tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96076772012-01-16T11:47:30.546-05:00Musings about art, life, spirit and love by an adult adoptee living in reunion.Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.comBlogger10301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-32714734510616096692012-01-16T11:46:00.001-05:002012-01-16T11:47:30.556-05:00

On some positions, Cowardice asks the question, "Is it safe?" Expediency asks the question, "Is it politic?" And Vanity comes along and asks the question, "Is it popular?" But Conscience asks the question "Is it right?" And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right.-Rev. Martin Luther

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-20422053600806061302012-01-15T11:22:00.007-05:002012-01-16T11:10:46.600-05:00

ON BEHALF of the Board of Directors of the Winthrop Hot Meal Kitchen, it brings me great pleasure to announce that we will recommence daily, sit-down service at St. Francis Xavier Parish Hall on Wednesday, January 18. Once again, a nutritious hot will be served each weekday at 11:30 am. Meals are free and all are welcome, no questions asked. We will continue to provide a prepared meal to-go at

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-6125119623863786022012-01-01T11:13:00.000-05:002012-01-01T11:14:41.018-05:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-67313333317803853512011-12-31T12:40:00.003-05:002011-12-31T12:51:44.528-05:00

We said goodbye to out beloved dog, J.B. Today, we lit a torch on his grave. Someday this spring, I hope to finally be able to plant a garden where his body rests.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-62335124152354883052011-12-18T13:12:00.001-05:002011-12-18T13:12:42.919-05:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-60448045618041705582011-12-08T18:35:00.003-05:002011-12-08T18:36:46.221-05:00

It's a significant birthday.I hope the journey forward is intense and fruitful.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-1762935792640354382011-11-13T15:05:00.002-05:002011-11-13T15:05:58.573-05:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-31134011172789428712011-11-11T12:06:00.003-04:002011-11-11T12:09:20.069-04:00

Today, we honor all the men and women, living or dead, who have worn the uniform in service to this nation. A special salute to all the members of American Legion Alfred W. Maxwell Jr. Post 40 here in Winthrop; the many veterans I serve with on the Winthrop Rotary; my brother-in-law who has served in the Army with tours in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan; my godbrother who served in the Army and the

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-75751785978256361292011-11-06T14:48:00.001-04:002011-11-06T14:49:53.896-04:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-88813869565095783362011-10-21T10:00:00.006-04:002011-10-21T10:30:21.835-04:00

I want to thank Pat Stanton, dean of students, for inviting me to speak for your Make A Difference general assembly today. I’m so tired, my legs can hardly hold me up, but here I am. It’s hard to turn down an opportunity to speak to young people who inspire with their commitment and desire to feed people. I'm honored to be here.A wise man once said, “There’s a hunger beyond food that’s expressed

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-48503170513042379852011-10-15T21:01:00.005-04:002011-10-16T18:32:59.788-04:00

Imagine my surprise when a friend told me we'd be on the cover of my local paper of record for feeding people. I was still shocked when I saw it this past Monday. Here's a glimpse...::Hot Meals Kitchen feeding hungry from B&B, not church Group finds way to keep making meals for those in need By Betty Adams

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-39957097745860634782011-10-02T10:32:00.007-04:002011-10-02T10:37:04.958-04:00

The Board of Directors and the Volunteers of the Winthrop Hot Meal Kitchen would like to say thank you.Thank you to the little boy who came to the farm one Sunday afternoon with his mother. He had raided his piggy bank of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters, rolled them all up, carried them up the walkway and put them in my hands. Surely, a child shall lead them.Thank you to the 50 people,

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-75027588737077907732011-09-11T10:14:00.001-04:002011-09-11T10:15:45.799-04:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-1195055811260388942011-09-04T04:11:00.013-04:002011-10-02T10:34:48.611-04:00

ON AUGUST 22, 2011, the day of my 13th wedding anniversary, a couple of elders walked up to the farm stand. I recognized the woman from the soup kitchen so I figured the two had come to the farm to use our fresh food bank. Turns out they were doing just fine with food, thank the Lord, but they wanted to know if I had any hope that the Winthrop Hot Meal Kitchen over at St. Francis Parish Hall

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-57676669037316112702011-08-31T20:17:00.000-04:002011-08-31T20:18:05.673-04:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-22867132096497258412011-08-22T09:01:00.001-04:002011-08-22T09:01:55.623-04:00

Friends came... ...bearing gifts. They gathered in our backyard to see us marry. Before our altar... ...we exchanged vows. Daddy sang "Ebb Tide," my favorite love song. We joined our lights... ...and became one heart. Everybody... ...cried. Two families became one. How sweet it is.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-57183135260577740492011-07-22T23:26:00.000-04:002011-07-22T23:27:24.013-04:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-38634771891858516572011-06-23T22:48:00.004-04:002011-06-23T22:55:03.114-04:00

JUNE 23, 1946. 65 years ago my parents vowed, "Till death do us part." They kept their promise. With my father's passing in 2007, today is a bittersweet day for my mother.Her man's gone now. Ain't no use a listenin' for his tired footsteps climbing up the stairs.But I'm sure she can still feel his presence on the day that will always be one of the best days of her life. Always be her wedding

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-67020834984449154052011-06-19T19:37:00.001-04:002011-06-19T19:42:02.299-04:00

WISHING all the fathers out there a peaceful and blessed Father's Day.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-147830820696021012011-06-11T00:19:00.002-04:002011-06-11T00:20:45.945-04:00

90% of the first-flush crop is now planted. I need the evenings to be a little warmer to get okra in the ground, but I suspect we'll get there by June 23. The sheets of rain we got yesterday was a God-send. Pummeling sheets. Balls of hail, too. Today, the plants stretched toward heaven. Like prayer.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-58757669325695462152011-05-15T09:20:00.002-04:002011-05-15T09:27:06.212-04:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-23575874612405103932011-05-02T09:42:00.000-04:002011-05-02T09:43:01.707-04:00

"I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure." — Mark Twain

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-1265001721528882362011-04-24T12:00:00.006-04:002011-04-24T12:06:37.498-04:00

Spring is here, there's no mistaking, farmers tilling soil from coast to coast. Today, Christians celebrate Easter. Farmers celebrate new beginnings. Miracle lambs and baby goats. Seedlings poking through wet soil. Pullets dropping eggs like rain.Enjoy your celebrations.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-51891663828938020242011-04-16T09:36:00.002-04:002011-04-16T09:38:58.058-04:00

A slideshow of baby goats Stew and Boter, and our surprise lamb Mushroom, born in the rain and mud. Best viewed in full screen mode.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-1797578058790237702011-03-31T09:59:00.013-04:002011-03-31T11:34:09.712-04:00

On September 1, 1986, according to official records, I founded the Harvard Callbacks along with Morgan London, then called Dawn Clark, two legal name changes earlier. Both voluntary, one by marriage. I, too, have had a legal name change. Involuntary. By adoption. That the two of us would join to found what can be described as a family and an a capella singing group is beyond serendipity.I'm

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-51745558175927842642011-03-13T17:00:00.001-05:002011-03-13T17:01:23.686-05:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-25439735116322008972011-03-06T11:14:00.001-05:002011-03-06T11:16:14.437-05:00

Song from the 1952 movie "The Member of the Wedding" With Ethel Waters as Bernice Sadie Brown; Julie Harris as Frankie Addams; and Brandon De Wilde as John Henry.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-30472389589655330332011-02-27T18:17:00.002-05:002011-02-27T18:31:02.015-05:00

From wikipedia:Origins Upon hearing Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" in 1963, Cooke was greatly moved that such a poignant song about racism in America could come from someone who was not black[1]. While on tour in May 1963, and after speaking with sit-in demonstrators in Durham, North Carolina following a concert, Cooke returned to his tour bus and wrote the first draft of what would

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-34031079266496574242011-02-20T14:28:00.001-05:002011-02-20T14:32:35.711-05:00

In the 1960s, Nina Simone was part of the civil rights movement and later the black power movement. Her songs are considered by some as anthems of those movements, and their evolution shows the growing hopelessness that American racial problems would be solved.Nina Simone wrote "Mississippi Goddam" after the bombing of a Baptist church in Alabama killed four children and after Medgar Evers was

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-69790425416429189862011-02-14T14:29:00.003-05:002011-02-14T14:34:01.874-05:00

TODAY my father would have been 91-years-old. A Tuskegee Airman, for which he was very proud, my father was a strong man who taught me how to care for others, especially when they are needy or sick. I will honor him today by excerpting the Book of Hazelle from Fumbling Toward Divinity.1AND IT CAME TO PASS in those days that Hitler committed suicide in his Berlin bunker. One week later, during

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-66364444824642337302011-02-13T09:02:00.012-05:002011-02-13T09:36:32.695-05:00

From Wikipedia:"Strange Fruit" was a poem written by Abel Meeropol, a Jewish high-school teacher from the Bronx, about the lynching of two black men. He published under the pen name Lewis Allan.[3][4]In the poem, Meeropol expressed his horror at lynchings, possibly after having seen Lawrence Beitler's photograph of the 1930 lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in Marion, Indiana.He published

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-37737813311915714452011-02-09T21:11:00.006-05:002011-02-09T21:17:04.410-05:00

Okra from my farm in Maine.THIS BOOK will be in my hands before month's end.In the final chapter of High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America (Bloomsbury, Jan. 4), Jessica B. Harris looks at the culinary cosmos leavened by the narratives of the African diaspora. The Bryn Mawr alum, a tenured professor at Queens College who holds a Ph.D. from NYU, beckons the reader into a sacred

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-773617437452546222011-02-06T10:21:00.007-05:002011-02-06T10:40:15.019-05:00

IntroductionPaul Robeson, a great American singer and actor, spent much of his life actively agitating for equality and fair treatment for all of America's citizens as well as citizens of the world. Robeson brought to his audiences not only a melodious baritone voice and a grand presence, but magnificent performances on stage and screen. Although his outspokenness often caused him

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-40280315880305826452011-02-04T11:53:00.003-05:002011-02-04T11:54:18.140-05:00

Free African Americans in the Colonial Era When Crispus Attucks earned his unfortunate claim to fame as a victim in the Boston Massacre, he was not a slave. He was one of the relatively few African Americans to achieve freedom in colonial America. Although freedom is clearly desirable in comparison to a life in chains, free African Americans were unfortunately rarely treated with the same

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-41677217842466059242011-02-03T19:11:00.002-05:002011-02-03T19:12:39.846-05:00

"MEN GO abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering."--Saint Augustine

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-58383683215748209542011-02-02T15:20:00.003-05:002011-02-02T15:23:46.617-05:00

The Victims of the Slave Trade:During the century of the domestic trade, roughly equal numbers of males and females were sold away. The exception was the Louisiana sugar plantations, whose population made up some 6 percent of the nation’s enslaved. Importation to New Orleans, where many sugar planters bought their enslaved workers, was about 58 percent male, and traders sent very few young

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-90907648739874647432011-02-01T10:44:00.002-05:002011-02-01T10:49:22.388-05:00

Black History Month begins today. I'm quoting the following from here.So, let’s begin with our beginning in this country – the Transatlantic Slave Trade.Over the course of more than three and a half centuries, the forcible transportation in bondage of at least twelve million men, women, and children from their African homelands to the Americas changed forever the face and character of the

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-13062976417552246372011-01-30T09:14:00.003-05:002011-01-30T09:17:12.867-05:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-29219659460941548722011-01-17T15:25:00.004-05:002011-01-17T15:32:06.084-05:00

A dog, 'Leao', sits for a second consecutive day, next to the grave of her owner, Cristina Maria Cesario Santana, who died in the week's catastrophic landslides in Brazil, at the cemetery in Teresopolis, near Rio de Janiero, on January 15, 2011. By Vanderlei Almeida/AFP/Getty. [source]

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-75264834030214754412011-01-17T00:07:00.007-05:002011-01-17T00:24:03.084-05:00

From President Obama's Proclamation:We must face the challenges of today with the same strength, persistence, and determination exhibited by Dr. King, guided by the enduring values of hope and justice embodied by other civil rights leaders. As a country, we must expand access to opportunity and end structural inequalities for all people in employment and economic mobility. It is our collective

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-29049051159986966802011-01-16T10:24:00.001-05:002011-01-16T10:25:37.135-05:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-71655934181082887232011-01-02T11:14:00.001-05:002011-01-02T11:16:19.594-05:00

Goodbye, J.B.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-6830723068604165122010-12-31T13:40:00.006-05:002011-01-27T07:31:44.732-05:00

No matter how many times you experience significant loss, it never gets any easier to endure. When a part of you dies, grief, seemingly unbearable, crashes over you like waves. Gigantic, powerful waves. Fighting against the drowning wears you out. Wears you out.At 12:20 PM on New Year's Eve day, J.B., my beloved dog, finally gave up the ghost. I slept on the floor by his side the night before

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-31259610435349992182010-12-26T10:01:00.016-05:002010-12-31T13:39:26.154-05:00

When I was about seven or eight, I began to teach myself how to bake from recipes in the original Betty Crocker's Cookbook. The paperback culinary bible was so old, so worn out, some of the pages disintegrated between my fingers upon turning. The whole thing had to be held together with a pair of crisscrossed rubber bands.I made a yellow sheet cake first. I didn't understand the concept of

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-16930701945565680722010-12-22T17:01:00.003-05:002010-12-22T17:02:38.242-05:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-35436810045203635332010-12-19T13:56:00.003-05:002010-12-19T14:19:49.169-05:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-57611921504959948502010-12-18T15:42:00.004-05:002010-12-18T15:45:22.133-05:00

The Senate has just voted 65-31 to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell.65-31. An unexpected and strong majority.Employment discrimination in the military for gay and lesbian patriots will finally come to an end when President Obama signs the legislation.From the other side, Harvey Milk is smiling.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-60057548125400314902010-12-08T09:13:00.002-05:002010-12-08T09:17:44.388-05:00

The Feast of Harvesthas passed. Yuletiderapidly approaches.Smack dab in the middleis today, the day I cameto be 43 years ago.I have now lived longerthan all my artistmentor friends,save one.Today,I sing.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-9576344457670634812010-12-05T17:04:00.001-05:002010-12-05T17:10:16.973-05:00

Sublime.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-69636042583465210812010-11-26T15:55:00.003-05:002010-11-26T19:04:02.584-05:00

The menu was roasted organic butternut squash soup, herb-marinated roasted Moonshadow Farm (Old Lewiston Rd.) rabbit with mustard sauce, brined Mt. Pisgah pheasant roasted with bacon bard, glazed organic turnips, cranberry relish, risotto, whole-wheat rolls, sweet potato souffle torte, and frozen vanilla custard. Dinner for four at Annabessacook Farm was decadent.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-6835273815785355992010-11-25T09:19:00.002-05:002010-11-25T09:23:38.628-05:00

I received this email today. I'm sharing it with you in its entirety. I couldn't have written it any better.This Thanksgiving, give thanks to the farmers and farmworkers who make this meal possible. Dear Craig, It’s that time of year again. Every fall people travel across the country or just across town to share a meal with family, friends and loved ones in order to celebrate another year of

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-33551821199019605382010-11-22T17:33:00.005-05:002010-11-22T18:29:49.514-05:00

Black Farmer Painting by John LautermilchSenate approves $4.5B payment to Native Americans, black farmersAfter months of hang-ups, the Senate unanimously approved Friday two multibillion-dollar settlements that will rectify long-standing claims against the federal government for discrimination and mismanagement.The vote essentially brings closure to the two cases, which have each been litigated

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-80285518441256063172010-11-16T20:01:00.004-05:002010-11-16T20:11:16.815-05:00

I looked into a woman's eyes today and saw pain like none I've ever seen.She just buried her son.I'm not sure that there's anything in life more cruel than burying a child.But for a mother burying her 26-year-old son?I have no words.I finally finished planting garlic today. It's nicely composted and mulched with two bales of blond straw.Here's hoping that mother with pain-filled eyes can fix her

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-84112478488852725002010-11-14T19:30:00.002-05:002010-11-14T19:34:06.405-05:00

That's the live version. Now, for the recorded version I fell in love with two decades ago. Pay attention to the piano interlude.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-50363703908619634892010-11-07T08:49:00.002-05:002010-11-14T13:14:08.255-05:00

ONE OF MY favorite renditions of one of my favorite standards.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-35983647114478955322010-11-05T10:14:00.000-05:002010-11-05T10:15:26.666-05:00

Dear Supporters,The official results are in. I received 1736 votes or 39.1% of the votes cast, no where near enough to win the election. Nevertheless, we won over a lot of hearts and minds in the process. As I already wrote, I've had the time of my life and have no regrets.At least three working-class men came out of the polling place yesterday, looked me right in my eye, and told me they were

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-78414022266817673602010-10-31T16:51:00.000-05:002010-10-31T16:52:12.799-05:00

Dear Neighbor,My name is Craig Hickman. Over the past months, I’ve traveled all over Readfield and Winthrop and heard stories from hundreds of people. I’m grateful that you’ve taken the time to join me in an important conversation—one about the great promise that our community holds, about how to grow our community so Maine can remain the way life should be.As an organic farmer, I know a little

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-7465413358271130122010-10-21T17:36:00.000-04:002010-10-21T17:37:10.091-04:00

RACE FOR THE STATE HOUSEOctober 17Political newcomer, three-term incumbent vie for House seatPair contest House District 82By Betty AdamsStaff WriterWINTHROP -- A fellow Winthrop resident is challenging three-term incumbent Patrick Flood for the right to represent House District 82 and become only the third black person to serve in the Maine Legislature.Democrat Craig V. Hickman, 47 [sic], is

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-45582680027295575442010-10-17T11:22:00.001-04:002010-10-17T11:24:23.960-04:00

On Tuesday, October 12, when I received this email, my jaw fell to the floor. Talk about being humbled. With the author's permission, I'm reprinting most of it here, including the bits of wisdom contained in her email signature.::Dear Craig,Good to meet you today.I have been drawn to your photo in the advertiser and drawn to your personality when reading articles about you and what can only be

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-87840786086468542512010-10-16T18:30:00.002-04:002010-10-16T18:34:58.874-04:00

MSEA-SEIU Local 1989 sent out this mailer last week. I'm posting it just as it arrived in my mailbox, complete with the scratches that appear as though there's a miniature Billie Holiday gardenia above my ear.The man who wrote the copy wrote the copy well. Click on the image to enlarge.Cross-posted to Hickman in the House

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-88303622170780986542010-10-14T23:28:00.002-04:002010-10-14T23:30:26.582-04:00

We sent this mailer out last week. Some voters tell me it's hanging on their refrigerators. Talk about being humbled. Click on the images to see them at full size.Cross-posted to Hickman in the House

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-4723486199153384992010-10-01T17:13:00.001-04:002010-10-01T17:23:38.403-04:00

House District 82Hickman would speak for people, not corporationsBuild local economy, invest in foodBy Judy Yeaton | Sep 30, 2010Winthrop — Democrat Craig Hickman says he’s running for the Maine House of Representatives because “it’s time for a new beginning.” Up against incumbent Rep. Pat Flood, R-Winthrop, Hickman is competing for the District 82 seat in the Nov. 2 election. If he wins, he’ll

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-64851819961308369002010-09-08T16:10:00.003-04:002010-09-13T16:00:14.191-04:00

Over Labor Day weekend, while selling raffle tickets in front of Audette’s, a fellow Rotarian told me not to bother dropping off any fresh organic produce at the Winthrop Food Pantry for the next three weeks because it would be closed. My heart sank. In these difficult times, how can we allow our community food pantry to go dark for even a single week?On Labor Day morning, my 13-

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-43206510946430366362010-08-30T06:24:00.002-04:002010-08-30T06:26:50.293-04:00

THIS article, entitled With a map and a mission: 500 miles, 10 days, 1 bike, appeared in the Boston Sunday Globe today. It features Annabessacook Farm. It promotes Annabessacook Farm. At least I think it does. And it's very well-written. Yes. I remember the biker/writer. She really did enjoy her breakfast. Took some trail mix with her for the road. Simply fabulous that she would write about her

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-87665040687391813192010-08-27T13:58:00.005-04:002010-08-28T02:28:17.320-04:00

My jaw is still on the floor by this endorsement. I'm thrilled, I tell you, just thrilled.Cross-posted to Hickman in the House

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-4627357261650142792010-08-26T09:58:00.003-04:002010-09-06T21:37:27.570-04:00

I OPEN the Community Advertiser this past Saturday around dinner time and find this:Craig Hickman a Class Act At ReadfieldFirst place in the 2010 Readfield's Got Talent show was won by [Winthrop] organic farmer, Craig Hickman, a poet performing his original work.After accepting the prize of $75, Hickman took the mike and asked if the Readfield Fire Department, where the contest took place,

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-46279501559305940842010-08-19T17:02:00.002-04:002010-08-19T17:45:15.769-04:00

District governor Claude Martel; new members Craig Hickman & Kathy Thorenson; President Ryan FrostWinthrop — The Rotary Club of the Winthrop Area received a visit from its district governor at a special meeting held Aug. 17 at Pepper's Restaurant in Winthrop.Claude Martel, a member of the Rotary Club of Val Belaire in Quebec City, along with Larry Marcoux, assistant district governor and a member

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-46468679261485004752010-08-13T16:13:00.003-04:002010-08-13T16:26:50.131-04:00

August 13, 14, 15, 2010Readfield Historical Society Art: Beverley Norton NewtonFriday, August 13 at the Readfield Town Beach4:30 to 7:30 - Barbeque featuring hamburgs, hotdogs, chips, drinks, popcorn and cotton6:30 to 7:30 - Rick Charette Concert (FREE)9:00 (or when dark) - Fireworks (rain date, Sunday, August 15)We will also be selling raffle tickets for a homemade quilt, donated by Gail Turner;

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-49603408139060411022010-07-25T16:30:00.002-04:002010-08-07T22:00:50.538-04:00

Slice thinly two or three fat green tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, cover and leave alone for half hour. Less if time is tight. Heat a wide skillet with 1/2 inch olive oil. Crack a farm fresh egg, beat it, add a dollop of raw milk and blend. Add some dried herbs, some Old Bay and a little more salt and pepper and mix well. Dip tomato slices in the liquid and shake in a paper bag with

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-23634042615403972072010-07-18T14:48:00.001-04:002010-07-18T14:49:30.170-04:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-6570101935515466222010-07-12T00:37:00.001-04:002010-07-12T00:39:14.609-04:00

If you're too busy defending your mistakes, you won't learn from them.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-12781427867659290972010-07-04T22:36:00.001-04:002010-07-04T22:38:51.055-04:00

Hope you celebrated, remained safely sober, and enjoy your day off tomorrow if you have one.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-2434241254368352702010-07-03T22:38:00.004-04:002010-07-03T22:47:51.208-04:00

ReutersGettyReutersReutersReuters AP AP'GettyIt's been a long time since I've seen Serena Williams this happy after winning a Slam title. Melbourne 2005, maybe. But she seemed more emotional and relieved for

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-55000095484281005122010-06-09T22:37:00.000-04:002010-06-09T22:38:45.182-04:00

I received 85% of the votes in the Democratic primary cast for governor. Yes, I was uncontested, but still. I'm now officially the Democratic Nominee for Maine House District 82.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-16154980606310515352010-05-31T07:04:00.002-04:002010-05-31T07:06:59.985-04:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-56554928996252397622010-05-23T12:49:00.005-04:002010-05-23T13:00:30.077-04:00

One might be getting the feeling that the radical extremists of the radio talk shows, the Faux News insane and those who worship them, with all their violent rhetoric and references to civil war, want our nation to return to the days when Lady Day artfully, painstakingly mourned the lynched.If the election of Barack Obama signified the end of the cultural phase of the American Civil War, it's

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-5555176251987984612010-05-20T23:03:00.001-04:002010-05-20T23:04:42.318-04:00

ReutersA boat passes through heavily oiled marsh near Pass a Loutre, Louisiana May 20, 2010. For nearly a month, roughly 5,000 barrels (210,000 gallons/795,000 liters) of oil per day have been gushing from BP's broken Deepwater oil well situated in the Gulf of Mexico, in what could be named the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-23367509810468025652010-05-16T13:37:00.006-04:002010-05-16T14:22:38.339-04:00

Goosebumps.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-59270517769689343162010-05-10T15:18:00.004-04:002010-05-16T14:22:25.718-04:00

Rest in peace, oh diva of divas.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-37484576764704287372010-05-09T22:15:00.006-04:002010-05-10T08:52:17.516-04:00

NEVER too late to wish peace and blessings to all the mothers.But a special wish goes to my sister Gina who just happens to be celebrating her first mother's day on her 45th birthday.Happy Birthday, beloved sister. Grace Loren is blessed to have you as her mother.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-3725253527325526702010-05-01T21:54:00.052-04:002010-05-03T22:08:44.711-04:00

This means I'm officially running for something.My campaign treasurer stopped by earlier today while we were planting collard greens, blackeye peas and broccoli to deliver the good news. We hadn't been to the mailbox yet, but when we checked it later, there it was, unfolded from its official-looking envelope, just as you see it above.This is a big [fill-in-the-blank] deal.I'm grateful to all

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-13264489322213582312010-04-29T13:39:00.001-04:002010-04-29T13:41:23.983-04:00

THE CASKET bearing the remains of Dorothy Height, the leading female voice of the 1960s civil rights movement, is carried into the National Council of Negro Women headquarters in downtown Washington, Tuesday, April 27, 2010. Height died April 20 at the age of 98. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-52597617039609258722010-04-25T13:50:00.003-04:002010-04-25T14:01:12.071-04:00

Tight acapella harmony doesn't get any better than this.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-60214831810087135922010-04-18T21:01:00.001-04:002010-04-18T21:02:48.275-04:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-7231216785279111772010-04-11T22:33:00.002-04:002010-04-11T22:47:29.428-04:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-49674961319160907322010-04-04T08:46:00.004-04:002010-04-04T08:47:33.115-04:00

Spring isn't hanging me up, but I adore this song.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-23944274421428752952010-03-30T13:34:00.003-04:002010-03-30T13:38:55.785-04:00

Pete SouzaPRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA talks with family members of Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum of Ghana, during a credentialing ceremony in the Oval Office, Feb. 24, 2010.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-48922511940427773242010-03-28T10:18:00.001-04:002010-03-28T10:20:54.345-04:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-59697655696375297512010-03-27T11:12:00.003-04:002010-03-27T11:22:59.450-04:00

BRILLIANTLY BLESSED are those who seek perfection not in people or things, but in the process of Loving itself, for they shall possess clarity of insight.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-56593384278956093352010-03-23T22:11:00.003-04:002010-03-23T23:05:41.900-04:00

ReutersU.S. President Barack Obama signs the health insurance reform bill as Marcelas Owens looks on in the East Room at the White House in Washington, March 23, 2010. Owens lost his mother to illness before the healthcare legislation passed.GettyUS President Barack Obama, surrounded by lawmakers and supporters, signs the healthcare insurance reform legislation during a ceremony in the East Room

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-63444362133656185152010-03-23T12:45:00.004-04:002010-03-23T22:31:11.880-04:00

JobDaedalus chomping, Orange Juice chilling, Wallpaper posing, and Princess grazing in the distance.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-14193528043663839172010-03-21T09:31:00.002-04:002010-03-21T09:37:25.652-04:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-87929473186488658632010-03-17T16:41:00.002-04:002010-03-17T23:50:47.386-04:00

BRILLIANTLY BLESSED are those who belong to the trees and the animals, for their voices will grow plants like the sun and their kindness will kill the anger of strangers.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-53802524873960635082010-03-14T08:21:00.015-04:002010-03-21T00:13:39.426-04:00

NOVEMBER 2009FOR TWO years, they didn't have garden-fresh collard greens.For all of my childhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my father grew a small garden in our back yard that yielded incredible produce. We didn't call it organic gardening back then. There was no need for such a description. It was what it was: gardening. No chemical fertilizers, no pesticides.Well. Almost. One year -- I can't

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-56556933113965605022010-03-14T07:00:00.003-04:002010-03-14T12:59:57.942-04:00

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-32709030518616278972010-03-11T20:53:00.001-05:002010-03-12T20:12:42.849-05:00

BRILLIANTLY BLESSED are those who walk with courage through the depths of their own sorrow, for they will walk also through the greatest joy and their Spirits will grow exponentially; for them, a healing will come.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-89544067065169705762010-03-10T07:09:00.005-05:002010-03-10T20:52:02.540-05:00

A conference sponsored by the Alliance for the Study of Adoption and CultureMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MassachusettsApril 29-May 2, 2010Official WebsiteKeynote speakers:Anita L. Allen, Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs, Henry R. Silverman Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania Law School. Allen’s work has focused on the law and ethics of

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-51108416795499222812010-03-08T07:44:00.004-05:002010-03-08T15:20:45.922-05:00

YEAH, I KNOW. The biggest headlines of the day are that a woman now holds an Academy Award for Best Director. And deservedly so. I was stunned to see her standing there with that gold thing in her hand. Kathyrn Bigelow, acclaimed director of The Hurt Locker broke that glass ceiling, defeating her ex-husband for the same award in the process, and took the statue from the hands of Barbra Streisand

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-16763894665388479392010-03-07T09:41:00.003-05:002010-03-07T09:48:54.634-05:00

BACK AT HARVARD, when I was the music director of the Callbacks, my college co-ed a capella singing group, I was flipping through radio stations on a Sunday morning and I heard this tune. It was love at first sound. No group executes harmonies this tight. A first tenor myself, I couldn't even conceive of some of those high notes. What a finale.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9607677.post-31347535892118481492010-03-06T11:23:00.007-05:002010-03-06T18:06:07.161-05:00

BRILLIANTLY BLESSED are those who forgive themselves, for they will be able to forgive all others their greatest wrongdoings.

Craig Hickmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336837289054015211noreply@blogger.com2