Thursday, July 29, 2021

Whitewashing the JCS Barn

 


Sunday morning came and the whole of Jericho seemed to be anew with colorful flowers and vegetable gardens; everything looked fresh, and new, and revived as the summer sun rose up against the Jericho Country Store. There were folks coming in and out of the store chattering with good cheer. The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee escaped through the creemee window and drifted to where Linda stood. Across the street on Jericho Center Green churchgoers gathered in their Sunday best. Beyond that, the library, freshly renewed and refurbished.


Linda walked along the sidewalk and peered over at the barn behind the Jericho Country Store with dismay as all the joy and contentment of spring bloom and early summer newness faded. That poor old hackneyed barn sure does need a fresh new coat of paint, but who to get to paint it she thought to herself. 


The towering ancient lilac at the corner of the house next door nearly erupted in song with its deep purple blooms and fragrance like perfume worn on a most elegant, beautiful aging woman. We need to bring back the sparkle to that wonderful barn, bring her back to her former eloquence so she can again be book ends with the library while folks settle out across the green at picnic tables, and set upon the grass drinking coffee, slurping ice cream, conversing; children playing and dogs chasing, and the new leaves, swept roads, and the Shipman’s roadside flowers all coming together in the center of the community. 


Who, who indeed? She looked across the green again and thought of asking Mickey, then she recalled how he recently injured an arm. No that would not do. Who might she entice to whitewash this towering barn? Then a who came to mind, only how to convince them of the joy one could feel in climbing a ladder into the clouds, scraping and scraping and scraping old paint away like scales off of a fish, patching with primer, then splashing and splashing red paint? The give-it-a-go speech in her mind seemed lacking. 


A fresh new approach was needed. She had tried before with the salesmanship, even a bit of begging and pleading. Now was the time to pull all stops. The JCS Barn must not be forgotten in the background. She must once again hold her weathervane high in pride atop a red ballast that she once was, as part of the stability and anchor that makes up the Jericho community. 


Linda long loved Mark Twain and knew that if he were here today, well she knew what she had to do. So the next morning, as folks stopped by for coffee they were a bit surprised to see her standing on the sidewalk, with a bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush surveying the barn. 


She smiled her lovely smile while she posed the joyful look of one about to set upon a task so pleasing that one nearly giggles in anticipation to get at it. As her intended target stepped out of the store, enjoying a sip of hot vanilla flavored coffee, he caught the scent of the glorious lilacs wafting his way. He looked up and over towards the lilacs and there well-framed was Linda in her painting coveralls, just a smiling and looking darn pretty as ever. 


"Well hello Jim", she called out, "What you up to today?" Jim replied, "Fetching to catch me some bass, with Bernie over to the big pond I reckon. Going to be one fine day don’t ya think? How about you, Linda, what’s with all that painting gear, I thought you didn’t like to paint and climb ladders and all." Linda let the coffee and lilac scents continue to merge and sweeten the air further before she set out the bait.


"Why I sure do love to paint on a fine day like today. Why painting is as much fun as hooking one of those largemouth basses. Every time you drop the brush into the bucket it's like dropping a line into the water, pull the brush up and you have a lunker on the line, then you reel him in by brushing on the paint. Why painting ain’t no more work than fishing is, didn’t you know that Jim?"


Jim, caught back a bit surprised and bewildered by Linda’s gaiety and enthusiasm about painting, said, "You mean you enjoy the scraping too?" Which Linda quickly replied, "Why that’s nearly as much fun as hookin’em and reeling them in. Why scraping paint is like scraping the scales off of a fish and all the time thinking how good it is going to taste, only I'm thinking how good the barn will be looking and how all the folks will be chattering about how I did such a good job of painting her up like a fish on the wall. And Jim, there ain’t no fish nearly as big as this barn in that whole darn lake, never mind what Bernie tells you." 


Jim was hooked for sure. Linda aimed to set the hook good and reel him in. 


"Now Jim, seems to me that coffee smells enticing, and the grill will be heating up in an hour or so. Those breakfast and lunch sandwiches sure are tasty and close by if you happen to be painting the barn, splashing red across her bow."

 

"Why this brush probably fits in your hand better than any rod and reel you ever did hold. And look at these fine bristles, as strong and fine as any fishing line. Yup, it's a fine day to be up in the clouds with the wind blowing through your hair. Too bad you committed to bouncing about on the big waves with Bernie today. Heard it might be a bit choppy out there. You be sure to bring some Tums."


Jim started to rethink the fishing trip. He remembered the wet sandwiches from the last trip. The fishing was good alright, except Bernie caught all the big ones and bragging rights. 


"Linda, what you say I give that fine brush a try? Just to see how it’d feel in my hand." "Well ok", said Linda, "Just you see I am kind of fond of this here brush, and it takes a bit of finesse to know how to handle it just right so you get a good sweep of paint on the line and don’t lose any as you toss it out and across the way, followed by a smooth sweeping action with your wrist. See Jim there is an art to painting a barn, not everyone can learn to do it well. But it sure is rewarding if you can tackle it right." 


Linda remembered how Mark Twain’s Tom had learned that to make a man covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to obtain. 


Linda handed over the brush to Jim with a show of hesitancy. "Darn sorry that you will miss out on the new sandwich JCS created and is offering up for the first time today. But I bet Bernie makes some fine spam sandwiches." Jim handled the brush like it was a fast action fast tip fly rod, most of the tip coming at the end of the bristles. Jim practiced casting it about imagining filling his creel with red Channel Bass. 


Later that day, as Bernie pulled in supper from the lake, Jim pulled up another gallon of red paint dreaming of a red Channel Bass as big as a barn, framed and hanging on his wall and all his buddies admiring the fine catch. Yup, it was a sure fine day to whitewash the JCS barn. 


About a week later, Linda again stood on the sidewalk. With the pride of the community, she looked upon the barn that once again held her weathervane high in pride atop a red ballast as part of the stability and anchor that makes up the Jericho community.


I will always believe caring plus contribution equals community.

& A little storytelling and laughter don't hurt none either!

Bernie

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Jericho BIG Trucks


Special Report

Touch-A-Truck at Jericho Town Library

The BIG event on Saturday 7/17, 12-2 pm, Jericho Town Library was by all measure a BIG success.

*Note: This article was written with a child's perspective as I imagined one would report this event. ~Bernie

 Folks of all heights and ages were able to get a first-hand look at some of the biggest, loudest trucks that UJFD, the Jericho Highway Department, and Essex Rescue have to offer. Sirens and flashing lights included. 
The smallest folks were the most eager and brave climbing dizzying heights in some of the BIGGEST trucks you ever did see. 
I mean who doesn't want to jump into a really really really BIG Firetruck, Ambulance, and Dump Truck. You can almost see Lake Champlain from the driver's seat of these BIG trucks. 
And boy do they have cool stuff inside. Lots of gear thingys, cool electronics, steering wheels as big as those on pirate ships;  noisemakers galore, and bouncy seats. Oh, did I tell you they are really BIG? 







And all those compartments have many more pumps and dials, and gauges to help the fireman move water to a fire. 














The ambulance has oxygen, a bed, medicines, and other helpful items to take good care of people when they are sick or injured. Some of the Rescue crew and one ambulance had to leave early to go on a call to help some people. That was ok, we are glad that those people had someone to come to help them be ok. 


The dump truck can carry about a zillion sandbox loads without a whimper. In wintertime plowing the roads from way up in the sky must be cooler than diving into a fresh new pile of snow. 

Boy, the folks who drive these BIG rigs must get tired from having to climb up so high.



But the sirens, flashing lights, and horns are a real 'blast'. 



















The Firemen, Highway Dept man, and the Rescue men and women were real swell. They answered our questions, and showed us where stuff was, and let us sit in the driver's seat and in the back of the ambulance just like we were real Fire, Highway, and Rescue Service people.


We even received helmets like the real McCoy.





We took home some safety information; we are sure glad to know about how to be safe and what to do in case of a fire or other emergency. 



That is one number we will remember.

Special thanks to Gretchen Wright -  Director, Jericho Town Library, the Underhill Jericho Fire Dept Chief Mat Champlin, Second Assistant Chief Sean Mccann, and other department members, Adam from the Jericho Highway Dept., and members of the Essex Rescue squad. 






Hats off to all the members of the Fire Department, the Rescue squads, and the Highway Department for the dedicated and knowledgeable work they do to be there for us when we are in need. 



If you all ever need an extra driver for one of those BIG trucks, give us a call, we would be happy to get into the driver's seat again. Though we might need a really big step stool to climb aboard. 







BIG TRUCKS FOR A BIG-HEARTED COMMUNITY!