TheLaker_April_2020

April 2020 | THE LAKER | Page 1

Your Guide to What’s Happening in NH’s Lakes Region

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April • Vol 37 • No. 4 Monthly Edition

Welcome Spring!

Remembrances, Recipes & Fun

Inside This Issue... Find More Loving the Lakes | Page 3

Carving Artistic Life | Page 14

‘Cue the Grill | Page 12

Yesteryear | Page 17

Page 2 | THE LAKER | April 2020

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April 2020 | THE LAKER | Page 3

Loving the Lakes Region…Virtually

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper Due to the stay-at-home, temporary nature of life, Lakes Region families are becoming creative with activities they can do from home computers and laptops. Others are enjoying learning about wildlife and nature right in their own backyards, and embracing virtual art exhibits and creative learning.

The Lakes Region is offering many ways to stay connected, to learn and stay active during this time. Whatever your interests, there is surely something to bring the outside world right to your home computer or cell phone.

In the hopes of helping the community stay connected while their physical doors are closed, the Squam Lakes Association (SLA) in Holderness has adapted their usual education and nature-inspired art programs to make them accessible online. These programs, which will be shared on Facebook, Instagram, and the SLA website (www.SquamLakes. org; look for Share Learn Adventure under the Education tab), will take the form of videos, activities, games, and prompts that inspire people to engage with, learn about, and explore a variety of nature topics. Currently posted programs include “Hemlock Holmes: Become an Evergreen Detective,” “Start Your Own Duck, Duck, Goose Count,” and “Make Your Own Origami Moose!”

If you have kids at home and want to continue their education beyond

Well-known Lakes Region artist, Larry Frates, is giving online video art classes. text books, the SLA’s website is a great place to “get outdoors’ virtually.

There are nature scavenger hunts, a way to keep a log book of animal

tracks, information on starting a nature journal, getting in on that important waterfowl count, becoming a green detective, and crafts and videos to watch, such as What is a Watershed?

You can also enjoy an Introduction to a Birdwatch video, which is full of fun information.

The SLA urges, “Most importantly, we want to hear from you! As you participate in each activity, share your photos, questions, ideas, and inspirations with us by using the tag #ShareLearnAdventure on Facebook or Instagram. Not on social media?

Send your photos and/or thoughts to info@squamlakes.org. The more you participate and share, the more fun for everyone.”

Located at 534 US Rt. 3 in Holderness, the SLA headquarters/office is closed during this social distancing time, but once things open up again, the center and its programs offer a wide variety of nature-related programs for all ages.

Call 603-968-7336.

At the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, the offices and trails are closed temporarily. The Center is all about learning for all ages, and children are a special focus year ’round. Here is a fun activity from the Science Center to get the young ones outside, even if it is just in your backyard.

• Virtually Continued on page 4

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Page 4 | THE LAKER | April 2020 • Virtually Continued from page 3 50 Nature Activities for Kids: Bird Nesting Materials Spring is the season of renewal.

Birds sing to attract a mate and defend the territory around their nest. The nest birds make protect, cushion, insulate, and holds the eggs together during incubation. A fun experiment you can try is to provide nesting materials to see what the birds in your yard might use to construct their nests.

Record the types of materials you put out and observe what the birds in your yard choose. The best time to conduct this experiment is mid-April through May. Materials: • mesh produce bag, suet cage, or a square of hardware cloth to hold materials • dead grass, feathers, human or animal hair • moss • dried weeds • twigs • strips of bark • roots • cotton fluff Yarn, thread, and string are not recommended as the birds may get tangled in them.

Directions: Weave the material through the mesh of your holder. Attach the holder to a shrub, tree branch, or tree trunk where you can easily observe it. Visit www.nhnature.org.

Larry Frates is a well-known Lakes Region artist. He exhibits, teaches and also performs fun magic shows and does caricatures. In response to the fact

The Squam Lakes Association offers many outdoor programs to encourage learning during stay-at-home times. Get out your binoculars and observe the birds in your backyard, for example. that many families are staying in, Larry decided to start an online video class to give people something fun to do.

“I saw it as something families could do together or people could do on a break from working at home,” he says. Around St. Patrick’s Day when the video event called “Drawing Us Together” began, Larry offered a simple, 30-minute lesson in drawing a leprechaun. The popularity of the video class was immediate and suddenly, about 130 people were drawing the leprechaun!

“Recently,” adds Larry, “we drew a unicorn during the video class. It seemed fitting because unicorns are associated with rainbows and rainbows are starting to be seen all over the world.” (They are a symbol of hope at this time.)

Radio station WJYY learned of Larry’s online class and its popularity and morning radio personality Nazzy called and invited Larry to do drawing lessons on the radio. Every Thursday at 8:40 am, Larry gives a simple oneminute lesson titled Quick Draw.

In his normal busy schedule, Larry holds Wednesday evening classes at the Belknap Mill in Laconia and Monday classes at the Senior Center in Alton. His students have been emailing to ask if he could provide a way to stay connected. In response, Larry will be giving some art classes via ZOOM. Each month, Larry offers Lunch Box to Paint Box, a free art demonstration at the Belknap Mill. Typically, those on a lunch break or other activity can stop by the Mill, eat their lunch and watch Larry do an art demonstration. He wants to continue that event and will soon be offering Lunch Box to Paint Box via his website at 1:30 pm on the first Wednesday of the month.

For information and schedules of Larry’s classes and online videos during this time of social distancing, as well as his normal schedule of classes, please visit www.larryfratescreates. com. There will be helpful links to his Facebook and other information on the website.

At the NH Audubon Society, you are invited to take part in Seek and Find –

Spring Nature Challenge! There is so much going on outside right now, why not explore what’s happening in your own backyard? Join in NH Audubon’s Seek and Find Spring Nature Challenge by reading the Society’s challenges and go outside to find them. Take pictures of what you find and email them, along with a description of your experience to emedia@nhaudubon.org. Each week, the Audubon Society will send out a special email with highlights of nature sightings to share what people are finding. Share your sightings on Facebook or Twitter and use the hashtags #seekandfind, #nhaudubon, and #letsgooutside!

The NH Audubon Society also offers sound clips on Something Wild, such as how frozen wood frogs thaw out and If It Sounds Like a Duck. You can listen to these fun programs via the Seek and Find section of www.nhaudubon.org.

Many area libraries are staying connected with digital services for their patrons. For example, the MinotSleeper Library in Bristol’s Newfound Lake area is offering social gatherings via Zoom, including Coffee & Conversation on Fridays; Afternoon Tea & Talk on Tuesdays and more.

(Visit www.minotsleeperlibrary.org).

Check your local library’s website to learn what programs are being offered.

Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough has plans to create virtual tours and learning; to get things started, they have posted a wonderful poem (written by Olive Plant, the wife of Castle builder/ owner Thomas Plant). A video of Castle scenes accompanies a reading of the poem. Visit www.castleintheclouds.org to view.

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April 2020 | THE LAKER | Page 5

Got Cabin Fever? Get Outside!

By Molly Ingram Anyone else feeling the need for fresh air? Many people who have been hunkering down in their homes may be feeling like they want to get out of the house and kick cabin fever. Luckily the Lakes Region offers one of the most amazing changes of scenery: the great outdoors. Getting out into nature has proven to create a strong relationship with people’s emotional wellness.

There are multiple hiking and biking trails, large and small throughout the Lakes Region. The trails are available for any skill level as you practice social distancing.

The Cotton Valley Rail-Trail is a continuous 12-mile multiuse trail that begins at the eastern shores of Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, NH and ends in Sanbornville, NH’s restored railroad Turntable Park. Adventure seekers, families, outdoor enthusiasts, and athletes of all ages can incorporate the rail-trail into their weekly plans.

The Cotton Valley Rail-Trail supports many hobbies and activities throughout the spring. Biking, running, walking, and wildlife watching are a few ways people use the trail while discovering the beautiful landscape along the way. The trail can be easily accessed through parking lots in Wolfeboro, Brookfield, and Wakefield, NH. Following the rail-trail’s path may provide an opportunity to encounter a variety of New Hampshire wildlife along the way. Brooks, ponds, and marshes throughout the trail provide

Prescott Farm in Laconia as seen from the walking trail. (Courtesy photo)

homes and resources for wild animals.

From the fantastic glimpses of railroad history to its mountainous backdrops, lakes, countless ponds, and wildlife, the rail-trail provides you with the whole Lakes Region experience, along with activities to do.

Prescott Farm, located at 928 White Oaks Road in Laconia, is a great connection to nature, even during times of social distancing. The property is a free resource open to the public from dawn-to-dusk every day. Visitors can choose their own pace as they find an abundance of natural sights on the well-marked trails. Starting at the parking lot and winding gradually into the woods, the trails cover much of the 160-acre property. Several different ecosystems, from meadows and vernal pools to thick hardwood lots down by the Maple Sugar Shack, offer a perfect way to glimpse the early signs of spring as they emerge.

Prescott Farm has taken precautions

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to help eliminate the spread of COVID-19 while also remaining a community resource for connections to nature. While the doors of the Pardoe Building are locked at this time, the doors to nature remain open. All are encouraged to come and enjoy nature – and keep eyes and ears open for the return of regular programming. Visit www.prescottfarm.org.

In the town of Sandwich, NH, a private property of 125 acres is used as public recreational trails and a wildlife sanctuary. Whether you are out for a quiet nature walk, birdwatching, exercising, or a family outing, the Chapman Sanctuary and Visny Woods can provide you with the setting you are looking for. The walking trails consist of 10 miles through the woodlands, meadows, and perennial gardens letting you guide your own route depending on what you are setting out to see or do. The trails are used mostly for walking, nature trips, and running.

You may come upon information stations that were created to be part of a self-guided nature trail, where you can learn about the natural world such as balsam fir, fields, and stone culverts. The marked trail junctions make it easy to follow the course you choose to travel. Lots of wildlife exist throughout the conservation land.Visit www.chapmansanctuaryvisnywoods. com.

The WOW Trail, located in Laconia, is a great multiuse trail for biking, walking and running. The WOW Trail is a paved, 10-foot wide trail consisting of 4.25 miles of continuous path. The WOW trail welcomes families and people of all ages enjoy the recreational path with views of downtown Laconia, Lake Opechee, and the town’s beautiful beaches. It’s a great place to get that fresh air and clear the mind!

During this time, trails are a place to go where people can be physically active and find relaxation. To keep the trails accessible, keeping 6 ft. of physical distancing between you and other trail users are recommended so the trails may continue to stay open. Check the latest public health guidelines, local/state governments, and the status of trails before you go out on your adventure. The opportunities and benefits of getting outside are waiting for you and the benefits of the outdoors and nature are essential to our emotional health and physical wellbeing.

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Page 6 | THE LAKER | April 2020

Lake Remembrances

By Donna Chick Spending summers on Ossipee Lake was as close to a perfect childhood as one could hope for. Grandparents were there, cousins were there, and all the tension that resided with us in Massachusetts, stayed in Massachusetts as we ran barefoot on pine needles. We didn’t have summer homes, we had rustic camps equipped with outhouses.

My cousin and I earned 50 cents (each!) when we volunteered to paint the inside of the privy on the condition that our grandfather first remove the spiders.

When at camp, we would wake early,

put on our bathing suits, chow down some Frosted Flakes, and spend the rest of the day outside. We explored the woods, we built forts with whatever scraps of lumber we could find, and at the first clang of horseshoes we would run behind the neighbor’s house. There we would find the men, consisting of fathers, uncles, neighbors and grandparents, facing off in a high stakes game of horseshoes. We, the cousins, sat on a wooden bench to one side cheering on our fathers. It was the best sporting event I’ve ever been to! To this day, if I hear the clang of horseshoes, I go immediately back in The author as a child with her cousins, enjoying lake life.

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time and enjoy a moment of nostalgia.

It was in the water, though, where we spent most of our time. Performing cannon balls off the end of the dock while demanding of our mothers, “Watch this one!” we would splash with our arms in a frenzied game of freeze tag or just float on black inner tubes our fathers got from the dump.

(We’d always get a rash from the rubber against our legs.)

Growing up, there was a certain amount of waiting. Waiting to be old enough to swim to the raft, waiting to walk to the store without an adult, waiting to sleep in our fort by ourselves (no adult ever offered to chaperone that adventure), waiting to take the rowboat out by ourselves all the way to the lily pads at the far side of the cove, and the biggest wait of all – taking our barge with its 5 HP Evinrude engine out and up the Bear Camp River without an adult overseer.

Back in the 1950s, we had the Kingfisher, a worthy wooden motorboat owned by our grandfather.

It held a respectable position among the other boats moored in Deer Cove, but the boat we truly loved was tied to the left side of the dock. The envy of fishermen far and wide. One of a kind. Homemade. The barge…a large wooden flat-bottomed boat wide enough to handle two webbed lawn chairs side by side and still leave room to inch by to move from stern to bow.

It was probably 14 feet long and barn red. And unlike the Titanic, it truly was unsinkable. Rectangular in shape, there was a bow rail set high enough so

my cousins and I could slide our legs under it and sit at the front of the boat with the rail across our bellies. Our feet would dangle in the water as the boat plowed forward and, using our toes, we could create interesting designs under the water.

The barge was often taken out before sunrise with fishermen onboard. They would troll the lake while we all slept.

It was a great day when they came home with a Pickerel or Bass and, as we’d fly by, after eating our Frosted Flakes, we’d see them cleaning the fish on the wooden board fitted into the V of two trees beside the garage.

On other outings, the barge was cleaned out (as best as a flat bottom boat that always had some water in it, mixed with a little gas, could be cleaned out) and we all piled in, bringing lawn chairs for the women. We would head across the lake, and then veer to the right and head up Pine River to the Vagabond House Restaurant.

I can’t remember if the food was any good. I can’t remember the inside of the restaurant at all. I do remember the thrill of getting there by boat and rolling down the embankment outside the restaurant. Life just couldn’t get any better – until . . .

We were finally old enough to take the barge up the Bear Camp River by ourselves. Eight of us, all the cousins.

My brother was the oldest, probably age 13 at the time. We all answered respectfully as we received our • Lake Continued on page 8

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Page 8 | THE LAKER | April 2020 • Lake Continued from page 6 instructions. “Yes, we know to stay out of the lily pads. Yes, we know where the sand bar is and to swing wide to clear the point. Yes, we know how to pull the engine up if we go over a log in the river.”

Finally, we piled in the barge with life jackets on, a couple of those webbed chairs, and dry towels (which within minutes would carelessly be dropped in the gas infused water on the boat’s floor). Gleefully we waved goodbye to our uneasy parents. We had found freedom! We couldn’t wait to go around the point and be on our own!

The adventure was all I ever wanted it to be. We went up the Bear Camp to the rope swing where we all took a turn.

Further up, we took time to beach the boat and swim. And on the way home, in an uninhabited cove, we decided to explore in and around the lily pads. This would lead to our greatest adventure. I don’t remember which one of us, and I don’t know how, but someone spotted a turtle! It was as big around as a Roman soldier’s shield and we wanted it in the boat. We pulled out the long handled

smelting net kept along the inside edge of the boat and chased after that turtle.

Eight kids dashed around inside the barge shouting out, “It’s over here!”

We’d all dash to look while my brother dipped the net. This went on for a long time until we must have exhausted the poor thing because we finally managed to net it and drag it over the side of the boat. Satisfied with our achievement, we headed home.

I don’t remember who was on the beach when we docked the boat, if anyone, but our shouts and screams had them all running before we tied up the boat. The moms were not impressed with our catch. The dads were. They got it out of the boat (they wouldn’t let us help, which seemed silly as we caught it in the first place). They explained to us it was a snapping turtle and they held a piece of driftwood in front of its powerful beak. The turtle immediately bit just to let us know how upset it was. We admired it for a while and then watched it push with its powerful front flippers toward the water and slip away.

Yes, life didn’t get any better than that!

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Connecting with Nature?

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Don’t let the current social distancing transform into distancing from nature. As residents of the Lakes Region separate into their homes in order to reduce the spread and impact of the Coronavirus, Prescott Farm reminds you that spring is not cancelled.

In fact, nature is a terrific ally in the maintenance of mental and physical health. Prescott Farm can be part of that nature connection, even during times of social distancing. Located at 928 White Oaks Road in Laconia, the property is a free resource open to the public from dawn to dusk every day.

Visitors can choose their own pace as they find an abundance of natural sights on the well-marked trails. Starting at the parking lot and winding gradually into the woods, the trails cover much of the 160acre property. Several different ecosystems, from meadows and vernal pools to thick hardwood lots down by the Maple Sugar Shack, offer a perfect way to glimpse the early signs of spring as they emerge.

Prescott Farm has taken precautions to help eliminate the spread of COVID-19 while also remaining a community resource Although our community is closed for tours, you can call Chris for more information 603-707-8773

for connections to nature. While the doors of the building may be locked at this time, the doors to nature remain open. All are encouraged to come and enjoy nature – and keep eyes and ears open for the return of regular programming!

Prescott Farm is a nonprofit 501c3 dedicated to environmental education and preservation. For more than 20 years, Prescott Farm has been a destination for people of all ages to learn about New Hampshire wildlife, ecology, natural history and cultural history through hands-on public programs and service learning opportunities in the beautiful Lakes Region of New Hampshire. It is a designated wildlife viewing area with over 160 acres of idyllic farmland, forest and pastures open daily, year-round to the public including more than three miles of woodland, pond and field trails, heritage gardens, and a Natural PlayScape, as well as Fledglings Nature-Based Preschool and WildQuest summer and vacation camps. For more information about Prescott Farm and all of its programming and ways to help, please visit www. prescottfarm.org.

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April 2020 | THE LAKER | Page 9

A Note from the Publisher For over 35 years, this publication has focused on the future. We’ve prided ourselves in being “Your guide to what’s happening in the Lakes Region.” That commitment remains strong, although admittedly we are living in temporarily challenging times. Because many events are postponed or cancelled due to the stayat-home directive, we have reworked the April issue of The Laker.

While The Laker will not feature our usual What’s Up section, this month we focus on some interesting things that make the area unique, such as an extended Yesteryear column with stories of people and places you might not know about. Also featured are places to hike (at a distance), a story about a local bird carver, and activities for families to pursue online via a variety of websites, our beloved Chef

20 years experience helping others feel relaxed and rejuvenated while helping manage pain and alleviate the stress from everyday life.

Kelly recipe column and more.

Hopefully, things will be back to normal soon and we will again feature the What’s Up calendar and happenings all over the area as we head into our weekly/summer schedule of publications starting May 4.

It has been our privilege to provide New Hampshire’s Lakes Region community with a positive product for over three decades. Together, we’ll work hard to do that for many years to come. Helen Keller said, “Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.” Those words certainly hold true these days.

Please consider ordering take-out from our many wonderful advertising restaurants, shopping at local grocery stores, among other things. We thank you for supporting locally owned

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As we move forward in the months to come, we will be strong and of good cheer. We encourage you, our valued readers, to do the same. Thank you for being such loyal readers. Together,

we’ll come out of this situation strong and with a solid understanding of what’s really important.

Warm regards, Dan Smiley Publisher

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April 2020 | THE LAKER | Page 11

Page 12 | THE LAKER | April 2020

‘Cue The Grill Fun Desserts

By Chef Kelly Ross First and foremost, my friends, in this stay-at-home time, please remember your friends and neighbors, especially the elderly. When shopping, consider the next person, especially if they are elderly, and most of all, don’t be afraid to call your elderly neighbors to see if you can shop for them while you are going out so they don’t have to put themselves at risk. In times of crisis, we should try to be calm, and think of our neighbors and help those that may need help. Please, practice these things and we will be better off. (I promise you, there will be enough toilet paper and such for all of us!)

That said, welcome to another chapter in “Pleasing the Taste Buds”.

My taste buds are their happiest when I am eating great appetizers and dinners.

For most, however, at least from what I hear from friends and family, it seems desserts are what tickle their taste bud’s fancy. I do like some desserts, but usually the ones that are subtler as opposed to sweeter. We eat for our own pleasure, not for anyone else’s, so do what you have to do for yourself, and of course for all those you are cooking for and entertaining.

Today’s article will be focusing on some amazing desserts, most in the form of bars and cookies. My Gram was the Queen of Desserts in all areas.

This summer I will offer some of her fresh berry desserts, but today, we will focus on desserts built in a pan that are cut into bars of deliciousness, and that is no exaggeration whatsoever. We will also offer some tasty cookies.

Bars are a great addition when packing a lunch. Bars aren’t messy, although they may crumb up a little if they get banged around, but hey, those crumbs taste just as awesome as the big piece! These make great “Go To’s” when you want a mobile dessert, so let’s start sharing some great bar and cookie recipes. One thing to consider while we do so, especially to those of you who have school kids at home right now due to school closures, is to get the kids included with some of the cooking, depending on their ages.

Parents, please keep this in mind: Cooking involves many skills taught in school, especially math and science.

Utilize your kitchen as a teaching tool and everyone will win.

First, let’s make something I like to call Strawberry Cream Cheese Cookies. These are delicious, soft, and chock full of fresh strawberries and white chocolate chunks, another great marriage made in heaven. When I first saw these, they were made with dried strawberries, but using fresh, and utilizing a little lemon juice over the strawberries to keep them from bleeding red into the cookie dough, is

perfect. Ideally, we are looking for a nice white cookie with pieces of juicy, red strawberries. This yummy cookie recipe takes about 20 minutes to prep, 15 minutes to cook, and will yield about 2 dozen cookies.

osquitoes. No Ticks.

Cream Cheese Strawberry Cookies 1 ¼ cup flour ½ tsp baking powder few small pinches of salt ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened 4 oz cream cheese, softened ¾ cup sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract ¾ cup fresh strawberries, chopped 2 tbsp lemon juice 1-2 tbsp additional flour 5 oz white chocolate, chopped Sanding sugar Pour the lemon juice over the chopped strawberries and after 3 minutes or so, put them in a small strainer to drain.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together until well blended. In another bowl, beat the butter, sugar and cream cheese together. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to mix.

Gradually add the dry mix to the wet

until it is well combined, then stir in the white chocolate chunks. Once drained, put the strawberries in a small bowl, sprinkle with the 1-2 tbsp of flour and toss until they are all coated with a thin layer of flour, then gently stir/fold them into the batter. Put parchment paper on cookie sheets, lightly spray with cooking spray, and drop heaping tbsp of the batter on the pan, about an inch at least in between. Put the pans in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes, preheating the oven to 350 degrees in the process. Put the cookies in the preheated oven for about 5-6 minutes, very lightly sprinkle with the sanding sugar, and continue to cook for another 8-10 minutes, or until the edges become golden brown. Let them cool on the pans for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack until completely cooled.

Next in line, I want to share something I like to prepare for the Kentucky Derby. Unfortunately, it has now been moved from May to maybe September, but this has always been my “Go To” for Derby weekend. It is a great treat that will obviously work any time of year. Try them once and I feel confident you will bake these more than once a year. These are baked in a 9 x 13 baking dish so you will get as many individual bars as you decide to cut when portioning, but rest assured, you will have plenty for a fun crew of eaters.

Kentucky Derby Bars 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 2 sticks butter, melted and divided •’Cue the Grill Continued on page 13

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April 2020 | THE LAKER | Page 13 •’Cue the Grill Continued from page 12 1 ½ cups sugar 3 eggs 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract ¾ cups flour ¼ tsp salt 1 ½ cups chopped pecans 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup heavy cream 2 tbsp bourbon whiskey 1 tbsp vanilla extract ½ cup confectioner’s sugar Coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with ½ cup of the melted butter and mix well. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom and slightly up the walls of the dish.

In a larger bowl, beat the remaining ½ cup of butter and sugar until creamy.

Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fluffy.

Add the flour and salt and mix until well combined. Fold the pecans and chocolate chips into the batter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish and even it out with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until set in the center and golden brown. Cool.

In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream, bourbon, vanilla, and confectioner’s sugar until small peaks form. You can lather the top of the cooled dish with the cream, or, once you cut it into bars, serve on plates and hit each piece with a dollop of cream.

Now it’s time to try a scrumptious brownie recipe I love, although I’m not usually a big brownie lover. (I’m much more of a blondie kind of guy.)

What makes this one better than most, in my opinion, is it is part brownie, part cheesecake and loaded with mini Reese’s peanut butter cups. As incredible as these are, they are just as rich as they are delicious. As much as you think you could inhale half a pan of this in one sitting, you will soon realize you can’t, and if watching your weight, maybe that’s a good thing. With all this in mind, portion the pan as you see fit. I usually do so in 1-inch squares.

Reese’s Cheesecake Brownies Brownie Crust: 6 tbsp butter 1 ¼ cups sugar 1 tbsp vanilla 2 eggs 1 cup, plus 2 tbsp, flour ½ cup unsweetened cocoa ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup peanut butter chips 20 mini Reese’s cups, chopped (best if refrigerated before chopping) Cheesecake Batter: 2 lb cream cheese, room temperature 5 eggs 1 ½ cups brown sugar, packed 1 cup creamy peanut butter ½ cup heavy cream 1 tbsp vanilla extract Topping: 10 mini Reese’s cups, chopped (refrigerate first as above) Generous handful peanuts, chopped Chocolate sauce Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with non-stick foil, and coat heavily with

You can cut them the size you prefer, although I recommend going 6 x 4 size, giving you 24 bars.

cooking spray. From the brownie list of ingredients, stir the butter, sugar and vanilla together. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring constantly. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt until well blended.

Gradually add the dry mix to the wet until well incorporated. Spread in the pan and bake about 15 minutes. Once baked, immediately sprinkle on the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and the chopped Reese’s cups and cover with a larger pan to hold the heat in, which will help the melting process. While this is melting, beat the cream cheese in a standing mixer until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then add the brown sugar, peanut butter and the cream and mix until smooth. Lastly, add the vanilla. Pour over the brownie mix and bake for 40-50 minutes.

Anytime I make a cheesecake, I put a small bowl of water in the oven to help prevent the cheesecake from cracking.

Once a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean, turn oven off, open the oven door somewhat and let it sit in there for about ½ hour. Pull out and let sit at room temperature. Once at room temperature, top with the last of the Reese’s, the peanuts and chocolate sauce. Cut and serve. Keep refrigerated.

I like to pull from the refrigerator an hour or more before cutting/serving.

Now I’m moving back to Cookieland, and this one would make even the Cookie Monster happy. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t want to devour a half dozen of these in one sitting. We all enjoy a good chocolate chip cookie, but hey, let’s add caramel to it as well. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention the bacon? These are pretty darn close to being on top of the Cookie Mountain, so to speak. This has the perfect combination of sweet and salty, and also is a wonderfully thick and puffy cookie that is chewy in the middle and crispy on the edges.

This recipe will get you about 20 large cookies of love.

Bacon Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies 2 ½ cups flour ½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp baking soda 1 ½ sticks butter, softened 1 cup light brown sugar ½ cup white granulated sugar 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1 egg 1 extra egg yolk 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips ½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips ½ cup milk chocolate chips ½- ¾ pound of the best bacon you can find, cooked crispy and chopped Caramel sauce Beat the butter with both sugars until

well blended. Add the vanilla as well as the egg and yolk until light and fluffy.

Combine the flour, salt and baking soda in a separate bowl, and gradually add to the wet mix, stirring well all the time. Fold in all the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough for 4 hours. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees while lining cookie sheets with parchment paper, then spray with pan release. Drop the dough in 2 oz mound portions. Pop the pans in the oven and immediately drop the temperature to 375 degrees and bake for about 9 minutes or until the tops turn golden brown. Once pulled from the oven, gently press bacon pieces, evenly distributed, into all of the cookies. Drizzle with caramel, let them cool right on the pans, and watch these disappear. If you double or triple the recipe, or cook in batches, make sure the oven is back to 425 degrees to start each batch before dropping back to 375 degrees.

I’ve only got room for one more recipe today, and this is a pretty quick one, as well as a fan favorite. Everyone loves éclairs, so let me introduce you to Éclair Bars. This goes together quickly because it includes a little cheating during the shopping process, but sometimes, making something that can go together quickly in the name of tasty is well worth it. Remember, sometimes simple is better. Like a few of the others, this is made in a pan.

Éclair Bars 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough sheet 2 boxes (3.4 oz each) vanilla flavored pudding/pie filling 3 cups cold half and half 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips ¾ cup heavy whipping cream Spray your 13 x 9 glass baking dish generously with pan release. Unroll the tube of crescent rolls and lay the crescent sheet down in the dish, lightly pressing it into the pan and pressing the perforations together at the same time. In a preheated 375-degree oven, bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown and cooked throughout. Put the dish on a cooling rack for a half hour or so until it comes down to room temp. In a medium bowl, beat the half and half with the pudding mix for 3-4 minutes or until nice and thick. Spread evenly over the cooked dough. In a medium microwave safe bowl, zap the chocolate chips and heavy cream uncovered for 1 minute on high. Whisk well, and pop it back in for 30 seconds, and again stir well until smooth. If still a little chunky, pop it back in for 15-20 seconds more and stir again. Carefully spread over the pudding mix and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Once ready to serve, use a sharp serrated knife and cut in a sawing motion for best results. Store in the refrigerator, covered, when not being inhaled by your family.

That’s it for today. Please, in these challenging times, don’t be selfish while shopping. Keep an eye on your elderly neighbors and relatives. Stay well, follow protocol and eventually, we won’t have to worry about how much toilet paper we have!

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Page 14 | THE LAKER | April 2020

Carving an Artistic Life

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper It started quite modestly. Wes Ripple was helping his wife, Suzanne Connor, with the Evergreen Fair, an event she ran at the University of New Hampshire. Many artisans were selling and exhibiting at the fair, organized by Suzanne, who is a talented quilter and artist (www.suzanneconnor.com).

“I was there to help Suzanne,” recalls Wes, “and there was a bird carver at the show. I got talking with him about his bird carving and I was interested in what he was doing. He had kits for sale and I bought a chickadee bird carving kit.” The carver was Erwin Flewelling from Maine. (His website is http:// www.nestlewoodbirds.com.) He has been a great resource and mentor to Wes over the years.

The first kit was a learning experience for Wes, but he soon realized he could do more if he got additional tools. “I bought a wood burning pen, paint and brushes,” Wes says.

Once his first bird carving was completed, Wes was hooked and he bought another kit. By this time, he began to see the possibilities of artistic wood carving and while he is modest about his skills, saying, “I can’t draw and I am not an artist”, the finished products say otherwise.

One of the first things Wes probably realized as he began to pursue wood carving in earnest was that this is not a hobby or art form for an impatient person. “It takes me about two to three

months to complete a bird carving,” he explains in his quiet voice. He adds that while some carvers complete projects much quicker, he enjoys taking his time to research and plan out, as well as carve, each bird.

From time to time as was speaks, Suzanne joins in to further add encouragement; clearly, this creative couple are a perfect match, with Suzanne being outgoing and husband Wes quiet and measured in his answers to questions about bird carving.

“I have been doing bird carvings for about 15 years,” Wes goes on to say. “I’ve been retired for 2 ½ years and it gives me more time to dedicate to carving.”

Over those 15 years, Wes has

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continued to learn more and more a b o u t bird carving, talking to other carvers, and studying all he can about the many thousands of birds around the world. He looks at photos of birds online, in books and magazines, and even has traveled to the Cornell School of Ornithology, where one of the world’s largest collections of stuffed birds is housed.

That trip, according to both

from wildlife at the pond, right from his studio window. (Suzanne also has a studio in the home for her quilting projects.)

Wes has outfitted his studio space with all the tools necessary for bird carving. If one assumes the studio is a huge shop with all sorts of massive wood cutting machinery, that could not be further from the truth. The tools in the studio are not large and everything fits seamlessly in the modest space where Wes works.

One of the first pieces of equipment Wes bought as he really got into wood carving was a Dremel, a hand-held rotary tool to aid in finishing a carving.

“As I progressed,” he recalls, “I bought more kits and bigger tools, such as a high-speed grinder for detail work.

And I have learned air brushing for painting and fine detail painting of the birds I carve. “ All the tools are quite helpful in bird carving, a “hobby” anyone with some time and a desire to do something with their hands could probably accomplish.

But Wes is a natural talent and his work long ago was elevated from hobby status to that of a working artist, although he is modest to acknowledge that fact.

Perhaps his philosophy is a key to understanding how he approaches the Suzanne art form and one of the reasons Wes and Wes, was an has won many awards for bird carving. amazing experience, with a “I am trying to tell a story when I huge collection carve a bird,” he of birds available explains. “I think for Wes to study about how I want and measure. to show the bird That was a great and how it should help for his bird be displayed. I carving, because started simple it allowed Wes to in bird carving, get measurements but I now know exactly correct it is also about and to see many of storytelling.”

To clarify, the lesser-known, Detail work on a feather pin.

Wes uses a bird as well as popular he carved as an birds, up close. example: A White Breasted Nuthatch Wes has a small studio in his perched on a branch with pine cones. house, which is located in a peaceful, A sculptural piece of beauty and grace, beautiful location right on a pond in the carving won a number of awards the Tilton area. Wildlife is abundant at at the Ward World Championship in the pond, which is just steps from Wes Ocean City, Maryland in 2016. and Suzanne’s home. While he works at bird carving, Wes can see birds • Carving Continued on page 15 coming to the bird feeders and visits

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April 2020 | THE LAKER | Page 15 • Carving Continued from page 14 The idea for the carving came about a few years before Wes retired. “On my lunch break at work, I would take a walk near my office. One day on my walk, I found a branch with some pine cones attached. I thought to myself that it would be a good branch for a bird to perch on, and later, I remembered it and used that idea as a habitat for the bird I wanted to carve.”

The habitat, or object the carved bird stood on, was an important part of the overall piece. Wes could have simply carved a White Breasted Nuthatch and it would have been acceptable and lovely, probably displayed on a small stand. But, as an artist, he went beyond Wes Ripple (right) and bird carving mentor, Erwin Flewelling. and imagined a setting for the bird, in this case, the branch with pine cones. This is what Wes means when he says he wants to tell the entire story when he does a bird carving.

Storytelling, or providing a habitat for each bird carving, has led Wes to hone additional skills.

He now incorporates carved flowers and vines crafted from copper wire covered in a putty and painted appropriate colors into the overall finished piece. Birds he has carved can be perched on a vine with berries or near large flowers with twisted vines wrapped around a piece of driftwood or a tree stump.

“Every part of carving is a challenge,” Wes says. “It is all handmade and I have to be a sort of master of all trades to do a carving, but I enjoy all of it.”

The wood used for carving is White-Breasted Nuthatch on a pine branch that won The pattern Wes Ripple made for the Whitemostly tupelo, which is a southern many ribbons at the Ward World Championship in Breasted Nuthatch. hardwood that comes from the 2016. Photo courtesy Charley Freiberg. swamps of Louisiana. The portion memorable trip he and Suzanne took of the tupelo tree that is in the water to the Cornell School of Ornithology, planning and knowing ahead of time is what Wes uses, and he surely spending a few days to see the birds. He what bird he wants to carve, its pose cannot find this specialized wood in reiterates that it was extremely helpful and size.

NH. He special orders tupelo wood to see just about every stuffed bird The most popular birds among online and when he can, he buys it species one could imagine and to have collectors are Cardinals and Blue Birds from wood vendors at shows. the opportunity to measure the birds and Wes has created carvings of each.

The wood comes in large blocks and take photographs for reference.

All the birds he carves are incredibly and Wes uses every piece as much as As a skilled carver, Wes creates birds lifelike, but also works of art because possible. For a bird carver such as Wes, to actual size, almost always knowing of the skill Wes brings to each project. a piece of tupelo wood is as desirable what he wants to carve ahead of time.

And again, they are works of art because as diamonds would be to a jeweler. He “I plan to carve a Cardinal soon,” he each is placed in a habitat, perched on a explains that when he starts, he must birch log or emerging from a hole in a find the grain of the wood and cut tree or on a berry branch, for example. the bird template following the grain.

Wes refers once more to the It is painstaking work that requires

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says when asked what projects are upcoming.

Along with the bird carvings, Wes does feather carvings. Because it is illegal to own a real feather, the carved feathers are a great opportunity for someone to have a lifelike feather that has been carved from wood.

Those who love nature and birds will appreciate the carved feathers, which are very lifelike. Called Spirit Feathers, each large feather comes with a printed explanation on the back of the display box that tells a story. For example, the Red Tailed Hawk Spirit Feather, the printed information says, symbolizes guardianship, strength, and farsightedness.

The feathers also come in lapel pin size and make great and unusual gifts or pieces of jewelry for nature lovers.

Both Spirit Feathers and the smaller feather pins have proven very popular with those who appreciate Wes’ carvings. “I just did a farmer’s market and sold a number of the Spirit Feathers,” he says.

Currently, Wes is between projects, but will start soon on a carving of an Eastern Bluebird, then a Cardinal. His eyes light up as he mentions a bird that is on his carving wish list: a shorebird.

One can only imagine what Wes will create when it comes to a shorebird, in its special water habitat.

To view the carvings of Wes Ripple or to purchase his work, visit www.wesripple.com. Wes will be at an open house he hosts with wife Suzanne called Gallery in the Garden on August 1 and 2 on their property (information at www.GalleryintheGardenNH. com.) Wes will also be exhibiting at the Button Factory in Portsmouth, NH on Saturday, December 5 for an artisan event.

What started modestly with a bird carving kit and a small carving knife, has become a passion and art form for Wes Ripple. It encompasses all kinds of skills, the opportunity to travel to bird exhibits and to talk with other bird experts, as well as a passion for the graceful, sometimes elusive, but always fascinating, birds around us.

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Page 16 | THE LAKER | April 2020

Seven Tips for Planting and Maintaining Awesome Window Boxes

By Rebecca Carter, AIFD, EMC, owner Branch & Bloom Floral Boutique Window boxes and container gardens are my thing. Being a florist by trade, I am essentially an instant gratification gardener and I want to see the end at the beginning. Here are my seven best tips for having mid-June window boxes that look like lush August gardens: 1) FRESH SOIL: Start with fresh soil every spring - especially if you put evergreens in your boxes for the winter season which can change the pH of the soil. Container gardens are a ‘survival of the fittest’ playground for plants where they will fight for water and nutrients until the bitter end. Give your plants a boost right from the start with a good pro-mix potting soil.

2) 4-INCH POTS: Start with 4-inch plants, preferably ‘Proven Winner’ varieties that are more resilient to pests, neglect and dead-heading.

Smaller 6-cell plants take all season to fully mature and fill in the box. Our season is too short to mess around!

3) OVERPLANT: I have a little

saying, “When it looks like you couldn’t possibly fit one more plant into the box, put two more.” I shamelessly overplant my boxes knowing full well I am going to lose a plant or two over the course of the season due to overcrowding. To me it is worth it to have the gardens super full right from

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4) SELF-WATERING BOXES: Three years ago, I invested in selfwatering window boxes for the front of my store. I say invested, because it is an INVESTMENT. The up-front cost is high but the reward is even higher. The self-watering containers give you freedom from watering your summer annuals twice a day during the hot summer months. By filling the reservoir once a week, I am able to keep my plants lush and happy without worrying about constant wilt. Letting your boxes dry out to the point of wilt, even just once or twice, makes it very difficult for them to bounce back and look lush. Self-watering boxes are

especially great for weekend homes when regular watering is limited. For more information, just ask; we even rent them at Branch & Bloom.

5) FERTILIZE REGULARLY: To keep plants producing an abundance of flowers and lush trailing vines, fertilize weekly with a bloom boosting food.

Don’t be afraid to pinch your plants back, too. Pruning produces bushier, fuller plants with more flowers.

6) DEADHEAD: Removing spent blooms will help your plants develop more new blossoms and it just looks prettier without dead leaves and dried flowers. Petunias and geraniums especially need spent blooms removed.

Selecting premium plants to begin with will help here. Some plants have even been cultivated to eliminate the need to deadhead. Read the tags or ask your local garden center.

7) TALK TO YOUR PLANTS: It sounds crazy, but it’s true! I never met anyone who didn’t appreciate a little gratitude and encouragement. If my plants are looking amazing, I thank them for being so strong and motivated.

If they are stressed from the sun or an afternoon of heavy rain, I remind them that they are brave and courageous.

They love the praise!

Visit Branch & Bloom Floral Boutique at www.branchandbloomnh. com or call 603-569-1347. The shop is located at 35 Center Street in Wolfeboro, NH. (Photos courtesy Branch & Bloom.)

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Fun things to do every season: Enjoy a winter wonderland for skiing, snowmobiling, skating, ice fishing or just an evening by the fire. In spring, the maple syrup starts flowing and flowers bloom galore. A summer of sight-seeing, concerts, summer theater, craft fairs, boating, fishing, biking, swimming, lakes, beaches and theme parks. In autumn, nearby country fairs, apple picking and fresh locally grown native produce will fill you up with wholesome goodness.

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April 2020 | THE LAKER | Page 17

Yester year

Ooo La La…memories of the Shangri-La

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper Photo courtesy of Robert Ames, webmaster of WeirsBeach.com It was originally operated as the Winnecoette (hotel), located in the bustling Weirs Beach area. Each summer, guests arrived for a short or entire summer’s stay and enjoyed the delights of the beach, Lake Winnipesaukee…and the large and beautiful Winnecoette.

Imagine staying at the Winnecoette, where you could relax on the hotel’s spacious porch. Breezes from the lake would cool you on a warm summer evening, after you enjoyed a homecooked meal in the dining room.

The hotel was well known in Weirs Beach for many years; it opened in 1879, and overlooked the area from its vantage point high on a hill. In 1952, it was purchased by George and Mary Spanos and renamed the Shangri-La. Change came gradually and a visitor in the 1950s might have assumed George and Mary were going to continue with the original hotel structure and layout.

But things changed over time and the new resort was expanded…and modernized.

An early brochure from the era of ownership by Mr. and Mrs. Spanos tells us the motel and cottages were “Truly a Shangri-La; with an unparalleled view of lakes and mountains – set apart with a unique atmosphere all its own. Large hotel rooms with private bath; attractive cottages, and modern new Motel.

Excellent Dining Room and Scenic Cocktail Lounge on premises. Sports including tennis and shuffleboards.

Golf and Playhouse nearby. ½ mile north of Weirs Recreational Center.”

Indeed, the Shangri-La, which

encompassed 220 acres, was unlike other vacation spots, and if you stayed there, you could enjoy just about every summertime activity you desired. Or you could simply sit by the pool and relax. The resort’s most luxurious attractions to guests were the two pools: One, a large outdoor swimming pool located on the lawn with a panoramic view of Lake Winnipesaukee and the mountains; the other, a large, L-shaped indoor pool, with picture windows to the outside.

Brochures of the Shangri-La show the greatly enlarged hotel high on the hill. If you knew what the original Winnecoette House looked like, you could see that the new hotel retained some of the original design, but with more rooms and modernization transforming it into a full-fledged resort.

Guests also enjoyed the New Mermaid Lounge, Panorama Restaurant and Coffee Shop serving a variety of cocktails and “imaginative” cuisine. Numerous picture windows only added to the treat of eating in the restaurant, no matter the time of year.

The resort was a wonderful place for families, with two large heated pools, tennis, badminton, croquet, ping-pong, archery, horse shoes, shuffleboard,

ski resort, it offered fun for guests who wanted a wintertime get-away in the Lakes Region.

With an extensive resort established, the Spanos family eventually sold the property in the spring of 1970. The new owners renamed the business the Brickyard Mountain Inn. One of the things added was extensive skiing on the property. The owners acquired snowmaking pumps and lights, and a new 1,357 ft. long Borvig double chairlift was installed, which greatly added to the size and capacity of skiing at the resort. According to www. newenglandskihistory.com, new trails were opened and night skiing was added. Those who wanted to try skiing could sign up for lessons at the resort’s ski school, and rent equipment there as well. The ski area lasted about a decade before closing permanently in the early 1980s.

The inn and property were sold in 1981 and again in 2001. With 220 acres in Weirs Beach, the property was divided into several parcels and one became the Village at Winnipesaukee condominiums and another, Cedar Lodge. In 2004, the Meredith Bay housing development began construction on land in the area.

If you have memories and/or photos of a stay at the Shangri-La, The Laker would love to see them for a future story on this important Weirs Beach landmark. Please email to lkr@thelaker.com or pressreleases@ thelaker.com.

(Thanks to Robert Ames, webmaster of weirsbeach.com, and The Lake Winnipesaukee Historical Museum for information for this article.)

outdoor barbecues, dancing, movies, bingo and even vaudeville! The Shangri-La also was the headquarters for photography classes taught by “a world-famous authority” although brochures do not identify who that photographer might have been.

Referring to old pamphlets, we see photographs of the hotel/motel rooms, and while they look simple by today’s standards and styles, at the time they were the height of luxury. These rooms actually had televisions at a time when that was not always the case when staying at a motel; the views were incredible from the picture windows in the rooms, and the food and variety of activities were unsurpassed.

Another brochure exuded the delights that awaited those who stayed at the Shangri-La: “A recreational Motel Resort, a celestial retreat of 200 beautiful acres for your uncrowded enjoyment, 2 king-sized swimming pools with water warm as the South Seas, indoor and outdoor. An American Shangri-La for leisure, play and rest.”

Who could resist all that?

Added to this list of recreational fun, in the winter the Shangri-La offered skiing. A rope tow was added along with a lighted slope by the late 1960s.

Although this was not a full-fledged

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Page 18 | THE LAKER | April 2020

Having Fun in the Great Outdoors: The Frederick and Paula Markus Sanctuary Photo courtesy Loon Preservation Committee

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper One glance at an old photo of Frederick and Paula Markus makes you wish you’d known the couple.

Who wouldn’t want to be friends with Fred and Paula, a couple who knew how to have fun in the great outdoors?

Old photos from the early 1900s to the 1960s show the couple by their rustic Lake Winnipesaukee camp, or fishing or ice skating on the lake in the winter. How about the fun old photos of the Markus clan in their little wooden boat, the USS Dill Pickle? Or canoeing or swimming or cooking over an open campfire?

Fred and Paula seemed to know how

to live life to the fullest, and to get away from the pressures of city life and Fred’s demanding career as an architect. Luckily for those who want to protect the beloved loons and to enjoy the natural world, Fred and Paula had a plan to share their Lakes Region getaway with others.

According to Harry Vogel, executive director and senior biologist for the Loon Preservation Committee in Moultonborough, the history of the Loon Center and Markus Wildlife Sanctuary also is the story of Fred and Paula Markus. The sanctuary and supporting foundation are named for the couple, and it is the fulfillment of Fred’s dream that Hemlock Point (where he built his cabin) be maintained

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in its natural state forever.

The walking trails on the property that wind through the woods and hug the shoreline of Winnipesaukee. There are 1.7 miles of trails; the outdoor area is open year-round to the public free of charge.

All this is the gift of the Markus family, and their story is an amazing one of forging a life in a new country long ago and a dedication to protect wildlife and the environment.

Frederick Markus was born in 1893 in Dresden, Germany. With his parents and two sisters, Fred immigrated to Lawrence, Massachusetts before the turn of the 20th century. The family was one of many wanting to better themselves. They saw a move to the United States as a way in which to improve their prospects. While the German speaking Markus children got their grade school education by a German Lutheran pastor, their father worked in the woolen mills. Although Fred would rise to become one of the most sought-after architects in the Boston area, the pastor told his mother upon Fred’s elementary school graduation, “Fred isn’t very clever. It’s best that you send him to the mill to work.”

Luckily, Fred’s mother ignored that piece of advice and Fred went on to get a scholarship to MIT after high school. The family lived and worked in

the city, but they took vacations to the Canobie Lake area, where Fred fell in love with the lakes and woods of New Hampshire.

After serving in WWI, Fred went to work for a prestigious architectural firm, Sheply Rutan and Coolidge. His talents and intelligence must have been obvious, because before long, Fred was working as clerk of the works for the construction of a Unitarian Church in Washington, DC. It was there that Fred met Paula Kutscher, a Swiss secretary who spoke seven languages and had been sent to Washington by a Swiss bank to help settle international financial issues following the war.

It is obvious why Fred was attracted to Paula: she was widely traveled and worked as a translator, as well as being a teacher and artist. She was keenly interested in painting, music, photography and ceramics, among other things. On top of this, Paula heard Jane Addams speak for world peace and volunteered to serve as a translator; to this end, Paula joined the Women’s International League, founded by Addams.

Fred and Paula married in New York City in 1928 and honeymooned in Europe and North Africa. Upon their return to the United States, they settled in the Boston area, where Fred became • Yesteryear Continued on page 19

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April 2020 | THE LAKER | Page 19 • Yesteryear Continued from page 18 a prominent hospital architect and a partner in the new firm of Markus & Nacka. Hospital design was Fred’s specialty, and he revised existing hospital floor plans to make a more efficient use of space.

In the winter of 1932, Fred and Paula bought a 150-acre tract of land on Lake Winnipesaukee in the Moultonborough area. The land had rugged terrain and about a half-mile of shoreline. Because snow covered the ground, Fred and Paula could not see the slash and unwanted tree trunks that dotted the land due to logging from the 1920s to early 1930s. (Fred is said to have later remarked that if he had seen the land in the summer, he never would have purchased it.)

However, the couple rolled up their sleeves to build a cabin. Over time the rough piece of land became a haven for the hardworking Fred and Paula. Fred loved roughing it and that meant not paying attention to the time or what day it was when they retreated to their Winnipesaukee cabin. Fred would take off his watch before leaving Boston for New Hampshire. On the way north, he would stop at a grocer and purchase a half-dozen bananas. He kept track of the days by eating a banana a day.

When he was finished eating the bananas, he knew it was time to leave camp and return to work!

The Markus’ two sons enjoyed the frequent trips to the camp in summer… and winter. Son Eric reminisced, “The Camp - two words with a very special meaning for me for as long as I can remember. It meant our place up at the lake - Hemlock Point.”

He recalls spending summers at the camp with his mother. Fred worked at his job in the city but drove up on weekends. Paula knew it was time to take the rowboat and pick up her husband when Fred honked the car’s horn: a short honk of the car’s horn, followed by a long honk and then two short ones. Eric says it was so quiet on the lake in those days there was no missing the sound of the car horn carried across the still water.

Over the years, Fred and Paula cut and established trails through the property and to Hemlock Point. They left an old logger’s shack intact; it had been used as a warming hut and cookhouse during the days when logging was

Fred and Paual Markus at their camp circa 1932. done on the land.

Wanting to get away from the demands of the city, Fred and Paula led simple lives at their Winnipesaukee camp. There was no running water and no phone. They often lived out of doors or in simple structures left behind by the loggers. In the summer, they rowed by canoe to the middle of the bay and filled two big buckets with water. In the winter, they cut through the ice with a hatchet to gain access to lake water.

The couple built a Japanese rock garden, and Fred at one time began to build mortarless stone walls.

It was only natural the Markus family would be aware of the abundant wildlife around their camp and property. Fred observed a loon nest on the property and that began Fred’s desire that the loon be a protected species. (Fred was one of the original Loon Rangers, who worked to protect the loon.) Fred’s ideas were straightforward: he wanted the loons protected and he wanted the land he enjoyed to also be protected, but not fenced in. He had a vision that his land could be a place where people could hike and wander through the woods and learn about nature, living in harmony with the great outdoors.

As the years went on, the Markus family noticed the number of birds and other wildlife on and around the lake was decreasing. They knew it was likely because of shoreline development. With great foresight, in the 1970s Fred purchased an additional 50 acres of marsh area and water inlets.

It seems clear Fred was on a bit of a mission to protect the natural world by this time, and he selectively cut trees to

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create more open areas to plant berrybearing shrubs and trees. He placed wood duck and other nesting boxes around the property, as well as creating two loon nesting sites in the marshes.

While there is no doubt Fred and Paula became more and more aware of the need to preserve the land, the shoreline and the beloved wildlife of the area, they certainly enjoyed their time at the lake indulging in simple pleasures. The extended family is shown in old photos competing in canoe races, taking out the little Dill Pickle boat, cooking over an open fire, swimming in the lake, and generally having a wonderful time.

Fred created the Paula Anna Markus Foundation 1966. That foundation granted a 99-year lease to the Audubon Society of New Hampshire, and the site now serves as the headquarters of the Loon Preservation Committee.

These days, the property Fred and Paula first saw during a snowy winter, is a busy place. The paths the couple cut so long ago have created a network

of walking trails for the public to enjoy. With many acres of property and undeveloped shoreline, the sanctuary is just that: a haven for wildlife. It also is a promise fulfilled that no development will mar the natural beauty of the land.

One must assume Fred and Paula would be proud of all that has been accomplished at their former camp, a place where they could hike, swim, canoe and generally enjoy nature.

The couple was indeed fun-loving and energetic, as well as dedicated to preserving the natural world. After one look at the old photos of the Markus family at their camp, most of us surely would wish we had known this wonderful couple.

For information about the Loon Center, visit www.loon.org or call 603-476-LOON for information. The Loon Center is located at 183 Lee’s Mills Road in Moultonborough, New Hampshire. The Markus Wildlife Sanctuary walking trails are open seven days a week all year, dawn to dusk.

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