Library Arts Center Showcases Sunapee Artist Susan Parmenter

Posted on June 24, 2010 by Sunapee News

Blossoming Shad (pastel) by Susan Parmenter, Sunapee, will be on display at the Library Arts Center in Newport beginning June 26. The public is invited to the opening reception, Friday, June 25 from 5 to 7 p.m.

June 26 through August 5, the Library Arts Center in Newport, N.H., exhibits recent art work by Susan Parmenter of Sunapee.  Titled From the Heart, the exhibit will include oil and pastel paintings: country landscapes, still-lifes, figures, and wildlife…”all of which emanate a sense of possibility and wonder,” says LAC Director Kate Niboli.

Parmenter, a former freelance illustrator for over twenty years, remembers knowing that she was an artist at a very young age.  Growing up in the beautiful countryside of rural Massachusetts, her imagination was fueled by the picturesque landscape and abundant wildlife by which she was surrounded.  She received some formal training at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, and since then has found many high quality workshops and instructors in the Vermont/New Hampshire area, including landscape painter John C. Traynor, tonalist Dennis Sheehan, and acclaimed pastel painter Albert Handell.  In each of her works, Parmenter strives to capture the essence and mood of a subject through good drawing, strong composition, and careful rendering of light.

Moon Over Cornfield No. 2 (pastel) and many other works from Sunapee artist Susan Parmenter are exhibited in the main gallery of the Library Arts Center beginning June 26.

If I can paint something that transcends beyond the subject and moves the viewer to feel, then I am happy. – Susan Parmenter.

The exhibit’s opening reception is Friday, June 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Concurrent to this exhibit, from June 26 through July 10, LAC’s West Gallery will feature work by Newport artist Elizabeth D. Gibbs.  In a show titled Progression: A Decade of Learning to Paint, Gibbs will display her progress through her first ten years painting, showing the vast progress from her first attempts to her current pieces.

And the Library Arts Center will host an “Arts in the Garden” self-guided garden tour on Saturday, July 10.

The Library Arts Center is located at 58 North Main Street in Newport, N.H.  The gallery is located in the former carriage house of the historic mansion occupied by the Richards Free Library, across the street from the Newport Town Common.  Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Corporate sponsorship of From the Heart is provided by Summercrest Independent and Assisted Living of Newport.  For more information about this exhibit or exhibit events, visit www.libraryartscenter.org or call (603) 863-3040.


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Capital Comments: NH’s Budget Gap Remains No. 1 Issue

Posted on May 16, 2010 by Sunapee News

By State Senator Bob Odell

The bills ran the gamut from a “ridiculous” one to the cornerstone bill of this session addressing our huge and increasing budget deficit.

The Senate adopted rules earlier this year that required us to take action on all bills by May 12.  When leadership noticed that the House rules called for them to have a similar deadline but a day later, we changed our rules so that we could add an extra day to deal with legislation. Read more »

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Want to be an energy auditor?

Posted on May 6, 2010 by Sunapee News

Contractors in New Hampshire and Vermont have a chance to get into a new and growing sector of the building industry, the energy audit business. A training will be held in the Upper Valley starting May 20th.

New Hampshire electric utilities and Efficiency Vermont, which implements efficiency programs in the Green Mountain state, currently offer financial incentives to homeowners for getting energy audits and completing weatherization measures on their homes by certified contractors (Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) contractors).

Pending federal legislation, as well, would give up to $8,000 in additional incentives for HPwES retrofit work, according to Bob Walker, director of the Sustainable Energy Resource Group (SERG).

The training to prepare participants for BPI certification exams involves eight day-long classes that will be held on Thursdays and Fridays, May 20 through June 11, at Lebanon College in Lebanon, NH. Students will develop an understanding of how a house works as an energy system, fundamental and advanced insulation and air sealing principles, combustion safety protocols, and advanced residential building envelope diagnostics skills.

For course details and cost and to register, contact Lakes Region Community College, Andree Thibault, athibault@ccsnh.edu, at 603-524-3207 or 1-800-357-2992. LRCC is conducting the training, which is part of the Upper Valley Home Energy Assistance Team (UV-HEAT) initiative that works with contractors, businesses and homeowners to promote home weatherization efforts throughout the region.

UV-HEAT is organized by Sustainable Energy Resource Group (SERG), COVER Home Repair, and Upper Valley Housing Coalition.  For more information on UV-HEAT contact 802-785-4126 or email SERG@valley.net.

SERG promotes energy conservation, efficiency and renewables through the formation of town energy committees to help residents, businesses and the municipalities reduce energy consumption, save money, increase the sustainable use of renewables, strengthen the local economy and improve the environment.

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Scoop Shop Opens in Sunapee. It’s a Dream Come True.

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Sunapee News

Beck Johnson and his sister Maranda get ready for the May 1st Grand Opening of Sanctuary Dairy Farm Ice Cream in Sunapee.

It’s a dream come true for Beck Johnson, age 10, a fourth grader in Sunapee. On May 1st, he officially opens his new business, a scoop shop—Sanctuary Dairy Farm Ice Cream, located at 209 Route 103, along John Paul’s Flat between the Mount Sunapee circle and the intersection of routes 11 and 103.

For three years, Beck has worked toward his dream. He now has his state and local permits, commercial kitchen, menu boards and street sign ready. He’s stocked the shop with ice cream, toppings, sodas and even low-fat, no-sugar-added choices. Beck is ready for Saturday’s grand opening

Sanctuary Dairy Farm Ice Cream will be open May through October 12 to 8 p.m. The service and support team includes two important family members, Beck’s sister Maranda Deane and their mother Sue Johnson. Others will help as well.

After a soft opening last weekend, Beck and Sue said they are pleased with how the shop came together. Beck has worked on every aspect of the enterprise from the building foundation, interior and exterior to all the permitting requirements, Sue explained.

To raise the investment capital for the shop, goods and equipment, in recent years the young entrepreneur sold vegetables, farm crops and lemonade during the summer and into the fall. He also studied the scoop shop business and learned about making ice cream by attending a Food Science course at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

Beck and Maranda, at the scoop shop counter, are part of the team that will be serving customers May through October.

Beck and Sue, in an interview Thursday afternoon at the shop, quickly pointed to the help and “good work” provided by others. From Sunapee, Joan Chandler painted the sign and Jeff Trow crafted the rough-sawn pine counter that welcomes visitors to two service windows. Mike Simmons provided carpentry; Santti Daniels did the cement work; and Paul Manson helped with the awning and other installations. Builder Tim Knight, Dublin, worked on the flooring and walls.

As for the ice cream, it comes from Walpole Creamery, explained Beck. They use their own hormone-free milk and cream versus batched ingredients, Sue said.

Walpole’s “premium” ice cream is all-natural, with no artificial ingredients—perfect for cones, sundaes, shakes and floats, all on scoop shop menu. It earned a Best of New Hampshire Award in 2009. Carmel Cashew Chip, Ginger and Vanilla are the most popular ice cream flavors, Beck said. Vanilla continues to be the top seller, Sue added. The mango ice cream sounds tasty.

An important factor in selecting Walpole Creamery ice cream is to “support to fellow New Hampshire dairy farms…our dairy farms are in real trouble,” said Beck, a tenth-generation dairy farmer. His father Jolyon Johnson, who Beck gives special thanks, is the local vet and operates the 750-acre Sanctuary Dairy Farm. (It was the elder Johnson, when he was a boy, who named it Sanctuary Farm, so as to provide a “call name” for its registered cows, explained the Johnsons.)

From Gifford, another New England producer, there is fat-free and low and no-sugar-added choices, such as Rainbow sherbet or Moose Track frozen yogurt. “Old-fashioned beverages” from Squamscot are neatly lined up in the cooler…Birch Beer, Black Cherry, Diet Cola, Raspberry Lemonade, Yup and other flavors.

At Sanctuary Dairy Farm Ice Cream, Romney Southdown sheep graze in the yard.

There are picnic tables, a sand box for children, wildlife to watch, and miles of hiking trails that connect-up with the old railroad bed and snowmobile trails in the area. Romney Southdown sheep and this year’s lambs graze in the yard pens. There are Rhode Island Reds and a pair of rabbits, as well.

It’s scenic, local and delicious. Yesterday, I ordered a chocolate shake. As Beck would say, it was: “Yummy!”

For more information about Sanctuary Dairy Farm Ice Cream, call 603-863-8940 or email: susanjohnsonWVC@aol.com.

Sanctuary Dairy Farm Ice Cream is on Facebook.

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Sunapee “Main Street Talks” Meets April 29

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Sunapee News

Planning continues for Sunapee’s Main Street Talks, a local historical society event. An organizing and informational meeting will be held on Thursday, April 29th, at 7 p.m. at the Knowlton House, the office of the Lake Sunapee Protective Association at Sunapee Harbor.  Everyone interested in all phases of the event is welcome to attend. Organizers of Main Street Talks will report on who is doing research and discuss the timetable for the next few months. The event is scheduled for two days this summer, and will take place along Lower Main Street in Sunapee and then at the historical society museum.

“I have invited Joyce Higgins, from the Charlestown, NH Historical Society, to speak to us about how they produced their cemetery walks.” wrote Ron Garceau, president of the Sunapee Historical Society.

In an email notice for Thursday’s meeting, Garceau noted: “She spoke to a few of us last month, and her enthusiasm is contagious! She had a lot of great tips, and stresses the importance of being historically accurate. She will bring samples of costumes, and is happy to answer questions.”

To learn more about the Sunapee Historical Society, Main Street Talks and how one can participate, contact Ron Garceau, email: rongarceau@comcast.net. Download the sign-up form for Sunapee’s Main Street Walk: HERE (PDF 49KB)

To read related articles, browse our History category.

Filed under: Announcements, Creative Community, History, Recreation, Stories, Sunapee Harbor, Sunapee, NH 03782 | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Capital Comments: Budget Cuts Stir Things Up in Concord

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Sunapee News

By State Senator Bob Odell

The Governor’s proposed budget cuts for the next fiscal year that starts on July 1 have stirred up things in Concord.  The spending reductions are in an amendment to Senate Bill 450.  In its original form, the SB 450 deals with costs and expenditures at the Department of Health and Human Services so it is an appropriate vehicle for the Governor’s budget changes to be made.

Every reduction in spending, of course, means some program, contract or facility is going to be cut or eliminated.  And with that will go the jobs associated with those activities.  So, lobbyists and advocates for these programs are walking the State House halls looking for support to keep them from losing money in the next year.

One proposal that has drawn attention is the elimination of state contracts for three shelters for children ordered there by district courts.  The children would be sent to the Sununu Youth Center in Manchester.  The Governor’s plan says the state will save $4 million per year.

But will we save that money?

One of the shelters which would lose its contract, the Antrim Girls Shelter, has been run by Lutheran Social Services of New England since 1988.  Although girls are sent there from around the state, the shelter is a community institution supported by many churches, donors and volunteers from the Antrim area. Read more »

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Capital Comments: Proposed Budget Cuts Loom Over Judiciary

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Sunapee News

By State Senator Bob Odell

To see the Chief Justice of New Hampshire essentially begging the legislature not to further cut the budget of the Judicial Branch and suggesting that the Governor with his new proposed $4 million cut is leading to the closing of our court system was a shocker.

Add to that the interruption of the Chief Justice by the Chair of House Finance Committee telling him his comments were out-of-place and that the legislature was struggling mightily to solve our state budget problems and that no one was trying to close down the courts.

The Chief Justice responded directly with plenty of “with respect” and “respectfully” but did not back down.  He said the proposed cuts would do damage to the court system no one wanted.  And, he said the courts, unlike other state agencies are an obligation of the state required by our constitution and have been since 1784.

It was a historic moment.  To see the obvious conflicts between the Governor as the executive branch, the legislature and the judiciary was a stand-off  to remember. Read more »

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Sunapee Clean-Up Green-Up is May 1

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Sunapee News

Sunapee Green-Up Day is Saturday, May 1. Last year, the clean-up effort collected 400 bags of roadside litter and trash, some shown here. Photo by Gary Summerton, Sunapee.

Sunapee Green-Up Day is a new tradition in town. It’s a town-wide road side clean-up day. This year it will be held on Saturday, May 1 from 9 a.m. to noon. Community members are invited to join in. Sign-up forms are available at the the Town Office and Abbott Library and on-line. The Sunapee Green-Up website lists area captains, provides road maps for target clean-up and gives helpful hints.

Check-in is at the Sunapee Safety Services Building on May 1st, 8:30 to 9 in the morning. Bags are provided; bring your own gloves. Participants are invited to join their fellow Green-Up Day volunteers at Sunapee Harbor after the clean-up for a picnic sponsored by area businesses and organizations. For more information, contact Rhonda Gurney (763-5696) or Sunapee Road Agent Tony Bergeron (763-5060).

Filed under: Announcements, Energy & Environment, Government, Sunapee Harbor, Sunapee, NH 03782, Town | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

Front Door Politics: “Jargon-Free” Legislative News

Posted on April 14, 2010 by Sunapee News

Front Door Politics describes itself as “a jargon-free legislative update for all citizens affected by New Hampshire laws. No pundits, no positions! Just the facts, explained with context, to show how state government is affecting you.” The political blog reported this week on the Granite State’s $210-220 million budget shortfall–the Budget Breakdown–and the Governor’s three-part plan that addresses the debt, spending cuts and revenue increases.

The Pendulum of Justice and Shaping Groundwater Permits are other recent Front Door articles. Published by the Niles Group, Front Door Politics, is a handy on-line source for learning about what’s happening in the NH legislature. The website even offers a primer if you want to learn about the legislative process. Hillary Niles, Michael McCord and Larry Clow are the journalists and reporters behind the site. Check out… Front Door Politics.

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Parmenter Art in NH Pastel Society Exhibition

Posted on April 8, 2010 by Sunapee News

See "Three Pears" by Susan E. Parmenter, Sunapee, and other pastels in the NH Pastel Society Member's Exhibition at the Red Roof Gallery in Enfield, NH. The show runs April 10 through May 8.

“The pastel medium is a wonderful vehicle for both drawing and painting and I love doing both,” says Sunapee artist Susan E. Parmenter. Parmenter is a member of the Pastel Society of New Hampshire and is one of several artists participating in the Society’s 5th Annual Member’s Exhibition at the Red Roof Gallery in Enfield, NH.

The show opens Saturday, April 10 and runs through May 8. The opening reception on April 10 is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with refreshments being served. There also will be an awards ceremony. The event is open to the public free of charge. Red Roof Gallery is located at 11 High Street, Enfield. Gallery hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

Paintings by pastel artists throughout the state of New Hampshire are included in the exhibition, as well as the works of other pastelists from New England.

Parmenter (on the web at ParmenterArt.com) works in pastels and oil. Her favorite subjects include still life, landscape, figure and wildlife. She also teaches fine art painting at the Library Arts Center in Newport, NH. About her work, Parmenter states:  “I am passionate about art and compelled to create….Like breathing, I just have to do it.”

Enjoy the beauty of pastel painting and meet Susan Parmenter and other pastelists at the show’s opening reception on Saturday, April 10.

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NH Senate Okays District Court Funding Compromise

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Sunapee News
Senate vote today that will allow for four district courts slated for closure to remain open if their local communities contribute financially. Also attached is a photo of Senator Bob Odell as he spoke on the Senate floor today about the bill.

The NH Senate voted today to allow for four district courts slated for closure to remain open if their local communities contribute financially. Senator Bob Odell spoke on the Senate floor today about the bill.

The NH Senate voted today to allow for the continued operation of district courts in Claremont, Colebrook, Milford and Keene that were slated for closure in 2011. House Bill 1516 would require these four communities to pick up the costs for leasing the courtroom space if they want to maintain their local district court. But it also calls on the state court system to cover security for these four district courts within its existing budget, according to  the NH Senate Office release.

“We’ve heard from the communities about the importance of these courts and seen a willingness by them to financially participate in order to keep their courts open,” said Senator Odell (R-Lempster). “The city of Claremont was among those willing to come forward and participate in funding their district court so access to the court could be maintained in that community. This is a good compromise.”

“In Cheshire County and the city of Keene, leaders came together and made a commitment to keep their district court,” said Senator Molly Kelly (D-Keene).

“I brought together a task force, which has been moving forward to find a home for the district court in a new court complex in Keene,” said Kelly. “Passage of this bill allows that process to continue and for us to maintain the district court in Keene over the long term.”

House Bill 1516 was amended by the Senate to provide for local financial support and will have to return to the House to garner approval there.

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April 4, 2010: Ice Out on Lake Sunapee

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Sunapee News
Telephoto view from east shore of Lake Sunapee
Image via Wikipedia

It went out on Easter Sunday. The official Lake Sunapee Ice Out date for 2010 is April 4th–not the earliest date, “but is amongst the earlier ice outs since they have been recorded in 1869,” said June Fichter, executive director of the Lake Sunapee Protective Association in a broadcast email. “The Osborne family has been measuring ice outs for many years, and ice out is measured when a boat can navigate from George’s Mills in the north to Newbury Harbor at the southern point of Lake Sunapee.”

An Ice Out chart is available at the Sunapee Town Office and on-line via the town website.

The earliest Ice Out recorded: March 29th, 1921 and 1946. The latest: May 14, 1888.

In a span of 22 years, 1869 to 1890, ice left Sunapee 13 times during the month of May.

The trend, however, is toward earlier thaws. During the last 22 year (1989 to 2010), the lake has opened up consistently before the start of May each year except one. That was May 4, 2001.

Filed under: Energy & Environment, History, Nature & the Outdoors, Recreation, Sunapee Harbor, Sunapee, NH 03782 | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

AMC “Equipped” Blogs on Monadnock Sunapee Greenway

Posted on April 7, 2010 by Sunapee News
Hubbard Hill, Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail...
Image via Wikipedia

Equipped, one of the Appalachian Mountain Club blogs, reported yesterday on the Monadnock Sunapee Greenway Trail Club and its new map and shelter. The Greenway stretches from Mount Monadnock north to Mount Sunapee and “makes for excellent early season hiking and offers backpackers the opportunity–and shelters–for a 5-day, 4-night excursion through the sylvan wilds of southern New England.” Read more via Appalachian Mountain Club’s Equipped: Monadnock Sunapee Greenway: New Map and Shelter.

For hiking related groups and sites, visit:

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Capital Comments: Will the Claremont District Court Stay Open

Posted on April 5, 2010 by Sunapee News

By State Senator Bob Odell

There will be a critical vote Tuesday at a special meeting of the Senate Finance Committee on whether the Claremont District Court will stay open for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

The current two year budget contains an appropriation for the operations of district courts in Claremont, Colebrook, Milford and Keene for the first year of the biennium.  Those courts could be closed unless the legislature directs the judicial branch to keep the courts open through June of next year.

Senator Molly Kelly and other civic and legal leaders in Keene have come up with an alternative plan for their court so the discussions on Tuesday will be focused on the other three courts.

As amended by the House, the bill contains no appropriation but “requires the judicial branch to continue to operate the Claremont, Colebrook, Milford and Keene District Courts in fiscal year 2011” and  very importantly says “and to fund the operation of such courts within existing appropriations.” Read more »

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Sunapee Crafters Build a House for a Good Cause

Posted on March 29, 2010 by Sunapee News

It’s all about working together, having fun and donating to a good cause. This winter a handful of Sunapee artisans got together and took up house building. Within about a month they had turned out their first custom home…a dollhouse that will be raffled off on Saturday, April 10.

The dollhouse is on display and raffle tickets are available at Tattered Pages, River Road, Sunapee Harbor. Proceeds benefit enrichment programs at Sunapee Central Elementary School. A children’s clothing sale, Scholastic book fair, and homemade baked goods are part of the fundraiser that will be held at the Sherburne Gym, Route 11, Sunapee from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Ellie [White] and I were visiting with Taryn Chiarella and she shared with us her hobby of making dollhouses,” explained Rhonda Gurney, Sunapee. “We all thought it would be fun to make one together and donate the finished product to a local event or organization. We decided that the Sunapee’s Childrens Clothing Sale would be a great cause.”

Interior view of the dollhouse showing its furniture and accessories including a braided rug handmade by Ellie White. Prior to April 10, one can see the dollhouse and purchase raffle ticket at Tattered Pages at Sunapee Harbor. Courtesy photos.

The building team included Taryn, who donated the wooden kit and the furniture.  Rhonda completed the prep work including the sanding and painting. Another artisan, Barbara Chalmers, painted all of the decorative work including the floors and exterior.  And Ellie turned her hand to the making miniature flowers for the flower boxes, coordinated pillows and curtains, the braided rugs, the hand-cut roof shingles, and the wallpaper with wainscoting.

Rhonda said it took about a month to complete as they passed it around putting it together.

What next for the house builders?

“We are now talking about putting together a holiday themed dollhouse for the [Sunapee] Harbor Magic Celebration because we had so much fun doing this one!”

Filed under: Announcements, Creative Community, Learning, Libraries & Books, Stories, Sunapee Schools, Sunapee, NH 03782 | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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