REVIEW POTPOURRI: Andy Williams, Winifred Atwell, Shostakovich, Perry Mason

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Andy Williams

Andy Williams: Hopeless; The Peking Theme (So Little Time). Columbia 4-42784, seven inch 45 disc, recorded 1963.

Andy Williams

My first exposure to Andy Williams (1927-2012) came from his late ‘50s Cadence 45, The Hawaiian Wedding Song, a tune that my eight-year-old ears enjoyed a lot – however, during those years, Pat Boone was still my favorite singer.

In 1963, Williams’s two deservedly successful Columbia LPs, Moon River; and Days of Wine and Roses were released and gifted to me, respectively, by my maternal grandparents and Mom. Both title songs were composed by the superb team of Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini, the rest of the albums consisting of Great American Songbook standards – Can’t Get Used to Losing You, Maria, The Second Time Around, It’s a Most Unusual Day, Exactly Like You, It Might as Well Be Spring, etc.

The arrangements of Robert Mersey (1917-1994) were wondrously typical of those he did for albums of teen idol Bobby Vinton (who just celebrated his 90th birthday this past April 16 and is most remembered for Roses are Red, My Love; and She Wore Blue Velvet ); and jazz singer Mel Torme’s That’s Life.

Like Perry Como, Al Martino, Jerry Vale, Ed Ames, Jack Jones, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Andy Williams personified the easy listening style of singing that peaked during the Eisenhower and Kennedy years and he succeeded because he was dang good. The above two selections are forgettable yet charming trifles and are superbly rendered by the Williams/Mercey team; I am now quite curious about the film 55 Days at Peking mentioned as the source for side two’s So Little Time.

During the early ‘80s, Williams did a live outdoor holiday special in New York City in which he is directed to the passenger seat of a motorcycle, its driver being then-NYC Mayor Ed Koch.

Winifred Atwell

Winifred Atwell, pianist, with Frank Chacksfield and his Orchestra – The Black Mask Waltz; and Song of the Sea (Cancion del Mar). London 1544, ten-inch 78 disc, recorded mid-1950s.

Winifred Atwell

When it came to post World War II easy listening, the Brits more than held their own. The Decca/London label signed up some of the best pop orchestra arrangers including Mantovani, Stanley Black, the Canadian Robert Farnon and Frank Chacksfield, who scored his own megahit with the very atmospheric 1953 Ebb Tide.

The above 78 features Chacksfield’s very tastefully lush and evocative collaborations with pianist Winifred Atwell (1910-1983), a native of Trinidad who performed classical and semi-classical selections but achieved even greater fame with honky tonk, ragtime and boogie woogie records that were hits during the ‘50s.

The Black Mask Waltz and Song of the Sea, with its slightly tangoish dance rhythms, are very engaging examples of orchestral easy listening bordering on semi-classical.

Miss Atwell recorded the Grieg Piano Concerto in 1954 that can be heard on YouTube.

Shostakovich

In the 1943 edition of the Music Lover’s Handbook, there is an essay on Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony by a Russian musicologist Grigori Schneerson (1901-1982). Bearing in mind that this Symphony was completed in 1937 when Stalin’s reign of terror was reaching frightening heights with mass arrests, bogus trials and summary executions, the Symphony met with acclaim and most likely saved Shostakovich’s life (an opera, Lady Macbeth, had Stalin leaving the theater in a rage during its premiere in 1934.)

Schneerson wrote:

“In the Western World, the object of the avant-garde is presumably the overthrow of old artistic foundations, the breaking-out in ‘new paths,’ however meaningless and at any cost. For us in the Soviet [Union], however, the avant-garde is held to express progressive ideas only when it talks to the people in a new, powerful, and intelligible language. The demands of the wide masses of people, their artistic tastes, grow from day to day. The ‘advanced’ composer is therefore one who plunges into the social currents swirling around him, and with his creative work serves the progress of humankind. “

This is the kind of gibberish that Stalin’s hacks were spinning constantly in the name of the “wide masses of people…humankind”. 1943 was also the year that FDR, Churchill and Stalin met at Tehran in Iran to form an alignment of forces against Hitler and Mussolini, a “friendship” that lasted until around 1946 when Stalin began double-crossing the U.S. on everything he agreed to at Tehran, Yalta, in February, 1945 and Potsdam in 1946. Thus this essay may have been published in 1943 without any vetting because of this new Soviet/American relationship.

For all the circumstances surrounding the Shostakovich 5th, it remains a 20th century masterpiece with several fabulous recordings from such conductors as Dimitri Mitropoulos, Leonard Bernstein, Yevgeni Mravinsky, Semyon Bychkov and several others, also accessible on YouTube.

Department Q

A newly-streamed Netflix series of nine episodes already available for viewing, Department Q, is highly recommended for its suspense, intelligently scripted dialog, phenomenal acting and captivating sub-plots. More in a later column as I have only reached episode 4.

Perry Mason novel

Erle Stanley Gardner

In the Foreword to a 1969 Perry Mason novel, The Case of the Fabulous Fake, author Erle Stanley Gardner mentions a noted forensics investigator in California and inserts a quote from him:

“This is the space age, but crime-fighting has not kept pace with other scientific developments since World War II. Any time the American people are ready to give the problem sufficient attention and priority, we can raise the present ‘solved’ and ‘conviction’ rates from maybe 10 percent to 90 percent. When it becomes unprofitable for a criminal to commit a crime, he’s going to think twice or three times about doing it. When he knows the odds are nine to one that he’s going to get caught and going to jail, crime will lose a lot of its appeal. But until that happens, why shouldn’t people continue to commit crimes? It’s quite a profitable trade!”

During the subsequent 1970s in cities all across the U.S., the crime rate skyrocketed. By the 21st century, forensics had advanced, not to mention DNA, and increased the conviction rates but there are still dozens of unsolved cold cases.

Meanwhile the Perry Mason novels are very entertaining, along with the nine seasons of the CBS television series starring Raymond Burr.

VETERANS CORNER: Interesting interpretation of this administration’s medical terms

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by Gary Kennedy

The phone has begun to ring. Don’t you just hate to receive those scam calls? Well, I hate those just as much as you do. Is there any way to escape the torment, lack of privacy? If, you have found one please let me know. Unfortunately, I have recently had to do a mind reset as some of the veteran issues have made me check numbers and notes in search of possible neglect on my part. Sometimes I tend to forget to do things, especially things I have promised to do. After 48 years, some issues begin to blur because of repetition. I am forever saying, “Didn’t I already address that”? Then many veteran’s faces appear because there are just so many body parts and issues of the mind.

I have a fantastic example and that is the administration’s interpretations of the medical terms, Radiculopathy and Neuropathy. Webster says they are different words yet there are some who treat them as if they were the same. When you are dealing with veterans these terms reference medical issues.

In some cases these words are in search of medical help and possibly for record compilation in regards to compensation. An example would be, if you are rated 80 percent disabled, 20 percent able then you are obviously in search for not only health benefits but in hopes of acquiring a percentage increase which will elevate your code sheet to 100 percent. Using VA math, this is not as easy to do as it might seem at 80 percent and single, you would be receiving $2,044.89 per month but at 100 percent you would receive $3,831.30.

Shucks, I feel better already. When you start messing around with these two words this example could be a real possibility. There are hundreds of these types of possible problems. It’s not so much what you say but how you say it. This is in my opinion the number one mistake that veterans as well as their advocates make. A secondary problem needs to be attached to the primary problem. The percentages I used were from 2024. They are higher now.

I think a good example here would be, I am applying for PTSD and headaches. I saw this one fail because the emphasis was placed on the new comer, headaches. What this veteran wanted to say was, I have severe headaches due to my PTSD. There is more to this story but basically, you can’t put the carriage before the horse. In the case I previously mentioned, when the case went to case law the two words were defined in an anatomical way, not in generality.

Again, in this case the nerves themselves were at issue so had to be dissected. Neuropathic nerves are peripheral nerves that have been damaged, leading to abnormal function and symptoms. These nerves begin in the brain and flow outside of the spinal column. Where the radicular nerves are spinal nerves that damage from the spinal cord and travel through the lower body causing such mischief as sciatica. So, you have one set of nerves originating from the brain and traveling throughout the body, outside of the spine and the other traveling through the spine and exiting prior to the sacral nerves. Obviously, different nerves for the most part have different functions. At times they may act similarly but should never be assumed to be the same and do the same. Common sense should dictate, different entities probably do different things. They can coexist as two parts of the same topic. I have filed a complaint about this but as of yet have had no reply.

The other thing I wanted to touch on was D.I.C. I received correspondence even while I was overseas that we still had problems with deceased veteran’s wives receiving their Dependents Indemnity Compensation. That for me is a heart breaker and disgraceful. So, those who have this problem are faithful to this news media so we know you are aware that we hear your anxiety loud and clear and we will be working on this, this week. We will definitely get you the answers you deserve. Thank your neighbors for showing such concern for your predicament. We will certainly get this travesty resolved. We signed on to protect the USA and all that it stands for and the USA promised to protect our families should anything happen to US. I for one will do my best to see that our country honors that promise. God bless and sleep well.

SMALL SPACE GARDENING: The why and how of deadheading

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by Melinda Myers

Keep your flowers blooming longer and your garden a bit tidier with deadheading. Removing faded flowers can promote repeat bloom on some plants, encourage fuller, more compact growth, and tidy up the garden.

Use a bypass hand pruner, garden snips or other dead-heading tool to remove faded flowers. Bypass tools have two sharp blades like scissors, resulting in a clean cut that closes quickly, leaving your plant looking its best. Corona Tool’s Ergocut dead header has a finger loop that provides better control and an ergonomic design for less stress on your hands and wrist.

The type of flower will influence how and where to make the cut. In general, remove the stem of faded blooms back to the first set of healthy leaves or nearby flower buds.

Remove the flower stem of salvias, speedwells (Veronicas), and snapdragons as the blooms begin to fade. Cut below the spike of flowers just above the first set of leaves or the side shoots where the new flower buds are forming.

Encourage additional blossoms and improve Shasta daisy’s appearance by removing faded flowers. Prune back just above a set of healthy leaves.

Cut the flowers of plants like Armeria and coral bells back to the base of the flower stems that arise from the foliage. This improves the appearance and encourages more blooms on some of this type of flowering perennial.

Plants like daylilies and balloon flowers require a bit different care. Remove the individual blooms as they fade if you don’t like looking at the faded flowers. Once all the individual flowers have bloomed out, you can cut the flower stem back at the base.

Removing fading flowers of fuchsia and lantana will prevent the plants from going to seed and encourage more blooms. Remove any berries that do form to keep these plants flowering throughout the growing season.

Deadheading peonies is strictly for aesthetics and won’t extend the bloom time. Remove the faded flowers or seedpods as they form. Cut just above a healthy set of leaves to keep the stems more upright and create a tidier appearance in your garden.

Prevent some flowers, like columbine, Amsonia, and Alliums from reseeding and spreading throughout the garden by removing the faded flowers. Even though it won’t promote additional blooms, it will help eliminate unwanted seedlings in next year’s garden.

Remove flowers as they appear on coleus, grown for its colorful foliage, to promote more compact growth. Late blooming, flowerless varieties and self-branching coleus hybrids reduce or eliminate time spent on this task.

Reduce time spent deadheading by including some self-cleaning, also called free-flowering plants, like impatiens, fibrous begonias, Calibrachoa, and moss rose. Lobelia, many of the newer petunias, and verbenas are also self-cleaning but may benefit from a bit of grooming. Prune back heat-stressed lobelia and verbena that get leggy and petunia stems that need to be kept in bounds.

Allow seedheads to develop on coneflowers, rudbeckias, and other plants that provide winter interest and food for the birds. And consider skipping the deadheading of late blooming perennials. This allows them to prepare for winter and form seedpods for additional winter interest.

And while you are out in the garden deadheading, pick a few flowers at their peak to enjoy in a summer bouquet indoors.

Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Corona Tools for her expertise to write this article. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: The chatty barred owls hootin’ it up in the middle of the night

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Barred Owl

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Last Thursday night my wife woke me from a sound sleep to listen to something outside our camp. Well, being somewhat groggy, I didn’t hear anything, and went back to sleep. It wasn’t long afterwards that she woke me again.

“Can’t you hear that?” she inquired sounding a little frustrated – You see, my wife tells me I’m going deaf.

I sat up, and listened attentively. “OK, I hear it, it’s a Barred Owl,” I told her.

She persisted. “Listen carefully.”

What I then heard made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It was at least two, maybe three, barred owls caterwauling to each other. This was at about 11 p.m. I had heard Barred Owls behind camp a thousand times, but never anything like this. It was almost as intriguing as listening to loons calling to each other.

The “who cooks for you, who cooks for you all” call was unmistakable. There were times when it was so loud and sustained, it almost sounded like a barking dog. In recent weeks, they have been quite active during the night, at times hearing at least three, and sometimes four, hooting from far and near.

These calls are most heard at night or in twilight, and especially during the breeding season. However, calls can be heard year round since these birds do not migrate. They are very territorial, and will chase away intruders with loud hoots. These vocalizations become more frequent during the mating season, where female birds make invitation calls to mate with males.

Scientists, however, have debated that the calls of Barred Owls are much more diverse than we think. The research indicates that more needs to be known about the Barred Owls before they can deduce more about its behaviors in and out of the breeding season. Owls in general can be a difficult species of bird to study since they are mainly nocturnal and are not incredibly active until the breeding season.

Barred Owls, Strix varia, are easiest to find when they are active at night, but they are easier to hear than to see. From a distance, their calls can sound like a barking dog. They prefer mature forests, and their main diet is small mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

Since the 1960s, Barred Owls have expanded their range to the Pacific Coast where they are considered invasive. That is because it is believed they are partly to blame for the recent decline of the northern Spotted Owl, which is native to British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California. When Barred Owls and Spotted Owls occupy the same space, the Barred Owl is more aggressive and will out-compete the Spotted Owl. Barred Owls have even been known to kill Spotted Owls. Interbreeding is also suspected.

In 2007, White House officials announced a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal to shoot Barred Owls in order to reduce the threat to the Spotted Owls. If implemented, it was estimated 2,150 to 2,850 Barred Owls should be taken over a five to 10 year period. It is feared that increased populations of Barred Owls could eventually render the Spotted Owl extinct. Environmentalists fear increased blame on Barred Owls for declining Spotted Owl numbers will result in less attention being paid to territorial protections and resumption of logging in protected Spotted Owl habitat.

According to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office, the experiment is ongoing and results are still being studied.

Currently, there is not a general law that allows the shooting of all Barred Owls, but there is a proposed plan by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to lethally remove them in specific areas. This plan is part of a larger strategy to protect the endangered Northern Spotted Owlt.

An adult Barred Owl can be anywhere from 16 – 25 inches long and weigh 1.1 to 2.3 pounds, with a wingspan of 38-49 inches. The Barred Owl is the only true owl of the eastern United States which has brown eyes. All others have yellow eyes.

The upper parts are a gray/brown, the underparts are light with markings. The chest is barred horizontally while the belly is striped vertically. The legs and feet are covered with feathers to the talons, and the head is round with no ear tufts.

Even though they are primarily nocturnal, they generally hunt near dawn or dusk, swooping down from a high perch, to take their prey.

Here’s another twist. Recently, we have heard Barred Owls hoot during the day.

Barred owls can hoot during the day for several reasons, including territorial displays, attracting mates, and maintaining contact with other owls in their territory. They are primarily nocturnal, but may call or hunt during the day, especially on cloudy days.

Here’s a more detailed explanation:

– Barred owls, like many owls, are very territorial and will hoot to mark their territory and deter other owls from encroaching.
– During the breeding season, male barred owls will hoot to attract a mate.
– Barred owls may also hoot to maintain contact with other owls in their territory, especially during the breeding season.
– Although they are primarily nocturnal, barred owls may also hunt during the day, particularly on dark or cloudy days.
– Barred owls may also hoot during the day to communicate with their young, or to defend their nest site.

I can’t wait for the next concert.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who holds the Boston Celtics all time scoring record?

Answer
Paul Pierce.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Aaron Copland, Gloria Lynne

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by Peter Cates

Aaron Copland

Aaron Copland – Music for the Theatre Suite; Howard Hanson conducting the Eastman-Rochester Symphony Orchestra; Victor Red Seal M-744, three 12-inch 78s, recorded 1940.

Aaron Copland

Aaron Copland (1900-1990) completed his Music for the Theatre in 1925 during the summer months at New Hamp­shire’s Mac­Dowell Colony for the Arts. It is a beautifully introspective work with lovely passages for each section of the orchestra.

Howard Hanson (1896-1981) was Director of the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester from 1924 to 1964, a noted composer himself and an outstanding conductor of 20th century American music. This 1940 recording, for my taste, is even better performance-wise than the 1960s stereo recording of Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, despite that younger conductor’s close friendship with Copland, because of Bernstein’s over-emotional approach and lack of sensitivity to this music’s quieter moments.

The Hanson 78s can be heard at Archive.org on the Internet.

Gloria Lynne

Gloria Lynne – He Needs Me; Everest LPBR-5128, 12-inch LP, recorded 1961.

Singer Gloria Lynne (1929-2013) emerged during the 1950s and ’60s when other fine African-American vocalists such as Dinah Washington, Della Reese, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick were achieving much deserved success in jazz and pop music. Lynne had a uniquely lyrical delicacy to her voice similar to that of Nancy Wilson.

Her renditions of I Thought About You, The Lamp is Low, If You Love Me and others on this 1961 Everest album conveyed this quality nicely, with the superb arrangements of Jimmy Jones and his Orchestra.

Two Sibelius 78s:

Finlandia – Artur Rodzinski conducting the Cleveland Orchestra; Columbia Masterworks 11178, 12-inch 78, recorded 1940.

Swan of Tuonela – Leopold Stokowski conducting the Phildelphia Orchestra; Victor Red Seal 7380, 12-inch 78, recorded 1937.

Finland’s still justifiably greatest composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957), according to the great Maestro Eugene Ormandy who visited with him during an early 1950s concert tour of the Philadelphia Orchestra in Scandinavia, had shelves of records and a top notch phonograph in his living room.

Castine Maine’s David Hall commented in a 1967 Stereo Review piece that the music of the Finn in its celebration of the rocky coast, woods and meadows reminded him of the Penobscot Bay area encompassing Deer Isle, Blue Hill and, of course, Hall’s own favorite village. I once asked if he and the composer ever met; the reply: “I once had the opportunity but chickened out!”

Artur Rodzinski conducted a joyously bristling performance of Finlandia which has become Finland’s own national anthem equivalent of the Star Spangled Banner. In the late ‘50s, Ormandy recorded Finlandia with his Philadelphians and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir which has been my own favorite for more than 60 years.

In 1936, Leopold Stokowski invited Eugene Ormandy to be his co-conductor in Philadelphia, as he admired what Ormandy was achieving with the Minneapolis Symphony . In 1938, Stokowski resigned.

The 1937 Victor shellac featuring Stoky’s interpretive magic in Sibelius’s Swan of Tuonela is well worth hearing via YouTube, especially for the hauntingly eloquent English horn.

Stokowski later rerecorded the Swan with a studio orchestra for Victor and hired Mitch Miller, then one of the finest players of both the oboe and English horn in the country and later more famous for the Sing Along LPs on Columbia Records.

Some more about Sibelius:

The composer told violinist Yehudi Menuhin that Bela Bartok was his favorite 20th century composer.

When German pianist Wilhelm Kempff visited Sibelius, he played the Hammerklavier Sonata which was the composer’s favorite Beethoven piece.

Enrico Caruso

Enrico Caruso

The widow of legendary tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921), Dorothy Caruso published a biography of her husband in 1945, titled simply Enrico Caruso His Life and Death.

Although a native New Yorker, she lived much of her adult life in France and Italy. During the late 1930s, she did humanitarian relief work in the Maritime Alps feeding and clothing impoverished families.

In the conclusion to her husband’s biography, Mrs. Caruso wrote:

“When I returned to this country [in 1942] I found that Enrico was not forgotten but living as if he had never died. Twenty-five years is a long time [the couple eloped in 1917] but my memory of him is as clear as if he had left me an hour ago. With every word I wrote he walked into the room. The more I wrote, the more clear those years became.

“I never reread his letters after his death. I never looked at them until I began the book and realized that they were the best illustration of his thought. Because he was such a silent man and thought before he spoke, I think I have remembered everything he said.”

Caruso’s unfailingly down to earth personality is conveyed in an exchange with his good friend John McCormack. When the Irish tenor greeted him with “How’s the world’s greatest tenor this morning?”, Caruso replied, “I didn’t know you were now a baritone.”

With his earnings, Caruso was a secret pal to many. A cleaning lady at the Met Opera was overheard telling a friend that her husband had fallen off a scaffolding and she didn’t know how she would be able to support their family with several children. She found a wad of hundred dollar bills in her winter coat.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Can fiber help you lose weight?

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Dietitian answers 5 key questions

When it comes to weight loss, many people track their macros — i.e., their proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. However, as a humble nutrient, fiber is often overlooked. But what if this is the missing ingredient to weight loss success? Can fiber supplements replace whole foods? In this podcast, a nutritionist answers readers’ questions about fiber and more.

Nowadays, the internet is awash with articles, charts, and recipes centered around eating more protein — anything from a 30-gram-protein breakfast to high-protein drinks and more — to naturally lose weight. And although the key to achieving good weight loss results is indeed a higher protein intake, there is a nutrient that is often overlooked: fiber.

Fiber is crucial not only for digestive functioning but overall health. Studies have shown it can lower LDL cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and protect against heart disease. Newer research also shows that fiber may promote weight loss and enhance sensitivity to insulin.

However, statistics show that less than 5 percent of Americans realistically meet their recommended daily fiber intake, which is on average up to 34 grams (g)Trusted Source for adult men and about 28 g for adult women. So, how can we eat more fiber?

What is fiber, and why is it important for our bodies? How can we tell whether we are eating enough fiber? Is it right to call fiber nature’s Ozempic?

Let’s differentiate between soluble and insoluble fiber while discussing the ideal daily intake for different people. We’ll also touch on how fiber supplements like psyllium husk compare with whole foods, weighing their benefits for our well-being. We will also look at how fiber plays a crucial role in fighting insulin resistance and its potential role in supporting weight management goals.

To discuss this and more is registered dietitian Lisa Valente, MS, RD. Lisa holds a Master of Science in nutrition communications from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, and she completed her dietetic internship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

What are the best high-fiber foods?

After the podcast recording, for the readers of MNT, we also asked Lisa what her top favorite high fiber foods were.

“I will say frozen berries, fresh too, but frozen berries tend to be a little bit higher in fiber for a fruit. And when you buy them frozen, they’re just more affordable and easier to have on hand. [T]hey don’t go bad on you in a day — so, you can add those to smoothies or mix them into oatmeal or yogurt,” she said.

Lisa said her second choice would be whole wheat pasta and shared a fun fact about fiber.

“Brown rice only has one gram more of fiber than white rice, but whole wheat pasta has significantly more than white pasta. [It creates] like this nice fiber-rich carbohydrate base to your dinner to add some vegetables or protein to,” she said.

Her third choice was chia seeds.

“I sprinkle them on oatmeal, but you can also make chia seed pudding where you soak them with some milk or non-dairy milk and add a little bit of fruit. They’re very filling and they not only have fiber, but they also have omega-3 and a little bit of protein. So I feel like they’re sort of this tiny but mighty little seed where you can check off a lot of nutrition boxes at once. So if I had to pick three, that’s a good starting place for me,” she told us.

QUINN MINUTE: Class reunion

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by Rix Quinn

The old guy in the grocery line looked about two coughing spells away from the Promised Land. Gnarled and unshaven, he mumbled to himself while the clerk totaled his bill.

He noticed me as he reached into his pocket for change, and accidentally pulled out a set of teeth.

“Hey,” he smiled, “remember me? I’m George, from biology class!”

Suddenly, I did remember. Back in tenth grade, we dissected the same frog. Disgusting!

George never comes to our high school reunions. That’s too bad, because he could make the rest of us feel lots younger.

My friend Ray was mascot at his school, and he wears a silly hornet outfit to every class gathering. On his drive there last year, he got pulled over…and it’s hard to walk a straight line if you can’t control your stinger.

He got to the party late, then made the entrance only a middle-aged pot-bellied hornet can. Across the room, he noticed Mollie.

She was a former cheerleader, and she remembered Ray immediately. And she looked great to Ray, whose glasses fit sort of funny on a hornet mask.

Funny how fast time flies. Just when we understand school, we graduate. When we finally learn to comb our hair right, it falls out. And when we get our act together, there’s no old friends around to watch the performance.

But reunions reconnect us with our roots…and roots remind us of our natural hair color. Ray and I both recommend them…if you don’t dress like an insect.

MAINE-LY GARDENING: An invitation to garden

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Winterberry

by Jude Hsiang

Are you thinking about starting a garden? Here are a few things to think about before planting.

Start small. Maybe a few pots of favorite flowers, herbs, or one cherry tomato. You can start with a few little plants at a garden center, get a few free seeds at a seed library, or extras from a friend. Gardening should be enjoyable, even if you are doing it to save some money, get a little exercise, or brighten up your yard. Don’t let yourself be tempted to till up the yard, invest in lots of tools, or keep up with Farmer Jones. You may find that you are too busy with work or family responsibilities to care for more living things. And don’t be ashamed to admit that you really don’t like gardening. You tried and it’s just not for you, but there are Farmers Markets, farm stands, and locally grown produce at more and more grocery stores and supermarkets. And there are other ways for you to help neighbors in need and support a healthy environment.

On the other hand, maybe you really do want to garden. Many people got the gardening urge during the pandemic, just as others took up painting or baking sourdough bread. And lots of those folks are still involved in those activities. Are you a bit envious of a friend’s flower bed, or uncle’s Bob’s homegrown tomato sauce? It’s time to make some plans.

If you have a yard, is there enough sun for a garden? At least 6 hours a day during the summer months will do. Is there easy access to water? Again, start small. Next year you can expand on what’s worked well and try a few more things. Your University of Maine Extension’s website has a wealth of information on getting started from knowing your soil, specific varieties for our area, preserving food, to caring for trees. Take advantage of the free, science-based experience available from these professionals who love to share their knowledge.

In addition to these experts, you probably already know some folks who love to share tips, extra baby plants they’ve started from seed—something you might want to do someday—or their prize-winning pickle recipe. There may be a community garden in your area. For a small fee you can use a manageable sized garden bed, share tools, and make friends with people you’ve only seen in passing at the post office. If you have a week’s vacation scheduled, another garden member will water your little plot in return for your help later on.

Grow things you like. Allergic to tomatoes? Don’t like kale? Marigolds don’t come in your favorite color? Don’t plant them. There are so many choices that picking what to start with can be overwhelming, but beans are easy to grow, so are zinnias. Just grow something! You’ll (probably) be glad you did. Whatever the summer brings, something good will be found in a garden, why not yours?

© Judith Chute Hsiang
Jude Hsiang Is a retired Extension Master Gardener instructor and member of the China Community Garden.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Where are the June bugs: three sightings in 2024; zero in 2025

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Green June Beetle

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Where are the June bugs? Although they are called that, they usually make their first appearances in May.

Generally, June bugs, Phyllophaga, do make their appearance in mid- to late-May. So why are they called June bugs? It all depends on what you want to call them. They are also known as May beetles and June beetles. But, the name is derived from the fact that adult June bugs emerge from the soil at the end of spring or the beginning of summer.

Females bury their eggs just below the soil surface in the fall, they pupate and emerge in the spring. They hatch within three to four weeks and feed on grass and plant roots from several months to as long as three years. In spring, these grubs, as they are called, grow into pupae. Within three weeks, these mature into adult June bugs.

June Bug

Grubs, when full grown, live in the soil and feed on plant roots, especially those of grasses and cereals, and are occasional pests in pastures, nurseries, gardens and golf courses. An obvious indication of infestation is the presence of birds, especially crows, peeling back the grass to get to the grubs. A way to test for the presence of these beetles is drenching an area of lawn with water, that will cause larvae to emerge at the surface.

The grubs have been known to attack vegetables and other garden plants, such as lettuce, raspberries, strawberries, potatoes and young ornamental trees. Maintaining a healthy lawn is a good step in deterring the grubs from establishing themselves.

June bugs are harmless. They do not bite, sting or spread disease. However, I did see one of my friends move faster than I have ever seen her move before, while sitting around a camp fire, when one landed on her. To be honest, it’s the natural reaction by most people, including yours truly.

Again, they are harmless, but because they are attracted to light they can make an evening sitting on your porch or deck a little unpleasant. Even if there is no light outdoors, they can be attracted to lights inside your home. I know at camp, when we’re spending time indoors after dark, they come “knocking” on our windows. The sound of June bugs buzzing and bumping against window screens in early summer is a very common occurrence over many parts of the U.S. Adult June bugs are extremely clumsy, especially in the air.

Scientists are still undecided on the precise explanation for this behavior. Several thoughts have been advanced, but no single theory has come about that can account for why so many different nocturnal insect species gravitate to sources of light. June bugs usually are a half-inch to an inch and a quarter in length. They can fly and you will find them swarming around street lights at night.

Now, let’s do some “did you know.”

• Exposure to light for longer intervals will kill June bugs. That is why you will find them dead in the morning under porch lights and windows.
• Don’t leave a window open during May-June period. They will enter your house and die, leaving you with a mess to clean up. If they do enter, remember, they don’t bite and are harmless, just annoying.
• There are over 200 different species of June bugs in the United States.
• A natural enemy of the June bug is the pyrgota fly larva, which feeds on the beetles, eventually killing them.
• The June bug larvae, called white grubs, are considered excellent fish bait, and are staples in the diets of native people in South America, Australia, and Asia.
• Have a pet lizard or toad? The beetles make excellent, tasty food for them.

There is another popular June beetle that’s active during the day. It is the Green June Beetle, and are found in our region of the Northeast, extending from Maine to Georgia and as far west as Kansas. These are not very good for the garden either. The head, legs and under-body is shiny green, while its wings are dull metallic green, with slight gold contrast to its sides.

So day and night, during early summer, these beetles can be destructive to vegetation, and just plain annoying to humans.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

In what year did the Houston Texans join the National Football League?

Answer
2002.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: These were our songs

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

These were our songs

These Were Our Songs – The Early ‘30s; Reader’s Digest KRB 187/A2, released 1989.

This cassette contains beautifully done transfers from 28 vintage 78 sides, recorded on the Victor label during the early 1930s of classics from the Great American Songbook.

Its contents –

Maurice Chevalier, Mimi; and Walkin’ My Baby Back Home.
Bing Crosby– Where the Blue of the Night Meets the Gold of the Day; Sweet and Lovely; and I Surrender, Dear.
Fred Astaire, Night and Day.
Paul Whiteman – Willow Weep for Me.
Jeannette MacDonald – One Hour with You; and Beyond the Blue Horizon.
Russ Columbo – All of Me; and I Don’t Know Why.
The Mills Brothers – Tiger Rag.
Cab Calloway – Minnie the Moocher.
Wayne King – Star Dust; and Dream a Little Dream of Me.
Fred Waring – Dancing in the Dark; I Found a Million-Dollar Baby (in a Five and Ten Cent Store); and Little White Lies.
University of Maine’s own Rudy Vallee – Would You Like to Take a Walk?
Ted Black – Love Letters in the Sand.
Harry Richman – On the Sunny Side of the Street.
The High Hatters – Get Happy.
Duke Ellington – Three Little Words.
Leo Reisman – Paradise; Sing Something Simple; Body and Soul; and Happy Days are Here Again.
A majestic lament concluding Side 2, Ben Bernie – It’s a Lonesome Old Town (When You’re Not Around).

Tape 2 is listed on the container, indicating that this was part of a set titled These Were Our Songs, and is the only one I own. Having previously written of the joys still to be found listening to scratchy old 78s, I also own hundreds of such discs including the fragile dusty black label Victors of other selections by several of the artists listed here – Leo Reisman, Duke Ellington, the High Hatters, Fred Waring, Jeannette MacDonald with and without Nelson Eddy (on both the Victor black label and Red Seals) and huge piles of Paul Whiteman.

And each performance here is a gem in the best old-fashioned sense of the word.

Russ Columbo was achieving much success with his films, radio shows and records and was an influence on the singing of Bing Crosby and Perry Como when, during a September, 1934, visit to a friend’s house in Los Angeles, the two men were examining an antique pistol. It accidentally fired a bullet which ricocheted off the wall and hit Columbo in the eye. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where surgeons tried unsuccessfully to remove the bullet and died six hours later. He was only 26.

Astor Piazzolla

Astor Piazzolla – Maria de Buenos Aires; Gidon Kremer with small ensemble of singers and instrumentalists. Teldec 3984-20632-2, recorded 1998, two cds.

Astor Piazzolla

Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) brought the tango rhythms, along with elements of jazz and classical music, into this 1968 operetta of just over 90 minutes and a quite exhilarating listening experience. In addition to a quartet of strings, a percussionist, a flutist and a pianist, the music requires a chorus of about 15 and 3 soloists. Finally the central instrument is the bandoneon, which looks like a concertina, sounds like a combination of pump organ, harmonica and accordion, the results being quite beautiful, and always associated with tango dance music.

A few different performances of the operetta exist on YouTube.

Hans Swarowsky

Mahler 3rd Symphony – Hans Swarowsky conducting the Berlin Radio Symphony, January 21, 1963, broadcast.

Hans Swarowsky

Austrian conductor Hans Swarowsky (1899-1975) was more well known as the teacher of conductors Zubin Mehta and Claudio Abbado but did record a large number of composers including Gustav Mahler.

Mahler’s 3rd is the longest of his Nine Symphonies, at just over 85 minutes.

This burnt CD set, courtesy of a friend, has Swarowsky conducting a very spirited performance of its six movements; during his career, Swarowsky was unfairly dismissed as average or worse by critics who ranted that the Maestro should confine himself to the classroom.

I own numerous LPs of Swarowsky conducting Brahms, Bruckner, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Wagner etc., and found them very enjoyable on their own terms.

A bonus on this set is Swarowsky collaborating in a 1956 Vienna State Opera Orchestra recording with pianist Eduard Mrazek in a very engaging Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto.

Stan Kenton

Stan Kenton – Dynaflow; Tortillas and Beans; Capitol F1535, recorded 1951.

Stan Kenton

I have always enjoyed Stan Kenton’s records featuring his wild big band arrangements with irregular rhythms and festive brass sonorities. These two sides feature a feisty ins­trumental Dyna­flow and Tortillas and Beans, a tongue in cheek vocal duet by Eddie Gomez and Ray Wetzel, who composed both selections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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