Letters to the editor

On Grandmother discovers higher calling as Pease greeter

What an uplifting, warm and fuzzy feeling I got when I read Brenda Johnston’s article on the Pease greeters.  I went to the website, peasegreeters.com, to learn more about how to participate.  What a great show of humanity, faith and fellowship that the greeters show to the soldiers (and their families) by doing this.  I think it’s absolutely wonderful and hope to become involved myself.

Keep up the great job with Rye Reflections.  I enjoy perusing it every month and am very impressed with Judy Underwood’s photos (Birds of the Southwest).  She is a talented woman.

Julie Daley, Concord, N.H.



On Birds of the Southwest yield prime viewing


I really enjoyed the photos of the birds.  Just beautiful.

Carmen Worrell, Rye, N.H.


Your bird pictures are lovely.  Being a resident of the Southwest I found the road runner to be extra special.  Since they are such fast runners, it amazes me how you came up with such a great picture.

Kathleen B. Starks, Las Vegas, Nev.


Those are great bird shots by Judy Underwood.  Can you tell me what she’s using for a camera?

Nanci Crosbie, Rye, N.H.


Excellent photos.  Please tell me about your camera, lenses, etc.

Ken Bowes, Atlanta, Georgia, and Longboat Key, Fla.


(Judy Underwood response:  I have a Canon 20D with various lenses.  I had never seen a road runner before, but this one seemed pretty tame.  It was in the wild, and I have a good telephoto, the Canon 75-300 IS lens.  I was maybe 20-30 feet away.)



On Poetry

I like to drop in on your website and was sorry to see no poem for July.  This is a poem I wrote which was inspired by my childhood summers on Straw’s Point. Some of your readers may actually remember The Linen Man. (Editors' note: The Linen Man appears in the Features Section of this issue.)

M.E. Tuthill, Auburn, Mass.



On Recipes

Have my couscous but can’t find the Caesar Golden Dressing.  Who makes it? Being into spinach for health reasons,  I’m anxious to make the recipe.  Glad you selected this item for this issue.

Kathleen B. Starks, Las Vegas, Nev.

Response by Margaret Carroll:  Any golden-colored vinegrette-type Caesar’s dressing will do.  I use Ken’s or Paul Newman’s Light Caesar Dressing.




On Polly recalls Saturdays at the Epping farm in 1924


It’s a wonderful story, Polly.  It  brings back memories of stories my father told of when he grew up in Portsmouth in the early 1900's and visited the family farm in Acton, Maine.

Bill Drew, New Castle, N.H.

The farmhouse where Polly Morton stayed in Epping in summer months.



I loved Polly’s article about the Epping Farm.  She is such a good writer and amazing at her age.  God bless her.

Rita McDonald, Concord, N.H.


Bravo!  Will and Florence Woods lived in the Towle brick house which had been a farm for generations.  He worked in the woods hauling trees for lumber, cutting hay, sending the milk from his cows to Manchester by train.  He also drove his horse pulling children to school in the “school wagon” each day.  Hard life but no better or worse than all the struggling farmers in Epping.  They augmented their income for years by taking on boarders. One was George Skinner, another a Dr. Green and a third Christopher James MacDonald whose family later became the MacDonalds of hamburger and French fry fame.  

Madelyn Williamson, Curator, Epping Historical Society, Epping, N.H.

Author’s reply:  I remember the doctor.  He was nutty as a fruit cake.  He had a cane and would walk up to a tree and give a lecture.  All the boarders ate at the table with the family.  I remember Carolyn Woods at U.N.H. saying she never knew they were poor until she came to U.N.H.  She was a paid live-in housekeeper of sorts to a teacher whose wife had died.  He had a daughter going to U.N.H.  Carolyn was an Alpha Xi Delta and I joined that sorority.  I did like living on the farm.  When I reread my story it made me homesick for those long ago days.


Beautiful.  I can feel the dust, taste the food, smell the beans and pork cooking, hear the music and see the stars.  I really enjoyed reading Polly’s story.

Joe Martin, San Mateo, Calif.


You are such a good writer Polly.  My husband took note to your reference of having electricity in 1924!  Minnesota (his home state)didn't receive electricity until 1939.  Thanks for sharing with all of us.

Kathleen B. Starks, Las Vegas, Nev.




On Rye Reflections

I read Rye Reflections with great interest and pleasure.  The website was brought to my attention by Ellen Hamil.  I was fortunate to visit Ellen and David at their lovely home in Rye.  Now I can picture your beautiful community as I read your newsletter.  Growing up in New Mexico with a biologist for a father, I particularly enjoyed Judy Underwood's birds of the Southwest.  I also always check out the recipes.  I look forward to your next issue.

Elisabeth Porter, London, England



August, 2007


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