IT’S OFFICIAL: “My dad and I were sitting on the porch at our
house and saw fireflies. It could very well be the beginning of
summer.”

Jon Hardy sent us that note from Derrick City last week.

We tend to agree and, hey, it is June 1, right? Summer can’t be
far behind.

THIS, TOO: On a similar subject, Norm Geist called to report
he’d seen three flock of geese. But they were heading south! Norm
saw the flocks, each with 30-50 birds, when he was traveling to
Buffalo on one of those chilly days last week.

BIG OAK: Gene Fazio reports a huge oak tree measuring 186 inches
around located at his property at 620 W. Washington St. He called
after reading our columns about the big trees in our neck of the
woods, material we gleaned from a 2006 list compiled by the
Pennsylvania Forestry Association.

That’s a pretty large tree by anyone’s standards but, assuming
it’s a red oak, we have to tell Gene it would be dwarfed by the
state largest red oak which is 263 inches in circumference and
stands 116 feet tall. It’s located in Erie. That’s almost 22 feet
around!

Still, though, we are impressed by Gene’s big oak. Certainly a
contender for Bradford’s biggest tree!

SPECIAL DRESS: Robert Platko of Tonawanda, N.Y., has a Swedish
dancing dress that belonged to his wife’s mother’s sister. It must
be quite fancy and was brought directly from Sweden and worn by
family members to a Swedish Festival in Jamestown, N.Y.

Robert was wondering, as are we, if someone connected with the
Swedish Festival in Mount Jewett might want the dress. It’s of no
use to him, of course, and he’d like to see the beautiful dress go
to an organization that would appreciate it.

If you’re interested, call us and we’ll pass along his contact
information.

NOT SO?: Passing along information about CUTCO shears being
featured on “How It’s Made,” we had said that the Olean, N.Y.,
company only markets products directly to consumers. But Jim Flynn
in Erie notes, “There is a CUTCO retail store at 8621 Peach St. in
Erie.”