EAST MONTPELIER – It’s just past lunchtime up here on the little hill, and I’m feeling extremely grumpy. This is not my usual post-lunch mood. Normally I’d collapse into my recliner, wait for Kiki to jump up into my lap and turn around till she found a spot, and begin[Read More…]
Columns
Women’s Work
In both 1900 and 1910, the few women who owned or managed businesses in the Village of Hardwick did so from their homes as dressmakers or milliners. Many homemakers took in boarders, making themselves boarding house managers, but rarely told the census taker that they had an occupation. By the[Read More…]
Gardening with Native Plants has Benefits
PANTON – Stunning landscapes abound all over the world, each one a testament to the captivating beauty of its native plant life. A flamboyant Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia) in bloom in its African natural habitat is a breathtaking sight that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Likewise, the majestic expanses of sugar[Read More…]
Building Habitat for Bees
NORTHFIELD – Bees are critically important pollinators to support and protect. Along with other insects, bees are essential components of agriculture by pollinating fruits, vegetables and other crops. Pollinator habitat is declining as a result of large-scale agriculture and urbanization. This trend destroys natural bee habitats like grasslands and prairies,[Read More…]
The Patchwork Life of the Brown Wasp Mantidfly
DUXBURY – Last July, I crossed paths with an insect that looked like the living embodiment of my favorite drawing game. Using folded paper, players add to a communal image without seeing previous contributions, such that the finished work is a surprise to everyone: the head of an eagle, on[Read More…]
June Jitters
SHELBURNE – The trials and tribulations of the times are giving me the June Jitters. Sitting on the edge of my seat puts too much weight on my sweaty, funky feet and keeps me more in my head than from healing my heart. Gathered recently for a pizza party, a[Read More…]
It’s Impossible to Know
EAST MONTPELIER – We started the kids out early, Mother and I. From summers working on an island and living in a wall tent off the coast of Maine, and little weekend outings, we progressed to a trip down the Allagash when the oldest, Virginia, was 11 and the youngest,[Read More…]
Stormy Weather
HARDWICK – Last week we saw a transition from sunny and hot conditions to a cooler and showery period. Highs on Wednesday managed to reach the low to mid-80s again before the arrival of multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms that lasted through the weekend. The overall precipitation amounts ranged[Read More…]
Dusky Birch Sawflies Defoliate Trees
BURLINGTON – The defoliation in river birch trees may be a sign that dusky birch sawflies (Croesus latitarsus) are feeding on the foliage. Examine the leaf edges for these voracious feeders, which resemble caterpillars (immature moths and butterflies in the order Lepidoptera) but are actually sawflies, in the bee, ant[Read More…]
Severe Flooding Impacts Aquatic Life
READING – July 2023 was the hottest month ever recorded worldwide, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Rising temperatures associated with climate change have dramatically increased atmospheric moisture, causing more frequent and severe storms. During the Great Vermont Flood of July 10-11, 2023, at peak flow more than[Read More…]
Correcting Soil Compaction in Lawns
NORTHFIELD – The summer months are a time when many of us enjoy lawns. From playing sports to picnicking, lawns can be an important part of our summer experience. With all of this activity, lawns can be sensitive to over use, and soil compaction may become an issue. Soil compaction[Read More…]
