Summer Has Struck

I just love Maine Summers. I don’t care how hot or muggy it is. Just being able to walk the dog without a jacket, breathing in the fresh air, watching the changing colors of the sky, experiencing the changes in the weather. It is breathtaking, all of it.

Speaking of weather, were you in Naples for that intense storm on Monday? Reports of lightning-related damage are circulating everywhere, including near misses. I was in a small wooden building and I have to say, I was kind of nervous, especially after hearing the loudest crash of thunder I think I ever heard. Stay safe, stay indoors during these storms, don’t think it can’t happen to you.

Summer Weekend Fun

This upcoming weekend is a big one for the town of Naples. Naples for the Arts is holding its annual event on Saturday. Vendors will be setting up on the Causeway from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Here is your chance to get that one-of-a-kind gift for yourself or a friend. They also have a really great health and wellness section of vendors. To see some amazing samples of art, check out Naples for the Arts on their Facebook page. The fun continues this Saturday with the Naples Village Green Summer Fest from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. All kinds of vendors will be there, from a yard sale, to crafts, hotdogs, photos, fabric, quilting books and more. They have a great variety, according to the Naples Historical Society. All proceeds benefit the Historical Society & Information Center. For more information, or a last minute spot of your own to sell your wares, contact Brenda or Merry at 693-3500 or 693-9096, or email to naplesinfo@yahoo.com

Antique and Classic Wooden Boat Show

August is right around the corner, believe or not! Every first weekend you can rest assured you will see those little wooden boats and classic cars lined up in the water and along the Causeway as we take a look at how boats were made back in the day.

It’s a lovely way to spend a few hours. The Mountainview Woodies Classic Boat Club of Maine will be holding their Causeway Classics 22nd Annual Antique and Classic Boat and Car Show on Saturday, Aug. 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Naples Town Docks. One nice thing the club is doing this year is offering rides for campers at Camp Sunshine a few days before the actual show. For all the details about this event, visit www.mountainviewwoodies.org.

Brewfest Volunteers

Never too early to start thinking about the Brewfest, in its 12th year, happening Sept. 26 at Point Sebago Resort in South Casco from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. There are so many ways you can be involved in the fun (if you are over 21 that is). It takes a lot of manpower to pull off that event. Volunteers are needed to make it happen! Sign up to volunteer and you can get a free T-shirt, hamburger or hot dog, free admission and “Sample the Best” for only $5! If you are a brewer, contact the chamber to reserve your spot and market your business. Last year they had close to 3,200 attendees. Contact Angie Cook at 647-3472 or info@mainelakeschamber.com for more information.

A Bit of Spain

Do you like Spanish style cuisine? If so, Bray’s Brew Pub recently offered (and may be offering again in the next two weeks if we are lucky) a night of Spanish-influenced food tapas, paella, desserts, and drinks with a South American flair. Guest chef Nicolas Munua of Uruguay cooked the paella in the biergarten so guests could watch the magic happen. They offered Spanish beer, wine, and of course, sangria. This was a rare opportunity to have some authentic Spanish food and drinks in the Lakes Region. There was also music in the biergarten from Isaiah Bennet.

In Mourning

I feel like there is this overflow of mourning in our Lakes Region area for people who have died way too young recently. Daveen Bell, a beloved SAD 61 bus driver, passed away tragically from motorcycle accident-related injuries.

There is a wonderful event this Saturday, July 25, at the American Legion in Naples on Route 11 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. to help raise money for the family’s funeral and medical expenses. The theme is The Prom You Never Went To. Attire is semi-formal to formal. Donations for auction items are still being accepted. The suggested donation for admittance to the event is $10. For more information on the event, or to donate an auction item, visit the Facebook page “Senior Prom Fundraiser for the Daveen Bell Family.”

If you can’t make it, you can also donate to the family online by visiting www.gofundme.com/ym2yz8.

Q-Team Tree Service, of Naples, was called out Monday morning to a Naples property after lightning struck a tall pine tree on Sunday night. The tree fell onto two vehicles but no one was hurt.Courtesy photo by Robert FoggGuest chef Nicolas Munua of Uruguay, delighted guests as he cooked up classic Paella at Bray’s Brew Pub on a recent beautiful summer evening.Photo by Vicki Toole

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