Help Needed

 I received this notice yesterday:

The town landing (by the bridge and rail trail) is an important feature that's available for anyone to land their boat close to the village, and is used every day by dozens of Joe's Pond people and visitors to our pond. The West Danville Community Club is a small, dedicated group of neighbors who are stretched to the limits overseeing the beach, conveniences at the parking area, and keeping things looking neat and inviting throughout West Danville Village. Losing the dock is a big blow to their limited resources. Please help if you can. Any amount you can give will be appreciated, and if you cannot give money, perhaps you can contribute materials or time. Check with Deb Stresing at the Joe's Pond Craft Shop (joespondcrafts.com) or call her at 802-684-2192 to find out how you may be able to help.

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What a difference in the air today! Yesterday felt much less humid, but today is almost fall-like! My outdoor thermometer is reading 59.2F, and the humidity is reading 82% - and that seems weird. I expected the humidity to be lower. The sun is beginning to break through and I can see there is fog close to the ground, which accounts for the humidity reading, I'm sure. Years ago I never paid much attention to the humidity. Driving to work from Joe's Pond there was usually fog in the early mornings - and as the sun got higher, it would "burn off" and everything dried out nicely - that was normal summer weather. We had occasional wet summers or dry summers - but nothing as intense or prolonged, it seems, as we experience now. 

Before I began working with CoCoRaHS, taking precipitation, temperature, humidity and wind readings every morning at 9 a.m., it was just whatever the day presented. Now every morning, year around, I get to report unusual storm events like the recent flooding, heavy snowfall, ice storms, hail storms and I track wind velocity and know to be on the alert for "straight wind" or tornado events. I poke a ruler into the snow on bitterly cold winter mornings, melt snow to get a precipitation reading, use calipers to measure ice on tree limbs. And in the summer, I keep my umbrella handy so I can read my rain gauge without getting drenched, and every morning, write a little summary of what the day is like. I even have a couple of certificates congratulating me for sticking with the program - now about 15 years. Each winter I say, this will be my last winter doing this - I'm tired of shoveling my way to the snow board. But each year I keep going. I'd miss doing that 9 a.m. report every morning. And I tell myself, why not? 

Don't forget to make your reservations for the Roast Pork dinner a week from tomorrow - reservations  need to be in to Mary Anne Cassani by next Tuesday.