Category Archives: Columnists

The Movie Man: My Top 10 Favorite Scary Movies

Posted on by
Reply

It’s that spooky time of year … Photo by Sergiu Baica on Unsplash.

Kevin Ganey is ‘The Movie Man.’

Well, it’s that time of year, to which we refer — in a cringey, cliched manner — as “Spooky Season.”

Not only do the decorations come up, but we seek out that which scares us in all mediums. And so I think it’s only appropriate if I share my favorite scary movies with the readers of LymeLine.

I’ve decided to present them in a Top 10 List in the manner of David Letterman. Whether I’m as witty or humorous as him is for the reader to decide …

And so here we go.
10. Aliens
This is, no question, one of my favorite action movies of all time. And there could be no more frightening a monster than the Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise (a creature that bleeds acid). While the first movie certainly keeps you on the edge of your seat, we’re not dealing with one of these monsters this time, but an entire planet.
9. Jaws
Name any other movie that has made people afraid to go into the water. I’ll wait. (Not exactly an autumn movie … maybe Labor Day at best?)
The malfunctioning mechanical shark led Spielberg to jump on the innovative idea popularized by filmmaker Val Lewton that it’s not what we see that scares us, but what we don’tsee; hence shooting the scenes from the shark’s point of view in the first half.
I personally think the scariest scene doesn’t involve the shark, but Quint recounting his survival story on the USS Indianapolis.
8. The Innocents
The creepiness begins right off the bat with a child singing a lament that chills you to the bone. There’s something about children and ghost stories that perverts the very nature of the latter …
An adaptation of Henry James’ novella The Turn of the Screw (with a script co-authored by Truman Capote), this film depicts a governess in Victorian-era England caring for two small children, one of whom may be possessed by the ghost of the estate’s former groundskeeper.
7. The Changeling
I discovered this little known film starring George C. Scott when I saw it was included in Martin Scorsese’s Top 11 Horror Films. Simply put, it was the first movie to scare me in years. I would describe it as the perfect ghost story film, with the spirit of a child reaching out to the living from beyond the grave for overdue justice.
6. The Exorcist
Modern audiences will not be scared by this film, but that is only because filmmakers have built layer upon layer of this groundbreaking piece. Initially, what scared me most about this movie was the make-up/mask worn by Linda Blair as the possessed Regan McNeil.
But what scared me following that was learning about the concept of demonic possession — an aspect of my life (faith) that I had not been introduced to before. It was the equivalent of learning that your neighbor was a mafia hitman.
What was most terrifying was the technical accuracy of the process in which the Catholic Church investigates and gives the green light for exorcisms. The vulgarity and obscenity scandalized many (and was actually encouraged by the clergy, based on alleged cases of possession), so much so that many towns refused to show it in their local theatres, which led to bus trips to the nearest possible town for viewing parties.
During its initial release, viewers were prone to faint and ushers were trained to awaken said viewers with smelling salts.
5. The Silence of the Lambs
If you are not won over by the fact that this is one of only three movies ever to have won the “Big Five” at the Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay) since, let’s face it, the Oscars are not the right metric for good movies, perhaps I can simply quote a couple of the many chilling lines from the movie.
How about, “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti,” or, “It rubs the lotion on its skin, or else it gets the hose again.”
Jodie Foster recalled that, because of the way the film was shot with face-fronting angles, she and Anthony Hopkins rarely had a scene together. Later on she shared how terrified she was of his performance as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, while he separately shared that he was scared of her.
Also consider that Hopkins, while appearing for less than 30 minutes on screen, qualified for the category of Best LeadingActor (talk about having an impact.)
4. The Omen
The theology revolving around the Anti-Christ and eschatology is absolute c–p, but we cannot deny the eeriness.
The movie rips Bible verses out of context to create an ominous, prophetic feel about world events revolving around the American ambassador Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck), who swapped his stillborn baby for another, whose mother died while giving birth at the same moment … and this child turns out to be the spawn of Satan.
There’s a mystery feel to it, as Thorn investigates why spooky occurrences have been happening since the fifth birthday party for his “son”, Damien. Add Jerry Goldsmith’s Academy Award-winning score, and it can’t get much better than that.
The scene in which Thorn visits the ruins of an ancient Etruscan cemetery to find the truth about Damien’s “mother” still creeps me out to this day.
3. The Birds
No joke, the day after I saw this, a flock of birds flew by me and I shuddered. I was suddenly afraid of simple, little creatures that I saw every day. I think that’s all I need to say to summarize the power of this movie.
2. Psycho
Similar to The Exorcist, this film does not give us the jumps that it gave upon its initial release in 1960 (as many filmmakers have built upon its innovations in the years since), but we cannot deny that Norman Bates is, almost without question, probably the most disturbing character in all of cinema.
What terrifies me the most is not the iconic shower scene, but the finale in which the psychiatrist explains why Norman is the way he is.
And the number one pick for favorite scary movie of all time goes to…
1. The Shining
There is no question that this is a masterpiece of cinema. Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s 1977 bestseller was not well-received upon its initial release in 1980, but it has since aged like an exceptional fine wine.
With top-notch performances by Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, accompanied by musical pieces by Krzysztof Penderecki, one cannot deny this terror-infused tour-de-force.
As I said in my introduction, in this season we will start seeking out what scares us. Some will go for decorations, costumes, and some will seek out theme parks (I’m anxiously trying to get to Six Flags for Freight Fest this year). But again, you can’t go wrong with a movie, a medium that combines all forms of art and is accessible, in the words of Shakira, “Whenever, Wherever …”
About the Author: Though no longer a resident of Lyme, Kevin knows he can never sever his roots to the tree of his identity. When not attending to his job in Boston, he is committed to ensuring a better grasp of current (and past) releases of cinema to his home community as he strives to leave his own mark in the same field that has always been his guide to understanding life. If you enjoy his published reviews here on LymeLine.com, follow him on his website at ‘The City of Cinema‘ and read more of his unique insights into entertainment.

A View from My Porch: Tatts & Piercings; A Primer for the Curious

Posted on by
2

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.

Tom Gotowka

In January 2023, Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) will enact regulations for the oversight of the tattoo and piercing establishments and their respective practitioners and operators in the nine communities in LLHD’s SE CT service area. 

Background:

Connecticut had passed legislation requiring some oversight several years ago, but an organized monitoring and inspection system had never really been implemented.

This absence of oversight surprised me, because Connecticut already reviews barbers, cosmeticians, estheticians, hairdressers, and nail technicians; none of whom intentionally pierce the skin or introduce foreign materials into the body.

Connecticut DPH did eventually make such oversight the responsibility of the individual health districts; and per the above, LLHD drafted regulations and office inspection protocols that were reviewed and approved by their Board of Directors. Local body art practitioners had input and were supportive of the efforts.

This essay reviews the need fulfilled by LLHD and broadly considers the body art genre, which not only includes tattooing and piercing, but also branding, and permanent cosmetics. I sometimes use the term “practitioner” in this essay, as equivalent to tattoo “artist” or “technician”.

Note that since 2015, Connecticut has required written consent of a parent or legal guardian for tattoos and piercings for those under age 18. Piercings of the ear lobes are exempt from the requirement for parental consent. 

Body Art by the Numbers:

In my “youth”, tattoos had been the hallmark of the troubled and/or rebellious individual; — somebody with “attitude”; and definitely not someone you should be hanging out with. For example, in 1950s’ Milwaukee, Arthur Fonzarelli (“the Fonz”), with his motorcycle, black leather jacket, and rebel attitude would have had tattoos. Richie Cunningham, would not.

But fortunately for every individual who has “gotten ink” since the days of my “youth”, that negative stigma has faded; and body art now appears to be generally accepted as a form of self-expression.  

A 2019 survey indicates that about 30 percent of Americans have at least one tattoo, compared to only 21 percent in 2012. Forty percent of people 18 to 34 years old, and 35 percent of those 35 to 54 years old have at least one tattoo; and it is estimated that more than 60 percent of adults in the United States have had a body piercing (the estimate includes pierced ear lobes).

Results were not stratified by any measure of attitude.

Photo by Allef Vinicius on Unsplash.

Common Procedures:

Tattoos are created by injecting ink into a person’s dermis, (i.e., the middle and thickest layer of skin. The practitioner usually uses a machine that makes many small holes in the skin and inserts ink into the holes.

For cosmetic procedures like microblading, pigment is scratched into the skin to resemble eyebrow hair. The microblade is a manual, handheld tool with tiny needles at the tip that create the shape of a small blade. 

Training and Licensure:

In order to qualify for a Connecticut tattoo license, the applicant must

  • have completed 2,000 hours of practical training and experience under the direct supervision and instruction of a licensed tattoo practitioner
  • have successfully completed, within the prior three years, a course on prevention of disease transmission and blood-borne pathogens that comply with OSHA  standards
  • hold current certification in basic first aid by the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.

Individuals that only provide body piercings are not required to be licensed. 

However, establishments that provide piercings outside of the ear lobe/will be inspected. Licensing of the individual practitioner is granted by Connecticut DPH, while LLHD has responsibility for inspecting and licensing the facility/establishment and the breadth of services provided therein.

Some Colorful History:

Sailors in the merchant marine had their initials tattooed onto their skin in the 1700s. These tattoos were then recorded in their personal “Seamen’s Protection Certificates”, which were used as identification and to fend off impressment, which was a form of illegal conscription employed by the Royal Navy during the 18th and early 19th centuries as a means of crewing warships. 

A modification of Thomas Edison’s electric pen, invented in 1875 and designed for duplicating and printing documents, is still used today for tattooing.

The New York World newspaper, a pioneer in yellow journalism, which published independently until 1930, when it merged into the “New York World-Telegram,” reported that by 1900, more women than men in New York City sported tattoos. 

In 1961, it became illegal to provide someone a tattoo in New York City. The city claimed that there was an outbreak of hepatitis B, while many suspected that it was done in an attempt to clean up the less than savory areas of the city in advance of the 1964 World’s Fair. However, the ban remained in effect for 36 years and was finally lifted in 1997.

Of course, the ban had created a busy underground market for tattoos. 

Several religious denominations have decreed that tattoos are a sin to obtain and a sin to display. Father Jerry Herda of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee wrote in the “Catholic Herald” in 2012 that “a tattoo in and of itself is not a sin; but “there are times when getting a tattoo can be sinful.”

He went on to illustrate with the examples of an individual, who gets a tattoo, that is vulgar or offensive to others; and a minor child, who gets a tattoo in opposition to his parents’ wishes, which would be a violation of the fourth commandment. Father Herda’s second example is pertinent to some of the discussion below. 

The Risks:

Although tattooing and piercing can be performed safely, they both carry risks. These risks include allergic reactions, skin infections at the site, and the spread of infectious diseases and bloodborne pathogens, all of which underscore the importance of providing the procedure in a clean environment and under sterile conditions.

Notably, infections can also occur when the ink is contaminated.  

The Role of the FDA:

The FDA considers the inks used in intradermal tattoos, including permanent makeup, as cosmetics, but the pigments used in the inks are color additives that require pre-marketing approval. There are a variety of pigments and dilutants used in tattooing.

Although a number of color additives are approved for use in cosmetics, not all are approved for injection into the skin; and using an unapproved color additive in a tattoo ink makes the ink “adulterated” and possibly harmful.

When the FDA identifies a safety problem associated with a cosmetic, including a tattoo ink, the agency investigates and takes appropriate action to prevent illness or injury.

For example, in 2017 and 2019, the FDA issued safety alerts advising consumers, practitioners and retailers to avoid using or selling certain contaminated tattoo inks. Further, the FDA initiated actions in 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2017 that resulted in the voluntary recall and, in some cases, market withdrawal, of tattoo inks and needles due to reports of infection and confirmed microbial contamination.  

LLHD Inspections:

Onsite reviews may be completed annually or in follow-up of a complaint or some corrective action. However, due to the nature of body art and a respect for privacy, inspections will be scheduled, which differs from other regulated establishments, where inspections are unannounced.

Routine reviews could include verification of credentials, review of the sources of inks and additives, record keeping, and the sterilization procedures required to control cross-contamination of instruments and equipment. Note that the industry has progressed to more single-use materials stored in “steri-packs”. 

Closer to Home:

Two-thirds of our daughters and neither of our sons have tattoos; and none, as far as I can tell, have piercings.

Our youngest daughter, “D”, a computer systems professional has a tattoo of an artist’s interpretation of the Fibonacci Sequence.

Our middle daughter, “K”, a teacher, has a small fish tattoo that is only visible on the beach. The fish is an artist’s rendering of the logo of a sports equipment company. “K” has a son, aged 6, and two daughters, aged 3 years and younger. Remember, in the future, “What goes around, comes around”.  

Some Thoughts:

Perhaps this is all just a contemporary continuation of the “Aesthetic Movement” of the late 19th century, — “Art for Art’s Sake”, which prized the aesthetic value of literature, music and the arts over any didactic, moral, or socio-political function.

Based on a quick search, there does not appear to be a tattoo establishment currently operating in Old Lyme, but Old Saybrook seems to be awash with ink; as are several other Southeast Connecticut communities.

Sources:

CT Department of Public Health (2022). Practitioner Licensing & Investigations Section; Tattoo Technician.
National Environmental Health Association. (2021). Model Body Art Code.
American Broadcasting Company. Happy Days 1974-1984.
Herda, J. Archdiocese of Milwaukee: Catholic Herald. Ask Father Jerry: Is getting a tattoo a sin? (09/20/2012).
Le Blanc, P, Hollinger, K, et al. Tattoo ink–related infections: awareness, diagnosis, reporting, and prevention. NEJM 367(11),985-987
Nalewicki, J. Tattooing was Illegal in New York City until 1997. Smithsonian Magazine. (02/28/2017).
Food and Drug Administration. Tattoos, Temporary Tattoos & Permanent Makeup. 03/01/2022).

Editor’s Note: This is the opinion of Thomas D. Gotowka.

 About the author: Tom Gotowka is a resident of Old Lyme, whose entire adult career has been in healthcare. He will sit on the Navy side at the Army/Navy football game. He always sit on the crimson side at any Harvard/Yale contest. He enjoys reading historic speeches and considers himself a scholar of the period from FDR through JFK. A child of AM Radio, he probably knows the lyrics of every rock and roll or folk song published since 1960. He hopes these experiences give readers a sense of what he believes “qualify” him to write this column.

Gardening Tips for September from ‘The English Lady’, a Month of ‘Peace and the Crackling Sound of Leaves’

Posted on by
1

The  leaves are beginning to turn and soon we will be enjoying the full glory of fall. Photo by Faye Cornish on Unsplash.

Maureen Haseley-Jones is “The English Lady.”

Rain through August has been extremely sparse, that said, our gardens need rain as do our reservoirs.   

In the meantime, if you are planting evergreens, this month of September is the best time to plant evergreens in our zone. Evergreens planted now can begin to establish strong roots before winter and giving them adequate water is essential.

I suggest making a hole in the soil with an iron stake or other piercing instrument and feeding the hose into the hole and allowing water to reach the roots in a slow manner for at least a half hour on planting and a few times a week until the ground freezes in November. Cover the earth around the plants with a light layer of composted manure and mulch, but do not mulch right up to the bark of the plants as this encourages rodents to nest and gnaw on the bark of the plants. 

HYDRANGEAS

How should you prune to achieve hydrangeas that flower like this? Maureen has the answers. hydrangeas. Photo by Gemma Evans on Unsplash.

I often get questions on pruning of Hydrangeas, with fellow gardeners asking me ‘Maureen, why did my Hydrangeas not bloom this year’? The reason that Hydrangeas do not bloom is that gardeners prune them at the wrong time.  If you feel that your Hydrangea macrophylla has become too large and require pruning; 

  • Prune them by the first two weeks of September. The reason being is that Hydrangeas set their buds for next season by late September; pruning any later will cut off those buds, which will negate any chance of bloom for next season or even the following season.  
  • Prune any old woody stems that have not bloomed well and any weak new shoots.
  • After pruning, apply a few inches of composted manure, and some peat, followed by a top dressing of natural brown bark mulch. The peat aids acidity in the soil, which is necessary as Hydrangeas may become chlorotic if the soil is too alkaline. By the way, chlorotic means abnormal reduction or loss of normal green coloration of the leaves of plants.

On another note, Hydrangeas do not like to be transplanted; transplanting them can result in little to no bloom for many seasons. For that reason, I suggest when planting new Hydrangeas, make sure they are at least 5 ft. apart, so they have room to grow, receive adequate ventilation and will never need to be transplanted. 

This fall, as you contemplate your landscape, think on the past season as to what worked for you and what you will never try again. 

Unfortunately, mint has taken over the border beneath my Franklinia tree. Many years ago, my friend Roz, was kindly lending a hand in the garden and planted mint in the garden instead of a large container that I placed for that very purpose.  I was busy with other garden chores at that moment, so by the time I noticed the error six months later, the mint was running rampant among the blue myrtle edging the borders. So folks, please take note that mint is extremely invasive and should only be planted in containers where its wayward habits can be controlled.

‘It is said that ‘a gardener’s work is never done’, but now with the season’s hard labor behind you, take a break. Sit outside and inhale the late garden fragrances and allow Mother Nature to anchor and relax you. 

In the early morning I enjoy sitting on my patio near the herb garden, inhaling the fragrance of the sage, which I will  snip later to take indoors for drying and use in my recipes. I will also gather extra sage and lavender, which I will tie with string into small bunches to hang in my closets, which is a natural moth repellent.  Some of the Lavender bunches I tuck into my drawers to keep moths from devouring my woolens; this works so well as insects do not like fragrance. 

In your vegetable garden, sow spinach for spring harvest and sow a cover crop like winter rye, which can be dug in next spring together with composted manure as green manure. Green manure produces a rich growing environment for next year’s vegetables. 

Now is the time to get your fall compost pile cooking with the last of the grass clippings, spent perennials, leaves and small woody twigs.  

Now is also the time to dig up, divide and replant overgrown perennials. Follow this method every three to four years to ensure vibrant bloom from these plants. Never plant or transplant any division deeper in the soil than it is now or any deeper than the plant sits in the pot.

In the less hectic pace of fall, early autumn is the time to re-think your gardens. The garden’s pre-winter grooming will wait for a few weeks. Or you may feel that you would like to have a professional design as you have noticed that your borders are not up to your expectations. 

If that is so, then contact someone that you trust to create a plan in the fall and winter, which can be phased in beginning next spring. Engage someone who will listen to your thoughts and stay within your budget. I am giving you a suggestion for a plantsman, who is my son Ian whose company and website is LandscapesbyIan.com. I know you would enjoy speaking with him and the saying goes ’the apple does not fall far from the tree’ and I feel that Ian’s creative talents are well worth checking out.

PEONIES

Peonies need careful attention at this time of year to create a stunning display like this next year.

September is the month to plant and transplant Peonies.  Do not plant them deeply or they will not bloom, that means have just enough soil to hold them erect with the ‘pink eyes’ on the roots barely covered. Plant them with a light application of composted manure around the plant. Then in November, following the first hard frost, cut down the Peony foliage to about four inches from the ground. 

In a few weeks, the bright vibrancy of autumn color will appear on the maples. Fall’s brilliant autumn finery is the last hurrah, before winter sets in. Climbing up the red milk shed near the barn, the buds on the autumn clematis are beginning to unfurl and in the herb garden, autumn crocus, asters and sedum will take their curtain calls. 

For your soil to remain healthy, add a light layer of composted manure to all the borders now or in early October, together with a two-inch layer of fine bark mulch around to all newly-planted and transplanted perennials and shrubs.  With the application of the manure and mulch, you are continuing to build the humus component, which will ensure a rich growing environment for spring and protect the plants from winter’s harsh conditions.  

I do not cut down my spent perennials but leave them up for the birds; the ripened seed heads are a delicious treat for them to peck at. Following the vibrancy of summer bloom, I enjoy the softer, subtle colors of gray, brown and yellow of spent perennials and ornamental grasses blending naturally with the muted winter landscape, which to me offer a resting of the senses. 

Early to mid-October is a great time to be planting. The benefits of fall planting for trees, shrubs and perennials gives them a head start with root development over those planted in the spring. This is especially so when we experience a late spring when planting cannot begin until late April. In New England’s fall, the cooler temperatures and still warm soil encourages the plants to direct their energy into producing strong roots.   

The following trees are not good candidates for fall planting: 

  • Birches, Larches, Gingko, Oaks, Magnolia, and all flowering fruit and flowering trees as well as the Eastern Red Cedar. 

These trees have fleshy roots and their feeder roots are not large when young and take time to establish and are susceptible to frost heave.

Some perennials that do not like to be planted in fall are Artemisia, Lambs Ears, Foxglove, Penstemon, Anemone, Campanula, Kniphofia, Lupines, Scabiosa, Ferns and Grasses. 

Now is the time to plant garlic. Photo by Lobo Studio on Unsplash.

Plant garlic this month for harvest next June – garlic is the antibiotic of the garden. Plant it under fruit trees to avoid scab and root disease, near to ponds or standing water to control mosquito larvae or pour garlic water into ponds, bird baths and fountains to deter adult mosquitoes. 

BARGAINS

This is a good time to pick up end-of-season plant bargains. Most nurseries and garden centers have lowered their prices so they do not have to winter plants over in the nursery. However, with the low reservoirs you may decide to hold off until spring. But if you do purchase a few plants, keep your eyes open for the following problems:

  • POTBOUND PLANTS – check the bottom of the pot to see if the roots are growing through the holes.  If not, gently tap the plant out of the container to see if it has a network of overlapping roots that wrap around the root ball. It is possible to salvage a root bound plant, which is suffering from water and nutrient deficiencies over the summer, but it will be slow to root. Before you plant this one in your garden, cut the encircling roots – the roots will now be shorter but will take root easier. 
  • DISEASED PLANTS – plants that have been in containers all summer and have been fed high nitrogen fertilizers are easy targets for pests and diseases. Check for spots on the foliage, wilted or curling leaves and discolored roots. As well as visible signs of pest damage and infestation such as webbing or sticky residue on foliage. Not only would these plants do poorly in the garden but could infect your other plants and the soil.  Soil-borne diseases are the most difficult to deal with.
  • BADLY-SHAPED PLANTS – Badly shaped plants are the ‘Charlie Brown’ Christmas trees of the plant world, the unwanted orphans that have been passed over year after year; these are the runts of the litter!  Do not set yourself up for disappointment looking at an ugly tree or shrub just to save a few dollars.
  • MISLABLED PLANTS – At the end of the season many plant tags have been lost or mixed up, which means you are likely to get a perennial with flowers that are not the color you expected. Or you may buy a deciduous tree or shrub when you were looking for an evergreen variety.  Stick to the plants that are part of large displays of identically-labeled plants or with labels so firmly attached that look like they have been there for a while.

With all the above-mentioned plants – always add composted manure around the plant and do not plant any deeper than it is in its pot or burlap wrapping. Always wear gloves when working with manure; there is bacteria in the manure – great for the soil but not healthy for you. 

Above all, note that the bargain you get is often not worth the discount price. 

NEW LAWN OR PATCH SEEDING

September is an excellent time to plant new grass, the young grass plants will have the advantage over weeds. Do not buy cheap seed, you reap what you sow …

Gently de-thatch the areas that you wish to overseed or patch. Do not use the large thatching machines, which can damage existing grass. Add some composted manure to the area, broadcast the seed and cover the newly-seeded grass area with salt hay (free from weed seed). Do not allow the soil surface to dry out, keep it moist. Water gently, and do not saturate the area or the seed will wash away. 

When the grass appears, stay off it, do not mow and leave the salt hay to rot. Next spring, a healthy lawn will emerge and if there are a few bare patches in April, you can fill in the bare spots. 

I hope your spring bulb orders are in by now. Be adventurous this year and go for masses of a single color for the greatest impact. No matter how small your planting area, it is the intensity that counts, with two or three dozen red Tulips or a hundred Daffodils planted on your woodland edge. 

Buying daffodils in large numbers is less expensive, the bulbs are usually smaller – this is not a problem as daffodil bulbs grow larger each year. Even though many say the spacing between these larger bulbs should be six inches, there is no reason they cannot touch.  

Put some composted manure or bulb food on the soil where the bulbs are planted. Make sure you plant the Daffodils eight inches below the frost line, with the pointed end up. Wear gloves when you plant bulbs as they have a skin irritant, which may cause a rash.

If you cannot plant your bulbs when you receive them, store them in a cool, dry place in paper bags.  The best time to plant spring bulbs in the Northeast is the end of October to the middle of November.

Lily of the Valley can be transplanted this month but wear gloves because there is toxicity in this plant.  

Dig up your gladioli corms, Calla bulbs, Elephant ear bulbs and Dahlia tubers when the foliage turns yellow. Lay them in the sun to “cure” and store them in a cool, dry dark place. When you dig the Dahlia tubers, do not pull them, pulling can break the tubers. 

In early September after their summer sojourn outdoors, take your houseplants indoors and wash the foliage gently and repot with new potting soil into a clean container. Repot those plants that have outgrown their pots to a clean container that is only one size larger. 

Fall and early winter is a great time to do stonework – dry-laid paths, walls and patios. As well as repairing fences, arbors and pergolas and build decks. Paint wooden outdoor furniture with eco conscious paint before putting them undercover for winter.    

September is a gardener’s paradise; the air is cooler, the soil easy to work and you will not overheat with the effort.  Stay awhile in your garden; enjoy the comforting fragrance of fall.       

I’ll see you in your garden next time. 

Email me with gardening questions at MaureenHaseleyJones@gmail.com.

About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.

A View from My Porch: Brendan and the Pirates — Securing Passage of Crude Oil to The West

Posted on by
Reply

Tom Gotowka

I reported a few “Views” ago that my son had landed in Bahrain on an extended mission with the United States (US) Navy. Brendan is attached to the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC). This is a multinational consortium that was established to provide order and security for trade and shipping in the Arabian Gulf region of the Middle East, with particular focus on global oil supply routes.

This essay describes the critical activities of the IMSC. I also review the status of petroleum imports and exports by the US and consider the global energy implications of Russia’s hostile separation from the West.

 This “View” might also serve as a briefing paper for friends and family, who may be concerned that Brendan’s career has again taken him to what, for his parents, is the equivalent of Patrick O’Brian’s “Far Side of the World”.

Note that I use the term “Arabian Gulf” in this essay rather than “Persian Gulf”.

Background:

The Arabian Gulf countries are collectively the world’s largest exporter of fossil fuels — they account for more than 30 percent of global crude oil production and nearly half of global reserves. 

About a third of the world’s liquefied natural gas and almost a quarter of total global oil consumption is shipped in tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, which lies between the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and provides the only sea passage to the open ocean. 

Consequently, the strait has become one of the world’s most strategically important international trade routes and a “choke point” for the global energy economy, where free passage can be restricted or significantly impeded by a hostile adversary.

Contemporary Maritime Piracy and the Origins of the IMSC:

Piracy is the plundering, hijacking, or detention of a ship on the “high seas,” i.e., beyond the 12 nautical miles limit for “territorial waters”; and thus in international waters. 

2014 Kennedy Center Honoree Tom Hanks.

Tom Hanks, pictured left, introduced us to modern-day piracy in the movie, “Captain Phillips,” the story of the 2009 hijacking of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates while en route to Mombasa, Kenya with a humanitarian shipment of nearly 5000 metric tons of food aid and relief supplies for Kenya, Uganda, and Somalia. 

The incident was the first successful pirate seizure of a ship registered under the US flag since the Second Barbary War in 1815, which occurred during the administration of James Madison. However, it was the sixth vessel in a week to be attacked by Somali pirates, who had already extorted tens of millions of dollars in ransoms — and which, almost predictably, fueled more attacks.

In the summer of 2019, Norwegian and Japanese tankers were attacked, and a British tanker, the “Stena Impero”, was seized by Iranian naval forces near the Strait of Hormuz.

Within months, the IMSC was formally launched to enable a more effective and better organized response to such attacks, and to provide large scale support to existing efforts to deter and counter threats to navigation and trade in the Arabian Gulf region. 

There are currently nine member nations in the IMSC: Albania, Bahrain, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the US. 

Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel:

The IMSC patrols the waters of the Arabian Gulf, the Gulfs of Oman and Aden, and the Southern Red Sea through its operational arm, CTF Sentinel. 

Member nations provide ships and personnel. However, the US is the predominant contributor to CTF fleet operations.

In addition, the US Coast Guard maintains a squadron of four Fast Response Cutters and one Island Class Patrol Boat. The latter was originally deployed to the region in 2003 in support of President Bush’s “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” but is now a permanent presence in the CTF fleet and accountable for drug interdiction.

The CTF is charged with protecting all merchant shipping owned, operated, or flagged by the nine member nations.

According to the IMSC website, the CTF fleet, supported by significant reconnaissance and intelligence resources, enables the IMSC to target and engage “state-sponsored malign maritime activity.”

The center of operations for CTF Sentinel is “Naval Support Activity Bahrain” (NSAB), which is one of the military bases operated by the US Navy (USN) outside of the United States. NSAB is a “co-base,” in that it is run by the USN, but under the authority, laws, and regulations of Bahrain. As home to Naval Forces Central Command and the Fifth Fleet, NSAB plays a key role in Middle East Naval operations.

A Few Crude Facts:

In 2021, the US imported 7,623 barrels per day (b/d) of crude oil, and produced 10,038 b/d; yielding a total supply of 17,661 b/d. In that year, about 80 percent of the crude oil imported by the US came from Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Colombia. The Saudis supplied about 9 percent of the total U. S. crude oil supply. 

Note that those imports do not represent our total domestic consumption. Much of the imported crude oil is refined into petroleum products that are then exported. At present, the top five destinations for our refined petroleum products are India, South Korea, Canada, the Netherlands, and China.

Total US crude oil imports have shrunk by nearly 60 percent since 2017. 

Canada is now the largest single source of US petroleum and crude oil imports. In 2021, Canada accounted for 51 percent of total US petroleum imports and 62 percent of crude oil imports. The continued growth in Canadian crude oil import is exceeding current pipeline capacity and has resulted in increased crude oil export to the US by rail.

Finally, the Department of Energy predicts that petroleum and natural gas will remain the most-consumed sources of energy in the US through 2050, and that renewable energy (i.e., energy produced from sources like the sun and wind that are naturally replenished) will likely grow significantly. 

Russian Exports:

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine has significant potential to disrupt Western energy supplies. At present, both Germany and Italy import around one-half of their respective natural gas from Russia, while France obtains about a quarter of its supply from Russia.

Japan is the world’s second-largest importer of liquefied natural gas after China, which took the lead last year. Japan imports about 10 percent its total natural gas from Russia, with the remainder provided by Australia, Malaysia, and increasingly, the US. 

President Biden banned the import of Russian crude oil, liquefied natural gas, and coal to the United States last March, immediately after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Russia now claims that the punitive economic sanctions imposed on it by the West after the Ukraine invasion are responsible for its imposition of an indefinite halt to natural gas supplies through Europe’s main pipeline.

Some Thoughts:

The international energy import and export system is very complicated and fraught with risk. The Department of Energy recently reported that diesel and heating oil supplies in the Northeast are more than 50 percent below recent averages, raising concerns that an extreme weather event could cause supply disruptions. 

Fuel supplies are lower than normal across the country for several reasons, including the war in Ukraine, which upset supply chains and raised much greater concern regarding the adequacy of global energy supplies. 

As a result of the ban on Russian imports, President Biden is reconsidering the 2019 decision by the Trump administration to ban the importation of Venezuelan crude oil, which was imposed shortly after President Nicholas Maduro won reelection in an electoral process that was widely viewed as fraudulent.

Let me leave you with this reminder of an important international holiday, which has just occurred. Talk Like a Pirate Day, which was founded in Oregon in 1995, is commemorated every year on Sept. 19. Brendan has the opportunity to be schooled by experts and it will be a pleasure to accompany him to a celebration in the US in 2023. My treat!

Sources:
Brendan Gotowka: From the ship’s bridge
Associated Press: Low oil inventories raising concerns in in US Northeast. August 28, 2022
Central Intelligence Agency: CIA World Factbook 2022-2023.
IMSC: The Sentinel Watch (monthly newsletter for the maritime shipping industry).
             1. S. Energy Information Administration: “World Energy Outlook 2022”.

Editor’s Note: i) The photo above of Tom Hanks posing for a photo after a dinner hosted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., was taken on December 6, 2014. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

ii) This is the opinion of Thomas D. Gotowka.

 About the author: Tom Gotowka is a resident of Old Lyme, whose entire adult career has been in healthcare. He will sit on the Navy side at the Army/Navy football game. He always sit on the crimson side at any Harvard/Yale contest. He enjoys reading historic speeches and considers himself a scholar of the period from FDR through JFK. A child of AM Radio, he probably knows the lyrics of every rock and roll or folk song published since 1960. He hopes these experiences give readers a sense of what he believes “qualify” him to write this column.

A la Carte: Chicken Provencal is One of Lee’s ‘Favorite Dishes’

Posted on by
Reply

Editor’s Note: While Lee White is taking a short break, we are republishing some of her previous columns. This one is from September 2021.

Lee White

By the time you read this, I will have flown home from La Mirada, California, having visited with my Darcy, her husband and their greyhound, Whitney.

Darcy was planning many of her meals ahead of time: I was to arrive at Long Beach airport, in mid-afternoon on Sept. 2.

She had hoped we could drive to Palm Springs, but I reminded her it would be Labor Day weekend and driving in Los Angeles that weekend could be more annoying than doing the same on Labor Day weekend on the Connecticut shoreline.

Instead, she will probably have other plans for us, although I mostly love running on the wave pool at the local community center. I have also added three novels on my Kindle in case the weather is uncooperative. She also plans we will watch the Anthony Bourdain documentary.

This will be the first plane travel I will have done since before the pandemic. Darcy reminded me to bring extra masks, although she is not sure if masks are mandated indoors in California. In any case, I have had my third vaccine and feel fairly safe.

And I am to eat in someone else’s house for the first time after almost 18 months — I’m especially happy that it’s Darcy’s house.

On the other hand, I am thinking what my first dinner home will be. I looked in the freezer. Lots of chicken. All I have to buy is mushrooms. And this is one of my favorite dishes. 

Chicken Provencal
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma catalog, June, 2002
Serves 4

1 chicken, 3-4 pounds, cut up into 8 pieces (I used skinless boneless since that was all in had)
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
½ pound cremini mushrooms, quartered (I used a lot more)
2 cups white wine
1 ½ tablespoons chicken demiglace (More Than Bouillon is my favorite)
3 fresh thyme sprigs
½ pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ½ -inch pieces (I used more)
1 pint cherry tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put flour onto a flat plate, add salt and pepper, and mix.  Add chicken and toss to coat evenly.

In a large stock pot (I use a Le Creuset Dutch oven), add oil and warm  over medium high heat.

Working in batches, brown chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Transfer to a large plate.

Add onion and mushrooms to pan; cook until just golden and mushrooms start to brown, about 4 to 8 minutes. Off the heat, add wine and demiglace; set pan over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to get the brown bits (fond) into the braising liquid, about 5 minutes. 

Return chicken to pan, add thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 2 minutes.

Transfer pan to preheated oven and bake 25 minutes. Add potatoes to pan and stir to combine.

I then covered the pan, Continue baking until chicken is falling off the bone, about 35 minutes more.

Remove pan from oven, add tomatoes, stir gently and let stand 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately. This dish is even better on the second or third day. Always heat in a microwave so is doesn’t dry  m

About the author: Lee White has been writing about restaurants and cooking since 1976 and has been extensively published in the Worcester (Mass.) Magazine, The Day, Norwich Bulletin, and Hartford Courant. She currently writes Nibbles and a cooking column called A La Carte for LymeLine.com and the Shore Publishing and the Times newspapers, both of which are owned by The Day. She was a resident of Old Lyme for many years but now lives in Groton, Conn. Contact Lee at leeawhite@aol.com.