Where in Maine?
It didn't take me more than a few seconds to identify your April mystery photo after I noticed the beautiful azaleas of the Asticou Azalea Garden, on Mount Desert Island. Growing up, my family and I lived about two hours from this very spot, but we loved Acadia so much that we would volunteer there in the summers, doing trail work and hiking mountains. After our long hikes, it was refreshing to come down and walk around the Azalea Garden, learning about the many different plants and species in this great area of Maine. Last year, my mother and I went to Japan and saw the Japanese garden that was the inspiration for the Azalea Garden, and we were amazed at just how similar the two gardens are.


Of course the Asticou Azalea Garden in Northeast Harbor is spectacular when the azaleas are in bloom but, in truth, it is a delightful place to visit whenever it is open. Every section of the walk brings forth a special delight, from the ever-changing pond to the serene beauty of the sand garden. Taking some time to sit on one of the benches in quiet reflection never fails to awaken our senses to the wonders around us.

My husband and I visit Mount Desert Island often throughout the year, enduring a five-hour automobile drive because we feel there is no beauty like Mount Desert Island. Last October I ran my first marathon on MDI and was ever so happy to see the beautiful fall colors in Asticou Garden, since it was about the halfway point of the very long but spectacular 26.2 miles.

Great Homes, Indeed
Great job on your March House & Garden Issue. I confess to approaching it with some trepidation, fearing it might be another Better Homes & Gardens depiction of the state that few see and even fewer can relate to. But your editor's note was an interesting juxtaposition of simple choice in an issue dedicated to complex buildings. The article about modular housing was informative and fascinating; you've put a new spin on the viability of modular.

I have been a Down East subscriber off and on for twenty years, receiving the publication when posted to Hong Kong, Tokyo, London, and now Toronto. The magazine has never looked better - you've introduced some serious journalism and in doing so have moved the publication from being a decorating device in the guest room to the big table in the library.

Bangor Fire
You closed your April issue with a good picture from the great Bangor fire of 1911. All the observations in the article are correct except the occupation of the Brewer man who was killed when the Morse-Oliver building, at the corner of State and Exchange streets, collapsed. John Scribner was a seventy-year-old Brewer shoemaker who was a spectator at the fire, not a firefighter. The Brewer firefighter who died in the line of duty was George Abbot, who perished when the chimney collapsed at a house on Penobscot Street during the same fire.

Best of Maine
Congratulations on your January "Best of Maine" issue. Within your list, I found many of my own personal favorites - Morse's Sauerkraut, Primo, Andrew's Pale Ale, L.L. Bean, and the Common Ground Fair - as well as some new treasures to discover, like Marden's, Liar's Corner, 72 Layer Cream Cheese Biscuits, Tommy's Park, and Sargent Pond. I certainly won't argue with any of your picks, as another truth about Maine is that everyone has an opinion - and they're entitled to it. I will, however, take you up on your invitation to send you picks for other "Best of Maine" suggestions. The editors should add another category: Maine wines. Currently there are at least eleven winemakers in Maine, and within the next year these ranks will swell by five additional wineries. Some of these winemakers are former farmers who have converted their land to vineyards, others are trained vintners who have brought their talents to Maine. All share a love for Maine and producing fine wines.


Port Clyde Getaway
Your April article about fifteen small-town getaways failed to tell your readers that Port Clyde boasts not one, but two hostelries: across the road from the Ocean House Hotel stands the equally venerable and old-fashioned Seaside Inn bed-and-breakfast, comfortably refurbished and re-opened a couple of years ago under warm and hospitable new ownership. Since your article failed to mention the Seaside Inn, I contacted them and was reassured to learn that they will indeed be in operation for the summer season.

Looking for Loonies
I beg to differ with Jennifer Lunden when she says Maine doesn't have any loonies ["North by East," April 2008]. If Canada is so great, why are our border towns so full of Canadians on a daily basis, working and shopping? I, for one, do not want to be a part of Canada. She can always move there if she thinks it's so great.

CORRECTION
Our May "Where To Eat Now" article misstated Leslie Oster's position at Aurora Provisions in Portland. Oster is the manager, while Marika Green is the owner. The magazine apologizes for the error.