There is a comment about article on the decline in Cabot taxes I quoted in a recent post.  To clarify further, I'm posting a scan of the entire article, which gives figures and details that may help people understand the complicated circumstances behind setting tax rates.  Click to increase size.  Questions beyond that should be directed to Town Clerk Tara Rogerson at 802-563-2279.

Andy Rudin sent this link to the WCAX newscast regarding the rail-trail: Rail Trail Progress
Thanks for that, Andy.

We had another thunder storm last evening, and this one knocked out our power for an hour or so.  Some others are still without electricity.  The storm in our area was mostly wind, and we got only .07 inches of rain.  There was some lightning, but nothing severe.  We are expecting more of the same today, so we're keeping spare water available for drinking and flushing for at least another day - then we'll hope temperatures moderate.  We're almost into August, and that means it's downhill from here.  Nights will begin to get nippy and the air should dry out somewhat.  The summer has flown by, even though during this heat wave it seemed as though it's been forever and would never end.  I remind myself I have to be careful what I wish for, and that it will be cold and blustery soon enough.

Early this morning I looked out the bedroom window and saw a lovely rainbow high in the sky over Cabot Plain.  It's unusual to see one in that direction - they usually show up in the afternoon over the pond in the eastern sky.  But this morning there was apparently a rain shower going on west of us and the rising sun hit it for a moment, but not long enough for me to get my camera and get a picture.  What I did take a picture of, though, was our back lawn.  The rain last night had made everything bright and fresh, and even where the logging has been done, there is lush greenery.  During last night's strong wind storm, we were glad there were no large trees looming over us.  In this picture, you'll see Fred mows around wet patches where flowers, ferns and swamp grass grows.  We don't plan to reclaim any of this for lawn - we have plenty of that - and the birds and critters enjoy having vegetation as cover.  I plop my excess clumps of perennials in those areas to cover ledges, stumps or just fill in wet spots when I thin out flower beds in the fall.