Category Archives: Stories
Borrow bowling ball? You bet
#VT – From a Front Porch Forum member at Fort Ethan Allen…
6:53 PM FPF posting
Does anyone have a bowling ball I can borrow? It need not be in good shape, as I won’t use it for bowling…I just need to practice lifting a heavy spherical object enough that I can do it easily. I’m happy to pay a stipend for it, or if your trying to get rid of one forever I’ll make sure it has a good home. Thanks…and yes I’ll tell you more about how I’m using it if you care!7:51PM response in my mail box
If you open the mudroom door to my place and look to the left behind the door, you will see a rake and some other implements leaning on some shelving. On the left side of the top shelf is a pink dishpan. In the pink dishpan is a Brunswick bowling ball, which you are welcome to borrow. Could you just please close the door tight after you, email me to let me know you’ve taken it, and also email me to let me know when you’ve returned it?
Chickens on handlebars and other neighborly acts
#BTV #VT – From Peter in upstate New York…
Recently, I posted on Front Porch Forum for somebody who could do roof repairs, and for some outside work…
Bob W. recommended Phil M., a local man right here in Argyle. Phil quickly found the problem and will be returning to fix the leakage for a very reasonable price.
I also just received a call from a young man from Argyle who will do the outside work that I was looking for.
It’s great to find people right here in our own town. I’d rather spend my money on local people than on people from out of town.
Now I’m looking for topsoil. Please don’t hesitate to email or call!
And from Nick in Burlington’s Old North End…
I really love a city where you can see kids riding around with a chicken on their handlebars and find exactly what you were looking for in a box by the curb. Keep up the good work.
Bears Abound
#BTV #VT – Bear sightings are one of the most popular topics on Front Porch Forum recently, with 500 postings submitted across dozens of Vermont towns. Here are a few samples…
From Dick in Middlesex…
While walking our Vizsla tonight in our woods (right off the intersection of Wood and Shady Rill), Penny raced after something down in the woods. I saw a raccoon-sized animal run for a tree and the dog was barking like crazy so I started down through the pines to check her. There was a lot of tree-scrambling noise and as I yelled, I saw Mama Bear sort of looking at me and realized that several cubs must have been treed. Fortunately, Penny must have also seen the bear because she came right back and went right up the path to the house.
I hope my electric fences protect the beehives — there’s not much out there for her and the kids to eat.
From Christine in Bristol…
I just wanted to let everyone know that the black bear is still on Hardscrabble Road in Bristol. It was seen in the back yard of a home located just a few houses up from the Red Cedar School at about 5am today. It was was walking the perimeter of the yard eating blackberries from the branches. Estimated weight was about 225lbs.
From Ken in Essex Junction Village…
To all my neighbors – Woke up on Thursday to find my bird feeder poles bent over and the feeders on the ground. I thought it was merry pranksters, my wife said it must be a bear, so I straightened out the STEEL pipes and refilled the feeders and went about the day. We did activate the motion sensor lights though. Last night the lights went on and we looked out the window and stayed in the house, unlike our Governor. It is indeed a bear, and a big one, at least 250 pounds.
Posted by the police in Essex Town…
Here is an updated list to those locations we have been told bears have been sighted or known to be around:
- Gentes Road
- Pinewood Development
- Countryside Development
- Sherwood Square on Densmore Road
- Essex Highlands Off Weed Road
- Woods End Drive
- East Street
- Park Avenue
- Lamoille Street
And, from Scott in Westford…
Well, it was only the one bear but here’s what happened. I learned something about bears because of this experience.
From time to time our family will have a little campfire. I’m sure you guys know what I’m talking about: S’mores, maybe some adult beverages, a few friends. Pretty low-key stuff. Well, this one night a little earlier this Spring (when it hadn’t rained for a bit) we were having a fire and generally enjoying ourselves by the fire pit. Maybe it was the smell of the roasting marshmallows that drew the bear towards us, I don’t know. Anyway, I had just put a log on the fire when a spark jumped out and started a little tuft of grass on fire. I stumbled around a bit and I thought I had the loose fire under control. That’s when it happened: This big old bear comes crashing out of the woods and just starts stomping around the fire. He put it right out! We were in shock, to say the least. Then he grabs a shovel and commences to dousing our fire while, I swear this is true, grumbling about idiots lighting fires during the dry season and didn’t we see the warnings about fires and how he lives here too. Then, he grabbed the remaining beers (and the last s’more!) and said “Remember: Only YOU can prevent forest fires” before stomping angrily off to the woods. We were stunned.
I just want to say, while I appreciate bears sharing the land with us, I think Smokey is kind of a jerk for taking the rest of our beer and ruining our get-together. Bears should just stay in the woods.
KillerStartups covers Vermont’s own FPF
#BTV #VT – Burlington-writer-made-good, Emma McGowan, covered Front Porch Forum for KillerStartups this week.
Santa smacks roof in Richmond
#VT – Some folks use their Front Porch Forum to ask neighbors for roofer recommendations… straight forward stuff. Others, like Tracy in Richmond today, have more fun with it…
Holey leak spot Batman, I thought it was Hurricane Irene but forensic evidence indicates that Santa Claus (more on that later) landed a little too hard on our roof. There are two clear hoof prints that have messed up a couple of our shingles and we have need a roof maven to come over and give us some service. In fact I was sitting in the throne room just the other day and had an epiphany. Actually it was something wet dripping out of the ceiling. What a paradox. The world was upside down for a minute. Oh well. If anybody does light roof work give my wife a call. She is in charge of the physical plant. 802.318.3467. Or horse back riding lessons. But i digress.
Ask neighbors for farmers’ market finds
#BTV #VT – Folks in Vermont use Front Porch Forum is lots of ways. Here’s one from today’s FPF in Burlington’s Old North End by a local newspaper reporter…
Dear neighbors: I’ll be sampling breakfast, lunch and snacks at the Burlington Farmers Market this Saturday… Would love recommendations from ONE East about which temptations I shouldn’t miss, which prices are most reasonable. Any and all suggestions welcome.
Guatemala help needed? Turn to Williston FPF!
#VT – Melinda shared the following with her Williston negihbors on Front Porch Forum recently…
My daughter is senior next year and working on her Grad Challenge project. She is traveling to Guatemala this summer. She needs to find someone with connections/experience with Guatemala or South America to be her Community Consultant… Unfortunately our planned consultant fell through and now we are scrambling to find someone in the next 2 days.
She posted the good news today…
Thanks to Front Porch Forum we found a community consultant to work with my daughter. In addition to the consultant my daughter now also has other people to interview as part of her project. It felt so good to have all help from so many neighbors. FPF is great!
Burlington community engagement survey results
#BTV #VT – Burlington’s Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO) just released the results of a new survey that shows that “sense of community” is highly valued by Burlington citizens. About 44% liked their neighborhood because of friendly neighbors and a strong sense of community. And 10% said that an even stronger sense of community would improve their neighborhood more.
The average respondent (588 total) uses Front Porch Forum, is an English-speaking homeowner age 30 to 60, lives with one other adult and no children, works full-time, and has an annual household income greater than $50,000.
Some other tidbits…
Q: How did you find out about your Neighborhood Planning Assembly?
38% Front Porch Forum
22% Word of mouth
5% Newspaper
35% Other
Q: What do you like about your neighborhood?
52% Proximity to amenities
44% Friendly neighbors/strong sense of community
Lots of other options
Q: What would you change about your neighborhood?
13% Less traffic and speeding
11% Nothing
10% More connection to neighbors
Lots of other options
Q: Are you subscribed to Front Porch Forum?
93% Yes
Q: Which (other) social media do you use?
92% Email
69% Facebook
33% YouTube
21% Twitter
17% Google+
4% None
1% LinkedIn
Several others listed
Q: How did you find out about survey?
69% Front Porch Forum
10% CEDO e-newsletter
4% NPA
4% Friend/co-worker
3% Facebook
2% email
2% Bulletin board
1% Twitter
1% Service provider
0.2% Business
Q: Languages spoken in household?
99% English
6% French
4% Spanish
16 other languages selected by respondents
Q: Rent or own your housing?
30% Rent
70% Own
Q: Number of adults (18 or older) living in household?
20% 1
66% 2
9% 3
3% 4
1% 5
0.4% 6-7
Q: Children under 18 in household?
68% 0
14% 1
14% 2
2% 3
1% 4
Q: Your age?
1% Under 18
18% 18-29
34% 30-44
32% 45-61
13% 62-74
3% 75 and over
Q: Your employment?
58% Work full-time
16% Work part-time
11% Retired
5% Student full-time
4% Unemployed
2% Self-employed
1% Disabled
1% More than 1 job
1% Attending school and working
1% Stay-at-home parent
0.4% Student part-time
0.2% Sabbatical
Q: Your annual household income?
13% Less than $20,000
12% $20,000 to $30,000
10% $30,000 to $40,000
10% $40,000 to $50,000
14% $50,000 to $65,000
9% $65,000 to $80,000
15% $80,000 to $100,000
15% More than $100,000
About Blog
Ghost of Midnight is an online journal about fostering community within neighborhoods, with a special focus on Front Porch Forum (FPF). My wife, Valerie, and I founded FPF in 2006... read more
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