Historical Tour of Farmington

The highlight of Summerfest for us was the historical tour of downtown Farmington in a horse-drawn wagon with the amazing Paul Mills.

Have You Seen Harvey?

I braved the cold (and the slippery sidewalk conditions) to go see Harvey. I love the story and the 1950 movie. I knew whoever played Elwood P. Dowd was taking on a thankless task as everyone would be comparing him to Jimmy Stewart, but I went anyway.

The Sandy River Players did a phenomenal job! The stage setting was fabulous as they artfully co-mingled the Dowd's home and the sanatorium and never had to do a scene change. The actor who played Elwood was fabulous. He made the role his own, not a hint of Jimmy Stewart, and yet just as lovable and convincing. The woman who played Veta Louise, the sister, however, stole the show. I read an interview where Jimmy Stewart said the woman in that role in the movie had the hardest part because she had to believe and not believe in Harvey at the same time. This woman did that convincingly. She had just enough "drama" to pull it off without getting melodramatic. The whole production was fabulous.

When I arrived, I saw some friends and I also saw some graduates. I ended up sitting with my former students, one who had come from Portland and one from New Hampshire. It was so great to see them. This was about the fourth time I had run into the NH grad at a play at UMF. The other three times he was a student on campus, but it was still unusual that we kept picking the same performances of the same shows to attend. It turned out that none of them (there was another UMF student with them that I hadn't had in a class) had ever seen the movie, so I was wrong that most people in the audience would be comparing this production to the movie. How could someone have not seen the movie?? Oh. I guess since it is 60 years old, not everyone watches the classics. ;-)

Great drama with good friends--What a great way to spend a cold winter's evening.

Happy Anniversary

January 8th--an awesome day. Four years ago today, I moved to Maine. Of course, back then, I thought I was only coming for four months. Now it's been four years. How does that happen??!!

I have a ton of amazing memories amassed in this very short time. Thank you especially to MRM (My Room Mate) for the first 18 months. I doubt seriously I would've acclimated so well or enjoyed life in Maine so much without your support (both moral and physical) and good humor. You are a very special friend.

And here's a big thank you to all the amazing and wonderful people I've met in these last four years--both in the Farmington/Wilton community and at UMF. I definitely believe in the state motto: Maine--the way life should be.

4/29/09 "The Way We Get By" movie

Finally! I got to see this movie. It was in Farmington over spring break and I was so excited to see it and knew I'd have the time to see it. It sold out all 4 nights!! I was so disappointed. Then they brought it back for 2 more nights. I went with my friend Nancy that I first met by Walton's Mill Pond my first winter here but have now spent a ton of time with and become good friends with through the history project. We went extra early, got tickets, and had a blast. It was an 8-kleenex movie for me but so worth it.

The film focuses on three troop greeters in Maine. But it celebrates all troop greeters across the country. I know there are similar groups in Dallas that greet the hundreds of thousands of soldiers that go in and out of DFW. Thank you to all Americans who are so supportive of our troops. This is a great country that we live in and we all need to do our part to appreciate it and support it.

Bangor's troop greeters film in Farmington

Submitted by Betty Jespersen on Mon, 04/20/2009 - 10:51

• Central Maine Newspapers

FARMINGTON - A documentary film that showcases three senior citizens who belong to the Maine Troop Greeters, volunteers who welcome every returning soldier from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan at the Bangor International Airport, will be shown at the Narrow Gauge Theater in Farmington at 7 p.m. tonight throught Thursday. Tickets are $5.

The film's executive producer is Warren Cook of Kingfield. The award-winning film, "The Way We Get By," is being shown at screenings across the country to wide acclaim.

Cook said, “This film touches on the themes that I think are most important in life: service to community, service to country, and honoring our elders.”

The documentary is directed by Old Town native and filmmaker Aron Gaudet and produced by television journalist and film producer Gita Pullapilly. It had its Maine debut on April 9 at The Collins Center for the Arts in Orono with Governor John E. Baldacci, Congressman Michael Michaud and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree in attendance.

It has been honored with the Special Jury Award at the South by Southwest Film Festival and the Audience Award at Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina. At the Cleveland Film Festival, it beat out 28 films to win the Greg Gund Memorial Film Competition, which recognizes films for their social conscience.

In Boston,movie critic Kerry Skemp called it, “A remarkable reminder of just how much we have to
learn from our elders.”

Yellow Light Breen of Bangor Savings Bank, which is providing the major financial support for the Maine showings,said the troop greeters are "quiet, homespun heroes in their own right. Their commitment has been ongoing for more than six years and hundreds of these volunteers have greeted over 850,000 U.S. soldiers, meeting every plane that arrives at Bangor International Airport."

"It is an inspiring and heart-wrenching film that had to be made and which needs to be seen," he said.

David Cornelius, a nationallty-known film critic who covered the South by Southwest Film Festival, summed it up in his 5-star review of the film by saying, “How many films are this effective, that with so few words, the viewer can become heartbroken? Gaudet’s film is a marvel of humanity, celebrating life (and lamenting the end of it) through its little moments. I adored every frame of this movie and every person in it.”

The film is slated for national broadcast on PBS later this year on the program POV. The film was made in association with American Documentary, Inc./POV, ITVS, MPBN, WGBH. Fiscal sponsors are Documentary Educational Resources and ida. Additional sponsors are Bangor Savings Bank and Manatt, Phelps & Phelps. To view the trailer and to obtain more information, visit www.thewaywegetbymovie.com.

retrieved 4/20/09 from http://updates.mainetoday.com/updates/bangors-troop-greeters-film-in-farmington

10/18/08 Pumpkin Carving Party

How handy that I have friends who blog about events that I attend so that I don't have to. Well, okay, I'll create my own blog entry on this, I promise. But until then, read about the great pumpkin carving party. An advantage (or is it a disadvantage? well, it's a difference) of reading someone else's blog is that photos of me appear in it. :-)

http://keatsfan.wordpress.com/2008/10/19/pumpkin-carving-party/

Here are my photos from the event. Can you guess which one I carved?

9/30/08 Mystery Lights at the Gazebo on a Tuesday Night

This morning on my way to work, I noticed a woman wrapping Christmas lights around the trees at the town gazebo and another woman standing outside the gazebo, holding a camera, watching and chatting with the woman wrapping the Christmas lights. It seemed an odd scene and I couldn't imagine who they were or why they were there.

Tonight, on my way home from work, I saw these purple lights on the trees and the gazebo. I had to assume it was the lights being put on this morning. The mystery seems even greater now: who were they and why the lights?

I ventured across the street to get this closeup photo and could hear voices coming from inside the gazebo. Apparently, a couple was sitting on the floor of the gazebo having a conversation. I quickly took my photo and left. I didn't want to disturb them. I don't know if the woman in the couple was the same woman as this morning. The mystery only deepens.

9/13/08 running errands

In keeping with my pledge to give rides to anyone who needs one to try and pay it forward for the semester I didn't have a car . . . there was an email across campus asking if anyone was going to Portland because our visiting artist (here for two semesters from Liverpool, England) needed to pick up some supplies for a faculty art show next week. So I replied that I needed to go and could squeeze it in on Saturday. All I really needed in Portland was to pick up my shoes at the shoe repair. I had dropped off 6 pairs to be polished, waterproofed, re-soled, have taps added, etc. and told the shoe repair guy I would pick them up next time I was in town. I dropped them off on July 2nd! Good thing I wore tennis shoes all summer. But now the school year was starting and I needed some real shoes and they were all in Portland. I really didn't have time to go to Portland 'cuz I needed to get a lot of school work done, but I needed the shoes and Jeremy, the artist, needed his stuff before Monday. So we had planned this quick trip to Portland on Saturday. Then he had a chance to hitch along with the student excursion to New York City. For $45, leave on a bus at midnight Friday, arrive 9am Saturday, take a tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (tickets for that were included), split up and do your own thing for the rest of the day, leave at 11pm Saturday night and get back Sunday morning. I had even been tempted to sign up for that price but had decided against it. So Jeremy went on the bus tour and I went to Portland by myself and picked up his package of stuff and my shoes. I arrived at University of Southern Maine at the Area Gallery at the predetermined time and called the number I had been given. "Go on inside and wait in the gallery and I'll meet you there," the security officer said on the phone. So I did and this is what I found. The entire gallery was filled with an exhibit of Jeremy's work and Jeremy's name was painted on the wall! Wowser! I can't wait to meet this guy in person and find out more about him and his work. :-)

BTW, I successfully picked up my shoes as well. They look really great. This guy Steve works out of his garage in a residential area of South Portland. He's really nice and now I know that he does really good work for a reasonable price. After that, I treated myself to a little shopping and got 2 sweaters and a jacket. I just have to get used to traveling 4 hours round trip to run errands.

7/25/08 Moose River Outpost

Marcus is Rodney's nephew that runs this camp called Moose River Outpost. He gave us a tour (in that little Renegade Jeep) of the camp, but not of all 7,000 acres. Here's Marcus, Jenn's mom (Jenn is Rodney's sister-in-law), and Rodney. Jenn and her mom had been in Quebec and stopped at camp on their way DOWN from Canada. [Notice that in this sentence, the word "camp" is used to describe an organized facility for camping and not the traditional Maine "camp."]

Here is one of the camping areas at the camp. There are 25 wooden platforms with tents on them and some nice amenities.

This lake is only 186 of their 7,000 acres but it's all theirs.

7/25/08 The Photographer and his Assistant

Here's Rodney taking photos (imagine that) with his big camera (not the iPhone) and a little help from "Little H".

7/25/08 Beautiful Flowers at the Farm

I don't know what kind of flower these are but they're big and beautiful and these pictures don't do them justice. Rodney and his "Mum" planted them right outside the porch window where she could see them and enjoy them.

7/25/08 Strawberry Festival "Arts in the Park"

Today I drove through town and drove by a lot of activity in the park. Then I remembered that it was Strawberry Festival time. Now when you say "Strawberry Festival" in this town, the most common reply is, "That used to be called Moonlight Madness but they changed it up because they wanted to be more artsy and because there were so many hoodlums ruining the night time events." I think next year's posters should just go ahead and proclaim, "Formerly Known As Moonlight Madness."

I never did see any strawberries, but I also didn't stay too long. I was on my way out of town but took the time to stop at the "Arts in the Park" exhibits and eat a lobster roll lunch.

St. Luke's Episcopal knows how to work these events. They offered a $9.95 Lobster Roll Sack Lunch. It included a lobster roll, chips, drink, and cookie. In my case, they had one bottle of water left, so I lucked out on that. And my cookie was really a brownie which was okay by me because there are a lot of cookies that I don't care that much about but a brownie, anyway you make it, is always delicious. Their lobster roll had a lobster salad in it that was quite delicous. They had the tiniest bit of mayonnaise and a touch of celery in it, but the lobster meat was sweet and tender and obviously very fresh. YUM!!

As I walked up to the St. Luke's sign to figure out how to frame my photograph, I hear someone say, "Theresa?" I looked up and there's Amity, one of my graduate students from last spring! (That's her in the photo.) While I was paying for my lunch, Erin--another graduate student--walked up to Amity and then spotted me and we said hello. As we were talking, Andrea from church came down the sidewalk towards us so we, too, said hello. I didn't see the sheriff yet, but I expect him any minute.

7/24/08 Farewell Reception

Melvin was on the Leadership Institute Planning Committee with me this past spring. Thank goodness we did that together or I never would've met him. And now he's leaving! Today they held a reception for him. His boss asked him what he wanted served at the reception and he said, "Nothing healthy." So that's what she did. We had a choice of Whoopie Pies or cookies. Now this is my kind of party! His boss, Kirsten, was also on the Leadership Institute Planning Committee so I got to know her as well. She gave a fabulous presentation to honor him at the reception. The attendee list was a who's who of UMF folks, which is especially impressive in the middle of the summer when so many people are on vacation. I was impressed.

7/22/08 Picnic Dinner and Dutch Treat

Tonight Rodney and I had a mini-celebration tour. We met at Hannaford's, made ourselves a salad at the salad bar, drove to the gazebo by Wilson Lake in Wilton, and picnicked on our salads. Not too far into the meal, he said, "My cousins, live near here and I want you to meet them 'cuz they work at UMF." He called them and Terry said she would meet us at Dutch Treat for dessert. We went and I met her and we had a blast. I loved hearing all the family stories and getting the dirt that Rodney won't tell on himself. ;-)

I had the black raspberry soft serve ice cream mostly because I loved the story that went with it. Apparently, they don't always have the black raspberry soft serve ice cream, but you can get on the list of folks who want to be notified and when they make it, the folks at Dutch Treat will personally call you to tell you that they have it.

7/17/08 Sheriff Andy Taylor?

As I was coming out of the post office, I spotted MRM going in to Dunkin Donuts. This would be the second time in a week that I bumped into her in downtown Farmington. I dodged across the street, stopping traffic in both directions (as a pedestrian in Maine, that's my privilege) and followed her into Dunkin Donuts just to say "Hi" so that I can count this as another "running into folks on the street" event.

This week in particular I keep bumping into people I know as I walk down the street . . . Jo on her way to the post office to mail a package, Chris on her way into the Homestead with friends visiting from Michigan, Maggy and Harry on my way out of the post office. Part of it is that I know more people, part of it is that it's summer in Maine and nobody's hanging out inside, part of it is that this is a small town and your chances of running into someone you know are far greater than they are in a big town. But whether it's mathematical or magical, it's a blast.

I was sharing my enthusiasm for this activity with Rodney who said, "Next thing you know, you'll be bumping right into Sheriff Andy Taylor on the streets of Mayberry." He's right. And I look forward to that day.

7/4/08 Independence Day Parade Anticipation

Happy Independence Day!! Happy 4th of July!

Farmington has a big parade today at 10:00am. I'm going to meet MRM at her favorite viewing location where she meets Kate and her kids every year. It's on the south end of campus near the end of the parade route, but there's a short stone wall that makes a great seat (don't have to bring your own chair) and it's in the shade. It's right near my office, so I know it's 8/10 of a mile. I figure it will take the same 20 minutes to walk to it that it takes to walk to my office, but alas, I am wrong. It takes much longer because there is so much foot traffic slowing down the sidewalks and so many obstacles blocking the sidewalks. It was a blast trying to get there.

This is in front of Pierce House, a retirement home on Main Street. They have a tent set up with chairs in it (it went up yesterday) that I thought was for the clients to have a good view of the parade. But in fact, it's for the annual strawberry shortcake sale by the local church. Proceeds this year are going towards the stained glass refurbishment project. I bet that is made with fresh local strawberries! (I intended to come back and have some but didn't make it.)

This couple brought their pets to watch the parade. That's a dog and a guinea pig! Look closely at the cage and you'll see the pet rodent in there.

I walked behind many strollers on my journey to the viewing location but this was my first triplet stroller. There are enough seats and sunshades in that thing for 3 babies to be seated comfortably!

6/28/08 The Celebration Tour -- Day 1

Rodney is moving to Oregon and has a list of places and people he wants to see before he leaves. We're calling it his "Celebration Tour" of Maine (I refuse to let him call it a farewell tour because that would imply he's not coming back). So he's letting me tag along with him whenever our schedules permit. It's so much easier for me to do my "Welcome Tour" of Maine with someone who already knows so many great spots and how to get there.

Today we went to Old Orchard Beach (okay, I was the expert on this one as we ate Pier Fries for the first course in our progressive lunch), then to Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. I had driven through Kennebunk and Kennebunkport on Easter Sunday of 2007 with Grace when she gave me that amazing tour of the coastline, but we didn't stop. Rodney and I drove past Walker Point (which I had also done with Grace) and we're pretty sure by the number of secret service we saw, that the former president must've been home. We had lunch at Federal Jack's. When we told MRM's mom later where we ate, she said it was located in Taint Town . . . right in that area you're not in Kennebunk and you're not in Kennebunkport, so you "tain't in either town". Federal Jack's is affiliated with a bookstore that we went to downstairs. They had a lot of cool stuff, but this was my favorite:

That has nothing to do with Maine but it is just one of the many good laughs we had on the Celebration Tour.

From Kennebunk we drove to Ogunquit. It was very quaint. I took this picture for my friends back in Dallas that have West Highland terrier dogs. It gives you a feel for the quaintness.

This part of the state is overrun with Canadians in the summer. They love coming south to Maine for their vacations. There are plenty of folks who speak French that live in Maine year round, but signs like this are intended for the tourists who speak French.