Be Smart, Stay Safe in Weathersfield Vermont June 1

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Fawns Are Just Fine

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says deer fawns are being born this time of year and asks that people avoid disturbing or picking them up.

Most deer fawns are born in late May and the first and second weeks of June, according to Vermont deer biologist Nick Fortin.

Fortin says it is best to keep your distance because the fawn’s mother is almost always nearby. When people see a small fawn alone, they often mistakenly assume it is helpless, lost or needing to be rescued.

Fawns do not attempt to evade predators during their first few weeks, instead relying on camouflage and stillness to remain undetected. During these times, fawns learn critical survival skills from their mothers. Bringing a fawn into a human environment results in separation from its mother, and it usually results in a sad ending for the animal.

1879 Schoolhouse Work Day June 6

Matt Keniston  and the 1879 Schoolhouse Committee.are going to do a physical distancing work party on June 6th from 9 a.m.-3 p.m..

Exterior painting will be the focus with a carpentry project or two.
Please bring a mask and your own lunch.

In the Weird Photo Department

There goes the neighborhood...


Meet our new neighbors. This raccoon family is living on one of our old maple trees. They are the cutest little things. I just hope they stay out of my compost pile.

Vermont COVID-19 Updates

NPR has a great listing of Northeast Corona-Virus Related Restrictions by State.
Check it out HERE

For Vermonters:

SARS-CoV-2-the virus that causes COVID-19,  isn't done with us yet. Please continue to wear facial coverings when in public and stay 6 feet apart for physical distancing. People around Weathersfield have been observed NOT wearing masks and NOT physical distancing.  

Do the right thing and protect others from yourself. Even if you don't feel ill, you may still have the virus and you are highly contagious up to two day before you show symptoms!


Governor Phil Scott  signed Addendum 14, a Be Smart, Stay Safe order on May 15 to extend the State of Emergency to June 15 and update previous emergency orders to reflect re-openings and eased restrictions announced in recent weeks.

As the key restart metrics continue to support incremental openings, the Be Smart, Stay Safe order also allows the limited resumption of campgrounds, marinas and lodging facilities, including hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, inns, short term rentals, parks for recreational vehicles and campgrounds, including those managed by the Vermont Department of Parks and Recreation. These facilities can open May 22 for Vermont residents only, or those who have met the 14-day quarantine requirement, and will be subject to strict health and safety standards and guidance from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development.

COVID-19 Summary-Vermont Health Department

Vermont Health Department has published a dashboard of COVID-19 cases in Vermont by county:

Vermont has increased their pop-up testing facilities for asymptomatic front-line workers. Snowbirds and returning college students who have been self-quarantining and are without symptoms at day 7 can get tested as well.
You'll need to sign up, which you can do at the link : https://humanresources.vermont.gov/popups?mc_cid=8dd0a480da&mc_eid=62773da223

Vermont has expanded testing for individuals showing mild symptoms of COVID-19. 

The state is making testing available for Vermonters without Covid-19 symptoms, along with second-home owners, college students and others returning to the state. On Tuesday, May 26, the pop-up site will be at Springfield High School; on Thursday, May 28, it will be at the Upper Valley Aquatic Center. There are still signup slots available at both sites, but they're going fast. Sign up at this link.

At press time- Spaces are available for May 26 in Springfield.

CDC Self Checker Tool

What you need to know
  • Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms.
  • Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness
Watch for symptoms

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Muscle pain
  • Sore throat
  • New loss of taste or smell
This list is not all possible symptoms. Other less common symptoms have been reported, including gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Report Non-Compliance

Vermont has created an online reporting tool that allows people to tell on those that they suspect are violating Gov. Phil Scott's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" executive order.
The complaints are funneled to the Vermont State Police but can be assigned to other police agencies, depending on where the alleged violation took place.
State troopers are leaning toward education instead of ticketing. And cops in Burlington, home to the most complaints filed with 17, say they have yet to cite or arrest anyone for violating the governor's executive order.
Find more information visit: https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid19.

Face Coverings or Not?

For full guidance on face masks, including how to make one, visit: https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/COVID-19-VDH-mask-guidance.pdf

Need to buy a face covering? Visit https://vem.vermont.gov/covid19/facecovering

According to VT Digger:
"The governor and attorney general have taken an intentionally light-touch approach to SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) enforcement. Governor Scott often says he prefers to “lead,” rather than “drive”even as he is taking small but steady steps to reopen the economy and social interaction. The governor “strongly suggests” that individuals wear masks to protect other people from getting Covid-19.

That has made shame and public scolding two of the main sticks in Vermont’s coronavirus compliance system. From social media groups to news website comments and official channels set up by the state, many Vermonters are not only proudly falling in line, they are on guard, and going public with their grievances." Read more: https://vtdigger.org/2020/05/10/vermont-isnt-punishing-covid-scofflaws-but-citizen-enforcers-are-on-patrol/

You are NOT Alone, Please Reach Out!

Health Care and Rehabilitation Services 24-hour crisis hotline 1-800-622-4235

Also check out Upper Valley Strong

Stay Safe and Stay Healthy friends and neighbors. 
Remember to call or check in on your elderly neighbors, bring them some cheer from a proper social distance.

Weathersfield Proctor Library on YouTube

Join the staff of our library for events on YouTube. You can check out story time with Glenna or Steve Reads. Phone (802)674-2863 or Email: weathersfieldproctorlibrary@gmail.com with questions.


Visit the library website for more information for borrow E-books or taking online classes (see below)

CLASSES Anyone

Over 500 Online Classes

https://vermontstate.universalclass.com/barcode-login.htm?enter+code Enter using your Weathersfield Proctor Library card number. Phone (802)674-2863 or Email: weathersfieldproctorlibrary@gmail.com with questions.

Creativity in Quarantine

Artistree has compiled an ongoing list of "creativity in quarantine" art projects on their blog page: https://artistreevt.org/art-at-home-with-artistree.html or visit their YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/artistreevt

Artistree Community Arts Center & Gallery/Purple Crayon Productions
2095 Pomfret Road/PO Box 158
South Pomfret, VT 05067

YOGA-WITHIN REACH YOGA

 Within Reach Yoga with Weathersfield's own Lisa Gleeson

Weekly Online Classes
Slow Flow, Rest + Restore-Saturdays, 9:00-10:00 am
More questions email lisa@withinreachyoga.com

LEARN TO MEDITATE - One Hour Sunday Online Class & Open House

May 3rd—May 31st
Sundays, 11 am to Noon with Shastri Donna Williams

For beginners and practitioners. This online open house is a great introduction to the Shambhala Buddhist teachings and an opportunity to connect with other practitioners. It features half an hour meditation practice with meditation instruction, followed by a talk by one of our senior teachers, and discussion period.
Attendance is free and open to the public. A good class for both beginners and meditators.
Their classes usually have a bowl out for donations. If you would like to make a donation for the online class, you can do so on this link or by mailing a check to the address below the form https://whiteriver.shambhala.org/community/donate/

The class will be led by Shastri Donna Williams of the White River Shambhala Meditation Center.
There is no cost, but you need to register by emailing whiteriver@shambhala.info so that you can be sent the Zoom link before the class.

Insight (Mindfulness) Meditation 

Gathering with others to practice mindfulness offers a respite from loneliness and the challenges of the world right now. For a bit of refuge, everyone is welcome to join Valley Insight’s meditation groups, which continue to meet during this time of social isolation in our Online Dharma
Hall.

Their sits include a period of sitting practice followed by discussion led by an experienced meditation teacher. Anyone with any level of experience in meditation can join their Monday and Tuesday sits. The Thursday sit is for more experienced meditators.

They use Zoom for their sits: it’s stable and easy to use and they haven’t encountered any problems with it. But because of reports about issues with Zoom, everyone who attends their sits must be invited by one of their teachers. Please email them at greetingsfromvalleyinsight@gmail.com if you wish to receive an invitation to a sit or if you have questions.

Monday: 5:30-7:00 pm. Led by Valley Insight Guiding Teacher Karen Summer.
Tuesday: 5:30-7:00 pm. Led by Peg Meyer.
Thursday: 11:00-12:30. Led by Senior Teacher Doreen Schweizer.

All events sponsored by Valley Insight Meditation Society. Admission by donation. For more information, contact Michael Stoner, greetingsfromvalleyinsight@gmail.com or (802) 649-7062.

Zen on Zoom

Upper Valley Zen Center, "dedicated to the study and practice of Zen Buddhism; to understanding the nature of suffering and its resolution; and to acting on this insight to benefit everyday life." Everyone is welcome to join our Zen on Zoom sessions! Please go to uvzc.org to access the Zoom links for each session.
Here is the schedule.
Informal Intro to Zen and discussion for newcomers, M/W/F 11:30 am to
12:30 pm.
Longer, more formal Sunday Zen practice,with chanting, dharma talk and Dokusan (meetings with a teacher) on Sunday mornings, 9 am to 11:15 am.
Morning practice, M/T/W/T/F, 7 to 7:45 am.
Tuesday afternoon practice, 4:30 to 6 pm.
Study Group (Diamond Sutra with commentary) Thursdays 7 to 8:30 pm.
Sunday Zen, this week 4/26 9-11:15 am. Topic: Clinging. Text: "The first step of Zen practice...is to manifest yourself as nothingness. The second step is to throw yourself completely into life and death, good and evil, beauty and ugliness."
They are grateful for donations-- they still have to pay rent and pay Zoom!
Donations may be made via their website, uvzc.org. Questions? Contact them at info@uvzc.org They hope to practice with you soon.

Music ONLINE Live


Follow your favorite artist(s) by signing up with Bandsintown. You can track artists and bands and will get messages when they schedule a "live" online/streaming show. Some charge a small fee but most are FREE.

Remember the music industry basically disappeared in early March and probably won't return until 2021. Most artists have a way to make a donation to them or purchase merchandise to help support them while we're all staying at home.

What to Do While I'm At Home-Use the Internet

Travel with a DC3 Aviation Museum of NH

Virtual World flights https://www.aviationmuseumofnh.org/worldflight/
This week Iceland to Glasgow.

Quarantine Baking

It's the NEW thing and the reason why us bread makers can't find yeast or bread flour anywhere. 
Check out King Arthur Flour's YouTube Channel for some yummy recipes https://www.youtube.com/user/KingArthurFlour

Hook up your TV and travel the world!

Again, if you have a laptop or tablet or phone with a HDMI inlet and you have a TV that accepts HDMI plugs you can hook your device up to your TV and stream on your TV. If you have a smart TV you can plug in the links below and watch.

Like Opera-Check out the Met

The Met is running online operas-how cool is that and they are FREE. https://www.metopera.org/

Virtually Visit World Class Museums


British Museum, London
This iconic museum located in the heart of London allows virtual visitors to tour the Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies. You can also find hundreds of artifacts on the museum’s virtual tour.

Guggenheim Museum, New York
Google’s Street View feature lets visitors tour the Guggenheim’s famous spiral staircase without ever leaving home. From there, you can discover incredible works of art from the Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary eras.

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
This famous American art museum features two online exhibits through Google. The first is an exhibit of American fashion from 1740 to 1895, including many renderings of clothes from the colonial and Revolutionary eras. The second is a collection of works from Dutch Baroque painter Johannes Vermeer.

Musée d’Orsay, Paris
You can virtually walk through this popular gallery that houses dozens of famous works from French artists who worked and lived between 1848 and 1914. Get a peek at artworks from Monet, Cézanne, and Gauguin, among others.

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul
One of Korea’s popular museums can be accessed from anywhere around the world. Google’s virtual tour takes you through six floors of Contemporary art from Korea and all over the globe.

Pergamon Museum, Berlin
As one of Germany’s largest museums, Pergamon has a lot to offer–even if you can’t physically be there. This historical museum is home to plenty of ancient artifacts including the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and, of course, the Pergamon Altar.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Explore the masterworks from the Dutch Golden Age, including works from Vermeer and Rembrandt. Google offers a Street View tour of this iconic museum, so you can feel as if you’re actually wandering its halls.

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Anyone who is a fan of this tragic, ingenious painter can see his works up close (or, almost up close) by virtually visiting this museum – the largest collection of artworks by Vincent van Gogh, including over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and over 750 personal letters.

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
European artworks from as far back as the 8th Century can be found in this California art museum. Take a Street View tour to discover a huge collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, manuscripts, and photographs.

Uffizi Gallery, Florence
This less well-known gallery houses the art collection of one of Florence, Italy’s most famous families, the de’Medicis. The building was designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 specifically for Cosimo I de’Medici, but anyone can wander its halls from anywhere in the world.

MASP, São Paulo
The Museu de Arte de São Paulo is a non-profit and Brazil’s first modern museum. Artworks placed on clear perspex frames make it seem like the artwork is hovering in midair. Take a virtual tour to experience the wondrous display for yourself.

National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
Built in 1964, this museum is dedicated to the archaeology and history of Mexico’s pre-Hispanic heritage. There are 23 exhibit rooms filled with ancient artifacts, including some from the Mayan civilization.

Sadly, not all popular art museums and galleries could be included on Google Arts & Culture’s collection, but some museums are taking it upon themselves to offer online visits. According to Fast Company, the Louvre also offers virtual tours on its website.

To see more of Google Arts & Culture’s collection of museums, visit the collection’s website. There are thousands of museum Street Views on Google as well. Google Arts & Culture also has an online experience for exploring famous historic and cultural heritage sites.

Museums not your thing-How about the National parks?
Explore national parks

For those who want to surround themselves with nature without the traveling and going-outside aspect of it all, national parks are also providing virtual tours of America’s most popular parks. Virtual visitors can travel through the trails of Yellowstone National Park, as well as the Yosemite National Park.

Visit the zoo

Some people count on the company of a furry friend at home, but others rely on spaces on the outside world to view them. Thankfully, spaces like the San Diego Zoo, the Georgia Aquarium and the Monterey Bay Aquarium are offering live webcam viewings of pandas, penguins and beluga whales.

Don't want a long plane ride but want to visit Hawaii?
Take a trip to Hawaii

As we go through high-tensioned times, keeping yourself relaxed is as important as keeping yourself clean. With the help of Google Earth, users can take a tour of some of Hawaii’s beautiful landmarks, such as HawaiÊ»i Volcanoes National Park and Waikiki Beach.

Have children at home

Check out this website: 100+ Indoor Activities


Order by Phone or Internet Take-Away


The Hanover Chamber put together this list of Curbside Restaurants: https://www.hanoverchamber.org/upper-valley-restaurants-delivery-curbside-pi

I would also add:
Exit Ate-closed until further notice. Dang.
Inn at Weathersfield
Springfield Diner
Villagers Ice Cream

Food Assistance

Ascutney Union Church Food Cupboard in Ascutney 5243 Route 5 Saturdays 9-10 a.m. call 802-674-2484. 

Weathersfield Food Shelf in Perkinsville. The 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month from 2-4 p.m. WFS is located in the 1879 Schoolhouse at 1862 Route 106 in Perkinsville. Donations of non-perishable food are always welcomed and may be dropped off at the facility during open hours or placed in the collection box at Martin Memorial Hall. For more information, call 802-263-5584 or email weathersfieldfoodshelf@gmail.com. 

Hartland Food shelf in Hartland. 4 Corners UU Church Fridays 8-10 a.m.
Reading-West Windsor Food Shelf in Reading. Mondays 2-4 p.m. and Thursday 4-6 p.m. Stone School 3456 Tyson Rd, Reading.

We'll get through this together. We're all connected.
#StayatHomeSavesLives
#StopTheSpread

Nancy Nutile-McMenemy is an Upper Valley freelance photographer and writer who loves to attend concerts and local events in and around Weathersfield and the Upper Valley.

If you have anything you think I should post during our Stay At Home Time drop me an email: photosbynanci@comcast.com

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