In Pursuit Of Maine: June 9, 2014 - Rude Frogs

Monday, June 9, 2014

June 9, 2014 - Rude Frogs

I almost missed this little guy. Although he was small, he had a voice like Pavarotti. Unmistakable. There were two ponds, you see. He was in one, and I had just come from the other, which was only a few yards away. He asked me rather abruptly and loudly (one might say rudely) whether there were any good flies in the other pond. I told him there were some but that he was probably better off where he was as his pond was shadier and had all manner of juicy insects. In a manner of speaking, that is. And that was when he accused me of trying to keep all the good flies for my own. I defended myself, of course, but the more I defended, the louder he became until he was croaking at a ferocious rate. But what do you expect from pond frogs of the decidedly unroyal kind? They are certainly not known for their good manners, and I've a good mind to go back to that pond with some sticky fly tape and show him who's boss. You can't allow frogs to push you around, after all, or you'll never hear the end of it from the toads.

"The Plain Maine Cookbook" is my own collection of vintage Maine recipes that will immediately bring you back to a simpler time, a less confused time. These recipes are more than just comfort food. They're family food, traditional food, simple food, plain food. One bite and you'll say, "Ah, yes! I remember my grandmother used to make this. I had forgotten all about it!" Recipes for whoopie pies, funnel cakes, fried fiddleheads, haymaker's switchel, coffee can bread, glogg, and much more are in these pages. There is even a recipe on how to render lard. So open the door and go back to some simple, time-tested foods you can prepare easily. You'll find that you save money and waste less by "making do" with commodity cooking. What's in the pantry or in the garden is what's for dinner.

"So You Want to Move to Maine" is an invaluable little book in helping people to make a permanent move to Maine. It will save you a ton of time because all the initial footwork is done for you, including 100 links on how to find work and living quarters, getting your driver's license, pet requirements, programs for people with disabilities, programs for senior citizens, getting married in Maine, hidden taxes and expenses, hospitals, health insurance, handling a real winter like a pro, etc. Stop being "just a number" or another face in the crowd. Walk away from the rat race. Become boldly individualistic and make your mark in life. You can still do that in Maine, one of the last holdouts of ordinary, old-fashioned, kind, and decent American living.

I’ve chosen 37 unique fairy tales that will be loved by both adults and children as they can be read and interpreted on many levels. But if you are looking for only sweet tales that end in joy and fairness, you may want to pass this book by. Some fairy tales are simply “dark,” and that is because sometimes life is simply dark. Not always, of course, but often enough. Sometimes the hero lives; sometimes he dies. Check out my book, “Fairy Tales of Maine,” in the photo link below. If you are brave, you might just meet yourself in one of these tales.