Sarah’s Courteous Canine Dog Training
There are many benefits to having a dog. Petting a dog can reduce stress by lowering blood pressure; they make us more social when out for a walk, which coincidentally also helps with a person’s health, and dogs can make us happy! A study in Japan found that staring into your dog’s eyes raises levels of oxytocin, the “feel good” hormone.
Sarah’s Courteous Canine Dog Training
By Sarah Wright
There are many benefits to having a dog. Petting a dog can reduce stress by lowering blood pressure; they make us more social when out for a walk, which coincidentally also helps with a person’s health, and dogs can make us happy! A study in Japan found that staring into your dog’s eyes raises levels of oxytocin, the “feel good” hormone.
However, it’s also important to have a harmonious relationship with your dog, and successful communication can be achieved through a dog training course. Sarah Frohock of Sarah’s Courteous Dog Training in Wolfeboro can help you and your dog find balance in your relationship.
Sarah has loved dogs all her life, and originally wanted to be a veterinarian when she was a child. Her interest in dog training began years ago when she had a dog named Nacoma who had aggression issues with food. She worked with a trainer to help him with his behavior. Sarah also learned how to become a better owner for Nacoma. In addition, Sarah worked at an animal shelter for four years, and felt compelled to find a way to help homeless dogs be successful in their new homes. Soon after, she began training with Mike Robertson in Plymouth to become a certified dog trainer, while also reading every book she could on the subject. “Through that training with Mike and my experience with hundreds of dogs through the shelter, I gained so much experience that was most beneficial,” says Sarah. “There is nothing like hands-on experience to help you understand and gain knowledge about dog behavior.”
There are many challenges when it comes to dog training, but Sarah is able to helpfully guide her clients through the process. There are also important points she wants dog owners to understand, like the fact that dogs don’t think the way humans do. Sarah says, “We often push our feelings and thoughts on our dogs and assume that they will rationalize issues or experiences like we do, and that just isn’t the case.”
She also thinks it’s important that dog owners remember that not all dogs love other dogs. It’s even more important to think about how dogs might interact due to the nice weather bringing everyone outside and more people spending time in the outdoors due to COVID-19. Sarah explains it like this. “Ask someone if they have liked every person that they’ve ever worked with, and they’ll say, ‘Of course not.’ Well, even though I enjoy people, it doesn’t mean that I will enjoy every person I meet. Conversely, just because a lot of people like me, doesn’t mean every person will like me. The same applies to dogs.”
When training your dog, Sarah believes that balance is one of the most important ways you can help your dog’s behavior and achieve a more successful relationship. She explains, “You have to say ‘yes’ as well as ‘no’ to your dog. If you only give your dog praise, then you will never eliminate negative behaviors. Taking the time to say ‘yes’ with a reward as well as ‘no’ with a consequence is the answer to creating the harmonious relationship most people are looking for.”
Sarah’s favorite part of working with dogs and their owners is when the “ah-ha” moment happens and the dog and person click together and begin to really communicate. “Both the dog and owner seem so much more relaxed within their relationship,” she adds. “When an owner sends me messages of their success, I know that I have truly helped that dog have a better quality of life, because its behavior is predictable and they are well trained.”
Sarah’s love for dog training has also evolved further with her passion for dog sports competitions. “I love the teamwork of it, and the relationship people can build working with their best friend.” For whatever your training needs are, she has a class for you. Sarah is currently offering classes in Basic Obedience, Canine Good Citizen, E-Collar, and Therapy Dog, as well as private lessons that can take place at your home for your specific needs.
Basic Obedience works on the commands, Sit, Down, Sit-Up, Stand, Come, Heel, and Attention, with the focus on the dog and human relationship. The Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program teaches good manners to dogs and responsible ownership to their owners. The 10-step Canine Good Citizen test is a non-competitive test for all dogs, including purebreds and mixed breeds, and is a prerequisite for many therapy dog groups. Some homeowner’s insurance companies even encourage CGC testing, and an increasing number of apartment complexes and condos require resident dogs to pass the test. (The program also includes the CGC Responsible Dog Owner Pledge.)
The Therapy Dog Class is structured to help ensure your dog is ready to make therapy dog visits. Your dog will practice manners, as well as real-life situations in nursing homes and schools. The class will also help prep dog handlers to look for signs of stress in their dogs.
Do you want the best recall? Then sign your dog up for the E-Collar class, and teach the dog to come when called no matter what’s going on in the surrounding environment. Sarah will show you how to find the right working level for your dog, while also polishing the dog’s foundational skills.
Sign up for a dog training class today and start working toward a more positive relationship with your dog. Training can also teach your dog life skills, increase sociability, avoid problem behaviors by providing mental stimulation, and enhance loyalty and companionship. Sarah’s Courteous Canine Dog Training can help you and your dog achieve this strong connection through a better understanding of each other.
All of the classes run for five weeks and have about seven people enrolled in each class. Sarah’s Courteous Canine Dog Training is located at 3 Grove Street in Wolfeboro.
For further information, call 603-986-3919 or visit www.worldofpaws.net. Sarah can also be reached through the Facebook page at Sarah's Courteous Canine LLC.
Loving the Flowers at Winnipesaukee Woods Farm
“Farming is a year-round profession,” Liz says. “Every day is different, but we want to have an honest living and we believe in feeding people.”
Loving the Flowers at Winnipesaukee Woods Farm
By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper
Liz Lichtenberg has rarely met a flower she didn’t like. From standard to rare blooms, it is all of interest to Liz and you can see it in the way she marvels at and studies a flower. It is there in her conversation as well, as she speaks of a new flower and its color and properties.
If this sounds like a love affair with growing things, it is probably because Liz truly adores being a farmer. Along with her husband, Aaron Lichtenberg, Liz spends her days, like all true farmers, working very hard growing flowers and vegetables. The Lichtenberg’s business, Winnipesaukee Woods Farm, operates in a number of ways: via an extensive website where customers can order a variety of items, at local pop-up shops, wholesale and through sales at area stores (a list of locations can be found at www.winniwoodfarm.com
“Farming is a year-round profession,” Liz says. “Every day is different, but we want to have an honest living and we believe in feeding people.”
That philosophy of giving to others has been part of Liz and Aaron’s lives for years. The couple once owned a restaurant and even before that, Aaron spent years in the restaurant world. Once he discovered an interest in growing things, Aaron became a full-time farmer.
Liz is also a successful farmer, as well as working as an educator in Gilmanton during the school year. All of this keeps her very busy, and perhaps led to another business whose name was coined by Aaron. Liz laughs as she explains, “Aaron says I’m always doing something and dreaming up new projects; thus my nickname ‘Busy Lizzie’ or as the business is called, ‘Busy Lizzie’s Blooms.’”
With a home in Alton Bay (Aaron’s family history in the area dates back many years) and additional space in Gilford for crops, Winnipesaukee Woods Farm began about nine years ago. Liz says she previously assumed she had no talent as a gardener, but after buying their Alton Bay home 11 years ago, Aaron started reading gardening books and her interest was sparked as well.
The couple began with a garden at their home, which soon grew. And grew until it overtook all the available space. As their vegetable gardens expanded, Liz started growing flowers as well. She discovered she had a talent for growing flowers and began to experiment by creating unusual varieties as well as more well-known blooms.
With gardens full of flowers and vegetables, Liz says they decided it would be helpful to make some money off their efforts, as well as offering something healthy to others. Thus began a vegetable CSA which had over 100 members.
Restaurants and stores also bought vegetables and Liz’s flowers. “I offered just small bouquets at first,” she explains. But the demand for flowers has grown steadily and today, Liz grows 50 to 75 varieties and sub-varieties of flowers for eager customers and local designers who love the floral choices for weddings and events. “I grow flowers with the seasons. I like to experiment and every year I offer new flowers, along with the standard florals,” Liz says. With huge coolers at their home, Liz is able to bring a variety of flowers from the fields right into her home work space to create all sorts of bouquets and arrangements for customers (ordering ahead online is suggested).
In July and August, Liz sees such flowers as Lisianthus (a flower similar to a rose) in bloom, along with dahlias, sunflowers and many others. Her eyes light up when she talks about seeds she got for a purple flower called a Black Pearl, one of the unusual flowers she is growing.
And then there is a current passion for a delicate but gorgeous flower, called the Clarkia. It is a light pink color and the little flowers grow on long stems and seem to last forever. They are a perfect choice for a bridal bouquet or a floral arrangement and it is clear Liz is thrilled with this addition to her flower gardens.
Because of her willingness to experiment with new and unusual flowers, Liz is known for doing unique things and she also loves to share what she has learned with others in floral workshops.
Each day – seven days a week – Liz and Aaron are at their Gilford fields growing flowers and vegetables, tending the crops and even doing such mundane tasks as pulling weeds. Liz smiles as she says she loves to pull weeds, finding is satisfying to keep her gardens tidy. She enjoys having her hands in the dirt, especially when the stresses of life are felt. As it is for everyone, the pandemic is a worry, but growing things and working outdoors is a great way to cope.
“We have many orders, and that has only grown during COVID,” Liz explains. With more people at home, doing their own cooking, the desire for fresh vegetables has increased. “People are being creative with their cooking and learning what can be frozen and canned for later use.”
Along with customers who use Winnipesaukee Woods Farm produce, Aaron and Liz utilize their vegetables on a daily basis. Liz says they rarely eat much that they don’t grow in their gardens and the use of their vegetables changes as the seasons flow one into another. “We like to be creative with our cooking too.”
With an abundance of fresh vegetables, the couple knew they did not want to see things go to waste. (Anyone who has even a modest vegetable garden knows that when veggies are in season, they can produce so much the gardener cannot keep up with it.) Added to their background in cooking in the restaurant world, a new avenue to use the produce began.
Winnipesaukee Woods Farm works with the folks at Genuine Local (a unique shared-use, commercial kitchen that specializes in small-batch production) to create items using the fresh vegetables direct from the farm’s gardens. The spotless production facility gives businesses such as Winnipesaukee Woods Farm a place to create large batches of products, from sauces to jams and much more, right through to the end bottling and labeling of each jar. The food then goes to local markets and country stores. Or goods can be ordered at the Winnipesaukee Woods website. Just a peek at the online store offers choices such as Spicy Carrot Relish, Yankee Ingenuity Hot Sauce and Roasted Poblano Sauce, to name but a few.
“Local restaurants are using our products, and that is very satisfying,” Liz adds.
Clearly, the ability to collaborate with other local farms and businesses is important to the couple, and Liz names other local farmers as vital to the food chain as well.
What does the future hold for Winnipesaukee Woods Farm? Without missing a beat, Liz says it is their dream to find a place that will be their “forever farm.” This would allow the couple space to spread out and also to experiment with new crops and flowers, increase production and offer workshops on growing flowers and vegetables and even bring creative floral design to a public whose interest just keeps increasing as word spreads about Winnipesaukee Woods Farm.
Whether pulling weeds, tending crops, planning next year’s gardens or arranging a gorgeous floral bouquet for a wedding, Liza and Aaron are busy, successful farmers.
As she goes about her daily tasks, it can be sure that Liz stops now and then to say hello to a new flower she has just discovered or lovingly admiring a flower that is like an old friend, producing blooms each year. As a true lover of the earth and all it offers, Liz indeed has rarely met a flower she did not like.
For information and orders, visit www.winniwoodsfarm.com or email woodlandsfarmer@gmail.com.
Aaron and Liz Lichtenberg tending their gardens.
Talking to the Flowers at Merrymeeting Daylilies
Les Turner talks to his daylilies and they talk back. If that sounds like an odd thing for a grown man to do, you don’t understand gardening and specifically, gardening with daylilies.
Admittedly, I am not much of a gardener. I adore flowers but I just do not have the interest or patience to mess with dirt and flowerpots and learning about how to care for each variety of flower. But I have the utmost admiration for gardeners and when I discover a beautiful garden, I just have to visit.
Day Tripping
Talking to the Flowers at Merrymeeting Daylilies
Story & Photos by Kathi Caldwell-Hopper
Les Turner talks to his daylilies and they talk back. If that sounds like an odd thing for a grown man to do, you don’t understand gardening and specifically, gardening with daylilies.
Admittedly, I am not much of a gardener. I adore flowers but I just do not have the interest or patience to mess with dirt and flowerpots and learning about how to care for each variety of flower. But I have the utmost admiration for gardeners and when I discover a beautiful garden, I just have to visit.
When I heard about a garden in New Durham, I was curious because this place specializes in daylilies. Merrymeeting Daylilies is located just off Rt. 11 at 80 Tash Road and once you arrive, you will be glad you made the trip.
The day I visited was a very hot and humid mid-week afternoon in early July. The air was still and rumbles of thunder could be heard in the distance. Rain was definitely headed to New Durham and I hoped I could tour the gardens and talk with garden owner Les before the weather forced us indoors.
Arriving at 80 Tash Road, I drove onto the grounds of Merrymeeting Daylilies and parked near the gardens. As I sat in my car, gathering my notebook and pen, I caught a good look at the garden, with many daylilies in abundance. Color was everywhere due to the many flowers and I was eager to see it all up close.
Les soon arrived from a greenhouse and greeted me, shrugging when I mentioned bad weather seemed to be heading our way. A typical gardener, he is used to all kinds of weather and assured me that we could see the gardens and talk before the storm arrived.
Although I was eager to see every daylily – and other flowers in the gardens as well – I had questions for Les. When asked his background, he explained, “I was in the Navy, then got a degree in journalism and a master’s in education. I worked in the university world in Massachusetts, Oregon and New Hampshire.”
Eventually, Les retired in New Hampshire and has been here for 30 years. He had a popular garden center that he ran for a number of years. He says the land we now stood on used to be a gravel pit of sorts and he had it filled in to create the center and gardens.
While the bigger garden center is no longer in operation, it is daylilies all the way for Les! He offers a huge variety of the beautiful flowers to an eager public who come from all over to get daylilies you just cannot find elsewhere.
“People love daylilies because they are hardy and beautiful. If a gardener is not successful with other plants, they can raise daylilies,” assures Les as we head into the gardens.
He shares, as he bends over a flower here and there, that daylilies don’t require a lot of shade and are quite adaptable. “I tell people,” he says with a laugh, “if you can’t grow a daylily you probably shouldn’t be gardening!”
Tending the gardens, with the large variety of daylilies offered to the public, is a lot of work ad Les relies on helpers to keep everything in order and available. His daughter, a knowledgeable gardener, and a few others, help in the gardens.
Les says the gardens are constantly changing and with about 800 kinds of daylilies, there is always something new. He likes to add things to the gardens, which definitely appeals to customers. For example, a customer recently called Les from New Mexico and ordered a particular flower for her garden. (I was surprised that Les can ship daylilies so far away, but he says the plants are tough and can easily make the journey.)
Locally, many people hear about Merrymeeting Daylilies by word-of-mouth and want to visit to get plants they might not find elsewhere. Plus, a chance to visit with Les is a bonus, because he is someone who knows more than most about gardening and daylilies.
With such fun names as Stella D’Orro, Ruby Spider, Evil Gnome, and even Lily Munster, to name but a few, there is a daylily for everyone at this special garden spot. “Most people with a garden have a few daylilies,” Les adds. We have all seen those tall, orange flowers just about everywhere in the summer. Les says the old-fashioned daylilies like these were a staple in many housewives’ gardens in the past. If the family moved, the wife likely dug up and transplanted her beloved, hardy daylilies, which is why we see them in so many places all over the country.
While Les indeed has some of the standard orange daylilies, his varieties go way, way beyond what most of us could imagine. He even experiments with hybrids and points to a new one called “Fooled Me” as an example. This flower is a cross between two plants and resulted in a totally different color.
According to www.merrymeetingdaylilies.com, “Every year Les refreshes his collection with new cultivars from several world class hybridizers. Les grows them for a year or two, assessing factors such as hardiness, blossoming, fan production, etc. These are often very recent introductions. His hybridizer connections in Florida enable him to add these beauties to his collection. In turn, the larger plant sizes he obtains as a result of his buying directly from these world-famous hybridizers, and his subsequent transfer to his gardens from Florida, make possible some real bargains for his customers.”
Les keeps a manual at hand which customers can refer to when visiting and wanting a particular color or name of a daylily. And speaking of those customers, they range from retired folks, families and younger people with gardens.
When COVID-19 changed our lives back in the spring, Les says families were looking for projects while home bound. Many made the drive to his gardens to choose plants as they began to expand their flower gardens.
Because Les spends so much time working with daylilies, he has come to know the characteristics of each variety. He points to one plant he has a good feeling about, adding that it spoke to him. “I felt it was saying, ‘I’m a winner. I will grow great for you.’ I can’t wait for it to bloom!”
Once a visitor sees the extensive daylily gardens, there is little doubt that the flowers do ‘speak’ to Les, giving him a feeling about which will thrive and which, now and then, just do not fit in New Hampshire’s cooler climate.
But on this humid, hot summer’s day, all that matters are being out in the gardens, where color is everywhere and the daylilies raise their glorious blooms to soak up the sun.
As heat-wave weather often does, the storm fizzled out and never materialized, which gave me a bit longer to visit with Les and learn about all the daylilies he offers. He is open through September 1 on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am to 4 pm. To arrange for a visit at other times, please call ahead at 603-397-7105. Visit www.merrymeetingdaylilies.com to view the extensive list of available daylilies.
A Visit to Ellacoya State Park is Still Fun…Just a Little More Interesting
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we hear daily counts of new cases. What those reports do not to tell is how the lifestyles and livelihoods of countless other individuals have been impacted. With recreation and tourism being the second leading contributor to New Hampshire’s economy, and the state parks system engendering more than $5 million in annual revenue, it is interesting to look closely at COVID’s impact upon one of this state’s recreation treasures—Ellacoya State Park.
A Visit to Ellacoya State Park is Still Fun…Just a Little More Interesting
By Mark Okrant
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we hear daily counts of new cases. What those reports do not to tell is how the lifestyles and livelihoods of countless other individuals have been impacted. With recreation and tourism being the second leading contributor to New Hampshire’s economy, and the state parks system engendering more than $5 million in annual revenue, it is interesting to look closely at COVID’s impact upon one of this state’s recreation treasures—Ellacoya State Park.
Ellacoya is a 65-acre property managed by the New Hampshire Bureau of Park Operations. Situated in Gilford, along the southwest shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, Ellacoya is divided into two sections—a day-use beach area and an RV campground. The two areas of the park share 600 feet of beautiful sandy beachfront, as well as a gorgeous view of the Sandwich and Ossipee mountains across a broad expanse of the state’s largest lake.
During COVID-free summer seasons, day visitors have been provided with a range of services. By paying a low entry fee - $5 for adults, $2 for children 6 to 11, and no charge for New Hampshire seniors - visitors could utilize a picnic pavilion, a changing area and bathhouse with showers, as well as a beach store that carried various refreshments and souvenirs. With its abundance of picnic tables and a playground, Ellacoya has been a delightful spot for generations of individuals, couples, and families of all ages to enjoy.
The Ellacoya RV campground is laid out in a herringbone pattern, with four rows comfortably accommodating a total of 37 recreation vehicles; however, tents are not permitted. The campground provides three-way hook ups, a dumping station, a small craft boat launch, and an indoor shower-laundry facility.
In search of a better understanding of how the pandemic has impacted the state’s outdoor recreation areas, this author met with Ellacoya State Park’s nine-year veteran manager, Paul Jensen. Paul has a positive, hands-on attitude and arrived wearing a facemask; it is obvious that he is taking the threat we are facing seriously.
COVID-19 was already in the state when the RV park opened at its traditional date during the Memorial Day weekend. However, to adjust to the pandemic, the campground remained at one-half capacity, with only New Hampshire residents permitted. It was not until the end of June that the campground was opened at its full capacity, at which time out-of-state residents also were allowed to enter. Out-of-state visitors at Ellacoya and New Hampshire’s other state campgrounds are required to attest that they have quarantined under strict standards for 14 days prior to their arrival.
While walking through the RV park, one cannot help but notice that campers seem very relaxed, with several going out of their way to make conversation. I took this as a sign that the 2020 season’s regulations weren’t causing undo stress. So, I asked Jensen what specific changes he had made, and which have been the most difficult to implement.
Paul Jensen, Ellaocya State Park manager
He informed me that because of the spacing between campsites, there was no concern about distancing while sitting outside one’s RV. However, in the face of COVID, new camp rules call for people to remain at least six feet apart while on the beach or conversing in a group. Masks must be worn inside the park office. The showers and laundry facility will remain locked throughout the season. Jensen foresaw no problems in enforcing these regulations. However, his shoulders slumped briefly as he told me about one additional rules change in the campground area.
“Our community fire ring has been cancelled for the season.” He went on to explain that the ring is one of the traditional social highlights for campers at Ellacoya. Asked if people expressed disappointment about its absence, Jensen seemed to be smiling behind his mask. “No, folks have been remarkably understanding. They realize that it’s not something we want to do either.”
The pandemic has had a more noticeable impact upon the experience provided on the day visitor side of Ellacoya. Under normal circumstances, the parking lot for the beach would be at full capacity—225 cars—on a busy weekend. That has not been a concern this season. Instead of its usual opening day on Memorial Day weekend, the beach was opened on June 19 with the total number of people permitted to visit limited to 180, a figure that was expanded to 225 at the end of June.
Like their campground counterparts, this season’s day visitors will need to have a reservation in order to be admitted to the park. The full impact of this decision is felt primarily during busy weekends, when the beach at Ellacoya could easily accommodate may more on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
Jensen is not insensitive to the beach-goers’ plight. “I worry that someone will show up on the 4th of July without a reservation [this interview took place a few days before the 4th of July holiday weekend], thinking they can just pay and go to the beach. I know that people are disappointed when they learn we can’t admit them.” Jensen hopes disappointed patrons will be understanding and not take out their dissatisfaction on his staff.
Those who do gain admission will need to adjust to a new set of circumstances. While people are not required to wear masks outdoors, they are expected to keep at least six feet away from others. The showers and changing facility are off limits this year, and only two people at a time will be admitted to the restrooms. Also, Ellacoya’s popular little beach store will not be open this season.
Despite these changes, the demand for space at the popular state beach remains strong. Asked how COVID has impacted his job, Jensen immediately shifted concern toward his staff and guests at Ellacoya. “We’re down staff numbers because of the pandemic. That means fewer people must do more to keep the park running.” A major responsibility is cleaning restrooms on a two-hour schedule. And the staff needs to remember to wear masks.
As we concluded the interview, Jensen returned to his concern about campers. He seemed sincerely apologetic for something over which he has no control: “The absence of the fire pit and music being played there changes the entire community atmosphere at the RV area. And trying to interact with one another through face masks changes everything.”
Owing to the willingness of Paul Jensen and his staff to accept responsibility, a visit to Ellacoya State Park continues to be a pleasant experience. It remains for visitors to do their part by employing a six-foot radius and wearing a mask as often as possible.
For information about Ellacoya State Park, call 603-293-7821 or visit www.nhstateparks.org for details and ticket reservations.
A Skillful Craftsman Who Loves Clocks
Thomas Leete Zimmerman says his chisels are sharp enough to shave with, but that’s not sharp enough.
The statement sums up the philosophy of the Moultonborough cabinetmaker and clock repairer, who admits to being his own worst critic. Tom says his reputation is built on the last job out the door, so he wants each piece to be the best one yet.
A Skillful Craftsman Who Loves Clocks
By Thomas P. Caldwell
Thomas Leete Zimmerman says his chisels are sharp enough to shave with, but that’s not sharp enough.
The statement sums up the philosophy of the Moultonborough cabinetmaker and clock repairer, who admits to being his own worst critic. Tom says his reputation is built on the last job out the door, so he wants each piece to be the best one yet.
“If it coughs, hiccups, or breathes out of rhythm, I want to be the first to hear about it,” he says.
Although the 76-year-old has taken down his “Thos. Leete: Cabinetmaker” sign and claims to have retired, he remains busy in his shop, working on a backlog of projects for customers who have placed pieces in his care.
A wall of cuckoo clocks graces Thomas Leete Zimmerman’s Moultonborough showroom. (Tom Caldwell Photo)
“I’ve told customers it may take a year,” he says, “and some have been waiting longer than that.”
In addition to the number of repairs and restorations he has undertaken, there is the complexity of the job that determines how long it will take. Some of his projects have involved restoring clocks that are literally in pieces when he gets them.
Tom keeps photo books of his projects, showing what the pieces look like when they arrive, details of the work he has done, and pictures of the finished product. The photos give an indication of what is involved, but Tom will take the time to describe in detail how he filled nail holes with pegs from dowels he created from pine, or carved missing sections to match the original design of the piece.
“If I don’t have it, I’ll make it,” he says. “When there’s a missing piece, I’ll let the furniture do the talking: I’ll look at the features and work from them. I may add embellishments to ‘terminate’ it and say it’s finished.”
In building a clock case, Tom says he may replicate another case, but will never copy it.
“I put some of myself into it,” he explains. “I’m a real traditionalist. I’ll take a pile of stuff and rearrange it.”
Tom says he can repair a clock, start-to-finish, in a week if he does not run into issues, but depending upon the complexity, it can take three weeks to three years.
“Often, it’s a game of hide-and-seek to find parts.”
A sharp, high-quality chisel is essential for the cabinetry work that Thomas Leete Zimmerman does. (Tom Caldwell Photo)
Influences
Tom was born in Reno, Nevada, at a time when the only way to get to Lake Tahoe was by horseback — and his grandmother operated a dude ranch. Later, his mother worked as a nurse at a summer camp on Lake Winnipesaukee, and Tom attended the camp, later becoming a counselor there. He has called Charlestown, Gilmanton, and Moultonborough his home, while also living for a time in Vermont.
“It took me nine months to set up so I could start producing,” he says of his move to Moultonborough in 2005, “and I’ve been busy ever since.”
He recalls that, as a child, he was “always taking things apart,” and when his mother mentioned that to a machinist across the way, the man advised, “Make him put it back together.” That is how his love of making repairs got its start. Tom recalls watching the machinist from the doorway — he was not allowed inside — and that was the start of his picking up “a little piece here and a little piece there” to learn how make repairs.
His initial training was in furniture and furniture repair, he says, and he gained experience in a high-production facility as well as learning to do custom work.
“I’ve met some really interesting people,” he recalls, “some of them considered icons.”
One such person was Andy Marlow, who designs and builds period furniture in the classical styles, creating museum-quality reproductions.
“I visited him three times,” Tom said. “It was like being in the presence of God.”
It was a craftsman in Peterborough who first influenced him — a man whose name is now forgotten. Tom recalls stopping in to see the man at work, and the craftsman recognized Tom’s passion to learn. The man shared his knowledge of how to give life to a project.
has built and repaired furniture, but said he always had a fascination for clocks as well. He started by building cases for clockworks, but eventually decided he wanted to learn about the works themselves. He picked up information from the clockmakers who hired him to build the cases and later would be able to share his knowledge with them.
He is a member of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc., an organization founded in 1943 by members of the Horological Society of New York and the Philadelphia Watchmakers’ Guild. His shop has copies of magazines and pamphlets describing the various clocks from around the world, some of which have examples in his workshop.
He has worked on beehive candlestick clocks — an American style dating back to around 1840 — as well as Russian, Japanese, French, Viennese, German, and other countries’ clocks.
“I’m trying to get one from Brazil,” Tom says.
Thomas Leete Zimmerman discusses one of the clocks he has on display at his Moultonborough workshop. (Tom Caldwell Photo)
He says there were a lot of experiments in American clocks between 1830 and 1860, comparing it to the way people experiment with computers today. He said the period and the style are interrelated, so one has to understand the economics and the culture of the period.
“The style reflects that,” he says.
When trying to repair or pattern a clock after one of those designs, Tom says, “It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it has to be correct.”
He says, “I get excited about everything, but especially about cuckoo clocks.” One wall of his display room showcases the various types of cuckoo clocks he has collected or repaired.
Tom also has built grandfather clocks, banjo clocks, flat-tops, and Regulators, with all the variations they enjoy. Hanging gingerbreads are uncommon, but he has made a “phantom” version of one. He describes phantoms as “one that might have been made but never was” — a clock that is consistent with the style.
Clocks he has worked on have gone throughout the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, as well as to England and Japan.
“I try to treat people fairly,” Tom says in explaining why his customers have returned and told others about his work.
He says he has worked on 17 cuckoo clocks in two months, some of them in rough shape but all of them with sentimental value.
“I enjoy working on them and seeing them come back,” he says of the clocks.
One of the more memorable clocks that Tom has worked on is one that Elisha Gray had purchased in Switzerland in 1885. Gray and Alexander Graham Bell both claimed to have invented the telephone, but Bell beat Gray to the patent office. Bell’s phone used the liquid transmitter that Gray had invented.
“The clock had penciled information about its history,” Tom said. “It becomes meaningful to have that information.”
Those Chisels
Tom uses modern tools, but says the final work has to be done by hand. He prides himself on the detail of his work, with intricate designs and beveled edges for emphasis. To handle that level of detail, he needs sharp, good-quality chisels.
His shop has several drawers of chisels, including those once belonging to his friend and fellow cabinetmaker Dick Steele, who purchased them from the estate of their original owner, Bertie Bemis. Bertie, according to Tom, was a curmudgeon who wore a bowler, but his chisels were first-rate with handles that Bertie himself designed.
“They are English, hand-forged with Sheffield steel,” Tom says.
Dick Steele had apprenticed with Swedish cabinetmakers, and he shared his knowledge with Tom — knowledge that included the importance of good tools.
“He occasionally let me borrow his carving tools,” Tom recalls. “It allowed me to learn how to carve.”
Tom also has Shaker chisels, noting that the Shakers did not hesitate to buy the best-quality tools.
His love of hand tools matches his love of artful design. He notes that, before 1840, furniture was hand-made. The advent of industrial equipment brought machine-made furniture that was heavy and austere. He contrasts that with the gold-gilded French furniture that used the gold to highlight the detailed carving work.
Customers appreciate the quality of Tom’s work, and many of them are repeat customers. Although he has officially retired, Tom says he will still take care of his old customers.
An Artist’s Life at Snow Dragon Studio
An Artist’s Life at Snow Dragon Studio
By Thomas P. Caldwell
Susan MacDonald works on a painting in her Meredith studio. (Tom Caldwell Photo)
Snow Dragon Mountain Farm in Meredith, with more than 50 acres of fields and woods, is the perfect setting for budding artists to hone their skills. With a natural-light indoor studio space as well as expansive lawns and a deck where art students can engage in plein air painting, Snow Dragon Studio is a place to practice and improve one’s artistic skills at one’s own pace, guided by a woman who has been immersed in art for her entire life.
Artist Susan MacDonald says that, while she got seriously involved with the art studio only a year ago, she has been drawing and painting since she was a child. As the daughter of the late Loran Percy, a well-known Lakes Region landscape painter, she learned to love the craft of coaxing images onto the canvas.
Rumney Village Store, painting by Susan MacDonald. (Tom Caldwell Photo)
Loran, who began as a photographer but evolved into an artist and teacher whose paintings of Lake Winnipesaukee and Gunstock Mountain Resort made him a popular artist with both local residents and visitors to the Lakes Region, operated an art gallery in Gilford. The gallery featured oil paintings as well as hand-cut crystal, limited-edition prints, and Victorian windows.
Susan picked up her drawing and painting skills from him directly, as well as from assisting with the art classes he taught.
She found herself operating a veterinary clinic in Gilford after marrying Dr. Robert MacDonald, who had graduated from Tufts University’s veterinary program, and they also operated a dairy farm, leaving her with very little time to think about painting. However, after her mother moved from her apartment on the property to live in the Taylor Community, Susan decided to convert the apartment into an art studio where she could work on her own skills while also teaching others the love of art.
Snow-covered truck, a painting by Susan MacDonald. (Tom Caldwell Photo)
“I decided to do what I really wanted to do,” Susan says.
She still has six cows, six geese, six dogs, and five cats, but the farm now serves as a setting for the practice of art skills. Her animals often serve as subjects for her students to paint.
Susan takes a maximum of four students at a time in order to give each one the necessary attention. It is not a class for art instruction as much as an opportunity for artists to develop their own skills, with Susan serving as a guide.
“It’s an open studio, with three-hour sessions for $35,” she explains. “We pick a project together on something they’ll be comfortable with — watercolors, oils, or whatever they want to do. Students are allowed to choose their own style.”
Susan MacDonald enjoys capturing the details of homes and junk automobiles in her paintings. (Tom Caldwell Photo)
Students can bring their own art supplies or use hers, she says, and they work on their individual projects until they’re done.
All that is not to say there is no structure to the sessions.
“We start with a warmup,” Susan says. “We do drawing to start.”
She takes students to nearby locations to practice sketching, which she views as a necessary ingredient.
“It’s important to have good drawing skills to paint well,” she says. “It’s hard to just pick up brushes and paint. I encourage them to do sketches first, and to plan it out carefully. There’s value in sketches.”
She says students are often eager to start with the canvas, but “without a plan in your head, it’s hard to be successful. I make sure they come out with a good product in the end, something to show to their friends.”
Susan teaches her students about color, values, form, and composition, and how to build on those skills.
The warmup sessions also break up the time during the three-hour open-studio sessions.
A painting by Susan MacDonald of Meredith. (Tom Caldwell Photo)
The Artist’s Favorites
Susan says she most enjoys plein air painting — going outside and choosing an interesting subject. For her, capturing the details of a building or a junk automobile or a boat, and the way the light plays over those surfaces, are the most interesting.
“It’s like putting a puzzle together,” she says. “Scenery is good, too, but putting the little pieces together is what I like most.”
Still, what she calls “painting in the wild” does have its problems in the form of wind, bugs, and rain.
“It can be overwhelming,” she said. “You can also be dealing with traffic and people watching.”
That is why having an expansive property that is totally off the grid is welcome for her, and it can be helpful to students. They can get outside, yet move inside the studio if conditions warrant — and the remote location off a long driveway means traffic is not an issue.
“It’s so complicated, so we teach students to simplify stuff,” she says.
Susan likes sketching and oil painting, but her favorite medium is gouache, an opaque watercolor that results in a soft, chalky look. Unlike oils, gouache paints can be reactivated after drying by adding water, allowing the artist to touch up or rework the original painting.
Susan also likes illustration, which actually was what inspired her to get back into art work. She has illustrated two children’s books by Belmont writer Rose-Marie Robichaud: Dee’s Pig and Dee’s Extraordinary Rooster.
“Doing that got me interested and into it,” Susan says, noting that she also had done historic costuming before returning to painting.
Susan also enjoys figure drawing and sketching animals. “It helped when I did start teaching classes, and I enjoyed being with students.” In addition to the classes, Susan does commissioned work, and before the Coronavirus pandemic, she was planning to place some of her works in a gallery. She does have an exhibition planned for New Hampton School’s Galletly Gallery.
Her son, Tristan, is carrying on the family tradition as he enters Dartmouth College, planning to major in engineering and fine art.
For more information about Susan MacDonald and her open studio, visit Snow Dragon Studio on Facebook or call her directly at 603-455-3561.
Hank Why Wants You to Build a Boat This Summer!
Hank Why has loved wooden boats for as long as he can remember. As a young kid, he began learning about restoring boats and developed a passion for boat building. Later, in 1968, he started spending his summers in Wolfeboro. When the New Hampshire Boat Museum moved to Wolfeboro in the mid-1990s, it was only natural that Hank would become involved with the museum. He knew he would eventually retire to Wolfeboro, and it was the perfect fit for Hank to continue his hobby of working with wooden boats. In fact, he ended up serving on the board from then until 2018.
Hank Why Wants You to Build a Boat This Summer!
By Sarah Wright
Hank Why has loved wooden boats for as long as he can remember. As a young kid, he began learning about restoring boats and developed a passion for boat building. Later, in 1968, he started spending his summers in Wolfeboro. When the New Hampshire Boat Museum moved to Wolfeboro in the mid-1990s, it was only natural that Hank would become involved with the museum. He knew he would eventually retire to Wolfeboro, and it was the perfect fit for Hank to continue his hobby of working with wooden boats. In fact, he ended up serving on the board from then until 2018.
The New Hampshire Boat Museum, or NHBM, was originally founded in 1992 by a group of antique and classic boating enthusiasts who wanted to preserve and share the boating heritage of the state’s fresh waterways. After moving around Lake Winnipesaukee for a few years, the museum found a permanent home in Wolfeboro in the former Allen “A” Resort theater and dance hall. However, the goal of the museum was not just to showcase antique boats and display other items from boating’s history. The museum wanted to be an experiential center that focused on “learning through doing” by offering hands-on programs and events. As Hank tells it, the boat building program at the museum got started by a group of guys who were building sailboats for the sailing program.
Naturally, Hank believed that the wooden boat building school, which has since expanded to classes for youth and adults each summer, was a very important program. “It’s important to pass these skills down to the younger generation, because the skills involved with wooden boat building are fading away,” explains Hank. “There are not a lot of boat building schools in the area anymore.”
Building a boat is a memorable experience, and you’ll be able to enjoy your handiwork for years to come. As of this writing, the NHBM is still planning to hold its boat building classes, although class size will be smaller this year to help with distancing. Those who are interested should sign up as soon as possible to reserve a spot. Masks will be required, and the museum has an organized plan in place to clean up the work site after each class. Classes take place outside, on the museum’s property.
Hank Why (right) being recognized by Donnie McLean and the New Hampshire Boat Museum for his dedication and volunteerism for many years with the Vintage Race Boat Regatta. (photo by Larry Houle, NHBM)
The Adult & Family Boat Building session lets adults work by themselves or team up with younger family members. Participants can choose to build a Bevin’s skiff, two-person canoe, one-person kayak, Opti sailboat, or a paddleboard. The class runs from July 11 to 19 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. The Youth Boat Building session is for boys and girls ages 12 and up. The instructors will demonstrate how to safely use hand tools and a limited number of power tools. Kids can choose to make a two-person canoe, a one-person kayak, or a Bevin’s skiff. The class will run from August 3 to 14, 9 am to 3 pm. If you know a young person who would like to participate, but does not have the funds to do so, you can fill out a scholarship application.
Hank Why is also involved with the museum’s wooden boat graduate school scholarship program. He puts together the resources and solicits funds to reward a special student each year. “I was looking for an opportunity to give back for what I got from my experience learning at the boat museum,” says Hank. “The scholarship idea came forward as a way to help someone who excels in the boat building program to continue their training.”
This talented individual is offered a scholarship to the Wooden Boat School in Brooklin, Maine. It’s the only school suitable for kids in the northeast, and it offers them a chance to learn a higher skill set than the NH Boat Museum program can offer. The scholarship is good for a two-week summer session at the school. This year marks the school’s 40th anniversary, and they offer a wide variety of courses at their beautiful, 64-acre “saltwater campus.” The community of students, faculty, and staff at the school have all levels of experience in boat-building, woodworking, metalworking, crafting, and boating. “Sending a student to this school helps preserve the wooden boat-building industry,” says Hank.
The recipient of the scholarship also receives a one-year membership to the New Hampshire Boat Museum, as well as to the two other sponsors: The Antique & Classic Boat Society (ACBS) and the New England Lyman Group. They are also put in touch with a mentor to guide them through their experience. The ACBS is a membership organization dedicated to connecting people who enjoy classic boats. Since its founding in 1975 on the shores of Lake George, New York, the ACBS has grown into the largest society in the world dedicated to the enjoyment of classic boats. They embrace all styles of classic wood, fiberglass, and metal boats. The New England Lyman Group was founded in 1999 with the mission and purpose of promoting the use of Lyman boats, but also to support activities that promote youth involvement and interest in wooden boat building, repair, and maintenance.
The NH Boat Museum runs other popular events each year. Hank is also involved in the planning of the New England Vintage Boat and Car Auction. Although this year’s event will be held online due to COVID-19, there will be many items up for bid including vintage wooden boats; fiberglass boats; vintage cars and trucks; sailboats; motors and parts; canoes, kayaks, and dories; and artifacts and collectibles. The auction will take place on Saturday, July 18 at 10 am. Previews will be available on July 16 and 17 from noon to 5 pm, and on July 18 from 8 to 10 am. Hank is also involved in the Vintage Race Boat Regatta, held every other year at the Wolfeboro Town Docks in September. (The next race is scheduled for 2021.)
Currently, Hank owns two vintage Chris-Craft boats from 1930 and 1948, respectively. When I spoke with him, he was working on putting notes together for his younger son on how to care for the boats, winterize them, and repair them. After all, it’s all about passing this information on to the next generation and ensuring that the beautiful craftsmanship of wooden boats lives on.
The New Hampshire Boat Museum is located at 399 Center Street in Wolfeboro. Their current plan is to open on July 1 with a modified schedule. For the latest information as well as information on the upcoming auction, visit www.nhbm.org or call 603-569-4554. Boat-building school applications are also available on the website with options to pay online or by mail. Click on the “Learn” tab on the homepage for more information about building a boat this summer. Keep the tradition of wooden boat building alive with this memorable experience!
Mountain Biking Experiencing a Surge in Popularity
A sport that came actively onto the scene in the early 1990s, and has grown immensely since, is mountain biking. It is currently experiencing even greater popularity for those seeking the comfort, beauty and peace of the outdoors.
Mountain Biking Experiencing a Surge in Popularity
By Leigh Sharps
People are looking for ways to escape the rigors of the pandemic restrictions this summer, and outdoor activities are exploding with participation like never before.
A sport that came actively onto the scene in the early 1990s, and has grown immensely since, is mountain biking. It is currently experiencing even greater popularity for those seeking the comfort, beauty and peace of the outdoors.
It is not surprising that Slade Warner and Mike Bombara, co-owners of Rhino Bike Works in Plymouth (there for nearly 30 years) are currently so busy with spring tune-ups and repairs they can hardly keep up. The COVID-19 epidemic has forced them, like many small businesses, to adjust their working hours and limit some services. Although they deliver curb-side requests for parts, etc., all other work on bikes must be done inside with a limited staff. Says Warner, “Business has been challenging with the lock-down. Mike and I do most of the work. People can order services by phone. It’s worked out well. There’s not too much left to browse inside now anyway, but we’re hoping for a partial reopening in the near future.”
Sean O'Leary of Ashland takes a trail at Fox Park in Plymouth.
With the decline of street biking and the constantly burgeoning mountain bike industry, it is no wonder their business has sold out of all bikes, both street and mountain, under the price of $1,000. “We now only have on hand ‘boutique’ type bikes, as we call them, on the upper end between $3,000 to $5,000,” says Warner. “Other than that I cannot get them…I have none left. It’s a global phenomenon right now, even getting parts is difficult. I’m hoping to get some bikes by August but I’m not sure at this point.”
He says street biking has definitely waned in the last decade and it’s why motorists do not see as many large groups of bikers on the roadways. “Road biking was once more popular than it is currently....people are really nervous about getting run over due to cell phone and other electronic device uses by drivers. There is more running and walking now than street biking. Mountain biking, particularly in this region, has grown immensely.”
Safety equipment such as helmets and body padding are of utmost importance for riders and, along with their advice, Warner and Bombara are happy to bring these out for riders in their parking lot. “Head protection is most important and, personally, I wear eye protection,” adds Warner and he recommends bikers bring water, tools, and a charged phone, besides head gear, when riding, especially if one is alone, and to always alert someone where they intend to be riding for the day.
Bikes, physically, have changed dramatically since the sport has evolved over the decades. “That could be a whole other story,” notes Warner. “Everything has changed: narrow tires to fat tubeless tires, materials bikes are constructed from, the suspension has changed to eliminate jarring trail features, the pedals have changed, there’s hydraulic disc brakes now, the way gearing operates….it’s all different; it’s endless. The comfort of bikes has totally progressed. All these changes, it’s the most interesting part of this sport to watch!”
People are taking to the more natural, scenic woods bike rides in the Pemi Valley and Central N.H. areas. There are trails for every level of rider from beginner to the advanced rider and family and pet oriented trails as well.
L-R: Slade Warner and Mike Bombara, co-owners of Rhino Bike Works in Plymouth with a top-of-the-line Santa Cruz mountain bike. (Leigh Sharps photo)
A recent President of the Pemi Valley Mountain Bike Association, part of the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA, a 501-not-for-profit organization), Warner notes since the inception of the club in 2014, the trail system has grown and is now the most extensive in the Pemi Valley area. A nearby and beginner/moderate trail is the Gyro trail system starting behind the Plymouth State University ice arena and alongside the Pemigewassett River. “It’s convenient,” says Warner. Another access point is at Fox Park (on Prince Haven St., also in Plymouth). A few years ago the Pemi group organized the Gyro network, connecting it to Langdon and Fox Parks and a town-wide map was created with added ‘You Are Here’ signs for travelers. (Thanks to Greg DiSanto for his assistance in this effort).
Before the Pemi group joined, NEMBA trails were largely unmarked and maintenance was informal; now they are marked and maintained.
Club members go out, typically in the spring, and cut down trees, look for obstacles, wash-outs, and make repairs. “This group is very active every season and, of course, bikers will get off their bikes and clear debris in the trail when they encounter it after spring clean-up,” says Warner.
A Pemi Valley NEMBA newsletter states, “Over the past three decades, our local mountain biking community has established a large network of trails in the Plymouth, Campton, Thornton and Waterville Valley areas. These trails range from beginner to advanced and are built on a combination of private, public, and federal land.” They have a relationship with the White Mountain National Forest District and they have also formed relationships with Plymouth State University and the Holderness School for land access. The Holderness School, in fact, is the entity allowing mountain bikes on the existing trails in the Gyro system. Altogether, throughout New England, there are 28 chapters in NEMBA with over 7,000 members, with volunteers donating thousands of hours in volunteer trail maintenance, construction, presenting skills clinics, offering trail building schools and they are advocates for mountain biking and other recreational trails. There are thousands of miles of trails in New England with New Hampshire having one of the most extensive trail systems.
D Acres in Dorchester (a not-for-profit Permaculture Farm and Educational Homestead on Route 118) has an extensive connecting trail system which right now, unfortunately, is closed to mountain biking due to COVID-19, but they hope to re-open by early summer. They are still looking currently for volunteers to build and maintain trails. Their trails also extend access to the neighboring Green Woodlands Trail network. They have produced a guide called Pemi Valley ‘Get Outside’ full of hiking and mountain biking maps, including skiing and boating maps in the Plymouth to Warren area. Besides their land and Woodlands, they recommend Gyro, the Warren-Haverhill Railroad Grade and the McVetty Recreation trails. Some of these are ‘double track’ trails, meaning they are wider to allow both bikers and hikers to use the same trails, whereas ‘single track’ trails are just for mountain biking (the majority mentioned in this article). Pemi Valley NEMBA has also volunteered with building and maintaining the connecting trail systems at D Acres.
Avid mountain biker, Sean O’Leary, od Ashland, who bikes alone, with his dog, or with his family of four, recommends his favorite trails. “They’re the Gyro system and Fox Park in Plymouth (Prince Haven Road), Franklin Falls in Franklin (near the dam on Route 127) and Page Hill Trails in Hill (Murray Hill Road).” He notes the Page ride is difficult, Fox and Franklin are moderate/family rides and the Gyro is beginner/family and dog friendly (as are all these trails).
Due to the current virus situation, however, many things have changed currently for bikers this spring. NEMBA has issued guidelines. Some of these are: slow down and stop for others, be patient, bike off-hours and avoid crowded parking lots and locations, ride from your house to trails if possible, do NOT ride in large groups - only immediate family, provide extra space between riders (ideally 30’) and be friendly and respectful of all users’ needs for recreation and physical space; say ‘hi’ to other users. Always bring a fully charged cell phone, riding alone especially.
Also, all NEMBA sponsored events, group rides and in-person meetings have been suspended until further notice. They advise limiting groups and minimizing contact between riders.
Besides the benefits of being able to observe wildlife ‘up close and personal’ there is exquisite scenery to be had, not to mention the fresh air and the physical benefits. “When people first get out and do it they see how fun and healthy it is. They see places they’d never see otherwise. You can take a whole day to hike 12 miles, but on a bike you can do it in an hour and a half! It’s gained in popularity this past decade, particularly, and for a reason: the scenic and recreational value of it. You get out there and can see how very fortunate we are to live in this region!” concludes Warner.
So, if a family member is late for dinner some evening, do not ask why, because they obviously, ‘took the long way home’.
(The current President of the Pemi Valley NEMBA chapter is Kevin Luce. All officers and directors can be found on the Pemi Valley site as well as rules and information. Other trail systems in the Plymouth area include single track riding at the Holderness School, Rattlesnake Mtn. in Rumney, Welch-Dickey region in Thornton and the White Mountain National Forest Recreation area known as Smart’s Brook. Other trails in the White Mountains and central New Hampshire area may be found on the New Hampshire chapter of the NEMBA site. The majority of trails are dog and family friendly. Check NH State Parks on the web as some of the larger and more popular trails are still closed to the public to the end of June. Rhino Bike Works is located off North Main Street at 1 Foster Avenue, beside the Common Man Inn and Spa, call 536-3919, Plymouth, NH. D Acres Director is Josh Trought; their number is 786-2366, Streeter Woods Road, Dorchester, NH.)
Toy Heaven in the Mountains
If there is anything I’ve learned from writing day tripping stories, it is that you never know what you will find and you better be prepared to be surprised at what is out there. When driving around on Saturdays looking for yard sales, for example, I have stumbled upon interesting people doing amazing things or places I never knew existed, all making great stories to share with Laker readers.
While I was not yard saling on a recent Thursday, I did visit a unique museum with enough of interest to fit the criteria of a great day-tripping adventure.
Day Tripping
Toy Heaven in the Mountains
By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper
If there is anything I’ve learned from writing day tripping stories, it is that you never know what you will find and you better be prepared to be surprised at what is out there. When driving around on Saturdays looking for yard sales, for example, I have stumbled upon interesting people doing amazing things or places I never knew existed, all making great stories to share with Laker readers.
Toy sets for girls
While I was not yard saling on a recent Thursday, I did visit a unique museum with enough of interest to fit the criteria of a great day-tripping adventure.
I found a brochure for the Stinson Mountain Museum of Building Toys when I was in the Rumney area last summer and thought it would be a fascinating place to visit. Thus, I promised myself a return trip to visit. The pandemic certainly ground such plans to a halt, but as restrictions eased in early June, I contacted Ken Weinig, the museum’s owner, to see if I could arrange a visit.
Ken in his museum with the Parachute Jump toy
Friendly and enthusiastic to show his collection, Ken set a day and time for my tour and advised, “Give me a call when you get to Rumney for directions, because the house isn’t easy to find.”
This is often the case when day tripping and seeking out the great places I enjoy visiting. Creative folks and those who have something unusual to share can live in rural areas and that is part of the charm and the story. With Ken’s directions, I made my way to his rural home where the toy museum holds pride of place on the lower level.
Before Ken took me on a tour of the toy museum, we sat on his porch and talked about the museum and how it came to exist. It was the perfect place to sit and talk and watch the birds that flit among the flowers. Ken knows a lot about everything from Erector Sets, to antique toys, to the history of Rumney…and even old-time and silent movies!
How did Ken start his collection of toys, with an emphasis on A.C. Gilbert Erector Sets? “My father was sort of an anti-pack rat,” Ken said with a laugh. After Ken went off to college, his father gave away the Erector Sets that had been Ken’s childhood toy. Sad to lose those beloved toys, Ken, however, moved on and was busy with college, and then with a family and a career as an English teacher and school principal. He likely had little time to think about his love of those old Erector Sets.
However, in the 1990s, Ken bought an Erector Set at an auction, which got him started on a journey that led to creating the toy museum. He joined a toy club and got hooked on old Erector Sets. “I bought them at flea markets, and auctions and I used to drive miles to buy a set. But the internet and eBay changed all that and offered a greater variety.” It also meant a lot less work hunting hither and yon to find Erector Sets to add to Ken’s growing collection.
Just one section of Erector Sets on display
Admittedly, I never gave much thought to the Erector Set my brother had as a kid or who invented the toy. But talking with Ken gave me a greater awareness of the inventor of the Erector Set (and a lot of other toys as well), Mr. A.C. Gilbert.
Gilbert must have been an amazing man with great and inventive ideas. He was, to Ken and many others, “the world’s greatest toymaker.” He got started making toys when in 1913, he saw a steel bridge and thought to himself that kids might like to play with a miniature version of the bridge; thus, was born the Erector Set. He went on to make trains, tool sets, chemistry sets, puzzles and a lot more.
Ken had plenty to say about Gilbert, and he is clearly a fan of the inventor. He explained as well that the museum is divided into sections: building sets, Gilbert toys, educational toys such as puzzles and blocks and a New York historical section with memorabilia, old subway signs and other objects.
Ferris wheel made with Erector Set parts
By this time, I was more than ready to see the collection and Ken could probably sense my excitement as he led the way to the museum, which he has created with care and thoughtfulness.
As we entered the toy museum, it was immediately apparent these were toys from past generations kept in great condition by a true collector. The many Erector Sets were displayed on shelves and sectioned by the decades they were created. Ken collects sets of all sizes. I had no idea some of the sets were so massive until Ken opened various cases to reveal neatly sectioned row upon row of Erector Set parts. These huge Sets are very heavy and would need an adult to lift them; imagine finding such a gift under the tree on Christmas morning!
Ken’s collection starts with Erector Sets from 1913 and goes through 1961, the year A.C. Gilbert died. From modest to large Erector Sets that weigh over 100 lbs., the toys offered something for every child (they were played with mostly by boys at the time).
Ken explained that during World War II there was a demand for metal, which meant the end of producing metal Erector Sets for a time. He showed me a wooden Erector Set sold at the time, attesting to the fact that Gilbert was truly an innovator.
Along with Erector Sets, Gilbert created all sorts of interactive toys for children, and Ken has a large collection of child-sized chemistry sets and tool sets as well. Gilbert also produced a modest line of things for little girls, but the inventor’s main focus was on toys for boys. I was interested to see that Gilbert also produced a child-sized magic kit, which is among Ken’s collected objects. (And did you know that Gilbert made an Erector Airship circa 1929? It is on display as well.)
The objects in the toy museum are many, and among them are such gems as a World War II Civilian Plane Spotter. Certainly, I had never seen one, but Ken explained it was just what its name said: a hand-held device for civilians to use to spot enemy planes.
In another section, Ken has on display a Gilbert Lab Technician Set with a large photo on the box cover of two girls working on a lab project and next to it a Gilbert toy called My Mixer so little girls could make “delicious desserts.” Anyone who might view that as sexist should remember these toys were produced at a time when gender played a role in toys as well as what jobs a person could do.
The toy museum has everything you could imagine - even a working replica of a parachute ride from the World’s Fair. Nearby is a circa 1931 Ferris wheel made from several Erector Sets.
Early child's chemistry set
As if all that was not enough, there was one more display area: A New York/Coney Island section. Ken explained that he has a special fondness for New York City and Coney Island and has collected many wonderful signs and other objects, from a South Ferry Manhattan sign to subway signs and a unique and wonderful sign that lights up with the words “Telephone to Call Police”.
Just when I thought I had seen it all, Ken asked if I knew who Bela Lugosi was. As a fan of old movies, I replied that of course I knew Lugosi as the star of old Dracula and other horror movies. Ken nodded as he gently took a cast object from a box and said it was a cast that Lugosi had made of his face at his death!
One cannot help but wonder if Ken spends all his time in the museum playing with the many toys and building things with the Erector Sets. Smiling, he says he spends a certain amount of time working on the displays but the collection isn’t for children or adults to play with, but rather to view and learn about the past.
Those who want to spend a delightful hour or more with someone who is truly knowledgeable about building toys should call or email Ken and make an appointment to see the amazing Stinson Mountain Museum of Building Toys. You will not find a more knowledgeable or a kinder person to explain the history of all sorts of toys in an extensive collection.
I spent a wonderful afternoon at the museum and learned a lot about old toys, the inventor A.C. Gilbert and I got to talk old movies with Ken. Indeed, this particular day trip adventure is one for the books and will make my list of the most unique and wonderful places I have visited.
(The museum is a private collection shown by appointment to groups of two to six people and admission is free. As Ken stressed, it is a museum for adults and not a place where children can play with the toys which are of a collectible nature. Call for an appointment or for information to 603-786-2899 or email kweinig@myfairpoint.net. Ken is the national secretary of the A.C. Gilbert Heritage Society (www.acghs.org), a group of Gilbert fans always looking for new members.)
Seabrisket Bakery Serves Up Tasty Treats
Summer is here and restrictions are slowly lifting. Most local farmers markets around the area have been reopening, albeit with safety precautions in place. It’s a sure sign of the season. Farmers markets offer access to amazing local produce and other products like honey, cheese, eggs, meat, flowers, baked goods, and even soaps. (I love visiting different town markets to see what’s available, but my closest market is held in Wolfeboro at Clark Park on South Main Street every Thursday from 12:30 to 4:30 pm.)
Seabrisket Bakery Serves Up Tasty Treats
By Sarah Wright
Summer is here and restrictions are slowly lifting. Most local farmers markets around the area have been reopening, albeit with safety precautions in place. It’s a sure sign of the season. Farmers markets offer access to amazing local produce and other products like honey, cheese, eggs, meat, flowers, baked goods, and even soaps. (I love visiting different town markets to see what’s available, but my closest market is held in Wolfeboro at Clark Park on South Main Street every Thursday from 12:30 to 4:30 pm.)
Delicious baked goods made by Seabrisket Bakery.
This year, Seabrisket Bakery, located at 66 Moose Mountain Road in Brookfield, will be at the Wolfeboro market. Owners DJ and Richard sold their homemade baked goods at another market for years, but this season will be at Wolfeboro. DJ told me she encourages her regular customers to continue to place orders and visit her at the Wolfeboro market if they can.
Once I got a copy of the bakery’s pre-order list for the market, I was eager to place an order. First off, I noticed that DJ makes lots of breads. There’s Cider Apple Cinnamon Swirl, Garlic Parmesan Asiago, Anadama, French Batard, Dark Rye with caraway seeds, Deep Dish Focaccia, a braided white bread with sesame seeds called Scali, and Swedish Limpa, which is a light rye with fennel and caraway seeds, orange zest, and chopped orange prunes. The order menu also includes scones like wild blueberry, strawberry with maple glaze, brown sugar and butter, dark chocolate and cherry, and orange cranberry. I tried a strawberry scone with maple glaze and it was amazing; very moist with just the right amount of sweetness.
I was also interested in Seabrisket’s cookies, since that’s what my kids like the most. This past week, DJ was offering spice oatmeal cookies with raisins and craisins, “very” ginger molasses cookies, peanut butter cookies, a triple-chocolate mudslide cookie, and the Ellie. When I found out what the Ellie cookie was, I was sold. It’s a combination of peanut butter and mudslide cookie doughs baked together, suggested by a 9-year-old girl. She is a very smart child, because the cookies were delicious!
DJ’s fancy, hand-rolled pies are award-winning, and come in apple, local wild blueberry, and bumbleberry (with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and cherries). She also makes a light French pastry called Kouign Aman that’s flaky, sugary, crunchy, chewy, and buttery. (I think that’s next on my list to try.) Seabrisket also makes an amazing wild blueberry jam, and did I mention that they also make their own maple syrup? Yes, it’s delicious and available to order.
In fact, Seabrisket Bakery started out with maple syrup. As DJ tells it, “We actually started making maple syrup after helping a friend make some, and then finding a lot of sugar maple trees on our own property. We made so much that I started selling it at a farmers market, but I noticed that vendors with a larger assortment of items for sale had more customers.” DJ continues, “I had always loved baking, so at the insistence of my wonderful husband, I brought fresh baked breads with me. They sold out, so I made different types the next week, and they sold out, too.”
That winter, DJ attended a week-long emersion class in bread baking at the King Arthur baking campus in Vermont, baking five to seven types of bread per day, including artisan breads, European types, French pastry, and more. Local, organic ingredients are very important at Seabrisket Bakery. DJ uses King Arthur flour or other organic flours, locally sourced berries, apples, butter, eggs, honey, herbs, vegetables, and of course, her own maple syrup to produce fresh baked goods for the Wolfeboro farmers market. DJ’s mantra is, “If it isn’t fresh, I don’t bring it to the market.”
She’s also very busy filling orders that are picked up at her home in Brookfield. One of her larger orders was for 35 pies, baked fresh for a local wedding. She also entered her pies in the Great New Hampshire Pie Festival at the New Hampshire Farm Museum last year in the professional division and won. But I had to wonder—why the name Seabrisket? Turns out that there’s a very interesting backstory to the name.
DJ explains, “My husband Rick and I used to compete around the country in barbecue contests. Most BBQ teams had 6 to 15 people, but our team was just Rick and me. The bakery name and logo are a nod to several things: Seabrisket Boucaniers was our full BBQ team name; our favorite BBQ item was brisket; we lived near the ocean; we were only two people (the famous racehorse, Seabiscuit, was the little horse that could); and Boucaniers is the French name for pirates due to the fact that they always smoked meat on board their ships in boucans (little grass huts) and we were headed down south to steal the BBQ prize money and trophies, just like pirates.”
Seabrisket Bakery is considered a Homestead Food Operation, like many other vendors at local farmers markets in the state. Regulated by the state, or in some cases by town, this option allows residents to set up home kitchens, and also gives people access to locally made items with organic and natural ingredients. You’ll find quality products like the baked goods from Seabrisket at markets all around the lake, so support a local vendor and enjoy the fresh taste.
You can check out the pre-order list for Seabrisket Bakery on the Wolfeboro Area Farmers Market Facebook page each week. Email your order to DJ@seabrisket.com or call 603-832-3090. You can also ask DJ to add your email address to the weekly group mailing to find out what’s available. Customers can arrange a pick-up time at 66 Moose Mountain Road in Brookfield, or pick up items at the Wolfeboro market on Thursdays from 12:30 to 4:30 pm.
Great Lakes Region Golfing
The game of golf is near and dear to the hearts of both Granite State residents and visitors. According to a study conducted by SRI International, golf engenders nearly 300,000 day occasions and more than 100,000 overnight trips annually within New Hampshire. The state’s 113 golf courses are significant resources for recreation, tourism, real estate development, and a range of other activities, producing a total economic impact in excess of one-half billion dollars.
Great Lakes Region Golfing
Yes, you can enjoy golf this summer!
By Mark Okrant
The game of golf is near and dear to the hearts of both Granite State residents and visitors. According to a study conducted by SRI International, golf engenders nearly 300,000 day occasions and more than 100,000 overnight trips annually within New Hampshire. The state’s 113 golf courses are significant resources for recreation, tourism, real estate development, and a range of other activities, producing a total economic impact in excess of one-half billion dollars.
With the COVID-19 outbreak, governors throughout the nation responded by implementing policies designed to limit the spread of the disease. In New Hampshire, quarantining and social distancing had an immediate impact upon everything from retail to recreation, and from travel to teaching. Golf was not immune from these measures, as courses and driving ranges were shuttered for nearly two months.
The following is an explanation of the initial reopening of Lakes Region golf courses. Later in this article, we bring readers up-to-date on the most current rules and happenings pertaining to golf.
On May 11, the governor permitted golf courses to open, but not without strong protective measures in place. As the day to open approached, courses began to alert golfers to several realities. Only New Hampshire residents and course members were permitted to play golf here. During normal times, golfers tend to arrive at a course an hour or more before their scheduled tee times. Then, after completing their rounds, many players would head for the course’s restaurant or bar—lovingly referred to as the 19th hole—to recall the trials and tribulations of the day.
Under the new policy, only golfers who made a reservation well in advance and paid remotely with a credit card were allowed to play. Golfers were instructed to remain in their cars until 15 minutes before scheduled tee times, then to leave the course immediately after playing.
Starts were separated by exactly 15 minutes. There was no pre-round practice, as driving ranges and putting greens remained closed to the public. Each golfer was instructed that she/he must ride solo in a sanitized golf cart provided for them by the course, or else walk throughout the round. Beer and beverage carts were not operating.
Hello, Worl d!
Once on the golf course, each member of a group was required to wear a face mask and remain a minimum of six feet apart from playing partners. Golfers handled their own golf clubs. If a wayward shot landed in a sand trap, the player was expected to blast out, then smooth the trap using a golf club because no rakes were provided. The flag or pin that identifies each hole’s location on the green was not to be touched. Instead, the course was required to provide raised cups that prohibited the golfer from reaching deep inside the hole. Furthermore, upon completion of each hole, it was necessary for the golfer to remember her/his score or write it on a piece of scrap paper, as no scorecards or pencils were provided. At the end of the round, golfers were instructed to remove all personal belongings—clubs and bags, clothing, food wrappers, and beverage containers—from their carts. At this point, a member of the course’s staff was to wash and thoroughly disinfect carts. Amazingly, none of this deterred diehards from their appointed rounds.
Much of what was just described changed beginning on Friday, June 5, at precisely 3 pm. This is when the governor implemented the second phase of his COVID response policy. In order to learn more about how this new phase impacted golfers and golf course personnel, I interviewed four people: Kristy Gleason, golf professional at the Donald Ross designed Kingswood Golf Club in Wolfeboro; Jonathan Rivers, golf pro at Indian Mound Golf Club in Ossipee; Barbara Jenkins, co-manager and co-owner of Oak Hill Golf Course in Meredith; and Bob Santos, golf pro at Waukewan Golf Club in Center Harbor.
I learned that all four courses quickly became active after May 11, despite restrictions. However, all golfers—residents and non-residents alike—are now welcome to play on New Hampshire courses. Tee times still must be made in advance; however, golfers now have a choice of paying online or upon arrival at the course.
Each of the courses I canvassed continues to require golfers to remain in their cars until 15 minutes before beginning their rounds. This regulation is gradually loosening as facilities such as driving ranges, putting greens, and onsite food services are opening to the public.
Playing at these four courses is beginning to resemble traditional golf experiences. The interval between tee times has been reduced from the 12-to-15 minute range to a more normal 10 minutes. While sanitation stations and instructional signage are situated at entrances to restrooms, the regulation about riding solo in golf carts has been relaxed. Some courses, like Indian Mound, prefer that tandem cart usage be limited to people from the same household. One safeguard remains in place, as face masks and six feet of separation during play remain de rigueur for the present. Indian Mound continues to require golfers to wear masks in its clubhouse and restaurant facilities.
Golfers who have less control over their shot-making and those who are mathematically challenged will be relieved to know that sand trap rakes and pencils and scorecards were permitted as of June 5. Other changes include the removal of those devices that prohibited golfers from reaching into golf holes.
The professionals and management at each of these courses were happy to welcome the return of their golf leagues. In each case, tee times are required, as opposed to shotgun starts practiced by some leagues. There are two distinct differences from previous seasons: the leagues are smaller and socialization before and after rounds is dramatically reduced. Much like the general golfing public, league golfers are expected to quickly take their belongings, so the golf carts can be thoroughly sanitized for later groups.
Perhaps the greatest change that has occurred since implementation of Phase 2 is in clubhouse services. Pro shops have reopened and food services are gradually being reinstituted, albeit with safety regulations. As of June 15, Waukewan intends to open its indoor restaurant—with social distancing. Oak Hill has a screened-in outdoor dining area, while Indian Mound is providing full food and beverage services for fewer customers. There is one thing that these four golf courses have in common: Each has food and beverage services, an important part of their businesses.
Back on the fairways themselves—places where it never rains and even a bad round of golf is better than almost anything else in life—play has resumed, even in the face of this enigmatic pandemic.
Chair Caning: an art form dating from the time of Moses
Chair Caning: an art form dating from the time of Moses
By Mark Okrant
Each time Robyn Ross painstakingly restores a beautiful cane chair, she is propagating an art form that is many centuries old. At the same time, the Laconia resident is continuing a tradition that has been in her family for several generations. The proprietor of one of fewer than 10 chair caning businesses in the Granite State, Ross is the third generation in her family to perform the craft. Ross learned caning from her mother, Louise Sawyer who, in turn, was taught by her father.
In an effort to learn more about weaving in the Lakes Region, I was fortunate enough to interview Robyn Ross, proprietor of Robyn’s Chair Caning in Laconia. In the true tradition of a cottage industry, Ross operates the caning business inside her Moulton Street house. I was interested to learn whether chair caning—much like the region’s vital tourism industry—has a peak season. Ross explained that the high-season for caning chairs closely matches the time period when summer visitation is at its zenith. Ross depends substantially on summer visitors arriving to houses and cottages they own or rent in the area. Therefore, the time between May and October, into November, provides most of her business. Once Thanksgiving passes, demand for caning services is dramatically reduced.
I had incorrectly envisioned caning as an activity wherein Ross and her colleagues produce brand new chairs for clients. This second misconception was quickly corrected, as Ross has not produced a single new chair during her 30 years as a caner. Rather, she does much of her work for antique dealers and furniture repair businesses that have acquired worn or damaged chairs in need of doctoring. Many of these proprietors have worked with Ross for years, having evolved a symbiotic relationship between businesses.
With rare exceptions, Ross does all of her repair work in her home. I asked how often she has needed to repair the same chair more than one time. Her response surprised me. “Never. Cane chair seats last 30 years with normal wear and tear. So, I haven’t needed to repair any chairs a second time. Of course, I’ve been doing this for 30 years now . . . so . . .”
Created during the winter, this set is the most difficult that Robyn Ross has created.
I was curious about which of the numerous types of caning Ross prefers. She replied that most of her work has been in splints weave, shaker tapes, and rush. When I pressed her to tell me which is her favorite, she replied without hesitation, “Splints weave . . . it produces a herring bone pattern that looks nice and, when it’s completed, makes a comfortable seat. By contrast, rush is very difficult to work with and produces a hard, less comfortable seat.
Antique dealers, furniture repair businesses, and owners of wounded chairs can reach Robyn’s Chair Caning by contacting Ross in advance. Call or text her at 520-4450 or email Robyn at robyn@chaircaningnh.com.
How did chair caning evolve? In all probability, the earliest cane work was done in ancient China. At some point in very early times, the technique made its way to Egypt. We know this because caned chairs have been found in Egyptian tombs dating to 1300 BCE, more than 3,000 years ago.
The earliest evidence of the craft in Europe dates to 1500 AD, where seat caners and weavers in England and France were given the name, “bottomers.” Meanwhile, those who specialized in weaving fiber rush were called “matters” for their skill in creating floor mats by hand. Written evidence indicates that caned bottom chairs were very popular among affluent Europeans during the 17th and early 18th centuries. Later, with the onset of the Industrial Revolution, a relationship developed between industry and the arts. During the 1830s and 1840s, factories produced quality wooden furniture that was turned over to artisans who wove seat bottoms as a cottage industry enterprise. By the 1890s, machines were incorporated into the process, creating woven sheets of cane that were pressed into a groove in the chair’s frame. This method still exists today, creating an alternative to the hand-woven seat bottom.
There are a number of misconceptions about chair caning. One of these is that most chairs are made from woven rattan. Rattan—or pressed cane—is a very long vine from the rattan palm, calamus rotang, that grows in the rainforests of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and China. The very flexible vine snakes its way along the forest floor before climbing up through the trees in search of sunlight. These vines, which can grow from one to six hundred feet in length, are miserable to harvest and work with. First, thorns and joints need to be removed; next the bark must be separated from the core and processed into strips. The process of creating rattan chairs has been described as tedious, time consuming, and very hard on the weaver’s hands.
What types of caning are more popular among caners in this part of the world? The leaders are splints weave, fiber rush, pressed cane, shaker tapes, and pre-twisted natural rush. If you’re like me, these terms might as well be Klingon in origin. Splints weave utilizes ash splints that come in widths ranging from one-half to one inch. These are hand stripped from timber, then woven into an attractive herring bone pattern. Fiber rush is constructed from tough, twisted paper—that’s right, paper—ranging from 4/32 to 6/32 in width. Some people may laugh at the notion of sitting on a seat bottom made of paper. However, be advised that the stuff is very durable. Pressed cane is made from rattan palm. Most US weavers eschew its use for reasons described above. Some weavers use reeds imported from Madagascar or China; however, these artisans principally produce baskets. Finally, the Shaker tape technique is derived from the Shaker communities that were at their peak during the mid-19th century. Shaker tapes are one-inch-wide and are produced in a variety of colors. The resulting chairs are characterized by very attractive two-tone checkerboard patterns.
Squam Lakes Association: Conserving the Squam Lakes Watershed Region
There is no doubt the ambiguous pandemic situation continues to cause turmoil in every aspect of people’s lives right now. This is especially difficult as summer is upon us; a season when most of us anticipate being in the great outdoors and are set to enjoy innumerable recreational choices.
Squam Lakes Association: Conserving the Squam Lakes Watershed Region
By Leigh Sharps
Photos courtesy Squam Lakes Association
There is no doubt the ambiguous pandemic situation continues to cause turmoil in every aspect of people’s lives right now. This is especially difficult as summer is upon us; a season when most of us anticipate being in the great outdoors and are set to enjoy innumerable recreational choices.
The Squam Lakes Association (SLA) in Holderness has been an integral part of offering outdoor choices year-round, but especially in the spring through fall, and though they have had to alter some activities to comply with state guidelines due to the COVID-19 virus, they still have a variety of activities on tap, such as hiking their extensive trail system. At the SLA, constant endeavors to maintain and secure the quality of lake water, life on and around the lake and conservation efforts remain ‘business as usual’.
The SLA’s mission statement says, ‘The SLA is dedicated to conserving, for public benefit, the natural beauty, peaceful character and resources of the watershed. In collaboration with local and state partners, the SLA promotes the protection, careful use and shared enjoyment of the lakes, mountains, forests, open spaces and wildlife of the Squam Lakes region. The watershed area is a model for living in harmony with unique natural resources and cultural heritage.’ (The watershed area includes, besides the Big and Little Lakes, Barville, Jackson, Kesumpe, White Oak and Sky Ponds and Owl Brook and the Squam River. Towns in the watershed are Holderness, Ashland, Center Harbor, Sandwich, Moultonborough, Campton, Meredith and New Hampton.)
Boating on Squam
Big Squam is six miles long, 6,791 acres, four miles wide, has 61 miles of shoreline and is 98 feet deep. Little Squam is two miles long, half a mile wide, has 408 acres and is 84 feet deep. Big Squam boasts 67 islands. It is the second largest lake in the state, second only to Winnipesaukee.
Adel Barnes, Communications and Outreach Coordinator relates that the SLA was originally known as the Squam Lake Improvement Association. “It was founded in 1904 by community members concerned about the impacts of the logging industry and pollutants on the Squam Lakes. Some of the organization’s first actions in the early 1900s were to address the Ashland Dam’s impact on water levels, initiate measures to control the then-booming population of harmful gypsy moths in the area, and begin regular ‘sanitary inspections,’” Barnes said, adding “the internal organization of the SLA began to resemble what it is today.”
Besides Executive Director EB James, the SLA now has eight full-time staffers who direct/coordinate their respective departments, and 16 board members. Says James, “The staff is continually seeking out and applying for grants that will help us fund our continued efforts in the Squam Watershed.”
To this end, a steering committee was established in 2016 to update the watershed management plan and it involved diverse stakeholders from each town in the watershed area. The plan was completed just four months ago and included future goals and decision making concerning the watershed area, quality of lake water and possible build-outs in the surrounding towns. Responsibility of those towns and their planning/zoning boards was emphasized as were such things as continual water quality testing around both lakes and following contaminant/pollutant and invasive species reports. “It is a daunting task that will take time and will require community support,” noted Director of Conservation Tyson Morrill. “A conclusion of the report, though, is good news. Overall, the current water quality in the Squam Lakes remains ‘near excellent’ per state standards.”
The SLA headquarters/campus and public boat launch is located in Holderness on Rte. 3 and on Piper Cove. James explains it is a relatively recent development. The Old Colonial Eagle motel was purchased by the SLA in 1996 as a location for offices and a public access point to the lake. “It is from this location today we continue to serve our community and over 1,000 SLA members through our efforts in education, conservation, and access to both lakes and 50-plus miles of SLA trails throughout the Squam Watershed. Through cooperative relationships with local and state governments and the dedication of four generations of people who loved Squam, the watershed has been uniquely conserved.”
The SLA has had to cancel, postpone, or limit some programs for the summer. One they have had to suspend is the ever-popular Summer Youth programs. Leigh Ann Reynolds, Director of Education explains, “It is with sadness we are announcing that our Summer Youth Programs have been canceled this year due to the uncertainties surrounding COVID-19. We will continue to offer virtual programs like the upcoming Science Pub and Share Learn Adventure program.” (June 9; at www.squamlakes,org).
Another program, unfortunately cancelled, is their sailing program. “Sailing is a sport many experienced sailors can safely practice while staying physically distanced but the majority who attend our programs are beginners. This makes it harder to teach and assist while maintaining the appropriate distance so we made the tough decision to cancel all sailing programs this summer,” said Reynolds. “Canoe and kayaking rentals also are closed to the public but we are considering solutions to enable rentals later this summer. It depends on our ability to ensure the health and safety of our staff, community and renters.”
Folks who already have reservations for the SLA’s many campsites around the Big Lake and on the islands, will be able to use those sites but no new reservations are being accepted. “This enables us to limit the number of people on the sites, phasing in procedures based on the Governor’s guidance. Depending on that success we’ll decide whether to open reservations up later in the season. However, we will continue to provide people with access to the natural resources of Squam but are prioritizing, again, the health and safety of everyone.” A limited number of docks are provided for the campers only, on Moon and Bowman Islands and Chamberlain-Reynolds Memorial Forest.
There are over 50 miles of trails managed by the SLA which are open to the public. CDC (Center for Disease Control) guidelines require social distancing on the trails and no restrooms are provided at trail heads. If the trail parking lots are full, the SLA and police departments are asking hikers to refrain from hiking that particular trail and find an alternative trail.
A beautiful day at the Squam Lakes Association
The 169-acre Chamberlain-Reynolds Memorial Forest on College Rd. in Center Harbor is owned by the New England Forestry Foundation. It is 3.5 miles and is managed by the SLA. It is described as ‘easy recreational hiking’ with trails connecting and leading to the Big Lake. There are many other trails around the lake the SLA maintains as well, including the extremely popular Rattlesnake Mtn. Trail which has breathtaking views of Big Squam at its peak. The trail website says Rattlesnake is ‘well known and gets overwhelmed quickly but there are many other trail options where hikers can find space, a little seclusion and solitude.’
While the headquarter offices, deck and public restrooms are closed to the public, the campus and boat launch for paddle boats, sailboats, and powerboats with 25 HP or less are still open. CDC guidelines must be followed and, again, those using the area are reminded no restrooms are available and there will be limited sanitization of the picnic tables.
Please refer to www.squamlakes.org for all trail information and clearly designated maps.
(The SLA can be found on Facebook, Instagram, at www.squamlakes.org, or phone 968-7336. General and camping questions: info@squamlakes.org.; education: Leigh Ann Reynolds, volunteer opportunities and membership: Adel Barnes, trails and access: Katri Gurney, conservation: Tyson Morrill, donations and development: Angi Francesco. The SLA also has a partnership with the Lakes Region Conservation Corps. For information on the Corps, contact Danielle Plumlee at www.squamlakes.org.
The Loon Preservation Committee also has information about the effect of specific contaminants on loons on the lake.
A list of all staff and contacts, directors and the executive committee can be found at www.squamlakes.org. Facebook, Instagram and the website are regularly updated.)
On the Trail to Serenity in Sandwich, NH
Nature areas abound in the Lakes Region and these places offer a lot to those who want to get outside and into the woods. Although I am not an intrepid mountain climber or long-distance hiker, I enjoy being outside in the spring, summer and fall
Day Tripping
On the Trail to Serenity in Sandwich, NH
By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper
Nice weather is quite an enticement to leave work behind for a few hours whenever possible. At least I have always found that to be the case. We have had less-than-stellar weather this spring, so I was delighted when warm weather and brilliant sunshine was in the forecast on a recent weekday in May. Thus, I thought, “Why not leave my work behind and go on a nice walk on a nature trail?”
Nature areas abound in the Lakes Region and these places offer a lot to those who want to get outside and into the woods. Although I am not an intrepid mountain climber or long-distance hiker, I enjoy being outside in the spring, summer and fall. But after knee surgery a few years ago, I know my limitations and do not venture on risky, steep trails when I am alone.
On that particular fine day I was looking for a trail that was relatively flat, well marked and not too long. It took a bit of browsing online to find a trail that fit my criteria. If you are looking for hiking trails or paths, I suggest you check the websites for the NH Audubon Society (www.nhaudubon.org), the Society for Protection of New Hampshire Forests (www.forestsociety.org) or the Lakes Region Conservation Trust (www.lrct.org), because all list conserved areas where you can hike.
On the NH Audubon Society’s website that I found a gem – the Alice Bemis Thompson Wildlife Area on Rt. 113 in Sandwich. The area seemed to have everything I was looking for: a flat, well-groomed pathway, a wonderful boardwalk with raised viewing areas over the expanse of water/marshland which I was sure was teeming with wildlife, and a small, yet good parking area.
The beginning of the trail at the Thompson Area in Sandwich, NH.
Deciding to leave my work on the desk and head out to explore the Thompson Area, I packed a lunch, bug spray, plenty of water, a hat, a change of pants and socks in case I should encounter any ticks and my drawing/watercolor supplies. (I enjoy sketching landscapes and this spot might offer some nice places for drawing.) I also texted my husband to let him know where I was headed, something that is particularly important should you be venturing out alone.
I headed from the Gilford area on Rt. 11 to Alton Bay and was glad to see that others were taking walks on the beautiful, sunny day. It lifted my spirits, after the long winter and cold spring – not to mention the uncertainties and stresses of the COVID virus – to see others outside enjoying the fine weather, even as we continue to social distance.
From Alton Bay, I took Rt. 28 to Wolfeboro and headed on Rt. 109 which led me through Tuftonboro and Melvin Village and finally to the Moultonboro area. At the junction of Rts. 109 and 25, I took a right onto Rt. 25 and drove about five miles to a left-hand turn to Rt. 113 in Sandwich. I privately call this route my “surprise road” because each time I drive this way, I get a nice surprise. In the fall, it is the sudden bursts of gorgeous foliage along the route and once, in summer, I discovered a pick-your-own blueberry business off Rt. 113. I spent a delightful few hours picking berries on that day and chatting with the friendly owner of the property.
My treat on this day would be the Thompson area, which I knew I was likely to find by driving a bit slower than normal so I did not miss the parking area. After a few miles, I easily spotted a small parking lot and a large sign (on my left) that told me I had reached the Alice Bemis Thompson Wildlife Sanctuary. I was the only car in the parking lot; be forewarned that the lot is very small and would probably fit about three or perhaps four cars at the most.
I could see the trail would be flat, and just past the wooden gate a well-kept path led toward the woods and a large marsh area. I decided to bring just my little sketch pad and a pencil and my cell phone because I did not want to carry a heavier bag with art supplies. I planned to eat my lunch in the car when I returned. I noticed trail information on the sign and also the rules which said no dogs/pets were allowed on the trail and that it is a carry-in, carry-out area.
Boardwalk portion of the Thompson trail.
On the trail, I was happy to find myself alone in the special spot, with only the sounds of bird song and the breeze blowing through the budding trees. I felt myself relax; I was ready to put my cares aside and explore the trail.
I had not walked far when I saw a small stone monument to Fred Steele with the dates 1912 – 1999. The stone inscription read “Teacher, Botanist, Conservationist, Protecting Natural Habitats With Great Resolve and Energy This Plaque Erected in His Memory By His Friends In The Audubon Society of New Hampshire, July 14, 2001”. The portion of the trail is named The Fred Steele Memorial Trail, and I decided to learn more, when I had time, about Fred Steele.
The path, which is handicapped accessible, soon became a well-kept boardwalk. I had not gone more than a few feet on the wooden walkway when it opened out and I had spectacular views of the marsh area, which seemed to stretch on forever. Glancing to my right, I saw something very large moving slowly on the opposite shore and recognized it as a moose. I caught my breath, not quite believing my luck to see such a wild creature in this place. I expected the moose to scamper off, having probably seen me as well. When it continued munching on greenery at the water’s edge, I quietly and carefully sat on a handy nearby bench on the boardwalk so I could watch for a while.
The moose seemed to have no problem sharing the environment with me; we were separated by the water, and neither of us could have reached the other without quite an effort. Eventually the moose moved on, back into the woods, and I resumed my walk onto the top of the boardwalk area where even better views of the marsh were to be had.
I had the feeling the moose was but one of many living creatures all around me and I would not have been surprised to spot beaver, a heron or bald eagle in the vicinity. I stood for a long while taking in the views of the marsh and the distant Ossipee Mountains and Sandwich Range before heading back to my car where I sat quietly and enjoyed my sandwich before heading off toward Sandwich on Rt. 113. (There is another access to the area on the Middle Road with a gravel road and wooded area. It is a private conservation property and joins the Thompson Sanctuary through wet woodland areas and forests.)
On this day, still amazed at my moose sighting, I decided to drive into Sandwich village and make a trek to the Chapman Sanctuary Visny Woods Trail. I have wanted to find the hiking area and explore there for some time, having discovered it online last summer.
Photos on the website (www.chapmansanctuaryvisnywoods.com) show the diverse natural beauty of the area, and I was curious to see it for myself.
Chapman Sanctuary-Visny Woods signage.
I took Rt. 113, which led me to the center of Sandwich where all was quiet and as usual, the epitome of a charming New England village. From there, I took Grove Street and then a right onto Mt. Israel Road. The area exudes history, with old stone walls, woods, and now and then, a house. I wasn’t sure where the Chapman-Visny area was on the road and I seemed to drive for quite some time, finally passing the Jonathan Beede House and not far from this, a sign on the left for the Chapman property. I turned into a large parking area and again, found no other cars or hikers in sight. The area is open to the public and admission is free of charge, but as with all such places, the utmost respect must be shown to protect the natural area. Do not litter and do not wander off pathways.
I took the trail and when it forked, decided to head on the right-hand trail for a bit. Because it is still springtime, and rain has been frequent, I was happy to see someone had put down a wooden walkway so hikers need not step in mud on the pathway. As I headed up a bit of an incline, I realized the afternoon was waning and while I would have loved to continue on, it seemed prudent to come back another day when I could fully explore this wonderful area.
Back on Mt. Israel Road, I decided to travel just a bit further before turning around and heading back to Sandwich village. I am glad I did, because on the road I saw an old cemetery on my right. I turned around and parked beside the road to take a closer look at the final resting place of Sandwich residents. There was a time when the Sandwich area was heavily populated and a direct route to other regions; perhaps some of the people buried in the old cemetery were once residents of a thriving, populated community long ago. Although I do not know the answer, it is fun to dream about what this area was like long ago and the people who may have lived on the land.
Returning through Sandwich village, I took beautiful Squam Lake Road to Bean Road and into downtown Center Harbor. Eventually I made my way back to the Laconia area by traveling Rt. 25. My day had been relaxing and while it did not hold anything of distinction, such as a gourmet meal or trip to a museum, it was just the kind of day I had craved: good weather, a hint of summer still to come, a gentle hiking path, history, and of course my quiet encounter with one of nature’s fine creatures: a moose at the Thompson Wildlife Area.
Canterbury Shaker Village offers beauty, peace and gratitude
On Saturdays and Sundays in July (starting on July 5), free Outdoor Tours will be offered at 11 am and 2 pm.
Canterbury Shaker Village offers beauty, peace and gratitude
Located on 288 Shaker Road in Canterbury, “The Village” is the best kept secret in New Hampshire. Conde Nast identified Canterbury Shaker Village (CSV) as one of the most beautiful spots in America and a visit to the pristine site confirms the claim. With its uncluttered vistas, organic gardens and beautifully arranged buildings, the historic museum is unmatched for bucolic charm.
The Village is decidedly open and welcomes visitors to take advantage of the ample grounds for exploration, exercise and renewal. In accordance with state and federal guidelines, Executive Director Leslie Nolan has made the decision to keep the buildings closed for tours until at least July 31. However, celebrating the beauty of the grounds is long overdue.
On Saturdays and Sundays in July (starting on July 5), free Outdoor Tours will be offered at 11 am and 2 pm. These tours will offer an experience of the network of country roads, stones walls, dams, culverts and trails which are part of The Village. This 700-acre settlement exemplifies the Shaker mission of transforming their land into an earthly paradise and of being entirely self-sustaining. Visitors are welcome to bring picnics, books to read or writing materials to enhance their visit.
The grounds of beautiful Canterbury Shaker Village will be the site of outdoor tours and July Sunday afternoon concerts this summer. (Courtesy photo)
The Village is taking advantage of a quieter season to begin restoration on several buildings on the site. Visitors are welcome to watch Property Manager Justin Perkins and his crew of apprentices work skillfully to repair roofs, paint buildings and otherwise care for the historic site.
Of special interest this summer is the organic garden, now called the Community Resiliency Garden. All seasonal vegetables coming from The Village’s soil will go to healthcare providers and the community.
Special outdoor events will be offered throughout the season. Beginning on July 5, and offered on Sundays throughout the month of July, CSV is launching Classical Sundays on the Green. Concord native and cellist, Jan Fuller, will bring a series of performances on Sunday afternoons in July from 3 to 4 pm.
A Juilliard graduate, Fuller will select each performance of classical music with various composers being featured. Guest musicians, dancers and poets will add context and texture to the performances. Poles will be placed at six to 10 foot intervals in a field to ensure proper physical distancing for attendees who can brings seats and blankets and refreshments. Suggested donation for each concert is $10.00 per person.
Please watch www.shakers.org for more detailed information on both Classical Sundays and other events.
The grounds of beautiful Canterbury Shaker Village. (Courtesy photo)
A fresh and updated CSV website will debut by mid-June. With a modern feel and streamlined design, CVS will be offering videos to highlight collections and untold stories about The Village. As founding patrons of Faces of Gratitude, visitors to the website can watch a moving video that highlights our Essential Workers and will lead to ways that The Village will be offering special privileges and an event to thank these national heroes.
For information, call 603-783-9511 or visit www.shakers.org.
Full Moon Farm Prepares for Strawberry Season
Full Moon Farm in Wolfeboro has been selling strawberries for 20 years, and joined the pick-your-own business eight years ago. The farm is also known for its amazing selection of fresh flowers, with around 50 to 70 different kinds of flowers grown each year
Full Moon Farm Prepares for Strawberry Season
By Sarah Wright
Delicious strawberries will be ready in the coming weeks at Full Moon Farm.
Full Moon Farm in Wolfeboro has been selling strawberries for 20 years, and joined the pick-your-own business eight years ago. The farm is also known for its amazing selection of fresh flowers, with around 50 to 70 different kinds of flowers grown each year. Although owners Kevin and Jen French have decided not to offer the pick-your-own option this year due to COVID-19, their delicious strawberries and beautiful flowers will be available at their farm stand as well as the Wolfeboro Farmers Market as the season gets in full swing in the coming weeks. Jen says that she and Kevin are very thankful for their loyal customers during these unprecedented times. “The community has been super supportive, and we feel very fortunate to have such great customers,” says Jen.
Jen and Kevin are both locals who bought their farm back in 1998. They had always had a strawberry patch, but after raising three kids, they decided to expand the farm. Full Moon Farm now has three strawberry fields in rotation, with two of them always in production. Everything is done as organically as possible using sustainable growing practices, and luckily, “Strawberries just grow really well here!” according to Jen. Their only struggle has been deer pressure, which they resolved by finally installing a seven-foot-high electric fence. “Last year, we lost half a field to deer,” says Jen, “so we had to do something.”
Flowers at Full Moon Farm.
Kevin and Jen stick to just a few strawberry varieties that do really well, including Allstars and Jewels, June-bearing plants that produce tons of strawberries for three weeks. Yes, strawberry season is brief, but the delicious berries make it all worthwhile. “We’ve had customers drive off with a quart, only to turn around and come back for another!” Jen says. Full Moon Farm begins selling strawberries by the pint, quart and quart-and-a-half from mid to late June.
Throughout the season, you can enjoy a unique and stunning bouquet of local flowers from the farm. Kevin always enjoyed growing flowers and discovered that people love the convenience of buying a bouquet, especially when it’s freshly grown nearby. “Not only are local flowers fresher,” says Jen, “they’re also super fragrant and you can grow more delicate varieties, since they don’t have to be shipped.” Although the deer can also be a problem for flowers, Jen and Kevin resolved this by growing some of the flowers in tunnels to protect them.
Full Moon Farm’s flowers are available May through October. Customers will be able to purchase flowers at the farm stand, Wolfeboro Farmers Market, or from their flower cart in downtown Wolfeboro. Another wonderful option they offer are flower subscriptions in weekly or monthly increments, or you could give someone a gift card for a bouquet. What better way to surprise someone at home, or maybe treat yourself to a bouquet?
“The best part about a bouquet subscription is that the flowers change by the week, so it’s always something new,” says Jen. Support Full Moon Farm with a flower subscription, and you’ll be guaranteed the most beautiful, premium blooms they have to offer!
More flowers at Full Moon Farm.
Full Moon’s flowers became so popular that soon Jen and Kevin were in the wedding business. They offer full service for weddings, both design and installation as well as a la carte ordering of individual pieces, or do-it-yourself buckets of beautiful blooms. Full Moon Farm books a limited number of events each season to make sure couples have personalized attention. Contact Jen and Kevin and they’ll give you a tour of the flowers at the farm and discuss available options.
Wedding trends come and go, but Kevin says that because weddings are very specific with their colors, “We get a lot of requests for pink and white, green and white, and blue and white flowers.” Simple color schemes are always a popular choice with brides.
Support Full Moon Farm this summer and say hello to Kevin and Jen as they enter their first year at the Wolfeboro Farmers Market. You’ll be able to buy tasty strawberries and unique flowers along with a limited supply of vegetables, depending on what they’re growing. The Wolfeboro Farmers Market is open on Thursdays from 12:30 to 4:30 pm at Clark Park on Main Street in Wolfeboro. Strawberries and flowers will also be available at their farm stand, and you may find a few tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, or cabbages, if you’re lucky. But act fast! Although the farm stand is open from 9 am to around 4 pm on Tuesday through Sunday, they typically run out of items by early afternoon. You might also find flowers or strawberries at their cart in downtown Wolfeboro.
Full Moon Farm is located at 250 Waumbeck Road in Wolfeboro, and the farm stand is right out front. For further details, visit www.fullmoonfarmnh.com. You’ll find information about their strawberries and flowers, as well as flower ordering options in the online shop. They also offer other seasonal options throughout the year like holiday wreaths, and they hope to offer floral design classes in their renovated barn studio as soon as they are able. If you have specific questions, there is a contact form on the website, or you could message Jen and Kevin through Full Moon Farm’s Facebook page.
Spring has finally sprung, and pretty colors are popping up all around the Lakes Region. Bring some of those colors home with vibrant red strawberries or a rainbow of flowers. Or you can surprise a friend or neighbor and leave some on their porch. Embrace the season and celebrate!
Land for the Future
‘Conservation land’ means the land will never be developed, not in 10 years or 100 years or even in 1,000 years. Land in ‘current use’ does not qualify as conservation land because it is not permanently protected. The landowner can choose to build houses or erect other structures on it at any time and simply pay the resulting penalty, called a land use change tax. Although protected from development, ‘conservation land’ is not automatically open for public use. Lots of conservation land is owned by private landowners who want their land to stay just the way it is, forever, but do not want it to be open to the public.
Land for the Future
An Introduction to Conservation Land, Land Trusts and Places to Walk
Have you been looking for places to walk? Some of your favorites may be town owned lands, state parks, or national forests. At other places you visit, you may see a sign stating that the land is conserved or there may be mention of a land trust or a conservation easement. But what makes land into conservation land? And what is a land trust? Do you know what a conservation easement is? Local land trust, Moose Mountains Regional Greenways (MMRG), answers those questions and points to a few favorite places to walk; MMRG also suggests some reasons why it’s so important to conserve land.
Big sky over Leary hay field with view of mountains. (Kirsten Gehl)
‘Conservation land’ means the land will never be developed, not in 10 years or 100 years or even in 1,000 years. Land in ‘current use’ does not qualify as conservation land because it is not permanently protected. The landowner can choose to build houses or erect other structures on it at any time and simply pay the resulting penalty, called a land use change tax. Although protected from development, ‘conservation land’ is not automatically open for public use. Lots of conservation land is owned by private landowners who want their land to stay just the way it is, forever, but do not want it to be open to the public.
What makes conservation land special is the guarantee of ‘forever’. Such a strong guarantee requires an organization or entity whose mission (primary purpose) is to watch over that conservation land forever. That’s where a land trust can come into the picture.
A land trust is a non-profit organization (charity) whose mission is to protect land from ever being developed. Land trusts may have other related purposes as well, such as forestry or education, which is a key part of MMRG’s work. Land trusts come in all sizes, such as:
worldwide – The Nature Conservancy
statewide – Society for the Protection of NH Forests (SPNHF); owns Mount Major and many forestlands around the state
regional – Moose Mountains Regional Greenways; owns Branch River Conservation Area; watches over several privately-owned conservation properties in the seven-town service area of Brookfield, Farmington, Middleton, Milton, New Durham, Wakefield, and Wolfeboro
Girl dipping for minnows in a stream on Leary conservation land
How does a land trust accomplish its goal of conserving land? It starts with people, including those who believe so strongly in the importance of conserving land that they volunteer their time to the organization. Other essential people are the landowners who love their land so much they want to conserve it. Still others believe wholeheartedly in the organization’s mission and donate money. Sometimes a land trust can conserve a property by acquiring it, but that requires special conditions: the landowner must be willing to sell or donate the land, the purchase price must be raised, and the timing must be right to complete the sale before another buyer purchases it. More often, land is conserved because the landowner wants to permanently protect it from development, and voluntarily agrees to place it under a conservation easement held by the land trust. (A future MMRG article will explain what a conservation easement is and the role of the land trust in ‘holding’ it.) The key fact is that a conservation easement allows you to conserve your land, to ensure it is never developed, while retaining ownership of it.
Wendy Scribner, a forester with Carroll County Cooperative Extension, is one of those people so dedicated to land conservation that she volunteers her time to serve on MMRG’s Board of Directors. Wendy explains, “Being in nature has always been refreshing and rejuvenating for me. As a child, I had great experiences feeding the ducks at a local pond. As I got older, I spent more time hiking and exploring. I want other people to have opportunities to be in nature like I did. I am also captivated by wildlife – stopping to watch a squirrel or a bird go about its business helps me feel more connected to the world around me.”
Wendy adds, “In the last 20 years, Moose Mountains Regional Greenways has worked with numerous landowners and organizations to help conserve more than 7,000 acres close to home. Many of these properties are open for you to visit, including the recently conserved Leary Field & Forest in Farmington. The Leary’s maintain a beautiful system of trails throughout their forest and up their sloping hayfield. You can see an historic stone bridge as well as foundations of the old farm structures that speak to the land’s past uses. Beautiful views can be found at the top of the hill, where you can watch for hawks, or at dusk, you may hear owls and see bats.”
Winter view over hayfield by Kate Wilcox
Bob and Debbie Leary exemplify landowners who love their land and wanted to make sure it would never be developed. Bob Leary explains, “Conservation of this land was important to us to preserve it for agricultural uses as a legacy for our family and for the history of the land. It’s also too nice a resource to be selfish with it, so we invite the public to walk the trails and enjoy them, as we do.”
Visit www.mmrg.info for maps of trails on local lands with public access that MMRG has helped conserve.
Memorial Day and Mary Cotton Redpath
Memorial Day is the time when we remember those members of the armed forces who died for our country. But what most locals don’t know is that Memorial Day was the idea of Mary Cotton Redpath, born in Wolfeboro in 1823.
Memorial Day and Mary Cotton Redpath
By Sarah Wright
Memorial Day is the time when we remember those members of the armed forces who died for our country. But what most locals don’t know is that Memorial Day was the idea of Mary Cotton Redpath, born in Wolfeboro in 1823.
The Cotton family was part of Wolfeboro for many years. In fact, an area in North Wolfeboro was once known as Cottonboro. Colonel William Cotton, a veteran of the French and Indian Wars, first settled in Wolfeboro with his wife and eight children in 1780. He purchased Cutter’s Mountain, later renaming it Cotton Mountain, and built his home there. Because his home was on the main road connecting Wolfeboro to Portsmouth, the Cotton family often hosted travelers overnight.
The home remained in the Cotton family for over 150 years and the family grew steadily in that time. There were many notable descendents of the Colonel, but Mary Cotton Redpath is the most widely known. Her determination is credited with bringing about the first Memorial Day in May of 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina, to honor those who died in the Civil War. How did Mary end up in South Carolina?
In her youth, Mary’s parents decided to send her to the Young Ladies Seminary for her education. The school was located in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and when Mary was in her late teens, she married Ezra Taylor Kidder of Sudbury. Ezra and his brother operated a mercantile firm in Boston that specialized in goods from the West Indies. Mary and Ezra had a son and a daughter, but soon after the birth of their second child, they separated and divorced.
Not long after that, Mary met James Redpath of England, who was visiting the area. James married Mary, who was 10 years his senior, in 1857. Little is known of their courtship, although some of the romantic poems that James wrote to Mary have survived. However, their honeymoon was short-lived as Mary’s ex-husband Ezra sought to regain custody of his children. To escape the Massachusetts law that favored Ezra, the Redpaths fled to Mary’s native New Hampshire. When the dust later settled, they moved back to Massachusetts and settled in Malden.
James Redpath was not one to live a quiet life. An active Irish sympathizer in England, he soon joined the abolitionist movement in the States, and was friendly with other well-known abolitionists, including Henry Ward Beecher, Charles Sumner, Frederick Douglass, Wendell Phillips, Gerrit Smith, and William Lloyd Garrison. In fact, local legend has it that the Redpath’s house was a stop on the Underground Railroad.
James was a writer and reporter. He spent years on the road, with much of his time spent in Kansas, where he involved himself in the local politics, setting his sights on Governor Robert J. Walker. He briefly returned east to the Boston area to raise funds to start his own antislavery newspaper, and then went back to Kansas to continue ruffling feathers there, as well as in neighboring Missouri.
Naturally, with all his traveling, James’ marriage to Mary suffered. Although James had developed a strong relationship with Mary’s children, he lamented about the increasing financial burden of supporting his family in letters to friends. But Mary wasn’t just twiddling her thumbs at home while James was away. She spent much of her time doing philanthropic work. She was also very spiritual, and enjoyed researching different religions and coming up with her own interpretations in her quest for the truth. She and her husband later founded the Redpath Lyceum Bureau, the first of its kind in this country. The Bureau was a leading booking agent for speakers like Oliver Wendell Holmes, Susan B. Anthony, Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
All the while, James remained devoted to the abolitionist cause. He was becoming increasingly frustrated with politicians and lawmakers and began exploring violent tactics to get the message out. His supposed involvement in an orchestrated a prison break, which put James at risk of arrest by U.S. Marshals. But James persisted, even looking to other countries for inspiration, spending time in Haiti after becoming intrigued by successful uprisings there. He ended up working with the Haitian government for a few years, appointed as an advisor for bringing more Americans and Canadians to Haiti.
At this point, the history of the Redpaths finally leads to South Carolina. After returning to the States and struggling and failing in starting his own publishing companies, James decided to follow the armies of George Henry Thomas and William Sherman as a war correspondent for the New York Tribune. Mary Redpath was with her husband in Charleston, when General Sherman’s famous “March to the Sea” ended in the city. They took up residence there when James was appointed as superintendent of schools in the region by federal military authorities. He soon had more than 100 teachers and almost 4,000 students, both black and white. (His reputation as a radical abolitionist and his ideas for integrating the schools eventually caused military officials to replace Redpath, possibly to appease Southern-born President Andrew Johnson.)
Toward the end of the Civil War, the Charleston Race Course area (now part of the Citadel’s campus), was used as a prisoner-of-war camp. More than 200 Union soldiers died in deplorable conditions at the camp, and their bodies were thrown into a mass grave. Mary Redpath was dismayed at the treatment of the soldiers, while they were alive and after they died, and felt they deserved proper recognition for their part in winning the war.
Thus, a memorial celebration was planned. In May of 1865, Mary held a memorial service in the Zion’s church and then military authorities and northerners joined more than 10,000 newly-freed men, women, and children in a tribute parade for Union soldier POWs. (Workmen had re-buried the dead properly, and built a high fence around the cemetery.) Mary rode to the cemetery in a carriage with the ranking Union general. She then led the crowd in decorating the graves of the soldiers with wildflowers that had been gathered for the occasion.
This observance of Memorial Day eventually spread nationally, thank to Mary’s efforts.
(In the 1880s, the Union dead were moved to the National Cemetery in Beaufort, South Carolina. The Charleston site is now a park honoring Confederate General Wade Hampton.)
Mary died in 1914 at the age of 91 and is buried in Wolfeboro, in the Dudley Cotton cemetery on Cotton Mountain Road.
The Calming Art of Fabiana Walsh
For Ossipee, New Hampshire artist, Fabiana Walsh, a lifetime of travel and experiencing different cultures has added spice to her life. Indeed, it has influenced her artwork and you can see it in the beautiful paintings and the colors she uses to capture a variety of images.
The Calming Art of Fabiana Walsh
By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper
Travel expands a person’s outlook. The experience of visiting new places and seeing landscapes and colors and scenes broadens the scope of the imagination.
Fabiana Walsh at her studio; courtesy Ben Mangum Photography.
For Ossipee, New Hampshire artist, Fabiana Walsh, a lifetime of travel and experiencing different cultures has added spice to her life. Indeed, it has influenced her artwork and you can see it in the beautiful paintings and the colors she uses to capture a variety of images.
A native of Argentina, Fabiana’s parents are Italian and Spanish. Her website (fabianawalshfineart.com) relates, “Originally, Fabiana is from Buenos Aires, but when visiting New England more than 29 years ago, she fell in love with the mountains, so she settled her heart in New Hampshire. In her New Hampshire studio, she also enjoys stones, wood, metal, and pottery painting. Fabiana is a Public Notary, a BS in Justice Studies, and has a certification in Art Curating, and she is currently studying at New England College for her MFA in visual Arts.”
Fabiana says her husband is a restorer of historic barns and a timber-frame builder, and their home and her studio in Ossipee is in a converted 1790 barn. According to Fabiana, her studio used to be a horse stall; the structure was once a carriage coach stop where the horses were watered and fed.
Perhaps it is the beauty of the old barn that attracted visitors, but people stopped by now and then and asked to see Fabiana’s artwork (she also has extensive, beautiful gardens in the summer). She explains how the studio/barn space came to be a place where the public could stop by to view and purchase her artwork. “After my husband built my studio, I was doing artwork more and more and eventually I found myself doing art full time. I never originally intended the studio to be open as a store, but the first year I was painting in the space, I would open the door to get fresh air. People saw the door was open and started to stop by. We also have large gardens and people would stop to take photos of the flowers. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, we had people from all over the world – France and England for example - visiting the studio.”
That word-of-mouth awareness and people stopping to see her work expanded Fabiana’s horizons in a big way. “All of a sudden, library directors, managers of inns and hotels and others said my artwork was beautiful,” she recalls. “I began to get invitations to bring my art to local libraries for exhibits and also to inns and hotels in Portland, Maine and in the Conway area. It expanded from there. Someone who was a guest at a hotel saw my art and called asking to see more. That person asked if I would consider bringing some of my paintings to New York City.”
The simple act of opening her studio to let in the fresh mountain air also opened up the chance for others to see her artwork, and Fabiana’s work eventually found a much wider audience in New York City and beyond.
Perhaps it is the connection to nature that appeals to collectors of Fabiana’s artwork. “I decided to live in this rural area because of its connection to nature. I love trees and the landscape and I love to show the spirit of nature in my paintings. I believe nature has its own power of healing.”
How to describe Fabiana’s artwork? “I do paintings of all sizes, from very small to big wall murals,” she explains. “I paint a lot of flowers and my biggest inspiration comes from trees of any shape or size. There are no limitations on what I paint; I start a lot of paintings outside, depending on the weather. Then I finish them in the studio. I do a lot of ocean landscapes, trees and mountains in both acrylics and oils. I often paint things I see every day. And, I do ceramics for myself and I paint on different surfaces, such as canvas, metal, wood and pottery.”
Spring Flowers, acrylic on canvas
Fabiana’s studio is a calm, peaceful place and while it is not a huge space, she asked herself what she wanted to do with all the walls she had. She decided to use some of the wall space as a gallery, and locals such as Peter Abate visited her studio and asked her to exhibit at the Gafney Library in Sanbornville, New Hampshire. She also has exhibited locally in Rochester, New Hampshire.
Beyond exhibiting locally, the artist is represented by Artblend Gallery in Florida, and Artifact Gallery in New York, New York, and her work is currently in galleries in the United States, Argentina, and Spain. Her art has also been exhibited around the world in places such as Carrousel du Paris at the Louvre; Art Paris Expo Versailles, France; Museo MIIT Turin, Italy; Art Expo New York at Pier 94; Art Basel Miami, Florida; Paradise City, Northampton, Massachusetts; Boston International Fine Art Show in Boston, Massachusetts; Van Gogh Gallery in Madrid, Spain and Messezentrum Contemporary Fine Art Show in Salzburg, Austria. She will also be taking part in the Monaco Yacht Club Show 2020, which is an exclusive event for the ultra-luxury market. It will take place from September 23 to 26, 2020 under the patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Those who would like to have the joyful experience of displaying Fabiana’s paintings for an office or at an event, can take advantage of a unique service the artist offers: you may rent her paintings for one-day events, theatre and movie sets, presentations, temporary décor, hotel lobbies and conference rooms and more.
Modest about her artistic skills and success, Fabiana says she was always doing pencil drawings as a child, but “I never thought I was good enough.” But the need to create did not go away, and years later, she is still painting and drawing and now sharing her colorful, yet calming art with others all over the world.
As a well-traveled person, one might wonder how Fabiana feels about living in a small community such as Ossipee. She laughs and says, “I love it! This is what I was looking for a long time. I have traveled a lot in the past and now I sometimes travel again for art shows and galleries (last year she went to Austria and France). I takes a lot of energy, so I find I really like to be at home in Ossipee, painting in my studio.”
Travel has definitely expanded Fabiana’s world, but she has found her permanent home, full of happiness and creativity, it rural Ossipee, where her paintings bring “calmness to the eyes, peace to the heart, and fulfillment to the soul.”
(Normally, from May to October, Calming Seasons Art Studio is open on weekends, but with COVID-19 virus restrictions, it is best to call ahead at 603-733-9594 or visit www.fabianawalshfineart.com for updates.)
Nostalgia Saturday Drive
On a recent Saturday drive with no specific destination in mind, I found some places to share. I have been to these places before and as fate would have it, revisiting – even if just from the front seat of my car – evoked nostalgia. None of these places requires you to actually get out of the car and/or mingle around groups of people (but if you choose to do so, be thoughtful and wear a mask and stay at least six feet from others).
Day Tripping
Nostalgia Saturday Drive
By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper
When the pandemic forced closures back in March, one of my first thoughts was, “How am I going to day trip?” I love to take out-of-the-way drives and find unusual places and interesting people. It makes for good story material, but best of all, it is what makes the Lakes Region such a fun place to live.
Without the ability to stop at flea markets, little backwoods shops and now and then, a great old-fashioned diner or ice cream shack, I thought my day tripping adventures/column was shot to pieces for a while.
Yet, upon giving it some thought, I realized one does not need to always get out of the car and talk to a lot of people. Sometimes all you need to do is get in the car and drive, seeing some fun places along the roads.
On a recent Saturday drive with no specific destination in mind, I found some places to share. I have been to these places before and as fate would have it, revisiting – even if just from the front seat of my car – evoked nostalgia. None of these places requires you to actually get out of the car and/or mingle around groups of people (but if you choose to do so, be thoughtful and wear a mask and stay at least six feet from others).
I started my day trip on a rather chilly, windy but very sunny first Saturday in May. I headed from Gilford and Laconia and then took Rt. 106 toward Meredith. I took a left onto Meredith Center Road and noticed, for the first time, leaves budding on the trees. Spring was really springing on this warm day, and as always, it changed the landscape from bare ground/brown to a lighter hue with luscious green here and there.
Turning onto Rt. 104 in Meredith Center, I headed towards the Newfound/Bristol area with the idea of taking a drive around Newfound Lake. I grew up in Bristol and like to return now and then to visit relatives or spend a summertime day at Welllington State Park. But on this day, I just wanted to see the lake and enjoy the warmer weather.
If things had not been shut because of the pandemic, I would have stopped at the Minot Sleeper Library in downtown Bristol, which is a favorite of mine. It is a wonderful little building, built around 1885 (with an addition to the original structure in recent years). Information at www.minotsleeperlibrary.org tells us, “On January 16, 1884, the town of Bristol voted to accept the gift of a library building and land from Josiah Minot and Solomon Sleeper and to manage and maintain a public library. The Minot-Sleeper Library became the first building erected to specifically house a public library in the Lakes Region at the time, when it was officially opened to the community in 1885.” The building has some really beautiful architectural features, such as the windows and beautiful interior woodwork; once things open up again, it is worth a visit.
I headed on Lake Street towards Newfound Lake, passing the former Millstream ice cream spot. These days, the area is the site of some picnic tables and an information area. There is a pedestrian bridge as well, and nice views of the nearby Newfound River, making it a relaxing place to stop for a picnic or snack or to take a little walk on a warm day.
Continuing on Lake Street, I was soon at an area commonly known as the “foot of Newfound Lake.” Here, cabins and the beach mark (unofficially), the beginning of the lake. I headed on past the Inn on Newfound Lake (Mayhew Turnpike) and decided to take a left-hand turn onto North Shore Road in the Hebron area.
Grey Rocks Sign
While one might assume there isn’t much in the “village” of Hebron, that would be an incorrect assumption. The drive will take you past some really nice views of Newfound Lake (including glimpses of a not-too-far-away island with one cottage, often seen in photographs extolling the beauty of the area) and the entrance to the Newfound Audubon Center. I didn’t stop at the Center, knowing it would likely be closed for now, but not far from there, I did make a stop at the Grey Rocks Conservation area, also on North Shore Road.
There is a large parking area and a sign with information on the various trails. The area is maintained and owned by the Newfound Lake Region Association and they have done a marvelous job conserving and offering a lot to the public at this special place.
If you like to hike, but don’t want a mountainous, long path, this is a great place to take a walk/gentle hike. I parked my car and took a flat, well-maintained path along the cove area. There are plenty of strategically placed benches for those who want to sit and take in the scenery or rest, but I headed on the path, and enjoyed being near the lake and in the woods. Paths/trails are clearly marked, offering a great way to enjoy an hour.
Grey Rocks is also the place where the Eco Boat Tours launch in the summer months. I took the tour for a Laker story a few years ago and had a thoroughly wonderful time on Newfound Lake. If you are interested in taking a boat tour, call the Association for the latest updates on COVID-19 restrictions at 603-744-8689 or visit www.newfoundlake.org.
Back on North Shore Road, I was soon in the village of Hebron. There is a town green and a gazebo, as well as a charming little library (again, not open at this time) as well as the Hebron Village Store, where one can stop for a snack, drinks, and groceries.
A hiking path at GreyRocks
I next headed on West Shore Road just because I like the view of the amazing ledges at this area of the lake. I can recall, as a kid, taking a Sunday drive around this area. My mother, who hated deep water and heights, would shut her eyes tight until we were well past the ledges area. Why? Because the road, which twists and is narrow, has the lake not far from the road on one side and the cliffs and rocks on the other. Legend has it, this is the deepest part of the lake, and is almost bottomless (probably just a myth). The area is fun to drive but take it slow because this is not a road for speed!
I completed my Newfound Lake tour and headed from Bristol to Franklin on Rt. 3A (from the downtown area). This route was once the main thoroughfare between points south and north, but is less well traveled because Interstate 93 gives a quicker route. I grew up not far from Rt. 3A and can recall the steady stream of traffic. It brought back many memories when I drove by the former Giles Dairy Bar on Rt. 3A (Franklin). Across the road was once a wonderful dairy bar with tasty ice cream; it lices on in the memories of those who were fortunate enough to enjoy a treat there on a hot summer’s day.
Ledges by Newfound Lake
On Rt. 3A, watch for a left-hand turn to a parking area with picnic tables. This is a look-off area for the Franklin Falls Dam. It is an amazing view of the mammoth dam and the wide Pemigewasset River. For further information on the dam, and the many hiking trails on the property (across the Pemigewasset River), visit https://www.nae.usace.army.mil/.
I continued my drive and took a left-hand turn onto Central Street and on through town towards Tilton. I decided my last stop would be the marvelous Tilton Arch. Although I have written about the Arch for the Laker in the past, it is worth a mention here. It is hard to miss the hulking Arch, which sits on a rise overlooking the area. Many years ago, it was the project of one wealthy man – Mr. Charles Tilton. The story goes that Mr. Tilton had the arch built in adjacent Northfield, with the idea of his final resting place being a huge stone tomb (under the arch). For reasons best left to a longer story, Mr. Tilton was never placed in the tomb upon his death. (He was buried elsewhere in the town of Tilton.) The amazing Arch remains and it is a great place for photos or to simply sit in the sunshine on the grass. Reach the Arch by traveling through Tilton to 9 Summer Street in Northfield.
The Tilton Arch
The afternoon drive brought back a lot of memories and provided me with some fun photos. I did not get out of my car for any length of time and indeed, one could do the entire drive and never leave a vehicle.
I wanted to affirm to myself that a day trip adventure was still possible, amid the virus restrictions. Luckily, that proved to be the case.