The 16th Annual Winter Holiday Stroll in Nashua was the best ever! Last year the attendance was just under 30,000 and I believe this year must have been over 30,000. Our first visit to this event in 1993 was fun, but disappointing; it started with a candle light walk, but after the lighting of the tree you couldn’t even buy a cup of hot chocolate. Every year since has been better and better.

This year we were right behind the fire engine carrying Santa (11/28/09)

Our sixteen year old granddaughter, Rhianna Marie, went with Sal and me to the event.

Here I am with Rhianna (11/28/09)

Here I am with Sal (11/28/09)

This is the view from behind the fire truck. We sang carols all the way uptown to where the tree is located. (11/28/09)

At Railroad Square we stopped to light the tree.

This is what it was like to look back downtown at a sea of people!

It was like watching a holiday movie; everyone was in spirit and having fun.

Here is Santa lighting the tree (11/28/09)

Nashua New Hampshire’s energy efficient LED lit Christmas Tree (11/28/09)

Rhianna thought she was too old to have her picture taken in front of the tree, but we didn’t (11/28/09)

A few minutes later our son, JR (Sal Jr), his girlfriend, Christina, and our daughter, Joy, found us (11/28/09)

Then Rhianna thought it was okay to pose with the girls (11/28/09)

There were many incredible Ice Sculptures.

This wolf looks like Mickey Blue Eyes begging for a cookie! (11/28/09)

This bear looks about the size of the visitor we had early this month. (11/28/09)

Here are just a few of the many others. (11/28/09)

What a wonderful time we had!

Back to work tomorrow.
K 

The Stuff of Which We are Made
When you visit Northern NH, you see the beautiful scenery, the quaint, main streets of our towns, the shops that bring on an air of nostalgia (built in the 1800’s and earlier), wildlife like moose, deer and wild turkeys.

Many of our visitors have purchased second homes, in order to live and become a part of this beauty, called the “North Country”.  Those that cannot purchase, come back every year to their favorite rental location, B&B’s, Hotels, Motels, Cabins, Campgrounds and Vacation Rentals.

This past week I was thinking that I will interview these faithful visitors, part-time residents, lover’s of rural New Hampshire and ask them about their perceptions of the full-time residents, the life-long, born at home (some not), “locals” that are the backbone of Northern New Hampshire. I’ll ask them “What do you think of our lifestyle? Our shops? What it means to be a hunter”? Do you like the quaintness? Would you miss the shopping malls if you lived here full-time? Do you love our covered bridges and visualize the horse and buggies that used to cross over? How about the wonderful old churches with their exquisite, architectural designs and gingerbread trims. I’ll write a blog post about this in the next few weeks.

I’m curious to see if they/you (our visitors), have a clear perception of what it takes to be a full-time resident, a local, of the North Country.

New Hampshirites, by nature, are tough, strong, maybe a bit stubborn, community and family oriented but above all, survivors!

We know how to camp, hike, ski, snowmobile, split wood, live without power when a big nor’easter hits. How to cook on a wood stove, how to collect water when the pump doesn’t work, how to travel on snowshoes when it isn’t a good idea to drive or it’s just too damn deep!

I’m wondering if the visitors and part-time residents realize that many North Country folk, if ever they wrote a resume, would have so many talents under their belts.

I move now to this down economy, we’ve been here before, in the North Country, we survive because we’re adaptable. I can’t talk about the southern part of New Hampshire but I can talk about Northern NH, we adjust to the situation. If you use me as an example, I’ve got a cleaning business, an online directory for Northern NH, a community social network for NH (The Granite Matrix), a blog for the North Country, I’m a Social Media Consultant, I’ve shampooed carpets, stained decks, power washed homes, fixed skylights, garden to sell vegetables (I do keep many for myself), have taken care of the elderly and quadriplegic, wash windows, I’m an Astrologer, Reiki/Energy Healer, etc…You get the picture. If I was a man, I’d be doing plumbing, electrical, stone work, carpentry, plowing, mowing, etc. (this is not dictated by sex, men and women do many of these things).

This is what makes NH North Country people a different breed of people, strong, capable, responsible. We always come through the tough times, maybe a bit weary and wiser but oh, so much stronger.

A year ago, I couldn’t afford to heat with oil. I decided to disconnect my oil furnace, get a wood stove, an electric water heater and make do with that.

True to the people of the North Country, friends told friends, I was given a used water heater in perfect condition, a used wood stove that nobody was using, I now have heat, hot water without worrying if I can afford it. I’ve actually come to enjoy stacking and moving the wood (many times), loading the stove with coffee in hand. Yeah, I do feel all fuzzy and warm when doing this. I’ve come to appreciate what it takes to live a different lifestyle, a more down to earth, lifestyle where I’m conscious of what it takes to heat my home, etc. Canning vegetables, baking bread, raising chickens; for some it’s all part of the North Country lifestyle.

Why am I telling you part of my personal story? It’s about transparency as a blogger, it’s about the community spirit of the people that live in Northern NH.  We’ve all helped many others, it feels good, the good goes around, we share, we’re good neighbors, the love is there.  We’re strong, in body, heart, and mind.

I moved here from New Jersey, in 1989. There was one traffic light, at that time, between Woodsville and Littleton, now, I’m not sure how many lights we have, I try not to think about it. We’ve changed a bit, to accommodate the changes in the world, to become more global. I hope we stay here, where we are now. I realize growth is good but I also don’t want to lose the charm that is North of the Notch (Franconia Notch State Park), Northern NH, otherwise we become just like the rest of the urban areas where all our history, talents, beauty and strength will just become a distant memory.  Would you want to visit us then? Or move here? Can you, become a part of us? Do you have the stuff of which we are made?

What do you think? What is your take on the North Country of Northern New Hampshire?

My next post will be a Business Spotlight on Karma Balm. NH made, organic products to heal and satisfy your body and spirit!
I realize that many of our visitors love the products and services that we have here in Northern NH. I’d like to open you up to some great businesses that can benefit you while you visit, ergo, the Business Spotlights.

Posting soon, Robin

In November 2009, a group of community members gathered to explore the concept of a Local Living Economy.  The BALLE Network has its own definition, but what does it mean to us – citizens of the Monadnock Region?

Here is a small sample of ideas to describe a Monadnock Local Living Economy – What would you add?

The Monadnock Local Living Economy is a place where:

• All citizens can have a great quality of life.
• Our basic needs are met within our community and region.
• Individuals realize that they are beyond the worth of their jobs.
• Leadership helps identify common ground and overarching community goals.
• Citizens are creating a new definition of what our needs really are.
• Individuals and banks are investing in social capital.
• We are working cooperatively and collaboratively.
• All citizens are engaged and feel included.
• Celebrating our community.
• We are thinking of our community as a system.

Múrcia és un destí molt poc conegut. Ningú no va a Múrcia, a no ser que hi tingui parents. Ningú no pensa en Múrcia per passar un pont o unes petites vacances. I, si imaginem Múrcia a l’estiu te la seva lògica, tot i que Múrcia te platges maravelloses, i zones de la seva costa, com ara les compreses entre Mazarrón i Aguilas, son una passada. Però Múrcia és molt més que les platges verges de la costa rocosa o les platges turístiques del mar Menor. Múrcia és una ciutat agradable, amb grans atractius artístics, amb una regió al seu voltant amb tota mena de reclams turístics de primer ordre. Només en citaré alguns. A Múrcia capital teniu la Catedral, (a la foto), els carrers del casc antic, amb els seus palaus i esglèsies, plenes d’obres d’art, i museus com el Salzillo, amb els passos de setmana santa d’aquest artísta genial. La setmana santa es viu a Múrcia capital, i a tota la província, amb un fervor especial. Els actes són dignes de veure’s. Si parlem de la regió teniu Caravaca de la Cruz, i el seu santuari. O bé Lorca, una sobirana ciutat, plena d’art. O la militar Cartagena. O la blanca Águilas, a tocar del mar. L’interior depara sorpreses com la Sierra de Espuña, pulmó natural de la zona, el vall de Cieza, o Calasparra amb el seu arròs. El paisatge mineral i llunar dels voltants de La unión, zona minera poderosa, atrau als mineralogistes i als amants del turisme industrial. Per dormir us recomanem els hotels que les grans cadenes tenen a la capital. Sovint en palaus impressionants, molt bé de preu quan no hi ha executius agressius a la vista. Com ara el NH Rincón de Pepe, o l’NH Amistad. O bé cèntric com l’Hotel Arco de San Juan. O els preciosos AC-Hotels, com el Ciutat de Múrcia. Hem dormit a tots ells i us assegurem que són fantàstics. Per menjar aneu pels voltants de la plaça de Sant Joan i mengeu productes frescos de l’horta murciana. Tota mena de verdures a la planxa. Una delícia!.

Murcia es un destino muy poco conocido. Nadie va a Murcia, a no ser que tenga parientes. Nadie piensa en Murcia para pasar un puente o unas pequeñas vacaciones. Y, si imaginamos Murcia en verano tiene su lógica, aunque Murcia tiene playas maravillosas, y zonas de su costa, como las comprendidas entre Mazarrón y Aguilas, són una gozada. Pero Murcia es mucho más que las playas vírgenes de la costa rocosa o las playas turísticas del mar Menor. Murcia es una ciudad agradable, con grandes atractivos artísticos, con una región a su alrededor con todo tipo de reclamos turísticos de primer orden. Sólo citaré algunos. En Murcia capital tienen la Catedral, (en la foto), las calles del casco antiguo, con sus palacios e iglesias, llenas de obras de arte, y museos como el Salzillo, con los pasos de semana santa de este artista genial. La semana santa se vive en Murcia capital, y en toda la provincia, con un fervor especial. Los actos son dignos de verse. Si hablamos de la región tiene Caravaca de la Cruz, y su santuario. O bien Lorca, una soberana ciudad, llena de arte. O la militar Cartagena. O la blanca Águilas, al lado del mar. El interior depara sorpresas como la Sierra de Espuña, pulmón natural de la zona, el valle de Cieza, o Calasparra con su arroz. El paisaje mineral y lunar de la zona de La unión, zona minera poderosa, atrae a los mineralogistas y los amantes del turismo industrial. Para dormir os recomendamos los hoteles que las grandes cadenas tienen en la capital. A menudo en palacios impresionantes, muy bien de precio cuando no hay ejecutivos agresivos a la vista. Como el NH Rincón de Pepe, o el NH Amistad. O bien el céntrico Hotel Arco de San Juan. O los preciosos AC-Hoteles, como el Ciudad de Murcia. Hemos dormido en todos ellos y os aseguramos que son fantásticos. Para comer vayan por los alrededores de la plaza de San Juan y coman productos frescos de la huerta murciana. Todo tipo de verduras a la plancha. ¡Una delicia!.

The senior sessions continue as the New England weather for this time of year is unusually warm. It was a bit drizzly today but not enough to stop the session. Alex is an interesting teen. He is a fairly laid back kid, and has lots of great ideas. I think someday he will become famous from some invention he has come up with! We did the session in downtown Manchester NH as I found some spots I really liked a few weeks back when I did another session there. I loved Alex’s look and had a great time doing his session. You can see the full gallery on my smug mug here

Before each Thanksgiving Dinner we all hold hands around the table and each of us (usually 20 or more) say what we are thankful for. When you have all four of your children, each of their significant others and all eight grandchildren, plus any friends who are not able to be with their families on this day, in one room together that says it all!

Another wonderful thing to be thankful for happen yesterday; we re-connected with an exchange student from Japan who spent her senior year with us in 1986 and then returned to Japan. Candy is married, since 1990, to a U.S. Navy man she met in Japan, living with her husband and two children in San Diego. We hope to never lose touch again!

May all of you have something special to be thankful for this coming Thanksgiving Day!
K

Sorry I haven’t updated in a month.  However, NEVER FEAR!  I am back with a new post and I plan on doing this daily after I gorge myself with turkey and mashed potatoes tomorrow.  Comics/albums/drawings/cool stuff that I like and expect you to do the same.  Anyways here’s a couple fliers for shows I did in November.  They were tons of fun and you should have went.

Expect more of those as more shows come around this area.  We are also booking shows in our basement, so keep an eye out for those too.

Here’s a mixtape I made for the fall.  Now that its almost winter WHAT BETTER TIME TO LISTEN TO IT?  It’s about being depressed because the winter is coming and the winter sucks.  For fans of: Hardcore/pop punk/indie/folk/garage lo fi bullshit

part 1: http://www.mediafire.com/?maejhnayyw2

part 2: http://www.mediafire.com/?nklddy5ky5o

Tracklisting

1. Misfits//Halloween

2. AFI//Fall Children

3. The Measure [SA]//Hello Bastards

4. The Beach Boys//You’re So Good to Me

5. Short Attention//Double Deuce

6. Social Circkle//What’s So Great?

7. The Marked Men//Fortune

8. For Science//Hibernation

9. Black Flag//Depression

10. Billy Bragg//A New England

11. Dr. Dog//The Rabbit, The Bat, and The Reindeer

12. Fucked Up//Baiting

13. Deep Sleep//Let Go

14. The Bananas//New Animals

15. Cheeky//Grow Fins, Turkey

16. Panic//Strength in Solitude

17. Descendents//Bikeage

18. Devo//Mongoloid

19. Fake Boys//Eat Leaves

20. Merchandise//I’m Still Right

21. The Ergs!//See Him Again

22. Foreign Objects//Fixed Failure

23. Jay Reatard//Greed, Money, Useless Children

24. Karen O and The Kids//Rumpus

25. Dear Landlord//Whiskey and Records

26. Misfits//Night of the Living Dead

27. Psyched to Die//Five Year Plan

28. Off With Their Heads//Shambles

29. Short Attention//You Suck

30. Paintbox//Cry Baby

31. Fleet Foxes//Your Protector

32. The Suicide File//Song for Tonight

THANKS! SEE YOU SOON

If you’re facing foreclosure on your home a short sale may be a viable option.  A short sale is when the bank allows you to sell the house for less than the current mortgage.  You have similar liability with a short sale and foreclosure but will not have to wait as long to get back on your feet with a short sale.  Typically a short sale will reduce your credit score about one hundred points and it will take about eighteen months before you can get another loan.  In the case of foreclosure, your score will typically decline two hundred to three hundred points leaving you around a three year wait before anyone will give you a loan again.

For a minimal fee you can attain a lawyer and use their expertise to help reduce your liability.  The lawyer fee, commission and other closing fees can be added onto the HUD and paid by the bank at closing. You don’t even need to come up with a penny.  A Purchase & Sales Agreement has to be accepted by the bank and will take approximately four to six months to close but it’s worth the wait. If a short sale can save you the extra year and half in waiting to get another loan it’s worth the time and hassle involved.     

Virginia Gregory, REALTOR®

Glynn House Inn: Guest Comments – Ann & Donald

This was our first time in NH. The weather has been miserable, but the Glynn House has been undaunted, great rooms and even greater breakfasts! Thank you so much.

Ann and Donald Coleman

London, England

July 1st

In addition to the fantastic event in Stratham this past weekend we also attended three Birthday Parties. We celebrated with Christina, Sal Jr’s significant other; Christopher, Sal Jr’s oldest son (sixteen); and with Dominic, Cynthia’s youngest (his sister was on the 11/09/09 Blog with her sweet-sixteen).

Christina and Christopher are shown below in a cell phone photo. I’ll have to put Dominic on tomorrow, after Sal uploads a picture from his camera.

We have Thanksgiving weekend off, thankfully (no pun intended), after having events and birthdays for the last three weekends. Then two more weekend events before we break until after the New Year. These last two events will make eight in the last ten weeks!

I’ll talk about the next two events, in Milford, NH and Manchester, NH after Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, continue to email if you want to purchase books directly.
K

Christina and Christopher (11/21/09)

Cool Stuff to Complement Your Yoga… ON and OFF the Mat.

READING…

THE WEEK MAGAZINE

This is consistently my favorite magazine. The Week takes the news and articles from all over the world and condenses it into one magical magazine. Art, Music, News, Food and Wacky Info all at your finger tips. Perfect.

AUDIO…

Your Spanish Scarf …. Dan Blakeslee

Dan Blakeslee is a tremendous artist, a wonderful musician and darn it… just a really nice guy, who I came across while living in Portsmouth, NH. He is a fixture around the Seacoast of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In fact, his concert posters are so coveted that as soon as he’s posted them, fans have snatched them up from telephone poles and framed them to put on their walls.

Art by Dan Blakeslee

You can listen to a sample of his song Your Spanish Scarf  by clicking HERE. It’s a soft, warm song about traveling for a long time and all he wants to do is wake up in the arms of his wife. How dreamy. You can buy his art and his music on his website danblakeslee.com.  I think we should convince him to come down to Savannah and play here! 

Keren Ann

Keren Ann is Israeli, Dutch and Javanese. She’s lived in France, NYC, the Netherlands, Israel and speaks fluently in all those languages. She’s got a uber cool vibe that is also laid back and unpretentious. Her albums are multi-lingual and can make you feel like you have your very own dreamy, slightly nostalgic, Euro-Movie soundtrack playing. You know… with subtitles,  perfectly positioned angst juxtaposed with hope and everything! 

Keren Ann

Granted,  if you are in the mood to rock it out Iron Maiden style, Keren Ann wouldn’t fit the bill, but on those chilly rainy days when you want to cozy up and stare at the raindrops slipping down the window panes, a Keren Ann album is just the thing. … Lay Your Head Down, Ailleurs and Greatest You Can Find are a couple of my favorites of hers. Click on the song titles to listen/watch. And click HERE to listen to Keren Ann on NPR’s World Cafe. 

LifeForce Yoga Nidra… Amy Weintraub

Yoga nidra is the practice of moving into a deep, deep, conscious sleep. It is beyond the usual awakened state, beyond dreaming, beyond guided imagery/meditation or relaxation. Those states of being are much-needed and should be practiced frequently. Yoga nidra however, is the state of being conscious while in what the body and brain would be monitored as deep sleep. Brain waves in deep sleep are Delta Brain waves and yogis in the state of yoga nidra who have been studied and monitored have been found to be fully conscious while in the delta wave zone. 

Ok, so what does all this mean? It means connecting with the essence of who we are through this practice. The deeper essence that remains connected to the source of all things. The essence that remains pure- beyond changing moods, thoughts or actions.

NO! They didn't drink the Kool-Aid! It's a Yoga Nidra practice. Kind of like nap time in pre-school... with deep yogic consciousness added!

So, if that interests you, Amy Weintraub’s CD is a really nice practice to start with. The CD, LifeForce Yoga Nidra, has 3 tracks:  a 41 minute practice, a 21 minute practice and an 8 minute (regular) sleep guide. I don’t usually use the 8 min. sleep guide, personally, but you may like it. Both the 41 min practice and the 21 min. practice are really wonderful. You do them separately. I do an asana (physical) yoga practice daily and a yoga nidra practice daily and just as my physical practice changes from day-to-day, my yoga nidra practice unfolds uniquely each day as well.

Know that yoga nidra isn’t like buying a ticket to a destination. So if you are expecting to pop in the CD and take a magic carpet ride, you’ll be disappointed. Yes, it may be pretty amazing and astounding at times, but remember it is a practice that is part of your journey to knowing yourself, to feeling connected again, and to deeper states of consciousness. Your experience will unfold for you as you are ready and as your expectations fall by the wayside. That being said, the first 20 times you might just end up falling asleep! hahaha. Don’t worry. If you do, it must mean you really needed it. Keep at your yoga nidra practice. You’ll find that each time you’ll be able to delve deeper inside while still remaining conscious.

You can listen to samples of LifeForce Yoga Nidra on CD Baby or Itunes.   Click on highlighted links above for more info.

Please let me get what I want spelar finfin musik.

Celebert sällskap! Sara, Maria, Josefine.

Sedan vandra hem och snacka shiit med pojkvännen.

Vic celebra el seu mercat medieval a primers de desembre, sovint coincidint amb el pont de la Constitució. I direu… un mercat medieval més. Doncs, us equivocaríeu si penseu que estem davant d’una fira com tantes. El Mercat Medieval de Vic mereix les majúscules dels seu nom perquè és enorme. Penseu que hi ha més de 300 parades repartides per tot el casc antic de Vic. I aquesta és una ciutat gran. Places, carrers, carrerons, parcs i passejos estan plens de tota mena de paradetes de tot tipus de productes. Parades gastronòmiques, a Vic hi ha el millor embotit de Catalunya,de formatges, de menjars cuinats allà mateix. També parades artesanes i d’oficis, moltes, moltíssimes, molt interessants. També mostra d’animals, com ara cavalls, ovelles, vaques, rucs… mostra d’aus de presa, tot l’imaginable. Els nens inenes podran muntar a cavall, assistir a espectacles de carrer, escoltar música o veure exposicions. El casc antic de Vic acompanya un mercat d’aquestes característiques. Ancorada en el temps del barroc, la vila dels sants i dels capellans, dormí fins no fa gaire temps el son feixuc dels pobles oblidats del progrés. Així ha pogut preservar palaus, temples, ambient en general, que res no te a veure amb el segle XXI. Per sort, però, els vells carrers no s’han degradat. La universitat ha ocupat espais i ha revitalitzat el centre. Per això us agradarà resseguir el mercat medieval i anar visitant monuments i obres d’art de primer nivell. Com ara la catedral, neoclàssica, però amb una magnífica torre romànica. A l’interior les pintures maravelloses de Sert. Al costat, el museu episcopal guarda el més granat de l’art romànic i gòtic català. Un museu exemplar. Uns carrers enllà topareu amb un veritable temple romà, com tret directament i sense escales de l’època dels cèsars. Seria impossible ressenyar les esglèsies, convents i monestirs, els palaus, cases fortes i cases burgeses que us sortiran al pas. Nomes fer menció de l’esplèndida plaça del mercadal, la plaça major, la plaça gran, única a tot Catalunya, on s’hi celebren mercats tan nomenats com el del ram, o més senzills, com el de cada dissabte. Pugeu a Vic. Si no arribeu tard troabreu aparcament amb facilitat, i ben senyalitzat, en els parkings habilitats, o pels carrers moderns abans d’arribar al centre històric. Podeu dinar a la fira, en les parades de menjar, nombroses i ben acondicionades. Si us agrada més gaudir de una bon taula ho teniu fàcil. L’ambient estudiantil i glamuròs de Vic fa que hi hagi molta oferta, sobretot al casc antic. Si voleu un que ens han recomanat, aneu al restaurant Basset, al Carrer Sant Sadurní, 4. Tel. 938 890 212. També hem anat a un que es troba en els baixos d’un casalot, a la placeta que es forma el carrer Dues Soles, en ajuntar-se amb el carrer de Cardona. Tot un restaurant amb encant. Però no recordem el nom. Per dormir teniu un hotel NH, que també te un bon menú al migdia. El dia del mercat, però, caldrà reservar qualsevol lloc on aneu.

Vic celebra su mercado medieval a primeros de diciembre, a menudo coincidiendo con el puente de la Constitución. Y diréis … un mercado medieval más. Pues os equivocaríais si pensáis que estamos ante una feria como tantas. El Mercado Medieval de Vic merece las mayúsculas de su nombre porque es enorme. Pensad que hay más de 300 paradas repartidas por todo el casco antiguo de Vic. Y esta es una ciudad grande. Plazas, calles, callejones, parques y paseos están llenos de toda clase de tenderetes de todo tipo de productos. Paradas gastronómicas, en Vic está el mejor embutido de Cataluña, y los mejores quesos, y comidas cocinadas allí mismo. También hay paradas artesanas y de oficios, muchas, muchísimas, muy interesantes. También muestras de animales, como caballos, ovejas, vacas, burros … muestras de aves de presa, todo lo imaginable. Los niños podrán montar a caballo, asistir a espectáculos de calle, escuchar música o ver exposiciones. El casco antiguo de Vic acompaña mucho un mercado de estas características. Anclada en el tiempo del barroco, la villa de los santos y de los sacerdotes, dormida hasta no hace mucho tiempo en el sueño pesado de los pueblos olvidados del progreso. Así ha podido preservar palacios, templos, su ambiente en general, que nada tiene que ver con el siglo XXI. Por suerte las viejas calles no se han degradado. La universidad ha ocupado espacios y ha revitalizado el centro. Por eso gusta recorrer el mercado medieval y ir visitando monumentos y obras de arte de primer nivel. Como la catedral, de estilo neoclásico, pero con una magnífica torre románica. En el interior las pinturas maravillosas de Sert. Al lado, el museo episcopal guarda lo más granado del arte románico y gótico catalán. Un museo ejemplar. Unas calles allá toparéis con un verdadero templo romano, como sacado directamente y sin escalas de la época de los césares. Sería imposible reseñar las iglesias, conventos y monasterios, palacios, casas fuertes y casas burguesas que les saldrán al paso. Sólo hacer mención de la espléndida plaza del mercadal, la plaza mayor, la plaza grande, única en toda Cataluña, donde se celebran mercados tan nombrados como el del ram, o más sencillos, como el de cada sábado. Subid hasta Vic. Si no llegáis tarde encontrareis fácil aparcamiento y bien señalizado, en los parkings habilitados, o por las calles del barrio más moderno, antes de llegar al centro histórico. Pueden comer en la própia feria, en las paradas de comida, numerosas y bien acondicionadas. Si os gusta más disfrutar de una buena mesa lo teneis. El ambiente estudiantil y glamuroso de Vic hace que haya mucha oferta, sobre todo en el casco antiguo. Si desean una dirección que nos han recomendado, vayan al restaurante Basset, en la Calle Sant Sadurní, 4. Tel. 938 890 212. También hemos ido a uno que se encuentra en los bajos de un caserón, en la plazoleta que se forma la calle Dos Soles, en juntarse con la calle de Cardona. Un restaurante con encanto. Pero no recordamos el nombre. Para dormir tiene un hotel NH, que también tiene un buen menú al mediodía. El día del mercado, sin embargo, habrá que reservar cualquier lugar donde vaya.

Yesterday, Saturday, November 21, 2009 we were signing books at the Co-operative Middle School, Stratham, NH. This was the third consecutive year for us at this venue. I don’t know how many people attended this event, but I know Sal and I spoke with over 300 people during the day; at least that’s how many bookmarks we handed out. We sold a record number of books at this event! Our thanks to Katie and all those from the Exeter Area GFWC for running this event.

There is no way I can name all who purchased books at this event, but I will post a few pictures below and mention a few names. Carol, Marny, Deb, Lucas, Carla and Cathy from Stratham; Denise, Marita, Cece and Sandra (with the incredible Scottish sweater) from Exeter, Pauline from Rochester and Cheryl and Carlene from Kensington; Sally from Manchester; Jocelyn and Patricia from Portsmouth; Sharon from Newmarket; Candace from Epping. Sincere thanks to all of you and the many more for your support.

My number one returning reader and fan of the day goes without doubt to Karl from Warwick, RI. Karl read three of my books in the last year and purchased three others at this event. Sales are important, but Karl’s words were worth more than all the sales of the day! Nothing means more than to hear from an enthusiastic reader. Karl you made my day!!! Thank you so much.
K

Here I am with Karl and Kim (11/21/09)

Yesterday was a bit unusual day for me in that I actually took a day to just do some photography for pure fun. Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVE what I do. I derive great pleasure from each and every photo session I do. The day I don’t enjoy it, or have fun with my subjects, is the day I need to stop taking pictures. But yesterday’s shoot was just a relaxing walk around Bearskin Neck, in beautiful Rockport, Mass. wandering around all the little shops, and homes, and exploring various nooks and crannies in the town. No pressure, no time constraints, no deadlines. My friend Jenny from Mindstir Photography had asked me if I wanted to do this a few weeks ago. She had no idea where we should go, and knowing she had never been to Rockport before, I thought it would be a great spot. I used to go there a lot a few years back, and it hasn’t changed at all since the last time I was there. Its a very quaint, old New England town, very picturesque, and also very touristy. It has a lot of charm, and the shops are fun to wander thru, I actually got a couple of great deals on some ladies hats for future portrait sessions! We were joined by Dave of Mere Image photography (it was actually his idea to do something like this)and it was a lot of fun meeting another photographer and watching how he did things and talking shop. The place was crawling with photographers yesterday as the weather was unseasonably warm for this time of the year. I didn’t have to wear a coat all day! I am not a very landscape photographer, as people are my favorite subject, but I was challenged to look at some of the every day objects in the town a bit differently and try to come up with some interesting compositions. I was able to grab a few impromptu shots of the very lovely Jenny, but a full blown portrait session was not in the cards for yesterday! I hope you enjoy this little walk around Rockport Mass. you can see a larger gallery on my flickr.

The Movie Fresh attracts 106 people in small town
Good food, an idea whose time has come
By Randall Richards

Joel Salatin, Organic Farmer, Visionary

The small town of  New London, New Hampshire, saw one-hundred and six people turn out  for the screening of the new movie Fresh, an uplifting documentary about the local organic food movement in the U.S.  The event was co-sponsored by the New London chapter of the Weston A Price Foundation, and  Mountain Spirit Institute on Saturday November 21st.  In addition to the showing,  local vendors and food producers were invited to display, who had tables with samples and brochures, where the audience could browse and learn about the good and local food available in their community.  A brief “Q&A” discussion followed the film,  and door prizes were raffled off, including a loaf of great tasting bread by Lane Nevins and Meryl Mekeel of Workingman’s Bread Company, and natural meats raised by Ed and Nita Erickson of Battles Farm. Other vendors attending were Star Lake Farm, Sun Hill Farm,  Hazzard Acres,  Spring Ledge Farm and Dan Wolfe of Elizabeth’s Organic Eggs.

Battles Farm - Local Food Producers, Bradford, NH

The film covered the unhealthy state of the modern industrial farming and food machines controlled by a few large firms such as ADM.  Segments of the movie covered large industrial feedlots in the Midwest, chicken farms in the southeast and large commercial “mono-crop” growing operations of corn and soy in the Midwest . Bovine growth hormones and genetically modified crops were covered.  Also covered however, were success stories of organic farms that are to be the model of a new generation of sustainable farming.  Joel Salatin’s PolyFace farm (Farm of Many Faces) was one of the operations featured in the film.

After the movie Mountain Spirit Founder, Randall Richards said of Lane Nevin’s efforts to bake local bread, “His idea to start this business is coming  just at the right time. People are crying out for local alternatives to the “3000 mile loaf of bread” coming from California. Plus,” He added,” Lane makes a good loaf of bread!”

Event organizer Linda Howes (CN, HHP, CBE), owner of Nourishing Wellness is a long-time health advocate in the area, and has worked as a food nutritionist and health councilor for many years in the New London area. She has a solid following at her practice. She maintains an office in this small town, and was pleased by the turnout.

Proctor & Gamble Exec. turned farmer, Will Allen

The movie Fresh is not being shown in theaters. In keeping with the spirit of the movie, people may purchase screening rights and charge for showing the movie in their local town hall or library meeting spaces. If you would like more information about showing Fresh, click here. If you would like information on how this successful event was planned in our community, please  click on the contact link in this blog.

Also special thanks goes to Amanda Richards for co-organizing this event.

If you’re looking to sell your home fast staging your home will bring you top dollar. Hiring a staging specialist will definitely boost the value of your home. If you don’t have the money upfront read up on DIY staging or see if you can pay the company at closing.  The presentation of your home to potential buyers will definitely boost your value. 

The first step is to make sure the outside of the house looks beautiful by addressing any problems, cleaning up the lanscaping and adding colors with potting plants. Make sure to update your listing by reflecting the changes online, as most buyers will browse the internet before even driving by.  If a buyers drives by your home they want to see something that doesn’t already scream “I NEED HELP”.   If there are any issues that need repair, inside or out, make sure to fix them before showing the house. Squeaky doors, broken windows, leaking faucets, chipped paint, etc… are turn offs. Nothing screams “DON’T BUY ME” more than a house in dire need of repair. 

De-clutter the house of any personal items that may distract buyers.  Any pictures, knickknacks, junk, etc… need to be packed away for your next home.  Scale your furniture and art to fit the room and use it to emphasize focal points such as fireplaces and cathedral ceilings. Make sure to remove any unecessary furniture. Furniture that is old or not scaled to fit the room can impact the buyers perspective.

Basic cleanup is a must to show off the house in its best light and to neutralize any gross odors that may deter potential buyers.  If the carpets are stained get a professional to steam clean or rent one at your nearest hardware store. Old carpets and scratched hardwood can even be made to look better with area rugs.

Update the look of your home with paint, new lighting fixtures and new furniture.  A gallon or two of paint can go a long way to make the house look better to potential buyers. Neutral colors or always best because buyers need to be able to visualize their belongings in your home before they fall in love with it. 

Virginia Gregory, REALTOR®

From 9:00am to 3:00pm today I will be signing books at the 32nd Annual Yuletide Fair, at the Stratham, NH Co-operative Middle School; sponsored by the Exeter Area GFWC. This organization does a lot of good for the Exeter area, please come out and shop until you drop!
K

For the next 3 weeks, we will be in looking at Christmas in a new light. Instead of just focusing on what happened many years ago in Bethlehem, our goal is to find hope, peace, and love TODAY. This could be a great opportunity for your friends who do not know what that is all about. Tis the Season to let others know about this awesome God we have!

TIS THE SEASON:  Series Overview
This Christmas, probably more than any other in recent years, we are hoping that life will get better. We are hoping that life will look differently next year, even if we’re not sure how. We realize that no one person or institution holds a solution, but we’re expecting something different, even if we’re not sure how that is going to work out. Words like hope, peace and love have a new meaning this year, don’t they? We’re waiting to have hope, peace and love in our lives, in our communities, in our world. Even if we’re not sure how it will all work out. And just like thousands of years ago, Jesus is the one who came to bring hope, peace and love to our lives then . . . and now. Jesus taught us how to find hope, bring peace and initiate love even when our circumstances are less than ideal.

TIS THE SEASON: Week One – Hope (November 22, 2009)
Christmas is a time filled with great expectations. (Just ask Clark Griswald.) We expect snow to fall on Christmas morning. We expect that Martha Stewart-esque gathering. We expect a gift from that special someone. And for many of us, we expect our lives to look a certain way. But what happens when life doesn’t meet our expectations? How can we have hope in something bigger than what we want or dream? And how can that hope in something bigger really affect our lives—for the better?

TIS THE SEASON: Week Two – Peace (November 29, 2009)
Why is it that Christmas is one of the least peaceful times of the year? Whether it’s the long lines at the stores or the stress of even how to make the holidays happen in this economy, Christmas can easily become something we just want to get through and survive. But peace, true peace, has little to do with what is going on around us. In fact, Jesus came to bring peace to our lives in a way that defies logic, and He also invites us to participate with Him in bringing peace to those around us as well.

TIS THE SEASON: Week Three – Love (December 6, 2009)
Love is a word that we hear a lot. People love Christmas time. People love carols. People love casseroles, cookies and candy canes. But when it comes to loving other people, sometimes we are all talk. The word “love” is easy for us to say, but really hard to back up with action. Sometimes loving other people is hard, whether that person is within our family, or living half way around the world. It’s why we needed an example, a living breathing visual for what love in action looks like—and that’s the heart of the Christmas story.

December 13 – Christmas Parties

This is a little project I have been working on that I titled “In the Garden of Pan”. I wanted to take some of my photos and create something artistic with them. This is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it and please feel free to let me know what you think of my forray into the world of digital manipulation.

Debra Lawless, reporter for the Cape Cod Chronicle and a wonderful friend, has a stupendous book, Chatham in the Jazz Age,  published in 2009 by History Press.

Debra investigates five prominent residents of Chatham, MA (Cape Cod) -  Harold C. Dunbar, Alice Walker Guild, Heman Andrew Harding, Joseph C. Lincoln and Alice Stallknecht Wight – and reveals their contribution to putting Chatham on the map as a national tourist destination. She also uncovers some secrets of this supposed Eden. It’s a truly great read!

Debra is working on the sequel to Chatham in the Jazz Age,  and says it’s going well. I personally can’t wait!

If you are familiar with LaRosa Chronicles and know of my next book, Summer And August, you will see Debra investigating a murder in Chatham.

Here I am with Debra, in the lounge of the Cranberry Inn, in Chatham, discussing her character. (05/23/09)

At my office we always say “Disclose, disclose, disclose.” It’s better to mention a small or large problem at the onset rather than try to get the buyer on board with the problem after the fact. Owners need to inform potential buyers about the possibility of radon, lead, asbestos, methamphetamines, in addition to heating, plumbing, electrical, roof, and .  Ignorance is not bliss. Some home owners may even have a home inspection done prior to listing the home to address or correct issues that may be problematic whether they have lived in the property or not.  We need to inform our clients of their duty to disclose material defects about a property.  The disclosure process is used to inform buyers about the house and what problems there may or may not be.  This helps the property sell faster and reduces the risks of legal issues down the line. 

Virginia Gregory, REALTOR®