Enjoying homecoming
Members of the Dixon’s Market PAL football team ride on a float during the Lawrence High School homecoming parade.
Photo by Mark Huard, owner of Central Maine Photography
Local strongman competitors do well in Connecticut meet
It was a successful trip to the Battle of the Belles, Strongman Competition, in Norwalk Connecticut, for five members of Gevolution Fitness of Augusta. Lori Rioux, Alysia Farrington, Helania Lake, Nancy Danforth and Caitlin McGouldrick all were successful in competing and hitting personal highs during the day. Official results have not been announced yet. In photo at right, from left to right, Casey d’Alfonso, Gina LoMonaco, Lori Rioux, Nancy Danforth, Helania Lake, Alysia Farrington and Caitlin McGouldrick. Contributed photo
I’m Just Curious: Marriage history
by Debbie Walker
Last year I fell in love with almanacs! I had no idea they had so many useful, interesting pieces of information. My friends were surprised when I started buying the latest almanacs. But even I was surprised when I bought the hard bound 2002 issue, I was so hoping for some other interesting articles and I was/am happy! I was more than pleased when I saw the article about brides, then and now!
I am looking forward to sharing the information with you. Let’s get started…
The Marriage History touches on several different areas of “weddings.” The article was in the 2002 almanac, written by Robert B. Thomas. It was written as “Wonderful Weddings” by Christine Schultz.
There were a few quotes, one was by Ben Franklin: “Keep your eyes wide before marriage, and half shut afterwards”.
Mae West left the following saying: “A man in the house is worth two in the street.”
“Popping the question” used to be the big question and was presented to the dad of the future bride. All present would have held their breath awaiting the answer. Now you are more likely to see the question written in the sky or their faces on the screen at a big game. Dad’s answer is not necessary these days.
There is talk about prenuptial agreements in a lot of the couples, especially more advanced professionals. Needless to say there are probably a great many of conversations.
The day of the week for the wedding celebration has some interesting history. In New England Wednesday was the luckiest day for weddings and Friday (hangman’s day) was the unluckiest. Now dates may be determined by the anniversary of their meeting, possibly their grandparent’s anniversary and some just so the bride can marry in June. (I still don’t know why June is “the big month.)
I did get a chuckle about a couple of the wedding gifts:
- A bottle of Jim Beam and two glasses. (Wonder about the meaning here!)
- A yard ornament that reeked of mothballs, from and older couple who are family friends. It must have been a “re-gift” from their own wedding.
- A life-sized statue of a sea gull. Where do you display such an item? In a dark space in the closet where no one else will find it!
I got a kick out of the subject of “Maids of Honor” and “Best Men.” It used to be an unmarried “maid” and we now have gone all the way to the bride’s best friend being a “male” or her “dog.” My how things have changed!
There is a lot more information available if you are interested. Once again I hope this is enough. I’m just curious if you have any strange wedding traditions. I’d like to hear. Contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com: Marriage. Don’t forget to check out our website!
REVIEWS: Singer: Yvonne Elliman; Conductor: Antal Dorati
REVIEW POTPOURRI
by Peter Cates
Yvonne Elliman
If I Can’t Have You; Good Sign
RSO, RS 884, seven-inch vinyl 45 record, recorded 1977.
Yvonne Elliman
Yvonne Elliman (1951-) first raised the goosebumps on my arms during a chance hearing of the then newly-released Jesus Christ Superstar, back in November 1970, via a friend’s set, followed shortly by the purchase of my own copy. However, it would be played so often during the next several months that I grew so sick of it I couldn’t listen to it for at least 30 years (A similar experience occurred with my copy of Carole King’s Tapestry. I still can’t stand Tapestry but I can rehear JCS occasionally now with fresher, more mature ears!)
If I Can’t…. is a superb number composed by Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibbs, or the Bee Gees, and performed with finesse by Elliman but the flip side, credited to the very gifted team of Carole Bayer Sager and Melissa Manchester, left me cold !
This year, as Elliman was preparing for an appearance in Guam, she was arrested for the possession of marijuana and other drugs and is still in custody!
Mozart
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (A Little Night Music)
Linz Symphony; Antal Dorati conducting the London Symphony; Mercury SR 90121, 12-inch stereo LP, recorded early ‘60s.
Antal Dorati
Antal Dorati (1906-1988), along with Herbert von Karajan, Leopold Stokowski, Arthur Fiedler and Eugene Ormandy, were the five most prolific conductors when it came to the number of recordings bearing their names, in each case, well above six hundred. Of course, there is no way I can hear all of them; also, the ones I have heard over the last 50 years have inspired mixed reactions from boredom to riveting. But, during the last two years, I have developed an interest in his conducting, as far as a thorough reconsideration of the recordings I didn’t like earlier and an eagerness to hear ones I don’t own.
I experienced this change of heart when I read a piece on the Maestro in which the record reviewer Richard Freed discussed how Dorati’s consistently high standards and thorough musicianship had borne fruit in every recording the critic had heard thus far. I found it especially edifying because I had always enjoyed Freed’s individualistic discernment, combined with a voracious determination to hear every classical record coming his way. And Dorati was the only conductor who could do no wrong in his eyes.
Secondly, a group has sprung up in England that is determined to release every studio and live recording bearing Dorati’s name, whether it be the rarely heard 7th Symphony of Alan Pettersson or six different Berlioz Symphonie Fantastiques; they have developed a catalog of formidable size and temptation. If I were 40 years younger, I would make a mad attempt to collect it all!
The Mozart 36th, or Linz, Symphony is one of my half dozen favorites of the Austrian genius. Its leisurely lyrical outpouring of the sweetest melody is unequaled by #s 35 and 38-41, as special as they are. Dorati’s rendition is both leisurely paced but rhythmically incisive.
The accompanying Nachtmusik is a very popular work elsewhere but, unfortunately not one I have liked much in recent years; however, Dorati conducted a most satisfying performance that has me enjoying its beauties once again.
Give The Gift Of Music For The Present Of A Lifetime
For Your Health
(NAPSI)—This year, you can make singing holiday songs extra special—when you bring the joy of music home by purchasing a piano.
Here are four reasons having a piano in your home is a gift that keeps on giving.
1. Playing music is good for your health. Even though you’re sitting down, playing the piano is a workout all its own, and offers different physical and physiological advantages to players of all ages. For instance, regular piano playing sharpens fine motor skills and improves hand-eye coordination. Research suggests that piano lessons for older adults have an effect on increased levels of human growth hormone, which slows the adverse effects of aging. Bringing music into your life can also reduce heart and respiratory rates, cardiac complications and blood pressure and increase your immune response. Studying piano has even been shown to amazingly improve memory—particularly verbal memory—and build good habits such as focus and perseverance, diligence and creativity.
2. Playing music can be good for your career. Music has been an important part of the lives of many highly successful people, from former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to hedge fund billionaire Bruce Kovner to filmmaker Steven Spielberg. A number of such high achievers say music opened up the pathways to creative thinking and sharpened their qualities of collaboration. It improved their ability to listen and gave them a way of thinking that weaves together disparate ideas with the power to focus on the present and the future simultaneously.
3. Playing piano can make you happy. The piano has been an unparalleled outlet for those seeking to decompress, express their creativity and simply have fun. Plus, studies show that people who make music experience less anxiety, loneliness and depression. In many adults, playing the piano was the most effective activity for reducing cortisol levels related to stress.
4. Playing music is good for your family. For 200 years, the piano has been considered a part of the heart of a home, bringing together family and friends, and strengthening communities with the joy of music. It’s something the whole family can cherish together, at any age and any season.
To help you bring music into your home, you can download the Steinway & Sons Piano Buyer’s Guide at www.steinway.com/buyersguide. It shows how to select the size and style of piano that’s right for you—from new to certified pre-owned to suit just about any budget—and how to locate an authorized dealer.
IF WALLS COULD TALK, Week of October 21, 2017
by Katie Ouilette
Oh, WALLS, there is so much to say today that you’ll certainly keep our faithful readers busy for a bit.
O.K., get right to it as, maybe, some folks don’t remember the history of The Town Line. Yes, WALLS, you have promised a bit of history, something new and in-between and today, you sure are keeping that promise. However, before you get started, please remind our proof-reader that a lot of spelling mistakes were made and your column is read over and over before it is sent to the editor.
Speaking of the editor, I found a history of The Town Line that was written by Lea Davis who was the editor of The Town Line newspaper that published a book entitled Community Cooks from 1997 to 1998 and the copy that I found is Volume 4! The next page, which was written in November 2003, thanked “all of the dedicated volunteers and staff members who participated in the preparation of this book. Special thanks to Roland Hallee for his artwork.” So, borrowing the title from our TV program that is featured on BeeLine Channel 11…Now You Know! Oh, how do you know all of this, WALLS? Well, there are photos and write-ups of the cooks and the recipe submitted by each follows at the bottom of the page. And, how did I find all of these goodies’ recipes? Well, I was looking at my many cookbooks and low and behold, guess who bought this one. You are so right, I did, a long time ago. There are probably nearly 80 wonderful cooks in the book, so word count doesn’t allow my naming everyone, but surely, those of you who contributed remember it well.
Now, hopefully time will allow WALLS to tell you what he did last evening. The Skowhegan Area Chamber of Commerce was invited to a wonderful evening at Sacket and Brake Survey Office for Business After Hours. Frankly, this was a very special evening as Jason Gayne, executive director, had invited several candidates for Maine government offices to speak to us who attended. What a wonderful event it was! Yes, I’m very proud to have seen the large gathering of folks who ‘wanted to know’, but WALLS, you know I was proud to see granddaughter Danielle, who is president of the Skowhegan Chamber, plus her husband, Kevin Dubois, and my great-granddaughter, Sydney, there. Wonderful! That they show their support for Chamber, too.
Oh, before you close, WALLS, make sure to tell about Chris Perkins’ calling from California. He and Clare are out of harm’s way with regard to fires, but he will soon return to the safety of Maine and is happy that he lives here. Chris, we’re glad you live here, too, and are the host of Keeping Pace on Bee-Line Channel 11!
SOLON & BEYOND, Week of October 19, 2017
by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979
Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!
This column is being written early because we are going on our yearly vacation in Rangeley. Have been thinking seriously lately about the definite need for PEACE in our troubled world!… and so, hoping to get some of you, who read this column each week, to think about being a peacemaker.
Confucius had some wise words on how to start: Peace in this world: “When things are investigated, then true knowledge is achieved, when true knowledge is achieved then the will becomes sincere, then the heart is set right (or then the mind sees right); when the heart is set right, then the personal life is cultivated, then the family life is regulated; when the family life is regulated, then the national life is orderly, then there is peace in this world.”
Make Peace: As citizens, we have a large responsibility . Our daily lives,, the way we drink, what we eat, have to do with the world’s political situation, Every day we do things, we are things, that have to do with peace. If we are aware of our lifestyle, our way of consuming, of looking at things, we will know how to make peace right in the moment we are alive. (words by Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Step).
Eleanor Roosevelt had some good advise back in her time; The basis of world peace is the teaching which runs through almost all the great religions of the world. “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” Christ, some of the other great Jewish teachers, Buddha, all preached it. Their followers forgot it. What is the trouble between capital and labor, what is the trouble in many of our communities, but rather a universal forgetting that this teaching is one of our first obligations.
And now some thoughts from President John F. Kennedy: Building Peace: “But peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. So let us not rest all our hopes on parchment and on paper, let us strive to build peace, a desire for peace, a willingness to work for peace, in the hearts and minds of all of our people. I believe that we can. I believe the problems of human destiny are not beyond the reach of human beings.”
More thoughts from people in the past longing for peace in our world, President Dwight D. Eisenhower: “Lasting Peace, I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days government had better get out of the way and let them have it.”
Become a Peacemaker: Each day you are provided many opportunities to practice peacemaking. St. Francis wrote. “For it is in giving that we receive.” By giving peace you will receive peace, and after you are at peace, your problems all dissolve . By becoming a peacemaker you are literally providing yourself with a remedy for all your anxious moments. Today be on the alert for any opportunity to become a peacemaker. Words by Wayne W. Dyer, There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem.)
I really like this one by Abraham Lincoln for his Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865. “With malice toward none, with charity for all…let us strive on to finish the work we are in…to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.
I am going to use two of Percy’s memoirs in this column because he truly believed in peace! (Working Together: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much, words by Helen Keller.)
And…”Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me; let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.” Words by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson, 20th-century songwriters.
There I go, dreaming again! I was afraid that would happen after the fact that this column and little paper reached out and reunited two brothers after 50 years….But amazing things happen, and wouldn’t it be great if the above words inspire some of you to become peacemakers and help to settle the mess this world is in? I shall pray on it!
China Middle School JMG aids in hurricane relief for China, Texas
China Middle School Jobs for Maine Graduates who participated in the spare change relief fund are, front, from left to right, Alonzo Michaud and Justin Littlefield. Back, Lodin Chavarie, Brayden Wilson, Lorenzo Michaud, Calvin Mason, Libby Crockett, Rebecca Morton, Katie Burgess. Contributed photo
by Cailee Elsasser, 8th grade, China Middle School, JMG Council Officer
How are we helping people recover from Hurricane Harvey? When we realized there was a China, Texas, which unfortunately was in the path of the storm, we felt it was a natural connection to help. The China Middle School JMG organized a spare change drive to help support the students and teachers in China, Texas, as their middle school was destroyed by the flooding. The China Middle and Primary schools stepped up big time, collecting over $500 in change and monetary donations.
A combination of concession proceeds and staff jeans day money was also contributed. And then on the final day of change collection Calvin Mason, an eighth grader in JMG, was sorting and counting box tops. He proposed adding the $150 in box tops that his group had just processed to the change drive. Principal Ms. Bowden graciously accepted the proposal, which brought the grand total to $900. We always want to get involved with community projects whenever we can, whether that’s China, Texas, or China, Maine. We look forward to hearing more inspiring stories in our district and communities!
Area Students Enroll at Colby College Class of 2021
Students from the Class of 2021 have enrolled at Colby College, in Waterville, this fall. Before classes began Sept. 6, they took part in a weeklong orientation that included a civic engagement component in downtown Waterville, an introduction to academic and intellectual life at Colby, and an address by the Dr. Frank and Theodora Miselis Professor of Chemistry D. Whitney King at Colby’s 200th Convocation.
Hanna Bouchard, of Waterville. She is a graduate of Waterville Senior High School and is the daughter of Michael and Colette Bouchard, of Waterville.
Delaney Keithley, of Chelsea. She is a graduate of Cony High School, in Augusta, and is the daughter of Jason and Julie Keithley, of Chelsea.
James Leblanc, of Fairfield. He is a graduate of Lawrence High School, in Fairfield, and is the son of Steven and Sarah LeBlanc, of Fairfield.
Kyle McGadney, of Waterville. He is a graduate of Waterville Senior High School and is the son of Clifford and Camille McGadney, of Waterville.
Ethan Pullen, of Oakland. He is a graduate of Messalonskee High School, in Oakland, and is the son of Charles and Tammy Pullen, of Oakland.
Benjamin Smith, of Winslow. He is a graduate of Winslow High School and is the son of Scott and Kristen Smith, of Winslow.
Eleanor Theriault, of Vassalboro. She is a graduate of Erskine Academy, in South China, and is the daughter of David and Linda Theriault, of Vassalboro.
Katherine Thompson, of Waterville. She is a high school graduate and is the daughter of Mark and Karen Thompson, of Waterville.
John Violette, of Waterville. He is a graduate of Waterville Senior High School and is the son of James and Mary Violette, of Waterville.
AKC announces Junior Rally showcase launch
TRAINING YOUR PERFORMANCE DOG
by Carolyn Fuhrer
The American Kennel Club (AKC) the world’s largest purebred dog registry and leading advocate for dogs, has announced the launch of Junior Showcase events meant to promote and increase youth participation in the sports of agility, obedience and rally.
The Mid Coast Kennel Club of Maine is planning to hold a Junior Rally Showcase at their Obedience/Rally Show on Saturday and Sunday, April 13 and 14, 2018. This show is held at Mt. Ararat High School, in Topsham. To be eligible for a Junior Showcase event, the handler must be under 18 years of age the day of the trial. The Junior Showcase is open to all breeds including dogs listed with the AKC Canine Partners. All dogs must be eligible for the classes in which they are entered.
The purpose of a Junior Showcase is to provide a low stress mentoring environment with comradery in a relaxed atmosphere to assist the junior handler to achieve their goals.
Junior handlers entered in Junior Showcase events will be permitted to have a mentor walk with them during the exhibitor walk through times.
Mid Coast Kennel Club will be offering a Junior Showcase in Rally Novice A and B.
Rally trials are a sport and all participants should be guided by the principals of good sportsmanship both in and out of the ring.
Rally trials demonstrate the dog has been trained to behave in the home, in public places and in the presence of other dogs in a manner that will reflect credit on the sport of rally at all times and under all conditions.
All contestants in a class are required to perform the same signs in substantially the same way so that the relative quality of the various performances may be compared and scored. The judge tells the handler to begin, and the dog and handler proceed at a brisk pace through a course, designed by the rally judge, of designated signs. Each of these signs provides instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed. The dog and handler move continuously throughout the course with the dog under control at the handler’s left side. There is a clear sense of teamwork between the dog and handler both during and between the numbered signs.
Rally provides an excellent introduction to AKC Companion Events for new dogs and handlers and can provide a challenging opportunity for competitors in other events to strengthen their skills. AKC Rally is a companion sport to AKC Obedience. Both require teamwork between dog and handler along with similar performance skills.
In the Rally Novice classes all signs are judged with the dog on leash. Rally Novice A & B have 10-15 signs (Start and Finish not included) with a minimum of three and a maximum of five stationary exercises.
Mid Coast Kennel Club of Maine holds Rally practice Monday nights at 5:30 at North Star Dog Training School in Somerville. Juniors pay $5.00 per class and Adults pay $10 with all proceeds to the Mid Coast Kennel Club.
Not sure? Come and watch one Monday night!
For more information, e-mail Kathy Duhnoski at kduhnoski@myfairpoint.net. Or call Kathy at 691-2332.
And to learn more about Rally, go the AKC website at www.akc.org Rally Regulations
Carolyn Fuhrer has earned over 90 AKC titles with her Golden Retrievers, including 2 Champion Tracker titles. Carolyn is the owner of North Star Dog Training School in Somerville, Maine. She has been teaching people to understand their dogs for over 25 years. You can contact her with questions, suggestions and ideas for her column by e-mailing carolyn@dogsatnorthstar.com.