David Warren delivering his model of the Marshal Foch to the Lake Winnipesaukee Museum: This season, the Museum is displaying Warren’s new models of the historic Lake Winnipesaukee mailboats Dolphin, Marshal Foch and Uncle Sam II. Warren’s article “The Uncle Sam II Mailboat” was published in the Weirs Times on May 16, 2024.
David Warren of Wolfeboro currently has over 24 ship models on exhibition in Lakes Region museums and historical societies. At the Lake Winnipesaukee Museum, visitors can see his models of the steam-
boats Uncle Sam, James Bell, Governor Endicott, Chateaugay, SS Mount Washington II, and a diorama of the SS Mt Washington II under construction in 1940.
The Lake Winnipesaukee
Museum is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10am to 4pm PM into mid-October, welcoming visitors to see the collection of period photographs and objects focused on historic tourism,
recreation, and transportation on the Big Lake. The Museum is located at 503 Endicott Street North (Route 3) next to Funspot (www.lakewinnimuseum.org).
“Songs of Old New
On Tuesday, September 17th at 7pm, the New Hampton Historical Society will present the program “Songs Of Old New Hampshire, with Jeff Warner.
Drawing heavily on the repertoire of traditional singer Lena Bourne Fish (1873-1945) of Jaffrey and Temple, New Hampshire, Warner offers the songs and stories that, in the words of Carl Sandburg, tell us “where we came from and what brought us along.” These ballads, love songs and comic pieces, reveal the experiences and emotions of daily life in the days before movies, sound recordings and, for some, books. Songs from the lumber camps, the decks of sailing ships, the textile mills, and the war between the sexes offer views of pre-industrial New England and a chance to hear living artifacts from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Jeff Warner, is among the nation’s foremost performers/interpreters of traditional music. His songs connect 21st century audiences with the everyday lives-and artistry-of 19th century Americans.
The event takes place at te GordonNash Library, 69 Main Street, New Hampton Free and open to the public.
To The Editor:
I feel like the March Hare living in Alice’s Wonderland!
As a lawyer in the State of New Hampshire for over 50 years, I am beyond outrage at the recent idiotic decision of the New Hampshire Supreme Court (NHSCOTUS) abridging and destroying parental rights. The leftist intimidation has reached the point where the plaintiff defaults to “DOE”, rather than use her Christian name. Additionally, the NH judges in the Doe v. Manchester School District majority, decided on August 30,2024, have lost touch with common sense! As a grandfather, I am appalled that Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald and his acolytes, Patrick E. Donovan and Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi, turned deaf ears to the plight of a loving mother. The moaning and groaning about lack of legal precedent proves that our forebearers did not deal in such self-destructive nonsense.
I thank God that Judge Melissa Beth Countway concluded that “a school withholding of such information implicates the parents’ fundamental right to raise and care for the child.”
As a lawyer I know I know that well-reasoned, common-sense dissents have frequently led to the reversal of insane judicial majority decisions. The Dred Scott decision is the most wellknown.
I am also bitterly disappointed at the complete silence
and apparent acquiescence of the members of the NH Bar Association to this atrocious, repugnant decision. Nevertheless, I am not surprised because practicing lawyers fear judicial retribution for even justified criticism.
A Civilization that fails to properly protect the children will not long survive.
Charles Bradley Laconia, NH.
To The Editor:
Alan W. Dowd in The American Legion Magazine of July 2024 comprehensively describes the plight of world democracies countering the expansionism and exploitation of one-man rule autocracies. I paraphrase him at times. In essence he says the free world needs “an alliance of democracies” against the autocracies of Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela.
Deterring the autocracies requires the free world to increase defense spending and collaborating in mutual programs designed to enhance the capabilities of democracies to counter the provocations of the autocracies. NATO countries in Europe are now increasing their defense spending to counter Russian expansionism. Far East countries are aligning and spending more money on armaments to confront China and North Korea.
Some Middle East countries are working closely with the United States to combat Iranian aggression.
The United States, as the world bastion of democracy, has to ramp up the availability of armaments, including state of the art offensive weapons and defensive weapons like drones, hypersonic missiles and other advanced missile systems. Maybe we should look at developing drone aircraft carriers. This necessitates increasing military spending from 3% of GDP to 5% or 6%.
Donald Moskowitz Londonderry, NH.
This newspaper was first published in 1883 by Mathew H. Calvert as Calvert’s Weirs Times and Tourists’ Gazette and continued until Mr. Calvert’s death in 1902. The new Weirs Times was reestablished in 1992 and strives to maintain the patriotic spirit of its predecessor as well as his devotion to the interests of Lake Winnipesaukee. Our newspaper’s masthead and the map of Lake Winnipesaukee in the center spread are elements in today’s paper which are taken from Calvert’s historic publication. Locally owned for 30 years, this publication is devoted to printing the stories of the people and places that make New Hampshire the best place in the world to live. No, none of the daily grind news will be found in these pages, just the good stuff. Published year round on Thursdays, we distribute 24,000 copies of the Weirs Times every week to the Lakes Region/Concord/ Seacoast area and the mountains and have an estimated 60,000 people reading this newspaper. To find out how your business or service can benefit from advertising with us please call 603-366-8463.
The 2024 Franconia ArtWalk Association’s fourth annual outdoor exhibit lining the Main Street (Route 112) of Franconia and along the bank of the Gale River officially opened July 4th and runs through Columbus Day Weekend.
All summer long we have been driving by many of the pieces of the artwork. It is nice to see them through the window of a car but it is much more delightful to spend some time admiring the pieces up close. To visit every piece of art you’d have to walk about a mile and a half. Or you can ride your bicycle like Charlie and I did.
Flying Pencils by Paul Angiolillo is just one of the many artworks on to be seen while touring the Franconia ArtWalk. These giant flying common items we all use at school and work we found flying in the trees made us giggle and think. The Franconia ArtWalk is about 1.5 mile long and has 34 locations along Maine Street and the bank of the Gale River. See the ArtWalk before it closes after Columbus Day Weekend.
I picked up a detailed and lovely ArtWalk map at one of the local businesses. Next to the Town Hall is the The Franconia Notch Regional Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center, I noticed they have maps there too and lots of other great information about the area. You can access a digital copy of the map at FranconiaArtWalk. org and click on the
name of each exhibit for information about the artist and their work.
We started riding our mountain bikes on the Franconia Trails and connected to the trails in the Town’s Fox Hill Forest and then we rode a short distance
WOLFEBORO - On Tuesday, September 17th, the Wright Museum will welcome author Howard Mansfield. This is the fourteenth program of the Wright Museum’s 2024 Education Series. Growing up, World War II was omnipresent and hidden. This was also true of his father’s time in the Air Force. Like most of his generation, it was a rule not to talk about what he’d experienced in war. “You’re not getting any war stories from me,” he’d say.
Doors open at 6:00 p.m., the program begins at 7 p.m. in the Wright Museum’s DuQuoin Education Center, 77 Center Street in Wolfeboro. Admission is $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made online at https://wrightmuseum.org/lecture-series or by calling 603-569-1212. Books may be purchased in advance at the Country Bookseller or at the lecture at the Museum. The region’s leading resource for educators and learners of all ages on World War II, the Wright Museum features more than 14,000 items in its collection that are representative of both the home front and battlefield. For more information about the 2024 Lecture Series, or museum, visit wrightmuseum.org.
Some illustrious but little known local citizens from our past will be at this year’s Historic Figures Tea, sponsored by the Wolfeboro Historical Society. This popular event takes place Sunday, September 15, from 2:00 to 4:30 at the Clark Museum Barn.
Many of our guests played a significant role in our country’s history. Dorothy “Dot” Braden worked at Arlington Hall during World War II, as part of the Signals Intelligence Service, similar to Bletchley Park. Chester Merrow served as New Hampshire Congressman from 1943 to 1963. He was an author, teacher, lecturer and beloved grandfather as well. Harriett Patience Dana volunteered as nurse in the Civil War. She was a driving force in getting soldiers’ remains back to their families where they could be interred with dignity. Author and poet Celia Thaxter, known as the “lighthouse girl”, lived on the Isle of Shoals in the late 19th century, drawing inspiration and solace from its bleak and beautiful environs.
Although many of our Historic Figures are from New Hampshire, revered artist Mary Cassatt, known for her tender depictions of mothers and their children, spent much of her life in Paris. Born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, she moved to France to pursue her career in the company of other Impressionist artists.
Tickets are $25, $20 for Wolfeboro Historical Society members. Call 603-569-1923 or 603-569-4997 for reservations. You may pay at the door. Hot and cold tea and refreshments will be served at intermission.
Relive your childhood saturday mornings! Whether you are a “Baby Boomer” or a “Generation Xer”, you will enjoy seeing clips of some of your favorite cartoon charactors from the late 50’s, as well as the 60’s and 70’s. In addition, you will also learn about how cartoons came to be a staple of after school and Saturday morning routines for children as well as “big business” for the industry.
If this sounds interesting to you, or just a pleasant way to reminisce with your friends, please join the Belmont Historical Society on Tuesday, September 24th at 7pm, on the 4th floor of the Belmont Mill, Belmont, NH, (use parking lot rear door). Funding for the program is provided by NH Humanities and the Belmont
Sargent Fund.
The program will be presented by Margo Burns, a lifelong fan of cartoons, who cut her teeth on Popeye and Yogi Bear. She formally studied animation for two years in the Rhode Island School of Design’s continuing eduation program and has led computer animation projects with middle and high school students as part of UNH’s Tech Camp in Durham, where each crew makes a complete film in a week. She recently retired from St Paul’s School in Concord where she advised their International Lunchtime Animation Festival student club. The program is free and open to the public and is handicapped accessible. For additional Information or directions, call 617-835-4736.
WOLFEBORO - The always-popular comedian-magician Peter Gross returns to the Village Players in Wolfeboro, Saturday, September 14 to perform two different shows.
At 4pm you’ll be amazed by “99 % Honest Mind Reading” - At 7:30 pm “Get Hypnotized” - Using the power of the subconscious mind, Peter lifts audience members out of their seats and plops them center stage. Hypnosis transforms audience members into stars and takes them to amazing places and realities. Peter has been performing for 20 years in theaters, at festivals and on cruise ships around the world. His performing has taken him to Tierra Del Fuego, Tahiti and Vladivostok, on the far east coast of the former Soviet Union. He’s been invited to the White House, performed at the Kennedy Center, Canada’s National Theater and has made numerous TV appearances. Tickets are $25 each, $40 for tickets for one individual to attend both shows. Tickets at village-players.com and at the door.
by Brendan Smith Weirs Times Editor
This past Saturday, the last one before the New Hampshire primaries, I was taking one of my usual weekend walks around the neighborhood noticing the plethora of political signs endorsing this candidate or the other, when I came to realize something I had forgotten about now that Labor Day has passed. It is also officially Yard Sale season as well, with the many handmade signs competing for my attention along with the mass-produced campaign ones. Yard sales are truly a grass roots phenomenon.
On occasion I see a plethora of signs bunched together heralding one candidate. I try to understand why they would waste so much money putting six of the same signs in one twenty square foot section, when just one gets the message across, How many other signs do they have bunched together the same way around the area where they are campaigning? I have to assume the signs cost money to produce. I can’t help but think that if they are that wasteful in their spending trying to get elected, then they probably won’t have any
trouble voting to spend my money if they do. But, maybe that’s just me.
But amidst the landscape chaos of these signs, I see smaller ones, usually stapled to telephone poles and heralding in magic marker that there will be a Yard sale at so and so street this Saturday (and maybe Sunday as well) from 8am to 1pm or maybe later.
There might be three or four signs announcing one yard sale, but not all bunched in one place, instead strategically stapled to telephone poles within a reasonable distance to the event.
The Yard sale is a frugal event for sure. Campaign season not so much.
As I moseyed around the neighborhood, I came to realize that yard sales and politics are similar in some ways.
Yard sales season is, of course, when folks rummage through their attics and basements and collect a lot of old, useless to them, junk in the hopes that someone might pay them to take this old stuff off their hands instead of having to pay for someone to later cart it away to the dump.
Campaign season is, of course, when folks rummage through their lives and situations over the last couple of years and try to make sense of this promise and that promise made by those running for office in the hope that someone might take away the old stuff that hasn’t been
working and replace it with something better. Once in awhile it actually happens, But not too often.
In a yard sale the buyer sees an opportunity to take something old and make a new use for it. Perhaps they are handy and can refurbish an old lamp or piece of furniture and give it a new life.
In politics people often go to vote, their choices are usually the same old names and faces that they have been voting for years, hoping that this time there might be a chance that they have some new ideas that will make things better. Occasionally that happens. But not very often. In a yard sale someone might buy an old working treadmill that the yard sale owner no lon-
ger uses and then take it home in the hope that they can make some good use of it themselves, possibly start on a new exercise regime only to find themselves putting it up for sale in their own yard sale a couple of years later or just bring it to the dump.
Reminds me of more than a few who have been running for office for years or even decades who we keep voting for in the hopes things will improve, only to finally realize after many campaigns, that things won’t and maybe it’s time to just dump them as well. It’s funny the things that can cross your mind in a pleasant afternoon walk.
This series of Letters From God is an attempt to put the thoughts of God as revealed in the Scriptures as they relate to individuals and the nation of the USA
When Will You Return?
Your question is obviously in reference to my previous letter, in which you asked, should we prepare for my son Jesus’ return to earth to consummate human history? As you know my answer was a resounding yes to that question. Just as I gave over 300 prophetic statements in the Old Covenant concerning his first coming, as the Lamb of God, giving his life to pay for your sins, I have also given many in the New Covenant, concerning his return. A return, as the Lion of Judah to judge all who have no savior and remain in their sins (1Thessalonias 1:6-11).
With respect to his second coming however, I have made numerous prophetic statements that he will return but I have given no specific date (Acts 1:7). Jesus said, “no man knows the day nor the hour” of his return (Matthew 24:36). I have however, in my book, the Bible, given you many “signs” or indicators that the time of his coming is near. In fact, I have told all who return to me, love me and who listen to my word, recorded in the Bible, that they must learn these signs and recognize my son’s imminent return and as a result, be prepared. For those reading this letter, you have the opportunity to know these signs and benefit from them by pre-
paring yourself to stand in my presence. Even if my son’s return doesn’t happen in your lifetime, your life will end at your death. Knowing these signs and preparing for his return now, will enable you to stand in judgment, because you received the gift of forgiveness by faith, made possible through his sacrificial death as your substitute on the cross.
Let me remind the readers of some of the many signs. I would ask you to consider that you are living in a time when many, indeed most have already been fulfilled and are being fulfilled even as this letter is being written. In the Old Covenant, as mentioned, I made many predictions of the second coming of my son to Israel. One of the great signs I gave the prophets of that day was the restoration of Israel to their homeland after being disposed. I “dispersed them among the nations” and “scattered” them due to their sinfulness (Ezekiel 36:19). But I also promised that one day they would be miraculously returned, and that at that time, it would be in a city that is “unwalled.” (Ezekiel 38:11). (This was certainly a future prediction I made, since at that time no city existed without walls. It was the equivalent to protected borders that you have or should have today.) I spoke through Zechariah the prophet that once in the land, “when the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure
themselves.” (Zechariah 12:3). Consider that my son could not return until Israel miraculously, after being scattered for over 2,000 years and near annihilation in your WWII, was granted statehood in 1948 and now lives in unwalled cities besieged and surrounded by hostile nations. You must recognize this “sign.”
Besides Israel’s return, I gave other signs that must be recognized.
There will be a worldwide “rebellion” against me, my son Jesus and my word and will, revealed in my book, the Bible, that is your manual for life (2 Thessalonians 2:3). This “rebellion” will be manifested in a hedonistic, money loving, disobedient to authority, unholy, ungrateful, unloving, slanderous, treacherous populous who have no self-control and forsake loving me, God, for loving pleasure. All this while practicing forms of religion that, though they proclaim to foster righteous living, rejects me, my power and resources for life (2 Timothy 3:1-3). Lawlessness will be pervasive and practiced by political leaders and ultimately by a world leader (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8).
A worldwide economic collapse will unite the world and usher in the lawless leader (Revelation 6:5-6). He will control commerce with technology planted in the skin to enable buying and selling on his terms (Revelation 13).
This world government leader will initiate a final world war culminating in the return of my son, who ends the
war before it destroys the whole earth & begins judgment and his reign as King of Kings and Lord or Lords (Revelation 19-20). This world war will include Kings from the North, particularly one from “the uttermost north” of Israel (Ezekiel 38:15). (Look on a map and see what major city and country lies to the uttermost of Israel.) They will align with the Kings of the South, the Muslim countries (Ezekiel 38:1-6). The mighty Tigress & Euphrates rivers will dry up (Revelation 16:12) and enable an army of 200 million to cross it into the fray of battle in this final war located in the valley of Armageddon (Revelation 9:16). (Please note that the rivers are drying up as this letter is written and one nation alone, China, currently has that number of fighting manpower.)
These are only a few. I will include more in my next letter. I have always fulfilled every one of my prophecies. I do not lie and will not be thwarted in brining my prophecies to fruition. I am “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).
The question is, will you be prepared for life or death, when I fulfill them fully?
I love you enough to warn you now, God
These letters are written by Rev. Dr. Sam Hollo of Alton, NH
by Star Parker Syndicated Columnist
In June 2022, The Supreme Court, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturned Roe v. Wade, the decision that defined the law of the land regarding abortion since 1973.
Now we are in active national discourse about which abortion regime will fill this vacuum.
In Roe, the court ruled that the U.S. Constitution provides a right to abortion. The Dobbs decision, written by Justice Samuel Alito, concluded that the U.S. Constitution contains no right to abortion.
Now conventional wisdom seems to be that the abortion issue is “back to the States.”
Although Dobbs notes that the Constitution “does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion,” it concludes saying that it returns “authority ... to the people and their elected representatives.”
So, although we know that each state can now regulate abortion as it chooses, is a federal abortion regime now precluded?
I would say regarding a federal regime, such as the Women’s Health Protection Act, pushed by Democrats, the answer is yes. It can’t be done. Because Dobbs already ruled
See PARKER on 28
by John Stossel Syndicated Columnist
Instead of using fossil fuels, we’re told to use “clean” energy: wind, solar or hydropower.
Hydro is the most reliable.
Unlike wind and sunlight, it flows steadily.
But now, environmental groups want to destroy dams that create hydro power.
“Breach those dams,” an activist shouts in my new video. “Now is the time, our fish are on the line!”
The activists have targeted four dams on the Snake River in Washington State. They claim the dams are driving salmon to extinction.
It’s true that dams once killed lots of salmon. Pregnant fish need to swim upriver to have babies, and
by John J. Metzler
Syndicated Columnist
their babies swim downriver to the ocean.
Suddenly, dams were in the way. Salmon population dropped sharply.
But that was in the 1970s. Today, most salmon make it past the dam without trouble. How?
Fish-protecting innovations like fish ladders and spillways guide most of the salmon away from the turbines that generate electricity.
“Between 96% and 98% of the salmon successfully pass each dam,” says Todd Myers, Environmental Director at the Washington Policy Center.
Even federal scientific agencies now say we can leave dams alone and fish will be fine.
But environmental groups don’t
See STOSSEL on 29
The world is entering a new more dangerous security phase; the winds of war which have been lashing parts of the planet for the past few years could well go to gale force and bring us to the verge of a global conflict. Though both the major land clashes in Ukraine and Gaza appear to be largely locked in bloody stalemate, these conflicts could easily escalate and spillover regionally.
He stated to Fox that “Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are working together collaborating, coordinating and truly helping each other.” General Keane asserted, ”The fact is that they perceive the United States as being weak, and they’re going to take advantage of it.”
Similarly speaking in London, the chiefs of both the British MI6 and the CIA asserted that the international order “is under threat in a way we haven’t seen since the Cold War.” A BBC report cited that the intelligence chiefs stressed that Russia’s war against Ukraine
General Jack Keane a retired four star strategic analyst told Fox Business that the U.S. is “on a pathway to the third world war.” He cited a recent Congressional Commission on National Defense Strategy hearing that the U.S. faces “the most serious” and the most challenging threats since 1945 including the potential for a “Near-term major war.”
should be countered by continuing Western military support for Kyiv. Yet American CIA Chief William Burns conceded that “None of us should take lightly the risk of escalation.”
Beyond Ukraine they cite the rise of China as the main intelligence and geopolitical challenge of the century.
All this comes amid the upcoming 79th annual General Assembly session of the United Nations.
Here in New York political figures from 193 member states will postulate and proffer about peace while dithering dangerously near the precipice of wider war.
This isn’t to say the UN has not been seriously engaged in helping to support Ukraine’s sovereignty since the Russian invasion of 2022 nor for that matter not trying to
contain the bloody conflicts in the Middle East with their epicenter in Gaza. The UN Security Council has been in a near permanent meeting mode trying to thrash out solutions but to no avail politically. On the humanitarian side however, the organization has performed significant assistance in helping displaced persons and refugees.
The core challenge remains that neither the UN nor the U.S. has been able to stop the fighting; a politically log jammed UN Security Council for the past decade sees the Russians and China face-off the Western powers with an almost guaranteed veto to any productive proposals. Security Council stalemate remains the crux of the dilemma.
One is tempted to say that the
Intrigue AI mimics the cerebral cortex of the human brain to quickly and more accurately ‘fill in’ the gaps produced when our hearing system falters.
• Replicates how our “normal” auditory system works.
• Distinguish words and speech more intuitively and naturally.
• Hear soft sounds without distracting noise.
• Reduce the effort it takes to listen and hear.
by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer
On August 24th of this year I was looking for a particular item that I had previously put away for later use and, instead, I found a diary my Mother had kept just for a few years.
The 24th of August happens to be the date of my Dad and Mother’s wedding which was inluded within the scope of Mother’s diary.
I have asked myself the question, “Who are diaries written for?” and I suppose the first answer is that they are primarily for the one who does the writing. As time passes, however, they can have value for others, but I’ve had to ask myself if my Mother would be “upset”, to use a word she might use, if I shared some of her diary with thousands of other people.
A preface at the beginning of the diary says, “Such a book will be of the greatest value in after years.” I presume that these are
those “after years.”
So, after considerable thought, I think, that rather than being upset, my Mother, who wrote of personal but not very intimate matters, would be pleased that her writings were not assigned to the trash can, but, instead, in some small way, might enhance the lives of others.
My Mother’s diary was called a condensed one to cover five years of time. It had written on ithe cover “A Line A Day,” but had room for four lines of about four and one-
quarter inches long for each day. Mother wrote something for most of the days for three years and some on the fourth, but I want to share some entries having to do with her marriage to my Dad in the months of August and September of 1932.
The first year of her diary was that of 1930 and the entry for August 24th of that year indicated that it was her grandparent’s 60th wedding anniversary, seen as follows: August 24, 1930: “Grandpa’s and Grandma’s 60th anniversary.
Everyone here except Uncle John and the two boys. Had picnic lunch. Uncle Frank broke down in Hillsboro. Uncle Rod went after them. I took Uncle Frank and Mildred back to Greenfield then came home.”
Two years later on that same month and day my Mother, Dorothea, and my father, Raymond, were married: August 24, 1932: “Most eventful day of my life. Ray and I were married today at Nashua by Mr. Maurer. Started on a camping trip for a few days. Spent night near Concord.”
August 25, 1932: “ Very hot. We went
by Chris Bosak
Contributing Writer
Some bird names are spot on. Yellow-rumped warblers have yellow rumps as an obvious field mark. Mourning doves have a mournfulsounding call. Bluebirds are, well, blue birds.
Some bird names do not seem to make sense. A red belly is hardly a red-bellied woodpecker’s most distinctive field mark. Yes, their bellies are red and yes, the name redheaded woodpecker is already taken by a more deserving species, but still. American robins are actually thrushes, and most warblers do not warble.
Then there are bird names that make sense only after looking up the meaning of a few words. Semipalmated plovers and semipalmated sandpipers are so named because there is partial webbing between their toes. The zoological definition of palmated, according to dictionary.com, is “webfooted.” I was several years into my birding hobby before I learned this. I don’t think I gave it a second thought before I heard it for the first time. I just accepted that as the name and moved on.
I came across another bird species during a walk the other day that has a name that makes one scratch their head at first. The sun was
still rising when I noticed a largish bird on a branch of a dead tree.
The morning light illuminated the bird in a heavenly glow. It was a northern flicker.
Then the bird started to preen itself and expose feathers not usually seen. The sun highlighted each feature of the bird’s striking plumage.
It was clear as day at that moment why it used to be called the yellow-shafted flicker. That was another bird name that, when I was first starting out as a birder, I just accepted and didn’t give it another thought. I didn’t know what yellow-shafted meant and didn’t give it much thought as I had so many other things to learn about the hobby at the time.
As it turns out, it’s not complicated at all. The shaft of a feather is the thick base or axis. Most birds have white, gray or black feather shafts.
A yellow-shafted flicker has shafts on its tail and wing feathers that are – all together now – yellow. Usually, when you see a flicker flying away, you notice the large white patch on its rump. If you happen to see the bird flying from the right angle, you can see yellow feathers and shafts under the wings and tail.
Of course, it’s all somewhat of a moot point as the birds are now known as northern flickers. The yellow-shafted flickers of the eastern U.S., the red-shafted flickers of the western U.S. and the hybrid birds in the
middle are now considered one species, northern flicker, and have been since 1973. The old monikers persist colloquially, however, to differentiate the birds of each region.
The yellow shafts and feathers of the flicker are not seen too frequently. Flickers love to eat ants and are often found on the ground. The underside of the wings and tail would not be seen when spotted on the ground. When I first saw the
by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer
“Who should start at quarterback?”
That’s an eternal question that relates to many—if not most— football teams.
Sometimes the answer is clear.
Tom Brady. (If his backup is Blaine Gabbert.)
Joe Montana. (If his backup is Carson Wentz.)
Dak Prescott. (If his backup is Cooper Rush.)
But sometimes the
answer is less clear.
Y.A. Tittle or Charlie Connerly?
Roger Staubach or Craig Morton?
Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers?
Phil Rivers or Drew Brees?
NFL head coaches don’t want to be second-guessed. They want clear starters and clear back-ups. They “don’t need no stinking QB controversies.”
When New England Patriot QB Tom Brady got hurt in 2008, backup Matt Cassel shined and led the Pats to an 11-5 record. So, Belichick immediately traded him to Kansas City. With Brady coming back in 2009, he “didn’t need no stinking QB controversies.”
Years later Jimmy Garoppolo shined for the Patriots and seemed like the heir apparent to an older Brady. Reportedly owner Bob Kraft was behind the trading of Garoppolo to San Francisco, to support Brady over Belichick and avoid a “stinking QB controversy.”
Why court conflict?
All of which brings us to the current Patriot team. QB Jacoby
Brissett was named one of the club’s six captains last week which indicates that he’ll be a starter. Drake Maye will back him up. But for how long? An amazing collegiate QB for North Carolina, Maye was selected third overall in the 2024 NFL draft.
So how long can firstyear Pats head coach Jerod Mayo keep Maye sitting on the pine? What if Brissett plays brilliantly? How bad do things have to go for Brissett and the Pats before Mayo gives in to the inevitable clamor to put Maye on the field? Then what if Maye flounders?
(Think JaMarcus Russell, Ryan Leaf, Johnny Manziel, or Matt Leinart.)
Can you say, “stinking quarterback controversy?”
Injuries may well influence events. What if Drew Bledsoe had never been hurt? Would Tom Brady have ever gotten a shot?
NFL football is really a giant reality show. Aside from the wonderful athletic exploits we watch, we also witness interpersonal drama of the highest order. The drama creates a buzz which drums up inter-
est which translates to higher ticket sales, greater TV viewership, and higher revenues. So, should the Patriots replace Brissett?
(Should the Democrats have replaced Biden?)
Many people get their exercise by secondguessing and jumping to conclusions. But Mayo is getting paid around $4 million this year to make tough decisions and deal with major personnel issues. How well Mayo handles the “stinking quarterback controversy” will help determine how long it will be before New England has a “stinking coaching controversy.”
Go Pats!
After Baltimore Colt starting quarterback Johnny Unitas and his back-up, Gary Cuozzo, were both injured in 1965, what running back took over as Colt quarterback for a playoff game at Green Bay, where the Packers won in overtime? (Answer follows)
That is to say, sports standouts born on September 12 include Olympic running legend Jesse Owens (1913) and Chinese basketball star Yao Ming (1980).
Sports Quote
“Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck.” – NFL coach Don Shula
Sports Quiz Answer Tom Matte.
by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer
Remember Hamburger Helper? Having been around for nearly 55 years, there are now presumably three generations who have bought this product. So, I guess the question could more aptly be: who doesn’t remember Hamburger Helper?
As I was enjoying the warm gentle breeze, stretched out on a chaise lounge, listening to the surf wash upon the white sands of some island shore, my thoughts drifted, mingling with the white puffy clouds above. Then that familiar sound of a phone rang. But where was the phone? I’m on a beach. I’m drinking sweet nectar-like adult beverages from long necked glasses bedecked with fruit on toothpicks and tiny colorful umbrellas. There it is again, that awful ringing. I look from side to side but that phone is nowhere to be found amongst the sand, the bottle of sunscreen, a stack of Louis L’Amour paperback westerns, and the Funny Bones wrappers.
There it goes again! But where is it? Frustrated, on the third ring, I awoke, abruptly disturbed from my early
morning slumber.
“Hello!”, I tried to sound as chipper as possible, feigning semiconsciousness, thinking I had overslept. (Is it really possible to oversleep if one is retired?)
“So, what’s your article for this week?” It was my business manager and publicist, aka my sister. Calling at 7:32am.
“Cheesy Beef and Noodles.”
There was a bit of a pause as I waited for a reply.
Getting no reply, I added, “You know, like Hamburger Helper.”
“Ewe.” There was a note of obvious disdain in her voice.
Of course with a word like “Ewe”, regardless of how it is said, there is always the unmistakable implication of disdain bordering on
disgust. “Ewe” is just one of those words that says “Ick”, no matter how you say it. Even when one conjures up as much false enthusiasm as one can muster when being told such things as Dropped Squid on Toast or Eel Parmigiana are on the menu, the word “Ewe” says it all, no matter the tone.
“Mom used to make that stuff all the time!”, she said.
Now, I have always marveled at how two or more people living in the same house for years can have totally different memories of how things happened. It is sort of like witnesses to accidents and crime scenes. The greater the number of witnesses, the more varied the perspectives of how the
event in question took place. My sister and I are no different, our recollections differing considerably because I do not remember my mom ever making Hamburger Helper box meals.
“Why mom would ever make those meals is beyond me.”, she added, as we talked.
“They were cheap and easy”, I replied. Then added, “She could feed a family of five.”
Touted as a meal in a box, just add burger, according to the General Mills website, Hamburger Helper made its debut on the west coast in 1970 and by
Waukewan Golf Club is now offering membership options for customers starting September 1st for the 2025 Golf Season. There are early payment incentives listed below for your review. After signup and payment, new members can play for the rest of the 2024 fall season.
Contact Bob Santos at 603-279-6661 or bobsantos1990@yahoo.com to enjoy the discounts available for early signup and pricing.
world situation evokes the late 1930’s, especially after the infamous Munich agreements of 1938 in which Britain and France diplomatically surrendered Czechoslovakia’s sovereignty to Hitler’s diktat. But
are we reliving that era? Not really.
Western states through the NATO military alliance with the U.S. at the core are well prepared to offer Europe deterrence from Moscow’s aggression. Moreover NATO, which now cov-
A
ers most of Europe, offers an iron clad defense for small exposed countries such as the Baltic states and Poland.
Perennial conflict in the Middle East has reignited but not on the mass scale of past wars.
Fortunately Arab states are not lining up against Israel. It’s the Iranian supplied and supported proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis who are the current players. Moreover endless calls for ceasefire in Gaza come to naught. Hamas terrorists don’t want a deal but rather a churning conflict to fight both Israel and to widen the chances that a total Mideast war will pull in Iran’s Hezbollah forces in Lebanon. In the meantime, Israeli hostages languish in Hamas hell.
Besides the major conflicts and impending flareups, we sill face a series of ethnic and religious off the radar conflicts in Syria over the past decade and Sudan. Fighting in both these countries have cre -
See METZLER on 15
ated carnage and refugee dislocation spilling over into neighboring countries.
China and North Korea have not weighed in…yet. Beijing’s growing threat to Taiwan and the South China Sea shipping lanes poses a clear and present danger to global security and commerce. So does North Korea’s unchecked ballistic missile program.
Against this backdrop there’s a hidden hand stirring disinformation in the runup to the American presidential elections. Iran as well as China are primarily engaged in sowing discord and
confusion among U.S. voters.
These are dangerous times. But remember the Islamic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; we overcame that tragedy and became stronger.
John J. Metzler is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of Divided Dynamism
The Diplomacy of Separated Nations; Germany, Korea, China
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(StatePoint) Natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and wildfires are happening more frequently each year. They’re also becoming more unpredictable, with many disasters taking place outside of the traditional storm season.
Despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of Americans—86%—are concerned that natural disasters will increase in the coming years, many households are not taking steps to prepare. According to a FEMA survey, only 51% of Americans believe they are prepared for a disaster, and only 48% of households report assembling or updating their disaster supplies.
With its long history of supporting com -
munities impacted by disasters through its PowerForward program, Duracell has been bringing personal power to those who need it most since 2011. Over 15 million batteries through more than 61 deployments have been distributed to affected families to operate storm essentials like flashlights, medical devices, headlamps and more. With this disaster expertise in mind, Duracell is reminding evSee STORM on 22
by Melinda Myers
Matted down, grassy trails in the lawn and missing bark on trees and shrubs in late winter and early spring might be when you first become aware of voles in your landscape. Fall is an important time to protect plants from damage.
Voles are herbivores actively feeding on plants, seeds, bulbs, and the trunks and roots of various trees and ornamental plants year-round. Soon after planting you may discover voles have devoured young plants and dug up newly planted seeds and bulbs.
Moles are often blamed for the damage caused by voles. Unlike voles, moles feed on earthworms and some soil-dwelling insects. They travel in interconnected tunnels 3 to 12” below ground whereas voles
typically use aboveground surface runways.
Although shortlived, voles are very productive, and their populations tend to peak every three to five years. You’ll often see a rise in the number of voles and damage they cause when winters are mild and there is a consistent cover.
The damage to lawns is irritating but usually only cosmetic and can be repaired. Allow the surrounding grass to fill in narrow trails or overseed the trails and damaged areas in spring. Reduce the risk of damage to your plants by pulling mulch away from the trunk of trees and stems of shrubs.
Enclose susceptible plants, typically new plantings and young trees, with a cylinder of hardware cloth. Sink the wire several inches into the ground to keep the voles out. Keep the grass surrounding flower beds mowed to reduce the risk of voles moving into the garden. Cut tall grasses shorter in the fall so they do not fall over and create homes for these pests. The same is true for branches lying on the ground. Trimming these off the soil surface also helps eliminate vole habitats.
Boost your success by including Plantskydd (plantskydd.com) in your efforts to prevent vole damage. This organic odor-based repellent is snow and rain-resistant. Apply a liberal amount of the granular Plantskydd over the soil surface around your plantSee VOLE on 22
y Melinda Myers
No matter where you garden there never seems to be enough time to grow and enjoy all your favorite vegetables. Start preparing now to extend your growing season and continue enjoying garden fresh vegetables even after the first frost.
Some vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts tolerate frost and even taste better after a slight chill. Most of these can tolerate temperatures as low as 24 to 28 ˚F.
Leeks are another vegetable that thrives in cooler temperature. Many tolerate temperatures as low as 20˚ F. Just mound some protective mulch around the plants and continue harvesting.
Take advantage of the chilly winter temperatures to store some of your carrots, turnips and parsnips in the ground for winter. Just cover the soil with straw
or evergreen boughs after it lightly freezes. Dig as needed or during a winter thaw. You will enjoy their wonderfully sweet flavor.
Those first few fall frosts are often followed by a week or more of mild temperatures. Protecting frost sensitive plants from the first few fall frosts is one way of
extending your season. Cover the plants with old bed sheets, mattress pads, or similar items in late afternoon and remove them as soon as the temperatures climb above freezing. Keep these handy and be ready to cover whenever frost is in the forecast.
Make it easier by us-
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ing floating row covers. The spun material allows air, light and water through while protecting the plants from frost.
You will find different weights of row covers that provide different levels of temperature protection. Just loosely cover the plants and anchor the edges with stones, boards or garden pins. You only need to remove the fabric to harvest ripe vegetables. Otherwise, it can stay in place until the vegetables stop producing
or you decide it is time to end the season.
Create a high tunnel over garden beds filled with large plants. Use hoops and row cover to allow easy access for harvesting while protecting the plants.
Cloches have long been used to jump start the season or extend it beyond the first fall frost. You’ll find a variety of shapes and sizes available. Select one large enough to cover your plants and protect them as needed. Look for those with vents to prevent plants from overheating and those that allow water through while trapping in the heat.
Don’t let unripe tomatoes go to waste if you
are unable or unwilling to protect them from frost. Harvest any that are starting to show color before the killing frost and finish ripening them indoors. The bottom of the tomato should be greenish white or starting to color up. Store your green tomatoes in a cool (60 to 65 degrees) location to extend their storage life.
Spread out the tomatoes on heavy paper or wrap them individually in newspaper so the fruit do not touch each other. They’ll ripen over the next few weeks.
Speed up the process by moving a few tomatoes to a warm bright location a few days before they’re needed. Enjoy green tomatoes fried, in relish, salsa, pies or many other ways.
And when your season ends, begin planning for next year. Enlist some of these strategies to jump start the season for an earlier harvest.
Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers. com.
eryone to prepare their homes for any kind of storm by adding Duracell Batteries with Power Boost ingredients to their emergency supply kits. Being prepared with batteries you can count on when it matters
most not only gives you peace of mind, but protection for your loved ones and the community around you. With a guarantee of 12 years in storage, you can rest assured they’ll be ready when you need them.
To stock your emergency preparedness kit with batteries, visit www.walmart.com, then head to https:// www.fema.gov for a full checklist of disaster supplies.
A storm could happen anywhere, at any time, so get ready before Mother Nature strikes by ensuring you’re able to keep crucial devices powered in a storm.
ings. Apply it in the fall to protect your plants over winter and early in the growing season to protect new plantings. As always, read and follow label directions for the greatest success.
Some gardeners choose to use a snap trap to manage these rodents. When populations are high there can be hundreds of them, limiting the success of this option. If you opt to use a rat trap baited with peanut butter and oats and placed on one of their trails, set it inside a pipe. The pipe or a similar cover prevents birds from feeding on the oats and being killed by the trap.
A variety of animals including hawks, owls, and foxes feast on voles, helping to manage their populations. Avoid using rodent poison that puts them as well as cats
and dogs at risk when feeding on a poisoned vole.
Working with nature and adapting your landscape management strategies can help you reduce vole damage while growing a beautiful landscape.
Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers. com.
Investment opportunities don’t stop at the U.S. border. But what should you know about investing internationally?
To begin with, what is an international investment? Essentially, it’s an investment in companies based outside the United States. Investors can purchase individual foreign stocks, but many people choose international mutual funds or international exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which can be traded like stocks and track a specific market index. It’s also possible to invest in bonds issued by foreign governments or entities. However, investors should typically focus on diversified funds and ETFs for international exposure in their portfolios.
When you invest internationally, you can receive at least two key benefits. First, international investments can help diversify your portfolio. When you spread your investment dollars among a variety of investments, you can help reduce the impact of market volatility that might affect one type of asset particularly hard. For example, if you only owned stocks and the market went through one of its inevitable downturns, your portfolio would likely take a bigger hit than if you also owned bonds, government securities, certificates of deposit and other investments. And when you invest internationally, you’re adding still another layer of diversification — because in any given year, U.S. stocks may be down while those from other regions of the world could be up. Keep in mind, though, that while diversification can help protect you somewhat from market movements, it can’t guarantee profits or prevent all losses. Another advantage of international investing is that it can give you more opportunities for growth. You can benefit from taking part in emerging markets that may offer significant growth potential, fueled by rising consumer
spending and rapid advances in technology. Of course, you can certainly find many growthoriented investments in the U.S., but by broadening your outlook to include the whole world, you also widen the playing field for growth possibilities.
While international investing does offer some clear benefits, it also carries some risks, including the following:
• Currency risk – The exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies will change constantly. When you invest internationally, this shifting rate can sometimes work in your favor, but it might also reduce your investment returns.
• Political risk – Foreign countries may experience political turmoil that could negatively affect their financial markets and the industries and companies in which you’re investing.
• Liquidity risk – Some foreign markets have lower trading volumes than U.S. exchanges and may be open fewer hours. This can lead to lower liquidity, possibly making it somewhat more difficult for you to move in and out of international investments.
You’ll want to weigh the benefits and risks of investing internationally before taking action. You’ll also want to think carefully about the percentage of your portfolio that you might want to devote to international investments. There’s no one “rule” regarding an appropriate amount because everyone’s situation is different. And since it’s more challenging to understand the global investment picture, you might want to consult with a financial professional. Still, it’s a big world out there — and as an investor, you may want to explore it.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC.
is about more than money.
At Edward Jones, we stop to ask you the question: “What’s important to you?” Without that insight and a real understanding of your goals, investing holds little meaning. Contact your Edward Jones financial advisor for a one-on-one appointment to discuss what’s really important: your goals.
NICK TRUDEL, CFP®, ChFC®, AAMS™ , CRPC™, FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 293-0055
nicholas.trudel@edwardjones.com
28 Weirs Rd., Suite 1, Gilford, NH
DAVE BOCHICHIO
FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 293-0055
dave.bochichio@edwardjones.com
28 Weirs Rd., Suite 1, Gilford, NH
BENJAMIN J WILSON, CEPA®, AAMS™, FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 524-4533
benjamin.wilson@edwardjones.com
386 Union Avenue, Laconia, NH
JASON R POCHILY
FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 524-3501
jason.pochily@edwardjones.com
386 Union Avenue, Laconia, NH
DEVON SULLIVAN, CFP®, ChFC®, CRPC™ , FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 279-3284
devon.sullivan@edwardjones.com 164 NH Route 25, Unit 1A Meredith, NH
CARI LAMONTAGNE
KEITH A BRITTON
FINANCIAL ADVISOR (603) 253-3328
keith.britton@edwardjones.com
512 Whittier Highway, Suite 1 Moultonborough, NH
I believe this is my Mother on honeymoon beside tent they bought for the trip.
to Laconia, Alton Bay, Wolfeboro, Ossipee. Pitched our tent at White Ledge Camp Ground. Had work done on car at Ossipee.”
August 26, 1932: “Had more work done on car at Fryeburg. We went to Norway
I think this picture of my Dad was also taken on that camping trip.
My Mother with her school friends - referred to as “The Gang” and Paris, Me. Camped at Dolly Copp Camp near Gorham. Another scorcher.”
August 27,1932: “Went through Dixville Notch and to Beecher Falls Vt, walked over Canadian line. Spent night just outside of Groveton. Rained some. Having great trip.”
August 28, 1932:
“Went to Church in Groveton. Went to 15 Mile Falls. Camped at Oliverian Showery all day.& night. Am very happy.”
August 29, 1932: “Called on Ray’s cousins in Haverhill. Went thru Lost River. Reached New Hampton about 5 P.M. R’s folks very nice to me.” My parents were married during the
Great Depression which may account for their wedding appearing to have been a small one. My Mother was the teacher at the District 3 school in New Hampton, also known as the Marston
District and then the Hanaford School. She boarded at New Hampton during the school year and went to her parent’s home during the summer vacation. I don’t believe she had a summer job in those difficult days of high unemployment and low wages. My Dad worked and lived on what was then his father’s farm, but had additional employment at various jobs since his graduation from the New Hampton Literary Institute in 1924. My Mother’s former Pastor’s wife warned my Mother that there were married couples going through some serious trials in those “Depression Times.” She indicated that it was “daring” for young couples to enter into a marriage at that particular time. She advised my Mother not to get married until after school started in the Fall to guard against the possibility of losing her job, saying that there were loads teachers who were looking for jobs, and they might not let her teach if they knew she was getting
married. In those days it was common not to hire teachers who had young children, and though my Mother taught during her first year of marriage, she was not allowed to continue once she had children. It seemed that in those difficult days for many, perhaps being considered the worst of times, that for a while anyway it seemed like the best of times for my parents. My Dad appeared to find work that Fall including working on the town roads. Those relatives and friends who apparently were not at the wedding did celebrate with my parents afterwards in various ways: August 31, 1932: “Ironed & mended. Unpacked. Total eclipse of sun today. Cloudy during totality. Young people in neighborhood serenaded us. “ September 1, 1932: “Went to town with R. Got carving set from Hazel. Grange at night. Wedding cake in our honor. Had a little shower. Hot. “
On September 5th
one of the neighborhood children was missing and the men, including Raymond hunted all night for him. The neighborhood folk had planned to give the newlyweds a party, but only a few women showed up. The missing child was found safe the next day.
September 10, 1932: “Nice day. Washed and ironed. The neighbors gave us a surprise party in evening. 47 people here. Gave us $8.75.”
September 14, 1932: “Married just three weeks today. Am glad I did it.”
Six days before her wedding my Mother bought a new “suit and hat” to wear at her wedding. She also ordered a tent from Sears &
Letter sent to Mother by my Father two weeks before wedding.
Roebuck. That canvas tent used during their camping honeymoon later served to house the whole family on a few camping trips.
On September 11, 1932 my then future Mother wrote that “Ray is wonderful to me.”
FEAST from 26
‘71 it went national. The intent was two fold: to stretch your dollar, and it was for the busy family of five to be able to sit down to a family style meal that was quick and easy. At 1970 / 71 prices, this meant that the center of the plate item for a dinner for five people cost just under $1.40, .69 cents for a pound of burger and about the same for a box of noodles with a packet of flavorings, salt, and other “mystery” ingredients. Add to it your favorite frozen veggies, well, what could be easier than that?
At a time when the US was experiencing a sluggish economy the average household earnings was just over $9,100 dollars a year. After taxes, paying off a car loan, a mortgage or rent, and all the other monthly bills, the balance of one’s take home pay didn’t leave
a lot of room for splurging, let alone “extras” at the grocery store. So, Hamburger Helper Beef Noodle dinner was here to save the day! And not only beef noodle dinner but a total of five “delicious” flavors could be had including: Chili Tomato, Potato Stroganoff, Hash, Rice Oriental, and Cheeseburger Mac. All of them quickly began appearing on the store shelves and were soon followed by tuna and chicken inspired noodle dinners.
According to General Mills, by the late 70’s the product line needed a helping hand and got one in the form of “Lefty”, that animated puffy white oven mitt with the red clown-like nose and smiley face in the palm of the glove. The marketing ploy worked, a star was born, and sales picked up. With the 1980’s came the two income family, latchkey kids, and Helper (as it
was now known) filled a niche, and was firmly ensconced in American food culture. By 2017 General Foods estimated that over 1 million households nationwide “enjoyed” Helper every night of the week.
In 2022 General Mills sold the Helper line to Eagle Foods for a reported $610 million dollars. Eagle then invested in the product line to revamp the line-up, create an “innovation center” where research and development operations revitalized the over 30 varieties of Helper, and invested in a national ad campaign to relaunch their product line. A product line that continues to be in demand and even mimicked by store brand competitors today.
So is it any wonder that with Helpers popularity skillet recipes for Cheesy Beef and Noodles abound? And I am sure these types of
Opening Hours: Thurs-Sat 10-4pm & Sun 12-4pm
YIELD: 8-12 Servings TIME: 45 Minutes
2 Tbsp. Butter
1/3 of a large Red Onion (diced)
5 cloves garlic minced
1 pound of lean burger
1 packet Beef / Brown Gravy Mix
½ tsp. Creole Seasoning Mix
¼ tsp. Black Pepper (fine grind)
¼ tsp. Paprika (ground)
1 Tbsp. Italian Seasonings Mix
1 ½ - 2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
5 cups Water
3 Cups Elbow Noodles
1 tsp. Browning / Seasoning Sauce
2 ½ - 3 cups Shredded Cheddar
1 cup Heavy Cream
4 oz. Sliced mushrooms
Green onion diced for garnish
-In a large pot over medium heat, melt one tablespoon of butter and toss in the diced onion and minced garlic. Saute until the onion just begins to sear in the pot.
-Add the burger and brown throughout.
-Turn down the heat to low and add the contents of the gravy packet, Cajun Seasoning, Black Pepper, Paprika, Italian Seasonings, and Worcestershire Sauce. Stir to combine.
-Add the water, Heavy Cream, and Worcestershire Sauce to the pot and bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer until the noodles are tender. Stir occasionally so as not allow the mixture to stick to the bottom of the pot. As the liquid thickens (about 15-20 minutes) add the shredded cheddar and stir. Continue to simmer to reduce and thicken (about 10 minutes).
-While mixture is simmering, in a fry pan melt a Tablespoon of butter and saute the sliced mushrooms until cooked to your preference. Add the mushrooms to the beef and noodles mixture and allow the entire mixture to thicken for a few more minutes.
-Garnish with a sprinkle of diced green onions for a garnish if desire
recipes go back way before Hamburger Helper was “invented”. Most people just didn’t know what to call it back in the day. So, I will admit that while not “stealing” this recipe flat out, it is based strongly on a recipe that I first read about in a cookbook produced in association with Lodge Cast Iron Cookware.
My version differs a bit from the recipe that inspired me. Along with making mine in a pot and not solely a cast iron skillet, I added a larger variety of seasonings and some fresh vegetables for a true “one pot” meal. (Okay, so it’s a one pot and one skillet meal.) The point is, it is a relatively quick, easy, entree that minimizes the dirtying of pots and pans, can be highly cus-
tomized to adapt to your particular preferences (adding veggies and noodles of choice), and even substituting ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey for the beef. You can also substitute a few tablespoons of a rue and a low sodium beef broth for the gravy packet and reduce the water accordingly, and avoid the browning sauce or the Creole Seasoning mix if you prefer to decrease the sodium content. However, I did not find this entree too salty as is, in fact everyone seemed to agree that it was just the right balance of flavors. As is, this dish had just the right amount of sauce to noodles ratio, but if you were to toss in the entire 16 ounce box of noodles
I don’t think anyone would be the wiser, just
bump up the water by another cup and allow the liquid to reduce accordingly. As for time, this meal comes together in about 45 minutes. Dinners that offer hearty, filling, full “one pot” meals that take less time, never go out of style. We are a society that wants our food, like everything else, at “Right Now!” speed. Well, this recipe will deliver the goods: fast, easy, customizable and tasty. But what really sells this Cheesy Beef and Noodles dish for me is the fact that I know what is going into this Simple Feast. Enjoy!
Franconia ArtWalk location #11 Badger, Peabody & Smith--a marble owl, The Night Watchmen by Josie Campbell Dellenbaugh, Glastonbury, CT.
to begin the loop in the middle.
This year there were 34 locations marked on the map, marked 1 through 34. Places to park are marked all over the map so you can really start anywhere.
We began our tour loop at location 17 at the Franconia Community Church. The metal sculpture named Devotion was at the foot of a Hydrangea in full bloom. The sparse pieces of metal formed a person praying on their knees with their head bowed is what I saw. I felt this piece really belonged where it was displayed outside with nature.
We then continued south on Academy Street following a countdown of the location’s numbers. Next was a wild mural and then a piece made of plastic pipes. We couldn’t find the next piece, I think it was
removed but I don’t know why and we were kind of disappointed because it looked like some kind of glass sculpture.
We passed by private homes and one of them had a garden that filled their front lawn bursting forth a summer’s bounty of vegetables. Then we crossed the wrought iron Dow Bridge that was restored. Its cousin is on display near the Iron Furnace where we’d end up later on this tour. A bonus above the art is walking by historical sites.
Robert Frost’s bust made by Craig Usher, an art teacher at the Lafayette Regional School in Franconia, number 12, in front of the Franconia Heritage Museum. Did you know that Robert Frost and his family lived in Franconia? The Town of Franconia purchased The Frost Place in 1976, it is
Everybody Belongs by Deborah Brown & Jan Apple, Landaff, NH. Yours truly trying to fit in.
now a museum and is open daily. The Frost Place awards to an emerging American poet an opportunity to live there and write during the summer. We had fun trying to figure out what the artist was making or trying to show us? We loved the skills on display. When we reached the most north end of the loop, location #34 in front of the Iron Furnace Brewery, the Chain Bicycle crafted by nearby resident Phil Reeder really put a twist on more than
a bicycle chain. Reeder’s KoolKienetics. com website is worth checking out. His kinetic sculptures, mechanical art, are fun. It was late Sunday afternoon and the temptation to stop and join the fun at the brewery was high. But we still had a lot of ArtWalk to follow and there was more mountain biking to do before going home.
We crossed the road to the Besaw Iron Furnace Interpretive Center. I already told you about the historic bridge but just across
In front of Iron Furnace Brewing the Chain Bicycle by Phil Reeder, Lisbon. Visit his website KoolKinetics.com to learn more about kinetic sculptures.
the river is an amazing granite 200+ year old iron smelter. TheArtWalk continues from here on a path on the bank of the Gale River back to the center of town.
We rode our bikes slowly in case we met anyone on the path and we did meet a few people.
Oh we had fun seeing the fun sculptures. There was also an interactive display where you could make your own art.
We had a wonderful afternoon visiting each piece. I hope you can get a chance to visitFranconia and see the ArtWalk. Have Fun.
Amy Patenaude is an avid skier/outdoor enthusiast from Henniker, N.H. Readers are welcome to send comments or suggestions to her at: amy@weirs.com
flicker in the tree the other day, I did not see its namesake yellow plumage. It wasn’t until the bird started to preen that it exposed the yellow feathers and shafts. The sun exaggerated the yellow stunningly.
Flickers are an extraordinarily handsome bird with black bib, red nape (males only), spotted belly and, of course,
yellow feathers under the wings and tail. They are woodpeckers and do indeed tap on trees (and houses occasionally), but they are also unwoodpecker-like in that they are often found on the ground and are migratory. The odd flicker may be found in the winter in New England, but for the most part, flickers migrate to warmer parts of the
country.
The name yellowshafted flicker gets even more confusing. We’ve addressed the yellowshafted part, but where does “flicker” come from? According to the Audubon Society, it’s a bit of a mystery and there are a few different theories. The prevailing theory seems to be that the yellow feathers seem to flicker when
seen in flight. Another theory states that the flicker’s call – often written in field guides as “wicka, wicka, wicka” –sounds like it is saying flicker.
The second theory makes more sense to me, but who am I to make that determination? It’s yet another example of bird names often leaving you wondering and guessing.
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that the Constitution contains no right to abortion, a federal law allowing abortion cannot be done without amending the Constitution.
But what about a federal law prohibiting abortion, which protects the life of the unborn?
I believe a federal law protecting the life of the unborn is both possible and necessary.
Let’s recall the famous exchange between Pastor Rick Warren and presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008. Pastor Warren asked Obama, “At what point does a baby get human rights, in your view?” Presidential candidate Obama replied, “Whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity is above my pay grade.”
produce the bill of sale documenting the transaction when she acquired herself.
Again, our national founding document, the Declaration of Independence, is clear that our rights come from our “Creator” because we come from our “Creator.”
But many of our nation turn a blind eye to this.
Can we force American citizens to believe? No.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. observed that “Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.”
How strange to turn leadership of our country over to someone with no clear conclusions about the most fundamental questions about life and death. Of course, with history behind us, we know that the president-tobe then was just being disingenuous. Several years later, he became the first American president to address the national meeting in Washington of Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, and concluded his remarks saying, “God bless you.
Today’s pro-abortion advocates are bolder and clearer than ever in their view that the life in the mother’s womb is simply an appendage to her body, which they claim she owns.
Whenever I hear a woman say “I own my body, I own myself,” I want to ask that she
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal discusses the disappearing reality of grandparents. In 2023, per the article, about half of those ages 50 to 90 were grandparents. This is down from 57% in 2018.
We have lost sight that freedom is important because our Creator gave us free choice -- the choice to choose between life and death, good and evil.
Our country is in grave danger because of a culture that has emerged in which more and more are choosing death rather than life.
The deadly results are in front of us.
Let’s be honest that the American people need leadership that embraces and buys into a future that is only possible in a free nation under God, in which the choice we make is for life.
raise money by acknowledging good news.
“Snake River Salmon Are in Crisis,” reads a headline from Earthjustice.
Gullible media fall for it.
The Snake River is the “most endangered in the country!” claimed the evening news anchor.
“That’s simply not true,” Myers explains. “All you have to do is look at the actual population numbers to know that that’s absurd.”
Utterly absurd. In recent years, salmon populations are higher than they were in the 1980s and 90s.
“They make these claims,” Myers says, “because they know people will believe them ... they don’t want to believe that their favorite environmental group is dishonest.”
But many are.
In 1999, environmental groups bought an ad in the New York Times saying “salmon ... will be extinct by 2017.”
“Did the environmentalists apologize?” I ask Meyers.
“No,” he says. “They repeat almost the exact same arguments today, they just changed the dates.
I invited 10 activist groups that want to destroy dams to come to my studio and defend their claims about salmon extinction. Not one agreed.
I understand why. They’ve already convinced the public and gullible politicians.
Idaho’s Republican Congressman Mike Simpson says, “There is no viable path that can allow us to keep the dams in place.”
“We keep doing dumb things,” says Myers. “We put money into places where it doesn’t
have an environmental impact, and then we wonder 10, 20, 30 years (later) why we haven’t made any environmental progress.”
Politicians and activists want to tear down Snake River dams even though they generate tons of electricity.
“Almost the same amount as all of the wind and solar turbines in Washington state,” says Myers, “Imagine if I told the environmental community we need to tear down every wind turbine and every solar panel. They would lose their minds. But that’s essentially what they’re advocating by
tearing down Snake River dams.”
I push back: “They say, ‘Just build more wind turbines.’”
“The problem is, several times a year, there’s no wind,” he replies. “You could build 10 times as many wind turbines, but if there’s no wind, there’s no electricity.”
Hydro, on the other hand, “can turn on and off whenever it’s needed. Destroying hydro and replacing it with wind makes absolutely no sense. It will do serious damage to our electrical grid.”
“It’s not their money,” I point out.
“Exactly,” he says. “If you want to spend $35 billion on salmon, there’s lots of things we can do that would have a real impact.”
Like what?
“(Reduce the population of) seals and sea lions,” he says, “The Washington Academy of Sciences says that unless we reduce the populations, we will not recover salmon.”
“People used to hunt sea lions,” I note.
“Yeah, that’s why the populations are higher today.”
But environmentalists don’t want people to hunt sea lions or seals. Instead, they
push for destruction of dams.
“Because it’s sexy and dramatic, it sells,” says Myers. “It’s more about feeling good than environmental results.”
Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new
video about the battle between government and freedom. He is the author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media.”
by Parker & Hart
THEME THIS WEEK: TAXING TERMS
Answers on Page 29
