SMALL SPACE GARDENING: Disposing of problem plant debris

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by Melinda Myers

You’ve probably read you should remove and dispose of insect pest-infected and diseased plant material to reduce these problems in next season’s garden. This is not as easy as it seems. Most compost piles do not heat up and maintain hot enough temperatures to kill weeds, weed seeds, disease organisms, and insect pests. In many locations burning is not allowed and it negatively impacts air quality. So, what’s a gardener to do?

Start by calling your local municipality and asking about disposal options. Many communities allow you to dispose of invasive plants in the garbage after placing them in a clear plastic bag labeled invasive.

Solarization is an option for managing weeds. Place small amounts of plant debris in clear plastic bags. Then place the bags in a warm sunny location before composting. For larger quantities, set the problem plant debris on a sheet of plastic and securely cover it with a 2- to 6-mil clear plastic tarp. The plastic helps create a greenhouse effect, trapping heat while blocking access to water. The seeds will sprout and then seedlings and other plants are killed by the high temperatures and lack of water. It is most effective when the days are long and hot.

This may be effective if the temperatures are hot enough to kill plant insect pests and diseases. Most plant pathogens are killed when moist soil remains at 145°F for 30 minutes, 160°F for bacteria, and 180°F for weed seeds.

If battling jumping worms, the University of Maryland has found creating a solarization package is effective for managing them in soil, compost, and mulch. Spread a sheet of clear plastic on the ground. Place a 6 to 8″ layer of mulch, compost, or soil on the plastic tarp, leaving enough excess to wrap and completely and securely cover the enclosed material. On a sunny day, the material inside can reach 150°F. Research varies on the number of days needed to kill the jumping worms. Several University sources recommend 3 or more days of at least 104°F or 105°F to kill the eggs, cocoons, and adult jumping worms.

You may want to enlist this strategy when harvesting your compost before applying it to the soil. This extra step may help reduce the risk of introducing problems back into the garden.

Burying diseased material can help reduce the source of future infection of some diseases. Dig a hole, fill it with plant debris, mix it with soil, and then cover it with an inch or two of disease-free soil. Speed up the decomposition of buried material by shredding it before burying it. Avoid growing plants susceptible to the disease in that location the following season.

Remember to disinfect your pots, stakes, and tools that may have housed or touched diseased plants. Disease-causing organisms can survive on these items, increasing disease risk in next year’s garden. Soak pots for 30 minutes in a 10% bleach solution, rinse with clear water and air dry. Store in a clean location. This is much more effective with clay and ceramic pots than plastic. Consider rotating plantings as you would in the garden and changing display areas when using plastic containers if you do not want to dispose of them.

Disinfect garden tools by dipping them in a 70% alcohol solution using rubbing alcohol or something similar for at least 30 seconds. Or you can spray your tools with a disinfectant spray containing about 70% alcohol.

Investing time in prevention will result in fewer problems and better results in next year’s garden.

Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Conversation always seems to turn to the weather

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Isn’t it amazing how when you begin a conversation with someone, inevitably, it always leads to the weather. What would we do if we didn’t have the weather to talk about. Maybe some of us would never speak.

Whether you’re at the supermarket, church, or just bumping into a friend on the street, the conversation always goes something like, “What a nice day,?” or “boy it sure is hot enough.” Get the idea?

Well, the other day, a colleague and I started talking about whether this recent stretch of weather constituted an “Indian Summer.” Which prompted me to think, “what really is an Indian summer and what determines whether we have one or not?”

An Indian summer is unseasonably warm, dry and calm weather, usually following a period of colder weather or frost in the late autumn, in September, October or early November. The Old Farmers Almanac describes it as taking place between November 11 and 20. It states, “During true Indian summer, the atmosphere looks hazy or smokey, and the weather is calm and dry.”

Modern ideas on what an Indian summer constitutes vary, but the most widely accepted value for determining whether an Indian summer is occurring is that the weather must be above 70 degrees for seven days after the autumnal equinox (September 21).

The term Indian summer has been used for more than two centuries. The origin of other “Indian”phrases are well-known as referring to North American Indians, who prefer to be called Native Americans, or, in Canada, First Nations. The term Indian summer reached England in the 19th century, during the heyday of the British Raj in India. This led to the mistaken belief that the term referred to the Indian subcontinent. In fact, the Indians in question were the Native Americans, and the term began use there in the late 18th century.

Indian summer is first recorded in Letters From an American Farmer, a 1778 work by the French-American soldier-turned-farmer J. H. St. John de Crevecoeur: “Then a severe frost succeeds which prepares it to receive the voluminous coat of snow which is soon to follow; though it is often preceded by a short interval of smoke and mildness, called the Indian Summer.”

There are many references to the term in American literature in the following hundred years or so. In the 1830s Indian summer began to be used figuratively, to refer to any late flowering following a period of decline. It was well enough established as a phrase by 1834 for John Greenleaf Whittier to use the term that way, when in his poem Memories,” he wrote of “The Indian Summer of the heart!.”

Or, Thomas DeQuincey, in a republishing of Bentley’s Works of Thomas DeQuincey, 1855, wrote: “An Indian summer crept stealthily over his closing days.”

Also, in his story The Guardian Angel, Oliver Wendell Holmes mentions “an Indian summer of serene widowhood.”

As a climatic event it is known throughout the world and is most frequently associated with the eastern and central states of the U.S., which have a suitable climate to generate the weather pattern. For example, a wide variation of temperature and wind strength from summer to winter.

Why Indian? Well, no one knows but, as is commonplace when no one knows, many people have guessed.

Some say it was from the prairie fires deliberately set by Indian tribes; from raids on European settlements by Indian war parties, which usually ended in autumn; or, in parallel with other Indian terms, it implied a belief in Indian falsity and untrustworthiness and that an Indian summer was a substitute copy of the real thing.

But my grandfather, who could spin a yarn with the best of them, had the best I’ve ever heard.

It seems an Indian chief was concerned about a hunting party that was delayed in returning from a late summer gathering of meat for the winter. The year had been an extremely difficult one and the tribe needed the buffalo, deer and turkey meat for their winter consumption, and the hides for clothing and shelters. Fearing the crops in the fields would go to waste before the braves returned to harvest, the chief sat at his campfire and began to feverishly smoke a pipe, and did so for days, until the air was filled with smokey, warm air. Once the hunting party made its return, the air was still warm enough to gather the crops that had not been damaged by frost, that the chief feared would be destroyed by the impending cold weather. By warming the air with the smoke from his pipe, the chief, essentially, extended the summer, and saved the crops.

Makes sense to me.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

With the possibility this year of an all New York World Series (Yankees and Mets), when was the last time two teams from the same city faced off in the fall classic?

Answer
2000. The New York Yankees defeated the New York Mets. (FYI: It has happened 16 times.)

VETERANS CORNER: Learning from a third world nation tribe

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Veterans Administration facility at Togus. (Internet photo)

by Gary Kennedy

Beauty is as beauty does. I recently read an article about a tribe in Asian. We will call them the Ubuntu Tribe. An anthropologist proposed a game to a group of very young children. The eldest was perhaps 16 years old. The others were 5 – 7, 8 and 9. A basket of fruit was placed at the base of a tree several yards away. The anthropologist wanted to see the mayhem that would ensue after the race. However, he was in for a big surprise and a lesson well learned. He saw the children sprint to the basket of fruit. What was surprising was when the children started their task they first joined hands and ran only as fast as the slowest to the fruited tree. They then sat and shared and enjoyed the assortment of fruit. They ran as one and enjoyed the meal as one. In his amazement he asked the children why they didn’t seek the prize singularly. They all wanted the fruit and they knew the others in their group wanted the fruit, also. However, they collectively replied Ubuntu, Ubuntu, how can one of us be happy if all the others are sad? You see in this very primitive tribe “their culture dictates”, “I am because we are”.

This so-called primitive tribe has an understanding of the secret of happiness that many societies claiming to be civilized have lost. These were little naked children; how beautiful, uneducated children who for some reason lived by what I believe is a very beautiful touching philosophy. For them it was a way of life perhaps taught by their parents. In any case it showed what we use to relate to as togetherness. What has happened to us? Why are different parts of the world so different than others?

Veterans have seen many different cultures in their travels; cultures as different as night is to day. I know I have seen the best and worst of them. When I started doing humanitarian volunteerism I learned to be very cautious. Some of the countries I would go to had a good side and a bad side. The same is true here in the U.S.A. If you travel, especially if you work with people, you will find the differences I have described.

When it becomes election time here in the USA, as is true in other places, these groups of people begin to show themselves. I noticed the other day that one political party was trying to show we vets why we should vote for them. It became obvious to me one of the groups was not telling the truth. I happen to know the truth as I have personally done the research.

The subject this group was trying to take credit for was I.V.F.. If you remember we talked about this months ago. When you start using veterans as examples make sure you have your facts together. Politics are so immoral these days. It’s never been great but recently it’s been horrific. Anyway, this group stated that veterans were given great benefit because of them, in the area of I.V.F. (In Vitro Fertilization).

Some of you might remember how this subject played out from personal experience. Yes, its true veterans can in some cases receive many great benefits for their contributions to our country. However, before you start boasting about it with the hope of political gain be sure of your facts.

True, veterans have received an I.V.F. benefit. It’s for their part free. The catch is the wife. I spoke with a Medical Specialist, in Portland, and he explains the easy part was the male extraction but the difficult and expensive part was that which was on the female side. Her process became much more complicated and was not paid for by the government. This doctor went on to give me a minimum of many thousands of dollars. The process doesn’t work on every attempt and can be a money pit and a heart breaker for the couple. I have talked to veterans who wanted this possibility so I thought I would share it with you once again. With enough attention perhaps the government will eventually give the entire package. Be aware of the politics. We are a valuable commodity during this time and our friends and family are not the Ubuntu tribe. God bless and have a great weekend.

The views of the author of this column are not necessarily those of The Town Line newspaper, its staff and board of directors.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Singers: Ken Marvin; Patti Page and Frankie Laine; John Hammond; Columbo

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Ken Marvin

Ken Marvin

A ten-inch 78 (Mercury 6373) features two country and western songs – (A Heartsick Soldier on) Heartbreak Ridge; and Missing in Action; both sides focused on a soldier fighting in Korea and the horrors of separation from home, wife and family amidst the noise of exploding shells.

The listed singer Ken Marvin was a stage name for Lloyd George (1924-1991) who had originally been part of a popular 1940s country music duo, Lonzo and Oscar, who achieved extra fame and fortune for their 1947 hit record, I’m My Own Grandpa.

While George had a decent singing voice, the songs were of average quality; the record attracted me as yet another document of the perpetually fascinating 1950s both in the United States and abroad.

Patti Page and Frankie Laine

Patti Page

Frankie Laine

Mercury Records began its operations in 1945 in Chicago and had signed up such artists as Patti Page, and Frankie Laine by 1950 . Page’s hits The Tennessee Waltz and How Much is that Doggie in the Window and Laine’s Mule Train were among the several dozen dusty old 78s gifted me by my maternal step-grandfather who retrieved them from a jukebox in the diner run by him and my grandmother back during the 1940s.

Unlike RCA Victor, Columbia and Decca which spent vast amounts of money promoting their records via the radio disc jockeys, Mercury used the less expensive juke boxes.

By 1948, Mercury’s New York City headquarters had work tables occupied by four key record producers – Mitch Miller for pop music, John Hammond for folk and blues, Norman Granz for jazz and David Hall for classical (Hall would, a few decades later, settle permanently in Castine).

John Hammond

In 1929 at the age of 19, John Hammond worked briefly for the Portland Evening News under then-editor Ernest Gruening.

Both Hammond and Gruening shared a passion for social justice.

Within a few years, Gruening moved to the Alaskan Territory, served as governor and, after Alaska became a state in 1959, was elected U.S. Senator. As a Democrat, he was one of two Senators who voted against the 1965 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and vociferously opposed United States involvement in Vietnam.

Columbo

Peter Falk

Lee Grant

I recently rewatched for the third time what might be my favorite Columbo episode, the pilot March 1, 1971, Ransom for a Dead Man. And with all due respect to the supporting cast, I was enthralled from beginning to end by the most continually captivating collaboration of Peter Falk as the bumbling and never to be underestimated lieutenant, and Lee Grant as the charmingly amoral murderess Leslie Williams.

This pilot may have been what convinced NBC executives to bankroll season one of the series.

 

 

 

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FOR YOUR HEALTH: What You Need To Know About Vaccines On World Polio Day And Every Day

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Rotary International says everyone should get the necessary vaccines, and anyone can support efforts to protect more people.

(NAPSI)—In the last 50 years alone, vaccines have saved 154 million lives—six people every minute for five decades. But measles, polio, and cholera outbreaks are on the rise despite being vaccine-preventable, and vaccines still urgently need funding. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases and is often the first indicator of immunization gaps.

About Vaccines

Vaccines are one of the safest and most effective ways to protect people from certain life-threatening diseases.

Unfortunately, COVID interrupted life-saving vaccine campaigns, and now there’s a growing resurgence of vaccine-preventable infections, including polio and measles, around the world, including 13 outbreaks of measles cases in the United States.

Pointers on Polio

Consider that old scourge, polio. Efforts to eradicate it have been going on for decades. At its peak in the 1940s and 1950s, it affected between 13,000 and 20,000 people in the United States every year, many of them children. Thousands died, and many others were permanently paralyzed. Then, in 1955 Jonas Salk and in 1961 Albert Sabin developed and deployed vaccines and the number of cases dropped.

In the years following, Rotary International (https://endpolio.org) a global humanitarian service organization with more than 1.2 members around the world, initiated the global fight to end polio. Since founding the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, Rotary and its partners have reduce polio cases by more than 99.9% percent worldwide. Partners include the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Rotary International and its members have donated $2.7 billion and countless volunteer hours to help immunize 3 billion children and eliminate polio in 122 countries. As a result, in 2023, only seven cases of “wild poliovirus” (two in Pakistan, five in Afghanistan) were found. For the past 30 years, the World Health Organization’s Region of the Americas has been declared polio-free.

Rotary members are business, professional, and community leaders who share a commitment to making the world a better place. Rotary and its partners also use a new vaccine, nOPV2, to address variant polio virus outbreaks. Millions of doses have been administered. Rotary has advocated, distributed, and administered vaccines for 45 years.

More About Measles

Once, measles, too, looked like a success story. It was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, thanks to a very high percentage of people receiving the safe and effective measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

However, recent data show that U.S. MMR coverage among kindergartners is below the CDC’s 95% coverage target—much lower in some communities—and decreasing.

The CDC reports that measles is so contagious that if one person has it, The CDC reports, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not vaccinated. Common complications are ear infections and diarrhea. Serious complications include pneumonia and encephalitis.

Meanwhile, global measles activity is increasing, meaning there are more chances of an unvaccinated person infected with measles abroad returning to the United States. That’s one reason it may be wise to talk to your healthcare provider about the MMR vaccine, especially if you plan to travel.

Concerning Cervical Cancer

Rotary is also involved in preventing this deadly disease—women diagnosed with cervical cancer are almost twice as likely to die of it than of breast cancer. Fortunately, cervical cancer is preventable and treatable.

The human papillomavirus, which is also called HPV and is responsible for more than 90% of cervical cancers, can linger in the body for a long time and eventually cause cancer. Getting vaccinated against HPV helps prevent most cases of cervical and many other cancers by giving the body a safe way to build immune system awareness of certain HPV strains.

To help, the Rotary Foundation has awarded more than $10.3 million in global grant funding for cervical cancer projects since 2014, and other Rotary projects have tackled this issue outside of global grant funding.

What You Can Do

You can be part of the effort to end polio in four ways:

1. Donate to the End Polio Now Campaign (https://endpolio.org).
2. Contact government leaders and encourage them to prioritize financial and political support for polio eradication and vaccination for other conditions.
3. Every year on October 24 participate in World Polio Day to raise awareness of the importance of polio vaccination and to celebrate the parents, professionals, and volunteers who make eradication possible.
4. Join Rotary. Since 1985, Rotary members have helped immunize up to 400 million children against polio a year. As a result, more than 20 million people who would otherwise have been paralyzed are walking, and more than 1.5 million people are alive who would otherwise have died.

Learn More

For additional information visit: www.polioeradication.org and www.endpolio.org.

MY POINT OF VIEW: Who really discovered America?

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Christopher Columbus

by Gary Kennedy

Once a year we find time to check out our roots and how we came to be, and who made it all happen. Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas at Guanahani, an island in the Bahamas, on October 12, 1492. Many do not celebrate this holiday anymore as it is believed that genocide occurred and paved the way to slavery. Although many say that the greater glorification is the exploration. Indigenous people of North America take exception to this holiday as they were already settled here. So now many states refer to this holiday as Indigenous People’s Day. South Dakota became the first to officially celebrate this holiday calling it Native American Day, in 1992. Many cities throughout the United States have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day. It appears that the change of this holiday is a national work in progress but some still cling to Columbus Day.

An example of conflict on a local level is Boston. Mayor Kim Janey, Boston’s first black woman mayor, had Boston as Indigenous Day to replace what was referred to as Colonial Myths passed down over generations. In 2022 an incoming Democrat, Michelle Wu, under pressure, was compelled to change back and add to this already holiday in conflict. Along with Indigenous Peoples Day was added Italian Heritage Day. This was a clever way of getting Columbus in under another guise. We know during those times slavery was popular and felt needed for the growth of the colonies.

Also, it was very profitable. People basically don’t care much for change. To be honest about it, I don’t care much for it either. As a youth I was taught and learned many lies. The topic was real and good but taught in a non factual manner. I had to get old and experience life to finally see the truth. Sometimes you need to stand on your own and extrapolate from that which the prudent feed you. As far as the reason for Columbus Day it is most likely a happening that is true and the players in this somewhat factual occurrence are probably not even close to Christopher Columbus, period, and even more precisely on the continent.

It was Amerigo Vespucci who realized Columbus had found a new land and in 1507 named it America. Texas A&M believes Indigenous peoples discovered America, not European explorers. Some evidence has been discovered that leads some scholars to believe that Polynesians were the first/ others believe Leif Ericson may have been the first to step on the continent, from Europe. However, to say Columbus “discovered” America would be a bit of a misnomer because there were many people already here.

American Archaeology’s Michael Bawaya states the Native Americans came here from Asia probably “no later than about 15,000 years ago. They walked across the Bering land bridge that connected Siberia and Alaska. In those days the ocean was much lower and the bridge was hundreds of kilometers wide. From there they traveled south to America, Mexico and South America. Remnants’ of these migrants were discovered in Mexico dating back 11,000 years. These people were known as Clovis people. If you travel Asia you can see the similarity in peoples of American Indian decent. In any case we still have Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples Day. Best of all we get another day off to enjoy our family and friends. God bless you and yours and have a fun, safe holiday.

The views of the author of this column are not necessarily those of The Town Line newspaper, its staff and board of directors.

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Pianist: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

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Arturo Michelangeli

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

Pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (1920-1995) had, like Vladimir Horowitz and Sviatoslav Richter , a superhuman lightning speed virtuosity at the keyboard that brought much deserved fame. Unlike Horowitz and Richter who left several different performances of certain pieces that varied in style and tempo, Michelangeli would record, for example, the same Mozart or Grieg Piano Concerto and the tempos and timing would be precisely the same.

However, like Horowitz and Richter, Michelangeli brought a heartfelt musicianship and labor of love to his playing; also, like his two colleagues, he frequently programmed a handful of favorite pieces as opposed to a vast repertoire of other pianists.

A 1965 record (London CS 6446), and one of a tiny handful of studio records he left, featured a program of Sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757), Baldassarre Galuppi (1706-1785) and Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827).

With all due respect to the earlier composers and their own contributions to the keyboard literature, I have always found the chosen Beethoven Sonata #32 the most deeply personal of the 32 that he composed for the instrument. So much human emotion ranging from agony to ecstasy with moments of frivolity, whimsicality, jumping for joy, melancholy, is conveyed in its 20 minute length.

Technically speaking it is a knuckle buster while demanding a pianist who can communicate its range of emotions. Michelangeli met these challenges with a powerful performance.

During his career, Michelangeli earned several million dollars but may have suffered from manic depression, possibly revealed in a statement he made to his secretary:

“You see, so much applause, so much public. Then, in half an hour, you feel alone more than before.”

I majored in English and graduated in 1973 from the University of Southern Maine with a B.S. degree , roughly 62 hours of literature classes and only the required hours of other subject areas- 18 hours of history as a minor, as little as possible of science and math and not a single course in economics, sociology, philosophy or foreign languages .

I was a very narrow minded jerk when it came to any interest in a well-rounded education.

One course I enjoyed was Shakespeare with Dr. Stan Vincent and the plays I remembered most vividly were Richard the Third, A Winter’s Tale, the Tempest, King Lear, Othello, the especially vicious Titus Andronicus and the singular masterpiece Hamlet.

Hamlet is a character totally imagined, created and given words and situations with others by the brain cells of Shakespeare according to the early 19th century essayist William Hazlitt.

More importantly, as Hazlitt wrote, Hamlet’s “speeches and sayings…are as real as our own thoughts. It is WE who are Hamlet…It is the one of Shakespeare’s plays that we think of the oftenness because it abounds most in striking reflections on human life.”

And Hamlet’s most striking statement – “To be or not to be – that is the question!” strikes right at the heart of life just as much in the 21st century as it did in the 16th through 20th centuries. And being needs to lead to action, a truth just as important as the one from Socrates more than 2,000 years ago – “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Hamlet remains a play well worth reading and re-reading for its masterful Elizabethan poetry and prose, its range of characters, treacheries and situations and its abiding sense of reality.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: It’s Time to Help Protect Yourself from the Flu and COVID-19

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You can schedule an appointment for the seasonal flu vaccine, as well as COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and pneumococcal pneumonia vaccinations at your local CVS Pharmacy at CVS.com.

(NAPSI)—While there’s no distinct COVID-19 season like there is for the flu, it’s been shown that COVID-19 can peak during the winter months. To help fight respiratory illnesses, it’s recommended you get a flu vaccination, as well as the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people six months and older, with rare exception, should get the updated annual flu vaccine, ideally by the end of October. The CDC also recommends that everyone ages six months and older should get the updated 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine, unless otherwise noted, to help restore and enhance protection against the currently circulating virus variants.

It’s especially important to protect certain populations. This includes those at increased risk of complications from severe flu or COVID-19 illness, such as adults 65 and older, people with certain immunocompromising or chronic medical conditions, infants, children younger than two and pregnant women.

“Preventive vaccinations are the best way to protect yourself and your family from seasonal illnesses,” said Dr. Sree Chaguturu, executive vice president and chief medical officer at CVS Health. “Access to preventive vaccinations is critical to keeping communities healthy.”

According to Dr. Chaguturu, it’s helpful to understand the science behind vaccines so people feel informed and safe getting vaccinated.

Myth #1: You should wait until flu season peaks to get vaccinated.

According to the CDC, the timing of flu season is difficult to predict and can vary in different parts of the country and from season to season. It’s important to get vaccinated before flu season peaks or outbreaks occur in your area since it takes about two weeks for your body to build up protection after getting vaccinated.

Myth #2: You can’t receive other vaccinations with the flu shot.

The CDC says patients can get a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as the flu vaccine and other eligible vaccines. At CVS Pharmacy, patients can schedule multiple vaccinations in one appointment.

Myth #3: You don’t need updated vaccinations for the flu.

Getting the flu shot every year is essential because the body’s protection from the vaccine declines over time. Also, flu viruses vary yearly, so receiving the latest vaccine formulation provides optimal protection.

Flu shot appointments (for up to four people in one appointment) can be scheduled at CVS Pharmacy or MinuteClinic by visiting CVS.com or the CVS Pharmacy app.

You can visit CVS.com to learn more about vaccinations or schedule an appointment.

VETERANS CORNER: Don’t give up your search for VA aid because you don’t think you served long enough

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by Gary Kennedy

I always wonder what I will write about each week. Sometimes I even change my mind after writing for hours. It’s not because I’ve made an error but for some reason the article doesn’t seem to be timely or appropriate for that week. This has become a relatively new dilemma for me. Perhaps its age related. I have to blame something. In any case I start flipping through the maze of paperwork on my desk and eventually I will run across a note reminding me to address certain issues relevant to you and me.

I have decided this week to address a recent situation that I have run across in variations that I believe might be helpful to a couple of Vets and perhaps others who have given up their search for aid because they don’t believe they were in the military long enough or they were discharged with other than an honorable discharge. Even if a discharge says dishonorable it doesn’t mean all is lost.

I will discuss that one upon request. First thing is to present your DD214 to see what it actually tells us. A General Discharge tells us that you were discharged with a satisfactory performance, but not the best. This is a discharge that is often given because of some minor misconduct or failure to meet certain standards. This would imply a General Discharge under honorable conditions. We have seen many of those of late because of those who wouldn’t comply with the militaries recent shot mandate. The veteran can defend themselves either in writing or orally. The veteran’s future rides on what is written on his DD214. Review DD-293 and DD-149 to see if these would apply for your situation. (Upgrade of records) Also, your V.S.O., at Togus, should be able to help you forward with this. In any case don’t be afraid of it. Don’t dismiss what may be available to you. Most things can be made better. When approaching the VA don’t forget to have your DD214 available.

Go to Building 200, the main building, Department of Eligibility. The young lady working there is very good at what she does and can guide you on your way. The question that comes with this problem was time in the military. The last I knew, and I doubt that it has even changed is time in service. Active duty time is 90 days. So, if you have served your country on active duty for 90 days or more you should have no problem. Most soldiers I have dealt with that brought that problem up were reservists. Their active duty is ormally 88 days. The reason is obvious? If the unit is activated then there is no question there as well.

The problem you seem to be having is asking for help. I can assure you most V.S.O’s at Togus are more than happy to serve you. Being short handed, they might get a little stressed out at times but for the most part they are happy to see and aid you in your request. Don’t be afraid of seeking out that what you have earned over the years. There are many benefits that have been given and there are many not being claimed.

VA is undergoing some interior renovation I want to discuss with you and get your opinion. I will save that for next time. Fall is here, most of the fairs are gone and the kids are back in school. Drive safe and watch out for those yellow buses. God bless you and yours and have a great weekend, as well as a wonderful foliage season. Next weekend will be a wonderful family drive to Rangeley. The color should be spectacular.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: What are all the cries and tail wagging about?

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about different colored squirrels and what was the cause. That prompted an email from a reader who wrote, “Might you consider writing about their various calls? A week ago Thursday, I heard something making noise in my far tree line. After listening for about a half hour, I started to walk out and look, and it stopped. Sounded like a pained cry followed by what sounded like repeated pants. Happened over and over. I kept watching for someone on my neighborhood watch page to report a missing pet. On Saturday, I heard the same noise and could see a gray squirrel up in my maple tree making the same sound and flicking its tail in agitation. Mystery solved and feeling relieved that what I first heard wasn’t something dying. Still don’t know what agitated it either time.”

Well, let’s take a look at their tendencies.

A high-pitched squeal can indicate fear or pain, while a low-pitched growl can indicate aggression.

Most likely, the crying is coming from a female who is, let us say, lonely for a little male companionship. But whether it’s a come-hither cry, conversational chattering or a high-pitched chirp to get off their turf, there is nothing we need do for them except let them be.

Red squirrels are known to produce both loud and soft “chucking” noises, a vehement “wrruhh-ing” as well as various moans and teeth chattering. Piercing screams have been documented during particularly aggressive encounters and red kittens produce “shrill piping calls”.

Not moving or moving very slowly if you approach it is a sign a squirrel is sick or injured. Obvious injuries, for example, if it’s been hit by a car or caught by a cat or dog. Swollen or sore areas on the face, which can be a sign of infection. Hunched-over posture.

On the flip side, what sounds do squirrels make when they’re happy?

Squirrels may make barking sounds when they feel threatened or when they want to communicate with other squirrels. Squirrels may make whistling sounds when they are happy or content.

When distressed, squirrel kits make high-pitched, chirping noises similar to birds. Squirrels use sound to protect themselves and their territories. Their alarm calls are made up of screeches, rattles, barks, and snorts.

Squirrels express frustration by twitching their tails when they are angry. Those familiar with these expressive rodents know how they let their anger be known: a guttural growl, a chattering of teeth, a stamping of feet. But the key to interpreting their emotions may also lie somewhere else: in the curve of their majestic, bushy tails.

Ever notice a squirrel staring at you? Mainly fear, but he’s also sizing you up. Squirrels have a lot of predators, which means that to survive, they constantly have to stay alert to potential dangers. When a squirrel encounters a new potential threat, it may stand perfectly still to determine the danger level.

When they are mad, researchers believe tail flagging may be an expression of frustration. Aggression is another big sign of frustration, which explains why many of the squirrels given locked boxes actually attacked the box by biting and dragging it.

Screaming? Squirrels use high-pitched screams or screeches to alert other squirrels of danger. Deep, guttural barks are a squirrel’s way of protecting their territory but may also be part of a mating ritual.

What does it mean when a squirrel barks at you?

The sound can resemble a dog barking but is much more high-pitched. This can be heard when they feel threatened by another animal coming near their territory, or if someone comes too close to them while they are eating. It usually means they are warning other animals to stay away from the area.

Also, shaking their tails is basically a squirrel’s way of shaking a fist at you. They usually do this when they sense a threat somewhere.

What does it mean when a squirrel stands up?

Squirrels also present themselves with a puffed-up, enhanced and erect posture when defending territory. They will often stand on their hind legs to let intruders know they are a formidable enemy should advances be made further into the territory.

So now, when we see those clever, sometimes mischievous critters in the backyard, or those bird feeders they seem to enjoy so much, you might be able to tell what is going through their little heads.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

What New England Patriots coach took the team to the Super Bowl in his first year of coaching?

Answer
Raymond Berry.