It’s been quite a week for a suburban girl like me, who admittedly loves the buzz of city life, but always enjoys escaping back to the cozy raised ranch I call home in Acton.

But this is about my brief, albeit scary, encounter with wildlife, not once but twice in a matter of days. 

The first happened last Friday night, when I was driving along Rt. 2A, somewhere on the Concord-Lincoln-Lexington line near Minuteman National Historical Park. Molly, my granddaughter, and I were caught up in a bit of reverie recalling favorite parts from the adorable movie Gnomeo and Juliet that we’d just seen in Burlington. It was a girls night out for us, as I was having her stay overnight, while the rest of her family was in Maine, for the start of her brother Jack’s first official hockey tournament.

Molly was safely strapped in in the backseat, chatting away about the movie, when, out of nowhere, it seemed, a flash of white appeared in the headlights on the right side of the car. There was a bump into the car’s fender, and I quickly swerved to avoid the deer, clearly a large one and likely a doe. Without limping away, the deer ran off and the car seemed fine, no scraping on the wheels or flat tire. So I headed home, with Molly asking in the back seat “what was that?”

At home, I pulled in the driveway, noticed a dent in the fender and quickly called my husband and our insurance guy. The next morning in daylight, the damage seemed much more, but the car was still drivable, so I filed my claim and brought Molly to Maine for the rest of Jack’s tourny.

Enough of wildlife, I thought, admitting I’d been a bit rattled by my deer encounter and thankful neither Molly nor I were hurt, especially after hearing horror stories of other deer encounters from Facebook responses I received from friends.

But then on Monday afternoon, sitting by the window in the Kennebunkport home we’ve been lucky to enjoy a lot this winter, I came face to face with wildlife again. This time it was a red fox, blithely skipping across the yard, and, then a few minutes later a smaller red fox, likely his vixen, came prancing by.

They were so close that they looked me in the eye. And I, quite honestly, was glad there was glass, wood and brick between us. Their eyes are quite evil-looking and I can see why the play that came out a few years ago starring Richard Dreyfuss was called Sly Fox. This pair looked looked mighty sly to me and I wouldn’t want to encounter them on a quiet night in the country.

I know wildlife are important to the ecology of a place. But, for me, I hope they don’t come too close and will leave me alone instead of bumping in to my car or staring me straight in the eye.

I’m sure you’ve had  similar experiences to one I had this week. You hold  a recently published book, feel its fresh-off-the-presses, smells-like-new binding, and then, when you open it and start reading,  you can’t put it down.

That was the case Tuesday when I plunged in to Fruitlands: The Alcott  Family and Their Search for Utopia, a new book by British author Richard Francis, published in October by Yale University Press.

A compelling, sometimes comical and always informative read, it details the drama that took place in the summer of  1843 in a ramshackle farmhouse on a hillside in Harvard, when Bronson Alcott, his family and a few motley followers attempted to find, once again, the Garden of Eden.

This latter day hippie commune proved to be a fiasco not long after Bronson and company trudged out from Concord, moved in with their meager belongings and set out to subsist on bread, fruit and water (not healthy for the five children in tow, including young Louisa May Alcott, all of 10 years old) and live simply, practicing austerity, abstinence and little, if any, sex.

I don’t know about you, but I love stories like this, the behind the scenes stuff we don’t often get in dry historical narrative. Such  juicy fare makes well-known, but long-gone historic characters come alive. Francis has captured all this and more, thanks to his access to primary sources for the book – that is the journals, letters and diaries of the people involved.

Rather than a deadly history, Fruitlands is a lively recounting of the Fruitlands fiasco, complete with the big reason it failed – a sort-of love triangle between Bronson, Lane and Mrs. A, and the interesting background philosophies that got them there.

Francis, an intellect and author of a rash of novels and several non-fiction works, makes this particular story come alive with lively writing and tantalizing facts.

Francis visits  Fruitlands tomorrow evening for a dinner and official book launch. And, interesting tidbit, while the Fruitlanders existed on meager rations, the dinner prior to the signing features three course, including a choice of trout or prime rib.

“I love that they are serving this at Fruitlands, where they ate very little,” chuckled Francis. 

Read a story about Francis and the interesting book on Sunday in the Sun’s lifestyle pages. He’ll also be around next Sunday, Nov. 21 to read and sign books at 3 p.m. at the Concord Book Shop, Main St., Concord. 

Great stuff – you won’t want to miss it.

You never know what will happen if you go with the flow and let life take you where it will.

That happened on Saturday, when I was exploring Portland, Maine, with my husband John. We’d headed to the delightful city by Casco Bay to check out the stellar photography show at Portland Museum of Art on the Group f/64 realists who flourished in California in the 1930s.

Afterwards, it was on to Harbor Fish Market, our favorite fish monger, where the fish, shrimp, scallops and oysters are so fresh you can smell the sea on them. After stocking up on Pemaquid oysters, smoked salmon, crab fingers and fresher than fresh swordfish, we ventured across the street to the  Custom House Wharf.

The reason was an intriguing sign that promised something special: “Welcome Home, Linda Greenlaw and the crew of the Hannah Boden.”

Could it be that Greenlaw and the Hannah Boden were working together again?

Greenlaw, of course, is the swordboat skipper who was on the Hannah Boden during the so-called “perfect storm” in the early ’90s that took the life of the captain and crew of the Andrea Gale. She and the others are memorialized in Sebastian Junger’s book The Perfect Storn and she was played by Diane Lane in the subsequent movie The Perfect Storm that starred George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg.

After the hoopla, the versatile Greenlaw, a talented writer,  retired to her Maine island home to lobster and write, creating such books as The Hungry Ocean.

But now she is back on the Hannah Boden and will be featured in next season’s Discovery Channel series Swords, about sword fishing.

The Hannah Boden’s new owner Jon Williams sunk $400,000 into refurbishing the boat for the high seas and to get Greenlaw back as its skipper. She and the crew were out for three months, bringing in tons of swordfish. Interesting, too, much of the fish will end up at your local Hannaford’s, who struck a deal with Williams to buy most of the fish.

What struck me as most interesting about Greenlaw is her diminutive stature. She’s only about 5-foot, 3-inches and couldn’t weigh more than  115 pounds. But her handshake was firm and she was most appreciative when we told her how much we enjoyed her writing.

Hopefully, more stories will come from her and hopefully, she will keep fishing for sword. It tasted fabulous, no kidding.

As Sinatra sang, “Love is lovelier the second time around.”

And that seems to be what State Rep. Cory Atkins (D-Concord) is humming these days. Atkins, who won re-election to her seventh term as representative to the 14th Middlesex District on Tuesday, happily introduced her new “old” boyfriend Ken Rand to well-wishers at her victory party in her fabulous Concord home.

Turns out she and Rand were junior high school sweethearts in Marshfield, falling in love for the first time at 13. They reconnected 50 years later  this summer when he heard her on the radio and sent her an email.  Now, they’re in love all over again, said Atkins, beaming.

Atkins’ ex-husband and former 5th District U.S. Congressman Chet Atkins has found love again, too, reports their son Dean. Chet is now re-married and living in Cambridge, where he owns a consulting firm.

And talk about feeling old. I remember Dean when he was a two-year-old, darting about his parents’ West Concord home during some political event, when I was covering politics for the Beacon in Acton.  Dean is now 33, a Boston lawyer, living in Concord and married with a two-year-old and another on the way in February. He bears a striking resemblance to Chet. And, when asked if politics and running for office are  in his future plans, a glint came into his eye as he said it’s a strong possibility.

After nearly 30 years, it was fun covering a political race again, too, only this time I was armed with my iPhone as I sent in reports for the Sun’s Twitter updates. Definitely more fun the second time around.

It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve posted, but that doesn’t mean I’m slacking off on my duties in observing the Lowell scene.

No excuses, but I have been busy with freelance chores (see today’s Sun and Boston Globe), plus teaching my ever-interesting students at Middlesex Community College and keeping up with three active grandkids

But I do want to point out a couple of events and activities I’ve been a part of over the past couple of weeks that are worth noting and getting involved in.

First, Merrimack Repertory Theatre’s production of Four Places, which runs through Sunday, Nov. 7 , is a well-directed, expertly acted one-act play that speaks to all of us, especially  those dealing with aging parents or adult children. While it may hit too close to home for some, it offers great food for thought at coming to grips with the challenges many face. And the acting alone makes for a worthwhile evening of theater that speaks to the child in each of us.

Sculptor Mico Kaufman was honored two weeks agoe with the first James McNeill Whistler Distinguished Artist Award from the Whistler House Museum of Art. A worthy recipient, Kaufman’s work is in such institutions as the Smithsonian and the British Museum. He’s made several presidential medallions and hundreds of other collectible medallions.

And closer to home  his massive public memorials, including Homage to Women and the Whistler statue in Lowell and Sole to Sole and Water in Tewksbury are a testament to his incredible talents. The event itself on Sunday, Oct. 17 at the UMass Lowell Inn and Conference Center was impressive, especially the full-fledged exhibit of Kaufman’s work lining the hallway surrounding the ballroom.  Kudos to Sara Bogosian and Terry O’Connor for exhibiting the impressive event.

Next Friday, Brenda Costello, another notable Lowellian, will be honored by the American Textile History Museum with its community service award at the Vesper Country Club. Costello is an unsung heroine in Lowell, often working behind the scenes to help such organizations as Girls Incorporated of Greater Lowell, the Whistler House, and Lowell High School. Costello is a worthy recipient of this honor. See my story in today’s Lowell Sun, detailing her work and life-long commitment to her native city. Well done.

What’s on your bucket list? I posed that question to a few folks I interviewed for a story I wrote for the Living Longer, Living Better special section in the Boston Globe published today, 10/31, at www.boston.com/livinglonger .

The answers were interesting and ranged from the exotic – trips to Norway to see the Northern lights and to Egypt to marvel at the pyramids and the Sphinx – to more simple pleasures like reading more, joining a chorus and reaching out to help in the community.

But what struck me in all these answers was one thing: a bucket list is as unique and original as its creator, a one-of-a-kind thing that evolves and changes over time. When one goal, wish or dream is accomplished, another can take over. And for the most part, folks seek to improve the world or make a difference for the good with their lists, especially when they are a little over.

Check out the story, either on-line, or in the section published today in the Globe. You can respond to the Globe’s request to share your bucket list wishes or let me know by responding to this blog posting.

And now, I am happy to report, I can cross off one item on my list – “getting a byline in the Globe” – and move on to  other goals and challenges.

La-la Lowell

 I stopped by Western Avenue Studios today and was blown away with the new Plumage show in the Loading Dock Gallery.   This is a stretch for Lowell, to be sure, as it showcases fabulous photos of men who are part of the Miracle Providers of New England, headquartered here, getting all made up to dresss in drag as such divas as Carol Channing and Dame Edna. They do their performance for a good cause each year – to help innocent kids dealing with HIV and AIDS – and it’s Lowell’s version of La Cage aux Folles. The faces were intent, determined and definitely beautiful as the make-up, fake lashes, blush and bustiers  were added. Their show comes up in mid-November at a place, TBA, in Lowell. I’ll chat about this show and other Lowell happenings on WCAP-AM this Thursday at 11:15 a.m. with Jack Baldwin, my old buddy. Tune us in.

Bandstand days

Listening to Dean Johnson interview Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon today on WCAP took me back to my teen years when I was an American Bandstand fanatic and loved Freddy, Bobby Vee and all the rest of the oldies but goodies stars appearing on Saturday night  at a salute to the oldies show at Lowell Memorial Auditorium.

And, truth be told, I didn’t just love Bandstand, I lived it, breathed it and danced on it. Yes, it’s true. I lived not too far from Philly and had a doting dad who didn’t mind piling my pals and me into the old Dodge wagon to transport us to the show. We loved getting tickets and we loved every minute of it, from mingling with the regulars to dancing in the spotlight dance and watching the up anc coming stars. Those I saw included Sam Cooke, Frankie Avalon and Bobby Rydell.

Great memories of a great time. Thanks, Dean for bringing them back today with Freddie.

Arts abound

This is the weekend for artists and art lovers in Lowell with the 10th annual Lowell Open Studios taking place both Saturday and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

Where to begin? That’s hard to say, since there are over 120 artists, plus Lowell’s major museums and galleries participating.  Here are a few places I suggest you don’t miss.

Western Avenue Studios is a warren of activity with half of its 200 artists participating – and I wager a bet that the others will throw open their doors for a piece of the action when the weekend rolls around. I stopped by Mark Fisher’s nifty  space the other day, and you won’t want to miss it. He’s created innovative sculpture from found pieces. And they are reminiscent of the Tin Man from Wizard of Oz fame. He calls these pieces his Metal Men and they each seem to have a distinct personality. Fun and funky, to be sure. Also observe his graphic designs, some of which he’s made for Antiques Road Show on PBS. I’d love posters of all this art to hang on my walls.

Also don’t miss the interesting glass studios popping up at WAS or the photographers, including Meghan Moore at Mexpix, who will be doing her painless sitttings on Sunday, complete with make-up advice from a Saks Fifth Avenue pro. Fun and painless, for sure.

Also visit Ashlee Welz Smith, Jay Hungate, Bill Bradbury, Don Sullivan, Friends Fabric Art, John Cascio, all among my favorites at WAS. The Space is open both days for lunch and snacks, yummy!

Downtown bustles, too, with long-time Lowell artist Janet Lambert Moore showing her work at the Whistler House Museum of Art. Also visit the Brush with its resident artists. And sculptor Patrick Pierce re-opens his studio on Market Street for the first time in a couple of years.

There’s a block party at the Brush on Saturday evening, plus brunch there on Sunday, starting at 11 a.m. so you can munch and browse. Lowell’s restaurants are open and the vibes should be positive, fun and definitely artsy.

Shuttles run between the National Park Visitors Center on Market Street and Western Ave. Studios. Check out my story in the Sun’s Steppin Out on Thursday or visit www.lowellopenstudios.org.

It’s been several weeks since I’ve posted, but it isn’t because I’m lazy, just particularly busy as school got underway.

 Right now, I’m enjoying the sunshine and bright blue ocean in Kennebunkport, Maine, where my daughter and son-in-law have a cozy abode that’s a perfect getaway, even on a chilly  September weekend. Amazing how a couple of space heaters warm up a cool room on a nippy night.

So, here’s a few things I’ve noticed, enjoyed or thought about since last posting:

Back to school always fills me with excitement and a bit of   nostalgia. I guess it’s because my mother was a teacher and my daughter is a teacher and the call of the classroom always beckons me, too. I love the anticipation of new books, backpacks, lunch boxes and friends. And I feel truly blessed and honored that for the past six, almost seven, years that I’ve been able to teach at Middlesex Community College. I met my new students last week in my Film, Video and Society class. They seem like a bright, inquisitive bunch and are already into the semester, sharing their thoughts and insight on film. We’ve started with the movie School Ties, shot in Lowell, Concord, Groton and Acton 19 years ago. It’s a well-made small film, accurately depicting the 1950s at an elite prep school, where prejudice was the norm. I like to think things have changed on that front, but sadly, I don’t think it’s  that much different. It’s always fun to point out local “locations” in the movie, though, including Danas’ Market on Gorham Street in the opening segment. If you haven’t seen School Ties, I recommend it. And, hopefully this time next year, I’ll be recommending The Fighter as another great example of a locally made film.

Austin Tichenor, Reed Martin and Matt Rippy, the guys  in the Reduced Shakespeare Company’s The Complete World of Sports (abridged), now playing at Merrimack Rep,  are a hoot to talk to. I enjoyed interviewing them a couple of weeks ago for my column in The Sun. And, according to positive reviews in The Globe and The Sun, it’s  a must-see show for its raucous ribbing of sports casters, sports fans and sports, in general. Haven’t seen it yet, since I no longer review for The Sun (lifestyle editor Suzanne Dion took over the job with my retirement in August.) But I  hope to get there sometime before it  ends on Oct. 3 to offer a few comments on this blog. It’s  nice to know MRT’s 32nd  season’s off to a winning start – at least according to the critics. 

Scott Grimes still loves Dracut, his old neighborhood and the Lo-Kai. And after talking to him for a 10 Questions column in The Sun last week, it seemed to me that he hasn’t gone Hollywood, despite his success on TV and in the movies. Scott came back to town last week for a few days to play  in the Dracut firefighters golf tournament at Meadow Creek. He brought memorabilia from such shows as Band of Brothers and E.R., which helped him achieve fame. These were to be auctioned at a special event at the Lo-Kai to benefit the Dracut food pantry. I wish I could have gone, but Maine beckoned that weekend. But it was good to talk to Scott and share his story with Sun readers. Anyone see him? I’d love to hear how he was in person.

Finally, on the arts scene, the Addison Gallery of American Art in North Andover is now officially reopened after  a two year closure for renovations, upgrades and the addition of new classroom and office space. Here you’ll see significant works by  Whistler, Sargent, Hopper, de Kooning, Homer, O’Keeffe, and Wegman, plus significant works of modern art.  I love wandering the galleries and experiencing the intimacy of this fine small museum, one of the gems of the Merrimack Valley. Located on the campus of Phillips Academy, it’s close to Andover’s downtown with its nifty restaurants and shops. Make it  a point to visit the Addison, which hosts it official re-opening next Saturday. Free and open to all. Also next weekend, Lowell Open Studios celebrates its 10th anniversary with nearly 140 local artists showcasing their work at venues around the city. I’ll preview it in the Sun’s Stepping Out ssction on Thursday, Sept. 23. Look forward to seeing you around town.