Welcome to “Dear Daybreak”, a new, occasional Daybreak column. It features short vignettes about life in the Upper Valley: an encounter, some wry exchange with a stranger or acquaintance… Anything that happened in this region or relates to it and strikes a contributor as interesting or funny or poignant—or that makes us appreciate living here.

Dear Daybreak:

While driving in Taftsville on Route 4 along the Ottaqueachee, I spied a bald eagle soaring over the river searching for its lunch. Always a magnificent sight. Then on a more ordinary side, we have these turkeys: Three hens and 15 offspring, which have now grown into teenagers, pecking about our front meadow starting at daybreak and hanging about all day moving here and there but never really relocating. They are an odd group, as turkeys usually wander to gather their best winter feed. These guys seem married to our front meadow. “Squatters,” I am calling them. Earlier in the summer there was one lady amongst them who laid around alone, all day, on a patch of dusty soil, lolling about like the Queen of Sheba. Again, odd behavior, but they do eat ticks and other ground bugs so I guess I shouldn’t look a gift turkey in the eye. And so it goes. Nature at its finest. Weather too. Cannot ask for nicer early fall weather.

— Bettyanne McGuire, Woodstock

Dear Daybreak:

One lazy, early fall morning, my daughter and I walked up the street to the little pond near our house with some old bread to feed the catfish and turtles, just the two of us. (Lily Pond, for those familiar with WRJ.) As it turns out, my daughter was quite put out by the aggressive nature of the catfish, who were clearly unwilling to share any of the bread with the turtles. Undeterred, the mighty turtles stood their ground (water), each turtle battling its way through scores of catfish for a chunk of bread. It was quite thrilling to watch, actually. Vermont excitement. A mighty battle between two Lily Pond superpowers. More than anything, I just enjoyed the bucolic setting, the color of the leaves, and the time alone with my daughter, watching her laugh and pull for some underdog creatures in the Upper Valley morning sun.

— Ken Davis, White River Junction

Dear Daybreak:

I came from the far flat Midwest Vermont though is surely the best. There’s Daybreak for sure, and much other lure. To be here I surely am blessed.

— Janet Watton, Randolph Center

Dear Daybreak:

Maybe they need a bigger sign?

— Jonathan Frishtick, Norwich