We’ve been adopted by a chicken. We first spied it in Harbor Park and Marina hanging with a bunch of ducks. Nancy said, “Poor chicken, it thinks it’s a duck.”

It started popping into the yard not long thereafter.

On a quiet, sunny Saturday morning, I brought my 3-year-old daughter, Dylan, to Union River Book & Toy Co. She had been asking for a “blue kitty” all week. Not only had she been on her best behavior, but we had recently traveled to Maine and her toy stash was a bit sparse, so when she asked nicely with a please, I decided a trip to the local toy store was in order.

We are just a few weeks away from wrapping up phase one of our downtown Ellsworth outdoor public art mural. We are inviting Maine or artists with a connection to Maine to submit through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process. The RFQ has been posted at heartofellsworth.org/downtown-mural and will remain open until October 4th when the application process closes.

Our family recently returned to the Ellsworth area, and we’ve been happily discovering a few of the quiet corners of the city this summer. Over the last few months, we’ve found a Saturday morning routine surface — a quick stop for a takeout breakfast before enjoying the sights and sounds of the Union River at Ellsworth Harbor Park & Marina. This has quickly become one of my 3-year-old daughter’s favorite ways to spend a weekend morning.

We need COMMUNITY INPUT to support a feasibility study for a Makerspace/Arts Center in Downeast Maine. Please take our Community Survey or pass along the link. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/downeastmakerspace

Each June, Heart of Ellsworth hosts Taste of Ellsworth — a celebration of the delicious restaurants in the greater Ellsworth, Maine area. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual event was turned digital for 2021. Thank you to our sponsor, Machias Savings Bank for the support, producing this video series was a fun way to connect with local businesses and great food.

Our goal was to create a logo that was unique and would stand out from those of other downtown logos. We didn’t want the standard front view “streetscape.” Instead, we wanted a design that was contemporary and abstract, yet gave us room for growth. Our discussions centered around showing depth and showcasing our downtown