Nature’s Place; Holbrook Island Sanctuary on Cape Rosier, Maine

Cape Rosier, Maine on the way to Holbrook Island Sanctuary

Many visitors to Holbrook Island Sanctuary believe it rivals the beauty of Acadia National Park, without crowds or park fee. Most simply treasure its tranquility and the opportunity to witness the wonders of its natural environment and will return again. All can agree, Holbrook Island Sanctuary in Brooksville, Maine is a place where everybody, including the family dog, can escape from modern day stresses and relax. It’s a part of the world situated on beautiful Cape Rosier that will remain unaltered by modern park facilities or management techniques as natural forces alone will, forevermore, determine its future.

Blae at Holbrook Island Sanctuary

Dogs must be on a leash no longer than four feet in length, that’s one of a few simple and easy to follow rules and regulations visitors are asked to abide by. Others state the native plants and wildlife are not to be disturbed and remind visitors fires are not permitted in the park, nor is overnight camping. Observing the rules is certainly a small price to pay for the privilege of experiencing this sanctuary from 9 a.m. to sunset daily—thanks to the foresight and generosity of Anita Harris.  The area resident acquired and donated 1,230 acres of Brooksville to the state in 1971 in order “to preserve for the future a piece of unspoiled Maine that I used to know.” What a gift she bestowed to us all. I for one have an overwhelming respect for both Anita and her priceless gift.

The park is maintained by the Maine Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks and Lands year round and can be enjoyed by cross-country skiers during the winter months, as well. You can also arrange for special group outings by calling 207-326-4012.

Kids can earn a free tee shirt at Holbrook Island Sanctuary. Here’s how:

For More Information:

 Download a copy of the Holbrook Island Sanctuary Brochure

Friends of Holbrook Island Sanctuary

Maine Department of Conservation, Bureau of Parks and Lands

You can read more about Maine events and attractions 

in an issue of theSCENE, an entertainment magazine published monthly by 

Courier Publications LLC in Rockland, Maine.

Nosing Around Maine  © Copyright 2012 Gail J. VanWart  All Rights Reserved

Join the Flock in Southwest Harbor

Pink Flamingos Flock to Southwest Harbor, Maine

When July’s temperatures rise in the midst of summer on the Quietside of Mount Desert Island, it turns hot pink as flocks of flamingos suddenly take up residence in the front yards of businesses and homes throughout the quaint little town of Southwest Harbor. It’s the Harbor House Flamingo Festival that brings the plastic iconic lawn ornaments to the neighborhood, joining community, summer residents and tourists together, year after year, in celebration of small town life—the whole town is decked out and in the pink, so to speak, from one end to the other. This year the colorful event takes place July 13-16 with a full schedule and a promise to provide fun and entertainment for folks of all ages.

It is unclear, even to the Harbor House, how this annual event actually started. In fact, the inventor of the pink flamingo lawn decorations, Don Featherstone, had no connection to the area, until after the festival of flamingos was established. How it all started is really insignificant, it’s how the event has come to symbolize a community that works and plays together that’s important. The Flamingo Festival has become the kind of festival people add to their Maine bucket list.

More Information:


Harbor House

Southwest Harbor & Tremont Chamber of Commerce

Woof! Blae suggests this link:

Traveling to MDI with Pets

You can read more about Maine events 

and attractions in an issue of 

theSCENE 

an entertainment magazine published monthly by 

Courier Publications LLC in Rockland, Maine.

Nosing Around Maine  © Copyright 2012 Gail J. VanWart  All Rights Reserved

Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island on Dwellable

Tidal Falls Preserve; Fresh Maine Air, Lobsters, and Free Concerts

A protected Maine environment for your enjoyment.

Conservation is a wonderful thing. It allows us to protect and enjoy the land we love. A perfect example of just how great it is can be witnessed at Tidal Falls Preserve in Hancock, thanks to a generous land grant from Land for Maine’s Future and the Frenchman Bay Conservancy, which, by the way, is celebrating its 25^th anniversary this year.

Picnic tables and grills provided.

The conservancy owns and protects the 4.2 acre Tidal Falls park offering public shore access—the only public shore access in Hancock—for hand carried watercraft, plus a very pleasant picnic area complete with tables, iron grills, and a pavilion. Tidal Falls also houses the Frenchman Bay Conservancy office on the second floor of its lobster pound, which operates a take-out in July and August to benefit the conservancy. 

Free Monday Evening Concerts at Tidal Falls

This beautiful preserve, and challenging reversing falls on the Taunton River it overlooks, boasts a colorful history, abundant wildlife, and even provides a spotlight for local culture by offering free concerts on Monday evenings from July 9 to August 20. Add a food cart serving lobster rolls and hot dogs to the festivities and it’s the ultimate example of Maine, the way life should be. The only draw back for some, such as my Border Collie, Blae, is dogs are not allowed on the grounds.

Getting there is easy, though off the beaten path for many who never realized its existence. From Ellsworth, travel north on US Route 1 through the village of Hancock, turn right onto Eastside Road, then turn left onto Tidal Falls Road. If you come to bridge, turn back. Directions from US Route 1 in Sullivan, heading south, take the first left after crossing the bridge into Hancock onto Eastside Road then another left onto Tidal Falls Road. You’re there!

If you’d like to support the Frenchman Bay Conservancy further, you can reserve your seat at a BYOB Lobster Dinner with all the fixings, July 21, 2012, 5:30-6:30 p.m., rain or shine. See link below.

Note:  Fido needs to make other plans.

More information can be found on these links:

Free Concerts at Tidal Falls Preserve

July 21st Lobster Dinner at Tidal Falls Preserve

Maine Department of Conservation

Sullivan/Sorrento Historical Society

Taunton River's history is as strong
as its currents and tides.

© Copyright 2012 Gail J. VanWart  All Rights Reserved

Maine’s Historic and Beautiful Penobscot Bay

View of Penobscot Bay at Castine, Maine 

Since the very beginning of the colonization of what is now the United States of America, Penobscot Bay has been witness to some very important moments in the nation’s history. Walking through the streets of Castine, Searsport, or numerous other coastal Maine communities along Penobscot Bay, will point you to memories of a rich maritime past, as well as the historic charm so delicately woven into its present day beauty.

Castine provides signage for a walking tour of historic sights. 

By land or by sea, the area is well worth nosing around in for tourists and locals alike. I strongly suggest you enjoy it from both angles to fully appreciate Penobscot Bay from all perspectives. Guildive Cruises offers you an opportunity to do just that on its Down East excursions with Ports of Call in both Castine and Searsport scheduled through the end of September. Guildive's Captains, Zander Parker and Kate Kana, have both sailed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans extensively and are pleased to offer public sails onboard the vintage 1934, 56’ long, 46-ton, motorsail, Guildive as an added summer attraction on picturesque Penobscot Bay.

Guildive Under Sail
Photo Courtesy of Guildive Cruises

The Guildive is docked in Castine with excursions departing from Dennett’s Wharf at 15 Sea Street. It also offers two-hour sails departing from the Public Wharf on Steamboat Avenue in Searsport on Mondays and Saturdays with Penobscot Marine Museum admission included in the ticket price; a great way to enjoy a complete seafaring experience from start to finish as you can even take a picnic lunch along to enjoy during your cruise. Besides its regular excursions, Guildive Cruises offers customized and specialty sails for bird watchers, artists and writers, private events, and even a full moon sail for stargazers on July 14-16 and August 12-14. Reservations are suggested, as space is limited to six persons per voyage.

In either Castine or Searsport, you can’t help but want to tour the town and soak in the history that’s so evident in its buildings and preserved by its dedicated historians and community members. Just walking through Castine is a history lesson as you read signage of major events that have taken place there. To view more treasures of the past, a visit to the Wilson Museum on Perkins Street is always a good place to start. Admission is free, except for guided tours of the John Perkins House. The Castine Historical Society on School Street is another great resource.

Summer Folk, Penobscot Marine Museum 2012 Exhibit

Searsport proudly hails the Penobscot Maritime Museum. It's Maine’s oldest maritime museum, and designed as a 19th century seafaring village, providing a home for a regionally important library and archives focused on maritime history—plus the genealogy of the Penobscot Bay area. The area has been a tourist destination for more than 150 years, the theme of Penobscot Marine Museum's 2012 exhibits and events is Summer Folk, The Tourists of Penobscot Bay, spanning time from steamship to motorcar.

For more information click these links:

Guildive Cruises

Penobscot Marine Museum

Wilson Museum

Castine Historical Society

Blae at Dyce Head Lighthouse
Castine, Maine

You can read more about Guildive Cruises and other coastal Maine attractions in an issue of theSCENE, an entertainment magazine published monthly by Courier Publications LLC in Rockland, Maine.

Reminder from Blae: If you are out and about on a hot summer day, be sure your dog is not too hot in the car. Sometimes it's best if a pet stays cool at home watching the house, especially if you plan to visit places he/she can't. 

© 2012 Copyright Gail J. VanWart All Rights Reserved

Making the Best of a Rainy Day in Bar Harbor

The recent string of rainy days, right at the onset Maine’s tourist season, has brought to my mind some special places in Bar Harbor a rainy day just can’t dampen. As a local, I especially enjoy Bar Harbor in the early spring, late fall, and on rainy days when things are quieter. That doesn’t mean, however, I would ever pass up spending a hot sunny day in Bar Harbor or beautiful Acadia NationalPark. But, rainy days, give me a reason, or excuse, for doing something inside.

Sherman's is Maine's Oldest Bookstore

I love history, books, and all things Maine, and Sherman's Book & Stationery Store, Maine’s oldest bookstore, has it all. When William Sherman set up his printing press in his Main Street storefront in 1886 to publish Bar Harbor’s news and sell a few books and stationery items, he probably didn’t imagine his business would last into the 21^st Century. Though it changed hands, from the Sherman family to the Curtis family in the mid 1900s, and no longer sports a printing press, it has grown tremendously over the years. The winning business philosophy has been to simply please their customers, the year-round residents and seasonal tourists alike. They’ve managed that so well, in fact, the business has overflowed into the towns of Freeport, Camden, and Boothbay Harbor. But, 56 Main Street in Bar Harbor will always be my favorite location. It is, after all, where it all began. Sherman's Book & Stationery Store is open 362 days a year and often thefirst stop repeat visitors to the area will make upon their arrival. Rain orshine, if you haven’t already done so, you should check Sherman’s out. http://www.shermans.com

Another place you might not notice on a sunny day is Bar Harbor’s unique movie theater, ReelPizza Cinerama, situated on the Village Green. This business took the novel idea of a dinner theater and turned it into a pizza and a movie. All movie tickets are priced at just $6 each, for everyone. And, as one reviewer pointed out, for under $20, you and a date, can actually share a meal with your moviethere, instead of overpriced candy and popcorn. Over their past sixteen years of operation, Reel Pizza’s specialty pizzas, each named after a blockbuster film, have become fairly famous in their own right. Wine and beer are served there and the atmosphere is casual and comfy. There’s always an art display in the lobby and a wide selection of films scheduled, ranging from the latest movie hits toeducational documentaries. On your mobile phone, you can email or text message times@reelpizza.net to receive a listing of the evening’s two film titles and show times. You can visit also them online. http://www.reelpizza.net

Another favorite haunt for animal lovers, especially dog owners, is Walkin The Dog at 164 Main Street, Bar Harbor. It not only carries a variety of Maine-made products for pets and their owners, it also offers an array of breed specific products, delicious treats and pet approved gifts. Shop owner, Lisa 
De Muro, invites you to drop in when you visit beautiful Mount Desert Island or browseher online store when you aren’t in the area. Walkin The Dog donates 5% of al ltheir website sales to animal rescue efforts. So, if it’s raining and you have to walk the dog anyway, you can duck inside Walkin The Dog. Your pooch is always welcome to come in out of the rain there. http://walkinthedogbarharbor.com

No matter what the weather, there is always something to enjoy in Bar Harbor. Lobster ice cream, anyone?

Want us to sniff out some particular item of interest in Maine for a Nosing Around Maine blog post? Just say so! 

© Copyright 2012 Gail J. VanWart  All Rights Reserved

Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island on Dwellable

In the Heart of Brooklin, Maine

The Brooklin Inn - Early Spring 2012

Elwyn Brooks White, would often sit on its rocky beaches with his little dog, Minnie. The quiet man was far better known to the world as E. B. White and author of two of the most famous children’s tales ever written, Charlotte’s Webb and Stuart Little, as well as, the ever-so-handy Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style. Originally from New York, the serenity of Maine became home to him, as it has for many others. His son, Joel White became a navel architect and boat builder and owned the Brooklin Boatyard. 

There is no doubt E.B., his wife, Katharine Angell White, and their family has left their imprints on Brooklin’s history. E. B. White died in North Brooklin at the age of 86. History in this town is deeply embedded into its shores. Besides White, included in its timeline are the Red Paint People and the Revolutionary War. A trip to the Friend Memorial Public Library in the middle of town will provide you with a lot of information about Brooklin’s past inhabitants and even put you face-to-face with an original Garth Williams illustration for E. B. White’s book, Stuart Little.

However, this little blog isn’t really about E. B. White, it’s about Brooklin, a quiet place in a warp-speed world. Located on Maine’s Downest coastline, it’s surrounded by beautiful Blue Hill Bay to its east, Jericho Bay to its south, and Eggemoggin Reach to its southwest—a perfect place for great sailing, fishing, and lobstering, as well as relaxing and exploring nature.

Visitors soon discover, as they drive into Brooklin from Blue Hill, time seems to have lost about sixty or so years on the way there. Visiting Brooklin, is encountering life pretty much as it was in the 1950s. The center of town features a general store, post office, church, cafe, three inns, a library, small artist’s galleries and an antique shop. 
However, this quaint little community is also large enough to house Wooden Boat Magazine, Wooden Boat School, boat builders, artists, musicians, writers, and variety of people who simply enjoy being away from it all.

Paella, Brooklin Inn Style

The Brooklin Inn, with its fine dinning, B & B lodging and Irish Pub, operates year round and is found right in the heart of town, across from the library. Chip Angell and his wife, Gail, operate the cozy inn. Folks, both first time and frequent dinner guests, seek it out for its classic old fashion hospitality, neighborly atmosphere, fresh Maine seafood and local organic fare that’s served with an international flare by their Cordon Bleu chef. Everything on Chef Tyson’s menu is as local and fresh as possible. Their collection of wines require a more than extensive list and are personally selected by Chip, the inn’s owner, specifically to compliment the meals served.

You can read more about the Brooklin Inn in the June 2012 issue of theSCENE, a monthly magazine, published by Courier Publications LLC in Rockland, Maine. View theSCENE online. 

You can also learn more from the Brooklin Inn directly.

Painting (left), pictured on the wall at the Brooklin Inn, is a provocative piece of artwork, and certainly a conversation piece, created by local artist, Daniel Snyder, who operates his studio at 29 Reach Road in Brooklin.

© Copyright 2012 Gail J. VanWart All Rights Reserved

Brooklin on Dwellable

Winterport, Maine: A Place for All Seasons

Antiques at The Old Commercial House, Winterport, Maine

Incorporated in 1860, Winterport was named for its port on the Penobscot River mariners could keep open in the dead of winter for the shipping industry, a lifeline for the Bangor region at the time. Nineteenth century charm is still visible today in the historic homes that once belonged to the sea captains who lived there back them. The town’s Main Street shares Route 1A which connects US Route 1 in Stockton Springs to Bangor. Unless you live in Winterport, you might travel through it without stopping. But, if you do have an opportunity to stop in Winterport, you will find it has quite a bit to offer, from its scenic and active waterfront to its local Maine businesses, each offering something unique and special. Blae and I have three favorite destinations in Winterport we’d like to share with you now.

The Winterport Winery

Sample some local flavor and color at The Winterport Winery, owned by Michael and Joan Anderson. What started with a winemaking kit gifted to them one Christmas has turned into a year-round business involving their whole family. Since they opened the winery in 2001 where their award winning fruit wines are fermented and aged under the careful supervision of Michael Anderson, who claims title of head winemaker, they’ve continued to expand. Besides the tasting room, The Anderson Gallery at the winery features a tasteful variety of artistic expressions and is another reason to stop by to say hello to the Andersons. That’s not all, but we’ll let you discover the rest for yourself.

Old Winterport Commercial House

Hosts Ray and Ann Ronco operate a charming Bed and Breakfast in the town’s old commercial house. They offer hospitality and comfort at a reasonable price with the added attraction of an antique shop where a person can be kept busy nosing around for hours on end. Their reservation calendar for the 2012 summer season is filling up fast, so don’t delay if you’d like to book a stay. Remember, it’s a great place to visit during leaf peeping time in the autumn, as well. Whether you stay overnight or just drop by their shop during the day, the building alone is worth stopping to admire and makes a beautiful backdrop for taking photos

Silver Willow Gallery

You can’t stop in Winterport without checking out Silver Willow Gallery. You can learn to craft, as well as shop for handcrafted Maine Made gifts, at this artisan run business at 115 Main Street, cozily tucked in between the town’s pizza shop and dog grooming salon, and just across from the Old Winterport Commercial House. Silver Willow Gallery is a perfect example of what Maine’s local businesses can offer in the way of quality goods. Their wide selection of items on display come 

exclusively from the labors of Maine artists, writers, potters, jewelry makers, knitters, felters, soap makers, wood crafters and other artisans. Many fine pieces at Silver Willow Gallery are one-of-a-kind items, creating a shopping experience you will not have anywhere else.  You can follow the  Silver Willow Gallery Blog to keep abreast of Maine Arts and Crafts news and events  around the state.

Unique Handcrafted Jewelry at Silver Willow Gallery

You never know what you might find at Silver Willow Gallery

Click the links below to learn more about Winterport, Maine:

The Winterport Winery
The Old Winterport Commercial House
Silver Willow Gallery
Winterport, Maine, USA

© Copyright 2012 Gail J. VanWart
All Rights Reserved