Betsy Hodge, Chair of the Friends of the Holmes Public Library, led a hands-on meeting at last week’s TRIAD meeting. She shared several “Stay Sharp Kits” which are available through the Library of Things at the library. Stay Sharp Kits are a specially designed collection of activities for people experiencing memory loss or cognitive difficulties. Five themed kits were provided to be explored by TRIAD participants: Movies, Baseball, On the Move, Americana and Trivia. Photos by Linda Redding. We hope that you’ll join us at the next TRIAD meeting on Nov. 4th when we’ll learn about the MOLST form from Ellen DiPaolo of the state’s “Honoring Choices” group.

I met my husband Dave several years after I’d been divorced. We were both taking Psychology classes at Massasoit Community College. He had two children, a daughter Donna who was eight, the same age as my son Brian and a son Davey who was five, the same age as my daughter Heidi. Donna and Brian were also in the same class in the Halifax school system and knew each other, although they weren’t particularly friendly with one another. Dave lived in an apartment in Whitman and his children lived with their mother, Dottie, in Halifax. I admired the way Dave was close to and involved with his children and what excellent parents he and Dottie always were.
As we got to know one another we slowly introduced the kids to each other. We took them swimming in summer and on walks with us in the fall. They seemed to have fun with one another as they got used to each other, until they realized that Dave and I really liked each other; then things became a little tedious. My kids, especially Heidi, took to Dave and was happy to have a father image. Times when my ex-husband did take my kids to his house, I spent time alone with Donna. She liked going to Friendly’s for ice cream and I enjoyed her company.
When things got very serious with Dave and me, he invited me to supper at his apartment on Valentine’s Day. That night he got down on one knee and I wondered what he was doing until he slipped a diamond ring on my finger and asked me to marry him. I said yes. We were married that Fall. All four of our kids were in our wedding, well behaved and so darn cute. My parents hosted our Wedding Reception at their home in Hanson. Everything went beautifully and we had a memorable time. Our Honeymoon consisted of coming home to our house in Halifax to enjoy the peace and quiet before my kids came home that Sunday.
Divorce can be hard on some adults and even more so on children. Once Dave and I were married, the reality for his kids was hard for them to accept. There were times they didn’t want to come over and times they wanted to be alone with their father and other times they wanted to be at their house with both their parents. I have to give my stepchildren credit; I admired some of the ways the two of them worked together to do everything they could to get their parents back together. They were so clever -they would’ve fit right into a Walt Disney movie. When Halloween came around that year, they didn’t come to our house. We did get to see them briefly at Christmas.
The New Year didn’t start off very well. All four kids were upset for different reasons and Dave and I were upset with ourselves because of mistakes we made in dealing with our kids. We had to change things for the better. Dave started by making it clear to his kids that even though things weren’t going to be as they used to be, he and their mother would always be there for them. I told them I realized I wasn’t their mother but I’d like to be their friend and they could call me Linda. Dave told my kids they could call him Dave or whatever felt comfortable to them. About six months later, Heidi started calling him Dad, which never changed.
Things got better after that. When Fall came that year and it was time to decorate for Halloween, Brian, Heidi and Davey helped. Davey’s favorite Halloween treat was candy corn, so I made sure we had some. I had a big cardboard skeleton that I called Alley after the song “Alley-Oop”, that was popular in the 1960’s. Brian was the tallest out of the three kids so he hung Alley up and positioned his movable head, arms, hands and legs. We had two cloth pumpkin faces with little orange lights on them that lit up their eyes and mouth that Heidi hung in both the dining room and kitchen door windows. Brian put my cackling witch with the green eyes that glowed outside on the step railing where she could be heard. After Davey helped Brian and Heidi fill our big bowl with candy that was to be given out, his mother and sister came to pick him up. We wished him a good time Trick ’n Treating with his cousins.
Brian went to work carving his pumpkin, helped Heidi with hers and they set them outside with candles in them while I made grilled cheese sandwiches. Dave came home just as the kids and I were leaving to walk through the neighborhood. He said he’d take care of passing out candy while we were gone. Brian dressed as a cowboy and Heidi wore a cute little clown costume. The moonlight helped us find our way as we went from house to house in the clear, cool night, greeting friends and neighbors in all their various costumes. Candles flickered in each yard showing the creative carvings of Jack-O-Lanterns that glowed in the dark. Strobe lights showed ghosts and skeletons swaying in the night along with spiders and bats which caused Heidi to grab onto the long black cape I had on. As we turned a corner, a gust of wind came up and a streetlight went out. The kids looked up at me; I knew they wanted to go home.
Dave was happy to see us and there was still some candy in the bowl if more kids came. Brian and Heidi got ready for bed and asked for candy. I let them each pick two pieces out of their bags which they ate while they watched television. Dave and I were in the kitchen talking when we heard a knock at the door. I grabbed the bowl of candy and went to the door. The outside light had gone out and it was so dark out I could hardly see through the kitchen door window. I pressed my forehead up against the window and saw two little faces peering in at me, one with a mask on. I wanted to get them inside as it was getting cold out, so I opened the door to let them in. The three of us stood looking at each other as I was trying to figure out who they were. The taller one was grinning and the smaller of the two pulled off a mask and yelled “Trick or Treat!” Dave, Brian and Heidi came out to the kitchen. Brian and Heidi started grinning when they saw them. Dave did a double take and scooped them into his arms.
It was the best Halloween surprise we could have gotten. Davey’s costume depicted a superhero (I forget who) and Donna made a mustache she stuck on that looked very real and was dressed in Dave’s Sailor hat and shirt he had worn in the Navy. Seeing Davey and Donna in Dave’s arms and the smile on his face said it all. I’m also very happy to say that the Halloween nights after this one brought us many good memories. Donna and Davey are now grown with families of their own. Including my own two kids, Donna and Dave are also two of the best friends I have.

Halifax is fortunate to have the bucolic 70 acre Peterson Swamp Wildlife Management Area.  Public access is along the southern side of Aldana Road.  Parts of the swamp extend to Route 36 and a tiny sliver reaches Route 106. Plenty of parking can be found about a ¼ of a mile away at the Town of Halifax parking lot at the corner of Oak Street and Aldana Road.
On Sept. 14, the Halifax Beautification Committee led its 2nd walk through Peterson Wildlife Management Area this year.  The first walk was on Jan. 1, 2025 with about 30 people and 2 canines.  The two walks contrasted mostly due to mild drought conditions that the area is currently experiencing.  For much of the year, a large portion of the swamp is underwater.
On the September walk, seven Halifax residents walked along a portion of the aqueduct that extends from East Monponsett to Silver Lake. The aqueduct was built during the 1960’s to divert water from West Monponsett to Silver Lake for the purpose of supplying some of the water needs  of the City of Brockton. The aqueduct runs from near the boat ramp on East Monponsett through Peterson Swamp and comes out on Silver Lake in Plympton not far from the border of Halifax.
Hunting is allowed at Peterson Swamp WMA so hikers should wear bright clothes during hunting season. Ticks and mosquitoes may be present.
The Halifax Beautification Committee plans to hold a 2nd annual First Day Hike on Jan. 1. Details are yet to be planned.
The Halifax Beautification Committee will hold its Fall Clean-Up Oct. 4 from 9-4 and Oct. 5 from 1-4. Litter -busting supplies will be available during those times by the front steps of the Halifax Town Hall. Come try out a new litter grabber donated to HBC by Jill Ripley of eXp Realty or grab a slice of yummy pizza at noon on the 4th donated by Cape Cod Cafe.
For further information on Halifax Beautification Committee’s activities please e-mail beautification@halifax-ma.org or attend a meeting which are on the 2nd Wednesdays of the month at 5:15 p.m. in the 2nd floor kitchen of the Halifax Town Hall.

Stephani Teran
Express staff
The Fourth Annual Plympton Flower Show took place on Sunday, Sept. 7 on the Plympton Town Green. It was a wonderful day -even with the much needed rain, and many gardeners, green thumbs, and floral lovers showed up with stunning entries! From show-stopping specimen Dahlias to carefully crafted terrariums complete with tiny figurines and scenes made entirely of woodland materials, the Plympton Flower Show was full to the brim with beautiful creations made by contestants from surrounding towns.
In addition to floral, produce, and craft entries on display, Plympton Old Time Jams provided the perfect music for the afternoon, Just the Dip food truck kept everyone fed with delicious food, and Detterman Farm offered stunning flowers and floral creations for sale -all made with harvests grown just down the street on their magical farm. A special thanks to our three judges and experts in their fields, George Stanchfield, Jane Schulze, and Mike Jardin for offering their time, consideration, and wisdom to the show. We are also grateful to Mike Slawson of the Plympton Public Library for hosting the dried floral art workshop for our younger contestants to work on their entries. In addition, we are immensely grateful for our fellow Plympton Garden Club members and family and friends who show up every year and work hard to make sure the event runs smoothly.
I would also like to personally thank Gabby Falconieri and her husband, Tim. Gabby has been the driving force behind this flower show the last four years and it would not be what it is today without her freely offered time, efforts, ideas, guidance, and support. Lastly, we would like to thank all of our contestants for entering and for taking the time to nurture things all growing season long and then arrange and showcase them for the community at our show. We truly could not have a show without you! Until next year, best wishes for the last weeks of the growing season and we look forward to starting things up again in the spring!
Congratulations to the winners for the 2025 Plympton Flower Show!

WINNERS 2025

Single Variety Arrangement
1st: Meg McSweeney Martin
2nd: Heidi Creighton
3rd: Rebecca Hudson
360 arrangement
1st:Emily Sharland
2nd: Rebecca Hudson
3rd: Rose
One Faced Arrangement
1st: Rebecca Hudson
2nd: Meaghan Weymouth
3rd: David Alberti
Natives Arrangement
1st: Brian McGinn
2nd: Rebecca Hudson
3rd: Patricia Pflaumer
Herbs Arrangement
1st: Meg McSweeney Martin
Dahlia:
Decorative Informal
1st: Rebecca Hudson
2nd: Justine Muir
3rd: Heidi Creightin
Decorative Formal
1st: Justine Muir
2nd: Meaghan Weymouth
3rd: Gabby Falconieri
Dinner Plates
1st: Justine Muir
2nd: Kelly Macdonald Weeks
3rd: Heidi Creighton
PomPom:
1st: Gabby Falconieri
Cactus
1st: Ed McSweeney
2nd: Meaghan Weymouth
3rd: Justine Muir
Ball
1st: Meaghan Weymouth
2nd: Kelly Macdonald Weeks
3rd: Becky Hane
Zinnia
1st: Holly Swain
2nd: Adriana Lafave
3rd: Gina Richmond
Rose
1st: Leslie Gomes
2nd: Holly Swain
Sunflowers
1st: Kelly McDonald Weeks
2nd: Dave Alberti
3rd: Vicki Alberti
Cosmo
1st: Little Rivers Flower Farm
2nd: Leslie Gomes
Natives
1st: Meg McSweeney Martin
2nd: Vicki Alberti
Produce:
Garlic
1st: Dave Alberti
2nd: Ed McSweeney
Pepper
1st: Heather Sandra
Squash
1st: Lesie Gomes
2nd: Holly Swain
Pumpkin
1st: Tracy Delpozzo
Herbs
1st: Meg Mcsweeney Martin
2nd: Leslie Gomes
3rd: Vicki Alberti
Future Gardeners:
Floral Arrangement
1st: Charlotte Weymouth
2nd: Josie Brickley
3rd: Max Noberts
Terrarium
1st: Charlotte Weymouth
2nd: Jaxson Weymouth
Sunflower
1st: Ellis Gilmore
2nd:Thad Gilmore
Gourds
1st: TJ Delpozzo
2nd: Lizzie Delpozzo
3rd: Ellis Gilmore
Pepper
1st: TJ Delpozzo
Dried Flower Art
1st: Ronan Teran
2nd: Hazel Falconieri
3rd: Alice
Best in Shows
Overwhelmingly the Judges favorites were both terrariums by
Charlotte and Jaxson Weymouth
People’s Choice:
Meg McSweeney Martin, Single Variety Arrangement

What if you were told you could acquire a priceless collection? This would not be a collection of things like coins, cards, or antiques, but a collection of human abilities and ideas from some of the brightest local people in your community that evoke, inspire, and motivate. This collection would be compiled in a beautiful package and delivered to your mailbox or door. Anyone would likely be thrilled at such a prospect but this is the reality of anyone who obtains an issue of Artypants Magazine.
Founder and Editorial Director, Maryann Gibbons, is a lot like her magazine -a creative powerhouse with a varied, meaningful collection of experiences and stories gathered into one person. In addition to her position with the magazine, Gibbons is a Marketing Director for a biotech company, but she started as a social worker for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. “The career of case management and triage required me to don many hats -too many hats. I found myself burned out,” Gibbons explains. In an attempt to remedy her exhaustion and facilitate healing Gibbon’s turned to plants.
Never one short on entrepreneurial spirit, Gibbons turned her adoration for plants, specifically houseplants, into a business. When she wasn’t busy establishing a 501c3 to found the Kingston Farmers Market, she focused on building her dream shop. “I was learning about merchandising, mailing lists, clients, and anything to do with running a small business in addition to learning and sharing about plants,” says Gibbons. Named after her two daughters frequently featured hairstyles shared alongside plants on her Instagram account, Plants and Ponytails was established.
Gibbons nurtured a growing following and had success at the Kingston Farmers Market which gave way to two pop up shops -one in the Derby Street Shops in Hingham. With her expertise in plants meeting the fine art of pottery, Gibbons developed a unique aesthetic and her business gained enough momentum to establish a brick-and-mortar shop in Merchants Row in Hanover. In the wake of Covid, however, Gibbons decided to close Plants and Ponytails. What could have been viewed as a defeat was seen by Gibbons as a crucial stepping stone in embarking on her next creative adventure. Plants and Ponytails was not merely a plant shop, it was a thriving community. Gibbons reflects, “I found the checkout register became a special place -a place where people opened up to me about their ideas and visions. It almost felt like a confessional for creative minds to share and connect. I kept in touch with many of these people and vital, meaningful connections were made.” Plants and Ponytails planted the seed and energy and community grew -eventually becoming the foundation on which Gibbons would build her next dream.
While waiting at a Cambridge café for her coffee, Gibbons looked around and noticed everyone on their phones. “I looked around and wished I had seen people reading something tangible, Gibbons recalls, “and I realized it would need to be bright yellow to distract them from their phones.” She then thought of paper dolls and their cut-out pants and how anyone could “put on their arty pants” and create -thus the name Artypants came about. This coffee shop “aha!” moment immediately gained traction and Gibbons contacted Portland designer, Chandlyr Kay, who previously collaborated with Gibbons for Plants and Ponytails by making yellow banana pots for plants. Gibbons knew Kay’s style would be the perfect, funky, editorial vibe she wanted for the magazine so she brought her on as Brand Director.
With a design and purpose firmly established Gibbons began the process of turning an idea into a physical product. “I went to Webster Printing in Hanson and got samples of paper,” says Gibbons, “I wanted to feel the weight and texture of it. I went home, blindfolded my family at dinner, and asked what papers they felt and liked the best.” Once uniquely sturdy paper was selected Gibbons decided to use what is called “perfect binding” rather than “saddle stitch” binding. Although the widely used saddle stitch is ideal for print and magazines to lay flat, perfect binding is a better option for longer, durable products that have a more permanent purpose. This was an intentional choice as Gibbons wanted Artypants to be a collected and treasured item much like a beloved book rather than a magazine that heads to the recycling bin after reading. “It would feel like throwing away a book. I wanted Artypants to invite the reader back for more after the initial read.” The final design resulted in a striking 7×10, 48pp print project in a bright yellow jacket, inspired by magazine stacks of the past, that felt more paperback book than mass produced magazine. Inside featured the very first collection of artists and creatives sharing their passion and brilliance in what Gibbons describes as, “A paper portal that transports your mind, senses, and spirit to a place your soul already knows.”
Now that Artypants was taking shape, Gibbons needed content. Luckily, the community of artists she discovered through Plants and Ponytails, as well as her increasing interest and involvement in local art shows and galleries, provided the ideal curation of like-minded individuals to initiate the mission of the magazine: Highlighting New England creatives. One of the biggest challenges with the first issue of Artypants was not the creation of content or the design and printing process. “The trick was in convincing people it was a real magazine -a real product to be bought,” Gibbons explains, “I had no physical proof yet so people were buying my idea and trusting that I would compensate their trust with something real.” Gibbons persevered and through her virtual collaboration and partnership with Kay, as well as her innate ability to find solutions and connect, she was able to promote Artypants enough to print the first issue, “Artypants 01” in November of 2023. As is common in the world of local print, the process and work do not stop even for a moment. Gibbons and Kay got to work on a second issue titled, “Summer Places” that was released in June of 2024. For this issue, however, Gibbons did not have to recruit all the contributors. This time she had artists and creatives approach her to be included in the magazine.
With the second issue Gibbons wanted to provide an opportunity for contributors to connect in person, so she created a speed networking event where instead of meeting someone for a few minutes as a date, they were artists meeting to exchange ideas and information with each other. “Artists often create in solitude and I wanted to give them a chance to share their ideas with other artists,” says Gibbons. Gibbons is not only committed to keeping artists connected, she is committed to supporting them and assisting in any way she can to help them make a living from what they do. Gibbons recently collaborated with Frame Center to provide a showcase for contributors featured in the third issue of Artypants, “Labyrinth”. “The artists got 80% of the profit if their art sold at the show,” says Gibbons. With many artists having to dedicate most of their time and energy to jobs or careers that do not allow them to work in their art form, Gibbons wants to provide a chance for them to spend more time creating. “I want to help put gas in their tanks,” Gibbons states, “It is amazing to know what a difference you can make for an artist in purchasing even just one of their pieces. Not only are you validating their expression, you are possibly paying their rent for the month.”
With Gibbons and Kay’s released third issue of Artypants they found they had more creative content offered up than they could include in one issue. “We actually had to turn some people away until a later time because we did not have room,” says Gibbons. With 41 contributing artists in “Labyrinth” and the support of 19 partnerships and wholesale businesses, Artypants is well on its way to becoming what Gibbons hopes will spread past the South Shore to become a multi-regional, New England magazine with each region having their own Artypants featuring their specific community creatives and artists. Gibbons is learning to navigate all that is required to make this a reality. “I find about 70% of my time is spent working to get the cost of publishing and distributing Artypants covered.” Gibbons, however, is up to the challenge. “I hope to democratize art – to take away the snootiness of it and help people realize that art is for everyone. I want to reinvigorate print, amplify creatives, and inspire creativity in the readers.” With Gibbons as the curator for Artypants, creativity on the South Shore is in good and capable hands and it will be a privilege to see the local beauty and authenticity she collects and shares with all of us along the way.
For more information on how to apply to be featured in Artypants Magazine is to join our newsletter, to know when submissions are open and what the next theme will be. Artypants also needs writers and photographers. Please email hello@artypantsmagazine.com for subscription information.