SAME ONE?: As the crow flies, Laurel Drive isn’t too far from
Bolivar Drive. And that makes us wonder if this bear is the same
one we told you about last Friday.[neWLine][neWLine]

Larry Dow sent us the picture, and reported, “”I took this
picture Monday morning at about 7 a.m. – about 9ð feet away through
our dining room window on Bolivar Drive. I had just returned to the
house after getting our morning paper.””[neWLine]

That Monday would have been Monday, June 5. By our estimation,
it would have been close to the time Gabe Chamberlin saw a bear in
his back yard on Laurel Drive, off Constitution Avenue. It looks to
be about the same size and certainly seem to have the same large
appetite.[neWLine]

In addition, it certainly proves that bird feeders are a magnet
for bears and, as we said before, they should be taken inside
overnight. Again, a word to the wise …[neWLine][neWLine]

MORE MAYPOLE: Joan Klussmann writes, “”I lived across the street
from West Branch School for 20 years. For a month each year during
the ’60s I hummed ‘Country Gardens’ daily (it got into my brain) as
the children practiced for the Maypole festival held on the front
lawn of the school.””[neWLine]

“”Each grade performed a little program: kindergarten played
their rhythm band instruments; first graders did a calisthentics
routine to ‘Chicken Fat.’ (The words to it that were so
funny.)[neWLine]

“”The older students did a Maypole dance – to the tune of
‘Country Gardens’ – and, for a while, crowned an elected May Queen.
The latter event got too political and was dropped.[neWLine]

“”The program ceased by the late ’60s. The teachers said it had
become too involved and time consuming. I was sorry to see it go.
It appeared as a picture of springtime happiness and childhood
innocence.””