Rites of Spring Department: Artist Joan Taylor on the Mill Road is exhibiting her Chinese calligraphic Meditations in Ink at the juried art show at Miles Memorial Hospital, starting Feb. 15, through April 4. Come to see her brush-stroked evocations of bamboo, flowers, fish, other oriental themes.

More Rites of Spring, Officialdom Subdivision: Lee Smith at the Town Hall says not only are the preprints for re-registered boats available, but so are the stickers for new boat
registrations. Come on in, yawl!

Lea Wait will be signing her new book, Seaward Born, at The Maine Coast Bookstore in Damariscotta, from 11 am to 1 pm on Friday, Feb. 14. This book traces the life of Noah Brown, the black seaman who befriends the children in Stopping to Home. Lea's other titles will also be available for signing.

I have heard again from Frederick Robinson in Pineville, Louisiana. His first wife, Dorothy Louise Sherman, was the daughter of Harry and Mabel Sherman of Edgecomb. His grandmother, Blanch White, who reared Mr. Robinson, was born in East Edgecomb, may have attended Salt Marsh School or School (#6?) (#5?) on the River Road, then moved to Parson Road and went to the City School. Fred observes "The worst part of living in Louisiana is that there is no change of seasons. . . . Gets up to over 100 degrees most of the summer. Has been a cold winter here. The coldest was 18 degrees; we had it up in the 70s the next week." Gee, poor guy! If anyone is interested in corresponding with Mr. Robinson, call me. I'll be glad to give you his address.

So you see, I have snuck in some more history of Edgecomb schools! But on to new quests. I have been told about a house in North Edgecomb whose new (but I'm not sure how new) owners discovered an old fireplace with its bricks painted black. They apparently did some research, and came up with this nugget of American history: In the sad days after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, many people devised home memorials to him, apparently by painting the bricks of their fireplaces black. This sounds very fragmentary and unsatisfying. My first, hesitant attempts at identifying a) the house and b) the owners, have so far led me nowhere. Might the owners of this fireplace please get in touch with me? I dote on historical nuggets!

Evelin Brown just in, now taking a computer course toward her nursing career. Computers are a must for any kind of work these days. Dudette, you've got you a Dell!

Chat-n-Check, Gail Boudin's free monthly blood pressure screening clinic, continues to meet at the Edgecomb Town Hall. Tuesday, Feb. 18 is the next one, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. The March 18 clinic is scheduled at that location, as well. Ms. Boudin hopes that by April it will be possible to resume Chats-n-Checks in the Congregational Church vestry. Green Electricity is available from Maine Interfaith Power and Light. Green Power is electricity generated from clean, renewable domestic sources. For more information, call 729- 9665 or log on at www.meipl.org.

Bravo for Bobsy and Val Thompson, on Spring Hill Farm Road. They braved weather, long crowded bus ride, and some harsh disapproval, to go to the Peace March in Washington January 18, and both have written thoughtful commentary on it in the several papers. Loyalty to one's nation should not be measured by a slavish agreement to its policies, but, like King Lear's youngest daughter Cordelia, it is having the courage and generosity to say "nay" when one's nation is in danger of erring. The strength of our country is its willingness to sustain and benefit from its nay-sayers, an uncomfortable prickly lot who should be known as "the loyal opposition." So, another bravo for all the stalwart souls who have held peace vigils on the Davey and Newcastle-Damariscotta Bridges, and all the other bridges, nation and state.

Best Valentine and Presidents Day wishes to you from 234 River Road, 633-2978, bonesukl@midcoast.com. This column appears in The Boothbay Register, The Lincoln County News, The Wiscasset Newspaper, and at www.Edgecomb.org.