranky if you get there and realize that you are all alone and there isn't a sausage in sight.

I have no idea what time it is - moose never wear watches! It's about day light!

I know one thing is for sure, it is time for me to get back to work! Yep - www.mooseville.com is where I do all my work!

A few questions answered...

Hello Friends!

I receive a lot of email from the friends of Mooseville, and this week I thought I would answer some questions that I have recently gotten.

Has it snowed yet in Mooseville?
Yup! We had our first snow on October 13, but it didn’t last the day. We had some flurries the week before too. I, for one, am not ready for the white stuff, but even as the mayor I can’t control the weather.

Is it true that there was a moose born in someone’s front yard in suburban Minnesota?
Maybe.
I tried to get in touch with my Aunt Sally, but she is still mad that I haven’t sent her a photo of my Mooseville mayor’s inauguration. I will have to look into that one for you and will get have to get back to you.

What will you be for Halloween this year?
I can’t answer that – seriously! If I tell you, I won’t be able to be trick or treat incognito next week and score all those peanut butter cups. I have had some great costumes the last few years, but my favorite was the Moose from Mars, but this year’s is sure to be my best yet!

Are there black flies in Mooseville during the winter?
Finally, an easy question. No! But, soon I will have to start to complain about those stupid Cluster flies that insist on dive bombing the lights. I mean, really, don’t they have anything better to do all winter?

Do you have a question – well, I can’t answer it unless you send it to me, so do it now why don’t you.

Don't forget to check out all the good moose stuff on the website! www.mooseville.com.

Have a great week!

The Moose In-laws are coming!

It is the middle of the week and I am trying to type up my column for the weekend, but I am a might bit distracted because my moose-in-laws are coming! You understand – there’s dad’s inspection of the wood stove, the cobwebs in the corner need to be cleared away and those leaves had better stay on the trees for a few more days despite the rain.

Anyway, when I am distracted, I always start with a Google search, just for a little something to get me going and look what I found this morning when I searched for moose…

"MOOSE, originally an acronym for Man Out Of Space Easiest and later changed to the more professional-sounding Manned Orbital Operations Safety Equipment, was a proposed emergency "bail-out" system capable of bringing a single astronaut safely down from Earth's orbit to the planet's surface." Here is the link so you can read all about it, straight from the source at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOOSE.

Now that will give you something to bring up in a random conversation with the moose-in-laws. Or maybe we could study the photos and build our own – you know, just a little project.

Hey Corey, maybe you could help me with this new product idea and offer a supply kit at the Mooseville store.

I could help you write the ad: “Everything you need to build you own MOOSE contraption for only $9.99” In the fine print we could add – It will be guaranteed to protect you from black flies and mosquitoes for at least 12 seconds or as long as your remain in the plastic bag and one size will fit most idiots.

Well, I guess I had better go for this week – but hey keep you eyes peeled on the website for this new MOOSE product, it might go straight to clearance!

Check out the new stuff at Mooseville -- www.mooseville.com.

Moose Leaves and Apple Pie

Well, after all of my adventures these last few weeks, it is good to be home.

I did get an email from the new bride who said she was celebrating her birthday in Rome, and as she put it “with her hubby.” Now that is just plain adorable, I would have to say!

The autumn leaves are in all their glory around Mooseville with shades so vibrant – it does seem to amaze and surprise me every year.

I found this great new website – www.mainefoliage.com which shows a map of Maine and details where the leaves are turning. You can even sign up for a weekly report from the forest rangers. The website also has a list of what kinds of trees create each of the colors. Did you know that white ash and witch hazel trees turn purple in the fall – have to go looking for some of them in the woods around Mooseville. And did you also know that red maple trees turn red and that sugar or rock maple leaves turn gold or orange. That is how you know which trees to get sap from to make maple syrup from!

There are lots of things to do around Mooseville – from apple picking and the Scarecrow Reunion in Phillips to the Fryeburg Fair, so I am likely to be keeping plenty busy. With all the apple events, I was just thinking that I sure do love a good apple pie!

So I thought, how about sharing a recipe with the readers, so you will have a reason to crank up the wood cook stove and warm up on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I am sure that I could be made available, if you just can’t manage to eat the whole pie by yourself.

Moose Apple Pie

Cheddar Cheese Pie Crust

1 ¼ cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of shortening
½ cup of grated sharp cheddar
2-3 tablespoons of water

Mix together dry ingredients, and then add water slowly to form dough.
Roll out two pie crusts on a floured surface.

Moose Apple Pie Filling
6 cups of apples (tart ones are best!)
½ cup sugar
½ cup of grated sharp cheddar
¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
1 tablespoon of flour

Mix together all the filling ingredients and then fill the bottom
crust, add the top crust and be sure to put a few slits in the top.
Bake for about 1 hour at 375, just until the crust is golden brown and
the filling starts to bubble.

Thanks to my friend Amy for helping me out with this yummy pie recipe.

Have a great week – I will look forward to seeing you jumping in a
pile of leaves soon!

Check out our website www.mooseville.com and mention leaves in the comment section of your order and I'll throw in a surprise for you!

Continuing the Moose Road Trip

Hi Everyone! Brodey here, coming to you from Baltimore, Maryland.

I know, I have been one busy moose lately, but the work of the mayor of Mooseville is just never finished. I am here in Baltimore to attend the wedding of Robin and Mike – and boy was it one heck of a trip to get here. It all started with a walk down to Farmington and then my new friend gave me a ride down the coast.

Well, if you think a moose can stop traffic along Route 4, you should
see the back up I caused near the George Washington Bridge last night.

But I would have to say, I did sleep like a baby last night -
snuggled up under a down comforter in my hotel room.

For seafood lovers, Baltimore provides the opportunity to feast on
crab cakes, crab chowder and just in case you can’t get enough there
are giant platters filled with only crab and French fries. Every
restaurant seems to say that it has the best, but it seems impossible
to judge, so as a crazy moose – I opted for Mexican food instead.
So I am off to the wedding, a moose in tux with a tails and a top hat
– I only wish there were pictures to share!

Tune in next week for a little excitement we had in Mooseville while I was traveling...hint...it has to do with squirrels and such!

Live from Cape Cod!

This is Mayor Brodey Moose blogging to you live from Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

It is an amazing thing, every week or so, I get to tell you all about
the wonders of Mooseville and my crazy life as the mayor, but this
week I thought you might like to come along for a little Moose road
trip. I am spending the weekend soaking up the ocean breezes and even putting
a hoof in the cold waters of the Atlantic.

I did, however, get some strange looks - you know the ones - what is
that moose doing on the beach? But I just smile and wave and the
lookers seem to wander off eventually. They often, though, want to come up and take their picture with me! I guess it is not every day that they get to see a moose on the beach!

I also did a little fishing, but for future reference, it does help if
you put a hook on the end of your line. But as a vegetable-loving
moose, I find that it is just as much fun to dangle the string in the
water and dream away the afternoon. Besides, I do look extra
handsome sporting a fishing vest.

I have to head back to Mooseville on Monday because I got to start
planning for the annual Scarecrow Reunion held in Phillips, Maine
which will be held in early October. I think this year, I might try
to... Oh, I guess I better keep my idea a secret for now.

And next week, I will be heading south to Baltimore, Maryland and the
wedding of Robin Beck and Michael Maher.

I will try to get some pictures. You know I can be a little camera shy sometimes!

Labor Day and Back to School!

Labor Day, Back to School, and the promise of incoming pumpkins
decorations and a scarecrows reunion– what’s next? Sleet, Frost and
Snow!

Well as you know moose like me do not deal well with change and we have
a hard time with smooth transition, but I do love the cool mornings
and catching the sight of my breath in the morning. The leaves are
all still green and the grass continues to grow, but hurry up and
enjoy the last bits of summer sunshine.

I have not talked about the blackberries up in Madrid, Maine (that is pronounced Mah-drid for none natives that may not know!)! They are
so fat, sweet and juicy that they are falling off onto the ground, but be
quick to pick them because they never last long. I keep hoping for a blackberry
pie with a scope of vanilla ice cream on top. Now that is just like a
slice of summer heaven.

Do you ever wonder how one moose, say the Mayor of Mooseville, could
spend so much time talking about the weather and snacks? If you have
to ask, I will tell you how it is because inquiring minds need to
know. As the Mayor, I spend my days wandering about in Mooseville,
but really it is a quiet little place.

I might dabble in politics and chat with the local folks, but there
is not much newsworthy that goes on around town. I mean, really, do
you need to know what Larry, down at the Transfer Station, is up to
right this minute or what the special was over at Country Bumpkins
last Tuesday. Probably not so I just tell you about a few fun things that happen to me in my life!

I think everything in the neighbor’s garden pulled trough okay last
week when we had a hint of frost, even his tomato plants. I have
decided to make some green tomato pickles tonight; maybe I will even
have a picnic and enjoy the view from beside Toothaker Pond tomorrow. Until
next time, be sure to keep smiling like a moose!