Interesting Video, and Spring Photos - From R.I.

 

I just heard a ruckus going on outside and went to look - my bird feeder was being invaded by a large flock of grosbeaks! They were making quite a racket as they juggled for position at my tiny feeder. They are considerably larger than most of the birds that come to my feeder, and all the smaller birds stayed clear until they left. They swarmed and flew away only to come back a couple of times. I expect they will be back from time to time now that they've found a new source of food. Gretchen Farnsworth has had them at her feeders most of the winter. 

We started the day with sunshine, but it quickly evaporated into snow showers. That's March for you! There seems to be quite a lot of wind, too - again, typical March weather. At least the temperature was staying a little above the freezing mark so the inch of new snow we got last night melted - but now I'm seeing 31 degrees and snowing steadily, so it will begin to stick. We are getting some accumulating snow this weekend - 5-6 inches, I think was the latest forecast. I don't know how true this is, but old timers used to offer the hopeful wisdom that "the new snow helps to hasten melting the old." Most of us are tired of winter and want to respond, "Bah, humbug!"

There is plenty of conversation these days about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how to control it to keep us safe. It has become a real problem because the tech companies using it are way ahead of any devices or regulations to control it or keep us safe from being tracked and our personal information used in devious ways, including politically. It's like a giant "alien being" gobbling up information and using it without permission and without regard to consequences. Here is a short video Vermont's Senator Bernie Sanders made recently. At first I thought it was a joke - but it definitely is not. It is a serious problem and this is his way of pointing out just how invasive AI is becoming. Take a few minutes to watch: Sen. Bernie Sanders & AI.

I've been going through some of the articles I wrote in the 1980s and that is bringing back lots of fond memories. I was new at journalism - taking courses at UVM and St. Mike's - and working at Social Security Administration (SSA) in Montpelier. Our manager, John Delyea, received notices when someone in our area reached 100 years of age, and he sent me to  interview some of them. There were two ladies in the Newport area, and one in Barre - all in nursing homes, but able and eager to chat with me. Those interviews got published in local newspapers.

I was free-lance, so not working for any particular publication. I interviewed interesting people in our area as part of my course work at first - small businesses, or sometimes just someone I wanted to get to know better. Most of the interviews made good stories and I was fortunate that local newspapers were eager to get "local color" stuff. I found I liked being a freelancer. At that time, writers had to take black and white photos with a real camera! I bought bulk film in a large roll and used a "changing bag" to clip short lengths to transfer to a film spool that fit into my camera. I still have some of those little tin spools - I'm not sure what became of the big roll of film - I probably gave it away at some point. I thought about setting up my own dark room, but it was easier to just deliver the film to the newspaper and let them develop it. The pay wasn't much, but I loved seeing my byline every few weeks in the Caledonian Record, Hardwick Gazette, or Barre Times-Argus. Each editor had certain criteria I learned from.

That sorting and reviewing old stories is keeping me occupied on these dull days - I get lost in these kinds of projects. However, I need to begin thinking about what to write for the May Cabot Chronicle. I'll take a peek into my file of old photos of Cabot - something there will trigger inspiration, I'm sure. 

In the meantime, Cousin Ora, in Rhode Island just celebrated her 91st birthday (see photo, left). She and her friend, Kate, have been out and about looking for signs of spring. They had a brutal winter with lots of snow, but as usual, they are well ahead of us getting into spring. Kate sent some of the pictures of what they found. Great to see, and we'll be enjoying buds and blooms pretty soon, too! There are snowdrops, mini-daffies, skunk cabbage, and other buds and blossoms showing up . 

Sorry - for some reason, the photos didn't want to stay in place, so they ended up at the top of this post instead of the bottom - I don't want to take time to figure out what the problem is. Maybe it's AI at work!