Gracie needs a home!!

We have just heard from Daphne Tanouye, Jeff Downs' daughter, that they need to find a home for Jeff's long-time companion, "Gracie."  As many of you know, Jeff passed away a few days ago, and Gracie had been his constant companion for the past 12 years. Gracie is a sweet dog - we know her from when they lived on W. Shore Road - and would make someone a wonderful companion.  She's a mature dog and probably would appreciate going to a family without children or other pets - but if you can give her a good home, please get in touch with Daphne at 301-806-7810 or e-mail her at daphnetanouye@gmail.com.  Daphne has to leave tomorrow, so it's important to find a home for Gracie right away.  Please help if you possibly can.

There was a very nice comment left on Saturday's post - a nice tribute to Jeff.

Kingdom Animal Shelter Benefit

Good Morning!
Another beautiful fall day here at Joe's Pond.  The foliage is very nice - sort of spotty this year, with some places or singular trees showing very nice color, and in other spots some of the maples have turned a drab brown or simply dropped their leaves.  Blame our unusual weather, I suppose.  Even our stately maples are confused.
I had a note from Helen Morrison today reminding me that the Cabot Library has very generously agreed to sponsor a booth at the Apple Pie Festival to benefit the Kingdom Animal Shelter.  Here's what Helen wrote:  The booth will have lots of good books for sale by donation, and some very nice artwork for sale by price.  Kathleen Higbee has graciously offered to make this happen, and we are very grateful to her and to all those who have donated books and artwork.

You can donate books by calling Helen (563-2488).  She asks that the books be in good condition; no textbooks, please, and none with mildew or other damage.  Those "coffee table" editions people have given you may be just as interesting (or more!) to someone again as they were to you; that new book you just had to have, read, and is now languishing in a bookcase, could be an exciting read for someone else, and will bring some revenue to a very deserving organization dedicated to rescuing and caring for needy felines.

Helen also told me she will be glad to pickup or receive returnable bottles and cans, and will donate the proceeds to the Kingdom Animal Shelter.

Today has been absolutely beautiful here.  Nice and warm, the foliage is just about at peak, and it's perfect fall weather.  We just came back from picking up some chicken pies at the North Danville Baptist Church - there seemed to be a great crowd gathering there, and it has a reputation for being one of the best suppers around.  I have them warming in the oven, and everything looks delicious - plus, we got apple crisp for dessert!!  I haven't told Fred yet - he loves apple crisp, so I'll surprise him.

We stopped to pick up the mail in West Danville, and Garey told us Jeff Downs, owner of the Joe's Pond Country Store, died last night.  Jeff had been very seriously ill for some time.  The whole community is saddened by his passing - he has owned the store for a few years, and was something of a character in town.  I will post details as soon as I have them for those of you who may wish to send condolences to his family.

Winter Buoys in Place

A couple weeks ago I mentioned about the buoys in Joe's Pond and that there are "winter buoys" or markers that have to be put in place.  Jamie Dimick (our youngest son) does that, and here's his latest report:
 I got the new red barrels in for JPA! Marie, Otto and I put out the small winter ones today on Smith's point and Sunken Island. We also took in  the white barrel at Jane Milne's today too. Buoys are done for the season! We put detergent bottle there for the winter.  I emailed Jane Milne to let her know what we were up to. I also explained to her, I'll put out Jack Lague's orange barrel he volunteered, for the rock on her point, next season.
This should resolve any early and late season boating concerns for JPA members.

This is good news.  With the great weather we're having, there are bound to be boaters, and maybe even sailing vessels (!) out there, and now all shallow spots will be well marked. The top photo shows the new red barrels with Otto in the truck and below, looking  kind of like a circus performer . . . I wonder if Jamie could teach him to roll the barrel in the water, like log rolling . . . ?


I've been busy collecting articles for the silent auction coming up at the Apple Pie Festival on October 19th.  Donations from businesses and individuals have been great - people are so generous.  This is the only real fund raising event the Cabot Historical Society has, and it means a lot to us to have such great support from our community.  We are looking for collectibles, small antiques, gift baskets or gift certificates, hand made items and good used items, but not lawn sale or flea market things, although we like to have a broad price range.  If you have items to donate for the Silent Auction, or if you can donate a pie - or want to enter your special recipe pie in the competition, give us a call:  for the Silent Auction, either Diana Klingler, at 426-3811 or me, 563-2381; and for the pie contest, Mary Beth AChurchill at 563-2345.
If you can donate for the food sale, call Jennifer Gochey at 563-2377; or if you would like space at the craft show, call Beth Hoffman at 563-2129.  If you can volunteer some time on the 18th to help us set up, or on the 19th during the festival, give Joanne Luce a call, 563-2723 - we can always use more help, even if it's just for an hour or so to give someone else a break.  The activities start at 9 a.m. and we'll be there until 3 p.m., so plan to come down to the gymnasium, rain or shine, and join the fun, have a great lunch, have some apple pie (or buy one to take home), and do a little shopping at the craft booths and silent auction tables.  You'll find lots of beautiful, unusual items, and bargains galore.  Bring the kids - there will be something of interest for everyone.  

Tom Beattie got in touch with me after he read what I'd written in a previous blog about his family's farm.  Tom told me the farm has been in his mother's family since John McDonald came from Scotland and settled there in 1839.  He said his nephew, James Beattie, will run the farm now, and he is the sixth generation to own the farm.  That's a lot of history in one place!

I had been curious about the new construction, and Tom said it will take the place of the present big barn which was built for a different style of farming, when loose hay was stored on the upper level and tossed down through scuttles to the cows in the milking stable; and below the stable was where the manure was collected and loaded onto a spreader each spring or fall and spread on the fields.  The new facility will be all one level, with both hay and manure stored outside.  Tom said part of the original barn will be salvaged, but most of it will be torn down.  

We will be watching as the changes take place.  The number of active dairy farms has been dwindling over the years, and it's very nice to see one that is thriving and moving ahead.  Especially the Beattie farm that has been in existence for so many years.

Today was a strange day.  First thing this morning on WCAX we heard that people in one section of Newport, Vermont, were being evacuated from their homes, but the reports gave no details.  Later we learned it was because some man was holding his family, eight or nine children and a woman, hostage while he threatened police and neighbors from his garage roof.  Absurd - and scary.  Nobody was hurt, and by afternoon the man was in custody and people were safe.

Also today, a woman was shot and killed in St. Albans - a victim of road rage.  St. Albans isn't a big city - it's Smalltown, USA, for Pete's sake.  There will be more in the news about this, I'm sure - the shooter is in custody, thanks to an off-duty policeman who was nearby.  We  don't know yet who the woman was, or what she apparently did that infuriated the man; but something here is terribly wrong when these things happen in our mostly rural state.

On a much lighter and more productive note, there is a very large new barn being constructed on the Beattie Farm in Danville.  We've been watching the progress and we're impressed with how quickly it's taking shape.  It's in a nice position, too, a bit up the hill from the house and existing barn.  Now I'm wondering if this is going to be in addition to the existing barn, which is also very large - and very old - or will the old barn eventually be removed.  I'm not sure how long the late Harold Beattie and his wife, Catherine, the present owner, have been on the property, but there has been a farm there since 1883, according to Village in the hills; a history of Danville, Vermont, published in 1995.

Just down the road from the Beattie farm is Marty's 1st Stop, a thriving store and gas station owned by one of the Beattie sons.  There are changes going on there, too - the big gasoline storage tanks are being replaced.  Normal maintenance, we're told.  This has been an on-going project for a few weeks, but things should be back in place and the pumps operating fairly soon. When we went by yesterday, it looked to me as if there is something being changed at the front of the store, too.  We'll keep an eye on that.


While all of this is going on, we are also getting ready for the big Fall Foliage Week that begins on Monday, Sept. 30 in Walden.  Each day the celebration of fall moves to a different town - Cabot, Plainfield, Peacham, Barnet, in that order, and finally ends in Groton on Saturday, October 5.  The foliage is cooperating - sort of.  There are some spots with very nice color - other spots that are a bit iffy, with the trees either having dropped their leaves too early or just not putting on their brightest show yet.   I took this picture on Monday at the corner of Cabot Plains Road and Route 215 - I liked the contrast of the cows in two different pastures - dairy cattle in the far pasture, beef cattle in the foreground.  Then, yesterday, Fred got this photo on West Shore Road.  This hillside by Chatot Road is always brilliant, and is showing pretty nice color even now.  There was no sunshine, but still the colors are very pretty.  The cows were just outside Cabot Village, at an elevation of about 1,350 ft., while the hillside at Joe's Pond (still in Cabot), is closer to 1,600 ft.  That has a lot to do with how much color is showing.  We'll also be white with snow sooner (and longer) than the village.  That's just part of the charm of living at Joe's Pond!

There has been an unexpected resolution regarding the incident on W. Shore Rd. when one of our summer residents was bitten by a dog.  This morning we learned the dog has been put down.  He was only 7 years old, and a beloved family pet, but after this happened, his owners decided it was best not to chance anything happening again.  The collar that should have kept him within certain boundaries on their property failed.  It was unfortunate, and we are sad that they felt they had to take such drastic measures, but understand their concerns, both for the safety of their neighbors as well as for their family.  Walkers and cyclists are assured safe passage along West Shore Road.

I just got word from Shelly Walker, Don and Audrey Walker's daughter, that her parents will be celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary this Wednesday!  Here's what Shelly wrote:

Mom and Dad will be celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary on Wednesday, September 25.  We (Wade, Megan, and I) have done a few things to make the day special.  There will be a picture and add commemorating the event this week in the World.  Gary at the World is also going to put the celebration on their sign on the Barre-Montpelier Road.  They have breakfast every morning at the Wayside.  There will be flowers and ALL of the Wayside staff will know.

Also, Suzanne will be in town from Cleveland with her fiancé, Ivan, and their 9 week old son, Nikola JD Poljasevic.  If you get a chance, check out the anniversary announcement as well as Nikola's birth announcement in this week's World.

If you are in the vicinity of the Wayside Restaurant on the Barre-Montpelier Road on Wednesday morning, stop by and wish Don and Audrey Happy Anniversary.  If not, you might send them a card - their address is:  245 Towne Hill Rd., Montpelier VT 05602.  This is a very special occasion for them, and I'm sure they'd love to hear from their many Joe's Pond friends.  Don and Audrey have been Joe's Ponders for close to 50 years, I'm guessing, and have been a big part of the Joe's Pond Association as well as both joining in social activities.  Don was one of the founders of the Joe's Pond Ice-Out and continues to play an active part in selling tickets and promoting it in the Montpelier/Barre area.  He played tennis and golf for many years, and still takes a morning swim every day when he's at Joe's Pond. He also kept score for basketball games for many years, retiring only recently so he could spend more time with Audrey.  They are a remarkable couple, and we wish them many more years together.

There's a real bight to the air this morning - our low was 38.3 and as I write this,  the thermometer still hasn't moved past 40 degrees.  I climbed the hill and was plenty warm with my  between fall and winter weight jacket, but coming back down the hill, the wind was sharp out or the northeast, and it was cold.

We aren't doing very well supporting the effort to raise money for new signs alerting boaters of the presence of  our loon families here at Joe's  Pond.  Echo Lake, for instance, is doing much better.  They have already raised 125% of their goal.

Speaking of raising money - the Cabot Historical Society folks are coming into the home stretch getting ready for their annual Apple Pie Festival on  October 19th.  They are hoping lots of people will enter the contest and submit a pie or two to be judged - great prizes to the winners of both the adult and junior contests; and they appreciate having pies donated - it's a day when everyone wants a piece of apple pie!  I'm helping on the Silent Auction again this year, so I'd appreciate any items such as collectibles, antiques, handiwork, gift baskets, new or nearly new items (not clothing), old tools - you know the kind of things we're looking for, or just be creative.   Some businesses give gift certificates, and that is good, too.  Give me a call, 563-2381, or send me an e-mail, janebrown@fairpoint.net, and I'll arrange pickup.  Then, plan to come on down. There will be lots of craft people there and great food, so plan to come and spend the day.  Here's all the info on this poster. (Click to make it bigger.)

The Apple Pie Festival is our main fund raiser each year.  We are a small organization, and like most other historical societies, we struggle to keep going.   There are the normal expenses of maintaining  our buildings and then those unexpected needs that occur from time to  time and must be taken care of immediately.  We work hard to maintain a safe environment for our historic artifacts and provide a useful research facility for the public use, and the Apple Pie Festival is our mainstay. Please come by and join the fun, do some Christmas shopping, treat yourself to a great lunch (and a piece of pie)!  And be sure to stop by the Silent Auction to say Hi!

This message came from Frank Dolan on Old Homestead Road this morning:

A section of wood dock (4' x 10' - 12' long) floated up to my dock overnight. I will secure it to the shore so it won't become a boating hazard. Could you please post a message on your blog asking the owner to come and retrieve it?  Thank you. If it's still here when I close my camp in a couple weeks, then I may find some way to bring it on shore, which might mean breaking it up. The owner can reach me at this email address (fxd@valley.net) or on my cell phone(802)356-4386.  

On Biting Dogs and Handshakes

Unfortunately, I must report one of our summer neighbors was bitten by a neighbor's dog yesterday while walking on West Shore Road.  There was only the one bite, on her leg, but it was severe enough to send her to the emergency room at the hospital.  She had been unable to contact the dog's owner when I spoke with her last evening, but fortunately, a check with the town clerk revealed the dog was up to date on all shots, so she was given only an antibiotic to prevent infection.  

I know the owner of the dog and know she always keeps her dogs  either inside or securely hitched, so I'm confident it was by accident the dog was loose; however, it's unfortunate this happened, and dog owners need to be absolutely certain their animals are not allowed loose and unattended - ever.  Even the most docile canine may become aggressive under certain circumstances.

I know first hand what it's like to be bitten by a dog while innocently walking by a home.  Several years ago a very similar thing happened to me: the dog just rushed at me when I was walking by and with absolutely no warning, bit my arm and then retreated.  I was completely shaken, and I am still very wary of unfamiliar dogs; but even worse, that experience forever ruined my enjoyment of regular walks along that particular stretch of road.

I  know I  sometimes go off on tangents here on my blog, and "handshakes" may seem an unusual subject to write about, but here's the thing - most people prefer a "firm" handshake, and consider anything less an indication of weakness of character, or something.  However, I have some fairly mild arthritis in my hands and for a long time, those "firm" handshakes  make me wince.  Some are really crushing.  I went on line and read some chatter about how people perceive handshakes, and not once did anyone mention having this problem - perhaps everyone weighing in on line is still young enough not to have sore, arthritic joints, but I'm betting there are other "seniors" like  myself who find handshakes sometimes painful and occasionally darned near crippling.

My late father-in-law used to be one of those "bone crushers," and in addition, he expected a handshake upon every meeting - no matter if we'd visited only days before - and everyone was included, sons, daughters, in-laws, strangers - and all got the same vice-like grip.  I finally had to refuse his offer of a handshake and explain his grip was just too much for me.  He was in his 80s at the time, and I used to wonder if the extra firm grip was his way of proving he was not old and failing.  

I  don't mind the custom of shaking hands when meeting someone for the first time, and I'm often reminded that etiquette used to dictate men should wait for a woman to offer her hand first; but I'd feel awkward about not offering, or responding to, a handshake.  There are some people whose name I never grasped because of the painful handshake, and I've missed whole segments of conversation while concentrating on my throbbing hand.  I admit, I've also been distracted after receiving a limp, half-hearted shake.   There has to be a happy medium - like Goldilocks finding the right chair - not too hard, not too soft, but "just right."  

So those of you who pride yourselves in having a really firm, strong handshake, please take note:  Without being obvious or condescending, please consider adjusting your grip when meeting seniors like me.  We'll not only secretly thank you, but we will also then be able to give you our full attention rather than being distracted by prolonged, piercing pain.

That's my sermon for the day.  It's very nice outside today - like yesterday - and last night's full moon was spectacular.  The sky seems to be absolutely cloudless, and the daytime temperature is more like July than September.  It's a good time to get lots of last-minute outside chores done - or just to sit in the sun and enjoy the last bit of summer.

Today is Homer and Margaret Fitts' fourth anniversary.  Their home address is 17 Country Way, Barre VT 05641, if you'd like to send a note.  Happy Anniversary, Homer and Margaret - one only needs to observe the two of you together to know how happy you are.  Keep piling up those happy years!

What a nice day this has been!  Cold again tonight, but another nice day expected tomorrow.  

This photo came today from the late Peggy (Brickett) Sawyer family.  Here's the message:

Over the Labor Day weekend one of the six (so far) 5th generation of the Brickett/Sawyer family enjoyed the fishing on the Second Pond!

I know Peggy would be very happy that her family loves being at Joe's Pond. It was certainly one of her favorite places.

Jamie Dimick (third son) stopped by after work tonight to tell us Jack LaGue has provided a large orange barrel in response to the request posted here a few weeks ago about needing a barrel to replace the one in front of Jane Milne's on the east shore.  That one, which was white, was lost in a storm, and we were hoping it might be located, but nothing has turned up so far.  Jamie was able to replace it with an old spare one as a temporary fix.  Now I'm not sure if the one Jack provided will go there or some other place, but Jamie said he is getting some new, smaller markers to use this winter to replace the cluster of detergent bottles used in the past to mark where the large white summer buoys go.  The new winter markers will be bright orange and more easily visible than the bottle markers.  Sailors or others who like to be out on the water well into the fall should have no problem knowing where there's shallow water with the orange markers in place.  So when you see bright orange "somethings" on Sunken Island and Smith's Point, you'll know it's our new "winter trappings."  These are refurbished buoys - not expensive, but way better than a bunch of detergent bottles tied together.  

In case some people aren't familiar with the process, buoys, boating, etc., there are sand bars and shallow spots in the pond that can stop a sailboat or damage a prop if boaters don't know about them and run into them.  Markers, or buoys, are put out each spring to warn boaters to steer clear of those spots.  The buoys are anchored with heavy chains and weights heavy enough to hopefully keep the barrels from blowing off the mark.  Taking the chains and weights out of the water each fall and putting them back in the spring is not a chore anyone wants to do, thus the bottles are attached when the barrels are retrieved in the fall.  They freeze into the ice and in the spring it's easy to remove them and attach the big white barrels.     

The Joe's Pond fund to replace loon warning signs has another donor.  We thank our members for supporting this.  Even though most of our members are well aware we have loons nesting here, not a summer goes by without someone mentioning at a meeting that boaters need more warnings about the loons.  With extra signage, it should be safer for the loon family(s) because people who are visiting will realize this very special wildlife is protected.  The Vermont Center for Ecostudies  works with volunteers and scientists to learn about and protect Vermont wildlife, and they will provide the signs - but like everything, there's a cost and fund raising is necessary.  There are several lakes and ponds involved in similar projects throughout the state. The goal for Joe's Pond is $800 for 10 new signs.  Let's make it happen!  Those of you on FaceBook or other social media - ask your friends to donate and then invite them to come to Joe's Pond to see (and hear!) the loon families they are helping to protect.  

A couple years back, I had an inquiry from an out-of-state woman visiting in Vermont, who wanted to bring her children to Joe's Pond to hear and see the loons. I suggested some spots where they might watch for the loons without disturbing the birds or property owners, and shortly afterwards, I got a lovely note saying they had not only seen the loons, but the birds had put on a wonderful show for them, calling and diving, and they also saw ducks and geese - an unexpected bonus.  We take these perks for granted sometimes, but for lots of people, seeing loons is a rare treat.  For a $10 donation, you can help protect them from errant boaters.

We're headed into a really nice stretch of fall weather, according to forecasters.  We were reminded this morning that summer is pretty much over when we awoke to the ground white with frost.  This was the first "hard" frost we've had at our house, although I believe there have been white frosts in a few lower pockets around us.  Our new roof was white this morning - the leaves on the pole beans and the grass around the house were white - now the pole bean leaves are wilting in the sun, but  the grass is fine - it will survive and even stay pretty green even under the cover of snow all winter.  By spring it will begin to look brown and dead, but once uncovered and exposed to sun and warm rains, we'll be back in the lawn mowing mode again.

If you've wondered about what makes the maples and other trees turn color and lose their leaves, take a look at this website, published by the U. S. Forest Service.  Even with all that information, I'm at a loss to even try to predict whether this will be a bright or dull foliage season, much less whether the timing of Fall Foliage Week, will be on target this year.  Our weather pattern from early spring to recent weeks, has been a bit skewed from what we think of as "normal," but that said - the one constant in the way trees turn and then finally drop their leaves, is the shorter days, longer nights.  Their brilliance is a whole other thing.

 This is a little chestnut  on our lower lawn.  We took this picture either Saturday or Sunday, when Fred was checking whether the grass needed one more mowing.  We have several larger chestnut trees on our property, but this one is showing the most color.  It's still early for much color to show in most of our trees.  With warm days and frosty nights, we know for sure summer has ended and foliage season is dead ahead!

We're getting ready for a pretty cold night - forecast to drop into the 20's - so I went out and picked at least some of the beans - if any of them survive, they may make it to the dry stage, as we're supposed to get a string of nice (warmer, but not REALLY warm) days this week.

I am in a "take out the screens and put the glass in the storm doors" mode now.  I just realized we removed the "storm" panels in the basement windows in order to paint this spring, and those need to be put back, too.  I went into the basement just a few minutes ago and there was condensation on them, which doesn't happen when the extra panel is in.  These are older Anderson windows that were considered really efficient, I guess, when they were put in back in the 60's.  They don't compare to today's windows, I'm sure, but we've been advised not to replace them.  After the storm panel is in place, and when it begins to get really cold on a daily basis - along about November, the inside Mylar panels will go up on those windows, too.  I  do think it helps not to have to heat the cold glass - the Mylar provides a barrier with air space between it and the cold glass.  So far it seems to work and the basement stays a pretty constant temperature all winter without extra heat.

Our roofers finished up in just a couple of hours this morning.  They had a little light rain to deal with, but nothing to hamper their progress, and we were actually kind of sorry to see them leave.  They were really fun to have around, and did a great job.  Now, once we get our living room window replaced, we'll be all set for winter.  I'm really not ready psychologically -  but I do really like to have all the fall chores taken care of well ahead of time so we don't have to work in the cold.  I remember taking the pontoon boat out one year after we'd had our first snow storm . . . but that was when we were much younger and I guess hardier - and not very smart!

Wanted

Kate Chatot is looking to buy an aluminum canoe. Anyone around the pond have one for sale? Please call 563-3033.

Sunshine!

Isn't it nice to see the sun shining brightly again!  I expect we had some spotty frosts last night, but that makes the weather seem far better, really - like mid to late September is supposed to be.  Today promises to be absolutely lovely, just about right temperatures for being outside doing end of summer jobs, and in the evening, dropping down to nice levels for sleeping.

I measured only .01 in. of precip in my rain gauge this morning; and we are  now watching the weather, trying to guess if our roofing crew will be back tomorrow morning.  By the way, if anyone is interested in what the weather is in space, there's a Space Weather site  now, set up by NOAA.  Not that it directly impacts our weather, but I guess long range it could or does.  Our weather patterns right now are very unusual, and that's what's causing all the rain in Colorado right now - weather patterns are not behaving as they have in the past.

Last night was a "corn chowder" kind of night, and that's what we had.  After spending the afternoon at the Cabot Historical Society building and having way more than normal visitors, I came home and for whatever reason had a huge urge to make corn chowder.  It just seemed to fit the chilly weather and my mood.  Fred, being a really unfussy eater, totally went along with the idea, and it hit the spot for both of us.

My last Saturday afternoon of being open for this season at the HistSoc was unusually busy.  I was delighted that my friend and dermatologist, Dr. Hammer, brought his parents to see our exhibits.  They spent quite a bit of time going through the displays, and then, just as I was closing at 3 p.m., Richard Lacelle and his young son stopped by.  The Lacelles recently bought and are renovating the Bob Davis (more recently John Woods' house) place on the Plain.  Richard was particularly interested in the history in his area, and I was happy to spend the extra time at the building for him to see our exhibits and will be sending him information on the Websters, who  originally settled where his home is now.  It is also land that my Grandfather Bolton once owned, and where we sugared for many years.  We hayed the field where Richard's house is as well as the one above it; and occasionally planted potatoes in the lower field.  That is where there used to be a big old maple tree that marked the burial spot of several Websters, and my grandfather made sure the land around the tree was left undisturbed by plowing and planting.  The Woods cut the top off the old tree and built a tree house in it; I believe Richard has taken it down entirely now, and removed the stump.  I'll look next time I pass by the house.

Fred is giving the lawn its last cut of the season today.  We were  down on the lower part of our lot after I got home yesterday, and found some black bear scat - yes, I took a picture.  There were mostly seeds from probably eating choke cherries and apples - which are plentiful around our lot.  I've only seen one bear all summer, but I'm sure they've been around.  Last night as I was falling asleep, I heard a chorus of coyotes up in the woods.  They seemed to be traveling, probably with their young, on a hunting expedition.  They sometimes awaken me in the winter, if the window is open a bit, but normally I don't hear them anymore as we are used to them.  A few years ago it was unusual to hear coyotes in our woods.


This guy hitched a ride (very briefly) on my windbreaker - I guess he dropped off a branch when I was walking by one of our trees.  I think it's called a Tiger Moth caterpillar, but I'm not certain.  I haven't seen many of the orange and black "wooly bears" this year, but I suppose they are around.  And now it's time to get out my old push lawn mower to do the walkway and trim where Fred can't go with the riding mower.

I received the following message from Dee Palmer:
Jane:
Kay Walsh passed away last week in NY.  She and her husband Ed have been long time summer residents on Clubhouse Circle.  She and Ed had every intention of returning this summer but Kay became very sick and was in and out of the hospital.  She died peacefully with Ed and their daughter Sabina by her side.  We were happy to be their neighbors on the pond for 13 years.  Kay loved it here and Ed and Sabina plan to return next summer.

I thought other folks on the pond would want to know about Kay. She was delightful and a wonderful friend to many in Danville.  It just hasn't been the same this summer without her being here.

Best,
Dee Palmer

I am truly sorry to learn of Kay's passing.  I didn't know her well, but met her a few times and she was a lovely, charming lady.  We will certainly miss her very much.  I was not able to find anything on line about her death, but I'll keep looking.  Condolences may be sent to the family at:  1737 Albany Ave., Brooklyn NY 11210.  

As Dee mentioned, Kay and Ed have been summer residents, on Clubhouse Circle, for a long time. Our thoughts are with Ed and their daughter, Sabina at this very sad time. 

This came to me this afternoon.  I'm not familiar with the roads mentioned on this poster, but I believe it is in the vicinity of Harvey's Lake:  

Rain and More Rain!

I was amazed this morning when I looked out at my rain gauge and saw there was water in the outer tube, indicating we'd had well over an inch of rain.  This is the "professional" rain gauge recommended by CoCoRaHS, and the inner tube holds 1 in. of precipitation; when full, it overflows into the larger tube, which will hold up to 11 inches.  I measure and empty the gauge at 9 a.m. every morning, and sometimes, if a storm comes during the daytime, especially when I'm measuring snow, I'll send a special storm report.  Last night we heard the heavy rain, but it seemed to last pretty much through the night, so I didn't bother with a storm report.  At 9 a.m. I measured 2.85 in. of rain.  That was more than anyone else in all of Vermont reported this morning.  The closest was another volunteer in Cabot, who reported 2.40 in. and Calais reported 2.30.  I don't know who or where in Cabot the other volunteer is, only that he/she is located 2.3 miles east of the village center.  My station is 3.9 miles ENE of the village center, so I'm guessing Danville Hill area might be the other location.  Jeff Merrell, in Danville, reported 1.49 in., but he reports about three hours earlier than I do.  Reports are made every 24 hrs., as close as possible to the same time each day.  I chose to report at 9 a.m. as I thoroughly enjoy "sleeping in" some days.  In my defense, I did the early-rise-every-morning routine for years, and now, in my retirement years, I can get up when I darn well please.

Just for the fun of it, I went back to find how much precipitation (rain and snow) I'd reported in previous years, and this is what I found:  2010, 52.61 in.; 2011, 65.08 in.; 2012, 46.88 in.; and so far this year, 46.32 in.  I started volunteering on June 1, 2009, and reported a total of 32.95 in. of precip for those seven months.  It looks as if this year could be as wet as 2011.

The kayak that the Sherwoods found yesterday, has been claimed.  With all this water and windy periods, I expect other items will be floating away around the pond.  The weather has a habit of turning wild sometimes, so it's always a good idea to tie everything down securely or put things inside secure shelters, even if you are still at your cottage; and always be sure everything is secure before leaving for the winter.  Just about every fall we have items floating around when most boats are put away for the season and/or there's nobody around to go out and rescue them.  The danger is that the item will go over the dam and be lost forever, or, if it's large, will lodge against someone's wall, dock or boathouse and cause damage.  Each spring we go through trying to sort out where the docks and other "lost" items belong that have survived the winter loose in the pond.

This is a picture I took yesterday as the rain cleared for a short period just about supper time.  The clear sky didn't last long, and in the overnight downpour, lots of apples were knocked from our tree.  There had been a lot of them on the ground a few days ago, but during the last two nights, there has been a beautiful little doe out there stuffing herself.  Fred  got this picture early this morning as she was back, cleaning up under the tree.  No more applesauce for us this year, I guess.  

When we were in St. Johnsbury yesterday, I saw our neighbor, Shirley Maynard, and she said the raccoons got all her sweet corn this year.  She said she'd had just one meal from the first patch she'd planted, and the coons got that; then she was about to pick the rest from a second lot that was ready just a little after the first planting, but the 'coons got to it before she did.  Shirley is an amazing gardener, and I guess the raccoons are well aware of that. 

Books and/or Artwork Needed

Hi Folks,
The Cabot Public Library is sponsoring a booth at the Oct. 19 Cabot Apple Pie Festival to sell books and artwork.  That is wonderful of them and of Kathleen Higbee to organize it for us.  She usually does very well with her book/art sales.
We are in need of books in good condition (no textbooks, please) and of artwork (original or prints) that are, at least, matted.  It would be wonderful if they are framed as well.
So, if you have books and artwork you could donate, email me or give me a call, and I will be happy to pick them up.  This is to benefit the Kingdom Animal Shelter in St. Johnsbury.

Thank you so much.

Helen

Phone:  802-563-2488

Email:  helendanamorr@yahoo.com

Donations for Loon Warning Signs

Our roof is nearly finished.  I have to say - the men put in a long and busy day today to get everything covered up before the rain.  Each day they keep very close track of the weather - I don't know what app they use, or whose phone has it, but they seem to know from hour to hour what their weather window will be so they don't get caught in a rain storm with a lot of roof opened up.  They will finish the job tomorrow - a day or so later than predicted because of the weather, and we have been very pleased with their work.  

They found a spot near the chimney that needed to be repaired before the new roof could go on, and also took care of a place under the overhang where the ell on the house attaches that we had stuffed with wire a few years ago because squirrels were getting in.  Now there's an extension of the metal used in the valley of the roof that looks really nice and is about as squirrel-proof as you're going to get.  Take that, you red, bushey-tailed house invaders!

I noticed there are a couple of generous donations to the Loon Warning Signs project (see loon photo on home page).  I don't know exactly where the signs will be posted, but they are meant to  warn boaters who aren't familiar with the pond, that loons are present and protected.  We had a scary incident in the middle pond this summer when some out-of-state visitors were oblivious to the loon family and were coming dangerously close to them.  They simply didn't have a clue.  We also had a photographer in a kayak apparently pursuing the family to get close-up shots of them in the big pond, and again, it's likely he was visiting and had no idea he was doing anything dangerous or against the law.  So we hope the signs will help remedy these kinds of things happening and make it safer for the loons.  If lots of us contribute, the goal of $800 will be reached very soon and the signs could be in place next spring.

We are fortunate to have had two pairs of nesting loons here at Joe's Pond in recent years.  Their haunting calls are either charming or challenging - depending on whether you are lounging on your sunny deck or trying to sleep in the wee hours of the night; but they are very much a part of the ambiance of summer at Joe's Pond, and we want to keep them safe. 

Chicken Pie Supper, North Danville

Chicken Pie Supper

 Sept. 28th at the North Danville Baptist Church

 The best in the area!!!

 Menu: Chicken Pie, mashed potato, gravy, squash, apple rings, coleslaw, rolls, cranberry sauce, pickles, apple crisp and beverage. 

Adults: $12, Children 12 & under: $6, Pre-schoolers: Free. 

Four (4) seatings starting at 5 PM 

First Come, First Served  -   Eat in or Take-Out

 Delivered take-outs in the Danville/St. Johnsbury area!  (Must be reserved by Sept. 26 by calling Betty 684-2183 or Judy 748-8519)

Benefit of the North Danville Baptist Church Ladies Aid

 You will NOT go away hungry!

Lost a Kayak?

This came today from Diane Sherwood:
 

Hi Jane,

  This morning Don and I were kayaking around the big pond and found a kayak in the marshes at the north end (probably a result of last night's thunderstorms).  The owner may claim it by calling us and describing it - 684-3397 (or my cell: 631-655-6090)

Thanks,

Diane

Good news!  Bella is home, safe and sound.  Here's what Kristin sent to me this morning: 

Jane,

Thank you so much for posting that information on the blog for me. Bella did return last night around 11. We are so thankful to have her back. I really appreciate everything you and Helen have done for me and Bella. I let Helen know that I really enjoy being here at Joes pond this is a wonderful place to live with an amazingly helpful community. Thank you so much for everything.

Kristin Brooks

We are very happy Bella is home.  I bet she had a wonderful time exploring - but she is also probably a very happy kitty to be back with her humans where she knows she can take a much needed nap without any fears. 

Some of you will remember that a while back we posted a message from Eric Hansen, who is trying to raise funds for a new loon nest platform for Joe's Pond.   We now have an active link with a place to donate - click "Donate Here" under the loon picture on home page.  It's automatic and if everyone donates, even a modest amount, the goal of $800 should be reached easily.  You can also keep track of how much has been donated by clicking the donate button. 

Also, don't forget to vote every day for your favorite kitty picture on the Kingdom Animal Shelter Calendar Contest . 
I looked at the results of voting so far and it's plain that #10 has a large number of responders voting.  There are other very nice kitty photos there, too, and they all deserve to be considered, so take a look and vote for the one that you think should be the "cover kitty" or at least have a page on the calendar.  Personally, I think they should all get to be in the calendar!  Let's do a collage, Kingdom Animal Shelter People!

Our roofers are back this morning, and they are in for a very hot day up there on that roof.  There is a pretty nice breeze out of the west, but it won't help much in the excessive heat.  It's just past 9 o'clock and already up to 75 degrees in the shade.  I am not going out to find out what the temperature is in the sun, let alone test it on a hot gritty roof!  

I measured .28 in. of precipitation from yesterday's rain.  We had some distant lightning in the early a.m. hours, but the storms were apparently far enough away so we didn't hear thunder at all.  Just as well - I think we may get some violent storms later today.  Watch the sky and take cover if storms seem imminent.  Be safe.

I've just heard from Helen Morrison that Kristin Brooks, who recently moved to Edgewood Avenue, here at Joe's Pond, is looking for her young Bengal cat, Bella.  This is a picture of Bella - she's beautiful - and we're all hoping she returns to her humans very soon.  She is probably frightened - new surroundings, unfamiliar sights and sounds - but at least the weather is mild, if a bit wet, and hopefully she will not be too scared to return after she's had a chance to explore her new home a bit.  Kristin said Bella is very talkative and friendly, and she has a microchip.  Please keep an eye out for her and give Kristin a call (386-852-7050) if you see Bella.  If I get more information, I'll post it here.

Hello Folks,

        It is that time of year again. The Cabot Apple Pie Festival is Oct. 19, 2013. I am looking for volunteers  for Fri and Sat . . I need people to do the following duties: move things from the historical building to the gym Oct 18, 2013  at 3pm;  also need 2  trucks to move things to the gym on Friday and then again on Saturday at 3:30 to move things back to the historical building; need people to serve at the food and pie tables - Jennifer Gochey and Theresa Lay-Sleeper will be the supervisors of these tables; need someone to cook hot dogs and hamburgers; people to take the contest pies to the judges for tasting; need people to help set up the gym on Fri, 18th from 3pm til done; people to pack up and clean-up Sat 3pm til finished.

        You can reach me at 563-2723.  Please leave a message and I will call you back, or e-mail me at: jmblknit@charter.net. 

        I look forward to hearing from you.

            Joanne Luce

            Cabot Apple Pie Festival

What a bummer - a rainy day and our roofers have had to give it up for today!  They got the staging all put up on the front side of the house, ready for tomorrow, and that's good.  It doesn't look as if the rain is going to let up any time soon, so we may be able to get in our naps today - a luxury we've all missed (Woody included!) since the project started last week.  Yesterday I had two appointments in St. J. and had some time in between, so I took a "cat-nap" in the car.  With the workmen arriving at 7:30 every morning, I have been up slightly earlier than normal, but haven't modified my bedtime accordingly.

Speaking of Woody and cat-naps, the Cat Calendar Contest for the Kingdom Animal Shelter is functioning perfectly now.  Woody hasn't had many votes yet, but I've alerted the family so they can vote each day - if they think to do it.

On my way back from St. Johnsbury yesterday, I was stopped for the first time at the new traffic signals in Danville, at the intersection of the Hill Street/Peacham Road with Route 2.  The light seems to be well timed so you don't have to sit long waiting for it to change, and that's a good thing.  I'm wondering how it's going to work this winter, though.

There was a short article in the weekend edition of the Caledonian, about the rapid progress being made on the Rail-Trail section between St. Johnsbury and West Danville.  There was a photo of workmen getting ready to set a prefabricated bridge over Mt. Vernon Street.  Work at the site of the second bridge, over the washout in Danville has also begun.  That whole section between St. J. and West Danville should be completed by the end of next summer.  Work on the section between Morrisville and Cambridge Junction is also scheduled to begin this year, according to Jessi Hudson, technical assistant at Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST) that has a long-term lease on the old railroad bed, now owned by the State of Vermont.  VAST is funding the construction with donations and matching grants.  (Donations can be directed specifically for the rail-trail - directions are on the site.)

We have just learned that one of Cabot's well known "characters" passed away last Tuesday.  Harry Thompson, historian and collector of everything from livestock to houses, items large or small, valuable or junk, was the "go to" guy if you were looking for something  unusual, collectible or antique - or just not made anymore.  Harry was also a great source of historical information.  He was a friend of the Cabot Historical Society and served several years as a judge at our annual Apple Pie Festival. (Photo above.)   Harry will be missed in our town.  Our thoughts are with his children and grandchildren who now have the formidable task of sorting through Harry's treasures - and junk.  There will be a memorial at the Willey Building in Cabot on September 28th, from 12 noon to 6 pm.  All are welcome; bring a dish to share at the potluck dinner, and photos or memories you'd care to share.  

WCAX reported today that this summer the Monarch butterfly
(top picture) has been very scarce in Vermont.  I had noticed that we weren't seeing them, and wondered about that.  There are other butterflies around, though, and I got this picture of one perched on the roofers' staging outside my office window last week.  I have no idea what kind it is, but there is a huge contrast in what the wings look like and how they actually are.  They look  like well-seasoned wood, to me - but of course they are soft and delicate, as with any other moth or butterfly.  Not as colorful as the Monarch, but still a lovely example of nature's artistry.  Click on the images to make them larger. 

No Milfoil Found in Joe's Pond!

I had a message from Pam Hebert this morning, saying she had received a preliminary report from the company that did the pond inspection last week, and there was no milfoil found.  She will have a full report later.  We are always very happy that there are no invasive plants in our lake, and the boat inspection program Pam heads up can take credit for that.  Pam and her inspection crew do a great job, and people who bring there boats here from other lakes and ponds have been great about the few extra minutes it takes for the inspection before launching.

We got word this morning from Helen Morrison that the Cat Calendar Contest that the Kingdom Animal Shelter in St. Johnsbury is running, is now working, so you can go to the gallery of kitty photos and vote for your favorite.  One vote per family per day, please.  Here's the message from Helen: 

  Here's the news we've all been waiting for - our photo contest is back online!! Due to the issues we had before, we've cleared out the previous votes and are starting from scratch (pun intended). Remember, you can only vote once per day. The link to the site is
http://kingdomanimalshelter.com/?page_id=227

To see the latest results, go to
http://1madcat.com/kas/files/Poll/results.php

What are you waiting for? Let's vote!!


There are lots of very cute felines pictured - it may be hard to pick a favorite, but do give it a try - the kitty with the most votes will be on the cover of the calendar, and the next 12 highest vote getters will each have a page.  Our "Woody" has a picture posted, also, Helen's "Allie." 

Speaking of "Woody," our two grands were with us for dinner last night while their parents had a rare dinner out with friends.  Tangeni, who is two years old,  dearly loves Woody, and apparently he has a soft spot for her, too, because he patiently endured at least half an hour or more of her petting and chattering over him.  She gently stroked his back, tweaked his ears, inspected his paws, and screeched happily whenever he moved his tail as he lay sprawled on his side on the living room rug.   I think most cats would have found a hiding place after the first few minutes of such intensive attention, but we finally had to urge him outside so Tangeni could concentrate on eating.  We told her he would come back after she finished, which we expected he would - he usually comes in at regular intervals for a snack, even on nice evenings; but last night he didn't reappear until they were well down the driveway on their way home - then he came scampering out of the darkness and rushed inside with us for a snack, which may tell us something about his intelligence . . .  

Anyway, we had a lovely evening with both girls - After dinner, Tangeni showed Grandpa Fred how to use the app on a cell phone that mimics anything you say.  There is a silly cartoon cat involved, and she and her grandpa put him through his paces, for sure.  Big sister, Jo-Ann, also found a Disney movie on TV for Tangeni to watch.  Jo-Ann watched some favorite shows on her tablet (using earphones) she said she had downloaded because she doesn't have time to watch them  during the week when she has studying and school activities.  (We are somewhat overwhelmed but also impressed and perhaps a little envious of how adept both girls are on all the techno-gadgets.)  Jo-Ann has long days with field hockey and other after-school activities, and said by the end of the week she is pretty tired.  Sunday is her day to catch up on rest.  She doesn't complain, though, and said she likes everything so far about being at the academy, and expressed some excitement and admiration for her teachers.  I was also relieved that she still reads real books, the kind printed on paper, as well as those  downloaded to hand-held devices.  As a would-be author, I still cherish books as I knew them growing up.

I had a meeting with the Apple Pie Festival Committee at  Cabot Historical Society  yesterday afternoon.  We're really getting into high gear preparing for the HistSoc's only real fundraising event which will be on October 19th.  from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  We will be calling people to donate pies and/or items for the silent auction, so please be thinking what you might be able to donate.  We need well over 200 apple pies!  And we love to have people enter the pie contest, so give it some thought - the prizes are worthwhile.  I'll post more about all of it later, but for the time being, here's a poster that will give you a sense of what we'll be looking for in the way of donations, and about all the fun things going on that day.

 

Work Update

Danville Route 2 Project

Project:  Danville FEGC 028-3(32)

Week of 9/9/13 – Crews will work on the new traffic signal Monday throughout the day.  Traffic on Route 2 will remain two-way while work is being completed.  Travel on Peacham Road may be reduced to alternating one-way traffic throughout the day.  Traffic control will be present to assist in maintaining traffic flow.

This is the last work update for the project.  Thank you for allowing me to serve your community.

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.

Water Sampling Report

Good Morning! 
Kelli Merrell, who did the sampling for E.coli at the beach this summer, sent us her report.  Sampling does not continue after Labor Day, but the reports have been excellent all summer, so we are left wondering what actually caused the spike in bacteria counts during 2011 and 2012.  Here's what Kelli reported: 

E coli sampling for the 2013 swim season ended last week.  The beach at Joe’s Pond was sampled Memorial Day to Labor Day.  Below are the results.  You can see that they are low and did not come close to the 235 limit at which the Vermont Department of Health recommends closing a beach until retesting comes back below the standard.  These results are similar to the results I got at the beach when I tested it from 2005 through 2010.  In 2011 and 2012 I did not have the time to volunteer to test the beach for the town.   There were exceedances of the standard in 2011 and 2012.  We will never know why those exceedances occurred.  We know the samples were not taken and analyzed in accordance with EPA guidelines and that could be the reason for the exceedances in 2011 and 2012.  It is for that reason I made the time to sample this year to eliminate any question in sample handling and processing.  With the data collected in 2013 being similar to that I collected from 2005 through 2010, it seems plausible that the exceedances in the last two years were due to the sample handling procedure used.  Regardless, the results from the 2013 sampling show that the Joe’s Pond Beach had very low E coli levels all summer long and like 2005 through 2010, it was a safe place to swim!

This chart shows Kelli's findings throughout this summer, well below even the Vermont standard (the green line) and way, way below what the federal EPA has set (the red line).  Even though we are left with perhaps some of the same questions, there were some definite benefits as a result of the high bacteria reports:  People are now much more aware of their septic systems, and at least a few septics were upgraded and others are being closely monitored; we learned a lot about how to control the goose population if we have an invasion again like the summer of 2012; and cooperation has been established between Joe's Pond Association and both Cabot and Danville to aid in keeping Joe's Pond clean by improving shorelines and runoff, especially from roads. 

 This is our house this morning.  There is always something more to be done to maintain our homes, and this year it's for us to have a new roof installed.  We did the roof when we moved here, about 18 years ago, but in some areas, it was beginning to show signs of age - curling and shedding grit - not to mention the stain streaks (obvious in the photo.)  So here we are, in "construction mode" once more.  We hope we get a decent stretch of weather for this job, but we weathered the rain last night just fine, so we're confident everything will go well, and even tonight's possible frost won't disturb Steve, Shane and Wally.  They started on the back of the house yesterday, and I took this picture early this morning, before they arrived.

The only problem with having workmen around is that our cat, Woody, gets pretty nervous.  Yesterday was tough on him, but today he's managed to maintain "nap mode" on the living room sofa at least for the time being.  As they work further across the roof to the area over him, I expect he'll be in to complain.

If you go to the on-line directory, you'll see that at least some of the pictures of members' cottages have been updated.  We still have some to do, but hope to have all pictures in place fairly soon. Then it will just be necessary to update when someone's property gets a serious changeover.  

The following notice came to me this morning - click to make it larger.