Signs of the season - Smoothie Shack reopens

Looking for relief and a sweet treat after a long ride to Maine? Pull over at the pineapple flag, just past the Union Street/Elm Street stop sign crush. Alicia's adorable Smoothie Shack awaits serving up incomparably thick, fruit-packed smoothies of perfect consistency. (She cites the machine and the quality ingredients for making the difference.) Freshly prepared wraps are also available. If you want to do more than grab and go a picnic table and a few chairs are available for lunch in the sun.

Sweet Alicia recommends Tropical Breeze to an indecisive customer

Owner/chef knows her audience. Tropical breeze is a hit.

Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda

Still feeling glib over our El Camino post that ran before Maine. The Magazine. (Birchwood Motel, so on the pulse!) Rockland is featured in their "48 hours in" section. So great. Seemed tumbleweeds blew down historic Main Street when we first arrived. Now vibrant, aliveRockland celebrates the best of Maine and remains a favorite local place to visit, stroll, dine, enjoy.

Urbanite roots foster our passion for finding the local latest greatest and sharing this with our guests. Lest Maine. The Magazine ever scoop us, here's a list of posts we had intended, but just didn't get to, in 2009:

supplier to top restaurants and the place to call for air-shipped seafood. Jess's...THE FRESHEST.

Jess's Market

Sheepscot Valley Brewing Company

Sweetgrass Winery

June marks the start of Gin & Tonic season – Sweetgrass Winery's Back River Gin or nothing!

Farmer's Fare

Willow Street Bake Shop

Suzuki's Sushi Bar

Tableside pickles keep us busy during the short lunch wait at Morses'

Morse's Sauerkraut

Chase's

Three Tides

Boyton & McKay

Add those to your return list, Anthony Bourdain. Your first Maine visit is a charmer but you just scratched the itch. Next up – Common Ground Fair. Some lamb kabob, a little cardamom ginger ice cream, arts & crafts, music, ag fair stuff with a twist...this 32 year strong scene put the loco in locavore, being seriously into local, green and organic way before it was cool. Call us, Tony. (But maybe leave Zimmern at home.)

loofas are grown from a gourd...who knew?

Foodies, artists, outdoor enthusiasts and other kinds of hipsters know choosing the Birchwood means a comfy bed, a wicked clean room and waking up with change in your wallet so you can indulge in more of Midcoast. Our loverly view, light breakfast and good, strong locally-roasted coffee (fair-trade, organic!) included each morning is just a bonus.

Hey, Maine. The Magazine – don't get scooped again...it's not too late to write us up!

A Love Note on Perseverance?

Happy Anniversary, Kimi and Pat. Twenty years ago the first of our close friends wed. Boy they were young but all knew it was a good match. Now time proves it.

Pear blossoms in honor of the bride

Kimi's post today to her husband, "Thanks for sticking it out with me." really resonates. For one, it echos my mother's steady lifelong refrain – "98% of life is just sticking it out." And lately – maybe it's the state of the world or maybe just midlife – I'm feeling we could all use a reminder to ride the wave because a lot of beauty can come from seeing things through.

Fedco apple began as a spindly little thing but look at her now!

Hoping for blooms next year.

My garden – where it is all about perseverance (remember 2009 and six weeks of rain?) – tells me this, too. Fruit trees planted a few years ago are blooming for the first time! The raspberries and blueberries look incredibly promising. Asparagus, always intended but never accomplished, is finally in. But it will be several years of love and care (and weeding and frustration) until there is any harvest.

Sweet as a peach, my Eric. Guess what his favorite fruit is?

Reliance, Maine grown, bears early. Fedco Trees

And what about my own dear husband and partner? Beyond his smile and friendly nature, there comes his incredible persistence. His favorite quote is "the race goes not only to the swift but to those who keep on running." Creating our own vision for Birchwood Motel is a thrilling path we follow together. Thank you my dear for always encouraging us to run on.

Fingers crossed. Raspberries coming back strong.

Eight varieties provide berries for continental breakfast.

And thanks, too, to our loyal guests. We are blessed and honored to share our beautiful spot in Camden, Maine with you. When you return each year or pass a kind word about staying here to another, it is the greatest of compliments.

So thanks, Kimi and Pat, Mom, family, our beautiful garden and our wonderful guests for reminding me of what's important.

Big things in small packages

Two wonderful packages came my way that warm my small business-loving heart. First, my dear mother sent us some Easter treats from our favorite chocolatier, Harbor Candy Shop in Ogunquit — a must-stop on your next trip through Maine.

dark and milk chocolate non-pareils. guess how long they lasted?

Second was soap. I regularly purchase my soap from local makers right here in Midcoast Maine (Trillium and Sisters — check out their soap eggs!). But Facebook recently reunited me with a soap-making friend from my childhood. CATSOCO is her small family business in the foothills of the Catskills with a mission to "keep the Earth clean one body at a time!" Annie included a few extra treats with my order. My fave — "soul cleanser." The punniness made me smile as did my long, soothing soak.

This is "soap the way it should be" with soothing natural fragrance and a luscious lather that leaves your skin feeling great. Unlike commercial brands I've used in the past, small batch soap lasts longer and lathers all the way through the bar. Its long-lasting quality cancels out any additional expense. Besides, your skin is an organ, treat it well! Use natural soap.

"Soul cleanser" and other soapy goodness from CatSoCo

P.S. Birchwood Motel is now on Facebook. We'd be honored if you'd become a fan and spread the word.

Nothing like a great neighbor

Welcome Dot's Market, our new neighbors up the road from Birchwood Motel. We certainly felt welcome today when we stopped by to pick up lunch.

The woman at the counter was so lovely, informed and helpful it was hard to believe she wasn't the owner. The owner, Melissa — also working the counter — was equally engaging.

Eric enjoyed a grilled panini, Miss e crafted her own sandwich from selections off the colorful chalk board and I opted for a pre-made sandwich (which tasted as though it had just been prepared). We're talking quality oven-roasted meats, homemade flavored mayonnaise, fresh veggies, artisanal breads.

Stop in not just for lunch but for other prepared foods, great coffee, decadent baked goods, artisanal cheeses, beer, wine and soft drinks. While foods are made to go, there are a few tables where you can enjoy your treats in their open beautiful space.

Better check it out now. Come summer business should be so brisk it may be hard to make it in the door.

you know me by now...have to showcase the sweet stuff!

Love at first bite

Fetching Eric from Portland Jetport yesterday offered the chance for some casual exploring and a good dinner out. Airport trips usually mean a return through Portland. But then I saw a feature on South Portland in the latest issue of Maine. The Magazine. Huh? You mean the stretch of strip malls and chain stores off I-95 always purposely avoided?

Really most of this trip took us through serene Cape Elizabeth. Monster well-kept homes, lovely parks, folks outfitted to perfection to project a "living the simple life" image. This was a pleasant drive with a few stops along the way at state oceanside parks.

But the trip highlight lay 30 minutes to the north – dinner at El Camino in Brunswick. Cal-Mex, if you need a description. To me, food this fresh, thoughtfully prepared and fairly priced should only be labeled sublime.

First stop Red's Dairy Freeze – Since 1952! (Ice cream is always the first stop of any decent trip.) We went because Maine. The Magazine told us to and because they uniquely offer 10 soft-serve flavors.

Coffee soft serve – fun to veer from classic twist

Burning off the cone at Crescent Beach State Park, Cape Elizabeth

Portland Head Light in the immaculate and peaceful Fort Williams Park, Cape Elizabeth

puppy paesan – mini Roxy meets a standard along the seashore dogwalk

Time warp: Dining Room or Lounge entrance? Your choice into El Camino. Half expected to see a cigarette machine.

Divine Papusas – thick, tamale-like corn tortillas, one filled with fresh cheese the other with chorizo. Topped with cabbage and indescribably toothsome green and red sauces. Photoshopped in the hearts to declare my love to all.

Doughnut obsession continues

It's a fall ritual – first breakfast out after closing for the season is always at Chase's Daily in Belfast. My usual: Scrambled Tofu Breakfast Tacos, Peach Smoothie, coffee. This time out something new, at least to me, appeared in the baked goods case – handmade jelly doughnuts! Thick, obviously homemade strawberry or raspberry jam nested in a puff of dough, dusted with sugar. Not the standard 21st century glop. Call ahead. It took 3 more trips until I scored. This visit Eric drew the long straw and got the only strawberry. I was left with apple, a fine second.

Chase's Doughnut + Caldwell Farms Milk = Joy