People are being evacuated from their homes, and all of our local schools are closed. One radio station reported that people from Newmarket NH were unable to find an exit from the town … my husband has to go through there to get to work, so … I guess he’ll be home tonight.

Rivers and streams are expected to crest on either Tuesday or Wednesday, but they’re not certain of when, and they keep pushing the estimate back. We’re on a high spot … and I’m grateful. All of the reports below are about the places I go to shop, see my doctors, go out to eat … they’re all right here. The building that they expect could be carried away by the Cocheco River is directly across the river from my dentist’s office …

Maine and New Hampshire are separated by the Salmon Falls River, and those of us on the Maine side of the river do everything in New Hampshire, because there’s nothing much in the way of businesses, doctors, hospitals, etc., on this side of the river. We’d have to go a somewhat longer distance to the north east to get to similar conveniences.

UPDATE - 1:40 PM: The water from the Cocheco River has washed over the bridge in the center of the city of Dover NH, and they’ve had to close the downtown. That’s right at the spot of the above mentioned building which is expected to be washed away.

UPDATE - 6:35 PM:Salmon Falls River (follows the border between NH and Maine) is rising at about 1 inch per hour. The bridge between Berwick Me and Somersworth NH has just been closed. There is one other bridge between the two towns, but that bridge was already flooding last night. There’s no longer a direct way, that I’m aware of, to go between Somersworth and Berwick. Railroad tracks have also been closed. - New article appended below:

Here’s what’s happening:

2,000 evacuated along Salmon Falls

Monday, May 15, 2006 2,000 evacuated along Salmon Falls By JOHN QUINN Democrat Staff Writer jquinn@fosters.com Bonnie Adams of Dover surveys damages to the bridge on Chesley Hill Road in Rochester on Sunday. g Osborne/ Democrat photo ROCHESTER — The city called for a mandatory evacuation Monday morning of nearly 2,000 homes along Salmon Falls Road from the Spaulding Fiber Dam to the Maine border as rain continued to drown the region. Authorities, using an automatic phone system, told residents to head to a shelter at Rochester Middle School and said the city planned to start a second shelter at Spaulding High School. New Hampshire National Guard troops and emergency crews from New Hampshire and Maine toiled starting Sunday to secure the edges of Milton’s Three Ponds Dam with a slew of sandbags. The efforts allowed the dam to cope with five extra feet of water flowing into the Salmon Falls River, protecting communities downstream. Milton Fire Chief Andy Lucier said Sunday night he was sure the dam would not lose structural integrity. “The dams were never in jeopardy,” he said. “Our goal is to keep an even keel all the way down the river.” Craig Osborne/ Democrat photo Rochester firefighter Alan Normand puts out sandbags around the Gonic Mill on Sunday. The dam was opened briefly this morning to relieve some of the pressure. The flooding concerns come after area firefighters a month ago were praying for rain to fall while they battled dry conditions. Now they hope for a reprieve from the rain after swollen lakes, rivers and runoff washed away roads, threatened dams and forced evacuations. Lucier credited the untiring efforts of volunteers helping at the dam, which included firefighters and emergency personnel from Milton, West Ossipee, Rochester and Wakefield in New Hampshire and Lebanon and York County in Maine. Highway and road crews and prisoners from York, Strafford and Carroll counties also helped. “Without these guys, we wouldn’t be here,” Lucier said Sunday evening. While there were a few evacuations to the dam’s south, communities did not require more residents to leave their homes in low-lying areas along the waterway. Emergency crews watched the dam throughout Sunday night. The battle to save homes, businesses and property throughout the area began on Saturday night as firefighters and road crews began coping with an increasing amount of water, which flooded basements, overflowed swamps and waterways and blocked culverts after heavy rains struck the region. Quinn/Democrat Photo Maple Street residents Becky and Jim Stuart survey the swollen Branch River with their 2-year-old daughter, Audrey, before the family relocates to Rochester to visit relatives. About 50 Union residents were evacuated around 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, including the Stuarts, after the water surged over the Maple Street Bridge and caused structural damage to the road and nearby embankment. Residents were allowed to return home about four hours later. Their problems with roads, rivers and water mushroomed on Sunday morning. Town, city and state officials began shutting down numerous roads and highways after bridges were flooded and pavement buckled or collapsed when the underlying ground gave way because of the rains. Wakefield firefighters and police at about 4:30 a.m. evacuated about 50 Union residents after the swollen waters of the Branch River washed over the Maple Street bridge, flooded a nearby business and began eroding the embankment about 10 feet away from a residence, according to Wakefield Police Chief Tim Merrill. Merrill said police, firefighters and members of the Wakefield Public Works Department and New Hampshire Department of Transportation responded to assess and try to remedy the problems in Union. Wakefield officials went door-to-door to alert residents and advise them to leave. Many were reluctant to leave, but agreed to the precaution. “We live on Maple Street, and when we left, the water was already over the girders” of the bridge, said Seth Williams, 13, of Union. Some sought shelter with other family members. About 20 residents stayed in the Public Safety Building for a few hours. “I think we’d be high enough, but when they told us to get out — what do you do?” asked Adele Garvin, 60, who left with her 92-year-old father, Dell, and their three cats. Police worked with local American Red Cross representatives to prepare in case more residents needed shelter. “It’s all voluntary — you could go home if you want, but the problem’s not over,” said Wakefield Police Lt. Kenneth Fifield. Merrill said it’s only a matter of time before water in the higher areas descend into the lakes and adds to already overburdened waterways. “At the moment, this the only one (area) we’ve had to evacuate,” he said Sunday morning. Soon thereafter, residents in Farmington, New Durham, Barrington and Lebanon, Maine, also were evacuated from water-logged areas. Other residents left their flooded homes after power was shut off for safety purposes. Many residents in those communities also chose to stay with relatives rather than at shelters. Shelter locations included Barrington Middle School, Nute Middle High School in Milton and Sanford High School in Sanford, Maine. Shelters also were established in Exeter, Newmarket, Kingston and Kensington, according to the American Red Cross. Individual towns determine when to open a shelter, which are manned by local volunteers and members of the American Red Cross, said Sarah Cherne, Great Bay Chapter executive director. “We can’t just self-deploy, we need to be called by the towns,” she said, adding that the Red Cross will assess whether more shelters or other services are needed this morning Many people voluntarily evacuated their homes along the Isinglass River in Barrington after officials released a foot of water from the Bow Lake Dam in Strafford. Residents evacuated from the Strafford town line to Route 202, Barrington Fire Chief Rick Walker said. Emergency personnel knocked on doors and called more than 150 residents Sunday morning, but it’s unclear how many evacuated. Ten people took shelter at the Barrington Middle School while many others went to stay with family and friends. Two cats also are being sheltered at town hall. Red Cross representatives are assisting residents at the middle school, and local Boy Scouts came to entertain the group on Sunday and brought games for children. Barrington Town Administrator Carol Reilly said it was fortunate they contacted people early in the day Sunday because roads were impassable by noon. Some residents were advised to stay put because those roads were impassable, such as on French Mill Road and New Bow Lake Road. Reilly added that some residents left their homes by boat. Others on Long Shore Road and Berry River Road were told to stay put because of washouts on those roads. Two other homes have become islands on the Isinglass, and town staff are making periodic calls to check on the residents who live there, Walker said. Evacuating residents became even more difficult later in the day on Sunday because Route 202A became the only evacuation route after Route 202 on the Rochester end was shut down, Reilly added. Barrington Town Hall was set up as an emergency operation center, which lets it act as a call center. Town staff had compiled a database of residents in potential flood areas using tax maps to help during evacuations. Walker said police and fire crews are checking on the Isinglass River hourly today, and the town was waiting for news on whether more water would be released later today on Bow Lake Dam, which affects Barrington, Rochester and Dover. Swains Dam is also under close scrutiny by the emergency crews, who have been working since 11 p.m. Saturday. Road crews also are trying to prevent more roadways from washing out. “Hopefully Mother Nature will cooperate pretty quick and get this rain slowed down,” Walker said. Two areas causing Barrington officials most concern are bridges that cross the Isinglass at Greenhill Road and Route 202, Reilly said. Water levels are very high and could cause washouts. “The source water at Greenhill (Road) also could undermine the integrity of the bridge abutments,” Reilly said. Depending on how long the rain lasts, the call center at town hall could be in operation through tomorrow, though Reilly said it was too soon to tell. Amazingly, she added, people from all over New Hampshire have been calling the Barrington center to learn if they can get home, if roads were passable and if schools would be open. She said she was referring them to other contacts who could better help them in municipalities such as Manchester, Canaan, Lebanon, Farmington and Rochester. “People were thankful for the little help we could give,” she said. During the weekend, Rochester officials were on high alert and notified residents and businesses in affected areas — especially along the Cocheco, Salmon Falls and Isinglass rivers — and warned residents of the potential dangers as a precaution. Three businesses in the Gonic Mill — Arts Rochester, All Doors and Locks Glass & Mirror and Athletic Innovation — are “completely flooded out” due to rising waters in the Cocheco River, Fire Chief Norm Sanborn said. There is more than a foot of water in the building. Rescue personnel have to wait to move in until the water recedes on its own, Sanborn said. Sanborn received word around 8:30 a.m. that the East Rochester mill, home to Boston Felt, had 10 inches of water in it. The first floor of the Wyandotte Mill senior complex, not far from the downtown dam, was evacuated. Some of the residents went to the Roberge Center, officials said. Residents of Cocheco River Estates and the Chestnut Hill left their homes to be with family and friends elsewhere, Sanborn said. The Rochester Middle School shelter had only two people in it Sunday night. Emergency crews continue to monitor the Spaulding Fiber Dam on the Salmon Falls River. It’s downstream from the dam in Milton. Sanborn said the department has responded to “tons and tons” of flooded basements. The Department of Public Works said four roads — part of Salmon Falls Road, Flat Rock Bridge Road, Chesley Hill Road just south of Route 202, and Rochester Neck Road at the Isinglass River either are washed out or impassable because of flooding. About two dozen road shoulders in low-lying areas are also washed out. City Engineer Tom Willis said he expects a hefty cleanup bill. “We’re going to have to expend a fair amount of time, money and resources,” Willis said. While the Three Ponds Dam held much of the waters, Lucier said about 75 percent of the roads in town sustained heavy water damage, making most of them impassible on Sunday. He added that town and school officials, like in many other communities, already decided to postpone school for local students on Monday. Lucier said despite widespread road problems, there were relatively few accidents, although at least one person fell into trouble after failing to heed road closure signs along Route 75, which connects Milton to Farmington. “The pavement gave way and it (the car) drove right into it,” Lucier said, adding that firefighters found the car in a large water-made ditch which prevented any access. No one was injured in the accident. Lucier said as a result of the floods along Hare Road on Saturday and the washout on Route 75 on Sunday, Farmington firefighters agreed to cover western Milton since local crews could not access that part of town. Though many Middleton roads were cut off or closed down due to water damage on Sunday, about 50 area residents still managed to attend the annual Mother’s Day Breakfast, sponsored by firefighters, who enjoyed a light moment between storm-related chores around town. As of this morning a section of Silver Street between Maple Road and Sunrise Drive and part of Route 153 near Union hill remain closed. New Durham Fire Chief John Nicastro III said firefighters and road crews remained busy responding to road-related problems throughout the storm. He added that all of the town’s roads are passable for the moment, but will need more permanent repairs. “It was a long day — my guys and the highway crews worked really hard,” Nicastro said, adding that local firefighters later responded to Alton to help fill and place sandbags at one of that town’s smaller dams. Strafford Fire Chief Loren Pierce said it was fortunate that Bow Lake’s water levels had been low prior to the constant rain because it was able to absorb some precipitation before water was released. No residents had to be evacuated in the town, though portions of a couple of roads were closed. Northwood was not as affected by the heavy rains either, also with only portions of two roads closed. Staff writers Amanda Dumond, Adam Krauss and Jeremiah Rood contributed to this report. © 2006 Geo. J. Foster Company From the National Weather Service via Email: THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN GRAY ME HAS CONTINUED THE FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 800 PM THIS EVENING FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: IN CNTL NH BELKNAP.STRAFFORD.SULLIVAN & MERRIMACK IN SW ME YORK IN S. NH ROCKINGHAM IN N. NH GRAFTON & CARROLL HEAVY RAIN.AS MUCH AS A FOOT IN SOME AREAS.HAS LED TO WIDESPREAD FLOODING IN EXTREME SW ME & CNTL & SE NEW HAMPSHIRE. CAPE NEDDICK IN YORK COUNTY ME HAS RECEIVED 13.23 INCHES OF RAIN AS OF 945 AM. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF AN INCH.OR POSSIBLY MORE.CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING. THIS WILL AGGRAVATE AN ALREADY SERIOUS FLOOD SITUATION. ADDITIONAL FLOODING OF SMALL RIVERS & STREAMS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING. MANY MAIN STEM RIVERS IN THIS AREA ARE ALSO FLOODING. DAMS ON MILTON & SPAULDING PONDS ALONG THE ME NH BORDER ARE IN DANGER OF BEING TOPPED. WATER LEVELS ARE WITHIN A FOOT OF THE TOP OF THESE DAMS. IF YOU LIVE DOWNSTREAM FROM THESE DAMS YOU SHOULD MONITOR THE SITUATION CLOSELY. BE PREPARED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY IF LOCAL OR STATE OFFICIALS ORDER AN EVACUATION. IF YOU LIVE NEAR A RIVER OR STREAM.MONITOR WATER LEVELS CLOSELY. BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLOODING BEGINS OR IF CURRENT FLOODING GETS WORSE. DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADS.SEEK AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE. Firefighters evacuate residents along Salmon Falls River By JEREMIAH ROOD Democrat Staff Writer jrood@fosters.com BERWICK, Maine — As darkness fell, a father and son pair of Berwick firefighters pulled yet another boatload of evacuees across the swollen Salmon Falls River, bringing the number emergency crews helped to evacuate Sunday morning and afternoon to 100. Wearing their red “Gumby” suits, Jamie and Willie Fallon trudged through water waist-deep, pulling a boat filled with Hubbard Road residents and a pair of bassett hounds across a more than 50-foot stretch of open river that was formerly Rochester Street. The boat included Elissa Carter and Chelsey Allan, both teenagers, from Hubbard Road, who took the warnings seriously and evacuated along with their basset hounds — Duke and Kaley, who were both happy to be back on solid ground and jumped at the chance for a ride. Berwick Police officers knocked on all the doors of the homes along the banks of the Salmon Falls River, informing residents of the severity of the situation and the potential of an upriver dam break that could send a 10 foot wall of water downstream. Officers report many residents took the opportunity to head to higher ground, but some chose to tough it out, figuring they have upper floors to stay in. Considering some of the fire department’s earlier efforts, the boat rescue seemed almost routine. Berwick Deputy Fire Chief Bruce Plante said the department went to investigate a home along Little River Road Sunday morning, after a resident called in a report of a home surrounded by flood waters. When they arrived, firefighters found a disabled man inside, who uses a wheelchair. Plante said firefighters considered using a boat to rescue the man, but soon decided against the approach given the man’s weight, estimated to be well over 200 pounds, plus the 600-pound motorized chair. Firefighter’s opted to send a pickup truck across the water, so the man could position his chair in back of the truck and be ferried out. Plante was not sure of the man’s name. The next challenge was how to get the man’s van out, so he could make his own way out of the slowly flooding section of town. Plante said by the time firefighter’s departed the scene, the water had reached the bottom of the man’s mobile home. Plante took his first call of the morning at 6 a.m. and then worked nonstop all day. Plante and other emergency personnel battled problems and emergencies related to the storm from dawn to dusk, trying to help people and dealing with a road system that became more and more difficult to navigate as the day wore on. Berwick’s fate was far from unique, as towns throughout York County dealt with the worst flooding in decades. The stormwaters blew away bridges, eroded streets, left gapping holes in roadways, and generally made life miserable for those in the area. The extent of the property damage is unknown. Although emergency officials urged residents in southern New Hampshire and York County towns to be cautious, people still went out and checked out the sights, went shopping and tried to have a normal Sunday. But, as the day wore on the normally familiar neighborhood streets took on a mazelike quality, as police and fire crews closed off first one, then two, and finally dozens of major and minor streets throughout York County. With no end in sight, emergency crews continued their efforts throughout York County, which Maine Gov. John Baldacci declared a state of emergency. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work on this web site is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only. [Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml]

He was 84. His hair was starting to thin, but he still had more than many men half his age. Up until the age of 82, he had ridden his motorcycle to work every day. If there was anything he loved more than a good joke, a good meal, or an ice cold beer - it had to be spending time with his grandkids.

To me, he was immortal. At the time, the only way I would ever think of his age was to brag about him to myself: “Look at him! 84! He still climbs up onto the roof at my brother’s house to make repairs … and does more in a day than I do in a week!” It never occurred to me that he would ever not be there. My father … would always be there.

In the summer of 1987, I drove up to Lewiston with a friend who was interested in buying my father’s motorcycle. My dad had taken a spill a few years before … he had executed a very tight u-turn at the top of a hill, and when he’d put his foot down because he’d lost momentum while making such a tight turn, his foot had ended up on the lower side of the hill, and the weight of the bike made him lose his balance. He attributed the fall to his age (I attributed it to the hill,) and he decided that his motorcycle days were over.

We’d made a date to meet him at his garage. Like my dad – it seemed that the garage had always been there. He’d built it by hand about a decade before I was born. It still stands today, on the shores of the mighty Androscoggin River. We pulled into the yard of the garage, and I spotted his car. Everything was strangely quiet … no one else was around. The door to the garage was still closed – nothing stirred. It took me a moment to notice that my father was still in his car, with his head resting against the steering wheel … unmoving. I could feel a squeezing building up in my chest as I nearly flew the short distance to his car. I opened his door with my heart in my throat - and he looked up, smiled at me, and got out of the car, looking as if nothing at all had been wrong.

“Dad! You scared me! Are you okay?”

He smiled wryly and replied that he’d just been a bit dizzy, and had decided to rest for a few minutes. He cocked his head, peering at me over the top his glasses, and with the same crooked smile, he added: “The old man isn’t going to live forever, you know!”

I felt a physical jolt, as if I’d been punched. Just then, my friend came over to us, and began to ask my father about the motorcycle. With his words still ringing in my ears, I pretended that something in the distance caught my eye and I walked away, leaving them talking about the bike. I was grateful for the opportunity to wander off until I could gain control over the suffocating ache in my throat, and the tears which insisted on filling my eyes, in spite of my every effort to maintain my composure.

Three months later … the days were growing shorter, the nights were becoming quite cool. We were headed into another dreary, cold Maine autumn.

For once, I didn’t feel the fall dreariness dragging me down into the inevitable winter doldrums. I was light hearted – joyful! It was October 1st, and my parents had just moved down from Lewiston to be near my brothers and I. With no forethought, we’d all managed to end up within a few minutes of each other in this tiny southern Maine town; it was good to finally have the family together again!

We’d spent the day helping them move into their little apartment, and once home for the evening, I was planning the remainder of my week. Dad had already made his meal requests: spaghetti and beef stew – soon please!

… my pleasure Dad!

My pleasant reverie was interrupted by my dear friend Joanie, as she burst through the door without knocking. Her face was pale, and she looked terrible! I came up out of my chair and rushed over to her – I was certain that something terrible had happened.

All she could do was gasp: “He died!”

I held her while she cried … long, agonized sobs, wracking her body. How ironic! My best friend lost her father on the day that I got mine back. I drove Joanie and her mother to Central Maine Medical in Portland, and so began one of the worst two weeks of our lives.

The next morning, I went to my folks’ place, and told my Dad about my friend’s father. We had intended to introduce them. They were both mechanics, and we felt certain that they would develop a friendship. Sadly, it was not meant to be. My dad, my dear dad – that morning, he mourned the friend he would never get to meet.

Over the next week, we attended Joanie’s father’s funeral. I spent every free moment trying to get my parents settled in. With an undercurrent of guilt for Joanie’s sake, I exchanged silly stories with my dad, and felt a warm wash of love flow over me each time I saw him laugh – or enjoy something I’d brought for him. I knew I’d never get tired of seeing him happy and laughing … it was so good to have him nearby! I planned all of the things we would together: I would share my favorite spots in the woods, and where all of the wild berries and nuts grew. He and I had spent a lot of time doing that sort of thing when I was young.

The evening of the 8th day after my parents arrived, I got a call from my brother …

“Dad’s in the hospital.” I began to panic, and he hastened to add “Don’t worry, we just came from there, and he’s OK. He was asking for his glasses when we left so that he could read something. It’s late, so I wouldn’t go tonight …”

He explained that my father had fallen forward out of his chair, and landed on the floor, apparently unconscious. My mother had the presence mind to call an ambulance. It would be two more days before her Alzheimer’s would suddenly become so pronounced that we all realized that she had something terribly wrong with her. But for now, she’d still had enough on the ball to do the logical thing.

The next morning, before I could organize myself to get out the door and rush over to see my dad, my brother called again …

“Dad took a turn for the worse during the night. I think you’d better get up to the hospital.”

And he had. He was no longer conscious. Sometime during the night, he’d had a massive stroke which left him in a coma, and unable to breathe on his own. I had missed seeing him while he was still conscious … missed hearing his voice for one last time … missed his smile … missed being able to tell him how much I loved him … to hang on … not leave us … please Dad … don’t leave!

I stayed by his bedside almost constantly, only going home to make sure my husband was feeding the kids, and that everything was OK there. Most of that day, I stood by my father, talked to him, caressed his hands, his face … kissed his forehead. I willed him to stay … but he didn’t respond – he couldn’t respond.

Day number 10 dawned, and the dread I was feeling was suffocating me … making it impossible to breathe. I wanted to climb into the bed beside my father, force him to get up, and take his place. I knew it wouldn’t help … it wouldn’t bring him back. Nothing I could do would ever bring him back.

We’d been told the night before that his EEG was horribly abnormal – he would never regain consciousness or breathe on his own again. The only reason he was alive was the respirator. We were told that we had a decision to make.

My brothers made the decision … the respirator would be removed, but if he tried to breathe on his own, we would then do everything we could to keep him with us. A very perceptive nurse realized that I was not comfortable with the decision, and she offered to withdraw the heart medication they’d started giving him on his first night there. She expected that nature would take its course then, and that no one would have to do anything as immediate and decisive as “pull the plug.”

My brothers agreed. The medications were withdrawn; over the next few hours, his heart got stronger, and his blood pressure went down to normal. He was tough – he’d always been tough. When it became apparent that removing his medication was not going to cause things to happen on their own, my brothers again made the decision to remove the respirator.

Everything inside of me rebelled … my Dad! We couldn’t do that to my Dad! The nurse quietly came in, and after giving me a look of deep sympathy, turned off the machine. My youngest brother was on his left … I was on his right … we were each holding one of his hands. Joanie had my mother in her arms at the foot of the bed, and my oldest brother was looking on from a short distance.

I cried silently as I waited for a miracle – which never came. My youngest brother, with his voice cracking, whispered hoarsely, “Breathe Dad! Breathe!” Tears were streaming down his cheeks. It seemed like an eternity before the line on the monitor went flat … two eternities. Memories flashed through my mind like a slide show … picking blueberries in the woods with him as a youngster … going up with him in his friend’s little Cessna on Sunday mornings after church … our first really long, honest, adult talk one day when he was dropping me off at nursing school … him holding me, not too many years before, and telling me how proud of me he was … and now, now he was gone. Irrevocably, irretrievably gone.

I looked up in confusion as I heard my mother reply “No, eh? Not really?” when Joanie told her that her husband was “gone.” In the less than 5 minutes between the nurse coming in and turning off the machine, and my father’s passing away, she had already forgotten what was happening. Our father died … and we realized then that we were also losing our Mom. By the time of the funeral, only a few days later, she no longer recognized one of her closest friends.

This October 10th will mark the 19th anniversary of my father’s death. I’ve never stopped mourning him. If he were still alive, he would have turned 103 this last April 13th.

Little girls of any age should never need to say goodbye to their Daddies.

By Peter Gorner
Chicago Tribune

Just from looking at a man’s face, women can sense how much he likes children, gauge his testosterone level and decide whether he’d be more suitable as a one-night stand or as a husband, new research published Tuesday suggests.

Scientists in Chicago and California photographed men’s faces and asked women to rate them on whether they seemed to like children, on their masculinity, on their physical attractiveness and on whether they seemed kind.

Then the women rated them on their potential as long- and short-term lovers.

Read the rest of this entry »

Grand Rounds is up at Aetiology! Tara has done a great job putting it all together … and there’s enough reading there to keep you occupied until … well, the next Grand Rounds! ;o)

Go take a look!

This is the first of a series of posts on wild edibles which I intend to write over the next few months. I’ll try to feature a variety of edible wild plants, their peculiarities, where they can be found, and how to prepare them for safe (and tasty!) consumption.

You’d be amazed at the variety of edible goodies which grow right in your backyard … !

The first plant we’ll showcase is the Marsh Marigold, otherwise known as the “Cowslip” … or locally (Southwestern Maine) as Capers; this latter name is probably because the unopened flower bud (see top picture) resembles the capers which are commonly pickled and bought in the grocery store. The Marsh Marigold is a perennial water or wetland plant of the genus Caltha Palustris, and is a member of the Buttercup family.

Please note that although Marsh Marigolds are edible, Buttercups are not!

Marsh Marigolds are found in bogs, lakes, and slow-moving streams, are abundant in arctic and subarctic regions and in much of the eastern part of the northern United States, as far south as the Carolinas. They can also be found in the UK.

Here in Southwestern Maine, they grow in wet areas early in the spring, before the trees are fully in leaf. They’re better when picked before they bloom, but can also be eaten once they have blossoms, although I recommend removing most of the flowers from the plants before cooking.

A word of caution: Never eat them raw! They contain an irritant, glycoside protoanemonin (helleborin), which is destroyed by heat. The older the plant is, the more of the irritant it contains, which is reason it’s better before it blooms.

To prepare the capers, rinse them very carefully, and trim off the blooms - although it’s not necessary to get rid of the buds. Even though the stems are hollow and tender, you may also want to remove the largest stems. The plants are boiled in water, with a bit of salt … and the water is drained, and replaced several times during the cooking process in order to get rid of the irritant, which is also quite bitter. Here at home, we change the water at least twice during cooking. It’s a very tasty treat when served with a bit of salt, pepper and lemon (or vinegar) … as a greens-type vegetable. Some people, Ueull Gibbons for one, like them with melted butter.

The Marsh Marigold also has some pretty impressive medicinal uses … although I highly recommend sticking to carefully boiling them, and using them as a side dish.

Had them for supper. They took about 40 minutes to cook, and had two water changes. They were absolutely delicious - very delicate flavor. I had mine with lemon. I’m glad there are still more in the fridge for another meal.

It’s one of those things you can only pick during this time of year, unfortunately … and they’re kind of a pain to pick, because you have to get out into the bog with waterproof boots - or resign yourself to getting wet! The problem with getting wet is that the water this early in spring is c-c-cold!

They’re worth it though! :o)