GARDEN WORKS: Get it done in the garden while it’s still nice outside

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Emily Catesby Emily Cates

Here comes autumn! It’s all around us — from the crisp, aromatic smells of wood smoke to the sight of falling leaves in the chilly air. There’s no denying that the cold is on its way. But isn’t this a most pleasant time of year to be outside? Aside from yellow jackets inebriated from the fallen apples, there is not a buzzing bug in sight to be concerned with. (But watch out for ticks!) And the chill in the air is refreshing when working vigorously outside. Let’s use this opportunity to get things done in the garden.

One of the most important tasks at hand is garden clean-up. Removing the remnants of plants such as frosted tomatoes, squash, and others will help reduce the incidence of pests and diseases in the garden. It’s also a good idea to do a thorough weeding: grubbing out all those pesky quack grass rhizomes and deep-rooted weeds such as burdock and dandelion. One helpful trick that makes getting rid of weeds easier is to till or hand-dig the area, let it rest for a few days or so until the new crop of weeds germinates, and then dig again. Got chickens? Corral them in this area and they will be happy to scratch it up for you. And they’ll add their own “contributions”. Another hint that helps with the weeds is to generously mulch the garden patch with shredded leaves, un-colored newspaper, straw, rotted hay, old sawdust, cardboard, bark mulch, or anything that does not contain weed seeds. Some folks even lay down old rugs and boards so that next spring when they’re pulled up, no weeds- and a soil that’s easy to work with. Oh, and let’s not forget to add nutrition at this time. If you have access to hay bedding from a goat pen, it will serve dual duty of being a decent mulch, with fertilizer “pellets” included. Garlic loves this!

Just because there was a frost doesn’t mean it’s over in the garden. Actually, it’s the prime time to plant garlic and cold-weather vegetables such as kale, and parsnips. With row covers, cold frames, hot beds, and hoop houses, the possibilities include greens, beets, radishes, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnips, leeks, and carrots. Some veggies, such as carrots, Brussels sprouts, and parsnips, are much sweeter when harvested after a freeze- even in the snow! Give it a try if you get a chance.

Would you like to save some seeds of the harvest right now? Here are a few helpful tips to get started: Small amounts of seeds adequate for an average household can be harvested by hand. Try to save the healthiest, most productive, true-to type seeds from the “cream of the crop”. Unless you want a surprise, always save seeds from open-pollinated (non-hybrid) varieties that were not crossed with other varieties.

Generally, most seeds are ready to be saved after the mother plant has reached full maturity. Cucurbit family members (cucumbers, melons, squash, etc.) will be quite overripe and at the inedible stage. Fertile seeds of this type, when freshly harvested, will sink to the bottom of a cup of water. Save these ones and discard the floaters. Tomato seeds appreciate being fermented for a couple of days to dissipate a germination inhibitor- simply squeeze the tomato pulp into a cup, and wait until a layer of mold appears on the surface of the pulp.

This may take a day or two- but don’t wait too long or the seeds will sprout. When the gel capsules surrounding the seeds have broken down, pour fresh water into the cup. The good seeds will sink to the bottom of the cup, and the bad seeds and gunk will float. Pour off the impurities, repeat until clear, and rinse the seeds through a strainer.

Dry the cleaned seeds on a labeled paper plate, and voilà! Seeds from pod-bearing plants will be ready when the pod is completely dry. Try saving these types of seeds when the weather is arid, or pull the whole plant and hang under cover in a barn, outbuilding, or attic until the plant has dried. Seeds such as from beans, peas, corn, and squash are ready to store when they cannot be dented when applied pressure from a fingernail. These seeds and others can be stored dry in glass jars in the freezer for long term storage. (Just make sure to warm the jar at room temperature before opening so as to prevent condensation.) Bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes are the seed, such as with garlic, potatoes, and hops, respectively; oftentimes they keep best for planting when they have been thoroughly cured and stored away from light in a dry, cool (but not freezing) area. Really, a good rule of thumb for all seeds is to keep them dry and away from heat and light.

Hope you enjoy being productive in the garden!

Here comes autumn! It’s all around us — from the crisp, aromatic smells of wood smoke to the sight of falling leaves in the chilly air. There’s no denying that the cold is on its way. But isn’t this a most pleasant time of year to be outside? Aside from yellow jackets inebriated from the fallen apples, there is not a buzzing bug in sight to be concerned with. (But watch out for ticks!) And the chill in the air is refreshing when working vigorously outside. Let’s use this opportunity to get things done in the garden.

One of the most important tasks at hand is garden clean-up. Removing the remnants of plants such as frosted tomatoes, squash, and others will help reduce the incidence of pests and diseases in the garden. It’s also a good idea to do a thorough weeding: grubbing out all those pesky quack grass rhizomes and deep-rooted weeds such as burdock and dandelion. One helpful trick that makes getting rid of weeds easier is to till or hand-dig the area, let it rest for a few days or so until the new crop of weeds germinates, and then dig again. Got chickens? Corral them in this area and they will be happy to scratch it up for you. And they’ll add their own “contributions”. Another hint that helps with the weeds is to generously mulch the garden patch with shredded leaves, un-colored newspaper, straw, rotted hay, old sawdust, cardboard, bark mulch, or anything that does not contain weed seeds. Some folks even lay down old rugs and boards so that next spring when they’re pulled up, no weeds- and a soil that’s easy to work with. Oh, and let’s not forget to add nutrition at this time. If you have access to hay bedding from a goat pen, it will serve dual duty of being a decent mulch, with fertilizer “pellets” included. Garlic loves this!

Just because there was a frost doesn’t mean it’s over in the garden. Actually, it’s the prime time to plant garlic and cold-weather vegetables such as kale, and parsnips. With row covers, cold frames, hot beds, and hoop houses, the possibilities include greens, beets, radishes, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, turnips, leeks, and carrots. Some veggies, such as carrots, Brussels sprouts, and parsnips, are much sweeter when harvested after a freeze- even in the snow! Give it a try if you get a chance.

Would you like to save some seeds of the harvest right now? Here are a few helpful tips to get started: Small amounts of seeds adequate for an average household can be harvested by hand. Try to save the healthiest, most productive, true-to type seeds from the “cream of the crop”. Unless you want a surprise, always save seeds from open-pollinated (non-hybrid) varieties that were not crossed with other varieties.

Generally, most seeds are ready to be saved after the mother plant has reached full maturity. Cucurbit family members (cucumbers, melons, squash, etc.) will be quite overripe and at the inedible stage. Fertile seeds of this type, when freshly harvested, will sink to the bottom of a cup of water. Save these ones and discard the floaters. Tomato seeds appreciate being fermented for a couple of days to dissipate a germination inhibitor- simply squeeze the tomato pulp into a cup, and wait until a layer of mold appears on the surface of the pulp.

This may take a day or two- but don’t wait too long or the seeds will sprout. When the gel capsules surrounding the seeds have broken down, pour fresh water into the cup. The good seeds will sink to the bottom of the cup, and the bad seeds and gunk will float. Pour off the impurities, repeat until clear, and rinse the seeds through a strainer.

Dry the cleaned seeds on a labeled paper plate, and voilà! Seeds from pod-bearing plants will be ready when the pod is completely dry. Try saving these types of seeds when the weather is arid, or pull the whole plant and hang under cover in a barn, outbuilding, or attic until the plant has dried. Seeds such as from beans, peas, corn, and squash are ready to store when they cannot be dented when applied pressure from a fingernail. These seeds and others can be stored dry in glass jars in the freezer for long term storage. (Just make sure to warm the jar at room temperature before opening so as to prevent condensation.) Bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes are the seed, such as with garlic, potatoes, and hops, respectively; oftentimes they keep best for planting when they have been thoroughly cured and stored away from light in a dry, cool (but not freezing) area. Really, a good rule of thumb for all seeds is to keep them dry and away from heat and light.

Hope you enjoy being productive in the garden!

THE MONEY MINUTE: Attention retirees: How much are you paying for investment advice?

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by Jac M. Arbour CFP®, ChFC®, President
J.M. Arbour Wealth Management

For the most part, people know what they pay per month for their mortgage, their car, property tax, etc. However, the same does not seem to hold true for their investments. We always ask the attendees at our monthly educational workshops (and our clients in personal meetings) if they are aware of their exact costs. It is extremely rare that someone does.

There are clearly reasons why 99 percent of the people we ask don’t know, and I believe the main reason is quite simple. Investment costs, management fees, expense ratios, loads on mutual fund, and other internal costs are not always the easiest to identify, nevermind understand.

If you own mutual funds or are considering purchasing some, be sure you know the “load” on each. The load is essentially a commission you are going to pay. Some mutual funds don’t have a load, and others have load fees averaging almost 6 percent. In addition, mutual funds come with what is called an “expense ratio.” This is an internal fee that helps pay the money managers and their teams to manage the fund.

Exchange traded funds (ETFs) and index funds tend to have lower costs than mutual funds; many people seek out such types of investment for this reason alone. With ETFs, which are passively managed, you do not have the active oversight given by fund managers, so it makes sense that the costs are lower.

Most people are coming to the conclusion that it is kind of important to understand what they pay for investment advice, and they want to know. I would encourage you to ask your advisor how much you are paying (or have already paid).

The fee-only investment advisory model is currently gaining major traction. It has been around for a long time, but after the Department of Labor made some noise a couple years ago about investment costs, advocating that advisors should have a fiduciary responsibility to their clients, many more people are now paying attention.

In the fee-only model, you simply pay one, flat, easy-to-understand annual fee that is equal to a percentage of your assets being managed. There are no hidden fees or expenses with this model, and it also ensures that you advisor is incentivized to grow your money, and to protect it when the markets cycle the other way.

Here is what I promise: When you have all the information, you will be able to make better decisions.

See you all next month.

Jac Arbour CFP®, ChFC®

Jac Arbour is the President of J.M. Arbour Wealth Management and can be reached at 207-248-6767.

Investment advisory services are offered through Foundations Investment Advisors, LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Take precautions against browntail moth hairs when working outdoors

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Left, hickory tussock caterpillar. Right, hickory tussock tiger moth.

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Last weekend while closing camp for the season, I had an encounter with the hickory tussock caterpillar. Although I didn’t touch it, but merely flicked it off a cleaning bottle, I think I stirred up its hairs and came down with a mild rash on my forearm. It lasted a little over a day.

Later in the week, I heard complaints from other people who have mysteriously developed a rash on their forearms or legs. That led me to thinking they had probably come in contact with the hickory tussock or, even more possible, the browntail moth caterpillar.

A couple of days ago, I received a press release from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Maine Forest Service, about the browntail moth caterpillar.

At this time, I will share that news release with you.

browntail moth caterpillar

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), Maine Forest Service (MFS), and 211 Maine remind the public that browntail moth hairs remain in the environment and can get stirred up during fall yardwork. Tiny hairs shed by the caterpillars can cause a skin reaction similar to poison ivy. They can also cause trouble breathing and other respiratory problems.

The caterpillars are active from April to late June/early July.

“While browntail moth caterpillars might not be as noticeable at this time of the year, their hairs remain toxic and in the environment for one to three years,” said Maine CDC Director Nirav D. Shah. “It is important that Mainers take the proper prevention measures when working outside this fall.”

The hairs can lose toxicity over time. Hairs blow around in the air and fall onto leaves and brush. Mowing, raking, sweeping, and other activities can cause the hairs to become airborne and result in skin and breathing problems.

To protect yourself from browntail moth hairs while working outdoors:

  • Wear a long-sleeve shirt, long pants, goggles, a dust mask/respirator, a hat and disposable coveralls.
  • Rake or mow when the ground is wet to prevent hairs from becoming airborne.
  • Cover your face and tightly secure clothing around the neck, wrists, and ankles.
  • Do not rake, mow the lawn, or use leaf blowers on dry days.
  • Use pre-contact poison ivy wipes to help reduce hairs sticking into exposed skin.
  • Take extra care when working under decks or in other areas that are sheltered from rain.
  • Take cool showers and change clothes after outdoor activities to wash off any loose hairs.
  • Use caution with firewood stored in areas with browntail moths, especially when bringing it indoors.

Most people affected by the hairs develop a localized rash that lasts for a few hours up to several days. In more sensitive people, the rash can be severe and last for weeks. Hairs can also cause trouble breathing, and respiratory distress from inhaling the hairs can be serious. The rash and difficulty breathing result from both a chemical reaction to a toxin in the hairs and a physical irritation as the barbed hairs become stuck in the skin and airways.

There is no specific treatment for the rash or breathing problems caused by browntail moth hairs. Treatment is focused on relieving symptoms.

For more information:

I know that some of the suggestions of what to wear when doing yard work, or when to do it, doesn’t quite fit into your routine or schedule, but there is the old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who was the last Boston Red Sox left handed pitcher to win 20 games in a season?

Answer can be found here.

SOLON & BEYOND: New trails being developed at Western Woods

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, my friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

With my computer problem recently, I was afraid the following news would be too late, but thankfully it won’t be! There will be a spaghetti dinner and silent auction to benefit the Solon Fire Department Saturday, October 5, 2019, at the Solon Elementary School from 4 -7 p.m. You will be served dinner by our firefighters. There will be a door prize.

Thanks so much, Aryke L. Coombs, Fire Dept. Auxiliary President, for sharing your news.

New Trails are being developed by Western Woods and Waters Advisory Committee. Now that SWT owns Western Woods, it’s time to develop trails. The trails along the Kennebec River, known as Western Waters, are being extended into Western Woods. Cross Country courses are being developed for the local teams.

Art for Western raffle winners are Chris Young’s Pond Chair, won by Robert Cross, Kathleen Perelka’s River View, won by Dog McQuinston, Kathleen Perelka’s The Weston Homestead, won by Maggie Fernald, Kathleen Perelka’s Western Schoolhouse:, won by Anne Worthley, John Alsop’s Maine View, won by Rebecca Seel, and John Alsop’s Maine Stream, won by Mary Callan.

The following news is a bit late, but I thought you parents might appreciate it. It starts with the head line; ATTENDANCE MATTERS! As the new year begins, we hope to see all of our students set a goal to have a good rate of attendance. Unless students are ill or there is a family emergency, they need to be in school. WE ask that parents try to schedule routine doctor or dentist appointments after school hours and family vacations weeks as often as possible.

If your child is ill or needs to miss school for an appointment or family emergency, please contact Mrs. McFadyen so that we can log the day as an excused absence. If we don’t hear from you, we have to log the day as an unexcused absence. After seven unexcused absences , the state considers your child as truant. So please help us to document your child’s absences correctly.

After 18 absences (10 percent of the school days in a year) whether excused or unexcused, your child is considered chronically absent. In addition to MEA test scores, the percentage of chronically absent students in our school is a factor in whether the state decides that our school is making academic progress. Of course, sometimes students are out for extended illnesses, chronic health conditions or family emergencies, and those can’t be helped. So we are working to reduce the absences of our students for other reasons.

Punctuality is also a key to a successful school year. Our busses arrive between 7:20 and 7:40 in the morning. If you bring your child to school, please be sure that he or she arrives by 7:45 a.m. in order to be ready when teachers start their classes at 7:50 a.m. A student who arrives late misses important learning time.

So let’s work together to make sure your child gets the maximum benefit from his/hers school experience this year. Attendance matters! Thank you for your cooperation.

Received an e-mail from Happyknits recently stating that they had just turned five years old! They had a yarn cruise again this year and the lucky winners are: the August prize basket went to Wendy, from Harpswell, the Grand Prize went to Trudy, from Embden, and their Super Grand Prize went to Marcia, from Madison.

Happyknits is joining forces with CrabApple Whitewater, in the Forks for their second annual Confluence Retreat, a fall fiber and foliage get-away. They are inviting you to join them there from October 11-14, 2019, for a laid back four days of knitting and crocheting, and let the good folks at Crab-Apple take care of your every need. We’ll be offering a few workshops, but the focus will be on having fun and being with friends.

And now for Percy’s memoir, it is called “I’m Getting Younger:” Another year has come and gone, And I am growing younger, Yearning for each coral dawn, with what amounts to hunger. Becoming more and more aware of what means most to me, and each new day becomes a prayer of sweet simplicity. With brand new eyes I now observe each tiny growing thing, the graceful flight, the flashing curve of every feathering wing. And listening to the sounds of wind that whispers through each tree, I feel a surge of joy as if the Master walks with me. I’m younger than I used to be, and though it may not show, one doesn’t have to touch or see a miracle to know life isn’t offered piece-meal, we have to take the lot, But to the ones whose faith is real, ….Why time is not! (words by (Grace E. Easley.)

I’M JUST CURIOUS: October crazy holidays

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by Debbie Walker

Wow! We are moving into the fall months fast!!! I am reasonably sure that most of you have special activities all thru the fall. I’d love it if you would drop me a line and share some of them with me. Hopefully you will enjoy the following:

Oct 1. International Coffee Day – Wake up and smell the coffee. And if you are CRUMPY without it, put it on speed perk!

Oct. 5. International Frugal Fun Day – a day to enjoy fun activities that are free. Use your imagination!

Oct. 9. Curious Events Day – Hold some kind of event that peaks one’s curiosity.

Oct. 11. It’s My Party Day – Make it simple or elaborate. You could always sing the words to “It’s My Party” (and I’ll cry if I want to), but without the tears!

Oct. 12. Moment of Frustration Day – This is the day to get rid of your frustrations. Think, what will let your frustrations out in a constructive manner. No arguments, please. Try singing, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.

Oct. 14. Bald and Free Day – Celebrate the Bald people. They don’t have to have haircuts, hair crème, I think maybe they don’t even have to shampoo.

Oct. 16. Dictionary Day – Celebrate Noah Webster’s birthday, the father of American Dictionary. Encourage children to use the dictionary. I have a big one at my desk and I have downloaded one on each tablet I own. I don’t have to use one often, but I am grateful when I find my answer.

Oct. 17. Wear Something Gaudy Day – It is your chance to stick out in a crowd. Wear something bright, cheap, showy, outlandish or otherwise not in good taste. I must celebrate this holiday every day!

Oct. 21. Babbling Day – Blatherskites (a person who is prone to speaking nonsense) this is your day. You will know them because they never stop talking nonsense. Babble away the day. This is your day!

Oct. 22. National Nut Day – This day honors all the nutty people of the day. It also celebrates nuts that are nutritious and flavorful. Then there is also the nut that screws onto a bolt. Don’t eat those, they have other uses!

Oct. 26. National Mincemeat Day – I am hoping everyone who reads this knows what mincemeat is. That would not be the case here in Florida. The truth is a whole generation, after 1900, didn’t know what this was. If you are one of those, just ask your neighbor, they may know. Yum!

Oct. 30. Mischief Night – This is the evening of mischief, not Halloween, according to the information I found. Law Enforcement discourages the activities of the past such as soaping windows, egging cars, etc. If you choose to honor mischief night, don’t do anything you wouldn’t want done to yourself.

Oct. 31. Halloween – the information I found stressed this as being the best holiday because it does not cause stress (?), no overload, and no holiday depression. Adults have been known to gain weight from this holiday, Beware!!

I’m just curious what your favorite day will be this month. Let me know your favorite date and why. I will be waiting at dwdaffy@yahoo.com for your questions or comments. Thanks for reading and have a great week!

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Budapest String Quartet

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Budapest String Quartet

Op. 59, No. 3
Budapest String Quartet, Columbia MM-510, 4 12-inch 78s, recorded September 15, 1941.

The Budapest String Quartet began in 1917 when Budapest, Hungary, was a major center for classical music education with composers Bela Bartok and Zoltan Kodaly and violinist Jeno Hubay and others. Four unemployed instrumentalists founded it and gave its debut concert in December of that year.

Previous personnel issues, finances and other such obstacles of living confounded the group. The life stories of every member in the lengthy Wikipedia article make fascinating reading.

After years of just barely escaping destruction at the hands of evil governments in war-torn Europe, the quartet members were finally able to settle in the United States and achieve much success with their concerts, recordings and teaching that would last for the remaining years until they disbanded as a group in 1967. They had already recorded discs for RCA Victor since 1932 but left that company in 1940 to record for Columbia Masterworks with greater success in worldwide fame, record sales and spreading chamber music gospel.”

The Budapest String Quartet for its last three decades consisted of first violinist Josef Roisman, 1900-1974; second violinist Alexander Schneider, 1908-1993; his older brother, cellist Mischa Schneider, 1904-1985; and violist Boris Kroyt, 1897-1969.

The Beethoven String Quartet listed above, like the composer’s other works, has a concentration of power, beauty, harmonic development, and rhythm and, above all, a range of human emotion that is unique . The string players were in peak form in this 1941 78 set and I have listened to it often in recent days,

A large number of other performances are available to hear on YouTube and elsewhere and free for auditioning.

The sixth season of Black List just became available on Netflix. I have already watched three episodes in a row.

SOLON & BEYOND: Pine Tree Club holds last meeting of the club year

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

The Solon Pine Tree Club met on Saturday, September 22, for their last meeting of the club year.
The 16 members sent over 120 exhibits to each of four fairs this year. They also did an educational exhibit at Skowhegan Fair on 4 – H is for everyone.

The members worked on their record sheets at the meeting.

The members are planning to put items in the Coolidge Library in observance of National Club Week the first week in October.

After the meeting the members, parents and leaders went to North Star Orchard to pick apples. This is a fun activity to end the club year.

The next meeting will be on Saturday, October 12, at 9:30 a.m., at the Solon Fire Station. They will be reorganizing at this meeting and if someone is nine years or older, and would like to join please come and bring a parent.

Solon Elementary School has a very active PTO, which has provided lots of special activities and items for the students over the years. Please consider joining the PTO. For information, contact PTO President Kylee Dixon or the school.

Remember to send in your BoxTops for education labels! Every boxtop helps the PTO raise money for school activities.

The PTO is looking for new parents to join them. They look forward to new members from the new families.

Now I must apologize to several of you, I am so sorry that half of my news of upcoming events in this area didn’t get in last week’s paper. As far as I knew, it had all gone and would be printed in the paper last week! Much to my surprise, when I opened the paper on Thursday, only half of it was there! It must be that temperamental computer of mine! This morning when I printed last week’s column it was all there. As you may have guessed, I am not too skilled with these new fangled instruments!

It made me think back to the old days when I was writing for Skowhegan papers and I delivered my column, (hand written) in person. And then I got my first little typewriter and pecked away on that. What a blessing!

But… I’ve got to tell you about one of my dreams coming true! Have always hoped that someone would read one of my columns and contact me about something that interested them. It has happened more than once, and I do like to hear their stories….. but never before has it been a long lost relative! That happened recently, he happened to pick up The Town Line paper and e-mailed me asking if we could be related, and we are! And the e-mails are going back and forth!

Lief and I went to North New Portland Fair recently and while there we saw the wonderful exhibit presented by the Lexington/Highland Historical Society. Their museum is open every Tuesday from May 21 through mid October, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Also open the following Saturdays, the ones left are September 28 and October 12. Believe me, it is well worth the trip!

Now I’m going to end this column as I did in last week’s paper; Since I’ve heard from many of you that you like Percy’s memoirs, here is this week’s: “Seeds of Hope.” When the world is upside down , brush away the tears, the frown, say a little prayer, and soon a ray of hope will conquer gloom. Our lot is easier to bear when we talk to God in prayer, and like a beacon shining bright, Prayer will soothe the grievous plight. Tales of woe, like useless weeds serve no purpose, but the seeds that enable us to cope are the prayers of faith and hope. (words by Elsie Natalie Brady.)

VETERANS CORNER: For the most part, veterans in a happy place

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by Gary Kennedy

For the most part most of we veterans are in a happy place, our pension rate is up and we had a decent cost of living increase this past year. Irrespective of one’s political persuasion, we have had a great past couple of years under this particular president. Veterans along with other service to mankind organizations such as police, fire and rescue organizations, etc., have been recognized and treated with great respect. “Thank you for your service” is heard frequently. This kind of attention should make one very comfortable and pleased.

Recruitment for the military is up and the other service organizations are having no problem with recruitment. It almost seems that the disgraceful political array of issues have brought many people more aware by causing the thought process to kick in. Although some we see lately, people will never change because their world only operates on conflict instead of common sense realism; it is what it is.

This has been a very fast summer. It seems we have actually skipped spring. Everything in my garden is late. I am in hopes for a long warm fall. This year is very rapidly coming to an end.

Getting back to the VA and the veterans, I need to address some of the positives and negatives. Each year the veterans administration is allocated an amount of money which is initially requested by each unit. It takes a lot of variables brought to mind to bring about a proposed budget for this sort of fleeting business.

So many things can happen that require copious amounts of money; millions even billions. I never realized how intense this function could get until this year. Being someone who works with veterans and is involved with staff, there isn’t much that escapes my attention. I have heard so many things such as, “but I broke my teeth because of a service connected disability. I should be covered for that.” (Gray area) Sometimes I agree. Another example is, “thank God for the VA,” I would never have been able to pay this medical bill. This particular bill was quickly approaching a half million dollars. Given just a couple examples and realizing that the VA services thousands of patients, how can you possibly come up with a budget?

The other expenses are much more fixed expenses, electric, gas, fuel, water and repair to that which already exists. Last but not least are all the aspects of growth. New vehicles, buildings and associated expenses. I haven’t even mentioned the ever increasing salaries and benefits. After all the miscellaneous expenses are thrown into this pot, what is remaining and what do we need to do with it. Well, I will tell you my feelings on this end of it and that is making the entire situation, start with what we know is needed.

My research has led to many conversations and, of course, all goes back to management. Who is running the show and do they know what they are doing or are they just a ladder appointment. A good question is, do you know the person that preceded you? You would be surprised where that will lead you.

I don’t want to sound like this is a cynical situation but motivation can be so important regarding these situations.” Murphy’s Law” is alive and well in the VA system. Just look around and ascertain what you would do in situations you will discover. Examples: A doctor is hired and stays for less than one month, why? You are sent to a specialty department and the equipment needed to effectively operate that department is all broken, so the patient is outsourced and we pay the dysfunctional doctors in these department as well as the out sourced practitioners. This doesn’t make much sense, does it? (Expensive). Sensitive surgery is performed only to find it can’t be completed because of lack of equipment on the surgical tray; a veteran’s money is given control to a third party due to the veterans inability to handle his/her own affairs without total due process and/or understanding.” These are just a few things that I have noticed. I should also add overbooking is common and patients are allowed inadequate amounts of time in many cases. Don’t take me wrong, some outsourcing is necessary because of complexity or distance.

The VA needs so much in all aspects of its existence yet we are praising the government for all they do, VA is over extended with not enough doctors, nurses, specialists, and equipment. Now we are being shipped out to places that have almost as long a wait as we experience at Togus. It’s time we bring in the thousands of professionals who would love to come here, from other countries, especially doctors, nurses, physical therapists and dentists. They are happy with less and we could sure use them. We have 500 acres that the administration just plays with. We know this works as we have brought these folks into our military and they have made fine soldiers. We just offer them citizenship for several years of faithful service. It’s a great opportunity for them and a wonderful solution for us. I hope I didn’t ruin your day. There is a always a light at the end of the tunnel. I wish I was the smart guy who thought that up. There is always a solution and a better way. Have a great week and God be with you and yours.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Diabetes Makes Disaster Planning Even More Important

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(NAPSI)—Everyone should plan for natural disasters, but this planning is especially important if you have a chronic health condition such as diabetes. Follow these nine steps to be ready:

  1. Do basic planning. Plan for where you will go if you must leave home, how you will get there and who will meet you there. Stay current with your vaccinations. Contact your county emergency management office for advice on transportation and other services for people with special needs.
  2. Pack a go-kit. In a waterproof container, pack first aid supplies including antibiotic cream, a flashlight and spare clothes. Include extra socks and shoes, because it’s important to keep your feet dry and free of infection. Keep on hand for quick packing a week’s worth of medicine plus supplies, medical equipment, spare equipment batteries and cash. If you use insulin, store it in the fridge with an insulated lunch bag nearby, ready to fill and go. Keep your kit by the front door.
  3. Put an information folder in your kit. This should include contact information for your healthcare professionals, pharmacy and emergency contact person; a list of your medicines, doses and dosing schedules; and the make, model and serial number of any medical device you use in case you need to replace it. Also include copies of recent A1C results or other lab work, your health insurance card and your photo ID.
  4. Include food supplies in your kit. Pack a three-day supply of water and nonperishable foods that fit with your meal plan. Include snacks to treat low blood sugar.
  5. Wear a medical alert ID. Ask your healthcare professional about how to get a free tag that states your medical condition. This is important if you need medical care but are not in a condition to talk.
  6. Do kidney care planning. If you are on dialysis for kidney disease, which often co-occurs with diabetes, talk to your dialysis center about their disaster plans. If you have a home dialysis or peritoneal dialysis machine, plan for how to power it if the electricity is out and how to stop dialysis if you lose power in the middle of a treatment. Register with your water and power companies for priority service restoration. In your information folder, keep a copy of your dialysis treatment plan, the phone numbers of your dialysis center and other nearby centers, and the kidney community hotline at (866) 901-3773. Talk with your doctor about what food to pack in your go-kit for an emergency three-day diet. This eating plan can save your life if dialysis treatments are missed or delayed, because it reduces water and waste buildup in your body. Finally, if a disaster is looming, try to get your dialysis treatment ahead of schedule.
  7. Be ready. Tune in to weather reports and listen for what local leaders say about evacuation. Keep your phone and any medical devices charged. If you have a car, keep it gassed up.
  8. Evacuate early. As soon as local leaders advise people to evacuate, go to your preplanned location. Don’t risk being trapped without access to electricity, clean water and supplies. Plus, early evacuation gives you a better chance of being housed in a special-needs shelter. When you arrive at a shelter, alert workers about your health conditions so you may get the support you need.
  9. Update your plan and restock your kit. At least once a year, review your emergency plan with your doctor. On an ongoing basis, swap out items with expiration dates.

To learn more about how to manage your diabetes, visit https://www.niddk.nih.gov.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Dealing with those pesky underground terrorists

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Many people confuse yellow jackets and hornets. Pictured at left is a yellow jacket, and a hornet on the right.

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

A few weeks back, I wrote about how strange this past summer has been (see The Town Line, August 15, 2019). My research also revealed that I wrote a similar column back in 2015. Is there a pattern developing?

Anyway, one of the things I mentioned was the lack of bees this past summer. Well, I was raked over the coals by fellow campers this past weekend when we were swarmed with yellow jackets. We could not enjoy the outdoors during the day because these little monsters were everywhere, trying to find anything that contained liquid. Due to the recent dry spell, they are looking for anything sweet with sugars.

Searching, we found four ground nests of yellow jackets. That is a good sign in itself. More on that later. Now, it was what to do about it.

That is one of the things I am on the fence about. I don’t want to destroy the hives, nor kill the bees, who are declining in numbers. On the other hand, they are annoying, and pose a danger to anyone who might accidentally come upon the hive, especially those allergic to a bee sting.

I have come to refer to these yellow jackets as underground terrorists.

Over the course of the last week, we have closed up the hives, hoping the bees will find somewhere else to go. Of course, there was some collateral damage.

With one hive left, I sprayed it on Sunday evening, right around dusk, the time when all the bees are back in the hive for the evening, so there is no activity around the opening. I checked on it Monday morning, and saw where there was still some activity. I didn’t spray on Monday evening because of the threat of rain.

Tuesday morning delivered the surprise. When I went to check on the hive, it had been completely dug up with the honeycomb exposed. Obviously the work of a skunk.

Skunks will dig up in-ground hives for the honeycomb. Their thick, tough skin makes them immune to bee stings.

Yellow jacket is the common name in North America for predatory social wasps. Members of these genera are known simply as “wasps” in other English-speaking countries. Most of these are black and yellow like the eastern yellow jacket and the aerial yellow jacket; some are black and white like the bald-faced hornet. Others may have the abdomen background color red instead of black. They can be identified by their distinctive markings, their occurrence only in colonies, and a characteristic, rapid, side-to-side flight pattern prior to landing. All females are capable of stinging.

Yellow jackets are important predators of pest insects. Yellow jackets may be confused with other wasps, such as hornets. A typical yellow jacket worker is about half an inch long, with alternating bands on the abdomen; the queen is larger, about three-quarters of an inch long.

Yellow jackets are sometimes mistakenly called “bees, ”given that they are similar in size and general coloration to honey bees, but yellow jackets are actually wasps. In contrast to honey bees, yellow jackets have yellow or white markings, are not covered with tan-brown dense hair on their bodies, do not carry pollen, and do not have the flattened hairy hind legs used to carry it.

Yellow jackets have lance-like stingers with small barbs, and typically sting repeatedly, though occasionally a stinger becomes lodged and pulls free of the wasp’s body; the venom, like most bee and wasp venoms, is primarily only dangerous to humans who are allergic or are stung many times.

Yellow jackets are social hunters living in colonies containing workers, queens, and males (drones). Colonies are annual with only inseminated queens overwintering. Fertilized queens are found in protected places such as in hollow logs, in stumps, under bark, in leaf litter, in soil cavities, and in man-made structures. Queens emerge during the warm days of late spring or early summer, select a nest site, and build a small paper nest in which they lay eggs. After the eggs hatch from the 30 to 50 brood cells, the queen feeds the young larvae for about 18 to 20 days. Larvae pupate, then emerge later as small, infertile females called workers. Workers in the colony take over caring for the larvae, feeding them with chewed up meat or fruit. By midsummer, the first adult workers emerge and assume the tasks of nest expansion, foraging for food, care of the queen and larvae, and colony defense.

From this time until her death in the autumn, the queen remains inside the nest, laying eggs. The colony then expands rapidly, reaching a maximum size of 4,000 to 5,000 workers and a nest of 10,000 to 15,000 cells in late summer.

The diet of the adult yellow jacket consists primarily of items rich in sugars and carbohydrates, such as fruits, flower nectar, and tree sap. Larvae feed on proteins derived from insects, meats, and fish, which are collected by the adults, which chew and condition them before feeding them to the larvae. Many of the insects collected by the adults are considered pest species, making the yellow jacket beneficial to agriculture. Larvae, in return, secrete a sugar material to be eaten by the adults. In late summer, foraging workers pursue other food sources from meats to ripe fruits, or scavenge human garbage, sodas, picnics, etc., as additional sugar is needed to foster the next generation’s queens.

As mentioned earlier, finding multiple ground nests is a good sign, according to old farmers’ folklore. Finding nests in the ground is an indicator of low snowfall for the upcoming winter. We’ll wait to see if that is the case.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Which two Boston Red Sox players each had over 30 homers and 50 doubles this season. The first time that has happened in Red Sox franchise history.

Answer can be found here.