Island Falls News

Riva Hawkes, Special to The County
10 years ago

Mr. and Mrs Carl Shields, former residents of the area, have arrived from their home in Bristol, Conn., to spend some time at thier cottage in Shin Pond. While here they plan to do some visiting and also, to spend Thanks-
giving here before returning to Conn. so spend the winter. The annual Craft Fair was held at the municipal building on Nov. 1 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. and from all the cars parked in and around the building, it was a huge success.

I have not seen any more wild partridge walking around my front yard lately, but have seen the friendly calico cats several times way down back and guess that maybe they are scaring the wild birds away. The cats appear most every day and are patrolling the area for any wild life that they can catch. That’s probably why I have not had to set any mousetraps this fall.
In the past I have caught at least two mice every fall when it starts to get cold, so I am happy to see the pretty cats patrolling the whole area of my home. I have now seen several nuthatches at my feeders, along with the chickadees, woodpeckers, bluejays, and an occasionl wren, plus the dratted gray squirrels, who keep me busy running to the feeders with lots of sunflower seeds. I am still putting out my peanut butter and lard mixture, too, now that it is much colder. The woodpeckers and bluejays can make short work of it, too, so I make sure I have plenty of it available.
The other evening, just before dark, had the doe and her three half-grown fawns on my back lawn, busily grazing. The three young ones have gotten quite daring and sometimes get up close to the house and then I can get good pictures of them if I am fast enough and careful not to let them see me from the window. I imagine I will have them all winter so keep the old bread in the fridge to toss out to them.