Bald Eagles, Bear Cubs, and Hermit Bill
Hermit Bill is not the only hermit featured in Bald Eagles, Bear Cubs and Hermit Bill, a wildlife nature book full of Maine memories by biologist Ron Joseph. Yes, he knows what he is telling you from the wilds of Maine and written during COVID shutdown.
I kept hiding this library book away because of the first rather frightening photos I glanced at of Hermit Bill and the two other guys. Memories of The Stranger in the Woods back in 2017 haunted me and the numerous camps in this area that were robbed every winter by Knight, finally caught after almost three decades.
The hermits shared by Ron Joseph are true survivors in the wild with many skills to make it happen, not stealing from Pine Tree Children’s Camp huge freezers of food and propane tanks from small cottages year after year as young Knight committed crime after crime.
Wondering how these true hermits could make it through each winter for a lifetime is explained: “Ron grew up…in the mill town of Waterville, spent months on his grandparents working farm along the Sandy River, and fished and hunted in the North Woods…”
The author was lucky enough to be called out of class in Oakland high school due to a dead moose near the school grounds that needed immediate attention. With the warden’s careful directions, Ron helped chainsaw the enormous animal into finally “small sirloin, chuck, shank, and round steaks” using pocketknives. What a day at school with outdoor education and good food to take home by those who needed it most.
So you can see that this author knows his wildlife facts from his youth and later professionally. And he is our local authority as well! Steeped in the French Canadian/Lebanese/Jewish communities in Waterville and the North Woods, languages and cultures mix to add knowledge of survival.
I especially enjoyed his chapter about the Mitchells of Waterville and basketball teams. Not only George Mitchell of international political fame, but the other Mitchells too…
Paul Doiron writes the foreword and we know Doiron from his visit to Belgrade with the murder mystery about Great Pond in 2023. Doiron writes, “Joseph’s forty stories are told with the compassion and appreciation of a man who truly loves Maine, its people and its wonders.”
Endangered species and their restoration are evident in this zoologist’s long career, practicing here in our marvelous Maine woods and mountains and lakes. Thank goodness his talent stayed here where he grew to love wildlife from its beginnings. Beautiful Belgrade captured him and kept him close.
“As the sole English speaker in the bunkroom, I was warmly welcomed by twenty Quebecois loggers. The lumberjacks were keen on practicing their English with me, and as a twenty-five year old, I was eager to learn French and forestry from them. Our late afternoon conversational language lessons were an enjoyable way to combat cabin fever.” Learning in the deep woods at its best!
Read this book of stories from our Belgrade Library and learn from a local expert what is precious around our Belgrade Lakes.
Even a 75-ton North American right whale is covered in a Campobello Island story and the next chapter “Return of the Great Whites.” Just read chapter titles and follow your interest: “The Lighthouse Keeper,” maybe? “A Date with Bear Cubs” OR “Eagle Freaks.”
Yep, gotta check this book out or maybe buy your own copy like I did to give to a friend.
Renee helped me at the new Oliver and Friends Bookshop on Main Street in Waterville. She had four authors visiting over the summer!!!! I bought Cranky children’s book by Maine winning literary author Phuc Tran…great story about building bridges and not walls. Also an E.B. White collection of essays…stop writing, I tell myself, and start reading.
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