New England
THE FIRST DAFFODILS OF SPRING 2026
It’s officially Spring. This week has been up in the 70’s and even into the 80’s and that has caused everything to begin popping up.
The daffodils along the side of my sister’s driveway in the front garden are up.
The day lilies and even a few irises have started poking their heads through in the front garden, too.
the day lilies and the garlic are both pushing through in the circle garden by my driveway.
All that said our spate of good weather is almost over. By Saturday we are plunging back into the 30’s and 40’s and there is even a possibility of snow overnight, on Sunday, as the temperatures will once again plunge beneath freezing.
SPRING IN NEW ENGLAND!
WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE WHERE YOU LIVE?
HOLY WEEK
HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS FROM HOLY WEEK IN WINCHENDON MASSACHUSETTS
FOUR CHURCHES GATHERED ON PALM SUNDAY FOR A PRAYER WALK UP CENTRAL ST. IN WINCHENDON.
TWO OF OUR COUNCIL PASTORS FATHER GREG AND PASTOR JASON
THE GATHERING AT THE FLAGPOLE. WE PRAYED FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN ENGLISH, HEBREW, SPANISH, POLISH AND FRENCH.
ON EASTER SUNDAY THREE CHURCHES GATHERED AT THE OLDEST CHURCH IN TOWN (NOW OWNED BY THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY) FOR AN EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE.
JON BAUVER AND PATRICK CORTIS, MEMBERS OF OUR COUNCIL, WHO RUN THE WORSHIP ROOM HOUSE OF PRAYER IN WINCHENDON, LED US ALL IN WORSHIP.
IN SPITE OF THE RAIN WE GATHERED OUTSIDE FOR THE SUNRISE.
THE DAY ENDED WITH A FAMILY GATHERING AT MY SON JOE’S HOUSE.
HOW WAS YOUR HOLY WEEK SPENT?
SURVEY
I visited town hall the other day. I needed to renew Snug’s dog license and to check in with the Planning Commission to see if our building project was even viable.
Snug’s dog license was a quick matter. He just had a rabies shot in the fall, so he is good through next year. After the town clerk’s office I stopped over to see Nicole Roberts at the planning commission and I spent about twenty minutes telling her about our plans.
The Vicarage sits on two pieces of property which my father acquired at different times in the 1970’s. The property we are planning on building the cottage on has plenty of frontage and set back so the building project is a go, but on further inspection it was discovered that the main house of the Vicarage, while grandfathered in, is not actually a buildable lot any longer. It is short by three feet of being buildable.
The advice is to have the lots surveyed so we can build on the empty lot and then give some frontage to the main lot so that also become buildable so we can add a garage or something in the future.
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS FEBRUARY 2026
On Saturday February 28, the Beals Memorial Library, in Winchendon Massachusetts, began to host a series of conversations around community and what that looks like. We call it Bridging Ideas and Building Futures
From 10-12 last Saturday thirty eight people gathered around tables to share what community is to them. This was an intergenerational / cross community gathering. We had middle schoolers represented and senior citizens; people of faith and atheists; factory workers, truck drivers pastors, consultants and even a nuclear physicist.
Thirty eight people doing small group work at tables. Thirty eight people sharing thoughts and findings in a community circle.
We began by sharing what the word community means. We continued by asking what makes a community vibrant. Our third question was How do individuals thrive with a community.
Now those findings are being compiled into a report that will lead to our next conversation on March 28…What kind of a community do we want to be?
the executive committee met afterwards and based on the comments of attendees we are moving the next conversation to a larger venue. I am excited to see what comes of these conversations. In a world so filled with division it is so hope inducing to see diverse individuals coming together to converse in a healthy and cooperative way.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO BUILD COMMUNITY WHERE YOU LIVE?
SNOW BANKS 2026
The snow banks in town are epic after this last blizzard.
2026 has been a true old fashioned New England winter. Here’s hoping for a bit of a thaw this weekend!
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHERE YOU LIVE?
WINCHENDON SKIES FEB. 9, 2026
A WINTERY EVENING IN FEBRUARY. WINCHENDON MA 2026.
DAWN AFTER THE STORM
Here are some pictures from the aftermath, in northern Massachusetts, of winter storm Fern.
My Weather app says we got 27 inches. It feels more like 18 inches to me.
WHATS IT LIKE WHERE YOU LIVE?
Winter Storm Fern
Winter storm Fern has dropped about 10 inches of snow on us so far. Here are some pictures from the Vicarage.
AND THE TREE LIT!
Last night was Winchendon’s annual tree lighting sponsored by our town’s Parks& Rec department.
Santa came. And the tree was lit!
Santa led Christmas songs with the kids.
And lots of our church folk came out.
Trinity and Genesis.
Melanie and Daniella and Abigail.
Tracy and Adam and David
Ben and Lydia and Naomi.
Gabe and Andrew and Aaliyah.
Then me!
I missed pictures with Savannah and her family and Shaina and her family. All told it was a great event.
WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR CHRISTMAS NEIGHBORHOOD THIS WEEKEND?
Notes From the Vicarage 