A Soldier's Christmas

Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You

Hey Lisbon Do You Believe??? I believe by Dave Koz

I believe by Dave Koz

Fireside Christmas: relaxing jazz (The Christmas Song)

Dave Koz & Friends - Smooth Jazz Christmas Overture

Best Christmas Mood Music - Relaxing Fireplace & Fireworks 12 Degrees Was A Bit Nippy Out to say the least!!!

 So we are throwing you a little fire to warm you up!

2011 Christmas Lights- Thank You Troops and Veterans!

Since 1775, over 1.3 million American troops have made the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you and please visit SemperFiFund.org to help give back to those who protect our freedom.

A Big Thank you to everyone who voted and helped us win the Good Morning America Contest.

Now on iTunes! All Profits go to the Semper Fi Fund.
The America Patriots- God Bless The Usa and Armed Forces Medley
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/god-bless-the-usa-armed-forces/id489731812?i...

Do You Believe In Angels?

Celtic Woman - O Holy Night 

 

 

Bing Crosby - Mele Kalikimaka (Hawaiian Christmas Song)

Hey Robin, Will This Make You Giggle Too? ( It is original)

Birders excited by invaders from the north

By Bob Duchesne, Special to the BDN

As you read this, we are being invaded. Devious birds are sneaking across our defenseless borders. They are Canadian birds heading south for the winter, and we’re the south. Many of these birds gather in predictable numbers in predictable places each winter. But some are just plain unpredictable.

In birding terms, they are called winter irruptives. The words “erupt” and “irrupt” come from the same Latin root and mean roughly “exploding forth.” One particular definition of irrupt relates to the sudden upsurge in natural populations, especially when ecological balances and checks are disturbed. That’s exactly what happens when food shortages or frigid weather drives birds south. Irruptive owls were discussed last week, but there are plenty of other northern breeders on the list, including birds that eat seeds.

White-winged and red crossbills are highly irruptive, wandering south into Maine even in summer, where they may nest in a good cone year. Both species are widespread breeders across Canada, but the red crossbill tends to wander a little farther south in the western states.

Follow more here.

Sad Aviation Mishap...‏

Merry Christmas  

This "crash" site is near the Oak Creek Bridge on the St. Michael’s Road [MD 33]. 

The folks who own the property always have eye-catching displays celebrating various ‘holidays’ through the year… this year for Jületide they have certainly outdone themselves! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Submitted by a loyal reader, C.C. Bondermann

Do You Think The Town Council Should Be Drug Tested???

By: Peter Reuter

The Lisbon Reporter 

The Lisbon Concerned Citizens,Mrs. Tugball and Other's!!!

Our group of Local Citizens would like to know what you the readers Think about this process.

These People make monumental monetary decisions for US All ! ! ! !  !  We've only "just begun" are such a fitting pair of words, now don't you Think!!?

Other employees of the town that receive a paycheck from the town are required to Drug Testing why should anyone else that receives a paycheck from the town be exempt,  including the  Town Council & School Committee???

Be Sure  To Take Our Poll!!!

And 

Sincerely we wish you ALL a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2012 We Welcome You!!!

Lisbon Class of 2014 Downeast Day @ Expo‏

DOWNEAST DAY FOR LISBON HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2014

   Class of 2014 fundraising committee members hosted a booth at the annual Lisbon High School Boosters Holiday Expo.  Pictured standing (l-r):  Paula Caron, Shantal MacWhinnie, seated: Sierra Crosby and Robert Dall.  Other members of the committee not available for photo due to later shifts during the day:  Sarah Craig, Erik Chapman, Cam Ramich, Paige Galligan and Dillion Poole.  Photo by Monica Millhime.

Lisbon -  Members of the Lisbon High School Class of 2014 fundraising committee joined a number of community minded crafters and exhibitors at the recent Holiday Expo held at the high school.  The event was sponsored by the Lisbon Boosters.  Crafters, food vendors, and other exhibits offered a variety of gift ideas and offered the perfect solution to holiday shopping.  Fundraising committee members experienced a day of Downeast support at the Expo thanks to donation of popcorn to sell throughout the event compliments of Downeast Energy and raffle tickets for  two round-trip tickets to Boston from the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority.  Raffle tickets are available through Wednesday, December 21.  Tickets are $3 each or a book of 10 for $5.  All proceeds from both events benefit students project graduation.  FMI call 754.0021 or email mmillhime@lisbonschoolsme.org.

Lisbon Student Give Gift of Song‏

Lisbon Students Give the Gift of Song to Residents at Lamp Alzheimer’s Facility

  Lisbon students, staff and parent volunteers provided residents of the Lamp Alzheimer’s Facility with a night of holiday songs of the season.  Pictured front row: (l-r) Emma Wilson, Zekeriah Mason, Giana Russo,  Carolyn Shane, Timber Mattson, Levi Levesque, Vanessa Bussiere, Connor Craig, Grace Tibbetts, Emily Moran; second row: Charlee Cox, Emma DiGregorio, Morgan Roy, Devin Wordell, Joey Frederick, Sydney Plourde, Emily St. Pierre, Peyton Gosselin, Olivia Clark, Christian Grover, Matt Moran, Lisa Caron; back row:  Jonathan Pollock, Jack Caron, Tiffany Hursh, Sarah Giraldo, Kristianna Benoit, Maxine Shane, Sierra Crosby, Lorean Reed, Cassidy Dall, Jessica Call, Abigail Roy, Natalie Thomsen, Monica Millhime and Ryan Patrie.  Photo courtesy of Kathi Yergin.

Lisbon – On Wednesday, November 30 a group of students from Lisbon Community School, Philip W. Sugg Middle School and Lisbon High School provided a night of Christmas Caroling at the Lamp Alzheimer’s Facility in Lisbon.  The Lamp’s Activity Director, Richelle Niles, welcomed the carolers and expressed her thanks to students on behalf of the residents and staff for their gift of kindness by providing an evening of holiday cheer.  “Our students were thrilled to present this program for the third year,” comments Lisbon’s Community Resource  Coordinator, Monica Millhime.   “Thanks to the galvanized efforts by LCS Assistant Principal, Ryan Patrie, and PWS Music Teacher, Jonathan Pollack, and a number of Lisbon adult volunteers, students throughout the Lisbon School District were able to share a memorable evening with the residents.”  “Lisbon is a wonderful community of sharing and caring students, parents, educators and community folks,” shared Millhime.  FMI on additional community events call 754-0021 or email mmillhime@lisbonschoolsme.org. Like us on FaceBook at Community Resource News in Lisbon Schools. 

 Great Job Everyone, Thank You and Merry Christmas to ALL!!!

From all of us to all of you!

All I Want For Christmas - HMS OCEAN ,,, WELCOME TO YOUR HOMES SAILORS!

All I Want For Christmas - HMS OCEAN

After lots of time away last year (214 days) -- planned for 7 week deployment exercise with other nations

Diverted to Libya and further operations

Back 9 Dec after 7½ months away - 225 days with 176 at sea

400 people onboard (at peak during the amphibious exercises just under 900 onboard but approx 650 during Op Ellamy)
Steamed just over 40,000 miles
Burned approx 6,000 tonnes of fuel
Operated 16 different type of aircraft off the deck

Realities of deploying:

15 babies born while the ship has been away (fathers did get home to see mum and baby)
5 people were sent home so they didn't miss their own weddings.
1 sailor whose son's third birthday is on homecoming. Family meeting ship

Ships company have missed:

Summer holidays.
Children's exam results
Children finishing school and starting university
The Padre missed his daughter's graduation.

The ship's company made a Christmas DVD when they heard they would be home for Christmas.

 

 

 We humbly thank you all for your service.

 

Submitted by: Rufus

The Soldier's Christmas

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
   HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
   IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
   PLASTER AND STONE.
 
   I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
   WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
   AND TO SEE JUST WHO
   IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
 
   I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
   A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
   NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
   NOT EVEN A TREE.
 
   NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
   JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
   ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
   OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
 
   WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
   AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
   A SOBER THOUGHT
   CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
 
   FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
   IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
   I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
   ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
 
   THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
   SILENT, ALONE,
   CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
   IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
 
   THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
   THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
   NOT HOW I PICTURED
   A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
 
   WAS THIS THE HERO
   OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
   CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
   THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
 
   I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
   THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
   OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
   WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
 
   SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
   THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
   AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
   A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
 
   THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
   EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
   BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
   LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
 
   I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
   HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
   ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
   IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
 
   THE VERY THOUGHT
   BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
   I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
   AND STARTED TO CRY.
 
   THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
   AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
   "SANTA DON'T CRY,
   THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
 
   I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
   I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
   MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
   MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
 
   THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
   AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
   I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
   I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
 
   I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
   SO SILENT AND STILL
   AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
   FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
 
   I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
   ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
   THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
   SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
 
   THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
   WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
   WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
   IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
 
   ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
   AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
   "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
   AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
 
   This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan. The
  following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....
 
   PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.
 
   Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.

Christmas Stress

Subject: Christmas Lights

Hi Sweetheart,

I am sorry about getting into an argument about putting up the Christmas lights.

I guess that sometimes I feel like you are pushing me too hard when you want something.

I realize that I was wrong and I am apologizing for being such a hard-headed guy.

All I want is for you to be happy and be able to enjoy the holiday season.

Nothing brightens the Christmas spirit like Christmas lights!

I took the time to hang the lights for you today and now I will be off to the golf course.

Again, I am very sorry for the way I acted yesterday.

I'll be home later.

Love you…… 

The Perfect Couple....

Too clever not to pass along
The perfect Man and Woman CLICK HERE

Free Kantele Christmas Concert

A’chording to Kantele.  Back row, left to right:  Lorraine Piirainen (West Paris), Lin Gordon (Freeport), Chris Frazier (Lisbon Falls), Deborah Crump (West Paris), Barbara Honkala (Bethel), Sally Riman (Harrison).  Front row:  Janet Gardner (Otisfield), Martha Wilson (Lovell), Kathy Cummings (South Paris), Irene Rochwarg (Yarmouth)

A’chording to Kantele to perform a free Christmas concert on Sat., Dec. 10 at St. Matthew’s, Lisbon

November 30, 2011.  Step out of your Christmas music box this holiday season and bring the family to hear the hauntingly beautiful sound of the Finnish Lap harp.  The ten-member A’chording to Kantele will perform a Christmas concert on Saturday, December 10 at 6 pm at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church on the Hill off Route 196 in Lisbon. 

This free concert includes complementary coffee and desserts.

“St. Matthew’s is offering Mid-Coast Maine an opportunity to celebrate Christ’s birth with Finnish and traditional carols,” said the Rev. W. Beau Wagner, Rector.

The kantele is a traditional Finnish lap-harp with a 2000-year history rooted in the folklore of the “Kalevala,” the national epic of Finland.  Finns consider it an important symbol of their culture and it is played in their schools, universities and concert halls.

The audience will hear six different types of kanteles:  10, 11, 15 stringed ones along with 11 +4 strings, 15 + 4 strings, and 38 string concert kanteles. 

To Chris Frazier, Lisbon Falls resident, 5^th grade teacher and one of the founding members of the group, the kantele’s sound is “just a wonder.” She first heard its sound 11 years ago when a fellow teacher played at a staff meeting and then offered to teach the instrument to anyone who wanted to learn.

“The sound was unlike anything I'd ever heard. It seemed to move right into me.  I was totally captivated,” said Chris who instantly signed up for lessons.

When Chris first played her large 36-string kantele the day it arrived from Finland, her fingers hurt “so-o-o badly. But I was determined to get the beautiful sounds out of that instrument that I knew were in there,” she said.  “I simply could not get past that kantele on the dining room table without stopping to try it again. It was as though something in me needed to reach in and coax it out. Now I play a concert kantele and can feel its enchantment as strongly as the first day I heard its sound.”

The group began in November 2000 when a group of 30 people met in the basement of a local Lutheran Church to learn how to play Ode to Joy on the kantele.  The kantele players became a performing group known as The Maine Kanteles.  A'chording to Kantele is part of The Maine Kanteles.

Their sacred music includes such familiar tunes as Amazing Grace and Simple Gifts.  However, they also perform Finnish pieces such as Konevitsankirkonkellot which means churchbells of the Konevitsa monastery (an Eastern Orthodox church).

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, founded in 1906, brings together contemporary worship with ancient ritual, Bible-based preaching, expressions of the Holy Spirit, and loving service to others.

Lisbon Community School Student Council Supports Troops with Candy Drive‏

 

LISBON COMMUNITY SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL SUPPORT TROOPS THROUGH OPERATION GRATITUDE

Lisbon – Students and staff of Lisbon Community School, 33 Mill Street in Lisbon, recently collected 138 pounds of candy for our service men and women through the Operation Gratitude (www.operationgratitude.com) program.  “Members of our LCS Student Council wanted to let our troops know we were thinking of them and that we are also thankful for the contribution they are making serving our country,” shares Student Council Advisor, LCS Assistant Principal, Ryan Patrie.  “Thanks to assistance from Center Street Dental in Auburn, The Lisbon Chapter of Veteran’s for Foreign Wars and the LCS Parent Teacher Organization our troops received their candy delivery before the Thanksgiving Holiday.”  FMI on other events and programs in the Lisbon Schools visit www.lisbonschoolsme.org or contact Monica Millhime, 754.0021 or email mmillhime@lisbonschoolsme.org.  Like us on FaceBook at Community Resource News in Lisbon Schools.