Delaware Valley University, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, congratulates the recipients of the University’s top three merit-based Admission scholarships.
Nathan Violette, of Oakland, has been selected for an academic merit scholarship to Delaware Valley University.
DelVal awards admission merit scholarships to high-achieving high school students based on GPA and test scores.
by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & PercyGood morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!
How are our pollinators? Pollinators: birds, bees and butterflies. How are our pollinators doing in Maine and how can we attract them? It’s time to think about gardens and our garden’s best friends: Pollinators. Bees, birds and butterflies are essential pollinators for our gardens. We have all heard that some bees and butterflies are declining across the globe but what about Maine’s pollinators? Dr. Frank Drummond will share his expertise on the state of health of our pollinators. Warren Balgooyen will give us advice on what to plant to attract pollinators.
Somerset Woods Trustees 2017 Talks and Walks invite you to come and enjoy their expert speakers, Frank Drummond, School of Biology and Ecology & Cooperative Extension University of Maine, and Warren Balgooyen, naturalist, on Sunday, April 23, at 1 p.m., at the Renaissance Center, 60 Water Street, Skowhegan. Refreshments will be served. SWT’s Talks and Walks Series are always free to the public. If there are questions you may write Nancy at somersetwoodstrustees@gmail.com. (Thanks so much for this valuable information. )
The following e-mail, “Happyknits A Yarn Store” is an invitation to celebrate Earth Day at Happyknits! Food shopping isn’t at the top of our fun list. But wouldn’t a brightly colored knit cotton market bag help just a little bit to make your next trip to the grocery store more exciting? They have some kits available to make a bag you’ll be proud to take to the market. The kits include two balls of Kid Cotton yarn plus an easy-to-follow pattern using two strands of yarn to make your bag strong and stretchy. You’ll need two 16-inch circular needles (a #8 & #9), plus a set of #9 double points. If the color combinations in the kits are too wonky for your taste, feel free to build your own custom kit from their baskets.
To top it all off, Karla will be holding a Market Bag Knit-Along to celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There’s no cost for the Knit-Along and no need to pre-register. Just drop in for some fun! Sarah, Karla, Julie and Mary Lou. (knitting is one of my most loved and relaxing hobbies, sounds like lots of fun, thanks for the e-mail.)
It sometimes seems that all there is in daily papers now-a-days is bad and scary news. I would like to write about a wonderful blessing and miracle that took place in my life last week. For a few months, I haven’t been able to see much of anything out of my left eye. It continued to get worse so I finally got an appointment with my eye doctor. Had cataract surgery two years ago and my doctor made an appointment with one who did that surgery for last Wednesday. After many tests were taken the doctor looked at my troubled eye through a machine and very suddenly I had perfect vision in that eye again! What wonderful things have been accomplished in our modern world along with the bad!
Lief and I had two wonderful Easter meals and visits last week. On Saturday we were invited to have an early Easter supper with his sister and brother in law, Nancy and Elwood Ellis, at their home in China. We enjoyed visiting with their family and friends and the huge ham meal with all the many trimmings. It is always a warm and friendly place to visit.
After church on Easter Sunday we had been invited to dinner at my daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Dave Walz’s home, in North Anson. Again, another bountiful delicious meal and good company. I really don’t know how Mary finds time to do as much as she does. Ben was home from Biddeford, don’t get to see him very often, my many thanks and love to all.
Usually try not to repeat Percy’s words in his memoirs, but don’t believe anyone will remember this one which I put in a bulletin when I was doing the bulletins at the Solon Congregational Church way back in 1992: Try to do to others as you would have them do to you, and do not be discouraged if they fail sometimes. It is much better that they should fail than that you should. (words by Charles Dickens.)
Do you know how to relax? Do you give yourself permission to relax? If you read the dictionary you will see definitions like: make less strict, or severe; to release from intense concentration; give rest to; to rest from effort, etc. and it continues. So did you relax this weekend? Can you do it? My Mom rags on me a bit because I am not very good at it. I do explain that I think when my mind goes into high gear there is no relaxing. Seems like if I even get close to relaxing that is what happens.
For some years I had trouble even going to sleep at night. Just as soon as my body started to kick back my mind would go into high gear. When some people were counting sheep to go to sleep I was writing more stories, designing clothes in my mind, coming up with different craft projects to work on, etc. On those nights I learned to get up and write till…….
When my grandson, Mark, was giving his mother and father fits about going to sleep at night I was able to help a little. Mark, since he could hold a pencil, has been an artist. He would explain to them he needed to get up and draw something before he forgot it. He really wasn’t trying to put one over on them; he needed to put it on paper while it was so strongly on his mind. So they started to let him, and it worked out fine. He was able to relax.
I found a little inspiration piece, I believe it had been in a Woman’s World magazine some years back. It is about relaxing:
“It’s okay to relax! Admit it: you work too hard, or worry too much, or both! Plus you tend to put yourself last. So taking it easy is probably not on your to-do list. But it should be! You’re long overdue for a break. So give yourself permission to spend time on you. You’ll feel so much better once you do!”
We all go through times where we are stressing about things in our life that we can’t fix right now. We really need to come up with something for each of us that works to help us relax. For some people that may be their faith. It may be music for you. Whatever works for you.
There is one thing about “taking care of yourself” that is very important. If you really want to be able to function and be at your best you need to take care of yourself first. Otherwise there is nothing to help others with. I hope you have this all under control already; maybe this is just a little reminder.
Okay, I’m just curious as usual! Contact me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading!
REVIEW POTPOURRIWalter Susskind conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus; Musical Heritage Society MHS 582/ 583/ 584, three LP set, recorded September 22-24,1958.
Walter Susskind
Being in the Easter spirit, I offer comments on this Messiah set since the music is appropriate to both Christmas and this week’s observances. Conductor Walter Susskind (1913-1980) delivered a performance of superb quality with a crackerjack quartet of singers – my special favorite being the late contralto Helen Watts (1927-2009), whose rendition of He Shall Feed His Flock gives me the thickest goosebumps every time I hear it. Harpsichordist George Malcolm (1917-1997) did beyond superb playing with the orchestra and revealed especially exquisite details in certain sections such as the Pastoral Symphony.
My first Messiah record was a 99-cent highlights disk from this same performance. A CD edition of this recording is priced starting at 2 or 3 bucks by various Amazon vendors.
April in Paris
RCA Victor LSP-2739, recorded 1963, stereo dynagroove LP.
The Melachrino Strings were the creation of English-born George Melachrino (1909-1965), an all-around musician skilled at playing violin, viola, clarinet, oboe, etc., and composer of movie soundtracks. This orchestra landed a contract with RCA Victor in the very early fifties, sold easy listening records by the millions and were the biggest rival to Mantovani. The albums had such titles as Music for Relaxing, To Sleep By, For Dining and To Study By; and ones devoted to the songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, and, one special favorite, Jerome Kern. To me, their arrangements were tasteful, very pleasant and, as a rule, less sugary than those of Mantovani.
April in Paris also has a group of three accordionists, the Trio de Musette, which provides charming instrumental contrasts to the larger orchestra within each selection. The program consists of French-styled pop classics such as C’est Si Bon, I Love Paris, the Bobby Darin hit Beyond the Sea, Song from Moulin Rouge, Autumn Leaves, the title song, etc. The LP shows up often on Amazon sites and in various thrift stores along with other Melachrino titles.
starring Walter Matthau, Andy Robinson, Joe Don Baker, John Vernon, Sheree North, etc.; 1972.
Walter Matthau
A mostly forgotten film of possible interest.
With respect to bank heist flicks, this movie remains one of the best ones I have ever seen. Matthau plays the title character who is thrown unwittingly into one nasty situation after he and his friends pull off the typically every day bank robbery. Their proceeds are not the common ten or, if lucky, $20,000 for their well-planned hard day’s work but a roaring six digits when
Sheree North
the gang coerces the employees into handing over certain cloth bags seen behind the counter. They have obviously hit a money laundering outfit. And become the target of some individuals, portrayed with captivating aura by Joe Don Baker and John Vernon, who pursue them with scorched earth determination. Quite fun and delightfully unpredictable at moments!
Joe Don Baker
High honors: Ian Baker, Avianna Boucher, Evan Gorr, McKayla Gray, Paul Kaplan, Bobbie Peacock, Royce Pena’, Samantha Taylor, Sara Taylor and Sophia Tsimekles. Honors: Jacob Bauter, Whitney Coro, Dustin Crawford, Taylor Cyrway, Jade Fortin, Allyn Foss, Mariah Langton, Eric Libby, Abigail Longley, Brooklynn Moore, Elizabeth Rafferty and Sydney Trudeau.
High honors: Rhiannon Ambrose, Kaitlin Dixon, Bailey Dunphy, Michael Hargreaves, Samantha LeBeau and Katrina Mason. Honors: Jacob Atwood, Mackenzie Baker, Emily Buzzell, Melanie Clark, Kelsey Creamer, Patrick Dube, Ariana-Lee Dunton, Mackenzie Edes, Courtney Fuller, Jackson Lawler-Sidell, Brooklyn Miller and Sierra Turcotte.
High honors: Tristan Bachelder and Lauren Rafferty. Honors: Lilyana Aloes, Lauren Chestnut, Lillian Johnson, Lindsay Lesperance, Brody Miller, Liam Serafino, Sidney Small and Makayla Vicneire.
High honors: Annika Carey. Honors: Cassidy Ayotte, Ashley Cates, Skyler Chipman, Caitlin Crawford, Shay Cyrway, Caroline Decker, Skylar Karr, Dylan Leach, Scott Mason, Laney Murray, Abby Richardson, Dalton Way and Skye Welch.
The Palermo Community Library presents Sister Elizabeth Wagner, the award-winning author of Seasons in My Garden: Meditations from a Hermitage, on Sunday, April 30, at 2 p.m. She will disclose what led her to become a hermit and the founding of Transfiguration Hermitage, in Windsor.
In the prologue, Sr. Wagner writes: “I didn’t come to Maine gladly. In fact, I came kicking and screaming: ‘This is Siberia, Lord!’…I came to Maine because it was a place that I could earn a living in solitude… And yet for me, it felt as if I’d been exiled to Siberia.”
In her inspirational book, she reveals how her contemplative life of prayer, tending a garden and meditations, led her to a deeper understanding of the presence of God.
The Library is located at 2789 Route 3. For more information: call 993-6088 or email palermo@palermo.lib.me.us.
The Palermo Community Library offers Kindles, books, large print books, audio books, Inter-library loan, DVDs, VHS tapes, Wi-Fi, patron computers, printing, faxing, and ancestrylibrary.com! There is also a community room with a large screen TV available for meetings and presentations.
The Palermo Community Library is an all-volunteer library. If you would like to volunteer, please call 993-6088.
by Katie OuiletteWALLS, can you tell? I’m trying to type on a different computer! Ayeh, faithful readers, gotta go to the fix-it shop PDQ! As a result, WALLS will be very short this week!
WALLS, apologetically wants the young man who was bagging groceries at Hannaford and asked how our Maine weather had improved and suited us lately? Well, you know about the year that Maine had no summer and suggested he read this week’s column. After all, you and I know about the old saying, “everybody talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it”.
Yes, we are old and remember the saying, but I never knew why Maine folks talked about a Maine without a summer, until I found a 2016 Almanac that Bangor Savings Bank had distributed to folks. The very last page gave the reason why and when and where. Yes, WALLS has learned that 1816 and a volcanic eruption gets all the blame! No, the volcano didn’t erupt in these parts, but it happened to Mount Tambora, in Indonesia! Yes, faithful readers, that was the largest eruption in the last 1,800 years!
Yup…a big cloud for sure!
And, since Lew has guided me through using his laptop,WALLS will tell you more in Chapter 2.
GARDEN WORKSBam! What happened? Spring has thundered through with a crash and a bang! In just a few days, my yard has changed from snow, to mud, and to plant-able ground in some spots. The quiet woods have burst forth with songs of birds and woodland creatures during the day, while the spring peepers serenade me to sleep at night. Canada geese make their return with buoyant honking overhead, their whispering wings moving them through the air as they search for open water. Various insects take off into the moist air laden with the scent of mud, yawning for just a moment before they boldly buzz around. All of this the atmosphere of a season that has sprung, and a stark reminder that one of the most intense times of the year has begun.
A late start to what we have become accustomed to, this springtime beckons in a narrow window of opportunity where tasks must be completed. “Do or die, now or never, get it done!” I’m thinking as I run in circles trying with all my might to tackle the to-do list while there’s still time. Those around me are undoubtedly annoyed with my persistence when I tidy-up the permaculture beds, frantically digging up suckers and daughter plants, looking for good homes for them before they break dormancy. “Oh no, not another plant!” my friends and neighbors exclaim after finding another ‘orphan’ on their doorstep. “All those perfectly good prunings! What a shame to throw them away,” my conscience nags as the clippers do their deed. Of course, the seed swap and scionwood exchange at MOFGA is weeks past, making it an even bigger challenge to figure out what to do with everything. To top it all off, the FEDCO tree sale is April 28 and 29 for customers with pre-orders, and then the next weekend May 5 and 6 for the general public – so I have to make room in the garden for more plants! Some folks would feed their surplus plants and cuttings to their goats in the spirit of waste not, want not. If only it was so easy….
This probably sounds silly, but it’s taken me a couple of days to write this, as I can only get to a sentence or two before I get restless, run outside, and attack another task on the list! If your sentiments are similar to mine this time of year, then we’re in need of some serious focus so as to make the most of limited time. With all this in mind, here are a few strategies that might help take the edges off spring madness without cutting corners. Let’s look at a few time-sensitive tasks such as pruning and planting, along with a healthy dose of prioritizing and planning.
First, it helps to assess the situation. Is the whole garden thawed, or just parts? Unless we have perfectly drained raised beds with soil that has the texture of a wrung-out sponge, then rototilling is out of the question for now. (However, judiciously tilling by hand can be easier on the soil structure and may possibly be done a bit earlier than using a machine.) Got coldframes, tunnels, or row covers? You might have a jump on the season. Still frosty? Forget planting anything tender. Peas are probably an option, along with other cold-tolerant plants such as cole crops, leeks, onions, potatoes, carrots, and radishes.
Also, it should still be okay to prune or plant pruning fruit trees, vines, and shrubs if they’re still on the dormant side. Grapes will probably bleed if you prune them once it warms up – but they should be all right. These plants can be dug up and moved right now if needed. Don’t be afraid to plant them if there’s still snow on the ground; as long as you can dig a hole, you can plant a tree. (I’ve even dug through a layer of frost in the ground to plant trees, and they were fine – despite the inconvenience.) Remember to water the newly-planted!
In addition, don’t forget to remove tree guards and check for winter damage from snow and munching critters. While we’re at it, let’s ensure everything is labeled properly.
Fencing and trellises – which should be a priority – are easier to install before the ground swarms with vegetation and hungry creatures looking to make a meal out of whatever we plant.
If, like me, you did not get a chance to mulch your garlic last fall, then by all means, be sure to do this right away before it sprouts. That way, the garlic shoots will be able to grow up through the mulch, rather than be broken off when the mulch is applied. Speaking of mulch, it may be a good idea to apply it wherever it is welcome before weeds get a foothold.
And, speaking of applying things, folks who keep farm animals find that this time of year is preferred to clean out pens and spread the manure on the garden. A moderate breeze keeps the black flies away, but take care to use the wind to your advantage!
All right, I better quit typing and get back to work! Hope you enjoy this beautiful, productive time of year and all the wonders Springtime has to offer.
In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the United States involvement in World War I, Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center will host a presentation entitled, Honoring Those Who Served in WWI, on Tuesday, May 9, 7 p.m., at the Margaret Chase Smith Library, 56 Norridgewock Avenue, Skowhegan.
This presentation will recognize and honor some of those who served in World War I from the local area, and examine what the Great War looked like to those who kept the home fires burning in Skowhegan. Participants will first be encouraged to relate their experiences of attending movies in early Skowhegan which will be followed with the viewing of a portion of the silent film, 1925 box office hit, The Big Parade. Director Melvin Burnham will utilize a sampling of propaganda posters, music, images, and highlight several biographical sketches of area men and women who served in the war effort. The audience will be encouraged to join in the discussion, hopefully the first of many through the season.
This program is free, open to the public, and refreshments will be offered.
INside the OUTsideA large group of NASJA (North American Snowsports Journalists) ventured to the Colorado Rockies recently to ski several notable resorts, including Vail, Copper, Winter Park, Loveland, Breckenridge, Crested Butte and Keystone as pre trips and then all joining up at Steamboat Mountain resort located in northwestern part of the state.
Steamboat is one of the finest world-class ski resorts, with a peak elevation on Mt. Werner at 10,568 feet, covering 2,965 acres of skiable terrain and even though there are more lifts than other ski areas, the lift infrastructure struggles to cover the entire mountain. There are 165 named trails for skiers and riders to enjoy, from steep (double black diamond) runs to easy cruisers, and tree skiing with plenty of room to spread the fun.
The resort also has backside skiing on Morningside Park that adds to the fun for everyone’s ability. You can make first tracks by boarding the eight-person gondola between 8 and 8:15 a.m.
Join Billy Kidd, Olympic Medalist and World Champion where you’ll get some pointers and take a run down the intermediate run Heavenly Daze.
A special treat at Steamboat is you won’t need a vehicle to get around any of Steamboat’s properties. There are several shuttle buses that transport passengers throughout the area including the mountain lifts, shopping facilities and the many restaurants.
If you’re heading to Steamboat, you’ll want to take notice that you might experience symptoms of dizziness, headache, nausea, loss of appetite, sleep problems, coughing and difficulty breathing. Also, be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen, stay hydrated and be sure to dress appropriately for cold conditions.
Steamboat offers an experience of a laid-back western culture. There are hundreds of restaurants, cafes, galleries and shops as well as the finest lodging and ski experiences that Colorado has to offer.
If you’re planning to just fly to Steamboat with a few friends, that’s one thing. However, if you’re planning on going with a group, make sure you have a travel agent that will deal with the public relations department at the resort and make sure you have your commitments in writing and that they are honored. I recently learned that the travel agency our NASJA group dealt with did not honor many of the requests and that they did not provide a detailed accounting of several other commitments.
I was hoping to end this column in a favorable way because the mountain resort is truly a great area. But with the amount of work our executive secretary did to make our trek a success, I don’t think that as a journalist I would be willing to promote or recommend Steamboat as a go to place. I am constantly asked by many skiing friends questions like where have I skied out west or to foreign resorts and how I would recommend my experience. I have made it a policy to be truthful with anybody who will be spending a lot of money for a ski vacation that they will have a pleasant trip.
Ski and ride safely. Use your head and wear a helmet.