Features
Flower Bed Time
The way you put your garden to bed will determine the wonders you’ll see when springtime wakes it up again. By: Rebecca Martin Evarts. Photography by: Benjamin Magro
Signs of the Time
When it comes to giving directions, Mainers are masters of misdirection — sometimes unintentionally so. Anyone who has traveled around the Pine Tree State has had the experience of being stopped short by a sign along the road. Here are ten of our favorites.
In the Line of Duty
Few people fully understand, or appreciate, the role that Maine’s Warden Service plays in safeguarding the state’s natural resources. By: Rob Sneddon
A Creative Oasis
Off the beaten track but not quite off the map, Blue Hill has attracted and produced a community of artists and artisans. By: Kim Ridley
A Mountain, A Town, The World
Topography shapes history in the Blue Hill area. By: Susan Hand Shetterly
Dahlov
Once known as the daughter of Marguerite and William Zorach, Dahlov Ipcar, of Georgetown, has become one of Maine’s preeminent — and perhaps its most beloved — artists. Photography by: Benjamin Magro
The Tooth Angels
An RV carrying a dedicated team of hygienists travels from school to school on a mission to bring dental care to some of the state’s neediest children.
Maine’s Wild West
The surprisingly cosmopolitan town of Bethel sits at the center of one of the state’s great natural wonders. By: Virginia Wright. Photography by: Sara Gray
Eat Portland
Down East’s Guide to Good Eating in Greater Portland.
Delicious Situation
A discerning chef can find everything necessary for a scrumptious meal close at hand in the Blue Hill region. By: Brooke Dojny
Departments
Where in Maine?
Have you ever been to this happening harbor? Photography by: Sue Anne Hodges
Get Your Gambies
Who doesn’t love cute Maine-themed baby clothes? Whether you’re clothing your own little person or looking for a gift that imparts a little piece of the Pine Tree State, the folks at Gambies (207-837-3288, www.gambies.com), based in Bath, have got you covered. These 100 percent cotton hooded gowns made in the U.S. feature silk-screened designs from lobster and crabs to whales and moose.
Letters to the Editor
Read what our readers have to say about Maine. Photography by: Alan Lavallee
Odd Fellows
Being different was a barrel of laughs (and apples) in Belfast in 1894. By: Joshua F. Moore
Return of the Iron Horses
As passenger rail expands in Maine, what should travelers expect to happen? By: Colin Woodard
Mourning Memories
A debut novel chronicles one man’s navigation of life and loss on Mount Desert Island. By: Agnes Bushell
Island Hopping
Navigating the Maine Island Trail Association’s (207- 761-8225) 185 island and coastline sites spanning over 375 miles just got a whole lot easier. This membership organization provides stewardship of these public and private coastal sites and is dedicated to helping boaters enjoy them responsibly. Just this year MITA made its twenty-two-year-old paper guide available online.
Editor’s Note
When the Maine Warden Service approached Down East last year in the hope we might consider running an article commemorating its 130th anniversary, game wardens had no idea that this magazine’s editor was writing a book in which one of their number would figure prominently. In fact I had been following the work of Maine game wardens closely for more than a decade and needed no persuading. I think it surprised Colonel Joel Wilkinson that I embraced the idea. By: Paul Doiron
The Town Graveyard
A Thomaston resident recalls her days growing up among the gravestones. Photography by: Jennifer Baum
North by East
Something fishy in Whiting, a Portland pub stirs up its own witch’s brew, a row over lobster roe, and more.
A Taste of Somalia
Lewiston cops aren’t the only fans of the Taste of Three One Café and its culinary influences. By: Peter Smith. Photography by: Benjamin Magro
Briefly Noted
Down East’s blockbuster Making Whoopies: The Official Whoopie Book by Nancy Griffin tells you absolutely everything you need to know about this Maine delicacy — where it came from, where to get it, and even how to make a few of your own. But if you’ve fallen for the portable cakes, then you’ll need the perfect companion to Making Whoopies. Whoopie Pies (Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California; Hardcover; 120 pages; $16.95) is filled with two-dozen cake and two dozen filling recipes.