For over a year, I have known Don Robbins through his writing, which is warm, funny, generous, and elegant. My husband, Clif, and I publish a web magazine called Wolf Moon Journal, and Don has written several pieces for us, the most recent being “Look Ahead to Horizon Days,” (I have written about this in my post A Foodie Idea for a Mother’s Day Gift.) Even though Don only lives fifteen miles from where I live, we somehow had never gotten the chance to meet. But I was very keen to become acquainted with this retired schoolteacher who lives “in a dome on Mellow Hill,” and in a recent email I told him to please stop by if he was in the area. There is always tea in this house, and muffins can be made quick as a wink. Don assured me that he would keep this in mind. 

Yesterday the weather was especially fine, and I got a call from Don asking me if it would be a good afternoon for a visit. Indeed it would. Don estimated that he’d be at my house in an hour and a half. Give or take fifteen minutes or so. He was coming by bike rather than car, and it was hard to give an exact time of arrival. 

No matter. There was plenty of time to make muffins and iced tea and even to clean the kitchen afterward so that it looked reasonable tidy. As it turned out, the trip took him an hour and fifteen minutes, and he was more than ready for the muffins and tea. It was warm enough to have tea on the patio, which also allowed my dog, Liam, to beg and run and bark. Three of his favorite things. 

Don Robbins, lean and sprightly, belongs to that group of energetic seniors that Maine seems to have in such great abundance. Is it something about the brisk weather that brings out their vitality? Or, do the less energetic ones leave the state for easier, sunnier climates? Whatever the case, I know many, many men and women in their seventies and eighties who walk, bike, volunteer, and—I know this sounds like a cliché—make their communities a better place. I am always inspired by these seniors, and I do my best to keep up with them. 

On the patio, Don and I drank tea and listened to the birds twitter and sing. The dog begged, barked, and ran. Don talked about his dome in Sydney and his gardens and the “gazebo” of pole beans he constructs for a cool, leafy green place in which to read and relax in the summer. I asked him if we could visit him this summer and take pictures of his garden. I plan to feature various garden in this blog, and his answer was yes. He told me about the 180-mile bike trek he was training for, to help raise money for the American Lung Association. With all the biking he does, Don figured he could help himself to two muffins. With no such excuse, I had two muffins as well. 

What else does Don do with his spare moments? As a Christmas present to an elderly friend, he goes to her apartment and reads aloud once a week. They recently finished Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, which they both enjoyed very much. Don’s daughter owns a floral shop in Oakland, and one day a week he helps her out by delivering flowers. He and his mother, who is in her nineties, go for walks on the rail trail in Augusta. 

As Don was getting ready to leave for the bike ride home, I made him promise to come back soon for another visit. In turn, I promised to make more muffins, small enough payment for the pleasure of being in the company of such a buoyant spirit.

Blueberry Bran Muffins
Good anytime, but best eaten in the company of an energetic senior 

¼ cup of vegetable oil
¼ cup of brown sugar
¼ cup of maple syrup
2/3 cup of milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup of flour
1 cup of wheat bran
1 tablespoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoon of salt
¾ cup of frozen blueberries, thawed, or 1 cup of fresh blueberries 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir together the vegetable oil and brown sugar. Add milk, maple syrup, and egg. Add combined dry ingredients, just mixing until ingredients are moist. Fold in thawed blueberries. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin. Makes eight large muffins or twelve small ones. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. 

Note: I’ve used honey in place of the maple syrup, with equally good results