Rte. 2 Update, and Fall Activities

Construction Update
Marshfield-Danville NH PS19(1)
[U.S. Route 2 Resurfacing Project]

TRAFFIC IMPACT AND DURATION: Monday, September 18, through Friday, September 22, between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., motorists can expect multiple traffic control packages along U.S. Route 2 (U.S. 2) with lane closures and alternating one-way traffic in Marshfield. Flaggers and Uniform Traffic Officers will be present to assist motorists through the work zone.

Motorists are advised to follow the posted speed limit and travel with caution as areas of the roadway have a gravel surface with no markings indicating the center line and edge line.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES: Crews will continue the second reclamation pass beginning at Beaver Meadow Road and progressing towards Marshfield Village. Crews will also continue cleaning the shoulders of the newly paved roadway beginning at the Plainfield/Marshfield town line and progressing east.

LOCATION: Beginning near the Plainfield/Marshfield town line, on U.S. 2, near the intersection of U.S. 2 and Hillside Drive, and extending easterly along U.S. Route 2 to a point just west of the VT Route 15 and U.S. 2 intersection in West Danville.

PROJECTED COMPLETION: Summer 2025

For more information:
Public Information Consultant: Leah Kostick
Project Hotline: 860-815-0269
Email: Leah.Kostick@wsp.com

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The weather is going to be really nice for the next several days - even extending to the weekend for the beginning of Fall Foliage! There is a little more color showing every day, but still nowhere near peak. It is great that we won't have cold, blustery and wet weather. I recall many times when we entertained Fall Foliage visitors during the first week of October, we would have drizzly cold rain showers and generally unpleasant weather. I remember one year leaving the village in a misty rain with about eight cars following in a caravan. The plan was to take them to historic sites in town - Cabot Plain, the Center of Town, Durant Cemetery, etc. - and along the way we visited places like Edmund Menard's studio (the Bird Man), and Goodrich's Maple Farm, and then the last stop was Joe's Pond to tell them about the lake, Indian Joe, etc. On Cabot Plain the misty rain was wind-whipped snowflakes, and people were hunched over, grasping their light jackets or sweaters against the cold. I kept discussions brief and headed for lower ground. It was pleasant at businesses where we could relax inside a warm building, but the "scenic vistas" I wanted to show them were shrouded in clouds of mist and mostly uninspiring. At Goodrich's one or two couples left the group, deciding it was too cold and miserable to continue, and when we arrived at our last stop, Joe's Pond, the water was dark and menacing and the wind was whipping down the length of the pond, literally taking our breath away. We cowered in the shelter of the hedge long enough for me to answer a few questions, and then, as the rain began to turn to snow, we  retreated to our warm cars to go back to Cabot where most had reservations for a hot meal. At that point the caravan of cars I'd started with had dwindled to only three or four. I had done those tours for several years and I had never "lost" that many participants before. But I could certainly understand. They were chilled to the bone, and totally unimpressed with Cabot in general. For me it wasn't too uncomfortable because I was wearing my winter parka and had gloves. As I recall, whatever foliage there was that year was stripped off by the wind, so most of what visitors saw was bare branches or leaves traveling horizontally across their path. I think after that Cabot lobbied to be first in line for Fall Foliage Week instead of ending up with a day well into October. Weather in Cabot (and Walden) is decidedly different than that in other towns at lower altitudes!

The weather this year promises to be wonderfully warm and sunny, but what the foliage will look like is anyone's guess. I'm hoping for at least a decent display of bronze and gold -- we'll leave the brilliant oranges and reds for a little later. The lack of color will be balanced by the warm, welcoming sunshine.

I'm not leading a caravan this year, but I will be at the Willey Hall with my friend and co-author of the Cabot oral history book (1999), Amanda Legare, to meet visitors and show them where the best photo-opportunities are, historic sites they may be interested in visiting, etc. We are coordinating with a planned self-tour map the Fall Foliage committee members are providing. We'll be available from 10-12 o'clock - this Saturday, September 30. Stop by - we'll be in the library room - very comfortable there, nice chairs for sitting and chatting. We'll have a slide show going on, too.

This was a busy weekend for me. On Saturday, I got together with a group of neighbors at Diane Rossi's house to enjoy take-out chicken dinners from the North Danville Baptist church. We had a very nice time - good conversation and the dinners were delicious, as always. Diane and I agree that is a perfect way to entertain! We've been getting together that way for quite a number of years - sometimes at my house, sometimes at Diane's and Bill's - and invited others to join us. It was always fun. This year Bob and Dotty Noyes and Cyndi and Ray Rouleau joined us. That's me, Cyndi, Dotty, Bob, and Ray in the photo.

On Sunday Diane and I were treated to a very Italian meal at Henretta Splain's on Clubhouse Circle. Henretta was trying out a recipe (scallops and truffles) that she brought back from a recent trip to Italy. We had very interesting cocktails before the meal,and everything was perfect. Henretta is a great cook and even though she had never made this before and she was having to translate it from Italian, it was a huge success. The perfect blending of greens with the scallops and truffles - and truffle oil for dipping crusty bread. For dessert - ice cream with espresso! Deliziosa!

Enjoy the lovely weather, visit Cabot's Fall Foliage Day on Saturday - there is a lot going on there with displays on the Common, the Cabot Historical Society building will be open, there will be great food, entertainment, and something for everyone. Cabot has worked hard to recover from the devastation of the flood, and businesses are open and welcoming. In the evening, there is a turkey supper that should not be missed. The church puts it on, and there will be only takeouts this year. There are tables set up  under a tent on the common, and you can pick up your dinners and eat there if you prefer. The dinner is $15 per person, and is from 5-6:30 p.m. 

P.S. - I nearly forgot to mention. The photo of an egret that I posted a few days ago I've been told by a reader is not a Snowy Egret as I had said, but is a Common Egret. - the main difference being the appearance of the bird's feet - A Snowy has "golden feet" while the Common has black feet! Thanks for that - and that was my mistake, not Mary the photographer's.