by Roland D. Hallee Walking through the woods following a snowfall can show evidence of many wildlife tracks. This past winter, I did see tracks of the Eastern Cottontail rabbit. The Eastern Cottontail, Salvilagus floridanus, is actually a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common […]
by Roland D. Hallee Porcupines. Nuisance, or ecological necessity? It all depends with whom you talk. I know some people who are overrun by the animals to the point where they are raiding the gardens, and having to deal with their dogs being injured by porcupine quills due mostly to their own curiosity. While others […]
by Roland D. Hallee Last week while while doing some work in my backyard, specifically, dealing with the compost bin following the winter, spreading fertilizer in the garden, pruning my black raspberry bushes, and just doing some general clean up, I noticed a flock of starlings in a bush in the corner of my property. […]
by Roland D. Hallee We all know, of course, that spring has arrived, at least according to the calendar. But there are many signs all around us. I have noticed some bushes, and even trees, have begun to bud. But, this weekend, I saw my first house fly of the season. The house fly, Musca […]
by Roland D. Hallee I remember as a young boy growing up of going to the “movies” at the old State Theater, on Silver St., in Waterville (now Cancun Restaurant). It was the Saturday kids’ marathon. You would get to the theater at 10 a.m., and probably wouldn’t come out until dark. There were cartoons […]
by Roland D. Hallee I think I have some good news. It all started last Saturday about the time I was ready for my second cup of coffee of the morning. The Keurig is located at the end of the kitchen counter near the window to the side porch. My wife has a couple of […]
by Roland D. Hallee As we say “goodbye” to February and welcome March with open arms, a thought comes to mind of an old weather lore, “In like a lion, out like a lamb.” In this case, it could be vice versa, considering the mild weather we have had as we usher in the third […]
by Roland D. Hallee One of the educational things that I do for myself every day is read the comics in the daily newspaper. It kind of sets the tone for the rest of the day for me. I have my favorites: Snoopy, Hi and Lois, Beetle Bailey, Garfield, etc. I even like to read Mark […]
by Roland D. Hallee Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home Your house is on fire and your children are gone All except one, and that’s Little Anne For she has crept under the warming pan. The ladybug as immortalized in the still-popular children’s nursery rhyme. They have been, for very many years, a favorite insect of […]
by Roland D. Hallee Well, it looks like the brown-tail moth caterpillar is back in the news in 2021 with news that they are abundant in the central Maine area, including Waterville, Vassalboro, China, Albion and Winslow, according to a Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry report. In all, 54 Maine communities were on […]