I had been hearing ravens as I hiked below the ridge on my way to Buck’s Ledge, and I was hoping for a chance to see one when I got to the top, as I have a couple of times recently, but there were none to be seen when I arrived on the ledges. However, I had only gone about a quarter of a mile on the J&J trail along the ridge when I came upon a family of five ravens hanging out together in some trees on one of the smaller ledges along the trail.

There were two adults and three juveniles, and it appeared that I had happened upon a flying lesson. The young ones were so big it was hard to tell them apart from the parents, other than the fact that they were making only short, cautious flights, and spending a lot of time conversing with each other in little baby croaks as they sat on a tree branch.

I stayed and watched them for more than a half hour, during which the parents eventually flew off, leaving the fledglings discussing the situation amongst themselves for quite a while. I just happened to be taking a video of them at the moment when the parents returned and did a fly-by, which was apparently just what the babies needed to get them to abandon the safety of their tree branch and, amidst much squawking, take flight.

I don’t blame them for being cautious—it must be pretty scary to have to basically jump off a cliff the first time they try their wings. They all managed it just fine, though. Since by then it had started to rain, I turned around and headed back the way I had come, and the whole family followed along in the treetops for a short distance.

I had another bird encounter the next day, when I arrived home to find a big hawk perched on one of Tony’s apple trees. The general consensus is that it was a red-shouldered hawk, and I’m sure it was looking for a meal. I’ve taken down my bird feeders to avoid encouraging bears and raccoons, but there are still lots of birds around our yard—goldfinches, chipping sparrows, red-eyed vireos, pine warblers, American redstarts, common yellowthroats, and more, according to my phone’s Merlin app, which identifies them by their songs—and I’d rather not see them become dinner for a hawk. It’s welcome to the mice, though, and I wouldn’t mind a little thinning of the red squirrel population.

Congratulations to the Telstar Class of 2026, who will be graduating this Friday! Here are some other upcoming events:

Saturday, June 6, from 9-11 a.m. at the Bethel Library, 6 Broad Street in Bethel: Annual Plant Sale. All proceeds benefit the library. The sale will be held rain or shine, and plants sell fast, so come early to avoid disappointment.

Saturday, June 6, from 9-11 a.m. at the First Universalist Church in West Paris: Annual Rhubarb Festival and White Elephant Sale. The Rhubarb Festival is one of the church’s traditional events, and features everything rhubarb, including homemade rhubarb and strawberry rhubarb pies, cakes, cookies, fresh rhubarb, and more, all prepared by church members and friends for this important annual fundraiser. Pies are $18 each; other rhubarb treats will be individually priced. Doors open at 9:00 a.m.; no “early birds” and no pre-orders. For more information, please contact Marta Clements, 207-674-2143, mclements96894@roadrunner.com.

Saturday, June 6, at 2 p.m. at the Lower Meetinghouse (East Bethel Church), 1797 Intervale Road, Bethel: Celebration of the life of Dr. Stanley R. Howe. There will be special remarks by family and friends, followed by music and memories/comments from those attending.

Tuesday, June 9, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Methodist Church on Main Street, Bethel: Neighbors Feeding Neighbors community meal, with a special focus on the Juneteenth holiday.

Friday, June 12, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at West Parish Congregational Church, 3 Church Street, Bethel: American Red Cross blood drive. This is a great time to donate a pint. Your gift can really make a difference in someone else’s life. Go to redcross.org to make an appointment. Make summer shine for patients in need. Donate between June 1 and June 28 to earn a $15 e-gift card.

Saturday, June 13, at 2 p.m. at the Mason House, Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, at 14 Broad Street in Bethel: “Memoir of a Revolutionary Soldier: The Narrative of Joseph Plumb Martin.” Professor William Huntting Howell of Boston University will share his research and analysis of an unusual Revolutionary War memoir. Howell writes that “Joseph Plumb Martin’illis Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Dangers, and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier, first published in Hallowell, Maine, in 1830, offers both a counter-record of the facts of the War and a counter-method for relating them.” Howell is the author of “Starving Memory,” an article on Martin’s Narrative which appeared in Commonplace: The Journal of Early American Life.

Sunday, June 14, from 2-4 p.m. at the Lower Meetinghouse, 1797 Intervale Road, Bethel: “Meetinghouse and Church in Early Oxford County,” a program by Hastings Homestead Museum Director Randall H. Bennett.

Thursday, June 18, from 1-4 p.m. at the Lower Meetinghouse, 1797 Intervale Road, Bethel: Antiques Appraisals, sponsored by the Hastings Homestead Museum.

Saturday, June 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Sunset Farm (46 Intervale Road, Bethel): Goose Eye No. 6 Launch Party. Join the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, the Mahoosuc Land Trust, and hosts, the Shepley family, to celebrate the launch of the latest edition of the MBHS annual history journal, Goose Eye. The evening begins at 5:30 with a short guided walk around the historic Intervale Gateway. (Meet at the corner nearest Davis Park.) At 6:00, congregate in the barn at Sunset Farm for light refreshments and a chance to pick up or purchase a copy of the new issue. At 6:30, there will be remarks by Goose Eye editor William Chapman and contributors Kirk Siegel and William B. Krohn.

Goose Eye No. 6 is entitled “Lines on a Map, Part One,” and is the first in a two-part series exploring some of the stories behind the many different kinds of lines that we take for granted when looking at a modern map. There those that represent natural features such as rivers, mountains, and coast line; those that identify physically real features created by human intervention, such as trails, roads, and railroad track; and still others that mark purely legal or political boundaries. The issues will seek to show how none of these are timeless or inevitable; they all reflect particular historical circumstances and contingencies. The lines on today’s maps encode a legacy of conflict and struggle by humans both against nature and against fellow humans.

Pupdate: Lena has been enjoying spending some time at camp and taking short (a half-mile or less) trail hikes. She’s still a bit of a hellion, and she still has her sharp puppy teeth, so I’ve pretty much resorted to wearing nothing but clothing she has already shredded. (If you see me around town in pants that are mostly holes, it’s not a fashion statement.) I’m constantly striving for the right balance between “not tired enough” and “overtired toddler” and constantly reminding myself (and Lena) that I’m supposed to be the boss in this relationship. I keep telling Will that I don’t remember Remy or Eli being quite this challenging as puppies, but he keeps telling me that I just don’t remember their puppy days. They both grew up to be wonderful adult dogs, so I hope he’s right, and Lena will, too.

If you read about our visit to the Finnish Picnic Grounds in last week’s column, and our discovery that Will, Tony, Lena, and I were all standing in a patch of poison ivy along the bank of the Little Androscoggin River, you’ll be glad to hear that none of us came down with the dreaded rash. Apparently wiping down Lena’s fur, showering as soon as we got home, and throwing all of our clothes into the washing machine did the trick. Whew!

This online newsletter is intended to keep our communities informed, so if you have news, events, or photos you’d like to have included here, I hope you’ll share them with me! You can reach me by email at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or by phone or text at 207-890-4812.

I just learned that, in Maine, only about four percent of residents attend their annual town meeting, where voters decide how money will be spent and ordinances updated. I’m hoping the stronger showing in Greenwood on Saturday means that at least some of those who attended their first-ever town meeting in 2025 were intrigued enough by the process to come back again this year, and will continue to attend each year. (And check out the calendar listing for May 28 below for a great opportunity to learn about the basics of the town meeting format!)

Vern Maxfield was chosen to moderate the meeting, at which voters approved all 33 articles in about an hour.

Incumbent Selectman Bob Oickle, running unopposed, was elected to a second three-year term, and all budget articles passed easily, with only a few questions from those present.

At the recommendation of the Board of Selectmen and the Budget Committee, voters placed $234,500 in four reserve accounts, as follows: $75,000 each for the Highway Equipment Reserve and Fire Department Equipment Reserve accounts, $34,500 for the town’s upcoming 2027 revaluation, and $50,000 in the Fire Department Building Reserve account.

By a vote of 29-11, the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance was amended to include a “Special Exception” provision, which permits the construction of a single-family dwelling in the Resource Protection District under certain conditions with Planning Board approval.

Voters authorized the Board of Selectmen, acting on behalf of the town, to work towards designating the Finnish Picnic Grounds Parcel, an 18-acre lot on the West Paris Road that has been owned by the town for approximately 50 years, as a conservation and public common area to be subject to permanent conservation and public access and protected from future development. They also authorized the town to partner with the Western Foothills Land Trust to pursue grant funding and develop a Stewardship Plan for the parcel.

This weekend is Memorial Day Weekend, a time for picnics and gatherings and welcoming the start of summer (perhaps a bit prematurely, as it looks like the hot weather of this week will be long gone), but, more importantly, a time for remembering those who died in service in the U.S. Armed Forces. The information I’ve found about Memorial Day observations on Monday, May 25, is as follows:

9:00 AM—Locke’s Mills Legion.

11:00 AM—Bethel, on Main Street by the monument.

1:00 PM—Bryant Pond, by the monument on Main Street next to the library.

Here’s a list of some other upcoming events for your calendar.

Sunday, May 24, at 9 a.m. at the First Universalist Church in West Paris: The Rev. Scott Campbell will lead the Sunday morning service. His sermon, “Ain’t She Sweet?” tells the story of a woman who battled depression throughout much of her life, but who knew a deeper truth in the end.

Sunday, May 24, at 2 p.m. at the Deering Memorial Community Center in South Paris: Tuba ensemble Low Commotion will present a concert to benefit the Center’s organ restoration fund. See details in the flyer below.

Thursday, May 28, at 6 p.m. at The Gem Theater, Bethel: Town Meeting Pre-Party Part 1: Town Meeting Basics and Q&A. From the organizers: “A lot of us have never been to town meeting because we find the format intimidating, we’re only just learning it exists, we don’t know what it has to do with our daily lives, the list goes on. As it turns out, town meeting is pretty important. We figured the fix is simple: get a bunch of folks together, ask the people who know how this works, and figure it out as neighbors. Over two evenings, we’ll cover the basics of the town meeting format, get our questions answered by a panel of local experts, and walk through Bethel’s town warrant in advance of the June 10 town meeting.” This event is open to anyone (from any town) who is “town meeting-curious.” (Part 2 will be held on Monday, June 8, at 6 p.m.)

Saturday, May 30, from 6-8 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, 593 Gore Road, Greenwood: Live music and dancing with The Fossils.

Sunday, May 31, at 9 a.m. at the First Universalist Church in West Paris: The Rev. Jodi Cohen Hayashida will lead the Sunday morning service. Her sermon, “Choosing the Land of the Blessed,” will explore how grounding ourselves in the gifts of everyday life strengthens us to meet the moments that break our hearts.

Saturday, June 6, from 9-11 a.m. at the Bethel Library, 6 Broad Street in Bethel: Annual Plant Sale. All proceeds benefit the library. The sale will be held rain or shine, and plants sell fast, so come early to avoid disappointment.

Saturday, June 6, from 9-11 a.m. at the First Universalist Church in West Paris: Annual Rhubarb Festival and White Elephant Sale. The Rhubarb Festival is one of the church’s traditional events, and features everything rhubarb, including homemade rhubarb and strawberry rhubarb pies, cakes, cookies, fresh rhubarb, and more, all prepared by church members and friends for this important annual fundraiser. Pies are $18 each; other rhubarb treats will be individually priced. Doors open at 9:00 a.m.; no “early birds” and no pre-orders. For more information, please contact Marta Clements, 207-674-2143, mclements96894@roadrunner.com.

Saturday, June 6, at 2 p.m. at the Lower Meetinghouse (East Bethel Church), 1797 Intervale Road, Bethel: Celebration of the life of Dr. Stanley R. Howe. There will be special remarks by family and friends, followed by music and memories/comments from those attending.

Saturday, June 13, at 2 p.m. at the Mason House, Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, at 14 Broad Street in Bethel: “Memoir of a Revolutionary Soldier: The Narrative of Joseph Plumb Martin.” Professor William Huntting Howell of Boston University will share his research and analysis of an unusual Revolutionary War memoir. Howell writes that “Joseph Plumb Martin’s Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Dangers, and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier, first published in Hallowell, Maine, in 1830, offers both a counter-record of the facts of the War and a counter-method for relating them.” Howell is the author of “Starving Memory,” an article on Martin’s Narrative which appeared in Commonplace: The Journal of Early American Life.

Sunday, June 14, from 2-4 p.m. at the Lower Meetinghouse, 1797 Intervale Road, Bethel: “Meetinghouse and Church in Early Oxford County,” a program by Hastings Homestead Museum Director Randall H. Bennett. See details in the flyer below.

Sunday, June 21, from 1-4 p.m. at the Lower Meetinghouse, 1797 Intervale Road, Bethel: Antiques Appraisals, sponsored by the Hastings Homestead Museum. See details in the flyer below.

Puppy Lena is growing like a weed—21.6 pounds at her last vet appointment, two weeks ago. She has another appointment later today, and I’ll bet she’s edging up on 25 pounds by now. Here she is in a rare calm moment:

This online newsletter is intended to keep our communities informed, so if you have news, events, or photos you’d like to have included here, I hope you’ll share them with me! You can reach me by email at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or by phone or text at 207-890-4812.

May 20 would have been Eli the Wonder Pup’s ninth birthday, and, as summer approaches, I am still missing him so much, remembering all of our swims at camp and our summer hiking adventures that usually ended with ice cream at the Sugar Shack.

“All dogs go to heaven because, unlike people, dogs are naturally good and loyal and kind.” – “All Dogs Go To Heaven” (1989 film)

I’m starting this week’s column on a serious note, with an appeal to our communities for support for Bethel native and Telstar graduate Simon Smith. At the age of just 33, Simon was recently diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

On a GoFundMe page organized by Simon’s music student and friend Lee Urban (who in 2009 lost his wife to the same devastating disease), Simon’s wife, Tennessee, wrote:

“Many of you know Simon as a musician, music teacher, and conductor. In late 2025, Simon noticed conducting was becoming harder. His right shoulder was weak…In November, Simon received an EMG and we were told he had ALS, a terminal disease that doctors overlooked because of Simon’s young age…We were told he could have anywhere from 2 to 5 years, on average, to live. There is no cure and there are very few treatments to slow progression.”

Simon has had to curtail his work schedule, and Tennessee, who is currently completing her degree at USM, is his caretaker. Donations to the GoFundMe campaign will go toward Simon’s uncovered medical expenses, transportation to appointments, and the couple’s day-to-day expenses.

On a personal note, I have known Simon’s family all of my life. His grandparents (his dad Jonathan’s parents) were among my mother’s dearest friends, and I grew up spending time with his Aunt Deb in both Connecticut and Maine.

If you are able to donate to the GoFundMe in support of Simon and Tennessee, thank you, but if you are not in a position to donate, you can make a big difference just by helping to spread the word, whether through word of mouth or social media. Thank you. The link is here: https://gofund.me/100e678de

Here’s a calendar of (some) local events taking place in the next few weeks:

Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (or until sold out), at the American Legion Hall on the Gore Road in Locke’s Mills: Mother’s Day Cookie Walk. Purchase a decorative Mother’s Day container and fill it with homemade cookies of your choice for $8. (I’ll be making some cookies to donate!)

Sunday, May 10, at 9 a.m. at the First Universalist Church in West Paris: “Who is this?” The Rev. Scott Campbell will explore the question, “Who is Jesus and what does he have to do with us?”

Sunday, May 10 (Mother’s Day), at 4 p.m. at Gould Academy’s Bingham Auditorium in Bethel: The Mahoosuc Community Band will perform its Spring Concert. Ed Ryan is conducting the band, consisting of adults and Gould students. The concert is full of familiar favorites. Donations are welcome at the door to defray the cost of music.

Saturday, May 16, at 9 a.m. at the American Legion on the Gore Road: Annual Greenwood Town Meeting. Enjoy coffee and breakfast goodies with your neighbors, and take the opportunity to have a say in the government of your town! Copies of the Town Report, including the Town Meeting warrant, will be available at the Town Office and at the meeting.

Sunday, May 17, at 9:30 a.m. at the South Paris Universalist Church: The First Universalist Church of West Paris will join the South Paris congregation for their Sunday service, which will start at 9:30 a.m.

Sunday, May 24, at 9 a.m. at the First Universalist Church in West Paris: The Rev. Scott Campbell will lead the Sunday morning service. His sermon, “Ain’t She Sweet?” tells the story of a woman who battled depression throughout much of her life, but who knew a deeper truth in the end.

Saturday, June 6, from 9-11 a.m. at the First Universalist Church in West Paris: Annual Rhubarb Festival. Pies and “everything rhubarb” will be for sale.

The free year-long program, “Food Is Medicine,” designed for people who are at risk for Type 2 diabetes, and who have limited access to affordable, healthy foods, has been postponed to a start date of May 19. It will be held at the Bethel United Methodist Church and is sponsored by MaineHealth. See the details in the flyer below.

Two of Bethel’s most remarkable women celebrated birthdays this week. Arlene Harrington turned 103 on May 3, and Amy Davis reached the milestone of 100 years on May 4.

Chris Dunham posted on the “Greenwood as It Was” Facebook page on May 4:

“Amy Davis, for many years a teacher in Locke Mills, celebrates her 100th birthday today. When I saw her at the Greenwood Bicentennial, I shared my memory of a time she reprimanded me for throwing a puppet in class. Her firm hand steered me away from a life of crime, and for that I will be forever grateful.

“It was reported in the spring of 1966 that Mrs. Margaret A. Davis had ‘been employed to do special reading work at the Locke Mills School.’ That fall she was hired to teach at Ethel Bisbee in Bethel, but in 1968, when the school in Locke Mills shrank to three grades, she returned to become its kindergarten teacher. A decade later she was principal as well and teaching a second class each afternoon in Woodstock. She would continue to teach in Woodstock after the Locke Mills school closed at the end of the 1980–81 school year and until her retirement in 1986.

Happy birthday, Mrs. Davis!”

Greenwood town officials recently received some great news from Western Foothills Land Trust Executive Director Korey Morgan (who just happens to be a Greenwood native). I’m sharing the WFLT press release in its entirety here:

Western Foothills Land Trust (WFLT) has announced it has purchased nearly 70 acres of forestland abutting Noyes Mountain Preserve, expanding one of the region’s most popular outdoor destinations and protecting a significant block of contiguous forest critical to the water quality of Lake Pennesseewassee and the Androscoggin River.

The newly acquired parcel strengthens the ecological integrity of the preserve, helping to safeguard forest health, wildlife habitat, and water quality in a landscape long valued by the community.

Located off Richardson Hollow Road and the Greenwood Road in Greenwood, Noyes Mountain sits within a mineral-rich area with deep ties to Greenwood’s history. The Noyes Mountain Preserve includes historic gem and mineral mining sites. WFLT continues to offer artisanal mining opportunities that connect visitors to this unique heritage. The newly conserved land also includes one of the region’s “keyhole” mines, where workers once extracted feldspar.

The expansion builds on the existing recreational opportunities available at Noyes Mountain Preserve, including hiking, snowshoeing, hunting, foraging, artisanal mining, and backcountry exploration. WFLT is currently developing updated recreation plans and policies to thoughtfully integrate the new parcel into the existing trail network and visitor experience.

“Noyes Mountain is a special place,” said Korey Morgan, Executive Director of WFLT. “With this expansion, visitors can experience the intersection of history, geology, and the Maine woods in a way that is unique to our region.”

The conservation of this property was made possible through support from the Land for Maine’s Future program, the Maine Community Foundation, other private donors, and the longstanding efforts of local conservationist and WFLT board member Rich Sousa, who has worked for nearly a decade to see this land conserved.

WFLT is planning a community celebration at Noyes Mountain Preserve, tentatively scheduled for June 27, to mark this addition and welcome the public to the expanded Preserve. The event will offer an opportunity to explore Noyes Mountain Preserve, learn more about its history and conservation values, and connect with others who care about this special place. Additional details will be shared this summer. In the meantime, those interested in supporting ongoing stewardship and management of Noyes Mountain Preserve can learn more and get involved by visiting www.wfltmaine.org.

About the Western Foothills Land Trust
Western Foothills Land Trust is a nonprofit conservation organization based in Norway, Maine. Founded in 1987, WFLT is dedicated to protecting forests, farms, and waters of western Maine for the benefit of current and future generations. Through land conservation,
stewardship, and community engagement, WFLT works to sustain the region’s ecological integrity, rural character, and access to the outdoors. To date, WFLT has conserved over 10,000 acres and manages more than 40 miles of public recreational trails.

We enjoyed a visit from our granddaughter, Lila, and her mom on Sunday afternoon. I think they were both surprised to see how much Lena had grown since they were last here, just two weeks ago.

This online newsletter is intended to keep our communities informed, so if you have news, events, or photos you’d like to have included here, I hope you’ll share them with me! You can reach me by email at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or by phone or text at 207-890-4812.

“The secret to longevity is ice cream.” – Paul Marcus, centenarian

On some of the weeks when my current column doesn’t appear here, I’ll be posting a look back at Locke’s Mills columns from 5 and 10 years ago.

FIVE YEARS AGO

In my column of April 1, 2021, I reported that the selectmen and budget committee had finished work on the 2021-22 municipal budget. The proposed budget, not including the town’s share of county taxes and the school budget, was $1.7 million, which reflected an increase of $400,000 over the previous year. This was due in part to higher costs for the transfer station, highway, and fire departments, but also to the fact that in 2020, during the pandemic, no Town Meeting was held, and the town had instead adopted a budget identical to the previous year’s, with no increases in any department.

I also wrote, “Will recently sold his condo, so he and Eli are staying with us for a few weeks…On a chilly morning last week when trails were still snow-covered and frozen, Eli and I did a sunrise hike of Peabody Mountain, near Hutchinson Pond in Albany, which has a beautiful panoramic view. Unfortunately for sunrise-chasers, as I learned when we reached the top, the view extends from the southeast to the northwest, and the sun rises due east at this time of year—oops. However, the alpenglow to the west, above the Presidentials, was pretty spectacular, and it was wonderful to be out and about so early.

In the April 8, 2021 issue of the paper, I wrote that I had gotten my second COVID vaccine, and, once two weeks had passed, I would be able to hug my granddaughter.

Will and I had climbed Rumford Whitecap in bare boots (no Microspikes needed) with Eli the Wonder Pup, and had encountered only small patches of ice near the summit.

I had just gotten an Instant Pot, and, as it turned out, the purchase was in the nick of time, as my two-year-old electric range had suddenly quit working, so I was experimenting with cooking a variety of meals in the IP.

On April 15, 2021, my column reported very dry conditions in the woods, with high fire danger.

Eli and I had done a sunrise hike to Lapham Ledge on April 7, then continued on to Buck’s Ledge, where I was able to look out and confirm that the ice had gone out the day before “about ten days earlier than average. Jim Chandler had chosen April 5 and was the closest in the North Pond Neighbors Facebook group poll.”

And there was this big news: “When Woodstock voters meet for their annual town meeting on April 26, they will be asked to allow Town Manager Vern Maxfield, with the approval of the selectmen, to spend the money in the town’s land conservation fund toward acquiring the parcel of land that includes Buck’s Ledge.”

My stove was still out of order; my Instant Pot adventures were continuing and, having discovered a recipe for pizza made in the IP, I was planning to try it for supper.

The following week, on April 22, 2021, I reported that “Eli and I enjoyed a couple of before-work hikes last week, including another sunrise hike of Lapham Ledge on Tuesday. This time, we continued up the logging road and hiked the whole J’n’J Backcountry Trail to the summit of Moody Mountain and on to Buck’s Ledge before returning to the car, logging five miles before breakfast. (Well, before my breakfast, anyway; Eli had his before we headed out.) Thanks to trail builder Jurgen Marks, the new trail is now clearly blazed with bright orange paint. He has also cut more brush and branches, and those improvements make the trail very easy to follow.”

I was still without a working stove: “One way I know this column is being read regularly is that people keep asking if my stove is fixed yet. I’m happy to report that Tony did call on his engineer friend Scott for assistance. They checked to ascertain that the breakers were working and the appropriate current was coming through the outlet, then removed the metal panel on the back of the stove and immediately found the problem. One of the wires had burned through completely, melting part of the plastic terminal block and leaving a scorch mark on the inside of the panel. Scott surmised that the screw holding the wire had never been sufficiently tightened when the stove was new, and moving the stove around had dislodged the connection. I’m just glad it didn’t start a fire! Scott found a replacement part to order online, and by the time you read this, it should have arrived and, hopefully, been installed. After being without a stove for nearly a month, I think the first thing I’ll make is chocolate chip cookies. I guess I’d better share them with Scott.”

I reported on more new hiking trails in my column of April 29, 2021: “Saturday was beautiful, and Will, Eli, and I spent the afternoon exploring the Parks-Bennett Trail on Ellingwood Mountain, about 3.5 miles out the North Road. This brand-new trail is on a 532-acre parcel that Inland Woods and Trails hopes to add to the Bethel Community Forest. Eli’s favorite parts of the hike were the beautiful brook that runs alongside the first part of the trail, and the dead porcupine he found to roll in at the area marked on the map as Porcupine Panorama. Fortunately, it hadn’t been there long enough to be stinky, and the quills he picked up were mostly tangled in his fur rather than stuck in his skin. Oh, Eli.”

And I still didn’t have a working stove! “The part we ordered was delayed, but finally arrived on Saturday, so (as long as it turns out to be the right part) maybe by the time you read this I’ll be able to boil, broil, and bake again.”

TEN YEARS AGO

In my column on April 7, 2016, I reported having seen female red-winged blackbirds for the first time that spring, about two weeks after the males had arrived back. I had also seen “at least 15 pairs of common mergansers in an open area of Round Pond on my morning walk down the Greenwood Road on Saturday morning. I always enjoy seeing the different varieties of water birds that usually only visit our area for a few days or weeks during their spring migration. I also spotted a pair of wood ducks and, of course, plenty of Canada geese.”

I had been to Unity with Steve and Peggy and our sister, Leslie, to help Deborah Eldredge celebrate her 90^th birthday. (Current readers of my column will know that I recently went there again, this time to celebrate her 100^th!)

I had had “a few cooking adventures this week. I experimented with sugar-free, whole-wheat banana bread (the verdict: not too bad, but it might have benefitted from just a bit of sugar) and I made chicken enchiladas from scratch, including making my own flour tortillas and enchilada sauce (those came out great). As I write this, it’s nearly 11 p.m. and I have two loaves of sourdough bread in the oven (because the dough took all day to rise). Next time I need to remember to let it have its first rise overnight.”

The next week, on April 14, 2016, I reported that the Local Hub was staying open late on Friday and Saturday evenings, with Taco Night on Fridays and Burger Night on Saturdays, and reflected that “It’s been a long time since the building that now houses The Local Hub has been open late at night, but way back when I started working at Bob’s Corner Store in the late 1970s, we stayed open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, an hour later than on the other weeknights. I occasionally worked from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.—that was by my own choice, since I loved working there and probably would have done it for free back then.”

Joyce Hathaway had let me know that Louise Seames had moved to “the same nursing home that Raymond is at, close to their daughter’s home. Joyce says that Louise made the decision herself, and both are happy to be together again.”

The town was looking for volunteers to run the swap shop at the Greenwood-Woodstock Transfer Station, to allow it to reopen after being closed for the winter. “Transfer station employees have said that keeping the swap shop running and orderly takes a lot of their time and they would prefer to see it closed. Despite signage, they have had problems with people leaving unusable or inappropriate items, or leaving vehicles blocking the bulk trash and metal recycling bins while they visit the swap shop.

“Some residents, as well as some members of the board, however, have expressed that the swap shop provides a valuable service as a way to pass items that are no longer needed by one person on to someone else who can use them. Besides the neighbors-helping-neighbors value, this reduces the amount of bulk trash the towns must pay to have hauled away.”

I had done some online research and learned that most transfer station swap shops are run by volunteers, and “Most town websites I looked at stress that items left at the swap shop should be clean, working, and usable, and many place restrictions on the types of items that can be donated…Incidentally, while most towns simply call it the swap shop, my favorite name comes from the Midcoast Solid Waste facility, which serves Camden, Rockport, Lincolnville, and Hope. Their volunteer-run swap shop is called ‘The Pick of the Litter.’”

On April 21, 2016, I wrote about having been joined on my walk on the Mann Road by a flock of nine domestic turkeys who were out for a stroll, having escaped from a farm on the Mills Road. (They were later spotted on Howe Hill, and I never did hear if they ever made it home.)

Betsey Foster was scheduled to speak to the selectmen at their meeting that week about her proposal to hold the very first Greenwood Clean-Up Day that Saturday, April 23. “This would be similar to the clean-up days sponsored by the Woodstock Conservation Commission and the Bethel Conservation Commission.”

The Greenwood Historical Society was to resume its monthly meetings on May 4, with a presentation by Dean Bennett about his new book, Ghost Buck, about hunting at the Bennett Camp on Rowe Hill.

My column in the April 28, 2016 issue of the paper reported that “four of us met at the Town Office on Saturday morning to head out with gloves and trash bags…In addition, several others joined in the effort along the roads near their own homes.”

And I editorialized about litterbugs: “Now I’m going to hop up on my soapbox to say that I can’t imagine what possesses anyone to think it’s okay to toss trash out their car window. The most common item we picked up seemed to be Dunkin Donuts coffee cups and lids, along with an assortment of snack food wrappers. How difficult can it be to keep your trash in the car with you until you get home? It’s especially irritating when litter is tossed out in places where the road runs close to the water. Much of what we picked up on the Gore Road had to be fished out of the edge of the pond.”

It occurs to me that many of the things the town correspondents who contribute to this weekly newsletter focus on most—and, in fact, Western Maine Neighborhood News itself—are things that increase our communities’ civic capital.

Whether it’s the monthly Neighbors Feeding Neighbors dinners at the Bethel Methodist Church; Andover’s Annual Birthday Supper tradition and the volunteer efforts of the Andover Common Folk to beautify and maintain the town common; the annual Smile Fund sale at the West Parish Congregational Church; Chris’s Haven of Hope sober living house in Bryant Pond, created with the help of many volunteer community members; or the work of the Age-Friendly Community Initiative to create, enhance, and spread the word about supportive programs for seniors, our towns are rich in those important networks and relationships that enable us to thrive.

Here in Greenwood and Woodstock, our Conservation Commissions, which have taken the lead on the maintenance of hiking trails, the Swap Shop at the Transfer Station, and the upcoming Green-Up Day in several communities are a great example of these networks.

Another is the Bethel Wood Bank, which receives donations of wood, processes it into firewood, and donates it to those in need. They can also use monetary donations and volunteers to help at their “processing parties,” held on Wednesday and Saturday mornings from 9 to noon at the wood bank site, 343 Walkers Mills Road in Bethel. Visit their Facebook page, Bethel Wood Bank, to learn more.

Saturday, April 25, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the West Parish Congregational Church: Smile Fund Sale. Proceeds from this annual community yard sale go to help purchase dentures for adults in the SAD 44 region. The church is looking for donations for the sale. Items can be dropped off at the church between Friday, April 17, and Thursday, April 23. Appropriate items include toys, books, housewares, tools, gardening supplies, and small furniture. Please NO electronics, clothing, jewelry, or stuffed animals. For an application or more information about the sale, contact the church at 824-2689.

Saturday, April 25, at 9 a.m. at Maggie’s Nature Park, 290 Greenwood Road: The Greenwood Conservation Commission will host a light trail maintenance day on the hiking trails in the park. Bring loppers if you have them. Paint and supplies for freshening up the trail blazes will be provided.

Wednesday, April 29, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Opening Day for the Swap Shop at the Greenwood-Woodstock Transfer Station, a sure sign of spring, no matter what the weather has in store for us. Stop by and see what your neighbors have decided to part with during spring cleaning!

Saturday, May 2, in several area towns: Green-Up Day, annual roadside clean-up. Greenwood volunteers will meet at the Legion/Town Office parking lot for road assignments at 9 a.m. Trash bags and disposable gloves are provided. If you choose to do clean-up on Greenwood roads prior to May 2, please email Lynn Cobb (cobblynn12@gmail.com) or let the town office know, so they will know which sections have already been completed before making road assignments.

Saturday, May, 2, at noon: “Along the Andro: History and Habitat in Our Community.” Meet at Davis Park at noon to join Will Chapman of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society and an ecologist from the Mahoosuc Land Trust to explore the history and ecology of the Androscoggin River, including indigenous people, the importance of the river to agriculture and early industries, the pollution of the river and subsequent efforts to clean it up, river ferries, bridges, floods, and the flora and fauna of the riverside. This program is part of Jane’s Walk, a global festival of free, volunteer-led walking conversations inspired by community activist Jane Jacobs. Jane’s Walks combine the simple act of exploring a place with personal observations, local history, and civic engagement.

Sunday, May 10 (Mother’s Day), at 4 p.m. at Gould Academy’s Bingham Auditorium in Bethel: The Mahoosuc Community Band will perform its Spring Concert. Ed Ryan is conducting the band, consisting of adults and Gould students. The concert is full of familiar favorites. Donations are welcome at the door to defray the cost of music.

Saturday, May 16, at 9 a.m. at the American Legion on the Gore Road: Annual Greenwood Town Meeting. Enjoy coffee and breakfast goodies with your neighbors, and take the opportunity to have a say in the government of your town! Copies of the Town Report, including the Town Meeting warrant, will be available at the Town Office and at the meeting.

Sunday, May 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Silver Spur in Mechanic Falls: Per Hanson and Robin Right will be inducted into the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame at the 49^th Annual Induction Ceremony and Show.

The First Universalist Church of West Paris has provided the following information about their May services, held on Sundays at 9 a.m. at the church at 208 Main Street in West Paris. Music is provided by guitarist Davy Sturtevant, and refreshments follow the service.

The May 3 service will be led by Bob Neal, whose sermon is titled “My Father’s House Has Many Rooms.” There are many paths to heaven or rewarding life here.

May 10: “Who is this?” The Rev. Scott Campbell will explore the question, “Who is Jesus and what does he have to do with us?”

On May 17, the First Universalist Church will join the congregation of the South Paris Universalist Church for a service in South Paris, which will start at 9:30 a.m.

May 24: “Ain’t She Sweet?” The Rev. Scott Campbell will tell the story of a woman who battled depression throughout most of her life, but who knew a deeper inner truth in the end.

May 31: “Choosing the Land of the Blessed,” led by the Rev. Jodi Cohan Hayashida, who will explore how grounding ourselves in the gifts of everyday life strengthens us to meet the moments that break our hearts.

For more information about the church and services, please contact Marta Clements, 674-2143, mclements96894@roadrunner.com, or Suzanne Dunham, 665-2967, dunhamfarm@msn.com.

I’m writing this on Wednesday, which is Earth Day. The very first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, as a nationwide environmental teach-in. I actually remember it—partly because yes, I am That Old, but also because that spring I had, at the tender age of 11, been shipped off on a Greyhound bus to spend my April vacation with my brother Steve’s family in Virginia, where he was stationed with the Air Force, while my mom got our house in Milford, Conn. ready to sell (we were only moving a couple of miles away, to a smaller house). Peggy took me, along with Keith and Eric, who were toddlers, to some kind of Earth Day celebration that I seem to remember involved arts and crafts and music and maybe planting a tree.

This year on Earth Day, I called in to the Maine Calling program (which was all about the “Reuse” part of the “Reduce—Reuse—Recycle” mantra) to share that my mom was legendary for her reuse of plastic Ziploc bags. I joked that it might be possible that when she passed away in 2004, she still had the first box of Ziploc bags she had ever bought, when they came out in 1968, in her kitchen cupboard.

But, on a more serious note, I added that the reuse of plastic bags was just one of my mom’s environmentally friendly (and frugal!) practices, and the example she set had far-reaching effects, as she raised five kids, who in turn raised 14 grandkids, who are raising a raft of great-grandkids, and I don’t think any of us would dare to toss out a perfectly good Ziploc bag (or piece of aluminum foil, or yogurt container) after just one use. Several years ago I wrote a blog post called “Rinsing out baggies (and other ways Mom was ahead of her time),” which you can read by clicking here.

This online newsletter is intended to keep our communities informed, so if you have news, events, or photos you’d like to have included here, I hope you’ll share them with me! You can reach me by email at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or by phone or text at 207-890-4812.

Obligatory weekly pupdate: Lena weighed 15.2 pounds at her vet visit on Wednesday—just about exactly double her weight when she came home 3.5 weeks ago! She’s discovered the joys of digging holes in her pen and started going for very short trail walks in Maggie’s Nature Park. And she still has extremely sharp puppy teeth!

“Puppies are constantly inventing new ways to be bad. It’s fascinating. You come into a room they’ve been in and see pieces of debris and try to figure out what you had that was made from wicker or what had been stuffed with fluff.” – Julie Klam, You Had Me at Woof: How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness

When I took new puppy Lena out before bedtime on Tuesday evening, she seemed very surprised to find snow on the ground. She wanted to run around and play in it, while the last thing I wanted was for her to get all wound up right before bed. But maybe the snow was actually a puppy miracle, because it turned out to be the first night since we brought her home that she slept through the night without getting me up to take her out once or twice. (Or three or four times.) I can’t remember how long it takes before puppies sleep through the night, but it can’t come soon enough!

Because it will be a long time before Lena is able to hike with me on her own—veterinarians don’t recommend taking puppies on anything but very short, easy hikes until their growth plates have fully closed, which for Labs isn’t until around 14 months—I’ve acquired two different carriers to see if I can figure out a way to bring her along. The first, a backpack made for carrying dogs up to 40 pounds, is still way too big for her, but the second, a cross-body sling type carrier made for puppies and small dogs, shows some promise. It arrived on Monday afternoon and we tried it out with a ten-minute walk around the yard.

Today, Thursday, April 9, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel: “Meditation and Music,” a unique, interactive health/wellness program presented by To Your Health. Mindfulness meditation practitioner Will Chapman will discuss the benefits of meditation, lead the group in a short, guided practice, and take questions from the audience. Then, the Oxford Hills Ukulele Group (OHUG), led by Lynette and Ray Seames, will perform their favorite tunes and lead the audience in a singalong. To Your Health, in collaboration with Western Mountains Senior College, the Bethel Family Health Center, and MSAD #44 Adult Education, provides free health education and wellness programs to the Bethel area communities.

Wednesday, April 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Thursday, April 16, from 12 to 5 p.m.: Third Annual Spring Fling at the Bethel Library. Come to the library to enjoy light refreshments, browse the bookshelves, visit with library staff, board members, and friends, and purchase raffle tickets. Then enter to win a wide assortment of great prizes!

Saturday, April 25, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the West Parish Congregational Church: Smile Fund Sale. Proceeds from this annual community yard sale go to help purchase dentures for adults in the SAD 44 region. The church is looking for donations for the sale. Items can be dropped off at the church between Friday, April 17, and Thursday, April 23. Appropriate items include toys, books, housewares, tools, gardening supplies, and small furniture. Please NO electronics, clothing, jewelry, or stuffed animals. For an application or more information about the sale, contact the church at 824-2689.

Wednesday, April 29, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Opening Day for the Swap Shop at the Greenwood-Woodstock Transfer Station, a sure sign of spring, no matter what the weather has in store for us. Stop by and see what your neighbors have decided to part with during spring cleaning!

Saturday, May 2, in several area towns: Green-Up Day, annual roadside clean-up. Greenwood volunteers will meet at the Legion/Town Office parking lot for road assignments at 9 a.m. Trash bags and disposable gloves are provided. If you choose to do clean-up on Greenwood roads prior to May 2, please email Lynn Cobb (cobblynn12@gmail.com) or let the town office know, so they will know which sections have already been completed before making road assignments.

There is a free year-long program starting up on April 21 at the Bethel United Methodist Church. Called “Food Is Medicine,” it is designed for people who are at risk for Type 2 diabetes, and who have limited access to affordable, healthy foods. See the details in the flyer below.

Last Saturday afternoon I traveled to Unity, where I had the privilege of helping to celebrate the 100^th birthday of former East Bethel farm girl Deborah (Farwell) Eldredge. Debbie is my second cousin, once removed (my dad’s second cousin) and she and her three sons were frequent visitors to our camp in the summers when I was growing up. I was accompanied by my brother Steve, our sister Leslie, and Marta Clements, whose sister-in-law was a close friend of Debbie’s from college. It was a wonderful celebration, and I’m sure Debbie is enjoying reading all of the cards, poems, and stories she received from the many folks who attended.

This online newsletter is intended to keep our communities informed, so if you have news, events, or photos you’d like to have included here, I hope you’ll share them with me! You can reach me by email at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or by phone or text at 207-890-4812.

“‘Snow in April is abominable,’ said Anne. ‘Like a slap in the face when you expect a kiss.’” – Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Ingleside

My three crow friends are still coming by for breakfast most mornings. The three of them seem to get along just fine, but when a fourth crow tried to join them on Sunday, there was a bit of a squabble. Maybe I’m not the only one who felt cranky when I saw the snow. (Here’s my first attempt at embedding a short video in my column!)

Here are some events happening in the next few weeks to help chase away the late winter (or mud season) blues:

Saturday, March 28, at 2 p.m. at the Norway Memorial Library, 258 Main Street, Norway: Book discussion of Angelica: For Love and Country in a Time of Revolution, by Molly Beer. This is one in a series of book discussions that are part of the special programming developed for 2026 to celebrate the 250^th anniversary of the founding of our country. The next book in the series, My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, will be discussed at the Rumford Library on Saturday, May 9, at 2 p.m. For a complete list of events, visit 250bethel.org

Sunday, March 29, at 9 a.m. at the First Universalist Church in West Paris: Sunday morning service, “A Noble Life,” led by guest speaker Marilyn Hammond, who writes, “Along with the traditional Luke account of Palm Sunday and a lighter look at the ancestry of Jesus, I want to change the focus from the death of Jesus to the life of Jesus, from the divinity of Jesus to his humanity.”

Sunday, April 5, at 9 a.m. at the First Universalist Church in West Paris: Easter Sunday Service, led by Pastor Linda Couture and the worship service committee.

Thursday, April 9, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel: “Meditation and Music,” a unique, interactive health/wellness program presented by To Your Health. Mindfulness meditation practitioner Will Chapman will discuss the benefits of meditation, lead the group in a short, guided practice, and take questions from the audience. Then, the Oxford Hills Ukulele Group (OHUG), led by Lynette and Ray Seames, will perform their favorite tunes and lead the audience in a singalong. To Your Health, in collaboration with Western Mountains Senior College, the Bethel Family Health Center, and MSAD #44 Adult Education, provides free health education and wellness programs to the Bethel area communities.

Wednesday, April 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Thursday, April 16, from 12 to 5 p.m.: Third Annual Spring Fling at the Bethel Library. Here are the details:

Saturday, May 2, in several area towns: Green-Up Day, annual roadside clean-up. Greenwood volunteers will meet at the Legion/Town Office parking lot for road assignments at 9 a.m. Trash bags and disposable gloves are provided. If you choose to do clean-up on Greenwood roads prior to May 2, please email Lynn Cobb (cobblynn12@gmail.com) or let the town office know, so they will know which sections have already been completed before making road assignments.

It’s been a month now since we lost Eli the Wonder Pup, and every day I’m still reminded of what a wonderful companion he was, and how much I miss him. One of the hardest things for me to get used to has been hiking without him. Even though he didn’t go along on all of my hikes, now that I know he’ll never be with me on the trails again, I admit that I’m having trouble recapturing the joy hiking has always brought me.

I actually haven’t hiked in over two weeks now. Except for the first few weeks after each of my knee surgeries last year, it’s probably the longest I’ve gone without a hike in several years. Don’t worry, I haven’t broken my ridiculous exercise streak, which is approaching 14 years without a missed day—I’ve been using the exercise bike and the “dreadmill” on bad-weather days, moving firewood and shoveling snow as winter hangs on tenaciously, and enjoying some wonderful “mental health walk-and-talks” with my friend Pat—but I do want to get back to hiking soon.

Maybe I need to take a drive and hike somewhere different, on a trail I’ve never done before…one that, unlike all my favorite local trails, isn’t filled with memories of our good, good boy.

I do have some very happy canine companion news, though. After I realized that it was possible that the only thing that was going to stop me from crying every time I saw someone with a dog was to make room in my heart for another dog of our own, Will and I started looking around.

I think we both realized it might be hard to get another golden so soon after losing Eli the Wonder Pup, but before Eli came into our lives, there was Remy, a black Lab I’ve often described as “the canine love of my life.”

And there just happened to be a litter of Lab puppies not too far away, with a little girl who hadn’t yet been spoken for. Next week, Will and I will be embarking on a “puppy share” with eight-week-old Lena Belle, who will be spending her days with both of us at the historical society. It will be a long time before she’ll be hitting the hiking trails (although I’m considering investing in a backpack carrier so she can join me sooner), but I think she’ll be just the kind of heart medicine we all need.

This online newsletter is intended to keep our communities informed, so if you have news, events, or photos you’d like to have included here, I hope you’ll share them with me! You can reach me by email at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or by phone or text at 207-890-4812.

“A dog is the only thing that can mend a crack in your broken heart.” – Judy Desmond

On some of the weeks when my current column doesn’t appear here, I’ll be posting a look back at Locke’s Mills columns from 5 and 10 years ago.

FIVE YEARS AGO

In my March 18, 2021 column, I wrote about a trip to Bretton Woods, N.H., where I had hiked Mt. Willard with my daughter Annie: “The scenery as I approached the trailhead was dramatic, and a little bit daunting—bigger mountains than I’m used to!—but this hike is very moderate, only a little over three miles up and back, and the payoff is an amazing view of Crawford Notch.”

Also that week, Brian and Suzanne Dunham were preparing to host Maine Maple Weekend at Velvet Hollow Sugar Works on Dunham Road, “serving breakfast wraps until noon and maple turkey chili in the afternoon on both days, with tours of the sugar house all day, and maple syrup and other products for sale. Their facility includes a dedicated gluten-free kitchen, and they will be following CDC safety guidelines.”

In the March 25, 2021 Citizen, I observed that it had been six years since I had taken over writing the Locke’s Mills column: “In my very first column, I noted that, since no one else had expressed an interest, I was stepping in ‘on at least an interim basis, since I hate to see our town go without a local correspondent.’” [The “interim” lasted for more than ten years in print, and I hope it will continue for a long time online!]

Eli the Wonder Pup and I had done several hikes that week, “including two sunrise trips up to Lapham Ledge on Tuesday and Friday and one very chilly, windy hike of the Sanborn River Trail on Monday afternoon, after we waited all day for it to warm up and finally realized it wasn’t going to. Even after a couple of really cold days, the river was starting to open up, a sure sign of spring.”

TEN YEARS AGO

In the March 17, 2016 issue of the paper, mud featured prominently: “Who loves mud? Not the residents of dirt roads in Maine in early spring, that’s for sure. And not the town highway crews, who have been doing their level best to keep the roads passable and reopen those that degraded very quickly when the temperature shot up into the 60s last week.”

In Greenwood, both the Bird Hill Road and Hobbs Road had officially been closed temporarily, which meant residents could still attempt them at their own risk, “but it definitely required a 4WD with high clearance to get through.”

I wrote about living on Bird Hill almost 35 years earlier [now nearly 45 years ago!]: “There were very few houses there, and those of us who chose to live one to two miles up a dirt road on a hillside just accepted the fact that there were going to be times when we couldn’t get up the road, whether it was due to snow, ice, or mud. I remember using skis or snowshoes to get to my job at Bob’s Corner Store at least a few times, and walking more times than I can count. But things are different now; there are a lot more people living on Bird Hill than there were in the early 1980s, and they have different expectations. The entire road is a boulevard compared to the narrow lane I used to slew down in my car on icy winter days.”

I reported that Highway Foreman Alan Seames had been out with the rock rake, “going from one dirt road to another last Friday. With the warm temperatures, there wasn’t much else he could do, since using heavy trucks to haul gravel over roads that are already muddy just makes things worse. Fortunately, in the midst of a long stretch of days when the temperature wasn’t predicted to go below freezing, we had one morning in the 20s, Saturday, and our hardworking highway guys took advantage of it to haul enough crushed gravel to get the roads back open.”

I patted myself on the back for writing the Locke’s Mills column for one full year, and missing only one week in that time, when I was “out of town and away from internet access.”

In the March 24, 2016 issue, I wrote that I had had a taste of spring, attending the Boston Flower and Garden Show on the Adult Ed bus tour. Also along on the tour were Crystal Lake and her three sisters, who referred to themselves as “the Queens”: “As we were waiting for the bus to leave the show, they told me the story behind that name. There were five girls in their family, and after losing first their mom, Rowena Dunham, in 2014, then their older sister, Dolly Olson, last year, they realized that life is short and uncertain, and the remaining Hebert women should get together once a month. At one of their gatherings, they were playing cards, and when they took turns cutting the deck, each of the four sisters cut to a queen. The odds of such a thing happening are infinitesimal, so I have to think someone was sending them a positive message!”

The Facebook page “Journey on the Back Roads of Maine” had recently shared a photo of the schoolhouse on the Bird Hill Road as it appeared in 1890, and I wrote: “When, out of curiosity, I was poking around on the Internet to find out the last year that classes were held there (the answer is 1981), I found a Sun Journal news story written by Jane Chandler in 1985 that detailed an effort that year by a group calling itself the Mt. Abram Mercantile Association (although unaffiliated with Mt. Abram Ski Resort) to purchase the building and turn it into a nightclub. A special town meeting had been set to determine the fate of the old school. I was living on Bird Hill at the time (as a resident of Bethel, not Greenwood), but I must have been oblivious to local current events. I don’t remember hearing about the outcome, but I assume voters rejected the plan.”

Ten years ago, there were five Thursdays in March, and on March 31, 2016, I wrote that there would be an opening for a school board member at Greenwood’s annual Town Meeting in May, “as Dick Melville has decided that fifty years on the board is enough. I believe he became a school director in 1965, when the area towns joined together to form MSAD #44, and, except for the years when Bev was teaching in the district and he couldn’t serve on the board, he has been there ever since.”

The Greenwood Bicentennial Committee was looking for artists with a connection to the town to paint unique designs on wooden desks from the old Locke’s Mills School, to be auctioned as a fundraiser: “Butch Fuller and Peter Musso are working to identify and contact local artists, so if you are one, or you know of someone who is, get in touch with Butch or Pete.”

Ice on the ponds was thinning: “It looks like ice-out will occur any day now on our area ponds. I’m betting on April 3 for North Pond, but we’ll see. Some years it seems to take forever after the ice turns dark for it to finally go.” [In fact, the ice did go out of North Pond on April 3 that year, one of the earlier ice-out dates I’ve recorded in the 15 years or so I’ve been keeping track.]

Easter was early in 2016, on March 27: “We had Easter dinner in Sunday River with my brother Steve and his family, and later we went to see a movie at The Gem Theater in Bethel. It’s great to have a movie theater back in the area.” [The theater had reopened the month before under new owners Wade Kavanaugh and Beth Weisberger, after being closed since 2012.]

Although I’d be perfectly happy not to see any more snow this year, I’m not counting on it, and as for unseasonably cold temperatures, it looks like we’ll have a couple of days next week with overnight lows in the single digits. At least those cold nights might help to extend the maple sugaring season, as long as it warms up enough during the day to get the sap flowing.

Here are some upcoming community events:

Sunday, March 15, at 9 a.m. at the First Universalist Church in West Paris: The theme of the Sunday service will be “Kindness,” led by The Rev. Scott Campbell. What motivates people to care for each other?

Wednesday, March 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bethel Methodist Church: Soup’s On! Community lunch of soup, bread, and dessert.

Saturday, March 21, at 2 p.m. at Gould Academy: Author Colin Woodard, whose books include American Nations, American Character, Union, and Nations Apart, will present “The Last Best Hope: The 250-Year Struggle for the American Experiment in a Divided Federation,” a talk and signing. Woodard’s presentation and book signing at Gould Academy will be free. Following the presentation there will be a special author reception at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society. The reception will feature the opportunity to chat more with the author, enjoy some light refreshments, and socialize in the museum galleries. Special behind-the-scenes tours will also be offered with the Museums’ Executive Director. Tickets to the reception are $25, or $20 for MBHS members. Space is limited for the reception; please click here to reserve tickets.

Saturday, March 21, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Bethel Methodist Church: Church Supper—soup, chowder, stew, chili, bread, and desserts. Donations will be accepted for the church’s new roof fund.

Sunday, March 22, at 9 a.m. at the First Universalist Church in West Paris: “Americans Who Tell the Truth: The Spirituality of Activism,” led by Ellen Gibson. Robert Shetterly, an artist from Brooksville, Maine, has spent the last twenty years working on a project called “Americans Who Tell the Truth.” Shetterly believes that truth is at the foundation of a functioning democracy. To date, he has painted 280 portraits of Americans who exemplify moral courage and civic engagement, including many Mainers. For more information on this project, go to https://americanswhotellthetruth.org/ This service was rescheduled from January.

Saturday, March 28, at 2 p.m. at the Norway Memorial Library, 258 Main Street, Norway: Book discussion of Angelica: For Love and Country in a Time of Revolution, by Molly Beer. Few women of the American Revolution have come through 250 years of US history with such clarity and color as Angelica Schuyler Church. She was Alexander Hamilton’s “saucy” sister-in-law, and the heart of Thomas Jefferson’s “charming coterie” of artists and salonnières in Paris. Her transatlantic network of important friends spanned the political spectrum of her time and place, and her astute eye and brilliant letters kept them well informed. Copies of the book are available for the special price of $10 from the Norway and Bethel libraries and the Museum Shop of the Bethel Historical Society.

I want to give a shout-out to the great folks at Bennett’s Automotive. My car had been making a slight scraping sound for a couple of weeks, which I attributed to having bent something underneath when I got stuck in a friend’s driveway and had to be pushed out. It wasn’t very noticeable, so I didn’t worry too much about it until, when Tony and I were on our way to Scarborough for a medical appointment last Wednesday, it rather suddenly got a whole lot worse. We realized it wasn’t just a bit of bent metal rubbing against a tire, but the front brakes needing immediate attention.

By the time we got home, I was feeling both stressed out over the safety issue and mortified by the noise issue. I drove it up to Bennett’s the next morning and told them my sad tale. I believe what I actually said, in response to JJ’s cheerful greeting, was “We lost our dog, my husband has cancer, my brakes are making a god-awful noise, and I have a headlight out.”

Honestly, I was expecting to hear that it would be at least a week or two before they could get to it. But—possibly because he didn’t want to see me start crying in his waiting room, but more likely because he’s just a really good guy—JJ immediately offered to drive me home to get the truck and said he’d get the car fixed up and back on the road before the weekend. In fact, it was less than four hours later when they called and said it was ready to go. I’m really grateful for this busy, efficient, and thriving business that still makes kindness and small-town values a priority.

I had two very enjoyable opportunities to talk about my book, Just Like Glass, this week. On Monday, I was the guest at the monthly meeting of the Farmington Rotary Book Club, which had chosen Just Like Glass as their March read, thanks to the recommendation of my college friend Pauline. They were a wonderful group of folks who had thoughtful observations and asked interesting questions, and it was great to hear how much they had enjoyed the book, even without being familiar with my family or the Bethel area.

On Wednesday, I attended the monthly meeting of the Bethel Senior Citizens at the Methodist Church, where I read a short excerpt from the book, talked a bit about how I came to write it, and answered a few questions before enjoying a delicious lunch prepared with many local ingredients by Annette Roy of No View Farm. Thank you so much for inviting me!

Next Tuesday, March 17, is St. Patrick’s Day. I never thought I had any Irish blood, but my Ancestry DNA results do show that I have a bit—enough to explain my love of corned beef and cabbage, which might just be my favorite meal. Actually, when I cook corned beef, I always make a New England boiled dinner, with not only cabbage, but plenty of carrots, potatoes, onions, parsnips, and turnip. I like the leftovers, in the form of a second and third dinner, Reuben sandwiches, and corned beef hash, just as much as the first round. I even make a delicious corned beef soup with the cooking broth and leftover meat and veggies.

March 17 is also the day my new right knee turns one year old. I think my surgeon would be happy to know that this knee has done 92 hikes since being replaced last March, and the new left knee, which was replaced on October 8, has gone along on the last 41 of them. My longest hike between surgeries was Puzzle Mountain, at about 7.5 miles, and the longest since the second surgery is about 4.5 miles. I’m hoping to tackle a few more in the seven- to eight-mile range this summer.

This online newsletter is intended to keep our communities informed, so if you have news, events, or photos you’d like to have included here, I hope you’ll share them with me! You can reach me by email at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or by phone or text at 207-890-4812.

“March is the month God created to show people who don’t drink what a hangover is like.” –Garrison Keillor

On some of the weeks when my current column doesn’t appear here, I’ll be posting a look back at Locke’s Mills columns from 5 and 10 years ago.

FIVE YEARS AGO

In the March 4, 2021 issue of the Citizen, I mused about having just turned 62: “While 62 isn’t always considered a ‘big birthday,’ like the ones that end in zero or five, it has always felt somewhat significant to me…It’s the age at which my mother, and a lot of my friends’ parents, retired. Most people I know who are my age are still working, and I don’t have any plans to retire myself, but my lifelong best friend, Donna, is retiring this spring, just in time to spend even more time than usual at camp this summer.”

I noted that 62 is the age at which many businesses, especially restaurants and hotels, start offering a senior citizen discount, and added, “Of more interest to me, I’m now eligible for a Lifetime Senior Pass from the National Park Service. For $80, I can get lifetime free access to over 2,000 recreation sites managed by six federal agencies.” [I actually didn’t get around to purchasing my LSP until October of 2022, when I visited Rocky Mountain National Park with my Colorado kids, but I do have one now!]

In March of 2021, we were just beginning to emerge from a year of social distancing, thanks to the recent development and availability of COVID-19 vaccines, and I wrote, “Now that Maine has begun vaccinating those 60 and over, I hope to join Tony in getting vaccinated against COVID-19 soon. Most of my siblings have already had their shots, and I have high hopes for what I missed the most in 2020: family gatherings at camp this summer.”

“Trying to get an appointment to be vaccinated can seem a bit like playing the lottery. If you’ve been having trouble navigating the process, or you don’t have computer access, my best advice is to find someone to help you sign up online.”

A week later, on March 11, 2021, I reported that the most recent guidelines under the “Moving Maine Forward” plan would increase the limit for indoor gatherings to 50 percent of capacity as of March 26, adding, “That means that Greenwood should be able to hold our annual Town Meeting at the Legion Hall, which has a maximum capacity of 300, since we aren’t likely to have even close to 150 people in attendance. The selectmen had previously been considering how to hold a “drive-in” Town Meeting like the one held in Woodstock last year, but being able to gather indoors should make things simpler,” with masks and social distancing still to be required.

We had had a 30-hour power outage on my birthday, due to high winds, and had used our small generator to run one circulator from our wood furnace, keeping the house at about 55 degrees. I had also plugged my new Instant Pot into the generator “and enjoyed a pot roast like my mom’s for the first time in many years.”

TEN YEARS AGO

In my March 3, 2016, column, I had been out looking for signs of spring:

“I took a walk down the Greenwood Road past Round Pond on Sunday. Although I saw a few fishermen out on the ice, from the extent of the bare ground in the woods along the road, the lack of snowbanks, and, especially, the bright orange posters warning of ‘Heavy Loads Limited,’ it really looked more like late March than late February. My former mother-in-law, Mabel Kennett, who was a teacher, always said it was an early spring in Maine if she was able to rake her lawn during her April vacation. Unless we get some big storms in March, it doesn’t look like that will be a problem this year.”

The Greenwood Historical Society was offering packs of postcards for sale to commemorate the town’s bicentennial, with each pack of five postcards including scenes of Greenwood as it would have appeared in 1816-1855. “This is the first of several postcard packs that the historical society plans to release throughout the bicentennial year, so don’t miss your chance to start building your complete collection.” [I believe the commemorative postcards are still available at the town office.]

When the March 10, 2016, issue of the paper came out, the town was seeking interested residents to serve on the Planning Board and the Board of Appeals, as well as “two regular members of the soon-to-be-formed MSAD 44 Cost Sharing Committee. These are all important positions, and we need thoughtful folks to fill them. It’s a great way to get involved on the local level, something that I can say from personal experience is very rewarding.”

Tony, Will, and I had attended the Democratic caucus at Telstar, where several area towns held their caucuses. “Sixteen Greenwood residents came to caucus and seven had voted earlier by absentee ballot. Our local results of 15 for Bernie Sanders and eight for Hillary Clinton mean our town’s two delegates to the state convention in May will be split between them. Interestingly, if just one person had switched sides from Hillary to Bernie, both of our delegates would have gone for Bernie, which shows how every vote really can make a difference.”

In other local news that week, Peter Seames had broken his hip in a recent fall, and neighbors and friends were sending him their thoughts, prayers, and get-well wishes.

I was experimenting with baking sourdough bread from a starter I had been nurturing for a couple of weeks:

“Real sourdough bread depends on wild yeast and lactobacilli that are naturally present in flour, as well as in the air, and it takes somewhere between a week and two weeks of daily ‘feeding’ with flour and water to get the starter to the point where it’s ready to bake with. Then it can take several hours for the dough to rise, so it’s a real ‘slow food’ experience. I’ll let you know how it works out.”

And I was continuing my walks on the Greenwood Road, “now that the snow has melted back enough to leave the edges of the road dry and ice-free. I enjoy seeing the incremental changes on the ponds each day at this time of the year and keeping an eye on the expanding pool of open water by the culvert that goes under the road in the area Diddy Johnson called Mayes’ Bridge. Spring is on the way, and, even though this winter hasn’t been especially harsh, I’m always ready to welcome it.”

Dr. Stanley Russell Howe passed away at his longtime Broad Street home, the Hastings Homestead, on Sunday, February 22. To say that Stan was a giant in the realm of local history would be an understatement. He led the Bethel Historical Society as its first executive director from 1974-2010, and continued as associate director and director of education and research until the end of 2012.

I believe I first met Stan 50 years ago, during Bethel’s celebration of America’s bicentennial. I have an image in my mind of him dressed in Revolutionary War garb at the Mason House. I’ll have to ask Will to comb the archives and see if there’s a photo, or if I’m imagining it.

Stan had many relatives and long-time friends with whom he kept in touch over the decades, and in recent years he enjoyed sitting on his front porch in warm weather and chatting with drop-in guests and passersby; he was very much a fixture on Broad Street. His absence will be sharply felt, and my heart goes out to Randy Bennett, his friend and caregiver, and to all his friends and family, for whom his passing means the end of an era.

Margaret Mills passed away on February 17 in New Hampshire, where she had been staying with Blaine’s son, Sean. Sean called Kim at the town office to let her know. He hopes to be able to have a memorial service here in Locke’s Mills this summer to give everyone a chance to remember and honor Blaine and Margie and their many contributions to our town.

If you pick up your mail at the Greenwood post office, as I do, you already know that after many months of temporary and substitute fill-ins behind the desk, we have a new permanent postal clerk, Greenwood resident Samantha Mills. If you get your mail delivered and don’t frequent the post office, stop by to introduce yourself and welcome her. Window hours are 8 to 10 a.m. and 2:15 to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Here are some events for your calendar:

Saturday, February 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Locke’s Mills American Legion on the Gore Road: Live music for listening and dancing, performed by The Fossils. Admission is by donation, and light refreshments will be available.

Wednesday, March 4, from 1-3 p.m. at the First Universalist Church of West Paris: Cabin Fever Fun Day. Cribbage boards, playing cards, and a jigsaw puzzle will be available, or bring your own games or crafts for a social afternoon. Snow day is Thursday, March 5.

Thursday, March 5, from 4-5:30 p.m. at the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel: “Caring for Your Heart,” a free wellness program sponsored by To Your Health and presented by Dr. Daniel van Buren, a resident of Bethel and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

Friday, March 6, at 5 p.m.: “Healing Scars of War” at West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel. Janet Willie will speak about her recent trip to Ukraine to work with healthcare workers on how to heal scars on Ukrainian soldiers. A community potluck supper begins at 5 (bring a dish to share) and Janet’s talk will follow the meal.

Tuesday, March 10, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Methodist Church on Main Street in Bethel: Neighbors Feeding Neighbors community meal.

Wednesday, March 11, at 11 a.m. at the Methodist Church: Monthly meeting of the Bethel Senior Citizen Club. Amy Wight Chapman (hey, that’s me!) will speak about her family memoir, Just Like Glass, with lunch to follow. New members are always welcome, and annual dues are just $10.

Saturday, March 21, at 2 p.m. at Gould Academy: Author Colin Woodard, whose books include American Nations, American Character, Union, and Nations Apart, will present “The Last Best Hope: The 250-Year Struggle for the American Experiment in a Divided Federation,” a talk and signing. This will be followed by a special reception at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society. The presentation and signing are free. Tickets for the reception are $25 ($20 for MHBS members). Space is limited for both events; please reserve your free presentation tickets and reception tickets at 250bethel.org/Woodard or by using the QR code in the flyer below.

The following is a list of speakers for March at the First Universalist Church of West Paris. Sunday services begin at 9 a.m., with music by Davy Sturtevant and refreshments following the service. All are welcome.

March 1, “Listening,” led by the Rev. Scott Campbell, who will explore what it means to truly pay attention to one another.

March 8, Bob Neal will be the speaker. His topic is “The Mustard Seed and the Pullman Porters,” based on the parable of the mustard seed (Matthew 13), using the example of how the Black middle class arose from the occupation of sleeping-car porter. It was the best job most Black men could get, and the pay and tips were enough to create a middle class in a still-segregated country.

March 15, “Kindness,” led by The Rev. Scott Campbell. What motivates people to care for each other?

March 22, “Americans Who Tell the Truth: The Spirituality of Activism,” led by Ellen Gibson. Robert Shetterly, an artist from Brooksville, Maine, has spent the last twenty years working on a project called “Americans Who Tell the Truth.” Shetterly believes that truth is at the foundation of a functioning democracy. To date, he has painted 280 portraits of Americans who exemplify moral courage and civic engagement, from Abraham Lincoln to Stacey Abrams, Margaret Chase Smith to Samantha Smith, Pete Seeger to Richard Blanco. We will investigate how activism intersects with the seven UU principles. For more information on this project, go to

https://americanswhotellthetruth.org/

This service was rescheduled from January.

March 29, “A Noble Life,” led by guest speaker Marilyn Hammond. “Along with the traditional Luke account of Palm Sunday and a lighter look at the ancestry of Jesus, I want to change the focus from the death of Jesus to the life of Jesus, from the divinity of Jesus to his humanity.”

For more information about the church and services, please contact Marta Clements, 674-2143, mclements96894@roadrunner.com, or Suzanne Dunham, 665-2967, dunhamfarm@msn.com or visit the church’s Facebook page. To learn more about the Unitarian-Universalist Association, visit

http://www.uua.org/

The First Universalist Church of West Paris is located at 208 Main St., W. Paris 04289

As many of you already know, if you read my blog or follow me on Facebook, my family experienced a heartbreaking loss this week with the unexpected passing of Eli the Wonder Pup. We are all devastated, but the outpouring of condolences from so many of Eli’s fans has been a comfort, confirming what we already knew, that while his time with us was too short, he had the best life a dog could ever ask for. If you haven’t read my blog post about our good boy, and you’d like to, you can find it by clicking here.

This online newsletter is intended to keep our communities informed, so if you have news, events, or photos you’d like to have included here, I hope you’ll share them with me! You can reach me by email at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or by phone or text at 207-890-4812.

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” – Roger Caras

On some of the weeks when my current column doesn’t appear here, I’ll be posting a look back at Locke’s Mills columns from 5 and 10 years ago.

FIVE YEARS AGO

In the February 18, 2021, issue of the Citizen, I reported on five hikes I had taken in the seven days prior to writing that week’s column, including four on snowshoes. I had been to Buck’s Ledge and the summit of Moody Mountain; to the Upper Sanborn River Trail via Willis Mills; to Lapham Ledge and Buck’s Ledge, where I had a good view of rally races being held on the ice of North Pond; and, on two consecutive mornings, to Peaked Mountain in Maggie’s Nature Park in search of sunrise.

I also noted that “Besides hiking, my other adventures this week revolved around a flying squirrel that found its way into our house. Actually, I suspect he lives in the attic, but doesn’t usually let himself be seen. He created quite a bit of excitement for the cats, led me (armed with an old fishnet) on two unsuccessful high-speed chases over two days, and was finally escorted outside after Tony trapped him under a dog dish. (I’m sure he was safely back in the attic by the time Tony got back inside himself.)”

On February 25, 2021, I wrote, “Remarkably, there have been no further flying squirrel sightings here at our house, and not even any scrabbling in the walls and ceilings, since Tony shepherded our adorable little invader out the door under a dog dish last week. Do I dare to hope he was a rare loner of the breed, and doesn’t have a couple dozen siblings and cousins holed up in my attic?”

I reported on a visit to camp to clear snow from the roof and deck, another hike to the summit of Moody Mountain, and one to Wheeler Mines in Gilead to admire the ice formations.

I had also been getting some indoor exercise:

“I’m in the process of moving my work office from the third floor of the Bethel Historical Society’s Robinson House down to the first floor, and for the rest of the work week, I got most of my exercise by making at least 20 trips a day up and down between my old and new offices. It turns out that you can find a whole new set of muscles when you carry boxes, file drawers, and, sometimes, one end of a table, desk, or four-drawer file cabinet down two flights of stairs.”

(Coincidentally, now—exactly five years later—I am in the process of moving my office back up to the third floor!)

TEN YEARS AGO

In the February 18, 2016 issue of the Citizen, I extended sympathy to the families of Irving Cole and Eleanor Inman, who had both recently passed away, and concern for Gilbert Dunham, who had been taken to the hospital after suffering a mild stroke, but had been able to return home a couple of days later.

The Greenwood selectmen had voted for a resolution in support of a collaborative approach to the Age-Friendly Community Program, and I reported that “By joining with Bethel and other area towns to help provide the supports that make it possible for seniors to ‘age in place,’ instead of having to leave their homes as they age, we will be breaking new ground. The AARP and the World Health Organization have established a nationwide network of Age-Friendly Communities, but none, so far, in which towns have utilized a collaborative approach. Peter Musso has volunteered to be the community contact for Greenwood in the project.”

Planning for Greenwood’s bicentennial celebration was well underway, with a parade, food and craft vendors, concerts and other entertainment, an old-time slide show, a reunion of the Locke’s Mills School, and more all in the works. The Bicentennial Committee had recently met with Steve Marson of Central Maine Pyrotechnics, “who is promising the best fireworks display the town has ever seen for our 200th birthday celebration on August 13.”

Also from that week’s Locke’s Mills news, my son Will had just finished scanning and digitally archiving all of the glass plate negatives in the Greenwood Historical Society’s Nettie Maxim collection, and I wrote: “He’s now working on the Guy Coffin negatives, taken at about the same time, around the turn of the 20th century, as well as some earlier stereoptic images taken on Main Street by an unknown photographer around 1875. For a small local historical society, GHS is fortunate to have some very special items in its collections.”

I had spent Valentine’s Day weekend in Portsmouth, NH, with my lifelong best friend, Donna, and we had met up with two of my daughters, Annie and Caitlin. I reported on our visit: “We all enjoyed one of our favorite activities, thrift store shopping, as well as a visit to a farm with adorable 10-day-old baby goat triplets, which we got to hold and bottle-feed.

On February 25, 2016, I reported that I had read to 16 children at Story Time at the Bethel Library the previous week. “I read three books by Jan Brett featuring the adventures of Hedgie, a silly little hedgehog, and brought along a knitted Hedgie I had made for the kids to hold. It was nice to sit in the rocking chair that was purchased for the library with donations in memory of my mother after she died in 2004. My mom was a school librarian in Connecticut for many years, and volunteered at the Bethel Library for nearly two decades after retiring to Maine, her home state, in 1982.”

I’ve attended the first two Sunday afternoon live readings of The Age of Homespun, by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, and I’m really enjoying the opportunity to slow down, sit down, and work on a knitting project for a couple of hours while learning something new.

Ulrich’s book is organized around detailed descriptions of 14 domestic items from pre-industrial America and how the objects, which range from a spinning wheel to an unfinished stocking, fit into the culture and history of the ordinary people who made or used them.

Last Sunday, we heard about Molly Ockett and her life and times from the chapter that describes a pocketbook created more than 200 years ago from fabric she wove and decorated with dyed moose hairs. It was given to her friend Eli Twitchell of Bethel (who, incidentally, was the brother of my fourth great-grandfather, Eleazer Twitchell, making Eli—I think—my fourth great-grand-uncle) and it is now in the collection of the Maine Historical Society.

The reading and discussion, led by Jessica Jolly, continues each Sunday in February, from 3-5 p.m. in the Reading Room of the Robinson House at MBHS. Please join us! Bring along a handcraft to work on, or just come and listen.

Some other upcoming events to chase away the late-winter doldrums:

Saturday, February 21, from 2-3:30 p.m. at the Mason House of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society: “Ghosts of Centennials Past.” MBHS Executive Director Will Chapman will present a program on how the American Centennial of 1876 and Bicentennial of 1976 were celebrated in the Bethel area. (Having been in on some of the planning of his program, I can guarantee that it’s going to be both engaging and fun.) This program is just one of many events taking place in 2026 to commemorate the 250^th anniversary of American independence. Click here to visit the website 250bethel.org to learn more and see the full list of events, exhibits, and book discussions.

Wednesdays, February 25, March 4, and March 11, from noon to 1 p.m. at West Parish Congregational Church: Lenten Lunches. This simple meal of soup and bread is an opportunity for people of different faiths to gather and reflect together on the journey to Easter. The meal is free. Each church is invited to bring the food for the three lenten lunches.

Thursday, March 5, from 4-5:30 p.m. at the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel: “Caring for Your Heart,” a free wellness program sponsored by To Your Health and presented by Dr. Daniel van Buren, a resident of Bethel and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

Each month, the Bethel Area Age-Friendly Community Initiative (AFCI) creates a calendar of community-wide events and activities that older people can attend to stay healthy. All are social activities that are mostly free and address emotional, mental, physical, and sometimes spiritual needs. Here’s February’s.

I made a late-afternoon solo trek up to Buck’s Ledge, and Eli the Wonder Pup and I enjoyed a couple more hikes in the McCoy-Chapman Forest this past week. On Saturday afternoon we hiked the Chapman Brook/Sam’s Trail loop in the still-falling snow, and had the place to ourselves after meeting one cross-country skier with his dog, also a Golden, near the start of our hike. Then on Monday we set off to hike to the scenic overlook on the McCoy-Gray Birch Trail. Most of the trail was pretty firmly packed, but we turned around about three-quarters of the way up, as soon as we got beyond the better-traveled sections, when my boots threatened to poke holes in the trail. As I’m sure you’ll agree if you’ve ever been on a snowy trail that someone hiked in bare boots when they should have used snowshoes, there’s a special place in hell reserved for “post-holers.”

While Eli was hiking with me on Saturday, Will and Rosemary were hiking the Flume Gorge in Lincoln, N.H. I’ve only been there once myself, and even though I was a sulky teenager at the time, it has always had a special significance for me. My mom took me there one summer, because she and my dad had hiked it on their honeymoon, in early April of 1942, and she wanted me to see it. I’ve always planned to go back again, and someday I will.

My mom was almost a Valentine’s Day baby, having been born on February 13, 1920. The 13th fell on a Friday that year; she always said that the 13th was her lucky day, especially when her birthday happened to fall on a Friday. This year, in her honor, I’ll donate blood on her birthday at the Red Cross Blood Drive, which is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel. As of Wednesday evening, there were still a few appointment spots left, in case you’d like to join me!

This online newsletter is intended to keep our communities informed, so if you have news, events, or photos you’d like to have included here, I hope you’ll share them with me! You can reach me by email at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or by phone or text at 207-890-4812.

“Winter is not a season, it’s an occupation.” – Sinclair Lewis

On some of the weeks when my current column doesn’t appear here, I’ll be posting a look back at Locke’s Mills columns from 5 and 10 years ago.

FIVE YEARS AGO

In the Locke’s Mills column of February 4, 2021, I reported that the Greenwood and Woodstock selectmen had met to discuss the 2021 budget for the transfer station. The proposed total budget of $257,850 was about 30 percent higher than the previous year’s, reflecting a steep increase in costs to the towns for the disposal of metal and construction debris, as well as municipal solid waste.

At 6 a.m. on January 31, we were experiencing our coldest temperature reading of the winter, ten degrees below zero, and Tony and I were hoping for a warm-up before our afternoon trip to Portland for “an outdoor, socially distanced visit” at a park with our then two-year-old granddaughter and her mom, who had relocated to Portland from North Carolina at the beginning of January.

A few days before, I had done an early-morning hike of Moody Mountain by way of the newly created J&J Backcountry Trail, starting out with a headlamp about 45 minutes before sunrise, and I reported that “Jurgen and Janice Marks, who created the trail, have recently added excellent signage at all of the trail junctions. They had been up it the day before my hike, and their tracks, as well as pink flagging and the new signs, made it easy to follow the trail.”

In my column of February 11, 2021, I wrote about four recent “hometown hikes,” two to the top of Peaked Mountain in Maggie’s Nature Park; one on the Sanborn River Trail, across the connecting trail to Overset Pond, around the pond, and back to my car via the Jeep trail (a.k.a. Overset Pond Lane); and the fourth to the overlook on Patch Mountain.

“Whenever I hike around Overset Pond, I always think of Rex and Roland Martin, and how Rex told me they used to spend a week there, camping and fishing, at the end of the summer before school started. It was their reward for working hard, haying and doing other odd jobs, all summer. Rex said that from the time he was only ten or 11 years old, they would set off without much more than their fishing poles, blanket rolls, and a few potatoes. They caught plenty of fish and cooked them over a campfire, slept on the ground, and were completely on their own until they hiked back out a week later—not something many parents can imagine letting their kids do nowadays!”

TEN YEARS AGO

From the February 4, 2016 Locke’s Mills column: “Peter Musso of Greenwood is the Artist of the Month for February at the Local Hub. He has been painting for many years and since his retirement he has found extra time to pursue his passion for art. Peter will have framed as well as unframed pieces for sale. Stop by to view his works, and enjoy some of the Hub’s delicious food.”

Frequent visitors to our birdfeeders had been goldfinches, purple finches, chickadees, and juncos, along with a few American tree sparrows, a couple of white-throated sparrows, and one female cardinal.

In the February 11, 2016 Locke’s Mills column, I shared the sad news that our Twitchell Pond friend and neighbor David Brainard had passed away after a long and difficult illness. “There are so many of us in Greenwood who are grateful to Dave for everything he has done for the town over the years, especially for having shared his expertise and leadership on the Planning Board. He will certainly be missed.”

We had just celebrated Greenwood’s official 200^th birthday, with cake and ice cream following the previous week’s selectmen’s meeting, the kickoff to our bicentennial celebration year. “Sally Smith made the cake, with a photo of a loon that I had taken a couple of summers ago on the top. Using edible ink and special “paper” made out of sugar, she can transfer any photo to a cake. Modern technology never ceases to amaze me!”

I also wrote about the Read to ME Challenge, a month-long public awareness campaign to promote childhood literacy in Maine. “To accept the challenge, all you have to do is read aloud to one or more children for at least 15 minutes, have someone take a photo or a short video of you reading aloud to kids and post it on social media with the hashtag #ReadtoME or #ReadaloudME and challenge others to do the same. I accepted Cathy Newell’s challenge after she posted it on Facebook. My read-aloud time is scheduled for Feb. 18, when I’ll be reading at the Bethel Library for Story Time. The photo I posted was actually a favorite photo of my mom, Ruth Wight, reading to five of her grandchildren at our camp on North Pond, back in 1976. She was a school librarian for many years and loved reading to kids more than almost anything else.”

Saturday morning’s short hike to Lapham Ledge in the Buck’s Ledge Community Forest really was chilly. Even though we waited until late morning to head out, the temperature was only one degree above zero, and there was a strong wind. Needless to say, we didn’t linger long on the open ledges.

I had planned to take Eli to Maggie’s Nature Park on Sunday, but then Will called to say that he and Rosemary were on their way to Portland and couldn’t remember for sure if they had unplugged the waffle iron after making waffles for breakfast—could I go and check? So I decided to head for the McCoy-Chapman Forest on the North Road (after stopping at their apartment in Bethel to ascertain that yes, the waffle iron was unplugged). The temperature was about five degrees warmer than the day before, but the real difference was the lack of wind—six degrees feels positively balmy when you’re dressed for it and the wind isn’t threatening every inch of exposed skin with frostbite.

I was glad to have gotten a couple more hikes in before hitting the trails without snowshoes became out of the question for a while. I did put my snowshoes on to get to the bird feeder on Monday afternoon, though, and then I stomped down some paths in the dog pen for Eli. The snow was so deep and powdery that I’m hoping a few other people will put on snowshoes and pack down my favorite trails before I get back out there.

I didn’t have to think about what to do for a workout on Tuesday morning—it was back to the “snow gym” to get the paths and ramp at the Bethel Library cleared off before it opened at noon. I enjoy snow-shoveling—really!—but I was glad this big snow was light and easy to handle…and I’m kind of hoping the storm that may be coming our way on Sunday misses us.

Here are some upcoming meetings and events for your calendar:

Saturday, January 31, at 2 p.m. at the Bethel Library on Broad Street: Book discussion of American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence, by Pauline Maier. This is the first of several book discussions relating to the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution to be held during 2026 as part of the celebration of America’s 250^th birthday. A remote participation option will be available for those who can’t attend the discussion in person.

Saturday, January 31, from 2:30-5:30 p.m. at the West Paris Library: Communication Workshop. Facilitators Robin Dunn and Stephanie Frykholm will lead this workshop on “How to Talk With Somebody Who Sees It Differently.” This program is free, but space is limited and registration is required. To register, call the library at 207-674-2004 or email librarian@westparislibrary.org.

Wednesday, February 4, from 1-3 p.m. at the First Universalist Church of West Paris: Cabin Fever Fun. There will be a puzzle to work on and cribbage boards and cards. Bring your own game or craft and come and enjoy a social afternoon. There will be light refreshments. The snow date will be Feb. 5, at the same time.

Friday, February 13, from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Reading Room of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Robinson House: Community Mending/Repair Group meeting. This newly-formed group meets monthly to share knowledge and other resources for fixing things that might otherwise go to waste. At their first two meetings, repairs included hemming pants, darning socks, sharpening kitchen knives, and putting shoes back in service. The Feature Focus of the February meeting will be repairing snowshoes, nordic ski bindings and poles. Bring your own project (anything you’d like to fix - it doesn’t have to be the Feature Focus) and a few dollars to put into the MBHS donation box. And if you have a friend that may be interested, bring them along too! If you’d like more information on how to become involved, contact Betsey Cooper at (207) 381-0713 or email awoodenhouse100@gmail.com or Robin Nesbeda at (978) 895 2320 or email RNesbead@gmail.com

Valentine’s Day is coming, and the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society is holding its third annual Haven’s Candies Valentine Fundraiser. Chocolate speaks louder than words—tell someone how much you love them with an I Love You Box from Haven’s Candies! Order online at bethelhistorical.org/shop or call 207-824-2908.

The selectmen and town managers of Greenwood and Woodstock met this week to finalize the transfer station budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. After bids for hauling waste and recycling were opened, a three-year contract was awarded to our current provider, Casella.

The Greenwood Board of Selectmen and Budget Committee will meet at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 5, and at 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 12, at the Town Office on the Gore Road to develop the municipal budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. Like all regular selectmen’s meetings, budget meetings are always open to the public.

If you’ve been reading this column for a while, you know that I celebrate the arrival of Groundhog Day each year. Even though I know perfectly well that we’ll always have at least six more weeks of winter (whether or not that prognosticating rodent sees his shadow), Groundhog Day always means the end of winter is in sight.

According to Wikipedia, “The first documented American reference to Groundhog Day can be found in a diary entry, dated February 4, 1841, by Morgantown, Penn. storekeeper James Morris: ‘Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas Day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back in for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.’”

An old rhyme goes: “February second, Candlemas Day: half your wood, and half your hay. Half the winter has passed away; we’ll eat our supper by the light of day.”

Actually, I’ve read that January 20 is statistically the midpoint of the heating season, with an average of half the degree days occurring prior to that date, and half after. If that’s the case, we’re almost two weeks closer to spring than the old rhyme indicates, so if you’ve already gone through half your wood, it may not be cause for panic. And with any luck, the second half of winter will be at least a bit milder than the past couple of weeks.

“January is the worst month. You are fat and broke from the holidays, paler than ever, and you can’t feel your own face when you walk outside.” – Anonymous

On some of the weeks when my current column doesn’t appear here, I’ll be posting a look back at Locke’s Mills columns from 5 and 10 years ago.

From five years ago—January 21 and 28, 2021

Despite having more than 20 extra minutes of afternoon daylight, Eli and I ended up racing against sunset to get back to our car after a hike to Lapham and Buck’s Ledges late on Wednesday.

It’s not as bad as it sounds, as we were coming down the wide, smooth logging road where we weren’t likely to encounter many tripping hazards, and I did have both a headlamp and a portable phone charger with me, just in case. But it was a good reminder that darkness still falls fast and early on these winter afternoons.

A reminder to all that face coverings must be worn on the premises of all municipal properties, which includes the transfer station and, of course, the town office. It seems as if everyone should be used to this by now and it should go without saying, especially with regard to indoor spaces like the town office, where people must be in close proximity, but apparently some still haven’t gotten the message.

If you are unwilling or unable to wear a face covering, please conduct your town office business by mail, email, or phone, or by requesting curbside service. I’m not looking to start a debate here; these are the rules for everyone, for everyone’s protection.

Last Wednesday was Inauguration Day and I wanted to do something special to commemorate it, so I hiked up to Buck’s Ledge before sunrise, then along the new trail extension to the summit of Moody Mountain, where I had views to the southeast and could watch as the sun came up. For once, I timed it just right and got to see a gorgeous sunrise, a great way to start the day.

As I mentioned last week, on average, our coldest winter days here in Maine fall between January 19 and 25, and this winter seems to be following that pattern. Although we still haven’t had any 20-below-zero mornings, and only a couple that were below zero at all, it certainly felt cold enough last weekend, with highs only in the teens and winds of at least 15 mph.

Despite the cold and wind, I got out for a hike on both weekend days, and I’d like to think I deserve extra points for not opting for the treadmill in the basement instead. I must be getting tougher in my old age.

On Saturday we bundled up and hiked to Lapham Ledges, Buck’s Ledge, and the summit of Moody Mountain. Tony hadn’t been on the new trail extension and wanted to check it out. I had assured him that, once we were past the steep section of trail just below Buck’s Ledge, the rest of it would be pretty much “a stroll in the woods” with little elevation change.

I had just been there three days earlier, but I had forgotten that, actually, even though the summit of Moody, at about 1,400 feet, is only about 200 feet higher than Buck’s Ledge, there’s quite a bit of up-and-down to get there. But that was probably a good thing, as the workout kept us warm.

From ten years ago—January 21 and 28, 2016

As I think most people have heard by now, 2016 marks the 200th anniversary of the incorporation of the town of Greenwood. While most of the bicentennial festivities will take place during the weekend of August 12-14, selectmen and town employees plan to kick off the celebration with a birthday party for the town at their next regular meeting on Feb. 2 at 5 p.m.

The date of the meeting coincides with the actual anniversary of the date when Greenwood’s incorporation papers were signed, Feb. 2, 1816. Everyone is invited to join the celebration at the Town Office on the Gore Road. There will be birthday cake—hope to see you there!

I’m sure there are many snow-lovers who will disagree, but I was happy to have Winter Storm Jonas (a.k.a. Snowpocalypse 2016), which broke all-time snowfall records in at least four states, miss us by a couple hundred miles.

Except for sending Will up to shovel off the rather flat dormer of our house, we’ve managed to avoid climbing onto our roofs to shovel them so far this winter, and I’d like to keep it that way. Last winter was an exception, but usually if most of our storms come later in the winter, they are followed by enough sunshine and warmer days to encourage most of the snow to slide off before it gets too heavy or builds up impressive icicles and ice dams.

At their most recent meeting, the Greenwood selectmen discussed stepping up enforcement of the town’s addressing ordinance, which requires that all property owners post their assigned 911 street numbers where they are clearly visible from the road so that emergency responders can locate them easily.

For houses that are within 50 feet of the road, this means posting them on the building, and for houses further than 50 feet from the road, the numbers should be placed near the road.

The current ordinance provides for a fine of up to $2,500 for those not properly displaying their house numbers. The selectmen hope to amend the ordinance to allow a fine of not less than $25 and not more than $250, since the intent of the ordinance is not to punish, but to encourage compliance.

As Selectman Fred Henderson said, “Not having the number displayed could be dangerous. It could even cost somebody their life.”

I always feel encouraged when the days grow noticeably longer. Since I can dress for the weather, it’s really not the cold temperatures, snow, and ice that I find hardest about winter (well, maybe the ice), it’s the lack of daylight. It’s much easier now that I work part-time and have generally flexible hours so I can take advantage of what light there is on the shortest days. I remember many years when I drove to and from work in the near-dark, and winter seemed so long!

Tony and I enjoyed a visit from our Colorado girls, Annie and Cait, last weekend. They arrived on Thursday, left on Sunday, and managed to pack a lot into a long weekend—a delayed celebration of Christmas, visits with family and friends, walks with Eli the Wonder Pup, and Cait even joined Katie and Lila at Mt. Abram on Saturday afternoon for Lila’s first ski lesson of the year. She and Katie skied during the lesson, then had time enough afterward for a couple of runs with Lila.

The Greenwood selectmen joined with selectmen and town managers from Bethel, Newry, and Woodstock on Monday for a meeting (and delicious meal) hosted at the Woodstock town office. We have had several of these joint meetings, facilitated by the Northern Forest Center, to discuss regional issues that affect all of our towns. Agenda items this time included an update from First Light on the progress of the broadband project, information from Campbell Environmental Group on grants to assess possible hazardous waste sites, and steps for updating municipal Comprehensive Plans.

Greenwood plans to begin the process of updating our Comprehensive Plan and will soon be seeking members to serve on a Comprehensive Planning Committee. Please let Town Manager Kim Sparks know if you are interested—call 875-2773 or stop by the town office.

Wednesday, January 21, at 2 p.m. in the Reading Room of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society: The Bethel Library Book Club will discuss Mad Honey, co-written by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. (I just finished reading this book in four days; I couldn’t put it down, and probably would have read it in a day or two if only I could have put everything else in my life on hold.) The Reading Room is located in the back of the building, with access through the rear door on the driveway side, and plenty of parking behind the building or on Broad Street.

Saturday, January 31, at 2 p.m. at the Bethel Library on Broad Street: Book discussion of American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence, by Pauline Maier. This is the first of several book discussions relating to the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution to be held during 2026 as part of the celebration of America’s 250^th birthday. Copies of American Scripture are available for purchase at cost from both the library and the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society.

The Yarn Hub Drop-In knitting group at the Bethel Library meets on Tuesday mornings from 10-noon.

The Village Makers meet year-round on Tuesdays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Whitman Library in Bryant Pond to enjoy crafting and community. Organizer Liz Hatch calls herself “an obsessed knitter,” but crafters of all kinds are welcome.

Age-Friendly Community Initiative sponsors a drop-in indoor walking program at the Gould Academy Fieldhouse on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-2 p.m. through April.

AFCI also creates a monthly calendar to let people know what other opportunities and services are available for older citizens in our area. Here’s the schedule for January. Although we’re halfway through the month, and some of these events have already taken place, this should give you an idea of how many great programs are taking place throughout our communities.

I’m overdue for an eye exam, and my cat Carl would agree that it’s time. The other morning I dropped a pair of black shorts on the floor at the top of the stairs so I’d remember to take them down to add to the laundry, and before I got around to going downstairs, I had walked by, glanced at them, and said, “Hi, Carl!” to them…not once, but twice.

This online newsletter is intended to keep our communities informed, so if you have news, events, or photos you’d like to have included here, I hope you’ll share them with me! You can reach me by email at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or by phone or text at 207-890-4812.

“Don’t stress about your eyesight failing as you get older. It’s nature’s way of protecting you from shock as you walk past the mirror.” -- Anonymous

On some of the weeks when my current column doesn’t appear here, I’ll be posting a look back at Locke’s Mills columns from 5 and 10 years ago.

From January 7, 2021

While the ground was still bare, Tony, Will, Eli, and I spent both days of the weekend after Christmas tramping around in the woods on four different remote hills in Hartford with a map, successfully locating four giant stone cairns of mysterious origin that we had recently learned about. Two of them, on Thompson Hill and Hutchinson Hill, are around 10 to 12 feet tall, while the two on Doten Hill and Irish Hill are smaller.

Since then, we’ve been told about two or three more similar stone structures in other nearby towns, but no one seems to know anything about when or why any of them were constructed, or by whom. If you have any information, please share it!

I spent several hours this weekend sorting through the records I’ve been keeping on my FitBit, posts to my hiking album on Facebook, and entries in a document on my phone where I’ve kept track of the mileage of all my hikes, walks, and runs in 2020.

Now I have lots of detailed statistics about what I’ve been doing for the past year, most of which are interesting only to me. I will share that I hiked, snowshoed, walked, or ran a total of 1,272.8 miles, which was well over my goal of 1,000, and I went on 127 hikes, comfortably surpassing my goal of 100. At least 2020 was good for something.

From January 14, 2021

The extra daylight in the afternoon means time for an occasional after-work hike for Eli and me, if we can duck out early. We did that last Thursday, and had time for a quick hike up Peabody Mountain in Albany, about a 3.5-mile round-trip. Even with the slightly longer afternoons, the sun was setting when we came off the trail, and it was almost dark by the time we drove home.

Although I didn’t need them on that hike, I was glad I had been carrying both a headlamp and a portable phone charger in my pack. One of my many resolutions for 2021 is to remember to be well-prepared when I head out on the trails, especially when I’m hiking alone (or with Eli, who is great company, but no Lassie when it comes to knowing what to do in an emergency).

Since the start of the new year, Will, Eli, and I have already made two hikes to the summit of Moody Mountain on the Woodstock Conservation Commission’s new trail extension that continues from the top of the Buck’s Ledge trail. We chose that trail for our New Year’s Day hike, and did it again this past Saturday. It’s definitely going to become a new favorite.

I mentioned this new section of trail after we hiked it the first time, in early November, when a potential route had just been flagged. Since then, the trail-clearing work of volunteer extraordinaire Jurgen Marks has resulted in over a mile of new trail that is easy to follow and leads to rewarding views.

In the future, there will be the option of making a loop via a short, steep trail connecting the summit to a point about a mile further up the logging road from the place where the Buck’s Ledge trail departs from it. This section is very steep, and the loop, when completed, will be best done counter-clockwise.

If someone would send me some real news, I wouldn’t have to write about hiking all the time!

From January 7, 2016

As predicted, the temperatures have taken a dive to more seasonal levels, and with the several inches of snow we got on Dec. 29, it finally looks and feels like winter. As I write this at noon on Monday, our temperature has only crept up to 16 degrees, from a low of 10 this morning.

I’ve already broken one of my New Year’s resolutions, which was to write a “real” letter—the kind you fold up, put in an envelope, add a stamp, and send through the mail—every Sunday. I do plenty of communicating via email, Facebook, Messenger, and texting, but there are a few people in my life who still write old-fashioned letters, and I’m afraid I’m not very prompt about answering them.

My current backlog of correspondence includes an Oct. 1 letter from a former Greenwood summer resident who reads my column from his home in Pennsylvania, and one from Nov. 5 from East Bethel native Deborah Farwell Eldredge, who lives in Unity.

Debbie is my father’s cousin, and always came to visit us at camp in the summer with her three boys. She told me in her letter that she works at the polls each year with a friend from Andover, who brings back issues of the Citizen for her to read.

She also told me a story about her grandfather, Porter Farwell, a farmer in East Bethel. He was disabled after a broken leg later in life, and unable to do much farming, so Debbie’s mother taught him to knit and “he kept the men in socks to wear working in the woods.” Debbie learned to knit by watching her grandfather.

Debbie’s letter was going to be the first one I wrote on the first Sunday of 2016...but I forgot all about my resolution until after I’d gone to bed. Of course, there’s no reason why I can’t write a letter on a Monday, or a Tuesday, and I hope to have her letter answered before next Sunday!

Betsey Foster says she doesn’t make New Year’s resolutions, but she follows a “100-day practice” started within the past 50 years or so by a T’ai Chi master named Jou Tsung Hwa. It entails simply picking a specific thing and doing it each day for 100 days, from writing a haiku to setting aside time for reflection each day.

“It doesn’t have to have any relationship to anything—it could be to brush the cat daily,” Betsey said, adding that it traditionally begins on the Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb. 8 this year. She finds it “a good way to appreciate the dark days of this season and note the progression toward light.”

From January 14, 2016

Time for some trash talk. At last week’s meeting of the Greenwood-Woodstock Transfer Station board, it was decided that the “swap shop,” which is currently closed for the winter, will reopen in the spring, but only if volunteers can be found who are willing to be responsible for its operation.

Transfer station employees have said that keeping the swap shop running and orderly takes a lot of their time and they would prefer to see it closed. Despite signage, they have had problems with people leaving unusable or inappropriate items, or leaving vehicles blocking the bulk trash and metal recycling bins while they visit the swap shop.

Some residents, as well as some members of the board, however, have expressed that the swap shop provides a valuable service as a way to pass items that are no longer needed by one person on to someone else who can use them. Besides the neighbors-helping-neighbors value, this reduces the amount of bulk trash the towns must pay to have hauled away.

After hearing from a friend in New Hampshire that the towns in her area have volunteer-operated swap shops, I searched for information on line. It appears that having volunteers run the swap shop, or having it open only a few hours per week, or a combination of both, are all common solutions.

Most town websites I looked at stress that items left at the swap shop should be clean, working, and usable, and many place restrictions on the types of items that can be donated.

Incidentally, while most towns simply call it the swap shop, my favorite name comes from the Midcoast Solid Waste facility, which serves Camden, Rockport, Lincolnville, and Hope. Their volunteer-run swap shop is called “The Pick of the Litter.”

Eli the Wonder Pup and I continued our streak of Christmas Day hikes with our ninth annual one, a short snowshoe hike on the Orange Trail in Maggie’s Nature Park. It was the first time on snowshoes for my new knees, and they held up well. We broke out the trail in fresh powder snow, and the 1.3 mile loop was plenty of exercise for both of us.

Three days later, Eli and I went back to Maggie’s Nature Park for another hike. By then the trails had been traversed by several others, and while I still needed my snowshoes, I was able to make it to the top of Peaked Mountain without much difficulty. I haven’t been out for a hike since Monday’s storm and the ensuing deep freeze, but I’m sure I’ll find the conditions have changed quite a bit, and I will probably be back to Microspikes, at least until the next snowstorm.

Five years ago this week, in my last column of 2020, I wrote, “As a confirmed introvert, and a dedicated avoider of most kinds of raucous celebrations, I’ve never enjoyed the party aspect of New Year’s Eve. I have, however, always loved the concept of the incoming new year as a time for new beginnings, an opportunity to do things a little better the next time around, and a time of great optimism and hope.”

Those two things haven’t changed: I still avoid raucous celebrations, and I still look forward to each new year with great (even if misplaced) optimism. As usual, I’ll be making—and probably breaking—a few resolutions. How about you?

I’m so sorry to have learned recently that several families in our community are grieving the loss of a loved one this holiday season. Sincere sympathy goes out to John and Eva Coolidge and their family for the loss of their beautiful granddaughter, Corey Blais, on December 29; to the family of Duffy Ellsworth, who passed away on December 23; and to Ken and Michele Cole and family for the loss of Michele’s mother on December 21. We are all holding you all in our hearts.

With the start of 2026, the country is preparing to celebrate its Semiquincentennial, or, if you prefer, Bisesquicentennial, Sestercentennial, or Quarter Millennium. Yes, those are all technically correct ways to express the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but there seems to be a general consensus across the country that, for ease of remembering—and spelling—the name, it should be called simply “America 250.”

“Engage With Our History - Independence 250” is a series of programs and events taking place here in western Maine, sponsored by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society and community partners. Follow the Independence 250 Facebook page to stay informed about all of the upcoming events and activities throughout the year—the first two are coming right up!

Saturday, January 10, at 2 p.m. in the Meeting Room of the Mason House, 14 Broad Street in Bethel: Independence 250 Kick-off. This event will feature a screening and discussion of a highlight reel from Ken Burns’ The American Revolution documentary. (The complete documentary is now available for streaming on Public Broadcasting.) Come and learn more about what is planned for 2026, and pick up a copy of the first reading group book.

Saturday, January 31, at 2 p.m. at the Bethel Library on Broad Street: Book discussion of American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence, by Pauline Maier. In American Scripture, Maier shows us the Declaration as both the defining statement of our national identity and the moral standard by which we live as a nation. A hybrid option will be available for those unable to attend in person.

Here are more things to do in the new year:

The Bethel Library Book Club meets monthly at 2 p.m. in the Reading Room of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Robinson House, next door to the library. The Reading Room is located in the back of the building, with access through the rear door on the driveway side, and plenty of parking behind the building or on Broad Street. The first meeting of 2026 will be held on Wednesday, January 21, at 2 p.m., and the book is Mad Honey, by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan.

The Yarn Hub Drop-In knitting group at the Bethel Library meets on Tuesday mornings from 10-noon. The group has been on hiatus for the holidays, but will resume meeting on Tuesday, January 6.

The Village Makers meet year-round on Tuesdays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Whitman Library in Bryant Pond to enjoy crafting and community. Organizer Liz Hatch calls herself “an obsessed knitter,” but crafters of all kinds are welcome.

MSAD 44 Adult and Community Education is sponsoring a four-day hands-on workshop on the Art of Sourdough, Wednesday-Friday, January 7, 8, and 9, from 6-7:30 p.m., and Saturday, January 10, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. For more information and to register, contact the office at 824-2136, ext. 1341, or email adulted@sad44.org.

Age-Friendly Community Initiative sponsors a drop-in indoor walking program at the Gould Academy Fieldhouse on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-2 p.m. through April. The program has been on holiday break, but will resume on Tuesday, January 6.

If you haven’t yet checked out Western Maine Neighborhood News at wmnn.org be sure to do so. You can read columns by seven former Bethel Citizen town correspondents on the website, or subscribe to have them delivered to your inbox each week. This online newsletter is intended to keep our communities informed, so if you have news, events, or photos you’d like to have included there, I hope you’ll share them with me! You can reach me by email at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or by phone or text at 207-890-4812.

Since I’ve been writing the column for Locke’s Mills for more than ten years, I thought it might be fun, on some of the weeks when my current column doesn’t appear here, to look back through a decade of local news reports for the same calendar week, to see what was happening in and around our town in those years.

This week in 2015, I reported that “I was out doing errands when the first of the snow squalls hit—it only lasted about ten minutes, but it was certainly intense! I was in The Local Hub when it started, and was quite surprised to look out and see white-out conditions. Norm Milliard had left in sunshine to walk to the post office and got caught in the sudden blizzard on the way. He said his toes got a bit nippy, but the sun was back out by the time he got home.”

In 2016, we had a messy storm the weekend before Christmas, and I wrote, “Although Saturday’s snow didn’t add up to as much as the storm we got last Monday, the follow-up of freezing rain on Sunday made it much heavier to deal with, and left us with a driveway that resembles a skating rink. Thank goodness for the municipal sand pile right across the street. I used four buckets on the driveway on Monday morning before I even dared to drive down it, and brought home another four buckets to keep on hand for next time.”

The week before Christmas in 2017, Joyce Hathaway let us know that Dick Melville was recuperating from shoulder surgery at home, and I reported that Cathy Newell was staffing the rug-hooking exhibit at the Robinson House of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society on Dec. 22 from 1 to 3 p.m. to welcome visitors, demonstrate the craft, and give people a chance to try it out for themselves.

In 2018, we were experiencing “a banner year for ice-skating,” and I wrote that “I’ve seen photos posted on Facebook of people skating on North Pond, Norway Lake, and other area ponds. One friend said he skated 15 miles one day last week!”

In 2019, Will had taken Eli for a hike on the Speck Ponds Trail, opposite Hutchinson Pond in Albany and had returned without the remote control for Eli’s e-collar. “Will was pretty sure he knew approximately where he had dropped it, so on Sunday we went back there to hike and, sure enough, found it beside the trail. It even seems to still be in working order, despite being out in a two-inch rainstorm the day before.”

Just before Christmas in 2020, Tony and I had received the wonderful news that “the world’s most perfect grandchild,” then two and a half years old, and her mom would be moving from Raleigh, N.C., where they had spent a year, to Portland, where our daughter Katie would be working remotely as legal counsel for the Boston Conservatory, and we were looking forward to spending a lot more time with them.

In 2021, “After reading in last week’s Citizen that a resident had complained about the way the Greenwood highway crew was maintaining our roads, Betsey Foster emailed Town Manager Kim Sparks and the three selectmen to express her support for the crew and highlight the great job they do: ‘We have probably the best road crew in this area of Maine. All anyone needs to do is drive to any of the surrounding towns to see how well our roads are maintained in winter compared to Bethel, Norway, etc etc. We need to be applauding our road crew not condemning them. Please let the folks who work for the Town highway department know that some of us do not agree with the complainant. They do great work and, since I hear them plowing in the middle of the night, they are out plenty early enough.’”

The week before Christmas in 2022, we had received 19 inches of snow in a single storm, and some places nearby had gotten over two feet. I wrote, “So far, we’ve spent two days cleaning up from the storm, and I’m planning to go to camp to clear the roof and deck tomorrow. Two feet of snow provides a lot of exercise and entertainment.”

In December of 2023, I reported that the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society had discovered online and purchased a wonderful painting, “Skating on the Bethel Common,” done by Eleanor Brooks in 1997, and was having it made into a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle. “The whimsical folk art painting depicts a winter scene of the Bethel Common, with the historical society, the Bethel Inn, the library, and other familiar buildings.”

(The popular puzzles are still available in the Museum Shop, as well as online at bethelhistorical.org/shop)

In 2024, despite having had cortisone shots in both knees, and having scheduled two knee replacements for the following year, I was still hoping to make it to 100 hikes before the end of the year, and had just done three short hikes on three consecutive days, twice to Lapham Ledge in pursuit of sunrise (once a few minutes too late and once successfully), and once, with Tony, up Peaked Mountain in Maggie’s Nature Park and out to the overlook on the Red Trail on the way back down.

2025—I hope that all of my readers who celebrate Christmas had a wonderful one this year! We spent the afternoon of Christmas Eve in Portland with our granddaughter, Lila, and her family, and the afternoon of Christmas Day with my brother Steve and his family, and are looking forward to another celebration when our Colorado kids are home in a couple of weeks. Eli and I enjoyed our traditional Christmas Day hike (our ninth annual!) in fresh powder snow at Greenwood’s own Maggie’s Nature Park, and I got to try out both a new pair of snowshoes and a new pair of knees to see how they worked on unbroken trails in deep snow. (Both got high marks.)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!