GOT AN ITCH?: While walking her favorite trail in Winslow, Tina Richard, of Clinton, captured this eagle taking care of an itch.
FREQUENT VISITORS: Rachel and Will Kahn, of the Neck Rd., in China, have had these two porcupines visiting them for the past few weeks.
PLENTY OF ACTION (part 1): Pat Clark, of Palermo, photographed a woodchuck crossing her backyard.
PLENTY OF ACTION (part 2): Pat Clark, of Palermo, also photographed this family of geese near a pond.
RETURNS: Janet Soucy snapped this one-footed duck at Pellerin’s Campground, on China Lake. She says it has returned the last four years, and they have named her Peggy Sue.
by Debbie WalkerThis may be a subject most people would rather not think about much less talk about, if they have any awareness about it. Sugar free candies are not totally free of punishment.
If anyone could eat a whole bag of Oreo cookies (and probably some have done such) there is a price to pay. We all know this. Even though we are in the USA there is a price of pounds (not to be confused with the English pound values at $1.25). Ours is actual weight gain.
When we purchase sugar free anything, we may believe we are doing something good for our bodies and to some degree it probably is (I won’t get into that debate here). It does allow some folks a treat they wouldn’t be able to have otherwise. I am sure they are grateful for that little freedom.
Have you ever purchased a sugar free candy and read all the print on the bag? I believe that’s something few people would do. I don’t think I ever did before my dad had a mishap with some chocolate.
Dad was a diabetic and I guess mom was trying to help him stay sugar free when she bought him a small bag of sugar free chocolates.
Mom had read the bag and knew about the “caution.” She also knew dad would not read it, so she tried to explain it to dad. Dad being “dad,” he wasn’t hearing much of it. He was already eating a piece and I guess he liked it.
I will get back to this shortly. I first want to tell you how this got brought back to my mind.
I don’t know how the subject came up but my son-in-law, Todd, asked if I had ever seen Amazon’s reviews on the Haribo Sugar Free Gummy Bears. He continued by reading a couple of them to me. As I continue let’s leave it this way. People bought them, ate a few too many and had ‘stories’ to tell, just not for folks with weak stomachs.
So… Dad ate his candy, all of it, despite the caution mom tried to give him. Let’s just say he wasn’t able to make it the 30 feet to the bathroom in time to be of help to him! Lesson Learned!
I’m just curious if you will remember you have now been cautioned.
I am finishing this up with some cute sayings I saw on little posters at the Slippery Rock Strawberry Festival last month. Hope they give you a chuckle:
‘If it scares you it might be a good thing to try.’
‘I don’t care about my Prince Charming. Where are the forest animals that clean?’
‘I’ll call it a smartphone the day I yell “where’s my phone?” and it yells “Down here! In the couch cushions!”
‘Some days my life feels like trying to stand on a hammock!’
‘Not only did I fall off the diet wagon, I dragged it into the woods, set it on fire and used the insurance money to buy cupcakes’
‘Welcome to adulthood, I hope you like ibuprofen’
‘I’ve put myself in timeout until I can play nice with others. This may take a while.’
‘Google Earth gives you the opportunity to see anywhere in the world…so what do you do? You look at your own house!’
I’m just curious what silly sayings you have heard. Contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com Thanks for reading!! Enjoy the sunshine!
by Peter CatesMario Lanza, Judith Raskin etc.; RCA Victor LSC-2440, LP, recorded 1959.
Mario Lanza
Mario Lanza (1921-1959) was one of the finest tenors who ever lived, when it came to beauty, tone, powerful one-on-one communication and love of singing. I have a number of his recordings covering opera arias, popular songs from the ‘40s and ‘50s, Broadway show tunes, Christmas carols etc.; but I have most often enjoyed his singing of the two operettas, Rudolf Friml’s The Vagabond King and Sigmund Romberg’s The Desert Song, both of them taped shortly before his sudden death from a blood clot on October 7, 1959, and with the late soprano, Judith Raskin (1928-1984).
Sigmund Romberg’s operetta was based upon the book by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach, and Frank Mandel. Its first performance in New York was November 30, 1926, at the Casino Theater on Broadway and 39th Street, after successes in Wilmington, Delaware, and Boston.
Judith Raskin
Lanza and Raskin’s duets in the title song and One Good Boy Gone Wrong resonate with the great duet recordings of Nicolai Gedda and Mireille Freni in La Boheme, Jussi Bjoreling and Victoria de los Angeles in Madame Butterfly, Angela Gheorghiu and Jonas Kaufmann in the Tosca Love Duet, Sarah Vaughan and Billy Eckstine’s Passing Strangers, Frank and Nancy Sinatra’s Something Stupid, Frank Sinatra and Dinah Shore’s My Romance and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Maria Stader’s in Mozart’s Magic Flute, The solos of Lanza’s One Alone and Raskin’s Romance are some of many reasons life is worth living.
Selections from the album can be heard on YouTube.
Before his death, he was approached by RCA Italiana to record a few operas. Unfortunately, fate intervened. His widow, Betty, died of a drug overdose in early 1960. three of their four children since then; two sons, Marc and Damon, from heart issues, and a daughter, Colleen, after being hit by a driver while crossing the street and dying two weeks later in a coma.
Emerald ash borer is now found in the St. John Valley and in York County. Beetle larvae feed under tree bark, pupae overwinter in the wood and the tiny adults emerge in spring leaving D-shaped exit holes. (Photo courtesy Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry)
by Roland D. HalleeThere are invasive pests making their way into Maine, and it is important that we learn more about them. One of them, the Emerald Ash Borer, has already been spotted in Vassalboro.
This week, I will turn my column over to Hildy Ellis, of the Knox-Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District, who will be holding an informational program on these insects that are raising havoc on our forests.
Invasive forest pests like emerald ash borer (EAB), hemlock woolly adelgid are already having devastating impacts on Maine’s forests; browntail moth is affecting human health as well as tree health; Asian longhorned beetle, with a large host range could be the next invader on the horizon! On Saturday, July 27, from 10 a.m. – noon, Hildy Ellis, of Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) will present a program about these invaders at Merryspring Nature Center, in Camden, as part of their Saturday workshop series.
Using slides and an outdoor tree ID walk, this workshop will help landowners and users, as well as landscape and forestry professionals, learn to
All participants will receive an information packet with fact sheets about the major pest species, a list of host trees that the species may be found on, how to make decisions about treatment, current quarantine information for EAB in Maine, and other relevant information. The following recertification credits are pending for this program: Professional CFE credits by the Society of American Foresters. Category 1-CF: 2.0; and Pesticide Applicator credits by the Board of Pesticides Control: 2.0.
Knox- Lincoln SWCD, a member of the Maine Association of Conservation Districts, is presenting Invasive Forest Pest Outreach Programs through a grant from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Materials are funded in part by a Cooperative Agreement from the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. More information about invasive forest pests in Maine may be found at https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/invasive_threats/index.htm.
FMI and to RSVP for this free workshop, visit www.knox-lincoln.org/invasive-forest-pests, contact Julie at 596-2040 or julie@knox-lincoln.org.
Who was the first manager of the Texas Rangers in 1972?
(NAPSI)—The prospect of needing long term care may be far from your mind today, but be aware, circumstances can change. A long term care event can happen at any age, and the potential financial and emotional strain that comes with it can affect you and your loved ones.
Millions of Americans require long term care during their lifetimes*. This includes needing either cognitive or physical assistance with simple tasks such as bathing, eating and dressing—trivial things most people do every day without a second thought. Unfortunately, traditional health insurance plans—including TRICARE For Life—do not pay for the chronic, ongoing assistance with daily living that is most often associated with long term care.
In fact, the long term care benefits offered through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are tied to specific triggers, including service-connected disability, available funding and even your ability to contribute to the cost of care. Long term care can be expensive and service members often rely on the VA to cover the associated costs. Depending on your eligibility status in the VA program, the level of coverage available to you may not be enough. For this reason, you may want to research stand-alone long term care insurance such as a plan offered through the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP).
Since its launch in 2002, the FLTCIP has offered active and retired members of the uniformed services the opportunity to help take control of their future long term care needs. Designed to provide solutions for a range of financial situations, this employer-sponsored program provides comprehensive coverage for more than 270,000 enrollees.
Many members of the federal family are eligible to apply for coverage under the FLTCIP, including active and retired members of the uniformed services. Certain qualified relatives are also eligible to apply even if you do not. Qualified relatives include your spouse, domestic partner, parents and parents-in-law, and adult children.
The FLTCIP can lessen or even eliminate an individual’s reliance on a loved one to provide hands-on care. Consider these important benefits:
Talk candidly with your family members and tell them about the FLTCIP. Starting the conversation prior to needing care can help you prepare for the unexpected. Visit LTCFEDS.com/militaryfamily to learn more about the benefits of applying for the FLTCIP.
For personalized assistance, call (800) LTC-FEDS (800) 582-3337/TTY (800) 843-3557 to speak with a program consultant. He or she will answer any questions you may have and can walk you step by step through the plan design and application process.
You should also know that certain medical conditions, or combinations of conditions, will prevent some people from being approved for coverage. You need to apply to find out if you qualify for coverage.
Established by an act of Congress in 2000 and overseen by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the FLTCIP is designed to meet the specific needs of the federal family. The long term care insurance under the FLTCIP provides industry-leading benefits and offers flexible options that allow enrollees to tailor coverage to meet their needs.
The FLTCIP is sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, insured by John Hancock Life & Health Insurance Company, and administered by Long Term Care Partners, LLC.
by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & PercyGood morning, my friends. Don’t worry, be happy!
Haven’t been able to chase down any recent news from Solon, so I’m going to start with an e-mail from Beyond.
“The Saturday suppers continue at the United Methodist Church in North Anson on Saturdays, July 20 and 27. Thank you so much for your support. We have no doubt that the attendance at the suppers in June was greater because of your article. Blessings, Mary Frear.” (My many thanks for that wonderful e-mail, it made my heart sing for several days!)
Received an e-mail from Vivian Champagne, Administrative Assistant of RSU #54 Adult & Community Education, asking if I wanted to continue leading the Painting Club, and my answer was “yes.” The fall brochure will be coming out soon for all the great classes offered there. I’m looking forward to seeing those of you who have been with me from the beginning, and any new ones who enjoy painting!
The North Anson Congregational Church is continuing to serve breakfasts through July, the last one is on Saturday, July 27.
Speaking of food, there was a full house in Embden last Saturday night, at the wonderful monthly supper. They are very generous with what is on the menu that particular night, it was a roast pork, with all the fixings, and it was very tasty!
These suppers are held every second Saturday of the month at the old Embden School House.
The following is for all you knitters out there! The nearest one to us in this area, is Happy Knits in Skowhegan, but the newest idea is a “Maine Yarn Cruise,” organized by Mother of Purl Yarn Shop, May 24 – Sept. 2, 2019.
Don’t miss upcoming sales and events going on in the month of July at Maine Yarn Cruise shops. Here’s just a few: Shawl Class at Mother of Purl; Meet the MKAL Designer Erin Clayton at Knitting Nook; Flamingo Festival with Quilt N Fabric; Sales at Quilt N Fabric,The Cashmere Goat, Yardgoods, Quiltessentials; Craft & Raft Adventure and Sip & Stitch at Fiber & Vine.
If you are from away! Don’t let stop you from joining the Maine Yarn Cruise. Grab a friend and come on up to Vacationland for a little yarn fun.
Had been looking forward to the following e-mail and just received it about the Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club meeting on Saturday, July 13. There were 13 members, three leaders and seven visitors present. They made NUMINARY items out of tin cans, sand art and bead bowls. They talked about fair and tagging them.
They will be having a Solon Alumni Dinner at the Solon Elementary School on Saturday, July 20. They will help out and bring food, and staying to clean up.
On Monday, August 5, they will get ready for the Skowhegan Fair. On Tuesday the members will be setting up their educational exhibits.
On Sunday, August 11, some of the members will be taking part in the 4-H Day Parade at the Skowhegan Fair.
The next meeting will be at 5 p.m., on August 19, at the Solon Firehouse.
After the meeting, at Mrs. Pooler’s, everyone went out to meet Mrs. Pooler’s oxen, Star and Toby.
And now for Percy’s memoir, it is one he used before, but it is a good one, and worth repeating( in my opinion) : “There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don’t. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living.” These words speak volumes to me, they are written down in my handwriting on a piece of paper with no name as to who might have thought as I do.
by Dan BeaulieuYou want to be your own boss. You’re tired of working for someone else, and feel it’s time to go into business for yourself.
What are you going to do? What are you good at? What are your interests? What makes your heart sing? Do you like carpentry? Are you handy with your tools? Do you like building furniture? Maybe you’re a great seamstress, or maybe landscaping is your thing, it could be you have a green thumb? So, what is it going to be? What would you like to do with the rest of your life? How would you like to make a living doing something you love? Think carefully now because to start and keep a successful small business you are going to have to be creative, passionate and very hard working, because you are going to work harder than you ever have before. But as a famous man once said. If you find something you love to do, and get paid for, you’ll never work another day in your life. So, what’s it going to be? Think about it, and while you think about it ask yourself these questions:
So many questions, so little time. It’s a lot to think about, isn’t it? And yes, there is considerable risk involved but if you choose the right product or service. Something that you are really good at, the rewards will be inestimable and, yes, with the right amount of courage, creativity and passion you will not only in the end survive, you will thrive!
Are you ready to join me on the greatest adventure of your life? Then come along because in the next few months I am going to be your guide. I am going to go through the process of starting and growing your business in a way that will be fun, exciting and rewarding. Together we are going to work on answering these questions and we are going to help you realize your dreams of working for yourself in your own successful business. Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of growing your business.
Dan Beaulieu has owned his own business consulting firm since 1995, during that time he has helped hundreds of companies all over the world with their sales growth challenges and issues. Originally from Maine, he returned a few years ago and is ready and willing to help his fellow Mainers start and grow their business. He can be reached at 207-649-0879 or at danbbeaulieu@aol.com.
by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & PercyGood morning, my friends. Don’t worry, be happy!
The Solon Masons sponsored the fourth annual “Bikes for Books” program in the Solon Elementary School this spring. This program promoted reading among the K – 5 students.
The program kicked off on April 9. Students read books and filled out a form on each book they read, putting the forms in large envelopes in their classrooms. On May 29, they held an assembly to do a drawing for a boy and a girl from each class. Each of those students won a new bike, helmet, and T-shirt provided by the Masons. The Masons also gave out an extra T-shirt to another lucky winner in each class.
At the assembly, Deputy Mike Pike went over bike safety with the students, especially the importance of wearing a bike helmet every time you ride.
The students did a lot of reading in the fourth year of this great program. Here are the books total for each grade: Grade K – 72, Grade 1 – 66, Grade 2- 74 , Grade 3 – 47, Grade 4 – 53, Grade 5 – 42; Total of 354 books.
Congratulations to the bike winners and to the top readers in each class who received Wal-mart gift cards: Wilder Taylor, Rowdy Taylor, Charlotte Hamilton, Gavyn Perigo, Jillian Robinson, Katelyn DeDeonardis, Josh Knight, and Macie Plourde.
Thanks to the Masons!
On May 30, Solon Elementary School held a Family Wellness Night. Families enjoyed a chicken barbecue and listened to Carolyn Courtney, from Somerset Public Heath, talk about how important physical activity is to our brains. Students and their families participated in a Healthy Scavenger Hunt, a story walk with the book Blueberries for Sal, and lawn games such as cornhole and ladder ball. Josh Knight and his family won the door prize basket. Each student received a take-home bag with healthy activities to do over the summer.
On Saturday, June 15, Griswold’s had their 6th Annual Customer Appreciation Day. There was a bounce house and a maze for the children to enjoy, free food, and door prizes. Suppliers provided some of the gifts, such as Mountain Dew Apparel, Budweiser Decor, Apparel
Griswold’s gave away a Grill, kayak, RZR rental at 201 Powersports, and a two-night stay at the Pinecone Acres, and other smaller prizes.
The weather was beautiful, the food was good, and the kids had a great time!
The above news was given to me by Tammy, and she wrote at the end; “Thank you to ALL of our wonderful customers for bringing us into our seventh year.
My apologies that some of the e-mails you sent to me didn’t get in because the office was closed last week.
Received a letter from Laurlee Swift about a Solon Homemakers event on July 13 and 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. , our White Elephant and Baked Goods Sale will be held at the Madison Senior Housing Center (next to Madison High School) on Route 148 (Main Street).
Also received e-mails from Sue Lahti and Tim Curtis about upcoming events in East Madison Days. On July 19 at 6:30 p.m., Book talk with Bobby Clement at the Grange and 7:15 p.m. music with Brian Richmond, Bob Nicholson and friends. On July 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. yard and bake sale, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. : Silent Auction, winners announced on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m., antique tools & sharpening – Swiftwater Edge Toolworks, 9 a.m. – noon – Bob Clement is signing and selling his books. 1 – 3 p.mn., “Appraisal fair” with Tom Pomelow (tentative), 4:30 – 6 p.m., baked bean supper at the Grange.
July 21 from 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Silent auction – winners announced at 2-30 p.m. ; 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Hot dog/dynamite luncheon at EM fire station;1 p.m., Quilts of Valor recognition ceremony; Immediately following – Dedication of the Agricultural and Industrial building to Gary Malbon.
And now for Percy’s memoir, which is titled, Better, Wiser and Happier!” Do you wish the world were better? Let me tell you what to do; Set a watch upon your actions, Keep them always straight and true; Rid your mind of selfish motives; Let your thoughts be clean and high, You can make a little Eden Of the sphere you occupy. Do you wish the world were wiser? Well, suppose you make a start, By accumulating wisdom In the scrapbook of your heart; Do not waste one page on folly; Live to learn, and learn to live. If you want to give men knowledge You must get it, ere you give. Do you wish the world were happy? Then remember day by day Just to scatter seeds of kindness As you pass along the way; For the pleasures of the many may be ofttimes traced to one, As the hand that plants an acorn Shelters armies from the sun. (words by Ella Wheeler Wilcox) I hope those who knew Percy in the past will remember what a smart cat he was and will take the above words to heart!! Thanks for reading!
by Debbie WalkerChapter 1 was printed two weeks ago. There was just too much for one column, so here we are now on our way to Pennsylvania — Slippery Rock, to be exact.
We are being assisted by a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) gadget from our phones. We both have little-to-no knowledge of these things but … we left Walnut Creek, Ohio, headed east. (We did give those gadgets a few new names!)
There wasn’t much guidance needed once on our way, however … we got to downtown Slippery Rock and “SHE” left us at the light. Nothing! No more words! We did the only sensible thing: Use the phone to call Fred (Nana Dee’s nephew) and Jackie (her niece). We discovered we needed to go through the light, keep going just a few streets and there was Keister Street, the home of Slippery Rock University! On arrival at our host’s we were handed a much-appreciated drink! And Fred had prepared his own creation of Pig on Pig (or Pork on Pork). This is a pork chop surrounded by bacon. Yummy!
Saturday we were taken to their Strawberry Festival in their beautiful park where we met more extended family and enjoyed the sights, music and food. Strawberries on waffles was a hit. On display were many local products presented by local vendors and artists. And more importantly, more friendly people. AND we didn’t have to drive all day!
On Sunday we went to Fred’s son, Ty’s, home for a celebration of their first wedding anniversary complete with a piece of Ty and April’s original wedding cake. (Ty and April left this week for Colorado where April received her honors for her master’s degree in nursing.) A lot to celebrate.
This would not be complete without telling you about our visit to the Elite Casino, in Pittsburgh (next door to the Steeler’s stadium and the Pirates stadium). There we were unintentionally entertained by Nana Dee. Watching her play leapfrog down a bank of five slot machines gave Jackie, Fred and I quite a few laughs!
Nana Dee sat at a machine, put in her ‘donation,’ pushed a couple of buttons and bing, bing, bing. She had won. She leaped (really!) from that machine to the very next one, puts in her ‘donation,’ push a couple of buttons and bing, bing, bing. She won again. She made the exact same moves on three more machines and bing, bing, bing. She won a total of $178 in less than 15 minutes. By the time another 15 minutes went by Jackie and I had lost our money. Fred had spent about 25 cents and won $6 and left there with it!
We left the casino and were taken to the 36 Grill owned by Jerome Bettis, a local Steelers hero, and the meal was fantastic. Right next door to this is the beautiful South Western Pennsylvania World War ll Memorial. This deserves its own column.
THE Wandering Nanas had a wonderful trip from start to finish and are looking forward to another one day. Tonight, I am just curious if you will be doing some wandering of your own! Contact me with questions or comments at dwdaffy@yahoo.com . Thank you so much for reading!