Spring in Newcastle, Maine?!

Even though this winter hasn't been that challenging, as winters go, last week I decided that I was done with winter, so I put away the remaining winter/snowman themed decorations and pulled out the brighter and lighter spring decor. I decided to do this on the day that the weatherman predicted snow! Yes, there were some little snow flurries that day, but I persisted.

Later in the week a huge storm moved through the area and the rain fell and the wind blew and blew. The last of the snow piles are now history and today when I was out in the yard picking up fallen branches I noticed that there were little tiny green spikes poking out of the ground! The Snowdrops, some Tulips, and lots and lots of Narcissus have also decided that winter is over and it is time for spring!

Springtime in Maine is beautiful and it is surprising to me that more people don't visit then to experience it for themselves. The Hospitality for Habitat Special starts in another month and offers guests a great discount, an opportunity to support a worthwhile cause and a chance to visit Maine in the springtime!

New Sign for Newcastle Inn!

Another bit of news here at Newcastle Inn was the arrival, on Monday, of the new sign. It came from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was made by Larry Gietl, Sign maker Extraordinaire. Thank you Larry!! It was packed in its' very own crate and I could hardly wait to open the box. Thank goodness for the trusty power drill/screwdriver which made quick work of the task. The sign features the new logo that my partners and I had designed when we bought the inn in May 2008. It is bold, clear and easy to read! Guests often ask about the Irish references around Newcastle Inn and the use of Celtic knot work in the logo. More about that in the next post!

Newcastle Inn Room Redecorating Complete!

At last, the re-decorating project that I undertook three weeks ago is 99.9% complete! I just need to find some wonderful complimentary fabrics and sew up a few pillows.  I am delighted with how it turned out and I know that Newcastle Inn guests will enjoy it as well.
The room has a wonderful clean and crisp feel to it which is exactly what I hoped to create. It is was cloudy today, when I took this picture, but the room still feels light and airy.

Painting Progress & Habitat for Humanity Special

There has been steady progress in the room re-decorating during the past week. The ceiling, walls and trim are painted and the floor has the first of two coats of paint. The color makes me think of spring and believe it or not, last week I saw a flock of robins! There must have been a dozen of them. Spring can't be far off!

Another sign of spring is the arrival again of the "Hospitality for Habitat" program sponsored by the Maine Innkeepers Association. Last year Newcastle Inn participated and the guests of the inn donated $2,985.00 to this very worthwhile cause. Rooms priced $200 or higher will be offered at 50% off with a two night stay from April 12 - May 27, 2010. You can read the details on the Specials Page at the website.

Stripping Wallpaper and Fresh Popovers

I can't believe that an entire week has gone by since my last post. I am redecorating one of the guest rooms here at Newcastle Inn and have been busy, some might say consumed, by decorating decisions. Last weekend I made a run down to Portland and found a great rug and that is guiding the color palette of the room.

So, Sunday the fun began with the removal of wallpaper. I have to say that I have had some terrible experiences of removing wallpaper, but happily this hasn't been one of those. It came off pretty easily. The walls have been washed, I have spackled/filled the dozens of holes and patched the ceiling. The next step is to lightly sand the walls which I hope will smooth things out where some of the paint was removed when the paper came and now the plaster wall is exposed. If the sanding doesn't do the job, then everything will have to be skim coated. I'm crossing my fingers that I don't have to do that. My goal is to have everything prepped and ready for primer and paint after this weekend.

In the midst of all this, I have also been trying new recipes. There is something about winter that makes me want to cook and bake up a storm. I LOVE fresh popovers and last week made up a batch using a recipe from King Arthur Flour. I think their recipes are great and they are all tested so they are pretty much foolproof. For a quick simple recipe go to King Arthur Flour. I'm sorry that there isn't a picture of these beautiful puffy delights, but mine are all gone!

Winter Clamming in Newcastle, Maine

Yesterday morning I was shoveling the back deck, after another beautiful snowfall. Every tree branch had a perfect layer of white snow. There was an incredible quiet and stillness and all of the sudden I could hear people talking. The voices were in the distance, but I could hear them as if they were just in the backyard. All of the sudden I realized that what I was hearing was the conversation of two people digging for clams out on the flats of the Damariscotta River! As I looked more closely I saw someone bent over, bucket right next to them, digging for clams. A little while later I looked and the tide was coming in and the clammer was gone...

Happy Birthday Dolce

This morning I woke up to a winter wonderland. I think all together we got about 10". After helping my guests get their cars uncovered and assisting them out of the parking lot, it was time to shovel. Because the Newcastle Inn is a three story building there are fire escapes. So, every time it snows they need to be cleaned off. There are also two parts of the roof that are very flat and they need shoveling, and finally, the lovely expansive deck gets cleared off. On a day like today, with this much snow, it takes me about 2 1/2 hours to get it all finished.

Meanwhile, my dog, Dolce, is outside tearing around the backyard, going down back and visiting the neighbors at the boatyard and on a constant hunt for sticks. Some days, she tries to take the ones that are still attached to the trees and shrubs! She makes me laugh and many guests have threatened to pack her in their suitcases when they leave to go home. Dolce is the birthday girl tomorrow and turns five. She certainly doesn't act her age and I think will be a puppy forever - I hope so!