It's Bill, 2/1/26: Chilly Weather and Chili

Hunkering Down on the Easternmost Point

Not a plan, but the title for this blog says it all. The temperature at the North Office is 8° and has been dropping for the last two days. Wind chills are below, well below zero. A major winter storm of 12” to 18” is predicted to start momentarily, lasting about 36 hours. All of Lubec is hunkering down. The good news is there is plenty of dry wood inside to put in the stove.

Chili Cook-Off at the Legion

Last Sunday, finishing the Road Trip II, Brunswick Bound blog, my chili entry for last night’s American Legion chili cook-off was started. First, well-seasoned bison medallions, strip steak, and pork loin were grilled. Onions and garlic were sautéed in the drippings, tomatoes and green chiles added to diced meat, along with secret black beans and more. For seasonings: chili powder, cumin, paprika, black pepper, garlic salt, with a secret ingredient—cinnamon. We had the fresh chili that night with an Oregon Pinot Noir, refrigerating the rest of the chili to mellow for next Saturday night’s Legion cook-off.

The Legion cook-off started at 4 yesterday afternoon. Having participated in previous chili contests, I was unsure of the Legion’s format, discovering it to be a blind tasting judged by three judges drinking beer and making notes. The chili entries were numbered and scored: 1, 2, 3, etc. While the judges sat at the tasting table, the rest of the crowd sat at barstools and tables, talking and laughing with each other. We were getting hungry.

At last, there was a flurry—movement and action. The results were handed out for first and second place. Oh well, what can I say? Then the four crock pots were placed on a table. We all grabbed our bowls and sampled, adding tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Once the word got out, my crock pot with the all-meat chili emptied first. Ahh, the joy!

Everyone had more laughs and fun, vowing to participate again. It was announced there will be a chowder cook-off this summer—we’re on it!

Northern Lights Over West Quoddy

Last Monday night, the sunspots and flares were unusually active, making it an excellent night for photographing the Northern Lights. A camera can pick up the dazzling nuances of color more than the human eye—truly a treat. A favorite repeat guest sent a spectacular image she took from the Crow’s Nest porch of the Keeper’s Cottage, with the Northern Lights lighting up the night.

There will be more photos of the Northern Lights from West Quoddy Station, a perfect addition to our eclipses, sunrises, sunsets, and stars. Not having any ambient light on West Quoddy Head is a definite plus for watching Mother Nature put on a show in the skies.

Northern Lights over West Quoddy Head, with the Keepers Cottage silhouetted beneath shifting bands of green and magenta.