Jump Rope for the Heart! Excellent aerobic exercise! (Never mind that I always get tripped up by the rope.) Friday morning, I wandered over to the Edgecomb Eddy School to celebrate the extraordinary effort last week by the kids on behalf of the American Heart Association. 31 students participated, and they raised $2000, a cool 2 grand! High earner was Samantha Hersom (6th grade), $234; Ryan Peters (3rd grade) raised $167; Isabella Veilleux (3rd grade), and Alexandra Clarke, Caroline Friedland and Shaylee Sibley, all 2nd graders, each raised $100 and over. Other participants were Shauna Babine, Michell Barter and Connor Cilley of the 1st grade; 2nd graders Allison Barter, Hanna Elder, Arden McSwain and Makayla Haskell, 3rd graders Christy Barter, Ben Clifford, Ricky Cost, Joel Harris, Morgan Smith and Christina Tonry; 4th graders Chelsea Adkins, Erika Harpell and Ashlee Merrill; 5th graders Heather Barter, Daniel Chubbuck, Anthony Merrill, Brittany Blackman, Alex Umberfield, and Katrina Nelson; 6th graders Holly Bruns, Dotti Cost, Katie Worthley and Heather Nelson. Everyone, including the teachers and June Finnegan, coordinator of the event, is to be commended for their help to this worthiest of causes. At the same time, think of the fun they had!

The Edgecomb Planning Board has an opening for an alternate. This is a non-voting position, unless a voting member is absent, and a quorum is needed. Interested persons should notify the selectmen (882-7018) or Planning Board chairman Bob Crink (882-8018).

More moose-watching: Bob and Linda Blum have seen their moose again, standing in the middle of Cross Point Road. "The moose actually came over to the car,"says Linda, "It was very mild mannered and unstressed. It looked us right in the eye, then crossed the road again and stood there looking at us, while I took pictures. . . then it walked over towards the trees." Kate and Dave Ruscetta of the Shore Road had a big female moose in their yeard Tuesday morning, June 10. The Blums describe their moose as "huge and losing its winter coat." Same one?

Artists' opportunity! The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) is holding a poster competition for next year's Common Ground Fair. The selected design will be featured on posters, t-shirts, promotional literature and merchandise. The winner will receive a cash award of $1,000 as well as news articles and press releases focusing on the artist and the work. This contest is open to Maine residents; artists may submit 2 entries. All entries must arrive in the MOFGA office by 4 p.m. on Friday, August 8, 2003. Selection will be made by September 1. MOFGA will retain full rights to the design. All interested artists should contact the Common Ground Country Fair office for complete details and application form: PO Box 170, Unity ME 04988; phone 568-4142; e-mail cgcf@mofga.org; website www.mofga.org.

Another, more modest artists' opportunity, made possible by your friendly Edgecomb columnist, wearing another hat: The Rising Tide newsletter needs black/white drawings for illustrations. Health, fitness, nutrition, nature, country living themes. Kids' art welcome! No awards but publication, and infinite gratitude!

Watch this website: http://www.villagesoup.com/loon/ On or around June 21, it will show you the hatching of loon chicks! This is part of a research project by the Biodiversity Research Institute in Falmouth, studying birds and aquatic toxicity. I have only one complaint for project biologist Wing Goodale. He was quoted, "If we had done a chickadee cam it would not have been the same." Since I have learned that chickadees cheat on their mates, I should think a chickadee cam would be fascinating!

From little birds to large ones: Gary Balducci has emus! Three mating pairs, stalking with lordly grace, flowing their blue-streaked necks around like snakes! One egg will make an omelet for 20! Warning to hunters: These birds are not long-legged turkeys.

Hail to our neighbor to the north! Newcastle is celebrating its 250th Anniversary! How time flies when you're having fun, eh? The Friends of Fort Edgecomb will be participating in the Sheepscot Village 18th Century muster and encampment all 3 days, June 20, 21, 22. And best of all! (How's this for egomania?) Kith and Abigail Bailey, glorious L.A. founders of 1801, will be back on the Lincoln Academy float during Saturday's Grand Parade!

Got our tomatoes in, between rain storms, at 234 River Road, 633-2978, bonesukl@midcoast.com. This column appears in The Boothbay Register, The Lincoln County News, The Wiscasset Newspaper, and at www.Edgecomb.org.