Nate Courcey of Portland lines up his shot Sept. 3 around his daughter Iola, 2, as Rose, 5, looks on at Tabers Restaurant, Miniature Golf, Driving Range and Ice Cream at 470 Lake Shore Drive in Auburn. The three are spending one of the last days of summer break on family time before the girls return to school or preschool. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Alayna Godin balances a pumpkin on her head Sept. 1 at Wallingford’s Fruit House at 1240 Perkins Ridge Road in Auburn. The girl and her father have just selected the pumpkin. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Ethel LaFlamme, bottom left, paddles Sept. 2 on the Androscoggin River with her husband, Jim, bottom right, as they join friends at the Turner Public Boat Launch on Center Bridge Road. Justin LaFontaine, in red kayak, and his wife, Erica, top right, join them for an island-hopping paddle. “This is really such a gem,” Justin LaFontaine says. “There is not a lot of development along the shore, so we see eagles, osprey and lots of other wildlife. Brookfield (Renewable) owns several islands that you can camp on and picnic.” The couples are from Greene. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

A man yells for his daughter to come get a dog Sept. 6 at 60 Oak St. in Lewiston, where the man is refusing to come out after creating a standoff with police. The man was later taken into custody. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Expegeato Neto rides a bicycle Sept. 1 around Lake Auburn, along Lake Shore Drive in Auburn, with his father. They are on vacation from Brazil. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Third grade students watch Sept. 5 as Billy LaMontagne of the Auburn Public Works Department covers a time capsule with dirt at East Auburn Community School at 15 Andrew Drive in Auburn. The students began a time capsule project last year as second graders in Megan Spiller’s classroom, and the capsule is now buried underneath the new playground being installed at the school. School officials say 23 students placed items inside the time capsule and completed research papers about life as a second grader in 2024. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Charlie Agnew picks McIntosh apples Sept. 3 at Willow Pond Farm at 395 Middle Road in Sabattus. He says harvesting is running a week to two weeks early because of a “very good growing season.” “The weather this summer has been incredible,” his wife, Jill, says. “We have had lots of moisture, and that is always a good thing.” The farm owners say the abundance of apples is important news, given last year’s crop was down significantly due to a late spring frost and then hail that damaged apples. Willow Pond Farm was set to open Sept. 6 for pick-your-own apples. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal