Penguin film incredible

Kate Hay Guest of Lebanon, N.H., wrote me last week to say that I should see the movie, “March of the Penguins,” and write about it. She called the movie “incredible.”

The ads in the Boston Herald, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, under the heading “Best Family Movie of the Summer!” used a list of adjectives in capital letters saying “Astonishing,” “Mind-Blowing,” “Enthralling,” “Breathtaking” and in the Boston Globe, “The Movie Will Delight and Uplift.”

We did go to see this documentary about the Antarctic bird, the emperor penguin, which, as Portland Phoenix review said, “shuffles 70 miles each spring to their breeding grounds to begin their mating ritual.”

The film is narrated by Morgan Freeman.

After the mating, the males egg-sit, the females leave to gather food, and the temperature dips to 80 degrees below zero. The emperor has no nest and carries the egg on top of its feet. The egg cannot touch the ice, or if so, the chick would die.

I read in a children’s book we own, “Strange Nurseries,” 1934, “since on the ice there is nothing with which to make nests, each female lays her precious white egg, which weighs about a pound, on top of her webbed feet. She covers it with a fold of skin on her abdomen, which is almost like having it in a pouch.”

These penguins stand four feet high and weigh about 90 pounds. They walk slowly and with great dignity on the ice. They are able to walk upright because their feet are set farther back than in most birds. The greater part of their life is spent in the water, where they seem to fly through the waves instead of swimming. The water is very cold, but penguins have short, stiff feathers that overlap in such a way that no moisture can get through, so they don’t feel the cold at all.

When the chicks are six months old, the parents leave, and the young penguins make their way back. The family no longer exists. Many succumb to the freezing cold and do not survive.

The film is beautifully photographed, with scenes of the glaciers and of the handsome penguins, and the male penguin’s feet, holding the egg, and then the tiny chicks. The film is all in color.

I was quite exhausted at the film’s end. Such an ordeal. The list of those descriptive adjectives do apply, but I’d consider “noble” as a fitting adjective to both the male and female emperor penguins.

This film is being shown in several local theaters.

Pride’s Corner Garden Club Sale Is Sept. 24.

The Pride’s Corner Garden Club will hold its yard sale Saturday, Sept. 24, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pride’s Corner Congregational Church.

An Evening of German Song

Anastasia Antonacus, pianist, and Michael Mentzel, baritone, gave an outstanding performance of German Lieder Saturday evening, Aug. 27, at the Saco River Grange Hall on the Salmon Falls Road, Buxton. The hall was filled for the 7:30 p.m. performance.

The artists were at the University of Indiana, where Antonacus received her doctorate in piano performance. They have been practicing since March. This was their first performance together outside of a college setting. I’m sure there will be many more. They are both very talented, and young, too.

In a release included with our program we read that Montzel, fluent in German, strives to communicate songs through body language and expressions. He did that communicating very effectively at the Grange Hall performance. He plans to attend the University of Maryland this fall, working toward a doctorate in vocal performance and pedagogy.

The printed information we received described German Lieder as an art form of poetry set to music that was popular in the 1800s.

We heard seven songs by Franz Schubert (1797-1828), followed by “Twelve Songs, Op. 35,” by Robert Schumann (1810-1856). The last group, “Einfache Lieder, Op. 9.” Was by E. Korngold (1897-1957).

I am familiar with the first two famous German composers, but Korngold was a new one to me. Mentzel explained that Korngold’s works are now making a comeback. I shall consult Grove’s “Dictionary of Music” to learn more about Korngold. Our daughter told me that his first name is Erich, and that she has heard one of his concertos, which she very much enjoyed.

I was pleased to see the grand piano on the stage as we entered the hall, and wondered about its make. Patricia Packard, who is president of the hall’s board of trustees, greeted us, and told us that it is a Steinway (sure enough), and an 1892 Steinway!

At intermission, a surprise was awaiting us, refreshments of Greek and other pastries, and cookies, and cold drinks, spread out on a table under a tent beside the hall. It was a very nice treat.

My sister, Sally Vaughan of Buxton, and I were very pleased that we attended this outstanding performance in the attractive hall.

“Simple Gifts,” at the Saco Museum

When our son Dan and his wife, Mikiyo, visited us recently, Dan’s friend, Peter Morelli who is director of community development in Saco, told us of the exhibition of the Alfred Shaker community’s handwork, at the Saco Museum, until Oct. 30. That Shaker community started in 1783, was busy and prosperous for many years, but with declining members and revenue, had to close in 1931. Many of its possessions are now stored at the property of the Sabbathday Lake Quakers, and several are beautifully displayed and labeled, at the Saco Museum.

I was pleased that Peter could walk around with me there, and explain some of the areas, before he had to return to work. He introduced me to Aldine Walters, who helped arrange the show, along with Peter, and Frank Wood of Alfred, who is a bookstore owner, and guest curator.

As we entered the first room, four handsome benches, Shaker-made, were on display, two at each side of the room. Next, in the entrance hall to the large display room, were swatches of herbs, hung up, one by one – beebalm, chicory, basil, parsley, etc. – in front of three-over-three paned windows, suspended there.

As I explored the collection, the Saco Museum curator, Andrea Strassnar, introduced herself to me.

The Alfred Shaker community was a very active place for many years, working in subsistence farming. Many of the members have usable trades, such as masons, house wrights, mechanics and merchants, but many were farmers. The brethren manufactured linen and wool wheels, reels, tubs, churns, pails, buckets, whips, goads, brooms, oval boxes, dry measures, mortars, pipes, wagon wheels and spectacle cases. They ground flour, cut lumber and had a large tannery. They raised and sold seeds, herbs and pickles.

The sisters processed wool, flax and cotton into cloth, which they sold to the merchants in Portland. They made cheese and butter for sale and were deeply involved in the herb and seed industries.

In 1875, they leased out their mills, and the brethren returned to relying on the sale of farm products to make a living. Meanwhile the sisters started to manufacture “fancy goods,” such as poplarware, outfitted sewing carriers, fans and comestibles, which were sold to tourists.

We read that Elder Harry Green, a well-known Shaker, sold Shaker wares on trips to the mountains and the seaside, for much-needed income.

Not many families were joining the order in the late 1800s, so adult converts were few and far between, but the Shakers had success in raising children (orphans), who remained as members.

Much of the members’ handiwork is on display at the Saco Museum – many baskets, handkerchiefs with embroidered initials, and in glass cases were small baskets and boxes and also tools used by the brothers. There was a huge loom, a small spinning wheel, a big, wooden ironing table, made of maple and pine, with blue paint. The furniture was beautiful – large wooden closets, small, dainty tables, a little candle stand; and woven mats, hanging on the walls. There were two portraits, beautifully framed, of Thomas Goodall and his wife, not members, but benefactors of the Shaker community.

There were albums with pictures of the Elders and Eldresses, on a table, which the public can examine.

It is a fascinating display and will be at the Saco Museum until Oct. 30.

Recipe

This recipe is from Mary Webber’s “Frugel Family’s Kitchen Book,” 1985. Her description says, “These pineapple brownies may sound like a strange combination. Try them!”

Pineapple Brownies

1-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup shortening

1-1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup drained crushed pineapple

2 squares melted chocolate

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Beat shortening and sugar together, add eggs, one at a time. Stir in dry ingredients and vanilla. Divide about in half, a little more in one bowl. To this bowl add the chocolate and nuts. To the other bowl add the pineapple. Spread half of the chocolate mixture in a greased 8-inch pan. Spread pineapple mixture over this, then dot with remaining chocolate mix, spreading evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, or until done.

We enjoyed Clare Fitz’s Yum-Yum Salad, but I shall call it “Yum-Yum Dessert.” It is pretty, and of course sweet.

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