Bike riding on the railroad: Rail bikes in Thorndike

While Mom might've been wrong about plenty ("That's just the sound of God bowling, sweetheart. Really!") she was right about one thing: Playing on train tracks is dangerous. (Seriously. Don't play on train tracks.)

Of course Mom never considered the existence of rail bikes.

Wanna run with Joanie? Share your running story

Running doesn't come simply. There's a reason we humans learn to crawl, then walk, then order movies on demand: It's easy.

But despite all the ready excuses to do otherwise, some folks still lace up the running shoes and hit this streets for a sprint, a jog, a walk-that-hopes-to-be-a-run-some-day. Most of those people have to work at it - they have to battle the urge to sleep in, to stay home, to spend the evening cozying up to a bottle of wine and a plate of spicy chicken wings.

It isn't easy. But it's often inspirational.

And you know who wants to hear those inspirational stories? Only THE Joan Benoit Samuelson (marathoner, gold medalist, runner extraordinaire).

Joanie and Hannaford have teamed up to do a film premier of her Nike documentary called, "There is No Finish Line" at Hannaford Hall at USM, Portland on July 31 at 7:30 p.m. She'll be there sharing her stories, but she'd like to hear yours, too. On August 1, 50 lucky story-sharers will get to participate in one of two runs alongside Joanie - THE Joanie.

To be a part of this special run you need to share your personal run story with Joanie via Facebook. Fifty people will be picked to run with Joanie. And three extra-special winners will also win a coaching session with Joanie, $500 donation towards their cause, 10 passes to Joanie's "Friends and Family Film Night."

Maybe you're training for the Beach to Beacon. Maybe you're one of those strange creatures who really, really loves running. Maybe the thought of running alongside Joanie (I mean, THE Joanie) is enough to make you dust off the running shoes after a long hiatus. Whatever the motivation, go share your story: Share it on the Facebook!

Cobb ovens, alpacas and a tree decked in lights: Twilight Dinners at Turkey Hill Farm

Maybe it was the sunset. Or the alpacas casually chewing grass or the rows of fresh raspberries loitering in the garden waiting to be picked.

Maybe it was the bread baking in the cobb oven or the half-dozen picnic tables playing Ring Around the Rosie beneath this awesome, lumbering tree - its trunk wrapped festively in colored lights. But something about last night's Twilight Dinner at Turkey Hill Farm in Cape Elizabeth went well beyond your typical outdoor dining experience.

I bet it was Chef Mitch Gerow and his staff from East Ender Restaurant working the grill and cobb oven.

Turkey Hill Farm hosts a Twilight Dinner every Thursday - and each week a different local chef takes the cooking helm, using locally sourced foods from up the street and from the garden five feet away to prepare a three-course meal. Proceeds benefit Cultivating Community, an organization dedicated to strengthening communities through food. Good, sustainably grown food. The dinner, well that benefits everyone who eats it.

Last night's menu included a chilled cucumber soup with radish and cream.

A tasty salad of greens and blue cheese and a side of hearty bread.

And then came the pork - the most flavorful pork I've ever tasted.

The dessert - a fruit pie with a flaky crust that I devoured in a minute flat - was eaten after the sun left the sky (and my iPhone couldn't photograph it). But it did photograph this:

For more information about the upcoming dinners: www.cultivatingcommunity.org

To purchase tickets ($30): www.brownpapertickets.com/event/241391