Camera Critters: A Big Flying Bug

I don't know what kind of bug this is but it was big. It is now in a kitty's tummy. It flew in the house Friday night when I was letting the cats in for the night. It looks like a little old man with fangs. To me, anyhow! When clicked, this photo will open, full size, in a new window.

My summer is over. I'm thrilled (yes, thrilled) to be back in school and am working hard on getting back to a normal blogging schedule.

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Camera Critters
You can see more of this bug in my Big Flying Bug Flickr Set

My other Camera Critters post features chicks from fellow teacher Kathy's coop.

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One Single Impression: Spectacle

To read more poetry, click the graphic or One Single Impression

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When I walk the dogs I often go to this field to rest my soul. The mountains in the background are in Canada. When clicked, this photo will open, full size, in a new window.

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Sky Watch Friday

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Look What Happened to Barton Mountain

Photo taken in front of my house on Rt. 16 on Sunday, August 24, 2008

On Tuesday, August 19, 2008, there was an Act 250 hearing in Barton on the cell towers that Verizon wants to install in Barton. Vince Illuzi (R State Senator of Essex / Orleans counties) wants the antennas put on his land (he bought the land that the Unicel tower on Barton Mountain is on in 2007). Illuzi was granted party status on this issue, so now he can appeal the Commission's ruling if they decide to allow the Verizon plan.

In order for Verizon to use the Unicel tower on Barton Mountain, Verizon says they would need to dismantle the Unicel tower and construct one up to 150 feet high. The present Unicel tower is only 55 feet high and was nearly completely hidden by trees. You had to look really hard to see it when foliage is out.

It was evident to me listening to Mr. Illuzi's testimony at the hearing, that he has little understanding of the importance of this ridge line. The cliffs under the Unicel tower are where I have frequently heard bobcats. My daughter and I have seen and photographed peregrine falcons. In fact, Amelia saw a falcon hunt and grab a bird in the air. Do the falcons nest on the cliffs? No study has been made.

Two days ago, two days after the hearing, on Thursday, August 21, I came home from school to see this awful mess on Barton Mountain. The land around the Unicel tower, Illuzi's land, was clearcut. It was, in fact, slashed, as can be seen more dramatically from I-91 near Glover.

In the over twenty years that I have watched this mountain and the six years that I have lived here, I have never seen such destruction.

What's up, Mr. Illuzi? Why did this happen?? After listening to you on Tuesday night, I am sure you will have some sort of explanation.

Click on the Barton Mountain tag in my tag cloud to see how this ridge looked before Thursday.

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The Destruction of the Barton Mountain Ridge Line Flickr Photo Set

Technorati Tags: Barton Mountain, ridge lines, Verizon Wireless, Unicell, cell phone towers, Act 250 

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A Patient Cow

Orleans County Fair Flickr Set
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Technorati Tags: Orleans County Fair, Barton Fair, cavalcade, Hereford
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Harness Racing at the Barton Fair

All four feet off of the ground at the same time. There are over 150 photographs of the harness racing in my Orleans County Fair Flickr Set. When clicked, this photo will open, full size, in a new window.

Technorati Tags: Barton Fair, Orleans County Fair, harness racing
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Barton Fair Poultry Barn

Unidentified chicken.
Orleans County Fair Flickr Set
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Technorati Tags: Orleans County Fair, Barton Fair, poultry barn
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My New Subaru

I bought a new car on Tuesday — a 2005 Subaru Outback with 53,000 miles. My Saturn wagon was 9 years old, had 165,000 miles, was falling apart, was unsafe in winter and was costing too much in repairs. I am just thrilled. I never thought I would be able to afford one of these Subarus. This used car is as good as new. I called the dealership on Monday and they got the financing ready. I walked in Tuesday, selected the car and in an hour I drove home. The total time to pick it out and to sign papers: 3 hours. What a difference from a week of agony and waiting years ago!

This wire kitty, named after my Frankie cat from long ago, was unglued from the dash of my old car and re-glued onto the dash of the Subaru. What a great team at St. Jay Auto! From financing to servicing, this was actually an almost pleasant experience.

St. Johnsbury Automobiles (St. J Auto) Subaru Division

from subaru.com:

"SUBARU" is a Japanese word meaning "unite", as well as a term identifying a cluster of six stars, which the Greeks called the Pleiades - part of the Taurus constellation.
According to Greek mythology, Atlas' daughters turned into this group of stars. In 1953, five Japanese companies merged to form Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. The new corporation adopted the "Subaru" cluster of stars as the official logo for its line of automobiles.

Besides the Big and Little Dippers, the Pleiades is the only constellation I have ever been able to identify in the sky. I have always enjoyed the myth of this constellation. And Subaru has a solid reputation here in the north country — you can get through weather that will stop other cars cold.

My "New" Car Flickr Set

Technorati Tags: Subaru Outback, St. J Auto, Pleiades
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Sky Watch Friday: Storm Clouds at Home

When we got home from the Mikado a storm was threatening. Amazingly, it never came to us but slid by to the west. The month of rain may have been broken. It is almost a shame (despite the lightening strikes, fires and floods) because the cloud formations have been fantastic. This is not an HDR photo. This is just a regular photograph.

Other storm clouds that day in my Storm Clouds Flickr Set.

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Sky Watch Friday

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Haskell Free Library & Opera House

Matt & I went to see a QNEK Production of the Mikado at the Haskell Opera House (the 2nd and 3rd floors of this building). The building sits astride the Canadian/US border. Inside we sat in the balcony in Canada. Parking is a problem. I took the photo from the US but the cars on the left in the photo are parked in Canada and have to go through Canadian and US customs to return to the US. Or suffer a $5,000 fine (even if your foot goes over the border you have to report to both customs — a challenge I resisted but wish I had challenged). You don't have to report to customs (yet) if you sit on the Canadian side inside the Opera House. I saw my first armed Canadian customs officials checking license plates. Wearing guns. No official insignia on their black t-shirts. Be sure to see my Flickr Opera House photos (link below) because the building is amazing. See the strip of tape that signifies US and Canadian seats.

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My Haskell Free Library & Opera House Flickr Set
Other posts about the Opera House

Technorati Tags: Haskell Free Library & Opera House, QNEK Productions, Derby Line, Vermont
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St. Johnsbury Flatiron Building

Perhaps not a true flatiron, but close enough for me. This was a toss-off shot that I never thought would be interesting but the sky framed the shape of the building nicely. Since I never expected much from it, I never looked into what this building is. I will the next time I go down there.

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St. Johnsbury Excursion Train post on meeyauw
St. Johnsbury Excursion Train Flickr set

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St. Johnsbury Train Station and Welcome Center

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St. Johnsbury Excursion Train post on meeyauw
St. Johnsbury Excursion Train Flickr set

Technorati Tags: St. Johnsbury, Summerfest, Vermont Railroad, Vermont
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Vermont Railroad

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St. Johnsbury Excursion Train post on meeyauw
St. Johnsbury Excursion Train Flickr set

Technorati Tags: St. Johnsbury, Summerfest, Vermont Railroad, Vermont
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Clouds at the Clan of the Hawk Powwow

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We have had rain and storms every day for more than ten days and are saturated. The cloud formations have been gorgous though. This is a photo from Saturday, August 2 from the powwow that the Clan of the Hawk in Evansville (a village of Brownington and the site of the Evansville Trading Post). You can read more here and see more at my Clan of the Hawk Powwow Flickr Set.

Winter scenes of the Evansville Trading post here and here.

Evansville Trading Post on Wikipedia
Clan of the Hawk website
Abenaki on Wikipedia

Technorati Tags: Abenaki, Clan of the Hawk, Evansville Trading Post, Vermont, powwow
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Fly on Phlox

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Sky Watch Friday: Burke Mountain Rainstorm

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I took a class this week in Lyndon Center at Lyndon Institute. There have been record-breaking amounts of rain for weeks so the clouds have been spectacular. Here is Burke Mountain in Burke, Vermont, as seen from Lyndon Institute. A large rainstorm enveloped the mountain. This photo was processed in Photomatix with exposure blending.

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Sky Watch Friday

Technorati Tags: Burke Mountain, Burke, Vermont
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The New Bread & Puppet Performace Barn

above: wall detail

above: ceiling detail

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Bread & Puppet

Technorati Tags: Bread & Puppet, Glover, Vermont
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Orleans County Quests: Troy River Road Quest

As the Missisquoi River flows north to Canada it comes to an 80 foot gorge in North Troy. This is where Big Falls State Park is and was the site for our Friday quest. Wingnut took the trail down the gorge to the river to find the treasure box, which was not there. Above and below you see the rapids at the top of the gorge.

The state, despite designating this area a state park, has not installed any safety devices at all. There is nothing preventing anyone from slipping on wet rocks and falling off of the cliff into the gorge.

Above, I sam standing on a cliff over the 80 foot gorge (24.4 m) and holding my camera above and away from me to see the falls. Being afraid of heights, this was enough adventure for me.

I walked with Wingnut down the trail a bit until I looked down the side of the trail to the bottom of the gorge (above).

The forest at the top of the gorge in the park.
There were marvelous mushrooms here that I photographed.

Here, Wingnut is waiting for me to toss down the quest book so that he and Matt can study it to find the treasure box (below). However, there was no treasure box to be found.

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Big Falls State Park: Sixteen acres, Town of Troy. This site includes the largest undammed cascade and gorge remaining on a major Vermont river. The area includes big old hemlock and white pine trees. The plant life in this Natural Area is diverse and includes several uncommon species. The falls are a popular recreation attraction (swimming, fishing and viewing) as the site is readily accessible from Vermont Route 105. (Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, Lands Administration Division).

Down the road is the The River Road Bridge (also called the Schoolhouse Bridge), built in 1910, which carries Vielleux Road across the Missisquoi River. Lattice work truss.

Fall Guy, an article about waterfalls in Vermont.

Wingnut photos can be seen at meeyauw — Troy River Road Quest
Also, visit my Flickr Troy River Road Quest set and Mushroom Set

Technorati Tags: Missisquoi River, Orleans County Quests, Troy River Road Quest, Big Falls State Park, North Troy, Vermont
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Photo Hunters: Clouds Over Crystal Lake

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My Flickr HDR set
My Flickr Pageant Park Set

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Mushrooms

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Be sure to visit my Flickr Mushroom Set.

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