Destination Danville Cancelled

 I'm not sure what happened or why, but I just received a message from Patty Conly saying that the event planned for tomorrow - hiking/biking from St. Johnsbury to Danville where there was to be events taking place at the former railroad station and on the green - has been cancelled. Liz Larrabee Hudson was going to be at the railroad station, and I was going to be on the Green, with the West Danville history book, in case people wanted to purchase a copy. I was disappointed. It's always fun to meet people and talk about our book. But there will be plenty of other opportunities this summer to do that, I'm sure.

Here is a seminar - actually a webinar - that you might be interested in: Vermont Lakes & Ponds is celebrating 50 years on June 3, and has a lineup of interesting speakers who will be exploring climate change initiatives, global warming trends and the effect on lakes. This is by Zoom, and is free to anyone who wishes to attend. You will find all the necessary information on the above link.

I hadn't heard from my friend, Mary Whitcomb, for some time, but it seems she has been busy with her camera and sent me some lovely shots taken  this spring. It made me want to get out into the woods - but the black flies are here and they love to gnaw on me - not to mention ticks. I hate putting all the "stuff" on to ward off these pests, so looking at Mary's photos are a great substitute - until I find the energy to "suit up" and venture forth to experience nature first hand myself. She sent more than I'm posting today, but I'll share some of those later. Starting at the top is an  adder's tongue, or trout lily, also sometimes called fawn lily or dog's-tooth violet; above right is a trillium - a beautiful woods flower, but it has a very unpleasant odor that nature has provided to attract flies since this flower does not have nectar to attract bees. We used to call the "nosebleeds" when I was a kid - their odor was sort of like blood - or rotting meat! Next we have Dutchman's britches, named for the traditional style of trousers worn by the Dutch. I saved my favorite woods flower for the last - the spring beauty or mayflower, also called trailing arbutus. This delicate little flower is not only very pretty - it smells nice. I've always thought trailing arbutus and mayflowers were different plants, but from what I found online, they are the same. I'll consult my wildflower guide later. Thank you, Mary - your photos are always a joy.

Right now, I'm thirsty, hungry, and ready to settle in for the night. I won't need to rush around tomorrow to get to my post in Danville - so perhaps, if the weather permits, I will be able to get some work done outside. Today was way too hot for me to be outside. I barely made it to the mailbox and back late this afternoon. I was grateful that there were a few sprinkles in the air when I was out. However, I discovered the black flies are definitely here - and right on cue. There are several wild cherry trees that burst into bloom today - the signal for black flies to appear!

The rain didn't amount to much, but I think we are going to have showers later tonight and into tomorrow. We really, really need the rain. My lawn is crisp in spots and my pond is down several inches. Take care, stay safe and dry.