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Today December 21, 2012 is the Winter Solstice. The solstice marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The winter solstice also marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year. Have you noticed that the place and angle of the sun is different throughout the year? With the coming…
Read More »I wrote the first draft of this poem in 1976, and worked on it on and off for a long time. I had in mind the extensive outdoor lighting displays in Dracut (the town) and Lowell, but, especially as it evolved, the dense array of Christmas decorations in Lowell’s Pawtucketville…
Read More »This essay was first heard as a radio essay on the “Sunrise” program of WUML, 92.5 FM, at UMass Lowell. Executive producer Chris Dunlap assembled writers in the area for the daily essay feature, a popular component of the morning public affairs show. I shared this essay with rh.com readers…
Read More »This is a repost of an article I did last year about the tradition of candles in the window at Christmas time along with some personal comments. It’s a tradition with deep roots in my Irish heritage. I’ve added a photo of the Sweeney house on St. James Street –…
Read More »With so many Americans – especially in this neck of the woods – having Irish ancestry on the family tree, I thought our blog readers might enjoy this list of Irish Christmas traditions – some old and some new. This was posted today by writer Jane Walshon the Irish Central…
Read More »The UMass Lowell Libraries will host a free five-part reading and discussion series focusing on three of Jack Kerouac’s Lowell-centric novels: “The Town and the City,” “Visions of Gerard” and “Maggie Cassidy.” The series, which begins Jan. 29, will feature UMass Lowell English Prof. Todd Tietchen leading discussions of each…
Read More »“The Bridge Review: Merrimack Valley Culture” is an online bio-regional magazine that was launched in the late 1990s. After publishing several issues, the original editors rested. The beauty of the web, of course, is that the previous issues remained available to interested readers. With the coming of the 2012 Bread…
Read More »Patrick J. Mogan (Photo (c) by James Higgins) We learned earlier today about the passing of Dr. Patrick J. Mogan—teacher, planner, dreamer, and tireless enthusiast for Lowell. I had the privilege of working for him and with him. He was a mentor and guide to me. His purposeful and joyful commitment…
Read More »Friday night at the Old Court (29-31 Central Street, Lowell) good friend Dee Tension will be hosting the 2nd Annual WCAP Comedy Night Fund Raiser. The event’s Facebook page carries the following details: 980 WCAP Presents The 2nd Annual WCAP Comedy Holiday Party. A benefit for Toys For Tots and…
Read More »Seeing Tony’s stunning sunset image posted yesterday reminded me of this poem, which I wrote in the 1980s. I’ve always been fascinated by the sundown skies over the river channel looking west from Pawtucketville, particularly the vantage point from the O’Donnell Bridge that connects Mammoth Rd and School St. There’s…
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