Attended lots of local lectures: Google Suite, Hiking Trail and an Architectural Dig

We love going to local lectures and learning about new things from local places to books,technology, climate and archaeology. In today's blog, you'l learn about Google Suite, a local hiking spot and an archaeological dig - all of which we attended lectures about over the last 2 months! 

(Patrick from the local library explains the different components of Google Suite) 

1) Google Suite Training!  - We've worked with many of the items, especially the Calendar, Google Meet Video (which has no time limit like Zoom), Google Photos and Google Maps. Patrick, who is the circulation manager of our local library put on an informative presentation about how the components of Google Suite works.

TRAINING VIDEO ON "WHAT IS GOOGLE SUITE"? VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/x5eiVDYyU4M?si=p9fY12t8TtX-ORz- WHAT IS GOOGLE SUITE? (commonly known as G Suite and rebranded as Google Workspace) It is a collection of cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools developed by Google. It bundles professional versions of Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, and Meet, designed for businesses, education, and organizations to work together seamlessly with custom domains   

(Sign at the entrance of the trail about the Pilated Woodpecker, which species is active in the entire region of southwestern Maine). 

2) Penny Pond Hiking Trail, Berwick - The town recently received a grant to construct a wooden platform that would enable people with disabilities to enjoy part of the Penny Pond Trail in Berwick, Maine. The platform and ramps were constructed in the summer of 2025, and will continue in 2026. The 4 foot wide wooden boardwalk will extend into the woods to a picnic area. The rest of the trail will only be a dirt trail and proceeds into the town center. 

ABOUT THE POND TRAIL -  This conserved area of about 20 acres is surrounded by Sullivan Street, Old Pine Hill Road, Logan Street, and Dobson Road. It is accessed by parking at the library and walking a short distance down Sullivan Street to the marked trail opening. About a half mile of walking trails have been established, with split-log walkways through wet areas and interpretive signs along the path. The improved trail was dedicated in 2014. Penny Pond itself, is a small, shallow pond sometimes used for ice skating.  

3) York, Maine Archaeological Site -  Since 2021 there has been an archaeological dig happening, and we learned about the dig, saw some of the artifacts uncovered, and learned the history.   

      Woodstone at York Village is located on the site of one of the earliest and most historic homesteads in York, Maine.

    Abraham Preble and Judith Tilden immigrated with their respective families from Kent, England to Scituate, Massachusetts in the 1630s. In 1639 they married, and three years later, the couple and three other Scituate families moved to York, buying land next to each other on what would be called “Scituate Men’s Row,” which is present-day York Street. At the time York was known as “Gorgeanna,” a small frontier community that had served as the capital of the fledgling Province of Maine from the time its first English settlers arrived in 1631.