Tours at Ellie Saunders’ home

Members of the Westbrook Historical Society had tours last Tuesday and Saturday of Ellie Saunders’ home on Conant Street, Westbrook. It is a fascinating house with a long history. Ellie told us that nine generations have lived in this house. In 1768, Samuel Conant’s grandson built the original house, the main house, in Saccarappa. In 1821 it was hauled here. The Ell had two rooms in 1768. There are now three stories. The grounds are beautiful, and extend to the river.

Capisic Pond walk

Sunday was another of our beautiful late May days, and I was pleased to take my first early walk on the trail at Capisic Pond Park. The half-mile hike from the Macy Street entrance, off Capisic Street, to the terminal at the top, off Brighton Avenue, is a treat, much of it with views over the fields and shrubs to the Capisic Pond.

The fruit trees along the trail are in full bloom, and many wildflowers have blossomed, too. Of course there are innumerable large dandelions, plus buttercups, Queen Anne’s lace, and many that were new to me: black mustard (tall, yellow and handsome), rocket or Dame’s rocket (pretty pink, phlox-like), honeysuckle (a flowering shrub), Gill-over-the-ground (spreading, a blue flower), and chokecherry.

I hope that the people who attended the recent early morning bird walk there at Capisic Pond also enjoyed the hike up the trail. I plan to hike it often this summer.

June looms

The month of June arrives in a few days, and I am reminded of my favorite lines from James Russell Lowell’s long poem, “The Vision of Sir Launfal.”

“What is so rare as a day in June?

Then, if ever, come perfect days;

Then Heaven tries the earth if it be in tune,

And over it softly her warm ear lays;

Whether we look, or whether we listen,

We hear life murmur, or see it glisten.”

After a few more lines, we read:

“The cowslip startles in meadows green,

The buttercup catches the sun in its chalice,

And there’s never a leaf nor a blade too mean

To be some happy creature’s palace.”

The Encyclopedia Britannica has a lengthy article about Lowell (I knew him only as a famous U.S. poet.):

Lowell, James Russell (1819-1891), U.S. poet, critic and diplomat, who wrote extensively on a wide variety of subjects, but whose major significance probably lies in the interest in literature he helped develop through his editing, writing and teaching. Born in Cambridge, Mass., Feb. 22, 1819, he was the grandson of John Lowell and a member of the distinguished New England family which in the 20th century produced the poets Amy Lowell and Robert Lowell. He graduated from Harvard in 1838 and took his degree in law in 1840. He had a very interesting life, as anti-slavery crusader, poet, critic, professor of modern languages at Harvard (succeeding Longfellow) and as a diplomat.

Soup’s on

Today’s recipe is from “A Maine Writers’ Cookbook,” 1998. This recipe is by Joan Benoit Samuelson.

MINESTRONE SOUP

1?2 cup olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onions

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

2 cups cubed potatoes

2 cups cubed zucchini

1 cup green beans

1 cup chopped summer squash

3 cups shredded cabbage

6 cups vegetable or chicken broth or water or some combination of the 2 or 3

1 large can whole tomatoes (or fresh)

1 19-ounce can of cannellini beans or navy beans

Put vegetables in pot as listed. Good idea to sauta onion in olive oil before adding other vegetables. Add cannellini beans after soup is cooked. (Just warm up the beans before serving.) Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.

Joan, the co-author of “Running Tide,” an autobiography, told the cookbook she tries to make this soup a few times every year, entirely out of fresh ingredients from the family garden. Some garden!