All Town Offices will be closed on Tuesday, November 5^th as the building is only open for Voting from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

Be sure to come out and vote if you have not already.

Thank you.

10/28/24

I do not recall seeing snow in the forecast, but I awoke to a coating of white on my deck! It has disappeared from the trees but still lingers on my deck. Thank goodness, Isaac came on Friday and helped me put the outdoor furniture away. Guess it is time to start thinking about putting on my snow tires, although it appears there might be a brief warming trend mid-week.

Still seeing wooly bears crossing the road, presumably looking for the perfect cozy place to hibernate, often under bark, a rock or even a fallen log. Apparently they are also known as Hedgehog caterpillars. Folklore has it that the more black, the more harsh the winter. I hate to dispel this myth, but it seems age, species, and how long it has been feeding contribute to the coloring. I just learned that the fur, called setae, does not protect them from the cold, but actually helps them freeze correctly and they molt six times before becoming an adult tiger moth.

I understand the first Plymouth Trunk & Treat event on Sat 10/26 was well attended with many bags of goodies being given out, face painting and games. It was very much a joint community effort including the Fire Dept, Bethany Birches Camp, Snow Sneakers and others. Thanks for the pics, Missy!

Many of you may be aware there was a substantial brush fire in Ludlow this past weekend. Just a reminder that conditions are conducive to fires right now and there is a burn ban in effect. Jim Allen (802-384-3482) is our fire warden and burn permits are required.

Camp Open House

Want to bring friends to camp who are new to BBC? Invite them to join you at camp to learn more about what we do at winter and summer camp.

Anyone who comes will get a 15% discount on their session of choice!

Sunday, October 27th
1:30pm-3:30pm

Bethany Birches Staff will be located at all activities, and computers and staff will be available to help sign campers up!

Open House Schedule
1:45 – 2:00  Camp Tour

2:00 – 3:00  Rock Climbing
2:30 – 2:45  Camp Tour
3:00 – 3:15  Camp TourAvailable the whole time

– Snacks
– Camp Crafts
– Card Games & 9 Square
– Roasting S’moresFollow us on our NEW Instagram page to stay updated

2025 Camp Dates

*summer registration opening Nov. 1st*

10/21/24

Delightful weather continues and I really need to focus on yard cleanup today, but first I am going for a walk with neighbors. Had not seen many deer in my yard lately, but there was one the other morning. Perhaps trying to find a safe place during bow season.

Some places are closing for the season. Plymouth State park closed a couple of weeks ago and Tiffany and Chris are off to other pursuits. Just a reminder to use the special designated parking area when walking in the park. The Historic site closed this past Sunday, but the Cheese Factory remains open.

During the recent Book Group discussion, everyone seemed to enjoy Becoming Madame Secretary by Stephanie Dray. The portrayed of Francis Perkins painted in this book provided insights into discrimination against women, the inhumane working conditions faced by factory workers, and also touched on mental health issues. Our next meeting is Wednesday, 11/20 with a discussion of What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris.

I recently received an inquiry from Black River Good Neighbor Services asking if folks would like to learn more about their programs and services. They do offer a nice meal once per month at the Community Center in Ludlow and I have seen Plymouth folks there. They would include a meal with their informational meeting here in town if there is interest. In years past,  prior to Covid we offered monthly community lunches at Tyson Church, often with speakers. Please let me know if you might be interested, then I will locate a venue for it to happen!

Dear Friends and Families of BBC,

Taftsville Chapel, Bethany Mennonite Church, and Andover Community Church invite all area youth to Bethany Birches Camp Saturday October 19 from 3-5 PM.  We had a lot of fun doing this together last month! Our goal is to have a chance to be together, make new friends, connect with old friends, and have fun.  

Parents are welcome to stay or drop-off (if you stay, you could enjoy the camp grounds, and/or participate in the activities). This Saturday we will be hearing from a special guest speaker, Mark Kutolowski, who is a wilderness retreat leader and co-founder of Metanoia of Vermont.

RSVP Here- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdlAyhkXuxhPpAX2ALyjWWfzUvw_80_8EUswzLAYIwtn9jK_g/viewform

The event is free. You are very welcome to bring friends of yours as well.  We hope to see you then!

Camp Shepherds and area pastors

Steve “Shades” McCloskey
Mike “Toothpick” Bennet
Courtney “Wonderwoman” Hollingsworth

Sign Up for Winter Camp!

10/14/24

Leaves are falling fast with the rain and wind, but Saturday was a glorious day. A friend and I attended a wonderful forest meditation walk at the Grafton Museum. It was a lovely setting and so relaxing while most of VT was filled with frantic activity.

Time to start packing up outdoor furniture and summer clothes. Although my cosmos are still blooming, most other plants have been hit by frost. Considering the devastation in FL,  I am  glad to be living here. Praying for prudence and safety as clean-up continues there and other areas hit by severe weather previously, too.

The Echo Lake Inn will be taking a break at the end of the week, but here is a picture of the group of Tyson folks enjoying a meal there 2 weeks ago.

Plymouth Town Offices will be closed on Monday, October 14th in Observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. We will re-open on Tuesday, October 15th.

If you need to drop off a ballot, please use the secure mail drop box to right of the building.

Thank you.

 Long-time Plymouth Memory Tree president, Al Poirier, has stepped down from his role on the board after his recent move out of Plymouth. Over the past nearly 15 years, he has been a great leader, helping the Plymouth Memory Tree connect Plymouth residents in need with resources to help them. The board has appreciated his insights as a member of the emergency services team and his thoughtfulness in dealing with the challenges that Plymouth residents have faced during his tenure. He will be missed and the board wishes him and Sue the best of luck in their new community.

The Plymouth Memory Tree Community Fund is a grant program for individuals and families in need who reside full-time in the Town of Plymouth, Vermont. Grants are available to both homeowners and renters. All funding decisions are made by the Plymouth Memory Tree Community Fund Board.

Grants are typically provided to cover rent, utilities, loss of income, or costs for transportation, heating fuel, or garbage disposal. We also offer scholarship grants to graduating high school seniors and light an annual memory tree by the town offices.

The Plymouth Memory Tree board plans to fill this new vacancy as soon as possible. The board meets on an as-needed basis, generally 4-6 times per year. All board discussions and grant decisions are confidential, so discretion is a required quality for board members.

We invite Plymouth residents who may be interested in serving on the board to submit a brief bio and statement about why you would be interested to Jen Flaster (jenflaster@me.com).

Thanks from the Plymouth Memory Tree board:

Anne Brown, Karen Bruyn, Robert Fishman, and Jen Flaster, for your interest.