|
|
|
|
|
|
A Little Magazine
by and for the
Residents of Southport
Number 30
August 2012
Photo: Osprey
|
|
|
|
|
Technology Marches On
Do I Have to Come Along?
|
Recently, a friend told me about a visit she and her eight-year-old grandson made to a technology exhibit, where he learned about the kind of telephone I grew up with. You know, the kind that sat on a desk with a base and a handset, usually black. "You mean people had to stick a finger in those little round holes to dial a number? And hold that other piece to their ear to hear?" he said. Yep.
Then she showed him a typewriter. "What's that?" he asked. So she explained how depressing a button on the keyboard activated a tiny metal arm with a letter on the end of it. The arm hit a piece of paper mounted on a roller and voila! a letter appeared on the paper. "Cool," he said. Except for the messy job of changing the ribbon.
Their experience reminded me of how thrilled I once was to greet the new technology of the second half of the 20th century--color television, the IBM Selectric typewriter, answering machines, the Polaroid camera, copy machines, mobile phones, computers--and how much of it has already become obsolete.
As I recall, it took decades for those technological changes to occur. Now, one small hand-held device seems to do just about everything that needs to be done, the technology changes overnight, and I'm a little less thrilled to have to adapt to every new device that comes down the road.
Lately, I've been asking myself if it's really necessary. I know it isn't, but if I want to understand the world my eight-year-old grandson lives in, I had better keep marching.
David Kapp, Editor
davidkapp@comcast.net
|
|
 |
|
|
| SOUTHPORT PROFILE
an interview with Joy Evans
|
 | |
John Monahan
|
John Monahan is a familiar figure in the Village Center's Fitness Room. He is a self-proclaimed "exercise nut" who works out at least four times per week. A former long distance runner, John ran the Falmouth Road Race and the Marine Corps Marathon 14 times. Since his hip replacement several years ago, he has altered his routine but is still dedicated to staying in shape. lf you should happen to meet John at the Village Center, be sure to strike up a conversation with him; he has an infinite supply of fascinating anecdotes relating to his days as legislative assistant to former Speaker of the House John W. McCormack.
John grew up in Newton, the son of prominent Boston lawyer Frank Monahan. He attended Boston College where he was a political science major. After graduation, while looking for a job, John and his dad ran into John W. McCormack at a funeral. The two older gentlemen were friends and, in the course of their conversation, McCormack asked what young John was doing for work. As a result of this meeting, John was given the opportunity to work for McCormack, who was the Democrat Majority Leader at the time. During the next 25 years, John experienced an exciting journey through the historic years of the 60s, 70s and 80s in Washington DC.
Early on, John met Jean Franklin, the girl he would marry. To hear him tell the story, he stalked her through the halls of the Capitol. He was in a meeting when he happened to see her pass by the door. Excusing himself, he followed her and watched to see what floor she took the elevator to and then took the elevator to the same floor. He spotted her through the office window of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. He called an acquaintance on the committee and asked if he knew the girl; she was his assistant--but he couldn't convince her to date John. Undeterred, John persevered, calling Jean every week for several months until she finally relented. They were married a year later and will celebrate their 50th anniversary next April.
 | |
Speaker of the House John McCormack with his Administrative Assistant John Monahan
|
John W. McCormack became Speaker of the House in 1962, and John Monahan was his administrative assistant. During his nine years as Speaker, McCormack worked particularly well with President Lyndon Johnson and their combined efforts spearheaded the civil rights movement.
Monahan was an integral part of McCormack's day-to-day dealings and often represented him at meetings. He remembers one occasion when a group of business leaders met with McCormack to seek support for the passage of a bill in Congress. One of the men used a racial slur in conversation at which point McCormack said, "You have a diseased mind, leave my office now." He explained to John that no one should ever use such language when talking to the Speaker of the House and that the guy would not be out bragging in some bar about how he talked to the Speaker. McCormack was a wonderful friend and mentor to Monahan, who also counted Gerald Ford and Tip O'Neill, and currently, Barney Frank among his close friends.
John recalls an occasion when he was waiting outside the White House while Speaker
McCormack was meeting with President Kennedy. When McCormack came out, Monahan noticed that he didn't have his hat, so the two of them returned to the White House and split up to look for the hat. In the course of his search, Monahan opened a door and found himself in the Oval Office with President Kennedy, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and Attorney General Robert Kennedy. The President asked Monahan if he could help him with something and John replied that he was looking for the Speaker's hat. Kennedy said it sounded as though a crime had been committed and it was a job for the Attorney General. Robert Kennedy countered that it might be a threat to national security and was clearly a job for the Secretary of Defense. At that moment, Monahan heard the Speaker call out, "Found it!" He was able to exit the room gracefully and marveled at the quick wit of the President and his cabinet members.
 | |
John & Jean Monahan, with their two sons and two daughters & their spouses, and their seven grandsons. A granddaughter will join the clan soon.
|
After McCormack retired in 1971, John Monahan remained in Washington, working for John McFall, Democratic Whip from California, and then for the Democratic Party. He retired in 1985 and he and Jean moved their family to Falmouth. John had spent summers in Falmouth while growing up and he wanted their four children to have the experience of living in a town where they would meet a variety of people, not just professionals and politicians.
 | |
You can find John in the Village Center exercise rooms about four days each week.
|
One of the things that John chose to do after the move to Falmouth was to make breakfast for his children every school day for eight years, until the youngest had graduated from high school. He feels that by doing this, he was able to form a special bond with them and to keep in touch with what was going on in their lives. John's major goals in life were to be the best husband, best father and best grandfather possible. His seven grandsons would undoubtedly agree that his goal has been achieved.
These days, in addition to spending time in the Fitness Room, John plays golf and is a voracious reader. He is a history buff with a wealth of knowledge, particularly regarding political events. He loves poetry, especially the work of Robert W. Service, and has committed much of it to memory. But his favorite activity is spending time with his grandsons and anticipating the birth of his first granddaughter.
|
|
STORY
My Yarmulke
| |
When I was eight years old my father secured a temporary position in Annapolis, Maryland. Since his appointment was only for one year, my parents decided to rent an apartment. My father wanted to live in the old part of Annapolis so he could walk to the Naval Academy, my mother could walk to nearby stores and my two sisters and I could walk to school. My father found a spacious apartment in a private home on Thompson Street, a quaint street that ended at Weems Creek. The Zellers, who owned the large house, lived in an apartment on the first floor.
My parents, Odin and Blanca, became fast friends with Herman and Faye Zeller. Herman, who was a German Jew, met Faye, a Czech Jew, in the Auschwitz concentration camp. My parents were resistance leaders in Denmark during the war, helping to smuggle Jews and others hunted by the Nazis to Sweden. Though their World War ll experiences were very different, they all felt a bond as survivors of the Nazi terror.
European Jews and Danish gentiles also shared common culinary traditions. Lox, pickled herring, smoked white fish, sardines, full bodied rye bread and chicken are just a few of the foods appreciated by both. And it was not easy to buy good quality lox, herring and real rye bread, aka "Jewish" rye bread, in Annapolis, in the late 1950s! Well, it was our good fortune that the Zellers happened to own the only kosher delicatessen in Annapolis. Wow! Now we could buy the food we loved!
Herman and Faye had two children: Sheldon, two years younger than me, and Emily, the same age as one of my older sisters. Sheldon and I became good friends and spent endless hours playing marbles and board games. Because the Zellers were orthodox Jews who kept strictly kosher, Sheldon was never allowed to eat in our home. His loss was my gain; I enjoyed many meals at the Zellers' home. Mr. Zeller and Sheldon would wear their yarmulkes, while I sat bareheaded.
One day I mentioned to my mother that I thought it would be nice if I had a yarmulke so I would be like Sheldon and his father. My mother reminded me that we weren't Jewish and there weren't any Judaica stores within 50 miles. In those days, one would have had to drive to Baltimore or Washington, DC to find a store that sold yarmulkes, and that was an all day trek. I was a bit disappointed, but I understood.
The day after my request, I came home from school and my mother told me she had a surprise for me. She proudly presented me with a light brown crocheted yarmulke with a little loop on the top. I could hang up my yarmulke on a hook when I wasn't wearing it. I was thrilled! The next day I had lunch with the Zellers and they complimented me on my handsome yarmulke. For a year I wore my yarmulke every time I shared a meal with the Zellers.
At the termination of my father's job, we moved to Baltimore. Over the next 15 years, our families kept in touch, mostly by telephone. I had packed away my yarmulke and had forgotten all about it. A week before my wedding, I was sorting through my belongings at my parents' house, trying to decide which items I would need to take with me to Washington, DC. To my surprise, I came across the yarmulke. I showed it to my mother and reminded her how surprised I was when she gave it to me.
 | |
My "Yarmulke"
|
My mother then became very silent. She smiled at me and said, "Odin, I have to tell you something. That's not really a yarmulke. It's a tea cosy."
I was stunned. I wore a tea cosy for a year thinking it was a yarmulke? I suddenly felt very silly. And a bit angry. My mother could sense my anger and confusion. "Odin, please don't be angry with me," she said. "I knew you wanted a yarmulke and since there were no stores in which to buy one, I remembered that I had this tea cosy. Aunt Ellen crocheted it for a small teapot that was broken many years ago. I thought it would make a perfect yarmulke."
I looked at my mother and then burst out laughing. A tea cosy! I had been running around with a tea cosy on my head. But at least I could hang it up when I wasn't wearing it!
When I moved to Southport, I pulled out some items that were dear to me. Out fell the yarmulke. I picked it up and placed it on the sideboard in my dining area. My crocheted yarmulke, and yes, it is my yarmulke, embodies the wonderful memories of time spent with the Zellers and the resourcefulness of my mother. I will treasure it for life.
|
|
TRAVEL
Croatia
by Karlyn Curran
|
Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina, once part of Yugoslavia, are now independent countries. All were involved to some degree in the wars that followed the break-up of that country. Yugoslavia was created after World War II and held together by the personality and tactics of Marshall Tito. After his death in 1980, Yugoslavia began a slow collapse and eventually dissolved into ethnic warfare from 1991 through 1996.
My sister Susan and I visited these countries in May. We viewed spectacular natural beauty, learned about their often heart-wrenching history, and immersed ourselves in their culture. When we talked to people, especially in Dubrovnik where we spent the most time, their points of reference were invariably "before the war," "during the war" or "after the war." Everyone was affected. My focus in this article is on Croatia. Next month I'll write about Slovenia, Montenegro, and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Croatia, about the size of West Virginia, hugs the Adriatic Coast across the sea from Italy. A northern panhandle stretches inward across the Dinaric Mountains, where the landscape is stark and the economy is struggling. The Dalmatian Coast, however, has been a tourist destination for years, especially for wealthy Europeans. Tito's brand of "soft" Communism encouraged tourism, so much so that it has taken until last year for tourism dollars to rebound to pre-war levels.
 | |
Walls extend for one-and-a-quarter miles around the ancient city of Dubrovnik. More than two-thirds of the city's buildings were damaged in the wars that wracked the region in the 1990s.
|
We spent a week in Dubrovnik, the "Pearl of the Adriatic," Europe's best-preserved walled city and a UNESCO protected site. The city juts out into the clear turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea and is wedged between the sea and the mountains. Its red-tiled roofs are surrounded by the walls, which extend for a mile and a quarter. A highlight of our trip was to walk the walls and enjoy the stunning views.
Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 and was immediately attacked by Serbian and Montenegrin forces. The war centered on the Croatian interior and Dubrovnik.
 | |
A street scene in Dubrovnik
|
No one expected Dubrovnik to be bombed and no one was prepared to defend it. For eight months the city and its surrounding neighborhoods and hills were under attack. More than two-thirds of Dubrovnik's buildings were damaged, and 30,000 people fled their bombed out homes. The hotel we stayed at, a ten-minute bus ride from the walled town, served as a refuge for families displaced by the war, often living with five or more people in a room. One evening we went to a small village north of Dubrovnik for a home-hosted dinner. The wife and her parents had lived in the hotel for over two years while their house was being rebuilt.
Because of its status as a World Heritage Site, the European Community pitched in after the war and Dubrovnik was quickly rebuilt and back in the tourism business. Today there is little physical evidence of the war except for the red roof tiles. Most are new and bright orange. Mixed in are a few old faded ones that weren't damaged and still remain.
Dubrovnik's bustling Old Town main street is wide and cobblestoned and stretches for 300 yards between two gates: the Ploce Gate overlooks the port and the Pile Gate is an exit into the new part of the city. Stone residences, shops, churches, museums and cafes line this pedestrian promenade, while tiny steep alleyways, some with multiple flights of stairs, lead off and up to the walls. Tourists abound.
 | | The Buza ("Hole in the Wall") cafe, hanging off the cliffs just outside Dubrovnik's city walls, offers a spectacular view of the Adriatic Sea. |
We explored Dubrovnik from top to bottom and loved all of it. Our favorite place was Buza ("hole in the wall"), a tiny, hidden bar/café just outside the walls. To get there we climbed up to the wall and then followed a little lane that ran alongside the wall and signs that read "Cold Drinks." We ducked throughthe wall and found tables and chairs perched on cliffs and the Adriatic Sea spread out in front of us. We spent a pleasant hour sipping our drinks and watching boats pass by.
More than 1,000 islands lie off Croatia's rugged coast, most of them uninhabited. We visited one of them, Korcula, on a day trip. We rode along the second largest Croatian peninsula, Peljesac, and then took a short boat ride to the island. Korcula was for many centuries an outpost of the Venetian Empire. The compact walled Old Town sits atop a small hill. Croatians claim that Marco Polo was born on Korcula and honor him as a local hero, but there is no proof that he lived there. Italians, of course, dispute this claim. A house that reputedly belonged to his family sits on the main street of Old Town. The Peljesac Peninsula is famous for its miles and miles of vineyards, so we stopped at a local winery on our way back to Dubrovnik.
 | |
An acappella group of klapa singers entertained us with traditional Croatian songs in the city of Split.
|
Leaving Dubrovnik, we traveled north to the lively port city of Split, whose main attraction is the fourth century retirement home of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Fortress-like walls surround the huge palace (600' by 700'), which backs up to the harbor. After Diocletian's death it eventually fell into ruin and the medieval town of Split was built on top of it. Then and now, more than 2000 people live or work within its walls. Well preserved Roman ruins intermingle with apartments, boutiques, galleries and businesses. While we were there, a male a cappella group of klapa singers entertained us with traditional Croatian songs.
Our last stop in Croatia was Opatija, on the northern coast, not far from the Slovenian border. Rick Steves considers it to be the classiest resort town in Croatia. Governed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire and other foreign powers for almost nine centuries, Opatija became the playground of the Hapsburgs. It remains a genteel laid-back resort town. We relaxed, walked the seaside promenade and ate Austrian pastries and Italian gelato sundaes. One day we took a water taxi to Lovran, another attractive small resort town.
 | |
The Austro-Hungarian Empire has disappeared from Croatia, but the tradition of fine Austrian pastry survives.
|
On our final day trip we toured two towns on the Istrian Peninsula. In Pula we visited an ancient Roman amphitheater that seated 23,000 people. It is the sixth largest such structure remaining in the world and one of the best preserved. Then we spent a few hours in Rovinj, a mini-Dubrovnik that Rick Steves says is the prettiest town in Croatia. Situated on a hill on a tiny peninsula, encircled by walls and dominated by the spire of the baroque church of St. Euphemia, Rovinj is beautiful. It was part of the Republic of Venice for five centuries and even now both Italian and Croatian are spoken there. Its twisty little streets lead up to the church and are filled with small shops. A market down by the port sells produce, homemade foodstuffs and souvenirs, and the harbor is filled with working fishing boats instead of yachts. It lived up to its reputation.
Finally, here's an example of Croatia's complicated history. Our guide, Tomislav, was born and raised in Rijeka, an industrial port city not far from Opatija. His grandmother was born in 1913 and died in 2003. During her 90 years she lived in the same house in the same city; yet she lived in five different countries, had five different passports and used six different currencies. She was born and lived for many years under Austro-Hungarian rule, then in the independent State of Rijeka, followed by Italy and Yugoslavia, and finally Croatia. At first, Croatia used a temporary currency and later adopted the kuna that is in current use. Next summer Croatia will join the European Union and its currency will change to the Euro. I guess it helps to be flexible.
Next month I'll write about the other countries we visited: Slovenia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
|
|
NEW IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Eileen Devonshire
an interview with Joy Evans
|
 | |
Eileen Devonshire
|
Eileen Devonshire, born and raised in Dorchester, spent most of her adult life in Boston until she moved to Braintree 16 years ago. After deciding to give up her house in Braintree and the work connected with its upkeep, she began to look for the perfect retirement location on the Cape. She has a sister in Centerville and so had driven by Southport numerous times. One day they decided to come in and she knew she had found the perfect place; she moved to 40 Sea Spray Avenue in February. Eileen has two other sisters who live off Cape, and among the three of them and two deceased brothers, she has an abundance of nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. She is busy keeping up with all of them and their families.
Six years ago, Eileen retired from a fascinating 36-year career with the federal government. She began her career as a relocation specialist for the Army and Air Force, coordinating the movement of furniture and personal belongings of military families to their next assignment and helping them to get settled in their new quarters. After six years, Eileen became an investigative agent for the Defense Security Service. In that capacity, she conducted security and background investigations on both military and civilian personnel. Not just an office job, she frequently found herself on the streets of Boston in pursuit of vital information about her clients. The job also required travel to many other cities across the United States. After years in the field, she became a supervising agent with responsibility for other agents in the field. Eileen can't talk about specific cases but did say that it was an exciting career.
Travel still figures heavily in Eileen's plans. She has been to Europe many times, spent several weeks in Australia with stops in New Zealand and Tahiti, and has taken too many cruises to count them all. Her most recent cruise included stops in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Russia, with a bonus stop in Iceland on the way home.
Golf occupies much of Eileen's time. In addition to playing at Southport, she belongs to two other golf clubs and manages to play at least three times a week. Even though she is an experienced golfer, she finds our course quite challenging. Her other interests include working out and she plans to join an aerobics class and to begin strength training in our fitness room. She also loves to read and intends to explore other Southport activities once she is completely settled in her new home.
Winters find Eileen spending some time in Arizona where she has friends who have relocated. She laughs as she says that she finds her stays in the Southwest lengthening each year. This year she will probably spend more than two months in the Arizona sun. But after that she will look forward to returning to her new home in Southport.
|
|
LOCAL HISTORY
Mashpee Becomes a District, 1763
by Frank Lord
| |
In a previous article, I described Reuben Cognehew's remarkable 1760 journey to present the Wampanoags' petition of grievances to King George III. His efforts resulted in the Massachusetts General Court passing an act in 1763 that made Mashpee an "incorporated district." This was a legal status, recently established to meet the needs of certain English settlements in western Massachusetts, to create a way-station between the unincorporated plantation and the incorporated town. The major difference between a district and a town was that towns were authorized to send representatives to the General Court; districts were not.
Not having the right to elect representatives to the General Court was not a great concern for the Mashpee proprietors. What they wanted was to be left alone. As an incorporated district, they achieved a degree of autonomy and security under the laws of Massachusetts and the authority to manage their internal affairs, including the right to tax themselves and to enforce laws with their own police.
Five overseers, elected annually by the proprietors, replaced the externally appointed white guardians. However, the act of incorporation specified that two of the five overseers were to be white to serve as clerk and treasurer. But this requirement was of little concern because the three Mashpee proprietors held the majority vote, and all of the overseers could be voted out in the following election if they were unsatisfactory. Mashpee proprietors could now control the population and property within the district's limits.
Equally important, they gained the right to admit by majority vote other Indians or mulattoes as inhabitants and proprietors of Mashpee without white interference. As a result, the non-white resident population grew from 261 in 1765 to 341 in 1776, while the number of households rose from 73 in 1767 to 81 in 1776. A few of the non-Indians who came to Mashpee after 1763 were whites who had gained acceptance by marriage, such as the four German Hessian mercenary soldiers who, after the Revolutionary War, had married four of the 71 Indian widows.
SOURCE
Francis Hutchins. Mashpee: the story of Cape Cod's Indian Town, 1979
|
POETRY Brown Flowers Dying by Lydia Biersteker
|
My father died a million years ago or so it seems. I was still a child, a girl of thirty-seven. He died tragically and quick and left behind confusion and emptiness. A truck, a highway, an overturned car: Dead! Before I could mourn his loss I mourned my mother's sudden widowhood. I tried it on for size and thought, "This could be me someday." I wore it like a coat, it protected no one. A year went by, yet time stood still. Go figure! It was all the same, fall, winter, spring. Then summer came and I shook off my coat of grief. I wanted brilliance, and I wanted it in prolific abundance. So I planted my mother a garden. We trucked in dirt and built raised beds. I planted for days. I planted for all seasons. There were tulips and daffodils for spring and sedum for fall amidst willowy zinnia and lantana, verbena and starflower, even sunflowers, and hostas, and daylilies. "How could she ignore such beauty?" I thought. It was all around her. But this wasn't enough for me so I stuffed whiskey barrels with bouquets of annuals and placed them on her patio. The bees appreciated my efforts as did the butterflies. But all my mother ever saw were brown flowers dying. I'd ask her almost daily, "How's the garden?" and she'd fill me in on the flowers that were yellowing and on their way out. She never saw the beauty, not ever. Never again. August 12, 2011 |
A Few Words About Weeds
by Ernest Ruber
|
Most of you know that weeds are simply plants growing where we don't want them: one person's weed is another person's wildflower. But having categorized weeds so broadly tells us nothing about them; let's see what we can learn about how they find places to grow.
 | |
Dandelion seeds have evolved to be dispersed by air currents.
|
All plants are dispersed in only a few ways. Some produce light, plumed seeds obviously evolved for air transport (think Dandelion). Others use animal transport, producing burr-like seeds that cling to anything that touches them and hitch a ride, or berries, which eaten may survive the intestinal voyage and be deposited elsewhere. Some plants generate great numbers of large seeds (think acorns), which may sprout where they fall or be dispersed by animals to take root far from their parent. Some simply extend vegetatively, sending out above or below ground runners that take root and send up a new plant. This is a slow but very efficient way to cover an area with your offspring (or really, yourself).
Most weeds are spread by air currents or by birds, but humans and other animals also do their part. Weeds seem to appear overnight. A general theory of plant succession suggests that unoccupied areas are first colonized by pioneers--often weeds--which have rapidly-dispersed seeds, a high tolerance for full sunlight and grow quickly to reproductive age. This theory continues: Although weeds are fast colonizers, they are poor competitors. Slower invaders will follow and eventually replace (i.e., succeed) them. We might, however, consider the next wave also to be weeds. Eventually, an area's plant community becomes composed of slower maturing, longer-lived, larger species like trees and shrubs. Then, smaller plants must deal with problems such as shading to survive; some, such as Canada Mayflower, do.
 | |
Smartweed is often introduced along with grass where contractors try to start a quick lawn.
|
Some weeds are clearly introduced by humans. For example, developers and contractors often use what is called "contractors mix" to start a new lawn. The mix is economical and works pretty well if you are willing to tolerate some relatively short-lived weeds along with the grass. Smartweed is a common weed introduced in this way, and you can see it in profusion amid the grass behind the landscape crew's building on Longwood Road and at places where the landscape crew is trying to repair work grassy areas. Grass usually out-competes the Smartweed by the second or third growing season.  | |
Poison Ivy makes an attractive groundcover, but you would be rash to touch it.
|
Yet another human source of weeds can be mulch. I have observed different weeds appearing from year to year in mulched areas at Southport, and my hypothesis, which I cannot verify without conducting experiments that are just too tedious, is that that the mulch is sometimes the source of these weeds. (Another interpretation can be that, in different years, other mechanisms--air or birds--introduce different plants.) Some years ago, mulched areas would have, among other things, Carpetweed, Horsetail and Wild Garlic (I like this; fry it up with potatoes). Three years ago we had some interesting Datura species, a pretty white Petunia-like flower, but very thorny. Two years ago a brownish-leaved species of Oxalis appeared. Later, these could be found side by side with the usual green-leaved species of Oxalis, so the color was not a direct effect of the mulch. These have become established and have attractive yellow flowers; I like them, so they're not weeds to me. I'm not confident about my mulch hypothesis in the case of Poison Ivy and Bittersweet; both are spread extensively by birds. Poison Ivy can grow as a shrub or a vine. A plaque near the intersection of Leisure Green and Portside Drives provides information about this plant. Read it and be aware of the dangers of this common weed; there is power in knowledge.  | |
Bittersweet vines and berries can make a lovely wreath but the plant wreaks havoc in the garden. Best to destroy it wherever you find it.
|
This year, we have an infestation of Bittersweet, whose vines are climbing well up into trees where they may become the source of more seedlings. Bittersweet is big trouble because, unlike the usual weeds, it is an aggressive competitor that will eventually take over areas by shading other plants. It is considered to be one of the five worst pest plants in Massachusetts. The fruit is pretty, a yellow coat that splits open to reveal the red fruit. Don't be tempted to grow it or you'll regret it. Eradicate Bittersweet wherever you find it--cut, uproot and pull the vine down.
|
|
TECHNOLOGY
Slide Show on Your TV
| |
If you have purchased a new high-definition TV (HDTV) in the last couple of years, your set should have a USB slot into which a flash drive may be plugged. You can copy your personal photographs onto a flash drive, plug it into the USB slot and show your pictures on your large TV screen, using the TV's remote control to manage the show.
TV REQUIREMENTS All TV sets now sold in the US are "digital": standard TVs use 720 horizontal lines to create the picture; high definition TVs use 1080 horizontal lines. Let's assume that your TV is "smart," using the high definition standard and including a USB port (slot).
PICTURE FORMAT Pictures taken with your digital camera can be downloaded onto your computer where they are stored in folders by date, typically under "My Pictures" or "Library." It's helpful to re-label these folders with descriptive names that mean something to you (e.g., Alaska Cruise). Digital cameras record your pictures in a standard image format called JPEG. If at least 1080 horizontal lines are stored, your HDTV will expand the image to fill the vertical dimension of the screen.
 | | Typical Flash Drive |
YOUR USB FLASH DRIVE A flash drive is an inexpensive data storage device, typically under $10 for 4 GB of memory, which can store thousands of images. When you insert the flash drive into one of your computer's USB ports (slot), it is a simple matter to copy individual pictures or an entire folder from your computer "Library" to this device.
 | | USB Ports |
YOUR TV's USB PORT The USB port on your TV enables you to connect the flash drive to your TV set. The port will be located on the back or side of your set, most likely labeled USB. If your USB flash drive fits when you plug it in, you have the right connector.
DISPLAYING THE PICTURES Some TVs may locate your flash drive in the USB port automatically and ask you when you turn the set on if you want to play the content. The most likely situation, however, is for you to direct your TV to the port, using the "Source" button on your TV's remote control (not your cable remote control), combined with the arrow buttons clustered around the "Enter" button. With a little practice, you should be able to show your pictures on your large screen TV.
|
|
A Love Story
as told to Dick Fellenberg
C
|
Southport resident Bob MacDonald and Maria Sancilio tied the knot on June 9, 2012. Bob met Maria in February 2009 on the way to a Florida casino and discovered that she not only lived in the same Florida condo complex where he lived, but was also a neighbor, just one floor away in the same building.
 | |
Newlyweds Bob & Maria MacDonald
|
Romance blossomed in Florida, where Bob has been a long-time winter resident. He told me they went through the "normal dating" experience, but his 86 years tells us that it was hardly ordinary. Maria is a few years younger. Bob proposed marriage over dinner in November 2011, and when Maria accepted they set the date for their wedding. It was to be Bob's second marriage, his having been a widower for several years, but Maria had not been married before.
Maria had a long career in broadcasting with ABC. Friends told her she was too tied up in her job to participate in the dating scene. Bob's multifaceted career was in advertising and sales. He worked for a Boston company that sold advertising space on taxicab signs for years and bought the business in 1960, selling it when he retired in 1971.
Their wedding was in New Hyde Park, NY, where Maria had lived for years, at the Notre Dame Roman Catholic Church. The reception was held at Crest Hollow Country Club, with 86 guests in attendance. Bob told me, "Everything went off great!" Even including a spoof he engineered.
Bob told their guests that President Obama and First Lady Michelle were in the building and would like to meet the people at the reception. The group assembled in a reception line and Bob raced off to tell the President. Then, he and Maria emerged seconds later wearing first-couple masks. Hmm...you decide, is that great or what?
The couple honeymooned on St. Lucia at the Sandals Resort, a well-known venue catering to newlyweds. Bob told me that he and Maria were one of 26 just-married couples checking in that day. Bob was one of six grooms with gray hair. Their stay at Sandals was everything they had hoped for: late getting up, delicious meals, and plenty of time at the block-sized pool.
Back at Southport, they were treated to a cookout arranged by their neighbors Joe and Mardell McDonald and Joe and Carole Ringer. Bob resumed participation in golf, poker and bridge and in bowling at the Falmouth alleys. He told me they love Southport and would never spend the warmer months elsewhere. Bob still pilots planes and is a world-class pie maker. (He started making pies for his diabetic son years ago, using Splenda as a substitute for sugar.) I've sampled his pies and they are, indeed, very, very good, but have passed on offers to take a plane ride with him.
Sometimes you get insight into relationships in unexpected ways. As Maria and Bob left my place, I noticed that Bob held Maria's arm going down my front steps and then helped her into their car. Unnecessary I'm sure, but a nice touch in a caring relationship.
|
Non Compos Mendes
by Bob Mendes
|
- In my May column I forgot to mention an episode in a restaurant in Tel Aviv. I was practicing the little Hebrew that I know and thought I was asking the waiter if I might have some ice in my water. Turned out I was asking him to check my tire pressure.
- It's great that the candidates for public office disclose their tax returns. What I'd really like to see disclosed is a statement on how they made their money.
- A friend died recently. He wasn't a close friend and perhaps not even a good friend, but he was someone I knew and liked, and he died. That seems to be happening more and more frequently these days. It defied our state of mind when we were kids and bulletproof and knew we would live forever. I know dying is a phase of living and all that, but it still hurts. When a friend dies you wonder what died with him. His memories, his secrets, his love for his family, his love for others, things he was proud of, things he was ashamed of, HIS sense of right and wrong, his unfulfilled ambitions, things he longed for but never achieved, books he wished he had read? The list is endless. Another hurt is that people take it for granted when an old man dies. The incomparable Ogden Nash once wrote a poem titled "Old Men" that ends with the line, "Old men know when an old man dies." So true.
- Re-reading the above item, I think everyone should take a crack at writing his memoirs. It's a fairly simple procedure. Just sit down and start writing. We all like to talk about ourselves, so just put it in writing.
- I recently swiped a magnet from a local bank and put it on my refrigerator. (What else can you do with a magnet?) A visitor from out of town looked at it and asked, "What's the Cape Cod Five? A Jazz band?"
- Now we can buy a light bulb that will last 20 years. This will destroy one of my favorite joke categories: How many (fill in the blank) does it take to change a light bulb?
- I've noticed lately that all my contemporaries are getting old.
- According to a recent e-mail I received, there are many "sex-starved nymphets living in my local area who are dying to meet me." Are there any at Southport? Do they play mah jongg?
- They say it will help you live longer if you avoid certain foods, like red meat, bacon, sausage and other fatty foods, cakes, cookies and most desserts. , Or does it just seem longer?
- I don't think we here at Southport realize what a powerful voting bloc we have. In any given Mashpee election we have the collective voting clout to swing a local issue our way. Let's keep that in mind if and when a question that may affect us comes up.
- I'm a very modest and self-effacing person, but even modest people need to be appreciated. Here it is August First and I still have not received thanks from anyone. "Thanks for what?" How 'bout the mild winter we had? No snow to speak of, no ice storms, no bad weather of any kind. Know why? By buying a four wheel drive vehicle, I practically assured of us of a winter with no snow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contributors to the
August 2012 Edition of
Southport Village Voices
| |
 Lydia Biersteker grew up in Somerville, Massachusetts. She met her husband Dale on the beach at Falmouth Heights in 1969, while he was stationed at Fort Devens. After Dale retired in 2005 from his executive position with the USPS, they moved to Vero Beach, Florida but decided that they preferred New England. They moved to Southport in July 2011. Dale plays golf, and Lydia likes gardening, walking, writing poetry and short prose, exploring genealogy, and lunching with friends. Together, they enjoy dining, exploring wineries and brew pubs, walking the trails of Cape Cod, traveling and playing with their grandkids, who live with their son in Newburyport.
 Karlyn Curran moved to Southport from New Jersey in 2003. She has a daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren in Falmouth and two sons, their wives and
two granddaughters near Hanover NH. After her husband passed away and she retired from her teaching career, she moved to New England to be closer to her children. She loves Southport and Cape Cod. Even more than that, she loves being a "hands-on" grandma. She caught the travel bug from her husband and this has resulted in a chronic condition.
 Joy Evans and her husband Bob moved to Southport from Sandwich seven years ago. Joy retired from her position as a college administrator in 1995 on the same day that Bob retired as director of promotion services for the Gillette Company. They spent part of their year in Southwest Florida, where Joy writes for a monthly newsletter. Sadly, Bob died just before they planned to return to Southport in May. Joy has three daughters and two grandchildren.
Dick Fellenberg moved to Southport in 2003. He organized and runs the Bionics program, coordinates the Helpers program, and is a volunteer broadcaster for the Audible Local Ledger, a radio station for blind/visually-impaired people. He has two daughters, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Dav id Kapp, with his wife Billie, moved from Connecticut to Southport in November 2009. David retired from a career as a university library administrator, after working in the libraries at Brandeis, Harvard and the University of Connecticut. He was a building consultant for the planning of a number of major university libraries and was, for many years, the editor of Connecticut Libraries. Billie enjoyed a career as an educator and social sciences consultant. The Kapps are frequent visitors to Hawaii where their son, daughter, grandson and many other family members live.
Jonathan Leavitt grew up in Scarsdale, NY. He earned his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master's degree in the same field from the University of Pennsylvania. He worked at Sprague Electric, Epsco, Di/An controls, MIT Instrumentation/Draper Labs, and GTE, mostly as a development engineer. The highlight of his career was logic design contribution to an experiment that was carried to the moon on Apollo 17. Married for 42 years to the late Arlene (Samiof), he has three married children and six grandchildren. He has been associated with Southport part-time since 2003, full time since 2008.
 Frank Lord, a native of Newton, MA, earned his BA at Brown University and his MEd at Boston University. His experience in the US Navy counseling troubled young sailors led to a 38-year career as a school guidance counselor, primarily in Wellesley and Duxbury. Following retirement, he and his wife Betsy helped to build over 250 homes with Habitat for Humanity. After moving to Southport, Frank's interest in education and local history motivated him to spearhead the relocation of Mashpee's One Room Schoolhouse, for which he received the 2009 Mashpee Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award-as "The Schoolmaster." He serves on the Mashpee Historical Commission; the Community Preservation Act Committee; the Board of Trustees, Tales of Cape Cod; and is President, Mashpee One Room Schoolhouse Preservation Council, Inc.
 Bob Mendes began his career as an advertising copywriter at Doyle Dane Bernbach in New York before becoming senior vice president of marketing for a west coast department store chain. He left that position to start Pacific Sports, a sports and general marketing agency. There he developed "The Reading Team," a children's literacy program sponsored by the National Football League and the American Library Association, which used NFL players as literacy role models. Bob is the author of "A Twentieth Century Odyssey, the Bob Mathias Story." After retiring, he served as executive director of the Glendora (CA) Chamber of Commerce. When grandson Adam was born, Bob and Bette moved to Cape Cod, where they recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. Neither retires well. He's had a number of part-time jobs, has written two more books, and volunteers; Bette serves on committees at Southport and at the Falmouth Jewish Congregation. Their son Steve is a pediatrician and lives in Marion with his wife Sarah and their children, and a second son, Jeff, practices law in Indianapolis.
 Ernest Ruber and his wife of 55 years, Natalie, came to Southport in 2002 and enjoyed their life together here until her death in 2011. Ernie retired from Northeastern University where he was Professor of Biology and Ecology. He designed and recently revised and renewed the interpretive nature trail at Southport and writes occasional nature/science articles for Southport Village Voices. He also reports on pool tournaments, in which he usually plays and often wins, for the Southport Newsletter. Ernie has two children and one grandchild.
 Odin Tidemand moved to Southport in November 2011 from Silver Spring, MD. He enjoys writing, genealogy, cooking, theater, classical and folk music, and taking care of his dog Bonita. Before moving to the Cape, he was a real property appraiser in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Odin was married for 37 years to Nancy, who passed away three years ago. Their daughter, Julie, lives in Brockton and he enjoys being in close proximity to her. He also enjoys the relaxed lifestyle of Southport and the incredible natural beauty of Cape Cod.
o
SPECIAL THANKS TO
John Monahan and Eileen Devonshire for their interviews
|
|
|
