Monthly Archives: February 2014

New Digital Images–A Traditional Painter Aims for the 21st Century

Digital Painting, Plum Island Spring, Mary Baker © 2014

Jeff Ives, the husband of Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives, did the nicest thing. He put the first four images of the new digital body of work by yours truly, up on Tumblr. I was very moved.

Way, way, way back in December 2012 I wondered out loud on The Newburyport Blog, if traditional painting was going the way of the buggy whip and the typewriter. And way back then, I decided to learn “digital stuff,” and have come up with, what I hope, is the first 4 images of a new digital body of work.

Although The Newburyport Blog got a recent mobile device friendly facelift, my traditional art website languishes in a less well coded world, soon, one day, to be updated with the new digital images.

For the moment, this new art foray into the 21st century, by moi, a traditional painter for so many decades, I don’t even want to say, is on Facebook, and the new images as they get created can, for the moment, be found on the “New Work “Album here (and if you would “Like” the Facebook page here that would be most awesome!!).

Editor’s Note: My apologies, my hosting server redirected the blog to another place, it has now been corrected. Thank you so much for your patience.

The Newburyport Blog Can Now be Read on Phones and Other Mobile Devices

George checking to see if the blog can be read on an IPhone

George is happy that I finally did something about “this” (we haven’t heard from George, the political consultant to the Newburyport Blog, for a while, “Hello George.”). “This” being that the format of the Newburyport blog was not mobile phone or mobile device friendly. Oh George, such an “on trend” frog, trying to keep me focused on such “nerdy” things as correcting code. And of course the silly little frog is right. Not to have the blog mobile device friendly, how unfocused of moi.

So George has been sitting around at a laptop, experimenting. And yes, much to George’s delight, the blog now seems to be readable on a mobile phone as well as a mobile pad or a tablet. What a happy frog.

Chopping Ice on Winter Newburyport Sidewalks

Kettle for melting ice

This weekend as I went for a blissful 2 hour walk, in my beloved South End neighborhood, during the brief 40 degree “thaw,” it seemed as if every other homeowner was chop, chop, chopping the ice on their driveway or sidewalk.

And today, bundle up Mary, the chilly weather, going down into the single digits this week, has returned as if as an early April Fool’s Day joke, but at the end of February, the beginning of March.

And as I talk and walk, no salt to be had anywhere, at the moment, to help break up that slippery, pesky, now multi-inches of ice.

Bundle up for winter (day glow orange hunting hat)

My tip (I also use it to strategically get rid of dandelions in the summer months). I go out, very, very carefully (please, no slipping with boiling water in hand!), with a hot kettle of boiling water, and put little dribbles of boiling water here and there (not too much otherwise it too, turns into ice!), and gradually, especially if you’re completely obsessive about it, it breaks up the ice enough to get that chop, chop, chopping of Newburyport winter ice to actually get chopped into pieces.

Peeps, My Bad and a Rubber Chicken

I was going to call this post, “The Mayor is Scary,” but then I decided against it, more fun with the weird title (and part of the title will actually make sense).

I went for a walk a few weeks ago and ran into an old, old acquaintance, and during the conversation, a little out of nowhere, my old acquaintance said to me, “The mayor is scary.”

I can’t tell you, with multi-multiple variations on that particular theme, how many times I’ve heard that sentiment. And if you are a reader of the Newburyport Blog, you’ve either probably said it, or heard it too.

What came out of my mouth in response, (and I think I said this the very first time someone asked me about Donna Holaday, when she first ran for Newburyport City Council), Donna’s husband is a serious, at one time, a real big-time rock and roll (Wikipedia link here) guitar player/singer, who sings a song with a rubber chicken on his head (also in the Wikipedia link) — really. And Joe Holaday has to be one of the most grounded and kindest people I know. How scary can someone be who’s married to someone who performs a rock and roll song with a rubber chicken on their head, who is also grounded and kind, be? (Unless funky rubber chickens frighten you.)

And this is a woman, who in a recent City Council meeting, gave a history, without notes, with lots of confusing detail, about the Plum Island Water and Sewer mess. Let me tell you, I was impressed.

This is also a woman who can be politically deaf. It is one of her shortcomings. I saw it when Mayor Holaday was a city councilor and I’ve seen it as mayor. My own personal experience was when it looked like the City could save a bunch of money by turning off all the street lights (really and truly). I was upset, especially when I got a hold of the list. And when I made the list public on the Newburyport Blog, a lot of other people were upset too.

Could I tell that the mayor was a little dismayed with me? Yes. Did I take it personally? No. And Mayor Holaday and the Energy Advisory Committee came up with one brilliant solution, it was a win-win-win solution (way, way too complicated to explain here, but you can sort of understand it, a little bit, here).

Do I disagree with the mayor on some stuff? Yes. Do I wish that Mayor Holaday put more emphasis on things that are my passion, like historic preservation? Yes. Do I think she’s perfect? No? Do I think that she is a good mayor? You betcha.

And I do have an anecdote. I had worked on first “saving” High Street, when it was almost destroyed by MassDOT (then MassHighway) back in 1999 (my intro to local Newburyport politics), and I worked on a Master Plan for High Street for 6 years. When, in a weird political hurricane, it was denied existence (it was eventually resurrected and sits in the Planning Office, somewhere), then City Councilor Donna Holaday was the only person who called me up, and she said how sorry she was, and how she appreciated all the years of work that I had helped put into the project. That’s something you don’t forget. At least, that’s something I don’t forget. And that is the Donna Holaday I know.

New England Winters – Not for the Elegant

Fedora, Bow Tie and L.L. Bean coat**

My father, an elegant and dapper New York gentleman, who wore fedoras and bow ties, came up to see my son in a play in Boston during an early, chilly New England spring. He looked at me and said, “You fit right in.”

I, in fact, was not dressed elegantly in any way. I was dressed for New England, which meant not in “stylish” shoes, but shoes that could walk through melting winter slush, and a warm, water-proof coat, not a fashionable, “flimsy” “cloth” sheathing.

And I remembered, why, growing up, I was always so cold in New York winters, when the wind howls through the tall caverns of New York City buildings, while New Yorkers waited in the elements for buses, shivered in subway stations, or hoped to hail a possibly elusive taxi cab. New Yorkers had (at least when I was growing up) no idea how to dress for winter. New Englanders do.

“Back in the day,” my family used to say people in Boston had no sense of style, that they were “tweedy” and “frumpy” (Ok, they had a few New York preconceptions). Actually New Englanders are, when it comes to winter outerwear, very sensible, and not “foolish.” We like to be as warm and dry as possible — an example my father followed in his later years (it took him until he was in his late 70’s), when he shocked his “homies” and went for the comfy and warm L.L. Bean look, from L.L. Bean, and chuckled at his “peeps” (I did it!! see earlier entry!!) who looked dubiously at his new attire.

Day-Glow Orange Hunting Hat

When I bundle up for Newburyport New England winters, I often think of my father. I’m not sure what he would think of the warm, day-glow orange hunting hat that my neighbor so graciously gave me, so that I wouldn’t be run over when I walk in the middle of the street on Newburyport snowy, difficult to plow the road days (see previous post). But the other day I saw someone walking on snowy High Street with a day-glow, orange, toasty hunting hat, just like mine, and I thought, “Damn, they look New England stylish.”

**My father in his 80’s, stylish in his fedora, bow tie and L.L. Bean coat — A collaborative work © Preston Heller and Mary Baker.

Driving Gertrude on Rt 95 – Chilly New England Winters

Driving Gertrude

I am a most lucky human being to live just a few blocks from historic downtown Newburyport. And not only that, but I get to work at home. My light “green” contribution, is that I walk, and rarely use my car, which, until recently, sat contentedly in my driveway, except for the 2+ mile drive up to Market Basket and the occasional jaunt here and there.

Then comes this particular winter, and the day after the 10 below zero evening — not even a cough and a sputter (other people’s cars started!!), and a 4 (which actually turned into a 1) hour wait for AAA super-duper battery re-charge person to arrive.

In 2007 I decided to get the car I always wanted. Some folks want a Jaguar or a BMW, not moi. My hankering was always for a PT Cruiser, I didn’t care that they had gone way out of fashion, or that the sales person called my car of choice a “PT Loser” (that car business went out of business soon thereafter), or that Chrysler looked like it was going to go down the tubes. I wanted my PT Cruiser, and by golly I got one.

After much thought and consideration, I named my PT Cruiser “Gertrude,” “Gertie” for short (“Blanche” was the runner up name-wise, but for whatever reason “Gertrude” stuck.)

So after the hoping that AAA shows up in 4 hours to recharge my car battery day, I go to Google to figure out why my battery died, and other cars in the neighborhood, of a similar age to Gertrude, started right up. It seemed as if part of the problem was that Gertrude didn’t get a lot of drive time, me being “green,” and doing all that walking. So in an experiment, I thought I would take Gertrude out for a drive a lot more often (and when I thought about it, I remembered one of my old mechanics telling me that on cold mornings to drive my car down to the “Lower Green” (you gotta live in Newburyport to know where that is) and back.

So Gertrude and I have set out almost every day for a ramble, to the Lower Green and back, to Governor Dummer and back, but what Gertrude seems to really, really like, is taking a stroll on Rt 95.

So when the Weather Channel has said that an overnight low is going to be below 10 degrees (which they have a lot this winter), I bundle up, put on my toasty purple scarf and my day-glow orange hunting hat (which my neighbor so graciously gave me so that I would not be run over in the street on cold winter, Newburyport difficult to plow the road, walking days), and Gertrude and I take off.

So if on a frosty mornings on my coffee break, if you want to know where Mary and Gertrude are, they are zipping up and down Rt 95 getting Gertrude warmed up to be able to start up again after the nippy night ahead.

P.S. For all those commuting home tonight, be careful, The Weather Channel is calling for yet more snow, 5-8 inches, which they say is choosing to fall at high volume during this evening’s commute.

Two Things I learned during Newburyport’s 2013 Election — And it’s not what you Think

I am a local political junkie. I just can’t help myself. And on the evening of the mayoral primary 0f 2013, I went down to Newburyport City Hall to hear the results.

I love going down to City Hall to hear the whatever election results. There is an excitement and buzz, and no matter what candidate or candidates one might be routing for, there is usually some kidding around and a sense of comraderie. It takes a lot of guts to run for any city office, and admiration for the folks who actually do run for office is palpable.

And then our wonderful City Clerk, Richard Jones, comes out, looking distinguished and dapper in his bow tie. And with a twinkly in his eye and some gravitas, he reads the election results, city ward by city ward (Newburyport has 6 wards), and everyone is scrambling to type the results into their laptops.

(And as a btw Richard Jones is one fantastic artist!! Really. What he is doing in Newburyport City Hall, except bringing a countenance of dignity and calm, beats me. And if you want to see his work, Richard Jones’s new painting hangs proudly in the lobby of Newburyport’s bank, The Institution for Savings, in its home bank branch on State Street. And you can go there and look at it it. I do. Richard Jones’s website can be found here.)

That evening, for the mayoral primary, the chit chat was that the vote was going to be split roughly in thirds, and it was just a matter of which two candidates had some more votes (which btw that is how it “fell.”). And while I was chit chatting with a fellow political junkie they said, “Dick Sullivan has his “peeps.” (Dick Sullivan came in second in the primary.) And I said to myself “peeps??” “Peeps” sounds like ghetto speak. My fellow political junkie is about my age, and I’m no “hip,” sprightly, spring chicken. “Peeps?” I must be really out of it. A new word — “peeps,” which I could never imagine myself effectively executing. “Peeps?”

And during the election cycle I was going to meet with one of the new candidates running for Newburyport City Council. Coffee and chit chat that day didn’t come about, and in apologizing for the miscommunication, the candidate used the phrase “my bad.” “My bad??” I’m thinking, “homies,” “rappers,” and urban ghetto speak?? “My bad??” Am I ever out of it. (I might be able to say, “my bad” one day — perhaps, but I’m not sure I could pull off “peeps.”)

So during the 2013 election I learned two new words/phrases, “peeps” and “my bad,” which might bring me further into the 21st Century, possibly. An etymology lesson during the Newburyport election of 2013, who knew??

Twitter — A Mea Culpa

Twitter, I owe you a mea culpa, i.e an apology. Mea culpa rates as a much more serious atonement than “my bad,” for one thing it’s in Latin.

In February 2009 I wrote, “And I look at Twitter and for the most part, it verbally looks like a Google Earth close up of a mangled beaver swamp.” I was lamenting the loss of things like complete sentences–even paragraphs, possibly periods.

Oh, how far I have come… I’ve been tweeting away for some time now, with a complete disregard for complete sentences, and yes, sometimes even things like “verbs,” and you can just forget about “periods,” i.e. “.”.

My obscure Twitter handle — @MaryBakerArt. I’ve fallen as low as to tweet things like “Blizzard in ‪#Newburyport‬ tomorrow afternoon and evening – Oy Veh ‪#Nbpt‬ ‪#Snow‬ ‪#blizzard” — notice, no verb. So versatile, I am with even beginning to master things such as the hashtag “#.” 21st Century here I come.

One of the things that I like about Twitter is that leading up to a potential blizzard, I can follow all sorts of meteorologist (my favorite one is @growingwisdom, I’m a sucker for the word “wisdom”). When whatever winter storm of the winter 2014 is over, I can then happily unfollow them. Who is to know, who is to care.

If anyone wanted to know what Market Basket was like early this morning — “‪#Marketbasket‬ crowded but calm at 8:15 this morning in ‪#Newburyport‬ ‪#Nbpt‬ ‪#blizzard‬” — according to other tweets, it’s slightly more crowded at the moment (like can you find a parking space–a little like the afternoon of Christmas eve).

Perspective from Newburyport City Councilor Meghan Kinsey

I really appreciate the perspective from Newburyport City Councilor Meghan Kinsey that was expressed in an email to her constituents.

“I would fully agree with Councillor Cameron’s assertion that the Council (10 of the 11 were present) did not “balk”. Quite the contrary. We were intrigued and impressed by Councillor Eigerman’s ability of to remove much of what made the previous LHD proposals so unattractive to many and start new with a zoning change.” …and “Let me start by saying that this community is quite fortunate to have Councillor Eigerman, and all the expertise he brings, on our council. As a land use attorney who is trained in city planning, we got a lot of “bang for our buck” in him.” Councilor Kinsey points out that the three proposed ordinances “are heavy with legal-speak and we, as a council, are still trying to get our heads around them.”

Councilor Kinsey’s entire email can be read here.

The Jackals are Out – Newburyport Zoning

It didn’t take long. And yes, they are back. The Say No to LHD Jackals are back. Lyndi Lanphear, who got soundly defeated in November’s election for Newburyport City Council at Large, coming in second to last, is out with a Letter to the Editor in today’s Newburyport Daily News, that once again twists the facts, misrepresents the facts, and tries to scare the wits out of people by telling them stuff that is blatantly not true.

And Larry Cavalieri is in the cheering commenting section of the Newburyport Daily News, with comments that one can only think are meant to not only twist the facts, but intimidate people into not speaking up as well. “Vicious” and “foul,” are words, in my mind, that are not meant to be an “opinion,” but words that are meant to be invective.

And The Newburyport Daily News, btw, all sorts of anonymous commentators are also back. Might want to clear that one up.

I can only hope that this Newburyport City Council can stay above the screaming fray, and come up with a good and equitable decision on Newburyport City Councilor Jared Eigerman’s three detailed and thoughtful zoning proposals.

And if you would like the correct information please press here.

Update: Lyndi Lanphear has organized a meeting this Saturday to try and stop the zoning proposals from ever happening. Newburyport City Councilor Jared Eigerman has offered to explain to the people at that meeting what the zoning amendments are actually about, and what they hope to accomplish (zoning is complicated). It is my understanding that Mrs. Lanphear has not taken Councilor Eigerman up on his charitable offer. It is my opinion that Lyndi Lanphear would rather confuse, obfuscate and frighten people with fictitious statements, than acknowledge the facts, and make constructive and helpful observations, the way Dick Hordon, the chair of the Say No to LHD group, who Councilor Eigerman sat down with, already has.

Have an Opinion and Make People Angry

I came across something to the effect on Facebook of, “Want to make people angry? Have an opinion. Wait.”

This is now my 8th year writing The Newburyport Blog, and I’ve had lots of opinions, on lots of things, and pissed a lot of people off at one time or another. I piss off “Conservatives,” “Natives/Townies,” and, yes, “Progressives.” Conservatives and Townies have one way of reacting, and Progressives have another, equally pesky, way of reacting.

Conservatives and Townies will call me things like “vicious” and “foul,” send me stormy emails, or leave me ranting Facebook messages ALL IN CAPS!!!!! And accuse me of outrageous felonies and misdemeanors, in print, to the point where I might have a very good case for suing them for libel. However, since I am among a whole string of fairly illustrious folks that have been accused of libelous actions, I’ve decided to let that one go, at least for now.

Progressives, on the other hand, seem to take to the phone. I’ll get long and very “intense” phone calls, and when I say, “I think I’ll hang up now,” they call back and continue. An attempt to reduce me to tears is sometimes pursued, and not to rule out possible threats of lawsuits. And sometimes follow-up, guilt-trip emails from young children and college students, in an attempt to get me to change my mind about whatever.

The people who don’t pull these various and sundry maneuvers, interestingly enough, are our local politicians. Either their possible displeasure is left up to surrogates, or they have developed a thick enough skin, having been in “the game,” to know that people having opinions about things, issues, campaigns and candidates, is part of the democratic process. It’s called free speech.

(And P.S. whether it’s a Conservative, townie or a Progressive that pulls one of these vagaries, believe me, I do not forget.)

New England, Newburyport Winters

New England, Newburyport Winter Night, Mary Baker © 2014

Recently I’ve had friends and family move to Florida, California and even Bali.

Eat your heart out — maybe??

On Facebook I see photos of warm, tropical places, sometimes juxtaposed with life back in the “chilly” Northeast.

Even in the midst of the winter, this winter, so far, I have no inclination to be swayed by this tropical tease. (Maybe because in my early 20’s I moved to Los Angeles for 3 years and had major culture shock. The gorgeous, year-round flowers were never able to beguile me over walkable streets, seasons and public transportation–I was born and raised in New York City, a transplant to Newburyport 33 years ago.)

There is something for me about the nobility and dignity of a New England winter, despite the hype and panic over a “huge,” “blockbuster” snow storm that might be coming our way.

There is something about transcending the “harsh” climate, that speaks of resiliency and tenacity, two character traits I greatly admire.

And when that slow, beautiful New England spring arrives, I appreciate it so much more, than if perpetual flowers always existed. Coming out of a cold, dark winter, to the warm seasons, always gives me a sense of hope and rebirth.

Zoning Overlay NOT a Local Historic District (LHD)

Unfortunately the Newburyport Daily News has repeatedly reported that a Local Historic District (LHD) is being proposed. This is NOT the case, there is NO LHD period. I am extremely disappointed in our paper of record. I feel that it is the paper’s responsibility to inform and educate people, not to scare them. To me saying that this proposal is a LHD is like shouting “Fire” in a crowded room, when there is no fire, for me this is unfortunate and irresponsible journalism. I expect more from the Newburyport Daily News.

Newburyport City Councilor Ed Cameron has clarified what is being proposed in the comment section of the latest Newburyport Daily News article on the subject. Here it is:

“Several clarifications to this reporting are necessary:

First of all this is not a single proposal by Councillor (Jared) Eigerman. He has submitted three separate zoning ordinance changes. Although they can be seen as related, they are each separate.

The three are:

1) a proposal establishing an Interim Downtown Overlay District is zoning that would preserve our historic downtown. Currently there are zero protections since the deed restrictions related to the HUD rehab of downtown which were in effect from 1971-2005 have lapsed. The Planning Board which oversees downtown site plan review would be the Special Permit Granting Authority.

Please note that Councillor Eigerman’s submitted change for downtown zoning is not a local historic district. A local historic district is created under Massachusetts Gen. Laws Chapter 40 C. What is proposed is a zoning change, not a local historic district, and is covered by Massachusetts Gen. Laws Chapter 40A. In this proposal, the local Historic Commission is not involved.

2) a proposal establishing an Interim Demolition Control Overlay District is zoning which would establish protections regarding teardowns in the Federal Newburyport Historic District established in 1984. The ZBA would be the Special Permit Granting Authority in these cases.

3 ) a proposal to amend our off-street parking regulations so that developers who are making a use change or building a new development and want to use public parking to meet their parking requirements will have to pay for it.

Please note that the Council Planning and Development Committee and Committee of the Whole did not “balk” at approving these zoning changes last night. The process is that these zoning changes will go to a Joint Public Hearing of the Planning Board and the Council’s Planning and Development Committee, an opportunity for the public to give input. Any zoning change in Newburyport must go through this process before the City Council takes action. That meeting has been advertised in the Daily News and will occur on Wednesday, February 19 at 7 PM at City Hall.

More details are here:

Councillor Ed Cameron”

Editor’s Note: This is a comment from John Macone, the Editor of the Newburyport Daily News, in the comment sections in the latest article in the Newburyport Daily News. I appreciate it a lot.

” Thank you for your comments. I agree with commenters who have said this is not a true local historic district proposal, as set down in state law. However, it is also clear that these zoning amendments seek to achieve some of the same protections/property restrictions that the LHD contained.

I’ve changed the headline to better reflect the intent of Councilor Eigerman’s proposals. Also, we will be following up shortly with a comprehensive explanation of the similarities and differences between these proposals and the LHD proposal.
John Macone, editor”

The headline was changed to: “Historic Protections Proposed for Downtown.”