Thetford
Town Newsletter
No. 41 July
2007
TOWN CLERK NOTES
RECORDING FEE INCREASE:
By state mandate and
effective July 1, land records recordings will be $8 per page (up from $7) and
vital record copies increase to $10 per page (from $9.50). The land record
increase began to help towns fund computerization of land records, and while
not mandated, it is up to the individual towns to designate the funds as they
see fit. The vital record copy charge increase brings the fees collected
on the town level in line with the state fees.
SENIOR/AFFORABLE HOUSING IN
THETFORD
The Committee meets the 2nd
Thursday of the month at 7pm at Town Hall. Work has begun on
purchasing land for housing with funds from a Community Development Grant. Mark
McMahon is chair of this committee.
The Committee will be holding monthly forums for input and concerns. These
forums will be held at Latham Library on the 3rd Wednesday of the
month @ 7pm. Gina Sonne is the contact for this meeting (785-4220).
The committee has established a branch to begin work on building a strong
infrastructure to support seniors in Thetford. Support Service
Network will engage in setting up a phone tree, lists of community
resources and working with the State to do a needs assessment
as first steps in outreach to seniors. Anyone interested in
aging and growing a strong caring community is welcome to join in this
effort.
Submitted by Gina Sonne
PIANIST/MUSIC DIRECTOR
Post Mills Congregational Church seeks a part-time music director to prepare
music selection, rehearse and conduct the choir and play piano for Sunday
service and special events. If you are interested or would like more
information about this opportunity please call 333-9352 and leave your contact
information.
Submitted by Judy Dixon
FRIENDS AND FAMILY SUMMERFEST
For more info call: John or Jen Hartley at 785-2738.
LIBRARY NEWS
This July, the Peabody and
Latham Memorial Libraries celebrate author Edie Clark! The libraries will
co-host two community book discussions in anticipation of the author's
appearance at Latham Library on Sun., July 29.
Edie Clark has written many
award-winning feature stories for Yankee Magazine where she served as
Senior Editor, Fiction Editor and Senior Writer for 24 years. Her memoir, The
Place He Made and her more recent, The View From Mary's Farm have
received rave reviews for her evocative descriptions of life in
Note: copies of The Place He Made and The View From Mary's Farm
are available at both Peabody and Latham Libraries. In addition, starting July
1, the libraries will also make available copies of author's bio and excerpts
from The View From Mary's Farm for discussion at the following events.
Tuesday, July 10, 10 am at Peabody
Library: Book discussion, coffee and cookies.
Thursday, July 26, 7 pm at Latham
Library: Book discussion, coffee and cookies.
Sunday, July 29, 3 pm at Latham
Library: Appearance by author Edie Clark. Books will be available for sale and
signing by the author!
Submitted by Elise Tillinghast
TA NOTES
*Cheers for Matt
Longwell and Tyler Murdoch, TA Class of 2007, on their performances at the
Vermont State Decathlon Championship. Out of thirty-eight competitors from
all divisions in the state, Matt finished second and Tyler
nineteenth. Matt's second place finish was the highest for a Division III
athlete in more than a decade.
*The annual Tuesday Night Fun Runs have begun. Meet at the Trail Head
behind the TA garage every Tuesday at 6pm to join the fun.
*TA Basketball continues. Coach Williams is offering summer workouts in
collaboration with Russell Wilcox (Rivendell Varsity Girls coach) at
Times: 8-9 AM grades 3-5; 9-10:30 grades 6-8; 10:30-12 grades 9-12.
For additional information please contact David McGinn at
Submitted by Wendy Cole
Summer Book Discussion Series
Continues…
Wednesdays at 7:00 PM: Film, Feasts and Fiction
The series uses film and fiction to explore various cultures through, among
other things, their foods. Books are available at the library. In June,
Babette's Feast and Fried Green Tomatoes were read and discussed. Now for
July…
July 11
Il Postino by Antonio Skarmeta: Jim Schley leads discussion
July 25
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel: Kathleen Dana leads
discussion
Library Book/Bake
The library will be open Saturday
mornings in July and August from 10 AM-1 PM.
Story Times at Treasure Island
Librarians Simon Brooks and Peter
Blodgett will be offering stories on Thursday mornings from 10:30-11:30 at
Books for
Submitted by Margo Nutt
THETFORD CONSERVATION
COMMISSION
Please see the listing for the Second Saturday Stroll
below…
Ground-nesting birds and mowing
My thinning of overgrown perennials ended abruptly. In the midst of
pushing through a mass of daylilies I found myself staring into the startled
eyes of a yellow-throated warbler. She was on the nest, inches from the ground
and did not budge as I backed away through the foliage. Surprisingly,
many species of songbirds nest on or near the ground, a strategy that appears precarious,
yet succeeds well enough under natural conditions due to concealment in dense
weeds, grass or brush.
These birds can be divided into three groups. The first are adapted to
wide open spaces and truly place their nest on the ground, like the bobolinks
that I recently saw flying across fields in Post Mills, bubbling out their
exuberant song. Bobolinks are not often seen in these parts as they require at
least ten acres of grass to breed. Eastern meadowlarks construct domed nests in
grasslands while the killdeer chooses sparsely vegetated landscapes and scrapes
a mere depression in the ground. These birds of open spaces alight a
distance from their nests and run to them through the grass, so as not to
reveal the location.
The second group of birds is adapted to a mix of clearings, weeds and brush and
includes members of the sparrow family, such as the junco, vesper sparrow and white-throated
sparrows. They still build their cuplike nests on the ground, often near a
clump of tall weeds or brush. The third group is adapted to shrubby habitat and
will nest very close to the ground in brushy or brambly thickets. Several
warblers, like the above-mentioned yellowthroat, the chestnut-sided and morning
warblers are included here.
In the spring many ground-nesting birds migrating north in search of open land breeding
territory are lured into choosing hay fields and other agricultural settings as
nesting sites. As soon as the grass and weeds are tall enough to provide
cover, nests are built and the birds are brooding eggs or young by June. By fateful coincidence this is the season of
the first hay cutting. Widespread mortality is the result, for instance an
estimated 80% of young bobolinks are killed by early hay harvesting.
Summer brush hogging of thickets in places like woodland edges and abandoned
fields is similarly detrimental to shrub land birds.
Agriculture and suburbanization have dramatically reduced the area of grassland
habitat in the northeast in the last 100 years, and today little remains that
is wildlife-friendly. The Post Mills Natural Area is one place in
Thetford that is being managed for ground nesting birds by the Conservation
Commission. Landowners who are keeping
non-agricultural fields open (and have no concern about quality hay) can also
do their part. Please allow young birds to leave the nest by delaying
mowing till mid-August.
Submitted by Li Shen
Thetford Conservation Commission.
Loons on
There's word about town that a pair of loons have been seen on
More than almost any other migrant bird; the loon has evolved a delicate
balance between being superbly adapted to swimming underwater in pursuit of
prey, and retaining the ability to fly. Other flying birds have reduced
their weight by way of air sacs branching from their lungs into major bones,
whereas the loon has solid bones. Thus the density of a loon's body is close to
that of water and by merely exhaling and pressing air out from between their
feathers they can sink. Another adaptation to diving are the muscular legs
positioned near the rear of the body for maximum propulsion by the webbed
feet. This has compromised the ability of loons to walk on land, they do
so clumsily with dragging breast and if frightened they run with the assistance
of a 'rowing' motion of their wings.
Becoming airborne is not easy for these heavy birds. They can only lift off
from water (not from land) and need a 'runway' up to several hundred yards
long. Using the assistance of a tailwind they begin furiously flapping their
wings and then running as they start to rise out of the water, eventually
taking to the air. Once aloft, a loon flies incredibly fast. Their wings are
small for their bodies and to stay in flight they must beat their wings
approximately 275 times a minute, achieving a flight speed of 60 miles or more
per hour. Their small wing size does not give much margin for slowing down
except to land, a process that also requires a long stretch of water.
The gift of flight allows
loons to move from their seacoast wintering grounds to northern inland lakes
full of fish for their resource-intensive breeding season. It is estimated that a family of loons eats
over one ton of fish over the summer. Although this seems a lot it is a
small fraction of what a healthy lake of 100 or more acres should contain and
anglers need not be concerned. While loons can dive after fish to great
depths, they prefer to feed in surprisingly shallow water. This is because more
fish inhabit the littoral zone of the lake, where lake bottom plants reach to
the water surface. However due to human recreation and shoreline disturbance
loons are often forced to hunt in deeper water. Loons hunt by sight, and
therefore feed most when sunlight penetrates the water. The water must be clear
for them to see fish. They have special flaps in the nostrils and throat that
keep water out while diving and also enable them to swallow their prey
underwater.
Loons choose lakes that have
adequate room for take-off and landing and are suitable for raising young.
Since they cannot walk well on land their nests are usually 1-2 feet from water
and small islands less vulnerable to predators are preferred. On dam-controlled
lakes the artificial lowering of water levels leaves the nest stranded and
forces the adult to shuffle laboriously through mud and rocks, whereas raising
the water level floods the nest. Loon nests are not at all
concealed. The adults protect them by almost continuous sitting over the egg
incubation period since these birds are large enough to discourage predatory
crows, ravens and gulls. Mink, raccoons and skunks may prey on the nests. Human
disturbance will also drive away nesting loons and it is recommended that
people and dogs do not come closer than 300 feet to nests.
If predation and disturbance
are avoided the eggs hatch after 28 days. The buoyant chicks swim almost at
once and the family immediately leaves for the water. Young chicks ride on the
backs of the adults almost half the day to stay warm and safe from
predators. For the first 2-3 weeks they are raised in a special 'nursery'
area, a sheltered cove with abundant insects and small fish.
Although two chicks are typical, only one may survive to maturity (10-12 weeks old.)
This is the result of 'sibling rivalry' in which the stronger chick commandeers
most of the food and eventually drives the other chick away to die. Although
harsh, this may be a mechanism to ensure at least some reproductive success
when food supplies are limited.
Will
Submitted by Li Shen
Thetford Conservation Commission
MILFOIL PICK "PARTY": Sat. July 14
12-2PM. Please help clear out
the boat rental cove of milfoil fragments - A great chance to help, ask
questions, and meet people who work on the problem of milfoil infestation
in
BEACH PARTY: Friday, August 10, 12PM-4PM. Save the date for this fun festival with DJ
music, children and adult games and races, arts and crafts, and a 12PM island
potluck cookout. Come with your beachwear on! Please bring a dish.
Celebrate summer & the last day of swimming lessons. Hope to see you!
Also,
For any questions or more
information, please contact the park at 333-9016.
Submitted by Scott and Ann O’Hearn
RICES MILLS COMMUNITY CENTER
EVENTS
MOSTLY WALTZ and some east coast swing
Sat. July 7th 7-9pm - Live music with
Mike Hebb.
The Center is located on
Route 132 just North of Tucker Hill Road//Reminder: Tucker Hill Bridge
Closed ~ Parking limited ~ carpool if you can
No partner necessary ~ bring CD’S ~ clean shoes ~ something to drink ~ no
water on premises
Donations for hall rental are welcome. Information: Gina @ 785-4220
or email gsonne@sover.net.
BADMINTON & HORSESHOE TOURNAMENT
Come one, come all to the 1st Annual
Rice's Mills Badminton and Horseshoe Tournament, Sunday, July 15th at the
Rice's
For the potluck, please bring a dish to share, as well as your own plates, cup
and silverware.
Submitted by Bob Walker
FUND ESTABLISHED
A fund has been established for donations
to aid the Tarleton family. Contributions may be sent to:
Merchants Bank
East
Checks may be made out to "Merchants Bank" with the memo
"Tarleton Fund" (or the Account # 36042760).
Submitted by Ellie
²Declaration of
Independence reading and Ringing of the Bells, July 3rd, 11:30pm
at the
²Village Harmony
Concert at
²United Church of Thetford
3rd Annual Yard Sale and Chicken BBQ – Saturday, July 14th 8am -
2pm (BBQ available after 11am)
²Rivendell Ramble – a walk on the Cross Rivendell Trail
between Middle Brook and King Hill Roads Saturday, July 14th 9:30am
²Conservation
Commission Saturday Stroll July 14th at 6pm at the Palmer
Woodlands
²Thetford Hill Fair
– Saturday, July 21st Noon – 6pm
We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men
are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness….
WHEN was the last time you read the Declaration of Independence? Here's
your BIG CHANCE to reacquaint yourself with the historical text and join a
long-standing Thetford tradition.
Come ring in the Fourth of July on
Thetford Hill!
There is a 187 year tradition in Thetford of ringing the bells at midnight
on July 3rd, to welcome in the Fourth of July. Thetford residents have rung in
the Fourth nearly every year since at least 1819, often ringing bells on
Thetford Hill (both at the church and at Thetford Academy), in Union Village,
Thetford Center, Post Mills, and North Thetford all on the same night.
Following in this tradition, we will gather at the First Congregational Church
of Thetford, on Thetford Hill, at 11:30 pm on Tuesday, July 3. We'll head up to
the choir loft and read the Declaration of Independence by flashlight (please
bring one). At midnight the bell ringing will commence -- one toll for every
year since 1776 (that makes 231). There will then be singing of appropriate
songs and hymns and a snack before we all head home to bed.
Hope to see you there -- Tuesday, July 3, 11:30 pm,
Call 785-4012 with questions.
Submitted by Scot Zens and Christina
Robinson
Back to UPCOMING EVENTS
Mon. July 9th at
Village Harmony is a group of young singers lead by an
international team who put on concerts around
This year's concert will feature
music from
Submitted by Pril Hall
Back to UPCOMING EVENTS
The United Church of Thetford,
formerly North Thetford Federated and Timothy Frost Church, will hold their
Yard Sale and BBQ at the Thetford Center Community Building on Saturday, July 14th from
8:00am-2:00pm. BBQ available after 11:00 a.m. Items for sale
include furniture, books, collectibles, white elephant and miscellaneous
“treasures”. There will be no clothing.
Items priced to sell!!!
If anyone has items they
would like to donate, please notify Lois Paige at 785-2687, and she will
arrange to meet you at the
Submitted by Bev Slack
Back to UPCOMING EVENTS
Join us for a walk on the
award-winning Cross Rivendell Trail between Middle Brook and King Hill Roads to
a view point overlooking the countryside. The distance is about 2.5 miles
with moderate ups and downs. We will set an easy pace, so novice walkers are
welcome. Wear sturdy and comfortable walking/hiking shoes and clothing appropriate
for the weather (including an extra long sleeve shirt to put on when we stop);
bring water and a snack (granola bars, nuts, raisins, and other dried fruits
are all good choices) if you wish. Insect repellent may be desirable, but we
will have some with us if you don't. Meet at the Westshire school on Rt. 113 at
9:30 a.m. We expect to return by noon. Sponsored by the Upper Valley Trails
Submitted by Ellen L. Heuduska
Back to UPCOMING EVENTS
SECOND SATURDAY STROLL · JULY
14TH · 6PM
Evening Scramble in the Palmer Woodlands
Sponsored by the Thetford Conservation Commission
The Palmer Woodlands are a 472 acre parcel in North Thetford owned by Arthur
and Arlene Palmer and protected by a conservation easement through the Upper
Valley Land Trust.
This moderately strenuous outing will be more of a scramble than a
stroll. We'll be bushwhacking through some fairly rugged terrain.
Dress appropriately for the weather. Bring water, snacks, (bug dope?),
headlamp (just in case). No dogs.
Parking is limited, please carpool, walk or bike.
Directions:
Meet at top of Potato Hill Rd - East - turn onto Turnpike Rd. at the
curve in Latham Rd, pass under the Interstate and immediately turn right onto
Potato Hill Rd, go uphill and park where the road levels off at the end of the
well-maintained section.
Questions: Bill Bridge 785-2964
Back to UPCOMING EVENTS
What are you doing on the third Saturday in July?
The Fair on the village
Green, Sat., July 21, 12 noon until 6pm benefits the Thetford Hill Improvement
Society - help keep the Green green!
Get Lucky! Come find antiques & collectables,
crafts, live auction, kid’s games, food, tea garden, landscape & indoor
plants, books, rummage and BBQ dinner.
Mark your calendar now.
Rummage collected the morning of the fair.
Submitted by Ellie
Back to UPCOMING EVENTS
The deadline for submissions
is the 20th of each month. Send news including contact name and telephone
number to Cathee Clement at 785-2668 or turtlepond@netzero.net.
Please list Thetford Town
Newsletter in the subject line.