Columns

There is a lot to be said about macaroni and cheese. Thomas Jefferson fell in love with it when he visited Paris and brought the recipe back with him. He liked it so much that he had it served at a state dinner in 1802.

If you had been an avid reader living in our area in the 1880s, you might have joined one of the few small private subscription libraries or young ladies' book clubs.

What follows is the first paragraph of a college admissions essay I asked the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT to write for me. "As a high school student, I have always been drawn to the idea of working in the field of archaeology. While many of my classmates dream of becoming doctors or lawyers, I have always been drawn to the idea of exploring the past and uncovering the secrets that have been hidden beneath the earth for centuries."

The Roaring '20s were sparkling and romantic, a whirl of dancing and joy, resting atop a foundation of wealth inequality, crime and corruption. Industry had boomed. Technology was changing everything.

It was nearly 50 years ago in Montana's beautiful Glacier National Park. I still carry a vivid image of a magnificent bird gliding on afternoon thermals above an azure lake.

About every 20 minutes or so growing up, my mother would tell me, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." It's not likely that her mother had to tell her that, so I think she heard other moms use that old nugget on their kids and jumped on the wagon.

We know a product is recyclable when we see the "chasing arrows" symbol. But not many know that the symbol came from a design contest sponsored by the Container Corporation of America in 1970.

I am standing in my backyard and looking up into a tree. Beside me is my loyal black Lab, Echo. He is looking up into the same tree.

One of the joys of writing about nature is hearing from readers who share stories or ask questions about a species of interest. The most common topic is the white-tailed deer, a familiar creature around Harpswell.

Nothing warms the soul in January more than comfort food, like Donnette Goodenow's shepherd's pie. (Kathy D'Agostino photo)