Another nice weekend!  Great weather after all our rain. I just received an email notifying me that I had sent in over 3000 weather reports to CoCoRaHS, according to their records. That made me wonder just how many I really had sent, so I went back in my records and found that I began reporting in late May, 2009. By my figures, that makes 11 years as of this past May. I have missed only one or two days in all that time with the exception of the 17 days when I was with Fred at Tuft's Medical Center in 2018. I've made a few multi-day reports when we were away for a few days otherwise, but that hasn't happened too often. Granted, occasionally I don't bother to send a report if there's no precipitation - but I have no idea how many that might be. Today was one of those days - I will just fill in the zeros and make the report tomorrow. So their count is probably fairly close. I've thought about giving it up - and especially each winter when sometimes I wonder why bother? But I find it is still interesting and  apparently appreciated, especially when there is some sort of unusual weather to report, and it gets me outside every morning, so I'll probably continue at least for the foreseeable future.

We want to thank several folks who let us know the buoy on Sunken Island got dislodged during the recent high water. Thanks also to John and Sally Hynes for snagging the buoy and keeping it until Jamie Dimick could get to it. It needed some repairs, but I think he probably got it back out today. I haven't checked with him, but I know he was working on it. High water sometimes puts too much pressure on that buoy and something gives. It also happens sometimes because someone tied up to it or otherwise damaged it, so people are asked not to tie up to it or climb on it, etc.

I heard today that the bear that has apparently been raiding people's trash that they set out on the night before pickup may have to be euthanized. That is really too bad - it is a young bear and means no harm - and wouldn't be in trouble if people were more careful with their trash. Please, PLEASE, don't put your trash out for pickup until the day your hauler comes. If you have anything else around that a bear might be interested in - bird feeders, unwashed grill, fish entrails, etc., keep it in a secure building, until you can dispose of it. Take down bird feeders and don't leave any food outside. If you don't have a secure place to keep garbage, put it into a bag or covered container and freeze it until it's time to get it out for pickup. Composting is ok if it's done properly - but usually bears will still  smell composting foodstuffs and try to get into it. Any of these things we humans do that will attract a bear will eventually be a death sentence for the animal, and that simply isn't something anyone wants to have happen. Bears won't be a nuisance if you take proper care around your home or camp.

It would be great if  people who have renters here at the pond would post a notice for their guests about how to prevent bears from bothering - especially about trash pickup.

The Corona virus pandemic seems to be getting worse in some areas, and that is so unfortunate. When it could be as easy as everyone wearing a mask for a few weeks, it seems to me it would have been best if it had been mandatory for everyone to wear masks back in March and we wouldn't have been in any such predicament as we are now. Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) made the statement recently, "I think if we could get everybody to wear a mask right now I think in four, six, eight weeks we could bring this epidemic under control." It seems just plain dumb to me that people don't understand. Apparently the millions who have been ill and the thousands who have died from the disease simply doesn't register with some people. It's true that we are still learning about this virus, but I think we know enough by now to understand that just because you feel well and have no symptoms doesn't mean you aren't contagious. This disease is insidious and needs to be curbed. Masks not only protect others from getting it from us, they also offer some protection to the wearer, as well. It's a small inconvenience that could mean a world of difference. When you go out in public, please wear a mask. It might be a bit uncomfortable, but it could also save a life - maybe even your own.