More Maine Words Of The Day
Part Three

Maine word of the day: "Connections" -  refers to relatives, as well as knowing someone somewhere with pull. example: "Howard has lots of connections at the Post Office and got that nice postmaster's job in no time."

 Maine word of the day: "stivver" maximum amount, example: "My supervisor thought I should have an eight hour day but I let him know my volume was twice what I could stivver up to accomplish such a marvelous feat."

A Clove Hitch

Maine word of the day: "Clove Hitch" a simple but secure temporary knot used to hitch a line to a spile (a pile on the side of a pier). In Maine parlance often used to denote an unwilling or unlikely attachment. As in: "How did that widdah Raymond get that clove hitch on Roger? Oh, don't tell me." OR "I siddout to be a lawyer and just temp at the PO but somehow I got this clove hitch on me for twenty five years."

An Antique Blueberry Rake

Maine word of the day: "Plummin'"- the act of berry-pickin', especially blueberries, done by hand, as opposed to "rakin'" a commercial activity done with a hand rake. Performed by women, children and "summercaters" A barely related sidenote: My new granddaughter's middle name is Plum.

Maine word of the day: "Dreen"- drain, Example: "Been a wet spring. My yahd won't dreen 'til August." Or, "How can they think about saving money at the post office by squeezing the carriers more when they haven't dreened that swamp upstairs where that plethora of ties and dresses loll about."

Croze, a tool for cutting a croze

Maine Word of the Day: "Croze" The groove on a barrel stave that fits the head. "Shook" (pre-cut lumber) for casks was shipped knocked down, "staves croze, hoops shaved, and headings ready". A person who is non-conformist, or a little different was said to have some "croze" trouble. Example: "Ever since Joe got hit by that aircraft carrier his croze has been a little bit off."

 Maine word of the day: "Peavey" an improved canthook invented by Joseph Peavey a blacksmith of Upper Stillwater along the Penobscot, born in 1799. In 1858 while observing river drivers working logs on the Penobscot he had the bright idea of adding a pike and an improved dog mechanism that didn't flop laterally to the canthook. It was an instant success and soon he needed a small factory to keep up with the demand. The Peavey Manufacturing Company supplies the peavey to the logging industry to this day.

The Peavey