SOLON & BEYOND: News from beyond, yarn trail, and a letter from a 13-year-old

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

Good morning, my friends. Don’t worry, be Happy!

More news from beyond: The New Portland Community Library is holding its annual Chinese Auction at the Happy Horseshow Campground, in Lexington, on May 25. Tickets are $1 per ticket or 5 for $5; bidding opens at 10 a.m. and winning tickets will be announced starting at 11 a.m. This is a fun way to get something you’ve always wanted for a small price and to benefit the library at the fundraiser. On Saturday, June 1, the library is holding its annual plant, bake and book sale from 9 a.m. to noon at the library. Get some great munchies for your table, plants to spruce up your gardening spot, and books to read on a lazy summer day.

Now for more beyond news: “More yarn fun is to be had by joining the Maine Yarn Cruise. Twenty-one yarn shops from across Maine are hosting a summer-long shop-hop beginning on Friday, May 24, and running all the way until Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2019.

“Please join other fiber enthusiasts from across Maine (and beyond) for the Maine Yarn Cruise, a 20-plus yarn hop spanning the state of Maine. You’ll have all summer to “cruise” around, visiting as amany or as few shops as you like. Each shop will be awarding prizes every month to a lucky participant.

“To get started, pick up your passport (plus a tote bag and some other goodies) here at Happyknits, then have your passport stamped at each shop along the way.” This e-mail was sent by owners, Sarah, Karla and Mart Lou.

As you all know by now, I was born in Flagstaff, Maine, and lived there until we were all flooded out by Central Maine Power …. and so I probably feel stronger about their proposed CMP Corridor than some of you. ……….I thank all of you who have written letters to the editor against this project. The one that touched my heart the strongest was published in the Irregular weekly paper, of Kingfield, by a 13-year-old boy! These are the words of one of our youths: “No to the CMP corridor. I think CMP shouldn’t be able to cut down trees to make more power lines. The only way it would be okay is if this money were going to a fund to save the Earth and replace the trees.

“CMP will make millions of dollars off of this operation, and maybe more if they sell the trees. If they can do that, I would be angry because they would be taking jobs from smaller logging companies. CMP already makes a lot of money. They don’t need to take away jobs from other people.

“They already have a lot of power lines. If they need more, they should be able to do it in an area where they don’t need to cut so many trees.

“In looking at their history, like what they did in Flagstaff, it may be a lot of work and no gain.”

To think that a young boy would take the time to write a letter like that about our Maine wilderness, that means so much to him. But…..those last words in his letter really choked me up!

Sorry, I have not left enough room for Percy’s memoir, but I’m sure he forgives me.