Margery Niblock

August Ambles

Artistic Advertising

Elizabeth Fraser is a prolific neighborhood artist, whose home also serves as an art gallery. The wonderful palette on her front door defines the building's interior.

She has wonderful openings, delightful art, and is an asset to the area.

Beautiful Window Boxes

I've enjoyed these lovely window box displays for the past several years, and have complimented the owner when I meet her as she's walking her dogs.

This is the first time I'd been able to take a photograph that was acceptable to me. It seems that whenever I'd passed by with my camera previously, the light was never quite right.

The couple living in this house have also done amazing things with stones in their garden. I've watched their hard work and have admired their diligence and artistic ability. It's always a joy to walk past their home.

Shocking Arrest of Daisy Duck

When I looked at the police department's arrest log for the week of 7/23/2008 to 7/31/2008, I was stunned to see the name of "Duck, Daisy" under the column headed "Arrestee Name." I pick up these arrest logs each Friday, check them over the weekend, and highlight the ones that might produce an interesting story for The West End NEWS. On Monday mornings I talk to the person assigned with the task of dealing with the media regarding these issues, and hopefully by the end of that conversation I have at least one story to write up.

Daisy Duck was arrested on July 31 at 11:03 in the morning for "Criminal/Traffic/Civil/Offenses." Her home address was given as Portland and her age was 58. Daisy lied about her age, because she was actually born in 1940, so she chopped ten years off to reach that number.

Daisy Duck was one of my childhood "friends," along with Donald and the rest of the clan. I actually pulled out the Portland telephone directory, to see if there is anyone with that name residing here. There wasn't. But in relaying this event to friends in Philly, I've discovered that there are two people down there with the last name of "Duck." One is Donald and the other is Joseph; however, there are no Ducks in Portland, Maine.

I noticed that there was no name listed for the arresting officer, which caused me to think that someone might have added the name as a joke.

When I delved a bit further into the entry, the person I deal with regarding these matters said: "Oh, I see the case number isn't a valid one. The number for this is much higher than any numbers we use." He said the narrative stated that Daisy had caused a disturbance at the farmers' market.

He then postulated that during computer training for the managing information system (MIS), where names, charges, and other information are entered during practice sessions, this particular entry had somehow gotten into the actual arrest log.

First I thought it might have been done just to test me, to see if I would notice it. It's all about me, you know! That wasn't the case in this situation.

My Peach Lover Poses

That darling woodchuck still can't resist his peaches. I haven't eaten a peach in a long time because they taste like cardboard to me. But I'm always purchasing peaches at the supermarket for Woody.

He's grabbed it! He usually won't eat it outside if I'm around. He brings it into his home and then he'll leave the pit near his front door. And a nice, clean pit it is.

This is our third year together. He looks a lot plumper than he did last year. He has to really squeeze himself back into his entrance, which is what he's doing in the picture above.

This was taken the next day. We were just looking at one another. There's a peach outside, which isn't in the photo. He's trying to decide whether he should come out to retrieve it or if he should just wait for me to go away.

He stayed with his head by the entrance for about 20 minutes and then backed off. I waited a bit longer and then left. The next time I came back, the peach had disappeared.

What's Wrong with This Lighter?

There's not a thing wrong with its lighting capacity. But the spelling does leave a lot to be desired. It should be "KENNEBUNKPORT." It was a gift, and it's quite a collector's item.

"art of the month club" Origami

The mailing this month contained this lovely origami crane, accompanied by a sheet of instructions.

There were also three pieces of paper included in the mailing, which are to be used to make cranes.

At the top of the page it says: "According to legend, if you make a wish and fold one thousand paper cranes, the wish will come true."

I certainly have a long way to go in order to get my wish, but there's no rush.

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.

Out and About Once Again

New Family Members

This magnificent chickadee was created by Sue Talbot, who carves all sorts of birds out of wood. When I saw her work I had to get one of her creations.

Sue informed me that the bird was carved from tupelo wood and painted with many layers of thin acrylic washes. The legs and toes are brass rods that have been shaped, soldered, and covered with epoxy putty. The base and cone were carved from one piece of cedar.

The chickadee was shipped down to Portland from Camden, Maine, in a well-packed cardboard container. He seems to have acclimated very well to his new home, and I've told Sue that she has "visitation rights." It's also very special, since the chickadee is Maine's state bird.

Toni Wolf, a wonderful artist, sent me this little paper frog that she made. Toni knows I have a long-standing relationship with frogs and she thought that sending this little fellow my way might make spring seem a bit closer.

It's a welcome addition to my eclectic collection of artwork. Thank you, Toni!

March "art of the month club"

My envelope for March arrived from the art of the month club. As you can see, for this month's activity I was asked to draw something that I love on the other side of this prestamped, self-addressed postcard. I didn't exactly follow the instructions to the letter.

I cut out my skunk from one of my prints, and pasted it on to the card. Then I did do some drawing of grass and I signed my name to it. I hope those folks won't be too upset with my interpretation of the rules.

Snow and Hydrants

This is a creative way to draw attention to a lost glove. For those of you who don't live in snowy climes, the reason that metal rod is attached to the fire hydrant is so firefighters will know where those very important pieces of equipment are if they happen to get buried under the snow.

During the winter, you'll see firefighters driving around to make certain that all of the hydrants are exposed and available for use, if need be.

Huh? What Is It?

I got quite excited when I saw this "thing" lying on the bricks. I had no idea what it might be. It's a little dog toy that squeaks when pressed. I pressed it and it squeaked, so I'm able to report that with authority. Some poor pooch is without its little leopard toy.

Bacon Lovers' Delight

My agent Kevin, who handles my artwork at the eBay store, sent me this photo. I thought that he'd done something new and different with a package of bacon and wanted to share it with me.

I'd never seen a bacon pot holder before—nor had I ever hoped to see one. It's very similar to that purple-cow syndrome from our childhoods. But that was not the case at all. This isn't something Kevin made. He'd found the photo on the Internet while searching for something. You know how that goes, don't you?

I wouldn't be surprised if he does make one of these at some point. I've had bacon at his house and he does wonders with it, so I hope I get invited if he ever decides to make one of these.

Oops! Spring Snow

I'm so anxious to see "my" skunk again that when I saw these footprints in the snow, I thought that's who made them. I was quite disappointed after sending them to a friend, when she sent back a drawing of skunk footprints and told me these were made by a cat. A cat! Of course I should have known. That's what wishful thinking can do, it can turn one into a fool.

This is what my garden looked like on March 29! We had more snow, a spring snowstorm. Well, at least it helped us break the 100-inch mark. That's special.

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.

'Tis the Season

My Latest Toy

I'm a child at heart. I love toys. I think that's one of the best things about being grown up, that I can buy anything I want for myself.

This little felt "monster" came from the Filament Gallery on Congress Street, run by Jill Dalton and Ernest Paterno. I've bought quite a few things there since they opened several years ago.

This is an argon sculpture created by Ernie, who does marvelous things with glass. It's a wonderful addition to my home, hanging on a wall in the living room.

And this delightful clock was also created by him.

A Beautiful Dog

This is Loki, an Akita. In Norse legend, Loki is the trickster god. A young man who lives around the corner owns Loki, and I met them in the park at the top of North Street.

Crushed Mail

This is a mail slot; a big one.

It's on the outside of the front door. It is eleven inches wide. I had it put in when I first bought this house (which I no longer own, although I still live here). I put in a large mail slot because transcripts were coming to me from a court stenographer in Philadelphia several times a week. I'd proofread them as soon as they arrived, make corrections, and drive them down to the post office so that the turnaround time would be fast.

There were also mailboxes on the front of the building, and the mailman was so clever he knew not to try and stuff a large envelope into a small mailbox. He really had an understanding of size and visual perspective. It helps in that line of work.

This is what the mail slot looks like on the inside of the door. It's still eleven inches wide!

The mail carrier who delivers to our building normally places the mail on a chair inside the hallway. I then sort it out for the three apartments and place the mail on the appropriate steps for floor 2 and floor 3. It works very well. The mailboxes outside are a little too small, especially when folks are dealing with Netflix.

I can always tell when we have a substitute delivering our mail. This is what the mail looks like on those occasions. This is my mailbox. Nicely done, isn't it?

This is what confronted me the other day when I stepped outside because I realized the mail hadn't been left on the chair. The young man who lives on the third floor was going out at the same time and when he saw my mailbox he said "What is wrong with this person?"

There was more than just cramming wrong with that person. I don't get Netflix; that was for James, who had just commented on my mailbox's appearance. So what was wrong was that the person either didn't know how to read or just didn't bother. And sometimes it's windy on the hill. Things might blow out of a mailbox loaded up like this. But who cares? Not that particular mail carrier, evidently. C'est la vie.

"Everybody Knows Marge" Birthday Mouse Pad

This was a most clever gift from my friend Kate. She got the idea after I'd told her about the handsome young man I'd been chatting with at the crazy carrots stand, which I'd written about a few weeks ago. He knew who I was and I didn't know who he was. When I'd asked how he knew me he said "Everybody knows Marge."

Kate thought that was pretty funny (and so did I), and she made this mouse pad to commemorate that statement. The flames are like the ones on my FlameMobile. It's all connected in one big circle.

Lots of December Snow

This was our first snowfall this December. It brought eight inches of whiteness and our first parking ban of the season. A few days later we got another four inches, and yesterday we got about a foot. That's a lot of snow for December. It's snowing again today and we may get another six to ten inches. It certainly seems as though we will have a white Christmas, which most people in Maine yearn for.

It's quite lovely to look at; driving is another thing entirely. And walking is quite another matter.

Seasonal Sweater

My son and daughter-in-law (Marc and Maria) got me this sweater a few years ago. I always look forward to wearing it. It is really warm. I've worn it when the temperature was only in the teens, as it was the other day, and it's fine. I get many compliments whenever I wear this. People stop me and say how much they like the sweater. And that's not just women. Many men make comments also. It's a garment that makes people smile, which is a very good thing.

Last year I decided that I could wear the sweater as long as there was snow on the ground. It's a winter sweater, not just one for Christmas. I think there's also a dreidel in one of those gift boxes.

Christmas at Police Headquarters

This is Deputy Chief Joe Loughlin with his boxer, PT. Joe (coauthor of Finding Amy) says the dog is "brave, trustworthy, loyal, helpful, courteous, and kind." He looks quite regal also. I would say that Joe has the same qualities. They're well paired.

Cheery Sun

Nance Parker, of the Shoestring Theater, had an exhibit of her paintings and some craft items this past weekend. I went for this papier-mâché sun in a big way and had to bring it home with me.

I've hung it on the outside of the bathroom door. I can see it when I'm working at the kitchen table and I'm really enjoying its bright personality.

Merry Christmas!

It's November No More!

What a Great Find!

I found this in a parking lot. It's two-sided, so I must share the other side with you. The little handle up there actually turns. Quite a clever cardboard whatever.

Yes, yes, I know it's a drill. I wonder why someone went to all the effort to create this. It's really nicely done. And now it's hanging in the entrance to my kitchen. There's still room left here for something that's this narrow.

Surprise Floral Arrangement

I was returning from a walk the other day, when my friend Joe called to me. I crossed the street and he sat down on the steps while we chatted.

When I looked to the left, I saw this lovely arrangement of flowers, which Joe said he'd placed there. It was such a pleasant surprise. I might never have noticed it if we hadn't been talking at just that spot.

Pretty Colors

I may have tortured you with all of my pumpkin photographs, but these colors were so lovely together. Just concentrate on the orange color and forget that it's another pumpkin.

Noel's Impact Felt in Maine

Although the storm generated by Hurricane Noel was not as bad as our April 16 event, its remnants created winds high enough to snap the mooring line of this sailboat, Molly Waldo. This picture was taken at low tide on Sunday, November 5, around one in the afternoon at the East End beach.

Walking toward the boat, I saw a man and his dog approach it from the other direction. He checked certain things and then walked in my direction. I asked whether he was the owner. He said he was, and that he'd owned the boat for 20 years. He said it looked like it was in good shape, that the only problem would be getting it off the rocks and back into the bay. I expect that will be accomplished within a few days.

Healing Field in Deering Oaks

I got a call Saturday afternoon from my wonderful neighbors, Bea and Michele. They said "Get your camera and drive over to Deering Oaks. You'll know why we called when you get there."

Exciting! A mystery assignment. Even though I'd already been out and didn't want to leave the house again, I followed their directive. As soon as I approached the park I saw hundreds of flags; and they were large flags.

The flags were in several locations in the park and it was an impressive display. I ran into a man who knew something about them and was told it was called a Healing Field. The flags are to commemorate Veterans Day, November 11, and it's a national event, sponsored by the American Legion.

Maine is participating by having flags in several locations. There will also be 2,900 flags along the Maine Turnpike and I-95, from Augusta to the New Hampshire border at Kittery. The Deering Oaks display adds over 800 more to that number.

Portland's Official Christmas Tree Arrives

The city's Christmas tree arrived at Monument Square on November 14, accompanied by a police escort. It didn't have far to travel, probably under three miles.

The tree will be decorated and the lighting will take place the evening after Thanksgiving. It's always an event that's well attended.

It's an impressive sight, watching the crane get the tree aligned and secured in place.

It will be a cheerful reminder of a pleasant season, when bright decorations are welcome.

Shopping Cart Peeks

Tell the truth now, do you ever glance into other people's shopping carts? I do. I'm always hoping I'll see something fascinating. I decided to bring my camera with me on my trips to the supermarket, just so I'd be ready if something wonderful presented itself.

This cart falls into that "wonderful" category, as far as I'm concerned. I was at the store a couple of days after Thanksgiving when an announcement was made that all turkeys would be thirty-nine cents a pound until they ran out.

I happened to be right near the turkeys at that time, and two men began hurling turkeys into their carts. They must have had fifteen in each cart. And these turkeys were about twenty pounds apiece. Quite a load!

Another Aspect of Shopping Cart Peeks

They're darling, aren't they? That's Morgan on the left and Brigid is looking right at us.

You see babies and small children in shopping carts quite often. I have never seen the section or aisle of the market where they're displayed for sale though. I guess I'm just hitting the store at the wrong time, after the children have been put into carts.

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.

An Iguana Named "Lizard"

This is my scratchboard rendition of Lizard, the lucky iguana who lives in my friend Karen's lovely home. What a setup this guy has! But it could have been a very short story with a disastrous end.

This is where it all started, on Exchange Street, in Portland's Old Port. Karen was on her way to an early-morning meeting at eight o'clock one fall morning eleven years ago.

She noticed a baby iguana running down the sidewalk. It was bright green, about six inches long. The weather was turning cold and Karen scooped up the animal, placing it into the large handbag she was carrying.

She brought the creature home, looked up what its needs were, and got the necessary items for maintaining it. Then she put up signs downtown, placed an ad, and did whatever she could to try to find the owner. No one responded.

She then checked on the Internet for people who wanted iguanas as pets. After some further investigation, she realized these would not be good homes for the little iguana.

He was growing and thriving under Karen's care, so she now had an iguana sharing her home. They've just returned from two years in North Carolina, where Karen went to get an advanced degree in genetics, which is her specialty. They drove down together; and they've just driven back together. I did the drawing of Lizard before they left.

I missed them both for that period of time. Lizard had a very nice setup in a front window of Karen's home and many days when I walked by I could see him looking out the window. I'd always enjoy getting that glimpse of him checking out Congress Street from his perch.

I went over the other day to take some photographs of him. He's now around four and a half feet in length.

Iguanas need the right wavelength of light and a vegetarian diet or they can develop metabolic bone disease, causing softening of their bones. Lizard has a humidifier and he gets misted. He loves water and will climb into the bathtub when he wants a bath. When I asked how often he does that, Karen said "He wants a bath every day, but he gets one every other day."

He is paper trained, so he has free reign of the house. And the bathtub is on the second floor, so he goes to a lot of effort climbing the steps to let Karen know he wants his bath.

His favorite food is an overripe banana. Yummy! says Lizard. He shares the house with three cats and they're all good pals. The only problem is that now he has a large cage because the felines will eat his food if it's just left out as it used to be before the arrival of the cats.

See what I mean?

Iguanas grow about an inch per month and they shed and peel monthly during this growth phase. Lizard only sheds four times a year now. He's fully grown (thank goodness!).

I think it's really neat when animals that would ordinarily have no contact with one another live together in harmony. If only human beings could achieve the same acceptance of one another, the world would certainly benefit.

October Views

Wishful Thinking

This plot of ground has a long way to go before it might even approximate the word garden.

When I filed this photograph I titled it "wishful thinking." That sums it up, doesn't it? I'll have to check it out next spring and see what's going on there. I have a feeling it won't be anything to write about.

After the Storm

After last night's rainstorm, the trees have fewer colorful leaves. But now the ground is filled with them.

Colorful Vehicle

This extremely colorful van was parked up the street. It had Massachusetts plates on it. I had to check the passenger side to see whether it was the same as this side. It wasn't. I couldn't get far enough away to take a shot of the entire side, so I just recorded the important part. And here it is.

Too bad its owner doesn't live around here. I'd enjoy seeing this more often. It's not suitable for being a getaway car either. So you know whoever owns it isn't up to anything sneaky.

PLEASE!!

Is that request loud enough for you to hear? I would think so. It's also very clearly printed out, and an excellent reason is also given for not slamming the door. This appeared on a building around the corner, comprised of artists' studios. It seems as though a potter is having a difficult time.

Pumpkin with Personality

This pumpkin has one of the longest stems I've ever seen, so I had to bring it home after seeing it at the farmers' market last week. I detest how the supermarkets lop off the stems. I now have nine pumpkins in my home. I hope some of them last until Thanksgiving, or longer.

Henry's Pumpkin

Henry will be ten in December. He's a very talented young man, as you can see from this ceramic pumpkin he made at pottery class.

Friendly Note

I hope the guys had a chance to read this pleasant and informative note, before it ended up in the street. And the best part is they're not even being asked to do anything.

Happy Ghost

I didn't bring this little ghost home. I left him in the grass where I'd seen him. But I'll look for him when I walk, and hope he hangs around until Halloween.

And Then There Was This Eye . . .

I did bring this eye home after it stared up at me from the brick sidewalk. How could I just leave it there? It's in the latest vase, with the 32 cents that also came back home with me after today's walks.

. . . and After That, a Street Face

He's pretty goofy looking, isn't he? Just lying in the street. I found it quite amusing. It's nice having interesting things to look at when I'm walking. I didn't bring that one home; no room. Sorry, fella, you'll just have to stay where you are.

Cleaning Out Drawers

You never know what you'll come across when you decide to get rid of papers in drawers. I hadn't seen this in more than 25 years. I'll never throw it away.

My good friend Michael Kessler, a talented stained-glass artist, took a vacation in Hawaii and brought this back. I think he knew I'd like it. It still makes me laugh. Why don't you check out some overstuffed drawers in your cabinets? Maybe you'll come up with something equally as amusing.

Ooh! Really Scary!

I don't want to walk up this street at night, at least not until after Halloween. This is the creepiest decoration in the neighborhood. And it's big!

Happy Halloween

This says it all. I hope you have a very happy Halloween and that you get lots of goodies in your trick-or-treat bag.

Fall Walks

Seeing chalk drawings on the sidewalk is always a pleasant viewing experience. I thought these two were quite attractive. I came along just after Dawn and her daughter Jenna had completed them. And the nice thing about chalk is that it doesn't remain permanently. It's washed away with the next batch of raindrops.

What Is It?

This was an enigmatic animal upon approach. I couldn't quite decide what it was. I had suspicions that it was a bunny—without ears. Ouch! Who took your ears off? Poor thing. To satisfy my curiosity, I had to bend down and look at the label, which had the word "rabbit" on it. So it's an earless rabbit. He still looks very happy, even though he's lying in the street.

Free Stuff

It's not unusual to see signs that say "Free Stuff" when I'm walking. This little setup remained for many days until it was finally removed.

Upon closer inspection, I was surprised that one of the items was a jar of gefilte fish. That's not something I've ever seen out on the street. I don't think there were any takers for the food, and I'm not surprised.

That's not a brand I'm familiar with. I like gefilte fish, although I cannot imagine anyone who hasn't grown up eating it acquiring a taste for it later in life. That's the only thing I eat horse radish with. Yum!

This box was also available to anyone who might want it. Pretty good deal, I'd say. It's a good thing I don't have room to spare anymore, or lots of these street goodies would have wound up in my place.

This sad little watermelon comes with an attached warning.

No thanks, I don't need that one!

Poor Bird

I think my editor Ed King, of The West End NEWS, will forgive me for this sad photo. I'll explain how these disconnected images came to be merged.

As I was walking down the front steps, headed for a late afternoon walk on a lovely day a couple of weeks ago, I was confronted with this poor bird near the bottom of the landing. I was in a good mood, looking forward to a nice stroll. And I had several copies of the paper, which I was going to give to people along the way.

When I saw it, I thought: "I cannot deal with this right now. Maybe it won't be there when I return; maybe someone else who lives in the building will see it and move it away." Upon my return, the dead bird was still on the step. I now had two papers left and I took one of them and used it to move the bird onto the second one. When I saw the bird on the newspaper, it looked like a photograph worth taking, and so I snapped it before sliding the bird off into the grass.

About a week later, my neighbor mentioned that he'd seen two dead birds in his yard, one of which smacked into his window while he was right there. Why three birds in a week would either mistakenly fly into windows or just die of heart failure is something to ponder.

The "X" Trees

As I walk, I keep seeing what I have come to think of as "X" trees. These are the trees that were destroyed in our mid-April Nor'easter last spring. The neighborhood is filled with these marked stumps.

The little tree in the last picture has just been planted, replacing the "X" tree that had been there. It will take many years for this sapling to reach the size of the previous tree on that spot, but it's encouraging to see that the city has begun the replacement work. Soon there will be trees instead of "X" marks in those locations. What a storm that was! Sixteen hours of unrelenting wind.

Need a Magical Desk?

I can't imagine anyone passing up an opportunity to own a magical desk. When I passed this bonanza, there was no chair there. So obviously someone had taken the magical chair, but must have already owned a magical desk, and didn't need another.

I figured out that the lamp wasn't magical, since it wasn't mentioned in the sign. That's why it was still there. Too bad, there might have been a genie in it if it had some magical qualities. I have no room in my place for any desk, magical or otherwise, so I just kept walking.

Where's the Baby?

It didn't take long to figure this one out. Evidently someone put out a baby in a bassinet and the baby was taken. Whoever took the baby must have already had a bassinet at home. I really enjoy solving mysteries of that type. It gives a sense of satisfaction.

She's at It Again

That Cinderella just has a thing about losing a shoe. This one isn't a glass slipper, but I'm sure it was left by Cinderella. Who else leaves one shoe around? I always have the vision of this poor woman hobbling around with only one high heel, wondering why it's so difficult to walk.

Lost Toys

This was too good to pass up. I brought it home and hung it on one of the vases with my found objects and money. It makes quite an attractive addition to my colorful kitchen. This little duck is also living in my kitchen. How could I possibly have left him out in the middle of the street. It's a good thing it wasn't Friday when he got dropped, he wouldn't have been salvageable after the torrential rains we had.

A child left this purple platypus in Police Headquarters. At least I'm assuming a child left it. It's been there for a couple of weeks. No one has touched it, as though they're waiting for the person who lost it to return and reclaim it. It's sad and sweet at the same time. I hope that the reason a child was in the police station was because a parent had some minor incident to report. And I guess I should mention that I was there for my weekly picking up of the crime sheets for my news articles.

I wasn't there to turn myself in because of an outstanding warrant for my arrest. It's not against the law to be silly—yet. When that time comes, I'll be a goner.

Too Much Work

This pile of wood looks much bigger when you actually see it than it does in this picture. I'm too lazy to deal with all of the work involved with a wood stove. I'll just stick with my easy gas fireplace for an alternative heat source. Flick a switch and it's on.

If you happen to see what appears to be a spiderweb near the pipe at the right, it is just that. I noticed it when I uploaded the photos. You can be assured that it's gone now. (Drives my son and daughter-in-law wild!)

Getting Ready for Halloween

The gals next door never let me down when it comes to decorations. Whatever the season, whatever the holiday, they always have something special to celebrate the occasion.

There's a house a couple of blocks away that has a huge display. The ghost and the witch are just enjoying themselves watching people and vehicles go up and down one of the steepest hills in Portland.

And this witch is climbing the tree to get a better view and a different perspective.

I should walk down this street on a daily basis to see how long the pumpkin will remain without being destroyed. It's possible it will actually last until Halloween.

Sad Sign

This sign was not only sad to see, it was shocking. People leave strollers out all the time and no one bothers them. That's one of the reasons I am so impressed with this city. The stroller referred to had been left behind a gate, toward the rear of the property's side yard. Someone had to walk all the way to the back to take it.

Bring it back!

Mysterious Symbol

When I saw this painted in the street, I didn't know whether it was graffiti or it was a symbol for where some digging will be going on. It's very attractive, in either case.