REVIEW POTPOURRI – Composer: Khachaturian; Singer: Nat King Cole; Writer: William Hazlitt

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Khachaturian

Khachaturian: Gayaneh Ballet Excerpts; Piano Concerto; and Masquerade Suite – Jiri Belohlavek conducting the Brno State Philharmonic Orchestra, in Gayaneh, and Masquerade; pianist Mirka Pokorna with Vladimir Valek conducting the Prague Symphony Orchestra in the Piano Concerto. Supraphon SU 3107-2011, recorded between 1972 and 1980, CD.

Khachaturian

Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) composed some of the most colorful, captivating music in these Ballets and the Piano Concerto. The exotic rhythms and atmospheric poetry give a unique beauty to a composer who was deeply rooted in his Armenian background, his most popular piece being the Gayaneh Sabre Dance which has been used innumerable times as background for chase or fighting scenes in cartoons and for TV commercials.

Certain moody passages of the Ballets remind me of the soundtrack music that Bernard Herrmann composed for Alfred Hitchcock thrillers, such as North by Northwest, Vertigo and Psycho.

A special favorite here is the Piano Concerto with a dramatic power and beauty of its own. Pianist Mirka Pokorna negotiated its difficulties with flair while conveying its beauty and delicacy with an exquisite touch. Her Czech Republic colleagues also did superb work.

A friend from Prague told me of being inspired to take up the piano at the age of nine after hearing Pokorna in a concert and visiting with her afterwards.

Nat King Cole

Nat King Cole –  Unforgettable; Capitol T-357, released in 1954, twelve inch LP.

Nat King Cole

Pianist/singer Nat King Cole (1919-1965) once stated that he sang the way he felt and that was that. After leading a jazz trio for the better part of the ‘40s, he gradually transitioned to pop singing around 1950.

His 1954 LP Unforgettable gathers a dozen songs that are gems already, a few of them best sellers as singles.

Among the hits, the title song; Answer Me, My Love; Too Young; Red Sails in the Sunset; Pretend; and the irreplaceable Mona Lisa, which was first released as a B side.

My first encounter with this LP was at the age of 6 or 7 when I heard a copy of it owned by my grandmother Annabelle Cates (1888-1974); not only was she fond of King Cole’s singing but also that of Ray Charles.

The other six selections, Portrait of Jenny; What’ll I Do; Lost April; the vivacious Hajji Baba; the immensely lovely Great American Songbook classic I Love You for Sentimental Reasons; and finally Make Her Mine, King Cole made his own.

Due to his chain smoking for years of Kool menthols, Nat King Cole died of lung cancer in January 1965, at the very young age of 45.

This deservedly classic album can be heard via YouTube.

William Hazlitt

William Hazlitt

English essayist William Hazlitt (1778-1830) wrote the following in his On Going a Journey:

“One of the pleasantest in the world is going a journey; but I like to go by myself. I can enjoy society in a room; but out of doors, nature is company enough for me. I am then never less alone than when alone.

‘The fields his study, nature was his book.’

I cannot see the wit of walking and talking at the same time. When I am in the country I wish to vegetate like the country. I am not for criticizing hedgerows and black cattle. I go out of town in order to forget the town and all that is in it.”

Although Hazlitt is considered an important figure in 19th century English romanticism and celebrated its spirit, he brought a restraint to its more excessive qualities and his writings on literature and social behavior attracted much attention due to his ability to combine enthusiasm with discernment.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Denied Relief: Children with Migraine May Be Left Without the Treatment They Need

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This treatment offers children a way to manage migraine without drugs or side effects—but getting it covered by insurance can be an uphill battle.

(NAPSI)—Migraine is a debilitating neurological disease that affects one billion people worldwide, but it is not just an adult disease. For the 1 in 10 children diagnosed with this complex and incurable condition, it can be a daily battle that affects academic performance, impacts friendships, and leads to diminished quality of life. And many struggle for years before receiving a proper diagnosis.

The Problem

Despite the lifelong consequence of untreated migraine, the landscape of evidence-based pediatric migraine care remains shockingly limited. Many prescription medications have not been evaluated in children or adolescents and were not originally developed for migraine treatment. In fact, only one migraine medication is FDA-approved for acute treatment in children as young as 8 years old, and no medications have been approved for preventive use in this age group. Additionally, they are often poorly tolerated, disruptive to normal activities, and require an adult to manage and properly administer medication to minimize adverse events.

An Answer

Fortunately, there is a non-drug alternative. Unfortunately, certain insurance companies are refusing to cover it. The Nerivio Remote Electrical Neuromodulation (REN) wearable is redefining what is possible for migraine care. It is the only FDA-cleared, non-drug treatment available for people with migraine ages 8 and above, offering both migraine relief and prevention. Despite its proven efficacy, many families face an insurmountable barrier: high cost due to lack of insurance coverage.

“Any treatment with evidence of efficacy is something I discuss with my patients,” says Dr. Ryan P. Williams MD, EDM, a pediatric neurologist and headache specialist with Children’s Specialty Group and Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters – a network of comprehensive pediatric services. “I have noticed more families are seeking effective, non-medication options, and the Nerivio REN wearable fits that need perfectly. However, the cost of the treatment without insurance coverage prevents many patients from accessing it. Of those I prescribe it to, only about half can afford to move forward.”

One Child’s Story

For Kieran Johnston, a 15-year-old migraine patient, non-drug treatment has been transformative. Migraine was an exhausting battle when relying on medications that left him nauseated and sometimes sleepy. The Nerivio REN wearable offered a way to manage his migraine disease without the systemic side effects of drugs. Using the treatment every other day for prevention and for relief when a migraine starts, Johnston has reduced his school absences from 6 or 7 days a month to just 1 or 2. He’s back to playing soccer and football with friends—activities he often missed when using migraine medication.

Still, Johnston’s family is paying out of pocket for this non-drug, non-disruptive treatment.

“We thought about stopping because it’s expensive,” says Johnston. “But it works so well that we decided to keep using it. I just wish it was covered by insurance for our family and so more kids like me could try it.”

Dr. Williams emphasizes that early and effective treatment can make a significant difference for pediatric patients, reducing the risk of developing chronic migraine later in life. “Insurance companies should cover all safe and effective treatment options, and the Nerivio REN wearable deserves to be one of those options, so we can not only treat early, but safely, effectively, and, if desired, without drugs.”

Families and healthcare providers alike are urging insurance companies to take notice and prioritize evidence-based, non-drug treatments for migraine. With growing evidence and real-world success stories, many believe it’s time for insurers to provide equitable access for drug-free options, including the Nerivio REN wearable.

Learn More

Patients, caregivers, and advocates can visit NerivioCovered.com for resources to help fight for better coverage and close the gap in pediatric migraine care.

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY: Igniting the spark through volunteering

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by John Kleindienst
DAV National Voluntary
Services Director

My personal journey into volunteering began in 2013 when I flew home to Texas to be by my grandpa’s side before he died.

Grandpa was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars and was forever changed by service. His kidneys and liver were shutting down because of the effects of toxic exposure. He knew his time was short, and wanted to spend his remaining time at home, not in a hospital.

We set him up with home hospice care. He died peacefully not long after. It was then, sitting by his side, that I realized how meaningful it is to be with people during their final moments. After he passed, I began volunteering in a hospice facility to sit with veterans who faced dying alone.

That sparked my passion to find more ways to help veterans in my personal life. I didn’t have to look far. In my hometown, I found motorized scooter batteries in need of changing, dangerous tree limbs to cut, and overgrown lawns to trim before residents faced eviction. Although these were simple tasks, they meant the world to the veterans who couldn’t do these things on their own.

Realizing that just an hour of my time really could make a difference in a veteran’s life, and feeling good about giving back, I knew I wanted to give that gift to others. Luckily, I can do that in my role as the national voluntary services director for DAV (Disabled American Veterans). DAV is a nonprofit that provides a lifetime of support to veterans of all generations and their families at no-cost.

DAV Community Impact Day is that opportunity to give back. On Saturday, April 5, we invite folks to give an hour of their time helping a veteran in the local community. Folks can pledge their time at communityimpactday.org.

April is National Volunteer Month, so for folks who are not able to participate on April 5, can still make the pledge and give back at a different time. On the website, interested volunteers can also find resources and ideas on how to volunteer for veterans in their community and how to get connected with local DAV Chapter events.

As I’ve learned, giving back doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. It could include mowing a lawn, driving a veteran to a medical appointment, going grocery shopping or writing letters thanking veterans for their service.

At DAV, we know the most valuable gift you can give someone is your time. Regardless of how a person decides to give back, research shows – and I learned firsthand – that the physical and mental benefits are as valuable for the volunteer as they are for the recipient.

And who knows, perhaps this will be your spark to do even more, like my Grandpa was for me.

John Kleindienst is the national director of voluntary services for DAV and an active volunteer. Kleindienst is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served from 1996 until he was medically discharged in 2003 as a result of service-connected injuries. That same year, he joined DAV’s professional staff and was appointed to his current position at National Headquarters in 2014. Learn more about DAV’s resources for veterans at dav.org.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Starling population the third most abundant in North America

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European starling

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Last week while looking out my kitchen window, I observed a flock of starlings that had settled in a nearby tree. There were so many, it looked like the tree was completely leafed out with its summer dress. There had to be dozens of them. It reminded me of many years ago when I had some thick brush in my backyard. Dozens of starlings would show up to feed.

The common starling, Sturnus vulgaris, also known as the European starling, or in the British Isles just the starling, is a medium-sized bird about eight inches long and has glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen, which is speckled with white at some times of year. The legs are pink and the bill is black in winter and yellow in summer; young birds have browner plumage than the adults. It is a noisy bird, especially in communal roosts and other gregarious situations, with an unmusical but varied song. Its gift for mimicry has been noted in literature including the Mabinogion and the works of Pliny the Elder and William Shakespeare.

The common starling has been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, the Falkland Islands, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, South Africa and Fiji.

Large flocks typical of this species can be beneficial to agriculture by controling pests; however, starlings can also be pests themselves when they feed on fruit and sprouting crops. Common starlings may also be a nuisance through the noise and mess caused by their large urban roosts. The species has declined in numbers, despite this, its huge global population is not thought to be declining significantly, so the common starling is classified as being of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The European starling ranks third, behind only the red-winged blackbird and the American robin, as the most abundant species in North America.

After two failed attempts, about 60 common starlings were released in 1890 into New York’s Central Park by Eugene Schieffelin. He was president of the American Acclimatization Society, which tried to introduce every bird species mentioned in the works of William Shakespeare into North America. The original 60 birds have since swelled in number to 150 million, occupying an area extending from southern Canada and Alaska to Central America.

The global population of common starlings was estimated to be 310 million individuals in 2004, occupying a total area of 3,420,000 square miles.

Although flock size is highly variable, huge, noisy flocks may form near roosts. These dense concentrations of birds are thought to be a defense against attacks by birds of prey such as peregrine falcons. Flocks form a tight sphere-like formation in flight, frequently expanding and contracting and changing shape, seemingly without any sort of leader. Each common starling changes its course and speed as a result of the movement of its closest neighbors.

A majority of starling predators are avian. Their ability in flight are seldom matched by birds of prey. Adult common starlings are hunted by hawks. Slower raptors tend to take the more easily caught fledglings or juveniles. While perched in groups by night, they can be vulnerable to owls.

Common starlings are hosts to a wide range of parasites. A survey of three hundred common starlings from six U.S. states found that all had at least one type of parasite; 99 percent had external fleas, mites or ticks, and 95 percent carried internal parasites, mostly various types of worm. Blood-sucking species leave their host when it dies, but other external parasites stay on the corpse.

Common starlings introduced to areas such as Australia or North America, where other members of the genus are absent, may have an impact on native species through competition for nest holes. In North America, chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers, purple martins and other swallows may be affected. For its role in the decline of local native species and the damages to agriculture, the common starling has been included in the IUCN List of the world’s 100 worst invasive species.

Common starlings can eat and damage fruit in orchards such as grapes, peaches, olives, currants and tomatoes or dig up newly-sown grain and sprouting crops. They may also eat animal feed and distribute seeds through their droppings. Agricultural damage in the U.S. is estimated as costing about $800 million annually. This bird is considered to be damaging to agriculture the United States.

The large size of flocks can also cause problems. Common starlings may be sucked into aircraft jet engines, one of the worst instances of this being an incident in Boston in 1960, when 62 people died after a turboprop airliner flew into a flock and plummeted into the sea at Winthrop Harbor.

Starlings’ droppings can contain the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, the cause of histoplasmosis in humans. At roosting sites this fungus can thrive in accumulated droppings. There are a number of other infectious diseases that can potentially be transmitted by common starlings to humans, although the potential for the birds to spread infections may have been exaggerated.

The common starling’s gift for mimicry has long been recognized. In the medieval Welsh Mabinogion, Branwen tamed a common starling, “taught it words,” and sent it across the Irish Sea with a message to her brothers, Bran and Manawydan, who then sailed from Wales to Ireland to rescue her. Pliny the Elder claimed these birds could be taught to speak whole sentences in Latin and Greek, and in Henry IV, William Shakespeare had Hotspur declare, “The king forbade my tongue to speak of Mortimer. But I will find him when he is asleep, and in his ear I’ll holler ‘Mortimer!’ Nay I’ll have a starling shall be taught to speak nothing but Mortimer, and give it to him to keep his anger still in motion.”

Mozart had a pet common starling which could sing part of his Piano Concerto in G Major (KV. 453). He had bought it from a shop after hearing it sing a phrase from a work he wrote six weeks previously.

After all of this, I wonder where the starling fits in our ecosystem. Is it beneficial, is it destructive to agriculture, is it a carrier of disease, or is it smart enough to learn Mozart? Whatever the outcome, I hope the sweet peas make it to fruition.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who won the Rumble in the Jungle, Muhammad Ali or George Foreman?

Answer
Muhammad Ali, in Kinshasa, Zaire, October 30, 1974.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Sir Eugene Goossens

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Sir Eugene Goossens

Sir Eugene Goossens

Sir Eugene Goossens (1893-1962) conducted the Rochester Philharmonic during the 1920s; succeeded Fritz Reiner as Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from 1931 to 1946; moved to Australia to lead the Sydney Symphony for ten years until forced to resign in 1956 due to his involvement with a woman who practiced witchcraft and other bizarre activities (just a year after he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth) ; and returned to England feeling emotionally disgraced.

Interestingly he still conducted English orchestras and made several very exciting LPs for Everest Records and EMI, some of the latter released here on Capitol Records when it was still marketing classical music before signing the Beatles in 1964.

Goossens’s Everest LPs included especially magnificent performances of Respighi’s Roman Festivals, a hyper colorful showpiece that displays the full orchestra in all its sonic glory, and Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, itself a masterpiece of rhythmic eloquence from the composer’s last ten years.

I own several 78 sets of Goossens that were released in the U.S. on both Victor black label and Red Seal between the late ‘20s and early ‘40s. They include Tchaikovsky Nutcracker excerpts and the 1812 Overture with the Royal Opera Orchestra of Covent Garden, a vibrantly expressive Schumann 4th Symphony from Cincinatti and the Grieg Peer Gynt Suite #1 from another London Orchestra.

Some of these earlier recordings were dismissed if not ignored by so-called music critics “in the know” who usually didn’t know what they were talking about; Goossens always conducted with sound musicianship and ability at conveying the inner meaning of a piece.

His family background included both a father and grandfather who were also conductors and named Eugene, Sir Eugene being Eugene III. He was the oldest of five children, each of whom were talented musicians.

Brother Adolphe was a French horn player of great potential but was tragically killed in the World War I Battle of the Somme in 1916 at the age of 20.

The remaining three siblings, oboist Leon and two sisters Marie and Sidonie who were harpists lived well into their 90s, Sidonie living three centuries (1899-2004) making it to 105 and for decades principal harp in the BBC Symphony.

Two BBC Maestros, Sir Adrian Boult and Pierre Boulez praised Sidonie’s “reassuring presence, irreproachable professional conscience and faultless attitude” and were very close personal friends. As a sideline she and her husband raised chickens and pigs on their 400 acre farm.

Arthur Schlesinger Jr.

Arthur Schlesinger Jr.

The Letters of Arthur Schlesinger Jr. (1917-2007) chronicle the perceptions of a very active historian of the 20th century United States in both its progress in social and political change and its lack of change. He taught for decades at Harvard and was one of the inner circle of intellectuals working in the White House during President John F. Kennedy’s Thousand Days, itself the title of his account of that period before Dallas ended it on November 22, 1963.

Two letters capture Schlesin­ger’s innate Democrat party loyalty. In a 1958 letter to a now forgotten journalist/diplomat, he displays a concern about then Vice-President Richard Nixon’s proclamation of himself as the “new Nixon” who is more congenial and less sleazy than the Nixon who threw dirt at his opponents in the 1946 and 1950 Congressional races, both of which he won.

Schlesinger writes, “Plainly, if the Democrats have any sense, they must do something to combat it before 1960 [the year Nixon ran against Kennedy for the White House and lost by a narrow margin].” But then Schlesinger admits quickly that, despite a lot of possible solutions being thrown around, it would be wasted efforts and that, “in the end, Nixon will have to destroy himself.”

In September, 1960, Schlesinger sends a more positive note to Jackie Kennedy, “I think that Nixon’s ugliness is going to boomerang before too long. ” A month later in the televised Nixon/Kennedy debates, Nixon’s 5 o’clock shadow worked against him compared to Kennedy’s smoothly shaved youthful charisma.

Elsewhere Schlesinger had some misgivings about the conservative William Buckley’s world view yet the two were friendly.

With the radical leftist Noam Chomsky, Schlesinger heavily trashed Chomsky’s 1969 book American Power and the New Mandarins in a Chicago Tribune review and some time later wrote that Chomsky “begins as a preacher to the world and ends as an intellectual crook.”

AARP NEWS YOU CAN USE: Maine legislature at work on topics concerning citizens

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by Joyce Bucciantini

The Maine Legislature is in full swing. Legislators are working diligently through a myriad of proposed bills on a wide range of topics of concern to the citizens of Maine. In Maine, every proposed bill receives a public hearing by the appropriate legislative committee. These hearings provide opportunities for Mainers to make their voices heard by elected officials, creating empowering opportunities for community engagement.

AARP Maine is closely following LD 186, “An Act to Clarify the Public Utilities Commission’s Authority to Establish Time of Use Pricing for Standard Offer Service”. This bill seeks to allow the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to change the standard offer rate (the default rate for the supply of electricity set by the Commission) from a flat rate to a time of use (TOU) rate. Electric rates would be higher for morning and late afternoon peak usage times—a big change for most home consumers.

AARP Maine has concerns about the impact of LD 186 on the pocketbooks of Mainers who already concerned about the rising cost of electricity. Families could be forced to pay more to keep their homes warm during evening hours—often when it gets coldest. The legislation could also lead to higher utility bills for people who rely on life saving medical devices.

AARP Maine advocacy volunteers are asking the Maine legislature to vote NO on LD 186. Instead, we encourage the PUC to wait until December 2025, when the results of an already ordered rate design study will be available. These findings will help them consider the best options for possible time of use rate changes. We’re also urging the PUC to develop a pilot program that would allow consumers to opt in to time of use rates to provide useful data for consideration.

One thing I have learned on my trips to the Maine State House is that our legislators are happy to hear from their constituents about any proposed legislation. Our state legislators are concerned individuals who seek to do the best for their communities, and for our great state. Maine residents have a great opportunity in the ability to share their ideas with our legislators about the proposed bill, LD 186, or any other issues in Maine. Every voice does truly make a difference.

Joyce Bucciantini is a retired middle school educator. She currently coordinates Delta Kappa Gamma’s Read to Me program, is a tutor with Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin, and is an active AARP Maine volunteer. In her spare time, she enjoys her gardens, being outdoors and traveling.

CRITTER CHATTER: Many hands made light work

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by Jayne Winters

Reminiscing,
Part VI

During our recent series of “Taking a Trip Down Memory Lane,” I’ve shared a few stories that Carleen Cote wrote about local school children initiating various fundraising projects for Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center. However, not only young members of our community have supported this facility over the years. In September 2003, Paul Basham wrote about 35 adult volunteers who gathered at Duck Pond:

“All during the workday, volunteers hammered, sawed, cleaned and repaired old cages and built new cages. The workers stopped in mid-day to enjoy a generous lunch catered by Rhonda Boynton, Mrs. Staples, and Blanche Bourdeau.

I asked Carleen how this workday got started and she said, “Ever since the news spread about the ruling of the USDA, prohibiting our Wildlife Care Center from conducting tours, our phone has been ringing off the hook with callers offering to help us.” She paused for a moment, and then continued, “I was overwhelmed by all the people – near and far – giving us their support, and I took down their names and phone numbers. Then I came up with the idea of calling these folks back and scheduling a workday. And this is what happened,” Carleen said, swinging wide her arms as if to display all the improvements.

I talked with Fred Turner and Michael Brown who were still repairing an old cage during the lunch break. Turner operates the Critta Gitta, in Augusta, where he helps control animal damage, and Brown manages Second Chance Wildlife, an animal rehabilitation facility in New Sharon. Both men said they often work with the Cotes regarding wildlife issues.

Don Cote said he did not know how to act with so many people scattered across the Center “doing his work.” But he could not disguise his delight.

Carleen remarked with emphasis, “Some of these volunteers, after working all day, handed me a check before they left!” She added that many workers said, “Let’s make this an annual event!” It looks like a new tradition has been established at Vassalboro’s Wildlife Care Center – and Don and Carleen Cote could not be happier. At the end of the day, Carleen said, with her eyes dancing, ‘It would have taken three years for my husband and me to do what was achieved today!’’

I don’t know if Volunteer Workdays became an annual tradition, but photos from 2016 show a crew building a new duck house and an article entitled “Old-Fashioned Barn Raising” tells of a storage building project to house bulk animal food. In addition to friends and carpenters, volunteers included IF&W Warden Scott Thrasher, of Madison, and State Police Sgt. Aaron Hayden, of South China. Every person involved donated their days off, as well as some of the materials. Carleen’s column ended with, “Whether in the baking sun or the pouring rain, the construction crew carried out the Maine tradition of neighbor helping neighbor. Our “thank-you’s” do not adequately express our appreciation for all the hard work from folks who had nothing to gain except the good feeling of having helped a neighbor in need and helped support the care of Maine’s wildlife.”

So, we have more examples of how simple, but thoughtful and generous acts can make a big dif ference not only to human neighbors, but wildlife neighbors as well. Remember that while donations to causes close to your heart can be financial, there are other ways to contribute.

Duck Pond is not accepting admissions or phone messages at this time, but we have worked closely with Wilderness Miracles Rehab, in Bowdoin, (Kathi at 207-720-0074), Misfits Rehab, in Auburn, (Jen at 207-212-1039), Bridget Green, in Wiscasset, (207-631-0874), Critterville Wildlife, in Brooklin (845-549-2407), and Saco River Wildlife (207-702-1405). Turtle rehabber Pam Meier can be reached at The Turtle’s Back (203-903-2708). Otherwise, please check these websites for a rehabber close to you: https://www.mainevetmed.org/wildlife-rehabilitation or https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/living-with-wildlife/orphaned-injured-wildlife/index.html or contact your local Animal Control Officer through your town office.

MAINE-LY GARDENING: Getting a head start on gardening

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by Jude Hsiang

Starting seeds indoors is easy, economical, and fun. Most garden seeds can be planted in April and ready to transplant outdoors when the danger of frost is past. If you haven’t done this before, start small with one or two of your favorite vegetables or flowers. Young children can plant larger seeds like beans, which are easy for tiny hands. Older kids can grow their favorites. When I was 6 years old my father gave me a 29-cent packet of radish seeds. I didn’t like radishes, but he explained that I could offer to sell them to a neighbor’s restaurant. Back then the price of a small bunch of radishes was 35 cents. I’ve been gardening ever since.

Seeds can be started in small containers 2-3 inches deep and punched with a few drainage holes: yogurt cups, cut off bottoms of milk cartons, even egg cartons. You will need a soilless planting medium which will be free of weed seeds and disease organisms found in yard or garden soil. While at the store you could buy trays of plastic six-packs for your seeds if you don’t have little containers at home. They can be reused many times with yearly disinfecting using one part bleach to nine parts water. Seeds have all the nutrients baby plants need, so fertilizer isn’t needed.

Soilless planting mediums are water resistant, so you’ll want to wet it thoroughly – mixing and squishing until it’s damp but not soggy – before filling your containers. The seed packet or catalog will show how deep to plant. Very tiny seeds often require light to germinate and so aren’t covered. Set the containers on a tray to catch the drips and put them in a warm place – the top of the refrigerator or other spot out of the way of pets or small children. Seeds take different lengths of time to germinate – another opportunity for young scientists to keep records.

Covering them lightly with a layer of plastic wrap, or the clear plastic covers sold for seed starting trays will keep them warm without drying out. A light watering with lukewarm water when the surface of the planting medium is dry will be all they need. Too much water can cause a fungal disease called “damping off.”

Once the little seedlings have appeared, watch for them to develop their first true leaves, which often look different than the first “seed leaves.” Find a sunny window for them. They’re likely to get leggy as they reach for the sun but turning them each day will help. Move the plants away from the window on very cold nights.

When the second set of true leaves opens, the seedlings can be thinned to about an inch apart. You can give them a little fertilizer at half the rate given on the package. If they are getting crowded, transplant them into larger pots. Hold them by a leaf, as they are still very delicate and can’t survive a damaged stem.

Mid-May days are warm enough to “harden off” the seedlings by adjusting them to the outdoors. Set them in an area protected from strong sunlight or breezes such as on a porch or under a shrub for a few hours a day and increase the time over a couple of weeks. Around the first of June when the risk of frost is over, transplant them into their garden spot or larger containers. Water them well.

More ambitious gardeners can start more seeds and try some fussier plants by spending a moderate amount of money to provide better light and heat. Special heat mats help germination by heating from the bottom and are only needed until the plants have popped up. (Do not use heating pads or electric blankets for this!)

Light can be enhanced by setting up fluorescent shop lights and using a timer set for 16 hours a day. One “warm” bulb and one “cool” bulb combine to give the range of light wavelengths needed by seedlings. Shop lights are hung from chains that allow them to be adjusted to 2-4″ above the tops of the seedlings. Specialized, and more expensive, “grow lights” have a wider wavelength range needed for flower production, but not seedlings. It’s best to talk to a supplier of garden equipment as not all brands of lights aren’t equal. The University of Maine Extension can provide more tips on successful seed starting and all gardening topics.

Whether a few marigold seeds or two dozen tomatoes, it’s very satisfying to watch over the seedlings that promise a bountiful summer.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: The frightening and harmless earwigs

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Recently, someone showed me a photograph of an insect they alleged bit one of their children. They wanted to know what it was and whether it was harmful. It didn’t take long for me to identify it as an earwig.

Earwigs are a relatively small group of insects. Earwigs often upset people when discovered indoors. Their forcep-like tail appendages make them look dangerous, but they are quite harmless. Earwigs run rapidly around baseboards, and they may emit a foul-smelling, yellowish-brown liquid from their scent glands when disturbed or crushed. Earwigs are mainly active at night, usually hiding during the daytime. They’re often found in clusters hiding in dark crevices like door or window frames.

Earwigs normally live outdoors and do not establish themselves indoors, though the ringlegged earwig is a common resident in greenhouses. Earwigs are harmless to humans and animals, though if picked up and restrained, adult earwigs can give a slight pinch with the forceps. While mainly predaceous on other insects, earwigs often feed on flower petals, soft vegetables and fruits, or seedling plants when hot and dry conditions persist.

The name earwig actually comes from an Old English name, which was derived from the superstition that earwigs can enter your ears at night and burrow into your brain to lay eggs. This belief is totally unfounded, though earwigs will occasionally seek out ear canals of campers as dark, moist hiding places. This can obviously be a traumatic experience!

Adults of the European earwig are usually winged, while the ringlegged earwigs are wingless. If wings are present, the first pair are hard, short, and scale-like, while the second pair are membranous, fan-shaped, and folded under the hard first pair of wings. Tips of the second pair of wings usually protrude from under the first pair. The European earwig ranges from 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, with banded legs and a reddish head. The ringlegged earwig ranges from 1/2 to 3/5 inch long and is black-yellowish underneath with legs having white crossbands at the joints. Young earwigs (nymphs) are similar to adults except the nymphs lack wings and the cerci are short.

Earwigs develop from egg to adult through gradual, or incomplete, metamorphosis with four to five nymphal instars. Generally, most earwigs lay eggs in late winter into early spring in chambers in the ground, under logs, or under stones. Usually, 20 to 50 smooth, oval, pearly-white or cream-colored eggs are produced. The female moves, cleans, and provides maternal care by protecting the eggs and new young until the first molt.

When spring weather is suitable, the female makes an opening to the soil surface where the young nymphs can leave the nest and forage for food. The small nymphs often return to their burrow during the day, but soon they are large enough to fend for themselves without a burrow. Earwigs are active at night and are often found around lights preying on other small insects that come to lights. During the day, earwigs hide in moist, shady places beneath stones, boards, sidewalks, and debris. They are rapid runners and feed on mosses, lichens, algae, fungi, insects, spiders, and mites, both dead and alive.

Earwigs rarely fly and are unable to crawl long distances, but they often hitchhike in laundry baskets, cut flowers, luggage, newspapers, lumber, baskets of fruits and vegetables, automobiles, etc. They prefer moisture and may migrate indoors during periods of prolonged heat and drought. Forceps at the end of the abdomen are used to defend the nest, capture prey, probe narrow crevices, and fold or unfold wings.

If earwigs are persistently invading a home or building, one should first attempt to control the earwigs outdoors. Since earwigs breed in soil chambers and spaces under landscape stones and timbers, reducing mulch layers and landscape structures can help reduce populations.

During dry, hot weather, earwigs sometimes migrate indoors in search of cool and moist habitat. They are easily killed by residual insecticide treatments in cracks and crevices, along baseboards, beneath cabinets, along door and window sills, and in other hiding places during the day. Unfortunately, control will be short-term due to new earwig entry from outdoors. Therefore, the best strategy is to better seal around doors and windows, which serve as the major entry points.

They are plentiful, ominous looking, but they are harmless to humans. I just don’t care to be pinched by one.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Which major league players were known by these nicknames. 1. The Splendid Splinter. 2. The Bambino. 3. Charlie Hustle. 4. The Say Hey Kid.

Answer
1. Ted Williams, 2. Babe Ruth. 3. Pete Rose. 4. Willie Mays.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Samuel de Champlain

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Samuel de Champlain

Samuel de Champlain

In his fascinatingly detailed Voyages, Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) wrote of traveling up the Penobscot River in the following entry for September 5th, 1604:

“The same day we passed also near to an island about four or five leagues long. From this island to the main land on the north, the distance is less than a hundred paces. It is very high, and notched in places, so that there is the appearance to one at sea, as of seven or eight mountains extending along near each other. The summit of most of them is destitute of trees, as there are only rocks on them. The woods consists of pines, firs, and birches only. I named it Isle des Monts Deserts.”

As a younger man growing up in France, Champlain was an accomplished military officer for five years during the various bestial religious wars that King Henry IV was constantly waging. In return for his faithful service, the King supported Champlain’s interest in traveling to North America to explore and report on the region; he journeyed upwards of 30 times across the Atlantic.

David Oistrakh

David Oistrakh Plays the World’s Greatest Violin Concertos – Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky; Murray Hill S27606, three LPs.

David Oistrakh

David Oistrakh (1908-1974) was the most frequently recorded violinist to emerge from the former Soviet Union. Before his first trip to the United States in 1955, he was lionized by record collectors via the many Melodiya tapes released on dime store LPs from such labels as Vox, Period, Hall of Fame, Colosseum etcs. The fidelity and record surfaces were often grainy but the wondrously heartfelt playing and stunning virtuosity stood him in the same class as Jascha Heifetz, Isaac Stern, Nathan Milstein and Zino Francescatti.

The Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky Concertos were each recorded several times by Oistrakh. The above recordings were derived from Melodiya with Alexander Gauk conducting the Moscow State Symphony in the Beethoven; Kiril Kondrashin and the Symphony Orchestra of Radio Moscow in Brahms; Kondrashin again and the National Philharmonic in Mendelssohn; and Samuel Samosud leading the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra in Tchaikovsky. All four performances have been previously released several times on other labels.

Murray Hill Records was a boon for budget-minded record collectors including myself. While attending the University of Southern Maine at Gorham over 50 years ago, a friend who was manager of the campus bookstore drew my attention to several of the label’s multi-disc albums and those of others including Vox, Everest, Concert-Disc, and Westminster Gold.

She graciously allowed me to store a large number of those records on layaway; by purchasing one or two weekly, I was finally able to acquire all of them within six months.

David Oistrakh was also a gifted violist and collaborated with his violinist son Igor (1931-2021) in the Mozart K. 364 Sinfonia Cocertante for both instruments. Finally, he achieved a very justified reputation as a conductor and his recordings of the Tchaikovsky Pathetique Symphony, Grieg’s Piano Concerto with his good friend Sviatoslav Richter and the Mahler 4th Symphony are superb examples.

During World War II, Oistrakh performed the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, in Leningrad, while it was bombarded and starved by the Nazi armies during the 900-day siege and did concerts for Soviet troops on the hazardous front lines.

In 1964, Oistrakh suffered a heart attack, was told by the doctors to take it easy but ignored their advice, continuing to perform, conduct and teach non-stop. In October 1974, he was conducting the Brahms Symphonies with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam when he died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 66.

Many Oistrakh performances can be accessed through YouTube.

One of my absolute favorite Oistrakh recordings is the one he did on a Columbia Masterworks LP of the Sibelius Violin Concerto in 1960 with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra – the note by note teamwork of soloist, conductor and responsive orchestra musicians still leaves me breathless.