Kismet's Life in Maine

My first post on MOL for the New Year..........and it happens to be about Maine. No small coincidence since it is one of my two happy places in the world.

A unique place to visit and possibly purchase something is the Maine Prison Store in Thomaston. You can probably guess by the title what the product available is produced by. Although the Medium Security Prison on Main Street has been closed for a few years now the store where products made throughout the prison system is very much open. Most of what is available is wood work done by prisoners.
Mdse varies from simple and more complex models of sailing ships to beautifully done wooden desks. Easily worth a half hour visit and be sure to avoid impulse buying...........but you will never regret any purchases.

On the same side of the street and a block or two North towards Rockport is a homey breakfast/lunch restaurant located on the street corner.
Friendly staff, good food and typically Maine reasonable prices.

Rockport I would say about 45 miles North on Coastal US 1 is the home of the Farnsworth Museum. Just a great mid size museum featuring quite a bit of Maine artwork. Three generations of the Wyeth family is prominently displayed including sometimes the famous "Christina's World. My favorite are the painting/illustrations done by NC Wyeth of magazine covers and illustrations for the classics like Treasure Island etc.
Andrew and Jamie Wyeth are also displayed.

Lunch.......Dinner.......Several Restaurants on the main street are available as well as dining five minutes away on the harbor Take your pick.......and enjoy.

author said:

A unique place to visit and possibly purchase something is the Maine Prison Store in Thomaston. You can probably guess by the title what the product available is produced by.

Shivs, Wooden objects with compartments in which to secret small items.....


Seriously, the shop is excellent...especially some of the wooden model boats. Quality varies somewhat depending on the skill of the craftsman. Oh, you forgot to mention the "Prison Blue" jeans and garments.

I love all this information and despite growing up here have not seen most of the places you all are mentioning. It is all going on my must-see list.

Looking out the window at a clear blue sky bluer bay and had the treat a few minutes ago of hearing a sea gull. My sister says she hears an owl at night. I am still waiting for that treat.

Happy New Year everyone!

Happy New Year Lisa and Kismet! I hope this year in the State of my heart, is kind to you both, and brings everyone, health, peace and prosperity---for this year, and always!

:X
Calli

We have enjoyed shopping at the Prison store in Thomaston. Other shopping (purchasing and looking) favorites on our Maine trips were "Once a Tree" (all kinds of wood products) in Camden on the waterfront, Cedar Works (wooden swingsets/play sets/etc.) in Rockport and a sheepskin products store (can't remember the name) along one of the highways in that same area. And, of course, the big L.L. Bean store and all the outlets in Freeport.

LOVE Moody's - does anyone else have their cookbook? A fun read.

Took a walk down the road to check on our summer cottage yesterday after the high winds the night before. A bald eagle was soaring overhead, a loon was calling in the river and there were fresh deer tracks in the snow....
Happy and healthy New Year to all!

5 degrees out there right now. Flannel sheets ROCK.
There is mist on the water - gorgeous! I suppose it is the warmer water temperature versus the frigid air temp. This is a new phenomenon for me and another stunning example of the fabulous nature around me.

yes, people who took the polar bear plunge at Coney Island said the water was warmer than the air. dare to take the plunge, kismet?

From College of the Atlantic (Bar Harbor, Maine) - so cool (maybe I'll re-stack our pile?)

Wow! Love this!

Headed to NJ for a few days - a family member's Memorial. 'Twill feel strange I think -

WOW!!! That wood heap is so cool. Im sorry about the bad occasion for your return to Jersey.

Memorial was lovely. Back in beautiful Maine.
Now for a chuckle -

Hallowell Hallowell, Hallowell. I had been thinking about what town in Maine most closely physically resembled or had the spirit of Maplewood Village. The answer was easy. Hallowell is the smallest city in Maine with a population of about 6,000. The downtown , if you want to call it that is bounded on one side by a river and the other a fairly steep hill.

It is chock full of funcky retail shops, coffee houses, restaurants etc. In good weather easily worth a few hours visit. Hallowell I guess technically borders the Capital Augusta but it is a very different place. While Augusta is the capital and has many businesses, Hallowell has a free and easy spirit about it. I could give directions from Wiscasset but if you are interested simply reference a map or your GPS.

Nice little town.

Been there! Yeah, nice vibe. Wonder if Slate's (a REALLY great restaurant) is still there? Think we'll have to go find out

My favorite town is still Damariscotta (and now it's "my town"- our new home is actually in a town nearby but everything "happens" in Damariscotta). So hard though...so many wonderful, breathtakingly beautiful little towns in this state...

I will put Hallowell on my list of places to visit here.

I agree about Damariscotta being a favorite town. Although it is a small town by Jersey standards there is a certain solidness about it.
Also its location in proximity to the Pemaquid Penninsula and Boothbay Harbor give it a feeling of being in the center of things. Traveling on from there to Camden, Maine of course Thomaston and Rockport is always a pleasure. It is both a place to visit and a place to live and treasure.

Treasure, yes...

Earthquake! WooHoo! Felt this one big time-
http://lincolncountynewsonline.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=57013

warm and sunny today (with an earthquake to boot!), took dad to the summer cottage to sit in the sun and look at the water

.

OK, so although I really miss some people - I have not once questioned my decision to move here and if I had what Dad said to me a few days ago would have solidified it - "you lighten my life"....YES, that's what it's about folks!!!
Get out there and lighten!!

wow!

I think I told you of my love of Camden, and Corea (and Prout's Neck and Cape Elizabeth shall I go on? ). But I really love the silky sand of Corea's beach----it marries the soft sand of the Jersey shore, with a cove in Maine. Perfect together!

I'm sure your dad treasures your presence. How nice that you are with him. I feel the same way about being able to spend this time with my parents.

About 5 inches of heavy, wet snow today- the kind that sticks to everything. The trees are beautiful

Am listening to the long lowing of a fog horn away in the distance.

ahhh.....

It strikes me that it would be nice if Portland could be described for those who have not yet been to Maine.............we know who you are.
We spent precious little time there over the years as we were so enamored of the Mid Coast further north.

However as large cities go Portland is quite pleasant. It has an attractive water front.......pleasant restaurants and shops. The nearby airport is cute and quite handy as a destination point or jumping off center for parts unknown.

We knew of a few artists who lived in very basic housing in the woodsy areas........which is most of Maine. In the dead of winter when the water they used to throw their pots would freeze over night they would then head down to Portland to wait out the time in cozy apartments till Spring returned and back to the woodlands they would go.

I don't know Portland well -the best hospital in the state is there along with the only Trader Joes . There are wonderful restaurants..I hope to explore this little city. Lisat knows it fairly well methinks...Lisat?