Discover More from This Category: Columns

Brown creepers: denizens of the bark

May 5, 2021
By Lee Emmons On certain afternoons, if I time it just right, I may spot a brown creeper (Certhia americana) on the trunk of a tree in my front yard. Moving stealthily, almost imperceptibly up the tree, the brown creeper hunts for food amongst the bark. I watch this avian mission with a sense of…

Time is money

May 5, 2021
By Kevin Theissen We’ve all heard the phrase, “time is money.” But what does that really mean? And why does it matter? Time is the most precious of all resources. Once spent, it can never be reclaimed. Money is certainly a critical resource as well. Given the fact that time and money are two of…

Breaking the reins

May 5, 2021
By Dom Cioffi There was a paradigm shift at my house this past weekend that forced me to realize how quickly my son is becoming an adult. It all started on Friday afternoon when I picked him up after school. Normally, I pepper him with questions about his day and then have to pull answers…

Gotta drop a Rotten Tomatoon David Fincher’s ‘Mank’

May 5, 2021
By Bruce Bouchard I was greatly looking forward to David Fincher’s “Mank” and was resoundingly disappointed. Fincher’s trademark tension (of which he is a master) was totally missing here, birthing cinematic lethargy throughout.  Black and white was a strong period choice, but from the opening credits to an unearned and forced climax, he is hellbent…

Funology: the origin is thought

May 5, 2021
By Sandra Dee Owens A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single ... thought. Before taking a single step, I first have to think about taking a single step. Consciously or otherwise, everything begins ... with a thought. Even Funology, a wellness lifestyle that takes fun seriously — is rooted in thought. Focusing…

All about writing, a note to brighten your day

May 5, 2021
By Mary Ellen Shaw For most of us writing began when we learned to print our names. Occasionally, letters of the alphabet got printed backwards in the process but eventually we got it right. School classrooms had alphabet charts on the wall facing the students. Printed letters were in one row with the matching cursive…

Paddling canoes, memories of flat water and family

May 5, 2021
By Merisa Sherman We pulled into the boat launch just before sunrise, the darkness just lifting enough so that we could see to undo the tie down straps without any help from our headlamps. You could hear the scraping of fabric as life jackets were pulled from the car. In the predawn silence, the sound of…

Weekly Horoscopes for May 5-11, 2021

May 5, 2021
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="194740" img_size="full" alignment="center"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1582852508329{margin-top: 40px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text="Horoscopes for May 5-11, 2021" font_container="tag:h2|text_align:center" use_theme_fonts="yes" css=".vc_custom_1620175010463{margin-bottom: 50px !important;}"][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_raw_html]JTNDc3BhbiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyaWNvbmlmeSUyMiUyMGRhdGEtaWNvbiUzRCUyMm1kaS16b2RpYWMtYXJpZXMlMjIlMjBkYXRhLWlubGluZSUzRCUyMmZhbHNlJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc3BhbiUzRQ==[/vc_raw_html][vc_custom_heading text="Aries" font_container="tag:h2|text_align:center" use_theme_fonts="yes"][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1568082984251{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}"] March 21 - April 20 [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]As planets move out of your money zone, two things might happen. Any cash-flow situation that was stuck or stagnant may regain its mojo — or…

Time to get back on track, choose wisely

May 5, 2021
By Cassandra Tyndall There are times when the more you push, the more things seem to happen. Then there are other times, when the more you push, the more resistance you face. Straddling the balance between the personal will and the cosmic weather can be a point of frustration. It pays to remember from time…

Featured pets for April 28 – May 4, 2021

April 28, 2021
 2 years old. Neutered male. Lab mix. Black with white. I enjoy going for nice long walks and I have wonderful leash manners. It’s kitten season at the RCHS As spring begins, and the weather begins to warm, we are starting to see more and more kittens come through our doors that are too young…

Fly flight control

April 28, 2021
By Rachel Sargent Mirus On sunny, warm days, houseflies hatch and buzz around homes and offices. These flies complete aerobatic stunts that easily evade human efforts at swatting or shooing. That aerial agility, so frustrating to the would-be swatters, is thanks to a pair of highly specialized sense organs called halteres. Halteres are modified wings…

Diving in: discovering new worlds below the surface

April 28, 2021
By Dom Cioffi I spent quite a bit of time in the water during my recent vacation to St. Martin. The Caribbean is obviously known for its pristine turquoise ocean and white sandy beaches, so I was more than happy to spend the majority of my week communing with the natural elements. Within hours of…

‘Ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin’ alive,… stayin’ alive’

April 28, 2021
By Gary Salmon There is a line in the lyrics of this great Bee Gees song of the ‘70s that if I were an ash tree and John Travolta was singing it to me I would pay attention to: “Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me.” Since emerald ash borer (EAB) began infecting Vermont ash trees…

Covid effects on benefits

April 28, 2021
By Kevin Theissen The impact of Covid-19 on workplaces has been profound. As we move forward, it is likely work as we once knew it will be changed forever. Employer benefits is one area in which there may be significant change. Remote work options may be necessary for businesses to remain competitive, according to the…

Reborn this spring

April 28, 2021
By Merisa Sherman Holding my mug in my hands, I stare out the window at my garden. My forehead is almost pressed to the glass, the warmth of the morning sun just starting to take effect. I empty my mind of all thoughts, letting the sun soak into my bones as I close my eyes…