E-Mail hoaxes -
This morning I received a "forward" type e-mail with an exceptionally long list of people who, in turn, had received it and forwarded it. It promised money if I would forward to people on my e-mail list. I normally trash "forwards" immediately, but this one had such an unusually long string of "believers" I wanted to see what it was all about. It was that Microsoft would send you a check if you forwarded the e-mail. Of course they will. So I immediately forwarded it to my Recycle Bin.

I was curious, though, and went to www.truthorfiction.com, but I didn't find anything about that particular forward. However, they do have this to say:

There has also been a rash of emails that promise goods or money for yourself or others in return for you forwarding the email to your friends. Some of them claim that a wealthy individual or a major corporation has promised to donate a certain amount of money for each forwarded email to a worthy cause such as a child's surgery. Others claim major corporations will pay you for forwarding the email and in a few days, you'll receive a large check or some valuable product in the mail. Those are hoaxes. At the present time, there is no practical way for a corporation to keep track of the pathways of tens of thousands of forwarded emails.

That's good enough for me.

Here's something a bit more mundane - a rig that is reported to decompose all your household garbage, including meat, fish and bones, without odor or risk of animal invasion from critters. You simply bury part of it in the ground, maybe in your flower bed or someplace convenient to get to, and it's maintenance-free! Dump in your table scraps (they say grass clippings, too) and keep the cover on - it's all reduced to practically nothing by the microbes and insects in the ground. It doesn't make compost - the "nutrients" (make that decomposed matter) aare deposited directly into the ground, leaving only a small residue at the bottom of the cone.

Fred saw one of these green cones at recycling in Hardwick today and brought home the sheet that describes it and the order blank. If you want to know more about them, contact dsauer@zwinc.org - that's Zero Waste, Inc., or phone 802-472-5424. There is also composting information by Central Vermont Solid Waste at www.cvswmd.org/resident_services/composting.html

We both like to take care of all our "errands" on one trip whenever possible so we don't have to go somewhere every day, so after Fred did the recycling, he drove down to the Frye's Quarry looking for wood. There has been a sign by the road indicating firewood for sale and he wanted to check it out. They no longer have wood for sale, but he got some nice pictures of the quarry pond. Then, on the way back, he stopped to pick up JPA mail and took a picture of Diane - smiling and pleasant as usual, even in the face of having her picture taken. The store and post office are quieter now, summer residents and tourists are mostly gone.

Gone, too, is the foliage except for a few poplars and tamaracks showing yellow hues on the hillsides, but even those are fast losing their color. It's a very nice day today, though, and we expect temperatures in the 60's. Happy Halloween!!

Sorry about neglecting the blog for the past couple of days - real life gets in the way of fun stuff sometimes, even for us retired folks. We put our time away to good use, though. No, we weren't out taking moon pictures, although it was a temptation. Saturday was a work day around here, of sorts. I have a project I'm working on with the computer and things didn't go well with that; it spilled over into Sunday - very frustrating. But on Sunday afternoon we were invited to Helen Morrison's to visit the stray kitty, "Tux" and her other lovely cats. Tux is very content and has turned out to be a very nice pet except Helen says he really wants to be top cat, so she has organized the house so he has his own apartment while the other kitties enjoy the main household. Helen plans to spend one-on-one time with him every day, so things are running smoothly. Helen said if the right home for him came along, she would consider letting someone adopt him - he's an indoor, one-person animal. Unfortunately, we didn't get a picture of him. We'll have to do that another time.

While we were at Helen's, Fred took a picture of her view over the pond. It's spectacular. Then, as we watched, a snow squall came down the lake and he was able to capture that, too. The snow didn't stick to the ground, but all weekend was raw and chilly. Like late October!

Yesterday we went to St. Johnsbury. I went to Optical Expressions to have my yearly checkup, and Fred roamed the mall. Things have been slow there recently, but now J.C.Penney has moved to the south end of the mall and Sears, Olympia Sports, Payless, etc. are all looking good. Fred got a few pictures - later on there will be vendors set up in the walkway, and crowds of people. The new Penneys is a very nice store - comparable to any we've seen, even in the much bigger malls. And Optical Expressions has expanded - they have more personnel, more space, and judging by what I saw yesterday, more clients than ever before. Thats Amanda and Curt, two J.C.Penney employees - they are very proud of the new store.

I have a reminder about the dinner being served at Cabot on Friday - Nov. 9. I'm told each of these dinners has been delicious - well worth making plans to either attend or order take-out.

Cabot Gourmet Buffet ---

Third annual New Traditions Community Supper --- Prepared by Chef David Hale and students of New England Culinary Institute. Buffet includes cider braised pork, gourmet salads and many other culinary delights. Servings - 5, 6:15 and 7:30 pm. Tickets: Adults, $12; Senior citizens $10; Children 12 or under $ 6. Reservations necessary-- 426-3281. Proceeds benefit United Church of Cabot.

I caught the moon coming over the hills across the pond tonight - but it was only a little while before it was obscured by cloud cover. I guess we're in for a stretch of wet (and colder) weather.

Fred has a new link on the web site under "Recent Stories." He titled it "Unique Solar System in Plainfield" but when I went in I was surprised to see it is apparently the on-line edition of the Washington Electric Co-Op Currents. Interesting story, though. We've been interested in alternative power for some time - we have investigated wind power, but apparently our location is border-line for good wind (we should have had them test it in February or March!) and startup costs are really high. Personally, I like the idea of solar. There's a guy I went to school with in Cabot years ago who lives on the Rt. 2 side of Whittier Hill, on Thistle Hill Road, who has had solar power for a long time. I'm not sure how efficient it is, but when I saw his setup back in 1999 (I interviewed him for the Cabot Oral History book), the basement of his house had banks of really big storage batteries lined up. I didn't get into the details of his solar power then - that would have taken way too long and he had more important information I needed for the book. But I was interested in the fact he was off the grid and had been for some time.

I guess everyone knows Daylight Savings time is right around the corner - a week later than usual this year. I'm not sure how much of anything that will save - or maybe that wasn't the intent of making the change later. I'd just as soon not have to change the clocks and adjust my sleeping and waking habits; either way we still have the same hours of daylight and darkness to deal with.

Did you know that Cabot produced a math genius back in the early 1800's? His name was Zerah Colburn, born in 1804. His family lived on a farm on what we now call Danville Hill Road. Back then it was known as "the Peacham road." When his father realized his son had this special talent to solve math problems, he took him to several large cities here and eventually to Europe, exhibiting him to anyone who had an interest from the the time Zerah was six until his father died when Zerah was about 18. Zerah returned to Cabot and later wrote his memoirs, published in 1833. We recently had a copy of his book donated to the Historical Society. It was in quite fragile condition and I have just finished repairing it. It will probably be on display next summer when the Cabot Historical Society is open again. The strange powers Zerah Colburn had as a child diminished as he grew older, and in order to support his family, he opened a school in Cabot. That lasted only a short time until he was offered a position teaching French in Burlington. He later taught languages at Dartmouth until his death in 1840. Zerah actually had no formal education until he was taken to Europe by his father. Eventually, through the kindness and generosity of some gentlemen in England, he became educated. He wrote in his memoirs that except for mathematics, he was not an exceptional student. If you are interested, you can Google Zerah - there's some information about him on the web.

Great moon out tonight!

We missed seeing the moon coming up over the hills east of Rt. 15, but Fred caught it a little later. I wanted to see what it would look like with lots of zoom - not spectacular, but nevertheless, nice. Without a lot of zoom, you can see the hillside and the lights just beginning to twinkle in the houses. Cold night, and perhaps we'll have a little frost again. There's been a little white off and on this week, and more cold nights in the forecast.

I had an e-mail from Cherese Mason with her new "menu" of doggie biscuits. I'll share it with you.

Tucker & Wyatt’s Gourmet Biscuits

* MENU *

We use all natural, human grade ingredients. Our biscuits are hand mixed, rolled, and cut. Made in Vermont.

Flavors: $8.00 per half pound bag (traditional bone shape)

Vermont Cheddar & Bacon, Pumpkin Spice, Ginger Snap, Apple Cinnamon, Peanut Butter & Banana, Garlic & Egg, Oatmeal & Apple, and Milk Bone

Specialties: $12.00 per half pound bag

Yogurt Dipped, Carob Drizzle, Trainer Bites, Vermont Maple Syrup and Wheat Free. (specialties can be made in several shapes, or you can mix and match)

Shapes: bone, dog, puppy, hydrant, dog house, cat, holiday shapes, seasonal shapes, and more.

Sampler Platter $40.00 3 flavors on a Frisbee platter, gift wrapped in cellophane wrap with decorative bow.

We cater for all occasions…showers, birthdays, graduations, etc…

Order at Tuckerandwyattsgourmetbiscuits@verizon.net or call 802 476-0928

** FREE bag of shaped treats with your first order **

Cherese Mason, (Summer address: 68 Edgewood Ave., Joe's Pond).

Oh! What a Beautiful Morning!

Fred was up early this morning and took some pictures from our deck. He said it was "36 degrees and the geese were honking!" There you have it, straight from Joe's Pond this October Morn.

A NEW GUY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

A message from Evelyn Richer this morning:

This is a shot of our newest additions… some of you remember the arrival of our Alaskan Klee Kai, female, Nahanni this past January (shown here on the right)… she would like you to meet her beau Kenai. He is a rescue dog from Illinois. His life started out a bit rough. He was found to be unsuccessful as a breeding male, so he was returned from his home in California back to Illinois and put up for adoption (we think there is an issue of abuse as well, he is very timid and shy). The original breeder was very strict with her requirements for his new home. She had to find the perfect combination for him…and since we had to make a very tough decision with our Nahanni to have her spayed so that her heart murmur would not weaken this new breed’s bloodline, we seemed to be the best candidates for Kenai. He also had to be neutered as part of the deal… so they are very happy (and spoiled) pups living here on Joe’s…

And yes, they are really in a stroller!! We got the stroller to use like a traveling crate, they get to be up high to see everyone, and we can keep them hooked in for their safety. (We got it so we could take them to shows with us) We trained them for the stroller in the house going around in circles through each room on the first floor… and our other dog Abbey followed close behind… Ray got a kick out of watching us ‘parade’ past him! Nahanni liked it so much that when Kenai was in it alone she would get up in a chair and jump in as we passed her in the living room… Kenai used the stroller at Autumn on the Green craft fair in Danville this year and caused quite the traffic jam at our booth! (And no, you will not see Ray pushing the stroller!! J

We affectionately call them “The Kids” because they make us feel like we are raising twins!! Whew!! We even traveled with diaper bags for a while!!! Anyone stopping by the house to see all the toys scattered about would agree… we have two “toddlers” in the house!!

They both are full-grown at about 14” tall and weigh about 10-11 pounds each… they are the perfect lap dog and full of affection and love to travel. We couldn’t ask for more… we thought you’d like to meet them… As far as we know, there are only 2 of these Alaskan Klee Kai’s in Vermont, NH, and Maine… and these are the two!

Have Happy Holidays!! From Evelyn, Ray and “the kids”…

Another pretty nice day . . .

What is it that directs so many people to start conversations with a comment about the weather? Perhaps it's because we don't really have much of importance to say - and it's a good opener, I guess, although really pretty boring unless we're having a hurricane or mega snowstorm or rain is falling in buckets. I think we're just very fortunate here in Vermont right now that we don't have all that awful weather other states are getting. Could be our turn will come, I guess.

Anyway, Fred and I took Woody to the vets today for his annual checkup, and I went to the dentist's for my semi-annual checkup. We both passed with flying colors, and I must say, our cat did remarkably well on the trip. He was pretty nervous as was evidenced by his tail lashing back and forth as he crouched on the back seat or sat between us on the armrest. He meowed some, but only when the car gained a speed of about 50 m.p.h. He's just as accurate as the speedometer. 40-45 m.p.h. he's pretty content except when we got into town, and even at low speed there he seemed nervous about the traffic - so much to see for a country cat. West Shore Road has traffic, and usually it's pretty fast, but hardly ever bumper-to-bumper like in town.

Fred took some pictures. I thought this one looking east over Portland Street Bridge was nice. We had to wait for the paving guys going through Danville, so he got more pictures from the car.
They are doing the road through Danville Village after all - I was afraid they'd wait to do that and it would be awful all winter. After a stop in W. Danville, I was driving and noticed an antique car some distance behind us. We stopped at the W. Shore Road turn and Fred was able to get a couple of pictures - turned out it was Phil Rogers! Great car! He was moving right along, too, not holding up traffic at all. We thought you'd like to see it.

I had a note from Cherese Mason today. She said her doggie treats have really taken off. Here's some of her e-mail message:

I have sold over 300 bags [of doggie biscuits]. I have registered with the State and have started my business. I have business cards, I'm getting brochures and labels printed as we speak! and certainly will buy a spot in the newsletter. I am working on building a website too! I am selling my biscuits at local stores as well..... L.A.C.E. (the old Homer Fitts Store in Barre), Ladies Workout Express, a couple of convenience stores, and also to a doggie specialty shop in Falmouth, Mass and in Portland, Maine. I will be doing local farmers markets, and craft fairs etc., too . . . This is so much fun. I just can't believe the response and interest I have got from this! I have changed the biscuit menu a bit, and I'm doing gift baskets now too. I also do catering for doggie showers, birthdays, graduations or any doggie special occasion! I just worked out with my boss working part time instead of full time, so I can pursue my business. I am super busy and having a blast. Thanks again. I'll keep you posted. Hopefully the orders will continue to pile in! I am already taking Christmas orders! Only 57 days until Christmas! Cherese

It's really great she's doing well. Better get your Christmas order in soon! You'll see her business card on our web site and I'll be sure to get in touch with her in the spring when it's time for newsletter ads! Congratulations, Cherese!

Tom Dente sent me the following notice:

MONTPELIER — Ann W. Mureta, 96, of Chillicothe, Ohio, and formerly of Montpelier, died Friday, Oct. 19, 2007, in her home, unexpectedly.

She was born Nov. 14, 1910, in Peacham to Edward and Melvina Spinks Hamel. In 1936 she married Steve Mureta, who died in 1977.

Survivors include three children, Joseph Mureta and his wife Theresa, and Betty LeRoy, both of Montpelier, and Mary Parke of Chillicothe, Ohio; grandchildren Gary Mureta, Daniel Mureta, Brenda Mureta Aiken, Douglas Mureta, Michelle Parker and her husband David, Thomas Aldrich, Steven Parke and wife Stephanie, and Kristin Parks and her husband Neal; 10 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by four sisters, Agnes Demers, Lucille Spinks, Beatrice McManis and an infant; two brothers, Ralph and Edward Hamel; her mother, father and stepfather, Samuel Thurston and a granddaughter, Linda Aldrich.

Mrs. Mureta's family moved to Canada when she was 3, and back to the United States when she was 10. She was educated in both Canadian and American schools. She loved to play bingo, cards, to knit and to dance, and she cared deeply for the family pets. However, the love of her life was her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Calling hours will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2007, at Guare & Sons Funeral Home and Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 a.m. on Oct. 29, 2007 at St. Augustine Church.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Central Vermont Humane Society, P.O. Box 687, Montpelier, VT 05601.

Those wishing to express online condolences may do so at www.guareandsons.com.

Our sincere sympathy to JPA members, Michelle and Dave Parker, and to the Mureta family.  Michelle's mother and father, Theresa and Joe Mureta, owned a cottage on Old Homestead Road about in the 1970's.  

Another beautiful autumn day. The photos here are actually from yesterday - Fred, Woody and I were doing some outside work Sunday afternoon. When the wheelbarrow rolls, Woody is always on hand to hitch a ride. Come to think about it, it doesn't have to be the wheelbarrow. He rode in the toboggan we use to haul wood in the winter. He's adept at keeping his balance in rough going, usually ending up curled up or crouched over the front of the wheelbarrow to watch the wheel turn or the grass going under it or reaching out a paw to bat bushes going by. Who knows, maybe he's hunting, hoping a field mouse or a squirrel will cross in front of him. I've had the wheelbarrow tip over with him in it, but he leaps gracefully clear of it and doesn't hesitate a minute to hop back in once it's righted. I found out the hard way he likes when I'm weeding the flowers - he hides in the weeds and pounces on my hand as I reach for a weed. Not only does he startle me seriously, I've had a few digs from his claws. He is normally very gentle, but outside he reverts to being a "hunter" and plays rough.

The tree in the picture is a poplar at the lower edge of our lawn. The golden leaves shimmer in the breeze so it looks like it has silver sparkles all over when the sun shines on it. Most of the colors now are golds and yellows of the poplars and the tamaracks, or hackmatacks, as our friends in Maine call them. The weather is just lovely and several of our Joe's Ponders who have left told us before they went it was really difficult to leave when it's so warm and beautiful here. We're sorry they have gone, too - some of the weather in those "warmer" climes has been so dangerous with tornados, drought and fires, it makes me quite content to tuck in here waiting for our below-zero weather later on and the resulting high energy bills. We're used to it - and winters aren't as harsh as they used to be, right? (I think in a few weeks I might be sorry I said that . . . )

John Noyes, 88, passed away on August 26, 2007, in Burlington.

We are saddened to learn of the passing of John Sinclair Noyes, a long-time member of Joe's Pond Association. The Noyes family have owned the cottage on North Shore Road for many years. John was born in St. Johnsbury, graduated from St. Johnsbury Academy in 1937 and Harvard University in 1941. He served in the US Navy during WWII. After the war, John taught French at The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, retiring in 1985. He and his wife, Carol, divided their time between homes in Watertown, Cape Cod and Joe's Pond. Carol died in 2001. John had lived at The Converse Home in Burlington until very recently when he was at the Burlington Health and Rehabilitation Center. He is survived by five children and their spouses, 14 grandchildren, and his nephew and wife, Robert and Julie Noyes of Wheelock. Condolences may be sent to Robert and Julie Noyes, 203 Aldrich Ln, Wheelock VT 05851, or to John's daughter, Leslie (Mrs. Geoffrey Crawford), 375 S. Union St., Burlington VT 05401.

Our deepest sympathy to John's family.

Helen Hawes Strachan, 81, of North Barre Manor, died on Monday, October 15, 2007, at the Woodridge Nursing Home in Berlin, Vermont.

Helen was the mother of Joe's Pond Association member Nancy Buttura, (Mrs. Fella Buttura, 4 Tanglewood Dr., Barre VT 05641). Our sincere condolences to Nancy and her family.

Mrs. Strachan was born in Cambridge, MA., the daughter of Edgar L. and Helen Laird Hawes. In 1945 she joined the Cadet Nurse Corps and was sent to the University of Vermont to study nursing. She later finished her training at Barre City Hospital. She affiliated to the Portland, ME, Children's Hospital and then to Brooklyn, NY, for psychiatric training, receiving her RN in 1948.
She married James Strachan in 1947. In 1962 she moved back to Vermont, working in various nursing positions until her retirement in 1989. She then worked at J.C. Penney and later Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice.

Helen is survived by her children, Bruce Strachan and wife Gail, Nancy Buttura and husband Fella, Robbie Strachan and wife Susan, all of Barre, and J. Douglas Strachan and wife Pamela of Indiana, seven grandchildren and two nieces. Her husband, a sister and a nephew predeceased her.

Her wish was to be interred with her family in Cabot, and that will be sometime next year. There are no calling hours. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Rd., Barre VT 05641.

THIRD ANNUAL NEW TRADITIONS COMMUNITY SUPPER
Friday, November 9, 2007
UNITED CHURCH OF CABOT

Put on by Chef David Hale, New England Culinary Institute
Serving at 5:00 P.M., 6:15 P.M. and 7:30 P.M.

MENU

On the Tables
Assortment of breads & butters including
Anadama - Corn Bread - Soft Rolls - Black Pepper Biscuits
Relish trays with Marinated Mushrooms, Pickled Watermelon Rind
***
Buffet
Cider Braised Pork w/Caramelized Onions & Rosemary
Modern Waldorf Salad w/Frisee, Local Apples, Celeriac & Cider-Walnut vinaigrette
Roasted Root Vegetables w/Fresh Herbs, Olive Oil & Lemon Juice
Whipped Sweet Potato-Spinach Gratin
***
Desserts
Cheddar-Apple Bread Pudding, Pear & Cranberry Crisp
"Grammy Hale's" Oatmeal Cake
***
Beverages
Milk - Coffee - Tea - Apple Cider

Tickets: $12 adults - $10 senior citizens - $6.00 children 12 and under

Reserve with Marvie Domey - 802-426-3783

Proceeds benefit the United Church of Cabot

OCTOBER MORNING

Fred was out early and caught the sun coming up over the pond - see the layer of fog through the trees? We had a white frost this morning, but as the day progressed, it turned out to be another really very nice, sunny fall day. There are a lot of crunchy leaves underfoot almost wherever you go.

This afternoon Fred got some pretty good pictures of three nice young deer, I think all does. It is nice to see them strong and healthy. I think these really liked being photographed. Fred said the flash didn't bother them at all.

Cyndy and Ray Rouleau are getting ready to leave. Ray says they're taking their cue from the ducks and geese. Things are certainly quieter around the pond. Those who are still here are buttoning up either to leave pretty soon or, if they are year 'rounders, to prepare for the winter. I took out the front door screen and put the glass in this week - have more to do, but I like to wait as long as possible in hopes there's still going to be some porch-sittin' weather.

Henry and Thelma Mills who bought the Pierce home on Clubhouse Circle, will be arriving here within a couple of weeks, having closed the sale of their home on Long Island. We think it's really nice they are reversing the trend and moving north. They are no doubt looking forward to the holidays in their new home with their family nearby. Their daughter is Henretta Splain on W. Shore Road, and their granddaughter, Kelli Merrill and husband, Jeff, live in Danville. Joe's Ponders know Kelli and Jeff as they both work for Water Resources.

NEW DOGGIE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

I really thought I'd posted the pictures of Jason Randall and his puppy, Tessie. She's adorable. We haven't been down to actually meet her, but hope to do that soon. Here are the pictures we rec'd a few weeks ago, so by now she's probably considerably bigger . . . that's Jason with her.

When we walked this afternoon, we saw a yellow cat crossing the road in the vicinity of Gardner's. It went into the woods and we didn't get a good look at it. We think we've seen it up here, too, but Woody chased it away before we could get a good look at it. I hope it isn't another stray - we've had success with Tux, the black and white cat that Helen Morrison kept, but enough is enough. Sometimes, unfortunately, they are just dropped off where their owner thinks someone will take pity on them. Sad to do that to a pet, especially this time of the year. We hope it is just passing through or hunting the area and has a home.

A WHALE OF A STORY!

Lots of you may have already read this story, but when it came to me this morning as a forward, I thought it was worth passing on (but first I checked truthorfiction.com, thanks to Steve Allen, who alerted me to that web site). It seems to check out, so here it is, thanks to Helen Morrison who forwarded it to me:

The Whale

If you read the front page story of the SF Chronicle,
you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines.

She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth. A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the Golden Gate ) and radioed an environmental group for help.

Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her ..

a very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. (Click on photos to enlarge them.)

When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed gently around --- she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.


The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

May you, and all those you love,
be so fortunate ...
to be surrounded by people
who will help you get untangled
from the things that are binding you.

WE DIDN'T WAKE UP TO A WORLD OF WHITE!

We all feel pretty good today that the snow forecast as a possibility in "higher elevations" didn't amount to much. I've seen a few flakes off and on today, and when I look up the valley towards Walden it sometimes looks as if they are getting a snowstorm - but it probably has been mostly rain, just like here at the pond. I haven't been up to Cabot Plain - quite often it sticks there when it melts here at a slightly lower level.

Fred just went out and snapped a few pictures for me. Above you'll see the threatening sky looking north from our deck. Across the pond onto Route 15, you can see how the treetops on the upper levels are pretty bare, but in the protected areas like down the road from our house on W. Shore Rd., the leaves are still nice.

I took this photo yesterday on my way to Cabot. Again, from the cemetery on the plain. There were lots of clouds, and there were patterns of sun and shadows that were beautiful. I just took one quick shot, so there may have been a better one if I'd been able to wait a bit, but I couldn't wait . . .

Last week, I think it was Thursday, Diane Rossi came by to bring me more ice-out tickets. As she left she pointed out some scat on the walkway. At first glance I thought, "Bear," but when I looked more carefully, it wasn't quite right - not enough and not the right configuration. (Ok, so I'm interested in that kind of stuff!) I guessed it was either a raccoon or a skunk. Today I checked my resources (yes, I have books on that kind of stuff!) and now I'm sure it was a skunk. That could account for the fact that our cat, Woody, has been staying inside more. Usually he is gone from before dark until sometimes the wee hours of the morning, and quite often will come in only to have a snack, a drink of water and then is gone again for hours. However, early in the spring, he connected with a skunk. It was a really horrible experience for him AND for us! He came bolting in from outside and raced for the living room, but fortunately we smelled him in time and got hold of him before he had a chance to roll on the carpet or one of the upholstered chairs. He got an immediate bath and except for a little residual stink for about a month, he was fine. I think he may have learned an important lesson, though. Those big black and white striped kitties don't fight fair! Fall, like spring, is when those crafty little potential stink bombs are more likely to be on the prowl at night, and perhaps Woody is smart enough now to prefer a nap to a scrap. We can only hope. He does not tolerate intruders into his territory, though, but big as he is, we think he may not be much of a fighter - more bluff than buff. He has come home on several occasions with small dings - a bloody leg, a small spot on his ear that resulted in a tiny hole just right for an earring, and just recently a nick under his chin. He's big and fast on his feet, and we can only hope smart enough to stay out of real trouble.

I wanted everyone to know we still have leaves in spots, no snow, but that will change soon, I'm sure. We're hearing and seeing hunters now - ducks, partridges, rabbits and bow season for deer. There will be moose and bear hunting soon, and hunting deer with guns. Great for the hunters, but not much fun for our wildlife and some of us humans.

APPLE PIE FESTIVAL IN CABOT

As promised, here are some pictures from Today's event. There were nearly 30 pies entered in the adult category, and I didn't get a count on the two childrens' contests, but I think there were nearly as many there. I took this picture of the pies as they were being tagged before the judging.

There were lots of crafters, as predicted, and folks I talked to had done pretty well. There were plenty of people around - it is hard to judge just how many, but there was a steady flow at the craft tables and for the food. Pies sold well, too. I think everyone was happy with the event. I met lots of very nice people. The three ladies pictured here are, left to right, Dale Orlando, from Boston, Clo Pitkin of Marshfield, and Dody Epstein from New York City. I think Dale and Dody were guests of Clo Pitkin and they planned on having pie at dinner tonight.

Around here girls and boys start making pies at a really young age. There is a category for kids to age 6 - I'm not positive, but I think that is either Olivia Bellevance, 1st place winner in that category, or Olivia Jones, winner of the "Pie-Man" award in that category.

Then there was the age 9-12 contest, and Eli Lewis won 1st prize in that age group. Eli is shown receiving his award from Master of Ceremonies, Larry Gochey. There were several boys entered in the two kids' contests and boys took 2nd place in each one.

In the Adult contest, Audrey Wilson of Craftsbury got the blue ribbon. Audrey has a B&B in Craftsbury and has entered the
contest for several years, so she was thrilled to come away with a 1st place this year.

The crowd enthusiastically bid on the winners' pies after the contest. Finally, to the foot-tapping tunes of the Sue Carpenter and Friends band, the crowd began to thin out.

There were several Joe's Ponders at the Festival - thanks for coming! I got to see lots of folks both from in town and away who I don't often see, and that was fun. I signed up a few new members for the Historical Society, and gave out quite a few Ice-Out tickets. Now the Cabot Historical Society is officially closed until spring. We'll be up and running sometime in April or May, weather permitting. I will now settle into my winter's work scanning photos, documents, journals, diaries, and carefully storing originals. One day we hope to have the information and photos I'm working on all available on-line and/or in albums for people to access or to see in our resource center at the historical society building.
Big job, but I thoroughly enjoy seeing the pieces of the town's history come together.

Emma Responds

I hope you saw Emma's "thank you" comment at the bottom of the page where her poem appeared a couple days ago. If not, scroll down a bit on this page until you come to her poem and you'll find it just below the ending.

If you're reading this, Emma, you are very welcome. It was a pleasure to read your poem; I liked it a lot. And I know from personal experience what a thrill it is to get published, so I can tell you it's a feeling you'll get every time you see your work in print, no matter how many times you're published. Keep up the good work, Emma. We enjoyed hearing from you and hope you or your Grandma Cyndy will send us another of your poems sometime.

*****

I had the following from Liz Randall tonight. We knew John was "working on his tractor" whenever he had some spare time, but who knew it would be this special?? Nice job, John!! Here are the "before" and "after" pictures Liz sent.

This tractor is a 1927 Farmall Regular on Steel Wheels. We found it behind a gas station where it sat for the last 20 years..I think this is what saved the steel wheels from rotting out since it was on pavement.

Thought you all would like to see my latest tractor project that we dragged home in March and just got done restoring the first week of October. --Liz & John Randall

*****

Tomorrow is the "really big" Apple Pie Festival in Cabot. If you haven't been to it in recent years, it might be fun for you tomorrow since the weather is probably going to be less than great for being outside - and after the winds we've had today (it's still blowing at 9:30 p.m.) there won't be many leaves left on the trees for foliage viewing, so it may be more fun to people-watch at this indoor event. I went to the gym today to help a little while setting up for tomorrow. There are going to be something like 40 crafters there. Plus there will be free entertainment and lots of food, fun and apple pie available for reasonable prices so you can have lunch with us and make a day of it. There are prizes for the best pies, and several contests going on. Buy a whole pie or a piece of pie. There's apple tasting, too, I'm told, and you can learn about different kinds of apples. There's also a silent auction that's got some pretty neat stuff in it - some antique tools, several very nice gift packages, and quite a few items that have never been taken out of their boxes - an insect zapper, a wrench set, a travel alarm clock - things like that. Ray Richer donated a really beautiful picture, there's a cane seated chair, maple syrup, etc. Something for everyone and you'll stand a good chance of getting the item you're interested in at a very reasonable price, too.

I'll be there with my camera, so I should have some photos for you tomorrow night or Sunday, depending on how many miles I've traveled around the gym and how tired I am tomorrow night. Hope to see lots of folks I know there tomorrow. All proceeds go to the Historical Society.

What To Do On a Cool, Foggy Day in October

We had a full day today. Fred started his day very early this morning by taking our recyclables to the Hardwick Recycling Center. The day was foggy and neither of us had much planned that we really wanted to tackle - too wet to work outside, we'd both had enough computering already this week - so we decided to go grocery shopping. Now, that really doesn't take two of us, but it does get done faster when we both go. On second thought, that's true only when Fred doesn't take his camera with him. If he has the camera, he's either taking pictures or talking with other camera buffs, and I'm pretty much on my own until it's time to load the groceries into the car. Today he had the camera.

We stopped at the Danville Town Clerk's office. That's Ginny Morse on the left and her assistant, Sharon Daniell. I'm taking care of business with my back to the camera. The ladies didn't seem to mind having their picture taken, in fact, Ginny commented she was glad to meet Fred because she was beginning to think he was a phantom. I assured her he's quite real but explained he's usually confined to his computer working on the web site.

As we left the town offices, Fred took a picture of the street looking west. They didn't resurface the road through Danville village this summer, I suppose because it will be torn up sometime in the next several years to complete the make-over that's been planned for something like 20 years. The Farmers' Market was just getting going, not too many people around yet. That's the Diamond Hill Store across the street, but we didn't need chocolate or wine today - even though they have a nice variety of those items and many other things there.

When we got to St. Johnsbury, going down Maple Street, the hill in front of us looked very colorful, but the picture didn't turn out so great. Sort of like when someone takes my picture . . . it always turns out really bad. They say cameras don't lie, but neither are they kind to some of us. I've heard the expression, "the camera loves her," so I guess it's probable cameras hate me.

We started our shopping at White's Market on Portland Street. That's the produce department shown below. We were there a little longer than we expected - Fred met someone to talk cameras with, and I bumped into a couple people I was pleased to chat with. From White's we went to Price Chopper - we shop for their specials and Fred particularly likes their bakery! We meet friends there, too.

As we came through West Danville there were quite a lot of out-of-state cars there. We didn't stop because I'd been down yesterday so I didn't need to check the mail or anything. On the Danville end of West Shore Road we found the road crew digging out the ditch and lining it with crushed rock - I think they call it "rip-rap"- which could be part of the plan Ray Richer has talked to us about to control run-off into the pond.

Right after lunch I had a call from Jane Larrabee asking for more Ice-Out tickets, so I went back down to West Danville with them. I took the camera with me, but I really didn't see anything to take a picture of that Fred hadn't already covered this morning. The sun broke through this afternoon and the foliage is very nice, but it's sort of like in the winter when I take lots of snow pictures until I'm tired of them and I'm pretty sure so is everyone else. I guess this week will be the best color of this season, though, and there are lots of visitors around to enjoy it, but I guess we'll let someone else take the pictures - we'll wait for the snow this weekend.