Category Archives: Stuff

Stuff that is happening in Newburyport, MA, matter, material, articles, activities of a specified or indeterminate kind that is being referred to, indicated, or implied.

Start Low and Go Slow

I’ve really been thinking (obviously) about the new Newburyport City Council 2008. What a surprise. And mulling over the “new” state of affairs.

And one of the things that concerns me is the expectation that this new council could, “get a lot accomplished” and “fasten your seat belts.” (Newburyport Daily News, November 12, 2007)

They might.

But my guess would be that whatever the new Newburyport City Council hopes to achieve in the years 2008-2009, it could be a good idea to divide those expectations not just half, but probably by 6 or 8, and if that much actually could be accomplished, well, my, a lot would have been achieved.

From talking to folks the last couple of weeks, and looking back at politics while I’ve been in Newburyport, MA, it always seems that it would be, 2 steps forward and 3 steps back.

I know that with geriatric patients (no, I’m not a geriatric patient, at least, I hope I get to be a geriatric patient one day, but there may be a ways to go) there is a great phrase, “Start low and go slow.”

So, even with great possibilities ahead, my hope would be that the upcoming Newburyport City Council 2008, would take a deep breath and “start low and go slow.”

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Emotional Response to Political Setbacks

What happens when politically one has one heart’s set on something and things just do not go the way one hoped?

In political life, this happens constantly.

(And this one of those lovely times when it’s much easier to be a blogger and chit chat, rather than to be in the actual political ring. How lovely.)

My own “mild” experience with something like this, is the “infamous” bike lanes.

Right from my very first High Street meeting, January 1999, which was chaired by Newburyport City Councilor Erford Fowler and then Newburyport City Councilor John Norris, “traffic calming” instead of “traffic lights” was a major theme.

And I remember so clearly, Councilor Fowler turning to me and saying, “You gotta learn about this.” We were all excited. Here was a “solution” to the traffic light thing not happening on High Street.

Good grief, be careful what you wish for, because, by golly, I learned all about “traffic calming.” Who knew.

And ever since 1999 bike lanes were a major component at almost every meeting on the subject I ever went to, a solution to slowing down traffic, without traffic lights on High Street. Bike lanes repeatedly, always got the big “thumbs-up”.

Ah, but when the bike lanes actually started to get implemented, I think it was sometime in 2004, all hell broke loose.

And for me it was, “Say what? No, no one threaten to harm your grandmother, and the bike lanes are what everyone actually asked for.”

And recently, I was told that when being shown houses in Newburyport, MA, realtors were apologizing for the “bike lanes”. So, I’m certainly surmising that the bike lane thing still holds the same highly-charged, visceral response now, as when they first went down however many years ago that may have been.

So what were the choices. Become bitter and angry that things didn’t go the way I thought they would. Ask myself “how important is it?” And actually, bike lanes really are not that important. Let the whole thing go and move on to whatever might be next (like becoming a blogger, good grief).

And folks in the political world have this dynamic happen to them all the time, on different levels of importance.

And the folks that I’ve seen who have managed to transcend the vagaries of the political process, are those who have not become bitter and angry over whatever. Have asked themselves some version of, “how important is it” (and rarely is it that important). Have a sense of humor and let whatever it may be go, and move onto the next thing, whatever the next thing would be.

And as we see this new Newburyport City Council 2008 take shape, the “how important is it?” thing, and the “letting it go” thing, with a hefty dollop of humor, could be crucial to how effective this new Newburyport City Council could be.

If frustration, anger and bitterness take over, well, we’ll just have to kiss political achievement goodbye.

But if there is a sense of humor, working together (unity, what a thought, my) and realizing that some things would end up working Ok, and some things would have different levels of accomplishment, it is possible that things could actually have a chance of working out alright.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Fall Gardening Heresy

During one of those winter’s from hell a few years ago where people lost all sorts of stuff from their gardens, I made a startling discovery. A lot of the bushes, plants, green stuff that I had so meticulously raked leaves off of during the fall, croaked. The green stuff that had collected fall leaves around them, not only made it, but seemed to flourish.

So, voila, my fall raking habits took a turn for the “un-recommended.”

I now don’t rake leaves under any of the green stuff, bushes, plants, whatever, but instead, I not only leave the leaves, but actually heap extra leaves on top. I figure it’s worked for Mother Nature for millions of years, why shouldn’t it work for moi, even though everything I’ve ever read says that that would be “gardening heresy”.

And I figure all those leaves that are taken to the Newburyport City dump turn to “compost,” which, in the spring, people then go and get and put in their yards. Why not save a trip to the Newburyport City compost heap, and just have the process take place where I happen to live?

I also stopped cutting stuff back. More possible gardening heresy.

Nothing so far has croaked as a result of this highly “un-recommended” gardening strategy of mine. Instead I save hours not doing stuff that would drive me crazy. Little birds seem to like pecking at the dried up seeds that are left. And in the spring, depending on the green stuff, there are these little stick flags, sticking up, reminding me, that, “Oh yes, something grew there last spring. Let’s clear whatever may be on there now, and find out whatever it could be.”

And a lot of times, by April, the leaves that were left and heaped on all the green stuff, have disintegrated into nice, yummy dirt. Whatever hasn’t, then gets flopped onto various “decorative” mulch piles sitting about here and there.

And my late fall garden has a “relaxed,” Mother Nature look. Unlike the yards of my neighbors (obviously my “wayward” gardening habits have not spread) which have tidy yard appearances.

And I also have a ruthless, survival of the fittest, “gardening” style. My gardening procedure is that if the green stuff survives and spreads then, “eureka” the stuff stays and gets put other places around my dwelling. Of course this does limit things to select hardy selection. But it still looks Ok to moi. And I’m getting to the point where hassle less, low maintenance gardening stuff, is really working for me.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Self-Sustaining November Pets

My self-sustaining pets, the finches. The beautiful Gold Finches.

A very kind reader of the Newburyport Blog emailed me a while back, to let me know that, no, my self-sustaining pets, the Gold Finches, actually stick around for the winter, they don’t fly on South.

Cool.

Love this.

Apparently the males turn from a bright yellow to a muted grey.

So instead of dumping out the finch food the way I do every fall, I filled the finch feeder back up to see what would happen.

Low and behold, a few days later, there were a couple of very drab (sorry guys) birds pecking away. They were so drab that they were difficult to tell them apart from the less than swanky or colorful finch feeder.

I can tell when the finches have been hanging around, because the finch food all of a sudden starts to get low. But, alas, the finch food has not.

So, I go and talk to the bird feeder fellow out at the traffic circle (the place where the policeman stopped me for being too aggressive, trying to enter the traffic circle– see earlier entry). And yes indeed, the kind reader of the Newburyport Blog is correct, the finches stick around. According to the finch feeder fellow, some of his clients have feeders that are swarming with drab winter Gold Finches.

Not at my house, however. And no answer to this — the mystery of no finches.

It can’t be because they don’t like my cooking, because what I’m serving up to the finches, who aren’t showing up, is all store-bought stuff.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Newburyport, Rumblings of a Political Backlash

Election 2007. I feel the rumblings of a backlash already in progress. Sorry folks–a reaction to the new Newburyport City Council that will be sworn in January 2008.

I think if the current Newburyport City Council had been re-elected, I don’t think I would be feeling the rumblings of a backlash.

And some that I’ve talked to, feel that the rumblings are in part to Tom O’Brien stepping down as the President of the Newburyport City Council and James Shanley seeking to be the new president and, it is my understanding, succeeding.

James Shanley, in my book, is a centrist, and a very thoughtful man. Councilor Shanley has always struck me as the sort of fellow who likes efficiency, and likes to get things done.

When Mayor Lisa Mead took office for the first time in the 1990’s, as I remember it, she wanted to bring what she felt would be a more professional approach towards running the city of Newburyport, MA. Ms Mead, as I recall, was no-nonsense and efficient. This, in my recollection, was a markedly different stylistic approach to her predecessor, Peter Matthews, who could be found in the relaxed atmosphere of Angies, downtown on Pleasant Street, meeting and talking with his constituents.

Let’s just say, as I recall, that Ms Meads no-nonsense, efficient approach was not met with open arms.

As James Shanely takes over the presidency of the Newburyport City Council, it would be my hope that he would do so with the utmost sensitivity and tact. And I think that this could well turn out to be a most difficult job.

The fact that Erford Fowler, after 14 years, would no longer be on the Newburyport City Council floor, is hugely symbolic. I think it has always been believed that Councilor Fowler would be “unshakable.” And I think the fact that he was “shakable” has caused some major unease.

And I do believe that (no matter how smart or how personable and politically savvy she may be) someone, a woman no less, who has lived here “only” 6 months, beat out all sorts of folks with Newburyport political pedigrees, and would sit on the Newburyport City Council floor, has also, on some conscious or unconscious level, caused some major unease.

And the fact that Donna Holaday “is back,” and received more votes as Newburyport City Councilor at Large, than Mayor John Moak did as mayor, wittingly or unwittingly, could set up a dynamic that also, in my book, could cause some major agitation.

If I were the Newburyport City Council 2008-2009, I would take nothing for granted. Act with humility and grace, and bend over backwards to make absolutely sure, that to the best of their ability, all constituencies and residents of Newburyport, MA are heard, understood, appreciated and appropriately represented.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Children and Municipal Jobs

This one is going to make me real popular too.

Newburyport City Councilors Tom O’Brien and Erford Fowler have been criticized over the years for having their children work for the city of Newburyport, MA. Nepotism and a conflict of interest has been sighted on various occasions.

When Councilor O’Brien came “under fire” for salary increases for city employees that would have affected his daughter, believe it or not, although, yes, I thought it could be a conflict of interest, no doubt about that one, I was real sympathetic to Councilor O’Brien.

Having a 20 something offspring, if there was a job available that paid halfway decently, with benefits, and I could be instrumental in helping securing that employment, as a parent, as a mom, I’d be tempted to do it in a New York minute.

I thought that parenthood would get easier as my child got older.

Nope. Not easier, just different.

And as a parent, the same ferocious protectiveness that was there when my child was a newborn, is still there, at the same magnitude, in his 20’s.

So when folks were dumping on Councilor O’Brien when he was hoping for the best for his daughter, I got it.

If I had been in the same position, it would have taken people literally holding me back, and having them cover my mouth, to stop me beseeching them to “do right” by my kid.

Mamas and Papas have always wanted to help their children. At a younger age, “nepotism” used to be a “dirty word.” At a more “mature” age, I now definitely “get it” on a whole different, ferociously protective, parental level.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Municipal Jobs Well Done

It must have been about 4 or 5 years ago during one of the winters from Hell that we had, I called the DPW (Department of Public Works) and asked if there could be anyway that they could send a plow to re-plow our small street.

In a very short time a big plow appeared and did one heck of a spectacular job.

I wrote the DPW a thank you note, saying how much I appreciated their extra care and consideration.

When I talked to whoever at the then DPW a little bit later, they said, I believe, that my “thank you” note was the only one that they had ever received, and that they put it up on the bulletin board as a morale booster for the folks that had been working so hard.

Wow.

Apparently, Newburyport city employees often do not get thanked for a job well done.

And recently I got a very kind email from our Newburyport City Clerk, Richard Jones, thanking me for my “kind words” about the excellent job that the Newburyport City Clerk’s office did on election night, that was briefly mentioned on the Newburyport Blog. (See earlier entry.)

To be able to witness that process unfold was an incredibly moving and inspiring experience for me. It was a privilege for me to watch “Democracy” in action on election night at Newburyport City Hall.

That night, I couldn’t help thinking back to a national election that had gotten pretty muddled over election stuff. And I thought that we in Newburyport, MA, were so lucky to have such a professional and thoughtful approach by the Newburyport City Clerk’s office, that I wanted the readers of the Newburyport Blog to know just how luck we are.

And I know I’m not going to be real popular with this next thought. But there have been a lot of folks who are upset with the Newburyport City Unions, that they did not embrace the “new” health insurance plan (right away) and thereby saving the City of Newburyport, MA some major dough.

My take on the salaries of the folks that work for Newburyport, MA, is that with a few exceptions, they are pretty low, but the benefits have been good.

And that it is my understanding (and I can’t site the exact source for this one) that it is getting harder and harder to get folks (especially younger folks) to work on a municipal level.

And it takes a lot of money just to live to get by these days.

And as a city, I think we need to take a long look to make sure people might be inspired to work for municipalities. And appreciation for a job well done, in my book, always seems to go a long way.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

The Frogs and Possible Political Obsoleteness

The frogs are perturbed with me.

They claim that I’ve been ignoring them. And a picture of anyone of them has not been seen on the Newburyport Blog, since July of 2007.

My.

Well, 2 things.

And I hate to break it to the frogs, but apparently for some readers of the Newburyport Blog, they (the frogs) are not so popular. In fact, I was told by one visitor that they actually refuse to read any entry with pictures of “frogs” in them.

Goodness.

I think this could be very upsetting for George Cushing, Georgiana Tadpole and the twins .

George+G.jpg
George Cushing and Georgiana Tadpole
being “pissed” at this bit of news.

And I’ve been mulling over what to do. But forget about “frog naysayers,” I love my frogs.

And the 2nd thing, quite frankly, is that I thought the November election 2007 was pretty serious stuff. And although George Cushing, from Frog Pond at the Bartlet Mall, is the political consultant for the Newburyport Blog, I thought it might be best if green amphibians might not make political commentary during something so important.

So now that the Newburyport election 2007 is over, maybe I could lighten up a little bit. And George and Georgiana and the Twins could stop being so pissed at moi.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Power and Mud

Power.

It’s a word that’s been buzzing around in my brain lately.

And within the community, there appears that there could be a political shift in power.

This is not necessarily a good thing, or a bad thing. We’ll just have to wait and see.

We had the “old boys” (I apologize for lack of a better word). We had the “Mead progressives” (again, I apologize, maybe I’ll think of something better). And now we have this “new dichotomy.” The political world in Newburyport, MA starting January 1, 2008 (possibly shaping up a little sooner).

When Lisa Mead came into “power” in her first term in the 1990’s, for a then “young” woman, like myself, it seemed like a brave, happy, new world.

But, alas, politics is complicated, and never made up of “perfect” people (never has been, never will be); and learning curves and power plays on all different levels, unfolded over the years.

The brave new world I thought would evolve, became unavoidably, I suppose, a muddled business (and in 20-20, I guess one would think that it would).

And I imagine that that is what would most probably happen with this, pure as the driven snow, new political landscape. That it too could experience learning curves and power plays, and end up muddy, like a muddy, month of March in Newburyport, MA.

The frogs (we haven’t seen or heard from the frogs in a while) think I’m being cynical.

No, George and Georgiana , not cynical. Simply being realistic.

And what interests me is, who might end up rolling around in the mud, and how the muddy stuff might come about.

George has reminded me, that frogs actually like the mud, which protects them during long, cold, hard, New England winters. So, not only could mud be a necessary thing, but a good thing as well. So there.

Good grief. Possibly a wise frog? Or just a silly frog? I’m going to have to think on this one.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Corporate Conglomerate and Local Blogs and Blogging

Probably one of my favorite blogs is not a media blog at all, but a blog about how bloggers could have better blogs called “Problogger.” I am hardly alone in my sentiments about “Problogger.” I think it is one of the best resources, and one of the most popular blogs on the World Wide Web, for those folks interested in making their blogging “better.”

(Problogger has recently changed its “look.” It was an “average” looking blog. But recently, it has gone to what I call “the next blog level.” Going from a “familiar” and “comfortable” format, to one that looks, feels and sounds more “professional.” I happen to like the old “comfortable” format better. But that’s just me.)

When I started the Newburyport Blog almost 2 years ago, I also wanted to start a “national” blog. However, having read “Problogger,” I realized that the “national blog” “niche” was already really full, and that I most probably would have little or no fresh insights to offer any audience. So that one was out.

It did, however, dawn on me that no one appeared to be writing “local blogs,” and there would be a real “niche” for writing a blog about Newburyport, Massachusetts. I also happen to love the place, as anyone reading the Newburyport Blog could probably attest to, and found that I also not only really enjoyed blogging about Newburyport, MA, but also learned a whole lot about the city in the process.

And I wanted to put “Adsense” in the Newburyport Blog. And early in 2006 I could not find anyone who knew about blogging software, who could help me. In fact, the reaction that I got over and over again was, “Why in the world would you want to do that” (ie blogging about Newburyport, MA, or blogging period).

So out of necessity I became a “blogging nerd.” I taught myself all about blogging software. How to write it, tweak it and put just about anything I wanted to put into it. Who knew I had a “software engineering” gene within me? Not moi. And it’s turned out to be one of the “perks” of doing the Newburyport Blog. I am fascinated by that whole aspect of it.

And a local blog was such a “small” niche back then, that unfortunately it was difficult to find directories in which to place the Newburyport Blog. Oh, well.

Much to my “delight,” about 6-8 weeks ago I started to find directories that were featuring “local” blogs. “Eureka.” I said to myself, “Finally folks are beginning to get onto the ‘local blog’ bandwagon. ”

When I checked out the local blog directories, there did appear to a few “local independent” blogs, but many of them appeared to be associated with one particular news organization.

I said to myself, “Oh, well. Who cares. At least now I have some company. And no one is going to ask me, ‘Why would you even think of doing that.’ ”

How completely trusting and naïve of me.

But how could I have known that a large media conglomerate would decide to launch 158 “hyperlocal” sites.

And I fear that the Newburyport Blog, a labor of love, could be completely swamped by a tsunami of large corporate money, and all that it could buy. And the new genuine, fledgling “local,” “independent” blogs which have the potential of really offering the community of Newburyport something of “value,” especially if they are “niche” blogs, could be drowned in this wave of corporate internet interest as well.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

A Local Blog Mystery

At the very beginning of the month of October, I got a call from one of the local newspapers asking me what did I think of “all the blogs?”

Needless to say I was somewhat confused, a sentiment that I think I expressed to the person calling from the paper. Note: I’ve always tried to have a good to great relationship with printed media since the Newburyport Blog began almost 2 years ago on January 1, 2006, and I like them a great deal. I was somewhat baffled by the question, and could not imagine what the person could have in mind.

The end story made reference to 7 “blogs.” One blog that had not been updated for almost a year, one site that is not a blog, one site that is a forum (not a blog), 3 brand new blogs and me.

(I told the interviewer when they called that, “For goodness sakes I’m ‘the old lady of blogging.’ ” And then I remember saying, “Oh my goodness, please don’t call me that. Don’t even call me the “middle aged lady of blogging.’ ” And they graciously did not.)

When the article came out, I was no more enlightened about the whole situation than I was during the “phone interview.” Still mighty confused here.

And then Friday (October 26, 2007), maybe, possibly an answer. It was another “local” paper, owned by a “conglomerate” that is out of Fairport, NY– 158 new “hyperlocal sites” (new Internet buzz word). It also has 86 daily publications, across 19 states and a local readership of more than 10 million per week. It is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Sigh.

(Remember the entry on our “local” banks, how they are not “financial conglomerates” traded on the stock exchange, but are really and truly “local” banks. (Please press here to read that entry.)

So maybe, could be, possibly, this is the mystery, the somewhat bewildering basis for me, of why all of a sudden, there was an article on “local blogs?” (I have not verified this.) A paper-conglomerate, has gone into super-duper, Internet “blog overdrive.” (These are the folks that were using the name “The Newburyport Blog,” until all of that got sorted out.)

Another, good grief.

I am going to digress here for a moment.

One of the things that I have been doing since 2004 is work as one of over 75,000 editors for the “Open Directory Project,” (DMOZ), an online “human-edited” directory, which is owned by Netscape and used by Google. I’ve seen my share of websites, etc. over the years. And what I have learned, among other things, is that it is a good idea for a blog to be “up” and undetected for about 3 months or so, so that a blogger could begin to find their voice, see if a blog is worth reading on a regular basis, and see if a blog actually has staying power.

I was lucky and started an obscure blog about 3 months before starting the Newburyport Blog, and got to find my “blogging feet,” without anyone much reading it. And I learned a whole lot in those early 3 months. And I sure am grateful to have been able to blog in virtual obscurity, because I made a whole lot of weird blogging mistakes (and yes, occasionally, still do).

And we have 4 promising, new, actual “local” and “independent” blogs (none that I know of, are being traded on the New York Stock Exchange :-). And I would like to see them all get their “blogging sea-legs,” so to speak, before being exposed to the sometimes cruel and uncivil world of the blogosphere.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Confessions of a Painter

Bear with me here. “Confessions of a Painter” doesn’t sound like it would have much to do with Newburyport, MA, but I’ll get around to that, I promise.

Discloser: I happen to be a painter.

Discloser: I have this “love-hate” relationship with PhotoShop.

PhotoShop (and similar commuter software applications) changed painting (Ok, that’s my opinion).

When I first discovered PhotoShop I was absolutely fascinated by it. I still am. Things that would literally take me years to do as a painter, could almost be done instantaneously in PhotoShop.

Someone, anyone could take a digital photograph, manipulate it in PhotoShop to look like a painting, print it on a canvas and sell it for a fraction of the price that I would sell my paintings for. And it would take a fraction of the time.

This in is the discouraged part of my “love-hate” relationship with PhotoShop.

And what is lost in this way of doing things, is the understanding and gradual knowledge that comes from the long and often tedious process and the creative journey of bringing a painting into existence. As well as the feeling of “power” and “intensity” that a painting transmits compared to something that is more like a “print.”

PhotoShop could also give a sense of “instant gratification.”

It feels as if “short sound bites,” “instant gratification” could become a way of life; as well as a possible identification with pop icons, or “interchangeable entities” that large corporations often provide, instead of longing for a “deeper” culture.

A hotel room in California could be identical to one in Massachusetts. Why bother to go to a different “culture” if so much of the culture could be interchangeable.

And that is why I think it is so important to take long hard looks at what is, could, might happen to Newburyport, MA. That we stay a distinct “community,” with a distinct sense of place, with a distinct “local” ambiance. That we don’t become yet one more bland, interchangeable, faceless place to be in America.

We have so much to offer in Newburyport, MA. And we are in a vortex of change, just like so many other communities in the USA. And we have choices that we can make. And I so desperately do not want to lose that sense of community that is here, that makes Newburyport such a wonderful place to visit, live, work and play.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Local Journalism, Newspapers and The Newburyport Blog

Ask not what The Newburyport Blog could do for you, but what you could do for The Newburyport Blog.

Just to mess up the famous and inspiring words of John F. Kennedy.

What I am seeing is that local newspapers are having any number of blogs. (One local newspaper actually, for a few days, had a blog called “The Newburyport Blog.” This mix-up has been taken care of and the name has been changed, which I very much appreciate.)

And all of this had me scurrying to see what in the world could be going on.

And I spent several days doing some research. (Disclaimer, a few days– not a PhD’s worth of days.)

From what I read, it appears that local newspapers in general are now under the same pressure that national newspapers have been. Many people appear now to be getting their news more and more from the Internet. Especially I would imagine the 40 and younger crowd. And folks who grew up with newspapers, the “older” crowd, as I understand it, may still very much enjoy having that newsprint to read with their morning coffee or whatever, as a way to get the news.

And it appears that newspapers could be in a cyclone of transition–what to put in print and what to do with the Internet. And apparently how to convince advertisers that advertising on the Internet would be a good thing, which it most certainly would be.

And local newspapers in general, as I understand it from my reading, could be at risk.

And personally, I am a big fan of “old fashion” journalism.

Bill Moyers (Bill Moyers keeps showing up on the Newburyport Blog, because I happen to be a big fan of “wise men.” And Bill Moyers fits into that category for me big time) addressed this particular issue in a speech called:

“What Adam Said to Eve,” For the annual conference of the  Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication , On August 9, 2007 in Washington, DC. ( Please press here to read the entire transcript of that speech. It is truly fascinating and very moving.)

And what does this have to do with the Newburyport Blog?

Well, apparently, folks take the Newburyport Blog (this Newburyport Blog) way more seriously than I ever intended, wanted or realized.

The Newburyport Blog does try to analyze events in a meaningful way, and does try to be fair, and does try to do its best for its own version of “truthiness.” And, I’ve been around awhile, and do try and put events in context of what Newburyport, MA, as a city, has been through.

So 2 things. Local “traditional journalism” is vital to our democratic society (Please read Bill Moyers). Please support local newspapers. It is a really important thing to do.

And second of all, The Newburyport Blog is a “labor of love,” but it is still a “labor.”

And if you value The Newburyport Blog, please–ask not what The Newburyport Blog could do for you, but what you could do for The Newburyport Blog.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Backyard and the Drought Thing

I thought the “drought” thing was over. But no, apparently it’s not.

I figured the rain we just had took care of everything and no more watering for moi. Whew.

But I looked out my window late yesterday afternoon as I was cooking, and the green stuff out there, like the shrubs, looked like they were all wilty and parched looking again.

So I said, “Wait a minute,” to the broccoli that I was cooking and I ran outside to take a look.

Sure enough my back yard is crunchy and like the Sahara one more time. And if shrubs could wail, they would wail, “Could you please get out the darn hose and give us a good long drink. We are literally die’n here.”

Ok, so I’m listening to my darn shrubs do the “shrub wail” thing.

Since it had gotten “chilly” lately, I figured the water would be freezing. But it wasn’t. The water to water the shrubs and stuff was actually warm.

I guess this could tell me something, but I’m not sure exactly what.

So it turned out to be Ok to stand out there and water the stuff with the warm water coming out of the hose and with the sun going down and the late afternoon to evening becoming cool to chilly.

And my self-sustaining pets (see earlier entries), “my” finches, I don’t think any of them showed up yesterday. And only a couple of them showed up two days ago. I think it’s getting to be that time when all of a sudden they disappear, like to fly south.

Bye-bye self-sustaining pets.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Infamous Hamburger Post

From the feedback and emails, I guess folks found my now “infamous coupon post” on the “low-low price of hamburger” offensive, to say the least… try condescending, elitist, patronizing, arrogant, snobby, uncompassionate, insensitive, nasty… you get the idea.

Wow.

Confessions of a blogger:

I am too lazy to read the coupon ads. And I go straight to the store that I’m pretty sure always has the “low-low price of hamburger.”

And I do NOT have anything against coupon users.

And I even like to cook. And if you check out my art blog, I have “recipes for artists.” A number of them contain the low-low price of hamburger. In fact, one of the things I like to do (and I got this from my Dad) is try and experiment each week, and come up with some variation of some “cooking concoction,” (which often contains the low-low price of hamburger).

I did get a very nice email from the folks who run the “poverty program,” that was supposed to be (but I guess was not, for some readers of the Newburyport Blog) the point of the post (along with my frustration that there was such a low turn out for the primary election for mayor, among all socio-economic groups of people).

They said they had just been reading a book that talks about how freedom would decline when people care more about their possessions than other stuff, although the book apparently “doesn’t specify cheap hamburger” (their quote).

Their sense of humor made me smile, along with their thoughtfulness and appreciation. Thank you so very much. It sure did beat folks thinking I could be callous, condescending, elitist and snobby.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Fantasy vs Real Life

I got a very nice email from some readers of the Newburyport Blog seeing if I would be interested in trying to interest folks in poverty here in Newburyport, MA and everywhere else.

Sigh…

We live in a superficial culture–a “Paris Hilton world.”

Guaranteed, most folks out there would rather look at a gorgeous blond than a starving kid.

People, apparently (see earlier entry), aren’t even interested enough to get their noses out of the coupon-ad section of the newspaper to find out that there is actually a mayoral primary election that could effect their lives right here in Newburyport, MA.

How do you get folks interested in something like “poverty?” Beats me.

I was listening to someone on TV the other night who said, “Freedom isn’t free.” Sobering.

But, so many of us take freedom, liberty, democracy for granted. Except of course if we were to lose it.

It’s a little bit like losing one’s health. One tends to take it as a “given” and don’t really appreciate it until it could be in jeopardy.

Ever sprain a wrist or hurt a toe? It’s like, “Wait a moment, who knew that a wrist or a toe were that important in life?” Well, they are. Same thing with the other stuff (freedom, democracy, etc.).

Our “Paris Hilton one sound-bite world” is a nice (or not so nice, depending) fantasy, but it has nothing whatsoever to do with reality.

And apparently the low, low price of hamburger is much more engrossing compared to having to figure out who to vote for mayor of Newburyport, Massachusetts.

And the word on the street is “forget that poor kid, bring on the gorgeous, filthy rich blonde.”

(I guess I’m still pissed at the electorate for its lousy attention span. What a way to end the week.)

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Electorate Asleep at the Wheel

Wow! Talk about apathy. Good grief.

Boy, am I disappointed in the residence, citizenry of Newburyport, MA.

Those who are good at math, who were at Newburyport City Hall last night (I’m lousy at math), tell me that only about 25% of the voting public bothered to vote in this primary election for Mayor of Newburyport, MA.

There was a 40% turnout for the Special Election for the Newburyport School Override. 25% for a primary vote for Mayor. That’s just downright pathetic.

As one person said (probably a whole lot more than one person, I just didn’t hear them), “If it doesn’t affect people’s pocket books, I guess they just don’t care.”

Amen to that.

A big hearty congratulations to all 5 candidates who showed up and worked so hard for the city of Newburyport, MA. I hope that the citizenry shows a little more respect in the general election in November, cares about their city and gets out and votes.

And a big congratulations to Jim Stiles and John Moak.

(And, if I wanted to lighten things up a little, I’d say I’d petition the Newburyport City Council to have a special category on the November ballot, which would be–Which of all the candidates running do you think is the “easiest on the eyes.” (See earlier entry) After all, we live in a “Paris Hilton world.” Maybe if we included a beauty contest, people would actually care.)

Can you tell that I’m pissed and disappointed? Well, I am disappointed and pissed.

Again (also see previous post) the election results for the primary for Mayor of Newburyport, MA:

John Moak= 1355
Jim Stiles= 659
Dan McCarthy= 566
Steven Cole= 434
Gardiner Bacon= 99
Write-in= 5

Total= 3118

(Folks, people-wise, the total number, 3118 is “bubkes”–that’s Yiddish for “nothing”… the New Yorker is coming out in me, oy veh.)

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Helping Newburyport’s Water Woes

I’ve been distracted lately. The finches (my self-sustaining pets) have not been getting their finch feeders replenished in a timely fashion. Bird baths haven’t been refreshed (see earlier entries).

(Bird baths that haven’t been refreshed get “gross”– “gross” dates me big time. Who says “gross” anymore? Nobody.)

I looked at my garden/backyard/green stuff and realized that it was dehydrated, if not crispy, because I hadn’t noticed that the darn thing need watering.

I went out and contributed mightily to the Newburyport Water bill woes and spent a whopping two hours pouring water on some very wilted, withering looking green stuff.

(Apparently, water-wise, we may well be paying more because we, the citizens of Newburyport, MA, aren’t using enough water… the Water Department has to pay its bills, so the price of water goes up… I am now using more water thereby helping out my city, my state and my country… go figure.)

My neighbors (and now the readers of the Newburyport Blog) must think I’m totally nuts (actually they might think that already). I was wandering around the yard drenching stuff here and there going, “Don’t die on me yet, we’ve come so far together.” (Which of course, makes absolutely no sense whatsoever… Can you try and inspire wilty, withering plants? I don’t think so.)

I think the plants may have been paying attention, because they don’t look quite as withery as they did before.

I’ve given up on the grass. It’s a nice shade of brown/grey. And it’s crunchy. Everything, that I haven’t gotten around to watering yet is crunchy (lots of crunchy stuff)…

And I’m beginning to see BIG merits in crabgrass. It’s green, it’s fearless, it’s not crunchy. (Why does crabgrass get such a bad rap? It’s August, there’s been NO rain for what seems like weeks, and the crabgrass is green and not withery… I’m beginning to have “crabgrass admiration”… is this “lawn heresy”??)

Crunch, crunch, crunch… crispy, crispy–except for the crabgrass. Hope the finches keep chowing down. Don’t leave my back yard just yet, Ok? Eat up big time to feed those babies (if there are still finch babies) and to get lots of strength for that long flight south.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Self-Sustaining Newburyport Pets

My self-sustaining pets–the American Yellow Finches in my backyard (see earlier entry)… Well all of a sudden it’s feeding time at the zoo.

All summer long it’s been peck, peck, peck.

I looked out my window the other day at both finch feeders, and good grief within a matter of days they were half empty. Say what?

(I was going to subject the readers of the Newburyport Blog to a picture of one of “my” finches. But A) the picture looks like a yellow blob, and B) the readers of the Newburyport Blog are subjected to pictures of stuffed frogs, which are probably enough “animals” for one local blog.

But, if you are really dying to see what a gorgeous American Gold Finch actually looks like, please press here.)

One of the finch feeders is about 3 feet from one of my studio windows (I am a painter).

In the spring and for most of the summer, the minute I come near the window, whoosh, bye-bye feeding finch.

Now, I come by my window and they just look at me, as if to say, “What’s your problem, I’m eating here. Get lost already.”

Ok. Cool.

But all of this has me very curious. What the heck is going on? (Plus, I seem to have a whole lot of new finches. I used to only have 2 pair, now I’m counting at least 4. Wow.)

It turns out that these gorgeous little creatures are eating for 4-6. Finches breed late, the babies have hatched and everybody’s chowing down. Plus maybe some of these new finches are actually “baby” finches. (I don’t know. I just don’t know that much about finches.)

When I think about it, I remember this happening every year. Wild finch feeding. And then one day, no more finches.

And then, I finally get the message, everyone’s flown south. (But they always come back the next year.)

Mary Eaton
Newburyport

Good Public Relations in Newburyport, MA

One of the things that fascinated me concerning the “87 High Street, Leslie and Peter Tolan encounter” that I had was, “brilliant” public relations. Might I learn a whole lot from this. Really.

One of the things that I’ve learned blogging the Newburyport Blog is that folks get their “knickers in a knot” over all sorts of stuff. I’ve gotten to the point where I write a blog post and I say to myself, self, “someone is going to get their knickers in on knot on this one, you just know it.” (And the frogs go, “Yup, you just know it.”)

Later, when I go back and read whatever it is that someone has gotten all knotted up about, I’ll think to myself, “Say what? They were that upset about what?? Good grief.” (And the frogs look at me and go, “Yeh, can you believe it?)

And I’ve gotten flack from the fact that I don’t think the Tolans trashed the place (87 High Street). Predictably enough, folks are real worked up about it. (And folks who are worked up about it, could think this blog post is about them. Well, I gotta tell ya, no, it’s not.) (And the frogs are going, “Yes siree, no it’s not.”) (Good grief it’s beginning to sound like a froggy Greek chorus around here at the Newburyport Blog.)

Just the granite steps in the front of 87 High Street property alone have folks hyperventilating. Ok, not the Yankee approach, but it’s not impeachable either.

What is so interesting to me, is that the Tolans had a choice. They could have made my life a miserable, because of my snoopiness and concerns about 87 High Street, or they could have taken the approach that they did.

If they had made my life “unpleasant,” every time I would have seen or heard anything related to them (which would have been almost everyday, because I pass 87 High Street almost, if not everyday) I would not have thought “nice” things.

However, now, I’m envious of their neighbors, because it seems that they might have funny, courteous and interesting people who have bought property in their neighborhood. And I wish the Tolans were spending more time in Newburyport, MA. Before, I just wanted them to go away, permanently. This is quite a turn of attitude on my part.

After reading the description of Leslie and Peter’s appearance before the Newburyport Zoning Board of Appeals in the Newburyport Daily News, I was puzzled. Peter Tolan wrote me an email, describing the experience.

At the end of the email, Mr. Tolan said that after he left the meeting, he turned to Leslie and said, “Tough room.”

Might I learn from this and apply it to my life. And I’m trying to figure out how.

And you know what? I bet they have PhD’s in Public Relations, or at least MS’s degrees in Public Relations. The frogs think so too. (Here we go, froggy Greek chorus again.) But I don’t have time to get a PhD in Public Relations, I need an online crash course.

Mary Eaton
Newburyport