REVIEW POTPOURRI – Rimsky-Korsakov, Janacek, Tom Petty, and Little Jimmy Dickens

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Rimsky-Korsakov

Scheherazade
Seiji Ozawa conducting the Boston Symphony; Stravinsky: Firebird Suite-Lorin Maazel conducting the Berlin Radio Symphony; Khachaturian: Gayne Ballet Suite excerpts- Gennady Rozhdestvensky conducting the Leningrad Philharmonic; Deutsche Grammophon- 413 155-4, 88 minute cassette, from 1960 and 1978 original tapes.

The exotic, very listenable and ever popular Scheherazade has received a deluge of recordings since the beginning of records; conductor Andre Previn once commented on its popularity among musicians as the reason for the high quality of most recordings, as opposed to other frequently recorded pieces.

Seiji Ozawa conducted a nice performance with the Boston Symphony back in 1978 that is part of the above tape, along with 2 other items, from different conductors and orchestras- namely the Stravinsky Firebird Suite and Khachaturian Gayne Suite. This cassette of 88 minutes of great Russian orchestral music may be deleted but it often shows up at used record stores and thrift shops and on Amazon.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Mojo
Reprise-523971-2, CD, recorded 2010.

Tom Petty (1950-2017) was, I confess, one artist I had little familiarity with before hearing this CD. And it is one great collection of 15 songs that are most definitely rock, but exciting, musically satisfying rock that will withstand repeat hearings, unlike most other albums of the genre.

One powerful, moving track is the last one, Good Enough, about the narrator’s past love for a woman who had the kind of allure that would consume one’s soul – hence the reason to finally cut her loose or be destroyed:

“God bless this land/God bless this whiskey/I can’t trust love/It’s far too risky/If she marries into money/She’s still gonna miss me/And that’s good enough/Gonna have to be good enough.”

Janacek

Slavonic Mass
Bretislav Bakala conducting the Brno Radio Symphony Orchestra, chorus, and soloists; Urania URLP 7072, 12- inch LP, recorded early ‘50s.

Leos Janacek (1854-1928) was to 20th century Czech classical music what Antonin Dvorak was in the 19th century – two composers who carved a unique importance in their country’s cultural life that prevails to this day.

During his early years, Janacek displayed talent in playing piano and organ and conducting choirs. For a while, he was a music critic but got into trouble with some powerful institutions because of his very severe, outspoken opinions. Thus he practically starved for a few years. Eventually, he found work as a conductor and established a music conservatory in the Czech city of Brno, where he spent upwards of 40 years teaching, researching and composing.

His compositions began flowing in 1904 with the opera, Jenufa, when he was already 50. But it was another 12 years before it became an international success and brought fame to its composer. Other works followed, firmly establishing Janacek as a major figure of his time.

The main reason for the popularity of his music was its wild, very exciting use of irregular, complicated rhythms and exotic half-melodies. Many listeners, including myself, were grabbed by these works when hearing them for the first time, without knowing or even caring what was happening. His Sinfonietta is an excellent introduction and can be heard on youtube in a number of different performances.

The above Slavonic Mass is similarly characterful, far from being the typical solemn affair that Brahms, Mozart, Beethoven, and Verdi wrote, just to name a few great examples. But it too has a beauty of its own, even though eerie, weird, haunting and startling are adjectives that come to mind.

Its world premiere wasn’t until shortly after Janacek’s death in 1928, while the first US performance in 1930 in New York City utilized singers and musicians from the Metropolitan Opera. This week’s record features the extraordinarily gifted conductor, Bretislav Bakala (1897-1958), delivering an interpretation of exceptional drama, atmosphere, poetry and sheer power and setting a standard for later recordings, several of which are very fine. I own a few of them featuring such conductors as Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Kempe, Karel Ancerl, Antoni Wit, etc.

An addendum: Unfortunately, Bakala left the tiniest handful of recordings, but a CD often cheaply priced, is floating around on a few sites such as Berkshire Record Outlet, and Amazon; it features mid-’50s Iron Curtain radio broadcasts of him and the great Russian pianist, Sviatoslav Richter, collaborating in two very exciting and satisfying performances of the Beethoven First and Third Piano Concertos. Very highly recommended!

Little Jimmy Dickens

Country Boy; I’m Fading Fast with the Time
Columbia-20585, ten-inch 78, recorded 1949.

Standing 4 feet, 11 inches tall, Jimmy Dickens (1920-2015) nicknamed himself “Little” after he began scoring hits. He was singing on a Saginaw, Michigan, radio station where he was heard by Roy Acuff, who then brought him to the attention of both Columbia records and the Grand Ole Opry. Country Boy hit #7 on the charts along with numerous others during his 17-year association with the label before leaving in 1965 to record for Decca and, in 1971, United Artists.

This record contains two songs imbued with a pleasant, down home, endearing charm that was uniquely his own. In 1951, he would be instrumental in paying Roy Acuff’s good deed forward by discovering Marty Robbins and bringing him to the attention of Columbia.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Know your risk of heart disease

(NAPSI)—For a growing number of American women, knowing their numbers may just save their life.

The Risk

The problem is heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, it kills one woman about every 80 seconds.

The Awareness Paradox

While a new national poll, conducted by Morning Consult for CVS Health, found that women are aware of the risks of heart disease, most don’t know their numbers for factors that could increase their own risk, such as cholesterol, blood sugar, Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference.

The survey also found that more than one in three women have heart-related conditions such as high cholesterol, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, and history of stroke or a heart defect.

Despite the fact that over a third report having a heart condition themselves, and more than two in five have a family history of heart conditions, just 18 percent of women overall say heart health is the most pressing health issue in the U.S. today.

Doctors’ Advice

“This data reinforces what we’ve known for some time — there is still a great need for more awareness and, particularly, action when it comes to prevention of heart disease in women,” said Suzanne Steinbaum, D.O., a preventive cardiologist from New York and a national Go Red For Women volunteer. “Some risk factors, like age, gender and family history, are, unfortunately, out of women’s control, but others — blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI—can be treated or managed. Now is the time for women to take control of their health, and knowing their numbers is a great place to start.”

“These survey results offer significant insights into how women across the country perceive heart disease prevalence and the importance of proactive care,” added Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health, which commissioned the study. “Together with the American Heart Association, we encourage more women to talk with their health care provider or pharmacist about their risks for heart disease and how to take actions now that will minimize future risk.”

CVS Health is a national sponsor of Go Red For Women, the American Heart Association’s movement that advocates for more research and swifter action for women’s heart health. As part of its support, CVS Health funds cardiovascular research and provides heart-healthy screenings at MinuteClinic, the retail medical clinic of CVS Health.

Connecting Women To Heart Health Resources And Care Providers across the health care continuum can help individuals
access the information, preventive screenings, and condition management support they need to improve heart health outcomes. Most women agree that pharmacists and nurse practitioners are both valuable yet underutilized resources for managing heart health.

For example, only half of the 26 percent of women who report concerns about their heart health medication consult
their pharmacists, though nearly all of those who do report their pharmacists are helpful.

What You Can Do

By living a healthy lifestyle, you can lower your risk for heart disease. Such a lifestyle, advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, includes:

  • Eating a healthy diet—low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol and high in fiber.
  • Maintaining a healthy weight—your BMI should be between 18.5 and 25.
  • Getting enough physical activity-2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate exercise a week.
  • Not smoking—or using other forms of tobacco.
  • Limiting alcohol use—no more than two drinks a day for men, one for women, on average.

Learn More

You can find further information about heart health at www.cvshealth.com/gored.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Porcupines among us; are they a nuisance or necessary?

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Porcupines. Nuisance, or ecological necessity?

It all depends with whom you talk. I know some people who are overrun by the animals to the point where they are raiding the gardens, and having to deal with their dogs being injured by porcupine quills due mostly to their own curiosity. While others find a use for them.

Simply put, porcupines are rodents. That puts them in the same class, and are actually related, with raccoons, rats and beavers. They are indigenous to the Americas, Southern Asia, Europe and Africa. They are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and beaver. They can grow in size to be 25 – 36 inches long with an 8 to 10-inch tail, and weigh from 12 – 35 pounds.

The common porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum, is an herbivore, so look out gardens. It eats leaves, herbs, twigs and green plants. They may eat bark in the winter, evidence of which I have seen in many places. The North American porcupine often climbs trees to find food. Like the raccoon, they are mostly nocturnal, but will sometimes forage for food in the day.

Because of the scarcity of predators, porcupines are plentiful and are not endangered.

The name porcupine comes from Middle French porc espin (spined pig). A regional American name for the animal is quill pig.

The porcupines’ quills, or spines, take on various forms, depending on the species, but all are modified hairs coated with thick plates of keratin, and they are embedded in the skin.

Quills are released by contact with them, or they may drop out when the porcupine shakes its body. The porcupine does not throw quills, but the flailing muscular tail and powerful body may help impel quills deeply into attackers. The quills’ barbed ends expand with moisture and continue to work deeper into flesh. Porcupine quills have mildly antibiotic properties and thus are not infectious. Quills, however, may cause death in animals if they puncture a vital organ or if a muzzle full of quills leads to starvation.

Once embedded, the hollow quills swell, burn and work their way into the flesh every time a victim’s muscles contract, digging a millimeter deeper each hour. Eventually, they emerge through the skin again, some distance from the entry point though sometimes they spear right through the body.

I have had first hand knowledge of how painful a porcupine quill can be. Many years ago, my children had chores to do after they got home from school. One of them was to make sure they picked up after themselves following their after-school snack. Upon returning home from work, I found a folded paper towel on the counter. I grabbed it to crush it into a ball to throw away when this sharp pain shot through my hand. When I unwrapped the towel, I found a porcupine quill inside, but now imbedded in my hand. It turned out my daughter had brought it home from school to show it to me. She obtained the quill from a “show and tell” session at school.

Because they have few effective predators, porcupines are relatively long-lived. The average life span of the porcupine is 7 – 8 years, however, they have lived up to 15 years in the wild, and 18 years in captivity. A predator needs to learn only once to leave a porcupine alone. Bobcats, great-horned owls, mountain lions, coyotes and wolves, when extremely hungry and unable to catch anything else, may give it a try anyway. The fisher, however, is a skilled porcupine killer. It uses its speed and agility to snake around a porcupine’s rear guard defense and viciously bite its face until it dies.

porcupine quill bracelet

At one time, however, especially when game was scarce, the porcupine was hunted for its meat and considered a delicacy. A practice that continues in Kenya today. Because they are slow, and can remain in the same tree for days at a time, they are about the only animal that can be killed simply with a large rock. Native people of the North Woods also wove elaborate dyed quillwork decorations into clothing, moccasins, belts, mats, necklaces, bracelets and bags. Because the work was so time-consuming and highly valued, quill embroderies were used as a medium of exchange before the coming of Europeans.

When not in trees or feeding, porcupines prefer the protection of a den, which can be found in rock crevices, caves, hollow logs, abandoned mines and even under houses and barns.

Porcupines are highly attracted to salt. They may chew on any tool handle that has salt left from human sweat. They have even been known to chew on outhouse toilet seats. Road rock salt is very tempting to them, and puddles of water from the snow-melt in the spring are especially luring and could account for their high road-kill mortality rate. They have even been seen gnawing on automobile tires that have been exposed to rock salt.

In Maine, porcupines join a short list of other animals that are open to hunting all year, including coyotes, woodchucks and red squirrels.

So, are porcupines a nuisance, or do they have a role in the grand scheme of things, ecologically?

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who is the only player in New York Yankees history to achieve over 3,000 hits in his career?

Answer can be found here.

I’m Just Curious: A test for old kids

by Debbie Walker

This is a test for us ‘old kids’! The answers will be printed next week, just in case you need them.

01. After the Lone Ranger saved the day and rode off into the sunset, the grateful citizens would ask, Who was that masked man? Invariably, someone would answer, I don’t know, but he left this behind. What did he leave behind?________________.

02. When the Beatles first came to the U.S. In early 1964, we all watched them on The _______________ Show.

03 ‘Get your kicks, __________________.’

04. ‘The story you are about to see is true.. The names have been changed to ___________________.’

05. ‘In the jungle, the mighty jungle, ________________.’

06. After the Twist, The Mashed Potato, and the Watusi, we ‘danced’ under a stick that was lowered as low as we could go in a dance called the ‘_____________.’

07. ‘N_E_S_T_L_E_S’, Nestle’s makes the very best . . . . _______________.’

08. Satchmo was America ‘s Ambassador of Goodwill.’ Our parents shared this great jazz trumpet player with us. His name was _________________.

09. What takes a ‘licking and keeps on ticking’? _______________.

10. Red Skelton’s hobo character was named _________________ and Red always ended his television show by saying, ‘Good Night, and ‘________ ________. ‘

11. Some Americans who protested the Vietnam War did so by burning their______________.

12. The cute little car with the engine in the back and the trunk in the front was called the VW. What other names did it go by? ____________ &_______________.

13. In 1971, singer Don MacLean sang a song about, ‘the day the music died. ‘This was a tribute to ___________________.

14. We can remember the first satellite placed into orbit.. The Russians did it. It was called ___________________.

15. One of the big fads of the late 50’s and 60’s was a large plastic ring that we twirled around our waist. It was called the __ ______________.

Answers next week! The only time I really enjoy these little tests is when I get to pass them along! Then it’s really fun. Hopefully this will bring some fun memories to your mind. It made me smile.

Different uses for regular things make me smile too:

I’m just curious when you will use this: I don’t like to redo something that isn’t necessary so: Take a clothes hanger and two rubber bands. On each end of the hanger attach a rubber band. I would use a band that is long enough to wind over the hanger two or three times. Your clothes will now stay on the hanger and it was a cheap fix. Contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Music of Richard Strauss, Maurice Ravel, and more…

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Music

of Richard Strauss (1864-1949), Maurice Ravel (1874-1937), and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791); Elisabeth Soderstrom (1927-2009), soprano, with various conductors and orchestras; BBC Legends ­– BBCL 4153-2, CD, from 1960, 1971 and 1976 broadcast concerts.

Nicolai Gedda

Like her compatriot, the great tenor Nicolai Gedda (1925-2017), Swedish-born soprano Elisabeth Soderstrom sang in several languages, and possessed one of the most beautiful, disciplined voices to be found anywhere.

The above CD contains three live broadcast performances from the BBC – Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs with the Royal Philharmonic conducted by the late, phenomenally great Antal Dorati (1906-1988), from October 3, 1976; Ravel’s Sheherazade with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Pierre Boulez (1925-2016), from August 3, 1971; and two arias from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic under Sir John Pritchard (1921-1989), from August 20, 1960.

Richard Strauss wrote his final work, the Four Last Songs, in 1948, one that has generated a number of very good recordings. The words are pre-occupied with the confrontation with, and acceptance of, one’s mortality. After a lifetime of composing some of the most exciting music that display the full expressive and technical range of the modern orchestra – including the crazy, brilliant tone poems, Don Juan, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Death and Transfiguration, A Hero’s Life, etc., and the awesomely violent operas, Salome (with its Dance of the Seven Veils and Final Scene, in which the deranged Salome sings of her love for John the Baptist to his head on a platter) and Elektra – as well as a batch of rather dull pieces, Strauss presented music of the deepest, most eloquent serenity. Soderstrom and Dorati did a very satisfying performance that holds its own with other singers and conductors.

The composer was married for more than 50 years to his wife, Pauline; he once described her as ” very complex, perverse, coquettish, at every minute different from how she had been a moment before,” and often screaming at him, “Richard, we are low on cash – go write something!,” even though they were quite wealthy! But he reportedly considered their marriage a very happy one.

The Ravel Sheherazade and the Mozart Figaro arias are also given exemplary performances, consistent with Soderstrom’s unusually gifted reputation for adapting her beautiful voice to the exacting style and sound of different composers. For lovers of true vocal art, this cd is especially recommended!

Hymns Triumphant
Volume 2

arranged and conducted by Lee Holdridge; Birdwing BWC 2058, cassette, recorded 1984.

Lee Holdridge

The very talented composer, conductor and arranger, Lee Holdridge (1944-), has assembled and ar­rang­ed approximately 30 hymns and conducts the Amen Choir of the Van Nuys, Cali­fornia, First Baptist Church and England’s National Philharmonic Orchestra in performances that lack the sentimentality of previous similar glee clubby albums. Holdridge has arranged for numerous singers, the most prominent being Neil Diamond, while both men collaborated on the soundtrack for Jonathan Livingston Seagull. He has also composed a fine Violin Concerto and music for various films and TV shows, which are listed in his wiki biography.

SOLON & BEYOND: Scams, corn beef suppers and grange 141st anniversary

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

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

My apologies that the bottle drive that was held last weekend at the Solon Fire Station was submitted too late for publishing. I have to receive news by Sunday to get it in on Thursday’s paper. I thank Aryke Coombs, very much. This is the second time I have received news from her, and I can’t begin to state how much that means to me.

Perhaps if you had some place where bottles could be dropped off at any time, that might help. If you think that would work, just let me know, and I will print it here.

Another thing I would like to bring up, since Lief got scammed we do not answer the phone unless you are leaving a message. (Being scammed is not something I wish to go through again, EVER!) As I have stated here more than once, I truly do appreciate hearing from you with any news that you have, that I can print. On one occasion, a person had e-mailed and I found it in my dump box so it never got printed, (my computer has a mind of its own! But…..) I try to forgive this machine when it brings me e-mails like the following one from G.G. Roberts. “Thank you so much for writing about our January soup and sandwich! Turnout was very light but your article brought some to us! Would you be able to include a notice in your column about the following?”

East Madison Grange is having a: corn beef and cabbage supper with all the Irish fixings on Saturday, May 19, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., at the Grange. FMI contact G.G.Roberts, 730-0878.

And you are personally invited! Make yourself known to me and eat and enjoy us for free!

East Madison Grange 141st anniversary is Saturday, May 12, and the meeting is open to the public. Supper at 5:30 p.m. and meeting at 7 p.m. Surrounding granges and folks interested in Grange come to this party.

She writes that, “My information is that “everyone reads Marilyn.” (Such sweet words, and very much appreciated! Thank you, G.G.)

The following information will be of absolutely no use to women now-a-days but, I thought it might give some of you a good laugh. How to put on Your Back Lace Corset. Loosen lacings to full length, so that the spread is three or four inches across laces. Fasten front clasp and hooks below. Next pull corset over hips and set at waistline. Always fasten back supporters first, side supporters next, and front supporters loosely so that they will not pull garment down in front. Pull strongly and evenly on waist loops to set corset firmly at waistline. Pull evenly on lacers at hip loops, and tighten lacings until garment is comfortable. Tie at waistline. When finally adjusted, laces should be two or three inches apart. Tuck in lacing next to body. To take off corset, always loosen lacer at waist loop and hip loop. This relieves strain on front clasp, which helps keep garment in shape, as well as making it easier to remove.

Another really informative one on this little old yellowed card is, “How To Wash Your Rubber Reducing Corset.” This really precious, (to me anyway) little card , was in among some old papers that my brother Steve gave to me. Hope you enjoyed reading about the ‘Good Old Days’!

Now we mustn’t forget about Percy’s memoir entitled Extra Things. We thank Thee, God, for extra things You send along our way Both when our days are sunny bright And when our skies are gray. The little planned surprises dropped From Thy great, loving hand, Like unexpected showers on A parched and desert land. The meeting of an old friend, The lifting of a care, The sunlight breaking through the clouds To tell us You are there. Just why You do these extra things Our finite minds don’t know; It must be You delight in them Because You love us so! (words by Alice Hanche Mortenson.)

Give Us Your Best Shot! Week of April 19, 2018

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!

IN YOUR FACE: Michael Bilinsky, of China Village, got close and personal with this female cardinal.

 

CATCHING SOME BREEZE: Emily Poulin, of South China, photographed this blue jay holding up in a strong wind.

 

MEMORIES: Pat Clark, of Palermo, snapped this monarch butterfly last summer. This weather will come again.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: How Accident Victims Can Find Justice

(NAPSI) — According to the National Safety Council, an American is accidentally injured every second by a preventable event, a vehicle crash, a fall or the like. If you or someone you care about is ever among them, there are things you should know.

One Man’s Story

“I was a victim twice,” says Jose V., as he recalled his five-year ordeal that began at a construction site. “First, the day I was working to off-load a 3,000-pound bag when, all of a sudden, the operator lifted the cables and my fingers were mangled and the doctor had to remove three of them,” he explained. “Then, I found out this was only the start of my problems and I would become a victim again. My bills were getting out of control, I was about to lose my apartment, and I had no idea how I would care for my family. I was depressed and scared. Even now I get shaken up thinking how bad it was.”

Jose is not alone. He is one of tens of thousands of average, everyday people from around the country who each year find themselves battling insurance companies and other deep-pocket defendants who delay settlement of legitimate insurance claims.

“When you are physically damaged and struggling for almost five years to regain your strength and your ability to work, it takes a mental toll,” said Jose. “Bills piled up fast and the settlement was very slow in coming. There was one delay after another. I was just determined not to give up, and between the support I got from my family and the advance I received from LawCash, I did not have to accept a lowball settlement. The longer they delayed resolving the case, the more concerned I became about being on the street. If it were not for the money I was advanced over the five years it took to settle, my children would have suffered even more and the greater the pressure I would have been under to accept whatever amount I was first offered,” he added.

For Jose, as with thousands of Americans each year, financial relief came in the form of what the legal community calls pre-settlement funding. According to Harvey Hirschfeld, president of LawCash, “Our firm is in the business of leveling the playing field for consumers whose meritorious claims are being delayed. With cash on hand to pay for life needs such as rent and general living expenses, managing cash flow, and securing medical care while awaiting settlement of their case, victims are in a stronger position and don’t have to simply accept the amount a company’s insurer initially offers.”

How It Works

The company does not promote or encourage litigation. All its clients must be represented by legal counsel and must have filed a legitimate claim before it will accept an application. Nor does it influence the case itself, as all decisions related to the legal approach and overall strategy are between the victim and his or her attorney.

Perhaps most importantly, the pre-settlement funding—a minimum of $500—is not a loan. If the case is lost, claimants owe nothing. In addition, they’re not required to put up collateral or make interim payments, and the advance has no effect on their credit.

“My doctors repaired my hand,” said Jose. “LawCash allowed me to live. Since I didn’t have to take a lowball settlement, my lawyer was able to keep up the fight for me and my family. This resulted in a fair settlement for many times more than I would have gotten if I had to settle early. For a portion of my total settlement, I was able to protect my future and my family.”

Learn More

For more facts or to apply, go to www.lawcash.net or call (800) LAW-CASH.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Brown-tail moth, immigrant from Europe, invasive to Maine coast

 

brown-tail moth

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

A couple of weeks ago, during a discussion with associates, the subject of the brown-tail moth came up. I figured it was just another of the mundane moths we see during the summer. However, that was not the case. This particular moth, Euproctis chrysorrhoea, is one that we probably could do without.

This moth, once native only to Europe, was accidentally brought to Massachusetts in 1897 on nursery stock, and soon spread to the rest of New England, Today, it is found only on Cape Cod and along the coast of Maine, where it is considered an invasive species.

The brown-tail moth is armed with defensive barbed hairs throughout its life span but especially during the caterpillar stage. These hairs break off, and for many people exposed, are susceptible to skin rashes, headaches, and even difficulty breathing. This caterpillar also has a huge host range of plants on which they feed.

The brown-tail moth caterpillar has tiny poisonous hairs that cause rashes similar to poison ivy on sensitive individuals. Rashes may develop when people come in direct contact with the caterpillar or indirectly from airborne hairs. The hairs become airborne by either being dislodged from living or dead caterpillars, or they come from cast skins when the caterpillar molts. Respiratory distress from inhaling the hairs can be serious.

Caterpillars are active from April to late June. Hairs remain toxic throughout the summer but get washed into the soil and are less of problem over time.

Brown-tail caterpillar

The moths, which are attracted to light and fly at night, and active in July and August, have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The wings and midsection are solid white on both the male and female. The abdomen has brown on it, and the brown coloration extends along most of the upper surface of the abdomen in the male, whereas the top of the abdomen is white on the female, but the tuft of brown hairs are much larger.

The factors underlying brown-tail moth population dynamics are little understood and have been only thoroughly investigated by few researchers.

According to the Coastal Pharmacy & Wellness staff, the brown-tail moth has been getting plenty of attention over the past few years. This is because the numbers have spiked to levels that haven’t been seen in quite some time. Last year was a banner year and this year’s population is predicted to be even higher.

Throughout much of its life cycle, the moth sheds its toxic hairs. Eggs are laid in August-September, when a female can lay up to 400 eggs. They build their winter nest in the fall and remain there from September to June. In June and July, the larvae spin cocoons in which to pupate. The cocoons are full of toxic hairs. The moth emerges in July and August, mate and lay eggs to begin a new cycle. During this period, more hairs are shed to cover the egg mass.

The brown-tail moth’s excessive desire to eat, and its habit of feeding on many different kinds of foods, together with its tendency to reach outbreak densities, makes this species a major pest of hardwood forests and may also attack fruit and ornamental trees.

According to the Coastal Pharmacy and Wellness staff, moth spray or lotion, to combat the rash, are available by prescription from your doctor. There is no antidote for the toxins, so treatment is focused on relieving symptoms and eliminating further exposure. “Since many reactions occur over weekends, seeing a doctor may not be immediately possible. In these cases, you may find relief by soaking in a warm bath and applying calamine lotion or antihistamine cream.”

Pursuant to Maine Statute Title 22§1444 the Chief Operating Officer of the Maine Center for Disease Control can declare an infestation of brown-tail moths as a public health nuisance. The declaration may be made on the COO’s initiative or upon petition by municipal officers.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

With his win in game five of the 2013 World Series, Jon Lester of the Boston Red Sox became only the second Red Sox left-handed pitcher to win three World Series games. Who was the first?

Answer can be found here.

I’m Just Curious: Shoe facts to keep you on your toes

by Debbie Walker

The kid’s books and magazines give me some different things to write about! Some of this column is from a World Magazine. I believe it is an off shoot of National Geographic World.

So we are going to start out with information about shoes:

Sneakers:

A few years ago there was a ship carrying about 40,000 pairs of sneakers in the Pacific Ocean, headed for the United States. A storm struck and the sneakers went overboard. Sometime later beach-goers from British Columbia to Oregon saw hundreds of sneakers had washed up on the shores – “they were the ‘sole’ survivors”!

Symbols:

Shoes were symbols of ownership years ago. At European weddings, the bride’s parents threw shoes to ‘say’ they didn’t own the bride any longer. Shoes became a symbol of good luck. Sometimes all the wedding guests threw shoes at the happy couple. “Maybe throwing shoes helped a marriage start out on the right foot”.

Right or Wrong

Eighteenth century people didn’t have to worry about right or left shoe. Both shoes were exactly alike. Both shoes in a pair were identical!

Someone Else’s

Napoleon I didn’t have to get blisters. His servants wore his boots to break them in for him. “They spared his imperial tootsies a royal pain.”

Fashion

About 500 years ago in Europe men wore shoes with extremely long pointy toes. Some were so long that the wearer had to fasten them to his knees – or he’d trip.

“Walks of Life”

People give shoes a real workout. Each day most people take about 9,000 steps. And over our entire lifetime we may walk far enough to circle the Earth three and a half times. That’s enough to make your feet sore!”

Altitude Footwear

Platform shoes are not new to fashion. Years and years ago in Europe decorated platform shoes were a status symbol for wealthy women. The style “peak” was called the chopine (shah-PEEN). Sometimes rising more than two feet high, this was a shoe with a view!

Okay, I guess that is enough shoe business for one day. Although I could add that my Dad used to tell Mom to take me shoes shopping. He said they would throw away the shoes and I could wear the boxes. I have big flat feet with bunions! Used to have bunions but those were taken off, yehaw! Me and shoes still don’t get along really well. And, NO, it was not my mother’s fault. She always made sure our shoes fit well.

As usual I am just curious if you have any great “shoe” stories. For questions or comments you can contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com . Thanks for reading!