Reprinted with permission of The Vermont Standard

7/11/21

With the recent rain, watering the garden has not been an issue lately.  I do need to tend to some of the hanging plants that are under cover, though.  Creatures abound here in VT.  Initially I thought a bear might be drinking from one of my lower hummingbird feeders, but a neighbor said a deer has been seen taking a swig from hers.  That does make sense since no real damage has taken place.  Imagine, here I was going to blame the bears!

We did not make syrup this year, so I had not been up to our sugar house lately.  The other evening a friend wanted to see it and what a disaster we found.  Plastic cups that hang on the wall were strewn around on the floor, the empty garbage container was on its side, and large plastic totes with empty syrup containers were moved around.  We did not need to wonder about the culprit for long, however, because a pile of quills led us to the dead porcupine.  Without an autopsy, we are uncertain about the cause of death, but since there was no odor, it likely met its demise a few months ago.

Congratulations to Steve Radonis on completing a recent course at the VT Fire Academy that covered extensive training in areas such as: hazardous material operations, weapons of mass destruction, clandestine labs and fuel spills to name a few.  I would like to recognize others who may be seeking training that will benefit the town; please let me know so I can acknowledge your endeavors.

It is so exciting that Plymouth will now have its own Farmers Market!  Starting on the last Sunday of July, the Community Center will host vendors, free of charge, between 3 and 6 PM.  The building will be open for access to restrooms.  All interested vendors please contact Lauren Skaskiw at 802-417-6895 or email lskaskiw@gmail.com to register and learn more.

During 2020, our community experienced the sudden deaths of both my husband, Tom in July and Ralph Michael in December. As many folks are aware, we are planning a Celebration of Life for Tom on 7/27.  Viewing https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/tommarronemaplevt/ will allow you to see the website that Melissa set up with the details.  We will need a count for those attending at the Echo Lake Inn for ordering appetizers.  Also, please note that Ralph’s Memorial Service will take place at the Union Christian Church located at the Calvin Coolidge Historic Site in Plymouth Notch at 11 AM on 8/14/21.  Refreshments will be served afterward at the Plymouth Town Building.