Mom not as interesting as rocks

While trap shooting at Scarborough Fish & Game last week I took some photos and videos of the girls while they were shooting. I asked G. to do the same when I took my turn on the range.

Well, G. did catch some photos but when I was on a roll hitting several clay targets in a row she was busy doing other things.

Namely taking photos of her shadow and rock designs she and her sister made.

And even with the lack of visual evidence, I did hit some flying clays. Honest. And I must admit, I really liked trap shooting. Really. Liked. It.

Fino is amused at my interest in visiting the trap shooting range again and has agreed to go with me during their open to the public hours (Thursdays 4-7 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m. - noon until November).

G.'s favorite part of the day was being the "clicker girl" (pressing the button to release the clays when the shooter says "pull").

Preview: Family-friendly fun-filled Fiber Frolic

Fiber enthusiasts take note: the Maine Fiber Frolic is next weekend at Windsor Fairgrounds and you won't want to miss this roundup of everything sheep, alpacas, llamas and rabbits.

Al Maloney, the event's finance director, explains what makes this event unique for those interested in any aspect of fiber arts in Maine -- from beginner knitters to old-pro spinners.

"You can not only get what you need (fiber and equipment), you can talk to someone who can tell you how to actually do it. You can't get that on eBay," Maloney said.

With 90 vendors expected -- who will be selling yarn, roving, knitting, spinning wheels and offering everything else you'd ever need related to fiber or the animals that produce it -- this is an event for every level of fiber enthusiast. As for whole fleeces, there will be at least 300 sheep and alpaca fleeces for sale as well.

There will also be a variety of animals on display, including alpacas, lamas, cashmere goats, at least 10 different sheep breeds and Angora rabbits. The llamas and alpacas will offer some additional entertainment while participating in the "Llama 'Lympics" obstacle course during the weekend.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the Fiber Frolic is happy to announce a new addition to the event -- the rabbit fiber area. There will be a special series of programs specifically featuring Angora rabbits to make it an extra special experience for those interested in this type of fiber.

There will also be a variety of free talks and demonstrations about animal husbandry, feed and nutrition of fiber-bearing animals and lots of information for people just getting started. Veterinarians will be on hand to talk about the health of these animals as well.

For a fee, attendees can participate in specialized workshops on subjects like primitive rug hooking and needle felting. Pre-registration is required.

David Kennard of Wellscroft Farm in Chesham, N.H., will be presenting several sheep dog herding demonstrations. This program will explain how the dogs work with the sheep and demonstrate the team effort needed between the farmer and his herd dogs.

"It's amazing what he does with these animals," Maloney said of the sheep dog demos planned on Saturday and Sunday.

This family-friendly event also features a children's craft area to keep the under 10 crowd busy with a variety of activities of their own. That is, if you can drag them away from the animals and demonstrations.

MAINE FIBER FROLIC
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 5 and 6
WHERE: Windsor Fairgrounds, Route 32, Windsor
HOW MUCH: $5 adults, $2 seniors, children under 12 free
FOOD OPTIONS: Several vendors
PARKING: Lot across from the main entrance; handicap access also available inside fairgrounds.
DON'T MISS: The Rabbit Fiber area. It's new this year and will feature a series of programs dedicated specifically to rabbits and their fiber.
KID-FRIENDLY FACTOR: Great
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Rain or shine, vendors, workshops and most demonstrations will be under cover in barns, halls or tents.
MORE INFO: www.fiberfrolic.com

Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram May 30, 2010

Skeet shooting movie trailer, and 4H

My friend forwarded me an email about a movie trailer today because she knew I was heading to the trap shooting field range in Scarborough with my girls later this afternoon for a story I'm working on for the Telegram.

It will be our second visit to the Scarborough Fish & Game range to shoot trap (which is different than skeet, more on that later). Our first was with the girls' 4H shooting sports club a couple of weeks ago.

It's one thing to shoot a .22 rifle at a stationary target in an indoor range and quite another to shoot a shotgun at a moving target outside. It's a whole different sort of shooting experience but one the girls' 4H shooting sports club does every year. And it's always a good time, especially when the dads (and me, usually the lone mom) get a chance to try it too.

This year it was a treat for the kids to be invited to shoot trap at the competitive range at Scarborough Fish & Game and get some pointers from some top trap shooters there.

If you look closely on the left side of this picture you'll see the orange clay disc just above the tree line.

G. managed to shatter 2 out of 3 clay discs with a borrowed 20-gauge.

I'll share more about the experience in my Telegram story but let's just say that this movie trailer for "Killers" starting Ashton Kutcher and Tom Selleck (the movie is coming out June 4), struck my funny bone.



Yay 4H!


And thanks Sarah for forwarding it to me. The girls got a kick out of it too. :)

A college campus experience for my middle schoolers

Three days of learning and experiencing life in the residence halls on a college campus was all part of the 4H Connecting Kids to Campus conference we attended this past weekend.

The conference is run by UMaine's Cooperative Extension 4-H program and invites 12- to 17-year-olds (kids not enrolled in 4-H program can attend this program) to the Orono campus to introduce them to college with workshops choices representing a wide variety of academic departments. The not-so-subtle message from the conference to the kids - going to college should be in your future.

The girls had about 20 different workshop options to choose from but could only make 3 choices. There was much indecision from both of my girls about which workshops to choose when registration time came around (there were team building group experiences, pool time, a movie and other large group activities in addition to workshops too for the 3-day conference).

One of the workshops both girls chose was in the food science department. The focus was on the science behind ice cream and blueberries. The girls thought it was a BIG treat to not only learn the chemistry behind ice crystals in ice cream - the smaller the ice crystals, the more creamy the frozen confection - but to have a chance to make ice cream with liquid nitrogen.

And in case you didn't know, you just pour the liquid nitrogen into the ice cream mixture and voila! It's frozen.

Then you eat it.

Yes, you can eat liquid nitrogen.

Actually, many kids eat liquid nitrogen ice cream because that's how they make Mini Melts and Dippin' Dots, those cups of colorful little ice cream balls you see at amusement parks and at the grocery store.

The kids first made ice cream in LL Bean ice cream maker balls (yes, the do work and after 10 minutes of rolling, the ice cream was the consistency of soft serve and very tasty).

Then they tried the liquid nitrogen, which took about 10 seconds to make a much firmer ice cream.

My kids preferred the soft serve consistency from the ice cream balls, which was the minority of the group. The liquid nitrogen was just too cool (literally) for most to agree that the soft serve was better.

The kids also learned about pH in blueberries in the UMaine kitchen, and how to change that pH using vinegar and baking soda (and because the kids in the group were all familiar with these ingredient's chemical reaction they had to combine the two to make the beaker mixture foam and bubble over at the end).

The kids used a pH sensor tool to determine the pH in the blueberry extract, then with vinegar added, and then again with baking soda.



That workshop was a lot of fun and we got to see some very cool commercial kitchen equipment.

The commercial freezer was impressive, as was the freeze-drier, smoker, cheese making vat and a bunch of other large-scale appliances the kids had never seen before.

The next class took G. off to the campus farm to see a demonstration with standard bred horses. It turned out that the 2-week old fowl stole the show at the barn.

L. opted to visit the Biomedical Engineering/Advanced Robotics (BEAR) Laboratory to learn about robotic surgery. The professor running the lab made sure each workshop participant had a chance to do some open heart surgery while in the lab.

It was great hands-on learning for the kids (with assistance from the lab staff because this was a seriously advanced robotics experience). And learning about the R&D they're doing at UMaine is quite fascinating. They're working on developing sensors so surgeons can "feel" the tissue they're working on at the end of the scope (based on pressure and resistance).

The girls also spent some time in the Innovation Center on campus. Their class focused on developing a popcorn flavor and then learning how to market and sell their new product. I didn't attend this particular workshop but the kids had rave reviews about the experience of learning how to start their own business.

If you have middle schooler or a young high schooler, I highly recommend taking them to a campus to learn what college has to offer (take them long before the campus tour time junior and senior year).

My kids have enjoyed every visit to UMaine's Orono campus (they've been several times in the past couple of years) and both believe UMaine is where they want to go to college. Whether they end up at that campus or another doesn't matter to me. They have seen a variety of academic departments that can open up all sorts of career possibilities for them to explore. They just assume they're going to go to college and that's exactly what I want them to think.

Thanks UMaine!

Preview: Loki Clan at Maine Wildlife Park

There are big differences between wolves and dogs and the Loki Clan Wolf Refuge will be at Maine Wildlife Park Saturday to explain what they are.

The Refuge, located on the Maine/New Hampshire border, provides a safe haven for wolf hybrid dogs so they can live out their lives like wild wolves rather than domesticated pets.

"There has been a trend to buy wolf hybrids but they are really hard to keep as pets," said Lisa Kane, IFW natural sciences educator and supervisor of the Maine Wildlife Park. "They are often surrendered to a humane society or euthanized because people can't handle them."

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Loki Clan Wolf Refuge will host displays at the park that include wolf pelts, skulls, scat and lots of information about wolves and their unique personalities. No live animals will be present.

"Wolves are an expatriated species. They were eliminated in the state (primarily from hunting) but exist as populations elsewhere. They are considered an endangered species nationally," said Kane, who hopes people will learn about wolves in case they do come back to Maine.

"We just want to educate people about wolves so others can learn what their jobs are in the wild," Kane said. "Every animal has a job to do and wolves eat other animals. A lot of people don't care for large animal predators that eat deer, moose and turkeys. But the wolves don't do it to hurt other animals. They do it because it's their job. We don't hate robins because they eat worms."

In addition to learning about wolves at the Wildlife Park on Saturday, visitors should check out the new small mammal exhibits that opened this season thanks to funding from Friends of the Maine Wildlife Park.

The raccoon, skunk, fisher, porcupine, opossum and woodchuck all have new homes in a more natural environment. These exhibits' new invisible wire panels will allow visitors to view - and photograph - the animals more easily than through the old wire fencing. The new location will be called the Joe Jones Small Mammal Trail. A formal dedication ceremony in honor of Jones, a former Friends of the Maine Wildlife Park president, is planned for May 20.

Kane explained there are also some great new signs at the park. "We have a lot of new signage created by local artist Tom Merriam. He created really cool rustic carvings of a lot of the animals. The small mammal sign includes life-size carvings."

Also new this year are self-guided audio tour stops. Visitors will find small blue signs around the park (locations are indicated on the park's map) with a phone number to call to learn more about the exhibit. The audio tour includes a bit about the individual animal's history, including where it came from and why it's at the park, as well as the animal's natural history and how IF&W is managing it's population in the state.

LOKI CLAN WOLF REFUGE EXHIBIT
WHEN: Saturday, May 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
WHERE: Maine Wildlife Park, Route 26, 56 Game Farm Road, Gray
HOW MUCH: $7/adults, $5/5-12-year-olds and seniors, free for ages 3 and under.
FOOD OPTIONS: Snack Shack (just snacks, no lunch menu available); picnic and grill area available for visitors to bring their own lunch.
PARKING: Large parking area just outside the park’s main entrance.
DON’T MISS: Wolf exhibits and the new Small Mammal Trail.
KID-FRIENDLY FACTOR: Great
BENEFITS: Admission fees directly support the Maine Wildlife Park.
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Rain or shine
MORE INFO: www.mainewildlifepark.com

Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram May 16, 2010.

Cake decorating with kid-friendly fondant

My girls had been eagerly anticipating their general 4H club meeting last week. The topic was cake decorating and the kids were thrilled with the announcement once they arrived that they would be learning how to make a simple marshmallow fondant.

My kids like to decorate cakes and cupcakes but I can't say they're super good at it. I thought it was a faulty gene I'd passed on. I loved the activity but wasn't so great at it myself as a kid (or an adult). To offer a glimpse in to the fact that I'm not exaggerating when I say I'm not very good at the cake decorating thing, I offer some old pictures from my dad's photo albums.

You see, every Sunday when I went to my dad's house in 4th and 5th grade, I told him I had to make a cake and decorate it. My cakes from those days were a disaster but they tasted OK so my dad was always game let me have a go at it when I asked.

This cake was from the early microwave days and was cooked (unevenly) in that new kitchen appliance. I also realize that in those days (late 70s) there wasn't much on the market for kid-friendly cake decorating supplies like there is today.

I never did take a formal cake decorating class as a kid (even though clearly I needed one!), nor as an adult. But it's been on my "to do" list for longer than I can remember. These days my girls are very interested in taking one, hence their excitement over this particular 4H meeting topic.

In addition to the fondant, there were many other decorating supplies on-hand and all the kids were in confection glee for a couple of hours (and then a sugar highs for the rest of the night).

The fondant was super easy to make and I thought I'd share it for those moms brave enough to give up a clean kitchen for an afternoon to let their kids create their own decorated cakes/cupcakes.

Marshmallow Fondant Icing Recipe
16 ounces white mini-marshmallow
2 to 5 tablespoons water
2 pounds icing sugar
1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)
 Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave. Put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 1/2 minutes total. Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix. Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers), then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle. Start kneading like you would bread dough. Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is too dry, so add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time and then knead it in). Then add food coloring.

For a complete step-by-step on how to make this fondant, pictures and all, go to whatscookingamerica.net

It's the food coloring that you'll want to keep a close eye on if make this recipe with your kids. All the 4H members left with stained hands. If you know anything about food coloring you'll know it takes more than a few washings to see regular skin tone again.

As you can see from these photos, fondant offers all kinds of decorating possibilities for kids. It also helps when you have a bit of talent for it to like the kids in this 4H club. There were some spectacular cupcake designs by the end of this two hour meeting.

And it turns out my own girls have the decorating flare when they have some helpful instruction, and some great supplies to work with.

Their friends were really good at decorating as well.

Oh and the cupcakes and fondant were not only pretty, they were VERY tasty too!!

Kid Tracks Column: Geocaching application great for family adventure

Several years ago my family learned the game of geocaching with our GPS unit. These days we don't need that unit to find hidden treasures. We can use the Geocache Navigator application on my mobile phone. It's easy to use and simplifies things when I'm with the kids or trying to teach a friend how to play the game.

Geocaching is a game that uses GPS coordinates to find a hidden box filled with inexpensive trinkets and a log book. Players, called geocachers, download the coordinates on to their GPS units and then navigate their way to the hidden box. I have found it takes some planning to play because you have to download coordinates to geocaches ahead of time at home. But with the mobile phone application I have easy access to geocaching.com, the website listing geocache coordinates, anytime the mood strikes to play the game. Well, as long as my phone is in range of a cell phone tower.

Not only do I find it easier to organize a geocaching adventure with my kids (one less piece of gear to bring on the trail), the game is less intimidating to my friends when I teach them how to play. There's no learning curve with the features of a GPS unit when most people I know are comfortable with their mobile phones already. There is a fee to use this application, which is a few dollars a month, but might be just the right way to do a trial run of the game to ensure your family enjoys it before making a larger investment in a hand-held GPS unit (they run about $100 for a basic model).

When I met a friend and her family at Pondicherry Park in Bridgton to do some hiking, I also explained the geocaching game because there are so many hidden on that trail system. By the time we'd found our second box, my friend had downloaded the application to her iPhone and was using it to find the third geocache. At the end of the day that family was ready to play on its own.

I also like the phone application because I not only have access to the coordinates of the geocaches, but the descriptions and logs as well. Anyone who has been out on the trail looking for a geocache with kids in tow knows a quick peruse through the cache's logs can help a lot in finding an elusive box. There's nothing worse than a couple of disappointed kids when you're a mile from the trail head and need to hike back to the car empty-handed. There have also been many times when the kids have been ready to find more geocaches but I didn't download additional coordinates. Now I can do a quick search on the phone application to identify others in the surrounding area without having to plan so much in advance.

Case in point was when my 12-year-old and I decided to search for a newly created Boy Scout geocache hidden in an old cemetery (the Boy Scouts are celebrating their 100th anniversary with their Get in the Game! geocaching program) in Standish. We read logs that indicated the hiding place was crafty and since my family has made our own special geocaches "boxes" (hint: my husband hollows out natural materials to blend our boxes with the environment) we wanted to check it out. The Boy Scouts box was a quick and clever find. So with a bit of extra time on our hands and not being eager to end our adventure for the day, I did a quick search on my phone for other caches in the area. We found two more within a mile of our location before we called it a day.

There are times I have run into trouble with the software when we're out of cell phone tower range, which happens in more rural areas and under heavy tree cover. The phone application is server-based so the information is not stored directly on the phone. And even if it was saved, the compass function that indicates the direction and distance from the hidden box won't work without a tower connection. So if you really enjoy the game, having a hand-held GPS unit as backup ensures you don't run into any problems when you hit the trail.

I still use my hand-held GPS unit to geocache because there are additional functions I like (we often save tracks of our hikes). And after a few times using both the GPS unit and mobile phone, I've been able to avoid any heated debates between the kids over who gets to hold the unit. They each have a device to find the geocache and that makes my life a whole lot easier.

I don't subscribe to many applications, but this one's a keeper in my (phone) book.

The Geocache Navigator application has a search feature to identify nearby caches. Once a geocache is selected, the compass screen helps users navigate to the location. There are additional screens to view log details that can offer hints to help you find a geocache if it’s proving a bit tricky to locate.

CAN YOU NEAR ME NOW?
THE GEOCACHE NAVIGATOR application supports several types of mobile phones. You can find out if yours is one of them by going to: www.geocachenavigator.com.


Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram May 16, 2010

Animals take over my world & required reading

L. figured out how to create signatures on her email account a while ago and since she's such a fan of pigs, she used two pig icons in her signature when she first set up her account.

Today she sent me an email with an updated signature. She has managed to track down an icon to represent each one of her animals (ones that live with us year-round as well as our temporary friends).

We've got a little of everything at our house these days and now every time I get an email from this kid it's going to remind me the lack of control I have when it comes to restraining all the animal lovers I live with from inviting more friends to live with us.

I've had a few moments this week when I've thought about how way over my head I am with all these animals. Within the past four weeks we've moved in a couple of piglets, a foster dog (a blog for another time - we can't keep him even if G. wanted to) and two sheep to join our year-round flock of poultry and three cats.

But when I come home from the office every day and I see clean pens, happy kids and content animals I realize everything will work out just fine.

A benefit of all of these animals has been that my "brain age" is quite young as I've done plenty of reading - and learning - lately. Of course I'm sure (insert sarcasm here) everyone is envious of my reading pile this past month and can't wait for my reviews of each title.

* Storey's Barn Guide to Sheep
* Raising Sheep the Modern Way
* 4H Swine Resource Handbook for Market and Breeding Projects
* Storey's Guide to Raising Pigs

Our wooly friends have arrived

We moved L.'s lambs Minette and Symphony to their temporary home in our backyard on Sunday. They'll be living with us until mid-October unless L. has her way and keeps them until November 1. She has some crazy idea that she is going to include them in her Halloween costume plans. I have yet to be convinced this is a good idea (that's another blog topic for later).

The lambs arrived via dog crate. The ride was a little tight for them but it was only a 10 minute ride from their farm home to our backyard and they seemed no worse for the wear in the close quarters.

They did make a quick exit once the door was opened though.

There isn't much grass in their pen at our place so we'll have to rely on purchasing more hay than most of L.'s other 4H sheep-raising friends. L. will be taking her lambs for walks around our yard and letting them graze wearing their halters but that won't supplement their diet much at all. I'm curious to compare the costs of taking care of the sheep versus the pigs this year once L. finishes her record sheets in the fall.

The lamb's arrival was fairly uneventful until L. decided to take the lambs for a walk in our open field area. She put a halter on each of the lambs and I walked Symphony while she walked Minette.

(Guess which one walks better on a halter? It would not be the one I was given.)

So while we were in the field Symphony decided to do the roll over and refuse to walk thing. I finally coaxed her to stand up (via a manual lift back on to her legs again) and then gave a small tug.

Big mistake.

Symphony managed to slip out of the brand new (hence slippery rope) halter with that one not-very-strong tug. Luckily I reacted a half of second faster than the lamb did because I managed to get a hold of her wooly back before she bolted.

My neighbor (the fox chaser) saw the lambs in the yard and came over to meet them with his wife just after I grabbed Symphony. It was such wonderful timing as I was carrying a lamb across the field to get her in the pen because the halter just wasn't feeling secure when I tried to put it on her again.

There is a special sort of feeling when you know you don't know what you're doing and you have an audience to see that first-hand.

So off I waddled to the enclosed pen with my arms around the lamb's forelegs while it's hind legs dangled down the front of my body chatting with my chuckling neighbors.

G. was (thankfully) nowhere around with the camera to capture the moment.

But we did manage to catch a few pictures of the lambs in their new pen. The pig pen is nearby and they've been checking each other out the past couple of days.

L. will be attending a 4H workshop at the fairgrounds this weekend to learn about showing sheep. We have quite a learning curve but I'm sure L., although nervous, will get it all figured out.

At the moment I'll just focus on how cute the lambs are. I'm not going to think about how we're going to transport them to sheep shows at the fairs this summer or how to do any of the 101 things that need to be done to get them ready for one.

No, I'm just going to enjoy their little "baaaahs" and "maaaahs" sounds right now and think about how darn cute they are.

Odd sightings this week

Dolls in the freezer, pig taking a milk bath and a high mileage odometer reading - I've seen it all this week.

Twin dolls L. has had since she was a newborn are still an active part of her life. I guess I never realized she intentionally puts them in the freezer to make them cold. I found them there yesterday. "Mom I've been freezing them since I was little. They feel good when they're cold." Apparently they make friendly ice packs on warm days.

I was at a stop sign when I glanced down and caught the numbers on my odometer. Makes me think I should play that number in the lottery this week.


The sheep farm L. is halter training her lambs right now (they'll move to our house this weekend), there's a sweet pig named Natalia. L. loves to visit her when we're at the farm. Natalia is not so keen on her grain at the moment so she was having a little milk to ensure she was eating enough and was happy to provide some humor for us as well. This reminded L. why she enjoys pigs so much. They are funny little (big) creatures.

Drinking the milk wasn't quite enough as she purposefully dumped part of the bowl so she could roll around in the milk. Apparently this felt very nice on her skin because she rolled around for quite some time in happy piggy milk-covered bliss.

It has been an interesting week...

Kid Tracks Column: Park rangers great resource for families

Rangers at state parks are some of the most helpful people you'll ever meet, especially if you're new to outdoor adventuring with your family.

When the girls were 4 and 5 years old we visited Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park in Freeport. The girls were curious about the signs identifying the type of trees on one of the trails and when one of the park's rangers overheard them asking questions, he came over to chat with the girls about the trees. He then suggested we attend the guided nature program happening a short time later that included a scavenger hunt-type worksheet to learn how to identify the trees at the park.

That was my daughters' first introduction to a state park ranger and they haven't forgotten one of the tips that ranger told them that day about white pine trees - there are five letters in the word w-h-i-t-e and that's how many needles are in each buddle on a white pine.

My girls share this tip often and feel quite smug in their knowledge of their home state's official tree.

The girls and I recently took a trip to Florida and planned to take a canoe paddle my cousins had suggested in the Ocala National Forest. They raved about the seven-mile paddle and we put it on our "must do" list during our visit. But when we arrived at the river a sentence at the bottom of the canoe rental flier sent up a red flag for me.

"This is not a beginner paddle."

The kids and I are not beginner paddlers but being the solo parent on this particular adventure and with my unfamiliarity with Florida waterways, I opted to consult one of the rangers at the park about the statement. The ranger asked me a couple of questions before answering mine.

"Can you steer a canoe well?"

"I do OK and have been out on rivers and ponds many times in Maine."

"How well do the kids paddle?"

"Umm, they do OK generally but don't have a ton of experience. They usually rely on me to steer."

"How many canoes are you renting?

"Just one. It's just me and the girls."

"This is not a paddle I would recommend. Here's why..."

That's when the ranger explained the obstacles in this particular river and the likelihood (very high for novices) of flipping over in the first two turns. Since Florida is known for alligators in all its waters (the reason we wanted to visit this location in the first place was because of the wildlife sighting options), we were not keen on a paddle that might result in a flip. The ranger also went on to explain that she did not recommend this particular paddle for a solo canoe. It was best enjoyed traveling in a group.

The ranger made a suggestion of a beginner paddle she thought matched our interest and skill level on a river about 15 miles away.

That paddle turned out to be exactly right for us.

Once again this experience confirmed for me that park rangers are some of the best resources for families new to a particular park.

My family has visited less than half of all the Maine State Parks (we're working on getting to them all before the kids graduate from high school) but have found each one we have visited to be wonderfully unique. Each visit to a new-to-us park almost always includes a short chat with a ranger about the area.

"Rangers expect to answer questions and interpret what people see around them to explain the types of trees, birds and animals at each state park. Visitors should walk up to anyone who has a state park uniform on and ask a question," explained Will Harris, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands director.

If you're interested in a more in-depth learning experience, there are interpretive ranger programs available to groups at several Maine state parks, including Bradbury, Mt. Blue, Sebago, Cobscook and Aroostook. Groups simply need to call ahead to arrange a time for a requested program.

Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park in Freeport publishes a monthly roundup of guided nature programs at the park on weekends and holidays each month at 2 p.m. No pre-registration is required. During May, the programs include a weekly Osprey Watch to learn about the bird's history and view their nesting area. There is also a hike with a ranger on the trails, activities on the natural history and ecology of the park's varied shores, a wildflower walk and more. To download a schedule of programs and/or trail map of this park go to www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=31.

In the news recently there has been some hoolpa over the new fees at Mackworth Island and Kettle Cove, both managed by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.

Both of these locations will have new "iron rangers" (metal fee collection receptacles) this season along with signage to request a fee of $2 residents, $3 non-resident, $1 kids 5-11 years. Neither of these locations will be staffed to collect fees. Harris explained that because of the public outcry about these new fees, "we're not enforcing fees (at these locations) at this time."

If you're looking for a free park visit, mark Sunday, June 20 on your calendar. It's Maine Day at state parks and historic sites and all Maine residents receive free admission to the parks that day.

Families can also take advantage of the state park pass as well. The 2010 Vehicle Pass Allows all the occupants of up to a one-ton vehicle free day-use for $70 for the year. Individual passes are also available for $35.

Highlights from my family's adventures at a few state parks over the years...

Bradbury Mountain State Park - 2004

Bradbury Mountain State Park - 2010

Grafton Notch State Park's Table Rock - 2007

Grafton Notch State Park's Appalachian Trail - 2008

Grafton Notch State Park's Eyebrow Trail - 2007

Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park - 2003

Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park - 2009

Originally published in Raising Maine Magazine, May 2010.

A cheese making failure

Even after we read all the instructions and thought we'd followed each step accurately, L. and I discovered we were sadly mistaken that making cheese would be as easy as it sounded.

It is apparently not called an "art form" for nothing.

My interest in cheese-making started after reading a story in Hobby Farms Magazine. L. agreed with me that it sounded very do-able and she was as eager to try making it as I was.

So I made an inquiry at Whole Foods in Portland about rennet, which I needed per the magazine recipe. I got an offended-type look and a decisive, "We do not carry that product in this store." I figured it was something animal-related based on the clerk's reaction so I went online to find it.

Turns out that rennet, a key ingredient in modern day cheese making along with food-grade citric acid, is actually an animal byproduct.

Rennet is an extract from the fourth stomach of young ruminants, such as cows, goats, and sheep. This extract contains a number of enzymes which are designed to help these animals digest their mother's milk, and when added to milk, rennet will cause the milk to coagulate, forming the curds and whey which are so essential in the cheesemaking process. Humans have been working with rennet for thousands of years, and it is typically readily available in stores which carry cheesemaking supplies; it can also be made at home, if you happen to have access to the necessary ingredients. You can read the rest of the explanation here...

This explained the unpleasant look I was given by the guy at Whole Foods. He must have been a vegan...

Anyhoodle, I found a cheese making supply store online, www.cheesemaking.com, that offered a kit that included all the ingredients I needed to make several pounds of cheese. It was less than $30 and even included step-by-step directions and a trouble-shooting guide. The only thing the kit did not include was the milk.

I ordered it.

The recipe was very precise in the instructions when making cheese in the home kitchen.

* Use stainless steel pots (no reactive metal as that will have a negative effect on the chemical reaction to form the cheese).

* Use water that does not have chlorine in it (they recommend distilled if you're not sure)

* Use milk from a local dairy that has not been processed using high heat. Ideally that's raw milk.

I had the first two things covered but the milk required a visit to Smiling Hill Farm. I know Smiling Hill makes cheese so I figured they would have the type of milk I needed. I spoke with a very knowledgeable person at the farm store and learned that dairies in Maine can not sell raw milk (per public health concerns and is actually illegal to do so). It has to at least be pasteurized.

It turned out that "Creamline" is as close as I can get to purchasing raw milk commercially (I need to chat with some 4H friends with dairy cows this summer to give me some raw milk).

Smiling Hill's Creamline is pasteurized but it is not homogenized (read more about the difference in these processes on howthingswork.com so it has a "cream plug" at the top of the bottle.

L. liked that plug a lot and licked each bottle's neck clean of it.

We followed the directions, really we did, but the cheese never got to the "ball" form.

We had a pot full of substance that looked a whole lot more like vomit.

Even though I thought we'd followed the directions correctly, there are some things now I'm second-guessing.

* My stainless steel pot may have been too big. We made sure the milk mixture was heated to the correct temperature but the extra space in the pot may have cooled the milk too quickly and caused things not to react correctly at a key point in the process. I have a smaller pot we're going to try next time.

* The metal slotted spoon we used could have caused a problem. I'm not sure now if it really is stainless steel or not.

* We might not have used enough rennet. Cutting a small pill-like disc in to quarters is not all that accurate and I think we'll use the largest of the quarter cuts next time. Or maybe use a half piece and see what happens. The directions said you can play around with this ingredient a bit based on how it works at your home kitchen.

I think now I understand a bit better why a lot of even the DIY-types don't make cheese at home. But L. and I have not given up. We're going to try it again sometime soon.

Anyone ever try to make their own cheese? Have any tips for us?

Preview: Take a Cake Walk to historic Camden

Mothers can have their cake and eat it too thanks to the Camden-Rockport Historical Society's Cake Walk event on Saturday.

Twelve historic inns in Camden have agreed to open their doors and put their Maine hospitality on display for the day. Visitors will have the opportunity to sample some scrumptious sweets and experience the resplendent beauty of each building.

"We chose Mother's Day weekend for the Cake Walk because it's so quiet here (at this time of year) and thought it would be a fun gift idea for dads, husbands and brothers to give their mothers, wives and daughters for Mother's Day," said Dana Fittante, a volunteer with the Camden Cake Walk Committee.

But this event isn't just for mothers. The Cake Walk is a family affair and children will enjoy the adventure of exploring the history and splendor of each inn just as much as their parents and grandparents.

"These innkeepers are great, and many have families of their own, so there will be a welcoming feel for all who have kids in tow," said Fittante. "And what kid doesn't love cake?"

The participating inns are within reasonable walking distance of one another so a stroll from one location to the next -- and a bit of exercise before the next slice of cake -- might be just your cup of tea. For those who need some time off their feet, Rockland's All Aboard Trolley will be on hand to offer rides to each location.

Marlene Hall, executive director of the Camden-Rockport Historical Society, believes this event is a win-win for the society, the inns and the community at large.

"We are extremely pleased to premiere the inns and Cake Walk in this kind of format," she said. "We're all working together to preserve our local historical landmarks."

All proceeds from the Cake Walk will benefit the Camden-Rockport Historical Society, its complex and its ongoing educational programs.

Hall said that each inn will have something special to offer Cake Walk participants. When pressed to choose a location not to miss she offered two suggestions: Hawthorn Inn and Camden Maine Stay Inn. Both are part of the town's High Street historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Tickets for the Camden Cake Walk must be purchased in advance (by Friday) at one of four locations in and around Camden. The cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Walkers will receive a detailed map including locations for each inn and trolley stops.

CAMDEN CAKE WALK
WHEN: Saturday, May 8, 1 to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Downtown Camden
HOW MUCH: Tickets $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased at HAVII, 87 Elm St., 236-6777; Surroundings, 39 Main St., 236-8536; Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce, 2 Public Landing, 236-4404; and Dot's, Route 1, Lincolnville, 706-7922.
FOOD OPTIONS: Each venue will offer a different type of cake.
PARKING: The Camden Cake Walk map denotes parking areas. Because it's off-season, on-street parking should be plentiful.
DON'T MISS: Hawthorn Inn and Camden Maine Stay Inn, both on the National Register of Historic Places.
KID-FRIENDLY FACTOR: Great.
BENEFITS: All proceeds benefit the Camden-Rockport Historical Society to support the society's buildings and ongoing educational programs.
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Event is rain or shine.
MORE INFO: www.conwayhousemuseum.org/cakewalk10.html

Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram May 2, 2010

Super cool Portland Library

I have been anticipating the re-opening of the Portland Public Library's main branch for some time now and took a quick look around today after picking up an interlibrary loan book I'd requested.

It's super fab and full of light. It was a treat to visit. Can't wait to take the kids!