NEW KAYAK

I finally broke down and spent the money I had been tightly holding on to; I bought myself a kayak. This is a photo from said kayak on the Otis Reservoir. I have a feeling that there will be a lot of photos taken from this kayak. The cool thing is that it has a watertight hatch to store the camera in.

SENIORS AND ICE CREAM

It is a well know fact that Seniors just love ice cream. Do you think it is because is is easy to chew with dentures? Or do they just think, "Hey I'm old, I don't care if it is bad for you, I'm just going to eat it and enjoy it". Just one word of advice, "Don't get in the way when ice cream is on sale at the grocery store they will take you out to get to it". I have this on good advice for my father-in-law...a senior.

CAMDEN ME HARBOR

Camden, ME - This is a photo of Camden Harbor during the Windjammer Festival taken from the hill in front of the library.

BUDDIES

My wife and Thatcher spend a quit moment together.

RIVERHOUSE FOOTBRIDGE

Camden, ME - These are photos of the Riverhouse Footbridge in Camden Maine. It is in front of the Riverhouse Hotel, where I just read is pet friendly for all you dog lovers.


On the sign in the back is a sign that has the date 1953, so I assume that is how old this bridge is. It is just covered with flowers and vegetables.


There are a few of these hanging tomato plants.



While taking these photos my brother and sister in laws, who we went to Maine with, just happened to be coming from the other side.

SHEEPGATE SHEEP

Blandford, MA - As promised here are some photos of the sheep at Sheepgate.


An up close and personal.


I like the sheep on the left, the smirking sheep.


When the owner calls the sheep they come running looking for a handout of day old bread.


Food is gone and so are they.

SHEEPGATE

Blandford, MA - I've posted photos of Sheepgate before but I did not get any photos of the sheep because of the snow; I will show the sheep tomorrow. Today I want to show you a different cast of characters.



This is Bo, she is a 14 year old Golden Retriever who is nearly deaf and blind. They also think that it might have had a stroke because one side of her face sags. Her two great loves of life now are hanging around the store and going to the dump.



This is Slim (or at least that is what I call him) he looks a bit cold.

THE HUMBLE FARMER AT THE PIE BAKING CONTEST

Camden, ME - The Humble Farmer was the master of ceremonies at the Windjammer Weekend Pie Baking Contest. The Humble Farmer aka Robert Skoglund has a radio show on National Public Radio in Maine. You can also hear his last 8 shows on the web.

To listen click HERE

He does commentary interspersed with very dry Maine humor that you really have to think about to get the joke. Between commentary he plays old jazz.


The Humble Farmer interviewing one of the judges.


Judges hard at work.



The cutting of the pies.

By the way...I didn't get the name of the winner but it was the same person who won last year.

COLLECTION OF COLORFUL KAYAKS AT COLLINSVILLE CANOE AND KAYAK

Collinsville, CT - These are just some of the kayaks for sale at the Collinsville Canoe and Kayak during their semi-annual sale. I got there about 10:30am and about half the canoes and kayaks were sold; the sale started at 9am. I had just sold my whitewater kayak the week before(I hadn't used it in years) and was looking for something to use on calmer waters; I didn't get anything this time...maybe next year.

THE MUSICAL WONDER HOUSE

Wiscasset, ME - The Musical Wonder House is "the showplace for Mechanical Musical Instruments". This museum was founded by Danilo Konvalinka in 1963. The house is furnished in the Victorian style and is full of antique music boxes, player pianos, singing birds, and whistling figures. They also have a resident technician, Michael Everett, who can fix and restore your antique music boxes, spring wound phonographs,etc. The pamphlet that I got this information from says that his specialty is tuning and enhancing Musical Box Combs. It also says that they purchase these type of items, or parts of, from the period of 1830 - 1930.

More info: Musical Wonder House

WOMEN OF SUBSTANCE

Demariscotta, ME - This sign is in front of a women's clothing store called, "Women of Substance"; I think that is very witty. The store specializes in "size 12ish and grander". Now all I have to find is a store for "Men of Substance".

CAMDEN POTTERY

Camden, ME - This sculptor from Camden Pottery is hard at work at the Windjammer Festival 2007. It looks like he specializes in mermaids, well Camden is by the sea so what else? He does an excellent job!

THE GREETER

Wiscasset, ME - As I was walking down the street I saw this cute dog staring at me as if asking me to come in to his house.

CASTLE TUCKER

Wiscasset, ME - Castle Tucker was originally built in 1807 but gets it's name from Captain Richard Tucker who purchased it for his young bride Molly in 1858.


By 1890 the family fell on hard times and had to take in boarders during the summertime.


Back of the mansion.


View of the Sheepscot River from the mansion.

Info: Pamphlet I picked up at the Castle Tucker.

SEAHORSE

Wiscasset, ME - I saw this unusual piece of art hanging on someone's house.

RED'S EATS

Wiscasset, ME - Red's Eats, which started in 1938 is legendary for it's Lobster Roll. Each roll is said to have the contents of a one pound lobster. I drove past Red's a few times and each time it was packed. This photo doesn't show the thirty foot line on the side of the building and it has just opened. With all those people willing to wait for one of those lobster rolls you know it has to be good.

THE CLAM DIGGER

Wiscasset, ME - Digging for clams on the low tide in Wiscasset Maine.

ARTOMAT

Northampton, MA - I spied this vending machine in front of a store in Northampton MA; sorry I did not get the name of the store. This machine dispenses small pieces of art instead of cigarettes...cool.

Thanks to MJ who let me know that this machine is in the lobby of "Faces" 175 Main St. Northampton.

MJ also gave me the website for the Art-o-Mat

GRANVILLE MA HARVEST FAIR - OCT 6,7,8 2007

Granville MA - This is just to let everyone know to hold Columbus Day weekend open to come to the Granville MA Harvest Fair October 6,7,8, 2007. Come to our great Autumn Festival.

Here are some photos from last year.



Try the delicious fried dough from the Lion's Club, if you are lucky you might see me rollin' in the dough...or is that rolling out the dough? Anyway stop by to have some of our wonderful fried dough, tell them Bill(that's me) sent you. Hopefully I would be working that day and would love to meet some of my readers!

By the way, we are trying to get the Lion's Club Eye Mobile to the fair, all this fun and get your eye's checked too!


Come to the Meeting House to see the quilts, you just might win one in the raffle.



Hopefully, they will have the scarecrow contest again this year...I just love this one.


Whatever you do, try my favorite, the Maple Cotton Candy; after the Lion's Club fried dough of course.

INTERESTING ALPACAS

Here are photos of some interesting looking Alpacas.


Napoleon Dynamite with white hair?


One of the Herman's Hermits?


A Beatrix Potter character?

DR LIVINGSTON LOVES THE LADIES

Camden, ME - Actually, I believe that this gentleman is a captain of one of the ships at the windjammer festival. But. I would say he looks rather British wearing the pith helmet.

TREADMILL MARATHON FOR CANCER

Northampton, MA - These are photos of the Northampton High School Cross-Country team running a "Treadmill Marathon" for Cancer Connection. I will tell you one thing, they earned every donation, it was in the 90's and very high humidity I was miserable just walking around. Another thing, I just saw this one girl running but let me tell you she was sparing no horses, she was really tearing up the treadmill.




Link to Cancer Connection

FOUNDATION GARDEN

Wiscasset, ME - What do you do with a foundation of a torn down building...plant a garden.

THE OLD MAN (and Old Dog) AND THE SEA

Camden, ME - I caught this man watching the clipper ships while holding his dog. Like most of my photos, something tells me this would make a good photo so I snap away.

LOBSTER aka LUNCH

No stay in Maine is complete without a lobster dinner. Here is a nice 3.3 pounder that made a tasty meal for three of us (with a 1.5 lb lobster as a side dish).

PLAYING WITH KNIVES

Camden, ME - This guy that looks like a pirate has a unique talent, juggling knives. He also told me that he juggles machetes and fire; I asked him about chain saws but he said he didn't think he could get used to the weight. I think for safety he sticks to knives on the pier. This isn't his job, just a way of filling up the time. He sells tickets and answers questions about the windjammer cruises aboard the Appledore. It was out so I did not get any photos of the ship.





All knives

Two knives and a ball

MORNING IN MAINE

Lake Damariscotta, ME - This is the view from the cottage we stayed at in Maine.