The snow that has been falling as I write this on Sunday morning reminds me that the seeds and other natural sources of food that the wild birds have been eating will be covered soon, and it’s probably time to put up my bird feeders. So far this fall, I’ve only been intentionally feeding my friends the crows, although lately there has been a small flock of blue jays that often beats them to the food in the morning.
The jays are raucous and aggressive, and, I’m sorry to say, not my favorite members of the bird world, especially since I learned that they will not only pillage other birds’ nests for eggs in the spring, but will also kill and eat newly hatched baby birds. Nature can be a little horrifying sometimes.
After I’d been watching for the return of my special needs crow all week, it finally made a second appearance just after sunrise on Sunday morning.
For readers who don’t see my online columns on the “off weeks,” when there is no print edition of the paper, I was visited on Monday, Nov. 3, by a solitary crow with a broken beak. It was missing almost the entire top part of its beak, but was able to eat by tipping its head to the side and using the bottom part of its beak to scoop up the food I had put out on the ground.
I was also glad to see that it was able to fly, although when I went out to put down more food, it just hopped away to the end of the driveway and waited for me to go back inside, instead of flying off like my other crows do when I open the door. I suspect it was quite hungry.
Crows will eat just about anything, and I’ve watched them tearing into unfortunate roadkill—squirrels, raccoons, and even skunks—with their beaks, something this poor guy wouldn’t be able to do. I hope it has realized it can get an easy meal here, and will keep returning.
It’s already mid-November, and there’s no denying that we’re rushing headlong into the holiday season. I expect to hear about even more upcoming events over the next few weeks, but here are some I know about so far:
Saturday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. at the Andover Public Library, 46 Church Street in Andover: I’ll be reading from and discussing my family memoir, Just Like Glass. I hope to see lots of familiar faces there! Libraries in Andover, Bethel, and Bryant Pond all have copies of the book to loan if you haven’t read it, and would like to before coming to the program. It’s also available for purchase from the Museum Shop of the Bethel Historical Society, True North, the Greenwood Town Office, Sherman’s Books, Bridgton Books, and Amazon, and from bookshop.org, where every purchase you make supports local independent bookstores.
Saturday, Nov. 29: Small Business Saturday, with plenty of opportunities to kick off the holiday season by “shopping small” for unique gifts at local businesses all day long. The BAAM (Bethel Area Arts & Music) Winter Market takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Crescent Park School, and the Museum Shop in the Bethel Historical Society’s Robinson House will be open during those hours as well.
Saturday, Dec. 6, from 12-3 p.m. at West Parish Congregational Church in Bethel: Christmas Fair and Tea. Start your holiday season with a relaxing visit. Come and have a cup of tea, coffee, or hot cocoa with friends, along with fancy treats. Then head downstairs for the popular “cookie walk,” tiny treasures tables filled with Christmas items, and a home-baked food table.
Saturday, Dec. 6, from 12-5 p.m. at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society, 10 and 14 Broad Street, Bethel: “Christmas at the Mason House” and Holiday Open House and Bake Sale. One of the most popular annual happenings at MBHS, the event will feature candlelit tours of the Mason House, decorated for the holidays in 19th century style, with seasonal music performed by fiddler Monica Mann and friends and harpist Conni St. Pierre. Next door at the Robinson House, the Museum Shop will be open with plenty of unique gift ideas and homemade breads, pies, cookies, and other holiday treats. The event is free, but donations are welcome.
Sunday, Dec. 7, at 2 p.m. at the First Universalist Church of West Paris: The Oxford Hills Ukulele Group will lead a Christmas carol sing-along to get everyone into the spirit of Christmas. This is a popular event that the church has hosted in the past, and always lots of fun.
Sunday, Dec. 7, at 4 p.m. at Gould Academy’s Bingham Auditorium: Mahoosuc Community Band Christmas Concert. Ed Ryan is directing the band, which includes musicians of all ages, from 14 to 97. Donations are accepted at the door. The snow date is Monday, December 8, at 7 p.m.
The Greenwood Farmers’ Market at the old Town Hall on Main Street will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14, and Friday, Dec. 12. The Holiday Wonderland, in the former office space to the left of the entry, will be available for people to “free-shop” for holiday décor during the market. This space is for distribution only, but if you have holiday items to donate, you can contact Lynn by email at cobblynn12@gmail.com or leave a message for her at the Greenwood Town Office, 207-875-2773.
Knee update: My new knee just hit the one-month mark, and I’ve been able to go for a couple of three-mile walks without suffering any dire consequences, although I did have a bit more soreness at night on those days. Dr. Ben, my wonderful physical therapist, tells me he’s never seen a faster recovery from knee replacement, and that “it’s a gift” to have as much range of motion as I’ve already gotten back.
Having said all that, while I’m very happy with my physical recovery, I do have to admit that, mentally, it felt easier to be recovering from my first knee surgery last spring, as the days were getting longer and summer was coming, than it has felt to be recovering while facing ever-shrinking amounts of daylight and the prospect of a long winter. But the way time speeds by, the days will be lengthening again before we know it…right?
If you have news or events you’d like included here, email me at amy.w.chapman@gmail.com or call 207-890-4812. The next print edition of the Citizen will be out on Nov. 28, but you can read the Locke’s Mills column every week, with bonus online content, at amywchapman.com, or go to the website and subscribe for free to have it emailed to you each week.
“A blue jay hasn’t any more principle than an ex-congressman, and he will steal, deceive, and betray four times out of five.” – Mark Twain
Congratulations on the continued knee reocovery. I, too, hope your crow sticks around to partake of your free food. I will miss the tea and the cookie walk!