Bangor Metro -- December

HIKE AND SHOP

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

MAKE YOUR OWN MARSHMALLOWS

FRUGAL HOLIDAY

TRADITIONS

Memories of $5.95

December 2018

PAST

CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2018

FEATURES 34 MEMORIES OF CHRISTMAS PAST Richard Shaw shares personal anecdotes of holidays in the Bangor of yesteryear

44 HAVE YOURSELF A FRUGAL LITTLE CHRISTMAS Rethink your gifting traditions

50

CELEBRATE (ON THE CHEAP)

Inexpensive ways to celebrate the season and give back

56

DEVOTED TO DOWNTOWNS

How shopping local helps boost local Maine economies

62

34

MEMORIES OF CHRISTMAS PAST

56

DEVOTED TO DOWNTOWNS

GET OUT

From Paris to Mexico to China, tips for globe-trotting around Maine

IN EVERY ISSUE 08

WHAT’S HAPPENING

16

OBSESSIONS

What we can’t get enough of this month

72

THE VIEW FROM HERE

Walking on thin ice

ON THE COVER Traffic on Central Street during the shopping rush of 1958.

Bangor Daily News File Photo

2 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

PHOTOS: (TOP) COURTESY OF BANGOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY; (BOTTOM) GARBOR DEGRE

Local news & sightings

ARTS & CULTURE

FOOD & DRINK

HEALTH & FITNESS

14 MAINE ROADS TO GETTYSBURG

20

22

HIKE ME

Roasted butternut squash is perfect for welcoming winter

Explore trails that just happen to be close to great holiday shopping areas

HOW TO

HOME & FAMILY

OUTSIDE

28

32 CAN WE PLEASE BE DONE WITH ELF ON THE SHELF?

68

Exploring the paths to Gettysburg walked by thousands of Mainers

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) JULIA BAYLY; SARAH WALKER CARON; AISLINN SARNACKI; BOB DUCHESNE; ©URSULA PAGE/ADOBE STOCK; AMY ALLEN

IN SEASON NOW

CRAFTING WITH KIDS

Surprisingly simple DIY marshmallows

30

CREATE IT AT HOME

Turn old sweaters into festive holiday stockings to hang with care

One mom’s plea for a more relaxed Christmas season

WOODS & WATERS

Don’t miss out on incredible Maine tourist attractions just because you live here. Take a ride to the top of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 3

EDITOR’S NOTE

WHEN I LIVED IN NEW YORK, it was always thrilling to see the department store windows blocked off as the holiday season approached. It meant that the windows were being decorated and designed, soon to be unveiled with their fantastical scenes and sometimes sparkly, sometimes colorful themes. Like the lighting of the Rockefeller Center tree, it was a holiday tradition, a sign of the season.

Here in Bangor, I’ve loved hearing about how special Christmas was at Freese’s downtown and how it created so many happy memories for generations of Bangoreans. Writer Richard Shaw shares memories and photos of Bangor Christmases past in a lovely essay beginning on page 34. I highly recommend spending some time reading it.

Though Freese’s is no longer there, the holiday season has its own, newer, special traditions. Someday kids will look back and remember the things Maine towns and cities did to make this time of year special.

Today, Bangor’s holiday season is ushered in with the Festival of Lights Parade and the holiday tree lighting in West Market Square. It’s special in its own right, a lovely tradition that brings families to downtown with oohs and ahhs. I hope to see some of you there this year.

As we considered this issue, one theme kept coming up: less commercialism in the holidays. So we’ve gathered ideas for smaller Christmas gifting on page 50, frugal ways to give back in your community on page 44 and a DIY project to make your holiday decorating special on page 30.

Plus, get outside with Aislinn Sarnacki’s HikeME column this month (page 22), travel the world without leaving Maine with Julia Bayly’s Get Out column (page 62) and more! I hope you love this issue as much as we do.

However and whatever you celebrate, I do hope you have a wonderful and joyous holiday season.

SARAH WALKER CARON, EDITOR

Connect With Us Online bangormetro.com facebook.com/BangorMetro @BangorMetro bangormetro talkback@bangormetro.com 4 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

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

COPY EDITOR

Kaylie Reese kreese@bangordailynews.com

SUBSCRIPTION & PROMOTIONS MANAGER

Fred Stewart

fstewart@bangordailynews.com

STAFF WRITER

Julia Bayly

jbayly@bangordailynews.com

STAFF WRITER

Abigail Curtis acurtis@bangordailynews.com

STAFF WRITER

Aislinn Sarnacki asarnacki@bangordailynews.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Sarah Cottrell, Gabor Degre, Bob Duchesne,

Emily Morrison, Crystal Sands, Richard Shaw, Katie Smith

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 5

6 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

Bangor Metro Magazine. December 2018, Vol. 14, No. 10.

Copyright Š Bangor Publishing Company.

Bangor Metro is published 10 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 Johnston at 207-990-8129.

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 Johnston at 207-990-8129.

COVER DESIGN: Amy Allen

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 7

WHAT’S HAPPENING

DEC. 1 FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS IN BANGOR

Bring on the holiday cheer on the first Saturday in December when the Festival of Lights returns for a day of fun and merriment. The annual Festival of Lights Parade begins at 4:30 pm and culminates with the Lighting of the Tree in West Market Square at the conclusion of the parade. Bring your warmest mittens, toasty hats and thick socks for this day of holiday joy because brrr, it can get cold outside.

DEC. 2 YULETIDE CELEBRATION FEATURING UMAINE’S CHORAL ENSEMBLES

The University’s major choral ensembles collaborate with UMaine’s orchestra, to perform their annual holiday concert. An afternoon of festive music and fun for the whole family at Collins Center for the Arts! Visit collinscenterforthearts.com.

8 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

DEC. 6-30 ELF AT THE PENOBSCOT THEATRE COMPANY

Meet Buddy, who was raised at the North Pole and believed he was one of Santa’s elves until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities could not be ignored. This modern holiday classic follows Buddy to the Big Apple where he discovers that his birth father is on the naughty list and his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa! Buddy sets out to win over his new family and help New York City remember the true meaning of Christmas. The Penobscot Theatre Company stages this Maine premiere throughout December. Show times vary.

Contact box office for more information and tickets 942-3333.

DEC. 2, 8, 9 NUTCRACKER IN A NUTSHELL

Bangor Ballet’s annual Nutcracker in a Nutshell performance returns for the holiday season. It will be performed

on December 2 at the Crosby Center in Belfast at 2pm and in Brewer at the Brewer Performing Arts Center on December 8 at 7pm and December 9 at 2pm. This classic holiday production turns T chaikovsky’s tale into a condensed version that is fun and beautiful. For more information or for tickets contact Bangor Ballet via phone (207-945-5911) or visit their website at www.bangorballet.org.

DEC. 7-9 STAGED READING OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale A Christmas Carol will be performed as a staged reading by Ten Bucks Theatre at Bangor Arts Exchange. The production is directed by Andrea Littlefield and featuring Ken Stack as Ebenezer Scrooge. It will be performed on Dec. 7 and 8 at 7pm and on Dec. 9 at 1:30pm.

Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 on the day of show.

PHOTOS: BDN FILE; ©DMITRY NIKOLAEV/ADOBE STOCK

DECEMBER

DEC. 1 Festival of Lights Parade, Bangor

DEC. 8 HOLIDAY TRIBUTE TO THE CARPENTERS

Singer Lisa Rock and her six-piece band are keeping The Carpenters’ holiday traditions alive with spot-on renditions of their unforgettable Christmas tunes.

Featuring the timeless "Merry Christmas Darling" and the jazzy "Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town," this is a holiday concert that spreads joy and cheer to all.

In addition, you will hear some of your Carpenters' favorite in their original keys. The concert will be held 4-6pm and 7:30-9 pm on Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Gracie Theatre, Husson University.

DECEMBER 13-30 THE SANTALAND DIARIES BY DAVID SEDARIS

Join actor Dominick Varney for a oneman holiday adventure. He’ll perform as a disgruntled department store elf named

DEC. 7-9 Staged Reading of a Christmas Carol

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 9

10 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Crumpet. At first, the job is simply … humiliating, but once the thousands of visitors start pouring through Santa’s workshop Crumpet realizes the struggle is real. Portraying over 40 ridiculous characters, this is wry and witty look at the combination of retail hell and theatrical spectacle that is the holiday season for mature audiences only. Tickets available through the Penobscot Theatre Company. This will be performed at 51 Main Street.

PHOTO: SICKLED FOOT PHOTOGRAPHY

DECEMBER 15-16 THE NUTCRACKER

A holiday tradition for all ages, the BSO’s annual production of The Nutcracker with the Robinson Ballet is beloved by audiences throughout Maine. Watch Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Nutcracker grace the stage of the Collins Center for the Arts as the Bangor Symphony Orchestra brings Tchaikovsky’s score to life. Visit collinscenterforthearts.com.

DEC. 15-16 The Nutcracker, Collins Center for the Arts

STILL STUMPED?

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

 





 Visit our Bangor Metro Facebook page to play online! www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 11

WHAT’S HAPPENING

1

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

2

1 & 2: The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s drew a big crowd to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. The event is held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide and seven locations in Maine, including Bass Park in Bangor.

3: Brook Ewing Minner and Joan Minner were all smiles at the most recent Dirigo Speaks event presented by the Bangor Daily News. Maine runner Gary Allen was the presenter, speaking about his experience starting the Millinocket Marathon and raising thousands of dollars for local charities.

SHARE YOUR EVENT PHOTOS! 12 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

Email your photos and captions to

talkback@bangormetro.com

PHOTOS: JEFF KIRLIN / THE THING OF THE MOMENT

3

HO HO HO!

Happy Holidays! Play online at bangormetro.com for your chance to win a FREE one-year subscription to Bangor Metro!

4 4: The 3rd annual International Maritime Film Festival showcased a wide-range of documentary films on all topics maritime. Q&As with filmmakers and more made this festival a unique and intimate experience on the Maine Coast. The IMFF is a project of Main Street Bucksport and WoodenBoat Publications.

5 & 6: A large group marched through downtown Bangor recently in support of End Domestic Violence Days to raise awareness about domestic abuse.

5

6

Sponsored by

Maine Mobile Massage

FIND ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S POP QUIZ ON PAGE 11!

mainemobilemassage.com

ARTS & CULTURE

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

MAINE ROADS TO

GETTYSBURG EXPLORING THE PATHS TO GETTYSBURG WALKED

BY THOUSANDS OF MAINE FIGHTING MEN

BY JULIA BAYLY

14 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

IN 1889 SELDON CONNOR, the 35th governor of Maine, pointed out, “In proportion to the number of her troops in the action, no one of the 18 states whose regiments flew the stars and stripes on this hard-fought field contributed more than Maine to the victory.”

Connor was talking about the Battle of Gettysburg, which took place over three days in July 1883 and is considered to be the bloodiest battle of the U.S. Civil War. “At whatever point the battle raged, the sons of the Pine Tree State were in the melee,” Gov. Connor, himself a Civil War veteran from the 7th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, said.

Connor was not at Gettysburg, but more than 4,000 other Maine soldiers were.

Writer Tom Huntington has documented their contributions to the battle in his book “Maine Roads to Gettysburg.”

“If you connect the dots of all the Maine regiments and [Maine] individuals at Gettysburg, you get an outline of the whole battle,” Huntington said. “They were there at all the pivotal spots over the three days it lasted.”

Huntington, who was born in Augusta and attended Bowdoin College, said his interest in the Civil War began when he moved to Washington D.C. in 1985 and drove past the site of the Manassas Civil War battle, fought in July 1861 and considered to be the first major battle of the war.

“I was reading all the signs about the battle and realized it was like reading a novel starting at the halfway point,” Huntington said. “I was trying to figure out all the characters and locations.”

By the time he moved to Pennsylvania a few years later, Huntington said he was hooked on Civil War history and becoming more interested in the Maine connection.

“I was very lucky living in Pennsylvania because I was 40 minutes away from Gettysburg,” he said. “That’s a good place to be if you are interested in the battle.”

For many Civil War history buffs, the Maine star of Gettysburg is Joshua Chamberlain, fellow Bowdoin alumni.

“When I went to Bowdoin, I joined the same fraternity that Joshua Chamberlain belonged to,” Huntington said. “I lived in the frat house that was built across from Chamberlain’s own house.”

Chamberlain, who went on to become governor of Maine and later president of Bowdoin College, is among the more famous Gettysburg battle commanders, due in no small part to the book “Killer Angels,” by Michael Shaara, and the movie

“Gettysburg” that it inspired.

The movie, in particular, focused on Chamberlain and his 20th Maine regiment’s stand at Little Round Top, where they reportedly pushed back multiple Confederate charges, protecting the Union Army’s flank.

The 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment was formed in 1862 with more than 1,600 volunteers mostly from central and southern Maine.

“That stand is legendary,” Huntington said. “People love Joshua Chamberlain, but there is so much more to the story than Chamberlain and the 20th Maine.”

Through extensive archival research, Huntington tells the story of lesser-known Maine soldiers at Gettysburg and their important contributions to the Union’s victory there.

Much of Huntington's research came from letters written home by the Maine soldiers.

“I got such a great sense of these men’s personalities coming through their letters,” he said. “That really surprised me.”

Often, in reading one written account of Gettysburg or a letter from a soldier, Huntington would see references to men or places he’d read in other accounts, which he said gave real life to the people and experiences.

“I felt like I really knew these people,” he said. “There was a letter from a young kid from Vassalboro who wrote to his sister about joining the army and how it would be a grand adventure and he’d see the world.”

Subsequent letters from the same young man to his sister described seeing Washington, D.C., being at the Battle of Fredericksburg and more mundane information about waiting to get his pay.

“Next thing I read, is the account of how he was hit in his elbow by a Confederate bullet and that injury is what killed him,” Huntington said. “I did not see that coming.

It was like a gut punch.”

Huntington also read letters from Hiram Berry who served as mayor of Rockland in the mid-1800s before he signed up to fight for the Union in 1861, despite having no previous military experience.

Turns out, according to Huntington, Berry showed, showed a keen sense for battlefield command and was promoted to brigadier general for what was described as gallant service in the Battle of Manassas.

“While serving, he got malaria and was sent home with his hair falling out and in very poor health,” Huntington

CHAMBERLAIN, WHO WENT ON TO BECOME GOVERNOR OF MAINE... IS AMONG THE MORE FAMOUS GETTYSBURG BATTLE COMMANDERS, DUE IN NO SMALL PART TO THE BOOK “KILLER ANGELS,” BY MICHAEL SHAARA, AND THE MOVIE “GETTYSBURG” THAT IT INSPIRED.

said. “But he rallied, went back to his troops and ended up at the Battle of Chancellorsville, where he was killed by a sharpshooter.”

Those are the kinds of stories Huntington loves to find.

“I love telling them,” he said. “I also want people reading my book to get an appreciation of the suffering of these soldiers and the sacrifices they made.”

Following the final battle at Gettysburg, Huntington said the Union troops were in such a rush to chase down the retreating Confederate Army that they left behind crucial gear and equipment including warm clothing and food.

Military bureaucracy further delayed the men getting their crucial gear, Huntington said.

“They suffered a great deal and were in severe discomfort,” he said. “Many did not have coats, and it was so cold their water froze in canteens. It was just brutal with many men dying just because of the red tape that kept them from being reunited with their equipment.”

More than 150 years after the Battle of Gettysburg, Huntington said it — and the entire Civil War — still fascinates people deeply.

“There are all kinds of factors at play that could explain that,” he said. “It was one of the first wars that was photographed and it was fought here, not in some far away exotic land.”

Time, he said, has not tempered the passions that ignited the war.

“People are still ‘fighting’ the Civil War,” Huntington said. “It’s part of our history but close enough that you can recognize yourself and your feelings when you look at the faces in those photos. It’s a cliche, but I want people reading this book to understand war is hell.” www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 15

ARTS & CULTURE

OBSESSIONS

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

WATCH SUPERGIRL ON THE CW

—AISLINN SARNACKI

SEE MARY POPPINS RETURNS WHY DO WE LOVE IT? With its serious themes presented with whimsy, “Mary Poppins” was among my very favorite movies as a child. As an adult, I was so excited to share it with my children — and even more excited that they’ve loved it too. When “Saving Mr. Banks” came out several years ago, we fell in love with Mary and her story all over again. It’s also based on the work of P.L.Travers but introduces three new Banks children, whose father is Michael from the original movie. When Michael suffers a loss, Mary Poppins comes back to help the family find joy and wonder again. I can’t wait to see this with my kids. The movie comes out Dec. 19.

—SARAH WALKER CARON

PHOTO: ©ANDRZEJ TOKARSKI, ©SERGEY KISHAN, ©SUNNY STUDIO, CURIOSO/ADOBE STOCK

WHY DO WE LOVE IT? When I was growing up, I was obsessed with two television shows: “Xena: Warrior Princess” (airing 1995-2001) and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1996-2003). Both shows feature strong female characters that kick some serious butt for the greater good. So it’s no surprise that when the show “Supergirl” first aired in 2015, I became an instant fan.

Now on its fourth season on The CW, the show is about Superman’s cousin, Kara Danvers, who is secretly — you guessed it — Supergirl.

I personally find it refreshing and inspirational to follow a narrative in which a strong woman is the main character. After all, the vast majority of superhero movies and shows feature men in lead roles, while women are typically sidekicks, love interests or periphery characters. But that’s not the only reason I love Supergirl. It’s also simply a good show, with complex characters, plot twists, well-executed action scenes and unconventional love stories. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. The show has received great online reviews, including an 88 percent approval on Rotten Tomatoes.

As an added bonus, the fourth season of the show introduces the character Nia Nal, who is played by Orono native Nicole Maines.

Destined to eventually become the superhero Dreamer, she will be TV’s first transgender superhero.

READ So many books cross my desk at Bangor Metro, and I purchase even more. Every month, I select a few that catch my attention.

“STRONG IS THE NEW PRETTY: A GUIDED JOURNAL FOR GIRLS,” BASED ON THE BESTSELLING BOOK BY KATE T. PARKER — When the book this is based on (“Strong is the New Pretty”) came out, I loved it. It’s an empowering celebration of what it takes to raise strong, confident people. The new guided journal is a wonderful companion that includes writing and drawing prompts, photos and more. It inspires confidence and creativity in simple and open-ended ways. (Ages 8-12) “MARILLA OF GREEN GABLES,” BY SARAH MCCOY — Long before the orphan girl with red hair came to Green Gables, Marilla was a young girl there navigating family, friendship and education. At 13, when her mother dies suddenly, she is thrust into the motherly duties like cleaning and cooking that need to be done. But she feels drawn to the wider world and a sense that she has so much more to give the world. Fans of “Anne of Green Gables,” and its sequels will fall happily into this coming of age tale by L.M. Montgomery enthusiast Sarah McCoy. McCoy has used information about Marilla Cuthbert from Montgomery’s books to craft a lovely, engulfing backstory about Anne’s adoptive mother. We see a whole new side of Marilla, one whose life is filled with ambition and romance, choice and uncertainty. And it’s glorious. (Adult) “FRIDAY BLACK,” BY NANA KWAME ADJEI-BRENYAH — What is it like to be young and black in America today? This collection of surreal, satirical short stories crack open a window, showing us in haunting, disturbing imagery. Adjei-Brenyah is a powerful writer and this book is one I couldn’t put down from the first page to the last. The stories tackle racism, cultural unrest and more. Highly recommended. (Adult) —SARAH WALKER CARON

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 17

FOOD & DRINK

OBSESSIONS

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

ORDER SUGARED CRANBERRIES WHY DO WE LOVE IT? Have you seen sugared cranberries all over Pinterest and food blogs? They are surprisingly easy to make — and they’re really tasty, too. These sweet-tart balls of fruity goodness are excellent on desserts and with savory dishes. Try them with cheese on crostini.

I love that they are pretty and yummy. Here’s how to make them: SUGARED CRANBERRIES 8 servings ½ cup water 1 cup sugar, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ pound cranberries Start by making the syrup: Combine the water and ½ cup sugar in a small saucepan.

Heat gently over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Do not let it come to a boil. Stir in the vanilla extract and remove from heat.

Place the cranberries in a small bowl. Cover with syrup mixture. Use foil to both cover the bowl and press the cranberries gently into the syrup. Chill overnight.

Drain the cranberries (syrup can be reserved and used to sweeten drinks, if desired). Place the remaining ½ cup sugar in a shallow dish that will allow the cranberries to remain in a single layer. Toss the cranberries with the sugar and then chill for at least 1 hour. Toss again and use as desired.

—SARAH WALKER CARON 18 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

PUB CHEESE AT GEAGHAN’S PUB AND CRAFT BREWERY IN BANGOR WHY DO WE LOVE IT? A famous snack in Greater Bangor, Geaghan’s Pub Cheese is a simple, creamy spread of blended cheeses that’s difficult to stop eating. It has a slightly smoky taste and just the right consistency. I was first introduced to the delicious spread when I ordered the Pub Cheese Chicken Sandwich ($11.59) at Geaghan’s Pub and Craft Brewery, a family-friendly restaurant with a festive vibe at 570 Main St. in Bangor.

With the spread melted over the grilled chicken, the sandwich was a bit messy, but the delicious combination was definitely worth using a few extra napkins. The pub cheese also comes on a burger ($11.59) and as a cold appetizer with crackers ($4.99).

At the front of the restaurant, it can be purchased in half-pint containers for $6.59.

And it’s also served as an appetizer at the Geaghan Bros. Brewing Co. Tasting Room located at 34 Abbott St. in Brewer.

—AISLINN SARNACKI

PHOTO: (TOP) ©NATALIA KLENOVA/ADOBE STOCK; (CRANBERRIES) ©ELENATHEWISE/ADOBE STOCK; (CHEESE) AISLINN SARNACKI

MAKE

LOCAL EATS

SIP ZEN BEAR HONEY TEA WHY DO WE LOVE IT? Sometimes you just need a bear hug. It’s been a long day at work. Nothing seems to be going right in your personal life.

It feels like an uphill climb that never ends. And you just need something worth the experience of stopping life’s treadmill for a few minutes. I have lots of different kinds of teas from various places in the world that I enjoy, choosing among them depending on my mood. But there is one tea product I found at a craft fair that has really become a go-to special treat for me. Zen Bear Honey Tea, which comes in various flavors, is tea already mixed with honey. You scoop out a teaspoonful into a mug or teacup and add hot water and let it melt. So easy. I even find the aroma relaxing. And it doesn't taste too sweet, which was my initial concern. Two of my favorites are EnlightenMint and Mocha Chaga. Zen Bear is based in Bath, and uses mostly Maineproduced ingredients, including raw honey from the Aroostook Valley Amish community. I like the company’s story as well as the founders’ ingredient sourcing ethics, but I especially like the few moments of quiet I find whenever I sit down to a hot cup of honey tea.

Find it online at zenbearhoneytea.com.

—JULIE HARRIS

Your ad could be on this page.

Advertise in Bangor Metro’s Food & Drink section.

Call 990-8000.

BANGOR METRO / 19

in season now

FOOD & DRINK

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

STORY & PHOTOS BY SARAH WALKER CARON

IN THE GROCERY STORE years ago, my daughter Paige, who was probably 3 or 4 years old at the time, spotted a package of cubed butternut squash and got very excited.

“Cantaloupe! Mommy, can we get some??”

Cubed butternut squash can look a lot like her favorite melon. The flavor is certainly different, though. Don’t worry, I did clear up the confusion.

Rich in vitamin A and C, butternut squash begins appearing in markets in late September or early October. A hard squash, it falls into the category of winter squashes. Frequently used in soups and roasted, it pairs well with herbs like sage and thyme, spicy ingredients (as in chilis) and with butter and maple flavors. The flesh of the butternut squash becomes soft and sweet when cooked.

The skin of a butternut squash is thick and not edible, even when cooked. The seeds, however, can be roasted as you would with pumpkin seeds and enjoyed as a snack.

As we enter the months of sweaters, scarves, gloves and fleece, warm, hearty dishes are a must. This recipe for roasted butternut squash with red onions makes a wonderful side dish on chilly days with its rich and robust flavor. You can even top salads with it, turning the normally cool side dish into a lovely warm one.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH RED ONIONS Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ¾-inch cubes 2 small red onions, quartered and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread the butternut squash cubes over the baking sheet.

Disperse the red onions throughout. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast for 20 minutes and then stir. Roast for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Enjoy as a side dish, on rice or other grains, on salads or in wraps.

20 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

SARAH WALKER CARON is the editor of Bangor Metro magazine. Her newest cookbook, “The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook,” was released in September by Rockridge Press.

She’s also author of the popular food blog, Sarah’s Cucina Bella (www.sarahscucinabella.com).

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 21

HIKE ME

HIKE AND SHOP TRAILS NEAR GREAT HOLIDAY SHOPPING AREAS STORY & PHOTOS BY AISLINN SARNACKI

CARRYING AN ASSORTMENT of shopping bags, she navigated the crowded sidewalk and mentally ticked names off her holiday shopping list.

Had she remembered to buy the gift card to the restaurant her mother loved so much? After a couple of hours of browsing local shops, her brain was fried. She was ready to trade the twinkling window displays, Christmas music and throng of shoppers for a quiet walk in the forest.

At a nearby preserve, she swapped her bags of gifts for a hiking pack and hit the trails. There was still enough daylight left for a short walk, something to get her blood pumping and clear her head.

Compared to the hustle and bustle of downtown, the forest seemed incredibly calm and vacant, but as she adjusted to the quiet, sounds began to emerge — the distinctive tune of a chickadee and the rustling of a squirrel dashing over dead leaves. Sheltered by tall pines and dense clusters of balsam fir, she didn’t feel the bite of the cold breeze as she had while on the sidewalk.

In fact, as she walked the trails at a brisk pace, she was starting to warm right up.

As is so often the case in the winter, she had the trail network entirely to herself. When cold weather hits Maine, many people store away their hiking boots until spring. But sometimes, she thought as she walked, a frozen forest can be just the escape you need, especially during the busy holiday season, where a little peace and quiet can be hard to find.

PRENTISS WOODS IN BANGOR EASY A 25-ACRE POCKET of wilderness in the midst of Bangor, Prentiss Woods features a network of about 1.5 miles of trails that are wide and relatively smooth. This forest is pretty old, as evidenced by its abundance of tall white pines and mature red cedar, hemlock, paper birch, beech and balsam fir trees.

A couple trailside benches are located throughout the network for visitors to rest, observe wildlife and procrastinate on their shopping agenda.

Named in honor of Henry E. Prentiss, who served as mayor of Bangor in 1870, the forest is owned and maintained by the City of Bangor. Nearby, you’ll find several shopping hot spots, including downtown Bangor, where locally owned shops engage in a friendly competition to best one another’s holiday window displays each December. Bangor is also home to several shopping malls and big-box stores.

For more information about Prentiss Woods, visit www.bangormaine.gov or call 992-4490.

DIRECTIONS: Take Exit 48 off Interstate 95 and a right onto Broadway. Drive about 0.6 mile and turn right onto Grandview Avenue. Drive about 0.2 mile and the parking area to Prentiss Woods Trail is on the left, just after the entrance to Bangor High School.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 23

HEALTH & FITNESS

HIKE ME

BIRDSACRE IN ELLSWORTH

THE STANWOOD WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, more commonly known as Birdsacre, is a 200-acre piece of quiet woodland surrounded by the hustle and bustle of downtown Ellsworth, and it features a trail network made up of a few miles of trails. The sanctuary also includes a bird rehabilitation facility, nature center and a museum at the 19thcentury homestead that used to be the home of Cordelia J. Stanwood (1865-1958), a naturalist, ornithologist, wildlife photographer and writer who lived and studied on the property for many years.

The trails on the property follow paths that Stanwood made as she roamed the property, studying and photographing birds, and they visit some interesting landmarks, including a boulder called “Egg Rock,” a giant white pine called “Queen’s Throne,” and several small ponds. Also, by the nature center is the Woodland Gardens and Boardwalk, a 540-foot-long wheelchair-accessible boardwalk that travels through five diverse environments.

Nearby in downtown Ellsworth, there’s a wide variety of shops, including a book and toy store and several places to buy locally made jewelry. At 142 Main St., the Holiday Marketplace — a variety of businesses without a permanent retail location in Ellsworth — pops up for the month of December. And spaced along Route 1 are several big discount stores, including an L.L.Bean Outlet, Reny’s Department Store and Marden’s.

For more information about Birdscare, visit birdsacre.com or call 667-8460.

24 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

PHOTO: (LARGE PHOTO) BILL TROTTER

MODERATE

Call to receive a 2019 brochure 1-800-244-2335 | 207-827-2010

Cyr Northstar Tours’ Upcoming tours

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE!

BOSTON CELTICS vs OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER February 3, 2019 | $194 per person (TD Garden, Boston, MA)

CHERRY BLOSSOM PARADE April 10-15, 2019 | $1,620pp (dbl occupancy) (Washington, DC)

QUEBEC WINTER CARNIVAL February 8-11, 2019 | $929pp (dbl occupancy) (Quebec City, Quebec)

QUINCY MARKET SHOPPING April 17, 2019 | $120 per person (Boston, MA)

BOSTON BRUINS vs LA KINGS February 9, 2019 | $235 per person (TD Garden, Boston, MA)

PENN DUTCH May 14-18, 2019 | $1,045pp (dbl occupancy) (Lancaster, PA)

THE ILLUSIONIST March 10, 2019 | $246 per person (Emerson Colonial Theatre, Boston, MA)

OGUNQUIT PLAYHOUSE (Show TBD) May 19, 2019 | $209 per person Lunch Included, (Ogunquit, ME)

BOSTON FLOWER SHOW March 16, 2019 | $136 per person (Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center, Boston, MA)

ESCAPE TO THE CAPE May 20-24, 2019 | $873pp (dbl occupancy) (Hyannis, MA)

DIRECTIONS: Birdsacre is located at 289 High Street (Route 3) in Ellsworth. To get there, start at the four-way intersection of Main Street and High Street in Ellsworth and drive south on High Street (Route 1-Route 3) toward Bar Harbor. After about 1 mile, veer left onto High Street, which becomes a one-way road headed toward Bar Harbor, and after about 0.3 mile, turn right onto the driveway leading to Birdsacre, just before the China Hill Restaurant.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 25

HEALTH & FITNESS

HIKE ME

MEGUNTICOOK MOUNTAIN IN CAMDEN CHALLENGING THE HIGHEST OF THE CAMDEN HILLS, Mount Megunticook rises 1,385 feet above sea level at the heart of Camden Hills State Park. Though the mountain’s summit is forested, there are several open granite ledges located along its slopes that offer stunning views of the Penobscot Bay. Several hiking trails and multi-use trails explore the mountain, forming a network that can easily be navigated with a trail map.

Many people hike the mountain on the Mt. Megunticook Trail, which winds up the mountain’s eastern slope through a mixed forest that includes many tall oak trees. Out and back, this hike is about 4 miles long and includes a few steep, rocky sections.

Just a short drive away is downtown Camden, known for its abundance of boutiques and art galleries.

And if you time your hike for the first weekend of December, you can attend the downtown’s annual Christmas by the Sea festival, during which stores celebrate with holiday sales, and Santa and his helper Ellen the Elf visits town on a lobster boat.

For more information about Megunticook Mountain, visit www.maine.gov/camdenhills or call 236-3109 or 236-0849 (off season).

AISLINN SARNACKI is a staff writer for Bangor Metro and the Outdoors and Homestead sections of the Bangor Daily News. An expert on the Maine outdoors, she is author of the guidebooks “Maine Hikes Off the Beaten Path” and “Family Friendly Hikes in Maine.”

Follow her adventures on her blog, actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com.

26 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

DIRECTIONS: Mount Megunticook is located in Camden Hills State Park, which located at 280 Belfast Road (Route 1) in Camden, just north of the downtown area. Mt. Megunticook Trail begins on the west side of the park campground.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 27

HOW-TO

CRAFTING WITH KIDS

HOMEMADE

MARsHMALLOWS

FUN, TASTY AND SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE MARSHMALLOWS. STORY & PHOTOS BY AMY ALLEN

SOME PROJECTS SEEM like a Pinterest fail waiting to happen — like DIY marshmallows. My daughter thought we should give homemade marshmallows a try after seeing them at a local holiday fair. I was skeptical, and remained so as we boiled ingredients, checked temperatures and threw them all in the mixer. The color didn't seem right, they smelled weird — and then I turned around for a minute and when I looked back in the mixer, there it was! White, fluffy, sticky marshmallow!

My son is a marshmallow connoisseur and has confirmed that these do-ityourself treats are truly delicious. Sure, it's a lot more work than popping open a bag from the grocery store, but it really is a cool process/science experiment to see in action. It's definitely a sticky, messy project, so keep the confectioners sugar handy to dust your hands, cutting board, knife and final product. These tasty treats are supposed to last a few weeks in an airtight container, layered with parchment paper to keep them from sticking. They would make a fun holiday gift paired with a gourmet hot chocolate packet and a cute mug.

28 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

WHAT YOU’LL NEED: • 3 packets (.25 ounces each) unflavored gelatin (near the Jell-O in the grocery store) • 11 /2 cups sugar • 1 cup light corn syrup • 1 /4 teaspoon salt • 2 teaspoons vanilla • Confectioners sugar for dusting pan and more • Cooking spray • Candy thermometer

DIRECTIONS & TIPS 1. Dissolve the 3 packets of gelatin in 1 /2 cup water in your stand mixer or bowl.

A stand mixer with a whisk works very well for this project.

2. In a pot, boil 1/ 2 cup water and add the 11/ 2 cups sugar, 1 cup corn syrup, and salt until the sugar is all dissolved. Boil without stirring until a candy thermometer reaches 240ÂşF. 3. Slowly pour the mixture into the mixer with the gelatin. Fair warning: It will smell weird and the color will seem off. Don't worry. Beat on a high speed for 5 minutes until it thickens and suddenly resembles marshmallow fluff. Beat in the vanilla.

4. Spread the marshmallow mixture in a pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray and dusted heavily with confectioners sugar. The pan size will determine how thick your final marshmallows will be — a 9x9 pan will produce a very thick marshmallow. If you plan to cut them out in shapes, a larger pan will produce a thinner marshmallow that will be easier to cut. Bump your pan a few time to help release air bubbles.

5. Let the pan stand at room temperature for several hours or overnight. We tucked ours away uncovered in a cupboard for overnight to help dry, but you can also cover with tinfoil if needed.

6. When they're ready to come out, be generous with the confectioners sugar to prevent sticking on your cutting board.

Use a spatula to carefully release your marshmallows and cut with a knife or cookie cutters spritzed with cooking spray and dusted with confections sugar. Dust your final product as well to prevent sticking.

MORE TIPS: You can also choose to color your marshmallows, add flavors, add sprinkles or dip the final product in chocolate for an extra fun treat.

with KIDS

HOW-TO

CREATE IT AT HOME

RECYCLED SWEATER

STOCKINGS UPCYCLE YOUR OLD SWEATERS INTO HOLIDAY CHEER STORY & PHOTOS BY KATIE SMITH

WE ALL LOVE wool and cashmere sweaters for the coziness, warmth and natural fibers. When a few of mine started to wear out last year I wanted to recycle every bit of them and thought turning them into Christmas stockings would be perfect.

This project only uses a few supplies and will take under an hour to make, minus washing and drying time.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED: • Cashmere or wool sweater • Scissors • Sewing machine (or needles and thread for hand sewing) • Old stocking or stocking pattern to use as a template

30 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

DIRECTIONS & TIPS 1. Felt your sweater by washing in hot water and drying in dryer.

2. Pull sweater inside out, so right sides are facing out and lay the template on the sweater using rib of the sweater (if there is one) as the opening of your stocking.

3. Cut out the new stocking. This does not have to be perfect — felted wool and cashmere are very forgiving.

4. Cut a 10-inch long and half-inch wide loop using any other part of your sweater to hang your stocking.

5. Sew your stocking. With wrong sides facing each other and inserting your loop so it's tucked inside the stocking, forming a loop, sew all edges (except for opening) together using a quarter-inch inseam.

You can also sew by hand, if you would like.

6. Turn stocking right side out and hang.

at

HOME

TIP: Depending on sweater size, you will get about two stockings out of one sweater. These also look great decorated with beads or felt cut-outs.

HOME & FAMILY

THIS PAST AUGUST, on a particularly humid day, I turned to Pinterest for some ideas about how to keep my kids entertained while we all sweated through our summer clothes. I hadn’t even made it through my first scroll when suddenly there was a video for a DIY Elf on the Shelf project that was “sure to make you the most popular mom.”

I found myself incredibly annoyed.

If you’ve never heard of Elf on the Shelf (where have you been?) it is a Christmas tradition in which parents employ the help of one of Santa’s elves to keep kids behaving well during the holiday.

The phenomenon started in 2005 when a book called “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition” written by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell went viral. The basic premise of the book is that Santa sends a “scout elf” to a child’s house to hide and spy on the family during the day then report back to the north pole at night. The elf must return back to the house before morning and hide in a new place.

Kids are encouraged to love their elf because it’s through the magic of love that the elf can earn their Christmas magic. But be warned, the elf will disappear if a child touches it. Since kids only experience the elf as an inanimate object, they are easily hoodwinked into believing that proof of Santa exists based on the behavior of their family elf.

The fun happens when kids wake up each morning throughout the month of December and look around their house to see what kinds of hijinks their family elf got into overnight. Maybe it will be tied up and surrounded by G.I. Joe’s. Or maybe it will be trapped in the butter dish in the fridge.

Sounds cute, right?

But it’s not cute. It’s a ridiculous pile of work dressed up in one more thing that I have to do as a mom. And that’s where I have beef.

Increasingly, the holidays are becoming overly expensive, activitypacked adventures that fall on parents to organize, pay for, document and upload on social media. When did the holidays start to resemble an amusement park spectacle?

32 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

PHOTO: ©URSULA PAGE/ADOBE STOCK

Can we please be done with

REALTORS

ELF ON THE

SHELF? ONE MOTHER'S PLEA TO TURN DOWN THE HOLIDAY STRESS AND ENJOY A MORE RELAXED AND CASUAL CHRISTMAS

BY SARAH COTTRELL

In order to make the elf special, I am encouraged by mom blogs and DIY sites everywhere to create epic scenes of hijinks for our family elf to get into. After my kids go to bed, the experts say, I am to curate and craft scenes that only a lovable elf would find himself in. The problem? It feels to me an awful lot like dressing up a nanny cam like Christmas with mild threats of tattling on my kids for acting like, well, kids.

The other problem? I can never remember to do it. After a few days of Elf on the Shelf, it becomes a chore that I have to do before I go to bed. There have been many times when I woke up in a dead panic at midnight because I forgot to move the Elf somewhere new.

Once you start using the Elf can you even stop? Will it ruin the magic of Santa for kids? That’s the fear. It’s sheer brilliant marketing; instill fear in the kids to behave and fear in the parents to not drop the ball and ruin everything.

Some of my mom friends go to extremes to accomplish this feat of holiday flair.

They stay up late and create entire scenes of the elf baking — yes, actual cookies that are waiting on a holiday plate for their kids the next morning. Or they put their elf in a funny and yet awkward situation like hanging by his hands from a roll of toilet paper or get busted drinking mom’s wine. I’ve seen it all.

The thought of having to Pinterest my way through a nightly craft project that rivals the torture of doing homework with my kids is enough to give me anxiety. The pressure to never forget to set up the elf in some elaborate scenes to delight my kids (who hardly ever notice after day three) is exhausting.

Over the last few years, my family has re-evaluated what our holiday priorities are. For me, being able to remove tasks from my holiday things-to-do list is the most important. I went from loving the holidays to being incredibly stressed out by the sheer pile of work involved.

As my children grow I want to be able to remember their faces on Christmas morning or the hikes in the woods as a family on Christmas Eve day. I don’t want to think about all the anxiety and exhaustion wrapped up in being a mom at Christmas time.

So, while my friends love their Elf on the Shelf experience, I’ll be focusing on a more relaxed and casual approach to the holidays this year. Merry Christmas.

Your listing could be on this page.

Sell it faster.

Advertise in Bangor Metro’s Home section.

Call 990-8000.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 33

FEATURE

Memories of PAST

Central Street Christmas shopping traffic in 1958.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTO 34 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

REMINISCING ABOUT BANGOR CHRISTMASES PAST.

BY RICHARD SHAW

PEOPLE OLD ENOUGH to collect Medicare and Social Security like to reminisce about old-time Bangor Christmases. No other city in Maine seemed to capture the holiday magic better than the Queen City of the East, where 20th century crowds gathered in West Market Square to watch the Christmas tree lighting, drivers jockeyed for Main Street parking spots before snatching up the latest holiday bargains, and children stood by store windows just to see the latest winking mechanical Santas. Even the ravages of World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam and others to follow couldn’t deter the Yuletide spirit.

In my unofficial role as Bangor’s historian, I love to share Christmas stories from 1918, when the world was at peace for the first time since 1914. Local soldiers mailed holiday cards home from Europe’s trenches starting in 1917, when the United States finally entered the war and continued to do so after the conflict’s end on Nov. 11, 1918. Some took weeks, even months, to reach their destinations. This city lost 18 soldiers to war wounds and influenza. During this centennial year of the first Armistice Day that signaled the end of hostilities, it is wise today to reflect on what Christmas must have been like on faraway battlefields.

Closer to home for me were the 1950s and ’60s, when balsam firs were still called Christmas trees and creches were displayed in public schools. Like my parents and grandparents, the holiday season is this baby boomer’s reason to be forever young.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 35

FEATURE “The outside lighting at Freese’s department store [now the Maine Discovery Museum] seemed to envelop the whole building,” Bangor native Bruce Moore recalled. “Inside the elevator, with a metal gate across the front, the attendant would announce, ‘Fifth floor, toys and Santa!’ The Lionel model train displays, complete with a diorama of the city, were phenomenal.”

With a nip in the air, people scooped up savings in the men’s and women’s clothing stores, gift shops, and in the three downtown anchor department stores: Freese’s, W.T. Grant Co., and Sears Roebuck. The two five-and-dimes, J.J. Newberry and F.W. Woolworth, also did a brisk business. In pre-shopping mall Bangor, downtown streets were strung with colored lights and Salvation Army “Santas” rung bells while standing near red donation kettles. Shoppers converged on stores and restaurants until each closed at 9 p.m.

Each anchor had its own Santa Claus, perched upstairs on a throne ready to ask each little boy and girl what they desired for Christmas. My brother and I ranked each Jolly Old Elf in order of how well groomed his silky white beard was and how many candy canes he doled out. We usually requested something modest, like a toy truck, unlike one little rascal who brazenly asked for world peace.

We seemed to agree every year that Freese’s rated the best Santa, no doubt

“THE OUTSIDE LIGHTING AT FREESE’S DEPARTMENT STORE SEEMED TO ENVELOP THE WHOLE BUILDING,” BANGOR NATIVE BRUCE MOORE RECALLED. “INSIDE THE ELEVATOR, WITH A METAL GATE ACROSS THE FRONT, THE ATTENDANT WOULD ANNOUNCE, ‘FIFTH FLOOR, TOYS AND SANTA!’

36 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

(Top & Bottom) 1944 Bangor Daily News ads for Santa at Freese’s Department Store.

(Middle) An ad from 1943 for Star Store.

Freese’s Department Store decorated for Christmas in the 1930S. COURTESY BANGOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 37

FEATURE

38 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

Pine Tree Restaurant circa 1945 in downtown Bangor.

It was a favorite during the December holidays.

COURTESY RICHARD SHAW

a result of its massive budget as “Fifth Avenue in Maine.” Next came Grant’s, followed by Sears. If we started early enough, we could hit all three in a single night, though one year we got waylaid in Freese’s, where Old Saint Nick spoke with a foreign dialect, straight out of Brooklyn, New York, perhaps. He could have used an interpreter.

Having worked up an appetite buying nylons and linens for Mom, I would look up at Dad and say, “Are you hungry? Will it be the Pine Tree Restaurant again this year?”

Nodding with a smile, he would walk the family up to the restaurant at Main and Water streets where we enjoyed their famous turkey pot pie, topped off with hot chocolate and apple pie a la mode.

Proprietor Peter Aloupis, a tall man with a shock of gray hair, rang up our bill and would always say, “Pleasure, pleasure,” perhaps a Greek tradition passed on from his ancestors. Italians, Greeks and Armenians seemed to favor the restaurant business, while Jewish families, most of them the children of Eastern European immigrants, operated clothing stores.

I used to joke with my Jewish neighbors that, with their jovial spirit and flair for decorating, they celebrated Christmas better than Christians, and they would always chuckle. Didn’t Irving Berlin score big with “White Christmas”?

Always decorated with bows and trees were John Paul’s and Henry H. Segal men’s clothing stores. Just as Hanukkah is considered the most secular of Jewish holidays, Jews may have looked upon the Christmas season as a secular celebration for all religions to enjoy (and profit from).

My parents enjoyed the holiday glitter as much as the next couple, but each Sunday they insisted on reminding their three kids of what Dec. 25 was all about.

The red-brick Pine Street Methodist Church, another landmark that exists only in our memories, was filled with the organ music of David Swett and the sermons of Pastor George Bullens.

The Advent season was filled with humor, such as the Sunday a girl stopped the church service with odd renderings of “Joy to the World” and “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Apparently, she misread “And heaven and nature sing” for “And M&M nature sing” and butchered the second hymn as “O Come All Ye Hateful.” Her folks gently set her straight.

Later in the 1960s, at the new First United Methodist Church on Essex Street, www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 39

FEATURE

Organist Norm Lambert performs on WABI-TV’s Christmas Daddies Telethon in 1958.

COURTESY RICHARD SHAW

40 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

my teenage brother, playing the role of a Wise Man in the Nativity scene, couldn’t squeeze the Baby Jesus’ cradle through a door just off the altar following the ceremony. He finally left it outside before walking off. We all suppressed a giggle, which I’m sure he never heard.

Around that time, Dorothy Warren and her family had a live Nativity in her barn at 4 North Park St. People drove from miles around to see donkeys, sheep and other livestock in a natural setting.

“We always enjoyed the Christmas music,” recalled Clayton Rogers, organist at Columbia Street Baptist Church since the mid-1950s. “People have always liked the holiday cantatas.”

Rogers, who turns 91 on Dec. 2, grew up in Orrington in two different houses that had no electricity. Christmases were still a happy time for his family, even though the freshly cut tree lacked electric lights or even candles.

“One year I got a nice new sled with runners,” he recalled. “I still have it.”

Television was still a novelty in the 1950s and early ’60s when local programs such as WABI’s “Christmas Daddies” was a favorite. During the pioneering telethon, viewers phoned in pledges for needy children while being entertained by host Dick Bronson, organist Norm Lambert, and Yodelin’ Slim Clark.

Until 1984, when the tradition ended, the annual Christmas parade always drew crowds the day after Thanksgiving. Now it is held in early December, renamed the Festival of Lights.

“How well I remember playing drums in the Bangor High School band,” Brian Wentworth said. “It was exciting, marching along, seeing the lights strung along Main Street. Afterward, we might even ride Freese’s escalator [the only one in town] and take the elevator back downstairs.”

The 1963 parade was a sad occasion when many of us choked back tears one week after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Wentworth had a special connection to JFK, since his band performed in Orono before the president’s speech there just 33 days before his death.

I saw him twice, in Orono and in Bangor during campaign stops in 1960.

Most other parades were happy occasions. Moore recalled squeezing into an elf suit at age 13 and riding on Santa’s float. Chamber of Commerce president Norbert X. Dowd offered him two crisp $1

“IT WAS EXCITING, MARCHING ALONG, SEEING THE LIGHTS STRUNG ALONG MAIN STREET. AFTERWARD, WE MIGHT EVEN RIDE FREESE’S ESCALATOR AND TAKE THE ELEVATOR BACK DOWNSTAIRS.”

Looking up Main Street at night in the 1930s.

COURTESY BANGOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 41

FEATURE

(Top) Author Richard Shaw’s mother Frances Shaw selects a Christmas tree in Bangor circa 1950.

(Middle) Ward Shaw, the author’s father, at the family’s Bangor apartment during Christmas 1948.

(Bottom) Frances Shaw, pregnant with second child Bruce Shaw, at the family’s Bangor apartment during Christmas 1948.

COURTESY RICHARD SHAW

42 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

bills for his time, but Moore was petrified his classmates would recognize him.

Apparently, no one did.

After the opening of the Broadway Shopping Center in 1961, and the later Airport and Bangor Malls, shoppers had other holiday options. But they always ended up downtown during the Christmas season.

Leading up to Christmas Eve and the Big Day, at our apartment at 94 Congress St., Mom would wrap the family’s presents, always saving one to open on Dec. 24.

With piano music provided by my mother, the family would gather around the upright and sing “Up on the Housetop” and “The First Noel.” With a new record player in the house, we listened to favorite pop hits on 78 and 45 rpm singles: Gene Autry’s “Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer” and Bobby Helms’ 1957 classic, “Jingle Bell Rock.”

After we children went to bed, stockings hung from our bedposts, Mom and Dad would have their own pre-Christmas celebration. Mom received a box of turtles (pecan clusters), and Dad got a carton of Winston cigarettes.

One Christmas Eve, Dad went into the attic, rattled a set of sleigh bells and yelled “ho-ho-ho,” just like Santa. I think the whole neighborhood thought their fantasies had come true.

Christmas Day was a blur, rushing into the living room, where a few gifts were left open under the tree. Memorable presents included a Tiny Tears doll and Mr. Potato Head. In the afternoon, we had two more celebrations in East Corinth, where my parents’ parents lived less than a mile apart.

Much has changed about how Bangor residents celebrate Christmas, but the spirit has not. People will still marvel at Holidays at Hill House decorations of the Bangor Historical Society, and the Bangor Band and Symphony will again entertain audiences.

I can still hear the strains of “Sleigh Ride,” which accompanied live TV broadcasts from Freese’s every night after school. For years I thought it was that store’s theme song, until one day Mom corrected me. It was written by the famous New England conductor, Leroy Anderson.

May the magic of Christmas never leave the Queen City of the East.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 43

FEATURE

Have yourself a

FRUGAL LITTLE

CHRISTMAS RETHINK YOUR GIFTING TRADITIONS WITH FRUGAL HOLIDAY PLANS

BY CRYSTAL SANDS

44 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

helping to make new, less stressful Christmas traditions throughout Maine and the country.

TRY THE RULE OF FOUR The “Rule of Four” is a Christmas gift-giving tradition that involves limiting gifting to four presents for each member of one’s family. The idea behind this is that it makes each Christmas gift more meaningful. At the same time, because presents are limited to four, there is the potential to save money. This frugal Christmas tradition has been making its way around social media for several years and was first reported as a popular trend among parents by BBC News in 2016. The Rule of Four provides an important opportunity to teach children that gifts can be special, practical and that the holidays don’t need to involve a lot of spending.

There are variations on the Rule of Four, but the most popular guidelines involve purchasing according to the following rules: something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. In another variation, the “something to wear” is replaced by “something to share,” which can be challenging fun and emphasizes the value of sharing what we have with others during the holiday season.

PHOTOS: MALLMO PHOTOGRAPHY/ADOBE STOCK

THE HOLIDAYS ARE A TIME for gathering with friends and family in warm homes to share good food and presents.

Unfortunately, the holidays can also be a stressful time, and the commercialism that goes along with gift-giving at Christmas has some people looking toward a simpler time and for simpler traditions — more frugal traditions that celebrate the holiday season without taking away the joy.

According to an annual survey of holiday spending by personal finance group MagnifyMoney, Americans racked up an average of $1,054 in credit card debt from their holiday shopping in 2017. Of those surveyed, most did not plan to end up with the debt. According to the poll, 74 percent said they didn’t plan well financially for their Christmas shopping, and only half of those with the debt said they would be able to pay it off within three months.

Many of those surveyed said they would need more than five months to pay off their Christmas debt.

But Christmas traditions can involve presents and giftgiving in ways that don’t lead to financial stress. With careful planning, Christmas shopping won’t lead to debt, and there are some frugal Christmas traditions growing in popularity that are a lot of fun for both givers and receivers of gifts,

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 45

FEATURE

SOMETHING YOU WANT This first category of the Rule of Four provides a wonderful opportunity for parents to listen to their children about what they really want, what their passions are. This present can be one focused on bringing the most joy to the recipient.

46 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

SOMETHING YOU NEED This second category of gifts means that parents can also be practical in their approach to Christmas giving. As “needs� will vary greatly from person to person, there is room for anything in this category from educational items, such as a new backpack or fun school supplies to a cozy new blanket for the bed.

SOMETHING TO WEAR (OR SHARE!) This third category can be practical and include things like new snow boots or some warm gloves, but it can also be fun and include things like jewelry or perfume.

If you are interested in replacing the “Something to Wear” with “Something to Share,” this category can be the most fun. Presents that are not only special to the recipient but are also shareable can lead to some special Christmas memories. Presents like a fancy box of chocolates, a board game and tickets to events are wonderful for this category.

SOMETHING TO READ Reading is so important to a child’s development, and giving a gift of a book at Christmas is a great way to emphasize the value of books. Still, this category doesn’t have to be about books only, as comics, graphic novels and magazines make wonderful gifts in this category as well.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 47

FEATURE

A Christmas tradition like the Rule of Four can make the holiday season more special, and all of the planning that goes into purchasing just four presents that meet the requirements of each category can lead to a more frugal Christmas season. According to financial advisers, one of the biggest mistakes people make in going over budget at Christmas is lack of planning.

Frugal traditions like the Rule of Four, as well as adding something homemade to your Christmas list, can help teach children that Christmas is not about how many presents they get but enjoying wonderful traditions with loved ones.

WHAT ABOUT SOMETHING HOMEMADE? Many Mainers are embracing more frugal Christmas traditions, and there are a variety of ways to save money during the holidays while keeping the season special. Rachael Holland-Mathieu of Fayette grew up in a big family with seven children so Christmas presents were limited.

“As an adult, I have a hard time adjusting to the consumerism surrounding Christmas. I started making Christmas gifts because buying gifts for my large extended family would make Christmas a burden instead of a celebration,” Holland-Mathieu said.

Holland-Mathieu makes something different for her friends and family each year. The gifts can vary from baking mixes in mason jars to homemade jams. This year, she’s giving homemade maple syrup and homemade pancake mixes.

With homemade presents in mind, adding a “Something Homemade” category to the Rule of Four tradition can add an extra special element to the Christmas tradition.

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PHOTO: ©LUMINA IMAGES/ADOBE STOCK

FEATURE

50 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

CELEBRATE

( ON THE CHEAP) INEXPENSIVE & SMART WAYS TO CELEBRATE THE SEASON AND GIVE BACK

BY SARAH COTTRELL

THERE ARE FEW THINGS in this life that feel better than giving back to your community. But giving back needn’t be limited to money or even volunteer time.

This list of practical ideas for giving back to your friends, family, teachers and even shops in your local community is a great place to start.

SHOW YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY HOW MUCH YOU APPRECIATE THEM WITH A POTLUCK Lots of people feel a twinge of guilt for not being able to afford all the fancy baubles and cool trinkets for their friends this time of year. Luckily, true friendship is blind to that sort of thing. Better still, being able to give your friends meaningful gifts that cost you no money is fairly easy when you consider the tradition of the potluck.

Potlucks are fun gatherings where everyone invited brings a dish of food. You can create menus based on themes (Hello, Mexican night!) or ask that everyone simply bring their favorite food. Not only do you get to eat a lovely buffet of surprises, but you get to create an atmosphere in which those around feel appreciated and loved. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 51

FEATURE

YOU CAN GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY IN A BIG WAY BY MAKING SURE YOUR DOLLARS CIRCULATE IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY, WHICH HELPS TO RETAIN AND CREATE JOBS, AND KEEPS OUR LOCAL ECONOMIES GOING. GOOD OLD-FASHIONED MANUAL LABOR Sometimes the best way to reach out and give back to your community to start with a simple act of generosity by rolling your sleeves and helping a neighbor or your community with work. Offer to shovel a sidewalk or driveway, pick up groceries, fetch the mail, mend a broken fence or whatever else you can think of that needs to be done.

Sometimes the best kind of giving back looks a lot like sweaty work. It may cost you a little bit of time for an afternoon, but the rewards are far-reaching.

SHOP LOCAL BECAUSE IT MATTERS TO EVERYONE During the holiday season, it is so easy and tempting to shop online. Who doesn’t love avoiding parking and crowds? The major downside to shopping online, though, is that local businesses lose out. And when a local business loses out, so do your neighbors, because those are local jobs at risk when the customers flock to the internet instead of brick and mortar.

You can give back to your community in a big way by making sure your dollars circulate in your own community, which helps to retain and create jobs, and keeps our local economies going. The best part?

You don’t have to spend more money to shop local and you don’t have to wait a few days for a package to show up.

Besides, there truly is something gratifying about getting to know your local shopkeepers. Not only is the customer service far better. but when you get out into your community and engage with others it just plain feels good.

52 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

PHOTO: BDN FILE

Shoppers browse a selection of books at The Briar Patch in downtown Bangor.

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PHOTOS: ©HIGHWAYSTARZ/ ADOBE STOCK

FEATURE

54 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

BABYSITTING ALL THE THINGS If you have friends going out of town for the holidays, offer to housesit.

Don’t have plans this weekend? Offer to babysit so your mom-friend can get a much-needed break. From walking dogs and feeding fish to collecting the mail and picking up a nephew at school, you can be a huge help to the people you love by offering up a tiny bit of time to help the people you love.

If you have any elderly neighbors, try reaching out and seeing if they need any help — from a home cooked meal to a conversation. Neither will you cost you anything, but you’ll end up with a full heart.

HELP YOUR LOCAL TEACHERS IN INVENTIVE WAYS Did you know that teachers spend their own money on school supplies and even food for kids who are food insecure? It’s sad but true. Help a local teacher by reaching out to see what they need. A few ideas that are helpful and practical include gift cards to local grocery stores so that teachers can keep an emergency food cupboard in their classroom. Ask for a wish list of supplies that you may be able to purchase and donate anything from winter hats and mittens to glue sticks and pencils.

If you want to help in different ways, try calling your local school and asking about a mentorship program. Most schools participate in some kind of volunteer base mentorship program for at-risk kids. You may have to be fingerprinted and go through an interview, but imagine all the hope and inspiration you could provide for a local kid.

The desire to give back during the holidays is noble and often full of good intentions, but finding ways to get out there and make a difference don’t always feel clear. This year, make it a goal to connect with one other person or organization in your community and try to help them in some valuable way.

Not sure where to start? Try visiting www.volunteermatch.org to see what your community needs are. Happy holidays!

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FEATURE

Amanda Sohns, left, and her sister Annette Dodd are co-owners of the Rock and Art Shop in Bangor.

56 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

D E V O TED TO DOWNTOWNS

HOW SHOPPING LOCAL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON HELPS BOOST LOCAL MAINE ECONOMIES STORY BY ABIGAIL CURTIS | PHOTOS BY GABOR DEGRE

JUST ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, the world was feeling the effects of the Great Recession, the most significant economic decline since the Great Depression. Famous chain stores were shuttering doors all over the country, and in just a couple of years, the ominous phrase “Retail Apocalypse” entered the national lexicon.

It was hardly an auspicious time to start a new business. But that didn’t deter the Sohns family of Bucksport, who opened a specialty shop in a tiny, homemade shed located on the side of busy Route 1A on the way to Ellsworth. They knew they only had a moment or two to catch a curious driver’s eye, and that is why they named their business “The Rock and Art Shop,” one of the family members explained recently.

“We needed to say what we sold in very few words,” Annette Dodd, one of the co-owners of the store, said.

It worked. Despite the trouble happening to retail on a regional and national level, drivers did stop at The Rock and Art Shop and the little store caught on. Soon, the Sohns family began to expand. They opened a store on Central Street in downtown Bangor, where office workers and others stroll by their eye-catching window displays and venture inside to shop for one-of-a-kind gifts and goods ranging from the weird, like praying mantis egg cases, to the sublime, such as necklaces made of crystalline, purple Brazilian amethysts. The original shed on Route 1A is closed now, but the family also has opened shops in downtown Ellsworth and downtown Bar Harbor.

They also have a website where they sell some of their goods, but the bulk of their business happens the old-fashioned way, through shoppers wandering into their three downtown shops.

“We ended up doing well in a downtown location, where people can walk by instead of drive by,” Dodd said. “There’s something about going into a shop and seeing how people have curated objects together. It’s romantic. And you’re never going to be able to do that online. We actually do best with our brick-and-mortar stores.”

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FEATURE KEEPING MONEY LOCAL What is happening with The Rock and Art Shop is, fortunately, not an aberration. The renaissance of Maine downtowns such as Bangor, Belfast and Rockland has a lot to do with the robust slate of small, independent businesses operating there that — so far at least — have largely been able to weather the challenges posed by price-slashing big-box stores and online retail giants like Amazon. com. And that, in turn, is good for Maine, according to many economists. Studies by sources including the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the private research firm Civic Economics show a link between independent, locally owned businesses, healthy communities and economic advancement.

In fact, small business ownership has been a pathway to the middle class for generations of Americans, according to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a national research and technical assistance organization that helps communities take charge of their local resources, economies and environmental future. Independent businesses generate a lot more tax revenue for communities than the average big box stores. A 2013 analysis from the Government Finance Review showing that a community receives about $7 in property taxes per acre on the average big-box retail store compared to $287 per acre on a mixed-use, mid-rise business district.

As well, shopping at local independent businesses triggers something called the “multiplier effect,” which means that those businesses recirculate a much greater percentage of revenue locally compared to online or absentee-owned businesses, such as big-box retailers. A 2003 study conducted by the Institute for Local SelfReliance in several Maine communities looked at how much of a dollar spent at a local independent store is re-spent in the local area through payroll, the purchase of local goods and services, donations to area charities and profits spent locally by owners. It found that each $100 spent at local independent stores generated $45 of secondary local spending or more than three times the amount generated by spending at big-box chain stores.

“In other words, going local creates more local wealth and jobs,” the American Independent Business Alliance said on its website.

And Maine communities are doing things to help. Organizations such as the Downtown Bangor Partnership and the Main Street Maine groups around the state strive to advance and strengthen downtowns. In Bangor, an initiative called “$10 on the 10th in Downtown Bangor” encourages shoppers to spend just $10 at a downtown store on the 10th of every month, and Plaid Friday is the downtown business community’s response to Black Friday on the day after Thanksgiving.

“It’s important to support our local businesses that add a great sense of vibrancy to downtown,” George Kinghorn, the president of the Downtown Bangor Partnership and the director of the University of Maine Museum of Art, said. “A vibrant downtown is necessary and enhances our ability to be more competitive and attract people to our city.”

GOOD FEELINGS AND STRONG COMMUNITIES No one needs to explain that to Sierra Dietz of Belfast, whose parents founded the Grasshopper Shops in 1975 when they opened the first store in a former newsstand and bus depot on High Street in Belfast. That single shop evolved over time into a popular chain, with locations in Rockland, Searsport, Bangor, Ellsworth and Bangor International Airport, where shoppers could come in for gifts, housewares, clothing, toys and more. Time and 58 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

Central Street Farmhouse, owned

by Josh Parda, sells specialty beer brewing and wine making supplies.

It is one of the unique small businesses in downtown Bangor.

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FEATURE

The Willie Wags store in Bangor, owned by Jamie Clark.

family changes took a toll on the chain. The Bangor and Ellsworth stores closed in the past decade. But with three stores still going strong, Dietz said the shops continue to support the local economy. In the Rockland store, which she owns, she has between 15 to 20 full and part-time employees, but payroll is not where the Grasshopper Shop’s economic contributions stop.

“The charitable contributions I make are pretty significant,” she said. “And there are other things — my insurance is a local company, my bank is a local bank. I’m not using some big, national organization, and all of that is income in the local economy.”

But, she feels, the value generated by a healthy downtown cannot be counted only in dollars. Dietz, who grew up helping in her family’s stores, truly loves being part of the local retail landscape. As she and her employees get ready for Christmas, one of the busiest and most important times of year at the store, she feels excited and enthused.

60 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

“It’s my favorite time of year,” she said. “It feels really wonderful to know that you’re helping people find the right gift for somebody. The holidays are so much around gift-giving, and it’s just fun. It’s a fun atmosphere, and people are festive and happy. It’s a pleasurable time to come to work.”

And the good feeling isn’t confined to her own store. Dietz and the other Rockland merchants work together, putting on special events and sending shoppers to other stores to find exactly what they are looking for. There’s camaraderie and a strong feeling that the old adage is true: A rising tide does lift all boats.

“There’s a wonderful sense of cooperation and community,” she said.

“The businesses are supporting one another.

It’s very much that we are in this together.

How can we help one another so we all can succeed? If I’m the only store in a ghost town, that does not help me.”

She and other merchants hope the good feelings and the great experience that can happen when people choose to shop downtown will continue to bring shoppers to their stores.

“It really is important to put your money where your mouth is,” she said.

“If you want your downtown to stay vital, it’s important to express that with your wallet and support the businesses that are there.”

‘IT FEELS GOOD’ The future of local retail is not necessarily 100 percent rosy, of course. Betsy Lundy of Bangor knows that from personal experience. Her store, the Maine Cloth Diaper Co., closed in January 2018 after seven years in downtown Bangor. Lundy, who now works for the city of Bangor as the new Downtown Bangor Coordinator and Cultural Commission Liaison, hopes her story may be instructive to others.

“Small stores are capable of pivoting, while a large store has a hard time redefining itself,” she said. “With the Maine Cloth Diaper Co., I was so stuck in what I wanted to do. It was a little bit of a personal mission. It took me too long to be responsive and reactive and let go of my vision, in order for me to become what I needed to be.”

That vision was simple and personal.

Lundy “hates going to big-box stores,” she said, with their tendency to put items that are not necessities in a person’s path.

“Both you and your kid end up buying things you don’t need or want,” she said.

“That stuff really adds up. I’d much rather spend the same amount of money on fewer things. That’s my philosophy. Don’t buy your child 100 plastic toys for $100. Spend $100 on a classic set of wooden blocks that they’ll use until they’re 10.”

She also wanted her store to be a social, educational place, and it was, she said. However, that didn’t mean it was profitable. Some browsers would wander around, taking photos of items she had for sale that they would then search out on cheaper, online retailers. That hurt, she said.

“They weren’t trying to be insensitive or mean, but there is a disconnect,” she said.

“People don’t realize they’re walking into a store that the shop owner has put their heart and soul into, cashed out their retirement, sold their CD collection to get it going.”

Still, she thinks that others can learn from what she did and didn’t do.

Small retailers have a much easier time creating an experience for the shopper than big-box stores do, she said. They also can more quickly react to what their customers want.

“Small, downtown specialty shops have done well at weathering what’s perceived as the retail shrink,” she said.

“The kind of people who are looking in those stores are the kind of people who are looking for an experience. It’s easier to curate that kind of experience at a small store than at a big-box store.”

And customers can get something they may not even know they are looking for when they shop at downtown stores.

“What I would like to say about shopping downtown is that it feels good,” Lundy said. “It’s not just checking a box off your to-do list. There’s a sense of relationship and community and socialization that goes along with it.”

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GLOBE-TROTTING IN MAINE

GET OUT

G N I T T O R T E B GLO

in

GO AROUND THE WORLD AND NEVER LEAVE MAINE

BY JULIA BAYLY

"World" sign in South China.

IN JULES VERNE’S CLASSIC novel “Around the World in 80 Days,” it took his central character, Phileas Fogg, nearly three months to circumnavigate the globe by rail, ship and even a windpowered sled all to win a $2 million bet.

Along the way, Fogg and his companions went through Paris, Turin, Aden, Bombay, Calcutta, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Dublin and Liverpool before returning to London and [spoiler alert] claim his prize.

Over the 145 years since Verne’s novel was published, followup works and even real people have attempted to match or break Fogg’s record.

Most notably, Elizabeth Jane Cochrane, working under the pseudonym Nellie Bly, who chronicled her own 72-day trip around the globe in 1890 for the New York World newspaper.

Now, while going around the world these days is much faster thanks to modern air travel, it’s no less daunting or expensive. In fact, according to several online travel websites, it could cost as much as $2,000 a month per person, depending on mode and class of transportation.

But here’s some fun travel news for those of us living in Maine: There’s no need to leave the state to visit some of the cities or countries on Fogg’s itinerary.

Oxford County offers plenty of outdoor activites in Maine’s western mountains, including skiing and snowboarding at Mt. Abram Ski Resort in Greenwood.

Get There

ORDWAY GROVE

Norway • www.norwaymaine.com

PHOTOS: (SIGN) BDN FILE; (MT. ABRAM) BREWSTER BURNS

In a manner of speaking.

That’s because Maine is home to a collection of towns and cities named after towns or cities in Europe, Asia, South America and Central America.

OXFORD COUNTY: FOR THE OUTDOOR LOVER IN ALL OF US Tucked into the western foothills of Maine’s western mountains, Oxford County has the majority of the globally inspired named towns with Norway, Paris, Poland, Mexico and Peru.

“It’s just a beautiful area,” John Williams, executive director of the Oxford County Chamber of Commerce, said. “We have the mountains, three ski areas, lakes, ponds, trails and it is a destination for people who love the outdoors.”

And that love can be celebrated yearround, Williams said with hiking or cycling on trails, open water fishing in the lakes, canoeing

the rivers to ice fishing, skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling in the winter.

Among the more unique opportunities in the area is visit to the Ordway Grove in Norway, which has what is possibly the tallest tree in the state — a 155-foot tall Easter White Pine, in addition to 9 acres of old growth forest.

If the outdoors is not your thing, Williams said Oxford County has you covered with ongoing events during the summer months at Oxford Plains Speedway. The track annually hosts the Oxford 250, the largest one-day car race in the country, in addition shorter races from June to September.

For those who don’t want to gamble on the weather in making travel plans, head over to the Oxford Casino-Hotel to try your hand at everything from slot machines to poker to roulette. If you are a night owl, no problem — the casino is open 24 hours a day, every day.

OXFORD PLAINS SPEEDWAY 877 Main St., Oxford www.oxfordplains.com

OXFORD CASINO-HOTEL 777 Casino Way, Oxford www.oxfordcasino.com

Hiking, biking, skiing, fishing, race day or gambling — one thing’s for sure, a day “globe-trotting” around Oxford County will work up an appetite.

Just because Paris, Maine, is 3,300-miles from Paris, France, is no reason to do without some French-inspired cuisine.

Maurice Restaurant specializes in French cooking with menu items like escargots bourguignon, Coquilles St. Jacques, roasted duck and quiche, in addition to New www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 63

GET OUT

GLOBE-TROTTING IN MAINE England inspired dishes like chicken pot pie, pot roast and lobster macaroni and cheese.

For those wanting to spend more than a day exploring the MAURICE RESTAURANT area and looking for a place to 109 Main St., South Paris stay, there is the Hampton Inn www.mauricerestaurant.com and the Oxford Casino-Hotel.

For more information HAMPTON INN on all there is to see and do 151 Main St., Oxford in Oxford County, check out 207-539-6055 the Oxford County Chamber of Commerce website at www. oxfordhillsmaine.com.

An expert on old growth forests says the white pines in Norway's Ordway Grove are among the tallest in the Northeast.

Race day at Oxford Plains Speedway.

64 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

ART, FOOD AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS IN CENTRAL MAINE You can cross three continents in Central Maine by visiting China, Rome and Sidney all in a part of the state known for its farmlands, lakes and world-renowned art and music venues including the Colby College Museum of Art with more than 8,000 pieces spotlighting American and contemporary.

In Sidney, you can check out the Snow Pond Center for the Arts, home to thriving education programs in arts, performance and music for all ages.

The Snow Pond Music Camp welcomes budding and accomplished musicians from around the globe every summer at its lakeside music camp and the new 750-seat performance hall provides space for rehearsals, instructions, dance, performances, conferences and meetings.

Over in China, which hugs the shore of China Lake, there is plenty of fishing, hiking, bicycling, skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling to keep you busy for days.

While there is no Great Wall in China, Maine, there is the 400-acre Thurston Park with streams, waterfalls, wildlife and year-round free access to hiking, biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobile trails.

At 3 Level Farm they are open all year to welcome visitors to their 145-acre diversified organic farm and store where you can sample and purchase seasonal vegetables, fruit, herbs, eggs and dairy products made from their the cream of their goats.

For some locally sourced food plus a place to rest your head for the night, head over to The Village Inn and Tavern on the Belgrade Lakes chain just outside of Rome.

Overlooking Great Pond, the Village Inn and Tavern dining room is famous for its 12-hour roast duck along with other

PHOTOS: (TREE) BDN FILE; (RACE) BREWSTER BURNS; (PARK SIGN) AISLINN SARNACKI

Get There

Get There

COLBY COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART

5600 Mayflower Hill, Waterville www.colby.edu/museum

SNOW POND CENTER FOR THE ARTS 8 Goldenrod Lane, Sidney www.snowpond.org

Get There 3 LEVEL FARM

149 Vassalboro Road, South China 207-445-3276

THE VILLAGE INN AND TAVERN 157 Main St., Belgrade Lakes www.villageinnandtavern.com

Beautiful wooden signs mark the trailheads and the main parking area of Thurston Park in China, Maine. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 65

GET OUT

GLOBE-TROTTING IN MAINE

The Songo River Queen awaits guests in Naples.

66 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

PHOTOS: ED MERCER, MERCER PHOTOGRAPHY

The Naples Marina & Causeway.

locally sourced menu items like Gulf of Maine Salmon, scallops, chicken and bacon-wrapped meatloaf.

The inn has six rooms plus two suites overlooking the Belgrade Lakes and Great Pond.

A must-see in the area is the famous Maine signpost with individual placards pointing to all of the internationally named towns in the state.

For a list of things to see, do, eat and stay in the area, check out the Mid Maine Chamber of Commerce website at www. midmainechamber.com.

BRIDGTON LAKES: A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING With Denmark, Naples and Sweden in the region, the Bridgton Lakes area has something for just about everyone.

In Naples, the Songo River Queen II takes people on cruises around Long Lake from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

The 93-foot replica of a Mississippi River paddle wheeler harkens back to the days of Phileas Fogg and has an open deck, food court and licensed bar for passengers to enjoy during the 6- to 12-mile cruise offering views of Mount Washington and Pleasant Mountain.

According to Sue Mercer, executive director of the Greater Bridgton Lakes Chamber of Commerce, numerous private art shops and galleries have sprung up in the area in recent years and it’s a prime area for antique hunters.

Many of those artists are also spotlighted in Gallery 302 a gallery showcasing local artists in a wide array of media.

Not far from Naples, and inspired by the cuisine of the Italian countryside is Vivo Country Italian Kitchen and Bar offering traditional dishes like chicken parmesan, pork osso

buco along with hand-cut pasta, gnocchi and seasonal seafood.

The Greater Bridgton Lakes Chamber of Commerce has more ideas to explore the area online at www.mainelakeschamber.com.

Get There

SONGO RIVER QUEEN II 841 Roosevelt Trail, Naples www.songoriverqueen.net

GALLERY 302 112 Main St., Bridgton www.gallery302.com

VIVO COUNTRY ITALIAN KITCHEN AND BAR 18 Depot St., Bridgeton www.vivoitalian-bridgton.com

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GET OUT

GLOBE-TROTTING IN MAINE AROOSTOOK COUNTY: MAINE’S SWEDISH COLONY Up north in Aroostook County are the towns of New Sweden and Stockholm, part of Maine’s Swedish Colony.

The original colony dates back to 1870 and the Maine Legislature’s authorizing a board of immigration to bring a group of men, women and children from Sweden to an area just north of what is now Caribou, to help the state build up its population after the Civil War. Today those connections to the Old Country still run deep at a cornerstone to the year is the annual Midsommar Celebrations in June. The event features music, dancing, food, historical tours and genealogical seminars.

Local historical societies operate museums showcasing the area’s heritage including the New Sweden Historical Museum and the Stockholm Historical Museum.

The area is heavily wooded and home to acres of potato fields. Two of the best times to visit with regards to scenery are late July or early August to see those potato fields in full bloom or in September when the leaves start to turn their colors.

Northern Maine is also an area with little MAINE’S SWEDISH COLONY night light pollution, www.maineswedishcolony.info making it a prime spot to view the NEW SWEDEN HISTORICAL MUSEUM 116 Station Road Aurora Borealis. www.nshs.maineswedishcolony.info Another major draw to the area STOCKHOLM HISTORICAL MUSEUM is Eureka Hall 280 South Main St. Restaurant.

People come EUREKA HALL RESTAURANT from all over the state 5 School St., Stockholm for Eureka’s eclectic 207-896-5868 menu offering everything from fried haddock to venison meatball pasta and a pork schnitzel burger in addition to pizza and a wide selection of Maine craft beers.

The pub-style eatery also features a revolving list of Maine musicians and live music throughout the year and the best way to see who is coming when is to check the restaurant's social media page on Facebook.

Sven Bondeson, with the help of several volunteers, dresses the Midsommar Pole in flowers during the New Sweden Midsommar Festival.

Dinner is served at Eureka Hall in Stockholm.

68 / BANGOR METRO December 2018

So there you have it, an in-state, globehopping road trip that can take you from southern Maine all the way north to Aroostook County — no passport or steamship needed.

PHOTOS: (TOP) CHRISTOPHER BOUCHARD/ BDN FILE; (BOTTOM) BDN FILE

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WOODS & WATERS

ASCEND

PENOBSCOT NARROWS BRIDGE IS A WONDER WITH A BIRD’S-EYE VIEW

THE VIEW FROM ATOP the Penobscot Narrows Bridge is impressive. So is the bridge’s short history.

The 11-year-old bridge spans the Penobscot River just below Bucksport, connecting Verona Island and Prospect. This site along Route 1 has always challenged bridge builders. The river is wide and the banks are high. The first bridge to be built here, STORY & PHOTOS BY BOB DUCHESNE the Waldo-Hancock Bridge, opened in 1931. By necessity, it was an engineering marvel, built with the newest technology of its day. The traffic decks were suspended from prestressed wire strand cables. The main deck was 500 feet long — twice the length of any other bridge in Maine.

The cables proved to be the bridge’s Achilles heel. They were shielded from corrosion by a protective coating, but when rust finally won the battle, the THE PENOBSCOT sheathing kept maintenance crews from seeing the extensive damage until NARROWS BRIDGE IS ONE it was too late to repair. In 2003, engineers agreed the bridge would need to be replaced immediately.

OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF Its replacement is a technological and an architectural wonder. CableCABLE-STAYED BRIDGES WITH stayed bridges are not new, but the Penobscot Narrows Bridge is one of only a handful of cable-stayed bridges with an innovative cradle design, AN INNOVATIVE CRADLE DESIGN... which allows cables to be individually removed, inspected and replaced THERE’S ENOUGH WIRE IN THIS without compromising the structural integrity or operation of the bridge. The cables pass through both towers as one long unit, supporting BRIDGE TO STRETCH FROM THE adjacent decks simultaneously. Wires are grouped into strands, and strands are braided into cables. There’s enough wire in this bridge to COAST OF MAINE TO THE stretch from the coast of Maine to the coast of Oregon.

COAST OF OREGON.

Despite the challenges of a new design, new technology and harsh winter working conditions, the Penobscot Narrows Bridge took only 42 months to build. The bridge would merit admiration even without its one last innovation: an observation deck built into the top of one tower. From 420 feet in the air, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view that stretches from Penobscot Bay to distant mountains.

On a clear day, you can see White Cap Mountain rising east of Moosehead Lake, 72 miles away.

The bridge towers are 43 stories tall.

An elevator takes nearly a minute to whisk visitors to the observatory, which actually consists of three floors. Designers wanted guests to enjoy a 360-degree view.

If the elevator had gone to the very top, the shaft and machinery would block one portion of the horizon. So the elevator stops just below the observation deck, and visitors climb a short set of stairs to reach the final viewpoint. For those with limited mobility, a special lift makes the top deck accessible without stair-climbing.

The bird’s-eye view from the bridge gives a unique sense of Maine’s history.

For a century, Bucksport was a paper mill town. The remains of the mill still dominate the upriver view. But from the observatory, Bucksport looks more like the historic colonial port that it once was.

The Penobscot River dominates the view. It is an impressive waterway, but its grandeur can be hard to appreciate from the ground. Looking south from the observation deck, one can witness the river emptying into the ocean, linking Bangor to the world by sea. Looking north, one can watch the river stretch towards the vast forest resources that made Maine one of the world’s most important lumber exporters. The Americans and British fought over the river during the Revolutionary War, and again during the War of 1812. Small wonder that the Americans decided to put a fortress here to prevent any further intrusions. Fort

Knox stands just below the bridge, and it looks just as imposing today as it would have to its adversaries in 1844.

Visitors get a twofer. Both the fort and the observatory are reached through the same admission gate. Mainers pay just $4 to visit the fort, and it’s only $2 more to include the observatory. Seniors can enjoy both for a mere $2.50. Out-of-state visitors pay a trifle more. Children 4 and under get in free.

It’s a quirk of human nature that people sometimes neglect the wonders around them, merely because they are so accustomed to seeing them. How many Washingtonians have been to the viewing deck of the Washington Monument? How many native New Yorkers have ascended the 305-foottall Statue of Liberty? Living nearby means you can do it whenever you get around to it, but somehow you never get around to it.

The Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory is the tallest bridge observation tower in the world. Get around to it.

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

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Z

THE VIEW FROM HERE

WALKING ON

BY EMILY MORRISON

B

“Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!” I called out to my father.

Beyond that I don’t remember what I said to him, but I do remember Dad jumping off of the roof. Now my father is not an athletic man. Even on a ladder, he’s scared of heights. My heart felt like it would pound out of my chest as I envisioned life as an orphan. Would I lose both my parents in one fell swoop? To his credit, he bounced up off the ground and ran faster than I had ever seen my father move before or since.

As Dad approached the hole where Mom had fallen through, he dropped to his knees then decided to lay flat. Spreading his weight over the ice, he inched up to her slowly. To this day, I’m not sure about the physics behind this tactical maneuver on my father’s part. Even my mother has often commented in the years since, “Emmy, your father has no physics.” A square peg and a round hole has always mystified him.

“Take one snowshoe off and put it across the hole, Treece!” he yelled.

Luckily, Mom had enough feeling left in her fingers to loosen the straps and pull the darn thing up. She braced both her elbows over the center of the shoe while Dad stretched out his arms as far he could reach. Inch by slow inch he managed to pull the shoe closer to himself, effectively lifting Mom’s lower half half-out the water. Once he was sure he had a good grip on her, he pulled her the rest of the way out.

As more luck would have it, there was a snowmobiler out that day, a girl who happened to have my mother in school as both a teacher and driver’s ed instructor. She saw Mom fall through and came over to offer her a lift back up to the car. I sat, still paralyzed with fear, wondering how my mother was going to endure the 10-minute ride home in cold, wet clothing.

My sister said, “Don’t worry, Emmy. She’ll be okay now. We saved her,” and I suppose she’s right. Her alertness, my aloof running and Dad’s quick thinking did save Mom that day.

And she’s been saving us every day since.

PHOTO: DMITRY BRUSKOV/ ADOBE STOCK

WHEN I WAS a young girl, my mother almost drowned. I’m not sure if she would have caught hypothermia before she drowned, and that would have been her cause of death, or if she would have drowned before the cold set in. I do know that I died a thousand deaths watching her struggle to stay afloat.

My family owned a summer camp on a small pond in central Maine. Since both my parents were teachers, our summer vacations were spent swimming in the pond, playing badminton and building sandcastles. At night, we’d cozy up to the VCR and watch movies before climbing the loft over my parents double bed. During the winter, we would snowshoe down the camp road and put on our ice skates while Dad shoveled off the roof. My mother would snowshoe around the pond while my sister and I pretended to be Kristi Yameguchi and Nancy Kerrigan out on the ice.

On the particular day we were almost motherless, my dad had been shoveling off the roof for about an hour, and I had had enough skating. Never big on outdoor activities during the winter, I had probably had enough snowy fun by the time we snowshoed the mile long road. My sister, however, could go all day long in the cold without ever complaining. She was skating on one skate, lifting one leg and keeping her arms out like wings on a plane.

Apparently, she was still in Kristi Yameguchi mode.

I laid down on the ice to make snow angels. It required little energy and allowed me to believe I might still be having fun outdoors. From this position, I didn’t see my mother go through the ice. I only saw my sister drop to the ground and cup her hands around her mouth as she yelled to me, “Emmy, go get Dad! Mumma’s fell through the ice!”

Looking back now, I don’t think I processed what she said with any kind of quickness. Caught in a moment of disbelief, I slowly got to my knees. When I saw my mother’s head bobbing like a lure 50 feet away from me, my heart sank to my feet. The enormity of that moment turned my muscles to lead, frozen lead, which I imagine is heavier. For a moment, I couldn’t move. I became fear on frozen feet, haphazardly staggering through the snow up to the side of the camp.

thin Ice

EMILY MORRISON is a high school English teacher, freelance writer and editor from coastal Maine. She is living happily-ever-after with her handsome husband, three beautiful children and two beloved dogs. And a cat.

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