Warm weather has visited our area again (actually, not sure it ever left us!), so dips in the lake have been a terrific way to cool off.  Milfoil has apparently been an issue with Lake Pauline and Lake Rescue needing remediation efforts, although I haven’t heard about this problem in our lakes in Plymouth.

Some rain has helped the parched landscape, too.  I didn’t think the storm on 7/23 provided more than a heavy downpour, but I guess I was wrong.  Those of us with TDS telephone service were effected from 8 PM that evening until nearly 5 PM on Friday.  I thought the internet would be out as well, but happily that wasn’t the case.

I have no idea how many hummingbirds have taken up residence at our house, but keeping the feeders full has become quite a challenge.  I was sitting on the deck where the small old-fashioned feeder is located.  Not only were the hummers bickering with each other, but bees kept vying at the feeder, too.  Long ago I lost that tiny red end piece that would prevent them from drinking.  Most hummingbirds showed respect for these insistent insects and often waited on the railing for their turn.  Every once in a while a more aggressive bird would challenge the tiny intruder and they would partake in a dance of darting after one another.  Reminds me of some human interactions!

I found this enchanting quote called Ultrasonic love in National Geographic: “Other birds can’t hear the love songs of the Ecuadorian hillstar hummingbirds. When the male chirps—inflating his throat, causing iridescent throat feathers to glisten princely purple—only birds of his kind can hear, AP’s Christina Larson reports. That’s because the mating call is at 13.4 kilohertz. That’s considered “ultrasonic” for birds, which generally can’t hear above nine or 10 kilohertz. Why so high-pitched? So that the sound of love can conquer a background soundscape of mountain winds, streams, and the songs of other birds, one researcher says.”

I have been hearing good things about the newest level added to the canopy walk at VINS, which might mean it is time to check out!  Also, if you are itching to get out and hear some live music, concerts are scheduled for the Brown Bag Concert Series on Fridays canopy walk at VINS at 5:30 PM on the Woodstock History Center Back Lawn (food and wine on sale courtesy of Bentleys Restaurant) and 6 PM on Wednesday evenings on Svec Memorial Green in Proctorsville (food orders available from Murdocks and Outer Limits Brewery)

We had our Zoom Book Club meeting the other night and discussed Dirt, which apparently was entertaining with stories about the adventures of Bill Bufford’s learning French cooking.  I admit that I did not read it….  The book for 8/20 is The Secret of Priest’s Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story by Peter Lane Taylor and Christos Nicola.  This is a quote from one reviewer:  “The layout of this book is unique and superb — it includes both contemporary color photos and historic b/w photos of the families involved in the hiding from the Germans, as well as location photos, and artifacts.  The narrative is just detailed enough to hold interest but not get bogged down.”

Congratulations to Schuyler Hagge for having her picture chosen for the VT Standard photo contest!  I agree that here in VT with its beautiful vistas, a sense of calm and hope prevails.  Thoughts on a bike ride this week:  After a stormy night, the sunshine emerges and dances upon the dewdrops spread across the leaves. Some are red, others blue and a few green. Hope surges as beauty penetrates my heart and I say thank you, Lord