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Community Radio

There's a group over in Portsmouth that has founded a "low power" radio station, which does local-oriented programming, music, news, talk, etc.

In the Portsmouth Area you can listen to WSCA at 106.1 FM, or on the net you can hear them here.

This isn't really Pawtuckaway news, but wouldn't it be cool to have our own radio station for the Pawtuckaway community?!

Lake Level Up.

According to Jay Carter's weather site in Epping, we've had 2 inches of rain in the past week. It shows in the lake level which has risen 4 inches in the past three days.

Pawlake Pano

Here's a quick panorama pic I put together of the lake from my front yard.

Are we there yet?

I really want to go hiking.

It's sadly ironic that this time of year can be one of the best for hiking -- no biting insects, and no leaves on trees makes for greater visibility -- yet it's the most dangerous time of year for being in the woods. 'Cause it's Hunting Season.

I'd been thinking that the danger lasted until Dec 15, but some research this morning revealed that it's not that long... it's almost over! The season for deer, with firearms, ends Dec 5. Next Sunday.

Hunting Deer with Bow&Arrow continues until Dec. 15, and various bird and small-game continues through the winter, so brightly colored clothing may be wise. But the big danger ends after this coming weekend.

From the New Hampshire Fish & Game website:

Sept. 1 - Dec. 5 Black bear/dates vary according to method and WMU
Sept. - Jan. 2005 Waterfowl/dates vary by species and zone
Dates vary Waterfowl/youth weekend
Sept. 15 - Dec. 15 Deer/archery
Sept. 15 - Dec. 15 Wild turkey/archery
Sept. 1 - March 2005 Small game/dates vary by species and region
Oct. 1 - Dec. 31 Pheasant
Oct. 16 - Oct. 24 Moose
Oct. 23 - Oct. 24 Deer/youth weekend
Oct. 30 - Nov. 9 Deer/muzzleloader
Nov. 10 - Dec. 5 Deer/firearms

First Snow

It's been snowing here since just after noon today. The forecast is for up to 4 inches between now and Sunday.

Getting the Lowe-down.

I drove by the site of the under-construction Lowe's hardware store in Epping the other day. They're making progress, slowly it seems.

At least part of the parking lot is paved. Lots of earth-moving happening.

I wonder what the schedule is? When do they hope to open it?

Fall Drawdown

Sunrise

I went out before sunrise this morning. The sky was already light, but the sun would not rise for about ten minutes.

The thermometer said it was a chilly 33 degrees, but it didn't feel that cold. My anticipation for the morning was keeping me warm, or maybe it was my coffee.

The eastern sky was already brightening. I scanned the horizon over the treetops, trying to guess where the sun would appear, by finding the brightest spot.

The wind was calm and the lake smooth, like a mirror. Five ducks were swimming around the islands and among the new rocks exposed by the falling water level.

I knew that to the west, across Neals cove, the trees along that shoreline would get to see the sun first. I wondered how easy it would be for me to see when the sun first hit their tops.

It was quiet. But not really. The normal daily noise of boats and nearby cars, dogs barking and birds calling, were all silent. But the far-off, subdued roar of the distant highway was a sort of background sound.

To the west the fall-colored treetops were looking brighter. I watched for a minute. They were clearly getting brighter. Yes, I can see that it's the sun shining on them.

Over the next few minutes the orange and yellow leaves glowed brighter, and the pine treetops start to show the sunshine.

Looking up, the nearby treetops started to clearly show the sunlight. Even though the eastern horizon was bright, I still couldn't tell exactly where the sun would appear.

As the sunshine worked its way down the trees on the western shore, the eastern horizon got lighter. I began to see that one area was much brighter than the rest. That's where the sun would appear.

I started to see flecks of white-hot brightness through the trees on the eastern shore. Brighter and brighter, the sun became more obvious. The sunshine line on the western shore had almost reached the water level.

Finally the sun appeared fully over the eastern treeline. I'm always amazed at how bright the sun seems at this moment. Before sunrise, the land and the sky seem as light and bright as a day would need to be. But when the sun finally appears, it is so bright that even looking it its general direction hurts.

It's daytime now.