Contact legislators with your opposition to the opening of Sheepscot dam to alewives and lampreys

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COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

by Gary Miller, Longtime Palermo visitor

I’ve been a long time visitor to Palermo, since the ‘70s. We liked Palermo, the people and Sheepscot pond so much that when I retired, we bought a camp on the shores of this beautiful body of water and have spent half our life here for the past 25 years.

Now, in the search of increased power, profits and campaign funds, the powers that be are ganging up on the town of Palermo, Sheepscot Fish & Game Club, the Lake Association, IF&W, who manage the fish nursery and the residents of Palermo and plan to open the lake’s dam to sea lam-prey and alewives. We’ve been down this road before and found nothing but misery; let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past just so those with financial interests can improve their lot at the expense of those who live here.

The stories are available and tell a tale of lamprey becoming “landlocked” and unable to get to the sea. They grow into adult-hood and attack our togue, bass and other sport fish, leaving them weakened and prone to disease. Alwives are not any better, they are toxic to togue, destroying vitamin B-12 and causing early death of the offspring. They also potentially carry PEN, a virus deadly to other fish which would be a disaster for the trout nursery at the foot of our dam and could spread that virus across the state hatchery/nursery system as fish are moved into place. By their sheer numbers, they can over-populate the IF&W nursery, crowding out the trout and requiring routine manual removal at great expense.

LD922, which mandates the opening the dam, without regard to these and other risks, will be brought forward in the next legislative session and all who love the beauty of what we now have need to write their state legislators and demand that nothing be done until the state is allowed to conduct environmental and engineering studies showing the true and complete impacts on our existing fish populations, IF&W operations, boating, swimming and property values. Politicians respond to numbers so we all need to write them and let them know how we all feel. Also, stay informed, watch the Palermo area organizations websites and attend the legislative committee meetings, in Augusta, where the decisions are made. Demand attention and follow up when it isn’t given, a way of life is at stake.

IF WALLS COULD TALK, Week of September 21, 2017

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Katie Ouilette Wallsby Katie Ouilette

Oh, WALLS, surely you have wondered right along with me about those folks who have chosen to be in Florida-territory or in the Houston, Texas, area in recent weeks. Maybe we Mainers don’t have anyone in the Houston vicinity, but Florida and the Islands in the Caribbean have caused many of our faithful readers to suffer anxiety.

Well, our next-door neighbor who went to Jacksonville to help his son, Andrew, wife Jamie, and new baby son Madis throughout the preparations for the coming storm, is home and all are safe. Drew did tell us that some trees were victims of the hurricane, but he said they were lucky. Now, we hear of more hurricanes, so we’ll keep praying for everyone who has become a victim and who may be destined to have more destruction. Yes, donations of much needed objects for living through such destruction that has created hard times for folks will be needed for years. Sad. Yes, truly sad. We will definitely be asked to share as time goes by, for sure.

Speaking of sharing. Yes, even here in Maine we have opportunities to help. In fact, WALLS, you know of the thrift shops that have become part of our landscape in recent years. I am reminded of my young years and my parents who brought me up to ‘pay for whatever I would buy, and we should buy only what we need and not what we want.

Actually, WALLS and faithful readers, we should all live by those words. We read of every-one’s raising dollars to help folks in need of things, and health and our public places. Our thanks for folks and their caring is much deserved.

While you are about it, WALLS, we have to thanks folks who, throughout the last weeks have taken animals to their homes. Kindness seems to have been awakened by so many and for so many reasons and we have been so fortunate to hear about it. Y’know, WALLS, last week you reminded folks to say ‘thank you’…so now it is you saying ‘thanks’ to our faithful readers who have been willing to share so much with so
many.

SOLON & BEYOND, Week of September 21, 2017

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

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

The K-5 students at Solon Elementary School will visit Lakewood Theater on September 21st to attend their fall production of “The Untold Story of Johnny Appleseed and Jane Peach Pitt,” performed by the Lakewood Jesters. This is the 19th year that Lakewood has produced a show specially customized for elementary students.

The play lasts about an hour, and students get to interact with the performers during the show and meet them after the show. We are fortunate to have this historic theater so close to home. Parents are welcome to join them on this trip. Thanks to the PTO for funding the admission for the students.

As the new year begins, we hope to see all of our students set a goal to have a good rate of attendance. It is very important for students to be in school to gain the maximum benefit from their educational experience. Unless students are ill or there is a family emergency, they need to be in school. We ask that parents try to schedule routine doctor or dentist appointments after school hours as often as possible.

Punctuality is also a key to a successful school year. Our buses arrive between 7:20 and 7:40 in the morning. If you bring your child to school, please be sure that he or she arrives by 7:45 in order to be ready when teachers start their classes at 7:50. A student who arrives late misses important learning time.

There are several testing pro-grams scheduled for our students this fall. Students in grades K-1 will be given the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) assessment in September to help us identify students who might need extra help to enable them to reach bench-marks for their grade level in reading by the end of the year. They will be assessed again in January and in May.

All first grade students are given the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) to help us monitor their reading achievement and design pro-grams to increase their reading skills. We also give this test to new students and those who have received Title 1 services in the past.

All students in grades K-5 Took the Measures of Academic Progress from Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) last spring. This test will be given again in reading and math in the spring to assess student’s progress over the course of the school year. Kindergartners, third graders, and new students will take the test this fall, and teachers can choose to test their students in the fall and the winter if they choose to do so to monitor students’ progress.

In the spring, our students in grades 3-5 will participate in the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA), taking tests in reading, writing, and math. Fifth graders will also take a science test.

If you have any questions about any of these assessments, please contact Ms. Butler at 643-2491.

Stewart Public Library in North Anson hours are now Wednesday, 2 – 5 p.m., and Saturday, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m., or by appointment.

Lief and I took our paintings over to North New Portland one day last week to exhibit in their annual fair. I was really proud and impressed with the Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club exhibit, a lot of time and energy went into it. Was glad to see that the Solon Extension had a really nice exhibit also. All of the exhibits were excellent and the North New Portland Fair is still a wonderful family fair.

And now for Percy’s memoir entitled Masterworks: “In Autumn when the leaves turn brown And red and gold, they all fall down To paint a picture, oh so rare! I know that God is there… To mastermind His ebb and flow; To stage His wondrous Autumn show, To brush His skies with molten gold; I watch His art unfold.. No grander sight could I behold: These leaves of brown and red and gold. But Winter bodes its icy chills Upon the snow-clad hills. In time the land, a living scene, Comes bursting forth in savage green; And I con-front the seasons’ thieves That took my Autumn leaves. But soon a softness in the air! God paints a picture, oh so rare Of Autumn leaves that all tun brown And red and gold as they fall down. (words by Henry W. Gurley.)

Give Us Your Best Shot! Week of September 21, 2017

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HUMMINGBIRD OR MOTH?: Eric Austin, of China, snapped this sphinx moth, AKA hummingbird moth, in one of his mother’s flower beds.

 

GROWING UP: Tina Richard, of Clinton, photographed this eaglet while on a walk on her favorite trail.

 

FIREBALL: Tawni Lively, of Winslow, captured this fireball sunset following the recent eclipse.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Big green caterpillar

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Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee

Last week a reader sent a photograph of a caterpillar that she couldn’t identify (see photo).

The photo she sent shows the Hyalophora cecropia in its fifth instar (stage) of development, or the cecropia moth caterpillar. It is the largest native North American moth.

Cecropia caterpillar

The female moth has had its wings measured up to six inches or more. Its range is from Nova Scotia in eastern Canada and Maine south to Florida, and west to the Canadian and U.S. Rocky Mountains. It can also be found in California.

Like all members of the giant silk moth family, the moths only reproduce because they lack functional mouth parts or digestive system, meaning they never eat. Therefore, the life expectancy is only about two weeks.

The female lays up to 100 eggs, which hatch into tiny black caterpillars. The larvae feed upon many common trees and shrubs, including maple, birch and apple. The larvae are more commonly found on maple trees. As they grow larger, it becomes clear that the black color is actually small hairs growing. In the early stages they are yellow-green. As they grow larger, the colors change to green to bluish-green, with the tubercles becoming blue, yellow and orange. Upon reaching matu-rity in autumn, the caterpillar, now about four inches long, spin large cocoons on trees or wooden structures to emerge as adults in the first two weeks of seasonally warm weather in early summer. They only have one generation per year.

Pests of the moth have become a significant problem. Parasites such as wasps and flies lay their eggs in or on the young caterpillars. The eggs then hatch into larvae, which consume the internal organs and muscles of the caterpillars. Once the eggs hatch into larvae, the para-sites release chemicals that override the regulatory mechanisms of the caterpillar, and will eventually kill the cecropia pupa. Squirrels also consume the pupae of the cecropia moths, which decreases the population significantly. Pruning of trees and leaving outdoor lights on at night can also be detrimental to the moths.

Cecropia moth

The wings of the moth are brownish with red near the base of the forewing. Crescent-shaped spots of red with whitish center are obvious on all wings, but are larger on the hindwings. All wings have whitish coloration followed by reddish bands of shading beyond the postmedial lie that runs longitudinally down the center of all four wings. The body is hairy with reddish color-ing. The body has alternating bands of red and white.

The coloration of the moth is so spectacular they are prized by collectors and nature lovers, specifically for their large size and extremely showy appearance.

Now you can impress your friends when someone sees one of these and you can identify it as the Hyalophora cecropia.

I’m Just Curious: The Tree of Life

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by Debbie Walker

When I learn something new I enjoy passing it on. Not all that I/we write is going to be interesting to all who considers reading articles that I/we have written. So once again I am in your face with something that just boggled my mind. I, of course, am interested in what some of you may think; keeping in mind that some things I am interested in my poor mom just shakes her head. I can’t help it; I just enjoy “stuff.”

I am bringing this to you without very much research. I am sorry that all I may do is just peak your interest a bit, maybe. Searching out information is just a journey for me that I am not quite ready to take. I am hoping some of you will have to look up the subject. It will mean something a little different to all of us, I am sure.

Image Source: pixabay.com

Last week I was having a medical visit, met up with my nurse and as usual, the talk was on. She had on a pair of earrings that matched my ring. It is simple design, it is called the Tree of Life, have you ever seen it? To me it has always been the grandmother’s tree (that explanation will come later) but it is known as the Tree of Life. My nurse asked if I knew the story behind it. I have to admit that with all my curiosity I did not ever think to look it up. Well, she had been guided by a medical friend of hers to look it up on the computer. She shared this info with me. We went to Google, typed in Placenta, Tree of Life and up pops this website that has all these pictures of PLACENTA, normally I would say “Oh Yuck!” but I was too shocked. In each of the dozens of pictures you can easily see the copied design of the “Tree of Life.” It is absolutely amazing!

A doctor friend I love to share stuff with said the placenta provides nutrition for the fetus like a tree root system. I shouldn’t be surprised at all of this, babies are life, and they are in the chain of how life begins.

As I said earlier, some of you will be interested enough to look further as I may someday. I am just enjoying being so amazed about this much of it. I would hope for you that each day you find something that you are “Just Curious” about.

Please contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com with your questions and comments. Don’t forget to check out our website for The Town Line.

Rock Group: Beach Boys; Composer: Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; Conductor: Fritz Reiner

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Beach Boys

Beach Boys

Beach Boys

Spirit of America Capitol- SVBB 511384, two stereo LPs, released 1975.

Spirit of America collected 23 tracks consisting of earlier Capitol hits that were not part of 1974’s anthology, Endless Summer; it also contained a few album cuts regarded as worthy of inclusion and two rare 45 gems –1969’s Break Away and a very sweet gem from 1965, The Little Girl I Once Knew.

In fact, the entire album is a treasure of very captivating songs, each of which should be accessible for listening on youtube! This group was a major contributor to American music that will live on in posterity.

Rimsky-Korsakoff

Scheherazade
Leopold Stokowski conducts the Royal Philharmonic: RCA Victor ARL-1-1182, 12-inch stereo LP, recorded 1969.

Rimsky-Korsakoff

This piece has not only been recorded dozens of time, but has generated good recordings in almost every instance, at least among the ones I have heard own. The reason may be that players really love playing it and willingly and fully cooper-ate with conductors to achieve the best possible results!

The above is the last recording of at least four different ones that Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977 ) did; his first complete recording appeared in a 78 rpm set in 1927, the ad for it displayed on the back of the 1969 release. And it is pos-itively a joy, with much excite-ment, colorful instrumental detail, pulse and vivid sound and is a great choice for collectors.

Beethoven

Symphonies 1 and 9 Fritz Reiner conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, with soloists- RCA Victor LSC 6026, two vinyl 12-inch LP, recorded spring, 1961.

Fritz Reiner

Just before the Chicago Symphony 1960-61 season, the orchestra’s music director, Fritz Reiner (1888 – 1963), was struck down severe heart disease but recovered enough to sit in a chair most of the time while conducting. And just in time to conduct the last concert of the season in May, 1961.

The program was the First and Ninth, or Choral, Symphonies, a concert so immensely exciting, stirring, exalting, inspiring — all these superlatives together with others would not begin to touch what people were applauding – and what Reiner drew from all of the players, singers and four soloists that one spring night, according to observers, and while in the frail health that would lead to his resignation in late 1962.

At 6 a.m. early the next morning, RCA Victor recorded the program in which Reiner delivered similar results that can be heard on the above-listed set, one still available on CD and most of it accessible on YouTube!

GARDEN WORKS: ‘Tis the season for applesauce

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As the cool nights awaken to crisp, breezy days, the smell of cooking applesauce fills the kitchen. That’s what this article is about, making applesauce! Many thanks to Roberta Bailey for teaching me how a while ago. I’ll share with you all a few hints if you’d like:

There’s no fancy recipe or anything. Simply use apples that are good enough on their own. I forgo adding sugar or spices, as I’m interested in the unique flavors of the fruits — especially if these flavors are particularly suit-able for sauce. (The sauce can always be doctored up later if need be.)

When I have a large quantity of apples, I tend to be particular and choose the ones that are ripe and in good shape; these are the ones that make superior sauce.

Of course, some varieties are better than others for sauce. An old tree in my backyard makes the best single-variety for canned applesauce I’ve ever tried. No one seems to know it’s name, and I call it “Dutton Gold.” While any old apple presumably could be used- the ones that cook up creamy, with the right balance of sweetness and tartness, and a hint of spice – are guaranteed to please. If you have access to the varieties Black Oxford, Cortland, Gravenstein, Northern Spy, Roxbury Russet, Sweet 16, Tolman Sweet, Wealthy or Wolf River, then by all means, make good use of them!

Drops are fine for sauce as long as they are washed well and used up quickly – preferably the day they are gathered. Some trees have the habit of dropping apples as they ripen, others drop because they are bad. I won’t pass up a good apple because of a bruise or wormhole, but I’ll make sure to inspect carefully and trim out any bad spots, staying clear of apple mold.

The advantages of tree-picked fruits are that they’re usually better than drops cosmetically and have a much wider window of storage and processing opportunities. If you’d like to make applesauce right away, then use tree-ripened (as opposed to storage) apples. Storage varieties improve their flavor while in storage, so if you prefer, you can make good apple-sauce from these in the off sea-son. Also, instead of going through the time and energy-intensive activities of canning a large amount of sauce, you could just take out a small amount of stored apples and cook up enough applesauce for a meal or two.

Depending on what’s on hand, I’ll make either a single variety or mixed sauce. I simply scrub and rinse the apples, slice them off the cores, and place them into a saucepan. To really jazz it up you can add elderberries, aronia, or other brightly-colored berries for visual appeal. I pour in just a sufficient amount of filtered water to keep them from scorching, then cook on medium until tender enough to run through a food mill or Foley. Usually I will run the pulp through a few times to really wring it out. Then I’ll heat it up again if needed and into the jars and water bath it goes for 20 minutes. That’s it!

“Dogs being dogs” is not the answer

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TRAINING YOUR PERFORMANCE  DOG

by Carolyn Fuhrer

Recently, I was at an event where a dog who was walking with its owner was subject to a blindsided attack by another dog. Luckily, the owner saw it coming and pulled her dog away and luckily, too, the other dog was on a leash and the owner managed to hold onto it so no physical harm occurred. But what about the feelings of the dog who was attacked? No apology was offered and the excuse was “dogs will be dogs” and “he was just snarking.”

If you own and exhibit dogs at any level or just want to walk in the park, this type of behavior and attitude by the owner is not acceptable. Since when are owners not responsible for the behavior of their dogs?

Dogs do what we allow them to do and if we are aware that our dogs have issues with certain situations we, as responsible owners, should not put them in this situation. If we must move through an area where our dog cannot handle the environment, we must find a way to manage the situation and keep our dog under control, such as a head halter, no pull harness, etc. Dogs who lunge and go after other dogs should not be afforded opportunities for this kind of behavior and certainly owners should not excuse this behavior. If your dog is reactive, realize that you have a problem and get some help. A dog in this state of mind is not a happy dog. The greatest gift you can give your dog is the ability to be calm and exhibit self control and confidence in stressful situations, and if you are going to take your dog to public situations where there are other dogs, You are responsible for your dog’s behavior. Do not make excuses – “oh, he’s a rescue.” “He was abused.” “He doesn’t like black dogs,” etc. You are responsible to help your dog negotiate difficult situations by teaching your dog what behaviors are acceptable. Lunging after other dogs is not acceptable.

We, as responsible dog owners, must start to speak out about owners who are not responsible. Each year we lose more places that dogs are allowed because of incidents of aggression or threatening behavior towards humans or other dogs.

For the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test a dog must accept petting from a friendly stranger and must exhibit polite behavior when meeting a person with another dog.

Having these skills allows you to take your dog out in public and should be part of every dog’s education.

Dogs do what we allow them to do and we want them to trust us. Our dogs should not be subjected to dogs who are allowed to lunge at them or dogs who aggressively lunge when you pass by a crate or a car at a respectable distance, just as we should not feel unsafe walking down a street. Dogs have the right to feel secure when traveling with you under control. Dogs who lunge aggressively are not acting appropriately and it is time we address these behaviors and take responsibility for our dog’s behavior.

If your dog is not ready for a stimulating environment, you need to do more work – for your dog’s sake and out of respect for your fellow dog owners.

Carolyn Fuhrer has earned over 90 AKC titles with her Golden Retrievers, including 2 Champion Tracker titles. Carolyn is the owner of North Star Dog Training School in Somerville, Maine. She has been teaching people to understand their dogs for over 25 years. You can contact her with questions, suggestions and ideas for her col-umn by e-mailing carolyn@dogsatnorthstar.com.

Screen To Keep Spine Trouble From Getting Worse

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For Your Health

(NAPSI)—The end of summer is a good time to re-establish healthy habits and back-to-school routines. In addition to dental checkups and annual physicals, pediatric medical specialists recommend adding a scoliosis screening to back-to-school checklists.

What Is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis, a musculoskeletal disorder that causes an abnormal curvature of the spine or backbone, is the most common deformity of the spine, affecting an estimated 6 to 9 million people in the United States. Although 10 percent of adolescents may have the condition, not all will need care. Early detection, however, can be key to successful treatment.

“Because most causes are unknown, it’s best to find the condition as early as possible to provide the best possible outcome,” explained Amer Samdani, M.D., chief of surgery for Shriners Hospitals for Children®—Philadelphia.

Signs And Symptoms

Children and teens with scoliosis rarely exhibit symptoms and sometimes the condition is not obvious until the curvature of the spine becomes severe. Some markers to watch for in a child who has scoliosis are:

• Clothes not fitting correctly or hems not hanging evenly
• Uneven shoulders, shoulder blades, ribs, hips or waist
• Entire body leaning to one side
• Appearance or texture of ribs sticking up on one side when bending forward
• Head not properly centered over the body.

Diagnosis and Treatment

When confirming a diagnosis of scoliosis, a doctor will review your child’s medical history, conduct a full examination, and discuss treatment with you and your child.

According to Dr. Samdani, there’s no one-size-fits-all treatment for scoliosis.

“Some cases will just need to be watched; others will need physical therapy, bracing or surgical procedures to stop the curve from progressing,” he said. “At Shriners Hospitals, we offer the whole spectrum of treatments under one roof. We also treat children regardless of the families’ ability to pay, so that often provides a huge relief to parents.”

Learn More

For more information on scoliosis screenings, care and treatment, visit www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/scoliosis.