DEAR SUN SPOTS: Thank you for the great public service. Are there any garden centers or nurseries in the area that carry the weeping Japanese maple? — No Name via e-mail

ANSWER: A very nice man at Landscape World in Lewiston told Sun Spots that this specialty tree would be found through landscape nurseries. He suggested contacting O’Donal’s Nursery in Gorham and Gammon’s in Auburn.

Gammon’s said they had one remaining large Japanese maple, but the woman who answered the phone wasn’t sure it was weeping.

Sun Spots then talked to Labonte’s Landscaping, and he also referred her to O’Donal’s. Apparently it is the provider for many landscapers in the region. The man from Labonte’s said that it’s a nice drive, so maybe that will mitigate the distance a bit. He also said that this tree is not particularly hardy in our weather, so you will want to plant it in a protected area.

As for O’Donal’s, they have an excellent website, where you can actually search to find if they have what you want, the price, and whether it’s available and in what size. Visit them at 6 County Road (very near the intersection of Gorham Road), www.odonalsnurseries.com, call 839-4262 or e-mail onurser1@maine.rr.com.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: You have helped me in the past. Perhaps you can once again. I have been trying to track down a store to find Polaroid film. The local stores don’t sell them anymore. Staples had the same replay.

The toll-free number for the Polaroid Co. has been disconnected. We don’t have a computer to find out the needed information. Perhaps you or some of your readers can help? I thank you so much. — I.T., Norway

ANSWER: Although there were news stories online about Polaroid bringing the film back and plans to launch a new camera, Sun Spots did not have much luck actually finding a place to buy the old film.

At the Polaroid website, Sun Spots found the new film at a reasonable price, but it says it fits the 300 camera. She suspects you are looking for the 600.

There are still a few of that remaining stock for sale online, but the price has shot way up. Sun Spots checked online and found it at amazon.com for $169 for 30 photos — obviously prohibitively expensive.

Sun Spots checked with Brad at Photo Finish at 550 Center St. in Auburn (Brad is the go-to guy for all things film related in L-A and was recently able to assist a reader who wanted glass plates developed). He said that there is a similar camera made by Fuji that he uses for Santa shots, but the film fits only that camera and not the Polaroid.

Brad said that he might be able to special order Polaroid film, but again, it works out to more than $4 per picture, and the film may be past its expiration date.

For about the same amount of money as the film at Amazon, you could buy a digital camera. If you don’t want to get a computer, you could use a printer that will print your pictures directly from the camera without the computer interface.

Or maybe some readers will have old Polaroid film sitting around the house they want to get rid of.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: If you were at the yard sale at 497 North Parish Road in Turner on Saturday, July 3, and you got a clear dish shaped like an apple, there is a set to go with it. Get in touch with me, and I’ll try to get it to you. — Donna Coburn, 336-2942, d_coburn207@yahoo.com

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