Category: Uncategorized

Tourism In Maine, Think Small, Local, Special.

If you asked someone to spit out the first thing that pops into their head.

When the word is “tourism” or “vacation” uttered. One of the Disney amusement parks may top the shout out survey results list. Tourism can make you think of pulling one arm bandits at large gambling casinos like Vegas, Foxwoods, Atlantic City resort venues. Sturgis for wild hogs riding on rubber, wearing do-rags, leather, tattoos, piercings.
Waving, Saying Hi. Being Friendly. The Maine Wildlife Want You To Visit.

Or to zero in on the historical sites of a Washington DC, Philadelphia PA.

Maybe it’s the Big Apple that never sleeps for a Broadway play, musical show for you Mamma Mia.

Bright lights of New York City. Or heading to the other coast, LA CA (Not Lewiston Auburn) is what you want to do on vacation. To capture the snap. Get a Hollywood sign in the background. For this year’s look where we’ve been Christmas picture of your tribe.

Myrtle Beach for golf. Red Rock for outdoor music. Or don’t miss the American Folk Festival in Bangor Maine. Or if you can’t break away to the Rockies, Colorado, then Sugarloaf USA Maine snow skiing memory making.

But when I think tourism in Maine, it’s meeting the neat people in the small towns.

Experiencing what makes their area special at state agricultural fairs. The unique opportunities to enjoy nature, wildlife, the waterfront without man made interference. Missing the high cost. To heft, flex, sport a fat wallet or heavy purse. Lugged in to open wide for the parking, lodging, ordering, eating, tipping and tickets for the hoopla. Everything you attend.

In Maine, it’s simple. Less fanfare. You are part of the landscape. Star of your own show. An active participant without the crowds. Just you kayaking, hiking, biking, hunting, fishing. Snacking, packing picnic lunches. Cooking your other meals outdoors back at the simple woods cabin, or peaceful lake cottage setting.

Keeping the fire burning after grilling. Stoked for nightly chilling. Outdoor camping talks, like wagons in a circle important with your favorite cold refreshments. Maine lake loons, crickets providing the background music. The fragrant smell of wild pine trees that add a whisper. The sound of the wind in their vibrating needles.
Float Your Boat In Maine. Get Here Anyway You Can.
To enhance, tap all the senses. Remind you where you are lucky to be. In Maine, not any where near the Bronx Expressway. The Combat Zone of Boston.

The vacation in Maine that you are more active, involved, play a major part. Than in those hanging out at the “herd them in” resorts. That are some kind of busy, noisy, expensive. All about the money.

Winter ice fishing, snow sledding and renting a cabin or staying at a motel right off the Maine snow sled trail.

Maybe you can not get away from your out of state job during the summer so the solitude of winter in Maine is the attraction. The crunch of snow under the boots as your pull your wool hat down snugly. Zipping up that winter jacket. To head out through a woods trail on practically flying over drifts in four wheel drive snowshoes. Or after waxing the boards, strapping on cross country skis.

Seeing countless tracks of Maine woods inhabitants crisscrossing your path. Critters of all sizes. Doing the same journey into the wilds of Maine as you. But you are just visiting, this is their home surf and turf. The routine everyday in Maine for natives. Who get to unplug, recharge next to the woods and water.

Maine tourism fits the budget, no matter what season, reason you head to Vacationland.

Many rumbling in lanes up and over the big green bridge from the south end. But lots coming across from the east through Canada. Over the New Hampshire White Mountains. Or by sea via the 100 cruises ships that ply the coastline. Dropping anchor, harbor here and there to ferry the passengers ashore. Where you could bring your horse on vacation to Maine. To discover like early settlers what an unspoiled natural jewel Maine really is. Don’t keep her waiting. I think you are way way overdue. What are you doing this weekend? Dig out the calendar and flip ahead. When is your next trip, low cost vacation in Maine?

See, Hear, Visit A Maine Lighthouse Right Now Video

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com Guide

February 5, 2014
If You Had To Pick A Favorite Slice Of Maine Pie…. Blueberry?

Maine is famous, unique for a lot of things and native wild blueberries for a slab of pie might get your vote.

Home Made Maine Pies, What’s Your Favorite Kind?

When
it
is
high
time.

For
pie
time.

But
no.

Wait.

Just
take
it
slow.

Very,
very
slow.

Calm
down
here.

Fresh, homemade, piping hot apple pie. With a slice of stinky cheese, parallel parked on the same plate. Some hand churned vanilla ice cream, two scooped and riding on top. Drizzling, oozing down over the sides. Soaking, saturating the pie crust. That could be a strong slice consideration for the coin toss pick too huh?

Sometimes your pie preference is fueled from strong memories of the kind served up, enjoyed during Maine holiday family gatherings. From a life long enjoyment of whatever a family member’s favorite kind was. Their pie pièce de résistance as it were became your sweet addiction. Gram made you a particular flavor pie junkie for life.

How about when you are out to eat, the restaurant has a pie carousel spied with your little eye on the way in?

Hanging up your coat. Crying out to you like the Sirens as you sail on by. Are there kinds you always or never pick, ask for, order? Is there no in between in the black and white, love hate pie piece discrimination?

Maybe the eenie meenie miney moe when they all look good, ends up with you saying “I do” to mince meat, gooseberry, graham cracker, lemon meringue. Or do you live on the wild side, walk the crazy line of a blend? Like the vicarious thrill when strawberry and rhubarb hold hands. Climb in together. Slipping under the covers of the pie crust.

The one with the venting slot or fork pattern herring boned, tattooed on top. That trademarked your Mom’s favorite pie line.

Do you remember being able to pick hers out of a table full line up with ease as a kid during a family reunion? Because you watched her as she rolled out the made from scratch dough. Sliced, diced, doctored the special seasoned filling. Crimped, rolled up the rim to win the hearts of the family members with her crowd pleasing meal finale fireworks favorite.

Pumpkin pie during Thanksgiving.

Is it a given it will be among the flavors sampled? Raspberry, banana creme. But whoa, who eats butterscotch pie anyway? Pass the chocolate creme please. Or to fit in with the locals when vacationing in Key West Florida, sure. Hit me with the key lime pie, why not? Or is that peach over there, pecan or cherry I see too? Better wait a minute for me to digest all these choices. Should only be sampling one right?

Here’s one top ten America’s favorite pie charts. Gonna hit you again, with another visual graphic to make your mouth water over pie picks. Did any one say coconut creme or custard was what they preferred? Your order is here. More coffee?

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

February 3, 2014
Maybe We’re A Little Too Trusting In Small Maine Towns.

Your town in Maine has a few local car dealerships.

Most of the community knows each other.
Horsing Around, There Is A Limit Before It Borders On Petty Larceny.
And one vehicle showroom gets a visit from a lady who is looking for the cracker jack star salesman. That just left five minutes ago to bee line to lunch.

She announces she has the cash. Wants to test drive that red Buick. Is ready to buy today. She tells the others in the dealership Zeke called her this morning. Said “come on down” today to take a spin.

He’ll be working up the papers. To put the deal through to not hold her up.

So here are the keys, knock yourself out, put your next car you’re buying through her paces.

The place is busy. Sounds like a sale is in the wind and the lady slides behind the wheel. Heads out for a test drive. Several hours later, someone says hey, that lady never returned. Zeke did though. But scratching his head. Not sure who the lady is that he supposedly called earlier today to invite up to kick some tires.

The Maine state police Troop F gets a jingle. Good news or bad news first? Which do you want? Well, found your vehicle, the lady too that has no license, zip for insurance. But the real bad news is no one is going to be buying it, it’s totaled. Played bumper car with some guard rails in Mars Hill Maine and the police let the dealership know the lady has a reputation, habit of telling the same tall tale. You are not the first to give her a set of keys to take a joy ride. To drive off into the sunset. Never to return. The dealership “ate” that demolition derby like, racked car unit.

Or a call comes in from a local homeowner who asks the Maine oil company how much of a discount can I get if I buy 2000 gallons?

Let’s cut to the case. Not a puny minimum 100 gallon nickel and dime transaction. Looking for a deal. Gives impression I will be taking that much. Have a 2000 gallon buried tank, time to fill up. So the pencil is sharpened, the figures are massaged and voila, this much off if you buy that bulk oil gallonage.

Send up the truck for the first installment load, 200 gallons to this address. Fill pipe is on the driveway side of the home by the tiger lilies. The owner says never mind on automatic fill up. (He dug up the buried 2000 gallon tank a dozen years ago.) And I burn a little wood. Will ring you up when needing the rest of the Texas tea. Never calls back for any more oil. Does not ding ding ding guzzle up the other 1800 gallons as promised to get the near rack price discount. That first, last, only oil truck load will last a couple years. Where wood is the primary heat source now in the Maine home.

Back to the car dealership, one of many in the small Maine town trying to eek out a living selling more units.

The lady of the house announces honey, let’s take a ride to Bangor two hours away. And instead of saddling up, cinching the girth on the family sedan in the yard, let’s go up to Cracker Jack Auto dealership. Tell them we are ready to buy, want to test drive that swanky Darth Vader black Mercury with all the bells and whistles. The husband says we are? She smiles. He gets her drift. Kids are watching and learning too.

It’s a picture perfect nice day and that Mercury one step down from a Lincoln. Comfortable, spit polished leather seats, premium sound system and moon roof open wide would make an excellent car to take to get out of town for the day. To impress her sister living in Bucksport Maine she plans to try to make drool over the car she has no intention of buying, can not afford. And it has more room for the four kids to stretch their legs. To hide the happy meal wrappers, garbage stuffed under the seats. Way cleaner, better smelling their their old worn out ride with bad tires.

When picked up is full of gas. When the car returns over four hundred miles later, she’s parched, bone dry.

Rolls in on vapors. And a quick “guess not, don’t like the way it handles” said snarkily without eye contact happens. As the keys get thrown on the front desk. The Mrs. leaves in a huff. Acting disappointed, annoyed like she is in no mood for questioning. But secretly with no notion in the least of ever being in the market for a new car. Which they told the dealership salesman when the whole family crammed in. It was picked up as soon as the dealership opened. Returned as the place is shutting off the lights. Everyone working there is putting on their coats.

When you would never do something, it does not always show up on radar, get felt down in your gut that someone else is about to pull a fast one. Who is thinking you never know what you can get away with until you try. We’re trusting, kind, considerate and want to help. Make things easy. To not be difficult or insinuate, announce that something smells, is rotten and devious about to take place. To stop it. But small towns in Maine, anywhere are places where the same stunt is not pulled again. People talk. But there are other dealerships to try your luck at if you are so inclined to horse around.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

February 1, 2014
Maine Woodstoves, Especially The Ones For Cooking Are Near, Dear.

When winter happens in Maine, the locals take it all in stride.

It is just another of the four seasons. And preparing for winter, a season ahead. With wood delivered tree length out back like giant pretzel stick mountains. Piled high, processed slowly.
Baked Bread & Beans Inside. Frying Pan & Singing Tea Kettle On Top.

What can go wrong cutting your Maine woodlot? If you don’t take the annual mecca, trek. To hardwood trees gathered directly from the Maine woodlot you own.
What’s Cooking Inside That Door While The Maine Woodstove Heats The Kitchen?
Where chainsaws buzz, whine and cut down low. The word “timber” hollered. The butt ends latched on to, yarded out, twitched to landings by yourself happens too.

Before the snow flakes blanket the lawn in white fluffy storm layers. Prepared for winter means buttoning up the house with banking. Storm doors and windows. Beefing up the attic insulation thickness, chimney cleaning. Checking the stove pipe between your trusty wood heater and the tile lined flu. Maybe metalbestos shiny, mirror polished silver. Or the black, dull silver galvanized tin stove exhaust connector.

Kitchen cook stoves, combination wood heaters become part of Maine day to day living. When the mercury dips, sinks low in the tube.

Counted on, liked old trusted friends. Relied upon to keep your toes from freezing. Water lines from becoming stuck, stopped, frozen, bursting. And heat in the Maine home to make it a cheery place to retreat to from blustery weather working or playing outside during a Maine winter. Any of these antique wood cook stoves images look familiar, remind you of anyone ?

My Dad and Mom had a Jotul 404 mini wood cook stove from Norway in the Maine farm house where their four boys grew up. Has an oven, 2 burners, an ash box. Mine now to cherish. The small but mighty unit wood stove is highly efficient. Cranking out the heat. There was always a kettle of hot and ready water for tea time on top waiting for someone’s reach. These wood heaters, cook stoves dynamic duos used to bake beans, potatoes, casseroles, bread, pies, cookies. Whatever is in the frying pan up top for the approaching Maine farm house meal. For that a strong bond attachment grows.
Often The Primary Heat Source, The Wood Cook Stove Keeping The Kitchen Hot. Family Fed.

In house sales in Maine, often what looks like a simple wood heater, cook stove is more than that to the owners who used it. Depended on it daily through many a Maine winter.

To remove the chill in the Maine home in early spring, late fall too. And the owners don’t leave them in house sales. Are pretty attached at the hip to them.

Take them with them. Or the wood burning units stay in families. Get passed on. Moved to the children’s homes, their woods camps, lake cottages. Pellet stove heaters have fondness from their owners. But not as strong as the wood heaters, cook stoves. That have years of daily use, long history, interaction in the home going for them.

Yes you could just go out and buy a new replacement one but it is THIS one that is the target of all the affection.

Because it was rock solid dependable to provide heat, in some case to help prepare, bake, fry the food. And was a vital part of provide comfort in the simple run Maine home’s lifestyle routine. It was a life saver, stoked through out the day. Took care of you if you did your part to clean, tend, feed it wood.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

January 30, 2014
A Maine Town, Like A Large Family Living In A Small Home.

Storms In Life Happen. Mainer’s Are Prepared For Them. Whatever Way The Wind Blows, Life Brings For Challenges.

When you are lucky enough to live in a small Maine town, what Vacationland is, spread out rural communities, it is like one big family.

All crowded into one house. Not always happy. Lots of wide open space outside. Special considerations on the inside for cramped quarters and everyone knows your business. Or thinks they do.

Small town living in Maine is empowering, it’s own rich reward.

And the connection to others in the small Maine town can be like the expression. Familiarity breeds contempt.

Because you do work closely together on projects, civic, school, church and sporting events. Have to bump into each other because like a bench chasing the black circle or black, white or orange ball, only so many players. Look over your shoulder when you are working a community volunteer events, and there is not a long line of replacements.

So when the small same group of worker bees pitch in and put on the best performance possible with the resources and talent available, here what can happen. A whine, groan amongst the way to go, attah boy’s. How come you did not do this? Why don’t we do that? We? (Digging out, opening up the Little Red Hen Golden Book, thumbing through the pages).

Living in a small Maine town demands toughening up that hide, your outer skin to criticism. Because everyone is not going to be a happy camper round the clock. Or some at all. There are Eeyores in the audience. But constructive criticism is warranted for better result too. Hear them out. Consider the merits of the suggestion. And make them chairman of that new committee.

So tough skinned, tender hearted and expecting less praise from others. Got it.

More you yourself knowing if you put in the over the top effort. Planning was done methodically, adequately or not. It’s a no fly zone. For the by the seat of your pants, last minute slapped together. Lots of pride in your work radiates, glows in the dark. There is no room for lazy in any discussion of the members of a small Maine town. Call it our farming background heritage. Label it a survival skill because small Maine towns are an endangered species. If the community falls asleep at the switch. Last guy or gal out turn out the lights.

What makes a Maine town great?

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

January 27, 2014
Looking For The Best Chowder, Soup, Stews Made In Maine Recipes?

When the temperature goes down, the thought of lets make a hearty Maine chowder, soup, stew takes over.

Something that does not happen, come to mind when out on your open deck in front of a Maine lake sunset. After a picture perfect, sunshine high over head summer breeze day.
Chowders, Soups, Stews Thaw, Warm A Winter Mainer.
Swilling a barley pop or grape juice. During summer living in shorts, sandals. Sporting a tan with natural background music by Maine loons.

Party boats and kayaks, canoes, lazer sail craft drifting by. With the grill, family, friends, conversation during an outdoor BBQ.

It’s lawn chairs in a circle camp fire adult therapy after the eating with your hands grilled meal. Kids splashing, laughing in the water. Chasing fire flies, bull frogs.

Then a Maine winter arrives suddenly.

Something hearty for food, that will stick to your ribs, not wear off needed. To keep you going if working. Laboring, doing chores outside in the Maine cold weather elements.

And the recipes carried over, passed down from the days when pretty much everyone lived on a rural Maine farm. And what goes in the pot was whatever was grown, raised on the family patch of dirt. In abundance during bountiful years. Other times lean. Less populated with vegetables, meat, other seasoning and watered down. More like a broth.

Maine potatoes a given to show up for the table side performance.

With an endless supply in the root cellar retreived along with carrots, onions, corn cut from the home grown garden cob.
Smoke On The Water, Good Weather For Chowders, Soups, Stews.
Stew tomatoes, slaughtered beef or if you were lucky fresh caught ice hole jigged fish. Maybe farm chicken added, stirred into the large pot on the wood cook stove.

More than enough for one table session no matter how many chairs surrounded it. The left overs, parked in the same pot one vessel to store, wait. Put out in the glass sun porch or unheated summer canning kitchen.

To improve in taste as everything mingles, socializes. Gets brewed, comes together for maximum flavor. Much dependent upon the hunger you supply, brought to the dinner table.

To laddle out, revisit when the three sided kitchen triangle sounds to come and get it. Signaling meal time has rolled around again. Bow your head, who’s turn to say grace? Count your blessings. Amen.

So Maine seafood chowder where clam is my favorite denizen of the deep to swim in it.

Any time, temperature reading of the year. Had to go to Ipswich Massachusetts kinda, sorta, indirectly. But what the heck, Maine was part of the Bay State until 1820. Not so long ago really right? We can thank the blogger’s Mom for this clam chowder recipe.

Here are some other soups, stews, chowders collected from around the globe. And from back when men were pretty much helpless in the kitchen, soup to brighten a cold winter night gathering recipes.

And finishing out with Maine soup recipes designed to keep that winter oil furnace off.

Silent, as long as possible. To avoid the nickel, dime, twenty dollar pan handling that happens once it’s dialed in reluctantly. Put into Maine home heating operation along with layering, digging out wool sweaters. Check out these 8 soups, chowders, recipes to consider serving up, sliding on to your dinner table.

Before Campbell’s reminded us that soup is MMMmmmm good food, Mainer’s already knew that. Still do. Could you pass those oyster crackers please? Another splash of chowder, soup, stew for you too? Hand me that bowl. Eat up. There’s plenty. And we all know seconds, thirds always make the Maine cook smile, grandmother happy.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

January 25, 2014