The Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) recently completed its free, 3-part series of birding workshops.

A new book about a fascinating man who moved to Monson in 1895 has caught the attention of historians and reviewers on a national scale. Based on a true story “Hermit: The Mysterious Life of Jim Whyte” by Maine author and historian Jeffrey Ryan, weaves a tale almost too fantastic to be believed.

A six-week Introduction to Drawing class will be offered at The Commons at Central Hall from 4 to 6 p.m. on Fridays from July 12 to Aug. 16. There will also be a Young at Heart Rounds Singing Class, led by Lauralyn Buie, offered from 11 a.m. to noon on Fridays from July 12 to Aug. 16.

A donor board modeled to resemble an old time card catalog has been permanently installed just outside of the Abbott Memorial Library's reading room. Each drawer bears the name or names of a business or individual who donated to the 2018 restoration project for the library in Dexter.

Joe Siccardi, a recent mid-Maine transplant, has completed his third book “My Name is Sam…. and Heaven is Still Shining Through.”

The Sebec Village Associates will have a day of events on the Fourth of July next week, with proceeds benefiting the Reading Room. The day on Thursday, July 4 starts with a breakfast at the Sebec Village Community Christian Church at 7:30 a.m.

One of the nicest traditions in Greenville during the summer months are the concerts, whether they be at the Gazebo or the Thoreauly Entertaining! series at the Artisan Village. There’s something magical about being beside one of the largest lakes east of the Mississippi on a summer evening listening to some great music. This summer's series has been scheduled on Thursday and Friday evenings beginning July 4 and 5.

Love a great deal? Want to stretch you summer budget? Forget coupons and Groupon and shopping apps, the best -- most valuable -- bargains can be found at the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft. This July, banish boredom with free programs for all ages.

The newest item of interest to the general public is the receipt of two DVDS featuring home movies compiled by John and Joe Michaud (sons of Andrew Michaud). One of these videos shows scenes in Brownville Junction and people of the area; the second is video of scenes along the Canadian Pacific Railroad from Quebec, through Maine and into New Brunswick. These home movies were made by Andrew Michaud and his dad Sam Michaud from 1939 through the 1950s. These can be found on YouTube.com.

The Sebec Village Associates will be operating the community library at the Reading Room, 665 Sebec Village Road, again this summer. There are no fees to borrow books and media from the library which boasts an extensive collection of fiction and nonfiction.

The Mid-Maine Duplicate Bridge Club played June 24 at the Guilford Memorial Library with the following results: first place, Ron Lyford of Hartland and Harry Bridge of St. Albans; second, Priscilla Higgins of Dover-Foxcroft and Barbara Greenburg of Dexter; and third, Herb Greenberg and Jim Greehey of Dexter.

On June 21 the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) held a Families in the Outdoors: Garden Fun! event at the Law Farm. During this event district staff, volunteers and Piscataquis Regional YMCA Camp Katahdin campers worked together to plant a new sunflower pollinator garden for the children’s area at the farm.

The Abbott Memorial Library board of trustees are pleased to announce new summer hours for the library’s Makerspace. Mrs. Millette will have the Makerspace open Tuesday to Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Three young makers from the Abbott Memorial Library’s Makerspace recently set up shop at a roadside stand and sold $97 of items they had made. With the money they purchased supplies to donate back to the Makerspace in Dexter.

Many of us think of yoga as a relaxing exercise to improve our health. Indeed, the practice offers many health benefits including flexibility and stress reduction. It also embraces mind-body activities including breath work paired with poses to achieve more overall wellness as well as meditation, which has been extensively researched to improve so many aspects of health.

It was a sweet day in Maine as 7,500 people attended the 10th anniversary edition of the annual Maine Whoopie Pie Festival on Saturday, June 22. Those passing through the entrance gates celebrated the taste of tens of thousands of whoopie pies, enjoyed other food, games, live music and hundreds of artists, crafters and vendors.

A special evening of music with the Lovely Family will be Friday, June 29 at 7 p.m. (refreshments at 6:30 p.m.) at the Brownville Community Church as part of the church’s 200th anniversary celebration.

The Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) will be offering a showing of “Inhabit: A Permaculture Perspective,” a feature-length documentary introducing permaculture. Permaculture is a gardening design method that offers an ecological lens for solving issues related to agriculture, economics, governance, and more, and utilizes the patterns and resilient features observed in natural ecosystems.