Spring Brewers Festival - Portland, Maine - May 22, 2010

The First Annual Spring Brewers Festival will be held in Portland, Maine on May 22, 2010.  Click here for more information on time, location and how to buy tickets in advance:  Spring Brewers Festival.  Click here to learn more about brew pubs and microbreweries in Maine.

Parrot Head Festival at Sunday River, Bethel, Maine on April 9-11, 2010

The annual Parrot Head Festival will take place at Sunday River Ski Resort on Friday through Sunday, April 9-11, 2010. 

"The annual Parrot Head Festival is a weekend in paradise! Friday and Saturday celebrate with Jimmy Buffett cover bands, contests, prizes, parties, and more! Sunday, we kick off the day with pond-skimming, followed by our famous Key-lime pie-eating contest. Help the Parrot Head Club of the Northern Tropics spend a fantastic weekend skiing with parties, sun, and more! All proceeds go to Make-A-Wish Foundation."

  Read more by clicking here.

Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy - A Maine Traditional Drink

Allen's Coffee Flavored Brandy has been the number one selling spirit in Maine for twenty years.  At least, this is what the drinks website claims and it is probably true. 

"Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy has been the number one selling spirit in Maine for more than 20 years. This popular spirit is produced by M.S. Walker of Somerville Massachusetts. Many Mainers inquire about purchasing stock in the company, however, they are not able to since M.S. Walker is a fifth generation family business. M.S. Walker feels fortunate that the people of Maine support the brand and appreciate its outstanding taste. In appreciation, the company has been active in sponsoring local events and charities in Maine."

Heating Your House With Wood in Maine or How Not Too Run Up Your Oil Bill

Maine is full of "back to nature" folks.  One example is a couple who live in Maine who have foresaken the home heating oil rat race.  Read up on this unique couple who are living life in a rustic way.  Visit the Cold House Journal blog.

Fiddleheads - Recipes for Cooking this Maine Food

The picking season for Fiddleheads is about three weeks long and starts at the first sign of Spring.  Click here for some fiddlehead recipes provided by the University of Maine Extension service.

Maine Bloggers and Blogs

Maine is a great place to live and vacation.  But sometimes you can't always be here.  I know, sad face.

 :-(

But you can still get your fix of Maine life by reading some blogs about Maine.  See this comprehensive listing of Maine blogs to learn more about vacationing, travel, life, sports, politics, business, photography, farms, gardening and real estate in Maine.

Maine Maple Sunday - March 28, 2010

On Sunday, March 28 Mainers will be able to visit maple syrup sugarhouses (some will be open on Saturday as well).  Many of the sugarhouses will be serving pancakes for breakfast - along with their maple syrup.  Read a recent news article on Maine Maple Syrup Day in "Maine Maple Sunday: Tasty maple treats, from beans to doughnuts", Portland Press Herald, March 21, 2010.  Click here for a list of Maine Sugarhouses.

Get Ready for Hiking Season in Maine: To Start With - Avoid Blisters!

The early warm weather here in Maine has hikers (seasoned and new) looking at the possibilities of getting out on the trails.  If you are new to hiking you want an enjoyable first time experience.  Key to that is avoiding blisters.  The following article tells you how to do that!  "Ask an Outdoorsman: Blisters 101: Don't get off on the wrong foot", Portland Press Herald, March 21, 2010.  Click here for information about hiking in Maine.

Oh . . . and by the way . . . while walking along trails in the woods early in the season look out for ice under the leaves for the next few weeks.  You don't want to slip and hurt yourself on unseen ice!

Census Taking in Maine: ATVs, Lobster Boats, and Snowmobiles All Help Out

"PORTLAND, Maine - Census workers are using snowmobiles, airplanes, all-terrain vehicles — even lobster boats — to visit the most far-flung, hidden-away dwellings when counting the nation's populace.

Hand-delivering 2010 census questionnaires in the bush of Alaska, Maine's North Woods and other isolated regions isn't as simple as strolling up a front walk to a suburban home. To get to the more remote homes, census workers might fly over mountains or onto far-removed islands, four-wheel it through forests and contend with deep snow, bone-chilling temperatures and wildlife on the move.

In Maine, census workers will begin delivering forms this week by whatever means it takes — ATV, snowmobile, cross-country skis or snowshoes — to get to those hard-to-get-to places."

Read the rest of the article in "Snowmobiles, ATVs, lobster boats used for census", CNBC, March 21, 2010.

A Blog About Portland, Maine: The Road to the Farm (Pictures and Posts about Portland)

There are lots of blogs about the state of Maine.  This one is about Portland, Maine - with a twist.  The blogger writes about where she lives (the big city) but is hoping to end up on a farm - thus the blog title "The Road to the Farm".  But until she ends up on a farm we get to enjoy her posts and pictures about living in Portland, Maine.  http://roadtothefarm.blogspot.com/

A Sweet Sign of Spring: Maple Sugaring in Maine

A Maine writer has posted news of maple sugaring.  Read "Maple Sugaring Time: A Sweet Sign of Spring", A Good Eater, February 20, 2010.

Bruce McToose: The Intrepid Traveler - A Little Bit of Maine Culture

For you folks "from away" that want to know what life in Maine is like - we offer you "Bruce McToose the Intrepid Traveler".  Bruce is a celebrity adventurer and explorer and host of the TV series Intrepid Travels.  He is a guide to exotic and unusual places.  His show has been seen on Fox 23, WPME, and the Maine Public Broadcasting Network.  Check out his website for a slice of Maine life!

http://www.brucemctoose.com/

Windjamming in Maine: The Schooner Isaac H. Evans of Rockland, Maine

If you are interested in windjamming in Maine then you should check out the Schooner Isaac H. Evans.  The schooner can take you out on a 1, 3, 4, and 6-day sailing adventures on Penobscot Bay.  Maine has lots to offer with its coastline, islands, fair weather, lobster, lighthouses and other attactions.  Visit the Schooner Evans website for more information:

http://www.mainesailingadventures.com/

Summer Camp for Boys in Maine

It is not too early to think of summer camps in Maine.  One great place to send your young man is to Camp Timanous in Raymond, Maine.  It is a overnight summer camp for boys age 7 to 15 years old that was established in 1917.  Among the activities at the camp are archery, arts and crafts, baseball, basketball, camping, drama and music, lacrosse, nature, riflery, soccer, tennis, canoeing, boating, fishing, sailing, swimming, water skiing, and lots of other activities.  See the website for more information:

http://www.camptimanous.com/

Wolf Moon Journal: A Maine Magazine of Art and Opinion

Maine is rich in its abundance of writers.  Many successful book authors (for example Stephen King) live here as well as lesser known authors.  Add to this the numerous writers who post their creations online - whether it is fiction, non-fiction or niche blogs on a certain topic.  One such blog or "journal" is the Wolf Moon Journal: A Maine Magazine of Art and Opinion. 

"Wolf Moon Journal is a small but plucky independent web magazine based in Winthrop Maine, and has been on the web since 2002. The journal has a broad range of content, including movie reviews, essays on various topics, images of Maine, and poetry. While based in Maine, not all of our contributors are from Maine nor are all the articles about Maine—we are not afraid to tackle big themes that go beyond the state. On the other hand, we do treasure our independent voices from the hinterland, and much of our focus is on life in Maine. In short, we enjoy being somewhat contradictory."

Click here to visit the "Wolf Moon Journal"
 - http://www.wolfmoonjournal.com/

Click here for a listing of other blogs, journals, and magazines found online
 - http://www.travel-maine.info/maine_blogs.htm

Map of Maine Maple Sugar Houses

Maple sugaring time is nearing.  For some places in Maine it is already here.  Below are some resources should you want to know more about maple sugaring in Maine.
Map showing locations of Maine maple syrup sugarhouses:

http://www.mainemapleproducers.com/maine-maple-sunday-map.html

Info on Maine maple syrup making:

http://www.travel-maine.info/maine_maple_syrup.htm

Building a Maine Cabin

Maine is a land made up of resourceful people.  Some like the big city (Portland?) while others thrive to be in the country.  A lot of back-to-nature and plain old-fashion Maine folks live off the land (or try to).  Here is a blog by a person building a cabin in the Maine woods.  Read "Maine Cabin Blog" to share the author's experience of building a cabin.

Small-Scale, Backyard Maple Syrup Production in Maine

You don't need a large-scale operation to produce your own maple syrup.  Do-it-yourself operations exist all over Maine.  Read about one woman's small-time operation that provides her family with maple syrup year-round.  Read "Sappy" by Maine Adventure Mom (March 10, 2010).  Click here to learn more about maple syrup production in Maine.

Maine Maple Sunday

Maine Maple Sunday is coming.  Here is an online post by the Foodlore Library about their visit to a syrup maker in Maine.  Read "Sure Sign of Spring: Maine Maple Sunday", Foodlore Library, March 10, 2010.  Click here for more news about Maine Maple Sunday and Maine sugarhouses.

Maine Maple Producers Association

Maine Maple Producers Association
PO Box 471, Skowhegan, Maine 04976-0471
Phone: (207) 634-3521

The association webpage provides information on the history of maple syrup, how maple syrup is made, and how to enjoy maple syrup.

http://www.mainemapleproducers.com/

Click here for more information on Maine maple syrup.

http://www.travel-maine.info/maine_maple_syrup.htm

Maine Maple Sugaring

The maple sugar season is starting off slow in some areas of Maine and going well in others.  In the Gorham, Maine area the weather isn't cooperating to its fullest.  Read a recent news article on the current status this season.  See "Sap run slow as Maple Sunday nears", American Journal, March 11, 2010.  Click here for a listing of maple sugarhouses in Maine.

Maine Lobster Haul Very High in 2009

The poor economy has kept the price of lobster relatively low here in Maine; however, the lobster catch was quite large for 2009.  Read more in "Record volume of lobster caught in Maine in '09", Bangor Daily News, March 2, 2010.  Click here to learn more information about Maine lobster.

Maine Maple Sunday - March 28, 2010

Maine maple sugarhouses will be inviting the public to view their operations and sample their products on Sunday, March 28, 2010.  The spring in Maine is when maple syrup is made and it is a good family activity on the weekend.  The kids will be amazed!  For a listing of maple sugarhouses in Maine click on the link below.


http://www.travel-maine.info/maine_maple_syrup.htm

York Land Trust (Maine) to Build New Hiking Trails

The Maine Conservation Corps in concert with the York Land Trust is planning to open Highland Farms to the public and build some hiking trails this summer.  Read more in "Highland Farm to build public trails", Seacoast Online, March 3, 2010.

See Maine Conservation Corps, York Land Trust, and hiking trails in Maine.

L.L. Bean and Nordic Fashion Models

L.L. Bean of Freeport, Maine has always done a good job at marketing.  Countless catalogues come to our house (and we don't throw them away before reading!) at all times of the year.  The catalogues are well-done and I always seem to find something that I need in them.  L.L. Bean was always known for catering to the camping and hunting crowd but over the past several years it has gotten trendy.  Evidence of this is their newest catalogue with a supermodel now gracing its pages.  Read more in "L.L. Bean Goes High Fashion?", Slate, February 23, 2010.

Belfast Historical Society & Musuem 2010 Schedule

The Belfast Historical Society and Museum has posted its 2010 schedule online.  Visit the following link to download the pdf file.

http://www.belfastmuseum.org/museum_news.html

Maine Maple Syrup Tapping Time Ahead of Schedule

The mild late winter weather has affected the maple syrup activity in Maine.  The schedule has moved up a week or so and many Mainers have already tapped their trees.  It all depends on where you live in the state of Maine.  Read more in "Sap pouring in for producers, but harvest outcome uncertain", Bangor Daily News, February 25, 2010.  Also see Maine maple syrup sugarhouses.

25th Annual Handicapped Ski-A-Thon at Sunday River on March 27, 2010

A premier fundraising event that takes place at Sunday River in Bethel, Maine on Saturday, March 27, 2010.  Read more here. 

"At the Ski-A-Thon participants ski or ride for free all day, courtesy of Sunday River, (or Nordic ski down the hill at the Sunday River XC Ski Center), eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Grand Summit Hotel, and participate in relay races, the FUN RACE at Monday Mourning, or the Tropical Obstacle Course created by the Parrot Head Club of Maine. There is never a dull moment at the Ski-A-Thon. Ski-A-Thon’ers can get free massages, be thrilled by a magician, dance to the great sounds of Rockin’ George Leh and His Band or laugh with Gary Crocker, Maine humorist!"

"Shutter Island" Filmed in Maine

Parts of the movie "Shutter Island" were filmed in Maine on an island in Acadia National Park.  Read about this movie is "Movie Review: 'Shutter Island'".

Belfast Historical Society and Museum

The Belfast Historical Society and Museum has a number of exhibits worth viewing.  Among these exhibits are one about maritime history (Belfast being a coastal community), a two-cell jail, model ships, and more.  Visit the museums website at:

http://www.belfastmuseum.org/museum_exhibits.html