Mark your calendar for July 16th, 17th and 18th for the 45th Annual Yarmouth Clam Festival. Admission to the festival and events  is always FREE and all the proceeds from the sale of food and parking lots goes to support Yarmouth’s non-profit student, sporting, music, church, and community-service organizations.

You won’t want to miss it. Arrive early and stay late. It’s a fun time for the whole family! Craft show, art show, Smokey’s Carnival and Rides, Face Painting, Free Belgian Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides, Free Admission to the Yarmouth Historical Society and MORE!!  Go to the FESTIVAL WEB SITE

The largest one-day business show in the state, this annual business extravaganza features nearly 200 exhibitors and draws close to 2,500 attendees. The show, held in June, serves as an ideal way for businesses to promote their products and services.

When: Thursday, June 10, 2010

Where: Androscoggin Bank Colisee,  Lewiston

Time: 9:30am

Be sure to stop by and visit Core Zero Creative  in booth 519. They will be giving short 10 minute social media talks for as many people that can fit into their booth. Their talks will be given on the half hour.

This is a shot of Boothbay Harbor, Maine in July 2008. We vacationed there and loved it. My step-father had been there before, but this was the first trip for the rest of the family. His description was perfect.

Boothbay Harbor Laminated Print

Boothbay Harbor is a quaint town with so many unique shops that it would be impossible to name them all. It is almost like a town that time has forgotten. People walk from shop to shop through the small town. To get into town, you have to take the footbridge which you just need to stop at several locations to view the bay. While visiting Boothbay Harbor, you have plenty to do..or do nothing. Either way – definitely a place to add to your list of places to visit!

Then there is the bay…beautiful and so much to take in. There are many fishing boats—the very tiny to the just amazingly large. There are lobster traps, nets, people getting ready to set up on a fishing trip and the most beautiful water. And, the fog in the morning is breathtaking. Of course, waking up to the sound of the fog horn is just something everyone should experience. Wish we had fog horns in Pennsylvania!

Boothbay Harbor Framed Print

Our current photo feature is provided to us by Alec McCorkle, a 17 year old high school senior from Summerdale, Pennsylvania. We want to congratulate him on his graduation which is next week!

Alex will be heading off to college in the fall where he plans to study Business Marketing and plans to continue to pursue his love of photography as well. According to Alex, the ideal career will allow him to combine his business education with his photography passion.

Alex has been taking photos for about six years, but the last 2 to 3 years he has become a serious photographer. He loves to photograph nature and trys for a “different” look on the usual. His goal is to help people see what they miss when they just casually walk by things. He says he really got started photographing butterflies while he was doing volunteer work at the Butterfly House at the Hershey Rose Garden. Alex shoots his art with a Nikon D5000.

Since he was 3 years old he has participated in Early American Living History Encampments. These are not battle re-enactments but encampments in which people live in the primitive style of the 1800’s.

Alex has two websites where you can view and purchase his work in prints, cards and canvas prints.

http://www.redbubble.com/people/corkle

http://alexmccorklesphotography.webs.com/

Craft Show Display

Jun 04, 2010
Summer Soiree and Vendor Show
Woods Road
Falmouth , Maine 04105
Information – 207.653.8224

Jun 05 thru Jun 06, 2010.
Caribou Spring Arts and Crafts Festival
308 Sweden Street
Caribou, Maine 04736
Information – 800.722.7648

Jun 12, 2010
Greenville, Maine
Moosterpiece Craft Fair
At the Katahdin Steamboat parking area
Information – 207.695.2702
Map and Directions

Jun 26, 2010
1st Annual “Whatever Week” Arts Festival
9 Summer Street
Augusta, Maine 04330
Information – 207.622.2424

Jun 26, 2010
Annual Saco Spirit Spring Arts Festival
Saco, Maine
Information – 207.286.3546

Craft Show Display

Every year thousands of people come to Maine to try their first lobster and then have no idea of what to do with it once it is served! Well, for all those people, The Gulf of Maine Research Institute has written a wonderful “How To” article and you can find it right here!

Spc. Wade Slack - American Hero

Spc. Wade Slack, from Waterville, Maine was killed in Afghanistan. MaineUSA extends their deepest sympathy to his parents, family and friends. Governor Baldacci has ordered all flags to be lowered to half-staff on the day of Slack’s funeral. Spc. Slack is an American Hero to be remembered for his service and honor to this country.

“We can never take for granted the service of our men and women in uniform,” Gov. John Baldacci said. “They are the best among us and sacrifice for their country and their communities. Our prayers go out to Spc. Slack’s family and friends.”

Sen. Olympia Snowe said in a statement that Wade “tragically gave his life defending our nation with limitless courage” and that “we owe him a debt of immeasurable gratitude that we can never repay, and must never forget.”

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud said in a statement that Maine “has a long tradition of coming together during a crisis, and I know the entire Waterville community and all Mainers will join me in assisting Wade’s family with whatever they need during this difficult time.”

Ever since I was a child, I loved those Sunday’s when we took rides on Route 1. We would go from So. Portland all the way to Kittery. My father was never in a hurry and we knew there were several stops we could count on each time we made the Route 1 ride. Our first stop was at Len Libby Chocolates (We called it Libby’s candy!) where we were allowed to pick out some of our favorite candy. If you’ve never stopped into Len Libby’s (419 US Rt 1 in Scarborough) you need to add it to your Maine Bucket List… it’s that special. Since I was a child they have added Lenny! Lenny is a life-size chocolate moose. Being a moose lover and a chocolate lover, I think Lenny is the best.  You can see him on the Len Libby web site.

Bike and Pedestrian Trail Through the Salt Marsh

After Len Libby’s it’s a short ride to Scarborough’s beautiful salt marsh, which I have loved since the first time I saw and smelled it. Birds were everywhere (and still are) My favorite then was the red-winged black birds I saw sitting on almost every cattail stock. Today, all the birds are my favorites. Once again, times have changed things, and probably for the better (though secretly I long for the things the way they were in my childhood). Today the marsh is protected, and that’s a good thing.  At the Audobon Center you can rent a canoe or kayak, take your camera and go on a nice little photo trip through the 3,100 acre salt marsh. Don’t forget your binoculars. Watch for egrets, herons,  glossy ibis and others . When the summer moon is full, the center runs evening, guided canoe tours. You’ll find a list of events on the Audobon Website.

Kayaking the Scarborough Salt Marsh

By the time we left the marsh, we would be getting hungry and my dad would head to Old Orchard Beach where his cousin had a hamburger stand in the summer and the best french fries with white vinegar. After filling up on burgers, fries and drinks we would take a little walk on the pier before climbing back into the car. The ferris wheel and bumper cars would have to wait for another day.

Old Orchard Beach Pier

Back in the car we would head south again. Now it was time to watch for the gift shops, used book shops and antique shops for Mom. Then, as now, most of the shops had outside displays on nice days so we would call out the items we saw and when she heard or saw something of interest my dad would pull into the shop. The owners and names have changed over the years, but there is still an abundance of wonderful shops filled with memories of days gone by, books with musty leather covers and brand new gifts, many made in Maine. More on route 1 in the next post.

Charles Asbury Stephens

Born in Norway, Maine in 1844, C. A. Stephens went on to become a prolific writer, with over 1500 of his short stories published in “The Youth’s Companion.” We have chosen his work entitled “When Life was Young at the Old Farm in Maine,”  to be the first book we produce in full on MaineUSA. One of the great things about this book is that each of the thirty chapters is a complete story, so you can read one in its entirety every day. Maybe during your lunch hour!

Learn more about C. A.Stephens here and start reading. New chapters are going up each day and all should be up by the end of next week.

Pemaquid Point Light went into service November 29, 1827

Pemaquid Point Light by JHRphotoART

The lighthouse is located on the west side of the entrance to Muscongus Bay, in New Harbor -Maine. Its height above water is 79 feet,with a range of 14 nautical miles.

Pemaquid Point, with its dramatic streaks of granite reaching to the sea, shaped by massive movements thousands of years ago, is a fascinating place to visit even without its pretty white lighthouse.  The spot is one of the most frequently visited attractions of the Maine coast, receiving about 100,000 visitors each year.

This beautiful photograph of Pemaquid Point is the work of Janusz of JHRphotoArt.  Janusz is best known, by friends, as Yani. He is a self taught photographer and art designer. After receiving his basic education in New York Institute of Photography “Yani” has continued his education on his own to acheive his goal in the world of photography striving for originality to create his images into an artform. His dream and goal is to change career paths and become a professional photographer in the near future.

“Yani says, ” I am photographer by passion for years. I like the photography of landscape and nature in particular. Always in search of the best light and of the most original angle, I “hunt” all the time for the most beautiful places which surround me.”

“Yani” also like optimizing and working his images with software, such as: Photoshop, Nik Software, Photomatix Pro.

Pemaquid Point Light Greeting Card

This beautiful Pemaquid Point Light artwork is available in several print styles and sizes as well as greeting cards and postcards. CLICK HERE  to purchase.

See and purchase more of Yani’s art in prints or on products at the following websites.

• Redbubble
• SmugMug
• Flickr
• Zenfolio