All posts by Laurie Graves

I write about nature, food, the environment, home, family, community, and people.
Fall, Home, Television

Scenes from Mid-October and a Review of the Television Series From

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In Maine in mid-October there is a certain chill in the air, letting us know that we are edging into a time of colder weather and long nights. In mid-October, we can no longer be sure that it will be warm enough to eat outside even when the sun is shining. In mid-October, we start bringing in some of the patio furniture. (The big table stays outside under cover.) In mid-October, the leaves are falling, falling, falling. Hence, the use of fall as another word for autumn.

For those who live in a warmer climate, October in northern New England might sound like a time for alarm—this is just the beginning of the cold and the dark? But we Mainers mostly take it in stride. We have known snow and cold weather from the time we were born, and to us it seems like the natural order of things.

However, I do want to add that when cold weather comes, a fair number of folks hightail it to warmer states. Snowbirds, they are called, and I will never be one of them. To me, winter means snow.

But before the snow comes October.

Here are some photos of what it looks like in our yard at the edge of the woods.

This weekend, Clif and Dee took down the screen house and tucked it down cellar until next spring. The round table and umbrella were also stored down cellar. After which, Clif moved our fire pit onto the patio, which stops the backyard from looking so lonely. But still. I miss the screen house.

In the woods, there is a flash of red, a blaze of glory, red against green.

In our new driveway, leaves aren’t the only things that fall.

And sometimes the leaves fall in a very fetching way.

All those falling leaves mean that the great leaf clean-up will soon begin. In the meantime, we will enjoy nature’s art.

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Watching: Television

From
Seasons 1 through 3
Available on MGM+

First, a disclaimer. Even though I come from the land of Stephen King (his Maine home is about an hour and half from where I live), I am not a fan of horror. The answer for this is simple: I get too scared. I have what might be called an overactive imagination, and horror taps right into it.

However, from the jump, I was hooked on From, which is billed as a horror/mystery show. Yes, there are strong elements of horror in From as well as some gore. However, the emphasis is on the characters and how they react to the terrible situation they are in.

And what is that situation? There is a town in the middle of the woods somewhere—it could even be Maine—that traps folks. While the exact method is a mystery, it involves a back road with a fallen tree and circling crows. That fallen tree spells trouble. When the series opens, a vacationing family encounters this tree and quite naturally tries to find another route. After Dad (Elon Bailey) turns the vehicle around, the family arrives in a shabby town with a smattering of inhabitants. Dad drives through the town but somehow finds himself circling around to that very same town. Again and again. The family is trapped.

As if that weren’t bad enough, the family is stuck in a town where monsters emerge at night and devour people if they are out and about. Steps have been taken to protect the houses, but I can tell you right now that accidents, bloody ones, still happen. Regularly.

Presiding over the town is Sheriff Boyd Stevens (played by the excellent Harold Perrineau). His job is to protect the town, to provide hope, and to figure out how they all might escape. Let’s just say that uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.

There is a wonderful cast of supporting characters, all flawed but all very human in their frailties. Bit by bit, the episodes provide clues as to what this mysterious place is and how folks might escape.

In season 3, the cherry on the sundae is a reference to Camden, Maine. Clif, Dee, and I have found that in most of the horror or supernatural series we watch, there is some reference to Maine. It always takes us by surprise although by now we should be used to it.

No doubt in honor of Stephen King, that master of horror.

Even if you think you don’t like horror, From is a show to watch.

Food, Music, Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday: Bouquet Garni, Absolem Cider Company, and Music by Alicia Keys

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This post is part of a series called Thankful Thursday, where I list some things to feel thankful for. To some extent, focusing on what is wrong appears to come naturally to most people, who often complain, complain, complain when they get together with family and friends. (I’m no exception, that’s for sure.) So focusing on things to feel thankful for seems like good spiritual practice, a way to counterbalance the tendency toward negative thinking.

Bouquet Garni

A few years ago, it occurred to me that when I used herbs in a soup or stew, I did not have to go through the bother of chopping them. (For some reason I hate chopping herbs.) Instead, in a nod to my French heritage, I could bundle them together with thread and make a bouquet garni. I have learned that the bouquet needs to be big for enough flavors to seep from the herbs into the stew. This  year my herbs have grown incredibly well, which means a big bouquet is not a problem.

After tying the stems with thread, I put the herbs into a slow cooker filled with tomatoes, onions, garlic, salt, a bit of cayenne pepper, broth, white beans, and green beans. Later, mushrooms would be added. With a big slotted spoon, I pushed the herbs into the mix. As the slow cooker heats, the herbs sink and infuse their lovely essence into the soup. When we are ready to eat, the bouquet garni is removed with the slotted spoon.

Such a lovely warm dish for a fall night.

Meeting Friends at Absolem Cider Company

Long time readers have heard me enthuse about Absolem Cider Company, which is about five miles from where we live. Absolem comprises a beautifully restored barn converted to a tasting room, a large deck, a few acres of lawn where chickens roam, and beyond that, woods. Along with their homemade cider, they serve beer, cocktails, and soft drinks. Parked along the walkway, there is often a food truck. There are  also snacks for sale in the tasting room, but customers are welcome to bring their own food.

This is exactly what we did when we met our friends Dawna and Jim last Sunday afternoon at Absolem. Although the afternoon was chilly, it was warm enough for us hardy Mainers to sit on the deck. Dawna and I are both Franco-Americans, and we were raised to believe that while it might not be a mortal sin to have a skimpy amount of food at a get-together, it is certainly a venial sin.

Behold our spread.

Was there dessert? Of course there was. Dawn brought pumpkin whoopie pies with a maple cream filling. As we Mainers would say, they were wicked good.

While we ate, we enjoyed the lovely view from the deck.

And a beautiful young rooster came to visit.

A finest kind of evening.

Music: Underdog by Alicia Keys

I am a huge fan of Alicia Keys and her music, which spans R & B, soul, pop, and hip-hop and gives rise to a unique sound that is both stirring and heartfelt.

As a Franco-American in Maine, I grew up as part of an underclass. Because of this, “Underdog”  really speaks to me as it celebrates those who are either overlooked or scorned.

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Thankful Posts and Simple Pleasures from Other Blogging Friends

Xenia from Tranature writes about a walk to lovely seaside village. What makes this unusual is that the village is only accessible when the tide is out.

Dawn from Change Is Hard features a guided walk through a nearby park.

Another delightful week of small pleasures from Barbara of Thistles and Kiwis.

Rupali from Mazeepuran shares a picture of magnificent scenery. Really, being there in person would make you want to burst into song.

Maria of Green Dreams celebrates her allotment. Her kale(?) is nothing short of magnificent. And, oh, that bike! Makes me think there might be hope for the world.

Judy of NewEnglandGardenAndThread welcomes October, surely the most beautiful month in northern New England.

News, People

Birds of a Feather: Getting Together with Carol Ann and Kevin

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Last Friday, Clif and I drove to Brunswick to have lunch at Wild Oats Bakery & Café with two special people—my blogging friend Carol Ann of Fashioned For Joy and her husband Kevin.

Carol Ann and Kevin live outside  Washington, DC, and they had come to Maine for a wedding. A while back, Carol Ann had let me know they would be in Maine in October and asked if we would like to get together.

My answer? Yes, indeed! I love meeting blogging friends, who prove to be just as delightful in person as they are on their blogs. This time was no different, and the four of us immediately fell into an easy conversation as though we had known each other for a long time.

We talked about family—we each have two children—and our jobs. Carol Ann has read my Great Library Series and had kind words to say about Maya, the main character, and the rest of the gang. Thanks so much, Carol Ann.

Carol Ann and Kevin have a Tesla named Natalia, which they drove to Acadia National Park, where they spent a few days before the wedding. Carol Ann noted that at the motel where they stayed, there were two Tesla chargers as well as two chargers for non-Tesla EVs. As Clif has observed, we are reaching a tipping point with EV charging points being pretty much everywhere. With the recent ferocious weather, it’s about darned time. (For those interested in the discouraging history of Evs, Who Killed the Electric Car is an excellent doc.)

Recently, Kevin drove Natalia to Iowa for a class reunion. He made it there and back again without any troubles. Clif and I have been EV enthusiasts for a long time, and it warmed our hearts to hear this. We are very much hoping to get an EV when our Honda Fit is past repairing.

We also spoke about home, for us a rural town in Maine and for them a neighborhood outside DC. Both have advantages—our town is in a region where there are many lovely lakes and ponds. It’s a quiet, down-to-earth community, and there is no keeping up with the Joneses. Their community, just outside DC, has many cultural opportunities, including some of the best art museums on the East Coast. Two hours in the other direction, there are sandy beaches with roaming ponies. (I sure would love to see those ponies.)

For me, the conversation took an especially pleasant turn when Carol Ann quoted from the excellent 1995 BBC television series Pride and Prejudice. I have watched this series many times, and it is one of my favorites. (I’ve also read the book several times.)

When we got home and I mentioned Carol Ann’s and my mutual love of Pride and Prejudice, Clif replied, “You two are birds of a feather.

We certainly are. And here’s a picture of the two of us, both smiling with our eyes closed. And note the similar color of our hair—Carol Ann, on the right, is Italian American, and I, on the left, am Franco-American.

At Wild Oats, we chatted for about three hours, and when we parted, I said “Au revoir” rather than goodbye.

Until we meet again.

From left to right: Kevin, Clif, Carol Ann, and Laurie

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This post is dedicated to our blogging friend Platypus Man of Now I’m 64. He follows both our blogs and wished he could have joined us. Alas, an ocean separates us. You were there in spirit Mr. P, and if ever you and Mrs. P come to the East Coast, Carol Ann and I would be so thrilled to meet you.

Books, Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday: My Fall Gardens, Backlisted Podcast, Soup by the Fire

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This post is part of a series called Thankful Thursday, where I list some things to feel thankful for. To some extent, focusing on what is wrong appears to come naturally to most people, who often complain, complain, complain when they get together with family and friends. (I’m no exception, that’s for sure.) So focusing on things to feel thankful for seems like good spiritual practice, a way to counterbalance the tendency toward negative thinking.

My  Fall Gardens

There are are no two ways about it—my gardens are definitely past their best. There are very few blooms, and many of the hostas, the backbone of the gardens in my front yard, have turned brown and yellow,

But there are still some things that catch my attention.

The red leaves of the evening primroses in combination with the pink sedum,

the spiky red flowers of persicaria against the Tesla’s charger,

a lone yellow daylily, somehow in bloom in October,

and last, but certainly not least, the Japanese grass that my blogging friend Judy, of NewEnglandGardenAndThread, gave me. Fingers and toes and everything else crossed that it comes up next spring.

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Backlisted Podcast

Along with being keen on movies, I am also keen on books,  particularly novels written by women in the mid-twentieth century when their roles were undergoing a major change.

A while back, I came across the literary podcast Backlisted, hosted by John Mitchinson and Andy Miller. Backlisted, as the tagline suggests, focuses on older books, often from the 1950s and before. However sometimes they venture into the 1970s and 1980s. (It’s a little sobering to think that a book published in the 1980s might qualify as an old book, but there you are.)

Backlisted started in 2015, and the current episode, which features Her First American by Lore Segal is Episode 222.

Readers, this podcast is like catnip to me, and I listen to it whenever I have a chance. Mitchinson and Miller laugh as much as the Car Talk guys did, and this adds a general note of hilarity to this literary podcast. However, despite the abundant good cheer, Mitchinson and Miller have a flinty side that reflects their many years in publishing. They know what good writing is, and they are confident in their opinions.

What’s astonishing about this podcast is the range of books read and discussed. While there is certainly an emphasis on literary fiction, Backlisted also features mysteries, fantasy, science fiction, children’s books, and even the occasional romance.,

Long live Backlisted!

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Soup by the Fire

One of the pleasures of autumn is sitting around a fire as night comes and the crickets sing and a frog croaks nearby. Add soup, tea, and a couple of rolls, and you have a winning combination.

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Thankful Posts and Simple Pleasures from Other Blogging Friends

Quercus from Quercuscommunity marks the retirement of his wife, Julia. This makes them a retired couple. While this might involve more decluttering, I hope it also involves more trips to tearooms.

Alys from Gardening Nirvana celebrates her 29th anniversary with her husband, Mike. Congrats, congrats!

Tootlepedal from Tootlepedal’s Blog not only shares a photo of his sister’s beautiful nerines but also a photo of his wife’s lovely crochet blanket that just happened to win first prize at a local agricultural fair. Congrats, Mrs. Tootlepedal!

Barbara from Thistles and Kiwis describes the World of Wearable Art show, which features “wearable art, dance, live music, aerialists and great staging.” Sounds like quite a show.

Anne from Something Over Tea notes the many simple pleasures that make her happy. Being a huge fan of simple pleasures, I smiled all the way through this past.

Cimple from A Curious Introvert revels in the glories of October, one of the most beautiful months if you live in a northern state. Plus, she included a picture of her adorable dog.

Food, Movies

The End of September and a Mini-vacation: Movies, Movies, Movies

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This year, Clif’s birthday fell on a Friday, and our daughter Dee, who lives with us, decided to take it off so that we could have a three-day weekend. A mini-vacation, of sorts.

Longtime readers, knowing that we are all movie buffs, can probably guess what we did on those three days—go to the movies, of course. We each have a Regal Pass ($22  per month) that allows us to see any movie we want at no extra charge. Two movies a month pays for the pass, and we usually see at least four.

Friday, Clif’s birthday, was as fine a September day as anyone could ask for—sunny but not hot. Our movie that day was The Wild Robot, a lovely animated movie about a sentient robot named Roz who is shipwrecked on an island with no people. However, the island is home to many animals, whom Roz eventually learns to communicate with.  Equipped with an emergency beacon, Roz’s first impulse is to return home, but then she comes across an orphaned gosling. Reluctantly, Roz decides to stay on the island  until the gosling becomes a goose who can migrate south with the other geese. 

This heartfelt movie never veers too far into sentimentality. Even so,  I cried more than once. If you have young children in your life, take them to see The Wild Robot. If you don’t have young children in your life, go see it yourself. The Wild Robot, beautifully animated, will no doubt be nominated for an Academy Award. And it just might win.

After the movie, it was off the Red Barn for a big order of fried food. There was a misunderstanding at the Red Barn about the order, and we ended up with an extra helping of onion rings, free of charge. While we are enthusiastic eaters, there is a limit, and we brought home enough for another meal.

On Saturday, we picked up our friend Joel and headed to Maine Film Center in Waterville to see Megalopolis, written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Alas, I wish I could praise this movie as highly as I have The Wild Robot. Unfortunately, I cannot. On Rotten Tomatoes, Megalopolis is described as “A Roman Epic set in an imagined Modern America.” Accordingly, the theme of the film is of empires crumbling—with the comparison being between the U.S. and ancient Rome—and what might be done to stop the crumbling to make a good society for everyone.

So far, so good. But Coppola did not tell the story in a compelling way. Instead, he has characters declaim and pontificate. There is far too much telling and not nearly enough showing. The characters are flat and one dimensional, and by the end of this long movie, my only feeling was relief. There was no crying.

Still, as someone who  loves movie, I am not sorry I saw it. Francis Ford Coppola is one of the major film directors of our times. But for readers who don’t like movies as much as we do, I would advise a pass on this one.

After the movie, we went to Buen Apetito for Mexican Food and lively movie talk. We were all in agreement about Megalopolis.

Sunday brought us back to Regal Cinema for the animated movie Transformers One, a Transformer origin story. Even though it was loaded with action scenes, Transformers One was moving in its own way as two Transformers struggle with a corrupt society, a leader who lies to them, and the unraveling of their friendship. Surprisingly deep for a Transformers movie.

We capped the evening with drinks in our screen house on the patio. As the darkness came, we listened to crickets sing and barred owls call to each other. The solar lights blinked on, and we all reflected on what a good time we had had.

 

 

 

 

Books, Food, Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday: Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Music

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This post is part of a series called Thankful Thursday, where I list some things to feel thankful for. To some extent, focusing on what is wrong appears to come naturally to most people, who often complain, complain, complain when they get together with family and friends. (I’m no exception, that’s for sure.) So focusing on things to feel thankful for seems like good spiritual practice, a way to counterbalance the tendency toward negative thinking.

Still Life with Tomatoes

In my garden, my four little tomato plants are at the end of their production, and soon I will be pulling them. However, our own Farmer Kev’s tomatoes are still going strong, and this week I got a wonderful selection from our farm-share box. I like the way they look lined up on the kitchen window sill. Also, with this picture you can see how our yard sits on the edge of the woods.

Chickpeas, Chickpeas, Chickpeas

Clif, Dee, and I are huge fans of the the humble chickpea aka garbanzo beans. They are delicious, economical, and good for you. What more can  you ask for? I buy them dried, in 16-oz bags, soak them overnight, and then cook them in the morning.

One of the ways I like them best is mashed up in a food processor with thyme, salt, and pepper. Clif uses two cups of chickpeas, 1 tablespoon of dried thyme and salt and pepper to taste. After which he scoops the mash into a bowl and adds a few tablespoons of mayonnaise. I know this comparison is overused, but the chickpea salad really does taste a little like chicken.

This is a wonderfully versatile salad. For those who like a little zing, onion or garlic could be used. Don’t want the Mediterranean flavor? Add curry. Or smoked paprika. Or whatever pleases you.

I scooped some of the chickpea salad onto one of Farmer Kev’s fresh tomatoes. Wicked good as we say in Maine.

Music

From—where else?—NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts—featuring Jenny and the Mexicats. If they don’t pep you up, nothing will.

Thankful Posts and Simple Pleasures from Other Blogging Friends

Derrick of Derrick J. Knight describes how he and his wife Jackie brought garden refuse to a recycling center, came back with some treasures for their garden, which, in turn, will be recycled when their time has passed.  Yay, Derrick and Jackie!

Kate from The Cozy Burrow shares her October Reading list. I’ve already requested two of them—Moon Tiger and The Ministry of Time—through my library.

Barbara from Thistles and Kiwis celebrates her twentieth wedding anniversary with her husband Karl. Happy, happy and cheers to twenty years!

Dorothy from The New Vintage Kitchen features a mouth-watering pasta dish using autumn’s bounty. I could have some right now.

Ju-Lyn of Touring My Backyard finds beauty and serenity at Round Pond in Kensington Gardens in London.  How lovely to find such a place in a big city.

Cimple from The Curious Introvert praises the world of books and reading. Her own words say it best: “This week I’m grateful for a lifelong love of reading and books. A day doesn’t go by without reading or adding new books to my want to read list.” Hear, hear!

Books, Food

In Which We Rally from a Disappointment, and I Review Margaret Drabble’s The Millstone

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Last weekend, our daughter Shannon, her husband Mike, and their dog Holly were supposed to come to our home for the weekend—they live in the Boston area—to celebrate my birthday (September 15) and Clif’s birthday (September 27). Alas, they were having car troubles and couldn’t come.

Disappointing not to have them join us, that’s for sure. Because Shannon and Mike aren’t sure when their car troubles will be resolved, our eldest daughter Dee, who lives with us, decided to carry on with the birthday celebrations. She treated us to Chinese food at the utterly delightful Wei Li in Auburn.

Oh my, the food was good. I could have some of their delicious lo mein and general tofu right now.

Comfortably full, we headed back home for drinks on the patio in the screen house, cake and ice cream, and presents.

Among other things, Dee bought us solar lights for the backyard. Now that we have passed the autumnal equinox, it is dark by 7:00, and it’s a little tricky making our way to the front steps.

Not only do those solar lights have a magical glow, but they also give us enough light for navigation.

This upcoming weekend is Clif’s actual birthday, and there just might be some more simple pleasures planned. (Simple pleasures are Clif’s and my birthday presents to each other. )

More to look forward to.

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Reading: The Millstone by Margaret Drabble

I have a fondness for mid-twentieth century women writers, especially ones who come from the United Kingdom. When I was in my 30s, I started with Rumer Godden, went on to read Barbara Pym, and have continued on with other terrific writers who, with precision and heart, have chronicled the changing roles of women in the twentieth century. And my goodness, there have been changes, mostly for the best.

To my delight, I have found a blog—JacquiWine’s Journal––that often features reviews of women writers from that period, and I have gotten many recommendations from Jacqui.

One of them was the wonderful novel The Millstone by Margaret Drabble. (The link above is to Jacqui’s review of the book.) Set in in the 1960s, The Millstone centers on Rosamund Stacey, a young woman living in London in her parent’s fashionable apartment in Marylebone. Her parents, do-gooders of the highest order, are in Africa trying to do good, which means that Rosamund has a free place to live as she finishes her thesis, not a bad situation for a young woman in the swinging 60s.

The only problem is that Rosamund is so shy and reticent that she has a hard time swinging. She goes out with a couple of men, but doesn’t have sex with either of them, and they, in turn, think she is having sex with the other man.

But then she meets George, whom she thinks could be gay. (Maybe he is, maybe he isn’t.  In the case of George, Rosamund might not be a reliable narrator.) They make love once and seem to have real affection for each other, but George, as shy and reticent as Rosamund, is no more able to express himself than she is.

From that one encounter, Rosamund becomes pregnant and after considering abortion, illegal at that time, she decides to keep the baby. Being middle class and college educated, Rosamund feels that she can make it on her own, and although she longs for George, she doesn’t tell him about the pregnancy.

As it turns out, Rosamund can make it on her own. She has the baby, a girl she names Octavia, after the social reformer Octavia Hill. As soon as Rosamund sees Octavia, she falls totally in love with her infant daughter. (I remember feeling the same way when I first looked at my babies.) I found this expression of maternal love to be so moving, and Drabble’s writing, understated but warm, never veers into sentimentality.

This slim novel packs in so much: class, the changing mores of the 1960s, the bond between mother and child, a young woman’s journey into adulthood, and the United Kingdom’s National Health Service, still relatively new when the book was written.

Will Rosamund and George ever get together? No spoilers here.  You must read this fine book for yourself to find out.