With the utmost gratitude, this letter greets you. Gratitude from us to you for welcoming the Troubadour into your home over these past six months. When we re-launched this publication last September, we felt there was a need to tell uplifting, positive and genuinely good stories focusing on life, and the lives of those, in New Hampshire. And, you agree with us.

Reader response to “our wonderful little magazine”—as many of you refer to the Troubadour, has been tremendous. Thousands of you have asked to join our permanent mailing list. You have emailed us, sent us letters or cards, telephoned, submitted your poetry, photos and more. You have shared with us kind words of thanks for putting the Troubadour together.

This issue we have decided to combine our final two winter months and expand our content in order to showcase more of your original submissions. This means six pages of “Your Troubadour” (pgs. 16-21) where we introduce five new and exciting contributors.

We also extend a handshake and a welcome to Ron Roberts whose “LABOR and LOVE” (pg. 15) will be our newest feature. Not only has Ron given us his unique blend of photography and poetry, but he also brought along his pal Mark Stevens to meet us. Mark’s pretty talented in his own right—look no further than this month’s back cover photo for proof!

Lastly, we invite all 4th grade students statewide to embrace our Troubadour Poetry Challenge (pg. 4), and vie for a place in our school-year ending June issue. Yes, we are looking ahead, but we are also jumping up and down in the present, because it seems you are having as much fun with the Troubadour as we are.