Planning Board to Hold Hearing on Agriculture —
Which options for our local farmers: Meet Sept. 18 at 7 pm
By Bruce Simpson
This fall, the Planning Board is going to take a look at agriculture in Dublin, and what changes (if any) should be made to our Ordinance with respect to farming operations.
There has been a renewed interest in locally grown food. There are a number of reasons behind this, including concern over genetically modified food, use of antibiotics in meat animals, widespread use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in food grown by agribusiness, the questionable sustainability of our current food supply chain, and spiritual considerations.
Farming also preserves open land, has positive economic effects for local communities, and is part of our region’s rural character and cultural heritage. But farming in NH has always been challenging economically due to our short summers, hilly terrain, and rocky soil.
New Hampshire state law has long supported agriculture by requiring towns to allow agricultural uses (as broadly defined) and by requiring towns to apply lower ‘current use’ property tax levels to farm land. One statutory provision (RSA 21:34-a) allows farm stands as a matter of right, so long as 35% of the sales revenue comes from products produced on the farm. Another provision (RSA 432:33) shields farms from nuisance lawsuits by neighbors who object to the sounds and smells associated with farming.
Lately some local communities have gone further in attempting to help local farms survive by expanding the definition of ‘agricultural uses’ so as to provide local farmers with more options for producing and marketing their products. One example is an amendment recently passed in Peterborough that authorizes the Planning Board to allow such activities as farm-to-table cafes and reception areas with seating, farm dinners, hayrides, foliage tours, wedding receptions, open houses, seasonal festivities, and bed & breakfast, farm-stay or other nightly, weekly, seasonal, or other short-term lodging, even where such activities might not otherwise be allowed by the local zoning ordinance. Other towns have exempted farms from sign regulations, minimized site plan review for agricultural uses, created exceptions for housing units for farm workers, and required wider buffers between new residential developments and existing farms.
But there are also arguments against these types of measures. Neighbors of a farm in Wilton have objected to the traffic and noises brought by the farm’s cafe and outdoor concerts, and blame the farm’s water use for reduced water pressure and dry wells at nearby properties. Others feel the smells degrade their quality of life in what are now mostly residential neighborhoods. Still others feel that special consideration for farmers is unfair to other small business owners who must run their businesses and market their products in accordance with the zoning regulations, and get no special treatment. For instance, a person who makes furniture or bakes pies might also need help staying in business; should he or she also be able to sell their goods from a stand by the roadside or turn their place of business into a cafe or B&B?
We would like to discuss these issues with the people of Dublin, farmers and non-farmers alike. We have scheduled a public meeting for September 18 at 7 pm. It will be held downstairs in the Town Hall.
Hope to see you there.
Bruce Simpson is Chair of the Planning Board.
Due to late night traffic,
the parking lot of the Dublin General Store and Post Office
will be gated at the closing of store business each night.
About Voting Sept. 9 at the Town Hall
Be sure to bring your photo ID when you come to vote on September 9th on Top Floor of the Town Hall between 8 am and 7 pm. The State Primary Election is for the nomination of Governor, United States Senator, Representative in Congress, Executive Councilor, State Senator, County Officer, State Representative, Delegate to the Republican State Convention (Election).
Dublin Public Library
Your library has many things to offer: fiction and non-fiction books, 40 magazines, hundreds of paperbacks, hundreds of audio CDs, hundreds of DVDs, six public-use computers plus WiFi, and a wonderful selection of children’s books. If there is anything missing from this list that you think the library should provide, do drop in to share that information. Stop in on a Saturday morning when we have coffee, juice and treats available for you to enjoy.
Attention, all you Jan Karon fans! Time to visit Mitford again. Father Tim Kavanagh has been asked to return to his former church. If you have never read this series, now is the time to discover the wonderful characters, dogs and family situations. You will find yourself thinking of the people in the books as family.
New movies are coming out based on the following books: The Hundred Foot Journey by R. Morais and The Giver by L. Lowry; and on the TV screen, “Outlander” by D. Gabaldon.
These books are all at the library waiting to be read.
The summer reading program ended with books being read aloud, a display of children’s photography, ice cream sundaes and a Dewey Decimal Treasure Hunt throughout the library, familiarizing the children with non-fiction books and a “treasure bag of goodies.” We hope to see some of those wonderful faces throughout the year as well.
The theme is the same but the stories and activities are new. Story Time at Dublin Public Library will welcome all children and caregivers with a fall program of dogs and teddy bears, apples, and trees that are changing. Break up the day with a visit to the library where children make their first friends while singing, listening to books, putting together puzzles, working on crafts and sharing a snack at the table. Please join us Wednesday mornings from 9:30 to 10:30 am on September 3, 10, 17 and 24.
DVDs
Rio 2
Divergent
Argo
Alice Upside Down
The Romance Collection
Books
One Dog Night by D. Rosenfelt
Costa Rica by J. Donnelly
The Glass Kitchen by L. F. Lee
The War that Ended Peace by M. MacMillan
I am Pilgrim by T. Hayes
Big Little Lies by L. Moriarty
Travels with Casey by B. Denizet-Lewis
A Year of No Sugar by E. Schaub
Community Dinner at DCC
The Dublin Community Church will hold a Community Dinner on Tuesday, September 23, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm downstairs in the church. The Outreach Committee welcomes people from Dublin and local towns to come for a delicious, homemade dinner, free for all.
This will be a monthly event, with another dinner planned for Tuesday, October 28.
Dublin Women’s Club to Sell Tote Bags
By Jill Lawler
Tote your gear in style and let people know where you are proud to live.
To help raise funds to support our erosion control efforts at the Women’s Club Beach, the Beach Committee is selling Dublin, NH, tote bags complete with an outline of the mountain.
The bags are medium-weight canvas with an outside pocket and come with contrasting handles and bottom in navy blue, dark green, or red. They measure approximately 12” wide, 13” high and 6” deep. Totes cost $22 apiece; for $25 you also get a Dublin Women’s Club Beach water bottle included.
Look for us with a display around town this fall. Meanwhile, contact Jo-Ann Hopkins (jhopkins@nullconval.edu) or Jill Lawler (jilltlawler@nullgmail.com) for information about how to pre-order.
Jill Lawler is the Chair of the Women’s Club Beach Committee.
29th Annual Craft Fair in Dublin
Bring a friend and enjoy the fun.
By Linda Clukay
The 29th annual Dublin Craft Fair will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2014 (rain date – September 14). Artisans from all over New England will gather in a beautiful outdoor setting to present a wide variety of handcrafted items for sale.
Among the items for sale will be jewelry, fabric crafts of all types, hand-carved decoys and ornaments, bird houses, soaps and lotions, jams and jellies, wooden items, photography, wildlife art, alpaca fleece and yarn, stained glass and more.
The ConVal Hockey Boosters will be running a refreshment booth as a fund-raising project.
The annual craft fair will run from 10 am to 3 pm at the Yankee Field on Route 101 in Dublin. Admission is free, and there is plenty of parking adjacent to the sales area. Entry into the parking area is from Monument Road.
Linda Clukay has been organizing this fair since its inception in 1985.
About that Knotweed
By Miriam Carter
Here is a reminder for those residents whose Knotweed infestations were sprayed last year and for the new properties that we discovered and committed to spray this year.
Please remember that it is essential that the Knotweed be cut down in early summer in order to take advantage of the full benefit of the fall spraying. If you have not cut it down and safely removed it to the burn pile at the dump (see the attendant first), please do so immediately. The spraying will occur sometime before the first frost. Landowners will be notified as we get closer to that time.
Many thanks to the residents who have identified patches of Knotweed in town that we were not aware of – especially Phil Moran!
Those properties that were identified after the spray application was filed with the state this Spring will not be eligible for this year’s spraying, but they will have our full attention next year.
If you would like to know more about the Dublin Conservation Committee, you are welcome to come to our meetings, which are held on the third Wednesday of every month at 7 pm in the Town Hall.
We are currently seeking alternates for our committee and welcome anyone who is interested to contact Miriam Carter 603-563-8046.
Miriam Carter is the Chair of the Dublin Conservation Committee and handles its publicity.
Fall Plans at the Dublin Consolidated Preschool
By Cathy Carabello
We enjoyed some wonderful days of summer camp time and are gearing up for lots of fun this fall. The cooler days are helping us to think fall as we plan our September activities. Apples and pumpkins are calling, and we look forward to harvest time in the school gardens. We are excited to supplement our school snacks with fresh picked carrots, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes. Soon, we hope to have an aquarium full of Monarch caterpillars and milkweed and look forward to the magic of the transformation and the release of some beautiful butterflies.
Our fall session begins August 25th and some openings are still available for before-school, preschool and after-school care. For further information, please contact us at 563-8508 or e-mail us at cathy@nulldublinpreschool.org.
Also, come check out some great bargains on clothing, toys, puzzles, books and much more at our fall yard sale to be held in the Dublin Village Park parking lot on Saturday, September 6th, from 9 am to 1 pm.
Cathy Carabello is director/lead teacher at DCP. She started in 1995 and became Director in 2000.
News from the Dublin Consolidated School
By May Clark
Two – four – five – That’s the number of school days per week for the first three weeks of school. It’s a good way to ease in to the joy/shock/overload of back-to-school! We are already cooking along at DCS, with lots of great activities going on. One important one happened on August 17, before school started, something that has been waiting to happen for five or six years. A few of our families got together to build the base for our bread oven! Kin Schilling is the mastermind of this project, and we are thrilled that the first half is now done.
For two years, the fourth and fifth grade classes at DCS have had a “Rock Party” at the home of Jen and Kim Bergeron, to collect rocks for the project. They’ve been sitting on the grass out near the parking lot, waiting for inspiration (and pea gravel) to strike. Bec Stapleton helped organize the effort, and you can see the result here in the photo.
It took us about an hour of piecing together the rocks like a big puzzle. The next step is to lay a big piece of granite on top of the base we built, and then the potter will come to school to work with the students to build the oven part on top. I am really hopeful that my long-time dream of cooking pizza or bread outdoors at the Dublin Winterfest might actually happen!
You are welcome to come and see this project, along with our garden, which is producing lots of potatoes, or visit the classrooms inside the building any time. Just call or email first – we’re always glad to have visitors!
May Clark is Teaching Principal at DCS. She can be reached at 563-8332 or mclark@nullconval.edu.
A Collaborative Effort
By Fiona Tibbetts
Hello fellow Dubliners! A newly formed and motivated District Study Committee met this summer to renew our mission to explore solutions to the problem of increasing costs and decreasing enrollment in our district. The committee is comprised of four members from the Selectman’s Advisory Committee and four School Board members, including myself. Together as a balanced group of town and school representatives we plan to carefully review the cost structure of the district and look for ways to bend the cost curve.
Our first task is to review the Articles of Agreement that have governed the district for the past decades. If we find that changes are needed, we will solicit voter approval for them on the March ballot. We are also discussing ways to run the district and the towns more efficiently. Some ideas discussed at our summer meeting included outsourcing payroll and adjusting the valuation assessment cycle across the district towns to smooth out tax impacts. These ideas will be discussed further at the next Selectman’s Advisory Committee meeting. We will continue as a group to brainstorm ways to reduce costs and the subsequent tax burden.
An editorial in the Ledger last January stated “…we continue to hope the Select and School Board members show a willingness to at least explore a solution that could lower tax bills and offer more opportunities for many students.” I want to reassure you that this newly formed District Study Committee will do what we can to find that solution! Please feel free to call or email me with your suggestions and feedback.
Fiona Tibbetts is Dublin’s representative to the ConVal School Board.
Art Tour 19: October 11 & 12
By Mary Loftis
Autumn is a colorful time in the Monadnock Region: the trees are resplendent and many artists open their studios for the annual Monadnock Art / Friends of the Dublin Art Colony Art Tour. This year’s 19th annual event on Columbus Day weekend, October 11 and 12, features 56 artists in 49 studios located in Dublin and its surrounding towns. As always, brochures will be available at local venues during the month of September, and this year there is a new navigational option: an interactive map, which tourists can access with their smart phones! Visit the organization’s website, www.MonadnockArt.org for details as well as images of participating artists’ work.
A Preview Exhibition will be held at the Jaffrey Civic Center from October 6 through October 12 with an opening reception on Monday, October 6, from 5 to 7 pm. Here visitors can socialize with artists and view samples of their work, which can help determine studio-visiting routes on Saturday and Sunday.
Four Dublin artists are participating in this year’s Tour:
Sheila King on High Ridge Road is a painter whose abstract compositions are often inspired by nature.
Maryann Mullett on Dooe Road is a prizewinning pastel artist whose subjects are the flora and fauna in her home and backyard. She will be sharing her studio with Marlborough painter, Alicia Drakiotes.
Susan Barker on Old Marlborough Road creates stunning jewelry with beads and sterling silver.
Jane Simpson lives in Dublin and will be showing her work at her frame studio on Main Street in Peterborough. Her delicate mixed media pieces often feature natural materials.
Whether you’re an Art Tour veteran or have never participated in this autumn tradition, mark your calendar – and begin your weekend by visiting your talented Dublin neighbors!
Mary Loftis just retired from the board of Monadnock Art / Friends of the Dublin Art Colony and is on the staff of the Advocate.
Rusty’s Ramblers Play ‘Hot’ Jazz on Labor Day Weekend
By Rusty Bastedo
Hancock Farmers Market operates from 9 am to 12 noon all summer long, with different bands playing music every summer Saturday, from 10 am to 12 noon. Labor Day Weekend comes early this year – Saturday, August 30 – and the Hancock Farmers Market expects “bumper” crops of locally grown fruits, vegetables, chutneys and other goodies to be available at the horse stalls behind the church on Hancock’s Main Street.
Rusty’s Ramblers will be playing and singing “le jazz hot,” favorites of the 1920s and 1930s, for this year’s Labor Day Farmers Market. The 2014 edition of the Ramblers are Bob Pettegrew (Hancock), piano; Carl Jacobs (Keene), string bass; Dan Parish (Peterborough), rhythm guitar; and Rusty Bastedo (Dublin), trumpet and vocals.
If you feel a need to pack your car with fresh fruits and vegetables, and if you have an urge to hear once again the lyrics and music of Tin Pan Alley in its heyday, plan to visit Hancock and the Farmers Market. Park on Main Street and take part in a New England summer tradition; you’ll be glad you did.
Russell Bastedo was formerly New Hampshire State Curator from 1997 to 2009. He has served on the staff of the Advocate since 1999.
Garden Club of Dublin Hosts Flower Show at Dublin School
By Nancy Rierson
“From Garden to Palette” is the theme of a special flower show to be held at Dublin School on September 16 and 17, 2014. It is free and open to the public. Viewing hours are from 2 to 4 pm on the 16th; and from 10 am to 3 pm on the 17th.
Elegant theme-related floral designs will be on display as well as perfect horticulture specimens. Photography is a strong exhibition section with entries in black and white and color. A conservation exhibit on the environment will educate and interest viewers. Gillespie Hall will be the venue for floral design while the Fountain Art Center will house horticulture, photography and conservation.
Sponsored by the Garden Club of Dublin, exhibitors are from the 19 Zone I New England Garden Club of America members. About 80 representatives from Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island will attend business meetings, lectures, hold training sessions and visit area gardens.
The Garden Club of America stimulates the knowledge and love of gardening, protects and improves the environment through programs and action in the field of conservation, civic improvement and education.
Nancy Rierson is Chairman of Communications for the Garden Club of Dublin.
Dublin Community Center Bursting with Ideas
Harry Lowenthal doing his best Jethro Tull on flute; Ray Wesoly (of Dublin Recycling Center fame) rocking out on guitar to Blowin’ in the Wind; Bruce Simpson carrying it on keyboard – this is Open Mic on occasional Sunday nights. A buzz of young people making art on large pieces of paper under the direction of Sally Shonk and Mary Ellen Moore on Wednesday afternoons. Downward dog at noon yoga classes. Mary Alice Fox and Moira Burnham duking it out on the Scrabble board. Even just watching the traffic go round the Oval. There is a little something for everyone at the Dublin Community Center – and a whole lot more in the planning pipeline.
Open just three months, we have many weekly offerings. Open hours on Monday and Wednesday, from 9 am – 5 pm, provide an opportunity for community residents to gather, chat, play cards or games. Other Monday offerings are Yoga at noon and Zumba at 5:30. Both welcome drop-in participants. Learn more about painting and drawing on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:00 – it’s a drop-in affair for people of all ages.
Open Mic nights sprout up, true to form, so look for the sign out front publicizing the next one. The acoustics in the Center are a treat to the senses, so please stop in or bring your instrument.
Each month we feature a local artist whose work is for pure enjoyment or sale. The paintings of Sue Callihan, Georgia Fletcher and David Dodge have enlivened the walls thus far. Upcoming are Mary Iselin, Jane Simpson, and other familiar and popular local artists. Our art openings are very fun!
Have too many zucchinis or need a zucchini? Outside the front door is an “Oh-My-Heavens-I-Have-Too-Many-Veggies” free vegetable stand. Bring your extras and or take what you need for dinner. Cash donations are always welcomed.
Upcoming events being planned are Sports Afternoon/Night gatherings, Game Nights, Movie Nights, and a wintertime series with local, notable speakers. We are available for town-sponsored holiday gatherings and look forward to providing a warm refuge from the Dublin winter cold.
Your ideas for community events are sought and our space is also available to rent for private use. Call Nancy Cayford at 563-8021 and/or visit us on Facebook.
The Dub Hub (community center)
September Schedule: Open Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 am-6 pm; see below.
Mondays:
9-10:30, coffee and Scrabble
12-1:00, Lunch Hour Yoga: New 6 wk. session starts Sept. 8, taught by Meenakshi Moses, 563-8094.
5:30-6:30 pm, Zumba: New 6 wk. session starts Sept. 8, taught by Deb Giaimo, 563-8648.
Wednesdays:
9-10:30, coffee and Scrabble
3:30-5:30 Art classes – free: walk-ins welcome, organized by Sally Shonk, 562-4075
Every day:
Ongoing Art Exhibits by area artists: Dave Dodge’s paintings through Sept. 9, then Dave Nelson’s.
Watch for special events posted on our sign, or doors. Call 563-8021 for rental information.
September at the Players
By Fred Leventhal
The Peterborough Players ends its 2014 season with two productions in September. A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, a musical tribute to one of the most acclaimed female vocalists of her generation, will be performed September 3-14.
Bridget Beirne, singer and actress (also starring in The Voysey Inheritance), appears as Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson Hensley), a country music pioneer whose records have sold in the millions since her tragic early death in a plane crash in 1963 at the age of 30. Players favorite Kraig Swartz is also featured, as are a back-up group of Second Company actor-singers.
Talene Monahon’s one-woman show, All in Good Fun, will close the season with five performances September 17-21.
Developed and performed by Monahon, a 2013 graduate of Dartmouth, this interview-based theater piece explores the idea of “having fun” in relation to such issues as sexual assault, fraternities, and the hook-up culture and how they influence the college experience.
Fred Leventhal, a Dublin resident, serves on the Board of Trustees of the Peterborough Players.
Monadnock Rotary Club Speaker
Kelly Bringham-Stener will present at the meeting on September 30th at the Dublin Community Church, is with the Monadnock United Way. Her topic will be entitled “Collective Impact with a focus early childhood development in the Monadnock Region.”
Dublin Recycling Committee
The Recycling Committee is looking for one or two persons to join the Committee to aid in identifying “environmentally responsible solutions to Dublin’s current and future recycling and solid waste needs.”
If you are interested in being appointed, please contact the Selectmen’s office.
Volunteers are needed to assist Tom Kennedy to monitor the Swap Shed at the Recycling Center during open business hours.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact a Recycling Committee Member: Seth Farmer, 563-8363; Tom Kennedy, 563-8557 (Transfer Station); Karen Koskela, 563-7707; A.G. (Jeff) Pinney, 563-8346.
The Ninth Annual Wellness Festival
This event will be presented by the Monadnock Rotary Club on Saturday September 20, 2014, at the Peterborough Community Center on Elm Street (a change from its previous downtown location) in Peterborough, NH, from 10 am to 2 pm. It will include the Healthfest, Fitness Fest, Soupfest, and music.
Remembering Story
By Betsey Harris
Story Wright was such an important member of the Dublin community that almost all of us have our own memories of her, either personally or because of her many contributions to the town. She was such a generous person – generous with her plants, her ideas, her time, and her affection.
Story gave years of her life to public service. She was a member of many nonprofit boards locally and at the State level, and chairman of many. One friend said, “Any board she took over ran better because of her.” She really cared about the conservation of our natural resources and the protection of the beauty of the Monadnock Region. She was a board member of the Monadnock Conservancy, the Dublin Open Space Committee, and the Dublin Riding and Walking Club where she headed the committee providing scholarships for Dublin children to Camp Takodah.
Her ideas for the beautification and the preservation of Dublin can be seen all around the town. She worked hard to protect Dublin Lake from run-off and pollution, and decorated the town with flower boxes. Her ideas, determination and hard physical work were essential to the preservation of Beech Hill as a public recreational area for the town.
Saturday, September 13th
11 am Service at the Dublin Community Church
followed by a luncheon at the home of Tom and Story Wright
369 Lake Rd.
All who wish to remember and celebrate the life of Story are welcome.
Story was really strong, in her opinions as well as physically. She could throw a hay bale to her horse, or outlast a professional helper in her lovely garden. She knew want she wanted and she knew what was right. A friend described her as “a flower person but not flowery.”
All of us who knew Story are the better for the time we spent with her and wish it could have been much longer.
Betsey Harris is a former resident of Dublin, who now lives just over the town line in Peterborough.
River Center Programs
Evening with the Experts: Health Insurance Information Night. Tuesday, Nov 12th, 2014, 5:30- 7pm: Marketplace, Medicare, Medicaid, and your questions addressed.
Farm to Table: Ongoing Thursdays, 9:30 am -11:30 am. Families come together to explore local farms and create healthy meals/snacks with fresh produce. Produce is often available for participants to cook with it at home. $5 donation per family.
Safe Sitter: Saturday, October 4th, 9 am – 4 pm. Babysitting course for students ages 11-13. Students learn basic first aid, how to care for children (feeding, diapering, etc.), behavior management, and more. Advanced registration required; $65 fee.
For more information or to register: 924-6800 or email info@nullrivercenter.us.
The River Center is located at 46 Concord St. in Peterborough, and provides resources and opportunities for people of all ages and abilities through parenting support, economic opportunity programs, and community connections. Funding is provided in part by the Monadnock United Way, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, and through the donations of local businesses and individuals.
Dublin Day: Great Fun
By Jen Bergeron
Dublin Day 2014 was held on July 19th and it was another beautiful, fun day! Those in attendance enjoyed live music, wonderful food, pony rides, a rock climbing wall, petting and feeding farm animals, face painting, games, raffles, cupcakes, Confetti the Clown and his balloon creations, a dunk tank and bouncy house, caricatures, and a even a puppet show! In addition there were 20 arts and crafts booths displaying and selling various items. The day truly had something for everyone. (See photos below.)
Dublin Day is sponsored by the Dublin Recreation Committee. Made up of volunteers, the Recreation Committee attempts to make our annual town celebration enjoyable and affordable for all (the event is free with food and arts and crafts available for purchase). It takes many people to make it happen. We would like to offer our sincere thanks to the following individuals and groups who helped make Dublin Day a success this year: Linda Abram for her amazing face-painting talents; Eliot Pelletier and the Dublin Summer Playground for providing the kid’s games; Brian Barden for once again making his famous and delicious homemade ice cream and Jeannine Dunne for scooping it.
Thanks to the Friendly Farm and their friendly animals and volunteers; the Dublin Community Church; Dublin Consolidated School PTO; Dublin Community Preschool; Dublin Fire Department; Dublin Police Department, especially Officer Dan Cheshire for volunteering in our dunk tank; and a big thank you to Yankee Publishing for allowing us the use of Yankee Field.
Congratulations to Caroline Yates who was crowned Miss Dublin! We look forward to seeing her at future town events throughout the year.
Congratulations also to the Dublin Community Preschool and the Friendly Farm who both celebrated their 50th anniversary with us this year. Thank you for all you do for our community and our families. Here’s to the next 50 years!
The Dublin Recreation Committee is looking for new members and new ideas. It’s a great way to get involved in your town and have some fun too! Contact a member for more information.
Jen Bergeron handles PR for the Recreation Committee. Other members are Vira Elder, Chair; Dan Albert, Mike Caron, Ken McAleer, Becky Stapleton, and Winnie Sundstrom.
Ice Cream Social
The Friends of the Dublin Public Library held its 2nd Annual Ice Cream Social with live music on July 23 behind the Library. The old-fashioned summer evening of toe-tapping music and free Kimball’s greater-than-great ice cream was enjoyed by young and old alike!
Conversation Café: Preparing for a Good End of Life
How we want to spend the end of our life represents the most important conversation many people never have. Thinking about something expected or unexpected happening to us or someone we care about is frightening, but planning ahead is practical and leaves more room for peace of mind. The Conversation Café is where these discussions can take place.
The first Conversation Café in Peterborough will take place on Wednesday, September 10, from 5 pm to 6 pm at Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services, 45 Main Street, Suite 316, in Peterborough. The Conversation Café: Preparing for a Good End of Life will continue to be offered on the second Wednesday of every month in Peterborough. Refreshments will be available. There is no charge to attend, but reservations are necessary and can be made by calling 532-8353. Residents of any area community are welcome to attend.
Jennifer McCalley, MSW, a palliative care social worker with Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services (HCS), will facilitate the exploration of this very human conversation as people consider what they want, both in life and during its closure. The Conversation Café puts families at the center of the conversation about what is a good end of life and will be an opportunity for family members to gather information and begin the conversation.
For more information, contact Susan Ashworth, HCS, at 352-2253.
The American Kestrel
By Tom Warren
For the past two summers, North America’s smallest and most common falcon, the Kestrel, has taken up residence on the northwest side of Dublin Lake. There are 13 Kestrel species in the world, but only one in the western Hemisphere.
It is believed to be among the most recently evolved species as shown by fossils from Mexico 27,000 years ago, but none before that time.
Not much larger than a robin, the male Kestrel has blue-gray wings and a Rufus tail. The female is about 10% heavier than the male.
The kestrel prefers open areas surrounded by forests where it captures prey by perching on tree limbs and power lines and by hovering in the air always facing into the wind. The Kestrel flaps and glides and adjusts its tail to each eddy of the wind while capturing small birds, mammals and insects on the wing and other arthropods on the ground.
It nests around June in hollow trees using woodpecker holes, nest boxes, or occasionally in old barns and outbuildings. The male Kestrel brings the female to sites he has selected, but the female makes her own decision. She avoids west-facing cavities, most prone to summer storms and sun during the hottest part of the day. The normal clutch is composed of four to five eggs, which hatch in about 30 days. Young birds leave the nest about 30 days later and continue to be fed by the parents for two more weeks.
American Kestrels make a short autumn migration to areas with less snow and greater numbers of prey. Juveniles move farther south than adults. Thousands of Kestrels can be found in Florida during the winter. Adults often return to previous breeding sites so our Dublin Kestrels will likely return next April.
Tom Warren is a Trustee of the Harris Center for Conservation Education and New Hampshire Audubon.
Betty Glass’ Art at JCC
The Jaffrey Civic Center will be exhibiting the work of Betty Glass through Thursday, September 18. Betty will be exhibiting her water-soluble oil paintings in 6” by 6” and 8” by 8” sizes in the first floor display cases. Her subject matter ranges from still life to land- and waterscapes.
Betty, formerly of Dublin, moved to NH from Virginia in 1998, after a 20-year career as an art educator and artist. She taught all ages, and now teaches adult classes in water-soluble oils at the Jaffrey Civic Center. All levels of experience are welcome. Betty is a juried member of the NH Art Association, Sharon Arts Center, and the East Colony Fine Art Gallery in Manchester, NH.
The Jaffrey Civic Center is located at 40 Main Street, Jaffrey, next to the Library.
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