One of the things on my list of goals this year is to donate to 12 different organizations in Maine. And well, yesterday we were finally able to drive up to Camp Sunshine to drop off our donation.
Camp Sunshine has a wish list posted online and since I pretty much love all things arts and crafts, I chose to donate pipe cleaners and googly eyes. 9,000 pipe cleaners and 3,000 googly eyes to be exact. I hope that was enough to get them through this summer. 😉
But you know what they say, half the fun is getting there…
It seems like these days most garbage trucks have mechanical arms on them to grab the bins… But not in the lakes region. The truck we were behind had some guy hanging off the end of it going 50 mph for at least a mile long stretch. Yikes!
Hawkes Plaza. I have no idea what it is {or was} but man, they sure don’t make signs like that anymore. And I wish they did.
When I got out to take a photo of the sign there was a half smoked ciggy on the ground. Aren’t cigarettes like $10 a pack?
Whenever I think of cigarettes {which isn’t often} I always think of that line from Bridget’s Jones’s diary when she says she’s just going to pop to the shop for a pack of ciggys. And I have no idea why.
Eagle sushi. Hmm. I don’t even like sushi but I’m pretty sure if I did, I wouldn’t want to try sushi with eagle in it. It has good reviews on the Google though… So maybe it’s a thing?
Camp Sunshine! What a beautiful place!!
After dropping off our donation to the front desk, we walked around the grounds for a minute. I loved all the flowers they had planted and raised garden beds. What a happy place. And I love that Camp Sunshine is 100% free for families who have children with life-threatening illnesses.
After Camp sunshine we popped by The Good Life Market to pick up some things for lunch. If you are going to be anywhere near Raymond, Maine this summer, you’ll want to put this place on your list.
They have EVERYTHING you’d need from a quick bite to ready made sides, salads, dinners, groceries… You name it. They even have pie!
And cheese. Lot’s of glorious cheese!
I took a chance and grabbed a container of their pickled horseradish beets and whoa Nellie they were good! Now comes the hard part, trying to recreate them. 🙂
It was a good date day. Now we’ve just got to keep busy for the next 5 weeks while we wait to move into our next place. Maybe we should just pretend that we’re tourists visiting the great state of Maine. That could be fun.
Is there any place in Maine you’d like to visit? Maybe we’ll go and check it out for you.
Have a great weekend everyone, I hope it’s a good one.
~Mavis
Holley says
Being a tourist for five weeks sounds like a “tough” job, but I think you’re up to the task!
Christie says
Thank you for highlighting the amazing organization of Camp Sunshine. I had not idea a place like this existed! What an awesome opportunity for a family to reconnect in a fun and relaxing way.
Lesley says
The different-sized doors at Camp Sunshine are spectacular!
(Surely a patisserie tour of southern Maine is in order for the next 5 weeks!)
Mavis Butterfield says
We loved the doors too! So sweet. 🙂
Pauline in Upstate NY says
Totally off-topic here… What kind of shoes are you wearing?? They look so comfortable!
Mavis Butterfield says
ALTRA Women’s Lone Peak 7 Trail Running Shoe in Blue. Great if you need a wider toe box. Here is the link: https://amzn.to/3Vnhaum
peg says
I love my Altras! Do you own any other shoes that are similar? Zero drop is mostly what I’m looking for.
Amanda says
I love my Altras, but also wear vivobarefoot. They tend to have thinner soles though.
J in OH-IO says
I was going to ask the same question! I am looking for a wider toe box and cross trainer stability/cushion. My big toe usually ends up poking through the fabric so I am trying to find a shoe that has reinforcement in the toe area. If anyone has some suggestions- thanks for the information.
Annette says
I’ve heard of attaching a piece of duct tape inside to the top of the shoe, where your toenails go.
Sandra says
This store has wide shoes in many different styles SAS shoes
https://www.sasshoes.com/womens-shoes/options-ww/
I hope this helps
Suzanne says
My HH and I both love the Altra shoes as well. It’s been our go to tennis shoe for many years. Have you been to Camden or the Coastal Maine botanical gardens?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! Been to Camden a bunch of times {really crowded} And we’ve been to the gardens twice. https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/gardens-aglow-maine-botanical-gardens/ and https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/coastal-maine-botanical-gardens-trolls-and-a-childrens-garden/
Katelyn says
We’re dying to go hiking with corgis at Corgi Bliss in Penobscot. I mean, what could be more fun??
Honeybee says
Please please please take a hike with the corgis!
sandy says
WAIT! What? Corgi Bliss?? I have to book a flight-or better yet-drive from CA, my two corgis are way over the fly under the seat limit. I cannot think of anything better!!! My boys, Miles & Owen would be over the moon with smiles…and their Mum as well. Thanks for the tip!
Linda J says
Five weeks to explore Maine? I spent the summers of 2018 and 2019 in Maine and daydream about returning all of the time! I would split my time between the Southwest Harbor area where I would eat lobster every day at Beal’s Lobster Pier, then head over to the Schoodic Peninsula area to explore all the lovely beach communities and the quieter portion of Acadia National Park, and finally to the Moosehead Lake area to soak up the lake vibes. Greenville is a charming little town by the lake and Lily Bay State Park is just up the road, if you like to camp.
Whatever you choose to do, have a great time!
Sarah says
Thank you for making the time to bring your donations to Camp Sunshine! It is a remarkable resource for families (and hitting The Good Life is pretty fabulous too)!
Ashley says
When I was a kid my dad would take us to the tourist rest stop areas where they have hundreds of brochures. My brother and I would pick out any that looked good and we would try to do as many of them as possible. It was such a a fun way to be a “tourist” in our own back yard!
Em says
I love this idea
Sue says
If I had five weeks to explore Maine, one thing I would do is go to Harborside to check out the Good Life Center (different from the Good Life Market — guess there’s lots of Good Life in Maine!). It’s all about the legacy of Scott and Helen Nearing. (website goodlife dot org) They were amazing back-to-the-landers and teachers!
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! We’ve been to Four Seasons Farm with is right down the road. I love that area! https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/four-seasons-farm-eliot-coleman-barbara-damrosch/
Brenda says
Try Zephyr Ice in Portland. The owner makes all the ice cream and comes up with some funky flavors.
Linn D. says
Mavis,
We went to brunch at The Sinful Kitchen in Portland, Maine. The food was amazing. I hope you can try it out.
https://www.thesinfulkitchen.com
Mavis Butterfield says
Totally putting that place on our list! The eggs benedict!!! Wowoza.
Wendy M says
I have a good friend who volunteers as camp nurse at Camp Sunshine. Such a great organization! Thank you for donating there!
Kathy says
Have you been to Acadia National Park? That would be a great place to check out. I’ve always wanted to go.
Mavis Butterfield says
We haven’t been to Acadia National Park yet!!! Great idea. We’d probably go in hte fall thoguh when it’s not so crowded.
Jamie Weaver says
Crazy idea. Buy tickets to the UK for two weeks!
Pamela Sheppard says
Its interesting … where I live has both types of trash/garbage trucks still. The mechanical arm one for the weekly pick-ups. The old type, with guys hanging off the back, comes around every few weeks to pick up any large items that people have put out by the street or curb. That is whatever is left after the trash pickers have gone around to nab their “treasures”. Two weeks ago we put a long unused, not even sure if it worked treadmill out by the street mid day. Shortly after dark it had already been harvested!
DebbieB says
For anyone into classical music Bowdoin College in Brunswick has the International Music Festival, a series of summer concerts. When my niece was in college she worked there two summers helping to produce the concerts. I visited her there and while I didn’t get to go to any of the concerts I did visit the concert hall.
https://www.bowdoinfestival.org/
Erin says
We’re headed to the Schoodic side of Acadia late this summer & I can’t wait! We visited MDI/Bar Harbor in March 2022 & fell in love with the area. Schoodic in the summer is supposedly hardly any crowd, so I’m excited to see more of the area without the summertime crowds. And we’ll probably take a day trip drive up to Quoddy Head Light since we’ll be so close. We’re staying at a place called Bluff House Inn. Hopefully it’s as nice as the photos!
And I saw someone recommended Sinful Kitchen in Portland – I second that recommendation. It’s really delicious & such great people working there (although we like the food at St. Joe’s Cafe better).
Carolina Cooper says
Have you been out to Monhegan Island? It has been a favorite place of ours for 5 generations. You can take a boat from Boothbay Harbor, New Harbor or Port Clyde. There are daytripper visits but you can also spend the night. It is the farthest out of the islands and has great walking trails. If you have not been…I think you would enjoy it. Early June is a great time to go as it is not crowded yet. Check it out!
Dianne Labadie says
I had to laugh. We still have the garbage trucks that one man hangs off the end. He then rolls the trash bin to the truck and physically lifts it onto the lift.
I really like the tennis shoes you are wearing. Looks like they have a nice foot box, which I love. What brand are they? Would you recommend for walking shoes?
Mavis Butterfield says
ALTRA Women’s Lone Peak 7 Trail Running Shoe in Blue. Great if you need a wider toe box. Here is the link: https://amzn.to/3Vnhaum
Linda says
I would love to visit to Dunnet Landing, Maine, but it is a fictional town in The Country of the Pointed Firs, written by Sarah Orne Jewett. Now, you have time to read it and recreate the horseradish beets.
Practical Parsimony
Cherilyn P says
Hi Mavis,
I was going to suggest Acadia but see that someone has already. It’s beautiful! I thought that since you are now in Southern Maine, maybe you could visit the Poland Spring Museums. If you want to step out of Maine for a bit, the Plimoth Patuxet Museums in Plymouth MA is an awesome place to visit.
Cherilyn Perkins says
Hi Mavis,
I also vote for Acadia! Since you mentioned that you’re in southern Maine, you may want to visit the Poland Springs Museum. If find yourself in Massachusetts, I highly recommend the Plimoth Patuxet Museums!
Susan says
We really enjoyed visiting and learning about the Shaker community at Sabbathday Lake. A beautiful setting with gardens, buildings, etc. it looks like there are lots of interesting events there. https://www.maineshakers.com/