Slices of life in rural New Hampshire.

Pieces written for The Keene Sentinel (Keene, NH) in 2021 and 2022.

Ruby The Goat, Part I

She’s mysterious, elusive, soft-spoken — and a goat, much loved by her neighbors. And, as of Wednesday, she hasn’t been seen for more than a week.

Ruby the goat, Part II

“You don’t realize how out of shape you are until you jump out of your car to try to chase a nimble one-eyed goat,” said Sean Condon Saturday afternoon.

James Faulkner Elementary brings learning to the great outdoors

At the back edge of the James Faulkner Elementary School playground, where woodchips meet the tree line, there’s an inconspicuous trail. On a quiet mid-morning Monday, it was easy to miss, but following the path marked by laminated paper arrows revealed an unexpected scene.

Local volunteers vs. invasive species

Keene City Councilor Bobby Williams was chest-deep in muddy water. N.H. Rep. Sparky Von Plinksy was yanking at vegetation with a rake. Vernon Thornblad lost a rubber boot to the muck, and Jamie Doherty said she’ll never be able to wear her socks again.

So passed a mild Tuesday evening near Dillant-Hopkins Airport.

Joyce Bemis, Wildlife Rehabilitator

On a quiet dead-end street near the center of Keene is a big beige house with walnut-colored shutters. It has a small front yard with a few bunches of wildflowers, but there’s not much that sets it apart from all the other homes in the neighborhood.

For that, you have to take a look in the basement.

On Thursday, Joyce Bemis knelt in front of a tall mesh cage, reaching down into a plastic bin. She pulled out a pink blanket and peeled back the folds of fleece to reveal a furry face the size of a thumb. His species is called big brown bat, but, fully grown, he’s still small enough to fit in one hand.

“He’s very sweet,” she said, gently stretching out a paper-thin wing.

Remembering Tim Clark

When considering Tim Clark’s life, it’s the small moments people have remembered — a thoughtful comment here, a kind gesture there — that, when all pieced together, reveal a portrait of a man who was humble, compassionate and fully engaged.

Everyone seems to have a Tim-Clark story. This one starts on Nov. 6, 1970.

new life in an old workshop

The original Benson woodworking shop is what Foard, a West Chesterfield resident, describes as “the hallowed grounds of timber framing.”

“It means a lot to have this place and this history and this legacy of timber framing there,” he said. “Our members and our board are very excited about this too — this was just so right, it just fit so well.”

The workshop is a place that looks like it should be filled with people. There’s a small kitchen, and above the sink is a shelf crammed with mismatched mugs and a reminder asking people to wash their dishes; books and journals with big photos, depicting structures that stand at the intersection of engineering and art; outlines of tools are sketched out on the wall to show where wrenches and saws should be returned; a sign reminding all who enter to “Wear your safety glasses — foresight is better than no sight.”

a quietly historic moment for America's oldest continuously operating post office

On a blustery Thursday morning, a handful of people trickled in and out of the post office, passing between thick wooden columns as they crossed the front porch. Patrons checked their P.O. boxes and dropped off letters — but couldn’t send out packages or purchase stamps.

A couple of pink fliers posted up around the office explained why.

“Due to staffing issues, our retail window will be closed until further notice,” they read, and listed a handful of neighboring offices where patrons could find service.