Letters to the Editor

Need A Good Reason to Spot the Newt?

This month’s lucky (and fearless) newt spotter will receive a case of refreshing Nh20 Real NH Spring Water with assorted seasonal labels and two four-pocket totes from Chamberlain Springs: www.ChamberlainSpringsNh2o.com

Chamberlain Springs is a proud member of NH Made (www.nhmade.com), the state’s official non-profit booster of locally

generated products and services. (Just for the record, New Hampshire Magazine is a proud member, too.)

Spot four newts hidden on ads in this issue, tell us where you found them and you might win an assortment of great gifts. To enter our drawing for a free gift basket, send your answers to

Spot the Newt

c/o New Hampshire Magazine

150 Dow St., Manchester, NH 03101

E-mail them to newt@nhmagazine.com, or fax them to (603) 624-1310.

Last month’s “Spot the Newt” winner is Abigail Brennan of Kingston. July issue newts were on pages 83, 89, 97 and 103.

Letters to the Editor

Loving Life in Lancaster

Oh, I get it, James Pindell, you’re just trying to pick a fight; getting one’s dander up as it were [“Capitol Offenses,” July 2010]. OK, I’ll bite. Let’s take California. Governor Schwarzenegger said it best of his state where the deficit hovers around $26 billion, where state spending has surged from $56 billion in 1998 to $131 billion in 2008: “Our wallet is empty, our bank is closed and our credit is dried up.” That’s progress.

And the Big Dig? Do you read the papers? Or how about my beloved Connecticut from which I fled six years ago? With a state income tax, a 6 percent sales tax, Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods tipping the state 25 percent of the slot take (a handsome figure to be sure), not to mention new and creative ways to make more money, i.e. tax revenue, the state still finds itself nursing a huge deficit.

More is never enough in Connecticut. I downsized and came to New Hampshire for a simpler life, a life the way I believe it was intended. You want to be like other states; we have interstates that will get you to most of them. Just remember, it’s a big world out there.

Marc Boucher

Lancaster

The Thrill of the “Spot”

I’m laughing at myself because spending summers on Lake Winnipesaukee, whenever we happened to spot the Mount out on the lake, we would yell, “Spotted it!” and the first person to yell was the winner. (Even as adults we still do this.) I can’t imagine I’m the first to spot all four newts in July’s issue but I’m yelling out anyway.

It’s a thrill trying to find them, but after hunting for newts, looking for upcoming shows or events to go to, checking up on the Best of NH (doctors, restaurants, etc.) and reading the well-written articles, my monthly New Hampshire Magazines are completely tattered when I’m finished. That’s the sign of a well-loved publication. Kudos!

Nikki Harding

Meredith

Dream Come True

I wanted to let you know that my family and I will be spending our NH Dream Vacation prize [Upfront, July 2010] July 17-24 at Lake Winnipesaukee! We are staying in a house on Black Cat Island.

You had asked if you guys could come and check out our dream vacation, and we would be more than happy to have you come by! This will be our 21st year coming to Lake Winnipesaukee … we can’t wait!

We can set something up as the date comes closer, but I just wanted to give you a heads up!

Kristen Bucaria

Editor’s Note: Thanks, Kristen. We’ll bring our bathing suits and maybe you can teach us all how to waterski while telling the world how much we love it here in New Hampshire. By the way, the 2010 “I Love It Here” Dream Vacation photo contest is still under way. Visit www.nhdreamvacation.com to print out your own sign and get affectionate with our oh-so-lovable state.

Cool Coupons

Just wanted to congratulate you on another fine issue of NH Magazine [July 2010]. I like the variety that you are providing in each issue. It truly has become a “lifestyle” publication that has considerable value to the reader.

You have done something with the most recent issue that I believe will be a winner. The tear-out page of coupons that provide $10 off the dinner costs at various venues is a very smart move. In this day and age of tight economic conditions, those fine feeding establishments who offer the 20 percent reduction in the total ticket price, assuming it goes $50 or over, should see an uptick in the number of patrons dining in their facilities.

I know that out here in the Midwest almost all the better dining venues offer some sort of reduction in the overall ticket costs. I certainly make good use of the offerings, and I know many others who do as well.

Bill Carr

Louisville, Ky.

Still Remembering

I have just received this issue of NH Magazine as a birthday present. I was born in Nashua in 1931 and left there to serve in the U.S. Navy. Upon my discharge in 1952 I found employment here in Delaware. I have never forgot N.H. and over the years I continued to visit N.H. and my family. Thank you for an excellent magazine.

Conrad Hebert

Smyrna, Del.

Look Within

You are looking for something to send to your Tyrolian “pen pal” in response to her yodeling CD. I think the answer lies in your own magazine – see the article on “Granite state of Mind”/Wisecarver and crew, page 19 of the June issue.

I am a 62-year-old native New Hampshire classical music listener, but even I love the rap that includes a Robert Frost poem! I think you should send the rap!

April Springfield

Hollis

Editor’s Note: Thanks for the suggestion, April, and for all those who took time to recommend some distinctive Granite State sounds to send to Saskia Hoerhager in exchange for her CD of Alpine yodeling. We did settle on New Hampshire’s Shaw Brothers as the perfect comeback since they are as local as it gets and have made a career out of enshrining the state’s history and landmarks in their songs.