It can be easy to confuse the various frogs that appear in your backyard. Some have distinctive features that aid identification, while others look quite similar at first glance.

Patience is a virtue … Why do we hear or say that old adage? How is it a virtue? What does it refer to? Simply stated, it is the ability to be able to wait for something without becoming frustrated. It is a virtue that often alludes me, but also an area of my life I feel I have made significant gains in (my wife might disagree).

Houses and other buildings are the product of centuries of evolution. As his numbers outgrew the cave, early man built simple box-like shelters from the elements with local materials.

This past week, during the period of hot weather, I stayed inside our home, where it was quite cool. This gave me a chance to go over many of my books with photos of the Damariscotta area. To my delight, I came across a number of old photos I had forgotten all about.

We hope you are finding plenty of material to read this summer while we work on breathing new life into this old building. When ripping and tearing down 135-year-old plaster and lathes from our first floor ceiling and walls, the volunteers have been in full body coverings, regardless of the heat, masks included.

For many years Lewiston had a fine trotting horse race track, and it was here that the annual livestock fair was held. During our first years of showing sheep at this fair, there was a beautiful old grandstand that was still being used. It was a very old, massive structure, narrow and towering in height.

Before I explore this week’s species, I wanted to respond to the thoughtful letter from Claire Yackel in last week’s paper. Claire wrote about the lack of Lincoln County-based resources for wildlife. The only wildlife rehabilitation center in our area is Avian Haven in Waldo County. Located in Freedom, Avian Haven assists injured and orphaned wild birds, as well as turtles. They can be reached directly at 382-6761.