SOLON & BEYOND: Catching up on end of school activities

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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!

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!

I’M JUST CURIOUS – The wandering Nanas: Chapter 2

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by Debbie Walker

Chapter 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!

REVIEW POTPOURRI: The hiker, Peace Pilgrim

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Mildred Lisette Norman, Peace Pilgrim

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Peace Pilgrim became renowned during her lifetime for crossing the entire United States at least six times on behalf of peace, feeling this leading from God.

She began her 29 years of walking in 1952 with hiking the entire Appalachian Trail in one season. The trail is 2,200 miles/3,500 kilometers of length, it is the longest hikers-only trail in the world, and it extends from Katahdin, in Maine, to Springer Mountain, in Georgia. She also coined the name ‘Peace Pilgrim’ on New Year’s Day, 1953, as to why she was doing these very lengthy distances and why she discontinued her previous name of 45 years.

Mildred Lisette Norman was born on July 18, 1908, and was raised on a chicken farm in Egg Harbor, New Jersey, a community of German immigrants. Her father was a carpenter, her mother a tailor, and she had two younger siblings.

She and her then-boyfriend, Stanley Ryder, eloped in 1933, settled in Philadelphia in 1939, and divorced in 1946.

During the years of walks, Peace spoke often at universities and churches and appeared on radio and television, She led an ascetic life, wearing the clothes on her back and taking no food and shelter until offered it.

She was killed in an automobile accident on July 7, 1981, exactly 38 years ago as I write this, being driven to an Indiana speaking engagement.

Peace Pilgrim did visit once or twice in the central Maine area but my interest in her began when, less than a month ago, a cousin of mine texted me photos of her parents, a wonderful aunt and uncle , with the woman at least 50 years ago. Peace Pilgrim’s commitment to walking the longest distances over a 30-year span, to speaking to others about her concerns where the world was headed with its evil tendencies and to enduring the hardships gladly that came with her stand for peace and good will – these were what resonated with people of conscience in their hearts whatever their world views might be. They do with me.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: The American Dream All Over The World

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(NAPSI)—Most people know someone who has dreamed of leaving the rigidity of a 9 to 5 job to pursue the flexibility of entrepreneurship. The majority don’t pursue that avenue, and the reasons vary, including financial obligations, time constraints, or fear of the unknown.

In fact, two in five Americans dream about the day they can tell their boss they quit, but it’s not necessarily because they hate their job—instead, it’s because 67 percent have dreams of being an entrepreneur, according to new research commissioned by Herbalife Nutrition.

And people really do feel their ideas can change the world—results show that, of those who aspire to open a business, 68 percent believe their idea would be revolutionary for the industry.

People often associate entrepreneurship with “The American Dream,” but according to the research that surveyed 23,500 respondents—spanning 24 countries and including 2,000 Americans—looking at the entrepreneurship dreams of people around the globe, as well as their motivations and the challenges, the entrepreneurial dream is shared globally.

“Starting a business from the ground up can be daunting but the opportunity to pursue your own passion can be a liberating and exciting experience,” said John DeSimone, co-president and Chief Strategic Officer, Herbalife Nutrition.

The International Survey

Across the globe, 64 percent of respondents cited their top reason to start a business was to follow a passion. For Americans, this was followed by becoming their own boss (59 percent), supporting their family (51 percent) and wanting to solve a problem/improve the world (36 percent).

The survey found that 52 percent of aspiring American entrepreneurs have already taken steps to open their business. But that doesn’t mean there’s an easy road in front of them: With all the barriers business owners face, 81 percent of Americans interested in starting a business feel overwhelmed by the prospect.

And 76 percent feel they may never have the opportunity to follow their dream, compared to 69 percent globally. Interestingly enough, 67 percent of Americans believe women face different challenges than men when it comes to opening a business, including “defying social expectations, dealing with limited access to funding and struggling to be taken seriously.”

The biggest barrier to entrepreneurship across the globe was found to be the initial cost of opening a business (65 percent). To finance the initial costs, Americans say they would use their own money (67 percent), followed by investors (36 percent) and money from family (34 percent).

Where Is the Opportunity?

As the gig economy explodes, more and more people are picking up a side gig to supplement their income, and that often involves selling products. As it stands, the side gig looks to be set to spread widely among all generations, perhaps becoming key income support for everyone from twenty-somethings to those who have supposedly long retired.

In fact, about a quarter of all Americans—that’s 81 million people—participate in the sharing economy, according to the Pew Research Center. Of that, a record 18.6 million Americans now make a living or supplement their income with direct sales, according to the latest data available from the Direct Selling Association.

As a result of the flexibility afforded by the gig economy, direct selling is proving to be an increasingly appealing option for people in search of the entrepreneurial opportunity of making part-time or full-time income. Direct selling is an industry that has always championed the power of free enterprise and a flexible, entrepreneurial approach to work. Now, more than ever, American innovation and dynamic change have pushed this important model to the forefront of the collective economic future.

GARDEN WORKS: Ode to a woodchuck

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Emily Catesby Emily Cates

I’ve got me a whistle pig, what should I do? Make him my friend, or put him in a stew? Groundhog. Woodchuck. Gopher. Whistle Pig. Who can deny the feelings of angst a gardener feels upon hearing these names or spotting one anywhere near the garden? Marmota monax – as it is properly known – is a common, mostly herbivorous large, brownish-gray rodent that burrows underground and has a reputation for devouring beloved garden plants (I like to use the name woodchuck derived from the Algonquian wuchak.)

Since woodchuck babies are sent out of the nest around early July to strike out on their own, encounters at this time are likely. This notorious character needs not a lengthy description: You’ll oftentimes see one standing in a field erect like a prairie dog, slinking across the tree line, or running when chased away. M. monax can even swim and climb trees if necessary. Potentially dangers when cornered, a woodchuck’s teeth and claws are not particularly pleasant to tangle with. Also, their burrows are claimed to be destructive to farm equipment, livestock and foundations. Also, they can become infected with and transmit rabies. However, I am compelled to come to their defense! Several years ago I wrote a column about this critter, and I must confess that since then I have gained more experience and a change of attitude towards them. While I have accepted the possibility of individual woodchucks in certain situations can develop bad habits and appetites for our gardens, I am not convinced that all of them deserve to be on our most wanted list. This article was written for and dedicated to the understanding of these creatures. If you’re curious as to why I would even think about defending the reputation of a woodchuck, then read on to find out.

First of all, please allow me to explain how I developed sentimental feelings toward woodchucks. (Insert derisive laughter, snickers and sneers.) I should tell you that I currently have two woodchucks near my garden area. One lives out back of my home in a retaining wall (Phil) and the other (Phyllis) at a tree line near a mowed area that borders part of the garden.

Phil – the one out back – is easy to watch through my windows. The birds let me know when he’s out and about, and it’s fun to spy on him as he gorges himself on Queen Anne’s Lace. Afterwards, he plops himself down on the retaining wall and sprawls about in the shade. I have yet to see him venture into the garden.

Phyllis oftentimes comes out of her hiding places and watches me as I weed the garden. While she seems to enjoy mostly clovers and grasses in the mowed area, I will occasionally catch her nibbling lamb’s quarters and pigweed in the garden. She hasn’t yet decimated anything of value, though I have seen one bite taken from squash leaves, and a dozen or so stalks of winter rye were found shredded. My tomatoes have begun fruiting, but she leaves them, the melons, garlic, onions, carrots, cabbages, potatoes, peppers and the fruiting shrubs and trees alone. Surprisingly, she hasn’t touched the peas. What will she do when my beans are in flower? I often wonder if it would be different if my garden was perfectly weeded – if she, for lack of choice, would be eating garden goodies instead? My hunch is that a lot of problems with woodchucks are the result of a lack of sufficient wild foods for them to consume, and then they develop a taste for garden goodies. Does the lawn need to be flawlessly mowed and the garden perfectly weeded? I should also mention that woodchucks will occasionally dine on slugs, snails, grasshoppers, and other small pests. This is only around one percent of their diet, but seeing how they need to eat one-third their body weight in vegetation every day – this could become significant.

Another factor to look at is the sonic critter chaser I installed a couple of weeks ago in the back corner of the garden. This year the deer have made an appearance despite my efforts with fencing. The critter chaser emits a flashing light and an annoying noise in the range of hearing of animals such as deer. I think it works, so far so good. (I wonder if deer damage is mistaken for woodchuck destruction?) Since my device has a setting for small animals as well, I could set it to repel woodchucks if I saw damage directly attributed to them.

Because the woodchucks at my place are used to my presence and I am aware of their habits and nesting areas, it would be fairly easy for me to construct plans to get rid of them if needed. While doing research, I happened upon some options that might interest you if you have problems with woodchucks.

The hint I most wanted to share involves dumping used kitty litter and mixing it into the soil around the entrances to woodchuck burrows. (If someone did that to my home, I’d want to move out, too!) The only problem with this method is the possibility that the critter will move on and become someone else’s problem – unless, of course, there is plenty of habitat and an abundance of predators to keep things in check. Foxes, coyotes, raccoons and hawks all prey on woodchucks. Dogs are especially good at keeping them away, but there is the danger of a beloved pet being injured or contracting rabies from woodchucks. Another option involves enhanced fencing. In an area where there is plenty of forage for woodchucks, a regular welded wire fence or something similar over three feet tall might be sufficient; however, if the varmints are determined, the fence can be buried a foot into the ground, turned out in an L-shape. Also, two strands of electric fence – one four inches near the ground, the other six to eight inches above the ground are effective not only for woodchucks, but for raccoons and deer as well.

I will admit that I am still on the fence regarding whether woodchucks are friends or foes for a garden. And perhaps as we get closer to autumn their appetites will pick up and I will regret defending them. But, for now Phil and Phyllis are fascinating to watch. If they’re not bothering anything, then why not preserve them and enjoy their antics?

SCORES & OUTDOORS: It was a case of mistaken identity

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Carrion beetle

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

No, we’re not going to talk about the David Ortiz shooting.

A couple of weeks ago we talked about these beetles that appeared in a bucket at our camp (See The Town Line, June 20, 2019).

At first, through some research, especially the website of the Iowa State University Department of Entomology, they were identified as Glischrochilus, or better known as picnic beetles or beer bugs.

Well, it has come to my attention that I was mistaken.

The beetles bear a strong resemblance to each other. According to Michael Parisio, of the Maine Forest Service, my contact in that department, the bugs are actually called carrion beetles. He wrote: “Although I was not able to tell from the low quality photo of the actual beetle recovered from your bucket, I believe you might have a case of mistaken identify here and would like to offer another explanation. I suspect you’ve recovered what are commonly referred to as carrion beetles, family Silphidae, which is what is actually pictured in the stock photo used at the beginning of this article. These beetles rely on the carcasses of small dead animals for their young to develop, such as mice, and were likely attracted to the lingering smell of dead mice infused into the bucket used for your mouse trap. These are commonly recovered in the reservoirs of wet traps used for catching other insects, since carrion beetles are attracted to the smell of anything decomposing.”

So, back to the internet.

Silphidae is a family of beetles that are known commonly as large carrion beetles. They are sometimes known as Sexton beetles.

These beetles are ubiquitous and are most abundant in the temperate zone – that would be us. They are quite rare in the tropics although there are species endemic in the region. It is thought that ants, flies and other carrion feeders out-competing them in these regions.

Their life cycle begins when the prospective parents begin to dig a hole below the carcass. While doing so, and after removing all hair from the carcass, the beetles cover the animal with antibacterial and antifungal oral and anal secretions, slowing the decay of the carcass and preventing the smell of rotting flesh from attracting competition. The carcass is formed into a ball and the fur or feathers tripped away and used to line and reinforce the crypt, where the carcass will remain until the flesh has been completely consumed. The burial process can take around eight hours. Several pairs of beetles may cooperate to bury large carcasses and then raise their brooks communally.

The female lays eggs in the soil around the crypt. The larvae hatch after a few days and move into a pit in the carcass which the parents have created. Although the larvae are able to feed themselves, both parents also feed the larvae in response to begging. They digest the flesh and regurgitate liquid food for the larvae to feed on, a form of progressive provisioning. This probably speeds up larval development. It is also thought the parent beetles can produce secretions from head glands that have antimicrobial activity, inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungi, on the vertebrate corpse.

At an early stage, the parents may cull their young. They do this to match the number of larvae to the size of the carcass so that there is enough food to go around. If there are too many young, they will all be underfed and will develop less quickly, reducing their chances of surviving to adulthood.

The adult beetles continue to protect the larvae, which take several days to mature.

These beetles are not usually considered a nuisance to humans. They help the environment by laying their eggs on carcasses and the larvae break down the disintegrating materials, which prevents accumulation of deceased organisms. They will sometimes occupy human-inhabited areas and become pests to farmers by using crops as a second source of nutrients.

In the future, entomologists will explore the social behavior of the beetles to a greater degree. The Silphidae are typically the first to come in contact with carrion.

It was interesting to note that when I wrote that article three weeks ago there were six beetles in the bucket. With only water at the bottom of the bucket, because the carcasses had been removed weeks earlier, I later found 19 beetles were now occupying the water, and had obviously drowned. I guess I’ll have to do a better job cleaning the bucket next year.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Which Red Sox player has hit the most home runs in All Star games: Jim Rice, Ted Williams or Carl Yastrzemki?

Answer can be found here.

VETERANS CORNER – A love story: saying goodbye to a dedicated professional

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Veterans Affairs Regional Benefit Office Togus, ME

Gary Kennedyby Gary Kennedy

We veterans of many years don’t really like our visits to the Togus VA facility, however, there is a bright side to this happening, especially for those of us who frequent this facility at least monthly and through the years have had to be admitted for periods of time for both physical and in some cases emotional situations. For disabled veterans this is a way of life.

For most of us, we are thankful for the aid and assistance we receive in helping father time stay his hand in regards to our time here with family and friends. Some vets as seen through the eyes of the medical team can be very difficult to deal with. It takes a big caring and understanding person to look through eyes of compassion and understanding but many do. There are some veterans that actually feel love because of those who try to understand.

With all the new systems that have been put into place recently many things have changed. More and more vets are being allowed to join with private practices and are also being allowed to pick up prescriptions with three months supplies. Here I am addressing all veterans but in particular those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The reason for this is veterans suffering with this disorder get use to life being addressed a certain way and hopefully for them, no surprises or negative changes. When things do happen that negatively impact a veteran’s life it can be very threatening. Most veterans will tell you that they are use to things being done a certain way and by certain people. I understand that very well and so does Togus VA.

When my doctor of many years retired, I was beside myself with anxiety. I began an extensive search through the system to find a physician that could replace the one I had lost. I was a lucky guy and found one that turned out to be caring and compassionate and who had my best interests at heart. We have all had our share of bad experiences and most of us have found an alternative to the past.

However, along the way a person or persons will enter our lives which we never realized could mean so much to us until they are gone. I have recently spoken with some veterans who were beside themselves because they had just realized they had lost a friend. Most of us know of this event but there are still some who do not.

Marilyn Farley Emery, whose beautiful smile and warm caring words, recently passed away. Most of us didn’t know she was sick and she wasn’t about to tell us. Marilyn joined the VA Pharmacy team some 25 years ago at age 55. Her husband was the late Robert Emery. They had two children and several grandchildren. She was a member of the Randolph United Methodist Church and has family here in China. So most of this event is known by her family.

However, there are still some veterans who aren’t aware and hopefully this article will be a gentle way of letting them know. I, for one, will miss Marilyn’s beautiful smile and wit. It was always a joy to spend a few minutes with her. She knew us by name and always looked out for our best interest. No, she can never be replaced but hopefully her replacement will have the same passion for veterans as she did. If this becomes an issue for you, use the blog site and we can talk. Thank you Marilyn for the many years you gave with love and care to the veterans. God be with you our very dear and missed friend. You will always be one of us.

Give Us Your Best Shot! (Week of July 11, 2019)

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To submit a photo for this section, please visit our contact page or email us at townline@fairpoint.net!

FAMILY TIME: Pat Clark, of Palermo, photographed these young foxes behind her home.

 

FULL BLOOM: The peonies are in full bloom in Ann Austin’s gardens, in China.

 

HEAD ABOVE: This male mallard duck was snapped by Michael Bilinski, in China Village, recently.

THE MONEY MINUTE: The new American Dream

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

The dream has shifted. It used to be a house, a picket fence, a new car, two healthy kids, job security, and maybe a family trip once or twice per year.

Today, younger people are not as interested in buying homes, and they’re starting families later than previous generations. Younger people seem to be more interested in experiences and are more averse to debt, probably due to the debt they already amassed by attending college. Can you blame them?

One thing hasn’t changed and probably never will. Whether it’s purchasing a house or a new sports car or traveling to explore new cultures, we are all looking for a certain something from the things we buy or in which we invest. I believe this certain something is a feeling.

Think of it this way: People don’t buy cars. They buy performance. They buy luxury. They buy a symbol of success or achievement. They buy the freedom to get out of the house and go somewhere, quickly. They buy convenience and safety. Similarly, people don’t buy vacations. They buy adventures. They buy discovery. They buy memories. They buy a stress-free environment. They buy excitement and joy. In reality, we buy the emotions we believe the car or the vacation will give us.

Before you spend a dollar, whether for an object or an experience, or before you invest one, I suggest you ask yourself: What am I really doing? What am I hoping to get out of it? Is it probable that the result of the purchase or investment will align with the way I want to feel?

When you invest, in what form do you hope to earn a return? Is the return in the form of more money, an object or experience that money can buy, or is it a feeling that you seek? At JMA, we believe in the value of experiences as well as the value of a dollar.

Here is what I promise: When you ask yourself the right questions about what to do with your money, you increase the probability that the results you seek align with the results you experience.

See you all next month.

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

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

SCORES & OUTDOORS – Vernal pools: valuable small bodies of water

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A vernal pool in Maine. (photo from the University of Maine, vernalpools.me)

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

We talked about vernal pools several years ago, but I think it’s time to visit the subject again.

Vernal pools are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species unable to withstand competition or predation by fish.

Typically, a vernal pool has three phases each year: it is inundated in the winter, dries slowly in the spring, and completely dries in summer.

Vernal pools favor native species because non-natives can’t handle the conditions of the water staying on the landscape for as long as it does, but not long enough to support truly aquatic species.

A key formation of the vernal pools is due to the impermeable layer. Clay soils bind closely together and become inpermeable to water. When it rains the water percolates until it reaches the claypan and sits there, filling up with material and water.

Vernal pools can form anywhere that a depression fills with water. They can be found on bedrock of many kinds, or in grasslands that form over a variety of soil types containing silts and clays.

Vernal pools are so called because they are often, though not necessarily, as their maximum depth in the spring. Vernal means, of, relating to, or occurring in the spring. Vernal pools may form in forests, but they are more typically associated with grasslands and rocky plains or basins.

Despite being dry at times, vernal pools teem with life when filled. The most obvious inhabitants are various species of breeding frogs and toads. Some salamanders also utilize vernal pools for reproduction, but the adults may visit the pool only briefly. Other notable inhabitants are daphnia and fairy shrimp, the latter often used as an indicator species to decisively define a vernal pool. Other indicator species, at least in New England, are the wood frog, the spadefoot toad and some species of mole salamanders.

The major threats to vernal pool habitats are agriculture, urbanization, changes in hydrology, climate change and improperly managed grazing by livestock.

Therefore, in some areas, there are restoration efforts underway.

Vernal pools are prime habitats to be targeted for restoration work due to their value as hotpots of biodiversity as well as recent history of extensive destruction and degradation.

There has been a fair amount of controversy surrounding the practice of mitigation, which is the destruction of protected or endangered species and habitats, such as vernal pools, on the condition that whatever entity (business, land manager, etc.) is destroying the habitat will undertake the construction of a replacement habitat to “mitigate’ their impacts. This concept is difficult to apply to vernal pools, which represent a tremendous habitat value – but are difficult to successfully replicate using construction methods. Thus, it has been very controversial to apply mitigation strategies to vernal pool systems due to the obvious risks inherent in trying to reconstruct this kind of habitat. Although some agencies are now requiring two replacements for every vernal pool that is destroyed, in order to compensate for the low quality of man-made habitat.

With natural wildlife habitat threatened on daily basis, it is important to remember, and take into account, the value of these small bodies of water.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

At the 2010 All-Star game, who became the only Red Sox player to win a home run derby by defeating Hanley Ramirez in the final?

Answer can be found here.