Category Archives: Movies

Movies, Snow-Gauge Clif, Winter

Marchy March and Snow-Gauge Clif

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How things change from one week to another. Last week, it still looked and felt like winter—the air was cold, and the snow sparkled. But Spring has her eyes on us, and yesterday, the temperature shot up to 60°F.  Holy cats, it was so warm that I went outside without a jacket.

Now that we have entered this time purgatory in Maine, the snow is no longer lovely and sparkling. Instead, it’s packed down hard, and the snow banks…well, the snowbanks look like this:

But nearly every place has its challenging months—maybe Hawaii doesn’t?—and in Maine, we must suffer through March to get to April, when Spring truly begins.

Still, even in this soggy, dirty time, there are hopeful signs that Spring is just around the corner. The other day, I heard the male cardinal singing his spring song. Such a lovely sound. And the ice on the pathways has started to melt, making walking on them so much easier.

Now to Snow-Gauge Clif.

We have decided that while Clif’s snow gauge might be charming, it is not, ahem, the most accurate way to measure snow.  There’s a solid wedge of snow between the top cover and the ground, and the snow gauge can’t break through that wedge. Therefore, the snow gauge will be used as a visual cue rather than as an accurate measurement tool.

In the front yard, the snow hasn’t melted much, but the driveway is much clearer. Progress!

Here he is in the sunnier backyard, where we are seeing some more progress, at least on the pathways.

Rain is in the forecast for this week, and perhaps it will wear some of the snow away in our shady yard. However, March often has a sneaky way of bringing us wet, heavy snowstorms that can knock out power.

So only time will tell! Stay tuned for next week with Snow-Gauge Clif.

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Watching

Movie: It Was Just an Accident, an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Film

The 2026 Academy Awards ceremony will be televised next Sunday, March 15. As movie buffs, we are always interested in seeing nominated films, and although we never manage to see them all, we do a pretty good job of seeing most. This week, It Was Just an Accident was on our roster. To borrow from an old saying, better late than never. As it turned out, this Iranian film was my absolute favorite of the year.

Now, I am certainly aware of the significance of my choice. After all, the U.S. is pounding the crap out of Iran, which in turn is pounding the crap out of its neighbors. A horrible, brutal mess with implications that might be with us for a long while.

But I did not choose It Was Just an Accident because of its political significance. Instead, I loved this movie because of the skill of its director, Jafar Panahi—his humanism, his humor, and his wisdom in telling what is essentially a grim story.

A brief synopsis: A man, Eghbal, and his family are driving on a dark road at night. First, he runs over and kills a dog, then his car breaks down. He brings it to a local garage to be fixed. Eghbal has a prosthetic leg, and when one of the mechanics, Vahid, hears it squeak as Eghbal walks, this sets off a chain of events. Vahid is certain he remembers that awful squeak from when he was in an Iranian prison, and that this is the man who tortured him.

Determined to kill Eghbal, Vahid kidnaps him and plans to bury him alive. But when Eghbal insists he is innocent, Vahid begins to have doubts. Knocking Eghbal out, Vahid stuffs him into a large box in his van and sets out to find others who might be able to confirm that this is indeed the right man.

What follows is a darkly comic series of events as Vahid acquires a group of folks who have been tortured by a man with a squeaky prosthetic leg. But is it this man? They were all blindfolded when they were tortured, and no one saw his face.

One of the funniest scenes is when Vahid is approached by security guards who demand a bribe to let him and his cohorts go on their way. The guards are unaware that Eghbal is hidden in the van. When Vahid tells the guards he has no cash, one of them whips out a credit card reader, and all is well.

At the same time, this movie is no spoof, and it addresses serious issues—mercy, guilt, brutality, vengeance, and memory. Each character feels fully rounded rather than a type. Really, I cannot recommend this film enough. It Was Just an Accident is available on Hulu and can also be rented on Prime Video, Apple TV, and YouTube.

Do see it if you have a chance.

 

 

 

 

Cats, Movies, Winter

A Hazy Shade of Winter

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On Friday, the sky—to borrow from Simon and Garfunkel—was a hazy shade of winter.

In February in Maine, that can mean only one thing—snow—and snow it did, about five or six inches, which for northern New England is a nice little storm. The snow was not too heavy, and our trusty electric snow-thrower, Snow Joe, easily took care of it.

On Saturday, the skies cleared, and we had one of those beautiful winter days that Maine is known for.

Here is the view of our front yard from our living room window.

A side view from the window in my bedroom.

Kai decided he needed to look out the window, too. Perhaps he needs his own little camera?

Today—Monday, February 23—the sky is again a hazy shade of winter. A nor’easter is blowing up the coast, and this morning my daughter, who lives in Boston, wrote to tell me it is snowing so hard she can’t see the bridge from her window, a bridge that is usually visible.

South of us, in Portland, the nor’easter has hit with blowing snow and low visibility, but in central Maine, it has just begun to snow. The forecast is between four and eight inches. Again, no big deal for us.

For years, I wished we lived closer to the coast. I love the ocean and the sound of waves hitting the shore. The salt air and the cry of gulls. But now that the climate crisis is upon us, I am glad we live inland, where, as a rule, the storms aren’t as bad.

And although we live in a lakes region, not far from the Kennebec River, we live on a hill that keeps us high and dry when we do get storms. No flooding at our home at the edge of the woods. I wish I could write that this was our plan when we bought the house forty-two years ago, but it wasn’t. Instead, it was pure dumb luck. Always grateful when Chance is on our side.

Note: Long-time readers have been asking about Snow-Gauge Clif and when he will be featured on the blog. Well, I have some good news. Snow-Gauge Clif always makes his appearance on the first Monday in March and then on every Monday, usually into April, measuring the snow until it is gone. Next Monday is the first Monday in March. Stay tuned.

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Watching

How to Make a Killing

One of my blogging friends, Derrick Knight, mentioned in a comment that he can’t go to the movies anymore because he has to sit with his knees bent. I replied that in today’s post, I would show him why, with my creaky knees, I can go to the cinema and sit in comfort.

Here is the reason:

Our cinema has recliners, which I fondly refer to as Baracloungers, and they are oh-so-comfortable, especially for folks like me with creaky knees.

Our cinema, Regal, also offers a pass for $24 a month that lets us see one movie a day. Naturally, we don’t go to that many. We might be true-blue ciniphiles, but we have our limits. Usually, we see one movie a week, maybe two, depending on what’s showing. But even if we only see one, the cost is about $5 a movie, which is a wicked good deal.

Last weekend, we saw the crime thriller How to Make a Killing, a dark comedy about Becket, a young man from a rich family. Although his mother was banished, Becket is in line for a substantial inheritance, but other family members are ahead of him. What to do? Why kill them, of course. And that’s exactly what Beckett, played by the ever-charming Glenn Powell, sets out to do. Naturally, complications ensue along with a nifty plot twist at the end.

I’m only a little ashamed to admit that I enjoyed every minute of this movie, no doubt largely because of Powell’s charm. If you like dark comedy crime movies and shows, such as Burn Before Reading or Ripley, then you will probably like How to Make a Killing.

 

 

 

 

 

Movies, Winter

Midwinter Calm, a Time for Movies

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On the Homefront 

Here we are in the middle of February, midwinter in Maine. I love this still, cold time of year when the house is surrounded by snow, and I can see the sky because the trees are bare.

Here is the view from the living room window during the blue hour

Another day, in the afternoon, I took pictures of our backyard through an open window in my bathroom.

The memorial bench is surrounded by and covered with snow.

Most of the garden is a sea of snow, an excellent protection from the extreme cold we had in December and January. (Not much above zero for those two months.) But there is some interest thanks to the hydrangeas that Judy of New England Garden and Thread gave me, some black-eyed Susans, and the ornaments I left in the garden.

Midwinter is a time for reading, getting together with friends, and going to the movies. All right, I pretty much do this year-round, but in the winter, I don’t have to worry about outside chores, which are often front and center.

Movies, Movies, Movies

The Academy Awards are coming right up—March 15—and we try to see as many of the nominees as possible. Even though we are adults, we are still keen on animated films. (Young at heart or arrested development?) This weekend, we saw three of the animated films nominated for Best Picture.

KPop Demon Hunters

This movie is loud and lively, filled with kick-butt female demon hunters who love to eat and sing. Perfect for its intended audience of tweens and young teens. For adults? Not so much. However, from time to time, I did find myself bobbing to the music. Available to stream on Netflix.

Zootopia 2

Can two detectives, a fox and a rabbit, work together despite their differences? And an even bigger question: should reptiles, who are even more different than mammals, be allowed to live in Zootopia? This film is beautifully animated. Most adults will certainly appreciate the message of tolerance and understand how it applies to our own human world. The movie is at times hectic, which children will enjoy, but there is enough in the story for adults to enjoy as well.  Currently playing in cinemas.

Arco

This is my favorite of the three, and I highly recommend it. A young boy named Arco lives in a future where time travel is possible. His sister and parents regularly travel back in time to gather plants, but they maintain Arco is too young to go with them. Does Arco sneak into his sister’s room and steal her time-traveling garb? Of course he does, and back to the past he goes, inadvertently landing in 2075 when the climate crisis is becoming a grave threat. There, he meets a young girl named Iris. Naturally, complications ensue, and he has a difficult time returning to the future.

This gentle, soulful movie does not preach, but it does not shy away from the worst of what the climate crisis could bring to Earth. How many movies, animated or not, examine this subject? Not very many. We saw Arco at the Maine Film Center, which specializes in independent movies, but it will soon be available on streaming services.

 

 

Home, Movies

A Quiet House

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On Saturday, in our new EV—the Chevy Bolt—I drove Clif and Dee to Brunswick to catch the train to Boston, where they will be staying until Wednesday. The big occasion for this trip is an early birthday present to Clif from our daughter Shannon and her husband Mike: a ticket to The Who concert at Fenway Park on Tuesday, August 26.

For a variety of reasons, mostly involving my creaky knees, I decided to stay home. Even at the best of times, I’m not much of a traveler—I’m one who likes sleeping in my own bed—and my creaky knees have clinched the deal for me: home is best.

Time to be honest: Being on my own is a bit of a vacation. I don’t have to plan much for supper. (Poached eggs on English muffins? Yes, please.) I can watch what I want on television. (I’ve  settled on Back to the Frontier because, as it turns out, Clif, Dee, and I really do like many of the same shows.) I don’t have anyone’s schedule but my own to worry about.

However, I will admit that at night, the house creaks, and I listen for Dee and Clif, who of course aren’t here.  While I’m enjoying the time on my own, I will be happy to see them on Wednesday and hear about the concert and all the other fun things they did in Boston.

This afternoon I went to the cinema to see Freakier Friday (not a Dee or Clif movie), and it was utterly delightful, a movie that is both fun and heartfelt. At times I laughed, and at other times, I had tears in my eyes. When I mentioned this to the woman next to me, she told me this was her second time seeing the movie. I could understand why. Kudos to Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, and the rest of the wonderful cast.

Note: Unfortunately, the camera on my phone has been acting up, and until I get things sorted, my posts will be picture free. It’s always something, isn’t it?

 

Movies

Nine Days of Movies at the Maine International Film Festival

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Well, folks, we did it—30 movies in nine days at the Maine International Festival (MIFF). Am I tired? You bet I am, but what a festival it was, with so many good movies that choosing my top three was a real challenge. We’ve been going to the film festival pretty much from when it started in 1998, and I really do think this year was the best. Others apparently thought so, too, as attendance was way up. There was plenty of world cinema, my personal favorite, and I traveled to Japan, Africa, France, Italy, England, Ireland, Iran, and Israel. There were documentaries that stunned me and made me cry. (More about two of those later,) There were movies from our own little state of Maine, and the festival was the perfect combination of local and global.

No doubt the excellent Clive Owen was a draw, and we saw all six of his featured movies, with the outstanding Children of Men (2006) being eerily prescient about the brutal treatment of immigrants.

Here is Clive himself talking about Children of Men, and his experience working on the movie with the great director Alfonso Cuarón.

Owen was charming, relaxed, and down-to-earth—in short, a perfect guest. I didn’t speak to him personally. He had quite the fan club, and at a reception for him at Front and Main in Waterville, I caught sight of him in one of the lounges where he was surrounded by an adoring circle of women. (There might have been a few men in the mix, but it seemed to me there were mostly women.) I concluded that he didn’t need one more woman in the mix.

The next day, we returned to Front and Main for chocolate martinis and their delicious mac and cheese. Also, a tasty dish of mushrooms.

Confession time: We ate out more than we usually do. We had pizza several times. Chinese food. A crunch cannoli. A flaky vegan croissant. And popcorn, lots and lots of popcorn. We were, after all, at the movies.

It never ceases to amaze me that we have the fabulous Paul J. Schupf Art Center in Waterville, Maine, population circa 16,000. Maine Film Center is on the second floor, and that’s where many of the movies were shown. The Opera House, right next door, was also a venue.

Even though I’m tired, I’m sorry that MIFF 2025 is over. Not only did we get a chance to see many movies that we wouldn’t see anywhere else, but we also met old friends and made a few new ones.

We’re already looking forward to MIFF 2026.

My Top 3 Movies of MIFF 2025

My Sunshine

This coming-of-age story, set in Japan, is quiet and poignant but never sentimental. When Takuya, a dreamy young boy, sees the lovely Sakura figure skating, he longs to skate with her. A sympathetic coach takes Takuya under his wing, and with a lot of practice, Takuya becomes good enough to skate with Sakura. Naturally, problems ensue, but they are not the problems that an American audience would expect, leading to a surprising ending.

 

Walk With Me

Walk with Me is a documentary directed by Heidi Levitt, chronicling  life with her husband Charlie Hess and his diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer disease. Filmed over four years, Walk with Me records the challenges that Charlie and Heidi face, but also the love, joy, and support they give and receive. This one moved me to tears. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a trailer for Walk with Me.

 

76 Days Adrift

In 1982, when a whale hit Steven Callahan’s boat and destroyed it, Callahan escaped in an inflatable life raft that had minimal provisions. As the title indicates, Callahan was stranded in that life raft in the Atlantic Ocean for 76 days. This documentary, based on Callahan’s memoir Adrift: 76 Days Lost at Sea, plunges the viewer into Callahan’s world, using some of the most incredible reenactments I have ever seen. We see a torso, legs, arms, and hands but never a face, and this provides a tense immersive experience, even though we know what the outcome is. Interspersed with the reenactments are clips and old photos as well as Callahan himself narrating his experience, providing details of how he survived.

76 Days Adrift is a must-see documentary. Readers, if it comes to a theater near you, go see it. And if doesn’t, perhaps it will be available through a streaming service. Anyway, look for it.

 

Movies, News

Vacation Time—Movies, Movies, Movies

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Outside the Maine Film Center at last year’s MIFF

 

July is a happy time of year for Dee, Clif, and me, dedicated cinephiles who think that going to the movies is one of the best things to do. In July, in Waterville, Maine, comes the Maine International Film Festival (MIFF), a ten-day extravaganza where over 100 movies are shown. Especially exciting this year is that Clive Owen is going to be the guest of honor, and six of his movies will be featured. Dee, Clif, and I are keen fans of Owen, and we have signed up to see all six of his featured movies, where he will be available for a Q & A after each film.

We all have full festival passes, which means we can go to as many films as we want. Sadly, we won’t be able to watch all of them. There’s just not enough time in the schedule to see every movie. (100 movies in ten days would be a bit much, even for us.) We do have plans to see 30 movies, which is not too shabby for 10 days of viewing. And, yes, by the end we are tired but happy.

As subtitles don’t bother me at all, I especially like watching foreign films. I love to hear other voices and other languages, to see the world from a different perspective. Around the planet, there are many other cultures, each with their own unique take on the world, and it’s good to be reminded of this. Especially now.

So starting today, I will be on vacation and will come back on July 21 with a short list of favorite movies. In today’s world of streaming services, many of them will be available to viewers all over.

See you on the flip side!

A crime film from last year’s MIFF

 

Movies, Snow-Gauge Clif

Zero, Zero, Farewell?

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Even though it was spitting snow as I typed this post, I think the time has truly come to say farewell to Snow-Gauge Clif.

Snow depth in the front yard: Zero.

Snow depth in the backyard: Zero.

I know some of you might be wondering what Snow-Gauge Clif will do with no snow to measure. Worry not.

We have Hedge-Trimmer Clif.

There will also be Rake-the-Yard Clif and Paint-the-House Clif. And as the late, great Kurt Vonnegut might have said, so it goes.

While I love spring and the new growth it brings, I am always sorry to say farewell to winter. I am, after all, a northern woman. Born and raised in Maine, I have winter and short days in my blood.

But speaking of days…patio days are just around the corner, and that is indeed something to look forward to.

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Watching

Movie: Princess Mononoke
Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki

I am a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki. His animated films are not only filled with magic but often feature strong, sensitive portrayals of girls and women. (Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle.)

My favorite Miyazaki  film is Princess Mononoke, and I think it’s fair to consider it his masterpiece. The hand-drawn animation—a Miyazaki trade mark—is achingly beautiful, and the movie’s environmental theme of human needs versus the destruction of the natural world is as relevant today as it was in 1997 when the film came out.

Last week, my daughter Dee discovered Princess Mononoke would be playing at Regal, our local cineplex, and on Sunday we went to see it on the big screen, which is how it should be watched. IMAX would be even better, but our Regal doesn’t offer IMAX. Never mind. It was a visual delight to see Princess Mononoke on the large screen at Regal.

Along with exquisite animation, Princess Mononoke also has complex characters, especially the inhabitants of Iron Town, who are more than one-dimensional villains intent on pillaging natural resources. But naturally my sympathies were with Prince Ashitaka and Princess Mononoke as they tried to save the Forest of the Gods from the encroachment of the humans of Iron Town. The ending of the movie is somewhat surprising and offers a note of hope that we in 2025 would do well to heed.

If Princess Mononoke comes to a theater near you, don’t hesitate to see it.

Movies, Snow-Gauge Clif

And He’s Back!

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Last Monday, when there was no snow for Snow-Gauge Clif to measure, I wondered if he might be back the following Monday. After all, in Maine in March anything can happen. Snow was in the forecast for last Tuesday, and the weekend promised to be horrible with more snow—six inches—and worst of all, freezing rain that could knock out large swaths of power in central and southern Maine.

Being sensible Mainers, we prepared. Clif got more bricks of wood from a local hardware and farm store. When he went to the grocery store, he stocked up on canned soup. Water in buckets down cellar? Check. Propane for the camp stove? Check. Lamp oil? Check yet again. We were ready.

But every once in a while, the weather gods are on our side. While we got about three inches of snow and some rain, none of it was freezing, and we did not lose our power. Happy, happy day!

As soon as we realized the weather wasn’t as bad as predicted, we settled into an enjoyable weekend at home.

We played cooperative board games.

While we played, the snow fell softly, and in the dining room, we were surrounded by a snowy afternoon, which I love, even in March.

On Saturday night, we watched the excellent Michael Clayton, a 2007 movie about a world-weary lawyer (George Clooney) whose firm is mixed up with U-North, a company that makes a carcinogenic weed killer that kills people as well as weeds. (The resemblance to Monsanto is not a coincidence.) Unlike most environmental thrillers, the story focuses on the conversations between the lawyers—mostly men—and their reactions and decisions. In short, the story is told sideways. Without the wonderful cast and script, the movie would have landed with a thud. Instead, it soared. Such a good movie. If you haven’t seen it in a while, Michael Clayton is worth a rewatch. And if you’ve never seen the movie, well, do watch it.

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Sunday Morning

And lo and behold! On Sunday morning there was enough snow for  Snow-Gauge Clif to measure.

Three inches in the front yard.

Three inches in the backyard.

Will there be any snow for Snow-Gauge Clif to measure next week? Only the weather gods know.

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A Big Dose of Cute

In these uncute times, I have been looking for things to make me smile, and in doing so, I came upon Rico, a Brazilian porcupine who lives at the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio. Like many people, I have mixed feeling about zoos. Even at their best, they can seem like jails for animals. But, dang, I enjoy seeing Rico on Youtube, and I expect zoo visitors enjoy seeing him in person. What I really like is to watch Rico eat, especially popcorn. (I am a huge popcorn fan.) In the video below, he is celebrating National Popcorn Day. I love his little claws, his puffy nose, and his black-bead eyes.  Somehow, I find it soothing to listen to those little crunching sounds he makes when he eats.

Chew on, Rico. Chew on.

 

Movies, Snow-Gauge Clif

It’s M-e-l-t-i-n-g…

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Fans of The Wizard of Oz—the movie rather than the book—will understand the title’s reference.  But rather than the Wicked Witch of the West, it’s snow that’s melting.

Before we get to Snow-Gauge Clif, let’s take a look at the patio in the backyard. Time was when we hoped for the patio to be clear by April 22, Earth Day and my younger daughter’s birthday. Barring a nor’easter (more about that latter), the snow will be long gone by April 22.

And what has the temperature been? For this time of year in Maine,  pretty darned warm. No wonder the snow is melting away.

Here is Snow-Gauge Clif in the backyard. Snow measurement: 1 inch. Last week, it was 7 inches. There’s quite a bit of sun in the backyard and that, combined with the warmer temps, takes care of the snow.

In the front yard, not so much. The measurement is pretty much the same as it was last week: 12 inches. But rain is in the forecast for the next few days, and I expect it will whittle the snow away.

One thing I am grateful for is that our new driveway is not in the least bit  muddy. I had wondered if it would be, but when my brother  saw it several months ago, he told me that he thought it would be fine come spring.  And so it is.

The backyard, on the other hand, is mostly mud. Here is a print of one of Snow-Gauge Clif’s Sloggers. The mud is so thick it’s almost a-pull-off-your-Slogger kind of event when we walk in the backyard. Hope it dries up soon.

I’m tempted to state that Snow-Gauge Clif’s job is almost done for the year, but when I looked back at my blog for March/April 2024, I saw that we had a nor’easter last April that left us with a foot of snow. The storm knocked out our power and brought us smack-dab back to winter. Here is a picture from last April.

Therefore, as the old saying goes, it’s best not to count our chickens before they’ve hatched. We might get another doozy of a storm in April. Then again, we might not.

Only Mother Nature knows for sure.

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Watching

The movie Black Bag

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Staring, very elegantly, Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender, who surely are one of the coolest spy couples ever.

This movie, clocking in at a brisk 90 minutes, is a delight from beginning to end. Intelligence officers Kathryn (Cate Blanchett) and George (Michael Fassbender) are a married couple. When the movie begins, George receives intelligence that there is someone in the agency who is leaking top-secret information, and one of the suspects is his wife, Kathryn. George then proceeds to unravel the mystery of who is leaking the information, and a cat and mouse game ensues. This movie is a sheer delight. Every piece fits beautifully to come together as a satisfying whole. If you like spy-thriller movies, don’t miss Black Bag.

 

 

Food, Movies, Snow-Gauge Clif

A Weekend of Drinks, Food, and Movies, and the Return of Snow-Gauge Clif

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For some reason, last weekend turned out to be a flurry of having friends over and eating out.

Our merriment started on Friday afternoon when we invited our friends Dawna and Jim over for wine and appetizers.

We tried to solve the problems of the world as we sat around the dining room table, sipped wine, and nibbled on appetizers, but of course we didn’t have much luck.

As we talked, our jade plant glowed in the sun. Clearly, Jade was on our side. She, too, wonders what the heck is going on in this country.

On Saturday morning, we headed to Waterville to the Maine Film Center for the Nigerian movie Mami Wata, the final movie in the wintertime film series Cinema Explorations.

This wonderful movie is set in a remote African village where the water deity Mami Wata is revered even though she is mostly absent. When a stranger is washed up on the shores, the power balance shifts, leading to conflict and death. This fable of a movie was filmed in an impressionistic way, which adds to the power of the story. What a fine way to end the film series!

To celebrate the successful film series, our friend Joel, who coordinates Cinema Explorations, joined us for brunch at one of my favorite restaurants, Front and Main.

I had some delicious ployes, Acadian buckwheat pancakes popular in northern Maine. Front and Main makes ployes a little thicker than is traditional. but my, my, they were tasty.

Then, on Sunday, to kick off the Academy Awards ceremony, we went to Tj’s Place in Winthrop for drinks, snacks, and pizza.

I had a pomegranate martini, and it was excellent.

Clif ordered onion rings, which he said were properly cooked and delicious. (Dee and I aren’t fans of onion rings.)

We also had pizza.

Afterwards, full of food and drink, we headed home to await the start of the Academy Awards ceremony. Two of our favorite movies—Flow (go Latvia!) and I‘m Still Here (go, Brazil!)—garnered awards. Best picture of the year went to Anora, a film about an exotic dancer. It was not our favorite movie of the year. We all felt that it lacked nuance and focused too much on the explicit sex. Granted, the subject lends itself to this treatment, but didn’t Anora have any other qualities or interests that didn’t involve sex? Say, model trains or mahjong? It seems not. Ah, well…we were apparently in a minority about this movie.

Still, all in all, it was a good night for independent films, small movies with relatively small budgets, and we are always in for those kind of movies.

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And Now the Moment You’ve All Been Waiting for…the Return of Snow-Gauge Clif

Longtime readers of this blog always look forward to the first Monday in March, which brings the return of Snow-Gauge Clif (aka my husband, Clif). Each Monday, Snow-Gauge Clif will grab his trusty red yardstick to head outside and measure the depth of the snow. He’ll continue to do so until all the snow is melted, usually sometime in April.

Here he is, on March 3, this first Monday in March, in the front yard.

Snow measurement: 18 inches

And here he is in the backyard, which gets more sun than the front yard.

Measurement: 12 inches

Will the snow be gone by the beginning of April, or will it be gone by the end? We never know the answer to this nail-biting question. Each year is different. So stay tuned for the Monday adventures of Snow-Gauge Clif.