The Smiling Cow Blog

Fireworks!

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:21:40 +0000

Eve of Independence Fireworks Saturday July 3, Camden harbor

Don't miss the spectacular 'Eve of Independence' fireworks display over beautiful Camden harbor, this Saturday (July 3rd) starting at 9:15pm. This year fireworks will be launched both up into the sky and directly onto the water's surface for a unique and amazing display that will be sure to elicit plenty of "ooohs" and "ahhhs".

Watch from Harbor Park, the waterfront, or from your boat as the rocket's red glare soars over masts and pine trees alike. See you on Saturday!

For more info:

www.camdenmaineexperience.com/events/festival-of-independence/

BARBARA ERNST PREY: SOLILOQUY

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:13:23 +0000

July 24 - August 15, 2010
BARBARA ERNST PREY: SOLILOQUY
This exhibit showcases the virtuoistic hand and delicate sensibilities of internationally recognized artist Barbara Ernst Prey who has painted powerful, vibrant views of her surroundings for three decades. On display are 30 poignant watercolors, Soliloquies, unspoken reflections on island life as a microcosm of sustainability: islands telling a story of sustainable life.

www.bluewaterfinearts.com/

July's Prize Winner

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:08:04 +0000

July's Prize Winner

Petra S., from Norwood, MA is this month's winner! Congratulations. We'll be sending Petra a mixed pound of our delicious fudge.

To order your own yummy fudge visit:

www.smilingcow.com/mainely-maine/homemade-fudge.html

Maple Sugar Candy

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:05:42 +0000

Featured Product
Maple Sugar Candy - The Pure Taste of Maine!

Pure Maple Sugar from Maine maple trees has a distinctive, sweet taste
that is sure to please everyone.

This 4.5 oz box comes packed full of candies in assorted shapes! Enjoy a taste of Maine

.

June's Prize Winner

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:58:41 +0000

June's Prize Winner

This month's winner is Ronnie from Oxford, NC! Congratulations!

We'll be sending Ronnie a copy of Alan Claude's 2011 Lighthouse Poster Calendar. The Lighthouse Collection Series by graphic artist Alan Claude is a dramatic and bold interpretation of lighthouses and their surrounding environments. With colorful contrasting imagery, dimensional light and shadow, these classic art travel posters bring forward the strength and spirit of each New England lighthouse.

www.smilingcow.com/mainely-maine/2011-lighthouse-poster-calendar.html

Blueberry Mixes

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:57:20 +0000

Did Somebody Say Blueberries?
Maine Wild Blueberry Mixes

Choose between delicious Maine wild blueberry pancake mix with berries or Maine wild blueberry muffin mix with berries.

Maine Wild Blueberry Mixes are great

for an easy delicious breakfast that will remind you of Maine.

Don't forget the pure Maine maple syrup!

www.smilingcow.com/mainely-maine/wild-blueberry-mix.html

Charming

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:55:53 +0000

Charming
Lobster Charm
Sterling Silver Maine Inspired Charms
Charming, right? We think so. These sterling silver charms look great on bracelets and necklaces... you could even put one on your keychain! An elegant touch of Maine.

www.smilingcow.com/collectibles/maine-charms

Maine Home + Design Show

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:54:19 +0000

Maine Home +Design Show
Point Lookout
June 5th & 6th
Come out in support of Maine's creative economy. Architects, builders, landscape designers, interior designers, kitchen suppliers, artists, food purveyors,, and more will be represented in over 100 booths.

www.mainehomedesign.com/web-exclusives/1223-mhd-midcoast-show-2010.html

Opening Weekend

Mon, 10 May 2010 18:47:05 +0000

What a great opening weekend! Thank you to everyone who came in to celebrate. There were balloons and flowers, food and fun (oh, and fudge!). And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, 70 beautiful red and white tulips arrived in ten vases from family members who couldn't be there on opening day - all organized by the owner's sister Laurie. Wow!

We even made it onto the local news!

What a wonderful way to start our 70th season in beautiful, downtown Camden, Maine.

www.wcsh6.com/video/default.aspx

Facebook

Mon, 10 May 2010 18:45:40 +0000

The Smiling Cow is on Facebook. You can check out great photos, learn about local events, make comments and even upload your own photos!

www.facebook.com/pages/Camden-ME/The-Smiling-Cow/360698513684

Maple Sugar Candy

Mon, 10 May 2010 18:43:29 +0000

Got a Sweet Tooth?
Our Maine Maple Sugar Candy is pure, unadulterated sweetness and we've just added it to our web site, so you can order it from your couch and have it delivered right to your front door!

Made from pure, 100% Maine maple syrup, and It's wicked good!

www.smilingcow.com/maple-sugar-candy.html

Botanical Gardens

Mon, 10 May 2010 18:41:40 +0000

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
A Beautiful Place to Spend the Day

"Here at the Gardens, you'll see glorious formal gardens, impressive stonework, man-made waterfalls and ponds, and an overall design that's both appealing and impressive. But you'll also find antique stone walls; nearly a mile of sparkling waterfront; massive ledges covered in mosses, lichens, and ferns; and native forest - in fact, the essence of Maine."

250 acres of pure beauty located in Boothbay, Maine!

www.mainegardens.org/

May's Prize Winner

Mon, 10 May 2010 18:38:58 +0000

May's Prize Winner

This month's winner is Jane from Pittsfield, Maine! Congratulations!

We'll be sending Jane a copy of "Dishing Up Maine" by Brooke Djony, author of more than a dozen cookbooks and winner of James Beard award. This book contains 165 recipes that capture the authentic down east flavors.

From luscious lobster rolls to Maine blueberry pie this cookbook is filled with mouth-watering recipes and beautiful photographs. Yum!

www.smilingcow.com/mainely-maine/dishing-up-maine-cookbook.html

Opening Weekend Celebration

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:29:06 +0000

Opening Weekend Celebration

Sat, Sun. & Mon. April 17-19

If you've been around as long as we have, we think you deserve a break!

Come help us celebrate our 70th anniversary on opening day and, if you are 70 or older ( born in 1940 or earlier), you will receive a 50% discount off your purchase!

Our year long celebration: 10% off for all those 70 or older *

Refreshments and prizes for all on Opening Day - Saturday, April 17th!!!

*In-store sales only

70th Anniversary

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:27:26 +0000

When my grandmother, Margaret Hawkey, first opened The Smiling Cow in 1940, Camden, Maine was a little too far to drive for a weekend visit for most. Route 1 was slow going and so were the cars! Visitors to Maine came for the whole summer and stayed in summer cottages or on their boats. Back then we sold lots of items that people might need for entertaining along with books, postcards and many, many cans of "Maine Air', as well as toys and greeting cards.

Over the past seven decades we've seen our world shrink as roads improve and cars get faster and safer. Now, spending a few days in Maine is an easy vacation for people from all over, and we're delighted to know where you're from when you come into the store.

We are so excited to be opening for our 70th season, carrying on traditions begun so many years ago, like free coffee and tea on our back porch. For 70 years The Smiling Cow has been opening its doors to locals and visitors from all around the world. It gives us great pride to be carrying on this tradition with continuity from generation to generation. I'm proud to be a link in this line of family members who have been manning the helm for so many years, and I'm grateful for both all the new visitors each summer and to those of you who come back year after year.

Lighthouse Bird Feeder

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:26:36 +0000

Featured Item
Lighthouse Bird Feeder

A Lighthouse bird feeder is a wonderful addition to your yard. It will bring part of Maine right to your house and the birds will love it as well!

Maine is home to over 60 lighthouses that dot our craggy coastline. And although boaters now navigate using Radar and GPS systems, lighthouses remain an important reminder of our coastal history when lighthouses were literally lifesavers for sailors.

www.smilingcow.com/mainely-maine/lighthouse-bird-feeder.html

April's Prize Winner

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:24:25 +0000

Nancy from Virginia is this month's prize winner. We'll be sending Nancy a Maine Blueberry Soap and Lotion Gift Set.

Relax and relieve tension with these all natural, hand crafted, goat's milk soaps and lotion. Made on a small goat farm in Maine with the highest quality ingredients. Each set includes 2 bars of soap, matching goat milk lotion, and a shower scrubby, packaged in an elegant organza gift bag.

Choose from: Maine lupine, Maine blueberry, or lavender.

www.smilingcow.com/mainely-maine/lotion-and-soap-gift-set.html

Toboggan Championships

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:04:35 +0000

Save the Date!
20th Anniversary of the US National Toboggan Championships, February 5-7

The U.S. National Toboggan Championships is the only organized wooden toboggan race in the country and possibly the world. The toboggan chute is located in Camden, Maine at the Camden Snow Bowl, a community owned year-round recreation area which has developed thousands of dedicated skiers since 1936.
The chute is 400 ft. long, 70 ft. in elevation and speeds up to 40 mph are attained. The run-out is on to frozen Hosmers' pond. If there is clear ice on the pond, some sleds will go the entire way across (1/4 of a mile). The most wonderful aspect of the U.S. National Toboggan Race, is that anybody can participate in a national race and anybody can be the National Champion, no matter the age or ability.

www.camdensnowbowl.com/20th-annual-toboggan-championships

Winterfest

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:02:46 +0000

Winterfest
January 30 & 31

The Camden Winterfest returns to the Historic Bok Amphitheater in downtown Camden overlooking the prettiest harbor in Maine for the 8th annual community celebration of winter over the weekend of January 30th & 31st, 2010.
This popular event is presented by The Camden Public Library and its Committee for Harbor Parks and Amphitheatre along with local sponsors. The parks will be filled with food, theater, music and art for children of all ages.

www.winterfest.mycamdenmaine.com/

Oh So Cozy Sleepwear

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:01:47 +0000

Oh So Cozy Sleepwear

Some people count sheep to fall asleep quickly, but here in Maine we're more likely to count Lobsters, Moose or Puffins. Our all cotton, sleepwear, creepers and boxers are comfy and stylish.

Fabulous colors and great graphics make our PJ pants, nightshirts and pajamas for kids not only cozy, but fun to wear for lounging and sleeping.

www.smilingcow.com/apparel/sleepwear

January Prize Winner

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:59:55 +0000

January's Prize Winner

Congratulations to Dennis & Jeannine

Dennis and Jeannine from Calais, Maine are this month's prize winners! We'll be sending them a 2010 Lighthouse Poster Calendar.

This calendar by graphic artist, Alan Claude, is a dramatic and bold interpretation of Maine lighthouses and their surrounding environments. These 12 classic (11x14) posters illustrate the strengths and spirit of each Maine lighthouse.

www.smilingcow.com/mainely-maine/2010-lighthouse-poster-calendar.html

69th Annual Sale a Big Success

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:41:22 +0000

Our 69th Annual Half Price Sale was a whirlwind! People poured in at 6 a.m. and then slowly over the next two weeks leaving the shelves practically bare and ready to fill with exciting new items and old favorites for next year.

Some people got through their entire holiday gift list while others bought that one item for themselves they've been hoping would still be there the day of the sale. As always it was both fun and exhausting for everyone... and, of course, we'll do it all again next year.

A big thank you to everyone who came out for the sale and throughout the 2009 season. We hope to see you back again in 2010.

In the meantime The Smiling Cow dot com is a treasure trove of holiday gifts from Maine! During the next few weeks we will be adding more new items to our site and will keep you up to date on special holiday deals!

November's Prize Winner

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:39:11 +0000

November's Prize Winner

April from Maryland is this month's lucky prize winner! Congratulations.

We are sending April a Smiling Cow ornament from our collection of holiday collectibles. These special edition holiday themed building replicas from the Camden miniatures collection are meant to be hung from your tree or used to decorate your mantel or tabletop. Each small scene is decorated by hand and sparkles with glittery snow. The ornaments are the ingenious design of artist Marlene Whiting and are made from wood at Brandywine Woodcrafts. Ornament dimension is 3"x3"

www.smilingcow.com/seasonal/smiling-cow-christmas-ornament.html

Featured Item From Our Web site

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:37:00 +0000

Featured Item from our Website
2010 Lighthouse Poster Calendar

It's hard to believe, but, yes it's almost 2010!
This calendar by graphic artist, Alan Claude, is a dramatic and bold interpretation of Maine lighthouses and their surrounding environments. These 12 classic (11x14) posters illustrate the strengths and spirit of each Maine lighthouse every day of the year.

So, don't be caught on January 1st without a 2010 calendar! Get yours here: www.smilingcow.com/mainely-maine/2010-lighthouse-poster-calendar.html

The Smiling Cow Salutes its Staff

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:27:48 +0000

Part of what makes the Smiling Cow so special are the people who work here. Many of them have been with us for years and years! Kristy, for example, has been here since she was 14! We won't tell you her age, but we will tell you that she started here 20 years ago! And Sandy, who worked here during high school in the early 50's, and is now a great grandmother, has been back with us for close to 30 years!

When the current owner, Meg Quijano (far right) took over the store from her parents, Margaret and Henry Fisher, they gave her lots of great advice, but one of the most important tidbits was, "the customer is always right"! At the Smiling Cow we put our customers first and we work as a team, supporting each other through ups and downs and taking great pride in a job well done.

So, thank you Smiling Cow staff for making this not only a great place to shop, but a great place to work too!

Maine Fare

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:15:18 +0000

Maine Fare

The fourth annual Maine Fare showcases many events including chef demonstrations, panel discussions, workshops, food and beverage tastings, author signings, and dinners, Maine Fare investigates the history, present and future of Maine's wonderful food, from farm to table.

"Maine is home to some of the most varied and rewarding eating and drinking experiences in the country. Come to Maine Fare and experience what we mean when we say Maine is where good food begins!"
- Nancy Harmon Jenkins
Cook book author, food writer, life-long Maine resident and Maine-Fare founder.

For more information:

http://www.mainefare.com/

Camden Windjammer Festival

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:12:54 +0000

Camden Windjammer Festival, Labor Day Weekend 2009

The Camden Windjammer Festival is a community-led celebration of Camden's maritime heritage and living traditions. From the great age of sail when four, five, and even six-masted schooners were launched into Camden Harbor, through the birth of the windjammer business here in the 1930s and continuing with the elegant yachts that visit or call Camden home every summer, sailing ships have always defined this gorgeous community where the mountains meet the sea.

Every year on Labor Day weekend thousands of visitors from as far away as Alaska and as near as Bay View Street in Camden gather along the wharfs and parks to explore the ships themselves, learn salty crafts and skills, and swap sea stories and songs in talent shows and concerts that appeal to landlubbers and swabbies alike.

Join us Labor Day weekend 2009 (September 4th, 5th, & 6th) for a celebration of Camden's maritime heritage and living traditions. When it comes to a community party the crews, captains, craftspeople, business owners, residents, neighbors, and visitors really know how to have a great, family-friendly time in one of the world's prettiest harbors.

For more information:

http://www.camdenwindjammerfestival.com/

Featured Item

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:10:34 +0000

Maine Sea Glass Necklace

With a beautiful Maine sea glass necklace you can hang the ocean around your neck. These necklaces are made of Maine sea glass from our nearby beaches. The sea glass is hung on eighteen-inch sterling silver chain. Choose from: white or green.

You can find them here:

http://www.smilingcow.com/mainely-maine/maine-sea-glass-necklace.html

New Hours Start Labor Day

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:06:18 +0000

Beginning on Monday September 7th, The Smiling Cow store hours will be:

Monday through Saturday from 9:00 to 5:30 and

Sunday from 10:00 to 5:00.

Blueberry Pie

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:20:44 +0000

Blueberry Pie
A Delicious Way to Get Your Antioxidants!

Pie Crust
- 21/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 14 tbs. unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 6-8 tbsp. ice water

1. Sift flour, sugar & salt in mixing bowl.
2. Add chilled butter and, working quickly with fingertips or pastry blender, rub or cut butter into dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. Sprinkle in ice water a tablespoon at a time, and toss with fork until dough just begins to come together.
5. Turn dough out onto your work surface and gently gather the dough into a ball. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1-2 hours.

Blueberry Filling
- 5 cups fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch or 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice

1. Gently mix all ingredients together.

Assembling the Pie!

1. Prepare the crust. Roll out half of the dough to 1/8-inch-thick circle on a lightly floured work surface, about 13 inches in diameter. Fit the dough over a 9-inch pie pan, and trim the edges to a 1/2 inch over the edge all around the pan. Chill for about 30 minutes.
2. Transfer blueberry mixture into the chilled bottom crust.(Dot blueberries with 2 tbsp. butter cut into small pieces :)
3. Roll out top crust, slide over blueberries and tuck the overhang under the bottom crust edge to seal.
4. Cut a few slices into top crust to let out steam, sprinkle with 1 tbsp. sugar and bake for 20 minutes at 425*F, then turn down oven to 350*F and bake an additional 30-40 min.

Serve with ice cream? Oh, yes!

Maine Blueberries

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:19:20 +0000

Maine Blueberries
Small but Loaded with Flavor

Maine blueberries don't look exactly like the blueberries from other places. For one thing, they're smaller and they grow on low bushes that hug the ground. And Maine blueberries aren't picked either, they're raked. It's tough work, but worth it!

Maine is the largest producer of lowbush blueberries in the world with a harvest that's grown on over 60,000 acres of land.

The blueberry rake was created by a Mainer from the Downeast area by the name of Abijah Tabbutt over 100 years ago and is still used today in various forms.

Wild blueberries hold a special place in Maine's agricultural history - one that goes back centuries to Maine's Native Americans. Native Americans were the first to use the tiny blue berries, both fresh and dried, for their flavor, their nutrition and their healing qualities and it was not until the 1840's that wild blueberries were first harvested commercially.

You can find delicious Maine blueberries for sale in roadside stands and local grocery stores throughout the month of August.

Maine Zip-Up Hoodie

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:18:21 +0000

Featured item from our website

There are lots of great items on our website and more being posted all the time, but this sweatshirt is a long-time customer favorite. Our Maine logo hoodie is warm and cozy for cold nights that creep up even in August.

This thick hooded sweatshirt with full zip comes with white lettering. Show your Maine spirit!

www.smilingcow.com/apparel/t-shirts-and-sweatshirts/maine-zip-up-hoodie.html

August Events

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:16:17 +0000

August Events
What's Happening in and Around Camden

August 1 (ongoing)
Robert Indiana at the The Farnsworth Art Museum
Explore the vast range of Indiana's work from the 1950's to the present, focusing on his efforts since he moved to Vinalhaven, Maine in 1978. The show will include some of Indiana's best known pieces, such as LOVE, the American Dream, his Marsden Hartley Elegy series and one of his newest, the HOPE sculpture, that premiered at the 2008 Democratic convention.
Farnsworth Art Museum

Monday, August 3
Windjammer Watching aboard the Bugeye Schooner Jenny Norman
Sail in company with Rockland's fleet of Windjammers as they depart for their week-long excursions. We will be serving locally roasted coffee and old-fashioned donuts. Reservations recommended.
Jenny Norman

Wednesday, August 5
KITCHEN TOUR CHEFS 2009
Fifteen excellent chefs and caterers from the Midcoast area will contribute their time and outstanding culinary talents to the 2009 Merryspring Kitchen Tour. Each of the chefs, on site in one of the eight lovely kitchens featured on the Tour, will serve samples of his or her cuisine to guests.
207-236-2239

Thursday, August 6
"Best of Maine" Auction Features Maine-Made Items & Vacationland Experiencesat the Owls Head Transportation Museum
The auction will showcase both Maine-made items and Vacationland experiences and packages from all regions of the state.

Friday August 7
Evening of Live Nautical Music and Fashions at the Strand Theatre
The Penobscot Marine Museum will showcase live music, performances and fashion at a Nautical Fashion and Variety Show at the Strand Theatre.

Monday, August 10
Views of India Maine Media Workshops
in collaboration with the historic Strand Theater in Rockland, Maine, this special presentation features two renown photographers with a lifelong passion for India. John Isaac and Stephen Huyler will share their work, experiences and reflections of this fascinating country.

Thursday, August 13
Inon Barnatan, last year's winner of the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award, returns for his second season at Bay Chamber Concerts. He will be joined by Geoff Nuttall and Christopher Costanza of the St. Lawrence String Quartet, as they perform works by Haydn and Mendelssohn.

Friday, August 14th
Paula Poundstone at the Strand Theatre
Appearing on stage with a stool, a microphone, and a can of Diet Pepsi, PAULA POUNDSTONE is famous for her razor-sharp wit and spontaneity.

Thursday, August 20
Contours Benefit Art Show at the Carver Hill Gallery. Gallery co-owner Jana Halwitz and former Farnsworth Art Museum chief curator Suzette McAvoy will curate a show of 18-25 Maine artists for this biennial event. All sales will benefit the Coastal Mountains Land Trust.

Friday, July 18th & 19th, 2009
Harbor Arts Juried Show
10:00AM-6:00PM · Harbor Park
This FREE show features an eclectic mix of established and emerging artists in a variety of disciplines, and grow more popular each year.

Thursday, August 27
First Chair All Star: Masterworks at the Rockport Opera House. Bay Chamber Concerts' 49th season ends with fanfare as 13 principal players from the great American orchestras perform the unforgettable Dvořák wind serenade op.44 together with a delightful arrangement of Mozart's opera the "Abduction from the Seraglio," K. 384; and Beethoven's Wind Octet, Op. 103.

Store Hours

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:10:41 +0000

The Smiling Cow is open 9:30-5:30 Mon thru Sat and 10-5 on Sunday. On June 26th we will go to summer hours: 9:00-9:00 seven days a week.

Lobster Facts

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:46:22 +0000

Lobster Facts The Largest Lobster Ever Recorded was 44.4 Pounds! Lobsters are bottom-dwelling crustaceans closely related to both shrimp and crabs. The lobsters that live in the chilly waters off the coast of Maine are called Homarus americanus, but there are hundreds of types of lobsters in the oceans of the world. Lobsters have highly developed senses of smell and taste and mostly eat fish and mollusks, although they will eat marine plant life in a pinch. In the wild, Lobsters have a lifespan of about 50 years. The annual global catch of lobsters is more than 200,000 tons! Now, that's a lot of butter!

June Events

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:45:20 +0000

June Events What's Happening in and Around Camden 6/1 - Jamie Wyeth-Seven Deadly Sins at The Farnsworth Art Museum This exhibition is a rare example of a contemporary artist taking on a theme long associated with the history of Christian art. Wyeth explores pride, envy, anger, greed, sloth, gluttony and lust through ideas and subjects he has studied and observed from his studios on Monhegan and Matinicus islands in Maine. www.farnsworthmuseum.org 6/7 - Full Moon Sail on the Schooner Olad Watch the sun go down behind the mountains of Camden Hills State Park, then turn seaward and watch the moonrise over the islands of Penobscot Bay. maineschooners.com 6/12 - Luka Bloom at The Strand Theatre Irish singer songwriter and acoustic guitarist Luka Bloom! Part of a musical Irish family that also includes brother Christy Moore, Bloom has gathered a reputation of his own for his electrifying live shows and unique brand of contemporary Celtic soul. www.rocklandstrand.com 6/20 - Summer Solstice Night in Rockland is a celebration of summer and a kick-off to the summer season. It will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. on Main St. with live music, entertainment, street dancing, food and special events. For more information, call the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce at (207) 596-0376 6/21 - Lobster Boat Races Last year over 100 lobster boats filled Rockland Harbor with fun & excitement. 6/26 - 6/28 - An Evening of Ives at the Camden Opera House. Festival of one-act plays directed by Hal Owen presented by Camden Civic Theatre www.camdencivictheater.com

Lobster Buoy

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:40:52 +0000

Featured Product Lobster Buoys Authentic hand-made reproductions of the classic wooden buoys used by Maine lobstermen. A unique way to add a bit of Maine to your home or yard! No two buoys in our collection are alike!

Lobstering In Maine

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:39:46 +0000

Lobstering in Maine Everybody Loves Lobster! It's hard to imagine that lobsters were once so plentiful that people could simply gather them by hand while walking along the shoreline. Things have gotten a lot more complicated since then! Trapping became the preferred method of catching lobsters by around 1850 and today it's estimated that there are about 2.5 million lobster pots on the ocean floor off Maine. Each pot is attached by rope to a buoy that floats on the surface of the water. Lobstermen and Lobsterwomen identify their particular buoys by painting them with distinctive colors and designs. The buoys dot the harbors all over Maine and remind us that this is the best place to get a fresh lobster dinner!

The Perfect Boiled Lobster

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:37:37 +0000

The Perfect Boiled Lobster Truly The Best Method * 4 Live Lobsters (about 1 1/2lbs each) * 2 -3 tbs. salt * 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter - melted * Lemon 1. Fill a large pot 1/2 full of water, add salt & bring to a rolling boil. 2. Plunge lobsters into pot & replace lid. 3. Reduce heat to medium and cook lobsters 12 - 18 minutes (the longer time is for hard shell lobsters). The shells will be bright red! 4. Lift lobsters out of pot using tongs and drain in colander before serving with melted butter and lemon wedges!

Featured Product, Jam Packed With Fruit

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:10:39 +0000

Maine made Blueberry and Strawberry Rhubarb jams are delicious on toast, in a pb&j or baked into a thumbprint cookie. Enjoy a little taste of summer as we say goodbye to winter. Check out the Maine Jam Crate

Events Around Camden, March 2008

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:07:54 +0000

3/2 - FREE Puppet Show at the Rockport Public Library - "How the Lion Got His Wild Mane" performed by the Ashwood Waldorf School seventh graders.

3/6 - One World Concert Series: An Evening with Dar Williams at the Strand Theater

3/7 - Peter & The Wolf - Join Atlantic Ballet Co. and students from the P2PDance for this heartwarming tale performed at The Camden Opera House

3/28 - The Ancient Mariners - Bay Chamber Concerts at the Rockport Opera House. Haunting sea chanties will be performed along with up-tempo popular jigs and work songs used aboard ship.

Camden Native Goes to Washington

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:00:45 +0000

Samantha Appleton, a Camden native whose parents Sam and Annie still live here, has been tapped to join the staff of the White House Photographers Association. Samantha, whose work has appeared in TIME, The New Yorker, Newsweek and US News (among others), will spend most of her time photographing First Lady, Michelle Obama.

Way to go Samantha!

March 2009 Prize Winner, Sue C.

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:57:44 +0000

Congratulations to Sue C. of Maine! Sue is this month's prize winner and will receive an all cotton Smiling Cow hat! Each month we pick a winner at random from our mailing list to receive a gift from The Smiling Cow. Not on our list? Sign up now! Click here to get your own Smiling Cow hat

Events Around Camden, December 2008

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:31:51 +0000

12/5 - 12/7 Atlantic Ballet Co. presents The Nutcracker at the Camden Opera House

12/5 - 12/7 Christmas By The Sea A weekend celebration of the Holiday Season. Shopping, musical entertainment, parade, community tree-lighting ceremony, horsedrawn wagon rides and Holiday House Inn tour.Photos and children's story hour with Santa - who arrives by boat! Visit Camden

12/6 & 12/7 Holiday Bazaar at Merryspring - A variety of plants, greens, wreaths, live arrangements and gifts for holiday giving and decorating. Merryspring

12/11 Michael Good Gallery Ladies' Night Michael Good

12/21 Holiday Pops Concert - Camden Opera House and Maine Pro Musica Orchestra present: A Holiday Pops Concert, conducted by Janna Hymes.Camden Opera House

12/23 It's a Wonderful Life - A special matinee benefit for United Mid-Coast Charities at the Strand. The Strand Theatre

Coconut Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:15:40 +0000

The Cary Family Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
from The Old Granite Inn, Rockland, Maine

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup oatmeal

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Fold in coconut and oatmeal. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Cool one minute and then carefully remove from cookie sheet.

December 2008 Prize Winner, Michael & Trisha

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:09:21 +0000

Congratulations to Michael & Trisha from New Hampshire . Michael & Trisha are this month's prize winners. We'll be sending them one of our handmade Scallop Shell Ornaments. Locally collected shells add a little bit of Maine to your tree or wreath. These hand made Scallop shell ornaments are decorated with blueberries and dried flowers.

Making Strides

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:45:33 +0000

Smiling Cow team is top earning company in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk!

What an inspiring day! The Smiling Cow team joined with thousands of people from around the state of Maine to participate in this important event. Thanks to our generous supporters we raised over $2,000 and were named the 2008 top company in the Damariscotta Region walk!

Novemeber 2008 Prize Winner, Henry B.

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:44:08 +0000

Henry is this month's prize winner. He will receive a festive, velvet holiday pillow filled with sweet smelling Maine balsam. This decorative, 6"x6" pillow is available on the website in our seasonal section! If you're on our mailing list, you're automatically entered to win!

Events around Camden, November 2008

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 13:47:09 +0000

11/1 - 11/2 - Giant Flea Market & Auction at the Owls Head Museum

11/2 - Russian Visions with pianist Mark Levinson. Bay Chamber Concerts

11/4 - Election Night '08 at The Strand Theatre. Watch Maine PBS's coverage on the big screen. The Strand

11/6 - Acclaimed singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin. Camden Opera House

11/7 - 11/9 - Maine Literary Festival - "For This Earth: Visions in Literature" Literary Festival

11/22 - Farm Friends Petting Zoo at the Camden Public Library - Come meet the animals from the Royer Farm at the library! Camden Library

11/27 - Happy Thanksgiving!

Store Closed for the 2008 Season

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 13:42:17 +0000

It was definitely early and it was certainly cold, but as promised, The annual Smiling Cow 50% Off Sale was FUN!

On Saturday November 1st the Smiling Cow will close until April. As always, we are sad to close our doors, happy for a break and excited for our our upcoming 69th (!) season. You can still shop with us anytime right here on our website.

Part of our winter break will be spent visiting gift shows around the country and here in Maine, searching out great new items to add to all the perennial favorites.

Thank you to everyone who helped make our annual sale and this season a success!

*Shoppers lined up down the block at 5 a.m. for our Sale!

Events Around Camden, October 2008

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 13:39:53 +0000

10/4 - 10/5 - Fall HarborArts Juried Arts & Crafts Show - Featuring over 100 artists & craftspeople. Visit Camden

10/5 - Comedian Bob Marley - 8pm at the Camden Opera House. Opera House

10/12 - Foreign Auto Festival & Antique Aeroplane Show at the Owls Head Transportation Museum. Transportation Museum

10/22 - 10/25 - POP!TECH - International conference on the impact of technology on our planet featuring visionaries from around the world. Camden Opera House. Pop Tech

October 2008 Prize Winner, Dennis from NY

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:36:56 +0000

Congratulations Dennis from New York. Dennis has been selected at random to receive a free gift from the Smiling Cow. This month's prize is a Smiling Cow minature from our exclusive series of Camden landmarks in miniature. Each piece begins as an original painting by Marlene Whiting. The image is digitized and printed on a sheet and then laminated to 3/4 inch wood and sealed with a UV resistant coating and finally the board is cut with a laser. Each piece is made in the USA.

Join our mailing list if you're not already on it, to put yourself in the running for next month's prize!

68th Annual Half Price Sale

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 13:33:46 +0000

Saturday October 18 6am - 5:30pm

If we had a dollar for every time a customer asked us, "is this 50% off too?" during our annual sale, well we'd close up the store and move to Mexico. People find it hard to believe, but it's true everything really is 50% off, and customers come from near and far to line up at 6 o'clock in the morning to get amazing deals on all our inventory. It's a little crazy, but a lot of fun!

The sale continues - 7 days a week from 9am to 5pm - until Friday October 31. The Smiling Cow re-opens in April.

Join us for a great Camden tradition.

Soaps, Our Summer 2008 Best Seller

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:30:54 +0000

This summer we sold over 2,000 bars of this soap! It was truly our best seller. The soap comes in four wonderful scents - including Smiling Cow, which smells like apple pie! These soaps are made with all natural ingredients including pure goat milk on a small farm right here in Maine.

Events Around Camden, September 2008

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:24:09 +0000

9/6 Wine & Chocolate... Yum - The Cellardoor Winery welcomes the Nutmeg Chocolate Factory for a day of sampling & chocolate making demonstrations! Cellardoor Winery

9/5 Heritage Cruise aboard the Schooner Surprise - Enjoy the 90th birthday of Surprise with a celebration cruise departing from Camden Harbor.Camden Sailing

9/11 Dougie McLean in Concert - Scotland's favorite singer songwriter at the Camden Opera House. Camden Opera House

9/19 Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem - Wicked grooves, sublime lead singing, great harmonies - for all ages at the fabulous Strand Theatre in Rockland.The Strand

9/25 - 9/27 Camden International Film Festival - Showcasing the finest international documentary cinema from around the world. Camden Film Fest

9/28 Earth Movers & Shakers - Owls Head Transportation Museum Featuring some of the biggest vehicles in Maine. A family favorite featuring an Antique Aeroplane Show, guided tours, demonstrations, free Model-T rides and more. Transportation Museum

For more great events in the Camden area go to: Visit Camden

Fall 2008 Hours

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:12:04 +0000

In the summer when Camden is crowded with people and evenings are warm the Smiling Cow stays open late for after dinner shopping and back porch views of the harbor at twilight. Beginning on Monday September 1, we will no longer be open at night. Our new hours are 9am - 5:30pm... seven days a week.

August 2008 Prize Winner, Chris & Jennifer B.

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:10:02 +0000

Congratulations Chris & Jennifer B.! They have been chosen in our monthly drawing to receive a free gift from The Smiling Cow. We will be sending them one of our very aromatic Balsam Crates, which includes a locally made balsam pillow, a large bag of all natural balsam fir - to make their own pillow or potpourri - and a log cabin incense burner and incense. It's a great way to enjoy the woodsy scents of Maine!

For details go to Balsam Crate and remember, if you're on our mailing list you're already in the drawing and if not you can sign up now!

Pink Ribbon Jewelry Series

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:25:43 +0000

The Smiling Cow gift shop is honoring long time employee Claire Frye and her battle against breast cancer with a project designed to make a difference in the lives of Maine women who are also fighting this disease.

The Pink Ribbon jewelry series is a special collection of unique bracelets, necklaces, earrings and zipper pulls created by Smiling Cow employee and jewelry artist, Kristy McKenney who is generously donating her time and effort to this project. The jewelry, which features pink beads in keeping with national breast cancer awareness campaigns, is available exclusively at the Smiling Cow and on our Web site.

All profits from the sale of this jewelry will go directly to the Maine Breast Cancer Coalition, a non-profit, volunteer-based organization established in 1992. The coalition is a partnership of breast cancer survivors, representatives from cancer-related organizations that is dedicated to making a positive difference in the health of Maine people through service, advocacy and education.

July 2008 Prize Winner, Kevin P.

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:24:39 +0000

Prize Winner Announced! Each month we will draw a name at random from newsletter recipients to receive a free gift from the Smiling Cow. Our first winner is Kevin P. from North Carolina.Congratulations Kevin! We'll be sending you a Smiling Cow hat in the mail.