Bethel(Nancy)

As October winds to a close, the Bethel hills are covered with brilliant colors. Most of the maples have lost their leaves, but the oaks are still red and orange; the leaves on the beech trees range from pale yellow to burnt orange and brown. On my walk Sunday, I found that the roadsides and fields still have colorful patches of goldenrod, tansy, and purple clover. I also found that despite numerous frosty nights, there are still snakes sunning themselves along the roadways.

This next week is filled with events leading us to winter. Friday night and Saturday is the annual Bethel Outing Club Ski Sale and Swap at the Gould Academy Field House on Church Street. You can buy new and used skis, snowboards, and winter athletic wear. The sale starts on Friday, Oct. 26, from 6 to 9 p.m.; it continues on Saturday, Oct.27, from 9 to 12 noon.

Saturday, Oct. 27., is the Taste of Bethel & Beyond and the Oxford County Community and Business Expo at Telstar High School from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you haven’t been to an expo in the past, this is the year to drop in. Not only will there be booths from local businesses, but also community and nonprofit organizations and schools. Are you looking for a job or trying to start a business? The Bethel Chamber of Commerce is working with the Maine Career Centers to provide workshops for people looking for jobs and aspiring business owners. The Taste of Bethel & Beyond, which features food from local restaurants, will be held from noon to 2 p.m. in the Telstar cafeteria.

On Thursday, Nov. 1, the To Your Health committee of the Western Mountains Senior College is sponsoring “Good Balance: Staying on Your Feet in Bethel.” The program will present techniques to keep your balance, prevent falls, and ways to keep fit and safe as you age. The first 20 people to arrive will receive individual balance screenings. The educational presentation will be by Lissa Merrill, Registered Physical Therapist, and Director of the Stephens Memorial Hospital Rehabilitation Department. Physical therapists Scott and Amy Bottomley will conduct the balance screenings. The program is from 4 to 6 p.m. at the West Parish Congregational Church on Church Street.

The October-November issue of Yankee magazine has an article about Aldro French, the caretaker of Louise Dickinson Rich’s home on Rapid River. Rich’s first book, “We Took to the Woods,” described her family’s experiences at “Forest Lodge.” The book was a best seller and has been in print for 60 years.

Deer hunting season begins this week. Keep yourself and your pets safe. If you go into the woods, wear blaze orange. Leave your pets at home.

If you have news you’d like to share, call me at 824-2483 or e-mail nancybrown1150@yahoo.com.