PORT CLYDE — On a little table in the entryway of Barbara Ernst Prey’s gallery just at the edge of Port Clyde, an array of colorful hand-stitched pouches and clutches are laid out for sale. It’s easy to miss them when walking in, as the eye is drawn to rich color in Prey’s watercolor paintings positioned all over the gallery.

Prey’s 25-year-old daughter, Emily, is the impetus behind these small decorative bags. She didn’t make them; she imported them from Thailand for a specific cause to help women and children escape poverty, encourage financial independence, and more importantly, prevent human trafficking.

"All of the money will go to families living in poverty in northern Thailand," said Emily.

Emily spent the last two years living and working in Chiang Khong, a province in northern Thailand for the grassroots nonprofit Center For Girls. She is back home in Maine again for the summer. And what she experienced there could not let her leave without finding some way to help the marginalized ethnic minority groups, migrants, and refugees who live there.

As always, girls and women are the most vulnerable. Over there, Emily learned of a young girl, “Jun,” now, 13, who gave birth to a baby last year and won’t speak about what happened. The girl was forced to drop out of school as her family continues to struggle to find money to support her and her child. Then there’s “Bell,” an 18-year-old whose parents both died of HIV/AIDS when she was two. Bell now lives with her grandparents and husband and child and in their case, they barely have enough money to buy plain white rice to feed a family of five.

“There are so many stories like these,” she said. “You can read an article in the paper, or read a flyer, but it doesn’t have the same impact. I didn’t go there to ‘rescue’ people, but I want people in the states to know how incredible and resilient Thai people are. They can do anything. The only thing in their way is they often don’t have access to the financial resources they need to help them get an education or hone their skills, which is the pathway out of poverty.”

Emily was only able to bring back about 20 or so of the colorful bags in a suitcase. The sale of these pouches and clutches all benefit what Center For Girls terms their “Emergency Cases.”

For example the sale of a $45 clutch equates to nearly 1,500 Thai baht, enough money to feed a family for several weeks or send a child to school for a month.

“I want people to be able to hold something in their hands that is a tangible connection to these families, so it makes them think of the women and girls who directly benefit from purchasing an item,” said Emily.

The small ornate bags are like little hand-knit passports to Thai culture.They are symbolic works of art based on hill tribe patterns from three ethnic minority groups in Thailand. For example, one of the distinct patterns in a blue clutch was made by the Akha people, who believe in animism – the presence of good and bad spirits in non-human entities (such as animals, plants etc).

Emily’s mother, Barbara, has always made her gallery a place for community giving back in some form or another. For the last 17 years, Barbara Prey Projects has supported humanitarian projects locally, nationally and internationally.

For more information on the “Emergency Cases” that Emily Prey has been working on to resolve, even back here in Maine, visit: Center For Girls.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com  

Chefs and farmers have a lot in common in that after a long 12-hour day, the last thing they probably want to do a lot of calling around and internet research to find the right market to buy or sell food, respectively.

Arif Shaikh, a website coder, who moved to Camden from Boston last year, loves to cook using local produce. He has a huge following on his Camden Top Secret Curry Club with 1,450 members. He saw a need to eliminate the paperwork and hassle of trying to source local produce for restaurants and grocery stores and sought a way to make an open, interactive network for local farmers to sell their produce directly— a win-win for everyone, especially the patrons of the Midcoast’s bustling food scene. His website, Foodslack, is a network designed to give the community faster, fresher, and greater local sourcing options.

“It’s meant to reduce the burden on farmers to find them immediate buyers and a resource for chefs wanting to coordinate deliveries to get the best, quality food,” he said.

Farmers, he has learned, are protective of their prices, which has made them somewhat reluctant to embrace this new technology. However, the demand for local produce from cooperatives, shops, restaurants, distributors, butchers, and fishmongers is not stopping, particularly as the growing season approaches.

“It’s easier to order fuel from Saudia Arabia than it is to order food from a farm in Skowhegan right now,” he said.

Shaikh wants to change that. “How it works in Maine is there are two markets; there’s a national market and a local market. So, if you are a chef in a restaurant, you could order from one of the bigger purveyors and get carrots for $2 pound from California, because some grower has 10,00 acres and is using cheap labor and pesticides.” However, with Maine’s Restaurant Industry posting record sales in 2016 and with the farm-to-table movement going strong in the Midcoast, most restaurants don’t want the $2 a pound California carrots.

They want to buy local; it’s just hard to find on a daily basis the exact quantities, prices, and products—something in their long workday they don’t necessarily have time for.

“The whole purpose is to make it easier on everybody,” said Shaikh who charges a minimal monthly fee for his website service taking no percentages off the transactions. “Restaurants just want to work with a distributor that they can click on what they want and they get it the next day. Until now, there has been no way to do that seamlessly.”

Foodslack is new and the farming selling season hasn’t happened yet, but there are a number of restaurants already eager to use the service.

Chef Ean Woodward, of Ebantide in Camden, is an early adopter of the network and said: “I don’t put on my menu house made, fresh or local anymore, because it’s understood when people walk into a restaurant of caliber in the Midcoast like ours, that the restaurant will be sourcing locally. As we go into the summer, we exclusively use local farmers. Instead of me running around to farmer’s markets and to the co-op, I just go online and pick exactly what I want and have it delivered to me. I can’t tell you how important that is to me, as saves me several hours a week hunting for fresh produce and products.”

TENANTS HARBOR — There are three surprising facts about granite, that white, pink or grey igneous rock so highly prized for its beauty and strength in architecture.

“One, it’s fragile,” said Steve Lindsay, a granite sculptor in Tenants Harbor. “If you have a 12-foot long step, you have to be very careful when you move it, because it will snap. People forget that it has no tensile strength, so if you look at all of the granite posts along Main Street in Rockland, you’ll see a lot of them have been repeatedly hit and damaged by cars and repaired with a cement base. Two, granite is not fireproof. If it has been in a fire, the granite is ruined, because it holds water within the grain, so when the water turns to steam, it shatters the rock. The last thing, is granite is light. People don’t think it would be, but it actually has the same density as aluminum.”

A history buff on local granite, Lindsay recently gave a talk to a packed audience at the St. George Historical Society on Midcoast granite quarrying and gave a demonstration on his stone-cutting technique.

He grew up in Long Island, and studied and worked in Massachusetts, New York City and Canada before moving to Maine in the mid-1970s. At that point, he was primarily a wood sculptor, until one day he came across the Andre The Seal granite statue carved by sculptor Jane Wasey.

In the 1970s, granite sculptors were relatively few and far between in the Midcoast and Lindsay became fascinated with learning how to carve the stone.

“I learned that the original stone cutting tools for Maine’s coastal and island granite quarries were made right here in Rockland by the Bicknell Supply Company, so I bought my first tools directly from them,” he said.

In St. George, there are several large quarries, including a Black Granite quarry, which yields beautiful grey to black stone. But Lindsay started his granite carving practice with essentially found materials.

“Over the years, I’d go to the homes of people who owned old quarries,” he said. “They’d let me come out and select pieces of stone. The trick was getting them out of there by hand. Now, I have a tractor, but then, I was cutting it by hand and used a hand truck.”

On the back of his property sits a reclaimed  shed-roofed shack, which he rebuilt himself into a shop. Large garage windows illuminate the studio, which looks like a miniature version of Liberty Tool with every square inch of space dominated by carving tools.  He uses carbide tipped chisels “which are harder than tempered steel, the traditional tool for carving granite,” he said.

He purchased most of his own tools over the years, but quite a few friends have donated them to his shop.

Lindsay explained that granite became the most coveted material for buildings in Maine and around the nation after the Civil War, as it became a symbol for wealth and endurance.

“Entire buildings like a six-story building on Wall Street would come from Maine’s quarries, with figure carvings all around them,” he said. “Everything was cut exactly to size here, crated and shipped on schooners to cities. The only way to move it was by water.”

Locally, these natural resources made valuable building material as well with many federal and public buildings constructed to reflect the wealth of the times. The Custom House and Post Office in Rockland was built from granite in 1898 from the St. George quarries before it was demolished in 1969.

The Rockland Breakwater, is another enduring testimony to locally quarried granite. It took 10 years to build with gigantic granite blocks brought over from the Vinalhaven quarry.

“They’d bring one piece at a time by sailboat and drop it into the harbor,” he said. “Later, they did it by barge.”

A walk around his property reveals several wooden sculptures and granite slabs, which have been rendered with intricate designs. Much of his art is representational, and ranges from portraits to gargoyles; from small delicate carvings to over-lifesize figures hewn from massive logs. Lindsay is not carving much at this point, but he has had numerous shows in galleries and all over Maine and the world. For more information about his work and sculptures visit: http://www.stevelindsay.net

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—Many flower shops have adjoining gift shops with pretty baubles and ornamental gifts.

The Flower Goddess, a shop at the North End in Rockland, goes a little off the beaten path. The display in the window features hand-constructed fairy houses in a bucolic, miniature scene. Inside, the shop reflects the interests of its owner Laurie Tracy and her partner, Mark Andersen. The shop has a distinct metaphysical flair, filled with books and gifts on magic, witchcraft, fairies and angels.

Tracy, who has worked as a florist for 29 years, got her start in Portland. Her original Flower Goddess shop opened in 2014 in Thomaston before relocating to Rockland in 2015. They’re a local, independent, family-owned shop, offering flower arrangements and plant scapes for every occasion; even offering “Wife Insurance” (anniversary reminders and specialized floral delivery) with free delivery to Rockland and Thomaston. The divine element of flowers has always appealed to Tracy.

“No matter what the occasion, they bring joy,” she said. “Even at funerals, when people first see a bouquet, their faces light up; it brings a smile to their faces.

The shop’s energy draws people from all walks of life. “I’ve always wanted a metaphysical gift shop,” she said. “We try to offer a range of books, items and information that allow people to choose their own path in life.” Tracy is keen on helping people learn more about the paths less chosen. “Knowledge is power; it takes away fear,” she said. “One of my biggest philosophies is ‘Do what you will, but harm none.’ ”

The shop’s local reviews reflect Tracy’s genuine interest in accommodating all viewpoints. A customer, Jen Wass, stated, “I love this store! The owners are great people, the really make you feel welcome. You walk in an instantly feel harmonic vibrations! Thank you mark and Laurie for bringing some magic to Rockland!”

 The shop also features a number of unique Maine authors and artists with handmade jewelry, candles, incenses and Maine-made gifts and treasures.

“When we first opened, we reached out to all of our local Maine artisans,” she said. “With the opportunity to open the shop, we wanted to share that opportunity. We are proud of our Maine heritage, and strive to use many locally grown and made in Maine products as possible.”

For more information visit their Facebook page.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—The newly opened Gelato Rose gelato and coffee shop is introducing its first book signing and goal setting workshop on August 1 with author Zach Watson, who will read a few of his favorite ideas from his self-published book "Ideas Over Coffee."

Watson is an eighth grade math and science teacher in Lowell, MA. He runs a YouTube channel to teach his students about topics beyond the classroom and wrote "Ideas Over Coffee" as his own playbook for mindsets, perspectives and activities to look through and do when life throws hurdles. It has then been tailored to be a conversation starter for people as they meet up for coffee. He delivered a TED talk this year on the steps he takes when he wants to achieve his dreams.

The book itself is a conversation starter to overpower the small talk we experience everyday. There will be a fun and engaging conversation on some topics from the book, including the myth of the birthday wish, a discussion on bucket lists, and a conversation on relationships.

“The title came from a love for talking and sharing amazing conversations with people over coffee,” said Watson. “So, I hope that people will discover a want and need for authentic, vulnerable, profound conversations, or as one TED speaker said, ‘Big Talk’ rather than the mundane small talk.

“My goal with any audience is to inspire would-be authors to step out of their comfort zone and step into the confidence that comes from publishing a book,” he said. “The first thing I’ll talk about is that the writing and editing took around 250 hours, and there were errors when I first published it. I am still on the look out for them. In my TED talk, I said that one of the main pitfalls for anyone out there starting something big and new is perfectionism. The finished book is often more relevant than the perfect book sitting in a folder on your hard drive.”

The talk will start at 5:30 p.m. For the first 30 minutes, he’ll discuss concepts from the book. Around 6 p.m., Watson will be hosting a free goal setting workshop, which he has delivered at universities and local organizations. He will walk through a few exercises leaving the participants with a clear  path for some of their most exciting goals.

‘I love delivering goal-setting workshops and challenging people to think weirder concepts than they thought possible,” he said. “In the back of my book, I have several bucket/goals lists that I share for people to think about how they want to format and organize their aspirations for optimal inspiration and action.”

Books will available for sale. Watson will also be available to schedule workshops or coaching sessions for anyone interested. The talk is free to the public and the event takes place at 483 Main Street in Rockland.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

THORNDIKE— Way out in the heart of farm country, OJ Farwell & Sons general store and mill are relics, built in 1873. The general store, relatively untouched, still has canned goods on the shelf, such as Prince Albert. It is a ghost town of a building, but in 2015, a group of local artisans, writers, builders and historians purchased the general store, mill, barn and grange with the intent to repair, clean and renovate them into places that could be used as a storytelling museum, community workshops, exhibit and performance spaces and a unique museum store.

The general store sits dusty, unused with its creaking wooden floors, which bow deeply in the middle.

“That’s our biggest project,” said Diana Prizo, one of the board member of the Timelines Community, Inc., the not-for-profit organization tasked with the buildings’ restoration. “It needs to be raised two feet with a new foundation.”

The general store will eventually be open as a  storytelling museum and Maine-made store. Above that, the organization envisions four artist studios, which can be rented out.

“We’re hoping that those who rent out the studio would be open to offering programs and workshops to the community and schools,” said Prizo. “We’re particularly looking for artists who can offer skills that were historically relevant to the local economy, such as stitchers, basket makers, potters, metal smithers, woodworkers, canoe makers and more.”

The center building was a grain mill for animal feed and contains a treasure trove of original items and tools, along with a vintage apothecary and artist-made items for sale. Above the mill will be a large exhibit room, along with two performance spaces. In the back of the mill, a vintage kitchen has already been installed, with appliances and utensils ranging from the 1920s to the 1960s. An antique General Electric Monitor Top refrigerator is still in working condition, containing staff lunches and drinks. Behind that room, a production kitchen is being planned with the intent to create an original product from it the Farwell Project can then sell. “We’d also love to be able to teach people how to make things in this kitchen as well,” said Prizo.

Much of this proposed work depends on grants and community fundraisers. On July 27 through July 29, the organizations is hosting a Barn Sale at 10 a.m. Among items to be sold will be antiques and original artworks from local artists.

The Farwell Project has already renewed part of the Mill for year-round use, and now has a small version of the general store open to the public.They host seasonal concerts and suppers in the Lumber Shed, and welcome artists, performers and storytellers to get in touch. The Museum Store is open 11 am. to 5 p.m., Wednesdays through Saturdays, Sundays by chance. For more information visit: thorndikemill.org/the-farwell-project/

Photos by Kay Stephens

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—The interior of the newly opened Ferryside Lunch in Rockland’s North End (497 Main Street) may small inside, but the homemade paninis and soup are going to be the biggest draw.

Re-opened just last week, Ferryside Lunch originally opened last winter, but had to close through the spring and summer to get renovations done to the 200-square-foot shop. Owner Jessica Arena runs the sandwich and soup shop, alongside with her son, Dylan Whitamore, 16, and her daughter, Adrianna, 14.

Originally from downtown Boston, Arena moved to the Midcoast nearly 20 years ago.

“When I was growing up and I went to a sub shop, I could ask for an ‘Italian with everything’ and I’d get exactly what I wanted,” she said. “When I moved here, I couldn’t find an authentic Boston Italian sub, so I decided to make my own panini style.” 

The Boston Italian panini so far has been the biggest hit, made with salami provolone tomato onion, pepperoncini oil and spices on fresh sourdough or multigrain bread. With soups she she uses both family recipes and experiments at home with her own flavors, such as Roasted Tomato Bisque and Balsamic Chicken and White Bean. All of the items are affordably priced with soups starting at $6 and paninis averaging around $8.

As the lunch spot begins to get some recognition in the neighborhood, the Boston-inspired food is also a conversational starter.

“I had one woman in the other day from Cambridge and we were talking about some of our favorite restaurants there,” said Arena. “She happened to mention one place I knew that makes this amazing super spicy won ton soup that I’ve been trying to recreate for the past few years, and I almost have it.”

The shop has enough room for one table and a place at the counter. The space was formerly shared by Gelato Rose and Whitamore’s shaved ice micro business called Ice Blossoms.

Now, Ice Blossoms has absorbed into Ferryside Lunch’s menu. The most requested shaved ice flavor is Tiger’s Blood, a fruit punch with a hint of coconut. All of their flavors are imported from New Orleans. Arena said the concept of shaved ice is really popular in the south, but not something northeners see very much. “We’ll also have a couple of sample flavors to try every day,” said Whitamore, “but if anyone wants to just try a flavor, we’ll do that for them.”

Good news for the locals: They plan on being open year round.

Ferryside Lunch is a great grab-and-go spot open from 11:30 to 4 p.m. The establishment only takes cash for now.  For more information visit: Ferryside Lunch

ROCKLAND— Rockland’s North End just took one more step in recreating Boston’s North End and its “Little Italy” with the addition of Gelato Rose (483 Main Street) on July 20 for its Grand Opening.

The artisan gelato shop run by mother-and-daughter Annie Higbee and Cecile Bizet made its initial debut last summer on 497 Main Street, before shutting down at the end of the season. The reopening of the shop specializing in Italian treats compliments FIORE Artisan Olive Oils & Vinegars a couple of doors down and Ferryside Lunch, which specializes in Italian paninis.

Taking over FIORE’s former bottling and shipping space, Higbee and Bizet had about a month to renovate the long, narrow floors space into an airy, comfortable lounge with a gigantic rustic table dominating the room.

“We learned a lot running the first store, and now we know what the business is like,” said Higbee. “We were lucky this storefront opened up; but, everyone supported us. We had help from the community making our business plan. We had help with a loan from the bank. We had great help from the contractors.”

“I’m really excited for the new space,” said Bizet, 17, who will primarily run the shop. “We just introduced Rock City coffee and tea and we will be doing live music and open mic nights on Thursdays. This place is for everyone, of course, but I really want it to be comfortable for young people, especially during music nights, which hasn’t really been fostered enough in the community. I’m really passionate about getting the community to come together and gelato was really just a way to make it happen. We just wanted to create an epic place for people to hang out.”

The gelato shop itself is much the same from their last spot. Bizet was instrumental in helping her mother create 12 gelato flavors and markets them on her Instagram account.  Some of their flavors, like the strawberry rhubarb, comes from a couple who jars rhubarb from Whitefield. Other flavors such as blueberry sorbetto, Maine maple and lemon basil are all from Maine, as well.

In the coming weeks, they’ll also introduce espresso and cold brew. They are also open to more art-and music-related events in the future.

“This is a place for self-expression,” said Bizet. “There may be a reason we have blank white walls,” she hinted.

On their opening night, Rockland Main Street representatives were on hand for a ribbon-cutting event, along with live music by The Midnight Riders and Bizet’s friends, the band, Happy Folk.

For more information about Gelato Rose, visit their Facebook page.

 Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

LINCOLNVILLE — Twenty-six well known and under-represented Maine authors are scheduled to meet the public for the annual Beyond The Sea Book Festival this Saturday, July 22, at 10:30 a.m.

“People who come to Maine are often well aware of the popular authors because you see their books everywhere, but this Festival really showcases the gems of books that don’t get as much publicity,” said owner, Nanette H. Gionfriddo, who has previously produced the Belfast Bound Book Festival in  2011 and 2012  and the Beyond the Sea Book Festival at Lincolnville Beach in the last three years.

“We’re going to have more than two dozen authors all over the state come here this day and their talent is amazing,” she said. “I try to have a complete range of genres every year including Children’s, Middle Grade and Young Adult, fiction, nonfiction, memoir, political, mysteries, cookbooks and more.”

Gionfriddo tries to read nearly every author she carefully selects to be represented in her bookshop, which offers both new and used books.  She attempts to research each one, by discussing them with the author, or publisher, and accessing readers’ reviews. From best-selling Maine authors to self-published authors with unusual backgrounds, she said,  “I love giving these folks a place to meet the public, talk about their unique subjects and do some signings.”

Gionfriddo said she was most impressed with two books she recently read whose authors will be in attendance: Richard Alexander Otto's book, The Paradox of our National Security Complex: How Secrecy and Security Diminish Our Liberty and Threaten Our Democratic Republic and Jake Morrel’s Hardscabble Lodge, about his experiences as a bush pilot in Maine.

Over the last couple of years, Beyond The Sea has expanded into a unique Maine-made gift shop as well, including a new café. Beyond the sweets and coffee, she also offers to-go, take home and eat-in savory “comfort food” dishes, such as hot meatball subs, chili macaroni and cheese, barbecue franks and beans, as well as soups, chowders and stews. In the cold case, she also offers pasta salads, egg salad and tuna containers, salads as well as side dishes, authentic Italian subs

“You can come for part of the day or the whole day and we’ll have all kinds of food and drinks, so you won’t have to go anywhere,” she said.

 Maine authors are scheduled in two different groups for two hour signings at 10:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. and 12:45-2:45 p.m. at 2526 Atlantic Highway (Route 1), Lincolnville Beach.

To see a list of who is participating, including a synopsis of each book and biography for each author visit: 2017 Book Festival

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND— WRFR, Rockland’s volunteer-run radio station, has a new talk show on Tuesday nights and anyone who makes a side living as an artist, writer, musician or maker will find the show not just interesting, but also instructive.

Each week, Teresa Piccari, a career writer, who has been a writing instructor and coach for the last 20 years, explores creativity with guest artists. Once a month she does a solo show, taking calls about creativity questions, offering her own original writing prompts and exercises on the air, introducing the listeners to new books on creative process. Part talk show and partly a platform to inspire people creatively, she calls the show 21st Century Bohemian after a column of the same name she has written in Inner Tapestries for the last 10 years.

“I’ve always interviewed people in the arts,” said Piccari.

Having snagged interviews with the late Maya Angelou, Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way and Shakti Gawain, founder of New World Library and author of Creative Visualization, Piccari offers her listeners insights and tools she’s learned in her own research. Over the last 20 years, she has run workshops including Memoir, Creative Writing, Heroic Quest, Creative Process, Creative Daybook, Illustrated Journal and Engaging the Goddess. 

“Essentially, I’m still exploring the same creative process platform, just in a new medium with radio,” she said. “As an example, on my July 4th show, I played some Bruce Springsteen music and talked a bit about his memoir Born To Run that was published last fall.”

Some of the questions she might pose to her guests on her show each week include: “How do creatives get inspired or keep going when they aren't? What really goes into creating a single piece of art or a creative body of work? What are their views on learned skills versus innate talent and ability? How do they nurture and protect their creative work? What about the money part of art?”

Asked what is the number one trait one needs to pursue a creative career, Piccari said: “I think having curiosity is a priority; to cultivate and to feel connected to your sense of child-like wonder. You have to be in a place where you’re not having an expectation of how a story, a photo or a painting will turn out. You have to have this psychic open space within yourself where you are inviting something new to manifest. So, instead of expecting a certain outcome, you create a world of possibility. ”

Another question relevant to the divisiveness that has currently deeply embedded in our country is: “How do creatives help instill order and beauty in times of cultural chaos?”

In a 2015 article in The Nation, famed author Toni Morrison recalled a friend telling her: “This is precisely the time when artists go to work—not when everything is fine, but in times of dread. That’s our job!”

“We are certainly in a chaotic time in American culture,” said Piccari. “I think artists of all kinds can be tapped as good resources to solve problems and to bring beauty and light into times that can be heavy and dark. My Engaging The Goddess workshop is an example of how women can align with this latest wave in the rise in the divine feminine. And to provide another example, one of my past guests, Don Rainville, offered the idea of starting an annual local event where artists use their creativity to shine a light on environmental challenges.”

“Right now in Rockland, we have  a creative renaissance, and I think the time is perfect to shine the spotlight on our amazing creative community,” she said.

On July 25, Piccari’s next guest on will be Carrie Hedstrom, who blends fiber art and poetry. Her work is currently on display at the Camden Public Library.

The 21^st Century Bohemian show runs weekly on Tuesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. (WRFR 93.3 Rockland Maine 99.3 Camden Maine and streaming globally) For more information visit WRFR.org or Teresa Piccari.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST— There are certain kinds of person who prefers the tactile sense and smell of a real book over a Kindle title. It is for those kinds of people Appleton artist Abigail Read created an enormous mixed media construction of altered books, found objects and intricate sculpture calling it “Library.”

“Library” began in 2010 as a project involving the construction of individual objects that resemble books, as the boxes open and close along a spine. “At some point I began to hang them together and the overall sculpture was conceived,” said Read. The sculpture now consists of numerous panels amounting to 40 feet of continuous shelf. The exhibit has been on display in a number of galleries, museums and colleges all over the state and even was installed in the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Doha, Qatar in 2014 as part of the State Department’s Art in Embassies Program. Since it is so large, only a portion of it could be installed at the Belfast Free Library on July 5 where it will hang until August 30.

More than just altered books, spines, pages and covers, “Library” is constructed with a treasure trove of oddities and found objects. “With my background in 2-D and 3-D design, I’ve incorporated elements of design into all of these different components,” said Read. “It’s a little bit of everything from small sculptures made in the form of a book to handmade and hand-altered books.”

“Libraries have personal meaning for me as I grew up in a household lined with shelves and shelves of books,” she said. “My father was an English, creative writing and theater teacher who wrote poetry, as did his mother, which resulted in a lifetime of collecting books. I do not use them to create nostalgia, but rather find in them the patina of age, of having been handled, read and kept safe, as collections of treasured objects.”

Read, who said her last name is not lost on many people who view her work, reuses parts of old, discarded books that would otherwise be headed to the dump. “Books are precious to us as individual objects but they are commercially mass produced. Worn out books often get thrown out by people and libraries, it’s gratifying to me to be able to repurpose them. Their meaning emerges through the layering of materials by creating a history of the process.”

On Wednesday, July 19, Read held a public talk to discuss ideas, inspiration and the process of creating this exhibit in the library’s Kramer Gallery. In September, the entire 40 feet of “Library” will be installed at the Frank Brockman Gallery, 68 Maine Street in Brunswick.

For more information on Read’s current body of altered book artwork visit: http://abbiereadartist.com/

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—Approximately 500 people went through the doors of the brand new Rockland Rock Harbor Brewing Co. facility and tasting room the weekend of July 14-16 for the Grand Opening, just in time for the peak summer crowds.

The three-day event indicated the last three years of expansive growth for the brewery with live music all day from multiple bands, giveaways and grilled food from Blaze Food Truck. The building, off Route 1 in Rockland, and formerly inhabited by Mathews Brothers, was once a showroom for kitchen design. Owner Dan Pease bought the vacated building in November, 2016, because his small four-barrel operation located at the Rock Harbor Pub & Brewery Main Street location in Rockland just wasn’t producing enough.

“We were barely able to make enough beer to supply our our pub, much less distribute to anyone else,” he said. 

With the new facility, Pease can now boost production from 165 barrels a year to approximately 2,000 barrels with the goal to sell more beer to bars around the state.

“In the coming weeks, we’ll be distributing not only our kegs, but also now, we are canning three beers to distribute,” he said.

The three brands they have in cans now are Breakwater Wheat, Twin Screw Pale ale and CopperHouse ESB, which can be purchased on site.

Decorated in walls painted a cheery blue and yellow walls with barn board, the new tasting room space has comfortable couches, tables and chairs and capacity for about 40 people inside. Outside on their patio, there’s room for 50 people.

“We’re dog friendly, which is a nice thing, because we don’t serve food here,” he said.

The new tasting room serves five of Rock Harbor Brewery’s nine staple beers along with flights and people can even take a tour of the 15-barrel stainless steel brewing system.

Rock Harbor Pub opened in 2011 when Pease, then, a home brewer, had visions of turning the restaurant into a brew pub. In the Pilot’s 2013 story on Pease, he turned that dream into a reality with a glass-enclosed brew room containing a copper and stainless steel system people could see from Main Street. He was only brewing three beers at that point. Today, Rock Harbor Brewing Co. (still the only craft brewpub in Rockland) produces five to 10 signature brews year round, favoring ales and stouts.

Maine’s burgeoning craft brew movement began in 1986 (some say on par with Seattle’s beer scene) and is now home to more than 30 breweries and 200-plus brands.

Josh Christie, author of Maine Beer: Brewing In Vacationland said: “The Midcoast is a wonderful microcosm of Maine's three decades of craft brewing. It has breweries like Andrew's doing traditional English ales, the style that launched the revolution. And it has an ‘extreme’ brewer in Marshall Wharf, which is at the forefront of Maine's continuing beer revolution. With strong support of these (and other) Maine breweries at beer stores and restaurants around the region, it's a fantastic place to explore the panoply of Maine-made beer.”

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

WATERVILLE—The Maine International Film festival (MIFF) is celebrating its 20th anniversary the week of July 14 – 23, 2017 in Waterville featuring more than 100 films from some of Maine and New England’s most innovative filmmakers.  MIFF, known for its unpretentious and laid-­back atmosphere, will once again feature the best of American independent, international, and Maine-­made films. This year promises to be the most exciting yet as organizers are planning to host a record-­‐breaking number of special guests (actors, directors, producers, movie executives and more) from around the world.

There are several Midcoast films represented, kicking off opening night with The Sounding, a film shot on location on Monhegan Island.

“The Sounding speaks to all of us as it tells its haunting story of a woman who chooses to speak only in her own way,” says MIFF Programming Director Ken Eisen, describing the film as one “that resonates with Maine, with life, and with the beat of a different drum.”

Another Midcoast film represented will be be the premiere of the Belfast documentary Mop Cap: an Alopecia story about one Midcoast Maine woman’s experience with lifelong hair loss. Read our exclusive story about that here: What it means to be bald and beautiful for a woman.

Another film, part of the Maine Shorts to watch for is the documentary of Bobby and Sonny, two lifetime lobstermen working on the island of Vinalhaven.

This year, festival organizers have invited back 20 of MIFF’s past guests, making this the most-­‐celebrated film festival in its history. The festival will feature exciting live music events, public art exhibitions, special VIP parties and other ticketed events. MIFF will also host the 40th Annual Maine Student Film and Video Festival, a free event that provides Festival attendees with an opportunity to see what Maine’s youngest filmmakers have created at a special film screening and award presentation featuring the MPBN Student Film Award.

Bringing the star power, the festival will honor legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, on July 17 with the inaugural Karl Struss Legacy Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cinematography as well actress and supermodel Lauren Hutton with the annual Mid-Life Achievement Award to at a special ceremony held at the Waterville Opera House July 20. MIFF is dedicating this year to Jonathan Demme, who passed on April 26. An inspiring director who will be remembered forever for his Oscar winning The Silence of The Lambs, and the Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense, as well as the rom com/thriller Something Wild.

Tickets for Opening Night are $12 and are available at miff.org/ or by calling 1-866-811-4111. Festival passes start at $95 and are on sale now.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN—The Portland-based street theatre troupe, Dark Follies entertained a crowd of more than 200 people filling the Camden Amphitheatre Thursday night, July 13. In addition to a comical straightjacket removal routine, the Dark Follies also featured fire eaters, fire baton twirling, sword dancing, silk dancing, dark fairy tale stories and live music of the Dark Follies Rhythm Orchestra.

It was a highly entertaining combination of unique talents that, as promised, wasn’t something you can look away from .

Check out our gallery and video!

BELFAST—When Ann Hedly Rousseau was a little girl, she lost all of her hair due to alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder causing hair loss on the scalp, face and sometimes other areas of the body as the immune system attacks the body’s hair follicles. Growing up in the 1970s era of Holly Hobbie, her family found an easy solution by giving her a mop cap, a sort of floppy bonnet that covered her whole head. Throughout childhood, her hair grew back in and fell out repeatedly, though by age 21 she had a full head of hair and it stayed for 20 years. By age 41, however, alopecia began attacking her hair follicles again.

At that point, she contacted her friend, Belfast filmmaker Nicolle Littrell, who set out to explore Rousseau’s journey through a documentary.

“When I lost my hair more than a year ago, I completely panicked,” Rousseau said in a promo video for the documentary, Mop Cap: an Alopecia Story. “And it wasn’t because I didn’t know what was going on. I knew exactly what was happening and I was losing my hair again.”

“At first, we weren’t sure where this project would go or who the audience was, possibly just Ann’s inner circle and the alopecia community she was connected to,” said Littrell. “Ann just knew she wanted to document what was happening to her. She ended up shaving her entire head on camera.”

Littrell, who is also on the faculty in the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality program at the University of Maine, was interested in exploring how Rousseau chose to face her challenge. Mainstream American culture often equates hair with femininity and beauty; particularly long hair.

“Right away, when we started filming, we knew there were themes in here that were universal around gender, appearance, and the definition of beauty,” said Littrell. “Men can be bald and it’s considered cool and sexy, but why do we have the opposite reaction when we see a woman who is bald?”

Rousseau, a yoga teacher, a wife and a mother to three boys, had the daunting task of answering these questions for herself. Unlike one woman who chose to shave her head in our 2012 story Belfast designer redefines notions of beauty by going bald, Rousseau had no choice to keep her hair.

She wasn’t alone. As many as 147 million people are affected by alopecia. But in a small town, she worried about others’ perceptions.

“When I knew I was losing my hair again, I wasn’t sleeping well; I was constantly worried about it,” she said. “I was trying to figure out, ‘How was I going to be who I thought I was in my role as a mother and a person in the community when everybody knew me with hair?”

Somewhere in the midst of her panic, Rousseau woke up in the middle of the night with serenity.

“It was a moment of peace inside a panic attack,” she said. “It was a feeling of, ‘Oh My God, this is going to be great. I am going to have fun with it.’’”

She was not going to wear a mop cap again.

“I knew this was going to be an experience that other women who might be panicking about something in their lives would connect with,” said Rousseau. “I thought at least it would help them see someone else go through such a difficult moment. Everyone goes through changes that makes he or she feel one’s identity is shifting.”

There were people who were afraid to talk to her about it; afraid to offend. Others assumed she was sick. Many times, people were compassionate, but then there were the curious questions that revealed traditional expectations of women and beauty. “What does your husband think about your loss of hair?” was a common question from women.

Rousseau’s husband appears infrequently in the film, a deliberate decision by the filmmakers, as they wanted to portray a woman’s perspective of such a public identity shift without too much focus on the male perspective, particularly how a women's changed appearance needs to be "validated" by a man.

Littrell had an immediate connection to the film project’s themes.

"Loss and change are universal themes for most people,” she said. “At the start of this project, I was going through a personal loss and found so much resonance and connection with Ann’s story. I have a full head of hair and I'm also in my 40s. We get to this point where our appearance changes and our egos are wrapped up in those changes. We age; we get wrinkles; our bodies change. Why does this so negatively affect our self-image, especially as women? I don’t know if our film answers any of these questions, but we definitely explore self-acceptance as a path to moving through it.”

“The experience keeps unfolding; that’s the good news,” said Rousseau. “When you get good at accepting change, it gets easier. My advice is to start practicing accepting change in every way. One of the most difficult times in my life has turned into the most freeing, to let go of old stories about myself and just allow myself to have a whole new experience. I’m not going to wear a wig. I didn’t know what it was going to be like to live in my 40s as a bald woman, but I was going to find out. I wasn’t going to hide from it.”

The film spanned a year and a half of filming before being condensed down to a one-hour film. This past month, Littrell and Rousseau wrapped up a successful IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign to take the rough cut of the film and transform it into a finished documentary. Their goal was $10,000. They ended up collecting almost $1,500 on top of that.

The Maine International Film Festival has chosen Mop Cap: an Alopecia Story as one of its selections to premiere on Sunday, July 16 and Saturday July 22 in Waterville. Littrell said that they are also working on bringing the film to the Midcoast to screen in the fall.

For more information about the film visit: mopcapfilm.com and facebook.com/mopcapfilm

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

 

 

 

ROCKLAND — Last summer, Keenan Hendricks and Christian Straka were camp counselors and wondered out loud how they could start their own business.

“We’re both physically active and play sports, and were thinking, how we could sell something that was enjoyable and healthy,” said Hendricks.

“We like smoothies, but most places they’re really expensive, so we thought we should make the kind of smoothies we could afford ourselves,” said Straka.

Smoothie Haven launched June 13, featuring an array of fruit, yogurt and juice smoothies for $5.

Larry Reed, owner of Eclipse Restaurant at 2 Park Ave, was instrumental in helping them open, as the newly painted shack sits right in the Eclipse patio.

“We get all of our ingredients from Larry’s suppliers,” said Straka. “None of this would be possible without Larry’s help.”

After nearly a month in business, sales have been robust. They’ve already made back their initial investment in equipment and renovations to the wooden structure in addition to a profit.

Straka said their most popular smoothie right now is the Sunset: strawberries, pineapple and mango and peach juice.

“We get a lot of recommendations from our friends and family on different recipes to try, so we are constantly experimenting with new flavors,” she said.

Straka and Hendricks will be going back to college in the fall and want to see their seasonal business expand by next summer.

“I think this place has a lot of potential and our goal for next summer is to get a liquor license so we can offer alcoholic smoothie shots and make this patio an outside bar in the summer,” said Straka.

Hendricks added, “Of course, we’d have to hire someone who is 21.”

Both young men have taken business courses in their first year of college, which has helped their entrepreneurial venture.

“We hired a couple of 14-year-old kids to wear a banana and strawberry costume on the corners of Park and Main streets to bring some attention to us over here,” said Straka. “I’ve actually used a lot of skills in accounting and business classes I took this year. It’s applying everything into a real world job —like keeping track of receipts and figuring out how to cut down costs and maximize profits.”

Does it beat being a camp counselor?

“Oh yeah, I love it,” Hendricks said. “First job I don’t hate.”

“It’s a lot more fun,” added Straka.

Check out the The Smoothie Haven on their Facebook page.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

A lobster boat is a thing of curiosity to many people who don’t live here, a symbol of Maine itself, but most painters, photographers and artists don’t get an up close look at the people who pilot them, which is where this story begins.

Abe Goodale, 32, wanted to explore the idea of preserving the images of old-time lobstermen.  He wanted to head out on the water to capture a way of life in a way that both reflected and respected the individuals he was portraying.

Born in Montville and a lifelong Mainer himself, he had a basic concept of what the daily routine on the water was.  Up before the sun every morning, steaming out to their fishing grounds and working a grinding day of sometimes up to 12 hours, lobstermen are focused and busy with the task at hand.

Goodale established a few introductions through mutual friends. Other times, he’d begin a conversation and ask if he could join them on the water as a way to gain reference photos for a project and to help along the way.  

“Engaging with people before I photograph or paint them is very important to me,” he said. “I want to develop a relationship and gain a level of respect before I pull out my camera. When I first asked if I could go fishing with these guys, the common response was ‘Yeah, as long as you stay out of the way and don’t get hurt.’  I get this; this is their livelihood and they work really, really hard for what they do.  As these guys moved through their days, they were kind and willing to talk me through their process and include me in the day’s work.”

After guiding for The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and most recently completing an 18-month culturally based art project through the Andes of South America, Goodale came back to Maine two years ago, wanting to immerse himself in a project uniquely Maine. 

Goodale’s watercolors are so finely etched, they resemble photographs from afar, but up close the muted colors are reserved. Very rarely do any of the lobstermen look directly into the camera; therefore most of his watercolors show them engaged in their work.  In one watercolor, a man clenches his fists.

“That was a cold day in September,” recalled Goodale. “I was looking out of the cabin as he pulled his hands from a cold bin of water, he stood up, clenched his fists and looked aft across the bay.”

“To me this project is a tribute to the hard working individuals who make their living in Maine. It’s the salt and grit that drew me to them and it was an opportunity for me to honor the people who contribute a great deal to the Maine experience. Specifically, I was drawn to the older generation of lobstermen. These guys have been fishing alongside each other for 50-60 years. This is a way of life and I wanted to capture a glimpse of it.”

Goodale is currently working on a larger body of watercolors based on the extensive amount of reference photographs he took.

His framed watercolors and postcards can be found from Kennebunk to Bar Harbor and locally at Archipelago, Small Wonder Gallery, Once a Tree and at the Red Barn Marketplace in Lincolnville. For more information visit abegoodale.tumblr.com

 Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

OWLS HEAD — In an era where we have an “Ultimate Airport Dining Survival Guide” for flyers who want more than just “airport food,” Owls Head just got a pleasant addition to the Knox County Regional Airport, when recent Arizona transplants Casey Dominguez and his fiancée, Erin Armbruster, opened the The Salty Owl, a new chic and casual breakfast and lunch café right in the annex of the airport.

Armbruster, 27, and and Dominguez, 30, have both worked in the restaurant industry for years. They were looking for an opportunity to open their own restaurant when Armbruster’s mother, who lives in South Thomaston, invited them to live in Maine.

With views over a small Cape Air plane outside the large windows, The Salty Owl has a nice retro vibe. A stack of vintage records sits next to a turntable, which was playing The Who the day I walked in. The light blue repainted walls offset the refinished tables that were either built or salvaged by the couple, who also installed re-upholstered royal blue church pews to line the walls of the cafe.

Behind the counter, a collection of mismatched blue Delftware sat neatly stacked on shelves.

The couple has only been in Maine for four months, but managed to get all of the renovations, painting and organization of the new cafe done in two months.  

“It’s always been a a café or concession stand here, but we wanted to bring some character to this space, especially being in New England,” said Dominguez. “We wanted to have that rustic feel.”

The Salty Owl offers breakfast and lunch, specializing in Cornish pasty-style hand pies with comfort food fillings such as the Animal, (ground beef, American cheese, caramelized onions, sweet pickles and 1000 Island Dressing).

In the first week they’ve been open, a big hit with the crowds have been the Breakfast hand pie for $5 (local sausage, scrambled eggs, white cheddar and potatoes) and the Haddock Reuben hand pie (fresh haddock, Morses’ sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, German mustard and 1000 Island Dressing). They also offer vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Armbruster serves as the back of the house and baker, while Dominguez takes care of the customers, behind a counter filled with homemade pastries and cookies.

“It’s more than just a place for people to get food between flights; we’re really looking to attract the locals,” said Armbruster. “We’ve actually been overwhelmed by the positive response.”

They plan to be open 6 a.m to 5 p.m. on weekdays (closed Wednesday) and on weekends, open 7 a.m to 3 p.m.

For more information visit their Facebook page.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN—A different kind of vaudeville act is coming to the Camden Public Library Amphitheatre Thursday, July 13, something this town has never seen before.

Joie Grandbois, founder and performer of Portland’s Dark Follies, is bringing her troupe of drummers, dancers, jugglers, fire dancers and actors up for a street performance right by the harbor. Winners of Portland Phoenix’ multiple “Best Street/Performance Artists” awards, Dark Follies promises to be “family friendly while still keeping an edge, featuring live music dancing, juggling, storytelling, side show acts, flow artists, fire performers and more.”

“In the late 1800s, vaudeville was considered an alternative to burlesque shows, which tended to only draw men,” said Grandbois. “It was essentially founded by the Temperance movement to introduce more range to the variety shows, so it would appeal to more women and that could bring their children to it.”

A fascinating history of vaudeville can be found here.

Nine years ago, the troupe was founded initially as a one-time only talent showcase for vaudeville, street theater and unique performances born from Portland’s Goth community. Grandbois, a dancer and performer, saw its immediate potential.

“I kept saying we have all of these amazingly talented people who do all of this great stuff, we really ought to put it all in a show. Then everybody looked at me and said, ‘Yeah, somebody should.’ So, I organized this one-time street show with drummers and dancers fire spinning in Monument Square in Portland and it went so well, we decided to keep the show going.”

Grandbois who says she has always been obsessed with vintage theatrical revues, named the traveling troupe “Dark Follies” because they perform at night and as a tribute to its alternative performers. Last year, one of their performers, Elizabeth Leibiger, an accordian player, went to Paris to see a show at the famous cabaret house of Moulin Rouge, considered the birthplace of the can-can dance and other alternative entertainment.

“Not only is there a woman who swims in a tank with boa constrictors, there are ventriloquists, a roller-skating duo with death-defying stunts, miniature ponies, comedy skits, and of course, the spectacular sequin-adored dancers,” recalled Leibiger in a blog post for the troupe. “While the Moulin Rouge is a high end entertainment venue these days, the more humble variety show style and often bawdy origins of the show and venue are not forgotten, which gives the shows at the Moulin Rouge the uniquely anachronistic entertainment value which we Dark Follies seek to embody in our performances.”

For their first Camden debut, people of all ages are welcome to watch their fire performance, dancers, and live music of the Dark Follies Rhythm Orchestra. ‘We’ll have one woman who does a comedic straight jacket escape,” said Grandbois. Each performance is different, depending on their stage and the unique combination of talents will be something she promises you can’t look away from.

The Dark Follies is part of the Camden Public Library Movies and Music series and will begin at 7 p.m. free to the public.

For more information: visit: http://darkfollies.com

ROCKPORT—While some kids will be canoeing, swimming and playing Capture the Flag this summer, other kids will be flying, soaring, tumbling and contorting. The Sellam Circus School, out of Biddeford, is holding its first Circus Arts Day Camp for participants 8 to 18 at The Riley School July 10.

The school, founded by husband and wife Sellam El Ouahabi and Amity Stoddard, in 2015, is based on Ouahabi’s nearly 37-year-career as a circus performer. When he was six-year-old, living in Tangier, Morocco, he used to watch and emulate the Moroccan acrobats on the beach while trying to sell small trinkets on the street to support his family. His keen interest in acrobatics and continuing practice paid off. By age 13, he was performing in local festivals when a traveling circus troupe offered to mentor him full time.

There’s an incredible world at our feet that most of us pass by daily without any awareness. Wanda Garland, a botanist, retired biology teacher and wildflower photographer from Waldoboro, recognizes the ephemeral natural beauty of wildflowers that most people miss out on.

“What you have to do is stop and look,” she said. “You don’t have to even go far; at the edges of your lawn or a nearby field, or in ditches. When you go for a walk, amazing things grow along our roadways. State parks like Acadia will have signs along trails that will point out certain flowers. Often, you just have to pick a spot, sit down and pay attention. Get a field guide to wildflowers and match up what you see with the photos.”

She grew up on a farm in northern Maine surrounded by cow pasture, fields and woods, which made for an excellent training ground for botony. “My family always foraged for fiddleheads and strawberries, “ she said. “My mother taught me about edible wildflowers and plants and my dad taught us the name of every tree. One of the reasons I do slide talks and walks is because there is so much locally to observe and appreciate. When I retired to do wildflower photography, it some of evolved into teaching informal classes and speaking engagements.”

With a last name like Garland, it’s an aptronym; almost as if she was born to do this. “For me, just walking out on the trails, I’m completely at peace,” she said.

For more exotic wildflowers, Garland often takes hikes in the following three areas.

Goose River Peace Corps Preserve

Waldoboro

Of this forested wetland near Goose River, Garland said, “They have an extremely wide variety of wildflowers from when the snow arrives to when it disappears. The trail is very pleasant and easy to follow. I’ve taken members of senior college on these walks here before.” Ladyslippers and various kinds of Trillium can be found along these walking trails.

Hidden Valley Nature Center

Jefferson

With 25 miles of trails, Midcoast Conservancy’s Hidden Valley Nature Center has the most ecologically diverse and undeveloped tracts of forestland in the Midcoast. “This is a huge place over a thousand acres open year round. It has some wonderful summer trails for wildflowers and it also had a boardwalk to observe the bog plants,” she said. Hidden Valley Nature Center has a Facebook page that shares news of trail improvements. June is a special time for many of these new blossoms including pink lady’s slippers, fringed polygala, creeping dogwood, and the insectivorous bog plant, Pitcher Plant.

Orono Bog Boardwalk

Orono

“They have at least four or five study stations on the boardwalk with photos of what to look for,” said Garland. This rich peatland environment of wetland plants is also home to the pitcher plant, a carnivorous plant that is shaped like a pitcher to catch insects. The Orono Bog Boardwalk also has a Facebook page that displays what’s currently blooming every couple of days.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

LINCOLNVILLE — When Lincolnville’s iconic beach restaurant, the Lobster Pound, announced it was going to close after 80 years, along with the small town’s only brewpub Andrew’s Brewing Co., locals were fairly dismayed. By March, they had reason to be optimistic again, when after an expeditious auction, Danny and Carla Lafayette, owners of the Bangor-based Lafayette Hotels Group and longtime Mainers, acquired the restaurant, keeping its original name.

Open for the last three weeks, the Lobster Pound is just starting to find its customers again, with many curious to know how much or how little has changed.

On the cosmetic side, the restaurant and bar are now unified with muted egg shell blue walls and varnished floors. Locals and tourists will be happy to know the well endowed mermaid is now hanging back in her rightful place over the bar.

“We’ve had a lot of people ask, where she went,” laughed General Manager Peggy Brown.

There is also no longer a “restaurant menu” and a “brewpub menu.”

The downsized menu offers classic lobster and seafood dishes as well as traditional sandwiches, burgers, soups and salads.

Greg Goforth, Project Manager said: “We’re concentrating on one menu for both areas of the restaurant and keeping the ingredients as local and as fresh as possible. For example, our lobster will be caught in Lincolnville waters. We’re also trying to keep a lot of the classic dishes that people have come to associate with the Lobster Pound on the menu, like the baked stuffed lobster and the Seafood Newburg the same. What’s most important is the quality of food and quality of service. Whatever we put out from the kitchen, we want to do a great job with it.”

The Lafayettes have had 35 years in the business with 23 hotels in Maine and New Hampshire and 12 restaurants attached to most of them.

Brown added: “Many people coming in are just so happy to know that we’re open again and that this is a Maine-owned business. We’re working hard to keep the place much like they remembered with a high level of standard. We’re lucky that Dick and Patty McLaughlin [The Lobster Pound’s original owners] have been working with us throughout the entire transition. They’re helping us keep some of their traditions alive.”

The biggest surprise for the new managers is that the homemade turkey dinner, not lobster, is still a top-requested dish.

“We were going to take that off the menu but there was such a demand for it, we had to put that back on the menu,” said Goforth.

Theresa Mastricolo, the bar manager, has kept two taps for Andrew’s Brewing Company (Brown and Pale Ale), as a nod to the brewpub that was previously occupied the bar. (Andrew’s still operates as a brewing operation, but at a separate location).

With an eclectic and diverse set of craft brews on the menu, the pub offers 13 taps with several Maine beers and craft brew favorites as Lagunitas Lil Sumpin Sumpin and New Belgium’s Fat Tire. Every Tuesday night, Mastricolo will offer a “Pint Night” with a new release and paired with a specialty happy hour chef’s special.

The new gift shop expands from the small room off the entryway to shelves overlooking the lounge by the bar. Another change is that outdoor seating in the form of picnic tables and umbrella-covered tables allow food to be eaten outside, but no alcohol.

“We’re trying to limit the liability,” said Goforth.

Lastly, in a move that will most definitely make the locals happy, the Lobster Pound remains open all week except Wednesdays, offering a place to eat and drink on the days of the week when the Whale’s Tooth and Chez Michel’s are closed. 

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — Maine is experiencing an unprecedented surge in ticks this year. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,464 cases of Lyme cases in 2016 and recently confirmed that two Midcoast residents were diagnosed with the rare Powassan Encephalitis, also known as deer tick virus.

One woman has a message for us all: Do not underestimate what one little tick bite can do to you.

Angelica Gaudreau, a massage therapist in Rockland, was in peak shape of her life, when a pink circle, the size of a nickel showed up on her leg in Summer 2013.

From there, a nightmare journey was about to begin, although she didn’t know it at the time. Like so many diagnosed with tick-borne Lyme disease, Gaudreau had no idea what was happening to her body in that first few months; nor did she have any knowledge that she’d even been bitten by a tick.

“A couple of months later, I began getting flu-like symptoms,” she said. “And then it would go away after a few days. I kept thinking, the kids are young and in school, and I’m just picking this up from them.”

A few months after that, she made an appointment with her primary care physician, who suggested Gaudreau’s symptoms could be due to malaria, but since she had not traveled to any place where she could have contracted malaria, Gaudreau dismissed the suggestion. 

Her symptoms started to accumulate with headaches, migrating joint pain, migrating body aches, blurred vision, eye floaters, brain fog, weakness, sweats, light sensitivity, swollen lymph nodes, insomnia, severe bouts of dizziness and fatigue. Gaudreau had a hunch her symptoms could be the cause of a tick-borne illness, so she suggested to her doctor that she might have Lyme Disease.

“Despite the fact that I reminded my doctor that all of my symptoms started with recurring flu-like symptoms, I got brushed off with the suggestion that I was in my 40s, so this could just be hormonal,” she said. “After that, I was referred to a neurologist.”

After being bounced around from specialist to specialist with no real diagnosis, Gaudreau said: “I thought if this is going to like this for the rest of my life, I don’t know if I can manage. I was so dizzy at one point, I was afraid to drive. I was getting neurological symptoms and extreme panic attacks. The feeling was like being chased by a lion and I was just going to die. Normal things like someone slamming on the brakes in front of you while driving can shake you up for a few minutes, but it would shake me up for hours or days. I remember thinking that something was taking control of my thoughts. There was a consciousness that ‘this isn’t me.’ Something was happening to me that was physiological, not emotional.”

Once again, Gaudreau insisted to her physician she get tested for Lyme.

“I said to her, ‘if this test comes back as a negative, what do we do then?’ And she said to me, ‘if the test is negative, it’s negative. You don’t have Lyme disease.’’”

The standard Lyme disease test came back negative.

Fed up with the lack of knowledge and support from her primary care physician, Gaudreau decided to take matters into her own hands and pursued the naturopath route. 

“The more I researched this topic, the more I learned how high the false-negative rate of this test was. So, I worked with a naturopath in Damariscotta to take an iGeneX test from a licensed laboratory, which came back positive for chronic Lyme disease.” 

Tick prevention and removal tips

“There are more than 80 types of ticks in the U.S. and 14 in Maine,” said Angelica Gaudreau. “Put on some kind of tick repellent every day and check your body every day, especially under the armpits, groin and under the hairline. Check your kids and your pets every day. They can be as small as a pinhead, particularly the deer nymph ticks, so take a shower every night and throw your clothes in the dryer to kill any ticks that might be riding on your clothes.”

Many stores now carry both traditional brands of tick repellents with DEET as well as those made from all-natural ingredients. You can even make up your own batch with essential oils found at a natural food store or co-op.

If a tick burrows into the skin, there are several ways to safely extract it. Beyond everyday tweezers, tick spoons and tick twisters can slide beneath the tick and the skin and will pull the entire body out. These can be found in veterinary offices, animal rescue organizations, EBS, Rankins, Rite Aid, Reny’s and Wal-Mart.

Household lore might recommend dousing the tick in liquid soap or kerosene, but Snopes, the authority on urban legends strongly discourages this as “it will make matters worse by stimulating the creatures to release additional saliva or regurgitate their gut contents, acts that increase the chance of their transmitting pathogens to their hosts.”

The CDC website states “In most cases, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted.”

If a tick cannot be entirely detached from the skin, Gaudreau advises to save the in a plastic baggie and immediately send it away for testing at Tick Report, iGeneX, or this free tick testing site.. Tick report sends results back via email within a few days.

 A common remedy for an embedded tick that is not safely removed is to insist that your doctor prescribe two pills of doxycycline, which have been proven to ward off Lyme Disease within three days of a bite. 

“Some people get several ticks attached each season, which is one of the reasons doctors don't want to prescribe antibiotics without a positive tick test,” Gaudreau said. “I also don't want to make it sound like the antibiotic treatment is my only recommendation because even a small dose of unnecessary antibiotics can be detrimental to your gut microbiome, which, in turn, will weaken your immune system.”

In her experience, she recommends using the homeopathic remedy Ledum palustre following a tick bite.

“In his book, Healing Lyme, Stephen Buhner recommends applying an Andrographis tincture and covering with bentonite clay to the site of the bite.  He also recommends taking 3,000 mg of Astragalus daily throughout tick season,” she said.

If the tick test comes back positive for Lyme, this is the time to take action.

“I definitely recommend antibiotics right away, if your tick tests positive for a tick-borne illness,” she said.

For more information visit: http://www.ticksinmaine.com/prevention

From there, a true diagnosis was only the beginning.

“I felt I was losing my mind and the results from this test made me feel, ‘OK, I’m not going crazy,’” she said. “I have since learned that a clinical diagnosis should be made by symptoms, and not reliant only on test results.  There is currently no test that can definitively rule out tick-borne illness. The bacteria that causes Lyme is stealthy and can change forms and hide from your immune system.”

Gaudreau has tried many different treatment protocols, ranging from herbal to antibiotic, and even antimalarial. 

"The antimalarial was very tough on me,” she said. “And many of the antibiotics caused gut issues. I felt like I was going through chemotherapy.”

By buying more books, researching online, taking lots of functional tests, and working with multiple healthcare practitioners, she discovered through trial and error that an herbal protocol worked best for her.

Today, she carries around a tote bag of around 40 herbal supplements that she takes daily. None of the supplements are covered by insurance, nor are any functional tests like iGeneX, which run into hundreds of dollars out of pocket each month.

“It’s combating multi-systemic infectious disease syndrome,” she said. “That means you can’t just take one approach with Lyme. You have to heal all of the systems that work together in your body one by one.”

What people do if they don’t have the money or the knowledge to go the naturopath route? 

“I’ve been told that many people with Lyme don’t get out of bed each day,” she said. “I would often sleep for 10-12 hours a day, and would still have a hard time getting out of bed and getting through my day.”

This summer, while she still works to maintain her own health daily, Gaudreau decided to post a recipe on her Facebook page for her friends on natural tick repellent. She got so many requests to make up a batch, she put together dozens of bottles of Angelica’s Essential FOFF Tick Repellent.

“You can pronounce it ‘Foff’ or ‘eff off’ whatever you like,” she joked. ‘“I just didn’t want to put DEET or other chemicals on myself or my kids, especially as I was already battling chemicals.”

Though she is did not intend to make these bottles for public sale, as it is was just a part-time hobby, the demand is growing and she is working on making it available to the public.  She has set up a Facebook page to keep people informed, FOFF Tick Repellent. 

“Unfortunately, my story [of contracting Lyme disease] is still a common one,” said Gaudreau. “I've heard so many stories similar to mine, stories of people who knew they were very sick, were brushed off by their doctors and therefore, not treated early enough. Most people can avoid what I went through, and what I am still going through, if they get treated early enough.  The more time the bacteria has in your body without being treated, the more damage it does and the harder it is to get rid of. Fortunately, there are a lot of mainstream healthcare professionals that are well educated in tick-borne illness.  And most alternative healthcare practitioners in our area are well versed in tick-borne illness. We have some talented naturopaths, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and herbalists in Maine.

“I want to say to the people out there suffering with chronic Lyme, to stay hopeful,” she said. “Each person responds differently to treatment, but when the protocol fits, wellness can be a reality,” she said. “I'm still not 100 percent, but I am functioning very well these days.”

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

LINCOLNVILLE — What started off as an eighth grade project turned into a novel for 14-year-old Morgan MacDougal. Along the way, she taught herself how to write, edit and self-publish. Going by her middle name as her pen name Morgan Brooke, she tackled a fairly tough topic for her first self-published novel titled Andi & Elle. It’s the story of two best friends who grew up together. When Andi gets into a life-threatening hit and run accident that results in a coma, Elle decides to complete Andi’s summer “bucket list” for her and reports on each event through a journal.

“I read an article about about a girl who died and then an older friend decided to complete her ‘bucket list’ for her,” Morgan said. “I liked the concept and decided to alter both characters to be my age.”

Morgan based much of the main character Elle upon her own personality. The cover is a photo of Morgan standing on a skateboard down by the Camden Harbor, shot by her friend Sofia Mott.

Morgan only spent three months writing the 264-page novel, but, was disciplined about it, just as any professional author would be.

“I gave myself the goal of writing 20 pages a week and I’d write five pages a day,” she said. “On the weekend, it would be 10 pages. For three months, it was my life every single day. The day it was finally over with, I just kind of sat down and didn’t know what to do with myself.”

As she learned how to write the novel, Morgan began to see how layered and complex the process of taking a book from imagination to reality was. Her mother, Ronni Arno, an author, helped with the editing.

“I knew editing was important, but I’m not interested in it. I just like to free write,” she said.

Still, she had three separate people edit the book.

Morgan decided to format it herself and self publish it, which is an entirely different skill set, and something that would be an even greater challenge to her.

“I published it on the platform LuLu and when I ordered the first copy and the text was way too small,” she said. “The second printing I meant to order 30 copies, but accidentally ordered only one copy, which actually worked out the best, because, the cover was off centered and I’d forgotten to put in any of the front material like the Acknowledgments. I had a really frustrating time trying to get the printing right. My computer would freeze and I’d end up having to do the entire layout process all over again, like three times. That wasn’t fun.”

She is now figuring out how to promote the book, which is available in the Camden Public Library to reserve. “I’ve had a bunch of kids at school buy it and my mom is helping me with a book signing eventually,” she said.

Morgan is also working on a new YA novel, a fantasy about a society where everything always works out perfectly, until one day it all goes wrong.

She said she’s not ready to launch into the world of traditional publishing yet.

“When I started really writing two years ago, I realized that nothing was capitalized and there wasn’t enough detail, so I’m just writing for fun,” she said. “I have to wait a little bit until my writing gets really shaped up and gets really good. I think for now, self publishing is a better option for me.”

Morgan even sounds like a seasoned author when she says: “There’s never really a sense of satisfaction that you’re done. Once the first draft was done, then there was editing. Once editing was done, there was formatting. Once formatting was done, then there was printing and ordering. And then it had to be reprinted and reformatted. After that, somehow I had to deliver it to every person on my list.”

She sighed. “There’s always more to be done.” As she held up her book in the exact spot where the cover was shot, she said, “Being able to hold this up and show it to people, that’s the best part.”

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—Hundreds took to the streets last night, June 17, 2017 in Rockland for the annual Summer Solstice Street Party. Despite a gloomy overcast day, Main Street was packed and people were in a festive spirit.

The decades-long tradition open air festival closed Main Street off to vehicular traffic. It’s one of the few public events in the Midcoast that can draw children, teens, families, singles, couples, older folks, traditional and alternative personalities in one place. In addition to live bands and plenty of food options, including the traditional Whoopie Pie-Eating Contest, numerous solo musicians and bands dotted the sidewalks and entertained passersby. See our video clip for a sample of the entertainment.

From 4 to 7 p.m., there were plenty of hands-on activities as well, including face painting, temporary tattoos, giant bubbles, art demonstrations, a flash mob and a chance to do aerial stunts with the The Sellam Circus School up from Biddeford.

Right about the time that the sun finally made its debut, students from Studio Red’s dance students drew the majority of the crowd’s attention as they performed multiple sets of hip hop and dance numbers.

For the second year in a row, the party didn’t stop when the Summer Solstice party wound down. Hundreds of adults wandered down to the After Hours Dock Party at Journey's End Marina at the end of Tillson Avenue, featuring a cash-only bar, music and dancing from 6 to 10:30 p.m. with DJ Dan Miller kicking off the first set, followed by the band Just Teachers.

Check out our gallery for more photos of both events.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

NORTHPORT — Anyone wondering why they no longer see those garish lime green and yellow colors of the old Dos Amigos Mexican Restaurant as they pass Route 1 will be happy to know that the restaurant has been taken over, reinvented and is now open for the season. The Hoot, a breakfast and lunch restaurant, is owned and run by former food truck owner Anna Wagner.

The building is now clad in dark shingles, and adorned by planters of flowers, with an expansive back deck under a canopy of trees. Instead of jutting out like a sore thumb, the new look of the building blends into its more serene surroundings. As we first reported, it’s taken Anna and her family six months to transform the dilapidated building into something that is warm, cozy and instantly welcoming.

The Breakfast and Lunch menu are simple and affordably priced. I chose one of the house favorites, House Heuvos, with two poached eggs atop warmed corn tortillas, homemade chili, sour cream and salsa ($7.50).

Coming off a summer cold, I needed a dish that could break through my stuffy nose and make me glad to be alive again. A hearty breakfast with a punch of flavor of onions, beans and cilantro was just the trick—and there was so much of it, I had to take half home.

The Basic Breakfast (two eggs, toast, house smoked bacon, sausage patty or beans) is already a hot seller, along with The Breakfast Sandwich and Belgium Waffles. They also have at least two vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options, as well. As for lunch, those who frequented Wags Wagon when it was in Belfast will be happy to know their favorite “Wagswich” is back on the menu (smoked turkey breast, bacon, avocado, fresh greens and lemon chive mayo) along with equally affordable salads and soups.

Jon Poto, Wagner’s boyfriend, who is helping with service while they get their footing, said: “We’ve been steadily working on some major changes here. The main entrance is now the opening off the deck, which had to be redone, along with some new windows and paint.”

The hard work has paid off and the interior has a rustic, homey feel with a barnboard ceiling, robin’s egg blue walls, cream wainscotting in the back and comfy couches for lounging. The service, like the meals, is simple and not fussy. You give your order at the front counter and wait at a scarred wooden table decorated. with a vintage tonic bottle filled with daisies and thistles.

In about a week, the side room of the restaurant will transform into a mini market.

“Anna’s parents live and work on a meat farm, so we’ll have local farm-raised eggs and meat for sale,” said Poto. “Our bakers out of Waldoboro will be offering their bread. And Frontier Maple Syrup will be selling their Maine-made syrup, as well.”

All photos by Kay Stephens For more information visit: The Hoot

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—Those who like their art to be a little edgier than sailboats and lighthouses found the Steel House South's first art show, “the Crooked and The Wide,” to be right up their alley. Nathan Davis, Steel House's co-founder organized a show of local artists and designers, which promised "explicit drawings, vulgar political cartoons, algorthmically-processed pornography and an army of robots.

Not exactly a venue for the pearl-clutchers, but this art, design and technology collective did not disappoint.

Davis's contribution was algorthmically-processed pornography. On a computer screen, the outlines of an explicit image were just beginning to manifest before what looked like a giant Etch A Sketch altered the image.

"It started off as kind of a joke," he said. "I'm a computer programmer and in the past, I've done algorithmically processed photos of typical Maine scenes like lighthouses and beaches where the program overwrote the image and altered it. I thought, wouldn't it be funny if the source material was unfit for showing to the public? So, I created a program that randomly downloads explicit pictures and alters them. The results were actually pretty remarkable in that they transformed material that otherwise didn't have much artistic merit into something that really merited careful contemplation."

Jared Paradee, an artist who has contributed his ideas to Hot Pink Flannel theme parties, as well as the Mini Maker Faire in Camden, had two exhibits at the show. Anyone who remembers him as "The Robot Overlord" in a giant robot costume from the 2014 and 2015 Maker Faires, would be pleased to see the original costume hanging, surrounded by a miniature Robot Army he'd created out of paper and cardboard.

"It started as my own project and then I had the opportunity to share it with others at the Faire," he said. "I also did a internship at ArtVan, a mobile arts therapy organization in Bath, which gives kids access to arts. the Robot Overlord costume debuted at a fashion show fund raiser with recycled materials and I just happened to have the perfect costume to work with."

Paradee's other collection of found objects, oddities, retro cereal boxes and vintage pulp magazines featured a mounted puzzle of Mr. T as the centerpiece.

"I got this puzzle at a thrift shop and some pieces were missing, but oddly, a third eye puzzle piece was in the box, so now Mr. T has a third eye on his forehead,” he said. “People really responded to this piece."

To the right was a collection of paintings of Jesus Christ, positioned so that all of the Jesus figures were looking at one another.

"I have always enjoyed accumulating kitschy religious paintings, they just kind of made this fortuitous conversion," he said.

Becca Shaw Glaser enjoyed the opportunity to push the notion of what constitutes art with her exhibition. Among her paintings of women and gender-nonconforming forms, she had an interactive piece where people could pull envelopes stamped with a wood carved printing of a vulva off the window and look inside.

Each envelope offered a random collection of messages inside.

Pulling one of the window, the one I opened said “”Who does your art serve?”

This happened to be the perfect question for the artist herself.

“When I first learned of the call out for a transgressive art show, I was excited because I have not felt that my art would find a home here in Midcoast Maine,” she said. “My experience is that most art is geared toward the rich tourist with all of these class politics involved. I was thinking about the $300,000 paintings being sold in Rockland and how inaccessible that is for most of us in this time of extreme income inequality. I’m really interested in having the art scene in Rockland continue to connect with locals by becoming more friendly and open to the public, including students and low-income people by making classes and entrance fees sliding-scale or free, and other creative ways."

Kitty Winslow wasn’t sure if she was channeling the novel 1984 when she made her two mixed media pieces, but she might as well have. Both feature some kind of survellience camera “box” affixed to a jarring grid of lines with the organic element of a tree branch attached. “Over the fall and winter when there was just so much in the news about surveillance, is when I started to make a trilogy of these,” she said. “One of them is called ‘I’ll be watching you.’ They’re purely from my subconscious.”

The exhibition came down the weekend of June 10, but Steel House South promises more alternative and outsider art shows in the future. For more information about the artists visit: http://www.rocklandsteelhouse.com/

All photos by Kay Stephens

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST—The new Wonder Woman movie out this summer has taken on a life of its own with a cross-country trend of theaters screening it for one night to a female-only audience, something both applauded and criticized, but Mike Hurley, co-owner of Colonial Theatre in Belfast, doesn’t care about the critics.

 “Well first off, I am kind of sick of superhero movies,” he said. “But it was really startling to see this all-female cast at the beginning of the movie. It was just really refreshing to see female characters get a fair shake instead of it always being about men.”

Hurley and his wife and co-owner of the theatre, Therese Bagnardi, decided to hold a women-only screening and on Thursday, June 8, the theater was packed. The show sold out with more than 150 showing up, many in costume.

Previous to the show, Hurley said he got a lot of flak from men and even some women on social media about just limiting the show one night for women. “You know what I really realize about that?” he asked. “We live in the age of bitching. I don’t care if you showed up with a truckload of gold and a cure for AIDS; people would bitch about it. I’m sick of it. To me, this was a fun thing, no harm, no foul and it was wonderful. The show drew all ages from little girls to elderly women and it was a blast. You know, if there was a movie that appealed in the same way strictly to men, I’d do the same thing for them.”

Belfast resident Nicolle Littrell, an educator, filmmaker, activist, feminist and mother prepared some remarks as an introduction to the show about her first impression of the movie and read it in front of the Colonial Theatre audience that night. Here is an excerpt.

“OK, so I saw the film on opening night last Friday (of course) and I cried. Multiple times...throughout the film. I was surprised by my tears...and felt almost embarrassed by them. Why? Well, for one thing, it seems pretty silly to cry during a superhero movie. Never happened before. And I’ve seen many of them...pretty much every single one there is. Like 10 times each. I’m a bit of a supergeek when it comes to superheroes. I am raising a son that is obsessed with them and I teach a class on Wonder Woman in the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program at U Maine. Plus, Wonder Woman and I go way back...1977 to be exact. Why the tears? Really, its pretty simple. Because this wasn’t a superhero movie, per say, but a superheroine movie or ‘sheroe’ movie as some of us feminists like say. The first one ever. Holy Hera...that feels pretty significant. History has been made. Its about friggin’ time! It may not be the kind of history-making some of us were hoping to see, but Wonder Woman made it to the big screen! Why else did I cry? As a woman and a feminist, seeing powerful--albeit gorgeous, very tall, very fit (however mostly white) women--self-determine their lives and let’s face it, kick major masculine ass is really quite satisfying. I think its speaks to a feeling of powerlessness that many of us are struggling with right now...especially in the current political climate. To say that this story captures a fantasy many of us are engaging in at the moment...is a bit of an understatement.”

Hurley said the film will run until June 15. To see more information about it visit: Colonial Theatre

All photos courtesy Mike Hurley

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST—A couple of years ago, an old storage shed perched next to BCOPE (Belfast Community Outreach Program in Education) in Belfast had a lot of potential. It had been sitting there for about 10 years by the time Chuck Hamm was hired as a teacher, last year, used partially as a greenhouse, but more as a storage shed. So, on a weekend, Hamm rolled up his sleeves and recruited some of his students in the alternative program to start tackling the greenhouse.

“I brought my own tools in and a nail gun and we went to work,” he said.

His father-in-law, Virgil Littlefield, donated the lumber, EBS donated insulation, Aubochon donated the topsoil and a local farm donated manure.

The students salvaged bricks that were on site and within a few weeks, the barely used greenhouse was transformed into a working greenhouse.

“It cost nothing, it was all labor,” said Hamm.

Today, it’s a fully functioning greenhouse with a water source in an old tub installed in the back that doubles as fish pond. And it’s something the BCOPE teens are pretty proud of.

Katlynn Tatro, a senior, said it’s her third and last year working in the greenhouse before she graduates. Like every one of the students who have helped in some way with the greenhouse, Tatro is in the program’s culinary track, and it’s been gratifying to be able to make food from scratch.

“We’ve all done a little bit of everything from rebuilding the greenhouse to growing seedlings to watering, transplanting and harvesting them,” she said.

Tyson Witham, 15 said: “I’ve grown a garden since I was seven.”

Every one of the students involved have grown some kind of garden since they were young, as well.

With carrots, hot peppers, onions and tomatoes as their primary crop this spring, Hamm said the kids are currently growing a “spaghetti sauce garden” and will be giving away most all of the seedlings to any family or friend of BCOPE. They also plan to sell some of the houseplants in order to roll a few bucks back into the greenhouse.

“When they come back to school in the fall, we’ll harvest everything and make it into spaghetti sauce and pizza sauce, which will be part of the meals that the culinary students serve.” said Hamm.

This past winter, the students grew a lot of lettuce, spinach and arugula in the greenhouse.

“We ate it; we sold it; we gave it away,” Hamm said. “We’d tell the kids during the day; go out and harvest some lettuce; we’ve got an order to fill and it would calm them right down. It’s kind of a decompression chamber. In the middle of winter, when certain kids were just fed up with stuff, we’d tell them to go in there, plug in their phones to the speaker, listen to their music and work away.”

Most of their first customers were the school’s staff.

Hamm and the students went a step further, working an underused fallow field in back of the school for a bigger garden to plant the seedlings. 

“Fresh produce is so important,” said Edward Tatro, 18. “I find that if actually grow the food and you work hard at it, it actually tastes better and it’s really worth it.”

This past week, they received a check for $250 from Time and Tide Resource Conservation and Development Area, which will go directly to potting soil, six pack containers, trays and everything else they need to support the seedlings.

“This year, we were just experimenting with everything, house plants, vegetables. I think next year it’s really going to take off,” said Hamm.

The fact that the students collectively invest their energy into a communal project has so many ancillary benefits.

“This my 28th year of teaching and my second year here,” said Hamm. “I think the way things are run around here are revolutionary to education. The program is so personalized. Each kid has an individualized plan tailored to them specifically.”

For more information about BCOPE visit: bcope.rsu71.org

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—As Millay House Rockland continues to make progress in the renovation of the house on Broadway Street. which was the birthplace of renowned poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, one of their newest achievements is teaming up with Portland’s nonprofit writing center, the Telling Room.

Dr. Lisa Westkaemper, the treasurer of Millay House Rockland, said: “The progress on the house is going well. We plan on having the Telling Room set up a presence here in one of the rooms in late August, or early September, and hoping by then, we’ll have a space for them renovated enough to operate out of. I don’t expect the entire house to be finished by that time; it’s just not physically possible, but even if we have to wear hard hats, we’ll have an office for us and them.”

How the Millay House managed to connect with the Telling Room, is all due to Roxanne Quimby, whom Westkaemper calls their “angel donor” who was pivotal in the house’s rescue from demolition.

“Roxanne was very interested in helping us with our vision and mission and she is also a big fan of the Telling Room,” said Westkaemper.  “As we’re both literary organizations, she encouraged us to reach out to them .”

Westkaemper said that the room where Edna St. Vincent Millay was born will be renovated to look exactly like it did at the turn of the century. “One side of the duplex will be for the writers in residence program and the other side, the south side of the duplex will be office space,” she said.

Andrew Griswold, the Telling Room’s Director of Communications, said he and the staff are excited to have a Midcoast presence, something they’ve wanted to do for years, but the timing wasn’t right. “It was always just a little too far with volunteers and staff to drive up to the Midcoast and do a number of in-school sessions, so we could really never get a residency going until now,” he said.

“We’re working to slowly build on our Portland model here to get some core programs in place with the schools such as in-school residencies where we would work with a class on a project to make a book,” he said. “So, we’ve been talking with RSU-13, and Oceanside middle school and high school about starting there. And I think the space in the Millay House when it is completed will be a great for after-school workshops or drop-ins. We know that there is a bus line that actually runs right by the house, so that’s perfect. The creative workshops could be anything from fiction writing to ghost stories around Halloween to some sort of arts-integration project with a theme like Valentine’s Day.”

Griswold said they’re hoping to eventually hire a program director to work out of the Millay House, but that they are moving slowly. “The whole idea first is to get the word out and get more kids in the door interested in writing,” he said. “The first year will be tasked with establishing a solid base of volunteers who we call ‘teaching artists,’ who will be able to help with our core programs. A hallmark of our approach is to get the lowest student to adult ratio as possible. So, we’ll be looking for writers, retired teachers, college graduates anyone who has a love for writing and who are looking to do some really dedicated literary volunteer work with kids in the area.”

Right around the time that the first Millay Arts and Poetry Festival slated for September 7-9, 2017 takes place in downtown Rockland, the Telling Room will begin working with students.  The city-wide arts and literary festival produced by the Millay House Rockland, in partnership with a host of other organizations, plans to offer poetry, music, art, theatre workshops, open mics symposiums and keynote speakers across the three-day span. For more information visit Millay House Rockland: millayhouse.com/

The Telling Room is a nonprofit writing center in Portland, Maine, dedicated to the idea that children and young adults are natural storytellers. Focused on young writers ages 6 to 18, we seek to build confidence, strengthen literacy skills, and provide real audiences for our students. For more information visit The Telling Room: tellingroom.org/

Related story: A peek inside the Rockland house where Edna St. Vincent Millay was born

LINCOLNVILLE — Residents and visitors now have more to-go or eat-in food options along Route 1, at Lincolnville Beach, with Nanette Gionfriddo's beachfront bookshop and gift store, Beyond The Sea Books & Gifts. The new café opened three weeks ago, soon after the book shop re-opened for the season.

“People were lingering over books and I just felt the need to feed them,” said Gionfriddo.

All winter, Gionfriddo has been remodeling the front counter section of her store with new plumbing, electrical and some light commercial kitchen equipment. The entire back of the store, which used to be a combination of bookshelves and gifts, has been transformed to a cozy nook not just overlooking the salt water marsh, but literally positioned right over it. So, those with a window view will feel like they are floating on a houseboat.

After the bookstore re-opened for the season, on Mother’s Day, it took a little more time to get the café ready. “We had hoped to open them at the same time, but had to take baby steps to get it ready,” she said.

Standing in her grandfather’s apron behind the counter, she pointed out that all of her baked goods are made from scratch, including three cakes under glass on the tiered cake stands, such as a double chocolate layer cake, and a carrot cake. Below on the counter, were miniature bites of the same cake in cupcake form.

“I have always enjoyed making cakes at home,” she said. “When I used to work at Wayfarer Marine, I used to make cakes like this and just bring it in for the crew.”

Beyond the sweets and coffee, she also offers to-go, take home and eat-in savory “comfort food” dishes, such as hot meatball subs, chili macaroni and cheese, barbecue franks and beans, as well as soups, chowders and stews. In the cold case, she also offers pasta salads, egg salad and tuna containers, salads as well as side dishes, authentic Italian subs and make to-order sandwiches as well.

“My specialty is the kind of out-of-state Italian sub that you’d want to see in Maine, with salami, mortadella, pepperoni, and capricola and provolone,” she said. “If someone is going to the beach or going to work, you can just jump in, grab a hot or cold drink and any of the to-go soup, sandwich or salad.”

“Locals have been very excited,” she said. “Some of the guys working across the street are coming over to take dinners home when they don’t feel like cooking at the end of the day.”

Upstairs, the book store has morphed into a combination gallery of artwork from local artists as well as specialty sections of used books.

On a rainy 50-degree June day, when no one wants to be outside, a hot coffee and a carrot cupcake while reading a book by a salt marsh is a book lover’s dream.

The store is closed Tuesdays in June, but then open seven days a week in July and August, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND — Don’t be afraid. Even with teeth in his claws, he won’t bite. His name is “Red,” and this crustacean comes with his own saddle. Richard Allen, a Rockland sculpture artist, created this 4-1/2-foot lobster out of cedar with a chainsaw and hand tools last year. It was commissioned by Claws seafood shack in Rockland as a way to entertain customers while waiting in line.

The centerpiece sculpture is several hundred pounds and Allen added whimsical details such as teeth inside the lobster claws, garden hoses for antennae and a bright blue saddle, so people can take photos of themselves riding it. Quoting Albert Einstein, Allen said of his lobster friend: "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

Allen took several weeks to carve all the pieces and assemble them in his backyard studio in Rockland. He’s known for his giant driftwood horses and deer, and loves constructing animal totems out of wood. In a previous story Penobscot Bay Pilot covered on his work, titled Rockland artist's lifesize driftwood horses and moose roam free, Allen said: “I’ve been doing this for 40 years. I’ve done hundreds of these horses all over the country. I love the serenity of working on it as the piece grows.”

Jo-Anna Jackson, an employee of Claws, said, "We see people climb up on this lobster all the time, from little kids to adults taking selfies [and posting] on Instagram. Last week we had a bunch of adults holding their beers and riding it like it was a mechanical bull."

Allen also has a fun fact about lobsters. "You know at one time several hundred years ago, the lobsters that crawled up the shoreline were as big as one of those claws," he said. "And the Native Americans would chop them up with an axe for fertilizer."

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN — Little Free Library book exchanges across the country have been a “thing” since 2009, when a man in Wisconsin named Todd Bol built a model of a one-room schoolhouse and filled it with books to give away as a tribute to his mother, who was a teacher who loved to read. He placed the Little Free Library in his front yard. His neighbors and friends loved it, so he built several more and gave them away.

There are nearly 15,000 Little Free Library book exchanges across the country, but only about a dozen in Maine. The last time Camden saw one was when author Dena Davis made a Little Free Library for the 2014 Midcoast Mini Maker Faire.

A couple of weeks ago, the resident at 104 Chestnut St., Lucinda Watson, became a steward of a Little Free Library. “I’d heard about them because I’m an avid reader,” she said, “So, I went to their website and there are a number of different styles you can order or even just get plans to build one yourself. But I ordered one and set it up and it was a big hit.”  Many of of her neighbors were the first ones to donate books. The library is packed with quality hard cover books now and, as the motto goes, is open to anyone walking or driving by to “Take a book; leave a book.”

Nationally, after Bol and other early adopters and DIY makers of this social experiment made more Little Free Library book exchanges, the movement grew and by 2010, the name Little Free Library was established and the purpose of these free exchanges became clear: to share good books and bring communities together. By 2012, the number of Little Free Library book exchanges around the country skyrocketed from hundreds to more than 4,000, the same year in which Little Free Library became a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Today, millions of books are exchanged each year, profoundly increasing access to books for readers, encouraging a love of reading in areas where books are scarce.

Watson said she’d love for more people to visit the Little Free Library on her front lawn at the curb, and begin exchanging and taking books. “I love seeing people stop by and take or give books and lifting their kids up to take a book.It’ really fun and you make a lot of friends.” Though the library mostly holds adult titles now, Watson said she’d love to see more children’s books donated. “The funny thing is I’m a collector of children’s books, because I have five grandchildren and it’s very hard to give them up!”

 To learn how to become a steward of a Little Free Library of your own visit: littlefreelibrary.org.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

By far, Rockland had the most changes over the winter as we watch this once rough and tumble town continue to evolve into a hot spot. Here's what happened over the fall and winter— what's open, what's closed, what's new.

Restaurant News

3Crow Closed

The popular restaurant located at 449 Main St, which launched in 2013, quietly closed last fall, after a prolonged legal battle since 2015 between the co-owners Josh Hixson and Tara Barker and the owner of the property, Richard Rockwell. So far, there has been no mention by owner Rockwell, who also owns Main Street Market, what will become of the space.

Rotary Pizza opens

Rotary Pizza is taking over the space at 10 Leland Street formerly occupied by Pho Sizzle. Coming in June, the pizza spot is run by Josh Gamage who writes “I knew Rockland needed a community farm to table pizzeria that can go head to head with the best but keep things at a price point so the community can truly enjoy.” Stay tuned to their Facebook page for more announcements.

Eclipse is under a new owner

In January, Rockland native and restaurateur Larry Reed, who owns The Pearl, acquired Eclipse along with the Speakeasy lounge on the lower level of the Trade Winds Inn.

Broken Egg name changes

A year ago, we covered the opening of Broken Egg, a new restaurant in Rockland, who got an unfortunate surprise over the winter when owner, Heather Symmt received a letter from The Broken Egg Cafe, a Southern restaurant chain, claiming she had infringed on their trademarked name. She had to close the business down for a month while she worked on getting a new name, new branding, etc. and re-emerged as Daily Perch Café on May 13.

No Primo retail space but a new barn

Rumors abounded over the winter that Primo Chef Melissa Kelly would take over the former Sweets and Meats space in the south end but by end of April, that did not materialize. Instead, in a press release, they announced it would open a Barn@Primo, an event space on top of the hill where its gardens are. The post and beam barn can accommodate 75 people. The restaurant opened May 12.

Undisputed Curry King

In related news, over the winter, a charismatic Camden resident Arif Shaikh has become the undisputed “king of curry” on the Midcoast. Along with classic Indian food recipes he provides Rockland’s Good Tern Co-op, he has also used The Daily Perch as to test the waters on certain pop up Indian food lunches and dinners. Check out Chris Wolf’s story on him here.

The Dip Net Changes to local owner

Lexi Rackliff-Zable is the new proprietor of the Dip Net Restaurant in Port Clyde. In February, Rackliff-Zable signed a three-year lease with Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine. Rackliff-Zable said that she does not own the property; rather, she is the new owner and operator of the business and Linda Beans’ Perfect Maine has nothing to do with the restaurant. The Dip Net  reopened May 31. Read that story.

Waterman’s Beach Lobster closed for good

Last September, a ripple on the food scene occurred before the snowbirds left, when Watermans Beach Lobster, a family-owned lobster shack announced it was closing for good after 30 years in the business. According to the Portland Press Herlad, the family wasn’t going to sell the business of property. Luckily folks in the area can still enjoy Luke’s Lobster, which will open for their second season. See our story on that here. http://www.penbaypilot.com/article/luke-s-tenants-harbor-new-lobster-shack-goes-right-source/73274

And The Food Truck Shuffle

Rocko’s Tacos, a food truck specializing in authentic and "Americanized" dishes a la Mexican style, which was parked in Rockland’s Buoy Park last season has changed locations. According to their Facebook page, they will now be parked on Tillson Avenue, opening in June. And a new food truck has taken its place. Amato’s Restaurant of the original Italian sandwiches, now has their spot and has opened for the season, serving hot and cold sandwiches and pizza.

Business News

 Up Periscope

Over the winter, a new bright and open space transformed at 442 Main Street, called Periscope, offering a diverse selection of Scandinavian-style furnishings. It has many pieces uniquely created by Maine artisans and furniture makers.

Steel House South

With the growth of Steel House’s studio and offerings, the Steel House is opening their second building, Steel House South on May 13. This purpose-built space features oceanfront office views, conference rooms, a gallery and additional classroom and event space. They are launching summer courses, an ambitious exhibit schedule and a new residency program. Read the latest story.

Clay!

Clay!, a new community ceramics studio at 201 West St opened this January under Avery Larned, offeing  monthly memberships with access to pottery wheels, glazing accoutrements and a kiln along with monthly workshops on a variety of artistic techniques, and open studio drop-in times.

Bayoga

A new yoga and wellness center founded by Ari Hecht and run by Kristina Mitchell has opened on 8 Lindsey Street offering state of the art radiant heated studio, massage & bodywork treatment rooms and an infrared sauna facility.

J.C. Penney closes

In February J.C. Penney announced nationwide closings, up to 140 stores. And The J.C. Penney department store in Rockland Plaza is one of the only ones in Maine that got the axe. There’s no word yet what will go into that department space.

Building Changes

McClain School

The RSU 13 Board voted unanimously at its Jan. 5 meeting to offer the building to Rockland.

New Edna St. Vincent Millay House

The house of Edna St. Vincent Millay was falling into disrepair and taken over by the Rockland Historical Society this winter to be renovated into the Millay House Rockland, a new literary organization that will "preserve the birthplace of Edna St. Vincent Millay and celebrate her legacy through education, the literary arts, and significant collaborations within the Maine community and beyond." See the whole story and a gallery of photos here.

If we've missed any business updates, comings and goings, expansions and the like, shoot us an email with the subject line "Add to Rockland Snow Birds story" and we'll give it a look.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

UNION — Kathi Langelier, founder and formulator Herbal Revolution, has a shot at winning two competitions this coming week. In November 2016, she had just advanced as one of 13 semi-finalists in season two of the entrepreneurial pitch show/competition, Greenlight Maine, competing for the $100,000 prize.

Pitching in front of judges on TV the first time, as we initially reported in our Penobscot Bay Pilot story, froze her up. The experience, she said, made her go back to the drawing board and rework her pitch over and over so that she was confident about telling her story.  

“A couple of Saturdays ago, I had to go and pitch my products again, this time not on TV,” she said. “I was really nervous but it was so much clearer this time, because I had been working on my pitch.” She advanced again; this time as a finalist among two other competitors; Bluet, a wild sparkling blueberry wine from Maine and Surge Hydro, hydroelectric facilities.The final taping takes place Saturday, June 6 at 7 p.m. at Thomas College, and she’ll find out whether or not she has won. This episode will be posted to YouTube and Facebook soon after airing later in the month.

Once, again, Langelier will be in front of the judges and cameras for the final pitch.

“Greenlight Maine has actually made me a better business person,” said Langelier. “I have to tell people in three to four minutes what my business is. It's like going back to school for marketing and promotion.”

As if that's not enough pressure, the following day, on June 7, she also has to give a final pitch for Top Gun, a program she learned of through Greenlight Maine, which has a purse of $10,000 for the winner.

Pitching is not only a skill using an economy of words and memorable phrases, but it requires the contestants to "sell" themselves to the judges. In some cases, people pitching can "oversell" and come across as disingenuous.

“I do everything from the heart and in an authentic way with my business, so it would feel weird for me to 'put on a front' for the judges,” she said. “When I get up there in front of them, I speak from my gut. I'm really in love with the state of Maine and think what I create represents that.”

Her company provides high quality, herbal teas, tonics and elixirs, all hand crafted in small batches and her products are already in 180 stores nationwide. Herbal Revolution is located in the Midcoast with a MOFGA-certified organic farm, where she grows the herbs and vegetables that go into her products. She also works closely with other Maine farms and businesses to source her ingredients. “Supporting other Maine farms, business and the Maine economy is something that is very important to us," she said.

Asked what she would do with one or both prizes, Langelier said, “My business needs a home base. I really need infrastructure so I would use a portion of that money to purchase a building and equipment and hire staff. I want to create jobs in Maine.”

The finale for Greenlight Maine will air on June 17 at 7:30 p.m. on channel 6 and channel 2. For more information on where to find the results of the winners of both competitions, visit the Greenlight Maine Facebook page.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

If you're wondering why Camden and Rockland get the Snow Birds moniker and Belfast gets the Snow Bats, it's because years ago, Belfast's champion, Mike Hurley, made up a bunch of bumper stickers celebrating the left-leaning citizens he affectionately called Moon Bats. So, if you've been away this winter, Penobscot Bay Pilot has an update on everything that opened, closed and changed while you were gone.

Restaurant news

Good ‘N’ You

Seth Whited and Sarah Waldron were co-owners and operators of the Good ‘N’ You food truck in the back parking lot of Rollie’s Bar and Grill, took their successful Mexican and Mediterranean fare and turned it into a restaurant in January, taking over the spot at 132 High Street that La Vida Mexican Restaurant used to inhabit. Read our story here

And other Food Truck Musical Chairs

Anna Wagner, former food truck operator of Wags Wagon, which coincidentally took over the Good ‘N’ You food truck and location in Belfast, decided also to put the permanent brakes on the food truck and instead expand her menu to a new restaurant space at the long-vacant former Dos Amigos building on Route 1, in Northport. Still working on renovations, she plans to open it as “The Hoot” June 15.

The Belfast Co-op

The Co-op just put in a long rustic wall-mounted shelf and stools with multiple outlets last week for single patrons who want to grab breakfast or lunch while using their laptops. This is an awesome spot for WiFi seekers on the go.

Business News

Old Crosby school to become co-housing

This past December, Belfast resident Kiril Lozanov, purchased the 38,000-square-foot building with big plans to renovate it into a community building that promises huge potential for Belfast’s creative economy making it into affordable co-housing, office space and community performance space. Read that story here.

Belfast Community Radio Launches

Belfast Community Radio (BCR), the city’s new low-power radio station, launched this past December out of Waterfall Arts’ basement and locals can catch a ton of diverse programming choices on WBFY 100.9 FM reaching as far as Islesboro, Swanville and Knox County or streaming. Check out our initial story.

Belfast Clay Studio

In January, Belfast Clay Studio opened on 132 High Street, offering classes, workshops and open studio time for people to work on their individual projects. 

Alder & Vine

Only in Belfast, right? This kooky oddities and occult shop just opened in Belfast on 9 Beaver Street in April with its notable wall shelving featuring animal skulls. run by husband andwife Jason Hay and Heather Q. Hay, it also offers handmade items the Hays have made including spell bath bombs, witchy brooms, and Jason’s recalimed restored furniture and lighting. Read our latest story about it here.

If we've missed any business updates, comings and goings, expansions and the like, shoot us an email with the subject line "Add to Belfast Snow Bats story" and we'll give it a look.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

Every year Penobscot Bay Pilot does a TV version of a “clip show,” which is an episode of that consists of excerpts from previous episodes. Here's our annual listing of the new businesses and changes that occurred over the winter in Camden, Lincolnville and Rockport — what's open, what's closed, what's new and what you missed.

Restaurant news

Ebantide 

Sad to say, but if you weren’t here this winter, you missed both the opening and closing of Ebantide, the newest restaurant to occupy the bottom floor of the Knox Mill. Renovated to be more casual and comfortable with a line up of seasoned chefs, it had a lot of good promise, great reviews and excellent food. But in April, they put a notice on their Facebook page they were closing without explanation. Read the original story here. Lynn Archer, owner-chef of The Brass Compass Cafe, Archers' On The Pier announced the space would now become Lynn Archers River Mill Bistro opening this summer.

The Lobster Pound

Bankruptcy closed the longstanding Lincolnville restaurant the Lobster Pound this winter, and along with it, Andrews Brewing Co. See that story here. A Maine couple who owns Layfayette Hotels Group bought the building at an auction in March with the intent to just reopen as the restaurant under the same name. See follow up story.

Cold Toes Tacos

Speak of blink and you missed it, a pop-up eatery Cold Toes Tacos, began service this winter at the mid-mountain of The Camden Snow Bowl before it officially closed for the season, and then reopened on the mountain. With some issues that halted their initial debut at the Camden Snow Bowl, there’s no word yet whether they will be back next season.

Walker’s Restaurant

Opening in May at the former Denny’s building in Rockport is a new family owned restaurant called Walkers to feature homestyle cooking. See that new story.

New businesses

Coastal Maine Yoga

New as well to the Knox Mill is The Coastal Maine Yoga studio, which opened its doors on Mechanic Street in the Knox Mill Complex in December. whose owner, Marylou Cook is now famous for offering yoga with cats. Read about that here.

Red Barn Baking Co.

Red Barn Baking Co, based in Lincolnville is opening a retail store on Bay View on Memorial Day with fresh baked goods, so you don’t have to drive to Lincolnville to get them. More on that story.

Sea Bags

Sea Bags, a Portland company that makes Maine-made bags from recycled sails, is expanding with another retail location to Main Street in Camden and opened on Friday, May 26, at 6 Main St.

Camden Exxon...gone

Love it or hate it, the Camden Exxon business at 1 Union St. in Camden next to Stop ‘n’ Go will be no more. Neighbor Jason Hearst, purchased the property in mid-March with the intent to eliminate the automobile clutter.  "I don't have any firm plans for the property," said Hearst. "The overall vision, which I'm excited about, is to have a functional space that is aesthetically beautiful for the town and the neighborhood. In the short term, it is going to serve as an art studio space for me and my family." Read our story about it here.

Guini Ridge Farm

Sharp eyes might have noticed that on Route One, Guini Ridge Farm took over Hoboken Gardens at 310 Commercial Street in Rockport over the winter and is now open, providing quality local flowers, herbs and food.

New Construction

Many of you will notice that Bakery Bridge, the intersection at the end of Route 105 in Camden has been torn up and under construction. The town has been working all winter to replace the pipe under the bridge and reopened the street on May 15 with a new stop sign. Read all about it here.

Rockport is also currently undergoing the historic High Sidewalk starting April 17, which will take approximately two months. See more  Additionally, the town is also redoing a section of sewer. Crews will begin digging up a short portion of Route 1 in Rockport near the intersection of Route 90, More of the story here.

Environmental News

On March 1, the Maine Dept. of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Camden has another $64,810 to continue construction of the Megunticook Riverwalk recreational trail. The trail, which winds along the river from the lower end of Megunticook Lake, eventually will terminate in downtown Camden. Read that story here.

In February Camden has deeded approximately 64 acres of undeveloped land abutting the town-owned Ragged Mountain Recreation Area to Coastal Mountains Land Trust for the benefit of scenic and natural conservation. The acreage is to be incorporated in the land trust’s project to build a nine-mile Round the Mountain trail, beginning next spring. Read that story here.

Landscape/Property Changes

The Apollo Tannery at 116 Washington Street is long gone, but the space has finally been approved to be converted into a new multi-use community space as envisioned by the Select Board's sanctioned Tannery Work Group during the course of an intensive two year process. See more of that story here.

On March 15, The Camden Conservation Commission asked the town of Camden to designate a wooded area of the 77-acre, town-owned Sagamore Farm next to the Camden Hills State Park as a town park. The commission wants the park to promoting trails for biking, cross-country skiing and hiking. Read that story here.

The American Boathouse at the head of Camden Harbor, which has long sat vacant, may turn into a private residence. Cynthia and John Reed hope to renovate and transform an old cedar-shingled boathouse at the head of Camden Harbor into a home, but they need voter approval to proceed. Read that story here

If we've missed any business updates, comings and goings, expansions and the like, shoot us an email with the subject line "Add to Rockport/Camden Snow Birdsstory" and we'll give it a look.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN—Over the past four years, the Midcoast Mini Maker Faire has been a gathering of not only innovators and tinkerers, but also artists, do-it-yourselfers, craftspeople, and performers.

The Midcoast Mini Maker Faire committee is now looking for Makers for the fifth annual 2017 Faire, to be held in the Library Amphitheatre on Saturday, September 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. One of the organizers,Cayla Miller said: “The criteria is pretty open. We’re looking for Makers of nontraditional things. Some people think it’s just about robotics, but it’s more than that. We do have a Children’s Robotics team coming to display, but we’re also open to innovators, programmers, woodworkers, artists and anything that can be made with your hands that isn’t necessarily fine arts. You don’t have to be a professional; you just have to have a passion for what you do. The Midcoast Mini Maker Faire has a place for everything from hands-on to high tech.”

The day of the event is usually bustling with excitement with more than 20 tables, exhibits and hands-on activities involving robots, LEGOs® and funky art creations for kids and adults. The scene often resembles a homegrown version of the Museum of Science in Boston and they call it “The Greatest Show and Tell on Earth”—a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker Movement. It’s a place where people show what they are making, and share what they are learning.

Everyone is encouraged to think of themselves as a Maker and to come for the show! Applications are available online at www.midcoastmakerfaire.com

All photos courtesy Midcoast Mini Maker Faire

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN — If you blinked, you missed it. West Bay Rotary’s annual Duck Derby had its fastest race in the fundraiser’s history on May 28, with the majority of the 3,500 rubber ducks floating downstream in just 30 seconds, from the top of the waterfall down to the docks in the harbor.

In the past few years, the race course and the ritual “dumping of the ducks,” has toggled between two locations—the rail of the foot bridge by River Ducks Ice Cream and in the river shallows behind The Smiling Cow and Camden Deli. All week, volunteers had set up nearly 300 floating “noodles” as barriers to guide the ducks to the finish line behind the Smiling Cow. What they didn’t expect is that nearly three inches of rain in the preceding days would alter the course.

“Last year, we didn’t have enough water and decided to shorten the course,” said West Bay Rotary President Peter Berke. “So, we set up our route on Thursday and then, we got all of that rain, which raised the current of the waterfalls and knocked the noodle barrier over the falls. Then we had to improvise. So, we had a new course, straight over the falls this year,” he added, smiling.

After a morning of overcast clouds, the sun came out just in time at 2 p.m. for blue, yellow and pink ducks to plunge into Harbor Falls, where Megunticook River meets the head of the harbor. In no time, they were ducking and weaving, jockeying for position as hundreds of people lined both sides of the harbor to watch them come down. See Terry Boivin’s drone footage to watch it happen.

According to Rotarian Sandy Cox, all but a few ducks were captured by other Rotarians and volunteers out on the water to scoop them back up.

“We had a few escape, and they were last seen headed for Curtis Island,” said Cox.

Unlike in years past where the ducks staged a mutiny and refused to follow the course they were assigned, this year, they must have gotten the memo. They shot out like grease through a goose, with the lead duck belonging to Rotarian Marty Martens, scooped up as the grand prize winner, for seven nights at Vanderbilt Beach Resort in Naples, FL with $1,000 spending cash.

The other winners were:
Logan Young: Rustic Camp Experience
Michael Camier: Strand of Pearls
Cathy Murphy: Four Golf Passes -
Downeast Toyota:  Four Golf Passes
Everdeen McLaughlin: Mike Bowditch Books
Steve Crane: Auto Detail 
Ray Fink: Loyal Biscuit Package
Heather Mackey: One Hour Massage
Betsy Saltonstall: MaineSport Gift Certificate 
Jacqueline Biddle: Maine Street Meats Gift Certificate

The sale of each ticket benefits a number of charities West Bay Rotary supports such as food pantries and The Hospitality House. Every year, the sale of raffle ticket (one for each rubber duck) has increased. Up from 2,500 ducks in 2015, this year, West Bay Rotary sold nearly 2,900 tickets. For more pictures and updates, visit the West Bay Rotary’s Facebook page.

All photos by Kay Stephens

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

PORT CLYDE—For no particular reason, he decided to go for a little run. No, not just Tom Hanks as the lead character in the movie Forrest Gump, but a U.K. marathon runner named Rob Pope, who started his run in Mobile, Alabama in September, 2016, following the route of Forrest Gump. After running across the southern U.S. to Santa Monica, CA, he turned around and headed east. Rob reached his east coast destination on Friday, April 28, 2017 at Marshall Point Lighthouse in Port Clyde, Maine.

Unlike Forrest Gump, Pope did have a particular reason to go for a little run. An experienced marathoner who has won marathons in the U.K. and Australia and an emergency veterinarian, now he's using his talents to raise funds for two charities, The World Wildlife Fund and Peace Direct.

So far, Rob has logged over 6,000 miles, and he’s still going. He started clean shaven and in the garb of Hanks’ character when he began in Alabama and by the time he got to Maine, he had the signature long brown beard and red track outfit. Through connections, he managed to secure lodging with Port Clyde resident James Morris, and hit the Black Harpoon while here.

“We didn’t even know he would be arriving until we saw it on the morning news,” said Laura Betancourt, Publicity Coordinator of the Marshall Point Lighthouse. “You see people re-enacting that scene from Forrest Gump every year, but he really did the entire scene from the movie and he was dressed to the part.”

The lighthouse staff had a chance to talk with him and get to know his purpose for running. “He was a really nice guy,” she said. “He’s had a lot of experience in marathons so this was a passion of his.”

Very few people have attempted this entire coast to coast run emulating the movie. In 2015, the Portland Press Herald reported that a Michigan man, Barclay Oudersluys, 23, ran from California to Maine, stopping at Marshall Point Lighthouse, but that he took a vehicle back home.

At the time of this story, Pope has already made his way back across New York State and is still going. According to his press release, Pope plans to continue running, this time along the northern tier of the country, visiting all five of the Great Lakes, Utah and San Francisco as he traverses the country again.

(For the record, Forrest Gump stopped running somewhere on Route 163 in Farmington, New Mexico.)

Pope received a warm welcome and gift from the Marshall Point Lighthouse Committee and enjoyed a private tour of the museum, and was even the first visitor of the season to sign the museum guest book.

For more information on Pope’s ongoing run visit: goingthedistancerun.com

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—With all of the talk on farm fresh food that buzzes around the Midcoast, it’s often the chefs, not the farmers who take the spotlight. Blue Hill artist Heather Lyon, currently living in Rockland as an an artist in residence through the Ellis-Beauregard Foundation for six weeks, decided two years ago, to give farmers in Blue Hill a platform, elevating the mundane daily tasks spent outside working the land into an art form. The result was “The Farm Project,” a three-pronged exhibition, which debuted at The Maine Farmland Trust Gallery in 2015.

Lyon, who was born on a small family farm, has a deep connection to the Blue Hill community and was interested in training her camera on the hands of farmers of all generations from five different farms. “I wanted to photograph their hands holding soil, that which is essential and which is the beginning of all growth,” she said. She also shot photos of them holding milk from cows they’d just milked.

“What our farmers do is a gift to all of us,” she said. “After I’d moved back to Blue Hill, it was a way for me to reconnect with these people and this place.” Beyond the photographs, she took the soil from all five farms and constructed the loose material into a compact block along with local clay, water and straw to be displayed on a podium. During the exhibition, to her surprise, the block of soil began sprouting shoots. “It was both a literal and poetic bringing together of the farms I visited,” she said. “The sprouting seedlings were just even more of a physical reminder how this art piece was still living organism.”

The third component was a 30-foot tablecloth.

Lyon invited a dozen farmers and their families to come together for a meal prepared by Aragosta chef and owner Devin Finigan consisting exclusively of foods grown and raised by the farmers on the Blue Hill peninsula.  Lyon encouraged the farmers to make as many spills and stains onto the tablecloth as they wished. Afterward, she recorded embroidered on top of spills and stains. “We usually want stains to go away and bleach them out, but I wanted them to record the event,” she said. “When the farmers came to the exhibition, they all could remember where they were seated at the table and what they’d eaten, according to the stains that were visible on the cloth.

A creator in multiple mediums, she is currently exploring the significance of human body as part of her residency. She has several artworks up Asymmetrick Arts & Black Hole Gallery’s Spring Exhibition 2017, including “animal pelts” made from painted cloth positioned in place by rebar, symbolizing the tension between the soft and unyielding, between animal and man-made. Her next project is creating a video triptych, videotaping herself interacting with natural substances. “It is through the experience of the body that we connect to the natural world and to experience a more profound consciousness,” she said.

To see more of her work visit: https://www.heatherlyon.com

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKLAND—Steel House, an art, design & technology collective that started in 2014, expanded their presence on the Rockland coast with a grand opening May 13 to unveil Steel House South, a renovated building that shares waterfront campus space with The Apprenticeshop. The space features oceanfront office views, conference rooms, a gallery and additional classroom and event space.

Nathan Davis, co-founder and CTO of Steel House was on hand to give tours. The gallery, a spacious, light-infused room, displayed an interactive video installation, where the gallery participants were projected in real time up on a white wall as the exhibit itself, via a computer screen and camera. “We’re going to use this gallery, not just for video, but for more experiential projects as we go,” said Davis.

The building used to be The Apprenticeshop’s office space, but since it was underutilized and the Steel House’s programs and offerings were expanding, the Steel House made a deal to take over the building and renovate it.

Steel House and Steel House South have met a need that has been booming in the Midcoast over the past decade with a thriving artist, maker and technology culture. Both spaces provide “multidisciplinary art space providing access to contemporary artists, thinkers and technologists through exhibitions, workshops, talks, events and more.”

From the modernist approach of designing electronic clothing and custom made skateboards with graphics and artwork to a revival of older style art forms such as creating letterpress posters, designing and making crankies and learning how to shoot a film camera in manual mode, Steel House and Steel House South are set to offer innovative summer courses, an ambitious exhibit schedule and a new residency program.

Photos by Kay Stephens

For more information visit: http://www.rocklandsteelhouse.com

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

CAMDEN—A new shop opening on 47 Bayview Street is sure to make the locals and tourists happy. The Red Barn Baking Co., co-owned by baker-chef Katie Capra and manager Dale Turk, are adding a second retail location in Camden, in addition to their Lincolnville bakery.

Capra worked her way into a baking career while living in Florida where she apprenticed for a year under pastry chef Michael Oldstrander who once worked in the White House at one point in his career. “He was very old school, so I learned doughs, fillings, everything from scratch,” said Capra. “I became his assistant pastry chef for another year before I then left to train at King Arthur Flour’s Baking School in Vermont, so, I’ve had some really good teachers.”

The couple originally bought the house that sits right next to the Red Barn in Lincolnville in 2015 and added in an industrial kitchen off the ell with the intent to provide a seasonal bakery for local residents and tourists. They set their sights on refurbishing the retail area of the Red Barn for the display of baked goods. “It was nerve-wracking first opening this kitchen, wondering if people would show up or not,” said Capra.

Having lived in Camden for seven years before he and Capra moved to Lincolnville, Turk said, “I think what we found is that a lot of people don’t often go north of Camden because their life circles around Camden, Rockport and Rockland. We also knew for a fact that a lot of tourists don’t venture north of Camden as well. So, we felt there was an opportunity to open a retail store in Camden, especially after Cappy’s Bakery Co. had just closed last season.”

“It’s going to be very similar to our Lincolnville location,” said Capra. “I would like to expand our bread offerings and I’ll also have more of a variety of cakes. We will also provide some savory items, such as, chicken pot pies. We will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 8:00 am to 4 pm in Camden and Lincolnville. We will be closed Monday and Tuesday."

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

ROCKPORT — Remember the days of disco balls, roller rinks and pom-poms as you showed everyone how to “shoot the duck” during Ladies’ Skate?

Rock Coast Roller Derby member Hedda Barton has that move down pat, and others as well. She recently started an open “Fitness Skate” session to go all summer at the Midcoast Recreation Center in Rockport on Tuesdays and Thursdays for anyone who wants to go back to their roller skating roots and get a workout.

“This isn’t just for women in derby, although, obviously we welcome anyone interested in it, but also for men or women of any age or body type who want to roller skate to strengthen their muscles,” she said. “We also want to invite back some of our retired derby skaters to get back on skates again. It’s a way for those who got too busy with kids or their life, to come back and have some fun and connection.”

A one hour session goes by amazingly fast. On Thursday, Barton led about a dozen women and one man through warm up rounds, derby techniques, games, a core workout and warm down. It’s the perfect exercise for people who don’t want to commit to an entire season with only a $7 drop-in fee (or $40 for a month). In one hour, a person could burn nearly 482 calories.

And it’s fun. “We’re trying to keep it free form, so if somebody wants to come skate around the rink, he or she is totally welcome,” she said. If you ever wanted to skate backwards or pick up some killer derby moves, these are the people to skate with.

The session goes through until July, twice a week from 5 to 6 p.m. Barton even has a surplus of skates, pads and helmets one can use (for now) at no additional charge. Most of the skates are women’s, with two pairs of skates for men. “We’re in the position where we can borrow and rent all the gear from another derby team to provide more options for people who don’t have skates,” she said.

The informal group is looking toward using MRC for a public nighttime skating party with a disco ball and music this summer as well.

““What’s cool about skating in general is that anyone can do it,” said Barton. “Some people are good at some things and we all work on our weaknesses and strengths together,” she said.

Participants just need to be 14 and up. Anyone with their own roller skates is welcome to join and those who need gear can RSVP their sizes to Barton at brionnabarton@gmail.com.

ROCKPORT—On Tuesday, May 9, a little over a half dozen volunteers worked to push the framing of a 192-square-foot structure in place on the front strip of lawn next to Hospitality House in Rockport.

For some time now, Tia Anderson, executive director of MidCoast Habitat and Stephanie Primm, executive director of the Hospitality House, have been brainstorming ways to collaborate in order to provide sustainable temporary shelter to the number of homeless clients in the Midcoast. 

“Obviously there’s a need for shelter in the Midcoast and for affordable housing in general,” said Anderson, standing next to community volunteers and members from Americorps and Women Build.

Using the parking lot and support of the Nativity Lutheran Church next door, they all pitched in to help to build a prototype shelter on Old County Road.

“The Hospitality House has been using hotel rooms, which they have said is just not a sustainable method for handling the overflow of clients,” said Anderson. “So, we researched some other places in the U.S. that do ‘tiny home’ communities. We went to one in South Carolina, where they developed three levels of supportive and transitional housing. The first shelter is a 192-square foot dwelling. After that, a family transitions to a 350-square foot tiny house and finally, the third step is to move into a rental property.”

Nationally, affordable housing shortage is at a rate of only 29 units available for every 100 extremely low income family renters. In tight housing markets like the Midcoast’s where Maine State Housing Authority statistics show that the average monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment with utilities included in Rockland is $1,033, it’s more than what 67 percent of Rockland residents can afford.

From May 8 to May 12, Midcoast Habitat for Humanity with their Women Build teams will construct the first of hopefully many tiny accessory structures that could become the prototype for expanded capacity for supportive shelter at the Hospitality House.

Becca Gildred, KCHC’s coordinator for the project pointed to the rolling fields behind the Hospitality House.

“We have nearly six acres we could build these structures on,” she said. “The ideal concept that is modeled around the county is anywhere from six to 15 of these structures in several communities. The whole point is to have a place to sleep, but to work outside the structure and to share family-style meals with others in the community rooms of KCHC, so that there is built in education and peer support that goes along with the temporary housing. It all builds up to sustainable independence.”

Anderson said the 192-square foot accessory structure will have a bed and a bathroom and will ideally fit one to two people.

“It’s adequate,” she said. “I wouldn’t call it a tiny house necessarily, but it’s better than living in a tent or a car temporarily.”

Anderson said the project and the program are still in the planning stages of developing more tiny accessible structures and is optimistic that the community will support it.

Added Primm, “We hope this wonderful collaborative effort will eventually manifest in permanent affordable balanced communities of tiny houses where low- to mid- income as well as elderly people could live in a supportive healthy way making our community and good quality of life attainable and affordable for all.”

Volunteers will be able to work on the prototype structure all week long. One needs not to have any building background at all; just show up and you will be given a task. When the prototype structure is done, it won’t have a working bathroom, but it will allow visitors to look inside and get a real sense of how the structure can fulfill an immediate need.

For more information or to volunteer this week, contact MidCoast Habitat for Humanity at 207-236-6123 or email events@midcoasthabitat.org

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

SOUTH THOMASTON — Sarah Penney, 19, a senior at Maine Virtual Academy, is about to graduate in June. The South Thomaston teenager wasn't sure she'd ever get to this day. "It sounds like a cliché but it feels like a dream come true," she said.

Up until the past two years, Penney has suffered from flu-like symptoms, and the very occasional headache, which caused her to miss a tremendous amount of school.

"I had vertigo and light sensitivity," she said. "I was constantly nauseous and couldn't keep anything down. It generally just made me feel like I had severe stomach flu symptoms mixed with the after effects of a particularly nightmarish teacup ride."

For 10 years, doctors misdiagnosed her symptoms as a sinus infection combined with allergies, due to how her symptoms appeared seasonal. All of the medications and antibiotics she was prescribed only made the symptoms worse.

Penney said she didn't get an accurate diagnosis until her sophomore year in high school, 2014.

"By then, I'd missed 120 days of school and was just completely miserable," she said. "It felt basically like having the flu 24-7 for those 120 days."

But, what Penney had in her favor, was an innate sense of motivation and drive. Even when feeling her worst, she said she would push through, trying to get her schoolwork done.

Finally, she was given an accurate diagnosis: vestibular migraines. The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that process the sensory information involved with controlling balance and eye movements. If something damages these processing areas, vestibular disorders can result. And the resulting symptoms are chronic dizziness and imbalance, and changes in mood and ability to concentrate.

At Oceanside High School in Rockland, where she was previously a student, a number of counselors and teachers helped her cope.

"I had a counselor who would pull the blinds down in his office so I could just get my math homework done in a quiet, dark place," she said. After every day she was home from school, she would make sure she worked double-time to complete the missed assignment.

To cope with her persistent symptoms and all of its challenges, she expressed herself through creative writing. She talked herself "up," frequently telling herself if she could just keep working hard, she could do it.

It ultimately took changing her entire lifestyle to combat her migraines. "By my junior year, I told my mother I was done being on medication," she said. "It messed with my stomach so bad. I wanted to get off of all of them."

After that month, Sarah began to see improvement. The vertigo went away, the migraines stopped and she could sleep for the first time in years. By the summer of 2015, she was considering what one more year at Oceanside would look like if she became sick again, and worried if she could make it through to graduation.

Through Oceanside, Penney's mother, Rachel, learned about a brand new virtual charter school that had started that year in Maine: Maine Virtual Academy. MEVA is an online school with built-in coaches for students in seventh- and eighth-grade as well as in high school. With a student base of 360, it serves students all over the entire state, including the islands.
"I felt like it was meant to be," said her mother.

Penney enrolled with the intent to "do over" her junior year with MEVA, wanting to be fully prepared for college, as she planned to major in computer science and English. "I had missed so much class time, and I had goals of wanting to take calculus, physics, computer science, AP English Literature and Composition, and web design before I was a senior," she said.

"We're so happy to have her in our school," said Dr. Melinda Browne, Head of School at Maine Virtual Academy. "We were able to offer her flexibility and incredible support, so if she couldn't attend a lesson in real time, like every student at the school, she'd have the option of watching the recording of the live lesson, followed by a formative assessment. She'd then be able to get credit for each class.

Browne added, "We offer a tremendous number of courses and I think Sarah has taken full advantage of that opportunity."

Penney said it has been a Godsend to be able to complete the work at her own pace. A typical week is rigorous, however, with an average workload requiring, for example, a physics lab, three physics quizzes, a calculus test, two English papers and discussions and maybe a geography project.

Browne said Penney is the ideal student for this kind of virtual school, as she doesn't mind working alone all day and is incredibly self-motivated.

"She's also gotten socially involved in helping other students here," said Browne. "She was integral in assisting me prepare recorded presentations for the senior class to motivate them in their post-secondary planning. She's really highly competent with technology so, she just jumped right in there. And she was also ahead of the game in that area; she'd already written her college essay and got her applications in."

An honor roll student, Penney will be graduating with nine more credits than she needed. More importantly, she is graduating as co-valedictorian of her MEVA senior class in 2017.

"Her GPA was 3.97," said Browne, at the top of the class with another student. She was also awarded a Maine Principal's Award this year for Academic Excellence.

It's been two years since Penney has been as sick as she was back then, she said. She said that while lifestyle and diet choices she made are influenced by her migraines, at this point, making healthy choices is now second nature to her.

"While my illness was undoubtedly a large part of my life and my growth as a person, my illness is not something I want to be defined by," said Sarah. "Maine Virtual Academy has been the school that has helped me succeed. My teachers at MEVA have supported me with everything, going out of their way to help me and to let me go outside the box, as far as curriculum goes, so that way I can learn more. They were the ones that helped me write my college essays and the ones who wrote all of my recommendation letters. Most of the time, when I think "Wow, I've had some great teachers," they're the first ones who come to mind, if only because I've never had a teacher from MEVA who wasn't amazing.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com

BELFAST — The tiny, triangular shaped shop at 9 Beaver St., in Belfast, is atypical of the type of retail space in the Midcoast, but it’s a tribute to Maine’s dark side.

Alder & Vine, run by husband and wife, Heather Q. and Jason Hay, lists itself as a place for “artisan goods, oddities and the occult.”

The name of the shop is taken from their farm in Belfast, where they handcraft many of the items.

“While we have a lot of alder and vine on our property, they are also our signs in Celtic tree astrology,” Heather said. 

Jason makes the restored furniture and lighting that decorates the shop and in the corner sits a restored Ouija table, on which Heather hand-lettered the alphabet.

“Our interests intersect and blend on a number of things in the store,” said Heather.

They source from several artisans and shops for charm candles, witches’ wands, runes, occult books and herbs to cast spells. The also make witches’ brooms and spell bombs, (fizzy bath bombs that come with a spell—one of their biggest sellers) on their own farm.

The space was formerly an art installation and skate shop with a curved outer wall. The shop is part of the old Opera House building. It has an intimate cozy feel when you walk in, that is, if an entire shelving unit dedicated to animal skulls and spiders encased in plastic blocks don’t creep you out.

There’s only one thing that sort of creeps them out, and it’s an authentic voodoo doll from New Orleans, clad in black, that sits on the back wall.

“I don’t even really like to touch it,” Jason said.

“We knew the kind of stuff was what we liked and wondered if the town would feel the same, but people have come out of the woodwork expressing gratitude that we’re here,” said Jason.

With the store only open for three weeks, the pair is actually surprised how well the shop has resonated with a certain type of clientele.

“When Jason comes homes from the shop, he’ll have complete backstories on a number of people who walk in, because this stuff tends to bring out people’s interest and stories,” said Heather.

“Once they see what’s in here, it frees people up,” said Jason. “You don’t have to worry if what you like in here seems ‘weird’ to anyone else. It doesn’t to us.”

They plan to collaborate with other artisans and practitioners with the same interests in the near future and will be offering oracle readings. Stay tuned to their Facebook page for more info.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com 

ROCKLAND — Art doesn’t have to be so serious. And neither does it have to be stationary. One woman is about to roll out a wacky idea in downtown Rockland this summer and here’s hoping the artists and makers in the community will take notice.

Kim Bernard, a sculptor, wants to start a Rockland People’s Sculpture Race in August. For the last two years, she has participated in Cambridge’s annual Sculpture Race, hoping that the kitschy idea would catch on in the Midcoast.

A Sculpture Race is a short race (less than a mile) of pushed, pulled and pedaled artwork followed by an exhibition. Similar to a Bed Race, the focus is more on the art installation itself and the method of locomotion to move it.

“In 2015, I participated in the Cambridge People’s Sculpture Race as an artist in residence in the physics department at Harvard University, so I pulled together a team of six people and over the course of a month and we created ‘Sisyphus’ a square-wheeled boats that traveled on wave-like catenary tracks,” she said. “So, the square wheels of the boat rotated and traveled over the tracks while our “wave serfs” would run ahead and continuously lay down track. “It’s not just about art. There’s a lot of physics and design and construction that went into this.”

Sculpture Races take place all over the world. They initially took place in Cambridge in the 1980s and revived as a public art form in recent years.  “It’s more than just art on wheels, it’s about fun, performance and spectacle, in the best possible term,” she said. “It’s more than just a parade, it’s an opportunity for the public to be creative and inventive and come together for one day. It’s a way to bring art out of the gallery and museum and bring it to the streets. I really see this as a non-commercial people’s event.”

A word about the wheels: “People can use bicycle parts, or any type of wheels such as casters, lawn mowers, wheelchairs, grocery carts, dollies, strollers, whatever can be altered or hacked to keep the sculpture moving,” she said.

Bernard is not only organizing the first Rockland People’s Sculpture Race in August, but she will, once again, be a participant in the Cambridge People’s Sculpture Race on June 3. Three jurors will determine the winner. Bernard wants more than just prizes for speed. “I think there should be prizes for other categories such as People’s Choice Award, an award for Creativity and we’ll probably even invent some categories once we see some submissions.”

Following the race will be an exhibition on Winter Street, in the CMCA courtyard and across the street.

Bernard is also working with the Camden Middle School to put on a mini version of Sculpture Races for students on May 25 and hoping that some of the entries will make it to the August race.

The first Maine People’s Sculpture Race will take place on Saturday, August 12.  Individuals, teams and community groups are encouraged to submit a design/sketch/proposal by June 1 to info@rocklandsculpturerace.org.  Submissions will be reviewed by Jurors and applicants will be notified by June 30. For more information about the event visit: rocklandsculpturerace.org/about.html You can hear Bernard on the Chris Wolf show talk more about this on May 19, where you can call in and ask her questions.

Additional photos courtesy Andrew Held.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com 

It’s been several weeks since police and United Airlines dragged Dr. David Dao out of his seat, through the aisle and off a plane. We were in the middle of writing this piece, when another ugly incident occurred on American Airlines. Passengers filmed a confrontation between a mother having her stroller taken away by a male flight attendant, who allegedly (and perhaps inadvertently) struck her with it, as he pulled it away and a male bystander, who stood up for her. 

On April 9, like so many millions of people, after seeing the United Airlines video, I was angry. I had an agitated conversation that night with my husband about it, not only the unnecessary brutality of it, but also the complete lack of action on anyone’s part.

“How could a plane full of passengers just sit there and do nothing but lift up their cell phones to record this man getting beaten and dragged off a plane?” I’d asked.

The conversation pivoted into a classic game: “What would you do if you were in that situation?”

As the co-author of a cyberbullying book, I’ve done a lot of research about bystanders and their willingness to step up to a confrontation after witnessing it. I reached out to my colleague, Chuck Nguyen, someone I’ve known for at least a decade, after we both worked with teens at the Zenith Alternative High School.

Chuck is a social worker, diversity advocate, and bullying prevention educator and currently works as a counselor at Medomak High School. He’s also the founder of Power of H20, which provides students with psychological tools to overcome bullying and obstacles. Chuck contributed quite a bit of insight to our cyberbullying book and like me, he is familiar with the multiple directions bystanders can go in an escalating situation of conflict.

“Watching the incident of Dr. Dao being dragged off possibly unconscious off United Express flight 3411 can and did stir powerful and overwhelming emotions of anger, resentment, and social outrage,” he said. “This might be beneficial and effective in bringing social awareness and possibly better practice and policies when it comes to the friendly-turned-unfriendly skies.”

To start, let me clarify something. In my opinion, David Dao wasn’t "bullied" by the police. The meaning of bullying often gets mischaracterized. He was brutally assaulted after passively resisting to vacate a flight, which he’d paid for and had every legal right to keep.

I asked Chuck for his insight.

“Bullying is power difference. When the captain of the football team or cheering squad hurts a classmate who is not as athletic or popular with words or social humiliation, there is a power difference.  When an adult hurts a kid with words, action, or sarcasm, there is a power difference. When a manager of a major airline orders three security officers to forcibly remove a passenger ‘any way necessary’ because he or she thought he could, there is a perceived and established power that allows him or her to order such an act. The CEO even confirmed the next day that the manager and airline employees that they are in right since they were following protocols and that Dr. Dao was being ‘belligerent.’ The CEO, Mr. Munoz, crumbled to social media pressure and declining stock value, later apologized and stated that no customer should ever be treated like that.”

Of all the ways this story has been analyzed and dissected, the one angle that needs more evaluation is why didn’t a plane full of people on the United flight witnessing this do anything?

The passengers were clearly shocked enough to whip out their cell phones and videotape the incident. And perhaps, that is doing something—chronicling the incident. But, why did no one physically intervene?

Off camera, a lot of murmurs of dissent that could be heard on video, with people saying “Please, my God,””What are you doing?” and ”This is wrong.”

Chuck is also a trainer in the crisis prevention and de-escalation for special ed teachers in RSU 40 for the past 10 years called the Mandt Systems, which focuses on keeping students with severe emotional and development needs safe.

They do this by using non-physical methods to prevent crisis and escalation, unless the person is in imminent or immediate risk of self-harm or harm towards others.

“I believe that Dr. Dao’s incident offers some great lessons for me to share with my martial arts students and other young people I work with on daily basis in a public high school,” he said. “There have been many perspectives and angles given about the incident coming from pilots, flight attendants, and family members of these professionals regarding airline safety and compliance.  My brother has been a flight attendant for the past 25 years.  I am sure he has dealt with many real belligerent, drunken, and unsafe behaviors over that time.  Nothing about Mr. Dao’s incident indicates a safety issue.  He simply said I do not want to give up my seat because he wanted to go home.   This incident gives me the clarity that if I was ever in that situation, I would have the courage and little ‘crazy determination’ to block the aisle to keep Mr. Dao from being dragged off the plane. What if 10 or 20, or half the passengers did the same?”

I asked Chuck what he’d do specifically because he is a martial artist. Likely most of those passengers surrounding Dr. Dao were not, and would not have the training or practice to stand up to three security officers and physically prevent them from assaulting a passenger.

Then the American Airlines incident happened on April 24, in which a male bystander did stand up and intervene. He may not have had all of the facts at the moment of confrontation. (There have been multiple reports that the woman was allegedly not being cooperative about the stroller, ignoring the flight attendants’ warnings not to bring it aboard.) Regardless, of what that male passenger knew, he saw the woman was crying and that there was a perceived power difference. Apparently upset with how the woman's situation was handled, he told the flight attendant, "Hey bud, hey bud. You do that to me, and I'll knock you flat."

As a woman with no marital artist training, I would have felt a lot of adrenaline, and uncertainty in that situation as well, and for me personally, threatening “knock a man flat” isn’t something I’d do. But I have a voice and I could say: “What you’re doing to that person is wrong!” What if the entire plane had used their voices and that was caught on camera? Do you think that the power difference would have changed the Chicago security officers’ or the American Airline flight attendant’s behavior? What if you walked off that plane in protest, as some people did on the United Airlines flight? 

The point is use these incident to think about what you’re capable of, and prepare how you will react, next time you see someone in a public situation being victimized by a clear power difference.

“I am more convinced now about what I hope I would do and what I would encourage my students to do if they were on that plane that day,” said Chuck. “Raise your hand and take a stance.  Filming the incident on the smart phone is good documentation, but who among us would have the courage, and more importantly the preparation and determination to intervene because we cannot let another human being mistreated and abused like Dr. Dao? Or that woman with the baby? Taking a stance is not a natural reaction. Many us are taught growing up that we need to own our business and not to make a scene.  Maybe it is time we learn that some times it is necessary to get into somebody’s business and make a scene.”

So let’s play that game. “What would you do in that situation?”