Best strawberry ice cream ever!

Did you read the article recently where Hood announced it had cancelled its contracts with several Maine dairy farmers - farmers Hood had convinced to take on the expensive of becoming organic? Seems Hood decided it had become too expensive to transport the Maine milk to New York for processing and then back for distribution. So they just left the Maine dairy farmers high and dry.

Well, along came Sugar Maple Creamery (from Massachusetts) to the rescue. TaDa. Sugar Maple Creamery picked up those Maine dairy farmers' contracts and started producing the best ice cream I've ever tasted. It's Premium 14% butterfat ice cream made with hormone-free Maine milk and cream and marketed with such names as: Acadia Chocolate, Portland Coffee House Coffee, Down East Strawberry (the best ever), Aurora Borealis, Caribou Caramel - and many more.

Where can you find these delectable sweets? Right here in Eddington at the Clewley Farms Restaurant. And in another week they'll be starting to serve old-fashioned cookies, too. Want another piece of good news? The restaurant has a newsletter that prints discounts coupons. Want to get on the mailing list for the newsletter? Just send them an email and request to be put on their mailing list - I did. The strawberry ice cream is just too good to miss out on.

email address: clewleyfarm@yahoo.com

Seven baby red foxes! A neighbor came by the other day with photos of her "babies" - and their momma. And this momma couldn't have been my little red fox, we both agree. Her foxes are so comfortable around her they even peek out at her from their burrow when she takes their photograph and play around in my neighbior's back yard (with momma watching carefully). Amazing.

A heron flew alongside my waterfront the other afternoon heading toward the west end cove. I've seen them in the thoroughfare in the past but never flying along the same air traffic lanes used by the eagles in this area of Davis Pond. Wonder if there's a winged air traffic controller in the area. Must be some good feeding somewhere around here.

Support our local businesses - we need them. Rideout Gardens are open - gorgeous flowers and hanging baskets galore (all in better condition than what you'll find at Walmart or Lowe's in Brewer). The Petal Patch is also open - with some lovely samples available at Brian Tabers Mobile Homes (right next to the Eddington Post Office). The Petal Patch is just west of the Eddington Town Office. Purchasing flowers at these businesses will not only ensure a better quality of flower that will bloom bigger and better (both my gardens and pots are proof of that!) - but will help our community's tax base and take some of the burden off home owners' property taxes.

The same can be said for purchasing your car and boat gasoline at either Tradewinds or the Eddington Store (which also sells propane). Both of these businesses sell great sandwiches and other food, beer, wine, milk, butter, etc. and household products. Their unleaded gasoline prices are as good as, if not better than, what you'll find in Bangor or Brewer. Helping our local businesses is good business for our towns. Which is why the Selectmen and Planning Board need to re-visit the Sign Ordinance.

When certain aspects of the current ordinance cut down on the business being conducted, because potential customers think the business is closed or out-of-business or services are no longer being provided, the ordinance is hurting the town as well as the business. The fact the ordinance was passed at the Town Meeting is almost irrelevant since few of the people had even read the ordinance (sometimes I think we are a community of sheep - not good) and hearing what I have this past week, I have to wonder if the Planning Board ever asked for input from the representatives of the town businesses before presenting them to the Selectmen in the first place.

This week's meetings: Monday, the 18th - School Board Meeting @ Holbrook Middle School @ 6:30pm; Tuesday, the 19th - Eddington Selectmen Meeting @ Town Office @ 6pm.