08/17/2023 Weirs Times

Amy’s friend Danielle with her loppers in her hands begins work to clear the Chemin Des Dames. They volunteer to do trailwork with the Randolph Mountain Club and enjoy working on difficult paths. Chemin Des Dames, French for Ladies Path, is just under half a mile in length from the floor of King Ravine to Airline on Mount Adams. The path climbs through scrub and boulders to a talus slope above treeline and then halfway up the trail passes through boulder caves--a good reason this trail is included on the Terrifying 25 Hiking List. The views are magnificent. (See inside for how the trail looked after their hard work.)

King Ravine’s Ice Cave Loop & Randolph Mountain Club Trail Work

by Amy Patenaude

Danielle and I had marked our calendars to attend the Randolph Mountain Club’s Annual Dinner and fundraiser. We’ve never been before and Danielle was lucky to be able to score a couple of tickets to the soldout event. We planned a full day of hiking and trail work. Dinner would be our reward.

Our good fortune contin-

ued, finding the last available space at the Appalachia Trailhead parking lot. It was around 9 am on a Friday and cars were already parking on the edge of the pavement on Rte 2. It had rained most the night but thank goodness the sun was out today! We headed up the trail, taking the most direct route to King Ravine. We followed Airline to Shortline Trails through the forest. We passed a cou-

See PATENAUDE on 30

Old Man Program At Lake Winni Museum

On Wednesday, August 23rd at 7pm, the Lake Winnipesaukee Museum will host a presentation on the history and legacy of the iconic Old Man of the Mountain, which collapsed twenty years ago in May 2003.

Since seating is limited, advance reservations are requested, by e-mail to lakewinnipesaukeemuseum@gmail.com or by phone 603-366-5950.

This free Humanities to Go program is supported by a grant from the New

Hampshire Humanities. Speaker Inez McDermott is the guest curator of the exhibition “An Enduring Presence: The Old Man of the Mountain” on view at the Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University this summer. The Old Man of the

See MUSEUM on 27

WEIRS, LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE, N.H., THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2023

VOLUME 32, NO. 33

On The Trails & Summits Columnist

Thanks For Focus On Jesus

To The Editor:

I want to thank you for your focus on Jesus Christ in the August 10th issue. First there was Brendan Smith’s loud proclamation of his faith and his calling out of our truth denying, Christ denying culture. He’s right. It’s okay to talk publicly about anything now. Nothing is too risque or private. Nothing, except Jesus. If you want to encounter rejection and dirty looks, just go up to people and mention that name.

Then there was Pastor Hollo’s ‘Letters from God’ column; ‘What is The Test that Will Assure Me That I Have Genuine Faith?’ The answer is to recognize that your sin has separated you from God and putting your faith in the sacrifice Jesus made to pay for it is the only way back to God.

I can’t tell you how uplifting and gratifying it was to open a newspaper and see this simple, foundational truth proclaimed loudly and without shame - this truth that encompasses all that really matters and is regarded by so many as too offensive to be said out loud. Thank you.

Hillarie Goldstein Franklin, NH.

Supports Biden

To The Editor:

Meanwhile, our current president is quietly and effectively doing his job of governing. In

the 2 1/2 years Joe Biden has been in office, by working with both Democrats and Republicans, he has passed more domestic legislation than most presidents in two terms. As a result, inflation, gas prices, Covid deaths, violent crime, and illegal immigrants are all down. The economy is growing, wages are climbing, consumer confidence is rising and the stock market is surging.

In addition to domestic legislation, Biden has strengthened our relationships with our allies and led the global alliance that supported Ukraine in its efforts to defend itself against Russia’s brutal invasion.

But perhaps most important, Biden, by being himself, a decent human being, has renewed our faith in the traditional values of our country. Joe Biden may be the most effective chief executive in our lifetime.

Cynthia Muse Rye, NH.

Stomping Boots

To The Editor:

George Orwell’s future projections of government, from his book 1984, are collectively summed up in:“Imagine a boot stamping on the human face forever.”

Unless H.R. 79, the “WHO Withdrawal Act,” becomes law, the WHO’s healthcare controls may soon resemble those “stomping boots.” I urge the reader to diligently research

This newspaper was first published in 1883 by Mathew H. Calvert as Calvert’s Weirs Times and Tourists’ Gazette and continued until Mr. Calvert’s death in 1902. The new Weirs Times was reestablished in 1992 and strives to maintain the patriotic spirit of its predecessor as well as his devotion to the interests of Lake Winnipesaukee. Our newspaper’s masthead and the map of Lake Winnipesaukee in the center spread are elements in today’s paper which are taken from Calvert’s historic publication.

Locally owned for 30 years, this publication is devoted to printing the stories of the people

H.R. 79, introduced by Andy Biggs (R. AZ) with now 50 co-sponsors. Not only will it preserve personal healthcare freedom, it will stop many other sovereignty destroying problems from the UN, the parent organization of WHO.

WHO has partnered with the European Commission the executive branch of the European Union , to implement around the world the EU’s digital health passports called WHO’s Global Digital Health Certification Network bringing tyrannical biomedical security to control people globally. Our best defense to stop this new Pandemic Treaty from unconstitutionally licensing future presidential edicts is citizen action to demand the Senate consider and defeat the treaty’s dangerous amendments to International Health Regulations that eliminate personal healthcare decisions.

As Tom Paine so eloquently said: “ These are times that try mens souls.” “Let us not be sunshine patriots and summer soldiers” failing to stop WHO’s attack on personal healthcare. Americans inherently have been blessed with the Constitution to that protects the rights of life , liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Blessings of liberty other nations do not have to give away to socialism. The WHO’s totalitarian moves essentially only target American freedom in healthcare.

Americans that think it cannot happen here are blinded from 20th century reality: the price

and places that make New Hampshire the best place in the world to live. No, none of the daily grind news will be found in these pages, just the good stuff.

Published year round on Thursdays, we distribute 24,000 copies of the Weirs Times every week to the Lakes Region/Concord/ Seacoast area and the mountains and have an estimated 60,000 people reading this newspaper.

To find out how your business or service can benefit from advertising with us please call 603-366-8463.

by Debby Montague Weirs Times Book Reviewer

Off The Shelf Off The Shelf

Books At WAr

When Books Went To War, Molly Guptill Manning, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, December 2014.

~The “bibliocaust” in Europe had struck a nerve. America’s librarians concluded that the best weapon and armor was the book itself. ~

When Books Went To War caught my eye when it was published in 2014. I enjoy a good non-fiction book from time to time and When Books Went to War suited my love of books about books and my interest, long ingrained by my mother, in World War II. So, I put Manning’s book on my list… and forgot about it. Fortunately, books don’t expire, and they don’t have a sell by date, and I keep a list of Books To Be Read.

Recently I was browsing the website for the Wright Museum of WWII in Wolfeboro, NH and I came across a listing for Manning’s book event at The Wright on August 1st. I missed that event, but I wasn’t going to overlook the book this time around. A quick order on Amazon and lickety-split I had the book in hand. I was immediately drawn by the illustration in the front matter, a reprint of a poster showing the Nazi book burnings, a quote from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the slogan “Books are weapons in the war of ideas.”

Manning’s history of books as weapons is excellent. She takes the reader from the Nazi book burnings in the early 1930’s to the concerns of Americans, particularly librarians, about Hitler’s war against ideas. She tells of the brief time

between the start of selective service and the start of the war and the difficulties in properly supplying the troops with not only training, food, and shelter, but with modes of recreation to keep up morale.

“What the Army needed was some form of rec-

reation that was small, popular, and affordable. It needed books.” Though the Army planned to provide a book for every soldier, it took the American Library Association and their nation-wide book drives to get books into soldiers’ hands. Once the troops were headed overseas a new problem emerged. The hard cover books that were donated in the book

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Army Guard Retiree Luncheon Date Set

The New Hampshire Army National Guard (NHARNG) 14th Annual Retiree Day Luncheon date has been set for Thursday, September 21, 2023 by the luncheon planning committee. The committee is made up of current and retired Army National Guard members. Our immediate goal is to notify all retired NHARNG members about this upcoming event. Retirees who have not attended prior luncheons or have relocated are urged to contact Command Sergeant Major (Ret) David Follansbee via e-mail: dave_follansbee@comcast.net or (603) 623-7757.

This year’s luncheon will be at the Joint Force Headquarters building on the State Military Reservation in Concord and will feature a briefing on the current status of the NHARNG as well as exhibits and displays of interest to retirees. A group photo is also planned. The luncheon fee is $5.00 at the door. If you are an NHARNG retiree and plan to attend the luncheon you should RSVP no later than September 15th. Use this link to register:

14th Annual NHARNG Retiree Luncheon (afit.edu)

The planning committee asks if you know of someone who has retired from NHARNG to pass this information along.

3rd Annual Bluegrass Sunday Service

The 1st Congo Bluegrass Band is preparing for the 3rd Annual 10am Bluegrass Sunday Service at the 1st Congregational Church in Meredith on August 20.

All journeys through life wind through valleys and climb to mountain tops. For every dream and emotion along the way, for every sunrise and every sunset, a song has been written. Please join us to wander through those valleys and climb those mountains, celebrating milestones, bluegrass style!

For this 3rd annual service, each band member has chosen a favorite song and the variety is a fun mix. There are songs new to the band, as well as treasured old chestnuts. There’s a variety of solos, harmonies, instrumentation, rhythms, and lots of Congregational participation, gearing everything to positive energy in the present and dreams for a heavenly afterlife in the future.

The band welcomes Lisa McHugh, who joins multi-talented Kris Roberts in the fiddle section. Adam Schaub will highlight his skill on mandolin, John Irish and Eric Peterson will wail on guitars, Rob Goddu is Mr. Bluegrass on banjo, Paityn Schaub and Dawna Donovan have the spoons and other rhythms warmed up and ready, Kitty Boyle and Karen Sticht will add melody and harmonies, and Pastor Peter Lovett will cover the bottom parts on his stand-up bass.

All are welcome to this fun family service and are guaranteed to leave energized and smiling. Child care will be provided and the church is located at 4 Highland Street, Meredith. Parking is in the back, across the street at the Town Hall Annex, or on Main Street.

The New Hampshire Monarch Festival

The NH Monarch Festival, held annually at Petals in the Pines in Canterbury since 2013, focuses on increasing public awareness of the Monarch’s plight and ways for families to help them. After 10 years of the Festival being a 1-day event in September, it will now be available in a choice of 2-hour time-slots spread over two long weekends

(online reservations are REQUIRED:

Adults $7; Kids $3.50; infants (nonwalkers) are free.

Kids must be accompanied by an adult.)

• Fridays, Aug. 25 & Sep. 8 1:15 pm-3:30 pm

• • Saturdays, Aug. 26 & Sep. 9 9:15 am-11:30am and 1:15 pm-3:30 pm

• Sundays, Aug. 27 & Sep. 10 1:15 pm-3:30 pm

The Festival will include kids’ activities and games related to the Monarch’s life-cycle and migration, a butterfly “Tale Trail”, monarch tagging (if any are emerging), book readings, two labyrinths, “Ask-a-Master-Gardener” table, FREE milkweed seeds, 2 miles of woodland trails and garden paths, hundreds of flower varieties, and much more. Kids (and adults) who wish to wear butterfly wings/costumes are encouraged to do so!

For reservations and more details, visit https://petalsinthepines.com/monarch-festival NOTE: Parking is limited--car-pooling is encouraged. Use caution if parking along the side of Baptist Road. NO pets, please.

Advice To The Players Presents An Iliad

Advice To The Players presents An Iliad by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, based on Homer’s The Iliad translated by Robert Fagles.

An Iliad is a modern-day retelling of Homer’s classic. Poetry and humor, the ancient tale of the Trojan War and the modern world collide in this captivating theatrical experience. The setting is simple: the empty theater. The time is now: the present moment. The lone figure onstage is a storyteller—possibly Homer, possibly one of the many bards who followed in his footsteps. The storyteller is fated to tell this story throughout history. An Iliad will open August 18 at 5:30 in Quimby Park, 8 Maple St in Sandwich. There are performances August 18th-27th, Friday through Sunday. Tickets are available at advicetotheplayers.org. In the event of rain, performances will move inside to the adjacent Town Hall Theater. The final performance of An Iliad will be at Castle in the Clouds on August 27th (with its own rain location on site). Advice To The Players is so excited about this new partnership; stay tuned for many more collaborations to come.

Advice To The Players is a unique company of theater professionals, enthusiastic community members, and energetic teens that have been performing Shakespeare and offering workshops in the Lakes and White Mountains Regions of New Hampshire since 1999. Based in Sandwich, ATTP has spent the last 24 years bringing award-winning productions of William Shakespeare’s richly passionate plays to life while introducing new generations to live theatre.

NoW I Get It

In my book

“The Flatlander Chronicles”, there is a chapter on my attempt at being a professional yard sale goer. Though things didn’t quite work out the way I had planned, I never lost my fascination with this human ritual

They have all seen “Antiques Roadshow” and they realize the financial implications of leaving just one piece of rusted metal unexamined or not stopping to consider a dime a dozen framed watercolor and its possible value. (Have you ever really stopped and looked at a painting by Grandma Moses?)

by

It is especially around this time of year when the yard sale phenomena truly starts to take shape where it will reach a fever pitch in the fall.

You can tell it’s the season when more and more cars look like they have been suddenly abandoned on the side of narrow roadways, the rear ends of the vehicles sticking out into oncoming traffic as though their engines had failed completely at this particular point in time and the vehicle could not make it even one more foot to be safely out of the way of traffic.

Soon you realize that the drivers of these cars are really professional yard sale buyers and that they know, when suddenly coming across a home whose yard is full of musty smelling boxes of old board games, ancient framed watercolors, decades old clothing that has been worn and washed hundreds of times and pieces of rusted metal that may or may not have at one time been something, there is not a second to waste.

The car needs to be stopped immediately where it is when the site of potential treasures has been spotted. There is not a moment to lose as someone else might scoop up that potential fortune before they do. Consideration towards others on the roadways needs to be abandoned in this pursuit of ancient artifacts.

Of course, as all professional yard sale goers have read the same manual (also explained in my book) and soon the street is filled with abandoned cars, left willy-nilly along the side of the road as those traveling behind, not yet wise to the ways of yard sales, are left to maneuver this newly formed obstacle course.

There are also the occasional yard sale shoppers who really are looking for “junk.” This I discovered after meeting my wife, Kim, who is an artist, specializing in sculptures, who finds that one person’s discarded artifact can be repurposed as a work of art. Not necessarily looking for something that might be valuable, but looking for something that can be turned into something of value

I never did understand all of this myself when I was a younger man, but today I am starting to see the sense of it all from many perspectives, including those of the folks who are actually holding the yard sales.

You don’t need to bother throwing things out, you can just get someone to give you money to take stuff away.

I used to rush through these obstacle courses, annoyed at the extra time it was taking me to get from point A to point B. Today, I enjoy the diversion, taking the time to notice the goings on at the yard sale.

I soon realized, after all these years of buying and accumulating things myself, that I might have some of this same junk somewhere in my base -

ment that all these people were risking life and limb to look at and possibly buy.

I also realized, admittedly having watched enough episodes of “Antiques Roadshow” myself lately, that people are always hoping that they will find, somewhere amongst that pile of musty board games and tattered clothing, a valuable artifact worth tens of thousands of dollars, so they’ll take a chance and buy your stuff. (I do understand the anticipation factor of this myself, not as a yard sale shopper, but as a person who has on occasion purchased a Powerball ticket. Though parking is much stricter at the convenience store).

So, unlike my youthful days of being annoyed at another small traffic jam because of some overzealous professional yard sale shopper who throws caution to the wind when he spies yet another property lined with stuff, I now think about taking advantage of this phenomenon myself.

So, I may just have a yard sale of myself sometime in the future. We will have to wait and see. Of course, I would need to run each potential yard sale item by Kim first, she may already have plans for some of them.

If you want to learn more about yard sales and how to go about attending one, you can always pick up a copy of “The Flatlander Chronicles” at www. BrendanTSmith.com or, if you are feeling adventurous, maybe you can find an old, rare copy at a yard sale.

You can also check out some of Kim’s sculptures at www.

Brendan Smith

Weirs Times Editor

A CAse For trump to Not DeBAte

With Mike Pence now qualifying for the Republican debate in Milwaukee on Aug. 23, there are now eight candidates qualified to participate.

However, one of those eight is former President Donald Trump, who suggests that he is not inclined to show up.

the oBAmA Cover-up

by Star Parker Syndicated Columnist

“When you have a big lead, you don’t do it,” noted Trump.

“Am I going to stand up there by guys with zero, one, two, three percent -- maybe four -- and have them ask me hostile questions?”

He now says he’ll poll supporters.

Fox News, the network carrying the event, RNC Chairperson Ronna McDaniel, and some of the other candidates are urging Trump to debate.

But I think there is a strong case to be made that if what we want this election to be about is navigating toward the best interests of the country and its citizens, it may be best for Donald Trump to not show up in Milwaukee.

Consider, for instance, that within the last week, bond rating service Fitch downgraded U.S. debt from AAA to AA. This is the result of U.S. debt and deficits skyrocketing into outer space.

But this critical development is barely getting news oxygen when the really big story is Trump’s latest indictment and now his deliberations about whether to participate in the Republican debate.

When only 19% of Americans say they are satisfied with the direction of the country, and considering that that percentage has been over 40% only once in the last 15 years, it is reasonable to assume that Americans, justifiably, are not pleased with the current state of affairs.

Downgrading by a major credit rating agency its estimate of the ability of the United States to pay its creditors is just the latest piece of information blaring that we have a problem.

The country is bogged down by growth less than half its historic average, inflation, entitlement programs dealing with retirement and health care that were designed 60 to 90 years ago that no longer work, and a shrinking and aging population directly the result of the collapse of the American family. Only 60% of Americans say they have a great deal/quite a lot of confidence in our military and the U.S. Army cannot meet its recruiting goals.

We need to fix our nation. The beginning of solving any problem is identifying and de-

This week, Tablet released a fascinating conversation with historian David Garrow, author of a massive unauthorized biography of former President Barack Obama in his early years titled “Rising Stars.” By all rights, the book should have been a massive hit upon its release in 2017. Instead, it underperformed. The revelations contained therein never hit the mainstream. And that simple fact, in and of itself, demonstrates a simple reality of the modern political era: The entire press apparatus has been dedicated, since at least 2008, to the proposition that Obama had to be protected from all possible damage.

two decades. And it’s true in 2023, when the media still refuse to cover the fact that a huge number of President Joe Biden’s closest aides are Obama’s closest political allies. Obama resides in Washington, D.C.; all of the people who made policy for him now make policy for Biden. And yet nobody talks about the Obama influence in the current White House.

by Ben Shapiro Syndicated Columnist

Garrow’s book carried multiple bombshells for Obama. Obama’s first autobiography -- the egotist has already written several -- “Dreams From My Father” told a story about how he broke up from a white girlfriend in his Chicago years over her failure to understand his desire for racial solidarity with black America. Actually, as Garrow’s book relates, the couple broke up because Obama refused to disown black antisemitism. Furthermore, as the book uncovers, Obama wrote letters to a girlfriend in which he “repeatedly fantasizes about making love to men.”

These are incredible allegations, to say the least. They were reported in the book. But as David Samuels of Tablet observes, the media were shockingly remiss in covering any of these stories: “’Rising Star’ highlights a remarkable lack of curiosity on the part of mainstream reporters and institutions about a man who almost instantaneously was treated less like a politician and more like the idol of an inter-elite cult.”

That was true in 2008, when the media steadfastly refused to take seriously reports about Obama’s attendance at an openly racist and antisemitic church for

All of this is part of a broader pact on the part of every major apparatus in American life to mirror Obama’s perceptions of the world. In Obama’s own mind, he was a world-historical figure; that’s why, in 2010, when he experienced a rather predictable shellacking in a midterm election, he responded by suggesting that his opposition was actually motivated by vicious racism and brutal bigotry. The media mirrored that perspective; so did entertainment; so did tech companies. The immaculate, solid wall of support for Obama’s intersectional coalition is intimately connected to direct allegiance from the movers and shakers toward the Obama persona.

Just as our institutions were shaped for decades beyond JFK’s death by the myth built around him, so our modern institutions will be shaped for decades to come by the myth of Barack Obama. Garrow concludes about Obama: “He has no interest in building the Democratic Party as an institution. I think that’s obvious. And I don’t think he had any truly deep, meaningful policy commitments other than the need to feel and to be perceived as victorious, as triumphant.” But that victory -- that triumph -- came at the expense of the American people, who were promised a racial conciliator and a man of honor by a media invested in that lie. When the truth materialized and our institutions continued to perpetuate the lie, our institutions collapsed. We live in the era of Barack Obama still.

the FAke ClImAte CoNseNsus

We are told climate change is a crisis, and that there is an “overwhelming scientific consensus.”

lished a study that seemed to show a dramatic increase in hurricane intensity.

“I was adopted by the environmental advocacy groups and the alarmists and I was treated like a rock star,” Curry recounts. “Flown all over the place to meet with politicians.”

had a point.”

by John Stossel Syndicated Columnist

“It’s a manufactured consensus,” says climate scientist Judith Curry in my new video. She says scientists have an incentive to exaggerate risk to pursue “fame and fortune.” She knows about that because she once spread alarm about climate change.

Media loved her when she pub -

“We found that the percent of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes had doubled,” says Curry. “This was picked up by the media,” and then climate alarmists realized, “Oh, here is the way to do it. Tie extreme weather events to global warming!”

“So, this hysteria is your fault!” I tell her.

“Not really,” she smiles. “They would have picked up on it anyways.”

But Curry’s “more intense” hurricanes gave them fuel.

But then some researchers pointed out gaps in her research -- years with low levels of hurricanes.

“Like a good scientist, I investigated,” says Curry. She realized that the critics were right. “Part of it was bad data. Part of it is natural climate variability.”

Curry was the unusual researcher who looked at criticism of her work and actually concluded “they

Then the Climategate scandal taught her that other climate researchers weren’t so open-minded. Alarmist scientists’ aggressive attempts to hide data suggesting climate change is not a crisis were revealed in leaked emails.

“Ugly things,” says Curry. “Avoiding Freedom of Information Act requests. Trying to get journal editors fired.”

It made Curry realize that there is a “climate change industry” set up to reward alarmism.

“The origins go back to the ... U.N. environmental program,” says

See STOSSEL on 36

by John J. Metzler Syndicated Columnist

PARIS — Barbie has charmed Paris. The pink hued doll figure come alive in its blockbuster movie rendition has captured the hearts and imagination of the French film viewers during the second postcovid Summer. Next, after the syrupy saccharine adventures of Barbie comes the cerebral but dark Oppenheimer, the story of the developer of the Atomic Bomb. And third, the perpetual and popular adventure Mission Impossible:

Dead Reckoning.

In fact all of the top five films across France in mid-Summer are American; indeed U.S. films continue to hold sway at the box office even among the top ten. Only Indiana Jones has faltered this season.

Over the past year the majority of France’s top twenty films are from the USA; Spiderman and Guardians of the Galaxy are naturally among them. Avatar; the Way of Water was the overwhelming hit of 2022.

This is not so say the French film industry, historically one of the world’s oldest and most celebrated, is not a major box office player. But while there are many

successes such as the recent Three Musketeers remake of the beloved novel by Alexandre Dumas or the animated Le Chat Potte, France’s film industry is probably best known for art house films highly subsidized by the French state to the tune of approximately 40 percent of a movie’s production.

Interestingly, even today Paris has the highest per capita density of cinema of any major city. There were 287 films produced in 2022, about double that of the United Kingdom.

Movie houses are making a strong comeback and the grand palaces in the Montparnasse district seem to be having a great Summer season.

Last year, French cinemas saw a strong box office recovery with million admissions, data from the National Cinema Center (CNC) shows. Yet the number is still below 2019 levels.

What the BBC in the UK has described as “Barbenheimer” fever which has gripped London most certainly has spread to France too. Barbie is currently on track to become the biggest film released this year with one billion in box office sales globally thus far.

So thus we are transported from the frivolous Pink Barbie Land, to Barbie’s Real World, only then to reach the Too Real World in Op -

A breakthrough in Ear-Brain Technology™:

Intrigue AI mimics the cerebral cortex of the human brain to quickly and more accurately ‘fill in’ the gaps produced when our hearing system falters.

• Replicates how our “normal” auditory system works.

• Distinguish words and speech more intuitively and naturally.

• Hear soft sounds without distracting noise.

• Reduce the effort it takes to listen and hear.

THANKS FOR VOTING US Best Hearing Center Best Medical Facility Best Customer Service

We work with all major brands of hearing aids, including Starkey, Phonak, Oticon, Audibel and NuEar.

Family owned and operated since 1986.

Better Business Bureau

A+ accredited for 28 consecutive years.

Expires 8/1/23

Expires 8/1/23

This series of Letters

From God is an attempt to put the thoughts of God as revealed in the Scriptures.

QUESTION: Is It Alright To Judge Others?

It is vitally important.

Without judging, evil will go unpunished and multiply until it eclipses all good. Without judging, good people will be punished and suffer painful consequences that should be reserved only for those who are guilty. No society can survive a lack of righteous judging.

Many have thought that I am against judging because of statements made by my Son, Jesus, in His Sermon on The Mount, such as that found in Matthew 7:1-6 . At first glance it appears that he is forbidding any kind of judging. But you must look closely with respect to the context of these statements. If you take it out of its context it no longer says what my Son intended it to say. Many have done this and fail to judge properly and as a result have fostered a sick and dangerous society.

In its context He is forbidding a form of judging that is ungodly and damning. That form is judging someone else for their behavior without seeing that you are practicing the same thing (7:3). Even worse is when you are judging someone else for a minor offense when in

fact you are practicing things that are much more serious and evil

(7:3,4). This “holier than thou” attitude, when you are more evil than the one you judge, will always be destructive. That is what my Son meant when he said you are trying to take out a “speck of sawdust” in someone else, a minor offense, while you have a “plank” in your eyes, a more serious offense. That is why he called those who judge in such an egregious fashion, “hypocrites.”

(:5).

Notice as well, that after my Son gave counsel to never judge unrighteously, by first dealing with wrong motives and methods of judging, he exhorts you to judge properly. By confronting your own problems, you are no longer a hypocrite when you judge others and you also have more “clarity” to see, rebuke and change the bad behavior of others (:5). So, as you can see, you must judge properly if you ever hope to preserve a healthy environment by limiting evil and establishing that which is good.

But there is more. My Son went on to warn people who are falsely or unrighteously judged, to not allow those who judge improperly to hurt you. If they judge you to hurt you and you allow them to do that, by internalizing their negative judgement on you, you will suffer great harm. It would be like taking something precious like “pearls” and

giving them to a “pig.”

Letters From God Letters From God

(:6). They will have no regard for you or your worth as an individual and will “trample” you or “tear you to pieces,” even as a pig would with something valuable.

You are sacred and precious, you belong to me, I made you and bought you back from the Devil and evil by sending my Son to pay the penalty for your sins. If you have received Him as your Savior and asked Him to forgive your sins, you are mine. Do not allow anyone to unjustly or unrighteously, judge you wrongly in order to “trample” you or “tear you to pieces.” Instead come to me and I will judge you, not to hurt you from evil or selfish motives but to help you change with the motive of deep and abiding love. Then find others who know and love me and who, being secured in my love, will love you by speaking “truth in love,” (Ephesians 4:15). Their judgment of you, as a result, will always build you up with constructive judgement and criticism, not to tear you down.

Unfortunately, at this time, you are experiencing the absolute worst kinds of judgement possible. Many of your political leaders are pronouncing judgment on their citizenry while they themselves practice the very things they judge. In fact, many practice a psychological phenomenon called projection, in which they attack and blame others, even whole groups of people, for practicing things

they are actually doing, in order to shift the blame to others while they continue in their devious ways.

Legislators, criminal officials, like District Attorneys and Judges are turning a blind eye to criminal activity and instead punishing innocent citizens who are being ravaged by the lawless actions of those criminals. Parents have forsaken their responsibility to teach their children right and wrong and have passively allowed evil to be practiced or actively promoted it with little or no judgement or consequences.

Failure to understand and follow my design for proper judgement has placed you and your nation in great peril. I urge you to come back to me and come back to my design and wisdom for living. If you do, your righteous judging of others will cause you and them to prosper instead of perish.

I love you, God

These letters are written by Rev. Dr. Samuel Hollo, pastor at the Community Church of Alton, NH.

Prior

Remedies

You

BIRDS For The

New England’s Wild Birds & Their Habitats

A rock pigeon rests on an ornate wall in New York City.

by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer

Which species come to mind when you think of urban birds?

For me, pigeons, sparrows, starlings and crows immediately come to mind. There have been times when I have seen some surprise birds in urban areas, such as the yellow-rumped warbler I saw while I was sitting in a downtown

restaurant. There are also stories, of course, of birds such as hawks and falcons nesting in skyscrapers.

The aforementioned species, however, are perhaps the most common urban birds. A new study by scientists − based on data, research and observations from six continents and 379 cities − looks at how these species thrive in such an environment. Im -

portantly, it also looks at how to maintain as much biodiversity as possible in urban areas. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.

One takeaway seems rather obvious in that birds that thrive in urban ecosystems eat a variety of foods. I’ve seen house sparrows begging for French fries at fast-food restaurants.

I’ve seen crows flying with pizza crust in their bills. Starlings will eat whatever is offered at the feeder – seeds, suet, fruit, mealworms, whatever.

The most adaptable species are the ones that combine a varied diet with a high degree of mobility. The scientists broke down the urban critters (including birds, reptiles, beetles, bats and bees)

Not So LoNg Ago ...

Exploring ThE lEgEnd & lorE of our graniTE STaTE

BrINGING BusINess to A hAltWhAt use to Do It

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

It was once called THE national pasttime and is still a national past-time, but baseball does not seem to dominate American sports as it once did.

As the month of June, 1926 came to a close there was excitement in the air around Laconia, New Hampshire, in anticipation of the start of the Laconia Baseball League’s 1926 schedule on July 1st of that year. The city baseball league was to begin on a Thursday with a double-header; Laconia Gas and Electric was set to play against DeMolay in the first game and Laconia Car Company was to take on Laconia Shoe Company in the second game.

For some reason the interest was especially high that year with preliminary events to usher in the baseball games and nearly all the mills and manufacturing establishments in the city closing

down that afternoon in favor of some baseball.

A parade which began at 2 p.m. started from Veteran’s Square and proceeded to the Pearl Street Grounds where the games were played. The parade featured some distinguished guests, which included Governor Winant, future governor Hon. Huntley Spaulding, and Nashua Mayor Eaton D. Sargent.“Laconia’s finest” were featured in the parade with representatives from the Police and the Fire Department marching with all four baseball clubs and a band to the Pearl Street field.

Upon arriving at the Pearl Street grounds the League pennant was raised, the band played, and the distinguished guests were introduced as tempo -

rary starting players on the field.

Huntley Spaulding pitched the first ball to Dr. E.F. Hodgdon, who was president of the league, while Nashua Mayor Eaton Sargent took the position of catcher, and Laconia Mayor Stevens acted as umpire. Dr. Hodgdon hit the ball to shortstop, after which Mayor Stevens turned the umpiring over to the official umpire for the first game of the season, Jimmy Bannon.

So with the Laconia businesses having taken the afternoon off for the start of baseball season, Gas and Electric defeated DeMolay 4 - 0, and Laconia Shoe Company, representing Lakeport, defeated Laconia Car Company 2 - 1.

In August of 1932 it

was a natural phenomena that caused businesses to shut down in Laconia while at the same time bringing thousands of people into the city. The event of August 31, 1932, was a total eclipse of the sun, and it was announced that “...the large majority of mercantile establishments will close their places of business during the period beginning at 3 o’clock and ending at 5 o’clock, Daylight Saving Time.” The Laconia Evening Citize n was giving away free eclipsescopes through which the eclipse could be watched without causing injury to the eyes. In Laconia there was a total eclipse of the sun that lasted for 62 seconds and thousands of people were said to have come to see it with crowds being on Main Street as early as seven in the morning.

A reporter spotted a car on Main Street that was from Java and asked the Corcon family that was in it if they had come to Laconia to see the eclipse, only to be told that they didn’t know about it until the steamer that brought them here landed. The family was here for their annual vacation of a few weeks in Cen-

Governor of New Hampshire in 1926 - John Winant

by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer

Those of us who live in the sports world understand that “victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan”— to quote John F. Kennedy.

When things go well, we enjoy the handshakes and backslaps. When they go poorly, we brace for the finger-pointing.

And so it goes for America’s World Cup soccer women. Long a dominant power, the USA underperformed in Australia, luckily surviving the group play only to be immediately eliminated by Sweden in the first knock-out round.

Many of us have long cheered the growth of girls and women’s soccer in America. Recall our 1999 World Cup Final triumph over China before almost 100,000 Rose Bowl fans as well as countless millions more watching on television. It was a watershed event in American sports history. Those players won our hearts. Michelle Akers. Joy Fawcett. Kristine Lilly. Julie Foudy. Brianna Scurry, and Nomar’s wife, Mia Hamm. And, of course, Brandi Chastain!

Pro women’s leagues followed, and girls’ youth soccer programs proliferated. All good.

A soCCer ADIeu to the usWNt

wondrously free country that allows freedom of expression.

But when our soccer governing body required the women to stand, many opted not to sing— unlike almost every other player from other nations.

Ironically, such actions would have sent soccer players from other countries straight to prison.

Aristotle said, “The worst manifestation of inequality involves trying to make unequal things equal.”

So, what happened in 2023?

Part of what happened is that the rest of the world improved. Of course. But there were other factors. Like karma—that “characteristic aura or spirit that infuses a person or persons.”

There is good karma and bad karma. The United States Women’s National Team had bad karma.

The bad karma was evidenced by the fact that countless American soccer fans were ambivalent—if not openly hostile—to Team USA. This because in recent years American soccer women—led by Megan Rapinoe—took to kneeling and disrespecting our

flag during pre-game anthems to protest “injustice.” That remains their First Amendment right, as they live in a

An “injustice” that the soccer women protested in recent years involved disparate compensation. Members of the men’s national team made more money. A lawsuit filed by Rapinoe and company eventually resulted in “pay equity” for the American women.

But as Aristotle said, “The worst manifestation of inequality involves trying to make unequal things equal.”

Last year’s Men’s

lAkes reGIoN symphoNy orChestrA ANNouNCes 2023-2024 seAsoN

The Meredith-based Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra (LRSO) is pleased to announce its upcoming 2023-2024 season. Celebrating our 48th year, the LRSO introduces its jam packed concert lineup with concerts from November 2023 through May 2024. The full schedule, venue information, individual and discount tickets are available now at www.LRSO.org.

On November 4th the season opens at Plymouth State University featuring Benny Wang, LRSO’s 2023 Student Concerto Competition winner performing the first movement of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 1 – a superb performance by this amazing young talent.

Rounding out November is Rossini’s William Tell Overture (made popular by the Lone Ranger TV show), and Brahms Symphony No. 1 – a genius masterwork that embodies Brahms’ lifelong struggle to match the weighty legacy of Ludwig van Beethoven. Wrap yourself in festive seasonal spirit on December 9th and 10th, gracing stages at the Colonial Theatre in

Laconia and the InterLakes Auditorium in Meredith, for enchanting Holiday concerts starring vocalist Sheree Owens. A true talent from the Powerhouse Theatre Collective in Laconia, Sheree sprinkles holiday joy with renditions of Ave Maria, Silent Night, White Christmas, The Twelve Days of Christmas, Jingle Bells, and more… channeling the magic

of celebrated artists including Sarah Reeves, Barbra Streisand, and The Carpenters. Don’t miss your chance to immerse yourself in this winter wonderland of holiday melodies.

Trumpet extraordinaire Adam Gallant performs the Haydn Trumpet Concerto on March 16, 2024. Adam is highly sought-after in the New England music scene and we’re looking forward to this masterwork. We also give a nod to America’s past with Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait”, which combines spoken word with orchestral music, and William Grant Still’s

“Afro-American Symphony”.

Prepare to be transported back in time to the golden era of swing and croon on May 18th and 19th, 2024 for a reprise our sold-out 2017 “Sinatra!” tribute headlined by none other than the sensational vocalist Michael Gallagan. Michael’s charisma and vocal prowess will dazzle you with renditions of “My Way”, “Night and Day”, “Summer Wind”, “I’ve Got the World on a String”, and many more hits from the Sinatra songbook. These performances will sell out, so get tickets early.

You can take advantage of Discount “Inter-

Lakes” Ticket Packages for performances in Meredith. Order your tickets online, and reserve the same great seats for Inter-Lakes performances. Visit www.LRSO.org for more details.

So mark your calendars and make room for a concert season delivering Haydn to Sinatra that will make your soul sing and your spirit soar. Tickets are available now at www.LRSO. org. Tickets for the November performance at Plymouth State University should be available by October 1st. You can order directly online, or by phone using the numbers listed with each event on our web site. Adult ticket prices range from $20 - $30 with discounts for students elementary through college-age with ID. You are encourage you to sign up for our Email list at our www.LRSO.org/contact to keep you informed during the season.

(L to R) Benny Wang, Sheree Owens, Adam Gallant and Michael Gallagan

The Simple Feast

sCoNes pArt II: A tAle oF tWo sCoNes

The Simple Feast Simple

by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer

The Simple

To steal a phrase from classic literature (more or less): it was the best of scones, it was the worst of scones… It was the weekend following on the heels of our recent success with the making of scones. In addition to the Savory Cheddar and Chive Scones, the topic of last week’s “Scones Part I,” we also made Blueberry Scones and these too were a delicious success. So much so that I decided a repeat performance was needed.

It was a peaceful Sunday morning as I set about the kitchen collecting the ingredients. The heat of the last two weeks had dissipated and in its place came a renewed vigor for creating. A perfect opportunity to capitalize on that most recent success: scones. Little did I know of the trouble that lay ahead, the peace and tranquility in the Gibson house was not to last. My pride, along with my spirit, like the garbage can lid, were all soon to be shattered, literally lying in ruins at the top of the trash heap.

What went wrong?

Upon reflection the only thing I can think of was

Blueberry Scones

a heavy dose of pride mixed with overconfidence, two highly effective leavening agents that can serve to ruin any endeavor if not kept in constant check. But I really do not recall collecting either as I gathered the ingredients for these scones. They must have accidentally tipped from the shelf and into the mix at some point because they were there giving rise to anger and frustration just as effectively as any powder, soda, or yeast.

But metaphors aside, if I had to guess, the actual culprit was that the ratio of liquid to dry was off and this pointed to the “Buttermilk.”

Remember the adage,

overconfidence).

To properly make a buttermilk substitute you use 1 Tbsp. of acid (vinegar or lemon juice). Pour that into a one cup measure, and then fill the rest of the cup measure with milk. Stir to mix completely and wait five minutes. This gives you one cup of buttermilk substitute. This, in turn, gives you the acidic liquid that will interact with your leavener (in this recipe Baking Powder), giving the rise needed for a successful scone. Giving this liquid a quick stir before adding it to your recipe as instructed in the recipe is always a good idea. My ¨buttermilk¨ was more like a viscous sour cream rather than a thick liquid-like buttermilk, but I paid this fact little heed in my haste to be done.

“Baking is a science?”

Moving forward I gently folded the Blueberries into the dry ingredients and then added the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Carefully, I folded all of it with a rubber spatula. But the dough just would not come together into that telltale shagginess that one wants when making scones. Sarah had made it look so simple only a few days before. Instead, my dough was very dry. Rather than sprinkle a bit of milk or half and half onto my dry blob and the heavily floured work surface, I added undaunted pride and continued to fold the dry ingredients and bits of dough into one another.

Well, this is so true, for it is the interactions of ingredients in correct measure and correct sequence that can make or break a successful outcome. And making a buttermilk substitute freehand (or free pour in this case) from half and half and cider vinegar was my downfall. My ratio was off causing the liquid to thicken too much and therefore there was not enough liquid for the dough. Too, I had run out of lemon juice so I substituted cider vinegar, which in itself was okay, however, I eyeballed my measurements because I was needlessly rushing. (Add here a dash of See FEAST on 29

leArN ABout the oWls oF

the wil-

derness since he could walk. Throughout his childhood he would venture out with his family to look for animals in their natural habitat. He began his interest in nature photography at age twelve using his phone to snap photos of a pod of Atlantic dolphins. In this presentation, Martin’s informational talk about the owls of New England will provide owl enthusiasts with the tools to find and respectfully view owls in the wild.

on the TOWN OUT OUT

WEIRS TIMES’

ACKERLY’S

Grill & Galley

83 Main Street, Alton 603.875.3383

Akerlysgrillandgalleyrestaurant.com

Woodstock - Dbl Pig’s Ear

Great Rhythm - Squeeze

Baxter - Coastal Haze

Tuckerman - Pale Ale

603 - Summatime

COPPER KETTLE TAVERN

At Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant 233 D.W. Hwy, Meredith 603.279.6212 hartsturkeyfarm.com

Henniker - Working Man’s Porter

Concord Craft - Safe Space

Stoneface - IPA

Moat Mtn - Blueberry

603 - Winni Amber Ale

+6 More On Tap

D.A. LONG TAVERN

At Funspot 579 Endicott St N., Weirs 603.366.4377 funspotnh.com

Barreled Souls - Summer Jam

Cisco - Shark Tracker Light

Weldworks - Brightside Tide

Notch - Garageland

Deciduous - Watermelon Cooler

Beer Tree - Vibrant Trees

+6 More On Tap

FOSTER’S TAVERN

403 Main Street

Alton Bay, NH 603-875-1234

fosterstavernbythebay.com

Bud Light

Tuckerman - Pale Ale

Aqua Vue Haze -Muddy Road Brewery

Sam - Seasonal

Allagash - White

Maine - Lunch IPA

+2 More On Tap

JOHNSON’S TAPHOUSE

At Johnson’s

Seafood & Steak 69 Rt 11, New Durham 603.859.7500

eatatjohnsons.com/ newdurham

Lone Pine -Brightside

Widowmaker -Blue Comet Shipyard -Smashed

Pumpkin

Jack Abby -Red Tape

Muddy Road -1762 Porter

Northwoods -Autumn Buzz +30 More On Tap

MORRISSEYS’

Porch & Pub

286 S. Main St., Wolfeboro 603.569-3662

Morrisseysfrontporch.com

Morrisseys’ 20 Year Lager by Great North Smithwick’s Guinness

Harp

Concord Craft Safe Space +11 More On Tap

OVER THE MOON FARMSTEAD

1253 Upper City Rd., Pittsfield overthemoonfarmstead.com

Oatmeal Stout

London Porter

Pitt Stop Pils

Coffee Porter

No Need To ArgueCranberry Mead

Maple Apple Cider +6 More On Tap

PATRICK’S PUB

18 Weirs Rd., Gilford 603.293.0841 Patrickspub.com

Patrick’s Slainte House Ale

Great North - Moose Juice

Guinness

Clown Shoes - Bubble Head 603 - Winni Amber Ale

Tuckerman - Pale Ale +9 More On Tap

THE WITCHES

BREW PUB

At The Craft Beer Xchange 59 Doe Ave., Weirs Beach 603.409.9344

FB @craftbeerxchange

Zero Gravity – Conehead IPA

Dogfish Head – 120 Minute

Able Ebenezer – Auburn Red 603 – Sparkle Bomb Sour

Notch – Salem Lager

Mast Landing – Gunner’s Daughter Stout +30 More On Tap

FROG ROCK TAVERN

here’s A tIp

by JoAnn Derson Syndicated Columnist

* Glitter cleanup can be a hassle. Here’s my tip for getting it up quickly with no mess left behind: Use play dough. Just press it into the stray glitter and it will pick it right up. Then you’ve created glitter dough! Oh, your kids will be impressed. Here are some more kid tips. -- JoAnn

* Can’t seem to part with those baby blankets now that the kids are not babies anymore? Don’t! Sew them into floor pillow covers and watch the kids get a few more years out of them.

* My daughter is old enough to play on our street with her friends, but not necessarily old enough for a cellphone. Instead, we repurposed a set of walkie talkies. Her boundary is in walkie talkie range, and we can communicate. Plus, it’s just fun! -T.F.

in Maryland

* Our friends who live in an apartment have a great storable sandbox solution. They use a plastic under-the-bed storage bin filled with sand and toys. It has a lid and can be stored easily on their balcony. The kids still get to play in the sand even on rainy days. -- W. in

Kentucky

MAILBOAT from 2 into the Bill of Rights so the Biden Administration could give our God given personal rights of healthcare away to globalist power!

in deaths that total over a hundred million victims of Marxist tyranny murdering their own people.

Every American who values their liberty should consider the future potential of a world ruled by the global megalomaniacs above WHO: George Soros, Klaus Schwab and Bill and Melinda Gates teammates seeking a New World Order fully supported by the Biden White House. If a lack of citizen response continues to go with this evil flow then we will all suffer the consequences of a Digital Health ID, a foretaste in which we experienced with the vaccine passport to enter public spaces.

Jefferson did not challenge a world monopolized by the despotic rulers with his Declaration of Independence that grew

Patriots, its time for action. Gain valuable ammunition in this “war for liberty” at https://gojt.us/28es} to view The UN Deep State Plan For World

Government. Also go to https://gojt. us/6n2 to view “UN WHO Coming In For The Kill with Health Schemes.” Share this alarming news with family and friends. Email your Senators and Representatives in both the state and the Federal government and demand they support H.R. 79. This

knowledge promoting withdrawal from WHO holds the power of truth. It will take your courage to help save your “pursuit of happiness that only good healthcare insures. “

On Aug 10, 2023, at 5:53 PM, russandmamie@icloud.com wrote:

Russ Payne Merrimack, NH.

Lochmere Golf is located in the heart of the lakes region. Our Plush greens and fairways make it for an enjoyable round of golf.

We have 5 sets of tees for all skill levels with yardage ranging from 5200-6700 yards

Over the past few years, we have undergone several changes and upgrades to the course and facility.

Book your tee time today .. call, click on our website, of use our lochmere app!

Summer Fun! Summer Fun!

The Best Summer Ever Starts Right Here!

The Best Summer Ever Starts Right Here!

plANeFest! At Nh AvIAtIoN museum

A vintage PT-23 training plane will be on display by the New England Wing of the Commemorative Air Force during this year’s PlaneFest! on Saturday, Aug. 19 at the Aviation Museum of N.H. Free outdoor activities (weather permitting) run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at PlaneFest! and are open to all; the museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., regular admission charges apply. The Aviation Museum is located at 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H. For more information, call (603) 669-4877 or visit www.aviationmuseumofnh.org.

LONDONDERRY - Young people can have fun learning about aviation—and celebrate aviation pioneer Orville Wright’s birthday with cake— on Saturday, Aug. 19 at this year’s PlaneFest! celebration.

PlaneFest!, a celebration of all things flightrelated, is held each August at the Aviation Museum of N.H., 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry.

On Saturday, Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Aviation Museum

will host activities to help young people (and the young at heart) learn about aviation in a welcoming environment adjacent to ManchesterBoston Regional Airport, the state’s major commercial air transport hub.

The event will include a cake at 1 p.m. to celebrate the birthday of Orville Wright. Born on Aug. 19, 1871, he and his brother Wilbur are credited with the first powered flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C. in 1903.

Activities are held outdoors, weather permitting, and are free to all families. Led by Aviation Museum Education Director Debbora Losch, activities are aimed at young people of elementary and middle school age.

Activity booths are scheduled to include:

• Pinwheel Design Studio: Children will have the opportunity to design and create their own pinwheels, fostering creativity and engagement.

• Loop Airplane Challenge: Kids can build loop airplanes and attempt to fly them through a hoop, encouraging hands-on learning about flight dynamics.

• Paper Helicopter Workshop: An interactive session where participants construct paper helicopters, gaining insights into rotor mechanics and aerodynamics.

• Bernoulli’s Balloon

mouNt WAshINGtoN vAlley

CrAFt FAIr

This Saturday and Sunday, August 19th & 20th, the Mount Washington Valley Craft Fair will take place at Schouler Park, 1 Norcross Circle, North Conway.

Hours are Saturday 10am to 5pm & Sunday 10am to 5pm.

Celebrate summer at this amazing arts & crafts fair in North Conway with over 100 fabulous exhibitors!

Some of the arts &

crafts will include beautiful pottery, handsome handpainted glassware, cedar wood furniture, beautiful soy candles, stained glass art, handpoured soaps, wrought iron creations, amazing American wooden flags, delicious fudge/ kettle corn/whoopie pies, awesome alpaca products, gourmet foods, wooden crafts, pet portraits, pet toys, cutting boards, awesome quilts, unique macrame furniture, various styles of jewelry, maple products, granite cheese boards, string art, & lots more. Friendly, Leashed Dogs Welcome.

Rain or Shine Under

NOW OPEN DAILY THROUGH OCT. 31ST

Summer Fun! Summer Fun!

mIDDletoN’s 157th olD home DAy

On

July

HOURS:

Visit

77 Center Street, Wolfeboro, NH 603-569-1212 • WrightMuseum.org

Castle in the Clouds

Open for the 2023 Season!

Upcoming Programs & Events

This year Middleton’s 157th Old Home Day will be held in on Wednesday, August 23rd at the historic Old Town Hall at 200 Kings Highway, built in 1795-1796. Moved to its location on Kings Highway .

Many people are expected ro gather for this year’s Old Home Day. Much of the food to be served will be prepared in an addition to the back of the building, which was once the Corner School, moved to the location and added to the building in 1950. The first town get togethers are believed to begin in 1866, 23 years before the official state sanction of the day. The first organizers called themselves the Sons and Daughters of Middleton, later becoming the Old Home Reunion, and lastly and currently, the Old Home Day Association. Diligent attention to history has resulted in a collection of information and 2 large photo albums of pictures and stories will be available for viewing on Wednesday.

Constellations

• $10 per person

In true keeping with the community importance of the Town Hall and Old Home Day, as has been every year from its conception, most of the food served will be homemade—from scratch! Residents donate their time, talents and all the necessary ingredients. Baked beans, longcooked and full of flavor are a hallmark of the

Lunch service begins at 11:30 and diners have 2 hours (until 1:30) to devour every last morsel. In the unlikely event there are leftovers, takeout containers will be provided.

Weather permitting, diners will be greeted by a flag flying from 2 utility poles. The poles soar about 50 feet in the air and are needed because the flag

is 24 feet by 48 feet. It was purchased sometime between 1907 and 1912, evidenced by having only 46 stars, before Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii were added to the union. There are lots of reasons why you should attend the event . . . the food, the friends and family, the traditions, a chance to marvel at the history displayed in the buildings and photo albums, and the flag, symbols of all that is good and enduring in the United States. You don’t have to live in Middleton to appreciate all these things.

Summer Fun! Summer Fun!

The Best Summer Ever Starts Right Here! The Best Summer Ever Starts Right Here!

Dudley Laufman and Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra will perform at Canterbury Shaker Village’s Music on the Green summer series on Sunday, August 27 at 4:00 p.m. Founder of Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra, which recorded their very first full-length LP of dance music in 1972, Laufman received a National Heritage Fellowship award in 2009, the country’s highest honor in the folk arts.

“We are delighted to welcome Dudley here,” said Leslie Nolan, executive director of the Village. “His influence and popularity over the years have helped create a wave of interest in old-time dancing throughout the United States.”

Held outside in a natural, intimate setting, Music on the Green features various types of music for every age on Sundays, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., from July 2 to September 17. In the event of rain, the Village holds concerts inside the North Shop. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $20. Music on the Green is sponsored by CCA Global Partners, New Hampshire Dance Collaborative (NHDC), and Kathleen Belko, Trustee.

In addition to Music on the Green on Sundays, the Village offers tours before performances. These tours include Shaker Sto -

ries: History & Legacy, Innovations & Inventions: Shaker Ingenuity, and Hale & Hearty: Shaker Health. To purchase tour tickets or learn more about the

Village’s Music on the Green, visit shakers. org.

Canterbury Shaker Village is a member of the NH Heritage Museum Trail, which con-

nects the public with culturally rich heritage institutions in New Hampshire. For more information, visit nhmuseumtrail.org.

Lift Demo: A simple, engaging demonstration using balloons to explain Bernoulli’s principle and how planes generate lift.

• Crafty Aviator Corner: A space dedicated to an artistic activity where kids have handson fun learning about aviation and flight.

PlaneFest will also feature the museum’s Rob Holland Experience, which uses virtual reality to take visitors along for a ride with Rob Holland, N.H.’s own international aerobatics champion.

Also featured will be an Aviation Trivia Challege, with a focus on the Wright Brothers in honor of Orville Wright’s birthday, which was Aug. 19, 1871. The date coincides with “National Aviation Day,” created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to honor the aviation pioneer on his birthday.

The event will also feature an “Speak With An Aviator” booth featuring guest speakers from piloting, air traffic control, and aircraft mechanics, providing insights through Q&A sessions.

During PlaneFest!, the Aviation Museum will be open for tours and visits. Museum admission is $10 per person; $5 for ages 6 to 13, seniors, and veterans; children 5 and under free.

Museum visitors can participate in a “Wall of Planes” contest, identifying as many aircraft as possible in the museum’s collection of historic or high-end model aircraft for a chance to win a prize.

PlaneFest! will include a EAA ‘Young Eagles’ program, which gives young people ages 8 to 17 the opportunity to take a free short flight with a local pilot at no cost. The program, or-

ganized by Chapter 106 of the Experimental Aviation Association, is already completely booked.

laneFest! will be a twoseat RV-12iS light sport aircraft built by students at the Manchester (N.H.) School of Technology.

The plane was built in partnership with the Aviation Museum of N.H. and Tango Flight, an educational nonprofit.

When launched in 2019, the aircraft-building partnership was only the fourth of its kind in the nation, and the only one in the northeastern U.S.

Since completion last year, the airplane has been flown to Florida, Georgia, and most recently was on display at the EAA Airventure Fly-In in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The completed airplane will be sold on the open market, with proceeds used to fund future student planebuilds at no cost to taxpayers.

Also on display will be a vintage PT-23 military training plane flown and maintained by the New England Wing of the Commemorative Air Force.

All PlaneFest! activities are weather permitting. Rain date for most PlaneFest! activities is Saturday, Aug. 26.

The Aviation Museum of N.H., located at 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H., is a non-profit 501(c)3 taxexempt organization.

For more information about PlaneFest! or the Aviation Museum, visit www.aviationmuseumofnh.org or call (603) 669-4877. Follow the Aviation Museum on social media at www. facebook.com/nhahs.

PLANE from 22

Mountain remains a prominent New Hampshire icon, still used as an official and unofficial emblem across the state. Professor McDermott’s talk “The Old Man: His Life and Legacy,” explores the role that the Old Man has played in shaping New Hampshire’s identity from its first recorded discovery in the early 19th century until today.

Both the Museum of the White Mountains and the Lake Winnipesaukee Museum are members of the expanding New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail, which offers a Passport admissions program sponsored by the Bank of New Hampshire. Trail passports, which provide admission to 21 member institutions, are now available for $25 (a $150 value) at all participating museums. The Heritage Museum Trail’s mission is to connect the public with culturally rich heritage institutions throughout New Hampshire (see www. nhmuseumtrail.org for more information).

The Lake Winnipesaukee Historical So -

ciety was founded in 1985 with the mission to promote and preserve the history and heritage of the Big Lake and its vicinity. Programs focusing on the Lakes Region and New Hampshire history are held on Wednesdays during

the summer season. Located at 503 Endicott Street North, next to Funspot in the Weirs, the museum is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 AM to 4 PM, through mid-October.

MUSEUM from 1 Newest Release

Come Join Our Team!

Taylor Community is opening The Residence at Back Bay, a brand new, state-of-the-art healthcare building in the heart of Wolfeboro. As a nonprofit organization, Taylor Community is committed to hiring professional and caring individuals. We value and recognize the importance of supporting, training and retaining our employees to better serve our residents.

Are you ready to make a difference, add to our positive, team-based culture and feel valued for hard work and dedication? Please see our current career opportunities for both full- and part-time positions in a number of areas:

• Healthcare, including Nurses and Aides

• Maintenance and Groundskeepers

• Housekeeping and Laundry

• Chefs and Servers

If you want the opportunity to join an amazing organization, and work alongside other professionals who share your passion for serving seniors, bring your resume and stop by Taylor Community at Back Bay, 8 Taylor Drive in Wolfeboro, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. You can also visit our website at taylorcommunity.org or call Human Resources at 603-366-1212 to learn more. We can’t wait to meet you!

Taylor is an EOE, drug-free employer and smoke-free campus.

Taylor offers:

• Competitive wages and shift differentials

• Staffing ratios that give employees the opportunity to enjoy their work and to get to know the residents we serve

• Comprehensive and affordable health, dental and vision insurance (our single premium is under $50 per bi-weekly pay period!)

• 25 days of paid time off for full-time employees

• Tuition and license renewal reimbursement

• 401k with a match

• Gym and pool on-site, free for employee use

Nonpro t since 1907

BLUEBERRY SCONES

Yield: 8 Large or 16 Medium Time: About One Hour

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ Cups AP Flour plus 2 Tbsp.

4 Tbsp. Sugar (white)

1 Tbs. Baking Powder

¼ tsp. Salt

½ Cup Unsalted Butter (grated)

2/3 Cup Buttermilk ( milk + lemon juice)

1 Lg. Egg

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 Cup Blueberries

Sanding Sugar or simple icing recipe

Simple Icing

1 ¼ Cups Confectioners Sugar

1 tsp. Lemon Extract

2 Tbsp. Milk

Preparation —

Simple Icing

Combine in a bowl and whisk with a fork. No lumps, the mixture should slowly ¨ribbon¨ off the fork.

Scones

- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

- To make the substitute buttermilk, into a 1/3 cup measure pour 2 tsp. of lemon juice and fill the remainder of the 1/3 cup with milk, pour into a small bowl and add another 1/3 cup of milk to the bowl (for a total measure of 2/3 cup) and set aside.

- Combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt) in a bowl.

- Add the butter to the dry mix and gently incorporate to coat the butter. The mixture should resemble dry coarse crumbs. You may need to use a pastry cutter to mix in the butter for the desired consistency. Gently mix in the Blueberries to coat.

- In a small bowl combine the ¨buttermilk¨ with the egg and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly. Pour this mixture into the dry mix. With a rubber spatula gently fold, being careful not to overwork the dough.

- ¨Plop¨ the dough onto a floured work surface (large cutting board) or clean counter top. With floured hands, gently work the dough, folding once upon itself, turn the dough 90 degrees, gently fold it again, then turn 90 degrees. No patting it down! Do this about 5 or six times. For large scones, form the dough into a round about 2 inches high. And cut the round, bisecting into half, quarter, then into eighths.

- Place the 8 triangles onto a parchment lined cookie sheet with space between each triangle.

For smaller scones divide the dough in half, follow the forming steps above, and cut each round into eighths.

- Arrange scones on a parchment lined cookie sheet and place this into the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Remove from the fridge, sprinkle with sanding sugar (if not icing after baking) and bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Check for done. (About 145 degrees and the stem comes out clean.)

- Let cool while making the drizzle and ribbon over the scones. Serve while still warm.

All of it was becoming a dryer mish-mash spread across my work surface. This was getting me nowhere. And too, my frustration began to show. I wanted to be done, and the dough just would not magically come together, so I became both despondent and desperate.

Blind to all reason I now was knowingly adding more pride and still more overconfidence, heaping both on by the cupfulls, and this is where things real -

ly took a turn for the worse. Remember I said these two were excellent leaveners? It’s true, for the reaction of both added to frustration gives rise to ire. Rather than adding that little bit of liquid and gently working the dough with care, I became belligerent, my ire raised to new heights. My gentle kneading turned to hostile mashing. I could feel the blueberries beginning to pop, bursting between my fingers, and what’s more, I didn’t care! All reason, at this

point, had gone out the window as I took out my frustrations upon that dough, knowing full well that, even if somehow, some way, this dough came together, these would be the worst overworked scones ever!

I had succeeded in making not scone dough, but a sticky purple mess! I took up the pastry cutter, shoved it under one side of the over kneaded mass, and peeled the entire purple blob off the counter.

Cupped in both hands I promptly chucked it

into the trash with such velocity, such hostility, such brute force, that I ¨broke¨ the lid of the trash can, fortunately it is made of “rubber.” (Oh the stories that trash can could tell!) Needless to say I was not fit to live with for the remainder of the morning. Not happy with my performance, nor my lack of self control, I vowed that at some point I would try again, and I did. Not long after that Sunday I decided to again make scones. Not wanting to waste any more blueberries I decided to give raisins a go. These came out decidedly better as I followed

the instructions for making the buttermilk substitute to the letter rather than just ¨wing it¨. Substituting a cup of raisins for the blueberries and the addition of a teaspoon of Cinnamon and a quarter teaspoon of ground cloves to the dry ingredients, these scones, made with care (and topped with a Cinnamon Drizzle) were scrumptious! I felt vindicated. That dark cloud, that awful specter that followed me most of the previous day was beginning to fade into history´s past, only to be remembered as another Simple Feast. Enjoy!

Raisin Scones

ple at the intersection of the Randolph Path who said their destination was Mossy Falls. The trail was still wet and the higher we hiked the footbed became rockier and more slippery.

Shortline ends when it meets the King Ravine Trail just below Mossy Fall. At Mossy Falls,

2.8 miles from Appalahcia, Danielle took out her water filter and she filled our water bottles. It was hot and humid; the cold water was thirst quenching. The pretty falls is named for the lush green moss that surrounds its cascading waters. It is a worthwhile destination for beauty and solitude.

After Mossy Fall the trail becomes rugged and is slow going. The rocks just keep getting bigger. Rock climbing skills are required to scramble up these monstrous boulders. A couple of hikers appeared and picked their way down the trail past us. Normally, descending a ravine isn’t the best

Dumont Cabinet Refacing & Counter Tops

idea but when you go up one ravine sometimes you need to go down another. Mount Adams is a big mountain. They were the last people we saw all day on the trails. When we reached Chemin des Dames, our trail assignment which we accepted from Wendy, the trail volunteer chair for the RMC, we dropped off our tools–loppers and handsaws. With our much lighter packs we were off to do a bit of trail bagging for Danielle. I was excited because it has been a long time since I was on the floor of King Ravine.

Danielle is close to redlining the AMC White Mountain Guide. That means she will soon have hiked over 1,400 miles on every trail described in the Guide. But

the day she ventured up King Ravine, some time ago, she missed crawling through the Ice Cave Loop. Since we were just minutes away it was a good day to count this 1/10 of a mile hanging chad.

We took Elevated to avoid crawling through the caves of The Subway and just past the trailhead of the Great Gully Trail we found the Ice Cave Loop entrance. Distance wise it is a shortcut on the King Ravine Trail but effort and time wise it is a longcut. Yes, the ice caves have plenty of ice in them. It felt cool and we could see the white ice down below. We had a fun time crawling and scrambling our way through the caves.

Back on the main trail we back down to Chemin de Dames, translated from French, it is Ladies Path. This may be the shortest way out of King Ravine but it is rugged and steep and climbs the east wall of the ravine 800 vertical feet in 4/10ths of a mile to reach the Airline Trail–still 3.2 miles away from Appalachia & Route 2.

Beginning at Chemin des Dames trail sign the Ladies Path disappeared, it was hidden beneath the grown-in trees and scrub. We grabbed our loppers and we went to work. And geez did we work, we made dozens of cuts to clear just a foot of the trail. We leaped frog one another and we cut and tossed limbs and brushed the path. Even

See PATENAUDE on 31

Traa Daa, there is a trail here! Clearing the path was slow going because there was a lot to clip with our loppers and handsaws.

Look, it is ice that will last all summer! Yours truly and Danielle feeling cool in King Ravine’s Ice Caves.

PATENAUDE from 1

Danielle crawling through the Ice Cave Loop along the King Ravine Trail. There is lots of crawling and scrambling to get through the loop, it wasn’t easy but so worth it to see and feel the ice.

tossing what we cut off the trail was difficult because we were surrounded by more big rocks and ledges. We were eager and wanted to make progress. We meant to stop for lunch but we didn’t. After a couple hours my arms were tired and soon our turn around time came and went. Just 15 minutes more, we made it to where the path begins to leave the scrub and is out in the open on rocks. We cleared a tenth of a mile. We thought we had done much more.

We sat on a big rock and ate and drank and admired the steep walls of the Ravine. We could see the RMC’s Crag Camp high up on the rim of the west wall. We could see water dancing down Great Gully. The Ravine is big and beautiful and we had it all to ourselves.

We returned the way

One of the benefits for doing volunteer trail work is going to wonderful places such as Mossy Fall on the King Ravine Trail below the floor of the King Ravine. The trail is moderate to this point and then after it the rocks get bigger and the trail becomes difficult requiring a lot of scrambling and lowering to get up the trail. If you hike you’ll like volunteering to do trail work. No experience is necessary to help out with a trail club. The Randolph Mountain Club offers many work outings throughout the summer and beginners are most welcome. In the Lakes Region, The BRATTS--The Belknap Range Trail Tenders will welcome you to volunteer--belknap range trail tenders.org.

we had come up to the Ravine. The scrambling over the large rocks wasn’t any easier going down but once we reached Mossy Fall the trail was gradual again. Just one more thing. Down below on Airline there was a tree that we had ducked under on the way up. This time Danielle pulled out her saw and she cut it out. The tree fell and we were able to drag it off the trail.

It sure was a lot hotter and humid in the parking lot than it was at elevation 4,000 feet on the floor of King Ravine! We were tired and dirty so we hurried off to jump into the Peabody River’s Third Hole’ it’s just south of Rte 2 on Rte 16. The cold water felt great on my aching muscles and we cleaned up pretty well for the evening’s event.

The Bear, formerly Sault/Libby’s, in Gorham hosted the dinner.

The reception and auction were held outside under a tent in the side yard of the restaurant. We mingled with old and new friends. At dinner we shared a table with Dennis, a long time

member and supporter of the RMC and a gal that is a second year member of the RMC professional trail crew. We talked a lot about trails and hiking! Have Fun.

Yours truly working my way out of King Ravine on the King Ravine Trail. The rocks sure are big.

PATENAUDE from 30

ter Harbor. Observation planes from Boston were in the area to observe the eclipse from the air.

The weather has always been a threat to bring business to a halt. On April 13, 1932 a storm that dumped 28 inches of snow on Laconia and had left the Weirs in darkness throughout the night, also closed operations at Scott & Williams because of electrical outages. Businesses that functioned on their own power were able to stay open, but Belknap County Superior Court proceedings were canceled by Judge Peter Woodbury, and Charlie Lyman made it to Laconia from Belmont by using his dog team

In March of 1933

Gov.

New Hampshire, and the banking commissioner said there had been no previous indication of such a proclamation. The shutting down of banking operations in practically every other state in the union, however, made the action necessary. The Laconia National Bank and the Peoples National Bank were allowed to reopen when the “holiday” ended, however, no more than $10 a week or $50 a month could be withdrawn. The Lakeport National Bank was expected to be able to open soon after the Laconia Banks resumed business.

If the jokes and cartoons of past decades are any indication there was a time when it was not unusual for anyone conducting a personal business to put a sign on the door saying, “Gone Fishing,” and to do just that. It was apparently on a Sunday in June, however, that Leo Lemere and Walter Greenlaw decided to go fishing after brook trout in Tamworth, thus using the day of rest rather than a work day to engage in the popular sport, or activity to replenish the food supply, whichever way they approached it. Probably a combination of both. They left their car at a place called Bemis Hill and followed a brook for several miles, whereupon they went to another brook. They decided to take a short cut back to their car, but made a wrong turn and found themselves ascending one of the mountains in the Ossipee range. All they could see from the summit of the mountain were trees for miles around, so they decided to head for the

valley below and find a way out. They did, but it took them all night and a search team was being assembled by their relatives when they arrived home the next morning. Nevertheless, the fishing part of what turned out to be a 20 mile hike for the two anglers proved to be a success, for between the two of them they caught 65 fish.

In another fishing story from the Laconia Democrat newspaper of June 15, 1906, it was reported that the proprietors of property along Gilford Brook said that “they mean business and will make trouble for fishermen who disregard their trespass notices.” Just the previous week the fish commissioners had declared the brook open to fishing and a conservative estimate was that a hundred persons a day had been fishing the brook since its opening. The damaged caused by these persons trampling through the grasslands of property owners caused some of them to post “notices forbidding trespass of

all kinds, and proposing “to prosecute to the full extent of the law every violation of this order.”

So maybe some of the “Gone Fishing” signs at area businesses came down. Sometimes, if one is responsible for two jobs, they have to bring one to a halt in order to take care of the other. Such was the case in Springfield, New Hampshire in August of 1895. Joseph Cutting was working in his hayfield when he was summoned to leave the field and attend to his job as the road agent in the town of Enfield. A team of eight horses was pulling a wagon over a bridge that crossed over the river that was the outlet of Crystal Lake with a load of supplies and the bridge collapsed.

Robert Hanaford Smith welcomes your comments at danahillsmiths@yahoo.com

Mayor of Laconia in 1926 - Hon. George E. Stevens

.Path of 1932 total eclipse in Laconia seen by NASA illustration.

for transportation. Lew K. Perley used his snow shoes to get to his office.

John G. Winant

enacted a bank holiday for all the banks in New Hampshire despite the fact that banking was said to have been normal in

into four foraging categories: mobile generalists, mobile specialists, central place forager and site specialists. The mobile generalists were the most adaptable and most successful. Mobile generalists will basically eat anything, anywhere. Specialists require a specific type of food or location.

Species with a specific diet tend to disappear from urban areas, and the resulting lack of biodiversity is a detriment to the ecosystem. But how do you preserve these diet specialists when the population continues to grow and cities expand? Enter “urban ecology” as a new field of study aimed at protecting and enhancing the biodiversity of urban areas.

We often think of preserving habitat as being associated with saving large swaths of land in the wilderness. Or we think of the park or nature preserve with a pond and other wetlands in the suburbs. Rarely do we think of preserving habitat as it pertains to cities. According to

the study’s authors, that needs to change.

“My perspective is that preserving habitat is crucial. Ecosystems in cities are heavily transformed and managed and intact native vegetation tends to be scarce,”

co-author Frank LaSorte of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

said in a release. “The more components of an ecosystem that are preserved and supported, the healthier the overall urban environment will be.”

New York City is one of the largest cities in the world. Birdwatchers, however, know that Central Park in the middle of Manhat-

tan is one of the top birding destinations on the East Coast, especially during spring migration. It’s been many years since I’ve visited Central Park, but the number of birds there always amazes me.

Central Park is an oasis for tired birds as they work their way to

their nesting grounds. The park also has a substantial breeding bird population. Similar parks dot most urban areas in the U.S. Protecting these parks, and adding new ones, goes a long way toward preserving the biodiversity, not to mention the quality of living, of these

cities. This goes for the parks and green spaces in smaller cities and towns as well.

BOSAK

Now In 5th Printing! The Flatlander Chronicles

Weirs Times F.O.O.L columnist, Brendan Smith’s first book with over 30 of the best of his original Flatlander Columns.

MONTAGUE from 3

drives were too heavy and too big to carry into battle, thus the Armed Services Editions (ASEs) were born. The Armed Services Editions were small, paperback books, which would fit in a soldier’s pocket, but the books, although pocket size, would include all the words of the original publication. Over 1300 titles were published, and more than 123 million books were distributed to the Army and Navy between 1943 and

Sacred Heart Church

291 Union Ave Laconia, NH 603-524-9609

St. Joseph Church

30 Church St. Laconia, NH 603-524-9609

St. André Bessette Parish

Mass Schedule at Sacred Heart Church

Saturdays: 4pm; Sundays: 7:00, 8:30 & 10:30am

Daily Masses: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 8am, Tuesday: 5:00pm

All Masses Livestreamed at standrebessette.org

Sacred Heart Church is open daily for private prayer

www.standrebessette.org

1947. The War Department praised them, the American Library Association lauded them, and the troops could not get enough of them.

The history of books as weapons and the ASEs is an absorbing read, telling a story of need and solutions, and the long-lasting effects of the ASEs on the troops. Before the war many of the soldiers read little except the newspaper, but after filling their quiet, lonely, and fearsome hours during the war with the ASEs, the soldiers were eager to fill their brains with knowledge, and many of the soldiers accepted the offer of an education via the GI Bill once they returned to civilian life.

The most poignant passages in Manning’s book come from the soldiers’ letters to the authors and others to thank them for the

ASEs or to complain a bit about the need for more books, or to relate their connections to places mentioned in the books. As moving as the soldiers’ letters is the chapter about the ASEs and the DDay invasion. Manning reports that soldiers read while they waited for the invasion to begin and while aboard the landing craft, and during the landing the wounded read at the bottom of the cliffs on Omaha Beach while waiting for medical attention.

I have my own precious American Service Edition, Not Quite Dead Enough , a Nero Wolfe mystery by Rex Stout who chaired the War Writers Board. I don’t know where my ASE traveled during the War. It doesn’t have any water stains so I’m guessing it never traveled on a landing

craft or alighted on the beaches in France or Japan. It’s not terribly worn, and the pages aren’t dirty or creased. My ASE probably rode out the war in the US in the pockets of soldiers on duty stateside - at a desk, or a training base, or a supply depot. Wherever it journeyed, I hope a soldier read it, treasured it, and passed it on to another soldier, and that it brought comfort and a break from the war. Books can be most anything – a bullet, a friend, a teacher – and kudos to the librarians, authors, and armed services who got the books into the hands of our WWII soldiers.

(If you like WWII novels may I suggest James R. Benn’s Billy Boyle World War II Mysteries. Proud Sorrows, the 18th book in the series will be released on September 5th.)

Reverend Marc B. Drouin, Pastor

Order your autographed copy today for $13.99 plus $3 for shipping. (Please include any inscription you would like the author to personalize your copy with.) Make out checks or money orders for $16.99 to Brendan Smith and mail to: The Flatlander Chronicles, c/o The Weirs Times, PO Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247. Order online at www.BrendanTSmith.com

(Pickup autographed copies at the Weirs Times)

From learning to Rake The Roof to Going To The Dump to Buying Firewood for the first time and everything in between, Brendan recounts the humorous tales of his learning to fit into New Hampshire life as a Flatlander from

penheimer and the saga of the Atomic Bomb during the later phases of WWII. While Barbie deals in plush pink fun, Oppenheimer confronts the moral ambiguity of the creation of atomic weapons.

Speaking of the real world, the important American film Sound of Freedom, which confronts the worldwide scourge of child trafficking was not playing in France. According to the Hollywood Reporter, “Angel Studios announced release dates for 21 markets, including the U.K., Australia, Spain, South Africa and a host of countries in Latin America.” It’s not known if France is among them but certainly should be given that the country is a hub for illegal transit from Africa and the Middle East.

While American movies are part and parcel of the French cinema culture, may of the movies and TV series have been filmed in or partly in France. The thriller the Da Vinci Code movie being one or the current popular series Emily in Paris is another. Historic and iconic settings abound for thrillers or romances.

In the post-pandemic era, movies are making a comeback, even in theaters. Hooray for Hollywood?

John J. Metzler is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of Divided Dynamism

The Diplomacy of Separated Nations: Germany, Korea, China.

World Cup generated almost $8 billion in revenue. The 2019 Women’s World Cup generated $766 million, less than a tenth as much. While it’s the same sport, the men’s and women’s games are inherently different. Just like the NBA product is inherently different from the WNBA product, which is reflected by the respective basketball compensation levels.

Ponder Aristotle’s wisdom.

While it’s not politically correct to state the obvious, evading certain truths only invites backlash, defensiveness, and anger. And while activism certainly has its place in a free country, jamming political statements down the throats of captive audiences creates counterproductive resentment, whether it oc -

curs in a classroom, a church, or a stadium. Pregame anthems unify fans. All fans rise at Boston Bruins games to hear Todd Angilly’s stirring renditions of the StarSpangled Banner— regardless of party, race, or gender. When activists like Rapinoe selfishly appropriate the anthem moments to promote their own agendas, they cause incalculable hurt while creating reservoirs of ill will and that bad karma which surrounded our unsuccessful USWNT.

American soccer fans look forward to 2027 and hope the next USWNT will have fresh new faces that can unite and inspire rather than dispirit. But we’ll continue to love soccer.

It’s just hard to love certain player behaviors.

Aristotle would understand.

Sports Quiz

The USWNT has won four World Cups. What country is second with two titles? (Answer follows)

Born Today

That is to say, sports standouts born on August 17 include Baltimore Oriole baseball great Boog Powell (1941) and longtime New York Yankee catcher Jorge Posada (1971).

Sports Quote

“I’ve chosen to kneel because I simply cannot stand for the kind of oppression this country is allowing

against its own people.” – Megan

Rapinoe

Sports Quiz Answer

Germany won Women’s World Cups in 2003 and 2007.

State Representative Mike Moffett was a Sports Management Professor for Plymouth State University and NHTI-Concord. He coauthored the awardwinning “FAHIM SPEAKS: A WarriorActor’s Odyssey from Afghanistan to Hollywood and Back” which is available on Amazon.com. His e-mail address is mimoffett@ comcast.net.

METZLER from 7

fining it properly and then soberly, step by courageous step, coming up with solutions.

This is what the 2024 election should be about. We have two parties with very different views of the world. The pathologies I described above are readily attributed to the party that now controls the White House.

President Joe Biden, whose lifetime has been spent in the political swamp, is now getting deserved attention for corrupt influence peddling, generating wealth for his wayward son.

Biden wants a campaign about personalities, not about issues. And no personality now attracts more attention, diverting from the issues we should be de-

bating, than our former president.

Trump on the stage in Milwaukee means the debates will be about him when they should be about our national agenda and solutions that the other seven candidates propose.

Getting press and attention is not a challenge for Trump. So, he doesn’t need the stage.

Although Trump does indeed have a commanding lead in the polls, showing he’s got support from around half of Republicans, a recent New York Times/Siena College poll says 46% of those Republicans are open to other candidates.

Our country is not in good shape. The answers for sure are not going to come from the party of the left. Republicans must be the

party of getting our nation back on track.

Let’s start the discussion with the upcoming Republican debate, giving new candidates the opportunity to speak to Republicans and all Americans about how to fix our nation’s many problems.

Star Parker’s new book, “What Is the CURE for America?” is available now. Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.” To find out more about Star Parker and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www. creators.com.

STOSSEL from 7

Curry. Some U.N. officials were motivated by “anti-capitalism. They hated the oil companies and seized on the climate change issue to move their policies along.”

The U.N. created the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

“The IPCC wasn’t supposed to focus on any benefits of warming. The IPCC’s mandate was to look for dangerous human-caused climate change.”

“Then the national funding agencies directed all the funding assuming there are dangerous impacts.”

The researchers quickly figured out that the way to get funded was to make alarmist claims about

“man-made climate change.”

This is how “manufactured consensus” happens. Even if a skeptic did get funding, it’s harder to publish because journal editors are alarmists.

“The editor of the journal Science wrote this political rant,” says Curry. She even said, “The time for debate has ended.”

“What kind of message does that give?” adds Curry. Then she answers her own question: “Promote the alarming papers! Don’t even send the other ones out for review. If you wanted to advance in your career, like be at a prestigious university and get a big salary, have big laboratory space, get lots of grant funding, be director

of an institute, there was clearly one path to go.”

That’s what we’ve got now: a massive government-funded climate alarmism complex.

Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom. He is the author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media.”

* Art * Antiques Fine * * Jewelry * Silver * Judy A. Davis Antiques

One Item or Entire Estate ~ Cash Paid For:

All Antiques: American and Continental furniture, paintings, oriental rugs and bronzes. Historical documents, old books and maps, nautical items, barometers and sextants. Old prints, movie and travel posters. Old photography, cameras and musical instruments. Gold and Silver U.S. and foreign coins

Civil war and all military items, guns, swords, medals and old flags. Old advertising, wooden and metal signs, vintage whiskey and wine, old weathervanes, old pottery, old jugs, crocks and textiles, lamps and lighting, glass and china.

Old toys, banks, trains, sports memorabilia and comic books. Over 40 years experience in the antique business. Chinese and Asian arts, jade, ceramics, oriental textiles, furniture and art.

Classic car s and motorcycles, gas pumps, oil cans and signs 25 year s and olde r.

All estate and contemporary jewelry, diamond rings, brooches, Patek, Rolex, all watches and charm bracelets.

All Fine Gold and Silver Jewelry.

Sterling silver flatware, tea services, trays and all silver and gold.

Certified by Gem School of America

Member: New Hampshire Antique Dealers Assn.

603-496-1811 603-934-5545 jlake@metrocast.net

AUTOS WANTED

CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, high-end, totaledit doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash! NEWER MODELS too! Call

1-866-258-6720

FINANCIAL

WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC Timeshare

Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free Consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 855-428-7954

MISCELLANEOUS

THE CLASSIFIEDS BUY WILL I

4G LTE HOME INTERNET

Now Available! Get GotW3 with lightning fast speeds plus take your service with you when you travel! As low as $109.99/mo! 1-877-452-1183

CARING FOR AN AGING LOVED ONE? Wondering about options like seniorliving communities and inhome care? Caring.com’s Family Advisors are here to help take the guesswork out of senior care for you

and your family. Call for your FREE, no-obligation consultation:1-844-556-4158

DISH NETWORK $59.99 for 190 Channels! Blazing Fast Internet, $19.99/mo. (where available.) Switch & Get a FREE $100. Visa Gift Card. FREE Voice Remote. FREE HD DVR. FREE Streaming on ALL Devices. Call today! 1-833-800-0411

DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some Restrictions Apply. Promo Expires 01/31/2024. 1-877-494-7039

ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-723-0883

B.C.

SUPER CROSSWORD

PUZZLE CLUE: UNTHEMED

by Parker & Hart

MAGIC MAZE SUDOKU

THEME THIS WEEK: TYPES OF KNOTS

CAPTION CONTEST

OUR PICK FOR BEST CAPTION

Despite all her bad habits she was still incredibly level headed.

-Roland LaBrecque. Barnstead, NH.

Runners Up : Maria’s demise? Cigarettes, alcohol or Henry’s lousy aim - Bob Watson, Bristol, NH.

Bella wanted to “OneUp” Carmen Miranda with her “Tree Hat”. - Alan Doyon, Meredith, NH.

Can you believe it!!! I got canned for smoking a cigarette? -John Brennick, Rochester, NH.

Send your best brief caption to us with your name and location within 2 weeks of publication date... Caption Contest, The Weirs Times, P.O. Box 5458, Weirs, NH 03247 email to contest@weirs.com

CAPTION THIS PHOTO!!

PHOTO #978

PHOTO #976

The Winklman Aeffect by John Whitlock