It's raining steadily today and I measured .78 inch at 9 o'clock this morning. I'll look at the gauge again around noon and may file a "significant weather" report if it's warranted. The forecast is for a couple inches, but rain is supposed to last well into tomorrow, and if that's the case, we may get even more than 2 inches. If you want to see where the heaviest rain is being recorded, go to this link and click on "Maps": www.cocorahs.org

I know some of you read this blog regularly, but do you also keep track of the comments on home page and also the headlines posted there?

Each morning Fred checks various web sites for news items that may be of interest to our readers. While I mention some of these things in the blog, it is usually in passing and unless I post a link to an article, there aren't many details. Fred provides a quick look at what's happening around us, and highlights comments of interest.

This morning there is a new comment - very pertinent, I think. The water level in the pond is once again rising, of course, and the rain has really just begun. Fred was at our camp this morning and noticed water seeping into the basement there - which is not something we worry about in particular since it is crushed rock and we understand there will be some water there from time to time. However, it's becoming more the norm rather than the exception, so I can only conclude there is a certain amount of soil being washed away every time this happens. I know our waterfront suffers every year and we've seen trees collapse into the water along the shoreline towards Barre Avenue.

Posting a comment is easy to do, and perhaps more of you should do that to express your thoughts or concerns. If enough comments come in, perhaps the people at the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) will pay some attention and relax the restrictions governing the prescribed water level that the power company must adhere to.

I try not to focus on issues here in the blog, but I do think the water level is a serious problem, becoming more so with changing weather patterns, and I'm sure many of you have worthwhile opinions on the subject. Go back to home page and click on "Comments" on the far right of the top menu. You can read the latest comment and find directions for posting your own comment there. Or click on Fred's item, "Latest comment . . . etc." which will take you to the same page.

We can ask ANR to monitor your comments, and that may be helpful to them in resolving some of these issues.

Now back to less serious and more interesting stuff. I had a note from Sam Lewis this morning about the train service in St. Johnsbury:

The train you mention in the blog runs from Newport to White River and is owned by Vermont Railway. The line has increased it's traffic over the years and often runs two trains a day (one north and one south) with about 20 cars (some of them empty). In addition to bringing freight to and from Newport, the line serves the lumber kilns north of St J near the golf course and the feed grain operation in Barnet. Without this service these two local businesses would be hard pressed to operate efficiently.

The line runing east out of town runs into New Hampshire and has been inactive for many years. It is owned by the same owner as the one that the State bought the Lamoille Valley Rail trail from. It was almost bought to service the Gilman Paper Mill a few years ago but the deal fell through.

Thanks, Sam for that information.

Now a much lighter (but still serious) item from Steve Allen - it's one of those "forwards" that I don't usually pay attention to, but this struck a chord . . .

GOD said: "Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles."

St. FRANCIS: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

GOD: Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

ST. FRANCIS: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

GOD: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week.

GOD: They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?

ST. FRANCIS: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS: No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD: Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS: Yes, Sir.

GOD: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

ST. FRANCIS: You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.

ST. FRANCIS: You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.

GOD: No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?

ST. FRANCIS: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

GOD: And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

GOD: Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?

ST. CATHERINE: 'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a story about....

GOD: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.

On that happy note, I'll get back to other things like scanning ancient documents.