One lucky canine may find fame at the fifth annual Woofminster Amateur Dog Show on Saturday. The unique party, complete with musical dog beds and a doggie limbo event, is hosted by the Planet Dog Foundation at Camp Ketcha in Scarborough.
And though all the competitions at the show are for fun, one could lead to a professional photo shoot and a spot on the cover of the next Planet Dog catalog.
All are welcome to the Woofminster, with or without a canine companion.
"We do quite a few events (throughout the year) and generally have amazing results. People bring dogs that are friendly and well behaved. People know if they have a dog that isn't comfortable in crowded situations, they leave them at home," said Kristen Smith, executive director of the Planet Dog Foundation and organizer of the event.
Those in the know are aware that the doggie limbo -- complete with limbo music and categories for both large and small dogs -- is the event you do not want to miss.
"How low can all these dogs go? It is hilarious," said Smith.
Musical dog beds, another of the games at the Woofminster, involves dogs walking around in a circle until the music stops, when owners prompt their pets to sit on a nearby dog bed.
Smith explains how this event has changed a bit from last year.
"Last year we used hula hoops and people were able to get their dogs to sit down inside them. This year we're using dog beds because we think that will work even better."
Pups that aren't quite old enough to follow the commands of the structured events can be in a special Puppy Parade and Puppy Petting Booth. Costumes are encouraged for the parade.
Canine-human teams with a bit more competitive spirit can enter the Cover Dog Challenge.
"We have a stage and celebrity judges that judge all the tricks. (The team) performs their trick and the judges -- and audience -- vote on who has the best trick, happiest dog and best beggar."
And let's not overlook the best mystery mutt category. According to the event's press release, that entails "the strangest combination, hardest to determine and most unusual mix. A Newfie/daschund combo?"
Celebrity judges this year include Eva Matteson and Joe Armond from WMGX radio, Jeff Peterson from WGME-TV, Kathleen Fleury from Downeast Magazine, Shannon Bryan from MaineToday Media and Christine Palmer from Downeast Dog News.
"We do this all for fun. The winners from the (judged) categories go on for the grand prize -- the Best in Show," Smith said. That winner gets the photo shoot and a chance to be a cover dog.
But all the fun and games do have a higher purpose.
"We encourage dogs and dog lovers to join us for a fun day and help raise money for service dogs in Maine," Smith said.
And she confirms what past attendees already know about this annual event's fun factor: "Win or lose, everybody has a great time."
WOOFMINSTER AMATEUR DOG SHOW
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 2, 1 to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Camp Ketcha, Scarborough
HOW MUCH: $10 adults, $5 kids and dogs
FOOD OPTIONS: Free dog treats. For humans there will be a homemade bake sale and drinks for sale.
PARKING: Camp Ketcha has ample free parking.
DON'T MISS: Doggie limbo
KID-FRIENDLY FACTOR: Great. Color Me Mine will have a paint-your-own pottery area to create dog bowls and picture frames. Face painting and a coloring area will also be offered for little humans.
BENEFITS: Planet Dog Foundation, a (501)k nonprofit, sponsors this event to raise money for service dog programs in Maine.
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Rain or shine
MORE INFO: www.planetdogfoundation.org
Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram September 26, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
This little piggy went to market, redux
Like last year L. has raised her pig to be sold at the 4H livestock auction at Cumberland Fair next week. For people who prefer to eat local and know where your food comes from, this is a good event to check out. All the animals in the auction - beef, pork and lamb - are exclusively grain-fed and treated with a caring touch. So if you're in the market for some locally grown meat to stockpile in your freezer this year, it's a great place to do that and support a great youth program.
For the 4Hers selling their animals at the auction, there is a "marketing" component to it in addition to feeding and caring for their animal. L. wrote a letter to send to potential buyers about her hog and sent it out to several people earlier this month. Please forgive the shameless plug about this event. I just thought I'd post it here for any who were interested in learning more about the livestock auction at the fair. I had no idea this sort of thing went on at the fair before my kids started raising animals in 4H.
I would really appreciate it if you could come to the Cumberland Fair to bid on my market hog at the 4-H Livestock Auction.
I have grain-fed my hogs since I got them this past spring and I have taken good care of them. My hogs have had plenty of attention and exercise and are very healthy. They also have a lot of muscle because they dig and run around their pen all the time.
I am selling one of my hogs at the livestock auction and I plan to put the money I get from selling my hogs in to my savings account to use for college.
People who go to the auction to buy hogs sometimes go with friends and then they buy a hog together. If you buy my hog with a group it is cheaper for you to do it. Hogs are bid on by the pound. My female hog, Petunia, is about 220 pounds right now and will probably be around 260 by fair time I think. My male hog, Groovy Smoothie, should be about 210 pounds by fair time.
And just so you know, there are processors at the auction who will take the animal right to their shop so you don’t have to worry about that part. Or you can take my female hog home to breed her (she is a mixed breed of Yorkshire, Hampshire and Landrace).
I have learned a lot about raising healthy hogs in 4H and I hope to raise more next year. I think hogs are fun to watch and play with because they run around the pen and act silly all the time.
I hope you can come.
4-H Livestock Auction
Wednesday, September 29
4 p.m.
Show Arena
Cumberland Fairgrounds
From,
L. Almeida
And for those who have never raised livestock, the inevitable question about how L. feels about selling her pig is (again) a mixed bag of emotions.
She's been working with Petunia and Groovy Smoothie since early April and she does enjoy them. She and her pigs have daily "conversations" that are pretty darn cute. If you've never heard a pig talk, they have a wide range of grunts and pitches that sound like they really are responding to your voice.
But at the same time, raising livestock is a lot of work and there is a part of L. that will be relieved her chores - that take more than an hour per day every single day - will be over soon. Feeding pigs is a messy affair because of the mud bath in the pen, which the pigs recreated every time we filled in the hole(s) this summer. L.'s pigs are very social and must greet her with snout kisses every time she brings food in to the pen to feed them. She's said she's looking forward to being mud-free for an entire day after the fair.
Oh and just to clarify this point, L. is not selling her lambs at auction. Minnie and Symphony have been raised for wool and breeding.
For the 4Hers selling their animals at the auction, there is a "marketing" component to it in addition to feeding and caring for their animal. L. wrote a letter to send to potential buyers about her hog and sent it out to several people earlier this month. Please forgive the shameless plug about this event. I just thought I'd post it here for any who were interested in learning more about the livestock auction at the fair. I had no idea this sort of thing went on at the fair before my kids started raising animals in 4H.
I would really appreciate it if you could come to the Cumberland Fair to bid on my market hog at the 4-H Livestock Auction.
I have grain-fed my hogs since I got them this past spring and I have taken good care of them. My hogs have had plenty of attention and exercise and are very healthy. They also have a lot of muscle because they dig and run around their pen all the time.
I am selling one of my hogs at the livestock auction and I plan to put the money I get from selling my hogs in to my savings account to use for college.
People who go to the auction to buy hogs sometimes go with friends and then they buy a hog together. If you buy my hog with a group it is cheaper for you to do it. Hogs are bid on by the pound. My female hog, Petunia, is about 220 pounds right now and will probably be around 260 by fair time I think. My male hog, Groovy Smoothie, should be about 210 pounds by fair time.
And just so you know, there are processors at the auction who will take the animal right to their shop so you don’t have to worry about that part. Or you can take my female hog home to breed her (she is a mixed breed of Yorkshire, Hampshire and Landrace).
I have learned a lot about raising healthy hogs in 4H and I hope to raise more next year. I think hogs are fun to watch and play with because they run around the pen and act silly all the time.
I hope you can come.
4-H Livestock Auction
Wednesday, September 29
4 p.m.
Show Arena
Cumberland Fairgrounds
From,
L. Almeida
And for those who have never raised livestock, the inevitable question about how L. feels about selling her pig is (again) a mixed bag of emotions.
She's been working with Petunia and Groovy Smoothie since early April and she does enjoy them. She and her pigs have daily "conversations" that are pretty darn cute. If you've never heard a pig talk, they have a wide range of grunts and pitches that sound like they really are responding to your voice.
But at the same time, raising livestock is a lot of work and there is a part of L. that will be relieved her chores - that take more than an hour per day every single day - will be over soon. Feeding pigs is a messy affair because of the mud bath in the pen, which the pigs recreated every time we filled in the hole(s) this summer. L.'s pigs are very social and must greet her with snout kisses every time she brings food in to the pen to feed them. She's said she's looking forward to being mud-free for an entire day after the fair.
Oh and just to clarify this point, L. is not selling her lambs at auction. Minnie and Symphony have been raised for wool and breeding.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Sheep jumping
In case you didn't know, sheep can leap several feet in the air.
Until recently I'm not sure I was fully aware of this fact.
I think I should have known since many cartoons and picture books depict sheep jumping over a fence when the notion of counting sheep to fall asleep is referenced.
I did a quick web search to find out why sheep jump but that resulted in several references to a gymnastics move called the "sheep jump."
Clearly others are well aware of - and admire - this animal's leaping abilities.
This month I can confirm that not only can sheep jump when they feel like it, they can learn to do it on-command.
L. attended her 4H club's sheep clinic in August and found out there was a sheep obstacle course event at the Cumberland Fair. Her leader suggested she work with her sheep to teach them to leap over obstacles for the event.
L. loved the idea.
Her lambs did not.
But L. has managed to coax Minnie to jump over a couple of obstacles in the yard this past month. Minnie still balks sometimes at being pulled around but she and L. have become a pretty good jumping team. The trick is that Minnie will only jump over the obstacle if L. does.
L.'s other lamb, Symphony, has been a bit more ornery than Minnie from day-one. And although G. has helped L. with Symphony by following L. and Minnie through the course, Symphony is much more stubborn about it. Since L. can only take one lamb through the course at the fair, she's decided to let Symphony skip the training sessions.
So if you were one of many people who drove through my residential neighborhood this past month, your eyes were not fooling you. That black puffball was not an overly furry dog involved in agility training in our front yard. It was in fact, a lamb.
Until recently I'm not sure I was fully aware of this fact.
I think I should have known since many cartoons and picture books depict sheep jumping over a fence when the notion of counting sheep to fall asleep is referenced.
I did a quick web search to find out why sheep jump but that resulted in several references to a gymnastics move called the "sheep jump."
Clearly others are well aware of - and admire - this animal's leaping abilities.
This month I can confirm that not only can sheep jump when they feel like it, they can learn to do it on-command.
L. attended her 4H club's sheep clinic in August and found out there was a sheep obstacle course event at the Cumberland Fair. Her leader suggested she work with her sheep to teach them to leap over obstacles for the event.
L. loved the idea.
Her lambs did not.
But L. has managed to coax Minnie to jump over a couple of obstacles in the yard this past month. Minnie still balks sometimes at being pulled around but she and L. have become a pretty good jumping team. The trick is that Minnie will only jump over the obstacle if L. does.
L.'s other lamb, Symphony, has been a bit more ornery than Minnie from day-one. And although G. has helped L. with Symphony by following L. and Minnie through the course, Symphony is much more stubborn about it. Since L. can only take one lamb through the course at the fair, she's decided to let Symphony skip the training sessions.
So if you were one of many people who drove through my residential neighborhood this past month, your eyes were not fooling you. That black puffball was not an overly furry dog involved in agility training in our front yard. It was in fact, a lamb.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Climbing the Camden hills in the heat turns out to be cool
After a summer of paddling adventures, my family was ready to hit the hiking trails again in September. Camden Hills State Park has been on our list of hiking destinations to explore, so we made plans with a friend to visit.
We loved the trails, especially the views from the tops of Mount Megunticook and Mount Battie. The only problem we encountered on the day we visited was beyond the park's control -- the 90-plus-degree heat.
It takes a lot of extra water to hike in the summer heat, which is why we tend to avoid it. No one likes carrying the water bottles needed for comfortable temperatures during a 1,000-foot elevation-gain trek, let alone an extra one or two for really hot days.
But we were committed to making the date with our friend (coordinating work and school schedules was no easy feat) so the night before, I took some extra time to prepare. I filled multiple water bottles for each hiker with water and Kool-Aid. Then I put them all in the freezer with the hope that they would keep our sandwiches and snacks cool while also keeping us hydrated during our early morning adventure.
We parked in the lot designated for hikers just past the entrance gate. We opted for the Megunticook Trail to Ocean Lookout on Mount Megunticook. The park trail map has a mileage chart and difficulty rating for each trail. The Megunticook Trail is rated 2 (on a scale of 1 to 3) because of the steep climb in a few places and its total elevation gain of about 1,000 feet.
Needless to say, we drank a lot of water and Kool-Aid on our trek. The sweetened drink was a nice slush consistency about halfway up the mountain, so the kids thought that was a great treat during our hot climb.
We made it to Ocean Lookout and even though the hazy heat didn't allow for a crystal clear view, the panorama of ocean and surrounding mountains was gorgeous nonetheless. The adults thought it was well worth the effort to get there. The kids agreed.
Ocean Lookout, at 1,300 feet, is not actually the summit of Mount Megunticook -- it's 85 feet higher -- but it is noted as the best view from the mountain.
My oldest loves photography and took a bunch of photos before the camera was turned over to my youngest for the quintessential hiker's photograph -- feet framed by the mountaintop view. For her this meant a shoeless shot, since she's known for kicking off her hiking boots at the top of mountains before settling in for a snack break.
We noted some geological aspects at this spot for a project the girls are working on about glacial striations. The grooves in the bedrock at Ocean Lookout are indicators of how glaciers moved over the land during the last ice age, about 20,000 years ago.
The geological history of the Camden Hills area is quite interesting. If you want to learn more about this area, as well as others around Maine, check out EarthCache.org. The site, managed by the Geological Society of America and Geocaching.com, is a great novice-friendly way to introduce your family to geology.
After lunch and lots of water, we were feeling refreshed and decided to hike to Mount Battie. We took the Ridge Trail back to the Tablelands Trail, which led us to the Mount Battie Trail. When we found ourselves at a paved road, we were initially confused about how to proceed until we saw the trail blazed on the pavement. The trail headed back into the woods and we made our climb, a much easier elevation gain of only about 200 feet, to Mount Battie.
The tower at the summit of Mount Battie reminded the girls of the one on Douglas Mountain in Sebago. And the panorama display at the base of the tower identifying the islands in Penobscot Bay was helpful, since we had wondered while at the top of Mount Megunticook about the various islands we could see from there.
By the time we got back to the car via the Mount Battie and Nature trails, we were pretty darn tired and in need of more water. Luckily I had packed a cooler of ice and water bottles and was especially grateful for that forethought after checking out the stats on my GPS unit. We had hiked 4.5 miles in just under five hours.
I think the fact that we hiked as long as we did on one of the hottest days of the year was a testament to how nice the park's trails were and the beauty of this area. Trail blazes were also in abundance on this trail system and very easy to follow, which was also a big plus.
But the kids will likely tell you the best stop we made that morning was just outside the park.
My 14-year-old summed up the sentiment of everyone in the car as I turned on to Route 1 to head home. "Thank God there's an ice cream place here!"
CAMDEN HILLS STATE PARK
WHERE: Camden
TRAIL DIFFICULTY: To Mount Megunticook at 1,385 feet -- moderate-difficult for teens, difficult for children under 8 years old. To Mount Battie at 780 feet -- moderate for teens, difficult for children under 8, as there are a couple of steep pitches. The park's trail map offers brief descriptions of each trail, with a difficulty rating.
DRIVING TO THE VIEW: Visitors can drive to the top of Mount Battie.
View from Mount Megunticook
View from top of tower on Mount Battie
The "hideous" caterpillar
Originally published in Maine Sunday Telegram September 12, 2010
We loved the trails, especially the views from the tops of Mount Megunticook and Mount Battie. The only problem we encountered on the day we visited was beyond the park's control -- the 90-plus-degree heat.
It takes a lot of extra water to hike in the summer heat, which is why we tend to avoid it. No one likes carrying the water bottles needed for comfortable temperatures during a 1,000-foot elevation-gain trek, let alone an extra one or two for really hot days.
But we were committed to making the date with our friend (coordinating work and school schedules was no easy feat) so the night before, I took some extra time to prepare. I filled multiple water bottles for each hiker with water and Kool-Aid. Then I put them all in the freezer with the hope that they would keep our sandwiches and snacks cool while also keeping us hydrated during our early morning adventure.
We parked in the lot designated for hikers just past the entrance gate. We opted for the Megunticook Trail to Ocean Lookout on Mount Megunticook. The park trail map has a mileage chart and difficulty rating for each trail. The Megunticook Trail is rated 2 (on a scale of 1 to 3) because of the steep climb in a few places and its total elevation gain of about 1,000 feet.
Needless to say, we drank a lot of water and Kool-Aid on our trek. The sweetened drink was a nice slush consistency about halfway up the mountain, so the kids thought that was a great treat during our hot climb.
We made it to Ocean Lookout and even though the hazy heat didn't allow for a crystal clear view, the panorama of ocean and surrounding mountains was gorgeous nonetheless. The adults thought it was well worth the effort to get there. The kids agreed.
Ocean Lookout, at 1,300 feet, is not actually the summit of Mount Megunticook -- it's 85 feet higher -- but it is noted as the best view from the mountain.
My oldest loves photography and took a bunch of photos before the camera was turned over to my youngest for the quintessential hiker's photograph -- feet framed by the mountaintop view. For her this meant a shoeless shot, since she's known for kicking off her hiking boots at the top of mountains before settling in for a snack break.
We noted some geological aspects at this spot for a project the girls are working on about glacial striations. The grooves in the bedrock at Ocean Lookout are indicators of how glaciers moved over the land during the last ice age, about 20,000 years ago.
The geological history of the Camden Hills area is quite interesting. If you want to learn more about this area, as well as others around Maine, check out EarthCache.org. The site, managed by the Geological Society of America and Geocaching.com, is a great novice-friendly way to introduce your family to geology.
After lunch and lots of water, we were feeling refreshed and decided to hike to Mount Battie. We took the Ridge Trail back to the Tablelands Trail, which led us to the Mount Battie Trail. When we found ourselves at a paved road, we were initially confused about how to proceed until we saw the trail blazed on the pavement. The trail headed back into the woods and we made our climb, a much easier elevation gain of only about 200 feet, to Mount Battie.
The tower at the summit of Mount Battie reminded the girls of the one on Douglas Mountain in Sebago. And the panorama display at the base of the tower identifying the islands in Penobscot Bay was helpful, since we had wondered while at the top of Mount Megunticook about the various islands we could see from there.
By the time we got back to the car via the Mount Battie and Nature trails, we were pretty darn tired and in need of more water. Luckily I had packed a cooler of ice and water bottles and was especially grateful for that forethought after checking out the stats on my GPS unit. We had hiked 4.5 miles in just under five hours.
I think the fact that we hiked as long as we did on one of the hottest days of the year was a testament to how nice the park's trails were and the beauty of this area. Trail blazes were also in abundance on this trail system and very easy to follow, which was also a big plus.
But the kids will likely tell you the best stop we made that morning was just outside the park.
My 14-year-old summed up the sentiment of everyone in the car as I turned on to Route 1 to head home. "Thank God there's an ice cream place here!"
CAMDEN HILLS STATE PARK
WHERE: Camden
TRAIL DIFFICULTY: To Mount Megunticook at 1,385 feet -- moderate-difficult for teens, difficult for children under 8 years old. To Mount Battie at 780 feet -- moderate for teens, difficult for children under 8, as there are a couple of steep pitches. The park's trail map offers brief descriptions of each trail, with a difficulty rating.
DRIVING TO THE VIEW: Visitors can drive to the top of Mount Battie.
My little farmer girl in her John Deere socks taking the classic hiker's photo on top of Mount Megunticook in Camden Hills State Park
I packed a lot of water and Kool-Aid for everyone. It was a slush-like consistency about 1/2 way up the mountain. A very refreshing, even if tricky to drink through the straw, treat while hiking.
This little mountain stream had some refreshingly cool water to splash on our faces.
It was a gorgeous view atop Mount Megunticook. L spotted Mount Battie's tower,
our next stop, from here as well.
The trail up to Mount Battie was a breeze compared to Mount Megunticook.
Every single story I've seen about hiking Mount Battie includes a picture of the hikers atop the tower. We decided to do the same.
L. pointed in the general direction of Mount Megunticook where we had hiked from. My camera angle was off because she was pointing to the more rocky face part of the mountain.
A much needed ice cream break after a hot day of hiking!
Camden Hills State Park
View from Mount Megunticook
View from top of tower on Mount Battie
The "hideous" caterpillar
Originally published in Maine Sunday Telegram September 12, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Preview: Fall in the Village Art Festival
A day featuring visual and musical artists is sure to delight the senses, and that's the plan for Freeport's Fall in the Village Art Festival on Saturday.
"We have a really terrific mix of original artists this year," said Kelly Edwards, event coordinator for the Freeport Merchants Association, which is hosting this free community event at L.L. Bean's Discovery Park.
There will be visual art in many forms to appreciate at the park. Paintings by local artists in oil and acrylics will be on display, as well as pieces by mixed-media artists. Photographers and jewelers will also have their work on display.
New this year will be an arts and crafts category.
"We felt every year there were increasing numbers of people who wanted to participate but we had to turn them away (because they didn't fit in one of the festival's categories). But this year we wanted to display more local Maine crafters and make it a more unique festival, so we added a craft element," said Edwards.
At least 100 local artists and artisans are expected this year.
Live music will be played all afternoon on the stage at Discovery Park.
The Matt Fogg Project will kick off the performances with some jazz at noon, followed by the rock 'n' roll music of the Sam Anderson Band at 1 p.m. The sounds of blues, courtesy of Rattleboxx, will take over the stage at 2 p.m., and Gunther Brown brings the Americana style on board at 3 p.m. Rounding out the performances will be singer/songwriter Sara Cox at 4 p.m.
Refreshments will also be available at the festival, thanks to the support of the Maine Food Producers Alliance. Families are also welcome to bring their own picnic lunches to the park.
And to be sure children enjoy the festival just as much as the adults, there will be a project area designed especially for them by Smudge, a local art studio for kids. The only thing needed to make a piece of art in this area is a creative spirit. Supplies will be provided free of charge.
Edwards explains the enthusiasm the merchants association has for this year's event.
"It's just going to be a great experience to have 100 Maine local artists and craftsman in the park this year. It's so beautiful. And the music. We have some amazing live performers. We're just really excited about this year's lineup."
FALL IN THE VILLAGE ART FESTIVAL
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18
WHERE: Freeport
HOW MUCH: Free
FOOD OPTIONS: Coffee By Design will have a booth as well as others from the Maine Food Producers Alliance.
PARKING: L.L. Bean campus and covered parking under Freeport Village Station off Depot Street.
DON'T MISS: The artists and the live performances.
KID-FRIENDLY FACTOR: Great
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Rain or shine unless there are very heavy rains. Check the website if heavy rains are predicted.
MORE INFO: www.freeportusa.com or (207) 865-1212
Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram, September 12, 2010
"We have a really terrific mix of original artists this year," said Kelly Edwards, event coordinator for the Freeport Merchants Association, which is hosting this free community event at L.L. Bean's Discovery Park.
There will be visual art in many forms to appreciate at the park. Paintings by local artists in oil and acrylics will be on display, as well as pieces by mixed-media artists. Photographers and jewelers will also have their work on display.
New this year will be an arts and crafts category.
"We felt every year there were increasing numbers of people who wanted to participate but we had to turn them away (because they didn't fit in one of the festival's categories). But this year we wanted to display more local Maine crafters and make it a more unique festival, so we added a craft element," said Edwards.
At least 100 local artists and artisans are expected this year.
Live music will be played all afternoon on the stage at Discovery Park.
The Matt Fogg Project will kick off the performances with some jazz at noon, followed by the rock 'n' roll music of the Sam Anderson Band at 1 p.m. The sounds of blues, courtesy of Rattleboxx, will take over the stage at 2 p.m., and Gunther Brown brings the Americana style on board at 3 p.m. Rounding out the performances will be singer/songwriter Sara Cox at 4 p.m.
Refreshments will also be available at the festival, thanks to the support of the Maine Food Producers Alliance. Families are also welcome to bring their own picnic lunches to the park.
And to be sure children enjoy the festival just as much as the adults, there will be a project area designed especially for them by Smudge, a local art studio for kids. The only thing needed to make a piece of art in this area is a creative spirit. Supplies will be provided free of charge.
Edwards explains the enthusiasm the merchants association has for this year's event.
"It's just going to be a great experience to have 100 Maine local artists and craftsman in the park this year. It's so beautiful. And the music. We have some amazing live performers. We're just really excited about this year's lineup."
FALL IN THE VILLAGE ART FESTIVAL
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18
WHERE: Freeport
HOW MUCH: Free
FOOD OPTIONS: Coffee By Design will have a booth as well as others from the Maine Food Producers Alliance.
PARKING: L.L. Bean campus and covered parking under Freeport Village Station off Depot Street.
DON'T MISS: The artists and the live performances.
KID-FRIENDLY FACTOR: Great
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Rain or shine unless there are very heavy rains. Check the website if heavy rains are predicted.
MORE INFO: www.freeportusa.com or (207) 865-1212
Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram, September 12, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
A survivalist summer, and white dresses
Scarborough Fish and Game sponsored a Maine Youth Field Day a few weeks ago (well, maybe a month ago, I'm not keeping up so well with my blog lately) and my girls had an opportunity to do some target shooting and learn more about outdoor survival skills.
The outdoor survival skills workshop was of particular interest to L. since doing her "living off the land" project this summer. She knew several of the tips offered by the instructors - like the fact that birch bark is a great fire starter - but also walked away with some new gear ideas for our longer mountain hikes. (Those however needed to be added to the Christmas wish list.)
L. peeling the bark into thin strips so they would more easily ignite.
Planning for a variety of scenarios with the least amount of gear weight is all about making decisions on what you really will need. But the knowledgeable instructors offered the kids tips on what to take and why it would be helpful - like a good small knife for cutting branches for a "log cabin" fire.
Then two weeks ago L. found a Discovery Channel cable show online featuring a couple of survivalist guys from different backgrounds teaming up to teach others how to survive in a variety of scenarios. The show, Dual Survival, just finished its first season and L. tracked down nearly every episode (it started in June) so she and her sister could watch them online (we don't have cable).
The dynamics between the two guys - one a former Army sniper, the other a naturalist who never wears shoes - is amusing. It's also really interesting to watch how each guy's survival training is put to use to solve each problem they face. The guy's unexpected collaborations to make something work offers some good lessons on teamwork too. The season started out with the former Army guy being less than impressed with his hippie counterpart. But by the last episode of the season, there seemed to be more respect for each other's approaches. L. and G. have really enjoyed watching this series and Fino and I agreed with them it's a good one even though neither of us is a fan of reality TV. We've also picked up quite a few tips on what to do in a variety of less-than-ideal situations.
The funny thing about this series is that just the week before the girls were all in to the very girly girl show - Say Yes to the Dress. They were introduced to this one by their NYC cousins who visited us for a couple of weeks.
Given the choice between which show I'd prefer my kids to watch, I'd have to say it would not be the show that's all about spending thousands and thousands of dollars on a single dress to be worn on a single day of their life.
But we're all about expanding our horizons and learning new things at our house so I'm good with the eclectic mix of screen time my kids have had this summer.
The outdoor survival skills workshop was of particular interest to L. since doing her "living off the land" project this summer. She knew several of the tips offered by the instructors - like the fact that birch bark is a great fire starter - but also walked away with some new gear ideas for our longer mountain hikes. (Those however needed to be added to the Christmas wish list.)
Then two weeks ago L. found a Discovery Channel cable show online featuring a couple of survivalist guys from different backgrounds teaming up to teach others how to survive in a variety of scenarios. The show, Dual Survival, just finished its first season and L. tracked down nearly every episode (it started in June) so she and her sister could watch them online (we don't have cable).
The dynamics between the two guys - one a former Army sniper, the other a naturalist who never wears shoes - is amusing. It's also really interesting to watch how each guy's survival training is put to use to solve each problem they face. The guy's unexpected collaborations to make something work offers some good lessons on teamwork too. The season started out with the former Army guy being less than impressed with his hippie counterpart. But by the last episode of the season, there seemed to be more respect for each other's approaches. L. and G. have really enjoyed watching this series and Fino and I agreed with them it's a good one even though neither of us is a fan of reality TV. We've also picked up quite a few tips on what to do in a variety of less-than-ideal situations.
The funny thing about this series is that just the week before the girls were all in to the very girly girl show - Say Yes to the Dress. They were introduced to this one by their NYC cousins who visited us for a couple of weeks.
Given the choice between which show I'd prefer my kids to watch, I'd have to say it would not be the show that's all about spending thousands and thousands of dollars on a single dress to be worn on a single day of their life.
But we're all about expanding our horizons and learning new things at our house so I'm good with the eclectic mix of screen time my kids have had this summer.
Friday, September 3, 2010
A stick in the mud, swine style
L. invited her city-dwelling cousins in to the pig pen during their visit to our house last week. They live just north of NYC where manicured lawns, in-ground pools and malls are in abundance. Livestock is not.
I encouraged all the girls to grab a pair of rubber boots before going in the pen because there are a couple of deep holes the pigs dug (they are industrious snout diggers) that are filled with water. It's been such a hot summer that the mud baths have been a much needed cool down for our swine friends (unlike last year when the pen looked more like an overflowing lake) even though it's a challenge for L. to stay mud-free during feeding time.
Whenever we have visitors, L. usually warns them that the pigs (into the 200-pound range now) are both friendly AND messy. Piggy kisses are cute but if you're not prepared for it (i.e., wear old clothes), you're not going to be happy with the mud stains shaped liked a snout once you leave.
The city cousins were timid at first but after a few minutes and some pig management by L. (i.e., an extra grain snack), everyone started feeling comfortable and posed for a picture prompted by G.
But the plan went awry when cousin S., a 10-year-old spunky spirit, got a little silly and asked L. to pull her out of the mud because she thought her boot was stuck.
Much hilarity ensued and as G. had her camera, she was able to document the whole thing. Once I saw these pictures, I told G. they were some of her best. I think she really captured the surprise and expression of the moment on her cousin's face.
As I viewed the series of photos G. took I could almost see the wheels turning in my spunky buddy's head...
When in Rome (pig pen), do as the Romans (pigs) do.
I found out about this incident after-the-fact when S. presented herself to me while I was in the garden on the other side of the yard.
I called for a hosing down - in the yard - as the first step. The second was a full strip down and shower in the bathroom.
The girls laughed about this incident for the rest of their visit.
I think when our NYC cousins go back to school next week and are asked what they did on their summer vacation, they're likely to have one of the more entertaining tales. I can only imagine hearing S. in her animated style explaining how she took a mud bath with some pigs in Maine...
I encouraged all the girls to grab a pair of rubber boots before going in the pen because there are a couple of deep holes the pigs dug (they are industrious snout diggers) that are filled with water. It's been such a hot summer that the mud baths have been a much needed cool down for our swine friends (unlike last year when the pen looked more like an overflowing lake) even though it's a challenge for L. to stay mud-free during feeding time.
Whenever we have visitors, L. usually warns them that the pigs (into the 200-pound range now) are both friendly AND messy. Piggy kisses are cute but if you're not prepared for it (i.e., wear old clothes), you're not going to be happy with the mud stains shaped liked a snout once you leave.
The city cousins were timid at first but after a few minutes and some pig management by L. (i.e., an extra grain snack), everyone started feeling comfortable and posed for a picture prompted by G.
But the plan went awry when cousin S., a 10-year-old spunky spirit, got a little silly and asked L. to pull her out of the mud because she thought her boot was stuck.
Much hilarity ensued and as G. had her camera, she was able to document the whole thing. Once I saw these pictures, I told G. they were some of her best. I think she really captured the surprise and expression of the moment on her cousin's face.
As I viewed the series of photos G. took I could almost see the wheels turning in my spunky buddy's head...
When in Rome (pig pen), do as the Romans (pigs) do.
I found out about this incident after-the-fact when S. presented herself to me while I was in the garden on the other side of the yard.
I called for a hosing down - in the yard - as the first step. The second was a full strip down and shower in the bathroom.
The girls laughed about this incident for the rest of their visit.
I think when our NYC cousins go back to school next week and are asked what they did on their summer vacation, they're likely to have one of the more entertaining tales. I can only imagine hearing S. in her animated style explaining how she took a mud bath with some pigs in Maine...
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