I saved an article by David McCaskill, from the June 2000 Bridgton News, suggesting that to enjoy Maine’s beauty, you can take your family on a hike exploring Maine’s many mountains. He also suggests the Appalachian Mountain Club handbook for your hiking guidebook, obtainable at local bookstores.
His suggestions on what to take, for gear: “Plenty of water, high-energy snacks, and a map, a basic first aid kit (this is really handy when in the company of kids), a rain jacket (for mountain weather is some fickle), and above all, don’t skimp on your boot selection.”
We hiked frequently with our own children, starting with the nearby and short climb up Douglas Hill in Sebago. They still love the mountains, and study the wildflowers growing along the trails.
Wildflower study
I found a long article about the Creste Butte Wildflower Festival, held very July. Many people are led there on a 21?2 hour hike by a botanist. This festival is getting more popular each year. On one hike, the leader, Allison Gannett, a botanist at the University of Vermont, spotted more than two dozen varieties of wildflowers, discussing their characteristics and keeping group members from trampling on too many other flowers to see the ones she was pointing out. She explained that yarrow, a purple flower, is a natural antibiotic, and that, according to folklore, sheep that eat false skunk cabbage, a pale green plant, give birth to offspring with only one eye, a sheep Cyclops. Folklore only, no truth to it, we believe.
There was a large picture of the botanist among the plants, but the long article had no list of the two dozen varieties of flowers she described. I did recognize Queen Anne’s lace and black-eyed Susan in the picture, but I would have enjoyed reading a list of all the flowers she described to her tour group.
Glass evolution
John Holverson spoke on “Colored Glass” at the Woman’s Literary Union’s Antique Study group’s recent meeting at Hersey Hall, UNE-Westbrook College. His interesting lecture was on the evolution of glass through the ages.
First he described finding the material to make glass, mainly silica, found in sand. Second, various minerals provided the colors. Third, the Mediterranean first used the core-forming method of making vessels, decorated by feather pulling. Fourth, it spread to Rome, where they learned how to blow it by an air pipe. Italy had the most beautiful glass made by blowing.
Holverson demonstrated the changes in glass making, drawing sketches on a blackboard on the wall. He is very well informed.
The next meeting of the Antique Study group is Nov. 16. The subject will be “Pewter”.
Fall iris
The fall blooming irises in the garden outside Hersey Hall on the University of New England at Westbrook Junior College’s campus are beautiful. Purple and white and the largest I have ever seen, as well as the first I’ve seen blooming in the fall. I hope that frost hasn’t taken them this week, so that you readers may enjoy them, too. A plaque says the garden is in memory of Millie McGrath Hooghkirk, a gift of her classmates.
Tart treat
Today’s recipe is from Esther Wood’s “Country Fare,” 1976. It is a very interesting book with, according to the book, “Reminiscences and Recipes from a Maine Childhood.” Anyone who is lucky enough to be still picking their rhubarb crop should try this recipe.
RHUBARB UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
2 cups cut-up rhubarb
1?2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1?4 cup shortening
3?4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
11?2 cups flour
1?2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
Combine rhubarb, sugar and water in a small stew pan and cook until mixture is thick. Pour into bottom of an 8-inch cake pan. Top with the cake mixture, made by creaming shortening, sugar and beaten egg and combining with flour, salt, baking powder and milk. Pour the batter over the rhubarb sauce and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
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