I’m very excited to have finally created a page on Facebook where I could concentrate on my love of gardens and my work which results from it. It is called “Gardens, my non digital world”, after my first blog. I hope you visit and enjoy it at: www.facebook.com/bethemmott.gardens This page has since been repurposed to show my work.
“Tulip image”
Since I couldn’t visit anyone we had planned to on our way home from PEI (due to my cold and barking like a seal—no offence seals) we decided to visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden. I’d been there once before on a trip with my garden gals but Bob hadn’t.
It’s one of my favorite gardens—a wonderful garden in the first place but designed so it can only exist in Maine. I don’t remember seeing the Fairy Village when we were there before, I don’t think we went that far on the path along the shore. It’s a place under the pine trees where people esp children but not only children have built tiny dwellings out of found forest material.
The light was bad for photographs under the trees with shafts of sunlight and I mainly had my cell phone with me but I had to take some shots.
These are only four of many, many, many little magical structures.
The first time I ever saw a fairy garden was years ago in Nova Scotia.
We didn’t have reservations and were realizing that places to stay were few. We stopped at Liscombe Lodge late in the evening and they had just had a cancellation. We were tired, grabbed a bite to eat and fell asleep. In the morning we discovered a series of Fairy Bridges over the stream we had to cross to reach our cottage.
The next fairy village was an exhibit titled, “Enchantment at the Edge of the Woods”, at Wave Hill Garden in the Bronx, NY. We went to see the wonderful work (“Charion”) on display by sculptor, Helene Brandt. Another artist had contributed a large fairy village to the exhibit.
Since then Fairy Villages seem to be popping up everywhere with every garden shop selling props made in China. BUT… the best it seems to me are the ones made on the spot using found materials and the one in Maine is wonderfully organic and magical.
(Final Transcription of 7 news paper articles dated March 1940)
Also Crowd That Gathers to See “Movie Queen” Scene
The cast of “Movie Queen” pulled off the so-called kidnapping of the leading lady, Miss Ruth M. Shaw, this afternoon and almost froze to death in the bargain. Fur parkas and a dog sled would have been more in keeping with the weather than the antiquated touring car used by the “bad men”. Of course, Miss Shaw was rescued by the hero, Curtin Reinhardt, Jr., all for the benefit of the camera and the American Legion Auxiliary show which will present the film next week.
A large crowd was on hand along Main Street to see the fun but dwindled rapidly as soon as the cold northwest wind started to whip around corners. However, the amateur cast of badmen, armed to the teeth which chattered like machine guns, hero, heroine and assembled extras, ran through the script in farcical manner.
To read the final Movie Queen post: Only in America… extra
To recap:
In March, 1940 the American Legion of Willimantic, CT staged a benefit featuring the town’s businesses and religious and civic organizations. The local paper ran daily articles leading up to the performances advising the public to what was happening and calling for participants. There was a plot and a leading lady and leading man. These 7 entries are transcriptions of those articles found in my Mother’s scrap book. Sorry, but there was no mention of the paper or journalist. [It seems that “the director, young and fetching Miss Showalter” directed a number of “Movie Queens” throughout NE.]
Curtin Reinhardt is my father. My mother, Miss Ruth Shaw, was the Movie Queen. My parents first kiss is recorded in this film as he rescues the “Movie Queen”.
Action Will Take Place in Business Section Tomorrow
A bit of sleuthing today revealed an elaborate kidnap plot planned to take place here tomorrow afternoon in broad daylight at 1:30 o’clock in the center of the Main Street business section. Little alarm was felt, however, when the plot was discovered for the police department has full details and the so-called criminals are well known and substantial citizens will turn gangsters for the fun of it with the camera filming the last act of “Movie Queen,” the big show to be produced next week in St. Mary’s Hall under the auspices of the American Legion Auxiliary.
Miss Ruth M. Shaw, leading lady of the show, is the purported victim and the plot is staged in the fashion of a real old-time “melodrama” with the bad men swooping down on the unsuspecting citizenry in a high powered car, vintage of other years, with six-shooter guns and masks very much in evidence.
The story is that Ann Baronosky, who plays the part of Marlena Slarbo, a Russian actress in the show, gets jealous of the movie queen, a newcomer to the screen, who tops her in success and hires a gang to kidnap the queen. The latter, Miss Shaw, will be rescued by her leading man, Curtin Reinhardt, Jr. For lack of other conveyance Mr. Reinhardt grabs a bicycle from a bewildered youngster and chases the gangsters. He finally succeeds in catching the gang in their hideout, knocking all out single handed and of course, Mr. Reinhardt, running away with the queen. Mr. Jimmy Clair in the show, will be assisted in the rescue by Mayor Laramee and the local police. The gangsters will be locked safely in jail until they admit that crime doesn’t pay.
Shooting of the film will start around 1:30 o’clock and continue for about one hour. Some of the scenes will be taken on main Street and those wishing to witness it will see gangsters as they ride up and down looking for the queen and be able to track them to their hideout which, believe it or not, is within a stone’s throw of the police station. All of the plot pictures are to be filmed and crowds on the street also. This is the last plot picture to be shot and completes the filming of the 50-minute movie reel. The show is to be given at St. Mary’s Hall on March 28th and 29th for the performances, and a matinee Thursday for children and evening performances both Thursday and Friday evening. A three-act local talent stage show will be presented first.
Went to NY with my Garden Gals—all friends who graduated from Moore College of Art together. (Louise dubbed us the Jolly Garden Gals.) We try to go every year if possible. Last year it was the Maine Botanical Gardens and this year we visited the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. We all like gardens but it is also a great chance to eat, drink and catch up. Stayed at the new Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg and everyone made it this year. Jane and Jane, Sally, Mike, Elyse, Pam, Marge and I all met at Jane’s place in Dumbo and took the Ferry to Williamsburg.
Hotel has only been open for 5 weeks and is a project of Jane’s son so we were treated to a behind the scenes tour—kitchens, screening room, basement and roof deck, bar on the 6th floor. Wonderful combination of minimalism and textures. Could stay in the shower all day. But up early and off to the gardens.
Later lunch at Cafe Mogadon and then a ride up and down the river on the ferry. Beautiful day and more chance to gab. Shower and change and another wonderful dinner. Both nights at the hotel dinning room, Reynards. Small excellent menu, good wine list and the staff at both the hotel and at the restaurant couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly.
This yearly get together is important to me. Scattered up and down the north eastern US we don’t see each other that much but having graduated together we are all going through similar life events at the same time, each in our own way. Just being together and being able to talk (or not) about our families, our work, our ideas and lives in general with someone we care about but aren’t involved with day to day is a most wonderful thing.
Making some changes on this site.
Have added a portfolio page, rewrote the about page and changed the name from “Gardens, my non digital world” to “Beth Emmott, image maker”.
Still some changes to come.
Check the changes out.