NORWICH — Spring ephemeral wildflowers are perennial woodland plants that sprout from the ground early, bloom fast, and then go to seed—all before the canopy trees leaf out overhead. Often found in calcium-rich woods alongside Sugar Maple and Northern Maidenhair Fern, they include Dutchman’s Breeches, Blue Cohosh, Wild Ginger, spring beauty and[Read More…]
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Simple Tips Result in Stunning Clematis
PANTON – With abundant blooms in a wide range of colors from soft white to dark purple, pink and even yellow, clematis reign supreme among climbers. A genus in the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family, clematis are versatile, easy-to-maintain perennials that grow as climbers, spreading shrubs or groundcovers. More than 300 species grow worldwide,[Read More…]
Bumble Bee Bingo: Can you collect them all?
NORWICH — For us bee biologists, nothing says spring quite like the first bumble bee of the year. Sometime between late March and early May, a loud, familiar buzz will get our attention and we will once again get reacquainted with these charismatic minifauna. For the more casual bee enthusiasts,[Read More…]
Snow to Start, Milder by Weekend
EAST HARDWICK – Filtered sunshine and high temperatures in the 60s on Monday offered more reassurance that spring is on the way. Our last forecast period included an episode of snow amounting to about 3 to 6 inches by midday Wednesday. Higher elevations of Greensboro came in closer to nine[Read More…]
Caulking Gaps, Missing Shelves
HARDWICK — Last week the architect spent several hours inspecting the nearly completed Jeudevine addition in order to create a punch list. My understanding is that the term originated in an era when a hole would be punched through the paper next to items on a list as they were[Read More…]
Instead, Their Brilliance was Spent on Us
EAST MONTPELIER – “THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not[Read More…]
Poetry as Protest
SHELBURNE — How many tyrants were abused as toddlers, tweens, or teens? Historically, many. My friend, fellow poet, and former Governor, Madeleine Kunin, wisely noted years ago that the problem with cliches is the truth behind them. Misery loves company. Are there tyrants making you miserable? Write a poem. Place[Read More…]
We Could All Use a Dose of Mr. Rogers
“I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you,I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.So let’s make the most of this beautiful day,Since we’re together we might as well say,Would you be mine?Could you be mine?Won’t you be my neighbor?”– Fred Rogers The other day[Read More…]
Vernal Pools are Nursery for Amphibians, Buffet for Predators
WASHINGTON, D.C. — When the winter snow melts and the spring rain begins, vernal pools appear on the landscape. These ephemeral wetlands form in depressions in forests or ridge lines and offer essential breeding habitat to amphibians and invertebrates, including wood frogs, spotted salamanders and fairy shrimp. Because vernal pools[Read More…]
A Rose Isn’t Just a Rose
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — We’re all familiar with roses (Rosa): their fragrance, their flowers, their thorns. If thinking about adding a rose (or roses) to a garden this year, it might be a surprise to discover that there’s more to a choice than color. Roses come in a seeming multitude[Read More…]
Calm Conditions For Wednesday Before A Stretch of Rain
EAST HARDWICK — Alternating days of sunshine and clouds provided a good balance of some vitamin D and much-needed rain. This springtime activity will assist in greening things up in the next few weeks as our attention turns away from heavy snow and towards warming temperatures. Over the past seven[Read More…]
There’ve Got to be Brigades
MONTPELIER — Keeping up with the shenanigans of the Trump administration is like the old kids’ game of setting three frogs on a table and trying to stop them from jumping. As soon as you think you’ve got one outrage pegged, another pops up in a spot you didn’t expect.[Read More…]
