Dr. Lisa's Bountiful Life

Dia de Gracias

When our children are very young, we are active participants in their lives. 

We feed and bathe them; clothe them and care for them.

We sing to them, talk to them and rock them to sleep.

As they age, they need us in different ways. We become less participants than active observers.

And sometimes the activeness of the observation varies greatly.

This week, I returned to active participant parenting: I joined my son in his volunteer life at Safe Passage in Guatemala. 

No longer simply watching him from the high school soccer sidelines or from the bleachers at the baseball field, I was once again by his side. 

We ate together; walked together. Travelled daily from Antigua to Guatemala City (and back) together. Rode the “chicken bus” to Pastorales with his friend Nico in search of red cowboy boots. Toured the Mercado, the artisan market and the catacombs of Mersed. Took photos of the volcanoes from the rooftop at Café Sky. Squeezed in tiny tuk tuk’s (micro-cab/motorscooters) together, to be transported over Antigua’s bumpy cobblestone streets.

Throughout the week, son introduced me to his friends and fellow Safe Passage volunteers. One morning on the volunteer bus, he even offered up my services as “stand-in Mom” to all whose parents were far away on Thanksgiving Day.

 Then yesterday, the American-inspired “Dia de Gracias,” I took part in not one, but two Thanksgiving feasts: one offered by his homestay parents, Jose and Lucky (complete with pie made with green pumpkins), and one that my son created with Nico, to feed their fellow volunteers.

 We sat under cardboard cutouts of Spanish Santa’s and blinking lights from the Mercado, with plates of stuffing and green beans balanced on our knees, and gave thanks for companionship and bounty.

 And I realized (once again) how blessed I am to be a mother.

This Thanksgiving week, I have been with my son. Firmly back in his life, participating in his world.

Mi hijo, now my man-child, has given me a gift beyond measure. A gift his sisters continue to afford me as well.

Sometimes it takes a journey of several thousand miles to remind us how fortunate we are. 

Safe Passage Volunteers, Maine contingent 

Dia de Gracias, 2011

 

 

 

 

Wait! I'm Real...

Hungry people, looking to be served.

Paying for the privilege.

Sometimes in honor of a special occasion.

Sometimes while on a long-awaited vacation.

No small amount of pressure for a waitress. 

Having had this role, I can say it ranked among the more stressful of my occupational experiences.

Having also been a frequent restaurant patron, I understand the importance of having a good server.

This past weekend my dear one and I witnessed an interesting interaction between a waitress and a female patron at an upscale hotel restaurant.

This French-speaking patron, who had clearly been at the hotel restaurant several times before, asked many questions. Her conversation with the waitress was extensive, and she was very specific in her requests.

The waitress dealt with the patron patiently, answering each of her questions and doing her best to maintain a positive interaction.

After a few minutes, the waitress skillfully shifted the conversation by engaging the patron in a different way: she began to talk about her 'other' life.

The waitress told the patron and her companion that she was from San Francisco, and that her passion was interior design. She mentioned a project she had been working on recently.

The patron and her companion listened intently. Their questioning became slightly more respectful, and the requests made in a less insistent manner.

In a manner of minutes, the waitress was transformed (in the eyes of the patron and her companion) from a "mere waitress" to a "real human being."

It was a bit of a risk this waitress took, engaging them in this way. Her tactics could very well have back-fired.

But instead they changed the interaction.

The waitress felt better about serving her patrons, and they felt better about being served by her.

Simply because the waitress became real.

Which we all are (real, that is). Whether we are serving, or being served. In any capacity.

We need only remember that this is the case.

 

Bar Lola, Portland (not the scene of the 'incident')

September 2011

 

 

Gratitude Saturday--May Day!

I'm heading out the door early this morning, as I want to get my long run to Cousins Island done while the day is new.  It is May Day, and as such, a time to celebrate all things new and delightful. 

Today I am grateful for:

~an impromptu evening spent with friends (Beth, Debra, Mona & Gustavo) at Local 188 in Portland,

~dinner with the Walshes tonight,

~Walk with the Doc, Portland, beginning this Wednesday (details to follow...)

~a beautiful day to watch the Yarmouth High School boys play baseball at Freeport,

~lacrosse-playing daughters,

~all the volunteers who are helping plan our May 16 "Kick Up Your Healin'" music & art event at the Royal Bean in Yarmouth (again, details to follow...)

~spring blooms!

  

P.S.  Good luck to my son, and all Maine high school juniors, who are taking their SAT's today.  An important rite of passage, to be sure.

 

Ray, Ted & Health Literacy on WLOB (10/6/09)

What if you could not understand the information written on your child's prescription medication bottle?  Or decipher the instructions your doctor gave you regarding an important laboratory test?  Due to low literacy levels, 26% of American adults (1 person out of 4) struggle with these situations. In recognition of this important problem, last week's Three-fer Tuesday health conversation with Ray Richardson & Ted Talbot on WLOB 95.5 FM/WPME TV covered the "Three Ls of Health Literacy."

As the medical advisor to the statewide Raising Readers program, I have a special interest in literacy.  Our program has been making books available to Maine children, ages 0-5, for almost a decade.  We have distributed more than a million books through well child visits at pediatric provider offices.

Here are the "Three Ls of Health Literacy:"

• Leave satisfied with the words of your devoted doctor or designated health helper.  Write down your questions before visiting the office.  Once there, make sure you understand what you've been told.  Repeat back any complicated instructions.
• Lean on an assistant to help you understand what has been said.  If you are unclear about your interactions with your devoted doctor or designated health helper, consider bringing a friend or family member along to your visit.
• Learn how to ask for assistance.  Local libraries and adult education programs offer two good resources.  Or call the Literacy Volunteers of America, Maine Chapter: 1 800 322 5455.  

For further information, visit the following websites:

• Health Literacy Basics
  
• Health Literacy & Health Outcomes

Still on the "L" theme, last week's local foods "bountiful basket," which Ted refers to as "Dr. Lisa's Basket o' Fun," contained:

• onions from White Oak Farm in Warren,
• tomatoes from Belanger & Sons in Lewiston,
• and leeks from Bowdoinham.  (All of the above via the Rosemont Market in Yarmouth.) 
• Also carrots, turnips and Brussels sprouts from our final New Elm Farm (Freeport) farmshare. 

In the interest of keeping this blog post short, I'll wait for Wednesday's blog post to re-visit today's WLOB discussion with Ray & Ted on the "ABCs of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month." 

For more Wednesday fun, remember to attend tomorrow's 7th Annual Yarmouth Community Garden Harvest Dinner.  My friend, Marjorie, tells me that the YCG

had a good year, despite all that rain and gloom in June and July and then losing ALL of our tomatoes to late blight (that was a real bummer). But still we rented 145 plots (we started with only 25 six years ago!), taught children about organic gardening and compost and pests and bees and all kinds of good stuff in the Garden Explorers program, and most important, have distributed close to 2000 pounds of vegetables to seniors and local food pantries.

Hooray for the YCG! Let's get over there tomorrow and show them our appreciation of their efforts.

Local foods, literacy & Dr. Lisa: how's that for a "L-laden" Three-fer Tuesday?

Dinner at the Garden

Looking to enjoy some delicious, locally grown food while supporting a worthy cause?  Consider attending the 7th Annual Yarmouth Community Garden Harvest Dinner next Wednesday.  My friend, Marjorie, introduced me to the YCG several years ago.  I've been a fan ever since.  

For Harvest Dinner details, see below...

Bean(s) There: A Portland Restaurant Rundown

Beans abound these days in Portland restaurants.  Perhaps it's a scarcity of other local foods in the early spring months, or maybe the humble legume is making a comeback for economic reasons.  Either way, I've been enjoying this turn of events.  I've also been enjoying an uncharacteristic round of eatery excursions this April vacation.  Last night, Kevin and I stopped in for an impromptu bite at the award-winning Fore Street restaurant, after the Facebook Maine party at RiRa's.  Hubbie's hanger steak was accompanied by black-eyed peas, while my halibut sat atop a bed of dappled pinto-like beans. (I wish I had thought to find out exactly what kind they were.  Jacob's cattle beans, perhaps?) 

Last Sunday, we had dinner across town with a client of Kevin's at the equally well-regarded 555 (pictured above).  Gene's halibut was surrounded by a sea of brightly colored garbanzos. I went with a (beanless) piece of salmon, prepared with forbidden rice and white asparagus.  Delicious.

Earlier that day, Abby and I stopped by Mesa Verde on Congress Street for lunch, where I had the chance to sample their rice and beans.  This was not your typical Mexican restaurant rice and beans.  It was organic brown rice nestled between black and pinto beans, topped with garlic-sauteed spinach.  I ordered these with a side of savory sauteed summer squash, zucchini and red peppers (see above). These dishes, in addition to the buttery guacamole, convinced me that our first time to this reasonably priced establishment would not be our last. Thirteen-year-old Abby, who went with the more traditional beef taco salad, agreed with my assessment.

I also had a tasty plate of rice and beans recently at Norm's Bar and Grill, on Middle Street in Portland.  Though known mostly for their barbequed meat, Norm's did a nice job with the black beans, which were subtly spiced and colorfully intermixed with corn, peppers and tomatoes.  These, along with baby spinach bathed in a warm vinaigrette, were enough to satisfy my veggie-loving self.

Speaking of beans, Abby and I stopped by the funky, socially conscious Coffee By Design after our Mesa Verde Mexican feast.  Coffee By Design is of Maine's finest "micro-roasters," and it also has a very appealing decor.  While sipping our hot beverages, we enjoyed the charming ceiling and funky multi-colored mural on the wall over the coffee bar.

We are blessed to have such an abundance of beautiful bean makers in Portland. 

And on a somewhat related note, if you are a local Facebooker and coffee bean afficianado, be sure to become a fan of the Royal Bean here in Yarmouth. The list of Bean fans is growing daily!

The Bean: Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Every town needs a coffee shop like the Royal Bean.  Not for the coffee (I rarely drink it, though I'm a sucker for the occasional soy mocha latte), but for the sense of community that simmers within its walls.  Previously a Curves fitness studio--and before that an auto parts store--the Bean was born a little more than ten months ago.  Set back from Main Street, it is located across from the Yarmouth Florist, wedged between the railroad tracks and an antique store.

There are lots of things to love about the Bean. My husband, Kevin, loves the coffee, which is made using a French press from beans supplied by Freeport Coffee Roasting. My daughters love the scones, which are brought in by Stone's Bakery, down the road in North Yarmouth.  I love the comraderie.

I love that Jim Meeks, the owner, and his employees are friendly and caring.  They really seem to want people to feel at home.  They've provided a play space for the children, huge coaches for lounging and tables for working or meeting with others.  The menu includes an array of baked goods, yogurt, granola, soup, and the obvious tea and coffee.  There are TWO bathrooms (one has a potty chair for the 'wee' ones). Jim has even allowed us to sell Our Daily Tread at his store.

Jim has made the Bean a homey haven for the local crowd. Sunlight streams through the street-facing windows.  Irish jigs, alternating with soft guitar music and alternative eighties music, waft through the sound system.  The walls are covered with creations from local photographers, painters and other artists.  These rotate on a regular basis.  This month, my friend Carol Bass has displayed several of her fun, color-splashed pieces.  I smile every time I go in.  It's worth a trip just to see them.

It's also worth a trip to meet Jim.  Jim knows my family: he calls each of us by name.  He will sit down and do a crossword puzzle with Sophie if she is interested.  He inquires about her jump-roping--we usually walk/jump rope down from our house once a week or so--and asks after Kevin, who can often be found using the wireless and downing a cup of joe in between meetings. Last week Jim even sold us half of a ham and cheese stuffed bread (this isn't standard practice), when I was concerned about Sophie's ability to eat the whole thing.  He finished the other half himself:)

Jim and the other Bean barristas have clearly won the hearts of the Yarmouth community.  The Bean is bustling during the day, and well into the early evening (they don't close until 6 on weekdays). Rarely will I go into his shop and find it empty.  Usually I will run across a friend or acquaintance and catch up with a wave or a bit of small talk. The Bean has a festive, social, feel to it.  Kind of like a party, where you can meet up with people you may not have even known you wanted to see.

Or you can meet up with people you knew you wanted to see.  Like your daughters, who entertain you with a bit of Scrabble.  Or your busy hubbie, who keeps you company as you each check your email.

Every town needs a coffee shop like the Bean: a place where everybody knows your name.

 

Riverwalking in the Rain

Three of us braved the summer storms for "Walk with the Doc" down the Royal River path on Tuesday.  The skies were just starting to clear, and though we brought umbrellas, these didn't prove necessary.  We simply ignored the drizzle.  It seemed pretty unimpressive given the rainfall we've had lately. 

Despite the lack of significant rain on our walk, it was obvious that Mother Nature has been very active.  The river was brown and turbulent, and higher than we've seen it all season.  All of the mid-stream "duck-sunning" rocks were underwater. The few waterfowl in evidence today did not seem phased by this fact, however: they were happily bobbing along on the swollen river.  It was definitely a day for ducks.

It was also a day to welcome little brothers. Or at least a day to welcome my little brother--though as you can see by his picture, mine is not so little.  Beverly & I were thrilled to be joined on our walk by Matthew, an Air Force officer who is visiting from Oklahoma City.   Matthew is one of the middle children in our family of 10 (number 6; I am the firstborn).  As it happens, Beverly also comes from a big family: she is the oldest of seven. 

Matthew (of yogurt-making fame) is in town for my parents' 40th wedding anniversary party. This grand affair is scheduled for Saturday.  It promises to be a fun-filled weekend--literally--beginning with a trip to Funtown on Friday.  This will be followed by a joint baby shower for sister Adelle/wedding shower for future sister-in-law, Melissa on Friday night.  Sunday is mini-family-reunion at the beach day, complete with traditional Italian sandwiches. 

When our family celebrates, we do so in a big way.

Matthew and I celebrated his return to Maine with a post-walk lunch at Bruce's Burritos.  Matty is doing well, having just completed a half-marathon in Chicago over the weekend.  Seeing him again is bittersweet, as he is off to the Middle East again in September.  Though he tells us not to, I can't help worrying about my little bro.  I'm going to start happy-thought making right now.

And I'm going to keep taking him with us (in spirit) on our Walk with the Doc adventures.

P.S. Happy birthday to Angela--AKA Trixie!!

P.P.S. We'll miss you this weekend, brother Jeff.  We're so excited to be welcoming another 'Baby Boy Belisle' into the family! Congratulations to you & Em...

Rawbert's of Beverly

Kevin and I took a lunch-seeking side trip on the way back from Boston last week.  Originally we had tried to get into Boston's North End, but finding ourselves without parking options, we headed out of town instead.  We did have an idea where we were going. My friend Debra (who recently finished coursework at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition) had been singing the praises of the Organic Garden--also called Rawbert's Cafe and Juice Bar.  She especially recommended the desserts. Though I had originally hoped I might be able to dine with there with Debra, she was unable to join me, so Kevin agreed to stand in.  Like my friend, Joe (who accompanied me on my recent trip to Masao's Kitchen), Kevin is an open-minded omnivore.

My trips to both Masao's and Rawbert's were attempts to find delicious vegetarian options on the road. Unlike Masao's, Rawbert's focuses on raw, not macrobiotic food (which is often cooked).    

Rawbert's was easy to get to: just a short trip up  Route 128 to Beverly (MA).  After parking in a convenient metered on-street spot, we bypassed the outdoor cafe seating (the weather had been iffy) choosing to sit inside instead.  Though tempted by their "Sake Mojito," I started instead with a freshly blended lemon, ginger and raw honey tea.  My husband chose an unpasteurized, preservative-free Wolaver organic pale ale. He found his ale satisfactory; I was less impressed with the tea (which is technically a tisane, as it does not contain tea leaves).  Drinking it  was a little like sucking on a warm wet-nap.

I did enjoy the miso soup, however, which was sweet and accented with portabella mushrooms. And we both liked the falafel-based main courses.  Kevin had a wrap, while I had a salad.  Unlike traditional falafel, their chickpea mixture was dehydrated rather than fried.  It was nicely accompanied by fresh sprouts, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots and greens and a tasty cucumber dill dressing. (I removed the onions, as these are one of the few veggies I simply do not care for raw.)

We finished our meal several hours later with two 'to go' desserts.  I have attempted to make raw desserts, and understand the complexities involved.  I have yet to eat a raw dessert which does not taste, well, raw.  Rawbert's desserts were no different. I found both their brownie and black forest cherry cake to be delicious, but Kevin simply couldn't get past the texture. 

Despite this, I would return to Rawbert's.  Their food was creatively prepared, and I liked the classy/funky decor (especially the golden walls set off by dark red wooden chairs).  The counter staff seemed competent, if somewhat somber--though perhaps this was due to the muggy weather and the fact that the restaurant air conditioning didn't seem to be functioning.

All in all, we considered our lunch-seeking side trip a success.