Margery Niblock

Summer in the City

What's in the Streets

Hey! This is a city, which is obvious from the surface that this beautiful snakeskin is lying on.

It certainly makes me wonder whether this snake actually shed his skin right in the street on North Street or if it got blown into the street from a garden nearby.

I was lucky to find it when I did, because within four days there wasn't a trace of it left. I watched it disintegrate each time I walked past. I was astounded to see something like this in my neighborhood. It was a wonderful sight for me. But I'm glad I only saw the skin and not the snake. That was enough nature for me while walking in the street.

Gloves—in the Summer?

If I'd come across these a few months ago I wouldn't have been at all surprised. People are always losing gloves during the cold weather.

However, it was slightly shocking to see these wool gloves—aside from their shocking color, which I like a lot—during very warm summer weather.

It always makes me wonder about what sort of story might be connected to these dropped gloves. But I'll never know. That means you'll never know either. But we can all just imagine our own stories to go with the image.

How Did This Happen?

 

I counted an awful lot of cigarettes before taking this ugly picture. They hadn't been smoked. And there were more cigarettes than there are in a pack, which made me wonder how this happened.

Oh, well, it's just one more story to imagine.

Great Catch, Geep! Summer Sport

Geep went down to Connecticut to visit his family last week. He went fishing with his brother and this is what he caught.

Pretty astounding fish. He said his brother didn't catch anything. That hardly seems fair.

This is a striped bass. I don't know its length but I've been told that in Maine you can't take one less than 26 inches or more than 42 inches.

I don't know what the law is in Connecticut, where this whopper came from. I was given a piece of this delicious fish. Yummy!

I've never gone fishing. One of the many things I've never experienced. I have to wonder what it must have felt like to be trying to pull such a large fish out of the water. It seems as thought you'd be able to be pulled overboard with something that size flailing around.

Bayside Block Party Huge Success

Perfect weather and lots of hard work combined to turn Cindy's long-desired block party into a wonderful neighborhood event, enjoyed by lots of people.

It was pretty hot in the sun, but there were beverages to cool people off, and there were lots of hot dogs and hamburgers with all of the trimmings. Everything was free, including the balloons that children were hanging on to when I arrived.

The festivities began at noon and ran until five o'clock. It was the perfect setting for a summer day on a Saturday in Bayside. Lots of people donated many hours of their time in order to make this event happen.

Our famous "bike cops" stopped by several times to see how things were going. This area is part of the city that they patrol, so they were familiar with many of those attending.

Here they are, Dan Knight and Karl Geib. Even though they are in a social setting here, you can see by looking at them that between the two of them they have everything covered visually.

They're always working when that uniform is on, even when they're stopping in at a block party. They have all bases covered, all the time. Quite a duo!

I always have to give leg shots whenever I take their photos. My female readers require that.

That's Dan's leg on the left and Karl's on the right.

 

Here's Mary-Ellen Welch with Dan and Andjelko Napijalo, who also patrols the Bayside neighborhood. He wasn't on the Segway on this particular Saturday. But he'd become a real icon for several weeks as he cruised around on the unusual vehicle.

He drew adoring crowds everywhere he went. And he still was able to make arrests.

Mary-Ellen is the Coordinator for the Midtown Community Policing Center. She worked very hard at this party, making sure things were running smoothly. It was an extremely hot day and there was little shade in the parking lot where the event was being held. I can attest to that because I spent a few hours there.

I should have taken a photo of Mary-Ellen's car, a VW beetle convertible, with a license plate that says "AMORE." I tell you, she's a woman after my own heart! A real delight.

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."

July Is Here

 St. Lawrence Hosts a Wedding

It's July! So far we've had an inordinate amount of rain, but thankfully the Fourth became quite a lovely day. That was a good thing because many people would have been disappointed if they hadn't been able to view the spectacular fireworks.

July Fourth was an extra-special day for celebration on Munjoy Hill because City Councilor Kevin Donoghue tied the knot at the St. Lawrence Church on that day.

Ed King, the editor of The West End NEWS had done beautiful wedding invitations for Kevin and Krista, with delightful caricatures of them. He did this chalk drawing on a large, heavy piece of slate that was inside the church. Ed's cartoons are a delight; I now own three of them. It seems as though a lot of people who read the paper on a regular basis aren't aware of the fact that all of the cartoons, including the large one in the centerfold, are done by Ed. The man has talent!

Best wishes and a toast for a long life with much happiness!

The photographs below were taken during the period when part of the church was being dismantled due to safety concerns.

All of the pieces that were removed were numbered and have been stored in a safe place.

It's hoped that at some point enough money can be raised to return the building to its former stature. It was a beautiful building, and it's still a shock to walk by and see such a large portion of it missing.

When a structure that was such a prominent part of the neighborhood becomes reduced to an empty lot, it's difficult to come to terms with the loss.

I'm sure there are many people who still see the ghost of the tower when they walk past the part of the building that remains.

. . . and Down on the Promenade . . .

This polar bear amused the assembled crowds. Many children had conversations with the big guy, but many were also a bit fearful of him at first.

There were vendors selling food and toys for children. It was an atmosphere of fun and joy.

I must admit that I'm always happy to see July Fourth end. The fireworks are held right down the hill from my home and thousands of people flock to the neighborhood. Of course they do!

It's nice to see everyone walking back up the hill from the Eastern Promenade, heading home. This year seemed to be more quiet than usual. There were no people setting of firecrackers and bottle rockets until two o'clock in the morning, which was a welcome relief from previous years' festivities.

July Fourth Plus One

 

The weather was beautiful, so there was no need to put anything away—evidently.

I always look forward to strolling along the Prom early on the morning of July fifth, to see what people have lost or left on the grass. This is the first year I haven't come back with a miniature American flag. I usually find one. What I always find is at least one brand-new cigarette lighter. Of course there's always change that's dropped and that gets added to my found-object vases with the money collected from my walks.

These flip flops are quite jolly. Looking at them on the grass makes me wonder what sort of condition the person was in at the time she left that location. Perhaps she was carried away? Mmm.

 

Don't you know that you're leaving an event barefoot, when you arrived wearing something on your feet?

I have to assume that it just didn't matter.

 

And so we leave the remnants of America's birthday party to be cleaned up by the city's able crew. The Promenade once again becomes the gem of Portland; the trash and the crowds have left. That's okay with me!

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 . . .

Outside Joys

Local Postings

People just can't leave signs alone, can they?

And here's a rather charming thank-you note that was posted on a car parked on North Street. This warning is much better than having the air let out of your tires, as would have been the case in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love.

 

 

Stuck in the Street

As I was crossing Cumberland Avenue, I noticed something that appeared to be silver in the middle of the street.

It was silver! An ankh, the Egyptian symbol of life. But alas, I wasn't able to pick it up and bring it home to place it with my other found objects and money. It was embedded in the tar.

It's quite attractive, isn't it? I don't think I'll be going back to pry it up. But I will enjoy looking at it whenever I cross the street at that particular spot.

A Lovely Gift

When my friend Megan took a little trip back to New Jersey to visit her folks and attend a reunion a couple of weeks ago, she returned with this decorated shell that she gave to me.

Both the inside and outside surfaces of the shells have been painted. It's the work of Wendy A. Morrison, who happens to be a friend of Megan's sister Tara. So that was a nice connection to the gift.

Since I had a business selling sea glass jewelry for many years, I am fond of things found on beaches. As a matter of fact, the beaches I prefer are not the ones where people are basking in the sun. I'm attracted to the rocky areas where people used to dump their unwanted possessions before trash was collected by municipalities. For me, those areas are pure treasure troves. Mm. Makes me want to take a trip to the beach right now. I wonder what level the tide is at.

I still purchase a tide calendar each year, so I know when low tides are. They're my favorites, of course! And minus tides are the very best of all. That's when I used to find antique bottles stuck in the mud. I think I got all of the worthwhile ones from the one beach that had all the treasures.

The World's Longest Lobstah Roll!

Only in Maine would this happen. The West End Neighborhood Association decided to have a fund-raiser, and at the same time to get into the Guinness World Records for creating the longest lobster roll in the world.

 

That's the roll being carried down Commercial Street to the very long table in front of Portland Lobster Company, where it was put together by members of the neighborhood group. The cute costumed lobster is a hardworking young man employed by Three Sons Lobster & Fish. My editor, Ed King, of The West End NEWS had given me an assignment to take a photograph for the event that would have "a little action and be a bit different."

That was a stumper, since there were dozens of people with cameras at the assembly table, waiting for the long roll to arrive. I started walking toward India Street, where I knew the roll would be coming around the corner for its final leg of the trip. When I came to the dressed-up lobster, I thought "This is it!"

 

With a lot of hard work, organization, and volunteers, capped off by a perfect day of weather, a 61 foot 9 1/2 inch roll was filled with 45 pounds of luscious lobster meat, cut into four-inch pieces and sold to an eager crowd.

The group pulled in a total of about $7,000, which will be used for a swim scholarship program. Approximately 200 children will be taught to swim at no charge thanks to the good work of everyone involved in the event.

After I spoke to the lobster guy, asking him if he'd grant me the wish of taking his photo near the roll as it passed down the street, he went to speak to his boss, who gave him permission to follow the roll bearers to the tables where the lobster roll was going to be put together. He was able to hang out in front of the table while the event continued.

 

 

Outdoor Still Lifes

I liked the little sign saying "WATCH YOUR STEP." Looking at the shoes left out there, it sort of becomes a small story of its own.

I have giant hostas in my side yard along the driveway. When I planted them 20 years ago I had no idea how huge they would eventually grow. It was a stroke of luck they wound up in the right place, with enough room for expansion. They looked quite lovely the other day, with raindrops still sitting on them.

 

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?

Slight Thaw in February!

Finally! I was able to take a wonderful long walk today. I walked in the street because many of the sidewalks are still unpassable. But they are improving.

I found this wonderful note around the corner. Can you imagine the pup with the battery in his mouth? I wonder if he took the battery out of the "draw" or whether they were placed in there after the event.

 

 I saw a man in shorts jogging. That was a welcome sight. I said "You're the first sign of spring!" and he gave me a thumbs-up signal. I also found two dimes and four pennies. The lack of walking has cut down on my found money big-time.

 

This is my great snow/ice cane. I wouldn't be able to leave my home in the winter without it. I see people walking on ice and it looks as though they're walking on a dry sidewalk. If I take a step, I slip and slide.

The metal attachment at the bottom of the cane has pointed prongs that are great for preventing slipping. What a klutz I am! But at least I know it, accept it, and take steps to deal with it.

 

We've had about 13 "plowable" storms this winter; that has amounted to a lot of snow!

This poor shovel had its last season, evidently.

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Latest "art of the month" mailing

 

This dainty envelope held a new surprise from the secret artist who sends me these marvelous monthly pick-me-ups. It's always exciting to see what's enclosed. The three hand-colored circles say "2009 in your pocket."

It's a tiny calendar with a page for each month.

 

And once again, as I've said so many times before, I have no idea who the sender of these delightful packets are. Mm. Will I ever know?

My Bedroom Door

 

This is my view when I'm sitting up and reading in bed at night. I think it's a jolly sight. It looks like it might be a kid's room, doesn't it? But it's not. I happen to believe that one of the best things about being an adult is that I'm able to buy any toy I want. I like toys!

I consider myself somewhat childlike, but definitely not childish. There's a big difference.

The latest addition to the door is one of the Valentine Day's cards I received this year (the most important one). I framed it; it's the red and white item in the center. I'd seen this card and had almost bought it for the person who sent it to me. So I was totally thrilled to receive the card that had been my favorite one in the entire store. How lucky can you be? The guy who sent the card to me is handsome, brilliant, and has a great sense of humor. He's a very special person, and he's also adorable. What a winning combination. 

The other day I was speaking to a friend about him, and she looked at me and said "Marge, you're twitterpated!" She then explained that was a term from Bambi. I'd never heard that term, although I must have when I saw the movie. It's quite a memorable word. 

Saint Lawrence Silent Art Auction

 

This is the distinguished editor/owner/publisher of The West End NEWS, Ed King. He's hosting the refreshment counter in the lobby of the Saint Lawrence Church on a lovely Saturday, during the auction.

The man does look snazzy, doesn't he? He was quite a charmer in that spot. He did a fine job for the fund-raiser.

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 My Valentine

Sweet Hearts

The street near my car was scattered with tiny, shiny, wonderful little hearts! What could be more pleasant on a drab wintry day? That was a reminder to place my Valentine's Day decoration on my door, which I did. Here it is.

Valentine's Day is a holiday that many people berate because they say it's made up in order for consumerism to rear its ugly head. I like it! How can it be a bad thing if people buy gifts and candy and flowers for loved ones? And all of those beautiful red hearts! It's wonderful to have some pretty decorations to look at in the bleak month of February.

Deb Eaton's Valentine Card Party

My good friend Deb Eaton hosts a weekend party for the express purpose of making valentine cards.

Deb is an author with oodles of delightful books she's written for children. She is one of the most imaginative people I've ever known. And the whimsy fairy has given her more than her share of sprinkles, which she puts to excellent use to charm her young readers.

These covers are from two of her books. Deb is also a gracious hostess, providing delicious food to those that attend the card-making event.

There are all sorts of fancy papers, hearts, and old books to be cut up and used for making cards, with all of the necessities provided by Deb. Whenever she sees something that might be appropriate for this event, she'll bring it home. She now has quite a stock of supplies for people to choose from.

A potpourri of equipment also confronts the card makers.

This was my favorite paper. I think it's just luscious!

Deb also makes fantastic cards. Here's one that was done a couple of years ago, which I was lucky enough to receive. I take it out and stand it up for several weeks in my celebration of Valentine's Day. I think it's one of the most humorous things I've seen. Each time I look at it I just have to smile.

Deb's cat Bebe was guarding some of the equipment. She was very well behaved, just observing the women working at their projects.

These are some of the hearts that were available for use. Just the sight of them puts me in a festive mood. I think that's part of the magic of Valentine's Day; the pleasant visuals attached to it.

Deb's party was a resounding success, with people making wonderful cards. I'm certain everyone in attendance will be looking forward to next year's event.

Portland's Valentine's Day "Bandit"

                [photo by Jess Kilby]

This building is Portland's downtown fire station. A couple of years ago  it was adorned with a Valentine's Day flag. We have a "bandit" who celebrates Valentine's Day by taping paper hearts to buildings in the downtown area. Then there's usually one special building that has the flag attached to it. This event has been going on for many years. There's probably a whole gang of "bandits" involved, since it takes a lot of work to place so many hearts on so many locations.

         [photo by Jess Kilby]

Keep up the good work!

Hearts at Home

The lovely creation above is a beaded work by Susan Winn. Susan uses seed beads for her art. Many times she'll do a design and stamp it on fabric in a repetitive fashion, then beads one area of the overall pattern. It's fascinating work and I've never seen anyone else do this type of art.

Susan likes coming across found objects and putting them to use. The design above was from a child's drawing that was lying in the street. The actual beaded work is eight by ten inches. You can get an idea of how tiny those beads are. Just imagine all the time it takes to sew them onto the fabric.

Susan is someone who makes the world a more beautiful place, and I really enjoy viewing her transposition of one form of art into another.

This glass heart was a Valentine's Day gift many years ago.  I was instructed to "take good care of it," and I've done that.

I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Beachcombing and Sea Glass

I've always loved beachcombing. So when I moved to Maine, that was one of the first things I did. There's a beach a couple of blocks from my home, which was amazing to me. I couldn't believe that I had the good fortune to live in a neighborhood with a beach so close, yet I was also able to walk downtown. That's perfect! An unbeatable combination.

I developed this strange idea that it would be wonderful to earn my living as a beachcomber. I had been enjoying picking up little pieces of colored glass known as "sea glass," which most women in Maine seem to have a fondness for. Some of this glass is well over a hundred years old. It comes from bottles that have broken up and been churned by the waves and sand until the edges are smooth.

This is a piece of glass from a bottle that said "Max Factor/Hollywood" on it. You can see the raised letters, which are still legible.

When a friend suggested that I might want to make jewelry from these glass shards, I jumped at that idea, although I'd never made any jewelry previously. I went to the library and began bringing home books about making jewelry. I worked out a list of simple tools I would need, and a Dremel was the key. I knew I'd have to drill tiny holes in the glass to attach silver wire because I didn't want to get involved in soldering. I had to use diamond drill bits and had to wet the glass down with a paintbrush in between drilling.

And so I began my new career. I would go to the beach about five times a week. My neighbors thought I was daft when they'd see me heading off in midwinter. But when they saw the results, they got right "into" it. They were always wanting to know if I'd made any good finds.

This beach might not look too appealing to you, but if you were creating things from sea glass it would turn into a treasure trove. The beach is in South Portland and it has a lovely view of Portland's skyline. It's long, and there's sea glass everywhere you look. This was taken at low tide.

When I came here during those "minus" tides, I was able to walk past those wooden posts that you see in the water. They're pretty far out; there were great bottles out there. That wood was from a pier that burned down many years ago.

The reason there is so much stuff in the water here is because many years ago, before trash collection was initiated, people would just discard unwanted items here. It's almost hard to imagine, isn't it? I'd met a woman in her eighties who was walking her dog along the beach, and she was the one who told me. That's where all of the broken doll parts came from, and the old dishes and bottles of all sorts.

The beach is quite long and it has steps from the street above, making it accessible to the public. There have been few times when I'd come across anyone else on the beach, yet it's close to habitation, so it doesn't have a feeling of total isolation. There were a couple of instances at other beaches, where isolation became a negative aspect, and I stopped going to those areas alone.

I bought a tide calendar and I'd go to the beach about an hour before low tide. That way I could have two leisurely hours for searching, before the tide would begin coming in again. I discovered that when there were exceptionally low tides—minus tides—I'd be able to walk out much farther into the muddy areas. And that area held a vast array of antique bottles. Whenever there were really low tides I'd just be looking for interesting bottles. The sea glass I was able to get at any time, even high tide, on this particular beach.

Here are some of the bottles I collected during those special low tides. I really had no shelf space for them, but my son came up with a great idea. He told me to buy some pieces of glass and some brackets, and put them into my bay window in the living room.

So that's what I did. It was excellent advice. Now I can see my bottles all the time and the light comes through them, so I haven't lost anything.

I've saved the best for last. This bottle with the wonderful oxidation is definitely a favorite. The color is spectacular. And I found it lying on the beach, after a particularly bad winter storm in February. It was amazing to consider all of the large rocks that bottle had to pass in order to wind up on the beach. It would not have been surprising to find it stuck out in the muddy area. It evidently was looking for a good home and knew I'd be coming along. Smart bottle!

I hope you can tell that there's something very special in this round-bottomed bottle, which is referred to as a torpedo bottle. I found two bottles with these rounded bottoms on the same day, and they were next to one another. They're the only ones I ever came across.

These were some of the first soda bottles made, when carbonation was first used. Flat-bottomed bottles with corks as stoppers were used. There was a problem with this though. The bottles were standing up; the corks would dry up, and then they would pop out. That wasn't a good way to sell soda.

In order to solve the problem, they began to make bottles with rounded bottoms, which meant they'd have to be stored in a horizontal position, to keep the corks moist. This worked very well until caps were invented that would permit the bottles to once again have flat bottoms that could be kept in a vertical position. This bottle is over a hundred years old. The object that you see inside it is a clam. The clam went into the bottle when it was small enough to fit through the narrow top. And it was able to get its nutrients in there, so it grew and grew and grew, until it could grow no more.

When I picked the bottle up and realized what was in it, I was dumbfounded. It was an eerie feeling seeing this large clamshell in there and realizing its history. My first thoughts were: It was safe; but it was also imprisoned. I have no idea whether this was one of those "happy" clams you hear about. And speaking of them, that is a strange saying isn't it? Happy as a clam! What on earth could that possibly mean? Hopefully, this clam could see its relatives being picked up by seagulls and then being smashed on the rocks to become food. And he sat in his bottle, happily eating algae in the safety of his glass cocoon.

This bottle was one of the best gifts the ocean had bestowed upon me, and I constantly worried that it might break accidentally. Finally I had my talented friend David Howe build a wonderful Plexiglas enclosure for it. It's now in my dining room, attached to the frame in the middle of the window. It also has some tiny lights on the underside of the case, so I can light it at night if I choose to do that.

This is from a Christmas catalog of Down East magazine. They used to buy lots of my sea glass jewelry. Cobalt blue is the favorite color of many women for sea glass, since it's hard to find. Red is an even rarer color, but people aren't as fond of it. Aside from the broken pieces of glass I'd find on the beach and in the water, I'd also come across lots of old pottery. I combined these with various beads, including silver ones, and put it together using sterling silver chain.

This little card, which I considered to be my "magic card," was inserted with the jewelry, giving an explanation of what sea glass is and its use in the various pieces.

I sold the work in many stores, in the gift shop of the Portland Museum of Art, and I would exhibit yearly in the annual trade show held in Portland at the Civic Center. After about ten years of this I grew tired of it and gave it up.

The beach that's in the photo at the beginning of this article has lots of lavender glass, which is over a hundred years old. Manganese was used to strengthen the glass and there's a chemical reaction caused by sunlight that turns clear glass lavender, if it has manganese in it.

I consider the items in this miniature cabinet to be my "ocean museum." I have assorted doll parts and other oddities that I found along the beach and in the water.

I still go to the beach for relaxation. And I have the wonderful objects that I've found, which remind me of my days as a beachcomber in Maine.