Bangor Metro - May 2022

Bird Spotting

NATURE WALKS FOR ENTHUSIASTS AND BEGINNERS ALIKE

Nature CONNECTING WITH

FROM THE PHYSICAL TO THE SPIRITUAL, WE'VE GOT 11 WAYS TO CONNECT WITH NATURE

HOME

Grown TIPS FOR GROWING MORE OF YOUR OWN FOOD

Travels with

Fido $5.95

May 2022

WHAT TO KNOW WHEN YOU'RE ON THE ROAD WITH YOUR DOG

CONTENTS

MAY 2022

FEATURES 38

NATURAL CONNECTION

How and why we should connect with nature

44

HOME GROWN

How to grow more of your own food

50

ON THE ROAD WITH FIDO

What to know about traveling with your dog in Maine

IN EVERY ISSUE 08

WHAT’S HAPPENING

38

NATURAL CONNECTION

44

HOME GROWN

Local events & our monthly Pop Quiz

14

OBSESSIONS

What we can’t get enough of this month

34

PERSONAL FINANCE

Why it costs more to insure a manufactured home

54

WOODS & WATERS

Meeting the “neighbors”

56

THE VIEW FROM HERE

ON THE COVER Aislinn Sarnacki and her dog Juno enjoy a canoe trip on Carlton Pond.

Photo by Derek Runnells

2 / BANGOR METRO May 2022

PHOTOS: (TOP) AISLINN SARNACKI; (BOTTOM) ADOBE STOCK

Learning how to live

ARTS & CULTURE 10

WELCOMING MAY

A look back on Bangor’s Maypole Festival and the woman who kept it going for almost 30 years

FOOD & DRINK 16

IN SEASON NOW

Stretch your dollars with these budget-saving recipes

20

GET SPICY

Feel the heat with these spicy restaurant dishes around Maine

HEALTH & FITNESS 24

HIKE ME

Get out your binoculars and spot some feathered friends on these three nature walks

HOME & FAMILY 30

THE WHOOSH ZONE

Navigating that tricky end-of-school transition time

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 3

EDITOR’S NOTE

Healthy

www.bangormetro.com

OUTSIDE

THE SOUL-WARMING PROPERTIES of salty air. Barefeet warmed by the sun. The delicate green of new growth. Eating outside as often as possible. These are some of my very favorite things in May. As we move into the warmer months, I am so here for it. We’ve prepped our porch for time outside. I have been back to grilling for weeks and weeks now.

And it’s almost time to switch out my warm sweaters for cooler clothes — almost but not quite.

And I’m ready to get out exploring with my kids again, whether through hikes (see Aislinn Sarnacki’s picks for this month on page 24) or convening with nature (see Erinne Magee’s story on page 38). There are so many great ways to get outside in Maine.

One of our favorite warm weather activities is gardening and growing our own food. We’ve just finished the saved green beans from last summer and we’ve got big plans for this summer’s efforts.

It will still be weeks before my gardens are fully planted, as I wait anxiously for the last frost to plant my cold sensitive tomatoes. And it will be weeks more before I begin harvesting. But in the meantime, I am taking heed of the good advice given by experienced gardener Sandy Oliver on page 44 for making the most of your summer garden. I can’t wait to try some of her methods, like planting even less lettuce but doing so frequently.

This is the time of year when summer is beckoning. As a child of the summer, I love this time of year. But as a parent of children, I also can relate to what writer Todd Nelson calls “The Whoosh Zone,” in an essay about the nearing end of school on page 30. Do you relate to it too?

This issue is filled with the hope of May. I HOPE YOU LOVE THIS ISSUE AS MUCH AS WE DO.

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

PUBLISHER

Richard J. Warren

EDITOR

Sarah Walker Caron scaron@bangordailynews.com

SALES MANAGER

Laurie Cates

lcates@bangordailynews.com

ART DIRECTOR

Amy Allen

aallen@bangordailynews.com

SUBSCRIPTION & PROMOTIONS MANAGER

Fred Stewart

fstewart@bangordailynews.com

SARAH WALKER CARON, EDITOR

STAFF WRITER

Rosemary Lausier rlausier@bangordailynews.com

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

4 / BANGOR METRO May 2022

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Julia Bayly, Stephanie Bouchard, Bob Duchesne, Erinne Magee, Emily Morrison, Joanna O’Leary, Sandy Oliver, Todd Nelson, Aislinn Sarnacki

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 5

6 / BANGOR METRO May 2022

MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS

WHAT ARE YOU

Bangor Metro Magazine. May 2022, Vol. 18, No. 4.

Copyright © 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.

Most Excited FOR THIS MAY?

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.

“

Planting my gardens! Readers might recall that I bought a house last summer.

We did some initial plantings, but as we move into this summer, I am so excited to see what comes back and to plant more.”

— SARAH WALKER CARON, EDITOR

Advertising: For advertising questions, please call the Sales Director Todd Johnston at 207-990-8129.

Subscriptions/Address Change: The one year subscription cost is $9.95. 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.

“Reuniting with one of my favorite cousins and fellow authors for a writing retreat!”

— JOANNA O’LEARY, WRITER

COVER PHOTO: DEREK RUNNELLS

“May always revives The Old Padstow Carol for me. It goes like this: Unite and unite and let us all unite, For summer is acome unto day, And whither we are going we all will unite, In the merry morning of May. I learned it working at a school that celebrated the old village traditions of England. The words invite us to gather together at a certain time to dance, sing and hope—that spring rains have worked their alchemy on the roots of winter, that crops will flourish, that our labors will produce bounty, that the village will thrive in our time and that St. George will slay the dragon. The English farmers who created the Morris dances, Mummer and May pole traditions, lived according to a time and rhythm quite different from our own—but we are their heirs.”

— TODD NELSON, WRITER

“Black flies! No, wait … returning songbirds.”

— BOB DUCHESNE, COLUMNIST

“Opening up camp for the season — a Memorial Day tradition.”

— ERINNE MAGEE, WRITER

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 7

WHAT’S HAPPENING

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! In honor of our favorite ladies, here’s a pop quiz all about famous moms!

MAY MAY 5-22 “BECOMING DR. RUTH” AT PENOBSCOT THEATRE

Everyone knows Dr. Ruth Westheimer from her career as a pioneering radio and television sex therapist. Few, however, know the incredible journey that preceded it. Mark St. Germain deftly illuminates this remarkable woman’s untold story.

“Becoming Dr. Ruth” is full of humor, honesty and the life-affirming spirit of Karola Ruth Siegel, the girl who became “Dr. Ruth.” Jen Shepard brings the role to life. Don’t miss this Maine premiere. Tickets available through the Penobscot Theatre Box Office or at penobscottheatre.org.

SATURDAY, MAY 4 TURANDOT AT COLLINS CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The role of Turandot will now be sung by Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska.

Tenor Yonghoon Lee is the bold prince determined to win Turandot’s love, alongside soprano Ermonela Jaho as the devoted servant Liù and legendary bass Ferruccio Furlanetto as the blind king Timur. Marco Armiliato conducts Puccini’s stirring opera, which takes the stage in the company’s dazzling, ever-popular production by Franco Zeffirelli. Adult $25 | Senior (ages 65+) $20 | Student $10 (Prices include fees.)

MAY 14-15 WILD THINGS BY ROBINSON BALLET

Let the wild rumpus start! Robinson Ballet will be staging a lively ballet version of a classic tale in Wild Things. Join Max, Wynken, Blynken, Nod and all the wild things for this dance-based show featuring the Robinson Ballet Company. It’s perfect for kids of all ages. The performances are scheduled for May 14 and May 15 at the Gracie Theatre on Husson University’s campus. Both performances begin at 3 p.m. and tickets can be purchased in advance at www.robinsonballet.org/wildthingstickets.

Visit the Versant Power Astronomy Center on the University of Maine campus to see a planetarium show celebrating the connections Indigenous people have with the night sky. Embark on a journey with the Indigenous peoples of the western plains of Canada and share in their wisdom conveyed by the stars. Alongside Ocek, the fisher, and his band of animal friends, audiences take an expedition south to retrieve summer and return it to the frozen north. Learn how the giant bear Mista Maskwa, was finally tamed by a brave band of birds which chase Mista Maskwa every night, keeping us safe from his foul temperament. The Indigenous people of North America connected with the night sky in fundamental ways that resonated with their world. Discover their stories in the stars and in turn, learn a little bit more about the spirit that connects us all. For more information, and for other shows, visit astro.umaine.edu.

Find answers below.

Answers to this month’s Pop Quiz: Question 1: B; Q2: A; Q3: B; Q4: B; Q5: C. 8 / BANGOR METRO May 2022

PHOTO: © PAVEL/ADOBE STOCK

FRIDAYS AT 7PM LEGENDS OF THE NIGHT SKIES

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 9

ARTS & CULTURE

Welcoming

MAY More than 1500 people turned out on May 1, 1955 to watch 300 gaily dressed youngsters dance around the Maypole in the Bangor Auditorium. The gala festival was sponsored by the Y-Squares, an adult dancing group from the YMCA. Margaret Bennett instructed the young dancers in the varied and entertaining program.

10 / BANGOR METRO May 2022

THOUSANDS OF MAINERS USED TO COME TO BANGOR TO ATTEND ANNUAL MAYPOLE FESTIVAL

BY ROSEMARY LAUSIER

PHOTOS: BDN ARCHIVE

F

or almost three decades, a 20-foot pole would be set up right in the center of the basketball court in the former Bangor Auditorium.

Ribbons would be attached to the top and two dozen youngsters would dance around the wooden pole, wrapping it in a multitude of colors.

But the kids weren’t just randomly dancing around or playing some sort of playground game. They were performing a traditional folk dance as part of Bangor’s annual Maypole Festival.

A maypole dance centers around a chopped down pole — usually from a cedar or birch tree — that is erected and decorated with flowers, greenery and ribbons. Each participating dancer holds a ribbon, intricately weaving around the pole, and then reverse their steps to unwind it.

Oftentimes a maypole dance or festival is meant to simply celebrate the start of springtime, although in some cultures, the dance is tied to pagan fertility rites.

Typically, it is performed on May 1 — also known as May Day — but in some countries such as Sweden, the maypole is part of ‘Midsommar’ which marks the beginning of the summer solstice in June, according to the New York Times.

It may be hard to imagine such an event happening in the center of the Cross Insurance Center now, but thousands of people would attend the highly anticipated festival put on by local dance teacher Peg Bennett to support a beloved YMCA summer camp.

Hailing from New Hampshire, Bennett taught dance to kids from grade school age up through high school, generally in after school programs. She mostly traveled to her students, teaching classes in schools in the Bangor area, churches, VFWs, grange halls and at the former YWCA before moving www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 11

ARTS & CULTURE

Y-Squarettes getting ready for the annual Maypole Festival in 1956.

operations to the YMCA 15 years later as the number of students she taught grew.

Reaching up to almost 1,000 students at the height of her career, she taught a variety of dances — such as square dancing, cha cha, bossa nova, Viennese waltz and polka.

“Dancing was a huge part of my growing up years. I loved to dance,” Bennett’s former student Joellyn Alexander said.

Her students danced everywhere from jamborees at the Brewer Auditorium to parades, local nursing homes and hospitals.

Some larger events that her older students performed at included the U.S. bicentennial celebration at the Senate Office Building in Washington D.C. and at Tomorrowland in Disney World in 1981.

But the big event for Bennett and her students was the annual Maypole Festival.

The first maypole event, then called the Maypole square dance, was held in 1953 — a year after Bennett started teaching — at the YMCA and featured 18 of her students in the traditional maypole dance.

By 1955, however, the festival was held at the Bangor Auditorium and featured hundreds of her students and was attended 12 / BANGOR METRO May 2022

by more than 1,500 people, according to Bangor Daily News archives.

“The Maypole Festival would fill the Bangor Auditorium with proud parents. It was almost like Little League, everyone was in it — it was pretty spectacular,” her son, Tom Bennett, told the BDN in 2013.

Presented by the Maypole Festival Committee and held the first Saturday in May, each festival had a theme and would include various dances by each age group.

But the featured dance, “The Winding of the Maypole,” was performed by two dozen 5th and 6th graders.

All the costumes were made by mothers with fabric Bennett bought, and the students played a heavy hand in organizing the festival as well.

“Maypole Festivals were 100 percent self-produced. The dancers themselves [especially the older ones] were tasked with making all the decorations and took care of other logistics,” Christopher Shirley, who danced for Bennett for eight years, said.

Bennett’s husband Bill Bennett was the youth director at the YMCA and proceeds from festival ticket sales would benefit

Camp Jordan on Branch Lake in Ellsworth, where she worked as the camp dietician and “den mother” for 29 years, according to BDN archives. During the festival, whoever sold the most tickets would be crowned the Maypole King and Queen.

“I thoroughly enjoyed all the times I did it as a young person in that organization. It’s really too bad that we don’t have more of that kind of thing today,” Aprille Douglass, a former May Queen, said.

The Maypole Festival continued into the 1980s. After Bennett died in 1982, Shirley and another student Cathy Patterson took over and continued it as the May Day Festival until the last event in 1984, according to archives.

“I doubt anything else ever existed quite like it,” Shirley said.

Although audiences saw the dance skills taught by Bennett, she taught students more than just the waltz or square dance.

“Her goal was, I believe, was to teach etiquette and manners and behavior and self control. And she did it through dance,” Tom Bennett said recently. “She did very well at it.”

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 13

OBSESSIONS

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

VISIT

FRESH MANGO

BANGOR'S EUROPEAN MARKET

WHY DO WE LOVE IT? Lately I’ve been obsessed with mango. I’m from Colombia and one of the things I miss the most about my country is the huge variety of fresh fruits and how cheap they are there, so when I see good looking mangoes at the store I have to get a few. When in season they cost less than a dollar a piece! A great way to eat mangoes is by peeling them with a potato peeler, cutting along the seed and chopping them into bite size pieces. Then just add some fresh squeezed lime juice, salt and pepper and enjoy! (Some people add chili powder or hot sauce too!)

WHY DO WE LOVE IT? It’s not quite a secret, but one of Bangor’s best-kept lesser known prizes is the European Market on Buck Street that runs from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Saturday in the Sunnyside Greenhouse. What looks like a cute little shop and greenhouse from the outside, gets transformed every Saturday into a farmers’ market-style treasure trove offering everything from the usual fare of breads, cheeses, homemade baked goods, jams and veggies all the way to Asian dumplings, fancy macarons, locally sourced meats, hand-knit baby clothes, Mediterranean soups, Greek treats, cake pops and more. Pop in this weekend to pick up lunch, sweets and unique hand-made gifts.

— CAROLINA RAVE

— AMY ALLEN

MAKE HOMEMADE ORANGE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WHY DO WE LOVE IT? I call them ‘Bengals’ cookies. It’s not their official name because we don’t have permission for that, but here’s how they came about. I wanted to make a dessert for the Super Bowl that would reflect the orange and black of the Cincinnati Bengals but didn’t have time to do anything elaborate.

I started thinking and poking around and found a recipe for orange chocolate chip cookies. And they are delicious! Basically, it’s a standard chocolate chip cookie dough with orange extract in an equal amount to the vanilla extract and finely grated orange peel added to it. Baking and the rest are the same. These cookies have become a favorite in our family — and so easy.

— JULIE HARRIS

PHOTOS: ©AMAWASRI, ©TASHKA2000, ©TATOMM, ©BIGACIS, ©ATLAS/ADOBE STOCK

EAT

SIP LYCHEE BUBBLE TEA AT FAT PANDA WHY DO WE LOVE IT? When I was in college, a roommate from Hawaii loved to introduce me to the snacks she adored back home — from candies and crackers to jells filled with lychee fruit.

A couple decades later, and I still love lychee (and a lot of the foods she introduced me to). So when I saw that Fat Panda Asian Market, which opened at 356 Harlow Street over the winter, had lychee bubble tea, I needed it. It was filled with the familiar flavor that’s so hard to find here. And while the tapioca pearls are good, when Fat Panda has lychee cubes, I always get those instead — double the lychee goodness! While you’re there, try the bao buns and do walk the aisles. From prawn chips to so many kinds of ramen to all the varieties of furikake you can imagine, there’s so much good stuff there to pick up.

— SARAH WALKER CARON

READ THE STORYTELLER — TALES OF LIFE AND MUSIC BY DAVE GROHL WHY DO WE LOVE IT? I read Dave Grohl’s book while looking forward to seeing the Foo Fighters this summer on the Bangor Waterfront — just before the untimely passing of their drummer Taylor Hawkins. With the tour canceled and the Foo’s future uncertain, this book is a lovely tribute to how the band came to be, including an inside look at the close relationship between Grohl and Hawkins.

But here’s what it really comes down to — I’m a sucker for a fun fact and this book is packed full. Speaking as a child of the 90s (see what I did there — I’m also a huge Pearl Jam fan), any story that offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Nirvana (did you know Kurt Cobain had a pet turtle?) is gold. In truth, there’s actually less about Nirvana and more about Grohl’s early years with Scream, a punk rock band from Washington, D.C., and later how Foo Fighters came to be.

Spoiler alert — after Nirvana, Dave very nearly ended up as the drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (he actually performed with them on Saturday Night Live — and if you really want to go down a rabbit hole, Grohl has been a musical guest on SNL 14 times — more than any other musician). All told, this is a fun and enlightening story of Grohl’s life on the road as a musician, and now a serves as a beautiful salute to Taylor Hawkins as well.

— AMY ALLEN

FOOD & DRINK

IN SEASON NOW

BUDGET-SAVING

RECIPES

STRETCH YOUR DOLLARS WITH THESE AFFORDABLE RECIPES FIXES STORY & PHOTOS BY SARAH WALKER CARON

FROM THE OIL we cook with to the pasta we devour, the cost of groceries has been on the rise for months. Some of those increases were so subtle that they could almost be missed. But it all adds up, and on one shopping day in February, I swiped my card for an unexpectedly high bill — and realized how much less was in my cart.

That’s when I started really thinking about ways to cut costs. On a basic level, this started with shedding the pandemic-induced habit of stocking up. So when we recently got down to our last box of pasta, I didn’t stomach the more expensive cost to buy more. Instead, I waited and made other meal plans.

Speaking of meal plans, they are a great way to cut costs.

When we plan our meals and shop to our lists, we ensure that we aren’t buying more than we need.

And while we’re at it, making bigger batch foods like pulled pork can also help lower the overall costs. My kids use pulled pork, roasted chicken and other bigger dishes to make lunches during the week. As a bonus, I can use chicken and turkey carcasses to make stock too — further ensuring that we are getting the most out of our groceries.

Trading meat for beans and lentils in some meals is another way to trim costs as well. These proteins are hearty, delicious and cheap — and can provide balanced nutrition when eaten with a carb like rice or pasta and plenty of veggies.

The recipes I am sharing this month focus on trimming money from the grocery budget. Pulled pork can be a dinner and leftovers for days. The pasta uses wallet-friendly beans for the dash of protein and the curry dish uses equally wallet-friendly lentils.

ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLE PASTA WITH TOMATOES Serves 4

INGREDIENTS 2 carrots, peeled and small diced 2 parsnips, peeled and small diced 5-6 small shallots, peeled and quartered 1 quart grape tomatoes 2 tbsp olive oil salt and pepper 1 15.5-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed ½ pound gemelli pasta

INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Arrange the carrots, parsnips, shallots and grape tomatoes on a nonstick baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the cannellini beans and stir. Spread into an even layer. Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are tender.

Cook gemelli pasta according to package directions, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.

In a serving bowl. toss together the pasta and roasted vegetable mixture. Add the reserved water, a little at a time, to desired moistness.

Taste and season, as needed, with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

SWEET AND SPICY PULLED PORK Serves 8

INGREDIENTS 3-4 lb boneless pork loin 6 oz can tomato paste ¼ cup water ¼ cup brown sugar 2 tbsp liquid smoke 2 tbsp hot sauce 1 tsp salt ½ tsp pepper

INSTRUCTIONS Rinse and pat dry the pork loin. Place into the slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, water, brown sugar, liquid smoke, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Pour over the pork.

Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 4-5 hours (or cook on low for 8-10 hours) until fall-apart tender.

Use two forks to shred the pork in the slow cooker, and then stir into the sauce.

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 17

FOOD & DRINK

CURRY VEGETABLES AND LENTIL RICE INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp olive oil 1 yellow onion, diced 1 cup diced fresh carrots 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger root ½ cup dried lentils, rinsed 2½ cups water ½ cup basmati rice 1 cup frozen peas 2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste 1 tbsp lightly chopped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS In a medium skillet set over medium heat, heat the oil. Once hot, add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened — about 5-7 minutes.

Add the garlic and ginger to the skillet, stirring to combine. Cook for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the lentils and toast for 2-3 minutes.

Add the water to the skillet and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir the rice into the skillet until moistened, and then stir in the peas as well. Season with garam masala, cumin and salt. Cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat, stir and taste. Season with additional salt, as needed.

Sprinkle with cilantro just before serving

SARAH WALKER CARON is the editor of Bangor Metro Magazine and the author of six cookbooks including the “The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook.” Her newest book, “The Disney Princess Tea Parties Cookbook” is due out in April 2022. Signed copies of her books are available at The Briar Patch in Bangor.

18 / BANGOR METRO May 2022

PHOTO: SARAH WALKER CARON

Serves 4

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 19

FOOD & DRINK

HEAD SOUTH (TO SOUTHERN MAINE, THAT IS) AND FEEL THE HEAT AT THESE HOT SPOTS

PHOTOS: ©AFRICA-STUDIO. COM & ©BEATAALDRIDGE/ ADOBE STOCK

BY JOANNA O’LEARY

20 / BANGOR METRO May 2022

THE ROOF, THE ROOF (OF YOUR MOUTH) IS ON FIRE. If those (paraphrased) lyrics are music to your ears, i.e., you like your food hot (both literally and metaphorically), Maine abounds with establishments that cater to consumers who love their spice. Consider the following your “Feel the Burn” bucket list of dishes. One caveat: what a restaurant classifies “hot” versus “mild” is purely subjective, so proceed with caution when deciding how your own heat tolerance aligns with a restaurant’s self-assigned levels.

BAYOU KITCHEN At Portland’s Bayou Kitchen, early birds get the warmth because the bountiful brunch platters include the singe-worthy “Three Alarm Eggs,” a hearty hillock of spicy beef chili, chopped onions, shredded cheddar, salsa and sour cream. A side of cornbread will cost you a buck extra, but the additional investment pays dividends when it comes to assuaging the building heat.

BINGAS WINGAS Can’t get enough of fiery fowl? Journey next to Bingas Wingas, which has locations in Portland, Windham and Yarmouth, where the chicken wings are, well, off the chain with regards to spice. Choose from more than a dozen different sauces and rubs ranging from the tingling Redneck (a sweetsavory blend of maple syrup and buffalo dressing) to the sneaks-up-on-ya Jamaican Jerk dry rub (a caustic collaboration of cinnamon, cayenne and black pepper) to the tongue-scorching ’08 Fire (a redhot edible homage to the 2008 conflagration that razed Binga’s on Portland’s Congress Street).

THAI SPICE As its name aptly suggests, Thai Spice in Manchester takes pride in serving customers sizzling hot Thai classics like goong rad prik (spicy shrimp with red and green peppers, basil and green peas) and spicy fried rice with tofu. Patrons are asked to request their desired degree of spice via a five-star system, with one star equaling “Coward,” two stars “Careful,” three star “Adventurous,” four stars “Native Thai,” and five stars “Show-off.” Protip: when embarking into that foray into fire, pair your entree with a large coconut boba tea, whose creamy consistency helps cut the heat. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 21

FOOD & DRINK

BLAZES BURGERS For some hand-held heat between two buns, head to Blazes Burgers in Westbrook for their Jack Burger. Layered with habanero and jalapeno peppers, pepper jack cheese and buffalo sauce, an entire Jack Burger makes for a satisfying albeit charring (but hopefully not scarring!) consumption experience. The thick, slippery toppings and monstrous patty certainly necessitate five napkins, if not a bib.

22 / BANGOR METRO May 2022

PHOTOS: ©JJAVA, ©BBIVIRYS & ©ALP AKSOY/ADOBE STOCK

SHERE PUNJAB Diners at Brunswick’s Shere Punjab are similarly asked to indicate the spice content of their entrees via a 10-point scale. And while virtually any main course can be rendered hot, hot, hot, the chicken vindaloo is truly a “pure heat wave.” Those in the know report heavy meat sweats resulting from ordering the vindaloo at just level 7; expect steam to stream from your ears should you dare to take it to 10.

HOT SUPPA Finally, when it comes to sipping some searing spice, there’s nothing quite like a blazing bloody Mary. Our flaming favorites include Portland’s Hot Suppa’s Cajun Bloody Mary, a scarlett beauty of brunch cocktail made with a heated housemade mix and garnished with pickled okra and dilly beans.

Hot to trot on this itinerary of inferno ingestibles? Summon your courage and remember water never makes anything better: try bread or dairy-based beverages should the pyro notes prove too potent.

www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 23

HIKE ME

Bird

WALKS GET OUT YOUR BINOCULARS THIS SPRING STORY & PHOTOS BY AISLINN SARNACKI

WARBLERS FLIT THROUGH THE TREES, dipping in and out of sunlight. The small, colorful songbirds arrive in Maine with the warm winds of spring, joining robins and hermit thrushes, juncos and chickadees. Together, they fill the forest with trilling melodies.

Each species offers a different tune. Among the fresh green foliage, they’re flashes of yellow and white, brown and black, orange and gray. Pairing up, they build nests and mark out territories, lay eggs and raise their young.

Meanwhile, in meadows throughout the state, bluebirds and tree swallows claim nesting boxes. Sparrows hop about in the bushes.

Bobolinks and meadowlarks hide in the grasses, constructing cupshaped nests on the ground.

In wetlands, red-winged blackbirds ride swaying cattails, producing their distinctive call: conk-la-ree! Wood ducks and mallards swim, weaving through aquatic vegetation. Great blue herons gather in rookeries, their large stick nests high in dead trees.

Along the coast, plovers and sandpipers wade through the shallows. Ospreys swoop through the air. And seabirds clamber ashore to nest near the water.

When spending time outside whatever habitat you explore, you’re bound to find birds busy in the spring. But some outdoor destinations are known for having a variety or abundance of bird species within easy view.

Books such as Bob Duchesne’s “Maine Birding Trail: The Official Guide to More Than 260 Accessible Sites” and Derek Lovitch’s “Birdwatching in Maine: A Site Guide,” can help you find many of these bird-filled public locations.

Here are a few to get you started.

PETIT MANAN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

IN STEUBEN

EASY TO MODERATE A part of the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex, this refuge is located on a peninsula in Steuben and features two nature trails: the Birch Point Discovery Trail, which is 4 miles round trip, and the Hollingsworth Trail, which is 1.8 miles round trip. Both trails travel through fields and forestland to reach the coast.

The refuge is known as a hotspot on eBird, a popular online resource and mobile app used by birders to record bird sightings. Among the species recorded there last spring are wading birds such as the dunlin, ruddy turnstone and purple sandpiper. While in the forest, a white-crowned sparrow, chipping

sparrow, veery, eastern bluebird and Wilson’s warbler were spotted — among many other birds.

The refuge is open from sunrise to sunset. Access is free. Pets are permitted on a handheld leash no longer than 10 feet. There are no restroom facilities.

For more information, visit fws.gov/refuge/mainecoastal-islands-complex or call 207-546-2124.

DIRECTIONS: Take Pigeon Hill Road off U.S. Route 1 in Steuben, and follow it to the end. The parking area for the Birch Point Trail is 5.8 miles from Route 1, and the parking area for the Hollingsworth Trail is 6.2 miles from Route 1.

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HEALTH & FITNESS

HIKE ME

BARRED ISLAND PRESERVE

ON DEER ISLE

EASY TO MODERATE Just one of the many properties managed by the Island Heritage Trust, Barred Island Preserve features a mile-long trail that winds through a whimsical boreal forest to a sandy beach on the coast. The trail ends at a sandbar that leads to Barred Island, which is only accessible for about 3.5 hours on either side of low tide.

A self-guided “deeriNature Trail” tour of the preserve, available online, suggests that hikers listen for songs of the hermit thrush, Swainson’s thrush, black-throated green warbler and golden-crowned kinglet in the forest.

Bob Duchesne’s online version of the Maine Birding Trail lists additional species to keep an eye out for, such as the red-breasted nuthatch, blackburnian warbler, blueheaded vireo and northern parula.

Barred Island Preserve is just one of the many locations on Deer Isle and Little Deer Isle that’s often visited by birders during the annual “Wings, Waves & Woods Festival,” which is a lineup of birding, nature and historic walks and other activities. This year’s festival is scheduled for May 20-22.

Barred Island Preserve is open during daylight hours.

Access is free. Dogs are prohibited at the preserve, though they are allowed on some other properties and trails that are managed by the Island Heritage Trust.

For more information, visit islandlandheritagetrust.org or call 207-348-2455.

DIRECTIONS: The parking area is located on Goose Cove Road in Deer Isle. To get there, cross onto Deer Isle

from Little Deer Isle on Route 15. After crossing the causeway, continue on Route 15, heading south, for 4.1 miles, then turn right onto Main Street. Drive 0.5 mile on Main Street, which turns into Bridge Street.

At a fork, turn left onto Sunset Road and drive 2.7 mile. Turn right onto Goose Cove Road. Drive 0.3 mile and veer left at the intersection, staying on Goose Cove Road.

Drive 0.5 mile and veer left at a fork, staying on Goose Cove Road, and the parking area will be on your left in a few hundred feet.

If the parking area is full when you arrive, check out one of the many other Island Heritage Trust preserves on the island. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 27

HEALTH & FITNESS

HIKE ME

BEECH HILL PRESERVE

IN ROCKPORT

EASY TO MODERATE This 295-acre preserve features a quiet forest, sprawling blueberry fields and a hill topped with a historic stone building called Beech Nut. To date, more than 140 bird species have been recorded on the property, according to Coastal Mountains Land Trust, which owns and manages it.

Two trails explore the preserve. The easy, 0.6-mile Summit Trail gradually climbs through fields filled with wildflowers and blueberries; while the moderately challenging, 1.45-mile Woods Loop threads through the woods as it travels up the hill on the opposite side. The two trails have separate trailheads, and they meet atop the hill at Beech Nut. The bird checklist for Beech Hill can be found at birdsofbeechhill.com. A few of the birds that are commonly seen there in the spring are wild turkey, American woodcock,

ruby-throated hummingbird, northern harrier, broadwinged hawk, blue-headed vireo, rose-breasted grosbeak and cedar waxwing.

Beech Hill is the only bald hill in the area, offering views of Penobscot Bay, Camden Hills and Saint George Peninsula.

The preserve is open during daylight hours. Access is free. Dogs are permitted but must be on leash at all times.

For more information, visit coastalmountains.org or call 207-236-7091.

DIRECTIONS: Summit Trailhead: From Camden, drive south on Route 1, then turn right onto Beech Hill Road.

The parking lot will be on your left in 1.6 miles. Woods Loop Trailhead: From Camden, go south on Route 1, then turn right onto Rockville Street. The parking lot will be on your right in 0.7 mile.

AISLINN SARNACKI is a columnist for the Bangor Metro and a registered Maine Guide. An expert on the Maine outdoors, she’s the author of the guidebooks “Dog-Friendly Hikes in Maine,” “Maine Hikes Off the Beaten Path” and “Family Friendly Hikes in Maine.” Follow her adventures at bangordailynews.com/outdoors.

You can also find her @mainenaturehikes on Instagram and @1minhikegirl on Facebook and Twitter.

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HOME & FAMILY

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THE

WHOOSH WHOOSH

ZONE

NAVIGATING THAT TRICKY END-OFSCHOOL TRANSITION TIME

PHOTOS: © SEVENTYFOUR/ ADOBE STOCK

W

BY TODD R. NELSON

e’re in the Whoosh Zone — the vertiginous final weeks of a school year when the number of exciting and challenging events seem to defy the laws of physics as they relate to time, space and objects in motion.

You wonder: How can all these things fit into the available space?

You can feel and hear the whoosh in the sunny playground times, studios and classrooms. Yes, we have begun the wonderful glide down to summer.

It will all fit. It always does.

It fits better with forethought. Step back: what’s going on here, as parents, teachers and children hurtle towards summer? Do we have the analog view of where we are on an emotional, curricular and cultural continuum?

Every school celebrates transitions in different ways. We are closing the books on projects and academic studies, perhaps regressing a bit in terms of some social-emotional learning and consolidating gains in other areas. We are fully “inhabiting” our new level, be it “first graderness” or “parent of first graderness.”

Even for the veteran teacher, each academic year has its own unique flavor and texture of culmination. Or it should.

At my school, I liked the wise kindergarten teacher’s way of alerting parents about what to expect. Annie sent an email with valuable coordinates.

She was talking to experienced parents — whose youngest child is coming through kindergarten — as well as parents going through it for the first time.

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HOME & FAMILY

She wrote, “Here are a few things that you expect as the school year is drawing to a close…

• Unusually whiny and complaining children • Problems between friends • Total illiteracy — they don’t even know the alphabet now. They don’t understand math now either.

• Complaints about teachers (we never help them), food (we don’t feed them) and all special subjects (they never go to shop, science, art, music).

• Your children will complain they never … get called on, have a turn, go first, play outside, get picked...

• Severe bossiness, questioning, nail biting, tripping and skinned knees • Trouble separating • The occasional shove, push, hit, and they will be as surprised to see this happen as we are • Trouble sleeping, late nights...

“All this is normal, and happens at the end of every school year in Kindergarten. It is how children cope with anxiety about moving to first grade, perhaps at a new school and the end of kindergarten. We see them at their very best and worst within the space of a single day.”

Annie put her parents into a journalistic framework. Observe the story your kids are experiencing. Know that it is their ageappropriate version of events, and stand by as their experienced guide. Don’t mistake their experience for your own.

She continues with a mini-consultation for parents — some of the behavior that they will notice about themselves: • Unusual tendency to complain about food, teachers, public school, private school • Excessive nostalgia, the last singing assembly, the last woodshop class, the last recess game • Concern about your children’s friends and their relationships • Anxiety about whether your child has learned enough to tackle first grade, wherever they go to school. (Be assured, they have!)

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• Severe bossiness, a wish to micromanage your child’s behavior, bedtime, reading, friendships, even more than is called for • Trouble separating • Tears, trouble sleeping, worries, especially in the middle of the night I wish every parent and child had an experienced teacher like Annie backing them up. It makes the Whoosh Zone exhilarating. She helps kids and families feel in control — driving, not driven, by the excitement of transitions and transfers of all kinds. It may be kindergarten this year, but even long after life in the school calendar is done, life gives us moments of heightened expectation and spontaneous bumps and curves in the road. Our inner kindergartner may persist in our lives for quite a while… even when we become parents ourselves.

The perspective Annie provides on what we’re feeling, helps us navigate. No matter what size shoes we wear, we’re working on balance, composure and the temperament of maturity.

We can also slow it down a bit with something I call “anticipatory savoring” of events. “Think ahead to consider how you want to look back,” I used to tell my students, early in spring. “What kind of memories do you want to create for yourselves in the days ahead? Plan those memories. Stockpile nice endings — before the fact.”

You can make your own list just by completing this line of thought with your kids: I’m looking forward to looking back on … what?

Of course, beneath the whoosh of activities, a quieter adjustment is taking place. Just when every child has grown into the shoe size of their current grade, and feels they fully inhabit their current “gradeness,” the next grade appears on the horizon. Schools can make beginnings and endings feel like smooth, whoosh-less transitions.

Todd R. Nelson is a former teacher and school principal. He lives in Penobscot.

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PERSONAL FINANCE

The Price of

PROTECTION HERE’S WHY IT COSTS MORE TO INSURE A MANUFACTURED HOME

I

f you’ve recently purchased a manufactured home, getting homeowner’s insurance for your new abode may have come as a shock.

Even though manufactured homes cost less than stick-built homes and both appreciate in value, in most cases, homeowner’s insurance premiums for manufactured homes cost more for less robust coverage.

A lot of factors go into the cost of homeowner’s insurance and the coverage offered, said Heather Kinney, an insurance agent and manager of BroGue Insurance and Financial Services in Bangor. Those include how old the manufactured home is, what condition it is in, its geographic location and whether it’s located in a mobile home park or on its own land, and

34 / BANGOR METRO May 2022

whether it’s affixed to a foundation or still has its axles and wheels.

Doing an internet search on “why the #$@!! is homeowner’s insurance for manufactured homes so expensive” will net you a plethora of explanations from insurance companies, the manufactured home sector and media outlets, all of which will tell you that insurance companies consider manufactured homes a greater risk than site-built homes.

Why? Because 1) the quality of building materials used in manufactured homes is not as good as for site-built homes; 2) there is greater risk of damage from fire, wind and broken pipes, among other things; and 3) there are more theft claims for manufactured homes than for stick-built homes.

PHOTOS: ©ANDREY POPOV, ©SUE SMITH/ADOBE STOCK

BY STEPHANIE BOUCHARD

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PERSONAL FINANCE

Molly Boyle, a representative of the Manufactured Housing Institute, a national trade organization representing the factorybuilt housing industry, said that it’s “not true” that manufactured homes are built with inferior building materials.

“Manufactured [homes] are built to a federal building code and the same materials are used in manufactured homes as site-built homes,” Boyle said.

However, the construction methods of mobile homes decades ago are still being held against modern manufactured homes.

(The terms mobile home and manufactured home are often used interchangeably, but these structures are different.)

While manufactured homes built after June 15, 1976 had to be built in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development standards, those built prior to June 1976 (called mobile homes) did not. Mobile homes, then, were arguably built with inferior materials. Manufactured homes, which are buildings built after June 15, 1976, however, must meet exacting federal building standards.

“Mobile homes nowadays are built a lot better than they used to be,” said Kinney, who has been involved in the insurance industry for more than 30 years. “Mobile homes didn’t have as high standards like they do now, but a lot of insurance companies that will write mobile homes, they do treat them differently than a stickbuilt home. … It’s almost like the insurance companies haven’t gotten with the times.”

When seeking homeowner’s insurance for manufactured homes, then, Kinney said, it’s important for owners to work with their agent to shop the very few insurance companies that offer coverage for manufactured homes, and to thoroughly understand what level of coverage is being offered.

Turn to the state’s insurance bureau for additional resources, such as the bureau’s purchasing tips and its Guide to Homeowner’s Insurance, to have insurance concerns addressed.

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PHOTO: © PUWASIT INYAVILEART /ADOBE STOCK

FEATURE

Natural

CONNECTION HOW AND WHY WE SHOULD CONNECT WITH NATURE

S

BY ERINNE MAGEE

SET AN INTENTION Before heading outside, set the intention of using all of the senses to help make you aware of the different parts of nature.

What will you look for today? Are there sounds in nature that you gravitate towards?

There’s an ability to stay present that happens when you make it a point to use your senses in this way.

Speaking of, did you know the smell of dirt, soil and each of nature’s elements is a natural antidepressant?

There’s a reason it smells so good after it rains.

BARE FEET ON THE GROUND We aren’t advocating you run through the forest without socks or shoes (unless that’s your thing), but even sitting or standing with your bare feet in the grass, dirt or mud has health benefits.

This “grounding” practice, gets you closer to the Earth’s energy but also calls for better sleep, pain reduction and lowers stress and tension.

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PHOTOS: (BOAT & HIKE) AISLINN SARNACKI/BDN FILE; ©FARKNOT ARCHITECT & ©JUAN/ADOBE STOCK

pring is the time of year when everything blooms again, including us. Here in Maine, we are lucky to get the full spectrum of observing nature awaken a little bit more each day. As the color comes back into the world around us, it’s natural to gain a sense of wonder again; to be inspired by our surroundings to feel just as alive.

Imagine the power that comes from not just observing nature, but immersing ourselves in the great outdoors. We are lucky to live in a place where, oftentimes, we can look out our window and the scene we see each day never quite looks the same way twice.

In fact, we don’t have to imagine at all because there are studies that prove the benefits of connecting with the outdoors. From lowering blood pressure, reducing stress and boosting mood nature has an overall positive impact on our physical and emotional wellbeing. Some would say, our health even depends on our connection with nature.

Of course, simply going for a walk or planting a garden can lift your spirits. But for the days you are longing for a deeper connection, here are some ways you can be one with nature.

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PHOTOS: ©K.DECHA, ©DROBOT DEAN , ©TIRACHARD, ©LEAH/ADOBE STOCK

FEATURE

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Traveling or changing time zones? Get your bare feet against the ground as soon as possible to regulate circadian rhythms.

Twenty minutes is the target for this activity.

READ AGAINST A TREE Yes, tree hugging is a real thing. But simply leaning against one will also bring benefits.

Similar to feet in the grass, leaning against the trunk of a tree is a source of grounding, since its roots live deep into the Earth.

Many modern day medicines and essential oils are derived from different parts of the tree, so spending time up against the bark helps forest bathers soak in that healing energy.

Since we suggested a book while you sit, check out “The Hidden Life of Trees” by Peter Wohlleben.

PICK UP TRASH One way to further our relationship to Mother Earth is to make it a habit of bringing a bag and gloves on our strolls. When you’re doing something positive for a good cause, studies show these deeds have a positive impact on your mental wellbeing.

Plus, it’s a big nod of gratitude for nature.

VISUAL MEDITATION Bring a question to nature and sit with it while you visually take in all that surrounds you. Nature has a way to bring the internal chatter to stillness so you can hear the answer you are seeking.

This type of meditation doesn’t need to happen with your eyes closed or even with a focus on breathing. Instead, fix your gaze on something in nature that you feel drawn to. Perhaps, it’s several different things.

Having something in your line of sight will help keep you in the present moment rather than distracted by thoughts. Bottom line, nature brings clarity.

A TOWERING ROCK COLLECTION While some may enjoy an array of stones and rocks inside the house, it can also be fun to have an ever-growing stone tower somewhere in your yard.

Rock cairns have been used to mark trails, help with navigation and keep hikers safe. While it’s actually discouraged to build random cairns in Acadia National Park for example, having one on your land can serve is not only aesthetically pleasing but is a way to display the rocks you’ve connected to during your time outside. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 41

FEATURE

CREATE A NATURE BUNDLE Picking wildflowers can bring joy to all ages, but if you aren’t in a place that has a bountiful bloom, put together a bundle made up of the pieces of nature that catch your eye. Whether it’s ferns, husks, bark pieces, sprigs of herbs, wisps of wheat or pine boughs and so on. These bundles can be used as picnic table centerpieces or put in a vase and brought inside.

WITH THE KIDS Creating abstract art in nature as a family is a source of bonding all-around. Collect as many of nature’s leftovers as you can find (fallen leaves, needles, petals, twigs and so on), designate each person their own canvas (plot of driveway or yard) and let the masterpieces flow.

Celebrate your hard work with s’mores around the fire. Food is better outside. Drinks are better outside.

Conversations are better outside. Art is no different.

CHOOSE SOMETHING TO IDENTIFY Birding seems to be a hobby that spans across the ages and learning how to identify different bird species along with their calls can be motivation to find a new trail or enjoy your coffee on the deck rather than at the breakfast table.

But you don’t have to be a birder.

If the idea of having your own kitchen apothecary is more appealing, spending time learning about the things that grow locally can expand your area of foraging and exploration.

BRING NATURE TO YOU We want to acknowledge that some days, getting outside isn’t possible. During these times, pick up a book or read an article that suits your interests or teaches you something new.

Other options include, striking up a conversation about nature, listening to nature sounds, flipping through photographs or sitting near an open window and observing what’s going on outside.

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PHOTOS: AISLINN SARNACKI/BDN FILE

CONNECT WITH WATER Since we are made up of water, it only makes sense that we are innately drawn to lakes, rivers, streams and the sea. A spring melt in Maine is such a fun time of year to find trickling water in places that don’t typically get a flow.

If you have little ones (and even if you don’t!), it’s always fun to throw a flower or leaf or something from nature that floats and chase (or race) it down stream. Water is also a source of creativity, so let your brainstorm follow you to your favorite body of water and see what transpires.

Bangor Metro contributor Aislinn Sarnacki kayaks along a section of Souadabscook Stream near Etna Pond in Carmel.

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FEATURE

HOME Grown HOW TO GROW MORE OF YOUR OWN FOOD

BY SANDY OLIVER

PHOTO: ©POWERSTOCK/ ADOBE STOCK

W

HETHER YOU HAVE AN ESTABLISHED GARDEN OR ARE NEW TO GROWING FOOD, HERE ARE FEW STRATEGIES FOR MAXIMIZING PRODUCTION.

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PHOTOS: ©DEYAN GEORGIEV, ©MALLIVAN, ©IMARZI/ADOBE STOCK

SUCCESSION PLANTING As soon as a harvested vegetable opens a space in your garden, replant that spot with seeds or seedlings. You can almost always follow first spring plantings of spinach, arugula and small greens, often gathered by early July with a fall harvestable root vegetable or a summer squash. Observing the recommended days to maturity, consider planting a section of beets or beans where lettuce thrived. Radishes, which mature in three weeks, are ideal for tucking in here and there when empty space opens up.

Here in Maine, you can plan on four to five plantings of lettuce, one of the easiest vegetables for successive sowing. Always aim for short rows of lettuce, enough for two or three weeks eating, so you harvest before it bolts.

Create a little nursery bed with lettuce seeds planted in a foot long row, which you thin down to a few plants for transplanting into random empty spots.

For variety, acquire lettuce seed mixes

with a selection of different styles and colors from one envelope.

When you pull onions and garlic in July, plant kale, chard, basil, other greens and herbs in their place. Arugula and cilantro both germinate in cool weather, so you can get one harvest in spring and plant them again in later summer for fall harvest.

With succession growing, aim for a different sort of vegetable than you just harvested, both within a single season and from year to year. Follow root vegetables with a shallow rooted plant like lettuce or beans. Follow beans which gather nitrogen with squash which need more.

Some plants are “heavy feeders” — squash, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, broccoli and corn, for example — so they’ll deplete the soil if you grow them repeatedly in the same spot. Beans and peas enrich soil for plants that follow. Lettuce, spinach and greens take less out of the soil so can take the place of a heavy feeder. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 45

INTERPLANTING Nature interplants all the time. This technique is worth mimicking in the garden through companion planting, which takes advantage of plants’ natural affinities for one another. A classic example of interplanting is growing the Three Sisters together: corn with beans and squash. Corn supports the climbing beans and the squash covers the ground to suppress weeds that compete for nutrients and water.

Tall plants provide needed shade when grown together with shade tolerant plants. Spreading plants shade the ground, discourage weeds and slow evaporation.

Some plants repel certain harmful insects or attract beneficial ones. Some draw harmful pests away from their companions or confuse insects who can’t find their favorite amid mixed plants.

Basil grown with tomatoes, for instance, helps confuse the tomato hornworm moth enough to discourage it from laying eggs. You can grow dill among broccoli and kale plants to attract ladybugs which feed on aphids which attack cabbage family vegetables.

A row of peas planted to grow up fencing benefits a row of spinach planted alongside beneath, tall and short together, planted closely.

Don’t be afraid to avoid rows; instead tuck plants here and there with different neighbors. It’s harder for a cabbage moth to find a cauliflower or broccoli planted by itself at the end of a row or in an empty spot in a bed than in a long row of them all lined up so the moths visit one plant after the other.

Some greens and herbs self-sow. You can let one of your arugula plants and lettuces bloom and scatter seed. Very likely the next growing season, you can dig up volunteer seedlings and plant them where needed, or harvest crowded volunteers as baby lettuces. Dill and cilantro — also known as coriander — allowed to bloom abundantly self-sow, even if you gather some of the dried seed for use or save to plant another year. Leave them where they sprout and plant around them, or harvest any cropping up in an inconvenient spot.

Cut-and-come-again harvesting works with lots of greens. A patch of mesclun tolerates a couple cuttings. Pick individual leaves from leaf lettuces, allowing the plant to keep growing. One or two kale plants is enough for many families if you just harvest leaves from bottom up.

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PHOTOS: ©DENIS AND YULIA POGOSTINS, ©PAUL MAGUIRE, ©ELENA TARASOVA/ADOBE STOCK

FEATURE

EATING WEEDS Even if you never considered foraging for food, certain edible weeds always crop up for gathering in vegetable gardens. Dandelions appear early in spring, at the start of the growing season. Pull them and add the leaves to salad, soup or steam them with other greens, serving them with crisp bacon on top or mixed with potatoes, or even making them into pesto to use on pasta. Be sure to collect them before they bloom.

Lambs quarters sprout generously in gardens, and can grow very tall. Pick it when it is small, no more than six inches tall, or collect the tops of larger plants and wash well to add raw to salads or to steam along with spinach or other greens.

Chickweed and purslane often grow to a harvestable size in the garden. Chickweed leaves sometimes grow to the size of a bean. Gather it and tear into a salad where it adds a lovely nutty flavor or devour it in place. Purslane’s round, succulent stems and dark green leaves are a good addition to salad or stir fries. You can even acquire domesticated varieties of purslane.

PHOTOS: ©ZATEVAHIN & ©TAMU/ADOBE STOCK

Pick lambs quarters when it's small and add to salads or steam with spinach.

GROW BUSH VARIETIES As you buy seeds, look for bush-type varieties which take up less space than standard sorts. Not only can you grow more in your garden but you’ll enjoy greater variety in the space you have to work with.

For example, grow Sweet Reba Acorn squash. Reba stands for Resistant Early Bush Acorn and unlike long-vining winter squashes, produces five to six stout squashes on a compact plant.

Bushier determinate tomatoes benefit from tomato cage support but unlike indeterminate do not keep vining. Breeders have developed bush cucumbers and some varieties of summer squash to have compact growing habits, sometimes marketed as “patio” varieties for container growing.

Single-serving lettuces like Tom Thumb or Gem lettuces take up very little space.

Dwarf or baby sized cabbages produce enough for one or two meals and are ideal for single-person households. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 47

FEATURE

CONTAINER GARDENING Whether or not you have an in-ground garden, some container gardening gives you options to grow more food; if you have no or little inground space, then containers are the solution.

Containers give you flexibility to move plants to the best exposure to sun as it shifts over the summer. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants all need a lot of sun, so keeping them in the brightest spot around the house improves their productivity. Lettuce and greens tolerate some shade, so a window box that gets some shade every day is fine for them.

You can set an old pallet, reconfigured to hold pots or soil, on edge against a wall or supported by stakes, and grow compact plants through the gaps. Strawberries, lettuce, herbs and flowers succeed in this set up and are also decorative.

Galvanized livestock watering containers, old spackle buckets with holes punched in the bottom, wooden boxes, large plastic storage tubs, ceramic planters, just about anything that contains soil, including potting soil bags laid flat and slit open and planted in directly, can become your container garden.

Just make sure they can drain, and are large enough to accommodate the root system of your plants, particularly remembering that tomatoes like a generously-sized container.

Some containers accommodate stakes or lattices for climbing plants or those which grow tall and need support.

VERTICAL GARDENING Pole beans produce prolifically and take up hardly any ground.

Three poles lashed together with three bean plants at the base of each can produce a lot of food. Look for climbing varieties; if the emerging vines look like they are heading to embrace a neighbor plant, gently steer them around their own pole.

You can encourage vining plants like cucumbers to climb stout fencing; do this, also, with some winter squashes like Delicata or Dumpling which have small fruit. Even pie pumpkins can climb but jack o’lantern pumpkins or heavy kubotas or buttercups, even butternuts, might break and fall unless helped by tying the vines to the fence.

Tomato cages and ladders help keep the fruits off the ground and away from slugs and mice. A strong wire strung between two very stable stakes at least six feet tall, will support hanging jute strings, anchored in the ground with a wire staple, around which you can wind indeterminate, vining tomatoes. This promotes good air circulation and allows the fruits to get plenty of light for ripening.

Give any one of these strategies a try and see how much more food you harvest.

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PHOTOS: © ALFEROVA EVGENIYA (GESHAS) & ©ANETT/ADOBE STOCK

FEATURE

On the Road WITH FIDO

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TRAVELING WITH YOUR DOG IN MAINE ore and more destinations around Maine are welcoming dogs. That’s good news for families who don’t really want to leave their four-legged family members at home this summer.

According to the website BringFido.com, Maine ranks near the top as a destination for four-foot travelers thanks to a combination of pet-friendly hotels, animal protection laws and outdoor spaces that allow dogs.

In fact, there are close to 80 dog-friendly beaches in the state and more than 1,000 hotels or inns that welcome dogs, according to the independent review site SafeWise.com.

All it takes to include your dog in your upcoming travels around the state is a bit of pre-planning and a willingness to accommodate the unique needs of your pet. Here are some things to know before heading out.

DOES YOUR DOG WANT TO GO? Make sure your dog is as excited about road tripping as you are. Not every dog enjoys car rides. It can cause anxiety or even car sickness. In either case, it’s no fun for humans or canines.

Take some short jaunts well before a scheduled trip.

Think of them as practice trips and make sure they end somewhere fun like a dog park or with treats for being a good doggo. See how they do.

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Once on your trip, build in plenty of pit stops.

Veterinarians recommend giving your dog regular 15- to 30-minute breaks every two to four hours on a road trip.

PLAN A DOG-FRIENDLY ITINERARY Traveling with a dog might mean a slightly different itinerary to accommodate your dog, their needs and where they are welcome. You never want to leave your dog in your car, so research your destinations before you leave home.

Dogs on leases are welcome in all Maine state campgrounds except Baxter State Park and the Sebago Lake State Park campground. In fact, when it comes to Baxter, you can’t even drive through the park if you have a dog in your vehicle.

Dogs are not allowed on Maine state park beaches during the spring and summer months, but most other public beaches are open to dogs on leashes. Popular beaches for dogs are Lamoine Beach Park, Sandy Point Beach in Stockton Springs, Seal Harbor Beach on Mt. Desert Island and Pemaquid Beach Park in New Harbor. Many hiking trails around the state also allow dogs. Check out Wolfe's Neck State Park in Freeport or the trails on the Bold Coast in and around Lubec.

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BY JULIA BAYLY

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FEATURE TALK TO YOUR VETERINARIAN It’s essential that your dog is healthy enough for your planned trip. So check in with your veterinarian and show them your itinerary. Your vet will be able to recommend any health precautions to take, especially if your dog has some existing health issues.

At the same time, you can make sure your dog’s vaccinations and flea, tick and heartworm preventatives are up to date.

PACKING FOR YOUR FURRY FRIEND Your dog should have its own little suitcase or bag for the trip. Things to include are its regular food, water, travel bowls, favorite toys, blankets, an extra leash and collar and vaccination records. Make sure your dog is wearing a collar with a tag that has its home address and phone number.

And don’t forget those poop bags — nobody wants to step in what your dog deposits on the trails!

IN THE CAR As tempting as it may be, don’t let your dog sit in your lap or even unsecured on the seat next to you. In the event of an accident severe enough that your car’s airbags deploy, the impact can severely injure or even kill a dog on your lap. Loose dogs can also be a distraction while driving.

Consider using a comfortable travel crate appropriate for the size of your dog or a special doggy safety harness that works much like a car’s seat belt.

DINING OUT When it’s time to grab something to eat, there are a lot of choices in Maine. Many places that have outdoor seating welcome dogs. In Bangor, restaurants including Blaze, The Black Bear Pub, Nocturnem Draft Haus and Paddy Murphy’s allow dogs al fresco. As you and your dog travel around Maine, it’s a good idea to err on the side of caution and call ahead to make sure your dog is welcome. Another option is ordering food to go, picking it up and enjoying an outdoor picnic with your dog.

It goes without saying that the better behaved and more in control your dog is, the more fun you will have. Respect leash laws and don’t let your dog run amok. With a bit of extra effort and time, there is no reason Maine can’t be Vacationland for your dog every bit as much as it is for you.

52 / BANGOR METRO May 2022

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DAY’S END When it’s time to check into your pet friendly hotel, inn or set up at a campsite, don’t let the excitement of moving into your temporary digs make you pay less attention to your dog. If you are having to make multiple trips from your car to a hotel room, save taking your dog for the last trip. That way it can stay in the familiar surroundings of its car and not be left unattended in a strange hotel room while you go back and forth.

If you are camping out, consider investing in a doggy playpen. Set it up first so your pooch can relax and watch as you do the hard work of setting up camp.

There are many pet friendly hotels in Maine along popular road trip routes. Check out The Harraseeket Inn in Freeport, Fireside Inn and Suites in Belfast, Point Lookout in Northport and the Grand Harbor Inn in Camden. Be prepared to spend a little extra as most hotels tack on a pet fee to host dogs. Many also do not allow dogs to be left alone and unattended in the rooms, so plan accordingly when you are going to eat out.

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WOODS & WATERS

Get to Know Your

NEIGHBORS

Some of the springtime neighbors you might meet if you look closely: a mink and a sora rail.

MAY IS A GOOD TIME TO LOOK

BY BOB DUCHESNE

MAY IS A GOOD MONTH to meet the neighbors. That is, if your neighbors live in a swamp.

Maine is wet. Don’t believe it? Go camping for a week. All that water creates a variety of wetlands, each teeming with wildlife that mostly goes unseen. Beavers, muskrats, minks and otters make a home among the fish. A multitude of birds dwell in marshes. Wetlands are breeding pits for amphibians and insects.

Wetlands come in all shapes and sizes, from Moosehead Lake down to the smallest vernal pool.

Vernal pools are small, forested wetlands that dry up in summer. Although vernal pools are typically smaller than one acre, so much life springs forth from them that scientists estimate the total biomass of critters emerging each spring exceeds the mass of all mammals and birds living in the surrounding area.

Some animals could not exist without them.

Spotted salamanders and blue-spotted salamanders lay their eggs in vernal pools. Wood frogs can fill a pool with eggs. Maine’s rarer species, such as Blanding’s turtles and ribbon snakes, require vernal pools as part of their lifecycles. After breeding, a multitude of critters walk, crawl or slither out of the pools and spread out across the land. Most are silent, so you might not be aware you have these neighbors.

May is a good time to look.

Marshes are especially fun this time of year. Although they may be hiding in the reeds, these neighbors are anything but quiet. A chorus of spring peepers can be so loud, it’s audible from a halfmile away. Multiple species of frogs are present, all of them vocal.

Bullfrogs, green frogs, leopard frogs and pickerel frogs may be your neighbors. Frogs are stealthy, and have interesting survival strategies.

MAY IS A GOOD TIME TO SEARCH THE WETLANDS NEAR YOU AND MEET THE NEIGHBORS.

For instance, green frogs lay eggs that taste nasty to fish.

Birds are more of your seldom-seen marsh neighbors. Rails are small, chickenlike birds that scuttle between the reeds.

They are “skinny as a rail,” so they can move quietly through the dense grasses without giving away their location to predators. Of course, the birds can’t see each other either. Therefore, they spend a lot of time in May telling each other where they are, in order to avoid a territorial conflict. They’re loud.

The two common rails in Maine are Virginia rail and sora. They can be found in any grassy marsh, even in suburban neighborhoods. Bangor’s Essex Woods, next to I-95, is home to many. The marsh adjacent to the Corn Fields on the University of Maine campus is loaded with them. In May, these birds are apt to call all night. It doesn’t take long to figure out if they’re your neighbors, though you might never see them.

Marsh wrens are equally secretive, yet equally vocal. Their scratchy chatter is

incessant in May, and can also go all night long. They prefer cattails to reeds, but since many marshes contain both, wrens and rails co-exist easily.

Bogs are special.

Like vernal pools, Maine’s glacial past accounts for much of their unique existence. Both are formed in natural depressions, typically created by the weight of mile-thick ice over 10,000 years ago.

Unlike vernal pools, which are mostly fed by melting snow, bogs receive most of their water from rainfall. Bogs lack both inflow and outlets, trapping the water. Some are the remains of ponds that have filled in with vegetation since the last Ice Age. Others were created when sphagnum moss spread out over suitable depressions on dry land, trapping moisture and creating permanently wet conditions.

In either case, bogs build up deep mats of vegetation. Unlike vernal pools, bogs are

acidic and nutrient-poor. Only specialized plants and animals survive there.

Because the growing conditions are so poor, some bog plants are carnivorous, able to capture and digest small insects. Pitcher plants, sundews and horned bladderworts are carnivorous plants found in eastern Maine’s best-known bog — the Orono Bog, adjacent to Bangor City Forest.

Black spruce and tamarack are trees adapted to growing in poor soils. In bogs, they grow so slowly that a 100-year-old tree may be no more than a few feet tall. Two Maine bird species are commonly found in bogs. Lincoln’s sparrows are rather shy, but the palm warblers living next to them aren’t.

That’s just the beginning. Lakes and ponds, rivers and streams, saltwater bays and coves all have their own denizens. The hidden life in tidal marshes is awesome. May is a good time to search the wetlands near you and meet the neighbors.

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 pLEARNING HOW TO Live u j Z

THE VIEW FROM HERE

BY EMILY MORRISON

B

1. Keep learning.

2. Do better.

3. Love harder.

4. Give more.

5. Be grateful.

I say, “Amen,” close my diary and go to bed.

Usually, this works. Writing centers me, helps me focus on what I can do and then let the rest go, until the next loss or sobering news hits.

Then, the fear comes back.

The thought of losing people I love as well as my own life, this worry never really leaves me. It’s real, and it’s usually something I don’t talk about.

Who’s comfortable talking about death? Surprisingly, the answer is teens.

A few years ago, I started reading “Tuesdays With Morrie” with my seniors, a memoir Mitch Albom wrote after a series of conversations he had with his dying sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz.

I show my students clips of Ted Koppel interviewing Morrie on “Nightline” and ask them, “What would you do if you were given Morrie’s diagnosis? How do you think you’d feel?”

And they talk about death.

They relive the car crashes and near misses they’ve been in.

They mention their grandparents who’ve passed away and their neighbors who are sick from something.

They tell me what they’d do with their time left. Few would come back to school. Most would take a trip somewhere warm.

As their eyes light up I ask, “Are you sure this subject isn’t too dark, kiddos?”

“No. We should talk about it,” they say. “It’s cool to think about how you wanna live!”

So they keep going. They talk about all the cool things they want to do with their lives, and they teach me that I’ve been thinking about this dying thing all wrong.

Maybe my fear has nothing to do with how and when my life ends, but how and why I’m living it. I pen a new mantra in my diary.

“Learn how to live.”

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MAYBE IT’S BECAUSE I work with teens daily, scroll through Facebook nightly and call my mom incessantly, but most days I find myself enmeshed in interesting conversation.

I’m not debating the state of our union or anything. Often, my interactions could be classified as lively, idle chit-chat over something on the spectrum between teen angst and aging parents.

I ask people how they’re doing, they ask me and we spill the tea.

Daily struggles and triumphs, we sip through it all, then move on.

One girl’s fighting with her brother and another’s boyfriend doesn’t text back quick enough. Mom’s caught a cold. Dad’s back’s acting up. Sister’s dog had surgery.

A day later, the girls are laughing, Mom’s feeling better, Dad’s doing his stretches, and Finn’s healing just fine.

Isn’t that how it goes? The highs and lows, they’re all part of being human, and I love being human. I suppose that’s also why I love stories.

They remind me that we’re all on the same path, trying to find meaning and joy in our lives. We share different versions of the same narrative.

We live. We struggle. We overcome, hopefully. Then, we die.

Yeah, that’s the kicker, isn’t it? I keep knocking up against that last part, too.

At night, when I’m trying to recall my favorite tales, it’s the sad, real-life tragedies that won’t let me rest.

One of my friends has stage four metastatic breast cancer.

Another recently passed away from ovarian cancer. Yet another just lost his wife to COVID-19. This list of loss and heartache goes on until sleep is no longer an option.

So, I grab my diary and make myself get all this fear out.

I write about how death is a bullet no one can dodge. Even if we live like we’re moving targets, none of us can keep moving forever.

Life ends, so I must learn how to be brave like my friends, how to be hopeful, how to count my blessings and not wait for tragedy to strike, to be grateful for what and who I have.

“Don’t worry so much. Live!” I remind myself. I scrawl out a short list of “Things To Do,” like my mother taught me to when I feel overwhelmed.

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.