Changing Seasons

        My challenge today is to tell you about the dramatic changes that are going on in Bath. It’s a herculean task because there is so much happening this summer in Maine's Cool Little City, and I tend to be wordy. Every time I walk my dog down Front Street or up Washington Street, I notice construction and change everywhere. Bath seems to be revisiting the boom year of 1854! I wish I could craft words as skillfully as Ana María Matute, one of my favorite Spanish authors, who has mastered the art of telling short, compelling stories. Sadly, I don’t think I've ever told a short story, but I am going to try.

In the interest of time, I'm going to focus my lens on three specific newcomers to Bath: Run with Soup, the new café at 1356 Washington Street, Salt Pine Social, the soon-to-open restaurant at 244 Front Street, and the Bath River Walk Residences that are presently under construction on the waterfront in the historic “coal pocket.” But before I begin to comment on noteworthy events, I feel it’s the right time to quote Ana María Matute: “Todo pasa y todo se queda.” That translates to “Everything changes and everything remains the same.” In any language, Matute’s poetic wisdom rings true. I believe the faces and storefronts of Bath are ever changing, but the history of Bath is carved in stone, and the spirit is everlasting. 

What is worse than a speeding ticket? If you drive too fast up the hill at the north end of Washington Street, you will miss the Run with Soup sign, a stick-figure in motion holding a bowl of soup, and that would be devastating because Charlene Tuplin and her team (Jess and Steve) make spectacular homemade quiche, soups, salads, sandwiches, pies, cherry and peach turnovers, blueberry-zucchini bread and chocolate chip with coconut cookies that may have a drop of Merlot. I literally discovered Run with Soup when I was running one morning, and now I have two addictions: running and Run with Soup! It’s one of Bath’s many blessings that Charlene had the vision to transform what was once Southern Maine Community College’s coffee shop into a thriving breakfast and lunch spot for local residents and their visitors. Charlene’s sweet café is nestled in the back corner of a red brick building that over a dozen years ago was home to Mid Coast Hospital. Bob Smith, the building’s new owner, also deserves praise for imagining something new for what was a dormant commercial property. In a historic city, it’s encouraging to see that old buildings, like old homes, are being renovated and sometimes even repurposed. 

Charlene used to work in her  kitchen at home to prepare her signature soups for delivery, but as her client list grew she realized she needed more space and a few extra hands. Ergo, she transformed a dusty, old coffee shop into a modern hub for Navy crews, office workers, circles of friends, mothers and daughters, and anyone who happens to need breakfast or lunch on the go. Without a doubt, some people are born to run! With it’s inviting chalkboard menu, Charlene's perky place might be a little off the beaten path, but it is definitely situated on a field of dreams. And now I feel an urge to quote a Kevin Costner movie: “If you build it, they will come.”

An Irish stone wall around a new dining spot on Front Street

In the near future, Salt Pine Social, will add a different flavor to Bath cooking. The owners, Eloise Humphrey, and her sister and brother-in-law, Daphne and Paul Comaskey have a sterling reputation in the restaurant business. They opened El Camino Cantina, a popular Mexican style restaurant in Brunswick in 2004, and they decided to bring a new culinary experience to Bath in 2015 when they purchased a 3,000 square foot building, which included an antique house and a garage at the corner of Linden and Front Streets. Ironically, the old building used to be an antique store called Tintypes, which for some odd reason reminds me of the Girl Scout song: “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.” Antique stores seem to be fading away in Bath, but sometimes their treasure resurfaces in new homes and businesses. Perhaps Pine Tree Social will use antique tables and adorn their dining space with artifacts from the shipyards of Long Reach. This new restaurant promises to showcase locally grown and raised food, offer seasonal dishes, prepare great seafood and pour good wine. And their outside seating area is already surrounded by a stone wall, which was artfully built by Green Island Stonework, a company that specializes in building one-of-a-kind walls stone by stone.               

A work of art by Green Island Stonework

When I first arrived in Bath a few years ago, I crossed over the Sagadahoc Bridge and visited the Nequasset Meeting House in Woolwich. According to the historic marker, this pre-Revolutionary War building served as the first Congregational Church east of the Kennebec as early as 1757. In order to enter the nearby cemetery, I had to pass through the opening of a magnificent stone wall. On that day, I took a lot of pictures of the wall because it struck me as an enduring work of art. I also assumed the wall was as old as the meeting house. A few weeks later, I attended a talk by the Bath Garden Club, and one of the master gardeners, Barbara Richards, mentioned the construction of a new stone wall with an old Irish design at her home in Woolwich. Later, I asked her about the wall at Nequasset, and she told me that the same company of artisans that built her wall also built the Nequasset wall. The beautiful stonewall that I admired next to the old church really wasn’t old at all! Everything changes and everything remains the same. Whether it’s 1757 or 2016, great walls are built stone by stone!

A new JHR showroom in a historic brick building

Sometimes we welcome change, and sometimes we resist it. Last year, after a heated debate,the City of Bath approved JHR Development’s plan to construct five buildings along the waterfront in the historic “coal pocket.” Some local residents vehemently opposed the project because the buildings would block the viewshed of the Kennebec River. In order to win the city’s approval, Mr. Hilary Rocket, the president of JHR, promised to build a river walk in front of the condominiums that the general public could freely access. Consequently, the development now underway is called The Bath River Walk Residences. Hopefully, when this ambitious project is completed, the community of Bath will embrace it as a positive change. In the meantime, growing pains can hurt.

As fate and Bath would have it, JHR set up their showroom in the old Morris S. Povich building at 143 Front Street. The former occupant of that historic space was Brick Store Antiques. For twenty-five years Polly Thibodeau, with the help of her sister, Jan, sold antique furniture, collectibles and vintage items of every kind in that classy store, and I was a satisfied customer. Today, the treasure for sale is different: luxury condominiums with a fabulous view in the City of Ships. With luck, the new owners of the River Walk Residences will appreciate history and love antiques, and the community of Bath will continue to follow the Girl Scout rule: “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.”

An angel with flowers next to Claudette Gamache's Gallery on Front Street

Once Upon a Foot Stool

     Some of the most powerful magicians in Maine open shops and unleash their creative energy on Front and Centre Streets in Bath. Caroline Davis, the owner of Stable on Front, lets her imagination loose every day when she sits and paints by her shop’s open door. She also allows other local artisans to showcase their unique, often whimsical work, and the result is a gallery that delights the soul in a Disney kind of way. Last Monday, I discovered a hidden treasure there, a multi-colored foot stool, and my fairy tale week took flight. To clarify, let me go back in time to Sunday, the twenty third of May.

     After attending a bridal shower for my daughter-in-law to be, I drove home to Bath. Upon my arrival, I was surprised by the early delivery of an antique rocker from Ms. Jo Ann Hall, a mighty Bathite with an incredible talent for repairing and reupholstering old furniture. With a wave of her hand, Jo managed to restore our Mema’s old rocker to better than new condition, and now it sits rocking upstairs in our guest room (a.k.a. the Owl Room) like a buoy on the Kennebec. Of course, as soon as I saw Jo’s handiwork, I had to sit down and test its capacity for rocking babies to sleep because next month our first grandchild, Stella, will be visiting Bath. Stella has been invited to her Aunt Katie’s wedding, and I know she will need some lullaby time after dancing in her family’s arms all evening long – as babies love to do - at the reception! As I rocked in that cozy corner of the Owl Room, I couldn’t help but remember my husband’s grandmother, Mema, who toasted us at our wedding almost thirty-seven years ago. She was a smart, graceful woman, and when she was young she sat in this rocker, which was kept in her bedroom, and dreamed impossible dreams. Some of those dreams actually did come true. Now I can hardly wait to sing and read to Stella in her Great Granny’s chair. I plan to read her my all-time, favorite story books: Corduroy and A Pocket for Corduroy. Teddy bears, pockets and children seem to go together like rockers and grandmas and foot stools and grandpas. This June I hope to mix all those magical elements together to make some unforgettable memories. I was lucky to meet Jo Ann Hall in Bath, and I am grateful that she was able to convert Mema’s old rocker into a new dream machine.

           

     Outside of Bath, I’m also grateful for the treasure I found at On Board Fabrics in Edgecomb. As fate and Bath would have it, Jo Hall suggested I drive over the Kennebec River, through Wiscasset, over the Back River and the Sheepscot River, until I reach the fork in the road at Route 1 and Route 27. Jo’s directions to Molly Hutchin’s barn, which serves as her design studio and fabric store, were crystal clear. I followed Route 27 to 660 Boothbay Road and stopped. “You won’t be disappointed,” Jo said, and she was right. As far as I can see, Molly is a fabulous Maine Magician. She collects the most beautiful fabrics and offers them to creative people at fair prices. Thanks to Molly and Jo, I have managed to save three old chairs from the gloomy dumpster, and I feel good about those rescues. I believe Maine, especially Bath, is rich in history because its residents are committed to restoring and preserving old places, and old possessions, and everything that is rescued has a story to tell.

Licensed to marry!

         For my daughter Katie, her fiancé Scott, and I, last Monday was a particularly happy day in May! At Bath's Davenport Memorial City Hall, Katie and Scott met a wise clerk, a powerful wizard, who provided them with all the necessary paperwork to secure a Maine Marriage License, and minutes later, with a little magic, they left City Hall with their license in hand. I was thrilled to be there, and I snapped a picture to capture the moment. The month of May is perfect for filling your pockets with happy thoughts and small treasures. Without warning, on a random day, flowers and trees start blooming and suddenly there are a lot of Mayflowers in The City of Ships, and everyone feels like skipping up Front Street and skipping down Centre Street. Okay, maybe we didn’t skip down to the Stable on Front Street, but it was a great day to be in Bath!

A Pocket Park

     Before we entered Caroline’s gallery, I wanted to introduce Katie and Scott to Bath’s new pocket park, sweetly tucked in between Betty’s Home Cooking and Lisa Marie’s Made in Maine. It takes a Cool Little City to build such a liberating park in such a small space. I sat down on one of the stone benches - I have a natural affinity for pretty places to sit - and I asked Katie to take my picture in one of the smallest parks I have ever seen. It was another historic moment, especially because of the image printed on the banner hanging behind me. Compliments of The Maine Maritime Museum, the banner was a copy of a painting by H.A. Hilling, which depicted Bath’s waterfront circa 1844. On that sunny day, I was reminded of all the pockets that have been filled for over two centuries in The City of Bath because of shipbuilding. From wooden schooners to stealth destroyers, Bath has certainly witnessed a pocketful of miracles!

           

The Stable on Front Street Gallery

     Inside the Stable on Front, we admired the artistry of Caroline Davis, Sally Pollard, Tonia Hennessey, Maddi Omo, and other artisans. Sally, who happens to be a dear friend, creates bowls, platters and ornaments of various shapes and sizes from pieces of old jigsaw puzzles. It’s an amazing way to recycle, reuse, and add beauty to our world! With a paint brush in her hand, Caroline is a master at making a still life seem real. And that brings me back to my foot stool, the one that caught my fancy on Monday and convinced me to return on Tuesday morning! I’m not sure why I had to buy it, but I did. I think that little foot stool, which was made from an old chair with two barley twist legs in front and two straight legs in back, spoke to my imagination. Caroline told me the artist, Tonia, was from West Bath, and she enjoyed using paint and fabric to reinvent old furniture. By cutting off the back of a vintage chair, Tonia created a foot stool with a beautiful upholstered top that could be used as an ottoman or a seat.

Stella takes her daddy to story time

OnTuesday afternoon, I tapped on my smart phone’s icon for shared photos to see if my daughter-in-law had posted any new pictures of my darling granddaughter on the cloud. (I’m shamelessly addicted to checking the cloud for photos of Stella!) My heart skipped when I saw the number “1,”and as soon as I tapped the icon, I realized why I bought the little foot stool. I didn’t buy it by chance; rather, I bought it on purpose. Three months ago when Joe and I first became grandparents, I discovered the magical power of grandchildren. They create a new list of needs. For example, when you have a grandchild, you need a rocking chair and a foot stool. I believe the message of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is right. Certain actions cause a chain reaction that you can’t stop. I’m going to spend a lot of time holding Stella and rocking her in that old rocking chair, and I’m going to fill all of her pockets with priceless memories. Joe, on the other hand, is going to sit in his favorite chair with his feet up on that charming stool, and he’s going to read If You Give a Moose a Muffin to Stella.

At the end of the story, Joe is going to explain in his best grandpa voice the connection between the book and our life. He is going to tell Stella how once upon a time our family found a house in Maine, and we added a new chapter to our family's history. Grandpa is also going to tell our little star why her grandma bought the foot stool. Truth be told, it reminded me of Little Miss Muffet's tuffet, and how much I love nursery rhymes, like Twinkle, twinkle, little star, and story books!

If you give a moose a muffin,

he'll want some jam to go with it. So you'll bring out some of your mother's homemade blackberry jam. When he's finished eating the muffin, he'll want another. And another. And another.

Laura Joffe Numeroff

 

The Day John Wayne Rode into Bath

On Good Friday, Joe and I arrived in Bath for a peaceful weekend. Before relaxing completely, we stopped at Brackett’s, the local market, for essential supplies - corn flakes and pinot noir.  At the checkout, Joe added a few newspapers because he always feels a need to stay informed even when we’re not working. Truth be told, I agree, especially when it comes to reading The Coastal Journal and The Times Record. Professionally, I’m a foreign language teacher, but personally I’ve always been drawn to local news because, at the end of the day, most teachers answer to the parents and children of a particular city or town. We prefer to think locally! The last article I read before turning off the lights on Good Friday was “Coastal History: John Wayne to the Rescue” (March 24, 2016). The article, written by Zac McDorr, a Bath native and contributing writer for The Coastal Journal, gave me food for thought and a Bath legend to dream about.

Holy Saturday rushed in cold but sunny, so Joe and I decided to walk up to Bath’s Freight Shed to

A view of BIW with three destroyers under construction

shop at the Farmers’ Market. On the way, we caught a glimpse of the USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001) at Bath Iron Work’s. Standing in front of the Customs House, we could see BIW’s towering red and white cranes that looked as if they were standing guard over new destroyers looming in the background. I had to snap a photo, and I couldn’t help but link the image of a destroyer due to be christened in mid-June to the Coastal Journal’s article on the most legendary launch in BIW’s history. An hour later I was telling Lisa, my favorite stylist at Bath Hair Salon, about that day in 1975 when John Wayne came to Bath and saved the christening of the USS Oliver Hazard Perry. The Duke succeeded in launching the ship with a big shoulder push after Mrs. Donald Rumsfeld, the wife of the Secretary of Defense, smashed a champagne bottle across the ship's bow, but failed to launch it. Congressman Dave Emery and Senator Edmund Muskie also tried to send the Oliver Hazard Perry down the ways, but they failed, too. Much to my surprise, Lisa told me she remembered that day because her mother attended the ceremony and had a chance to meet John Wayne. I was duly impressed because I am a huge John Wayne fan. I can remember going to the movies with my dad and seeing The Longest Day and The Sons of Katie Elder and watching old, black and white movies on television over and over again on channel 9 in New York.

When I was growing up, Million Dollar Movie was the program that presented movies throughout the weekend and entertained me while I made a dollar an hour babysitting every Saturday night! By the time I was seventeen, I had seen most of the 24 films that John Wayne had made with renowned director John Ford, a native son of Maine, born in Cape Elizabeth in 1894. Of all the films John Ford and John Wayne made together, The Searchers and The Quiet Man were my favorites, but I recognized the cinematic excellence of Stagecoach and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance as well. I learned a lot about the personal sacrifices involved in settling the American west by watching John Ford movies starring the Duke, but I also gained an understanding of World War II history by watching Otto Preminger’s film In Harm’s Way, which starred John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, and Patricia Neal. In my movie-loving mind, it was this 1965 Hollywood blockbuster that forever linked John Wayne, the movie star, with the United States Navy, which is the preferred military service of both my father and brother. From time to time, my brother, Mike, likes to post a YouTube link to a scene from the 1940 film Seven Sinners, which features Marlene Dietrich singing “The Man’s in the Navy.” And who do you think walks into the South Pacific bar as Bijou Blanche (Dietrich) sings that song? Listen to the lyrics written by Frank Loesser, and you’ll see the man with the glorious shoulders:

     See those shoulders bold and glorious.

     See that smile,

     that smile’s notorious.

     You can bet your eyes 

 John Wayne and Marlene Dietrich in The Seven Sinners

     the man's in the Navy.
     See those nice blue trousers
     walk about. 
     That’s that salty walk
     they talk about.
     You can bet your life
     that man’s in the Navy.
     Lots of men stand 6’7.
     And lots of men have arms
     like heaven.
     And lots of men have hair
     all golden and wavy.
     But when they’re around
     gorgeous women,
     they’ll chase him
     like a wanted criminal.
     You can bet your life,
     that man’s in the Navy…

Of course, in the movie, young Lt. Dan Brent was played by none other than John Wayne, and the rest is movie history. I’m not sure if art imitates life or life imitates art, but I know that I have always been a fool for a man in uniform - I married a young lieutenant. I believe John Wayne was destined to come to Bath, and forty years later I was meant to read about his heroic push to launch the USS Oliver Hazard Perry. As fate and Bath would have it, The Coastal Journal’s article shed some light on why I have been so drawn to Long Reach, the four-mile, protected stretch along the Kennebec River that holds the heart of Bath’s shipbuilding history. I feel at home in Bath because I feel connected to my family’s past in this City of Ships. I call myself a Pearl Harbor survivor because my father survived the December 7th attack. He retired from the U.S. Navy Reserves in 1981 as a Chief Petty Officer after 40 years of continuous service, eight active and 32 reserve. I’m not sure that’s possible in today’s Navy, but after WWII, the Navy needed the old Chief Machinist Mates to keep the old “tin cans” afloat, and my dad did that with distinction at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

The Maine Maritime Museum as seen from the Kennebec

In June, my family and I will be celebrating our daughter’s wedding day at the Maine Maritime Museum on the same day that the USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), will be christened at the last remaining shipyard in Bath. In 1854, Long Reach was home to 21 shipyards. A lot has changed since those boom years, but one key fact has remained: “Bath built is best built!” On April 12, 2014, the first Zumwalt-class destroyer was christened by Admiral Elmo Zumwalt’s two daughters. On December 7, 2015, the USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) began sea trials. Clearly, the December 7th date was chosen deliberately!

The USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) returning from sea trials

Recently, the owners of Doubling Point Cottage managed to take a photo capturing the powerful grace of the Zumwalt underway. Ironically, my daughter and her husband-to-be will be taking their wedding photos at the Doubling Point Lighthouse. It’s striking to see how the story lines - present and past - intersect.

Doubling Point Lighthouse

If you read the names of all the ships christened in Bath, American history comes alive in a personal, sweat and tears, kind of way. A U.S. naval ship’s christening day is like a rebirth of an American hero. It’s a unique and beautiful way to remember those who sacrificed and made great strides in the name of freedom. Amidst all the cheering, there are usually a few tears. For example, on October 31, 2015, the USS Rafael Peralta (DDG115) was christened by the mother of Sergeant Rafael Peralta USMC, who was killed on November 15, 2004 during the Second Battle of Fallujah while engaging in house-to-house urban combat. General Dynamics BIW is now building an Arleigh Burk destroyer which will be christened the USS Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. after a United States Marine Officer, who received the Medal of Honor for his valor during the Vietnam War. Last October, the President of BIW expressed the meaning of the christening day celebration best: “We all understand the importance of what we do – building ships that will protect our sailors and marines. We know that these ships will be called upon to go anywhere, at any time, in harm’s way.” Because I’m from a Navy family, I have always been familiar with the term “harm’s way,” but I didn’t know it’s origin until yesterday. Captain John Paul Jones, a Revolutionary War Naval Captain, used it first: “I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go in harm’s way.” Clearly, Bath, Maine’s City of Ships is still building fast ships!

USS Zumwalt at Bath Iron Works

When Joe and I bought our home on Washington Street, we had to spend a few weeks apart because of Joe’s work commitments in Chicago. That separation made our first summer in Bath slightly more challenging, but Joe is resourceful and creative. He sent me a series of care packages, and when I tore off the brown paper wrapped around the first one, I found a hard-covered book, a biography by Scott Eyeman: John Wayne – The Life and Legend. How could Joe have known that a Hollywood biography would connect us to Bath and to each other so strongly? Call it serendipity, or Bath magic, but some moves are meant to be. At last, our hearts are home in Bath. The Coastal Journal’s description of John Wayne’s role in the launching of a Bath built destroyer might have surprised some people, but it didn’t surprise us. On the contrary, it seems only natural that John Wayne would ride into Bath and save the day! After all, this is Bath, Maine’s Cool Little City!