Mary Flaig's Blog

Took a ride to Providence with C....visiting R & C's cousin, P., at her new home on the East Side. The city holds so many memories for me...when we moved to RI, from Fairfield, Ct, my mother and I would spend Saturday afternoons at Wayland Square, having lunch at Ruffles Restaurant and shopping. When my friend and I got our driver's licenses, we'd head to the Avon Cinema, on Thayer Street, to view the fabulous selection of foreign films. Another phase of my life was spent on Waterman Street, in an apartment there, with my ex, while he attended Brown University Medical School. During those years, many visits were taken to the RISD Museum of Art.

Interestingly enough, R. and I have found a Providence connection. Although he was born in Philly, he visited his aunt and cousins on the East Side frequently...my mother and his sister and brother were born there. He had the opportunity to attend Moses Brown, a prep school, near Brown and then go on to the University, and follow in the family tradition, but, declined, not wanting to leave his childhood friends in Philadelphia.

R. and I will travel there soon...wondering if we ever walked by each other years ago, never realizing we'd be so important to each other in the future...

I'm so grateful I have a close relationship with 3 of my female cousins...one on my father's side of the family and two on my mother's. None of us have sisters...which may help to keep us connected. One of them, M., came to visit this week...we had a great time discussing the family dynamics while having dinner at the Wayside Inn in Chatham and traveling down beautiful, scenic, 6A, the following day, for lunch at the Daniel Webster Inn, in Sandwich. After a trip to North Truro, to the Truro Vineyard, where we bought their smooth, delicious Cranberry Red Wine, we headed to Orleans and the Orleans Inn for lunch, one of the few restaurants with a waterview in the area.

R. and I toured around yesterday and made one of our destinations the Osterville Harbor, where I had studied and worked with Robert Driscoll at his gallery. We took photos of the gorgeous harbor, still filled with boats, then headed to Earthly Delights to pick up some organic snacks and coffee.

The Fall is a perfect time to view the sparkling beauty of Cape Cod, unencumbered by the masses of tourists, who've recently disappeared...

My Father's birthday is coming up...I'm thinking of him and his roots in the Black Forest of Germany. It's an area in the Southwestern region, known for its highlands, scenery and woods--it's main industry is tourism. Mountain biking and cross country skiing are very popular. Baden-Baden, renowned as a health spa town, is known as the "gateway" to the Black Forest. Health resorts are dotted all over the area, whose thermal springs have been prized since Roman times.

Wood carving is a traditional cottage industry--cuckoo clocks have been made since the 17th century...Black Forest ham and cake originated there, as well.

I didn't realize, until recently, that the area has a rich mythological landscape, haunted by werewolves, sorcerers, witches and the devil, in different guises. Helpful dwarves try to balance the scale. The forest is dense and dark--it would be easy to conjure up all kinds of imaginings...

Waterways like the Danube, Lake Constance and numerous waterfalls, medieval architecture and vineyards add to the enchantment of the area...my Dad was from a village that had a storybook quality...I'm so glad I was able to visit it with him...

John Lennon would have been 70 years old tomorrow...the world was shocked and saddened when this iconic English rock musician was gunned down in New York City, 30 years ago.

When I think of him, I think of "Imagine", his best known song that became an international anthem for peace. His music will live forever...as Mahatma Gandi, the Indian spiritual leader said, "If you want to give a message, it must be a message of love". John Lennon's message was simple and beautiful..."love" and "peace"...our spirits reflected it back...a time of hope was born...we need to relisten to his words again and again...