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GET YOUR SCARE ON FRIGHTFUL FUN IN BANGOR & BEYOND

NEEDFUL THINGS DISCOVER RARE STEPHEN KING BOOKS IN DOWNTOWN DERRY

HAUNTED

Bangor $5.95

October 2017

DO YOU DARE?

VISIT LOCAL SPOOKS & SPECTRES

CONTENTS

OCTOBER 2017

FEATURES 48 IN CONVERSATION: GERALD WINTERS Meet a Stephen King fanatic and visit his downtown business 56 DYNAMIC DUO Brother and sister make vet care a family affair in Hampden 62 WALKING WITH THE GHOSTS Take a haunted tour of Bangor and meet the local legends who walk amoung us 62

WALKING WITH THE GHOSTS

48

KING IS HIS THING

IN EVERY ISSUE 08 WHAT’S HAPPENING Local news & sightings 22 OBSESSIONS What we can’t get enough of this month 70 THEN & NOW Take a trip down Route 6 from Lincoln to Vanceboro

ON THE COVER ORIGINAL PHOTO:

GABOR DEGRE

2 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

PHOTOS: GABOR DEGRE

80 LAST WORD Tempted by podcasting

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 16 BOO! Where to get your fright on this Halloween

FOOD & DRINK

HEALTH & FITNESS

28 IN SEASON NOW Preparing for pumpkin season

30 HIKE ME Haunted trails to hike this October 36 SEASONAL SADNESS Boost your mood with healthy fats

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) BDN FILE; SARAH WALKER CARON; AISLINN SARNACKI; HIGHWAYSTARZ-PHOTOGRAPHY/THINKSTOCK; SCHARFSINN86/THINKSTOCK; AMY ALLEN

40 STAYING FIT THIS FALL Stay moving as the temperature falls

HOW TO

HOME & FAMILY

OUTSIDE

42 PUMPKINS & POWERTOOLS Creative ways to display pumpkins

46 FIRE SAFETY PLANNING Don’t get burned by a lack of fire safety planning

78 HUNTING TRADITION Maine’s the only state in America to prohibit hunting on Sundays

44 POP IT LIKE IT’S HOT How to make stove-popped popcorn www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 3

EDITOR’S NOTE

SARAH WALKER CARON, EDITOR

Connect With Us Online bangormetro.com facebook.com/BangorMetro @BangorMetro bangormetro talkback@bangormetro.com

4 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

www.bangormetro.com P.O. Box 1329 Bangor, Maine 04402-1329 Phone: 207.990.8000

PUBLISHER

Richard J. Warren

EDITOR

Sarah Walker Caron scaron@bangordailynews.com

ART DIRECTOR

Amy Allen aallen@bangordailynews.com

SUBSCRIPTION & PROMOTIONS MANAGER

Fred Stewart fstewart@bangordailynews.com

STAFF WRITER

Lauren Abbate labbate@bangordailynews.com

STAFF WRITER

Emily Burnham eburnham@bangordailynews.com

STAFF WRITER

John Holyoke jholyoke@bangordailynews.com

STAFF WRITER

Aislinn Sarnacki asarnacki@bangordailynews.com

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 5

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS

Bob Duchesne

Jodi Hersey

Jeff Kirlin

Jane Margesson

Richard Shaw

Chris Quimby

AND...

Kassadi Moore, Emily Morrison, and Katie Smith

Bangor Metro Magazine. October 2017, Vol. 13, No. 10.

Copyright Š Bangor Publishing Company.

Bangor Metro is published 12 times annually by Bangor Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

This magazine may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form without the written permission of the Publisher.

Bangor Metro is mailed at standard rates from Portland, Maine.

Opinions expressed in either the editorial or advertisements do not represent the opinions of the staff or publisher of Bangor Metro magazine. Advertisers and event sponsors or their agents are responsible for copyrights and accuracy of all material they submit.

Bangor Metro magazine to the best of its ability ensures the acuracy of information printed in the publication.

Inquiries and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Letters to the editor, story suggestions, and other reader input will be subject to Bangor Metro’s unrestricted right to edit and publish in the magazine both in print and online.

Editorial: Queries should be sent to Sarah Walker Caron at scaron@bangordailynews.com.

Advertising: For advertising questions, please call the Sales Director Todd McLeod at 207-990-8105.

Subscriptions/Address Change: The one year subscription cost is $15.95. Address changes: to ensure delivery, subscribers must notify the magazine of address changes one month in advance of the cover date. Please contact Fred Stewart at 207-990-8075.

Accounts Payable/Receivable: For information about your account please contact Todd McLeod at 207-990-8105.

COVER: ORIGINAL PHOTO BY GABOR DEGRE

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 7

WHAT’S HAPPENING

OCTOBER SUNDAY, OCT. 1 BANGOR OUT OF DARKNESS WALK

The Maine Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is hosting a 3-5 mile walk on the Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion to raise funds and awareness for AFSP’s vision to create a world without suicide. The walk starts at noon on Sunday, Oct. 1 and ends at 2 p.m. Check Facebook.com/AFSPMaine for more info.

SATURDAY, OCT. 7 2017 COLOR MILO RUN AND WALK

The town of Milo will feature more colors than the fall foliage. The Milo Events Committee is hosting the annual Color Milo Run and Walk at the Milo Elementary School on Saturday, Oct. 7 from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. All of the profits are directed to the Black Fly Festival, Haunted Halloween and Hay Rides and Milo’s Hometown Holiday.

8 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

OCT. 1 Bangor Out of Darkness Walk

THURSDAY, OCT. 12 AQUILA THEATRE PRESENTS: HAMLET

A traveling performing group from the Aquila Theatre in New York City is coming to Maine to perform a classic from William Shakespeare: Hamlet. The Collins Center for the Arts will be hosting the event on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. The characters of Hamlet are enthralled in personal battles and gains while risking their own mortality.

Ticket prices vary. To purchase tickets, visit the Collins Center for the Arts’ website. collinscenterforthearts.com

Paul to write for his life, literally. The show runs from Oct. 12 - Nov. 5. penobscottheatre.org

OCT. 13-14 BANGOR BOOK FESTIVAL

Book lovers will want to mark this on their calendars. Join Maine and Maine-connected writers of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and children’s books for panel discussions, book talk, signings and more at the Bangor Book Festival in Downtown Bangor. For more information about the authors and events scheduled visit www.bangorbookfest.org. bangorbookfest.org

OCT. 12 - NOV. 5 PENOBSCOT THEATRE PRESENTS MISERY

Misery, an adaption of a Stephen King novel, is making its Maine debut. The story follows a romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued after a car accident by his number one fan, Annie Wilkes. Annie’s persistence for new works by the writer forces

SATURDAY, OCT. 14 PINK RUNWAY PROJECT GALA

Show your support for breast cancer survivors during breast cancer awareness month by joining survivors at the Pink Runway Project Gala at the Cross Insurance Center on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. There will be a sit down dinner with entertainment of art,

PHOTOS: BDN FILE

EVENTS

dance and breast cancer survivors on the cat walk. For more information on tickets, visit www.pinkrunwayproject.org. Tickets will not be available at the door. pinkrunwayproject.org

SATURDAY, OCT. 14 HAUNTED TRAILS

OCT. 12-NOV. 5 Penobscot Theatre Presents Misery

Come experience high-quality scenes and costuming for a great cause. Be prepared to be scared as you walk ž of a mile on the south loop of the Reeds Brook Trails in Hampden, or for a less frightening experience, take a walk on our kid-friendly north loop. The Happy Halloween Trail will be open from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., or the more frightening Haunted Trail from 7:30 to 9 p.m. $5 per person and donations are accepted to help keep the recreational trails going all year round.

SUNDAY, OCT. 15 FOLIAGE HIKE

Blue Hill Heritage Trust membership coordinator Laura Blandford and volunteer Barbara Kourajian will lead a foliage hike 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15. Hikers can enjoy the fall leaves up John B Mountain, Breezemere Road, in Brooksville. At the top

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 9

EVENTS

WHAT’S HAPPENING

OCT. 27 Clockwise Mysteries

of the mountain, hikers can enjoy beautiful seasonal colors across the Penobscot. Register by calling BHHT office at 374-5118.

OCT. 21-22 FALL HOLIDAY ARTS AND CRAFT FAIR

Maine Made Crafts and the Augusta Armory will host its 35th annual Fall Holiday Arts and Craft Fair with artists and crafters from Maine and New England, 10 a.m. 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21 and 22 at the Augusta Armory. For more information, call 946-7079 or visit www. newenglandcraftfairs.com. newenglandcraftfairs.com

OCT. 15 Foliage Hike, Blue Hill

10 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

People of all ages can travel through time at the Gracie Theatre on Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. With the help of a Victorian time machine, illusionists Ted and Marion Outerbridge bring their audience on a highenergy magical adventure. The audience becomes part of the show as they try to beat the race against time and predict the contents of the mysterious time capsule.

Tickets start at $25.

PHOTOS: BDN FILE

OCT. 27 CLOCKWORK MYSTERIES

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 11

MAINE TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE IS ONE OF

Maine’s HIDDEN GEMS

THE MAINE TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE (MTI) was created by the Maine State Legislature in 1999, and is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to provide “early-stage capital and commercialization assistance” to individuals, businesses, and educational institutions’ research groups across Maine. At this past year’s MSF, the first three speakers at our 5 Minute Genius event each mentioned the support they had received from MTI, and how it was significant to their research and work. Another MSF friend, Chuck Donnelly of Rock Step Solutions has said, “MTI has been critically important to our company; I can say unequivocally we would not be here had we not gotten funding from MTI.” In our continuing mission of uncovering and highlighting Maine’s hidden gems, we asked Martha Bentley, Director of Innovation Infrastructure at MTI, to talk to us about MTI and what they are doing for Maine.

MSF: What exactly does MTI do, and are there specific areas of science, engineering or technology that you are focused on?

MARTHA BENTLEY: MTI’s core mission is to diversity and grow Maine’s economy by encouraging, promoting, stimulating, and supporting innovation and its transformation into new products, services and companies. MTI is a part of the State of Maine’s strategy for building an innovation economy and works across seven broad technology sectors — from Advanced Technologies in Forestry and Agriculture to Biotechnology to Marine Technology and Aquaculture.

MSF: Why are you focusing on those areas?

MARTHA: I always jokingly say that when MTI was started, someone looked at all the critical areas of Maine’s economy and added the word “technology” to them. What has changed since MTI was founded almost 20 years ago, is that technology has become ubiquitous and innovation often occurs at the intersection of sectors, not always squarely in one sector or another. So, we generally say that MTI supports “technology-enabled” projects and companies.

over the years — directly and indirectly. The Gulf of Maine Responsibility Harvested label you see in Hannaford’s on some of its seafood was developed with MTI funding through a Gulf of Maine Research Institute project through the Cluster Initiative Program. Clink — the green bagging system you use to return bottles — was funded by MTI. There is a good chance that oysters or mussels you order in a restaurant were farmed using technology developed with MTI funding. If you had to have brain surgery, the probe cover used on your surgeon’s tools may have been improved using funds provided by MTI. MSF: MTI has been around for almost 20 years, and yet many Mainers have never heard of MTI or the work you support. If you could have Mainers remembering only one thing about MTI, what would it be?

MARTHA: MTI is the mechanism by which the State of Maine invests in a forward-looking economy. We invest in all counties and in companies and organizations large and small — from sole proprietors to the biggest employer in Hancock County. MTI wants to encourage Maine’s dreamers and doers, so if that is you, please get in touch!

MSF: What is your role at MTI? MARTHA: MTI’s work can be roughly split into two areas — first is the direct support for private companies developing new products, services or business models that they are bringing to the market; second is the infrastructures — both physical and human — that supports innovation and innovators in Maine.

I work closely with the second area. If the innovation economy is a tree, I work in the space between the leaves.

MSF: Can you give us some examples of companies or organizations who have received MTI funding and are now thriving in Maine?

MARTHA: What is often surprising to many is how many different companies and organizations that MTI has touched 12 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

MSF: If our readers want more information about MTI, what’s the best way to reach out to you?

MARTHA: A great first step is to sign up to get our enews and to check out our website (https://www. mainetechnology.org/). And you can always call and get a real person — (207) 582-4790.

STILL STUMPED?

Here are the answers to last month’s Pop Quiz.

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Play THIS MONTH’S Pop Quiz on page 15! www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 13

EVENTS

SIGHTINGS

HERE’S A LOOK AT JUST A FEW SPECIAL EVENTS FROM THE PAST MONTH...

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1

3 14 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

collecting donations and assisting visitors.

2: Jim Miller and Linda Lawson-Miller get in the swing of things at the Folk Festival dance tent.

3: Festival goers crowd around one of the many stages along the waterfront.

PHOTOS: JEFF KIRLIN, THE THING OF THE MOMENT

1: The American Folk Festival took over the Bangor Waterfront in late August, drawing thousands for the three-day event featuring music from around the world. Volunteers — dressed up and donning the occasional moose hat — donated hundreds of hours, organizing the event,

Happy Halloween!

BOO! Don’t get spooked — it’s just our super scary Halloween edition of Pop Quiz. Play online at bangormetro.com for your chance to win a FREE one-year subscription to Bangor Metro!

4 5

PHOTOS: (4&5) GABOR DEGRE; (6) JEFF KIRLIN, THE THING OF THE MOMENT

4 & 5: Author Christina Baker Kline signs books and speaks to a large crowd at the Bangor Library during a Dirigo Speaks event. She spoke about her latest book, “A Piece of the World,” a fictional novel about the real life of Christina Olson who inspired Andrew Wyeth’s painting.

6: The 3rd Annual Bucksport Arts Festival was held August 12. Fine artisans and craftspeople lined the waterfront and displayed their wares for all to enjoy. The festival is organized in partnership with Main Street Bucksport, whose mission is to promote a vibrant downtown Bucksport.

6

FIND ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S POP QUIZ ON PAGE 13!

Visit our Bangor Metro Facebook page to play online! www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 15

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Where to get your fright on this Halloween. BY EMILY BURNHAM

16 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

THE LITTLE HAIRS RISE on the back of your neck. Your senses are heightened. What was that noise? Is someone watching you?

Oh, we do love a good fright.

If you do too, then this list is for you.

Here’s a smattering of the frightful fun you can find in Bangor and beyond this October.

PHOTOS: (PUMPKIN) JAG_CZ/ THINKSTOCK; (CHILD) BDN FILE

FRIGHT AT THE FORT FORT KNOX STATE PARK After 18 years, the annual Fright at the Fort Halloween experience at Fort Knox State Park in Prospect is, for our money, the scariest haunted “house” in Maine. But it’s definitely not for the faint of heart — Fort Knox is a pretty creepy place to begin with, and when you fill it with legions of gleefully sadistic volunteer spooks … well, it gets pretty tense. In the best scary way possible, of course. This year’s Fright nights are set for 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20 and 21, and Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27 and 28. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under. But it’s really not for the little ones — it’s likely too scary them. An “express” ticket ($13 adults, $7 kids) helps you skip the line and can be bought online at fortknox.maineguide.com/Fright.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 17

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

IN THE THEATRE: “MISERY” AND “CARRIE: THE MUSICAL” BANGOR AND ORONO, RESPECTIVELY Not only has 2017 been a banner year for Stephen King movies — with the releases of “The Dark Tower” and “IT,” just to name a few — but in the Bangor area, theatrical adaptations of King works are running all throughout the month of October. Penobscot Theatre Company opens its production of “Misery,” William Goldman’s adaptation of King’s dark thriller about a writer held captive by his “number one fan.” It’s set for Wednesdays through Sundays, Oct. 12 through Nov. 5 at the Bangor Opera House. And up in Orono, Some Theatre Company will stage “Carrie: The Musical,” a musical adaptation of King’s classic story of a telekinetic teen pushed to the breaking point — the bloody musical was a Broadway flop when it premiered 1988, but has since attained cult favorite status. The show opens on Halloween, October 31, at the Keith Anderson Community Center in Orono. Additional shows will be staged from Nov. 3-5 and Nov. 10-12.

BANGOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY GHOSTLY BANGOR WALKING TOUR THOMAS A. HILL HOUSE The Bangor Historical Society’s Ghostly Bangor Walking Tour feature tales veiled in unsolved mysteries, murder and the past residents who may still linger in the Queen City. Tours stroll through the streets of Downtown Bangor and last between 60 and 90 minutes, departing from the Thomas A. Hill House on Union Street. They’re set for Saturdays on Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Tuesdays on Oct. 11, 18, 25, and Thursdays Oct. 13 and 27. Admission is $10 per person.

18 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

For more creepy details about the Ghostly Walking Tour and Thomas A. Hill House, see page 64.

Find your perfect PHOTO: BDN FILE

AUDIENCE

Advertise your business in BANGOR METRO! CALL 990-8134 for details

bangormetro.com www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 19

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

KENDUSKEAG HAUNTED HOUSE COLE MEMORIAL BALL FIELD, 536 KENDUSKEAG LEVANT ROAD This homegrown, hand-built haunted house takes its job of scaring the bejeezus out of you very seriously — it routinely attracts over 2,000 people over the course of the weekend, with community members donning truly terrifying costumes, ready to grab attendees with no warning. It’s not recommended for kids 12 and under, though parents can use discretion. This year’s event is set for Oct. 27 and 28, from 7 p.m. to midnight. At just $5, it’s a steal, with all the proceeds benefiting sports programs in Kenduskeag. For more information, like the Kenduskeag Haunted House on Facebook.

20 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

PHOTOS: (FIELD) TATIANATATIANA/THINKSTOCK; (ZOMBIES) BDN FILE

BANGOR ZOMBIE WALK BANGOR WATERFRONT The seventh annual Bangor Zombie Walk is set for Saturday, Oct. 28. What’s a zombie walk? Well, it’s actually pretty simple: don your best zombie outfit, meet at the Bangor Waterfront at 3 p.m. (you’ll know the spot by the hordes of zombies), and get ready to shuffle and moan your way through town. Some people go over the top with their zombie makeup and costumes; others simply rub a little green or gray face paint on, rip up a t-shirt and just join in the all-ages fun. A suggested donation of $5 goes to benefit a number of local charities. For more information, like Bangor Zombie Walk on Facebook.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 21

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OBSESSIONS

OBSESSIONS WHAT WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS MONTH.

ART

TV STRANGER THINGS, SEASON 2 Netflix had us at rotary phones and banana seats. Set in 1983, an original series by the subscription television service reminded us of the old days before cell phones and Facebook. But obvious nostalgia aside, season 1 of “Stranger Things” was a surprising, thrilling drama that kept us captivated through all eight episodes. When a 12-yearold mysteriously went missing, something viewers saw in unnerving clarity, a mother, her son’s friends and the authorities all look for answers … and stumble on secret government experiments and a hair raising supernatural explanation. On Oct. 27, it’s back for nine episodes in season 2. Eleven, Mike, Will, Lucas and Dustin are all back, as are Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, David Harbour as Sheriff Jim Hopper and more. We can’t wait to see what happens next … and we hear it only gets stranger.

—SARAH WALKER CARON

PHOTOS: (BIKE) HOPSALKA/THINKSTOCK; (MUSEUM) BDN FILE; (TV) MR_POKPAK/THINKSTOCK

“TINTYPE PORTRAITS” UNIVERSITY OF MAINE MUSEUM OF ARTS Keliy Anderson-Staley, a Houston-based photographer originally from Maine, has taken tintype portraits of hundreds of people over the years.

Her portraits give an unflinching look at individuals, focusing closely on their faces — and particularly their eyes. Now, her work is on display at the University of Maine Museum of Arts in Downtown Bangor through Dec. 31. The exhibit, “Tintype Portraits,” presents a compelling look into the great tapestry of people living in 21st century America. This exhibit is one of four new ones that opened on Sept. 15. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; the museum is located at 40 Harlow St. in downtown Bangor, and admission is free.

—EMILY BURNHAM

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 23

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OBSESSIONS

OBSESSIONS WHAT WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS MONTH.

“I KNOW A SECRET,” by Tess Gerritsen.

Talk about a page turner! I couldn’t put down this thriller by Maine writer Tess Gerritsen. From the opening scenes where a young female filmmaker is found in a pose that could be someone out of one of the horror flicks she makes to the ending where … well, you’ll just have to read it. Also, this is from the Rizzoli & Isles series, but even as someone who hasn’t read the series before I was able to jump in and follow happily. I can only imagine that the experience would be enhanced if you’d read other books in this series.

“NEVERMOOR: THE TRIALS OF MORRIGAN CROW,” by Jessica Townsend.Oh, magical tales. They get us every time. But this one? It’s special. As Publisher’s Weekly noted earlier this year, it’s already drawing comparisons between it and Harry Potter. That’s pretty impressive.

Morrigan Crow was born on Eventide, which makes her a cursed child destined to die on her 11th birthday. To her father, she’s already dead. But Morrigan wants to live, and thanks to a strange man who whisks her away to Nevermoor, she can … well, as long as she joins the Wondrous Society, a prestigious organization. She must pass four difficult tests to do so. And so begins this fantastical tale of magic, mystery, courage and wonder. My son devoured an advanced reader copy of this book, and can’t wait for the next one in the series. This book will be released in October.

—SARAH WALKER CARON

24 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

MUSIC “YOU’RE NOT GONE” FORGET FORGET Four years after the band’s first full-length album, “We Are All,” Forget Forget has stripped down from a five piece to a two piece, and has fully embraced its electronic side. Forget Forget, a Portland-based band, may have started life as an indie rock band, but in 2017, Tyler DeVos and Patia Maule have moved away from that, offering up ten beat-driven songs on its new album, “You’re Not Gone.” DeVos and Maule trade off lead vocals throughout the album, full of dreamy synthesizers and guitar riffs, with heartfelt, romantic lyrics. Songs like “Public Places” and “Parades” and a number of others are easily danceable pop songs, whereas album opener “City” and “Week or So” are haunting ballads — DeVos and Maule have a way of imbuing dramatic energy into both the upbeat songs and the sad ones. Crisply produced by the duo, mixed by Nathan Sabatino (Dr. Dog, The Flaming Lips) and mastered by Alan Douches (Kurt Vile, Beach Slang), the album is a well-made, thoughtful, often irresistibly catchy long-awaited follow up album for the talented DeVos and Maule.

It’s available on Bandcamp and Spotify.

—EMILY BURNHAM

PHOTOS: CARLOSCASTILLA & ESKAMILHO/THINKSTOCK

BOOKS

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FOOD & DRINK

OBSESSIONS

OBSESSIONS WHAT WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS MONTH.

RESTAURANT DISH

CHEESE

WHY DO WE LOVE IT? The creamy, buttery, mild flavor of Fromager D’ Affinois quickly made it a must-have for my kids’ and my Cheesy Monday dinners. Though it resembles brie, it’s so much creamier with a hint of sweetness. This cheese is excellent served with fresh fruit — apples, pomegranate arils, strawberries, whatever — and bread or crackers. Available at Bangor Wine & Cheese and made by the Fromagerie Guilloteau company, this French cheese is a double-cream soft cheese made from cow’s milk. If you like brie, this is a must-try.

—SARAH WALKER CARON

WHY DO WE LOVE IT? At The Family Dog in Orono it seems there is nothing that does not pair well with the humble hot dog. And I do mean nothing.

While I normally go for a simple Deli Dog — a grilled ‘dog topped with sauerkraut and mustard — I more recently decided to go full-on Maine coast and topped a grilled hotdog with fresh lobster, crumbled bacon and spicy mayo — a combination that had even the Family Dog’s manager looking a tad bemused. The topping is normally used on the restaurant’s Surf and Turf Hamburger, but at The Family Dog, no request is denied — even one putting Maine’s signature crustacean on a hot dog. I can now say, with full confidence, this is my new favorite way to eat a hot dog. Served with some of the best french fries around and eaten outside on a sunny afternoon it is quite simply Maine served up on a poppyseed bun.

An odd combination but wow, did it work. The meaty beef hot dog — the kind that “snaps” when you bite into it — paired wonderfully with the salty freshness of the lobster. The spicy mayo provided a perfect kick without being overpowering and the crumbled bacon? Perfectly crispy to add an amazing flavor and texture.

Perhaps the best part? As the name implies, the family dog is welcome in The Family Dog’s outdoor seating areas.

—JULIA BAYLY

26 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

PHOTOS: (HOT DOG) JULIA BAYLY; ALEXRATHS, TBRALNINA/THINKSTOCK

SURF & TURF BURGER ON A HOT DOG THE FAMILY DOG IN ORONO

FROMAGER D’AFFINOIS AT BANGOR WINE & CHEESE

What exactly is kombucha?

It’s fermented, lightly

effervescent sweetened black or green tea.

COOKING TECHNIQUE ROASTING VEGGIES WHY DO WE LOVE IT? When the chilly fall air swirls around you and the pumpkins take up residence on the porch, it’s time to turn to warm, comforting dishes for dinners. And among our favorites are roasted vegetables. From Brussels sprouts to cauliflower, squash to onions, so many veggies are delicious when cooked this way. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.

Toss whatever veggies you’re roasting — cut into bite sized pieces, preferably — with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. And then roast until tender and golden brown.

The time will vary based on the veggie, but generally this will take between 15-25 minutes.

—SARAH WALKER CARON

COCKTAIL KOMBUCHA MADE FOR WALKIN’ AT THE FIDDLEHEAD RESTAURANT, BANGOR WHY DO WE LOVE IT? When going to the Fiddlehead Restaurant on Hammond Street in Bangor, you know you’re going to be pleasantly surprised by something. Perhaps it’s an eclectic take on a local product you’ve never heard of, or realizing that, yes, cornbread should always be served with molasses.

Fiddlehead’s drink menu holds the same intrigue.

Maybe it was because I’d written a lot about ferments in the past few months, or maybe it was the kitschy name, but when I saw the Kombucha Made for Walkin’ cocktail, I knew I needed it in my life.

Made with vodka or gin, lemon, basil and ginger kombucha, the concoction is the perfect balance between being light and refreshing while still offering a distinct flavor. Cut with my choice of vodka, the drink doesn’t offend you with a heavy fermented flavor, instead it’s the ginger flavor of the kombucha that comes through.

For the faint of heart who might not be on the kombucha train just yet, the Fiddlehead Restaurant boasts a lengthy cocktail menu featuring a range of spirits and surprising cocktail additions.

—LAUREN ABBATE

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 27

FOOD & DRINK

IN SEASON NOW

In Season Now:

PUMPKIN STORY & PHOTOS BY SARAH WALKER CARON

“HAVE YOU COME to sing pumpkin carols?”

The sweet, funny line from “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” hints at a pumpkin truth: they are a grand tradition on stoops, porches and patios. From Jack O’Lanterns to pies, cookies to pastas, soups to, yes, lattes, pumpkins are everywhere.

(To be fair, the lattes seldom actually have pumpkin in them — only the spices that comprise pumpkin pie.)

Serves 4 2 cups cubed sugar pumpkin (about 1/2 pumpkin, peeled and innards removed) 2 tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste 12 oz package cheese ravioli 1 tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, small diced (about 2/3 cup) 2 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil. Toss the cubed pumpkin with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper and spread on the baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes, stir and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the ravioli according to package directions. Drain, reserving one ladle of water.

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown — about 10 minutes. Add the butter and sage and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, until the butter is melted and the sage is wilted. Add the ladle of water from the pasta pot and stir well. Add the pasta and pumpkin and toss to coat.

Serve immediately. If desired, add a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese.

28 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

Pumpkins are planted in late spring and slowly grow for months and months. By the time October rolls around, they’re ready for picking. Whether you’re carving a pumpkin or cooking it, it’s quintessential fall.

Speaking of cooking — and eating — pumpkins, they are especially good for you. That deeply hued orange flesh is an excellent source of Vitamin A, and also a good source of Vitamin C and other nutrients.

So what will you make with them this fall? Take a savory approach with this hearty pasta dish that combines roasted sugar pumpkin with cheese ravioli, a little onion and bright, earthy sage.

To prepare the pumpkin for roasting, first use a peeler to peel the pumpkin. Then cut it in half and scoop out of the innards (the seeds are excellent for roasting for snacks and salad toppings).

Finally, cut the pumpkin into cubes.

SARAH WALKER CARON is a Bangor-based food writer and a senior editor for the Bangor Daily News. Her weekly food column, Maine Course, appears in the BDN every Wednesday and she is also author of Sarah’s Cucina Bella food blog (www.sarahscucinabella.com) and a cookbook: “Grains as Mains: Modern Recipes Using Ancient Grains.”

PHOTO: (TOP) IGOR_KELL/THINKSTOCK

Ravioli with Roasted Pumpkin and Sage

WHETHER YOU’RE CARVING A PUMPKIN OR COOKING IT, IT’S QUINTESSENTIAL FALL.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 29

HEALTH & FITNESS

HIKE ME

HAUNTED

TRAILS Take a walk on the spooky side.

STORY & PHOTOS BY AISLINN SARNACKI

THE RUSTLE OF DEAD LEAVES. The pop of a snapping twig. As the sun sinks behind the hills and shadows grow long, these are the sounds that raise goosebumps and stir the imagination. In the cold, crisp air of autumn, the many spooky legends of the Maine woods come out to play, creeping into the minds of hikers, bikers and fishermen alike.

It’s a season of short days and frosty nights. The bright foliage fades and falls and decays. And on the skeletal branches left behind, crows gather and roost. They caw and clack, their dark eyes shining.

Following blazes of red paint on a public trail, a woman descends the wooded hill, over twisted tree roots and loose rocks, to the edge of Silver Lake. Like many other visitors to the Bucksport trail network, she is drawn to shore.

Gray waves lap at her feet and a cold wind tangles her hair. In the gloom of a cloudy afternoon, her figure appears to cast its own faint light, wavering, ethereal.

Then she’s gone.

30 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

SILVER LAKE TRAILS IN BUCKSPORT EASY

A LOCAL TRAIL NETWORK that offers approximately 2 miles of woods walking, Silver Lake Trails in Bucksport lies within a 67-acre park on Silver Lake, which is said to be haunted by the headless ghost of a woman named Sarah Ware.

Born in 1846, Sarah Ware of Bucksport disappeared in September of 1898, and during a town-wide search, her body was discovered in the pastures of the home where she’d been employed as a maid. Right away, the scene suggested foul play. Ware’s skull was badly damaged, and when local men lifted her body to place it in a coffin, her head fell off, according to the book “In Search of Sarah Ware: Reinvestigating Murder and Conspiracy in a Maine Village” by Eric Spooner, an assistant librarian at the Buck Memorial Library who in 2006 began digging up records about the murder in old newspaper clippings and court documents.

The crime was never solved, and Ware’s body was buried at the old Silver Lake Cemetery. Her head, however, was held in the Ellsworth Courthouse as evidence, according to the book.

In 1930, all of the graves of the cemetery were relocated when a dam was built and Silver Lake expanded over the site. Ware was moved to Oak Hill Cemetery off McDonald Street, where her headstone sits at the woodland edge beside those of her family. And in 1998, her head was reunited with her body.

Or was it? Some versions of the story claim her headless body was never relocated and that she is still buried below Silver Lake, which would certainly explain her haunting the lake and nearby woods.

For more information about these haunted trails, visit www.bucksportmaine.gov and search “Silver Lake Trails” or call the Bucksport Town Office at 207-469-7368.

HOW TO GET THERE: From Main Street in Bucksport, turn onto Central Street (beside MacLeod’s Restaurant and across from Fort Knox Park Inn). Follow Central Street approximately 1.8 miles and turn left into the parking area of Bucksport Public Works (362 Central Street). Follow signs for Silver Lake Trails to the left of the blue buildings and down a dirt drive to the parking area for the trail network. A kiosk with a trail map marks the trailhead. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 31

HEALTH & FITNESS

HIKE ME

MAIDEN CLIFF IN CAMDEN MODERATE

ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR hiking destinations of Midcoast Maine, Maiden Cliff rises 800 feet above Megunticook Lake on the dramatic western slope of Megunticook Mountain. A 1-mile trail leads to the top of these cliffs, which offer spectacular views of the lake and nearby hills — but exercise caution while near the ledges. In the mid-1800s, a young girl fell to her death from the top of Maiden Cliff, and some believe her spirit lingers at the scenic spot.

A giant, white-painted steel cross and memorial plaque located atop the cliffs tells the story. On May 7, 1864, 12-year-old Elenora French, a farmer’s daughter, was attending a maying party that hiked up the mountain to the outlook atop the cliffs, and according to local legend, Elenora fell while trying to catch her windblown hat.

The Maiden Cliffs Trail starts out as a gradual climb, following a brook for the first 0.5 mile. This part of the trail offers some beautiful woodland scenery of tall evergreens, boulders and twisted roots. At about 0.5 mile, you come to a trail juncture where you turn left to continue on Maiden Cliff Trail. From there, the trail becomes increasingly steep and rocky before leveling off into a smooth path that leads to the viewpoint and memorial cross and plaque.

For more information, visit maine.gov/camdenhills or call Camden Hills State Park at 207-236-3109.

HOW TO GET THERE: From the intersection of Route 1 and Route 52 in Camden, turn onto Route 52 and travel north for about 2.8 miles. The parking area for Maiden Cliff Trail will be on the right.

32 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 33

HEALTH & FITNESS

HIKE ME

CATHERINE MOUNTAIN IN FRANKLIN CHALLENGING

RISING 942 FEET ABOVE sea level, Catherine Mountain’s sparsely wooded top offers spectacular views of surrounding mountains, lakes and ponds. To locals, it’s known as “Catherine’s Hill,” and it is the setting of a particularly spooky legend about a spirit called “Headless Catherine.”

The legend has many versions, one of which is recorded in “A Ghost a Day: 365 True Tales of the Spectral, Supernatural and … Just Plain Scary!” by Maureen Wood and Ron Kolek.

Their version of the legend states that motorists driving between the town of Franklin and Cherryfield on Blackwoods Road often see a ghostly spectre of a headless woman named Catherine. The story goes that Catherine and her boyfriend were driving back from prom on Feb. 17, 1974, when they lost control of their car and crashed into the woods. Catherine was beheaded in the accident and died immediately, but her boyfriend’s body was never found. Some say that her ghost is looking for him. Beside the road, she haunts the banks of Fox Pond and Catherine Mountain.

Regardless of the reason she’s there, authors and tellers of the legend insist that if motorists see the headless ghost, they must stop to pick her up or meet a disastrous fate. Other versions of the legend place Catherine’s death as early as the 1860s (a carriage accident) and specify that her ghost wears a long blue gown. Other stories insist her gown is white.

For more of Aislinn Sarnacki’s adventures, visit her blog at actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com.

Follow her on Twitter: @1minhikegirl.

Her new guidebook, “Family-Friendly Hikes in Maine,” released in May 2017, is available at local bookstores, Down East Books and online booksellers.

34 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

Starting at the gravel Dynamite Brook Road, the hike up the west side of Catherine Mountain climbs gradually through a forest of tall evergreens, and like many mountain trails, it becomes steeper as it nears the top. Marked with blue blazes and rock piles (called cairns), the trail visits several open rocky areas and ledges that offer open views of the region.

Near the summit of the mountain is a pile of sharp, broken stone piled up in the rough shape of a chair. Perhaps it’s a throne for Catherine? After this structure, the trail explores a ledge and heads down the east side of the mountain to end at Blackwoods Road.

HOW TO GET THERE: From the intersection of Route 1 and Route 182 in Franklin, turn east on Route 182 (Blackwoods Scenic Byway) and turn right onto Dynamite Brook Road, a dirt road marked with a blue public reserved land sign. Drive a short distance and park in the first small parking area on the left. The parking area is marked with a brown public reserved land sign and a smaller sign pointing to the trailhead, which is farther down the road on the left, just before the narrow bridge. The trailhead is marked by a boulder painted with a blue blaze. Not far from the trailhead you’ll reach an intersection where you turn left to hike Catherine Mountain or right to hike Caribou Mountain.

HEALTH & FITNESS

36 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

Seasonal

SADNESS PHOTO: SEMATADESIGN/THINKSTOCK

Can healthy fats boost your mood? BY KATIE SMITH SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER, or SAD, affects approximately 10 to 20 percent of people in the United States, according to the American Psychiatric Association. It is a condition that leaves you feeling down, sluggish, and unmotivated in the winter months. However, when spring and summer return you perk up and feel more like yourself.

Here in Maine, it’s something that folks feel acutely.

David Prescott, PhD, assistant professor and director of healthcare studies at Husson University, says some of this has to do with the shorter days we experience here in Maine. “By mid-January, Mainers have experienced over three months where there is more darkness than daylight each day,” Prescott said.

There has been research to support that lack of daylight makes the body produce more melatonin as well as other neurochemicals which makes us feel drowsy and in turn, less motivated to get outside and be active. “Exposure to extended darkness may alter the body’s natural clock, leading to decreased energy and perhaps seasonal depression,” Prescott said.

While things such as light therapy (exposure to artificial lights), Vitamin D supplements, exercise and medical therapy have been proven to improve moods, there have also been studies that suggest eating more healthy fats can help give our moods a boost.

Dr. Peter Pressman, MD, vice president of medical operations for The Daedalus Foundation and a former Aspire Food Group Visiting Scientist in the Horch Neuroscience Laboratory at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, said that over the last 10 years, there has been research that linked omega-3 fatty acids to health benefits for the brain which include “augmented blood flow to improved mood and lowered risk for depression.”

Swapping those foods for those with healthy fats like avocado, nuts, salmon, olive oil, or tuna is a small adjustment that can have great benefits.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 37

HEALTH & FITNESS

Living in a state that experiences more darkness than daylight during the winter months can affect your mood and mental health. Studies that suggest eating more healthy fats can help give our moods a boost. Here are a few ideas to help get you on the right track...

Choose foods with healthy fats like salmon and nuts.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to health benefits for the brain which include “augmented blood flow to improved mood and lowered risk for depression.”

Add more fresh

fruits and veggies to your meals to help

Choosing whole grains and unprocessed foods like oatmeal, quinoa and fresh fruits and vegetables is another small change that can make a difference.

38 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

boost your mood.

THE STUDY FOUND THAT DIETS THAT INCLUDE A LOT OF FOODS WITH A HIGH SCORE GLYCEMIC INDEX — THOSE SWEETENED BEVERAGES, REFINED FOODS AND PASTRIES, FOR INSTANCE — COULD BE A RISK FACTOR FOR DEPRESSION IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN, THE GROUP WHICH IT FOCUSED ON. sweetened beverages, refined foods and pastries, for instance — could be a risk factor for depression in postmenopausal women, the group which it focused on.

Choosing whole grains and unprocessed foods like oatmeal, quinoa and fresh fruits and vegetables is another small change that can make a difference.

It’s important to consider there are diets and lifestyles which affect people in different ways. Humans are intricate creatures who have different triggers and regiments which work for us, even if they don’t work for our neighbor.

Pressman said depressions, including SAD, are a very “complex state of thoughts, behavior, and feelings into which, life events, culture, personality, socioeconomic level, medical history all play a role.”

It is also important to remember if you feel your symptoms are more than just feeling melancholy in the shorter, darker months, to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

PHOTOS: ALEXANDRSHEVCHENKO, RAFALSTACHURA/THINKSTOCK

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

According to a study by researchers in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, published in 2015 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “The consumption of sweetened beverages, refined foods, and pastries has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of depression in longitudinal studies.” The study found that diets that include a lot of foods with a high score on the glycemic index —

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HEALTH & FITNESS

STAYING

FIT

this fall

BY EMILY MORRISON

THOUGH MAINE FALLS are postcard pretty, it can be hard to exercise outside in the autumn air once that north wind starts blowing. You can still get all the fresh air and Vitamin D you need outdoors, if you’re willing to dress for it. Here are a few ways I’ve found to beat the fall chill while training for a marathon in our cool climate.

RUNNING OUTSIDE No, I’m not joking. You can run, walk, jog or wog (a cross between a walk and a jog) outside straight through autumn. How do I know? I’ve been wogging for 11 years now, and I’ve yet to encounter a fall day too cold to wog in. Rural routes provide a nice gravel shoulder for those who need a little give beneath their feet when they’re pounding the pavement. Nothing beats running on a quiet country road, leaf-peeping all those orangeyred trees while singing along to Adele’s “Hello From the Other Side.” It puts me in the mood for heartbreak and apple cider simultaneously.

Or, if you’re a Bangor city dweller and too far removed from rural routes, you can hit the sidewalk or the slow lane and still belt out any number of Adele’s rock anthems. Just avoid the interstate (a

40 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

lot of crazy scenarios involving last minute dives and handsome young paramedic workers come into play there). Stay safe on country roads, sidewalks or slow lanes, “Set Fire to the Rain” and keep those thoughts of hot EMT’s coming!

OUTDOOR APPAREL Let’s start with footwear first. It’s brisk alright, but if you throw on some warm socks you’ll be all set. Smartwool socks are great. Unless we’ve had a rainy week, your feet will stay warm and dry 95 percent of the time. You don’t need special sneakers — just plain old running shoes. As far as outdoor gear goes, don’t go heavy. Any thin, breathable long t-shirt will do. Then, it’s all about layering, starting with the thin layers on bottom and fleeces and/ or windbreakers on top. Even on our “Is this the beginning of winter already?” days, you’d be amazed how warm you’ll feel after that first mile with only a long t-shirt, a sweatshirt or a light jacket on.

When the weather does start to turn, a normal pair of cotton gloves and a hat will work just fine. I wear an oversized wool hat my mother-in-law knit a decade ago and some old ski gloves my husband thought he lost in college. The brown hat doesn’t match the bright turquoise gloves (yes, my husband wears turquoise) but it’s not about the look. It’s doubtful you’ll run into Dr. McDreamy on your run. Dempsey

PHOTOS: BARTEKSZEWCZYK, HALFPOINT, JACKF, POINTIMAGES, DIGITAL VISION/THINKSTOCK

Staying strong when the temperature starts to drop.

probably only comes home in the summer, and even then, I don’t think he travels much past Portland.

You may be thinking, “Is all this running outside really good for me?” Let me tell you, I am no Amazon. I spend most days near a wood stove with a warm rice bag in one hand and a hot cup of coffee in the other. I’m not some crazy fitness fanatic who thinks the key to inner peace is inhaling lots of chilly air and breathing out steam. If you’re a sissy like me, throw a scarf around your nose and mouth to warm the air as you go, and you’ll be breathing free and easy every step of the way. As long as the windchill doesn’t drop below twenty (it’s rare but it’s Maine people) we’re good. Protect your skin and your lungs with a layer of warmth and you’ll stay toasty, I promise.

CROSS-TRAIN INSIDE Cross-training days are a godsend. If you run, walk, jog or wog for a half an hour five days a week (a solid workout regimen for just about anybody short of an Olympian) cross-training day is a blast. Usually it’s a blast of warm, sweaty air, but it’s worth it.

I use my husband’s indoor bike trainer (a holdover from his triathlon days) and hop on my mountain bike while looking out the picture window in our living room. And when that view gets old (minute two) I turn on Judge Judy and watch that lady take zero crap from zero people. She’s amazing.

Stationary biking, spin classes, swimming, rowing, stair-climbing, aqua-jogging, kickboxing, zumba, latin dancing, just about anything can be great indoor exercise. If you want to get your groove on and do some Just Dance on your Wii, go for it. Hula hoop while watching a chick flick. Hop on an elliptical or another indoor exercise machine if that’s your style. Cross-training is all about strengthening muscles you’re not using as much during the week and letting other muscles rest.

REST DAY Speaking of rest, you’ll like this part. On the seventh day, take a break. In the name of all that’s holy, start the day with a donut, eat pizza, hydrate with wine and don’t skip dessert. Reward yourself. You don’t have to go overboard laying in bed all day snacking on bon-bons, but chances are you’ll find yourself snacking on more veggies than chips and wishing you could just take a 20 minute walk. Ignore those urges. Really. Rest. Relax and give yourself permission to indulge in the downtime and empty carbohydrates you’ve been craving all week.

If you look at the research out there, you’ll see that science backs up a day of rest. Muscles need time to build after the wear and tear of the week. If you wear them down too much, you risk a tear. Also, you don’t allow them a chance to build up. If only science would get behind the empty carb loading and copious wine consumption life would be perfect.

ALL THE REST IS UP TO YOU This is the beauty of staying fit, whatever month you’re in. You can mix and match what works for you here. If you want less time outside, then add more cross-training days inside. If being inside is driving you stir-crazy, then find an apple orchard or pumpkin patch near you and get picking. Hiking is a nice option this time of year if you like that “I just Maria von Trapp’d this mountain” feeling. I’m always trying to work my core but would rather not spend lots of money on a gym membership (or on infomercials selling abdomenizers) so I throw down an old beach towel and crank out sit-ups. One hundred sit-ups a day (four sets of 25) works for me, but every belly is different. I have a marsupial pouch from three baby joeys.

That’s what I’m working with. In between my four sets of sit-ups, I bust out 10 push-ups.

This only takes seven or eight dreaded minutes, tops, but I feel so strong when they’re over.

Let’s face it, if you’ve read this far, somewhere deep inside, you want to feel fit and strong, too. Not to impress your sister, not so your colleagues will notice you, not even so your partner will find you more attractive.

Those are all the side-benefits. The main reason to stay in shape this fall should be obvious by now: rest day, my friends. You get to eat all those delicious carbohydrates and drink your calories guilt-free once a week. I will stationary bike until the mountain in the window gets closer than it appears for my weekly donut run.

Now that’s a run I can get behind. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 41

HOW TO

DECORATE PUMPKINS

Pumpkins & POWERTOOLS

Get creative with your pumpkin display with these frighteningly fun ideas. STORY & PHOTOS BY AMY ALLEN IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH convincing to get my family to participate in a creative project — especially when powertools and pumpkins are involved. They readily agreed to help decorate for Halloween in some new and surprisingly simply ways, so we got out the cordless drills and went to work. Drilling holes in pumpkins is literally child’s play — the kids were more than willing to give it a try and came up with some fun patterns and a clever way to display our Halloween treats (perfect for leaving out goodies when you head out to go trick-or-treating).

If you’re looking for something beyond the usual jack-o-latern, drilling a pattern into a pumpkin couldn’t be easier — and looks stunning when lit (we stuffed ours with Christmas lights to make it extra bright). And if gutting a pumpkin isn’t your idea of a good time, try the tin man pumpkin, or wrap a pumpkin white string and spiders, or simply drip colorful wax on a white pumpkin for a dramatic effect.

Give these ideas a try and let us know how they work out. We want to see your creations! Share photos of your pumpkin projects on our Facebook page. Just remember, when you host your pumpkin carving party this year, remind everyone to bring their cordless drills.

42 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THE TIN MAN: The tin man pumpkin is fun and shockingly simply, but does require a few special components.

• Nuts and bolts for eyes, nose and mouth • Small funnel for hat and long screw to hold it in place

• 2 plumbing pipe brackets and 4 screws to attach them to the sides of the pumpkin • Silver spray paint

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE TIN MAN

For a fun lollipop display, simply drill holes and insert the sticks.

Pop the stem off a small pumpkin and drill pilot holes where you want to place the eyes, nose and mouth. Drill a hole in the top of the pumpkin where the funnel hat will go. Use a hammer to tap your face into place. Drop the long screw through the top of the funnel hat and attach to the pumpkin. Attach the ears with screws to the sides of the pumpkin. Spray with silver paint. Let dry and display!

Use a white pumpkin or spray paint an

orange one, and use old candles and crayons to drip a colorful design. No carving necessary!

Hollow a white pumpkin, slice and use toothpicks to rearrange into a mummy.

HOW TO

MAKE POPCORN

POP IT LIKE IT’S HOT Ditch the microwave, try stove-popped popcorn this fall.

BY LAUREN ABBATE

REGARDLESS OF THE TIME of year, popcorn is a great snack food. It’s easy, it’s cheap, and if you’re leaving off the movie theater butter, it’s actually pretty healthy.

But this fall give your microwave a break and try your hand at stovetop popping.

“It’s very easy, but it’s surprising because so many people buy microwave popcorn,” Kathy Savoie, University of Maine Cooperative Extension food specialist, said.

When making popcorn from scratch, it’s important to start with the right type of corn.

Corn kernels best suited for popping have a higher moisture content to allow for steam to be created when it is heated, which causes the kernel to pop.

Popcorn is a whole grain, so popping a bowl’s worth counts towards meeting the recommended three servings a day of grains. With a recent movement looking to bring Maine-grown grains back to the forefront, Savoie said that locally grown popping corn is becoming more and more available. During the fall, dried popping corn can sometimes be found at farmers’ markets.

Simple ingredients like

butter and oil are all it

takes to pop and flavor

a tasty bowl of popcorn.

Tip: Test a few kernels in your hot oil before you drop it all in. Once they pop, then add the rest of the kernels.

The tools required for at home stove popping are basic: a sturdy pot and a lid.

Pour a quarter cup of canola or olive oil into the pot and heat over medium-high heat.

Throw in three kernels initially to test if the oil is hot enough to pop the kernels. Once those kernels pop, add two-thirds of a cup of kernels and place the lid on the pot.

Shake the pot often to ensure the popcorn does not scorch and once the popping has subsided remove from heat.

While the popcorn can be enjoyed without topping, or simply with butter, jazzing it up with a hint of sweetness or cheesiness doesn’t take much effort.

For a sweet and savory kettle corn, add three tablespoons of melted butter, two tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of salt to the hot popcorn and mix together.

For a cheese popcorn, add three tablespoons of melted butter to the popcorn and add parmesan cheese to taste.

The possible popcorn toppings are as endless as your taste buds, so once you’ve got the stove top technique down, have fun trying out different add-ons.

Add honey, butter and salt

PHOTO: WINDUJEDI, TORBJORN LAGERWALL, BHOFACK2, AIRDONE/THINKSTOCK

for homemade kettle corn.

Once you get

your popping technique down, it’s

easy to make

carmel corn,

cheese popcorn and more.

HOME & FAMILY

Planning National Fire Safety Week: Don’t get burned through a lack of prevention.

BY JANE MARGESSON

46 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

needed. Both AARP and the Red Cross recommend that every home should have working smoke alarms which can increase the odds of surviving a fire by 50 percent.

Ideally, smoke alarms should be installed on every floor, outside of sleeping areas, and inside each bedroom. You should also have a carbon monoxide alarm on each floor and outside of sleeping areas to protect your family from this deadly gas. To request an appointment with a Red Cross volunteer, visit www.redcross.org/homefires.

Following these seven fire safety steps can help you and your family stay safe: 1. DON’T GET ALARM LAZY. Make sure you’ve got ionization and photoelectric alarms on every floor, including the basement. When the alarm chirps, replace the battery. Note: All smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms should be replaced every 10 years.

2. DO GET A MULTISENSORY DEVICE. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may need an alarm that flashes or vibrates to alert you that something is amiss. There are even alarms available that shake the bed.

3. BANISH OLD SPACE HEATERS. They can lower your utility bills, but they’re also a prime cause of home fires. Buy a new model that turns off automatically if it tips over or gets overheated.

4. TOSS AFTER 10. Problems with electric blankets and heating pads tend to occur when they’re more than 10 years old.

Replace if they have charred spots, they have frayed or cracked electrical cords, or they’re a decade or more old.

PHOTOS: GEOTRAC, ADAM CROWLEY/THINKSTOCK

FIRE SAFETY

WHEN MY MOTHER was 70, she was cooking dinner when her clothing caught on fire. My then 80-year-old father did his best to help, but by the time the fire was contained my mother had third degree burns over one third of her body. She spent two months in a burn unit and beat all the odds by surviving this appalling accident.

She will forever bear the scars of her multiple surgeries.

Statistically, my mother’s situation was not unusual. According to the Pine Tree Burn Foundation, at age 65, older adults are twice as likely to be killed or injured by fires compared to the population at large.

In addition, the Maine State Fire Marshal, Joseph Thomas, told me that the kitchen is where most home fires start. Many older adults are at higher risk from a fire due to possible lack of mobility, hearing or visual impairment, or even diminished capacity from certain medicines. In a state like Maine that has a large older population, it is helpful if family members work with elderly loved ones to ensure home fire safety measures are in place.

In many cases fire casualties and injuries can be avoided through better fire safety awareness. The Red Cross (in Maine www.redcross.org/maine) has launched a terrific fire prevention and awareness campaign to reduce fire-related deaths and injuries by 25 percent by 2020. Through the initiative, Red Cross volunteers work in communities across the country to test residents’ smoke alarms, replace batteries and even install new smoke alarms when

5. BEWARE OF OVERLOAD. Older homes may not be equipped to handle today’s stash of electronics. Overburdened systems can spark fires. Replace, don’t repair, damaged electrical cords.

6. TEND TO THE FURNACE. Faulty fireplaces and woodstoves are prime hazards.

Have a trained professional inspect your system, especially if it’s been a while. Generators should also be checked, ideally every year.

7. PRACTICE MAKES PROTECTION. Have an escape plan, and practice it. Any plan should have two ways out of every room;

REALTORS

make sure windows and doors open easily.

Remember: Stay low, and go.

Remember, a good emergency escape plan is crucial. If a fire broke out, would your family know what to do? According to the Red Cross, if a fire breaks out, you have about two minutes to escape a burning house. Develop an emergency escape plan, practice it and include every member of your family.

If you have older relatives who you believe would benefit from an enhanced fire prevention plan, consider contacting your

local fire department for more information.

In addition, many fire departments offer a seminar called “Remembering When – A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults” which was created by the Pine Tree Burn Foundation.

The week of October 8-14 is National Fire Safety Week and a perfect time to develop a strong fire prevention strategy for your family.

Jane Margesson is AARP Communications Director.

Maine’s

REALTORS

Your listing could be on this page.

Sell it faster. Advertise in Bangor Metro’s Home section. Call 941-1300. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 47

FEATURE

IN CONVERSATION

48 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

“A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING, THAT’S WHAT A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IS

ALL

ABOUT

...

DIVERSITY,

PLEASURE,

AMAZEMENT,

FULFILLMENT . . . WHAT A SUCCESSFUL LIFE IS ALL ABOUT, FOR THAT MATTER . . . I DON’T GIVE ADVICE, BUT IF I DID, YOU COULD DO WORSE THAN TO REMEMBER THAT...”

—LELAND GAUNT, NEEDFUL THINGS

Gerald Winters is a Stephen King aficionado, and his downtown Derry Bangor business has just what you’ve been looking for.

STORY BY JOHN HOLYOKE | PHOTOS BY GABOR DEGRE NOT TOO FAR FROM THE BARRENS and just up the hill from a bridge that Pennywise the clown once lurked underneath, Gerald Winters has made himself at home in the real-life city that author Stephen King fictionalized in his classic, “It.” Outside the door to his cozy, dimly lit shop, a barrier reading “Derry Public Works” half-blocks the sidewalk — a display that King fans understand. In the display window, the evil hands of Pennywise reach out of a

storm drain, as Georgie Denbrough’s newspaper boat sits nearby, yellowing as it ages.

Welcome to Gerald Winters and Son, Rare Books, a shop that focuses much of its attention on the works of Bangor’s most famous adopted son. Stop in and browse for a bit, if you dare.

Gerald Winters, 44, opened the shop in 2016, and runs a global business out of it. Sometimes, the chimes ring and a curious customer steps inside. In the absence of visitors, the shopkeeper can field requests

Gerald Winters the owner of the Stephen King-themed bookstore called Gerald Winters and Son.

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IN CONVERSATION

and help internet clients from around the world find the exact piece of Stephen King memorabilia that they seek.

He speaks in a vaguely indistinct accent, the occasional Irish (or is it Australian?) lilt adding even more mystery to the globetrotting shopkeeper. If he had shown up to buy a mansion in Jerusalem’s Lot, you’d swear his name ought to be Straker — another famous King bad boy — but his demeanor is anything but demonic.

But Winters, a thin, pleasant man, seems to relish the fact that he sometimes comes across as an actual King character, come to life. Mention that he evokes a bit of the mystery of Leland Gaunt, the shopkeeper in King’s “Needful Things,” and Winters smiles slyly. In online message boards, you later learn, Winters has been known to post observations you’d expect from Gaunt, or from Pennywise himself.

“Oh yes, please come to Main Street,” Winters wrote in a response to a King fan group looking to hold a King convention in Bangor. “Please go under Main Street. Like in space, down there, no-one can hear you scream. There is another world down there.

They all float down there, and when you’re down there with me, you’ll float, too.”

That, of course, is classic Pennywise.

Pennywise is classic King. And in Derry — or Bangor, as the official maps call our town — if you’re looking for either, this is the place to go.

Winters moved to Bangor from Thailand with his wife and young son to open the business. He has also lived in Ireland, Australia, California, Virginia and New York City.

He is a man “from away,” as Mainers might call him, who came here for one reason: He knew that if he wanted to sell high-end King works, there was only one place to set up shop.

“These were all my books,” Winters says, gesturing around the shop at cases filled with part of his voluminous collection. “Each time we moved around the world I would have to pack [the books] all up and Fed Ex them. Usually it would be around $10,000 each time I would move, just to ship the books. And after four or five moves, it got expensive.”

That led to a conversation with his wife, Nalinee Taworntaweewong, and their latest big move.

“We were over in Bangkok, and I said, ‘I’m going to have to start selling some of my King books,’” Winters says. “My wife said, 50 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

“‘“"OH YES, PLEASE COME TO MAIN STREET,” WINTERS WROTE IN A RESPONSE TO A KING FAN GROUP LOOKING TO HOLD A KING CONVENTION IN BANGOR. PLEASE GO UNDER MAIN STREET. LIKE IN SPACE, DOWN THERE, NO-ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM. THERE IS ANOTHER WORLD DOWN THERE. THEY ALL FLOAT DOWN THERE, AND WHEN YOU’'RE DOWN THERE WITH ME, YOU’'LL FLOAT, TOO."

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Gerald Winters travels have taken him all over the world, including (above) Vietnam, (left) Thailand, and (right) Cambodia.

Winters moved to Bangor from Thailand to open his Main Street shop, with his wife and young son Blue Dennis, pictured below in Thailand.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF GERALD WINTERS

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‘Nobody here is going to buy your books, because nobody reads valuable books here.’”

She had a point, Winters realized.

“So I said, ‘OK, we’ll go to America,’” Winters says. “We’d never been to Maine to live, and she had never visited, either. I had been to Bangor half a dozen times to visit Stu Tinker at Betts Bookstore [who specialized in King books until the store’s closure] … I said, ‘We’ll try Bangor.’”

And that’s just what they’ve done.

OPENING THE DOOR TO NEW WORLDS Winters spent his early years in Manhattan and Queens, New York, and later in Australia, where his family moved when he was 10, fleeing the deterioration they saw in their neighborhood in the states.

While in Australia, he learned to love scuba diving and skiing. He dove in a cage with great white sharks, and loved hitting mogul runs at the country’s ski resorts.

After high school in Australia, he came back to the U.S., earning undergraduate degrees in economics and mathematics (with a minor in Japanese language studies) from Fordham University. Then it was on to the University of Virginia, where he earned a master’s in economics, and Columbia, for a master’s in computer science.

One thing he didn’t do then, nor for a number of years after that: Read for pleasure.

But in 1998, when he was working as a political consultant in New York City, a co-worker made a simple gesture that changed the course of his life.

“One of my colleagues handed me that book when we were working together,” he says, pointing to a copy of King’s epic battle between good and evil, “The Stand.”

His friend said he thought Winters would enjoy it.

“I just looked at it and said, ‘It’s very big. Maybe someday,’” Winters recalls.

“I put it up on my shelf, and about a year later, I was down in Virginia — it was a Tuesday — and I just started reading the first few pages.

By Sunday, I’d finished it. I was hooked.”

That book was a 1,141-page whopper, and Winters — a self-professed non-reader — polished it off in less than a week. And he’d never been enthralled like that before.

“It was just bringing me to a new world that Steve had the ability to create, that I had never seen before,” he says.

That passion for reading King’s books quickly turned to a passion for collecting the author’s rare works, and his personal collection grew steadily. When he finally opened his Bangor shop, his stock consisted of items that were duplicates of other items he owned.

And while some locals who stop by find it amazing that he has books that cost $50 in the shop, he often has to smile and hope they don’t happen upon his other offerings, which might cost 100 times that much … or more.

“At first I didn’t think many locals would want to buy signed first editions, because most that I’ve met have no realization that these books are so valuable or collectible around the world,” Winters says. “[But] they have become good collectors as well, even though they don’t have very large collections. They just want one signed copy of their favorite story, perhaps.”

And for others, including far-flung collectors who may live thousands of miles away?

Well, like Leland Gaunt, Winters may have just what you’re looking for … whether you know you’re looking for it or not.

HALF STORE, HALF MUSEUM Winters says 95 percent of his shop’s sales come via the internet. And after originally landing in Bangor, he says he didn’t even plan on having a storefront. He and his wife thought a sizeable office space would allow him to unpack and take inventory of his collection, and sell what he chose to sell.

Finding a large enough office space proved troublesome, and for just a bit more money, they learned that the space at 48 Main Street — a storefront in the city’s resurgent downtown — was available.

So Winters moved in and set up shop.

The end result is half-store, half-museum, with the majority of the displays dealing with King’s work.

“Steve’s books are more valuable than [those] of any living author in the world,” Winters says. “They regularly sell for $20,000 to $30,000. When people hear that, they can’t believe it. They think it’s price-gouging, but it’s not. It is www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 53

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A few of the creepy displays recently seen outside the shop.

what you can get for his books. And it’s a phenomenon that’s not found with any other living author.”

Not that all of the most valuable material is kept on site, mind you — some is kept off the premises, under lock and key.

And not that all of the things you see in the shop are even for sale.

“A good portion of the things that I have on display are not for sale, because once they get sold to a collector, they’re never going to be seen again,” Winters says.

“They’ll go into a basement or into a safety deposit box and they’ll stay there, probably until the collector passes away.”

Among the impressive offerings: An asbestos copy of “Firestarter,” which is worth upwards of $20,000. Items listed on his website with a more modest pricetag include a “Dragon rebound” lettered copy of “Firestarter” for $2,000, and a lettered copy of “Eyes of the Dragon” for $1,750.

Winters says he loves to watch customers see some of his not-for-sale items like a poster from the Rock Bottom Remainders’ final concert tour — King was in the band — and hopes folks understand when he won’t part with them.

“Don’t be offended if you want it and I won’t sell it,” he says. “You’re not the first one to ask to buy it, and you won’t be the last. But I want to keep it for people to see.”

For those with more modest expectations or shallower pockets, a trip to Gerald Winters and Son is still worthwhile.

A variety of T-shirts and novelties are available that cost about the same as a sandwich at a local shop.

And simply window-shopping is also an attraction. Just ask Pennywise.

PLAYING NICE WITH THE DEMON The window display featuring Pennywise and the storm drain took some work, with Winters heading to Bangor Public Works with a photograph of just the right storm drain for the fictional demon to be lurking underneath. The storm drain was available, but weighed about 200 pounds, and required its own framework to support it in the window.

Visitors aren’t the only people who enjoy looking at the display. Winters’ son, 3½-yearold Blue Dennis Winters, is also a fan.

“He loves Pennywise. He has sat in the window display, poking at Pennywise,” Winters says. “He says, ‘Come out, Pennywise.

Come out.’ He’s not scared of him.”

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In fact, Blue Dennis sometimes steps outside the shop and visits the actual storm drain on Main Street to leave his pal a treat.

“He would put little crackers out there and I’d ask, ‘Why are you throwing the crackers away?’” Winters says. “He’d say, ‘I’m not. I’m feeding Pennywise … if he’s got a full stomach, he won’t have to grab any people.’”

Other fans of the King of horror step into the shop and leave frustrated, Winters admitted.

“A few people who visited the shop from Italy would not believe me that Derry, Maine, did not exist,” Winters says.

“They said, ‘You’re just trying to keep us from finding it.’”

Winters tried to explain that the visitors were as close to the fictional town of Derry as they’d ever get, and even challenged them to look at a map in the book “It,” noticing that all of the streets are identical to Bangor’s streets. “[The man] said, ‘No, it must be a place nearby, but none of you people want to tell us where it is,’” Winters said.

“I just said, ‘I’m sorry. I just can’t tell you.

It’s a secret.’”

Winters said people in Bangor have treated him well and welcomed him warmly, but said some visitors can’t believe that Stephen King himself hasn’t yet stopped by the shop. Some expect to see the famous author sitting in the shop, holding court, and Winters allows them that fantasy … for a bit.

“You just missed him. He was in five minutes ago, having a cup of coffee,” he’ll say, before pausing and explaining that while they’re sure to find some wonderful King merchandise in the store, they’re unlikely to see the author himself.

But what if the author did stop by?

What would Winters say?

“About time,” Winters says with a smile.

For now, that’s OK. And despite spending several years hopscotching the globe — he has worked at his own family’s liquor wholesale company in Ireland and as a label translator at his wife’s family’s pharmaceutical company in Thailand — he’s not ruling out a long career here in the city that King helped make famous.

And how long will he stay?

“As long as Bangor wants me here,” he says cryptically, still sounding a lot like a character out of a King novel.

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DYNAMIC

DUO Brother and sister make vet care a family affair.

STORY & PHOTOS BY JODI HERSEY HALLOWEEN PHOTOS COURTESY OF HAMPDEN VETERINARY CLINIC BROTHERS AND SISTERS can often fight like cats and dogs but not Heather Burgess and Ben Woodbrey of Orono. They fight for cats and dogs, instead. The siblings work side-by-side, five days a week, at the Hampden Veterinary Clinic where they are committed to improving the lives of family pets and the communities in which these animals live.

“If you’re having a bad day and there’s a cute, fluffy dog, you can’t be upset at that. It’s impossible,” said Woodbrey.

“I agree 100 percent,” said Burgess.

With a five year age difference between the two of them, the siblings said they didn’t have much in common growing up.

In fact, they barely hung around one another unless they were helping out their mom and dad.

“They had convenience stores while we were kids, so they always worked together and we were always together in the store with them,” said Burgess.

Seeing their parents work in tandem gave big sis Heather the idea that maybe she and her brother could duplicate that type of teamwork at the vet clinic when an opening became available at the office a few years ago.

“I was working late night shifts doing security when one day Heather called me and said, ‘You have an interview tomorrow,’ and I said, ‘Okay where?’ She said, ‘Here at the vet clinic.” So I came in the next day and Dr. Farren looked at me and said, ‘Would you like to work here?’ I said, ‘Yes,’ and that was it,” explained Woodbrey.

And if two siblings working in the same office wasn’t enough, the Hampden Vet Clinic added another one of their family members into the fold.

“Snickers [the office cat] is our cat. I had him and Tootsie growing up,” said Burgess. “I went off to college and when they both got sick I brought them in to Dr. Farren to fix them up.

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Siblings Heather Burgess and Ben Woodbrey work side-by-side at the Hampden Veterinary Clinic.

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Ben Woodbrey (above) and the entire staff of the Hampden Veterinary Clinic go all out for Halloween, decorating exam rooms and handing out treats to all.

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said, ‘Why don’t we keep them here?’ So we did. Tootsie passed away, but Snickers here is 19 and he’s such a good boy. Tessie, our other office cat, has taken Tootsie’s spot and is very loving towards him even though she’s much younger. She helps keep his bones warm.”

These days Woodbrey is within arm’s reach of Snickers and Tessie, working up front at the Hampden Vet Clinic where he schedules appointments, processes prescription refills and bills clients. Burgess, a vet technician, works in back, treating the animals that come through the doors. The two say a lot of the clinic’s clients still don’t know they’re brother and sister.

“We tell people because sometimes I may not talk to him as nicely as other people. It may come out a little sharper than I would like and I’ll say in front of clients, ‘Oh by the way, he’s my brother, just so you know,’” explained Burgess.

Together the duo have helped quite a few animals during their time on the job, even working after hours at home to care for animals they fell in love with at the clinic.

“Blue came in and had a few lacerations and we fixed her up. When I saw her out back, I was just like, ‘Wow this is a great dog,’ and I kept saying, ‘I’d take her home if I could,’” said Woodbrey. “When Blue’s owner passed away, her daughter called the office and said, ‘I can’t find anyone to take Blue. I don’t think she’ll have a good situation in my home. Do you know anyone who’d take her?’ And I said, ‘I will.’

I knew I loved that dog from the moment I saw her. And she’s given it back to me.”

Burgess already had a house full with two cats, a husband, a toddler and another baby on the way when she brought two more four legged loves home to join her family.

“The two cats we had we adopted from rescues. Then the third cat a client brought in that he found in a box on the side of the road and he couldn’t take care of it, so I took care of it. That’s my little Pistachio. He’s a Maine coon mix,” said Burgess. “The fourth one, her name is So So because she came to us in a so-so situation. I took the cat and said I’d find her a home. I had her a week when we decided to keep her. She’s the only female.

So now we have Epio, Opie, Pistachio and So So. That’s my herd.”

Shari Reed who has worked at the Hampden Vet Clinic for 20 years said the siblings are a great pair of co-workers.

Pets and people alike get into the Halloween spirit at the Hampden Veterinary Clinic.

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“We’re all like a big family anyway, but the looks they sometimes give one another make us laugh,” said Reed. “Heather is always coming up with creative way to do things and decorate while Ben is very tech savvy. We run to him if something happens with the computers.”

Burgess and Woodbrey team up many times during the year to organize events at the clinic that benefit their clients and the community — including for their annual Halloween party. It’s an event the entire staff gets into, dressing up in costume and taking time to decorate each room of the clinic with a different theme. Trick or treaters walk away with loads of candy while pets get bags of treats, cat or dog food.

“It can get a little crazy,” said Woodbrey with a laugh.

“We all get into Halloween,” said Burgess. “It’s really, really fun. When we started it, I said I wanted to do face painting.

Then that turned into a side job for me because now I do birthday parties and face painting at festivals like the Bucksport Bay Festival which I just love doing because my minor in college was studio art.”

The siblings are also the driving force behind the Paws of Hope Christmas Tree that is on display in the clinic’s lobby each December.

“It’s similar to the Angel Tree where people come in and donate money or select a tag. There are tags for collars, nail trims, rabies vaccines, even surgery. It all goes into a charity box we have and we hand it out throughout the year to whomever we know may need it,” explained Burgess.

“We have clients who don’t have animals anymore that will come in just to donate to that tree,” said Woodbrey.

“They will come in and buy a bottle of insulin for somebody’s pet. It’s just so cool to see that because just a bottle of insulin can change someone’s day.”

They may not have had similar interests growing up but these days Burgess and Woodbrey are more alike than ever. Uniting together to help animals has certainly changed the siblings lives and their relationship much like every cat and dog that crosses their path.

“We’ve never not been close, but we’re really close now,” said Burgess.

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Siblings Heather Burgess and Ben Woodbrey outside the Hampden Veterinary Clinic.

(Left to right) Dr. Barbara Farren, Ben Woodbrey and staff get all dressed up at the Hampden Veterinary Clinic.

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Walking with the

GHOSTS Haunted tour unveils local legends in Bangor.

STORY BY AISLINN SARNACKI | PHOTOS BY GABOR DEGRE DRESSED IN THE WOOL UNIFORM of Civil War soldier, Matt Bishop stepped through the front door of the historic Thomas A. Hill House in Bangor to greet the crowd gathered for the Ghostly Bangor Tour. Motioning across the street, he directed their attention to the Isaac Farrar Mansion, said to be haunted by a nanny and the child who died under her care.

Bishop then turned back to the Thomas A. Hill House, home to the Bangor Historical Society and some of the most famous ghosts in town.

That’s when Bishop saw that the light was on in his office, a fixture that he rarely uses because of its bad wiring.

“So this entire time I’m talking about these ghosts of Bangor, in the back of my mind I’m thinking, ‘Oh, I need to go in and shut that light off that I’m very very sure I never turned on,” said Bishop in his recollection of the tour.

Leading the popular Ghostly Bangor Tour since 2012, Bishop is the curator and operations manager of the Bangor Historical Society and describes himself as “skeptical but open minded.” He’s never seen a ghost, he said, but over the years, he’s heard plenty of stories about local hauntings, and he’s had a few spooky experiences that have caused him pause. Of course, it doesn’t help that he works in an old Victorian house that is said to be haunted by multiple spirits.

“Paranormal investigators have come [to Thomas A. Hill House] numerous times, different groups,” Bishop said. “One claims to have a picture of orbs floating around the chandeliers.”

Furnished with intricately detailed grandfather clocks, velvet-upholstered seating and paintings from the mid-1800s, the house brings visitors back in time to when the house was the home of former Bangor city Mayor Samuel Dale and his family. Purchasing the large brick building in 1845, Samuel Dale renovated the home and hosted parties in its grander rooms. He also died there. In 1871, his wife Matilda and their son, George, returned home from church to find Samuel dead upstairs.

“I don’t know exactly where Sam died, but there’s one spot … there’s a hallway, and I don’t know what it is, but when I hit that corner, I’m expecting to see something,” Bishop said.

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A portrait of Samuel Dale who was the mayor of Bangor in the mid-1800’s.

The ghost of Dale is said to haunt the Thomas Hill House in Bangor.

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Most of the ghost stories tied to the house are attributed to Samuel Dale’s sudden death, but there are some tales that suggest a woman, too, is haunting the home. Bishop said one of his co-workers at the Bangor Historical Society confided in him about seeing a woman dressed in Victorian clothing reflected in a large, gold-framed mirror in the house’s parlor. Perhaps coincidentally, the mirrors and the chandeliers are some of the only items left in the home that were originally owned by the Dale family, the rest of the furnishings were donated to the historical society from other historic homes in the area.

Then there’s the home’s famous ghost cat, which has been spotted by several visitors. Usually it’s just a tail disappearing around the corner, Bishop said, smiling.

TAKING THE TOUR “There are many different ways to give the history of a city,” Bishop said. “If you’re being creative, you can give the history of a city through ghost stories.”

The Bangor Historical Society offers a variety of walking tours throughout the year, and the Ghostly Bangor Tour — a combination of spooky legends and general history — is offered multiple times a week throughout the month of October, in the spirit of Halloween.

Typically beginning at 7 p.m., the tour lasts about 90 minutes and travels the sidewalks of downtown Bangor at a slow pace with multiple rest stops, during which Bishop tells about 15 different local ghost stories. There’s no limit to the tour size, so people can register ahead of time or walk onto the tour, which costs $10 per adult and a discounted rate for children.

“The closer you get to Halloween, the more and more people come out,” said Bishop, adding that more than 80 people attended his final tour of the season last year.

If you want to experience the tour in a smaller group, Bishop suggests attending one scheduled early in October or opting for a private group tour, which is $60 for up to six people and an additional $10 for each extra person.

Starting at the Thomas A. Hill House, Bishop leads the group downhill into the heart of downtown Bangor.

APPARITIONS AND EERIE SOUNDS When it comes to haunted mansions, the Isaac Farrar Mansion at 116 Union Street has it all — slamming doors, unexplainable footsteps and a piano that plays on “its own,” or so goes the local legend.

Constructed in 1833 as a private residence, the three-story brick building was the location of an awful event, the accidental death of a young boy and, just following that, the suicide of his guilt-ridden nanny. These tragedies have led the building’s subsequent residents to attribute any spooky sounds or sights to the lingering spirits of the boy and his nanny.

From 1929 to 1972, the mansion was owned by the Bangor Symphony Orchestra and was home to its music conservatory. During this time, people reported hearing light footsteps — perhaps that of a young boy — running up and down the central staircase, Bishop said. And every once in the while, people would report hearing notes coming from an unoccupied piano.

Now used as office space for the Bangor YMCA, as well as a location for meetings and small events, the Isaac Farrar Mansion is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Ghosts or no ghosts, the beautiful building, designed by the famous 19th-century architect Richard Upjohn, has a fascinating history.

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The ghost of Samuel Dale, former mayor of Bangor, is said to haunt the Thomas Hill House in Bangor, which is now home to the Bangor Historical Society.

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Matt Bishop, curator and operations manager for the Bangor Historical Society, at the Thomas Hill House in Bangor.

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This story, along with more than a dozen others, make up the Ghostly Bangor Tour.

“They’re pretty ingrained in my mind at this point,” Bishop said.

Bangor House, The Charles Inn and the Bangor Opera House are on the tour’s list of stops, as is the marker stone on Central Street where armed robber and murderer Al Brady was gunned down by FBI agents on Oct. 12, 1937. His ghost is said to haunt the Mount Hope Cemetery in the southwest corner of Bangor, where he’s buried.

BANGOR HOUSE, THE CHARLES INN AND THE BANGOR OPERA HOUSE ARE ON THE TOUR’S LIST OF STOPS, AS IS THE MARKER STONE ON CENTRAL STREET WHERE ARMED ROBBER AND MURDERER AL BRADY WAS GUNNED DOWN ... HIS GHOST IS SAID TO HAUNT THE MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY ...

WHERE HE’S BURIED. But there’s only so far one can walk on foot within 90 minutes. For people who want to expand upon the experience, there are a number of reputedly haunted spots outside the tour’s perimeter that you can add to your ghost hunt — as long as you’re careful not to trespass.

Bangor’s Thomas Hill Standpipe, for example, is one of the most famous haunted locations in town. Built in 1897, the 50-foot-high water tank, capable of holding 1.75 million gallons, regulates Bangor’s water pressure in the downtown area and provides water storage for emergencies. The ghost stories spur from 1940, when 12-year-old Howard Goodell fell 25 feet from the railing of the interior stairwell of the structure and died the next day of his injuries. After that, the www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 67

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Isaac Farrar Mansion in Bangor is said to be haunted by a young boy and his nanny.

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city closed the standpipe to the general public, but tours are held four times a year, one each season, for those interested in getting a closer look.

Speaking of child ghosts — the former Bangor Children’s Home, built in 1869, is also said to be haunted. Located at 218 Ohio Street, the building is now the Hilltop School, but up until 1975, it operated as a home for orphaned and abandoned children. Some of these young wards died

BANGOR IS FULL OF GHOST STORIES. FOR THE OCTOBER WALKING TOURS, BISHOP HAS A LOT TO WORK WITH, AND PEOPLE ARE OFTEN SUPPLYING HIM WITH MORE FODDER FOR HIS PROGRAM. of illness while living at the home, and their ghosts are said to playfully haunt the old brick building, running and playing after hours, and perhaps even interacting with the school’s young students.

Bangor is full of ghost stories. For the October walking tours, Bishop has a lot to work with, and people are often supplying him with more fodder for his program.

“There’s a part of the tour where I always open it up by basically saying, “Bangor’s an old city. Who has felt something or seen something in the city?” Bishop said.

“One time, someone went into this whole elaborate story about how Columbia Street Church is haunted.”

“These stories are entertaining for everybody, and you never know, I might get a new ghost story and add it to the tour.”

To learn more about the Ghostly Bangor Tour, visit bangorhistoricalsociety.org, where the Bangor Historical Society posts a schedule for all upcoming tours. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 69

THEN & NOW

ROUTE 6

A venture along scenic Route 6 will take you through the towns of Lincoln, Lee, Springfield, Topsfield, Vanceboro and on into Canada.

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SCENIC

Route 6 Take a trip down Route 6, from Lincoln to Vanceboro.

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY RICHARD SHAW

HISTORIC PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE RICHARD SHAW COLLECTION AND UNIVERSITY OF MAINE FOGLER LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

KOSSUTH TOWNSHIP, in northern Washington County where raccoons and bears likely outnumber the people, rarely makes newspaper headlines. But all that changed one afternoon in November 2014, after an SUV carrying four people, driven

by Stephen McGouldrick, of Calais, missed an icy stretch of Route 6, went airborne before rolling down an embankment, landing in two and a half feet of water.

“While the adults weren’t severely injured,” reported the Bangor Daily News, “the [3-year-old baby] was not responsive … But shortly after the crash, passer-by Wade Shorey [of Greenbush] arrived and sprang into action.”

After fellow passer-by, Leo Moody, of Kingman, swam to the vehicle and cut through seat belts to free the child’s seat, Shorey performed CPR, saving the toddler’s life. Assisting at the scene were Calais rescue, Baileyville and Topsfield fire departments, and the U.S. Border Patrol.

You could call it the miracle on State Route 6, an inviting country highway during October’s splendid foliage season, but a challenge when the mercury drops and the asphalt turns slippery. As if by magic, help always arrives after a mishap and good Samaritans spring into action.

Just as quickly, the helpers vanish into the night, failing to wait around and accept a pat on the back for saving another life in God’s country. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 71

THEN & NOW

ROUTE 6

(Top) Heading west on Route 6. (Right) Elmwood Hall, home of the Lee Historical Society. (Below) Route 6 passes through downtown Lee.

Main Street in Linco below, as it appear

72 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

The final stretch of Route 6, from Lincoln to Vanceboro, passes for 62 miles through five towns, one plantation, one township, and an unincorporated village before ending at the New Brunswick border. Route 6’s origins are at the Quebec boundary north of Jackman, making it Maine’s only state highway that begins and ends at Canada. To drive the entire 207mile route, fill your car with gas, brake for deer and moose, before passing through Greenville, Guilford, Dover-Foxcroft, Milo, Howland, and into Lincoln and eastward.

People in Bangor used to favor Route 6’s Lincoln-to-Vanceboro leg over the 88mile Airline Road, winding from Brewer to Baileyville, for a quick jaunt into Calais and Canada. But after Route 9 improvements made driving the Airline more practical, Route 6 gradually became the quiet highway to the north, where once busy landmarks like Springfield’s Mill Stream Grocery shut down.

Religious tent meetings and the 167th Springfield Fair still draw crowds, and Smith’s General Store still pumps a lot of gas and sells a lot of beer and groceries. But the area’s landscape has changed.

Main Street in Lincoln today and, below, as it appeared in 1942.

oln today and, red in 1942.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 73

THEN & NOW

ROUTE 6 “It’s kind of sad to see a once milliondollar view become a clear-cut now,” said Charlie Longo, of Old Town, who moved as a fifth-grader with his family from Rhode Island to Springfield in 2000. “We lived on Route 6 and got by on Dad’s modest wages.

He was a jack-of-all-trades.”

One day, while returning home from a trip to Eastport, the Longo family spotted a dead moose lying by the side of Route 6.

They took it home, dressed it, and feasted on the meat for a year.

“Whenever I return to Carroll today, I hardly know the place,” said Anne Staples, of Levant, who grew up in the plantation and moved to Millinocket at age 12. “The fields are grown up, and the store is gone. Once, it had the largest dairy farm in Maine.”

An advertisement for the McAdam Station Hotel in New Brunswick circa 1916.

(Left) The McAdam Canadian Pacific Railway Station as it stands today and, below, in a circa 1925 postcard.

HISTORICAL SOCIETIES IN LINCOLN, LEE, AND VANCEBORO ARE GOOD PLACES TO BEGIN DELVING INTO THE REGION’S HISTORY. OLD PHOTOS SHOW LEE ACADEMY GRADUATES, ALONG WITH CHURCHES, LAKES, MOUNTAINS, TRAINS, AND THE TOPSFIELD VETERANS’ MEMORIAL AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTES 1 AND 6.

Carroll’s Baskahegan Grange closed its doors years ago, and services at the old white church on Route 6, where Staples taught Sunday school, are few and far between. But good memories remain of high snow drifts to play in and caring neighbors to visit, she said.

Historical societies in Lincoln, Lee, and Vanceboro are good places to begin delving into the region’s history. Old photos show Lee Academy graduates, along with churches, lakes, mountains, trains, and the Topsfield veterans’ memorial at the intersection of Routes 1 and 6. A fundraising drive is underway to replace it with a modern monument.

Also pictured are the 19th century stagecoach days, when travelers braved Route 6’s bumps and ruts to travel to Lincoln, Calais, Princeton, and beyond.

74 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

(Right) Lee Academy as it appears today. (Below) The 1941-42 Lee Academy basketball team.

(Bottom) The International Railroad Bridge in Vanceboro, which was dynamited by Werner Horn (pictured on page 76) on Feb. 2, 1915.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 75

THEN & NOW

ROUTE 6 Today’s highway is smooth by comparison, but residents often drive an hour or so for gas and groceries.

A 20-minute jaunt over the New Brunswick border to the town of McAdam (don’t forget your passport) will reveal a huge railway station that is now a museum.

Cutlery and water goblets are still set in the station’s dining room, and if you visit on Sunday, ask for a piece of railroad pie. The region’s rail lines helped build commerce on both sides of the border.

“I have positive memories of growing up in that area,” said Don Jacob, of Old Town, whose years attending Lee Academy were some of his best. “My mom was a member of the old Mallett family, and Dad was from Princeton.”

Today’s view up Route 6 in Lincoln, approaching the Lee town line, is dotted with high windmills, a reminder that even change can visit rural Maine. But there’s plenty to remind visitors on a colorful October afternoon that the highway is still a drive into the past that is worth savoring.

(Left) German saboteur Werner Horn, left, with Deputy Sheriff George W. Ross, after Horn blew up Vanceboro international bridge on Feb. 2, 1915.

TOWN STATS Partial length: From Lincoln’s First United Methodist Church to its final point at Vanceboro’s international border crossing, 62 miles Counties: Penobscot and Washington Known for: Direct route to Calais, Princeton, and New Brunswick; hunting and fishing; sweeping views of windmills; deer and moose sightings; scenic mountain vistas; historic farms Wide spots in the road: Lincoln, Lee, Springfield, Carroll Plantation, Kossuth Township, Topsfield, Lambert Lake, Vanceboro Largest population: Lincoln, 5,093 (2012 estimate) Highest elevation: Lee, 486 feet Notable people: • Master Sgt. Gary Gordon, Medal of Honor recipient, killed in action in Somalia, 1993

76 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

• Fred R. Dingley, author, historian, educator • Gail Rae, historian • Brooke Harris, Miss Maine USA • Daniel Edward Whitney, businessman, civic leader • Werner Horn, German saboteur, blew up Vanceboro-McAdam railway bridge on Feb. 2, 1915 Quotable quote: From “Maine: The American Guide Series,” Houghton Mifflin Co., 1937: “Topsfield, population 224, an agricultural village, is in fine hunting country, and it is not unusual to see deer grazing in apple orchards not far from the road. The township is rich in cultivated fields, farms, and stretches of woodland dotted with lakes where hunting and fishing lure sportsmen from many distant points. The fire lookout at Musquash Mountain is plainly visible.”

Useful trivia: Lee was named for early settler, Stephen Lee, and has been home to an academy since 1845. The only stretch of 207-mile State Route 6, known locally as Lee Street or simply “6”, not concurrent with another route, such as U.S. Route 2 and State Route 15, is from its junction with U.S. 2 in Lincoln to the New Brunswick border in Vanceboro Landmarks: Lincoln’s World War I and Civil War monuments, large loon statue, windmills; Lee Academy, Mallett Hall, Elmwood Hall (Historical Society), House in the Woods military and family retreat; Springfield fairgrounds and Sysladobsis Lake; Carroll Plantation’s white church and veterans’ memorial; Topsfield’s East Musquash Lake rest area; Lambert Lake; Vanceboro’s U.S.-Canada border crossing Helpful websites: Lincolnmaine.org; WelcomeToLincolnMaine.com; leeacademy.org; sysladobsis.com; houseinthewoods.org; thespringfieldfair.com

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OUTSIDE

WOODS & WATERS

HUNTING

Tradition

BY BOB DUCHESNE

ONLY ONE STATE in America prohibits all hunting on Sunday. Maine. This says something about us, but what? Whatever it says about Mainers, it probably isn’t a testament to logic.

It’s easy to poke holes in every theory.

The prohibition against Sunday hunting is arguably one of the last remnants of Maine’s blue laws. There certainly was a time where keeping holy the Lord’s Day meant not hunting.

Such laws might even have kept spouses at home on the Sabbath. But if God intended people to stay home and not kill on Sunday, why do we allow Sunday fishing?

Maine was the last state in New England to allow department stores to open on Sundays, but we got around to it. Sunday liquor sales were once prohibited, but no longer.

Yet the ban on Sunday hunting lingers. Why?

THIS SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT US, BUT WHAT? WHATEVER IT SAYS ABOUT MAINERS, IT PROBABLY ISN’T A TESTAMENT TO LOGIC. IT’S EASY TO POKE HOLES IN EVERY THEORY. Many opponents plead for a day without gunfire in the woods, but we also prohibit bow hunting in silence. Many want to feel safe on their own property one day a week, but we even prohibit hunting on one’s own property. In fact, we won’t even allow Sunday duck hunters to motor three miles offshore, where they can hunt waterfowl far from people.

Thanks to safety-orange clothing and education, hunting is now one of the safest things you can do in the woods. It’s snowmobile accidents, ATV mishaps, and boating tragedies that make the headlines now. Some people have a lingering fear of being mistaken for a deer, but who gets mistaken for a grouse? Yet we ban grouse hunting on Sunday. Even squirrels are safe.

78 / BANGOR METRO October 2017

PHOTO: SCHARFSINN86/THINKSTOCK

Maine has a proud hunting tradition — and it includes no hunting on Sundays.

To be sure, there have been many legislative attempts to chip away at the total ban. One would have allowed Sunday coyote hunting, but only in northern Maine. It failed. A bill this year would have allowed towns to create a local Sunday option. It was crushed. Another would have allowed bird hunting exclusively in unorganized territories. It was dead on arrival. What becomes obvious is that the majority of Mainers won’t tolerate even the slightest exception to the total Sunday ban, no matter how logical or minor the tweak might be. That says something about us.

We have a strong hunting tradition.

Statistically, Maine is one of America’s most hunter-friendly states, ranked number 7 based on the 12.7 percent of our population holding licenses. There are more women in the woods than ever. The percentage of Maine hunting licenses sold to women jumped from 8 percent to 12 percent during the first decade of this century. A lot of people like to know where their food comes from, and hunting offers a hearty portion of wild-harvested meat in the freezer.

So if we support hunting, and we have more hunters than any other New England state, what is it about Maine that we are the only one of 50 states that doesn’t allow Sunday hunting?

It may be that our love of Monday through Saturday hunting is the reason we disdain Sunday hunting. Maine ranks near the bottom for the percentage of land held by the public. By necessity, virtually all hunting takes place on private property, and Maine has developed a culture of public access to private land. This would be unthinkable in most states. In many states, private land is strictly off limits even when it’s not posted. In Louisiana, you can be prosecuted for trespassing even if you don’t know you’re doing it.

Maine has evolved an unwritten compact with private landowners. It’s part of our DNA. Many landowners have tacitly agreed to open their lands to everybody, as long as users are respectful and responsible.

They willingly tolerate some of the most aggressive hunting practices, such as night hunting for coyotes only a hundred yards

from their houses. Many landowners save their outdoor chores for one day a week, so that the public can use their lands for the other six. All they ask is that they have one day a week to enjoy full use of their own land, and they resist any rollback of that compact.

Thus, whenever there is a bill to allow even the tiniest exception to Sunday hunting, every landowner constituency group turns out to oppose it, including farmers, forest owners, and snowmobilers. Even the Professional Maine Guides Association opposes it, because they depend on the goodwill of private landowners.

What makes Maine different from all other states is this: we get six days a week to use private land; private landowners get one. Sounds like a bargain.

BOB DUCHESNE is a local radio personality, Maine guide, and columnist. He lives on Pushaw Lake with his wife, Sandi.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 79

LAST WORD

Tempted by

PODCASTING To pod or not to pod... and what to pod about.

BY CHRIS QUIMBY

WE HAVE MUCH to be thankful for at this point in history.

Reality shows, which are programs that demonstrate for us exactly how your average person would behave if they had personality disorders, above-average income and the knowledge that someone is following them around with a camera.

We also have an increasing number of diagnosable conditions for which we can be prescribed one of the many exciting new varieties of drugs, each with their own splendid array of disgusting side-effects.

But sadly, even with both of these developments, there are still hundreds of citizens who, as of yet, still do not have their own podcast.

I am a podcast junkie. I suppose to be trendy, I should call them pods, a newish shortening of their name, probably by the millennial generation, which cannot be bothered to bear with words into their second syllable or labor over the uses of vowels and punctuation.

Often involved in long commutes, I pass my time listening to people of varying degrees of intelligence opine on subjects as deep as Christian theology and political debate and as shallow as NBA trade rumors.

But a search through all available pods is overwhelming and might include 20-minute daily discussions on anything from goldfish birth control to the science of proper dishwasher loading.

I have been tempted on no shortage of occasions to create my own podcast, but the roadblocks are many.

MONEY. Many people with their own pods say they need to be produced motivated only by passion. If the money follows, then that it an extra blessing.

My problem is I cannot pay my electric bill with passion. Believe me, I tried.

But the Central Maine Power service rep on the other end of the phone seemed uncomfortable before they hung up.

TIME. I’m not sure about you, but I have 168 hours every week. And most of those hours are usually tied up with me either sleeping, working or eating nachos.

I cannot operate on less sleep, I cannot afford to work less, and it’s impossible to stop eating nachos. The only way for me to extend time is to either do something boring or be a 7-year-old-boy. The first option is unappealing and the second has been impossible for the last 37 years.

SUBJECT MATERIAL. I am overwhelmed by the challenge of finding a topic I can speak extensively on that appeals to a great enough number of listeners. The topic I know the most about is myself, but outside of this monthly column, I doubt the presence of a great public appetite for it. Also, if indulging myself, I would run the risk of being labeled a Narcissist, a Latin word meaning “just like 80 percent of America.”

It will probably never happen. Instead, I will probably pursue contentment by engaging in the closest possible thing to a podcast about myself, blabbing without end to my wife of 21 years. This will cost nothing but her sanity and not take any extra time.

Plus, while she might not be interested in every detail of my life, she does a really good job pretending. And her reward for this charade will be an endless stream of my half-baked philosophies about life and a text each time I go to the bathroom.

Hopefully, in months or years from now, we will live in a society where the handful of podless people left in existence, regardless of whether they have anything of value to say, will have the slickly produced means of broadcasting their mental meanderings to an eager public.

And if not a podcast, there’s always the reality show.

CHRIS QUIMBY is a Christian comedian, speaker and writer, morning news anchor and host of Soup du Jour on VStv, and owner of Chris Quimby iPhone Repair. He resides in Brooks with his wife and two children.

80 / BANGOR METRO October 2017