TheLaker_May_18_26

Local Author Cheryl Farnsworth Brings Spruce Hollow to Life

By Mike Moore

Northern New England has long been a desired place for countless authors, artists, and illustrators. The serenity of the forest, the picturesque views of the lakes, and the centuries of history are just some of the alluring factors that writers and artists take inspiration from when creating their work. Famous poets like Robert Frost and EE Cummings spent much of their lives in New Hampshire. Novelists JD Salinger and Stephen King produced their legendary work in the Lakes Region just over the Maine border. Regardless of who is creating the art and who their intended audience is, there is just something about our area that brings out the creative genius in many of us.

Cheryl Farnsworth, a local author, illustrator, and educator, was moved by New Hampshire’s beauty just the same, which is the inspiration for her whimsical children’s book series, Tales from Spruce Hollow. She spent the early part of her career working with children as a reading specialist and teacher of academically gifted students. It was a lifelong love of reading that helped Farnsworth achieve her career goal of helping others fall in love with the written word. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Farnsworth and her family first traveled through the Lakes Region several decades ago and were lovestruck by the quiet and immensity of the lakes and forests. When an opportunity for her family to relocate for her husband’s career came up, Farnsworth

saw that Kingswood Middle School had a position open in her field as a literacy specialist, a perfect role for her career, and right in the heart of the Lakes Region they all love so much. Careers brought the Farnsworth family to North Carolina after nearly a decade in New Hampshire.

When schools temporarily converted to online and hybrid sessions in 2020, Farnsworth suddenly had a bit more downtime that allowed her to rediscover her childhood love for drawing and painting. Always enamored by horses, her youth was spent reading all the Black Stallion books, painting or drawing pictures of horses, and horseback riding. When she started back into her hobby with watercolor painting, it was also around that time that she and her husband learned that they would be-

come grandparents. With lots of practice under her belt, drawing and painting animals, she started creating little animal postcards to send to her little granddaughter. She was so excited to start making these keepsakes for her newest family member that she started mailing them to her son and daughterin-law before the baby was born.

Her family was so impressed with her work, that they encouraged her to gather them up and put them all into a book. While that hadn’t been her intention, she did like the idea of having something official to give to her oldest granddaughter. She stumbled across the website BookBuildr, that allowed her to transform her postcard art into a structured book.

“The Bookbuildr platform was very accessible to someone who has had no

formal training about how to put a book together, how to make the pictures look crisp and bright enough. So, I created a book and made a little story up for my granddaughter about living in New York City,” shared Farnsworth.

But she never intended to start publishing books. Other family members saw the finished product and asked for a copy too. Then a few more wanted copies. Farnsworth was just enjoying creating art for her loved ones. And the more art she created, the more detailed she started to get. She noted, “I was enjoying sketching with pens and filling them in with watercolor washes. I thought that was a lot more fun than just plain painting. I like controlling the media like with a pen or pencil, like how we all grew up.”

With grandkids to dote on and retirement on the horizon for the Farnsworths, they knew exactly where the ideal place would be to spend the golden years.

“All our friends said to us, ‘most people don’t retire where it’s cold and snowy’. And I said, well, we lived there before, and there’s nowhere prettier on the face of the earth, Farnsworth recalled about their decision to move back to the Lakes Region.

She added, “We love the area and still have a lot of good friends here, so it was one of those serendipitous things. We found just the right property • Spruce Hollow continued on page 4

30th Anniversary Great Waters Gala at Brewster

Great Waters Summer Concerts is thrilled to announce its 30th-anniversary gala, “Great Waters Got Talent,” a dazzling, celebratory evening set for Thursday, July 9, from 5 to 8 pm at the Grayson Student Center located on the Brewster campus. This sparkle-filled night will proudly spotlight Barbara and Dave Lobdell Scholarship recipients, showcasing spectacular vocal and instrumental performances. Jazz on the Grayson patio during the lakeside cocktail hour will launch the festivities, with intimate musical vignettes delighting guests throughout the evening. A plated dinner by Suzanne Trice of Sweetwater Kitchen, a delicious dessert bar, and exciting silent and live auctions will round out this unforgettable evening of celebration. All proceeds will help power the organization’s ongoing musical performances at Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough and at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro.

This gala is the shining centerpiece of Great Waters’ fundraising efforts, celebrating three decades of community musical programming and helping inspire the next

generation of regional talent. Performances by scholarship recipients spanning vocal, instrumental, musical theater, and Broadway standards will surely be among the evening’s highlights. Exciting silent and live auctions raising essential funds for youth music programs will feature opening-night theater tickets in Boston, local restaurant and spa gift certificates, exclusive golf outings, artwork by local artists, and much more.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate our thirtieth anniversary by showcasing some of our extraordinary scholarship winners,” said Barbara Lobdell, Board Chair of Great Waters Summer Concerts. “The evening will be a joyful tribute to our history and a powerful investment in the talented young artists who will carry our communities’ love of music forward.” Executive Director Joan Myers added, “This gala is our largest and most inspiring fundraiser of the year. The support we receive at this event directly enables us to bring high-quality performances to the Lakes Region while also offering meaningful scholarships for aspiring musicians living in the area.”

Smiley Publishing Group, LLC dba Panoramic Publishing Group/The Laker

P.O. Box 119, Wolfeboro Falls, NH 03896

603-569-5257 in NH 1-800-339-5257 FAX 603-569-5258 pressreleases@thelaker.com • lkr@thelaker.com • www.thelaker.com

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Great Waters Music Festival is a non-profit organization whose mission is to present live concerts of diverse genres for the enjoyment of music lovers throughout the Lakes

• Spruce Hollow continued from page 3

and it just checked all the boxes.”

With picturesque views of the lake, the mountains, and the wildlife, Farnsworth started churning out even more animal drawings and paintings. “It didn’t take long for me to look around my neighborhood to see we are animal rich here. We have a bear that hangs out in our yard and I made a funny little posting for Instagram and Facebook about moving to the 603. And people said, ‘oh, that’s so cute, are you going to make that into a book?’ And I thought, maybe, I could. And I think that couldn’t have happened in North Carolina, I think it had to happen here,” said Farnsworth.

Region. Tickets will be available soon at www.GreatWaters.org or by calling 603-569-7710.

So, Farnsworth started creating stories to go with her little animal characters. Rodney’s Big Move was a perfect story for the Spruce Hollow series. Rodney the Raccoon would be the first main character Farnsworth featured in her books, and his story is designed to help kids when they encounter big life changes and how to go through them positively. Subsequent books in the series gave Farnsworth the chance to create several more heartwarming characters. Some other Spruce Hollow residents that children can learn all about when picking up one of these books are Felicity Fox, Rodney’s best friend Seth, Bindi Bear, Mighty Miles & Benjamin, and soon to join the Spruce Hollow world, an overdramatic fox, Evelyn Jean. Before long, Farnsworth started to dream up some story ideas for even younger children, and started an additional story series, Beau

& Ivy. There are three books in this series, five already in print for the Tales from Spruce Hollow, and a standalone children’s book Aardvarks to Zebras: An Animal Alphabet Adventure from A to Z. Utilizing Bookbuildr to publish her work was such a great fit for both sides; the company’s owner, Eliza Donovan, was quite impressed with Farnsworth illustrations from her books and wondered if she would be interested in creating some art for other writers at Bookbuildr. Farnsworth added about her relationship and now employment with Bookbuildr, “One reason I use BookBuilder is because they offer a very tech friendly platform, making it easy to upload your work. I’m working on illustrations for Seth’s September Surprise and once I get the colors balanced the way I like it and then I upload it to the BookBuilder platform. It also easy to arrange the picture and the dialogue box easily.”

Don’t let the Georgian accent fool you, Cheryl Farnsworth’s heart has been with the wonderful woodlands of New Hampshire since first setting eyes on it twenty-five years ago. After a career of championing youth literacy in various spots throughout the country, the Lakes Region’s beauty inspired her world of Spruce Hollow, and gave her a chance to continue to foster children’s love of reading. If you are looking for sweet and uplifting tales to share with your little loved one, you can find the Tales from Spruce Hollow and Beau & Ivy series in hardcover, paperback, and digital versions on Amazon or through her website.

Experience lakeside living at its finest at Langley Cove, a new residential community on Weirs Boulevard in Laconia, New Hampshire. Choose from charming single-family homes at The Cottages at Langley Cove, stylish apartments at The Residence at Langley Cove, or spacious townhomes at The Estates at Langley Cove. Here, you’ll discover a lifestyle centered around comfort, luxury, and community. Enjoy resort-style amenities and a prime location just minutes from Weirs Beach and downtown Laconia.

Property Amenities

Central Air Conditioning

In-Unit Washer/Dryer

Stainless Steel Appliances

Designer Flooring & Finishes

Electronic Thermostat

Fireplace *Select homes

Patio/Balcony *Select homes

Garage *Select homes

Fitness Center

Theatre Room

Community Room

Game Room

Podcast Room

Pickleball Court BBQ & Picnic Area

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Advice To The Players Announces its 2026 Summer Season

Advice To The Players, your local Shakespeare company, is pleased to announce our 2026 Summer Season, featuring performances across Sandwich, Tamworth, and Moultonborough!

Viragos by Katherine E. Norman, Staged Reading, June 26-27 at 5 pm, at Sandwich Town Hall at 8 Maple Street, Center Sandwich. Join us for a staged reading of Viragos, an exploration of education and creativity.

Synopsis: “Women didn’t act in plays in Shakespeare’s England. For that, they had to go to France. ‘Viragos’ follows a group of young Englishwomen as they rehearse a play at The Institute—Mary Ward’s school for girls, founded in France in 1609. Through their rehearsals, the girls test the boundaries of art, science, love, and politics, as the shadow of the Inquisition looms. Verbatim text illuminates this factually inspired fiction of a true story too long buried by history.”

Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare, a Mainstage Production, July

31, August 1, 8, 9 at 5 pm in Quimby Park at 8 Maple Street, Center Sandwich; and August 2, 5, 6, 7 at 4:45 pm at Castle in the Clouds, 455 Old Mountain Road, Moultonborough. Romeo & Juliet is the gateway to Shakespeare for so many, and we are delighted to bring our take on it to the region. Our production will explore how earnestness and eagerness collide in great joy, great tragedy, and above all, great hope. We’ll poke at some assumptions about this story, dig into just how awkward two teenagers can be, and seek subtle, deep truths about family, community, and love.

We’ve partnered once again with Castle in the Clouds to bring half of our performances not only onto their grounds but up to the Lucknow Mansion itself, with our playing space nestled in the back garden as well as – you guessed it – on the balcony. The other half of our run will return to Quimby Park in Sandwich, our creative home base, where we are so grateful to re-

hearse and perform year after year.

As always, our cast features both new and familiar faces. Juliet is played by Eliana Weiss, who most recently graced our stage as Richard III in 2025. Romeo is played by company newcomer Beks Roen. The rest of this lively team includes Frederick Bickford, Chris Boldt, Liz Burdick, Shea Flanagan, Ethan Fifield, Noa Hellquist, Martha Nichols, Kailey Potter, Lucy Randall-Tapply, and Tom Shane. It is stage-managed by Savannah Muzzey and directed by Sarah Corbyn Woolf. Paris and Juliet by Sarah Kate O’Haver, Staged Reading, August 29-30 at 5 pm, at The Bearcamp Center, at 1164 Bunker Hill Road, South Tamworth.

A partner to our mainstage production. In this play, “Middle-aged Romeo breaks banishment and returns to Verona to pursue a tawdry affair with his now-married, star-crossed paramour twenty years after (most of) the events in Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.” Featuring a talkback between the play-

wright Sarah Kate O’Haver and director (of this as well as our mainstage Romeo & Juliet) Sarah Corbyn Woolf.

Tickets are available at AdviceToThePlayers.org. For more information, email contact@advicetotheplayers.org

Advice To The Players is a unique company of theater professionals, enthusiastic community members, and energetic teens that has been teaching and performing Shakespeare in New Hampshire’s Lakes and Mountains Region since 1999. Our programming brings William Shakespeare’s work to life, introducing new generations to live theater, creative and critical thinking, and collaboration, and joining with our wider community to explore Shakespeare’s brilliantly rendered portraits of humanity.

This season is funded in part by grants from the Tamworth Foundation, the Quimby Fund, and the New Hampshire Electric Co-op.

Gafney Library Honors Artist Maureen McCarthy with May Memorial Exhibit

During May, the Gafney Library will be displaying an exhibit of works in memory of long-time Gafney artist Maureen McCarthy, who passed away in the fall of 2024. McCarthy, who began drawing and making homemade cards in her childhood, once stated “I spent countless hours observing the natural world that fascinated me, and pondering how to portray it in watercolors- deciding which pine tree across the cove had

the best crown, or how to paint the sparking water, or draw the curving lines of a loon’s head, which all required much contemplation!”

She went on to study art at Northeastern University and supplemented her education with self-taught learning by taking private art lessons, as well as attending many watercolor workshops. McCarthy was a long-time resident of East Wakefield, where she had her art

studio. She was quoted to have once said “I am grateful to live in such a beautiful area with a special community of great people.”

McCarthy was known for her watercolors and oil paintings, which were of local scenes, landmarks, barns, birds, and flowers. She especially enjoyed painting eye-catching reminders of the New England seasons and views of Mount Washington, including the “Old Man on the Mountain,” and her best-known subject, the “loon.” McCarthy was a lover of rural New Hampshire landscapes and wildlife. She delighted in capturing its natural beauty—from New Hampshire’s sweeping mountain ranges to the haunting call of the common loon, from the delicate, rarely seen lady’s slipper to the majestic, antlered moose.

2017. In 2005, she presented 250 signed and numbered giclee prints of a realistic watercolor view of the Gafney Library to the Library as a fundraiser. A percentage of those sales went to the Library. The first print in the series still hangs in the Gafney Library to this day. Her kind and gentle manner is missed by all who knew her. She left a legacy of treasured art to be long remembered and admired.

Please join us and her brother, Bob McCarthy, on Saturday, May 23rd, from 10 am to 12 pm, as we hold a reception for the late Maureen McCarthy. The exhibit may be viewed throughout the month of May at the Gafney Library during the library’s open hours.

McCarthy had been a long-time participant in the Library’s “Art at the Gafney,” summer art shows, and had solo shows at the Gafney Library from 2014-

Open hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 12 - 7 pm, Friday from 9 am to 2 pm, and Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm. For more information, please contact Library Director Amy Swanson at 603-522-3401.

Nothing Says Summer Like Kabobs on

By Chef Kelly Ross

After what many of us would call the longest winter in recent memory, we’ve finally come out the other side. The snow’s gone, the days are stretching out, and there’s that familiar itch to be outside again. Whether it’s getting back into a walking routine, taking the dog out a little longer, planning a weekend away, or just sitting on the deck after work, this is the time of year we’ve all been waiting for. For me— and I’m guessing for a lot of you—that also means one thing: grilling season is officially back.

Now, to be fair, I do grill year-round. A good steak in January isn’t something I’m going to pass up. But let’s not kid ourselves—grilling in the winter and grilling in the spring or summer are two completely different experiences. There’s nothing enjoyable about standing over a grill in a heavy coat, trying to flip burgers with half-frozen fingers while the wind’s whipping across the yard. Give me shorts, a t-shirt, maybe a cold drink in hand, and a warm evening—that’s what grilling is supposed to feel like.

One thing I’ve really come to appreciate over the years is how much my grilling habits change with the seasons. In the colder months, I tend to stick with the basics: steaks, burgers, chicken, and pork chops. But once the weather turns, the menu opens up quite a bit. That’s when I start bringing in

more seafood, more vegetables, even grilled sides like potatoes or corn. And right at the top of that warm-weather list is one of my all-time favorites: kabobs.

There’s just something about kabobs that feels like summer. Maybe it’s the

versatility, maybe it’s the presentation, or maybe it’s just how easy they are to make your own. You can mix and match proteins, vegetables, marinades, and flavors however you like. You can go simple or get a little creative. Either way, they’re hard to mess up if you follow a few basic guidelines.

Before we jump into some recipes, I want to touch on a few things I’ve learned—sometimes the hard way— that can really make a difference when it comes to grilling kabobs.

‘Cue The Grill

First, if you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least an hour before they hit the grill. It’s a small step, but it prevents them from burning up.

Second—and this is one I feel pretty strongly about—don’t feel like you need to alternate meat and vegetables on the same skewer. It looks nice, but it’s not always practical. Different ingredients cook at different rates, and I’d rather not overcook a good piece of beef just to get an onion soft. I keep proteins and vegetables on separate skewers, then slide everything onto a platter when it’s done.

Third, no rule says everything needs to be marinated together. In fact, it often works better if it isn’t. Vegetables benefit from something with oil— like a simple Italian dressing—while proteins might call for something completely different.

And finally, cut your meat bigger. Skip the tiny cubes. Go at least 1½ inches, even up to three or four. It takes a little longer to cook, but the result is juicier, more tender, and worth the wait.

Alright—let’s get into it.

This is one I come back to often, especially with beef, though it works just as well with chicken or pork. It will become one of your go-to marinades, guaranteed.

Sweet & Savory Asian-Style Beef

Kabobs

2 lbs. beef, chicken, or pork

3 Tbsp honey

• ‘Cue the Grill continued on page 9

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp freshly chopped garlic

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

1 Tbsp sesame oil

If you’ve got a meat tenderizer, use it—it helps the marinade penetrate beyond the surface. Whisk all ingredients together, add the meat, and marinate for at least two hours (overnight is even better). Grill on a hot, lightly oiled surface and finish with chopped scallions.

Onto a little different—and worth it—thanks to the addition of bread right on the skewer. This is a homemade version of an Italian marinade, geared toward chicken, but it can be used for most any protein.

Rustic Italian Chicken & Bread Kabobs

1 cup olive oil

10 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley (divided)

1 Tbsp oregano

1 tsp basil

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 lbs. boneless chicken (breast or thighs), cubed

1 lb. baguette or other sturdy bread, cubed

Combine the marinade ingredients and coat the chicken well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to three hours. Skewer the chicken and bread, drizzle lightly with marinade, and grill over mediumhigh heat until the chicken is cooked through and the bread is lightly charred. Garnish with remaining parsley. Now we go south of the border with a Fajita Kabob. This works great for beef or chicken.

Fajita-Style Kabobs with Grilled Tortillas

2 lbs. beef or chicken

1 cup oil

2 Tbsp chili powder

2 Tbsp ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 jalapeños, chopped (optional)

Juice and zest of 2 large limes

Kosher salt and black pepper

Red and green bell peppers, cut into chunks

Red onion, cut into chunks

6-inch flour tortillas

Fresh cilantro

Sour cream, salsa, and guacamole

Combine the marinade ingredients and coat the meat. Let sit for a couple of hours. Skewer meat and vegetables separately, grill both, and warm the tortillas on the grill for about 30–45 seconds per side. Build your fajitas with your favorite toppings.

We have not touched seafood kabobs yet. Shrimp, scallops, and swordfish chunks make great kabobs. Like vegetables, seafood has a lack of fat, which is good in that it is healthy, but to grill, you need to add a little oil to the equation in most cases. For this reason, Pesto is a go-to for me in a big way. Making it is simple, but it’s important to remember to add the oil lightly -- you can always add more, but you can’t remove it! This should be thick enough that you need a spoon versus something that pours. You’ll brush your seafood while grilling. So good!

Pesto-Brushed Seafood Kabobs

Shrimp, scallops, and/or swordfish chunks

Fresh basil leaves

Fresh garlic

Olive oil

Pine nuts

Kosher salt and black pepper

Blend basil, garlic, salt, and pepper while slowly adding oil. Fold in pine nuts to create a thick pesto. Skewer seafood and brush with pesto as it grills.

Another fun option is marinating in oil, citrus juice, and fresh cilantro. A marinade with citrus should marinate for no more than an hour. This one is light, bright, and perfect for warm evenings.

Citrus & Cilantro Seafood Skewers

Shrimp, scallops, or fish chunks

Olive oil

Fresh orange juice

Fresh lime juice

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Kosher salt and black pepper

Use quantities to taste, combining all ingredients and marinating seafood for no more than one hour. Grill until just cooked through.

Cajun spice and oil also make a great seafood marinade. Adjust the spice according to your liking, but any Cajun flavor will be a hit - bold flavor with very little effort.

Cajun-Spiced Seafood Kabobs

Shrimp, scallops, or fish

Olive oil

Cajun seasoning

Toss seafood in oil and seasoning, then grill until done. Adjust the spice level to your preference.

And now two more kabobs into the mix – one is simple on the grill, and another is a fun and simple one to do in the oven. The last one for the grill is a fruit kabob, with fresh and delicious slices of peaches, strawberries, and pineapple. Lightly drizzle with oil and sprinkle a little sale and honey, and voila – a great sweet ending to a fun day of grilling.

Grilled Summer Fruit Kabobs

Fresh peaches, sliced

Strawberries

Pineapple chunks

Olive oil

Pinch of salt

Honey

Skewer the fruit, lightly drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Grill until

slightly caramelized, then finish with a drizzle of honey.

And the last kabob of the day is a guaranteed winner for the whole family and can be done at breakfast with eggs, as an appetizer, or just as a fun snack. Tater Tots and bacon, need I say more? Not on the grill, but always a hit.

Tater Tot & Bacon Kabobs (OvenFinished Favorite)

1 lb. frozen tater tots, thawed

12 slices bacon

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp chives

Ranch dressing

Wrap bacon around the tots as you skewer them, weaving it through. Bake at 425°F on a rack for 20–25 minutes. Add cheese, return to oven briefly to melt, then finish with chives. Serve with ranch dressing.

Kabobs are one of those things that can be as simple or as creative as you want them to be. Once you get the basics down, there’s really no limit. Try a few of these, tweak them to your taste, or come up with something entirely your own.

And if you remember anything from all this, make it these: soak your skewers, keep proteins and veggies separate, and don’t cut your meat too small.

Here’s to a great grilling season— enjoy every minute of it.

If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to pressreleases@ thelaker.com.

New Hampshire Farm Museum Invites You to “Stories on the Farm”

Come visit Grandma Libby at the Farm (NH Farm Museum, 1305 White Mountain Highway, Milton) this summer to hear a series of stories that will take you into the world of farm animals and characters that will give you a giggle or two along the way. The stories for 2026 feature New Hampshire authors and natives, with a story each week, along with a visit to somewhere on the farm, making a craft, or making a snack.

The “New Hampshire 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Project” is an early literacy initiative based on the national 1000 Books Before Kindergarten and is supported by the NH state library. If you can read one book in the morning, one at nap time, and one at night, you’re already reading 90 books a month! Join the New Hampshire Farm Museum for our summer reading series designed with our young visitors in mind!

Fee: Current family memberships: free! Nonmembers: $8 per child

Day: Every Friday from June 26 to September 4

Time: 10 – 11 am

Place: At the Farm (1305 White Mountain Highway, Milton)

How to RSVP: Please call 603652-7840 or email the farm at nhfarmmuseum.info@gmail.com each week to let the farm know

you’re coming! This allows them to ensure that enough materials to share with each young visitor.

The 2026 Story Schedule is as follows:

June 26: A Horsey Home, written by New Hampshire author Angelina Natale.

Maggie’s horses have been living in their garage for months now. It’s time they have a place of their own. Follow Maggie and Mom as they go through the process of designing and building the right home for their beloved horses. Working together, Mom and Maggie consider all the factors that go into placing and building a barn. And filling it with love! Afterwards, we’ll use paper bags to make a horse to take home!

July 3: Betsy Ross: The Story of Our Flag, written by Pamela Chanko.

July 10: The Adventures of Binx the Goa, written by Jennifer Hammond.

Come hear the story of Binx the Goat, centered around the hearts of a whole town set in Dover, New Hampshire. Bring your carrots or apples today! We’ll be taking a walk to visit our herd of goats and feed them some of their favorite treats!

July 17: Warm as Wool, written by Scott Sanders.

In 1803, a rural family shivers through the icy first winter in a drafty log cabin. The family is determined to make warm clothing. With the money that has been saved, the family’s mother purchases eight bedraggled sheep! But it’s harder to raise sheep as you will discover. Our craft today is a woolly lamb! Then we’ll walk and visit our own flock of sheep and feed them! Bring apples and carrots to feed our flock!

July 24: N is for New Hampshire, written by New Hampshire author Rebecca Rule.

This is no ordinary alphabet book! Discover the alphabet from Androscoggin to Zealand Falls with delightful anecdotes and useful information. Then help create a group New Hampshire Farm Museum alphabet poem! Parents are encouraged to help, too! We’ll publish your work in the Museum’s quarterly Field Notes!

July 31: The Ox Cart Man, written by New Hampshire author Donald C. Hall.

Did you know that Betsy Ross lived from 1752 to 1836? She may have sewn the first American flag. Come listen to the story of the real Betsy Ross who grew up in Pennsylvania with her 16 brothers and sisters! Discover how Betsy shared her ideas with George Washington, who wanted a square flag, not a rectangular one. Please wear red, white and blue today. Afterwards, children will color their own American flag to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding!

Nestled in a small New Hampshire farm during the 1830’s, the Ox Cart Man and his family work the land and make items for themselves and others to take to market. The author takes us through the four seasons of farm life in New Hampshire and the importance of each family member in helping to successfully run the farm. Help Grandma Libby identify objects from her basket that the Ox Cart Man’s family made. Then design your own mitten like the one that the daughter made and color in your own pattern. We’ll proudly display them in the ell of the barn!

• NHFM continued on page 11

Comedian Bob Marley returns to the Colonial Theatre of Laconia

The Colonial Theatre of Laconia will present Comedian Bob Marley on Friday, July 10, at 7:30 pm. Due to overwhelming demand, this additional performance has been added, bringing the total to three Bob Marley shows at the Colonial. Tickets to the show are available now at ColonialLaconia.com or by calling 1-800-657-8774.

He lives in Maine, which is the best state in the world, maybe even the universe. He’s featured regularly on Sirius XM radio, and he even won their Superbowl of Comedy! He has put out over 20 comedy CDs and DVDs! He was inducted into The Guinness Book of World Records for “the longest

stand-up comedy show by an individual” at 40 hrs of straight stand-up! He’s been on over 100 TV shows, including Leno, Letterman, Conan, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson, and Comedy Central, to name just a few. He costarred in “Boondock Saints” I and II, “All Saints Day”, playing Detective Greenly. He has toured the U.S., Europe, Canada, Kuwait, and Iraq. That’s about it!

Tickets for Comedian Bob Marley at the Colonial Theatre of Laconia on Friday, July 10, at 7:30 pm, can be purchased at ColonialLaconia.com or by calling 800-657-8774.

4th Annual Community Arts Festival at Castle in the Clouds

Castle in the Clouds will be holding its Community Arts Festival on Saturday, June 27, from 10 am to 4 pm. The festival will feature dozens of crafters, artists, and community organizations in the field of this iconic destination.

“We are currently seeking vendors and exhibitors to help keep this event exciting and fresh,” says Debbi Finkelstein, Director of Education & Partnerships at Castle in the Clouds. Anyone interested in applying for a spot can do so by visiting the Castle website at www.

castleintheclouds.org/event/community-arts-festival/ and looking for the “Prospective Exhibitors” section of the page. Booths are $40/ vendor.

The Community Arts Festival is free for the public to attend and will feature food trucks and a scavenger hunt in addition to all the vendors and exhibitors.

For more information, please contact programs@castleintheclouds. org or visit www.castleintheclouds. org.

continued from page 10

August 7: Thank You, Sarah!, written by Laurie Halse Anderson about Newport, New Hampshire’s own Sarah Josepha Hale.

Did you know who was the inspiration behind the national day of Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving might have started with a jubilant feast on Plymouth’s shores, but by the 1800’s, America’s observance was waning. Come discover Newport, New Hampshire’s own Sarah Josepha Hale and her determination to have a President proclaim one national day of Thanksgiving! Today, we’ll use the meat grinder to make cranberry orange relish like Sarah had on her Thanksgiving table!

August 14: Old Home Day, written by New Hampshire author Donald C. Hall.

Did you know that Old Home Day celebrations are common throughout New Hampshire? It was a way to honor the returning Civil War veterans as they made their way back to Hampshire towns. In this story, Hall explains how the governor’s 1899 proclamation of “Old Home Day” encouraged everyone who had moved away to come back to visit at the same time each year. This is a tribute to the timeless beauty of a New England village throughout many seasons. We’ll each make a flag to take to our own town’s Old Home Day celebration today!

August 21: Mary Had a Little Lamb, written by New Hampshire author Sarah Josepha Hale. The Plummer and Jones children walked to school on Plummer’s Ridge in rural Milton, New Hampshire. Perhaps their Hampshire

sheep escaped from the pasture and followed them to school. What would you do? Listen to Grandma Libby read this well-known childhood tale. Then we’ll take a walk to visit our own sheep! Please bring apples and carrots today to feed the sheep!

August 28: The Quilt Story, Illustrated by New Hampshire’s Tomie DePaola.

Long ago, a young girl named Abigail put her beloved quilt in the attic. It stayed there for a very long time, until another girl discovers it and makes it her own. The quilt helps her feel secure in her new home. Do you have a favorite quilt or blanket? If you do, please bring it today. We’ll share a few of our favorite quilts with you, too! Then we’ll design a quilt square just like the ones on Abigail’s quilt!

September 4: The Iciest, Diciest, Scariest Sled Ride Ever!, written by New Hampshire author Rebecca Rule.

On a cold winter day when “the world was ice and we were skaters without skates”, seven children set out on a sledding adventure that soon soars to epic proportions! Come hear of the sled, the Lapierres, their friends, and their adventure as they fly down the Old Mountain Road. Just like the hill here on Plummer’s Ridge! Then join Grandma Libby on the Uncle Sam: the longest sled in the world that was made by the B. F. Perkins Company in nearby Farmington, New Hampshire!

New Hampshire Farm Museum is located at 1305 White Mountain Highway in Milton. More information can be found at nhfarmmuseum.org. •

When At The Lake, Marinas Are Ready To Serve

By Thomas P. Caldwell

Living in or visiting the Lakes Region brings with it the opportunity to get out on the water to enjoy a day of leisurely exploration of the shoreline and islands, do a little fishing or water sports, or make a thrilling cross-lake excursion that avoids congested roads and provides a unique perspective on the surroundings.

Whether that means renting a boat for a day or a week or becoming a boat-owner, lakeside marinas are ready with the knowledge and expertise while offering a range of boat selections to meet the needs of those on Lake Winnipesaukee, Squam Lake, Newfound Lake, or any of the other bodies of water in Central New Hampshire.

One of the oldest marinas in the area is Trexler’s Marina at 15 Long Island Road, Moultonborough (tel. 603-2537315). Dick and Betty Trexler purchased what then was known as Moultonboro Marine in 1972, but the marina traces its history to 1946 when Boris and Eva Witte moved to town and built

a store on the edge of their property. The Trexler family had four sons who joined in washing and waxing boats, pumping gas, and (for the youngest) focusing on fishing. Over the years, they added new buildings and enlarged the docks, even adding a lighthouse. They renamed the business Trexler’s Marina in 1978.

Today, the marina stocks Highfield, NauticStar, MirroCraft, and Pioneer boats, Manitou pontoon boats, and Suzuki Marine outboard motors. It has service technicians to make sure customers’ vessels are always ready for use, and also offers boat storage.

Denise Trexler said that, for the last couple of years, they have been focusing on Highfield inflatable boats, which are becoming very popular. Trexler’s is also introducing a new line this year of Grumman DuraNautic aluminum boats and canoes.

“We’re focusing on those two brands,” Denise said, “and then we just started carrying Manitou pontoon boats again. So we were out of that brand for

a couple of years, and we just started taking them back on.”

She said the marina has been very busy this season, with its rentals getting booked as quickly as they usually do, but in terms of sales, they are seeing a lot of interest in used boats and smaller boats, which are selling more quickly than the bigger boats.

Melvin Village Marina at 463 Governor Wentworth Highway in Melvin Village (tel. 603-544-3583) has been serving boaters for more than 70 years, with the current family operating it for 40 years. The marina offers Four Winns, Harris, Lund, Nautique, and Robalo boats, along with motors by Volvo Penta, Honda, Yamaha, Mercury, Mercruiser, and PCM. With 80 boat slips and a display area for more than 25 boats, along with certified mechanics to keep them operating well, the marina can meet any boating need.

The marina also offers boat rentals and guided charters, and it houses the Melvin Village Marina Canvas Company for customized covers.

Eva Hamel says the company is building a new showroom at its Ossipee location (801 NH Route 16, 603651-1001), to bring everything together in one location. The old showroom was razed to make a new and larger facility.

“The buildings weren’t connected, and now they will be, so if a customer comes in, they’ll be able to access everything right from one building,” she said.

While the company anticipated that economic conditions would affect sales, they are seeing about the same financial numbers as last year. “Our slip and valet services are full,” Eva said. “I think we’ve stayed pretty steady with our sales; probably the sale of used boats is increased, and are a little bit more sought-after, but, we’re kind of

holding steady.”

Other local marinas include Meredith Bay Marina at 2 Bayshore Drive, Meredith (tel. 603-279-7921). It is a full-service marina, offering sales, rentals, and service. Its technicians are certified to handle Mercury, Mercruiser, Yamaha, and Volvo Penta maintenance, and it carries a line of Godfrey Pontoons, as well as wakeboard, wake surf, and ski boat lines. It also has one of the largest boat rental fleets on Lake Winnipesaukee, and that includes jetskis.

The marina offers a valet service to put customers’ boats on the water, fully fueled and ready to go, keeping the boat in dry storage until needed. It also offers seasonal boat slip rentals on Lake Winnipesaukee.

Holderness Harbor LLC at 879 US Route 3, Holderness (Tel. 603-9689001) offers boathouse and open slip rentals, with valet service and dry dock storage. With seven covered boat slips and 35 outside open boat slips on a protected “no wake” cove, the marina also has a marine supply store.

Holderness Harbor also offers a summer shuttle service to and from the islands on Squam Lake with its 24-foot pontoon boat. (A 72-hour notice is required.)

West Shore Marine at 315 West Shore Road, Bristol (tel. 603-7442900) is a full-service family-owned marina with a large selection of new, used, and custom-order watercraft. It features South Bay, Dockside, and Silver Wave pontoon boats, Mercury and Suzuki outboard motors, and Shore Haven boat trailers. West Shore Marine is an authorized South Bay, Suzuki, Mercury, and Mercruiser sales and service dealer.

Services also include boat launches and hauls, as well as annual engine maintenance.

The Barnstormers Theatre Fantastic Line Up for 96th Season

The Barnstormers Theatre production team has planned a sun- and fun-filled summer of live, professional plays and musicals. The season is packed with laugh-out-loud hits, beloved classics, and whodunnit fun that will keep audiences buzzing all summer long!

Season tickets are on sale now, along with new flex-pass and single show tickets.

The summer kicks off June 25 - July 4 with Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, featuring Music & Lyrics by David Yazbek and Book by Jeffrey Lane. Based on the beloved film, the show follows two rival con men who clash on the French Riviera as they compete to fleece a naïve heiress. Audiences will laugh till their sides ache as they discover who’s the dirtiest, rottenest scoundrel of them all!

Tony Award-winning comedy Eureka Day will run from July 9 - 18. With a script by Jonathan Spector, the play is set at the idealistic Eureka Day School during a typical board meeting on what seems like a typical day. But when a crisis hits, hilarity ensues. Facades fall, views are challenged, and polite conversation quickly unravels. Eureka Day is an all-too-familiar, laugh-outloud look at… well, us.

The third show of the season is

the feel-good Broadway classic, She Loves Me, July 23 - August 1. Often hailed as one of the most charming musicals ever written, She Loves Me is a romantic comedy about two feuding coworkers, Georg and Amalia, who bicker at work while unknowingly falling in love as anonymous pen pals. The musical, which inspired the 1998 film “You’ve Got Mail”, features the music of Jerry Bock, lyrics of Sheldon Hamick, and book by Joe Masteroff.

The Barnstormers Theatre tradition of an annual Agatha Christie show lives on this summer from August 6-15. The fourth show of the season is Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. A snowdrift stops the luxurious Orient Express in its tracks, and by morning, an American tycoon lies dead in his compartment—stabbed behind a door locked from the inside. With the train isolated and a killer in their midst, world-famous detective Hercule Poirot must untangle an international web of secrets and lies. In this fast-paced, glamorous, and witty adaptation by Ken Ludwig, the question isn’t just whodunnit—it’s whether Poirot can solve the impossible before the killer strikes again. August 20-29 will wrap up the 2026 season with a ‘cutting edge’

comedy, Shear Madness, by Paul Pörtner and adapted by Bruce Jordan & Maralyn Abrahms. Set in a present-day local hair salon and updated daily with the latest news and gossip, this hilarious whodunnit mystery is never the same show twice. Audiences are invited to chime in about the zany cast of suspects—from the flamboyant salon owner to the snobby socialite—and see if they can spot the killer before they make a “clean cut” escape. It’s the party of the season, where the audience always gets the last word!

Classic Season Tickets are the best bargain for theatre-goers who are ready to plan ahead. Patrons can take advantage of early bird pricing - and save up to $8 per ticket - if they purchase by February 16th. Season tickets are available now by calling 603-323-8500 or emailing tickets@ barnstormerstheatre.org for details.

Flex Season Passes (New in 2026) & Single Show tickets are available now. The Flex Season Pass allows patrons to purchase tickets to the five main stage shows with the option to choose dates, times, and seats. Theatre fans can attend according to their own schedules and have the option to complete the transaction online. Additional information and details are available on the website barnstormerstheatre.org

or by contacting the box office.

The Barnstormers Theatre is located in the scenic village of Tamworth, and is one of the oldest professional summer theatres in the country. Founded in 1931 by Francis Cleveland, the youngest son of President Grover Cleveland, his wife Alice, and their friend Ed Goodnow, all veterans of the Broadway stage, The Barnstormers continue their legacy more than 90 years later.

It remains one of only three Equity theaters in New Hampshire, producing professional, high-caliber theatre each summer. Ticket sales cover only about half of its operating costs, so The Barnstormers relies on contributions, like many arts organizations. Every gift helps sustain its mission and programming.

May 18, Damn Tall Buildings, 7 – 9 pm, by Wolfeboro Friends of Music, Anderson Hall at Brewster Academy, 80 Academy Drive, Wolfeboro, 603-5692151, www.wolfeborofriendsofmusic.org

May 18, Laconia Annual Golf Classic, 11 am registration, noontime start, Laconia Country Club, proceeds support Concord Hospital’s Laconia location initiatives and clinical services, Elm St., Laconia, for Concord Hospital, www. concordhospital.org., 603-737-6752.

May 19, Intro to Watercolors, 3 – 5 pm, Makers Mill, 23 Bay St., Wolfeboro, 603-569-1500, www.makersmill.org

May 19, Revolutionary Crafts, A Colonial Sampler, 5 - 6:30 pm, Moultonborough Public Library, 4 Holland St., Moultonborough, pre-register: 603-4768895.

May 20, Newfound Science Pub/Sustainable Stories, 5 – 7 pm, Newfound Lake Inn, 1030 Mayhew Turnpike, Bridgewater, Newfound Lake Region Assoc., pre-register: 603-744-8689, www.newfoundlake.org.

May 20, Ready to Launch – Women’s Boating Class, 5:30 – 7 pm, Goodhue Boat Company, 244 Sewell Rd., Wolfeboro, program of NH Boat Museum, info/pre-register: 603-569-4554, www.nhbm.org.

May 20, Red Coats & Rebels, 5 – 7 pm, by Mary Adams of NH Historical Society, presented by Wolfeboro Historical Society and Wolfeboro Public Library, (held at the library), 259 S. Main St., Wolfeboro, 603-569-4997, www. wolfeborohistoricalsociety.org.

May 20 Spring Blossoms Fused Glass Class with Verne Orlosk, noon – 2 pm, League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery, 279 Daniel Webster Highway, Meredith, sign up by May 17: 603-279-7920.

May 21, Contra-Punctus Album Release Tour, 6 pm, Hermit Woods Winery, 72 Main St., Meredith, 603-253-7968, www.hermitwoods.com.

May 21, History of the Belknap County Farm and Cemetery, 6 – 7 pm, Laconia Public Library, 695 N. Main St., Laconia, 604-524-4775.

May 21, Shaker Village Barn Dance, 7:30 – 10 pm, Canterbury Shaker Village, 288 Shaker Rd., Canterbury, 603-783-9511, www.shakers.org.

May 22, iNaturalist Training Workshop, 1 – 3 p.m., Appalachian Mountain Club, CLC, Cook Memorial Library, Green Mountain Conservation Group, and Tamworth Conservation Commission program at Cook Library, free, sign-up: 603-323-6252, www.chocorualake.org

May 22, Opening Day at the Museum, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., NH Farm Museum, 1305 White Mt. Highway, Milton, 603-652-7840, www.nhfarmmuseum.org

May 22, Field Trip for Grown Ups: Petals and Pollinators, 10 – 11 am, Newfound Lake Association, held at Grey Rocks Conservation Area, 178 North Shore Rd., Hebron, pre-register: 603-744-8689, www.newfoundlake.org

May 23, A Nashville Revue Returns to the Barnstormers, 7 – 10 pm, Barnstormers Theatre, 104 Main St., Tamworth, info.: www.aspectproductionsne. com.

May 23, Chris Mega – Piano Night, 6 - 8 pm, Hermit Woods Winery, 72 Main St., Meredith, 603-253-7968, www.hermitwoods.com.

May 23, Leather Belt, 1 – 4 pm, Makers Mill, 23 Bay St., Wolfeboro, 603-5691500, www.makersmill.org

May 23, Marion Miles Remick Bird Walk, 11 am – noon, Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm, 58 Cleveland Hill Rd., Tamworth, 603-323-7591, www.remickmuseum.org.

May 23, Opening Day at NH Boat Museum, 10 am – 4 pm, Moultonborough Campus, 130 Whittier Highway, Moultonborough, 603-569-4554, www.nhbm. org

May 23, Saturday Hike, 10 am – noon, Brook Walk via Turtleback Mt. Trail, Castle in the Clouds (Lucknow), Rte. 171, Moultonborough, pre-registration: 603-476-5410, www.castleintheclouds.org

May 23, Yellow Brick Road a Tribute to Elton John, 7:30 – 10 pm, Laconia High School 345 Union Ave Laconia, proceeds go directly to the Laconia Police Department Relief Assoc., www.tbinh.org.

What’s UP

May 23 & 24, Memorial Day Weekend Craft Fair, 10 am – 5 pm, Schouler Park, 1 Norcross Circle, Rt. 16, N. Conway, Joyce’s Craft Shows, www.joycescraftshows.com, 603-387-1510.

May 23-25, 34th Annual Memorial Weekend Craft Festival, family friendly event, free, Castleberry Fairs & Festivals, Mill Falls Marketplace, 10 am, 312 Daniel Webster Highway, Meredith, 603-332-2616. (5/23: 10 am-6 pm; 5/24: 10 am-5 pm; 5/25: 10 am-4 pm)

May 23-June 6, Look Around Lucknow Scavenger Hunt, dawn to dusk family-friendly scavenger hunt, awards ceremony on June 7 at the Carriage House, Castle in the Clouds, 603-476-5900, www.castleintheclouds.org., 455 Old Mountain Rd., Moultonborough.

May 24, Dahlia and Tomato Clinic, 11:30 am, Gilmanton’s Own Market, 741 Province Rd., Gilmanton, 603-435-0711.

May 24, Needle Felted Mushroom Class with Rachel Benson, 1:30 – 4 pm, League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery, 279 Daniel Webster Highway, Meredith, 603-279-7920. (Pre-registration required by May 20.)

May 24, Solar Gazing, 11 am – 4 pm, Shannon Pond, pre-registration encouraged: 603-476-5900, www.castleintheclouds.org., 455 Old Mountain Rd., Moultonborough.

May 25, Memorial Day Observances, Alton, parade line up at 9:30 am in Monument Square, with service at Riverside Cemetery, and Monument Square, info: 603-875-3461.

May 25, Memorial Day Observances, Gilford, parade forms at 9:45 am in parking lot of Gilford Community Church, Potter Hill Rd., Gilford, proceeds to WWI/WWII Memorial and Pine Grove Cemetery for service and comments, all veterans invited, Gilford Town Hall at 603-527-4700.

May 25, Memorial Day Observances, Laconia, 11 am remembrance at Veteran’s Square with wreath laying and comments, 603-524-9725.

May 25, Memorial Day Observances, Meredith, 10 am from the American Legion Post, 6 Plymouth St., proceeds to Meredith Library for opening remarks and Taps, then to Lang St. Cemetery, finishes at Hesky Park POW MIA memorial for a wreath laying in the water, 603-707-1927.

May 25, Memorial Day Observances, Moultonborough, parade gathers at elementary school on Blake Road at 10 am, proceeds to Moultonborough Town Hall, 6 Holland Street for remembrance ceremony, 603-476-8868.

May 25, Wolfeboro Memorial Day Observance, parade steps off 9 am, Main Street to dockside for ceremony, to Cate Park Bandstand for rifle salute/Taps, music by the Kingswood Regional High School band, info: Paul Vivian at 703798-8978. All veterans welcome to march in the parade.

May 27, Bloomin’ Time Watercolor Workshop with Stephanie McQuade, 10 am – 2 pm, League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery, 279 Daniel Webster Highway, Meredith, 603-279-7920. (Pre-registration required by May 24.)

May 27, Crossing the Delaware – Saving the Revolution, 6 – 7 pm, Moultonborough Public Library, 4 Holland St., Moultonborough, pre-register: 603476-8895.

May 27, The Mammoth Road: NH Folk Tales as an Avenue to Local History and Culture, 6:30 pm, free program, Old Town Hall, 1800 NH-140, Gilmanton Iron Works, social hour/refreshments at 6 pm, Gilmanton Historical Society, https://gilmantonhistoricalsociety.org

May 28, Discovery Walk with a Naturalist, 1 – 3 pm, Newfound Lake Association, Grey Rocks Conservation Area, 178 North Shore Rd., Hebron, pre-register: 603-744-8689, www.newfoundlake.org

May 28, Film Screening – Georgia O’Keefe: The Brightness of Light, 7 - 10 pm, Barnstormers Theatre, 104 Main St., Tamworth, 603-323-8500.

May 28, Guided Hike, 10 am – noon, Settlement Loop trail, Castle in the Clouds (Lucknow), Rte. 171, Moultonborough, pre-registration: 603-476-5410, www.castleintheclouds.org

May 28, Katie Dobbins Music & Merit Woods Winery Songwriter Roundup, 7 pm, Hermit Woods Winery, 72 Main St., Meredith, 603-253-7968, www. hermitwoods.com.

May 29, Birding Hike at the Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area, 8 – 10 am, info.: 603-476-5900, www.castleintheclouds.org., 455 Old Mountain Rd., Moultonborough.

Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with local, handmade craft

CHECK online for our 2026 class schedule

SHOP in the Gallery or ONLINE

JOY Connection Wonder

Special Events

New Hampshire Day

Spring 5/9, Fall 11/1

Member Solstice 6/24

Movie Night 7/22

Nature for Everyone Barn Bash 7/16

Animal Birthday Bash 8/12

Annual Meeting & Summer Social 8/6

Raptor Migration Celebration 9/19

Grandparents Day 10/3

Howl O Ween 10/24

New August BioBlitz events weekly! Science Lecture Series

Live Animal Trail open daily

May 1 - November 1

Guided Squam Lake Cruises

Mid-May - Mid-October

Guided Discoveries Camps April Break & Summer

BARGE HANDS, CARPENTERS, EQUIPMENT OPERATORS AND DOCK INSTALLERS.

Seasonal and Year-Round Positions Available.

We are a full service Marine Contractor, operating in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. We are seeking hardworking, dedicated and highly motivated self-starters. Our diverse positions involve all phases of Marine Construction and dock work.

All of our employees perform a multitude of tasks on a daily basis, creating a diverse team-oriented environment. Paid vacation, paid holidays, 50% paid health insurance, matching 401K, clothing reimbursement, schooling and certificate opportunities and employee discounts in the retail store.

Salary commensurate with experience.

If you love working outside surrounded by the beautiful landscape of the Lakes Region, with a hardworking team of people, the Watermark is for you!

Get Caught

experience?

May 29, Local Poetry Night, 5 – 7 pm, pre-registration required: 603-4765900, www.castleintheclouds.org., 455 Old Mountain Rd., Moultonborough.

May 29, Lucknow Garden Tour, 10:15 – 11:15 am, pre-registration required: 603-476-5900, www.castleintheclouds.org., 455 Old Mountain Rd., Moultonborough.

May 30, Heather Pierson – Album Release Performance, 7 pm. Hermit Woods Winery, 72 Main St., Meredith, 603-253-7968, www.hermitwoods.com.

ONGOING

ArtWorks Chocorua Creative Arts Center, gallery, workshops & events, open year-round with seasonal hours, 603-323-8041, 132 Rt. 16, Chocorua, www. chocoruaartworks.com

Bald Eagle Squam Cruises, guided 90-minute cruises, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, Holderness, 603-968-7194, www.nhnature.org

Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia, gallery and textile museum, events and programs, 603-524-8813, www.belknapmill.org.

Braiding Group, 10 am on 4th Saturdays of each month; 1 pm on 4th Tuesdays on each month, Moultonborough Public Library, 4 Holland St., Moultonborough, 603-662-6501. (Meets Sept.-June)

Breakfast Buffet, 7 - 11 am, Wolfeboro Masonic Lodge, 35 Trotting Track Rd., Wolfeboro. Pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, sausage, omelets made-to-order, Eggs Benedict, biscuit and gravy, juice, and coffee. Served the second Sunday of every month, 603-569-4637.

Bridge Players, gathering, 1 – 4 pm, meets Wednesdays year-round, Holderness Library, 866 U.S. Rt. 3, Holderness, 603-968-7066.

Castle in the Clouds, Rte. 171, Moultonborough, 603-476-5900, www.castleintheclouds.org.

Center Harbor Woods, 224-acre forest with trails, managed for public use by Squam Lakes Assoc., Center Harbor Neck Rd., www.squamlakes.org.

Chamberlain-Reynolds Memorial Forest, 157-acre forest with trails, managed for public use by Squam Lakes Assoc., College Rd., Center Harbor, between Rt. 25B and Rt. 3, www.squamlakes.org.

Coffee Hour, 10 – 11 am, Wednesdays, coffee, tea, snacks, Effingham Public Library, 30 Town House Rd., Effingham, 603-539-1537, Effingham.lib.nh.us.

Country Village Quilt Guild, meets twice monthly, Public Safety Building (back entrance to Police and Fire Dept.), Rte. 25, Moultonborough, countryvillagequilters@gmail.com.

Day & Evening Cruises, M/S Mount Washington, Weirs Beach, 603-366BOAT, www.cruisenh.com.

Discover Squam Cruises, guided 90-minute cruises, Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, Holderness, 603-968-7194, www.nhnature.org

Guided Tours, history and machines of the historic Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia, pre-register: 603-524-8813 to schedule a tour.

In the Round, 8:45 am, Sundays, thought-provoking topics related to tolerance, Benz Center, Sandwich, 603-284-7211.

Indoor Pickleball, 5 - 7 pm, Sandwich Elementary School gym, Sandwich, Tues., Thurs. Friday, 603-387-2180, parksandrec@sandwichnh.org

Kirkwood Gardens, free, open to public year-round, Rt. 3, Holderness, tour the gardens, www.nhnature.org, 603-968-7194.

Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild, 10 am - 2 pm, meets second and fourth Wednesday of each month, First Congregational Church, 115 Main St., Wolfeboro, www.llqg.net

Laid-Back Watercolor Club, 10 am - noon, adult program, meets monthly, Meredith Public Library, 91 Main St., Meredith, info.: www.meredithlibrary. org., 603-279-4303.

Lakes Region Art Association, exhibits and classes, Suite 300, Tanger Outlet, Rte. 3, Tilton, 603-998-0029, www.lraanh.org

Loon Center, walking trails, 183 Lees Mill Rd., Moultonborough, 603-4765666, www.loon.org

Makers Mill, variety of workshops, arts and crafts classes and more, 23 Bay St., Wolfeboro, 603-569-1500, www.makersmill.org

Making Strides, 8 – 9 am, drop-in walking for groups or individuals, Ossipee Town Hall, no pre-registration required, 55 Main St., Center Ossipee, takes place various times: www.ossipee.recdesk.com.

Meredith Public Library Bookstore, run by Friends of the Meredith Library, open weekly: Wed. 10 am – 6 pm, Thurs. & Fri. 10 am- 4 pm, Sat. 9 am – 1:30 pm, lower level, Meredith Public Library, 91 Main St., Meredith, 603-279-4303, www.meredithlibrary.org.

Millie B., cruise on Millie B., a replica of a 1928 Hacker-Craft, 45-minute tour, info/tours: NH Boat Museum, Wolfeboro, www.nhbm.org, 603-569-4554.

Monthly Casual Sewing Group, 6 – 8 pm, every fourth Tues., Cook Memorial Library, 93 Main St., Tamworth, 603-323-8510, www.tamworthlibrary.org

Newfound Lake Association, programs, classes, discovery walks, exhibits, Eco Tours, lake activities, Grey Rocks Conservation Area, 178 North Shore Rd., Hebron, 603-744-8689, www.newfoundlake.org

NH Boat Museum, 130 Whittier Highway, Moultonborough, 603-569-4554. Second location: 399 Center St., Wolfeboro, 603-569-4554, www.nhbm.org.

NH Farm Museum, 1305 White Mt. Highway, Milton, 603-652-7840, www. nhfarmmuseum.org

Outdoor Nature-Based Storytime for Young Children, 10:30 am - 1:30 pm, Tuesdays, Cook Memorial Library, 93 Main St., Tamworth, 603-323-8510, www.tamworthlibrary.org

Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, programs for adults and children, 928 White Oaks Road, Laconia, www.prescottfarm.org. Call ahead for event information and to inquire if program pre-registration is necessary: 603-366-5695.

Quilting & Crafting Group, 1 pm, meets 2nd & 4th Thurs. monthly, Ossipee Public Library, 74 Main St., Center Ossipee, schedule/info: 603-539-6390.

Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm, 58 Cleveland Hill Rd., Tamworth, 603-323-7591, www.remickmuseum.org.

Rug Hookers, 10 am, Tuesdays, Tuftonboro Free Library, 221 Middle Rd., Rt. 109A, Tuftonboro, 603-569-4256.

Sculpture Walk, tours of outdoor sculptures around downtown/lakeside areas of Meredith, free, Greater Meredith Program, maps: 603-279-9015.

Second Saturday Contradance, Tamworth Outing Club, 7:30 – 10 pm, Tamworth Town House, 27 Cleveland Hill Rd., Tamworth, admission charged, info.: Amy Berrier at 603-651-5800 or Teresa Fournier at 978-609-2181.

Song and Jam Circle, 6:30 – 8 pm, community created jams and song circle, 3rd Monday of each month, Runnells Hall, 25 Deer Hill Rd., Tamworth, free, bring your favorite instruments, Arts Council of Tamworth, 603-584-2712, www.artstamworth.org

Stamp Club, 7 pm, All Saints Church, 258 South Main St., Wolfeboro, info: 603-569-3453.

Squam Lakes Association, 534 US Rt. 3, Holderness, 603-968-7336, www. squamlakes.org

Tamworth Farmer’s Market, 9 am - noon, Saturdays starting May 16, 30 Tamworth Rd., Tamworth, www.tamworthfarmersmarket.org

Tamworth Outing Club Second Saturday Dance, 7:30 - 10 pm, Tamworth Town House, 27 Cleveland Hill Rd., Tamworth, live musical bands/callers, info@tamworthoutingclub.org

Tamworth Townhouse Hoot – Bruce Berquist & Jim Alt, 1 – 3 pm, Saturdays, 27 Cleveland Hill Rd., Tamworth, song circle, local musicians welcome to participate, bruceberquist@gmail.com.

Tuftonboro Country Bluegrass and Gospel Jam, 6 pm, Tuesdays, donation requested, Old White Church, Rte. 109A, Center Tuftonboro, across from Tuftonboro General Store, 603-569-3861.

Walking Group, Tuesdays, 9 – 10 am, start at Parks and Recreation building, 328 Main St., Alton, sign up: parksrec-asst@alton.nh.gov., 603-875-0109.

Wright Museum of WWII, exhibits and lectures of life on the home front during WWII, 77 Center St., Wolfeboro, 603-569-1212, www.wrightmuseum. org

Remembering Those Who Served Lakes Region Memorial Day Observances

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude.”

— President Harry S. Truman Memorial Day observances will be taking place all over the Lakes Region on Monday, May 25. It is a somber day to remember and express our gratitude for those who gave their lives for our country during wartime.

That special day – Memorial Day - takes place in the spring season, a hopeful time when flowers are starting to bloom, and the earth is renewed. The warmer weather and flowers have allowed families of fallen soldiers access to florals for decorating the final resting places of loved ones.

The practice of wearing a red poppy on Memorial Day started during World War I, in 1915 to be exact, when Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae saw red poppies blooming in abundance

in Flanders Field in Belgium. He was so moved that he wrote the poem, “In Flanders Field.” The poignant poem was about fallen soldiers, and it became a well-known and beloved piece of writing. Thus began the practice of wearing a red poppy on Memorial Day.

We know Memorial Day as a time to honor the fallen who served our country, whether in the distant past or at any time in the history of the United States. Memorial Day was once called Decoration Day, a time for observances and decorating the graves of those who died while in service.

Decoration Day began in the 1860s, after the Civil War. The practice of decorating the graves of war dead with floral wreaths is where the name Decoration Day originated. The name was changed from Decoration Day to Memorial Day in 1971, and it was scheduled to be observed on the last Monday in May.

The Civil War was a time of great distress, but also determination to put

an end to slavery and societal issues. Women, as well as men, stepped forward to serve, usually as nurses.

Sara Low from Dover, New Hampshire, was one such woman. She was said to have a selfless personality and wanted to care for others. This made her choice of a career as a nurse the perfect profession. When she declared her intention of serving as a nurse in the Civil War, her family was not encouraging. They did not approve of their daughter entering into such a dangerous situation, but Sara prevailed.

After a taxing train trip from New Hampshire to Washington, Sara began her work as a war nurse. In his writings, “From Dover History” by Robert Whitehouse, Sara’s words were captured: “I arrived safely at the Union Hotel Hospital. I took off my bonnet in Miss Stevenson’s room and went with her to her ward where she still had the wounds of three young men to dress. One of them, of the New Hampshire 6th Regiment, was very anxious to hear what they were doing in New Hampshire.”

A few days later, she wrote, “Part of the surgeons have gone to the battle field and will probably be back tonight or in a few days. The wounded are brought in, for the most part, over corduroy roads. The suffering is indescribable. Often they are not able to keep to the direct road, but go first in one direction, then in another to escape the fire of guerillas.”

Sara’s compassionate personality came out when she wrote to her family, “Attending to the wounds is only one part of a nurses duty, but it is the pleas-

antest part.” After serving through very difficult times, Sara returned home to New Hampshire in the summer of 1865.

One person (among thousands of others) who served with courage was Civil War nurse Harriet Dame. Born in Barnstead, New Hampshire in 1815, Dame lived a life of service far from her origins. She cared for her aging parents and in the 1850s, after her parents had died, Dame turned her family property into a boardinghouse.

When the Civil War broke out, Dame wanted to serve her country. The best (and only way) for a woman to do so at the time was to be a nurse. Dame volunteered to work as a nurse in the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment from Concord. She had no formal medical training, but she learned fast. Consequently, she nursed the soldiers until the group disbanded in 1865.

Dame was very courageous as she worked in the camps, and later when her Regiment fought in the battle of the First Bull Run, she insisted on being on the front lines. Those in power tried to stop her request to be at the front, saying it was “no place for a woman.” Dame, however, did not give in. She joined a team of doctors to attend the sick and wounded.

Her service was risky and dangerous. At one point, Dame was captured by the Confederates and taken to be a spy. This nearly got her shot, but Confederate General Stonewall Jackson ordered her to be released.

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After the war, Dame lived in Washington, D.C. and worked as a clerk and later became the president of the Army Nurses Association. She was an advocate for helping war veterans, and she worked to fund the building of veterans’ homes. As a testament to her respect among the troops, over 600 soldiers signed a petition asking the United States Senate to give Dame a pension for her service. The Senate agreed, making Dame among the few women to hold such an honor.

Memorial Day parades and commemorations listed take place in the Lakes Region:

Wolfeboro’s observance will be on Monday, May 25. According to American Legion Post Parade Marshal Paul Vivian, all veterans’ graves in Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro will be decorated. The annual Wolfeboro parade will form at Brewster Field (next to the Congregational Church). The parade will start at 9 am and proceed from Main Street to dockside (downtown) for a lowering of the flag to half mast, and a ceremonial salute. Following this, flower petals will be placed on the lake water. There also will be a playing of Taps, the national anthem, and patriotic music by the Kingswood Regional High School band. For information on the Wolfeboro observances and parade, call Paul Vivian at 703-798-8978. Vivian adds that all veterans are welcome to march in the parade.

The New Hampshire Veterans Home (NHVH) Memorial Day Ceremony will be held Monday, May 25, at 11 am in the Veterans Home’s Town Hall’s Great Room. There will be a keynote speaker at the ceremony, along with other portions of the program. The New Hampshire Veterans Home is located at 139 Winter Street, Tilton. For more information, contact Sarah Stanley, New Hampshire Veterans Home Public Information Officer, at 603-527-4425.

Observances in Laconia will take

place on Monday, May 25, with a Memorial Day Remembrance at 11 am held at Veteran’s Square in Laconia with a wreath laying and comments. After the Remembrance, there will be a luncheon open to the public following the remembrance (location TBA as of press time.) For more information, call 603-524-9725.

Gilford observances will be held on Monday, May 25, with parade participants gathering in the parking lot of the Gilford Community Church on Potter Hill Road at 9:45 am. The parade will proceed to the WWI / WWII Memorial and Pine Grove Cemetery, where Reverend Michael Graham will lead a prayer. All veterans are invited to join in the parade. Please call the Gilford Town Hall at 603-527-4700 for further information.

In Alton, Memorial Day observances will be held on Monday, May 25. The parade will line up at 9:30 am at Monument Square in downtown Alton and step off at 10 am. The observance will be under the Auspices of Claude R. Batchelder Post 72, American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion, and American Legion Riders. Services will be held at Riverside Cemetery and Monument Square. Following the services, everyone is invited to Post 72 for refreshments. In the event of rain, all services will be held at Post 72 on Rt. 28 in Alton. For information, call the Alton Town Hall at 603-875-3461.

Moultonborough will hold observances on Monday, May 25, with the procession gathering at the elementary school on Blake Road at 10 am, and proceeding to the Moultonborough Town Hall, located at 6 Holland Street. At the town hall, there will be a remembrance ceremony. For information, call 603-476-8868.

The village of Center Sandwich will hold a Memorial Day Remembrance Program at the Honor Roll next to the post office on Main Street in Center Sandwich on Monday, May 25. During the ceremony, veterans will lay

a wreath, and other observances will be held. For information, call 603-2847701.

The town of Meredith will observe Memorial Day on Monday, May 25, stepping off at 10 am from the American Legion Post, 6 Plymouth St., proceeding to the Meredith Library for opening remarks and Taps, followed by the parade going to Lang St. Cemetery, then finishing at the Hesky Park POW MIA memorial for a wreath laying in the water. Remarks will follow regarding the POW MIA memorial. A free lunch for all will follow at the American Legion. Call 603-707-1927 for further information.

Plymouth will observe Memorial Day with a parade on Monday, May 25, starting at the Plymouth National

Guard at 10:30 am. The parade will proceed south to Main Street and stop in front of the Town Hall for a ceremony starting at 11 am, concluding at that location after services. Participating in the parade will be police, fire, some state representatives, select board members, and the Scouts. Call Kelsie at 603-254-5869.

Bristol’s observances are pending as of press time. Call Bristol town hall at 603-744-2521 or visit www.bristolnh. gov for updates and information.

Center Harbor’s Memorial Day observances (parade, etc.) will be held on Monday, May 25. Details pending as of press time; call 603-455-1632 for updates or email parksandrecreation@ centerharbornh.gov.

Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room to Play at Lakeport Opera House

Guitarist Barry Goudreau, formerly of the multi-platinum classic rock legendary band, Boston (“More Than a Feeling”, “Don’t Look Back”, “Peace of Mind”, “Long Time” etc), brings his guitar wizardry to the stage with his band Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room on June 6, at the Lakeport Opera House in Laconia, at 7:30 pm.

Goudreau calls the Engine Room sound “Contemporary classic rock”, an apt description of songs from their 2nd album, “The Road” – songs like “Love Will Lead the Way”, “Word to the Wise”, and the power ballad “Shade”, inspired by the iconic music of the great rock bands of the 70s and beyond.

The band also draws from Barry’s extensive catalog, which includes work by RTZ, a band he formed with former Boston lead singer and bandmate, Brad Delp. Their record for Warner Brothers featured the songs “Face the Music” and the successful single “Until Your Love Comes Back Around”, both of which had play on MTV.

You’ll also hear a selection or two from Barry’s band, Orion the Hunter That band had a hit single with “So You Ran” and toured with “Aerosmith”

on their “Back in the Saddle” tour. Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room includes bassist and NH resident, Tim Archibald, and keyboardist and lead

vocalist, Brian Maes, both of whom played with Peter Wolf’s House Party Five and were with Barry in RTZ . It was Maes’ composition, “Until Your Love Comes Back Around,” that fueled RTZ to success on the charts.

Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room knocks out audiences wherever they go and increases their fan base with each show. Last year they gained new fans when they played a few tour dates with the Hollywood Vampires, featuring Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, Alice Cooper, and Johnny Depp. They’ll be coming to Laconia fresh off a successful appearance at the M3 Rock Festival in Columbia, MD.

Expect some of the Boston classics in their live set, alongside great rock staples from the likes of Joe Walsh’s James Gang and the J Geils Band as well as their own originals.

The Lakeport Opera House is located at 781 Union Ave, in Laconia. The show is on Saturday, June 6, at 7:30 pm. Tickets are available now at lakeportopera.com/shows-events/.

Join us for opening weekend and choose your own Castle adventure:

• Self-Guided or Guided Mansion Tour

• Lunch at the Carriage House

• Scenic Saturday Hike (or on your own!)

Lucknow Garden Tour

Look Around Lucknow: Free Family Scavenger Hunt Plan your visit at CastleAdventure.org or scan the QR code to see all 200+ seasonal programs and events.

Kick Off Summer at the Memorial Weekend Craft Festival

The Scenic Mill Falls Marketplace in Meredith, NH, will come alive with color, flavor, and music for the 34th Annual Memorial Day Weekend Craft Festival on May 23, 24 & 25, 2026. Celebrate the long weekend surrounded by creativity! Discover unique, American-made works from over 100 juried artisans across New England. Explore booths filled with beautifully handcrafted treasures, including pens, creative wall art, genuine gemstone jewelry, hand-thrown functional

pottery, and so much more! Support local artists and find the perfect treasure to bring home (or a special gift for someone else).

Treat your taste buds to a variety of delicious offerings! Enjoy amazing hot sauces (as featured on HOT ONES!), all-natural fruit jams, refreshing wine slushy mixes, farm-made baked goods, and a diverse selection of other scrumptious delights.

Bring your furry friends along! Well-behaved, leashed pets are wel-

The Mammoth Road: New Hampshire Folk Tales as an Avenue to Local History and Culture

Folk tales are passed from one generation to another, embellished by time and teller: “Ethan Crawford was as tall as Mount Washington. He could carry at least seven men on his back!” Yet, when we look at folk tales, the people who compiled them and the location from which they spring, we can access history in a new and entertaining way. Join presenter Erin Moulton to hear and explore folk tales collected by the New Hampshire Women’s Federation (1932) and dig into local resources in search of truths. Was it a tall tale or

town history?

The program, at the Old Town Hall on Route 140 in Gilmanton Iron Works, begins promptly at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, May 27. Social hour and refreshments begin at 6 pm. All are welcome. There is no charge, but donations to support the Society are welcome.

For information about the Society and other programs, see the Society’s website at gilmantonhistoricalsociety. org.

come to join the festivities. This event is free and open to the public, rain or shine!

Event Hours: Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm, and Monday (Memorial Day) from 10 am to 4 pm.

Address: Mill Falls Marketplace at 312 Daniel Webster Hwy, Meredith; Directions: From Interstate 93, take Exit 23 onto Route 3 North. For more information, including a full exhibitor list, please visit us at Castleberryfairs.com

Hungry? Start Here.

Dining Out in the Lakes Region

Available at Hundreds of Locations around the Lakes Region!

CRAFT FAIR

Route 3, Meredith, NH

Saturday May 24, 10 am - 6 pm

Sunday May 25, 10 am - 5 pm

Monday May 26, 10 am - 4 pm

~ Over 100 Juried Craftsmen ~ Come and Meet the Artisans Celebrate American Made Works by Hand

Photography, Country Woodcrafts, Pottery, Soaps, Cork Handbags, Fine Jewelry, Pet Gifts, Candles, Resin, Fabric, Pillows, Scarves, Tide Clocks, Music, Growth Charts, String Art, Laser Cut Wood, Plants, Written Works, Slate, Chain Saw Art, Ceramic, Knitwear, Pebble Art, Soft Sculpture, Pies, Sauces, Wine Slushy Mix, Toffee, Honey, Kettle Corn, Oils, Pickles, Jerky, Dips, Jellies, Cannoli, Birch Syrup, Shortbread Cookies, Maple & More.

Free Admission ~ Rain or Shine ~ Pets Welcome Directions from Route 93 take Exit 23 or come by boat www.castleberryfairs.com

Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

The Mount Washington Valley Craft Fair will return to Schouler Park in North Conway on Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24, from 10 am to 5 pm daily. The event will take place at Schouler Park, 1 Norcross Circle, in the heart of North Conway Village.

More than 125 talented artisans from around the region will showcase an impressive variety of handcrafted arts and crafts. Visitors will find functional and decorative pottery, handcrafted jewelry, metal caricatures, watercolor and acrylic fine art, wildlife photography, log furniture, wooden river design creations, skincare and soaps, soy candles,

gourmet foods, mountain-inspired artwork, wearable art, original tie-dye artwear, framed names, handcrafted American wooden flags and crosses, custom embroidery, sublimation art, and much more.

Live music will be featured both days with North River, adding to the festive atmosphere.

The event is family friendly, with free admission and friendly, leashed dogs welcome. The fair will be held rain or shine under canopies.

For more information, contact Joyce at (603) 387-1510 or visit joycescraftshows.com.

Watercolor and Felting Workshops at League of NH Craftsmen in Meredith

The League of NH Craftsmen –Meredith has announced two new classes coming up, for experienced or novice artists to learn and hone new skills.

Join artist Stephanie McQuade on Wednesday, May 27, from 10 am to 2 pm for a Bloomin’ Time Watercolor workshop.

Hone your watercolor painting skills with local artist and instructor Stephanie McQuade in this focused halfday workshop. Students will paint the vibrant floral scene “Bloomin’ Time” based on a beautiful photograph by Michael McQuade. Stephanie will provide the 12 x 16 watercolor paper and the preliminary drawing for each student to flesh out with their paints and brushes of choice.

This relaxed yet productive session offers dedicated time to work on a lovely floral composition while receiving personalized guidance. Perfect for intermediate watercolor painters looking to strengthen their skills in a supportive environment.

Tuition is $80 per student. Students will need to bring their own watercolor paints and brushes. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. Those who wish to attend MUST sign up by Sunday, May 24.

And on Sunday, May 24, join artist Rachel Benson at the Gallery from 1:30 pm to 4 pm for a Felted Mushroom class.

Learn the art of felting with Rachel Benson in this fun 2 ½ hour workshop in which students will create their own whimsical felted mushroom huts. Rachel will teach you the technique of this art form and guide you through the process of felting to create this fungi figure for you to take home and adore. This is a great beginner’s project and a lot of fun for the experienced felter. All materials will be provided by the instructor.

This class is good for those new to needle felting, but all skill levels are welcome. Tuition is $35 per student with an additional materials fee of $5 that will be paid by cash or check to the instructor at the time of the class. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. Those who wish to attend MUST sign up by Wednesday, May 20th.

To register for either of these workshops, please call the League of NH Craftsmen – Fine Craft Gallery at 603279-7920 or stop by the gallery located at 279 Daniel Webster Highway in Meredith, NH.

For more details, visit our website at meredith.nhcrafts.org/classes/ and our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ nhcraft/.

The League of NH Craftsmen Meredith Fine Craft Gallery is located at 279 DW Hwy, Meredith, and is dedicated to the education and support of NH’s fine craft tradition since 1932.

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The Tamworth Swift River Regatta Returns on Saturday, May 30th

The Arts Council of Tamworth is pleased to once again host the Tamworth Swift River Regatta, an exciting wooden toy boat race, on Saturday, May 30.

Kids of all ages are invited to join in the friendly competition, which is a great family spectator event. Competitors will customize and decorate a 9” pine wooden model sailboat, built in Tamworth by Swift River Wood Products, and compete for cash and other prizes in the Swift River course that passes through the center of Tamworth Village.

The prizes will be $50 for first place, $25 for second place, and a prize for the best-decorated boat.

Race day will begin with registration at the Tamworth Farmer’s Market from 9 am to 11:15 am, during which competitors will “surrender” their boats to the Race Commodore. At 11:30 am, event volunteers will transfer the boats to the starting line for the noon start. While competitors are not allowed in

the starting area, there will be great viewing of the race from the bridge and behind the Tamworth Bakery and Tamworth Distillery. At the race finish, prizes will be given out, and boats will be returned to their owners after all prizes have been awarded.

How to get your boat kit: The boat kits, built in Tamworth by Swift River Wood Products, are available for advance purchase online at https://www. zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-tamworth-swift-river-regatta.

Decorate your boat: Competitors will want to get their boats early to decorate them.

Want to help? Volunteers are needed to help make this event a success! Find out more about volunteer opportunities and sign up at https://signup.com/go/ DgQCCFo.

For more information about the Tamworth Swift River Regatta and other upcoming events, please visit artstamworth.org.

Spring In for A Car Check Up

Plymouth State University Marks Opening of ‘Career Closet’

The Plymouth State University Student Support Foundation (SSF) and Academic and Career Advising Center recently marked the grand opening of PSU’s Career Closet, a donation-based program that provides students access to a wide variety of business casual clothing at no cost, with a ribbon-cutting event. Career Closet items are appropriate for professional occasions such as job interviews, career fairs, and corporate events.

“Launching the Career Closet has been a great way for the community to come together to help each other,” said PSU Student Support Foundation President Matthew Barlow. “We’ve had fun transforming the space, and we’re excited to open and begin offering free business attire to any student who

needs it, whether for a job interview, internship, or a first job.”

The Career Closet is currently accepting donations of men’s and women’s blazers and jackets, dress pants, professional dresses and skirts, button-down shirts, sweaters and cardigans, suits and matching sets, professional shoes and accessories (belts, ties, professional bags). All donations are asked to be clean and free of any stains, rips, or tears.

Clothing donations must be scheduled prior to drop-off; appointments are available Monday through Friday. Anyone interested in scheduling a donation appointment may email career. development@plymouth.edu or call 603-535-3065.

Yesteryear

Cleaning Up and Moving into Summer Cottages

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

“F.H. Bean has opened his lake cottage for the summer.”

— The Bristol Enterprise, 1907

It is likely most cottage owners in the Lakes Region spent time over Memorial Day weekend and into the early summer with rakes and brooms, cleaning up around their cottages. In days of old, those who owned a cottage in the Lakes Region had to prepare their place for the warmer summer weather ahead. Most people did the work themselves – unlocking doors, washing windows, airing out the interior that had been closed up over the winter and turning on electric, gas and water.

Outdoor work was plentiful and meant cleaning up the yard after winter snow and ice and fallen trees and branches. Who knows what work was

needed when, in 1914, S. C. Denton of East Weymouth, Mass. arrived at his cottage with the idea in mind of preparing things before the arrival of his wife and daughter? He is mentioned as a summer home owner who was on Newfound Lake to open up his cottage before his family arrived for the summer, as told in a June 1914 issue of the Bristol Enterprise. (Vacationing in the late 1800s to mid 1900s was much simpler. A place to sleep – often a little, rustic camp, a good campfire, and a swim in the lake were all it took for a satisfying and memory-making family vacation. But there was a need for opening up the camp/cottage and cleaning things up before the season got underway.)

In the days of more restricted travel, cottage owners who lived a distance

away had to hope things were intact during winter storms because travel was not as easy. Many people had cars, but trips were unadvisable in winter weather just to check on your cottage.

Arriving at and opening a cottage for the summer was a project, especially many years ago. The Bristol Enterprise reported on a number of cottagers who were opening up their summer places, and in a June, 1907 issue, no less than seven families were reported to have moved in for the season.

Readers were informed that Dr. and Mrs. F. P. Mall and two children and some staff from Baltimore, Maryland arrived to spend the summer at an Island View Cottage at Crescent Beach on Newfound Lake, Bristol. Elsewhere in Bristol, W. S. H. Remick was busy with a group of 10 men or more erecting cottages and making improvements around the lake.

Mrs. Arthur B. Hayes of New York had taken possession of a cottage for two months. She was also in the market for a building lot on the lake shore. Further, Mrs. Hughes of Boston, MA

and Mary Shores of Fall River, MA, who owned cottages in the Newfound Lake area, erected bath houses on the east shore.

All over the Newfound Lake area, summer lodgings were plentiful. The Whip-O-Will had swimming, boating, and fishing, with a private beach. There were 30 pine-paneled cottages with fireplaces. Bungalo Village, on the west side of Newfound Lake, had 40 bungalow cottages and recreational opportunities galore.

Often local women took on the temporary job of cleaning such cabins for extra money each spring. It meant long hours dusting, scrubbing floors and making sure everything in each and every cottage was ready for the influx of vacationers who were to arrive starting Memorial Day weekend. (The cleaners were called again after Columbus Day weekend in the fall to give the cottages one last clean before everything was closed up for the winter.)

• Yesteryear continued on page 25

Programs Abound at Castle in the Clouds

Castle in the Clouds may not open for tours until May 23, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to do, even before Memorial Day Weekend.

If you are interested in nature, join Lakes Region Conservation Trust’s Castle Birding Hike at 8 am on Friday, May 29. Local professional birder, Kelly Hansen, will lead the group to see and hear birds in their natural habitat and stopping point in their migration.

Saturday, May 23, Lucknow Mansion will once again be open for tours. Start your day with a Saturday Hike or a Lucknow Garden Tour before taking a tour of the Mansion and enjoying lunch on the terrace at the Carriage House Restaurant. This Saturday hike starts at 9 am and will follow the Brook Walk via Turtleback Mountain Trail. The Lucknow Garden Tour starts at 10:15 with a trolley ride up to Lucknow. Both of

• Yesteryear continued from page 24

Further north, everyone pitched in to help open up the cottages in tourist areas. In the White Mountains, the hardworking Mrs. Edwin Moody fell ill, and her daughter, Hazel, stepped in to care for about 40 guests who needed to be fed and their rooms kept clean. A friend, Miss Alverta Fernald, was assisting, as reported in the August 17, 1916 issue of The Reporter newspaper. Memorial Day was a reverent time to honor those who served and died in war, but it had also become the start of the vacation season. While children had not yet begun summer vacation, older folks with the money to travel or childless couples booked into cottages before the height of summer. These visitors needed and expected a clean cottage and groomed lawns and other outdoor areas.

If your family wanted to be on or near Lake Winnipesaukee, you might choose Proctor’s Pine Tree Lodge and Cabins in the Weirs Beach area, with charming cabins in a European plan.

these programs occur throughout the season as well.

For a second year, Castle in the Clouds is bringing back the Look Around Lucknow Scavenger Hunt. This year’s is specially designed to help commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Castle Preservation Society. Guests are invited to join in anytime from dawn to dusk between May 23 and June 6 for a family-friendly scavenger hunt that takes participants on an exciting journey around the property. There will be an awards ceremony on Sunday, June 7, at the Carriage House for participants to celebrate their accomplishments together.

The New Hampshire Astronomical Society is back for another season of Solar Gazing, starting on Sunday, May 24, from 11 am to 4 pm. Learn about the cosmos from experts, while safely looking at the sun through telescopes designed

Another great place was Haley’s Birchland Cabins and Tea Room with housekeeping and three meals per day. The lodging establishment also offered boats. Any place with a restaurant or snack bar to feed cottage dwellers had to be cleaned as well. Along with the cottages, summer eateries had been closed up all winter and food had to be ordered and stocked in clean refrigerators, among the many tasks at hand. Cottage colonies and resorts that offered boats were yet another task to be done; each boat had to be inspected, checked thoroughly and gassed up before being docked, ready for summer visitors.

In the Meredith area, cottage owners were arriving in May, such as Mr. and Mrs. George Billings of Long Island, New York. The couple had a “camp” according to a news snippet in the May 21, 1929 edition of the Meredith News. Also in Meredith, the Minzer family, in 1929, had remodeled their cottage. They were readying the place for a different reason. They had named the place Ramona Lodge and hoped to offer lodgings to vacationers.

Little Cape Codder’s Colony and

specifically for that purpose. Solar Gazing is a weekly program and takes place on the field across from Café in the Clouds.

May 28 is our first Guided Hike of the season. Join Castle team members for an informative hike of the Settlement Loop starting at 10 am. Two days later, another Saturday Hike will take guests to the Lower Bridle Path via the Turtleback Mountain Trail at 9 am.

Join Castle in the Clouds and Moultonborough Public Library for a joint Local Poetry Night starting at 5 pm. Mingle with poets over drinks while taking in the beautiful views from the Winnipesaukee Room. Special guest poets, Rodger Martin and Dennis Caldwell, will speak about their writing and discovery process before guests have the opportunity to share their own poetry or short prose in an open mic format to end the evening.

Chick-A-Gami cottages had the attraction of the lake nearby. Mother Bear and Cubs Cottages and The Flaminco Motel were also well-known lodging options.

In the 1960s, The Shangri-La Motel was an extremely popular and upscale place to vacation. It originally opened in 1879 and overlooked the area from its vantage point high on a hill. In the 1950s, it was purchased by George and Mary Spanos and named the Shangri-La.

Alton and Alton Bay have been popular with vacationers for many years. In the early days of Alton, the Fifield House served as an important lodging establishment, according to “Alton: A Town to Remember.” It offered rooms and had a dining room, as well

Finally, to bring the month of May to a close, Castle in the Clouds is hosting its 4th annual Teacher Open House. Teachers are invited to bring their families to experience the Castle for only $5/person. Participating teachers will begin their day with a breakfast reception in the Winnipesaukee Room where they will meet the educational team and learn about school programming before getting to experience a field trip for themselves. This program starts at 9:30 am and concludes with a hike in the afternoon.

All of these programs require registration. For that and for more information, visit https://www.castleintheclouds.org/calendar-of-events/ month/2026-05/

For more information, please contact programs@castleintheclouds. org or visit www.castleintheclouds. org.

as a blacksmith shop with horses for hire. Over time, it was enlarged and renamed the Munroe House, and still later, it was called the Village Inn. Located on Main Street, it was a beautiful, large structure and probably a centerpiece of the village at one time. Like many old hotels, it eventually burned. For the areas around the Lakes Region where summer cottages were plentiful, whether privately owned or a resort, it meant unlocking the doors, opening windows, cleaning each room, making the beds and raking leaves. Once ready, the cottages on each lake were ready to welcome a summer of vacationers eager to experience the beauty of the Lakes Region.

The Passing of One of This Region’s Superb Museums

By Mark Okrant

Within past issues of The Laker, we have covered a number of excellent museums to be found in or near the Lakes region. Until recently, one of the standouts was the Museum of the White Mountains (MWM), situated, since 2013, on the Plymouth State University campus. Now, it is our sad duty to report that the facility has closed its doors. MWM existed as a collaborative design, open concept facility that provided opportunities to learn about the history, arts and culture, environmental, and tourism legacies characteristic of the 3440 square mile area of New Hampshire known as the White Mountains. Unlike the other museums frequently viewed in this column, MWM offered no permanent exhibits.

What made MWM special (some would say, ‘unique’) was its ability to make use of, and interpret, its varied collections—art, photography, texts, ephemera, and other objects—to tell the numerous stories of the region to a diverse audience, and to invite research and further exploration from different perspectives. The work done at the MWM was valued by the greater academic, business, cultural, and scientific communities, while promoting collaboration among faculty and students from different disciplines throughout the university.

Perhaps the following tourism illustration will best portray the museum’s approach to examining the region. On more than one occasion, MWM presented White Mountains tourism as a story of place, showing how landscape, transportation, industry, art, and conservation shaped the travel industry as well as the entire region over time. Utilizing on-campus and off-campus resources, MWM blended historical objects and voices with environmental interpretation and creative works so museum patrons would see tourism not just as recreation, but as a force that transformed both the economy and the land. From a historical perspective, the museum staff would organize the exhibition chronologically, beginning with settlement, early travel, logging, and the first inns, then moving into the railroad era and the rise of grand hotels and resort tourism. That structure would help visitors understand how tourism expanded from difficult coach

travel to a major industry by the 19th century. It also would include the shift from subsistence farming and timber use to a tourism economy as trains reached the mountains. Ultimately, the role of the Interstate Highway System would be incorporated to show further economic development as well as a decided threat to the natural environment. In addressing the environment, exhibits showed geology, ecology, seasonal change, forest recovery, and the effects of historic logging and development, linking those changes to modern conservation and sustainability efforts. Interactive displays incorporated historic photos with trail conditions and wildlife habitat to make environmental change understandable. Arts and cultural artifacts played a substantial role in revealing how the mountains were experienced and marketed through painting, writing, and architecture. All the while, tourism’s role in shaping the environment, local culture, as well as the overall economy would be made clear.

MWM has been much more than a gallery of objects. It provided visitors with an opportunity to view archival and digital learning resources furnished by people who shared a genuine passion for the White Mountains region. Throughout its existence, this gem served an estimated 10,000 visitors per year, the largest percentage of these during the summer months. Tragically, there is now a gaping hole in the region’s intellectual scene.

Without a doubt, the entire university appreciated and supported this treasure. According to information released several months earlier, the university’s administration, “reaffirm(ed) its deep commitment to the collections, scholarship, and public engagement that have defined the Museum since its founding.” They went on to say that, owing to State of New Hampshire budget reductions impacting higher education—and barring private funding sources—Plymouth State University must close the Museum’s current standalone building, with the Highland Street facility designated for sale. There were assurances that—despite changes in the physical museum space—the collections, and the University’s stewardship of the Museum of the White Mountains will remain

intact. MWM always has been a campuswide resource, and moving forward, the administration is faced with finding a solution that intertwines the Museum’s presence within the academic and public life of the University “in a way that fits our budget.” Their plan is to have rotating and permanent exhibitions drawn from the MWM collection displayed in Lamson Library, Hyde Hall, Silver Center, and throughout campus, in what has been wrongly labeled, “expanding visibility and engagement.” Despite guarantees that “the museum is going to be bigger and better,” it presently appears that numerous separate installations throughout the Plymouth State campus will have difficulty supplanting the single exhibition venue that supported the museum’s mission. Given present evidence, one cannot help but remember the words of 17th-century English parliamentarian, John Pym: “actions speak louder than words.”

The Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University has had several excellent directors over time: Catherine Amidon, Cynthia Robinson, Marcia Schmidt Blaine, and Meghan Doherty. Each of those directors took considerable pride in MWM’s relationship with campus faculty, the student body, and representatives from communities throughout the region. Of importance, eight students served im-

portant support roles in the operation of the museum each semester. Meanwhile, countless other undergraduates obtained invaluable experience serving as exhibitors and in other roles. The opportunity to work closely with Meghan Doherty (director), Kala Brzezinski (assistant director), Heidi Underbakke (exhibit designer and preparator), and numerous artists in residency proved invaluable to generations of PSU students, as this experience served as a leaping-off point between the classroom and subsequent reality. With the resignations of the staff and closing of the facility, added responsibility for training future students will be placed on the university’s excellent art faculty.

Meanwhile, what will happen to the core mission of MWM? With the absence of an administrative staff, it appears that vital activities and services are on hold. At present, there are no paid guest curators with content knowledge to develop exhibitions or attract collections. It is expected that most of the MWM’s holdings will be relocated to the Spinelli Archives in Lamson Library for safety and access, since a majority of archival collections are already situated there. However, one questions whether suitable space is available to accommodate artworks and other large objects that have been donated in good faith. Only time will tell.

Society of American Music Brings

Sounding the Nation at 250 to Sanbornton

July 4, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In recognition of this historic milestone, the Society for American Music (SAM) is proud to announce Sounding the Nation at 250, a nationwide series of lectures, recitals, and exhibits celebrating the rich and diverse musical heritage of the Americas. Timed to coincide with commemorative events surrounding the U.S. Semi quincentennial, Sounding the Nation at 250 highlights the essential role music and the arts have played in expressing the hopes, struggles, identities, and aspirations of communities across time. The series honors the artists, musicians, and creators whose work has shaped American culture while also looking forward to a future in which the arts continue to foster creativity, connection, and shared civic life.

SAM’s goal is to sponsor one Sounding the Nation event in each U.S. state. The New Hampshire event will be held at the historic vestry of the Bay Meetinghouse (now Mountain View Church) at 322 Upper Bay Rd., Sanbornton, from 6 to 7 pm on Monday, June 1, 2026. This lecture/singalong will explain the prehistory of gospel music in a regionally specific way. Although gospel music is not typically associated with New England in the popular consciousness, the “vestry music” style popularized during the Boston revival of 1841-2 is one of the genre’s important precursors. Vestry music

took its name from a form of church architecture distinctive to the region, the vestry, and from the informal worship meetings held there. The event venue is an exceptionally well-preserved vestry, built in 1841 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sing-along performances of songs drawn from the vestry music repertoire will constitute the majority of the event. Musicologist Erin Fulton will provide brief spoken explanations of vestry music, its connection to New England (and Sanbornton specifically), and its contributions to the more widely known gospel style. Dr. Chase Castle will accompany the singing on the melodeon, a keyboard instrument popular in the mid-nineteenth century.

Founded in 1975, the Society for American Music is dedicated to the study, teaching, creation, and dissemination of all musics of the Americas. As a non-profit, scholarly, and educational organization, SAM serves academics, librarians, composers, performers, students, and members of the general public, fostering dialogue across disciplines and communities.

Sounding the Nation at 250 invites audiences to listen closely—to the sounds of the past, the voices of the present, and the possibilities of the future. For more information about Sounding the Nation at 250, please visit www.sam250.org for more information or contact Erin Fulton at 620-6401689 or erinfulton@uky.edu.

Relive

the Turning Point: The Epic World War II Battle of Midway – presented by Arthur Krulewitz

On Tuesday, May 25, the Wright Museum will welcome Arthur Krulewitz. This is the first program of the Wright Museum’s 2026 Education Series.

More than just a naval engagement, the Battle of Midway was a collision of leadership, technology, intelligence, and good fortune that reshaped the course of World War II. While you may know the ultimate outcome, the prelude to the combat is as intriguing as the battle itself—a narrative embodying arrogance, hubris, reticence, and daring. Explore the human and strategic forces that shaped the battle.

Doors open at 6 pm, the program

begins at 7 pm on Tuesday, May 25, at the Wright Museum’s DuQuoin Education Center, 77 Center Street in Wolfeboro. Admission is $8 for members and $12 for non-members. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made online at wrightmuseum.org/lecture-series or by calling 603-569-1212.

The region’s leading resource for educators and learners of all ages on World War II, the Wright Museum features more than 14,000 items in its collection that are representative of both the home front and battlefield. For more information about the 2026 Leacture Series or the museum, visit wrightmuseum.org.

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Dining Out in the Lakes Region

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Veterans Are Leading the Way in Healing – Again

By Rob Lewis DAV (Disabled American Veterans)

National Communications Director

By any honest measure, veterans have long been unintended pioneers in the advancement of medicine.

The unique realities of war and military service have forced innovation that later benefits civilians for generations. Modern triage systems emerged from battlefields where medical personnel had to decide, in seconds, who could be saved. Medevac transportation by helicopter increased survival rates in conflicts like Vietnam and later became a staple of civilian emergency medicine. Advances in trauma surgery, prosthetics, rehabilitation medicine and even treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder were accelerated because war left no alternative but to innovate.

Today, veterans are once again on the frontlines of an advance in medicine— this time involving psychedelics—as they search for ways to address the invisible wounds of war: post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, depression and moral injury.

I saw this firsthand at the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference in Denver, where thousands of researchers, clinicians, advocates and policymakers gathered to explore the therapeutic potential of substances like psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine. But what stood out most was an emerging voice: Veterans.

Panel after panel featured former ser-

vice members and their families speaking not only about trauma, but about recovery—about journeys through plant medicine that helped them process memories, reconnect and rediscover purpose.

That same reality reached a broader audience through the Netflix documentary “In Waves and War,” which follows veterans pursuing healing, breaking addiction and reducing the effects of brain injuries and PTSD through the use of ibogaine. The stories are deeply personal, but the larger theme is unmistakable: veterans are once again walking point in a space that will eventually help the wider public.

The trauma surgeon who honed life-saving techniques in Iraq or Afghanistan eventually brings that knowledge into a civilian hospital. The battlefield innovations that once saved a wounded Marine often become the protocols that save a car crash victim decades later.

The same dynamic is unfolding with psychedelic-assisted therapies.

As author Michael Pollan observed while chronicling the modern psychedelic renaissance, these substances can allow people to see the mind “from a different vantage point,” loosening rigid patterns of thought that keep people trapped in trauma and depression.

Increasingly, the question is no longer whether these therapies hold promise, but how they can be responsibly studied and integrated into modern

medicine. Unlike past medical breakthroughs, progress here will stall without public understanding, policy reform and responsible investment.

That’s one reason DAV (Disabled American Veterans) recently launched Mindscapes (dav.org), a new online multimedia resource dedicated to psychedelic education and exploration. The platform brings together the voices of veterans who have undergone plant-medicine journeys alongside clinicians, researchers and mental health professionals working in the field. Mindscapes offers a place for veterans, families and the public to engage with credible information, hear real stories and participate in a conversation that is shaping the future of mental health care.

The timing could not be more important.

We are living in uncertain times and that’s pushing more people toward exploring new ways to address mental health, personal resilience and overall quality of life.

Psychedelic-assisted therapies may offer one such path.

Research from major universities and medical institutions suggests these treatments could help people process trauma, confront addiction and experience profound psychological insight. Much work remains to ensure these therapies are safe, accessible and responsibly integrated into medicine.

But once again, veterans are helping

lead the way.

Many are speaking publicly about their experiences. Others are participating in clinical trials. Still, others are advocating in Washington, D.C., and statehouses across the nation for thoughtful policy reforms that would allow those suffering from mental and physical health challenges to access emerging treatments under medical supervision.

Their efforts echo the long and often uncomfortable truth about our history: The lessons learned from war rarely stay confined to those who served. Again and again, veterans are asked to carry the burden of innovation first, forced to navigate new approaches to healing long before they are accepted by the broader medical community.

Just as battlefield triage and medevac ultimately transformed emergency medicine, the knowledge veterans are helping generate today about psychedelic-assisted therapies could expand how we understand healing itself.

If history is any guide, the breakthroughs veterans are helping unlock today will one day benefit millions beyond the military community. But that future depends on what happens next, on whether we choose to learn, to listen, and to support thoughtful, evidence-based progress.

Veterans have once again stepped forward to lead.

The question now is whether the rest of us are willing to follow.