FOR YOUR HEALTH: Baby Boomers Still Playing Together Even “Party Gaming” on Zoom

/0 Comments/in /by

The Boomer generation knows how to have fun—such as with a new pop culture trivia game about the days of their youth.

(NAPSI)—Over 70 million Baby Boomers grew up playing board games and watching game shows together—and they still love doing both.

A new pop culture trivia game is taking Boomers on a nostalgic road trip back to the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. Designed to be played by two teams, Boom Again features thousands of questions drawing upon Boomer’s memories of advertising slogans and jingles, politics and social movements, movies, music, television, and more.

Groups of Baby Boomers are laughing their way through memories on a wide variety of their experiences: from The Twist to Disco; American Bandstand to Soul Train; Doris Day all the way to Janis Joplin, and on to Steve Martin; Hula Hoops to The Pill; and poodle skirts to mini-skirts. And they are singing their way through all the music of their youth, too.

This game is clearly not an S.A.T. test with questions like:

• Name three of the most popular episodes of “I Love Lucy.”
• Name the original main courses from Swanson’s TV Dinners.
• What did Silly Putty have to do with the Sunday comic strips?

The wide array of material is organized into easily remembered categories:

Things We Heard—Music, jingles, famous speeches, lyrics, catchphrases

Things We Saw—TV shows, movies, commercials, magazines, sporting events

Things We Learned in School—The “3 R’s,” clubs, dances, school yard games

In The News—Politics, sports, world events, Sunday comics, murder, war

Stuff We Learned On the Street—Toys, Fashion, Cars, Social Movements, Dances, etc.

A Box Full of Memories

The game comes packaged in a “cigar box” familiar to Baby Boomers who stashed their stuff in those as kids. It has two boxes of cards with 2,244 questions, and Boomer era tokens including a Metal Skate Key, a “Students For Kennedy” Button, a center insert for a 45-RPM Record, and more.

There’s even a “Boomers’ Little Helper” magnifier in case someone forgets their readers.

An Antidote to Pandemic Isolation

Apparently nothing can keep a social Baby Boomer from hanging out with their friends. Party games have always brought people together. Now, even when friends and families haven’t been together in person, they have been playing Boom Again together on Zoom. It’s become known as a Boom Zoom!

Learn More

For MORE facts and to order the game, go to http://www.boomagain.com.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Bits and pieces

/0 Comments/in /by
by Debbie Walker

Some of these pieces you may know about and some you may be introduced to today. My hope is you find usefulness and hopefully a little humor, too, in what I am going to share with you. Most of this information is coming from the 2020 Farmer’s Almanac.

We’re going to start out with a couple Helpful Hints:

Reusable Storage: Don’t throw away any of those cardboard carriers of a 6-pack. You can use one for the cookouts. Use the individual holes for carrying ketchup, mustard, mayo and other things necessary. OR Use one for crafting or kids activities to hold supplies.

Home Spa: Tie a bunch of fresh eucalyptus to your shower head and let the smell turn your shower into an invigorating way to start the day. (It is said to open nasal passages).

Bug Bite Relief: (The bugs will return soon!) Soak a cloth in a mixture of two tablespoons of Epsom salt in one cup of water. Wring out and hold cloth over the bite for several minutes.

Plastic Snow Sled: (Summer use) Use a plastic snow sled with a rope lead to haul your camping gear from the car to your site. You can also use it for carrying planting supplies and tools around the yard, from one site to another.

Have you ever wondered about eating insects? (Me neither, but it’s kind of funny):

Crickets: Remove legs; dry roast, fry, or stir fry. There is also such a thing as cricket flour. I don’t have any, how about you? Oh, and you can get them at a pet store.

June Bugs/Beetles: Fry in oil/butter with shallots. (Oh, bummer, I am all out of shallots!)

Ants: Can be roasted in a dry pan and added as a flavoring or crunchy topping to other dishes. (If you ever wondered what to do about the ants I’ll bet you never thought to cook them up for a new taste!)

Pill Bugs (Sow Bugs): These insects are related to lobster and shrimp. Boil or sauté briefly in butter.

CAUTION: Avoid insects with bright yellow, red, or orange markings. Be aware of areas sprayed with pesticides. (And please check for more information before you try any of these things, please.)

Camping Hacks:

Bring two coolers – one for just the drinks and the other for food.

Duct tape: Always bring it. It has helped us out with medical problems and patching holes, use your imagination.

Tic Tac Containers: Fill them with your favorite seasonings. Use permanent marker to write what’s inside.

Fruit Flies: Fill a small bowl with apple cider vinegar plus two drops of liquid dish soap. Mix well. Fruit flies will be drawn to the bowl… and to their demise.

Philosofacts:

It doesn’t require many words to speak the truth.

Spring is when you feel like whistling even when your shoe is full of slush.

A snowflake is winter’s butterfly.

Aspire to inspire before you expire.

Some people only like the changes that jingle in their pocket.

I am just curious if you found any bits or pieces useful. Let me know, contact me at DebbieWalker@townline.org. I hope you found some things to smile at. Thank you for reading and have a great week.

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Singer: June Valli

/0 Comments/in /by

June Valli

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

June Valli

A June 11,1953, seven-inch RCA Victor 45 record – 47 5368 – features June Valli (1928-1993) singing Cryin’ In the Chapel, which reached #4 on the Billboard charts. Artie Glenn wrote the song for his son Darrell, who recorded it a few months before Valli and had success. Numerous other singers would cover it .

Elvis Presley’s own version sold a million copies after RCA released it in 1965 without his permission, five years after he recorded it; supposedly he didn’t like the results and wanted it tossed.

Joe Reisman

Back to June Valli who gave a warm-hearted rendition with the very gifted arranger/conductor Joe Reisman (1924-1987) who led the orchestra and chorus. Side 2 was the mediocre Love Every Day You Live.

Valli came from the Bronx. After singing Stormy Weather at a friend’s wedding, she was invited to appear on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts, where she won first prize, and on the Perry Como and Ed Sullivan Shows. She co-hosted an NBC summer replacement variety show with Andy Williams in 1957, toured with Fats Domino and Mel Torme and was the invisible singer for Chiquita Banana commercials.

June Valli died of cancer in 1993, at the age of 64, at her home in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

Joe Reisman was a Dallas, Texas, native who produced hit records for Patti Page at Mercury, Perry Como, Eartha Kitt and André Previn at RCA Victor Records, eventually becoming Henry Mancini’s lead producer.

Reisman died of a heart attack in Los Angeles on September 15, 1987, one day before his 63rd birthday.

He recorded a very good easy listening album in 1957 for RCA entitled Door of Dreams. In much later years, he even produced sessions for the Grateful Dead.

Robert P. Tristram Coffin continued

Continuing with paragraphs from Robert P. Tristram Coffin’s essay, Kennebec Crystals:

“The thaw lasted eight days. Somebody saw a robin. He didn’t get any vote of thanks from his neighbors. A body could see his dead grandmother in such fog as there was. The graybeards by the barrel stove in Ephraim Doughty’s grocery store at Bowdoin Center shivered in their shoes. Ephraim had said earlier in the evening, as he looked out at the weather glumly, “Open winter, fat graveyards.” Active Frost cheated at checkers and got caught. Wash Alexander drank up all his wife’s Peruna.

“The only consolation in Kennebec county was the newspaper. It said it was raining all up and down the Hudson, from Saratoga to Staten Island.”

To be continued…

MAINE MEMORIES: There’s something “fishy”

/0 Comments/in /by
by Evangeline T.

Hello and welcome to Maine Memories, little snippets of life from our home state.

This week, I have a fish tale for you. Hope you enjoy it!

Every fisherman (or woman) has a tale to tell about the big fish that got away or the trips taken to catch fish in some far away river or lake.

Here’s mine. Since we lived in northern Maine with two nearby lakes, my husband and I purchased a lakeside cabin, spent the summer there and traveled to work each day.

We had a boat and built a wharf to accommodate it. One day, my husband and son decided to fish using our boat. They didn’t go far from shore.

A while later, I walked out onto the wharf and yelled at them. “How’s the fishing? Caught anything yet?”

“Nope,” they answered, “Not yet, but it’s still early!”

Just then, I looked down in a space between the wharf and shore, and there was a good sized fish. He seemed to be sleeping in the sunny shallow water.

“Hey, there’s a big fish right down here!”

They both laughed. “Why don’t you catch him, mom?”

I decided to do just that. I’d use my thumb and first finger to hook his gill, and at the same time, grab his tail with my other hand. I carefully got down on my knees and leaned over him and made a lunge with my thought-out plan in place.

Can you believe it? I actually came up with that two foot-long fish in my hands. He never even knew what had happened to him.

Our neighbor, who’d been watching and listening to this while rocking on the two hind legs of his chair, got so excited, he fell over. Boom! “Let’s see you do that again!” he shouted.

My husband and son gave up and came back to shore, their short trip ending in no fish…and maybe a little embarrassment. After all, mom had outdone them, even without bait or a fishing pole.

That’s my fish story, and I’m stickin’ to it!

CRITTER CHATTER: The best of intentions

/0 Comments/in /by
by Jayne Winters

When visiting at the Duck Pond Wildlife Rehab Center in March, I asked Donald Cote what we should submit for the April column. With no hesitation, whatsoever, Don said spring is the time to remind people that not all young animals that appear orphaned need rescuing. That makes this month’s column easy for me as I can use the late Carleen Cote’s words of many years ago, and it gives me pleasure to pay homage to her years of rehab work by doing so:

“With the return of warmer days, our feathered friends are returning from their southern hiatus and native wildlife are becoming more active. This is an appropriate time for a reminder about whether or not young wildlife that appear to need rescuing really need human intervention.

“White-tail fawns are often rescued when they should be left where they were found. A very young fawn will not move until given a signal from its mother. It has no odor, so if it is found by a dog, coyote or other potential predator, it’s by accident, not from a scent. The doe does not remain with her fawn(s) at all times; she leaves to feed herself and may not return for several hours.

If you’re walking in the fields and woods and spot a fawn, don’t immediately assume that it needs to be rescued. Mark the spot where it was seen and leave; return after a few hours or the next day. If the fawn is in the exact same spot, it’s probably safe to assume something has happened to the doe. Contact a game warden or rehabber and follow the advice given.

“If you find a young bird on the ground and no nest is found, make a substitute from a berry box or basket; be sure there are holes for drainage and hang it in a tree close to the spot where the bird was found. The adults will respond to the feeding calls of their youngsters. If cats are prowling or stalking birds, especially when there may be young birds in a nest that can’t survive without being fed, the cat should be confined rather than removing the birds. Fledglings – young birds that are feathered and out of the nest – need time to master the art of flying. Though they may spend time on the ground, this is not necessarily an indication they need human intervention. Observe whether there are adult birds flying around as they could be the parents, bringing food to the young or coaxing them to take their first flight.

“Of course, there are times when rescue is necessary, such as when an adult female has died, but her young survive, or when young animals have been observed for some time with no adult arriving to care for them and lead them to safety. If you do rescue wildlife, as cute as they may be, bring them to someone who has the necessary permits and knowledge to give them a greater chance of survival. If you’re in doubt about the need to rescue any bird or animal, or have questions about the critters we enjoy and for which we are concerned, please call a local rehabber or warden.”

The past couple of months have been particularly difficult for the Duck Pond Center as Donald and one of the volunteers with almost 20 years’ experience have had unexpected health issues requiring hospitalization (both are now home). This upcoming spring and summer will require the assistance of other rehabbers to cover the anticipated volume of admissions, so we ask that you check the following websites to see if there is a rehabber closer to you to help make the work more manageable at Duck Pond: https://www.mainevetmed.org/wildlife-rehabilitation or https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/living-with-wildlife/orphaned-injured-wildlife/rehabilitation.html. Thank you.

Donald Cote operates Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center on Rte. 3 in Vassalboro. It is a non-profit federal and state permitted rehab facility & is supported by his own resources and outside donations. Mailing address: 1787 North Belfast Ave., Vassalboro ME 04989 TEL: (207) 445-4326. EMAIL: thewildlifecarecenter@gmail.com.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: It’s spring and the bugs are coming out

/0 Comments/in /by

Left, the pumpkin bug or squash bug. Right, the brown marmorated stink bug.

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

I have seen this bug around my house recently – like two in the last couple of weeks – and I was wondering what it was. I’ve seen it many times before, and merely dealt with it. But this time, my curiosity was peaked, and it was time to find out who these little critters are. Turns out they are called pumpkin bugs, or squash bugs.

The pumpkin bug, or squash bug, are also called stink bugs, but are not the traditional stink bug. Although some pumpkin bugs are called stink bugs, not all stink bugs are pumpkin bugs. If you ever spot a sizable green stink bug, there’s a good chance that it’s a pumpkin bug. They are similar in appearance to stink bugs because they both have a foul odor when squashed. However, stink bugs are wider and rounder.

The squash bug, Anasa tristis, is common throughout the United States. It primarily attacks squash and pumpkins but can also attack other cucurbits, such as cucumbers.

They are the bane of a gardener. They are difficult to kill and can cause a lot of havoc.

The adult bugs are somewhat flat, large insects, measuring 5/8 inch long and 1/3 inch wide. They are usually dark gray to dark brown. The edges of the abdomens protrude beyond their wings and typically have alternating orangish and brown stripes. They are able to fly, however they often simply walk around on plants.

These bugs overwinter as adults in sheltered places, such as under plant debris, around buildings, or under rocks. When adults emerge in the spring, they fly to growing cucurbit plants to feed and mate. Females lay eggs individually in small clusters of about 20 commonly on the undersides of the leaves, especially between the veins where they form a V. The females usually begin to appear in gardens in early June, and continue to lay eggs through mid-summer.

These bugs have piercing-sucking mouthparts they use to suck the sap out of leaves. This process produces yellow spots that eventually turn brown, and disrupts the flow of water and nutrients, which can cause wilting. Young plants are more susceptible to extensive damage. Larger, more vigorous plants are more tolerant of feeding damage, although they can also be injured or killed if they are severely attacked.

These bugs inject a toxin into the plant and suck the sap right out of it with their sharp mouthparts. This causes yellow spots that eventually turn brown. The leaves will wilt because the damage prevents the flow of nutrients to the leaves, and then they will dry up and turn black.

The most important times to control squash bugs are when the plants are young seedlings and when they are flowering. Early detection is important because adult squash bugs are difficult to kill.

Remove or knock off and kill nymphs and adults by dropping them into a bucket of soapy water. This can be challenging because the bugs hide under leaves and move quickly when disturbed.

Crush the eggs that are attached to the undersides and stems of leaves.

Trap the bugs by laying out boards or pieces of newspaper. The bugs will congregate under the boards at night, and then can be collected and destroyed in the morning.

Check your plants daily. If there are no more than a few vines infected, keep collecting and destroying the bugs and crushing the egg clusters that you find.

Insecticides are not generally needed to control these bugs. They can be used if cucurbits are found wilting early in the season. Carbaryl/Sevin, is most effective if applied when eggs are hatching. Consult your local garden center for controls that are locally approved. When using an insecticide, make sure to read the instructions well.

Planting time is approaching. Make sure your garden is free of these little pests. There is no worse feeling than seeing your plants being destroyed and you have no idea what is causing it. Check under the leaves.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

In addition to pitching a one-hitter in game two of the 1967 World Series, who became the first Red Sox pitcher to win the AL Cy Young Award in 1967?

Answer can be found here.

SOLON & BEYOND: Organizing a teacher-less class

/0 Comments/in /by
Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Here it is the last of April, time certainly flies! And this year Lief and I will be hurrying around delivering The Town Line papers in quite a few stores in Somerset County. This week’s column is an old one that starts out, From PERCY and me….. Good morning my friends, Don’t Worry, Be Happy!” So many of you have been asking me how many years I have been doing the teacher-less project at the Skowhegan Adult Ed classes. I really don’t know for sure but I found some information on a poster I had made about that club. It was an article I had written for The Town Line back on April 13, 2006, about this, with a picture they had taken of club members at that time. (That was a meeting when we were going to come up with a name for this club, so it had been going on for some time before that.

These are the words I used in the newspaper article); “For the past few years I have been taking the painting classes at Skowhegan Adult Education and enjoying them immensely. Peggy Riley was the teacher and I had learned many new techniques through her instruction, and had made many new friends. Peggy decided that she wouldn’t be teaching when the January sessions started up again, and when I saw that the classes weren’t going to be offered for that semester I was disappointed. (the article was too long to get in this column so this is a shorter version of the one that was printed.) I came up with the crazy idea of having a teacher-less painting club. I went to the administrator’s office and asked them if they would let me do this with a teacher-less person running it Was very, very happy and pleased when they gave me their permission.

When I arrived the first night I was given the attendance folder with M. Rogers, instructor, on the cover. The word “Instructor” went to my head a little, and one night when one of the members was misbehaving, I gave him a push and he nearly fell over, bending his glasses in the near fall. Since then I don’t rule with an iron hand!

Some people would not agree with that statement, I’m pretty sure! I have stressed, (without any violence) that I would prefer that there wouldn’t be any discussions on two topics, politics and religion while we are there so that those who love peace while they paint, can enjoy their stay there! Have had a fear that is probably against “Freedom of Speech”, but I do know it can get pretty rowdy and loud with some discussions!

And now back to the writing about this teacher-less painting class! Members at that meeting were Suzanne Currier, Shirley Foxwell, Linda Sullivan, Gerda Pilz, Betty Dow, Dana Hall, Linwood Turcotte, Peter Foxwell, and me.

The column ended with these words: We meet every week for three hours of relaxation in a pleasant atmosphere and I know I look forward to our Monday night sessions, I’m pretty sure the other nine members feel the same way. I am so happy the Skowhegan Adult Education had enough faith in us to try this experiment with a teacher-less club, and my thanks go out to them.”

The above was taken from The Town Line paper back on April 13, 2006. Wow, things change a lot in 15 years!

Back when the pandemic started, after much thinking of yes or no against trying to continue with this teacher-less club, I finally decided not to ask for the spot at Skowhegan Adult Ed. I miss all the many wonderful painters, many besides the ones mentioned in this column very much! It was a wonderful group of friends to get together with each week and enjoy painting with! I miss it, and think of you often, Hope I didn’t scare any of you away with my wild ways.

In my organizing lately, I came across a small clipping with the words, Chronicle, October 20, 1988: Solon News: Facts & Frivolity From Solon, “The Friendliest Town In The State”. by Marilyn Rogers. Good morning my friends!

Had to learn the ropes of waitressing all over again last week and have definitely decided that I do have to learn another language – French! Two French men came in the other noon and in the hard process (for me) of trying to understand what they were ordering one of them called me “stupid” he knew that much English! I am many things but I am not stupid; and do you remember how I said some people were predicting I would be black and blue from pinches? Well, haven’t had to worry about that at all but my tongue is mince meat! Have clamped down on it so many times, made up my mind before I ever started that everyone was going to get service with a smile, but usually at least once a day I repeat to myself the saying that I have on my living room wall, “As others touch our lives so do we touch theirs – Be gentle even when they are not “!

Now for Percy’s memoir entitled: Influence: Drop a pebble in the water; And its ripples reach out far; And the sunbeams dancing on them may refect them to a star. Give a smile to someone passing, Thereby making his morning glad; It may greet you in the evening When your own heart may be sad, Do a deed of simple kindness; Though its end you may not see, It may reach , like widening ripples, Down a long eternity. (from Salesian Missions).

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Drug-free Ways To Deal With Morning Sickness

/0 Comments/in /by

Reducing the risk and misery of morning sickness may be easier than many mothers-to-be may realize.

(NAPSI)—The National Center for Health Statistics estimates 4 million babies will be born this year. If you’re having one of them, congratulations. If that one is causing you morning sickness, you’re far from alone—almost 80% of pregnant women suffer morning sickness at some point—and, fortunately, you can do something to ease it.

Take Care, Take Control

Here are hints on how:

Food: Avoid raw or lightly cooked eggs, soft and blue-veined cheeses and pate or liver products.

Beverages: Drink lots of water, milk and juice. It’s best to avoid alcohol and keep coffee and tea to a minimum.

Hygiene: Be scrupulous about cleaning food, particularly if you have pets.

Exercise: Swimming, yoga and walking can help.

Smoking: Give it up as soon as you can for your own and your baby’s health.

Acupressure: Understandably, most women are wary of morning sickness treatments in case it harms their unborn child. Fortunately, there’s an easy, natural way to combat morning sickness without taking drugs. Sea-Band acupressure bands harness the natural effect of acupressure by applying continuous pressure on the P6 point on each wrist using a plastic stud. The bands are available on Amazon in sets of two and in a special “Morning Sickness Kit” including the wristbands, ginger lozenges and aromatherapy oil, all aimed at safely relieving nausea without drugs.

Studies Show

A recent study in Italy found that morning sickness was reduced in 70% of women who used Sea-Bands and a study conducted by an American midwife showed that women wearing Sea-Bands also reported less anxiety, depression and hostility.

Learn More

For more facts and tips, visit www.sea-band.com.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Let’s chat

/0 Comments/in /by
by Debbie Walker

Grab your coffee, wine, etc., and let’s chat. Let’s start with electric fryers. Do you have one? Please write and tell me how you got used to it. I could use all the help I can get. I killed the hamburgers tonight. It’s not fair to the meat. It already died once. I am certainly glad I wasn’t cooking for a guest tonight.

I am only guessing but I am hoping the size of the fryer makes a difference. My friends all have the larger fryers, they are all cooking for families and gatherings. Mine is much smaller and I am not much of a cook in any form.

No, I am not much of a cook. Oh, I got by over the years, no one in my family died of starvation, nor did they die from anything I fixed for a meal.

I was more interested in baking but, even then, there was nothing fancy. Cookies, cakes, and occasionally I would try my hand at making a pie. I especially liked the “Impossible” pie made with Bisquick. That pie made its own crust!! I don’t know how long it’s been since I have made one of those.

There may come a day when I will try my hand at another bread pudding. I just can’t find one down here that I like. I bought one a couple of weeks ago and I know what kind of bread they used but it was nasty! Another one I looked at had that sugary glaze stuff on top.

Is it really necessary to glaze everything? I love chocolate donuts, but it is hard enough to find a chocolate one and if you do it almost always been covered in glaze or chocolate frosting. Yuck.

Frosting, that’s another ‘yuck’! Have you noticed how thick the frosting is on cakes and cupcakes? “Designer” cupcakes. Oh, please. That ranks right up there with “Designer” dogs. Mutts.

Have you seen or can you imagine the size of a stove and oven in a recreational vehicle, that is, except for the campers the size of a house? Let me assure you my camper is not one of those. Oh yeah, and my oven hasn’t worked since I moved into it in July. That’s no hardship here.

If I really needed an oven my daughter gave me her toaster oven that takes up half of my counterspace (the air fryer takes up the rest of the counter). If I get time someday, I may try something. I may have to make my own bread pudding or maybe a meatloaf. Who knows. They say miracles do happen.

That’s enough for one week. I am just curious if you would send me some of your own “kitchen” stories. Please send them to DebbieWalker@townline.org along with any questions or comments. Thank you for reading and have a great week!

REVIEW POTPOURRI: The Boston Pops

/0 Comments/in /by

Arthur Fiedler

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

The Boston Pops

John Williams

A very good 1982 Philips cassette, Pops Around the World, features the Boston Pops under its former Music Director John Williams (1932-) playing seven Overtures – two from the U.S. and from Russia, and one each from France, Italy and Austria.

The American Overtures are Leonard Bernstein’s for his musical Candide and one Williams himself composed for the 1972 movie, The Cowboys. Bernstein (1918-1990) created a rambunctious romp testing the technique of every player with its rapid-fire tempos and cross-rhythms.

The Cowboys Overture, composed before Williams achieved greater fame and fortune with his soundtracks for Star Wars, Superman, Jurassic Park and many etcs., has an appealing ambiance and evokes the sights and sounds of the Old West in an manner similar to the Brooklyn-born composer Aaron Copland through his own Rodeo and Billy the Kid ballets and soundtrack for The Red Pony.

The Russian Overtures are those of Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857) for Ruslan and Ludmilla and Dimitry Kabalevsky (1904-1987) to his 1938 opera Colas Breugnon, which became a smash hit at its premiere in Leningrad with the Soviet authorities and boosted Kabalevsky’s own standing with them, most likely enabling him to avoid being purged by Stalin as an ‘enemy of the people’; while Glinka became the first Russian composer to win acclaim in his own country.

France is represented by the Bronze Horse Overture of Daniel-Franois Auber (1782-1871), Italy by the Overture to An Italian in Algiers of Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) and Austria by the Boccaccio Overture of Franz von Suppe (1819-1895). All three of these composers frequently conveyed roller coaster wit and high spirits in their music, one of several reasons their melodies were often heard in the old cartoons.

John Williams’s grandparents ran a department store in Bangor. His father Johnny Williams was a well-known percussionist during the Big Band Era.

Williams and his predecessor Arthur Fiedler (1894-1979) never met in person but did speak by phone.

This album was also released as an LP and compact disc. Some overtures may even be on YouTube; I checked and saw the Bronze Horse available.

Robert T. Tristram Coffin (continued)

Continuing with paragraphs 4 and 5 of Robert P. Tristram Coffin’s essay, Kennebec Crystals:

“Then next day the January thaw came. Teachers went all to pieces as early as Wednesday in the week. Doctors used the whip on their horses as they clattered over the steaming ruts. Shopkeepers did not throw in the extra pilot bread but tied up the bags and bit off the twine. The big bugs behind the Ionian porticoes put aside the Annals of Tacitus and took down the Magnalia Christi Americana of Cotton Mather and Jonathan Edwards’s Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Small boys lost their tempers and kicked the jackstraws their bachelor uncles had whittled out in the shape of oars and eelspears all over the floor. Farmers sat down to Indian pudding without any salt hake to season it off.

“Young Timothy Toothtaker decided not to ask Susannah Orr a certain question until mayflower time or later. And he stopped spooling new rungs for her future bed.”