Upcoming Writer’s Workshops at the Highland Lake Inn

Writing Retreat: How to Write More, Write Better, and Be Happier
Aug. 21 – 23 and Sept. 18 -20, 2011

Workshop Facilitator: Joni Cole http://www.jonibcole.com/

Location:  Highland Lake Inn, Andover, NH

$530 per person double occupancy,
$705 per person single occupancy, all inclusive.

This retreat is designed for writers who are looking for an intensive period to write, share their work for quality feedback and instruction, and make progress on a new or existing project. Writers of fiction and creative non-fiction are welcome. Participation is limited to six to assure personalized attention.

Aptly named “How to Write More, Write Better, and Be Happier, the retreat takes place at the beautiful Highland Lake Inn Bed and Breakfast, located in Andover, New Hampshire. Conveniently situated in the center of northern New England, the inn offers spacious guest rooms with full bathrooms, distinctive furnishing and amenities, and private television and Wi Fi access. Innkeepers Gail and Pecco Beaufays offer old-school hospitality and personal touches. Meals are included in the retreat package.

Workshop facilitator Joni B. Cole is the author of the acclaimed book Toxic Feedback: Helping Writers Survive and Thrive (“strongly recommended” by Library Journal), and Water Cooler Diaries: Women across America Share Their Day at Work ((“both fascinating and eye-opening,” Publisher’s Weekly). Her creative nonfiction has been nominated for The Pushcart Prize, and will be featured in her fall 2011 book Another Bad-Dog Story: Tales of Life, Love, and Neurotic Human Behavior. Joni runs the Writer’s Center of White River Junction, Vermont, and is a frequent speaker and teacher at writing conferences across the country.

to register please contact Joni at joni.cole@alum.dartmouth.org
or (802) 295-5526.

Sunday Evening
Welcome reception at 5 PM
Dinner at 6:30 PM

Monday
Morning and afternoon workshop sessions
Plenty of free time to write or consult

Tuesday
Morning workshop session
Depart after lunch

Program Fee Includes:
• Lodging
• Writing workshops
• Welcome reception
• All meals (Friday dinner through Sunday lunch)

Writers are encouraged to bring:
• Up to 10 pages of your manuscript to share (whether it’s a rough draft, a few scenes, or just the germ of an idea)

The workshop sessions will focus on:
• Narrative drive
• Voice
• Conflict and tension
• Character emotional development
• Deeper meaning of story
• How to get inspired and stay inspired

Read Full Post »

Get in Motion – Bike the Northern Rail Trail

Join us in helping celebrate National Trail Day, 2011 by participating in one of several rides on Saturday, June 4th at 10:00 AM.

Choose from one of seven bike rides that will be led by various Rail Trail volunteers on specific sections of the Northern Rail Trail.  These rides will vary in length from 10 to 28 miles, depending upon the section chosen.  It is not necessary to ride the complete section chosen, but leaders will be going the entire round trip for each section if anyone wants to do that amount.  All section rides begin at 10:00 AM.  This is a great opportunity to try newly completed sections of the trail.

Please visit http://www.fnrt.org/ for more information. Details will follow on the site in a few days giving specific information about the trail section, leader, leader contact info., section starting points and lengths.

Read Full Post »

Biking Along the Northern Rail Trail has gotten more interesting . . .

Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County extended the trail in two directions this past October

Two more miles of smooth surfaced trail were added to eastern end of the rail trail in Franklin in October.   In addition, the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail just completed work along the ballast covered rail bed of the old Northern Railroad between Potter Place and the town shed in Danbury.  With that work completed, the Northern Rail Trail now follows Rte. 4, essentially, up to Enfield then on to West Lebanon going north from its Potter Place trailhead in Andover and follows Rte 11 east to Depot Street in Franklin.   As always, no motorized vehicles are allowed on the Northern Rail Trail, except for snow mobiles in winter.  Now the rail trail is continuous through two counties for about 45 miles from South Franklin to West Lebanon.

Combine your biking trip with a Bike and Stay Package at the Inn for a wonderful weekend getaway!

(source:  Friends of the Northern Rail Trail, http://www.fnrt.org)

Read Full Post »

Follow The Flock With eNature’s Spring Migration Tracker

Use eNature.com’s Migration Tracker to follow our returning spring birds week by week as they head north to their summer breeding grounds.  You can find and follow the birds whose summer homes are in town as well as those “just passing through” as they fly further north.

We often take for granted the remarkable annual ritual of bird migration. One morning, the bushes and trees around you are suddenly filled with singing birds that were not there just the day before.  But there’s an incredible story in their long, often hazardous journeys.

Go to learn more about this amazing journey and determine the whereabouts of your favorite species.

eNature.com has extensive birding resources for novices and experts alike.

Read Full Post »

8th ANNUAL HIGHLAND LAKE SNO-FEST ANTIQUE AND VINTAGE SNOWMOBILE SHOW

At the Andover Fish and Game Clubhouse on Route 11 and snowmobile corridor #2.  For more info call Allan Houle at 603-768-3951 or check the NH Snowmobile Museum Website

Featured Show Sleds: John Deere

Guest Speaker: Brian Nelson – John Deere Racing Legend

RE: NHSMA 26th Annual Winter Show & ASC 8th Annual Highland Lake Sno-Fest

EVENT DATE: February 12-13, 2011

The New Hampshire Snowmobile Museum, the first and only state sponsored snowmobile museum in the USA.

The weekend will begin on Saturday with the 8th Annual Highland Lake Sno-Fest Antique and Vintage Snowmobile Show from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm hosted by the Andover Snowmobile Club. Trophies will be awarded in multiple classes. Food will be on sale with the proceeds benefiting the Andover Snowmobile Club.

After the day of riding around on vintage sleds and enjoying the ASC Vintage Show, put on some casual cloths and join your vintage sled friends for a night on the town at Makris Lobster & Steak House in Concord, NH. Enjoy a wonderful dinner buffet including salad bar with bean salad and cole slaw, pot roast, seafood newburg, chicken parmesan, garlic mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, vegetable medley, apple crisp alamode for desert, and a cash bar for just $25.00 per person. After dinner, we will have a very special presentation by Snowmobile Hall of Famer, Brian Nelson. Brian will profile his entire career and take some extra time to focus on his time as a member of Enduro Team Deere. To his credit, Brian has the most significant win in John Deere history, the Winnipeg to ST.Paul I-500 in 1976. Don’t forget to mingle with other antique and vintage snowmobile enthusiasts before and after the banquet. Please contact Tom White at 978-346-0649 or 978-857-9517 to RSVP by February 7, 2011.

for more information visit

http://www.nhsnowmobilemuseum.com/2011winterevent.php and http://www.andoversnowmobileclub.com/

Read Full Post »