Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 Despite the drop in Northern New Hampshire moose sightings over the past several years, encounters with the huge creatures on the roads are still inevitable. Here are some of my experiences: Moose in my driveway - photo by Linda Lane 1.) Have you ever talked to a moose? I have! My wife, Linda and I were walking along interstate route 26 in Northern New Hampshire when an infuriated. bellowing cow moose came crashing out of the woods and headed right at us. The ears were back and the hackles were up - not good signs for our welfare. We slowly backed away as I verbally assured the enraged animal, in a clear-but- calm voice, that we meant no harm. It worked! The ears went up - the hackles came down, and the attack (either real or bluff) ceased. We continued our walk. 2.) Moose calls sound a bit like flatulence. It's true, and I have proof . I was sitting on my deck lakeside in Western Maine and having a few bouts of flatulence, with each episode resulting in chiding from my wif...

 A Tale of Lost Youth The young couple were in love with their vacation camp . It sat on the south shore - and across the road - from Merrymeeting Lake in New Durham, New Hampshire - with a 20-foot wide right-of-way to the water. Merrymeeting lake - photo credit - Sky Viking Records revealed the refuge had been built in the mid-1950s by an elderly man with advanced cancer. His name was Joe, and the camp's original name was "Joe's Haven" . The cottage was a true refuge for the new owners, but there was something strange that needed an explanation. What they originally thought was the wind blowing through the uninsulated walls was a mystery. But the sound had a human quality to it - sounding somewhat like the muffled voice of a young boy. At times, the wife thought she heard the names "Joey" and "Tony" being called and spoken in a very low tone. This continued with no explanation - and then it happened . One night the wife was awakened by ...

Late August is when deer mice start to set up housekeeping in our home in Northern New Hampshire. Old fashion mousetraps and glue traps keep them in check, but we welcome the assistance of the foxes and coyotes that roam our yard on a nightly basis. The photo below is one such sentinel - a red fox. Photo via Tactacam Reveal trail camera In years past, foxes could be seen frequently during daylight hours on our lot, but it is rare to see one during the day anymore . The population of our town hovers just below only 400 residents, but visitors and vacationers have multiplied in recent years. Red foxes (and most other wild animals) r eact to increased human activity and vehicular traffic by becoming more nocturnal.  Coyotes , on the other hand, stick consistently to nighttime activities - and since they can be hunted year-round in New Hampshire, they avoid human contact as much as possible. We get an occasional photo on our trail camera, but coyotes don't frequent our lot nearly...

  Youth, enthusiasm, riveting defense, non-stop movement . Those are only pieces of what last-season's Celtics rookie brings to the Boston Celtics. Could he prove to be a bust? Yes, but I certainly doubt that will happen. Hugo Gonzalez is already a fan favorite in Beantown. I personally love this kid. Brad Stevens' plan right now is development of a youngster I call "The Spaniard". K C Jones, Sam Jones, John Havlicek. All three spent their entire careers with "The Green", and the "Jones Boys" particularly spent their early seasons as understuddies for Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman.   "Hondo" came to Boston primarily as a defensive whiz , and that - along with his tireless on-court motion - got him on the court right away. But the offensive clout came alive and "Jarrin John" still remains the Celtics all time scoring leader . I envision Hugo Gonzalez' ceiling resting somewhere between valuable rotation guy and eventual ...

 Let me start by clearly stating that the following is NOT a condemnation of New Hampshire Fish and Game . I love the NH game wardens I frequently used to encounter in forays from my home in the northern part of the state - and respect tham totally.. As a retired police lieutenant, former temporary game warden, and lifelong hunter, fisherman and hiker , here's my view of the situation. I wrote about this dilemna years ago , but the issue has worsened. Hiking in the north country has blossomed, as have the number of inexperienced, poorly-equipped hikers. Here is a piece on such a rescue that took place three days ago where four hikers went on a 7-9-hour trek, starting at 3:30 PM . The "late-starters" were unprepared for the "adventure" and had to be rescued. They were f ound at 1:30 AM the following day. All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) traffic has skyrocketed in Northern NH, as have the accidents and injuries resulting from rider inexperience, recklessness, speed a...

 In pro basketball, synergy simply means the whole (read: TEAM) is better than the sum of its parts (individual players). Think of the Champion 1985-86 Celtics team . That Celtics crew may have had the top talent ever assembled at the NBA level, but that g roup also played so damn well together . How many times did Larry Bird send a no-look pass to a cutting Robert Parish or Kevin McHale for an "easy" layup? And at least 1-or-2 times a game, Dennis Johnson would rifle a pass to Bird for a bunny.  Bird may have demanded the ball at times, but he usually came through with a successful score or laser-like pass to a teammate. Boston fans may see flashes of that this season with Jayson Tatum in charge of outcomes. The 2026-27 version of "The Green" may not have the most-talented lineup in the League, but it will be intriguing to see how well this crew plays as a unit. Newly-acquired Paul George is not ready for a rocking chair, and if he sticks with the team, his ...