by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

Today as I sit here at my computer, I’m thinking about the walk I took this afternoon; it brings back many happy days in the past. As many of you know who have been reading this column back in the good old days about a walking group I started. It was made up of many good friends over the years, and we were eventually named The Solon Chapter Beer Drinking, Chowder Eating, Marching and Singing Society, (SCB DCEMSS) by someone in Solon!

Now for some news that I received: The Embden Historical Society April 13, 2020, meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m., at the Embden Community Center, has been canceled (Speaker Jack Gibson’s presentation on “Properties, Trails & History” of Somerset Woods will be rescheduled in 2021). Thanks Carol, for keeping us informed.

Another e-mail that I received was from Sarah, Karla and Mary Lou of Happyknits and it states: Dear Yarn Friends, Sometimes there are events in life that force us to slow down and take stock. We recognize that the most important thing now is to help those who are out there helping others.

Starting today, Happyknits will be closed until Governor Mills’ Stay Healthy at Home order expires, currently April 30. While it will be difficult to lock the door and walk away today, it was not a difficult choice to make. Just know that we will be here for all of you once this ordeal is over, ready to see your smiling faces walk through that door. Until then, we wish all of you and all those you care about the best of health.

Let us know via Facebook or e-mail and what you are doing. What are you knitting or crocheting? Are you finishing those UFOs? Doing some deep stash diving? Reconnecting with old friends? Reach out! We love to know.

I’m going to continue with a little more about living in Flagstaff from the articles that were published. Would the pace of modern-day living have reached Flagstaff? Some of us didn’t have electricity or plumbing, and yet I don’t feel underprivileged because of the pleasant memories I treasure.

The skiing and sliding on Jim Eaton Hill, skating on Flagstaff Pond in winter and swimming in summer. Everyone in town turned out for school socials and plays. It was a wonderful place to grow up. But all during my childhood, every so often during the grown ups conversations, mention was made of a dam being built and having to move. The thought was intolerable, and yet it did come to pass, and in the fall of 1949 the people of Flagstaff and Dead River went their separate ways.

As I wrote last week, my brother Larry is very interested in what growing up in Flagstaff was like, and so that brought back lots of memories. One of them being that we didn’t have indoor plumbin, and quite a few stairs to get there. It was a three holer and quite breezy…. But what I’m getting at is for the benefit of all you people out there who are having a hard time to get enough toilet paper in this terrible situation!

Way back in those days, the Sears Robuck catalogue was used for that purpose! Don’t know if that company is still in business, but there are many other catalogs that might work! Good Luck.

And now for Percy’s memoirs, we hope to cheer you up! This one is entitled Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled: When the days are long and the way seems dark and you can’t hear the song of a bluebird or lark, May the words in this verse brighten your day and chase your worries and cares away. Whenever I am troubled and lost in deep despair I bundle all my troubles up and go to God in prayer… I tell Him I am heartsick and lost and lonely, too, that my mind is deeply burdened and I don’t know what to do… But I know He stilled the tempest and calmed the angry sea, And I humbly ask if in His love He’ll do the same for me… And then I just keep quiet and think only thoughts of Peace, and if I abide in stillness my “restless murmurings” cease. (words by Helen Steiner Rice)…..and this quick one, Even a fish wouldn’t get in trouble if it would keep it’s mouth shut.

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

Instead of all the bad news out there, I’m going to start with a wonderful message I received on our family website from my daughter in law, Sherry Rogers. “In a society that has you counting money, pounds, calories, and steps, be a rebel and count your blessings instead. (Peter started this family website several years ago, and it has made this mother very, very happy!) I hope you all like its message, Thanks, Sherry.

Received an e-mail from Diana Perkins on March 9, but hadn’t put it in until the date of the event was closer. Now I’m going to print it and hope when the time comes, it won’t have been canceled. A travelling Production Company will be giving their annual live drama presentation of Heaven’s Gates and Hell’s Flames at the Riverside Assembly Church, 32 Water Street , Fairfield, on Sunday April 26, Monday April 27, and Tuesday April 28, at 7 p.m., show times. Free admission! For more information call (207)453-7342. All are welcome!

She ended her note with the following words, which really made my day! Dear Marilyn, I read your column religiously and enjoy all your news. I hope that this can be used in your column when the appropriate week is closer. If this cannot be used in your column, please let me know the appropriate person to contact to have this announced in our area. Thanks for all the good information that you share with readers.

The following information is from Angela Stockwell: Dear Readers, The March newsletter is ready for viewing. With the spread of coronavirus throughout the world and into Maine, the library is closed to the public until April 6. Many of the articles within the newsletter may mention event dates and deadlines which may have been postponed or canceled. Please check the MCS Library Facebook page for updates at www.Facebook.com/MargaretChaseSmithLibrary. The staff is working from home and technology will allow us to keep abreast of inquires.

Featured in the newsletter are articles about the essay contest and National History Day in Maine, the newest exhibit, our newest staff member, new leadership, as well as a visit by “Flat Stanley.” A reminder to “Save the Date” for May 22 for the annual Maine Town Meeting. As Dr. Richards reminds us in his “Directions” article, “Wash your hands and sneeze into your arm. Take care and stay well. ” Again, my thanks for that information.

And now some news from Happy Knits in Skowhegan; Dear Yarn Friends, At a time when it seems like the world out there is changing from one hour to the next, one thing we can rely on is our own connection to each other. That won’t change, even if we have to adjust our lives temporarily to keep each other safe and healthy.

From the time being, we have decided to suspend our group knitting activities (Tuesday nights and Thursday afternoons) for the sake of our patrons and staff. This is a temporary measure, and will resume as soon as we hear that it is safe to do so.

As yarn and fiber users, we all have our handwork to fall back on if we need to hunker down at home for a bit. In that way we are so much more fortunate than others. If we have to slow down our human interactions for awhile, we still can reach out to each other in other ways. Let’s keep in touch.

There is only room for a short one of Percy’s memoirs this morning. I don’t know who wrote it. It was on a small piece of paper that I had printed it on… “Old gardeners never die, they just lose their bloomers!”

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry be happy!

Town meeting in Solon has come and gone and I must apologize that I didn’t attend it this year. But thanks to Elaine Aloes and Sherry Rogers for helping me get some of the main facts that took place at the meeting.

Over 75 people attended the meeting and Peter Mills, from Cornville, was the moderator. Article 3 thru 16 passed as recommended, Article 17 passed with the amendment to only allow the existing medical marijuana business in Solon to expand to having an adult use (recreational) retail store.

Articles 18 to 24 were passed over (not taking a vote on at this time). Article 25 passed and a committee will be formed to draft the ordinances. Article 26 was passed over (not taking a vote on at this time). Article 27 was passed over (not taking a vote on at this time). Articles 28 to 34 passed as recommend.

Under Elections: 109 total votes were cast. Selectman, three-year term, Sarah Davis, 84 votes; William Coldwell 9 (write in); Selectman, one-year term Wayne (Chip) Johnson, 91 votes, and Tammy Goodrich 12 votes (write in). Road Commissioner, Gary Bishop, 101 votes. School Board Director, Laura Layman, 96 votes.

The annual town meeting started at 1:30 p.m., and adjourned at 3:40 p.m.

Lief and I attended a birthday celebration for my son Peter Rogers, on Saturday night, at Sherry and Peters home, on the River Road, in Solon. All of their children and grandchildren were present and it was a pleasure to see all of them. There was lots of good food and fellowship and love .

I have another birthday party to tell you about, but I’m running out of time so will save it until another time, (there are a few more facts I don’t want to get wrong.)

And so I’m going to give Percy’s memoir now: It’s entitled, The Wind’s Not Always At Your Back; The wind’s not always at our back, the sky’s not always blue. Sometimes we crave the things we lack and don’t know what to do. Sometimes life’s an uphill ride with mountains we must climb. At times the river’s deep and wide and crossing takes some time. No one said that life is easy – There are no guarantees, So trust the Lord continually on calm or stormy seas. The challenges we face today prepare us for tomorrow, For faith takes our fears away and peace replaces sorrow. (words by Clay Harrison.)

Here is another encouraging one entitled Don’t Give Up! “You may be tempted to, but but don’t give up; when you’ve lost the desire to try, and you’ve misplaced your hopeful dreams, dare to believe again in the impossible; Catch a ray of sunshine, and hold on tightly; The One who holds your hand… will never let you go.”

Hope you have a wonderful week!

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry be happy!

This mixed up computer has given me a terrible headache this morning as I have been trying to get it to work so I can write my column! Hopefully, I will be able to save it after I get it written, so I can send it along to China.

Have been thinking more and more about getting driven out of our homes in Flagstaff when CMP built the dam, as I read the pros and cons of their proposed corridor through Maine. It made me wonder how many of you may have read the book, There Was A Land. I am going to turn 91 in April and I don’t think there are many people left who lived during that awful time! ….but, I have a clipping out of a newspaper back in 2002 that states it well. “Treasured memories of a place now covered in water.”.. and it goes on to say, On the face of it, 70 authors focusing on one subject, in one volume, does not suggest a good result. However, in the case of There Was A Land, a source book on life in the plantation of Flagstaff, Bigelow and Dead River before their destruction in 1949, we are given a treasure.

Anyone who has ever watched Elia Kazan’s film, Wild River (1960) will grasp the situation immediately. In the movie the Tennessee Valley Authority moved people off the bottomlands in order to build hydroelectric dams in the 1930s. Similarly Central Maine Power had long planned to dam Dead River at Long Falls and the Legislature granted the company rights of eminent domain in 1924. The Great Depression and Second World War delayed action, but in the end, 130 Maine citizens were uprooted and their homes moved or destroyed. Today it all lies beneath massive Flagstaff Lake.

There Was A Land might honestly be called the longest obituary ever written for a Maine community. Yet it is a story that proves as uplifting as it does wrenching. What we have in these pages is an unmatched community scrapbook – diaries, recollections, articles and photographs that describe a hardscrabble but fully functional community before the flood.

Readers will find a fair amount of repetition as they move through these short, sometimes humorous, sometimes gripping essays. Indeed, one starts to believe things are about to get too repetitive when the different views start to build to a critical mass. No two witnesses give exactly the same view though each confirms the story as a whole.

The paper had printed some of the things that different people from Flagstaff and Dead River had written, and then it goes on to say: “Though many residents of the plantations were distressed and depressed by the CMP dam project, there was no public outcry. In that era nobody challenged multi-million dollar projects. As one resident put it: ‘The water be much greater, the possibility of floods far less; a great service for many towns at the expense of only two small communities and the homes of very few people.'”

Though driven from their home, many of the citizens remain joined by continued friendships, kinship and shared memories. Flagstaff Memorial Chapel built by CMP in Eustis, serves as a headquarters for the publishers of this informative and fascinating book.

There have been several printings of the book, There Was A Land. The last time I talked with Kenny Wing he said there were just a few books left.

Now for Percy’s memoir entitled Winning Ways; We walk along life’s highway meet the bitter and the sweet. Rejoice with those who’ve made it… pit those who’ve met defeat. And as we journey down the road, see sadness, joy and pain, We wonder why some lose the race while others, goals attain. We know misfortune comes to all and problems we must weigh; The Lord will stand beside us every minute of each day. So walk the road with head held high, though life, at times, seems glum; But if you keep the faith you’ll find… your battles can be won. (words by Angie Monnens.)

Now I hold my breath as I attempt to send this!

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

The Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club met at the Solon Fire Station on February 8. There were 10 members, 4 leaders and 3 visitors present.

Their project was having the 4-H members put together food trays for the elderly as a community service. Demonstrations were given by three members: Sarah Craig’s project was a yarn ball decoration, Hunter Sousa’s project was Welding 101 and Kaitlin Dellarma ‘s was painting birch trees.

The club will provide food for the dinner during tow meeting day, Saturday, March 7. This will take place at the Solon School. They will also have a bake sale to benefit the Solon Food Cupboard that morning starting at 8 a.m.

The next meeting will be on Saturday, March 14, at 9:30 a.m.

I also received a Solon Pine Tree 4-H News Letter:

Town meeting dinner will be on Saturday, March 7, from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., at the Solon School. They will need help from parents, leaders and members on this. They will also be doing a food sale to benefit the Solon Food Cupboard at 8 a.m.

Can the members listed here help on the food sale? 8 – 10 a.m.; Isabella Atwood, Kaitlin Dellarma, Jillian R. and Cooper D. And help also needed from 10 a.m. – noon; Sarah Craig, Katelyn D., Autumn I., and Desmond R. If this schedule does not work for you. please let Mrs. Pooler know. Anyone not listed can help on the dinner.

At the next meeting members not giving their demonstrations in February are asked to do it in March.

The next meeting will be on Saturday, March 14, at 9:30 a.m., at the Solon Fire Station.

My many thanks to the Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club for all they do, and for sharing it with all of us each month!

And that is all the local news I have again this week. I am thinking of asking Roland if I can stretch out “Beyond” in this column to other towns for their news, if this keeps up. I noticed in last week’s paper, under the picture of me, Marilyn Rogers; Somerset County columnist?

I do have a question for anyone who feeds birds, as we do, for keeping the large birds, (blue jays) away. They are always driving the little birds away and failing to share. We have many, many bird feeders out and really enjoy watching the little birds when they do get a chance to get a mouthful once in a while.

Guess maybe, I’m dwelling on age lately, now that I have turned 90! Was looking through some old papers the other day and was reading one of my columns in a 1987, Somerset Reporter. It was back when my column started with these words,” SOLON ‘The friendliest town in the state,” with lots of hearts all around it! Good morning my friends; haven’t spouted off about the importance of hugs lately. In case some of you saw me hugging that nice looking fella on my early morning walks, it was my grandson, Jeremy. It really makes a person think about the advancing years when grandsons get taller than I am.

The next paragraph went on to say; “Son Dave called me the other night and during the course of the conversation, I was telling him all the things I had to get done and not enough time to do them and he said, “What’s the matter, Mother, you getting old?”

And now for Percy’s memoir entitled, “Heart Gifts:” It’s not the things that can be bought that are life’s richest treasure, It’s just the little “heart gifts” that money cannot measure…A cheerful smile, a friendly word, a sympathetic nod are treasures from the storehouse of our God….They are the things that can’t be bought with silver nor with gold, For thoughtfulness and kindness and love are never sold … They are the priceless things in life for which no one can pay, And the giver finds rich recompense in giving them away. (words by Helen Steiner Rice.)

Have a great day! The Christian Life is Like Tea. The Full Strength Comes out when It’s in Hot Water… (words from the little special book that Mary gave me.)