A season of promise
By Helena Touhey
From the editor ~ May/June 2023
Dear Readers,
As I write this, the lilacs are readying to bloom. If daffodils are the surest sign of spring, then lilacs are the surest sign of summer. Once their fragrance fills the air, you know warmer days are ahead; spring is making way for summer. For me, the scent has a trace of nostalgia, bringing me back to my childhood home in Portsmouth, where a lilac tree stood just outside my bedroom window, filling the air with its sweet perfume. Now, in my Newport neighborhood, I watch from my kitchen window as a tree in a neighbor’s yard prepares to bloom, full of promise and a reminder of what I love most about this time of year — the return of color to the landscape, the birds and their morning songs, and a sun that lingers a little longer.
In these pages, we offer stories of promise, too. We have a section on local innovators, whose creative thinking knows no bounds. There are tech savvy thinkers finding new ways to build sustainable modes of transportation to traverse air and sea; one man who’s developed a way to secure a better night’s sleep; one woman who’s been a trailblazer in the canned cocktail sector; and others who’ve found ways to modernize how we approach wellness and home organization.
We also explore forms of innovation that remain timeless, traditions and practices that simply can’t be improved upon, like goat scaping and trap fishing, both of which continue to be part of the culture in and around Aquidneck Island (and which ensure that a certain amount of grit and charm live on).
You’ll also find a guide to all things The Ocean Race, inspiration for your next— sustainable! — picnic, a food tour of Warren, some nautical history, and the story behind a motley group of youths who are learning the ins and outs of documentary filmmaking.
As always, email notes are welcome at htouhey@newportlifemagazine.com, and I encourage you to follow Newport Life on social media, where we’ve been sharing behind-the-scenes footage on Instagram and recently launched our Foodie Fridays series on TikTok. You can find us @newportlifemagazine.
On a different note, everyone at Newport Life was saddened to learn of the passing of our friend and frequent contributor, Jim Gillis (he wrote the story on God’s Community Garden in our March/April issue). Jim was a beloved community member, devoted friend and husband, fantastic journalist and writer, andan all-around genuine person with a great sense of humor andkeen memory. He will be deeply missed.
Until July,
Helena
Managing Editor
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