Residents in Nature, third edition.

 I used to tell my own children that one of the saddest sights was a snow covered front yard without footprints in it. On one January snow day three local kids, Chase, Hunter and Makayla brought joy to my heart! I hope you will agree that such industrious youth are worthy of headlining Nature Finds Residents in Nature!

We met this Vernon resident setting a trap for beaver. He asked that I not use his name because though a "part of our heritage" and considered conservation wildlife management, trapping is largely misunderstood. I asked him how often he must check his traps and he said, "every seventy- two hours, but I check them everyday." 

"One of the reasons I live on this road is because of the transformation of the brook. It's miraculous!" Wayne and I had stopped by the bridge on Broad Brook road the day before Valentines Day so that I could take pictures of the frozen falls there. Phyllis who lives nearby was walking down the road in fifteen degree temperatures when we met. I asked her if anything was in the brook and she told me that there are Brook Trout. About that "miraculous" comment Phyllis?  I couldn't agree with you more! 

 We hadn't seen a soul for the entire two hour hike until we reached the town forest and found John headed from where he had just come. John who lives in Westminster West, had been hearing about the Black Gum Swamps for awhile and thought that he would see the area and scout for deer. He only had a compass to to guide his off trail adventure in the Roaring Brook Wildlife Management Area. I wasn't worried about him losing his way however; because he also mentioned that his father is a forester and that he knew the state forester. 

It was a sunny February Sunday afternoon on the trail with not a soul in sight. The trail was ours for the entire hike in. The way out was another story with Wayne and I having to hop off of the VAST trail three times for sledders. It's nice to see this resource being used here in Vernon!

On the last day in February, Wayne and I were walking the snowmobile trail when we met Charlotte on Stebbins Road. Charlotte has lived on Franklin Road for fifty years, but walks on Stebbins because there isn't any ice and its so pretty. Charlotte mentioned that there is a photographer who takes a picture of the falls over the dam on Island Meadow Brook every day. 

Amanda and Jill celebrated the thermometer cracking fifty by walking "the five mile looper," The wonderful thing about them coming up behind us on Newton Road, was that I could tell by their laughter who they were before I turned around to look!