My weekly tribute to gratitude…

First, the wonderfully snappy blog, Agents of Field, where Agent Ade and Agent Sophie write about their allotment (community garden in the U.S.), vegetables, cooking, and their love of gardening in general. In a recent post, Agent Sohpie extolled the virtues of her veggie spiralizer, which she bought for just over ten pounds at a grocery store. She included a very tasty soup recipe, which featured spiralized zucchini—or courgettes, as they call them across the pond. For quite a while, I had been thinking about buying a veggie spiralizer, and Agent Sophie gave me just the nudge I needed.

This brings my to my second thing to be grateful for—my very own veggie spiralizer. We ordered one from Amazon, and it arrived a few days ago. It’s handheld, cost $13, and works like a charm. Clif and I have been spiralizing like crazy, and last night I made a tasty little salad using zucchini spirals, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pretty tasty!

I really like the idea of using spiralized zucchini or yellow squash in a soup, and as soon as the weather cools down a bit, I’ll use them in soup, too.

Many thanks, Agent Sophie!

Third, and on a completely different note, the Maine Author Shelf at my town’s public library. A month or so ago, Richard Fortin, the director of our library, put together a Maine Author Shelf along the railing in the lobby.  Anyone who goes into the main section of the library passes it, and I’ve been told the books have attracted a lot of interest. My own novel, Maya and the Book of Everything, has been on that shelf, and I happy to report it has been borrowed on a regular basis. But best of all, I have been introduced to books I was unaware of, and here is a picture of three of the most recent books I found on that shelf.

A hint to my blogging friends: Perhaps you could suggest that your library put up a display of books written by local authors. Not only would it give them a boost, but it might also introduce you to books you have not heard of.

My weekly tribute to gratitude…

First, the Theater at Monmouth. In the center of Monmouth, a town next to Winthrop, reigns this beautiful building—Cumston Hall, built in the early 1900s for the then princely sum of $20.000. It’s quite a shock to drive through this small rural town (population circa 4, 000) and come across stately, ornate Cumston Hall.

The building houses the town’s library, and it is also home to the Theater at Monmouth. Here’s a little blurb from the Theater’s website: “Theater at Monmouth is a year-round repertory company of professional theatre artists from across Maine and the United States. Founded in 1970, the Theater was named The Shakespearean Theater of Maine by the Maine State Legislature in 1975. Performances are held in Cumston Hall, listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings since 1976.”

A couple of weeks ago, we saw a wonderful, heart-felt production of Othello. This afternoon Clif and I are going to see The Learned Ladies by Molière. As I have written in a previous post, I feel so fortunate that I can live in a rural part of the state and yet still have access to art.

A side note: When our eldest daughter went to college and took a Shakespeare course, the other students were amazed that she had seen so many of Shakespeare’s plays actually performed on stage. (As opposed to a film version.) Especially since she came from Maine. Thank you, Theater at Monmouth.

Second, and a little more down to earth, summer vegetables fresh from a Maine garden—our own Farmer Kev’s.

Greens are all very well and good, but give me fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and any number of late summer vegetables, and I am one happy, happy woman.

Third, now we go to the silly—my garden toads and frogs.

All right, I know that they are a little tacky and that a sophisticated gardener wouldn’t dream of putting them in her garden, but I don’t care. I smile every time I see them, and I imagine them frolicking at night, joining the real frogs and toads who inhabit my garden.

I have such a fondness for frogs and toads, which might be one of the reasons I included the Toad Queen in my own Maya and the Book of Everything.

Jump, Ribbet, Hop!

Three Things Thursday is a  weekly tribute to being grateful for the good things in life. This tradition was started by Emily of Nerd in the Brain and is currently hosted by Natalie of There She Goes.  

First, a deliciously rainy day. Now I like a sunny day as much as the next Mainer—especially in the summer—but we need  rain, too, and today it came. This morning I woke up with the covers tucked under my chin, a cool room, and the sound of the rain as it fell on the roof, against the house, and on the lawn and gardens. As soon as the dog and cats were fed, I headed outside to take a few rainy-day pictures.

Second, this Saturday, our daughter Dee is coming to stay with us for a week. (Dee does not like having her picture taken, so I’ll have to make do with words. ) Both of our daughters live far away, and we don’t see them as often as we would like. Sigh. But the good thing is that when they do visit, it’s a treat. Dee, a movie buff, has timed her visit to coincide with an event that I’m ever so grateful for, and this brings me to…

Third, the Maine International Film Festival, better known as MIFF. In Waterville, a town about twenty-five miles away, is an independent movie theater called Railroad Square Cinema. The Square has brought to central Maine movies you would never see at the cineplex. The Square, in partnership with Maine Film Center, also started MIFF, which is in its twentieth year.  At Miff, for ten days in July, there are movies, movies, movies, as well as speakers, special events, and all kinds of folderol. For various reasons, I am on dog duty during MIFF, which means Dee and Clif get to see more movies than I do. However, I’ll be going to three movies as well as to a talk about the art of Bambi. I’m very much looking forward to MIFF, and, of course, to spending time with daughter Dee.

Here is a picture Clif took of MIFF at Railroad Square Cinema many years ago. It is one of our favorites, and the Square even uses it on the opening page of  their website.

For readers who live within driving distance of central Maine, maybe I’ll see you at the movies!

Yesterday was a lovely, hot summer day with a blue sky, puffy clouds, a slight breeze, and not a hint of humidity. To paraphrase a Facebook friend,  yesterday’s weather more than made up for the misery of March, and it’s why people come to Maine in July. So far, summer in Maine has been splendid, and may it continue.

The first order of the day was to go on an eight-mile bike ride. Slowly, slowly, Clif and I are building up our strength. But after two years of being sedentary, we can’t expect to be super bikers after only two months of steady riding. Still, I am impatient to be the strong biker I once was, and by the end of the summer, I hope to be going on much longer rides.

Our town sponsors summer concerts at Norcross Point, a little park by the lake in town. This week’s featured group was The Sandy River Ramblers, and they play bluegrass and country music.  We therefore decided to bring a picnic lunch to have after our bike ride and then go to the concert, which started midafternoon.

We ate at the Winthrop’s Public Beach, just down from Norcross Point. When our children were young, we spent many happy summer days here, and it was fun to watch children and their families swim and play in Marancook Lake.

After our lunch, we headed to Norcross Point. The Sandy River Ramblers comprise two men and two women. The men had decent enough voices, but my how those women could sing. “She’s a good-hearted woman with a good timing man. She loves him in spite of his wicked ways, which she doesn’t understand.” The downfall of many a woman.

Unfortunately, The Sandy River Ramblers don’t have a website, and their Facebook page isn’t up to date. Also, there was no program. The long and the the short of it is that I am not able to identify any of the singers.

Ah, well, the concert was free, and it was a fine thing to listen to this band on such a nice day. We sat in the shade of a flowering tree.

Two boys played soccer at the edge of the park. In matching smocks with smiley faces, little twin girls ran by, tumbling over each other like puppies. On a nearby swing set came a steady creak, creak, creak and the laughter of children. By the lake, a boy rested on a large branch of a birch tree. And on the lake, there was a cluster of boats full of people who had come to listen to the music as it carried over the water.

A day in Maine in the summer.

Three Things Thursday is a  weekly tribute to being grateful for the good things in life. This tradition was  started by Emily of Nerd in the Brain and is currently hosted by Natalie of There She Goes.  

First, a box of goodness with vegetables straight from the gardens of our own Farmer Kev. Longtime readers of this blog will recall that Farmer Kev is an extraordinary young man who has been gardening since his early teens and is now a full-fledged farmer with his own land. The most amazing thing is that Farmer Kev isn’t even thirty yet, but through hard work he now has a farm. He offers delivery farm shares, and every other week from now until September, we will be getting a bin of his local, organic vegetables. Yahoo!

Second, it is strawberry season in Maine. Need I write more about these red gems of deliciousness?

Third, and so exciting, a shopping bag from across the pond. It was made by Jan of The Snail of Happiness, and I won it in a contest she sponsored on her blog. Such a treat to get this snappy bag, and soon I will be using it to pick up tea and biscuits—or cookies, as we call them here—from a shop in a nearby town. I’ll be sure to include pictures. In the meantime, here is a shot of this little beauty, sans tea or biscuits. And, for the cherry on the sundae, so to speak, Jan also included a lovely, handwritten letter. Thanks so much, Jan!

Three Things Thursday is a  weekly tribute to being grateful for the good things in life. This tradition was  started by Emily of Nerd in the Brain and is currently hosted by Natalie of There She Goes.  

Last week  and this week were rough for us and for our dog, Liam, who’s twelve years old and blind. He had digestive/intestinal problems that kept us all hopping, sometimes twice during the night. My, we’re tired. At one point, we were even considering canceling our Fourth of July gathering. But, after a few days of a chicken and rice diet and a trip to the vets, Liam’s system seems to be settling down, and we can carry on with our Fourth of July plans. This is all a preamble to say that first, I am thankful for the Winthrop Veterinary Hospital and especially for Dr. Marie Barengo for helping to get Liam on the road to recovery. (The bacteria in his system was out of whack, and he’s on medication.) Twined with this is how thankful I am to have this wonderful dog. We love our dog buddy, that’s for sure.

Second, on a much lighter note. I have a fondness for cute little things, for knickknacks and garden ornaments and various other folderol. Mostly I keep this in check, but a couple of weeks ago I went to D. R. Struck Landscape Nursery and succumbed, coming home with a wee garden shed and a diminutive wheel barrow. I found a shallow pot, planted some begonias and few tiny hens and chicks, and voilà!  A little scene to great me every time I come up the steps. And I must admit, it pleases me very much to see it.

Finally, I come to Blue Beauty, my bike of twenty years. I received her for my fortieth birthday, and to me she is as beautiful as the day I got her. Together, we’ve ridden miles and miles, up hill, down hill, past the lake, by woods, along fields, even by the ocean. Thanks to Blue Beauty, I can get the exercise I need, despite having arthritis.  Plus, it’s just plain fun to zip, zip, zip with Blue Beauty. Any day I can go on a bike ride is a good day, and I am grateful that at sixty—or nearly so—I can ride twelve miles and not feel like collapsing. As my new blogging friend Tootlepeddle observed, if you can ride ten miles, then you can ride twenty. It’s just a case of taking things steadily. Twenty miles are what I’m aiming for by the end of the summer. Go, go, Blue Beauty!

Three Things Thursday is a  weekly tribute to being grateful for the good things in life. This tradition was  started by Emily of Nerd in the Brain and is currently hosted by Natalie of There She Goes.  

First, a book I won from Stafford County Master Gardener Association. This was a thrill on many levels, and could probably be used for all three things. Who doesn’t like to win a prize? Who doesn’t like to win a book? And, this particular book—Vertical Vegetable Gardening by Chris McLaughlin––is perfect for my part sun/part shade/part ledge, quite small yard. Anyway, many thanks Stafford Master Gardner Association! Such a treat to get the book.

But, there are other things to be grateful for, especially a recent conversation—via the Internet—I had with one of my blogging friends, Sandra from Wild Daffodil. Sandra wrote a post called “Fiction,” where she described Norah Pulling’s Miss Richards’ Mouse, a book from childhood that both scared and fascinated her.  As I enjoy reading children’s books every bit as much as I enjoy books for adults, I decided to see if Miss Richards’ Mouse was available in our library system. Unfortunately, it isn’t, but on doing further research I discovered that the illustrator, Susan Einzig, also illustrated Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philipa Pearce. I just happen to own Tom’s Midnight Garden, and it is one of my favorites, a lovely fantasy that involves time travel. As my own novel Maya and the Book of Everything illustrates, time travel is a subject I am particularly keen on. Anyway, how wonderful to have a literary conversation with a blogging friend. And Sandra, you might be interested in knowing that the illustrations in Tom’s Midnight Garden are nowhere near as dark as they are for Miss Richards’ Mouse.

Speaking of dark…when it comes to television shows and movies, my tastes can be a little dark. Clif and I just whipped through The Walking Dead, and I have a weakness for dystopian fiction. However,  I occasionally need a bit of humor and light to add some zing and fun to my life, and this brings me to my third thing to be grateful for: The television series Jeeves & Wooster, based on novels by P.G. Wodehouse. I had watched Jeeves & Wooster when it first came out in the 1990s, and I wondered if the series had stood the test of time. I was able to get the complete series via interlibrary loan, and readers, I am happy to report Jeeves & Wooster is still very funny. Stephen Fry, as the all knowing, very controlling butler Jeeves, and Hugh Laurie, as the dimwitted but endearing aristocrat Bertie Wooster, are the perfect team. Jeeves is the straight man, Wooster is the wild guy, and the show skips along with impeccable timing as Jeeves rescues Bertie from one scrape after another. The dialogue is so fast and funny that at times Clif and I actually laugh out loud. Besides, where else are you going to hear the farewell, “Tootle pip”?

Three Things Thursday is a  weekly tribute to being grateful for the good things in life. This tradition was  started by Emily of Nerd in the Brain and is currently hosted by Natalie of There She Goes.

First and foremost, summer, beautiful summer is here. And although we had a couple of brutally hot days, the weather has turned delightful—warm and sunny during the day and cool at night. Despite the sometimes stifling heat, I love this time of biking, patio days, and flowers.

Second, the dragonflies are here, and they have come in squadrons, zooming, zipping, and nearly hitting us as we bike. But those daredevils pull up at the last minute. They are expert pilots, and it makes me laugh just to watch them dip and dive. The fact that dragonflies eat lots and lots of mosquitoes makes me even more grateful for their arrival. Welcome, welcome, dragonflies!

Third, when irises are in bloom, I am always grateful,  and right now my irises are abloom. They are gone too soon, but while they are here, how I love them. I know. I’ve featured them in previous posts,  but I just can’t help myself.

A bonus: Chives, because you can never have too many flowers.