the Springfield Opera House hints at offerings for the new season, in a poster designed by Edward Huse and Bird House Studios of Vermont

Bald Eagle siting in Springfield, Vermont

I was driving down the curve in the hill of Park Street, by the old High School that is waiting for a way to avoid sliding into oblivion, when I spied a real, live Bald Eagle fly across in front of us! He was clearly marked, sleeker than I thought one would be, and he had just completed a power climb to glide by us as he made his way up the Black River for a morning jaunt. He visto por primera vez, un aguila, fue muy impresionante en su vuelo de mañana.

think about it, efforts to dismantle local school boards are only supported by the perception that they do not work.

freezing supply lines, and an early update

[update 24FEB15 - in order to keep the water flow constant, the town sent a plumber to make a slight adjustment to one house's plumbing - for some homeowners affected, a small-diameter pipe will be installed to by-pass the water meter in the basement or some other similar solution, the town will then keep a list of homeowners with such by-passes in order to turn the by-passes on or off as they judge necessary. In this case, the 'by-pass' consists of a small diameter tube, like the water supply to the ice maker, that is simply fitted to the cold water tap in the basement where the washing machine once sat, the new small tube then is directed to the otherwise unused washing machine drain. This constant stream has not by-passed the meter, so the town will make an adjustment on the water bill, since all of these measures are designed to protect the whole system from freeze damage and associated costs to the town.] Freeze Warning, take heed of the caution from our town employees! I talked to the Water Department crew outside just now, as they drilled the permafrost with a smart little automated pneumatic bastard file in search of the water valve. They stopped hammer drilling when they found out that I still have running water, and told me in no uncertain terms to “Leave a constantly running stream of cold water, the size of an ordinary pencil, indefinitely and until the ground warms sufficiently to no longer freeze standing water in the supply lines“. They stress leaving a continuous flow, and indefinitely, because the ground will remain as frozen as it is now through any minor warming until the days really are warmer - even if it takes a couple of weeks. They went on to explain, that a neighbor’s water was running normally at ten o’clock last night, yet, one half hour later their lines were frozen, and they told me that this was happening in different locations in the town of Springfield. One issue that influences the phenomenon, is that our street recently had a new water supply line installed under the street, and for some reason a stretch of pipe was allowed to project beyond the last house’s supply point - in effect becoming a reservoir of still water that easily became ice, and once it began to freeze, the freezing extended into the lines of the supply to the neighbor with the freezing crisis. I was just lucky to be twenty feet further away from that event, but was probably about to freeze today or tonight as well, had the town not sent out workers to investigate, diagnose, repair, and alert citizens. One would do well to follow the advice, to leave a constant flow from a cold water tap in the home, wherever one has had extended cold weather that has the ground frozen to the extent we are experiencing here.

My First River Otter Sighting Ever in Springfield's Black RIver!

I was driving by the Fellows Gear Shaper building this morning, admiring the flock of Mallards that increases every year, and noticed that they had a visitor. I parked and shot out with my camera, in plenty of time to be sure that this was not a Beaver at all but a River Otter! He was waddling out of the water at the ice edge to get to the food that people drop to the Ducks, and rolled around whipping his fat tail - like an Otter. He was apparently done with his visit. While I waited on the new bridge, I spoke with a fellow who had also been watching him with other patients and staff - from inside. I was told by this citizen witness, that the Otter had spent the last twenty minutes on the ice grooming himself and playing, and only marginally irritating the Ducks. What a wonderful promise for the New Year, that the River is recovering nicely and that the animals are returning.

Sculpture in Springfield

a portrait in progress, by Edward Huse.

Robins arrive in Springfield, Vermont, earlier than ever.

This writer spotted a Robin in the Pear tree yesterday - I stopped to watch him trying to eat the small frozen fruit of the decorative Pear, unfazed by my proximity, observing me but unwilling to leave this spare meal as I snapped a picture to record the unfortunately timed meeting. I wondered, this early Robin surely didn't know that the ground isn't thawed enough to provide the worms and bugs in the soil that he needs. Standing at the traffic light by the plaza a couple of minutes later, I noticed that the Cranberry trees there were alive with Robins, and so were the the Apple trees at the studio as I drove up - a fall of dozens of far too early Robins wandering around in shock, hmm. The photos do not convey the full effect of seeing them in person. Global warming effects everything badly, what a world! Los pajaros de Verano han llegado demasiado temprano - una pena, dado que sus comidas preferidas incluyen gusanos y tales cosas (de momento cubiertas con nieve y hielo) y no recuerdo haverlos visto comer de arboles durante su temporada normal.