I met Ope and Erin through Fred and Sharon. Ope was in the residency program at U.C. with Fred and Sharon. He stayed on in Cincinnati to get a post, post, post doctorate degree. Now he's doing research on stroke or something like that related to brains. Erin, having nothing to do when she was pregnant with Anna went to law school and got her law degree. They are 2 nice people and they seem to see me as another grandma for the kids. I like this very much. They just moved into a bigger house on Conservatory Ave. in Hyde Park.

Ope and Erin, the creaters of Wale and Anna.
Wale is the big brother, and he's getting used to Anna.
This is Anna,the newest addition

The Pickle Party, starring Cara Betty Crocker Cirillo. I had posted this with 2 pictures, but Cara didn't like one of the pictures. I tried to delete it and the whole post disappeared. Anyway, there were lots of cukes, so there were lots of pickles.

Street Scapes

Well I said I'd let you see something more cheerie (cheerful) than my last complaining blog. So the Street Scapes held in downtown Clifton is very cheerful. Lots of people get together to make chalk and other drawings on the streets, square and sidewalks. And also, they do cars, as you can see. We have lots of art students in Cincinnati at DAAP, which is the art school that is part of UC. I don't know what DAAP stands for, but every artist who's anybody goes to DAAP. (That's an overstatement.) I'm allowed to overstate. It's MY blog.

Street Scapes at Ludlow Ave. in downtown Clifton
Isn't this a fun idea?

Well, now I'm back home in Cinci. I have mixed feelings. I was amazed to see how dry everything is. We have 5 inches less rain then normal for this time of year. Lawns are brown, trees are dying. It's nice to see friends again. Went to an IJPC (Intercommunity Justice and Peace) meeting and it was wonderful to see everyone working on really important issues. Our congressman, Steve Driehaus, says his constituents aare not contacting him about the war in Afghanistan. So we are getting signatures from anyone who opposes the war and wants to spend the money saved on job creation. Of course, UU's (Unitarians) and others are signing. I think I can get about 50 signatures without too much effort. People are so numb on the issue, it seems. It's "over there," it's not their kids who are fighting, so they're not giving it much thought. Meanwhile there's no money for job creation, schools, public transportation, etc. I'm on a rant. I guess I'll stop now. Tomorrow I'll get some good pictures on a happier subject for you.

Waiting at "The Irving" gas station for the West Co. bus to Bangor. It's hard to leave the beautiful Machias River and beautiful Machias. While I was waiting, a sweet lady arrived and informed me that she is married 60 years and that her whole family is Jehovah's Witness. I was firm and refused the magazine. I told her I'm Unitarian and have all their reading material.

Today is Labor Day and I leave Machias tomorrow. Went to Cara's and helped make cucumber pickles. It was a "learning experience" for both of us. Things didn't turn out exactly as planned, but that's OK. Next year they'll be better. (Gee, I hope she's not planning to give any members of my vast audience a jar of pickles for Christmas.)

It's hard for me to leave this place. I've had so much fun this summer as you can see from the rest of the blog. It's been wonderful being with the family, gardening with Edith, dancing at Edith's classes, laughing with the sewing group, enjoying the Bees, the Blueberry Festival and the Blackfly Ball, and making some delightful friends. Now I go home to resettle and begin the rest of my life.

The bees use their art for social activism. The posters can take several years to make. A lot of research goes in to them. Animals are anatomically correct and they interview the people involved in the issues quite extensively. Several people work on each poster adding layers to each part of the design. This one's about mountain top removal as part of strip mining. They travel wherever they have an audience all over the country delivering their messages.

Part of an elaborate poster made by the bees.
Emily (Agent Emma) - one of the bees

Henna and Sol Castro at the Machiasport Lobster Fest

I feel I should say a few words about the Beehive Collective. This group took over the decaying Grange Hall, restored it and at first used it to do their work. Their work is Social Justice. Over the 10 years or so that they've been in Machias, they've worked on several different issues including "Plan Columbia" which sprayed fields in Columbia in order to kill the poppies and marijuana growing there and in the meanwhile killed everything else. Now they are working on the issue of mountain top removal by the coal industry. This method of coal mining blasts away tops of mountains to get at the veins of coal. The rubble from the blasting falls into the valley, destroying the lives of people living there. It also releases toxins and pollutes the water. All for coal, folks.

The Beehive is a group of mostly young, idealistic artists who make some very elaborate posters demonstrating the problem. They then travel to college campuses and anywhere that they are wanted to educate people about these issues. I'll try and bring them to Cincinnati.

Since their first days, they've acquired a house where they live and work, and the Grange Hall is used for Grange meetings and other functions. (Edith gives dance lessons there.)

Kheban Grier, one of the founders of the Beehive Collective.
Sewing "ladies" partying. That's Betsy, Erin (she's a Bee) and Raylene.
Some revellers and sleepy baby.

I didn't say anything about the Blueberry Festival, which transformed this quiet little town, the weekend of August 20 through the 22nd. The festival features fantastic "Down East" food, including lobsters, crab rolls, smoked salmon on a stick (delicious!) and every edible variety of blueberry concoction, as long as it is made with the tiny, sweet Maine blueberry. The town was transformed as cars and people poured in from all over. There is the Blueberry Play, (funny, corny musical starring half the town), Blueberry Race, Children's Parade, pie eating contest, cookoff, bands, local artisans selling their wares, and I can't remember what else. It's always held on the 3rd weekend in August. Put it on your calendar for next year. A wonderful addition the last few years is the Blackfly Ball. The upper and lower floors of the Grange became dance floors and an additional floor was built in the park across from the Grange Hall for more bands and dancing. Folks dress in costumes if so inclined, faces are painted, and a grand time is had by all. No drugs, no alcohol, just fun!

The Blueberry Play- Rakealot-with the women cymbal players
One of the bands. It was a rough day!
Clown and clown.