This year I have spent a lot of time in the woods to escape the parched earth and the relentless heat during the hottest summer I ever remember. In the woods it was still cool and moist, and although mushrooming was poor overall, I still found some of these fungal fruiting bodies growing in […]
Citizen Columns
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Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, The Bethel Citizen, The Franklin Journal
Movie Review: Come Play
“Come Play” finds itself in the plum position of being the hottest new theatrical horror release of Halloween 2020. It accomplishes this goal by being the only new theatrical horror release of Halloween 2020. And I have to ask: how did this film in particular get such special treatment? I certainly understand that studios want […]
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Posted inThe Bethel Citizen
Mahoosuc Bird Notes: Common loon reintroduction, part 2
The Common Loon’s (photo by Jay “Mac” Davis) range once extended through every state in New England except Rhode Island. Hunting, along with habitat destruction, pushed loons out of some parts of New England like Southern Massachusetts. A Portland, ME based organization is trying to change this. Restore the Call is a relocation program operated by […]
Posted inThe Bethel Citizen
Backyard Reflections: What is it about Red Oaks?
Part 2 You can spot red oaks in spring, when beautiful pink leaves covered in silky down emerge from the trees’ buds. Keep an eye out for them as you explore the woods. We have two species of oaks that are common in this area. Red and white oaks have distinctly different leaves and acorns. […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, The Bethel Citizen
Tree Talk: Renewable wood energy
If you step outside and look around, chances are you will see trees, lots of trees, as far as the eye can see. Cut one down, which lets in more sunlight, and new trees will sprout or the remaining trees will grow even faster. Trees are solar batteries. They absorb energy from the sun and […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, The Bethel Citizen, The Franklin Journal
Movie Review: Honest Thief
“Honest Thief” is a perfectly middle-of-the-road Liam Neeson action vehicle. Not as bad as “Unknown,” not as good as “Cold Pursuit.” It would get stomped by any real competition at the box office, but of course this is the Era of No Competition. Actually, it’s the Era of No Movies At All in certain parts […]
Posted inThe Bethel Citizen
Education: Required reading?
How To College: What to know before you go (and when you’re there) by A M Brenner and L H Schwartz; St Martin’s Press, 2019. Is this the answer to students’ and parents’ prayers? Yes and no. Brenner and Schwartz apparently cover everything. That’s a problem. Their checklist of things to know and do has […]
Posted inThe Bethel Citizen
Mahoosuc Bird Notes: Sandhill Crane report
A group of us recently traveled over to the Fryeburg area looking for Sandhill Cranes (photo by Justin Belson USWFS). As I’ve written before, these birds have begun breeding in Western Maine and for several years a group of ~28 gather in fresh-turned fields along the Saco River. A dozen of us caravanned from […]
Posted inThe Bethel Citizen
Backyard Reflections: What is it about Red Oaks?
Part 1 Every autumn I fall in love with ‘fire on the mountain’…This year the maple show was relatively brief, with scarlet leaves dropping early, although in mid October some larger maples still have bittersweet gold and sunset orange leaves. Drought is becoming more and more of a threat in our neck of the woods […]