Dear Sun Spots: For 16 years, our family has attended a camp-out celebrating Adoptive Families in Jonesport every Labor Day weekend. This year, the founder of the Maine Adoption Placement Agency, Dawn Degnehardt, has asked the families to assist her in her quest to gather musical instruments for her foundation.

Here is a little information about this organization.

Degenhardt and family members have formed The Degenhardt Foundation, a humanitarian aid agency. She and the rest of the staff are full-time volunteers writing grants, developing programs and continuing to help children. One of these programs is Band for the Blind. The focus of this group is the blind center in Ben Tre, a southern province of Vietnam. The handicapped children within this institution have formed a sort of orchestra with traditional instruments and a keyboard; however, the children also love American music and would like to begin a Western-style band. The foundation is collecting used instruments, as well as sheet music, reeds, strings, etc., all in good condition, to take to Vietnam. With the support of the community, hopefully the foundation will collect enough instruments so the blind institute may form their Western-style orchestra. If you would like to learn more about the foundation or how you can be a part of their great work, check out their Web site at www.degenhardtfoundation.org.

Anyone with anything to donate may call me at 783-4214. I would be glad to pick up and get them delivered to the Dagenhardt Foundation in Houlton. Thanks for your help! – Merrilee Monks-Paine, Auburn.

Dear Sun Spots: I want to let readers know that if they are having issues with skunks or moles tearing up their lawns, I offer a fee-for-service solution. These pests become quite active this time of year. Please call Noonan’s Wildlife Services at 344-4149, or contact us via e-mail at: davenoonan308@ yahoo.com. – Dave Noonan, No Town.

Dear Sun Spots: My question is being directed to gardening columnist Jody Goodwin, who will hopefully be able to help myself and my daughter out.

My daughter has a pink and a white peony. She would like to plant them one on each side of her steps. The pink one is already there.

When is the right time to move the white one next to the steps and what do we use for fertilizer? Thank you.

Your column is very helpful to the whole area. Keep up the good work. – Rita, No Town.

Answer: The best time to transplant that peony is this fall. I would go with sometime during the first two weeks of September. I would not fertilize it when transplanted, I would wait until spring and use an organic fertilizer such as Neptune’s Sea or fish emulsion. Make sure there is a lot of organic matter (compost or aged manure) in the soil both below and to the sides of where it will be planted. Also be sure to plant it at exactly the same depth as it is now. Be very diligent about keeping it well watered right up until hard frost. Do not mulch it. Peonies don’t like to be mulched. Once hard frost has blackened the foliage, cut it back to about two inches tall. Those remaining two inches will remind you next spring that it is there.

Dear Sun Spots: Our 25th annual PTA Craft Fair is Saturday, Nov. 17. We are in need of crafters. To sign up phone 998-4013 and leave a message for Michelle Pinkham, president. Thank you for your help. – Mary Wallace, craft fair advertising chairwoman, Poland.

Dear Sun Spots: My name is Gerry Poulin, and I live in Arizona but am visiting my daughter here in Lewiston. I saw a letter in Monday’s column about No Name with many blanket squares to give away. I have an elderly friend in Arizona who makes blankets for the elderly in nursing homes. I would like to take those blanket squares back with me, if possible. Please contact me at my daughter’s. I leave Aug. 21. Her number is 375-8319 or my cell phone number is 520-560-9146. Thank you. – Gerry Poulin, 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 [email protected].