Maine Munitiae: Sugarloaf and Sunday River for Christmas

Da Slopes

I have a confession to make. Confession is good for the soul. So, I am gonna do my soul some good here. I lived on and off for 20 years in Colorado and have lived in Maine for almost five years and I have never been snow skiing. Never. Not. One. Single. Time. As a matter of fact, I have never even set foot on a ski resort. I kinda regret that I have never skied. It's too late now. My friend Arthur Itis won't cooperate with me because he has staked claim to my knees and he ain't leavin'. Bastard. Of course I could put a fake cast on my leg and go sit in the lodge at the ski resort and wait for the pretty, young ski bunnies to show me attention. If I did that, however, my wife would remove my gazebos with a ski pole and throw them into the snow making machine. Goodbye gazebos, hello alimony.

For those of you are interested in skiing in New England, Maine is the place to be. Sugarloaf and Sunday River are two of the best ski resorts east of the Mississippi.

Sugarloaf has a Christmas Vacation Package that starts at $109 per person per night that is a pretty good deal. It would be mo' bettah than good to spend Christmas with your and/or family high on top of Sugarloaf Mountain. If you've already made planes for Christmas, Sugarloaf has all kinds of holiday stuff  going on through December and on into the New Year.

Sunday River, as you would expect, also has a Christmas Week Package that range from $129 per person per night. The package includes perks like slopeside lodging, free lift tickets and skiing or snowboarding clinics. And like their counterparts over at Sugarloaf, Sunday River is loaded with holiday fun all the way into 2011.

Any way you look at it, either of these two outstanding ski resorts would be an incredible place to beat the Rat Race and enjoy the holidays with family and freinds, or maybe even a second honeymoon.

Disclaimer:  I DO NOT receive any compensation OF ANY KIND from Sugarloaf or Sunday River in exchange for featuring them on this blog. I DO NOT know anyone who has anything to do (work, manage, etc) at either resort. I have NEVER even been to or communicated with a representative of either establishment. 

Texas Tidbits: Twas the Night Before Christmas (Texas Style)

St. Nick Bob

I am going to post something that I was going to wait to post, but I decided to give it a go today and then post it again in a couple of weeks. It's a cute take off on Twas the Night Before Christmas, done Texas style. You may want to print this off to show to your co-workers, or better yet, point them here to read it and let them print it off for themselves. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you...

Twas the Night Before Christmas (Texas Style)

'Twas the night before Christmas, in Texas, you know.  
 Way out on the prairie, without any snow.  
 Asleep in their cabin, were Buddy and Sue,  
 A dreamin' of Christmas, like me and you.  
   
 Not stockings, but boots, at the foot of their bed,  
 For this was Texas, what more need be said,  
 When all of a sudden, from out of the still night,  
 There came such a ruckus, it gave me a fright.  
   
 And I saw 'cross the prairie, like a shot from a gun,  
 A loaded up buckboard, come on at a run,  
 The driver was "Geein" and "Hawin", with a will,  
 The horses (not reindeer) he drove with such skill.  
   
 "Come on there Buck, Poncho, & Prince, to the right,  
 There'll be plenty of travelin' for you all tonight."  
 The driver in Levi's and a shirt that was red,  
 Had a ten-gallon Stetson on top of his head.  
   
 As he stepped from the buckboard, he was really a sight,  
 With his beard and moustache, so curly and white.  
 As he burst in the cabin, the children awoke,  
 And were so astonished, that neither one spoke.  
   
 And he filled up their boots with such presents galore,  
 That neither could think of a single thing more.  
 When Buddy recovered the use of his jaws,  
 He asked in a whisper, "Are you really Santa Claus?"  
   
 "Am I the real Santa? Well, what do you think?"  
 And he smiled as he gave a mysterious wink.  
 Then he leaped in his buckboard, and called back in his drawl,  
 "To all the children in Texas, Merry Christmas, You-all" 

***Special thanks to Dezert Rose*** 

Maine Minutiae: Hop Aboard the Candy Cane Train!

All Aboard the Candy Cane Train!

I am a lucky man. I have been fortunate enough to have seen this country from North to South and East to West by plane, car, bus, U-Haul and many miles by foot. But there's one way that I have not explored the United States. By train. Ever since I was a little boy, I have always wanted to ride on a train. Like Merle Haggard sang, "The first thing I remember knowin' is a lonesome whistle blowin' and a youngun's dream of growin' up to ride, On a freight train leavin' town, not knowin' where it's bound.." True poetry. The first time I heard that song, I was probably about 10 years old. It has stuck with me ever since. That's why I took an extra good look at what I am about to share with you.

Next weekend, December 11 & 12, The Candy Cane Train in Bath, Maine makes it yearly holiday run with all kinds of fun on board. There are four trips scheduled for each day at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm. The Candy Cane Train will leave Bath at the scheduled times for the ninety minute round trip to Wiscasset and back to Bath. During the trip, passengers will enjoy hot chocolate, meet Santa and his elves plus listen to storytellers and sing Christmas songs! I bet my kids' father would really like to take this ride. And they might like it, too.  :) 

Proceeds from the train rides will go to Literacy Volunteers and Read With Me Family Literacy. Not only will you and the family have a hoot riding the train with Santa, you'll be doing a great service to Maine literacy programs. After all, Christmas is all about giving isn't it?

Here's the Candy Cane Train web site where you can find all the pertinent information.

Texas Tidbits: Christmas Gifts From 100 Years Ago

A Future Laptop Case?***

I was looking over a web site that I have used to research all things Texas. I have mentioned it on numerous occasions as well. While thinking of an idea for a post today, I saw something that mentioned Christmas gifts of yesteryear. Great idea for a post! So, I moseyed on over to texasescapes.com and I'll be dipped, if they didn't have an article about that very subject! I love Texas Escapes!

If I were a betting man, I'd bet that at least half the gifts you give and/or receive, will be something to do with electronics. Xbox and PS-3 games, PC games, computers, computer accessories like keyboards, thumb drives, printers, etc. We are a citizenry of gadgets and gizmos. Having said that, have you ever thought about what kind of gifts your grandparents exchanged with their families? I found an interesting column about that very subject at, you guessed it, at texasescapes.com . In the Austin Harpoon newspaper at Christmas, 1911, was this ad 

“Don’t waste money on useless Christmas presents. Give your friends or relatives something artistic, as well as valuable.” Women, he continued, often send their male relatives or friends a box of cigars “with Johnson grass wrappers and alfalfa fillers.” Such cigars, he continued, “won’t smoke, and are not even pretty.”

But what about a deer’s foot thermometer?

Yes, long before all the wares offered via toll-free 800 numbers, from knives that never need sharpening to singing bass, the Muter and Collier Taxidermy Co. of Uvalde sold preserved deer’s feet with thermometers attached, suitable for hanging.

“Beautifully polished,” Bonner waxed on, the deer-foot temperature tellers were “an article that is useful as well as an art treasure.” All cloven-hooved stocking stuffer cost was $1.50 plus a dime for postage and handling."

A deer hoof thermometer! Just what every man dreams of having! I know a lot of guys who'd rather have the deer that goes with that hoof, but the hoof alone, with or without the thermometer , not so much. But, evidently, this was an entirely acceptable gift in 1911.

Let's not forget the ladies. In the same newspaper, this attractive item would make a dandy gift to the members of the Fair Sex.

So, rather than giving any of those cliché articles, “send them an art treasure – a beautiful and useful work basket, made from the shell of an armadillo.”

Highly polished and lined with “dainty silk,” the baskets are “not only a great curiosity, but valuable and handy, and will last a life-time, and then some.” In other words, give a gal an armadillo shell and create a family heirloom.

Ain't that some great stuff? It's amazing how things have changed in this country in a hundred years. Now if I could only figure out how to modify an armadillo shell into a laptop case and the deer hoof thermometer into a USB drive....

Watch out, Bill Gates!

 ***(Photo by Monty Northrup, Austin, Texas***

Colorado Chronicles: Blossoms of Light

Blossoms of Light @ Denver Botanic Gardens

I have spent many Christmases in Colorado over the years, but there are many Christmas-related festivals and such that I have never attended. One such to-do is the Blossoms of Light festival at the Denver Botanical Gardens, and as much as I like to garden, I am, frankly, a little surprised at myself.

When go to Blossoms of Light , you'll see over one million lights draped in "elegant designs" that highlight the winter beauty of the Gardens. Now, here's something I think we could all agree on - the return of "romantic and kissing spots'. Hell, if I would have known that they had "romantic and kissing spots", I would have gone every year to the Blossoms of Light. Day late, dollar short and all that.

Also making a much-anticipated return to BoL are HoloSpex Glasses. As best as I can understand about these glasses is that they somehow bend light thus making a holographic optical illusion.  There is a good "weed" joke in there, but I figure it's better left to your imagination. 

Some other cool stuff at Blossoms of Light include intricate ice sculptures lining the paths of the Gardens as you walk through. Sculptures by Henry Moore will also be lighted for BoL. Warm drinks and tasty treats will also be available to Gardens visitors.

Now, here's something for the lovebirds reading today, an Engagement Package at the Blossoms of Light! Engagement Package includes:

  Secluded engagement area off the beaten path  
o  Draped red linen café table with two chairs in our Romantic Gardens gazebo
 
  Sparkling cider with two glasses 
 
  Two large cupcakes donated from Lovely Confections 
 
  Denver Botanic Gardens-grown potted plant 
 
  Two tickets to our Fall Wedding Showcase (Value of $30.00) 
 
  15% off booking a wedding/reception package at Denver Botanic Gardens (cannot be
combined with other discounts) 
 
  Customizable vinyl sign, measuring 30 inches wide x 10 inches tall 
o  Up to 40 characters, including spaces
o  Example: “Angela, will you marry me?”


Engagement Package pricing:

 Non-member: $68 a couple
 Member: $58 a couple
We offer only two Engagement Packages per evening and reservations will be made on a first-
come, first-served basis*. Each proposal will be allotted one hour. Payment is due at the time of
reservation and is nonrefundable. 

There you are. This sounds like a great way to not only celebrate Christmas, but to pop the question as well!


Here's the contact info for the Denver Botanic Gardens -
Phone: 720-865-3684
Fax: 720-865-3725

Maine Minutiae: A Sea Gull's Eye View of the Pine Tree State

A SeaGull's Eye View

For Maine Minutiae today I figured I might as well do a post of a different kind. Every day I write about something that I think is interesting in hopes that you'll think the same. When I post something, I do my best to paint a picture in your head so that you can "see" what I am writing about. sometimes I succeed, other times not so much. That's one of the hazards of writing, a welcomed hazard, but a hazard nonetheless. So today I want give to you a real snapshot of where I live, but this time with real pictures from web cams located around the state. They give you an up to the minute visual tour of Maine, from the moutains of the west to the shoes of the Atlantic Ocean in the east. Grab a cup of coffee, settle into your computer chair and explore Maine through the "eyes" of these web cams. I hope you enjoy the ride.  :)

I selected a few web cams from a long list of them and I'll link to the list later in the post. My choices are:

• Augusta - This is a view of the Kennebec River as it passes the east side of downtown, looking north. As the crow flies, this is about a mile from my house. Look closely and you'll see the asphalt walking/jogging path running parallel to the river.
• Bar Harbor - One of the neatest towns in Maine. This "Harbor Cam" is looking out over the edge of town directly into the harbor. You can't miss the island in the background. There literally thousands of islands just like that one along the entirety of the coast of Maine.
• Presque Isle - Presque Isle is waaaaaayyy up north on the Crown of Maine. If you burp loud enough, they'll hear you in Canada. This cam is trained on downtown PI.
• Rockport - This a fantastic shot of Glen Cove in Rockport. 

Those web cams should whet your appetite and pique your interest enough to peruse this long list of web cams showing the faces of Maine at allthingsmaine.com. See what you've only read about. It's a nice virtual tour of the Pine Tree State.

Texas Tidbits: Santa Robs Bank, MeetsTexas Justice

"Santa" spent Christmas, 1927 Here***

This is one of the most unusual Christmas-time stories you have ever heard or will hear in your entire life. It's not a feelgood, family type of story, far from it. This is the story about the hanging of Santa Claus! I ain't typin' with a stutter and your ears ain't flappin'. You read that right. The hanging of Santa Claus. Of course, we're not referring to the real St. Nick, but we are referring to a rotten, no good, egg suckin' old polecat impersonating the jolly old elf. The article I'll be quoting from is a bit long, so for brevity's sake, I'll excerpt parts of it and then insert a final link so when you have a few minutes you can scoot on over to the article's source and read it there.

The year was 1927. It was the day before Christmas Eve in Cisco, Texas.The most joyful time of the year was about to explode into a hail of gunfire, shattering the quiet of the Yuletide season. Santa Claus would be the focus of attention, but not for the reasons you'd expect. On this day, Santa was being sought as a bank robber and killer. Santa's actions resulted in one of the most bizzare and intense manhunts in Texas Hisory.

You see, on December 23, 1927, Santa was dressed in his Christmas finest, walking down the main street in Cisco, greeting and patting children on the head as he ambled down the street, until he got to the First National Bank. Santa entered the bank, soon to be followed by three armed men. "Once inside, Santa received a pleasant greeting of "Hello, Santa," from the cashier. Santa did not respond, but walked to a desk in the middle of the lobby, the one where bank customers wrote out their deposit slips. A few customers were already at the teller's window making their deposits. The cashier again called out, "Hello, Santa." Again, no response.

Right about at this point, a young man entered the Bank, pointed a pistol at the cashier, and snarled, "Hands up!!"

A second bandit entered. He was also brandishing a gun. A third armed man entered. Santa Claus pushed through the swinging door, past the cashier's desk, went into the cashier's cage, opened a drawer under the counter, and removed a pistol from that location, stuffing it under his red Santa suit. Now there were four armed men, including Santa Claus." Thanks to Texasescapes.com

What the heck? Santa Claus a bank robber? I'm afraid it's true. There's a lot more to this story, which has been described by Boyce House as "the most spectacular crime in the history of the Southwest ... surpassing any in which Billy the Kid or the James boys had ever figured." Now that's saying something.

Read the entire version of this most unlikely of Christmas tales at Texas Escapes. It's certainly worth your time, because it's the kind of story with the kind of ending that could only happen in Texas in 1927.


(image from rootsweb.com)