Searsmont news

By Joyce and Mickey Sirota

joycesirota@gmail.com; mickeysirota@gmail.com

322-7572; 322-5671

White flowers galore

There was a time we didn’t even notice the flowers along Searsmont roadsides. Over the past year, we have graduated from the “daisies or not daisies” stage. So a week ago, wildflower guide in hand, we tried to list all the white flowers we are now seeing on our walks. In addition to Shasta daisies, there are

multiflora rose, fragrant bedstraw, and New Jersey tea, yarrow, tall meadow rue and flat-top aster. And winterberry. Lots of people know winterberry when the red berries pop out, but we were surprised to see their tiny, delicate flowers. By the Lawry Pond outlet guardrail we even found a spray of white

sweetclover, a roadside plant we first identified out on Woodmans Mill Road last summer. If we can add a few new identifications each year, it means we’re really noticing with intention.

Town Library

The Book and Bake Sale is Saturday, July 17, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. They are not accepting any more book donations, since they already have thousands. Donations for Grandma’s Attic Yard Sale can be brought to the lower level of the Community Building on Tuesday, July 13, 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, July 15, 4 to 7 p.m. and Friday, July 16, 1 to 3 p.m. or call Geri at 342-5030 for an appointment. No clothing, electronics or large furniture, please. Upscale items are welcome since there is no auction this year. Expect many cakes and cookies, pies and breads. And the Historical Society’s exhibition barn will be open.

The Library Director reminds us that the kids’ reading tournament is now happening all summer long. Just list the books you read (title and author) and bring your list to the library after you get to fifteen books read. You win! and get a free new book for your home library.

The library is now open Tuesday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m., Friday from 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Town Office, Broadband

Property tax bills for 2021 go out later this month, according to Tax Collector Kathy Hoey. Now that Searsmont has joined with Liberty, Freedom, Palermo and Montville in a five-town broadband expansion planning effort, Searsmonters can expect to get a mailed piece with more information and a way to submit a free, anonymous survey to help move things along. The next Task Force meetings, by Zoom or in person at the Community Building, are on July 15 and July 30, 6 p.m. Call 342-5411 to get on the Zoom log-in list if you are not already getting the information.

Bits and pieces

Congratulations, Searsmont! The news that Waldo County did not have a single COVID-19 case in the last two weeks of June was very good news. Keeping our fingers crossed.

Hot enough for you at the end of June? And dry enough? Be very careful about fires and fireworks. We hope our Searsmont neighbors and friends have water in their drilled wells as the summer moves ahead. Any word on how dug wells are doing?

We just got news that the town of Searsmont is opening a cooling center in the Community Building downstairs this summer. Hours of access are whenever the Town Office or the library are open, so basically Monday through Thursday during business hours, Fridays, 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Community Building is also the site for the Waldo County Bounty “Give and Take” kiosk. Any gardener who has excess produce or plants can drop off in the cooler or shelves next to the sign (alongside the Historical Society barn), and anyone seeking fresh free produce can come and get it.

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