Margery Niblock

Thinking Odd

 Layoffs in Portland

I went to a rally on the steps of City Hall, organized by Portland's firefighters. Nine of them are being laid off because their union wouldn't accept a one-year wage freeze. The two good-looking specimens of manhood at the left were at the event. I just had to capture them with my camera. Can't blame me, can you? I really like those macho types. There's nothing better than a manly man. Androgyny leaves me cold. Give me a bruiser any day!

It was a well-attended rally, with the general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters in Washington, D.C., as one of the main speakers.

I was standing next to a good friend of mine of the male persuasion, and was impressed and fascinated by the passion exhibited by this union leader. Passion is a good thing! And it's not something I run across too often in Maine. I turned to my friend and said "I bet he's good in bed."

My buddy said "You think odd."

Huh?

I don't see anything odd about that. Passion at a rally should be able to be converted to a bedroom. I'm still pondering that statement about my odd thinking.

 

How's This for Odd Thinking?

See the creamer. It has a specific job to do. Pouring. This one works as it should. It doesn't drip after the milk is poured from it. Isn't that a good thing? I think so.

But after all, we've learned that I think odd, so perhaps we shouldn't give too much credence to my thoughts. But that won't stop me; no, sir, it won't, because this is an issue that annoys me. I could even become passionate about this subject, but that's because I'm a passionate artist. And that's a very good thing.

Someone should give a course to potters on the purpose of creamers and spouts. That purpose is not to have milk dribbling down the front or side while it is in use.

Thank goodness I only break these ceramic items about every 10 or 12 years. I have learned, however, when purchasing a new creamer that the most important attribute is the ability to pour driplessly. So now, on those rare occasions when I have to replace one that I've just carelessly knocked to the floor and smashed, as happened Memorial Day weekend as I was removing some things from the refrigerator that I was bringing to a barbecue I was about to attend, I have the person in the shop where I'm making the purchase fill the aforesaid vessel with water and demonstrate its ability to pour without dripping.

Those people who are requested to perform this task, probably say to themselves: "She thinks odd!" But they comply with my wishes, hoping to make a sale, thus enabling me to choose the proper creamer to bring home and hopefully to use for the next 10 years of coffee drinking. It's sort of sad that I usually can't choose the one I consider to be the most beautiful because of the fact that it doesn't work.

When I bought the creamer in the photo above, early in June, I went to a shop that handles work created by Maine potters. It's a store that has many lovely objects. 

I told the woman behind the counter what I was looking for. She was very pleasant and helpful, and mentioned that she was a potter and her work was exhibited in the store. I said "I may as well buy one of your pieces then." I chose an attractive creamer of hers from several that she had on display. There was a problem though. When she did the pouring test, her creamer failed—big-time.

She then went into a detailed explanation of why the water dripped, saying that if the spout is formed in a certain manner this wouldn't happen and the problem would be solved. So—if you're a potter, making creamers that are supposed to be functional items, and you're aware of what the problem is but you don't resolve it, what on earth are you thinking?

To me, that's "thinking odd." I'm quite pleased with the creamer I left the store with on that day in early June. It does its job well. That's what it's all about, after all.

 Someone Who Really Thinks Odd!

I subscribe to The New Yorker magazine because I have always enjoyed their cartoons. I don't like to place too much pressure on myself, therefore I don't. I get this magazine only for the cartoons. If I want to read some articles in a particular issue, I do so, but I never feel compelled to. I also don't want to have a huge pile of these magazines taking up space in my home, so I recycle them by passing them along to friends who live nearby.

I normally don't pay attention to all of the small ads appearing in the magazine, and that's why I hadn't noticed one placed by The Soul Storage Company at www.storeyoursoul.com.

Here's what it said in this add: "Is your soul weighing you down? Store it! In a painless outpatient procedure, Dr. David Flintstein can extract and store your soul in our state-of-the-art cold souls storage facility. 

I never would have seen this ad if it weren't for friends who hosted a dinner party a week ago and pointed it out to me when I arrived.

I was asked which ad on the page might look like a joke. After a very cursory glance, I pointed to the soul storage advertisement.

I was then told that this was a legitimate Web site, that my friends had indeed researched it, and although no prices were given for storing souls, it had lots of other information about the process. My friends were believers that this was an actual business for storing souls.

If that were the case, someone would be raking in a lot of moola from idiots and fools, and I would think the government would be after those folks, ready to lock them in some federal clinker.

I was not going to be hooked into this concept that easily. The next morning I started looking things up on the Internet and discovered that these ads are actually for a movie called Cold Storage, starring Paul Giamatti playing a man named Paul Giamatti. This site will take you to a clip from that film. 

Here's a photo of the soul extractor.

Pretty nifty, isn't it? Of course I have no desire to spend the rest of my life without my soul intact. And it seems as though any extraction would be painful. Ouch!

And so I must say at this point, that anyone who sees any of these New Yorker ads and believes that they are true is someone who thinks odd. It seems as though the movie might be pretty funny though, and its opening on August 7 "in select cities."

Here and There

A Real Whodunit!

LQQk! The photo at the left is the ankh, which was embedded in the macadam of Cumberland Avenue. I'd written about that a couple of weeks ago.

I would have liked to come back with a screwdriver and a small hammer, so that I could pry it up and bring this lovely silver piece home with me.

But I didn't do that. I left it there.

Today, when I was walking up the same street, I decided to cross right at that spot so that I could visit the beautiful ankh and take another look at it.

What I found in the street was the "ghost" of the ankh, which is pictured in the second photo. Someone else did what I'd thought of doing. It's gone! Now I have to wonder whether that person read about it on my blog or just crossed at the same spot and decided to remove it after seeing it.

I'll never know. One more of life's mysteries.

Today's Found Object

This is something I brought home from today's walk. Quite cute, and cute is something I'm attracted to.

I have no idea who this character is. It's a cookie cutter but I won't be baking any cookies using it, even though I did give it a good bath upon getting home.

Next week I'll consult with Janine Kaserman, my friend who is the excellent Munjoy Hill Community Policing Coordinator. She's advised me several times in the past about found objects that were cartoon characters. She has a young son, so she's up on all of these things, and she's my pop-culture consultant. I found out about Dora the Explorer and numerous others through her wisdom. 

I just got smart! I sent Janine an e-mail with this photo, and she's already written back that this is Boots the monkey, one of Dora's friends. Boy, that was easy because she's terrific! She also informed me that Boots carries a backpack containing maps to help Dora find things.

Not the Best Part of My Walk

I'm sorry! I didn't do this! I'm just showing you something I saw when I took my walk. You can just scroll down quickly if it's too difficult for you.

I believe it's called "Nature," isn't it?

And here's another nature shot, from a safari in Zanzibar that my friend Luke Flagg took a couple of weeks ago.

I just think it's such an incredible photo that I'm posting it here. I think the title should be "Alfresco Dining." Do you agree?

The photograph below should be a calming influence after that shot of gore. It's a new path that goes down a very steep hill. It was put in by Portland Trails and is a fantastic addition to our Munjoy Hill neighborhood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chickening Out

Those baby chicks are really growing quickly. This is what they looked like a month ago.

And here's what they look like now.

They look like teenage chickens! I'm told that they should be ready to lay eggs around October.

 

 

 

 

 

June's "art of the month"

Once again I am the honored recipient of a wonderful envelope with that oh-so-special artwork from an unknown donor, that has been mailed to me for such a long time.

Upon carefully opening the envelope, here's the card that I saw enclosed.

And then I got to the good part! The art.

This month's artwork consisted of four beautiful renditions of stamps from other countries.

Each month I am amazed at the artistry and care involved in sending these surprise envelopes.

As soon as I finished photographing the stamps, I ran down to the basement, where I have a few small frames stored. I brought up a 4 X 6 and used rubber cement to glue the stamps to a black background. They are now hanging happily on a wall in my kitchen, along with other treasures.

  

Aren't they delightful? Can you imagine doing something like this? When will I be able to meet this wonderful person?

I'd always thought they were done by a talented woman who lives around the corner from me. But now that I see the post office box has been given up and there's an actual address on both the envelope and the enclosed card, I guess I'll have to take a ride over to Tyng Street and see if I can find out who lives there.

Will it be someone I know? I don't officially know anyone with an address on that street, so it certainly does add more mystery to this whole mail/art saga.

Stay tuned . . .

Heading into Summer

My Secret Boom Boom Room

Just about everyone loves summer. I do too, although there's one aspect of it that I do not like, and I'm going to share my silly little secret with you.

I detest bad thunderstorms! And I also hate it when the newspaper's weather page has its nasty little icon for those events. We may have 15 or so thunderstorms during the summer months, but I think that the newspaper and Internet weather sites know how vulnerable I am to hearing about this type of weather being expected. Because they are in collusion and are determined to frighten me as much as they can beforehand, there is one of these events predicted several times a week. That causes me to suffer great angst.

 

Believe it or not, I have my own "Boom Boom Room," which is a walk-in closet. It's a wonderful cocoon for those occasions when a storm is directly overhead, menacing and loud.

Here's what the inside looks like.

It's quite roomy for my purposes. I'm able to pull in this chair, which normally is in front of the desk I have in the dining room.

There are a couple of lights in the closet, so I'm able to occupy myself by reading. I usually work on crossword puzzles. And I've discovered something very interesting when I've been engaged in this activity. I can solve the most difficult puzzles in there because my concentration is so intense and absolute under those circumstances that I find so intolerable.

I'm also able to see my west-facing window in the dining room when I open the door. Then I can check out the sky and see whether the storm's intensity is lessening. It all works quite well for me.

And here's another secret. I'm definitely a puzzle snob! Even though I usually work all three puzzles that appear in my local daily newspaper, that crossword puzzle doesn't count for much.

I'm only interested and challenged by the puzzles in The New York Times. This is possibly my only snobby fault. And who cares? I subscribe to the online puzzle, and it's worth every penny as far as I'm concerned. I print out the puzzles every day of the year, which I think is quite a bargain. I do not finish every puzzle, I'm sorry to say. Some weeks I'm not able to finish a Friday or Saturday puzzle. When I do complete an entire week's worth of puzzles, I'm pleased. And many weeks that happens. Although I don't think it will happen this week.

I barely got a start on yesterday's Saturday puzzle. The Sunday puzzle is available online at six o'clock Saturday evening. That's kind of the Times folks to accommodate my needs in that regard. Doing Sunday's puzzle is part of my Saturday night fun.

Joe's Stunning Garden Design

I've used Joe's beautiful garden previously. He planted this dwarf Japanese maple tree last summer, and was anxiously awaiting spring's arrival to see whether it would make it through the harsh Maine winter.

As you can see, the little tree is thriving. The garden is a memorial to Joe's daughter Roan, who died 16 years ago when only a teenager. It's a fitting tribute to her memory.

The neighborhood takes great pleasure in this garden, which is right next to the sidewalk, making it accessible to everyone walking by.

Many people with children stop there for long periods of time because this year something has been added to the water: goldfish!

There are also several different types of water plants, and the recirculating water is such a pleasant, relaxing sound.

Joe's cat Sammy hangs out near the pond a lot, but he doesn't try to do any fishing in there. At least not that I've noticed. He's a very friendly cat who interacts with people and does quite a bit of talking (meowing). He also likes being petted and spoken to, and I'm always happy to accommodate his needs.

 

This last photo is a different view of the garden, from inside the fence. There's a wooden bench in the corner that's not visible here, where you are able to sit and enjoy the peaceful quality of the setting, without being seen by anyone walking past on the sidewalk.

It's a pretty amazing little city garden. A true work of outdoor artistry.

 

 

 

Gay Pride Parade in Portland

For a day that had rain predicted on and off, the people who spent so much energy planning the events connected to Gay Pride Week definitely "lucked out." There was no rain!

This was taken as the participants in the parade were lining up before its start.

There were lots of people along the entire route on Congress Street and also along High Street, where the parade turned to head down to Deering Oaks.

Here's a rear view of the same two "girls" as the parade moved along Congress Street. Their headdresses were fantastic.

Participants in the parade threw candy, bubble gum, and Frisbees to people along the route who were watching, so there was a lot of interaction between the crowd and the marchers.

It was a colorful parade and an appreciative crowd along the route. A man marching alongside a float from the Frannie Peabody Center gave me a red necklace, a "love" necklace.

I was holding my camera and the necklace in my hand when my upstairs neighbors came downstairs, and I opened the door to speak to them. I'd seen Geep when I was leaving to attend the parade so he knew I'd gone to the event, and wanted to know whether I'd gotten any pictures.

I showed him the necklace and mentioned I'd just taken a picture of it for the blog, and then went on to tell him about what had been attached to the metal ring on the necklace: a red condom! It was beautiful. Geep said "You've used it already?" He was impressed at what a fast worker I was.

I hated to destroy my mystique and ruin his image of me as a "hot chick" (which I am), but I told him that I'd given it to a friend of mine who had recently thrown her husband out of their home. I said to her: "Just put this away, and take it out when it's the right time. It's red and it's very pretty." She got a big laugh out of that and she took it. I hope she doesn't have to wait too long to use it.

This man had a snazzy outfit on and he was happy to stand still so I could snap a photo of him.

These people were watching the parade in front of the art school. As onlookers, they were more decorated than many of those participating in the actual parade.

This bright and jolly float deserves to be taken note of.

Here's Officer Karl Geib, with the "long arm of the law," directing traffic at the street where the parade turned down to head toward Deering Oaks. He had to divert traffic off Congress Street, which he did with his usual aplomb.

Karl is one of our famous "bike cops." Take note of those legs, gals!

Glorious May

New Chick Joins Found Object Collection

Ain't she sweet? What a cute little blonde I found the other day. She's a perfect companion for Baby Claude, who's pictured in front of her. He's happy to have her living in the kitchen with him.

Perhaps at night they speak to one another. When I was a child I thought that my toys spoke and moved about my room as soon as I fell asleep. I used to try and trick them, by pretending I was asleep, to that I'd be able to see and hear what they were doing. They were too smart for me to catch them though. I won't try to catch these dolls cavorting at night. Whatever they care to do with one another is fine with me.

Real Live City Chicks

They are cute, aren't they? They live around the corner, and they're only a few days old so they have to have a heat lamp on to keep them warm enough.

There are six of them in the container altogether, three different types of chickens, and they will produce lots of eggs, hopefully. 

Portland has a new ordinance, allowing people in the city to have chickens. I now know of two people in the neighborhood that have availed themselves of this opportunity to have fresh eggs from their own backyards.

This picture was taken after they'd been in their new home for almost two weeks. It was a lovely day and they were outside, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air for a while in their carton. The sides of the container they're living in are now much higher because they're able to move about a lot more. We don't want them getting into any trouble before they move into their official outside quarters.

They will have a coop and a nice fenced-in area—with a spectacular view of Mount Washington. They're lucky.

An Orchid Plant!

My friend Manny gave me this beautiful orchid setup. I hope I can keep it alive. I was told it should be misted every day and I can put water into the tray where the pebbles are. 

I plan to be faithful about following these instructions. I also bought orchid food today. I've never had an orchid, but I do have a couple of friends who raise them very successfully. 

Wish me luck with this venture.

Gorgeous Colors Everywhere

When I turned a corner and came upon this view I was certainly glad that I chose this particular route.

Those two colors together are exciting to me. Forsythia are all over the neighborhood. It's such a wonderful bush and the color can't be beat.

I should plant one so I can have one in my own garden each year.

 
 Flowering cherry trees have been my favorites for many years.

I wish I had one in front of the home where I live, but there are quite a few in the neighborhood, so that enables me to walk around and soak in all of those gorgeous pink blossoms. It would be nice if they lasted a bit longer than they do.

 

Iggy (the iguana)

David Howe has just installed Iggy onto a wall in his hallway. What a welcome addition by this talented man.

 

 

Muddy Kids Having Fun

These two children know how to have a great time on a nice spring day. And it doesn't cost any money.

They're a joy to behold! They play together for long periods of time without fighting. They find ways to amuse one another quietly.

A bath and a few extra pieces of clothing in the next batch of laundry will bring everything back to cleanliness, which we have heard is next to godliness.

Does anyone subscribe to that theory these days?

Happy Valentine's Day to All!

February 14 Is a Special Day

For the past several years my friend Deb has hosted a Valentine's Day card-making party on the weekend before the big event. A couple of years ago I went with the intention of creating a few cards, and was surprised when I was totally overwhelmed by all of the wonderful supplies I was confronted by.

I wound up not making one decent piece, and from then on I attended with my camera in tow, content to take photos of everything without having the pressure of making something. It worked much better for me.

 

All of the special papers and stickers and "cutesy" little things were wonderful to me. I could spend hours looking at these items and not wanting to use them in any way.

I must admit I was immediately attracted to this book with the wonderful title of SEX. I browsed through it and enjoyed doing so very much.  

The hostess, (Is that word verboten now? I don't care if it is. Screw political correctness! It's fascism, as far as I'm concerned.) Deb, was planning to use this charming little butterfly girl on one of her cards. She cut away all of the white areas, which was quite a time-consuming job. I'd much prefer to watch her do the hard work while I snap a picture.

There were also some animals in attendance; resident cats and a visiting dog were moving around.

Roo lives in the charming house with her sister Bebe, whose photo I was not able to capture without it being blurred. Too bad, because Bebe is a beauty. She's a black cat with a large ruff around her neck. I'd never seen a cat with looks like that.

And then there was Ed, the pug from Massachusetts. He came for the entire weekend. He seemed to be quite taken by me, which is always enjoyable, having an animal like me. So I shouted to all present "Ed loves me!"

Look at that soulful expression. It certainly grabbed at my heartstrings. But then I was rudely corrected. "Ed's a girl!" I was told. Darn! I couldn't add another male to the list of those who love me. I like those curled tails on pugs. Very cute. They're even better on pigs though.

Just those words, "LOVE" and "KISSES," are uplifting to one's heart.

And look at all of those "XOXOXOXO"s. They're wonderful! I use them in e-mails to special people.

It makes me tired to think of putting all of those materials away. Deb should have a special Valentine's Day room to store these marvelous items. It should be a room where things might remain visible, where simply shutting a door would remove them from sight. I can't imagine having to pack all of these treasures away.

I think hearts are such a marvelous shape. Ya gotta love 'em.

I'll end with a couple of photos taken at Rite Aid. Of course as soon as Christmas was over, the Valentine's displays appeared. We are in such a damn rush in this country. Always.

 Don't forget! Saturday is the big day. Make sure you let someone know that you care.

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day Sarge!  xoxoxo

 

 

Brrr!

January in Maine is certainly a month that takes it toll on things; people; streets; and animals. We had 16 inches of snow on the eighteenth, and a couple of nights before that a blast of arctic air brought temperatures down to -16 degrees F. in Portland. That made me very glad I live in the city, and not in the country, where it dipped even lower.

"Penguins"

"Penguins" is the picture I did for this year's annual Christmas print, which I give to friends. It got me mentally prepared for the deep freeze we were going to be suffering in January.

This was done on scratchboard. The board is covered with a coating of India ink, and all of the white areas get scratched away. I use an X-acto knife to clear the black off.

It gives the same effect as a woodcut or wood engraving. Since I'd done woodcuts for many years, it's a comfortable medium for me to work in. I have many scratchboards and woodcuts at the eBay store.

 

 

West End Deli

I've just finished my first "portrait" of a business here in town. I'll be delivering it to the owner in a few days. It's also done on scratchboard, a favorite medium of mine.

 

Latest "art of the month" Mailing

Here's the latest art of the month envelope, which arrived recently. This is the first time I'd ever gotten a puffy envelope. I couldn't wait to see what the surprise was going to be: two gloves, but not a pair. Of course not! That would be so boring.

A hand-lettered card accompanied the gloves. It says:

    "this pair of gloves has been created from two found gloves. each glove was found on the streets of Portland, washed and paired for your wearing pleasure!

      "stay warm!

      "art of the month club"

 

I still haven't come any closer to finding out who sends these wonderful things to me each month. With all of my contacts at Police Headquarters, from writing the crime articles for The West End NEWS, you'd think I'd be able to solve this mystery. Perhaps I'll try to get a couple of top-notch detectives to give me some lessons.

Of course that wouldn't be very difficult, since there's a return address with a post office box number on it.

Police Create Special Calendar

Honoring a Fallen Comrade

 

Sergeant Rob Johnsey died in a tragic accident on May 5, 2008, when his service revolver accidentally discharged as he was preparing it for training to be held the following day.

Acting Chief Joseph K. Loughlin hosted a news conference on December 17 to announce the completion of a poetry and photography 2009 police calendar, a special project between members of the Portland Police Department and the Arts & Equity Initiative (AEI). AEI's mission is to improve municipal government and its relationship with the public through art projects with local artists and city employees.

Loughlin said this was a news conference bearing "good news," unlike many others that have been held at Police Headquarters recently. He stated he was "skeptical at the beginning of the project," but said of Mary Pottenger, the director: "She pulled it off." He went on to say that he felt the calendar was a way people might learn about officers as human beings. "It's a valuable and quality product that I'm proud to be part of."

Rachel Talbot Ross, Portland's Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Multicultural Affairs, said the AEI projects are a way to connect city employees to each other and to communities. It's also a way to "understand and express diversity in the city."

Ross stated "Marty has been a lightning rod. She's creating connections where none existed."

Lieutenant Michael Sauschuck, who was involved in helping coordinate the officers and artist teams, said "Marty put together a SWAT team of poets and photographers" to work on this project. He then read one of Rob Johnsey's poems, "The Forest," which is included in the calendar. Sauschuck said that Rob Johnsey "was a special guy." He was held in high esteem by those who worked with him.                                                                                          

AEI is a public/private partnership between the City of Portland and the arts nonprofit Terra Moto Incorporated. The three-year pilot project began in Portland in 2007, with Marty Pottenger as the director.

Pottenger is a theater artist/playwright/director who moved here from New York City to head up AEI.

Proceeds from the sale of the calendar will be shared with the Johnsey Fund, established in the memory of Rob Johnsey, and with AEI.

Officer Chris Mitchell, a member of Evening Directed Patrol, who has been a member of the force a little over two years, is seen here looking at pages from the calendar that were posted outside the conference room. Mitchell was a participant in the project, with some of his photographs appearing in the calendar.

The calendars are priced at $15 and will be available at all major bookstores in the area. The story of life and work within the police department is what the calendar tells about. It also addresses challenges faced by the department, improving the relationship between the public and the department, and improving departmental morale through the creation of art.

Spring Things

April "art of the month" Mail

My art of the month arrival was quite exciting. It must have taken a long time to put all of these pages together into this little fold-out book. The drawings were a compilation of the postcards people were asked to send back in March, when we were told to draw something that we loved.

The dinosaur at the end is my favorite thing from the entries that were received. He's quite spectacular!

Birds in Eaves

I discovered where some sparrows are living. They have a nice eave to call home. They don't need much space for getting in and out. I'd be curious to see what the interior looks like, whether they've built an actual nest in there.

I'll never know.

This is another eave where birds can be seen going in and out. This house is on the same street as the previous one.

I hope you're able to see the small sparrow that's nestled into the corner of the eave.

Fiddlers in the Park

The dog in the forefront is being well entertained by these two people. They were terrific! What a pleasure it was to walk into the park and listen to their music.

Here We Go Again!

This was the first time I've seen Woody this season. This will be our third year of "togetherness." He's looking good. The violets are starting to open now. I remember last year he waited until they had all appeared, had gotten nice and large, and then he just ate each and every flower. More power to him! I certainly don't begrudge him his meals of violets, even though they are one of my favorite flowers. He does allow me to enjoy them before he starts munching, however.

St. Lawrence Reduces Its Size

The stained glass is being removed from the historic St. Lawrence Church. Part of the building is in a dangerous condition and must be taken down.

The stones have been numbered so that some time in the future, that portion of the building will be able to get restored to its original beauty. It's quite sad to see part of that important structure removed. It's such an integral part of the neighborhood, something you're used to seeing.

After that portion is all gone, I'll still have my beautiful etching of the church, done by Ron Slater, a most talented man.

Around the Corner

This sweet garden ornament lives around the corner, and this odd monkey sculpture also adorns the same garden.

Otto

I met Otto, the albino ferret, when I was taking an early evening walk. He lives right on my block, although I'd never seen him out. I was told that he's a little depressed lately, since his brother Potto died.

Mother's Day Flowers

Flowers are always such a welcome gift, no matter what the occasion is. These lasted a very long time. Now I have the greens in the same vase, with some fragrant lilacs.

Bzzzz

I noticed this bumblebee resting on a daylily leaf when I went to put something into the compost bin. I went in to get my camera, thinking it would probably be gone by the time I got back. He must have been very tired from all his pollen gathering, because he was still in the same spot, waiting to have his portrait taken.

Welcome Visitor

I don't know bird calls, but when I heard a sound that was not the usual bird, that much I was aware of. I ran to the window and saw this cardinal walking around on the bricks in the patio.

For about ten days, at differing times, I'd hear him and go to the window to watch him. He hasn't been here for the past several days and I do wish he'd return.

Olio

Hannaford Origami

While writing a check for my supermarket purchases, I noticed that the young woman who was waiting for my check to be processed was putting those few moments to very good use. She was deftly creating tiny origami birds.

Then I noticed that she had about seven of them near the register. When I asked what she was planning to do with them, she said she was going to place one at each cash register. At that point I asked if I could possibly have one, and she cheerfully obliged.

Now I have this lovely little origami bird sitting right by my computer.

Thanks, Whitney! And keep up the good work. It's nice to discover something "different" during a trip to buy groceries.

Mr. TinyToes

Here he is! My favorite skunk in the entire world, who is also my neighbor. I just completed his portrait, which will soon be available at the eBay store.

I'm anxiously awaiting my first glimpse of him this spring. I know he's out and about because my neighbors saw him around dawn several weeks ago. It's still a bit to cool for me to be camping out in the garden at dusk, so I must be patient.

Emily's Favorite Shirt

Emily (a dancer) and James lived on the third floor of the building where I reside. You couldn't ask for nicer neighbors.

The other day we were all in the first-floor hallway at the same time, and Emily was wearing the T-shirt pictured above. I'd never seen her in anything that approximated the look of this particular top, so I said "Emily, you're dressed in rags! What's going on?"

That's when she said "This is my favorite shirt." And James's statement explained it all, when he remarked: "She danced her heart out in it."

Emily's a beauty, even in rags! Don't you agree? But these "rags" have a story to accompany the look.

My Favorite Kind of Maine Day

This is the view I had from the top of the hill the other day. It's what I call a blue-water/blue-sky day. That makes it a perfect day. I've been here almost 19 years and I still get a thrill when I walk out the door and see that magnificent water down the hill. I never tire of that sight.

Dead Tranny

It's been quite a while since I've seen an interesting note while walking, but this one certainly falls into that category. And I like the fact that it's so very polite.

Hola!

This hat looked as though it were in perfect condition. I don't know whether it was accidentally dropped or if it is meant as a gift for someone who might be looking for a south-of-the-border sombero.

Forty years ago I might have picked it up and stuck it on my head, but today—not a chance.

Be an Angel . . .

Angels in My Home

These are my favorite cherubs, from a painting by Raphael. The small images are from a tote bag hanging on a doorknob in my living room.

I also have little magnets of these babies on my kitchen stove. Angels and cherubs are the children and adult versions of the same celestial beings; I think of cherubs as baby angels. They all have wings.

I have several more of these charming creatures in my home. This wooden angel is on the wall next to my bed. And this saxophone-playing angel hangs from the reading lamp above my bed. He's about four inches long and he has the greatest pair of sneakers. I also am fond of his gold-colored patina.

Standing on the floor below the bedroom window is this stone cherub. It's very heavy. And very cute! He'd actually be suitable for a garden ornament, but I like having him close by.

Strolling through the dining room, I have a wonderful triptych that I bought eons ago at an auction in Philadelphia at Freeman's. These are adult angels, Gabriel and an unnamed woman.

They're special because they have gold wings.

The Birthday Angel

One evening eleven years ago I took a friend to dinner to celebrate her fiftieth birthday, and an angel became a focal point of the celebration. We went to the Eastland Hotel here in Portland, which has a dining room on the first floor.

Shortly after we were seated, an agitated man burst into the dining room, carrying a gigantic bunch of beautiful flowers in a vase.

He hurried to the banquette next to us, placed the flowers in the middle of the table, and then approached us, saying: "I'm having dinner with a very special friend tonight—Angela." The man in the black leather coat, with a long scarf dramatically thrown across one shoulder then announced: "She's in the car, and I'm going to get her now. I'll be right back and then you can see for yourself. Don't go away."

I was thinking "You go away! And leave us alone, dammit!" He rushed out and within a couple of minutes was back, carrying a large angel doll, which he plopped down at the banquette. It was quite similar to this one, from the Franklin Mint.

He said "This is Angela. Isn't she gorgeous?" Yes, she was beautiful, we had to agree. He then pulled out a camera and stuck it into my friend Deb's hand, telling her he'd like her to take some pictures of him with Angela, how this was his birthday, and that he'd spent his birthday last year in Los Angeles. He said "I'd like you to take a picture of me with my dinner companion." She complied with his wishes, snapping a few photos of the "odd couple."

He finally left us alone and went to sit down with his angel for his birthday dinner. There's nothing that I enjoy more than finding out people's "stories." Most have fascinating ones, even if they may not realize it. I love getting to know people. But this guy had crossed some sort of line in my psyche, where I just wanted him to get far away from me. I would like to know his story, but I didn't want to hear it from him. There was something about him that made me think he could drag us across an invisible marker and we'd wind up in The Twilight Zone, of the old Rod Serling TV series.

We managed to have our dinner without any other interruptions, and to commemorate the event Deb gave me this tiny book a couple of weeks later. Whenever I see it on my shelf I remember that bizarre man, who was touched—and with an angel.

Emerson's Angels

Doug Emerson, a talented photographer, is someone I was introduced to by this same friend. I didn't realize I'd known Doug for such a long time until I typed this in. Time does fly, doesn't it?

Doug is also an angel aficionado, and has taken many beautiful photos of angel statues.

Here are three of his delightful angel photographs.

I'm always drawn to black and white photography. I'm having a difficult time trying to decide which of Doug's angels to bring home. And then it will be exciting deciding in which room the angel should live. I think I feel a need coming on to have an angel residing in my living room.

Oh, yes! I know the exact spot where it will go. It will be fun waiting for my new addition to arrive and become part of the household.