Another nice day, and I think about normal for this time of year. We're probably getting more rain tonight and into tomorrow, but then a better, warmer weekend.

Quite a lot going on on the pond, according to Homer and Margaret Fitts. Homer called at about supper time to say there were no less than seven loons in front of their place PLUS two swimmers progressing up the lake along the west shore. We walked late this afternoon and saw a couple of loons off Gardner's waterfront, but not much else going on then. I hope the swimmers weren't bothered by all those loons.

Pam Hebert told me that earlier this week when walking the rail trail she spotted the loon family in back of the islands (that seems to be their territory), and further on two moose calves. Everything is ahead of normal this year so there is plenty of lush foliage and plants growing around the pond. I expect animals got an early start, too, with deer and moose dropping their young earlier than usual. Evelyn Richer said the loons' egg hatched earlier this year, too. All the wild life should be hale and ready in case we have an unusually cold and hard winter.

Janet Westervelt called tonight to let me know that Cabot Library is sponsoring a book talk by Woden Teachout on her recently published book, Capture the Flag.
If you'd like to know more about this Vermont author, click here: Woden Teachout


We got some cute pictures of our new grand nephew, Ben Brown and his sister, Hannah, today. Looks like Ben feels a little crowded, or maybe he just wants to sleep and Hannah's ready to rumble.

When we were in Maine for Polly Tobey's funeral, we met a fellow who was related to her husband Chester's mother, Edith Bridges Tobey. When we got home I sent him pictures of Edith and Chet's father, Warren, and a few other snapshots taken years ago in York. He sent them on to a cousin, Kevin McKinney. Both men are involved with their family genealogy. I can barely keep my own family lines straight, so trying to follow someone else's is simply out of the question. However, I was happy they were both so interested in the pictures and my recollections of that family.

It turns out Kevin McKinney grew up in York and knows lots of the people I remember from when I spent time there as a kid. He spends about eight months of the year in the Virgin Islands running a charter boat. Then he goes back to York. He was able to tell me about several of the people I knew there and said a friend of his owns the property my aunt and uncle had when I was there. It was a cool trip down memory lane.

I've been putting together more information on old Cabot families, concentrating on the Southwick and Lance families. I thought I had most of Jennie Donaldson's papers corralled and ready to print, but then I came upon more, so I'm working on two projects right now.

Bonnie Dannenberg, president of Cabot Historical Society told me today about a workshop M. J. Davis is doing in July at the Vermont History Building in Barre. It's on how to store and preserve large paper items - I will be going, but I sure wish it had come along about four years ago . . . I haven't seen M.J. since we restored the painted stage curtains at Willey Hall and the historical society building.