Liz who?

Let us turn out attention ever so briefly to motorsports. If I walked into a room and said, "Danica Patrick" out loud, the chances are someone would know who she is whether they are a race fan or not.

What about Liz Halliday? Ever heard of her? With a win this weekend at Portland, she has become the winningest female in American Lemans Racing with 6 career wins. She wants to be the first woman to win the 24 Hours of Lemans. And not only is she an incredible racer, but she competes in Equestrian events and want to gold medal with the USA Olympic Team.

Why don't we hear about her in the news?

Well, we've just returned from our annual weekend at Peaks-Kenney state park. Beautiful place with great campsites, a nice beach, and running water (if I have to cut the technological umbilical, I at least want to shower and so forth).

This is the point where I usually post all kinds of pictures from the weekend. I really didn't take any. It rained a couple of times and it was mostly overcast, so nothing really struck me as being particularly photogenic. Even though I saw a Pileated Woodpecker doing his thing. It is the first one I have seen in the wild. I know, I live in Maine, it is mostly wilderness. But I live in the city and large woodpeckers just don't seem to hang on out the telephone pole across the street.

Nice trip overall.

It's that time again

It's Friday night, summertime, and it's Bangor. It can only mean one thing...

Time for free movies downtown courtesy of River City Cinema!!!

This week's movie: Foreign Correspondent

Foreign Correspondent (1940) is another of director Alfred Hitchcock's spy thrillers. It was his second American film (and hired out by David O. Selznick to independent producer Walter Wanger), one that closely resembles his earlier British films: The 39 Steps (1935) and The Lady Vanishes (1937). Originally, the screenplay was based on Vincent Sheean's best-selling autobiographical memoir Personal History, but then it evolved into an original story/screenplay (crafted by screenwriter Charles Bennett and Joan Harrison). (Additional dialogue was added to the screenplay by novelist James Hilton and Robert Benchley and many other uncredited scriptwriters.) It was touted as "The Thrill Spectacle of the Year!"

The propagandistic tale of international intrigue from United Artists, involves a hard-headed, but relatively inexperienced American crime reporter and foreign correspondent caught in the political turmoil of Europe just before the outbreak of World War II (August, 1939). He becomes embroiled in the duplicitous activities of a peace organization operating as a spy ring. The film is best remembered for a number of memorable scenes, including a political assassination in the rain on the steps of the Amsterdam Town Hall, and a trans-Atlantic clipper plane crash.

The under-rated, enjoyable film didn't receive any Academy Awards, but it was nominated for six Oscars: Best Picture (producer Walter Wanger), Best Supporting Actor (Albert Bassermann who learned all his dialogue phonetically), Best Original Screenplay, Best B/W Art Direction (Alexander Golitzen), Best Special Effects (Thomas T. Moulton and Paul Eagler) and Best B/W Cinematography (Rudolph Mate). In the same year, Hitchcock was nominated for Best Director for the Best Picture-winning film Rebecca (1940) - his first American film.

The festivities start at around 8:30 at Pickering Square. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the show!

Strawberry Pickin'

Josh Alves and TLC puts our favourite Australian naturalist out at Tate's doing some berry pickin...

A Whirlwind Few Weeks

Blogging...is...a...challenge....

What a extremely busy few weeks, and not all for good reasons.

We mourned the passing of my wife's grandfather:

OTIS - Ray S. Leavitt, 82, husband of the late Jane M. (Gilmore)
Leavitt, died June 21, 2006, at a Bangor healthcare facility after a brief
illness. He was born Oct. 3, 1923, in Mexico, Maine, the son of Lester L. and Hilma M. (Piper)Leavitt.
Ray was a U.S. Army veteran serving during World War II. He married Jane Sept. 14, 1946, and together they raised their four children in Hampden. Ray was a 57-year member of IUOE Local No. 4 Operating Engineers, and worked on many industrial
projects throughout Maine over his working career. Ray was a past member of the Masons and the Kora Shriners. Ray held many fond memories of his early morning visits at the Otis General Store and hunting seasons spent at his camp in Dixmont. Jane and Ray enjoyed many years together at Beech Hill Pond and their winters in Florida during retirement.

On a happier note, the Mrs. and I just celebrated our six year anniversary!

This was how we spent our special day: Margarita's for dinner (Peter, Grammy Garcia's homemade flour tortillas are way better!), then we hit the Dollar Tree trying to kill an hour before Superman Returns started.

Yes, I know, where has the romance gone...

Yet to come, fireworks pictures and all about our trip across the "DMZ" to watch them.