With the cost of checked baggage being outrageous, a pashmina is a must to bring with you on a trip, even if you're going someplace hot. A pashmina has numerous uses, yet weigh almost nothing.

• They look great just tied around your neck and shoulders, dressing up a very simple outfit.
• Avoid those nasty blankets on the plane and cover up with your pashmina.
• Impromptu picnic or beach blanket
• Emergency towel
• Roll it up for a neck…

I love a good Inn. When I'm off taking a break, I really don't want to see staff coming and going, I just want a place to relax and get a good night's sleep. And not a kid in sight.

At the Sandpiper Inn, I did just that.  The Gulf was a stroll away--I could hear it from my bedroom window--and it was a quiet and peaceful place to relax and write.  There was a tiny pool, but the temps while I visited didn't merit a cool-off swim; The landscaping was beautiful and several places…

There are several things that are expected when one lives in Maine and not necessarily in a good way. Take winter for example. We know it's going to be cold (this morning it was 2 whole degrees) and that snow will be involved at some point. In the last few days we've received a foot and are told to expect another major storm within the week.

Snow is so pretty to look at, especially the light fluffy stuff that has settled on…

Here in Maine, we know alcohol. Of course the best known Maine alcohol would be "Allen's Coffee Brandy". Someone, somewhere, probably having to do with ice-drinking fishing, decided that Allen's goes well with milk, and the drink went viral.  Young men refer to the drink as LPR (liquid panty remover); all I know is what I've seen--too many years of whole milk and Allen's…