Margery Niblock

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.

 

Meanderings

I Can't Resist a Cute Guy!

He's tall, dark, and . . . white? Okay. He is quite handsome though, don't you agree? And very cute!

That's how we like them.

I'd gone to (forgive me) Wal-Mart to pick up something for my garden, and there was the Easter bunny, allowing people to pose with him. And it didn't cost a cent. That was a good thing.

I didn't feel like waiting around for an hour and a half, so I went back the following morning and picked up my photo.

I sent this to a friend of mine who lives on an island in Washington state, and he wrote back and said "Who's that guy with the Wonder Bread vest?"

A New Critter Joins My Menagerie

There's a new addition to the animals inhabiting my garden. An opossum! I'd never seen a live one, so that was quite a thrill for me. When you've grown up in New York City, it's exciting to have contact with nature, other than pigeons and squirrels.

This creature is a welcome addition to the yard. And he makes three wild animals I'm aware of that are living here. Woody the woodchuck made his first appearance this week, at least it was my first sighting of him. This will be our third season together. I haven't seen the skunk yet, but hope that he's still in residence. If so, it will also be his third season. I'll be able to relax after I see him and know that he's made it through the winter.

Woody's Back Again

Sorry for this poor photo of Woody's first showing. That's the top of his head peering out of the front door of his cozy home. I'm expecting he'll accommodate me later in the season by posing for my camera, as he's done so many times in the past. 

How Long Will This Last?

This building is really sagging badly. I have to wonder how many more Maine winters it will be able to tolerate before collapsing in on itself.  

More from "art of the month"

With the arrival of April, another mailing showed up from the wonderful "art of the month" folks, an eight-page little booklet about sugar, titled "Around the World."

Here are a few photos of the delightful drawings included.

 

They all pertain to sugar, or azúcar, en español.

 

 

There you have it. Someone goes to an extraordinary amount of effort to come up with these little gems. I can't imagine doing all of these drawings and then putting the wonderful things together. I'm quite lucky to be on this special list of recipients.

"My" Cardinal Returns

I was thrilled to hear the song of a cardinal, rushing to grab my camera in the hope that I could get a couple of shots. I knew from last year's experience, that if I tried to get out the back door he would fly off.

I had to take this shot through my kitchen window, which is not sparkling clean these days, but it did come out, luckily.

It's a thrill for me to have a beautiful visitor like this. I cannot wait until I get my annuals purchased and planted. All the pots are out there waiting to be filled. I'll be choosing my flowers in another week or so.

I know everyone always says to wait until Memorial Day, but that's way too far off for me. I'll take my chances around the fifteenth of May, which also will be my twentieth anniversary of living in Maine.

Summer Is Over!

"art of the month"

The latest art of the month was four charming postcards, each of which had a different pattern on the back. The one above is shown on its mailing side.

It seems as though I'll never be able to find out who sends me these wonderful treats. 

Bold Pigeon

 

If you look toward the bottom middle of the photo above, you'll see pigeon feet and the shadow of the pigeon that is standing on top of the umbrella.

This was taken at Gilbert's, while dining out on their deck at the end of the summer. The pigeon spent the entire time we were there flying and lounging on one umbrella after another.

I guess he had an interest in what people were chowing down on. He certainly had a great view of all the plates.

Welcome Interloper

 

This hydrangea took root in the crotch of a giant sycamore tree. I'd never seen anything like this before. There is a hydrangea bush across the street from where this volunteer landed, so I assume that's where it originated.

Some People . . .

 

My neighbors at the corner spent many hours planting and grooming a fabulous garden, so that everyone who passed by might also enjoy it.

Their favorite flowers were roses, which were thriving in the sunny location. Instead of cutting the flowers off to bring into their home, they left them on the bush so that all walking by might get pleasure from their beauty.

They were quite horrified to come out one morning and find their roses had been cut off. The note below was a response to that vandalism.

What a JERK indeed! Amen to that note.

Curbside Memorial

This curbside memorial was something I noticed as I was driving past. Very sweet and very sad.

Memorial Garden

This garden was created by my neighbor Joe, a magnificent memorial to his daughter Roan. It's a joy to behold each time I walk by. I've seen many people stop there and become captivated by its charm and beauty.

The running water adds sound and motion to the site. It will be exciting to see it return to life next spring. The only way I can describe this is as a true work of living art.

 

Nice Undies, Neighbor!

See the "HANES" writing on the waistband? Quite nice.

This neighbor spent lots of time working outside in shorts, and topless. It was a good summer show as far as I was concerned. I'm very easily amused and into visual things, so this worked well for the warm weather.

One day Mr. Neighbor drove up in his snazzy car, dressed in a beautiful yellow shirt and a very nice tie. He'd just come home from work. It took me a few seconds to realize that I knew this person. When he got out of the car, I walked over and said: "You look terrific! This is the first time I've seen you fully dressed."  

 

Sitting Duck

Coming Soon . . .

 

Kevin's neatly stacked wood is ready to accommodate his wood stove for the oncoming cold weather.

Maxine at the Maine Mall

I was out at the mall with my son and his wife. I mean where else would you go when you're here from the Philadelphia area visiting Maine?

If I go to the Maine Mall three times a year it's a lot. But my daughter-in-law noticed that Maxine was sitting in car parked very close to ours. Luckily, I had my camera with me. I wouldn't have wanted to miss this photo op.

                        An Artist with a Green Thumb

 

Jill Atkins is an artist who has a studio that welcomes passersby. She also opens the studio up a few times a year for special shows that are announced with signs outside.

Aside from her artistic talents, Jill also is quite a gardener. Have you ever seen such a huge salvia? I hadn't. Jill had come along while I was snapping pictures of the gigantic plant. She informed me that the reason it was so large was because she had used a growth promoting bacteria in the soil.

And evidently it worked extremely well, judging from the profusion of redness in the photo below.

 

Local Felines

 

This unusually marked cat was hanging around near Gilbert's, the day we had the pigeon watching us eat our lunch. I like those wonderful patterns, particularly the face.

I leave my watering can filled, because Malachi likes to come over every morning and drink from it. He lives next door and spends a lot of time in my garden, where he's quite welcome.

Waterfront Personality

Ending a Year, Starting a Year

Who Are Your Favorite People?

My friend Kate O'Halloran gave me this delightful little gift on the way to the party that is the next subject.

It's just too precious to hang in my car, so I placed it on a wall in my kitchen. What a perfect item for the "police-beat" reporter for The West End NEWS!

I felt I had to share it with some of the police personnel that I deal with on a regular basis, and sent the photo off to a few of them. Detective Sergeant Robert Martin, a highly-decorated officer with many commendations and citations, who also possesses a finely-honed wit, responded with the following e-mail.

"That is funny. It probably won't get you out of a ticket but it might get your window broken."

It was excellent cautionary advice from one who knows what he's talking about.

Here's the back of the air freshener; it's a little badge.

Glitter Party

I was invited to a solstice party on December 22, hosted by Hannah Holmes and John Dorvee, which happened to be—you got it—the solstice! Everyone attending was supposed to wear something that glittered. The sequined "butterfly" above is the blouse I wore. It was a good choice. I was the "glitteriest" person there. I thought I might be.

One of the men there, who admired my shiny blouse, after hearing me make mention of my leopard-skin tuxedo jacket, said he'd like to come to my home and see my wardrobe closet. That jacket was purchased for my "dinosaur" party, a terrific event, with a magician, and of course lots of good food and great company.

[rear view of tuxedo jacket]

Several of my parties wound up with titles as a way of distinguishing them: There was the dinosaur party, held at the Ethical Society of Philadelphia; the bumblebee party; the dog- fight party; the gun-that-went-off party. I'll just mention that it was a tavern owner whose gun went off while showing it to someone in my kitchen. Scary! Unknown to me, he was holstered up with three weapons; one across his chest (.45); one at his waist (.38); and one on his ankle (.22). There were three unarmed off-duty officers (two of them a married couple) in attendance at that one, one of whom left immediately. The others remained and the rest of the people at the party thought that a firecracker had gone off in the kitchen. The gun-toting friend was removed from my party list after that event.

I just went to check my e-mail and one had come in a couple of minutes ago from the detective whose wife (now ex-wife) whisked him out of my house right after the gun went off. The bullet landed in the kitchen door jamb and I never removed it, as a reminder of how very lucky I was that night.

These guys must know that I'm writing about them. I checked my e-mail once again, and had one from the officer whose wife (also a police officer) did not drag him out the front door of my home.

Memories, memories, now back to the solstice event. Then the man who was interested in my clothing, proposed to me. I'd be happy to have him come over and look into my closet, but as far as marriage, "been there; done that"; x 2! That was enough for me. Some people just aren't marriage material, and I think I'm one of those. I love men, I just don't love being married to any of them.

More Glitter—on Flowers

Folks, do you see those shiny spots on the flowers that look like sequins? It's glitter! This is almost as bad as those donut peaches I wrote about many months ago. Why would anyone need to put glitter on flowers?

Old Port Fight

Three young suburban men in their twenties, no doubt buoyed by high levels of alcohol and testosterone, were engaging in fisticuffs in the middle of the street, a quarter after the hour of the closing of the local drinking establishments.

A Portland Police Department sergeant on routine patrol, after viewing the scene, brought his vehicle to a halt and ordered the combatants to cease and desist. One of the men heeded the command but the other two, somewhat in lack of good sense, were bent on finishing what they had started.

The pummeler on top was arrested and charged with assault and the pummelee was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

One can only hope they were pleased with their accommodations at the Cumberland County Jail, whereby they would be able to contemplate the result of their foolishness in quiet reverie, and possibly forge some worthwhile New Year’s resolutions based on the evening’s events.

Safe Sex Isn't Free

On New Year's Day at three o'clock in the afternoon, a twenty-four-year-old person of the male persuasion, catering to his libidinous urges, entered a Rite Aid drugstore in search of condoms. He is to be commended for his desire to have safe sex; however, he either didn't want to pay the price of the aforementioned items, or couldn't afford to. Whatever.

He was seen stealing condoms, police were called, and the guy was arrested for theft. We can only hope that his detainment didn't last long enough to prevent him from purchasing those same items and having a better start to the new year.

And He Had . . . What?

A guy goes into a Big Apple at 11:30 in the evening. He's wearing a ski mask (but after all, it is Maine) and after being aggressive toward the staff, refuses to leave the premises.

An employee promptly called for the help of the men in blue and upon their arrival the prominent feature pertaining to this 45-year-old man was a wooden handle protruding from his left jacket pocket.

Guess what? Upon the removal of the wood from the pocket, it was discovered to have a steak knife attached to it. The gentleman was relieved of said item before being transported to jail and charged with carrying a concealed weapon and criminal trespass.

Owl Takes Up Residence in Neighborhood

A magnificent barred owl took up residence around the corner in a giant fir tree for several days. I was hoping it might be a more permanent move, that I might be able to visit it and take photos on a daily basis.

Barred owls and spotted owls are very similar in appearance. Barred owls live in the eastern portion of the country and spotted owls' habitats are in the western parts of the United States.

He's gone! I'm going to keep checking out that tree though, hoping to see him once again. It certainly was a winter treat.

Reckless Conduct, Snow, and Ice: A Bad Combination

We've had a lot of snow and ice in Portland, more than the usual amount. People here usually don't turn the snow and ice into weapons.

But that's what occurred when police responded to a call after being notified that a man was throwing large chunks of ice and snow into the street directly in front of passing vehicles, causing them to either swerve or slam on their brakes.

When Officer Kent Porter arrived at the scene at three in the afternoon he saw pieces of ice in the street that were so large they could have caused serious bodily injury or damage to property.

Officer Porter, a gentleman with a pleasant demeanor, explained the reason he was asking the 53-year-old Portland man to stop this particular activity. The guy's response was "Get a life!" And then he threw a large shovelful of ice and snow at the policeman.

The officer, who has a very nice life, part of which is protecting the public from jackasses such as this, decided it was time for this man to take a short ride to the jail. He was charged with reckless conduct and disorderly conduct.

Saga of the "Crazy" Carrots

Check Out These Carrots!

They're different, aren't they? My friend Kevin got them at the farmers' market downtown last week. (Revise that to two weeks ago. This story is taking longer than anticipated.) They weren't for sale; they were for barter only. Kevin wanted these badly, so he looked in his backpack for something to barter. He had some over-the-counter pills for cold symptoms, but the man who had the carrots wasn't interested in those. He said he'd just gotten over a cold and was now fine.

Kevin rummaged around and came up with a CD that he'd made on cell division. He asked the man whether he might be interested in that. The gentleman accepted the CD as a trade for the carrots, and presumably everyone was happy. I know I was quite happy to take a portrait shot of these carrots that appear to be embracing. They are embracing, aren't they? Gee!

Strike One!

I went to the market today. (Change that to last week.) I'd been looking forward to this event since I'd seen Kevin's carrots, which happened to be Halloween; very fitting day to bring home such an oddity. I'd been told which section this farmer's spot was. I went directly there, but saw no freaky-looking carrots. I asked the young man whose space it was if he knew who had the barter-only carrots.

Daniel Price, of Freedom, Maine (what a great name for a town), stated he was the person with those carrots, but he didn't have any with him because he hadn't packed the truck for the market. I expressed my disappointment and told him I'd come prepared to barter. He was curious to see what I'd brought with me, so I showed him. He liked the print of "my" skunk and we decided that he could keep that and I'd come back the following week to pick up my carrot. He said he'd try to find a very unusual looking one for me.

Dan's dog Abbey accompanies him on his outings. Abbey is an eight-year-old mixed breed, really sweet and well behaved. The dog is wearing a bandanna and I have a weakness for dogs wearing such things. Too bad I couldn't get a nice head-on shot with the kerchief. You can see that bit of orange, so you know I'm telling the truth. What a big, fuzzy animal! And what a wonderful expression in its eyes.

As we were chatting, a handsome young man came over. He began to look over the produce to make some choices. And he knew my name, which mystified me. He said "Everybody knows Marge!" Really?

He told me his name when I asked him, but said that he didn't want to be identified on my blog. So I'm acceding to his wishes. From this photo, you wouldn't be able to tell who he is and I won't divulge his name, nor will I tell you which newspaper he works for as a reporter. It's too bad that you can't see how good looking he is. He lives in my neighborhood and we know some of the same people, so I told him to come and visit me. I said "I don't drink beer, but I keep some in the refrigerator for friends that stop by."

Isn't this a neat sign? And it's so happy! Freedom Farm is owned by Dan Price and his partner Ginger. They started the organic farm three years ago and Dan had been working on farms for five years prior to that. He loves farming. He comes to both farmers' markets in Portland, the one on Wednesdays at Monument Square, where I met him, and the one held Saturdays in Deering Oaks. The farm also participates in markets in Belfast and Bar Harbor.

I was on a mission, and I'd come prepared to barter. I brought things I created: a stone necklace from my days of making sea glass jewelry; and a print of the skunk I became so fond of who shared my garden this summer. I'd come to think of him as Mister TinyToes.

Price chose the picture of the skunk. For some reason, I thought he'd like that, which is why I brought it with me. But then I made the mistake of saying, "The skunk, the farmer's friend." He seemed a bit horrified and said, "Oh, no! They kill chickens!" Oops! I'd read about all of the bad bugs they eat, not the naughtiness they were involved with. Of course I was coming from a pro-skunk bias also. He straightened out my thinking very quickly.

We then got into a discussion about how and why the bartering of "crazy" carrots began. Price told me that in the bunching process, they had been discarding lots of good carrots because of their appearance. These anomalies are natural occurrences. He said "We don't get paid for our time as farmers. It's a two-person job for four hours to bunch carrots, so we don't want to put a monetary value on it." And so began the bartering aspect of the produce stand, the summer before last.

Price said many customers aren't aware of the sign. The interest "ebbs and flows. We've accepted lots of crummy things." Some of the items in the "crummy" category were dental floss, a battery, and a half-eaten granola bar. There have also been some wonderful trades conducted: a foot massage, a lovely watercolor of carrots and parsnips, which was shown to me, and Price said that one woman wrote a song and performed it. She chose her carrot, and said she'd return the following week with the song and performance. She delivered everything she'd promised.

When I asked what the strangest barter item received was, Price ran to his truck and came back with this little trinket. It would be interesting to know the story behind how and why this chicken bone came to be decorated in this manner.

Strike Two!

I went back to the market on November 14, with high anticipation of seeing some crazy carrots and returning home with one of my own. Farmer Price was there, his produce looking inviting.

Abbey was there, wearing the same bandanna, and this time I was able to get a good shot of the scarf.

Although the produce was luscious in appearance, I was only interested in getting my carrot trade, and possibly seeing an assortment of these mutants, which I could photograph.

But I struck out for the second time. Dan said he'd been in New York until late the night before and Ginger had packed the truck. He apologized and said that he'd neglected to tell her to pack some crazy carrots. Oops!

I wasn't interested in the squash. It wasn't "crazy." I wasn't interested in the potatoes. They weren't "crazy" either. Price did offer me a distorted parsnip, to tide me over, but I wanted none of that. My mission was to secure a crazy carrot and nothing less than that would satisfy me.

My next opportunity would be Saturday, at Deering Oaks. It's marked on my calendar and I'll be there.

I happened to be at the market when the official Christmas tree for Portland arrived at Monument Square. I was able to see it unloaded from the giant flatbed trailer and watch its installation.

That made the trip worthwhile because I got pictures of the event.

A Triple! (Or Triplets)

Saturday was a beautiful sunny day, after two solid days of heavy rain and gray miserable weather. Once again I was excited about the prospect of getting my very own crazy carrots. I got to Deering Oaks around 8:30. As I began walking toward the center of the park, there was a young woman almost next to me. We began talking and she said she was a "foodie" and she had a food blog; she and her husband had been eating just locally grown food since July. She said they've recently added olive oil back to their menu because they missed it and it's hard to find a replacement. Amen!

When I asked her name she said it was Alison LePage, and I wrote down the address of her Web site. I gave her a card with mine on it. She was familiar with Freedom Farm, knew about the crazy carrots, and bought produce from Dan Price on a regular basis.

Dan was there and so were the crazy carrots. I asked permission to remove the box with the carrots from the table to take some photos of them in the shade. Permission was granted.

Every time I look at this carrot above, I think: "It's a boy!"

This one I've titled "carrot orgy" in my photo folder. Yes?

When I brought the crate back, Alison was making a purchase and we walked back to our cars together. I'd taken one carrot and was thrilled to have this saga coming to an end.

Right by the parking area, Dan came running and calling my name. He said "Don't you want these?" I told him I had a carrot, but he said in order to repay me for my patience and fortitude, he wanted me to have three different crazies to bring home. That was awfully sweet of him, and he ran quite a distance to catch up with us.

I asked Alison if she'd like to bring one of my carrots home, since I had more than enough, and she was quite happy to be able to add it to her other vegetables. We parted company, saying we'd link to each other's Web sites.

I hope Alison LePage's carrot tasted as delicious as mine. And I'm certain it did.

End-of-Summer Walks

Huh?

Well excuse me! I didn't know that there were any parking "spot owners" in my neighborhood. People don't own spots in this city. This certainly bears investigating. This envelope was in the street a couple of blocks from where I live. Very mysterious.

Plum Tree Bounty . . .

This is one of the most beautiful colors in existence (to me). There were many plums on the sidewalk also. The owners had gone away for a couple of days, but they'd better return quickly to reap their harvest.

. . . and Pears a Block Away

This pear tree has an abundance of fruit this year. I always tease the owner, wanting her to place a bottle around one of the forming pears. She always tells me it will make the branch too heavy. Pooh! It will not.

Lost

How the hell does anyone lose a basketball? There was nothing wrong with this one. Oh, kids today! Eh?

Graffiti

This garage door had been an eyesore for more than a year. The man who owns this building, which is composed of artists' studios, is also a developer. The fact that he hadn't tried to remove it made the graffiti even more offensive. Many of my neighbors felt the same way. One of them had called him and I was told that he said he considered it to be "art." Art? I think not!

I sent him an e-mail in mid-August, stating my complaint about the fact that this never seemed to be going away and that I felt it was hideous. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a response from him. Here's what he said:

     I guess that I have left the graffiti because I kind of like it. It is an artist building and graffiti is a guerrilla art form. Admittedly it   isn't even really very good or interesting graffiti. If it is an eyesore to the neighborhood, I would be happy to paint over it. I have also thought of a mural for the door. Any thoughts on that?

I told him that I am very aware of what art is, since I am a professional artist. I said this was not art. I mentioned that the stencil of the man, done in red, was not objectionable. I like him. Someone went to some effort with that section. But the rest was trash, plain and simple.

I thought the idea of a mural was terrific, and it could be a mural done in a graffiti style, but would be art. I referred him to a building that had its front repainted this summer in a graffiti style, which is a wonderful addition to the street that it's on. 

Within the past few days the garage door had been cleaned up. Hurray! I don't know whether the center section couldn't be covered over for some reason, or if that's something the owner chose to leave there. It's a vast improvement, however. But the red guy is gone. That's too bad.

This is the final update. It's all nice and white! I sent the owner an e-mail that said "Thank you!" Let's hope it stays the way it looks now.

The Grape Harvest

We'll be heading over to Nini's to stomp on the grapes pretty soon. She's gotten quite a nice crop this season. That was also her pear tree whose photograph was shown earlier. She's a Master Gardener, and she really has the touch.

Nini's Night Blooming Cereus

The night blooming cereus was very late producing its marvelous flowers this year. It normally does its wonderful one-night performance at the end of July. These pictures of the buds were taken on September 12. This is the latest the plant has begun blooming since I've observed it, which is almost eighteen years.

This is what the plant looked like on September 16.

These flowers were opening the same morning. They're not supposed to open in the morning, however. It's something that normally happens at dusk. It had been quite cool that week, not at all feeling like summer. I wasn't able to get over in the evening to watch the opening of any of the flowers, get a whiff of the plant's magical aroma, or to partake of the delicious dessert that Nini made.

My plant, which is the child of Nini's, didn't even have one bud this summer. Darn! I'll have to wait another entire year. Maybe I'll feed it more.

City Sights

Margaritas

I went to my favorite cantina Saturday evening with a few friends. And of course we had some Margaritas. Delicious!

There was a waitress with astounding electric-pink hair. You can get away with outrageous hair when you're pretty, and she was. She was working hard and the restaurant was busy, so I didn't want to bother her to ask her to pose for a photo. I don't like posed pictures anyway.

I tried to catch her while she was serving people. I got her, although it's quite dark. I like the "feel" of the picture though. The calla lilies remind me of Diego Rivera and the young woman's face seems very dark with a Renaissance tonality. Very mysterious.

There was also a group of young women hosting a bachelorette party. They were wearing sashes designating the maids of honor, and the bride had a sash with flashing lights. I'd never seen anything like that before. I did bother them and they happily obliged to have a group picture shot.

Lots of luck to Lisa, the bride-to-be. I'm sure everyone will have a great time at the wedding, which will take place in a couple of weeks. Then it's on to happily-ever-after land.

Local Plant Faves

My wisteria bloomed this year, but the flowers were only in one area. The leaves were quite late in bursting forth, but now they're going wild. You can actually see the difference in their growth from morning to evening. It's wonderful.

Flowering cherry trees are favorites of mine also. The profusion of pink blossoms is glorious.

I walk around the neighborhood soaking up the loveliness of these trees. They cheer up even the gloomiest of days.

I've been waiting patiently for this tulip poplar to blossom, and it's doing its thing—finally. This is the tallest tree in the area.

It's much taller than the three-story dwelling next to it. The normal height for a mature tree is between 60 and 100 feet. Big! It's also called yellow poplar, and is the state tree of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

The tree is actually not in the poplar family; it's allied with the magnolia. It's a treat having one nearby.

This iris is high on my list of beautiful flowers. The color is extraordinary. They grow so tall that they need to be staked up so that they don't just droop to the ground. Kevin's done a good job of keeping them upright this season.

Nice Facade

A little color, or a lot of color, is always nice to see. This is a front I pass almost daily.

Poor Calla!

I met Calla and her owner Dave at the little park on North Street. Calla is a 15-week-old Lab, and she had the misfortune of having her eye bitten so badly by a bulldog that it had to be removed. She still has her stitches in, which will be taken out in a few days.

Calla's problem happened at the city's dog park on Valley Street. She made the mistake of going for a ball that the bulldog was after and she got chomped—big time!

During the conversation I had with Dave about the incident, he told me that about five people who had been at the park at the time also went to the emergency clinic to find out how Calla was faring. But guess who didn't show up there? That's right; the woman with the bulldog was nowhere to be seen. And guess who paid for Calla's veterinary care? That's right; Dave is stuck with that bill. The woman with the biting bulldog never offered to help defray the costs, never offered to pay the entire bill, never even bothered to find out what Calla's injuries were.

All I can say is that there should be many more nice people like Dave in this world and far fewer in the bulldog owner's category. Here's to a speedy recovery for Calla.

Seen Locally

New Puppy Next Door . . .

Shelby moved in next door a couple of weeks ago. She was very lucky to be adopted by Bea and Michele. They'll give her a great home. She's a mixed breed, very calm, and with a delightful quizzical expression that spotted dogs have.

. . . and Another Cute Dog

Oh, so cute! I'd like to take this guy home. He looks like a stuffed toy.

New Friend in the Works

I'm waiting for Leila to be born. She's due to make her appearance on Planet Earth around the second week in July. It actually looks as though she's ready to become a certified air breather before that date.

I have a feeling she's going to be an adorable, plump baby with pinchable cheeks. But I won't pinch them, don't worry. I'll stroke them ever so gently. And I already love her! I'll only have to walk a few blocks when I want to visit her. Perfect.

Quebec Street Happenings

This squirrel had a nice meal cleaning all of the leftover crumbs from a cupcake paper. He took his time and did an extremely thorough job.

The last several weeks, each time I'd be driving down the hill, I saw this table with the yellow flowers sitting in the middle of it. It's outside an apartment complex, which made it even nicer. It was a welcoming sight, and I get a lot of pleasure from the visual image. I finally stopped the other day to take a photograph.

Later on that day, I was taking my long walk, up and down hills other than the one I live on. As I was nearing the top of the hill (thank goodness) a woman was approaching in the other direction. I'd never seen her before, but we both said hello, which is one of the friendly aspects I enjoy about living here.

She then said "Were you taking pictures earlier?" I'd taken photos in three different locations earlier, and I said "Where?"

She responded "On Quebec Street." I explained that I'd been taking pictures of the lovely little table with the flowers. Then she told me that she'd purchased the table and chairs, and set up the flowers, to make it look like a home. I told her how much I enjoy seeing it each time I go by, which is almost every day, and I complimented her for adding such a nice touch to the neighborhood. I then asked her name and she said it was Mary.

Thank you, Mary! You've done a great job.

Gay Pride in Deering Oaks

Deering Oaks is a beautiful park in the heart of Portland. It has tennis courts, a playground, baseball field, and hosts a wonderful farmer's market every Saturday morning during the appropriate seasons. There's also a large pond and a lovely fountain, where ducks congregate. They even have their own house in the center.

The duck house is removed in late fall, before the bad weather arrives. In the winter the pond is turned into an ice-skating rink, and when spring arrives the duck house is returned and it once again becomes a pond. That's the official signal that spring has come to Portland; the duck house is in the center of the pond once again. It's a welcome sight.

The day designated for the Gay Pride festival was one consisting of perfect weather; bright sun and warmth prevailed. The park was filled with people.

Lots of terrific entertainment kept the crowd happy and responsive.

Bunny Wonderland and her friend were amenable to having their pictures taken. Bunny was one of the performers, whose act received a rousing welcome.

This snazzy trio (from left to right) consists of Mercedes, Porcia, and Posh.

Alex was one of the fashionable folks attending the festival. I'd never seen him around town, so I asked whether he was downtown often. He said he was. I'll be on the lookout for him; he certainly has lots of style.

The day's festivities ended with a Pier Dance at the Maine State Pier.

Honeybee Hives

A neighbor has some honeybee hives in her backyard. Bzz! Bzz! The bees are living in those white boxes. You can see many of them at the very bottom. If you look carefully, you can see some in their drinking fountain, which is very close to their hives.

I won't be wandering into this garden very often. The quarters seem too close for comfort in a city setting. I've been stung a few times, and it hurts!

Years ago I had friends who were raising honeybees in Mullica Hill, New Jersey. Their hives were quite a distance from the house. You had to walk across a field to get to them.

Spring Strolls

This plump pigeon was sitting on top of a bench, just resting, on a lovely spring day. He was pleased to pose for his portrait.

Come and Get It!

Here's a sweet hobbyhorse looking for a new home; nice and clean also. There are a couple of little boys who live across the street from where this had been set out.

I hope their mother sees it and moves it over to their yard. I'm sure they'd have many hours of amusement, playing with it.

Seasonal Shoes Are Back

It's only the beginning of May, but sandals are already appearing on the street. These are quite attractive. They'd look even better in a nicer setting.

Worrisome Tree

This tree lost a huge limb in the ice storm of 1998. I really don't like to walk underneath it. It's tipping over so far, it seems as though it wouldn't take much for it to just become uprooted and go over into the street.

I fully expected to find it toppled after our powerful April Nor'easter, but it was in the same state it's been in for the past several years. Still standing. But do I trust it? Not really.

My Funeral Cloud

Isn't that a sweet little cloud? And look at that gorgeous blue Maine sky. That's exactly what my cremation urn looks like, in addition to also having a small rainbow in one portion of it. This is the reason whenever I see that sort of Maine sky, I think "Oh, my funeral cloud is out today."

The urn is actually a child's urn, but who cares? The important thing was that it have a nice shape, which happens to be small and round, and to have artwork on it that I can relate to.

Liz Looks at the Stars

Liz McMahon, who writes an astrology column for The West End News called "Liz Looks at the Stars," says that the flowers for Sagittarius are carnations and dandelions. I say "yuck"! Here's the list of flowers for the other signs of the zodiac: water lily; orchid; pansy; amaranth; geranium; bluebell; daisy; forget-me-nots; sunflower; marigold; roses; lilacs; lily-of-the valley; poppy; violet; honeysuckle. I hardly think that's fair.

I never liked carnations; perhaps that's because when I was in elementary school we made paper carnations, and we'd have the edges colored in with red crayon. My dentist's office gives out carnations each visit you make there. It's a nice gesture, but I usually don't bring the flower home with me. Here's a carnation I did bring home, from today's dental visit.

I've changed my attitude toward dandelions since I read Liz's column. I always thought they were cute, and I know that many people eat their leaves, although that's something I've never partaken of. Just because the dandelion is my flower doesn't mean I'll be eating any part of it. But I am thinking about it in a different way, not just as an invasive weed.

I must admit that I do love when they go to seed. They're stunning at that point. I've always wanted to take one of those and encase it in resin.

Webster's says this about dandelions: "sometimes grown as a potherb and nearly cosmopolitan as a weed." I don't believe I'll encourage them to live in my garden, but I definitely do not have any prejudice toward them. How can you direct bad feelings at such a happy bright yellow flower?

If Liz hadn't cautioned against giving anyone a bouquet of dandelions, I would have been tempted to give her one the next time I had the pleasure of seeing her. I came up with a better idea, however.

Liz McMahon is also the Theater Manager for the St. Lawrence Arts & Community Center (formerly the St. Lawrence Church), which is undergoing major restoration. It's located in the Munjoy Hill neighborhood of Portland, and many exciting events are ongoing in this beautiful building.

[photograph from richiecdisc]

This is a woodcut of mine, which I gave to Liz; she's a Scorpio and her flower is the geranium. It pleased me that she liked it. And she happened to be wearing a beautiful geranium-colored jacket! And getting back to Liz's zany horoscope column, I enjoy it so much that I read the entire thing, not just what she says is in store for Sagittarius. I get lots of laughs from her delightful writing, and now that it's posted online, so can you.

Woody the Woodchuck Has Returned!

As I was returning from a walk, a neighborhood cat was tentatively entering my garden. I didn't discourage it, so we slowly walked in together. The past couple of weeks I'd started looking at the hole under the shed door, to see if Woody might make an appearance. I was hoping for his return.

When the cat and I neared the shed, Woody was waiting for us. Pussycat got pretty close to Woody, who didn't move at all. Then the cat just left; Woody stayed for a while and allowed a portrait shot to be taken.

Welcome back, Woody. Last year I bought annuals that woodchucks don't like to eat (because they're poisonous), like foxglove and nicotiana. I guess I'll be making the same purchases this year. He's never bothered my geraniums or impatiens, so they're safe to plant. He and I got along very well last summer, and I'm looking forward to another season observing him.