Joe, Jerry, me (Janet) and Joni.  Jeff and Jon came shortly

    I grew up in Greenville, Maine, on Franklin Place.  It's on your right just beyond the overpass, coming into town.  I had 4 brothers and a sister, at one time we were all under 10 years old.  Needless to say, we spent a lot of time outside playing, whatever time of year it was.

Winter play was enjoyed by all: tunnel digging, sliding, and skating.  There was a pond not far away, all the neighborhood kids kept it shoveled off, and some wild games of "crack the whip" resulted in crashes and tears.  But you didn't go home complaining, you might be told to just stay home.

When we got older, Squaw Mtn. Ski Area opened, and whoever wanted could go up and give that a try.  I got knocked in the head a few times, trying to learn how to use the t-bar.  But I mastered it!  Snowmobiles became a family activity, our family had one.  I remember one family trip into our camp at Soldiertown, my father snowmobiled in to break the trail, we trudged along as he came back to pick us up one by one.  Being the second oldest, I never did get picked up, and walked in the whole 4 miles.  A beautiful walk, a winter wonderland.

Our Family Snowmobile

    My friend across the way, had a really cool sled.  It had a double track, and one ski, it was like driving a tractor.  If we got it stuck, we just walked home.  I think that only happened a couple of times before her father just didn't let us take it anymore.

We never went on Moosehead Lake in the winter, it wasn't even considered an option. The lakes and rivers were thought of as highways to move wood.  My father went through the ice once while he was working for Scott Paper, that story was enough to keep us away.

Winter Roads on the Lake

    Both of my parents grew up in the area, my father on the East side of the lake, Kokadjo and Greenville,  my mother on the West side in Rockwood. My kids all grew up here too, skating, skiing, snowmobiling, sliding and digging tunnels.  We had a lot of fun.

My Grandparents Jim and Vi Richards, with kids Jimmy, Jerry (my father) and Nancy, in Kokadjo

My Mother Virginia (tallest) with siblings Mona, Cora, Paul and Lorene in Rockwood

    But there's more than snow here in the winter, you realize as you get older.  There's a struggle, to maintain and heat a home, and keep steady enough work to do that.  The year round dependable jobs with the paper companies are all but gone.  The plywood mill is long gone.  We're lucky to hang onto our school and hospital in Greenville, they provide some steady jobs.   Many people survive on seasonal jobs, piecing together what they can.  

And that's where Moosehead Marketplace comes in.  My idea is to help smooth out the seasonality of income for those who wish to let me sell their things, online, out onto the world wide web.  The producers range from those who have built kitchens or areas for manufacturing, to others who are sitting in their living room knitting.  Some are actually making money at what they are making, Others are selling a labor of love only.  Hopefully we'll all grow from this experience, and help some to prosper.

Moosehead Marketplace is almost 2 years old, and although I get my first social security check in a month, I will keep giving this a try for a while, hoping it will support itself.  I certainly have worked many hours before without much financial reward, I ran a non profit daycare for 40 kids here in Greenville for years!  I love my 160 year old home, and having a business in it helps keep it going.

Keep in touch, I love getting emails from customers!  Thank you, Janet Richards Chasse