In Pat’s senior years he enjoys gardening and his family. He has been a great help to Jesse and I as we try to make our property more sustainable. When Pat comes he quickly evaluates the property, even draws maps. Our children are then given duties, cleaning plots and weeding. Hope has been growing seedlings since early March. The rule of thumb around here is, do not plant before Mother’s Day. There is less of a chance of a frost after Mother’s Day. Since we turned that corner on the season, it is time to start planting.

We plant kale, celery, arugula, giant pumpkins, basil, parsley, spinach, tomatoes, squash, and corn. The kale, celery and spinach are used in our green smoothies. We have a beautiful cutting flower garden and this year I hope to add rose bushes. I hope our guests will enjoy our garden as much as we enjoy planting it.

Senior Gardener/Junior Gardeners

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I love the attention the writer gives to the stress factor the business traveler endures. Business travel can be very trying on the body and the soul. Sleeping and eating well when you travel are imperative. Select hotels are addressing the issue of business travel stress with offering to frame a picture of a loved one and put it in your room upon arrival, stocking the mini bar with comfort food and some travel experts suggest moving the furniture to make it more amenable to your comfort. The author of the article mentions a guest that travels with candles of familiar scents. I do not recommend this fire hazard idea and I am sure some hoteliers are rubbing their heads about this suggestion. Be careful with lighting anything in a hotel room. Candles and incense may leave a lingering smell or smoke on the wall that if the hotel is conscious of their room environments, will add a cleaning fee, further leading to more travel stress. I do like the simple suggestion for the guest to learn the staff’s name at the hotel. Unfortunately, the article does not suggest that the hotel staff try to learn the guest’s name. These tiny acts of kindness by the hotel are sweet but perhaps they could go take the kindness a little further. The Bed and Breakfast industry has made a career of hospitality from the “homey” feeling. Naturally, a bed and breakfast is someone’s home. Here are few of my ideas that I am wiling to share with the hotel world.

The homey feeling on vacation and traveling on business is nice, but lets face it, it is not home. In the Camden Windward House, all the rooms have private bathrooms, televisions, free wifi, air conditioning and windows that you can open. Having all those amenities in a room are basic to being comfortable. The things that I have added to make it feel like home, or perhaps nicer then home are the 600 thread count sheets, feather mattresses and egyptian cotton towels. I chose egyptian cotton towels because they are 100% softer than turkish towels. Our sheets are ironed for added luxury. Complimentary bottled water is refreshed in your room each day free of charge. In the afternoon there are baked treats left in the living room for you to enjoy with the complimentary tea. As I write this, the word complimentary seems like a nice word to use with homey. At home you are not asked to pay for every little thing. Not having to dip into your wallet every two seconds is very relaxing. No need to keep all those receipts for the business trip reimbursement excel spreadsheet you will need to fill out.

I have adopted the idea of getting to know someone’s name and letting others know my name. I like this idea. We can accommodate up to 20 people a night so sometimes it is a challenge, but I try. I have made a point to have my name stitched on my shirt so guests will be comfortable asking me for assistance.  This is my home and I enjoy sharing with travelers.

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The couple that stayed with us was very polite and enjoyed furthering their experience at the conference with a stay at our Bed and Breakfast. They were curious about our breakfast menu and our rooms. The questions they asked were interesting. I could tell they had been thinking about the information they learned over the weekend at the B&B Conference.  Questions about seasonal income and packaging, when can we get a day off and how we got into this business were fun for me to discuss over a hot cup of coffee this morning. It is rare that I take a minute and try to explain all that I do on a day-to-day basis. This couple was anxious to learn and I had fun summarizing my thoughts in clear easy words in order to teach. I think I conveyed to them that I love what I do. I say that because after our conversation, I myself, felt happy and motivated to stay in the business and enjoy it. When you do things day-to-day and do not analyze it, you can not appreciate the fine points of the job. It was nice to reflect on my eight years of Innkeeping and share with a potential new Innkeeper.

I am thankful that those guests came after their conference.

http://bbteam.com/

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INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons marscapone cheese

1 teaspoon Ground fresh black pepper

1 teaspoon Maine sea salt

2 ounces Samaki organic smoked salmon

2 teaspoons Fresh dill finely minced

1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon juice

1 teaspoon Horseradish

1 1/2 cups lukewarm Maine’s Own Organic milk

3/4 teaspoon Maine sea salt

2 large organic free range eggs

2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

2 tablespoons organic corn meal

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the cheese, herbs and salmon in a food processor until whipped and uniform.

2. Mix the batter (milk, eggs flour and yeast)

3. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about two hours in the fridge.

4. Remove from fridge and mix the batter with the whipped cheese mixture. Mix until almost smooth.

5. Preheat the waffle iron at maximum heat and spray with non-stick vegetable oil.

6. Separate the batter into enough for one waffle, and put half in the waffle iron. When it is almost toasted on the outside, remove it, and mix it back into the batter.

7. Spray the waffle iron again and then put one hundred percent of one waffle’s worth of batter into the iron, and cook until golden brown.

This makes about 4 deep 7 inch waffles.

Serve with vegetable cream cheese and maple butter!(you can ask us for these recipes also.)

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There are no franchise hotels in Camden Maine. There was one lodging franchise over 10 years ago, but franchises just can’t last in Camden. Those that live and travel to Camden want an experience that is not cookie cutter. An experience of being near the ocean and feeling the history of the town. Many beautiful historic homes in this small coastal village offer the Bed and Breakfast experience.

Bed and Breakfasts started popping up in the 1920′s during the Depression Era. Many unemployed workers had to travel around the country to try to find work. People started opening up their homes to these weary travelers, creating a new revenue stream to those that managed to keep their homes. Over the years the Bed and Breakfast business became more defined and regulated. The local governments required lodging to be licensed by the health department and meet standards of safety for the visitors. Although regulations were placed on the small business owners, hospitality endured and Bed and Breakfasts are the friendliest genre of lodging establishments there are.

Camden Windward House is a Greek Revival home that has been in the hospitality business for over 28 years. Windward is originally the home of a sea-captain from Isleboro. The house fortunately or unfortunately is not in the style of the grand sea-captain houses because when Elijah Glover, the sea-captain, came to Camden in the 1850′s he was retired and working on a career as a ship builder and lumberman. His wife had passed away and he lived in the house with his daughter. Since Windward House is older than the houses across the street, it is obvious why Glover chose the location of Windward House on High Street. This historic home was and is near the downtown and the ocean, except in the 1850′s there was a view of the ocean from the front porch. This Bed and Breakfast’s lot is long and was once ideal for a farming lifestyle (still is and we are trying little by little to grow our vegetables on it – but we are city folk, may take us longer to learn). Windward House has a long lodging history. Before Windward House was a Bed and Breakfast, it was a rooming house for lobster men and artists.

Properties like Windward House make ideal Bed and Breakfasts. Those that purchase historic properties with the intention of sharing it with travelers, know the importance of a great, comfortable bed and warm, filling breakfasts. Most people who travel to the Mid Coast of Maine are weary from a long drive up the coast and are instantly de-stressed when they walk into the welcoming foyer of Windward. The smell of cookies and tea eases everyone. Bed and Breakfasts are the way to go in Maine. Learn about the history, see the unique architecture and enjoy the warm hospitality of a charming New England Home.

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Back for the 2013 Season

This wonderful package combines, luxury accommodations, delicious lobster and a lovely lighthouse. Stay at the Camden Windward House Bed and Breakfast, go out on a real lobster boat, see the breakwater lighthouse and catch your lobsters that you can bring back to the Camden Windward House – where the Innkeepers will cook for you and add a side salad, corn and bread. This is a great opportunity to eat fresh from the sea.
The Lobster Travel Package Maine Coast includes:

• Boat Ride in the Harbor
• Learn About Lobsterin’ from a Veteran Lobsterman
• Catch Your Lobster
• We’ll Steam Your Lobsters For You

 

 

Details

Available June through early October.
Add to your room rental: Package includes 2 tickets to Lobster boat in Rockland Harbor ( a short drive from the Inn), 2 cooked lobsters, 2 side salads, corn and bread & butter.  Wine and beer may be added for an additional charge.  This is a very popular package, book early to ensure a seat on the boat. $50.00 per person.

Lobster Travel Package Maine Coast

This is a great way to enjoy lobster at a B&B in Maine. You have the option of going one of several daily tours aboard a genuine Maine lobster boat. The captain, a veteran lobsterman for more than 20 years tells you about the lobstering life, while you tour the harbor pulling traps. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like, how it’s done, or wanted to talk to someone who makes their living from the sea, it’s a fantastic experience.
Once you return to the Windward House Bed & Breakfast we cook your lobster for you and serve it in our dining room. Or you may opt for us to make your lobsters into lobster rolls to be packed for a picnic or hiking lunch on the go.
This is one of the best ways to enjoy the Camden area. Your guide is a living part of the nautical heritage of the Maine Coast.

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March 11, 2013
Contact: Jessica Kershaw (DOI) 202-208-6416
Mike Litterst (NPS) 202-513-0354

AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS:
 Secretary Salazar, Director Jarvis Designate 13 New National Historic Landmarks
New Sites Recognize More Complete Story of America, including Significant Latino, African American and Indian Sites

WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Director of the National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis today announced the designation of 13 new national historic landmarks, including an Alabama bridge that was site of “Bloody Sunday” during the civil rights movement, a 400-year-old historic district showcasing the influence of Spanish culture in Puerto Rico, the home of author and abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe, and a historic stadium used by Negro league baseball teams in 20th-century segregated America.

“These national historic landmark designations span more than two centuries of our country’s history, from 17^th century architecture to a Civil War battlefield to a 19^th century-Kentucky whiskey distillery that continued to operate through the Prohibition era,” Secretary Salazar said. “Today’s designations include significant sites that help tell the story of America and the contributions that all people from all walks of life have made as we strive for a more perfect union.”

“From the Civil War to civil rights, to the struggles and accomplishments of women, African Americans and Latinos, these sites highlight the mosaic of our nation’s historic past,” said Director Jarvis. “We are proud to administer the National Historic Landmarks Program to educate and inspire Americans through their country’s rich and complex history.”

National historic landmarks are nationally significant historic places that possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. The program, established in 1935, is administered by the National Park Service on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior. Currently there are 2,540 designated national historic landmarks.

The new national historic landmarks include the following sites:

• ·   Camden Amphitheatre and Public      Library, Camden, Maine.  The Camden Amphitheatre and Public      Library is one of the few public projects of Fletcher Steele, one of      America’s premier practitioners of 20^th-century landscape      design.  It is an outstanding representation of the contributions      made by the landscape architecture profession, private benefactors, and      national associations to develop public landscapes in the United States      that celebrated natural regional beauty, scenic character, and rich      cultural history.

• ·   Camp Nelson Historic      and Archeological District, Jessamine County, Ky.  One of      the nation’s largest recruitment and training centers for African American      soldiers during the American Civil War, Camp Nelson is also significant as      the site of a large refugee camp for the wives and children of the      soldiers who were escaping slavery and seeking freedom.

• ·   Casa Dra. Concha Meléndez Ramírez,      San Juan, Puerto Rico.  This was the residence and workspace of Dra.      Concha Meléndez Ramírez, a prolific and prominent literary criticism voice      in Generación del Treinta (Generation of 1930), a literary movement that      shaped Puerto Rico’s 20^th-century national cultural identity.

• ·   Edmund Pettus Bridge,      Selma, Ala.  On March 7, 1965, civil rights marchers drawing      attention to the need for voting rights legislation were attacked by law      enforcement officials as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge.  The      attack, which came to be known as “Bloody Sunday,” contributed to the      introduction and passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, considered to      be the single most effective piece of civil rightslegislation ever passed      by the US Congress.
• ·   The Epic of American Civilization      Murals, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H.  These murals are      the most important work in the United States by muralist José Clemente      Orozco, one of Mexico’s foremost mural artists of the early 20^th      century.  Orozco conceived the murals as a representation of a North      American continent characterized by the duality of indigenous and European      historical experiences.  Though highly controversial in their day,      the murals challenged traditional ways of thinking about the development      of Aztec and Anglo-American civilizations in North America.

• ·      George T. Stagg      Distillery, Franklin County, Ky.  With      resources dating from approximately 1880 to 1953, the George T. Stagg      Distillery is a rare, intact example of an operating distillery before,      during and after Prohibition.  It provides an unparalleled      opportunity to study at one site the evolution of buildings and technology      associated with the American whiskey industry.

• ·   Harriet Beecher Stowe House,      Hartford, Conn.  Though best known to modern audiences for her      antislavery work, Harriet Beecher Stowe was widely recognized in her      lifetime as a highly prolific and nationally significant reformer for a      wide variety of causes.  Her longtime home in Hartford is associated      with Stowe’s later career as a reformer on issues relating to the family      and women’s roles.

• ·   Hinchliffe Stadium, Paterson,      N.J.  Hinchliffe Stadium the institutionalized practice of “separate      but equal” facilities was the accepted norm.

• ·   Honey Springs Battlefield,      McIntosh and Muskogee Counties, Okla.  By far the largest Civil War      engagement of the 1861-1865 period of conflict within Indian Territory,      the Battle of Honey Springs was the largest battle in Indian Territory in      which Native Americans fought as members of both Union and Confederate      armies.  It is also significant as the first and largest engagement      in which Indian troops of both sides fought in the formalized style of      Anglo-American warfare.

• ·   Old San Juan Historic      District/Distrito Histórico del Viejo San Juan, San Juan, Puerto      Rico.  Old San Juan is the only existing representation of an almost      400-year-old Spanish Colonial city in the United States, and contains the      largest collection of buildings representing four centuries of Spanish      culture, religion, politics, and architecture.  It is the oldest city      within the United States and its territories, and the district includes      the oldest house, Christian church, executive mansion, convent, and      military defenses in the country as well.

• ·   Pear Valley, Eastville,      Va.  Dating to 1740, the wood-frame house known as Pear Valley is an      excellent, rare surviving example of the distinctive form of architecture      that developed in the Chesapeake Bay region, illustrating how early      settlers in the colonies adapted to their new environment.

• ·   Second Presbyterian Church,      Chicago, Ill.  The Second Presbyterian Church      represents the visual and philosophical precepts of the turn of the      century Arts and Crafts design movement.  Its interior, the      masterwork of noted architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, presents some of the      finest examples of Arts and Crafts mural painting, sculpture, stained      glass and crafting in metals, fabrics, wood and plaster.

• ·   Yaddo, Saratoga Springs,      N.Y.  One of the country’s oldest artists’ retreats, Yaddo has hosted      more than 6,000 influential writers, visual artists and composers who      shaped and imprinted American culture with a distinct national identity in      the 20^th century.  Among the notable artists who have      worked at Yaddo are Aaron Copland, Truman Capote, Leonard Bernstein,      Flannery O’Connor, Sylvia Plath and Langston Hughes.

Salazar also announced the acceptance of updated documentation and a boundary revision for the Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex in Harrisburg, Pa.

The National Historic Landmarks Program, established in 1935, is administered by the National Park Service on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior.  The agency works with preservation officials and other partners interested in nominating a landmark. Completed applications are reviewed by the National Park System Advisory Board, which makes recommendations for designation to the Secretary of the Interior.  If selected, property ownership remains intact but each site receives a designation letter, a plaque, and technical preservation advice.

Additional information on the designations can be found at MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from “links.govdelivery.comtrack” claiming to be www.nps.gov/history/nhl.

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Start on Rt 1 turn left on Pascal (across from 3 Dog Cafe). Many beautiful old historic homes that have their original charm line the street.  You will go over a little bridge that overlooks stunning Rockport Harbor. Stay to your right and follow the road, pascal turns into Russell Avenue. You will pass the new Salt Water Farm restaurant, Shepard’s Pie, Rockport Opera House, Bay Chamber Concerts and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art. Along Russell Avenue you will enjoy views of Aldermere Farm, possibly see a Belted Galloway grazing in the field. Russell Avenue turns into Bayview Street, back into Camden Maine. Before you hit the wonderful downtown of Camden, enjoy the view of the nearby island, Curtis Island, at the town owned overlook – Lighthouse Look Out (Look for the sign).

The whole thing is only about 2 miles.

Have fun. Camden Maine Innkeeper will provide you with a map upon arrival if you like.

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Nothing Beats Windward House Blend Coffee!

“I developed a fondness for Maine cooking,…and to the end of my days the simple foods…will seem to me more delicious than all the “specialties of the house” that can be produced by the world’s most famous chefs.” -Kenneth Roberts from Trending Into Maine, Grandma’s Kitchen

Our American Traditional Breakfast Menu features fresh local Maine ingredients and traditional comfort foods made from scratch. You can choose to sit alone or with others. Each morning the dining room is aglow with the morning sun.  The only Bed and Breakfast in Camden that offers  you choices in the morning! Our Breakfast Menu Includes our standard Maine Fresh Offerings: Items with a (V) can be made Vegan, Items with a (G) can be made gluten free:

• Windward House Blend Fair Trade Shade Grown Organic Blend Coffee,
• Our menu breakfast starts with fresh fruit (V, G), and your choice of:
• (V,G)Regular Pancakes, (V,G)Blueberry, or (G)Orange Yogurt Pancakes
• (V)Windward House French Toast
• (V,G)Crisp Waffles
• Two Farm Fresh Cage Free Eggs Cooked to Order served with Toast, Wheat, Rye or White
• A selection of cold cereal or oatmeal.
• (V)Sticky rice with coconut milk and cinnamon
• (V)Warm Sweet Potatoe
• Green Breakfast Smoothie (Raw)(V)(G)
• All orders include crisp (V)bacon or grilled country sausage. We serve pure Maine organic maple syrup.We will do our best to accomodate any special requests.
• Beverages Choices Include: Orange, Cranberry, V-8 Juice, Windward House Blend Coffee and a selection of  hot tea.

In addition to these standard menu items we offer daily specials.

• Some past daily specials have included huevos rancheros, traditional eggs benedict, Windward Benedict (popovers, fresh hollandaise and poached eggs), (V,G)Blueberry Yogurt Waffles, Avocado & Aged Cheddar Omellettes, and many more items that feature fresh Maine ingredients.
• Gluten Free & vegetarian offerings available on request.
• Windward House now uses Moo Milk: Maine’s Own Organic Milk, Farm Fresh, Maine Produced, Maine Processed.

Moo Milk: High quality organic milk. Moo Milk is dedicated to keeping organic family farms across Maine in Business. www.moomilkco.com

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• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup vegan butter, softened (Earth Balance)
• 1 1/2 cups organic (vegan) sugar and 1/4 cup to roll the dough in before cooking
• 1 banana
• 1  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the vegan butter and organic sugar until smooth. Beat in banana and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, roll in sugar,  and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Enjoy your vegan cookies. No substitutes needed!

I was careful to use organic sugar. Some new vegan bakers are not aware that white sugar goes through a refining process. Bone char (charcoal made from animal bones) is an activated carbon source for this refinement process. Some Vegans do not mind this and some do. The Jewish faith believes the charcoal is so far removed that there is not meat or dairy on the bones.  I always choose to use organic vegan sugar – If your going to go Vegan – go all the way!

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