A busy day here at the Brown house. This morning we had a call from our friend Louise, the lady Fred has been teaching to use a computer. Louise was excited because there had just been two bears on her deck, visiting her bird feeders. She took precautions, though, and closed the curtains so her six cats wouldn't see the bears and be frightened. We've tried to have her take down the feeders, but she said her cats, who aren't allowed outside, enjoy watching the birds and squirrels at the feeder through the windows and she doesn't want to deprive them of their fun. I think she also enjoys the wild life - even the bears!

Later on, Fred's cousin from Cape Cod and his new wife (2nd marriage for both) came for lunch. We enjoyed seeing them and catching up on family news.

Tonight I had an e-mail from researchers at the University of Wisconsin requesting information on Cabot's math whiz kid, Zerah Colburn (1804-1840). We don't have a lot of information on Zerah, but I'll search some of the records and send them whatever I can. Zerah wrote his memoirs, but he wasn't very thorough as far as family information is concerned such as names of his siblings, etc. Mostly he talks about his experiences performing mathematical feats at the bidding of his father who put him on display here in the U.S. and in Europe from the time he was six until he was 18. They never made much money "on the road" and after his father died, Zerah returned to Cabot and introduced himself to his mother and siblings who were struggling to survive having had no assistance from Mr. Colburn in all those years. Zerah taught school for a little while to help his family and then was an itinerant preacher for a number of years. At the time of his death he was a professor of languages at Norwich University, but soon after returning to the United States his exceptional powers diminished, according to historians. Perhaps the scholars doing the research at the university will uncover more information and pass it on to our historical society.

This came tonight - a reminder:

Another steak & Cornish hen community dinner  -
Thursday 6/26 5:30 to 7 PM

You may also be interested in this:  (For children of all ages)

Stories to Really “BUG” You

An evening of “crazy”
stories presented

by Paul Markowitz,
Paula Davidson
& Lawrence Black.

Why not come disguised as a bug?

Cabot Public Library

Tuesday, July 1 — 6:30 p.m.

Free and open to the public. 563-2721