04/11/2024 Weirs Times

19th AnnuAl Funds4PAws triAthlon rAises record Amount to helP the AnimAls

On March 16th FUNds4Paws. org hosted their 19th annual Saving Animals Indoor Triathlon at Funspot on Route 3, Weirs Beach. Over $65,000 was raised by the 40 teams made up of 4 “non-athletes”, along with support from multiple sponsors and donors.

The Board of Directors, pictured above left to right are Karen Laflamme, Eva Ashton, Sandra

Lawton, Kerry McCarthy and Starr

Lawton (absent Teresa Paradis) proudly hold the check for $78,000 that will be used to award funds to some great NH animal rescue organizations.

Included in the grant awards are Live and Let Live Farm Sanctuary, Franklin Animal Shelter, Friends of the Ferals NH, Old Dogs Go to Helen, Lakes Region Humane Soci-

ety (Ossipee), FURR Feline Rescue and The Kilham Bear Center. FUNds4Paws.org supports organizations or individuals involved in the humane treatment of animals, including those in dire situations.

If you’d like to make a donation to FUNds4Paws or to find out more about the organization you can go to FUNds4Paws.org.

Fred Moyer And Trio In Wolfeboro

Wolfeboro Friends of Music continues its 88th season with one of America’s most accomplished concert pianists, ‘Mr. Fred Moyer’ and his trio. This celebratory concert takes place at Anderson Hall, Brewster Academy, South Main Street, Wolfeboro, on Saturday, April 20th at 7pm.

Fred has performed with most major orchestras in the United States, as well as many orchestras throughout Europe, South America, Asia, and Australia. His performances exhibit impeccable training and exacting artistry both with a classical and jazz music repertoire. Inventive technological enhancements, wellchosen programs, and his relaxed verbal introductions help audiences get to the heart of the musical experience.

Tickets are for $35 at the website: www.wfriendsofmusic.org; at Black’s Paper & Gift Store and Avery Insurance, Main St. Wolfeboro, and at the door on the day of the concert (cash and checks only for door sales).

High School students with ID will be admitted free of charge. Children accompanied by an adult ticket purchaser will be admitted free of charge.

D & SHARE ONLINE FOR

LAKE

Are We Losing Our Country Willingly?

To The Editor: While China and Iran continue to wage an indirect war against the United States of America, they wait and watch. Can it be true? Will the United States crumble from within so that they can win the war against America without waging World War III? They must watch with amazement as our country is being ruled by a man incapable of getting off the stage without direction from his wife and others. Illegal immigration is an invasion run by Mexican drug cartels. A terrorist attack from those entering through our wideopen borders is now a when not if proposition. The current administration wants to call the illegally entering foreigners “newcomers.” The ongoing rape, sexual and economic slavery of children and women seems to be worth the effort for the Democrat Party to secure more votes and forever end honest and fair elections which will eventually cancel the efforts of the Republican Party. Our military is being weakened due to our unending involvement in the Ukraine War. We are unable to come close to our recruitment goals. First there was the mandate that all soldiers must be vaccinated with an experimental vaccine that did not prevent infection or transmission of Covid but has caused mounting death and disability. Then the military went woke with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark, “totally modern and thoroughly woke”, Milley. Diversity, equity,

DEI and CRT were apparently seen as the most important components of our military readiness in order to fight and kill the enemy. White males in rural and flyover country have become wary of fighting for their country when they can’t be sure that their superiors will have their back. The recruiting crisis has forced the Army to seek retired personnel to enlist for a four-year term. You just need to be under 70 years of age and be able to meet the Army’s health requirements. Shucks, I missed the cut off by 5 years.

The United States has lost its borders as we are now being invaded at our northern border as well. Our language, culture and dollar currency are on life support. Our large cities have become cesspools of crime, death and destruction while the leaders offer no bail, lenient sentences and early released prisoners, free to maim and kill once again. Yes, we are losing our country and the war of wills against our enemies without them firing a shot. The next election as the “most important”, was seen as hyperbole in the past. Do you think that is the case now? Ask Lily Tang Williams and others who have escaped tyranny to live in our country who are now sounding the alarm. Without being fully informed about who we should vote for in the November election, we may find out it is too late to save us from remaining a free and democratic Republic.

Russ Wiles Tilton, NH.

Fed Up

To The Editor:

I’m pretty fed up with the left telling folks we conservatives are fascists just because we are nationalistic. That may be one thing true of fascists but there is fare more to them then that. Fascists tend to be dictatorial, suppress opposition, are authoritarian, historically have contempt for democracy and laws, demand unquestioning obedience to a single demagogic leader. None of these traits are typical of American conservatives or of most independents for that matter. Being loyal to our Constitution which was written to guard against those very unamerican types of power grabs is not a bad thing. Every nation that has devolved from a free society back to one of suppression have lived to regret doing so. They go from a free propress culture to a poor unhappy one in a very short time and never regain freedom again. These nations really become more like class based kingdoms with upward mobility highly restricted. Look at what Biden’s open boarders are doing to us. Flooding America with unskilled workers who will take entry level jobs all while big businesses’ are already using automated machines to reduce their need for human workers. Example: Walmart has one or two checkouts with humans while self checkouts are filling the rest of the customers needs. How will our nation house and feed an unemployed uneducated underclass of millions? History has given us

snow AgAin And no Power AgAin

April Fools? Right!

If you read the last paragraph of my previous column, I said I wasn’t giving up on skiing and I knew a storm would come but two storms! I didn’t hope for that!

April Fool’s Day isn’t one day but has turned into a week of pranks. Mother Nature dumps more snow on us again and again. But I never gave up on the ski season and it sure has been swell.

Last time we were without power for two days and now it looks like this storm is going to be worse. (And it has to be tough on our Weirs Times Editor Brendan).

April first was a nice sunny day and I went skiing at Waterville Valley with my pals Bria the unicorn, Danielle

See PATENAUDE on 14

Sunny April Fools Day at Waterville Valley, yours truly, Bria, Danielle and Kris, we skied non stop for three and a half hours because the morning’s corn snow was wonderful. After lunch we still enjoyed the warm sunshine and the wetter spring snow.

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Rozzie May Animal Alliance Teams Up With ‘Paws Four The Claws’

Rozzie May Animal Alliance is teaming up with Debbie Miller, Founder of ‘Paws Four The Claws,’ out of Canterbury NH. Debbie makes a wonderful line of scented soaps, candles, lip butters and more. Rozzie May Animal Alliance has wonderful displays set up in Rozzie May’s Hobbs Street, Conway, NH clinic.

The Rozzie May staff has all used her products and are excited to offer them for sale to help support the mission of reducing pet overpopulation. They make the building smell wonderful. This is something hard to do in an animal clinic. If you are a past, present client or are just in the area stop in and check them out. The Rozzie May staff will also take orders over the phone and the products will be shipped to you directly. They’ll make wonderful gifts too. 100% of the proceeds collected through the sale of these products goes directly to Rozzie May Animal Alliance providing spay neuter services. Rozzie May Animal Alliance President, Nancy Lapointe said, ‘Such lovely products....my friends are all giving double thumbs up. These all natural and essential oil products are fantastic for our late winter skin!’

Help Rozzie May Animal Alliance achieve their goal, ‘Too many homeless animals…Let’s fix it’! Visit Rozzie May Animal Alliance on Facebook or their web site www.rozziemay.org or call 603447-1373.

New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail Preparing For Busy 2024

In 2023, 100,000 people visited the New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail—a number President Jeff Barraclough expects to surpass this year.

“New Hampshire is filled with fascinating history and some incredible museums that share that history with the public,” he said. “From museums that share the heritage of a specific region to specialized museums focusing on one subject, there is something to interest everyone on The Trail.”

NH Heritage Museum Trail President and Millyard Museum Executive Director Jeff Barraclough providing a Tour.

He said The Trail is excited this year to welcome the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner as a new member. “Mt. Kearsarge plays an important role in sharing the history and culture of the Indigenous People of this region,” he added.

Regarding the increasing popularity of The Trail, Barraclough said it is not restricted to New Hampshire. “People travel here from across the country and globe to visit us.,” he said. “We are a gateway to New Hampshire.”

Member institutions on The Trail are located in Canterbury, Concord, Dover, Exeter, Laconia, Loudon, Manchester, Moultonborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Tamworth, Warner, and Wolfeboro. To learn more about The Trail, or the Trail Passport program, which provides access to all member institutions at a significantly reduced rate, visit nhmuseumtrail.org.

Insect Program At Loon Center In Moultonborough

On Thursday, April 18th at 7:00 p.m. at the Loon Center in Moultonborough, the Lakes Region Chapter of the New Hampshire Audubon Society will present a program titled Entomology for the Masses: Introducing the Insects, presented by Dr. Pam Hunt.

This program is a celebration of everything with six legs. Insects are by far the most abundant and diverse group of organisms on earth, with by some estimates well over a million species – or slightly over half of ALL species known to live on our planet. And yet what do we REALLY know about these critters? Some of the things insects do are stranger than fiction, but rest assured that they are doing it all the time right under our noses. For example, did you know that male dragonflies can scoop sperm from a previous male out of females’ reproductive organs? Or that some wasps lay eggs inside living caterpillars, and the wasp larvae eat the caterpillar alive from the inside out? And then there are the more familiar stories involving metamorphosis, pollination, and mimicry. So join us to learn some of the basics of insect biology, including an overview of the major groups.

Dr. Pam Hunt is Senior Biologist for Avian Conservation for the NH Audubon Society. The Loon Center is located on Lee’s Mill Road; follow the signs on Blake Road from Route 25 near the Moultonborough Central School, or from Rte. 109 turn on to Lee Road and turn left on Lee’s Mill Road.

Civil War Roundtable Of New Hampshire

The Civil War Roundtable of New Hampshire will meet on Friday, April 19th at 7:15pm, doors open at 6:45pm, at the Harvey-Mitchell Library, 151 Main st, Epping, NH.

This month they welcome Portsmouth historian, Dick Adams, who’ll present, “Portsmouth in the Civil War.” Among the segments Dick will discuss are the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Belle Boyd’s Portsmouth-born husband, a local draft riot, the U.S.S. Kearsarge (built at the shipyard) which had a famous naval battle against the C.S.S. Alabama. These and more.

Dick Adams is a Portsmouth Native and a Marine veteran of 28 years, six of those years in Vietnam, and he attended Harvard College on a Navy scholarship. In 2000 he mounted an exhibition for the Portsmouth Athenaeum, titled, “Portsmouth and the Civil War,” featuring stories of spies, traitors, heroes, the navy yard, the Kearsarge, and more. A non-profit 501(c) group, the Civil War Roundtable of New Hampshire was founded in May 1991, and meets nine times a year. For more information, please visit the website www.cwrt-nh.org or call Bill 978-994-4717. We are open to the public.

Crew of the U.S.S. Kearsarge in 1864.

by Brendan Smith

An old story

As I pondered what to write about this week I was looking back through some older columns and I came across this rather embarrassing true tale about something that happened to me twenty-two years ago in January of 2004, a little over twenty years ago.

I thought I’d tell I’d share it again, digging up an old embarrassing moment for your amusement. Plus, it’s a bit of a frantic weekend and I really can’t think of much else.

It was a cold afternoon, right around or a little below freezing, but sub-zero temperatures forecast were forecast for the evening.

My car was covered with salt, sand and other substances that are applied to roads during ice and snowstorms to keep us from veering off the roads and helping make us seem like much better winter drivers then we really are.

I had been meaning to drive my car through the automated wash for a few days but was always discouraged by the long lines. Who has time to wait? So when I walked out of the local supermarket and spied off in the distance the local car wash with no line, I threw my groceries in the back of the car and fishtailed to the oasis of soap, water and high-powered drying.

I inserted my debit card, chose the Ultra Wash (whatever that is) waited for the green light and open door and then calmly drove into the garage until a sign informed me to “STOP” (assuming I would continue through the closed door at the other end if I wasn’t made aware.)

I peacefully sat, radio on, as the robot arms lathered, washed and dried my grimy vehicle.

You might be thinking to yourself: “Did he not pay attention to the fact that temperatures were about to fall to sub-freezing within a few minutes of leaving the wash? Didn’t he consider the age old New England dilemma of cold weather and door locks?” Of course I did, but only after I left the car wash and listened to the weather.

Years ago, when I first moved to New Hampshire, I would not have even considered the implications of having a wet car and then below freezing temperatures. I would have ignored what is now the obvious, locked my car and went on my way not thinking about what troubles might develop.

Believing I was clever, I considered the possibilities, drove my car to work, but kept the driver’s door unlocked. I was ready for the big freeze. I also knew I was making my car an easy target for any thief who wished to pilfer the valuables in my car. Not just the bag of groceries, but also an old pair of sneakers, a few empty water bottles and various losing Powerball tickets.

My mind was easy as I worked that night feeling secure even as I heard stories of the temperatures plummeting to dangerous levels.

I left work at ten and it was cold. My nose hairs froze on contact as my boots scrunched towards the car. I reached down… pulled on the handle and….the door…opened. A smile spread across my chapped lips. I sat down, turned the key and my chariot roared to life.

I reached to close the car door but it wouldn’t shut. I tried again with a bit more force, and this time it did. I thought I’d open and shut it again just to make sure everything was working.

It would not open,

I pushed it again with my shoulder but it wouldn’t budge. For some reason I decided to push the lock down (remember this was 2004) but then couldn’t

get it to come back up. I tried the passenger side door but it was locked and frozen tight, as were the back doors. I was trapped IN my car.

I had a spare key in the glove compartment. I rolled down the window and carefully tried the locks from the outside, No luck.

I thought of driving home but could only imagine a few people in my condo complex looking at me through their windows as I attempted to push my 6’2” frame through the windows of my Toyota Corolla. How embarrassing would that be? Even worse, I could get wedged and freeze to death in that position. A scary sight for children on their way to work the next morning.

As the car warmed up a bit, I fiddled with the locks until the rear passenger side lock popped up and I could open the door. I then tried to shut it lightly, but it wouldn’t catch. I didn’t dare try to slam it harder. I reached back and across and held the inside door handle to see if I could hold it and drive at the same time. I only lived a mile away. I practiced this technique around the parking lot for a bit and kidded myself into believing it might be doable.

Explaining to the police crossed my mind.

I fiddled with the back door and soon had it catch gently so it would not open during travel. I drove home, overhead dome light glaring.

I got home and contorted my body onto the back seat and out the back door. I slammed the door and decided to deal with it in the morning. I looked back, The dome light still beckoned. I spent the next five minutes opening and closing the door till it went dark, my gloved hands numb.

I only tell this tale as a lesson for other Flatlanders. Use it as you will.

why do AmericAns, un suPPort hAmAs terrorists?

by Star Parker Syndicated Columnist

Most recent Gallup polling in March shows that 36% of Americans “approve of Israeli military action in Gaza” and 50% disapprove. Last November, a month after the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel that claimed the lives of more than 1,200 innocent Israeli civilians, 55% approved of the military action that Israel initiated.

What has happened over the last few months that now barely more than a third of Americans support the clear case of the right of Israel to defend its country? We might also ask why only 55% last November supported Israel’s military action to defend itself.

Let’s again recall that Americans were strongly united to condemn and retaliate against the horror of the terrorist attack against our own country on Sept. 11, 2001, that took the lives of almost 3,000 American citizens.

The 1,200 Israeli victims of terror, in that tiny country of some 9.5 million, equates to more than 40,000 in our country of over 330 million.

Why is it not equally clear that Israel must defend itself as we must defend our homeland?

Per Brown University’s Costs of War project, total casualties in Afghanistan, and subsequently in Iraq, as result of U.S. retaliatory military action in the war against terror, amounted to 177,000, some six times greater than casualties reported in Gaza.

We must also note, again, that we’re not just talking about murder, regarding the 1,200 Israelis that were killed.

We’re talking about subhuman brutality, documented in video, in which rape, beheadings and desecration of bodies occurred. The Hamas terrorists celebrated with joy every Israeli murder and atrocity.

Hamas has long been recognized by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization.

Why are Americans not united in condemning the sickening murder and brutality of the Hamas terrorists, demanding the release of the now estimated 130 hostages they still hold, which include six U.S. citizens?

How could our country abstain in the recent United Nations Security Council vote demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, with no condemnation of Hamas terrorism and with no demand of unilateral release by Hamas of the

the cut Flowers civilizAtion

by Ben Shapiro Syndicated Columnist

This week, famed atheist Richard Dawkins explained that he was a “cultural Christian.” Praising his civilization, Dawkins stated, “I do think that we are culturally a Christian country. I call myself a cultural Christian. I’m not a believer. But there is a distinction between being a believing Christian and being a cultural Christian. And so you know I love hymns and Christmas carols, and I sort of feel at home in the Christian ethos. I feel that we are a Christian country in that sense.”

Dawkins went on to praise Christianity as a “fundamentally decent religion in a way that I think Islam is not.”

Dawkins’ case for Christianity -- a case made on the basis of utility -- is nothing new. It was made long ago by acidic critic of the church Voltaire, who famously averred, “If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.” But the problem with the utilitarian case for religious belief is that it doesn’t animate religious believers. It is simply impossible to build a civilization on the basis of Judeo-Christian foundations while making the active case as to why those foundations ought to be dissolved.

In fact, Western civilization has doomed itself so long as it fails to reconnect to its religious roots. Philosopher Will Herberg wrote, “The moral principles of Western civilization are, in fact, all derived from the tradition rooted in Scripture and have vital meaning only in the context of that tradition. ... Cut flowers retain their original beauty and fragrance, but only so long as they retain the vitality that they have drawn from their now severed roots; after that is exhausted, they wither and die. So with freedom, brotherhood, justice and personal dignity -- the values that form the moral foundation of our civilization. Without the life-giving power of the

faith out of which they have sprung, they possess neither meaning nor vitality.”

We are a cut flowers civilization. And eventually, cut flowers die. That has never been more obvious than (last) week, when the Biden administration decided to honor the newly invented Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter Sunday. Gender ideology is a symptom of our society’s reversion to gnostic paganism, in which unseen, chaotic forces buffet us about, and in which nature is directly opposed to the freedom of our disembodied essences. It is no wonder that gender ideology is opposed by every mainstream traditional religion.

Yet claiming that this magical holiday could not be moved, the White House issued a variety of statements in celebration of radical gender ideology, including the deeply insulting statement from the president of the United States citing the book of Genesis to the effect that transgender people are “made in the image of God” -- ignoring the last half of the Biblical verse, which reads, “male and female he made them.” What better time than Easter, the holiest day in the Christian calendar, to pay homage to an entirely new religion?

Richard Dawkins is obviously correct that a civilization rooted in church is better than a civilization rooted in an alternative set of values. But in reality, the churches cannot be empty; they must be full. The cathedrals that mean Britain to Dawkins must ring with the sounds of hymns in order to maintain their holiness and their importance; otherwise, they are merely beautiful examples of old architecture, remnants of a dead civilization preserved in stone.

But our civilization must live. And that means more than cultural Christianity. It means reengaging with the source of our values -- the Scriptures that educated our fathers and grandfathers.

by John Stossel Syndicated Columnist

Leaders of both parties agree: We must reduce globalization.

“China is ripping us on trade,” says Donald Trump.

Our trade deficit is “an immorality,” says Nancy Pelosi.

But it’s not.

In my new video, Scott Lincicome of the Cato Institute points out, “Selling us stuff is hardly ripping us off.”

He’s right.

trAde is evil?

Our video debunks common misunderstandings about trade.

Myth No. 1: America is “losing.”

People often say that because America runs a trade deficit.

But trade doesn’t need to balance. I have a trade deficit with my supermarket. They get more of my money every year. So, what? I don’t “lose.” I get food without having to grow it myself.

That’s a win for me and the food producer regardless of whether the food was grown locally or came from Mexico.

“Imports are great,” says Lincicome. “It means I can focus on what I want to do for a living and

not go make my own food or make my own clothes. I can use those savings and buy other things that makes me better off.”

As long as trade is voluntary, trade is a win for both parties. It has to be; neither side would agree to it unless they think they get something out of the deal.

Myth No. 2: Imports take jobs from Americans.

Globalization “moved so many jobs and so much wealth out of our country,” says Trump, “Workers have seen the jobs they love shipped thousands and thousands of miles away.”

I say to Lincicome, “Some people

do lose jobs.”

“True,” he replies, “We lose about 5 million jobs every month.”

But trade isn’t the main reason. “Jobs are lost due to ... changing consumer tastes and from innovation. We make more stuff with fewer workers. That’s productivity.”

Productivity increases are good.

Trade and productivity improvements are reasons why the number of Americans who do have jobs has risen

“We’re at historically high manufacturing job openings,” says Lincicome, “Manufacturers in the United States say they can’t find

See STOSSEL on 28

myAnmAr/BurmA’s cycle oF violence

sPills over into southeAst AsiA

by John J. Metzler Syndicated Columnist

Burma is no stranger to conflict nor endemic ethnic clashes. Tragically the isolated Southeast Asian state, aka Myanmar, has been in the cross hairs of strife for generations, as a churning cycle of violence creates civil confrontation, refugee exodus, and a widening humanitarian disaster plagues this Texas sized country.

Now three years after the Myanmar military seized power in one of the country’s periodic coup d’état, which toppled a reasonably democratic government, the situation has gone from bad to much worse. And the con-

flict’s regional spillover has tragically seen more than a million refugees pushed into neighboring Bangladesh. Since the most recent military coup in 2021, “Some 2.8 million people have been displaced, 90 per cent of them since the military takeover,” advised Lisa Doughten, of the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Addressing the UN Security Council she implored, “In 2024, 18.6 million people will need humanitarian assistance across the country, a 19fold in-crease from February 2021… Only an end to the conflict will pave the way for an end to the hu-manitarian crisis in Myanmar.”

Burma a resource-rich multi-ethnic state of 55 million people and eight major ethnic groups has been beset by violence and military rule. Between

1962 and 2011 the Beijing-backed military ruled Burma like a fiefdom; a cautious political opening followed leading to free elections in 2015, which saw the election of longtime prodemocracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Regarding this former British colony, the United Kingdom asserted, “We will not allow Myan-mar to become a forgotten crisis.” But has it?

Though 88 percent Buddhist, Burma hosts Christian and Muslim minorities, it’s the Rohingya Muslims who face the most recent rounds of persecution.

The recent troubles revolve around the Rakhine State, the Arakan Army militias often clash with the Myanmar military. In 2017 Myanmar’s junta initiated large scale ethnic cleansing and evic-tions of the Muslim Rohingya;

more than a million were pushed into neighboring Bangladesh.

This crisis festered even before the most recent military takeover in 2021; but the current prob-lems go beyond the tragic humanitarian crisis inside Myanmar.

Addressing the UN Security Council Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari stated, “Myan-mar’s crisis continues to spillover as conflicts in key border areas have weakened transnational security and the breakdown in the rule of law has allowed illicit economies to thrive.” He warned, “Myanmar has become a global epicenter of methamphetamine and opium production, along with a rapid expansion of global cyber-scam operations.”

Equally Mr. Khiari remarked that in

See METZLER on 29

BIRDS For The New England’s Wild Birds & Their Habitats

the winter wren

by Chris Bosak Contributing Writer

The average person most likely would not understand my excitement. Anyone who has more than a casual appreciation of nature, including everyone who is reading this, I’m sure, will get where I’m coming from. From an outsider’s perspective, a winter wren is not much to get excited about. It’s a small brown bird — even smaller and more

A winter wren sings from a perch in New England this spring.

nondescript than a sparrow. Big deal.

Well, winter wrens are a pretty big deal, to me anyway. That’s why I went out of my way to try to photograph one the other day. I ventured off the trail, tromped through brush that was probably tick-infested and patiently waited for this little brown bird to take a perch and start singing.

Winter wrens, like so many other birds, are not easy to photograph. They are shy and don’t like to sit still. I’ve been unsuccessful in many at -

tempts to photograph these birds. This time my patience paid off.

The photos I got will never end up in National Geographic, but for me, I’m happy with what I got.

Winter wrens are northern birds. They breed in the northern New England forests and well into Canada. In winter, they migrate as far as northern Florida.

A major part of what makes them so special is that they are not seen as often as the other wrens. House wrens are fairly common throughout the

spring, summer and fall, and Carolina wrens are now a solid year-round resident throughout much of New England. Carolina wrens and house wrens are fairly loud and conspicuous, particularly Carolina wrens, which have a booming voice that belies their small stature. Winter wrens, on the other hand, usually stay hidden in the brush or understory and do not like to be seen as much as their cousins.

Winter wrens do have interesting vocal-

This series of Letters From God is an attempt to put the thoughts of God as revealed in the Scriptures.

Letters From God Letters From God

QUESTION: Why Did You Ask Us To Be Meek? Isn’t It A Weakness?

I can see you have anticipated the next character trait found in my Son’s teaching in his Sermon on The Mount, which I have been teaching you in my previous letters. Each represent my character as God and each must be a part of your life, if you ever hope to experience life in its fullness and for eternity. But first you must begin a relationship with me, the source of life. Each, if possessed also have a promised blessing from me, your God. As I said previously, they are also listed in a particular order and describe a progression of spiritual birth and growth to maturity. Let me briefly review those we have already examined.

The first characteristic you must possess, found in my book, the Bible, in the 5th chapter of Matthew, is being “poor in spirit.” (5:3). This is experienced when you see and admit your sins have separated you from me and that you, in your own spirit, can do nothing to change your destiny. The blessing given to the “poor in spirit” is “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” You will one day share my glorious kingdom of eternal life with me. Next is a blessing to those who

“mourn.” (5:4). When you truly see your sins against me and the reality, that there is nothing you can do to change your fate, you will “mourn” over your condition and future destiny. If you have never mourned, you have never sought your Savior and your destiny is death. The blessing for those who “mourn” is “they will be comforted.” When I forgive you and restore you, all your sorrow will be changed to comfort and joy at being forgiven.”

Now we come to the next characteristic, of which you asked. “Blessed are the meek.” (5:5). Most of you have interpreted this as being weak and usually think of the meek as those who are not able to handle difficult things in life, so they use me, God, as a crutch. But this is not what it means. When I called you to be meek, in the time of its writing in the first century, the definition of meek was illustrated by a process used for training horses. It was used of breaking and training wild horses for use in military engagement of war. It was necessary for the horse, which has incredible strength, to surrender that strength so that it served its master and not self. Meekness assumes the possession of strength but is experienced only when one surrenders their strength to be in submission to another. A final test for meekness was given to the horse before it was deemed useful for the master.

They would place the horse in a ring of wood and ignite the wood. If they remained in the ring of fire until their master spoke, they were deemed “meek,” and became useful for the master and richly rewarded as a result.

If they jumped prematurely, they were not deemed to be “meek,” and were destined for uselessness and death. To be “meek” in a spiritual sense, that is in your relationship with me, your God, is to recognize that though I have made you as magnificent creatures with unmatched mental and physical prowess and strength, your sins have made your strength useless to be reconciled to me and even drives you farther and farther away from me. Your pride blinds you to your need for me and my Son’s provision to forgive your sins. I asked the prophet Jeremiah to write, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.” (Jeremiah 9:2324).

Can you see how, by not bowing before me and my Son and surrendering your strength and pride, it blinds you to your need for a Savior, through whom you can be restored to me and the

life I alone can give?

Can you also see that if you humble yourself, and admit your sins have separated you from me, and allow my Son Jesus, to pay your penalty for all your sins and forgive you, you will become “meek.” You will exchange your rebellious strength, for my strength which is strong enough to save you from the penalty of sin and one day bring you into my presence and kingdom of light and life forever.

Note the blessing that will be given to the “meek,” “they will inherit the earth.” One day, my son Jesus, will return and human history will end. The opportunity for my gracious provision for life will end as well. Those who remain stubborn, rebellious and sinful children will be cast from my presence and from life forever. Those who are “meek” however, will be restored to the new earth I will create. It will be glorious, without sin and death (Revelation 21:1-8).

Remember the words of one of my faithful children, Jim Eliot, who once said, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep in order to keep what he cannot lose.” Don’t be a fool but be “meek,” and humble yourself so I can exalt you.

I love you, God

These letters are written by Rev. Dr. Sam Hollo of Alton, NH.

PRESENTING SPONSOR:

GRANITE SPONSOR:

SUPPORTING SPONSOR:

Slow And Steady: A Smart Way To Invest

You’ve probably heard stories about fortunate investors who “get in the ground floor” of a new, hot company and quickly make a fortune. But while these things may happen, they are exceedingly rare and often depend on hard-to-duplicate circumstances — and they really don’t represent a viable way of investing for one’s goals. A far more tried-and-true approach is the “slow-and-steady” method.

To follow this strategy, consider these suggestions:

• Start small — and add more when you can. When you’re first starting out in the working world, you may not have a lot of extra money with which to invest, especially if you’re carrying student loan debt. But one of the key advantages of the slow-and-steady method is that it does not require large investment sums to get going. If you can afford to put away even $50 or $100 a month into individual stocks or mutual funds, month after month, you may be surprised and pleased at how your account can grow. And when your salary goes up, you can put away more money each month.

• Take advantage of an employer’s retirement plan. If your employer offers a 401(k) or similar tax-advantaged retirement plan, try to take full advantage of it. Again, if you’re just beginning your career, you may not be able to put away much in this type of plan, but even a small amount is better than nothing. And as soon as you can possibly afford it, try to put in enough to earn your employer’s matching contribution, if one is offered. These types of plans can offer some key benefits — and perhaps the biggest one is that investing is automatic, in that the money is moved directly from your

paycheck into the investments you’ve chosen within your 401(k) or other plan.

• Be prepared for downturns. The financial markets will always experience ups and downs. So, you need to be prepared for those times when your investment statements may show negative results. By understanding that these downturns are a normal part of the investment environment, you can avoid overreactions, such as selling quality investments with good fundamentals just because their price has temporarily dropped.

• Chart your progress regularly. A key element of a slow-and-steady investment approach is knowing how well it’s working. But it’s important to measure your progress in a way that makes sense for you. So, for example, instead of measuring your portfolio’s performance against that of an external stock market index, such as the S&P 500, you may want to assess where you are today versus one year ago, or whether the overall progress you’re making is sufficient to help you meet the financial goals you’ve set for yourself well into the future. Another reason not to use a market index as a measuring tool is that the index only looks at a certain pool of investments, which, in the case of the S&P 500, is simply the largest companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges. But long-term investors try to own a range of assets — U.S. and foreign stocks, bonds, government securities, certificates of deposit, and so on.

“Slow and steady” may not sound like an exciting approach to investing. But it’s often the case that a little less excitement, and a lot more diligence, can prove to be quite effective.

Investing 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.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC.

Watching the journey of the University of Iowa Hawkeye basketball women to the NCAA’s 2024 Final Four was a wonderful sports experience for several reasons.

Reason 1 would be Caitlin Clark, of course. Arguably the greatest female basketball player ever, Clark was a joy to watch as she became college basketball’s alltime scoring leader. The countless three-pointers from way beyond the arc were amazing. But Clark was a multi-dimensional hoopster who handled the ball marvelously while setting up teammates with wonderful passes. She also played defense, rebounded, and provided inspirational leadership. And the pressure she was under the last couple months was immense. Her 41 points (with nine threepointers) in a 94-87 quarterfinal win against defending champion Louisiana State University showed that she could step it up when it mattered most.

Reason 2 would be Clark’s Hawkeye teammates. While the aforementioned LSU team avoided the pregame national anthem, the Hawkeyes stood straight and tall while holding hands for the StarSpangled Banner. That matters a lot to many of us. And it was fun to get to know these appealing

young women during their journey to the Final Four. Kate Martin, Molly Davis, Gabbie Marshall and the rest. And Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder was a wonderful counter to LSU’s controversial Kim Mulkey or Connecticut’s colorful Geno Auriemma.

Reason 3 would be the Hawkeye hoop culture. More than any other state, Iowa has especially embraced girls’ basketball for many years. State high school girls’ tournaments sometimes outdrew boys’ tournaments attendance-wise. So, Iowans really deserved to see their young women go to the Final Four for a second straight year. And what fun it must have been for them to bond with Clark, Martin, Davis, Marshall, Bluder and company over months and years, the way many of us bonded with them over just the past few weeks.

three-point shots from way beyond the arc. Naturally and organically. I love it.

Sports Quiz

Last month the UConn basketball women won their 1300th hoop contest in the program’s history, the second college women’s team to do so. Which women’s college team is the all-time victory leader? (Answer follows)

Born Today

That is to say, sports standouts born on April 11 include MLB pitching star Bret Saberhagen (1964) and All-Star first baseman Mark Teixeira (1980).

The Hawkeye Hoopsters have done wonders for women’s basketball. Yes, I was part of the record TV audience for last Friday’s national semifinal against perennial power UConn, winner of 11 national titles. This unprecedented interest in women’s basketball is natural and organic, not coerced or mandated— like so many Title IX policies.

People like me were pulled into the Hawkeye story not only because of great basketball but because of great people and compelling subplots. And I’m someone who in my dotage often watches C-SPAN instead of the Celtics on numerous wintry nights.

Thank you, Caitlin and Company.

Undoubtedly, not just Iowa girls but girls across the nation are now out on the basketball courts more than ever, practicing ball handling and those

Sports Quote

“I’m all about the women’s game. I’m glad I’ve given little girls something to scream about at the top of their lungs. When I was younger, I was doing the exact same thing when watching basketball on TV. It’s pretty fun!”

– Caitlin Clark

Sports Quiz Answer

University of Tennessee.

State Representative Mike Moffett was a Sports Management Professor for Plymouth State University and NHTI-Concord. He coauthored the award-winning “FAHIM SPEAKS: A Warrior-Actor’s Odyssey from Afghanistan to Hollywood and Back” which is available on Amazon. com. His e-mail address is mimoffett@comcast. net.

by Mike Moffett Contributing Writer

A breakthrough in Ear-Brain Technology™:

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.

THANKS FOR VOTING US

Best Hearing Center

Best Medical Facility

Best Customer Service

CURRENT HEARING AID USER?

Receive a generous UPGR ADE CREDIT toward the newest technology

ASK ABOUT OUR “Risk-Free” TRADE-UP PROGRAM

Your First Visit is FREE

(Includes audiology exam and consultation)

We work with all major brands of hearing aids, including Starkey, Phonak, Oticon, Audibel and NuEar.

Family owned and operated since 1986.

Better Business Bureau A+ accredited for 28 consecutive years.

Not So LoNg Ago ...

Exploring ThE lEgEnd & lorE of our graniTE STaTE

generAl JoAB nelson PAtterson A liFe oF service

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr. Contributing Writer

He was 26 years old in April of 1861 when President Abraham Lincoln sent out a call for 75,000 men who would join the military with the purpose of keeping the Union, that is, the United States of America, intact.

Joab Nelson Patterson was born in Contookville (Hopkinton), New Hampshire, and had graduated from Dartmouth College and had begun pursuing a career as a teacher. He set those teaching ambitions aside, however, to respond to Lincoln’s call and be one of the 75 thousand men to serve for three months.

Not only did Joab volunteer his own services to the President, and become a private in the army,he persuaded 48 of his fellow townsmen to join him. When the President made another request in May of 1861 for an additional 300,000 men to enlist to serve for three years, Joab Patterson re-enlisted for that amount

of time. This time he was summoned to Concord where he was commissioned to be a First Lieutenant in Company H of the Second New Hampshire Volunteer Regiment. Before leaving Portsmouth in June he had recruited another 72 men to join in the cause to keep the Union intact by resisting the Confederate plan to leave the United States.

A newspaper writer, E.F. Keene, in an article published in 1923, when Patterson was 88 years old, depicted

the old General as being as much a part of New Hampshire as the Portsmouth Naval Yard and the Old Man of the Mountains, and as much of a state institution as Daniel Webster and Dartmouth College.

My guess is that many who read this column have never before now even heard of General Joab Patterson.

He stayed with the 2nd New Hampshire through out most of the War of the Rebellion, now more commonly referred to as the Civil War, participating in 24

battles and skirmishes, from the First Bull Run battle in July of 1861, until that at Richmond

General Joab Nelson Patterson.

This is April at Bretton Woods. They groomed the Nordic Trails and Charlie and I had a great time skate skiing.

PATENAUDE from 3

and Kris. We enjoyed wonderful corn snow all morning and then it turned into soft spring sticky snow in the afternoon. Ninety-five percent of their trails were open thanks to the couple of week they received a week ago.

Tomorrow (April 5th) I bet there will be another rush to our mountain resorts to get in one more powder day. Will I be able to go?

Enjoying Spring Skiing at Waterville Valley! We are still hitting the slopes.

The Nordic trails are pretty good too and a few resorts have stayed opened. I chased Charlie around last weekend at Bretton Woods on our skate skis. The groomed trails were really nice. I sure hope they keep grooming. Nice to have the ski season extended. Jackson XC has been doing courtesy grooming and I hear the trails are good skiing.

I am looking forward to skiing a few

more weeks here in New Hampshire. No doubt Loon, Bretton Woods and Wildcat will hold out until their last flakes melt.

Check out SkiNH. com and click conditions to see what resorts are open and their trail counts.

My thumbs are getting tired. This is nuts trying to write my column on my cellphone and it is about to run out of juice soon.

I am not suffering. I

am sitting here warm and snug in front of the fireplace. Thank goodness wood is so wonderful.

So grab your skis and hit the slopes. Maybe next year Mother Nature will give us snow in January and February. Bit better late than ever so go out and... Have fun.

The Simple Feast The Simple Feast Simple

by Eric N Gibson Contributing Writer

The

El Sanduche Cubano

better known as The Cuban Sandwich or just “The Cuban” is more than just another grilled cheese. The Cuban is a unique composition of several stand alone flavors. However, when brought together, the flavors play off each other’s strengths to offer a gastronomical performance that complements one another, giving the patron a most harmonious quintet to sink their teeth into. While seemingly simple, it is anything but. To the contrary, it is a scrumptiously complex flavor filled griller with mouthwater appeal. A combination of baked ham, marinated seasoned roast pork, swiss cheese, mustard, mayonnaise, and pickles served on a Cuban roll that has been perfectly grilled in a panini style press.

Simple the cuBAn sAndwich

and so too the cuisine. Restaurants, bakeries, and other businesses too took root, catering to the needs of the population. Which brings us to the Cuban Roll, a signature ingredient of The Cuban.

The Cuban Roll, so they say, is similar to a French or Italian loaf: long and narrow, it is a baguette not overly hard on the outside while soft and tender on the inside. How it differs is that it is made with lard and that, so I am told, is what gives this sandwich that extra crispy crunch when grilled.

is Monday morning and I had about a half a pound of pork roast left. So, I decided to cruise the internet for suggestions on how to use leftover pork roast and that is when I hit upon the idea of making The Cuban.

ACKERLY’S

Grill & Galley

83 Main Street, Alton 603.875.3383

Akerlysgrillandgalleyrestaurant.com

Stoneface - IPA

Woodstock - Double Brown

Great Rhythm - Pale Ale

Baxter - Coastal Haze 603 - Amber Ale

COPPER KETTLE TAVERN

At Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant 233 D.W. Hwy, Meredith 603.279.6212

hartsturkeyfarm.com

JOHNSON’S TAPHOUSE

At Johnson’s Seafood & Steak

69 Rt 11, New Durham 603.859.7500

eatatjohnsons.com/ newdurham

Lone Pine -Brightside

Widowmaker -Blue Comet

Shipyard -Smashed Pumpkin

Jack Abby -Red Tape

Muddy Road -1762 Porter

Northwoods -Autumn Buzz

+30 More On Tap

MORRISSEYS’

The Cuban finds its roots within the working class. Just prior to or post 1900 so the story goes, the cigar industry in South Florida was growing and with it the immigrant population. Tampa was flourishing and with the influx of immigrants coming to work in the cigar manufacturing plants the Cuban culture took root

Now, some of you may be wondering, why on earth would a kid born and bred in New Hampshire be writing about a Cuban Sandwich? Good question. The answer: I had left over pork roast.

As you may recall from my article a few weeks ago on Breaking with Tradition, I had planned on making a Roast Pork Loin for Easter dinner.

Well, I did, and with fourteen people partaking in the festivities an eight and a half pound pork roast didn’t stand a chance. But, here it

My first “Cuban” sandwich was when working in college food service. Although hardly authentic, it was a very tasty sandwich, popular with the students. And, it was also a very easy sandwich to execute so I figured why not give it a try. I can honestly say, in my quest to be as authentic as possible, I did not anticipate the challenge that lay ahead.

First, I got my Mojo going. Now, before some of you out there get all flushed and flustered thinking awful thoughts and quickly turn the page, fear not! It’s not what you think, nor would such a description make it past the editorial board of this fine upstanding newspaper if it were. Unlike some tabloids out there not fit to line a birdcage with, say nothing of reading, this upstanding

publication does have its standards of moral decency. Mojo is a citrus and garlic marinade for the pork roast and it gives this sandwich that extra bit of yum.

Once the pork roast was sliced thin and into the Mojo it was time to find a Cuban Loaf. Have you ever tried to procure real Cuban Rolls in New Hampshire? These are not exactly stocked on the shelves of every supermarket chain in the seacoast, say nothing of inland so I went with the closest possible choice, a French Loaf that was rectangular in shape without a high dome. Stopping by a local country store to pick up a couple of Dill Pickles fresh from the barrel I could begin to taste that delicious sandwich taking shape. Arriving home I couldn’t help but think I was missing something. But what? Meh, if it’s important I’ll remember. And so, I began to build the sandwich. Slice the bread while keeping the fingers out of the way. Slice the pickles on the mandoline while keeping

See FEAST on 26

Henniker - Working Man’s Porter

Concord Craft - Safe Space

Stoneface - IPA

Moat Mtn - Blueberry

603 - Winni Amber Ale

+6 More On Tap

D.A. LONG TAVERN

At Funspot 579 Endicott St N., Weirs 603.366.4377 funspotnh.com

Northwoods - Lucky Cast

Dogfish Head - 60 Minute IPA

Unibroue - La Fin Du Monde

Feathered Friend - So Says I

Rockingham - Sabbath!

Foam - Experimental Jet Set

+6 More On Tap

FOSTER’S TAVERN

403 Main Street Alton Bay, NH 603-875-1234

fosterstavernbythebay.com

Bud Light

Tuckerman - Pale Ale

Aqua Vue Haze -Muddy Road Brewery

Sam - Seasonal

Allagash - White

Maine - Lunch IPA

+2 More On Tap

Porch & Pub

286 S. Main St., Wolfeboro 603.569-3662

Morrisseysfrontporch.com

Morrisseys’ 20 Year Lager by Great North Smithwick’s

Guinness

Harp

Concord Craft Safe Space

+11 More On Tap

PATRICK’S PUB

18 Weirs Rd., Gilford 603.293.0841 Patrickspub.com

Patrick’s Slainte House Ale

Great North - Moose Juice

Guinness

Clown Shoes - Bubble Head 603 - Winni Amber Ale

Tuckerman - Pale Ale

+9 More On Tap

THE WITCHES BREW PUB

At The Craft Beer Xchange

59 Doe Ave., Weirs Beach 603.409.9344

FB @craftbeerxchange

Moat – Miss V’s Blueberry

Ayinger – German Marzen

1911 – Black Cherry Cider

Jack’s Abby – Blood Orange

Able Ebenezer – Burn the

Ships IPA

Mighty Squirrel – Cloud

Candy IPA

+30 More On Tap

** Tap listings subject to change!

Septic Designs

James Herrick, PE

Save $10 Off with this coupon

ChimneyStartingSweep at$224

Video Chimney Inspections

New Construction, System Upgrades, Failed Systems

603-486-9830 | herrickconsulting603.com

AttrAct BAckyArd Birds with the right seeds

(Family Features)

While almost all bird seed may look pretty much the same to you, it doesn’t to the birds you’re feeding. Knowing what kinds of seeds different birds like can help you attract a variety of fine feathered friends to your feeders.

Consider these popular seed types and the common backyard birds they attract:

Sunflower – Black sunflower seeds attract blue jays, goldfinches, woodpeckers, purple finches, chicka-

dees, titmice and nuthatches. Striped sunflower seeds appeal to chickadees, doves, grosbeaks, northern cardinals, nuthatches, titmice and woodpeckers. Sunflower hearts (also known as “hulled sunflower” and “sunflower chips”) attract chickadees, common

redpolls, juncos, doves, finches, goldfinches, grosbeaks, nuthatches, pine siskins, titmice and woodpeckers.

Nyjer – These lightweight, tiny seeds are a favorite of goldfinches. Put nyjer seeds in a hanging feeder with tiny holes so the small seeds won’t get blown away. Nyjer also attracts redpolls, juncos, doves, indigo bunting and pine siskin.

Safflower – These white seeds are slightly smaller than black sunflower seeds. Because they are bitter, grackles, blue jays, starlings – and squirrels – don’t like them. However, they do attract doves, purple finches, chickadees, titmice and downy woodpeckers.

White Millet – Good for scattering on the ground, white millet attracts ground feeders such as juncos, spar-

rows, indigo buntings, towhees and mourning doves.

Cracked Corn – Popular with ground feeders, cracked corn appeals to doves, crows, jays, sparrows, juncos and towhees. Avoid getting finely cracked corn as it’s vulnerable to rot and can quickly turn to mush.

When choosing a bird seed mix, pay attention to the ingredients list on the package. Bird seed is required by law to list ingredients in order of content. Some cheaper mixes have filler seeds such as wheat, red milo, red millet or “assorted grain products.” Most backyard birds won’t eat those, and your seed mix could end up wasted on the ground.

Learn more about making your backyard an oasis for birds of all kinds at eLivingtoday. com.

enJoy And Protect hydrAngeAs From hungry deer

by Melinda Myers

Low maintenance, beautiful flowers, and plenty of varieties have made hydrangeas a favorite landscape plant. It seems you can’t visit a garden center or nursery without being tempted by one of the traditional favorites or newer hydrangea varieties.

Despite their easycare nature, hungry deer can make it difficult to fully enjoy these plants. Rutgers University rates landscape plants based on their susceptibility to deer damage. According to Rutgers, hydrangeas are occasionally severely damaged by deer, meaning they are a plant preferred by deer and protection is advised. Your experience may be different and can vary from year to year, but it is always wise to be prepared to protect key plants in your landscape.

Deer like to browse leaves, tender shoots, flower buds, and blossoms. Damage is worse when populations are high, food is scarce, and when environmental stresses like cold and deep snow are present. Once deer find a place to dine, they tend to return. Their damage has a rough or torn appearance as opposed to a clean cut like that made by a pruner. Preventing damage is always the best way to maximize your enjoyment. Even if your plants have escaped damage in the past,

Hydrangeas are a favorite of hungry deer making them susceptible to severe damage so strategies to protect these plants are recommended.

continue to watch for deer tracks, droppings, and plant damage.

Fencing is one option but not always the most attractive or practical. An eightfoot fence is the recommended height for protecting large areas. The University of Minnesota found deer can be kept out of small gardens that are 8 x 16 feet or smaller with much shorter fences.

Sturdy decorative posts and somewhat invisible deer fencing tend to make a less obtrusive fence. Always check

with your local municipality for any fencing restrictions.

Many gardeners report success using high-test fishing line. Create a barrier using strong five-foot posts with the fishing line spaced at two-foot intervals.

Scare tactics may provide some shortterm help. Motion-sensitive sprinklers, noise makers, and smells are often used. Several gardeners reported success placing colorful wine bottles inverted over rebar posts. The

rattling helped discourage deer browsing and added an ornamental element to the garden. Change scare tactics to increase success.

Place key plants closer to your home, in the back of large beds, or surrounded by less susceptible plants. Making it hard to reach the plants can help discourage damage to hydrangeas.

Repellents are another option. Treat susceptible plants before the deer start browsing for

•Septic Pumping

•Septic Pump Repair & Installation

•Drains Unclogged

•Septic System Inspections

From the Lakes to the Mountains, We Are At Your Service!

MOULTONBOROUGH: 476-5557 | MEREDITH: 279-4313

www.lampreyseptic.com

(StatePoint) The perfect landscape may start with a healthy, lush lawn, but for interest and depth, you’ll also need to consider the plants that surround it.

Thankfully, it’s easy to make considerable improvements to your backyard life using tips from profession -

als. Landscape designer Doug Scott has partnered with lawn care equipment manufacturer Exmark, to offer these tips for selecting and installing plants that will beautify your outdoor living areas.

Choosing Plants

• Choose plants wellsuited for your specific growing conditions. Knowing your growing zone is important, however you should also be mindful how conditions like sun exposure can change as you move around your yard.

plant’s care label to understand its optimal growing conditions and size at maturity.

• From a design perspective, think in terms of texture, layers and drifts. When addressing the overall texture of your planting beds, choose plants that vary in form, size, color and leaf structure. This will create greater interest, and a space that’s more visually appealing and enjoyable to spend time in.

For a lush look, think in terms of layers when considering composition. Much like in a painting, you should have background, middle ground, and foreground layers.

to provide something alive and green to look at all year long, no matter what’s happening in front of them. Your middle ground layer should be lower than the background layer to create interest, and is where you can add a contrasting evergreen shrub or pop of color with a perennial plant. Finally, your foreground layer should help transition the planting beds to your lawn space. You can accomplish this with smaller perennials, evergreens, annuals or creeping ground covers.

When addressing drifts, read the plant labels to know how large they’ll grow. This can help ensure plants grow in together as they mature, but are not overcrowded. 603-279-1499

• Choose the right size plants for the space. Bear in mind that what you’re planting today is much smaller than what it will be once it’s matured. Always read a

Your background layer should consist of taller evergreen shrubs

the origins And historicAl Progression oF doors

The earliest known doors hail from ancient Egypt, where the arid climate negated the need for complex door designs to prevent warping. Historical records, including paintings, depict these doors as straightforward wood slabs affixed with hinges.

Ancient Innovations And Materials

In contrast, King Solomon’s temple boasted doors crafted from olive wood, a material prevalent in many historical doors. India’s contribution to door architecture includes ancient stone doors with pivots at each end, fitting into sockets to swing open and shut. These doors, while reminiscent of the saloon doors from the American Old

West, operated at a more measured pace. The Greeks and Romans introduced a variety of door styles, including single, double, sliding, and folding doors. Bronze became the material of choice for doors across Europe, as indicated by numerous historical records.

Modern Door Materials And Purposes

Today, doors are manufactured from an array of materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, paper, and even fabric. Their primary purpose remains to secure and separate spaces, whether to keep entities in or out. Doors can be categorized into several types, each serving distinct functions:

Interior And Exterior Doors

Household doors are typically classified as either interior or exterior:

Interior Doors: Found within a home, these include bathroom, bedroom, base -

ment (if not an external entrance), and closet doors.

Exterior Doors:

These are exposed to the elements on at least one side and include front, back, and garage entry doors. Offering house plants, annuals, perennials, trees,

MYERS from 17

the best results. Look for a rain and snowresistant product, like organic Plantskydd (plantskydd.com), which does not need to be reapplied as often. That means you’ll save time applying and spend less money.

Maximize results by treating new growth according to the label directions. Most liquid repellents need time to dry and can only be applied when tempera-

tures are above freezing. Always check the label for the product being applied and follow the directions for the best results.

Continue to monitor the landscape for signs of deer presence and damage and adjust your management strategies as needed. Be persistent so you can increase your success.

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including The 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 and was commissioned by Tree World Plant Care for her expertise in writing this article. Her website is www. MelindaMyers.com.

DOORS from 19

Doors for Animals And People

Both humans and animals use doors, but those designed for animals, such as flaps in dog or cat doors, are usually simpler than those for humans, which often feature handles or knobs.

Automatic And Manual Doors

Manual doors, common in residential settings, require physical effort to open. In contrast, automatic doors, which have been around since 1954 and installed since 1960, use mats or sensors to trigger their opening. Electric garage door openers, available since 1926, now also incorporate sensors. Some modern revolving doors are automated, deviating from the traditional manual push.

Real And False Doors

Most doors are functional, but some, known as ‘false’ doors, are purely decorative or symbolic, such as those in Egyptian tombs for offerings. ‘Secret’ or ‘hidden’ doors, on the other hand, are functional but designed to be inconspicuous, resembling bookcases or wall panels.

The Unseen Impact Of Doors

While the primary functions and designs of doors are wellknown, there are fascinating statistics and trends in the door industry that often go unnoticed. For instance, the global door mar -

ket size was valued at USD 119.8 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8% from 2021 to 2028, according to Grand View Research. This growth is driven by increasing construction activities and the demand for aesthetic home improvement products.

Another interesting trend is the rise of smart doors equipped with advanced security features like biometric locks, which are projected to gain popularity due to growing security concerns. The smart lock market alone is anticipated to reach USD 4.4 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 21.4% from 2020 to 2027, as reported by Verified Market Research.

In conclusion, doors are an integral part of our lives, serving as guardians of our privacy and security. They have evolved from simple wooden slabs to complex systems that reflect our technological advancements and cultural shifts. Whether it’s a pet door, a hidden door, or a revolving door, these portals are a necessity that will continue to adapt and endure as long as humans value the sanctity of their spaces.

Installing Them

1. Dig a hole that’s about two times the diameter of the pot your plant’s being transplanted form, and about the depth of the pot.

2. Mend in compost or soil conditioner to give your plant the organic material it needs to thrive. If you’d like, add slow-release fertilizer, and mix well.

3. Place your plant in the hole, making sure that it sits at, or just above, the level it did in the pot.

4. Backfill with soil, stopping to add water when the hole is about halfway full.

5. Fill the rest of the hole with soil, then firmly press down.

6. Soak your plant with more water.

7. Finish by adding mulch, making sure it’s pulled away from the base of your plant. Scott offers more insights in “How to Choose Plants for Landscaping,” a recent episode of “Done-ina-Weekend Projects,” an original series from Exmark. To watch the video, visit Backyard Life, which is part of a unique multimedia destination with a focus on helping homeowners make the most of outdoor spaces.

“Now that you have the inspiration and know-how needed to choose and install plant material, you can create landscaping that reflects who you are and how you’d like to live outside,” says Scott. TIPS

BOSAK from 8 are where I usually find them. When spotted, they are good at doing a disappearing act. I’ve watched them hop all over a fallen log looking for food and, whenever I take one step closer, they are gone without a trace. I don’t see or hear them fly off, but they are nowhere to be found.

izations that are fun to listen to when you are lucky enough to find one. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes the winter wren’s song as “A cascading, bubbly song that lasts about 5-10 seconds. Each song is made up of dozens of bell-like notes that they combine and change up from time to time.”

Winter wrens are usually found on or near the ground. Fallen logs and rock walls

Earlier, I described them as nondescript little brown birds. Well, that is true for the most part, but a closer look reveals interesting barring patterns on their wings, belly and tail — similar to the other wrens. The winter wren is the smallest of the wrens found in New England, being about an inch smaller than a house wren. The thin, short tail is perhaps its most distinguishing feature. It was a fun day finding and photographing the winter wren. To some, I may have looked silly tromping through the woods to photograph a tiny brown bird. To others, my fascination is completely understandable. The latter are my kind of people.

strAnge But true

by Lucie Winborne Syndicated Columnist

* Modern brunch was first proposed in 1895 as a post-hangover meal.

* Quetzalcoatlus, the largest known flying animal, was as tall as a giraffe and may have used its powerful forelimbs to pole-vault into the sky.

* In Australia, weed whackers are called whipper snippers.

* The human body emits visible light, but it’s not visible to the naked eye.

* The FBI dubbed Ted Kaczynski “The Unabomber” because his early mail bombs were sent to universities (UN) and airlines (A).

* As astronauts spend months traveling to Mars, their eyeballs may change shape. Some scientists believe that’s due to the pressure from fluids that won’t drain from their heads, thanks to the low-gravity environment.

* Newborn babies have nearly 100 more bones than full-grown adults.

* The Antikythera mechanism, discovered by sponge div -

ers in 1900, is sometimes called the world’s first analog computer. Designed to calculate dates and predict astronomical phenomena, it was so advanced nothing surpassed it for nearly 1,500 years.

FEAST from 15

the ends of my fingers (not always as easy as it sounds). With everything ready I began: a layer of mayo, then a layer of swiss, followed by a layer of pork roast, then the ham, then the pickles, and another layer of swiss and the mustard. Dagwood Bumstead would be proud!

It is about this time I remembered what had been nagging at me. This sandwich is about a foot and a half long, just how am I going to grill this thing? And it’s here that I have to interject the age old warning, “Folks, don’t try this at home!” because the answer was already on the counter. Sheet

pans! Yes, sheet pans. I have a three section gas range, the center is for a grill but that was extra. And having an electric griddle we figured we’d never use the gas griddle so why bother? Folks, if you are going to buy the range save yourself some hassle and buy the griddle. It’s worth that extra few bucks at the time of purchase. It’s like buying the full size spare instead of the donut, you may never need it but if you do, you’ll be glad you got it.

So, with the edged sheet pan straddling between the center griddle burner and two other burners, I had a makeshift griddle

THE CUBAN SANDWICH

Servings: 4 Time:1 Hour Plus Marinade Times

SANDWICH

1 French Style Loaf of Bread

½ lb. Cooked Pork Roast sliced thin

½ lb. Sliced deli Baked Ham

4 Tbsp. Butter INGREDIENTS

1 lg. Dill pickle sliced thin

MOJO MARINADE

3 Tbsp. Minced Garlic

½ tsp. Ground Cumin

½ tsp. Ground Oregano

1 Lg. Orange (juiced)

¼ pound sliced Swiss Cheese

3 Tbsp. Mayo

3 Tbsp. Mustard (prepared or dijon)

1 Md. Lemon (juiced)

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

¼ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Cracked Black Pepper

MOJO PREPARATION

This can be done one day to one hour before making The Cuban

- Blend all ingredients in a food processor. Pour over slices of pork roast and let marinade for one hour or longer.

SANDWICH PREPARATION

- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

- Slice the French loaf lengthwise in half. (The long way.)

- Spread mayo on the inside bottom slice of bread. Spread mustard on the inside top slice of bread. Layer swiss cheese on the bottom slice of bread, arranged for optimal coverage. Do this with the ham, pork roast, pickles, and then another layer of swiss cheese.

- Cover with the top slice of bread and cut the loaf into four equal portions.

- In a large skillet, melt one half Tablespoon of butter and place one sandwich into the skillet, place a clean heavy object such as a metal tea kettle or some sort of weight on the sandwich and grill for about 5-6 minutes. Flip the sandwich and repeat the process. Remove to a sheet and repeat the process for the remaining three sandwiches.

- Place the sheet pan with the four sandwiches into the 400 degree oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove and serve with your favorite chips and beverage.

warming up and butter melting upon it. I began to think about what to use for the “press”. Two edgeless cookie sheets were flipped upside down for full coverage and onto these a cast iron skillet and a full tea kettle. Now, I admit that this is when things got a little dicey. Actually a more accurate word would be tippy. I would not recommend this as a solution but as the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. Or, as Forrest Gump’s mother says, “Stupid is as Stupid does!”

After a few minutes of grilling on one side, and the “press” and cookie sheets removed, the next dilemma presented itself. How to flip this

thing? With potholder in hand I used one of the edgeless cookie sheets as a peel and with a spatula in the other hand, somehow managed to flip the sandwich. I say somehow because I think I had my eyes closed, I can’t recall. Pressing the other side for a few minutes

I then placed the entire Cuban into a 400 degree oven for about ten minutes to finish.

I was rewarded with a tasty sandwich. Somehow, the seasoned pork roast with that Mojo marinade, the baked ham married with the swiss cheese, the dill pickles, even the mayo and mustard all came together and shared equally in the flavor,

nothing overshadowed the others. And the crackling sound when biting into that crispy bread… well, it just puts grilled sliced breads to shame.

The Cuban is a delicious alternative to a regular grilled Ham and Cheese, and a great way to use leftover pork roast. The bread alone brings this sandwich up another level. Add to this a Mojo marinated seasoned pork roast sliced thin, baked ham, dill pickles, even the mayo and mustard add their individual tones, and in the end they come together to create a noteworthy Simple Feast.

Enjoy!

in 1865. Lieutenant Patterson was promoted to the rank of Captain on May 23,1862, to Lieutenant Colonel on June 21, 1864, to Colonel on January 10, 1865, and to BrigadierGeneral by Brevet on March 13, 1865. The brevet appointment was a military ranking done to honor exceptional service but didn’t involve all the privileges ordinarily associated with the title, including that of a pay raise. He was known for his loyalty and bravery throughout the war, but was not one to toot his own horn and draw attention to himself. In fact, the writer, E .F. Keene stated that the General “couldn’t be interviewed,” because he wouldn’t talk about his own acts of valor and bravery during the war, though he would talk about the exploits of the men surrounding him.

Keene said that the 2nd New Hampshire was given to charging.“It charged at Williamsburg, Malvern Hill, Cold Harbor and many another hard fought field. It covered the retreat in the Seven Days’ fight. It held the angle in the Peach Orchard at Gettysburg on July 2, after it had charged and broken five Mississippi regiments coming on in column formation...”

General Patterson, then a Captain, was slightly wounded at Gettysburg, apparently the only time he was hurt during the war. The regiment suffered heavy losses at Gettysburg, however, with a loss of 193 men and officers out of a total of 354.

In 1865 Patterson was assigned to Point Lookout in Maryland to oversee a prison housing captured Confederate soldiers. He and the men with him showed

compassion on the rebel soldiers and often bought extra food for their prisoners.

On one occasion they purchased a large schooner loaded with an assortment of fresh vegetables. Using wise business practices Patterson was credited with saving the government 30,000 dollars. He was said to have built five mess houses and divided the men into work groups, which was voluntary, but those who worked were given an extra meal and an ample supply of tobacco. It was said of General Patterson, as it apparently has been said of others, that he deserved a monument, but didn’t need one.

After the Civil War the general was given some responsibilities in Washington, D.C., and at the beginning of the Spanish - American War, at the age of 63, he offered to serve in that conflict. According to Keene, he lied about his age, and was mustered in and served on the staff of General Sanger

dent of Buildings in Havana and served in other governmental positions. Unless there was a war going on General Patterson was present at Commencement day at Dartmouth College, having graduated from there in 1860.

ration (Memorial) Day parade in Concord. The General, seated upon his black horse, would lead a procession of the veterans of three wars down the parade route to the cemetery to pay tribute at the graves of soldiers.

as a captain in the First New Hampshire Volunteer Regiment.

After that war he became the Superinten -

“All Hanover waits for him,” readers were told in 1923, “from faculty to freshmen, and great is the rejoicing when the news spreads that ‘the General’ has just got off the train; hundreds volunteer to escort him to his quarters; faculty members greet him with respect and reverence - and the festivities are permitted to begin.” He was the Grand Marshall of the academic procession at Dartmouth’s 100th Anniversary, and the honorary Grand Marshall at the 150th.

Another event of significance for Patterson admirers was the Deco-

When the World War I happened, General Patterson, then in his eighties, felt he needed to do something to help, so he organized what he called “The Guyol Guards,” which amounted to a half regiment of young men, including his three grandsons, in case they were needed in the war. The General trained them in preparation for engagement in war, making one of the young men an acting captain while placing himself in the ranks as a Private.

Joab Nelson Patterson was born on January 2, 1835 and died on July 19, 1923. He served as the United States Marshal for New Hampshire from 1867 to 1886, was a member of the New Hampshire State House of Representatives during the same time frame of 1867 to 1886, was the Second Auditor for the United States Department of the Treasury from 1889 to 1893, and was an Agent for the United States Pension Bureau from 1908 to 1913.

He held memberships in the Sons of the American Revolution, Wonolancet Club, F. & A. M., Knights Templar, amd the Republican Party. He was married to Sarah Cilley Bouton in 1867, and they had three children, Louis, Julia, and Allan. Julia married a Guyol, apparently leading to the naming of the Guyol Guar

STOSSEL from 7

enough workers.”

Trade lets Americans focus on what we do best. Sixty percent of America’s new jobs come from companies engaged in international trade.

But Trump says, “We don’t make anything anymore!”

President Joe Biden agrees, “American manufacturing, the backbone of our economy, got hollowed out!”

That’s Myth No. 3. Manufacturing output in the U.S. is near its all-time high. We make more than Japan, Germany, India and South Korea combined.

Fortunately, real life ignores politicians’ ignorance.

Myth No. 4: Trade and open markets create “a race to the bottom.”

That’s how Jon

Stewart decries globalization on his show, saying, “Globalization allowed corporations to scour the planet for the cheapest labor and loosest regulations!”

That is true; companies do that. But Lincicome replies, “This ‘race to the bottom’ is a myth. We Americans are spoiled. We look upon jobs in the developing world, factory jobs, and say, ‘Oh, how terrible this is that these people work for such low wages.’ But the reality is that their alternatives are far, far worse ... subsistence farming ... sex work.”

Trade is what lets people in poor countries escape subsistence farming and sex work.

And child labor, too.

“No parent wants his kid to go into the factory or farm,” Lincicome points out. “They do it because they have

no choice. As we get wealthier, child labor disappears. ... Factory owners in Vietnam now complain that kids these days ... don’t want to work in the textile factory. That’s not great for that factory owner, but it’s great for those workers!”

Myth No. 5: Globalization destroys the environment.

“It’s undeniably true that as a nation starts along its development path, that it’s going to pollute more,” concedes Lincicome. “But as countries get wealthy, they become better environmentally.”

Only when people get wealthy enough to think beyond their next meal do we start to care about the environment. It’s why pollution is dropping in America and other capitalist countries.

“The best thing that we can do for the developing world is to help countries get rich,” says Lincicome. “Globalization is part of that recipe.” Trade is a win-win. It brings us more stuff at lower prices.

The more we trade, the better off we are.

Every Tuesday at JohnStossel.com, Stossel posts a new video about the battle between government and freedom.

MAILBOAT from 2

what most often happens, wars of conquest. The problem in this current age is so many nations have weapons of mass destruction that is a formula for mutually assured destruction. Other then that mass genocide is the only other plausible solution.

The politically activists left, especially our young, seem to not have considered the long term consequences of these policy’s. Are we to believe we can forever keep increasing our national debt with

no end? At some point our money will become worthless to others as well as to ourselves.

World wide famine and death will follow as sure as the sun rises every morning. The left doesn’t care for anything except their power and control but then how will manage to keep that control with worthless money?

Steve Earle Gilford, NH.

AUTOS WANTED

CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, high-end, totaled-it doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash! NEWER MODELS too! Call 1-866-258-6720

FINANCIAL

WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC

Timeshare Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free Consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 855428-7954 MISCELLANEOUS 4G LTE HOME INTERNET

One

One

Now Available! Get GotW3 with lightning fast

561 693 8182

METZLER from 7

Rakhine State, fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (separatist forces) has reached “an unprecedented level of violence.”

U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood followed up on the growing threat to international secu-rity, “Myanmar has become the world’s largest opium producer, a hub for transnational organized crime, and a driver of several major refugee crises.”

As importantly he stated, “In the past five months, Myanmar’s military carried out 588 airstrikes across the country, with such attacks on civilians increasing five-fold.”

Recently UN Secretary-General Antonio

Guterres appointed former Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop as his new envoy for Myanmar and to hopefully revive the moribund peace process.

Myanmar’s military, the powerful Tatmadaw, is supported by both Russia and China. Moscow’s UN delegate expressed regret that holding an open meeting on Myanmar prevents the Council from “having a tranquil non-politicized discussion focused on seeking solutions to the problems.” China, long the political patron to the Burmese junta added, “the conflict in Rakhine State is Myanmar’s internal affair. As a friendly neighbor of that country, China has continued to pro-mote peace and dialogue.”

Beijing has pressured the “Brotherhood Alliance” of three ethnic armies not to attack Chinese interests. Interestingly Beijing moves aim at sponsoring some sort of peace deal between various Myanmar militants and the central government as to smooth the path for Belt and Road (BRI) expansion.

Burma shares a long border with China; both illicit border trade and official commerce thrive.

Currently a Chinese delegation is visiting Myanmar to carry out communication and mediation efforts on the Rakhine situation.

Through Beijing’s BRI initiative, Myanmar is closely linked to China; the Junta and Beijing officials are developing a special economic zone and deep-sea port project in western Rakhine at Kyaukphyu which allows China’s landlocked Yunnan province ac-cess to the Indian Ocean. China already has oil and gas pipelines running to the Bay of Bengal.

Will China’s geo-strategic moves outflank India and the U.S. in the Indo- Pacific region?

PARKER from 6

hostages they hold? What is the disconnect that can explain the absence of uniform support among Americans for clear-cut action by Israel to defend itself against brutal terrorists, committed to the destruction of its state and homeland?

Freedom House is a nonpartisan Washington, D.C.-based organization that issues an annual report of the state of freedom around the world.

Freedom House, in this annual report, grades countries worldwide regarding the extent to which they are free. Per Freedom House’s methodology, each country is graded on a scale of 1-100, based on political rights and civil liberties in that country.

In the Middle East region, there is only one country that Freedom

House scores as free -- Israel.

Out of a possible 100, Israel scores 74. For perspective, the United States has a score of 83.

Looking at the Middle East neighborhood where Israel exists, we see it standing alone as free in a sea of unfree countries.

Freedom House scores for Israel’s neighbors: Jordan 33, Egypt 18, Lebanon 42, Syria 1, Iraq 30, Saudi Arabia 8.

Why does the clear lack of freedom across the Middle East not seem to bother anyone while the only free country in the region elicits protests and condemnation?

Why, 76 years after Israel’s founding, and its miraculous emergence as a modern thriving nation -- a world center of innovation and technology, boasting 13 Nobel prize winners -- do many still reject its right

to exist?

Amid this craziness, let’s recall, again, that Israel is the only Jewish country in the world.

There are 49 countries with majority Muslim populations.

There are 15 million Jews in the world and 1.8 billion Muslims.

Yet, worldwide, there remains antipathy to this lone, tiny yet successful-way-beyondits-size Jewish country.

Something is wrong. Very wrong.

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.” Her recent book, “What Is the CURE for America?” is available now. To find out more about Star Parker and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the

Parker & Hart

MAGIC MAZE SUDOKU

THEME THIS WEEK: - OVER -

Answers On Page 28

The Winklman Aeffect

by John Whitlock