Learn about the mysterious die-off of our bats

Photo by rajeevpidar (see link below for more photos).

Discover up-close-and-personal where bats actually live, learn about the role they play in our natural environment , and examine mounted museum specimens of native species at “Bats Alive!” a program sponsored by  The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History.

This is your opportunity, as well, to learn about the mysterious “white nose” fungus that is causing an alarming rate of death in bat colonies throughout New England.

On Saturday evening, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 1 in Ashford, mammalogist Cheri Collins will introduce participants to local bat species and talk about a bat’s unique biology and behavior. (A map with directions for this field trip will be mailed when you register.)

You will also be able to listen to wild bats with a “bat detector” – hear them use echolocation to sense their surroundings and locate insect prey.

And watch living bats as they emerge for the evening from the colony roosts and catch insects on the fly.

The program fee is $15 (or $10.00 for museum members) for adults and children age 6 and older. Advance registration is required.

For more information, visit the museum Web site at  http://www.cac.uconn.edu/mnhcurrentcalendar.html or call 860.486.4460 during office hours.

The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History and Connecticut Archaeology Center are part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at UConn.

Posted July 20, 2009

From the Editor, some related links:

Connecticut Bat Facts and how to build a bat house (CT DEP):

http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2723&q=325964&depNav_GID=1655

Mysterious Northeast Bat Deaths Now in 9 States (Earthfiles.com)

http://www.earthfiles.com/news.php?ID=1577&category=Environment

Northeast Bat Die-off Mirrors Honey Bee Collapse (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19174588

Great bat photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rajeevpindvar/3277561037/

Great video (from YouTube):

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service endangered species biologist Susi von Oettingen talks about white-nose syndrome in bats and investigates a hibernaculum in an abandoned mine and the area around it. [This problem is also showing up in Connecticut and other New England states. - HTNP.com Editor]

Summertime and the living is… what?

Rosie and friend stay cool in the pool. Alumbaugh photo.

Whoever said that summertime is lazy and hazy must be pretty non-engaged in life!  As a family who home schools, we find that summer can be less academic, but we still use the time we are afforded to learn.  We do a number of things that hopefully keep us on track for the fall;

*we continue doing math lessons throughout the summer.

*we continue cooking/baking instruction.

*we continue music lessons through July (at least)

*we do some history through field trip and travel.

*the kids still do their Kung Fu and horseback riding

We also sleep later than usual and enjoy the area around us.

We recently had a piano recital in which I performed with my students, at the First Baptist Church on Main St. in Willimantic.  I blew the dust off of some pretty hefty classical pieces,  and Jonathan played, too!

There are still lots of occasions for baking in the summer in the Alumbaugh house. Alumbaugh photo.

Afterward, we hosted a gathering for friends that meant all of us were cooking/baking for the day.

I’ll also be having a farewell gathering for friends who are leaving the area to move to another state.  This party will be pretty big in number and size.

And there will be a wedding to play and tech (Jonathan) for, too.  All these events take huge chunks of preparation time on the front end.  What a mish-mash of activities.

Add this to the mix:

I need to close out the year by doing an evaluation for both Jonathan and Rosie.

I also need to weed through their shelves of work and file them for the end of the year.  I will do some prep for the fall, too.

I have a huge list of things, both indoor and outdoor, that I would like to tackle.

I would also like to deep clean the house, with the kids help, of course.

I say all that to just raise the flag of awareness — with  home schooling really being a lifestyle rather than something you do for certain parts of the day, some things get left unattended to.  As a result, I am looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting things clean, fresh and uncluttered!  Organization is key here!

I’ll defer the rest of the column to the kids who will tell you what they will be doing this summer.

I hope we’ll keep in touch through the months ahead.  The possibilities for exhaustion are endless!

The Alumbaugh family (L-R) Jon, Rosie, Jonathan, Ruth. Alumbaugh photo.

My Summer Activities  – by Rosie

Well, I’m supposed to write about what I like to do in the summer, so here’s a list:

I like bike-riding, camping if the weather is nice and if there’s no chance of a thunder storm, swimming in our friend’s pool when it’s 105 Fahrenheit outside, sleeping in a room with AC, watching fireworks in the car (I don’t like loud noises), bringing my Gerbil(s) outside, not being in school, having fun doing things with my whole family, doing things with my friends Brenda, Jen, Rachel and Mikayla, maybe going to Block-Island and riding bikes there, and last but not least, playing lots of tag.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to scare the squirrel on my porch.  Where did I put my squirt-gun-mega-blaster?

-R.G. out!

On a family hike. Alumbaugh photo.

Summer Plans – by Jonathan

This summer, we’re not going to do anything too earth shattering (at least, not that I know of…), so I’m going to write about what we did last year – as well as what were going to do this year.

Last year, we went to California to see one of my older sisters graduate from college (the other one had graduated already by that time and she joined us, as well, for the graduation).

We had a nice time in California, but the ceremony was so long, and the AC didn’t do much to help out in the likes of cooling. So, after the ceremony was finally over, we went outside and waited there for her to come out and find us.

It took forever for her to find us, but once she finally did, we went to our next rendezvous, which was the park. We had Subway sandwiches and sushi.

After that, on Fathers Day, we went to a restaurant called “The Melting Pot,” where they only serve fondue. Now I know you’re thinking, “How could they have a whole dinner of just melted cheese and bread?” but that was only the appetizer.

After the cheese fondue, they brought out pots with really hot broth, and plates of raw meat that you stick in the broth. And depending on which flavor broth you cooked it in, it had a different taste.

After the main course, we had chocolate fondue which was REALLY good. For dipping in the chocolate, there was fruit and cookies.

The next day, we went to Disney Land (or was it Disney World?) with my sister and her friend who knew the place like the back of her hand.

My favorite ride was the haunted house, because the special effects were spectacular.

We spent the whole day there and we had a great time.  Needless to say, our feet were really tired afterward.

Photo by Jonathan Alumbaugh.

This year though, we’re going to have a bit more modest itinerary, what with the economy and all.

So, we’re going to be staying in the state for the most part, and exploring towns we’ve never been to before, like Darien, and other places with funny names.

The first place we’re going to is Block Island. Dad has wanted to go there for a while because, I believe, it’s supposed to be a good place to bike.

So we’re going to take the ferry over with our bikes and bike around Block Island.

We’ll be doing other regular things this summer, of course, like ‘Ill be mowing lawns as usual, and Rosie will be doing some baking that she needs to do, plus I’ll be working on the Congressional Award.

Other than that, that will be about all for this summer.

Posted July 20, 2009

LeGrande (Lee) Samuel Turcotte – Feb. 25, 1932 to June 20, 2009

LeGrand (Lee) Samuel Turcotte

LeGrande (Lee) Samuel Turcotte was born February 25, 1932, in Willimantic, CT. He was an internationally-renowned diving pioneer, Miami Beach firefighter and Korean War hero. He died June 20, 2009 in his Miami home from a stroke. He was 77.

Mr. Turcotte lived a life of adventure, excitement and risk-taking.

In his 30-year career as a firefighter with the Miami Beach Fire Department, he ran into burning buildings deemed too dangerous by fellow firefighters.

As a soldier in the Korean War, he survived a battle in which every other member of his platoon was killed. He rose to staff sergeant and was awarded two Bronze Stars for his heroism.

In 1956, Mr. Turcotte and a colleague launched one of the first charter diving boats in the world, serving the Florida Keys and the Bahamas. Its popularity led to his forming a diving travel agency, Triton Underwater Tours and a dive shop.

Physicians Underwater Medicine Program (PUMP)

He became one of the first diving instructors, giving hundreds of lessons. As his reputation spread worldwide, he helped create NASDS, an association for diving schools, and DIVE Magazine. His company was renamed Atlantis Safaris and ran for 20 years.

He also co-developed PUMP, the Physicians Underwater Medicine Program, to train doctors to deal with divers’ health issues.

In the 1970s, in response to growing environmental concern for the world’s oceans, he co-founded CURO, the Council for Underwater Resources and Oceans, whose motto was “Save Our Reefs.” Mr. Turcotte was inducted into the Dive Industry Travel Association’s Hall of Fame in 1993, its inaugural year, for his efforts to help save the seas.

He and his family were featured in the 1973 movie “Scuba,” a story of their diving adventures in the Caribbean.

His father was a pharmacist, physician and surgeon who died when young Lee was an infant. He was reared by his mother, but also lived in orphanages for periods of time.

Football practice vs Army National Guard

At age 15, he forged a birth certificate and joined the Army National Guard. Six months later he received an honorable discharge after telling the commanding officer he couldn’t be stationed overseas because of high school football practice. He excelled at football, track and swimming.

After graduation, he reenlisted and fought in Korea with the 15th Regimental Combat Team, Third Division, U.S. Army Infantry. While his wartime trauma took its toll on his personal relationships, later in life he made peace with his experience by speaking to groups at the Miami VA Hospital.

At the end of the Korean War he joined his mother and stepfather in Hollywood, FL, hanging out on the beach, contemplating his future. When his parents wanted fish or lobster for dinner, he dove in and speared it for them.

Sharks beware

As a lifeguard on Hollywood Beach, rather than close the beach after a shark sighting, he put on mask, fins and snorkel and swam out to spear the shark. Back on the beach, to the shock and amazement of tourists, he strung the creature up for display.

He soon became the leader of the first generation of free divers, scuba divers and spear fishermen.

He was charming and charismatic, with movie star good looks and a powerful build. In the 1950s, he wrestled alligators and hammerhead sharks and rode sea turtles in hotel pool shows.

An expert at breath-hold diving, he could remain underwater, without a tank, for five full minutes, according to his family.

Mr. Turcotte loved jazz, especially big band and swing, and was a volunteer with the Sunshine Jazz Organization.

He was married to Helen Antonoff Turcotte for 15 years; and is survived by his sons, Samuel Turcotte and Michael Turcotte; and by his brother, Ray Turcotte.

“He loved Miami and wanted to stay there forever,” said his son, Michael. “He always thought coconut palms were the barometer of where he could live.”

While Mr. Turcotte’s ashes will be spread at sea, said his son Samuel, if he were to have a tombstone it would read, “Gone diving.”

A memorial service was held on Saturday, July 18, 2009.

Memorial contributions may be made to American Legion Post 29.

Posted July 19, 2009