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4/21/25

As spring becomes more pronounced, I am seeing many purple finches that always brighten up the yard. Only a couple of patches of snow remain where it slid off the roof, so I have returned my snow shovels to the garage. Next spring task is to have my snow tires changed out. It looks like spring may actually have arrived with the blooming of cheerful daffodils! 

Please note that starting 5/1, the solid waste district’s household hazardous waste facility, located at the Alva Waste Transfer Station, Springfield, will be open Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Call 802-674-9235 or go online to www.vtsolidwastedistrict.org to make an appointment or obtain info about what is accepted. The charge is $10 per vehicle for up to ten gallons of waste. Each additional gallon is an additional dollar. Paint is free. Cash or check only.

Thanks from Tyson Ladies Aid for another successful Good Friday bake sale. The nice variety of goodies made the many patrons happy and hopefully enhanced Easter celebrations.

Don’t miss out on the Reading Group’s discussion of A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson on Thursday, 4/24 at 6:30 PM. I have not clarified it with the usual group, but we can meet at my house to talk about the details of this interesting excursion on the Appalachian Trail.

1/13/25

It is late Sunday afternoon and the sun is trying to make an appearance after a gloomy day and the snow on Saturday. I happened to be on the road at 6 AM yesterday, heading over Terrible Mountain. I couldn’t quite appreciate the beauty of the trees during the mini-blizzard, however. Thanks to whomever pulled my recycling bin from the woods. I finally saw where it had blown almost into the stream, but was a bit leery about reaching it safely, so I really appreciated the kindness of finding it back on my driveway.

Don’t forget the Tyson Ladies Aid Easter Pie and Bake Sale, Friday, 4/18 from 10 until noon in front of Shaws in Ludlow. Proceeds support several community projects, including scholarships for local high school seniors to further their education. Quilt tickets will be on sale, with the drawing to take place at theTLA Bazaar on 8/9.  Want to join this group, more info is available from Janine Norman (802-236-4683) or Ann Rose (802-228-7151)

Bethany Birches Camp is preparing for the upcoming camp season. Want to help? Health staff {licensed medical professional (RN, EMT, PA, MD, etc) needed to administer first aid and prescription medications} for: 6/22-27, 7/13-18, 7/20-8/2, and 8/3-7. Male counselors are needed, plus cook, maintenance, and office positions are available. Go to the website or email camp@bethanybirches.org for more info. 

Many fun events taking place at Fletcher Memorial Library in Ludlow – 802-228-8921:

1) Prop Swap Monday, 5/5, 5:30-7PM – Clipping Trade and Houseplant Exchange – easy way to start or add to your indoor plant collection 

2) Computer Basics 5/9 2-3:30pm Email Basics 5/16, 2-3:30 pm, Internet Basics 5/30, 2-3:30 pm Sign up at  802-228-8921 or fmlnews@gmail.com or www.fmlnews.org

3) Community Quilt Mapping, Saturday, 5/10 11-2 pm. Help quilt a map of vulnerable areas and recovery efforts to mitigate future floods! More info and RSVP (it’s free!) Free lunch and childcare! All ages and skill levels welcome!

Press Release: Ludlow Friends of Library Membership Drive

National Library Week was April 6-12. The Ludlow Friends of the Library (FOL) want to thank our local librarians at Fletcher Memorial Library for all they do to make our library accessible to everyone – from books, resources and technology to programs and outreach for everyone from toddlers to adults. Also, National Librarian Day is April 16 and we invite you to thank our wonderful librarians for their dedication and work.

In celebration, The Ludlow FOL is kicking off a membership drive to help support our library. Please consider becoming a member. There are two ways to be a member: make a donation at one of the following levels: Nobel Prize in Literature $50, Pulitzer Prize $20, PEN America Literary Award $10 or Business $100. The second way to become a member is to become an active volunteer as a Friend of the Library. To donate, make a check payable to: FOL 88 Main St. Ludlow, VT 05149. Your donation is tax deductible.

Active FOL members support the library by organizing fundraisers, outreach activities, and events such as our Holiday Open House with a special visit from Santa. The money we raise helps to pay for passes to numerous VT parks and historic sites, funding for our Youth Library needs, and access to the online catalog that features over 500,000 items.

It’s not a big time commitment and It’s a lot of fun too. We’re a friendly group — we usually meet monthly and all are welcome. We laugh a lot as we do things like organizing our annual book sale (the last one made almost $2000!) and creating a Halloween scarecrow of sorts to set outside on the lawn for people to enjoy as they pass by — we actually won the annual Fall “Scarecrows on Main” contest. And if it works, we love to go out for snacks or meals after our meetings, in order to get to know each other and laugh more!

So we invite you to join our friendly group and help us continue to make Fletcher Memorial Library a place that meets the needs of our community. Contact us at friendsfml@gmail.com for more information or to find out when our next meeting is scheduled.

4/7/25

A light coating of snow on my deck this morning (Monday), is a reminder that winter just doesn’t seem to want to fully release us into spring. My blink camera caught the large, dark image of a bear overnight. I believe they have roused from their winter sleep off and on over the past couple of weeks, but this is my first sighting.

There will be a Select Board meeting, Monday, 4/7 at 5 PM with a huge agenda. Check out the town website. Fletcher Memorial Library upcoming events: The Friends of the Library will be leading discussion of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver Thursday 4/10 at 10:30 AM. Coming up on Saturday, 5/3 at 11AM, the Need to Belong: A Genealogical Journey into the World of Lineage Societies, A talk by Adam Boyce

3/30/25

I was away this past weekend and was very glad when I came home to find no snow or ice on my driveway! Friends sent me pictures of the ice coated trees that looked like spun glass. I understand that parts of Plymouth were without power for part of the day.

A reminder about the author visit at Fletcher Memorial Library in Ludlow on Monday, 3/31 at 6 PM. Come learn about Pollyanna Porter’s fictitious Langdon VT, then on 4/10 join the book discussion with Friends of the Library of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. We hope to sample some of the recipes too!

3/24/25

Starting out the week with some snow, although at one point it sounded more like sleet. Looks like winter cannot read the calendar and does not know it is spring! I am aware of people who have already removed their snow tires, perhaps a bit prematurely.

The lakes and streams are still high, but hopefully there will not be any damaging flooding. If you are interested in hearing about local (including Plymouth)) planning for flood resiliency, consider attending the workshop on Thursday, 3/27 at the Ludlow Town Hall at 6:30 PM.

The reading group met at the Echo Lake Inn on 3/19 and had a lengthy discussion about Ann Vickers. It was not one of our favorite books, although it did highlight some issues that may still need addressing today. We were able to be on Zoom as well, which allowed other folks to participate. I find that I am reading books that would not ordinarily come to my attention, so it is stretching me a bit. Note the following books for the next few months.

1. Thursday, April 24 at 6:30 pm: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

2. Wednesday, May 21 at 6:30 pm: A Month in the Country by JL Carr

3. Wednesday June 11 at 6:30 pm: The Stolen Hours by Alan Eskens

Fletcher Memorial Library has learned of probable Federal funding cuts. There are so many wonderful programs lined up and it would be a shame if there are disruptions. Check out their website www.fmlnews.org. The Monday, 3/31 author visit at 6PM will explore the possibly fictitious place of Langdon VT. Friends of Fletcher Memorial Library will be leading the discussion of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver on Thursday 4/10 at 10:30 AM.

Just in case the need arises, I found a new word the other day. Bumptious means self-assertive or proud to an irritating degree, arrogance.

3/17/25

It’s St Patrick’s Day and I won’t be going anywhere to wear my “Top of the Morning” pin. My father was Irish, but it seems that most people like to celebrate the day – corned beef and cabbage and green beer! I know that some places have practically no snow remaining. Here on Dublin Rd, there is plenty and it still looks like winter! I hope the rain last evening cleared the lake. At dinner at the Echo Lake Inn with a friend on Saturday evening, there were dozens of ducks in the open water at the lighted bridge. When we came out they were flying frantically round and round in circles. On Sunday morning I noticed that the lakes had very few open spaces, but hopefully that has changed.

The Plymouth book group will meet in the living room of the Echo Lake Inn (thanks, Tom) on Wed, 3/19 at 6:30 PM to discuss Ann Vickers by Sinclair Lewis. The social work scene during the Coolidge era is presented warts and all. We are hoping to have a zoom link as well.

Kerry Keilman has a lovely family-owned Yamaha Baby Grand Piano GC1 model, dimensions: 161 by 149 cm, that she can no longer keep. Interested individuals can contact her at kmkeilman@outlook.com for further details.

Please note that the Just Getting By Film Screening at Ludlow Town Hall Auditorium has been rescheduled for Wed, 3/26 at 6:30pm. This is a free event with support from the Vermont Humanities Council.

Coming up on 3/31 at 6 PM join author Pollyanna Porter at Fletcher Memorial Library and get to know her endearing characters from the fictitious place called Langdon.

I have recently had a conversation with Tish Lewis from the Reading-West Windsor Food Shelf located just over the hill at 3456 Tyson Rd in Reading to learn about their services. They are open on Thursdays every week from 3-6 pm. The first hour is reserved for seniors. They have fresh produce, dairy foods such as eggs, butter, cheese, yogurt and sour cream. They also have frozen meat, shelf stable foods and some dry goods, plus paper towels, laundry detergent, dish soap, and personal care items.

3/9/25

Wednesday’s warm temps and rain diminished the snow a bit, but revealed all the dirt embedded in the snowbanks. Then the return of cold weather turned everything into ice. I am grateful to have been well-sanded, but I noticed some driveways looked scary! The recent snow flurries have whitened things up, but care is needed because now the ice is hidden. I believe the weather has been good for sugaring, however.

Our Town Meeting was cordial and articles passed easily. It was wonderful to see the video of the smiling faces and enthusiasm of some of our local youngsters. I believe that it helped to shift the emphasis to the students needs and perhaps lessen the angst about the high cost of education in VT. The Mountain View School budget passed. As was the case with many towns, it was voted to eliminate the Listers and hire a professional appraiser.

I attended the wonderful Yoh Theatre production of As You Like It (adaptation by Shaina Tyaub and Laurie Woolery) It was a high-energy musical featuring students of various ages. Josey Flaster and Jackson Fellows were part of cast. Hope I didn’t miss any other local youngsters. Such fun to watch!

I have received a referral from the VA about a man in his 80’s who lives alone in town with his dog and would like to have folks visit or to receive phone calls. Please get in touch with me for the contact info if you would like help.

Fletcher Memorial Library presents Between the World and Me For One Day of Freedombook Discussion on Mon 3/10 at 6PM. For the young-at-heart, form a team and enjoy the Puzzle Challenge at Fletcher Memorial Library on Sat, 3/22 from 11 to 1:00. Prize for the fastest team!

Plan to attend Community brunch at Ludlow Community Center Cafeteria Wednesday, 3/12, 37 Main Street, Ludlow at 10 AM. All are welcome, free of charge, sponsored by Black River Good Neighbor Services and Ludlow Parks and Recreation

Strength & Balance Training Class starting Wednesday, 3/19 at 1 PM at Ludlow Community Center. Classes will be held twice/weekly for ten weeks. Pre-registration required. Call Corey at Black River Good Neighbor Services – 802-228-3663