Category: Local Connections

A is for Atayne | Even a couch potato needs good performance gear.

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Okay, so maybe it’s not fair to call myself a couch potato. As my many hiking posts show, I enjoy being active and love to be outside exploring Maine, but I’m not comfortable with the word athlete. I once tried with little success to play at that level. I ran track for one year in High School. My strongest memory from that season is consistently coming in last place for my event.

The reality is that I could never be a true athlete. I don’t have the physical aptitude and in all honesty no desire to commit to that level of training. However, I do understand the importance of living an active life and, when I’m not trapped at my keyboard, I am always looking for ways to move my body.

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#AtoZChallenge | The Great And Powerful Theme Reveal… Made in Maine

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I recently hit some milestones with my blog including passing the one year mark, and reaching my hundredth post.  While those were exciting moments for me, I want to continue to challenge myself and to grow my site while developing content that will connect with my readers.

Last year I participated in the A to Z Challenge for the first time and I am looking forward to taking part again this year. I love the creativity that comes from working with constraints such as those provided by the A-Z challenge.

Weekends in Maine is about optimizing life in Maine. Last year, my posts were all related to Maine but since my entire blog has that focus it seemed a bit like cheating when deciding on a theme again for this year. It didn’t really feel specific enough. So instead, I’m going to drill down and focus on one particular area of Maine.

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The Travis Mills Foundation & Tough As They Come by SSG Travis Mills

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Tough as They ComeI had heard of SSG Travis Mills but knew little of his life experiences or details of his catastrophic injuries received while serving with the 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan. I was drawn to his story because I had read about the Maine based non-profit that he launched called The Travis Mills Foundation which is in the process of creating a retreat for combat injured veterans and their families.

I have not been directly touched by war. I have family members who have served including four generations of Navy sailors starting with my grandfather down to my nephew who is currently serving. I’ve heard the stories. How my grandfather was away for years during the war and how my mother didn’t recognize him when he came home. How his brother woke up one morning during his deployment to discover the men on either side of him dead, and he carried the memories of the war deep inside. How he hated M.A.S.H. because he couldn’t understand why anyone would laugh about war.

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Apple Picking at Apple Acres Farm in Hiram, Maine

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Fall brings with it many rituals. Apple picking is one of those activities so when the weather starts to get crisp, and the leaves begin to change, you’ll find me headed to an apple orchard. Things have been a little hectic this year, so I was a little later than usual in venturing to an orchard, but fortunately it’s a fairly long season in Maine and there were still many varieties of applies ripe for picking.

After a hearty breakfast at Krista’s Restaurant in Cornish where I enjoyed a meat lover’s omelet overflowing with filling, my friend and I headed to nearby Apple Acres Farm. As we approached the farm, the neat even rows of apple trees could be seen on each side of the road. The weather was perfect for apple picking and the countryside was starting to show a colorful fall palette making everything especially picturesque.

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Portland Buy Local Indie Biz Awards 2016 Event & Winners

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I am fascinated by a good story, and some of the best are related to local businesses. From a young startup, to a long standing establishment, they all have a their personal stories. I am truly enthralled by the creativity and uniqueness that each entrepreneur brings to their business. So, when I learned that the Portland Buy Local Indie Biz Awards were open to the public, I was eagerly on-board for this event. I had done my due diligence and voted online for my favorites, and looked forward to learning more about some of the other businesses with which I was less familiar.

The event was held at Portland House of Music. While there was a small line when we arrived, things moved quickly. We signed in and got our auction number. There was both a silent and live auction planned for the event. Once the registration was completed, we entered the bar and were immediately greeted by the tempting smell of chocolate cookies which were displayed on one of the food stations placed near the entrance. We were off to a good start.

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