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In this newsletter . . .
- Welcome Note
- Ugh! It's Officially Tick Season
- Peru's New Farmers' Market
- Local Farmers' Markets Schedule
- Tip of the Month: Firewood
- Avoiding Major Foundation Problems
- Area Mountain Biking/Hiking/XC Skiing Trails
- Thinking of Selling? NOW is the Time!
- Upcoming Local Events
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May 2022
Dear Claudia,
It's mid-May and while summer is not quite officially here, summer weather arrived with a vengeance this week and the trees are "greening up" and flowers are abloom! Hip hip hooray!
With the warm weather comes the arrival of Vermont's newest "season": tick season. Unfortunately, this season actually spans several other seasons and will run from early spring through late fall.
This past month my husband John and I both experienced out first-ever tick bites (about two weeks apart). Both were a surprise, as we don’t have pets and hadn’t been hiking the woods or tall grasses. We both received a prophylactic double-dose of doxycycline immediately after finding them, and fingers crossed that we don't experience any symptoms of a tick-borne illness.
Lyme disease is scary enough, but there are a few other tick-borne illnesses that scare the heck out of me, including anaplasmosis and the closely-related and ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Powassan virus. Those names alone are terrifying! I’ve included some information and tips in the article below, and hope we can all avoid future bites and the nasty diseases that follow.
Enough about the awfulness of ticks… let’s focus on all of the beauty of summer and enjoy the coming months.
Stay in touch, and I'll do the same.
- Claudia Harris
Broker/Owner
Mary Mitchell Miller Real Estate
E-Mail: Claudia Harris
Website Click Here
Office: (802)824-3176
Cell: (802)379-0347
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It's Officially Tick Season | |
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Let’s talk further about ticks. It’s an awful topic, but clearly more and more relevant with the warmer temperatures Vermont is experiencing year-round.
While not every bite carries the risk of infection, it's hard to know when to worry. According to a Yale Medicine article, the classic bullseye rash around the bite site is an early indicator of Lyme and “(l)ater-stage symptoms can include severe headaches and neck stiffness; additional rashes; arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling; facial or Bell's palsy; pain in tendons, muscles, joints and bones; heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat (Lyme carditis); dizziness or shortness of breath; inflammation of the brain and spinal cord; nerve pain; numbness or tingling; and problems with short-term memory.” Symptoms of the other tick-borne diseases are all pretty similar, but can also include fever, malaise, muscle aches, rash and some symptoms can even exacerbate other medical issues with increased shortness of breath, seizures, tremors and long-term memory loss.
Tick bites were a stark reminder that not only is Vermont experiencing a warming climate, but Covid isn’t the only long-term health problem we need to be paying attention to on a daily and regular basis. Preventing tick bites is relatively easy, but requires vigilance and some good old-fashioned Yankee ingenuity.
- Wear long pants and shirts with sleeves if you’re hiking in the woods or walking through fields.
- Wear real shoes (not sandals) and socks. Better yet, tuck your pants into your socks (who cares if it looks silly!).
- Some people say there are some effective commercially-available oils, sprays and potions to prevent ticks – do your own research!
- With this note, I will share one of my best tips for avoiding tick-bites and the illnesses they spread. It involves a common household item: the lint roller! Keep one at home by your entry area, carry one in your car and pack one in your day- or backpack when hiking. or exploring outside When you’re finished, roll the lint roller all over your clothes, shoes and skin. Rub hard and thoroughly. Any ticks that are on your body or clothing should be picked up on the lint roller.
- And, finally, when you get home give yourself and/or partners, kids, and pets a thorough exam. Pay attention to places you can’t see easily (nape, back, behind the knees, underarms, etc.).
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Peru's New Farmers' Market
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Local Farmers' Markets Schedule
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There is a new Farmers' Market in Peru! Stop by and check it out on Friday afternoons from 5-7:30 PM in the center of town.
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And, speaking of Farmer's Markets, here is the schedule of local farmers' markets:
Londonderry - Saturdays from 9 to 1 at the intersections of Routes 100 and 11 (North Main Street) in Londonderry. http://www.westriverfarmersmarket.com
Peru – Fridays from 5 to 7:30 at the Park on Main Street in Peru.
Manchester - Thursdays from 3 to 6 at Adams Park, Rt 7A North in Manchester. http://www.manchesterfarmers.org/
Dorset - Sundays from 10 to 2 at the HN Williams General Store, 2732 Vermont 30 in Dorset. http://dorsetfarmersmarket.com
Ludlow - Fridays from 4 to 7 at 53 Main Street in Ludlow. http://www.ludlowfarmersmarket.org
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Tip of the Month: Firewood | |
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Tip of the Month: Don’t wait until the end of summer to order your firewood! If you wait too long, prices will be higher, you may not get the size you want, and what wood is available at the end of the summer is often “green” rather than seasoned or “dry.”
While we expect most of you have a preferred firewood provider, we are simply reminding you not to wait until the last minute to put in your order! If you need to know more about where to purchase firewood, your caretaker or lawn care provider will almost always be able to give you a reference. Mary Mitchell Miller Real Estate doesn’t have any special connections, but feel free to drop us a message if you’re looking for a referral.
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Avoiding Major Foundation Problems | |
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A recent issue of Realtor® Magazine featured an informative article on foundations entitled, “7 Fixes to Avoid Major Foundation Problems.”
As we all know, water can damage a foundation in countless ways, so homeowners should look to experts for the dos and don'ts.
- Improve grading.
- Waterproof a foundation.
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Install gutters and downspouts (not always recommended in Vermont).
- Keep large trees and bushes away from a house.
- Don’t ignore diagonal cracks.
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Check for significant leaks and stains, especially efflorescence (a powdery deposit found on the unsealed surface of brickwork, concrete, rock, or other material as a result of loss of moisture on exposure to air) in a basement.
- Learn why interior or patio floors may slant.
See the full article here.
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Accessing Our Area’s Incredible Mountain Biking/Hiking/Skiing Trails | |
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Our area is blessed with lots of hiking, biking and ski trails, including the Long Trail and Appalachian Trails, the Catamount Trail (XC skiing), and public and community trail systems like the beautiful West River Trail, walking trails around Lowell Lake, Gale Meadow, Hapgood Pond and an extensive network of mountain biking trails.
Speaking of mountain biking, there is a new trail system in Dorset. Built by the Northshire Area Trail System (NATS), the new trails will be open for riding later this summer. NATS is a chapter of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) and has around 200 members. They work to promote mountain biking and build trails in Manchester and the Mountains Towns. NATS has constructed approximately 11 miles of trails in the towns of Dorset and Manchester, using private and US Forest Service land through a combination of volunteer and professional labor funded by private donations. At the same time, NATS has partnered with the US Forest Service to open up approximately 12 miles of existing trails for mountain biking in the towns of Peru, Landgrove, and Weston. All of the NATS-maintained trails are available on Trailforks.com and the Trailforks app.
You can learn more about NATS on their website and you can follow them on Facebook.
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Mary Mitchell Miller Real Estate is seeking new residential and land listings and we would welcome the opportunity to talk with you about listing your Vermont property for sale.
If you've been thinking about it, now is the time to make a move. The inventory of homes for sale is at an all-time low, demand is at an all-time high, and there are buyers looking in ALL price ranges.
Please see our contact information below, or call us at the
office at (802)824-3176. Or, you can send an email here.
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Mary Mitchell Miller is a proud member of the New England Real Estate Network's Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and our website features FULL access to ALL property listings for sale in the State of Vermont.
Mary Mitchell Miller Real Estate has been working with buyers and sellers of southern Vermont real estate in the tri-mountain area between Okemo, Bromley and Stratton ski areas for more than 40 years. We are a full-service real estate brokerage firm specializing in the sale of fine homes and properties in Weston, Londonderry, Peru, Landgrove, Dorset, Manchester, Andover, Chester, Ludlow (Okemo Mountain), Mount Holly, Jamaica, Stratton, Winhall and Windham. Fully licensed in Vermont.
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