Dear Sun Spots: The Oxford county Fair Agricultural Museum is looking for scarecrows again. Last year the museum had some wonderful scarecrows for all to see, and we hope to double those numbers this year. Any group, individual, school or child can make a scarecrow to enter. The scarecrow must be able to stand alone outdoors. Scarecrows can be brought to the museum at the fairgrounds between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13. (Registration forms will be available at that time). Judging will be done and ribbons presented on Thursday, Sept. 14. The scarecrows will be available for everyone to see on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, but MUST be picked up between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday. Let’s fill the area around the museum with fun scarecrows. For further information, please call Joan Putnam at 665-2478 or e-mail jputnam@megalink.net with scarecrow in the subject line. Thanks. – Joan Putnam, Bryant Pond.

Dear Sun Spots: Does anyone remember spruce gum?

I would like to purchase some but have been unable to find it. Any help will be appreciated. – Ed Needham, Lisbon Falls.

Answer: This inquiry came up a year ago when another reader wrote into the column also trying to locate it. Thanks to David Fuller and reader Ceneretta Ward at that time, Sun Spots was able to include the Better Living Center, at 181 Front St. in Farmington, 778-6018, as a store to purchase this gum from. They have confirmed they carry this item and are open Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Saturday, and open Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

You might also be interested in noting the following trivia kindly provided by David Fuller of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Farmington: the last of the spruce gum companies that went out of business in Maine was the C.A. McMahan company of Five Islands, in 1987. John Curtis started the first U.S. gum company (which was spruce gum) in 1848 outside of Bangor and moved to Portland in 1850.

Dear Sun Spots: Seeking Mt. Blue High School alumni for our mailing list. There are sure to be some of you out there who’ve not being receiving our letter because of lack of updated addresses. Please submit them to us so we can include you. I can be reached at 113 Birchwood, Farmington, ME 04938 or by phone at 778-9585. – Diane Ward, Farmington.

Dear Sun Spots: In answer to the writer with the old super 8 films: I took mine to the camera shop on Center Street in Auburn. It used to be called Bill’s. They did a beautiful job transferring my Super 8 to a video, and it had background music as well. I hope this helps. You can reach them at 784-1509. – Sandy of Auburn.

Answer: Sad to say the camera shop is no longer open.

Dear Sun Spots: I would like to thank everyone who responded to my request to send my mom a card. She has received over 400 so far, and it has made her days very happy. I never realized that there were so many compassionate people out there. I also found out that there are a lot of other lonely people out there.

Readers, please check on your family members and your neighbors. Everyone deserves to be loved as my mom has with these loving letters. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart and may God reward you all for being so compassionate. God bless you all. – Lucite G., No Town.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be posted at www.sunjournal.com in the Advice section.

under Opinion on the left-hand corner of your computer screen. In addition, you can e-mail your inquiries to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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