JOE'S POND REFLECTIONS

It was a black and sultry night. Not a breath of air was stirring. The lake's surface was as flat as glass. The first starburst lit up the sky in a wild and sizzling display of crimson and white. The water mirrored an exact duplicate, doubling the visual thrill . . . the Independence Day celebration had begun.

How do you remember the Fourth of July at the lake? Barbeques, sparklers, boat parades around the lake? What about the day after when the nasty procession of scorched cardboard and plastic remains wash up on the lakeshore, not to mention how the noise has affected the loons!

Fireworks are big business in the USA. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the value of fireworks imported from China in 2003 was $163.1 million, representing the bulk of fireworks imports to this country. In 2003, the U.S. consumed 220.8 million pounds of fireworks. Fireworks consist of a wide range of products with a highly variable composition. Although the available safety and environmental effect data on fireworks are often incomplete, issues with fireworks usually fall into the categories of noise, accidents, property damage and pollution.

Noise
Complaints of noise caused by fireworks are common around lakes in the beginning of July. The sounds of fireworks going off at all hours of the day and night can be more than just an annoyance. The blast can terrify pets and wild animals alike, causing them to hide or be overcome with physical effects such as trembling. The noise from exploding fireworks can top 130 decibels (dB). According to acoustic health specialists, exposures to 105 dB for one hour can cause hearing damage. The typical lake environment has noise levels from 30 dB to 50 dB.

Accidents and Property Damage
Fireworks are dangerous. They can cause burns, loss of limbs and sometimes death. They are extremely hot - sparklers can burn at temperatures of over 1800 degrees. On average, annually about 9,000 people are injured severely enough by fireworks to require hospital treatment. Forty-five percent of those injuries occur to children younger than 15 years old. Annually, fireworks cause over 30,000 fires nationwide, resulting in millions of dollars of property damage.

Pollution
Some researchers believe heavy metal fallout from exploding fireworks poses a threat to the environment and us. Currently toxicological studies on the effects of fireworks on the environment are limited and vary in results. The solid reaction products that give us the pretty colors and special effects include a nasty bunch of chemical additives. The unknown factor is the concentrations needed to cause a problem. Fireworks are often propelled by charges of black powder (which contain carcinogenic sulfur-coal compounds). Ammonium perchlorate, which can cause problems with the human thyroid gland, is another ingredient used in fireworks and is not a good thing to find in our water. Ammonium perchlorate has been found in ground and surface water in California, Nevada, Utah and West Virginia. White phosphorus is another toxic substance used in fireworks. Its residue can persist in aquatic environments and has caused die-offs of fish and waterfowl.

Fireworks contain a number of other toxic metals that are used to create a range of colors. Strontium produces blazing reds; copper compounds burn blue; magnesium, titanium and aluminum create brilliant white sparks. Sodium chloride generates orange-yellow fire; boric acid burns green; potassium and rubidium compounds produce purples and burning lithium glows red. Glittering greens are produced by radioactive barium. These ingrediends drift on the winds and settle into our water and soils.

During the Stockholm Water Festival in 1996, air pollutant levels were measured before and after the fireworks display. Levels of airborne arsenic were found to be twice as much as normal, while levels of mercury, cadmium, lead, copper, zinc and chromium were as high as 500 times above normal. Concern about these effects on their waters and people caused organizers to switch to a more environmentally-friendly laser light show.

Like so many other activities that we enjoy, watching fireworks comes at a price. Some of those costs, such as the noise and cardboard waste, are immediate and visible. Others, such as the carcinogenic chemicals let loose to contribute to the pollution of our soil, water and air, are not visible and often not thought about. Celebrating this independence Day can be more enjoyable for everyone if we are all respectful of our neighbors and wildlife, cautious in how we use fireworks and concerned with the potential impact they may have.

Right now it looks as if the weather is going to cooperate and give us a clear evening on Saturday. The fireworks will be set off from the same location as the last two years - at the north end of the pond, behind the big island. Please remember, if you're going to watch from your boat, DO NOT venture past the island. Any point beyond the big island is too dangerous because of falling debris. Remember also to be properly lighted. Whether your boat is motorized or paddle-powered, you should have proper life preservers and running lights or a flashlight or some other light that you can show so other boats will not run into you.

Please also remember that if you have guests, have them park so they do not block the road. If there should be an emergency, it is important that emergency vehicles can navigate along the narrow roads around the pond. If you are planning to observe the fireworks from one of the hills surrounding the pond, please leave enough room for vehicles to pass.

Each year many people work hard to raise enough money to make the fireworks possible. Please enjoy the evening safely. Drive carefully, whether on land or "sea".

(Photo by JPA member, Jason Randall)

Smith's Point barrel has broken loose and is now at the Island. We'll get it when it gets calmer. Winds are from the south about 20 mph producing large waves and an increased water level on the Big Pond and water area to the north. We received 4+ inches of rain and Green Mountain Power was out yesterday and today checking the dam. The Dam currently is releasing water at the maximum rate therefore level should begin to decrease. When I spoke with GMP they said maximum water amount will continue to be released until normal pond level is attained.Please be careful boating so as to prevent waves on shore and upset camper's docks.

I received the following e-mail from Bob Sargent, a member of the family group that has owned Indian Joe's Island ( the small one) at Joe's Pond for many years - (Click on photo to enlarge image.)

Tom Dente, president of the Joe's Pond Association, sent out this notice tonight:

Here are the phone numbers for contacting committee members to get your copy of the Joe's Pond Cookbook:

The long-awaited Joe's Pond Cookbook is here and available from the cookbook committee members. To order your copy, contact any of the following: Sue Bouchard, Pam Hebert, Patty Rubalcaba, Camilla Dente, Cindy Rouleau or Evelyn Richer.

You'll find this book a fascinating combination of great recipes from Joe's Ponders and friends, wonderful old and new photographs, bits of history and enchanting drawings and quotes. The many hours of work by all who were involved make this a cherished treasure.

The books are $20, and at least for now are only available through committee members. You'll find phone numbers in the Joe's Pond Association Directory, which can be accessed (and printed) from the home page of this web site.

There will be a dedication and formal unveiling of the new plaque honoring the men and women from Cabot who served in Korea and Vietnam. Dedication services will begin at 2 p.m. at the memorial in front of Willey Hall on Main Street in Cabot. There will be refreshments and socalizing in the Willey Hall after the dedication.

Frank L. "Larry" Thompson, CWO USN Ret., Sgt. Brian Houghton, Erma Perry, Myra Houston, Bill Walters and Walter Celley, all of Cabot, worked for over two years to research and document the names of those who served from Cabot. There are 28 Korean era veterans and 49 Vietnam era veterans on the new honor roll which is attached to the existing WWI and WWII Memorial. (Photo by Bill Walters)

There will be an honor guard, patriotic music and speakers to celebrate the completion of the memorial and to thank those who, with donations of money or their time, made this project happen.

Mark your calendar and come join with friends and neighbors in Cabot and surrounding towns as we celebrate and honor those men and women who have served their country. I'll see you there!

The apple blossoms on my regular apple tree and the crab apple are gone by, and the blooms on the ornamentals are fading rapidly, but what a display I had this year.

The wind and rain yesterday whipped lots of the petals off, but I was out before the storm taking pictures and enjoying the sweet smell of the blossoms.

I'm waiting for my peonies to bloom and the iris; there should be a good display of lupiens, especially along the roadside where Fred reluctantly goes along with me and doesn't mow there until they've gone by.

I haven't dared put out things like geraniums in my planters yet; Harry Chandler, owner of Chandler's Greenhouses in St. Johnsbury years ago told me "don't put anything outside until after June 10th". And he was right. More than once I've seen the thermometer drop to levels were tender plants would be killed. I was going to wait another week to get planters out, but the unusually warm weather this year has given me the courage to get them out now. I see how the lilies-of-the-valley have taken over from the daffodils, and the bleeding heart and pansies are doing well, and my old lilac bush is ready to bloom. All seems right this spring.

I know the folks in Danville got their property appraisal change notice in the mail this week. Oddly enough, today I had an e-mail from a reporter on The Wall Street Journal asking me if I could tell her of any people here at Joe's Pond who, because of high taxes, have had to give up their treasured vacation homes. I don't think that has happened . . . not yet, anyway, so I told her I really couldn't help her. I hope I'm not wrong about that, but if you know someone in that situation, perhaps they'd like to contact the reporter, Elizabeth.Bernstein@wsj.com.