“To the Inhabitants of Canada”

            This week in Revolutionary War History, let’s discuss what was going on 250 years ago in and around the colonial Province of Massachusetts Bay. Last week was a busy one; a discussion between Philip Schuyler and representatives of the Haudenosaunee would eventually spell the confederation’s doom, standards are implemented for food and bread in […] Read more »

How Much Protein Do I Need?

Protein has become America’s nutritional obsession, and protein bars have become a $2 billion/year business.             The World Health Organization and the American National Academy of Medicine recommend that we get 0.8 grams/kg body weight daily. For a 180 lb. person, that would translate to about 65 grams of protein daily. At least 85% of […] Read more »

Kevin Tavares

Ask just about anyone, and they will most-fondly remember particular schoolteachers and principals who went out of their way to know them.             In his decade of administration that followed his 20 classroom years, former Principal Kevin Tavares made it a mission to know each and every student that walked the halls of Old Hammondtown […] Read more »

The Southcoast Gardener

            I suppose I’ve come to accept the arrival of fall. As I listen to the persistent hum of crickets and a Blue Jay’s distinctive jeer, I feel that familiar shift. I don’t mind the 70s temps, but the early morning dips do seem abrupt. By the calendar, fall doesn’t really happen until September 22, […] Read more »

Frank McNamee

The recipient of The Wanderer’s Marion Keel Award for 2025 is longtime resident, historian, public servant, and antiquarian Frank McNamee. McNamee was nominated for the award for his many behind-the-scenes contributions to the town and continued preservation of its history.             McNamee graduated from Bridgwater State College with a degree in Marketing and later earned […] Read more »

Michelle Kirby & Andres Hammerman

            The recipients of the Wanderer’s 30th Annual Keel Award for the Town of Rochester are Michelle Kirby and Andres Hammerman, the main drivers behind the effort to preserve the health and water quality of Snows Pond.             Kirby, who is president of the Snows Pond Association, and her husband Andy were nominated in a […] Read more »

Beginnings of A Continental Navy

This week in Revolutionary War History, let’s discuss what was going on 250 years ago in and around the colonial Province of Massachusetts Bay. Last week, supply issues still plagued the Continental Army with no real end in sight, all while an offensive campaign north into Quebec began and King George III signed the “Proclamation […] Read more »

What’s the story on Covid shots?

There was a surge in Covid infections this summer, and most predictions are for another in the coming winter. We are also facing flu and RSV outbreaks as surely as the sun rises.             The best defense against respiratory viruses is immunization.             While nothing is guaranteed 100% safe, vaccines offer the best combination of […] Read more »

The Will of the People

On a recent sunny Wednesday morning, the members of the Town Coffee Committee, charged with solving all the world’s problems, gathered at the town wharf. The meeting was called to order citing all members present (save one who absconded across the pond to the UK); a quorum was declared.             First order of business (again) […] Read more »

Meditations on The Mediterranean Landscapes

            Third in a series exploring Europe’s diverse landscapes and gardens, from formal designs to wild, natural beauty…             Labor Day is finished and with it most of the summer, but I’m still reveling in some of the lovely memories of two months ago.             My last piece recalled the beauty of Paris and how […] Read more »