MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – This Friday, Sept. 13, the Middletown Art Center will commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Valley fire, as well as the Rocky and Jerusalem fires of 2015, and all of the wildfires we have experienced in Lake County since.

The evening will feature an opening reception for the exhibit “All That Is Now” from 6 to 9 p.m. as well as spoken word and musical performances from 7 to 9 p.m.

The exhibit will run through mid-November.

Performing and literary artists wishing to contribute a song, dance, prose or poem are invited to email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before Friday to reserve a spot in the lineup. There will be open mic signup onsite if time allows. Work should be relevant to the fire experience.

Each year since the devastating Valley fire, the MAC has hosted a commemorative exhibit and concert to honor our collective experience, memorialize loss, and celebrate our healing.

The exhibit this year includes work inspired by all phases of the experience from disaster, to recovery, to living with fire.

“The trauma of fire still smolders in the fabric of everyday life in Lake County, even as we live and breathe resilience,” said MAC Director and artist Lisa Kaplan. “The broad gamut of psycho-emotional, physical and economic experiences are retriggered each year by local and regional fires. Making, seeing, hearing and feeling art, especially in community, can be very healing, and pleasurable, and remind us that we are not alone in our experience, though for each of us it is a little different. Please join us!”

The event is free to the public. The Middletown Community Farmers’ Market will also be open from 5 to 8 p.m., featuring local goodies. A no host bar will be open in the MAC Gallery.

Be sure to catch the “All That Is Now” opening this Friday and consider visiting the Sculpture Walk at Trailside Park while in Middletown.

The MAC Gallery’s regular hours are Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.;, Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Trailside Park is open dawn to dusk daily and the 14th annual Sculpture Walk will be on view through Oct. 15.

The MAC is located at 21456 State Highway 175 at the junction of Highway 29 in the heart of Middletown.

To stay up to date on classes, exhibits and events, and support this valuable Lake County arts and culture resource visit www.middletownartcenter.org.

We reprint poems by living Americans, about American life, but sometimes we need to remind ourselves of the many beautiful and moving poems written by American poets no longer with us.

Robert Francis has been gone for thirty years but I turn to his poems again and again.

Here's a favorite of mine from his “Collected Poems: 1936-1976” from University of Massachusetts Press.

The Sound I Listened For

What I remember is the ebb and flow of sound
That summer morning as the mower came and went
And came again, crescendo and diminuendo,
And always when the sound was loudest how it ceased
A moment while he backed the horses for the turn,
The rapid clatter giving place to the slow click
And the mower's voice. That was the sound I listened for,
The voice did what the horses did. It shared the action
As sympathetic magic does or incantation.
The voice hauled and the horses hauled. The strength of one
Was in the other and in the strength was impatience.
Over and over as the mower made his rounds
I heard his voice and only once or twice he backed
And turned and went ahead and spoke no word at all.


American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright ©1985 by Robert Francis, "The Sound I Listened For," from Collected Poems: 1936-1976, (University of Massachusetts Press, 1985). Poem reprinted by permission of the publisher. Introduction copyright @2019 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – This Saturday, Sept. 7, Middletown Art Center hosts a double header of art and culture.

First, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., you can enjoy the closing reception for the “Nature” exhibit in the main gallery, as well as a collection of Alana Clearlake’s work in the small gallery. Artists will be on hand to discuss their work.

Then at 7:30 p.m. the MAC Film Club will screen “Rocketman.” Visitors are encouraged to dress in glam rock attire,

The “Nature” exhibit features work by local artists and includes Alana Clearlake’s newest painting, “Hard Rain.” The piece is a 13-panel dramatic progression of climate conditions and intensity that spans just over 16 feet. A collection of Clearlake’s sculptures and paintings in enamel, felt and mixed media “Sneak Peek” is on view in the small gallery.

Both exhibits will close Sunday, Sept. 8, at 5 p.m., and are well worth the visit to downtown Middletown.

The exhibits can also be seen this Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. as part of First Friday in Middletown (from 6 to 9 p.m.), this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The next exhibit, “All That Is Now,” the fourth Fire Anniversary commemoration, opens Friday, Sept. 13, from 6 to 9 p.m., with an exhibition reception, spoken word, dance and music. Those wishing to perform a fire/recovery related piece may contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Middletown Art Center is located at 21456 State Highway 175 at the junction of Highway 29 in the heart of Middletown.

Stay up to date on all classes, exhibits and events, and consider a membership to support this valuable Lake County arts and culture resource at www.middletownartcenter.org.

I once wrote of Marge Saiser's poetry that she writes better poems about love than anyone I know. In this poem the love is standing off to the side, looking on, but it's there.

Marge Saiser lives in Nebraska, and her most recent book of poetry is The Woman in the Moon (The Backwaters Press, 2018).

He Taught Me to Drive

The road wasn't a proper road; it was
two ruts across a pasture and down
into a dry creek bed and up

the other side, a cow path really,
soft sand up to the hub caps.
You didn't gun it at the right time,

he said. I knew that before he
said it, but I didn't know how to get
the old Chevrolet out of the crevice

I had wedged it into. You'll figure it out,
he said, and then he took a walk,
left me to my own devices, which until

that moment had included tears.
My face remained nearly dry,
as was the gas tank when he finally

returned, took a shovel out of the trunk,
and moved enough sand from around
the rear tires so he could rock

back and forth and get a little traction.
That country had very little traction;
it had mourning doves, which lay their eggs

on the ground, a few twigs for a nest,
no fluff. Mourning dove. Even the name
sounds soft. Even the notes they coo,

perched on a fence wire. But they are
hatched on the dirt. When they leave the shell,
the wind is already blowing their feathers dry.

American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright (c) 2018 by Marjorie Saiser, "He Taught Me to Drive," from Bosque, (Issue 8, 2018). Poem reprinted by permission of Majorie Saiser and the publisher. Introduction copyright @2019 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.

The big names in professional tennis are players like Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, all of them winners of Grand Slam tournament trophies from the US Open to Wimbledon to Roland Garros and the Australian Open.

At this year’s US Open tournament in New York’s Flushing Meadows, all four of these competitors are making a run to the Finals, but it’s a 15-year-old women’s player from Delray Beach, Florida who has captured, if not the limelight, at least plenty of attention.

Teenage sensation Coco Gauff made a thrilling run to the fourth round of this year’s Wimbledon, only to follow up with her main-draw debut at the US Open, winning the first two matches to advance to the third round.

The tennis fans are definitely getting behind Gauff, and at the press conference following her winning match in the first round, she remarked that the “crowd really helped me the whole match,” and playing on the second biggest court was a “really great atmosphere to play in.”

The future of women’s tennis most likely belongs to Gauff but reality set in during a third round straight-set loss to defending US Open champion Naomi Osaka, who came to the tournament ranked No. 1. Nevertheless, time should be on Gauff’s side in the coming years.

As is the case with Gauff, the thrill of the US Open is to witness emerging talent that will mature and develop over time before the debilitating accumulation of aches and injuries set in.

Even the almost invincible Federer has shown signs of strain as a 38-year-old player. On the main stage of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the Swiss pro lost the first sets of his first two winning matches, appearing to be sluggish before regaining his form in the third round.

Serena Williams, who last won the US Open title in 2014, is nearing her 38th birthday and still going strong. She was featured on the opening night stage in an easily victorious match with Maria Sharapova, who incidentally last won a Grand Slam at the French Open in 2014.

While the American women are performing well, the men are another story. The drought continues as the American men haven’t won a Grand Slam since Andy Roddick won the U.S. Open in 2003.

John Isner, from Greensboro, North Carolina, came into the tournament ranked N. 14, representing America’s best hope. After winning three straight-set matches in the first two rounds, he lost to Croatian Marin Cilic in the third round.

With Isner holding the highest ranking of the American men, his loss means that no American is in the men’s draw heading into the quarterfinals for only the third time since 1968 when Grand Slam tournaments allowed professionals to compete with amateurs in the Open era.

While the sports action is almost overwhelming, the US Open offers plenty of delights for foodies to enjoy. The culinary options keep expanding, and maybe this is driven by surveys indicating that millennials are foodies.

I have no idea of the demographics of the US Open crowd, but I would say the majority would be the 40-and-over crowd. Nonetheless, dining options are plentiful from the Food Village to the fancy restaurants.

The gourmet food stalls at the Food Village, which are accessible to everyone, appear to remain slow to offer the plant-based healthy options favored by vegans, or even vegetarian dishes. Yes, there’s a difference between the two.

Renowned chef David Burke, who has a sit-down restaurant with a menu of Cuban-Asian-American fusion dishes and cocktails, has upgraded his Fish Shack with new offerings but the cold Maine lobster roll remains the most popular.

Meanwhile, vegan options are limited to the organic tofu soy blend vegetable and rice or noodles at the Korilla BBQ stand or the vegan organic tofu with avocado, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, edamame, and black sesame seeds served with tofu Caesar at the Poke Yachty concession.

More celebrity chefs are opening up shop. “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio is serving sandwiches and salads at the Wichcraft stand, where the lobster BLT sandwich will set you back 29 bucks, which did not fit with my lunch budget.

James Beard Award winner chef Jose Andres is also a first timer with his Butterfly stands at the Food Village and inside the main stadium. A diner in the mood for tacos, tortas and the signature ceviche should grab a bite.

A sporting highlight at this year’s Open did not involve a match or even temper tantrums from some players. A long-awaited honor was bestowed on a trailblazing tennis player who broke the color barrier three years after Jackie Robinson did the same in baseball.

Althea Gibson made her 1950 debut at Forest Hills, the site of the then-U.S. National Championships, at the age of 23 and a year later she became the first black athlete to play at Wimbledon and won her first Grand Slam title at the French Open in 1956.

A giant sculpture bust of Gibson, created by sculptor Eric Goulder, resting on five granite blocks in front of Arthur Ashe Stadium is a fitting tribute.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

‘GOOD BOYS’ (Rated R)

Comedic actor, writer and director Seth Rogen may have been a creative force behind films like “Superbad” and “Pineapple Express,” but for “Good Boys” his presence is felt even if only as one of the producers.

In all respects, “Good Boys,” which is prominently rated R in its advertising, is the crass, vulgar silliness that one expects from a Seth Rogen project, and it could prove offensive to some viewers.

The odd thing is that the central characters involved in the shenanigans are a trio of 12-year-old sixth graders who call themselves the “Beanbag Boys” at their middle school.

The narrative anchor to the story is Max (Jacob Tremblay), who seems to be the one in the group most interested in girls, particularly a classmate with whom he appears not to have ever engaged in a conversation.

Invited by a bunch of cool kids to a kissing party, Max realizes that this could be his opportunity for a first kiss with his crush, Brixlee (Millie Davis), who he wishfully imagines to one day marry.

Max and his buddies, Thor (Brady Noon) and Lucas (Keith L. Williams), don’t have the first clue about puckering up with a member of the opposite sex, and they need instruction fast.

First they turn to the Internet, only to find some really disturbing but funny videos. The next plan is not any better as it involves spying on teenage neighbor Hannah (Molly Gordon), catching her in a clinch with a boyfriend.

Borrowing Max’s dad’s drone for surveillance, things go wrong when Hannah and her friend Lily (Midori Francis) destroy the drone, and the boys resort to theft of Hannah’s purse which has a supply of the illegal substance “Molly.”

A wild adventure ensues when the girls chase after the boys to retrieve the drugs, and the boys need to find a way to buy a replacement drone before Max’s dad (Will Forte) returns from a business trip and Max is grounded for life.

Max is not alone in his worries. Lucas is coping with the news that his parents are splitting up and Taco Tuesdays could be in jeopardy. A talented singer, Thor struggles with trying to be tougher than he really is.

Because getting a new drone is so vital, they skip school and set off on an odyssey of epically bad decisions that include dealing with a frat house to get drugs, stealing a beer from a convenience store and dashing across a busy freeway.

A lot of the humor in “Good Boys” is that the tweens encounter situations and inanimate objects with which they are vastly unfamiliar. Funny bits involve a dildo and thinking that anal beads make a necklace.

An even funnier scene happens when the boys mistake a sex doll for a CPR dummy for kissing practice and later sell it to a creepy older guy (Stephen Merchant) who had intended only to buy a rare fantasy game card.

Yes, the comedy borders on the dumb, juvenile and gross, while the boys curse like sailors on shore leave, and the trademark shock humor of the Seth Rogen variety abounds in spades.

The surprise is that “Good Boys” manages to juggle the raunchy comedy with an air of innocence, and in the end the “Beanbag Boys” redeem themselves as the nerdy kids of their true selves.

‘ON BECOMING A GOD IN CENTRAL FLORIDA’ ON SHOWTIME

Though Kirsten Dunst has an impressive acting resume in television and film, one may never think of her again as Mary Jane Watson in the “Spider-Man” films after a tour de force performance in the latest Showtime cable series.

The darkly comedic story about one woman’s relentless pursuit of the American Dream in the ten-episode series “On Becoming a God in Central Florida” launches Dunst’s Krystal Stubbs into the world of multilevel marketing.

Living in a small Orlando-adjacent town in 1992, Krystal is a minimum wage worker at the Rebel Rapids water park, which by all appearances poses no commercial threat to Disney World or any other amusement park.

Her husband Travis (Alexander Skarsgard) is burning the candle at both ends, trying to hold down an office job while spending any free time listening to clichéd motivational tapes by Obie Garbeau II (Ted Levine).

What Garbeau is selling is the fast buck dreams of his pyramid scheme multilevel marketing enterprise called Founders American Merchandise (FAM) where recruiting a downline is the key to wealth.

Garbeau’s acolyte is the excitable, gung-ho Cody Bonar (Theodore Pellerin), who desperately needs Krystal to pick up the pieces of her husband’s commitment to the cult-like following of the Garbeau get-rich-quick system.

When Krystal is left to fend for herself and the care of her infant child and her house is repossessed because of a heavy fine imposed for alligator poaching (don’t ask!), she becomes determined to make a better life for herself.

“On Becoming a God in Central Florida” may reel you in for the ride once you’ve made it to the third episode.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.