South County Independent

NARRAGANSETT - If you think it's getting harder to find the real South County, a new book by Narragansett resident Marie Younkin-Waldman is a reminder that this little corner of Rhode Island is still blessed with natural beauty, rich history and a special sense of community. But it also serves as a warning.

"Simply South County," a collection of 62 columns written by Younkin-Waldman for the South County Independent during the past five years, presents some of the unique history, places, people, businesses, traditional events, animals and pets, seasonal experiences and treasured memories that define the region.

In the author's words, the book takes place "in a part of Rhode Island that is still refreshing and tranquil yet on the crux of transforming into something different . . . South County represents a way of life in America that is becoming more and more rare and that is definitely worth preserving."

In discussing the sense of place in the book, Younkin-Waldman compared South County with childhood summers on eastern Long Island.

"I do absolutely have concerns about the future of South County," she said. "I grew up in metropolitan New Jersey and summered on eastern Long Island in Sag Harbor. It was a peaceful, slow-moving, tranquil place - 'the country,' as my grandparents called it. Now it is home to Steven Spielberg and the Hollywood crowd, and the Hamptons have changed incredibly. I don't even go out there any more - too expensive and too crowded. I hope South County doesn't become like that. We see so much traffic in the summer that it is hard to get around. We need to have housing for people, but it must be done in an appropriate fashion. And we must remember to protect our environment."

Younkin-Waldman raised her four children in Narragansett and said it was "almost the ideal place to grow up." She still thinks the region retains pockets of communal spirit and beauty, "especially in the little 'hamlets' such as the North End, where there is a community feel and everyone knows your name when you go into their stores. And I absolutely love the stone walls in all the seasons!"

Her book is divided into eight sections. Historical anecdotes describe how George Washington crossed Narragansett Bay several times on his way to Newport and where American Indians signed a treaty with white settlers on top of a huge rock overlooking the Pettaquamscutt River.

Later in the book, Younkin-Waldman writes, "you will find out where neighbors meet for coffee and chitchat and how much fun it is to go to the tiny Saunderstown Post Office. You will also meet people such as Mike, the small businessman, who owns a hardware store and relates a beautiful story to me about what happened to him at Christmas in Vietnam. You can understand how a parent feels when she watches the last of her four children graduate from the nearby university. Events such as a warm outdoor shower after a cold dip in the ocean and an old-fashioned summer fair at a church will bring simple feelings of joy. And you will surely laugh when you read about the woman who kept finding different cats in her basement while they were putting on a new foundation addition to her home."

A column called "A Rare Bird at Turkey Time" describes a Thanksgiving holiday visit by her son, an avid birder, and his family that happened to coincide with an extremely rare visit by the long billed murrelet to South County. The bird, which breeds off the Russian coast on the Sea of Okhotsk near Japan, is hardly ever seen in New England, but happened to spend the night in Narragansett. By morning hundreds of East Coast birders were watching it.

"Sam's the Neighborhood Man" describes an old dog's journeys through the North End neighborhood, where he became a local celebrity. In "The Piano," Younkin-Waldman grieves for an old friend while lamenting the loss of the family piano. "On Darkness and Light" offer reflections on the lyric, "Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light," part of the Christmas carol, "O Little Town of Bethlehem."

Always focusing on the positive, Younkin-Waldman chronicles little scenes and memories with a hopeful spirit.

"I think that I have grown more positive as I have grown older and seen how precious life is," she said. "There was a period in my life when I was not too happy for many years for many reasons but after I became divorced, my mother died, the dog died and my kids started going away to school, I realized it was sink or swim. I picked myself up, got help for the emotional pain and then started looking at the possibilities. Then I started to reach out and see what the world had to offer."

Younkin-Waldman is host and producer for the Cox cable television program "Tea with Marie," a show focusing on beauty, tranquility and ways to slow down and enjoy life. It airs locally every Friday at 3 p.m. on Statewide Interconnect "A," cable channel 13. Viewers of her TV show, like readers of her book, may develop a new regard for South County.

"I hope that they will come away with a greater appreciation for savoring the simple beauty that is in life and taking time for the precious moments that make life meaningful," she said. "South County is a metaphor for me to slow down, stop trying to be so 'productive' all the time and smell the air, watch the sunsets and connect with a friend."

Illustrated with photographs of local scenes by Steve ("Doc") and Judi Wood, the book is now available at Saywell's, located at 344 Main St., Wakefield. Younkin-Waldman will be signing copies of her book at Saywell's from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

For information about future availability, log on to www.simplysouthcounty.com.

Reader Comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of scindependent.com.

Garth Hoxsie-Quinn wrote on Mar 28, 2008 9:33 AM:

" All I can say is that i'm proud of my grandfather, proud to be a Wright and that i wish there were more people like him out there. It always feels good when doing things The Wright Way. "

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