High on October Leaves

High on October Leaves By Henri Marchand  WARNING:  Leaf smoke can be intoxicating and stir colorful memories and images.  This piece was written while under the influence of an October induced nostalgic state. Our yard is home to six Norway Maples, a pesky strain of New England’s favorite tree, known…

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Election Preview

Election Day is November 3, 2020, but because of early voting and no-excuse-needed vote by mail, the process is spread out over several weeks. Whenever you do vote, here is a preview of what you will see on your ballot: ELECTORS OF PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT Biden and Harris –…

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Celebrating Samhain, by Orla O’Connell from “The Way of the Seabhean”

Throughout October, Trasna will focus on the Celtic festival of Samhain, known better to Americans as Halloween. The holiday originated in Ireland and celebrates that time of year when the veil between this world and the next grows thin, and life seems more mysterious. This week we feature a blog piece by writer Orla…

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A Patti Smith Moment in Texas

Frank Wagner of south Texas is an occasional contributor to this publication. Today he writes about meeting the singer-songwriter Patti Smith after a 1978 performance in south Texas. Smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1978 but she’s also a poet and author. In 2010,…

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Lowell Real Estate thru 3Q 2020

The pandemic has brought many surprises. Most have been dangerous or disturbing but some, like the performance of the local real estate market, have been positive. Driven by historically low interest rates, the mortgage business is booming. During September, the number of mortgages recorded in Lowell was up 29 percent…

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