We have some good news! Evelyn Richer sent this e-mail tonight --

Just a quick note to let you know that the loons have a chick as of
yesterday at 3:30 pm... It seems the second egg may not have been
fertile... Ray has not been able to check the nest to see if it is still
there, as the family is hanging pretty close by the nesting site.  We
again, ask that everyone be on watch for the family... and give them
plenty of space while boating... we do hope that the family will not
attempt to go out on the pond over the weekend, because by the looks of
traffic tonight on the pond, it will be a pretty busy one... They have
been pretty happy staying in the cove for now... The chick is feeding
well, and very lively...

We have reported this arrival to Eric Hanson and he feels that we have
broken a record for VT ... this is the earliest ever documented nesting
and hatching in the state of Vermont... We're NUMBER ONE!!

Have a great weekend, and thanks to everyone for watching out for the
loon family...

Blessings, Evelyn and Ray

That is interesting - lots of records set or broken this year. The loons got here earlier than normal and got started on their family right away. Nice that they can enjoy being at Joe's Pond a little longer than usual.

Fred went to recycle today and took a short trip around Hardwick, taking pictures. The Industrial Park has lost some businesses, but Fred said there seemed to be things going on there today. Here are some pictures: In Hardwick, Vermont

Fred goes to Wolcott to recycle, and that's just up the road a few miles from Hardwick. On the way home he noticed there's a new sign out at Walden Heights Nursery. If you don't know about it, take a ride over there sometime. It's almost where Brickett's Crossing Road meets Rt. 215 at Walden Station, and only a stone's throw off the road. There are lots of fruit trees growing there and the folks who operate the nursery are very nice - and know a lot about growing fruit trees in this area.

When he got home, Fred mowed the lawn and that gave me a lot of grass clippings for the garden. I trimmed the cedars around the place and used them in the paths between the raised beds so my shoes don't get so dirty when I go into the garden. Besides, it smells really nice. I wondered if it would keep any bugs away, too. I haven't used cedar clippings in the vegetable garden before, but I have used them in the flower beds. I need to wait for a few things to show up before I put a really heavy layer of grass mulch on, so not all of it got done today. Once it's mulched, I won't need to pay attention to weeds all summer and the earth worms love it and keep the soil well worked underneath it all. That's "No Work Gardening."