The storm of the century, 35 years ago today
Thirty-five years ago today, February 6, 1978 began like any other Monday at my childhood home in Weymouth, Massachusetts. The fact that nothing stands out about that morning suggests that […]
Winter dreams of summer days on Mount Washburn
On this cold winter afternoon in Maine, I am dreaming about summer days on Mount Washburn. The temperature is even colder today at Mount Washburn, but this past August, we […]
Why I go to church on Christmas Eve
Growing up in an Irish-Catholic suburb south of Boston, I went to church 60 days out of the year: 52 Saturday or Sunday masses, seven holy days of obligation, and […]
Exploring Caves and Climbing Ladders in the New Hampshire Lakes Region
Our only regret is that we have arrived at the cave too late. This roomy cavern, formed by boulders and slabs of rock that fell from the mountain long […]
In the Wild River Valley, a November blizzard, deep snow, and a man who perseveres to save his cat
We are hiking along Blue Brook and up the Basin Trail through a golden forest of beech trees, the color made more vibrant by the gray background of an overcast […]
Nathaniel Sparhawk and the art of swagger
“A wealthy merchant of Kittery, Maine”. So reads the caption, at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, beneath this John Singleton Copley portrait of Nathaniel Sparhawk, one of Kittery’s […]
Rangeley days, now far away
Every summer, the town takes us by surprise. We crest the hill on Route 4, catch our first view of the lake, and descend into an unlikely enclave of commerce: […]
The town at the end of the world
My windows overlooking Passamaquoddy Bay are open on this early July morning, but when I first woke up, I thought they must be closed, so silent is the morning at 7 […]
A ghostly perspective on Fort Constitution and Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse
Motivated by my son’s interest in the paranormal, we joined a “haunted lighthouse tour” at Fort Constitution in Newcastle, N.H. on a recent summer evening. The tour of the Fort […]
Rock scrambling on Welch-Dickey Loop Trail
After a mile of hiking at a moderate grade, we burst into sky as we reach the open ledges on the side of Welch Mountain. My three 11-year-old hiking companions […]