by Rowan Hodgson
It was funny that Linda Butler’s pie, the first-place prize for the pumpkin carv- ing contest, went to Jim Montgomery. That’s because Jim is Linda’s husband. His pumpkin, called “self-portrait,” had garlic for teeth and pears for cheeks. (His pumpkin didn’t really look like him, but it was cool).
There were 41 pumpkins entered. Tom and Amy Quinn’s Leeds hot air balloon won second place, and Jim and Robin Mias came in third with their forest trick or treaters. In the kids’ category, Mason Tait and Siggi tied for first. In the youth category, Curtis Casey won first place, and Ryan Cheevers-Brown came in second. Mari- sah Helems won a jar of candy corn because she made the closest guess of the number of candy corns in the jar (there were 436).
Shawn Gundersen gave rides to the kids on a quad in the new Beaver Brook development, where it was dark and bumpy, but fun.
There was a pumpkin roll, and Leo Geis and Celia Goldsmith won that contest. All the kids who participated in the pumpkin roll got goody bags of stuff like Leeds buttons and Halloween rings.
Shawn Gundersen also built a catapult with pumpkins for ammunition aimed at pumpkins painted like pigs from “Angry Birds.” The targets didn’t get hit, but the ammunition smashed on the pavement and exploded.
There were all kinds of soups, breads, and sweets to eat. There were Halloween music, a fire pit in the Ever-Hale’s yard, and a Burning Man made and set on fire by Jim Montgomery, who does not really have garlic teeth and pear cheeks.
You can view some photos of the event here.
Leeds Little Free Library
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High Flying in Leeds
Over the past few weeks a number of Leedsians have reported eagle sightings. The reservoir seems to be the most likely permanent setting for this amazing 7 foot…YES!… 7 foot wingspanned bird. The thinking is that a nest could be in the back corner of the reservoir towards newly paved Kennedy Road. Several other sightings have been reported as well. The ball players at Leeds School witnessed the eagle flying overhead as did several folks along the upper Mill River above the Top Dam. This sighting, particularly nice – an arching white birch tree, its leaves yellowed, the eagle perched, facing upstream in search of its main diet – fish and trout which are still observable in our very own Mill River and caught from time to time by those who know the nooks and crannies of one of Leeds’s most precious resources.
So, get yourselves outside and take a look around, up and down, and you’ll be surprised at what you just might find.
by Jim Mias
Pumpkin Party Wrap Up
by Rowan Hodgson
There were 41 pumpkins entered. Tom and Amy Quinn’s Leeds hot air balloon won second place, and Jim and Robin Mias came in third with their forest trick or treaters. In the kids’ category, Mason Tait and Siggi tied for first. In the youth category, Curtis Casey won first place, and Ryan Cheevers-Brown came in second. Mari- sah Helems won a jar of candy corn because she made the closest guess of the number of candy corns in the jar (there were 436).
Shawn Gundersen gave rides to the kids on a quad in the new Beaver Brook development, where it was dark and bumpy, but fun.
There was a pumpkin roll, and Leo Geis and Celia Goldsmith won that contest. All the kids who participated in the pumpkin roll got goody bags of stuff like Leeds buttons and Halloween rings.
Shawn Gundersen also built a catapult with pumpkins for ammunition aimed at pumpkins painted like pigs from “Angry Birds.” The targets didn’t get hit, but the ammunition smashed on the pavement and exploded.
There were all kinds of soups, breads, and sweets to eat. There were Halloween music, a fire pit in the Ever-Hale’s yard, and a Burning Man made and set on fire by Jim Montgomery, who does not really have garlic teeth and pear cheeks.
You can view some photos of the event here.
High Flying in Leeds
by Jim Mias
Over the past few weeks a number of Leedsians have reported eagle sightings. The reservoir seems to be the most likely per- manent setting for this amazing 7 foot…YES!… 7 foot wing- spanned bird. The thinking is that a nest could be in the back corner of the reservoir towards newly paved Kennedy Road. Several other sightings have been reported as well. The ball players at Leeds School witnessed the eagle flying overhead as did several folks along the upper Mill River above the Top Dam. This sighting, particularly nice – an arching white birch tree, its leaves yellowed, the eagle perched, facing upstream in search of its main diet – fish and trout which are still ob- servable in our very own Mill River and caught from time to time by those who know the nooks and crannies of one of Leeds’ most precious resources.
So, get yourselves outside and take a look around, up and down, and you’ll be surprised at what you just might find.
Pumpkin Party 2013 Photos
Leeds neighbors basking in the warm glow
Photo by Penny Geis
Ward 7 City Councilor Debate Night – October 24th
Questions from Ward 7 residents are being collected in advance and will be passed along to the moderator to organize prior to the debate. If you have a question or concern, please consider writing it down and sending it to one of the two options listed below. Toward the end of the debate questions will be opened up to the audience. At that time, if you have a question that has not yet been addressed this will be a good opportunity to have the candidates respond.
We are very happy that our media sponsor is NCTV(www.northamptontv.org). The debate will be rebroadcast at a later date and that time will be posted on the LCA website.
Thanks for your participation!
email questions to: LeedsCivicAssoc@gmail.com
mail questions to: LCA, Box 114, Leeds MA 01053.
Great Leeds Pumpkin Festival Marks 20 Years!
Saturday evening, October 26th (rain date 27th), the place to be between 5:00 and 9:00 is where Upland Road meets Chestnut Ave. in Leeds. It is the place where pumpkins rule and pumpkins roll. It is the spot where creativity, community and really nice people meet and have a great time. It is the spot of the 2013 Great Leeds Pumpkin Fest!
There will be home made soups, baked potatoes, cider and sweet treats to enjoy, all of which are provided by generous volunteers. There will be a bit of haunting music provided by another wonderful volunteer who will be our mc for the evening.
It has been a long-standing tradition that last years’ first prize winner bakes next years’ first place prize. I am not certain that last years’ winner, Jim Montgomery, is a pie maker, but I know for certain that his lovely wife, Linda Butler, is an excellent pie maker! Along with several tasty prizes there will be funny and practical ones too.
The party starts at 5:00 with the kid’s pumpkin roll which is hilarious and heartwarming to watch if your not a kid and a ton of fun if you are a kid. Eating, meeting and laughing happens throughout the party. Voting begins at 6:00. Vote tally is at 7:30. This year there will be three categories: KIDS (ages up to 6), YOUTH (ages 7-12), ADULTS (ages 13 and up).
I hope this build up has gotten you excited to carve. You have plenty of time to start thinking about what to carve, collage or paint on a pumpkin. Anything goes in this event and every pumpkin displayed adds to the heart of the party. Your creations and your neighbors’ will be lined up and on display. They will be lit, highlighted and numbered…and they will all be oooohed and aaahed over.
Happy carving!
Bowl left at Block Party
if you are the chef that made the pasta salad for the Block Party and are looking for the beautiful bowl you served it in, look no more. It is safe and sound at 8 Upland Road. Please call Heidi at 585-9923 or email heidi@heidistevens.com to arrange a time to pick it up.
AUTUMN MOVIE NIGHT!
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October 5th at 7:00 pm
Back yard of 32 Upland Road
Bring your chairs or blankets, drinks and jammies.
For Children and Adults!!
Hot Chccolate and Popcorn is provided!