JWF, Author at JOTS & JAUNTS

Maine Moments: Reading & Eating

July 29, 2023July 29, 2023 JWF Leave a comment

RECENT READING

BOOKS SET IN MAINE

Lily King is an award-winning novelist who happens to live in Portland, Maine. With that credential, she has written an engaging piece “Reading Your Way Through Maine” for the New York Times series focusing on literature from specific locales. Amongst her list of twenty titles, I was pleased to see familiar ones: from Elizabeth Stout’s Olive Kittredge to Landslide by Susan Conley, and More Than You Know by Beth Gutcheon, along with several by authors new to me. King also includes nonfiction titles and several popular children’s books, namely Blueberries for Sal and Miss Rumphius.

Appropriately, she doesn’t include her own fiction (not set in Maine), but I have thoroughly enjoyed Euphoria (loosely based on a young Margaret Mead and contemporaries), Writers & Lovers, and recently, the novel below.

A FATHER’S GRIP

Father of the Rain by Lily King

Published in 2010, King’s novel Father in the Rain, portrays daughter Daley’s decades-long struggle to be noticed and loved by her father. Charismatic and charming, Gardiner Amory is wedded to the bottle and is often hurtful and verbally abusive to his daughter and others. When Daley’s mother separates from her father, Daley spends weekends shuttling from home with her mother to her father’s chaotic household. Ki

Gardiner has remarried and has stepchildren. Daley must navigate, or at least survive, the ravages of this dysfunctional household each week. This is probably one of the most harrowing and painful sections of the book. Later, when everyone else seems to have deserted Gardiner, Daley returns to assist him, setting aside, temporarily she tells herself, her own life and love.

What do we owe our parents and what is the pull and attraction of the daughter-father bond? The writing is wonderfully graphic and descriptive, and the characters are believable, but I have to admit to becoming impatient with Daley—the sacrifices she makes, for what return? (~JWFarrington)

DINING OVER BOOTHBAY HARBOR

McSeagull’s Restaurant

Located in downtown Boothbay Harbor overlooking the harbor and the footbridge, McSeagull’s offers a tempting menu of local seafood and fish. We brought our friend from Sweden here for lunch, and the guys began with cups of chowder. It looked very appetizing topped with some crispy bacon. Later, the Chief Penguin declared it the best clam chowder of the four iterations he’s sampled this season.

The C. P. and I had fried haddock with coleslaw and fries. Very fresh and lovely fish and a generous portion. (Someone I know took some home!) Our friend enjoyed some local oysters on the half shelf and sampled some of my haddock.

The porch overlooking the harbor is a most pleasant place to dine, but the inside seating is also bright and attractive. We’ve vowed to return at least once more this season!

Note: Photos except for author photo ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved) Header photo is Monks Cress.

Maine Musings: Mostly Books

July 22, 2023July 22, 2023 JWF 2 Comments

VIRGINIA BOOTLEGGERS

Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls

Set in rural Virginia during Prohibition, Jeannette Walls’ new novel, Hang the Moon, is a rollicking ride with a family of whiskey bootleggers. The Duke, Sallie Kincaid’s father and kingpin of the local economy, is a big man both in size and personality. He receives adoration but offers little in return. With multiple wives and children from various relationships, he is a force to be obeyed. In his motherless daughter Sallie, he inspires hero worship and a zeal to be like him.

At 18, Sallie, the focal point of the novel, is called back home after having been sent away some years before. She is determined to win the Duke’s admiration, or at least, his respect. Learning to drive, she convinces him to hire her as his bagman. She collects rents from the tenants, makes deliveries, and inevitably gets caught up in the long-running feud between Kincaid’s men and those of the Bond family.

It’s a life of hard work, violence, and skirting the law. Sallie is fierce and independent and while coming into her own after the Duke’s death, has seen only what she wanted to see about the relationships between her aunts, cousins, and siblings. Her Kincaid family history is a complex web of extramarital affairs, deaths, and failed marriages.

Walls cites an impressive number of sources in her afterword and details which characters are modeled after real people. Highly recommended–it’s hard to put down once you start! (~JWFarrington)

TAKEOFF ON LITTLE WOMEN

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

Who are we in our 20’s and how do we evolve and grow as we progress toward middle age? Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful is a wonderfully enveloping novel about four sisters and the two men who impact their lives. The women: ambitious organized Julia; Sylvie, earnest reader and librarian in the making; and the twins, Cecelia artistic and free-spirited; and Emeline, nurturer and caregiver; are entwined in a close-knit Catholic family in Chicago. Julia meets William Waters in college. Unloved, overlooked by his parents, and unsure of himself, he is Julia’s opposite in so many ways.

When they marry, William acquires an instant family which he finds both overwhelming and mostly delightful. Julia is a planner who has her life mapped out; William struggles on her suggested path but is not as focused or driven as she. He gets his kicks from basketball and mentoring injured players.

Charlie, the girls’ father, is an alcoholic dreamer and seemingly ineffectual, but he sees them all more clearly than they realize. His early death leaves a big hole, and they reflect fondly on his always cheery greeting of “Hello, Beautiful.”

There is a rupture when one sister leaves town and, over the decades as they age, their relationships shift as new people come into the mix. The tightness of the sisterly bonds and a subplot about absentee fathers make for an emotion-laden experience.

I found this novel so absorbing, I read it very quickly, completely caught up in the unfolding story. Highly recommended. (~JWFarrington)

VIEWING NOTES (PBS Passport)

Will, wife Bonnie, & Geordie in *Grantchester* (PBS)

This past week, we finished the most recent seasons of both Grantchester and Endeavour. In Season 8 of Grantchester, Will is in turmoil, Leonard is having difficulties with his halfway house and Daniel, and Geordie faces forced retirement. There’s a lot going on, and it’s emotionally absorbing. There will be one more season with Tom Brittney as vicar Will Davenport before he departs the series.

This season of Endeavour is the finale. We watched the first two episodes and had saved up this last one. It’s poignant and bittersweet as almost everyone moves on to another place or phase. DI Thursday may be retiring, there are old murders to solve, festering scores to settle, and Miss Thursday is getting married. Endeavour Morse must face what comes after.

If you are a fan of any of the Colin Dexter-based series from John Thaw in Inspector Morse, to Kevin Whately as Lewis, and then Shaun Evans as the young Morse in Endeavour, I highly recommend a short documentary.

It’s called Morse and The Last Endeavour: A Masterpiece Mystery! Special. It’s an affectionate look at the entire set of episodes from 1987 to the present and includes interviews with many of the actors about their characters, along with comments about what it was like to film in Oxford. It’s a treat! But there are spoilers so watch all of this Endeavour first.

There’s also a one-on-one interview with Shaun Evans about his evolving role as both actor and director. It too is on PBS Passport and worth watching.

Note: Header photo of lilies taken ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Tidbits from Maine

July 17, 2023July 17, 2023 JWF Leave a comment

TOUCHSTONES

For many years, we began our summer stay in Maine with a day or two in Portland. The pandemic changed that, and we had not been overnight there in several years. This year, we returned to the historic Portland Regency Hotel, formerly an armory, for one night. Its location on Milk Street is perfect for wandering the Old Port, venturing to Monument Square, or even going on to the Portland Museum of Art. That afternoon and at breakfast, we reconnected with John, our favorite longtime waiter and one of the nicest guys around.

My friends know I never pass up a chance to stop in a bookstore, and I have favorites in Portland and Boothbay Harbor. Before dinner on Friday night, we browsed in Longfellow Books on Monument Square. It’s a generously sized independent bookstore with a wide selection of fiction and nonfiction, both new and used, and a separate room devoted to children’s books. Naturally, I purchased a book for me, one for the grand girls, and some notecards.

On Saturday, we made our way up to Southport Island with some time time in Boothbay Harbor. Lunch was at Harborside 1901 Bar and Grill, a more recent favorite which we fondly call “Fiona’s Place” in honor of the founding chef. The Chief Penguin ordered fish and chips with a side of cole slaw while I inaugurated the season with my first lobster roll. Yummy!

After lunch, we visited Sherman’s Books and Stationery, a longstanding touchstone going back 30 years. This location is the mother ship and there are stores in eight other towns. The two-level store carries lots and lots of books, but also toys and games and a big selection of greeting cards, along with housewares and Maine memorabilia. It’s a treasure trove and it’s easy to get lost in here for an hour or more!

At the Southport General Store, another touchstone, we bought the weekly Boothbay Register, a must read for me, and stocked up on wine, ice cream, and pizza slices for dinner. The next day we got ahead of the summer crowds with an early morning trip to Hannaford, the area’s primary supermarket in Boothbay Harbor, for essentials.

Later in the day, it was time to check out the temptations at Pinkham’s Gourmet Market. This store, which initially sold just local seafood, keeps expanding its offerings and adding more goodies. Here we bought fresh crab cakes, deviled clams, some prepared salads, and a jarred Indian curry sauce. Back at the house on Southport, we hunkered down for the remainder of this rainy, foggy day, delighting in the cooler temperatures. So very Maine.

DINING OUT IN PORTLAND

David’s Restaurant in Monument Square

We have eaten at David’s a number of times in recent years and always enjoyed what we ordered. This dinner was better than ever and several notches up in taste and presentation. The highlight was the special starter of arancini made with three different cheeses and served on a smear of poblano cream. Spectacular!

We followed this with ahi tuna crudo and roasted Brussels sprouts for the Chief Penguin and delectable salmon cakes with pickled veggies for me (another special of the day). We shared a Caesar salad. Caesar salads are ubiquitous on menus, but they vary widely in the freshness of the greens, the crunch of the croutons, and the balance of garlic and Parmesan in the dressing. This one was a winner in all regards and was topped with a pair of white anchovies. The menu choices overall were so appealing, we vowed to return for lunch!

Note: Photos from JWFarrington (some rights reserved)

Tidy Tidbits: Viewing Options

July 9, 2023July 9, 2023 JWF Leave a comment

This week, I’m sharing a group of TV series that run the gamut from the life of a successful Italian businesswoman, to puzzling and murders to solve, to a devastating portrayal of providing hospital care under the Nazis.

DELIGHTFUL CONFECTION

Luisa Spagnoli Queen of Chocolate (PBS Masterpiece)

Have you ever enjoyed one of the chocolate kisses called Baci Perugina? If so, then you’ve experienced one of the confectionary wonders created by Luis Spagnoli. Luisa Spagnoli grew up in Perugia. An ambitious woman for her time (late 19^th century), she bought a confectionary shop that made and sold sugared almonds. From that beginning, with her husband Annibale and then their business partner Giovanni Buitoni, Luisa was the driving force behind the development of an innovative international candy business. Later, she ventured into the world of fashion.

This is a feel-good story about hard work, determination, marriage, romance, and more. During WWI, Luisa hired women to work in the factory and provided day care for their children. She pushed back against traditional boundaries, lived outside the lines, and was an inspiration to many.

There are four episodes each about an hour long. Highly recommended as enjoyable change of pace viewing—perfect for summer!

GRIM WARTIME MEDICINE

Charite’ Season 2 (PBS Masterpiece)

Charite’ is a large research hospital in Berlin that still exists. It was central to medicine in the late 19^th century and was bombed by the Allies in the Second World War. Season 2 covers the period from 1943 to 1945 and is even more devastating than the first season.

The hospital is operating under the Nazi regime. Some staff are dedicated supporters of Hitler while others cooperate, when necessary, but privately try to work around it, and a few are secretly assisting the Allies. Noted surgeon Ferdinand Sauerbruch is one such complex individual whose role as a hospital leader sometimes requires compliance not defiance. Psychiatry chair Dr. Max de Crinis was key in the development of Hitler’s euthanasia program. Young physicians Anni and Artur Waldhausen face a moral quandary when their infant daughter appears to have a serious condition.

Before the bombing, the operating rooms seem primitive, and the surgeries raw and graphic; later hospital conditions rival the battlefield. It’s an intense series, not for the fainthearted, but provides a different perspective on aspects of the war. I personally found it riveting viewing.

DETECTIVES AT WORK

Karen Pirie (Prime Video)

Scottish detective, Karen Pirie, is promoted and assigned to re-open and investigate a cold murder case from 25 years ago. Initially pleased, she later suspects she was chosen because she is less experienced and female. A young woman’s body was found slashed and dead on the local cathedral grounds. Three young men who knew her well and hung out with her at a local bar were primary suspects, but no one was ever charged in her death. Karen and her assistant look at old leads, talk to the original detective who handled the case, and run into roadblocks, but persevere. There are 3 episodes all built around solving this one case based on novels by Valerie McDermid.

My initial response was that I didn’t care much for Karen as a character and wondered if the series would jell. I stuck with that first episode and got hooked. Taken together the episodes are an in depth look at motives, relationships, and corruption. A second season has been commissioned.

Ridley (PBS Masterpiece)

Alex Ridley is a retired British detective who gets called back to assist his former colleague Carol in solving a case. He is still grieving the death of his wife and daughter by arson in a fire intended for him. A parttime singer, Ridley also co-owns a local pub. Music is a feature of this series, both in his performing with the bar combo and the jazz tunes that form a backdrop to the action.

And it’s fun to see starchy Miss Higgins (Georgie Glen) of Call the Midwife as the precise but somewhat less stiff pathologist Dr. Wendy Newstone. There are four cases in this first season, and they are each presented in 2 parts. The pace is more leisurely than some crime series, but I’m enjoying getting to know Ridley and his compatriots. A second season is planned.

Note: Header photo of Luisa and Annibale Spagnoli is courtesy of Amazon.

Author: JWF

Maine Moments: Reading & Eating

Like this: