Make It Together: Bubble Snake Blowers
What you need:
shallow container
bubble solution
plastic water bottle
clean sock
Directions:
•  Pour your favorite bubble solution* into a shallow container.
•  Cut the bottom from a plastic drink bottle — with grown-up help.
•  Pull a clean sock up over the bottom; secure it with a strong rubber band.
•  Dip the sock-covered bottle end into the solution.
•  Blow through the bottle top.
•  Watch the bubble snakes grow.
*Homemade Bubble Solution
•  Pour ½ cup of dishwashing soap into a large cup or container.
•  Add 1 ½ cups water.
•  Add 2 Tablespoons of sugar to the mixture.
•  Gently stir.
•  Take outside and have bubble-blowing fun.
 
Learn more about Juneteenth. While this year’s Juneteenth has passed, the Vermont Humanities Council’s “Juneteenth in the Air” will be streaming on the Clemmons Family Farm website until June 30. See Juneteenth history and storytelling, including an aerial performance. Guests will include Professor Bill Hart, aerialist Ella, and Mrs. Lydia Clemmons (Senior).
 
Take a Medicare class. Age Well has brought their popular in-person Medicare classes online, and are continuing to offer them free during the COVID-19 pandemic. All who are new to Medicare — turning 65, loosing credible employer coverage, or disabled for two years — are eligible to register. Participants will be learning about the process and decisions related to enrolling in Medicare.
The class is presented by Sharon O’Neill, Age Well’s State Health Insurance Program Coordinator.  The class is available every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 
This class will teach you how to:
•  Transition to Medicare from Vermont Health Connect, or Employer Group Health Insurance.
•  Compare options for Medicare coverage including Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans and drug coverage.
•  Enroll in Medicare Medigap (Supplemental) coverage.
•  Protect yourself against Medicare fraud
Registration is required. To learn more and sign up call the Helpline at 1-800-642-5119 or e-mail [email protected]. Classes are free but donations are appreciated.
 
Go pick some strawberries. It’s strawberry season and a number of berry farms are open for U-pick with COVID-19 restrictions in place. In Addison County, Marble Rose Farm in Middlebury, Full Belly Farm in Monkton, Last Resort Farm in Bristol, and Lewis Creek Farm in Starksboro are open. Further afield the Charlotte Berry Farm and Adams Berry Farm, both in Charlotte are also open. A number of other farms across the state are open, and you can find them at pickyourown.org. 
Perennial favorites Douglas Orchards in Shoreham and Woods Market Garden in Brandon do not have pick-your-own this year: Douglas no longer has strawberries and Woods Market Garden has closed U-pick this year for safety reasons but is selling their berries at the Middlebury Natural Foods Coop. If you’re a cherry fan, however, Douglas Orchards still offers cherry picking. In all cases, it’s best to call before you go.
 
Listen to the birds. More and quieter time either at home or out in the woods this summer, thanks to COVID-19, may have drawn your attention to numerous bird songs, particularly in the early morning and the evening. Are you wondering what you’re hearing? 
At audubon.org/bird-guide you can identify which birds you hear — cardinals, hermit thrushes, wood thrushes, veeries, song sparrows, barred owls, Baltimore orioles and more.