2022: On National Women’s History Month

Mary Webster with her mother Addie. Rare photo of them together as my mom often was the photographer not the subject. Colorized.

Every year since March 2006 I have written one or more blog articles about women during National Women’s History Month. This year is a little different, as I will write only one story, and provide a recap of hundreds of stories I have written about New Hampshire women from all walks of life, with a variety of talents.

When you and I examine our own lives, we will find that there will be at least one woman who had a great positive effect on us. It could be a mother, but it doesn’t have to be. Usually that person is not political, and not famous in any way. These are the women who need to be celebrated. Their qualities were astounding even if their accomplishments never appear in any newspaper or biographical compilation. Continue reading

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2022: Celebrating New Hampshire Black History Month

When Black History Month arrives some are”passive celebrators” as if we think we are not connected to this portion of shared history. New Hampshire has been home to Africans and African-Americans for more than 350 years. The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire’s web site states that “the first known black person in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, came from the west coast of Africa in 1645…” [you can read the details at the Black Heritage Trail web site]. Continue reading

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New Hampshire’s Christmas Cow

Photograph of cow owned by Renee Wesoja of Highwayview Farm in Boscawen NH. Courtesy of MacKenzie Lorden.

Does your moooo-d change for the worse with the approach of the holiday season?  Are you noticing that December’s loss of daily sunlight makes you feel grumpy? There is a cure.

Drive away the winter blues and consider creating a cow-themed Christmas tree.   There are plenty of local shops and businesses that sell cow-related items of all sizes and sorts–or you can make your own. Continue reading

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New Hampshire Glossary: Excise

Advertisement for Excise on Liquors found in the New Hampshire Gazette, 6 May 1757, Portsmouth NH, Issue 31, page 2.

ON EXCISES
Excise, a Monster, worse than e’er before
Frighted the Midwife, and the Mother tore;
A thousands Hands she has, a thousand Eyes,
Breaks into Shops and into Cellars pries;
With hundred Rows of Teeth the Shark exceeds,
And on all Trades, like Casawar, she feeds;
Chops off the Piece, where’er she close the Jaw,
Else swallows all down her indented Maw;
She stalks all Day in the Streets conceal’d from Sight,
And flies, like Bats, with Leathern Wings by Night;
She wastes the Country, and on Cities preys;
Her of a female Harpy, in Dog-Days,
Black Birch, of all the Earth-born Race most hot,
And most rapacious, like Himself begot,
And of his Brat enamor’d as she increast,
Revel’d in Incest with the Mongrel Beast.
–From Weekly Rehearsal, May 14, 1733 Boston MA
Continue reading

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October 11 2021: Indigenous Peoples’ Day in New Hampshire

Carved stones photographic print, 1901. One of two mounted photographic prints of a collection of twenty smooth stones, each with a figure crudely scratched into the service. Written on back of photos: “Indian Relicks from Procter, Franklin Falls, NH, March 27, 1901.” From NH Historical Society Online Catalog.

No, sadly you won’t find Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the official New Hampshire State calendar of holidays. Though the topic has been brought more than once before our State’s General Court, legislation to either change Columbus Day or to add Indigenous People’s Day to the same date as a holiday have failed. (There are a few cities and towns in New Hampshire who do officially celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day).

I could give you many reasons why “Columbus Day” should be dropped from the calendar, though I’m sure you’ve heard them all before. But what if … it turns out that Columbus is not Italian at all? Would that change anything? Would Italian-Americans still insist that this man, who is by many considered a tyrant and murderer, deserve a holiday in a country where he never set foot? And perhaps I should mention that he actually did not discover America. Continue reading

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