Brenda Whitney, Realtor

FATHER'S DAY DELIGHT! Scapes Cafe & Bakery opens at 7am and you want to be in that line! Because the man of honor was out fishing we grabbed breakfast to go in order to have it ready when he docked. That meant we were able to grab, hot from the oven, pecan sticky buns along with breakfast burritos of the day plus a piece of excellent veggie quiche for me. All hot, fresh and delicious! All scratch made & worth a visit! ❤️

SOLD! I'm not sure who is happier, my seller who received multiple extremely attractive offers, or the winning purchasers who rose just enough above the crowd to become the next owner. With water views, a huge covered deck and an on-site pool, summer will be awesome. As always, I am honored to be the listing broker of choice for them. How can I help you?

TIME TO EXPLORE! Let's begin in the woods! Check out the different fungi I found. Some Turkey tails that covered a long log and more colorful and simple mushrooms too. I think the Fairy house tunnel in the tree is magical. Oh and my herb pot with happy violas at camp is looking pretty good. ;-) Get out there friends! Start soaking up more spring in Maine before it's gone.

FYI!

Weekly Browntail Moth Update! 🕸

Browntail caterpillars across the state have been growing, and many have reached at least the fourth instar life stage of development. The fourth instar caterpillars are larger, and have the same features as the younger caterpillars, with the addition of broken white stripes on their body. In areas with high populations, you may notice top-down canopy defoliation that happens seemingly overnight.

If you have browntail caterpillars crawling on your house or car:

🕸 Use a garden hose to dislodge caterpillars

🕸 Eliminate caterpillars by placing them into a bucket of soapy water for a day or two before disposing them into the trash. You can also put a couple inches of soapy water in the bottom of a wet/dry vacuum that has a good HEPA filter installed in it and vacuum up the caterpillars

🕸 Check your car or other equipment for browntail caterpillars before driving or using it

🕸 Avoid parking under areas with browntail caterpillars. Many parking lots are planted with preferred hosts of browntail caterpillars, such as ornamental fruit trees.

For more tips and information from Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/invasive_threats/browntail_moth_info.htm

UNDER CONTRACT! ... and closing soon! This Eastern Promenade gem of a condo was scooped up after only a few days on the market and multiple offers. The new owners will be hanging by the pool or BBQing on the deck soon, as they look up Cascon Bay!

ADVENTURES IN REAL ESTATE! Camp hunting addition. What an unbelievable day for a long drive and viewing camps. Be-au-ti-ful! Things to remember...Sometimes you have to have your shower in a separate room with the washer/dryer and not in with your sink and toilet. Sometimes the shed is in better condition than the camp. Sometimes the LOFT advertised as a 2nd bedroom is through a pull down ceiling ladder in the kitchen, up into the attic which you can't stand up in. Yikes! Finding an antique knife holder is cool along with a weather stick on the wall. But the scenery everywhere was the best, along with my client.

SUNDAY-FUN-DAY! The last of the bulbs are passing. Now the flower pots are getting filled for the season. Husband treated me to breakfast at Scapes Cafe & Bakery overlooking Minnehonk Lake. They make EVERYTHING from scratch. So good! Took a hike with the dog through a never visited Kennebec Land Trust trail.They maintain them well. There was marsh with walkways, pine scented trails, a hidden pond, ferns up to my armpits, boulders larger than all 3 of us put together and wildflowers. So lovely! Thankful for such a good day off.

SOLD! The most terrific people purchased this 3 bedroom 2.5 bath townhouse with an attached garage surrounded by lovely landscaping. They will now be close to their grandchildren! It's also very convenient to all the amenities they need and want. Plus, they were able to buy it successfully without any drama. I love a happy ending!

LILACS!!! They are here and in full force. I feel like I can smell their perfume everywhere I go. I have bouquets throughout the house. I transplanted small sprigs over 25 years ago that are huge shrubs now. The last spring snow storm splayed some out...I will trim back hugely and tie them off after the blooms fade. Gotta save them!

LISTING ALERT! The trifecta of condos is available at the coveted Promenade Towers on Portland's East End! It has water views! It has an expansive covered balcony! And, believe it or not you have a private entrance going directly into your unit from your covered parking space! 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, open renovated living space. Pool, fire pit, beautiful grounds, fitness center and access to all of the trails and Portlands cool life style! $559,000.

WILL IT FIT??? Can this little boat towing the dock and long ramp make it under the low bridge? I pulled over on my ride home and watched. It got stuck sideways under the bridge! So one of the guys got off, went under and worked his muscular magic. TA-DA~they got it through. The driver asked me if I was the owner. Nope! It was a fun and funny end to a busy day!

DOING GOOD! In the past 24 hours I have created and delivered healthy meals to a family which was such fun! I have also volunteered, along with some of my associates at Portside Real Estate Group and Schafer Douglas Title, to help Maine Coast Hunger Prevention Program with incoming food donations. That place is amazing! Then to top it all off I gave blood. Phew! Yes, I still kept up with my clients and family. But I could use a nap. 😉 I love giving back to my community!

A Spring Day in Maine! Stopped in a New shop on Main Street in Yarmouth: with so many wonderful vintage finds plus new/current cute items. Gifts for others and you! Was handed a bunch of flowers on Maine St in Brunswick by a lovely woman for May Day. ❤️ And received a box to grow some basil at a Broker function. The trees are blooming all over. Maine is definitely dressed in her spring finest!

COFFEE at Magno Terra Cafe! I sometimes meet clients here. If you have not found this gem in Yarmouth near exit 17 in the Eartha building, you're missing out. The world literally slides by as you sip your coffee or enjoy any of their fresh, house made, treats or meals. There are also a few separate seating areas around the sides of Eartha beyond the cafe itself. Coffee is Coffee by Design.

EARTH DAY IS MONDAY.....this gives me ideas!

Something to think about as you plant this season.

GIRLS NIGHT! My turn to host. Pussywillow table decor in laceypots and blue & white place settings. Pot luck with women who never disappoint! Main course was sheet pan lemon chicken with petite red potatoes & sweet red onions. Pasta salad with sundried tomatoes & veggies plus spinach salad w/ strawberries & almonds for sides. Beer bread, excellent apps and french macarons for dessert, along with good wine, rounded out the evening. One of my hostess gifts was a gorgeous floral study by one of my favorite artists. 🥰 Grateful for fabulous friends!

SOLD! This listing went under contract in 3 days with multiple offers to very excited buyers. The seller got 8+% over asking plus a very clean contract. The transaction was smooth...which is always my goal. My client closed here and also bought a new place. Happy endings are the best! I am so lucky to have such excellent clients. 🥰

SOLD! Happy buyer client is moving in as we speak. We found a terrific one floor condo in a quiet association close to trails and bike routes. This makes my client even happier. So honored my client chose me & to guide them through the process & to their new home.

WHAT'S for DINNER? BBQ St Louis Ribs....dry rubbed, slow cooked, added the BBQ sauce at the end. Yum! Plus a little Mardi Gras cole slaw. Green & purple cabbage, orange carrots & onion. Add a bit of mayo, apple cider vinegar and some S&P...done! It made us feel a bit like summer was here.

ADVENTURES IN REAL ESTATE, Spring Snow addition. Ventured up past 🎶 "Tin roof... Rusted"🎶 properties. Past the Sugarloaf shuttered house and ended up on Flagstaff Lake to meet my client. Steep pitch to the water. Very very seasonal. Totally amazing views! Snow was plentiful up there. Frosting on the trees & big snow banks. Pre-Eclipse traffic seemed steady.

TULIPS! It may be a Nor'easter out there, but inside there are tulips blooming away. I love how they are super tight when I buy them and they slowly open up more and spread out in the vase too. I have even witnessed them shifting which way they bend. They bring a sense of spring, brightness and beauty I so crave this time of year. Go get you some! 🥰

ICE STORM MARCH MADNESS! We finally got power back after days of keeping the fire going, cooking on the gas top and grill, running the portable generator on/off for water and to keep the fridge/freezer items from parishing.No cell, internet, or TV. Lots of reading & started a puzzle.Missed many Madness games..:-(. Up the coast Our son & friends built a snowman! Downed trees/branches & wires are still being dealt with. We have so much admiration for the hardworking line workers still out there. 🥰 Had a dozen deer come thought too!!!

Coffees on me! Come see me at Cupa Jo's in Yarmouth this morning!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG! On this first dull day of spring in Maine we have bulbs up. Snow Drops, Crocus & some mini/rock Iris are blooming. Lots of daffodils coming up everywhere. Buda on shrubs and trees. AND I found a bird's nest in one of the rose bushes. Pretty cool! Mama bird used some of my garden debris including empty pods to line her nest. What's happening in your gardens?

PRETTY PORTSMOUTH! So much history as well as art to view & mother nature added some great weather for walking! From antique homes, to excellent eateries, and interesting shops and infrastructure we really enjoyed ourselves. I found our office too! Bonus -when the tide turned, our dinner view was up the river as a ship was escorted by tugboats on through.

SOLD!!! My clients closed on their new construction home. They were the first in the subdivision. So they got dibs on the best lot! There were a few ups and downs in the build process but the house came out beautifully. They are thrilled with their forever home. Welcome to Maine A&C!

ADVENTURES IN REAL ESTATE! Close to the ocean. Views up the bay. Water front access. Debris from the past huge storms left behind. Too early for spring clean up yet. Plus more will undoubtedly come with today's storm. Nice walkway and note the cool garden hose.

DAY BOAT SCALLOPS! Yummy! Fresh off a Maine boat, thanks to a friend with connections. Huge 10 pound bag.So fresh they smell like the sea. Needed to freeze within 2 days. Before then we sauteed some in butter & EVOO. Then wrapped some in bacon...of course! Lastly, I made ceviche. It's excellent. What would you do?

SUNDAY-FUNDAY! From the gorgeous neverending rays of the sun, to visiting a friend/client celebrating her birthday via her annual open house for friends, to checking out a new brewery in Bath (and some work in-between), it was a great day in Maine! Check out the knit sweater my friend made for one of her gnomes- so cute! Make a plan to visit Bath Brewing. Food and beer was really good.