February 2015

WinterFest Happens February 7
Join your Dublin neighbors for a frosty day of fun!

The Dublin Recreation Committee invites all to the annual Winterfest celebration on Saturday, February 7, from 11 am to 2 pm at the Dublin Consolidated School.

We’ll have a bonfire and music along with hot chocolate, coffee, hot dogs and chili, all free of charge! New this year: Try a hot slice of pizza baked in the DCS bread oven.

DCS students and staff have worked with Kin Schilling from Cornucopia over the last few years to build an amazing outside bread oven made of rocks and clay. It’s finally ready. Come see it in action and taste some pizza!

Don’t forget to go for a snowmobile tow ride. Sit back and relax as you wind through the woods on a groomed trail courtesy of Monadnock Trail Breakers Snowmobile Club. It’s fun for all ages.

And of course we’ll have the famous Box Sled Races.

Qualifying heats for the Box Sled Race will start promptly at 1 pm. Please arrive by 12:30 to register your box sled. Rules for the Box Sled Race are as follows:

1. The sliding surface of all sleds must be made of cardboard and duct tape only.
2. Sleds cannot be built on skis, manufactured sleds, snow tubes, cafeteria trays, etc.
3. Plastic, metal, and wood items may be used for ornamental purposes only.

Start building your box sled for the big race or come to cheer on the racers. Either way, think snow! (Traditional sledding before and after the races is allowed so do bring your sleds even if you aren’t racing.) Hope to see you there.

For information, please contact Jen Bergeron at 563-8308 or at jberge@nullmyfairpoint.net.

 

News from Monadnock Trail Breakers
By Brie Morrissey

Members of the Monadnock Trail Breakers Snowmobile Club eagerly await Dublin’s annual Winterfest when they will continue their favorite tradition of giving snowmobile tow rides to Dublin’s children and families.

The Monadnock Trail Breakers’ members and volunteers have been working tirelessly over the last several months to clear our trail system of branches and debris from the recent storms. We have cut several new trails to expand our trail system while maintaining our current one for walking, hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. All trail maintenance and grooming is done entirely by volunteers, and the club is always looking for more involvement.

While Monadnock Trail Breakers is a registered 501(C)3 nonprofit organization, the majority of our funding has come in the past from the State of NH Trails Bureau via Grants and Grooming funds. However, in order to build further upon this system and keep it as a great resource for all outdoor recreationalists, we have created our annual fundraising event, the Trail Breaker Challenge.

The 2nd annual “Trail Breaker Challenge” will take place at the Engine Meet Field off Route 101 in Dublin, NH, on February 28th, and will offer professional snowmobile stunt shows by freestyle riders and other snowmobile events in addition to a vintage snowmobile show. Concessions will be available throughout the day. The Monadnock Trail Breakers has partnered with a snowmobile racing series, Rock the Hills VT, to create this day of family-friendly snowmobile fun. Registration begins at 8 am; festivities at 10 am. For details, please visit www.monadnocktrailbreakers.com.

Brie Morrissey is owner of BLM Photography.

 

Dublin Public Library

We hope the Ground Hog gets to go back to sleep on February 2 – if so, Spring will soon be here! Is it too early to dream about colors… green grass, yellow daffodils, and purple crocuses, to brighten our brown and white world? Books on flowers and vegetable gardens will keep Spring in your heart. Make use of the next few months to get your reading in before it is time to start working in the yard.

Story Time at the Dublin Public Library is held on Wednesday mornings from 9:30 to 10:30. On February 4 we will sip a little hot chocolate after reading Winter Walk by Virginia Brimhall Snow. We will learn about winter trees, animals, and birds as well as how to make a birdfeeder.

On February 11, decorate a Valentine and share it with someone you love. On February 16 and 25 join us as we read stories about skating and sledding and play a counting game of “how many animals can fit in the sled?” A different craft is offered each week.

Remember, we have lots of winter DVDs as well as books, and the children will enjoy “Let’s Go Sledding!”

Books
Dying Well by I. Byock
Rosie Project by G. Simsion
The 13th Gift by J. H. Smith
Die Again by T. Gerritsen
Winter Street by E. Hilderbrand
Hope to Die by J. Patterson

DVDs
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Shall We Dance?
Emma
Pal Joey
Dream Girls

FDPL Book Sale: March 19 & 21

Friends of the Dublin Public Library have changed the date of their annual book sale, after being snowed out two years in a row. The new dates will be the weekend after Town Meeting, on Thursday the 19th of March for members’ preview, and on Saturday the 21st for all.

 

Historical Tidbit: Gold Mine Road
By Felicity Pool

There really was a gold mine – even a Gold Rush – in Dublin. Or was there? In 1867, two Boston men, Moses and Levi Fairbanks (formerly Dublin residents) bought 50 acres in the eastern part of town. They sank shafts in terrain geologically likely to contain ore. As reported in June of that year in area newspapers, gold was discovered with a supposed value of $240 to the ton (in today’s dollars). No reporter or any local citizen seems to have seen any of the product. For the next eight years, until 1875, nothing was apparently done at the site. However, as reports of gold discoveries out west made headlines, The Diamond Ledge Gold Mine Company was organized (apparently never incorporated in Concord). Stock was sold. As reported by Henry M. Allison in a 1978 issue of Historical New Hampshire, “[the] real estate was rated at $15,000; $28,000 was invested in the construction of the mill and for machinery; $6,000 went for the boarding house and $7,000 for operating expenses.” Each dollar in the 1870s would be $21.60 in today’s dollars, so the sums invested were large! The mill building was 60’ x 40’ with a 60-horsepower engine and 70-horsepower boiler and there was a crushing machine, hoppers and amalgamating barrels. The original shaft was deepened and, at a depth of 80’, when nothing worthwhile was found, the mine was shut down. No treasure for stockholders. No treasure at all for anyone local, aside from mine construction and road-building jobs.

Felicity Pool is a member of the Dublin Historical Society.

Save the Dates
Vote Tuesday, March 10, 8 am to 7 pm at Town Hall
Town Meeting, Saturday, March 14, 9 am at DCS

 

Black Bear Expert to Speak at DHS Potluck Supper

The Dublin Historical Society will welcome noted black bear expert, Ben Kilham, as its featured speaker for it annual potluck supper. The dinner and presentation will be held Saturday, February 21, at 6 p.m. at the Dublin Community Church. The public is welcome.

Over the last 20 years, Kilham, a native of Lyme, NH, has gained notoriety for his insightful and unconventional study of black bear behavior. Each winter, Kilham, the state’s only licensed bear rehabilitator, raises three to five orphaned cubs in an eight-acre enclosed forest behind his house. Forging a relationship with the bears that often continues long after he’s released them back into the wild, Kilham has revealed the intricate and intimate social dynamics of black bear life.

Kilham has been the subject of three National Geographic documentaries and is the author of two books. His presentations, which include a series of photos from his work in the field, are lively and entertaining.

For those wishing to attend the potluck but are uncomfortable driving after dark, please contact the Dublin Historical Society at 563-8545 before February 18 for transportation assistance.

 

Dinner at the Community Church

A Community/Family Dinner will be held at the Dublin Community Church on Tuesday, February 24, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm.

Come and enjoy a delicious dinner at the church in the center of Dublin. All Dublin residents and neighboring town residents are invited. It is free and handicapped accessible.

We welcome all and serve food that children will love.

In case of inclement weather, dinners follow the ConVal School District closings.

 

 

The Benefits of Butterscotch
By Cathy Carabello

Two months ago, after much hesitation, I made the leap to adopt a classroom pet. Over the course of my years at Dublin Community Preschool, we have had many pets – fish of all varieties, hermit crabs, hamsters, rats, a rabbit and a number of guinea pigs that we fostered from the Monadnock Humane Society. The purpose of the MHS fostering program was to find permanent homes for the pets, which we mostly did with great success. It was a win-win relationship. And then, after a number of years, we took a break from pets – but it felt as if something was missing.

It was time to try again. So, after a visit to the Animal Rescue League of NH, I brought a two-year-old female guinea pig home to DCP.

Butterscotch was received with great joy and much curiosity. What has followed has been heartwarming.

We set up her cage in the quiet reading area of our classroom. Within a day, we witnessed both before-school children and preschoolers trying to read to her. We now offer lap time every morning where children can quietly cuddle with her or choose to read her a story.

We often witness children leaving the busier areas of the classroom to share their worries and concerns through the bars of her cage, and though there may only be the twitch of a furry nose or the tiniest squeak in response, the children feel better for having shared an emotional burden with a non-judgmental friend.

She has evoked so much curiosity. The children are always observing her actions, noticing what she likes to eat or which are her favorite spots to be scratched or patted. They wonder what she is thinking. Many have included her in their artwork. They are completely in tune with her and often show as much concern for her as any of their peers. She is included in our morning circle song and recognized right along with the rest of her human friends. At snack time, the children ask to save leftover veggies for her instead of throwing them away. She goes home with children on weekends and holidays, creating a deeper home-school connection for many.

When we contemplated the pros and cons of having a classroom pet again, we never expected that with Butterscotch we would be getting a literacy advocate, a therapist and a new friend.

Cathy Carabello is director/lead teacher at Dublin Community Preschool. She started in 1995 and became Director in 2000.

 

 

News from Dublin Consolidated School
By May Clark

Our school vacation week is the last one in February this year, but we have a lot to pack into the first three weeks! First, our ski program is in full swing. We missed the first week due to extreme cold, so skiing Thursdays will continue through February. Half our school population goes up to Crotched Mountain on Thursday afternoons, and those who don’t ski or snowboard get some extra outdoor time at school, with snowshoeing (if we have any snow).

We will also take an all-school field trip this month to the Eric Carle Museum in Massachusetts. We are looking forward to seeing all that this museum has to offer us. In January, our students had a week-long residency with our art teacher, Andy Shultz, along with some help from ConVal Arts Enrichment, studying Eric Carle’s work, and creating some exquisite collages in his style.

We have by now finished the second quarter of the school year, and have used the new elementary schools report card for the second time. We collected feedback from parents and teachers after quarter 1, and it was extremely positive. We’re working on a few improvements, but we think the system will be a keeper!

We love having visitors at DCS! You are welcome any time – just call or email first. We’re also starting to plan for next year so if you know anyone who has a child who will be five years old by August 25, send them our way!

May Clark is Teaching Principal at Dublin Consolidated School. She can be reached at 563-8332 or email mclark@nullconval.edu.

 

“We are very grateful to the folks at the Dublin Community Church
for supporting our mission. 2014 food donations from the church
were 1,142 lbs. We had 3,586 requests (families), and
distributed over 74,000 lbs. of food! We served 11,202 people:
3,987 children, 503 seniors, and 263 veterans.
Thank you for your support.”
– Meredith White,
Monadnock Area Food Pantry

 

The Monadnock Area Food Pantry
A variety of foodstuffs are welcome.
By Margaret Flick

Approximately six years ago my husband, Arthur, became a member of the Outreach committee at Dublin Community Church. He became responsible for delivering food donations to the Monadnock Area Food Bank located at All Saints’ Church (51 Concord St., Peterborough). I decided to work with him and weekly we gather food delivered to DCC, review the contents of each bag, check expiration dates and label each bag. This helps Meredith White and other volunteers at the food bank as each bag of food is weighed before stocking the shelves. This past year, DCC delivered 1,142 pounds of food to the Monadnock Area Food Pantry.

 

At my recent visit to the food bank, I learned that the food supplies are low and donations would be greatly appreciated. Some suggested food items are chili, beef stew, corn beef hash, baked beans, macaroni and cheese and elbow macaroni. These foods are enjoyed by both seniors and children in the several towns served by this food bank. Canned vegetables, soups, fruits and cereals are also needed.

The Monadnock Area Food Bank is open on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday from 10 am – 12 noon to receive donations. There is a side entrance on the left of the building where food can be delivered. An alternate way is to bring your food donations to the food bank entrance, walk down the stairs and deliver it to the volunteers working there.

If you are not driving to Peterborough, you can always drop off food donations at Dublin Community Church on Thursday or Friday between 9 am and 12 noon when the church office is open (west-side entrance). Arthur and I check the baskets a couple of times during the week.

Monetary donations are also welcome; checks can be mailed to Monadnock Area Food Bank, PO Box 656, Peterborough, NH 03458.

Margaret and Arthur Flick moved to Dublin in May 2006.

 

 

 

 

February Events at the Hub

• The Hub’s Winter Forum this month will feature Jordan Macy, who returned from Ghana last summer. He’ll be speaking on January 31 at 7 pm (see sidebar). Light refreshments will be served.

  

• Patriot’s victory anyone? Come gather for a Super Bowl party on February 1 at 6:30 pm. The Hub has a big-screen TV and lots of chairs. Bring your own refreshments.
• The art exhibit at the Hub in February is American Indian art, loaned from a private collection, on view whenever the Hub is open.
• Ongoing Art lessons (free) are at 3:30 pm on Wednesdays with Sally Shonk and Mary Ellen Moore.
• A new Yoga class with April Claggett is offered on Thursdays from 12 to 1 pm. Walk-ins are welcome or call 933-2574. (Zumba will resume in March.)
• On Thursday, February 19, from 1:30 to 2:15, a free demo class, Music Together, is for children ages birth to 5 years. The children must be with a parent or caregiver. Music + movement = Fun. Call Nancy Salwen at 357-4693.
• Come in from the cold and walk with company inside the Hub on Mondays from 12:30 to 1:30 pm and Wednesdays from 9:30 to 10:30 am.
• Our potluck and open mic night returns on Friday, February 13. The dinner begins at 5:30 pm (bring a dish of your liking) and the music starts at 7 pm. Everyone is welcome to participate in any part of the evening.
• Community lunch is offered each month on the third Tuesday. This month it is February 17 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Good food and community spirit are being served, lasagna by Del Rossi’s. It’s free (and contributions are welcome).
• The Community Center (Hub) is open to all on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 am to 6 pm. Stop in to talk, walk, play cards, use our free WiFi, or watch TV.
• Space rental is available as well (call 563-8021).

 

 

 

The School Board Report
By Fiona Tibbetts

Hello Fellow Dubliners! First and foremost, thank you (and you know who you are!) for taking the time to respond to my last Advocate article with some very thoughtful feedback. One issue raised did not surprise me in the least. I received feedback that this School Board is not adequately addressing the perceived need for consolidation in our District. These constituents feel that this Board needs to continue to consider any and all options to consolidate schools as a way to reduce the budget and offer the voters the opportunity to have a say in this process. I agree and will encourage the School Board to continue to explore options and involve the voters.

Another concerned Dubliner suggested we cut the expensive and non-competitive Boys and Girls Hockey programs and use that money to increase funding for the arts and summer/after-school programs. I plan to share this suggestion with my fellow Board members. The fact of the matter is that we simply cannot fully fund everything, so we must be diligent in our efforts to make our funding as fair and effective as possible for each and every student in our District.

Another point raised by a constituent has been a focus of mine since I joined this Board. We have to look at administrative ratios as well as teacher ratios as we reorganize our District to meet the needs of a smaller student population.

There are no easy answers to any of these issues, but I will continue to do my best to address them in my final year as your School Board representative. As always, I welcome your feedback!

Best wishes for a happy, healthy 2015!

Fiona Tibbetts is Dublin’s representative to the ConVal School Board, SAU 1.

 

 

 

Dublin Christian Academy Sports
Winter Bible Conference: Feb. 11-14

When January rolls around, it signals the annual fun and friendly rivalry between the varsity basketball teams of DCA and local alumni. On Saturday, January 10, 2015, the alumni of Dublin Christian Academy took on the current varsity basketball teams at Great Brook Middle School. The ladies’ game started at 1 pm and ended with the lady alumni team taking the win.
While the varsity team put up a great fight, the alumni ladies would not give up their game-long lead. The guys’ game tipped off at 2:30 pm and was a constant back-and-forth battle from the start. During the last seconds of the game, the alumni team had a chance to put up the winning basket, but the clock helped the varsity hold on. With a final score of 51-50, the varsity team came away with the victory this year.

 

 

 

Jazz at DCC

The Dublin Community Church will hold its traditional “Mardi Gras” Jazz and Gospel service Sunday, February 15, at 10 am. The choir anthems and congregational hymns will feature well-known gospel music and spirituals, accompanied by Scott Mullet on the sax and his jazz quartet.

The church is handicapped accessible and babysitting is provided. For more information, call Barbara Summers, 563-7184.

 

 

 

Her Legacy Lives On

Fifteen years ago Dublin’s “Granny D” Doris Haddock walked across the country at age 90 to publicize the need for campaign finance reform.

In January 2015, a group called The New Hampshire Rebellion took to the snowy roads of the state to call upon elected officials to enact laws that would limit the amount of corporate and special-interest money poured into public campaigns.

Intrepid walkers from around the state, some of whom spent the previous night at the Dublin Community Center, assembled in Concord on January 21 to call for change in memory of Doris, who died five years ago at the age of 100. Next month the Advocate will feature a remembrance of Doris, one of our town’s most illustrious and beloved citizens, and her political legacy.

 

 

 

Dublin’s Village Craftsman
By Mary Loftis

Dan Hill, aka The Village Craftsman, designs and manufactures miniature works of art in the workshop adjacent to his home on East Harrisville Road. He and his wife Pat have lived in Dublin for 37 years, and over time Dan’s creations, mostly crafted of wood (cherry, mahogany, maple and Baltic birch plywood), have gotten smaller and smaller. These days his product line focuses on intricately laser-cut nightlights, ornaments and magnets.

Dan’s original subjects are mostly drawn from the flora and fauna of the northeast: wild game, flowers, trees, snowflakes – as well as specific images for the tourist industry of each of the New England states and New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Dan, who recently showed me the design output of a particularly creative week, said that because his business doubled last year, he has reduced the variety of his product line to focus on the most popular items. Nine sales representatives, employed by Rittlinger Associates, sell his work to shops around the northeast. In addition, he sells work locally in Dublin’s Morning Star Maple and Hannah Grimes in Keene as well as producing designs on commission, such as a recent series of ski-themed ornaments and nightlights for the Trapp Family Lodge in Vermont.

Aside from help with sales, Dan says he is the “chief cook and bottle washer” of The Village Craftsman, doing everything from design, assembly, packing and shipping – in addition to his own billing and bookkeeping.

Dan was born and raised in Bellows Falls, VT, graduated from the Naval Air Technical Training Center, and worked in Peterborough as an engineer for Honeywell before the plant closed. Switching to woodworking, he built and remodeled houses before focusing on finish carpentry and working with the Howard Clock Company making museum-quality replicas of antique clocks. A heart attack in 1998 forced him to reassess, and he purchased his first laser cutter. He hasn’t looked back since, and says he has a lot of fun coming up with new ideas every month for what he describes as his “niche” business – clearly a thriving one!

Mary Loftis is on the staff of the Advocate.

 

 

 

Town of Dublin Public Notice
Pursuant to RSA 32, The Municipal Budget Act,
the Dublin Budget Committee will hold a public hearing to
present and discuss the proposed 2015 Budget and Warrant Articles
at Town Hall (lower level) on
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
(snow date: Wednesday, February 11) at 7:30 p.m.
The public is urged to attend.
— Tom Warren,
Chairman, Dublin Budget Committee

 

 

 

Christmas Bird Count 2014
By Tom Warren

The annual Christmas Bird Count began more than 100 years ago as a protest against hunters shooting birds and “varmints” on Christmas Day. It was sponsored by The Audubon Society and now is the oldest survey of birds in North America. The data collected is analyzed by ornithologists to determine population status and trends of climate change. The count area, one in Keene and one in Peterborough, is 15 miles in diameter.

The weather, always an issue for the count, was relatively mild this year with temperatures in the 30s. The larger lakes were open, but Dublin Lake had a thin ice skim that precluded sightings of gulls and ducks.

Some of the key sightings included from both count areas were Red-bellied Woodpeckers; Raptors (hawks and eagles) – high numbers; Winter Finches – Redpolls, Red Crossbills and Pine Siskins – small numbers (Pine Siskins now are being seen at feeders in large numbers); Northern Flicker; Hermit Thrush; Winter Wren; and Gray Catbird.

Among the 42 Dublin sightings were the following of special interest: Barred Owl, Great Horned Owl, Hermit Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Redpoll, and Pine Siskin.

Total species reported were 61 in Keene and 42 in the Peterborough/Dublin area. This year there was nothing as unusual as the Towhee, which appeared last year at the Campbell home. Winter Robins (484) and bluebirds (35) were observed at the highest levels for Christmas counts. The Campbells have reported one Evening Grosbeak since the official count day.

A highlight was Henry Walter’s Young Birders Club, major participants in this year’s count.

Tom Warren is a Trustee of the Harris Center for Conservation Education based in Hancock and New Hampshire Audubon. He is also Chair of the Budget Committee.

 

 

 

Audubon Needs Help on Statewide Bird Survey

How Many Birds in Your Backyard? Fill up those bird feeders and dig out your binoculars for New Hampshire Audubon’s Backyard Winter Bird Survey. This annual statewide survey will take place on Saturday, February 14, and Sunday, February 15. Biologists need assistance from citizens all over the Granite State to get a clear picture of what’s really happening with our winter birds.

Anyone can participate in the Backyard Winter Bird Survey by counting the birds in their own backyard on the survey weekend and reporting online or sending the results on a special reporting form to NH Audubon.

To receive a copy of the reporting form and complete instructions on how to participate, send a self-addressed, stamped, long envelope to: New Hampshire Audubon, Winter Bird Survey, 84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH 03301.

Forms are also available at NH Audubon centers in Auburn, Concord and Manchester, and online. Find more information about the survey at www.nhaudubon.org under Birding.

Note: There are two bird surveys in February. NH Audubon’s Backyard Winter Bird Survey that takes place in New Hampshire only, and the Great Backyard Bird Count, a nation-wide web-based survey; www.birdcount.org.

 

 

 

Dubliner Helps with the Rescued Horses Up North
By Margaret Gurney

Your curiosity may have been piqued if you recently read in The Keene Sentinel that a Dubliner was involved in caring for more than 20 Arabian horses that had to be rescued from their “deplorable” living situation in northern New England.

Little did Ruth Thompson of East Harrisville Road know when she retired from 25 years of business development and marketing for the healthcare industry that she would end up volunteering to help these once-beautiful horses regain their health. She just knew she had to do it when she saw the story online.

The horses were rescued November 13 with most of them emaciated after an unknown period of time with a lack of food, water, and basic care. Since the first week of December, Ruth travels north one day a week and joins a team of more than 200 other volunteers who sign up for round-the-clock help to feed, water, muck, groom and walk the horses as they slowly regain their strength.

“The horses are being kept in a state-of-the-art facility in the Upwey barn at the Green Mountain Horse Association (GMHA, South Woodstock, VT) and the entire rescue is being directed by the Lucy MacKenzie Humane Society. The 23 horses consume about 40 bales of hay (including alfalfa) a day, on top of grain. They also require shavings for bedding,” explains Ruth. While the accommodations (“like the Ritz-Carlton”) are being provided for free by GMHA, the generous donations so far are running out for the feed and shavings and “currently all funding is coming solely from the Lucy MacKenzie Humane Society,” Ruth explains, the concern welling in her eyes. There is an explanation online at crowdrise to help raise funds (https:/crowdrise.com/hopeforhorses) or on Lucymac.org.

Introducing food to the animals had to happen in slow, steady stages, all directed by several veterinarians. “At first, they were fed small amounts of food six times a day. Now we’re down to four times a day.” Ruth explained that one horse was so thrilled about being fed a few handfuls of oats that he cantered around his stall in joy. “About four of the horses have recovered enough for foster care,” Ruth said, “but the rest aren’t well enough yet.” They will be looking for foster homes for all of them as this case goes to court.

Yet Ruth’s deep caring and compassion do not stop there. She is certified in Bowenwork, a type of healing touch that has proven helpful with her own spine, injured several years ago. She plans to open a studio to do this healing-touch bodywork over the river in Vermont, as NH laws are too strict to make it possible here. Ruth hopes, in time, to be trained to perform Bowenwork on animals, especially horses.

There is still a part of Ruth’s life that is engaged in interior design, work that she performs in Maine with her cousin, and her own home is testament to such attention to detail. Ruth is a certified realtor as well and has joined her brother at Blais Real Estate. She grew up in Richmond, NH, and is married to Jim, about whom the Advocate ran an article on his racing achievements (Advocate, Nov. 2012, p. 13). Their son Scott is also involved with preparing the cars for racing. The family has lived in Dublin since 1996.

As an animal lover, Ruth’s volunteer work fulfills that need for service and giving back to the community. She wants to heal, and her Bowenwork will help her do that. And she will continue to make a living, with interior design and real estate. But right now, her main purpose is being a part of the team that is nurturing these horses back to health.

Margaret Gurney is editor of the Advocate.

 

 

 

Monadnock Folklore Society Presents Trio

The Monadnock Folklore Society presents the Rodney Miller Trio with David Surette and Gordon Peery at the Nelson Town Hall on Friday, February 20 at 8 pm; $15/$12 (senior, youth, or in advance).

Individually these musicians enjoy decades-long reputations as some of the finest contra dance musicians in the country. Their concert in Nelson is a rare opportunity to hear them playing in this trio configuration, and in a concert setting.

Rodney Miller, who was appointed by NH Gov. Hassan and the Executive Council as the new Artist Laureate of NH in March 2014, has been at the forefront of traditional New England fiddling since the mid 1970s. David Surette is regarded as one of New England’s finest guitarists. Gordon Peery began playing piano for contra dances in the late 1970s, was mentored by Bob McQuillen, and influenced by the Cape Breton style of fiddler Harvey Tolman.

Larry Ames handles PR for the Monadnock Folklore Society (www.monadnockfolk.org). He can be reached at lsames@nullworldpath.net.

 

 

 

Conversation Café: Honoring Health Care Decisions

Planning ahead for future health care wishes is important. At the Conversation Café, Jennifer McCalley, MSW, will lead a discussion about understanding your health care decisions and ensuring they will be honored.

The Conversation Café in Peterborough will take place on Wednesday, February 11, from 3 pm to 4:30 pm at Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services, 45 Main Street, Suite 316. Refreshments will be available. There is no charge to attend, but reservations are necessary and can be made by calling Karen at 352-2253. Residents of any area community are welcome to attend. The Conversation Café is a program of Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services, a Monadnock United Way agency.

 

 

 

Call of Entry for Art

The Jaffrey Civic Center (40 Main Street, Jaffrey, NH) announces the Call of Entry for the Annual Spring Show, which will run from Friday, February 13, through Saturday March 14, 2015. The entry fee is $25 per person. The sales commission is 30%.

The Jaffrey Civic Center also invites all to a Mardi Gras fundraising evening and dinner on Saturday, February 14, from 6 to 9:30 pm. Tickets are $40 per person (limited seating). All reservations must be made by Tuesday, February 10.

More information is available at the Jaffrey Civic Center. Please call 532-6527, or visit www.jaffreyciviccenter.com.

 

 

 

Farmland Conservation Forum
Learn about options for conserving your farmland.
By Katrina Farmer

If you own farmland in the Monadnock Region and you want to see that land stay in farming for the next generation, come to an informal gathering Wednesday, February 11, 10 am – 12 noon in the basement of the Keene Public Library (60 Winter Street, Keene) to learn more about protecting farmland from development.

This forum is sponsored by the Monadnock Conservancy and the Cheshire County Conservation District.

An overview of conservation options for farmland landowners will be presented, including how to sell your development rights. You’ll also hear from a local farmer who has protected his land and you will be able to ask him questions about the process.

• Stacy Gambrel of the Monadnock Conservancy will talk about how her organization and other land trusts that work with land owners to conserve their land.
• Representatives from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service will explain how their conservation programs work and how your land can qualify.
• Jamie Robertson from Hopkinton will talk about the process he and his family went through to sell a conservation easement on their farm, Contoocook Creamery.

Light refreshments will be served. Please register (for free) by Monday, February 9, by calling or emailing Stacy Gambrel at 603-357-0600, ext.106 or Stacy@nullMonadnockConservancy.org. You can also register online at https://eventbrite.com/event/15352979174/

Katrina Farmer handles PR for the Monadnock Conservancy and lives in Dublin with her family.

 

 

 

Speakers at Monadnock Rotary

The Monadnock Rotary Club meets for breakfast every Tuesday morning at 7:30 am in the vestry of the Dublin Community Church. This month’s speakers are:

February 3: MaryBeth Hallinan, director and founder of Two Rivers Community Chorus and Two Rivers Hospice/ Palliative Choir.
February 10: Robin Kenney and Deborah Watrous, Board Chair and Executive Director, respectively, from the NH Humanities Council.
February 17: Paul Tuller, Dublin resident, will present a video featuring potter Susan Bliss of Warner.
February 24: Lisa Foote, Dublin Archivist, about chronicling the early history of Dublin.

Meetings end promptly at 8:30 am and guests are welcome, free of charge. Questions? Call Wendy White (563-8239) or Vance Finch (924-9393).

 

 

 

The Town of Dublin Recycling Committee
meets on the 1^st and 3^rd Thursdays of each month
at 6:30 pm at the Dublin Public Library.
All meetings are open to the public.
Committee members are Seth Farmer, Karen Koskela,
Joe Carignan, and Tom Kennedy.

 

 

 

Get Your 2015 Fishing and Hunting Licenses Now

New Hampshire’s fishing and hunting licenses for 2015 are now available. Licenses are good for the calendar year, from January 1 through December 31, 2015. Your annual hunting or fishing license – or a “combo” license – is a year-round ticket to New Hampshire’s great outdoors. Seacoast anglers will need a saltwater recreational fishing license to fish in coastal or estuarine waters.

Starting with 2015 licenses, a credit card surcharge will be added for license purchases made on the Fish and Game Internet sales site to cover the costs associated with credit card sales. To avoid these charges, consumers can pay with cash or by check at any traditional license agent.

When you get your new license, be sure to check out the 2015 New Hampshire Freshwater Fishing and Saltwater Fishing digests, both hot off the press. Read them online at http://www.wildnh.com/pubs/fishing.html, or pick up a copy at license agents or Fish and Game Department offices. Fishing and hunting license revenue directly supports wildlife and fisheries management, law enforcement and conservation education in New Hampshire. Visit New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301, or visit www.wildnh.com.

Purchase online at https://www.nhfishandgame.com, at the N.H. Fish and Game Department in Concord, or from Fish and Game license agents across the state.

 

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