While I live in Florida, Maine is and perhaps always shall be my home. This is not meant as any slight to Florida as this seems to be a matter of birth rather than conscious choice.
While I would like to return to Maine more often, I generally only manage to get back once a year. I always go in the summer, mainly because Florida is insanely hot in the summer and Maine is rather snow covered in the winter.
The first thing I notice, as I leave the airport in Maine, is the scent of Maine. While every locale has its own distinct smell, there is sort of an overall Maine scent. I suspect it is a specific blend of plants (mainly pine trees) that creates this specific smell. This scent, I have found, it most noticeable when I run on pine forest trails. It is not simply a pine scent, but rather pine plus some other elements that I cannot quite place. In any case, this Maine smell lets me know that I have returned. There is, of course, also the variations on the scent, such as the addition of the smell of the ocean. But, it is all part of the scent of Maine.
Maine also has a specific look. Part of this is cultural: Maine streets, houses and local businesses often have a particular New England look in terms of the style. True, this look could be replicated elsewhere, but it never quite seems to fit properly in other places. There is also the matter of the light and the sky. While this might seem a thing of the mind, the position of a place on the globe affects the light. One obvious example is that the sun strikes Maine about an hour earlier than in Florida, creating a different feeling in terms of time. I am conditioned to get up no latter than pre-dawn, so in the Maine summer I wake up before 5:00 am and soon can be found running the roads and trails.
When I return to Florida, I also notice the distinct scents and sights of the state. Plus, I notice the heat and humidity: I know I am back in Tallahassee when I can feel the state trying to steam and bake me.
