Christmas Event at the Stone Zoo in Boston

Lights, Camera, Reindeer!

Enjoy a holiday family gathering at the Stone Zoo in Massachusetts. Promenade through the paths of shimmering Christmas lights that enhance the natural ambiance of wildlife all around you. All admittance will be able to take part in naming the two newly adopted reindeer. Give your child or loved one this special gift and wonderful outdoors experience in New England. Make this a holiday to remember.

Stone Zoo Reindeer

As you wonder through the park you will be able to enhance your education, and learn more about the magical holiday spirits all around you. Gaze at the nearly extinct bald eagles, gray fox, and porcupines. Enjoy a visit to Santa Claus, and conclude your evening with a carousel ride and famous musical.

The Admission is $5 per person and free for children under the age of 2. Call 617-989-2000.

Unique Christmas Event at Mystic Seaport

The unseasonal warm weather may not have you in the Christmas sprit, but this New England holiday can always be special with the many events. The Lantern Light Tours at Mystic Seaport is one of those unique holiday attractions that can make your Christmas both entertaining and even educational. It’s a one hour walking performance tour (or play if you wish) that takes place Christmas Eve 1876. Here is description from their website followed by a video clip; “The Gardner family has struggled each Christmas since the War Between the States, when their beloved Captain Gardner was lost. No proof exists of his death, and for eleven years the family has wondered what happened to their father and husband. Join us on a journey through Greenmanville, a town hurt by war and healed by the hope and love of family.”

The cost is $26 for Adults and $19 for kids with a member discount of $2. If you haven’t been to the Mystic Seaport that too a step back in time of 1800’s New England whaling town.

Vermont Chapel for Dogs

I’m not a big dog lover but this story I found rather interesting and I may have to consider a trip here when visiting the Northern Kingdom.
After a new death experience this Vermont artist, Stephen Huneck, had a vision to build of all things a dog chapel. It would be a place “you could go to communicate with God about your dog” stated the artist. Not just for mourning the loss of man’s best friend but this artist hopes visitors will also contemplate and commemorate our unique human to canine relationship. So what’s different about this house of worship? Staying within the traditional 19th-century church Vermont country decor with two doors, one for women and one for men, but with his the artist added a dedicated dog door by the lower center portal. Decorated with matching raised panels and carved fan above the steeple with one of his “angel dogs”—a full-bodied sculpture, winged and gilded, of his Labrador retriever Sally.
This dog chapel is a must see for the a true dog lover as the funding to build it was from the sales of his art, and time to dedicate was between commissions. “I took any downtime I had and put it into that chapel,” he confesses. It opened in 2000 and now never closes. So if you are in the Saint Johnsbury Vermont area be sure to check out the chapel and his art gallery.

Sunrise Photo of Old Orchard Maine Pier

When winter falls in New England the character of the Oceanside towns changes faster then the autumn leaves. Businesses are shuttered and the snow blankets the town into a quiet sleep. With empty streets it’s a great time to grab a camera and capture the mood.

A Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Recipe and The 19th Annual Keene Pumpkin Festival – Keene, NH

The 19th Annual Keene Pumpkin Festival

For the last 16 years, downtown Keene has been painted in a palette of earthy orange hues for one weekend in October. In nearly 4 days (Saturday, October 17th, 2009),  about 70,000 people will crowd the streets of Keene, NH to see be a part of the festivities in the 19th Annual Keene Pumpkin Festival. Plenty of activities will be running such as concerts, pumpkin contests, pumpkin carving, craft and food vendors, pie eating contest, seed spitting contests, fireworks, and even two weddings! More than 800 helpful volunteers will donate their time and energy to make the festival a fun experience. Just a fun fact, the largest pumpkin ever displayed weighed in at a hefty 1,300 pounds by Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene and maybe this year there will be something even bigger so don’t miss it! Parking is $10 at the events lots and shuttle buses are $30 from the bus stops. Click here for more information on parking, directions, lodging and much more.

Want to cook with some fresh pumpkin rather than the canned for a change? Avoid field pumpkins, which are bred for perfect jack o’ lanterns: they tend to be too large and stringy for baking. Ask your grocer or farmer for sugar pie pumpkins or other flavorful varieties: small and sweet, with dark orange-colored flesh, they’re perfect for pies, soups, muffins and breads. A medium-sized (4-pound) sugar pumpkin should yield around 1½ cups of mashed pumpkin. This puree can be used in all your recipes calling for canned pumpkin.

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

“A deliciously moist and tangy cranberry pumpkin bread.”

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PREP TIME	15 Min
COOK TIME	1 Hr
READY IN	1 Hr 25 Min
Original recipe yield 2 – 8×4 inch loaves

SERVINGS

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Servings
US METRIC

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup egg substitute
• 1 (16 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray two 8×4 inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon and ground cloves in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside.
3. Mix the egg substitute, cranberry sauce, pureed pumpkin, vegetable oil and grated orange zest together. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just moistened. Pour batter into the prepared pans. Sprinkle the top of each loaf with the chopped nuts.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let loaves cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans. Can be made even lower in fat by substituting 1/3 cup applesauce for the 1/3 cup vegetable oil.

Newport, Rhode Island festival celebrating culture, food, music, and fun for 21 years at the Newport Yachting Center

A Taste of Rhode Island

Two days out of the year Newport, Rhode Island is the center of attention by celebrating their finest restaurants, arts and culture. The Stop & Shop Taste of Rhode Island brings together all the culture of Rhode Island that attract the travelers and keep the locals around, featuring dozens of Rhode Island’s favorite eateries, continuous live entertainment brought to you by Southwest Airlines, culinary demonstrations, games, contests, prizes, a Cookbook Corner and more! And best of all, there will be the top foods from all over the state in one little town. The festival is also host to the yearly New England Oyster Festival sponsored by American Mussel Harvesters. You won’t want to miss showing off your Rhody Pride at the 20th Annual Taste of Rhode Island at the Newport Yachting Center in Newport, Rhode Island.

Nearly a 10-minute walk off of Pelham Street is the Cliffside Inn whom is hosting a Coastal New England Wine Tour Package for Late Summer & Fall of 2009. They have joined together with the Coastal Vineyards of Southern New England to offer this package including: a top-pick bottle of both red and white regional wine (or one sparkling) selected by New England’s Coastal Winemakers; wine tasting and tour for two at the Coastal Winery of your choice; 10% savings at select wineries on purchases of three or more bottles; Coastal Wine Tour Guide and Vineyard Passport. Guests at the Cliffside Inn can add this wine package to any reservation for an additional $50. Call 401-847-1811 for more details.

New England attraction- A historic whale museum in Nantucket, Massachusetts

NHA’s Whaling Museum
Nantucket, MA

Back in 1846, a candle factory was built by the Mitchell family just shortly after Nantucket’s Great Fire. Less than two years later, two island businessmen put their mind and money together in keeping the candle factory running until the end of the island’s whaling era in the 1860s. The building remained a warehouse before it became the New England Steamship Company’s offices and then finally converted into the NHA’s Whaling Museum in 1929. Since then, it has been dedicated to the history of whaling and restored for prime exhibition space, a fully accessible rooftop observation deck overlooking Nantucket harbor, and the sperm whale skeleton. In 2008, the whaling museum received accreditation from the American Association of Museums, which only 22 other museums have been awarded across the nation. Inside the museum you’ll find a vast array of whaling artifacts and memorabilia, including longboats, harpoons, and scrimshaw, but the centerpiece is the complete skeleton of a 46-foot bull Sperm whale suspended from the ceiling. They’re only open for a short period of time: September 7-October 31 from 10am to 5pm for $15 a person and an extra $3 to see the other historic sites around the area (Hadwen House, Oldest House, Old Mill, and Quaker Meeting House).

A 46-foot skeleton of a sperm whale that washed ashore on New Year's Day in 1998

Learn the history of our nation’s inventors on The Historical Trail of Inventiveness in Connecticut

The Trail of Inventiveness

Many people seem to forget that Connecticut is a proud member of New England. Just like every other New England state, they’re filled with history at every corner you turn. The Trail of Inventiveness runs through Connecticut at the places where creativity blossomed and became a part of our history. The following places, if taken in order, begin at the New Haven area, and continue northward toward Hartford and then west into Litchfield. Start at the New Haven Green, where, in 1920, Yale students tossed empty pie plates from Mrs. Frisbie Pie, and invented the Frisbee. At Louis’ Lunch, in New Haven, enjoy a burger at the place where the hamburger was first made. Moving on, in the town of Hamden, visit the Eli Whitney Museum, honoring the inventor of the cotton gin. In the town of Cheshire, visit Lock 12, one of Farmington Canal’s original locks. The site includes a museum of the history of the waterway. In the town of Terryville, stop at the Lock Museum, devoted to locks that come on doors and safes. In nearby Bristol, visit the American Clock and Watch Museum. You’ll learn the history of Connecticut clockmaking and see 1,400 clocks and watches. In Hartford, stop at the Museum of Connecticut History to see the Colt Firearms Collection. Finish your tour in Manchester at the Cheney Homestead (1785), the birthplace of the brothers who founded the silk industry.

The Trail of Inventiveness

For exact directions and phone numbers click here.

The best, fresh produce from local farms in Camden Maine

Top three places to get local, fresh, and the best produce in Camden, ME in Knox County

1. Beveridge Farm

This farm has a vast variety of fresh produce picked every day offering vegetables, fruit, herbs, flowers, Fall decorations, grass, hay and wood. There’s a self-serve vegetable stand and custom bush hogging services. It’s located 2.2 miles on the left from intersection of Main Street and Rte. 52 (388 Turnpike Drive) in Camden, ME. For more information call 207-763-3596 or e-mail cherylbv@roadrunner.com.

2. Cappy’s Chowder House, Inc.

Cappy’s is a family owned restaurant and bakery with a variety of home-cooked products to take home with you. Grab a bite to eat on the harbor then bring back jam, dressings, clam chowder, a gift pack, T-shirt, or or any of the many other products they offer. Since 1979, Cappy’s has been serving up the best in town with a full bar, comforting atmosphere, harbor views, and not to mention their traditional Maine Clam Chowder. They’ll even host your next wedding, clambake party, corporate meeting, or whatever you’re looking for the bigger parties. Check out their website or e-mail cappyschowder@aol.com for more information on the restaurant, catering, their store, about Camden, and much more. Cappy’s Chowder House is located at 1 Main St. in the center of Camden, ME and can be contacted at 207-236-2254.

3. Endless Summer Flower Farm

No matter what kind of flower, color, size, or texture, you’re bound to find the right one at the Endless Summer Flower Farm. Their specialty is the dahlia tubers, which for the amateurs is a perennial plant native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia that come in plenty of different colors and textures. This roadside flower stand carries 150+ varieties and 2,000+ plants only in flower season; August to October for flower, September to May for tubers. For more information e-mail info@endlesssummerflowerfarm.com or call 207-236-8752.

Only a few blocks away from all these exciting attractions is the Camden Maine Stay, a historical and New England country inn. Located in one of America’s most beautiful seaside villages, this relaxing, cozy, romantic, and very friendly home will suit all your accommodation needs on your next getaway vacation to Camden, Maine. For a brief history lesson, back when Thomas Jefferson was President of the United States, roads were dirt and Maine was still part of Massachusetts, Alden Bass built a house at 22 High Street. That stunning main house with an attached carriage house and a four-story barn has been renovated to welcome every guest to create the best experience. The Camden Maine Stay is the second oldest of the sixty-six lovely homes that are listed on the National Register of Historical Places in the High Street Historic District. Check out their website for more information on accommodations, prices, history, package specials and much more.

Cappy's Chowder House, Inc.

Watercolor art classes, paintings, demonstrations, and workshops at the Rhode Island Watercolor Society

The Rhode Island Watercolor Society (RIWS) is the oldest and largest watercolor organization in America. Since 1896, they have provided artists and the general public the opportunity to view, purchase, exhibit and learn about watermedia art. They offer classes for any level, demonstrations, workshops and even Saturday “Paint RI!” Paint Outs. One Saturday each month, RISW encourage their members to get together somewhere in Rhode Island for an outside painting group session to build painting experience, network with fellow RIWS members, and develop work for the annual Paint RI exhibition. They also organize educational trips to art exhibitions, which is a perfect way to get the young students out of school for a day. The art gallery, library and studio space is located in a historic lakeside “boathouse” in Slater Memorial Park. They’re open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm and Sundays 1-5pm.

For more information, contact RIWS or click on their website.

If you live North of Providence, RI and are traveling, the RIWS could be a great pit stop toward the Cliffside Inn for the perfect weekend or weeknight getaway. They are now promoting the all new Best of Newport Package for September & October 2009. It includes two nights in a deluxe State Room or Suite with the best rates, plus entry to The Breakers Newport mansion; Newport Harbor cruise and tour aboard The Gansett vintage wooden power boat; entry to Norman Bird Sanctuary; Cliff Walk map and walking guide; and the Destination Deal Book with $500 in savings at other attractions, restaurants, and shops. The Sunday Boston Globe has called the package Newport’s top luxury getaway value. Check room availability here but the Best of Newport Package can only be reserved by phone 401-847-1811.