by Katie Ouilette

Faithful readers, are you the ones who planned so many events for our calendar? I thought WALLS would know better, but maybe all the events that everyone has attended during the last week had to have a lot of busy minds and, yes, we’ve said yes!

Right now, we’re having our first real snowstorm, so we are guaranteed a white Christmas, so our dreams of that Bing Crosby song can definitely come true. What’s more, as Lew went out to start the snow removal ordeal, he ordered one of his favorites, a salmon pie with egg sauce. Hmm, I wonder how many of today’s cooks make such today.
O.K., I’ll make that pie and top it with egg sauce, but, first, WALLS, you will make sure I order all those magazines for our great-grandkids. Yes, and our Reese Paine was absolutely beautiful at her Top Hat dance recital. The Opera House at Skowhegan’s Municipal Building was full of proud parents, ‘Grands and Greats.’

WALLS, you sure do want me to tell you about great-granddaughter Sydney’s taking pictures of everyone who attended the Skowhegan Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours at Andy and Donna Russakoff’s wonderful jewelry store, on Water Street, in Skowhegan. That was held on December 15, but Andy and Donna did much reminiscing during the evening. There was a framed photo of Founder Sussman Russakoff for all to see and that brought reminiscences of the whole Russakoff family. Oh, what happy days have been shared with so many over the 100 years of the business!

Yes, Jason Gayne told us at the SACC annual meeting that the Chamber was going to be involved with all the communities that have been members. Danielle and Kevin Dubois attended BAH and, surely, Sydney pointed the camera at her mom, Danielle, and others who have taken up the challenges with Jason and are new chamber directors.

Yup, WALLS has been thinking backward! Katie took all who urged her to write a history of downtown Skowhegan very seriously. In fact, at 86 years ‘young,’ she was surprised at how much she remembered about the Skow early-days, so she hopes all requests were serious.

WALLS, don’t forget that the Whittemore’s Real Estate sales people were treated to a positively wonderful gathering at the Heritage House on December 7. Yes, WALLS will tell you that some of those attending could reminisce about those days of

World War II beginning with Japan’s bombing [of Pearl Harbor] on December 7, but Van Ames thought of school days when, after school, he worked in sales at Henry’s Hardware and Chris Perkins, also an owner of Whittemore’s Real Estate shared his memories with Richard Parlin and others at one of the six tables of ‘the Whittemore Real Estate “family.”

WALLS, you know that we have shared so much with family and friends during the past week, but, surely, you are wise and will share more of your thoughts as “Tis the season to be jolly”……. Ho-Ho-Ho, Santa Clause is coming to our faithful readers.

by Katie Ouilette

WALLS, the party at “Tim” Emery’s house was to honor his dad, Harlan’s 90th birthday and it was truly a gathering in Harlan’s honor. Frankly, WALLS, I can’t name all the attendees, but surely Lew Ouilette, of East Madison, and Elene Higgins, of Hartland, Harlan’s brother-in-law and sister-in-law, were there. Unfortunately the Washington State sons could not be there to see all their grown cousins, but all Harlan’s friends, family, and ‘now grown up offspring’ (if nearby) were there.

Now, WALLS, that brings your telling about your usually writing the past, present and future in this column for family and faithful readers. Actually, you were about to tell about where this column got its name, when even Tim’s two dogs stole the show. Oh, how they loved seeing all the people! Yes, even the wonderfully happy dogs were grown!

O.K., WALLS. You knew that there were many years since you had seen the ‘young ones’ as little kids, but, as they all sat on the sofa, they were totally contented sitting with the guest of honor and listening to what he had to say. That was a really good feeling, right, WALLS? Those young adults, obviously, loved whatever wisdom-or-not Harlan had to share.

Speaking of the past. I had a very long conversation with Jim, whom I learned was great-uncle of my Skowhegan Junior High School principal, Lyndall Smith! Yes, we sure shared memories. There was much to share about feelings about young people today. Jim is a retired math teacher and taught last year at Skowhegan High School, but taught at

Dexter High School prior to his retirement after spending last year in Skowhegan.

Several people told me how much they look forward to you, WALLS. So, WALLS hope that such compliments will end up being present and future, too.

Yes, it was a superb celebration! Lew has raved about the food and has complimented every single person that organized the entire event. Every single offering was beautiful and delicious……as was the chocolate birthday cake!

Many thanks to every single person there, in fact…………old friends and friends we hadn’t met yet.

WALLS, before closing your thoughts for this week, please tell everyone about the pie sales that will be held before Thanksgiving Day. Hospice is having a pie sale at Redington-Fairview General Hospital on November 23.

Skowhegan Recreational Center will serve Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day. What’s more, if you shop at Redington-Fairview General Hospital auxiliary’s craft show, you may win a pie a month for three months in 2017. So you faithful readers have learned of what your future may bring in 2017!

Happy Thanksgiving to all from WALLS!

Oh, WALLS, you did have The Town Line talk-talk ready to send for publication on September 15, but the people of our U.S.A. brought so many memories, good, bad, and ugly of our fateful 9/11, 15 years ago, you told me you just couldn’t send your usual bit of froth with all those sad stories that were told by those who survived that disastrous day or stories of those who are no longer with us. Yes, WALLS, 9/11/2001, may be 15 years ago, but for us who remember it well, it is a day that will forever be another “day-in-infamy.”

Aside from seeing the horror that those in New York City had to live through, my mind turned to my friend Linda, who used to be the manager of East Madison’s Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. She lived in a NYC apartment and usually took the subway to the USPS Office in Manhattan, but this 9/11 was a work day that gave her an appreciation of the beautiful blue sky above, so she opted to walk. Yes, she says that God gave her a beautiful day for walking, but chose to give the passengers of the planes’ flying into those towers his word that he had another job for them to do for him. Yes, so many stories were told by their survivors yesterday……and I remembered Linda, WALLS.

That 9/11 occurred when Herb Paradis was conducting theatre tours to New York City. He talked with me about it and said that he wished there was something his touring group could do for a Maine gift to those who risked their lives to comfort others. I suggested Maine apple pies, and so it was. When North Star Orchards asked why I needed so many apples, I told them and, in their own generous way, they donated the apples. This isn’t the end of the story, WALLS.

There was a fire station close to where the tour was staying, so Herb delivered 52 Maine apple pies, and many thanks to the firemen there. Yes, Herb told me that firemen do cry!

So, faithful readers, you have now learned that September 11, 2016, was a day that we could mourn the dead and injured of 15 years ago, but it was a day for Maine to be proud for its expression of caring for our neighbors, even though they are several states away. Lest We Forget, faithful readers, lest we forget.

by Katie Ouilette

First, WALLS, you must extend appreciation to The Town Line’s Roland Hallee for telling about the ‘plant growth’ at Webber Pond. For better or worse, those green things growing are also being monitored by the Lake Wesserunsett Association in Madison by the Lake Quality Committee. And, that is a perfect lead-in to the Somerset Woods event to which Lew and I were invited for a great and interesting evening at Canaan Farmers’ Building a couple weeks ago.

Somerset Woods President Jack Gibson led the really fine event , which also introduced Amy Rowbottom’s wonderful cheeses that she makes and sells at Crooked Face Creamery and at the Skowhegan Farmer’s Market. WALLS, wasn’t it superb to see so many folks that we hadn’t seen for a long time? What’s more, this was the first sonservation and awards celebration to be held since Somerset Woods was formed in 1927, likely the oldest land trust in Maine. Louise Helen Coburn (1856 – 1949) of Skowhegan, botanist, historian, poet, author, philanthropist and visionary, initiated the Somerset Woods Trustees and was its first president. She was our famed Governor Abner Coburn’s sister.

Speaking of the trustees, presently, besides “Jack” Gibson, Atty. Ernest Hilton, Gregory Dore, Davida Barter, Joe Dembeck, Dr. Ann Dorney, Kate Drummond, Robert Haynes, Eric Lahti, Roger Poulin, Atty. Warren Shay and Chris Young hold that position. Executive director is Nancy Williams.

Honorary trustees are: Donald Eames, Kirby Hight, William F. Reid, Jr. and Clinton Townsend and very deserving trustees and members were presented awards: Conservation: “Bill” Townsend and ‘Will” Reid. Stewardship: Patty VanHorn and Jeff McCabe.

A special presentation was made to Roger Poulin for Roger Poulin Trail.

What a pleasure it was to have Tom Abello, director of external affairs, the Nature Conservancy, as the keynote speaker. Yes, Tom’s message was especially interesting and I asked him to be on Now You Know that is hosted by Chris Perkins on Ch.11, as I learned that there is so much to know about conserving Maine lands and, particularly, we must care about Somerset County lands.

Never to be forgotten to tell you faithful readers about is the special tribute made by the Skowhegan Garden Club at Coburn Park. Yes, there’s a new Mountain Laurel planted there by the club.

Well, WALLS, you generously spoke of Roland Hallee’s telling about Webber Pond, but Percy of Solon & Beyond left all of our faithful readers with his special memoir on September 1. Quote:

“There’s a special art to living…… Don’t waste your time in waiting for the world to come to you. You have to climb the mountain to appreciate the view!” Percy said more, but, surely, his words are a great message for everyone.”

Yes, WALLS, this is a special message as students begin their 2016-2017 school year.