December 24, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. American Red Cross Blood Drive sponsored by the Bridgton Lions Club, Masonic Hall, Harrison Road, Bridgton. FMI: 207.647.3342, www.newenglandblood.org. December 24, all day, Seniors Ski Free, age 65 and older ski/ride free, ID required, Sunday River Ski Resort, 15 South Ridge Road, Newry. FMI: 207.824.3000, www.sundayriver.com. December 24-25, Celebrate Christmas in Bethel, holiday décor, horse drawn sleigh rides, special dining menus, The Bethel Inn Resort, On the Common, Broad Street, Bethel. FMI: 800.654.0125, www.bethelinn.com. December 25, all day, Kids Ski Free, ages 12 and under can ski/ride for free, Sunday River Ski Resort, 15 South Ridge Road, Newry. FMI: 207.824.3000, www.sundayriver.com. December 25, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. 3rd Annual Free Christmas Day ... 01/21/2010

August 20, 8 p.m. The Dan Tyminski Band, with his masterful guitar playing and signature tenor voice, Dan Tyminski is currently performing with Barry Bales (bass), Adam Steffey (mandolin), Ron Stewart (banjo, fiddle) and Justin Moses (fiddle, dobros), Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dug Way Road, Brownfield. FMI: 207.935.7292 or www.stonemountainartscenter.com August 21, 9-11 a.m. Holt Pond Guided Walk, develop sensory awareness and basic naturalist skills to explore and understand the Maine landscape, easy to moderate terrain over forest trails and board walks, Lakes Environmental Association, 230 Main Street, Bridgton. FMI: 207.647.8580 or http://mainelakes.org August 21, 7:30 p.m "A Wild Patience," musical comedy presented by Art Moves Dance, $12 in advance and for seniors and studen... 08/20/2009

Paddling on Peabody Pond, located half-way between Portland, Maine and North Conway, New Hampshire, is the perfect way to pass a summer day. This 735-acre pond has some cabins and cottages, plus Camp Micah, along its shoreline, but it is more secluded than most. Recently Peter Lowell, Executive Director of Lakes Environmental Association (LEA) described Peabody Pond as "One of the Cream of the Crop lakes in our area." Peter was referring to the water quality, which LEA tests every two weeks from May till October. Named for Captain John Peabody, one of the first settlers of South Bridgton, Peabody Pond is tucked away along the boundaries of Sebago, Naples and Bridgton. The boat launch, which offers a wash station funded by LEA, LL Bean and Camp Micah, is on Peabody Pond Road, off Route 1... 08/14/2009

We had a buyer recently who put in an offer on a nice vacation camp on Sebago Lake that sits about 25 feet from the water. When going through the inspections, this buyer was dismayed to find that the septic inspector had characterized the septic system as "marginal" and needing attention. The system was old, the soil was sandy, and there was significant groundwater and surface water runoff in the area. The buyer was concerned because he was hoping to do some updating to the camp and wanted a septic system that would qualify for a four bedroom dwelling. The lot is small and treed and the buyer wanted to keep the trees for privacy, shade, and as a buffer from the road. To complicate matters, both his well and the abutter's well are nearby. Septic systems must satisfy several different set... 05/21/2009

We often get asked by Maine lakefront property buyers what the restrictions are on the bodies of water they are buying on. The restrictions have to do with whether or not motor boats are allowed on a body of water and, if so, if there is any limitation on the size, or horsepower, that is allowed. Here is a list for your reference: MOTOR SIZE RESTRICTIONS ON INTERNAL WATERS No motorboats allowed: Cushman Pond, Lovell, Horseshoe Pond, Denmark Boston Pond, Denmark Bradley Pond, Lovell Trout Pond, 13R5 Wylie Pond, Boothbay Little Kennebago Lake, T3R4 Upper Dam Pool, T4R1 (from gates of dam, downstream or westerly 150 yards) Durgin Pond, T2RG BKP WKR Little Berry Pond, T2R6 BKP WKR Lone Jack Pond, 12RS BKP WKR Round Pond, T1 R6 BKP WKR Fry Pan Pond, T2R5 BKP EKR Blood Pond, T2R13 WELS Loon L... 04/22/2009

Writer/philosopher Gustave Flaubert coined the expression "Perfection is the Enemy of the Good". I heard a variation of this quote recently when Maine's Senior Senator Olympia Snowe, when explaining her decision to vote for the compromise stimulus package, said "Perfection is the enemy of the essentials." Local talk radio here in Maine has a conservative bent. Local conservatives were venting on The John McDonald Show this morning. "How could our two Senators dare to call themselves Republicans after deciding to vote for a package so full of pork?", they asked. I was kind of surprised when Susan Collins went along with Senator Snowe. This past summer Senator Collins, who was up for re-election, was painted by Democratic campaign operatives as a right wing crazy. Now the right wing crazi... 02/13/2009

So, you're reading this headline and thinking, "Meet the CEO - the Chief Executive Officer - of Maine Waterfront Property?!" "Huh?" "What are they talking about?!"Well, to most of the world a CEO is a chief executive officer - the person at the head of a company who makes a six figure salary and a seven figure bonus,  who is driven to work by a uniformed driver, and who wears $3000 suits, customed-made shoes, and shirts ordered in from a personal tailor in Hong Kong.Here in the world of Maine waterfront property, though, a CEO is somewhat different. Here in Maine, a CEO can be full-time or part-time, he pulls down somewhere in the low five figures, and drives around in a 12-year-old Ford F-150 pick-up truck. He wears a pocket T-shirt in the summer, a flannel shirt in the fall and spring... 04/17/2008

From 1998 to 2005 Maine Waterfront real estate, including lakefront property, appreciated at a rate of 10 to 15% per year. Since Autumn 2005 property values have stopped climbing. In fact, in some cases, they may have fallen a bit. However, the bottom has not fallen out of the waterfront real estate market in Maine. Lakefront buyers who are waiting for a big drop in values might regret their decision to wait. Here's why.The real estate here in Maine is different than elsewhere. Let's compare the market here to the one in Florida.Maine Waterfront compared to FloridaNew Home construction in Florida was unprecedented from 2000 to 2005. Builders were building as if the demand would never slow. Oversupply had as much to do with the bubble bursting there as the slowing demand. During the same... 02/29/2008