Brooks Maine

The sun always shines in Brooks We had such a great work week last week that we decided to make Sunday our “Romantic Day”. Yup that’s right…no need for roses and B&B’s, Steven and I had daffodils, homemade beer and a cleared off couch…that’s all it takes for us! ;)

After quiet morning of blog surfing, spinning (still playing with the Icelandic wool I bought from Frelsi Farm), politics on TV and homemade scones (Steven made them using Fresh Scones a biscuit mix we’ll be carrying in the store this summer) we decided to kick it up a notch…we’d take the dump truck inland to Brooks and get a load of cow manure from Mary Philbrick’s dairy farm…nothing’s too good for me!

Take a moment to realize that I live in a world where showing up at a restaurant in an old dump truck is no cause for notice…it’s not Men in Trees around here. We wear rubber clogs and wool sweaters…not to look sexy but to keep our feet dry and our backs warm…but I digress. The history of Brooks is all about grain mills, clothing manufacturing and great cheeses. Click here if you want a paragraph or two about the history as taken from the Maine Gazetteer.

Brooks is a pretty little town of rolling hills and lovely vistas on Route 7 about 30 minutes West of Searsport Shores. There’s a great little cafe called Ralph’s where all the food is cooked fresh to order, the fries are hand cut from Maine potatoes and the desserts are homemade.

relaxing Sunday

It also hosts a wonderful general

store

and of course, the Marsh River Theater~ a local theater company that will make your vacation memorable just by thinking about the family friendly productions. While you’re visiting the us, why don’t you let me help you plan a little inland tour of Brooks, Monroe and Thorndike? For the real experience you’ll need to roll down the windows, pull to the side of the road, go for a walk and just poke around and see what you discover without a road map…got bikes?

9 responses to “Brooks Maine”

Phil

Apr 30, 2008 at 8:41 am

I love your blog. It is fun reading about whats going on over on the coast. You sound so busy how do you find time to write?

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Spin-in in Newport « Life on Penobscot Bay

Feb 15, 2010 at 9:31 am

[…] may have read my post before about Brooks Maine…well Saturday I drove Rt 7 straight North, through Brooks to get to […]

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Joe Joyner

Feb 21, 2012 at 10:43 pm

I realize that you wrote this blog almost four years ago but I hope that you can help me. On a whim, I Googled Brooks, Me and I saw the picture with Ralph’s Cafe and a house in the background. I grew up in Brooks, and the house in the background looks like my old house. Across the street from our house was a home/restaurant (can’t remember the name) but I know it changed names a couple times over the years while I lived there. Anyway, I was hoping you could possibly confirm that in fact it is my old house in the background. To make things simpler, our address was Route 1 Box 1 because the home is across the street from the post office. Thank you so much if you are able to help.

Joe Joyner

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1. Astrig
  
  Feb 22, 2012 at 5:53 pm
  
  Hi Joe,
  I’m afraid that I can’t help you…my one friend Marie who’s from Brooks isn’t around right now so I can’t ask. Remind me in a couple of weeks and I’ll try again for you though…it would be fun if it’s the right house!
  
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  1. Joe Joyner
    
    Feb 22, 2012 at 8:49 pm
    
    Well thank you so much for the response. My best friends parents still live there so I probably could confirm from them within the next few days. I am so sad that we have very few pics after all the years we lived there (also lived in Monroe) so any picture I can see now is such a great sight as I miss Maine tremendously. I currently live in Arizona and am the proud parent of two toddlers, so getting back there any time soon is a long shot. 🙁 In the meantime, I guess I will live vicariously through your photos. Thanks so much!
    
    Joe Joyner
    
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frank

Jul 18, 2012 at 8:31 pm

hi joe…my name is frank champa i own the cafe in brooks..the house across fromt he cafe the “Fog House” was renovated years ago into what is now the Brooks Town Office…the house was lovingly restored by many local volunteers and i think it looks great

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1. Astrig
  
  Jul 19, 2012 at 5:32 am
  
  Hi Frank, Keep up the good work! Everybody we send to your cafe comes back with glowing reviews…it’s such a pretty ride between here and Brooks
  
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2. Joe
  
  Jul 20, 2012 at 9:54 am
  
  Hi Frank, I did a little more searching and found a pic of the town hall and it was indeed my old house and we too called it the “Fog house”. When I was snooping in the attic one year, I found a bunch of old letters addressed to Mrs. Fogg ( I think it was spelled with 2 G’s) from her son who was in the military. Don’t remember for sure but I think it was around WWII era. Not super old but I remember being fascinated with reading the letters. Wished I still had them. Anyway, your cafe used to be called Jesse’s when I lived there and then it had another name but I don’t recall it. Well, if I ever get a chance to get back to Brooks, I will surely stop in. Also, if Paul and Audry still run the True value hardware, please tell them the Joyner family says hello. Take care and I wish your cafe all the success.
  
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Bob & Eileen Beauregard

Aug 27, 2014 at 9:35 pm

On Steve’s and Astrig’s suggestion, we traveled to Brooks and had breakfast at Ralph’s Cafe. The best blueberry pancakes and eggs benedict we have ever had were served by Mike, Ralph’s successor. A bonus, Ralph’s has a little library where you can take a book away at no cost. After Ralph’s we traveled to Liberty to marvel at the thousands of tools at bargain prices at Liberty Tools. This must visit destination was suggested by Steve. We tent camped at Searsport Ocean Front Camping July 6-20, 2014 and will certainly return.

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