Sunday was one of those August days that draw tourists to Maine in the summer. Warm weather—around 80°—combined with low humidity and sunshine made for a perfect afternoon on the patio. As it turned out, we had invited our friend Jill over for drinks and appetizers, and we were thrilled that the weather gods decided to smile on us. Yes, we could have had drinks and appetizers inside, but how nice to sit on the patio and watch the birds flutter in out and of the woods as they visited the bird feeders.
A beautiful August summer afternoon in Maine. When the rain and cold and snow come, I will try to keep this day in my heart, to be warmed by the memory of good food and good conversation.
*****************************************************
From the Department of Good News
In this time of climate change when some people suffer from too much heat and others from too much rain, reading good news provides welcome relief. In her post “This week’s Small Pleasures #348,” my blogging friend Barbara of Thistles and Kiwis wrote about how bird counts are up in Wellington, New Zealand. Way, way up. Some by as much as 260%. If my knees weren’t so creaky, I would jump for joy.
*****************************************************
Listening: Poetry Reading at Greene Block + Studio in Waterville, Maine
Self-Portrait as Homestead by Jeri Theriault
Last Friday, I went to Waterville to hear Jeri Theriault read poetry from her terrific new book Self-Portrait as Homestead. Like me, Jeri is Franco-Amercan, and she also grew up in Waterville, a small mill city by the Kennebec River.
It gave me great pleasure to hear Jeri use the word “mémère” (grandmother) in her poetry. And what a thrill that the title of one of her poems comes from a street in Waterville’s South End, where I lived as a baby and visited every week as a child. My home, my geography, my ethnic group. While Jeri Theriault’s poetry ranges far from Waterville—to Iwo Jima and the Middle East—for me, Waterville was the center that rippled outward to other places. Perhaps someone not born and raised in Waterville would have had a different take, but that is what stayed with me no matter how far Jeri roamed in her poetry.
To add to the mood of the reading, Jeri’s husband Philip Carlsen and his son Mel played music between the poetry—Philip on the cello and Mel on the piano. So lovely, so lovely.
Jeri asked that the applause be held until the end, and she spoke about each poem, telling the audience how her poetry wasn’t memoir, which allowed her to use some artistic license; how she thought of the “self as house”; how the book was “supposed to be all feminist poems,” but somehow her father crept in. Jeri filled in her father’s silence with her own words as well as ones taken from a local newspaper article about his time in Iwo Jima.
After the reading, editor and journalist Bob Keyes had a conversation with Jeri, which illuminated her poetry and her process.
From her moving poetry to the music to the conversation, this was one of the best poetry readings I have ever been to. I bought Self-Portrait as Homestead, and instead of shelving it with my poetry collection, I will be tucking this one among my Franco-American books.
Notes From the Hinterland 
Drinks and snacks on the patio sounds wonderful. What I really enjoy though is your reaction to the poetry reading 🙂 🙂
A-w-w-w, thanks so much!
It looks and sounds like you had one mighty good week. Hope you’re having another one this week.
Last week certainly came out on the plus side in the ledger of life.
I am glad you had that beautiful August day to remember, Laurie. The poetry reading sounds wonderful, too.
Bucketing rain today! Glad we had Sunday. And, yes, the reading was wonderful.
Have I ever told you how much my husband and I love Maine! We dream about moving there especaially when the weather here is so hot in August. Anyway, thanks for sharing this lovely post.
No, I did not know that. Someday, maybe…
It sounds as if you had a truly lovely week all the way around!
It certainly was!
Wonderful that Franco-American culture and language maintains its welcome presence in literature.
A long time coming!
YES! Keep enjoyable days like this in your heart for when winter’s dark and cold show up!
You bet!
The food on your table looks so good I tried to reach into the photo and grab some of it!
Sure wish you lived closer!
Loving all the good news this week from weather, bird counts to FA poetry– yes!
Right? So nice to hear good news.
The picnic on your patio sounds and looks amazing, I was as pleased as you about the good news about the increase in native bird numbers in N.Z. That’s the kind of news we need more of!
We sure do need more of that kind of good news.
Those sounds, sights and smells from our early years…relatively recently we moved back to the area I spent the first four years of my life. It’s difficult to express the “home vibe”. Your reaction to the poetry reading…I so get it!
Yes, those early experiences are unforgettable.
What a lovely week! Good weather, good company, good food and an unforgetable poetry reading!
Yes, that poetry reading will stay with me always.
I had two friends and their families (not related to each other at all) in Maine vacationing last week, they all had a wonderful time.
Wonderful!
Your drinks and appetizers sound (and look!) great.
And the poetry reading sounds awesome.
A wonderful weekend!
Indeed!
I’m so pleased that you’ve had a chance to really enjoy your patio, not to mention that good food. The poetry reading sounds quite wonderful. I sometimes think we all have an ‘inner ear’ that’s capable of picking up even the faintest echoes of the culture and history that formed us.
You’ve also reminded me that one poem I memorized in school, and that has stayed with me all these years, is Longfellow’s “Evangeline.” This video introduced me to the beautiful song that tells the story.
How lovely to sit in the sun with a friend and enjoy the summer. Thanks for the mention too!
Well … what a time you’ve had! Good food, friends and sunshine, and lovely poetry and music.. oh wow!
What a thrill that the title of one of the poems comes from the street in Waterville South End… where you lived as a baby! That is really something… taking you back to your roots!
Two excellent events – one on the patio and one at the reading
Yes, indeed! Thanks, Derrick.
No words needed for the image 😊
For some reasons ( which are beyond my knowledge) I see less birds in my vicinity for a couple of months now.
And for weather, I don’t know if you have heard but a red weather warning is in place across large parts of Norway from Monday and Tuesday but was extended to Wednesday due to Storm Hans. There has been many cases of landslides not far from where we live.
Sorry that you are seeing fewer birds!
Those landslides must be scary.
Yes. It’s hard to watch the videos.
That’s outstanding about the bird count in New Zealand. I’m thrilled!
Same!
A finest of August weeks Laurie, so lovely you could enjoy the patio and a wonderful poetry reading too 💚
Wonderful treats!
Your patio spread looks yummy, and so elegant! And the poetry reading sounds wonderful. I swear one of these days I’m going to get to Maine and visit you.
And if you do, there will be a feast on the patio. As long as it doesn’t rain.
Looks like an entertaining time was had by all. Good to her that someone is having an increase in bird numbers. We have had quite a lot of small birds in the garden in the last couple of weeks, which has been nice, but it’s also, sadly, a sign that summer is over. 😦
I was thrilled to read about the increase in bird numbers. Usually, it is the reverse.
Thank you, Laurie, for taking the time to paint the beautiful poetry reading and to interweave your own stories and pride. In addition to the poetry, I’m struck by the music and by the poet’s request to hold applause until the end. All of this creates such a deeply immersive and contemplative experience, which you beautifully captured. Many thanks.
Yes, so much better not to clap after every poem. You got it exactly right: the result was deeply immersive.
Warmth and poetry, a good combination.
Sure was!
What a great week! Time with friends and events to provoke memories and reflection.
It was a great week. Also, we are lucky to have so much available to us in this small, rural area.
What a wonderful week of good news and enjoyment!!🙂 While my first choice is usually your drinks and snacks on the patio, this week I would have loved to attend the poetry reading with you, it sounded fantastic.🙂
The poetry reading was fantastic. What a night of poetry, music, and talk. Best of all, it didn’t seem as though it was a minute too long.
Now, those sound like the kind of summer days that Maine is so well known for. Wishing you many more!
Another beauty today. Ah, August!
Lovely to have those happy memories of childhood re-awakened in this way.
Sure was! Lovely to hear them spoken about at all.
Thank you for sharing this interesting visit with Jeri Theriault with us, Laurie. I can imagine what thrill it would be to meet someone who shares memories of one’s home.
My pleasure! Yes, what a pleasure.