CCL Weekly Update – 4/1/2021

“Tenderness, hesitantly, reach toward the earth …”

I’ve reused the title from last week’s message, a line from the sweet poem “Early Spring”, by Maria Rilke. It is a lovely thought on this cold and unpleasant day. It’s also a little April Fool’s joke. On me …

I did the unthinkable today. I literally tipped right over off the steps going onto the porch. In the seconds between “tim – ber” and landing, many things flashed through my head, including:

Oh, man, this is gonna hurt …

OMG, PLEASE don’t let anyone see this adventure …

Please, no broken body parts!

One out of three isn’t bad. It hurt, nobody witnessed the less than graceful landing, and nothing is busted!

Reflecting on this annoying moment, I realized again how vulnerable many of us are. As we age, our ability to bounce back up can be significantly diminished. Oh, I bounced, but nowhere near as well as I used to.

I’ll use my “incident” to take the opportunity to remind us that even without the disadvantages of ice, snow and slimy mud, we can still lose our balance and land hard. There might not always be a phone near or a person to help. Especially if you live alone, consider the proactive safety measure of a lifeline service. It’s a nominal cost, and one the Jenks Fund would be pleased to help with if expenses are a concern.

Wishing you a lovely weekend, celebrating however blesses you best, with no bumps or bruises along the way.

With Love, Patty

603-795-0603 (CCL office)
Patty@cclyme.org
www.cclyme.org

News and Notes:

Email scam alert – another close call today.

We’ve been hearing about lots of phone and email scams, and urging everyone to be on alert. Today, someone has sent scam emails in Martha Tecca’s name, from an email address that’s not hers, with the subject “TASK”. If you happen to receive it, do not respond. A reply to the email goes to a scammer (posing as Martha) saying they have an urgent need for iTunes gift cards. That should always be a red flag. In Lyme and the Upper Valley, we’ve experienced this scam approach being used in the name of clergy and other trusted helpers in the community. While many of us do provide gift cards for those in need, we will never ask you to urgently purchase them in this way. Thank you to those who have alerted us to this scam.

Vaccination update.

This week, everyone in NH 16 or older is eligible for vaccination! If you’re newly eligible, go to vaccines.nh.gov and register. You will be sent a link and instructions to schedule your appointment. The new VINI scheduling system is improving all the time, and it allows you to reschedule your appointment to find one that’s more convenient, without having to cancel your current appointment. 

Margaret Caudill-Slosberg (“EOC Lyme” on the Listserv) continues to keep us informed as the systems and conditions evolve. If you have yet to be vaccinated, watch for her emails. Call 603-795-0603 or email help@cclyme.org if you have questions or need any help getting – or getting to – your appointment. We’re in touch with Margaret and regional vaccination planning teams. 

March Craftiness – Winner!

This March, we completed our own version of March Madness, highlighting popular crafts in brackets going head-to-head for your votes! This week was the Final Round of March Craftiness. Final results, based on your votes, were posted Monday, giving a name to the honor and crowning our winner.  You can learn which award name had the most votes, and see which craft beat the rest here. 

“The Beauty of Birds” – Enjoy the Art, Place Your Vote, and Celebrate!

The Beauty of Birds is a virtual community art exhibition where the subject of each work is birds, with students from the Lyme School also sharing fabulous artwork based on birds’ habitats. We are very excited about all the works we’ve received! More details are at cclyme.org/birds. Important Dates:

Virtual exhibit: NOW through 4/15. Two pages of exhibits are live now on Matt Brown Fine Art’s website: an open exhibit of submissions from across the community, and works by Lyme School students.
Vote by 4/4  for the work from each (fun) category that best demonstrates that category. You can read more here and submit your votes here Matt Brown Fine Art has generously contributed gift cards to local businesses for winners of each category. Your vote may mean a lot to someone!
Zoom Award celebration: Wednesday 4/7 at 6pm. All welcome! At this Award celebration,  Honorary Hosts will discuss each category and introduce our award winners. It will be fun and educational. Please register for this event, and join us in this celebration! Be sure to vote by 4/4 if you haven’t already! 

Still have questions? Email shelby@cclyme.org or call 802-468-7776. 

One more reminder about the birds and the bears …

Thanks to the Lyme Conservation Commission for sharing: NH Fish & Game is reminding anyone who feeds wild birds to take down your feeders by April 1st. The onset of increasingly mild weather will cause bears to be more active. As they emerge from hibernation, finding food sources will be foremost on their minds, and bird feeders provide an irresistible lure. The NH Fish & Game web page has a full rundown of steps you can take to discourage unwanted bear visits.

Our Hour

The next Our Hour Zoom Meeting will be Tuesday, April 13 at 10:30am, and all are welcome.  The theme will be Light and Happy, Laughter and Fun. So please bring your thoughts, stories, quotes, poems, hopes and jokes to share! Especially the jokes. So we can have some good laughs. Here is a taste:

“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.” — William Shakespeare (Sonnet XCVIII) 

What did the tree say to spring?
What a re-leaf.

Can February March?
No, but April May!

I look forward to seeing you and hearing from you! I hope you can make it. It will be fun. Please RSVP to debbie@cclyme.org, so I will know you are planning to come and I can send you the zoom link.

Monday’s Menu 

Recipes for quick, fun and healthy weeknight meals. Click here to read this week’s recipe, “Broccoli Tater Tots” submitted by Anna Pippin, MSHN. These look like a fun and tasty side dish, so please shoot us an email to let us know you’ve given this recipe a try! We’d love to hear from you when you make this recipe. 

Would you like to submit a recipe for Monday’s Menu? Please contact shelby@cclyme.org.

Wellness Wednesdays

Tips and resources to support and encourage wellness in all aspects of our lives. Click here for this week’s post “Reset, Renew, Revitalize”, by Lynore Bolton, contributing writer and community member. Be sure to read the post and learn about entering this week’s raffle for a prize donated by Lynore!

You’ll be able to watch this new initiative grow on our website at cclyme.org/wellness-wednesdays. If you have a wellness tip or resource you would like to share, please contact shelby@cclyme.org.

Those Guys Tent Rentals

Those Guys will once again be renting their tents for this coming outdoor season. This, of course, will hinge on the continued improvement in the safety reached for outdoor gatherings vis-a-vis the pandemic. Tent rental reservations can be made by contacting Frank Gould via email, fagould58@gmail.com. Leave your name, phone number, physical address, date of reservation. Frank will reply with the reservation details of setup and takedown.

Tent rental fees
1 tent in Lyme……………. $250
2 tents in Lyme…………….. $450
1 tent outside Lyme………….. $325
2 tents outside Lyme………… $475

We are here. Every day. 603-795-0603 or help@cclyme.org.

Reach out when you or someone you care about needs a hand. If you could use information, help, a listening ear or ways to make someone else feel really good, contact us at 603-795-0603 or help@CCLyme.org. We partner with organizations and generous volunteers to connect you with just the right resources and opportunities to get involved, in Lyme and in nearby communities: Deliveries or errands. Groceries or meals. Health and wellbeing boosts. Handy help around home. Ways to stay warm and connected. A little help problem-solving. Tech support. You name it.

Coming up: 

You can find events and fun activities to enjoy virtually, outside, or following Covid-safe protocols. Check out the Lyme Events Calendar, the Valley News Calendar, or the Aging Resource Center  for ideas. The calendars include lots of free and by-donation food and meals every week.

This week, don’t miss:

  • Sunday (4/4): HAPPY EASTER! Several service options are in the calendar listings below.
  • Tuesday (4/6) at 1pm: Lyme Food Pantry Fresh Produce and Staples Pick-up or Delivery at Lyme Congregational Church. All who ask can receive a box of non-perishable items and fresh produce from Willing Hands, Pete & Gerry’s Eggs, and the USDA. Gift cards for other groceries and prepared meals are available. Boxes of food may be ordered ahead, and if we’re asked for something special we’ll do our best to make it available. There is plenty. Contact us at 795-0603 or help@cclyme.org.

Save the Date!

  • Tuesday (4/13) at 10:30am: Our Hour: Light and Happy, Laughter and Fun. We meet each month for a time to share your thoughts, feelings and ideas. If you are interested in joining April’s gathering, please email debbie@cclyme.org and she’ll send you the Zoom link.
  • Saturday (5/1) Lyme’s Day of Service and Green-up Day. If you have an outdoor clean-up project you’d like some volunteers to help with, please email Day of Service organizing team member Sue Hanlon at suehanlon9966@gmail.com with details or contact shelby@cclyme.org. By mid-April, we’ll post sign-up forms for volunteers to complete projects and clean up roads. Lots more to come!

Check out the Lyme Events Calendar for a full listing of upcoming events selected for Lyme and neighboring communities.

Calendar information is gathered from multiple sources, including:

Lyme and other local listservs
Lyme Library Calendar
Lyme Community and Church Newsletter
Lyme School Events Listing
Town of Lyme Website
Daybreak Upper Valley daily newsletter Click to subscribe
Valley News online calendar
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Aging Resource Center

Please share any additions or edits to calendar items, so that we can include them in the online calendar.

We are here for you.
When you seek information, help, or ways to help others, contact us.

The Lyme Community Help Line:
call 795-0603 or email Help@CCLyme.org

Connection to resources you need now to stay active, involved, and well.
Lyme Food Pantry or prepared meals. Deliveries or errands. Help around home.
You name it.

Click here to check out the Lyme Events Calendar
Things are happening!