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FOR YOUR HEALTH: It’s Never Too Late To Achieve A Healthy Weight

January 16, 2019/0 Comments/in For Your Health/by Website Editor

(NAPSI)—People often think of the New Year as a time to set new goals for healthy eating and physical activity. But weight management requires ongoing effort, during the holidays and every day. That’s why the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health, is promoting simple tips and tools to help Americans start and maintain healthy habits.

“Why wait to start improving your health when you can start today?” NIDDK Director Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers said in a statement. “It’s never too soon or too late to achieve a healthy weight.”

Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight through healthy food choices and regular physical activity may help lower the risk of developing health problems associated with obesity, such as heart disease, kidney disease and Type 2 diabetes. About 40 percent of adults and 19 percent of children and teens in the United States have obesity, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Continue or establish healthier eating habits, such as reducing the overall calories you consume and limiting your intake of foods and beverages with added sugars, fats and salt. Bringing healthier versions of your favorite dishes to holiday gatherings, and choosing smaller portions of holiday treats and alcohol, may help with managing weight during this time of year.

The NIDDK recommends making physical activity a priority for the whole family. Choosing a set time for physical activity and sticking to it may help you manage stress, improve your mood, and give you the energy to tackle your busy schedule. If it’s too cold to walk or run outdoors, take your workout to your favorite mall or indoor sports field. Even if you’re pressed for time, doing some physical activity is better than skipping your workout and doing nothing.

Another tip to consider during the holiday season and every day to improve health and manage weight is to reduce screen time and time spent sitting. Watching TV for more than two hours a day has been linked to overweight and obesity. Try creating a holiday-themed playlist and having a dance party. You can have fun dancing alone or with family or friends.

To further encourage adults and youth to be active, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also recently released new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The new Guidelines recommend that adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, such as brisk walking or dancing. Youth ages six through 17 need one hour each day, and children ages three through six should be active throughout the day.

By establishing and sticking to healthy habits, parents, caregivers and youth may achieve better health together during the holiday season and beyond.

To find more tips and resources for weight management and healthy living during the holidays and every day, visit the NIDDK website: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management.

SCORES & OUTDOORS — Fly Away Home: a story about geese, the natural world and survival

January 16, 2019/0 Comments/in Scores & Outdoors/by Roland D. Hallee

A scene from the film Fly Away Home.

by Roland D. Hallee

Let me begin this column by emphatically stating that I am not a film critic by any stretch of the imagination. I usually leave that up to Peter Cates, The Town Line’s esteemed reviewer. But I saw a film recently that truly inspired me, and because it is about geese, I think it fits the theme of this column.

The name of the movie is Fly Away Home, and for those of you who have already seen it, you’re excused from reading the rest of this column.

It was filmed in 1996, and dramatizes the actual experiences of Bill Lishman, who, in 1986, started training geese to follow his ultralight and succeeded in leading their migration in 1993.

The story line of the film begins when Amy Alden, played by Anna Paquin, survives an automobile accident in New Zealand in which her mother is killed. The girl is sent to live with her father, Thomas Alden, played by Jeff Daniels of Dumb & Dumber fame, on an Ontario, Canada, farm.

Her father is involved in a dispute with a local developer who is prepared to bulldoze some of the wilderness surrounding Alden’s farm. The crew begins to clear the land, but, for some unexplained reason, the project is put on hold. Amy goes out to the scene only to find a bunch of goose eggs left behind by their parents. Without anyone knowing, she takes the eggs to the barn where she uses a drop light to provide heat to incubate the eggs. To her surprise, they all hatched.

The local game warden appears at the house and informs everyone that because of a local ordinance, he would have to clip the wings so the birds would be rendered flightless. This upsets everyone, and Tom throws the game warden out of his house, after which the warden threatens that if the birds fly, he would have to confiscate them.

Tom begins to research the species and learns that if the birds aren’t taught to fly properly, as they have no goose parents to teach them, they would not survive during the Canadian winter, and would probably get lost and die. Once he notices the geese follow Amy wherever she goes, he decides to use ultralight aircraft to teach the birds to fly. The geese would not follow him, so he comes up with a plan to teach Amy how to fly, and the geese would probably follow her.

Amy’s uncle Dave, played by Terry Kinney, travels to North Carolina to talk to a friend who owns a bird sanctuary about the plan. The friend thinks the idea is absurd, and also informs Dave that if the birds don’t reach the sanctuary by November 1, it would be torn down by developers who plan to turn it into a housing project.

While the group is off trying to find a goose (Igor) that became lost due to injury while the Aldens were trying to teach the geese how to fly, the game warden confiscates the birds. But, through a clever plan, they reclaim the geese, and set off on their intrepid flight to North Carolina, breaking a lengthy list of laws during the journey. Some misadventures occur along the way, including an emergency landing at a highly-classified U.S. Air Force base on Lake Ontario, and Tom’s ultralight going down in a cornfield, only 30 miles from the destination, due to a faulty rudder. By now, Tom and Amy have become national news with residents cheering them on and offering places to stay during their overnight stops.

Tom convinces Amy that she must go on alone, and she completes the journey safely.

One of the most moving scenes in the film occurs when, while piloting through a cloud of mist, the office towers of Baltimore, actually shot in Toronto, suddenly materialize, and office workers see the little girl and her geese flying past their windows. While watching that, I felt a lump in my throat and goosebumps on my neck.

In the final screen credits, it is revealed that all 16 geese, including Igor, who had been injured, and rode the whole way with Amy in her ultralight, returned to the Aldens’ farm the next spring, safely, and on their own.

It is a heart-warming story as you get captivated by the dedication of the family, and the steadfastness of the geese. I highly recommend it.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

When was the last time the Kansas City Chiefs appeared in a Super Bowl?

Answer can be found here.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Thought for the new year

January 16, 2019/0 Comments/in I’m Just Curious/by Debbie Walker

by Debbie Walker

Shared by Debbie Walker

This week I came across a little article my mother had saved. After reading the little article that was authorized by “Voice for Health Odd Fellow Tape Pals”, I decided to share it with you all. It’s about the time of January that folks begin to give up on their new resolutions. I thought I might try this one:

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is yesterday with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.

All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed; we cannot erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone.

The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow, with its possible adversaries, its burdens, its large promise and poor performance. Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.

Tomorrow’s sun will rise, whether in splendor or behind a mask of clouds – but it will rise. Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.

This leaves only one day – today. Any man can fight the battles of just one day. It is only when you and I add the burdens of these two awful eternities – yesterday and tomorrow – that we break down.

It is not the experience of today that drives men mad – it is remorse or bitterness for something which happened yesterday, and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us therefore live but one day at a time. (the end of what I found printed)

Here is something I wrote when I lived in Wells and would go to the beach:

Haze Over the Water

Haze over the water today
Tides out again
Water is green, very light
Then blue, then black
Under the haze over the water.
A dog running on the beach
He runs out into the small waves
Then runs back and back again
The he follows his friend on the beach
Under the haze over the water.
These little girls walk out to touch
Two little blondes and on brunette
Hand in hand they walk out till
They all giggle and run back
Under the haze over the water.
There’s a small boat out there
Working hard to cut the waves
White water spraying back as it cuts the blue
You can actually see it bounce
Under the haze over the water.
I come here to see the rocks
Today they’re out of the waves
Tomorrow as things change, the
Water will be hitting the rocks
And spraying over making
It’s own natural wonder
Tomorrow there may be
No haze over the water.

Okay, so that’s enough of that. I am just curious what you think of these. How about some comments? Let me know what you collect for sayings or do you write? Contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading!! Don’t forget, we do have a website!

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Farther Down the Road series contains over 60 volumes

January 16, 2019/0 Comments/in Review Potpourri/by Peter Cates

The album, Farther Down the Road

by Peter Cates

Farther Down the Road, Volume 2

CBS Special Products, cassette, recorded 1972-1985.

The above was one of a cassette/CD series under the same title of more than 60 volumes, sponsored by Rotella, a line of lubricating products for the heavy duty engines inside extremely large trucks. As with the entire series, this week’s second volume was an anthology of country/western recordings, distributed only through gas stations and truck stops and given to any customer purchasing a minimum of three gallons of the Rotella lubricating oil. Its selections were:

Johnny Cash – One Piece at a Time
Janie Fricke – He’s a Headache
The Gatlin Brothers – Houston
Barbara Mandrell – Midnight Oil
Charlie Daniels Band – Devil Went Down to Georgia
Willie Nelson – Midnight Rider
Tammy Wynette – Another Chance
Ronnie McDowell – Watchin’ Girls Go By
Charly McClain – Men
Merle Haggard – Are the Good Times Really Over ?

My favorites are those by Cash, Nelson and Wynette, the anthology itself being a good one.

A quote from Graham Greene’s essay on Saki, but referring to the novelist who wrote Tale of Two Cities and other such books – “Dickens developed a style so easy and natural that it seems capable of including the whole human race in its understanding.”

SOLON & BEYOND: More Solon school news

January 16, 2019/0 Comments/in Solon & Beyond/by Marilyn Rogers-Bull

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

Good morning my friends.

Didn’t have room for all the Solon Elementary School news last week, so I’m finishing the Solon School News email I received. This fall students have received a colored pom-pon each time they did a good job meeting school expectations, displaying positive behaviors, or being helpful and/or cooperative as part of the new Positive Behavioral Intervention Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program. Students put these pom-pons in a jar on the counter behind Mrs. Weese’s desk. The students were told that there would be a schoolwide celebration when the jar was full.

Right before Christmas the pom-pon jar was filled. Fifth grader Fisher Tewksbury suggested that for the pupils reward they all play a winter version of the Hearts game they play every Valentine’s Day. So they did! K-5 students were divided into multiage teams to play this game, which is similar to Yahtzee, on December 19.

They also had a contest to see which male student, female student, and staff member could come closest to guessing the number of pom-pons in the jar. There were 709 pom-pons, each one representing a positive action by one of the students. winners were Stuart Hamblen, Katelyn DeLeonardis, and Mrs. Campbell.

Winners of the Hearts Drawing was Hunter Pouliot and Kaitlyn Soucle.

Superintendent of schools, Mike Tracy, joined the kindergarten class for Thanksgiving dinner on November 15. The class enjoyed his visit!

My many thanks for sending me this information to share.

Received the following e-mail from Angie Stockwell from the Margaret Chase Smith Library, in Skowhegan.

Dear Readers,

It’s difficult to imagine that a new year has begun and the first of our newsletters is ready for your reading enjoyment. Our front cover news is the election of Maine’s first woman governor and her connection to Senator Smith. A new exhibit on the 19th Amendment is near completion. Interestingly, the California fires bring back memories of Maine’s forest fires in 1947. National History Day in Maine is always in the works, as is our annual essay contest for high school seniors. The passing of President George H. W. Bush recalls the friendship of the Bush family. And our heartfelt thanks to all our donors who responded to our annual fund drive. It promises to be busy year and we’re grateful for our continued support. Best wishes for 2019.

The following email is from Happyknits. We’re thumbing our noses at winter with another Wine and Twine. Come join us at the Miller’s Table (just downstairs from Happyknits) on Saturday, January 19, from 4 – 6 p.m. Bring your project and a friend while we laugh, sip and nosh. Don’t feel like “wining”? Don’t feel like “twining?” That’s ok – just come anyway! We promise you’ll have a good time!

Do you know about Knit Night at Happyknits? It’s held every Tuesday night from 5 – 8 p.m. It’s free and open to everyone. Does that not work into your schedule? Happyknits has open knitting/crocheting every day of the week, so bring your project, a friend ( or two or three) and sit by our cozy fire. We have set aside Thursday afternoons (anytime) and Friday afternoons, from 2 – 4 p.m., if you want to gather with a group, but you are welcome to relax in our shop anytime we’re here. It’s cheaper than psychotherapy, and a whole lot more fun!

And now for Percy’s memoir: Hold fast your dreams! Within your heart Keep one still, secret spot Where dreams may go, And, sheltered so, May thrive and grow Where doubt and fear are not. O keep a place apart, Within your heart, For little dreams to grow! We see so many ugly things – Deceits and wrongs and quarrelings: We know alas! we know How quickly fade The color in the west, The bloom upon the flower. The bloom upon the breast And youth’s blind hour. Yet keep within your heart A place apart Where little dreams may go, May thrive and grow. Hold fast— hold fast your dreams! (words by Louise Driscoll.)

Give Us Your Best Shot! Week of January 10, 2019

January 9, 2019/0 Comments/in Give Us Your Best Shot!/by Website Editor

To submit a photo for The Town Line’s “Give Us Your Best Shot!” section, please visit our contact page or email us at townline@fairpoint.net!

ODD COUPLE: Pat Clark, of Palermo, captured this photo of a blue jay and downy woodpecker at a feeding station.

LOOKS GOOD: Michael Bilinsky, of China Village, photographed this red-bellied woodpecker at a feeder.

WORKING ON A TAN?: Rick and Cindy Denico, of Vassalboro, snapped these ducks sunning themselves last summer.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Four Retirement Readiness Fixes For Baby Boomers

January 9, 2019/0 Comments/in For Your Health/by Website Editor

(NAPSI)—The Stanford Center on Longevity’s 2018 “Sightlines Report” found that baby boomers have accumulated less household wealth and carry more debt in comparison to previous generations of American retirees.

The report found that overall household asset balances—and retirement savings in particular—are lower for boomers than for the elderly Americans born before them. In addition, baby boomers are carrying more debt compared to older generations, with one in three holding a debt burden exceeding 50 percent of their total wealth.

With approximately 10,000 Americans turning 65 each day, the news that baby boomers are less ready to retire than those generations who have come before them is disconcerting by itself, but it is especially worrisome in light of rising retirement expenses they will face.

“Given that boomers will likely live longer and rack up higher lifetime medical costs than prior generations, the inevitable conclusion is that boomers will face some tough challenges during their retirement years,” according to CBS MoneyWatch.

Financial planning experts offer a few possible retirement readiness fixes to help baby boomers address a shortfall in available cash:

Pay down debt—For those boomers in the pre-retirement or early-retirement stage, do what you can to reduce your debt load. Every penny not going to debt is a penny going toward funding your retirement lifestyle.
Consider returning to the workforce—If you are physically able, think about options for working a little later in your life or perhaps returning to the workforce in a part-time job. A few years of additional income can make a huge difference down the line.
Adjust your standard of living—Be prepared to make some modifications to your lifestyle in order to reduce your monthly expense budget. You may be surprised how much minor purchases, such as a daily gourmet coffee, can add up to on an annual basis.
Be smart about your available resources—Can you afford to defer Social Security for a bit longer in order to maximize the cash benefit? Do you own a home that has equity you can put to work for you with a reverse mortgage? Are there other financial resources you can draw down, such as an old savings account or a life insurance policy you may have socked away?

“Many seniors are surprised to learn that one potential asset for generating immediate cash is a life insurance policy,” said Darwin M. Bayston, CFA, president and chief executive officer of the Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA), a nonprofit organization that educates seniors about alternatives to lapsing or surrendering a life insurance policy. “A life insurance policy is considered your personal property and—as such—you have the right to sell that policy anytime you like.”

When a consumer sells a policy in a “life settlement” transaction, the policy owner receives a cash payment and the purchaser of the policy assumes all future premium payments—then receives the death benefit upon the death of the insured. Candidates for life settlements are typically aged 70 years or older, with a life insurance policy that has a death benefit of at least $100,000.

To learn more about life settlements and whether you could be eligible for a free review of your life insurance policy, visit www.LISA.org or call the LISA office at 888-902-6639.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Red fox population growing in our area

January 9, 2019/0 Comments/in Scores & Outdoors/by Roland D. Hallee

Photos on this page by Jayne Winters of South China

by Roland D. Hallee

A week ago, Jayne Winters, of South China, sent along some excellent photos of a red fox that has been visiting her property recently.

The photos were remarkable and deserved some attention. It’s been a while since we visited with red foxes in our area, of which there are an abundance.

The red fox is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora. They are present across the entire Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, North America and Eurasia. It is listed of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Since its introduction to Australia, it has been found to be a nuisance to native mammals and bird populations. Thus, it has been listed as among the top 100 worst invasive species in the world.

Red foxes are usually together in pairs or small groups consisting of families, such as a mated pair and their young, or a male with several females having kinship ties.

They are somewhat shy and don’t like human interaction. Therefore, they will generally leave an area of increased activity. Two years ago, at camp, a family of red foxes had made its home under an outbuilding during the winter. Once humans moved in for the summer, the red foxes vacated their den and moved on elsewhere.

They either establish stable home ranges within particular areas or are itinerant with no fixed housing. They use their urine to mark their territory. Outside the breeding season, most red foxes favor living in the open, in densely vegetated areas, though they may enter burrows to escape bad weather. They often dig their dens on hill or mountain slopes, ravines, bluffs, steep banks of water bodies, ditches, depressions, gutters, in rock clefts and neglected human environments.

The red fox primarily feed on small rodents, though it may also target rabbits, game birds, reptiles and invertebrates. Fruit and vegetable matter is also sometimes eaten. Although the red fox tends to kill smaller predators, they are vulnerable to attack from larger predators, such as wolves, coyotes, and medium-sized felines.

They prefer to hunt in the early morning hours before sunrise and late evening. Although they typically forage alone, they may aggregate in resource-rich environments. Losses of poultry and penned game birds can be substantial if you have red foxes foraging in the area.

Their winter fur is dense, soft, silky and relatively long. For the northern foxes, the fur is very long, dense and fluffy, but is shorter.

Red foxes have binocular vision, but their sight reacts mainly to movement. Their auditory perception is acute, being able to hear black grouse changing roosts at 600 paces, the flight of crows at three-tenths of a mile and squeaking mice about 330 feet. Their sense of smell is good, but weaker than that of dogs.

In recent years, I have noticed an increase in the sightings of red foxes in the area, particularly in the Cross Hill area of Vassalboro, near our camp. They have been heard howling during the late night hours. Their cries can be associated with that of an injured small dog.

Like any other wild animal, they should not be approached if spotted. They have been known to carry rabies. Cute and cuddly looking, leave them alone.