The cartoonist, Lynda Barry, contends that most adults suffer from “play amnesia.” Living in these dark times, many overlook play...
COVID Distractions, A Farmer’s Market & A Dutch Windmill in Maine!
Miranda July Trying to take my mind off the very unsettling spikes in COVID, I discovered a funny, quirky short story writer, Miranda July. Reading No one belongs here more than you. I laughed a loud on the average of every three pages. A particularly wacky story is “The Swim Team,” where a young woman gives three octogenarians swimming [...]
Pat Taub
Celebrating the Mother Line
Reading a 2017 essay by Deborah Tannen “My Mother Speaks Through Me,” I paused at the sentence: Though my mother died in 2004, she is the one whose voice comes out when I speak, and whose speaking style shapes how I hear others’ words. I too have been surprised, even amused, when I say something that sounds just like my mother. Unlike [...]
Pat Taub
John Lewis, “Jaws” in Maine, A Green Burial & More!
John Lewis This week belonged to the memory of John Lewis, who died on July 17th. I watched footage of the 25-year-old Lewis, being beaten within an inch of his life, when crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama in a march for voting rights. Lewis made one final crossing of the bridge in a horse-drawn carriage holding his flag-draped [...]
Pat Taub
Mothers Showing Up: Wall of Moms, Portland, Oregon
By PAT TAUB and JANET WEIL* Bev Barnum, a 35-year-old Mexican-American mother of two from Portland, Oregon had never been in a single protest, but her outrage over the aggressive actions of the federal troops against Black Lives Matter protesters propelled her into action. She felt other mothers must be sharing her outrage, but before trying [...]
Pat Taub
Female Power, Family Pride, A Sudden Death & More
Female Power Rising This week saw two amazing expressions of female power. Yesterday on the House floor, Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez gave a powerful speech condemning Representative Yoho for calling her a “F—— B—-,” while broadening her speech to rebuke the verbal abuse of women in general. Cornell West [...]
Pat Taub
Dania’s Bench
GUEST POST by CAROLE LESKIN It was 7 AM when I stepped out onto my balcony to look at the sunrise. I call the balcony my tree house, because it is secluded, overlooks a trail, field and stream, is abundant with wildlife, and in the warm months, wildflowers and a garden. No matter how I feel or what lies ahead, I am soothed by the magic of [...]
Pat Taub
COVID in Maine, Gardens, “Offspring” & More!
Maine’s COVID Response This week the New York Times published a color-coded map of the US comparing states’ responses to COVID. I was gratified to see Maine in dark green, which corresponded to those states “trending well.” The only other states in this category are Vermont and New Hampshire. I remain grateful for our excellent [...]
Pat Taub
Does the Age Positive Movement Silence Older Women Who Don’t Fall into Line?
From its conception almost 5 years ago, WOW has been committed to encouraging older women to identify and resist the cultural messages that denigrate the aging women. Blog posts have emphasized the positives of aging, while championing the on-going contributions of older women in the arts, politics and spirituality. I hadn’t questioned WOW’s [...]
Pat Taub
Maine Fog, Unmuzzled Fauci, A Movie to Watch & More!
Escaping the Plague I continue to be grateful for my Maine country retreat, which offers a respite from the frightening stories of the national spikes in COVID. I still follow the news, but here I can renew my connection with nature, a soothing balm in our increasingly turbulent world. Below is an image of the morning fog, taken from my [...]
Pat Taub
Love vs. Hate
This past July 4th was unlike any in American history. Americans were battling a deadly virus, which forced the cancellation of parades and public gatherings. At the same time, Americans were facing heightened divisions between the factions of hate and love. The President was the poster boy for hate, delivering two back-to-back racist speeches [...]
Pat Taub