A year ago, my wife and I attended a local craft show. It wasn’t long before she spotted what she called a “must see, must have” product: Lorna’s Wool Needle Felting Kits. Having been judged the best new product of the previous year’s show, this item had an exhibit that was buzzing with activity.

I was bewildered. Why were these craft kits getting so much attention? I had never heard of needle felting and didn’t see the attraction of it. But what do I know? Obviously, not much about needle felting!

I heard on the news recently that a medical study revealed that men have a higher tolerance for pain than women do. (This could be a macho thing, or maybe we men are just too numb to know what we’re feeling.)

Regardless of the validity of this study, it’s safe to say that neither gender enjoys being in pain. With an aging population, is it any wonder that sales of over-the-counter pain relievers are booming? Fortunately, I have discovered a better, natural way to soothe those everyday aches and pains: Maine Warmers.

I will admit it, I am an almond junkie. As a kid, I think it was chocolate bars with almonds in them that got me hooked initially. Now I am addicted to the True Nut Company’s Maple-Roasted Almonds, available in six perfectly blended varieties: Original, Cinnamon, Coconut, Ginger, Basil, and Cayenne.

Let’s be honest, if you’re a dog lover it’s nearly impossible to say no to those sad eyes, especially when you’re eating something right in front of your canine companion. But whatever you like to eat (i.e. BBQ potato chips) isn’t always the right thing to share with man’s best friend.

For many New Englanders (myself included) Halloween is a favorite holiday. Although we can’t claim Halloween was invented in this part of the country, there are spooky connections between October 31 and New England folklore.

The foothills of the western Maine mountains overlooking the Kennebec River offer the ideal conditions for raising superior quality apples. This is where two generations of the Dimock family cultivate over 30 acres of trees on their farm named North Star Orchards. Using the ecologically sustainable techniques of integrated crop management, the Dimocks grow some of the finest apples in New England.

According to a recent National Pet Owners Survey, 62% of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 72.9 millions homes. Those households account for 86.4 million cats and 78.2 million dogs based on data gathered from the survey. Americans are expected to spend almost $51 billion on their pets this year, almost triple what they spent in 1994.

No wonder things that have to do with pets are popular items in my store.