Wiscasset. June 28, 2021 — The Wiscasset Art Walk is back. Last Thursday evening, dozens of folks visited the village’s art galleries, gift shops and clothing stores along Route 1, finding treasures and gifts for selves and friends.  Highlights included rock painting, gorgeous bouquets from the Garden Club, and a community mural. The WAW is a nine-year-old summertime community effort to encourage creativity in media and music.  Next one is July 29 at 5pm, when you might also indulge in "Picnics to Go". Treats, Mammy's, and Sarah's will put together a box for you to pick up.  Details at wiscassetartwalk.org.

A slightly related note  ... Mammy's, the town's favorite place for Italian baked goods and savory entrees is going to slim down its offerings of sweets.  "The expectations and pressure most cake bakers face are high," Jessica Deshiro wrote on her Facebook page. "As time has gone on over the years the expectations for birthday cakes has become more and more insane, And the pressure is too crippling."  So, no more cakes. Customers!  (Marie Antoinette, pls. copy.  ) Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

There was lots of comment about last week's story about how much a lobster roll costs at Red's (It was $34; last night it was $31).  A friend who's coming to visit read the story about the $34 lobster rolls and emailed to say, "That's why I'm bringing my own." The Boston Globe also picked up the story and then published what it said are its readers' favorite Lobster Rolls.  There are about 85 shacks on the Globe list, 20 are in Maine. 

Last summer, of course, we, understandably, had only one visitor to our place here.  This year, Donna's working like an air traffic controller.  And who can blame all the folks who want to come?  The weather has been gorgeous ... high ‘40s some nights. inky black skies, brilliant stars.  The hot stuff of this past weekend will be gone by Wednesday.

And the lobstermen have come back to the Sheepscot,  Last Sunday, a couple captains set their traps.  I think I'll go to the nearby co-op and   get the skinny first-hand. (Let me guess ... bait prices higher, fuel higher, dock price paid too low.)

More good news.  While we wait for blueberry season, the strawberries are here.  The Press Herald says, "Credit the warm spring, early June. Growers say the season’s about ten days earlier than usual so picking at the local  farms is underway. Credit/blame "heat wave and possibly climate change" says the Stress Herald newspaper. Where to pick your own strawberries in southern Maine. 

In media news ... I put the Wall Street Journal on suspension.  Delivery has been sporadic.  My guess is that the supply chain to get one paper here isn't tight enough.  I'll stay in touch through the $10 a month Apple News service - a real good value, the Journal and hundreds more newspapers and magazines.