The Charlotte News | May 16, 2018

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Volume lX Number 22 | WedNesday, may 16, 2018

Charlotte News

The

Charlotte’s award-winning community newspaper

CharlotteNewsVT.org

Vol. 60, no.22 May 16, 2018

Charlotte News

The

Vermont’s oldest nonprofit community newspaper, bringing you local news and views since 1958

Persist 5k run and walk held in Burlington

Locals clean up on Green Up Day!

Charlotte Girl Scouts pitching in to do their part on Green Up Day.

Photo by Cindy Bradley

Photos by Moran Magoon

Morgan Magoon Men, women and children rose early on Sunday morning, Mother’s Day, to participate in the second annual Persist 5K. This non-competitive race was inspired by the Women’s March, came into being through the dreams and energy of several local women, and exists to support Vermont women who are in need.

The race consisted of a 5k course and a 1-mile course with the start and finish at the Community Sailing Center in Burlington.

This was the second year of the Persist 5k, and many of the participants were sporting pink headbands that were meant to emulate the pink hats worn during the Women’s March in Washington in January 2017.

There were over 30 sponsors of this year’s race, including Vermont Gynecology, the Community Sailing Center, Skida, Rise Boot Camp, Cabot Creamery, Trader Joe’s and Lantman’s Market. All of the money raised by the event will go to the Vermont Women’s Fund. Established in 1994, the fund exists to improve the lives of Vermont women and girls, ages 12-25, through philanthropic giving, funding research, creating statewide partnerships, and supporting programs that focus on economics, education, and job and lifeskill training. To date the fund has granted more than $2 million to organizations in Vermont with other fundraising efforts like the Dream, Girl screening and An Evening with Jodi Kantor.

Sophie Caldwell, a member of the U.S. Olympic Cross-Country Ski Team, was the guest speaker at Sunday morning’s event. She talked about her time at the

Olympics, comparing her team to the race.

She said, “But then the group of talented young women, myself included, kind of rose up through the ranks and showed our potential. It took one coach to realize that there was something going on here, and he also realized that the power of teamwork had this amazing potential...just remember what you are doing today with hundreds of your best teammates.”

Meg Smith, the director of the Vermont Women’s Fund, also spoke at race. “Your money is really helping women rise and thrive in the State of Vermont,” she told the crowd. “The Persist 5k is our second largest fundraiser. It’s unbelievable what you guys have done with this race.”

Morgan, a summer intern at The News, is majoring in Communications and is in her junior year at the University of Rhode Island.

Karan Francalangia’s grandson, Greyson, (age three) put his tractor to good use when he helped with Green Up Day.

Photo by Karan Francalangias

2 • May 16, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Editorial

Hearing the Call

Alex Bunten FORMER EDITOR

It’s 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, Mother’s Day, at the old Baptist Church in East Charlotte. The wide-pine floorboards creak and crack as I retrieve my second cup of coffee. The stained glass windows glow with references to the Greek alphabet in mottled yellows, greens and blues. A few early birds are running laps from the newly pruned apple trees to the feeders. My fiancée, the lovely Britta Johnson, rightly asks what I’m doing up so early.

“Making history!” I bellow from my desk where the pews used to be, already a little too jacked on java.

Not really. Well, the bellowing part.

I’m just whacking away at a keyboard, as Nancy Wood did with her rag-tag band of writers and editors in the 1950s—back when a foolscap community biweekly first transmitted from the basement of a church across town.

It feels fitting to pen this “Old Home Day” reflection from an historic building that was mentioned in the second issue of the paper on August 2, 1958, and has been around since the early 1800s. (For those who know me, you guessed correctly that I gleaned this information and much more from The Charlotte News archive, see inset).

Old Home Day is a New England tradition dating back to 1897 in New Hampshire. The governor at the time, Frank West Rollins, wrote: “I wish that in the ear of every son and daughter of New Hampshire, in the summer days, might be heard whispered the persuasive words: Come back, come back. Do you not hear the call? What has become of the old home where you were born? Do you not remember it—the old farm back among the hills, with its

rambling buildings, its well sweep casting its long shadows, the row of stiff poplar trees, the lilacs and the willows?”

Basically it was a nice little PR campaign, replete with parades, crafts, food and nostalgia to get people to come back to a fading way of life. Some things never change, and currently Governor Scott is brewing up some alchemy for the same purpose. (They let the venerable Vermont Life go to pot, but that’s another story.) The secret lies somewhere in finding a sense of belonging between the frost heaves, hayseeds and hippies.

Enjoying an outrageous variety of local craft beer helps. Wanting to have a wholesome family life, too.

Old Home Day at the Baptist Church seemed like an interesting occasion with pastors or residents returning from faraway places like New York, New Hampshire and even Japan and China.

A Miss Abbie Anderson was mentioned in the July 15, 1960, issue, returning from 25 years in Communist China, the last two of which were spent in prison. There’s no detail given of the charges levied, but I would have liked to sit in on that sermon.

The Baptist Church was disbanded in 1961, and the members were rolled into the herd at the Congregational Church.

From there the Baptist Church became the Sherman-Horsford library,

and sometime in the 1970s it was sold as a private residence.

I imagine it was hard to see one’s place of worship dissolved into the ether and sold. I don’t often think of it as any more than a house but sometimes wonder how many weddings or funerals took place here. I wonder if anyone in town still remembers Old Home Day at the Baptist Church? Maybe someone remembers the last? More so, I ogle that ingenuity and perseverance of the congregation who stood in front of the burned down church and rebuilt it in 1840.

And just like churches and communities, newspapers come and go. But for the past 60 years, The Charlotte News has stuck to its guns. Of course, they have considered the options under more profitable tutelage, but by the grace of some grateful residents and the pure passion of the people who work to produce it, we are still blessed to have this publication in our community.

Thanks to Melissa and all who support her efforts and leadership—for sounding the sirens of home, for keeping local alive.

Come back, come back. Do you not hear the call?

The

Charlotte News

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The Charlotte News The Charlotte News is a nonprofit, communitybased newspaper dedicated to informing townspeople of current events and issues. It serves as a forum for the free exchange of views of town residents and celebrates the people, places and happenings that make the Town of Charlotte unique.

Contributions in the form of articles, press releases and photographs pertaining to Charlotte-related people and events are accepted and encouraged. For submission guidelines and deadlines, please visit our website or contact the editor at news@thecharlottenews.org.

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by The Charlotte News, Inc., a Vermont domestic 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation.

Distribution is made every other Wednesday to all households and businesses in Charlotte and to more than 50 outlets in Shelburne, Hinesburg, North Ferrisburgh, Ferrisburgh, Vergennes and Burlington. The Charlotte News relies on the generous financial contributions of its readers, subscriptions and advertising revenue to sustain its operations.

Publisher: Vince Crockenberg Editorial Staff News Editor: Melissa O’Brien (melissa@thecharlottenews.org) Managing Editor: Anna Cyr (anna@thecharlottenews.org) Contributing Editor: Edd Merritt Copy editors: Beth Merritt, Vince Crockenberg Proofreaders: Edd Merritt, Mike & Janet Yantachka Archives: Liz Fotouhi Business Staff ads@thecharlottenews.org / 343-0279 Ad manager: Monica Marshall (ads@thecharlottenews.org) Bookkeeper: Jessica Lucia Board Members President: Vince Crockenberg (vince@thecharlottenews.org) Secretaries: Rick Detwiler, Carol Hanley Treasurer: Patrice Machavern (treasurer@thecharlottenews.org) Board members: Rachel Allard, Bob Bloch, Gay Regan, Louisa Schibli Website: thecharlottenews.org Subscription Information The Charlotte News is delivered at no cost to all Charlotte residences. Subscriptions are available for first-class delivery at $40 per calendar year. Want a subscription? Please send a check payable to The Charlotte News, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445.

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ON THE COVER: Flower: Wake Robin (Trillium).

By Jan Cannon

The Charlotte News • May 16, 2018 • 3

Report from the Legislature

Not quite the end of the session The last two weeks of a legislative session are a whirlwind of activity. Dozens of bills that have been worked on during the previous 16 weeks Mike Yantachka of the session in STATE REPRESENTATIVE both the House and the Senate reached final stages of passage. Most traveled back and forth between the two bodies, as amendments were made to reflect the different concerns of the responsible committees. Twenty-eight bills this year required a conference committee made up of three representatives and three senators to resolve disagreements in language that couldn’t be settled by amendments. The budget is the final bill passed in a session.

Any bill that was still outstanding when the budget passed would be dead.

As the session ended just after midnight Sunday morning, we managed to complete all of those bills as well as many more. The bills included raising the minimum wage, providing paid family leave, establishing toxic materials responsibility, protecting sexual harassment victims, funding clean water efforts, setting appliance efficiency standards, helping Vermont manufacturers improve energy efficiency and productivity, providing free tuition for National Guard members, several consumer protection and economic development bills, and an income tax reform and education funding bill as well as the budget.

Our legislative agenda reflected in the bills we passed promotes a caring economy that makes Vermont more affordable for lower- and middle-income families, protects all Vermonters from various social and environmental impacts, and provides opportunities for economic growth. While we did not adopt the governor’s proposal for using one-time money to keep our education property taxes from increasing, the funding

changes made by the Legislature will hold the residential property tax rate increase to two cents in a sustainable way that avoids the need to find one-time money again next year.

One-time money is just that. There’s no guarantee that it will be there next year, which just defers a tax increase. Instead, this year’s one-time money will be used to pay for one-time expenses, like fully funding our reserves and paying down the teachers’ retirement fund obligation, saving Vermont taxpayers $100M in future budgets.

Our income tax changes will return $30M in extra tax revenue generated by the federal income tax changes back to Vermonters by lowering the income tax rates for everyone.

Overall state spending increased less than 1 percent, significantly lower than the rate of inflation. I can’t go into sufficient detail here on the tax changes or the budget, but I will post detailed descriptions of both on my website, MikeYantachka.com.

Unfortunately, the Governor has stated that he plans to veto the budget as well as several other bills that address affordability and the health and welfare of Vermonters.

The budget passed with a tri-partisan vote of 117–14. If he does carry out his veto promise, he will have to call the Legislature back into session. There have been plenty of opportunities for the administration to engage with the Legislature to work out a compromise, but that didn’t happen. Now we are faced with the additional expense of an extended session.

Finally, I would like to make a correction.

It was called to my attention that in my previous article about the minimum wage bill, I reference some total wage numbers that seemed to be based on different assumptions. The $15/hour total should have been $31,200 based on the same 40 hours/ week and 52 weeks/year used for $10.50/ hour.

As always, I can be reached by phone (802-233-5238) or by email (myantachka. dfa@gmail.com).

Around Town Congratulations: to the sixth graders of Charlotte Central School who were instrumental in creating an opportunity to talk to two astronauts on the International Space Station about their work and life as they orbited in space. The Charlotte meeting was one of only two in the nation, the other in Laurel, Montana. On May 2, after responding to Houston’s Mission Control that they were ready for the event, astronauts Andrew Feustel and Scott Tingle carried on a live conversation with students, teachers and others at Charlotte Central School.

The astronauts talked about how they maintained themselves aboard the space station, what they hoped to learn by expanding their activities into deepspace exploration and what sort of scientific inquiry they would conduct in the process. They developed a highly engaging discussion with the students.

Interestingly, the visit was carried out in collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Ambassador Allan Miller, who in his non-NASA time is an instructional coach in the Champlain Valley School District. The entire CCS Middle School enrollment, 175 students, along with teachers, administrators and board members were in the school audience.

See page 10 for CCS sixth grade teacher, Natasha Gray’s, reflection. to Charlotte’s Robin Turnau who left as Vermont Public Radio’s President and CEO two weeks ago after serving in that capacity for nine years. Robin was on the staff of VPR for 29 years overall.

Seven Days correspondent John Walters says in his “Media Notes” that Robin is “going out with a bang,” leaving a healthy operation for her replacement, Scott Finn. VPR’s annual report for the fiscal year 2017 showed substantial increases in its total revenues, over 6 percent from the previous year.

Town Bites: THC for Fido and me

Well, there is some question about how dogs are getting hold of that psychoactive compound in cannabis.

Elisabeth Robert believes it’s by ingesting human feces while climbing Mt. Philo. Williston veterinarian Dr. Dan Inman said in a recent Seven Days that he sees an “average of three or four such cases per week.” However, he is less certain of its cause than Ms. Robert.

He believes that having the THC in cookies or cup cakes that the pups find around the house is a bit more likely.

The cannabanoid toxicity affects dogs in visible ways, causing them to stumble or in extreme cases have to be carried into the vet’s office because, Inman says, they are nearly comatose.

It reminds me of a conversation I had with my late friend, economist, author and secessionist Thomas Naylor.

Standing outside of Spear’s Store he told me that he had been invited to Maine by his friend Carolyn Chute (also an author, The Beans of Egypt, Maine) to join the Maine Militia in a festive gathering.

They fed him and served brownies for dessert. They were delicious he said, but when he tried to stand up, he realized they had been laced with something containing cannabis, a tipsy treat but not exactly “kibbles ‘n bits.”

Anyway, just to be on the safe side, eat with caution on the way to the top of Philo. There’s no telling what those piles along the trailside contain.

CCS celebrates Arbor Day

Charlotte Central School, Horsford Gardens and Nursery and Tree Warden Mark Dillenbeck along with K-4 students celebrated Arbor Day last Monday by planting a sycamore tree in the southwest corner of the preschool playground. The students shared work—books, art pieces, poetry and songs—that were related to the day. And, of course, nature played its part, forcing the celebration back by three days due to inclement weather.

The Charlotte Senior Center’s Annual (& Perennial) PLANT SALE Sat. May 26 9 a.m. to Noon Potted Plant donations (labeled) Monday, May 21 to Friday, May 25 Need help with your plant donations?

Questions? Call Roberta Whitmore 425-3978

Personal Service, Professional Results Michael T. Russell | George R. Vince Business Formation & Reorganization Land Use Permitting & Disputes Real Estate Transactions & Disputes Wills & Trusts www.peasmountainlaw.com | info@peasemountainlaw.com (802)264-4888 | 2848 Greenbush Road Suite 1A, Charlotte, VT 5 South Street, Bristol, Vermont

4 • May 16, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Town Vermont House of Representatives presents Clemmons family with A Sense of Place resolution Vermont state representatives Kiah Morris, D-Bennington, and Mike Yantachka, D-Charlotte, presented House Concurrent Resolution H.C.R. 364 to Dr. Jackson Clemmons and Mrs. Lydia Clemmons on Wednesday, May 2, in recognition of the Clemmons Family Farm’s A Sense of Place project, which will support the 148-acre farm’s transition to an African-American heritage and multicultural center in Charlotte.

Funded by ArtPlace America’s highly competitive National Creative Placemaking Fund, the Sense of Place project was acknowledged in the House Chamber as having an overarching goal to improve community mental health, physical health and social well-being through AfricanAmerican and African arts and culture programming. The project, which will run from January 2018 to June 2020, will catalyze community conversations around history, heritage and identity and foster a strong and supportive multicultural community in Vermont and rural New England with performing arts, culinary arts and visual arts programming.

ArtPlace America received 987 applications nationwide for the prestigious grant. The Clemmons Family Farm’s Sense of Place project is one of only 23 projects in the country selected to receive the award in this year’s competition. Rep. Morris was prompted to introduce the resolution after learning that the Clemmons Family Farm also was awarded the state’s 2018 Barn Preservation Grant to support the preservation of the farm’s “Big Barn.”

Rep. Yantachka provided remarks that are recorded in the Journal of the House.

The Clemmons Family Farm will

Get involved in town government!

The Selectboard is looking for interested citizens to fill the following vacancies: • Cemetery Commission. One vacancy with a term ending in March 2021.

This is an elected position for which there were no candidates in March 2018. The Selectboard’s appointment is until March 2019, then the position is open for candidates to seek election to complete the term to March 2021.

• Trails Committee. Three vacancies, one with a term ending in April 2019 and two with terms ending in April 2020.

• Recreation Commission. One vacancy with a term ending in April 2020.

Interested applicants should email, call or stop by the office for more information.

Kiah Morris, D-Bennington (standing, left), and Mike Yantachka, D-Charlotte (right), presenting House Concurrent Resolution H.C.R. 364 to Dr. Jackson Clemmons and Mrs. Lydia Clemmons (seated) with Shanta Lee Gander, Managing Director of A Sense of Place (standing, center).

Photo by Virginia Macey-Schuette provide overall project leadership in collaboration with several Vermont-based institutional partners. Building Heritage LLC will bring expertise in the preservation and upgrades of one of the farm’s historic barns. The Burlington City Arts Foundation will act as the farm’s fiscal agent to receive and manage the grant. Champlain College

Dean Bloch, town administrator Charlotte Town Office P.O. Box 119 Charlotte, VT 05445 Email: dean@townofcharlotte.com Phone: 425-3533.

will coordinate media relations and strategic communication initiatives. And INSPIRIT, a dance company, will bring African-American and African diaspora visual arts, dance, choreography, theater and community engagement programs to the farm.

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The Charlotte News • May 16, 2018 • 5

Town

GMBC day touring rides for June

. All riders must wear helmets and obey the rules of the road. Please do not ride two abreast if there is traffic in either direction. . For mornings with questionable weather, please call the ride leader to make sure the ride is still taking place. Ride leaders are obligated to go to the starting point and provide maps but may choose not to ride if the weather is miserable. . Riders below the age of 18 must have a signed waiver from a parent. . E indicates an easy ride, M is for moderate, and S is for strenuous. . Rides begin promptly 15 minutes after the meeting time. . Social rides are more leisurely versions of the mapped ride—usually the shorter route—with longer food breaks. Always contact the social ride leader before the ride to make sure those versions of the ride are taking place. . Additional local social rides will be scheduled as weather permits in the Champlain Valley. Please email lightspd@ comcast.net to be added to the social riders email contact list, which is the only guaranteed notification for these rides.

Weekend social rides are usually announced

by Thursday.

Date: Sunday, June 3 Grand Isles Flats. One of the flattest rides of the season. The 28-mile ride (E/M) circles Grand Isle and includes some dirt. The pace will be more casual than the long ride and will be done in the opposite direction. Riders on the 58-mile (M) ride can visit St. Anne’s Shrine (bathrooms and picnic tables but no food) and a fossil bed with a food break at Hero’s Welcome in North Hero.

Unlike other GMBC rides, this one splits between the short and long at the beginning.

/ alpinefogman@yahoo.com Co-leader: Holly Creeks - 233-9013 / creeksh@yahoo.com Social ride contact: Donna Leban - 862-1901 / lightspd@comcast.net Date: Saturday, June 9 Introductory ride for new riders. We will go 12–20 miles at a leisurely pace. Our goal is to teach new cyclists the rules of the road and how to ride in a group.

Meeting time: 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, South Burlington, Wheeler lot.

Leader: Kevin Batson - 825-2618/ kevbvt@ gmail.com Co-leader: Holly Creeks - 233-9013 / creeksh@yahoo.com Date: Sunday, June 10 Hinesburg Hollow. This route travels south through Huntington via the beautiful Hinesburg Hollow Road. The short route is 25 miles (M) and returns to Williston via North Road (and a little bit of dirt) while the long one is 47 miles (M/S) and continues through North Ferrisburgh to the lake and back through Hinesburg.

SCHIP spring grant deadline The spring deadline for SCHIP grant applications is Thursday, May 31. Since SCHIP began making grants, many nonprofits have used their awarded funds to continue their mission to improve the lives of our neighbors and strengthen our communities. Grants range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Grants may not exceed $3,000 per request, and only one grant can be received within a year by any one entity.

Applicant requirements: • Be a 501(c)(3) organization or submit the application through one.

• Projects must serve residents of

Shelburne, Charlotte or Hinesburg.

• Funds may not be applied to annual operating budgets or permanent staffing.

• One application per organization per calendar year.

Grant deadlines are January 31, May 31 and September 30. To obtain an application go to the “Contact” link on the SCHIP’s Treasure website at SCHIPSTreasure.org.

Submit Your Graduate’s Photo To

Charlotte News

The

Meeting time: 9:15 a.m. at Williston Central School (by the tennis courts.

Leader: Tom Kennedy - 735-5359 / etomkennedy@gmail.com Co-leader: Glen Brooks - 373-1583 / gfbrooksvt@gmail.com Social ride leader: Donna Leban - 862-1901 / lightspd@comcast.net

Meeting time: 9:15 a.m. at the Folsom School, South Street in South Hero. Those coming from the Burlington area may consider carpooling from the Colchester Park and Ride, Exit 17 off I-89, UVM or Veterans Memorial Park in South Burlington.

Email them by June 7th to news@thecharlottenews.org Full Service Marina

Leader: Bryan Harrington - 899-2908

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6 • May 16, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Town

Repair Café coming up!

Nicole Conley

New youth program Charlotte Children’s Walking Club.

Let’s get together to explore Charlotte trails! Each week this spring we’ll explore some of the beautiful corners of our community on foot. We’ll visit various trails and parks as well as take walks on working farms. The activity is suitable for independent children in 3rd grade and up, but the parent/guardian must be available at all times for pick up. We request younger children be accompanied by a parent or guardian. All parents are welcome to join the walk.

All starting times will be approximately 3:30 p.m. Our spring schedule is as follows: May 17: Town Trail starting near Greenbush Road (South Village) May 24: Disc Golf walk at Charlotte Beach May 31: Lewis Creek Discovery off Prindle Road June 7: Plouffe Lane off Carpenter Road The only requirement is that children should want to walk (with a positive mindset) for 90 minutes. There is no cost for the program. We will have a suggested donation for some events to contribute to a shared picnic, including snacks and drinks. All other details will be provided by email after registering through the Recreation Department.

Adult summer programs Adult pickleball. The summer season of pickleball in Charlotte will take place on Mondays and Thursdays beginning at 5:30 p.m. through the summer and early fall. Contact the Recreation Department to be placed on an email distribution list.

Adult tennis at the beach is back on Wednesdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Foul weather backup will be Fridays, same

time. To be place on an email distribution list contact the Recreation Department.

Morning beach yoga and meditation.

Start your weekend meditating outside on Lake Champlain this summer! Come to the Charlotte Beach on Friday mornings from 7:15 to 8:15, July 6 through August 24. Yoga teachers from Yoga Roots of Shelburne, Chessy Kelley and Charlie Nardozzi (on alternating Fridays), will guide you through a mindfulness practice so you can soak up the external and internal beauty to take with you for the rest of the day and weekend. No experience necessary, just a love for the water and fresh air to calm and soothe body and mind.

You can find additional information on all of our programs, as well as registration forms, on our town website at charlottevt. org under the “Recreation” tab, or contact Nicole Conley by email Recreation@ townofcharlotte.com or by phone 4256129, ext.204.

“Fixers” helped about 30 people at the last Repair Cafè on November 11, 2017.

Photos contributed Do you need something fixed?

Transition Town Charlotte and our Hinesburg friends will be hosting our second Repair Café from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, at the Hinesburg Town Hall. A Repair Café is a community gathering where we come together to socialize and fix each other’s stuff. Why? Well… to keep perfectly good things out of the landfill, to meet and have fun with our neighbors, to enjoy the camaraderie of brainstorming and solving puzzles, to keep our towns looking good, and to reduce the stress of “how do I repair this broken thing?”

What will we repair? So far we have fixers willing to tackle small electric appliances, lamps, electrical gadgets and worn cords; wooden chairs, furniture; toys; hand and garden tools (including sharpening); clocks, including cuckoo clocks, attaching watch bands, replacing

watch batteries; clothing, knitted items, sewing machine adjustments; jewelry repairs and modifications; doodads, widgets and thingamajigs. Plus... tutorials on smart phone usage; and small gas engine tune-ups and tutorials.

There is no charge for repairs, but we do ask participants to make a nonperishable food or monetary donation on repair day to the Hinesburg Food Shelf. In order to help our fixers prepare, we also ask that attendees let us know beforehand what they are planning on bringing. To RSVP contact us at (703) 855-9465 or gerlaugh@gmail.com.

Coffee/tea and snacks will be available by donation and a lunch can be purchased.

The event is being sponsored by Transition Town Charlotte, the Charlotte Library and Charlotte Grange.

We tackled some interesting things last time. Bring us a challenge on May 19!

“Fixers” will be tackling an assortment of repairs . . plus tutorials on smart phone usage and more.

The Charlotte News • May 16, 2018 • 7

Region

Trails Talk

Hinesburg Artist Series spring concert to feature cellist Emily Taubl

Emily Taubl Come join friends and neighbors on Sunday, May 20, at Champlain Valley Union High School auditorium at 4:30 p.m. The concert will feature the Hinesburg Community Band and the South County Chorus, under the direction of Rufus Patrick. Our special guest artist will be cellist Emily Taubl.

The concert will also pay tribute to Leonard Bernstein, who died in 1990 at age 72 and would have been 100 on August 25, 2018.

Emily has attracted attention for her expressive playing and uncommon poise.

She has been called “an outstanding cellist with a bright future” by the Hartford Courant. She has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Hartford Symphony, Boston Virtuosi, Granite State Symphony, Nashua Chamber Orchestra, New England String Ensemble and the Juilliard PreCollege Symphony. She has been featured as a soloist at the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival in Los Angeles, on the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Prelude Concert Series, and for The Colors of Claude Debussy: A 150th Birthday Celebration on Boston’s WGBH, which that was broadcast internationally. In addition, she has been recognized as the top prizewinner in the Van Rooy

Competition.

Taubl studied at Juilliard, the Yale School of Music and the New England Conservatory. She currently lives in Burlington and teaches at the University of Vermont and privately.

The Hinesburg Community Band will perform “Bandology” by Eric Osterling, “March” by Sergei Procofiev, “To Seek the Glorious” by Paul Murtha, selections

by Leonard Bernstein including “The Wrong Note Rag,” and selections from West Side Story including “Maria,” “Tonight,” “One Hand, One Heart,” “Cool,” “Somewhere” and “Gee, Officer Krupke.”

“Angelo Del Cielo” by Giacomo Puccini/arr. de Meij will be performed by Emily Taubl with band accompaniment.

The South County Chorus will sing “What a Mornin’” by Gary Parks, “Father William” by Irving Fine, and “I Sing Because I’m Happy” by Rollo Dilworth. Taubl will accompany the chorus on “Kyrie” by René Clausen, “Shall We Gather at the River” arr.

by Jay Rouse, and “Take Care of This House” by Leonard Bernstein.

The event is free, with donations gratefully accepted. Hope to see you at CVU on Sunday May 20, at 4:30 p.m.

Exploring what Charlotte trails have to offer Christine Cowart MEMBER OF CHARLOTTE TRAILS COMMITTEE

There’s been a lot of talk about Charlotte’s Town Link Trail, which will eventually connect Mount Philo with the Charlotte Beach, but did you know that Charlotte has several other welldeveloped trail systems just waiting to be explored?

Right behind Charlotte Central School is wonderful Pease Mountain. This 2.6mile network of trails consists of a short, moderate climb through the forest to a lower loop. Continue on to the upper loop to access two spectacular viewpoints.

The trailhead is on top of the hill, in the southwest corner, behind the athletic fields.

You can park to the west of the Quonset hut and walk beside the athletic fields up to a large informational sign marking the trailhead.

If you’re looking for solitude in nature, check out the Plouffe Lane trails. This 1.4 mile network of trails, featuring a meadow,

Patrick Kearney, PA-C

Evergreen Family Health

Acce P

river and woods, is one of Charlotte’s lesser-known natural areas. It can be found by taking Carpenter Road to Plouffe Lane. Follow the road to the end (there is a red gate), open the gate and park your car inside. While there, please respect the homeowners on Plouffe Lane by obeying the speed limit and all posted signs, and be sure to stop at the bench to enjoy the view of the Green Mountains.

The Williams Woods Natural Area is a mature, valley clayplain forest, composed of white oak, red oak, red maple, white pine, shagbark hickory and white ash. It can be enjoyed as you meander along the easy 1.2-mile loop trail through this rare type of woodland. To find it, look for a sign on the western side of Greenbush Road, about a mile south of the Thompson’s Point Road intersection.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. For more information, including a complete inventory of Charlotte’s trails, look up “Maps and Trails of the Town” on the website at charlottevt.org.

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8 • May 16, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Charlotte Library News Margaret Woodruff

the latest from a mystery master as two detectives try to probe the secrets teenage girls keep—and the lies they tell—after murder at a posh boarding school...

Everyone in this meticulously crafted novel might be playing—or being played by—everyone else. Join us for coffee and conversation about Tana French’s fifth in the Dublin Murder Squad series. Copies are available at the circulation desk.

LIBRARY DIRECTOR

UPCOMING AT THE LIBRARY Kids Programs & Activities Thursday, May 17, at 3:15 p.m. THINK Tank: Cryptography. Learn the science of decoding messages and its importance in history. Solve some cryptography puzzles and create your own secret messages.

For 4th-8th grades. Registration required.

Please sign up for up to two THINK Tank programs in May. For more sessions, please request to be put on the waiting list.

Friday, May 18, at 10:30 a.m. Preschool Story Time. Join us for stories, songs and crafts. Ages 3-5.

Tuesday, May 22, at 9 a.m. Baby Time at the Library. Meet other caregivers and the littlest ones in our area. We’ll chat, sing songs, and read to Baby.

Thursday, May 24, at 3:15 p.m. THINK Tank: H2O Challenge. What does it take to make water safe for drinking? Work with your team to design and create a water filter. For 4th-8th grades. Registration required. Please sign up for up to two THINK Tank programs in May. For more sessions, please request to be put on the waiting list.

Tuesday, May 29, at 9 a.m. Baby Time.

Meet other caregivers and the littlest ones in our area. We’ll chat, sing songs, and read to Baby.

Thursday, May 31, at 3:15 p.m. THINK Tank: Paper Circuits. Make light-up circuits on a piece of paper! Conductive tape, a battery and LEDs will light up your card or folded paper creation. For 4th-8th

grades. Registration required. Please sign up for up to two THINK Tank programs in May. For more sessions, please request to be put on the waiting list.

Adult Interest Thursday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m. Book Discussion Group: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. A true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice, from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time. Copies available at the circulation desk.

Friday, May 18, at 7 p.m. Burlington Songwriters Session @ Charlotte Library.

Come out for an evening of community and original music from Vermont songwriters Kip Demoll, Joe Delaney, Janice Russotti and Shane Bowley.

Refreshments and discussion to follow.

Monday, May 21, at 10 a.m. Mystery Book Group: The Secret Place by Tana French. A hint of the supernatural spices

Tuesday, May 22, at 7 p.m. Great Decisions: China’s Geopolitics. Where the United States has taken a step back from multilateral trade agreements and discarded the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), China has made inroads through efforts like the Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. What policies might Washington adopt to address this circumstance? Copies of reading materials available at the circulation desk.

Wednesday, May 23, at 7 p.m. Drive Electric VT. Dave Roberts, a member of the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation’s Transportation Efficiency group, talks about different types of plugin electric cars—over 30 plug-in electric models are available now in Vermont.

Hear about charge locations, and learn about powering with renewable energy and purchase incentives. Check out the all-electric Chevy Bolt and learn more about electric vehicles with Charlotte Energy Committee. Co-sponsored with the Charlotte Energy Committee.

Tuesday, May 29, at 7 p.m. Songs, Tunes & Stories from Northeast England. Mike Walker, Casey Burger and Wayne Lauden take a journey through Northumbria, from Roman and Viking invaders to the engine room of the industrial revolution through stories, song, tunes and slides.

Wednesday, May 30, at 7 p.m. Vermont Holocaust Memorial Presentation.

Vermont Holocaust Memorial speakers share family stories and discuss the importance of studying Holocaust history as a means of promoting tolerance and respect for all. Co-sponsored with the Carpenter-Carse Library in Hinesburg, this event takes place at the Carpenter-Carse Library.

Don’t forget! The Seed Library is open!

Plenty of seeds for growing your own fresh veggies. Questions? Contact Seed Library Coordinator Linda Hamilton at charlottelibraryvt@gmail.com.

Charlotte Library Board of Trustees: Katharine Cohen, Nan Mason, Danielle Conlon Menk, Jonathan Silverman and Robert Smith.

Next Library Board meeting: Tuesday, June 12, at 6 p.m.

Charlotte Library information Margaret Woodruff, director Cheryl Sloan, youth services librarian Susanna Kahn, tech services librarian Hours Mondays & Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Reach us on the web at charlottepubliclibrary.org.

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/ charlottelibraryvt.

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram: @ CharlotteVTLib.

The Charlotte News • May 16, 2018 • 9

Schools

CVU Mock Crash Demonstration Christine Lloyd-Newberry DIRECTOR OF INTEGRATED WELLNESS IN CVSD

In recognition of this celebratory and potentially dangerous time of year (prom and graduation season), Connecting Youth in Champlain Valley School District has held student and community awareness activities across the district throughout the month of April. These events culminated in the bi-annual Mock Crash demonstration held on Tuesday, May 8, at Champlain Valley Union High School.

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-olds, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

In 2016, 1,908 drivers in that age range died in motor vehicle crashes. Twenty-five percent of these drivers had alcohol in their systems. The majority of them were not wearing seat belts (NHTSA, Traffic Safety Facts, 2016.) In addition to fatalities, alcohol use is linked to physical violence, sexual assault, house fires and a host of other issues.

Central Service Towing and Recovery donated two previously crashed cars that were used to set the stage for the mock crash. Four student and two staff volunteers were made up to look like crash victims, using moulage stage makeup, applied by student Emma Flore. All of the volunteer actors were mic’d and took their places in

the crash scene as their classmates exited the school and viewed the crash scene. The students’ vehicle was “driven” by junior Brayden Bartlett from Williston. His front seat passenger Shea Dunlop, a senior from Hinesburg, was strewn across the hood of the vehicle as if ejected through the windshield. In the back seat sophomore Clayton Thorpe and senior Lucy Mathews, both Hinesburg residents, also portrayed injured accident victims. The other vehicle was “driven” by volunteer actor and science teacher John Ellison, and his passenger was Rahn Fleming, Director of the CVU Learning Center, who was also “injured.” CVU juniors and seniors were escorted to the hill in front of the school to witness the results of the mock accident.

Approximately 600 CVU juniors and seniors looked on in silence, taking in the scene. As they did, more than 40 emergency services personnel from Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne and Williston started arriving on the scene, sirens blaring. As they arrived, fire and rescue personnel went to work extricating “injured” students from the car. As the emergency response to the crash unfolded, Chief Frank Koss narrated the action and early on pronounced senior Shea Dunlop “dead at the scene.” While Fleming was transported from the scene in an ambulance, Thorpe and Mathews communicated with the emergency personnel from the back seat of the car as

Photos contributed

they were covered with a tarp to keep them safe during the extrication process. The back seat windows were smashed before emergency responders utilized the Jaws of Life to cut off the top of the car to make extracting the student actors possible. The students were transported from the scene in ambulances while Shea Dunlop remained covered by a white sheet for the duration of the demonstration. As the mock crash came to a close, student actor Brayden Bartlett was taken through a series of field sobriety tests and arrested for “driving while intoxicated, death resulting.” Bartlett was put in handcuffs and taken from the scene in a Shelburne Police cruiser.

Principal Adam Bunting spoke with students about the scene that they witnessed and asked them, “What promise will you make after seeing the mock

crash?” Student responses included: “I will not drink and drive.” “I will think about how my decisions will affect other people’s safety, as well as my own.” “I commit to keeping my friends safe by encouraging good choices and being a model for healthy behavior.”

CY–Connecting Youth is a communitybased organization whose mission is to promote a culture that develops in our youth the power and conviction to make healthy choices. Our primary purpose is to encourage a “no-use” community norm around alcohol, tobacco and other drug use by young people.

Operating out of the Champlain Valley School District, CY serves the communities of Charlotte, Hinesburg, St. George, Shelburne and Williston and is located online at seewhy.info and on Facebook at facebook. com/nectingyouth.

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10 • May 16, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Schools Vermont Day School partners with Lake Reflections on Champlain Chocolates on fair trade project an astronautical As part of its annual spring tradition, Vermont Day School recently teamed up with a local business to create a real-world learning opportunity for its students. This year’s project was particularly sweet, as the Day School partnered with Lake Champlain Chocolates (LCC).

Students visited the LCC headquarters to learn about the company and the process of making chocolate, from bean to bar. At LCC, they met with Communications Specialist Meghan Fitzpatrick, who asked students to create marketing and educational materials to teach others about the concept of fair trade.

The K-6 graders eagerly returned to Vermont Day School to tackle the challenge. In ways appropriate for their age group, each class learned about the concept of fair trade: what it means, how it works, and why it is important to both local and global economies. As explained by a third-grade student, “Fair trade is not as complicated as people think. It’s about farmers and workers around the world being treated fairly and getting what they deserve.”

Next came the creative and collaborative part of the project. Students worked in teams to develop innovative ways for LCC to market their fair trade products. “I’m always amazed by how naturally students are able to think out of the box, when given the opportunity,” said faculty member Brea Schwartz.

The teams came up with a variety of ideas, ranging from wristbands to comic strips, board games to iMovies, and artwork to music. Each product and idea highlighted an aspect of fair trade that the

collaboration

Natasha Gray CCS SIXTH GRADE TEACHER

Photo contributed

students felt compelled to share.

As a culmination of the project, students honed their presentation skills and returned to the LCC headquarters to pitch their ideas to members of the marketing team. As explained by Fitzpatrick, “Everyone on the LCC team was extremely impressed with the students’ ability to present so professionally to a room full of peers and adults. It was incredibly refreshing and valuable to hear from kids.”

Vermont Day School plans to continue its tradition of partnering with local businesses to create authentic learning experiences. Past collaborations have included Burton Snowboards and Seventh

Generation. As explained by Head of School Sage Bagnato, “As we prepare students to be effective collaborators, strong communicators and creative problem solvers, it’s important to give them opportunities to develop these competencies both in and out of the classroom.”

Vermont Day School is an independent K-8 school in Shelburne, whose mission is to foster the skills, knowledge, personal attributes and work habits that enable children to thrive effectively, meaningfully and joyously in the world of today and tomorrow.

Email your news, photos and announcements to:

news@thecharlottenews.org

In doing this project, I was able to step back and allow my students to use their existing skills, self-identify areas where they need support and develop genuine questions. As questions arose, students naturally used a large variety of resources to find answers: dictionaries were being pulled out, different teachers were consulted with, videos were pulled up, and the list goes on. It was powerful to not have the answers to all of their questions (what average person knows about coarsening of particles in metal?), instead researching and learning right alongside our students.

Speaking to the astronauts themselves was such a great reminder of the power of collaboration: the International Space Station was created by, and is staffed and run by, an international team. Despite being from different countries, cultures and backgrounds, the astronauts on the ISS work together toward a common goal that benefits all of us here on earth.

I think that students love any opportunity to do genuine work that has real-world value, pushes their thinking and allows them to work collaboratively. This project has made working for NASA into a tangible goal for many students and has helped students see themselves as capable scientists, reporters and researchers.

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The Charlotte News • May 16, 2018 • 11

Real Estate

Types of investment properties and what they can mean for your wallet

Investment properties can come in all shapes and sizes. My two favorite options are investing in a property that needs work to flip Heather Morse or investing in an REALTOR income-producing property.

Very different approaches, each with its own risks.

Flipping homes is a full time job. First you need to find a property in enough distress that it’s for sale well below value but not in so much distress that you are going to have to invest too much time and material in it to make your money back.

Unless you have the skill set for largerticket items, you might want to avoid homes with major structural damage or ones in need of a septic system. These don’t typically raise the value of a home because they are considered something that should come standard. However, a home with a failed septic system will certainly be worth less, but only less the amount of a new system.

Cosmetic work can be done for a lower cost and raise a house’s value. Investors have to make sure they don’t go too highend on the work, however, and find they cannot recoup the cost of the work in the

resale. This is a very hands-on way of investing and much shorter term. If you are capable of doing the work instead of hiring contractors you will have greater success at this. Keep in mind buyers will get home inspections, so if you are not a plumber or a roofer, doing those and doing them wrong will cost you in the long run.

Another popular investment is purchasing a multifamily home and renting the units—or even living in one of the units and renting the others. Veterans with VA loans can even purchase a multifamily home to live in for zero percent down, and if the income potential is enough they could virtually have no mortgage payment.

Other buyers will need between 3.5 and 20 percent down depending on the bank and what they intend to use the property for.

Typically you can get a lower percentage down loan if you plan to live in one of the units, though there is a cap on how many units the property can have.

This option is more of a long-term investment: the rents pay the mortgage and hopefully a little more, and once the mortgage is paid, it’s purely passive income. With this kind of investment you also have the option to hire a property manager and be as hands-off as you want to be. Or you can do it all yourself.

Good luck with your property search this spring, and I hope you find the investment of your dreams!

Whether it is time for you to buy or sell, let me help you find creative solutions toward your real estate goals.

Original artwork by Sean Dye

PROPERTY TRANSFERS April 12 Suzanne R. Parker Revocable Trust to John Palomblini, 10.14 acres with dwelling, 309 Whalley Road, $488,000.

April 16 Michael LaClair and Cecile Aubin to Nordic Holstein LLC, mobile home only, 1621 Hinesburg Road, $5,000.

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April 19 Charles and Melissa Adams to Cody Spiegel and Kylie DeGroot, 1.04 acres with dwelling, 4728 Mt. Philo Road, $411,500.

May 1 Peter Schneider and Jessica Donavan to Todd J. and Carrie Olson, 1.46 acres, 525 Elfin Lane, $116,900.

May 4 Thomas J. and Debra Fischer to Christopher E. Zappala and Catherine E. Marshall, 6.7 acres with dwelling, 1543 Greenbush Road, $498,500.

May 4 Elizabeth Herrick to PHH Mortgage Corp., 1 .0 acre with dwelling, 54 Sutton Place, $223,300.

12 • May 16, 2018 • The Charlotte News

On Books Grafton, Wolitzer and Tolstoy: Springtime suggestions for reading and listening “For the record, my name is Kinsey Millhone.

I’m a private investigator, licensed by the State of California, (now) thirty-three Katherine Arthaud years old, 118 pounds of female in a five-foot-sixinch frame. My hair is dark, thick, and straight. I’d been accustomed to wearing it short, but I’d been letting it grow out just to see what it would look like. My usual practice is to crop my own mop every six weeks or so with a pair of nail scissors.

This I do because I’m too cheap to pay twenty-eight bucks in a beauty salon. I have hazel eyes, a nose that’s been busted twice, but still manages to function pretty well I think. If I were asked to rate my looks on a scale of one to ten, I wouldn’t. I have to say, however, that I seldom wear makeup, so whatever I look like first thing in the morning at least remains consistent as the day wears on.”

So reads an excerpt from the first chapter of Sue Grafton’s G is for Gumshoe, seventh in a mystery series that ends, sadly, with Y is for Yesterday, as the author died this past December before getting to Z. (So strange…she almost made it to the end of the alphabet, just not quite.) I know I have mentioned this series before,

but it really is excellent. Private Detective Kinsey Millhone is the thread that runs through all the books, and hers is the voice that recounts the stories, which are snappy, clever, descriptive, sometimes quite pointed and funny, occasionally romantic but not very often, with deftly drawn characters and plots that gallop along. I am on G, and imagine I will be quite bereft (as many Grafton fans have no doubt been) when I finish the last chapter of the Y book.

Kinsey has become a friend—feisty, observant, no-nonsense, sensitive, tough, human, fiercely independent. For years, I wrote off this series as some shabbily written, airportpaperback, notworth-my-time fiction. Thank you to my friend Rhonda for persuading me to take a second look. I was so very wrong. If you’ve never read Grafton and you like mysteries, please give these a try. They take place mostly in Southern California, which is, to me, an added plus.

And they really take you right there—to the sun and the palms, the strip malls, the billboards, RV country clubs, occasional forays to the desert, L-shaped motels, stucco buildings surrounded by chain link fence, the occasional dive bar—I’m a fan.

On a totally different note, I just finished I Found My Tribe, by Ruth Fitzmaurice, an excellent memoir by a woman who is

raising five young kids, several pets, and caring for a husband with ALS. It takes place in Ireland and is nothing like what you would expect, having read my brief description.

Full of zest and wit, chaos and passion, wildness, freedom, intense sadness, crazy amazing friendships, and invigorating dips into the frigid sea in all seasons of the year with the Tragic Wives’ Swimming Club (as they call themselves), this is a book filled with great, great love and (somehow) hope.

It is stunning. I highly recommend it. In Mother’s Day season, with mothers and mothering on our minds, I can’t think of a better read.

What am I reading now? Answer: The Flight Attendant, which I cannot put down for a minute. It really is fun.

Murder, alcoholism, international intrigue, Russian spies, counter spies, night flights, fancy Dubai hotels, blackouts, broken bottles, bloodsoaked pillows, one night stands (do we even call them that any more?), a likeable but flawed heroine… I am really enjoying this latest by local Chris Bohjalian (I just read that he has written 20 books.). Great reading for the pool or the beach or the bus or the plane or anywhere

you happen to be. Quite a romp!

And I am listening to Anna Karenina, which I last read when I was in 8th grade, when my best friend, Leslie, and I decided to read a really long book at the same time. I really liked it then and can actually quite vividly remember certain parts of it even all these years later. I am stunned this time around by its complexity, the intricacy of its plot and the descriptions of feelings and sensations in a vast fleet of characters. Tolstoy’s descriptions of Anna are vivid and evocative, and I can almost see (as I drive down Spear Street with my windows open) her shimmering beside me, face flushed from dancing, her black ringlets escaping from their combs, black eyes flashing, her round arms and small hands, her simple black dress, chatting with Vronsky, whom she has just met at the ball—while Kitty, who has her heart set on the young man, watches on, fascinated, horrified, from across the room. But don’t get me started.

If you haven’t read it, do. Or re-read it if you have. It is a very different book from the book I remember at 13. I am actually really enjoying listening to it, and Maggie Gyllenhaal does a very good job reading it.

Meanwhile, spring is here, and birds are chirping from the lawn outside. I hope you are out enjoying it all. Pretty soon I am going to start Female Persuasion, by Meg Wolitzer, for a book group I’m in. I’ll let you know what I think next time around.

Meanwhile, enjoy the sunshine and the warm weather—and happy reading!

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The Charlotte News • May 16, 2018 • 13

Sunny Side Up

Weary Pilgrim

Ikigai Carrie Fenn CONTRIBUTOR

Ikigai—such an interesting word, right?

Loosely translated as “a reason for being” in Japanese, ikigai is where passion, mission, vocation and profession all intersect. It’s another way of thinking about what drives us, what provides meaning.

I heard about ikigai from a Ted Talk, and it brought to mind a conversation I had with a college student about what provides meaning in his life. After my talk with the Charlotte dad who offered his take on his shifting and evolving thoughts on what brought meaning to his life, I wanted to hear what a young person, just launching into adulthood, would think about meaning and purpose.

Frankly, his answers surprised me, and I struggled to shape his story.

I knew there was something here, a thread that would tie it all together. I found that thread in ikigai.

“I want to be the best at what I do,” the young man told me, when I asked what provided purpose in his life. What kind of best? I wondered.

Be the best because you are competitive and want to prove you’re better? No, no, he assured me. I don’t need to prove myself to anyone, but if I am going to do something, why would I not try to be the best at it?

I dove deeper. Why not just try your best? Why do you have to be the best?

My subject admitted he wanted to be remembered—he didn’t want to be a face in the crowd. “After I meet someone, I don’t want to get filed back in his brain.

I want our interaction to be meaningful enough that when he hears my name again, he remembers me and our conversation.

We only have one life. Why not make it count? And I want to do good—not well, but good. I want to improve quality of life

“

for people by improving their physical health. I don’t need my work to be big, but I do want it to be important.” He explained that he hopes to improve methods of care for rehabilitation and training.

The conversation went on, but I had gotten what I needed. At first, I had a hard time defining what we were talking about and wasn’t sure how to write about it. Then, I happened upon the concept of ikigai, and it all fell into place.

Even at this age, ikigai is strong with this young man. He gets up in the morning with a defined sense of purpose: to improve himself and work hard to excel. It’s an honoring of his existence, a respect for the life he’s been given. At school he’s developing his mission to make life better for others, and this mission will help determine his vocation. A profession will stem from his vocation, and he’ll wake each day with renewed sense of purpose.

There will be ebbs and flows and changes and adaptations, but right now, at 20 years old, this young adult is on the right path.

For so many of us, the passion of our lives is separate from the way we earn a living. Or maybe we embrace the passion and that becomes our profession, but we can’t actually make money at it. Neither of these scenarios offer ikigai, that blend of finding what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs from you and what you can get paid for, that researchers think may actually help us lead longer, happier lives.

Finding ikigai can be a lifelong process, and it can change with time and circumstance. Have you found your ikigai?

I’d love to write about you—anonymously if you choose.

Until next time, keep your sunny side up.

For so many of us, the passion of our lives is separate from the way we earn a living. Or maybe we embrace the passion and that becomes our profession, but we can’t actually make money at it.

”

Email your news announcements to

news@ thecharlottenews.org

Spring sprung Mason Daring I swear to you, I wait all year for the first week in May. It’s got that Christmas Eve-not-long-till-you-open-your-presents thing going for it, and if you’ve ever been to Ireland, then and only then do you have something to compare the greenery of a Vermont May to.

This morning I saw my first cardinal, as well as my first rose-breasted grosbeak.

Yesterday I mowed the lawn for the first time (it’s still fun—check with me in mid-July on that one). As soon as the river quiets down I will wade into it and let the fish make a fool out of me once more. I am playing 18 this afternoon. I took the top down on the flivver yesterday. Every morning one of my trees fans out its feathers like a young pheasant strutting his stuff.

The transition from winter to spring reminds me of my brother-in-law: always late, but always welcome. If you remembered to pickle your internal combustion tools correctly, then you can usually start up the mower and weed whacker without a trip to the doctor. I love rummaging around the storage closet for the bin full of summer clothing and then swapping it out with the turtlenecks, ski gear, heavy socks, long underwear and the rest of that survival kit that takes about the same space in my dresser as the shorts and polo shirts.

I’m having a serious debate with myself about when to swap the screen doors with the storm doors. Likewise I’m reluctant to clean out the fireplace, truck the wood back outside and put a fireboard in the hearth— good old fashioned wood fires are a winter pleasure that I don’t want to lose with a turn of the calendar page.

I’ve been so eager for the return of the warm weather that I jump-started the whole season by raking the flower beds about two months before my usual time. There is no doubt that this winter kicked us around in a serious Seasonal Affective Disorder fashion.

We all got a dose of the SAD. No doubt about it—the sun is a welcome antidote to all things depressing, frustrating or political.

Now would be a good time to recall the many polls and opinion research papers that reveal (drum roll, please...) that Vermont is the happiest and healthiest state in the country. The latest Gallup Poll in this regard has us tied with South Dakota for this honor. I’ve been to South Dakota and have no quarrel with that finding. But I would like to point out that I was done with the place after about five days and have never returned. Vermont I can’t stand to leave for more than about five days.

There appears to be no end of people willing to concede us the best place in the universe. Some financial website dude declared Vermont to be the “safest” state.

Reader’s Digest says we are the happiest as well. CNBC says we are tied for fewest work hours—I suppose some could read that as indicative of poverty or sloth, but they say it contributes to happiness. The Gallup Poll was pretty exhausting and widely quoted, but reading it didn’t change my appreciation of the state one little bit. It was kind of like seeing a headline that says “Sun Rises in East!”

I don’t know about you, but one of my greatest fears is that I will see the new Time Magazine, and on it the cover declares: VERMONT, THE GREATEST PLACE TO MOVE IN AMERICA! All I can think is, Oh man, now EVERYBODY knows!

I remember going to Oregon in 1969, and seeing billboards at the border that said, “Welcome to Oregon—please have a wonderful time here….and then please leave. “ I kid you not, that’s what it said. It might not be too soon to order our billboards.

After all, it IS spring. My Mom has a sampler on the wall that reads: “Vermont— where the trees are close together, and the people are far apart.” That pretty much says it all.

14 • May 16, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Sports

Edd Merritt

All in all, it has been a good spring for CVU athletes

With the seasons winding down, CVU spring sports have produced a couple of bumper crops among their teams.

Women’s tennis stands out, having won all but one match by set scores of 7-0.

The one match that did not measure up to perfection was, nonetheless, a 6-1 win over St. Johnsbury in the middle of last month. Senior Stephanie Joseph follows in her older sister Kathy’s footsteps as the number one singles player for the Redhawks (and, perhaps, the best in the state). In two earlier matches played this month, she defeated her Burlington High opponent 6-2, 6-2 and Colchester’s number-one player 6-0, 6-1.

Stephanie is one of only four seniors on the team, all others being freshmen and sophomores, which bodes well for Coach Amy deGroot’s charges in the coming years. Sharp serves and back-and-forth placement of groundstrokes have been signature elements of deGroot teams. The opponents seem to be the ones moving while the Redhawks look to keep them going side-to-side by controlling where the ball lands. The doubles players act as teammates should, talking to each other and covering their areas of the court.

So far, led by its Charlotte contingent, men’s lacrosse has followed the women tennis players through an undefeated season, showing 10 wins and no losses.

The latest required a three-goal rally in the last quarter to top South Burlington 9-7 after trailing 6-4 at the end of three.

Sam Buzzell moved the Redhawks ahead with just under eight minutes to play, and Walter Braun scored the game-insurance

goal with 35 seconds left. Alumnus and head coach Dave Trevithick has a number of adept ball handlers, long-sticks and quick, but accurate, shooters. Charlotte’s Andrew Tieso has minded the goal crease, using both stick and body well to keep balls out of the net. Will Braun bolsters the other end of the field on attack along with freshman Sean Gilliam. The midfield is full of Charlotters, including Walter Braun, Jennings Lobel, Sam Sturm, Max Gorman and Reed Dousevicz. Tying up sticks and physically holding them at bay are the ways that defensemen Ryan Trus, Cole Boffa, Thomas Wright and Samuel Hansen keep opposing scorers off the Redhawk net.

Women’s lacrosse raised its record to nine wins and only a single loss by overtaking Rice Memorial 16-9 last Friday. Bella Reieley, Sara Kelly and Teddi Simmons all scored hat tricks, and Lydia Maitland assisted on four of their goals. The Redhawks again demonstrated the breadth of their offense by the number of players who set up plays, assisted and put the ball in the net. The following day the Hawks raised their record with an 11-10 squeaker over also one-loss Middlebury. Lydia Maitland led CVU scorers with five goals, several of which came in the second half that saw the Hawks ahead by one, 9-8, with nearly 19 minutes to play. Ali Wainer was in the net for CVU and was called upon for five saves.

Baseball avoids the Hornet nest.

CVU baseball squeaked past Essex on Saturday, 11-10, to keep its season record at just one loss (9-1). However, it took a five-run sixth inning to do it. Both teams were swinging the bat well, producing 26 hits over the course of the game. Fielding, however, left something to be desired with eight errors. Aidan Johnson led the CVU hitters with three, including a double. Jacob Bortnick and Jonah Roberts knocked in two runs apiece.

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Midfielder, Max Gorman carries th ball into the attack zone.

Number one singles player Stephanie Joseph.

Burlington Invitational Track and Field draws a crowd of schools

Twenty-five high schools from Vermont and Quebec sent track and field athletes to Burlington for the 46th annual Burlington Invitational meet. Compiled from the combined men’s and women’s scores, the Redhawks finished seventh overall with St. Johnsbury Academy and Essex High School the top two. The CVU women members finished particularly strong with a number among the top six in each event.

Alice Larson and Charlotte Hill were in the top-six group in two races each, Alice in her specialties, the 1,500- and 3,000-meter runs. Charlotte took third in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints.

On the men’s side, the 4x100 relay team placed fourth and their colleagues running 4x800 came in fifth. Nathaniel Mick claimed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles, Kevin Veronneau fourth in the pole vault, and Kegan Tolan fifth in the triple-jump.

Photo by Al Frey

Photo by Al Frey

CVU football prepares for the coming fall

CVU’s football Redhawks invite current and future players and parents to meet with head coach Mike Williams at 6 p.m. on May 21 in the CVU cafeteria to discuss a variety of things in preparation for the upcoming season. Attendees will discuss summer workout schedules, football camps, equipment, mandatory practices, the season’s schedule and some expectations, volunteer opportunities and how to become a “CVU Football Booster.”

To contact Coach Williams or the Athletic Department go to athletics.CVUHS.org/ CVU-Redhawks-football.HTML.

The Charlotte News • May 16, 2018 • 15

Sacred Hunter

What is worth this degree of peril? Trophy rainbows!

“

Bradley Carleton

At one point I try to deftly leap from one boulder to the next, and down I go. Ouch.

CONTRIBUTOR

My old Toyota truck rolls merrily down the highway on a late afternoon. The sun is shining brightly. The temperature is at a perfect setting—no one complains that it is too cool or too warm. It’s perfect.

It’s one of those days that we bank on all winter.

I’ve got my friend Doug with me, and we’re headed to the trophy-trout section of the mighty Winooski.

Yesterday I picked about three pounds of snappy green fiddleheads along the banks. When I saw the invasive Japanese knotweed growing along the shoreline, I could see how most people would overlook this spot because it looks daunting to navigate through the hollow shoots that seem to grab at your ankles and wrestle you to the ground. This is particularly challenging when carrying a rod, tackle box, creel and a bucket of aerated minnows from George Leclair’s Big River Bait & Tackle in Hinesburg.

At one point I try to deftly leap from one boulder to the next, and down I go.

Ouch. But even amid the chaos of the moment, thinking about where I will land and how hard I will hit, like any good fisherman, my concern is for the minnows. The bucket hits the side of one of the boulders and water and minnows begin to spill out. I grab the bucket with my free hand (the third one that I’m not using to break my fall) and rescue half of the small-medium shiners and half of the water. An appropriate expletive slips from my mouth, and Doug asks, “Are you okay?” “Good enough,” I reply.

We set up our tackle on the steep embankment, balancing on large fill rocks that seem steady but always challenge my perception of safe footing.

What is worth this degree of peril?

Trophy rainbows!

I rig a minnow harness with the customized double hook that an old timer

Double rainbows!

”

Bradley Carleton with his prize catch!

Photo contributed

once showed me and pinch a tin splitshot 18 inches above the bait. With my left hand outstretched for balance, I twist my torso to the right with my rod hand behind me and whip the bait upstream at a 30-degree angle to the current. I let it sink and bounce along the bottom, reeling a tiny bit every few seconds to add

swimming action and to make it look like a crippled baitfish.

Three quarters of the way down the current, in a deep hole, a big fish rises to look at the bait. I feel a gentle—very gentle—bite and reel the bait forward just a little as if the minnow were trying to escape its fate. The big fish cannot contain its instinct and strikes violently, inhaling the silvery prey.

The rod snaps down abruptly, and the game is on! The rod blank throbs as the

Photo by Bradley Carleton

bruiser throws his shoulders into the fight.

When he gets near the bank I am waiting, net in hand. But when he sees the wooden net come swooping toward him he turns his back and sprints away into the deep, tugging on the mere four-pound line that ties our spirits together.

The drag on the reel screams a highpitched sound like that of a bumblebee on steroids. I let him run, keeping just enough pressure on him to tire him out. He begins to show signs of resignation, and I reel him back to the shore.

I reach down and scoop his head over the wooden barrel of the net. He’s in!

I lift him up to admire his glorious colors—pink, red, sage green and a lot of shiny silver. In the sunlight he seems to glow like an angel form that lives in another world.

I kiss his head and thank our Great Spirit for connecting us today. Tonight he will be served on a bed of fresh fiddleheads, sautéed in butter and garlic.

And tomorrow we will share the memory of our moment in the early spring sun.

Bradley Carleton is executive director of Sacred Hunter.org, a nonprofit that seeks to educate the public on the spiritual connection of man to nature and raises funds for Traditions Outdoor Mentoring. org, which mentors at-risk young men in outdoor pursuits.

16 • May 16, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Accidental Pastor

Hello Spring!

Above the green and sturdy earth I turn 53 this weekend, the same age at which my mother’s mother died of breast cancer. I have heard of people dreading this Melissa O’Brien kind of thing: NEWS EDITOR arriving at the age at which a parent or grandparent died. I don’t feel that kind of fear or doom so much as a kind of sorrow, that I never knew my grandmother. We have so many ways to detect, diagnose and treat breast cancer now that my mother and sister and I have been able to be vigilant, something I would imagine my grandmother wasn’t.

She was something else, too, and I have a sneaky feeling it contributed to her cancer: heartbroken. Her husband had died at age 27. The inheritor of his father’s drinking establishment, my limited understanding is that he had too much fun; he drank himself into an early grave, thereby robbing his wife of a lifetime of marriage and his daughter, my mother, of a father.

It’s funny, the things we inherit in this life, the things that run down through the lines of a family: cancers and addictions, hair and eye color, stories and dreams.

My father’s parents died early, too, and so I was duly robbed of grandparents all the way around. Mom was an only child, so no aunts or uncles there, and Dad had two much-older step-siblings as his father’s first wife had died young.

We are a much larger family now than when I was young: Mom and Dad produced four of us and we, in turn, made nine more. We are growing

exponentially, as families often do.

Spreading out, too. We stretch now from Alaska to Oregon, California, Montana, Colorado and soon Tennessee. When my nephew graduates from college this weekend he will move to Nashville to begin his new life as a working guy. A kind of westward migration has left just me, my daughter and my parents here in the east. I suspect one day in the nottoo-distant future we will find ourselves booted and spurred and ready to hit the trail, too.

My father has spent a great deal of time this past winter studying our family’s genealogy. The ghosts of all the men and women who came before now dance closer; there are names and places that anchor us, a family that has largely been unmoored by early deaths in recent generations. I have always wondered who we are; now I know a little more.

Turning 53, in light of those losses, those lives cut short, seems an extravagant gift. My parents are alive and healthy, my siblings all well, my children thriving. I have regular mammograms; hopefully no breast cancer cells will sneak below that radar; I stopped drinking seven years ago; it will not be alcoholism that undoes me in the end.

I have always been confused by folks who lament a birthday celebration.

Knowing all too well, seeing death as I do every week in my hospice work, that it’s an honor to still be here, that any one of them would gladly trade places with me any hour of any day. I will be thinking of my grandmother this Saturday when the bell tolls 53 times.

I came into the world at 7:53 a.m. in Grand Forks, North Dakota. I often wonder when, where and how I will go out. Until that time, I remain pleased to be up here, above the green and sturdy earth. Amen.

Photos by Lee Krohn

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The Charlotte News • May 16, 2018 • 17

Out Takes

What musical language says that other language doesn’t

Edd Merritt

You stay here And I’ll go look for wood Do not fear I’ll be back soon enough Do not let the fire die . . .

Richard Shindell, “You Stay Here”

I have long been a fan of musical words.

An attempted writer myself, I look for those people who can put meaning into language that often goes beyond what she or he thought of to put down on paper. I have said before, I favor Mark Twain, who once wrote that he never knew what he was going to say until he began to write it.

Richard Shindell says that his song, “You Stay Here,” is about refugees fleeing Sarajevo. He says the idea came to him as he lay in bed one night in Buenos Aires.

Actually, what came to him was a single line: “You stay here, and I’ll go look for wood.” He had no idea what it meant, who the “you” or the “I” were or how wood crept into it. He’d been reading something about the refugees in the hills around Sarajevo and, he says, “The two things just came together.”

I remember hearing the song for the first time, knowing nothing about its history, so I contributed my own meaning to it—not set in the current situation in Serbia but

in the future in terms of the apocalypse.

With wars, weapons, the insanity of human nature rising in many spots around the world, the post-apocalyptic globe, while yet to be strictly defined, is still not inconceivable. And, in my mind’s eye, Shindell’s lyrics painted a picture of a single family left in that world. Their needs have dropped down to the basics: sugar for the kids, coats to keep them all warm, guns in case the “Tiger” comes some night.

(My musical “tiger” was a real animal who also survived the apocalypse, not Arkan Raznatovic, the Slavic “tiger” to whom Shindell said he was actually referring.).

So my frame of mind in hearing the song led me toward the apocalyptic meaning.

I do wonder what the future holds for mankind—not just the future of this nation but also of the world. In my interpretation, I would put the humans and the tiger on even footing, regaining a world that contains hidden mines, washing the kids’ coats so they don’t have to know where they came from, where guns were stashed and are now being used for survival against predators in the environment. This song leads me to think about going backward on our orb to a new start for civilization. And, in fact, it raises the question as to whether that civilization can survive the apocalypse and cites a few basic needs people will have to consider.

I feel this is one purpose of good music, to raise questions, maybe offer a couple of

answers but require that the listener move the lyrics beyond their literal meaning to something more expansive. It is the art of the process, very similar to a painter’s rendering—not what is seen literally through his or her eyes, but what she feels provides meaning through the brush. Art is a symbolic rendering of an idea. And what could be more expansive and filled with symbolism than a song about the end of the world?

So, let’s leap from music and art to interpersonal communication. This one happens to be medical. Such communication should be clear and understandable by the reader (like music).

You may have guessed that I received a Blue Cross statement recently, and I need help in understanding it. It is a piece of communication, so the language on the page is supposed to display meaning.

Again, it may be my own problem, but whenever I read these, I have difficulty knowing what they are telling me and, moreover, what they are asking me to do.

My Blue Cross statement says that it is a summary of my health procedures, and in bold print in a box below the heading it says, “Amount you owe.” My immediate response is, “OK, this is how much I’m going to have to pay for the various procedures listed on the next four pages.”

However, there then follows a non-bolded statement in a separate box saying that, in fact, some other party may pay this owed

share. In the good old days these statements used to have a heading, “This is not a bill.” For some reason they removed it, causing me to wonder what, exactly, I had received. I bet you ten to one that lawyers had something to do with its removal.

In any event, medical bill writers could use Richard Shindell to help them make intelligible what they send to patients. Otherwise, its message, although supposedly in English, is no more meaningful to me than what appears on the last page in French, Japanese, Swahili, etc.

Maybe it is just me, but I get the feeling when I receive one of these several-page tracts naming medical procedures by short-cut phrases that I am expected to understand it. But I am the dummy. OK, it’s my own “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” Unlike Bob Dylan I “do need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.” But hey, Bob won a Nobel Prize for Literature, didn’t he? Just goes to show you can come from the Minnesota Iron Range with a nasal twang and a song that tells the listener to “get sick, get well, hang around a [sic] ink well,” and if the pump doesn’t work, it’s “’cause the vandals took the handles”—and gain worldwide recognition for it.

Well, I’d say in my setting, “The reader can’t do it without the writer pointing to it.”

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18 • May 16, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Gardening

Whether you weather the weather

Dave Quickel I am obsessed with the weather. It controls all that can or can’t happen on the farm and the margins are incredibly delicate.

If the weather is cooperative and you time your actions just right, you can save yourself a ton of work. However, if you miss a detail in the forecast or the forecast is wrong or changes suddenly, bad things can happen.

Such a fine line it is.

First I want to mention how absolutely incredible weather forecasting has become.

When I was a kid you’d look at the back of the daily newspaper at the little pictures of either the sun or clouds or rain drops below each day and that was the level of forecast you’d get. Luckily for me at that point in my life all I had riding on it was essentially whether or not my Little League game was going to happen. The nightly news probably had the most in-depth forecast, but even that seemed essentially like they had a dart board with all of the varieties of weather in the spaces and they’d blindfold someone and asked “what’s it going to be like on Tuesday?”

Then came radar and satellites and smart phones. Not only did the forecasting change for the better, dramatically, but so did our access to the information. Instant, accurate weather is now readily available. Wind direction, timing of precipitation, chance of frost – you name the metric you desire and it’s a click away. And this is an essential tool for me when it comes to managing the farm.

I triangulate my read on the weather. I use multiple sites and study the differences in their forecasts to come up with our action plan. Sometimes all the forecasts agree: rain

on Thursday. This makes it easy to plan.

Often the forecasts don’t totally agree and this is where it gets tricky. Who’s going to be right? Is it going to rain or not?

Soil moisture is the most constraining factor in regards to what and when we do what we need to do on the farm. In the spring it’s a waiting game. We wait until the soil has dried out enough to be worked.

There are years where it dries out in early April and we have free range to plow the fields and get the early crops planted and prepare the fields for the crops that will need to be planted in May. Too dry is not a problem because we can irrigate after we plant. Too wet is a problem, and there are plenty of years around here where it never dries out to the level I need to work the soil without damaging it. Soil is delicate, and clay soil particularly so. Work it when it’s

too wet and it will hold a cloddy grudge all season long. But when your livelihood depends on getting crops planted every week from early May until the end of August, there are times you have to force it. We need to plant 5,000 heads of lettuce every week, even if it’s wet. In an ideal world it dries out enough for the soil to be workable, we plant what needs to be planted, and then it rains enough to settle in the planting. When this happen it feels like I’m gaming the system.

Getting it just right just in time. That’s pretty rare though, and usually there’s some less than ideal tillage that has to happen to take care of business.

Then there’s the frost and severe storms.

Frost can undo a lot of work in the course of one night so, I live in fear of it. We tend to plant frost tender crops late enough to not have to worry about them getting frosted.

But the market rewards earliness. Being the first to have tomatoes at the market is a huge win and well rewarded. Yet, if you plant early you’re definitely risking getting burned by a cold night. There’s nothing worse than putting all the work into raising seedlings and prepping beds just to see the plants get cooked by a frost. So when The Eye on The Sky says, “Frost in the coldest mountain hollows,” I’ve learned the hard way that that includes us here in what is otherwise referred to as The Banana Belt. We often get frosts when my friends in the hills don’t.

The best way to protect our crops from excessive rain and late frosts is by growing in greenhouses. So I built greenhouses.

Seven of them to be exact. They solve both of the aforementioned problems. But they have one vulnerability: wind. And as you all know, we’re a rather windy place. Regular wind is no problem: twenty, thirty miles per hour no biggie. But more and more we seem to get these hellacious storms, like last week. I was in Shelburne when that storm blew through and was sure that by the time I got back to the farm my greenhouses would be in tatters. Luckily that storm stayed just to the north and we were spared the woes Shelburne experienced. We weren’t so lucky last October, and that wind storm stripped the plastic off two greenhouses and severely tattered a third.

Despite all the incredibly accurate forecasting and the ability to more or less know what to expect, weather-wise, the fact of the matter is that farming is risky business. You’ve got to have a gambler’s fortitude to weather the ups and downs. Bad things are going to happen. You’ve got to brush the dust off and get back on the horse.

Thriller, spiller, thriller: the many joys of container gardening Joan Weed MASTER GARDNER

Thriller! Spiller! Filler! Have you heard this phrase? Some have and it might be new to others. It’s the design idea behind container planting. Containers can be window boxes, clay pots, beautiful ceramics or a feeding trough. They’re valuable in our summer gardens for filling in spaces, adding a pop of color or replacing some of those ephemerals we spoke of in the last column.

The idea is that you’ll need something showy as your thriller, the focal point of the arrangement. Then you’ll want a few plants that will drape over the sides a bit to add a natural look. The filler is pretty easy to understand. This could be small flowered plants or even greenery to complete the arrangement by filling in between your other major plants. Your material can consist of annuals but needn’t be confined to them. A perennial, small shrub or clump of grasses are smart ideas. If the material is perennial and hardy in our zone, you can add it to the garden when the season is done. I sometimes use summer bulbs such as dahlias or eucomis (pineapple lily).

These would be thrillers for sure. One of

my favorite thrilling plants is cardoon.

The foliage is silvery and spiked.

It grows pretty tall. It’s actually an artichoke and last year mine produced two fruits! Sometimes I add an herb plant especially to the pots closest to the back door. The spicy globe basil is like a miniature boxwood but it’s edible. Sage, rosemary or winter savory are all perennial herbs that are possibilities.

Fuchsia ‘Baumgartner’ is bright red and has sturdy stems making it a nice possibility for a focal point. Another that I’ve had success with is ornamental pepper ‘black pearl’. The foliage is interesting as well as the fruit.

Spillers can be diascia, petunias, bacopa, or nemesia.

There are so many choices all grown for you at the local nursery. The planting should be crowded to fill the spaces, but this will mean competition for food and water so containers need more attention than garden planted material. Daily watering if Mother Nature does not provide Photo by Joan Weed some rain. There are time-release plant foods to mix in with your potting soil. And a word here about the soil. Do not try to use soil from the back yard. It is usually too heavy. Choose a packaged,

specially, formulated mixture of compost and soil from the garden center or hardware store. Some come with fertilizer added, but I prefer to add my own so I may choose the amount and kind I like.

The fillers can be something with small leaves or blooms to add a contrast in texture or color while doing its job of completing the design. Again, the nursery will offer you a big selection. Pick them out early while selection is good but don’t rush to put them outside till you are sure the temperatures are steady and warm.

They can be kept in a protected area till used. I find that some plants run out of vigor before the season is done. A few will benefit from cutting back if the growing season is long enough. Otherwise, you might need to replace a plant or two. This is tricky, since by that time in the season, the selection has dwindled. Bargains can be found if the replacement plants were well cared for at the nursery.

Another benefit of container planting is mobility. If you should need to fill a hole in the landscape or bed, move a filled pot to the area. Now is the time to put your containers together. Have fun choosing and be creative. Keep in mind thriller, spiller and filler!

The Charlotte News • May 16, 2018 • 19

Fit at Any Age

Looking for new motivation to exercise?

Your Netflix account gets more viewing than the beautiful outdoors?

Even though you have read all the research and know that aerobic exercise can lower Ginger Lambert your cholesterol, decrease your blood pressure, improve your appearance and stave off depression, you look for every excuse in the book for why you can’t exercise? Why not find an exercise partner to help keep you accountable? When you have a standing “exercise” date it will be harder to break if your partner is counting on you.

If you have a competitive streak, there are all kinds of races out there that you and your partner can do. Many of the entry fees for these races raise money for great causes too. Imagine winning a prize in your age group—I have seen an 80-year-old accepting a medal for his 5K race time with a wide grin on his face. Races, whether you run or walk, are a great motivational goal and typically require about six to eight weeks of training to get you race ready.

Bored with doing the same fitness routine? Check out the hundreds of YouTube videos available and exercise in the privacy

of your living room. I often recommend “8 minute abs” to my clients. It’s a great way to firm up your core. When your core is strong, you can prevent a lot of lower back problems too.

If a class is more your style, check out what Betsy, a Tuesday participant at Fitness At Any Age, said, “Don’t be intimated by the whistle or the never-ending, ‘Let’s go!’

Ginger encourages all of us and adapts exercises to accommodate those in need. Her weekly classes vary in the tasks we must do and our sessions are always fun. I love the camaraderie and look forward to seeing my classmates each week.”

Spending time with other people is an important component of mental health, and an exercise class can provide a social outlet.

Barb, another avid exerciser, said, “Ginger’s class gets me up and out the door on Tuesdays. You mix it up just enough to keep us all going.”

If a noisy, hard-body gym is not for you, check out a personal trainer. Some will even travel to your home, bringing their tools of the trade. Finding the trainer who fits with you and will take into account your own personal issues is key. A good personal trainer will take into account everything that is unique about you and tailor a plan accordingly. Nita had this to say after a couple of weeks of personal training, “I felt

Stock image great after the session today. It feels like the benefits of my work with you are really starting to kick in! I feel my core muscles being more engaged as I just do stuff during the day, and moving around is just easier.”

There are so many types of classes to choose from. Hot yoga, Pilates, boot camp, Tabata—all are designed to get and keep you healthy. If the teacher inspires the class,

you are more likely to return each week. Ask ahead to see if there is a free introductory class. And sometimes a walk in nature is just the thing for your soul and body.

Ginger Lambert is a personal trainer and fitness instructor. Check out her website, gingerlambert.com, for information on fitness boot camp classes for any level.

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20 • May 16, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Simple summer salads Joanna Smith

e l p m i S mer salads

School is almost out and June is just around the corner. The season of potlucks, barbecues and picnics is upon us. When “what can I bring?” was met with “how about a salad?” I used to silently protest. Salads are so… unglamorous. “How about a signature cocktail?” I would counter. “Oh. You can bring that too.” So I’ve created a few go-to dishes that are colorful, nutritious and tasty. And, most importantly, they are simple. As always. These days I get special requests - especially for my Lima Bean Salad - which combines sweet crunchy corn with creamy beans and lemon.

Who would’ve thought lima beans could be so fetching?

Keep these crowd-pleasing salads in rotation for parties or quick healthy meals at home. They are perfect for feeding large crowds inexpensively with easy-to-find ingredients and minimal fuss.

sum

Lima Bean Corn Salad This salad has converted many lima bean naysayers into lima bean aficionados - including yours truly. Bring it on a picnic or serve with grilled meats, sausage or fish for a simple nutritive meal.

mple er salads

1 10 oz. package of frozen lima beans (approximately 3 cups cooked) 2 ears fresh corn (approximately 2 cups kernels) 1 1/2 cups halved or quartered grape tomatoes (sun-dried or oven-dried tomatoes work well too) Zest and juice of 1 or 2 lemons or limes to taste 1/2 cup chopped shallots or scallions (optional) 2 Tbs. olive oil Handful slivered fresh basil or chopped dill 1 cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Cook lima beans al dente according to package instructions. Rinse quickly then put in mixing bowl while still slightly warm. Toss with olive oil, coarse salt, and pepper. Once cooled, combine with the rest of the ingredients. Garnish with fresh chunky parmesan shavings and herbs.

Broccoli Slaw This slaw is a great addition to any cookout. It’s best prepared at least a few hours in advance and will keep for about three days. I usually put it in a zip-lock bag or container with a lid and gently shake it from time to time to get the dressing to spread evenly and to saturate the broccoli.

1 medium head of broccoli (approximately 4 cups) 1/2 red onion chopped 1 cup mayonnaise 2 Tbs. maple syrup (or sugar) Juice and zest of 1 or 2 lemons 2 tsp. celery seeds Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Add any combo of the following depending on your tastes and what you have on hand: sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, raisins, dried cranberries, currants or chopped grapes 1. Finely chop broccoli florets and stems.

2. Whisk together mayonnaise, maple syrup, lemon juice and zest, celery seeds, salt and freshly ground pepper.

3. Combine the dressing with the rest of the ingredients. Stir well before serving.

Watermelon Feta Salad Make this unbelievably simple summery salad in minutes and delight friends and family of all ages. If you have the time and are feeling especially creative you can use a melon baller to scoop out the watermelon flesh and then use the carved-out rind as a serving bowl.

Bring this to a big barbecue and you won’t have to worry about getting your dish back!

4 cups chopped watermelon 2 cups crumbled feta cheese 2 cups chopped cucumber 1 handful slivered mint or basil 2 Tbs. snipped chives (optional) 2 Tbs. balsamic or fruit-infused vinegar (optional) Coarsely ground black pepper (optional) Toss ingredients together. Top with fresh mint or basil.

The Charlotte News • May 16, 2018 • 21

Puzzles

ANSWERS ON PAGE 23 44. German river 46. Many a time 47. It needs refinement 49. Diamonds 50. Engine part 52. Diet 53. Do the Wright thing 54. Certain topographies 55. Cross 56. Bathroom cleaner?

61. Greek consonants 63. Be a rat 64. Chemical compound 66. Appearance 67. Stumbles 69. Fabrication 70. Chemical ending 71. Even if, briefly 72. Not square

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The Charlotte Land Trust is excited to announce Saturday, May 19 its first ever

Nature Scavenger Kids Hunt&ForParents!

Saturday, May 19 (rain date on May 20th)

9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon.

PLEASE MEET AT THE CHARLOTTE SCHOOL AT 9:30 A.M. Each participant or group will receive a card and enjoy an exciting walk through the park searching for various landmarks, insects, tracks and plants…all the while exploring the wonderful natural beauty of the refuge.

Providing Repair, Refinishing, Restoration and Transport

George & Pam Darling P.O. Box 32 Ferry Road, Charlotte, VT gdarling@gmavt.net

Children of all ages welcome and cards will be accessible to both toddlers as well as more advanced kid naturalists (accompanied by an adult).

Refreshments and snacks provided at the end.

Pre-register forms are available at: 1. Town Web site (www.Charlottevt.org) under the ‘Recreation’ tab. 2. CLT website (CharlotteLandTrust.org) or 3.

At the Town Hall. Please return registrations to the Recreation office at the Town Hall or mail to: Recreation, PO Box 119, Charlotte 05445 Questions: Call Frances Foster 343-0633.

Cornerstone Group © 2017

I F YO U N E E D MOR E I N T E R NE T S P E E D

22 • May 16, 2018 • The Charlotte News

Charlotte Senior Center News Carolyn Kulik SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR

It has returned!

Anticipating spring here in Vermont is probably much like the ancients felt during a solar eclipse. There is always some subliminal doubt whether spring (like the sun) will really come back again. And now there is that delicate green haze in the trees from the budding leaves—which is as wonderfully fleeting as cherry blossoms.

This is an especially busy time for Senior Center participants who are tending their gardens and also fitting in time to take courses, attend events and volunteer here in many essential ways. They are hosts at the front desk, cooks, dishwashers, gardeners, flower arrangers, art show arrangers and exhibitors, organizers of the plant sale and several other events, instructors of many classes, activity coordinators and (of course) board members of the Senior Center who take on many tasks.

If you want to get acquainted, come volunteer at the Center for as little as four hours a month. Stop in or call our volunteer coordinator, Peggy Sharpe, at 802-425-6345.

The Senior Center runs on the generous work of its volunteers!

Somehow, Senior Center participants also find time to lend a hand with other organizations: The Charlotte Food Shelf; Shelburne Museum (greeters and docents); Shelburne Farms (tour guides); as mentors to public school students; at Charlotte Children’s Center; at local places of worship in many roles (writing letters and visiting shut-ins, etc.); board members of arts organizations; as drivers for Meals on Wheels or for those needing transportation to medical appointments; as workers at the Red Cross Blood Drive; as cooks for Dismas House, Respite House and the Salvation Army; as makers of quilts for organizations to give away to those in need; and as instructors and activity coordinators for other organizations.

You can see that Senior Center participants are engaged and continue to give back to the wider community. As Audrey Hepburn said, “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands—one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”

(rain or shine) for a wide variety of plants, gardening tools and supplies. There may be a few other odds and ends thrown as well.

Presentations

SENIOR CENTER MENUS Monday Munch

Wednesday, May 16, Crossing the Himalayas. David Rosenberg will speak about his adventure crossing the mountains on foot with two fellow Peace Corps volunteers in 1964. In their travels from central Nepal, to the slopes of the Himalayas, and then to the arid Tibetan Plateau, they observed how people had adapted to a challenging environment while preserving ancient Buddhist traditions.

Wednesday, May 23. The program has been changed to Fire and Home Safety for Seniors with Charlotte Assistant Fire Chief Rob Mullin and Lead Paramedic Caitlin Herr. Our village neighbors will give presentations on safety and rescue tips for seniors and how to make your home safer for your loved ones and visitors, as well as for yourself. Do you know what a Knox Box is?

The trip to McNeil Generating Station, originally on the calendar for May 23, has been rescheduled for Wednesday, June 6, due to maintenance work at the station.

Wednesday, May 30, Dan Cole’s talk, “The body in Great-great-grandmother’s pasture,” will explore a local mystery: In 1863, the body of a local Civil War veteran was found shot to death. He wasn’t found on the Gettysburg battlefield but on a quiet lane in East Charlotte, in the north pasture of Dan Cole’s great-great-grandmother. Why was he in Charlotte and not Pennsylvania?

11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

No reservations required.

May 21 Chicken & cauliflower curry with roasted sweet potato wedges Green salad Homemade dessert May 28 CLOSED for Memorial Day

Wednesday Lunch All diners eat at noon.

Reservations required.

May 16 Pasta & meatballs Antipasto salad Homemade dessert May 23 Frito pie (Tex-Mex casserole) Fiesta corn medley Homemade dessert May 30 Three cheese pizza Greek salad Homemade dessert

Thursday - Men's Breakfast 7:30–9 a.m.

Reservations required.

May 24 – Menu and topic TBA

Suggested donation for all meals: $5

Health Events Wednesday, May 23, Foot Clinic with Julia Jacques and Martha McAuliffe, R.N., UVM Medical Center, from 9:15–11:30 a.m. This is a reminder for those with appointments only. (There is a waiting list.) This free clinic is offered by staff and volunteers from Community Health Improvement at UVM Medical Center. Please bring a towel.

Wednesday, May 23, Blood Pressure Clinic with Martha McAuliffe, R.N., UVM Medical Center, from 11:30–noon. This clinic is free, open to the public and offered before the luncheon. Walk-ins are fine.

May Art Show. This group show features acrylics with ink by Jenny Cole, watercolors

by Anne Gordon, waterscapes in oil by Judy Tuttle, pastels by Jill Kleinman, and both pastels and watercolors by Beverly Goodwin. Note: Art show pieces are hung continued on next page

CCS Small Ensembles at the Charlotte Senior Center The Senior Center welcomed the CCS Small Ensembles on the afternoon of May 9. Directed by music teachers Andy Smith and Monica Littlefield, students presented accomplished group and solo performances on a variety of instruments. The photos here show several of these.

Plant Sale The annual sale is on Saturday, May 26, from 9 a.m. to noon. Come to the Center

Looking . . . Looking. . . for a navy blue jacket Gentlemen: Do you have a mystery jacket hanging in your closet??? It’s navy blue, size L with a black glove in each pocket and a dark blue visor cap in one sleeve. Did you forget where you mistakenly picked it up because it was similar to one of yours? (It was after lunch here on a Wednesday.) If you have this jacket, kindly call the Senior Center and let us know. No worries, but one of our male friends is looking forward to wearing it when it gets colder again. (802)425-6345.

Benjamin Fox solos on the piano.

The Ukelele Band, all 6th graders, played (and sang) two selections. Members of the band include: Marlie Cartwright, Kate Cogut, Owen Deale, Ella Emmons, Estelle Emmons, Morgan Keach, Ella Lisle, Hannah Marshall, Katie Shattie, Claire Sigmon, Hagan Smith and Charlie Taylor.

Photos contributed

The Charlotte News • May 16, 2018 • 23 in the foyer and in the Great Room. Because this room is utilized for many classes and events, the best times to see the art shows in May are: Tuesdays and Wednesdays after 3 p.m., and Thursday and Friday afternoons after 12:30. Call the Center during the week to check on availability on Sunday afternoons.

Courses & Activities The Center’s ongoing courses continue with a variety of exercise classes, art, writing, bridge, mah jong, etc. Our summer schedule begins on June 1 with popular

activities like kayaking, a boat trip and tubing, as well as birdwatching and much more.

There will be new offerings in art (collage) and poetry (Poetry by Heart), a visit to the Clemmons Farm, and summer repeats like Baking for Good, iPhone advice, AARP Driver Safety Class and the Center’s knock-your-socks-off BBQ. Check out the new schedule in the next issue of The Charlotte News.

The Senior Center will be closed on May 28 in observance of Memorial Day.

Classifieds Reach your friends and neighbors for only $7 per issue.

(Payment must be sent before issue date.) Please limit your ad to 35 words or fewer and send it to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email ads@thecharlottenews.org.

Interior and Exterior Painting If you’re looking for quality painting with regular or low voc paints and reasonable rates with 35 years of experience call John McCaffrey at 802-999-0963, 802338-1331 or 802-877-2172.

Mt. Philo Inn-A unique hotel with panoramic views of Lake Champlain and private road to Mt. Philo. 1800 sq. ft. 3-bedroom suites with 2 bathrooms and a complete kitchen. By the day, week and month. Privacy, space, tranquility. Bigger on the inside.

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Answer to Puzzle On Page 21

TheCharlotteNews.org

A few members of the Burlington Sacred Harp Sing demonstrate shape note music at the Senior Center on Saturday afternoon. The larger group meets weekly on Tuesday evenings on the UVM campus.

Photo contributed

Calendar of Events Saturday, May 19

Do you need something fixed? Transition Town Charlotte and our Hinesburg friends will be hosting our second Repair Cafe’ from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hinesburg Town Hall. A Repair Cafe’ is a community gathering where we come together to socialize and fix each other’s stuff. There is no charge for repairs, but we do ask participants to make a nonperishable food or monetary donation on repair day to the Hinesburg Food Shelf. In order to help our fixers prepare, we also ask that attendees let us know beforehand what they are planning on bringing. Contact us at (703)855-9465 or gerlaugh@gmail. com. See more details on items that can be repaired on page 6.

3rd Annual Spring Carnival at Vermont Day School, 1 to 3 p.m. Rain date: May 20. $5 for kids, adults free. Fun for the whole family! Photo booth, face painting, games, dunk tank, food, prizes and fun!

All members of the community are welcome. vtdayschool.org.

Sunday, May 20 The 9th Annual Walk for Epilepsy at Oakledge Park in Burlington. The Walk will begin at the Upper Lodge at Oakledge Park and go along the bike path to the boathouse and then back. Participants can walk whatever distance they choose and then return for the barbecue. Registration begins at 9:45 a.m. The Walk will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by a barbecue.

Preregistration is required. You must preregister by noon on Friday, May 18.

The registration fee is $35 per person.

There will be prizes for the individuals who raise the most in additional sponsors. If you would like to obtain the sponsorship forms or volunteer, please call 802-318-1575 or email us at epilepsy@ sover.net. This event raises funds to help children who have epilepsy and their families receive support services they need to live with this challenging medical condition.

The Board of Trustees of the Morningside Cemetery Association wishes to notify all members of the annual

association meeting to be held at the Charlotte Town Offices on Ferry Road at 4 p.m. All owners of plots in Morningside Cemetery are association members and are invited to attend. Descendants of people buried at Morningside are also welcome.

An election of two of the five members of the Board of Trustees will take place.

Other cemetery business will be discussed.

Please call President Janice Garen (4252393) or Secretary/Treasurer Nancy Richardson (539-2110) with questions or to RSVP if you plan to attend.

Monday, May 21 CVU Redhawks Football Informational Meeting Join CVU Redhawks Head Coach Mike Williams and the CVU Football Boosters Board for an informational meeting about the upcoming 2018 high school football season at 6:00 pm on Monday, May 21, 2018 in the CVU Cafeteria. All rising 9th - 12th grade prospective and current CVU football players, along with a parent or guardian, are encouraged to attend. Optional summer workouts begin mid-June!

Questions? Contact: cvufootball@gmail. com.

Ongoing Webby’s Art Studio is open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come create! Specialized art activities for all ages, inspired by temporary and permanent exhibitions. Webby’s Art Studio activities are offered in the Pizzagalli Center for Art and Education classroom. Free with admission.

Shelburne Museum, 6000 Shelburne Road, 985-3346; info@shelburnemuseum. org.

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Volume LX Number 22 | Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Charlotte News

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Charlotte’s award-winning community newspaper