REVIEW POTPOURRI: Dick Kuhn and his Orchestra; Death of a Salesman; Handel

/0 Comments/in , /by

Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by  Peter Cates

Dick Kuhn and his Orchestra

Wild Flower; Bambalina- Decca -3723, ten inch blue label 78 disc, recorded March 25, 1941.

Dick Kuhn

Dick Kuhn

There is very little information to be gleaned anywhere on bandleader Dick Kuhn, he starting his own band while in high school being about the only morsel uncovered.

It would perform in the tradition of such dance bands as those of Guy Lombardo, Sammy Kaye, Griff Williams and Lawrence Welk, but with more animation, intelligence and nuance. Kuhn was also quite gifted as a saxist.

The orchestra could be seen during the late ‘30 New York City’s Times Square and heard regularly on the very popular radio station, WOR; it recorded a batch of 78s for Decca, Mercury and a couple of lesser known labels in its ‘30s and ‘40s heyday.

The Decca blue label 78 series was spearheaded by company manager Jack Kapp around 1936 or ’37 as a catalog of 35 cent records, as opposed to the dollar records of the major competitors, Victor and Columbia; it soared in sales when the dads all across the country would send their kids to the record shop every week with a dollar for the latest three releases (Within at least two years, Victor would respond by launching its own 35 center, Bluebird, and Columbia, Okeh).

A quartet of popular song lyricists/composers are credited with the above two selections, Wild Flower and Bambalina — Otto Harbach (1873-1963), Herbert Stothart (1885-1949), Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960), and Vincent Youmans (1898-1946) . As to why so many talents were assembled for these two songs, anyone’s guess is as good as mine, but this record is quite pleasant to listen to, with an added vocal trio.

When Herbert Stothart visited Scotland in 1947, he suffered a heart attack and later wrote a symphonic piece for orchestra- Heart Attack: A Symphonic Poem, about his tribulations. He started another piece, Voice of Liberation, when he died of cancer at the age of 63, in 1949.

Death of a Salesman

by Arthur Miller; written in 1949. Arthur Miller (1916-2005) wrote such classics of the theater as The Crucible,which dealt with the evil of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials; and All My Sons, which confronted the profiteering of the munitions industry.

Arthur Miller

Arthur Miller

The main character, Willy Loman, threw himself into being a salesman who was liked; the problem was that this goal was the only one that truly mattered. Then, when his company started squeezing him out gradually because his sales had gone down, he fell to pieces.

Reading this play, one not only feels the injustice, the anger, the terrors at the heart of our lives that bring us down when bad things happen, but also the flaws in our character, that contribute to it. Finally,

Miller leads us to care for Willy as a fellow human being and to feel his suffering as though he were a long time friend! And it holds up so well with re-reading!

Handel – Semele

Anthony Lewis conducting the English Chamber Orchestra and Saint Anthony Singers with various soloists; L’Oiseau-Lyre OLS- 111-3, three 12-inch stereo vinyl LPs, recorded 1955.

George Handel

George Handel

George Frederick Handel wrote one big beautiful opera here with arias, more choruses than normal in an opera and bracing orchestration; it was premiered in 1744 during Lent and was received with very mixed feelings. After several performances during the remaining 15 years of the composer’s lifetime, it would not be heard again until an English revival in 1925; since then, it has slowly made its way to a significant repertory status.

Its story line features an illicit attraction between the betrothed Semele and the god Jupiter, with tragic consequences.

The above set was its first recording and, to my mind, is very good. I would especially cite two women who gave master lessons in expression, articulation, and breathing – soprano Jennifer Vyvyan (1925-1974) and alto Helen Watts (1927-2009).

Only the LP set is available through Amazon vendors, no CD transfer having ever been made.

SOLON & BEYOND, Week of June 1, 2017

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

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

The Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club met on May 13, with vice president Cooper Dellarma presiding. Hailey and Cooper Dellarma helped at the “Luck of the Draw” that was held on May 6. The “Luck of the Draw” benefits 4-H activities in Somerset County.

The members voted to do flowers on Mothers Day at the Solon Congregational Church. Two leaders, two members and two visited church to pass out the flowers.

The members and leaders are planning to have a cleaning day with flower beds at the church.

Kathleen Randall was the guest speaker. She helped the members make baskets for their Mothers on Mothers Day.

The next meeting will be on Saturday, June 10, at 9:30 a.m., at the Solon Fire Department. The members will be making another craft item. Hunter Soucer and Desmond Robinson will be furnishing refreshments.

Rance and Eleanor Pooler spent three days in Augusta attending the Eastern Star Grand Chapter. Rance received a plaque for being a Grand Escort.

The special Solon town meeting was held on May 22 and since I had sent my news before to meet my deadline this account is a bit late.

There were three other articles added on to what I had written about earlier, for a total of seven articles. Phil Curtis was elected moderator and there were around 40 people in attendance. Art. 5 was to see if the town will set up a Grounds Maintenance Reserve Account to be used for summer maintenance of the grounds at the town office/fire station, Coolidge Library and the sports field at the Solon Elementary School.

Art. 6: To see if the town will raise and appropriate by taxation funds for the Ground Maintenance Reserve Account; $2,500 was voted for this. Art.7 was about property that the taxes haven’t been paid on for several years.

All articles passed in half an hour with very few comments made.

The North Anson Congrega­tional Church will be having the last Children’s Sunday School class on June 4. There will be a recognition during the worship service of all the Christian education programs of the church and a party for the children. After the worship service the choir members will be going to Maplecrest to sing to the residents and then off for a year end celebration of their own.

On May 22, Lief and I, along with several hundred people attended the Kennebec Valley Community College 47th Commencement Class of 2017 at the Augusta Civic Center. It was a very impressive graduation with at least 28 different programs listed.

Those from Solon who were graduating were Paul Allen Dawe II, Caledonia Cornell and Joyce Alexandra Mottram-Flanagan. Another graduate, formerly from Solon, was Allen Lionel Bernier, of Waterville.

We were there that day, along with many of his family, because of our love and support for a very special guy, Alexander Walz who was one of the 300 who graduated that day.

Now, I love a mystery, but I have been waiting in hopes that someone would confess to the surprise I received on Mothers Day when we returned from church. There haven’t been any confessions so I’m writing about it in hopes this will jog their memory, I truly loved the gesture, it was a beautiful carnation. Come on now, relieve my mind and admit to the wonderful gift! Thank you!

And so for Percy’s memoir which he would feel was fitting for this column: May your path be strewn with flowers, Memories, friends and happy hours. May blessings come from heaven above, To fill your life with peace and love. (These words were from An English Blessing, hope they bring you all peace and love.)

GARDEN WORKS: Gathering what nature provides in springtime (Conclusion)

/0 Comments/in , /by

Emily CatesGARDEN WORKS

by  Emily Cates

Conclusion (read Part 1 here)

In Part 1 of the previous article about foraging for wild foods in the springtime, we explored “The Forager’s 10 Commandments.” With that under our belts, we’re ready to hit the trail and forage. Whether it be on a garden path or in the deep woods, nature generously provides delicious, edible plants for our enjoyment and health. I’ve singled out six of them for today: dandelions, fiddleheads, groundnut, Jerusalem artichokes, nettles, and ramps. Though they are universally known to be safe and are usually easy to identify in our area, please use good sense and sensibilities when dealing with them. Consult your physician if you have health concerns and questions.

I have tried every and regularly consume most of the plants we will talk about, and I hope you enjoy them as much as many other wild-food enthusiasts and myself do.

Center, in bowl, groundnuts. Counter clockwise from top left, fiddleheads, Jerusalem artichokes, ramps, nettles and dandelion greens.

Now we will take a minute and explore the wild foods mentioned above. Let’s start with dandelions. Taraxicum spp. are a commonly known weed with a rosette of jagged, lance-shaped leaves and a yellow flower which turns into a white globe of fluffy seeds that float around when dispersed. The entire plant is edible and most often harvested in the spring and fall when its bitterness is minimized. It is said to be good for detoxification and for building the blood. I like to steam the greens and serve with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Delicious! When young, the sweet flower heads are good too, raw or cooked. Some winemakers tediously pull off the flower pedals, leaving the green sepals at the base of the bloom, and make them into dandelion wine. (I haven’t tried this yet successfully, but if you have accomplishments in this area, I would like to hear from you!) Also, the root makes a lovely herbal “coffee.” I simply dig up, scrub, slice into pieces, and roast. The dried root can be stored in jars whole or ground. Maybe not exactly like conventional coffee, but wonderful in its own right in the evenings or when relaxing.

Most folks in this area are acquainted with fiddleheads, the unfurled fronds of the Ostrich Fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris. Commonly found in groups of about three to 12 along the banks of rivers, streams, and brooks, they are identified by being coiled, close to the ground, and about an inch in diameter. A brown, paper-like covering clings to the coiled part, and along the stem is indented with a U-shaped groove. Fiddleheads must be cleaned before use, a potentially time-consuming activity if large amounts are harvested. I’ve heard of someone using a pressure washer to blast off the brown papery scales, and the job was done in a jiffy. I always just clean them by hand – it’s not as bad a job as it sounds as long as you don’t have more than a few pounds to process. Be sure to cook thoroughly, they are delicious with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. For more information on fiddlehead identifying, cleaning, cooking, and recipes, check out this link from the UMaine Cooperative Extension.

Groundnut, Apios americana, has the history of being essential to the survival of many peoples, including natives of the era of pre-European contact, and also the settlers of early colonial America. This twining, climbing, leguminous vine with marble to golf-ball-sized tubers grows vigorously and is oftentimes found at areas where Native Americans once inhabited. The pink and maroon flowers are especially fragrant when they appear in August, and one can even smell them before they are seen. I recall walking by China Lake many times as a child smelling this fragrance, wondering for a good part of my life what it was. How delighted I was to finally discover what it was and that it was edible when cooked! High in protein, the tubers can be cleaned and then cooked in a variety of ways that highlight their nut-like flavor. They are said to keep indefinitely if dried.

Jerusalem Artichokes, Helianthus tuberosus, is a native, vigorous, tuber-forming species of sunflower. Another plant commonly found around abandoned Native American sites, sunchokes – as they are also known – can be dug up anytime of year and their water-chestnut like flavor and texture enjoyed raw or cooked. I have a hard time recommending it because of the spirited gas it produces in many folks, myself included!

Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica, is one plant you really don’t want in your garden – but if it is, then it at least can compensate for its presence by its culinary and nutritional qualities. This plant actually stings when brushed up against, releasing irritating substances such as histamine via tiny hypodermic-needle-like trichomes on the leaves, stems, and rhizomes. The plant does not sting when cooked or dried, however, and makes a very pleasant and rejuvenating spring green with a spinach-like flavor. One look at the cooking water and there is no question this plant is plum loaded with minerals. I love to drink this infusion and the pick-me-up it gives. Just a tablespoonful in a quart jar of water makes a dazzling bright green concoction that can be enjoyed throughout the day as needed.

Ramps, Allium tricoccum, is the last but certainly not least, foraged food we’ll look at today. Before I go on about the glories of the wild leek, I must pause to caution everyone to be mindful that this herb with unparalleled gustatory virtues is considered a species of “special concern” with regard to its conservation status here in Maine. If you ever forage this precious treasure, please do as the Cherokee do in Appalachia and cut it above the roots so that it can grow back. It would be a sad day indeed if the ramps disappeared!

This plant is so beloved that numerous festivals each springtime in the Eastern U.S. are dedicated to ramps. Great numbers are often harvested for these festivals with no regard to conservation. I don’t mean at all to spoil the fun, but I think all who love ramps should be mindful of how they are harvested so this highly esteemed wild food will continue to delight humankind. As with many alliums, ramps is perennial, bulb-forming, and leek or scallion-like in appearance, fragrance, and flavor. (Actually, a better description might involve the declaration that it is the most delicious leek or scallion ever, with a wild side.) I never had a chance to try them until last year, and I was so happy I did. I put them in a stir-fry, and wow!

So, here our journey into the wild ends for now. Enjoy springtime and all nature has to offer in this beautiful time of year.

TECH TALK: How to get your news from the internet

/0 Comments/in , /by

ERIC’S TECH TALK

by Eric Austin
Technical Advisor

Image Credit: Vanessa Otero, Facebook

Ah, information. The internet has so much of it! In this climate of political chaos, news breaks faster than most of us can keep up. Fortunately, the internet is here to fill our heads with all kinds of wrong information!

While the convenience of the internet is undeniable, information no longer comes with the guaranteed editorial oversight of a print newspaper or magazine. That means more of the responsibility is on us, as consumers, to discern good information from bad. This is particularly true of current news, as it is often reported before all the facts are in.

In this week’s column, I’d like to convey a few tips I rely on to sift through all the information on the internet and figure out what’s really going on!

AllSides.com

Know Your Bias. Everyone has a bias, and every source has one as well. It’s inescapable and unavoidable, but as they used to say on Saturday morning cartoons when I was a kid: Knowing is half the battle. Be aware of how your own bias might color your perspective and dictate which sources of information you gravitate to. Purposely expose yourself to the other side — if for no other reason than so you can understand what information other people are using to reach their own conclusions.

There are a number of resources online that examine bias in the media. AllSides.com is a multi-partisan, crowd-sourced website that examines bias in the media and tries to present multiple perspectives of controversial issues. Journalism.org, a site sponsored by the Pew Research Center, is another good resource.

Use Multiple Sources. The great thing about the internet is how easy it is to check multiple sources for a broader perspective. Once you’ve identified which way your preferred news outlet leans, take a look at a respected source that leans in the other direction!

But don’t just stop there! Check out some of the English-language news outlets from around the world, like BBC News and the Middle-Eastern Al Jazeera. It can be enlightening to hear what journalists and pundits outside America have to say about us and the conflicts in which we’re embroiled.

YouTube is a great resource for checking out a variety of sources, as most of the major networks have channels on Google’s video site. Everything is uploaded as three to five minute clips of a particular news item, so it’s easy to add news clips from multiple sources to your “Watch Later” playlist for back-to-back viewing.

Independent, internet-only news stations have also blossomed, especially if you’re interested in what the younger generation is talking about and listening to. The Young Turks and Democracy Now! are two of the most popular and each have channels on YouTube.

Image Credit: journalism.org, Pew Research Center, “Trust levels of News Sources”

Don’t just get your news from Facebook! According to a recent article in Slate magazine, 44 percent of Americans primarily receive their news from the giant social media site. However, it’s easy to miss the source of an article when reading it on Facebook, and knowing the source of a particular bit of information is your greatest asset in determining if it is valid.

Facebook also tends to emphasize headlines and minimize context. This encourages us to have gut reactions to news rather than contemplating it thoughtfully, and encourages news sources to present the most salacious headline in an effort to capture more clicks.

And your Facebook feed is designed to give you more of what you ‘like.’ Facebook has a vested interest in showing you things in which you’re interested and will cater to your existing views. Every time you ‘like’ a news item someone shares, that preference factors back into Facebook’s algorithms in order to more finely tailor your feed. This subtly warps your views based on the news Facebook assumes you most want to see.

Bookmark some fact-checking sites. If you follow my advice, you might be dismayed to find a lot of conflicting reports, based on where you go for your information. Enter fact-checking sites. PolitiFact.com is a website maintained by the Tampa Bay Times in which reporters and editors evaluate statements made by politicians, pundits and media outlets. They were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 2009, and have a great format that allows you to fact check by politician, news channel (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and Fox), or political pundit. But prepare to be shocked when you learn how often your favorite talking head makes inaccurate or outright false statements!

Like in everything else, checking multiple sources is your best bet in evaluating truth, so also visit FactCheck.org, The Washington Post’s “Fact Checker,” and Snopes.com which looks at the veracity of rumors and urban legends circulating the internet.

Finally, know the difference between news and opinion. Good sources will make it clear which stories are straight news and which are opinion pieces. Know which is which before you start reading!

In this day and age, separating true information from false can be challenging. But if you follow these tips, you’re more likely to have an informed and balanced view of the world around you! Good luck!

Have a comment on something you read? Know of a resource I failed to mention? Let your voice be heard on townline.org or email me directly at ericwaustin@gmail.com!

SCORES & OUTDOORS: What do we really know about chickadees?

/0 Comments/in , /by

Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee

About 12 years ago, our grandson gave us a birdhouse that he had built. That same year, while attending a benefit auction, I acquired another birdhouse. We took both of those houses and mounted them on trees behind camp. There they sat for a dozen years. No activity that we ever noticed, until last weekend, when while having breakfast, I noticed a black-capped chickadee enter one of them. I continued to watch as it exited, and came back a few minutes later with what looked like building material for a nest.

Finally, someone was moving in. The little bird continued to work the rest of the day, and continued the next. That’s when I asked myself, “what do we really know about chickadees?”

They are the state bird, and they can be found just about everywhere. But, what else?

Insects form a large part of their diet in summer. Seeds and berries become their fare in winter. We feed the birds both at home and at camp, and one of the things that has always captured my attention in that chickadees, unlike the gold finches or nuthatches, who park themselves on the feeders, the chickadee goes to the feeder, takes one seed, and flies to a nearby tree to break it open. They will also store food in various places. They can remember where the food is stashed for up to 28 days.

On cold winter nights, they have the ability to reduce their body temperature by as much as 10-12 degrees C. That kind of torpor is not common in birds.

black-capped chickadee

black-capped chickadee

Chickadees are permanent residents. They do not migrate in winter, other than possibly moving south within their range. During winter, they often flock together, and will forage as a group. While flocking, they create a social hierarchy, Males rank over females and older birds over juveniles.

They usually sleep in vegetation or in cavities. I guess this particular chickadee liked the looks of that hole in what it may think is part of the tree.

Black-capped chickadees are monogamous, and males contribute greatly to reproduction. During the incubation period, the male will feed its partner. When the nestlings hatch, males are the primary provider. However, as the young get older the female takes over those responsibilities. They breed between April and June. Females prefer dominant males.

The black-capped chickadee is the state bird of both Maine and Massachusetts, and the Canadian province of New Brunswick, which borders Maine.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the black-capped chickadee as least concern due to its widespread distribution, and large population.

But, what disturbed me was the sighting of a blue jay in the area of the bird house on Monday. We haven’t seen the chickadee since.

Blue jays are known to attack or kill smaller birds. They are extremely territorial birds and will even show aggression towards humans if they come too close to their nest. Additionally, blue jays may raid other birds’ nests, stealing eggs, chicks or simply taking over the nest. We hope that was not the fate of that little chickadee that we have enjoyed watching for those couple of days.

Of course, with the rain we had on Monday, let’s just hope the chickadee had enough sense to stay out of the rain.

SOLON & BEYOND, Week of May 25, 2017

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

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

First I want to correct something I wrote about an event that was coming up. The Inside Yard & Bake Sale at the North Anson Congregational Church will not be held on June 3, will try and let you know in time. They had to change the date and I haven’t heard yet when it will be.

And to the new friend in Gardiner who called me after reading about the wonderful store in Portland that I wrote about, my apologies, I have been really busy lately and somehow I lost your telephone number to let you know how to find this extra special haven of art supplies….It is Artist & Craftsman Supply at 540 Deering Avenue, Portland, Maine 04103. Thank you, for calling me, I always like to know how far and wide The Town Line paper is read and enjoyed.

And now for some more interesting news from the Solon Elementary School. Solon students have recently been involved in two challenges – the School Breakfast Challenge and the Maine Milk Challenge. During National School Breakfast Month in March, Solon Elementary School students took the School Breakfast Challenge to see if their school could boost the number of students eating breakfast at school. Every time a student ate breakfast, his/her name went on a ticket.

At the end of the month, there was a drawing for prizes and these were the winners: Hailey Wyman, Abby Leeman, Olive MacDonald, Noah Caldwell, Colton Enos, Stuart Hamblen, Nick Wildes, Alexis Leidy, and Ella McKinnon.

Solon Elementary School was one of five winning schools in the state in the Maine Milk Challenge sponsored by the Maine Dairy Council. This contest was based on the number of cartons of milk students drank at school for breakfast, snack or lunch.

A representative from the Maine Dairy Council, Katie Hoffman, visited the school on April 12 to present some bookmarks and bags for students and a new apron and hat with a cow theme for Cindy Lawrence who is the cook.

Four Solon students are the winners of district academic achievement awards this spring based on their scores on last spring’s 2015-16 Maine Educational Assessment. Each winner received a certificate, a check for $50, and his/her name on a plaque at CCS.

Of the seven awards presented to district students in grades 3-5, five of those were won by students from Solon. Here are the winners: Grade 3 Math – Desmond Robinson, Grade 3 Reading – Desmond Robinson. Grade 4 Math – Sascha Evans; Grade 4 Reading – Jayden Cates. Grade 5 Science – Laci Dickey.

Math and Reading awards are given each year to a third, a fourth, and a fifth grader in RSU #74 who scored the highest on the MEA. One science award is given to the student who scored the highest on the fifth grade science MEA. The math awards are sponsored by Mr. Chet Hickox, the reading awards by the three K-5 PTO’s, and the science awards by Mrs Sara Hickox.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Beginning on Memorial Day and running through Labor Day, Happyknits will be joining with over a dozen other locally-owned yarn shops throughout Maine in their first-ever statewide crawl. This is a fun way for people who love yarn to hit the road and get to know about the different small yarn shops tucked away all over Maine. A cruise on Casco Bay is being planned for the end of the event for any “crawlers” who wish to go. For more information you can stop in at Happyknits in Skowhegan. It really sounds fun.

Pauline Mayhew was treated on Mothers Day by her husband Harold and son Philip to a delicious seafood dinner at the Lobster Trap Restaurant, in Winslow. Later they traveled to Dexter where the Vietnam Wall Memorial was on display. Harold also found out that he won the Easter Scramble contest in the Morning Sentinel.

And so for Percy’s memoir entitled, “The Measure of Life.” Knowing that life is not measured by the breath we take. Do as the little inch worm does and find beauty along the way. Seeing joys and wonders so simple they cause our soul to ache Treasuring each single moment that takes our breath away. This was found on a tiny piece of cardboard and the lettering was very hard to read, I couldn’t read whoever thought up those wonderful words, but Percy and I thought they were very inspiring.

I’m Just Curious: Amazing uses, Part 2

/0 Comments/in , /by
by Debbie Walker

I promised more uses for Lemons, I also found more of the salt, baking soda vinegar, olive oil and Lord only knows what else I have coming. I swear this stuff finds its way to me! True confession is that I haven’t used all these “uses”.

Keep lemons at room temp. it’ll give you more juice. Even better roll, with some strength, the lemon between your hands and counter top. Had not heard this one before but one teaspoon lemon juice, one teaspoon honey, one cup, it’s supposed to keep your digestion moving, drink every morning. Whiten teeth with half a teaspoon lemon juice, half a teaspoon salt, one cup warm water. Dissolve salt into water; add lemon juice, swish in mouth for one minute, then rinse.

Get rid of old bumper stickers, soak a rag in full strength white vinegar, saturate the sticker, let stand 10 minutes then scrub off. Wipe down windshields with full strength white vinegar. It will remove old bird droppings. Pour full strength white vinegar into spray bottle, spritz over exposed skin and clothing to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Discourage patio weeds from growing between pavers by pouring baking soda into spaces. Eliminate greasy stains in the garage by pouring baking soda on stain; dip brush in water and use it to scrub. Freshen up your car by sprinkling baking soda over seat and floor mats. Let stand overnight then vac it up.

I found this section of another book and I found it interesting:

Bottles for Boots: One liter and other sized plastic bottles are perfect for propping up leather boots. (I already bought things for my boots. Wish I had seen this before!)

Dryer lint: lint you have cleaned out of the dryer you can use as kindling for a fireplace or wood stove.

Guitar pick? Need one? Instead of buying, substitute the plastic fasteners on bread bags. Let me know if it works.

Tennis balls: throw a few old tennis balls into your pool; they will absorb oil from sweat and sunscreen.

Tire pool: You may not have to hunt for a pool. Instead of buying wading pool you can use a big truck tire. Just drape a shower curtain over the tire. Push it down in the center.

Packing peanuts: they last forever so use them in the bottoms of your plant pots for drainage and it makes the pot a lot lighter to handle than rocks.

Just a note: between two and five percent of what we throw away each day is potentially reusable.

Plant food: water from boiling potatoes and pasta. Even the water from a fish tank is reusable, has its own fertilizer!

Okay, I am running out of words so I will finish this by asking you if you would e-mail me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com sub: Uses. Let me know what you tried and how it worked out: Because you know I’M JUST CURIOUS!

see Part 1 here!

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Kodaly, Ella Fitzgerald, & The Pelican Brief

/0 Comments/in , /by

Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by  Peter Cates

Kodaly

Hary Janos Suite; Respighi: Feste Romane- Arturo Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra; RCA Victor LM-1973, 12-inch vinyl mono LP, released 1956.

Zoltan Kodaly

Arturo Toscanini (1867-1957) was, arguably, one of the four best known conductors of the 20th century, the others being Leopold Stokowski, Arthur Fiedler, and Leonard Bernstein (these three definitely being subjects for later columns.) . That said, it now occurs to me I did a column devoted to the Maestro’s wide influence a while ago. Therefore, I move on to this week’s record.

The featured pieces are the Hary Janos Suite, composed in 1926 by Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967), and Feste Romane, from 1928 and composed by Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) . Along with his lifelong friend, Bela Bartok, Kodaly was one of Hungary’s two best known 20th century composers. Hary Janos is a mythical character who proceeds to run off with Napoleon’s wife, Marie-Louise, and unleashes a series of near-lethal events before he miraculously makes things right. The Suite is a colorful piece of orchestral virtuosity.

In 1959, Kodaly’s first wife of 48 years died; he then married a 19-year-old student, with a 58 year age difference, and both were one happy couple (supposedly) until his own death in 1967, one year after a concert tour in the U.S.
Respighi’s Feste Romane evokes the spirit of Roman history from ancient times onwards – the spiritual pilgrimages to the Holy City, the romance of October Festival, the Circuses with their just plain fun-loving folks taking in the feasting of savage lions on the martyrs, etc.

Both works have immense potential appeal for beginning classical listeners and Toscanini’s conducting bristles with excitement.

Ella Fitzgerald

with Nelson Riddle’s arrangements and conducting; Ella Swings Brightly with Nelson; Verve V6-4054, 12-inch stereo vinyl LP, recorded 1962.

Ella Fitzgerald

The words Swings Brightly do not hint at the supremely splendid, vibrant excitement of this album. As far as I am concerned, Ella Fitzgerald sings renditions of the 12 songs contained here that have been rarely surpassed by anyone for power, beauty, elegance and all the other grossly overused synonyms for musical pleasure; and Nelson Riddle’s arrangements are those of once in a lifetime. Simply try Duke Ellington’s I’m Gonna Go Fishing, which I shared on my fb home page from YouTube, where it can be easily heard!

Pelican Brief

starring Julia Roberts, etc.; directed by Alan J. Pakula; Warner Brothers, 1993, 141 minutes.

Two Supreme Court justices of radically different ideologies are murdered on the same day. Thus no common thread is found to launch any type of investigation, until a Louisiana law student, Darby Shaw (played by Ms. Roberts), shows a brief to her professor who passes it along to a friend at the Justice Department.

Julia Roberts

Julia Roberts

All hell breaks loose for her – her car explodes, killing her professor inside who was borrowing it; she is pursued by killers from out of nowhere and doesn’t know who to trust. It’s 141 minutes of cat and mouse paranoia adding up to a most entertaining film. The late Hume Cronym does a captivating turn as one of the two murdered judges.

PERFORMANCE DOG: Big news about rally obedience

/0 Comments/in , /by

TRAINING YOUR PERFORMANCE DOGTRAINING YOUR PERFORMANCE DOG

by Carolyn Fuhrer

Since its introduction in 2005, Rally has grown in popularity. Rally is a course set up consisting of signs indicating skills in a numerical order which the dog and handler must perform.

You are allowed to talk to your dog and praise your dog throughout the entire course. There are currently three levels – Novice, which is performed on leash; Advanced and Excellent (which are off leash). Each class contains progressively more difficult obedience skills and the advanced and excellent classes require the dog to jump. You can earn a title in each class: Rally Novice, RN; Rally Advanced, RA; Rally Excellent, RE. There is an RAE title that can be earned by passing an advanced and excellent course on the same day on 10 different days.

Beginning in November, 2017 there will be two new classes introduced as well as a rally championship title, or RACH (sounds like rock).

The Rally Intermediate class (RI) has been created to provide another on-leash class that requires advanced skills, which will help teams prepare for the off leash performance required in the advanced class. This class will mirror the advanced class but will not contain a jump. After you have completed a Rally Novice title you may choose to enter Rally Intermediate or Rally Advanced. A Rally Intermediate (RI) title is not required to go into Rally Advanced.

There will also be a new master class and associated title RM with 22 NEW exercises, some of which ae very challenging.

Several new exercises have been added to the existing Rally classes and handlers should be aware of these as they may be included in classes after November 1. Novice has 6 new signs and Advanced and Excellent class each have 5 new signs. The wording on some of the signs has also changed.

To earn a RACH – Rally Championship title – teams are required to earn 20 triple qualifying scores; qualifying in the Advanced B, Excellent B and Master classes at the same trial at 20 separate events, plus earn 300 RACH points from the Excellent B and Master classes. Points are determined by a dog’s score. For example: a 91-96 would earn 1 point; a 97 would earn 2 points; 98 would earn 3 points; 99 would earn 4 points and a score of 100 would earn 5 points.

There will be much to learn to be successful in Rally after November 1. If you are looking for help, check out Mid Coast Kennel Club of Maine and North Star Dog Training School. They will be working together to present a series of Spring and Summer workshops to prepare handlers and dogs for all the new skills that will be required to enjoy showing in Rally Obedience with your dog.

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.

GARDEN WORKS: Gathering what nature provides in springtime, part 1

/0 Comments/in , /by

Emily CatesGARDEN WORKS

by  Emily Cates

Part 1 of 2

Who does not love a beautiful day in Springtime? The floral-laden scent of a spring breeze uplifts and awakens the senses, while the singing birds and buzzing bees provide a beguiling resonance. Who would not enjoy these wonders of nature at such a glorious time of year? Many of us, still weary from a long winter, do appreciate it wholeheartedly. In addition to the promise of a fresh new gardening season, there is also a harvest to be had. “What? A harvest? Why, the peas have barely started growing!” “We just planted our potatoes. How could anything be ready? ”

A few familiar garden veggies, such as carrots and parsnips, can be overwintered and dug up now. Asparagus, the perennial whose crisp, succulent spears are enjoyed as they appear and grow to harvestable heights, is most likely ready to be cut at the present. In this article, though, we’ll look at lesser-known offerings that can be found in the garden or nearby, this time of year. These beloved wild edibles such as, dandelions, fiddleheads, groundnut, Jerusalem artichokes, nettles, and ramps are provided by nature and have been enjoyed by many folks for millennia. They are likely encountered as weeds in the garden or discovered as wild plants while hiking. It’s these “others” that are often overlooked, rather unjustly, as they are some of the most nutritious additions to a springtime diet.

Let’s get ready to explore! Because there is a lot of information in this article, lets do it in two parts. This time, we will look at what I’ll call “The Forager’s 10 Commandments.” Next time, we’ll go over the wild edibles mentioned above and noteworthy qualities and cooking suggestions. Be ready to be curious and maybe try something new and exciting!

Before we begin our exciting excursion into the wild world of foraged foods, I would like to share with you The Forager’s 10 Commandments. Number One, it’s important to be certain of the identification of what we’re harvesting. Bring a field guide and a Smartphone to look things up. Two, we want to forage only in areas we have permission to be in. Three, we should make sure the soil it is growing in is un-polluted (at least 30 feet away from the road or buildings that might have lead paint or any other chemical concerns). Four, let’s guarantee the continuity of what we intend to harvest and take only what we actually need, leaving enough for the plant to regenerate itself. (Of course, exceptions would be weeds like dandelion and nettles.) Five, try unfamiliar foods in small amounts for the first and second times to rule out allergies. Six, watch out for ticks and be sure to wear a hat and light-colored, long-sleeved clothing tucked into tall boots if possible. Natural bug-repellant might be on the list as well, be sure to follow directions on the container. (Do tick checks when you get home!) Seven, don’t get lost. Eight, bring something for hydration and a snack if it’s a hike. Nine, bring a friend for company if at all possible. Ten, share a meal with someone less fortunate who would appreciate what you have harvested. The unwritten rule is to have fun and enjoy nature to the fullest!

Read Part 2 here!