REVIEW POTPOURRI: Interesting people

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Former New York Gov. Thomas Dewey

Thomas Dewey

Former New York Governor Thomas Dewey (1902-1971) has been pretty much tossed in the dumpster of 20th century ancient American history, except for brief mentions as the Re­pub­lican opponent of FDR – Franklin Delano Roosevelt – in 1944 and of Harry S Truman, in 1948, (the photo of smiling Harry holding the New York Times cover story, Dewey Beats Truman, when that News that’s Fit to Print institution called the race a bit too early, has reappeared zillions of times in history books as a quite telling example of “losers” getting the last laugh).

To Dewey’s credit, his work as a prosecutor during the 1930s smashed the Murder Incorporated crime syndicate and sent its leader Lepke Buchalter to the electric chair in 1944.

Dutch Schultz attempted to murder Dewey in 1935, despite orders not to from the mob leadership, which resulted in his own death soon after by a hit man while using the restroom in a Newark, New Jersey, bar .

Lucky Luciano was successfully prosecuted by Dewey for his prostitution rackets, later commenting how much he detested Dewey for “making him a gangster in the public’s eye.”

As a presidential candidate, Dewey campaigned on a carefully blended mix of “pay as you go liberalism and compassionate liberalism. ” During the 1950s, Dewey exerted powerful influence in the Republican party and his backing of Eisenhower helped much in the 1953 White House victory.

A quite interesting 1975 book, The Best Years 1945-1950, has a chapter, “The GOP: Dewey, Again, ” in which author Joseph C. Goulden casts a not so favorable light on his insufferable arrogance. Dewey divided people into two groups – those “who could help him politically; and the press, servants and lesser public.”

Goulden writes one paragraph that conveys just how despicable Dewey could be:

“Warren Moscow, a political writer for the New York Times who knew Dewey well, said of him, ‘Mr. Dewey is a strange character – or perhaps I might say, he’s a strange lack of character. ‘ According to Moscow, soon after Dewey became governor he received a report about an outbreak of amoebic dysentery at a state mental hospital. One patient had already died. A legislative leader asked Dewey privately what he intended to do. Dewey replied, ‘Oh, we’ll let it slide a bit, let it coast for a little while, and then we’ll make a bigger splurge when we clean it up.’ Seven deaths later Dewey acted, depicting the hospital situation as ‘typical of twenty years of dry rot and incompetence’ of preceding Democratic administrations. ‘In my opinion,’ Moscow said, ‘it boils down to seven people dying so that Mr. Dewey could get his name in bigger headlines.’ “

My first awareness of Thomas Dewey came via a 1960 Look magazine with a photo gallery on its front cover of six famous political leaders – FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Nelson Rockefeller, then-Massachusetts Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Dewey with his own beaming smile and little black mustache.

Marguerite Matzenauer
Pasquale Amato

M. Metzenauer

Donizetti: La Favorita – “Ah! L’alto armor (Oh, Love)”; Pasquale Amato, baritone, and Marguerite Matz­enauer, soprano; Victrola Red Seal 89062, one-sided 12-inch acoustic shellac disc, recorded 1912.

Soprano Matzenauer (1881-1963) was a native of Timisoara, Romania, and sung in a number of Italian and German operas at the Met during the World War I years. She also had a phenomenal memory and learned the very demanding role of Kundry for a production of Wagner’s opera Parsifal on short notice.

Italian baritone Amato (1878-1942) appeared at Milan’s La Scala in 1907 in several successful productions conducted by Arturo Toscanini and followed the Maestro to the Met when the latter became Music Director in 1908, Amato remaining there until 1921. During the mid-’30s, he landed a job teaching voice at Louisiana State University.

Both singers left a sizable number of recordings. Their 1912 collaboration in a love duet from Donizetti’s richly melodic opera La Favorita, despite the acoustic sound, is one very exquisite example of blended vocalism with each doing solo turns. This performance can be heard via YouTube and, for connoisseurs of fine operatic singing, is most highly recommended.

John Capodice

John Capodice

During season 8 of the series CSI, accessible without commercials on Hulu, character actor John Capodice (1941-2024) did a skilled performance in a recurring role as a Las Vegas mobster Gedda who has several police officers, prosecutors and judges on his payroll. Just the manner in which Gedda eyeballs different individuals with undesirable attention is something to watch.

 

 

 

 

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FOR YOUR HEALTH: Make restorative sleep the cornerstone of your resolutions

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As you set your 2025 goals, don’t forget one resolution that can transform every aspect of your health and happiness: better sleep. Rest isn’t just a luxury – it’s essential for achieving your wellness ambitions. This year, make restorative sleep the cornerstone of your resolutions.

Sleep fuels every part of your life. It impacts your mood, memory, productivity, and even your ability to stay motivated. Poor rest can sabotage your other goals, whether it’s eating better, exercising more, or managing stress. Better sleep means better results in everything you do – and PeachSkinSheets are here to help.

Implement these healthy habits to start meeting your sleep goals:

Wind down: Dedicate 30 minutes before bedtime to relaxation, screen-free.

Exercise regularly: Just 150 minutes per week can improve sleep quality by 65 percent.

Cool down: PeachSkinSheets’ moisture-wicking and temperature-regulating fabric is designed to keep you comfortable all night long. Warm sleepers stay cool, cool sleepers stay cozy, and everyone wakes up feeling refreshed.

Choose quality bedding: The right sheets can make all the difference. With PeachSkinSheets, you’ll enjoy unrivaled softness, durability, and performance tailored to your sleep needs. Their unique lightweight, athletic-grade microfiber ensures your body stays in its ideal sleep zone, helping you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

SMALL SPACE GARDENING: Be a weather watching gardener

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by Melinda Myers

Each gardening season seems to offer new growing challenges. Our gardens are exposed to more drastic and variable weather with changing weather patterns. Floods, droughts, wind, temperature extremes, and unseasonable weather episodes can have immediate and long-term impacts on our plants.

Monitoring and noting these occurrences will help you diagnose immediate and future plant and garden problems. It also reminds us to adjust plant maintenance when these stressors occur and watch for potential insect, disease, and plant decline that may appear in the future.

Create your own weather station with a rain gauge, snow gauge, and high-low thermometer. These gauges monitor the conditions in your backyard as opposed to those reported for nearby locations. Having information from your yard allows you to make any needed adjustments to watering and care to help your plants thrive.

Record significant weather extremes that can negatively impact plant health and longevity. Check with local nature centers, botanical gardens, and extension services for gardening calendars. Many include information on significant weather events in your area. You can then add your observations for future reference. Refer to this information as needed in the future to help diagnose plant problems that may result from these extremes.

Large trees and other established plantings are often overlooked when weather extremes occur. Extended dry periods, temperature extremes, and flooding can stress and weaken these plants making them more susceptible to insect pests, diseases, and decline in the coming years.

Always select plants suited to the growing conditions and start watching for those that appear to be more tolerant of extremes. Visit local public gardens and consult with your University Extension specialists and other plant experts when selecting new plants for your gardens.

Adapt your landscape maintenance and design to reduce the negative impact of flooding, drought, and temperature extremes. Protect plant roots from temperature extremes with a layer of organic mulch. Incorporate organic matter into the soil to improve drainage and increase the water-holding ability of fast-draining soils. Cover the soil with plants and mulch to help protect the soil from compaction and erosion during heavy downpours. Healthy soil is the key to growing plants that are better able to tolerate environmental stresses.

Manage water that falls on your property. Check with your local municipality for any restrictions or support for these efforts. Create rain gardens to capture, clean and direct rainfall to groundwater to help manage water where it falls. These also support pollinators and provide added beauty to your landscape. Enlist the help of rain barrels, if permitted, to capture rainwater to use on ornamental plantings and containers when needed.

Take this interest one step further and volunteer to be part of a network of volunteer weather watchers. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) is a non-profit community-based network of volunteers that provides daily measurements of rain, hail, and snow that fall in their backyards.

The goal of the Network is to provide more localized weather information to scientists, researchers, resource managers, decision makers and more. The data is used for natural resource, educational and research applications.

Weather watching is a great project for the family or classroom. It helps boost gardening success while increasing our awareness and knowledge of what’s happening around us.

Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, Revised Edition, and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: The adorable Rock Dove

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

One of the educational things 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: Peanuts, Hi and Lois, Beetle Bailey, Garfield, etc. I even like to read Mark Trail just to see what kind of adventure he sets out on, and invariably, brings to a successful and happy ending.

The one that caught my eye was a certain theme that Doonesberry was presenting. It seemed this certain person declared himself a “birder” and was on a quest to find a certain warbler to add to the list of birds he had witnessed.

That got me thinking. Claiming myself to be an amateur birder, I wondered how many varieties of birds I have seen in my life time. So, I set out to make a list.

Once I got to about 73, I decided I was wasting too much time on this. So, the thought came to me that maybe I should single out one that was intriguing to me.

Having seen birds as small as a ruby-throated hummingbird, and as large as a Great Blue heron, it was difficult to see which one in between would get my attention. Then it dawned on me.

These particular birds are mostly envisioned as pests, vagrants, scavengers and dirty inhabitants of parking lots, churches, parks, and just about everywhere else you can go in the world, leaving behind messes and clear indications of their presence, if you know what I mean. What is more intriguing than the common Rock Dove.

More commonly known as pigeons, rock doves vie with the domestic chicken for status as the world’s most familiar birds. They are not indigenous to the western hemisphere. They were introduced into North America from Europe long ago and are conspicuous in cities and villages throughout much of the world.

There are few visible differences between males and females, and the species is generally monogamous.

Feral pigeons have become established in cities around the world. The species is so abundant, that an estimated population of 17 to 28 million feral and wild birds exist in Europe alone.

With only its flying abilities to protect it from predators, rock pigeons are a favorite almost around the world for a wide range of raptors. I remember several years ago when I kept seeing pigeon body parts strewn all over my yard. One day, when I just happened to be looking out the window, I noticed a large flock of pigeons cleaning up on the ground under my bird feeders. Like a lightning strike, I saw a broad winged hawk dive head first into the pile, and came out with his next meal. To protect the pigeons, I temporarily suspended the feeders until the hawk found a new place for his hunting grounds. That poor pigeon didn’t stand a chance.

Pigeons, though, get a bad rap. They have been falsely associated with the spread of human diseases. Contact with pigeon droppings poses a minor risk of contracting diseases, and exposure to both droppings and feathers can produce bird fancier’s lung. Pigeons are not a major concern in the spread of West Nile virus. Though they can contract it, they do not appear to be able to transmit it.

Pigeons, in fact, have been associated with humans for several thousand years. Believed to have been the first domesticated birds, they were raised for meat as far back as the time of the ancient Egyptians.

Because of their powers of flight and their remarkable homing ability, pigeons have played important roles in history. A domestic pigeon taken from its home loft and released many miles away will almost invariably return. And if a message is tied to the bird’s leg, the result is a kind of air mail – a fact that humans learned to exploit many centuries ago. When Julius Caesar marched against Gaul, the news of his victories was carried back to Rome by a network of carrier pigeons. Other pigeons carried messages for Alexander the Great and for Hannibal. In modern times opposing armies in both World War I and World War II made use of thousands of carrier pigeons, also known as war pigeons. Curiously, many pigeons have received bravery awards and medals for their services in saving hundreds of human lives. A total of 32 pigeons received medallions or medals for their gallant and brave actions during World War II. And today, pigeons are still bred for their homing ability.

The next time I see a disgusting-looking pigeon on the ground, I may stand at attention, salute, and thank it for the many contributions their collective ancestors made for the human race.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Name the eight NFL teams that have the initials of their host city on their helmets.

Answer
Kansas City, Green Bay, Chicago, New York Giants, San Francisco, Tennessee, Miami (small M on the helmet worn by the dolphin), Baltimore, Washington.

THE BEST VIEW: Character flaws

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by Norma Best Boucher

Report card 1952, Kindergarten—Norma has a vivid imagination. Mrs. W.

“How’s school going, Norma?”

“Daddy, it’s only baby grade, and we only go in the morning.”

“I know, but kindergarten is a big deal. What do you do in school?

“We read a big book on a chair about Dick and Jane. We color. We sing. We put our heads on the tables when the teacher reads us a story. We have “Show and Tell,” and we roll in the dirt and swear.”

“You roll in the dirt and swear?”

“I don’t. I swing on the swings and go on the teeter totter, but the boys roll in the dirt and swear.”

“How do you know they swear?”

“The teacher said that they said bad words, and saying bad words is swearing.”

“I understand.”

“Daddy, why do boys roll in the dirt and swear?”

“Well, Norma, boys just do that. I guess it’s a character flaw.”

“What’s a character flaw?”

“A character flaw is something you do that you can’t help doing.”

“Does Sissy have a character flaw?”

“No.”

“Does Mama have a character flaw?”

“Definitely no.”

“Do you have a character flaw?”

“I guess I do.”

“What’s your character flaw?”

“I smoke cigarettes and I drink beer.”

“Don’t feel bad, Daddy. I have character flaws, too.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do. I drink beer and I swear.”

“You do not drink beer.”

“Yes. I do. I drink root beer, AND Mama gives it to me.”

“Norma, that’s not real beer,”

“Then why do they call it beer?”

“They just do, but it isn’t real beer. It’s soda”

“I swear.”

“I don’t believe that. Tell me how you swear.”

“Yesterday I called Sissy a “Brat.” Mama said that “Brat” is a bad word.”

“Your mother is right. You should not call your sister a “Brat.”

“Then I told Sissy that she was a brat and that I knew it and she knew it, but I’m not supposed to call her a brat, so I called her a “Stinkeroo.”

“What did your mother say about that?”

“Mama said that was a bad word, too.”

“Okay, Norma, I can see that we might have a teeny weeny flaw here. Not to worry. The question is ‘What are you going to do about it?'”

(Pause)

“Promise not to tell Mama?”

“I promise.”

“I’m thinking up a new name.”

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Author: Judith Thurman

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Judith Thurman

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

I Became Alone

I Became Alone is a 1975 book by Judith Thurman on five major woman poets. They are Sappho from ancient Greece; Louise Labe of the 16th century French Renaissance; Anne Bradstreet, who wrote out of her own experience living among fellow Puritans in 17th century Boston; Juana Ines de la Cruz dwelling in 17th century Mexico; and finally the 19th century Amherst, Massachusetts, recluse Emily Dickinson whose poems were posthumously published after being found by the hundreds in her bureau drawers.

The common thread among them, whatever their unique gifts, is their identities, their need to achieve focus and fuse their life and work as one.

To quote Thurman:

“If we read their work because they are women, we also read it because it is good poetry – good in the absolute, not good ‘for women.’ Quality has no gender: there are no ‘poetesses.’ These five poets wrote, and are, for everyone.”

A few words from each of the poets:

Sappho – “What my heart most hopes will happen, make happen; you yourself join forces on my side!”

Louise Labe – “Observing, then he loved me fatally,/I pitied his sad, amorous mischance,/and urged my nature on relentlessly,/till I loved with the same extravagance.”

Anne Bradstreet – “All things within this fading world hath end,/Adversity doth still our joyes attend;/No types so strong, no friends so dear and sweet,/But with deaths parting blow is sure to meet.”

Juana Ines de la Cruz – “I can’t hold you and I can’t leave you,/and sorting the reasons to leave you or hold you,/I find an intangible one to love you,/and many tangible ones to forgo you.”

Emily Dickinson – “I’m Nobody! Who are you?/Are you-Nobody-Too?/Then there’s a pair of us?/Don’t tell! they’d advertise-you know!”

All five women were literary artists in a patriarchal society in which women literary artists were considered weird and against what that society considered normal. Hence, a good adjective for them would be subversive.

The Agency

Recently I saw the first two episodes of a new series, The Agency, starring Richard Gere and a fine supporting cast. It casts a different, non-clichéd perspective on the CIA. The two episodes stream for free on Paramount until January 24. Additional ones mean 12 extra dollars monthly for the upgrade. Highly recommended, however.

VETERANS CORNER: There will always be a sense which is maintained by the veteran

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by Gary Kennedy

Good day to my fellow veterans and all of you who read and contribute to these articles of importance which support and clarify issues of relevance in the veteran’s life and well being. It can be a long and testy road from active military force overseeing all that we know and love to veteran. The uniform comes off but that which has been instilled in the minds of all those who served will remain always. There will always be a sense which is maintained by the veteran which will never be known by those who never served their country through the military. Veterans just seem to have a special sense when it comes to the stressors facing our country. They have a keen sense of danger when it comes to their homeland and all things that they love that reside within its borders. How many countries in the world have the second amendment? For veterans there is a feeling of security knowing we are able to protect that which we love. Unfortunately, not all in our system feels as most of us do.

I have worked beside veterans for most of my life and become very upset when I see veterans being abused in any way, shape or form. Not all veterans are in line for sainthood but all deserve the truth and a fair shake. Veterans depend on the VA system to protect them and express their problems to said entity to carry the ball for them. When the ball is dropped it needs to be picked back up and carried to the finish line in the most honorable fashion possible. Honor is one of the most elaborated on subjects carried into the battle field.

It is also insisted upon in all we say and do. If you aren’t sure of something then you should handle it as something of an unknown or I need more clarity. Here is where procedure comes into play. You’ve heard the expression “by the book”, this is a point in time when this rule must be adhered to. To exaggerate a situation, to hurt someone or to demean someone is a serious attack on humanity. Gossip, hearsay, insinuation are just a few words under the umbrella of baring false witness, which is an offense in my opinion beyond most. These things can be brought about in different ways.

Lately, I have been addressing this sort of issue with other veterans. As most of us are aware time is the precursor of change and this can be an event of rapidity or a slow change in world events and attitudes. Along with this comes language changes and social changes. This evolution is not necessarily good or bad. However, the impact can be great on certain communities and societies. Veterans are a very large group of individuals who think largely in the past and sometimes take a little more time to catch up with today’s requirements.

Even the brightest most progressive of us can find we aren’t or haven’t caught up with the changes being mandated by current society so in our panic we search out the aid and advice of those trained in the manner in which societal change can be coped with.

On the other hand those mandating these changes should realize that problems can arise because of habits established over time. So, if the societal push is on a vulnerable group in society, patients and real understanding becomes very necessary. Situations can become confused and serious negatives can be drawn from events not deserving of such. Without proper training serious harm can be extrapolated from another wise innocent situation. This can be the case with face to face communication or even in the handling of documentation. Unfortunately, there is also the possibility of the intentional infliction of harm on another.

Next time I will show you a problem I and others have run into recently involving the handling of veteran’s records. Veterans should always be vigilant when it comes to their records. Veterans should always read them carefully, more than once and make sure you understand what has been placed before you. Your future well being may indeed depend on it. If you don’t understand any part of your record take it to your Veteran’s Service Officer and ask for clarity. I will explain more next time.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: What to Do to Fight the Flu and COVID-19

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If you get COVID-19 or the flu, the faster you get proper treatment, the better your chances of a complete recovery.

(NAPSI)—You may not know it, but chances are you have at least one risk factor that could make you vulnerable for serious complications from flu, COVID-19 and other dangerous diseases. Conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and lung diseases including asthma and COPD increase your risk. Other common factors including being overweight, obese, pregnant, and even age—being 50 or older—can put you at greater risk for serious illness.

The good news is, you can protect yourself and those you care about.

The bad news is, too many people are not doing everything they can. Doctors say there’s been lower-than-optimal vaccination rates this fall.

What Can Be Done

The better news is, while treatments are not a substitute, nor a replacement for vaccines, there are several antiviral treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for people at high risk for serious illness from COVID-19 and flu.

Antivirals work by preventing the viruses that cause flu and COVID-19 infections from making copies of themselves and spreading through the body. As a result, they can help limit more serious symptoms and reduce the risk of hospitalization and death in high-risk individuals. Clinical trials have shown oral antivirals for flu can reduce the risk of hospitalization 60%, and a study from Yale found that the COVID-19 antiviral Paxlovid reduced hospitalization by as much as 89% for high-risk individuals.

Antiviral Treatments for COVID-19 and flu are available with a prescription from a healthcare provider or, in many cases, from a state-licensed pharmacist. And they are most effective when they are started as soon as possible after being infected—within 5 days after symptoms begin for COVID-19 and within the first two days for flu.

These life- and lifestyle-saving medicines, however, are also not used as often as they should be for several reasons:

• Gaps in patient and provider awareness.
• Financial barriers, with potential increased out-of-pocket costs post government programs.
• Equity issues, particularly in underserved communities. Black patients are 35.8% less likely to receive an antiviral than are white patients, according to the NIH.
• The digital divide, limiting telehealth access in rural or low-income areas.
• Misconceptions about antiviral effectiveness, delaying treatment.

How To Help Yourself

Don’t hesitate. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or the flu, get tested and get treated. These drugs are most effective when they are started as soon as possible after being infected—within 5 days after the first symptoms of COVID-19 begin and within 2 days after flu symptoms begin.

As for cost and coverage, there are patient assistance programs, co-pay programs, and other plans to help ensure COVID-19 treatments will continue to be available at no or low cost for most individuals.

Plus, the CDC suggests, you may be able to avoid getting or spreading the viruses if, in addition to getting the vaccines, you:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Keep frequently touched surfaces clean.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wear a mask.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Improve air quality at home by bringing in fresh outside air, purifying indoor air, or gathering outdoors. Cleaner air can reduce the risk of exposure to viruses.

Learn More

Additional information is available at cveep.org/treatments.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Browntail moth experienced a drastic population decline in 2024

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Many browntail moth winter webs at the tips of tree branches in Augusta. (photo courtesy of the Maine Forest Service)

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

I recently received this update from the Maine Forest Service on the status of the browntail moth caterpillar.

Browntail caterpillars will remain in their winter webs for now…

Throughout the winter season in Maine, browntail caterpillars are nestled inside of their winter webs they created in late fall. These winter webs can be found on the tips of the branches of their host trees, typically oak, birch, cherry, crabapple, and other fruit and hardwood trees. Winter webs made by browntail caterpillars have a distinct white silk covering that protects them from the harsh Maine winters.

Now through March is the best time to go out and begin scouting for winter webs on your property. A sunny day makes for a good scouting day, as the white silk of the winter webs will shine back at you – a good indication of a browntail winter web. Sometimes, oak and hawthorn trees hold onto marcescent leaves, which are dead leaves that haven’t yet fallen off the tree, which can be confused for browntail webs.

Maine Forest Service surveys cannot be exhaustive. The most important populations of browntail moth that may affect your daily life in the spring and summer may not be found by these surveys.

Browntail moth experienced a drastic population reduction in 2024. That means aerial survey only highlighted scattered small areas of concern. Trace to moderate populations may be found throughout a large area of the state. Small numbers of webs can produce enough caterpillars to cause an itchy spring and summer.

By recognizing webs in winter, you can respond to their presence and reduce impacts in spring and summer.

Scouting for webs is an important first step in understanding browntail moth populations your backyard.

Pick a sunny day for scouting to make the webs easier to spot.

Prioritize trees that surround your home, driveway, porch, play areas, etc.

Consider scouting for winter webs around your business, especially in areas where browntail moth caterpillars may emerge from winter webs in the spring and crawl onto vehicles (such as parking lots), or impact outdoor activities (such as picnic/break areas, near walkways and buildings, etc.)

Stand with your back to the sun about 50-100 ft. away from the base of the trees.

You may want to stand closer if scouting for webs on shorter, ornamental trees.

Check for clumps of leaves at the tips of branches.

On cloudy days, these leaves may appear brown or gray, but on sunny days, you’ll be able to see a white silk covering on these leaves.

Browntail winter webs will not be larger than the palm of your hand (roughly 3 – 5 inches long) and are typically narrow in width.

In heavily infested trees (trees with 100+ winter webs), like the ones in the enclosed photo, winter web removal may not be appropriate. Instead, pesticide applications may be considered if these trees are in a high-traffic area such as your dooryard or the front of your business building.

If you can’t remove the browntail winter webs on your property, consider hiring a professional to assist with removal. Winter web removals should be completed before the end of March.

What we’re working on this winter:

Browntail populations have declined in 2024. To understand the full extent of the reduction in browntail, we will continue our winter web survey starting in January 2025. These surveys are usually completed in March. After the data is reviewed, it will appear on our interactive browntail moth dashboard, which will give you a rough idea about what browntail is doing in your community.

A Patriots observation

The NFL season has ended for the New England Patriots with a 4-13 record. Here’s my quick analysis of the season. They began the year with an upset win over the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-16. They ended the season with another upset victory, 23-16, over the Buffalo Bills. Comparing the two scores, I see a 13.1 percent improvement, from beginning to end. We won’t discuss what happened in between.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Name the four NFL teams that have a human face in their logo.

Answer
Patriots, Buccaneers, Raiders, Vikings.

THE BEST VIEW: THE Birthday

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by Norma Best Boucher

1987 – According to Shirley MacLaine, with crystals at each corner of my shower and with the fingertips of both of my hands touching in pyramidic fashion, if I chant three times, I will find an inner peace. Here goes:

“My fortieth birthday will not be a traumatic experience.”

“My fortieth birthday will not be a traumatic experience.”

“My fortieth birthday will not be a traumatic experience.”

Nothing personal, Shirl, but I’m sure you’ll understand if I don’t put all of my eggs into one soap dish.

In reflection I remember that whenever my friends lamented, “I hit the big Four-0 today,” I had expressed sympathy and encouragement but never any real understanding.

After all, I had never prayed for perpetual youth, only to look like perpetual youth. Was my dream going to shatter just as everyone else’s had?

I decided to take the challenge, so on my 39th birthday I began to take stock.

I had begun to notice a slight giggle when I walked past the bathroom scales. When I actually got up enough nerve to weight myself, I heard down right hysterical laughter. Scratch one.

I had noticed crow’s feet near the corner of my eyes, but I decided years ago that if I didn’t smile, these lines wouldn’t show. Upon closer inspection I noticed that these few crow’s feet now map out a coast to coast round trip voyage across the United States. This includes alternate routes using federal, state, and local highways. Scratch two.

I had begun innocently enough pulling out my gray hairs as they appeared. On this day, using my multi-lighted cosmetic mirror, I had a decision to make: remain gray or continue pulling out the gray hair and go bald. Scratch three.

That was the last straw or should I say the last gray hair. This was no longer a challenge – this was WAR.

I could either lie down and be 40, or I could fight and be 39 one more time.

There was no stopping me. I became a driven woman. I lost 13 pounds. I bought a new wardrobe. I permed my hair. I got contact lenses. I had color analysis, and I pierced my ears.

In the grocery store I saw two people who had been my neighbors for nine years. Neither one of them recognized me. One woman even suggested that I change my name.

“Why not?” she said. “You’ve changed everything else.”

I gave that idea considerable thought but decided to save that decision and possible cosmetic surgery for birthday Five-0.

I became desperate. I began scratching out my birth date on calendars. I jogged. I did aerobics. I took vitamins. Nothing worked.

Time ravaged on, and so did I.

Inevitably, I have accepted the fact that the big Four-0 will arrive no matter what I do.

This is mind over body or whatever is left of it.

In these last days I realize that my major battle will be on the morning of my birthday.

My strategy is set. This will be my last hurrah. Here goes:

I will chant in my crystalized shower and meditate facing my “I’d rather be 40 than pregnant” poster taped to the inside of the bathroom door.

When no one is looking, I’ll remove half of the light bulbs from my cosmetic mirror, and I’ll apply my makeup before I put in my contact lenses.

One major question remains, Shirley, “What if even all of this should fail?”

Just in case, I have one more alternate plan.

With shoulders back and head held high, I’ll toss back my hair and say, “Dye it.”