The New York Times got one right last week, and it wasn't the (poorly sourced, unduly suggestive) story about John McCain and the lady lobbyist.

The paper ran a fine story titled, "Trading the World for a Cabin in the Woods."

A reporter and a friend tramped into the woods of western Massachusetts, and settled into a cabin for three days. The purpose was to get away from work, cell phones, Internet activity and cable TV. Or, as we say, the real world.

And what a great time they had, though the reporter stated she couldn't sleep the first night because it was "too quiet."

They took hikes, played Scrabble and concentrated on the great avocation of cabin life, feeding the fireplace. For the rough dwelling had no heat, water nor indoor plumbing facilities. My kind of place.

At the end of three days she hated to leave because "I had become utterly used to the simplicity." She reported that she graciously carried out her garbage so as not to foul the wilderness, and remarked upon leaving the tiny wooden retreat, "I left only footprints in the snow. But the cabin's mark on me was indelible."

I found it a rewarding and truthful tale. For I agree with myself on at least one point: A cabin in the woods is a great thing, and it's hard to leave when it's time to go back to the "connected" world.

One of my favorite places on the coast is changing due to the arrival of "cottages." They call them cottages but no doubt these resort residences will cost well into six figures.

This is not surprising. The site of these cottages overlooks the ocean (Glen Cove, to be precise), and if there is one credo of the Cabin Country crowd is that it is fruitless to try to purchase near the Atlantic. Chose a lake or river or stream.

That being said, this photo was taken from the Strawberry Hill Motel in Rockland. It is located on the north edge of town, just past the Samoset, where a hill rises to carry travelers to nearby and trendy Camden.

I've always loved this view, and also the unpretentious nature of the Rockland hotel-motel crowd. They are not Camden, and they don't try to be.

(An aside: Camden is even more beautiful in winter than in summer. Now that the trees are bare and you can see more houses and neighborhoods, you realize (again) what a fine-looking town it is. No wonder authors Richard Russo and Tess Gerritsen headed there when they hit the best-seller list).

Anyway, I enjoyed my escape last weekend to Rockland.

I guess I rationalized all the building I saw: We might be losing seashore but there's an awful lot of ocean still in view.

Several weeks ago I listed four of my top Maine heroes: Harold Alfond, George Mitchell, Kenneth Roberts and E.B. White.

Here's a nomination for another hero, submitted by commenter "Drew," who has emerged as the Conscience of Accuracy for Cabin Country. He suggested Joshua Chamberlain, hero of Gettysburg and general luminary of 19th century Maine.

Chamberlain won the rarely given Medal of Honor for bravery (and success) for holding his position at the Battle of Gettysburg (1863) in the Civil War. Born in Brewer, educated at Bowdoin, speaker of nine languages and a capable outdoorsman, Chamberlain emerged as one of the most honored Federal generals of the war.

An aside: Your Scribe has been to Little Roundtop at Gburg, where Chamberlain had his greatest success (my sister and my father both went to Gettysburg College). The area has been preserved, and one can agree with historians that Chamberlain and the Maine 20th had a very strong defensive position when it came to repulsing Pickett's charge and other incursions.

(Aside No. 1: It has always baffled me how soldiers can be inspired to opening themselves to certain death generated by suspect tactics. The Rebel forces had to charge about 500 yards across an open farmer's field before they even got to the well-fortified woods where Chamberlain and his men waited behind huge boulders and powerful artillary. Thousands died that day - in Chamberlain's encounter, most were Southerners.)

(Aside No. 2: Gen. Robert E. Lee was evidently a daring but poor poor strategist. I just finilshed a book titled "How the South Could Have Won the War," and many historians say that Lee's weakness was insisting on aggressive charges on enemy lines, even if they were well dug in. At Gettysburg, Southern Gen. Longstreet urged Lee to wage a defensive battle, because the Yankees held the high, well-fortified ground. But Lee said, "No, we will attack. The enemy is here and we will attack him directly." Gettysburg represented a major loss for the South and a singular victory for the then unsung Gen. Chamberlain. Lee was beloved by his troops but his aggressive, head-on tactics resulted in many unnecessary Southern casualties.).

When Chamberlina returned to Maine, he served four one-year terms as governor. He also was president of Bowdoin from 1871-93 and served as a trustee at Bates College as well (1867-71). The (by this time) legendary Chamberlain also served as surveyor of the port n Portland. He died in Portland in 1914.

Maybe Joshua wasn't a "cabin" guy per se. He left a house in Brunswick, and the comfortable tourist attraction is no run-down camp lacking in amenities. But he was a icon and renaissance man in Maine's 19th century, and that qualifies him as one of my Maine heroes.

It's only mid-February as you can tell by this photo but I am already planning the garden. And I plan to OD on annuals.

In recent years I have stayed with perennials with limited success. My bittersweet grows like the Yankee version of kudzu but most wouldn't call that an ornimental plant.

I have planted hydranga, rhododendron, even grapes. They are alive but they haven't yet bloomed, so I can't call that much of a success.

Perhaps my frantic need to plant annuals is inspired by the new well I put in last fall. With all that free water and newly opened space, it seems a shame not to put in some colorful flowers.

And for some reason, I am semi-obsessed with the concept of the tulip craze of the 1600s in Holland. In that century, until 1637 anyway, tulips were so popular in Holland that bulbs were worth more than the region's (nascent) currency. Local officials had to pass laws to slow the commerce in tulips. OK, I'm Dutch. But the idea of tulips sounds very good.

The one variable with my annuals is that there is a great deal of shade on the property. If the Dutch had a tulip craze in the 17th century, I could start a "fern craze" here in 2008. I have ferns and fiddleheads (in season) in abundance but perhaps familiarity breeds contempt. I am not charmed by them. And I doubt if anyone would hyperventilate with excitement from acquiring ferns from Franklin County.

My go-to annual is impatiens. They grow in good weather and bad, and don't seem to need much sun. Maybe I can try marigolds, too. They worked one year.

Whatever the case, this is the time of year to THINK about the garden. As you can tell by the photo above, that's about all you can do with the earth right now.

If there is a oft-used spring term known as "ice out," then we are currently in the "ice in" stage of the year, as this photo from the Belgrade Lakes area demonstrates.

One regret I have about winter is that I never took up ice-fishing. It seems like fun to go with a bunch of friends, and while away an afternoon waiting for the fish to bite.

I do not regret not taking up snow-mobiling over lakes. There are tragedies each year, such as several weeks ago near Sebec when a machine went through thin ice causing a death.

But most snowmobilers have a grand time. I would stay on the earth if I ever got involved. In recent year, snowmobiling has become a major tourist activity, with Rangeley, Greenville and even Aroostook emerging as major destinations.

A few thoughts while pondering the delightful notion that spring begins next month (despite the lingering snow and ice):

- A reading of The Maine Sportsman magazine indicates that a state biologist has declared that Maine has 60,000 moose, rather than the 25,000 that has been the population estimate for many years. The scientist, Dr. Vaughn Anthony, suggests that "we harvest three to four times more moose as we are now."

- Other "men of the woods" are declaring that the bear population is growing so rapidly that it is endangering young deer. So the addition of a spring bear hunt is being considered in Augusta. I guess I am not a hard-nosed woodsman on issues relating to "harvesting" our native wild animals: Just because moose, bear and turkey are returning in encouraging numbers, we have to legislate new and longer seasons to kill them?

- Do hunters hiring guides on private game ranches really get elk, buffalo, red stag and Russian boar? No value judgment here - I just didn't know we had buffalo and Russian boar in these parts. I am referencing Hillside Guide Service and Game Ranch in Aurora, 207-584-2004. Also, Peaslee Mountain Hunt Park in Jefferson, 207-549-3221. Or check it out at, www.peasleehuntpark.com.

- Is there a collector's market for restored canoes? I've seen ads for a 1927 16-foot Old Town Yankee model for $2,700 (207-435-7017). And there was a classified for an 8 foot Classic Old Town, "cedar over oak, canvas covered, professionally restored in Maine. $1,500." (410-348-5163). These craft seem to be holding their value - and more!

- I notice that the 10th annual Gene and Lucille Letourneau fishing derby is Sunday, Feb. 24, with headquarters at the Muskie Center in Waterville. For years (the late) Gene Letourneau was the outdoors writer for the Portland Press Herald and the Maine Sunday Telegram. He was also a favorite of the Gannett family, which owned the newspapers. For more than four decades he wrote the well-read column, "Chips from the Blazed Trail," and many who love the outdoors must have thought that had the best job in Maine. For more info on the derby, you can call 207-873-4745.