The Notebook
Jeff Howland is a Maine native, residing in Camden. The Notebook is an outlet for sharing some of my thoughts and stories on life, memories, and whatever else may be on my mind.
Recent Posts by Jeff Howland
-
Prescience
By Jeff Howland - May 04The woman, aged so gracefully, sits now in his rocking chair, overlooking Penobscot Bay. ‘It’s a beautiful day’ he always used to say. Now 75 ...
-
A Reading
By Jeff Howland - Mar 04A lash falls to the page as I close the book for the last time. No special time, I have just finished it, the book. The lash, now sealed ...
-
Guardian
By Jeff Howland - Dec 18Noontime on a recent weekday, found me sitting down at a favorite lunch spot, with a window seat, a book, and an hour to myself, to inhale some ...
-
The Path Taken
By Jeff Howland - Sep 25Last fall I had the opportunity to visit my alma mater, the University of Maine, Orono, along with my wife, a graduate of the school as well. She ...
-
Dinosaur
By Jeff Howland - Sep 14A couple of weeks ago, amongst the junk mail I found a rather aesthetically pleasing offer. From the outside it wasn’t clear what it was for or ...
-
Vacationland
By Jeff Howland - Sep 03As summer winds down, many of our seasonal visitors have wrapped up their vacations and headed back to far away places, with Maine memories in ...
-
Good Bye
By Jeff Howland - Aug 23Fate is an elusive concept. We often speak of it as if we are trying to control or defy it, or sometimes just living with it, under the impression ...
-
Coming Home
By Jeff Howland - Aug 12This story is fiction, inspired by my sister’s recent return to Maine. He stood there as the bus pulled in, up on his toes like a little kid, ...
-
Notes
By Jeff Howland - Aug 01“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe I recently wrote a letter to a ...
-
The Call
By Jeff Howland - Jul 21I rarely hear loons these days, so was pleasantly surprised when out for a walk this afternoon, I heard the unmistakable call. Looking to the sky, ...
-
The Rockets Red Glare
By Jeff Howland - Jul 10As the Camden fireworks began last Friday there was a thick fog shrouding the harbor. Sitting near the water I found the normally spectacular ...
-
Last Shot
By Jeff Howland - Jun 30Basketball was never really my game. I did better with individual sports, like golf and tennis, not to mention I was never (and am still not) that ...
-
Remembering Dad
By Jeff Howland - Jun 20I get up each day, and with no great fanfare, live a life not unlike the average person. Little did I know however, with kids, the daily routines ...
-
Mistakes You Don't Make
By Jeff Howland - Jun 09Every year at around this time, it will happen, my heart will be wrenched and stomped upon several times. Every summer with eerie predictability, ...
-
Photograph
By Jeff Howland - May 31Next time you get mad at your wife (husband, etc.), take a look at a picture of them as a kid. If seeing that brimming smile doesn’t make you feel ...
-
Best Time of Day
By Jeff Howland - May 20Most days I am first to awaken. The quiet does not last long though, as the house soon fills with familiar sounds. The coffee maker, turning on as ...
-
Out to the Lake
By Jeff Howland - May 09It was cold, as spring mornings usually are. When opening the door though, the breeze brought with it a hint of humidity. Not the sticky stuff of ...
-
Angel
By Jeff Howland - Apr 28It was a cool autumn night, like any other. A long week, having rendered us all overtired, was cause for an early bedtime. Within minutes, two of ...
-
Mud Season
By Jeff Howland - Apr 18Spring has arrived. While typically a misnomer in this part of the country, we have deservingly turned the page on a tough winter. Stepping ...
-
Unfinished Business
By Jeff Howland - Apr 08As quiet sets in, I walk around the house, cleaning up after another busy evening of dinner, play, baths, and if we’re lucky, more play. I find ...





























