Bar Harbor Inn - The Reading Room - A cozy New England village restaurant.

The Reading Room’s name has a distinguished history. In 1874 a social club was organized on Maine’s Mount Desert Island, called the Oasis Club. A few years later it moved into the Mount Desert Reading Room, housed in a new cedar-shingled structured designed by architect William Randolph Emerson. Over the years the center for social activities was visited by the likes of President Taft as well as officers of the U.S. Navy whose ships visited the idyllic shores of Frenchman Bay. But in 1947, after a terrible fire ravaged the island and consumed Bar Harbor’s famous hotels, the area was left without a means to attract visitors. Beginning in 1950, what is now the Bar Harbor Inn began a course of reconstruction. Today the Reading Room Restaurant overlooking one of Maine’s most stunning harbor vistas recreates the cultured elegance of a bygone aristocratic era without being stuffy or formal. On the contrary, the dining room regularly features local pianist John Haskell whose versatile style ranges from big band and show tunes to contemporary pieces that appeal to all ages.

Gazing out of my seaside window, with the evening sky growing ever darker, the dancing harbor lights twinkled and reflected off the glassy dark blue sea below. As gentle waves lapped on the harbor shore, an equally gentle wave of satisfaction gradually crept over me as I rehearsed each of the courses I enjoyed. Yes, this was the perfect end to a great day. I had traipsed through Acadia National Park, viewing breathtaking coastal scenery, enchanted by forests of evergreen and deciduous fall color, and captivated by the romantic carriage roads built for horse-drawn coaches. And now, here, relaxing in the midst of a cozy New England village restaurant, I knew I had just partaken of some of the delights once experienced by members of those famous, aristocratic American dynasties who played and dined here so long ago.

Explorer of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean, was built in 2000. A large ship, with a gross tonnage of 137,308 and dimensions of 1,020 by 127, she carries 3,224 passengers with a crew of 1,285 and will be in Bar Harbor July 8 and Aug. 5.
This photo shows an earlier visit to Bar Harbor.

122 Visits Scheduled for Bar Harbor in 2008

BAR HARBOR — This summer, 24 cruise ships will visit Bar Harbor a total of 122 times. Most of the ships are frequent visitors to the area, though three will be making their first voyages to the island.
Cruise ships visit Bar Harbor primarily during September and October for fall foliage cruises. Some ships, such as the Maasdam, are frequent visitors to Bar Harbor, starting her visits in May.
The cruise ship industry is a lucrative one for Bar Harbor. Ships come to the area do so in the fall, for the most part, after the summer tourists have left. Passengers and crew visit the local shops, eat in local restaurants and enjoy the ambiance of the area.
Most ships are at anchorage A or B, in the harbor, because they are too large to dock. Passengers are ferried ashore by cruise ship tenders, or by local boats, such as Whale Watching Friendship V, leased by the cruise lines for the occasion.
Sometimes weather conditions cause ships to cancel a scheduled visit, i.e. fog, storms, etc., but for the most part ships manage to keep to their schedule.
Although security does not allow visitors to go aboard, just seeing the ships at anchor and talking to crew and passengers is worth a visit to Bar Harbor when the ships are in port.

The following ships are scheduled to visit Bar Harbor this year:

Maasdam: This is a Holland America ship and is a frequent visitor to Bar Harbor. She is an older ship, built in 1995. Her gross tonnage is 55,441 and her dimensions are 715 by 101. She carries 1,200 passengers and has a crew of 622. Her schedule is as follows: May 11, 23 and 25; June 6, 8, 20 and 22; July 4; Aug. 8, 15, 17, 29 and 31; Sept. 12, 14, 26 and 28; Oct. 10.

Bremen: The former name of this ship was Frontier Spirit. She too is an older ship, built in 1990. She is German, registered in the Bahamas. Her gross tonnage is 6,752 with dimensions of 364 by 56. She carries 164 passengers and has a crew of 94. Her scheduled visit is May 30.
Grandeur of the Seas: Built in 1996 and marketed by Royal Caribbean. She, too, flies the flag of the Bahamas. She has a gross tonnage of 73,817 and her dimensions are 886 by 106. She carries 2,950 passengers and has a crew of 760. Her schedule is June 15; July 13; Aug. 10; Sept. 6 and 21; Oct. 5.

Queen Mary 2: She is a British ship and currently the flagship of Cunard Lines. She is large, with a gross tonnage of 148,528. Her dimensions are 1,132 by 135. She carries 2,620 passengers and has a crew of 1,253. She is too large to go through the Panama Canal. Her scheduled visit is July 5.

Explorer of the Seas: This ship, marketed by Royal Caribbean, was built in the year 2000 and is registered in the Bahamas. She, too, is a large ship, with a gross tonnage of 137,308 and her dimensions are 1,020 by 127. She carries 3,224 passengers with a crew of 1,285 and will be in Bar Harbor July 8 and Aug. 5.

Grand Caribe: This ship is an American, Canadian, Carribean Line ship, classified as a mini cruise ship. She is an American ship. Her gross tonnage is 94, with dimensions of 183 by 42. She carries 96 passengers with a crew of 17. Her schedule is as follows: July 14, 15, 22, 23 and 31; Aug. 1, 8 and 9.

Norwegian Dawn: This ship is a Norwegian Cruise Line ship registered in the Bahamas. Norwegian Cruise Line ships are noted for free-style dining, which means that passengers have open sitting at dinner time. She was built in 2002. Her tonnage is 91,740 with dimensions of 964 by 105. Originally she was ordered as Superstar Scorpio. She has a crew of 1,300. Her Bar Harbor visits include July 17; Sept. 4, 11, 17 and 25.

Caribbean Princess: This is a Princess Line ship registered in Bermuda. She was built in 2004. She, too, is too large to go through the Panama Canal. She has a gross tonnage of 112,894 with dimensions of 935 by 118. She carries 3,592 passengers and has a crew of 1,142. She is on her maiden voyage to Bar Harbor. Her schedule is Aug. 28; Sept. 4, 11 and 17; Oct. 1, 9, 15 and 22.

Norwegian Dream: She is also a Norwegian Cruise Line ship registered in the Bahamas. She was built in 1992. Her gross tonnage is 50,764 and her dimensions are 758 by 94. She carries 1,948 passengers with a crew of 750. Her Bar Harbor visits include Sept. 6, 13, 20 and 27.

Aidaaura: This is an Italian ship, run by Aida Cruises. She was built in 2003. She, too, is on a maiden voyage to Bar Harbor. Her gross tonnage is 42,289 and her dimensions are 634 by 91. She carries 1,266 passengers. Aida cruises is a rapidly expanding Cruise Line with at least nine ships. Visits to Bar Harbor include Sept. 13, 18 and 30; Oct. 8 and 20.

Sea Princess: This ship, built in 1998, is a Princess Cruise Line ship and flies the British flag. Her former name was Adonia. Her gross tonnage is 77,499 with dimensions of 856 by 106. She carries 1,950 passengers and has a crew of 900. She will be in Bar Harbor, Sept. 16 and 30 and Oct. 6.

Eurodam: This is Holland America Lines newest ship. This is her first visit to Bar Harbor. Her maiden voyage was in June of this year. She has a gross tonnage of 86,000 with a length of 935 feet. She carries 2,044 passengers. More than 800 of her cabins are balconized. Her crew numbers 800. Visits to Bar Harbor include Sept. 18, 24 and Oct. 9.

American Star: Built in 2007, she is an American Cruise Line ship. This ship is known as a mini cruise line ship. She has a gross tonnage of 100 with dimensions of 215 by 46. She carries 100 passengers. Her visits to Bar Harbor include June 16 and 17; July 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27 and 28; Aug. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 27 and 28; Sept. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29.

American Glory: Built in 2003, this American Cruise Line ship has a tonnage of 100. She carries 49 passengers. Her schedule is as follows: Aug. 6, 7, 25, 26 and 31; Sept. 1, 9, 10, 16 and 17.

Queen Elizabeth 2: A favorite ship. It is her last year of service. She will retire at the end of 2008 and become a convention center in Dubai. Cunard’s oldest ship, she was built in 1969. Her tonnage is 70,327. Her dimensions are 963 by 105. She carries 1,815 passengers. She has visited Bar Harbor many times and will be sorely missed. She has a crew of 921. Her only visit is Sept. 17.

Crystal Symphony: She is operated by Crystal Cruises and is registered in the Bahamas. She was built in 1995 and has a gross tonnage of 50,202. Her dimensions are 771 by 97. She carries 960 passengers and has a crew of 545. Visits to Bar Harbor are scheduled for Sept. 20, Oct. 4, 12 and 26.

Jewel of the Seas: This is a Royal Caribbean ship built in 2004. She is registered in the Bahamas. Her gross tonnage is 90,000 and her dimensions are 961 by 97. She carries 2,100 passengers with a crew of 1,050. Her schedule is as follows: Sept. 22 and 29; Oct. 6, 13, 20 and 25.

Royal Princess: Her former name was R Eight and Minnerva II. She was built in 2001 and is a Princess Line ship registered in the Marshall Islands. Her gross tonnage is 30,277 and her dimensions are 695 by 85. She carries 698 passengers and has a crew of 373. Her two visits to Bar Harbor are scheduled for Sept. 23 and 29.

Constellation: This is a Celebrity Cruise Ship an offshoot of Chandris Shipping. One of her features is a bank of glass elevators that ride up the side of the ship giving one the impression of riding over the sea. She was built in 2002 and is registered in Liberia. Her gross tonnage is 90,280 with dimensions of 954 by 105. She carries 2,038 passengers with a crew of 999. She visits on Oct. 3, 15 and 19.

Saga Ruby: Her former names were Vistajord and Caronia. As the Caronia, she often traveled to Bar Harbor. She is now operated by Saga Cruises of Europe and registered in the Bahamas. Cruise passengers are senior citizens, the ship accepts passengers who are 50 years of age or older. This is a beautiful older ship. She was built in 1973, with a gross tonnage of 29,292 and dimensions of 628 by 82. She carries 677 passengers with a crew of 376. Her only visit is scheduled for Oct. 4.

Norwegian Majesty: This is an older Norwegian Cruise Line ship. Her former name was Royal Majesty. She was built in 1992 but has been “stretched” since then. She has a friendly captain and crew. She is registered in the Bahamas. Her gross tonnage is 40,876 and her dimensions are 680 by 91. She carries 1,462 passengers and has a crew of 660. She will visit in October being in the harbor Oct. 7, 14, 22 and 29.

Artemis: This is a Royal Princess ship registered in Great Britain. Her former name was Royal Princess. She was built in 1984. Her gross tonnage is 44,588 and her dimensions are 738 by 95. She carries 1,200 passengers and has a crew of 520. She is operated by P and O. Oct. 29 will be her only visit to the area.

The last ship visiting Bar Harbor for this year is the Norwegian Majesty on Oct. 29.
As she sails away, Bar Harbor will settle down for the winter. Before that, however, plan to come and visit the ships. It is a thrilling experience.

This is indeed an exciting Cruise Ship schedule!
I will be in Bar Harbor to see all of the ships that visit. I have been welcoming passengers and making friends with cruiser's for years! This year alone, I will be meeting a total of 56 friends as they come to shore in Bar Harbor, it is a yearly ritual for myself and the many friends I have made with the yearly passengers onboard these spendid ships!I will also be meeting new friends that my friends have brought along to meet me! How exciting!

This is not to be missed folks!!!

Stephen King's son Joe Hill presents - "Heart Shaped Box" w/ Signings in Florida and Maine.

"Heart Shaped Box" by Joe Hill.

A compelling and claustrophobic supernatural thriller from a remarkable new author.

'Buy my stepfather's ghost' read the e-mail.
So Jude did.

He bought the dead man's suit, delivered in a heart-shaped box, because he wanted it: because his fans ate up that kind of story.
It was perfect for his collection: the genuine skulls and the bones, the real honest-to-God snuff movie, the occult books and all the rest of the paraphanalia that goes along with his kind of hard/goth rock.

But the rest of his collection doesn't make the house feel cold.

The bones don't make the dogs bark; the movie doesn't make Jude feel as if he's being watched. And none of the artefacts bring a vengeful old ghost with black scribbles over his eyes out of the shadows to chase Jude out of his home, and make him run for his life . . .

Joe Hill is past recipient of the Ray Bradbury Fellowship and the winner of the A.E. Coppard Long Fiction Prize.

His short fiction has appeared in literary, mystery and horror collections and magazines in Britain and America .

MAINE: Joe Hill a/k/a Stephen King's son. - "20Th Century Ghosts"

The Author of "20th Century Ghosts."

- Mr. Joe Hill -

Imogene is young and beautiful.

She kisses like a movie star and knows everything about every film ever made.

She's also dead and waiting in the Rosebud Theater for Alec Sheldon one afternoon in 1945. . . .

Arthur Roth is a lonely kid with big ideas and a gift for attracting abuse. It isn't easy to make friends when you're the only inflatable boy in town. . . .

Francis is unhappy.

Francis was human once, but that was then. Now he's an eight-foot-tall locust and everyone in Calliphora will tremble when they hear him sing. . . .

John Finney is locked in a basement that's stained with the blood of half a dozen other murdered children.

In the cellar with him is an antique telephone, long since disconnected, but which rings at night with calls from the dead. . . . . . . .

Joe Hill is the author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller "Heart-Shaped Box", a two-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, and a past recipient of the World Fantasy Award.

His stories have appeared in a variety of journals and Year's Best collections.

He calls New England home.

Joe will be Promoting 20th Century Ghosts
Friday, March 14, 2008LEE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM/Southwest Florida Book Festival2345 Union ST Fort Myers, FL 33901

Maine : First Cruise Ship to arrive in Bar Harbor for 2007.

The vessel 'Maasdam' was the first cruise ship of 2007 to stop and let off passengers in downtown Bar Harbor, prompting many shops and restaurants to open their doors.

More than 90 cruise ships are expected to bring more than 130,000 passengers to Bar Harbor this summer and fall, a small portion of the millions that travel onto MDI and into Acadia National Park every year in highway vehicles.

Most of the cruise ships will visit after Labor Day, however, when schools start up again and the number of tourists who drive onto MDI declines.

Maasdam, which can carry as many as 2,200 passengers and crew members, is expected to visit Bar Harbor 17 times through the end of October.

Memorial Day — long recognized as the unofficial start of Maine’s summer tourist season — still two weeks away, not all seasonal businesses have opened up their doors.
The signs of activity are there, however. Workers have been painting and cleaning business facades, while shop employees and deliverers have been stocking the stores and restaurants in anticipation of opening up.

Year-round residents and return visitors will spot a few new retail businesses in Bar Harbor this year and will recognize one popular spot that is coming back after an absence of a few years.
Miguel’s, a longtime popular local Mexican restaurant, is opening again after going through a recent series of owners and even having its menu and name changed.
Local shop owner Veilleux, said Saturday’s sale was a success and hopes to do it again next year.

The weather, Mother’s Day weekend and the Maasdam’s visit all came together to make Saturday seem like a busy mid-summer day, she said.
"It definitely affected our sales," Veilleux said of the cruise ship’s stop. "It almost felt as if we didn’t have a spring."

Bar Harbor, Maine: "The Dorr Museum" - Shell shockers

Sitting on a little bench in front of a flat-screen TV at College of the Atlantic’s George B. Dorr Museum, Lynn Havsall, a zoologist and manager at the Bar Harbor museum, watched a video loop of a green sea turtle, camera affixed to its shell, paddling evenly across the ocean floor off the coast of Hawaii.

"I can feel my blood pressure lowering just watching it," said Havsall. "You think of turtles as being very slow, but sea turtles can move incredibly fast. They’re perfect swimmers."

At the Dorr Museum, the humble terrapin is the subject of a kid-centric exhibit called "Turtle Travels," which will run through Sept. 10. The show is on loan from the EcoTarium in Worcester, Mass., and is the first traveling exhibit the museum has hosted.

Havsall and her art professor colleague Dru Colbert were instrumental in bringing the show to COA, and felt it spoke to the school’s mission.

"We liked this exhibit because it deals with environmental issues," said Colbert. "The biggest threats to turtles here in Maine are people building in wetlands."

"It’s also great for kids," said Havsall. "It’s interactive, so kids stay interested, and parents get a closer look at things than they normally would."

"Turtle Travels" explores these issues through a series of hands-on stations, that educate about turtle anatomy and the different habitats that they live in. Several illustrated panels along the wall show the ways that turtles appear in mythology around the world — from the story of the African trickster god Anansi being outsmarted by a turtle, to the Native American myth of the giant turtle on which the Earth rests.
Naturally, one of the most popular stations is the tank of live turtles, on loan from the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor. Swimming around in the U-shaped aquarium is a spotted turtle and a brightly colored painted turtle, both of which are native to Maine.

"The kids really love that one," said Havsall. "You can get underneath it and look up at them and see the bottoms of their shells."

There are seven species of turtle common to Maine: snapping, musk, eastern painted, spotted, Blanding’s, wood and eastern box turtles. Spotted and snapping turtles are easy to find, while Blanding’s and wood turtles have been marked as species of special concern — the wood turtle in particular, thanks to its ornate shell, which makes it a prime target for those looking for a pet. One little-known fact is that several species of sea turtle actually make their way into the Gulf of Maine."In the warmer months, you sometimes get green sea turtles or leatherbacks, though they stay pretty far out," said Havsall.

Both Colbert and Havsall think turtles of all kinds — land and sea, from Maine and from across the world, are an excellent way to explain ecology to kids.

"They are the vehicle through which we explore these issues," said Colbert. "Turtles are so tied to their habitats that when we build in wetlands they show very dramatically the effect it can have on the environment."

The Dorr Museum is open by appointment through mid-June, when it is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday until Labor Day.
For information, call 288-5015 or visit www.coamuseum.org.

Bar Harbor, Maine - "Cat’s early-afternoon arrival pleases tourist groups".

Bay Ferries’ decision to have the Cat arrive in the early afternoon in Yarmouth from Portland and Bar Harbor could have a beneficial impact on tourism, says an industry spokesman.

Bay announced several months ago it would change the 2007 sailing schedule for its high-speed ferry between Yarmouth and Maine. Two of the changes, a slightly shorter season and a decision not to increase sailings to Bar Harbor to two a day during a period in summer, were done to ease a tight dry-docking schedule in May and to save money.

"At the start of the season there are a couple of factors in play," Bay president and CEO Mark MacDonald said in an interview. "We always have a timing issue in May because that is when we dry-dock the ship. It is booked for a certain amount of winter work until the second of May and then comes to the shipyard in Halifax and this year we have some fairly major technical work going on. It is routine but still time consuming so it will be in dry dock for two to three weeks."

Bay previously started its Yarmouth season in late May but this year won’t start until June 1. Passenger levels last May were low.

Doug Fawthrop, spokesman for the Destination Southwest Nova Scotia Association, a partnership of tourist groups, said Monday the change in the arrival schedule will be positive, since the Cat will arrive in Yarmouth in the early afternoon instead of the evening.

"I guess we come from a school where anything we can do that is in the best interest of the customer is always the right thing to do and that’s (arrival change) in the best interests of the customer," Mr. Fawthrop said.

He said some accommodations’ operators may have benefited "marginally" from the evening arrivals, but they are only part of the industry.

"Restaurants suffer under those circumstances, gift shops and all other levels and components of the tourism sector ... so the early day will benefit more people. At the end of the day this is about total (spending) and I think this will help that."

Mr. Fawthrop said it is important to note that Bay offers one- and two-night overnight packages from Portland and Bar Harbor. Few people would be inclined to purchase the one-night package if they arrived in the evening and had to be back on the boat early the next morning.

"From Bar Harbor there is also a significant day-trip component so I think it gives Bay Ferries an opportunity to provide more benefit to the Nova Scotia tourism industry."

From June 1 to July 10 and Sept. 3 to Oct. 9, the Cat will leave Bar Harbor four mornings a week, Monday through Thursday, and return three afternoons a week, Monday through Wednesday.

On Thursday afternoons, it will leave Yarmouth and go to Portland. It will operate between Portland and Yarmouth from Friday through Sunday.

From July 11 to Sept. 2, sailings between Portland and Yarmouth will increase by one a day.

The vessel will do the Bar Harbor-Yarmouth run Monday through Wednesday, go to Portland on Wednesday afternoon and operate between Portland and Yarmouth from Thursday to Sunday.

All departures from Yarmouth will be at 4 p.m. and from Maine ports at 8 a.m.

Earth Day - BAR HARBOR, MAINE - "Bar Harbor college goes all out for Earth Day".

Some schools have homecoming weekend; College of the Atlantic has Earth Day.

"Earth Day is the only celebration that COA has really stopped everything to recognize," said Milja Brecher-Demuro, coordinator for the school’s festivities, which were held Saturday, April 21. "Since the beginning of the school, that’s one that we’ve celebrated, for the main reason that it speaks exactly to what COA is about."

Thanks to phenomena such as Al Gore’s documentary, >"An Inconvenient Truth," the environment has been an especially hot topic over the past year. Now more than ever, the issues that COA students study are at the forefront of national consciousness.
"There’s been a lot of questioning about what’s gone wrong. We are looking to celebrate what’s going right, and what’s beautiful about the earth," said Brecher-Demuro. "We’re looking at the forward thinkers, and those who have worked to help us have a smaller footprint on the earth, and to have it last as long as possible."

To that end, the theme for this year was "Home is Where the Earth Is: A Celebration in Renewing Community," and events focused especially on community involvement in making Earth a cleaner, better place to live.
There were several additions to the usual lineup of lectures, workshops, children’s activities and food, including the first "COA-Palooza," featuring an evening of music from COA students and alumni.
Keynote speaker Cathy Johnson, North Woods project director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine and a 1974 COA alumna, gave a talk about the future of Maine’s North Woods. Lectures about environmentally friendly parenting, midwifery, alternative education and socially responsible retirement planning were held as scheduled.
Earth Day this year also functioned as an alumni weekend, with former students from around the country invited to attend. Some of these alumni were part of the photography exhibit at the Ethel H. Blum Gallery, while others were participating in the daylong alumni film festival at McCormick Hall.

MAINE VACATION - 2006 - 2007

* "Looking Forward To Returning Back To Maine!!!"

MAINE: Bar Harbor - Fast CAT Ferries to Nova Scotia

Traveling between Bar Harbor, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in just under three hours and between Portland, Maine and Yarmouth in 5 ½ hours, The Cat brings a unique travel experience to these two distinctive ports. The famous rockbound coast of Maine and Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, historic Portland and the unique cultural heritage of Nova Scotia are yours to discover on this route.
The Yarmouth to Bar Harbor service was served by the conventional ferry mv BLUENOSE in the summer of 1997. In 1998, Bay acquired "The Cat", a new 91 metre high-speed ferry constructed by Incat of Tasmania. This was North America's first high speed ferry of this type. In 2002 Bay Ferries introduced a new high speed ferry to North America by acquiring a 98 meter Evolution 10B design fast ferry, the largest and most modern vessel ever built by Incat. At a cost of US $50.2 million this new CAT renewed our commitment to stay on the leading edge of technological developments and innovation in marine transportation. The Digby - Saint John service operates 12 months per year while the Yarmouth/Bar Harbor service operates approximately six (6) months per year.

MAINE : "A Valentine's Blizzard in Maine".

Burrrrr!!!!!
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The National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings for parts of New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine, where as much as 2 feet of snow was possible.
Maine Gov. John Baldacci declared a state of emergency to ensure deliveries of heating oil. "We're geared up to handle snow," said Dana Wardwell, director of public works in Bangor, Maine.

As sleet stings the faces of pedestrians, and snow and ice coat windshields and streets today, the storm nick-named the "Valentine's Day blizzard", shut down all schools and air travel and turned the highways into skating rinks.
Nearly 300,000 homes and business had lost electrical service in the cold weather. At least 12 deaths were blamed on this huge storm system.
Thousands of schools were closed from Maine to Kentucky and for some schools and businesses in the Midwest for a second day, and in Washington, D.C. the federal government decided to open offices two hours late.

The slippery streets and sidewalks created a challenge for florists trying to deliver Valentine's Day flowers.
"People have to understand, we can't do it if it gets really bad. Other than that, we'll kill ourselves to get it delivered," said a florist whose shop in the Bangor area was double-wrapping their arrangements to protect them from the brutal cold.

MAINE : Mainers Brace for Severe Storm Conditions

"COLD ENOUGH FOR YAS?"
... Winter Storm Warning remains in effect from 7 am Wednesday to 1 am EST Thursday...Snow will overspread the area Wednesday morning and become heavy at times during the day on Wednesday. The snow will mix with sleet and freezing rain and change to all rain along the immediate coast Wednesday evening. Snow accumulations around an inch can be expected. This storm will have a moderate impact on the warning area. Heavy snow and sleet will cover roads and reduce visibilities making travel difficult.Please report snow, sleet, or ice accumulations to the National Weather Service by calling toll free... 877-633-6772. Stay tuned to
NOAA Weather Radio...your local media... or go to http://www.erh.noaa.gov/car/for further updates on this weather situation.


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The National Weather Service advises residents to brace and prepare for the biggest snowstorm so far this winter, and to expect heavy snow and near blizzard conditions. A foot or more of snow is predicted in many places before the cold front moves into New Brunswick on Thursday.
Forecasts call for almost two feet of snow in the western mountains and foothills, 12 to 18 inches in other interior regions and 8 to 14 inches along the coastline, where a change to sleet or freezing rain is likely late by early on Wednesday.
{Many Maine communities have announced parking bans in advance of the storm.}
The U.S. Coast Guard issued warnings to mariners to be prepared for 40-50-knot winds and 20-30 foot seas in New England waters and the Gulf of Maine by Tuesday.
Coast Guard units along the New England coast are issuing safety broadcasts to warn offshore mariners, and all coastal and offshore cutters as well as search-and-rescue stations have elevated their readiness status to "high".

{Mariners should closely monitor channel 16 VHF-FM for updated storm warnings and information.}

MAINE : 'TOWN OF BAR HARBOR HISTORY'.

Originally incorporated as the Town of Eden, the original document signed by Samuel Adams in 1796 and a warrant calling the first town meeting are on display, the town's name was changed to Bar Harbor in 1918.

Bar Harbor's fascinating history as a summer resort began long before Champlain's visit in 1604. The Abnakis were the original summer people. In the 1850's, painters such as Frederic E. Church, Thomas Cole, Fitz Hugh Lane, William Hart and Thomas Birch popularized the area thru their exhibits of the island's beautiful mountains and seascapes. The first Hotel on the island was built in Bar Harbor by Tobias Roberts, the Agamont House in 1855. Alpheus Hardy was the first summer resident to build a "cottage" called Birch Point in 1868. More and more hotels and cottages were built as people "rusticators" came to the island by train and the Mount Desert Ferry to dock at Bar Harbor.

The land boom continued until the 1880's when such notables as Joseph Pulitzer, William Proctor, , Frederick Vanderbilt, George Vanderbilt and Evelyn Walsh McLean came and built magnificent "cottages".
{When you visit the museum library you can see pictures of these and many more of the summer "cottages".}

It was at this time that Boston native George B. Dorr worked tirelessly with Charles W. Elliot and later with John D. Rockefeller Jr. to bring about the National Park, which was organized in 1916 as Sieur de Monts monument. The name was changed in 1919 to Lafayette National Park and in 1929 to Acadia National Park.
George B. Dorr was the first Superintendant of the Park.
{There is a permanent exhibit of Mr. Dorr on site that is worth checking out.}

KEY LARGO, FLORIDA : "Cockers Spaniels in the Conch Republic".

"OUR FIRST GIRLS"
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Lanna, a.k.a. (Spooky), Puppette, a.k.a. (Mookey), & Sandee Sea, a.k.a. (Sandera).

Our first three cocker spaniels dressed in their jerseys and ready to play.
Lanna, or shall I say, "Spooky",was the baby and she was a feisty little girl that kept the other two in line. She was nicknamed "Spooky" because when she was a tiny pup, she used to sleep up in the book shelf part of the headboard of our bed. She found the toggle switch that turned the 'over-head' lights on and she would flip the lights on and off in the middle of the night. She also looked 'spooky' when you looked at her in the dark.

Puppette, or shall I say, "Mookey," was the second youngest and she got her nickname because she looked like a 'Star Trek' character by the name of the same.
She was named 'Puppette' because when she first started to walk, she looked as if someone were holding the strings that made her feet lift up. She is still with us and she is such a quiet and faithful dog.

"Sandee Sea", and yes, we called her "Sandera" for short, was certainly the head of the pack, "God Rest Her Soul," she was always bringing us gifts so we also called her, "Sandee-Claws".

We dearly miss "Lanna" (Spooky) and "Sandee Sea!"

"Puppette" is still our 'leading lady' and we show her the respect and compassion she so deserves.

All of our dogs love to swim in our pool and love to sun bathe.

MAINE : "The State of Maine - State of Mind."

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The coast of Maine is home to many a friendly harbor.

Bar Harbor by way of Ellsworth, is a quaint coastal village town on Mount Desert Island, and has a symbiotic relationship with Acadia National Park.
Bar Harbor, with its shops, restaurants, hotels, cottages, bed and breakfasts, inns and galleries, has a special ambiance blended with Downeast Maine character.
Bar Harbor, Maine and Acadia National Park is quite often the starting and ending point of an unforgettable Maine vacation.

MAINE : "My First Day in Maine" - September 2006.

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My very first day in Maine began with landing in Bangor and enjoying a lobster roll at the diner inside of the airport facility.
This was my very first day and my very first taste of Maine lobster.
I must say it was quite a surprise to me that Maine lobster taste so different from the Florida lobster I have dined on for over 20+ years.

Only 49 minutes away from Bar Harbor, I was so excited to see this Maine coastal resort town that I headed east on the Interstate and followed the signs that marked the exits to Ellsworth and Bar Harbor.

Driving from Bangor and through Ellsworth on route to Bar Harbor, I began to see the transition from city to town, and from town to the sea port. Crossing the many rivers and streams, I felt right at home with the water views and the sounds of sea birds as I approached Bar Harbor.

I felt a sense of "déjà vu" as I rode into Bar Harbor, it was as if I had been there before, and that I had seen those buildings on the corner and that house on the hill once before, and I wondered what the connection was with this small harbor town that made me feel so at home.

I felt so young and alive again, and then it came to me,..

"I was born and raised in the seaport town of Key West, Florida the Southernmost City in the United States. An island seaside port that was once touched by so many of New England's ships captains and their families as they built their New England style homes and cottages, where the foot steps of my youth had once tread, and I had walked the very streets and lanes that were paved by many a sea captain that left New England in search of warmer climates and the riches of treasure and trade".

Walking the narrow sidewalks of Bar Harbor and past the cottages with their white picket fences, the smell of the salty air, all brought me back to a time of my younger days of exploring my own hometown port. And the sights and sounds stimulated my every senses beyond all description.

There were elements of this sea coast town that were not familiar to me such as the jagged rocky edges where the land meets the waters edge, and the tide lines that were more than twice the marks of my home town port.
The air was cool, the sun was shining bright in a clear blue sky, and as I stared at the mighty Atlantic Ocean I saw the face of an old familiar friend staring back at me.
And so I spoke aloud and said; "Hello, do you remember me"?