Strange Maine

May Day! May Day! (the good kind)

2026-05-05T23:22:00.017-04:00

by Michelle Y. Souliere

Happy spring everyone! It's easy to be distracted when you're doing historic research. A researcher will spend hours, weeks, months, even years, looking at history over a span of decades and centuries, focusing on specific locales within the state, or the trail left by families and businesses which cut a wide swathe through Maine history.

It is important to pull one’s head out of the sinkhole (or rabbit hole) that it’s been stuck in, and remind oneself that the Maine of today is being created around you, as is the rest of the world. And Maine, being seasonal in its heart of hearts, has regular cues to signal us that time is shifting and cycling around us constantly.

May Day has vivid hints that I remember being introduced to at a young age. If you ask my father, he will tell you about my early efforts to pronounce “forsythia,” as their yellow firework flowers were notably the first to burst against the dull spring bracken, each a tiny ray of sunshine in sequence.

By the time I was in grade school, I was in the thick of reading Louisa May Alcott’s books, including Jack and Jill (1880), which painted a very pretty picture of the practice of hanging May baskets, or going a-Maying, as seen through the lens of Alcott’s Victorian-era viewpoint in Concord, Massachusetts.

A kinder version of Ding Dong Ditch, the practice involved crafting paper baskets full of wildflowers, and if meant very personally (although anonymous by nature), the basket would also include a snippet of homemade poetry meant for the recipient.

illus from Chicken Little Jane by H.S. Barbour [1920]

On a May evening at dusk, “just after lamp-light,” emboldened local sprites would hang their baskets from the doorknobs at their neighbors’ homes, knock or ring the bell, and then scamper off in the hopes of evading identification. [Lewiston Evening Journal, 5/3/1875]

This tradition was well-known in Maine too, and on May 8^th, 1880, around the time of Alcott’s book publication, the Lewiston Evening Journal announced in its “Maine News and Gossip” column that May-basket-on-the-brain was the “latest contagion” to infect Androscoggin County.

The celebration of May was certainly not new. Tracking back a few decades to May Eve 1950, we find the editor of the Bangor Daily Whig & Courier, John S. Sayward, applauding local interest in the May Day celebration. He knew some folks scoffed at the practice of May baskets because of its superstition-related origins, but countered, “these kindly and innocent superstitions may be regarded as dilutants of essential and beautiful truths which might not else be perceived or generally diffused, or sufficiently remembered or suitably regarded.”

Sayward saw the practice as a vital way to refresh the community’s sense of humanity and heart, in the wake of the First Industrial Revolution: “in the anxious and earnest and often heartless strivings for power and pelf* in our world, the lamp of the affections is in danger of extinguishment and all the social sympathies of the heart of being dried up.”

*: pelf -- (a)Stolen goods, booty, spoil; forfeited property; also, the goods of a conquered people; (b) property, goods, riches, an object of value. In use between 1200s to about 1500, decreasing in usage thereafter, from old French root pelfre. [source: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english-dictionary/dictionary/MED32776 ]

The superstitious aspects referred to included folk customs for fortune-telling, as well as earlier traditions like the May Pole, the crowning of the May Queen, and Beltane, the Gaelic celebration of summer’s beginning each year. All of these practices were dismissed as having pagan and unenlightened roots, but Sayward urged neighbors to take another look, and see instead the ties to community.

This is not to say that May Day in Maine is always rosy. Imagine the odds of that! In 1867, the Ellsworth American correspondent from Gouldsboro noted the tendency of so-called “smiling May” to play coquette, and switch to a frown as she “dashed cold water on the scheme and probably all her nice little flowers remained in their beds, for fear of taking cold should they venture out.” Those of us who live here year-round allow her these moods, because the eventual rewards are worth it. Besides, it’s always good to prepare for the worst, yet hope for the best. Spring is coming!

from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem “The May Queen” illus by Eleanor Vere Boyle [1861]

And if we glance back to Sayward’s advice, maybe we should remember that spring warmth can be just as easily supplied by our hearts.

In 1871, readers of the Lewiston Evening Journal learned of a large group of young men who loaded up a half-bushel May basket, cowing its petite competitors, “filling it with Shakespeare’s works, and other things useful, and left it on the steps of one of their chums, Fred Storah, who has been sick for more than a year. After giving the door-bell a number of whirls, they lay concealed to see the result. The door opened, the basket was carried in, and through an opening in the curtains a smiling face was seen, its owner, no doubt, thinking that he still had some friends who are thoughtful of him.”

With May Day also comes the crowing of the May Queen. While today local practice may have few adherents outside of religious contexts (Catholic, for one), anyone who has dreamed their moments away to the lyrics of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” understands how marvelous it is that any mere mortal can be enchanted by this “spring clean” for the May Queen. It’s time to reassess, renew, rethink, replant, and revive, for all of us. We have made it through the winter!

illus: Randolph Caldecott’s “Garlands of the May Queen” [1884]

Another May Day tradition, the Maypole, has sprouted on New England shores since the days of the pilgrims’ arrival, and continues even today. Beltane on the Beach is a celebration that has been held the first Sunday each May since 1982. Although it is but one of many in Maine, it is one of the longest-lived.

Members of the Maine Pagan community and happy joiners would flock to the site on Popham Beach each year, creating a legendarily wonderful way to celebrate the end of cabin fever and embrace the better weather to come. I remember first hearing about it at a Maine Pagans panel discussion at USM here in Portland. However, the terrible coastal storms of January 2024 took a toll on Popham Beach, and the celebration has been moved south to Cape Elizabeth. As of 2027 this gathering is still being held at Crescent Beach.

illus: The May-Pole Dance illus by Adelia Belle Beard [1887]

For more information about Beltane on the Beach, please visit:

https://beltaneonthebeach.org/

Happy May everyone!

Labyrinth wanderings in Portland

2026-04-21T19:26:00.002-04:00

On the nicest day of the year yet, I finally had a real opportunity to go visit the labyrinth at UNE here in Portland for the first time in mid-April. No rush, no fuss, just early spring sunshine and a couple of good friends... and a woodchuck committee of one to herald our arrival!

I have seen hand-drawn labyrinths before, small on paper and large in sand, but there is something unique about the presence of a labyrinth built in stone, laid in to the earth before you. It feels like a stone labyrinth manifests "labyrinth" in its truest form.

Walking a labyrinth is a unique experience too - fully grounding and at the same time intentionally disorienting. When you stand before it, the center looks so close and within immediate reach from the entry point, but as soon as you set your feet on the path, you are required to suspend your portion of humanity's built-in impatience to complete something, and instead give yourself up wholly to the process itself.

It is a lesson that we as humans must relearn over and over again.

We are always in a rush, always looking forward, looking for the next prize. Perhaps a labyrinth is, as part of its intrinsic purpose, designed to thwart and disrupt that constant forward-looking momentum, and draw our attention inward, with the result of gifting us a wider view outward at the end.

We visiting three, one at a time, took a stone from the small pile near the entry and walked it to the center, leaving it there and pausing before turning around and repeating our path back outwards in reverse.

The participatory stones are a recent addition, part of a performance described in small booklets left in a holder near the maze. [Activating the Labyrinth: A Performance for Two People in Three Parts by Elana Adler and Patricia Brace, performed on site Sept 6th, 2025]

It was good to see that the labyrinth continues to be of use to the community. In fact, even if the event programs hadn't been present, we would have known the circuit was frequently used because of the way the ground was trodden in along the pathways between the stone rows, the unmistakable mark of the passage of many careful human feet over time.

This labyrinth, now approaching its 15th year, has certainly been in place long enough to give it a settled feel. For those who have not encountered it in person, it lies in a piny glade behind the University of New England's Payson Gallery, on their Portland campus at 716 Stevens Avenue. The site backs onto the edge of Evergreen Cemetery, which can be seen clearly through the wood fence running behind the campus.

Crafted of local fieldstones by Ethan Stebbins, a Maine based master stone carver and wood crafter, the labyrinth follows a 5-circuit medieval pattern. Stebbins' current sculpture/sculptural furniture work is also gorgeous, and unites his stonework into wood furniture, with breathtaking results:

ethanstebbins.com or on IG: @stebbinsdesign

Stebbins completed the site work over the course of a couple of months during the autumn of 2011.

The field stones were hand-picked from a gravel pit, in the nearby town of Gray. He worked from the giant crater there, where "they had a pile of like-sized stone, but I spent a lot of time picking through it."

"It's granite, glacial till, and they were selected for the right size and shape (flat tops, enough depth to bury in the ground and be stable). I mapped it all out to scale on graph paper before starting."

The labyrinth trenched and ready for its stones, 2011 [Perennial Stone]

Stebbins told me in an email that he trenched the whole thing out by hand, "Just me and a shovel and pick!" He worked alone, and each stone piece was set by hand, with a careful eye that is evident in the still-beautiful patterns found in the stone rows today, fifteen years later.

He laughs about the amount of labor now, and how "I never allotted myself enough time or got paid enough back then! [...] I was younger and dumber. But it was a fun creative challenge at the time and I was always looking for the more interesting artistic jobs." Regardless, the results are gorgeous still.

Stebbins may have done the hard digging and lugging himself, but the project did have collaborators: "I worked with Anne Zill, who was the gallery director at the time, also Joe Wolfberg who taught at UNE was very involved." I will be reaching out to these two to find out their views of the labyrinth, so please do look for more updates here in the future.

The labyrinth in mid-April 2026. [M.Y. Souliere]

--------

Next up will most likely be another Portland labyrinth -- the one on the front lawn of St. Luke's church on State Street, just a short stroll from the Green Hand Bookshop! (thanks again, Rudi!!)

Local low-riding woodchuck processional escort.

Labyrinth Path update!

2025-12-09T16:11:00.000-05:00

Hi all -- it was refreshing to reboot posts on this blog last month. I am continuing on, even if some posts are updates/notes rather than full-blown articles. It will be good to restore some continuity here.

With that in mind... an update!

Since the first labyrinth post, I have heard of at least one other local labyrinth here in the Portland area:

-- on the front lawn of St. Luke's church on State Street, just a short stroll from the Green Hand Bookshop! (thanks Rudi!!)

I've also begun chatting with Ethan Stebbins, who installed the stone labyrinth behind UNE's Payson Gallery, and hope to visit that site soon and report back. His current work is gorgeous, and unites his stonework into wood furniture, with breathtaking results:

ethanstebbins.com or on IG: @stebbinsdesign

As the cold settles into the ground, and brittle sounds snap back as we step on ice and snow on our way home through the darkening winter world, I hope you all have cozy corners to curl up in and good friends to spend time with. Here's to shining our light into all the corners of our overlapping worlds as we step forward each day.

Wabi Sabi Console by Ethan Stebbins (2025; black walnut, granite)

Labyrinths in Maine - a starting point

2025-11-11T18:33:00.002-05:00

After taking a half-day workshop about labyrinths this spring, these intriguing designs have been flitting about the corners of my mind. I’d heard of various labyrinths in Maine, including at least one in Portland. This of course led me to wonder how many there are, what they are like, and whether Maine’s history of relationships with labyrinths extends further back, before the modern resurgence.

And then it occurred to me that others of you might like to know the answers to these questions, or you might just be curious about labyrinths in general, so… here you go! The first fresh Strange Maine blog article in a while, and hopefully the start of a series. Hope you enjoy!

How many labyrinths does Maine have? The Labyrinth Locator (labyrinthlocator.org), an excellent resource, lists a total of fifty-one labyrinths in Maine.

As with everything else in Maine, they run the gamut in their types, purposes, and accessibility.

Thirty-one are listed as public labyrinths. Thirteen are listed as private labyrinths.

In between these lie seven labyrinths available by appointment.

Their locations are divided almost equally between public places and private property.

Many are on the grounds of schools or churches.

Most are outdoors, but six live indoors, out of reach of the weather.

One labyrinth is temporary, and five are portable (yes, there are portable labyrinths!).

Two labyrinths on the registry are located in Portland, where I live. The first, at Trinity Episcopal Church, is near Woodfords Corner at 580 Forest Avenue. One of the “portable” labyrinths, this one is modeled after the labyrinth in the Chartres cathedral and painted on canvas, and carefully spread and lit for occasional Labyrinth Walks, when the church opens the doors to its Lincoln Hall for a couple of hours, allowing people to walk and meditate in a way that is uniquely personal and universal at the same time. NOTE: The last Labyrinth Walk posted to their Facebook page was on March 2nd, 2025, and according to the parish, they are on hiatus except for special occasions like the Christmas season, and Lent. Their website is trinitychurchportland.org

The second, not far away, resides on the grounds of the University of New England, at 716 Stevens Avenue, backing onto the edge of Evergreen Cemetery behind the UNE Art Gallery. Crafted of local fieldstones by Ethan Stebbins, a Maine based master stone carver and wood crafter, it is a 5-circuit medieval pattern.

One is almost required to assume there are other Maine labyrinths not listed here officially, living their mazy lives off the grid or unknown to most of the public. It goes with the territory here.

Does Maine have a long history of labyrinths? At first glance, there is little to see. In the 1800s and 1900s, it was a common word appearing in the prose of local newspapers, though most often linked with conversational styles, politics, ancient foreign ruins, or mythology. It is not until around the year 2000 when articles start appearing about Mainers building their own labyrinths. However, I will continue to seek the entrance to this puzzle, and let you know if I find more! If past experiences are anything to go by, eventually something interesting will turn up.

If you are interested in labyrinths, you may find some kindred spirits at the Labyrinth Society (labyrinthsociety.org), among the most visible participants of the global labyrinth culture.

On a personal note:

I started writing and researching this article in the hopes I could return to a regular practice of adding brief stories to my blog. I quickly realized that the labyrinths of Maine (as with so many other Maine things!) are likely a larger journey, so I am going to use this post as a starting point, close to home, and work my way out from there. This way I can give attention to segments of Maine’s labyrinths, adding posts as I am able to visit them, or speak with folks involved with them – without finding myself immediately bogged down in yet another massive project that takes over a decade to complete [insert wild hilarity here].

The last 5 years have been rough, both personally for myself and my family, and financially for my business, the Green Hand Bookshop. This has often limited my free time and energy, as major real-world priorities took over, and the also-important but fun stuff, like my Maine historic research, was required more often than not to be set aside. In an attempt to mitigate this creative drought, I did squeeze in many efforts for a friend, things which aligned with my own Maine interests but fed their pursuits. It turned out this was a misjudgment on my part, rooted in the vulnerable path of some of my darkest Covid-era days, and undermined my own resources extensively -- and after five years they cut and ran, rewards grasped tightly in hand.

Through turmoil, tedium and grief, I have continued working on a number of larger in-depth research projects, so do not fear – things Strange Maine are still afoot, if in the shadows and underground. It’s one of the things that has kept me going through it all.

I look forward to the time soon when my obligations lift enough that I will fly free of those shadows and return to threading my roots deep within the forests and coastline of Maine. See you there, if not before!

In review: International Cryptozoology Conference 2024

2024-05-07T18:16:00.003-04:00

Portland, ME -- April 26^th and 27^th, 2024

Much anticipated since the previous one, held here in 2019, the 5^th International Cryptozoology Conference finally happened!

Events kicked off on Friday night with an informal VIP pizza dinner. Christopher Packard was presented with the award of Cryptozoologist of the Year! Following this we were treated to a talk by author J.W. Ocker, the keynote speaker.

Ocker’s most recent book, The United States of Cryptids, chronicles his epic quest across America to find a cryptid for each state of the Union, in a travelquest that will sound appealing to any of us who have pondered embarking on a journey in search of weird roadside destinations. Ocker makes no bones about the fact that he is not a field investigator – he is more accurately someone who has adventures based on the search for local cryptid-related beers and museums. My horror readers will also recognize his name from such chillers as Twelve Nights in Rotter House.

In his travels, he found 40 cryptid statues, 18 cryptid museums, and 24 cryptid festivals. We were treated to an abbreviated tour of his favorites, the good and the bad, and tantalizing photos of some of the places he went.

His first conclusion: “Bigfoot is BIG!” The prevalence of the Big Guy across the United States first perplexed and eventually annoyed Ocker, who probably had been hoping for more of a variety of idiosyncratic local oddities, but instead found a scattered handful of them, among a preponderance of the Bigfoot variations that dominate the landscape. Why is this, beyond the obvious presence in pretty much every state, and popular appeal in general? As Loren Coleman posited to him, maybe – just maybe – it’s because we are a narcissistic species, fascinated by our own reflection in this wildman of the woods.

J.W. Ocker - United States of Cryptids author

Some of the cryptids he found were truly strange (like the flying clam of Battle Mountain, NV, which I now need to know much, much more about), and anomalous local creatures such as the giant, kitchen-table-sized turtle of Churubusco, Indiana, whose legend lives on today in the town’s Turtle Days festival. Both of these sound like great fodder for local authors to write a book about!

While many of these cases were based on events and legends local to the area, others were more arbitrary, such as the Norfolk VA alliance with mermaids, which was based on their popular appeal and not much else. In other regions, like Wisconsin (the Hodag, the Rhinelapus, Mt. Horeb trolls, and the Beast of Bray Road!), he found a plethora of unique attractions that put other states to shame. Wisconsin’s critter lineup also presented a mix of origins – some were unabashedly human-generated, while others originated in genuine cryptid sightings.

At any rate, Ocker’s talk reminded me of the delights of roadside attractions, and the joy of going on roadtrips just for the sake of seeing something weird and different. It’s a lot easier to do that now, with books like Ocker’s doing some of the legwork for you, and taking their place alongside the original “Weird” series by Mark Moran and crew (Weird US, Weird New England, et al), and websites like Atlas Obscura and the OG, Roadside America. With these resources ready to hand, you could take fun roadtrips for the rest of your life and never run out of places to visit!

Ocker’s talk was followed by a screening of the film Big Fur, ably introduced by director Dan Wayne. I don’t think any of us were prepared for what that led to, and I’m glad he mentioned that it was okay to laugh, because almost right off the bat we realized that this was a uniquely quirky film about a weirdly fascinating pocket of North American (indeed international) craftsmanship and the niche society that has grown up around that pursuit – taxidermy.

"Big Fur" Director, Dan Wayne

Not only did the film introduce us to the amazing artistry of award-winning taxidermist Ken Walker, but also it demonstrated the wide range of work within that field, both technical and creative. Those of you who, like myself, are sensitive to the treatment of animals will not have any trouble here. Dan Wayne took pains to make this film as accessible as possible, and I think even the most squeamish of viewers will find that barriers have been removed to your enjoyment of this fascinating glimpse of artists treating their subjects with care and respect.

Above all, it is a film that emphasizes the humanness of Ken Walker’s chosen life, and the overriding determination to appreciate and revere the wilderness, and how important it is to fight alongside the conservationists against the tide of greedy corporate desolation that is flattening our continent’s native assets and destroying our large forests forever. I think that’s something we can all get behind.

On Saturday, I was very happy to start the day off with my talk “Back into the Woods,” updating folks on my Bigfoot in Maine research, with a focus on a cluster of sightings in Western Maine, which will be part of volume 2. It’s going to be another couple of years before it’s all wrapped up and on its way to you all, but it will be worth the wait!

Biologist and cryptid hunter Pat Spain (yay!) was up next, and once again he entertained us with some fun adventures from his work during his talk, “Cryptozoology Adventures.” I first met Pat when we shared an Uber on our way to the very 1^st International Cryptozoology Conference, held down in St. Augustine, Florida – way back in 2016! He is a descendant of Charles Fort, which only serves to give him additional Fortean creds.

Spain, in addition to his dayjob in the biology field, is best known for his TV shows Beast Hunter and Legend Hunter, and more recently his travelogue books based on those experiences (all of which I carry at the Green Hand Bookshop!), which are just as entertaining and informative as his shows were.

He spoke about his experiences in the lab and in the field, and how important and even necessary legends are to us. Legends, beyond leaving clues about little-seen animals, help cultures explain the unexplainable, and also create some interesting leeway and workarounds within cultures. Ask your local anthropologist about the Boto, and its role in local villages, or how local society treats men who are afraid of crocodiles vs. those who respect the hunting grounds of Mokele-mbembe.

Spain talked about the presence of barracudas in Maine (which I now have to look up, seriously), and participating in the first ever CAT scan of an oarfish, and discussed his opinions on the cadborosaurus, which he posits to have a likelihood to simply be an undiscovered species. Similarly, he speculates that the legendary Mapinguari is most likely a giant ground sloth.

He related to us all sorts of intriguing facts, including that according to residents of Sumatra, the tigers there are very polite, and that when he spoke with Mike Morwood, who spearheaded efforts that led to the discovery of Homo floresiensis in 2003, Morwood told him that he thought Homo floresiensis survived into as late as the 1920s. Spain also lauded camera trap operators for their role in documenting elusive species in the wild.

But he hasn’t just hunted legendary creatures – in his show Legend Hunter he also sought out human strangeness, which led him down odd and unexpected paths. I mean, who knew that he would wind up having a psionic vampire drinking his energy, only to be told he tasted like charcoal and lavender?


Past & current Cryptozoologists of the Year: Packard, Ocker, presenter Coleman, and Spain.

Next up was Jean Tewksbury, former International Cryptozoology Museum docent, and admin of the Facebook group “Eastern Ghost Cat Research,” where she continues her search to establish the presence of cougars here in Maine. Jean was an avid Bigfoot field researcher when I first met her years ago, but after she had a roadside encounter with cougar cubs here in Maine, she switched her focus to these beautiful big cats.

Jean Tewksbury on mystery cats

Her talk, “Mystery Cats,” was very informative, and included interesting nuggets such as a demonstration of how the most common misidentification for supposed cougars are often actually deer, foreshortened in game camera shots as they feed bent down. She reminded us that there have been no illegal cat seizures by Maine authorities, despite claims that sightings are those of vanity pet owners’ exotic animals getting loose.

She also advised that if you have a cougar sighting yourself, you should contact your regional Maine biologist rather than the game wardens, as wardens deal only in hunting laws (there is no hunting season for cougar in Maine, therefore any hunting of them is illegal) – the biologists are the ones who would record and investigate sightings.

If any of you have cougar reports for Jean, I’m happy to put you in touch with her via email.

Dan Wayne escorts the mammoth figure of Patty to her new home in the ICM!

Next up was Chris Packard, continuing in a felid vein with a talk on Mountain Lions: “Big Cats Are Scary: A case study of cryptozoology and folklore.” While Jean had focused on the real-world ramifications of cougars in Maine, Chris delved into the history that forms the shadowy foundations of those rumors and sightings. Chris is also the new Vice President of the International Cryptozoology Museum.

Chris Packard on Mythical Creatures

Maine is host to more than one big cat, even counting out the cougar, but the lynx and the bobcat are both nocturnal, making them even more unlikely to be seen than their big cousin, the Eastern Cougar, which is crepuscular (feeding in the half-light of dawn and dusk).

Chris talked about the protean nature of oral history, in which stories change over time to adapt to the changes in the world around us, and gave examples of some of his favorite big cats from folklore, such as the Ding-Ball, the Dungavenhooter (or Dungarvon Whooper in New Brunswick), and the Monkey-Bear-Pig (aka porcupines!).

Many of these are covered in Chris’s excellent book, Mythical Creatures of Maine.

Wen Eldridge - Cryptozoology Facts

Next we heard from Wen Eldridge, founder of the Facebook group “Cryptozoology Facts,” who did a bang up job reminding us of the diversity of cryptozoology with her presentation about “My Favorite 25 Cryptozoology Facts.” The talk covered everything from the Boston Lemur to I-don’t-know-what, and it is easy to see why Wen has such a following. She is very straight-forward in her approach, and is enthusiastic and fun to boot!

David Goudsward, a longtime researcher of historic lore, regaled us with “Cryptozoology, Cthulhu, and Lovecraft,” taking us down unspeakable roads. His past research has focused on New England oddities, and sea monsters (he spoke at the 2016 conference on this topic, if I recall correctly).

First he addressed the challenges of working between multiple frameworks. Context is everything! Is it Fortean? Cryptozoological? Lovecraftian? That out of the way, he dove right into the deep end. Did H.P. Lovecraft appreciate Charles Fort’s work? Short answer: he saw him as the source of some good story prompts, but didn’t have much regard for his writing ability.

This source for material seems to have been taken up by many of Lovecraft’s crowd as well, and between these authors many a report on zoological curiosities and bizarre newspaper clippings about anomalous occurrences were exchanged.

Goudsward’s take on the Lovecraftian Mythos is that it is cryptid-adjacent, feeding on early exposure to such “monsters” as Komodo dragons in the Bronx Zoo, talk of Gloucester’s sea monster, Nessie, the Cherbourg carcass, Byrd’s polar explorations, lost races in the work of pulp predecessors like Edgar Rice Burroughs, and lots and lots of local folklore heard about in newspapers or from local gossip.

Lovecraft acted as a conduit for this material, also encouraging his peers to take the time to listen to local stories, and freely divulging the sources for his inspiration, such as his letter to Fritz Leiber discussing the Mi-Go (the name of an alien race from Lovecraft’s “The Whisperer in Darkness,” but originally drawn from early newspaper accounts of Yeti tracks found in the Himalayas).

The weekend was concluded with by Loren Coleman’s presentation on “Digging into Skinwalker Ranch’s Cryptozoology” and closing remarks. At least as early as 1974, the strange phenomena at Skinwalker Ranch has included reports of weird animals, starting with Bigfoot-like creature sightings alongside UFOs and other phenomena, and blurring into and out of the taboo skinwalker culture in the region.

Overall, the area seems to continue to “collect strangeness.” The current ownership, and the subsequent popularization of the ongoing experiments there via reality TV, have continued to produce interest in this inexplicable place.

Loren continued to stir the pot by reminding us that: the Mormon influence in the region is pervasive, many people have theories that portals on the ranch create opportunities for anomalous creatures to travel into and out of the property, and cause phenomena such as cattle mutilations. Among the wild and wooly cast of characters are reptilians, a dinobeaver, weird owls, Bigfoot-type creatures, innocent livestock being used as bio-indicators, and dire wolves and other lupine manifestations. Many strange things have been seen, but no good photographs of creatures have been captured yet.

And on that strange note, the conference wrapped up. Loren proposes that Bangor, Maine, will be the site of the next conference, as renovations on the new ICM building there proceed apace.

See you all there!!!

Photographic evidence of rare elusive cryptid seen in lecture hall!

Happy 50th Anniversary to Stephen King's Carrie!

2024-04-07T10:47:00.002-04:00


The original hardcover jacket art for Carrie.

[image courtesy of @from__my__bookshelf]

When a Boston Globe reporter contacted me in early March 2024, and asked if I could chat with him about the upcoming 50^th Anniversary of Stephen King’s Carrie, I was thrilled. I was also amazed – 50 years! How wild (and how significant) that this seminal King book is at the half-century mark – it’s kind of unbelievable.

At any rate, after talking to Mark Shanahan of the Boston Globe, and thinking more about the book, I wanted to sit down with my notes and write out some of my responses to Carrie to mark the occasion of her anniversary. {NOTE: I’m posting this on both the Strange Maine blog and the Green Hand blog.}

In preparation, I tore through the book in two sittings overnight. By a strange coincidence, a friend had just randomly given me their spare copy the week before, so I had one handy (thanks Amanda!!). I also had this silly image from back in Sept. 2012 when I posted about how September 21st is Mr. King's birthday -- and it is also Carrie White's birthday! (Talk about a fire hazard!!!)

I found Carrie far more stunning during this re-read than when I first read it. This is for a couple of reasons. 1) I didn’t first read it when I was a kid. That didn’t happen until I was around 30 years old. (No judgement, please! I was terrified of horror books as a kid, because I had a way-too-active imagination.) I can’t even imagine how primal and disturbingly real I would have found it as a teenager – I certainly saw and experienced elements of it in too-close real life. 2) When I did finally read it, it was as an audiobook, which loses a huge amount in translation. I’ll talk more about this below.

What makes Carrie so special? Above all, it is Stephen King’s first published novel, infamously saved from the trash bin by his wife, Tabitha. It is very clearly a harbinger of major things to come. Even if it had been his only book (imagine that for a minute!), it would still have been a stunning debut.

Mixed into the vast pile of “paperbacks from Hell” that was strewn across checkout lanes and bookshops beginning in the 1970s, its contents differed particularly from most of its peers in one significant way: its main character was a powerful young female. If you have read a sampling of other horror novels from this time period, you will have noticed that very few female characters are employed by authors that move beyond the basics. Most are simple placeholders, reflective characters, stereotypes (notably the slut or bitch).

An early printing in paperback.

But one of the first things I noticed when re-reading Carrie was that within the 1^st fifth of the book alone, we are introduced to at least a dozen women, and at least half of those have noticeably complex personalities. They are not cookie cutter characters. Especially in comparison to his peers, this is a phenomenal achievement.

The other reason these multi-layered characters are possible is because King writes Carrie in a way that is already cinematic. Narration cuts between characters seamlessly, with no confusion about the fact we are hearing from a new character. The story is told from a multitude of different viewpoints, each cleanly building on the last, rather than muddying the chain of events. Each of these threads also paints a picture of the small town world that Carrie is a part of, however isolated from it she might be by her mother’s obstructive tendencies.

Not only does the telling shift between the people in the story, but also it shifts between their internal dialogue and what they are saying verbally, in the real world. Layers upon layers build up quickly. To fully experience the graceful formatting of text that allows this to unfold, I recommend reading the real paper-and-ink version, rather than listening to the audiobook.

King drops in segments of other works – articles from clinical publications, medical reports, excerpts from autobiographies, even snippets of graffiti documented from various small landmarks left behind during Carrie’s painful academic and social path. His incorporation of these snippets informs us early on that the journey we are embarking on has both deep roots in the social past, and also has vast implications in the near future. It is all done very neatly. Nothing feels extraneous.

It gives the novel an epistolary feel, but each interjection is brief enough that it feels more like the beginning of insight rather than interrupting the flow. It also makes one want to find and read these other works – to go down the rabbithole of The Shadow Exploded: Documented Facts and Specific Conclusions Derived from the Case of Carietta White, Black Prom: The White Commission Report, My Name Is Susan Snell (1986), Carrie: the Black Dawn of Telekinesis, Ogilvie’s Dictionary of Psychic Phenomena - to hunt down articles like “We Survived the Black Prom” and “Telekinesis: Analysis and Aftermath”. [NOTE: The efficacy of these inclusions are something that gets lost when the book is read via audiobook.]

The book is painful, and a terrifically fast read. But somehow the little details are laid in sharp focus, and like the best slow horror, these tiny ghosts come back to you later in the quiet hours when you find yourself alone, thinking about Carrie. For myself and many others, this means thinking back to when we were in school. How others treated us. How we treated others. If you were an outsider, like I and many of my friends were, there are noticeable parallels, both experienced personally and observed as others nearby were attacked around us over the years.

There is also, oddly and importantly, an appreciation of how perhaps not every popular girl is as perfect or as set on conformity as her peers. It goes both ways. This book is a good reminder of that.

It also excels at noting the often deadly power of silence. Of not speaking up. The silence that represses, until a multitude of small sad or horrible things explode under pressure, launching sideways out into the world, publicly and without chance of avoidance. It’s too late. Yet it happens over and over again.

We don’t act on these warnings, we simply continue on, and forget. As Susan Snell says ominously, a mere 7 years after the events in Carrie: “They’ve forgotten her, you know.” It doesn’t take long before the cycle starts all over again. We humans are pretty terrible at learning from our mistakes. Even in the interleaved snippets in Carrie, this missing-the-whole-point occurs, as pundits and analysts focus on tracking down the genetic markers of the next Carrie, rather than on reminders that maybe we humans should treat each other with more compassion, and thereby divert ourselves from causing volatile eruptions.

As horrifying as Carrie is, it somehow doesn’t feel exploitative. There are moments when King could have really put the screws to us and he chose not to. Unbearable moments that are glimpsed in merciful fragments. And tiny details tie back to earlier omens, right down to the beating of water on the shower room tiles, and are transformed, rooting and blooming into something horrible and new.

At the end of the book, forced by this sequence of small-but-terrible events, Carrie has truly come into her own, and everyone – everyone in town knows her at last, though they never wanted to.

One of the questions the journalist asked was what influence I saw in modern culture from Carrie. I really struggled with answering that. In looking back over those 50 years, few came in King’s footsteps who dared unleash on their readers that very real element of female power and the hazard of its incandescent rage. It is possible that it is truly too terrifying for most people to handle. Too real.

Only in the last 10 years am I seeing horror which regularly features this complex female element, and many of these books are coming out of the current “new horror” wave, emerging as publishers such as Tor Nightfire hit their stride and push out some extraordinarily fierce female-driven horror. In discussing it with my husband, it’s also so obvious I don’t even need to mention that the “final girl” trope, which has finally come into its own in both film and fiction, harbors more than strong echoes of Carrie.

Reading Carrie again made me wonder a few things. King wrote ahead of his time. The book, released in 1974, chronicles events that were set in 1979, witnessing also their ripple effects in the years directly afterward. Was he trying to point out how human stresses in our schools among our children might play out, if something wasn’t done to alter our trajectory? Or was he just eerily prescient of a trend in school violence to come, killing hundreds of children between 2000 and 2021?

At any rate, intentional or not, Carrie’s story reminds us that the ability to hurt each other and to ignore the pain of our fellow humans is still something we haven’t learned to improve yet. And King doesn’t create this larger story. We continue to do that, all by ourselves.

On a more curious note, I also wondered about King’s appraisal of telekinesis, and whether he hoped that someday we would find proof that it and other psychic abilities are amongst our hardwired heritage as human beings. A terrifying and exhilarating prospect, and one which I have pondered myself, ever since I was a little girl – long before I read Carrie (that would have been when I was reading The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts!). And access to that ability is something that scares as much as it empowers, even from the point of view of whoever wields it.

I hope that those of you who haven’t read Carrie in many years will consider picking up the book again for a quick re-read, and those of you who haven’t met Carrie White might take this opportunity to get to know her. After all, she’s just the girl down the block that you’ve never paid any attention to before. What could possibly go wrong?

Ghost Houses?

2024-02-11T18:14:00.004-05:00

Of course (like you?) I am always interested in ghost stories. There are so many types of hauntings!

A recent find made me think that perhaps when I eventually begin to write my book about true Maine ghost stories (yes, it's in the pipeline, behind a couple other ones!), one chapter should be about Maine ghost houses, as it appears there is more than one.

What do I think of as a ghost house, as opposed to a haunted house? A ghost house is one that reappears in its prior form, as the ghost of what it once was, where only a ruin of itself remains now. This occurrence is uncommon, but occasionally some unwitting person is there to witness it happening, and that is how the rest of us find out about such otherworldly things.

A good example of this is Chapter 10 in Carol Olivieri Schulte's Ghosts on the Coast of Maine, titled "The Invisible Estate," set in Northport.

If you know of any local Maine stories about a house that isn't there... until sometimes it is! ... please do drop me a line. I'd love to hear about it.

2023 in review - a personal note

2024-01-21T17:03:00.006-05:00

Hi everyone!

Wow, I started out 2023 with a resolution to revitalize my blog, but man -- I did not foresee what the year was going to bring. Health problems decimated the bulk of the year, overlapped by business struggles, and worst of all, my mother's illness and death. I will not miss 2023 -- so long! I'm glad to try starting out fresh again in January 2024.

Because I had so much bad news last year, I didn't share a huge amount on here, but that doesn't mean I wasn't working away on Strange Maine things in the background.

Bigfoot in Maine -- I continued recording eyewitness accounts for Volume 2, and even managed a few field trips here and there (but never enough!) with some very good friends. These accounts are all over the state, some tying in with eyewitness accounts from Bigfoot in Maine (v1), and some filling in blank spaces on the map where I hadn't been yet. Most of the field trips were in York County - I hope to get into Western Maine and up north a bit sometime in 2024.

To start off 2024 on a high note, in Episode #244 (1/8/2024) of Bigfoot and Beyond with Cliff and Bobo, Cliff interviewed Aleks Petakov of Small Town Monsters, and he gave my book a terrific shoutout! Aleks is an ace in the New England Bigfoot field investigation pantheon. If you have a New Hampshire eyewitness report you'd like to file, he's your guy.

You can listen to that episode and others here:

https://www.bigfootandbeyondpodcast.com/listen

Or find Aleksander's email and other info on his website here: https://petakovmedia.com/

More research and site visits are planned for 2024, not to mention a talk at the upcoming International Cryptozoology Conference where you'll get the first preview of some of these cases.

Tickets/details here: https://www.simpletix.com/e/international-cryptozoology-conference-202-tickets-156134

A nice pairing - Nov 2023

Strange Maine - I collaborated with Kristen Seavey, who runs the excellent Murder She Told true crime podcast (which I highly recommend if you haven't checked it out yet!). In addition to suggesting her Tot Harriman episode, in late 2022 I handed over my archive of articles and research about the unsolved Dennis Down homicide (Falmouth, 1958) to Kristen, and in October 2023 she aired the episode after adding her own substantial research efforts and fleshing out the story for her listeners.

I still hope someday this one can be solved, I find it quite haunting, especially because it disappeared - I discovered it wasn't even listed on the register of Maine's unsolved cases when I was digging around after it.

You can listen to it here or on the podcast app of your choice:

https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/dennis-down?rq=dennis%20down

I also continued to set aside some Maine stories of hauntings, which will eventually become a book in its own right.

In December I had an opportunity to meet some Maine legends, author Carolyn Chute and her husband Michael Chute (and their dog Jake!). Amazing! I look forward to many future conversations with them.

Other projects: I am continuing to work on a biography of a Mainer who is unknown to most nowadays. When I finish writing and finally get to launch that book, I hope it will remind people of all the unwritten, forgotten, fascinating folks and events that make up Maine's history -- for instance his story is how I found out about the Dennis Down murder case. There are so many, this is just one - but one that crisscrossed so many iconic elements of Maine history that you will be swept up in his story.

Here's to a good start to 2024 -- Happy New Year, everyone!

Keep your eyes and ears open, and look around you. There are worlds within worlds to discover everywhere you go in Maine!

Will Work While Not in School

2023-01-10T22:04:00.000-05:00

Many moons ago, I received a nice pile of old Eastern Argus copies.

This Portland, Maine newspaper was published for over 100 years, starting in the very early 1800s. The Portland Public Library has microfilm versions of it from 1803 to 1921, but there is no way to compare with holding a copy of it in your hands!

The paper is soft and cottony, and it was printed using movable metal type, producing texture and a much more enjoyable reading experience than the inky flat newsprint of today. In the Friday issue of December 9, 1836, among the advertisers is:

A YOUNG MAN, From the country, being anxious to attend School, either day or evening, -- will work in a family, at a very reasonable rate, whilst not at school. Inquiries at this office.

I do love creative problem solving.

True crime: A Maine treasure long missing

2022-11-07T17:36:00.000-05:00

I don't talk a whole lot about my own history and life on this blog, but this story draws on it in a number of ways. I left home when I was 16 years old. I went to high school, worked a job, and had an apartment of my own (having lied about my age on the lease). Relationships with my parents were frayed, to say the least. At one point my dad decided to try to find a way to spend time with me, and also share a useful and enjoyable experience with me, and enrolled us together in a cooking course through Portland Adult Education. He had taken a course with the teacher before, and thought she was great. Her name was Tot Harriman.

Photo by David A. Rogers in the Portland Press Herald 4/30/95 issue

Tot, born in Vietnam and now long-married to a U.S. veteran, wanted to share her cooking skills and her enjoyment of food with her other American neighbors here in the Portland area. And my dad was right -- she was terrific. Her personality was indomitable, sparkling, and very like a fireball at peak moments. She was a great teacher, pragmatic, nonjudgmental, and straightforward. We all learned a lot of useful and memorable techniques, mostly for stir-fry cooking, but towards the end of class she threw in some other more challenging menu items that gave us an idea of what else could be possible.

I still use her simple technique for cooking perfect rice today, and her teaching informed my stir-fry techniques that I use on a regular basis as well. The course was back in the late 1980s, and Tot's instructions echo in my head whenever I do any of these things. I see her strong hands at work cutting, her finger measuring the depth of water over rice in the pot, and showing us the best way to use different ingredients at each point in the cooking process, and how to serve a plate so it looks appealing.

It was with great sorrow and shock that I saw an article in the newspaper back in 2001 reporting that Tot was missing. She had vanished during a househunting roadtrip in Texas, where she moved after raising her children in Maine. To think of that tiny powerhouse of a woman, perpetually giving to everyone around her, being subject to whatever tragedy had happened so many miles away, broke my heart. Every so often I would check up on the case, but despite her family continuing to post online seeking leads, all that remained was a big question mark.

In the last couple of years (her first episode dropped in Dec 2020), Kristen Seavey has been working hard on her true crime podcast, Murder She Told, which focuses on mostly Maine and New England cases. Her journalism is clear, compassionate, and seeks the truth, especially in cases where families are left still asking questions. I thought maybe if I suggested Tot's case to her, she might someday do an episode about this woman who left such a mark on my life.

To my endless gratitude, that really did happen this autumn. You can listen to the two part coverage of Tot's case here, and see lots of photos from her amazing life, too:

Part 1 - https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/tot-harriman

Part 2 - https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/tot-harriman-2

I had always known Tot had lived an astonishing life. Anyone who made it alive out of the Vietnam War to come to America had; I knew this in part because I went to elementary school with some kids who had made it out too. My father had also hinted that her life story was remarkable, but beyond a few brief mentions, Tot's history was never the focus of her class talks. Here is where Kristen steps in.

Through Kristen's research and through interviews with Chien Si, Tot's son, she illuminates Tot's life, first in Vietnam, and then through her risky escape to the United States, her adopted home. Tot lives again in these moments as we listen, and we hear how much she did, how many people's lives she touched, and how her family loved her. How her disappearance has left a hole in their lives.

As you listen to these episodes, Tot will live again, and be remembered. And maybe, someday, if the right person comes forward, her family will finally find out what happened to her.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Tot Harriman, please contact the League City PD (TX) at (281)332-2566.

Thank you Tot, for teaching me. And thank you Kristen!!!

EVENT: Spooky Zoom talk! October 13 w/Portsmouth Public Library

2022-09-03T09:05:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone! I'm giving a fun spooky Zoom talk with Portsmouth Public Library in October!! If you (or someone you know) would like to attend, here's the link!

This event requires registration. To register visit: portsmouthpl.librarycalendar.com/event/strange

WHAT: "There's Something in the Woods" Zoom talk

WHERE: Online via Zoom, hosted by Portsmouth Public Library!

WHEN: Thursday, October 13, 2022 @ 7 PM – 8:30 PM

COST: Free! Open to the public via pre-registration here:
portsmouthpl.librarycalendar.com/event/strange

FMI: cityofportsmouth.com/library/news/onlineprograms

Join Portsmouth Public Library as they host Maine author Michelle Souliere for an evening of creepy local stories from Maine and New Hampshire! Michelle is the author of the books Strange Maine and Bigfoot in Maine, and is the owner of The Green Hand Bookshop in Portland, ME.

Cozy up on your couch or in your favorite reading chair and tune in via zoom for accounts of the "York County Poltergeist," "Bigfoot in Maine and New Hampshire," and more! At the end of the night, you will be absolutely convinced ... there's something in the woods.

This event requires registration. To register visit: portsmouthpl.librarycalendar.com/event/strange

Winslow Homer and his view of the stark Maine landscape

2022-08-12T13:48:00.003-04:00

Just a heads-up -- if you haven't been to the Maine Maritime Museum, now would be an excellent time to go!

Artist Zach Horn contacted me and mentioned his intriguing take on Winslow Homer, on exhibit now through November 27, 2022 at the museum (alongside other great exhibits!).

The show, called "Looking for Winslow Homer," is a combination of installation, painting, and stop motion animation. Zach's work is about the metaphysical connection to place. Winslow Homer was observant and expressive enough in his work to be able to capture the unique "self" of the Maine landscape in all its guises, from pastoral to dramatic, from simple to overwhelming. You can find info about the show here:

https://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/exhibition/looking-for-winslow-homer/

If you'd like to check out the museum but miss the show, here's the link to their website for hours, etc.:
https://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/

OR if you happen to be in Vermont and not in Maine, Zach is also putting together another very intriguing artshow I'm sure you'll all love, an exhibition about inexplicable occurrences which will be on display at the Bennington Museum this fall, called "In the Shadow of the Hills."

Zach can be found online here: https://www.zachhornart.com/

Here's one of many stunning Winslow Homer's out there in the world, many of which are held at the Portland Museum of Art:

"Watching the Breaker [A High Sea]" by Winslow Homer

Rumors! Exciting rumors about the long-defunct Funtown Haunted Mansion!!

2022-08-04T14:23:00.000-04:00

Okay, things have been pretty quiet here on the blog while I've been working away at interviews and research, but this little tidbit is too exciting not to talk about.

Back when I was a little kid, my family used to drive down to Biddeford regularly to visit with all our cousins, aunts and uncles. If we took US Route 1, we would drive past the corridor where Funtown and Aquaboggan lived, in Saco, and I would always stare out the window and wonder about the creepy-looking house that backed onto Route 1 in front of Funtown.

Years later, I found out that it wasn't just an abandoned house in the middle of all that summer fun -- it was actually a local haunt attraction! Back when I was little I wouldn't have dared go in, after getting the junk scared out of me at a local haunted house put on by one of the TV stations here in Portland (maybe WGME? I think it was out by the Northgate shopping center at Allen and Washington Aves). But as a teenager, my little goth self was very intrigued, but was rarely out that way on my own. The Haunted Mansion was shut down in 1996 as Funtown began tightening up on potential risk factors at the amusement park.

Now, according to a post on WCYY (source: https://wcyy.com/funtown-hints-at-the-return-of-the-haunted-mansion-in-2023/), there are hints that Funtown is going to resuscitate the long-dead attraction, and resurrect the Haunted Mansion -- or something scary, at least. HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE???

Here's the breadcrumb everyone is following: a post on Funtown's own Facebook page!

If you never knew the Haunted Mansion, or are curious about it, there used to be a great website run by Dave Gagne, one of the many folks who worked there over the years who loved the attraction, but unfortunately thehauntedmansion.org appears to be defunct. So you'll have to make do with WCYY's post about it here: https://wcyy.com/long-lost-attraction-the-infamous-haunted-mansion-at-funtown-in-saco-maine/

Here's hoping we'll get a new local haunt attraction out of these rumblings from the grave!!!

Behind the scenes!

2022-06-14T17:52:00.001-04:00

What, you think just because I have two books under my belt that I'm done? Nahhh. I've got a few things simmering away here, including a second volume of Bigfoot in Maine, and a book of Maine ghost stories that I'm collecting together (still collecting accounts for both of those). But that's not all.

I've been pinging away at a bunch of little bits of information that are proving to be extremely elusive. So I thought I'd just throw this out there, and see what pops up.

I'm looking for information on:

-- an early 1950s proposal to build an aerial tramway in Portland, Maine to increase tourist interest and ease of travel

-- a woodcarver famous for his duck decoys who worked near the Royal River Falls

-- footage of "To Tell the Truth" episode #1015 from the 1971-1972 season 3 of the show (then in its 2nd incarnation)

-- someone with connections to the Alex Tanous Foundation, because I can't seem to get any response from them (have been trying for years now)

-- early 1950s giant Bean boot prototype-on-wheels and similar giant potato, both produced to promote Maine tourism

-- anyone who was active in the Maine dowsing community in the late 1960s/early 1970s that was involved in the American Society of Dowsers

-- mid-to-late-1950s UFO sightings near Falmouth, Maine

...and about another million things. But that'll do for now.

If anyone has helpful info for me on any of the above, please email me at michelle.souliere@gmail.com -- I will greatly appreciate it!

More Bigfoot in Maine interviews & a lake monster or two

2022-04-20T21:28:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone!

It's been a while since I've done a roundup of some of the things I've been participating in, so here's a little catch-up for you.

Most recently, Rick Palmer of the Some Other Sphere podcast interviewed me about Bigfoot in Maine, and we had a really interesting conversation, which he just posted here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-78-michelle-souliere-bigfoot-in-maine/id1459984683?i=1000558123406

Prior to that, I did a couple of panel discussions on Cosmoetica, which you can view here:

Bigfoot discussion (ep #329) with host Dan Schneider and fellow guests Dr. Jeff Meldrum and Kelly Milner Halls, back in Nov 2021:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mzSAopNLts

Kind of amazed I was part of this, it was a terrific experience.

Lake Monsters! (ep #343) with host Dan Schneider and fellow guests Kelly Milner Halls and Shetan Noir, in March 2022. This time I branched out a little into aquatic cryptics, using the monster of Lake Pohenegamook, on the Quebec/Maine border, as my Maine case study.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxe5YL1FnrY

...and back at the end of last year, I had a fantastic chat with LeeAnn and Angela of the Spirited History podcast, but it was on the ParaX Radio Network, and I can't seem to find a link for an archive of the episode anywhere -- more's the pity because we discussed a bunch of Strange Maine topics, too. :( Ah well!

I hope you all enjoy these. :) Happy spring!!

Zoom EVENT: Thurs April 21: Bigfoot in Maine & New Hampshire!

2022-04-13T20:07:00.002-04:00

Hello folks! If anyone is interested in a free Zoom talk about Bigfoot in New England (focusing on the New Hampshire/Maine region), I'll be regaling viewers for the North Hampton Public Library next week, on Thurs April 21 at 7:00pm. Please pre-register here so you are able to attend: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrcu2vrT8vHtCMX7GEXEjlui_EfFEfEw2y

Flying Saucers! Well, not that kind...

2022-02-08T09:58:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone! While things have been quiet here on the blog, I've been busy fitting in research around my foolish work schedule (too much overtime, bleah). But in my delvings, I found a couple of things the other day that caught my eye. I thought you all might like to see them too. 😄

I'll transcribe the article in case the images don't load. This one is from a winter 1958 article in the Bangor Daily News.

Warning Issued to Coasters By Old Town Chief

Old Town Police Chief Robert Lee reported today that one motorist who spotted a "flying saucer" while driving along Brunswick Street today was terrified but the chief reports it was no joke.

The "flying saucer" was a small child riding atop a saucer sled coasting from a steep bank across the busy street. Luckily, he was not struck.

Lee issued a warning against such dangerous practices asking parents to tell their children not to use any grades for sliding that might end up in a street or intersection.

And in another winter issue of Bangor Daily News I found this photo, from two years later in 1960, which aptly illustrates the irresistible joy of sailing through the air on FLYING SAUCERS!!!

Caption reads:

FOR REAL "FLYING" SAUCERS -- The man on the business end of a shovel might not display the enthusiasm for the season's snowfall that these two youngsters do. But Mark Pooler and Susan Purinton of Bangor, both 11, beam with joy about the whole situation as they sail out into the air on their flying saucers over a bank of the wonderful white stuff. (NEWS photo by Maher)

I hope everyone is having a great winter, and enjoying all the white stuff out there. Before you know it, spring will be here!

Happy Halloween from Strange Maine!

2021-10-27T11:49:00.003-04:00

Photo by Michelle Y. Souliere

Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying Halloween week in spite of the blustery weather. It really feels like October now! This past week I spoke with Courtney Lanning of WCSH, and the results appear in a fun article about all things spooky, alongside Loren Coleman and Jamie Kingman-Rice from the Maine Historical Society, so I'm in great company.

You can read the article here: https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/community/spooky-maine-stories-to-know-in-time-for-halloween-bigfoot-mythology-folklore-scary/97-42bd9339-3b17-405d-869e-19230b09b49e

I'm also excited to announce that there's a new Lewiston-based podcast, The Dirty Lew Podcast, which is available on YouTube. Duke, the host, interviewed me a few months ago, and now the episode is live to kick off their Halloween season, so... have fun listening to it, and do check out their other episodes. They're trying to make something awesome happen right where they are, and they're doing a great job!

You can check out the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCg4JvSy9w8

Happy Halloween everyone!!! 🎃

Bigfoot in Maine: Q&A

2021-10-14T12:55:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone! We had a great talk last night hosted by the Maine Historical Society on Zoom. I'll be posting a link to the recording as soon as it's available for those who missed it.

I will probably be receiving questions from attendees over the next few days, and I thought other folks might be interested in hearing the answers too, so I'll be posting them here as well as emailing responses directly.

Here's the first one:

Q: Have any remains have ever been found, or a skeleton, of one one of these 'creatures.' Any fossil evidence by chance?

A: In answer to your question, to my knowledge no one in Maine has unearthed a known Bigfoot skeleton here.

You may be interested to know that in the 1886 book An Historical Sketch of the Town of Deer Isle, Maine on page 10 mention is made of the discovery of a giant skeleton some years before. We talked about that early on in the discussion. You can see that account on Google Books using this link -- just scroll ahead to page 10 and start reading from the top of that page.

https://books.google.com/books?id=UUUsGkMSq24C&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Discovery of remains is a compelling question for those of us inquiring into the existence of an unknown species in Maine. Does it mean that they bury or otherwise dispose of their dead in places where they won't be found? Or is it simply one more large animal that the efficient natural process of devouring and decomposition takes care of in the normal course of things?

Big questions!

Bigfoot in Maine update, upcoming events!

2021-09-19T20:29:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! Well, the air is getting crisper, and with October my work schedule at the shop will settle down, and with any luck I'll be able to take some fieldtrips out into the Maine woods again. I haven't been out to hike and explore since last February (see my posts Maine Wildlife in the Snow Part 1 and Part 2). It's going to be great to get out there again after too many months of too many hours of retail work (ahhhh, the joys of Maine's seasonal economy).

But somehow along with all the rest of that nonsense, I've managed to squeeze in some awesome, fun interviews to talk about my book, and set aside time in October for some Zoom library talks. I've also continued to interview eyewitnesses for volume 2.

Here are some links to some of the stuff I've been doing and other events I will be doing soon. Enjoy!

Fresh out of the gate is the latest episode (#35) of Cryptid Creatures with Brian Brock and Todd Stevens, where they quiz me about what the heck is up with Bigfoot in Maine: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MquFOgCHXepI2aglnDzhL

A little earlier in the summer I had a great chat with Ryan Knights on Episode #14 (darn it, missed Lucky 13) of The Chaos Effect. Hopefully this is one of many! https://youtu.be/qDhTb7AoLDo

I also had the pleasure of talking with Paul Bestall on episode 140 of his very intriguing UK podcast, Mysteries and Monsters. You can listen to it here -- definitely add the show to your list if you're looking for a lot of great conversations to binge!

https://audioboom.com/posts/7936192-mysteries-and-monsters-episode-140-bigfoot-in-maine-with-michelle-souliere

And waaaaaayyyy back in May I got to visit with Aleks Petakov (and Nate Brislin!) before Aleks and his team went deep into the Maine woods to explore for Beyond the Trail: Sasquatch in the Pine Tree State. You can find the episode here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvZnrDdgiAQ&t=1004s

UPCOMING EVENTS:

On Oct 13, 2021 at 7:00pm, I will be very excited for my Zoom conversation with Kathleen Neumann, the Curator of Education & Public Programs at the Maine Historical Society, about what makes this corner of New England such a perfect place for this cryptid to live. Guests will learn about the ecology and geography that support the legend, and the people forever changed by close encounters with these creatures. You can register at the link below. https://mainehistory.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ilAlA11PTMyhem5BlGnvhA

Later in October, at 6:30pm on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, we're going to give things a little tweak and peek over the border into neighboring New Hampshire. I'll be doing a Zoom talk for the Fortier Library at the White Mountains Community College. This program is a free Zoom event, and all are welcome. Preregistration is required at https://www.wmcc.edu/fortier-library/ (click the “Register for WMCC Library events here” button).

I'm sure there will be more, but I hope you all enjoy at least a few of these when you have the chance!

Bigfoot in Maine update, and ... next up - ghosts!

2021-08-23T19:35:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!

Rare quick trip to OOB in early August!

I've been working 6 days a week running my shop, working overtime across the board like so many of the rest of us in this seasonal economy, fielding the waves of tourists that come to Maine for safe harbor. I have somehow been squeezing in interviews where I can, either with reporters and podcasters about Bigfoot in Maine, or with eyewitnesses themselves for volume 2.

I must say that I am very much looking forward to autumn's approach when things slow down and I can get back out in the field again, not to mention find time to think, research and write about all things Maine.

In the background, at the same time, I am pondering the next project that I've been piecing together for some time now, which I've been looking forward to (before volume 2 of Bigfoot in Maine began demanding to be heard). And that is... ghost stories!

When I wrote Strange Maine, I minimized the amount of spooks in the book (although there are a few) because at the time I thought Maine had some good ghost story books already out there for folks to choose from. But the more I've dug around, and the more people I've talked to, the more I've realized that Maine really has a lot more little spooky bits that haven't been recorded for posterity yet.

So... if you have odd or eerie experiences or things that you've encountered while here in Maine, be it in an old farmhouse or a downtown apartment, fifty years ago or just last year, do drop me a line, and we can talk about what happened. You can always find me at michelle.souliere@gmail.com -- don't hesitate to contact me, I'd love to hear about your own Maine ghost story.

In the meantime, please enjoy this little interview feature that WCSH's 207 show did with me earlier this summer! Big thanks to Amanda Hill and Kirk Cratty for making it a fun and memorable experience.

https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/207/207-interview/is-there-a-bigfoot-population-in-maine/97-ee58c047-154d-4349-ad5e-3ca2b2564941

And, if you like to look at Bigfoot's possible existence from a more quirky viewpoint, here's a lighthearted take on the matter from an interview I did with John Mitchell from NECN:

https://www.necn.com/on-air/as-seen-on/is-bigfoot-in-maine/2537474/

Stay tuned for my interview with the charming Paul Bestall from the UK podcast Mysteries and Monsters, and the new Dirty Lew podcast outta Lewiston. Mixing it up a little, trying to reach a local audience and the greater world at large. I did get to talk to Howard Hughes of The Unexplained live on UK radio last month too, sad it didn't make it into his podcast, but it was still really cool, since I've listened to his podcast for years! Very surreal to have his familiar voice asking me questions instead of just listening to him ask someone else. Heh!

Thanks for all your support, everyone! I hope to bring you many more intriguing Maine stories in the future, once my dang workweek is not so completely bonkers!!!

For fans of Maine deer!

2021-07-22T13:01:00.001-04:00

This comes from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife today! Check it out, sounds like two fun ways to get involved!

1. Join us for an informative virtual presentation by Maine's White-tailed Deer Biologist Nathan Bieber as he discusses the history of deer management, the status of Maine's deer herd, and the current strategies used to manage deer in Maine.

Streaming live on YouTube Tuesday, July 27 at 6pm. The presentation will be recorded and available at the same link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr_-ksS5xxw

2. Enjoy watching deer?

Become a citizen scientist for the Maine Deer Spy project! Volunteers are needed across the state and everyone can participate.

Participating is easy! When you see deer between August 1 and September 30, all you need to do is make simple observations:

Location
Date and time
The number of does (adult female deer with no antlers), bucks (deer with antlers), and/or fawns (young deer).

You can submit data online or by postal mail. Data recording instructions and examples of how to correctly record data are available online at mefishwildlife.com/deerspy

For those who have missed the Bigfoot in Maine library talks...

2021-06-25T14:12:00.004-04:00

Here are the links to the virtual talks I've given recently about my book, Bigfoot in Maine, in case you missed the chance to attend them.

Enjoy!!

I talked to librarian Jon Knepp at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft last night, here is the video: https://youtu.be/21Jo0VUj-mo

And back on Thursday, June 10, I spoke to librarian Andrea Kazilionis at the Falmouth Memorial Library. That video conversation is located here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt1mFslXABA

They've all been great conversations so far, with excellent questions from the moderators and the audience.

Signed copies of the book are still available at the Green Hand Bookshop, and online here: https://greenhandbookshop.com/products/preorder-bigfoot-in-maine-by-michelle-souliere-signed

EVENT: Virtual talk June 24 at the Thompson Free Library

2021-06-16T21:12:00.002-04:00

WHAT: A virtual author talk about the book "Bigfoot in Maine"

WHERE: Via Zoom https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/84699881006

Event info is also posted on their Facebook page: https://fb.me/e/LYOeioe2

Hosted by the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft, ME.

WHEN: Thursday, June 24 at 7:00pm

FMI: Contact the library at 207-564-3350 or via email at thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com

Come join us! Jon Knepp is going to interview me and I will discuss the book (and more!) with him. We'll wrap up with some audience Q&A at the end.

EVENT: Bigfoot in Maine virtual talk June 10!

2021-05-20T22:49:00.002-04:00

Hi all! Both myself and Nate Brislin will be part of a virtual talk at Falmouth Memorial Library the evening of June 10th. Hooray! You can register to attend here:

https://falmouthmemoriallibrary.evanced.info/signup/eventdetails?eventid=14518&lib=999

It should be fun! Come for a great conversation, stay to ask questions. 😃