A reminder that the Board of Selectmen, which usually meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 5 p.m., will be altering their meeting schedule through December. The board will meet next on the fourth Tuesday in October, the 27^th, and then on November 10 and 24, and December 8 and 22.

There is a Public Hearing scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, at 6:00 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, 595 Gore Road, to discuss three possible future highway projects. The public’s input on these projects is welcome to help the Selectboard plan how to proceed in preparation for the Annual Town Meeting on May 22, 2027.

Project 1: Greenwood Road repair from Rowe Hill Road heading towards Locke’s Mills to 384 Greenwood Road. (Phase 1)

Project 2: Locke’s Mills Bridge/ aka Cubby’s Dam on Howe Hill Road – replace concrete bridge. Undermined and scoured concrete below road surface.

Project 3: Johnnie’s Bridge, Johnnie’s Bridge Road – abutment failure on the Woodstock side of the bridge. Bridge is currently closed to vehicular traffic.

Discussion: Rob Prue, PE from Pine Tree Engineering, will be present to answer questions.

Here are some events coming up in the next few weeks:

Friday, October 23, from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, October 24, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Gould Academy fieldhouse: 46^th Annual Bethel Outing Club Ski and Snowboard Sale. Get that unused gear ready to sell! As well as the opportunity to buy from multiple shops in the same place, you have the opportunity to sell winter/outdoor gear and clothing you no longer use or have outgrown (gear should be in safe and good condition). The club takes a 20% commission on sales. More information can be found at bethelouting.org

Sunday, October 25, at 2 p.m.: Tour the Middle Intervale Cemetery with Museums of the Bethel Historical Society Executive Director Will Chapman. This is the final cemetery tour of the year, and will be followed by an open house in the historic Middle Intervale Meeting House, with light refreshments provided by the Middle Intervale Meeting House Society.

Thursday, October 29, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Telstar Library: “Family Caregiving: Challenges, Resources, and Hope,” a free program presented by “To Your Health.” See details in the flyer below.

Saturday, October 31, from 5 to 7 p.m.: Trick-or-Treat Broad Street. Round out a busy month with some family fun! Be sure to stop by the Bethel Library and the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society for our fifth annual Trick-or-Treat Broad Street. We will be distributing candy to trick-or-treaters at the Bethel Library, Robinson House, and Mason House. We’ll also have a mini haunted house full of creeptastic historical oddities in the Twitchell Education Center!

Thursday, November 5, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Telstar Library: Mary Morton Cowan will give a presentation on the history of logging in New England. She is the author of Timberrr! A History of Logging in New England, written for middle-grade readers. Spanning four centuries, the book explores the true story of how logging shaped the economy, culture, and forests of New England—from colonial mast cutting to the rise of sawmills and modern sustainable forestry. This program is presented by the Western Mountains Senior College, and is free and open to the public.

Saturday, November 21, 2:00 p.m. at the Mason House of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society: Book discussion. Join us for a discussion of the book, The Founding Foodies: American Meals that Wouldn’t Exist Today If Not For Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin by Dave DeWitt. Food writer DeWitt entertainingly describes how some of America’s most famous colonial leaders—like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin—not only established America’s political destiny, but also revolutionized the very foods we eat. Copies of the book are available at the Museum Shop for $10. Call 207-824-2908 or email info@bethelhistorical.org for more information.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor website, as of last Thursday, when the most recent drought map was released, all of Maine continued to be in at least a moderate drought. However, although the weekly map is released on Thursdays, apparently the cut-off time is the previous Tuesday at 8 a.m. That would mean that last Thursday’s map does not take into account the rain we received on Tuesday and Friday last week, and I’m hoping that the map due to be released today, October 22, will show at least a somewhat better picture of current drought conditions. Even though I’ve been grateful for so many beautiful October days, we do still need more rain!

On Monday morning of this week, Lena and I joined her bestie, Puck, and his person, Betsey, for a hike on the old roads on the west side of Red Hill in Rumford. It was a place I had never been before, and I always love a new-to-me hike. I should note two things, however: first, that the road is gated and access is by permission only (which we did have), and second, that there are coyote traps set in the area, something we didn’t realize until we saw them. So, unfortunately, it was probably my first and last hike there.

A century or more ago, the area was home to a small settlement comprised of several farms, and a surprising number of the fields are kept open by their present owners, giving us beautiful views as we looked across them to Rumford Whitecap in the distance.

A site along the road is identified by a sign as the former site of the Red Hill School, although no vestige of the building itself remains. Just as was the case here in Greenwood, in the nineteenth century, one-room schoolhouses were built nearly everywhere a neighborhood sprang up.

I tried to find out more about the history of Red Hill, but wasn’t able to learn much, except from a few excerpts of William Berry Lapham’s 1890 History of Rumford, Oxford County, Maine, from its First Settlement in 1779 to the Present Time, including one possible reason for the area’s name:

“Daniel and Ezekiel Harper, brothers, were in town quite early and lived on Red Hill. It is said by some that they each had red hair, and that the hill where they settled was so named from this circumstance.”

The dogs are always excited to play together, and they had a wonderful romp…and afterward they both went back home to their respective recliners and slept the afternoon away.

Although I’ve been enjoying the many warm sunny days we’ve had this October, the frosty mornings are a reminder that the seasons are about to change. Tony pulled the waterline from the pond at camp a few weeks ago, and went back last week to disconnect the pump, drain the pipes, and put RV antifreeze in the toilet and drains. I’m glad we no longer have docks and boats to pull out of the water, but that’s what my brother Steve’s family was doing last weekend at their camp. Brrrr!

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

We’ve certainly been lucky to have so many beautiful days for all kinds of outdoor activities, and the rain we got earlier this week was welcome, too.

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Project 1: Greenwood Road repair from Rowe Hill Road heading towards Locke’s Mills to 384 Greenwood Road. (Phase 1)

Project 2: Locke’s Mills Bridge/ aka Cubby’s Dam on Howe Hill Road – replace concrete bridge. Undermined and scoured concrete below road surface.

Project 3: Johnnie’s Bridge, Johnnie’s Bridge Road – abutment failure on the Woodstock side of the bridge. Bridge is currently closed to vehicular traffic.

Discussion: Rob Prue, PE from Pine Tree Engineering, will be present to answer questions.

A reminder that the Board of Selectmen, which usually meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 5 p.m., will be altering their meeting schedule for the next few months. The board will meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays in October (the 13^th and 27^th), November (the 10^th and 24^th), and December (the 8^th and 22^nd).

There’s another busy fall weekend ahead, with lots going on in our area, and the pace continues throughout the month! Here are some of the many events and activities you can choose from:

Saturday, October 10, at 1:00 p.m.: The Woodstock Conservation Commission will celebrate the 5^th Annual Buck’s Ledge Community Forest Day with reflections on progress made last year and a look forward to the next phase. Karen Rosenberg and Melissa Watkins, Woodstock Elementary physical education teacher, will discuss the important connection between the school and Buck’s Ledge. The celebration will take place at the Scenic Overlook. There will be cider and doughnuts and an opportunity to walk on the Trail for All. Those attending may park at the trailhead on Route 26 and walk up to the overlook (about 0.4 mile) or, if unable to walk up, may drive to the upper parking lot above the overlook.

Saturday, October 10, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Gardner Roberts Memorial Library, Ferry Road, Hanover: 17^th Annual Celebration of Fall, with fun, food, and, starting at noon, live music with the Cobblestones.

Saturday, October 10, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Methodist Church, Main Street, Bethel: Loggers Supper. Open to the public—see more information on the flyer below.

Sunday, October 11, at 2:00 p.m.: Cemetery Tour of Riverside Cemetery, on the North Road in Bethel. This is the second of four October Sunday afternoon cemetery tours. Every Sunday in October, join Museums of the Bethel Historical Society Executive Director Will Chapman at one of Bethel’s historic cemeteries to learn about some of the town’s permanent residents. In keeping with the Independence 250 theme, special attention will be given to Revolutionary War veterans. The remaining cemeteries on the schedule are Pine Grove (West Bethel) on October 18; and Middle Intervale Cemetery on October 25.

Monday, October 12, at 9:00 a.m.: Geology hike at Buck’s Ledge Community Forest with Myles Felch. Meet at the Route 26 trailhead parking lot.

Wednesday, October 14, at 4:00 p.m. at the Bethel Library (6 Broad Street): “Ghosts of Mount Washington,” a presentation by author Marianne O’Connor. She will discuss the memorials on Mount Washington. Several of these memorials are associated with mysterious events, and there are a total of eight, each representing a tragic story of immense loss. The program will document the “death markers” on Mount Washington and their current status. It will recount each notable event and explore other significant losses, examining how the installation of memorials has evolved over the last 200 years. Due to “Leave No Trace” principles, physical markers are no longer permitted. The goal of the program is to share individual incidents, raise awareness about these events, and provide strategies to help the public prevent future fatalities. Sponsored by the Bethel Library Association and the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society.

Saturday, October 17, at 3:00 p.m. in the Howe Exhibit Hall of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society (Mason House, 14 Broad Street): “What Revolution?” Just how revolutionary was the American Revolution? Two historians, David Jones and William Andrews, will take up this question in a spirited discussion of the events of 1776 and their place in history. If you know William from his popular Western Mountains Senior College courses or David from his Bethel Village walking tours, you’ll know that both men are deeply passionate and wide-ranging in their knowledge of American history. This is sure to be one for the history books! (Note the change of time for this program to 3:00 p.m. to allow people to attend after the open house/send-off gathering for Bethel Library Director Kelcy Arciga next door!)

Friday, October 23, from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, October 24, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Gould Academy fieldhouse: 46^th Annual Bethel Outing Club Ski and Snowboard Sale. Get that unused gear ready to sell! As well as the opportunity to buy from multiple shops in the same place, you have the opportunity to sell winter/outdoor gear and clothing you no longer use or have outgrown (gear should be in safe and good condition). The club takes a 20% commission on sales. More information can be found at bethelouting.org

Thursday, October 29, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Telstar Library: “Family Caregiving: Challenges, Resources, and Hope,” a free program presented by “To Your Health.” See details in the flyer below.

Saturday, October 31, from 5 to 7 p.m.: Trick-or-Treat Broad Street. Round out a busy month with some family fun! Be sure to stop by the Bethel Library and the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society for our fifth annual Trick-or-Treat Broad Street. We will be distributing candy to trick-or-treaters at the Bethel Library, Robinson House, and Mason House. We’ll also have a mini haunted house full of creeptastic historical oddities in the Twitchell Education Center!

Thursday, November 5, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Telstar Library: Mary Morton Cowan will give a presentation on the history of logging in New England. She is the author of Timberrr! A History of Logging in New England, written for middle-grade readers. Spanning four centuries, the book explores the true story of how logging shaped the economy, culture, and forests of New England—from colonial mast cutting to the rise of sawmills and modern sustainable forestry. This program is presented by the Western Mountains Senior College, and is free and open to the public.

Saturday, November 21, 2:00 p.m. at the Mason House of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society: Book discussion. Join us for a discussion of the book, The Founding Foodies: American Meals that Wouldn’t Exist Today If Not For Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin by Dave DeWitt. Food writer DeWitt entertainingly describes how some of America’s most famous colonial leaders—like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin—not only established America’s political destiny, but also revolutionized the very foods we eat. Copies of the book are available at the Museum Shop for $10. Call 207-824-2908 or email info@bethelhistorical.org for more information.

Lena continues to be a hiking machine, with seven more hikes in the past week, plus a walk on the CATS trail with her buddy Puck that was more of a stroll for the humans and an all-out romp for the canines.

Lena also completed the sixth and final session of her leash manners class on Monday. The class, which was through MSAD #44 Adult and Community Education, was held outside at Telstar, but for the last class we spent the hour walking up and down lower Main Street in Bethel, learning how to greet other dogs and humans appropriately. She did surprisingly well!

Happy birthday (October 7) to my oldest brother Steve, who turned 83 this year. We had a small family gathering at the Red House and enjoyed a fall meal of soup, bread, and salad followed, of course, by cake and ice cream.

I’m excited that the Maine State Museum, which has been closed for several years, will reopen to the public on October 24. Will got a sneak peek last week when he attended the Maine Archives and Museums’ annual conference. He especially enjoyed seeing the Maine Labor Mural, with a panel featuring Frances Perkins, secretary of labor under FDR and a distant cousin of ours, as well as the new exhibit featuring the switchboard of the Bryant Pond Telephone Company.

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

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The Greenwood Board of Selectmen, which usually meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 5 p.m., will be altering their meeting schedule for the next few months. The board will meet next on September 29, then will meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays in October (the 13^th and 27^th), November (the 10^th and 24^th), and December (the 8^th and 22^nd).

The last few days of September and all of October are jam-packed with events! Here are some that I know about—be sure to let me know of others I may have missed.

Friday, September 25, from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. at West Bethel Makerspace, 10 Ferry Road, Bethel: Community Mending Group monthly meeting. Feature Focus: All Things Adhesive with Susan Barras. Susan will cover the basics of how adhesives work, the range of options when choosing an adhesive, and tips for getting the best adherence. Join us drop-in style. The Makerspace team has created a fantastic working environment, and they look forward to making new connections that support our community. As always, rally up a friend, and bring your own project (it doesn’t need to be the Feature Focus) along with some donation money so our group can continue to grow and thrive.

Tuesday, September 29, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Telstar High School Library: To Your Health presents “A Guide to Healthy Living” with Dr. Kevin Finley of the Bethel Family Health Center. This event is FREE and open to all ages. Students and families are encouraged to attend. To Your Health is in its 21st year of providing free health wellness programs to the greater Bethel and Western Maine communities.

Sunday, October 4, at 2:00 p.m.: Cemetery Tour of Woodland Cemetery, Route 5, Bethel. Kick off “Spooky Season” with the first of four October Sunday afternoon cemetery tours! Every Sunday in October, join Museums of the Bethel Historical Society Executive Director Will Chapman at one of Bethel’s historic cemeteries to learn about some of the town’s permanent residents. In keeping with the Independence 250 theme, special attention will be given to Revolutionary War veterans. First up is Woodland Cemetery, a beautiful tiered cemetery located on Route 5 (Songo Pond Road), just about a mile south of Bethel village. The rest of the cemeteries on the tour are Riverside (North Road) on October 11; Pine Grove (West Bethel) on October 18; and Middle Intervale Cemetery on October 25.

Sunday, October 4, at 5:00 p.m. in the Reading Room of the Robinson House at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society (10 Broad Street): “The Painter’s Fire,” a special Independence 250 talk by Zara Anishanslin, Professor of History and Art History at the University of Delaware. The war that we now call the American Revolution was not only fought in the colonies with muskets and bayonets. On both sides of the Atlantic, artists armed with paint, canvas, and wax played an integral role in forging revolutionary ideals. In her 2025 book The Painter’s Fire: A Forgotten History of the Artists Who Championed the American Revolution, Zara Anishanslin charts the intertwined lives of three such figures who dared to defy the British monarchy: Robert Edge Pine, Prince Demah, and Patience Wright. From London to Boston, from Jamaica to Paris, from Bath to Philadelphia, these largely forgotten patriots boldly risked their reputations and their lives to declare independence.

Monday, October 12, at 9:00 a.m.: Geology hike at Buck’s Ledge Community Forest with Myles Felch. Meet at the Route 26 trailhead parking lot.

Wednesday, October 14, at 4:00 p.m. at the Bethel Library (6 Broad Street): “Ghosts of Mount Washington,” a presentation by author Marianne O’Connor. She will discuss the memorials on Mount Washington. Several of these memorials are associated with mysterious events, and there are a total of eight, each representing a tragic story of immense loss.

Saturday, October 17, at 2:00 p.m. in the Howe Exhibit Hall of the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society (Mason House, 14 Broad Street): “What Revolution?” Just how revolutionary was the American Revolution? Two historians, David Jones and William Andrews, will take up this question in a spirited discussion of the events of 1776 and their place in history. If you know William from his popular Western Mountains Senior College courses or David from his Bethel Village walking tours, you’ll know that both men are deeply passionate and wide-ranging in their knowledge of American history. This is sure to be one for the history books!

Friday, October 23, from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, October 24, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Gould Academy fieldhouse: 46^th Annual Bethel Outing Club Ski and Snowboard Sale. Get that unused gear ready to sell! As well as the opportunity to buy from multiple shops in the same place, you have the opportunity to sell winter/outdoor gear and clothing you no longer use or have outgrown (gear should be in safe and good condition). The club takes a 20% commission on sales. More information can be found at bethelouting.org

Saturday, October 31, from 5 to 7 p.m.: Trick-or-Treat Broad Street. Round out a busy month with some family fun! Be sure to stop by the Bethel Library and the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society for our fifth annual Trick-or-Treat Broad Street. We will be distributing candy to trick-or-treaters at the Bethel Library, Robinson House, and Mason House. We’ll also have a mini haunted house full of creeptastic historical oddities in the Twitchell Education Center!

And here’s one upcoming event for November, which will be upon us before we know it:

Thursday, November 5, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Telstar Library: Mary Morton Cowan will give a presentation on the history of logging in New England. She is the author of Timberrr! A History of Logging in New England, written for middle-grade readers. Spanning four centuries, the book explores the true story of how logging shaped the economy, culture, and forests of New England—from colonial mast cutting to the rise of sawmills and modern sustainable forestry. This program is presented by the Western Mountains Senior College, and is free and open to the public.

Although I was sorry to miss all the Harvest Fest goings-on last Saturday, I spent a wonderful weekend in Milford, Connecticut, where I grew up. On Friday morning, I drove to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where my best friend (of 61 years!), Donna, lives. After half a century spent almost entirely in Oxford County, my highway and traffic driving skills have become pretty rusty, and I’ve vowed, if at all possible, not to drive any further south than Portsmouth, so I was glad to ride with Donna the rest of the way. Her parents still live in Milford, in the same house where she grew up, so she travels that way fairly often and is a much more intrepid driver than I am.

After we got settled in our perfect little Airbnb overlooking the Gulf Pond estuary, where we could watch egrets and other wading birds from the sunroom, we went to visit Donna’s parents and went out to dinner with them at their favorite Italian restaurant, Mama Teresa’s.

Before we went to dinner, Donna’s mother, Marie, took us across the street to meet a family from Iran who have become her dear friends. She first met them two years ago, when she learned that their daughter, Nila, would be going to kindergarten the next fall and had not yet learned to speak English.

Marie (who is 93) had worked in a preschool for many years; she decided she would become Nila’s tutor, and began teaching her English lessons twice a week. Nila learned quickly, and was soon not only speaking, but also reading and writing English. Now in first grade, she is able to act as a translator for her grandparents, who live with the family and speak Persian. Her grandmother, Tahi, picked up some English from Marie’s lessons with Nila, and she recently decided to enroll in ESL classes, to which Marie now accompanies her.

Tahi, who adores Marie, often brings traditional Iranian foods she makes across the street to share with her and Donna’s father, and Marie held a birthday party for Nila last month when she turned six. It is so heartwarming to see the love and respect that has developed between these two families from very different backgrounds. But Nila’s family still has many friends and relatives in Iran and, sadly, when I told Donna this morning that now, whenever I hear news about the war in Iran, I keep thinking about the family and wondering how they feel about their adopted country and the current administration, she replied, “I think they’re afraid all the time.”

On Saturday, Donna and I attended our high school class’s 50^th reunion, the first one I have been to. We were fortunate to have perfect weather, and we had a wonderful time reconnecting with the 80 or so members of our class of 300 who attended. When we were in school, our town had three high schools and 17 elementary schools. My own elementary school, West Main, was well represented at our reunion.

Then it was off to visit our friend Maria for a couple of hours at her farm, which was started by her grandparents in 1942; her grandsons, Oskie and Auggie, are the fifth generation of her family to live and work on the farm.

Before we headed north on Sunday, we stopped in Branford for a visit with my brother Andy and sister-in-law Marleen. I can’t believe it had been almost two years since I had seen them!

Being away for three days meant I didn’t make any progress at all last weekend on my attempt to settle back in at home and Organize All The Things, and from the looks of my October calendar, I’m going to have to settle for little snippets of time here and there when I can tackle small projects, rather than the unbroken stretch of project time I’ve been dreaming of. Oh, well…the important stuff will get done eventually, and as for the rest, I’ll try to remember something Tony told me early in our relationship: “Some things get done by not being done.”

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

Where crooknecks are coiling and yellow fruit shines,
And the sun of September melts down on the vines...
~John Greenleaf Whittier, "The Pumpkin"

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According to the Facebook page of The Honor Summit (honorsummitnh.org), “two pillars of light will rise from the highest peak in the Northeast as a powerful symbol of resilience, gratitude, and unity. Inspired by the dual beams that honor September 11, The Honor Summit pays tribute to the lives lost, the first responders who answered the call, and the veterans whose courage continues to protect our communities.”

The project was initiated by Renee Plummer of Granite Springs Foundation “to ensure that the 25th anniversary of 9/11 is remembered with the visibility and respect it deserves. With support from the State of New Hampshire and partners across the region, the installation offers an experience that belongs to all of us: rooted in gratitude, unity, and collective remembrance.”

Organizers say that if the weather is clear, as it is expected to be during the last three nights of the display, the twin beams may be visible from a distance of as much as 135 miles. As the highest peak in the northeastern U.S. at 6,288 feet, Mount Washington can be seen from many places in our area, including the Height of Land on Route 17 in Roxbury and, closer to home, the scenic overlook in the Buck’s Ledge Community Forest.

Upcoming events:

Saturday, September 12, at 2:00 p.m. at the Waterford Public Library: Book discussion of The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Prize-winning historian Gordon S. Wood offers a graAnd and immensely readable synthesis of historical, political, cultural, and economic analysis to describe the events that made the American Revolution. Wood depicts a revolution that was about much more than a break from England–rather it transformed an almost feudal society into a democratic one, whose emerging realities sometimes baffled and disappointed its founding fathers. This is the fourth in a series of book discussions sponsored by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society and the Independence 250 committee to commemorate America’s 250^th birthday. The book is available at the MBHS Museum Shop.

Saturday, September 12, at 1:00 p.m. at the former UU Church on Grove Street in Bryant Pond: Jane Chandler will share the recent history of Buck’s Ledge for the Woodstock Historical Society. The slide show will depict the people who helped to make Buck’s Ledge Community Forest a reality, forever preserved for the public.

Wednesday, September 16, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Baked Bean Supper at the Locke’s Mills Union Church. See details below.

Monday, September 21, at 10:00 a.m.: Mushroom hike at Lapham Ledge, led by Amanda Moran. Meet at the Buck’s Ledge Community Forest trailhead parking lot on Route 26.

Friday, September 25, from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. at West Bethel Makerspace, 10 Ferry Road, Bethel: Community Mending Group monthly meeting. Feature Focus: All Things Adhesive with Susan Barras. Susan will cover the basics of how adhesives work, the range of options when choosing an adhesive, and tips for getting the best adherence. Join us drop-in style. The Makerspace team has created a fantastic working environment, and they look forward to making new connections that support our community. As always, rally up a friend, and bring your own project (it doesn’t need to be the Feature Focus) along with some donation money so our group can continue to grow and thrive.

Monday, October 12, at 9:00 a.m.: Geology hike at Buck’s Ledge Community Forest with Myles Felch. Meet at the Route 26 trailhead parking lot.

Friday, October 23, from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, October 24, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Gould Academy fieldhouse: 46^th Annual Bethel Outing Club Ski and Snowboard Sale. Get that unused gear ready to sell! As well as the opportunity to buy from multiple shops in the same place, you have the opportunity to sell winter/outdoor gear and clothing you no longer use or have outgrown (gear should be in safe and good condition). The club takes a 20% commission on sales. More information can be found at bethelouting.org

News from the First Universalist Church of West Paris:

September worship services start back up after our summer break on September 13 - and we hope everyone had a good, peaceful and safe summer! Service dates and info about an upcoming Death Cafe are below.

September 13, Joan Beal

“Waterways”

This is our re-gathering service, marking the beginning of the church year. It has traditionally been celebrated with a “water communion”. Members and visitors are asked to bring a small vial of water from a place that has been important to you over the summer. We will combine our waters into a common pool with a short description of their significance. If you somehow neglected to collect water from that favorite location, bring any water to accompany your statement. We will also have small containers of water available for those who need “substitute” water.

September 20, Bob Neal, information to come.

September 27, The Rev. Scott Campbell

“It Is Enough”

The sermon will focus on what Rev. Campbell has learned in the pulpit over 57 years of preaching. Here is an excerpt:

“My dad, who was a preacher himself, told me when I began my ministry something that has remained with me throughout the years. He said:

Love your people. If you don’t love them, it won’t matter what you preach. And if you do love them, it won’t matter what you preach.

So, I hope that even when I haven’t gotten it exactly right from the pulpit, my people have known that I loved them. That, in the end, is what this gospel business is all about.”

The Greenwood Board of Selectmen, which usually meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 5 p.m., will be altering their meeting schedule for the next few months. The board will meet twice more this month, on September 15 and 29, then will meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays in October (the 13^th and 27^th), November (the 10^th and 24^th), and December (the 8^th and 22^nd).

The improvements to the Bryant Pond roadside spring are complete, thanks to the Town of Woodstock and Bruce Korhonen and crew, and the new steps, grate, and handrails have greatly improved the experience of stopping there for water.

We moved back home from camp on Monday, and since I’ve been too busy this week to put everything back where it belongs, we’ve been living in chaos for the past few days. I’m hoping for some time this weekend to put things to rights! Lena has discovered, to her dismay, that over the summer she grew too big to be able to squeeze through the cat doors in the three dog gates we’ve put up in various doorways to keep her out of trouble when we can’t watch her every minute. Our orange bobtail cat, Roman, likes to sit on the other side of the gates and tease her, and much whining ensues.

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

We could stay a couple more weeks, but it would mean burning a lot of firewood (and still probably being cold), plus…

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I remember my own childhood summers, when Labor Day weekend was always the time when we closed up camp for the year. We waited until the last possible day to drag ourselves away from North Pond and head back to Connecticut for the long school year, reluctantly hitting the road in the family station wagon on the morning of Labor Day so that my mom, a school librarian, could start school on Tuesday.

We kids had one more day of freedom—not nearly long enough to adjust to the culture shock of being back in suburbia, far from our beloved camp—before we had to actually put on shoes (often, in my case, for the first time in weeks) and become prisoners of the classroom for nine long months.

We may have a bit more than three more weeks left of astronomical summer, but meteorological summer begins next Tuesday, September 1, and I’ve already started to see hints of red and orange among the hardwood trees.

Here’s a crash course in the difference between astronomical and meteorological summer from the website of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website:

You may have noticed that meteorologists and climatologists define seasons differently from “regular” or astronomical spring, summer, fall, and winter. So, why do meteorological and astronomical seasons begin and end on different dates? In short, it’s because the astronomical seasons are based on the position of Earth in relation to the sun, whereas the meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle.

The Astronomical Seasons

People have used observable periodic natural phenomena to mark time for thousands of years. The natural rotation of Earth around the sun forms the basis for the astronomical calendar, in which we define seasons with two solstices and two equinoxes. Earth’s tilt and the sun’s alignment over the equator determine both the solstices and equinoxes.

The equinoxes mark the times when the sun passes directly above the equator. In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice falls on or around June 21, the winter solstice on or around December 22, the vernal or spring equinox on or around March 21, and the autumnal equinox on or around September 22. These seasons are reversed but begin on the same dates in the Southern Hemisphere.

Because Earth actually travels around the sun in 365.24 days, an extra day is needed every fourth year, creating what we know as Leap Year. This also causes the exact date of the solstices and equinoxes to vary. Additionally, the elliptical shape of Earth’s orbit around the sun causes the lengths of the astronomical seasons to vary between 89 and 93 days. These variations in season length and start date would make it very difficult to consistently compare climatological statistics for a particular season from one year to the next. Thus, the meteorological seasons were born.

The Meteorological Seasons

Meteorologists and climatologists break the seasons down into groupings of three months based on the annual temperature cycle as well as our calendar. We generally think of winter as the coldest time of the year and summer as the warmest time of the year, with spring and fall being the transition seasons, and that is what the meteorological seasons are based on. Meteorological spring in the Northern Hemisphere includes March, April, and May; meteorological summer includes June, July, and August; meteorological fall includes September, October, and November; and meteorological winter includes December, January, and February.

Meteorological observing and forecasting led to the creation of these seasons, and they are more closely tied to our monthly civil calendar than the astronomical seasons are. The length of the meteorological seasons is also more consistent, ranging from 90 days for winter of a non-leap year to 92 days for spring and summer. By following the civil calendar and having less variation in season length and start, it becomes much easier to calculate seasonal statistics from the monthly statistics, both of which are very useful for agriculture, commerce, and a variety of other purposes.

No matter which calendar you prefer, there are plenty of upcoming events in our area to take you from summer to fall:

Thursday, August 27, at 1:00 p.m. at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Twitchell Education Building: Charcoal Drawing with Sara Hemeon, the final program in this year’s Mill Brook Craft Series. Discover the expressive beauty of charcoal drawing in this beginner-friendly class. Sara will provide a brief history of charcoal as an artistic medium, as well as instruction in fundamental techniques. No drawing experience needed, and the program is free and open to the public.

Saturday, August 29, from 6-7 p.m. at the Telstar High School Auditorium and Sunday, August 30, from 12-4 p.m. at Valentine Farm, 162 North Road, Bethel: The Mahoosuc Land Trust’s 2026 Monarch Festival. See detailed information and full schedule below. The festival is free, but registration is encouraged: www.mahoosuc.org/monarch-festival

Saturday, August 29, from 6-8 p.m. at the Locke’s Mills Legion Hall on the Gore Road: Listen and dance to The Fossils. From the band: “We’ll have pizza, hotdogs, chips, popcorn, soda, and water for sale. Come shake a leg or sit and listen - we love watching all of you have a great time!”

Sunday, August 30, at 2:00 p.m. at the West Paris Public Library, 226 Main Street, West Paris: Concert by the Tourmaline Brass Quintet. TBQ is a new group composed of seasoned musicians from five area communities: trumpet players Marc Eckels of Paris Hill and Julie Schubert-Cowan of Bethel, trombonist Jim Bennett of West Paris, French horn player Kelly Bickford of Greenwood, and tuba player Tom DeLuca of Hanover. If the weather cooperates, the concert will be held on the lawn behind the library; in case of rain, it will be held inside the library. Admission for the one-hour concert is free, and children and families are welcome!

Wednesday, September 2, at 7:00 p.m. at the Locke’s Mills Legion Hall on the Gore Road: Greenwood Historical Society program featuring the history of the Howe Hill neighborhood. The newest in the series of the “Greenwood neighborhood” books by the late Blaine Mills features the Howe Hill neighborhood and will be available to purchase.

Thursday, September 3, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Mason House, 10 Broad Street, Bethel: Annual potluck supper and meeting, featuring “Meet John Adams: A Lively and Revolutionary Conversation with America’s Second President,” with George Baker. Potluck supper at 5:30, followed by the program. All are welcome!

Saturday, September 12, at 1:00 p.m. at the former UU Church on Grove Street in Bryant Pond: Jane Chandler will share the recent history of Buck’s Ledge for the Woodstock Historical Society. The slide show will depict the people who helped to make Buck’s Ledge Community Forest a reality, forever preserved for the public.

Saturday, September 12, at 2:00 p.m. at the Waterford Public Library: Book discussion of The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Prize-winning historian Gordon S. Wood offers a grand and immensely readable synthesis of historical, political, cultural, and economic analysis to describe the events that made the American Revolution. Wood depicts a revolution that was about much more than a break from England–rather it transformed an almost feudal society into a democratic one, whose emerging realities sometimes baffled and disappointed its founding fathers. This is the fourth in a series of book discussions sponsored by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society and the Independence 250 committee to commemorate America’s 250^th birthday. The book is available at the MBHS Museum Shop.

Lena has recovered quickly from what vets think was probably a bacterial infection that had caused dozens of itchy bumps, which she scratched into hot spots, on one side of her face. Tony and I first thought they were insect bites, but we learned that her playmate Maybelle, with whom she had romped in the pond a couple of days before, had come down with the same symptoms. Maybelle’s vet’s first question was whether she had been swimming in a lake or pond, and he was certain it was caused by some kind of bacteria.

In any case, Lena is fully healed and her fur grew back quickly, so she’s once again stunningly beautiful, if not perfectly behaved.

I don’t like to think that there was some strange kind of bacteria floating around in my beloved North Pond, but if there was, it seems to have been temporary. Lena’s been back in the pond this week, our neighbors’ dogs swam after her “episode,” I’ve been swimming almost every day, and (thankfully) none of us have suffered any ill effects.

We’ve been going for lots of short hikes, and Lena now gets excited when she hears the word “hike,” although not quite as excited as she gets when she hears me say we’re going to see her friend Puck. The most exciting thing of all is when she gets to go for a hike WITH Puck, and if the hike includes places to play in the water, that makes it even better.

This week’s hikes included two to Buck’s Ledge, one on the Sanborn River Trail, and one to an “undisclosed location” with Puck and Betsey.

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

“August used to be a sad month for me. As the days went on, the thought of school starting weighed heavily upon my young frame.” ― Henry Rollins

Upcoming events in our communities include:

Thursday, Augu…

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The next GHS program will be held on Wednesday, September 2, at 7 p.m. and will feature the history of the Howe Hill neighborhood. Howe Hill is the third book in the series based on Blaine Mills’ research of the history of Greenwood’s many neighborhoods. It is currently at the printer and should be here in time for the program.

Here are some other upcoming programs and events (starting with a fun one this afternoon):

Thursday, August 13, at 1:00 p.m. at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Twitchell Education Building: Rug Braiding with Karen Bean and Lida Iles. This program is part of the annual Mill Brook Craft Series and is free and open to the public.

Friday, August 14, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the West Bethel Makerspace, 10 Ferry Road, Bethel: Community Mending Group monthly meeting. From the organizers: “Join us drop-in style. Yes, we’re starting earlier than usual, and yes, at the West Bethel Makerspace! Altering our usual “Feature Focus” (one specific topic and/or skill) format just a bit, we’re suggesting several possibilities of what to bring to work on. Any furniture needing repair? There will be expertise along with different glues, sanders, veneer, clamps etc. Or maybe there’s a small appliance sitting dormant in your closet. With the range of skills circulating, it could be revived! Or…get it done with 3d printing, perfect for small missing plastic parts that are holding up progress. We are thrilled with all the opportunities the Makerspace presents! The Makerspace team has created a fantastic working environment, and they look forward to making new connections that support our community. As always, rally up a friend, and a few dollars to put into the donation box so that our group can continue to grow and thrive.”

Saturday, August 15, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the West Paris Historical Society, 221 Main Street in West Paris: Indoor Yard Sale. Items include books, home decor, dishes, tools, games, and other treasures! Proceeds benefit the West Paris Historical Society. Parking available behind the West Paris Library.

Saturday, August 15, at 2 p.m. at the Locke’s Mills Legion Hall, 595 Gore Road: Silent Auction to benefit “Sunshine for Sugarsnap,” raising funds for Michelle “Sugarsnap” Roberts’ fight to save her leg through a rare two-stage joint reconstruction surgery. From Harry Orcutt, Commander of American Legion Jackson Silver Post 68 in Locke’s Mills: “In a continuing community outreach program, the Executive Committee of American Legion Jackson Silver Post 68 is providing their spacious facility to help her raise funds with a Silent Auction. Donations of items for the auction are being sought; a donation jar will be available at the event. Free admission and parking. We are trying to get the word out, to make this effort as successful as possible.”

Please see the flyer below for additional information and more ways to help.

Saturday, August 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the West Paris Library: I’ll be reading from and discussing my family memoir. Published by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, Just Like Glass is the story of an indomitable family and how a strong matriarch, the stillness of a small pond in western Maine, and one unexpected addition set them on a path to healing from tragedy and redefining themselves as a family unit.

Thursday, August 20, at 1:00 p.m. at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Twitchell Education Building: The annual Mill Brook Craft Series continues with Mending Clothes with Sophie Drew. Learn mending techniques for common types of damage, and if you have a clothing item you’d like to repair, bring it along! All programs in the series are free and open to the public.

Thursday, August 27, at 1:00 p.m. at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Twitchell Education Building: Charcoal Drawing with Sara Hemeon, the final program in this year’s Mill Brook Craft Series. Discover the expressive beauty of charcoal drawing in this beginner-friendly class. Sara will provide a brief history of charcoal as an artistic medium, as well as instruction in fundamental techniques. No drawing experience needed, and the program is free and open to the public.

Wednesday, September 2, at 7:00 p.m. at the Locke’s Mills Legion Hall on the Gore Road: Greenwood Historical Society program featuring the history of the Howe Hill neighborhood.

Thursday, September 3, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s Mason House, 10 Broad Street, Bethel: Annual potluck supper and meeting, featuring “Meet John Adams: A Lively and Revolutionary Conversation with America’s Second President,” with George Baker. Potluck supper at 5:30, followed by the program.

Saturday, September 12, at 1:00 p.m. at the former UU Church on Grove Street in Bryant Pond: Jane Chandler will share the recent history of Buck’s Ledge for the Woodstock Historical Society. The slide show will depict the people who helped to make Buck’s Ledge Community Forest a reality, forever preserved for the public.

Lena turned six months old on August 6, which would seem hard to believe if she hadn’t grown so big! She weighed about eight pounds when we brought her home four months ago; now she tips the scales at about 50 pounds. And she’s a beautiful girl!

Between last Friday and Monday, she had three play dates in four days, two with her bestie, Puck, and one with Maybelle, a sweet mixed breed pup who visited camp with her people, Jack and Caryl Beth, on Sunday.

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

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Lena has been on four short hikes in the past week (one at Maggie’s Nature Park, one on the Lapham Loop, and two to Buck’s Ledge from camp) and has done really well at not getting jumpy and bitey, except for a bit of trouble on the return from Buck’s Ledge yesterday morning. Loop hikes still seem to be the way to avoid that particular behavior, so we may continue to stick to the Lapham Loop and the trails at Maggie’s for the next couple of weeks to see if she can get out of the habit. Still, it’s so convenient to go out the back door at camp and head up the trail to Buck’s Ledge, without having to get in the car and drive anywhere.

I’ve been on vacation this week—my first week off during the summer since 2018!—and we’ve had lots of company at camp, with more to come this weekend, when we’ll celebrate Will and Tony’s birthdays, which are both on Saturday. Donna was here from Friday through Monday, and we spent a good chunk of time relaxing on the deck on each of those days, making it finally feel like summer to me. My daughter Annie arrived from Colorado on Tuesday for a short visit, and managed to get one day of sunny deck time before the clouds and rain set in. There have also been visits from the crew who have been staying at my brother’s camp, just down the road, including my niece Sara and her husband Michael, who are here from their home in the other Portland this week.

We’ll celebrate Annie’s birthday, which was July 20, this evening (Thursday) with dinner at camp and vegan carrot cake. On Friday, Annie and I will drive to York Beach to spend the afternoon with her Colorado sister, Cait, who is on vacation there this week with her partner Ben and his extended family, and Donna will meet up with us, too, to see both girls (her honorary nieces). Then I’ll drop Annie off at the airport (in our Portland) on my way home.

On Saturday, Katie and Lila will arrive to celebrate Tony and Will’s birthdays with lobster and (definitely not vegan) cheesecake.

To top it off, on Monday I’ll be hosting three college friends for “Colby College Camp Day,” an annual gathering we’ve all been enjoying for many years.

Whew…tell me again why it’s called a vacation? At least I’m not trying to fit in all this socializing while working, too.

This past Saturday I attended the celebration of life for Beth Brough, held at her beloved West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel, which truly was a celebration, with all of her five wonderful kids and several grandchildren sharing beautiful thoughts and memories of their remarkable matriarch through words and music. I felt as though I already knew many of them through the essays Beth shared with us in our writing group meetings, and I feel blessed to have had this brief glimpse into the deep love (and abundant humor) shared by this extraordinary family. Godspeed, Beth…you will be so much missed, and so well remembered, by so many.

Facebook memories have, again, been reminding me of Eli the Wonder Pup, and what a big part he played in our lives. We are so lucky to have been his people, even if for far too short a time.

Here are some August events for your calendar:

Wednesday, August 5, at 7 p.m. at the Locke’s Mills Legion Hall, Greenwood Historical Society program, “Growing Up Greenwood,” will feature a panel of some of our town’s oldest residents telling stories about “how life used to be in Greenwood.” It will be a great chance for newer residents to learn how life used to be here in our community.

Friday and Saturday, August 7 and 8, on the lawn of the Bethel Library: Annual Used Book Sale. The sale begins at noon on Friday and continues all day on Saturday. This much-anticipated event will take place rain or shine. For more information, call 207-824-2520.

Saturday, August 8, is Molly Ockett Day in Bethel, beginning with the parade at 10:30 a.m., continuing all day with kids’ activities, food, vendors, and entertainment on the Common, and culminating in fireworks at 9 p.m. You can find the full schedule of events on the Bethel Area Business Association Facebook page.

Friday, August 14, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the West Bethel Makerspace, 10 Ferry Road, Bethel: Community Mending Group monthly meeting. From the organizers: “Join us drop-in style. Yes, we’re starting earlier than usual, and yes, at the West Bethel Makerspace! Altering our usual “Feature Focus” (one specific topic and/or skill) format just a bit, we’re suggesting several possibilities of what to bring to work on. Any furniture needing repair? There will be expertise along with different glues, sanders, veneer, clamps etc. Or maybe there’s a small appliance sitting dormant in your closet. With the range of skills circulating, it could be revived! Or…get it done with 3d printing, perfect for small missing plastic parts that are holding up progress. We are thrilled with all the opportunities the Makerspace presents! The Makerspace team has created a fantastic working environment, and they look forward to making new connections that support our community. As always, rally up a friend, and a few dollars to put into the donation box so that our group can continue to grow and thrive.”

Saturday, August 15, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the West Paris Historical Society, 221 Main Street in West Paris: Indoor Yard Sale. Items include books, home decor, dishes, tools, games, and other treasures! Proceeds benefit the West Paris Historical Society. Parking available behind the West Paris Library.

Saturday, August 15, at 2 p.m. at the Locke’s Mills Legion Hall, 595 Gore Road: Silent Auction to benefit “Sunshine for Sugarsnap,” raising funds for Michelle “Sugarsnap” Roberts’ fight to save her leg through a rare two-stage joint reconstruction surgery. From Harry Orcutt, Commander of American Legion Jackson Silver Post 68 in Locke’s Mills: “In a continuing community outreach program, the Executive Committee of American Legion Jackson Silver Post 68 is providing their spacious facility to help her raise funds with a Silent Auction. Donations of items for the auction are being sought; a donation jar will be available at the event. Free admission and parking. We are trying to get the word out, to make this effort as successful as possible.”

Please see the flyer below for additional information and more ways to help.

Saturday, August 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the West Paris Library: Amy Wight Chapman (hey, that’s me!) will read from and discuss her family memoir. Published by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, Just Like Glass is the story of an indomitable family and how a strong matriarch, the stillness of a small pond in western Maine, and one unexpected addition set them on a path to healing from tragedy and redefining themselves as a family unit.

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

“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.” – Sam Keen

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The maps I’ve seen show the smoke that has made its way to Maine as “light,” but it’s been enough to turn the sun red in the late afternoon and evening (when I could actually see the sun through the smoke and clouds). However, the color-coded maps show the smoke in Connecticut, where I grew up and where my brother Andy still lives, as “very heavy,” with unhealthy air quality.

Harry Orcutt and Susan Vacca of Greenwood celebrated their 50^th anniversary on the Fourth of July, America’s 250^th birthday, which means that they were married on the day of the nation’s Bicentennial. They celebrated in grand style, by riding up Main Street in Bethel in an open Jeep in the Fourth of July parade, dressed in their Revolutionary War costumes.

Tony and I attended the Greenwood Historical Society program, “Greenwood 101,” last week and very much enjoyed Andrew Wheeler’s informative presentation. We also appreciated the air conditioning in the Legion Hall!

With the passing of Beth Brough on July 11, our town has lost the holder of its Boston Post cane, and I have lost a dear friend. All of the words I can think of to describe Beth fall far short of conveying what an absolutely magnificent, loving, generous, and joyous person she was. I can only say that I will miss her so much, and I will always count myself blessed to have known her. Perhaps more than anyone I have ever known, Beth embodied the advice that if you love someone, you should let them know. There will be a service to celebrate her wonderful life at the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel on Saturday, July 25, at 11 a.m. I love you, Beth.

Here are some upcoming events you may want to attend:

Saturday, July 18, and every Saturday through August 29, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Open House at the Greenwood Historical Society museums on Main Street in Locke’s Mills. Stop by to visit and see the exhibits!

Monday, July 20, at 6:00 p.m. at the West Paris Historical Society, 221 Main Street in West Paris: “The Poland Spring Resort; Its Stories, Guests, and Facilities.” Guest speaker Laura Brown from the Poland Spring Museums will tell stories about the facilities and its guests. Poland Spring Resort has a legendary place in the history of Maine dating back to 1794. A 5,000-acre resort attracted vacationers who were the economic and social elite of the country. The Ricker family purchased the Maine State Building of the 1893 Columbian Exposition, dismantled it, and rebuilt it at Poland Spring. Other features are the golf course, the Chapel, and of course the bottling plant. Light refreshments will be served. Parking available behind the West Paris Library.

Wednesday, August 5, at 7 p.m. at the Locke’s Mills Legion Hall, Greenwood Historical Society program, “How it used to be,” will feature a panel of some of Greenwood’s oldest residents telling stories about “how life used to be in Greenwood.” It will be a great chance for newer residents to learn how life used to be here in our community.

Friday and Saturday, August 7 and 8, on the lawn of the Bethel Library: Annual Used Book Sale. The sale begins at noon on Friday and continues all day on Saturday. This much-anticipated event will take place rain or shine. For more information, call 207-824-2520.

Saturday, August 8, is Molly Ockett Day in Bethel, beginning with the parade at 10:30 a.m., continuing all day with kids’ activities, food, vendors, and entertainment on the Common, and culminating in fireworks at 9 p.m. You can find the full schedule of events on the Bethel Area Business Association Facebook page, as well as the first two weekly clues for the Molly Ockett Day Medallion Hunt.

Here’s a memory from Molly Ockett Day in 2016, when the Greenwood Historical Society booth offered delicious baked goods made with recipes from some of Greenwood’s best cooks—Diddy Johnson’s blueberry cake, Phyllis Coolidge’s raisin cookies, Elsie Bennett’s molasses crinkles, and Gram Nellie Martin’s toffee squares.

Saturday, August 15, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the West Paris Historical Society, 221 Main Street in West Paris: Indoor Yard Sale. Items include books, home decor, dishes, tools, games, and other treasures! Proceeds benefit the West Paris Historical Society. Parking available behind the West Paris Library.

Saturday, August 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the West Paris Library: Amy Wight Chapman (hey, that’s me!) will read from and discuss her family memoir. Published by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, Just Like Glass is the story of an indomitable family and how a strong matriarch, the stillness of a small pond in western Maine, and one unexpected addition set them on a path to healing from tragedy and redefining themselves as a family unit.

Pupdate: Lena has had a busy week! On Saturday, Tony and I took her for a short hike on the Chapman Brook Trail, where she got to play in the brook a bit as well as hike. She behaved very well on the “out” part of our out-and-back hike, but as soon as we turned around, she was up to her old tricks, jumping on us, grabbing our clothing in her teeth, and refusing to make any forward progress whatsoever.

This has been a persistent problem since she was less than three months old, although, thankfully, it’s happening much less often now and usually only lasts for a couple of minutes. I used to be able to just pick her up and carry her for a short distance, until she got over it, but now that she’s over five months and weighs close to 40 pounds, that’s no longer an option.

Since the behavior only seems to occur when we turn around to retrace our steps, we decided that maybe the solution was to find loop trails to walk with her. On Sunday, we went back to the same trailhead on the North Road, but instead of the Chapman Brook Trail, we walked the Esker Loop, across the road…and it worked! She was pretty much a model puppy for the whole hike; I was so busy marveling that my clothes weren’t being shredded that I forgot to take a single photo.

Monday was playdate with Puck day, and both dogs wore themselves out with an hour of chase games, in and out of the lake. Puck seems to have decided that Lena is big enough now to handle somewhat rougher play, so there was a lot of wrestling involved. Five minutes after Puck left, Lena was sound asleep on the couch.

On Tuesday morning, Lena and I met my sister-in-law Louise and niece Alison at the Buck’s Ledge Community Forest and joined a group who regularly walk the Trail for All on Tuesday mornings, part of the Western Maine Hikes for All Ages program started by Sue Radway. There were eight humans on the walk, and Lena, who needs a lot more socialization than we’ve exposed her to so far (mainly because we’re pretty sure other people won’t take kindly to having their clothes shredded) behaved much better than I would have predicted. Once she had greeted everyone (somewhat boisterously) she was more interested in chasing bugs and sniffing her way along the trail than in jumping on them. Life with Lena is finally beginning to get a little easier!

I picked the first of this year’s wild highbush blueberries at camp on Monday morning, and made a batch of blueberry muffins. My family has been picking berries from those bushes, which grow close to the pond, since 1955!

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

“You’ll never regret eating blueberries or working up a sweat.” — Jacquelyn Mitchard

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Saturday, July 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Community Celebration, sponsored by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society and the Independence 250 Committee. Here’s the full schedule:

10:00 a.m. - Parade (Assemble at 9:00 a.m. at River Lanes)

11:30 a.m. - Patriotic picnic and concert by the Portland Brass Quintet at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society. (Preceded by a presentation of the colors and a reading of the Declaration of Independence)

1:00 - 3:00 p.m. - Party! Food, music, and games at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, including:

Zim Zam Jam - Open music jam (All voices and acoustic instruments welcome.)

Historic games and dress-up activities for children

Regional History Fair - Information tables and activities from area historical societies

Lawn games - Croquet, cornhole, and more

Grand opening of the “Connected by a Thread” quilt exhibit in the Mason House exhibit hall

Chronicle of Colors: Flags of the United States exhibit in the Robinson House

Centennials Past and Present exhibit in the Robinson House

Mason House Museum period room tours

Museum Shop specials

Hot dogs and snacks available for purchase from the “Mt. Zircon Bottle” lunch stand

Also happening all day on July 4th:

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - 22nd Annual Shy, Novice, and Closeted Art Show - Local artists (18 High Street)

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. - Bethel Area Arts and Music Summer Art Market (Philbrook Place, 162 Main Street)

Saturday, July 4, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Tyler Concrete, 256 North Main Street in Greenwood: Second annual Independence Cruise-in. Free admission gets you live entertainment from the Ball Brothers Band and the Fossils, Jamaican cuisine by Kool Runnings available to purchase, classic cars, and fireworks. Contact (207) 557-3785 for more info.

Sunday, July 5th, 9:15 p.m. - Fireworks Show! (Bethel Resort & Suites)

Wednesday, July 15, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Locke Mills Union Church: Public Spaghetti Supper.

Molly Ockett Day Medallion Hunt returns!

Molly Ockett Day will be held in Bethel on Saturday, August 8. In the return of an old favorite tradition, and to help commemorate America’s 250^th birthday, the Molly Ockett Day Medallion Hunt, sponsored by the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society and the Bethel Area Business Association (BABA), is officially underway.

The object of the hunt is to decipher a series of clues and locate the medallion hidden on public land within the town lines of Albany, Andover, Bethel, Gilead, Greenwood, Grafton, Hanover, Mason, Newry, Riley Plantation (Sunday River area), and Woodstock.

The finder of the medallion will be awarded a cash prize of $599.99 (generously donated by Western Maine Supply and Clean Cut Painting Company) during the Molly Ockett Day festivities.

Clues, each different and more revealing, will be published once a week for five weeks leading up to Molly Ockett Day on August 8, 2026. The first clue will be revealed at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society’s July 4th Celebration.

All clues will be announced on WOXO radio on Monday mornings, starting July 6, and then published on the Bethel Area Business Association and Museums of the Bethel Historical Society Facebook pages on Wednesday mornings at 9 a.m., starting on July 8.

If the medallion is not found by the time of the fireworks on Molly Ockett Day, the hunt will be terminated.

Here are the contest rules:

1. Anyone is eligible to join the thrilling hunt for $599.99 except for MBHS staff, trustees, Independence 250 committee members, and their immediate family, as well as Bethel Area Business Association Officers and immediate family members.

2. To claim the prize money, you must be 18 years or older or accompanied by a parent/guardian.

3. The finder of the Molly Ockett Treasure Hunt medallion must immediately return the medallion to Bethel Area Business Association by calling 207-890-3617.

4. The finder will receive the cash prize of $599.99 on Molly Ockett Day August 8th.

5. BABA reserves the right to discontinue the hunt if public property is destroyed, or if reports of private property trespassing are discovered.

6. The medallion will be in a clear container, and is generally hidden in or attached to something else. The medallion is not buried below ground and as the rules state, searchers do not need to destroy property to find it, this includes digging up the ground.

7. Searchers also do not need to risk personal injury to find the medallion.

8. All contestants agree that BABA, MBHS, and WOXO will have no liability whatsoever and will be held harmless of any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly from acceptance, possession, misuse, or use of the prize or participation in this contest.

9. The winner grants permission for Bethel Area Business Association (BABA) and Museums of the Bethel Historical Society (MBHS) to use his or her name and photograph.

Pupdate: Lena will turn five months old on Monday, July 6! She’s been learning to swim, although she’s still a bit unsure about it. She’s an excellent retriever on land, and even brings the ball (or stick, or Frisbee) back (most of the time), and she’ll swim a couple of yards to retrieve a toy in the water, but when she reaches it, she forgets to swim and gets a little panicky, flailing around and sometimes going under. (Don’t worry, I stay right with her in the water!) I think she could really use a doggy lifejacket to allow her to build up confidence (and get much-needed exercise) while she’s too young to keep herself afloat for long without one. We do have Eli’s XL lifejacket for her to wear next year, but I may have to get her a medium-size one to wear this year so she can keep up with her friend Puck on playdates.

Speaking of swimming, I’ve been going for long swims as often as I can, usually in the early mornings when the lake is calm. Tuesday morning I swam to Rock Island and back for the first time this summer, a roundtrip that takes me slightly less than an hour. In weather like this, I’m glad for a form of exercise that doesn’t leave me hot and sweaty, but I’m really missing hiking. Between a puppy who’s too young to hike yet, and a lawn that won’t stop growing, I somehow went the whole month of June without a hike!

The First Universalist Church of West Paris is closed for the summer. Members and other people interested are encouraged to attend the Universalist Church in West Sumner from July 12- August 23. The West Sumner time is 11:00 followed by a lovely luncheon. The West Paris Universalist church will reopen the Sunday after Labor Day, Sept. 13.

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

A nearly 2.5-mile section of the Greenwood Road, from the Rowe Hill Road intersection to the Howe Hill Road, is in need of major rebuilding, including digging up and removing and replacing at least…

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Greenwood’s Roads Committee, which includes the selectmen, will be meeting with Rob Prue of Pine Tree Engineering at the Town Office on Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m. to discuss both Johnny’s Bridge and the Greenwood Road.

Many of you may have read Chris Dunham’s history of Johnny’s Bridge when he posted it on the “Greenwood as It Was” Facebook page back on April 19, 2024, but some of you may not have seen it (and others, like me, may tend to forget a lot of what you read, no matter how fascinating), so I thought I’d include it here, with thanks to Chris, as always, for the incredible job he does of recording and sharing our town’s history.

This Nettie Maxim photo of Johnny’s Bridge, along with the inset photo of the concrete bridge that later bore the name, appeared in the Bethel Citizen on June 24, 2010. At that time the town was debating what to do about the bridge—a question that had arisen repeatedly over the previous 150 years.

Johnny’s Bridge and its adjacent causeways were completed by September 1844, when the first town way was laid out “Crossing the Bridge to the road leading from Hamblins Gore to Locks Mills.” It was sometimes called the “Estes Bridge” in early records. Both this and its later name honored John Estes, who settled on the “Island farm” nearby in 1848.

The early incarnations of the bridge were built for the convenience of travelers but not of those traveling by water. In perhaps its first acknowledgment of Greenwood’s recreational appeal, the town considered in 1907 whether “to raise Johnny’s Bridge, so called, high enough to admit of easy passage of small launches, row boats and canoes, and to raise money for the same.” Lemuel Dunham went to town meeting and wrote of the debate in the Oxford Democrat of March 12, 1907:

“Johnny’s Bridge extends over the narrows between South and Round Pond, in Greenwood, and North Pond in Woodstock; and by raising the bridge several feet, so as to permit the above mentioned crafts to pass through, it would enlarge the play ground of the summer pleasure seekers by permitting them to navigate the three ponds without disembarking. No one objected to the scheme, providing those who wanted it done would pay the bill; but the rural districts thought it wrong to raise the money for that purpose by taxing the town. But finally those who were in for the scheme carried the day by a small majority, and it was voted to raise $200 for that purpose.”

Work was begun in the late summer of 1908 to raise the bridge three feet. Lemuel wrote in September that farmers were obliged during the construction to “haul their sweet corn round by North Woodstock to get to the Pond” and that some of those farmers were heard to “use words hardly appropriate to be heard in Sabbath School.”

Approaching and crossing Johnny’s Bridge could be perilous. Jeremiah Bartlett, a merchant in Locke’s Mills, was elected a selectman in 1863. He would write years later that, “though doing my duty as well as I understood it (as a republican), I was not allowed to hold that honorable position but one year, but quite long enough to place guide boards in needed places, and have a railing for ‘Johnny’s Bridge,’ all of which have now disappeared, and only the tongue can supply the place of one, and the instinct of the animals that draw the carriages can guard their owners from danger.” In 1894 Capt. John F. Dearborn, formerly co-owner of the spool mill in this town, turned the corner on the Gore Road too short and fast and capsized his buggy near the bridge. When help arrived, the captain was clinging to bushes, up to his neck in water. A Buick touring car went through the fence there in 1919, and a similar mishap occurred at the same spot in the summer of 1922. From the Citizen of Aug. 17:

“It seems that the driver was in a hurry and was travelling at a high rate of speed, and when he came to the turn near “Johnnie’s bridge” he was going so fast that he could not make the turn and the car went through the railing into about three feet of water.”

“This turn in the road is a very bad one,” the reporter cautioned, “and motorists should use less gas and more time in making the turn and thus avoiding accidents.”

A year later a young woman from Rumford would be killed when the National roadster in which she was riding missed the turn and plunged over the embankment. The speeding car had passed John Howe on the Gore Road just moments before. A crowd from Littlefield’s dance pavilion rushed to the scene and extracted the victim. The Portland Evening Express noted that this was “the sixth accident to happen at this curve so far this Summer, and only last Sunday a car with four adults and seven children went over the same embankment.” The lack of proper signs was blamed.

Johnny’s Bridge was made of wood until the fall of 1926, when it was replaced with one made of concrete. The approaches were improved then as well. At that time and until the late 1930s, Route 26 and its traffic passed over this narrow bridge. While building the new highway nearby in 1938, the state sought bids for replacing “Johnnies Bridge over Johnny Brook.” The concrete bridge we all remember was replaced in 2016 by a culvert that, due to ledge being found beneath, sat higher than expected, providing some additional headroom for boaters.

Depending on the water level at any given time, trips to town by boat during my childhood summers always offered one of two challenges: would we have to pull up the motor or risk breaking a shear pin on the rocks beneath the bridge (low water), or would we have to flatten ourselves against the bottom of our aluminum boat and use our hands to push on the roof of the bridge to propel ourselves through (high water)? Sayward Lamb told a great story about being trapped under the bridge for quite some time after a sudden thunderstorm came up one afternoon while he was visiting relatives at Littlefield Beaches, causing the water level to rise suddenly, so that his boat got stuck on the way home.

Upcoming events for your calendar include:

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

Friday, June 26, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at True North Adventureware (196 Walkers Mills Road, Bethel): Community Mending Group. This month’s Feature Focus is outdoor gear repair. There will be multiple stations set up. For example, Jonathan Goldberg will be showing how to use a Speedy Stitcher, and Robin Nesbeda will demonstrate ways to work with Tenacious Tape. As always, bring your own project (it doesn’t need to be the Feature Focus) and a few dollars to put into the donation box. If you have a friend who may be interested, bring them along too! This meeting will be held outside, so dress accordingly.

Friday, June 26, at 5 p.m. at the West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel: Potluck supper and program. Sue Radway will talk about her “Hikes for All Ages” initiative. Sue says her program is for “hiker wannabees, new hikers, experienced hikers, and those who wish they could but can’t.” Come hear about the opportunities. Bring a dish to share for the potluck.

Saturday, July 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society: A grand community celebration for America’s 250th birthday!

At the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, the theme of this summer’s Mornings at the Museum program, which takes place on Thursday mornings in July, will be “Happy Birthday, America!” See details in the flyer below.

Last Saturday, Tony and I went to Portland to see our granddaughter, Lila, perform in her dance recital. She takes ballet lessons at the Casco Bay Movers Dance Studio, and the recital showcased the many different types of dance lessons they offer, which range from traditional ballet to hip-hop and break-dancing. It was fun to see the energy all the dancers displayed, and of course our own little ballet dancer was perfect.

Lila’s eighth birthday was June 16, so we celebrated after the recital with a late lunch of pizza back at her house, followed by a walk to nearby Beal’s Ice Cream for dessert. Her mid-June birthday has led me to start a tradition of making her a “summer survival kit” for her birthday gift, filled with snacks and summer toys, as I used to do for all four of the kids on the last day of school each year.

Lena enjoyed a second play date with her new friend Puck, Betsey Foster’s two-and-a-half-year-old Golden retriever, on Monday. She still didn’t want to go into the lake far enough for her feet to come off the bottom, but she followed him a little further out this time, and got wet all over.

Happy Fathers’ Day to all the wonderful dads, stepdads, grandpas, uncles, big brothers, and father figures! Although I never knew my own dad, who died before I was born, I have been blessed to have three wonderful much older brothers who did a great job of filling his shoes.

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

“Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.” —Anne Geddes

An inspection by an engineer from Pine Tree Engineering resulted in the recommendation to keep the bri…

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