June 17, 5-6:30 p.m. Wine Tasting, featuring local wines and mead, Cafe Nomad, 450 Main Street, Norway. FMI: 207.739.2249, www.facebook.com. June 17, 8 p.m. Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek, vocalist, fiddler, guitarist and songwriter, $20, dinner available beforehand by reservation, Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695, Dugway Road, Brownfield. FMI: 207.935.7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com. June 17-20, 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m Sunday, "Bus Stop" by William Inge, presented by the Oxford Hills Music and Performing Arts Association, $10/adults, $8/students and seniors (55+), Norway Grange, 15 Whitman  Street, Norway. FMI: www.ohmpaa.org. June 18-20, 9 a.m. Friday to noon, Sunday, Pleasant Mountain Fiber Arts Workshop, Sharon Costello, nationally known felter is featured fiber artist, f... 07/01/2010

May 13, 7:30 a.m. Guided Bird Walk with naturalist Jean Preis, sponsored by the Lakes Environmental Association, $5/person, free/LEA members, Brownfield Bog, Bog Road, Brownfield. FMI: 207.647.8580, www.mainelakes.org. May 13-16, 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2:00 p.m Sunday, "Grease," the musical, directed by Michael Hjort with musical direction by Allen Thomas and choreography by Robyn Lamarre, $18/adults, $16/students and seniors, Schoolhouse Arts Center, 16 Richville Road (Route 114), Standish. FMI: 207.642.3743, www.schoolhousearts.org.May 14-16, 11 a.m. Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, 9th Annual Northern New England Home Garden Flower Show, featuring inspirational ideas for the home and garden, old-fashioned fair food and kiddie rides, slides and more, $8/adults, $6/seniors, $... 05/25/2010

May 6, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Exploring Mongolia by Horseback, slide show presentation by Polly Mahoney, registered Maine Guide and co-owner of Mahoosuc Guide Service, potluck dinner to follow, bring a dish to share, sponsored by Western Mountains Senior College, open to the public, Mahoosuc Mountain Lodge, 1513 Bear River Road, Newry. FMI: 207.824.2236, www.maineseniorcollege.org. May 7, 9 a.m. -5 p.m. Colorful Conceptions: Western Maine Art Group's Student Art Show, Lajos Matolcsy Art Center, 480 Main Street, Norway. FMI: 207.739.6161, www.thewmag.org. May 7, 10 a.m. Wildflower Walk with enthusiast Ursula Duve, site to be decided, meet at Lakes Environmental Association, 230 Main Street, Bridgton. FMI: 207.647.8580, www.mainelakes.org. May 7, 7:30 p.m. Talent Show, featuring people and live a... 05/25/2010

History abounds on Fryeburg's Lovewell Pond, in western Maine. Lovewell Pond was the site of a fight between native Americans and colonists in 1725, and a difference of opinion between the Nestle Corporation and town residents in more recent years. The battle of Pigwacket (Pequawket), known as "Lovewell's Fight," took place on May 8, 1725, on the shores of Saco Pond. The pond was later renamed for Captain John Lovewell of Dunstable, who commanded a company of 46 colonists. Both Captain Lovewell and Chief Paugus lost their lives in this fight. "The Scalp Hunters: Abenaki Ambush at Lovewell Pond-1725" by Alfred E. Kayworth and Raymond G. Potvin provides an historical look at events leading up to this epic battle. More recently, Nestle Corporation, which owns Poland Springs Bottling Compan... 12/09/2009

Aquatic invasive plant species are posing challenges to both government land and water management officials and local lake associations.  Both groups are fighting hard to hold the line against invasive species such as Euasian milfoil and hydrilla. Invasive aquatic plants drive out native species, foul boat propellers, ruin fish habitat, and make lakefront shoreline areas unuseable for any type of recreation. Informed lakefront property owners are the first line of defense. It is these folks who keep a sharp eye on the shoreline and report any suspicious looking aquatic weeds to either their local lake association or to the Maine State Bureau of Land and Water Quality. The State Bureau maintains a very informative website that will tell readers such things as how to identify an invasive ... 12/09/2009

It's Fair Week in Fryeburg, Maine! Known as Maine's Blue Ribbon Classic, the Fryeburg Fair is an 8-day agricultural fair held on 185 acres in the Saco River Valley. Gates open at 7 a.m. and night shows begin at 8 p.m. This year's night entertainment includes NewFound Grass, Heartland, Kristy Lee Cook, The Kokomo Beach Show and Jamey Johnson. The Fryeburg Fair has been a grand event for the last 159 years! It offers a piece of Americana that you shouldn't miss. What's more fun than watching kids show their sheep, men exclaim over the latest in log splitting equipment and women compete in the skillet throw. Yes, the skillet throw. And one of the winners this year was . . . Kim Hanauer of Durham, N.C. It was Kim's first ever skillet throw and she tossed it 62-feet, 9-inches!! That's a long... 10/15/2009

This year's edition of the Fryeburg Fair, Maine's Blue Ribbon Classic, kicks off this Sunday, October 4 with a horse show, sheepdog trials, and firemen's muster and ends next Sunday, October 11th, with a heifer show, a pig scramble, and harness racing. In between, every day is chock full of plenty to see and do. The headlining entertainment this year is Country Music Association-nominated singer Jamey Johnson. His four nominations are for Best New Artist, Single of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. Also performing at the Fair this week are Heartland, American Idol finalist Kristy Lee Cook, The Kokomo Beach Show, Bob Charest Band, and an evening of fiddling and bluegrass music. Each show performs free in front of the grandstand starting at 8 pm. Here are some of the high... 10/15/2009

Hemlock Bridge in Fryeburg, Maine, a covered bridge spanning the old course of the Saco River near Kezar Pond, is a quaint relic of the past. I first saw this bridge years ago, when I canoed up the old course of the Saco with friends. It's a woodworking masterpiece and a symbol of the pioneering spirit of the 19th century. Built in 1857 of Paddleford truss construction with supporting laminated wooden arches, Hemlock Bridge in Fryeburg is one of the few remaining covered bridges still in its original position. Peter Paddleford of Littleton, New Hampshire created this design by replacing the counter braces of the Long-style truss bridge, creating an unusually strong and rigid structure. Though reinforced in 1988 so you can still drive across, it's more fun to walk. Take time to admire th... 08/06/2009

Ever thought of flying to the Sebago Lakes Region? Oh, I don't mean flying into Portland, Maine, though that is doable. I mean getting a closer look at the lakes and mountains of western Maine by flying into Eastern Slope Regional Airport in Fryeburg. Eastern Slope Regional Airport is the outside world's connection to the Lakes Region and Mount Washington Valley. Though this 550-acre airport is tucked away, Eastern Slope Regional Airport is easy to access since it's less than three miles southeast of Fryeburg and just off Route 113 and near Lovewell Pond. Local residents and businesses own the forty airplanes housed there. People fly into and out of the airport for a multitude of reasons. Seventy-five percent of the traffic occurs during the summer months when chartered jets bring kids ... 06/29/2009

Even though we got pasted with a huge dump of snow a few days ago, I can say without reservation that spring is within sight. I have seen robins all winter long and a neighbor told me he saw a bluebird. Can spring be far behind? With spring comes the inevitable interest in buying a little piece of heaven - also known around here as Maine lakefront property. What everyone is asking me is "Have we hit the bottom yet?" My answer is unequivocal - "I don't know." What I do know is that lakefront properties around here have not been hit as hard as some properties in other areas of the country. They've come down, but not the 30%-40% you see in some places. We tend to moderation up here in Maine and I think a moderate approach to lakefront real estate is healthy - and warranted. If you're looki... 02/25/2009

Late summer and early fall brings with it the many agricultural fairs all over Maine. Here in the southern part of the state it starts in mid-summer with the North Waterford World's Fair, which is followed in September with the Cumberland Fair, the Common Ground Fair, and the Oxford County Fair. All have their attractions and are great fun to go to, but the biggest and best of all - indeed, "Maine's Blue Ribbon Classic" - is the Fryeburg Fair, which opens tomorrow, September 28th, and closes next Sunday, October 5th. What's your pleasure? Sheepdog trials and the Firemen's Muster kick things off tomorrow and begin a daily parade of fascinating displays of human and animal proficiencies the likes of which you will find no where else. Monday is always Woodsmen's Day where the chips will be... 10/01/2008