Living - Eastman NH · moldering, your education begins in the brief but very descriptive article under the Recreation heading in this issue of Eastman Living. then, there’s eutrophic,

Summer 2012

L iv ing

Sustainable Eastman Challenges YouGiving and ReceivingThe Road to EastmanEastman Lake Salmon!

In ThIs Issue…

eastman living | summer 2012 | 3

recreation

Ride of Silence in GRanthamBy Charlie TaBer • PhoTo By Norah PeTersoN

n the evening of May 16, under threatening skies,

125 bicycle riders rolled out of the Park and Ride on Route

10 and headed south to Croydon. the grantham Ride of Silence

was part of a worldwide event that involved over 350 locations.

the ride had two purposes:

• tohonorfriendsandfamilymemberswhohavebeen

injured or killed while cycling on public roadways;

• topromoteawarenessthatbicyclists

and motorists need to share the

roadway and honor the rules of the

road.

Next year’s ride will be May 15 at 7 p.m. Will we see you there?

o And the winner is… holly BArlow,one of 19 successful entrants in the “find the e” contest. Holly found the e on page 19(!) of the spring issue of Eastman Living in the Sugar River Bank advertisement. It was floating between the wavy lines under the blue SR bank logo. Congratulations to Holly. A winner’s certificate entitling her to a choice of dessert at the Bistro is on its way.

The group gets instructions before heading out.

the Ride of Silence...

Tonight we number many but ride as one

In honor of those not with us, friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, sons

With helmets on tight and heads down low,

We ride in silence, cautious and slow

The wheels start spinning in the lead pack

But tonight we ride and no one attacks

The dark sunglasses cover our tears

Remembering those we held so dear

Tonight’s ride is to make others aware

The road is there for all to share

To those not with us or by our side,

May God be your partner on your final ride

- Mike Murgas

4 | summer 2012 | eastman living


contents Summer 2012

features14 Going to School Without Going to School By Richard Sachs

18 Giving and Receiving: Quilts and Care By Barbara Jones

20 Merrill and the Road to Eastman By Tom Rockett

24 Eastman Lake Salmon AKA: Common Sucker By Richard Hocker

28 South Cove Exhibits By Craig McArt

30 It’s a GRAND SLAM! By Jane Verdrager

recreation3 Ride of Silence in Grantham By Charlie Taber

26 Moldering? What in the World Does THAT Mean?! By Rory Gordon

32 Be a Part of Our Biggest Ever Root Beer Float!

sustainablity8 Energy Challenge By Ray Sears

columns6 From the Desk

11 Peter’s Picks By Peter Hope

12 Woodlands and Wildlife Pondering anderson Pond

By Craig McArt and Renée Gustafson

16 What’s Out There? By Aaron Brooke Jenkyn

22 Lakes and Streams Purple Loosestrife - a Beautiful Menace

by Jackie Underhill

Lake appreciation Days

29 Poetry Corner

33 Scene in Eastman

34 Species Spotlight Pileated Woodpecker-Dryocopus pileatus

By Susie Burbidge

35 Woodlands and Wildlife Walking eastman

By Craig McArt

Cover Photo by Jamie walsh

Cover photographer Jamie Walsh and his wife, Sarah, have been eastman residents since moving up to new hampshire from Connecticut in 2006. Photography has been a favorite hobby of his since 2002 when Jamie bought Sarah an SLR camera. he loves the local flora and fauna of the area but also enjoys his hobby while on trips, including a photography trip to Utah with Sarah in 2011. his new favorite subject, however, is their infant daughter, Kara, who was born this year. Some of their favorite photos are available at www.flickr.com/photos/sjwalsh. this is Jamie’s first cover for Eastman Living.


We use an “ ” to signify the end of our stories.

We want you, our readers, to find the “ .”In each issue, our art director will hide our signature “ ” in one of the advertisements. All you have to do is find it and let us know in what advertisement and where in that advertisement you found it.

The winner, drawn from all the correct entries, will receive a certificate good for one dessert, courtesy of Bistro Nouveau and redeemable in either the Tavern or the Hearth Room.

The winner will receive a certificate by mail. So make sure you include your mailing address when sending in your “winning” entry by August 24, 2012 to:

Eastman Living, c/o Find the “E,” PO Box 53, Grantham, NH 03753, or e-mail your entry to [email protected].

You’ll always be in for a special treat when you read Eastman Living!


From the Editor’s Desk“you can say anything you want yessir,

but it’s the words that sing, they soar and

descend…i bow to them…” exclaims

Chilean poet Pablo neruda in his homage

to language: “the Word.” i, too, love words,

all kinds of words but especially those that

sing. take moldering for instance. i love

the way it sounds almost exactly like what

it actually does. if you’ve never heard of

moldering, your education begins in the

brief but very descriptive article under the

Recreation heading in this issue of Eastman

Living.

then, there’s eutrophic, a word Woodlands

and Wildlife chair Craig Mcart uses to

describe the particular conditions that favor

plant over animal life in his latest column

on bodies of water in eastman, “Pondering

anderson Pond.” once i read and looked

up that word, i found myself wanting to

include it in conversation, not an easy

thing to do unless you’re talking about how

certain nutrients reduce oxygen in water.

Maybe my favorite word when i was a kid

was one my mother used regularly when

either my brother or i, or both of us, began

to drive her over the edge of sanity.

“you kids are driving

me berserk,” she would

exclaim.

Berserk. now there’s

a word! it actually

wasn’t until i was

an adult reading a

wonderful children’s

novel, the Sea of

trolls by nancy

farmer, that i learned where that sonorous

word comes from. it seems that the vikings

prepared for battle by drinking a drug-

laced beverage that whipped them into a

frenzy, giving them all of the “courage” and

a lot of the power they needed to defeat

their enemies. they called it “going berserk.”

of course, my first-generation, italian-

american mother would not have known

the word’s origin but she always used it

correctly.

“i love words so much… the unexpected

ones…,” continues neruda. if like Pablo

and me, you love words, especially the

resonant and unexpected, take time to

listen to the language of this issue of

Eastman Living. you can expect more

interesting word information in future

issues, and the words will always be here for

you to read and repeat out loud and make

your own.

“While this compost pile on the edge of our

eutrophic pond is moldering, be quiet so as

not to drive me berserk!” you can do it.

Judy McCarthy

[email protected]

Living



sustainability

whAt’s hAPPening?Sustainable eastman will be working in cooperation with the

new england Carbon Coalition this summer to challenge

eastman households to plan to make significant reductions

in the use of energy derived from fossil fuels. We will be

concentrating on individual households because, nationally,

they use about one-half of all fossil fuels, and because the

eastman Community association has already made significant

reduction in fossil fuel use in the LeeD gold certified South

Cove activity Center, with plans for energy reduction in future

projects. the new england Carbon Coalition has established a

reduction goal of 25% by 2020 for new england households.

why Fossil Fuels? fossil fuels are of biological origin and include coal, oil and

natural gas among others. they are a concern because, when

burned, they re-emit carbon dioxide locked beneath the planet’s

surface into the atmosphere. the process of burning fossil fuels

significantly contributes to global warming. oil holds more

energy per volume than any other chemical substance on earth.

in fact, modern infrastructure was built on a steady price of

around $20 per barrel. at times, that price has exceeded $100,

creating economic uncertainty. texas, once the center of the

oil-drilling world, is essentially dry, and fossil fuel use is rising

globally. Still, america uses more fossil fuels than ever before –

twice as much as we did in 1950. the largest, cheaply available

oil reserves are in Russia and the Middle east, creating political

uncertainty. When fossil fuels are burned, energy, carbon

dioxide and other pollutants are released. for 100 years, energy

has powered the lives of americans, and for 100 years, carbon

has been gathering in the atmosphere. Because carbon traps

heat, the temperature of the earth has been rising faster during

this temperate cycle in the current ice age than it has risen in

hundreds of thousands of years.

how CAn we solve these ProBlems? there are three solutions available to curb america’s addiction

to fossil fuels and to empower new england to look beyond the

use of fossil fuels.

• Energy Efficiency - energy efficiency means doing the

same with less and designing programs and systems to use

electricity more efficiently.

• Energy Conservation - energy conservation is the practice

of modifying everyday functions to reduce energy.

• Renewable Energy - Renewable energy sources include the

use of sunlight, wind, waves, water flow and geothermal

heat. to use renewable energy sources, technologies that

can harness this power must be developed and

incorporated into existing infrastructure.

whAt Are the BeneFits? • Coststabilizationresultingfromamorediverseand

competitive energy market

• AstrongerNewEnglandeconomy

• Improvedairqualitybecauseofreducedemissions

• Improvedenvironmentalqualitybecauseofreduced

climate warming

• Reducedcostoffutureremediationofenvironmentaldamage

whAt is the new englAnd CArBon ChAllenge? the new england Carbon Challenge (neCC) is a joint initiative

of the University of new hampshire and Clean air-Cool

Planet. the neCC is committed to providing residents and

communities with the information, tools and support necessary

for households to make substantial reductions in their energy

consumption, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. the

key strategy of neCC is to focus efforts of local organizers in

a specific community to engage residents in a sustained drive

to reduce fossil fuel use, an energy Challenge. the specific

challenge is to reduce household energy use by 25% by 2020.

neCC provides web-based tools to help each new england

household create and implement an energy plan specifically

for its family’s needs. Regardless of whether you are just getting

started in reducing your energy consumption or have made

numerous efficiency changes already and are now looking for

deeper reductions (and perhaps renewable energy), the tools

can be found at myenergyplan.net and can help you achieve

your energy goals.

how does eAstmAn Fit in? Sustainable eastman is the local organizer for neCC and will be

encouraging all eastman households to accept the neCC energy

reduction goal and develop a household energy plan. the web

tools will allow us to assess the level of community participation

as well as energy reductions planned; Sustainable eastman will

make this information available to the community. Reporting

will be organized by Special Place so you will be able to see how

well you and your neighbors are doing throughout the challenge

period. you will also be able to compare your results with other

new england communities.

whAt weB tools Are AvAilABle? Myenergyplan.net provides the following tools to get started.

Please go to the web site for complete details.

• Personal Energy Planner – Contains simple ideas to

review and reduce your energy consumption and map out

your own energy plan.

By Ray SeaRS • 603-863-2832 • [email protected]

ENERGY Challenge


• Energy Project Connector – allows you to plug into

sources of funding and find local professionals to get your

energy project done.

• TheEnergyNotebook–helps you keep all your energy

information in one place and makes it easy for you to share

your information and ideas with others.

• Green Homes Tourist – offers you the opportunity to take

a tour of green homes and other energy reduction activities

near your home.

how CAn i get stArted? the first step toward implementing a My energy Plan Challenge

is to familiarize yourself with the My energy Plan web site in

order to create your own plan. the process is simple and only

takes 15-20 minutes.

1. gather your utility bills

2. visit myenergyplan.net; select “login” to setup/edit your account

3. Select the Personal energy Planner™

4. answer a few questions about your home and how your

household uses energy

5. Select actions to save on your energy bills

as a My energy Plan Challenge participant you will be asked

to enter basic household and energy usage information into

the Personal energy Planner™. you will need to select the

Sustainable eastman energy Challenge and your Special Place

and provide data on your annual household electricity, home

heating and hot water fuel usage and other basic information.

Most of this information can be found on your utility bills.

Based on the information you enter, the Personal energy

Planner™ will calculate your household’s energy use. this

number can then be used as a baseline for reduction.

the Personal energy Planner™ is the gateway to big energy

savings. With over 55 actions to choose from, you can pledge

to take as few or as many actions as you like as well as indicate

when you will take them. the actions listed run the spectrum

from changing light bulbs to replacing an aging boiler and

everything in between. Based on the number of actions you

pledge to take, the Personal energy Planner™ calculates the

overall dollars saved and carbon reduction for your household

anD generates a personalized energy plan for your household

to follow. actions can be scheduled over multiple years.

for example, you can indicate that you wish to purchase a

new eneRgy StaR refrigerator a year from now and your

personalized energy plan will reflect the actions you want to

take immediately through the actions you want to take later.

Both owners and renters are encouraged to develop energy

plans, although renters may have limited action options.


once you have calculated your footprint and pledged actions

to reduce it, the Personal energy Planner™ will attribute your

results to your Special Place. By linking households with their

communities, My energy Plan staff are able to track and report

the aggregated residential progress of registered communities.

once a household has completed the actions they pledged to

take in the Personal energy Planner™, they can revisit their

energy plan, update completed actions and select new actions to

take. Data previously entered in the system will be saved when a

household logs in and creates an account.

whAt next? once you have a myenergyplan.net account and a preliminary

plan in place there are many actions you can take using the

myenergyplan.net tools to improve on your initial plan and

begin to turn it into reality. here are just a few ideas.

• Considerandevaluatealternatives.Isitbettertoreplace

a gas-guzzler or turn down the thermostat? is it better to

keep winter temperatures lower or close off unused rooms?

• Getsomeprofessionalhelp.Usethetoolstofindlocal

contractors who can help in estimating costs of projects and

give advice on installation issues.

• Findsomeonelocallywhohasalreadyundertakenenergy

reduction measures similar to something you might do and

arrange a tour/demonstration.

• Shareideaswithneighbors,usingtheavailabletools.

• Lookforopportunitiestomanageyourproperty.Ifsiding

needs repair, it might be a good idea to improve insulation

as well and replace windows.

how will Progress Be meAsured? Sustainable eastman will receive periodic reports from

myenergyplan.net and will publish this information on our

web site. information on both participation and energy savings

will be included. this information will also be available on

myenergyplan.net so eastman’s results can be compared

to other towns and organizations. the “Communities” tab

on myenergyplan.net posts this information for all towns

participating in the challenge. Within eastman, results of

activity in each Special Place will be published.

so whAt? So take the challenge! Reduction of 25% in use of fossil fuel-

derived energy by 2020 may sound like a lot, but success is

central to the viability of eastman, not just in the quality of

our local environment but also in the economics of living in

eastman. Both time and technology are working in our favor.

Most of us will be replacing automobiles, maybe more than

once by then, more renewable energy may be available, and

heating/cooling and insulation technology will be improved.

Starting to plan now will ensure our ability to take advantage of

these advances.

Dorr Mill StoreA NATIONAL CENTER

FOR RUG HOOKING, QUILTING & BRAIDING WOOLS

BLANKETS & FINE CLOTHING FOR MEN AND WOMEN

Located on Routes 11 & 103, halfway between Newport and Sunapee, NH603-863-1197 800-846-DORR Open M-Sat. 9-5 www.dorrmillstore.com

Dorr_THB_0707 5/22/07 11:15 AM Page 1





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sustainability


Peter’s Picks

By PeTer hoPe

column

WRite thiS in Late May,

BUt it aLReaDy feeLS LiKe

SUMMeR! eastman will again offer

our ever-popular walking and hiking

programs. this year both will run from

July through mid-october, on Wednesdays

and Saturdays respectively. if you have any

questions about either, call me at 863-6456.

and we always need new leaders! Don’t be

bashful; it’s fun to lead a trip and share a

favorite area with others.

in summer, a few simple and sensible

choices are important. Dehydration is all

too easy; carry with you two to three liters

of drinkable water, as well as salty food and

perhaps a source of potassium such as a

banana. this is the way to avoid leg cramps

and worse. Sunscreen, a hat and insect

repellent are also important. ticks are

numerous this season; they are unpleasant

and some carry Lyme Disease. Precautions

are in order.

if you’re hiking at higher elevations, bring

warm clothing, including gloves and a hat.

a headlamp, guidebook, map, compass and

first aid kit are among the essentials. a gPS

or a cell phone may or may not get a signal.

always let someone know your plans,

which should include your designated

route and estimated time of return. Safety

for yourself and others must always be your

first priority.

turn right uphill following the skid road.

you’ll cross and follow along a brook that

runs down the road; some trail work will

be needed here to improve the route. the

orange trail swings left for a level walk

along another lovely open forest glade. it

descends left for a short distance to cross

a seasonal brook at the easiest point and

swings right to climb through open woods,

partly along a ridge. eventually it reaches

a good woods road, which was built to

obtain gravel for the construction of i-89.

(hiking this loop in the opposite direction,

you would notice that this junction is close

to the height of land).

if you follow this road to the left, you’ll end

up at heath Lane, the old howe hill Road.

instead, turn right. note the many invasive

plants along the route. (Woodlands and

Wildlife is actively engaged in a control

effort.) you will reach the old gravel pit

area. the orange trail skirts this on the left

and, after several turns, reaches the point

where the Red and green trails meet and

end at an acute angle.

from here there are many options for the

return. i suggest taking the Red trail, which

follows and, at wet areas, parallels the main

logging road in the heath forest. you’ll

pass the yellow trail on your right and the

easterly loop of the Red trail on your left.

When you reach the Blue trail, turn right

to descend towards the trailhead.

the gPS tracking of this route is complete,

and a detailed trail map of the heath

forest will soon be available. Check on the

eastman website Members’ area under

Woodlands and Wildlife. i expect that the

heath forest trail brochure will be revised

as well.

in the next issue i’ll cover hikes farther

afield, but it’s good to know what’s

available right here in our own backyard.

Happy Hiking!

this month i will focus on eastman’s own

heath forest. thanks to eastman residents

andy eastman and Craig Mcart, we now have

a wide selection of trails for warm weather

hiking and winter snowshoeing or skiing. trail

markings are color-coded. the best access for

parking is at the end of Bogie Place, which is

off of troon Drive. Look for the kiosk that

marks the start of the yellow trail.

after a short distance you’ll arrive at a trail

junction. the new Blue trail continues straight,

slabbing the hillside, then climbing easily with

several switchbacks to reach the Red trail loop

at its northeast corner (where it makes a sharp

turn off an old logging road).

But i suggest that you use the Blue trail for the

return and, for now, continue on the yellow

trail, which turns sharply left toward eastman

Brook, then right to closely follow eastman

Brook and Stocker Brook and their extensive

wetlands. you’ll traverse a very attractive stand

of white pine and pass close to a long, lovely,

open forest glade. you’ll eventually reach my

favorite lunch spot, an open grassy area on the

bank of Stocker Brook; perhaps one day soon

we’ll see a bench there!

the yellow trail turns inland at this point, soon

reaching a junction with the green trail. the

yellow trail follows an old skid road, climbing

to meet the Red trail. But instead, turn left

on the green trail, which continues to follow

Stocker Brook, albeit not as closely. after a

time, the green trail also turns inland to climb

another old skid road towards the Red trail.

But watch carefully on your left a little ways up

for the woods road that is the start of the new

orange trail.

the route follows the woods road for a short

while, then jogs right on a series of old logging

roads to avoid a wet area. it climbs gradually

to intersect yet another skid road, just above

the point where a large tree has fallen across it.

if you bushwhack a few steps straight ahead,

you’ll reach a lovely small pond. you can hear

the traffic from the interstate, but you won’t

see it!

I


column

Pondering Anderson Pond By Craig MCart and renée gustafson • Photos By renée gustafson

Pitcher P

lant flowers

sundew

ros

e P

ogon

iar

ound

-lea

ved

sun

dew

Pitcher P

lant


RoM LoRenzo DUnBaR’S hiStoRy of

gRanthaM, published in 1791, we learn that “about

the year 1791 two men by the name of anderson were

drowned in anderson Pond – so called after this occurrence.”

from this sad account one might reasonably surmise that they

fell through the ice.

Because of its shallow depth, ice forms early on anderson

Pond. actually, the 14-acre, spring-fed pond, eutrophic in

nature (fertile with abundant nutrients for plant production),

is becoming a little shallower as each year goes by. as silt builds

up on the bottom, a succession of plant life occurs called a

hydrosphere. What we see now are various water lilies and

pondweeds. as the water becomes even more shallow, reeds will

develop. years and years from now, the organic matter could

build up to form peat and then the hydrosphere would give way

to swamp. Lest we worry, before things progress that far, the

pond could be dammed to increase the depth and buy more

time, as was done on eastman Pond.

the anderson Pond trail begins at a cut-off from the Butternut

trail, a short distance from the kiosk at the end of anderson

Pond Road. from there, it drops down to anderson Pond, where

it forms a mile loop around the pond’s shoreline. Residences

overlook the pond in some areas. the level trail, routed close

to the pond, is sometimes wet in places, but boardwalks and

bridges afford dry passage over the worst spots.

While walking the trail, keep an eye out for a low, evergreen

shrub called sheep laurel, which produces small, deep pink,

saucer-shaped flowers in dense clusters. Pink swamp roses

bloom along the shoreline from July to august. on the west

shore, notice a transition point between a forested wetland

containing red maple and other hardwoods and an upland

populated by conifer species. the major species in this forest

type is eastern hemlock, but also look for red spruce and

tamarack. tamarack, the only northern conifer that sheds all its

needles, turns this western shore a golden yellow in the fall.

a smooth rock juts out from shore at the south end of the pond,

where one can obtain a splendid view. nearby is a small bridge

that takes the trail over the outlet stream. the stream flows

down to eastman Lake, tumbling over a falls by the Lake trail.

at one time, it was diverted to flow in the opposite direction,

down to the millpond by West Cove, where a mill was located.

the remains of the diversion channel can be seen from a spur

off the trail west of the bridge. the spur traces a short section of

the old road that linked north grantham with enfield Center.

the pond is a botanist’s dream that even includes carnivorous

plants and exciting mini-gardens growing on logs that protrude

from the shore. Sundew plants can be found on the logs at the

southeast and northwest areas of the pond. these tiny plants are

a relative of the venus flytrap and have round leaves with sticky

tentacles that glisten like dew in the sun – hence the name.

insects get stuck on the tentacles and are devoured by the plant.

Pitcher-plants can be seen growing in the moist area between

the trail and the pond. this plant is very easy to identify because

of its purple streaked leaves and burgundy flowers. the leaves

are shaped like a pitcher and are used to trap insects, which are

digested and serve as nourishment for the plant. Pitcher-plants

bloom from late-May to august and the flower heads remain in

the winter.

the pond also hosts cranberry plants, swamp candles and the

delicate rose pogonia. the rose pogonia is an orchid that grows

in colonies that can be found blooming in late June on many

of the logs and floating sphagnum gardens. yellow pond lilies

bloom from May to September. their large, heart-shaped leaves

provide cover for fish and landing pads for dragonflies. hollow,

tubular stems conduct carbon and methane gasses up from the

bottom of the pond under pressure to be sprayed out through

the leaves. a single water lily stem can pass 22 liters of “sewer

gas” in one day.

Spring brings a plethora of frog song from spring peepers,

bullfrogs, green frogs, leopard frogs and american toads. on

warmer days, painted and snapping turtles may be seen sunning

on the logs or a family of mergansers or mallards might occupy

the pond, sometimes joined by the great blue heron strutting

the shores on the lookout for fish.

Several species of fish inhabit the pond: perch, large and small

mouth bass and even a northern pike or two. Upsetting to local

anglers has been the discovery that some rock bass have joined

the group. a non-native species, they favor the same habitat

as the small mouth bass, and their competition for food can

seriously affect the fish population.

anderson Pond people, as the residents call themselves, enjoy a

special, community spirit. they have been known to gather on

the pond for “happy hour” raft-ups in the summer and to bang

pots and pans around a fire on new year’s eve. they know the

pond is a very special place, whether for a quiet walk, a peaceful

paddle, a communion with nature’s abundance or socializing

with their neighbors. now that their secret is out, hopefully

others, as well, will get acquainted with this gem.

F


Feature

that follow a particular educational philosophy and structure

and are widely available online. among many alternative

options are the Montessori, Waldorf, School-at-home and

Calvert programs.

the ambleside curriculum was the late 19th century

development of a pedagogue named Charlotte Mason. it

prescribes appropriate learning goals for each grade and

suggests readings in history, social studies and literature,

with an emphasis on approaching some of the same

material every few years, each time in a more advanced

way, appropriate to a child’s age. thus, american history or

the iliad could be taught with very simple and illustrated

readings to young children and then repeated a few times

during the 12 grades, each time with more challenging

material. one of the hallmarks of the ambleside philosophy

is that after mastering a unit, a child must present the

material back to his or her parents in some form, be it

verbally, written, or in some pictorial or craft project.

Catherine Drummond, age 7, proudly showed me a scroll

on which she had drawn many of the bird species she was

learning about.

Some home-schooling families do not commit to a single

integrated teaching philosophy or technique. there are

published guides showing what material is appropriate or

necessary to be mastered at each grade level, so they can pick

aCh yeaR in aMeRiCa, nearly 1.7 million

children get their education at home. Why spend

so much time and energy doing this when public

school is available for everyone in this country?

Many home-schooling families cite the poor quality of

available local schools as their main reason. others point

to religious or moral objections to parts of a public school

curriculum. Some reject evolution as it is taught today,

or reject commonly read literature, such as huckleberry

finn, Lord of the flies and much of ernest hemingway,

on philosophical or moral grounds. So it was refreshing

to discover eastman home-schooling families who teach

at home for what they love about the process and what it

does for their families rather than for what they wish to

avoid. in fact, one eastman family, already committed to

home-schooling, chose to settle their family here because the

grantham village School (gvS) had better standardized test

scores than other alternative towns.

ian and Jennifer Drummond, of the Spring glen Special

Place, love being able to let their children progress at their

own rate, moving more slowly when working on skills

they have less aptitude for, and sailing through material

that comes more naturally. in this way, they are never on a

schedule pegged at or a bit below the average learning speed

of 25 or 30 other kids. the Drummonds use the ambleside

curriculum, one of many all-embracing school programs

Going to School Without Going to School

sTory aNd PhoTos By riChard saChs

E

Catherine, ian and david drummond Jennifer and Catherine drummond Planting


siblings, was asked if he has friends who go to school every

day.

“Yup,” he said.

“And who’s the lucky one?”

“I’m the lucky one.”

Community resources are available for home-schooling

families. Billings farm and Museum in Woodstock, vt. the

vermont institute of natural Science in Quechee, vt and

the Montshire Museum in norwich, vt. all run programs

for groups. the public libraries and public schools can

lend books and other supplies. Some families enjoy getting

together in a weekly support group for younger, home-

schooled kids and their parents, meeting at a dance studio

in West Lebanon. When asked, the local town historical

societies will make presentations for home-schooled

children as well as for public school groups.

home-schooling regulations vary by state. new hampshire

has few requirements, but requires that any private

instruction be monitored by professionals. this can be as

simple as personal interviews and review of accumulated

portfolios demonstrating appropriate progress or could

involve regular formal testing of the kids, or even some of

each. the Munholand children are tested twice a year in

reading and math at gvS.

home-schooling is not for everyone. it requires time,

organization, attention to detail and incredible discipline.

But those who do it successfully say it brings them the

satisfaction of family bonding and the reward of a personally

controlled, individualized, high quality education for their

children.

and choose their own materials. there is an endless array of

teaching materials available on the internet and an exploding

spectrum of available applications for tablet computers and

smart phones. aBCmouse.com is a website that has all kinds

of available learning games, printed materials and craft

supplies.

Many families supplement instruction for children when

they don’t feel that they have the personal resources to teach

all subjects to their kids. in fact, ian Drummond teaches

at just such a school, where home-schooled kids can come

for instruction in Latin or history or any subject in which

parents don’t feel they could do as thorough a job as they

would like. one eastman family brings in a music teacher

each week to teach the stringed instruments to their kids

with an eye to creating a classical string quartet. Some kids

join after school sports teams along with the public school

students.

Catherine and David Drummond, age 4, are too young for

a full school day of instruction. they participate in several

20-minute lessons, usually in the morning. Learning sessions

will gradually lengthen as they mature. Most families

follow the usual school calendar, skipping formal teaching

on weekends and holidays and taking off the summer

months as well. though one eastman mother, whose kids

get tested formally outside the home, says she does a little

consolidation teaching during the summer so the kids’ skills

don’t backslide. of course, any situation at any time can

become a “teachable moment.”

ezra Munholand, an engaging 9-year-old living in the Bright

Slopes Special Place and taught at home with three younger

... the final Product L to r, anya, ezra, noah and Petra Munholand


By aaroN Brooke JeNkyN

What’s Out There?

he extenDeD SPRing of 2012 has certainly brought

out lots of wildlife sightings! from the fairway foxes to

some really uncommon bird sightings: white-winged scoters

and a bald eagle! eastman residents have also taken advantage

of the warm weather to get outside and watch as our local fauna

comes to life.

While out for an early morning walk on March 22, Charlie

Taber and his black lab, Stout, saw three sets of common

mergansers playing in the water off north Cove Beach.

on the evening of March 24, Amy Hoffman saw a snowshoe

hare hop by her window. it still had its winter coat, which is

white with some brown spotting. amy was surprised at how

white its coat was for this time of year, pointing out that it stood

out like a neon sign in the dusk. even in March some of us were

still waiting for the snow to come!

not all of the critters that came out this spring were wanted

quite so early. Judy McCarthy reported that on april 18 she

got her first black fly bite, almost a month before Mother’s Day.

Does this mean that the old adage that they arrive on Mother’s

Day and leave on father’s day will need to be revised?

Ton a sunny april day while out for a walk on the West Cove

walking path, Liz Forshay saw a baby painted turtle.

Many of you have been enjoying the spring attraction of

fairway Drive, the fairway foxes! Ruth Ann Eastman reported

that the first day she saw a kit, it was very cold and the kit had

found a patch of sunlight to sit in to get warm. not long after

that, i heard from Anne Langsdorf and Susan Mattson that the

other kits had come out of the den as well. all of fairway Drive

has been enjoying watching these five young kits and their

mother play and sun along the roadside. these local celebrities

even made the Valley News on april 19!

the fairway foxes weren’t the only foxes in town. there were

several other reports of foxes out and about in eastman. in late

april, Matt Hoffman had a very exciting encounter with a fox

family at the intersection of Bear Road and Road Round Lake.

from his car, he saw a mother fox and her babies sitting near

the side of the road. as he turned left and slowly drove towards

them, the mother headed off the road and the babies followed,

walking into the rocks. the mother then stood there, on the

rocks, keeping guard. Matt was able to snap some photos and

even went back with his wife to find that the kits were still there,

tackling and rolling over each other and chewing on saplings.

What a wonderful experience!

column

doublecresTed cormoranT

By Cathy LaCoMBe

climbing TurTles

By Cathy LaCoMBeMother foX and BaBies

by andy easTman


not long after that, Marcus Jenkyn and i saw a very small fox

face off against a goose inside the fence of the polishing ponds

on Clearwater Drive. a week later, we saw a much larger fox

facing off against what we presumed to be the same goose; it

was protecting the same nest on the pond. in both cases the

goose got the better of the foxes, and they were both sent away

with their tails between their legs.

Gale and Andy Schmidt reported that on april 28 they had two

sightings of a yellow-breasted warbler catching bugs outside a

second story window of their home.

While walking in heath forest in late april, Ruth Ann and

Andy Eastman and Jerry and Susan Mattson spotted a thrush.

on april 29, Rhonda and Milt Weinstein saw two female hooded

mergansers on Mill Pond. then on May 5, having seen no hooded

mergansers on Mill Pond that day, they saw five male hooded

mergansers in east Cove, but no females. they have also heard

the call of a yellow-bellied sapsucker on the west side of the lake.

Charlie Taber and Stout had another exciting wildlife spotting

while out walking on May 2, this time off the north Cove Beach

hiking trail. they watched as a bald eagle startled a goose on

the lake; the eagle then flew over to the east side of the lake and

came to rest on the higher branches of a large pine tree. the

eagle appeared to be quite happy with its lakefront view. Charlie

and Stout continued hiking, and upon their return, the eagle

was still perched in those same pines.

Ruth Ann Eastman also wrote in to say that the fairway

resident groundhog has returned for another year; he (or she)

adulT loon

By Cathy LaCoMBe

can be seen on the fifth fairway and the surrounding environs.

Jenna Chenever had an unexpected Mother’s Day visitor at her

home on Wildwood Drive. She looked out her kitchen window

to find a bear not more than 20 feet away! it took its time eating

plants and enjoying the sunshine while Jenna watched safely

from behind the window.

Perhaps one of the most prolific birding reports received this

spring came from Rhonda and Milt Weinstein, who on May

20, spotted two male and one female white-winged scoters,

swimming in a line southbound on the lake between east

Cove and South Cove. on the same day they spotted a female

common merganser perched on a rock off the west end of the

private island, as well as one of our resident loons. in addition

to this, they heard and saw two orioles while paddling in West

Cove – what a day!

Rhonda and Milt also reported that throughout the spring they

have had four different woodpecker species (downy, yellow-

bellied sapsucker, northern flicker and pileated), a scarlet

tanager and numerous warblers, including the black-throated

green, yellow-rumped, magnolia and american redstart, and an

ovenbird, all in or around their backyard.

While out walking the Clearwater Drive to Wellfield Road loop

on May 23, Marcus Jenkyn and i spotted 55 eastern newts along

the roadside of the 2.5-mile stretch. having seen these newts all

my life, i didn’t actually know what they were called, so upon

returning home we looked them up. to our surprise, in addition

to their name, we learned that, although only two percent of

these newts make it beyond the red-eft stage when they are

a brilliant orange color, the ones who do make it have a life

expectancy of 12 to 15 years!!

according to a late May report from Milt Weinstein, any eL

reader who has ever heard a wood thrush sing will appreciate

the thrill he and Rhonda got from having one sing in the woods

behind their house on May 26, both in the morning and again

in the evening until dusk. Sadly for them, it did not return after

that one day. Based on their songs, the following birds seem

to be in residence in the Burpee hill Special Place: american

redstart, ovenbird, eastern wood pewee and yellow-bellied

sapsucker. the only one Milt has actually seen is the sapsucker,

which he also hears drilling.

thank you to all who sent in submissions; please keep them

coming! e-mail me at [email protected] or call

me at 603-306-6707. Starting this summer, there will also be a

“What’s out there?” drop box at South Cove activity Center.


Feature

another more important reason: 70 percent of people with

alzheimer’s are cared for at home, and i am one of those

caregivers. the quilt drawing not only raised $2085, but was

also an opportunity to reach out and create conversations about

alzheimer’s. With an illness where the hallmark is loss, it is

lovely to gain new friends like the eckerts and to be reminded

that beautiful things can arise despite this disease.

alzheimer’s is still a little talked about illness, although that

clearly has been changing over the years. When you reveal that

you are a caregiver and the nature of the illness the immediate

response is nearly always, “My mother was diagnosed with

alzheimer’s when she was in her late 80’s. i got to know the

disease intimately,” or “My niece is only 62 and she has been

diagnosed with early onset alzheimer’s.”

While we all hope for a cure for this illness and people like the

two Dales raise money to try to make that cure a reality, until

that time, there are supportive services in the Upper valley to

help those of us living with the disease. We are blessed to live

in an area where there are quite a few resources, not only for

alzheimer’s but also for other illnesses connected with aging.

one of the best is the aging Resource Center (aRC) at the

Centerra Plaza in Lebanon.

i first got started with a Care giving 101 course there when

i was helping my parents, who were living in ohio. after my

parents died, i needed help for a new more personal phase of

care-giving when my husband Bin had his stroke five years

ago. i found a support group at the aRC called nurturing the

Spirit, where fellow caregivers were led in discussion by Jeanne

Childs, the gifted geriatric chaplain at the center. in addition,

there are several series of classes by Kesstan Blandin on such

Q UiLtS CaMe into My Life in an

UnexPeCteD Way. When my mother died and my brother

and i were clearing out the house, i was amazed to discover

beautiful quilts hidden away in the attic. in our house most nice

things were put away and never seen. i decided that the creators

of these lovely works of art needed to be honored by their quilts

being used and enjoyed in my home. the bonus was discovering

their history.

My brother was going through some books and, as an

afterthought, flipped me a book entitled Wedding embassy

yearbook. it turned out to be a compendium of wedding advice

for the bride, an interesting read in itself, but the amazing part

occurred as i was looking through the section entitled “the

Bride’s gift Record.” Listed under gifts that had been received by

my mother, the bride, was this notation:

David’s Aunt Helen Foster, 43 Glenville Ave., Boston, MA,

October, 38, matched pair of patchwork quilts.

then, under personal remarks is this second notation:

Made by her mother while she waited for her husband to return

from the Civil War. He did return.

David is my father. What good fortune to have inherited these

family works of art, which now hang in my West Cove condo.

Most recently, i was surprised with more good fortune. My

name was drawn as the winner of a raffle for a quilt made by

family members of Massachusetts’ residents Dale granger

eckert and Dale Bob eckert as a part of their fund raising efforts

to support the work of the Massachusetts and new hampshire

alzheimer’s associations. the drawing for the quilt was held

at the alzheimer’s association Run for the Memory Boston

Marathon team meeting in March.

the two Dales (!) delivered the quilt to my home here in

grantham. they think that the quilt found a perfect match

with me, not just because of my interest in quilts but for

By BarBara JoNes • Photos By daLe and daLe eCkert

Giving and Receiving: Quilts and Care


topics as essential Skills for alzheimer’s Care, Memory Loss

and Brain health, Sleep and aging, Reduce Stress and Build

harmony, Caring for another, Caring for yourself and practical

classes that show a person how to be a “Savvy Caregiver.” there

is a Parkinson’s leader and many other trained people to help

someone avoid financial exploitation as well as classes to help

those with limited mobility stay strong, balanced and safe

through supervised exercise. Some courses are drop-in and

others need registration.

you can get direct information from the aRC at 603- 653-3460

or online at www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/agingcenter. the

director of the center is Caroline Moore.

there are also things you can do to help caregivers, and it is

often the littlest thing that is the most helpful. Something as

simple as picking up and delivering the daily newspaper to a

caregiver’s door or picking up the mail at the post office or

a few groceries when you are going out shopping can make

a big difference in a caregiver’s life. if you have made a large

batch of some tasty soup or stew or an extra loaf of bread,

sharing them with your care-giving friend or neighbor would

be so appreciated. a few flowers or a plant can cheer someone

struggling to stay upbeat. Phone the caregiver just to say that

you are thinking about him or her.

the person struggling with the illness can also use support.

While you may not be able to have a lively conversation, if

you were a friend of the person now searching for words, take

another mutual friend and go out for a cup of coffee. Just be

with the person because he or she continues to sense whether

you care even if the two of you are not able to communicate like

you used to.

one of the nicest gifts that Bin and i received was on a day when

i had a full day conference in new London and could not get

home for lunch. a neighbor offered to stop in, fix lunch for Bin

and just check on him again later in the day. in addition to that,

she brought him a colorful placemat from Brazil and, when

i got home from the conference, she had left a basket on the

counter, providing a full dinner for both of us that evening.

While giving care is not easy, it can be made more manageable

through area resources and the help of others. Like the beautiful

quilt, which the eckerts called “My Sister’s heart” and which

has joined my family quilts to grace our home, such resources

and neighborly support brighten Bin’s and my days and are a

constant reminder that we are not alone.

you can contact me at [email protected].

Barbara and dale granger eckert

bin and barbara


Feature

ne of the tRUe heRoeS of WoRLD WaR ii,

general frank Dow Merrill, was responsible for

planning the major highway leading to eastman:

US interstate 89.

after the war, this great field commander became the new

hampshire highway Commissioner under governor Sherman

adams. his vision and engineering expertise were major factors

in shaping our present highway system.

a Massachusetts native and West Point graduate, Merrill held a

degree in engineering from Mit. at the outbreak of World War

ii, he was in Rangoon, Burma (now yangon, Myanmar) serving

as chief-of-staff for general Joseph “vinegar Joe” Stilwell, who

was the american commander-in-chief of the China/Burma/

india theater of operation.

Rangoon was strategically important for many reasons, not

least of which was because the Burma Road began there. over

this road, the allies supplied Chiang Kai-Sheik’s Chinese army,

keeping the Chinese army in the war and tying up over a million

Japanese troops. When the Japanese invaded Burma in May

1942, supplies had to be flown “over the hump,” the spur of the

himalayas that extended along the india-Burma border. the

invasion forced the allies to retreat into the Burmese jungle.

in what became known as “the walk-out,” Stilwell and Merrill

led the remnants of their army on a 600-mile trek through the

Merrill and the Road to EastmansTory aNd PhoTos By Tom roCkeTT

almost impenetrable jungle of northern Burma into india.

astoundingly, every member of that retreat survived the ordeal.

for the next year and a half, Stilwell, Merrill and others

prepared for the campaign to retake northern Burma and re-

open an overland supply route to China. During this time, the

acerbic Stilwell alienated most of the British command in india

and grew to despise Chiang Kai-Sheik, whom he thought to be

corrupt and indecisive. he expressed his belief that the Chinese

people would be better off under Mao tse-tung, thus gaining

the enmity of witch-hunting Senator Joseph McCarthy.

During this time, Merrill conducted the training and

organization of a group of about 3,000 men who had

volunteered for a “dangerous and hazardous mission.” a

war correspondent observing this Special forces unit named

them “Merrill’s Marauders,” and the term became the official

designation for the group. there is a bridge on Route 3 in

nashua named the Merrill’s Marauders Bridge. Merrill and

his troops left india in february 1944 and for the next three

months fought their way over the hump and into the dense

and dangerous Burmese jungle. they covered a distance of 750

O


generals Merrill and stilwell


miles. Several hundred men died or were evacuated to india

because of dysentery, malaria, wounds, devastating exhaustion

and diseases caused by leaches, poisonous snakes and spiders.

Merrill led the Marauders in 27 skirmishes and five major

battles. they were victorious in all of them. as they moved

toward Central Burma, other allied armies of Burmese, Chinese,

British and american troops under the overall command of

Stilwell converged with them at a place called Myitkyina, but

which was referred to in all official communications as “Mitch.”

this was the site of a major Japanese army base on the Burma

Road and a strategically important air base. the Battle of Mitch

took place in early august 1944. at this final battle of the Burma

Campaign, the Japanese army was defeated, the country was

liberated and the Burma Road was re-opened. the Marauders

returned to india.

frank Merrill survived to finish his career as a new hampshire

commissioner but it was close. Just as Roosevelt’s polio paralysis

and Stilwell’s blindness (total in one eye and severe in the

other) had been kept a secret during the war, as was Merrill’s

heart disease. he had two and perhaps three heart attacks in

the Burma jungle. after the first, he was evacuated to india but

returned to direct the fighting after two weeks. he contracted

malaria but still led the Marauders through the worst fighting

at “Mitch,” where he suffered another heart attack and was

ordered by Stilwell to return to india. he would not act on the

order until all of the wounded were evacuated. finally, two days

later, he turned the command over to his successor and left

Burma to spend the remainder of the war in a staff position at

headquarters in india.

this unwavering devotion to his men won for him the country’s

respect and admiration. this remarkable man, a soldier’s solder

and an able engineer and capable administrator, left his mark

on the new hampshire highway system, serving the state as the

highway commissioner from 1948 until his death in 1955. it is

fitting that his memory is preserved at the Merrill’s Marauders

Bridge and on interstate 89, where signs on the off-ramps bear

witness to his national and local importance.

3 Alpine Court Sunapee, NH 03782

(603) [email protected]

www.northcapedesign.com

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A Brief Historyin 2005, a concerned eastman resident alerted the Lakes

and Streams Committee (L&S) to the new england purple

loosestrife invasion and how it might be controlled. these

invasive plants were growing unfettered throughout the region,

particularly in wet, marshy areas. it was noted that purple

loosestrife was indeed spreading in the eastman Lake watershed

and elsewhere within the community. With eCa approval

and a band of dedicated volunteers, the task of reigning in the

menacing purple loosestrife began.

Why is Purple Loosestrife a Problem?Purple loosestrife negatively affects wildlife by gradually altering

our nation’s wetlands. it displaces and replaces native flora and

fauna, eliminating food, nesting and shelter for wildlife. Purple

loosestrife forms a single species stand that no bird, mammal

or fish depend upon. By reducing habitat environment,

purple loosestrife has a negative impact on fish spawning and

waterfowl habitat. its ability to spread contributes to its success

as an invader. one adult plant can produce two to three million

seeds annually; they can remain viable for many years. it prefers

moist organic soils, fluctuating water levels and full sunlight,

conditions that can stress many native plants. it has no natural

predators on this continent; therefore, it has an incredible ability

to compete against native vegetation and to form dense stands.

if eastman wanted to preserve its native wetland areas, stream

banks and lake shorelines, a plan of attack had to be developed.

The Strategytwo methods for controlling the growth of purple loosestrife

were chosen as being the most effective: physical and biological.

Physical control is suitable for small patches of growth and

involves removing the plant from the soil, repeated cutting back

of the plant or removing the flowering stalks and bagging them.

L&S volunteers have gotten down and dirty while working to

remove as much of the plant and its roots as possible around

Mill Pond. on the golf course, at eagle Drive and places with

smaller patches, the flowering stalks were cut off and bagged

before they went to seed, thereby eliminating seed dispersal.

Biological Control is a method of control involving the release

of predators to attack the pest species. the galerucella species of

beetles has proven to be effective and is considered host-specific

to purple loosestrife. these native european beetles were

introduced to north america in 1992 as part of a five to 15-year

program to control purple loosestrife. after extensive research

conducted at Cornell University, the insects were proven safe for

our natural environment. L&S orders the beetles from the new

Jersey Department of agriculture with permission from the

new hampshire Department of environmental Sciences (DeS).

the beetles are dispersed primarily in the meadows abutting

Stoney Brook and Butternut Brook on eastman’s northwestern

border. this was by far the largest area of infestation, where

it was evident that the purple loosestrife plants were rapidly

replacing the native plants.

column

Purple Loosestrife - A Beautiful MenaceBy JaCkie UNderhill

Maynard Wheeler dispersing beetles

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The OutcomeBecause of our efforts at control since 2006, the L&S committee

appears to be winning the battle. our meadows have been

largely restored to their previous native state. in other areas

around eastman the plants have either disappeared or they

are unhealthy and are slowly diminishing. We are encouraged

as we observe more and more damaged and weakened plants.

Research data suggests that establishing a colony of galerucella

beetles takes seven to ten years. as we approach this time

frame we will continue to evaluate the results to decide how

much longer we’ll utilize the beetles as a control method. it’s

hoped that, eventually, we will only use physical controls. Due

to its adaptability and tenacity, purple loosestrife will never

be eliminated from eastman. however, L&S is dedicated to

controlling it as much as possible in order to allow our native

plants to thrive.

What Can I Do To Help?To help prevent the spread of purple loosestrife you must

1. Recognize it. it’s an erect, perennial herb standing three to

10 feet tall. it blossoms every July through September with

purple flowers that are located in long spikes at the tips of

its branches. its leaves are opposite or whorled on the square,

sometimes woody stem. it is a deceptively beautiful plant!

2. Remove it or report it to the L&S committee at

[email protected].

Remember to tightly bag all plant fragments. Do not compost

them as the plants may regenerate in the compost pile.

it has been illegal to sell, purchase, propagate, import, distribute

and transport Lythrum species in new hampshire since 1999.

Purple Loosestrife Patch Purple Loosestrife Plant

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LAKE APPRECIATION DAYS PhoTos By riChard saChs

team gilligan in the s.s. Minnow

ronni Freiberger at kids’ activity table

ernie & Marilyn Mullen in their custom made

tugboat

souTh CoveJuly 28 - AugusT 2

the kick-off sATurdAy, July 28 (rain date - July 29) includes:

•CardboardBoatRace-11a.m.

•Freeactivitiesandeducationaldemos

under the pavilion - 12 - 3 p.m.

•Guidedpontoonboattours-5&6:30p.m.

sundAy July 29 - ThursdAy AugusT 2•Guidedpontoonboattours-5&6:30p.m.

•Theeverpopulartugboatrides

WednesdAy, AugusT 1 - Walk around the Lake - 8:30 a.m.


Feature

fish such as the northern pike, which do not exist in the lake at

eastman but do live in anderson Pond. (See related anderson

Pond article.) note the curve of the white sucker’s head in the

accompanying photo.

although seldom caught in eastman Lake, the suckers are

relatively easy to catch on a hook and line connected to a

hooked worm and fished on the lake bottom during their

migration. once hooked, these fish have a muscular but

unspectacular fight that can best be described as similar to being

connected by fish line to a motorized log. the sucker may not

look as appealing as the bass, perch or trout but, when caught

in cold water during the annual migration, these big-boned

fish have a sweet flavor and can be prepared several ways. Some

people refer to them as “mullet.” My grandfather enjoyed his

filleted, then covered in cornmeal and fried. the meat is flakey.

also, if inclined, the row (fish eggs) can be removed from the

fish and cooked. however, once the water temperatures begin to

climb, the flesh of the sucker begins to soften and the sweet taste

changes to something only a hungry bear might like.

the second species of sucker entering Mill Pond Brook is the

longnose sucker. these are the most numerous of the migrating

fish, running from 12-20 inches in length and weighing up to

three pounds. When seen in the water, they appear to have a

aCh yeaR, USUaLLy in MiD-aPRiL to eaRLy

May, an event takes place in eastman that is a true

indicator of spring’s arrival. around the same time as the

forsythia begin to bloom, hundreds of fish come from all

over eastman Lake to the mouth of Mill Pond Brook at Cove

Drive to await the biological signal that sends them frantically

swimming up the brook. it is the annual mating of the

“eastman Lake Salmon,” actually two species of the common

sucker. the legendary name “eastman Lake Salmon” had its

birth in an exchange between a fisherman and a passerby

standing on Cove Drive. When asked what he was fishing

for, the fisherman’s answer was “salmon,” since the fish were

running upstream to spawn. the unsuspecting questioner then

spread the word that salmon were running in Mill Pond Brook.

from that time on, the annual migration has become known as

the run of the eastman Lake Salmon.

these fish consist of two species. the larger of the two, but

fewer in number, is the common white sucker, averaging 15

to 24 inches in length and weighting up to five pounds. this

species is dark brown along the back and upper sides, tending

to a yellow-white on the lower sides and belly. for most of the

year they feed along the bottom of eastman Lake on a variety

of insect larva, crustaceans and occasional fish eggs. When

small, the suckers are food for bass, pickerel and other large

Eastman Lake Salmon


AkA: Common SuCker sTory aNd PhoTos By riChard hoCker

E

White sucker eggs Longnose sucker

eastman living | summer 2012 | 25 eastman living | summer 2012 | 25

gold stripe running along the length of their body. once out

of water, the color is less pronounced but still vivid enough

to identify the fish as a longnose sucker. the fish does have an

elongated nose when compared to the white sucker whose nose

is flat like a wall. Both fish have the mouth on the underside of

their head, which gives the fish its name: sucker. all other fish

have a mouth that is aligned with their bodies.

When the spawning is complete, the suckers return to eastman

Lake for another year of bottom feeding. Because of the

nature of Mill Pond Brook, some of the fish will die during the

migration. once the eggs hatch into young fish, the youngsters

will make their way down stream to the lake to begin their

growth to adulthood. With that, the cycle continues.

this year’s run of the “salmon” was heralded by a few adults,

who regularly await their arrival, but also by some younger

and, perhaps, future fishermen, who just happened to be on

spring break on april 18, when the suckers started to arrive in

droves. among them were Shaun Kronenwetter, alex Weinman

and nathan Chickering, who were happy to observe this spring

ritual, the run of the Catostomus commmersonii (white sucker)

and Catostomus catostomus (longnose sucker)!!

White Sucker White sucker mouth


recreation

heRe iS a neW faCiLity on heRon iSLanD.

although it is decidedly low tech, it is a solution to a long-

standing question: “how do we dispose of the byproduct

of good food and fine wine when camping on the island?” the

answer is the installation of a “moldering privy.” Who invented

this device? Well, it was not thomas Crapper, the inventor of

the flush toilet, but probably, someone equally as ingenious. the

privy does not have any running water, so it does not qualify as

a “washroom” as our Canadian friends would say, but it does

serve a purpose.

a moldering privy is a backcountry sanitation solution to deal

with waste. Like an outhouse, it is a structure of four walls with

a toilet seat inside. Unlike traditional outhouses, it is elevated

three to four feet off the ground so air circulation encourages

the growth of organisms that do the work of decomposition.

Moldering is a slow, relatively cool, continuous composting in

which native-soil micro-organisms decompose waste in the

presence of oxygen. it does not “smolder:” no heat, no smoke

and little smell. Red worms have also been added to the crib to

help with decomposition.

this useful and attractive structure was constructed thanks to

the skilled and resourceful craftsmanship of eastman resident

Moldering? What in the World Does THAT Mean?!By rory GordoN

andy anderson. the

Recreation Department

is pleased to offer this

enhancement to the

island camping and

walking experiences

of members and their

guests. When you

use this new facility,

please don’t use large

amounts of toilet paper.

for environmental

reasons you should

practice some frugality.

Biodegradable white,

fragrance-free paper is

advised.

furthermore, we will supply appropriate reading material: the

Summer Recreation Guide and the most current copy of Eastman

Living will be at your fingertips. We hope that you will check it

out and let us know what you think. Reservations to camp on

the island can be made at the South Cove activity Center.

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Feature

in the fall we combined the work of a number of eastman

residents in a craft show that included ceramic ware by Chuck

Monahan, the wood craft of Dick Strong and Bob Katz, and

textile art by Julie Cummings and elizabeth Paquette. gretchen

fairweather contributed rugs crafted by her mother, and new

eastman resident Susan goodwin offered an embroidered

landscape from Madagascar. the most recent installation was a

dual exhibit featuring a tribute to former Eastman Living editors

Dick Denatale and Dick Kipperman on one wall, and in the

larger space, a spectacular show of ceramic sculpture by Susan

goodwin.

in conjunction with her show, Susan gave a slide lecture about

her experience five years ago in Madagascar, where she worked

in a traditional pottery village. She began by talking about

Madagascar’s rich and unique biodiversity, which is due to its

isolation off the east coast of africa. her talk was illustrated by

beautiful images of lemurs and chameleons in habitats ranging

from tropical rain forests to spiny deserts. Sadly, 90-percent of

the country has been deforested by a poor population needing

land to grow rice, and wood for cooking. in the pottery village

of alasora, Susan attempted to help the potters develop objects

for sale in a small but developing tourist market. in doing

so, she learned to appreciate the resilience of these friendly

people and understand the difficulties they faced in making a

livelihood.

Susan said of her work on display: “Many of my sculptures

have become vehicles for political and humanitarian concerns.

he SoUth Cove aCtivity CenteR haS

featUReD a nUMBeR of exhiBitS that have

attracted positive attention over the past two years. the

initiative to have exhibits began as an effort proposed by

the eCa Board to “warm up” the lobby of the newly constructed

building. it has become more than that – it is what people

see when they come to eastman, and the space represents the

community in a very special way. that the space is being used in

this people-centered manner says something important about

what kind of community this is, about what it values and about

who lives here.

the first exhibit was, appropriately, the work of eastman’s

artists in the Barn; that exhibit was followed by Eastman Living

photographers. to help promote Lake appreciation Week, our

summer campers mounted a display of their artwork called

“Love our Lake.” a well-received quilt show filled (and warmed

up) the space that winter.

We celebrated “40 years of Community” with an anniversary

exhibit of eastman’s history in four panels: Draperville, A First

Look, The Planning and The Early Years. images and artifacts

were borrowed from the grantham historical Society while

Kevin Jondro and Mike Denver of the Recreation staff installed

the old, illuminated, stained glass tallulah’s sign over the

fireplace. Last summer, eastman resident Paula Dorr exhibited

her paintings along with four of her group from the tip top

Studio 233 of White River Junction, vt.: Kathy Detzer, Rebecca

gottesman, Perry Williamson and Laura Wolfe.

TarTiCle aNd PhoTo By CraiG mCarT

South CoveExhibits

Susan Goodwin


the reality for many people the world over is that they struggle

tenaciously to maintain their culture. My wish is that with

exposure and education we could learn to appreciate the

enormous diversity of people, recognize our similarities, make

space for us all, and celebrate the details that make us different

from each other. often those details are stunning artistically.

the visual highlights may catch our attention, but the hard

work is to learn about and to appreciate the diversity that

humans exhibit worldwide. My work is an ongoing series about

us, the differences and the commonalities of human beings.”

Paula Dorr and Craig McArt assist Recreation Director Leslie

Moses with the art installations.

poetry corner

A Sunny DayCopyright 2010 by Joel D. AshAll Rights Reserved

Glowing streaks in the sky, early morn,Grand commencement of day, sun’s sojourn; Bursting forth at daybreak, As you gaze wide-awake,The full glory of dawning unshorn.

Yellow orb to the heavens ascends,Sweet mantle of warmth now extends; Sun dance o’er treetops, Citron eye of Cyclops,Staring down on green fields as it wends.

Bright noon with the sun at its height,White light of our shining birthright; No cloud up above, Scintillation thereof, Brilliant sparkles of blinding sunlight.

The afternoon shimmer pervades,The splendor and dazzle cascades; Ablaze in the blue, Radiance, golden hue,Nature basking below in warm glades.

The end of the day is at hand,Sun fades as the shadows expand; Gleaming sunset, red blush, Final soft glowing flush,Then the light rays in darkness disband.



f yoU’ve eveR PLayeD the gaMe of BRiDge,

you know that a “grand slam” is the ultimate success in

bidding and playing a hand. it means that you claim

(bid) to be able to take every trick in the hand (13) and

doing so, especially if you have bid it, earns the most possible

points. it is a contract that is not often bid or made, so it is

the ultimate achievement.

Bridge players of all levels enjoyed a four and a half

day intensive program presented by Marti Ronemus, a

nationally-known columnist, writer, lecturer, teacher

and author of the “Dear Diary” column in the american

Contract Bridge League’s Bridge Bulletin magazine. thirty-

eight participants enjoyed the week of april 16-20, which

was filled with humor, camaraderie and great lunches

provided by Bistro nouveau.

eastman Recreation sponsored and helped promote this

first time event, which was a resounding success. there

was almost perfect attendance the entire week, with a few

people having conflicts that they were not able to reschedule.

the week was filled with new tools and techniques for

evaluating the power of a hand, communicating precisely

with one’s partner and strategies for play and defense of the

contract. although the event was attended by many who

live at eastman, Upper valley residents who play in weekly

duplicate games made up the majority of attendees. the

directors of these local games were very supportive, even

loaning bridge tables, which was greatly appreciated.

Most attendees were experienced players, and some of

the less experienced players appeared to be a little “shell

shocked” but quickly adjusted to the duplicate format

and the concepts presented. Marti’s philosophy is that all

one needs is a basic knowledge of bridge and the desire to

improve in order to benefit from one of her courses. She

emphasizes the “thinking” and “deductive reasoning” aspects

of the game more than rigid rules because, as anyone who

plays knows, each hand presents a unique set of problems

that usually doesn’t conform to a set of rules. it’s what

makes the game so fascinating and appealing.

It’s a GRAND SLAM! the daily lesson was accompanied by written handouts

as well as sample hands and frequent bidding and

playing quizzes, followed by opportunities to play and

implement the skills presented. Participants were given pre-

programmed hands to bid and play at each table. once the

bidding was over, Marti would dictate what the contract

should be, so each table knew right away whether or not

they had reached the appropriate contract. after the play of

the hand, each bidding sequence was evaluated, followed

by an analysis of how the hand should have been played

for a maximum result. thursday afternoon was an official

duplicate game, sanctioned by the aCBL, which was a new

experience for some players, who earned their first master

points.

a daily lunch buffet was part of the package, and the Bistro

prepared a delicious variety of menus, as well as coffee,

tea and water throughout each day. the response was

overwhelmingly positive, with well-deserved rave reviews

for both Marti and the Bistro. By mid-week, many players

were requesting that the program be offered again and all

participants added their names, phone numbers and email

addresses to a “bridge list” so that they could contact one

another to continue playing.

the evaluation forms contained comments such as: “i never

knew how to make a plan or count tricks.” “fabulous!! it

was fun and i learned a lot. Marti is a kick!” “Something for

everyone.” “i feel ready to slay dragons.” “i wouldn’t mind

taking the exact same class again.”

the week was a plus for everyone involved. Marti, her

husband, gary, and her assistant, Bev, rented a condo so they

were able to stay right here instead of commuting daily from

a hotel. gary loved it, since he was able to play golf two or

three times during the week. they claim that eastman is now

one of their two favorite places to present their program.

the eastman community gained favorable exposure from

nearby residents who have never been here before; the Bistro

had additional business (40 lunches times five days) during

its slow time of year and was able to create a very good

sTory aNd PhoTos By JaNe VerdraGer


I

Feature


impression with all participants. it was a “grand slam” for

everyone involved.

POSTSCRIPT:Plans are now under way to bring Marti back for another session next spring (april 15-18), and we are hoping to follow it with a two-day aCBL-sanctioned tournament at the Center. Marti will conduct a different four-day session, have a day off and then, as a certified national director, would run the tournament on Saturday and Sunday. in addition, we are working on starting a regular, weekly duplicate game here at eastman as a result of the positive responses to this inquiry on the evaluations. for more information, contact Jane verdrager at [email protected] or 603-865-5508. in the meantime, you may want to try some of the local duplicate games.


BRIDGe GAMeS IN the AReA♥ indicates you need to come with a partner

♦ indicates aCBL-sanctioned games earning master points

DuplicatE

Monday 1:00 p.m. • chapin senior center (coa), new London

tuesday 11:00 a.m. • fire house, Bow ♥ ♦ $6.00 includes dessert and snacks/ bring lunch 7:00 p.m. Black senior Center, hanover ♥ ♦ $3.00

Wednesday 9:15 a.m. • chapin senior center (coa), new London ♥ 1:00 p.m. • Lebanon College, lower level, lebanon ♥ ♦ $3.00

thursday 1:00 p.m. • Lebanon College, lower level, lebanon ♦ $3.00 – this game takes a summer hiatus but will resume in the fall. 6:30 p.m. town office Bldg., upstairs, new London ♥ ♦ $3.00

Friday 1:00 p.m. • Black senior Center, hanover, nh ♥ ♦ $3.00

social

tuesday 7:00 p.m. • south Cove activity Center, eastman, grantham (Chicago style)

thursday 9:30 a.m. • chapin senior center (coa), new London • a good place to start playing duplicate bridge is in the Thursday afternoon game at lebanon College. it is a novice group (50 Master Points or less); if you do not have a regular partner, it is a good opportunity to play with a variety of partners. you will be matched up with another single and meet other players in the area.

refer to www.acbl.org to find other games and locations, especially when traveling or vacationing.


recreation

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Be a Part of Our Biggest Ever Root Beer Float!

eastman Recreation invites everyone to be part of the largest root beer float ever assembled in eastman during the third

annual Root Beer float. at 10 a.m. Saturday, aug. 11, bring your canoe, kayak or rowboat down to the lake from your

home or pull it off your boat rack and raft up on the water at South Cove with all the other watercraft assembled.

Last year, we amassed 85 canoes and kayaks – that’s just a fraction of the number of boats residing in eastman.

after the official boat count, everyone is treated to root beer floats under the South Cove Pavilion.

fresh scoops of vanilla ice cream floating in draft root beer are a tasty treat no one ever tires of.


column

sunset on eastman

guarding the condos Millers’ garden

mother Fox

summer Moon

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A.W.ANdeRSON BuIldeRS

aLWayS have a haRD tiMe DeCiDing What

SPeCieS i’D LiKe to WRite aBoUt, mainly because

there are so many different critters that live in eastman

or visit regularly. Recently, i heard a loud tapping noise right

outside my window and, after scanning the trunks of nearby

trees, i saw a pileated woodpecker next to a stump, happily

tossing wood chips all over the place. i could distinguish that it

was a male by the red stripe on his cheek. otherwise, the male

and female have similar plumage characteristics. they are nearly

the size of a crow and are black with a bright white stripe down

the neck. the bold red crest is also a good field mark, as are the

white wing patches, which tend to be more visible in flight.

the pileated woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in north

america, yet only weighs 10 ounces! We are lucky to see this

magnificent bird year-round in new hampshire. the male

and female will stay together and defend their territory all year

but will allow visitors during the winter months. they feed on

carpenter ants, but they will also eat wood-boring beetle larvae,

flies, spruce budworm, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and fruits and

nuts. you may recognize the large rectangular holes, which they

make in search of ants. they pull their head back and strike the

Pileated Woodpecker- Dryocopus pileatus By sUsie BUrBidGe

tree with their powerful, heavy bills, using their feet to increase

the power of the strike.

Pileated woodpeckers are cavity nesters and prefer to nest in

large trees. the male does most of the excavation work on the

nest tree, but the female will pitch in as it nears completion.

they use only wood chips to line the nest and will peck the

bark around the entrance holes so sap runs down the tree,

making it more difficult for predators, such as snakes, to enter.

it usually takes three to six weeks to construct their nest, which

is seldom reused in future years. however, these large nest holes

offer critical habitat for many other species, including owls,

ducks, bats and pine martens. after a period of 24 to 28 days,

the chicks will leave the nest but will stay with their parents

for a few months while they learn to forage. although some

landowners find snags and fallen logs an eye sore, pileated

woodpeckers rely on them, so it is very important to keep these

on your landscape.

i feel very fortunate to see this amazing bird on a regular basis

here in eastman. Stay tuned for the next “Species Spotlight” to

learn more about another animal that also calls this place home!

column

Species Spotlight

I

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column

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WAlkING e A S t m A N

Walkers have fewer incidences of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and

other killer diseases. They live longer and get mental health and spiritual

benefits. Where do people walk at Eastman, and where are the best places?

All the possibilities come with both advantages and limitations. Here’s a

run-down (walkdown?) on what Eastman has to offer.

first of all, there’s our network of hilly, winding roads, some paved

but most not. they are certainly convenient. People walking the roads

know to stay to the side and face oncoming traffic. Dirt roads with

20 mph speed limits are pretty safe, but the paved roads, with many

vehicles exceeding the 30 mph limit, present an obvious hazard.

the option to roads is walking trails (as distinguished from hiking

trails). think of walking trails as being wide enough to walk two-

abreast and level, dry and smooth enough to allow one to push a

stroller. there are many cross-country trails at eastman that are wide

enough to qualify, but most only marginally meet the other criteria.

eastman’s hiking trails, maintained by the Woodlands and Wildlife

Committee, are typically narrow, twisting, low-impact paths that

meander through forest terrain.

the best walking trails are at West Cove, where walkers are joined

by joggers and cyclists as well as dogs. these smooth, wide, level

trails are not only popular among the condo residents living there,

but attract people from all corners of the community. Because the

trails serve as fire lanes for the condos, they’re plowed in the winter.

their down side is that they cross rather heavily trafficked roads in

places. the second best trails for walking are those on the golf course.

obviously, their availability is limited, although quite a few take

advantage of the brief periods between the golf and cross-country

seasons to walk the course. Both these trails have restrooms and

ample parking close by.

then, there’s the path connecting South Cove and West Cove, marked

#6 on the sign. Lots of people use this wide trail that stretches above

wooded shore land and is bordered by ferns and trillium. Parking

is at Lakeview, located off alpine vista. triathlon runners are

routed over this trail each year as they complete the Splash Mash &

Dash, and last year it was improved with new culverts and grading.

although this trail still isn’t quite as smooth as some would like, it

could be improved with gravel surfacing.

enough of this talk…it’s time, now, to get out there and walk.

By CraiG mCarT

Prsrt stdu.s. Postage

P a i dgrantham, nhPermit no. 3

Community AssociationBox 53Grantham, NH 03753www.eastmannh.org

Documents

Living - Eastman NH · moldering, your education begins in the brief but very descriptive article under the Recreation heading in this issue of Eastman Living. then, there’s eutrophic,