On Saturday, July 25, the Deering High School Class of 1936 will hold its 73rd reunion, again at Verrillo’s Restaurant, Riverside Street, Portland. Members and guests will assemble at 11:30 a.m. and dinner will be served at noon, ordering from the menu. We had over 20 attending last year and hope for over 20 again this year.

We are very sorry that we will not have our classmate Harold Griffith to lead us this year, as he passed away June 4 following an illness of several months. We all enjoyed him. He had a long and busy life.

Members of the reunion committee are Anne Blanchard Foote, Eleanor Berry Beal, Betty Halloran Kennedy and Jane Drew Sampson.

Nice hike,

new flower

I had a pleasant hike on the Capisic Pond Trail, starting at the Macy Street end, on one of the few pleasant June days (with no rain). I was able to study the wildflowers there again. The lupines were in bloom on both sides of the trail. New to me was a tall yellow flower, much like one pictured in my “Flowers of the Yukon” called shrubby cinquefoil. I finally found it in my copy of Johnson’s “Heritage of our Maine Wildflowers,” with picture and description, as rough cinquefoil. Also in bloom were purple vetch, red clover, one plant of a small white aster, bedstraw, and, of course, daisies and many buttercups.

It is a beautiful walk with many blooming flowers to study. I’ve mentioned the views over to the Capisic Pond, and a chance to study the many birds there.

Bar none

We are very sorry to report that our good friend Ruth Stewart passed away on May 16, but those attending the funeral and reception were pleased to find copies of some of Ruth’s favorite recipes, which her family had printed up for those attending to take.

Ruth’s name is printed “Roothie” on all the recipes. The recipes are in her own hand – they are color laser copies of her much-used recipe cards. We have chosen one of her favorites for you.

“HEATH BARS”

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

12 ounces of chocolate bits

Saltine crackers

Line 9-by-12-inch pan with aluminum foil. Grease lightly, and line the pan with saltines. Boil the sugar and butter hard for 3 minutes and pour the mixture over the crackers. Place in oven and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with chocolate bits. Place the pan back in the oven, to spread chips evenly as they melt. Refrigerate to harden. Break them into pieces and keep them in the refrigerator.

The recipe says “They’re delicious and really taste like Heath bars, we think!”

We in the Foote family have fond memories of the Stewarts. John Stewart, Ruth and Ian’s son, was a frequent visitor at our house. We all have proud feelings of Ruth’s athletic prowess, too. She took part in the annual summer swim from Portland to Peak’s Island. We always thought that she was the winner in that marathon the one year, though the family says not quite first. She was also a private duty nurse, and she sang in the choir at the North Deering Congregational Church. The Stewarts at that time lived on Summit Street in North Deering. For the last three years, “Roothie” and Ian lived at the Birchwood Assisted Living Community, and they appreciated the wonderful care she received there.

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