Fryeburg, ME

June 17, 5-6:30 p.m. Wine Tasting, featuring local wines and mead, Cafe Nomad, 450 Main Street, Norway. FMI: 207.739.2249, www.facebook.com.

June 17, 8 p.m. Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek, vocalist, fiddler, guitarist and songwriter, $20, dinner available beforehand by reservation, Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695, Dugway Road, Brownfield. FMI: 207.935.7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

June 17-20, 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m Sunday, "Bus Stop" by William Inge, presented by the Oxford Hills Music and Performing Arts Association, $10/adults, $8/students and seniors (55+), Norway Grange, 15 Whitman Street, Norway. FMI: www.ohmpaa.org.

June 18-20, 9 a.m. Friday to noon, Sunday, Pleasant Mountain Fiber Arts Workshop, Sharon Costello, nationally known felter is featured fiber artist, fiber arts classes, Denmark Arts Center, 50 West Main Street, Denmark. FMI: 207.452.2687, www.denmarkarts.org.

June 18, 7:30 p.m. TWO, juggling brothers Matthew and Jason Tardy, an explosive, inventive and unbelievable performance, The Lovell Brick Church for the Performing Arts, 502 Christian Hill Road, Lovell. FMI: www.lovellbrickchurch.org.

June 18-20, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, "Hello, Dolly!" directed by Jerry Walker and presented by Lake Region Community Theatre, $15/adults, $12/ages 12 and under, Deertrees Theatre and Cultural Center, 156 Deertrees Road, Harrison. FMI: 207.583.6747, www.lrctme.org.

June 18-20, times vary, 5th Annual Maine Blues Festival, (primarily on Saturday), featuring over 40 blues bands at over 20 venues, shuttle buses, vendors, food, and more, Naples Village Green, 15 Village Green Lane, Naples. FMI: www.mainebluesfestival.com.

June 19-20, 9 a.m. Lake Region Open Golf Tournament, Naples Country Club on Saturday, Bridgton Highlands Country Club on Sunday, play your own ball, winner based on two-day total score, Naples Golf and Country Club, 134 Sebago Road, Naples. FMI: 207.647.3472, www.mainelakeschamber.com.

June 19, 10 a.m. Landscaping to Save our Lakes, advice about organic gardening, lawn care and Maine lakes from Paul Tukey, best-selling author and publisher of "People, Places and Plants," sponsored by Lakes Environmental Association, $5/non-members, Bridgton Town Hall, North High Street, Bridgton. FMI: 207.647.8580, www.mainelakes.org.

June 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 4th Annual Windham Summerfest, Business Expo plus pancake breakfast, parade, entertainment, food booths, car show, children's activities, yard sale and more, Windham High School grounds, 406 Gray Road (Route 202), Windham. FMI: www.windhamsummerfest.com.

June 21, 5 p.m. Summer Solstice Hike up Bald Pate, traditional 20-30 minute hike to the rocky summit to remember Bob Chase, a founder of Loon Echo Land Trust, meet at the Bald Pate parking lot, Route 107, South Bridgton. FMI: 207.647.4352, www.loonecholandtrust.org.

June 22, 6-8 p.m. The Lake Region Greenprint: A Community Partnership Public Input and Listening Session, to develop a strategic plan based on local and regional priorities designed to meet community open space, park, recreation and conservation goals, sponsored by Loon Echo Land Trust and The Trust for Public Lands, meet at Crooked River Adult Community Education Center, Route 11, Casco. FMI: www.loonecholandtrust.org.

June 22, 7 p.m. Paul Frederics, author of "Canning Gold: Northern New England's Sweet Corn Industry," will talk about local corn shops, followed by "corny" refreshments, public welcome, Norway Historical Society, 471 Main Street, Norway. FMI: 207.743.7377, www.advertiserdemocrat.com/NHS.

June 23, 6:30 p.m. The Met's Live: in HD! Romeo et Juliette, $15/adults, $10/students, Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center, 745 Main Street, Fryeburg. FMI: 207.935.9232, www.fryeburgacademy.org.

May 13, 7:30 a.m. Guided Bird Walk with naturalist Jean Preis, sponsored by the Lakes Environmental Association, $5/person, free/LEA members, Brownfield Bog, Bog Road, Brownfield. FMI: 207.647.8580, www.mainelakes.org.

May 13-16, 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2:00 p.m Sunday, "Grease," the musical, directed by Michael Hjort with musical direction by Allen Thomas and choreography by Robyn Lamarre, $18/adults, $16/students and seniors, Schoolhouse Arts Center, 16 Richville Road (Route 114), Standish. FMI: 207.642.3743, www.schoolhousearts.org.

May 14-16, 11 a.m. Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, 9th Annual Northern New England Home Garden Flower Show, featuring inspirational ideas for the home and garden, old-fashioned fair food and kiddie rides, slides and more, $8/adults, $6/seniors, $4/ages 6-16, free/under 6, Fryeburg Fairgrounds, Route 5, Fryeburg. FMI: 207.935.2845, www.homegardenflowershow.com.

May 14-15, 7:30 p.m. Audiobody, fusion of physical comedy and technology, featuring new routines, gadgets and lighting effects, suggested price, $10, but pay what you want, higher or lower, Oddfellow Theater, Route 117, Buckfield.
FMI: 207.336.3306, www.oddfellow.com.

May 15, 8:45 a.m. Spring Hike up the Southwest Ridge Trail of Pleasant Mountain, sponsored by Loon Echo Land Trust, view lady slippers, columbine, and other wildflowers in bloom, moderate to difficult ability, wear proper boots, clothing, bring energy snacks, water, bug spray, meet at trailhead, Denmark Road, Denmark. FMI: 207.647.4352, www.loonecholandtrust.org.

May 15, 8 p.m. Darol Anger and his Republic of Strings, "five great players taking you over a creative terrain where bluegrass, jazz, classical, pop and various world musics mingle," $20/person (plus $4 handling fee), dinner available by reservation before the show, Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dugway Road, Brownfield. FMI: 207.935.7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

May 16, 1:00 p.m. Syttende Mai, Norwegian Constitution Day, parade, Norwegian games, scavenger hunt, fishing derby, music and food, Pineland Farms, 15 Farm View Drive, New Gloucester. FMI: 207.622.3096, www.mainenordmenn.com.

May 17, 10:30 a.m. Percussion: The Beat Goes On! Kinderkonzert with the Portland Symphony Orchestra's Percussion Trio, learn how the rhythm makers evolved from clapping and hitting rock and sticks together into today's percussion instruments, appropriate for ages 3 to 7, $3/person, Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center, Fryeburg Academy, Bradley Street, Fryeburg. FMI: 207.935.9232, www.fryeburgacademy.org.

May 6, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Exploring Mongolia by Horseback, slide show presentation by Polly Mahoney, registered Maine Guide and co-owner of Mahoosuc Guide Service, potluck dinner to follow, bring a dish to share, sponsored by Western Mountains Senior College, open to the public, Mahoosuc Mountain Lodge, 1513 Bear River Road, Newry. FMI: 207.824.2236, www.maineseniorcollege.org.

May 7, 9 a.m. -5 p.m. Colorful Conceptions: Western Maine Art Group's Student Art Show, Lajos Matolcsy Art Center, 480 Main Street, Norway. FMI: 207.739.6161, www.thewmag.org.

May 7, 10 a.m. Wildflower Walk with enthusiast Ursula Duve, site to be decided, meet at Lakes Environmental Association, 230 Main Street, Bridgton. FMI: 207.647.8580, www.mainelakes.org.

May 7, 7:30 p.m. Talent Show, featuring people and live animals, to benefit Responsible Pet Care, $10/adults, $6/students, tix available at Books N Things, show at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, Route 26, South Paris. FMI: 207.743.8679, www.rpc.petfinder.com.

May 8, 8:30-4 p.m. The Non-Stop Garden, symposium for both professional and amateur gardeners will explore innovative ways to stretch your garden's capacity, speakers include Stephanie Cohen, William Cullina, Lee Schneller Sligh, and John Greenlee, pre-registration required, $90/members of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens or Maine/New Hampshire Master Gardeners, $105/non-members, includes continental breakfast, box lunch and tours of Pineland Farm's garden, Pineland Farms Conference Center, 16 Pineland Drive, New Gloucester. FMI: 207.633.4333, www.mainegardens.org.

May 8, 7:30 p.m. Asbury Shorts New York: A Short Film Concert, featuring short films that won Academy Awards or Best Short Awards from such festivals as Sundance, Chicago International Film Festival, Aspen Shorts Festival and South by Southwest, $10/adults, $7/students, Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center, Bradley Street, Fryeburg. FMI: 207.935.9232, www.fryeburgacademy.org.

May 9, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mother of a Craft FAir, featuring some of New England's best artisans plus a neighborhood carriage ride with Donna the Wonder Horse, Tarot Card readings, a strolling accordion player, neck and shoulder massages, admission and music free, buy Mom lunch or a glass of wine, plus a gift of her choice, Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dugway Road, Brownfield. FMI: 866.227.6523, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

May 9, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Mother's Day Brunch Cruise aboard the Songo River Queen, let mom relax and enjoy the gorgeous views of Long Lake while listening to the family friendly Jimmy Buffet style music performed by Simon Crawford, brunch catered by Lake Region Caterers, tix include cruise, entertainment and brunch, $35/adult, $10/ages 10 and under, Songo River Queen II, on the Causeway, Naples. FMI: www.songoriverqueen.net.

May 10, 7 p.m. Barbara Murphy, Horticultural Cooperative Extension Agent, will talk about gardening, Lakeside Garden Club, Bridgton Community Center, 14 Depot Street, Bridgton. FMI: www.lakesidegardenclub.co.nr.

History abounds on Fryeburg's Lovewell Pond, in western Maine. Lovewell Pond was the site of a fight between native Americans and colonists in 1725, and a difference of opinion between the Nestle Corporation and town residents in more recent years.

The battle of Pigwacket (Pequawket), known as "Lovewell's Fight," took place on May 8, 1725, on the shores of Saco Pond. The pond was later renamed for Captain John Lovewell of Dunstable, who commanded a company of 46 colonists. Both Captain Lovewell and Chief Paugus lost their lives in this fight. "The Scalp Hunters: Abenaki Ambush at Lovewell Pond-1725" by Alfred E. Kayworth and Raymond G. Potvin provides an historical look at events leading up to this epic battle.

More recently, Nestle Corporation, which owns Poland Springs Bottling Company, and Fryeburg residents, including 90-something year old Howard Dearborn, who lives on Lovewell Pond, disagreed about groundwater extraction.

In January 2009, Normandeau Associates, Environmental Consultants of Bedford, New Hampshire, completed a report entitled, "Lovewell Pond Watershed Phosphorus Loading Analysis," as part of a project titled, "Continuation of Wards Brook/Lovewell Pond Study."

According to the report, the purpose of the project was "to develop a quantitative phosphorous budget for Lovewell Pond in an attempt to better evaluate the potential impact of groundwater withdrawals from the Wards Brook watershed on Lovewell Pond water quality."

Conclusions reached were "that the potential near-term land use changes were not likely to result in major increases in total phosphorus in Lovewell Pond, but that continuing urbanization of the watershed in the long-term could result in significant increases in in-take phosphorus and consequently significant declines in water quality . . . The impact of groundwater withdrawal from the Wards Brook aquifer, in the volumes currently permitted, on total phosphorus concentrations in Lovewell Pond is expected to [be] slight and negative (i.e. reduced phosphorus), resulting in a slight improvement in water quality."

This report is available on the Lovewell Pond Association Web site.

The Lovewell Pond Association is dedicated to caring for and preserving the pond. Among other things, members participate in the Voluntary Lake Monitoring Program (VLMP) to test a range of elements that indicate overall water quality. The VLMP works in conjunction with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Their testing indicates the water quality is slightly below average, based on measures of transparencies, total phosphorus and Chlorophyll-a.

Lovewell Pond covers 1,120 acres and has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife stocks it with brown trout. Other fish caught here include smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, white perch and chain pickerel. A state-owned boat ramp is located at the southern end of the pond-the entrance is across from the Eastern Slopes Regional Airport on Route 113.

To canoe here, you might want to rent from Saco River Canoe. It's fun to canoe along the Saco from Walker's Rip to the pond, a distance of 2 miles. After exploring the shoreline and paddling out to Loon Island to swim and enjoy the views of Mount Washington and the Presidential Range, listen for the flute-like song of the hermit thrush, before continuing from the Saco River outlet to Brownfield Bridge, 5.9 miles away.

FMI: www.lovewellpond.org, www.sacorivercanoe.com, www.maine.gov/dep, www.maine.gov/ifw.

Aquatic invasive plant species are posing challenges to both government land and water management officials and local lake associations. Both groups are fighting hard to hold the line against invasive species such as Euasian milfoil and hydrilla.

Invasive aquatic plants drive out native species, foul boat propellers, ruin fish habitat, and make lakefront shoreline areas unuseable for any type of recreation.

Informed lakefront property owners are the first line of defense. It is these folks who keep a sharp eye on the shoreline and report any suspicious looking aquatic weeds to either their local lake association or to the Maine State Bureau of Land and Water Quality.

The State Bureau maintains a very informative website that will tell readers such things as how to identify an invasive plant, how to report the finding of an invasive plant, provide information on courtesy boat inspections, give you an update on the recent chemical treatment of Salmon Lake in the Belgrade Lakes area to irradicate a recently discovered infestation, and also update you on the finding of hydrilla in both Pickerel Pond in Limerick and Damariscotta Lake in Jefferson. You can also download a pdf file of a map of Maine showing where infestations have been discovered. Please click here to go to that website.

The Lakes Environmental Association in Bridgton, Maine has recently published a report entitled "Milfoil Update 2009″ that covers a host of topics including the discovery of hydrilla in Damariscotta Lake, the use of a chemical herbicide in Salmon Lake, property owners on Lake Arrowhead and Balch Lake are banding together to fight invasives, an updated survey of York County for new infestations and a Q.&A. about the controversial use of chemical herbicides being used to fight aquatic invasive plants. Please click here to go to that very informative report.

Remember, information and observation are the first lines of defense against this menace to our beautiful lakes and ponds. If you are a lakefront property owner, or plan to be one, to be a good steward of the lake you must become familiar with these invasive species so that they someday will become a thing of the past.