I recently came across this essay I wrote in 2009 – while this isn’t necessarily a literary essay in keeping with my usual goal for this blog post, I thought you would enjoy reading it. (I edited it just a bit)
Thirteen years ago this month we found our island home. After a dozen years of living here, from observation and experience, these seem to be what works when moving to a small town:
-Don’t expect the community to change, according to what your expectations are. It’s great to bring in new ideas, but these folks have been here for generations, and you’re from where? It’s best to plant seeds, and if they grow fine. If not, it wasn’t meant to be. Learn to know when to share your ideas and when to keep your mouth shut.
Barracks in transition
-Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer. Small towns often have very few people doing too much, so they are often eager for fresh blood to join in and give a hand. But in relation to the first suggestion, make sure you offer what is needed, and listen for a while before jumping in and overwhelming everyone with your great ideas. Also, beware of burnout. Often in an effort to help out it’s easy to get sucked into doing too much too soon.
Time to caucus!
-Rescue an old house. While this isn’t always possible, it helped in our case. Our house had been abandoned, and was in need of lots of TLC. The community was happy to see that someone cared. One of the first things we did was buy a big green wreath with a red bow on it, and hang it in the window. A fellow islander thought it was a sign that “good people” bought the house. Although our house will always be known by the previous owner, who had lived in our house for decades, people appreciate what we’ve done with the house and garden.
A work in progress
-Don’t talk about anyone, as everyone is related. This was a foreign concept to me, as my nearest immediate family member lives in the Midwest, and most of them are on the west coast. While the local people can gossip, it’s not okay for you to. (I know this is generally good advice in life, but especially true in small communities).
Soup lunches are a great way to converse with friends and neighbors
-Be friendly. As my husband says, “A smile and a wave costs nothing.” One of the first things we learned was to wave, wave, wave, even when we didn’t know the person. A friendly “Good morning” is certainly easy enough, and being pleasant is a great way to be accepted.
Waiting on the dock for the ferry
-Add a child to the school population. While we didn’t do this, families are welcomed with open arms when they bring a child onto the island. It’s also a great way to quickly become part of the community, as you have an instant “in.” If you don’t have a child, a pet is also a nice way to gain acceptance. Our island community loves animals, and our Maine coon cat, “Ralph,” was well-known in the neighborhood.
Long Island Learning Center
-Laugh, and find humor in people and situations you encounter. We spend a lot of time laughing and not taking things too seriously. Don’t sweat the small stuff, and go with the flow. Forgive and forget. These are all somewhat trite sayings, but really helpful in moving to a small town. The benefits of living with people who grew up together is that you learn to get over grudges and move on.
Celebrating together
-Finally, be yourself. People in small towns can spot a phony a mile away. I probably have a reputation for being a bookworm with my nose in a book when I ride the ferry, but everyone seems to be fine with that. Characters in small towns abound, so what’s one more to add to the mix? No one seems to mind our quirks and idiosyncrasies, thankfully.
Ho ho ho!
Island living has been wonderful for us, and I hope we’ve been an asset to the community, too. Every day is an adventure (especially riding the ferry) and a pleasure for the senses, with characters and conversations that enrich our lives and make life more interesting.
This month I’d like to take a slight swerve away from our usual literary topics to celebrate two of my favorite cultural institutions in Portland, who anchor either end of the peninsula. The Maine Irish Heritage Center and the Maine Jewish Museum came together this month to celebrate their commonalities, mostly corned beef!
The buffet line
This year I was able to join in the fun for the Shalom and Shamrocks evening of dinner and music, which some of us were eager to dance to. Celtic music opened the evening and klezmer music closed our time together, with some less than nimble middle aged women trying their best to dance the hora and other Jewish dances.
Great Klezmer band!
The menu included several variations of corned beef, as well as potatoes, Irish soda bread, and my favorite dish of the evening, “The nice Jewish grain salad,” which included tabouli with farro, chickpeas, and herbs. The brownies and cookies were divine!
Guiness brownies with Irish cream frosting
Irish themed cookies
The Maine Irish Heritage Center is housed in the beautiful old St. Dominic’s Church located on the corner of Gray and State Streets in the West End. When it was dedicated in 1833, it became the first Roman Catholic Church in Portland, and the third in Maine. While it sadly closed in 1997, it has found new life as the home of the Maine Irish Heritage Center. This amazing institution has a dizzying array of events and activities for all to enjoy, even those of us who aren’t Irish, but love all things Celtic. My favorite part of the organization is the wonderful library, which is a lovely place to enjoy books, and perhaps a cup of tea. (See the July 2012 blog for more information)
Always a lot to look at, at the Maine Irish Heritage Center library
The Maine Jewish Museum is also housed in an old house of worship, although still in use, the Etz Chaim Synagogue, which was established in 1921. The museum opened in the space in 2008, and offers several floors of exhibit space, including a space on the top floor that overlooks the synagogue, as well as windows out into the nearby Munjoy Hill neighborhood. While the museum mostly features contemporary artists, there are historical displays to read. There is also a gorgeous garden to sit in, and contemplate this quiet space off of Congress Street, while looking down India Street towards the bay. The museum is free and the staff and docents offer a warm welcome. There are even a variety of gifts for purchase. The Maine Jewish Museum, like the Maine Irish Heritage Center, offers many wonderful events and gatherings.
Beautiful garden at the Maine Jewish Museum
How fortunate we are to have these two institutions in Portland, who continue to celebrate their ethnicity, and come together once a year to align their heritages in such a fun and delicious way.
People often wonder what life is like on an island in the winter – “what do you do out there?” Don’t you feel isolated?” “I couldn’t live on an island in the winter. ” If only they knew how much there is to do and see, with the library at the center of activities on the island.
Visiting the library in the winter is such a visual treat, with so many warm touches. The little glass exhibit case currently has an exhibit of mugs belonging to Maxine Harmon, herself a skilled ceramicist. In the Dodwell gallery, there is a lovely display of flowering bulbs such as amaryllis and paper whites, lovingly tended by Robin, one of our librarians, who is a master gardener. At the entrance to the library is a wonderful display related to knitting, complete with yarn and needles, and beautiful and inspiring books. And we now have, just in time for Valentine’s Day, a sweet exhibit of wedding history in the Dodwell Gallery, “To love and to cherish – more than a century of wedding dresses and their stories,” with brides ranging from many years ago up until recently, including Nancy Jordan, Marci Train, Beth Marchak, and Emma Brundige. The exhibit include wedding gowns and dresses, photographs, and invitations.
Marine Harmon’s mug collection
Beautiful knitting books!
And all you need to get started on a knitting project!
Wedding exhibit with accompanying plants and flowers, decorated with white ribbon
Beth Marchak’s wedding dress
Nancy Jordan’s wedding photos
Beyond all these visual displays, there is a jigsaw puzzle to work on, and a relaxing area to read. Light comes pouring into the big windows, bringing an extra layer of warmth to a chilly winter’s day. And of course books, games, and jigsaw puzzles to bring home to enjoy in a cozy nook or by the fire.
In addition, there are fun activities to enjoy in the library, such as “Tacos and trivia,” “Love letters to Long Island,” and jigsaw puzzle competitions. There’s also a monthly book group, and a weekly knitting group. Indeed, if one feels the need to be someplace cheerful and warm, and spending time with kindred spirits, the library is the place to be – especially on a winter’s day.
According to Goodreads, I read 52 books in 2025, averaging about 1 book a week. Here are some of the more enjoyable reads, of my favorite fiction and non-fiction choices.
Despite the beginning section of this story, I fell in love with Tookie, an Ojibwe ex-con, and all the other characters in this wonderful book, much of which takes place in the author’s bookstore, Birchbark Books. Although I did peter out a bit about two-thirds of the way through the book, overall I found it well paced, and easy to move through. So well written – it deserves another read through, just to absorb all the great words (and sentences!).
What a serendipitous find! Many years ago, in graduate school, I wrote a paper about the artist Ethel Reed (1874-1912), as I was intrigued by a short section of a book, about the history of illustration, that mentioned Ethel Reed, and stated that her fate was unknown. I didn’t get very far in my research for my graduate paper about what happened to her, but fortunately Dr. Peterson did. I stumbled onto this book at a bookstore in Rockland and was so thrilled to find it, and to finally discover what happened to Ethel. Sadly, her life beyond the mystery wasn’t happy, but I was still glad to learn about it, and see her beautiful posters and book art displayed in this lovely book. I was so taken by the book that I wrote Dr. Peterson, and he responded in a very appreciative way.
A magnificent story, based on real people involved in getting books in the hands of soldiers in World War I France – I was engaged and engrossed all the way through. I loved the characters, setting, story, charm, humor, and warmth. At first, I was disconcerted with the more modern-day story, but I soon fell in love with Wendy and Roberto, and so was thoroughly charmed by that section, too.
A friend mailed me this book, as a distraction from an upcoming shoulder surgery. And indeed it was, as well as being a perfect book post-surgery, for curling up with, reading a few pages each time. It was a lovely blend of poetry, stories about Emily, delicious looking recipes, and had a beautiful layout with visual appeal.
Another in the “the power of books during war time” genre, this book goes back and forth between periods of time in the character’s lives, and has likeable characters, good story, appealing setting, and interesting history (WWI and WWII Britain). The love the main characters have for each other is endearing.
I have read quite a bit of “sea stories” but was not familiar with this one. I really liked the style of writing in telling the story – I had no idea how it would end, so I found myself turning page after page to find out what happened to this British sailing couple, Maurice and Maralyn, throughout their journey in life together, including many days adrift at sea. After finishing the book, I took a deeper dive into their story, which is always the sign of a good book.
I always believe that historical fiction is a wonderful way to access history, and this novel did it beautifully. While I was familiar with the Acadian expulsion, I really didn’t know much about it. I not only learned a lot, but was entertained by a good story, with interesting characters. And I love a good ending, which this one has.
I have always loved the idea of the night sky, and gazing at the stars. This book drew me in, with the dreaminess and gentle tone, and humor. I didn’t absorb it all, so I may have to go through and reread it – maybe out loud to Michael. I love how the author took us through the year, and interwove his past history (his mother, an astrologer, was very intriguing). Great dialogue, including with his young daughters, and overall such a beautiful, well-written book.
This is a fantastic read, with a touch of whimsy and wonder, and quirky characters and beautiful writing. Admittedly, much of the earlier part, which takes place in a village in England, is quite depressing and dismal, but once the characters take off on a road trip to Italy, the magic happens. Towards the end, the earlier story of one of the main characters drags on, and I lost interest. But still, most of the book is a lovely tale of post-World War II Italy.
This is my kind of writing – literary pilgrimages and travel writing makes for a wonderful combination, and on top of that, wonderful writing about both familiar writers and people I knew nothing about. I also liked the blue type, the illustrations, the cover, and the nice short chapters. Delicious!
So, from stargazing to the Canadian expulsion, and all in between, a wonderful variety of books sparked joy in 2025 – and this year is already off to a great start, too! (January is the best time to curl up with a good book). May the new year bring many wonderful books your way!
It recently occurred to me that there seems to be a growing trend to feature bookstores in novels. I recently read two similar titles, “The Stationery Shop,” by Marjan Kamali, and “The Lost Bookshop,” by Evie Woods, which are about bookstores (well, technically the stationery shop is a stationery shop with books, but books play a large part in the lives of the young star-crossed lovers in Tehran, Iran). The Lost Bookshop overlaps with Ruth Reichl’s The Paris Novel, in that they both feature Shakespeare and Company, the iconic English language bookstore in Paris, founded by Sylvia Beach. A few months ago I read “The British Booksellers,” by Kristy Cambron, about two rival bookstores in WWII England.
I realized that three of the books that our LICL book group read this past year take place in bookstores: “The Education of Harriet Hatfield,” by May Sarton, is about a bookseller, Harriet, who runs a women’s bookstore in Cambridge. “How to Read a Book,” by Monica Wood, takes place partly in a bookstore that is much like our beloved Longfellow Books in Portland. The main character in “The Sentence,” by Louise Erdrich, Tookie, works in an indigenous bookstore in Minneapolis, which is based on Erdrich’s own bookstore, Birchbark Books (and, in fact, Louise is a minor character in the book).
And for those of you into semantics, I had to look up the difference between bookstore and bookshop – in British English, bookshop is more commonly used. And the correct spelling for bookstore is one word, not two (I tend to interchange them, so good to know!)
What are some of your favorite novels that take place in bookstores?
When November arrives and it gets colder and darker, most of us begin to either head south or turn inwards. Turning inwards can mean different things to different people, but in this season of Thanksgiving, it seems like a perfect time to give thanks for many of our island blessings, including:
-The Long Island Community Library. This beautiful library was lovingly and thoughtfully brought into being over 20 years ago, led by a committee with Nancy Jordan at the helm. Designed by architect Frank Oliva, this light-filled and comfortable space is a wonderful haven in the summer for holidaying island families, as well as a place of warmth and coziness in the winter (especially during a power outage). It’s not only a place to find books, but a gathering space where one can enjoy working on puzzles or reading in the nook.
Our library is so inviting in the evening
-The Long Island Community Library board, including the Friends of the Long Island Community Library. This passionate group of folks, ably led by Katie McGarry, meets regularly to discuss the needs of the library, and plans all the great events and fundraising activities that bring us joy (and funding). I’m also grateful for all the volunteers that make the library run as many hours as it does.
The library board gathers to celebrate volunteers
-The Long Island Community Library librarians. Our co-library directors, Robin Goodell and Katie Norton, keep our library running smoothly, with grace and expertise. From the outside looking in, they make it look easy! They build on a tradition created by previous librarians, including Paula Johnson, Nancy Jordan, and Connie Brayley.
-The LICL book group. Started a few years ago, this core group of 10-15 readers gathers once a month to talk about a variety of books, chosen democratically among our group. From time to time we’ll bring in a guest author, or just an expert in the subject of the books. We even have dedicated folks who come from off island to join us, just for the book group.
The book group not only reads books together but we celebrate friends!
-The small glass case, currently curated by Karen Boss. This case is a great way to showcase community treasures, whether an individual’s collection, or a “group show.”
Treasures on view, on both sides of the case!
-The Dodwell Gallery, which brings to us larger works, in a similar vein – a solo show, such as the current show by Jennifer Wood, or a group of artwork with a theme, such as this summer’s nature photography show. There is always something visual to enjoy on a visit to the library, thanks to our current curatorial team, Jeanne Handy and Richard Mitchell.
Beautiful exhibits to brighten our days
-Our community of readers. When we first moved here it was such fun to find books in our mailbox, and share recommendations with each other. Living on an island is a perfect place to be a reader, and those of us who are commuters especially love having that built in reading time on the ferry. Besides the Long Island Community Library, we have avenues to books, such as little free libraries, and the Evergreen United Methodist Church library. It’s a joy to live in a community where if the conversation dwindles, we can always talk about books!
Our cozy and comfortable reading nook, full of Maine books
Happy Thanksgiving to all! And happy reading in the winter months to come, wherever you are.
As someone who has spent many years working with manuscripts and handwritten documents in my work life, I’m delighted to see a handsome small exhibit of similar items in this latest wonderful display at the Long Island Community Library.
A goodly variety
“Handwriting beauty” showcases delightful examples of handwriting as found on old letters, postcards, diaries, and documents – and even recipe cards! There is even an aerogramme (remember those?).
Aerogramme and greeting card
I especially love seeing the “tools of the trade,” such as pens, inkwells, postal labels, and envelopes.
Tools of the trade
In this day and age of multiple ways of communicating (texts, e-mails, telephones) and instant gratification, it’s lovely to reminisce about the days when the letter was a common way to keep in touch, and receiving a newsy missive in the mail was thrilling (even today people love to get “real mail”).
Real letters!
Lenders to the exhibit include Meredith Sweet, Towanda Brown, Joe and Rennie Donovan, Dick Mitchell, Kathy Kellerman, Ellen Harford, and Karen Boss (the curator).
Who knew there were edible book festivals? The International Edible Book Festival is an annual event usually held on or around April 1,which is also known as Edible Book Day. The global event has been celebrated since 2000 in various parts of the world, where “edible books” are created, displayed, and small events are held.
The Portland Public Library used to hold these festivals, as well as other libraries in Maine.
Ordinarily edible “books” are cakes, but this summer the talented and creative board of the Long Island Community Library took it one step further and created all sorts of lovely (and delicious) interpretations of books turned into food, such as slushies (“Frozen river” by Ariel Lawhon), a vegetable plate (“The tiny seed” by Eric Carle), pigs-in-a-blank (“Charlotte’s web” by E.B. White), chili (“Like water for chocolate” by Laura Esquivel), muffins (“If you give a moose a muffin” by Laura Joffe Numeroff), peach cobbler (“James and the giant peach” by Roald Dahl, raspberry cordial (“Anne of Green Gables” by Lucy Maud Montgomery), iced tea (“The tea girl of Hummingbird Lane” by Lisa See), and branches of blueberries (“The berry pickers” by Amanda Peters). And many other clever and tasty treats.
During this annual event at LICL to honor and thank the library volunteers, this impressive edible book festival was a wonderful celebration of food – and books!
Today is my father’s birthday – August 27th – he would be 102 today. Bill Noble had many loves, including his family, the California desert (where he lived), writing, and great literature. My sister Patty just uncovered this reading list that he wrote about books he read in the first 9 months of 1993, when he was 70 years old:
Jan.Alan Watts – “In my own way.” Autobiography. Loaned to Bob Hoyk 4/8/93.
Jan.George Bernard Shaw – Complete plays. I had never read a play by GBS before now, probably because in college I read his “Quintessence of Ibsenism” which was really all about himself. Pompous, arrogant but with the wittiest cutting edge dialogue. Prologues and introductions are endless.
Jan. Henrick Ibsen – After Shaw I had to read Ibsen again. At UC I took a course in Scandinavian literature and read Hedda Gabler, Doll’s House; this reading of his plays 45 years later had the effect of endless slogging through thick cold mud. Especially after flippant Shaw.
Feb.Tony Hillerman – all 10 novels, crime on the Arizona and New Mexico Indian reservations, Navajo, Hopi. Get out AAA’s Indian country map and follow along. Good writing and good insights into Indian culture.
Feb.Benita Eisler – “O’Keeffe and Stieglitz” – biography. Overdone in parts but good racy reading about my favorite American artist.
Mar. Mary Austin – “Land of little rain” – plant, animal and human life in the border regions of Arizona and Southern California. Good nature writing but lags. Think she’s overrated.
Mar. Loren Eisley – “Not man apart.” Photography and accompanying poetry text by Robinson Jeffers on the Big Sur area.
Mar. James Karman – “Robinson Jeffers: poet of California.” Great biography, 4th or 5th reading. The only poet I can halfway understand and appreciate. At UC I took a course in English literature given by Benjamin Kurtz, his farewell lectures and he unloaded on us, the Iliad, Ibsen, Shaw, Shakespeare, Bergson’s “Creative evolution,” the “Bhagavad Gita,” Corneille’s play, “El Cid,” and the only thing I remember is Jeffers’ “Roan stallion,” “Tamar” and “Cawdor.”
Mar.Edith Hamilton – “Mythology.” – A classic, basic text, good reference for Jeffers reading. Been on the shelf for years – finally got through it.
Apr. Frederick Turner – editor of an anthology of Henry Miller’s work. Good reading.
Apr. Herb Caen and Dong Kingman – “San Francisco,” text by Caen, watercolors by Kingman. Caen is the San Francisco Chronicler and Kingman its artist.
Apr. Annie Dillard – “Teaching a stone to talk.” Philosophy, nature, “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek” is still the best. Most of her writings are over my head. Edward Abbey said she was the only true heir to Thoreau. I think Thoreau is kind of boring but at least I can understand what he’s writing about.
May-June. Will Durant – “Story of Philosophy” – read parts of this in college in connection with a ‘Philosophy of Literature’ course. Found it in a used book store in Palm Springs this year and have been taking it in small sips, no big gulps.
May.Willa Cather – “Death comes for the archbishop” – about the 4th read on this. Great novel of New Mexico early settlement. Have never gotten interested in any other of her work but this is a classic.
June. David Park Curry wrote the text to this great collection of impressionist art by Childe Hassam on Appledore Island in the Isles of Shoals 10 miles out from the Maine and New Hampshire coasts. Is called “An island garden revisited” – Celia Thaxter’s garden.
June. Isabel Allende – “Eva Luna” – sort of a picaresque novel of growing up in South America. Improbable situations.
June. Sara Paretsky – “Deadlock” and “Guardian angel” – good mysteries in Chicago area.
June.Frederick Franck – “Days with Albert Schweitzer” – a Lambarene landscape, book and pen drawing by a dentist who volunteered at the Congo compound for a year.
July. Stuart Woods – “Santa Fe rules” – mystery – New Mexico
July.Henry Beston – “The outermost house” – a year of life on the great beach at Cape Cod. Probably the 40th read since the first in 1947. It restoreth my soul.
July.Jorge Luis Borges – “A personal anthology” – Borges is the only Latin American writer who inspires me. He is an incredible philosopher word-smith, he reminds me of Annie Dillard but even in translation he is more intelligible. Maybe Annie needs a translator. There are 50 or so essays in this anthology. This is a third reading and I need a few more to cull out the gemstones. See later.
July. John Steinbeck – “The pearl” – have most of Steinbeck – like this one. Actually, like just about everything he wrote, several times. I like to read “Cannery Row” over again on Sunday afternoons with a glass of wine and “Of mice and men” after no breakfast, just coffee. But, I need a full stomach for “In dubious battle.” Gut writing. I read most of Steinbeck once a year.
Aug.George Adamson – “My pride and joy” – autobiography of a life in Kenya as game warden among wildlife, esp. lions – “Born Free, etc.”
Aug. ’93. Mccrum, Cran, & MacNeil – “The story of English” – great history of the English language.
Alan Paton – “Cry the beloved country” – I like to read this book every few years because of the way it is written, poetry in prose. It came out in 1948, there was as movie made of it. Just a beautiful book. But I’ve never read his “Too late the phalarope” – not sure why.
Jeffrey Archer – “Honor among thieves” – contemporary (1993) novel of international intrigue that includes Saddam Hussein and Bill Clinton. Suspense.
Sept. ’93. Rereading Peggy Wayburn’s update (1988) on the Sierra Club “Adventuring in Alaska, to refresh me on details of our cruise. Bought this in Anchorage.
John Muir, “Travels in Alaska” – ever loquacious, Muir found Alaska “beyond description.” Travels in 1879 primarily.
In addition to this reading list, he included some of his favorite writers, artists, entertainers, etc.
Mary Caliandro had a dream – to return home to Long Island, after many years living elsewhere, most recently Chattanooga, Tennessee. So, a year ago Mary and her husband, Chris Mobley, ventured north and landed in the end condo down front, alongside the road leading down to Ponce’s Landing. Mary had another smaller dream, to put up a “little free library,” to offer books to the community. The location is perfect, as this crossroads is walked by many, on their way to the beach or Bakehouse, or beyond. Mary has been involved in books and reading and libraries for most of her life, and this is her way of giving back.
So, a few months ago, her smaller dream came to fruition, thanks to Mary’s cousin Robbie, who made and brought the little free library out to the island for Mary’s birthday, and Tom McVey, who installed it on the planter. The library has slowly become populated, most recently by children’s books, and more donations are welcome.
Mary’s favorite author is Stephen King – she has read all of his books. She also enjoys all types of fiction, non-fiction, mysteries, and biographies – most recently she read one about Jimmy Carter.
At the end of the summer Mary and Chris are moving from one end of the condos to the other, and will be moving the little free library with them – still a great location, and perhaps a bit more sheltered for the upcoming winter season, which is when we will need books more than ever. Mary says, about her little free library, “It’s a pleasure to have it” – and we are happy to have Mary and Chris here on the island, sharing their passion for books and reading, and brightening up their small corner of Long Island.
A small library on an island on the coast of Maine
