FREE
fall 2014 • vol. 17, no. 3
Custom Crafted uncorked style over the pond fall gardening warming up
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editor’s note
Editor & Publisher Laurie LaMountain Contributing Writers Leigh Macmillen Hayes, Julia Marino Contributing Photographers Ethan McNerney, Leigh Macmillen Hayes, Ted Rabe Graphic Designer Dianne Lewis Proofreader/Copy Editor Leigh Macmillen Hayes Lake Living is published quarterly by Almanac Graphics, Inc., 625 Rocky Knoll Rd, Denmark, ME 04022 207-452-8005. www.lakelivingmaine. com e-mail: lakeliving@fairpoint.net ©2014. All rights reserved. Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in any manner without written consent from the publisher. Annual subscriptions are available by sending check or money order for $20 to the above address.
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ethan mcnerney
fall 2014 • vol. 17, no. 3
20 6 custom crafted
by laurie lamountain
10 uncorked style
by leigh macmillen hayes
14 over the pond
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ethan mcnerney
by leigh macmillen hayes
16 putting the
garden to bed by julia marino
18 not so fast
by laurie lamountain
20 warming up
by laurie lamountain
22 autumn tea
by julia marino
24 you’ve got mail
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leigh macmillen hayes
In the age of Internet, fast food and IKEA, it stands to reason that we should have more time, right? Instead of schlepping to the mall to buy furniture, we can order it online while we’re waiting for the pizza delivery guy to arrive. Think of the time we’re saving! It’s a new-millennium dilemma. We have the technology to make our lives easier and more convenient, but people have less free time than ever. I recently read The French Lieutenant’s Woman for the first time, which apparently means I have at least some free time, and was struck by the fact that the character of Charles Smithson had to find ways to pass the day until afternoon tea! When’s the last time that happened to you? What this tells me is that the fast track isn’t taking us where we really want to be. If you subtract the amount of “free” time we spend browsing online, completing online transactions and then returning the items when they don’t live up to our expectations, you have to ask yourself if it’s worth the frustration—or the indigestion brought on by the pepperoni pizza! As we slip into a slower season, I propose that we take nature’s key and make some subtle lifestyle changes. Instead of shopping online, why not shop locally? By buying furniture from a custom woodworker or local retailer, you’re not only getting what you want, you’re supporting the local economy. And instead of ordering take-out pizza, why not prepare a nourishing lunch for someone you love. Before you know it, it will be time for afternoon tea and you will have arrived to it stress-free. Laurie LaMountain
by laurie lamountain
26 cranberries from maine
by leigh macmillen hayes
cover photo greg marston’s studio photographed by ethan mcnerney
The Place to Shop for the Season Ahead!
A wonderful mix of women’s clothing and accessories, both for every day and special occasions. You’ll also find tasteful homewares and decor, including lovely “Made in Maine” items. Fashionable jewelry and accessories, bargain books, an array of affordable and fun finds—so perfect for holiday gifting!
CRAFTWORKS
main street, bridgton • open seven days • 207.647.5436
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Custom Crafted by laurie lamountain
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here was a time when all furniture and cabinetry was custom made, but in the age of IKEA and mass production, it’s not as easy for custom furniture makers to compete. It takes time to create a piece of period furniture that will survive several generations of use—and time, as we all know, translates to money. The good news is, there are still plenty of people who appreciate and are willing to pay for custom-crafted furniture, and there are still craftsmen who have the know-how to faithfully reproduce the elegance and sophistication of 18th-century styles—Queen Anne, Chippendale, Hepplewhite and Sheraton—that evoke an era of tradition, order and prosperity. Superior construction and detail are every bit as evident in their furniture today as they were two centuries ago.
Stephen Adams
Stephen Adams has been crafting 18th-century inspired furniture in Denmark, Maine, since 1984, when he purchased the shop on Main Street previously owned by Douglas Campbell. Campbell, himself, spent more than thirty years perfecting the art of antique furniture reproduction. A lot of the machinery in Adams’ shop, including the bandsaw and joiner, is vintage WWI era equipment that Campbell acquired during his tenure. Adams managed the shop in Denmark for an interim owner before buying it in ‘84, but he notes that his very first shop was actually in his parents’ basement. The second one was on Cumberland Avenue where the now defunct Portland Public Market stands. Adams and several other furniture makers created a collective they called Joint Venture that lasted for only about a year. After that disbanded, Adams made the move to Denmark. His love of woodworking goes way back. “The lightbulb went on when I went to Wentworth [Institute of Technology] in Boston, but even as a kid, six or eight years old, I was fascinated with making stuff out of wood. I grew up in Cape Elizabeth near the ocean and would use driftwood for my material. My dad had a boat and a little workshop with a rickety underpower table saw and some tools, so as a little kid I’d be on the floor of the shop in my pajamas with a hand drill and a hammer making stuff. But I never really thought of making a living at it until I went to Wentworth.” These days, Adams’ customers are from all over, including Japan, Sweden and Canada. In fact, he sells more furniture in Maryland, Virginia and DC than in Maine. His clientele tend to be people who appreciate fine period furniture but live 21st-century lifestyles. To satisfy both their aesthetic and utilitarian needs, Adams is able to
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Dunlap Flat Top Highboy in tiger maple by Stephen Adams
by the time you’ve gone from the idea to the finished piece, you feel like it’s your baby. It’s probably similar to postpartum depression. You can’t wait for it to be done and you’re excited about it and finally it’s done and you don’t really want it to be. stephen adams
design and craft a cabinet that looks like a Chippendale but performs like a media center. Doors and bases employ traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery and drawers and cases are dovetailed. All of the materials are high-end; there is absolutely no plywood or manufactured composites involved. Everything is hand turned instead of stamped out by a machine. Windsor Comb-back Arm Chair by Stephen Adams If the piece calls for hardware, Adams buys it from a company that specializes in authentic hand-forged items. Adams has also produced pieces for larger companies, such as Eldred Wheeler and Thos. Moser, that either don’t have the capacity to handle one-off pieces or don’t want to because they’re more production oriented. They are not able or inclined to invest sixty hours into a Windsor comb-back chair that is completely hand turned. When asked what inspires Adams to invest hundreds of hours into one piece of furniture, he points to being able to take the spark of an idea and turn it into a finished piece. “It sort of becomes your child after a while. I even hate to see them go sometimes. Especially if it’s a major piece that I’ve put hundreds of hours into, say if somebody comes to me for an authentic reproduction of something but I don’t have all the details, as far as sizes and proportions, so I have to do some research. I have to scale things out. There’s quite a lot to the design. So by the time you’ve gone from the spark of an idea to the finished piece, you feel like it’s your baby. It’s probably similar to postpartum depression. You can’t wait for it to be done
and you’re excited about it and finally it’s done and you don’t really want it to be. You get a kind of adrenaline when you’re doing it and then when you’re done, it’s almost a let down.” One such piece is a Dunlap Flat Top Highboy that Adams spent nearly 300 hours on that sold for $10,000. Adams reflects that in the beginning it wasn’t so much about the money as it was that he got a kick out of doing it. If he didn’t charge enough it didn’t matter, so long as the piece came out the way he wanted it to and the customer was happy with it. Now he has reached the point where he’s able to pick and choose what he’ll take and won’t lowball himself just to get the work. “I really want to make sure that the finished product is one I’m happy with, because if I’m happy with it, the customer’s happy with it.” In addition to crafting reproduction furniture, Stephen Adams Fine Furniture also does furniture restoration, which includes repair and refinishing, as well as custom millwork. Stephen Adams can be reached by phone at 207-452-2397 and the shop is located at 46 West Main Street in Denmark, Maine.
Greg Marston In the days when Adams was subbing for Eldred Wheeler and Thos. Moser, he had up to six employees working with him in his shop. One of them was Greg Marston. Marston grew up in rural Maine and fondly recalls antique outings with his parents to “look at furniture.” While he was working with Adams in the late ‘80s, he had the opportunity to reproduce many of the styles he saw on those boyhood outings, but it wasn’t until he was on his own and focusing his work on antique furniture repair and restoration that he really came to understand it. By taking pieces apart and repairing them, he was able to reproduce the joinery, turning details and overall design.
Queen Anne Lowboy in apple wood with pine secondary wood by Greg Marston
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Color, form and function are really important. That’s where Queen Anne furniture comes in. They have a highboy at the Portland Museum of Art and the color is incredible. You want to reproduce it. You want to get that color. greg marston Queen Anne is Marston’s preferred style. “Queen Anne is where it’s at. It’s hot . . . boiling hot. The sensuousness of the lines of a piece, the hardware they used, the form . . . the form is incredible,” says Marston. He recalls a highboy he found at R. Jorgensen Antiques in Wells as his absolute favorite piece. He asked the proprietor if he could take some dimensions and ended up taking the whole thing apart. He took all the drawers out, pulled the top off the base and got detailed measurements in order to reproduce the piece for himself. Finish and color are also key for Marston. In fact, he sees furniture finishing as a trade in itself. He strives to get the colors right in his pieces by using shellacs, colored varnishes, oil pigments, aniline dyes and even homemade concoctions like chewing tobacco and ammonia, which he finds particularly striking on pine. “Color, form and function are really important. That’s where Queen Anne furniture comes in. They have a highboy at the Portland Museum of Art and the color is incredible. You want to reproduce it. You want to get that color,” says Marston. He recalls a clock he finished for a client that has probably ten layers of finish on it. He started with a dye and then in between oil colors layered very thin coats of shellac. Antiques magazine, which Marston refers to as furniture maker’s pornography (“look at the leg on that one!”), is a frequent idea source. “The finishes on the furniture are just incredible. Especially curly maple. When you get that right, you just melt.” Marston is currently completing a bed that a client had begun building but was unable to finish before he died of cancer this past summer. His widow asked Greg if he would finish it and he, of course, said yes. In the spirit of true craftsmanship, Marston has been deeply involved in the restoration of an antique Cape he had moved to his South Bridgton property from Sweden, Maine, several years ago. He is currently plastering the walls of the living room and hopes to be finished with this ambitious restoration by Thanksgiving. Everything, including the paint colors are in keeping with the original. He is, however, still available for furniture commissions, as well as restoration and repair projects. He can be reached at 207-647-8378.
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Maine Flat Top Highboy in curly maple by Greg Marston
Jeff Scribner Jeff Scribner has been building homes for more than thirty years, and, while he claims he’s not a furniture maker, you wouldn’t know it by the numerous pieces in the home he built and shares with his wife, Wendy, in Denmark, Maine. Scribner actually worked for Douglas Campbell when he first opened his shop in Denmark in the late ‘70s, mostly making pencil post beds, Windsor chairs and Queen Anne beds. Friends who are familiar with Scribner’s furniture often encourage him to resume furniture making as a vocation, but he points out that he prefers the flexibility of being able take commissions versus making a commitment to selling furniture full time.
The thing I like is knowing the construction of the furniture and how it has to be done. And I like being able to take a photo from a magazine or book and being able to build that piece fairly close to dimensions just by having the knowledge of the construction. jeff scribner Scribner’s passion with furniture is personal. He enjoys researching the construction and history behind the styles he reproduces and working with the various species of wood that may be combined in a single piece. He uses a sack back Windsor armchair he made, Wendy’s favorite because it’s so comfortable, to illustrate the different species beneath the near-black Windsor green paint. Here in New England, it’s typically birch or maple for the legs, stretchers and posts because they’re easy to turn; basswood, poplar or pine for the seat because they’re easy to shape; ash or oak for anything that’s steam bent because they’re pliant. To illustrate an aspect of the construction he turns the chair over to show how the legs are tapered and then wedged where they enter the seat so that they’re forced when sat upon and can’t come loose. He points out that Windsor chairs were originally designed to be outdoor furniture and that they were almost always painted, no doubt to protect them from the elements, but also to highlight form over wood. Just about everywhere you look in the living room, there’s a beautiful piece of reproduction furniture that Scribner made. A Queen Anne corner chair with a carved Spanish foot features a rush seat made from cattails harvested from a marsh in Raymond, Maine. Twin tables made as a birthday present for Wendy are in the Hepplewhite style and feature walnut and mahogany herringbone inlay borders around a tiger maple top. A Queen Anne highboy that lives up to its name at nearly seven feet tall dominates one wall. The base of a William and Mary lowboy, replete with acorn drop finials, is made of black walnut from a tree that once stood behind the Center Lovell Inn. The tree had to be cut down to make room for an addition Scribner was building—part of the deal was that he got the tree. The top and case are constructed of tiger maple and the drawers have the same herringbone inlay borders as the twin Hepplewhite tables. “The thing I like is knowing the construction of the furniture and how it has to be done. And I like being able to take a photo from a magazine or book and being able to build that piece fairly close to dimensions just by having the knowledge of the construction,” says Scribner. The fact that he isn’t relying on these furniture pieces for his livelihood makes a difference in how Scribner approaches them. He allows the sometimes painstaking pleasure of their creation to take precedence. For this reason, if you are able to engage Scribner to create, restore or refinish a piece of furniture, you are fortunate indeed. He can be reached at 207-632-6870. R
William and Mary Lowboy in tiger maple and walnut by Jeff Scribner
Queen Anne Highboy in tiger maple by Jeff Scribner
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Uncorked Style text by leigh macmillen hayes photographs by ethan mcnerney
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The woodwork and tin ceilings were lovingly brought back to their original luster by the Whelchels, with the help of a few others. In the process, they uncovered the frieze painted with original fresco murals that H.O. Moses had commissioned.
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daptive reuse is the catch phrase for the process of using something old for a new purpose. And in this case it makes for an interesting story. Proprietors Julie and Rick Whelchel recently opened J.Decor, Uncorked Style in the former apothecary building at 31 Main Street in Bridgton. Built in 1873 for pharmacist Henry O. Moses, the building was “one of the most convenient and elegant drug stores in the State . . . tastily finished in maple and brown ash, with elaborate and beautiful black walnut trimmings.” (The Bridgton News, March 14, 1873) Like many commercial establishments of the 19th century, the pharmacy was located on the ground floor where the storefront served as an important feature to draw customers into the space. By matching a Community Block Grant (“and then some,” says Rick), the Whelchels have tried to preserve the building’s exterior character and a piece of Bridgton’s heritage. Inside, they’ve done the same. The woodwork and tin ceilings were lovingly brought back to their original luster by the Whelchels, with the help of a few others. In the process, they uncovered the frieze painted with original fresco murals that H.O. Moses had commissioned. Breathing life back into a building that has only been open occasionally for the last several decades is no easy task. From H.O. Moses’ ownership in the late 1800s, the building passed to Dr. Frank Hazelton, followed by two generations of Drs. Stevens and then on to Dr. Walker, a dentist. In the mid 1900s, George Clark purchased the building and operated an antique business. It passed through two more owners before the Whelchels purchased it in 2009. Julie’s decorating finesse is obvious throughout. During their tenure as innkeepers at the Noble House Inn, she designed and redesigned new palettes for each of the ten guest rooms. “It was my creative outlet,” she says. “Some element within the room sparked the plan for the whole room.” That love for the design aspect of furnishing homes inspired the shop. “And wine needed to be a part of it,” she adds.
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items for sale, such as framed Narrow Gauge Railroad tickets. “These give people a sense of perspective of the building,” says Rick. Even their logo reflects this. Notice the Rx, meaning prescription, at the end of Decor? And then there’s the wine—think wine shop in the old apothecary. “We love wine,” says Julie. Since committing themselves to fulfill this second niche, it took a lot of effort to pare down the list of offerings from the many vintners and numerous blends. Looking for delicious and interesting, yet affordable wines can be a tough balancing act. The Whelchels have managed to market an incredible amount created by lesser known vineyards around the globe—from Portugal to South America. They’ve chosen to feature boutique vineyards that are family owned with sustain-
Realizing that furniture is not readily available in the lakes region, they decided to fill that niche. J.Decor offers three primary lines—hundreds of styles of heirloom-quality pieces including Amish, Arts and Crafts, French Country, Modern, Formal, Fashion Forward and more handcrafted by the Amish in Holmes County, Ohio; natural wicker; and occasional pieces including hip vintage industrial furnishings—all can be custom ordered. To customize your order or search for other lines that are available, all you need to do is step into the intimate side room and make your choices. To accessorize the home furnishings, you’ll find pillows, throws, rugs, lamps, original and reproduction art work, mirrors and clocks. But that’s not all. There are bees’ wax candles from Julie’s hometown, Medina, Ohio. Other items include cutting boards, Stonewall Kitchen fare, place settings, tea towels and more. “It’s not a kitchen store,” says Julie as she chuckles. “Or a cook’s store. It’s an eater’s store.” Peppered throughout the showroom, lit by original chandeliers, are heritage items including bottles from Dr. F. Stevens’ era and the 1907 cash register that they use daily. There are even some heritage
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able or organic practices, such as Celler Vinos Piñol’s Ludovicus Red Wine (Spain 2009). Yes, they’ve tasted all of the wines that they sell—all in the name of serving you better. Wine bottles decorate the shelves toward the back of the former drug store, and it’s no accident that the back room, called the mixing room in those pharmaceutical days, is dedicated to wine tastings. Curiously, this same space served as Bridgton’s first public library during Dr. Frank Steven’s era—so it’s still a place of mixing it up and learning. “Some customers have taught us a thing or two,” says Rick, referring to the wine selection. The reality is that Julie and Rick know their grapes. Tell them your preferences and they’ll match you with a wine or help you move away from your routine choices. I mention that I like a dry white wine and find myself thoroughly enjoying the red Corbieres that Julie chooses to accompany brie topped with a rosemary-ginger preserve. “The thing about wine is that we don’t want people to feel they can’t come in here. We’re not experts,” says Julie in her humble manner. Even the prices, ranging from $6.99 to Dom Perignon, encourage all of us to try something new. The most rewarding element of J.Decor? Renewing old friendships with inn customers and forming many new ones. Julie and Rick are people people. “The building provides a great opportunity to get to know people,” says Rick. “They want to talk about it. We want to talk about it. It creates great rapport.” “It’s about creating delight,” adds Julie. “I think a lot of people are delighted with the space.” J.Decor, Uncorked Style—one part home decor and one part wine. R
Douglas M. Griffin, VMD, CVA Andrine D. Belliveau, DVM Diane Shively, DVM
We are a full-service hospital— open 6 days a week. Specializing in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, oncology and geriatric medicine.
554 Roosevelt Trail Windham, Maine 207-892-7575
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leigh macmillen hayes
by leigh macmillen hayes
“Know
all Men by these Presents, that I, Arthur G. Fox of Lovell,
County of Oxford and State of Maine, in consideration of one dollar and other valuable consideration not exceeding two thousand dollars paid by Charlotte E. Hobbs of said Lovell, the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, do hereby remise, release, bargain, sell and convey, and forever quit-claim unto the said Charlotte E. Hobbs, her heirs and assigns forever, the following lots or parcels of land both situated in said Lovell, viz: 1. 3/4 in common and undivided together with Grantee of the northerly half of Lot #42 in the First Division of lots in said town, one time known as the “Over the Pond” lot . . . 2. A certain camp and lot contiguous to the parcel above conveyed and supposed to be carved out of the southerly half of said Lot #42, on said pond in Southwest Cove.” The deed dated May 16, 1940, was signed by Arthur G. Fox and witnessed by Hugh W. Hastings. That Charlotte Elizabeth Hobbs owned a “camp” on Kezar Lake may come as a surprise to some. Charlotte never married and subsisted on little. In fact, in the introduction to Pauline W. Moore’s Lovell history book, Blueberries and Pusley Weed, Charles T. Wood wrote, “Who else, they might ask, would have lived for months on little more than angel food cake smeared with margarine? Who else, considering this diet, would have complained, upon entering a nursing home in her eighty-fifth year, that she wished to return home because she preferred her own cooking?”
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leigh macmillen hayes
Over the Pond
To say Charlotte was eccentric is probably an understatement— it’s rumored that she wore rubber boots all the time to avoid being struck by lightning. But Charlotte was also a beloved town resident devoted to her community. Lovell Historical Society owns her collection of notebooks filled with genealogies, poetry, early town history, hand-drawn maps, names and comments. I have to wonder if residents of the time had any idea that she was jotting down her observations about them. Following graduation from Wellesley College in 1902, Charlotte returned to Lovell, where she taught for several years. Her main focus, however, was to help form and sustain the public library, something that she was committed to for most of her life. In a 1939 Wellesley Reunion Bulletin, she reported “Making improvements at the library, collecting data on history of Lovell, vital statistics, family records, maps, letters, diaries, etc. Work interesting and at times thrilling. Helps people get old age pensions and track fugitive ancestors . . . Lovell may get a free public library and a new community house for the whole town.” The year following that entry Charlotte purchased the “Over the Pond” property with its seasonal camp—her respite spot perhaps, located on a secluded point with extraordinary views. In one of her notebooks, she wrote, “Of the beautiful and attractive places in Oxford County of which there are many, you will find none more beautiful or attractive that the town of Lovell. West Lovell is
separated from the main part of the town by the beautiful sheet of water, Lake Kezar.” After Charlotte’s death in October 1968, her neighbors, Esther and Marcus Stearns, served as the co-executors of her estate. “In pursuance of the authority granted in and by the said last will and testament,” the Stearns sold Charlotte’s property to Timber Bay Corporation in September 1969. For years, the camp sat vacant and was known as the ghost house and the hermit’s place. One local recalls that the structure had “no doors or windows, but the exciting thing was that a large flock of barn swallows flew out in a cloud when [he] walked in.” In 1984, the ramshackle building came into the ownership of Jane and Ted Rabe. They loved the location, but soon realized how impractical it would be to attempt to renovate the camp. “When Jane and Ted bought the house, it was collapsing,” says architect William “Bill” Mitropoulos of Arlington, Massachusetts, who also happens to be Jane’s
uncle. Originally, contractor Azel Littlefield of Littlefield Builders in Lovell, thought they could save the house which sat upon a stone foundation, but it had deteriorated so much that they had to tear it down. The goal was to maintain the space while continuing to take advantage of the views. The result is a cozy, intimate house that sings of the outdoors. The Rabes wanted a similar design to Charlotte’s camp, incorporating 20thcentury energy efficiency. “It evolved,” says Bill, who didn’t actually provide official architectural construction drawings, but did create design sketches for the project. “It essentially stayed the same shape, but got a little bigger in height.” The pitch of the roof was altered to accommodate the interior, including the mezzanine or loft space in the gable. “It’s not an official second floor,” says Bill of this space where the bedrooms are tucked in. One bedroom features a hideaway loft assessable via a ladder—a perfect getaway. Imagine sitting on a mattress under a skylight
attractive places in Oxford County of which there are many, you will find none more beautiful or attractive that the town of Lovell. West Lovell is separated from the main part of the town by the beautiful sheet of water, Lake Kezar.” charlotte hobbs
leigh macmillen hayes
“Of the beautiful and
reading a book or staring at the stars above. I think Charlotte would have approved. The bungalow has simple lines throughout and an airy feel. All who enter are welcomed by a large foyer with skylights above, a wide wooden staircase leading to the mezzanine and views straight ahead of the cove beyond. A brick walk-around fireplace separates the kitchen and dining area from the living room and allows traffic to flow between them. Almost floor to ceiling windows in the living room embrace the ever-changing scene provided by the sunset, lake and mountain views. Though the Rabes sold the property about fifteen years ago, Jane says it was a difficult decision. “There are a lot of little things that made it a special place to be.” Via a large opening, a porch with a barrel-vaulted ceiling extends the living space out toward the cove. With screened windows on three sides, it provides another delightful place to read a book or sit and listen to the birds while jotting down notes about the neighbors. It’s also an inviting spot for family and friends to gather. The kitchen, of course, is completely different from what Charlotte knew, but then again food didn’t mean much to her. While Pauline Moore’s book mentions angle food cake, in Lovewell’s Town, Robert Williams states that she survived “on a diet of milk, bread, cereal and peanut butter.” She did live to be ninety years old. In the kitchen, the current owners have made a few additional changes to the Rabes’ reconstruction. Recognizing that it’s all about the lake from the western and southern exposures, they’ve brought the woodland colors featured out the over-thesink window and front door into this room. Lichen-covered granite rocks and the hue of the understory and trees were the impetus for the color choices. Green-painted cupboards are topped with charcoal black, ridged formica, chosen because it wasn’t shiny. The backdrop tiles feature various shades of gray, while accessories include pewter knobs and drawer pulls. “Everyone is drawn to the lake. We wanted to blend with the rest of what’s here.” “I like to think of it as the Hobbit House,” says the current owner, who is known for her dry wit and contributions to the local community. I think Charlotte would approve and perhaps her ghost still wafts in the wind over the pond. R lakelivingmaine.com
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by julia marino
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or many of us, autumn is a time of preparation for the colder months ahead. It’s time for airing out the quilts that have been stored in the closet; it’s time to prepare hot soups for supper; it’s time to make sure enough fire wood is cut and stacked to fuel the wood stove on frosty mornings. In much the same way that we make preparations for our indoor spaces, we should also take the time to tend to our gardens, to get them ready for the colder months, too. And with the heat, humidity and bugs gone, autumn is a lovely time to work in the garden. Here are some things you can do before we officially say farewell to gardening season. If you haven’t already done so, now would be a good time to get a soil test done. You can contact the Maine Soil Testing Service at the University of Maine-Orono in order to receive the paperwork and soil collection box that you will need. Once you send in your sample, you can expect to receive the results in approximately two weeks. The test results will give you valuable information, such as soil pH and nutrient
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levels, with recommendations on which soil amendments to use to get your soil in the best possible condition. It is recommended that the amendments be done either in the autumn or spring. If you have the time to work the soil before the ground freezes, you’ll be all ready for next year. If not, you’ll at least have the information and supplies you’ll need to do it next spring, right at the start of the season. For now, adding a thick layer of compost to your garden, followed by some leaf mulch will help to improve the soil and keep your plants snug for the cold months ahead. Take stock of all your garden tools. Fix what’s broken; sharpen any blades that have dulled. Clean and oil all handles and working parts. Store your tools inside, where they’ll be waiting for you and ready to get to work next spring. Donate any tools you no longer use to a local charity such as a community garden. If you take a walk around your garden, you’ll notice that some plants look beautiful even after the flowers have gone by. In fact, some seed heads are even more attractive
than their blossoms. Instead of cutting them back, leave them as-is in order to keep some visual interest and dimension in the garden. Larger plants and shrubs may also make a nice habitat for birds in the colder months. With proper deadheading, annuals will continue to bloom until the first frost, so be sure to keep snipping off any spent flowers. If you have containers or hanging baskets that contain perennials, take them apart before the first freeze. Flower pots should be washed and stored inside, and the soil should be composted. Now is the time to plant perennials in your gardens. Any tender perennials that won’t make it through the winter outside can be potted up and brought indoors to be enjoyed as houseplants until they can be replanted next spring. Use fresh potting soil with some compost added in so that the plants continue to get nutrients throughout the winter. Make sure all of the perennials in your garden are well-marked so that you don’t accidentally weed them out next spring. This should especially be done for herbaceous plants, small or newer plants or those that have been cut back. Plant bulbs for daffodils, tulips and crocuses now so that you’ll enjoy some of the first flowers of the season when spring rolls around. The bulbs should be planted upright at a depth of three times their height. If certain perennials seem to be getting larger than you want them to be, autumn is a good time to make divisions. You can share the divisions with friends and neighbors. In this way, you might be able to trade some of your plants for something a neighbor has that you’d like to add to your own garden. Don’t forget the importance of daydreaming. Bring a notebook outside, pull up a garden chair, and make notes about what you’d love to see growing in your garden next year. It’s never too early to start planning. Make lists of plants you might want to remove and those you want to add. Picture the end result of what you want your garden to look like. Create the garden of your dreams, even if it’s only on paper. If you can visualize it, one day it will become a reality. All it takes is the willingness to get a little dirt under your fingernails, from early spring, right on through until the first frost. R
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Not So Fast by laurie lamountain
B
efore the dawn of our Fast Food Nation in the ‘50s and the eventual reaction to it with the food-reform movement known as Slow Food in 1986, there was food that was somewhere in the middle. Unlike fast food that you could grab and go, this neither-fast-nor-slow food required some preparation. The ingredients, if not heirloom or organic, were wholesome and quite readily available. In fact, most refrigerators and pantries were regularly stocked with them. Think about it: there was no McDonald’s or Kentucky Fried Chicken to nip out to for an order of Chicken McNuggets or a bucket of KFC Original Recipe. Neither was there the abundance of convenience and processed foods that have filled supermarket shelves ever since the post-WWII rise of agribusiness. If you wanted to put a nourishing meal on the table, you needed to keep a wellstocked larder. And while it may not have included white truffle oil or fleur de sel, the pantry most likely contained a flour bin, boxes of elbow macaroni and tins of tuna fish; the refrigerator a ready supply of milk, butter and cheese; and the freezer a selection of frozen vegetables that were likely grown in the back yard and “processed” right there in the kitchen. Because there was so much more reliance on the pantry and the refrigerator as a food source, recipes were no doubt concocted from what was readily on hand. Chances are you have most of these kitchen “staples” in your own pantry and have relied on them for those what-can-I-make-for-dinner nights, too. Soups and casseroles are like blank canvases for the creative cook, and corn chowder and tuna pea wiggle are great examples of interpretive art.
Fall is the perfect season to resurrect some of these time-tested recipes. For one, after a season of grilling, they bring us back to the coziness of the kitchen, where food is simmered on the stove or baked in the oven. Secondly, they are what is commonly referred to as comfort foods that are perfectly suited to chilly evenings. For Baby Boomers, they are a reminder of a less-complicated era in which food was neither fast nor slow; food was simply food—and it was good. While not exactly “gourmet,” the following recipes can be dressed up or down according to your whim. Ours is a simple New England-style corn chowder recipe, but roasting native corn-on-thecob over a charcoal grill and stripping the ears brings it to another level entirely. Throw in a little cumin, cayenne and some roasted red peppers and you have a southwestern-style chowder. Maine shrimp, when in season, are a delicious last minute addition for a seafood version, and bacon and cheddar chowder is yet another option. Use your imagination when it comes to spices for the chicken nuggets and additions to the mac ‘n cheese. Berbere, an Ethiopian spice mix, is excellent on chicken. Because it can be hard to find, we’ve provided a recipe for it from epicurious.com. Pancetta makes an excellent addition to mac ‘n cheese, and you can take the Italian twist further by using asiago and even a bit of gorgonzola cheese. The thing to remember about these not-so-fast recipes is that, while they’re all about simple foods, simply done, they are true to a basic mission of Slow Food, which is to help people rediscover the joys of eating and understand the importance of caring where their food comes from, who makes it and how it’s made. That, and they’re delicious. R 1/2 lb pasta noodle 1/3 c coarse breadcrumbs paprika, grated parmesan reggiano, thyme, dried mustard salt, pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté shallots in butter until translucent. Slowly add flour, stirring, but do not brown. Slowly whisk in milk, letting sauce thicken. Add cheese, continuing to stir. Combine breadcrumbs, paprika, grated parmesan reggiano, thyme, dried mustard salt and pepper and set aside. Boil pasta in salted water until barely done, then drain.
mac ‘n cheese
4 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp finely diced shallots 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
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1 c whole milk 1 1/2 c grated cheese (mixture of whatever you have in the fridge— cheddar, sharp provolone, monterey jack)
In a 9x9 square pan, mix drained pasta with warm cheese mixture until noodles are coated. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake until heated through and bubbling at the edges.
1 head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled Chopped fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme or oregano (optional)
harold’s tuna pea wiggle
4 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp finely diced shallots 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1 c whole milk 1/2 c cream 2 5-oz. cans chunk light tuna in water 1/2 lb. pasta noodle 1 c frozen peas 1/2 c coarse breadcrumb 1 tsp paprika salt, pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400˚F.
chicken tenders
2 chicken breasts cut into 1/2-in chunks 2 eggs, beaten 1 c flour 2 c fine breadcrumbs thyme, or rosemary, smoked paprika, salt and pepper peanut (or other vegetable) oil
Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté shallots in butter until translucent. Slowly add flour, stirring, but do not brown. Slowly whisk in milk, letting sauce thicken. Add tuna, including tuna water, continuing to stir. Add cream and peas; stir, then let sit.
Mix breadcrumbs with whatever spices suit your taste.
Combine breadcrumbs, paprika, salt and pepper, and set aside. Boil pasta in salted water until barely done, then drain.
Dredge chicken breasts in flour, shake off excess, dip in egg and then coat with breadcrumb mixture.
In a 9x9 square pan, mix drained pasta with warm tuna mixture until noodles are coated. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake until heated through and bubbling at the edges.
Heat 2-3 tbsp peanut oil in large saute´pan. Lay in chicken pieces and fry each side until golden (approximately 7 minutes).
corn chowder
4 Tbsp butter 1 large white onion, diced (about 2 cups) 5 sprigs fresh thyme, wrapped in cheesecloth and tied with kitchen twine 5 ears lightly roasted corn, kernels removed (about 5 cups) Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 4 c good quality chicken stock 1 lb small fingerling or new potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices 3/4 c half and half
Drain on paper towels and eat with a favorite dipping sauce or two.
roasted root vegetables
2-3 pounds root vegetables (new or fingerling potatoes, baby beets, carrots, butternut squash, turnips), whole if they are small or cut into 1-inch pieces 1 medium onion, peeled and cubed extra-virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
In a large bowl, toss vegetables with a generous amount of olive oil to coat. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to oiled roasting pans, taking care not to crowd the vegetables (use two pans if necessary). Roast the mixture for a total of 45-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. After 30 minutes, scatter the garlic cloves in with the vegetables. Continue stirring every 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender and evenly browned. For extra flavor, sprinkle with fresh herbs just before serving.
ethiopian spice mix (berbere)
1/2 tsp fenugreek 1/2 c ground dried New Mexico chiles 1/4 c paprika 1 Tbsp salt 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp ground cardamom 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/8 tsp ground cloves 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp ground allspice
Finely grind fenugreek seeds in an electric coffee/spice grinder. Stir together with remaining ingredients until combined well.
Melt butter in a small stockpot over medium-low heat. Add onion and thyme bundle, season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft but not browned. Add chicken stock and potatoes, and bring to a boil. Add corn and reduce heat to medium, stirring occasionally, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard thyme bundle. Pureé one third of the mixture until smooth, using an immersion blender (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot and stir in half and half. Cook until chowder is hot. Season with salt and pepper.
lakelivingmaine.com
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Warming Up by laurie lamountain
T
here are times when the lack of something we perceive as essential forces us to find a viable alternative. Remember the 1973 oil crisis? After decades of relying on petroleum to heat our homes, there was virtually no such thing as a “modern” wood stove when the crisis hit. In response, wood stove manufacturers started popping up all over the country. A lot of them were small start ups that operated out of garages and small warehouses, producing what was known at the time as steel box stoves, basically six steel plates welded together with a hole on the top and a way to regulate the air going into it. In order to meet the growing consumer demand for these “modern” wood stoves, retailers began to appear as well. Frost & Flame first opened its doors in Windham in 1976. Current owner, Stephen Richard, purchased the business in 1990 and relocated the store to Gorham. He then opened a second store in Windham. Thirty-eight years later, Frost & Flame is going strong because Richard has kept up with changes in the industry. When it comes to home heating, wood stoves may not strike you as high-tech, especially when you consider their rather low-
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tech revival, but over the last forty years the industry as a whole has evolved to meet growing demands for cleaner burning, more efficient stoves. Richard points out that a wood stove manufactured to today’s standards burns almost 100% cleaner than a wood stove built in the ‘70s. “We need to replace these older wood stoves with more efficient, cleaner burning stoves. A lot of people may have a useful wood stove, but they don’t realize what damage it’s doing to the environment,” says Richard. He tells the story of The Wood Stove Changeout in Libby, Montana. Libby is located in the remote northwest corner of Montana, in a bowl-shaped valley surrounded by steep mountains—ideal topography for temperature inversions that can cause harmful emissions from wood stoves to get trapped close to the ground and create potential adverse health effects.* In 2006, a pilot program was initiated to replace every outdated woodburning stove in Libby with units certified to strict U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. According to preliminary data collected by the EPA and the University of Montana following the changeout, average wintertime fine particulate levels in the outdoor
air decreased by nearly 30%. Indoor air quality results in homes with the new, EPA-certified stoves were even more dramatic at more than 70%. Not only was overall air quality significantly improved, but homeowners enjoyed warmer homes that cost considerably less to heat—a clear trifecta. While wood stove manufacturers were busy cleaning up their act, pellet stove manufacturers were just getting warmed up. The 1973 oil crisis also led to the invention of the first pellet stove in Washington State that same year, but it wasn’t until the early ‘80s that manufacturing began in earnest. When the Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) was established in 1993, shortly after the start of the Gulf War, the industry took off. Since then, pellet stoves have become a viable, economical and energy-efficient alternative for home heating. Richard estimates that 60% of business at Frost & Flame is currently conducted in pellet stoves. He cites New England as accounting for the lion’s share of the pellet industry, and Maine as one of the strongest states. The turning point in Maine, he notes, was around the time of the economic downturn in 2008 when fuel prices conversely spiked. The media stepped up and very quickly began to educate people about the merits of pellet burning stoves, and the market in Maine has been growing ever since. I’m one of those diehard wood stove owners who extolls the virtues of heating with wood. It’s there during a power outage, it’s aromatic, it’s quiet, etc., but I have to admit, when given the merits of a pellet burning stove versus wood, I’m impressed. In response to my claim that my wood stove is insurance against a power outage, Richard points out that the majority of people in the 40 to 65-year age bracket have installed full-house generators in the last ten years. They’re more concerned with the savings they’re going to achieve by using a pellet stove than with losing power. In the absence of a generator, a battery backup system for a pellet stove is usually good for six to ten hours. Perhaps most impressive for me, though, is the fact that a ton of pellets typically requires only 4’x4’x5’ for storage and takes roughly fifteen minutes to unload. It takes considerably longer to stack a cord of wood, but there is that meditation factor with stacking wood that can’t be discounted. Yeah, right. A pellet stove can be directly vented to the outside or through a vertical chimney that is typically three to four inches in diameter. It requires less clearance than a wood stove because it distributes heat from the front, thereby saving space. It can be operated manually or with a thermostat. By being able to regulate it, it’s easier and safer for the homeowner to control the heat level as well as conserve fuel. There is virtually no creosote residue because the pellets have no moisture, and creosote results from burning green or wet wood. (For this reason, if you are a wood burner like myself, it’s important to burn only seasoned wood that has air dried.) Pellets burn more completely than wood, resulting in more heat efficiency and less ash. Like anything higher tech, pellet stoves require more consumer education. Richard points out that they feature a highly mechanized electrical system with pretty sophisticated circuitry. Because of this, he recommends cleaning your pellet stove weekly during use, a fifteen minute event that involves emptying the burn pot and ash pan, and having it serviced annually, just as you would a furnace. He also shares a valuable lesson in pellet composition. There are typically three grades of pellets, with the premium grade being composed entirely of softwood, the mid-grade a combination of soft and hardwood and the least expensive being hardwood. The
Gas continues to account for a large segment of the market due to its convenience and ease of use; just push a button on the remote control or the unit. uneducated consumer might assume that hardwood, as it is with wood stoves, is better than softwood, but Richard points out that by compressing them, the manufacturers have essentially turned a softwood into a hardwood. The pellets weigh the same and take the same space, but there’s more heat capacity in the softwood pellet due to resin as a fuel source. Richard is quick to add that, since their inception in the late ‘80s, gas stoves have come a long way. Numerous technological advances have made them more efficient and less expensive than in the past. Initially, they were little more than a wood stove with a gas burner and a couple of fake logs inside. They were more decorative than a true heater, but within three or four years manufacturers improved the product so much that most of them became heater-rated gas stoves. In most situations, you can’t tell the difference between the fire in a gas stove and that in a woodburning stove. Gas continues to account for a large segment of the market due to its convenience and ease of use; just push a button on the remote control or the unit. Another advantage to a gas stove is it doesn’t require electricity to run, so in the event of a power outage, homeowners are assured of a heat source to keep them warm and their pipes from freezing. Richard points out that they’re the most popular choice at Frost & Flame among second home owners who eventually plan to retire here and, in the meantime, don’t want to waste valuable vacation time hauling wood. There’s an invaluable advantage to buying a stove from someone who has twenty-eight years of experience selling, installing and servicing them. All things considered, Richard will take the time to determine which product best serves your home heating needs. *Source: http://www.woodstovechangeout.org/index.php?id=27 R
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Autumn Tea by julia marino
N
ow that autumn is here and summer’s heat is behind us, I relish the chance to get cozy again in my favorite chair with a cup of hot tea beside me. It is the perfect time of year to slow down and take time for contemplation and relaxation. Drinking tea has always brought me a sense of comfort, so I find myself dreaming up new recipes for tea time treats and stocking my cupboard with a variety of teas to enjoy over the course of this chilly season. With tea’s return to popularity, it is easy to go into any store and find at least a dozen different kinds. There are, however, actually only six true tea varieties: black, green, white, oolong, yellow and pu-erh. All of these come from a single plant, which is native to China: the camellia sinensis. What makes each tea different is the way in which it is processed. When black tea is made, the leaves are withered, rolled and fully fermented (also known as oxidized, when discussing tea). They are then heated to halt the oxidation process, and dried. In order to get the most flavor from a cup of black tea, the water
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should be brought to a full boil. A general rule of thumb for all tea, regardless of variety, is to use one tablespoon of tea leaves (or one tea bag) for six ounces of water. Black tea should be steeped for 3-5 minutes. If you like a strong cup of tea, do not steep it longer. Instead, use more tea leaves or a second tea bag. Oversteeping results in an unpleasant flavor. Whereas most teas are best served plain, black tea also tastes great with lemon, or sweetened with a little bit of honey or sugar and milk. Unlike black tea, green tea is not oxidized. The leaves are picked, rolled and dried quickly to stop them from browning. To fully appreciate the fine flavor of green teas, the water should never be boiled. Instead, the leaves should be steeped in 175° water. It is possible to buy a fancy tea kettle that has a temperature gauge, but you can also use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the water. Green teas should be steeped for 2-3 minutes. A longer steep time or water that is too hot will result in an off-colored and bitter brew. Oolong tea, the kind usually served in Chinese restaurants, falls in the middle of
green and black in the way it is processed. For oolong tea, the leaves are only semifermented. It should be brewed in 195° water for 2-3 minutes. White, yellow and pu-erh teas are special teas that you probably won’t come across unless you visit a specialty tea shop, but they are definitely worth seeking out. White tea is made from the young leaves of the camellia sinensis. They are simply picked, steamed and dried and do not go through any oxidation. Brew water to 175° and steep for only 1-2 minutes. White tea has a delicate flavor. It is usually an expensive tea that is best sipped slowly and fully savored. Yellow tea is processed similarly to green tea but is allowed to dry more slowly, so that it develops a yellow color. Use 170° water and steep for two minutes. Pu-erh is a valuable tea, because the leaves come from ancient tea trees. Typically, the camellia sinensis is pruned into shrub-sized plants so that the tea pickers can easily access the leaves. There are some ancient ones, however, that have been allowed to grow into trees, whose leaves are used to make pu-erh. The leaves are oxidized twice and, like fine wines, they are aged for many years. Some of these teas are so rare and valuable, that a single cup could cost nearly $100! Pu-erh tea has a deep, earthy flavor and a dark, reddish-brown color. It is best on its own or with only a hint of sugar. It should be steeped in boiling water for 5-7 minutes, and the leaves can be used for multiple infusions. There are also herbal infusions, known as tisanes. While they are not true teas, there are many different ones that can be enjoyed before bedtime since they are caffeine-free. Mint and chamomile tisanes are helpful for indigestion. Tisanes made with lavender help promote restfulness. Rooibos, also known as “red tea,” has a sweet, soothing flavor that is great for this time of year. Tisanes should be steeped in boiling water for 5-7 minutes. When it comes right down to it, the most important thing to remember about tea is that it promotes a sense of well-being and relaxation if you take the time to truly enjoy the taking of tea. I don’t recommend stopping at a take-out window and grabbing a paper cup of lukewarm water with a teabag floating in it. In order to get the full benefits of all that tea has to offer, why not
set aside some time for yourself and make it special? Find a quiet place to sit, select a good book, make a properly-brewed cup and prepare a little treat to go along with it. Below are some recipes to get you started. Then sink down into the chair, wrap your hands around the steaming cup and indulge yourself in tea time. R
autumn tea
1/2 c black, loose leaf tea 1Tbsp whole cloves 1 Tbsp dried ginger 8 cinnamon sticks, broken into small pieces
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight jar until ready to use. To prepare tea, place 1 Tbsp of the mixture into a measuring cup and cover with six ounces of boiling water. Steep for five minutes. Strain into a mug and serve with honey or maple syrup.
currant and walnut biscuits
recommended reading for tea lovers
The Tea Companion: A Connoisseur’s Guide by Jane Pettigrew. Running Press, 2004. Eat Tea: Savory and Sweet Dishes Flavored with the World’s Most Versatile Ingredient by Joanna Pruess & John Harney. Lyons Press, 2001. The Way of Tea: Reflections on a Life with Tea by Aaron Fisher. Turtle Publishing, 2010. Tea Here Now: Rituals, Remedies and Meditations by Donna Fellman & Lhasha Tizer. Inner Ocean Publishing, Inc., 2005 A Morning Cup of Meditation by John Bright-Fey. Crane Hill Publishers, 2005. The Ancient Art of Tea: Wisdom From the Old Chinese Masters by Warren Peltier. Turtle Publishing, 2011.
Serves 10 2 1/4 c whole grain flour (any combination of whole wheat pastry, oat and/or barley) 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 c raw sugar (or substitute 1 large, ripe banana, mashed) 1 Tbsp organic, virgin coconut oil, melted 1 c organic soy milk (or milk of your choice) 1 Tbsp white vinegar 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 c chopped walnuts 1/2 c dried currants (or cranberries) Pre-heat oven to 425°. Grease a baking sheet and set aside.
In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well to combine. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients and mix well.
Pick-Your-Own Apples 10am-4pm Daily September & October Farmstand Open 7 Days 8am-6pm Fresh Seasonal Vegetables & Brick Oven Baked Goods 803 Waterford Road (between Routes 37 & 93) Sweden, ME 04040 (207) 647-9419
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Add the nuts and dried fruit, and mix until incorporated. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons on the baking sheet, leaving room between each. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.
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You’ve Got Mail by laurie lamountain
I
Like slow cooking, slow mail lets the juices simmer, and there’s joy in the sending even if the recipient doesn’t respond in kind.
n an increasingly electronic world, the art of letter writing seems almost quaint. When’s the last time you wrote a letter? I mean, actually moved your hand across an empty page as a means of conveying your thoughts and emotions to another person? To be honest, it wasn’t something I’d given a whole lot of thought to until I was standing in line at the post office one day recently and engaged in conversation with the woman in line ahead of me. When it was her time at the counter she asked to purchase stamps and was given several options to choose from before landing on songbirds. She then declared with unquestionable fidelity that she loved mail. More than anything, she loved sending it. The postal clerk behind the counter beamed at her like a proud parent. The United States Postal Service, which traces its roots back to 1775 when Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first postmaster general, has seen a steep decline in its revenues since the advent of the World Wide Web and the increased use of e-mail for correspondence and business transactions. In 2009, the USPS reported that First Class mail volume declined 29% over the previous decade, and in its 2012 Annual Report, the USPS reported its third straight year of operational losses, which amounted to $4.8 billion. No wonder the postal clerk was smiling at such a devoted customer. Where would the USPS be without such customers? Where would she be? And, more importantly, where would we be without the USPS? Some of my earliest memories are of receiving letters addressed to me. It was important that they didn’t come to me “care of” or in addition to the rest of my family. The usual author of these cor-
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susan lendroth, author respondences was my grandmother, who with 23 grandchildren certainly had her work cut out for her, but what’s perhaps even more impressive is that I still have some of those letters! There is something so much more eternal about a letter, especially if it’s handwritten. A letter even arrives with the sender’s DNA attached to it, either in the traces their tongue left on the seal or, if it’s a love letter, in the salty tears or perspiration it may have inspired. It may be a bad habit that will leave someone with a lot of personal correspondence to decide the fate of after my exit, but I find it really difficult to throw away a letter that someone I love took the time to compose and possibly stand in line at the post office to send to me. There’s a dedication behind that letter that is not attendant to e-mail. It’s so much easier to hit delete than to jettison a letter into the trash. This may be due in no small part to the fact that letter writing is a much more intimate experience that can be as surprising for the author as for the recipient. Journalist Elizabeth Drew pointed out that “It takes two to write a letter as much as it takes two to make a quarrel.” Years ago, a sweetheart at the time bought me a copy of Griffin & Sabine, a beautiful book of correspondence between a man and a woman, complete with handwritten (printed, of course) letters tucked in envelopes and fanciful postcards with stamps from exotic places. The correspondence between Griffin and Sabine tells an extraordinary story with no clear ending, in other words, like most written exchanges that play out during the absence of human contact. If Vincent and Theo Van Gogh had e-mail, we would not have had such rich insight into their true lives. Granted, the paintings are
what made Vincent Van Gogh memorable, but his letters are what make him human. In a letter written in June of 1880 to his brother, Theo, Vincent wrote: “It’s with some reluctance that I write to you, not having done so for so long, and that for many a reason. Up to a certain point you’ve become a stranger to me, and I too am one to you, perhaps more than you think; perhaps it would be better for us not to go on this way. It’s possible that I wouldn’t even have written to you now if it weren’t that I’m under the obligation, the necessity, of writing to you. If, I say, you yourself hadn’t imposed that necessity.”
The Internet has made it easy to reach out and touch someone . . . maybe too easy. And if e-mail weren’t enough, Skype came along to make it even easier! My contention is that maybe it shouldn’t be so easy. Perhaps there needs to be an element of effort to lend meaning to the connection. Can you imagine these same sentiments sent by e-mail? Considering his circumstances, Van Gogh’s fingers may have been sorely tempted to hit the “Don’t Save” button and Theo would not have sent him the necessary funds to pursue his life as a painter! The Internet has made it easy to reach out and touch someone, however superficially . . . maybe too easy. And if e-mail weren’t enough, Skype came along to make it even easier! My contention is that maybe it shouldn’t be so easy. Perhaps there needs to be an element of effort to lend meaning to the connection. Just as digital photos are captured willy-nilly and don’t have the lasting impact of a Kodak print, e-mails don’t carry the same amount of weight as a letter composed from the heart. So if this little rant has led you to think of someone you might write a letter to, my response is, do it! When next you go to check your mailbox, you may be rewarded with a response that will far surpass the usual heap of bills and junk mail you’re reluctantly accustomed to finding there. If that’s not enough to motivate you, consider doing it for the sake of our third-largest civilian employer—the USPS. R lakelivingmaine.com
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Cranberries from Maine by leigh macmillen hayes
n the morning of my first experience foraging for cranberries I had no idea what a harvester wore so I threw a variety of clothes and boots into my truck for good measure. At 9 a.m. I met Tom and Brian for a cranberry reconnaissance mission. It was overcast and the ominous forecaster had predicted rain, heavy at times, beginning mid-morning and lasting through the weekend. I decided that my rain coat and boots would be my best bet. Brian had hip waders; overkill I was sure. We weren’t exactly planning an Ocean Spray-style harvest. After driving to the fen, we bushwhacked to a boggy area. High water surprised Tom and he rerouted us several times. At last we found the tart little red berries. Well, sort of. We found the cranberry plants with a few berries dangling below. Tom handed us each a bucket. The intent was to fill our buckets several times over the next few hours. with my first two playmates. I always liked The water was certainly deeper than to bring them something from Maine. This I’d anticipated. Suddenly I was envious of would be perfect, I thought, cranberries Brian’s waders. Once the cold water flowed from Maine. My sister was quickly added into my boots, it no longer mattered where to the list. I was ecstatic and figured I could I stepped. My socks were soaked and water pick today and maybe another day. sloshed about with each movement. There The warm sun made for a pleasant was more water in my boots than cranberamble. Finally reaching a field I’d been told ries in my bucket. about, I wasn’t sure which way to go. UnThe actual result of our harvesting effort fortunately, I’d left the directions at home. was that we each covered a lot of territory I followed truck tracks straight ahead to and picked only about sixty cranberries the water, and then cautiously made my between us in just over an hour. Had the way to the right. I was in water and didn’t cranberries not been pollinated? Did the want it to go over my boots. No cranberry high amount of precipitation that past plants anywhere. summer ruin the crop? Or had someone I was beginning to doubt I even rememharvested before us? bered what a cranberry plant looked like. Two weeks later the temperature was in What if they were all around me and I was the mid-60°s when I drove to the hardware completely missing them. The foliage was store for a paint bucket. My intention was cranberry colored, but no berries. I trudged not to paint. Indeed, I was going on my along, crossed the tracks and bushwhacked own cranberry picking mission. Since the on the other side, again to no avail. Slowly previous effort didn’t provide results, I I made my way back up the road. I’d been was determined to find fresh cranberries. A at it for over an hour and knew I only had friend had told me about a field where the another hour before I needed to head home. cranberries were abundant and lush. At the I was losing time. store, I toyed with the idea of a shiny, metal Almost back to my truck, I realized that bucket. Visions of Robert McCloskey’s there was another road to the left. Maybe classic Blueberries for Sal flashed through this was where I was supposed to go. My my head. But . . . the metal was too shiny hopes rose. I’d never ventured down this and new. It would truly make me stand out path before. Once again, I bushwhacked as a newbie at this harvesting business. So and mucked about searching for the bright I chose the plastic paint bucket. Actually, I red berries. Nothing. Toward the end of chose two plastic paint buckets. the trail I reached another field. Was this Driving to the field, I enjoyed the glorithe right one? Even if it was, I couldn’t ous fall colors. The reds were redder and remember which side held the coveted red yellows yellower. And I began to think of berries. I checked everywhere and still had a cranberry gift list. I had an upcoming visit
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The actual result of our harvesting effort was that we each covered a lot of territory and picked only about sixty cranberries between us in just over an hour. Had the cranberries not been pollinated? Did the high amount of precipitation that past summer ruin the crop? Or had someone harvested before us? two empty buckets. Finally admitting defeat, I gave up my quest—until I could return. And I did! Two days after my first try, I took a friend with me. I’d reread the directions so at the field I told her where the cranberries should be. We split up and circled the area. I kept searching near water, because my first ever cranberry experience had been in water. After a half hour of no berries, I was beginning to feel foolish. I’d been so certain we’d find them. I kept thinking about how I’d been told that there were so many. Why couldn’t we locate those berries? By now, my friend was on the other side of a boggy area. I asked if she’d seen anything. “Only one, when I bent down to tie my shoe.” A light bulb went off in my head. Returning to the field, I began to look low. Almost instantly, I spotted bright red berries tucked under dark green foliage. Huzzah! We spent the rest of our time picking berries. Once my eyes were accustomed to the plant I realized that they were everywhere. We didn’t fill our buckets, but we did pick quite a few while enjoying the warm sunshine on our backs, pleasant conversation and satisfaction of foraging for something edible. R
cranberry orange bread
2 c flour 3/4 c sugar 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 egg, beaten 2 Tbsp canola oil grated rind of one orange 3/4 c orange juice 1 cup raw cranberries, cut in half 1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350째. Sift dry ingredients. Beat together egg, oil, orange rind and juice; add to dry ingredients, mixing until moistened. Fold in cranberries (and walnuts). Pour into greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake for one hour.
cranberry oat bran muffins
1 1/2 c flour 1/2 c oat bran 3/4 tsp salt 1/3 c sugar 3 tsp baking powder 2 eggs 1/4 c canola oil 1 c milk 1 c chopped cranberries 1 c chopped walnuts (optional) 1 tsp grated orange peel Preheat oven to 400째. Mix dry ingredients and set aside. Beat together eggs, oil and milk; add to dry ingredients. Fold in cranberries, (walnuts) and orange peel. Batter may be lumpy. Pour into muffin tins and bake 20 minutes. lakelivingmaine.com
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ANDY BUCK
Building Custom House and Barn Frames Since 1987 Providing High Quality Timberframes for General Contractors and for the Owner/Builder Life Member of the Timber Framers Guild
97 Kimball Corner Road Naples, Maine 04055 (207) 935-1123 CustomTimberFramer.com lakelivingmaine.com
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