Summer '05 Newsletter

We are a few weeks from the official start of summer and we are ready! To start with, we have a new housekeeper named Alice. She has been with us for 2 weeks now and has helped us greatly to get things spiffed up for the summer! It's quite the incentive to get to work when you have ready help.

There are new plants in the gardens. We've added some more creeping phlox in the perennials and the window boxes are just about done. We have some gorgeous pink geraniums there. The Siberian irises are just starting to come out and the yellows and purples look smashing together!  The lilacs were a bit of a disappointment this year but it was so cold and rainy during the spring, who could blame them if they just didn't have the energy by the time the sun came out!

Sara (the youngest) got me an iron planter in the shape of a dog. He's out with the girl planter she got for me last Mother's Day. I've noticed you can now get planters that look like grandparents. I sense a trend here! We'll have a whole family soon.

For those who were here in the past few weeks, the shed is about done.  It's in need of a bit of paint on the doors and we're all set to move the motorcycle and lawn tractor inside and out of the elements.  I have dibs on the corner with the windows for my potting bench, something I have missed since we moved here from VT.

We've been getting some great recipes lately.  Lots of folks coming here from Europe and many others from the southern states.  We'll have to try out the cheese grits recipe we just received in the mail from an 88-year-old southern belle who was here for her grandson's graduation from Bates College.  From the UK I now have the recipe for Fairy Cakes.  Have you ever read a book wherein folks are eating foods you've never heard of and you've wondered what they might be?  Well, I got tired of wondering and asked.  And now I know, and if you're here someday when I'm making them, you'll know, too, about the Fairy Cakes anyway.  Scones are still beyond me.  Although, we've been told our cream cheese biscuits come close. We had a strawberry mousse last weekend that was quite refreshing in the heat.  We'll keep that recipe around!  If you have any favs you'd like to share, email them to us and we'll give them a spin.

Things are happening in town as well. School Street Cafe closed this winter and has been replaced by the Mediterranean Grill... great vegetarian dishes, wonderful Turkish desserts and knock-your-socks-off coffee (a spoon could stand up in this stuff!) A great story behind the restaurant...2 brothers from Turkey married 2 sisters from China and here they are in Maine!

The Wine Cellar has moved into the cellar on Main Street, just next to Freeport Knife.  Casco Bay Gourmet has moved upstairs and now shares space in the knife shop.

Just opened is CO/OP clothing and Tuesday Morning, both next to the Pet Pantry.

Avenue 5 is a new venture showcasing women's accessories (and, if it's raining, they have umbrellas!)

Another new restaurant is Buck's Naked BBQ, brought to you by the folks at Isabella's Sticky Buns (they do have a way with names, don't they!)  Be sure to try their blueberry bbq sauce, yum!

Wilbur's Chocolates is expanding.  They will have an additional 2000 square feet of space at the main shop/factory on Lower Main St.

We have new rockers on the front porch (from Chilton's on Lower Main) so I hope you have time this summer to stay with us and enjoy the cool evening breezes!

OK, time to go, Bre is giving me 'the look'.  You know, 'Take me out and play ball with me.' (Better yet, 'Take me to the beach!' That's one I won't pass up!) See you soon!

PS- Don't forget to check LL Bean's Adventure packages for the summer... www.llbean.com ...they are just down the street from us so you can go kayaking during the day and have a comfy bed to come home to at night.

Also, we met the owners of Captained Sailing last night and they offer afternoon, full day and overnight cruises. Spend your morning shopping, set sail from Card Cove in Harpswell in the afternoon and wake to a scrumptious breakfast at the White Cedar Inn next morning. Email them at cwatch@gwi.net for more information.  (Let them know you heard about them here.)

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