I have picked up some interesting habits that I realize are uniquely Maine.

I moved here from Idaho almost 40 years ago, and I was in complete culture shock. Everything was so different. Well, if you plunked me back in Idaho, I'd be as lost as I was when I first got to Maine. I've also noticed that I do things that I never did before.

Here Are the 10 Peculiar Habits I've Picked Up Living in Maine:

Sucking on Lobster Legs

I hadn't had a whole lobster until I moved to Maine. I had to be taught how to eat one. One thing I was taught was to suck on the tiny legs. I resisted for a couple of decades, and now find myself doing this to get every tiny morsel of deliciousness from these ocean creatures.

Wearing Flannel Year-Round

I may have owned one flannel shirt in Idaho where I grew up, but I have a closet full of the rainbow and all flannel. And yes, flannel is just as essential in our Maine winters as they are in the summer!

Supper is Dinner and Dinner is Lunch

This one confused me for a very long time. Not any more

A 'Camp' is Owned by Damn Near Every Mainer

To me, hearing the word ' camp' or the phrase, "Going to camp" meant that you were enrolling in a camp program. But here, it's that little extra house that damn near every Mainer owns. I love me a camp!

Not Watering Your Lawn... Ever

This is a picture of my lawn during a drought summer and a wet summer. I never watered it in either summer. I've never lived in a place where you didn't water your lawn. I'm a fan.

Prepping for Mud Season

I hate it, but I'm prepared for it. I thought it was a fluke the first 10 times. I get it now.

Wearing a Jacket in the Summer

Every once in a while, Maine will have that kind of summer where the 4th of July fireworks don't happen because of a 52-degree rain and fog. Yes, I keep a jacket handy even in the summertime.

Trying to Find the Craziest Item at Marden's

If you go to Marden's for...whatever, and you don't glance up and down the aisles looking for that crazy item, you are missing out on the fun. Like, what exactly is that thing? Is it a diaper bag?

Developing Exceptional Peripheral Vision for Deer and Moose While Driving

My eyes are peeled when I am driving. You only have to have a close call to all of a sudden develop night vision to see anything bigger than your car coming from the side of the road.

Marking My Calendar for When Ken's Seafood Place Has Fried Oysters

There are a few things I try to never miss, and the fried oyster season (it's short!) at Ken's Seafood Place in Scarborough is one of them. I've never set a calendar for a food item before in my life. I'll do this until the ocean runs out of oysters.