​Annie of Annie and the Orphans Final Performance to be at The Sandwich Fair
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Mark this date on your calendar to see Annie perform for the final time at The Sandwich Fair on Monday, October 10. The tradition of watching the musical group, Annie, and the Orphans, will be special this year. This is the LAST performance of the Orphans where Anatole ‘Annie’ Paquette will be performing. For the past 58 years, the group has traveled throughout New England and far beyond to entertain. You may have listened to their ‘rock and roll’ songs on the Mt. Washington boat, at weddings, and at towns’ celebatory events. The group will be performing on the stage at 12 Noon and 3 pm. 

If you are interested in learning of Annie’s life and how he fulfilled his passion for music by creating this musical group at 16 years old that continued for almost 60 years, use the following link https://youtu.be/8rIHlOj8vh8.

 As part of Avaloch Farm Music Institute’s community outreach program, a free concert has been scheduled for Wednesday August 24, 2022, at 6:30 pm at the United Church of Penacook.  The Ted Babcock Consort, a classical cross over ensemble of vibraphone, marimba, piano, guitar and bass, will perform.  Additional information about Ted Babcock can be found at https://tedbabcock.com  Directions to the church are available at www.ucpnh.org
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Wildland firefighters are currently working to contain a wildfire which may have been sparked by an illegal campfire situated in a remote section of Pawtuckaway State Park in Nottingham.

The fire’s location, near the Boulder Field area of the park, makes it difficult to get water to the site. In addition to the challenges for firefighters caused by current weather conditions – with temperatures in the 90s and high humidity – the fire is burning deep into the forest’s duff layer, forcing firefighters to dig deep in order to extinguish all embers.

The fire was reported Sunday afternoon after being spotted from the Pawtuckaway fire tower and is estimated to have started late Saturday evening or early Sunday morning.

Wildland firefighters from the N.H. Forest Protection Bureau, Nottingham Fire Department and mutual aid departments from surrounding towns are on scene. As of Tuesday morning, the fire is 2.4 acres and 50 percent contained.

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Forest Ranger Abigail Nehiley from the N.H. Forest Protection Bureau at abigail.n.nehiley@dncr.nh.gov.

“Having a campfire, or any fire, without a permit and landowner permission is a misdemeanor in New Hampshire and the person who caused it is liable for damages and all expenses incurred to extinguish it,” said Captain Michael Matson of the N.H. Forest Protection Bureau. “With more than 85 percent of New Hampshire currently experiencing moderate drought, and the entire state classified as abnormally dry, illegal fires can be even more dangerous and destructive because it can take time to spot them and dispatch a wildfire suppression team to the scene to extinguish it.”

“To help protect our beautiful state’s natural resources for all to enjoy, it’s vitally important to make sure not only that it’s okay to have a campfire, but also that your fire is completely out before you leave it,” said Captain Matson. “That means drowning it with water, stirring the ash and using the back of your hand to feel for heat. If it’s still warm, there’s still hot burning material present that can cause a wildfire so you need to repeat the process until the site is totally cold.”

Wildland firefighters are also working to contain another wildfire which appears to have been caused by an abandoned illegal campfire in Hinsdale at Pisgah State Park. 

Anyone wishing to have a campfire or other category of fire in New Hampshire may obtain a burn permit at nhfirepermit.com. 

​Vacation Bible School 
Bow Mills United Methodist Church, 505 South St., Bow, NH is offering “God’s Wonder Lab – Jesus does the impossible” from July 25 – July 29 from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon.  At God's Wonder Lab, children will look into the Bible and discover that Jesus does the impossible! It is a science based theme for children of all ages.  
If you are interested in this program, please contact us.  Registration is available now. It is also free to anyone who would like to attend. Call for more information:  603-224-0884 or e-mail bowmillscym@gmail.com   We look forward to hearing from you.

​AN EVENING WITH ARTIST & NATURALIST DAVID CARROLL
With a Special Focus on His Book Trout Reflections

All who enjoy nature and especially those who fish will want to attend the Warner Historical Society’s Tory Hill Authors Series at the Warner Town Hall on July 23rd, 7pm with artist-naturalist and writer David Carroll.  Carroll, who in 2006 was awarded a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (aka “Genius Grant”) is the author-illustrator of three acclaimed natural histories: The Year of the Turtle; Trout Reflections; and Swampwalkers Journal (winner of the John Burroughs Medal for distinguished nature writing) – his “wet sneaker trilogy”.  These were followed by Self-Portrait with Turtles, a memoir centered on his lifelong connection with turtles and their ecologies. His fifth book, Following the Warner, A hydromancer’s Notebook, was named a finalist in non-fiction for a National Book Award in 2009.

His natural history drawings and watercolors have been on exhibit at the Currier Museum of Art.  His works can be found in the collections of the Hunt Institute of Botanical Documentation, Pittsburgh, PA.; the Dodd Archive Center at the University of CT; Connecticut College, New London, CT; the Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, NH; and many private collections.

In addition to his own field work with turtles, David has conducted investigations for the Endangered Species programs of NH, VT, and ME, as well as such agencies as the US Environmental Agency; the National Park Service; and the USDA Forest Service. 

He is an active lecturer and turtle and wetlands preservation advocate, for which he has been the recipient of an Environmental Merit Award from the US EPA; other awards include the USDA Forest Service; The International Society of Arboriculture; and the NH Audubon’s Tudor Richards Award.

The Tory Hill Authors Series is an annual summer event sponsored by the Warner Historical Society showcasing locally and nationally known authors reading and talking about their works and personal experiences.  A dessert social and book signing are held following the readings. Single tickets are ten dollars or a packet of three for twenty-four dollars may be purchased at the door, on-line at www.ToryHillAuthorsSeries.com, the Warner Historical Society and MainStreet BookEnds.

New this season are activities that let the audience explore the authors’ work in more depth.  Try your hand at fly-tying on July 30th after being inspired by Carroll’s musings on trout and all things natural.  Come to the next author talk August 6th, 6:30pm where Tom Wessels will help us “read the forested landscape” and then join Richard Cook, Rebecca Courser and Sherry Gould on September 18th on a walk through Warner’s historic landscape.

The Warner Historical Society formed over 50 years ago to preserve, educate about and keep alive Warner’s heritage.  The Society has yearly exhibits and programs in the Upton Chandler House Museum on Main Street and maintains the Lower Warner Meeting House which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

​Announcing the first annual Friends-a-Palooza July 30, 2022, 2-5 pm
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The Friends Program is taking over Keach Park in Concord to celebrate International Friendship Day!  Friends-a-Palooza is a family-fun event filled with free activities for kids of all ages.  We will have crafts and field games, face-painting, kids Zumba, giant bubbles, corn-hole, music, dance and a story telling read-a-thon, snacks, prizes and more.

Friends-a-Palooza is designed to raise awareness of The Friends Program services for youth and families.  The event will be open to the entire community and include special outreach to the at-risk youth in the local area.  75% of the children served by the Friends Program live below the federal poverty level and more than two thirds are from New American families.   
The Friends Program is a nonprofit 501 (C) (3) agency located in Concord, NH. Founded in 1975 as a social service organization, the agency recruits, trains and manages volunteers to meet community needs. Our mission is to build positive connections and solutions for at-risk youth, families, and seniors.
 
We serve eight NH counties and work on behalf of the state’s most vulnerable populations. The agency strives to meet its mission through the implementation of mentoring programs for at-risk youth, emergency housing for homeless families with children, an intergenerational program that creates meaningful opportunities for seniors to work with children in classrooms, and a senior volunteer program that links a volunteer's skills to otherwise unmet needs within the communities that we serve.

The Friends-a-Palooza event is free, donations will be accepted to benefit the Friend’s Program services for at-risk youth and families.  To learn more about the Friends Program- please visit our website.  

The New Hampshire Audubon Proudly Presents
All Things Owl in New England Habitats
THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF HOWARD S. MUSCOTT 
www.chasingthegoldenlight.com
July 1 through August 31, 2022                                 
Susan McLane Audubon Center
84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH 
(603) 224-9909; Email: nha@nhaudubon.org
https://www.nhaudubon.org/center-and-events/mclane-center-concord/
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Special Exhibition Opening Thursday July 7th, 2022.  4-6 PM
According to Howard, “Owls have always fascinated me and I’ve spent hours trying to find, photograph and experience their presence.  Fortunately, New England in general, and New Hampshire in particular, have excellent habitat for these magnificent creatures in every season. Whether indigenous to New England like the Barred and Screech Owl, or Winter visitors from the North like the Snowy, Short-eared, or Great Grey, Owls are beautiful to photograph in New England environments. In All Things Owl, I try to immerse the viewer in images of these mighty birds of prey within local natural habitats on dunes, in forests, and in the sky.  My hope is that the images encourage a personal connection to one of nature’s most beautiful and intelligent raptors, inspiring one to want to treasure and protect them as much as I do.”

Howard Muscott has photographed nature, landscapes and wildlife for more than 45 years.  Grounded in his early years of hiking, backpacking, and mountain climbing, Howard's love for nature photography is fueled by the exquisite beauty of the natural world and the wildlife residing within their various landscapes.  “The ideal photograph tells a story that speaks directly and profoundly to the heart while moving the mind to self-reflection and advocacy.”  

Self-taught, Howard has had more than 40 individual and 60 group shows highlighting among other things Nature, Autumn, Southwestern Peoples and Light, the Mountains of Alaska, Colorado and the Pacific Northwest, Owls, Costa Rica, and Kenya.  Howard’s work has been published on the cover of national journals in education, in newspapers and books, and used on educational and other websites. 

CHASING THE GOLDEN LIGHT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HOWARD S. MUSCOTT 
AMHERST, NEW HAMPSHIRE
(603) 440-8141; hmuscott@gmail.com
www.chasingthegoldenlight.com
Social Media: FB: Howard Muscott; Instagram: howardsmuscott

Howard Muscott’s photography has captured the exquisite beauty of the natural world and the amazing wildlife within it for more than 45 years.

Howard Muscott has photographed nature, landscapes and wildlife for more than 45 years.  Grounded in his early years of hiking, backpacking, and mountain climbing, Howard's love for nature photography is fueled by the exquisite beauty of the natural world and the wildlife residing within their various landscapes.  “The ideal photograph tells a story that speaks directly and profoundly to the heart while moving the mind to self-reflection and advocacy.”  

Self-taught, Howard has had more than 40 individual and 60 group shows highlighting among other things Nature, Owls, Autumn, Southwestern Peoples and Light, the Mountains of Alaska, Colorado and the Pacific Northwest, Costa Rica, and Kenya.  Howard’s work has been published on the cover of national journals in education, in newspapers and books, and used on educational and other websites. He was the featured artist at the 34th Annual Beaver Brook Fall Festival in 2014. He has won numerous awards for both wildlife and portraits including, Best in Theme and People’s Choice at Beaver Brook Association in Fall 2021. In 2019-20, Howard was honored as the Artist of the Year of the Manchester NH Artist Association. He was juried into the prestigious New Hampshire Art Association in Portsmouth, NH in 2021.

Howard is a lifelong special educator and retired professor who directs the New Hampshire Center for Effective Behavioral Interventions and Supports at SERESC in Bedford, NH.  His work can be found on his website and at various stores, galleries, and office buildings around NH. 

PANCAKE BREAKFAST 
FOR SERVICE DOGS PROGRAM 
SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022
8:00 – 11:00 A.M.
Horace Chase Lodge, 
53 North Main Street
Boscawen, NH
Adults - $8.00
Age 6-12 - $4.00
5 and younger Free
Plain or Blueberry Pancakes
Bacon or Sausage
Gluten Free French Toast
Juice, Tea and Coffee 
Please Join Us
All funds raised will go to support Service Dogs
Hosted by
Gretta J. Smith, GGCCM and Priscilla Chapter #51

​Annual Loon Census and Loon Festival to be Held on July 16th
MOULTONBOROUGH—The Loon Preservation Committee (LPC) will conduct its Annual Loon Census on July 16th from 8:00–9:00 AM. During that hour, LPC staff and volunteers throughout the state will take to the lakes to count loons. Following the Loon Census, the Loon Preservation Committee will be hosting its Annual Loon Festival from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM at The Loon Center in Moultonborough. In honor of these events, the New Hampshire senate has declared July 16th Loon Appreciation day.
“The Loon Census is a valuable part of our annual data collection,” said LPC biologist, Caroline Hughes. “It helps us to get a good count of the number of paired, as well as unpaired, adult loons and loon chicks that are present in our state.”  Unpaired adult loons are those that do not develop a bond with a mate and defend a territory in a given year. Because they are not tied to a particular lake, they may spend time on many lakes, making it more difficult for biologists to get an accurate count during their surveys.
 
“During the census, we have hundreds of volunteers surveying hundreds of water bodies at the exact same time, which helps us to get a snapshot in time of our loon population and nail down exactly how many of those unpaired adults we have in the state,” Hughes said. The Loon Census also helps LPC to monitor the progress of known loon nests, discover previously unknown nests, check on the survival of chicks that have hatched in the previous weeks, and detect new loon chicks that may have hatched since biologists last surveyed a given water body. Census results are incorporated into LPC’s summer-long monitoring, the results of which will be given in an end-of-season presentation livestreamed on the organization’s YouTube channel on August 26th.
 
New Hampshire’s Loon Census is part of a much larger regional effort—at the same time that biologists and volunteers are setting out on New Hampshire lakes, counterparts in Maine, Vermont, and New York will be out doing the same. Those who would like to take part in the New Hampshire segment of this region-wide effort to count loons should contact the Loon Preservation Committee at (603)476-5666 for more information.
 
After the Loon Census, the 43rd Annual Loon Festival will be held at the Loon Center in Moultonborough from 10:00 AM–2:00 PM. The Loon Festival is a family friendly event that will feature loon presentations given by LPC biologists, face painting, balloon animals, loon themed crafts and games for kids, a Discovery Table and live animals from the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, a fun and educational display about lake ecosystems from the NH Lakes Association, and a dunk tank where a correctly-answered loon trivia question will earn participants a chance to dunk a biologist.
For over 46 years the Loon Preservation Committee has worked to preserve the Common Loon and its habitat in New Hampshire through research, education and management activities. Come learn about these marvelous and mysterious birds and how you can help protect them.
To reach the Loon Center from Route 25 in Moultonborough turn onto Blake Road at the Moultonborough Central School. Follow Blake Road one mile to the end at Lee’s Mills Road. Turn right and the Loon Center is the first building on the left, #183. For further information call (603) 476-5666 or email info@loon.org.