Time to Nest There is a chance that we could see some wet flakes north and west of Town Friday night and early Saturday morning. My colleague Tony Pann covers the science of this scenario quite well in his blog so I will leave that alone. Instead I want to talk about nesting. Yes, I believe guys can nest too. Pregnant women don’t have a monopoly on nesting. As it turns colder and the first flakes fly there are some things you might want to think about doing before winter hits us full force.

- Have your furnace checked
- Have your chimneys checked, especially if you love having fires as much as the Shutts
- Cover your firewood and stack it at least fifteen feet from your house.
- Plug spaces to stop drafts. Stopping drafts can safe you some bucks over the winter...chalk your windows and doors (remember to smooth the chalk with your finger, don’t just squirt it out of the tube and leave it there.)
- Add some insulation in the attic. (Be sure to wear a mask and goggles and do not put the insulation over the eaves. Your attic needs to breathe all year round.) Keep your receipt you are entitled to a tax deduction.
- Within the next two weeks bring your hoses in and drain your spigots, (Some spigots do not have to be drained. I have both types. Turn off the valve from the inside and then leave the spigot open. The ones that do not have to be drained I put a cover on them. You can get styrofoam covers from your hardware store.  ¶ 5:33 PM