This came from Homer Fitts this morning - 

 HI -

    GREAT FRED FOUND IT [the Maple Leaf Seven].     THIS JUST REMINDS ME HOW GREAT IT WILL BE SUNDAY TO HEAR THEM AGAIN AT PEACHAM CHURCH.

    WOULD MAYBE SAY , IT IS MY MOST ENJOYABLE SUNDAY OF THE YEAR.

    WE WILL BE STOPPING AT CAMP AND THEN GO TO SEE SCOTT AND JONI [the Palmers at "Abbie's Ice Cream" in Danville] AFTER FOR A CREAMEE AND THEN TO LA PRADES TO SEE MARGARET'S GRANDAUGHTER, JAMIE,  AND FAMILY FROM MASS. 

    THEN BACK TO BARRE TO SEE HER DAUGHTER AND HUSBAND PLUS THEIR SON AND TWO GRANDSONS  WHO ARE VISITING FROM FLORIDA. 

    WILL BE A BUSY DAY BUT ALSO A SPECIAL DAY.

    WE HAVE NOT DECIDED WHERE WE WILL BE TUES. NIGHT YET.     WED. WE WILL GO TO MY DAUGHTER ELLEN'S IN BURLINGTON TO AN OPEN HOUSE.

    BUSY, BUT WILL BE FUN DAYS.

            LOVE AND BLESSINGS TO ALL AT JOE'S POND,

                                                    HOMER AND MARGARET

* * * * *

Work Update

Danville Route 2 Project

Project:  Danville FEGC 028-3(32)

WEEK OF 7/2/12

 In celebration of Independence Day, crews will not be working on the project Wednesday, July 4^th, 2012.  Work will resume Thursday, July 5^th.

 

ROUTE 2 ROAD WORK

East End of Project:

Crews will be installing gravel shoulders along each side of Route 2 throughout the day Monday.

West End of Project:

Crews will start installing curbing at Passumpsic Bank and will work their way west along Route 2 (on the Bank side-south side of Route 2 only this week).  This work will allow two-way traffic. 

It time allows, crews may start installing islands on the west end of Route 2.  This work would require alternating one-way traffic.

Village Green:

BOX CUT and UNDERDRAIN – Crews will be performing box cut operations and installing underdrainage on Park Street and Peacham Road throughout the week. 

Travel will be reduced to alternating one-way traffic around the construction zone.  Traffic control will be present to maintain traffic flow.  Motorists may experience delays.

Contact Francine Perkins, Public Relations Officer, FRP Enterprises, LLC with any questions or concerns with regard to this project at 802-479-6994 or for a more up to date schedule visit www.roadworkupdates.com.

* * * * *

 

Free Summer Concert Series - Thursdays at 6:30 pm

Outside in the Old Schoolhouse Common gazebo. (Marshfield).  Bring your chair or blanket and a picnic, and settle down for an evening of great music. You might even be inspired to get up and dance. Food will be available for purchase.

July 5. Katie Trautz and the Tall Boys. The band, featuring fiddle, guitar, banjo, pedal steel, suitcase drum set and bass, will perform music from the album Remembering, named best traditional album of the year by the Times-Argus of Central Vermont. Besides Katie Trautz on fiddle, the group includes some of Vermont’s best: Michael Roberts (guitar) of Wooden Dinosaur, Asa Brosious (pedal steel) and Noah Hahn (bass) of JP Harris and the Tough Choices, Nate Gusakov (banjo) of Knotty Pin and his brother Will Gusakov (drums).

July 12.  Cold Country Blue Grass. The band, based in Plainfield Vermont, has been playing since the early 70's. They perform a variety of bluegrass material, ranging from Ralph Stanley standards to more contemporary arrangements, with an occasional "old timey" piece included. The band also enjoys performing bluegrass gospel songs, which are characterized by haunting southern rural harmonies. Members are: Bill Moulton on mandolin, the band's lead singer; Craig Whipple, guitar and baritone; Jeannette Hogan, string bass and harmonies; and Con Hogan, banjo and tenor. The group also features Tony Washburn, well-known fiddle player from Morrisville, VT.

July 19. The ImproVisions Jazz Quartet with Michael Arnowitt. Michael Arnowitt is well known for his musical creativity and innovative jazz concert programs.

July 26. Dana and Susan Robinson, two guitar-playing, banjo-frailing, fiddle-sawing, and harmony-singing troubadours, interpret the American experience. Their unique blend of contemporary songwriting and traditional Appalachian music bring a deep understanding of America’s musical heritage. “Rural America explored with elegant simplicity. Their music and cleanly poetic songwriting bring to mind the great folksingers of our times.” -- Asheville Citizen-Times.

August 2. Atlantic Crossing. For over 15 years, the Vermont band Atlantic Crossing has been thrilling concert audiences and contra-dancers with traditional songs and acoustic instrumental music from New England -- music which has deep Celtic roots in the British Isles and in French & Maritime Canada -- together with original compositions inspired by these traditions.

August 9. Michele Fay Band The Michele Fay Band is a Vermont based, acoustic quartet that features original and roots music. Michele’s heart-felt lyrics are central to the ensemble, which brings forth a comfortable groove of folk, swing, and bluegrass-influenced songs that are woven seamlessly together. 

 * * * * *

We've had good luck getting through the work site in Danville any time we've needed to go that way, but coming back from Littleton today, we came upon the line of waiting cars before we got to the lookout at the top of Dole Hill.  We timed the wait and we were there about 20 minutes and then had to stop again in front of Beattie's for another 10 min. or so.  Cars behind us must have been stopped all the way to Goodfella's.  When we were leaving Danville Village, there were cars waiting on the west side in a long line, too.  They are paving, and apparently the amount of traffic had picked up or something, to make it a really long, hot wait. 

We were amused, though, that Scott Palmer at one point came out with two maple creamees for someone who had been waiting in line right in front of their driveway.  Pretty nice to have curb service on a hot day!  Way to go, Scott! 

The top picture is where we came upon the waiting line of traffic as we headed west.  It was about noon.  As we waited the second time, just below Beattie's farm and above Allie's Ice Cream, we watched Scott Palmer moving his signs around, his black lab following closely at his heels.  There seemed to be a lot of traffic in and out of Marty's 1st Stop, and vehicles seemed to be able to get out of there periodically, depending on which way they needed to go. 


As we left Danville, the line didn't seem to be quite as long, but surely they had been sitting there for a while, too.  As you can see, many of the cars that had been in front of us had either dropped off in Danville or were far ahead of us.  I'm sure there were some short tempers behind the wheels.  In fact, as we waited on Dole Hill, at least one car turned out of the line to head  back towards St. Johnsbury, and another headed east and then turned down Penny Lane.  I don't think there is a way around Danville going in either direction.  Lots of folks explored the possibilities when the Route 2 Project was just beginning.


There are a lot of out-of-state cars on the road this summer.  I guess the somewhat lower gasoline prices makes traveling look better to lots of folks.  Funny how good $3.50 a gallon looks after gasoline has been near the $4 mark.  


I haven't heard any more from Mert Leonard about the beach in West Danville having to close due to contamination.  Some of us are thinking that big flock of Canada geese may have been hanging out there.  Diane Rossi said they had to clean up their lawn with shovels after the geese paid them a visit earlier this week.  I don't know how or if it would be possible to keep them away from the beach (or off people's lawns).  Unfortunately, they seem to want to make Joe's Pond their summer home this year.