This essay begins an examination of the development and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. Part 1 reviews the key terminology that one may encounter in the media; and the intense evaluation and approval process that is required for these vaccines before they can be used on Americans. I also identify the important developers and discuss their … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: A Primer on Vaccines: Part 1; “Still Running to Daylight”
Columnists
The Movie Man: ‘The Christmas Chronicles 2’ Misses its Mark
As somebody who looks for originality in nearly every aspect of life, I go into Christmas movies with a great deal of hesitation. And thus I approached The Christmas Chronicles 2. My concern was justified. Should anybody seek a Christmas-themed movie with an original take, The Christmas Chronicles 2 does not deliver ... even for a sequel. With an abundance of unoriginal, … [Read more...] about The Movie Man: ‘The Christmas Chronicles 2’ Misses its Mark
A la Carte: Welcome December With a Wonderful Winter Entrée
Many decades ago, we spent a New Jersey weekend with my husband’s friend, a radiologist. I call him my husband’s friend because, once my husband died, I exited that friendship because I basically detested him. In any case, this man talked about his radiologic partner and noted that he couldn’t stand the partner’s wife. Always curious, I asked what his wife was like. “A … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Welcome December With a Wonderful Winter Entrée
Reading Uncertainly: “Tales From the Ant World” by Edward O. Wilson
Are ants far more important than we humans? Probably! That’s my conclusion after reading the latest from this illustrious Professor Emeritus of Harvard with some 33 books to his credit, many of which relate his life-long interest in these creatures Ants, or the study of myrmecology using the proper scientific terminology, have existed on this earth for some 150 million … [Read more...] about Reading Uncertainly: “Tales From the Ant World” by Edward O. Wilson
A View from My Porch: The ‘Aristocrat of the Silent Screen’, the ‘Bee & Thistle’ … and Other Thoughts
The recent announcement that the Connecticut Audubon Society had reached an agreement to purchase the Bee & Thistle Inn, and plans to renovate it as the future headquarters for the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, piqued my curiosity regarding the Inn’s history. This essay briefly reviews the life of an individual who was fairly instrumental in its founding, the … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: The ‘Aristocrat of the Silent Screen’, the ‘Bee & Thistle’ … and Other Thoughts
A la Carte: From Lee With Love — Thanksgiving Recipes Galore!
Editor's Note: We are running a selection of Lee White's recipes today to give readers a chance to savor her favorite Thanksgiving recipes in one place! For more years than I can remember, I have been writing about turkey at Thanksgiving. I get every food magazine every month and every single month, in October, a turkey is on the covers. My mother never cooked a turkey. We … [Read more...] about A la Carte: From Lee With Love — Thanksgiving Recipes Galore!
Gardening Tips from ‘The English Lady’ for November — ‘The Month of Last Red Berries, First White Snows’
We have been fortunate here in New England to have the pleasure of a lovely summer – not too hot with adequate rain. Followed by a warm fall with more than enough rain into November to encourage healthy root growth for a vibrant spring next year. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this weather foretells a mild winter – we can only hope, but then again this is New … [Read more...] about Gardening Tips from ‘The English Lady’ for November — ‘The Month of Last Red Berries, First White Snows’
A la Carte: Chicken Soup for the Soul … and so Many Other Things!
Sometimes you make something so easy, and so often, you assume everyone does it, too. That is me with chicken soup. I do buy those quart-sized cartons of chicken soup for the pantry. Sometimes it is low-sodium (which is often a little more expensive) or low-fat (even if we are not sure how low fat is really low). But my mother never bought canned soup, primarily because … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Chicken Soup for the Soul … and so Many Other Things!
A View from My Porch: A Letter to President-Elect Biden
An Open Letter to President-Elect Biden: Why do you even want this job? To the best of my knowledge, you don’t play golf or enjoy tooling around in a golf cart. I feel that, if you did play, you would probably walk the course, anyways. I doubt that you even anticipate weekends and evenings off. When you communicate with us, please use the spoken word, which appears … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: A Letter to President-Elect Biden
Legal News You Can Use: Why CT Motorcyclists Should Never Pass on a Helmet
Experienced motorcyclists possess a high level of skill that helps keep them safe during each trip. Yet no matter how skilled a rider may be, there is also some element of luck that helps motorcyclists avoid a negligent driver when they are riding on Connecticut’s highways. When luck is no longer on your side, wearing a helmet may help prevent serious injuries or … [Read more...] about Legal News You Can Use: Why CT Motorcyclists Should Never Pass on a Helmet
A la Carte: Zucchini Cake For Now … or Later (It Freezes Beautifully)
Sometimes, I wish I had a garden, but I don’t like dirt or insects. My late husband’s family always had vegetable and flower gardens. My parents could have had a garden, but they didn’t even know what a trowel was, never mind seeding, weeding, picking or cooking vegetables. When I married my husband and we bought our first house, one with a small yard, we had a little … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Zucchini Cake For Now … or Later (It Freezes Beautifully)
A la Carte: How to Bake an Election Cake!
According to Walter Woodward, PhD, Connecticut’s Historian, years ago there was a Connecticut Election Cake Recipe. The newer recipe I found, “A Modern Election Cake Recipe,” looks like a half birthday cake, half fruit cake. It calls for yeast, some butter and buttermilk (the latter of my favorite add-ins for all cakes) vanilla, eggs, and so on. Like a fruit cake, you add … [Read more...] about A la Carte: How to Bake an Election Cake!
A la Carte: Mushrooms by the Million? Soup is the Solution!
This weekend, friends from Lyme offered a pound of freshly picked shiitake mushrooms for eight dollars a pound. I asked if I could get two. So this is a very short paragraph ... I am going to give you two mushroom soup recipes, both of which are incredible. You can use shiitake mushrooms (whose woody stems should be discarded), cremini, or other varieties. One is easy; … [Read more...] about A la Carte: Mushrooms by the Million? Soup is the Solution!
Gardening Tips from ‘The English Lady’ for October — a Month of Soft Sunshine, Consummate Color
Welcome to October everyone. I love gentle breezes of all and soft sunshine and the foliage colors are breathtaking. The soil is still warm and you can plant until the first week of November. In fact, early November is a great time to plant spring bulbs. You also have time over the next few weeks to divide summer blooming perennials, which have been in the ground for … [Read more...] about Gardening Tips from ‘The English Lady’ for October — a Month of Soft Sunshine, Consummate Color
A View From My Porch: Make America Safe Again, A Primer on Herd Immunity
A lot of people recently started saying, “Herd immunity.” So, to get up to speed, I reviewed some of my old textbooks and learned (again) that “herd immunity” occurs when a substantial portion of the population (i.e., the “herd”) has, at least in our contemporary medical era, been vaccinated (e.g., MMR.) This eventually provides protection for vulnerable individuals … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: Make America Safe Again, A Primer on Herd Immunity