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SOLON & BEYOND, Week of March 23, 2017

March 22, 2017/0 Comments/in Columns, Solon, Solon & Beyond/by Marilyn Rogers-Bull

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

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

Was so pleased when I sat down at my computer to find some e-mails to share. This one is from Jennifer Hebert: We are planning our annual Spring Inside Sale for April 29 this year. Hoping that you will write about us in your column and also that you will want to book a space at it as well. Thank you as always for helping us get the word out! Jen. I’ll be writing more about this event as it draws near.

Also received an e-mail from Marsha Lagasse, a volunteer at the new thrift shop in Bingham. It is called St. Peter’s Thrift Store & Food Pantry and it is located in the old Jimmy’s Market on Main Street. The thrift shop is open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The food pantry is open on this March 22, then every first Wednesday and third Wednesday of every month. The thrift store accepts donations of housewares and clean and unstained clothing on the days they are open. No electronics accepted! The money they make at the thrift store pays the rent of the space and keeps the food pantry going.

Monetary donations are welcome as well. If you need to get in touch with Marsha you may call 672-4026 or email: Northwestmarsha@gmail.com.

The Anson/North Anson Snowmobile Club will be having their annual Maine Maple Syrup breakfast on Sunday, March 26, at the Garrett Schenk School from 6:30 to 10 a.m.

Last Saturday, March 18, we celebrated Clarence Jones 98th birthday with a lunch at Thompson’s Restaurant. There were 26 of us in attendance to help him celebrate a long and good life. His son Tom was also there and he was born on his father’s birthday, so birthday cards were given out to him, also. There were guests from far and near, four of Clarence’s grandchildren were there, Chistael, Kenny, Peter and Mary.

Clarence is my step-father; he and my mother moved down to Bingham from Eustis years ago. My brother Steve Jones and his wife Liz moved to Bingham to be with his father a few years after my mother died, they were the ones who hosted the party at Thompson’s and then we went to Clarence’s home for cake and ice cream. It was a good day.

A District K-8 Talent Show will be held at Carrabec Community School on Wednesday, March 29, at 6 p.m.

Earlier this winter, three fifth grade students at Solon Elementary School organized a penny drive to raise money for school activities. They collected $100 in their drive. When Alyssa Schinzel, Summer Lindbloom, and Hailey Wyman found out that fourth grader Braden Wheeler needed a medical procedure that would be very expensive, the students decided to donate the money from their penny drive to him.

This week Percy’s memoirs are about love:

Kindness in words creates confidence, Kindness in thinking creates profoundness, Kindness in giving creates love. – Lao- Tse.

I would not live without the love of my friends, John Keats. A friend is a present you give yourself. – Robert Louis Stevenson.

It is the nature of love to work in a thousand different ways. – St. Teresa.

Old wives tales and motherhood

March 22, 2017/0 Comments/in Columns, I’m Just Curious/by Debbie Walker

I’m Just Curious

by Debbie Walker

Spring is heading our way (despite our latest storm) and coats will be coming off. It isn’t unusual to see pregnant bellies spring forth! The old wives tales will once again come to life!

I took a trip back to the Almanac for some more inspiration. That magazine has so many interesting little tidbits if you like “old tales” and I do! I got caught up with Tales for Predicting a Baby’s Gender. It was written by Judy Kneiszel. She did all the work and I plan on having some fun with it.

Today we can know what the sex of a baby is with ultrasounds and sonograms. If the parents have chosen to they can know the sex of the child. Then some couples choose to share that information with others maybe by cutting the baby shower cake to see what color is inside, pink or blue.

There are some of us who over the years were subjected to some of the “Old Wives Tale Gender” theories. These have been passed down from generation to generation and I really hope they are always entertaining!

To continue:

Carrying the baby high or low: a high, big round belly is said to be a girl. A low smaller belly is supposed to be a boy. In the middle it must be a puppy!

The wedding ring or needle swing starts with tying a string to the mother’s wedding band or a needle: swaying back and forth is a boy and in a circular motion it’s a girl.

The baking soda test! Oh good Lord, they never would have talked me into that one. First thing in the morning the mother puts a spoonful of baking soda in a paper cup then adds some of her urine. If it fizzes it’s a boy. If it simply stays flat they say it’s a girl. This one is a two part test – if you don’t like the first version, try this one: if the pee is bright yellow it’s a boy. If it’s dull yellow it is a girl. (or she’s drinking too much water!)

Okay if that one didn’t gross you out completely we will go on.

Cravings: I wanted Italian sandwiches and bubble gum! According to those cravings I should have had twins! The sweet and/or citrus would mean a girl. Salty foods would indicate a boy. I had both cravings; no we did not have twins!

Morning sickness: I proved this one right. I swear I had morning sickness from the moment of conception! Supposedly morning sickness in the first 12 weeks and it’s a girl, otherwise it’s a boy. I had a girl.

Cold feet: Some people get cold feet before a wedding and others during pregnancy. Actual cold feet might be a sign of a boy. If Mom’s feet don’t feel any different then it’s probably a girl.

I had never heard this one: Some say if the father gains weight at the same rate as the mother it’s said to be a boy. Other thoughts are Dad’s weight gain indicates a girl. Really what it means is dad is really hungry!

As usual I am still just curious. Thank you so much for reading, hope it gave you some giggles! Contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com. I love hearing from you!

Recording artist: Duke Ellington; Composer: Johann S. Bach; Marching Band: The Band of His Majesty’s Irish Guards

March 22, 2017/0 Comments/in Columns, Review Potpourri/by Peter Cates

REVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates

Duke Ellington
Blue Light

Columbia CL 663, 12- inch vinyl mono LP, released 1955. From nine Brunswick 78 sides recorded between 1934-1939.

Duke Ellington

Blue Light gathers several lovely disks of the quieter jazz of which the Duke was a master. One number, Reminiscing in Tempo, not only stood out for several years after its composition and first recording in 1935 as having the longest performance time, but also as a moving commemoration of his mother who had died the same year.

The personnel during these years stood out for their musicianship, discipline, compatibility and relaxed teamwork. They included Cootie Williams, Juan Tizol, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, etc., and included a few who would stay for two or three decades.

The LP is available with another one, Ellington Uptown, on a single cd and can be ordered through Bull Moose and various Internet sources.

Bach
Two Concertos for Three Harpsichords and Harpsichord Concerto No. 8

Gustav Leonhardt, harpsichordist, and conducting the Leonhardt Consort; Das Alte Werk SAWT 9458, twelve inch vinyl lp, recorded October, 1963.

Johann Bach

Along with sheer beauty, J.S. Bach’s Harpsichord Concertos are a source of melody, fascinating harmonies and very stately but alive rhythms. And this LP, with the late Gustav Leonhardt’s exceptional playing and conducting, is reasonably priced, in both vinyl and CD formats, and available through the Amazon vendors and local Bull Moose and Barnes and Noble outlets for special ordering.

The Band of His Majesty’s Irish Guards
On Parade

London LPB 16, 10- inch vinyl LP, recorded 1949.

As a rule, marching band concerts and recordings bore me, but this ancient LP may be an exception to the rule. Its players display an unusual flair for nuance while performing in a captivating manner.

There are a couple of Sousa marches; Fucik’s Entry of the Gladiators – better known in its heyday as the theme for Bozo the Clown; Colonel Bogey – a late ‘50s hit for Mitch Miller, the movie theme for Bridge Over the River Kwai, and a most well timed inclusion in the 1961 Disney edition of The Parent Trap; and other less well known musical chestnuts from the British Isles. For interested parties, it is worth the search!

The Band of His Majestry’s Irish Guards

Understanding the importance of town meeting

March 22, 2017/0 Comments/in China, Community, Community Commentary/by Website Editor

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

by H David Cotta
China resident and former state legislator

In just a short couple of days the town of China will be conducting the China town meeting. This meeting is held each year and at times I wonder if the citizens of China fully appreciate the form of government that the town meeting represents.

The town meeting form of government is the most democratic form of governance. Some not familiar with this form of governance and may believe that the town manager is the executive of the town of China and the town is governed by the select board, but neither is true. The governing body in China is the town meeting where the citizens cast a vote to direct the actions of the select board. At the start of the meeting the citizens in attendance elect a moderator who must conduct the meeting according to Roberts Rules of Order. Proposals, which are referred to as Articles, are presented for the people to approve or disapprove. The articles can also be amended.

I guess the best way to describe the town meeting form or governance is the people hold all the power to govern. The select board can only do what the people authorize the board to do (of course, the people can not direct the board to take illegal actions). It is at the town meeting where the people, by their vote, guide the course of their town and the actions of their elected town officials. The town manager is hired by the select board and works for the select board within statutory guidelines the town meeting is the most direct and equal form of governance. This form of governing is only as good as the level of participation by the citizenry, and there in lays the proverbial “fly in the ointment.”

Apathy is a stern heartless master and can only survive by inaction of the good people of our town. We all have our lives to lead and life has a habit of getting in the way of what we planned or intended to do.

Several (30+/-) years ago the level of participation at the town meeting had declined to the point that the people established a quorum which was a percentage of the number of voters who voted in the last gubernatorial election which must be present to open the meeting and conduct business. The quorum for this upcoming meeting is 126 voters which when you think, represents 126 of over 2000 voters who voted in China during 2014.

So what happens when there is minimal turnout at the town meeting? Each vote on the floor of the meeting represents many who did not attend the meeting. The citizens that chose not to attend will have no voice in the process, so the town governance will be by a small minority. Additionally, the result of low voter participation could take a couple of forms.

First, the direction given to the select board (municipal officials) may not be representative of the town as a whole. Second, would be to consolidate power which can be a matter streamlining the conduct of business but at the cost of the checks and balances that we as citizens are afforded. Granting an expanded range of powers to the administrators is not good governance. Some indicators of the “Flying by the seat of your pants” are reflected by comments by the auditor clearly stated in the 2015 report – (China 11-10-15) addressing the lack of internal controls. Further, the select board meetings are not recorded which can and has lead to a discussion of what was stated in a motion during previous meeting. Clarity, transparency and accountability is lost.

In closing I would encourage all citizens of China to attend the town meeting. Please provide your officials the insight and guidance of the citizenry. If you have questions do not hesitate to ask because your select board and others are there to answer questions. I hope I will see you there. Thank you.

Speaking for China Lake: the lake’s perspective

March 22, 2017/0 Comments/in China, Community, Community Commentary/by Website Editor

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

by Scott Pierz
President, China Lake Association

At the China Lake Association (CLA) mid-winter meeting held February 16, 2017, CLA board members voiced concern over the town’s placement of several warrant articles at the upcoming open March town meeting. These particular warrant articles are designed to seek approval of a series of proposed revisions to the China Land Development Code and its Land Use Ordinance. These proposed changes were just defeated less than six months ago at the November 2016 election. Some CLA board members believe the proposed changes “severely relax” the local Shoreland Zoning Ordinance and diminish the town of China’s Home Rule Authority on several issues that have been in-place for decades.

Included in our meeting’s discussion was why the selectmen would deviate from the town’s long-standing tradition of placing ordinance revisions before the voters at an annual November (or June) ballot election where the voter-turnout is significantly higher than the open March town meeting. The open March town meeting is customarily a discussion for approval of financial appropriations to operate the town’s budget, and most people will not recall a time when the open March town meeting sought approval of ordinance “changes” at this forum over the last 25 years. These proposed changes came as “recommendations” from the planning board, but it is still the selectmen’s warrant and the selectmen can move forward with their warrant articles as proposed, it is their prerogative. But it is unprecedented, and it seems to many that this circumvents tradition, relying on an extremely limited number of quorum voters (126 by number) rather than the numbers of voters who turn out in a November (or June) ballot election vote (often more than 1,000). Also, the articles appear at the tail end of the warrant and people know that the crowd thins out to even less than the quorum requirement as most of our open March town meetings go on for hours.

This could mean that it is likely that even less people will have voting power on the warrant at that time, substantially less than the number of people who defeated the same proposed changes at that November 2016 election. Of course, someone could move to advance the articles to an earlier portion of the meeting so that at least a majority of the voters present can decide on these important changes. The town’s strategy to gain approval for these proposed changes leaves many folks wondering why this avenue was taken if not to “push through” the proposed ordinance changes without much resistance (if any at all). If true, this is just very disappointing given that the changes are complicated, and probably not too many voters at the open March town meeting will have a thorough knowledge of or completely understand the nature of the changes and their ramifications on China Lake and its water quality.

By way of example, here’s one of the comments from a CLA board member: “The Town (and others) have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years to improve water quality in China Lake by reducing the phosphorus loading to the lake. The proposed amendments will increase the phosphorus loading and thus will undo work that has already been accomplished and will make future efforts both more expensive and difficult. The town is voting to spend 3/4 million to improve access to the lake; along with that should be a commitment to improve water quality, not degrade it. As a lake that does not comply with water quality standards, the town which derives substantial economic benefit from [China] lake should not be allowed to pass ordinances that allow more phosphorus into the lake to mirror DEP’s relaxed shoreland zoning guidelines.”

The comment is directed at the town and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and a set of “relaxed guidelines” the DEP is proposing for local communities to consider. Please know that these are “proposed” guidelines, and towns can always chose a stronger set of rules and regulations to manage their shoreland zoning codes. Over the last few decades the town of China has had a set of shoreland zoning standards stronger than any community in the region, and one reason for these stricter standards being in-place for so long is to protect our environment, and especially China Lake.

A close examination of the proposed changes shows a serious digression from the current shoreland zoning regulations that have been in place for decades, so much so that they represent a potential negative impact to the water quality of China Lake.

Here are some of the downsides to the proposed changes the voters are being asked to consider:

The elimination of volume in determining expansion for shoreland principal structures (causing structures to increase their impervious surfaces and creating more storm water runoff and phosphorus into the lake). The town’s current practice requires the review of both footprint and volume thresholds (along with detailed record keeping the town has maintained for the last 25 years). This would be a significant reversal in policy and would allow shoreland properties that have already maxed out their expansion limits based on volume to continue to expand using only the footprint of a residential building(s) on a property.
The allowance to combine the footprint of existing non-conforming shoreland accessory structures with existing principal residential structures. This would allow even more expansion of a principal residential structure. In some cases this could be in very close proximity to the lake (again, more expansion, more runoff, and more non-point source pollution into China Lake without any plan to mitigate phosphorus from entering the lake);
A revision to the current timber harvesting standards that have been in-place for decades and have been integral to the local enforcement that the town has maintained over the years. It is vital that timber harvesting activities have a local steward since sound timber harvesting practices are essential to immediately prevent water quality impacts from timber harvesting activities in China Lake’s watershed;
The relaxation of seasonal conversion standards, allowing more year-round conversions, more activity in shoreland districts, more impact on local services, and with the potential of restricting property owners to only occupy their properties during certain months of the year. Questions include: What is the rationale for this proposed change? How many properties would be affected?
The allowance of additional exemptions to the clearing and vegetation removal standards, thereby reducing areas required to be buffered. Vegetative buffering is essential to water quality as the CLA is promoting through its LakeSmart Program; and
A new proposed change that was not on the November 2016 ballot concerns the conditional use requirements reviewed by the planning board for commercial development. The proposed change seem to remove the planning board’s responsibility to make “findings of fact” as it reviews each criteria for conditional use applicants. If this is the case this may not be quite legal as Superior Court cases have rested upon the mandate that the findings-of-fact are critical to the review of a development proposal. The court’s position has respect to the rights of the abutters to know and understand the ramifications of development proposals in their neighborhood and the potential impact on their “peaceful use and enjoyment” of their personal homesteads and local environment.

There’s no “sugar coating” the proposed changes; overall the proposed changes do not seem to be in the best interest for China Lake’s water quality. The China Lake Association’s Mission is to protect China Lake. It is not enough to say that the DEP provided these “relaxed guideline changes” to the towns and so the town of China should (or must) adopt such drastic changes. As citizens we would leave behind our town’s well-maintained existing rules and regulations, along with our long-standing Home Rule Authority that has existed for decades.

As president of the China Lake Association it is an obligation to represent my constituency and inform the public on these matters. Although represented here are the thoughts of many of those present at our mid-winter meeting, they may not represent everyone’s opinion. As for me, I can only speak for myself. It may be that the proposed changes are adopted by the minimal number of voters who turn out at the open March town meeting, but this could represent a big step backwards. I will only repeat what I was quoted as saying in The Town Line newspaper last year: “I can’t tell anyone how to vote, I just know I’m voting “NO.”

Scott A. Pierz, President
China Lake Association

TECH TALK: One account to rule them all

March 22, 2017/0 Comments/in Eric's Tech Talk/by Eric W. Austin

ERIC’S TECH TALK

by Eric W. Austin
Computer Technical Advisor

This week, in our continuing series on finding anonymity online, we’re going to address one of the most important ways to ensure your life online is a safe, secure and happy one.

Passwords.

Remember when the most you had to remember was your ATM pin? Those days are gone, and now pretty much every website wants you to log in with a username and password. If you are like many people, you might use the same combination for multiple sites (except for those sites where somebody already took my username! Arrgghhh!).

You also probably know just how insecure this practice is – hack that one password and a hacker will have access to all your other accounts!

So, it’s utterly important to use unique passwords for every site you visit — or at the least any site that has sensitive or important personal information about you, such as online banking, or places you use a credit card and with your address like Amazon or Target.com.

Before we go any further, let’s review what makes a good password. Stay away from using personal information for your password, like a birthday or pet’s name, even though it would be easier to remember. Try to use numbers as well as letters and include a special character or two (@!#$% etc…). Make it at least eight characters long, the longer the better. According to Google, using numbers and special characters makes an eight character password 30,000 times more difficult to guess than one of lowercase letters alone!

But how do you remember all these passwords? There are a number of ways to go about this, and they each have their own pluses and minuses. Many people (including myself) use a password manager, which usually is an extension for your browser that automatically saves passwords for you.

There are a number of good ones available. Personally, I use LastPass, which is available for all platforms. My only quibble with it is that it is only free for the desktop version. The app for IOS or Android will cost you.

But any similar password manager will do. Just ensure it’s a company that has been in business for a while (you don’t want them going belly-up and taking all your passwords with them). And read through their policy FAQ to make sure they take security seriously. The benefit of a password manager is that many will also generate passwords for you, and being random, they are highly secure.

Of course, no one can remember dozens of completely random passwords, so if you lose access to your password manager you often lose access to your passwords as well.

If you don’t want to use a password manager service, you’ll likely have to write them down somewhere. I recommend that you don’t keep a password file online for obvious reasons, and if you use Word or Excel to store passwords locally, secure the file with a password so that it is encrypted and cannot be digitally scanned if you get hit with a virus.

Also, don’t name the file “passwords.doc”!

Surprisingly, the most secure way to store your passwords may be the old-fashioned way: with paper and pen. Keep a notebook next to your computer and write each one down. Just don’t leave your notebook somewhere carelessly like an airport or restaurant!

Assuming you’ve decided on the best way to st
ore your passwords, and you do not want them to be randomly generated for you, how does one come up with so many secure, unique passwords?

While completely random passwords are the most secure, second best is a password that at least appears random. This is a tip a friend of mine suggested years ago and I have used it ever since.
Create a password “formula” that will look random to anyone else, and allows you to make it unique by tweaking only a single element of your formula. Let me show you what I mean.

For example: Let’s say my password for Amazon.com is “P48:bates!@AM” (without the quotes). It’s obviously not a completely random password, but because none of the elements directly relate to me it’s very difficult to guess. My formula for this password is simple: favorite bible verse [Philippians 4:8] + name of favorite movie villain [Norman Bates] + “!” + “@” + first two letters of the website name capitalized [AM].

Using this formula my password for Target.com would be “P48:bates!@TA”. Although the password looks complex, it’s made up of parts I can easily remember. This way we achieve a complex, unique password that is made up of numbers, symbols and lower and upper case letters, but is still easily generated and easily recalled.

Is it as secure as a completely randomized password? No. Is it better than using the same password on every site? Absolutely! How ever you define your password formula, use elements that are unique but unrelated to you and never — never ever — use any personal information like your name and address or birthday as part of that formula.

As a final piece of advice, and tying back to my headline, let me emphasize that not all accounts are created equal. If you have a Google or Microsoft account which ties all your other accounts together (the one where a password support request from other websites will be sent), give special care to the password you use for that account, and change it at lease every six months.

I hope this has been helpful, and please tune in next time when I’ll dig deeper into VPNs, proxies and firewalls, oh my!

Have a question or idea for a column? Eric W. Austin is a marketing and technical specialist and can be reached by email at ericwaustin@gmail.com.

IF WALLS COULD TALK, Week of March 23, 2017

March 22, 2017/0 Comments/in Columns, If Walls Could Talk/by Katie Ouilette

by Katie Ouilette

Well, WALLS, as the old saying has taught us, “What a difference a day makes,” and so it is for our faithful readers today. Yes, you wrote and sent your message on March 17, but it didn’t arrive. Yes, I know that one of the subjects was Lew’s and my stopping at the Red Barn Restaurant when we were en route from going to Sabre Boat’s factory in Raymond. So, it is very appropriate that you repeat our experience at Red Barn Restaurant, as Lew, who is a veteran of a long time ago, still warranted his getting a discount, as he started to pay for our order.

He couldn’t believe that anyone cared about a person who served in World War II, but those folks at Red Barn surely did. Surely, you have read about the wonderful things the Red Barn’s owner, Laura, has done for folks, and now you, WALLS, are proof of her generosity and good deeds through the years. Oh, the reason we were at Sabre Boat was that we went there to approve a boat for shipping to Bellingham Yachts, which is owned by our sons Dean and Nick.

Now, for sure the days since last Friday have given you a new twist for your column, WALLS, but you can still tell our faithful readers about Governor Abner Coburn Day. Yes, The Town Line will not be available until after March 22, but at least our faithful readers will know that invitations were sent to all the historical societies in Somerset County and elsewhere, and the day, which was chaired by Rob Washburn, a member of the Skowhegan Heritage Society. His message dealt with the education of young folks, a subject that Abner Coburn held firmly to, since his formal education ended when he was 14 years of age, when his dad decided he should learn about Maine forests and surveying. Yes, when any of you faithful readers go to Jackman, you will see Coburn Mountain standing tall on the landscape.

Yes, Governor Abner Coburn’s caring about the people of Maine and our entire USA make him one to be held in highest esteem by students who have had the privilege to study at the colleges his many millions financed. He gave Skowhegan its Free Public Library, was responsible for the Maine Central Railroad and Skowhegan Savings Bank in his Skowhegan and was on many committees and boards that made our USA all that he envisioned it could be. He was our Civil War Governor and friend of Abraham Lincoln. In fact, antique photos show his sitting directly behind Lincoln, as our, then, president delivered his Gettysburg Address.

It is important to know that Chairman Washburn is available to schools throughout our Somerset County, so that our young people will know of a very important person in our Maine history. Probably one of the most important of Governor Coburn’s lasting virtues was his generosity. He readily gave his money to those who were in need. In the words found in an antique book about Abner Coburn by Charles Williams: “There are few in Maine, in fact anywhere in the Union, whose life offers a more worthy illustration of what a (person) is capable of achieving.”

Take time to say ‘thanks’ for Maine’s being the way life should be, faithful readers.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Skunks are not pests that everyone thinks

March 15, 2017/0 Comments/in Columns, Scores & Outdoors/by Roland D. Hallee

SCORES
&
OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee

“You got yer dead skunk in the middle of the road, dead skunk in the middle of the road; You got yer dead skunk in the middle of the road, stinkin’ to high heaven.”

Those lyrics to the song by Loudon Wainwright III tend to speak the truth this time of the year. With the warmer weather during the day, skunks are finding their way out of the winter dens.

Skunk preparing to dig up an in-ground bee hive.

A dead skunk by the side of the road in North Vassalboro last Sunday is witness to that rite of spring.

Skunks are placid, retiring and non-aggressive by nature. They try very hard not to get in harm’s way. I’ve had several encounters with skunks and have been able to “talk my way” out of trouble. Some people call me the “skunk whisperer.” Speaking to them in a soft, calm, yet firm voice will convince them that you, also, mean no harm.

“Crossin’ the highway late last night
He shoulda looked left, and he shoulda looked right;
He didn’t see the station wagon car,
The skunk got squashed and there you are.”

Skunks eat mostly insects, many of which are pests to humans. Therefore, they are very beneficial to have around. They also eat some plant material, including wild fruits, apples and corn. In winter and spring, they may eat mice and the eggs of ground-nesting birds. In the summer, they find inground bee hives to be a delicacy.

Above, the aftermath. Note the honeycomb to the left.

Breeding usually occurs in late winter or early spring and gestation averages about 60-75 days, so babies are usually born in May or June. Second litters and late births do occur. After mating, a female can store the male’s sperm and delay initiating pregnancy for some weeks. Litters range from three to as many as 10 young who remain in the nest for about two months, after which they begin to follow their mom as she forages.

Skunks are able to dig their own burrows but will also use abandoned dens of other animals, hollow logs, wood or rock piles, under buildings, stone walls, hay or brush piles and trees or stumps. We had a family of five once reside under our deck at camp. Had I not observed them going under there at dawn one day, I would never have known they were there.

“Take a whiff on me, that ain’t no rose,
Roll up yer window and hold your nose.
You don’t have to look and you don’t have to see,
‘Cause you can feel it in your olfactory.”

The skunk’s main defense is a complex chemical substance that includes sulfuric acid that can be fired from either one or two independently targetable anal glands. Because of this ability, skunks will stand and face a threat rather than run away. This works well with people and animals but is usely against cars. As a result, many skunks die on roadways. They just can’t seem to win that battle.

Skunks generally will give you ample warning before unloading its odoriferous defense system. Each year, many skunks are killed because someone is afraid of getting sprayed. Those who are familiar with skunks know that it takes a lot to get sprayed. Hopefully, through education, people will come to recognize and understand the role these mild animals play and the benefits of tolerating their presence.

Skunks can carry rabies, but it is important to remember that not every skunk is rabid. Only if an adult skunk seen in the daytime is showing abnormal behaviors such as paralysis, unprovoked aggression, moving in circles, or self-mutilation should you call your animal control officer or police department.

“Yeah, you got your dead cat and you got yer dead dog,
On a moonlight night you got yer dead toad frog;
Got yer dead rabbit and yer dead raccoon,
The blood and guts, they’re gonna make you swoon.”

They can be frightening when you encounter one, especially in the middle of the night, but these critters are kind of nice to have around at times. I remember one time when I came out of the house in early morning to fetch my newspaper, and found a large hole dug in the side lawn. At first I was upset at the sight. Closer inspection showed that a skunk had dug up a hornets nest that I did not know even existed. It could have brought some painful consequences the next time I mowed my lawn. I still thank that skunk to this day.

If you’re given lemons, make lemonade?

March 15, 2017/0 Comments/in Columns, I’m Just Curious/by Debbie Walker