Crabtree discusses Katrina
On Jan. 4, Allen Crabtree of Sebago spoke to the Westbrook Historical Society on his experiences with the Red Cross in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.
Donna Conley of the Society board of directors introduced Crabtree. Secretary Susan Norton gave her report, Ellie Saunders reported on recent donations, and Nancy Curran gave the treasurer’s report. Honorary members recently voted on and approved are Vaun Born, Ethelyn Chase, Katherine Sullivan, and Betty Morabito.
Mr. Crabtree and his wife Penny live on a farm in Sebago, where he serves in various positions in the town. He is proprietor of his own highbush blueberry farm, a writer who has a passion for history, and he sells and collects books.
He volunteered for three weeks in Louisiana after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Those have gone into the record books as the most destructive and the costliest natural disasters in the history of the United States. Not since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s or the end of the Civil War in the 1860s have so many Americans been on the move from a single event. More than a million people were displaced, and the property damage and death toll were staggering.
Crabtree was assigned to Baton Rouge, La., as a public affairs writer. He showed us many slides taken by Red Cross photographer Tom Jacobson, and narrated them for us.
We saw many views of the destruction, with houses and businesses totally demolished. We saw a car that was not demolished, but had part of a house settled on the hood. We saw shelters with cots where residents were fed and given medical care. There were mobile feeding vans delivering food.
Crabtree told us that there were 200,000 pets abandoned. Residents were rescued, but could not take their pets with them. An animal rescue group rescued 1,200 pets and reunited 50 percent of them with their owners. Other pets were put up for adoption.
This was the first time that the European Red Cross groups were asked to assist; groups came from France, Norway, Germany, and other countries.
The lecture was well presented. We admired Allen Crabtree for volunteering in that treacherous area.
A guest, introduced at the meeting, was Debbie Dickenson, an evacuee from Hurricane Katrina who is now living in Westbrook Gardens. There is an excellent article about her in the Jan. 4 American Journal.
Nice New Year’s note
We received a New Year’s note from a friend, whose final paragraph, concerning peace, is well-worth presenting. She wrote, “Let’s hope there will be progress towards peace in the world. I think it is time for all of humanity to see a brighter light!!”
This friend is my age, approaching 88 years. Our generation, our children and grandchildren all feel this way, too. I’ve mentioned that my Grange has as its final song, at each meeting, “Let There Be Peace On Earth.” These Grangers all hope for peace, too.
Museums cut fees
We read in the Attractions column of the Jan. 6 New York Times that several New York City museums have free admissions. We know that the art gallery at the University of New England Westbrook campus has free admission, too.
We were interested also that the New York Historical Society listed its weekly exhibitions, with prices: Admission, $10, students and seniors 62 and over, $5; under 12, free.
The Museum of the City of New York’s suggested admission is $7; seniors 62 and over and students, $5; families $15.
Several others have the reduced rate for those 62 and over too. I think it’s a great idea. Do any of our other local museums or concerts make these offers? It might help with their attendance.
Photos of Maine women
I enjoyed the exhibit Jan. 7 at the art gallery at the University of New England’s Westbrook College campus. Photographer Lauren Shaw’s exhibit is called “Maine Women, Living on the Land,” and includes several pictures of each of 10 Maine women and their occupations. They are Raquel Boehmer, a whole foods cultivator on Monhegan Island; the late Jenny Cirone, a sheep farmer and lobsterman from South Addison; Gail Edwards, a medicinal herbalist from Athena; Sylvia Holbrook, a dairy farmer from New Vineyard; Leitha Kelly, a timber harvester and Maine guide from the Allagash; Jackie Lundeen, a potato farmer from Mars Hill; Mary Philbrook, a Micmac Indian chief from Presque Isle; Deb Soule, an herbalist and gardener from Rockport; Carol Varin, a diversified farmer from Beddington; and Betty Weir, a diversified organic farmer from Cumberland.
Lauren Shaw lives near Boston and teaches photography at Emerson College. She and her family own a barn in Maine near Belgrade and love it there. She had worked several years meeting these Maine women and getting acquainted with them.
In the Philbrook group of pictures, we saw small white tents in Aroostook, and learned that she is the first female to become a Micmac chief.
Leitha Kelly’s family has harvested lumber in the North Woods for six generations. She is a Maine guide, and runs the Two Rivers Lunch in the Allagash, a popular gathering place.
Carol Varin is a blueberry farmer in Beddington where she and her husband own the family farm. She also makes wreaths.
Jackie Lundeen said they farm 80 acres of potatoes. Her family has farmed potatoes for three generations. The rest of their land is in rotation crops. She said, “Farming is a way of life.” She recently became a State Representative in Augusta.
Deb Soule founded Avena Botanicals, an herbal apothecary, in 1985.
Sylvia Holbrook has produced 8,000 lbs. of butter a year for 60 years.
Gail Edwards is the founder of the Blessed Maine Herb Farm.
There is an interesting video of those exhibiting, shown in the basement of the gallery.
The show will run until Jan. 22. the hours are Fri, Sat, and Sun., 1-4 p.m.; Thurs., 1-7 p.m.
This is the gallery I mentioned before that has free admission. There is lots of parking room, too.
RECIPE
This recipe comes from Chris Sprague’s “Newcastle Inn Cookbook.”
APPLE CRISP
6 large tart apples, preferably Granny Smiths
1 tbls. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
Peel, core and slice the apples. Toss the slices with the lemon juice, cinnamon, and cloves. Place the apple mixture in a shallow two-quart non-aluminum baking dish.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
With an electric mixer on low speed, blend the flour and the sugars. Cut the butter into 12 pieces, and add it while mixing. Stop the mixer once the mixture starts to clump.
Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples.
Bake until the topping is lightly browned and the apples are tender, approximately 40 minutes.
Serve warm from the oven or at room temperature. Serves six.
I’m sure that you have an apple crisp recipe, but this interested me because of the cook’s comments. She wrote “This apple crisp is great served warm from the oven with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. There is no law against serving ice cream for breakfast – – our guests will certainly attest to that!”
At the bottom of the page, under a picture of a whole apple, and a half one beside it, is the line, in caps, OUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST.
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