What is
(OF PETER, PAUL & MARY)
thinking about in Blue Hill?
Plus!
YES! ATVs AT MOOSEHEAD
Chip from My Three Sons! December 2019 $5.95 • meseniors.com
PHOTO: JASON P.AIGE SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY
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To order yourorganize FREE kit, Contact Amy Anderson: 207.245.3734 or amy.anderson@use.SalvationArmy.org. This handy kit helps you your financial information and understand your options for charitable giving. To order your FREE kit, Contact Amy Anderson: 207.245.3734 or amy.anderson@use.SalvationArmy.org.
DECEMBER 2019 • 1
d WickeMEMORIES MY THREE SONS:
Stanley Livingston by Mary Frances Barstow
Y
ou remember him… Chip from My Three Sons. Can you hear the opening music…that tune with Fred McMurray and his famous sons? This very popular show began over fifty years ago: 380 episodes during its twelve-year run. And yes, the sons are all grown. Chip, the middle son, sat down with me to share his experience on this show.
2 • MAINE SENIORS
It all started for Chip (Stanley Livingston) when his Mom took him swimming at the local pool. The family wasn’t rich, but they sure were rich in love. At the pool that day there was a talent scout relaxing, but she was mesmerized by this precocious, very magnetic little boy. She spoke to Stanley's Mom, and asked her if she would consider a screen test for Stanley. She said, “Sure, how can it hurt?” It was more of a fun journey. The screen test went very well. Of course, the test wasn’t for My Three Sons. It was for the part of a neighbor child on Ozzie and Harriet. Oh, yes, we remember that great show…the way life used to be. Stanley played the neighbor child for 3 years, until one day he was wandering on the set. (His precociousness hadn’t changed.) He was curious about this horse he had seen at a distance. Off he went to find him. Well, this horse turned out to be Mr. Ed. Stanley didn’t know at the time
that he was a famous horse, but he just loved him. All of a sudden, a man appeared and said to Stanley, “Hey, kid, how did you get in here?” Well, this man was Jackie Cooper. Yep, one of the first Little Rascals. Stanley told Jackie that he was working on Ozzie and Harriet and that he had kinda slipped away to see the horse and this very cute dog. Well, Stanley didn’t know who Jackie Cooper was. However, Jackie took note of this adorable lad, and immediately thought about how Stanley reminded him of himself in the day. "I would like to meet your Mom.” Stanley said, “Ok.” Jackie walked with Stanley to the other set, where Ozzie and Harriet was being filmed. He met with Stanley’s Mom and said, “I was like this kid; he so reminds me of myself as a child. I would like to test him for a show that I’m doing.” It was a TV show that was a spin-off from his academy award-winning performance of the Skippy movies.
Stanley told me that when he was eighteen, he went into one of the early 70’s bars. There was a girl there dancing in a cage. He caught her eye, and, "Well, I married her!” That marriage didn’t last long, but it did produce a lovely daughter whom he adores. was always attracted to the other side of the camera. He had learned from the best how to edit, write, and film. He has owned his own production company, First Team Productions, for many years, and this is where his heart is. He has produced many movies, as well as working in advertising and other fields. Stanley is one funny guy! During our interview, it was one joke after another. He sure is a very funny guy, and so entertaining. Stanley told me that when he was eighteen, he went into one of the early 70’s bars. Wow! He told me that there was a girl there dancing in a cage. It was the Go-GoGirl era. He caught the eye of this beautiful girl, and, "Well, I married her!” That marriage didn’t last long,
but it did produce a lovely daughter whom he adores. He remarried and has been with his wife for over thirty years. Below you can find some of the great things Stanley has done with his production company. It was a joy to be with Stanley for this interview. He is a very intelligent guy, with an obviously good heart and so wicked funny!!!! Stanley Livingston Credits: How the West was Won with Debbie Reynolds and Rally ‘Round the Flag Boys with John Wayne, feature film he has produced: Checkers. He is currently producing a great show called Quarry Men, based on the Beatles.
MORE FROM LAST MONTH Pictured: Bobby Rydell. How we love his music. We love what he did for our troops in Vietnam, bringing a little home to their hearts through his song.
PHOTO: COURTESY BOBBY RYDELL
Stanley took the screen test, and before he knew it, he was cast in many movies, including Don’t Eat the Daisies. Stanley loved acting. Soon he left as the neighbor boy on Ozzie and Harriet. Stanley’s younger brother, Barry Livingston, took over the part for him. You remember Barry; he was the little fellow on My Three Sons that was adopted. After a few years of different movies, Stanley was cast in the show My Three Sons, with his little brother, Barry. The show ran for the next eight years. It is one of the longest shows ever to appear on television. Stanley told me how his life just didn’t change that much, unlike. many other child stars, His Mom wanted him to stay in public school and just be one of the kids. This worked for him, though he had some rough times at first. He wasn’t sure who was his real friend or who just wanted the company of the “star”. However, he said it all worked out and he still to this day has many of his childhood friends as good buddies. Stanley continued acting until he was thirty-four years old. However, he
DECEMBER 2019 • 3
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
“The real miracle
is this: the more we share, the more we have.” — Leonard Nimoy
MIRACLES? This month Maine Seniors looks around at small miracles. We’re calling them “small,” but are there any small miracles? I’ll turn to the great scientist of the 20th Century, Albert Einstein, who said, “There are only two ways to live your life: one is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle.” Are they magic? Coincidence? God’s work? In the 20th Century, Dr. Carl Jung wrote about his theory called “synchronicity,” which was meant to explain … I guess … miracles. “Meaningful coincidences are as unthinkable as pure chance. The more they multiply and the greater and more exact the correspondence is … they can no longer be regarded as pure chance, but, for the lack of a causal explanation, have to be thought of as meaningful arrangements.” To some folks, this may sound like gobbledy-gook. But to understand the
4 • MAINE SENIORS
point of what Dr. Jung was writing about, we must realize that during his long career as a psychiatrist, Jung avoided public comment about “The God Thing,” because he didn’t want to be labeled a religious person. He wrote about this to Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson. In theory, he was (after all) a scientific explorer of the nature of human beings. He reached out a bit further later in his writing about this theory, saying, “Synchronicity is the coming together of inner and outer events in a way that cannot be explained by cause and effect, and yet is extremely meaningful to the observer.” In other words, if it can’t possibly be a coincidence … it isn’t one. I love that. I also love — more than all of this — what Star Trek star Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock) once wrote, “The real miracle is this: the more we share, the more we have.” Yes.
IN THIS ISSUE
|| D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9
E D I TO R / P U B L I S H E R
Jim Kendrick jk@jameskendrick.net AS S O C IAT E P U B L I S H E R
Mary Frances Barstow mary@maineseniorsmagazine.com AS S O C IAT E E D I TO R
Jacqueline Harjula jackie@maineseniorsmagazine.com MA R K E T I N G C O N S U LTA N T S
Bob Bird bob@maineseniorsmagazine.com Bill Burrows bburrows@villagesoup.com
32 2 | WICKED MEMORIES My Three Sons: Stanley Livingston 4 | PUBLISHER’S NOTE
18 50
Carrie Colby carrie@maineseniorsmagazine.com Ann Duddy aduddy@theforecaster.net Randy Nichols randymeseniors@gmail.com
D I R E C TO R O F D I G I TAL MAR K E T I N G
AR T D I R E C TO R
Sandy Flewelling sandy@truebluedesign.us PRODUCTION
Ian Marquis marquisij@gmail.com
BUSINESS OFFICE
P.O. Box 1076 Camden, ME 04843-1076 Phone (207) 299-5358
OUTDOORS
SMALL MIRACLES
46 | Seniors Not Acting Their Ages
6 | How to Have a Blast at Christmas
Sandra Turner sandra@maineseniorsmagazine.com
Jacob S. Smith jsmith@villagesoup.co
SPECIAL SECTION
What is
8 | One Tiny Christmas Miracle
IN THE GARDEN
10 | Maggie's Story: I Found You, Mom!
56 | Holiday Gifts for Gardeners
12 | Why the Cane?
60 | FEATURED RECIPES Amazing Cranberry Bread & Elegant Cucumber Rolls
16 | Knitting Ladies (OF PETER, PAUL & MARY)
thinking about in Blue Hill?
Plus!
YES! ATVs AT MOOSEHEAD
Chip from My Three Sons! December 2019 $5.95 • meseniors.com
PHOTO: JASON P.AIGE SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY
ON THE COVER Noel Paul Stookey, see page 24 Cover photo by Jason Paige Smith
50 | Moosehead Adventure
18 | Miracle Woman 22 | What Grandchildren Really Want for Christmas FEATURES 24 | Noel Paul Stookey
62 | CROSSWORD 64 | ADVICE FROM JIMMY & MARY
32 | Rosie’s the Name, Bridge is Her Game 40 | Sayward Hall, Jr. 42 | Strings Attached
DECEMBER 2019 • 5
SPECIAL SECTION
HOW TO HAVE A
Blast
AT CHRISTMAS by Mary Frances Barstow
I
t was 1973. Yep, my first Thanksgiving. My siblings were coming to my house for the first time. Since I was the baby of the family, with my sibs being twelve plus years older than I, this was a big deal. I know their thoughts were: “The baby-boomer sibling. She can’t do this.” Well, I was going to show them! Boy did I! I was so excited, to be able to flaunt my abilities to the entire family. I had shrimp galore, and every vegetable you could think of. Hors d’oeuvres like you dream about. Yep, I was making an amazing impression during the cocktail hour. There was champagne, wine, and even frozen
6 • MAINE SENIORS
Margaritas. I did it all. During the cocktail hour we were all in the main room, all twenty-four of us. They were saying,” Wow, we didn’t think you could do this.” I told them that I had been up all night to make this the most memorable Thanksgiving ever...how I made my own stuffing and had a twentysix-pound turkey in the oven. They certainly were impressed! As we were all enjoying the cocktails and hors-d’oeuvres, we heard a huge BOOOOOM, like a bomb. Everyone was screaming, “What is that? Oh my God!!!” The sound came from the kitchen. We all rushed in to find out what was going on. Horrors! We saw the oven
door ripped open. Turkey was everywhere. Then we saw what was left of the turkey. The ass of the turkey had just blown off. Yep, my twenty-six-pound turkey was dripping from everywhere: the ceiling, the cupboards, even from the kitchen clock. I don’t think I’ve ever heard folks laugh so hard. I had REALLY stuffed my turkey. In order to have enough stuffing for all twenty-four of us, I had pushed it in firmly with my fist. Really tightly! I guess I hadn’t read the directions too closely: “stuff loosely.” So, folks, if you are roasting a turkey for the first time… LOOSE… is the key word!
DECEMBER 2019 • 7
One Tiny Christmas Miracle CHRISTMAS MIRACLES COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES, MOST OF THEM UNEXPECTEDLY. OURS WAS A MINI-MIRACLE, BUT A MIRACLE JUST THE SAME. by Martha McSweeney Brower 8 • MAINE SENIORS
W
e had moved into our first single family fixer-upper in Maine with no central heat. That first winter was hard. I was pregnant with our third child and with Reade working one hundred hours a week at our business in Rockland, I was the one keeping the home fires burning in the wood stove. Our little 2- and 3-year-olds were my little helpers all winter long, bringing in one log at a time for a payment of a chocolate bit or a penny a log, and they worked with enthusiasm. By the time the baby came that spring, underfloor heating was installed on the first floor, so the following winter our feet were nice and toasty as we padded around the warm but crooked floors in our socks. It felt luxurious. But even with no fire to tend that winter, I was busy with 3 children under 4. As Christmas got closer and closer, our undecorated tree leaned against the railing outside. It hadn’t come into the house because my teething infant cried every time I put him down. There weren’t even any presents yet because in order to go to the store, I had to dress all 3 in snowsuits and boots, stuff 2 of them into car seats, and all 3 into the grocery cart. The last time I had taken them all to the supermarket, the oldest bopped the baby with a can of pineapple that left a dent on his head. Reade was trying to get home for supper. He hardly ever sat with us as a family because he was working like a dog trying to keep us afloat. I’d wished so often that he could work at a regular job and have regular hours instead of having our own business. At one time I could go in and help him, but with a third child, it was impossible. 7:00 came, then 7:30. The baby cried every time I put him down, and the tree remained outside. By 8:00 the kids were frantic. Finally, the driveway lit up with the headlights and the car crunched on the pea stone gravel to a stop. “Daddy! Daddy!” the kids screamed, and the baby wailed louder. Reade staggered exhausted into the hallway.
IMAGE: UNDREY / ADOBESTOCK
SPECIAL SECTION
“Here’s a bucket with some my breast to find that they were all “Pull the plug!”, stones in it for a stand” I snapped. happily dancing around the now “Let’s stick the tree in it and do this I screamed. I believe erect Christmas tree. Nothing was a quickly. The baby is frantic. Just put mess. All was cleaned up. All was that I dropped an the lights on it.” dry. All were singing a happy little I was a grouch with not a particle F-bomb as I grabbed Christmas song. of Christmas spirit in me. We were “What happened?” I asked. the now screaming both exhausted. Reade stuck the Reade shrugged, looked at me in a tree in the bucket and poured a few side-glance of secretive dismay and baby and ran. gallons of water into it along with whispered, “I have no idea. All of the some large stones to give it weight and to prop up the water just disappeared and dried up.” tree. The baby fussed and squirmed like a fish. Jesse and I handed him the baby and looked around. Whatever Lucas watched Reade pull 2 sets of colored lights out of could have happened to the gallons of water I had seen just last year’s bag of decorations, draping them carelessly minutes before? The huge mess? around the tree. The baby’s eyes widened as soon as he There it was. A button-sized hole in the slanted floor. plugged them in, and he forgot to cry. The two little ones The water had flowed towards the hole and down onto took plastic ornaments out of a box with reverence and the gravel basement floor and had dried up immediately hung them on the lower branches. with the underfloor heating. “Ok— Let’s sing one Christmas Carol and get these I flopped onto the little sofa in relief that my entire kids to bed” I said with no emotion, for Christmas was precious family wasn’t electrocuted under the Christmas now just another job. tree. The little ones were dancing around the magical — We sat together on the one torn love seat in the front and now really magical —scene. room. I don’t remember what song we were singing, but All was well. It would be a happy Christmas. I do remember the tree listing and slanting to the side, faster and faster in a blur of moving colored lights, a crash to the floor, a whoosh of water sloshing everywhere like a sudden wave coming onto shore. The tree, the lights, the plastic ornaments all crashed down in slow motion with the speed of lightening-all at once. “Pull the plug!”, I screamed. I believe that I dropped an F-bomb as I grabbed the now screaming baby and ran. In our bedroom, I pulled my sweet Baby Isaac to me, and cried on his fuzzy baby head. He grabbed me, too, to suckle in mutual comfort. Why was everything so hard? This wasn’t the way it was supposed to be. Nursing Baby Isaac was my only comfort and centering. In a few minutes, I would pull myself together and go back out to help clean up. But the minutes went by, and I heard nothing from the front room. Ten minutes went by and still all was quiet. I had imagined that there would be a mess of towels everywhere to clean up the gallons of water spread out on the floor. But then I realized in total panic that my entire family could be lying on the floor around our Christmas tree electrocuted and twitching in a puddle of highly charged water. I jumped up and ran in with baby Isaac still clinging to DECEMBER 2019 • 9
SPECIAL SECTION
MAGGIE’S STORY:
I Found You, Mom HOW WE TRACKED HER DOWN IN MICHIGAN. by Mary Frances Barstow
D
uring this wonderful season of lights and giving, I want to share with everyone the story of a true miracle. When I moved to Florida a year ago, I remember hearing that my new neighbors were from Vermont. I am also a snowbird, enjoying the summer in my New Hampshire home, which is very close to the Vermont border. So, when I heard that Maggie and Ron were from Vermont, I thought to myself, “Isn’t that such a grand coincidence!” Shortly after I arrived, Maggie and Ron immediately came over and welcomed me as their new neighbor.
10 • MAINE SENIORS
We spoke of how funny it was that we lived only thirty-five miles apart in New England. The next morning Maggie stopped by again. She looked at me and said, “We share a couple of other things that are coincidences, in addition to living close to each other in New England.” She said to me, “My name is Mary Frances, just like yours.” I asked, “How did you get Maggie out of Mary Frances?” “Oh,” she replied. “I just always wanted to be called Maggie, so in my early twenties I changed my name—
much to the chagrin of my parents.” “Why Maggie?” I asked. She said she did not know. “I just wanted that to be my name. That was all.” The second coincidence was that Maggie had been adopted as a baby. And personally, being so interested in this subject, I asked Maggie if she had ever found her biological Mom. She explained that she never did this because she had such a lovely caring relationship with her parents, who have now both passed. She didn’t want to hurt them, she said. “And,” Maggie said, “I didn’t really think I could find out anything.” But she was always curious, she told me. She wondered where she was originally from and if she had any siblings out in the world. I told her I could help, or at least try. She was excited to hear that we could easily get what’s called “nonidentifying information” about her adoption. Basically, I could discover where her parents were from, her nationality, and what they did for work. This first step, however, would not reveal names or current locations. We sent away for this information, and after it arrived, I went to work doing my thing. I don’t have the answers as to how I find names, but I do. There’s nothing logical or scientific about it. I always have believed that it’s a “God thing.” After many hours of computersearching and phone calls, I found a name I thought might be a possibility. I had shared with Maggie that her biological mom would be in her 90’s, and like her adoptive parents, had probably passed away. But I suggested that we might be able to locate siblings, if there were any.
I was able to confirm that Maggie was born in New York City. What was puzzling, though, was the fact that she had been adopted in the state of Michigan. I continued to search after receiving the non-identifying information. It became so difficult. At one point, I feared that it was becoming impossible. The summer came quickly. Maggie went back to Vermont. I followed a few weeks later to New Hampshire. I called Maggie to come and visit. When she did, I told her of one possible person who might be a first cousin. Maggie called this man. He could not confirm that the person I thought was her mom ever had a child given up for adoption. We just could not confirm. During my search for the woman that I had come to believe was Maggie’s Mom, I kept seeing the name of one person who had been a caretaker for her. However, I could not find him either. After Maggie visited, I tried calling once again … and BOOM! I found a number that was brand-new to the information directory. I called. A man answered. I immediately recognized his name as the caretaker for the woman whom I suspected was Maggie’s mother! I asked him if he knew the woman I thought might be her Mom. He said, “Yes!” This was so exciting! I next asked if he knew if she ever had a child that she gave up for adoption. He asked me, “When was this child’s birthday?” I told him October 1, 1946. At that moment, he told me, “Yes. That would be her.” I was beyond excited. I asked if Miss Hartford ever had other chil-
dren. He said, “No. The girl was her only child.” I was disappointed, but asked this man if Maggie could call him, so she could ask questions about her Mom since he had known her. “Can Maggie call you?” I asked. He said, “Why would Maggie call me?” It was difficult to understand this man’s hesitation. I told him that I was not the daughter, and that I was calling on behalf of a friend. The man sounded strange. Then he said, “I’m not sure why you are asking this. What is your friend’s name?” I said, “Maggie.” The man said, “I can see the confusion here. Maggie is her mother’s name, too!” He asked, “Why don’t you speak with her. She’s right here.” I was so shocked! She was still alive and well! When I told Maggie that her Mom was still alive, she was the one who was in shock. She immediately called. When they first spoke, her Mom said – in her quiet little voice, “Is this Maggie?” Maggie confirmed this.
just like your Mom!” Maggie told me that she went in and sat next to her Mom. They held hands. They were both overwhelmed. Then her Mom got up, went to a drawer and pulled out a box. In the box was a perfectly kept baby book that was Maggie’s, and also her baby bracelet and her beanie hat that she wore at her birth. Her Mom said, “I have been keeping these for you. It took you so long to come home.” Maggie’s mother (Maggie) was a captain in the Marines. She gave birth to Maggie and kept her for eight months. But she wanted her daughter to have two parents. In those days it was very much frowned upon have a child out of wedlock. And so, her mother made the ultimate sacrifice and put baby Maggie up for adoption. She wanted the little girl to have a better life with a mother and father. She kept her baby book perfectly. Every day she wrote in it how much she loved her little daughter Leslie (which was the name she had given
And so, her mother made the ultimate sacrifice and put baby Maggie up for adoption. She wanted the little girl to have a better life with a mother and father. The sweet lady responded, “My name is Maggie, too.” This was a miracle! Within two days, Maggie and Ron drove all the way to Michigan from Vermont to visit her birth mother. She was greeted at the door by a friend, who took a huge breath at seeing Maggie. She said, “Oh dear! You look
Maggie.) She kept cards and her love was so present on every page. Maggie’s mother never had other children. She just waited for her girl to come home. And she did. It was a miracle! And during this season of miracles, let us all be grateful for all the miracles in our own daily lives. DECEMBER 2019 • 11
Why the cane? RECOVERY … YES, TRANSFORMATION! by Glenn Adams
A
ski trip was planned, and it was a go despite the freezing cold January temperatures. Christopher Lockwood loaded the gear in his van, and with two of his sons and their friend, set out from Hallowell to Sugarloaf. It started to snow an hour into the trip. They never got to the mountain that day. Instead, Lockwood found himself being lifted into an ambulance bound for Lewiston, and from there onto a helicopter to take him to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. While on the way to Sugarloaf that
12 • MAINE SENIORS
icy day in 1989, Lockwood had stopped briefly in Kingfield and got out of his van. A car skidded off the roadway and veered into where Lockwood was standing. The impact, doctors said, left his left leg severed 90 percent. It set into play weeks and weeks of hospital stays, at least 15 operations, and a long and often brutally painful rehabilitation. All of this was accompanied by bursts of anger, unbearable frustration, and family crises. And perhaps his worst fear, Lockwood said in a recent interview in his 1860’s home in Hallowell: “I thought
I’d never play tennis again.” It turns out that Lockwood, who turned 73 in November 2019, has resumed his tennis playing. More importantly, he emerges from his odyssey richer by a couple of lessons, which he shares in his book, Why the Cane? Transformation and recovery after a traumatic injury (Maine Authors Publishing, Thomaston). Lesson One: Imagine you’re a car with 120,000 miles. Spare yourself. Don’t run up the odometer getting to 200,000 miles. Use “better roads” to get around if it avoids unnecessary wear and tear on your body. That might mean taking the elevator instead of the steps. Lesson Two: You have a bank account with “X” amount of money and no more deposits. Think of that as your physical condition and be careful about how you spend those funds. “Those are the two biggest metaphors, and they have served me so well,” said Lockwood. What’s more, all his doctors have bought into those bits of advice in treating him. For decades, Chris Lockwood was well-known around the State House. He spent 36 years as executive director of the Maine Municipal Association, which has a prominent presence in the Capitol and beyond. He wound up in Augusta by way of Washington state. Originally from a small town near Utica, New York, Lockwood graduated from St. Lawrence University and served three years in the Navy. After moving with his wife, Cindy, to the Pacific Northwest, he earned a graduate degree at the University of Washington. After a stint in real estate, he found a place in Washington’s association that represents municipalities. The work, he said, “got
PHOTO: GLENN ADAMS
SPECIAL SECTION
into my bloodstream. That’s where I cut my teeth.” In 1978, Lockwood said, he put in his name for executive director of the Maine Municipal Association a continent’s width away and was hired in 1979. “When I started the job, I made a commitment to be here for at least three years,” said Lockwood. The move east with their young family was hard on Cindy, whose sister also lived in Seattle. Chris’s tenure at MMA was longer than initially expected. He retired from there in 2015. Cindy died two years later after losing a battle against pancreatic cancer. Lockwood’s book is dedicated to her. It was during Lockwood’s years at Maine Municipal that his life changed due to what his family referred to as
simply, “the accident.” After it happened, word swept through the State House right up to the office of governor, John “Jock” McKernan, Jr. With Lockwood’s leg severed close to the knee, doctors prepared to amputate the leg. “Shortly before I was taken to the operating room, one of the other doctors changed the question. He asked if I could move my toes,” Lockwood recalls in his book. “Ever so slightly, I was able to move my toes. The staff passed this information on to the doctors in the scrub room.” At the last minute, a decision was made not to amputate, but that led to a long and complicated series of surgeries. Lockwood recalls having his arms tied down and a breathing tube down his throat after an initial operation. Still, there were still no
guarantees that the doctors’ best efforts in multiple surgeries would save the leg. There was plenty of support, and gifts, candy, flowers. But those were accompanied by frequent pain, frustration with being immobile and stress of not knowing if things would return to normal. Lockwood kept a journal. One entry sums up what he went through: “Got back from the OR mid- afternoon – in absolutely excruciating pain. The nurses said the operation was successful, but I’m in terrible pain – felt nauseous – thirsty … Didn’t get much sleep – on morphine shots. My left hip cramps up if I cough or try to move at all – it’s brutal.” Then came rehabilitation, where Lockwood found himself surrounded by people with injuries far worse than
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DECEMBER 2019 • 13
The Two “Tennis Balls” Books To Chris Lockwood’s surprise, he ended up with not one, but two publications of his children’s book “The Tennis Ball Trees.” The idea of the book, based on the antics of Lockwood’s tennis ball-loving chocolate Labrador retriever, came to him while vacationing in Cape Cod in 2000. He arranged for an artist to illustrate the book, but 13 years passed before Lockwood set about getting it published. His idea was to present it to his four grown children and grandchildren on Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, his son Joel was quietly cooking up a plan of his own. Seeing his dad’s book set aside for years, Joel got the text, hired an illustrator and arranged to have the book published as a surprise present – also to be presented at Thanksgiving dinner. His timetable was virtually identical to Lockwood’s. “The poor kid,” said the author. “He had been sky-high about getting dad’s book published.” Needless to say, “Thanksgiving Day was very full of surprises for our family,” says Lockwood’s website. “Either way we look at it, we now have a ‘surprise bonus edition’ of ‘The Tennis Ball Trees’ book.”
14 • MAINE SENIORS
court,” Lockwood writes. A couple of years before his retirement, Lockwood published a children’s book, “The Tennis Ball Trees,” which he had written several years earlier. He enjoys reading his children’s book in schools in the Augusta area. When he retired in 2015 from Maine Municipal, Lockwood started thinking about his next venture. His publisher introduced him to a writing coach, and they discussed several ideas. The coach Lee Heffner was emphatic that he should write about “the accident,” both for himself and for his family. Lockwood followed that advice. In order to block out interruptions, he rented an office in the Fort Andross building, a former mill in Brunswick. During this process in 2016, his wife Cindy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and work on the book was suspended. Cindy died in November 2017. “After the holidays, in 2018 as I was processing everything, I realized
his. At long last, he returned home. But the long, torturous episode that had been his ticket to “an emotional and psychological roller coaster” contributed to upheaval in the household. Fists went through plaster walls, screaming matches were waged over trivialities, a son started flunking his classes. Then, as he became more mobile, well-meaning but grating comments like, “A little early for skiing, isn’t it?” and “What did you do to yourself?” The toughest one for Lockwood to handle: “What happened to the other guy?” About a year after the accident, he graduated from crutches to a cane. At long last came physical therapy, which led to Lockwood’s contact with physiatrist Dr. James Fegan, an M.D. specializing in rehabilitation medicine. Fegan was also a former fighter pilot in Vietnam who had suffered a serious leg injury himself when his plane was shot down. It was Fegan who gave “Using the cane has made a Lockwood the advice he has held tightly. world of difference in what If using the cane kind of lifestyle I can lead.” makes it easier to get through the supermarket or an air terminal, so what? “It that 2019 would be the 30th year doesn’t matter what people think,” after the accident,” said Lockwood. said Lockwood. “I set a goal for myself that I would It was Dr. Fegan’s advice, wrote like to publish the book on the 30th Lockwood, that got him back on the anniversary of the accident.” tennis court. He had to adapt his Lockwood hopes others will gain game because of his limited mobility something from reading his book. It’s – but he is out there, racquet in hand. about putting one’s vanity aside if “Now when I tell people about the someone asks, “Why the cane?” accident and that I use a cane to get “In my case, using the cane has around, but that I’ve gotten back to made a world of difference in what playing tennis, I joke that I use a kind of lifestyle I can lead,” says Locktennis racquet, not a cane, on the wood.
PHOTO: GLENN ADAMS
Sidebar photo: Chris, with his books, The Tennis Ball Trees and Why the Cane?
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DECEMBER 2019 • 15
SPECIAL SECTION
KNIT TING FOR
Charity ON A RECENT MONDAY MORNING, A ROOM ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE J. RICHARD MARTIN COMMUNITY CENTER IN BIDDEFORD WAS ABUZZ WITH THE CLICKING OF KNITTING NEEDLES AND FRIENDLY CHATTER. by Elizabeth Gotthelf-Othat
16 • MAINE SENIORS
I
t was the weekly meeting of Knitting for Charity, a longstanding drop-in group that’s part of the Biddeford Recreation Department’s Fifty Plus Club. Knitting for Charity was founded in 2000 by Sister Theresa Couture, a local nun who, while working as a teacher in the prison system, saw that many children when visiting their incarcerated parents didn’t have proper winter clothing. Couture is not a knitter, but for many years led the group and made sure the gloves, hats, scarves and other carefully handcrafted items were distributed to those in need. Couture recently stepped back from her leadership role in the group, but the group remains strong under the foundation she built. There are about a dozen regulars, all women, who stop by the community center on Monday morning to knit, and there are others who knit at home and drop off their hand-made goods. “We have what we call a yarn closet. We provide yarn that is donated, though some choose to bring their own,” said Biddeford Fifty Plus Club President Stephanie Ruel. The dedicated group recently donated several hundreds of handstitched items to area schools. One of the schools was Gov. John Fairfield School in Saco, which serves nearly 350 students from kindergarten through second grade. Principal Maureen McMullin said the gift was much appreciated as there are many students in need of these items.
“When winter hits Maine, it hits hard – especially for those who are living in shelters, summer rentals or in transition. We all know how much colder the day and night can seem without hats or mittens,” said McMullin. “For lots of children, a single pair of mittens to protect their hands is a luxury their parents cannot afford. Such a small thing as a pair of mittens or a hat can make a big difference.” Earlier this year, Knitting for Charity reached out to a local hospice center, and when it was discovered there was a need for hats for residents, one of the knitters was immediately on, cranking out several warm, soft caps. “They’re amazing,” said Ruel. One of the knitters, she said, will come in on a Monday morning and leave with six to eight inches of a sweater completed. The woman knows the stiches so well, that she doesn’t even look at the needles while she’s working, said Ruel. As the ladies worked, they chatted about their families and goings-on in the community. “Ninety percent of the group is camaraderie,” said Kati Horton. She said she discovered the group about six years ago, and found renewed interest in an old hobby. Horton moved back to the area in 2010 after living in Arizona for 20 years. She said she couldn’t pursue the hobby in Above: Gerry Souliere and Beth Harriman knit at the J.Richard Martin Community Center in Biddeford. Below: A colorful afghan from a home knitter.
Arizona, as knitting in the dry weather triggered a skin condition. “The 20 years I was in Arizona, I didn’t knit, I would get a rash on my hands right here between my fingers,” she said. That doesn’t seem to be an issue for her in Maine, as she had just completed a child-sized hat complete with a fuzzy brim, and was taking home a new pattern to try out for later. “We exchange patterns. It makes it interesting,” said Beth Harriman. She was sitting next to her friend Gerry Souliere, knitting a child size 8 sweater from bright blue striped yarn. “If I have enough yarn left over, I’m going to make mittens,” she said. Souliere and Harriman have been attending the weekly group for more than a decade. “I’ve been doing this for years and years and years,” said Souliere, who was knitting a green cable-knit sweater. “It’s going to have a cowl neck. I’ve never done that, but I’m going to try,” she said. Souliere held up the project to take a closer look. “I don’t have a pattern for mine, I just made it up,” she said. “It’s all in here,” she said, tapping her head. Harriman said she has been knitting since she was 12 years old. “A neighbor lady taught me,” she said. “I was glad she taught me because my mother didn’t knit.” Souliere said she learned how to knit when she was in school, but didn’t seriously take it up until she was married and had to knit out of necessity. Her daughter needed a sweater, but she couldn’t afford to buy her one, and she used bobbins of leftover yarn from the local textile mill where here husband worked and began making one herself. Souliere and Horton said knitting, along with reading, is a favorite hobby. “I enjoy it, It’s a good pastime. I think sometimes I’d be pretty lonely if I didn’t have my knitting,” said Souliere. Knitting for Charity is accepting donations of new yarn. For more information, call the Biddeford Fifty Plus Club office at 282-5005.
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brother Ken. Brother Dan visits from his home in Connecticut, and sister Jackie makes it when she can from Kansas. “All I have to do is pick up the phone, and every one of them I can count on,” Levesque said. One recent day, Cyr was preparing roasting chickens for the oven, as the couple were having two of their young grandchildren for supper. “They’re my life,” Levesque said. “I look forward to their birthdays.” Levesque, who fashioned a fine career as a saleswoman at Marden’s in Waterville, underwent extensive surgery for her ovarian cancer on Sept. 28, 2008. Doctors removed portions of her large intestines and
Miracle Woman
TELL BRENDA LEVESQUE THAT SHE’S A MIRACLE, AND YOU WON’T GET AN ARGUMENT. by Larry Grard
18 • MAINE SENIORS
tiny Aroostook County towns – Levesque in Lille (now Grande Isle) and Cyr in nearby St. David. Both went to Van Buren High School. They began dating in 1985 and moved to Waterville in 1987. Cyr, who works in construction in Brunswick, says he’s inspired by the love of his life. “She’s got a good attitude,” Cyr said. “We do pay close attention, and whenever we think there’s something out of line, we correct it. It’s easy for things to go downhill. But she’s stubborn.” Levesque still has family in “the county,” and gets regular visits from her mother Geraldine, sister Lynn and
Above: Mike Cyr and Brenda Levesque stand in the living room of their Winslow home.
her ovaries, and removed what she called a “huge tumor” near her colon. Infection then set in. Levesque endured chemo for 4 years, but the cancer reappeared in her spleen in February, 2013. Then it was more chemo – this time for three years. Despite the treatments, tumors resurfaced in 2016.
PHOTOS: LARRY GRARD
L
evesque, af ter a ll, wasn’t supposed to see Christmas of 2018. She had been through hospice care in November, and ceased chemotherapy treatments. Levesque has endured cancer since the disease was discovered in her ovaries on Labor Day, 2008. “For me it’s a miracle,” Levesque said, “because you know what, I wasn’t even supposed to be around last Christmas, but I plan to be around here this Christmas. I’m going to keep going through Christmas. Every Christmas is the big thing.” Levesque, 56, lives in Winslow with her partner of 34 years, Mike Cyr. Levesque and Cyr both grew up in
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The miraculous portion of Levesque’s story might indeed begin here. “The tumors stayed,” said Levesque, whose appearance does not give away the cancer. “Now it’s there forever. It’s not in the intestine but t her e a re t umors arou nd my abdomen. The chemo doesn’t work anymore. I could still live for 2 months, I could live another twenty years. I’m so thick-headed.” Levesque said that a positive attitude is one key to her survival. “Then there’s my loving family, the grandchildren, Mike and friends like Kenny Quirion. “I cry when I think of my father, Lionel, who was disgnosed a year after me and died. My Aunt Dolores called me every day, but she died 10 years ago. She was my guardian angel.” Quirion, a longtime hospice volunteer who finds all kinds of ways to help people in Maine, is a regular
visitor. Quirion has seen it all, but not many like Brenda Levesque. “She has the most positive attitude,” Quirion said. “They called me last November because they needed hospice – no more treatments. It’s a miracle that she’s still alive. She’s still functioning. I know what I’ve seen, and it’s been unbelievable what she’s been through. Her will is unbelievable.” Quirion, Levesque and Cyr are close. “We’ve been friends for a long time,” Quirion said. “She has the spunk like I’ve never seen. She never gets down. She was a spunky little thing at Marden’s. She always wanted to work.” Levesque said, “There’s only one Kenny Q. He does a lot of stuff.” Levesque worked from August, 1988 to June, 2016 – a full eight years after the cancer surfaced – at Marden’s, where she got the nickname “Frenchy,” for her accent. “My customers still want me to go
Above: Brenda Levesque, second row, right, with her family. Right: Brenda Levesque of Winslow with her family. From left are Jackie, mother Geraldine, Levesque, sister Lynn aand brother Ken in front.
20 • MAINE SENIORS
back there,” she said. “One year, I sold $1 million worth of goods. Marden’s was amazing. I’ve got nothing bad to say about the owners. The founder, Mickey was a family man. “Former Maine governor Paul LePage was a great general manager. When I needed assistance, I sent a letter to Gov. LePage and he finally connected me with the support I needed. “Frenchy” loved the Marden’s customers, and though in sales, she was careful not to pressure them. “They treated me like I was family,” she said. “Even up to this day if I see John (one of Mickey’s sons), he still treats me great.” Lisa Davis, who works in the office of the Waterville discount store once occupied by Walmart, was a coworker of Levesque’s for a full 25 years. Davis sees Levesque in the same light as others who have seen her endure for so long against long odds. “She is a stubborn lady,” Davis said. “She is an amazing lady. At work, she knew how to get out there and took to people. I hope she keeps her positive attitude and kicks this thing in the butt.” Merry Christmas, Brenda.
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207-222-3035 • coastaltransitionsofmaine.com DECEMBER 2019 • 21
SPECIAL SECTION
What Grandchildren
Really Want
for Christmas
WITH THE HOLIDAYS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, THE QUESTION OF WHAT TO GET YOUR GRANDCHILDREN IS ON EVERYONE’S MIND, ESPECIALLY FOR GRANDPARENTS WITH TEENS TO BUY FOR! AS A TEEN MYSELF, LET ME OFFER SOME INSIGHT INTO WHAT WE REALLY WANT. by Phoebe Walsh Above: Phoebe sailing
22 • MAINE SENIORS
T
oday’s kids are growing up in a new world, one filled with unprecedented technology and advancements, but also disruptive social change. The focus of these teenagers is not on clothes, toys, or even the cell phones they seem so attached to, but the growing discord that permeates the world around them. With technology, we are closer to the news than ever before, and what we see concerns us. It’s likely that your grandchildren have taken to the streets, participated in school strikes, or spoken out on social media. I hope that this makes you proud. What we truly want is a clean environment to grow up in, to raise our own grandchildren in. So if you get us
clothes, source them from ecoconscious stores! Get us metal water bottles, or reusable straws! Please, please, please avoid unnecessary plastic packaging. Around this time of year, many teens are beginning to look into a higher education or starting their college application process. The tuition costs for colleges have sky-rocketed since the ‘80s, and according to Forbes, tuition is increasing at eight times the speed of wages. The College Board calculated the yearly sticker price for a four-year education in 2019 at $34,740. Fifty years ago, this number would be equivalent to $231,335.31. The minimum hourly wage in Maine fifty years ago, $3.35, had the same
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buying power as $22.31 today, almost double Maine’s current minimum wage of only $11.00 an hour. Many kids are resigning themselves to the fact that the real cost of a four-year education might include long-standing debt. To research this article, I interviewed fifteen kids from thirteen to eighteen-yearsold. 100% of them told me that, more than anything else, money would be the best thing they could get for Christmas. Nearly half of them mentioned putting it towards their college fund. Despite this, Generation Z has still created a deeply interconnected and unique culture. We are able to communicate with friends all over the world, which has led to a blend of different cultures and ideas. Fashion trends are rapidly changing, inspired by social media movements. If you want to get your grandkid a material gift, I suggest asking them what “aesthetic” they appeal to, and what type of clothing or accessories would go well with their “vibe.” Of course, you know your grandchild better than anyone else. My advice is to reach out to them and ask them what they want!
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AN INTIMATE INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF MAINE’S GREAT TALENTS. by Mary Frances Barstow
24 • MAINE SENIORS
PHOTO: JASON PAIGE SMITH
W
ow! Look closely at this man. Notice the blue eyes that go on forever? You have to wonder what’s behind him … and his music. His list of accomplishments is huge. He is remembered for all the songs he has written, but especially for ‘The Wedding Song’ which was a gift he wrote for his friend Peter Yarborough (from Peter, Paul & Mary) on his wedding day. As I sat with Noel Paul Stookey for this interview, I thought how lucky we are in Maine to have such an amazing musician and wonderful man among us. Maine is additionally blessed with his amazing wife Elizabeth “Betty” Stookey. As an ordained minister, her beauty is only surpassed by her incredible intellect and her gift of spirituality. The coming together of these two was a small miracle. Their physical attractiveness doesn’t compare to their inner serenity and glory. Paul and his lovely wife, Betty, make a difference in this world. They have brought light to so many. So how did this all happen? They went to high school together in Michigan. After graduation, they went their separate ways. Then imagine, when Noel was in New York City, he spotted his high school friend, Betty. Among thousands and thousands of folks, he saw her in a New York City subway station! He was drawn to her presence, and has been by her side ever since. Yes … life, love. It has synchronicity.
How did you get into music? “We inherited so much of the music we performed. In the beginning, twothirds of the music performed (by
Peter, Paul & Mary) was straight out of the folk dictionary. Whether it was created by Pete (Seeger) or kept alive by Woody (Guthrie) or one of the other great folk singers, we put our stamp on it. Perhaps in some ways, that made it more accessible for other people. It was probably difficult for somebody from New York City to listen to somebody with an Appalachian twang and a banjo and hear the song for its value. Probably, at least in those days, it was difficult. I think it’s more familiar now with the popularity of country music. But when somebody comes up to us after a concert and says, ‘We grew up with your music,’ we can truthfully say that we did, too. It was a time of realization what a great bounty of music this country had produced from different areas.”
So how did this all get started? “I was born in Maryland and lived there for the first 12 years of my life. Then I moved to what arguably could be called my formative state, Michigan. To grow up in the Midwest
So, did you grow up playing guitar and writing music? “At 8-years-old in elementary school in Maryland, I was given — with every other classmate — a steel flute, the kind of flute with the slide. Just the idea of that intrigued me… that I could make my own melodies on the flute. I don’t know if it was that or the fact that my Dad had a tenor guitar, and he and I would play together. We would sing in the car on long trips and we listened to musical shows like Arthur Godfrey. Yeh, mostly Arthur Godfrey. Then when I moved to Michigan, a fellow that I worked with in a camera shop found out that I wrote songs. He said, ‘Well, let’s have a concert in your basement.’ My Mom was up for it. So, I had about twelve people over and I sang some of the songs that I’d heard and some of the songs that I had written. After that came the ‘Birds of Paradise’, which was the name of the rhythm and blues group that I had in high school. We had a great
very odd ball
“I was a , but I loved it and loved being there, and I began to learn that music could have more than an entertainment value.” means you grow up with a bunch of a f f a b l e p e o p l e w h o a r e ve r y welcoming, interesting and kind. They really are, you know. I moved to New York City at about the time I was 20-years-old.”
time; we were the only game in town. I mean it was unusual at that time for a rhythm and blues group to be white, because we listened to a lot of black music. And when I left home, they put all DECEMBER 2019 • 25
their stuff in a trailer and drove to the west coast and settled in California. Dad had family out there.
You played jazz? “I originally learned jazz at Michigan State. When I got to New York, I saw that jazz musicians played right on the street. I never played in Washington Square as some of them did. I played in this little coffee house, and then one night, as the story goes, they had replaced our table with the stage, and it all came back to me. And I said, Well, what do you have to do, you know, to be a performer here? They said, ‘Come down for an audition.’ So, I’m there in New York. I had a three-piece Brooks Brothers suit and a bunch of sound effects and weird stuff that I had when I was in high school. I was so weird in the Village. I mean, you know there I was in a three-piece suit and that was terrible in the land of beatniks. I was an odd ball, but I loved it and loved being there, and began to learn that music could have more than just entertainment value. To listen to the lyrics and to recognize their history was really an education for me. So, I really grew up musically.”
Did your parents live to see your fame?
What is your favorite song that you wrote?
“Oh, yeah! They were living out here when that happened, and that was maybe twenty years ago. They just passed away within eight days of
“You know, Mary (Mary Travers of Peter, Paul & Mary) had a great answer for that. They would ask us as a trio, ‘What’s your favorite song?’
inventiveness
“I think maybe is at the core of just about any creative person, even if that just means you have a different way of looking at things.”
each other, which was really sweet. It was kind of a testimony to their affection and interest in each other, you know, their relationship.”
Do you know the first song you ever wrote? “Well, no. I don’t remember some of the painfully awkward ones that were written in high school. My first hit I can remember is called ‘Mine.’ It was just written on the Washington trip that our high school took to DC. It wasn’t a radio hit. It was a school hit because everybody knew the song and it had a chorus that everybody could sing. So, that was it. We had an LP with the ‘Birds of Paradise’ and it was a terrible recording. It was a reasonably good performance, but somehow the vinyl was just so awful when the record played.”
She said that songs are like children. Some of them behave better on some days. It’s not exactly a great answer and it’s true that some songs I write seem more pertinent on some days, particularly the political ones. You know, I didn’t realize when I wrote a song called ‘In These Times,’ maybe twelve years ago, how impactful or pointed it was — environmentally speaking. To me, it was just a broad statement. But to say, ‘There’s a warning in the wind that comes wailing through the trees, a depression in the shoreline left by the pounding seas.’ And then, ten to twelve years later you discover that it’s, ‘Hey, we’d better start taking care of this planet. Otherwise, we’re going to suffer the consequences!”
Do you write every day? “Oh, no. I’m more of a cathartic writer. I’ll write snippets. You know, like little two-liners or three-liners or
Left: Peter, Paul and Mary and The Beatles with Ed Sullivan 26 • MAINE SENIORS
Merry Christmas
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Above: Noel’s Holiday CD
To order his Holiday CD go to: www.neworldmultimedia.com ideas or stuff and I’ll keep them, and I’ll refer to them when I have a project coming up.”
Do you write your music first or the words first?
NORA’S QUILT
Top: Nora at her sewing machine Above: Nora’s work area
28 • MAINE SENIORS
Meet Nora Flanagan, the artisan who worked with Noel to design the cover of his Christmas CD. She then created a magnificent quilt using that design. Nora, who loves Maine, is a talented artist who uses the sewing machine to create quilts that are masterpieces. She delights in bringing the scenery of Maine to the cloth. You can find her creations on noraflanaganquilts.com She also displays and sells her artwork at the Blue Hills Farmers’ Market in the spring and summer.
“Sometimes, but quite often the words imply the rhythm with which they should be spoken. Sometimes it’s not very far behind, but I’d say that only happens a third of the time. The other third of the time the melody comes first and suggests what it wants to talk about or at least dictates to you the urgency with which it needs to be said. But the best songs, of course, the ones where it all arrives together, happen very infrequently.”
Do you think it’s a spiritual gift that’s been given to you? That’s an interesting question because I feel very privileged to have it as a talent, and even a privilege to be paid for it. I don’t think of it as a
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gift so much as a kind of perspective on life.
So, it’s just your nature? Yeah, but my Dad was an inventive kind of guy. He was a mechanical engineer and his expertise was in applications. Because he would take a product that was meant for one thing
were called. They were a Dixieland band, and, you know, I don’t think I’ve ever said this to more than three people in my life. Dixieland harmonies are very much what Peter, Mary and I did. Most people at that time — in the 60’s — were used to hearing harmonies that parallel each other, like the
“The big stumbling block is figuring out who God is, because nobody knows. We do a program called ‘One Light, Many Candles.’ And it is the realization that in every single one of the major belief systems in the world,
love is at the core.” and say, you know, ‘you could use it over here.’ I think maybe inventiveness is at the core of just about any creative person, even if that just means you have a different way of looking at things.”
I wonder if you realize how many lives you’ve changed and how many lives you affect. “Well, I’ve been affected by many things, you know? I have my musical mentors and they’re not all in folk music. You know, when someone whose music I appreciate as much as Dave Brubeck turns out to be as genuine and generous as the person his music suggests? That’s a win-win. It’s evolutionary. I mean the first piece of music I ever bought was ‘The Firehouse Five Plus Two,’ I think they 30 • MAINE SENIORS
Everly Brothers or the Kingston Trio. But Peter, Mary and I had a very individualistic approach. We felt we could sing just about anything behind the other person singing lead, as long as it saluted the lyric of the tune. So, each voice had a very individual approach to making music. In the early and mid-60’s, one of the leading music innovators, Bob Dylan, took political musical perspective and made a hard left-hand- turn into the interpersonal. The resulting philosophical thought to me at least was, ‘Oh, I get it. While we can hope for these things politically, as organizations, the responsibility ultimately becomes one on one.’ We have to figure out for ourselves before we can do anything for anybody else. Well, I think Dylan understood that, so he started writing songs about what would make me say to
him that I’m a better person because of the things I’ve gone through. When he was probably the most revealing was when he wrote, ‘Oh, but I was so much older then. I’m younger than that now.’ And that’s kind of what this is about. I wrote a song called ‘Revolution’ that says, ’I’m going to start a revolution. I’m going to take it to the street. I’m going to smile at every solitary person that I meet. I’m going to wave at total strangers, no matter where they’re from. I’m going to start a revolution. I’m going to win it one by one.’ The chorus is the bridge that gets me: ‘But we’re a raggle-taggle army. We got no uniform or guns. Still we’re even called by coincidence. So maybe we’re the ones to take this revolution to the street.’ The idea that we are each responsible for making this peace on earth? It’s an important part of where we’re coming to. I think that all the labels that divide us both in religion and in politics are really beneath our human spirit. I think we need to rise above that. It’s fear and cultural blinders.
Do you think we’ll ever move on from repeating this history nightmare of war and everything? You know what gives me hope in a very strange way? Gene Rodenberry’s ’Star Trek,’ because even though there’s some conflict in outer space that they encounter occasionally, on the spaceship itself are 8 or 9 world representatives. Look for Part 2 of this amazing story in the January issue.
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ROSIE’S THE NAME,
Bridge is Her Game
ROSIE RODGERS FILLS THE ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH HALL IN BELFAST EVERY WEDNESDAY WITH A HALF-DOZEN OR MORE TABLES OF AVID DUPLICATE BRIDGE PLAYERS. WHILE THEY DUB ROSIE, WHO CO-FOUNDED THE CLUB 15 YEARS AGO, A “TOUGH TASK MASTER,” MEMBERS ARE SERIOUS ENOUGH THAT THEY PUBLISH THEIR WINNING SCORES WEEKLY IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER. by Carolyn Zachary
32 • MAINE SENIORS
O
n April 27, 2019, Rosie celebrated her 100th birthday. She’s slowed down just a bit. For one thing, she doesn’t do much cook ing anymore, but she has taught her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to make the dishes of their Lebanese heritage. In fact, a niece put together a hardcover cookbook, “Sito’s Recipes.” This summer grandchildren and greatgrandchildren descended on Belfast to be with Sito (Lebanese for Nana or Grandma), to bake their own Syrian bread and generally cook up a Lebanese storm. Rosie no longer makes routine road trips to Caribou to visit a cousin or to New Hampshire for family gettogethers, but she did buy a brand-
new car in June, so apparently she has no plans to stop driving anytime soon. She still does her own marketing and runs errands—including driving from her home in Belfast to stores in Thomaston and Bangor. Rosie also directs the Belfast Duplicate Bridge Club — although she says she has more help these days — managing five to seven tables every Wednesday, and more in the summer. At St. Francis of Assisi parish hall, local and summer residents gather from noon to 4 p.m. to play. Members range in age from 60 to 100, with the majority in their 70s. Unlike rubber bridge, in which each hand is freshly dealt, in duplicate bridge, each table plays the identical bridge deal, and scoring is based
PHOTOS: COURTESY ROSIE RODGERS
on relative performance. Participants always play with the same partner, and final scores are calculated by comparing results with those of others playing the same hand. Rosie, herself a winner almost weekly, admonishes her players to be serious about the game, and they consider her a tough taskmaster. Summer visitors from California, Florida and other states regularly join the group for what she describes as “a nice social gathering,” and everyone’s $2 weekly dues cover refreshments, an annual summer picnic at Quantabacook Lake in Searsmont, monthly donations to their host church, and annual gifts to area nonprofits. Beneficiaries include Belfast Soup Kitchen, New Hope for Women, American Cancer Society, and the local order of the Knights of Columbus “because they have so many social causes they support, not just for Catholic people,” Rosie said. Rosie founded the Belfast Duplicate Bridge Club in 2004 with Lucy Bartlett of Appleton Ridge. “It’ll be 15 years in October,” Rosie said. In the beginning, they scored by hand to determine weekly winners. A
Following her retirement in 1980, Rosie took up chair caning, rug braiding, and bridge, a game she’d learned in her teens. It wasn’t long before she discovered duplicate bridge and played in Waterville for many years. saver, Rosie has kept one handwritten score sheet from each year among her memorabilia, along with photos of numerous Wednesday afternoon sessions. The scoring process is now computerized.
Survival in Northern Maine Rosie grew up in Houlton and Caribou, the daughter of Lebanese immigrants. Her name then was Rosie Nadine Deering, surname courtesy of immigration officials who apparently couldn’t grasp the name “Derani” that her father gave them. The Deerings — George and Jemelie — arrived speaking no English, but a local schoolteacher taught George some basics. “He drove a buggy door to door, farm to farm, selling household items — notions —
things people needed,” Rosie said. “When you come to this country, there’s only one thing on your mind,” she said, “and that’s survival. We always had food on the table.” Deering saved his money and opened a general store, “one of the first stores in Caribou,” Rosie said. “It was near the potato houses — they were all in a line, and the railroad tracks ran behind them.” The family moved from Houlton to a house on a hill in Caribou. “They called it George Deering’s Hill,” she said. Her father did well. “Then the crash came.” Sixth among nine children ― six girls and three boys ― Rosie graduated at 16 from Caribou High School in 1935. Her yearbook describes her as an excellent student, active in Opposite: In a photo from 2015, Rosie, center, plays duplicate bridge with Cary Slocum of Belfast and an out-of-state couple staying in Belfast that summer. Slocum, her partner for more than 10 years, says “Rosie’s spirit is so youthful,” adding that, as a bridge player, Rosie is “very sharp and competitive.” Far left: Rosie Nadine Deering’s senior picture from Caribou High School, class of 1935. She graduated at 16. Left: Richard Rodgers and Rosie Deering Rodgers on their wedding day in May,1943.
DECEMBER 2019 • 33
“If we rest, we rust.” —Inscription in Rosie’s high school yearbook athletics and several extracurricular pursuits beneath the inscription, “If we rest, we rust.” She lettered in basketball and tennis and managed the women’s track team. Rosie aspired to go to the University of Maine. Instead, she helped with the family-owned dry-cleaning business until it shut down in 1942, when cleaning fluid was no longer available because of the war. “I had to do something with my life, so I took some business courses,” she said, and in her scrapbook is a record of them. Around that time, she met a handsome serviceman who worked in the motor pool at the Army Airfield in Presque Isle, Richard Rodgers from Belleville, N.J. About two months later she headed to Portland for business school, “but two lady friends talked me into going to Hartford to work for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. They needed workers and were paying good money,” she said.
Above: Rosie looks through her box of cherished letters from her beloved Richard. He wrote every day after she left for business school and then work at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in Hartford, and again (after they were married) when he was stationed in Newfoundland during World War II. Her reserved beau revealed a great depth of feeling in his letters.
She didn’t stay long. A large wooden box, originally filled with 25 pounds of prunes from California and now stuffed with letters, suggests why. Her smitten suitor wrote every day, begging her to come back. Rosie treasures the letters — “probably the most important thing in my whole life,” she said. Even her children today are moved by the great love their very reserved father 34 • MAINE SENIORS
expressed in those daily letters to his sweetheart. “I went home at Christmas, and that’s when Richard asked me to marry him,” Rosie said, so she stayed. She started working at Presque Isle Army Airfield in January 1943 in the payroll department, making $1,440 a year. They were married in May, 1943. The couple lived first in Caribou, where they had three children in
three and a half years. They then moved to New Jersey. Like her own mother, Rodgers was a stay-at-home mom ― until her youngest went to kindergarten. One day her brother-in-law, a traveling salesman, saw a filling station for sale in Pittsfield and thought they might be interested. They were and returned to Maine in 1950 to run it. “I was out there, pregnant out to
PHOTO: CAROLYN ZACHARY
The love of her life
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Belfast and bridge Following her retirement in 1980, Rosie took up chair caning, rug braiding, and bridge, a game she’d
36 • MAINE SENIORS
PHOTO: CAROLYN ZACHARY
Rosie marvels at it all, somewhat overwhelmed by the fuss, and, she quietly confesses, wondering about what comes next.
here (she gestured), pumping gas,” Rodgers said. “I had three more children while we were there.” The family lived 50 years in Pittsfield. Their children completed high school and Rosie proudly notes that all six finished college. In 1963, Rosie took an administrative job with Church Goods Manufacturing in Pittsfield, where she worked 17 years.
learned in her teens. It wasn’t long before she discovered duplicate bridge and played in Waterville for many years. She lost Dick in 1999, just months before they were to move into a new house that Roy, a contractor, was building near his own home in Belfast. Happily ensconced in that home since 2000, Rodgers is pleased to be near two of her six children — Roy and daughter Carol Good, who has been active in Belfast civic affairs since retiring as an associate professor at Eastern Kentucky University. Although she found bridge games in her new locale, Rosie missed duplicate. “I’d drive back to Waterville on Tuesdays, Rockland on Wednesdays and Augusta on Thursdays,” she said. “When I went to Waterville, I’d play in the afternoon, visit with my son in Waterville, spend the night with my sister in Pittsfield, and drive home in the morning.” After a few years of that demanding schedule, she told herself “This is crazy; I’ve got to get something going here!” And the club at St. Francis of Assisi was born. Rosie broke her leg in November 2018 and her elbow this past spring but rebounded from both. “And I can tell you how to get rid of sciatica,” she said. “Just break your leg! My pain just went away!” On April 27, 2019, Rosie Nadine Deering Rodgers turned 100. Family and friends arranged a dual celebration: an afternoon reception at the Belfast Boathouse, where the receiving line was 90 minutes long, and an evening full-course Lebanese dinner with over 100 family members from all over the country, including
PHOTO: COURTESY ROSIE RODGERS
Opposite page: Rosie holds her copy of “Sito’s Recipes,” full of family photos and recipes she has handed down to generations, and her niece compiled this hardcover book. Above: Four generations of the Rodgers family are pictured on a sunny August day on Rosie’s front porch. From left, behind Rosie, are great-grandchildren Lila Lovell, 13, and Julian Lovell, 10, with their mother, Cedar Lovell, all of Carlsbad, California, and Cedar’s father Roy Rodgers of Belfast, Rosie’s youngest son.
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her six children, 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren, as well as nieces, nephews and cousins descended from all of Rosie’s eight siblings. The birthday girl can recite the extensive menu “with tables set better than any classy hotel.” And she happily displays a box of birthday cards, several small presents, and, mounted on her living room wall, a four-panel list entitled, “100 Things We Learned from Sito” ― still with some blanks, but full of humor and love, and clearly a prized gift from her family. Rosie marvels at it all, somewhat overwhelmed by the fuss, and, she quietly confesses, wondering about what comes next. But then she thinks back to years ago, when she felt similarly overwhelmed as a young mother with “all these children.” “Now I understand,” she said in August, delighting in the ongoing summer visits with generations of her family, cooking and enjoying the Lebanese food she taught them to make, and simply savoring the fun of being together. “Now I understand,” she said, and then spread her arms wide. “They’re for this.” DECEMBER 2019 • 37
Sayward Hall, Jr. Thomaston SAYWARD N. HALL, JR. 1954. DIED IN VIETNAM, APRIL 21, 1965. INTERRED IN THOMASTON, MAINE by Sayward N. Hall, IV; Mary Hall Stone, and a roommate
S
ayward Newton “Pete” Hall, Jr. was born in Thomaston, ME, to Sayward N. Hall, Sr. and Barbara Knight Hall. Pete graduated from Thomaston High School in 1947 and enlisted in the Army in the same month. He served in the infantry in the occupation of Korea and earned a promotion to sergeant. On the recommendation of his commanding office he took the West Point entrance exam and won an assignment to the United States Military Academy Preparatory School at Stewart AFB, NY. From there, he was appointed to the Academy by his congressman in 1950. During his time at West Point, Pete was known for his quiet friendliness. He had a Maine dry sense of humor, was even-tempered, and a man of his word. He was a member of the Russian Club and Chess Club, and he always knew where he was going when he graduated. A roommate remembers that whenever academics got too tough, Pete would open his desk drawer, pull 38 • MAINE SENIORS
out a Blitz cloth, polish his Infantry crossed rifles, and say that he didn’t need to compete for the Engineers; he was going back to his beloved Infantry. On Christmas leave to Maine in 1951, Cliff Landry (‘53) introduced Pete to Mary T. Cowhig of Boston, who was to be the love of his all-tooshort life. After graduation, Pete went to Airborne School and Ranger school. In 1955, he married Mary, and they had five children: Sayward, III; Nancy; Michael; Stephen; and Matthew. After Ranger School, his first assignment was as a tank platoon leader and troop executive officer at Ft. Carson, CO. Following this assignment, Pete headed for Ft. Rucker, AL, to attend aviation training. He trained on both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft but spent the rest of his time flying choppers. Upon completion of flight training, Pete was assigned to the 17th Infantry in Korea from 1960 to 1961. He then returned to the 82nd Airborne Aviation Company at Ft. Bragg, NC, where he became the flying aide to MG John Throckmorton, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division. From there, Pete was briefly
assigned to the Army Combat Development Command in1964. In November, 1964, Pete took command of the 119th Aviation Company, Pleiku, republic of Vietnam. He commanded the 119th until February 7, 1965, when he suffered fragmentation wounds as a result of an enemy attack on his unit. Seventythree days later, on April 21, 1996, MAJ Pete Hall died of his wounds in a hospital in the Philippines. He was 36-years-old. He had been awarded two Bronze Stars for Valor, two Purple Hearts, and three Air Medals. Pete is survived by his widow, Mary, their five children, and ten grandchildren. Mary remembers. “We met under the Christmas tree one memorable holiday season. Pete will always be remembered as a kind and loyal husband. He loved his family and always felt fortunate that he was able to be present as his five children entered the world.” True to the West Point tradition of Duty, Honor, Country, he distinguished himself by personally directing the relief and evacuation of men in his command, who were wounded at Camp Holloway, before falling to mortar fragments himself. We all miss you, Pete.
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DAPONTE STRING QUARTET SETS HIGH STANDARDS FOR ITSELF, BRINGS CLASSICS TO VENUES THROUGHOUT MAINE by Daniel Dunkle
40 • MAINE SENIORS
T
he four musicians who make up the DaPonte String Quartet take classical music seriously. They practice four days a week for four hours at a time. They play in churches and concert halls all over the state and out-of-state. They research the history and the musical theory behind the classical pieces
they perform. Top composers in the field write pieces for them. “It’s just layer upon layer of learning things,” said violist Kirsten Monke of West Bath. “It’s a very special kind of communication,” agreed Lydia Forbes of Cumberland, who plays violin. “We know what the other one is doing
PHOTO: SCOTT SELL
Strings ATTACHED
L-R: Violinist Lydia Forbes, Cellist Myles Jordan, Violist Kirsten Monke, and Violinist Ferdinand “Dino” Liva.
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without even looking at them. We feel each other.” That musical conversation, the coming together of four similar instruments in a sparse format with no conductor to lead them, is at the heart of the concept of a string quartet. The DaPonte String Quartet was
BLUEPRINT
DECEMBER 2019 • 41
PHOTOS: SCOTT SELL
“It’s a very special kind of communication,” agreed Lydia Forbes of Cumberland, who plays violin. “We know what the other one is doing without even looking at them. We feel each other.”
42 • MAINE SENIORS
COMFORT Opposite top: A DaPonte performance Opposite bottom: Myles Jordan on the cello
founded in Philadelphia in 1991 with the modest goal of “playing the world’s greatest chamber music.” Myles Jordan, who lives in Cumberland with Forbes, and Ferdinand “Dino” Liva, who lives in Topsham, were founding members. Jordan plays cello and Liva the violin. “There are all kinds of ways that music can function,” said Forbes. “It can paint pictures; it can tell stories.” Their levels of education and experience are beyond impressive. Forbes has been playing in string quartets s i n c e s h e w a s 1 1 ye a r s o l d , performing throughout Europe and the United Kingdom. Jordan worked as a child actor in Canada before taking up the cello at what he says is a late age. He worked 14 hours per day to catch up and trained in the finest schools, including Juilliard. Ferdinand is named for his father, a noted conductor and teacher. His nickname, “Dino” comes from Ferdinandino, or little Ferdinand. He started training with his father at the age of seven. He continued his education as well with multiple degrees in the discipline. Monke began her lessons at the age of eight and also has advanced degrees. She has founded quartets and served as Principal Violist of both the Santa Barbara Symphony and the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra. One question they are often asked is, “Why move the quartet to Maine? Was that career suicide?” However, the move to Maine, with its slower pace of life, was the exact right choice
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Top: Violinist “Dino” Liva Middle: Making musical notations Bottom: Violinist Lydia Forbes with “Dino” Liva 44 • MAINE SENIORS
PHOTOS: SCOTT SELL
for truly serious musicians. “Maine is an incredibly inspiring place,” Monke said. “It’s a peaceful environment. Composers, when you read their diaries, get their ideas walking out in the woods. Music is so reflective of nature.” “This is one of the last places anywhere where the pace of life is anything like it was in the time of Beethoven and Brahms,” Jordan added. “That allows for reflection, for deeper music-making.” The group researches the history of the composer and what was going on in his or her life at the time that a piece was written. The history creates a richer experience for the listener. For example, the group has put together a performance to celebrate Maine’s 200th anniversary in 2020. The event includes the songs of Henri Membertou (1507-1611), who was, according to Monke, a 16th century grand chief of the Mi’kmaq First Nations tribe. A French explorer transcribed these songs in 1607, preserving them, and now DaPonte is resurrecting them. “It can be a very spiritual experience,” Monke said. “That’s why audience members are often in tears.” They spend hours each week working on the music together, and add to that administrative and planning meetings. “It always seems like too little time,” Forbes said. Much of this work is done in the Brunswick Unitarian Universalist Church. In addition, they are on the road traveling the state much of the time,
The show must go on, even when one of them falls ill, and with them working so closely together, there is no way to call in a guest musician to play as a substitute. doing as many as fifty performances per year. The show must go on, even when one of them falls ill, and with them working so closely together, there is no way to call in a guest musician to play as a substitute. Instead, they sometimes must create a new threepart arrangement or special solo performance on the fly. The members of the group are passing on their wisdom for the future. They teach private lessons and lead Maine groups. Liva teaches violin at the University of Southern Maine. Monke has joined the faculty of Rockport’s Bay Chamber Community Music School. The DaPonte group has started an institute for conservatory level students, a workshop for gifted Maine high school students, and an adult chamber music workshop. They also teach Maine Senior College courses. Due to the generous donation from an anonymous donor, they also provide a free Holiday Concert in Newcastle each year. This year’s event was on Sunday, Dec. 8th, at the Second Congregational Church. For more information about the group and to find a performance near you, visit daponte.org.
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DECEMBER 2019 • 45
HIKING IN MAINE
THE SECOND BEST HIKE IN MAINE. by Ron Chase
46 • MAINE SENIORS
W
hat’s the most spectacular mountain hike in Maine? I suspect most people believe Mount Katahdin claims that distinction. In my opinion, the peaks of Tumbledown and Little Jackson Mountains are a close second. The ragged, alpine summits and sheer cliffs of Tumbledown dominate the skyline northwest of Webb Lake near Weld. However, nearby taller, but more remote, Little Jackson, is substantially hidden from view. Tumbledown is one of Maine’s most well-known and popular mountain hikes. Given its relative anonymity, Little Jackson is much less frequently
climbed, usually the destination of more seasoned hikers. Combining the two imposing mountains into one expedition is a rare and exceptional endeavor. Cool brisk days, radiant autumn colors and the absence of black flies make fall the prime time for an ascent of Little Jackson. Recently, two retired friends agreed to join me on a proposed Penobscot Paddle and Chowder Society club hike. Don’t be misled by the name. We do much more than paddle while devouring copious amounts of delicious chowder. The club has a year-round trip schedule that includes white-
PHOTO: COURTESY OF TIM PIERCE, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
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Tumbledown is one of Maine’s most well-known and popular mountain hikes. Given its relative anonymity, Little Jackson is much less frequently climbed, usually the destination of more seasoned hikers.
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HIKING IN MAINE
remaining distance approximating one mile to the summit is essentially above the tree-line and glorious. A forecast predicting light breezes was badly flawed. Instead, cold gusty winds blew out of the northwest, necessitating mittens, parkas and stocking caps. Arriving at the blustery
A forecast predicting light breezes was badly flawed. Instead, cold gusty winds blew out of the northwest, necessitating mittens, parkas and stocking caps. cult middle child in this elderly triad. Their ages notwithstanding, both are very strong hikers, so I anticipated a strenuous workout. Having recently received another cortisone injection for my arthritic hips, I was at least theoretically prepared for the challenge. If you’re a regular reader of my column, you know whining is a recurrent theme to be ignored. The three of us met in front of an ancient cemetery on the gravel Byron Road, a few miles west of Weld, early on a chilly, sunny morning. Just beyond the cemetery, the rough poorly-maintained Morgan Road turns right and travels for about a mile to Little Jackson Trailhead. It is also the start of Tumbledown Mountain Parker Ridge Trail. Based on reports I’ve read, the distance to the summit is in dispute. We didn’t carry a GPS, so the best I can do is add to the confusion. The rocky trail ascends steadily in a densely-wooded environment with several brook crossings I calculate the distance to be about 2.5 miles before scaling a boulder-strewn pitch and arriving on exposed ledges. The 48 • MAINE SENIORS
mountain top, we joined others seeking shelter in a stone windbreak built by hikers past. After some discussion, the consensus was to descend an unofficial but fairly-obvious trail that drops dramatically off the southwest slope of Little Jackson to Tumbledown Pond. An immediate benefit of the decision was protection from the wind. Views of the pond and the three Tumbledown peaks below were phenomenal. Approaching the remarkably
picturesque mountain tarn, we turned right onto another unofficial trail marked by cairns that crosses barren infrequently. We climbed North Peak, at 3,090 feet the highpoint on Tumbledown. While sometimes difficult to follow, the path continued down into a thick conifer forest and then abruptly up rugged West Peak. Emblematic of the entire day, views were extraordinary. Numerous hikers could be observed negotiating the cliffs of our next objective, East Peak. Passing Loop Trail junction, two large parties joined us. Unlike Little Jackson and North Peak, the remainder of our journey was teeming with alpine travelers. We s h a r e d t h e p r e c i p i t o u s scramble up East Peak with numerous enthusiastic trekkers. From the bald rounded crest, more incredible views of Tumbledown Pond along with Webb Pond and Mount Blue in the east were savored. Distinctive Tumbledown Pond warrants an expression of concern. The exceptionally majestic beauty of the location attracts large numbers of hikers and some overnight campers. Dog and human waste are a sanita-
PHOTO: (LEFT) TINYAKOV / ADOBESTOCK; HIKING NECESSITIES
water and flat-water paddling, canoe trips, sea kayaking, biking, skiing, hiking and winter mountaineering. We love virtually all things outdoors. Although John and Brent are both retired, over 20 years separate them. John is a youthful 79, while Brent is a recent retiree. Consider me the diffi-
tion problem and garbage sometimes accumulates. If visitors don’t learn to exercise self-discipline, draconian rules and regulations will undoubtedly follow, diminishing a truly outstanding wilderness experience. Departing the pond, we finished our trek navigating over impressive Parker Ridge, completing a unique unplanned circuitous loop. Our day was most assuredly one of Maine’s most exceptional mountain excursions; arguably second best. What’s the verdict on the hips? I see more whining in my future. Author of “The Great Mars Hill Bank Robbery” and “Mountains for Mortals – New England,” Ron Chase resides in Topsham. Visit his website at www.ronchaseoutdoors. com or he can be reached at ronchaseoutdoors@comcast.net.
LIVING AT THE PARK DANFORTH =
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When your home is at The Park Danforth, you can feel secure knowing that caring staff are on-site 24/7. You’ll enjoy the conveniences of on-site services including a salon, weekly banking and fitness classes. And with scheduled transportation to shopping and entertainment you’ll have freedom to enjoy life. Gather for a meal with friends in the main dining room or the casual bistro. Take in a movie in the comfortable theater. View fireworks over the Portland skyline from the fifth-floor roof deck. Enjoy concerts in the garden courtyard, lectures in the auditorium and activities with new and old friends that share your interests. Visit www.parkdanforth.com or give us a call at 207.797.7710 to set up a tour and discover why our residents say Full size kitchens | Flexible meal plans Culinary Institute of America educated chef Varied dining venues: Both formal & bistro style Responsibly sourced ingredients | A commitment to local produce
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DECEMBER 2019 • 49
OUTDOORS
ENJOY THE BEAUTY
OF NATURE FROM THE BACK OF AN ATV. by Sarah E. Reynolds
50 • MAINE SENIORS
I
f you want to get out and enjoy the Maine woods but you’re not able to walk as you once were—or you just want to see it in a new way—an allterrain vehicle is a great way to go. And the Moosehead Lake area is a great place to go. About six years ago, my partner, Maureen, and I bought a “two-up” ATV—that is, one where the passenger sits behind the driver. We’ve enjoyed a lot of wonderful rides since then. We just came back from a week of riding around Moosehead, staying in a house we rented in Beaver Cove. Many of these rentals are available
through online services like Vacation Rental By Owner, Home Away, Airbnb and the like. We arrived in mid-afternoon and found we had a welcoming committee waiting for us. Three does—two adults and a young one—stood in the backyard gazing at us as if to say, “About time you showed up. How about some lunch?” We made a note to get some apples for them when we went to the grocery store in Greenville. The next day, we had a text from our landlord, telling us where the deer kibble was kept and the procedure for feeding them. They
PHOTOS: SARAH E. REYNOLDS
Moosehead Adventure
came to the yard several times a day and hung out until we provided something to eat. They seemed to find the quartered apples a treat, since they ate those before the kibble. The most deer we had in the yard at one time was eight, but usually it was more like three to five. The morning after our arrival, I came downstairs to find a pair of young bucks play-fighting in the yard. I could tell it was not violent enough to be serious; they were just prac-
If you don’t own an ATV and want to try it out before investing in one, try a guide service in the Moosehead area. ticing for when they would compete for a mate. I fed them, too. W h e n we m a n a g e d t o t e a r ourselves away from watching the deer, we did go riding every day but one. Twice we went on a trail we could ride to from the house without having to trailer the ATV. Some of the roads around Greenville allow ATVs, and we journeyed once on an overcast day and the second time in sunshine. It was almost like two different trails. The trail goes from Beaver Cove to Kokadjo, but we didn’t go all the way. We stopped the first time at a bridge over a waterfall, which we first discovered in 2015, when a local man offered to show us a favorite spot of his. The second time, after a day of rain, the falls had a lot more water. That day, we went a bit beyond the bridge, until we got tired of creeping
Top: A waterfall is one of the highlights of the trail from Beaver Cove to Kokadjo. Bottom: A young buck visits our yard in Beaver Cove. Previous Page: My partner, Maureen, grins from her perch on the ATV during a rest stop. DECEMBER 2019 • 51
OUTDOORS
PHOTOS: SARAH E. REYNOLDS
Top: The sun sets over Moosehead Lake, viewed from our deck. Left: Another beautiful view along the Kokadjo trail. Below: Even though it was late October, not all the color along the trail was on the trees. Opposite page: The trail affords some fine vistas.
52 • MAINE SENIORS
This is the Lifestyle you’ve been waiting for R STA
When we managed to tear ourselves away from watching the deer, we did go riding every day but one. carefully around the edges of the deep puddles from the previous day’s rain. The falls are, perhaps, the most spectacular part of that ride. There are also some parts of the trail where you’re high enough, and the topography is such, that you have a fine view of Moosehead Lake and the land sloping down to it. The foliage was past its peak at the end of October, but there were still some beautiful yellows and reds to be seen. Our last day there started partly sunny and got overcast, which really made a difference riding in the woods. This day, we had trailered the ATV to a parking lot in the center of Green-
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OUTDOORS
This photo: The hot tub is not only luxurious, it overlooks the lake! Below: A doe is framed by a bush in the yard of our rental.
54 • MAINE SENIORS
If you don’t own an ATV and want to try it out before investing in one, try a guide service in the Moosehead area. Here are a couple of places to start:
Northwoods Outfitters 5 Lily Bay Road, Greenville 1-866-223-1380 info@maineoutfitter.com
Moose Mountain Inn 314 Rockwood Road, Greenville 1-800-792-1858 info@moosemountaininn.com
PHOTOS: SARAH E. REYNOLDS
ville and then had ridden south past the Shirley Bog in the direction of Abbott. We had hoped to find the Abbott Bakery, but we missed a turn along the way and never got to the bakery. The wind chill from riding made Maureen pretty cold. I had brought a down vest to wear under my jacket, so the coldest parts of me were my hands and feet. We were both glad to get home and slide into the hot tub on the deck of our rental house. Aaah! We were warm again and had a gorgeous view over the lake.
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IN THE GARDEN
HOLIDAYS ARE A
WONDERFUL TIME TO GATHER WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY, SHARE A SPECIAL MEAL AND EXCHANGE GIFTS. by Melinda Myers
56 • MAINE SENIORS
F
FOR GARDENERS
inding the perfect gift for those we love can be overwhelming and stressful. No need to fret; give the gift of gardening that provides seasons of joy. It doesn’t matter if your recipient is young or old, new or experienced, an avid gardener or one who just likes the benefits gardening provides. You can find something special for everyone on your gift list. Small and large-space gardeners will appreciate help keeping their tools handy as they work their way through their landscape. Give them a bucket, a pair of gloves and a few tools to keep by the door for those quick planting, weeding and deadheading sessions. Or decorate an old mailbox and turn it into tool storage
to be mounted in the garden. Their tools will be handy, and they’ll spend less time and fewer steps hunting down forgotten tools. Or purchase a tool caddy. Look for one that’s colorful and waterproof like the Puddle-Proof Tote that holds and keeps hand tools, gloves and seeds dry. Help them wrangle larger tools for easy transport from the shed to the garden and from bed to bed with a wheeled tool caddy that handles larger tools. The Mobile Tool Storage Caddy (gardeners.com) has pockets for small tools, secures large-handled tools and provides a place to hold compost, cut flowers or vegetables. It’s easy to maneuver, eliminates multiple trips to the shed and is
PHOTOS: (ABOVE) NEONBRAND ON UNSPLASH; (OPPOSITE) COURTESY GARDENERS SUPPLY COMPANY
Holiday Gifts
It doesn’t matter if your recipient is young or old, new or experienced, an avid gardener or one who just likes the benefits gardening provides. perfect for gardeners of all ages and abilities. Tools are always a favorite of gardeners. Newbies need to build their tool collection while experienced gardeners may need to replace broken or timeworn hand tools. Consider giving a harvest basket, bucket or tool caddy filled with some basics. All gardeners will appreciate a new innovative tool that makes gardening easier or more fun. Look for ergonomic tools that are built to ease stress on joints and allow
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Break out your gift list and look for ways to give the gift of gardening. Your family and friends will appreciate your thoughtfulness all year long.
58 • MAINE SENIORS
gardeners to work longer with less pain. Multifunctioning tools like the Golden Gark Rake that rakes, scoops and sifts helps save storage space and the need to haul around multiple tools. Help your favorite gardener keep their green thumb in shape all winter long. Provide them with pretty pots, potting mix and seeds. Look for kits like the Galvanized Organic Kitchen Herbs Growing Kit that provides all they’ll need to grow their own fresh herbs. Increase their indoor gardening success with supplemental lighting. You’ll now find light stands that sit on the table, mount on the wall or attach to plant pots. Furniturequality bamboo Mini LED Grow Light
systems provide energy efficient lighting in a set up pretty enough for any room. And for those that like the flowers, but have limited time or interest in growing, give them a waxed amaryllis bulb. They won’t need to water or fertilize. Beginning and experienced gardeners will watch in amazement as this plant bursts into bloom with no effort on their part. Don’t know what to send? Cut flowers, flowering bulbs and plants are sure to generate a smile in just seconds. Take care of special occasions throughout the year in one single order. Place one order for 3, 6, or 12 months of blooming beauty delivered right to your loved one’s
PHOTOS: P DYLAN NOLTE ON UNSPLASH; (OPPOSITE) IMARZI / ADOBE STOCK
IN THE GARDEN
door, providing joy throughout the year. So, break out your gift list and look for ways to give the gift of gardening. Your family and friends will appreciate your thoughtfulness all year long. Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio segments. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Gardeners Supply for her expertise to write this article. Her web site is www. MelindaMyers.com.
More than hearing aids, it’s hearing healthcare More than hearing aids, it’s hearing healthcare More than hearing aids, it’s hearing healthcare We understand that while it is vitally important to help We understand that while it is vitally important to help untreated hearing with the We correct understand that while it isloss vitally help correct untreated hearing loss withimportant the use use of oftoproperly properly fitted hearing our offers As correct hearing loss with the usemore. of properly fitteduntreated hearing aids, aids, our profession profession offers more. As Audiologists, we partner with other specialists involved fitted hearing aids, our profession offers more. As Audiologists, we partner with other specialists involved in in aa patient’s healthcare. We treat collaborate Audiologists, we partner with other specialists in a patient’s overall overall healthcare. We test, test, treat and andinvolved collaborate on loss, tinnitus, aural patient’s overall healthcare. We test,and treat andrehabilitation. collaborate on hearing hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, vertigo, and aural rehabilitation.
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DECEMBER 2019 • 59
FEATURED RECIPES
Amazing Cranberry Bread by Mary Frances Barstow
INGREDIENTS: 1 cup white sugar 1 cup light brown sugar 3 sticks melted butter 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 cup orange juice (heavy pulp) 3 cups flour 2 Tbsp flour 1 tsp salt 1 package fresh cranberries 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts 60 • MAINE SENIORS
INSTRUCTIONS: Mix the first four ingredients together, then add the vanilla and orange juice. Combine all the dry ingredients (except the 2 Tbsp of flour) and add next. Mix thoroughly, Last, add the package of cranberries that have been sprinkled with flour. Just have a small bowl with two tablespoons of flour and bathe the cranberries in the flour before adding them to the mixture. This will prevent the cranberries from sinking. Fold in the walnuts. Lightly grease two glass or foil loaf pans or use parchment paper. Fill pans 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour NOTE: This is a perfect gift for your neighbors, or to bring to Christmas dinner. Cover with foil or clear-wrap once it is cool, then put a bow on top! Yields 2 loaves.
Elegant Cucumber Rolls INGREDIENTS:
1–2 large cucumbers 1 pound of sliced thin imported ham 1 package of cream cheese softened to room temperature A few sprigs of parsley (chopped up) 1/4 tsp of gray poupon mustard 1/2 pound of cheddar cheese, sliced thin Pinch of salt and pepper INSTRUCTIONS: Mix the cream cheese with parsley, Use a mandolin or a veggie slicer and make strips of cucumbers. Cut the ham and the cheese to match the cucumber length. Very lightly salt and pepper each cucumber slice. Then spread on the cream cheese, parsley and mustard mix. Layer the ham on top followed by the thin slice of cheddar cheese Roll up the cucumber tightly and place a toothpick on it to hold it. Once the cucumber is all rolled up, secure it with a toothpick. Place these wonderful hors d’oeuvres on a sheet lined with a paper towel and put in the fridge to be served later. NOTE: This is the perfect low-carb choice for your guests! DECEMBER 2019 • 61
CROSSWORD
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BallymoteCrossing.com 62 • MAINE SENIORS
ACROSS 1 Israelite tribe 4 Biblical Giants 8 Universe (pref.) 12 Stitchbird 13 Synthetic Rubber 14 Table Scraps 15 Eg. God of pleasure 16 Tallow (2 words) 18 Madame Bovary 20 Commotion 21 Padded jacket under armor 25 Son of Zeus 29 Dish (2 words) 32 Ganda Dialect 33 Agent (abbr.) 34 Indian sacred fig 36 “Blue Eagle” 37 Ravine 39 Immense 41 Swelling 43 State (Ger.) 44 Medieval shield 46 Before (Lat.)
49 Culm (2 words) 55 Fiddler Crab genus 56 Snake (pref.) 57 Unfledged bird 58 Centers for Disease Control (abbr.) 59 Love (Lat.) 60 Tooth (Lat.) 61 Exclamation DOWN 1 Deride 2 Attention-getting sound 3 Raze 4 Amer. Bar Assoc. (abbr.) 5 Pigeon 6 Black Cuckoo 7 Hindu god of love 8 Banner 9 Yellow ide 10 As written in music 11 Mountain Standard Time (abbr.) 17 Amer Dental Assn (abbr.)
19 Pointed (pref.) 22 End 23 Auricular 24 Rom. historian 26 Build 27 Irish Sweetheart 28 Hall (Ger.) 29 Created 30 Old-fashioned oath 31 Beer ingredient 35 Afr. Worm 38 Vomiting 40 Drain 42 Amer. Cancer Society (abbr.) 45 Habituated 47 Alternating current/direct current (abbr.) 48 Apiece 49 Tibetan gazelle 50 Revolutions per minute (abbr.) 51 Exclamation 52 Nautical chain 53 Belonging to (suf.) 54 Manuscripts (abbr.) Answers on page 64
A favorite Sunday morning tradition. Maine & New England | Opinion & Editorials Audience & Sports | Food & Dining | Puzzles & Coupons Get a full year of the Maine Sunday Telegram delivered. Plus 24/7 digital access to pressherald.com and a whole lot more. Only $80 for 52 weeks. Visit pressherald.com/senior to subscribe. Digital-only packages start at $15 for the first 12 weeks.
DECEMBER 2019 • 63
AdviceFROM MARY & JIMMY
certainly not what they might like for Christmas. Help! —Lucy
logging truck along one of our country roads – before it smushes your cute little picnic lunch.
MARY’S ADVICE:
Mary & Jimmy QUESTION: My wife and I will be retiring soon. She wants to stay in the city where all the action is. I want to move to the country where it is peaceful and away from the bright lights. What to do? —Robert MARY’S ADVICE: Oh, dear, Robert! Maybe you can find a country town that’s quaint with a fun downtown … restaurants, shopping, all of that. Treat her to the best restaurant, and spend the day shopping with her, and see if it is something she would love. If not, go to the city for a weekend and try to find something that you love. Giving is so much more fun than taking. Open your heart to this!
JIMMY’S ADVICE: Yup. Spend the day shopping with her…and then write in here for advice, ok chump?
QUESTION: My family is growing. When I had only a couple of grandchildren to buy gifts for, it was easy. Now there are so many of them … even great-grandchildren. I can hardly remember their ages, and 64 • MAINE SENIORS
I think a great gift to your grandchildren is a memory book. Write down the history of your life, of your parents’ lives. Give the same gift to them all. These books can be found in your local bookstore, or just create your own.
JIMMY’S ADVICE: Or, buy a half gallon of ginger brandy and a sleeve of paper cups. Have a nice, quiet holiday. (Ginger brandy can be found at any low-end liquor store in Massachusetts).
QUESTION: My husband is a bird watcher. I enjoy a relaxing ride along the country roads in Maine. Not him! He always has his binoculars handy and stops to look whenever he thinks there might be a bird to check out. I would like to break him of this habit. Any suggestions? —Rose MARY’S ADVICE: Oh, Rose, how lovely! Your husband asks you to share his passion for bird watching. Think about how much joy he has finding some special birds. And he seems to enjoy sharing his hobby with you. What a grand compliment! Bring a picnic in the car. Remember back when you first dated and fell in love? You’re a lucky woman, Rose!
JIMMY’S ADVICE: Does he share pneumonia with you too when he gets it? Also, I’ll bet that he is driving when he’s searching for these special little birdies, huh? I wonder if he’ll spot a cute little brown & black 18-wheeler
QUESTION: Every time my wife and I go out to eat, we always must go to her favorite place. I like to try new dining experiences -- once in a while. But she is set in her ways. After 40 years of marriage, how can I convince her to indulge my taste buds occasionally? —Ralph MARY’S ADVICE: Ralph … how about creating a game with your wife? Put different restaurant names in a bowl. Now to give her reason to do this. Suggest she put in ten restaurants, and you put in six. This gives her more of a chance to go to her restaurants. At the same time, you have a good chance to find something new. That’s more than fair!
JIMMY’S ADVICE: “After 40 years of marriage, how can I convince her to indulge my taste buds occasionally?” And I’m supposed to respond to this? Not me, not ever!
Do You Have a Problem? Ask MaryandJimmy@maine seniorsmagazine.com
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DECEMBER 2019 • 3
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