STUDENTS PLACED HIGH IN LEGO LEAGUE ROBOTICS
Mrs. Sjolander said they all qualified for the State Championship Competition, which was on December 6, 2025. Our youngest team, Wildcat Fantasy Fire Friends, did exceptionally well for their age and development, but did not advance in the competition.
RIOT CONTROL AND BLIZZARD OF '78
In 1978, interestingly, we made our move northward, right in the time frame that included my Boston participation with the Blizzard of '78. Terrible timing, but we made the move happen.
I WAS PART OF IT IN THE PAST, AND IT IS WORTH THE WAIT
We had no early arrivals in Plymouth to invite, nor did we have 90 Wampanoag Natives over for our feast. Still, we had a splendid repast that could have been somewhat historically accurate right down to the cranberries we picked from a next-door cranberry bog.
SUCCESSFUL TURKEY PROGRAMS
His program took about 10 years to establish, but the first turkey hunt took place in 1980 and became wildly popular as turkeys spread throughout the Granite State, thanks to the work and leadership of Ted Walski.
A SUPERB JOB HONORING VETERANS
Most schools and many organizations celebrated throughout the past week to honor the men and women who serve or have served the nation in peace and war.
INVASIVE EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL
They may never be able to eradicate the milfoil, but each year that they have been fighting to rid the lake of the weed, they have been able to keep its bloom under control.
Eurasian watermilfoil, like other invasive species, forms a canopy that robs sunlight, slowing the growth of native water plants and potentially leading to their elimination.
GET YOURSELVES IN THAT TRAM CAR!
Being crammed into the tram cars by our group leader who took on the pretend role as a Drill Instructor to ¥mind us of the way it used to be when we were serving in our Corps,7as from a bit of our past, when we were moved from one area to another, we were tightly jammed inside uncomfortable, wretchedly noisy configuration of a tortuous vehicles we called Cattle Cars.
HALLOWEENS OF THE OLD DAYS WERE SCARY
It was not unusual to have a little group of teens roaming around the streets of Woodsville Village on their candy-seeking missions, chucking eggs at storefront windows and stringing miles of T-Paper in trees and fences.
OUR HARVEST HAS BEEN ABUNDANT
Back in the days when we lived in Haverhill Corner, we had a large vegetable garden. Eventually, we added many of the fruits that grew on 32 Stark semi-dwarf apple trees I bought by mail and planted out back. We also loved the giant rhubarb stalks we received as gifts from Polly's parents, plus horseradish roots from friends in Newbury, and fat garlics sent our way by Jerry Ghirardi.
22 YEARS OF PADDLING THE BORDER
I have been present at all the Paddle the Border events as either a documentarian or a participant, sometimes taking him-her trips with my wife Polly, and some years later, paddling through a series of grandchildren's trips. It was all wonderfully delightful, and we thank Mike Thomas and his many assisting nautical helpers for all their dedicated Sunday programs during the June and October sessions since 2003.
THE HAVERHILL GARDEN CLUB
The club also participated in the New Hampshire State Flower Show in Manchester. In the spring of many years ago, Bruce Lake held a program on pruning trees and shrubs. They spruced up the area around the Ladd Street School and planted a multitude of tulips at the Haverhill Academy building.
FAIRY HOUSE IN PIERMONT
Our kids and others in the neighborhood where we came from built clunky things in the woods, not the graceful little buildings that Isla and Bryson were putting together. These dainty structures were being built by kids who use diminutive forest products for furniture and housewares. Did you know that acorn caps can be repurposed as bowls for the Fairy House dinner table?
FIREWOOD FOR THIS YEAR IS IN!
I have been faithfully doing fire building during those cold mornings when we lived in our uninsulated Haverhill home built in 1775, before all those new heating and warming improvements were added to the house after it was 200 or more years old.
NINETEEN MINUTES
As I found out when I arrived at the school, this program I was responding to was to be a double celebration; the appearance and a book talk by author Jodi Picoult and a patriotic celebration of the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
RUBY! THEY… TITLED SONGS AFTER YOU
Well, Ruby, you’ve gone and done it. As I write this, you and some of your buddies are winging your way south for a thousand miles or more, to take up residence down where it is warmer than here.
A RESPONSE FROM JEAN AMADON PAQUETTE
Despite the many years between visits, I always feel I am coming home when I visit Wells River and Woodsville. Dean and Babe were always part of that feeling and were always so gracious and welcoming...like the years just melted away.
BOAT RIDE AROUND LAKE TARLETON
The two Marvins in the boat, which included my wife, Polly, and me, were Bill Daley and Liz Bayne of Haverhill. We had two outstanding takeaways from this splendid afternoon boat adventure. Our first was to see the lake’s celebrated loon Mom with her chick, both swimming at leisure, and cruising the waters just offshore, a safe distance away from our boat.
I AM STILL DRAWN TO THE FUN DAYS
During these events, there were food and craft vendors, a raffle, a Miss Piggie contest, people's choice sampling and voting, and a lot more. As I recall, the eighth year the Whole Hog had been produced by the Cohase Regional Chamber of Commerce. Each year it grew, and for that contest about 1,000 people attended.
TWO SHORT WORDS
Every week, I find there is so much more out there to read and learn from. I have been doing this writing activity for a long time. Still, some days, when I begin my writing session early in the morning, it is like the day so long ago I pondered and worried for several hours about how I would put together my first editorial back in 1970.
WOUNDED KOREAN WAR VETERAN, FARMER, BANKER, AND FRIEND, DEAN ROWDEN, HAS PASSED AWAY
Dean was never shy about expressing himself in answer to whatever questions I or other guests would have. We had radio and media forums at the P&H Truck Stop, at various schools, and in the studio. Dean was a valuable part of our veterans' group, local organizations, and business associates who put together multiple forums for the community to listen and participate.