After some sluggish early sales, there has been a considerable increase in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads in the United States. EVs comprised 5.8 percent of all new vehicle sales in the United States in 2022; up from 3.2 percent in 2021; and that’s more than three-quarters of a million of the roughly 14 million new cars and light trucks sold in 2022. The … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: A Treatise on Electric Vehicles — Baby Boomers, ‘Beach Boys’ & Battery Benefits
Columnists
The Movie Man: ‘Oppenheimer’ is a “Must See That Will Age Exceptionally”
Director Christopher Nolan has broken ground by applying his style of non-linear storytelling to biopics, which tend to be predictable Oscar-bait consisting of exceptional costumes, set design, and performances that attempt to master said protagonist’s quirks. With that said, expect to have difficulty following along, but your first impressions will be strong enough to inspire … [Read more...] about The Movie Man: ‘Oppenheimer’ is a “Must See That Will Age Exceptionally”
A Letter From Paris: Celebrating ‘Le Quatorze Juillet’ in Spectacular Style
Watching the 14th of July defilé [parade] is a well-anchored tradition for the French. This year, as always, it was a two-hour impeccably choreographed event. Each French president takes it very seriously since it is an opportunity to display the military profile of the country, the vision for its future, as well as the latest technology, and to reaffirm the fact that … [Read more...] about A Letter From Paris: Celebrating ‘Le Quatorze Juillet’ in Spectacular Style
Gardening Tips From ‘The English Lady’ for July: The Month of ‘Hollyhocks and Hammocks, Fireworks and Vacations’
OLD LYME -- Watering is so important during the heat of summer. If you planted trees or shrubs this spring, particularly evergreens, these plants require extra moisture to establish a strong root system. We have had an abundant amount of rain this spring and into the summer, however it is important to keep an eye on the weather. Here in New England, plants … [Read more...] about Gardening Tips From ‘The English Lady’ for July: The Month of ‘Hollyhocks and Hammocks, Fireworks and Vacations’
Gardening Tips for June from ‘The English Lady’: “If a June Night Could Talk, it Would Probably Boast it Invented Romance”
We have had a few cool nights recently, which is just wonderful since I can sleep with the windows open -- at least when the smoke from Canada blows away! I cannot remember the last time we had a real spring like we are experiencing this year, with plenty of gentle rain. This beneficial rain is wonderful for all the spring plant growth and such a … [Read more...] about Gardening Tips for June from ‘The English Lady’: “If a June Night Could Talk, it Would Probably Boast it Invented Romance”
A Special Memorial Day ‘View from Our Porch’: Town Budget Meeting Reflections
By Christina J. & Thomas D. Gotowka This “View” was supposed to be “Electric Vehicles: Can Elon overcome the legacy of the Beach Boys?”, but Christina encouraged me to ignore the plan and provide some follow-up on last week’s annual town budget meeting. We were troubled by the article by Elizabeth Regan and published on May 16 in The Day, which characterized the … [Read more...] about A Special Memorial Day ‘View from Our Porch’: Town Budget Meeting Reflections
Gardening Tips from ‘The English Lady’ for May, ‘The Gateway to Summer’
“The darling buds of May” is such an apt phrase for one of the most enchanting months, which brings bloom on spring bulbs and flowering trees -- the Amelanchier, the Dogwood and the Cherry to name a few -- and new, awakening foliage on trees winking in the sun. By now, you have probably removed most of the winter debris, pruned broken branches and re-edged … [Read more...] about Gardening Tips from ‘The English Lady’ for May, ‘The Gateway to Summer’
A View From My Porch: Just Another Day at the Beach — A Treatise on Connecticut Beach Access
I will introduce this topic by acknowledging the courage of Ms. Kathleen Tracy and her co-plaintiffs, who have seen the most recent beach access case against the Miami Beach Association (MBA) through to its conclusion. That specific lawsuit, which really began with a fence in 2016, ultimately required more than six years of effort and anguish; and certainly, some considerable … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: Just Another Day at the Beach — A Treatise on Connecticut Beach Access
Letter From Paris: A New Spire – and Rooster – Set to Rise Above Notre Dame Cathedral
The spire and the rooster of Notre Dame will soon be back in the sky of Paris. On April 15, 2019, the world watched in horror as the spire of Notre Dame was consumed by flames and finally crumbled down. It left a gaping hole in the cathedral at the center of its vault. Four years later, the installation of a tabouret -- (literally, a stool) -- which, … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: A New Spire – and Rooster – Set to Rise Above Notre Dame Cathedral
A View From My Porch: Finding Fenway — A Feline Interest Story
Nearly a year ago, Christina and I announced in LymeLine that we were “on the lookout for two adoptable kittens; we hope to find a pair of orange tabby sisters.” Our plan was to name them Fenway and Wrigley. We had lost Finn, our pet of more than 15 years, as a result of an inoperable and inexplicable carcinoma of the lung, which appeared on a radiograph at an emergency … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: Finding Fenway — A Feline Interest Story
Gardening Tips by ‘The English Lady’ for April, the ‘Month of Activity’
Those April showers that come our wayThey bring the flowers that bloom in May.And when it’s raining, let’s not forget,It isn’t raining rain at all, it’s raining violets. Al Jolsen April is the month of activity in the garden, and our old nemesis, weeds are beginning to rear their heads, so we need to extract the little devils before they take hold and are difficult to … [Read more...] about Gardening Tips by ‘The English Lady’ for April, the ‘Month of Activity’
Gardening Tips for March from ‘The English Lady’
‘Those March winds shall blow, and we shall have snow and what will the Robin do then, poor thing? He’ll hide in the barn and keep himself warm and hide his head under his wing’. March is a month of ‘wait and see’ as we anticipate walking around our gardens. This morning I walked outside, into a westerly breeze and a gentle sun. I took a deep breath and as … [Read more...] about Gardening Tips for March from ‘The English Lady’
A View from My Porch: Connecticut Adopts FDA Food Code — A Primer for the Curious
The Connecticut (CT) General Assembly passed the adoption of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code into law in 2018; and it finally went into full effect on the 17th of February. The law requires some changes for both the food service establishments (FSEs) operating in the state, and for the inspection and permitting processes conducted by the local health … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: Connecticut Adopts FDA Food Code — A Primer for the Curious
Letter From Paris: Anatomy of a Crisis — Retirement Reform in France
A crushing defeat for the French president, many angry people and a country convulsing into chaos. Let's rewind the video back to early 2023. There was a feeling of déjà vu when observing the political and social turmoil going on in France. Once more the "Street" is in an uproar and the deputies in the Assemblée Nationale are fighting like cats and dogs. This … [Read more...] about Letter From Paris: Anatomy of a Crisis — Retirement Reform in France
Reading Uncertainly? On the Subject of Luck by Patrick O’Brian
Editor's Note: We are thrilled that our longtime book reviewer Felix Kloman, who ceased writing for us after he moved away from Lyme, has sent in a guest review for us that we are delighted to publish today. In 2016, I humbly suggested reading of the 21 early 18th century seafaring novels of Patrick O’Brian, beginning with his first, Master and Commander. I admit to being … [Read more...] about Reading Uncertainly? On the Subject of Luck by Patrick O’Brian