Reprinted with permission from The Vermont Standard

5/17/20

Well, it seems to have taken the black flies a week or more to realize it is May, but they are definitely here now!  I had to resort to using our bug zapper that looks like a tennis racket when walking the other day.  As a matter of fact, on Friday I went for my first bike ride of the season because they seem to leave me alone until I have walk up the last section of our driveway.

The other day Tom and I were sitting on the deck when a fox appeared on the ridge.  Perhaps it was a mom with young ones to feed because she was carrying dinner in her mouth, although we couldn’t quite determine the identity of the catch.   Keeping a wary eye on us, she ran down our sugarhouse road and off the other side of the driveway.  Next came the hummingbird and I was glad I had already put out one feeder.

The birds are in abundance now.  I hear the loon fly overhead early in the morning, although the finches have been making a racket long before that.  Both downy and hairy woodpeckers are finishing up the last of the suet and when they take a break, the chickadees take a turn.  The barred owls have been filling the night with wild calling that sounds more like angry threats.  Yet, I wouldn’t trade any of these delights of nature!

I imagine folks have surmised as much, but there will be no Strawberry Festival this year.  Such a shame since it really brings the various sections of town together, plus many folks from neighboring communities.  It also means loss of revenue for it is a fund raising event for Emergency Services, Tyson Ladies Aid, and provides funds for Tyson Church to help others in need.

It is with sadness that I bid adieu to Tom Eddy, a longtime resident known for his neatly manicured home and lawn on Lake Amherst.  Neighbors Cassie Horner and Tim Sink remember how in years past he used to enjoy windsurfing in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter.  They marveled at how he coaxed birds and chipmunks to eat out of his hands.

This Thursday, 5/21, will be the Zoom meeting for the Reading Group.  At least I hope this will happen, since Zoom seemed to crash for church on Sunday morning!  So, with hopeful anticipation, we will be discussing The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, which was a very interesting book that takes place in Kentucky and details The Pack Horse Library initiative that was launched in 1935.

I also wanted to highlight the 5/18 program about Calvin Coolidge and his involvement with procedures put in place in MA during the time of the Spanish flu.  In order to participate, you will need to email C.C. Borzilleri (cborzilleri@coolidgefoundation.org) to receive the log-in information for the webinar.  Thanks for Rose for noting it!