Blueberries on the balcony

If you look closely, you'll see a few blueberries on the bushes on my balcony. A touch of Maine in California.

A little more than a year or so ago I bought a couple of Southern Highbush Blueberry bushes and put them on my balcony for a touch of Maine in California.

And now some of the berries are starting to come out.

According to the instructions card that came with the bushes, they are a fairly new hybrid specifically for southern climates that “does triple duty with fruit, flowers, and foliage. Yields bountiful crops in sun or part shade. Self pollinating.”

I’m hoping that I won’t kill these bushes. I’d like a few blueberries.

I love these tiny blue nuggets of gold.

With only two bushes, I seriously doubt I'll harvest much more than a handful, but it will be a very tasty handful.

Here's the last of the blueberry photos ... for now.

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Maine crime rate drops, with exceptions | Bangor Daily News

Maine crime rate drops, with exceptions – Bangor Daily News.

‘The County’ lands another World Cup stop | Bangor Daily News

AUGUSTA, Maine — Aroostook County has been selected to host both North American stops of the 2011 Biathlon World Cup, an event that draws Olympians and other top athletes from around the globe.

Fort Kent’s 10th Mountain Lodge had already been selected as one of the nine sites for the Biathlon World Cup, which combines cross country skiing with rifle marksmanship.

But on Tuesday, the International Biathlon Union announced that the second North American stop would be held at the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle during the first week of February.

The back-to-back stops on the World Cup circuit mean that Aroostook County will have roughly 10 days in the limelight in an event that draws tens of thousands of spectators, not to mention tens of millions of television viewers in Europe.

Click on the link for the rest of Kevin Miller’s story in the Bangor Daily News.

Lost hiker was seeking shortcut when he became stranded | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Lost hiker was seeking shortcut when he became stranded | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

[I don’t get this sort of thing. This guy is supposed to be an experienced hiker and he broke a couple of very basic rules, the worst of which was leaving the trail. Never ever leave the trail, especially if you are unfamiliar with the terrain. And hike with a partner so if you are hurt there is someone to help or go for help. I certainly hope that the state of Maine attempts to recoup the cost of the search from this moron. — KM]

Maine likely to adopt national school standards | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Maine likely to adopt national school standards | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram.

Snowe praises Coast Guard’s preparations for spill in Maine | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Snowe praises Coast Guard’s preparations for spill in Maine | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram.

Coffeehouse observation No. 147

I’m sitting in the coffeehouse and a woman who works for the local school district sat at the next table. She is loud, obnoxious, and apparently knows everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. She’s loudly complaining about the district, the former superintendent, and the school board. And I just want to stuff a pillow in her mouth to get her to be quiet. That’s not wrong; it would be a public service. … I’ve turned up Pearl Jam on the headphones and even that isn’t drowning out her voice.

Go to Coffeehouse Observer for more coffeehouse observations.