SCORES & OUTDOORS: Katydids are considered gentle insects not harmful to humans

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Last week, a friend of mine texted me with the photo of a cricket-like bug for identification. Before I could get back to him, he ID it as a katydid. A few days later, I saw one hanging on the screen door at camp. It had been a while since I had seen one.

Katydids are a family of insects related to grasshoppers and crickets. They’re also called bush crickets or long-horned grasshoppers in some regions. There are more than 6,000 types of katydids, and they’re found on every continent except for Antarctica. The vast majority of katydid species live in the tropical regions of the world. For example, the Amazon basin rain forest is home to over 2,000 species of katydids. However, katydids are found in the cool, dry temperate regions, as well, with about 255 species in North America.

Most types of katydids are green and have markings to help them blend in with leaves and other foliage. Like crickets and grasshoppers, they have long back legs to help them jump. They can rub their front wings together to make a loud ka-ty-did song that gives them their name. Some katydid songs, however, are at too high a frequency for human ears to hear.

Katydids are usually considered gentle insects that aren’t harmful to humans. Some people consider them garden pests; however, they usually don’t cause serious damage to your plants or vegetables. The Common Garden Katydid is a quite common backyard buddy and garden visitor.

Many people even keep them as pets. In rare cases, larger types of katydid may pinch or bite if they feel threatened. Their bite is unlikely to break your skin and likely won’t be any more painful than a mosquito bite. You’re very unlikely to get bitten unless you’re handling them with your bare hands. It’s extremely unlikely that the bite will need medical attention. You can wash the area with soap and water and apply a cold compress if you have pain or swelling.

Katydids primarily eat leaves and grass. Along with crickets and grasshoppers, they may be attracted to the plants in your garden or any tall grass on your property. Katydids are nocturnal and are also attracted to bright lights at night.

One type of katydid found widely across North America, the broad-winged katydid, likes to eat the leaves of citrus trees and may be a pest for people with orchards.

You may not know much about katydids, probably because they are masters of camouflage. Their green colouring and leaf-like shape helps them blend into leafy surroundings, and they are most active at night. They may be tough to spot, but may be a lot more common than you think.

Katydids don’t have ears on their heads, but instead they have an ear called a ‘tympanum’ on each front leg, just below the knee. Up close, this looks like a hole in their leg.

The lifespan of a katydid is about a year, with full adulthood usually developing very late. Females most typically lay their eggs at the end of summer beneath the soil or in plant stem holes. The eggs are typically oval and laid in rows on the host plant.

When katydids go to rest during the day, they enter a diurnal roosting posture to maximize their cryptic qualities. This position fools predators into thinking the katydid is either dead or just a leaf on the plant. By flicking their wings open when disturbed, they use the coloration to fool predators into thinking the spots are eyes. This, in combination with their coloration mimicking leaves, allows them to blend in with their surroundings, but also makes predators unsure which side is the front and which side is the back.

They have polygamous relationships. The first male to mate is guaranteed an extremely high confidence of paternity when a second male couples at the termination of female sexual refractoriness. The nutrients that the offspring ultimately receive will increase their fitness.

The polygamous relationships of the katydids lead to high levels of male-male competition. Male competition is caused by the decreased availability of males able to supply nutrients to the females. Females produce more eggs on a high-quality diet; thus, the female looks for healthier males with more nutrition. Females use the sound created by the male to judge his fitness. The louder and more fluent the trill, the higher the fitness of the male.

When you think about it, there is a lot that goes on in the world of what we consider “just a bug.”

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Which retired former Red Sox player is married to Olympic and World Cup soccer player Mia Hamm?

Answer
Nomar Garciaparra.

VETERANS CORNER: VA rules, regulations becoming more complicated

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Veterans Administration facility at Togus. (Internet photo)

by Gary Kennedy

I will try to get a couple things answered this week. I am getting slower in my old age and VA is becoming more complicated than it used to be. Remember, what I share with you is my opinion based upon my research and that which has worked for me and veterans I have worked with overtime.

I believe I am as accurate as VA sites are, and they vary, one to another. Trying to simplify VA rules, regulations coupled with case law is not an easy nor definitive task. However, it puts us in the ball park and gets the ball rolling. Even the lawyers aren’t 100 percent or they wouldn’t be needed, would they. A veteran needing help should accept any available knowledgeable source. You don’t need to go it alone. Always avail yourself of second opinions. A good person has been known to make mistakes. When you acquire satisfactory information share it.

There are many veteran groups outside of VA, from here to the S.E. Asia Islands. The VA has loosened their rules on medical help and pensions recently. It’s hard to keep up with the changes. A good example would be in the Presumptive area. We recently went through Agent Orange and Burn pits presumptive issues. These alone carry many commorbidities which also become presumptive. A few of the newer ones, for those of you who are not aware, are 1. Male Breast Cancer; 2. Urethral cancer and cancer of the Paraurethral Glands. These can be added to the list of Presumptive. Unfortunately, it takes time and research to reach this point and some may die before they know and obtain help. I have seen a couple of close calls regarding addendums to Presumptive cases.

VA states that you must have been in the military for 90 days or more, active and continues service. I would certainly argue that in some cases. Doctor’s notes and a good lawyer would have a viable argument in my opinion. The PACT Act alone added 20 presumptive conditions based on toxic exposure. Some of these cases are time sensitive, usually one year. So some of these can be very difficult and in my opinion, is unfair.

Cancer is a dirty player. It can hang around for years before rearing it’s vile head. In any case I would still fight for the exception. There is a lot of kidney cancer as of late. This is a presumptive condition and one I would not hesitate to argue outside of any time sensitive rules. We all have heard about our brothers at Camp Lejeune. This evolved from military to people living near the base as well as civilians working on the base. Lawyers are all over this. Simple conditions such as Chronic Rhinitis or Sinusitis can be service compensable conditions, depending on your MOS or having close proximity to the proximal potential causation of these irritants. (Smoke, gas/oil, fumes, solvents etc.) More than three quarters of a million veterans have filed for these Pact Act related events. More than half of these are still pending. Although we have a first come, first1st served policy there needs to be exceptions to this rule. I have seen a couple of situations where this should have been the case. I am referring to near death situations. Most veterans, especially those in line waiting would agree with me on this one. It’s so bad losing someone you love but even worse for the veteran knowing he/she is leaving some very important unfinished business relating to those loved ones. There have been dozens of Presumptive Medical issues added to the list. Speak with your Veteran Service Officer about the many presumed conditions if you believe you or your loved one may fit into any as the ever changing list of medical issues that might be in close proximity to your veteran’s condition.

Next time we will cover other issues on your list. I hope this has been of some help to you and yours. I will try to cover some of the more basic issues next time. God bless you all and have a safe and sharing week. Always remember, “It’s not what you take with you but what you leave behind”.

THE BEST VIEW: “Make My Day”

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by Norma Best Boucher

“Hey, great shoes!” I hear a man yell across the convenience store parking lot.

“Thanks!” I answer loudly as I look around for the person with the compliment.

There he is, a thin, old man with a scraggly white beard sitting in an old beat-up red truck.

“I like them shoes!” he adds in a deep Southern drawl as he drives away.

He made my day.

I like these shoes, too. In fact, they are my “this is going to be a great day” bright yellow Crocs shoes. On a sunny day they complete a matching outfit with the brightness of the sun; on a personally questionable day they put an extra bit of sunshine in my attitude; and on a cloudy day such as today they are a slice of sunshine breaking up the gray of the day.

Besides, these yellow shoes also show a certain pizzazz against the water in the puddles I am forced to wade. And…plastic shoes are waterproof to boot, pun intended.

This incident causes me to think about compliments in general and how they make us feel. I remember hearing my mother say, “If you can’t say anything good, don’t say anything at all.” Through trials and many errors, I now accept her warning.

A compliment that I will always remember was when my kindergarten teacher told me I had shiny blonde hair. My father was a tow head blond, and my mother was a beautiful brunette. My hair color was in-between and what people called dirty blonde.

At five years old I thought dirty blonde sounded not very pretty, so when my teacher asked me to ask my mother what shampoo she used to make my hair so shiny, I found out and proudly announced that she used an egg shampoo.

Many years later after I had taught for several years, I saw that kindergarten teacher in a jewelry store. I introduced myself.

Apparently, we had been one of her first classes. She remembered my name and, as unbelievable as it sounds, asked, “Didn’t you have blonde hair?”

I felt the glow of her original compliment once again.

When I was young, my family rented a camp on China Lake. There was a young woman who lived in another camp nearby. She was Native American and had beautiful long black hair and pretty eyes.

I never knew her name. I called her “The Pretty Lady.”

We rented that camp for several summers. The Pretty Lady got married and stayed at the camp with her husband and her mother. I quietly accompanied my mother whenever she visited the family. My mother had told her what I called her, so I remained shy about talking to her

Many years later when I was much older, I saw this woman in a grocery store. She had short black hair, but her face was unmistakable. She had seemed so much older than I when I was young, but I realized that she had been a very young woman, newlywed, when I knew her.

I walked down the aisle to speak with her. “You don’t know me and probably won’t remember me, but when I was young, my family rented a camp near you. I used to call you The Pretty Lady.”

She gave me a questioning look and asked, “You recognized me?”

“Oh, yes,” I told her. I should have added but didn’t, “You are just as pretty as ever.”

She looked straight at me, and with the same soft smile and pretty eyes, she answered, “I remember.”

After I retired from teaching, I worked several years at a bookstore. Because I had taught high school English students, the managers decided that I would make a good facilitator for their new young children’s programs.

Not having taught little children before, I called upon a professional preschool teacher I knew for advice. She told me to read them a story, give them snacks, and let them glue and glitter something, and I would be a success.

My first group of preschoolers came through. There were nine four-year-olds and one three-year-old. I was told the three-year-old was very precocious and fit right in with the older children.

After I read them the story, we had a very animated question and answer discussion. The three-year-old sat very quietly listening and watching the other children’s actions. Ending the talk, I asked if there were any more questions.

The three-year-old raised her hand.

“Yes. What is your question?” I asked.

This beautiful little girl with short legs dangling from a too big chair responded, “My name is Sylvie.”

She held up three fingers. “I’m three years old.”

She pointed to her foot. “I have new shoes, and I came to school to have fun.”

I waited a few seconds taking in her innocence and candor. Then I did what every lawyer says never to do. I asked a question for which I did not know the answer.

“Wonderful, Sylvie, and are you having fun today?” I asked.

Sylvie scrunched up her face in deep thought. Then she relaxed, smiled, and answered, “Yes!”

She made my day.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: How to treat a poison ivy rash

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You generally won’t need to see your doctor to be diagnosed with a poison ivy rash. If you go to a clinic, your doctor will likely diagnose your rash by looking at it. You usually won’t need further testing.

Treatment

Poison ivy treatments usually involve self-care methods at home. And the rash typically goes away on its own in two to three weeks.

If the rash is widespread or causes many blisters, your doctor may prescribe an oral corticosteroid, such as prednisone, to reduce swelling. If a bacterial infection has developed at the rash site, your doctor might prescribe an oral antibiotic.

Lifestyle and home remedies

A poison ivy rash will eventually go away on its own. But the itching can be hard to deal with and make it difficult to sleep. If you scratch your blisters, they may become infected. Here are some steps you can take to help control the itching:

Apply an over-the-counter cortisone cream or ointment (Cortizone 10) for the first few days.

Apply calamine lotion or creams containing menthol.

Take oral antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), which may also help you sleep better. An over-the-counter antihistamine that won’t make you so drowsy is loratadine (Alavert, Claritin, others).

Soak the affected area in a cool-water bath that has about a half cup (100 grams) of baking soda or an oatmeal-based bath product (Aveeno) in it.

Place cool, wet compresses on the affected area for 15 to 30 minutes several times a day.

You probably won’t need medical treatment for a poison ivy rash unless it spreads widely, persists for more than a few weeks or becomes infected. If you’re concerned, you’ll probably first see your primary care doctor. He or she might refer you to a doctor who specializes in skin disorders (dermatologist).

How long will this rash last?

Is it contagious?

Is it OK to scratch?

Will scratching spread the rash?

Will popping the blisters spread the rash?

What treatments are available, and which do you recommend?

What can I do to help control the itching?

If the rash doesn’t go away or gets worse, when do you think I need to make another appointment with you?

How can I prevent this in the future?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:

When did you begin experiencing symptoms?

Have you had a similar rash in the past?

Have you spent time outdoors recently?

What treatment steps have you already tried?

SMALL SPACE GARDENING: Expand your garden beds without chemicals

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When creating large garden beds, rent a power edger to make the job easier.
Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com

by Melinda Myers

There never seems to be enough room for all the plants you want to grow. If space allows, create new garden beds to expand your planting space and increase the beauty of your landscape.

Start by evaluating your current landscape design and plantings. Perhaps, expanding an existing garden bed or connecting two smaller beds is a better option than creating a whole new garden.

No matter the option selected, start by laying out the planned expansion or new bed. Always start by calling 811 or filing online at least three business days before you begin digging with any equipment or tool, including hand tools, that disturb the soil. This is a free service that helps protect people from injury and repair costs that may occur if they strike or damage a buried utility line.

To help us all remember, August 11th has been declared 811 Day. If this is old news, please share this important information with others. We want everyone to create beautiful gardens safely.

Begin your project by using a rope or hose to outline the area. Avoid tight corners or creating narrow grass borders that will be difficult to mow or require hand trimming. Adjust your garden layout to avoid underground utilities whenever possible. If not, only use hand tools when digging within 18″ of any underground utility.

Once satisfied with the layout, take a soil test to find out how much and what type of fertilizer you will need for the plants you are growing. Testing now means you’ll have the information before it’s time to fertilize in spring.

Next, edge the bed. Use a shovel to dig a V-shaped trench around the garden’s border. Or rent or borrow a power edger to make larger jobs easier.

Once the edging is complete, remove healthy grass with a sod cutter and use it to fill bare spots in the lawn. Otherwise, create a planting berm or add it to the compost pile. Place the green side down and wait for it to decompose.

Another method is to edge the garden, cut the grass as short as possible, and then cover the area with cardboard or several layers of newspaper. Top this with several inches of organic mulch and wait for the grass and cardboard to decompose and plant in the spring. Or for immediate planting, push back the mulch and cut through the cardboard or newspaper.

Covering the new planting area with black plastic for at least four to six weeks and clear plastic for four to six of the hottest and sunniest weeks are also effective methods. Both should kill the existing grass and weeds.

If you killed or removed the grass, now is the time to improve the soil if needed. Add two to four inches of organic matter like aged manure or compost to the top 8 to 12 inches of soil. These materials improve the drainage in heavy clay soil and increase the water-holding ability in fast-draining sandy or rocky soils.

After you mix in the organic matter and rake the garden level and smooth, your garden is ready to plant. Or cover the soil with shredded leaves or other organic mulch to suppress weeds and prevent soil erosion for planting next spring.

Whether you plant now or wait for next spring, always select the right plants for the growing conditions. And always call 811 before you dig.

Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd 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: Lately, I’ve been getting a “rash” of questions about poison ivy

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poison ivy leaves

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

For some reason, this summer, I am getting more and more questions about poison ivy. Where is it? What does it look like? What do you do about it and how do you treat it?

All very legitimate questions.

As we all know, poison ivy and other members of its family can cause a lot of misery to humans should they make contact with the toxic plant.

Poison ivy, Toxicodendron radicans, is a member of the cashew family. It usually grows as a vine twining on tree trunks or crawls along the ground. It is generally found in all states in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and southern Canada, specifically Québec, Ontario and Manitoba.

It may grow as a forest understory plant, although it is only somewhat shade tolerant. The plant is extremely common in suburban areas of New England. It can grow in many types of soil, and is not sensitive to soil moisture, although it does not grow in arid conditions.

The leaves of the poison ivy are red in the spring, turning to a shiny green later. Come fall, they turn yellow, red or orange. Each leaf is made up of three leaflets more or less notched at the edges. However, don’t let that be the determining factor. Some leaves have smooth edges. Two of the leaves appear opposite each other on the stem while the third one stands alone at the tip. Later in the season, clusters of poisonous, whitish, waxy looking berries will form.

Many people have difficulty identifying the plants because it can look like other plants, while, sometimes, other plants are mistaken as poison ivy.

Obviously, contact with the plant should be avoided. You can become infected simply by walking through the bush, taking off your shoes, and making contact with your skin.

Poison ivy in the U.S. is more common now than when Europeans first arrived in North America. The development of real estate adjacent to wild, undeveloped land caused the plant to spread into vast, lush colonies in these areas. Also, birds will eat the berries and transplant them on new areas along with their droppings. It’s also spread by other animals as the seeds remain viable after passing through the digestive system.

A study by researchers at the University of Georgia found poison ivy is particularly sensitive to carbon dioxide levels, increasing in numbers due to a higher concentration in the atmosphere. Poison ivy’s growth has doubled since the 1960s, and could possibly double again as the carbon dioxide levels continue to rise.

What do you do once you’ve made contact and develop a skin rash. There is some hope. Efforts to destroy these plants by uprooting or by spraying chemicals have been somewhat ineffective. Caution: whatever you do, do not burn the plant. Its toxins will filter into the air, and if breathed, can cause irritation in the lungs. Not a very pleasant experience.

The oil on the leaves is known as urushiol. The urushiol compound in poison ivy is not meant as a defensive measure, but rather helps the plant retain water. It is frequently eaten by animals such as deer and bears. Statistically, about 15 percent to 30 percent of people have no allergic reaction to the urushiol. Fortunately, I fall in that category.

Once contact has been made, it takes some time for it to penetrate the skin and do damage. Before this happens, it is wise to wash the skin completely several times with plenty of soap and water. Some experts say that washing within the first hour may help limit the rash. Care should be taken not to touch any other parts of the body, for even tiny amounts of the oil will cause irritation. Also, wash the clothing immediately. If poisoning develops, the blisters and red, itching skin may be treated with dressings of calamine lotion, Epsom salts, or bicarbonate of soda. Dermatologists recommend a simple oatmeal bath and baking soda as a possible remedy. Scientists have developed a vaccine that can be injected or swallowed. But this is effective only if taken before exposure.

So, now we know a little more about poison ivy. But, always remember this: “Leaves of three, let it be.”

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Have the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs ever met in a World Series?

Answer
Yes, in 1918.

VETERANS CORNER: Flat feet are common and have many causes

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by Gary Kennedy

First I will apologize to our readers as I had promised to continue my VA series but for some reason I have misplaced two articles. I will start today by briefly defining some of the questions asked of me and then elaborate on a particular issue. We can do this each week. Thousands of subscribers read this column so I am very sure we are bound to eventually cross paths with your question.

It’s no problem jumping out of context now and then. One of the questions on my list is Pes Planes. Pes Planus is a Latin word for simply, flat feet. Why medical words have to be so difficult is beyond me. You would think something this important would be made easy for lay people such as us. Anyway, flat feet are extremely common and have many possible causations. This disorder can occur in children and adults. Here we are primarily concerned with military connotation and applications. With flat feet the interior arch of the foot/feet touches the floor. There are several types of flat feet but in all cases you will derive the same arch dysfunction.

In all actuality flat feet are not allowed in the military. I believe most are overlooked. Flat feet are for the most part an inherited condition. The fear of acceptance of individuals in the military is the possible and most likely progression of the problem over time. Pes Planus is like the growth of a tree. The growth is obviously upward and outward, and so is the nature of the problem. If you are very athletic in the military and you have this problem it is bound to climb the trunk and affect the limbs as well.

In my many years of being around the V.A. and having been a medical specialist in the Army I have seen many foot problems which have affected the entire body eventually. So never say that a zero percent Pes Planus can’t lead to a 100 percent total body. It all depends on how hard and long your body has been abused. Flat Feet (Pes Planus) can be a disability that can limit mobility and cause chronic pain. The pain and discomfort associated with flat feet can make it difficult to live a normal life, potentially leading to other physical disabilities. In this case disability can be literally one step at a time.

Bilateral acquired flat feet if severe with deformity and pain, swelling and callosities can carry a possible rating of 30-50 percent disability, on its own. Also, there are many addendums that could be connected to this scenario. A married veteran with 30 percent rated disability would receive approximately $586.31 and $1,179.16 for 50 percent. The 100 percent rating amount currently is approximately $ 3,946.25.

The problem that began with a veteran’s feet can evolve over time to include his/her entire spine due to many other adjunct factors. That is just one example so it is smart to speak with someone who knows how to follow your career’s paper trail. I have only given you one possible way to reach the 100 percent over time using a simple, but possible example. Of course, most veterans with the high percentages start with much more severe trauma. However, most of what I have told you is a pathway to increased percentages. Many veterans go through life believing they don’t deserve any compensation for injuries. That is totally up to you.

Uncle Sam entered into an agreement with you when you enlisted. He promised to take care of you and yours if anything were to happen to you, that includes physical, emotional and death. Don’t go it alone. Be truthful and explain all your pain. The service officer will help you carry the ball from there. There is always on appeal process.

God bless you and yours and have a good safe weekend.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: When Planning International Travel, Measles Vaccination is Peace of Mind for the Whole Family

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Before you travel with kids, it’s a good idea to make sure they’ve been vaccinated against measles.

by Dr. David Sugerman

(NAPSI)—As a parent, I know that preparing for international travel with kids is more than just packing a suitcase. Whether we are visiting relatives we haven’t seen for a long time or helping our children see the world, we all can agree that protecting our family’s health is the top priority. As a doctor, I know that beyond sorting out missing socks and packing suitcases, there is another important step to prepare for international travel: measles vaccination. Your whole family needs to be protected by measles vaccination, including babies as young as six months old.

While the risk for measles in the U.S. remains thankfully low due to high rates of immunization, measles can occur anywhere in the world, and you can be exposed during international travel. Every year, U.S. residents who are unvaccinated get measles while traveling internationally and get sick after they come home, often spreading it to others. Measles is more than just a little rash; it’s a serious disease that can cause severe complications, especially in young children. Measles is also highly contagious. If one person has it, up to nine out of 10 people nearby can become infected if they are not vaccinated.

The good news is that two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine provide safe, long-lasting protection against measles. While most children receive their first dose of MMR vaccine around one year old, babies as young as six months old who are traveling overseas should get an early dose to help protect them when they are the most vulnerable. And while most children get their second dose after the age of four, children between one and four years of age should get a second dose before traveling internationally to provide the best protection.

Why risk being exposed away from home when you can protect the whole family by vaccination? It takes about two weeks to develop protection from the vaccine, so now is the time to plan before you take a trip. If your trip is less than two weeks away, you can still get a dose of MMR vaccine. As a reminder, college kids or young adults traveling might need a dose, too, if they didn’t get all of them as a children. As a doctor, I hope you will talk with your own doctor, nurse, or clinic about measles vaccination to protect the whole family. As a dad, I might never find that missing sock – but I’ll have peace of mind knowing my family is protected from disease by vaccination.

You can learn more about measles vaccination and how to plan for travel here at: https://www.cdc.gov/measles/travel/index.html.

Dr. David Sugerman is a medical officer in the Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Poet: Roberta Chester

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Roberta Chester

Still living in her 80s, poet Roberta Chester has written articles for different newspapers in Maine and taught English at UMO, College of the Atlantic and in Israel.

With respect to the Pine Tree State, she wrote the following in the 1989 Maine Speaks anthology:

“Now that I live in Maine, the intense beauty of the Maine landscape has been a constant inspiration. I can’t think of a better place to be a poet than Maine, where each of the seasons arrives with so much passion that all of our senses are awakened. If we’re poets we have to respond.”

One poem of Ms. Chester that is included in the above-mentioned anthology, Succoth (Bangor 1982), alludes to an episode of antisemitism, although where and when remains unclear.

But first a little context.

Succoth is a harvest holiday celebration directly following Rosh Hashanah and the Yom Kippur day of fasting in an outdoor hut in which people are feasting and living. The shofar or ram’s horn is blown to announce beginning of the fast on Yom Kippur in which sins are atoned and resolutions made with hope that each individual remains in the Book of Life for the coming year.

The shul is another name for synagogue.

Now the poem:

“After the last blast of the shofar
and the hard fast, the promises
and prayers for a good year,
it takes us by surprise
when we are in the season
of apples and honey cakes
and wine, when we eat in huts
open as birds to the stars,

it takes us by surprise
to see a swastika
drawn on the wall of the shul,
painted red and razor sharp
the women whisper,
there can be no mistake.
They know the sign.

It makes me think
we have been found out
although we’ve been here
for years, our candles shining
at the windows, the smell of challah,
the bittersweet sounds of Shabbas songs
escaping from out the windows and doors
and into the streets between the bridge
and the old brick church.

It takes us by surprise
and yet the trouble is so old
it echoes in my blood
with the sound of my grandfather
climbing the stairs of a building
on the lower east side
and pressed against the wall
by someone with a knife
who held the blade
against his neck and said,
‘Swear, swear you are not a Jew,
and I will let you free!’

And from my grandfather who refused
just as they were both surprised
by an angel in disguise who opened a door
in that long, dark hall,
I learned never to be too much in love
with a roof over my head,
that houses are made of sticks and glass,
that they break like the works of our hands,
and that we should be ready to fly
up into the night with parcels and children
and scrolls under our arms
on the back of the wind.”

Disney anthology

In 1976, Ronco released an LP anthology, The Greatest Hits of Walt Disney, featuring 24 original soundtrack recordings and also including song lyrics and eight cutouts of Disney characters (Ronco R-2100). Like other anthologies from the label, it was heavily promoted on television. The selections include Bare Necessities, Whistle While You Work, A Spoonful of Sugar, Ballad of Davy Crockett, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo, etc.

Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart

I recently rewatched for the 50th time the classic Humphrey Bogart 1946 film classic The Big Sleep via a nicely mastered DVD. Bogart as detective Philip Marlowe, his fourth and last wife Lauren Bacall as the “spoiled, exacting, ruthless Vivian Sternwood who falls in love with Marlowe and, among the distinguished cast, cowboy star Bob Steele and character actor Trevor Bardette, as two cold-blooded killers contributed vividly to its infinitely rewatchable qualities, with Henry Hawks directing and Mississippi novelist William Faulkner providing the script.

 

 

 

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CRITTER CHATTER: A new chapter at Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center

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by Jayne Winters

As noted in last month’s article, rehabber Don Cote at Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center was hospitalized for a week in late May. I’m relieved and happy to report that his recovery at home is going well and as we expected, it didn’t take long before he started taking calls about orphaned and injured critters. In fact, we recently purchased a new answering machine with a volume enhancer so he doesn’t miss any!

Although he isn’t admitting wildlife for extended care, he will continue to answer questions, provide advice and make referrals to other wildlife rehabbers. Duck Pond is now serving primarily as a drop-off site for folks to bring in the small injured or abandoned wildlife they’ve found, with other rehabbers coming by almost daily to transport the animals to their own facilities for additional treatment and care. Duck Pond prefers not to accept fawns, but Don can help people connect with and/or coordinate transfer with nearby rehabbers.

Currently, there are two fox kits in an outside pen that will be released together later this summer. A gray squirrel that had come into contact with a ‘hot’ CMP wire seemed to be improving, but sadly suffered a couple of seizures and did not survive. On a happier note, a young woodchuck (uninjured, but apparently orphaned and raiding a garden) that had been housed in an open tote in Don’s kitchen made great progress this past week, moving on from syringed electrolytes and proteins to solid foods, including fresh dandelion greens and clover. “Woody” was just released and will be busy tasting other items on Mother Nature’s menu!

I think I can safely say that as he nears his 87th birthday, Don is now semi-retired. Being a wildlife rehabber has been a way of life for him for over 50 years and his commitment to care for critters will never go away. Taking care of even a couple of squirrels or chipmunks is part of his daily routine and gives him a sense of purpose, which we all need, no matter our age.

Don has been working primarily with the following wildlife rehabbers: Misfits Rehab, in Auburn (207-212-1039; FYI, Jen accepts bats and mice), Wilderness Miracles, in Bowdoin (207-720-0074), Bridget Green, in Wiscasset (207-631-0874), Critterville Wildlife, in Brooklin (845-549-2407), and Saco River Wildlife (207-702-1405). Mid-coast Maine has a newly-licensed turtle rehabber! Pam Meier relocated from Connecticut and can be reached at The Turtle’s Back (203-903-2708). As you can imagine, wildlife rehabbers are inundated with their own rescue calls at this time of year, especially for young animals that require extra feedings and care, and Don greatly appreciates their assistance with Duck Pond rescues. Please remember to check these websites for someone close to you: https://www.mainevetmed.org/wildlife-rehabilitation or https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/living-with-wildlife/orphaned-injured-wildlife/index.html In addition, you can contact your local Animal Control Officer through your town office.

– Donald Cote operates Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center on Rte. 3 in Vassalboro. It is a non-profit state permitted rehab facility supported by his own resources & outside donations. Mailing address: 1787 North Belfast Ave., Vassalboro ME 04989 TEL: (207) 445-4326.