Thursday Dinner Special @ the Weathervane Restaurant

The Weathervane Seafood Restaurant in Brewer, which is across the Penobscot River from Bangor, has a Thursday dinner special -- it is the 2 (1 lb) lobsters for $19.95. I was there for dinner yesterday and ordered the lobster diner. They were perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious.

So what is your favorite dinner meal?

Marigold & Wasp

This marco shot was taken at the Norumbega Parkway flower patch at downtown Bangor. The marigold flower seemed to have a guest visiting its stamen and stigma. Maybe it was there to smell the flower.

So when was the last time you stopped to smell the flower?

The Bat Is Back / Good Humor

I took this photo of the ice-cream truck and its driver at the Penobscot River Revival Festival in Bangor last weekend. The festival on the Bangor Waterfront was held to celebrate the successful clean up of the Penobscot River.

So do you prefer plain t-shirts or a t-shirt that makes a statement?

Flower Bug & Aphids

Last weekend I went to the Norumbega Parkway, a small parcel of garden space by Kenduskeag Stream in downtown Bangor to photograph the flowers and plants there. To my amazement, I found lots of insects and bugs in and around the plants.

In this macro shot of a flower bud, you can see two little green aphids inside it. I didn't notice the aphids until I downloaded the photo on to my laptop. If I had known they were there, I would have taken more photos and angled my camera to focus on the aphids a little more.

So have you ever taken a photo and realized the unknown details later when you saw them on your computer?

Vista of Downtown Bangor

This is the vista of downtown Bangor from the top of the Thomas Hill Standpipe posted last weekend. Since I am fairly new in town, I cannot identify all the buildings yet but hopefully, I will in the near future.

So how long does it usually take for you to make new friends in a new environment?

Top of the Thomas Hill Standpipe

Here is the view of the balcony on top of the Thomas Hill Standpipe in Bangor. I was one of the first people to climb up the water tower and was rewarded with this beautiful scenery of the structure and the sky. A few minutes later, the balcony would be filled with enough visitors that this scene would be impossible to duplicate.

So have you ever been on top of a water tower?

Guitar in the Window

I saw the tail of his guitar by the window of an apartment near a parking lot in Orono. Orono is a college town so I assumed the resident of the apartment is a music major student.

So do you play any musical instrument?

Thomas Hill Standpipe

This is the Thomas Hill Standpipe in Bangor. The 1897 structure was build on top of Thomas Hill to store water supply for emergency purpose and to improve water pressure to the downtown area. Last Thursday, the water tower was opened to public -- this happens only 4 times a year -- and I climbed the 100-step to the top to take some photographs for this blog.

So what are your plans for the weekend?

Pitcher Plant & Sundews

Here are some carnivorous plants -- a pitcher plant and some sundews/droseras (the little star like plants surrounding the larger pitcher plant) that I saw growing in the acidic waterlogged field at Orono Bog from yesterday's photo. I was completely stunned to see these here because I thought they were tropical plants.

So what are the strangest things you have seen in your hometown?

Orono Bog Boardwalk

Earlier this week, I went on a 1.5 mile hike/walk along the Orono Bog Boardwalk that is located right in the middle of Bangor and Orono's township line. Most of the boardwalk is in Orono but to get there, I had to walk through the wooded path from Bangor.

So what is so special about this bog, aside from the well maintained boardwalk? According to the official website, the acidic waterlogged land has some of the most interesting plants and animals.

So how often do you exercise or go for a walk?

Blue House in Orono

This beautiful blue house with the wild flowers growing on its lawn is located right across the street from the pharmacy & ice cream sign from yesterday's post. The owner of this house did an excellent job of keeping it clean and beautiful.

So do you like wild flowers?

Orono Pharmacy & Ice Cream Parlor

This old sign is located on Main Street in Orono, Maine. Orono is a small college town where you will find the University of Maine at Orono (UMO), which is about 10 miles from Bangor, Maine. I was here to meet friends for dinner last weekend. Unfortunately the pharmacy & ice cream parlor was closed.

So do you have a favorite ice cream flavor?

Bagel Central on Main Street

Bagel Central is the place where I go to get my bagel with cream cheese (and sometimes, with smoked salmon and red onions) most mornings. My favorites are the NY-style chewy bagels, which are called water bagels here in Maine.

So what do you usually eat for breakfast?

Holy Batman! It's a Bat Gate

Hilda of My Manila noticed the details on the front gates from yesterday's photo. Yes, the gates to the Stephen King house has a ghoulish theme -- you can see the spiders and web designs, and the bats sitting on top of the posts.

So how has your weekend been?

The Stephen King House

This is the house where Stephen King lives. He is the beloved hometown hero and local celebrity who, along with his wife, have generously supported various causes and events in the township. I was told that Mr. King is a very low key guy and does not like being asked for autographs.

Although the house looks fairly modest from this angle, the property actually extends almost an entire block to the back and includes the adjacent (and more spectacular) house on the right -- not shown in this photo.

So have you ever read a Stephen King book or seen his movies?

Lobster Roll at Giacomo's

This was my lobster roll dinner at Giacomo's, which is located on the corner of Main and Union Street in Bangor. The lobster claws were served naked (without any dressing) on a piece of romaine lettuce tugged inside a toasted bun. The natural sweetness of the lobster claws were simply amazing.

So have you ever had a lobster roll? If so, where and when did you have it?