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North Fork
Fourth of July caution and courtesy, and a neighborhood friendshipBy Beth Lucas
Caution and courtesy: As we all celebrate the Fourth of July with parades and family picnics, please remember to be safe.
While fireworks are lots of fun, we have in the past had neighbors who have purchased illegal stuff from other states. We do not have last year's drought conditions, but they are still quite hazardous, so please don't use them here.
With sparklers, have a bucket of sand available when they go out. The spent sparklers are very hot and can burn little hands, so just pop them into the sand when they expire.
Firecrackers also need to be adult supervised. If you are setting off really loud ones, please make sure your neighbors know.
Many years ago, we had some electric line up around our horses for grazing. Shadow, who now looks down on us from heaven, went ballistic when she heard that first firecracker, raced through the line, snapping it, and galloped down Shelburne Glebe all the way to the Watermill end in Egypt Farms.
I will never forget Ed and Joey heading out in Ed's little pickup looking for her, coming home three hours later at five miles per hour. Joey was sitting on the back tailgate leading poor Shadow home to a secure paddock. Shadow was okay, but board fencing went up the next week.
Many of us also have dogs that are afraid of loud noises. Our Angel heads under the bed when thunder claps. We used to have a white border collie, Chester, who would head to a stall at the sound of thunder, burying his head in the corner and covering his head with his paws as his whole body shook.
Neighborhood friendship: A contingent of the North Fork Ladies Riding Group members headed over to Camp High Road recently to help the camp with their newly arrived horses. All the girls saddled up the leased ponies and took them on a trail ride. All went well and the experience gave the camp an idea of what to expect from the horses when young children ride them for eight weeks this summer.
A neighborhood friendship has always existed between the equestrians and the camp. We know the camp appreciated the help. The camping program should now be in full swing and is usually full, but you might call and see if you can get your kid into a weeklong sleep-away camp this summer. They will just be across the creek from North Fork.
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