Kitchen Update

The kitchen is almost complete! At least done enough for a party!!!
Jennifer, oldest daughter now living Manhattan, came home for the first time in 5 months. She of course has seen pictures of the kitchen work in progress, but seemed impressed with her mother and sisters handwork in person.
So a BBQ was hosted Thursday with family from both or all sides of our family (Wilbur's & Craig's), some new friends, old friends and great food!
Did I mention in the past that we all cook? The 3 of us all have worked in the food industry all our lives, so......

Tiffany cooked most of the BBQ starting on Wednesday night when she cut 8 or 10 whole chickens in 1/2, de-boned them and made a couple of different rubs to marinate in overnight and put a big pot of bake beans in the cast iron dutch oven to cook over night.

Jennifer peeled a ton of 'tators for salad, while planning the rest of the menu. Lists were made of food to buy and things to do…. and cleaning and more cleaning was done Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

We also made Portabella mushrooms with homemade Garlic Sausage (from P&L Market), Brochette, fresh veggie platter,cheese and crackers, homemade dips, etc for Hors d'Oeurves, Rizotto salad with fiddle heads, coleslaw, and a big 'ole bucket of drinks.
I had picked up a new power washer Tuesday (yippee) from Snow's Saw Shop (1500 psi) and the girls set out cleaning the deck and power washing. Of course for Courtney (my unofficial 3rd daughter) and I had to work in the office thru most of the cleaning, but by the time they got done, the deck and lawn area looked great and we got a lot of work done in the office 


The girls set up tables on the lawn "Martha Stewart a la Dexter" style, with 2 saw horses and a heavy wood door. We had a smaller door that was transformed into the buffet table and chairs were set out for outside dining. Jen went down to my Dad's to pick some fresh rhubarb for cobbler (her sister made) and Dad picked some awesome apple blossoms for our tables. We serve the Hors d’Oeurves on the deck and food on the lawn.

Well anyway, it was a nice time and to get back to the kitchen, when night fall was descending we all gathered around the new island in the new red kitchen to tell tales and such.

It was a great way to break in the new digs, with great food, even better company and my girls home together!

Harry Hog & Birds

I have a new visitor/resident in my backyard. Harry, a cute little ground hog.
In all the years I have lived here, I don't recall a ground hog in my backyard, although my Dad down the hill has had his share. Harry seems to like being looked at. He watches me as I watch him out my office window.

Okay, so your thinking, ground hogs are not very good to have around, especially when you have gardens. True, but I can't quite picture myself getting out the shotgun and ....... So the next best thing right now is enjoy the cute little creature. When my gardens are all dug up this summer, I may have to rethink the situation.

Also new to the neighborhood this week, Red Breasted Grosbeaks. I have had lots of grosbeaks, but these are so pretty. The boys that is. The girls are the same size, brown in color, like so many of the other bird species; the ladies are dull colored and the men get all the brilliant colors. Have you ever wondered why in the human world, it is just the opposite???

Speaking of birds, my daughter Tiffany has focused her carpentry interests (evening hours) into building bird unique houses. She has been Googling bird houses, sizes, types, what birds are looking for etc.
Another good resource is www.DIYnetwork.com for birdhouse projects and gardening projects.


This bird house is her first prototype which I am keeping. Simple and straight forward with a removable bottom for cleaning after each season.

Each birdhouse has a different look and with each one built they get more elaborate. She is building them with scrap wood left over from her day job and whatever she can scare up from my various wood piles. They are very CUTE!
Stop by the Snap of the Dragon www.SnapOfTheDragon.com (see post below) where she is selling her birdhouses and other wooden products we are working on. (Limited quantities at this time :)

New Nursery

On Sunday, I worked at my friends new nursery (flower that is)! Darlene of the Dragon's Den has now opened "Snap of the Dragon, a dream we began talking about last spring/summer.
Darlene and I are part of the Green Thumb Society for the past few years, doing the flowers on Dexter's Main Street, and gardens.


Last year in the spring we poured over flower magazines, online website and even Ebay for new and different flowers and plants for downtown barrels and now she has put that energy into her new nursery.

If you know Darlene, you know she is ingenious when it comes to 'budget on a shoestring'! This woman can and does make great things out of what others throw away. That is one of the things I admire about her the most, other than her incredible work ethic. She never stops, like the energizer bunny! She was recycling before it was cool. This is the queen of recycling!!!! Her husband Greg, friend Jen and others have worked on creating a great family Greenhouse that has the usual fare of spring plants, perennials, culinary and medicinal herbs, Native Maine Flowers and next year plans even more.

So, on Sunday Mothers Day, I got to help with her opening, and also work in the Greenhouse. Now, if any of you have the "greenthumb bug", you will understand the immense joy I got in doing that!
The smell of damp potting soil, the heat of the greenhouse with the sun beating down on the plastic warming all those little plants that started as a seed such a short time ago and now are in various stages of growth.

I got to be creative with some plantings, repotting, and various other things, but the day just went by too fast.

It is fun to watch Darlene give the customers, browsers and visitors the "tour" from greenhouse to greenhouse and patch of plants to the next hanging basket. She isn't one for saying much about herself, but I can see the pride in her face.


So if you are on the Dexter Road in Corinna, stop by and say hi to Darlene at the new Snap of the Dragon at the Dragons Den.

Her hours are:
Monday through Friday 9 am to 5 pm
Saturday and Sunday 8 am to 5 pm

I have her website up and going at www.SnapOfTheDragon.com
Judy

Proud Daughter

Tonight my daughter Tiffany and I went to the Annual Wassookeag Snowmobile Club Landowner Appreciation Dinner.
The dinner was held at the new Lido's Restaurant (formerly TJ's) and it was a full house. President John Fogerty opened the festivities with awards, one of which was Landowner of the Year.


(Picture: Secretary Lynn McKusick, Dana Wilbur, President John Fogarty)

Hence "proud daughter"! My Dad, Dana Wilbur, was honored tonight with the distinction of being the 1st to be bestowed with this title. Dad, not only donated the land upon which the Clubhouse sits, but he has supported the club since its origin.
Back in the 1960's Dad built one of the first drags out of 2x4's and hauling it behind my mother's old Ski Doo Bombardier. Some of you might remember that sled was a 'heavy' double track "tank". Slow ... steady ... stable..... Hardly ever went off the trail but when it did, it was hell getting it out!!!
Dad would go out during the day and drag the local trails, long before anyone ever heard of "groomers" for a more pleasant ride. Remember those trails in the old days? So bumpy it would either put your back out or put it back in again!


Pictured: Frank Spizuoco, Business of the Year; Ray Bailey; Volunteer of the Year; Dana Wilbur, Land ower of the Year

Snowmobiling was something I think back on with fond memories. Many of my parents friends reminisce to this day about the night sled parties that always seemed to end up at our house on Number 10, with my mother (Mackie) serving up Oyster Stew. This kept me in babysitting jobs back than, because all the adults were out sledding.

Dad doesn't snowmobile anymore, although I think there is still a skeleton of a sled and old tracks around the farm somewhere.
Dad is more the "mountain bike" type now (really) at the age of 83.
Speaking of which, Up North Magazine just did a great feature of him in this months issue. Great magazine!!!!! and great article....
So, all in all, it was a proud evening with Dad receiving his "Landowner of the Year" award. Thanks Wassookeag Snowmobile Club for recognizing my Dad!

Wild West Weekend

Dexter Regional Development Corporation is pleased to announce the 2007 date for the 5th Annual Wild West Weekend as being the first weekend of August which falls on August 3rd, 4th and 5th.

DRDC held the first official WWW meeting on Tuesday, May 01st, 7 pm at the Brewster Inn to share ideas and suggestions. There were 23 people from the community as well as DRDC members who attended. There would have been more, but many contacted me who were either sick, on vacation or at other meetings. So I was happy with the attendance.

New Brewster Inn owners Mark & Judith Stephens, also new members of DRDC, are excited to get involved in our community, generously offered to host this public meeting and future wild west meetings.

There were lots of new and creative ideas for 2007 tossed around and DRDC hopes that you will be brainstorming with your staff, club members, etc to create great ideas.

Please let me know what your plans are to make your business, club, church or home "wildly" stand out. Also, please invite your business neighbors to participate. I have created an emailing list, but may not have everyones email address, so let me know if you want to be added to the Wild West email list.

Wild West Weekend has fast become an economic boost for area businesses, helped with fund raising, creating awareness for non-profits, and showcasing our variety of vendors.

We have been receiving calls from vendors, musicians and event planners since the end of last year and Q106.5 FM is booked for their annual live broadcast in 2007. So grab your partna' and join us at our next meeting (TBA) at the Brewster Inn.

If you would like more information, contact us anytime.

DRDC President Judy Wilbur Craig
judy@DexterMaine.com
Wild West Weekend Coordinator
(207) 924-3067

Apple Pruning Seminar

Courtney and I went to a great demonstration a week ago Saturday (April 28th) at Olmsted Orchard on Route 15 in Charleston. (By the way, Courtney works with me designing websites, but has become part of the family).

I have old trees in my yard that I remember as a child helping my Grandfather Homer Wilbur and great Uncle Mel, graft and prune. I want to bring those old trees back, so Courtney (who is always up for learning something new) decided to head on over to the free demo put on by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.

I thought there might be a dozen or so people there, but it turn out to be close to 40 or more.

Donna Lamb opened with Fertilize and Feed, Sprays and treatments and things like that. After about a 1/2 hour of great info, free donuts and coffee, we headed out into the orchard with Mr. Olmsted.

That man is a wealth of info. We covered what to prune, when to prune, how much to prune, what to prune with and on and on.....
The seminar last a couple hours but it was well worth it.

If you would like a copy of the email with info from the Olmsted's, just ask and I can send it along to you. Email judy@DexterMaine.com

Okay.. I lied.....

Yup, I said a couple of months ago I was going to be more diligent in blogging, but alas, I lied.
After reading my daughters blog today, I am ashamed. She does a great job and it is so interesting..... As does Holly with her Taylor Made Yorkies blog.
So hear goes, I am going to attempt it again.



A lot is happening lately and for the past month, my youngest daughter Tiffany and I have be renovating our kitchen. She is staying with me during the week, but is working with her Dad during the day doing carpentry in the area. But at night we have torn my kitchen apart!!! (she goes home to Portland on the weekends to see her friends, her "Little Sister" Maria and probably take a break from me :)

It all started with, a faucet needed to be replace. Next thing I knew, the 28 year old wallpaper was off the walls and holes being cut in the walls.
All the cupboard doors & drawers were taken off (her grandfather, Cleo Craig, custom built them when we built the house 28 years ago. Tiffany then sanded them down to fresh wood and put new varnish on! WOW

Then came the creativity. I watch HGTV, DIY and all those home improvement shows religiously. SOOOOOOO, of course we had to use tile, accent tile, kewl lights and paint, etc.

We installed new track lighting with pendant lights hanging over the island and no one got shocked in the process!
I choose a Tamale Red paint for the walls... that was a big bold choice, but now I am totally please with the outcome.
Home Depot opened their arms for us on a Thursday evening! We arrived with our wish list, dimensions, and questions from the helpful crew, and proceeded to load the cart with 12 X 12 tile, accent tiles, pendant lights, under counter tube lighting, grout, sandpaper, well you get the picture....
But of course I also bought lots of stuff from our own local stores, Tillson True Value and Dexter Lumber. We are on a tight budget and did a lot of comparison shopping and local was very competitive. Mostly we got things in Bangor that were not available in Dexter (more variety).

Of course, we forgot some of the most important part of the track lighting, so Courtney and I made a mad dash to Home Depot again on Sunday to get that piece and pick up more "stuff". When we got home Tiff has a assembly line of doors and drawers in the yard, sanding and varnishing.



So now going on the 4th week of working nights and weekends on this project, we can see the end of the tunnel. There is still lots more to do, LOTS of dust to clean, and baskets and cookware to find homes for. But thats another story.

It is amazing what a couple of women can do, when you put your mind to it!! "Woman Power" Plus, it is satisfying to be doing it with my daughter! Projects like this can make or break a mother/daughter relationship and thank goodness it worked out for the best :)