Monday, December 30, 2019

Jericho Vermont Images of Community 2019 in Review



Jericho, Vermont  2019 Hearth and Home - Scenes of 2019

Community is what we make of it, how we shape it, how we see it. Our sense of place, our sense of belonging is indeed shaped by our own hands. We may have little control of the world at large, however, here our voices are heard, our actions acknowledged, our neighbors are at least recognized if not known. Our country store, library, town green, road crew, farm stand, artists, and more, all spell that we support, in fact, thrive on our local community - we support each other - one another.

Jericho of today is a story of building resilience, supporting our local farmers and artisans, and our natural resources. Jericho of today fills the school auditorium on Town Meeting day with respectful, considerate, and thoughtful discussion and true listening.

Jericho of today trades items and discussion on FPF as though we were all related. 

Jericho of today preserves open undeveloped land for public use today with an eye for future generations as well. And Jericho honors our forebears at their resting grounds. Jericho sets out the quintessential invite for visitors - outdoor chairs. There is a chair for you in Jericho, come sit a spell, relax, and visit. Whether it be to visit with yourself, nature, or others, there is a place for you here - pull up a chair. 

Nobody beats Jericho's Cleary family's signage, from B E L I E V E to magnificent wood sculptures, and fire breathing and dancing Cirque De Fuego troupe performances. See photos of Cirque De Fuego's performance on the Jericho Green, here

Jericho of today staffs town committees, school board, select board, fire department, and town volunteer groups with dedicated, intelligent, caring folks. 

Jericho today comes out for library storytelling, poem writing, and more. Folks gather for the annual pet parade, Green Up Day, Santa at the JCS, Christmas tree lighting on the green. Jericho is honored to have the Gruppe Gallery as well as many distinguished artists who show their work there and at annual art events like the Plein Air Festival and Open Studio



The Jericho Community Center holds a stage in the middle of town for both private and public events - a grand hall to watch a Snowflake Bentley puppet presentation or an outdoor food and music event, attend CPR training, or weekly Be Your Best Body classes.

The Jericho Underhill Garden Tour has me and I am sure others, eager to get new plants in the ground as soon as we have thawed ground again.  

And new community - family connecting - traditions are starting up and more are on the discussion table. View 17 of the ideas here. I particularly like the idea of a Jericho Repair Cafe / Sharing Center

I for one am grateful to this community - both the people in it and the geography preserved and maintained (read my Forever walk-in Jericho here) and for the welcome and neighborly affection I receive here in this place.  I hope to do an even better job of reflecting on what Jericho is about in the coming year.  A REVIEW OF JERICHO 2019 IMAGES AND STORIES is further down this page.

What of Jericho in 2020?
Can we change our internal models of the world fast enough - here at home?

"I wonder why things have to change," murmured Piglet. Pooh thought for a while, then said, 'It gives them a chance to get better. Like when the bees went away and came back.' " Return to the Hundred Acre Wood by David Benedictus

How will we embrace new information as new insight, how will we adjust (rapidly) in our own local community, in our homes, in our own beliefs and behaviors?


Of large and weighty heights, we do attend
yet in the end
airy light barely noticeable gestures of family, friends, and neighbors
wrap us in life’s immortal jewelry
and warm us in perfumery of cinnamon, vanilla, fresh coffee
and cookies fresh out of the oven
revitalizing our acuity. 

Happy New Year
Bernie 

Throughout the year of 2019, Jericho Vermont Images of Community offered snapshots of views from this picturesque rural community lying on the edges of  Chittenden County suburbia. The photos tell part of the story – what would a story about the pet parade down the middle of the road in Jericho Center be without pictures of the pets dressed in their glorious if not sometimes outrageously creative costumes? 

The stories also help highlight why Jericho, Vermont is a special place. Some of the stories were ‘real’ while some were ‘satirical’. Some attempted to inspire a few laughs while most left at least a hint of serious thought for consideration. For example, 'Jericho Goes Quiet' posting, real or satire? Strong opinions came out believing that Jericho politicians had gone too far, while other comments declared satire a healthy joust against despair!


The 2019 most viewed postings are:

5. Climate Change and Local Farms – Jericho VT Panel Discussion (Enlightening write-up by Maeve Kim describing three local VT farmer's stories, concerns, and actions regarding farming with the impacts of Climate Change).

Meanwhile, some 2018 posts continue to gather more than their share of views.


  What kind of Jericho images would you like to see in 2020?


     What kind of Jericho stories would you like to read in 2020?


#2019in5words

Save our snowflakes - Jericho, Vermont

Save our snowflakes and earth

Last year of burning dinosaurs
 (#2020in5 words: Hopeless Act carbonless)

No walls in our Jericho

End plastic food packaging -WRITE

Laugh, Dream, Try, Do Good

Lawns don't feed our pollinators

Plant warm hugs, native plants

             
Jericho Vermont
Images of Community
Intimate, caring, and personal; reflecting the community and its stories.
Bernie Paquette

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Forever walk in Jericho Vermont - Poem

Forever walk - in Jericho Vermont

By Bernie Paquette

I took a walk in Jericho,
Vermont

My legs carried me
but my ears kept me in place.

Step one, step two
three,
and four
should have been enough
except that I could hear!

I could hear
only the crunching
the crunching under my feet
as my heel  and sole
made contact with earth -

Not smooth, nor asphalt hard
nor uniform in grade,
texture, or color
only the sound
escaping my trespass.

No line to stay in between
only a suggested path -

An occasional pop and a squish
liquid oozes into the depression of my step.
Of what I crunched, I know not
the weight of my world
too much
for that of another.

Another step, and yet another
always that crunching
over pebbles, soil, and natural debris
like chewing on popcorn
one cannot stop until the bowl is empty
for the crunching rules over all else.

Such are the only sounds I hear now
step after step after step.

Sometimes I try to walk as I Imagine Native Americans perhaps did
 with moccasins or bare feet
silently moving with the breeze beside deer and birds and bear
not adding or taking away from their chorus.

I lose my thoughts,
lose all other sounds
to the crunching under my heavy step
the soul of my feet releasing a heavy  burden
to the depression of earth
she absorbs me with heart and without discrimination
only crunching, an occasion squish or pop, then
under my step

A branch snaps with a sharp cry.
I quickly pull up my step.
Too late.
I have stepped on -
broken -
the spine
of a mountain.

The deeper in this place
-this audio-less forest
I go
the more
the crunching dominates, drives, determines my stride.
I try stopping
holding both feet
still
the breeze bending tall
forward swaying grasses
impel my feet
from constraint to compel
they struggle to understand what to do
in this strange world where they are the dominant disruption.

It is TOO MUCH
TOO SOON

Unnerved,  I quickly go back to walking
crunch, crunch, squish,
the quiet was disquieting
an alien place this
home to stealth birds, and deer and bear
I am unaccustomed to
as they are to my crunching.

Crunch, crunch,
softer now than on onset
smoother pace
gentler steps
singular
step
upon
step

between
blades
of
grass

now 
blending in

bending
twigs. 

walking 
on
air. 

I took a walk 
on a garden path
into woodlands
and lost myself. 

I took a walk in Vermont
and got lost

in miles of crunching steps
when a few
should have been enough.


Jericho Satire Express – Poo Spoof


Jericho Committee Considers Dog Diaper Station at Mobbs.

JERICHO, VT – The Mobbs Farm Trail Committee recently surveyed the Jericho Community about preferred use of Mobbs Farm Trails. The majority of folks responding to the survey chose poop free trails where their dogs could run amidst wildlife in a clean paw friendly park with no deposits to interfere with (the dogs) sniffing out the territory.

To ensure compliance for a clean paw park, the committee first placed an ad in the local Mountain Gazette as well as the New York Times, and in the Weird News section of the Huffington Post. The ad reads, “WANTED: POO FAIRY – can be metaphysical, supernatural, or preternatural. We follow Fairy hiring practices; we have no prejudice towards short stature, green clothes, and hair. Must be able to exercise magic powers to benevolent ends, I.E. insure folks bring their dog poop back with them when they leave the park.

“Moreover, must be able to intervene in irresponsible dog-walkers affairs, via magic transportation of trail deposited dog poo to someplace under their car seat.

“Diminutive, delicate, beautiful ageless winged woman attire of diaphanous white clothing welcomed. Coveralls, gloves and lots of perfume provided. Gnomes need not apply. Nor Goblins – too ill-tempered. No Pixies as they are a bit too mischievous. However, Hobgoblins are acceptable, though we have no hearth to offer comfort on cold nights.”

Having received no responses to the Ad, the committee membership concluded that Poo Fairies had all passed away.

In order to educate the public of their passing (a sad day for us all), a sign of funerary art was installed at Mobbs, with the practical purpose of reminding dog walkers of the Poo Fairies’ demise.  

All dog walkers must now have their hand stamped with a ‘dog paws’ ink stamp before entering the park. Upon exiting the park those who demonstrate they respectfully carried their dog’s poo back with them to be properly disposed of, will receive a special wipe that removes the paw print from their hand. Those dog owners, who leave their dog’s poo on the trail, will not receive the special wipe. The inked paw print will only fade away in the time it takes for a plastic bag of dog poo to disintegrate - about 1,000 years.

Alas, it seems there will always be believers in Poo Fairies. Why else would they leave dog poo wrapped in plastic – a sort of double jeopardy for our trials?

For those folks, the committee will offer Dog Poo Catchers - reusable dog diapers. The Waste Terminator Station includes a diaper vending machine and changing station. All diapers are made of cloth, which if left behind, as opposed to kept on the dog’s behind, will decompose sooner than a plastic doggy bag and cause less harm. If you refuse to pick it up, don’t let it drop onto the ground – use Dog Poo Catchers.

Once a dog diaper-wash service is available, vending operations will commence. Dog Poo Catchers in five bright vibrant colors are coming soon. A portion of every purchase goes to Jericho RDO – Jericho Responsible Dog Owners to help defray the cost of picking up after the irresponsible drop and walk away poo’ers.

If you spot someone not picking up after their dog - leave him or her an anonymous gift – Dog Poo Hide-A-Key. Realistic empty boxes labeled “Dog Poo Hide-A-Key Free Sample” are available at the vending machine. Just fill it with the product material they left behind, and then drop it off by their front door.

Want to avoid the embarrassment of getting caught leaving behind your dog’s poo - but afraid you might forget to pick up the bagged waste? Consider Forget Me Not Ventilated Storage Bags to store your poo bag with a built-in clip for your car keys. Never again, drive away from the park without your dog’s poo!

IF, and there will still be one or two – you know who you are. IF you still feel the desire to leave your dog’s poo behind, please use the poo bags labeled “my dog’s SHIT”. Own your behavior.

Your dog is perhaps, cute, but most likely does not have opposable thumbs. We don’t want the poop. Please clean up. 

The increasing incidences of lost dogs (even though the owners were ‘in control’) at Mobbs drove the committee to respond with infrastructure and technology. Skirting Vermont’s billboard laws is tricky. However, the committee has found a loophole enabling them to install a large billboard and a kennel at the entrance to Mobbs for Lost and Found Dogs. Dog owners may post messages to their dogs on the billboard. For example, “Lassie, please come home, we miss you.” In addition, perhaps, “Darn-it Buster, this is the third and last time I let you off your lead. I am the master; I am in command of you. Now get your butt home right now.”

For a small fee, dog owners can rent a dog phone so that the dog and owner, if separated, can at least keep in touch until reunited. Specially designed phone number keypads accommodate a variety of paw sizes. Google will translate woofs, howls, and barking of nearly all types into sounds the owner will understand. Commands from humans to the dogs are limited to sit, rollover, and ET Phone home.

I think the Mobb’s Farm Committee is barking up the right tree with these ingenious ideas and implementations, along with efforts to educate the public about responsible dog ownership.



Support your Local Dog Businesses 


Jericho PPups (Poop Pick Up Service). Think picking up dog poop is gross while recognizing that:  1. Your dog cannot pick it up, 2. Dog poop is bad for the environment, drinking water, and public health 3. No fun to step in it. 4. Dog poop can last up to one year to break down and still leave bacteria and parasites in the soil - harmful to dogs and humans. Then hire Jericho PPups. For a fee, we will follow you and your dog(s), pick up their poop, and properly dispose of it. Our fees are less than the fine you will receive for getting caught leaving dog poop behind. Alternativelypurchase a doggie vest and have your canine friend carry the poop. Be creative. Find an old coffee cup with a lid - line it with a doggie bag, fill, cover, carry it home for proper disposal. Might want to draw a large red X on the cup.

Jericho Dog Rescue, a new firm in Jericho Center is available for a small yearly fee, to teach dogs how to apply for licenses, obtain rabies shots, and help them to find a place to buy dog tags inscribed with a home phone number. Vanity dog tags are available for purchase as well. Vanity tags statements include:  “I will come when I am done chasing the squirrel, deer, bird, or other critters.”,  “Man - master over dog – not over me!”, and “Every dog must have his day”. Also available for a limited time, “I Rescued My Human.”

Man’s best digital friend Inc. is now offering the next best thing to owning a real dog – a digital dog. A digital dog needs to walk only on your schedule, leaves no hair anywhere especially not on your white sofa or new dress. Bathe your DD (digital dog) and blow-dry simply with an easily accessible phone App. Delegating potty breaks is a breeze.  Simply delegate the task to a digital poo fairy. However, you must execute a disc-clean up every month.

If your DD gets loose and lost, simply dial 933 or 9DD. The operator will instruct you on where to find your dog virtually every time. If your lost digital dog shows up at someone else’s house and they cannot kennel DD overnight, they can simply forward DD to you. However, you must receive her or him within 24 hours – otherwise, DD might panic – surrounded by all those zeroes and ones in software land.


Caution: when in public and in wildlife areas, be sure to stay in command of your DD at all times. Even a normally friendly and obedient loose DD can sometimes run errant.



Dog walking quotes: 

You’ll never walk alone, because I’ll always walk with you
unless I smell something interesting, then all bets are off.

You become responsible forever for whom you have tamed. 
~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s


Leave nothing behind except paw prints.


Own the dog – own the dog poo!


Locally sourced, Organic Jericho Satire for fun with a hint of serious thought for consideration.


Author's Note
Like most of my satirical writings, the dog poop writing is meant to be funny while retaining a sense of messaging. 

The messaging is not about dogs, but about the few dog owners who are irresponsible.  

I realize I took a risk that I might offend some dog owners. Please understand that is not my intention. I loved my dogs; I like other friendly dogs. I do not like seeing plastic bags of dog poop or unenclosed dog poop on the trails for reasons listed in the writing. This is not the dog's fault as I point out - they do not have opposable thumbs to pick up the poop. Moreover, I believe, most dog owners/walkers are responsible about clean up after their pet(s). 
 
 
 Our beloved dog Elliot, r.i.p. 

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Looking at the World through Community glasses

Bells are ringing all over the world


Though it may seem dark and cold, 
we can feel strength in our own actions
and take note -

Bells are ringing; bells are ringing in the night, 
all over the world tonight -
calling out the light.

We are not alone.

Let us all ignite our spark to
Laugh, 
Dream,
Try,
and Do Good
here at home in our beloved community.

Let's shovel a walk for a neighbor,
invite someone over for coffee
sing a song for someone
write a letter
babysit for parents
hold a door
hug all dear friends
 even those not so dear-
be creative and brave showing no fear
only cheer.

Take time to be kind 

don’t forget to kiss the cooks
for all their labor! 

When we give, we receive
when we act like the way we wish to see the world
the world begins to look like we wish to see it.

Let's add to the chorus
bells are ringing throughout the world
let Jericho’s bells chime in as well
calling out the light!





No matter how dark and cold it is outside, I can always rely on chickadees to welcome me with their inquisitiveness, and friendly chatter.

Nature is full of uplifting wonders,
 we only need to stop, look, and listen.


Also see Mary Oliver's poem, Invitation at https://wordsfortheyear.com/2017/08/28/invitation-by-mary-oliver/
"... just to be alive on this fresh morning in the broken world."

Jericho Vermont
Images of Community
Intimate, caring, and personal; reflecting the community and its stories.

Monday, December 16, 2019

Full Circle Recorders Christmas Concert Jericho VT Community Ctr



Full Circle Recorders plays Deck the Halls at Jericho Christmas concert held at the community Ctr on Dec. 13, 2019





Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Listen to Deck the Halls by Full Circle Recorders 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnvKSWm7RUo

Jericho Vermont
Images of Community
Intimate, caring, and personal; reflecting the community and its stories.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Book reviews to keep our (Vermont) Green Alive all Winter


White, fluffy, and insulating is the cover over our gardens and landscape this fall. Sooner than I expected I settle next to the warm wood stove, open a book and move through our green-scape in virtual reality. Now is the time to enjoy winter, albeit early, but also to read up on the many wonders of nature - the non-human life that abounds about us, under our feet, surrounding us, and above us. Now is the time to learn how we can, in the light of climate change, and ecosystem depletion - how we all can practice regenerative earth building starting in our own backyards. 

Here is what I am reading for encouragement, knowledge, and ideas for action, be it increased biodiversity plantings, soil cover crops, or observing and learning more about our native plants, insects, and other wildlife. 


Dancing with Bees – a journey back to nature. *****
By Brigit Strawbridge Howard

Brigit writes, “My aim in writing the book was to encourage people to look again at the wildlife on their doorsteps – there is so much that goes unnoticed!” Follow along as her “ability to observe and describe nature” improves significantly and as she is inspired to take the time to notice, look and listen. As my similar mantra expresses, Stop, Look, and Listen, nature will astound you. 

Brigit summarizes “It matters not whether you are in a familiar landscape, or in a faraway place, whether you are surrounded by trees, mountains, rivers, or the vegetables on your allotment. Having a relationship with the rest of nature is about opening our hearts, our minds, and ourselves, knowing that we can, if we wish, rekindle our lost connections…” 

Indeed even though the discoveries and learning take place in England and possibly Ireland, the place could well be your own backyard. And that is the very point!

Upon being sparked first as a child and now as a middle-aged adult, she shares not just her deliciously entrancing observations and what she learns from them, but also an ecological worldview extrapolated from a small plot of land and at times from less than a square meter of soil or plant life. Walk with her through high grass and perennial flower meadows, touch the bark of an ancient tree, and sink your feet in warm sand and water as she describes how “Sun, rain, wind, and earth make me feel alive.” Follow her as she “encounter[s], in the truest sense of the word, other living, non-human beings that live there [on our own doorstep].”  She relishes in her nonprofessional’s lack of knowledge about the wildlife she views, because of the “fun and enjoyment to be had when you discover new things. …[I]t is never too late to experience connections to the natural world.” By asking questions of what she sees, she becomes a nature detective. 

We learn a good deal about bee life – native bees and honeybees. Did you know that at least some bumblebees sit on their eggs as birds do to keep them warm until they hatch? In addition, evening primroses (according to recent research) respond to the sound of bees buzzing.  Learn about soundscape, learn that their around six thousand species of the hoverfly family (Syrphidae) – key pollinators. We learn from the author what happens when as in the Sichuan region of China, “once the largest apple-producing areas on the planet” native wild bees are completely eradicated – the apples must now be pollinated entirely by human hands. Learn about wildlife corridors and their importance. Consider the phenomena of shifting baseline syndrome, whereby each generation having lost huge chunks of nature before they arrived, start the degradation metric anew, losing sight of how much ecology is truly being lost. Consider phenology – the timing of insect emergence and plant flowering, how climate warming is disrupting the match, and what we can do to help (Brigit encourages us to help address the impacts of climate change to insects by planting for bloom succession, buy or grow insecticide-free plants, take care of the soil, and plant flowers, meadows, shrubs, and trees.) Though enjoying nature does not require knowing the names of plants, it is still helpful in learning more about individual plants. The author explains the biological taxonomy naming/classification of plants and insects. There are also gardening tips such as how to make comfrey tea as a natural fertilizer for tomato plants.  

Moreover, what carries this boatload of information about nature is the enticing way the author brings us astride her walks, observations, and thoughtful inquires of what she sees and learns of nature. Brigit tells us “It is only when we reali[z]e that we are a part of nature, rather than apart from it, and behave accordingly, that real change is likely to happen.” Dancing with Bees brings us on “a journey back to nature” one we can easily replicate right outside our own backdoor. 

  

 Farming on the Wild Side”  *****
The evolution of a Regenerative Organic Farm and Nursery. 
By Nancy and John Hayden.

“ We can all affect change.” Thus, the local book.  Farming on the Wild Side – The Evolution of a Regenerative Organic Farm and Nursery ends after showing us how The Farm Between in Jeffersonville owned and by the authors Nancy and John Hayden was and is continually regenerated. The book speaks to us of love of the land and of all living species, and to the practical needs and ways to work with land and living species for all (species) benefit.

This book is not just for small farmers. Indeed, it is also a story for families who want to feed their children healthy food and an equally healthy recognition of our relationship with the bio-diverse forms of life and their little-understood relationships that form a system that feeds us.

If you want encouragement as well as practical advice on stewarding your land be it 100 sq feet or multiple acres, grow a small garden or plot of flowers, grow fruit or vegetables truly organically, this story and guide will help you with the many changes we are facing environmentally, socially, economically.

John and Nancy seek to create a regenerative food production system that at the same time improves soil and water quality – and they tell us many ways they have incorporated this goal – including failures and successes. Theirs is not a vanilla approach. Creative ideas-ventures kept at a small scale are easier to test out without risking overall failure. (“Diversity equals stability,” they advise).

We hear how soil is alive. These two ecologists and organic farmers (John likes the descriptor “practicing regenerative agro ecologist”) explain how soil is alive, how to do less damage to the soil, how to improve soil, and why this is important. Most valuably, their how-to’s are for the most part practical and applicable for even small yards.

Read this book for the philosophy offered on adaptation, (social and economic) resiliency, relationships with all living matter, pests and invasive plants, as well as practical approaches to improving soil, growing no chemical food and flowers, improving the soil in creative inexpensive ways, supporting native bees and other pollinators and recommendations on the specific nut, berry and other fruit plants.

Then as they suggest in the preface: Take action on behalf of life – Conserve or plant something! 


Dirt to Soil. One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture. 
***
By Gabe Brown. 

Reed Sims of Jericho, VT wrote me to say
“Gabe Brown is admired throughout the soils and climate-aware farming communities and was one of the first to fully implement no-till, diverse cover crops, and carbon farming.  He is also willing to talk about it with the world, and ‘his’ world of Great Plains and Midwestern farmers, creating many converts.”

Though the author’s message is directed primarily to farmers, he reveals an open-minded look at how nature works and his effort to work with nature. His story inspires and educates us all on the importance of healthy soil and how to improve what we have. So much of our mass-produced foods, both vegetable and meats are grown as monocultures and hybridized for long shelf life yet lower nutrient value. Soil has been severely degraded. The results are low nutrient foods, crops grown with chemicals, herbicides, and pesticides, and an ecosystem and farmer business plan both out of balance. 

Understanding land management that mimics nature’s way is to walk the path to regenerative agriculture (regenerating our ecosystems), gardening, and even back and front yard landscapes. We all can create conditions in our yards as well as farms, in which the soil biology can thrive – in particular, the mycorrhizal fungi in the soil and whereby the soil organic matter can increase. The author explains that mycorrhizal fungi have a symbiotic relationship with the roots of most plants and are essential for healthy soil. 


The five principles of healthy soil explained are limited disturbance, armor (soil covered at all times), diversity of plants, and living roots as much of the year as possible.


Most concerning to me is the message in this book about the low nutrient value of much of the food from large-scale monoculture farming, the dependence on fungicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers, and most alarming the severe degradation of soils across the country. The upbeat message in the book is that though there are no exact recipes there are methodologies we can use to improve the organic matter and overall health of our soils. There is still some life in our soil; we need only create the conditions to allow the soil biology to thrive again.  


Each of these books was obtained from the 
Jericho Community Library via interlibrary loan.
Available for purchase at https://www.chelseagreen.com/


Jericho Vermont
Images of Community
Intimate, caring, and personal; reflecting the community and its stories.