2012 KINGDOM GUIDE PHOTO CONTEST

Now Open

Deadline: March 1, 2012

We looking for photo submissions of LOCAL people, places and activities that illustrate life in the Northeast Kingdom. The contest is open to both amateur and professional photographers but limited to 10 submissions per person. One winner will be selected and the photo will be published in full color on the glossy cover of the 2012 Kingdom Guide. The winning photographer will receive a free subscription, in addition to other prizes, and their name and bio published along with their photo.

How to submit:

E-mail your photos to: info@kingdom-guide.com

Mail photos on CD or Floppy Disk to: Kingdom Guide, PO Box 319 Danville VT 05828

Drop your photos off at the office: 29 Hill Street, Danville VT 15828

Acceptable Formats

We can accept any files that can be opened by Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Publisher.

Size

At least 9 inches wide and 12 inches tall (smaller preview images are accepted as long as larger files are available upon request). Resolution: 300 dpi or better

Last year, we received more than 200 photos from more than 30 photographers!

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Northstar Publishing | 29 Hill St. | PO Box 319 | Danville | VT | 05828

Today has felt like spring outside. Our temperatures have been above freezing since about 9 a.m. and stayed in the 30's, even with no sun. What little snow we have is settling - I measured 6 inches at the stake at 9 a.m. and now it's showing 5 inches.

Joe's Ponders will be sorry to hear that Diane Sherwood took a tumble while skiing at Burke a couple days ago and dislocated her clavicle (collar bone). I expect it's a pretty painful injury. Fred fell on the ice a number of years ago and I believe that was what happened to him - now he has a little bump on that shoulder, but the doctors told him there really isn't much they can do, and to just let it heal. We're hoping Diane's will heal quickly. I guess the skiing hasn't been great so far this year, but with warm weather nearly every day, it's probably very nice being out on the slopes.

We knew that the ice was pretty thick - 7 inches when Everett Drew was out around Christmas - and now we've seen the first of the fishing shacks out on the pond in front of Don Walker's and Ned Hamilton's. We haven't seen any snow machines on the pond, but I'm sure there will be some soon. Hopefully the ice is uniformly thick so there won't be any accidents. Authorities have been warning that most lakes and ponds don't have ice thick enough to be out on, but apparently we've been enough colder here at Joe's Pond that the ice is ok.

We heard that Jeff Downs, owner of Joe's Pond Country Store, underwent an operation at Dartmouth Hitchcock this week. We don't have details, but we certainly wish him well. I don't know if you knew this, but Jeff loves to ski. That was one of the reasons he came here, he told us. I'm not sure how much time he's had to ski - I think the store keeps him pretty busy.

I was shocked and saddened to see notice in today's paper that Harry "Nookie" Foster, former owner of Harry's Hardware in Cabot back in the 1970's, died unexpectedly this week. He was 73. Nookie and his wife, Martha, have been long-time and faithful workers for our historical society. Their "Old Crow Craft Shop" off Route 215 is a wonderful place to visit. We will miss him, and our deepest sympathy goes to Martha and their family.

Did you notice the article Fred posted this morning titled, "Mr. St. Johnsbury?" It is about Don Mullallay, our friend at WSTJ radio. I've mentioned Don many times here - we go way back to when I worked at the station in the 1950's. The article is very good - touched on many highlights of Don's long-time association with local radio. It didn't mention that in his comparative youth, when he first started working at the radio station, he was known for his singing voice which was very much like Frank Sinatra, we thought at the time; he was also quite a dancer. Of course, back then jitter-bug was the popular dance, and he certainly knew how to "cut a rug."

Every year at Ice-Out time, we get in touch with Don and he graciously invites us to come to the station to promote our contest. As many years as he's done those interviews, he still manages to interject something fresh to talk about that makes them great fun. It was always fun, too, when his daughter, Linda, was working with him. They made a great pair on the air.

There isn't much live radio going on these days, but St. Johnsbury can be proud to have Don on the job every morning at WSTJ. You will find the interview on home page, or click here to read it: Mr. St. Johnsbury

I'm out of news for now, I think.

CABOT CHRONICLE LOVE NOTES

The Cabot Chronicle is creating a special section in February. If there is someone special you'd like to send your valentine greetings to in the next issue of The Cabot Chronicle, simply send us your greeting along with proper payment before January 15, 2012.

$2 for the first 20 words and 10 cents per word after that up to 50 words ($5.00). Send your Love Notes to inbox@cabotchronicle.org or call 563-3338. Drop money at Cabot Coalition office or P.O. Box 245, Cabot 05647.

CABOT RECREATION DEPARTMENT

Basketball

for the Primary Grades (p-2)

will begin Saturday the

7^th of January from

8:00 until 9:30AM

There will be registration

at the gym on the 7^th from

7:30 to 8:00AM

Please be prepared with contact info, insurance info and $10.00 registration fee per child

If you have questions, please call

Libby Hale 563-3226 libbyhale1@gmail.com

Or

Rebecca Nally 563-3503 rmnally@yahoo.com

We learned Tuesday of the death of Marjorie Keach, mother of Bill Keach. Bill and wife, Bo, have a cottage on Narrows Drive. Bill's father, Ken, died last September. Here is the notice as it appeared in yesterday's Caledonian Record: Marjorie Keach
Our deepest sympathy to Bill, Bo and their family. Those of you who may wish to send condolences may direct them to the family at: 2300 Daniels Farm Rd., Waterford, VT 05819.

Our morning temperature has moderated to 20 degrees - and it's snowing! Not a heavy snow storm, but fairly steady and we hope it may amount to something good. With only 4 or 5 inches on the ground in most spots around here (more in the mountains), we haven't seen many snowmobiles out yet, and although the ski areas had no trouble making and keeping snow these last few days, it's been so cold not a lot of folks were brave enough to be out there, especially with miserable winds. But things seem to be looking better for the next few days. Once winter gets started, we may have a doozie.

CABOT RECREATION DEPARTMENT

Basketball for the Primary Grades (p-2) will begin Saturday the 7th of January from 8:00 until 9:30AM

There will be registration at the gym on the 7th from 7:30 to 8:00AM

Please be prepared with contact info, insurance info and $10.00 registration fee per child

Please call Libby Hale 563-3226 libbyhale1@gmail.com Or Rebecca Nally 563-3503 rmnally@yahoo.com with questions

After a pretty cold night, I thought we were going to at least have a bright, sunshiny day, but now the sun had dulled and we're left with a temperature of about 5 above. Although things are supposed to improve during the day, it's a slow start and I've left the window quilts over the windows in the main part of the house, not wanting the cold blast of air behind them to escape. So far they've worked pretty well, but I wish I'd made the ones for the big living room windows a bit differently. I adapted existing drapes, and they aren't as heavy as I'd like. I think I can add another layer quite easily, and that should help, but I have to wait for the spirit to move to tackle the job.

With fewer windows available, our cat Woody is showing signs of cabin fever. He knows it's too cold to go outside, but he misses being able to sit in the window and watch other critters. He takes an occasional trip into the garage, but in three or four minutes, he's knocking to come back inside. So he follows us around, pokes at the curtains to try to open them up, races unexpectedly in front of us when we are walking through the house, and is generally a nuisance, poking his nose into anything and everything we do.

I can understand. This deep cold and the dark windows depress me, too. But here in my office, I have a plastic "inside storm window," so I don't usually use the window quilt unless it's way below zero during the daytime. I like to see the snow and weather outside, and remember all too well working in offices where I had no immediate access to windows - but then I was younger and probably too busy to mind that much.

The temperature got to -10.1 last night, with a wind chill of -25.4. It was COLD! We went to a basketball game in Waterford last night - it was early, 5 o'clock, but bitterly cold. We saw several people we knew, and someone asked if the pond was completely frozen over yet. I was able to assure them it was, and that Everett Drew reportedly has been out ice fishing since before Christmas. At that time he reported 7 inches of ice. I'm sure after the last couple of days and last night, it is much thicker now.

That's Jo-Ann, No. 3, in action in last night's game. They won over St. Johnsbury, 31-17. It was a good game, and Jo-Ann's baby sister, Tangeni, enjoyed it just as much as we did. In the picture below, that's her and her mom as they arrived at the game. Once out of her warm snowsuit, she contentedly chortled and cooed enjoying on all the action going on. After about half an hour, she needed a snack, so mom got out a cool gadget that's a squeeze bottle with a spoon attached so you can fill it with baby food and avoid having to carry separate dishes and spoons. Tangeni kept an eye on the game while mom worked the spoon so she didn't miss a thing.

Here is an announcement that came yesterday:

Tuesday, January 10th 6:30 to 7:30 pm at the Cabot Library Himalayan Adventure with Christina DeRuzza.
This past October, Christina DeRuzza, of Cabot, left for a company sponsored two week expedition in the Himalayas from Lukla to the unexplored Lunag Massif. Come relive the experience with Christina up the Everest trail, then west toward the Tibetan border of Nepal. There will be a slide show and video presentation.