Mountain Times - Volume 49, Number 46 - Nov. 11-17, 2020

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Columns 26 • The Mountain Times • Nov. 11-17, 2020 Life within the brush pile For nearly a decade, I’ve been adding to a brush pile in the woods behind my home. A depository of pruned branches, dead flowers, discarded logs, old leaves, and an occasional Christmas tree, the pile is a decaying testament to seasons and chores long past. Over the years, the pile has settled a bit as the accumulated debris has slowly broken down. Yet, the brush pile remains as intended: a woody oasis for wildlife. “Wildlife uses brush piles for nesting, resting, evading predators, keeping cool during summer, and staying warm and dry when it’s cold and stormy,” Charles Fergus wrote in his book “Make a Home for Wildlife: Creating Habitat on Your Land Backyard to Many Acres.” Constructed brush piles replicate what happens on the forest floor when dead branches and trees build up in a given The Outside Story By Lee Emmon spot. These unremarkable (at least to the human eye) heaps offer critical cover for forest creatures, and Fergus notes that brush piles are utilized by different species, including rabbits, turtles, weasels, chipmunks, and squirrels. In the winter, various small animals will use brush piles to find sufficient warmth and cover, said Haley Andreozzi, the wildlife outreach program manager with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension. These smaller animals, in turn, attract predators such as foxes, fishers, and long-tailed weasels. Tracks left in the snow will help identify the different creatures that enter and exit the pile. Doug Hitchcox, a staff naturalist with Maine Audubon, said brush piles are also valuable real estate for birds. He noted several species will use brush piles at different times of the year, including sparrows, some warblers, like common yellowthroat, and a variety of wrens, including house, winter, or Carolina wrens. Although the main benefit of brush piles to birds is cover and shelter, some may try to nest within the pile. “Winter wrens and a couple of species of flycatchers will often build their nests in the roots of uprooted trees,” said Hitchcox. “So a brush pile might mimic that enough to be an enticing nesting location.” If built near an existing bird feeder, especially one without adequate natural cover nearby, a brush pile may attract more avian visitors. “If you don’t have trees or shrubs already near the feeder, a brush pile is a great option to give birds a quick get-away spot,” said Hitchcox. Brush piles are easy to construct at the edges of forests, fields, and gardens. Recently cleared areas also provide excellent sites. To start, simply place a base of logs on the ground. Rocks or an existing tree stump can also serve as the pile’s foundation. Add multiple layers of branches and smaller sticks, and eventually, you’ll have a dome-shaped pile with numerous hiding spots for small animals. Leaves and other forms of vegetation will provide insulation as well as natural covering. There should be room left at the bottom to allow animals to come and go. Andreozzi said that while any type of woody debris will support wildlife habitat, “a deliberately structured brush pile will provide habitat for a larger diversity of species and will last longer.” She suggests building multiple brush piles in areas without natural cover to ease the threat posed by predators. Since I started on my first brush pile, I’ve added another on a different corner of the property. Smaller than the main pile, it grows slowly after each windstorm and yard job. The pile has already attracted the attention of a few critters. On cold winter nights, as ice-covered trees sway in the wind, and snow coats the forest floor, I hope small creatures have reached the warmth and safety of my brush piles – and that when a new day dawns, the old branches and rotting wood have sustained a most precious gift: life. Lee Emmons is a nature writer, public speaker, and educator. The illustration for this column is by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol. The Outside Story is assigned and edited by Northern Woodlands magazine and sponsored by nhcf.org. It has been estimated that fewer than 50% of adults have a will or other estate documents in place, which may not be entirely surprising. No one wants to be reminded of their own mortality or spend too much time thinking about what might happen once they’re gone. But a will is an instrument of power. Creating one gives you control over the distribution of your assets. If you die without one, the state decides what becomes of your property, without regard to your priorities. A will is a legal document by which an individual or a couple (known as “testator”) identifies their wishes regarding the distribution of their assets after death. A will can typically be broken down into four main parts. 1. Executors - Most wills begin by naming an executor. Executors are responsible for carrying out the wishes outlined in a will. This involves assessing the value of the estate, gathering the assets, paying inheritance tax and other debts (if necessary), and distributing assets among beneficiaries. It’s recommended that you name at least two executors, in case your first choice is unable to fulfill the obligation. 2. Guardians - A will allows you to designate a guardian for your minor children. Whomever you appoint, you will want to make sure beforehand that the individual is able and willing to assume the responsibility. For many people, this is the most important part of a will since, if you die without naming a guardian, the court will decide who Money Matters By Kevin Theissen The yard was covered in white. I mean, really covered in white. It wasn’t that pathetic little amount that we got on the first snowfall last week where you talk yourself into thinking that there’s probably enough snow to ski some laps around the yard before the snow is all gone. This was the first real snow, the kind you have to sweep off of your car and shovel the front walk because it will actually stick around. We measured almost 8 full inches and smiles about as big. Because snow that deep this early in the season only means one thing: it’s two-stroke time!! We hook up the trailer, pull the pin, open the clamshell and gaze longingly at our beauties that have been hiding away takes care of your children. 3. Gifts - This section enables you to identify people or organizations to whom you wish to give gifts of money or specific possessions, such as jewelry or a car. You can also specify conditional gifts, such as a sum of money to a young daughter, but only when she reaches a certain age. 4. Estate - Your estate encompasses everything you own, including real property, financial investments, cash, and personal possessions. Once you have identified specific gifts you would like to distribute, you can apportion the rest of your estate in equal shares among your heirs, or you can split it into percentages. For example, you may decide to give 45 percent each to two children and the remaining 10 percent to a sibling. The law does not require that a will be drawn up by a professional, and some people choose to create their own wills at home. But where wills are concerned, there is little room for error. You will not be around when the will is read to correct technical errors or clear up confusion. When you draft a will, consider enlisting the help of a legal or financial professional, especially if you have a large estate or complex family situation. Preparing for the eventual distribution of your assets may not sound enticing. But remember, a will puts the power in your hands. You have worked hard to create a legacy for your loved ones. You deserve to decide what becomes of it. Kevin Theissen is the owner of HWC Financial, Ludlow. Smoke ‘em if you’ve got ‘em!! Livin’ the Dream By Merisa Sherman Will power all summer long. The BF and I cannot contain our grins as we look at each other before grabbing the rear of our sleds and drag them out of the trailer in unison. My skis, of course, don’t clear the trailer because I didn’t pull hard enough. That’s okay, I start my strength training for the season by lifting the dead weight of the rear and pulling back with all the strength that I only imagine that I have — but it still doesn’t move. And so begins snowmobile season. My engine, at least, turns over easily and I drag the skis around, growing stronger with each pull. Plumes of thick smoke rise up, twisting in the wind. As I wait for the engine to reach temp, I am captivated by the smoke dancing in front of the headlights like the Last Unicorn dancing before the Red Bull. It’s simply beautiful. But nowhere near as beautiful as the tracks we would leave all over the yard. After a quick mental review, I’m off with one big loud BRAAAAAAAP. I lean my entire body off the left side of the sled, my knee hanging out as I shove the handlebars to the right. The skis catch Livin’ the dream > 27
The Mountain Times • Nov. 11-17, 2020 COLUMNS • 27 A little over 30 years ago, I lost my father to a massive heart attack. He was 55 years old, in good shape, and active – definitely not someone you’d expect to die so young. However, he was a smoker and as the coroner report attested, he had considerable plaque build-up in his arteries, which meant that lifestyle and DNA likely combined to bring him down. My brothers and I took note of this and have often talked over The Movie Diary By Dom Cioffi the years about the hereditary aspects of heart disease. What makes matters worse is that there’s also a tendency for high cholesterol (which can cause heart disease) on my mother’s side, too. I’ve had my cholesterol checked over the years and it’s always run on the high side – as expected. I’ve remained wary of this point, so I’ve always been careful about my diet and lifestyle. I’m certainly not the picture of health when it comes to food intake, but I’m better than average, for sure. And at 54 years old and running 15-20 miles a week, I think I’m keeping myself in pretty good shape. Looking at my diet, I avoid all fried and fast food, in general. I get a fair share of veggies, fruits, and nuts almost every day and if I eat breads, it’s usually whole grains. My fluid intake consists of water, hydration products for running, and the occasional cocktail (I rarely drink soda or sweetened drinks). And finally, I only eat red meat a few times a month, preferring fish and chicken as my staples. My two downfalls are pizza (hey, I’m Italian) and ice cream. The latter is my Achilles heel by a long shot. My father got me started on the ice cream habit as a kid and I’ve never been able to shake it. The urge overtakes me in the evenings just before I head off to bed. Like a twilight ritual, as I begin to get drowsy, my sweet tooth kicks in. Before I know it, I’m in the kitchen concocting a sugary nightcap. > Livin’ the dream: Braap, braaap, braaaap! from page 26 on the snow, darting to the left around the bush and the rear slides sideways to catch up. I can feel the pure power from the engine flowing from my hands up into my arms and shoulders and I grow stronger, almost like She-Ra with the power of GraySkull. I’m in a high tuck, basically doing wall sits while I feel the sled moving underneath me. In some ways, it’s like two skis locked in attack position and you throw your body to make the whole contraption get on edge. I can feel one ski lift as I come around the pricker tree, tightening my turn so I can get a good angle to launch from the culvert ditch. The skis slam back down and now I’m pumping the track, willing my sled to move quicker and faster, as I pull a donut around the picnic table covered in snow. And oh the power, the raw power that comes from the sled is absolutely overwhelming and I find myself high on my connection with the machine. We move together, weaving around the rocks hidden under the snow that I know are there because I’ve hit them with the mower. I can’t get enough, as I slide my skis right next to the BF’s The heart of the matter “The Truman Show” is both a comedic and poignant example of life treating someone unfairly. I am captivated by the smoke dancing in front of the headlights like the Last Unicorn dancing before the Red Bull. I go through phases, but for the last several years, my go-to sundae consists of chocolate or vanilla ice cream with pure Vermont maple syrup and either peanuts or pistachios liberally applied to the top. Just writing about it gets the juices in my mouth flowing! Unfortunately, every time I eat one of these sundaes, I get the funny feeling they’re causing plaque to build up in my arteries. As I wrote about in the spring, I lost a dear friend to a heart attack quite unexpectedly. His passing was a gigantic slap in the face since he was only in his early 50s and a fairly active guy. I was pretty shaken so I vowed that I would immediately see a cardiologist and get a full work-up of my heart health. It took months to get in but when I finally did, I found the experience enlightening. I learned more about cholesterol in one hour than I had in my entire life. And since I had a history of heart disease in my family and a tendency to run high in the cholesterol category, my doctor insisted I get some scans done. I got a CT scan on my heart, which showed very little plaque for a man my age. This thrilled me. However, the second scan – a sonogram of my carotid arteries – didn’t have the best results. It turns out that the radiation I had on my neck for cancer several years ago has caused a higher-than-normal level of plaque to adhere to the inside of those arteries – so much so that I need to go on medication to combat the effects. This was not the news that I wanted to hear. However, and we do our signature fist pound, thumb up before pulling away yet again. Lap after lap, we find new routes to follow around the garden and past the park bench. My shoulders and arms are getting tired from maneuvering the sled, but I ignore the pain. I am only getting stronger and better as we track up the lawn. Faster and faster, I drag the sled around the NIMH bush making sure to leave enough of a buffer to the forest so I can make some cross country tracks in the quiet of the morning. But I’m not thinking about that now. I have to focus on throwing my sled around the next turn and ripping the rear end around. I’m in the zone and there’s no time for anything but snowmobiling. I make my own “braaap” noises to match my sled and I know our song is being echoed by the valley. As I park my sled next to the deck, I cannot stop the hungry smile that’s plastered on my face. I swing my leg over and give my girl a little pat to thank her for the continued greatness. It’s going to be a mighty fine winter. the doctor made me feel good that I had taken the steps to look into my health. Had I not, I was heading down the same road as my father and good friend. So, I will begin a new chapter in my health by starting a medication that I would much rather not be taking. I will also be visiting a nutritionist to see what other steps I can take to put myself at lower risk. In some ways, I’m excited to learn more and try to see if I can alter the effects that radiation and DNA have had on my body. The only thing that frightens me is knowing that my new nutritionist is likely going to nix my nighttime ice cream parties. Life can be so unfair… In this week’s feature, we go back a few years to the classic Jim Carrey film, “The Truman Show,” which is both a comedic and poignant example of life treating someone unfairly. With the lack of new films being released, I’ve had to occasionally dive back into the annals of great movies I’ve seen. “The Truman Show” is one I’ve been wanting my son to watch given how unique and metaphorically intoxicating it is. Thankfully, upon viewing again 22 years after its initial release, it holds up surprisingly well. This was the film that showed the world what a great actor Jim Carrey was going to be. It was a wonderfully affecting commentary on modern life and the constricting worlds we sometimes find ourselves in. If you’re looking for a great film to revisit or were never lucky enough to see it in the first place, definitely give this Jim Carrey classic a try. Got a question or comment for Dom? You can email him at moviediary@att.net. By Merisa Sherman Plumes of smoke rise up from the snowmobile, twisting in the wind.
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Mountain Times - Volume 49, Number 46 - Nov. 11-17, 2020

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