White Cedar Inn Today

Veggie Breakfast Bake

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 19:16:00 +0000

When you've got a houseful (as we often do!) you sometimes need a go to egg dish you can toss in the oven and forget for about an hour. Maybe you want to get dressed or watch the kids open presents or just kick back with the news early in the morning. This will give you some time if you do all the prep work the night before. And, added bonus, in the winter it will warm up the kitchen! I don't know about you, but my kitchen has one tiny kick plate heater that's at the very end of the run. Having the oven on for an hour really helps.

Ingredients (Change this up however you want based on what your crowd likes. Add sausage, bacon, or shrimp to go in a different direction!)

Butter (for sauteing and greasing baking pan)
1 1/2 cups mushrooms
5 English muffins (or English muffin bread), split and toasted
2 c shredded Colby Jack cheese, divided
1 lb fresh asparagus (if you make this in the winter, use frozen asparagus) - trim and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 c diced red bell pepper
1/2 small onion, diced
8 eggs
2 c milk
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp dry mustard

How to:

Saute the mushrooms in butter until slightly brown, set aside.

Grease a 9x13 baking dish (we get 15 servings from this size pan). Arrange 8 English muffins halves in the bottom of the baking dish, fill in around them with the remaining 2 halves cut up. Spread 1 c of shredded cheese over the slices, layer the veggies over the cheese.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, and seasonings, pour over the veggies. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the eggs soak into the bread. Overnight is better.

Preheat oven to 375. While preheating, remove casserole from fridge and sprinkle 1 more cup of cheese over the top. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until knife run around edge comes out clean, not eggy. Let stand about 5 minutes to complete setting, then cut into squares. Serve with bacon and fresh cantaloupe slices or a cold fruit cup.

Because this is a casserole, and not everyone likes all the veggies we put in ours, feel free to treat this like a quiche or frittata and throw in whatever your family likes. We made this without onions and it was just as yummy. The different veggies made it quite colorful, so that's a plus!

No photos because I just cannot make casseroles look good on film. If I figure it out, I'll add a photo at a later date. ;-)

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Glidden Middens and Whaleback Shell Middens

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Jun 2016 23:35:00 +0000

Boardwalk thru the tidal marsh at Great Salt Bay

Give us a few hours with nothing on the horizon and we'll hop in the car and go for a drive! This is a place I have wanted to find since moving here. Yes, we went looking for a 1000+ years old shell dump. (An odd thing to go search for, I know, but it's a state historic site so other people have been here before us.)

Along the Salt Bay Preserve Heritage Trail

Doing a search for the shell middens I found the Damariscotta River Association (they offer tons of trails and educational programs). The website has trail maps, hours of operation, driving directions, and more. Print out a map before you go. (There are detailed, hand-drawn maps at the trailhead, but you can never be sure there will be one the day you go.)

Great Salt Bay from the trail

There are two completely different trail systems you can take for two different experiences with the shell middens. On this trek we took the Salt Bay Heritage Trail in Newcastle. Next time we'll try the trail on the opposite side of the river in Damariscotta - Whaleback Shell Midden State Historic Site.

It was a gorgeous June day that ended up in the 80's by late afternoon.

Here are some photos from the trail:

Glacier Rock

Bridge across the tidal river (you can see this from Rt 1, I always thought it was someone's dock)

Crushed shells on the trail

Thru the woods

Trail marker

The trail on this side of the river is very well maintained. (And very well marked as you can see above.) It was an easy walk, albeit quite a bit longer than I thought it would be. Ah, I just went back to the map on the DRA website - this is a 3 mile hike! Explains so much. I'd hazard a guess it's 2 miles on the way out and 1 mile thru the woods on the way back, if you do a round trip hike. (More on that later.) There are a lot (a LOT) of tree roots so wear good boots or shoes. Not a place for flip flops. (More on that later, too!)
It was a lovely day and the breeze off the bay was perfect. We saw these cormorants just before we headed back toward Rt 1 (which you can hear on and off throughout the hike).

Cormorants

As we neared Rt 1 again we checked the map. We were getting close to the sheep tunnel. When Rt 1 bisected the farm back in the 1960's this tunnel was added under the road so the sheep could move from field to field without wandering onto what is now an extremely busy section of road!

Sheep tunnel under Rt 1

Ok, let's talk about the tunnel. Firstly, do not read It by Stephen King before this hike. That tunnel is the reason why. Secondly, wear good shoes - waterproof boots that come up to your ankles. This is not the place for bare feet or flip flops. Think oozy slime. Good thing - we saw no spiders!

We also did not walk thru there. Even Rock said, "Um, no." So, up and over we went. Rt 1 at this point is a fair straight away so traffic is moving. It's quite obvious we were not the only people to do this as we easily found the trail on the other side down from the road. However, I cannot recommend doing it this way. It does not appear that this water is from the tide, rather it appears to be from runoff from the road. The tunnel is slightly longer than a two lane road with breakdown lanes is wide. I'll leave it to you to measure it.

From here it's a short hike to the middens. Watch for the sign; it comes up quickly. If you miss it, you'll walk all the way back to Rt 215 and not see what you came for!

I will say here I was expecting something completely different. Now that's because I forgot it's been a thousand years, tons of people walking along here, years of digging up the shells for fertilizer in the 1880's, lots of high tides and general wear and tear. However. If you have the sort of imagination that impels you to go looking for a shell midden laid down THAT long ago, you'll find it kind of awe inspiring. Stop. Take a moment to think about this. Look at the shells under the tree roots, shells in the water, shells as far as you can see and think about the families of Abenaki and other Native tribes foraging along the Damariscotta River a thousand years ago! Summer camp. Maine's shores were vacationland long before we came along. And even though you can see Rt 1 just up the way, it's so peaceful here. Really quiet. Inspiring.

If you are not up for a 3 mile hike, then check out the very short trail just across the Damariscotta River at Whaleback Shore. (Please remember this is a state historic site and do not remove any shells, plants, vegetation, etc. If you absolutely have to have oyster shells, go to King Eider's Pub in Damariscotta and order up a dozen!)

Rock getting a close up look at the shells under the forest floor

Just a tiny piece of the area history

View across the Damariscotta River to the Whaleback Shell Middens Trail and Calf Island

And there you have it! The Glidden Middens on the north side of the Damariscotta River. The Whaleback Middens are on the south side and we'll save that up for another day.

Some caveats: I used bug spray on my hat for the black flies and on my pants and boots for the ticks. But the mosquitoes were so bad on the last mile of the hike that my neck looks like Dracula had a field day. We both had to roll our sleeves down and I pulled my hands up into my sleeves and stopped taking photos the mozzies were that bad.

At one point on the way back I swear deer were the only living beings that walked the trail before us. The grass was knee high and the ground was very boggy in some places. Did I mention the mosquitoes? The orange markers kind of disappeared in the boggy areas so we were hoping we were still on the trail. We followed some fresh deer tracks for awhile.

My suggestion? Turn around and go back the way you came. OR, use a lot of bug spray, be sure you have boots, and check for ticks when you get home. I took a shower and dumped my clothes in the wash.

However, there was a beautiful pond with hundreds of lily pads on the walk back. It was very serene. If only the mosquitoes weren't there.

If you love hiking in the woods, this is the walk for you. If you'd rather not then opt for the trail on the other side of the river where it is a much shorter walk if you park in the Whaleback Shell Middens parking area.

Great Salt Bay Trail sign (park across the street)

Detail of the shells on the shore

Pair this hike with the Damariscotta Mills fish ladder and alewives run in May and June.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Pipe Springs National Monument

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 18:07:00 +0000

Pipe Springs National Monument

We were headed to Zion National Park but we didn't plan our location very well. We stayed in Kanab, Utah which looked like it was close enough but it's about an hour away from both Zion and Bryce Canyon. With the overcast skies and realizing we would have to take a bus to get around in Zion, we decided to look closer to town for things to do.

Pipe Springs National Monument is in Arizona, just across the border from Utah. If you're there in late spring or summer you can also go to the northern rim of the Grand Canyon. It was closed when we were there (early April) because there's still a chance of heavy snow in the area.

The Pipe Springs fort was originally set up as ranch by the Mormons. Because they built the fort almost directly over the spring, they controlled the water supply in the area, eventually causing the Kaibab-Paiute to move on and decreasing the usability of the soils by overgrazing cattle and sheep.

In the photo above you can see the main 'castle' to the right and the bunkhouse to the far left. We hiked around the bunkhouse, up the cliff-hanging trail to the top. Yes, more cliff-hanging. We had an excellent tour of the fort by a local Kaibab-Paiute. (Go early in the morning, there's no one else around!)

Deseret Telegraph

With the completion of the line from the fort up through Salt Lake City and into Idaho, Arizona had its first telegraph system. Run mostly by the plural wives of the Mormons, the line was sometimes used to alert the folks at Winsor Castle of incoming federal marshals looking for polygamous families. Part of the creation of the state of Utah was dependent on the renunciation of polygamy. But, what do you do with all those extra wives and children? You hide them in the desert.

The original State of Deseret extended from the present central Arizona west to the Pacific Coast in southern California, north to parts of Oregon, Idaho and Wyoming and east to Colorado and New Mexico, covering the entire state of Utah.

After the excellent tour we walked around the grounds and hiked up the hill behind the fort. To show what the fort would have looked like when in use you'll find a variety of livestock in pens just outside the walls.

Cactus trains.

I thought these cacti were interesting, the way they grow in rows that meander this way and that.

Cacti

View from the trail behind the bunkhouse.

Kaibab-Paiute Reservation and Tribal Offices

The Old Trail runs through the desert sometimes parallel to and sometimes bisecting US roadways.

Mallard

Mallards

Mule

Rooster

Steer

After Pipe Springs it was time to turn the car toward Nevada and think about getting on the plane back to Maine. But, we still have one more day on the road and a stop at the Lost City Museum in Overton, NV.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast

178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032

Canyonlands National Park

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 21:30:00 +0000

Canyonlands National Park

Day two of our stay in Moab, Utah was spent in Canyonlands National Park. The park is divided up into two major sections - Island in the Sky and The Needles. I didn't realize this when planning our vacation so we didn't have time to see both areas. (We're talking hundreds of square miles here!)

Just like at Arches National Park, Canyonlands has an information center where you can pick up a map of the area. (There is a tourist info center in Moab where you can get much more detailed maps if you're headed into the back country.)

The kid at the admission booth asked if we had a senior pass; I put my hat back on. We were 6 months too early to get the $10 lifetime senior pass but maybe we'll pick one up in Acadia this fall.

Again, bring plenty of water, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat!

We made good use of the trail map, marking off the different sights we wanted to see. The hikes are broken up into Easy, Moderate, and Who Are You Kidding. (Just joking, that last section is really called 'Strenuous'.)

Mesa Arch was our first stop. This is a relatively easy (compared with the slickrock climb yesterday at Arches) half mile trek. There are cairns showing the way.

Canyonlands cairn

Moi at Mesa Arch

View thru Mesa Arch.

Yup, there is nothing on the other side but a sheer drop.

Stairs along Mesa Arch trail.

This is a brutal climate.

After Mesa Arch we drove out to Upheaval Dome. Again today we started early. A little later than yesterday but we were at the park by 8 AM. Although you can take this road from Moab, it's not recommended unless you have a high clearance 4x4.

Shafer Trail

Yes, that's the road. Not a guard rail in sight. Two lanes. No thanks.

Trail to the second overlook on Upheaval Dome.

At the first overlook on Upheaval Dome.

The hike to Upheaval Dome is fairly easy to the first overlook. So easy, in fact, a woman from France was hiking in ballet flats and wearing a skirt. She did not continue on the the second overlook. (The whole trail is listed as moderate but mostly because it's fairly uphill the whole way with lots of loose gravel and rocks to get around.) Plan a few hours if you want to hike to the end of the trail.

Although the second trail looks fairly flat and open there were too many 'cliff hangers' for me. I encouraged Rock to go on and I would just sit and watch the lizards and birds, he said he'd stay with me. (He's always got my back.)

The tourist info guide is really good for people like me who have problems with vertigo. The trail listing for Whale Rock sounds reasonable until this line: Be careful, steep drop offs. Um, no can do. We moved on to the Grand View Point Overlook where you can see the Green River coursing through the canyons. The Colorado River is just out of sight.

Grand View Point Overlook

Dirt bikes on the 100 Mile Trail. (First bike is pretty much in the center of the photo, second one is at the lower left.

Us, Grand View Point Overlook

OK, so this wasn't too bad. We're up a few hundred feet but there's a fence so I'm not too worried. After this easy bit we walked the mile long trail that runs alongside the edge of the cliffs. We kept running into the same people we had seen the day before at Arches. They were moving on to The Needles the next day, we were headed to Kanab.

I'll leave you with a few more scenery shots and more 'Rock hanging off edge of the world' photos.

Kind of like the lone cypress on the PCH in California.

As close as I will get to the edge.

Rock gets much closer to the edge.

Beyond the edge.

Contemplating the edge.

Just amazing.

More shots from the ride back to Moab...

Open range.

Windblown on the Colorado.

Great bike trail along the Colorado.

Next up we head to Kanab, Utah. Our intention was to see Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks but it was on and off rainy for the next 3 days so we went to Pipe Springs National Monument and the Lost City Museum.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast

178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032

Arches National Park

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 31 May 2016 16:03:00 +0000


Balance Rock Arches National Park Utah

This was one of the first sights we saw in Arches National Park. Balance Rock at sunset. Even the photos can't do justice to the awe and majesty. I get chills looking at the photos 2 months later.

Helpful hints about Arches - go early or late. The park is open 24 hours/day because there are several campgrounds. If you go out early in the morning you avoid the crowds (parking lots can be full from 9 AM to 3 PM) and, more importantly, you avoid the scorching heat. As you'll see in the rest of the photos, there's not much in the way of shade at high noon. Bring lots of water. And sunscreen. And a hat. And sunglasses.

OK, enough of the PSA, here are the photos!

Delicate Arch

Our main goal on our one full day at Arches was to see this. We arrived at the parking lot just after 7 AM and found there were a few spaces left. Many hikers set off in the dark to catch the brilliant sunrise when it hits the arch. (We missed that golden hour by about 2 hours!) You should plan at least 2 hours and more like 3 to really have the best hiking and viewing experience.

The hike up the slickrock to get here is about 1.5 miles, a good portion of that is straight uphill. The visitor's guide suggests you know your limits as the park service rescues many overextended hikers from this area every year. Water. Water. Water.

Slickrock path to Delicate Arch

Looking back to the parking lot.

You can see how far we've walked, and we're not at the top yet!

Small arch along the way.

After hiking straight uphill for about a mile we came to this lovely, small arch. There was no obvious continuation of the path (it's actually right behind me) so lots of people were standing around taking pictures. (It's also picture-worthy, not just because hikers thought this was the end of the trail.) A small boy, about 8 years old, looked around and stated pretty much what I was thinking, "I walked all the way up here to see THAT?" Then we saw more walkers coming around the edge of the cliff and we continued on.

Moi at Delicate Arch

Rock at Delicate Arch

I sat for a very long time watching Rock scramble all over the place. It's hard to tell from this photo that it's a fairly steep drop off all around. You know me and the ol' vertigo. Just hiking on the easy cliff walk to get here was a challenge. And, yet, I remember being a kid and racing all over the edges of cliffs along the Palisades with no problems! But, as you can see, I finally screwed up my courage, convinced myself it's all in my head, and I got over there to have my picture taken. However, once there, I could not, for love nor money, walk under the arch where you see Rock standing. Close enough, I thought, and leaned into the arch and hoped Rock got the picture!

It's a long way down...

Rock was able to get this cool shot of the Delicate Arch's shadow on the floor of the valley about 100 or so feet down. (What is not visible, thank goodness, is my water bottle which rolled across the plateau and over the edge.)

Another thirty minutes or so and we were almost back to the parking lot. Always excited to see petroglyphs, we took a side trail to find this:

Petroglyphs

We continued on to Sand Dune Arch and Broken Arch. After that, it was around 11 AM and all the parking lots were full. Back to Moab for lunch and a stroll around town.

Broken Arch

This gives an idea of what the hiking is like off the slickrock. Scrubland as far as the eye can see. No trees worth mentioning and the only shade is near the rocks. It was around 70 degrees that day so I'm having a tough time picturing pioneers crossing this in the summer or even simply exploring this area during the day.

Into the canyon.

Yes, this is the trail! Hard to imagine you're going to get anywhere squeezing through here. And it was a squeeze. Not for the wide of hip, although you can scramble up and over.

But a pretty, little arch awaited -

Sand Dune Arch - Arches National Park - Utah

We didn't go through the arch to see where it went, it was getting a bit too hot for us Easterners just coming out of hibernation.

Broken Arch

Under the Broken Arch. There were quite a lot of large chunks of the arch on the ground underneath. I didn't hang around...

Next stop is Canyonlands National Park!

I can't stress enough how wonderful our national parks are. Get out and see them. I brought home the 'trading cards' series of postcards of the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service. There are 59 postcards in the pack. If you can't get to a National Park this year, you can order the pack directly from the designer.

If you are 62 years or older, get your $10 park pass that's good for life. (With some entry fees at $25/car, paying $10 once for the rest of your life is a great deal!) We missed the deal by 6 months this time around, but there's always next year.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast

178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032

Antelope Island

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 00:58:00 +0000

Bison on Antelope Island

Sit back while I hum a few bars...Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play...

OK, all done! This was one of the best places we went on our trip. It's a whopping big ten bucks to get on the island and we were there almost 5 hours. You can camp here and hike and go swimming or just hang out on the beach but all around you are these fantastic animals and views.

The bison go where the bison go and you stop the car or walk in a different direction if you come across them. Bison are like other ruminants in that they spend a heck of a lot of time grazing. It was pretty hard to get a photo of one with it's head up. And that's where your troubles start. When bison stop doing what bison do because there are humans around it's because they are warning you. If the bison looks directly at you and does not then resume grazing that's your first warning you're too close. Next comes the pawing and snorting and tail waving. Still standing there? Not a good idea. This is what happens. (No need to watch the whole video, the money shot is the still photo. See the legs? That's the offending guy mashed up against the fence.)

BTW, these are bison. 'Buffalo' comes from a lot of misnomers from lots of different languages. (Le boeuf from the French explorers to the English changing that to la buff to buffler to buffalo. But they're really bison. American bison.) But you can call them either name, they're not about to answer.

Bison not doing what bison do, we drove away!

Pronghorn antelope - native to the island

More bison on the salt flats of the Great Salt Lake

Bridger Bay on Antelope Island looking off to the Wasatch Mountains

Local bird called the Chukar. They popped up all over.

Chukar making its getaway.

Moi

Another antelope

Us on Antelope Island

Looking off to the Wasatch Mountains. Where we are is about 4600' above sea level.

That white van off in the distance is where we parked the car before we started hiking straight uphill.

What's interesting about this hike is that all along the side of the narrow trail were bison pies. (Like cow pies pretty much.) Which means, we figured, it was only a matter of time before we rounded a corner to find a small herd of bison grazing. I can truthfully say I was not looking forward to that.

As it was, we did see them down below. And, yes, that's a walking trail they're grazing around.

Bison herd by White Rock Bay

White Rock Bay

We interrupted this coyote and its mate in the process of stalking a chukar that was standing in the middle of the road. Not sure if they would have chased it down as the chukar had a ample room to fly away. But it was interesting to see the coyotes meander off. This one knew we were there, we stopped the car right on the road where it had just been. When we didn't drive off they both loped off into the scrub.

Coyote studiously ignoring us.

Fielding Garr Ranch is about as far as you can drive on the island. The trail continues on but it is more of a horse, bike and walking trail at that point. The original house and other structures are open to walk through. This guy was coming out from under the bunkhouse. It was just starting to warm up enough. I asked one of the guides who said they'd be quite prevalent pretty soon. They are non venomous and are useful for keeping the rodent population under control. Something definitely useful on a farm or ranch.

Gopher snake. It was, as you can kind of see, crawling out from under the building.

One more bison for the road...

More bison

You know, it doesn't look that big with the telephoto lens. But it was easily the size (and weight) of the Chevy Cruze we were driving.

After this we head east again on our way to Arches National Park. Another amazing day.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Bonneville Salt Flats

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 22:43:00 +0000

I'm going to guess the first thing you think of when you hear 'Bonneville Salt Flats' is not the salt on your dinner table. And yet...speeding by at 80 MPH on I-80 just beyond Salt Lake City this is what you see - Morton Salt. That white cone just left of center is not a building, it's your seasoning for that yummy steak you just pulled off the grill.

Morton Salt Works

More amazing piles of salt

We set out on this bright, cheery April day to do something we've both wanted to do since we were little kids - drive really fast on the Bonneville Salt Flats! There were no events scheduled so we figured we'd have the whole place mostly to ourselves as it was a Sunday in Utah. A lot of stuff is closed on Sunday. Luckily, not our National Parks, Monuments and BLM lands. We hit no traffic at all the entire trip out and back. The occasional car or truck, but the cruise was set for 80 and 80 we did.

As with other places we stopped at on this trip, I did a little research (little being the operative word) and I had a map (map being very important throughout the entire trip). I found there is a rest area along I-80 that was built pretty much especially to view the salt flats without having to exit the highway. Unfortunately, I misread the directions and thought it was about 15 miles west of where these photos were taken.

So, we pulled over here to get out and stretch. Even doing 80 MPH it's a 2 hour drive. We were getting close! We started seeing signs for Bonneville. I think these are some of the best pix I've ever gotten of reflections - the water was completely calm. There are a few ripples where people were taking their shoes off and wading in. And walking pretty far without getting in much past their ankles.

OK, time to move on. The excitement was building. Bonneville! The fastest Indian (motorcycle). The fastest car (630 MPH). The fastest bar stool (yes, there is a classification for that record). People have been racing here since 1896 (bicycles). And we were next. Not sure how fast our little Chevy Cruze was going to go but we were ready to give it a run for our money.

Ink blot #1 - the water was so completely calm I got the bits of dark rain clouds reflected on the surface.

Ink blot #2 - Silver Island Mountains

Ink blot #3 - you can see the rain falling

Getting closer! It's weird, you get off the interstate and it's a truck stop with a lone sign pointing out to what seems like the middle of nowhere. But, there it was...Bonneville Salt Flats! I have to stop here to tell you a story - my parents have been out here before and they always have a story - here it is:

"We're driving down the road (below) and this guy is standing in the middle of it. We pull up to see what he wants and he says it's $5 to drive out because of an event. But we're going to get a hot dog and a soda once we get out to where the other cars are. And the guy points off into the distance. So, we gave him $5 and drove off."

You know where this is going, right? There's no hot dog and soda and the guy is long gone, having made several hundred dollars in a couple of hours. Who knows how many times he does that in a summer!

Bonneville Salt Flats sign.

So, we're driving down what seriously looks like a landing strip, you can see the shimmer on the horizon, and what appears in the shimmer? 2 guys. We look at each other and swear we are not paying $5 for a fictitious hot dog and soda. We drive on, resolved.

Although they are walking, it's really hard to tell if they're still in the road or not. We're doing about 45 MPH at this point. There is salt as far as we can see along the edges and we can see where cars have driven off and back on the paved surface again. It looks a little...soft. Trying to figure how you can get up to 630 MPH on what looks like a beach.

The 'runway' to the Salt Flats.

And then we get to the end of the road. And the pavement just stops and the salt flats begin. And so does the water. Yes, that wonderful view from the rest area on I-80 IS the Bonneville Salt Flats. And they are under water. Inches of water. Not-able-to-drive-thru water.

We look at each and laugh. We've built this up over the course of planning the vacation.Over the course of the two hour drive. Bonneville. We're going to drive on the legendary salt flats. We're going to break our own personal land speed records. Not.

At the salt flats. At the very damp salt flats.

Where the road ends. That is a huge hunk of salt Rock is standing on.

OK, so all is not lost, right? There is a racing museum out here in West Wendover, Nevada. We'll go to that. We can look at whatever they have. Maybe some cars. Motorcycles. One of those bar stools. Back in the car we have some lunch and look over the map. We plug the museum info into the GPS. Michelle tells us, 'Please drive to highlighted route,' and we're off again.

Back in Nevada the first thing you see is a casino. You can't not know you've crossed the state line! Michelle takes us along the main drag and lets us know we've arrived at our destination. Now Michelle is sometimes temperamental. She tried to convince us to turn left off a switchback mountain on our last vacation. Or maybe that was Samantha. Usually, we get pretty close to our destination. We were now in front of the police station.

Wouldn't that be interesting! A museum dedicated to zipping along at outrageous speeds and it's in a police station! No. No it isn't. We drive back up the street and she insists on putting us back in the same location. I call the phone number on the website. I get a taxi driver. He's a little surprised that a museum that hasn't been built yet is using his phone number. But at least he solves our problem.

We laugh again. Poor Rock is batting 0 for 2 for his big day out. We decide to stop at McD's for a shake and decide where to go next. I'll let you think about Rock's batting average for a moment. Yup, the only McD's in the Western world that does not make shakes. I'm not sure we can laugh at this point.

It's ok. There's a ghost town out here, we'll go look at that. That's a story for another day, though. Next up, we're off to Antelope Island.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Ghost Towns of Utah

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 16:57:00 +0000

The ubiquitous lizard

Last time we went out west I bought a huge map of the Southwest United States. The map covers Arizona and large parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and California. (HEMA maps if you're a map person.) What's fun is odd little roadside 'attractions' are on the map. Looking at our drive thru Utah I kept finding 'ghost towns' listed here and there. Now I'm sure you have a picture in your head of what a ghost town looks like. We sure did. Most of what we found were 2-3 abandoned buildings either in the middle of nowhere or in the middle of a very nice, sprawling housing development!

If you want to make a vacation side trip out of visiting ghost towns in Utah let me suggest this website: Ghost Towns of Utah. It is not the easiest map to use but it does have good info.

Here are some of the 'towns' we did find. A few were wiped out in a landslide not that long ago.

Silver Reef has been taken over as an historic site so the area is somewhat preserved. There is a museum in the old Wells Fargo and a nicely laid out town diorama in another building. (Complete with teeny outhouses behind each building!)

Old mine rigging Silver Reef, Utah

Old mine shaft Silver Reef, Utah

Old and new. Silver Reef, Utah

Remains of street with stone walls of houses. Silver Reef, Utah

Silver Reef is off Rt 15 just north of St George, Utah. There are signs but not where you expect them. There is a small shopping center that looks exactly like what you think a ghost town should look like. (Think Bonanza.) Drive past the shopping center and go down the road behind it. Look for the 'Wells Fargo' sign.

The next one we tried to see was when we were at Bonneville (a whole other blog post). We found the road (Ghost Town Road) and drove to the end. There was a chain link fence with a sign saying the ghost town wasn't open. Hmmm. I wouldn't think a ghost town would be 'open'. We drove on.

We did find this ghost town, though. After a meander through the open range lands of the high plains. This is Gold Hill.

Wandering in the high plains. Correct, there is nothing here but the occasional cow or steer.

The correct road to Gold Hill. Not a whole lot different from the incorrect road. (The hills are a dead giveaway, tho, aren't they?)

Old building in Gold Hill, Utah

Part of the old mine works in Gold Hill, Utah

Goodwin Mercantile Company Gold Hill, Utah

More of the old mine workings

Because there are no real directions to Gold Hill, we did do a bit of meandering in the open range. There were small herds of cattle and one nice sized flock of sheep that wandered across the road as we drove along. But, with just the animals to keep us company, we turned back and tried another road. The one with the arrow pointing to 'Gold Hill' was definitely the right road. Some of the area we drove through is a reservation. We found we did that a lot in Utah.

Open range (no fences on side of road, cattle have free movement). The speed limit on this tiny, 2-lane road is 70 MPH.

The next batch of ghost towns we looked for was on Rt 6 from Sandy, Utah to Green River, Utah. Again, wanting to have an idea of where to stop I searched for 'ghost towns on Rt 6 Utah'. What did I find? A Wiki entry claiming Rt 6 is the most deadly road in the US. Over 50 fatalities/year occur on this road. Why? Maybe because the speed limit is 65, the road is a series of blind curves, the oncoming traffic might be a triple semi. Yikes! And let's not forget the wildlife jumping out in front of you. (Saw a lot of dead deer on the side of the road. At least the vultures were happy.)

I couldn't take too many pix along this road as I was mostly dizzy and hanging on the whole way. I did get this one, tho - a coal seam in Carbon County. Kind of neat. You can see the black lines of coal on the left. There is a coal mine right there behind the road cut.

Coal seam in Carbon County

This was the only set of old buildings we found. Others were wiped out in landslides.

Soldier Summit, Utah

That's it for the Ghost Towns we found in Utah. Next time we'll be having a look at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Start your engines!

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Tuscan Scrambled Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 23:03:00 +0000

Tuscan Scrambled Eggs

You're going to think the Tuscan eggs are a lot like the Irish eggs, and they are. But, we've spiced things up a bit by adding Gorgonzola cheese to the mix. This came about over drinks (SO many good recipes do) and dinner. I had ordered a pasta dish with Gorgonzola cheese and even tho I don't particularly care for eggs in any form, I thought the creamy cheese would go really well in this dish. The way it just melts and flows when warm was perfect for the mix of heavy cream and scrambled eggs.

To make this for your sweetie of a Sunday morning, have these ingredients on hand:

6 eggs
2+ tbsps of heavy cream
1 tbsp Gorgonzola cheese
butter for the pan
12 cherry tomatoes (grape tomatoes also work), sliced in half
2 scallions, chopped (save greens for topping)
pinch of thyme
2 tbsps olive oil (or, use thyme-flavored oil)

Add butter to fry pan, enough to cook eggs. Heat, but do not brown butter. While heating, whisk eggs. When fry pan is ready, pour eggs in and let set up slightly. Then, gently fold eggs over and over, scraping bottom of fry pan to cook through. (Like you would usually cook scrambled eggs.) When eggs are just about done, pour in 2 or more tablespoons of heavy cream and sprinkle in the Gorgonzola cheese, turn off heat and fold the cream & cheese gently into the eggs. The eggs will immediately get creamy. (Don't add the cream at the beginning, it doesn't come out the same way.)
At the same time, in a second fry pan under super low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the tomatoes, scallions (reserving the green tops) and thyme. What you are doing here is merely warming, not cooking the tomatoes and scallions.
When the eggs are done, plate and immediately top with tomatoes and scallions. Add the green, chopped tops of the scallions to the top of the eggs. Serve with your favorite breakfast meat and toast or biscuits. Put on a tray with a flower, mimosa and silverware.

Serve. In bed. ;-)

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Valley of Fire

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 18:33:00 +0000

Chasing the setting sun

We headed west on March 30 for our grand tour of the 'Mighty Five' National Parks in Utah: Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon, Zion and Capital Reef. Before your expectations get too high, we did not see all of them. Keep reading to understand why it was impossible!

Of course, we flew into Vegas to see number one son and his wife. (Seriously, the only reason I would ever go to Vegas. I just don't 'get it'.)

Leaving Las Vegas we pointed the car east backtracking over ground we flew across just the other day. Our first stop was the Valley of Fire, a Nevada State Park. If you are in Vegas and want to get out for the day, this is a wonderful place to go! It's less than an hour's drive and you're in a whole other world. I would not suggest going to a place called 'Valley of Fire' at high noon in July. It was quite toasty in April!

Pick up a trail map and plan your hikes. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen and proper clothing.

A couple of place names piqued our interest so we drove on in search of the Beehives and Mouse's Tank. (Before you hit the trails be sure to walk thru the Visitor's Center, there's a lot of history out there you're going to miss if you don't stop.)

Photos from the day at Valley of Fire:

Beehives - Valley of Fire Nevada

Wind and rain - Valley Of Fire Nevada

Desert vista - Valley of Fire Nevada

Fish petroglyph - Valley of Fire Nevada

Once you start noticing the petroglyphs they are everywhere. They are formed, depending on who made them, by pecking (using a tool to chip away at the rock varnish and into the stone beneath) or grinding (scratching away at the surface) or a combination of both. (Rock varnish: a layer of manganese and iron oxides that adheres to the surface of rocks.) This one looks like a huge fish. It's about 3 feet across.

Geology - Valley of Fire Nevada

I love the rock formations here. I bought one of the Roadside Geology books in Utah. Have to take a closer look at it.

Lizard - Valley of Fire Nevada

Lizards were another thing that once you noticed them they were everywhere. A lot of times they blended right in with their surroundings and we only saw them if they moved or some kid with 20/20 vision yelled, 'Hey, there's another lizard!'

Moi on vacation

Petroglyph - Valley of Fire Nevada

So, we're thinking this petroglyph just got off its horse after a long ride.

Petroglyphs - Valley of Fire Nevada

Make sure you hold hands with your toast while crossing the desert!

Surveying the 'other' rocks.

Path to Mouse's Tank - Valley if Fire Nevada

This is the sand that turned my boots a bright red.

Tiny arch - Valley of Fire Nevada

Rainbow Vista trail - Valley of Fire Nevada

Small arch - Valley of Fire Nevada

Vacation feet

Angel wings - Valley of Fire Nevada

To be continued...on the road to the Silver Reef Ghost Town.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Polenta Sticks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 15:47:00 +0000

Polenta Sticks

We had these great 'polenta sticks' at the Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro a couple of times. They come with the mussels, if you want to give them a try.

As we're always looking for new sides for egg dishes, these seemed a good option. Now, on to the hunt for a good recipe as we had absolutely no idea where to start!

There are hundreds of polenta recipes to try but we started with this one from Bon Appetit. We adjusted it, of course, based on what we like! And you can do the same...

One 9" square pan will make about 12-24, depending on how you cut them. The size above will yield 12. You can also use a loaf pan, which I think we'll try next time to get thicker slices.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c polenta (aka corn grits) We used Bob's Red Mill. (Reny's has a wicked good selection of Bob's!)
1/2 c flour
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 c whole milk (don't skimp on the fat)
1 c chicken stock (can use water)
1/2 c gouda cheese (we like the smoky kind)
1 1/2 c canola oil (for the frying part)

Directions:

Lightly oil a 9" sq baking pan (or the loaf pan for thicker slices). Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Heat the milk and chicken stock on the stove, when the liquid comes to a boil gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture is very thick (like oatmeal or porridge), whisking constantly, about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat, mix in cheese. Press into pan, chill.

Cut into strips or squares or triangles. Heat oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat. Work in batches to saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve hot.

We're thinking of either adding more cheese or cutting into smaller strips as the sticks started falling apart after one side was browned. Still yummy, but not exactly how we want to serve them to you!

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Scarborough Marsh Day Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 19:08:00 +0000

Scarborough Marsh

On a slightly overcast day, that later turned to rain, we drove south to Scarborough Marsh. It's the largest salt marsh in the state of Maine, and we have a fair amount of soggy, boggy coastal marshes here! Over 3000 acres comprise the very important natural 'filter' that feeds numerous bird, fish and animal species. We stopped at the Audubon Center (closed in winter) and left the car there to walk the trail across the road. If you bring a canoe or kayak with you, this is an excellent spot to put in. There is a short ramp into the water at the edge of the parking lot. No kayak? You can rent one there! Not sure where to go? There are guided tours between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Mallards in flight

We startled this sord of mallards which took flight from the southern side of the marsh. There were another twenty or so in the flock that left as soon as we came in sight. Walking through the marsh is a bit soggy, but the trail is well managed with small 'bridges' throughout the lower lying paths.

As we came up on the road again we noticed a fair number of cars parked down Pine Point Rd at the utility substation. Espying a pedestrian bridge over the marsh, we walked toward the cars. Ah. Here was the Eastern Trail! This is the southern Maine section of the East Coast Greenway, a 3000 mile pedestrian/bike trail from Calais to Key West. There are 22 miles of off-road trail in southern Maine.

There are maps at the parking lot or you can print out your own using the link above. The section we walked is about 2 miles from Pine Point Rd to Black Point Rd and has wonderful views of the marsh. There are a couple of benches along the way and markers pointing out some of the wildlife you may see - Great Blue Herons, Snowy Egret, Glossy Ibis and harbor seals. (We saw the mallards and a merganser. I'll be back later in the season for the egrets. It was, after all, February!)

Eastern Trail through Scarborough Marsh

This is a small section of the trail with marshland on both sides of the path. It definitely looks like a great place to canoe or kayak. We're going to have a look at our canoe and see if it can be salvaged. Or, get the bikes out and ride the trail!

A couple more shots from this section of the trail -

Cattails in the marsh

Birch fungus

After our walk we continued toward Pine Point where there are several more excellent areas for birding. Along Rt 9 we went into Old Orchard Beach and then back up to Rt 1. To make this a day trip, stay on Rt 9 all the way to Cape Porpoise, meandering in and out of the towns of Biddeford, Saco and Kennebunkport and along the Kings Highway to Goose Rocks Beach into Cape Porpoise. Here's our Day Trip to Cape Porpoise for more photos. (Although I mention Cape Porpoise while you're here, you could make a whole day of kayaking and picnicking in and around Scarborough Marsh. If you just go for a short walk, though, you can find lots more to do in the area by driving along the shore.)

From White Cedar Inn it's about 30 minutes to Scarborough Marsh. In the summer expect to need bug repellent and lots of sun screen. Schedule your kayak rental before heading out, it's a very popular place to paddle around. Take I-295 south to I-95 south. Exit from I-95 at exit 42 and take the Haigis Parkway to Rt 1/Rt 9. Go right on Rt 1/Rt 9 south. Turn left on Rt 9/Pine Point Rd after passing the marsh, and the Audubon center is about a half mile from Rt 1 on the left. The additional parking for the Eastern Trail is a short distance on the left.

Bring binoculars and a camera!

White Cedar Inn 178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Cranberry Pear Crisp

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 17:46:00 +0000

You can buy fresh pears at the store or poach them from your neighbor. Shhh!

Another yummy seasonal treat is anything with cranberries! If your only experience with cranberries is that gelatinous blob that you plop out of a can for Thanksgiving, let me expand your horizons.

Frozen, dried or fresh cranberries are a tart and tangy pop of flavor you can add to a lot of desserts. This is one of them.

Serves 9

Ingredients:

Topping -

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup crushed gingersnap cookies (I used the store brand.)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp allspice
pinch of salt
1 stick butter

Filling -

2 lbs pears peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen or 1 cup dried)
1 tbsp lemon juice
zest from half a lemon
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch

If you are baking immediately, preheat the oven to 350.

Mix together the fruit, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla. Separately mix together the cornstarch and sugar, then blend into the fruit mix. Spread out into greased 9" square baking dish. (If you double the recipe, as I often do, it fits in a 9.5x13.5" baking dish. This is an odd one it seems as I only have one baking dish this size. The rest are 9x13, which will also work.)

For the topping - mix together all the ingredients except the butter. (Most recipes tell you to cut up the butter and put it in the topping. I find it better to put the butter on the top in nice big pats, one per serving.)

Pour the topping out over the fruit and push to the edges. Cut a nice pat of butter and place on top of each serving. Bake for about 45 minutes. The fruit will be bubbling up. You can also cover and refrigerate until morning if you're serving this for breakfast and want to sleep in a bit. ;-)

Top with a scoop of ice cream or dollop of fresh whipped cream. Enjoy!

White Cedar Inn bed and Breakfast 178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Acadia National Park 100th Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 18:41:00 +0000

Thunder Hole Acadia National Park

2016 is the 100th anniversary of Acadia National Park! Lots of events are planned for the park and surrounding towns. There will be a parade of windjammers in Somes Sound on August 2, 2016.

For more info on Acadia National Park:
Acadia National Park -hours, admission fees, camping reservations, etc
Acadia Centennial - events, park history, etc
Acadia Magic - park info, places to stay, restaurants, etc
Acadia National Park Community - conservation, history and cultural info

The Bumps Acadia National Park

You know us, we travel in the off season! We usually hit the road the first week in November with our friends Karen and Dave from Timbercliffe Cottage. This year we went by ourselves as Dave was in for a 'tune-up' at the eye doctor's. (He's fine as can be now!) I've wanted to go back to Acadia for a few years now. I drove the eldest grandson, Kevin, to camp last summer in Northeast Harbor but it was a quick drop off and run, no time to really see anything. So, yes, you CAN drive there and back in one day, but you have to leave early enough to enjoy the park before heading home. We've had guests stay for sunset on Cadillac Mountain and then arrive back at the inn around midnight.

Of course, continuing my photo collection of lighthouses, we had to go to Bass Harbor while we were there. It was a stormy day at high tide and I'm a bit of a self-preservationist, so I did not climb out on the wave-swept rocks to get the 'perfect' photo.

Bass Harbor Light

We hope you get to come to Maine for Acadia's Centennial in 2016. Bookend your trip to Bar Harbor with a stay here at White Cedar Inn. We have books and maps so you can plan out your trek before you hit the park.

Here are some pix from our trip to whet your appetite:

The 'bar out to the Bar Islands

Out of the clouds, Cadillac Mountain

In the clouds, Cadillac Mountain

The crashing surf off Bass Harbor Light

Be sure to check the tide charts so you can walk across the bar to another bit of Acadia National Park - Bar Island. Short, one mile hike to the top of the island affords views of Bar Harbor.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Freakin' Good Blueberry Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:30:00 +0000

That's what a guest called this blueberry bread pudding. And doesn't that sound more interesting than 'Blueberry Bread Pudding'? I think it does. We've made this once; the same guest has already requested it for next Sparkle weekend. So, along with the Egg Nog French Toast, this Freaking Good Blueberry Thing will be on the menu the first weekend in December. In case you want to be here, too.

Serves 15, 16 in a pinch, 12 if you want to give really big servings

Ingredients:

6 large croissants (or 12 'deli' size)
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 8oz packages of cream cheese (not whipped)
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 tsps vanilla
2 cups milk

Butter a large baking dish (9x13). Tear the croissants into small pieces and cover the bottom of the baking pan. Use all 6 croissants. Spread blueberries over the croissants. Mix the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Slowly add the milk. The cream cheese will be chunky, that's ok.

Pour the mixture over the croissants. The cream cheese will settle to the bottom of the mixing bowl so make sure you spread it out in the baking dish. (Ask me how I know this...) Let the liquid absorb into the croissants for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while waiting. (You can also let this set up overnight, covered in the fridge.)

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until edges are nicely browned. If the top is browning too quickly, cover with foil for the last 10 minutes. You want to be sure the egg mixture is cooked.

Remove from oven and let stand until slightly cooled. Serve warm with powdered sugar.

Can also be made in separate ramekins. Halve the cooking time and adjust the amount of ingredients based on the number of servings you're making.

(Sorry, no photo this time...it was all gone after breakfast!)

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Morse Mountain and Seawall Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 20:06:00 +0000

Morse Mountain - Seawall Beach Phippsburg, Maine

The objective of this hike was the view above. Similar to our hike through the Cutler Reserve, we knew we were getting close when we could hear the pounding surf and the trees were thinning out. Unlike the cliffs of Cutler, there was a nice sandy slope to the beach here.

Sprague River marshland in the fog

Along the way, on both sides of the mountain, we passed through tidal marsh lands. My guess is these are prime water birding spots although we didn't see anything except woodpeckers on the trail today.

Bridge over the tidal river

Rock on the trail.

Morse Mountain trail

The trail is somewhat 'paved' with macadam almost, but not quite, covering small outcroppings of granite. In some places the tar is completely disintegrated and nature is taking over again. From the parking lot you'll traverse: macadam, gravel, sand and combinations of all three. Everyone we saw had good sneaks or hiking boots, this isn't a flip flop walk. Even though I only took pix on the relatively flat sections, the trail does climb to 180' in a short time. (Anyone who generally climbs in the Rockies can fall over laughing right about now, but this is a big hill here.) Then, just when you think you're headed downhill for keeps, you're going back uphill again.

Haunted tree

Looks like it was hit by lightening a long time ago.

Seawall Beach Phippsburg Maine

Ahhhhhh! The beach! Nothing but sand and ocean as far as the eye could see. Low tide so we could walk quite a long way before reaching the rivers on either side.

Happy camper!

Seawall Beach Phippsburg Maine

How to get there from White Cedar Inn:

Turn right on Rt 1 in front of the house and head toward Bath. Turn off Rt 1 at Rt 209. Take Rt 209 to Rt 216 (Rt 216 goes straight, Rt 209 turns left). On Rt 216 when you see the 'No Parking' signs you're getting close. Turn left on Morse Mountain Rd, go to the parking lot. There is a fee in the summer, the rest of the time it's the honor system to pay to enter. If the parking lot is full you'll have to go to Popham Beach instead.

As this is a conservation area there are no facilities and certain items are not allowed on the beach (loud music, pets, kites, umbrellas, etc). Everything you carry in you must carry out with you when you leave.

From the parking lot it is 2 miles to the beach. Again, uphill both ways.

FMI on the conservation land check the Morse Mountain - Bates College website.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Hedgehog Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 19:01:00 +0000

Mt Washington from the top of Hedgehog Mountain

Another of the excellent, and mostly unknown, trails in the Freeport Conservation Trail System. This little gem, with over five miles of trails, extends the length of Main Street from Exit 20 to Exit 22, totally in the woods. You can hear the 'far off' (less than 1 mile away) interstate as a low hum in the background. However, once you start marveling at the canopy of trees, the vista from the top of the mountain and the stone walls that seem to appear from nowhere, you can pretty much forget the hum in the distance and focus on the hum of nature instead.

I took this hike last week with a group of women I don't know. We came together at the invitation of Katrina, the director of the Freeport Conservation Trust. You can sign up to receive their emails and get a head's up on when the next guided hike is. (Another hike I've gone on with the group was to Florida Lake.)

Canopy of autumn colors

Crossing the stream

Autumn view from top of Hedgehog Mountain

From the top of the mountain you can see all the way to New Hampshire and the Presidential Range (dark blue 'hills' in the background). Also visible, to the right of the huge (and it IS huge) pine tree you can see Bradbury Mountain, another excellent hiking trail in the Maine State Park system.

Thru the woods at Hedgehog Mountain

How to get there: from White Cedar Inn turn right onto Rt 136/Mallett Dr (at the traffic light). Cross over I-295 and bear left onto Pownal Rd. In approximately one mile you'll see the sign for the transfer station on the left. This is the Landfill Rd/Hedgehog Mountain Rd. Parking is on the left just before the gate for the 'dump'. It's best to print a trail map before heading out. Trees along the way are blazed in different colors for different hikes. Take a picnic lunch to enjoy at the top. There are a couple of benches and a huge expanse of granite rock to sit on. This would be an excellent spot to watch migrating raptors in April and May.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Lighthouse Cruise on the Kennebec River

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 18:45:00 +0000

Kennebec River

There's nothing like a day playing hooky on the river! I grabbed the camera and headed for the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath for a lighthouse cruise down the Kennebec. These cruises run through the summer into fall. They're a great opportunity to get out on the water for 2 - 6 hours and see the Kennebec lights, the Sasanoa River and wildlife along the way.

Here are some shots from my 2 hour cruise on the river:

Bath Iron Works - Zumwalt Class Destroyer

Doubling Point Light

Kennebec Light

Harbor seal Kennebec River

Osprey nest on channel marker

Maine Maritime Museum lighthouse cruise boat

Kennebec River Range Lights

Ah Summer!

Just hanging around

Selfie stick

Squirrel Point

Don't forget to pick up a copy of the Maine Guide to Lighthouses and Harbors (usually in the living room on the side table). After the cruise down the river you can drive to see the lighthouses from land as well. Here are some of the daytrips I took to see them: Doubling Point and Squirrel Point.

Also visible on this river cruise is Fort Popham, Pond Island Light and, off in the distance, Seguin Island Light. There are different trips out to Pond Island and Seguin that allow you to get off the boat and wander around. Seguin is 3 miles off the coast of Popham Beach.

How to get there: From White Cedar Inn take Rt 1 north to Bath. Follow signs to Maine Maritime Museum to go on the cruise and wander around the museum for an in depth look at maritime traditions in Maine. For Popham Beach, Fort Popham and Fort Baldwin continue on Rt 209 from Bath to Phippsburg. You can take a couple of side roads (Parker Head Rd) for a more scenic, slower-paced route.

One hike we haven't done yet is Morse Mountain overlooking the Morse River just off Popham Beach. Instead of turning to follow Rt 209 to the beach, you stay straight on Rt 216. More info when we go there!

Pick up a packed lunch for a day exploring!

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Sweet Potato Bread Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 13:57:00 +0000

Sweet Potato Bread Pudding

Nothing says 'Fall' like the color orange! Leaves, pumpkins, Halloween costumes, sweet potatoes. And nothing says sweet New England comfort food like bread pudding. Without further ado, here's your new Sunday brunch or Thanksgiving go to sweet.

Sweet Potato Bread Pudding
(serves 8 - 10)

1 loaf Italian bread ripped into large chunks
2 -3 medium sweet potatoes, baked
1/2 c pecans
4 c milk
4 eggs
1 c brown sugar, loose, not packed
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon

butter

Bake sweet potatoes in 400 degree oven for about 1 hour. Let sit until cool enough to handle.

In the meantime: butter a 9x12" baking dish and shred enough Italian bread to completely cover the bottom of the pan. Set aside to dry out.

When sweet potatoes are ready, scoop out of skins, and place on top of bread, spreading out to cover surface and pushing down to fill in spaces. Sprinkle pecans on top, pressing into sweet potato.

Beat eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in large bowl. Pour over bread and sweet potatoes. Set aside in fridge until liquid is absorbed (about 3 hours). You may need to push the bread back down if it starts to float around. Cut pats of butter and place on top of soaked bread, one pat per serving.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake bread pudding for 45 - 50 minutes until pudding is set. Let cool slightly. Scoop onto plates. Top with ice cream, whipped cream or maple syrup.We drizzled maple syrup on the plate, then topped with homemade whipped cream.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Anatomy of a Hotel Bill

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 17:24:00 +0000

We've been on the road a fair amount this year going on vacation, visiting the parents to celebrate milestone birthdays (theirs, not ours, we're still 29 and holding!), going to a wedding. We've seen it all now in regard to fees and service charges levied by hotels, airlines and restaurants.

It's been in the news a lot lately, too. Famous restaurants with $310 'tasting' menus tacking on an additional 20% 'service charge' that went nowhere near the pockets of the actual servers who waited on the guests. (Now, it is noted, the extra fee tacked onto the bill is called an operational charge. What?)

And our favorite airline, Jet Blue, has now instituted a baggage fee. (Let's hope they lowered the price of the ticket then.)

So now we come to my favorite set of add on charges - hotel fees. Hopping back on the bandwagon, the $2.4 billion/year bandwagon, hotels are now set to charge extra for selecting a room near the elevator, away from the elevator, near the pool, away from the pool, on a top floor, on the ground floor. Yes, you can now pay extra just skip the line at the front desk. So, if everyone skips that line, you know the line is going to be somewhere else and you just PAID to stand in it! (BTW, worst time to check in in Vegas? 11 PM. No lines at 2 PM.)

You've seen these fees, right? You find that perfect deal at a hotel, lower rates than anyone else around. The pictures look great - swimming pool, festive drinks, there's even what looks like a guest pantry in one photo stocked with anything you might want for a late night nibble!

You happily plug in all of your info online, or you wait in a phone queue for fifteen minutes delighted you're getting such a sweet deal. Then comes the final tally, which you may be hit with at check-in after a 7 hour flight!

Room charge: $159/night
Resort fee: $19.99/day
Parking fee: $10/day
Breakfast: $15/person

What happened to your deal? (Even if your room started off much lower, don't you feel just a little nickel and dimed when you see the bill? You were going to spend that extra $44.99 on the slot machines! You were gonna make it all back so your vacation was free!)

My daughter asked what the resort fee covered. WiFi in the lobby (no access in the rooms), a 'free' newspaper, swimming pool (closed in January when we were there). That's what we paid the extra $19.99/day for - WiFi in the lobby. We never found the place where they hid the free newspapers.

We don't like surprises anymore than you do. That's why here we include everything. (Except the tax, and we do have to collect it!) Your room price covers:

WiFi access so you can work or goof off when and where you like - in your jammies at 2 AM if you choose! On the front porch. In an Adirondack chair out on the lawn. In a comfy chair in your room.
All the coffee, tea and juice you want with your freshly prepared breakfast. Maybe Maine blueberry pancakes, maybe our crowd favorite Tuscan eggs. Table service with no tipping or 'operational charge' added on.
Parking.
Concierge services to help you plan your day or find the best place for lobster roll. (And we do know where that is.)
A coffee and tea bar with snacks that you can help yourself to at any time.
Feeling peckish at 5 AM? Pop down to the guest pantry and help yourself to a bowl of cereal or a granola bar and watch the sun come up.

It's all included. So, pick up the phone and give us a call. We won't hit you with random fees. The price you see is the price you get. Plus tax. Gotta pay the taxman.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Goat Cheese and Chocolate Puff Pastry

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 18:15:00 +0000

Goat cheese and chocolate puffs

Searching through the photo files I came across this beauty and realized I never posted the recipe! Let's rectify that situation right now.

Ingredients: (makes 8)

4 oz goat cheese
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
1 pkg of puff pastry (2 sheets)
2 oz chocolate, chopped (dark or semi sweet; for milk chocolate don't add sugar)
1 beaten egg for washing pastry
1 tbsp kosher salt (chunky salt, not table salt)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If puff pastry is frozen, let sit for 20 minutes unwrapped before trying to unroll.

In a small bowl, mix together the first 5 ingredients.

Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface. Cut into 8 squares. Divide the cheese mixture evenly into the center of the 8 squares. Top with chopped chocolate.

Fold one corner (A) of the pastry almost to the opposite corner (B). Brush top with egg wash. Fold (B)corner over top. Your pastry should be long and open at the ends. Brush whole pastry with egg wash and sprinkle a little coarse salt on top. Place pastries on parchment paper covered baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm or cooled.

Alternative: use cream cheese instead of goat cheese. Add nuts or dried cherries.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Find It Used in Freeport!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 17:38:00 +0000

So, last week I decided to check out all the cool places in Freeport to find the antique, unique and off the beaten path kinds of fun stuff you love to bring home from a vacation. And, it doesn't hurt that you're supporting local small businesses, artists and crafters. All of the businesses, and one non profit, mentioned below are owned and operated by local folks with a passion for what they do.

Without further ado - Freeport's Antiques and Uniques: (click the pin to show the detail or click the list link at the far left on the map)

A cool map of secondhand, used, antique and unique shops in Freeport, Maine.

The map above is laid out to start at White Cedar Inn. All of the pins have the address of the business and distance from here. Total distance from A to J? 4 miles. Easy peasy.

Starting at J and working back, we have Pillars Antiques. 125A US Rt 1 Freeport, Maine 207-869-5164 At the Big Indian.

A remarkable collection of indoor and outdoor furnishings and decorative arts. Laid out in 'rooms' so you can get a sense of how everything will look. Lots of little nooks and crannies. Go ahead, poke around!

You can also stop here for lunch at the Old World Deli or dinner at Conundrum. (Caveat - Google maps, and possibly some GPS units think this address is in South Freeport, it is not.)

Who doesn't need a mask to hang on the wall?

Wonderful summer furnishings for your porch

Next stop is I - Two Brothers Books. 176 US Rt 1 Freeport, Maine 207-865-9524

I have avoided stopping in here for 11 years. Why? I'm a book hound. I figured if I ever went in I'd never come out. As it is, I went in just for you, dear reader. (Ha! Do you really believe that?) Of course, I found books I knew they would have and that I should just have picked up years ago. Namely, some copies of books by Donald MacMillan and his wife, Miriam. Not to mention the miles of books I didn't stop to admire. Although, I was particularly taken with the novel (ha, ha) use of old closets for various book genres. I have to check out the postcard collection next time. I love framing the old scenes of Freeport and hanging them in the guest rooms here.

If you're a book fiend, plan a few hours in here, it goes on for miles. As a good old used bookstore should.

The shelves go on forever.

Onward to H - Maine Wicked Goods Mercantile. 304 US Rt 1 Freeport, Maine 207-869-5251

This is your Freeport home for all things Moxie. That's what I thought going in. Little did I know they also have a large collection of Chart jewelry, Lobstering Is An Art note cards, and Buoy Bob's Buoy Bats along with their ever-expanding collection of oddities, antiques and uniques.

Need an antique hooked rug? Carved shore bird for the mantel? A set of juice glasses and pitcher with camels painted on them? This is the place for you! And don't forget to pick up the Moxie while you're here.

Hooked rugs galore.

Wicked good 'aht'.


Chart jewelry - a lovely gift for the person who's far away from Maine.

Next up is G - Freeport Emporium 291 US Rt 1 Freeport, Maine (Google maps also thinks this location is in South Freeport, it is not.)

Housed in exactly the kind of old barn you know has the sweetest finds, Freeport Emporium has 2 floors of everything you might think you want in an antiques, uniques and flea market type setting. Including some uniquely repurposed skis, gas cylinders and more.

Had I not been on a quest to get to each of these different stores in under an hour, I could have poked around in here for the full hour and then some! It's always fun to see how creative people can take something useless (beat up stereo cabinet) and turn it into something funky and functional (drinks trolley).

Things move quickly here, so don't dither! You see it, you like it, you buy it.

(Side trip - about 30 feet - stop in at Shard Pottery down the driveway to the right.)

Even the layout is inviting.

You know you need that tres 90's wedding dress!

School of fish? Yeah, they have that.

Moving on is F - Great Stuff! 475 US Rt 1 Freeport, Maine 207-865-1000

Great Stuff! is a consignment store where you'll find lots of interesting newer pieces and refurbished older furnishings. Most items are in their original condition although, again, crafty folks have converted some kind-of-blah pieces into fun decor.

Getting a little peckish after your hours of traversing all these neat second hand stores? Pop into the Sunrise Cafe for lunch. Or, across the street at Cindy's for lobster or clam roll. You're also close to Maine Beer and Buck's BBQ. (More on drinking your way through Freeport in another blog.)

Nearby is E - Sweet Repeats Children's Clothing Consignment. 554 US Rt 1 Freeport, Maine 207-869-5179

Full disclosure, I've not stopped in here. Yet. There are no little ones growing out of clothes every month here. However, I've heard good things from guests who've happened on the shop while poking around in Cuddledown or popping into Buck's for a brew. It makes no sense to pay full price for little kid's clothing when you know, you just know, they are going to have messy fun in that cute little $88 Lilly Pulitzer overall set two minutes after you let them out of the house!

Getting closer to the inn is D - Annie's Book Stop 18 Independence Dr Freeport, Maine 207-865-3406

This is my go to used bookstore for reading material for my book group. It's close enough that I can go out for a walk and accomplish several things at once: exercise, poking around in a book store and carting home some new favs. You can also trade in books here.

Next up is C - Freeport Community Thrift Shop 53 Depot St Freeport, Maine 207-865-3985

The small thrift shop filled with clothing right at the entrance is only the beginning. Downstairs is where they store the big pieces like furniture, lamps, art work and dishware. Don't forget to check out the senior's little section at the top of the stairs. I've gotten some cool (new) Maine tote bags there!

Almost home now, B - New Beginnings Consignment Boutique 27 Bow St Freeport, Maine 207-865-7078

Adult clothing, shoes, jewelry and more. Follow them on Facebook! They'll let you know when a big consignment has come in, like a couple of years ago when they got bags of cashmere and wool sweaters just in time for fall. I scored a funky Woolrich sweater with sheep on it.

OK, now we're headed back to the inn with tons of fun and funky Maine gifts for friends and family. Oh, what's that you say, you bought it all for yourself? Not to worry, there's always tomorrow.

Many of these stores do not have websites, but quite a few have Facebook pages. Look them up and follow them online for insider tips on new items in stock! Be sure to say White Cedar Inn sent you when you wander into one of these eclectic shops!

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main Street Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Did I miss something? Let me know!

Devil's Back Trail - Harpswell, Maine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 22:12:00 +0000

Devil's Back Trailhead Marker

We're always looking for new places to hike in all seasons. We hit the Devil's Back Trail in May while on a loop around Harpswell. I can't say how many times we've driven past here and never noticed it. It's kind of embarrassing! There is the close-to-the-road sign above and there is a nicely sized parking area right across the road. Hard to miss. And yet I have, many times.

The trails meander around through pine woods and along the coast. There are a few spots where the trails cross and definite markers that you've reached the end of the town property. We didn't have time to walk the whole trail, so we'll leave it to you to find the places we missed. Bring along a picnic lunch and enjoy it on the small beaches or large rocks along the coast.

Download a trail map here.

Here are a few photos from our day on the trail:

Along the trail - rope hand holds

Horseshoe crab

Lobster boats on Long Cove

'Rocks' on the trail

Lester's Bench looking out at Long Cove

To get to Devil's Back Trail from White Cedar Inn:

Go north on Rt 1 (in front of the house) to the exit for Cooks Corners - Bailey Island. At the stop light go straight. Stay on Rt 24 across Great Island to Orr's Island. As you come around a long, left curve you'll see the bridge to Orr's Island. The parking area is on the left after a couple of side roads/driveways. There are boulders demarcating the parking from the road. Across the street is the trail.

You could spend a whole day traversing the islands, meandering down side roads to the towns at the end of the peninsulas.

Combine this with a trip the Giant's Stairs,Bowdoin College Coastal Studies Trail and a stop at Land's End for some fudge! And don't miss the many lobster pounds and restaurants along the way.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Pemaquid Peninsula Day Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 22:23:00 +0000

Pemaquid Point Light

The Pemaquid Point loop drive from Newcastle to Bristol to New Harbor to Waldoboro is a truly scenic drive at any time of year. Pemaquid Point Light is open in the summer so you can go right up into the light (weather permitting).

Starting out early in the morning is the best way to take in most of the sights. There will always be something you missed that needs another day to see!

Here are some highlights you can enjoy on your day trip to Pemaquid Peninsula:

Pemaquid Harbor

Fort William Henry

New Harbor lobster boats

Lobster roll at Shaw's on the harbor

Artist at work

Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve

Hauling the lobsters

Dolphins in Muscongus Bay

Franklin Island Light from Hardy Boat

Puffin bringing home the (bacon) fish

Puffins

Quiet refuge on Upper Round Pound Rd

Picnic at Muscongus Bay Lobster

Old Rock Schoolhouse

So, how do you go about following this route and seeing these sites? Route 1 North from White Cedar Inn to Newcastle. Take Rt 129 across the bridge to Damariscotta. (Stop at Reny's - A Maine Adventure) Follow Rt 129 to Rt 130 to Fort William Henry. Leaving the fort, continue to the end of Rt 130 to find Pemaquid Pt lighthouse. (If it's a hot day, look for the Bristol Swimming Hole for a dip in the cold, moving water.)

From there, head back along Rt 130 to the Pemaquid Loop then to Rt 32 (New Harbor). From May to August you can take Hardy Boat Cruises to Eastern Egg Rock to see the puffins. Stop at Shaw's for lobster roll!

Continue on Rt 32 just past the dock to the Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve. (Parking is along the side of the road.)

Just off Rt 32 is Upper Round Pond Rd, a scenic drive, that will take you to the Old Rock Schoolhouse. Back down Upper Round Pond Rd to Rt 32 again, take a left and head to Muscongus Bay Lobster and Round Pond Lobster Co-op. (Stop in at the Granite Hall Store in Round Pond for ice cream!) The Co-op does steamed lobster. Muscongus Bay Lobster does all kinds of lobster plus fried foods.

Stuffed with lobster, continue on Rt 32 to Waldoboro, then head south on Rt 1 and back to the inn. Still hungry? Pull back off Rt 1 in Newcastle and go to the Newcastle Publick House.

Ask us for map to plan your trip!

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com

Pond Island Light

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Jun 2015 16:05:00 +0000

Pond Island Light

Pond Island Light is on a small bit of rock in the Kennebec River. It is easily visible from Fort Popham, Popham Beach and Fort Baldwin.

You can also take a lighthouse cruise out of the Maine Maritime Museum for a closer look at the lighthouses along the river and out to Seguin Light.

White Cedar Inn Bed and Breakfast 178 Main St Freeport, Maine 04032

www.whitecedarinn.com