Mooses by Ted Hughes

The goofy Moose, the walking house-frame, Is lost In the forest. He bumps, he blunders, he stands. With massy bony thoughts sticking out near his ears – Reaching out palm upwards, to catch whatever might be falling from heaven – He tries to think, Leaning their huge weight On the lectern of his front legs. He can’t find the world! Where did it go? What does a world look like? The Moose Crashes on, and crashes into a lake, and stares at the mountain and cries: ‘Where do I belong? This is no place!’ He turns dragging half the lake out after him And charges the cackling underbrush – He meets another Moose He stares, he thinks: ‘It’s only a mirror!’ ‘Where is the world?’ he groans. ‘O my lost world! And why am I so ugly? And why am I so far away from my feet?’ He weeps. Hopeless drops drip from his droopy lips. The other Moose just stands there doing the same. Two dopes of the deep woods. Analysis The goofy Moose, the walking house-frame, Is lost In the forest. He bumps, he blunders, he stands.

from the Nature Conservancy: how to help moose

Restoring Moose Habitat The Collaborative has a clear plan for improving moose habitat. “Moose have to have two things: good forage and good cover,” says Mike Schrage, wildlife biologist for the Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Forage can be improved by timber harvest, fire, or by cutting brush in overgrown open areas. The Collaborative is working to clear brush from approximately 1,500 acres to promote the growth of low shrubs suitable for moose to browse Chris Dunham, forest manager for The Nature Conservancy, describes the brush saws used as “giant weed whackers” capable of mowing down brush that has grown taller than a moose can reach. Heavy equipment is also being used to shear brush in winter when the ground is frozen. The result of all the brush work is manna for moose. “The cleared areas will be full of nice fresh moose food,” said Dunham. Another 3,000 acres will be both cleared of brush and then planted with trees needed by moose for cover. In all, approximately 2.5 million trees will be planted, mostly white pine and white spruce, but also some white cedar and red oak. Moose need these trees for shade from the summer heat and as shelter in the harsh winter. Wire enclosures and bud caps protect the seedlings from browsing by deer and other animals. Of course, years must pass before moose can benefit from newly planted trees, but tree plantings and brush removal will eventually create a patchwork of habitats needed by moose for cover and forage.

Bill Bryson

“No less pertinent is that there is just something deeply and unquestionably wrong about killing an animal that is so sweetly and dopily unassuming as a moose. I could have slain this one with a slingshot, with a rock or stick—with a folded newspaper, I’d almost bet.” ―

Maple Creemee

When it comes to featuring local products, Vermont has it made with the Maple Creemee, a swirling tower of maple-flavored soft serve piled high upon a sugar or waffle cone. And while no one is quite clear where and when the term creemee (alternately creamee) came about, the why is apparent upon first lick. The creemee is the product of Vermont’s robust dairy and maple syrup industries. In addition to finding the frozen treat at shops throughout Vermont and New Hampshire, diners can also sample creemees straight from the source at farmsteads and creameries. Like most soft serve, creemees are lower in fat than traditional ice cream (tapping out at six percent milk fat where ice cream can hit up to 18 percent). During the cooling process, creemees also trap more air than ice cream, turning them into frozen delights that are simultaneously light and rich. The melty mountains are usually served throughout the summer at stands, festivals, and shops alongside other local products such as maple syrup and fresh-made butter and cheese. Diners looking for a double whammy of New England delights can look for maple creemees sandwiched between a sliced apple cider doughnut. On the simpler side, some cones come sprinkled with maple-sugar dust or maple toffee-style chunks.