13 Things To Do in Portland, Maine

• Ride The Downeast Duck (an amphibious tour).
  
• Visit the Portland Museum of Art
• Visit the Children's Museum of Maine
• Tour the Victoria Mansion
• See the Portland Head Light
• Visit the Portland Harbor Museum
• Go Whale and Puffin Watching
• Take The CAT ferry to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
• Enjoy the Fore River Wildlife Sanctuary
• Hang out at East End Beach or Willard Beach
• Have a Lobster Dinner
  
• Take a 90 minute narrated Trolley Tour
  
• Walk the Portland Freedom Trail (marked sites associated with the Underground Railroad)

Maine Artist Designs Stained Glass

Wordless Wednesday

Artist: Patricia Claus of Penobscot, Maine

Two Puffins


Chickadee (Maine State Bird)

Nubble at Night

Travel or Spend Your Vacation in Maine

13 Things at the Maine Lobster Festival

Maine Lobster Festival July 30th - August 3rd 2008
in Rockport, Maine

Things to Do:

• Coronation of the 2008 Maine Sea Goddess
• 20,000 pounds of lobster prepared in a huge steamer on the shore
• The Lobster Crate Race
• Maine Lobster Festival Seafood Cooking Contest.
• The Arts and Craft Tent
• Displays in the Marine Tent
• The Big Parade 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 2nd
• The 10K road race Sunday morning, August 3rd or the Kid's 1 mile Fun Run before
  
• The bands through out the festival grounds
• Lobster Eating Contest (for kids)
  
• The Cod Fish Carry (for kids)
• The Diaper Derby (for kids)
• The Costume Parade (for kids)

Maine Artist Paints the Flora of Maine

Wordless Tuesday

Artist: Lyn Snow of South Thomaston, Maine

Maine Blueberries

Maine Lupine

Midsummer I

Everywhere in Maine

Have You Ever Bought a Lobster?

Aloha Friday

Have you ever bought a lobster, taken it home, and boiled it?

My answer: Only once. Even though I live in Maine I've only done this once. The price of lobster doesn't fit my grocery budget.

Here's a way to make 1 lobster stretch for a few people:

Maine Lobster Rolls Recipe
from the Food Network Site

13 Facts About Lobsters

Thursday Thirteen

• they have less calories and saturated fat than chicken or turkey
• they swim backwards
  
• they can regenerate legs, claws, and antennae
• their blood is clear and turns opaque white when cooked
• they shed their shells to grow (molt) 4-5 times per year until they have reached full size
• they can be right or left handed - depending on which side the crusher claw is on
• they are different colors - blue-green, yellow, white, orange and red
• they all turn red when cooked (except the white ones) because their pigment is masked except for the underlying red color
• The most plentiful and most popular size of lobster are ones 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lb. each
• warming water will put a lobster to sleep
• steam escapes from the shell as the lobster cooks and makes a little screaming noise
• if you find a clump of little red balls in the lobster's tail, they are the female's immature eggs (called coral)
• of the 10,000 eggs that a female releases at once, less than 1% will survive
  

Maine Artist Paints with Watercolors

Artist: Marnie Souza of Cape Elizabeth, Maine

More Wordless Wednesday Posts

Christmas in July

Heads or Tails Prompt: Sit and Stand


Do you celebrate Christmas in July? They do in York, Maine.

Christmas in July is a yearly tradition that kicks off the York Days Celebration. The Nubble Lighthouse is lit up in white lights and a concert takes place in nearby Sohier Park. This event gives the summer visitors a chance to view the station decorated just as it is at Christmastime.

This year:
The event will take place July 27th, 2008.
The concert begins at 8pm.
The lighting will begin around 9pm.
There is no charge for this event.

Some facts about the Nubble Lighthouse are:

• it stands 41 feet tall
• it is also called the Cape Neddick Light
  
• the light was automated in 1987
• it is still being used to aid in navigation
• The lighthouse and grounds are not open to the public.
• Sohier Park provides an excellent, close view of the lighthouse
• about 250,000 people visit the park annually
• Nickel Creek recorded a music video in front of this lighthouse

This Mainer Supports....

My Daughter's T

My Neighbor's Crocs

Belongs to the Littlest Fan

To honor Maine's loyal fans, the Red Sox named Sunday, July 1, 2007 as Maine Day at Fenway Park.

Mashed Potato Wrestling Returns

Great news for those attending the Potato Blossom Festival this Saturday. The popular Mashed Potato Wrestling event will return after being on hiatus for a couple of years. It has been my understanding that the event wasn't part of the festival because of the lack of paid sponsorship for the event's needed insurance policy.

It's not too late to make plans to attend this event. Mashed potato wrestling will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 19. This year, it will be sponsored by WCXU Radio and HSF Foods. It will be held at 227 Main Street in Fort Fairfield, Maine - in Aroostook County.

The current weather forecast for this coming Saturday is a lovely 81*F and dry.

All the information you need about the festival's events are at The Potato Blossom Festival Site.

13 Wildflowers Growing Naturally in My Yard

• Sweet Williams (pictured)
• Lupine
• Devil's Paintbrush
• Foxgloves
• Black Eyed Susans
• Purple Trillium
  
• Wild Strawberry blooms
  
• Wild Raspberry blooms
  
• Wild Chokecherry blooms
  
• Buttercups
• Rugosa Rose
• Daisies
  
• Purple Clover

5 minute Interview with Martha Stewart

Martha talks about the new botanical gardens, growing plants in Maine, and antiquing in Maine. Video courtesy of WLBZ2 TV news in Bangor.

Martha Stewart was in Boothbay Harbor, Maine yesterday as honorary chairperson for the Maine Antique Dealers Association Show. She participated in the Preview Party at the Gardens.

The Antiques in the Garden show is taking place today (7-17-08) at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay Harbor from 9am - 4 pm.

There are miles of trails to walk, plants and native wildflowers to enjoy, forests, and views of the coast in this 248 acre garden. You can learn much more at their website.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Maine Artist Paints with Acrylics

Artist: Thea Flanagan of East Holden, Maine

Maine Natives, Transplants, and From Away

Tim Sample is a native Mainer (Fort Fairfield).

He entertains audiences with his jokes about Maine.

Maine Potatoes - They're in Bloom

Maine Potato Blossom Festival Calendar of Events
7/12 - 7/20, Fort Fairfield

Show and Tell - Whoopie Pies

These are a big deal up here in Maine.

They aren't really like a pie at all. They are a hamburger sized cake sandwich. The original ones are made with two chocolate cake circles and a generous amount of vanilla-cream filling. Some Maine bakeries make them in the shape of a mussel.

Mainers claim that Whoopie Pies started in Maine. However, many people believe that they originated with the Amish, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Whoopie Pies are popular both places and quite a treat with the tourists.

Here's a recipe if you want to make your own.

Whoopie Pies:
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. shortening
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
10 tbsp. cocoa
4 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. soda
Pinch of salt

Filling:
1 1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. confectioners sugar
12 tbsp. marshmallow fluff
2 tsp. pure vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar. Combine beaten eggs, milk and vanilla and beat into creamed mixture. Slowly stir sifted dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, and beat on medium speed about 2 minutes. Drop with tablespoon onto greased and floured cookie sheet (enough dough to make a baked cookie about 2 to 2 1/2 inches). Bake at 350 degrees until cookie just springs back when pressed in center with finger. Remove to rack and cool completely before filling.

Combine fluff, shortening, and vanilla and beat until well mixed. Slowly add confectioners sugar until well mixed. Place a generous amount on the flat side of one cookie and top with another cookie. Makes about 2 dozen whoopie pies.