Recently South Berwick resident Jennifer Houghton, owner of Little Hat Company and parent of three, mentioned to me how great it is to be raising children in South Berwick.  She agreed to share her thoughts here at the 236 Diner.

In a world that seems to be spinning faster, it’s a wonderful opportunity to bring up a family in a town that allows you to walk not run.   I remember coming home from a business trip to N.Y.C. and literally thanking God that we don’t have even one single stop light in our town.  I had spent two days in a cab trying to get to three scheduled appointments in an absolute scramble for time.  Traffic, crowds, impatience, and smog seemed to be the daily theme and it was hard to catch your breath walking down the streets filled with people, vendors, and construction barriers.  Don’t get me wrong.  The city can be an explosive energy and catalyst for getting major things accomplished.  When the sun goes down and the lights turn on there is something so magical that you feel like a child right before opening a present.

When I would come home to South Berwick I would always let out a sigh of relief knowing that I could just slow down and enjoy each and every moment without someone behind me needing to get somewhere.  One of the main reasons coming home would be so satisfying was knowing that I was raising my children in a small town community surrounded by endless opportunities. (more…)

A guest essay by South Berwick resident Amy Miller

I had a particularly nice day last week when I bought a pound of ground round and some almonds at the new independent market in the village of South Berwick.

First I bumped into my babysitter, who works the checkout line Wednesday afternoons. It was like running into a family member. My daughter stood there gazing in awe at her teenage mentor, while I wandered in search of cilantro.

Then I ran into a mother and boy from my son’s school and suddenly the two five-year-olds were hugging in the aisle. At the same time, the woman working the deli counter committed a new leather coat to an auction I am running for a mutual friend with cancer, while the store owner immediately agreed to donate wine to the auction.

The wine vendor just happened to be available in the “nail room,” named after the items sold there when this building housed a hardware store. He walked me through the wine selection, explaining that this one is organic while that one is simply made from organic grapes. At checkout, the cashier didn’t even double-check that the owner had donated the bottles. (more…)

A guest essay by South Berwick resident Karen Eger

This is the time of year when I envy folks who live in town. On the south sides of their houses, close to the foundations, the snow has melted and plants start poking up a good two weeks before they do out here in the puckerbush. You have more birds too. The snow has been too deep to comfortably walk in the woods for some weeks now and too uneven for snowshoes. Unless you enjoy lurching in and out of the postholes your feet make when the thin crust on top gives way, walking has been confined to the roads.

Today I went out bushwhacking looking for Spring and came back with two soggy feet and some signs to report. The ice is still covering the ponds but the south facing cliffs are warming up the vernal pools at their feet. The sphagnum moss is St Patrick’s Day green where the ice has melted and though I didn’t spot any sign of frog or salamander, it won’t be long!
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