We've been hanging out at Jameson Tavern on Sunday nights. The place is hopping, the beer is great and I've got a new favorite dish...Caesar Salad with lobster salad on top. Oh boy! There is enough salad here to take some home for lunch the next day. The Caesar dressing is just right and just enough. I am not fond of salad greens swimming in dressing so this salad is perfect for me.

With a nice glass of wine (Il Bastardo is what I opt for) and a look at the dessert list, it's a fun way to spend Sunday night after a busy weekend.

Rock still loves his lobster stew, although I did get him to try the lobster croissant this last time out. He really liked that as well. The croissant was flaky and it was piled high with lobster salad. The salad has just enough mayo to hold it together. Served with chips it's a great light dinner option. (Right, nothing 'light' about mayo, chips or a croissant, but it's certainly lighter than a 3-course dinner!)

We'll be taking the family out for dinner at Jameson Tavern next week when we have some of them here for Christmas. I know what I'll be having!

Merry Christmas!

Had a really nice surprise in the mail this week...we're in Everyday with Rachael Ray (Dec/Jan 2007 issue) AND in Down East magazine (Dec 2006).

We had been speaking with and corresponding with the folks at Everyday with Rachael Ray since September and were happy to see the article didn't get cut (check the YUM section).

The Down East article was completely a surprise. We thank them immensely for including us in their article on Freeport's Secret Shops. It's a quick little overview of some of the smaller, independent shops in Freeport that sometimes get overlooked in the shadows of the 'big' names.

There are not yet links to the articles online. I'll post them when they come up.

Hope you'll stop by and stay with us while checking out some of the folks in the articles...our favorite wine shop is in the Down East article...Freeport Cheese and Wine on Bow Street. And you don't want to miss Jacqueline's Tea Room on upper Main Street, 1 block north of us. Also mentioned in Everyday with Rachael Ray was Azure Cafe and their great ravioli, Cold River Vodka and, of course, LL Bean.

Down East highlighted 'local favorites' Earrings & Co, Pet Pantry, Freeport Knife and Thos Moser (all up at this end of town) along with some of OUR favorite restaurants, the Mediterranean Grill and Jameson Tavern. At the opposite end of town, Grittys, definitely a local favorite! For outdoor activities they highlighted Pettingill Farm (owned by the Freeport Historical Society) and Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park (a great place to snowshoe!)

Thanks again to the folks who put the articles together! If you have a chance, get the magazines and stop by to say hello!

We finally made the trek down Rt 1 to the Big Indian to have dinner at Conundrum. It was a Tuesday night and we were rather surprised, this late in the year, to see the parking lot quite full. Then we realized the license plates were all from Maine. Good sign.

Walking through the front door we were pleased by the jazz music, large bar and happy crowd. This was definitely a professional crowd stopping in for relaxed drinks and appetizers before heading home or heading out for the evening.

Conundrum has an extensive wine list and cocktail selections were au courant. We started with a glass of pinot noir for me and a Guinness for Rock. Our appetizer of salmon crostini was tasty and understated. The bread had a wonderful crust and was the perfect complement to the salmon.

For our entrees we selected the Sweet Sausage Puttanesca and the Moroccan Pork with Tarragon Carrots and Mashed Potatoes. The puttanesca was hearty (as the name implies) and the rigatoni was al dente. The pork was a tad overcooked but the Mango Chutney served with it was sweet and zesty. The tarragon carrots were about twice the size of 'baby carrots' and still had a bit of greenery on the top. Quite tasty.

The service at Conundrum was attentive and helpful but not overbearing. The price was right as well, setting us back a mere $60, including tip. This is definitely on our list of places to go for dinner or just a few drinks and appetizers.

Rt 1 South at the Big Indian in Freeport, Maine.

Bridgham & Cook Ltd, the British Goods shop, has moved its location from Bow Street to Main Street, right next door to Foreside Company. Walked by today and they have a large assortment of tea biscuits in the front window. Perfect season for a hot cuppa with biscuits by the fire! The original shop suffered smoke and fire damage earlier this fall.

Other news...The Blue Onion on Lower Main Street has been razed to make room for Antonia's Sports Bar. Not sure when that is scheduled to be built as the sign has been there quite a long time now.

There is some hustle and bustle in the former Freeport Flower Shop, also on Lower Main St and in front of Grittys. Looks like a clothing store is going in...more details next time I drive by. (Rapid River Clothing and Accessories is the name of the shop that has moved in.)

Jameson Tavern has been getting rave reviews for their lobster stew. Everyone is thrilled with 'how much lobster' is in the stew. 'Large chunks, looks like a whole claw in there,' was the most popular comment this past weekend. Also getting raves was the prime rib.

Azure Cafe has won the Chowdah Challenge held at the new Freeport Community Center. Azure is hanging on to that award, which they have won 3 years running. Azure's executive chef, Chris Bassett, was also featured on '207', Maine's local living show.

Fall is definitely prime time for delectable foods in Maine!

Just found this on the web...a video of Rock riding a Segway around the driveway. It takes a minute to download and be sure you have the sound turned on!

Check out the new proposed 'Village Center' for Freeport, ME

Plans for new construction are set to begin in January. This is certainly an exciting proposal for Freeport. Lots of new shopping and dining along with a 550-car parking garage.

This may seem like pushing the season a bit but we are starting to fill up for weekends in November. We're trying out an exciting new package this year especially for friends who like to do their Christmas shopping together. (It also makes a fun couples' getaway as well!)

We're calling our fun getaway the 'Christmas Wrapping Party' and it works like this...

Stay with us one or two nights (or more!) in November or December and we'll present you at check-in with a shopping bag full of wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, scissors and tape along with popcorn and a disposable camera for fun picture taking and a $10 gift certificate for LL Bean all part of the Christmas Shopping Party package to help you get your presents wrapped before you get home to the Christmas 'peepers'.

Foil those pesky little peepers who always know what their gifts are in advance! Buy your gifts in Freeport and wrap them before you go home.

Spend time with your best friends shopping and then come back and get to wrapping, talking, eating popcorn and taking fun photos of your special time together.

Packages are available for one or two nights, weekdays or weekends. Slightly higher rates apply for holidays and events (Thanksgiving, Sparkle and Christmas weekend).

You must book this package in advance so we can prepare your shopping bag of goodies!

It is becoming very obvious that summer is coming to a close. We still have 80 degree days but the quality of the light is changing as it does coming into autumn. The evening temperatures are dropping into the high 40's and it is taking a little longer to warm up in the morning.

The leaves on the less mature trees are starting to turn. Just took a drive out along the Kennebec River and you can see the reds and oranges starting to show up interspersed with the still green leaves of the more mature trees.

Keeping in mind that peak foliage in Maine is still about a month away, it is time to think about planning a getaway to enjoy the crisp fall days. Maine foliage is beautiful but it is over quickly once the colder winds and rains blow through in the waning days of October.

New news from LL Bean today...the new outlet store will be behind the main store instead of where it is now located, across the street and down the hill. The plans will be on display at the Town Hall starting on Tuesday, Sept 5. The time frame for building the new outlet is not complete at this time.

The old outlet will be turned into a parking garage area with lots more shops and a new restaurant.

We'll take a walk down to the Town Hall next week and check out the plans!

For September we are offering an 'at par' rate for our friends from Canada. You may (or may not) know Rock's family is from Canada.

We are definitely heading into Autumn here in Maine. The days are cooler (about 70) and the nights have a definite chill (around 40-50). If you check the weather maps you'll see there are no orange or red colors up this way! Just great cool temps, blue skies and lobster, lobster, lobster!

After the kids head back to school be sure to plan a weekend getaway for October. Best leaf peeping is mid-October! Plan to take a drive along one of many scenic routes and then head back for a wine tasting event at Freeport Cheese and Wine (every 3rd Friday of the month).

We here at White Cedar Inn feel we need to make a stand. It seems a bunch of so-called 'scientists' have declared Pluto is no longer a planet. News to the Plutonians, we're sure. Much the same as governments recognize each other we want to take the time here and now to recognize Pluto as a real planet. One we have known and loved ever since we were little kids.

Why not just say Rhode Island is too small to be a state and have done with it?

Alaska is too big to be state, it should be a country all by itself.

Where does it end? It's just too arbitrary.

It's like what we've done to vowels. You've got A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y. Now it's Mars, Mercury, Earth, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and, sometimes Pluto? Gimme a break!

The Plutonians have set themsleves up with a nice little corner of the universe and we say, 'Let them be!'

For any native Plutonians, we extend this offer...come stay with us, 50 % off, with proper ID.

What a beeyootiful day it is today! All that humidity is gone (again) and it is clear and sunny, a great day for the beach!

We would like to thank all our guests in July, both returnees and new guests, for making this the best July we've ever had. From the beginning of the month right through to end we have been hopping every weekend and very busy during the week. Thank you all for choosing White Cedar Inn B&B, we really appreciate it!

Coming up next weekend at LL Bean is Ruthie Foster playing blues and folk music. The week after, August 12, is the New Birth Brass Band playing New Orleans-style. Also, new this summer, catch a live performance every Sunday afternoon. Schedule

All of that hazy hot and humid weather has blown out to sea and we are back to the clear blue skies and temps in the 70's that everyone comes to Maine in the summer to experience. Lovely.

Rock had his cast taken off on Tuesday and the screw holding his ankle together was taken out yesterday and all looks good. He brought the screw home as a souvenir, so feel free to ask to see it.

Quite frankly, it doesn't look any different from a screw you'd get at the local hardware store.

Zydeco music at LL Bean this Saturday night and the Yarmouth Clam Fest starts today. Yum!

We are full for the next 4 days (July 20-23) and the weekends are fast filling up for the next few weeks. We do have some one-nighters open if you only have time for a quick trip.

It's not too soon to start thinking about Sparkle weekend in December. Just had some folks stop in and book for the weekend after Thanksgiving. You know you have some shopping to do!

This Saturday night at the LL Bean free concert in Discovery Park in Freeport is Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, playing rockabilly and Western swing tunes.

We still have 3 room nights open, 1 room on Friday night (7/14) and 2 rooms on Saturday (7/15). Take $10 off your room by mentioning you saw it here on the blog (new reservations only).

The daylilies are in riotous bloom all over the state. We have some wonderful magenta colored ones right along the patio. They go well with the shasta daisies planted right alongside of them.

Don't forget Freeport Cheese and Wine is hosting their 3rd Friday of the month wine tasting on the 21st. If you're in town to visit your campers, a nice relaxing evening tasting some excellent wines will suit the bill just fine.

Lovely fireworks on the 4th! Although it was a bit hazy, the sky was clear enough to show off the brilliant display.

This weekend we have Leon Redbone at LL Bean for a free concert on Saturday. Concerts start at 7:30 and are in the Discovery Park behind the Hunting and Fishing store.

If you are still planning your vacation, there are a lot of fun things happening in the next few weeks and on into August. Maine Quilts will be at the Civic Center in August, the DaPonte String Quartet will be right here in Freeport both in July and August, the Maine Boat Show will be in Rockland in August and many more fun events will be taking place.

Check on our website for more details and to make your reservations to be here for one or more of these events.

Lovely day here today, the sun is peeking out from behind the clouds! The gardens are loving this weather. The hostas have almost covered the stone wall and the day lilies are getting ready to bloom. Especially prolific is the Stella d'Oro variety.

The shops are all getting ready for the big sale starting on Saturday morning and going thru Monday.

More events happening over the 4 days...

The Summit – a 2 ½ story Rock Climbing wall will be running starting Saturday all day for all four days. It’s at the Public Safety Building. Climb proceeds benefit the Freeport Public Safety Training Program. In addition, there will be a free “moon bounce” for the kids, tours of the Fire Museum and the Fire Station and food at the same location.

We have outdoor musical entertainment on July 1 and 2 including Music in the Courtyard at the Denney Block on Saturday with Alex Lear, Overboard - A Capella from Boston, Inkas Wasi authentic Peruvian music on both days, and a special July 1st concert in Discovery Park featuring Old School Freight Train at 7:30 pm.

There are classic cars, a dessert tasting, kid’s fun including crafts, games, book readings and more. There are outdoor sporting clinics and kayak, fly-casting, archery and clay-shooting adventures with L.L.Beans Outdoor Discovery Schools all weekend.

There will be horse drawn carriage rides on Saturday, 11am to 4pm and again on the Fourth right after the parade.

The Fourth has the L.L.Bean 10K road race and Family Fun Run, St. Jude’s Blueberry Pancakes and Sausage breakfast, The Great Freeport Fourth of July Parade at 10:00, Miss Maine, and The First Parish Congregational Church has an 8:00 am coffee and a Lobster Roll and Strawberry Shortcake luncheon starting at 11:00.

The L.L.Bean Summer Concert Series kicks-off with the Big Band Sound of The Artie Shaw Orchestra featuring Dick Johnson at 7:30 and there is a spectacular community fireworks display after the concert to top it all off!

Hope you can spend some time with us this weekend!

Slightly overcast here today, still a great day for hiking or biking, cool enough so you can enjoy yourself!

Freeport is gearing up for the 4th...there is a 3-day town-wide sidewalk sale from the 1st - 3rd. LL Bean's annual 10k run is scheduled to start at 7:30 AM. The parade starts at 10 AM and heads down Main Street from Kendall Lane. Meet Miss Maine after the parade.

A climbing wall will be set up on Main Street with proceeds from admittance going to the Freeport Public Safety Training Program.

We still have rooms available for the weekend, make plans to stay over Monday night to be on hand for the parade Tuesday morning.

Fireworks Tuesday evening, great viewing from the ballpark behind LL Bean!

On another note...are you expecting your first baby? Getting ready for an adoption? In the weeks before your little one's arrival you may find yourself stressed, worn out from all the planning, pretty tired of hearing, 'You haven't had that baby YET?' or 'So, just WHEN do you meet your new son or daughter?'

It's time to take a couple of days for yourselves. Sit down with nothing better to do than have a conversation or read a book (NOT a baby book!) or go to a movie or go for a walk on the beach, together, alone (for the last time for the next 18 or so years!).

Check here for our Babymoon Special...2 nights' stay, dinner, chocolates and more...

A wonderful first day of Summer here! Blue, blue skies, cool breezes, perfect temperatures and a freshly mown lawn! So, why aren't you HERE?

Are you going away for the 4th this year? Freeport is having a full schedule of events from July 1-4. A 10k race, fireworks, music at LL Bean, a parade, and lots more. Check the full schedule at www.freeportusa.com. We have front porch seating for the parade!

3 cheers! Rock is back to work in the kitchen! Today was his first day back at the grill. Tomorrow morning it's his 'world-famous' blueberry pancakes and maple bacon. The crowd goes wild!

Seriously, it is good to have him back at his favorite post. He has been missing his morning chats with all the guests. He loves nothing better than to sit down in the comfy chair and listen to everyone's story.

Today we had folks here who both just graduated from college. They are off to teach English in China in a few weeks and this was a first real vacation for them. Rock has really missed these early morning conversations with everyone and it's good to have him ensconced in his chair with his coffee (at least until stomachs start to rumble and he has to 'leap into action'!)

Thanks again to all the family members who pitched in to help!

Just getting around to having a few minutes to write this up...Rock had a motorcycle accident 2 weeks ago. We're calling him 'Skippy' given the way he started out walking with his leg in a cast. Shattered ankle, broken collarbone but otherwise OK.

His words? 'Wear your helmet!'

He's a walking testament to having your life saved by having on your protective gear. He hit the back of a truck and catapaulted over it into oncoming traffic. And he's here to relive the story.

Today was his first day out for walk. And where did he go? Starbucks! Never mind the old, 'I'd walk a mile for a Camel!' He went 4 blocks for a Grande Vanilla Latte!

Lots of family volunteered to come and help out. We've had the oddest assortment of waitstaff these past weeks. And, I've had to learn to cook!

Thanks to all the well-wishers and helpers! We couldn't do it without you!

Finally! The sun has come out! No estimate for how much rain we received in the past week but some local measurements come in at 8" for Portland and 13" at Cape Neddick. Some pretty difficult times for those folks in those high rain areas.

We've been working hard to get the new beds set up in the Winthrop Fogg room (guys are coming to tomorrow) and the Crow's Nest, now with a queen bed instead of the double.

Took the day off yesterday and went out for dinner. Nice break. Back in the saddle again today, tho!

Big Bath & Body Works sale coming up starting June 5. Also on tap is the White Barn Candle Company sale at the same time.

Time to get out and get the hanging baskets. Perfect gardening weather. There's a big heirloom plant sale this weekend in Pownal. Somewhere in the vicinity of 1000 plants will be for sale. Art show at the same time. In Freeport St Jude's is having their annual plant sale as well. From 9 to 11 AM on the sidewalk in front of the church, right on Main St.

A bit of rainy weather here this week. According to the paper we've had 5" of rain since the beginning of the week. WOW! All the pollen is pretty much off the trees and it's not blowing around which is good.

There are 2 robins nesting on the grounds. One has built right in the tree outside the dining room window and is fiercely guarding the (empty) nest against all comers, including the chipmunk that lives under the porch.

The other nest is around back on the end of a ladder we have hanging on the side of the building. This one has a robin sitting on it and I'm going to try to peek over the edge of my deck to see if there are eggs.

The lawn is quite green and the hostas have come up about a foot since the rain started.

Start thinking about making reservations for the Freeport Fourth of July celebration, July 1-4 and the Maine Lobster Festival, August 2-6.


Happy Mother's Day!

A quick report on our Habitat for Humanity Event...this past weekend we had one couple make a $100 donation to Habitat. That sort of generosity is greatly appreciated!

We're having a bit of rain today and more forecast for tomorrow. That is only helping the garden perk up even more. The tulips have gone by but the rhododendrons are in full bloom. Looking forward to the lilacs in a couple of weeks.

We've bought a new king bed for the Winthrop Fogg room. Pix here as soon as it is installed.

On Thursday we will have the first of our recipe columns in the Community Leader...Strawberry Stuffed French Toast.

What a beautiful spring day we had today! It seems like the trees have filled out incredibly in just the last few days.

If you're looking for that off the beaten path kind of day trip we suggest going to Boothbay Harbor to see the HMS Bounty. This is the same Bounty that was in the movie with Marlon Brando. It was also used for Pirates of the Caribbean. In dock for repairs, there are no tours but it is visible in the harbor.