Recipe time! Some oldies but goodies from the January 10, 1910 Norwich Bulletin. Usually tasty and one pot wonders. No muss. Little fuss. Short and sweet and generally inexpensive too.
Stuffed Squash – Select a nice shaped crook-necked squash, split it in halves, lay in a steamer and steam until it can be pierced with a straw [a stiff piece of grass not a plastic drinking straw]; remove carefully to a baking pan and scoop out the seeds. Make a rich stuffing of 1 cup cracker crumbs, ¼ cup butter, 1 egg, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 1 teaspoon sage, ½ tsp poultry seasoning, cream to make sufficiently moist. Fill cavity in squash. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs. Dot with butter. Bake until brown. Garnish with parsley.
Sweet Potato Buns – Boil until tender 3 very large sweet potatoes, rub them very fine, adding one pint of cream. Sift together 1 ½ pints of flour, a pinch of salt, and 1 ½ teaspoonfuls of baking powder. Add this to the potato and mix into a rather firm, smooth dough. Form into round pieces the size of a small egg. Lay on a greased tin and bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes.
Spinach balls – Press all the moisture possible from a cupful of cooked and chopped spinach. Reheat it with two tablespoonfuls of butter rolled in two tablespoonfuls of flour and a tablespoonful of cream. Season to taste with salt, pepper, sugar and mace. Take from the fire and add two eggs well beaten. When cool, shape into balls with buttered spoons. Simmer in boiling water for five minutes, drain and reheat in cream sauce. Many like the addition of a few capers to the cream sauce.
Carrots with Onions. Slice fine enough carrots for five or six people; all three large onions sliced and a scant teaspoonful of salt. Add two tablespoonfuls of flour, salt, pepper; mix thoroughly and chop fine. [Not mentioned in the recipe is any liquid so I might add a hint of broth, or water and heat the mixture over the fire just long enough to cook the flour and create a gravy for the mixture. My friend suggests a few grains of sugar or honey to sweeten the mixture too.]
Mashed Potato Balls -Take two cupfuls of potatoes, season with salt and pepper, stir in one egg well beaten, half a cup of milk, one teaspoonful of baking powder and one-half cupful of flour.
Mold into balls and fry in hot fat until brown.
Italian Meat Balls – One pound of hamburger steak, one cup bread crumbs, one-half cup grated cheese, two eggs beaten until light, one tablespoon chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
Mix in balls the size of an egg, then drop into soup stock and boil for two minutes, then add two beaten eggs, and one spoon grated cheese and stir in lastly for thickening.
“And that was the fashion back in the day.” It was? OK. There are photos and descriptions and sketches but every once in a while it would be nice to know the reasoning behind why something was a fashion. So I got a little excited to learn this tiny tidbit of scarf reasoning in a January 10, 1910 Norwich Bulletin.
“The flimsy scarves, especially those of chiffon, make most attractive artifices of head dress. The scarves are placed on the head and then knotted at either side over the ears. The knots, artistically tied, serve a useful as well as decorative purpose, for the added weight either side of the head helps keep the scarf in position. The ends of the scarf are left free to throw about the neck or shoulders.”
All the rage fashion directions were short and sweet. “Ribbon and bead trimming. A handsome trimming on a light blue afternoon gown is made of pompadour ribbon, the selvedge being outlined with beads and bugles. The beads are worked into large sized daisy every few inches.” They lost me at pompadour ribbon but it sounds very nice.
I am looking forward to an occasion when I could create my own version of this evening gown. Although I must admit I don’t have a clue to what some of the words mean or refer to. “An effective evening dress is made of gray mousseline de soie over a very deep blue satin. The skirt is cut in a manner to show the plain satin at the front from the knees down. The satin is about six inches longer than the slip all around the hem. The bodice is surplice shaped, revealing the plain satin at the front, where it is heavily encrusted with silver ornaments. A band of silver fringe encircles the neck and surplice fronts.” Do I wear this gown with a scarf?
Would it be fun for any group to try and make doll sized outfits using these directions? There were no photo’s, sketches or pictures included with these directions. The dressmaker interpreted them for themselves.
“Dresses for girls of ten or twelve are handsome when made with long waists, fitted and finished with a plain plaited skirt. The skirt, says the Woman’s National Daily, should fall straight from the bodice. The hairline plaids are nice in this design. When very thin materials, like cashmere, are used, the long bodice may be scalloped on the extreme edge, the skirt set beneath the scallops. Practically all dresses of this description have square pieces over the shoulder, and panal fronts are widened at the flounce top. A long waisted dress of pale blue velvet is made with a scalloped edge – six scallops in all. With a gathered flounce. The sleeves are bell shaped, less than half length and a white lingerie guimpe is worn with it. This makes a very simple dress, rich in material and attractive in design.” I really understood only the words cashmere and white to know that this dress was not for the ten or twelve year old me who was perpetually dirty in her old jeans. Sigh.
The residents and taxpayers of Norwich, CT need encouragement to see the beauty of the city around them. The newspaper helped its readers see some of the more obvious points around them by printing articles such as The Good Roads and Beautiful Drives of Norwich in the January 1, 1908 edition.
The 1908 article begins with a discussion of Laurel Hill, Washington Street and Broadway. Today we rarely find even a mention of Laurel Hill. But reading their description will have you taking a second and third look at the hill.
“A wider variety of beautiful and artistic scenic effects will be found in Norwich CT then in most cities of its area and population in the country. Nature laid the foundation for beauty when she planned the hills, valleys, rivers and broad plains with which this locality is favored. Coming into the business section of the city from the commanding elevation of Laurel Hill, the view is magnificent, grand, inspiring. The stranger who catches sight of the circular range of hills thickly dotted with buildings of various description is impressed by the wonderful and striking layout of the scene. Looking down from an almost dizzy height, the eye encounters the waters of the Shetucket river rushing into those of the Thames, while from the opposite shore the less ambitious Yan
tic steals modestly into the harbor and mingling with its greater contemporaries they pass on and down to the deep waters of Long Island Sound. The picture is beyond the ideal of man. With a cloudless and perfect sky to accentuate the beauty which is here in all its glory, as far as the eye can reach, not a single blot is there to mar the grandeur of the outlook.”
Today’s residents need to step back and then step up to the beauty of Laurel Hill. It is time for Laurel Hill to once again focus on its beauty. To clear the trash and the brush that has been allowed to grow. It is long past time to claim back the business opportunities that once spread thru the area. It was not the quiet residential area that modern people have decided, without evidence, it once was.
Laurel Hill is a gateway to the downtown area of Norwich and we need to recognize it for all that it was and can be again. It is time for the armchair historians of Norwich to look to the past of Laurel Hill for the future of the downtown and waterfront of Norwich.
It is time to examine in detail the Norwich City Directories for the realities of the businesses and lovely homes that dotted the landscape on the hill. It is time to demand walking tours of the area with discussions of the new discoveries of the past. The future of Norwich is not in re-creating the past as it was, but in creating the future as we want it to be. Laurel Hill is an untapped resource for the future of the City of Norwich and now is a good time to begin using it.
Once upon a time there was an art to visiting another persons home and the newspaper would publish the rules so everyone would have a point of reference and the opportunity to try and outdo one another. Take for example this article from the January 9, 1908 Norwich Bulletin but originally printed in an earlier edition of the Chicago News. After reading this blog binge watch those old black and white movies.
For every action there was a rule. Very distinct and different rules for the males from the females.
“First and foremost, all who have reached the age to count calling among their pastimes should have cards engraved.” Of course, the engraved cards should not be used on informal occasions but on all formal occasions when your name is not familiar, as an enclosure with gifts, when sending regrets, cards are a necessity. Cards should be engraved with the full name, prefixed by the title “Mr.” Addresses on men’s cards are seldom used. Having a sample or two from an ancestor is still a treasure for a family genealogist.
A young man , in calling should remove his hat and coat and leave them in the hall, or if there is no place provided, he should lay them on a chair in the parlor near the door. The floor is not an option. If he is wearing gloves, the right one should be removed before shaking hands with the host. It is extremely bad form to keep on an overcoat while in the parlor, no matter how short the stay. Twirling your cane, or playing with your gloves during the evening is taboo. When the girls mother enters the room, he must rise to greet her. In cities, 8 o’clock is the earliest hour for calling, but in country towns they can be made as early as 7:30.
If a young man has been entertained by a married woman – has been a guest at a dance she gave or has dined at her table – he must call on her within two weeks after the event. Because she is married is not a release from the obligation. Sunday afternoons is a nice time as you will find her husband at home as a rule, and probably have a nice family chat. Any time after 3 o’clock on Sunday afternoon is a proper time.
It is always a proper thing for a man to ask permission of a girl to call. There are occasions when a woman takes the initiative but the rule remains that the man should ask the woman. It is for him to show the desire to pay attention to her. Having asked for the privilege he should call within a few days and stay for only a short time for the first time. Lengths of call should vary. An hour is an average call, and no man should stay until the hostess is bored. Ten o’clock is the time to go home, even if you are engaged to the girl.
If a man is calling in the company with women he must wait for them to give the signal for leaving. After the women have said their farewells, he may bid the hostess goodnight and follow the women from the room.
A man who has been an usher or best man at the wedding of a friend must call upon the couple with two weeks after their return home. In this circumstance it is permissible to telephone to set up the particulars of the visit.
There are times when a man finds it impossible to accept certain invitations, owing to previous engagements, lack of time or other good reasons. But the fact that he has been invited is sufficient reason for owing the would-be hostess a call. In other words, whether you accept an invitation or not you owe a call to the hostess. There are times when man who has never called upon a girl wishes to take her to some form of entertainment. This is not good form. He should call at her home some evening and while there ask if she would like to go. No girl should accept such an invitation from a man who has never called upon her.
While in a committee meeting, the name Mohegan Park, the one in Norwich was mentioned. Did you know there are other Mohegan Parks and other places called Mohegan in the United States?
Of course the other Mohegans are not as beautiful as ours but they would make an interesting road trip one day. There is of course Mohegan Lake, NY with its own Mohegan Park which is really an assisted living community but that is a discussion for another day.
There is Lake Mohegan in Fairfield, CT which is a really beautiful 170.4 acres administered as an open space property by their conservation commission with many hiking trails, dog trails, horse trails, playgrounds, a swimming area with ropes indicating water depth, a sandy beach, and more.
ATTENTION NORWICH PARENTS and RESIDENTS. Part of the more is a sprinkler park for children. Built and paid for by the volunteer organization Safe Parks and Recreation for Kids (SPARK), the fun zone is full of spouts, faucets and misters that delight tiny toddlers and their older siblings too. Just a thought that as the Norwich City budget is a bit tight a fundraising committee for a sprinkler in Mohegan Park might be just the thing. Anyway… Just a thought.
For those who have ever visited Block Island for a bit of sight seeing you’ll recall the vista as seen from the Mohegan Bluffs which is also known as the fifth stop on the Block Island Bicycle Tour. According to a tourist brochure the bluffs were named after an invading party of Mohegan Indians were driven over the bluffs by the native Manissean tribe of Block Island in 1590. Sound a little familiar?
But then I came across a place called Mohegan I had never heard of. Ever. A place with a rich and very different history than one I am accustomed to. A place called Mohegan, West Virginia. Thats right. West Virginia. First I had to see if it was really a place on a map. It is. Then I checked in the University of Virginia digital library for place names information and history. They referenced a 1926 publication and the Encyclopedia Britannica. You can look up the Encyclopedia Britannica reference yourself but here is the other, “Heckewelder (History of Manners and Customs, p. xli) explains: “The Mahicanni have been called by so many different names (The Dutch called them Mahikanders; the French Mourigans, and Mahingans; the English, Mohiccons, Mohuccons, Muhheekanew, Schaikooks, River Indians) that I was at a loss what to adopt, so that the reader might know what people were meant. Lokiel calls them ‘Mohicans,’ which is nearest to their real name Mahicanni, which of course I adopted.”
Mohegan, West Virginia is an unincorporated community on the Tug River in McDowell County at an altitude of 1,230 feet. Until the 1940’s it was a very active coal mining community and there are quite a number of photos in the Library of Congress. A small stop over place next time you are in West Virginia? Maybe you can find out more about how it got its name and tell us?
Some cities have had rather unusual rules in their past that they were willing to share with Norwich, CT. Hartford, CT for example wanted to share a moving day rule in the January 28, 1868 Norwich Bulletin.
The landlords in Hartford have met and agreed for the purpose of changing the annual “moving day” from the 1st of April, 1868 to the 1st of May, 1869, and thereafter to have their leases run May to May. The example is worthy of imitation in Norwich. The 1st of April is too early, too cold and disagreeable for moving. To compel people to shift their domiciles in such weather as we have in April, is cruel. Let’s have a change. Who’ll begin it?
But helpful hints were not restricted to business take for example these Kitchen Hints from January 7, 1902 Norwich Bulletin.
Before putting food in new tins set them over the fire with boiling water in them for several hours.
When roasting meat or frying a steak, turn it with a spoon; a fork pierces the meat, letting out the juice.
Add a slice of orange to cream of tomato soup just before serving to improve its flavor.
To make cake icing that will not crack when cut, add one tablespoonful of sweet cream to each unbeaten egg. Stir together, adding sugar until the icing is as stiff as can be stirred.
Pouring the thickening in while the pan is on the fire is apt to make the gravy lumpy; the better way is to remove the pan until the thickening is well stirred in, then return it to the fire and cook thoroughly.
To have the roast beef brown on the outside and juicy and rare within, it should be put in a very hot oven at first, then reducing the heat. The great heat at first hardens and also browns the surface, keeping in the juices. The meat should be basted frequently.
The next time you have raisins to stone, free them from stems, put them in a bowl, cover with boiling water, let stand for two minutes, then pour off the water. You can open the raisins and remove the seeds without the unpleasant stickiness.
Do you ever read a story in the newspaper or the world wide web that just makes you smile? A story that reminds you that good can follow bad? This story from the January 1, 1902 Norwich Bulletin, titled, Booty Returned By Norwich Burglar, Silverware Taken from Newark House brought back in local newspaper did just that for me. I now imagine a collection of these good hearted local stories for adults titled “Sweet Dreams.” It would make a much better nighttime read than much that guarantees nightmares.
If the burglar who came all the way back from Norwich, to return to Mrs. Jane Jenkinson of No. 24 Baldwin street, Newark, the silver and cut glass he stole a month before, says the New York World, will call or send his address he will receive a vote of thanks and all his expenses.
There was no note with the two big newspaper bundles he left in the back yard, and Mrs. Jenkinson, when she found that the papers were printed in Norwich, cried to think how the poor burglar had come all the weary way to give her back her property.
She thinks he must have suddenly struck religion and become so conscience-stricken that he took the risk of arrest rather than put her to the trouble of going back to Connecticut to recover her goods.
Not one of the articles was lost or injured, and Mrs. Jenkinson, who would gladly have paid a reward of $50 for their return, announces that she will do the generous thing if the burglar will only reveal himself.
January is National Bald Eagle Watch Month. I have not been able to spot any in Mohegan Park in Norwich, CT but I did however see them when walking the trail near the 8th Street Bridge in the Greenville area of Norwich. I like the trail across the river from the rail road tracks because it is safer than taking the chance of being hit by a train. Also the scenery is far superior as you have a great view of the waterfall and the old mills.
Bald eagles have a wingspan of 6 to 7 1/2 feet. The female is usually slightly larger than the male. Bald eagles sit 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall and weigh 8 to 15 pounds. Their eyes are 5 to 6 times more powerful than human’s.
Their primary food is fish, and will nearly always be seen near water. They also eat waterfowl, particularly the sick or injured, and occasionally carrion. Anyway, because its a well stocked river it has become a great hunting ground for the immense birds.
I have not seen their nest yet which should be easy to spot high in the tree tops as the stick nests can reach over 7 feet across, 12 feet deep, and weigh over two tons. Bald eagles mate for life and nest from November through April.
If you spot the nest do not even attempt to approach it. Nesting is a very critical time for bald eagles.
The female lays one to three eggs and incubation lasts 35-40 days, and the young’s first flight is about 75 days after hatching.
Officially adopted as the U.S. national emblem on June 20, 1782 the bald eagle was chosen by Congress due to its native status and majestic appearance. At the time, bald eagles were common in New England and people watched them hunting for food, feeding and pirating other eagles’ prey.
By 1940, the national bird was “threatened with extinction,” So Congress passed the Bald Eagle Protection Act which made it illegal to kill, harass, possess (without a permit), or sell bald eagles. The greatest treat to the eagle’s population was the chemical DDT so it was banned for most uses in the U.S. In 1972. Eagles became part of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as the Federal and state government agencies, and private organizations, successfully alerted the public of the bald eagle’s plight and to protect its habitat from further destruction. In 1991, a 5- year program to phase out the use of lead shot for waterfowl hunting was completed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (bald eagles were dying from lead poisoning as a result of feeding on hunter-killed or crippled waterfowl containing lead shot and from lead shot that was inadvertently ingested by the waterfowl). In July 1995, the Fish and Wildlife Service announced that bald eagles in the lower 48 states had recovered to the point that the status of the endangered populations was only a threatened population.
During the winter, bald eagles are under pressure to consume enough food and expend as little energy as possible in order to maintain body heat. If fishermen, bird watchers, or boaters get too close to the eagles, the birds will waste valuable energy flying away. It exposes them to undue stress and could cause abandonment of a site.
To avoid disturbing the eagles:
Do not get any closer than 400 yards from a perched eagle. If vegetation blocks the eagle’s view of you, still avoid getting closer than 100 yards.
When possible, stay in your vehicle, use a blind, or stand behind stationary objects when viewing eagles.
Stay on the opposite side of the river or lake to allow them a peaceful refuge.
Since over 70 percent of the eagle’s feeding occurs during the early morning, avoid visiting areas that eagles rely on for food before 9 a.m. That will help to allow the eagle enough time to adequately feed before human activity disrupts their foraging.
The older I get the more conversations I seem to have asking people to please explain to me what something is as I have never heard of it before. Disc Golf recently came up in a recent discussion of activities that might be good for Mohegan Park in Norwich, CT.
Mohegan Park is almost 500 acres of mostly natural woods, two ponds, some athletic fields, basket ball courts, playgrounds, swimming areas and parking lots. But there could be so much more if only the property owners would agree to pay more in taxes. I doubt that will happen so what activities could fit into this natural wood setting? Someone mentioned a game sometimes called “frisbee golf” but the correct term is “disc golf.”
I won’t go into what visions the name conjured up in my mind as the visions would give Alice in Wonderland a headache. So I turned to the Disc Golf Association and a few other articles for definitions and the rules and regulations of how to play and this is what I learned.
Disc golf is similar to regular golf but uses discs and a disc golf basket instead of clubs and hole in the ground. The disc golf baskets are raised on a pole extending from the ground. The object of the game is to complete each basket with the fewest number of throws beginning at a tee area and finishing at the disc golf basket. Generally a course is nine to eighteen targets long. Most players start at basket one and complete the course in order, playing through to the last hole. The player with the lowest cumulative score wins.
Probably one of the most important distinctions of disc golf from other games is that it can use a wide variety of terrains. Often the perfect terrain for a disc golf course is land not suitable for other park activities or development.
It is a quiet and courteous game. All players should be able to throw their disc without distraction. Even low talking is discouraged during a throw. Players should not throw their disc unless they are sure its flight or landing will not be disturbing to another player.
Each hole or basket begins with a tee-off and continues until each player reaches the basket. The tee off order on the first tee is by mutual agreement or by flipping the disc. The printed side is heads and the odd man should be first. The tee off order on subsequent holes is in order of the previous baskets score. The player with the lowest score tees off first.
This is the part where it is like golf. A stroke is each time the disc is thrown or when a penalty is imposed.
Every thrown disc is always left where it came to rest until a marker disc can be placed
on the ground directly in front of and touching the disc. Only then is the thrown disc picked up.
I am not certain I have the particulars of following through, or stepping past the marker disc after throwing entirely correct. But here goes, Stepping past the marker disc after throwing is allowed on any throw except when the rear of the marker disc is within 10 meters of the hole [1 meter = 3.280 feet; 10 meters = 32.80 feet.] Falling forward or making a falling putt to keep your balance after a putt is not allowed.
I am told this rule is now an option at the discretion of the players or tournament directors but I still really like it. If the disc gets stuck in a tree or a bush more than 2 meters [approximately six feet or more] above the ground, the marker is placed exactly beneath it and the disc is carefully removed from the tree. A penalty throw is then added to the score and play resumes. Extreme care must be taken to not damage the tree or bush or to re-shape them to improve throwing conditions. Some courses have “out of bounds areas” to preserve the natural growth or for the safety of the players. Players are encouraged to observe the boundaries and to do their best to stay out of the designated areas.
If the disc does go out-of-bounds you place your marker disc “in-bounds” at the place where the disc went out-of-bounds and a one throw penalty is marked.
Sometimes an alternative area or mandatory dog-leg is created to make a particular hole more difficult. The alternative area is usually designated on the tee sign with an arrow indicating the side and direction the disc must pass on. If the disc goes on the wrong side, it can be thrown back to the throwing side and re-thrown until it passes on the side indicated by the arrow without penalty.
Only one of the discussions included information on water hazards. Apparently water should be avoided at all costs as discs will sink. If a disc does land in the water however, it is played the same as you do the “out-of-bounds” throw, and must take a one throw penalty. If the disc is touching any shore above the water , it is “inbounds.” Standing water or mud on the course whether caused by sprinklers or rain is not considered “out-of-bounds” and the disc may be relocated to a dryer area no closer to the hole with no penalty.
In the rules discussions I read numerous discussions of proper foot placement and the commentary all says that it takes some practice. The foot that you put your weight on when you throw is called the plant foot and it must be as close as possible to the front line of the tee or marker disc without actually touching it. The foot can never be ahead of the disc or more than one foot behind the line or the disc. The other foot can be any place you choose as long as it is no closer to the hole than the rear of the marker disc. The conversations reminded me of bowling instructions.
The one very clear rule everywhere I looked was that everyone was responsible for leaving the course better than they found it. Any litter found on the course should be picked up and disposed of properly.
I just wish the game had the “curling game rule” of the winner buys the first round for the losers. The rule can always be added to an individual group.
The game rules respect the players, the property, and nature so my fears and hesitations have not been eliminated but they have certainly been lessened..
It is hard these days to have a church supper covered by a newspaper reporter or photographer. Today’s newspapers tell organizers to write the article with all of the information contained in it and the editors will make any additions, corrections or deletions. With cameras on every phone take your own photos or you can even submit your own video to be played on the newspaper website.
So how do you tell people about what makes your church supper special? Lets take a look at a Norwich Bulletin article from February 18, 1882 titled An Old Fashioned Supper. I have to admit I would love to see something of the kind today. OK maybe with a little modern updating.
The old fashioned supper served in the vestries of the Second Congregational church last evening was a quaint and pleasant affair. At the east side of the large and spacious parlor was an old-fashioned chimney and fireplace (designed by Mrs. Lucy Forbes) with a fire blazing on the hearth. About it were ancient looking spinning wheels and foot stoves, and an almanac nearly a hundred years old hung just beneath the mantel. The shelf was ornamented with candle-sticks and a squash, rosettes of corn on the ear and festoons of strung dried apples, embellished the wall.
The succotash was prepared in the old fashioned way in the fireplace and served hot. A chorus choir sang the songs of auld lang syne at intervals during the entertainment.
Several hundred people attended the supper and all pronounced it a most satisfactory and unique performance.
For today perhaps an electric fireplace complete with mantle? Spinning wheels can be found in our area and wouldn’t it be a hoot to have a few people spinning on standing bikes? Foot stoves are harder to come by but old almanacs are common enough. The other decorations sound like a mix of Thanksgiving and Christmas so even they should be available readily enough. Who has a succotash recipe that is easy to mix up and serve hot?
I copied this recipe for Mohegan Succotash off the web and learned a bit more history at the same time.
“ As with other eastern tribes, corn was one of the principal foods of the Mohegan. Corn was prepared in a number of ways, including making hominy of the kernels and making a stew of beans and corn called succotash. Succotash is a basic American Indian dish. Among the Indian nations of the Northeast, succotash was kept simmering at all times so that any hungry visitor or family member could be fed.”
Since agriculture was an important economic and subsistence activity, some ceremonies were conducted during the harvest. The Green Corn Ceremony was usually held in August when the first corn ripened. For a period of about two weeks, the community leaders would eat only at night. As a part of the thanksgiving for the harvest, the Green Corn Ceremony included feasting.
Mohegan Succotash
4 ears of fresh sweet corn
3 to 4 cups of fresh lima beans (frozen may be substituted)
1 ½ cups of water
½ cup of butter (to be really authentic, you should use bear grease instead of butter)
1 ½ cups of sliced green onions
1 green and 1 red bell pepper, sliced and diced
With a large, sharp knife cut corn cobs into 1 ½ inch lengths. Place corn, beans, water, and butter (or bear grease) in a large saucepan. Salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in green onions and peppers and continue to simmer for 6 to 10 minutes, until beans are tender and peppers are tender-crisp. Remove lid and cook over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until liquid is reduced to about ½ cup.
I think I will skip the bear grease but I am thinking that Succotash might be just the thing for a cold winter’s meal.
In taking a tour of downtown Norwich, CT the leader was quick to point out that there were numerous gun manufacturers and where the buildings once stood. How the companies supplied guns during various wars and how they are collectors items now available on e-bay.
I listened about how the companies moved out of Norwich, CT and then became larger and even more famous. But no stories about the people who worked in the early gun assembly plants. Those are the stories I am interested in hearing. Buildings did not make the companies, people made the companies. So let me share this story from the February 20, 1882 Norwich Bulletin titled Accidentally Shot.
“Just after two o’clock Saturday afternoon, Mr. Charles L. Hopkins was accidentally shot by a fellow workman at the Hopkins & Allen Manufacturing company’s shop on Franklin street. Mr. Hopkins works at the same bench with Mr. James Lathrop, the tester of revolvers in the inspecting room. The custom is to fill the chambers with empty shells of cartridges and to snap the hammers on the cylinder all the way around to see if it works properly. No loaded cartridges are allowed. While thus testing a weapon, Mr. Lathrop and all the shop hands were startled Saturday afternoon by a sharp report. Leslie Hopkins was the first to inquire, “Was there a ball cartridge in that pistol?” After carefully examining the empty shell Mr. Lathrop replied, “There was,” and discovering a hole in the right sleeve of Mr. Hopkins shirt said, “You are shot!” This was the first knowledge that the wounded man had of his injuries. He went at once to a surgeon who after examining the arm, found that the ball, which was of twenty-two callibre, was embedded in the bone about two inches below the shoulder joint and could not then be removed. No one can explain how the pistol came to have a ball cartridge in it. That will probably always remain a mystery.
When you take the walking tours of Norwich, CT ask to hear the stories of the people and their lives, loves and adventures. The character of a city is brought to life by its inhabitants not its buildings.
The 22nd annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) will be held Friday, February 15, through Monday, February 18, 2019. Please visit the official website at birdcount.org for more information. Twice Norwich CT has been the most reported city in Connecticut and I know we would all like to see that happen again. A certificate of achievement hangs in the Norwich City Clerk’s Office at Norwich City Hall, 100 Broadway.
It is easy, free and fun to help create a real-time snapshot of the bird populations and for the first time it will be around the globe and not just North America! All you do is count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the four-day event and report their sightings online at birdcount.org. Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from beginning bird watchers to experts, and you can participate from your backyard, or anywhere in the world.
You and a friend or family member across town, the state or the globe can arrange to watch birds at the same time in different places and report your observations to each other as well as on-line. Its a great way to do something together even if you are physically far apart. Age does not matter! Bird watching and counting can be enjoyed by everyone from two years old to 122 and beyond.
There are lots, and lots of documented stories dating back to the 1700’s of bird observations in Norwich, CT and I have shared quite a few of them in this blog.
In my yard I have hanging feeders so I count and report those I see while I have my first or second cup of coffee. But then I keep a little bag of cracked corn (available in small quantities at the local Agway Feed and Grain Store) in my car so if I have 15 minutes of free time near a park, the water, or a parking lot I can throw out a little of the corn and see, count and report who might like a little snack.
I don’t know all of the birds I see so I just report as best as I can. Of coure there are lots of picture books to reference as well as a websites.
Each checklist submitted during the GBBC helps researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society learn more about how birds are doing, how to protect them and the environment we share. Last year, more than 200,000 participants submitted their bird observations online, creating the largest instantaneous snapshot of global bird populations ever recorded.
Bird populations are always shifting and changing. On the program website participants can explore real-time maps and charts that show what others are reporting during and after the count. Be sure to check out the Explore a Region tool to get an idea of what you can expect to see in your area during the next GBBC.
For questions and comments, please contact the National Audubon Society or Cornell Lab of Ornithology: National Audubon Society citizenscience@audubon.org and Cornell Lab of Ornithology, gbbc@cornell.edu
The Great Backyard Bird Count is made possible, in part, by generous support from Wild Birds Unlimited.
It’s almost time for the Great Back Yard Bird Count, February 15 – 18, 2019 When anyone and everyone spends 15 minutes watching birds, count them, and then report the numbers to https://www.audubon.org/conservation/about-great-backyard-bird-count. Norwich, CT and I have participated since it began. It’s important to know not just where the birds are but also where they are not. In fact Norwich, CT was twice the most reported bird counting community in the State of Connecticut. I’ve written about the history of birds in Norwich before but I am excited to find this new story, Arrival of Early Birds, from the February 16, 1882 Norwich Bulletin.
Only the observing ornithologists know when to expect the early songsters; and they all vouch for the regularity of bird habits in appearing and disappearing from their habitats. Mr. George R. Case, of Laurel Hill Avenue, anticipating that the mild weather of the past few days would result in the return of the song sparrows to the hedges, visited their feeding grounds on Wednesday morning and found them on hand, bright and chipper, just five days earlier than in 1881, their date of return then having been February 25th. But the song sparrow was not alone. He reports having seen robins, bluebirds, pine linnets, and two golden crowned kinglets, bathing together by a brook, as if paired. Thursday morning he saw half a dozen cedar birds; and before the fog came up from the east, ducks flying by twos and threes northward.
Every generation has their version of this tale. Every person thinks their tale is unique. A circumstance that they invented. A story that as an adult was probably told at least a thousand times but lost as the generations pass. So maybe somewhere there is a family whose lore of a Small Boy’s Ride was told in the January 11, 1882 Norwich Bulletin.
“A little fellow seeing an expressman’s horse and wagon standing on Roath Street, yesterday, thought he would take a ride. There were a few hundred pounds of coal in the vehicle, but that is no hindrance to a youngster who is tempted to steal a horse and wagon. He sprang to the seat, took the reins, and as the course was down hill the animal made considerable speed. The boy being inexperienced as a driver, struck a telegraph pole in attempting to turn the corner, and the wagon was turned upside down on the Greenville road, with the boy beneath it, while the horse stood with the remnants of the shafts projecting from the harness like the drag of an ice boat. At this juncture the express man came out for another bushel of coal, but it was in the distance with a wrecked vehicle and a small boy on top of it. He hurried to the scene of the disaster, and found everything but the boy dilapidated. While twenty men saw him fall beneath the wagon not one saw him emerge. But he had departed without leaving his address.”
To me Norwich, CT is this quiet and friendly place. Welcoming to most people. It’s always been that way. Hasn’t it? Let’s take a look at a February 1, 1882 Norwich Bulletin article called a conflict of races. Next time you are admiring the falls and pondering the romance of the mills consider this story.
“The Irish operatives at the Falls mills do not like to have other foreigners settle there or work in the factories. The management is disposed to test all classes of working people, and occasionally introduce representatives of other races. The Hibernian element always exhibit a determination to make it unpleasant for employees not of their race and have sometimes succeeded in driving people away. Recently August Nadoling, a well behaved and industrious German, with several members of his family, took up his abode at the Falls and entered the mills to work. The young Irishman did not like it, and instantly began to annoy them by derisive exclamations and belligerent carriage.
On Saturday afternoon as August Nadoling was returning from the mills by his house he was fiercely snow-balled by a crowd of yelling youngsters, who felt that the old man’s very presence was a personal indignity to them. Fired with rage the German rallied his son and armed with two lapper sticks [small sticks] they went out into the village streets and broke them over the young rascals’ backs. The Irish people entered a complaint against Nadoling for a breach of the peace and he was arrested and taken to the lockup, but was released on his own recognizance on Sunday. Monday morning he appeared in the city court, but upon hearing his story the city attorney adjourned his case until Tuesday, and then issued warrants for the arrest of Daniel Sullivan, Michael and William Bowler and John Fenton for assault.
They were all in the city court yesterday. August Nadoling was found guilty of a breach of the peace and fined $1 and costs, which he paid. The court after reprimanding the youth, nolled their cases upon the payment of $2.98 each.”
ShopRite gave away a 2019 special edition of the OU Guide to Passover, a supplement to Jewish Action Orthodox Union and Kosher Certification Service. It’s a typical holiday magazine aimed at a specific group with stories, traditions, rules, and recipes. That is until you get to an article almost at the center of the magazine but not quite and its called, “Ingredient Substitutions for Passover” by Carrie Beylus.
The introduction may or may not be meaningful to you as a reader so go straight for the substitution chart and take it slowly. Read it carefully and then let your imagination explore and have some fun even if you are not Jewish. Especially if you are not familiar with the rules and some of the ingredients. Then the next time you need one of the ingredients and are in the store trying to find the best one; pay attention to the ingredients it’s just a wee bit startling. Here are a few of the listed substitutions –
To make
1 oz. Unsweetened baking chocolate = 3 Tbls. Cocoa powder + 1 Tbls. Oil or Margarine
1 tbls all-purpose white flour = ½ tbls potato starch
1 egg = ¼ cup applesauce.
Those are pretty common but then there are the unexpected ones and the substitutes I found the most interesting –
1 cup honey = 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar + ¼ cup water
1 cup cream cheese= 1 cup cottage cheese+1/2 stick margarine. (Personal note: It comes out a bit more like farmer cheese and may need to be drained.)
1 cup sweetened condensed milk = 1 cup brown sugar+ 2 eggs+2tbls potato starch+1/2 tsp baking powder+ ½ tsp salt.
Soy sauce! There is a substitute for soy sauce! Did you know? 1 cup soy sauce = 4 tbls balsamic vinegar+1 ½ cups beef broth+2 tsp dark brown sugar+ ¼ tsp ground ginger+pinch garlic powder+ pinch white powder+ (to taste) salt Combine first six ingredients in a saucepan to boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Can use beef bouillon cube for stock dissolved in water.
1 ½ t Italian Seasoning (Its the marjoram that is the taste I have never gotten correct)= ¼ tsp oregano+1/4 tsp majoram+1/4 tsp basil+1/8tsp rubbed sage
½ cup chili powder = ¼ cup sweet paprika+1 tbls garlic powder+1 tbls cayenne pepper+1tbls onion powder+1tbls dried oregano+1tsp ground cumin
2/3 cup curry powder= 2 tbls coriander+2 tbls ginger+2 tbls red pepper+2 tbls turmeric
What I learned is that by keeping a few basic fresh spice and herb powders on my spice rack I can make my own fresh versions of the spices that go to waste on my spice rack because I only use them occasionally.
And because I know someone is bound to ask, “Did you try any of these?” Yes I did and even made one with an adjustment for my peculiar taste. I made the soy sauce substituting a very rich mushroom broth for the beef broth so the taste was a little off but it was still very good and I was able to control the salt and of course I added some celery too. I enjoy the flavor of celery and tend to add it to everything and neglect to tell people.
Do you read a magazine that is directed to a specific group? Take a look at it and see if there is something in it that can be shared. Happy Spring!
For the past several years I have made the arrangements for spring and fall plant swaps in Norwich, CT as a way for dedicated plant growers to get new plants and put their “volunteers” out for adoption to new homes.
The hardest part was finding a facility that would let us use their parking lot for about three hours and place a few signs on their lawn near the driveway during the same period. I chose Sunday afternoons so it would not interfere with the regular business day. I am grateful to both UCFS and Lee Memorial Church for the use of their parking lots. The arrangements for each barely took 10 minutes.
We seldom had leftover plants and people came from as far as East Hartford to make trades and one lady gave an impromptu class on raising lavender to our small crowd. No plant was ever turned away. Some people visited first and then went home to return with plants they wanted to put up for adoption. They wanted to be certain their plant would be given to a good home.
This year I would like to pass the watering can on to someone else or perhaps a group but not one person or group has stepped up. Is it because it is not a fundraiser? Is it because they are too embarrassed to ask how it works? Or is it because their egos get in the way? They did not have the idea first so obviously they cannot pick up the mantle and make it their own.
Norwich has multiple gardening groups, clubs and organizations and not one of them has shown an interest in taking on the plant swap as a benefit for the residents of the city. Where are the people who talk loudly and proudly about how they want to beautify the city? Gardens and gardeners easily share their plants. Spring is when people are anxious to get out side and divide up bulbs and move their plants around and buy packets with just a few more seeds than they really want. Sometimes gardeners have a bit more success growing from seeds and are looking for others to adopt their extras.
It’s easy to plead for money to purchase plants that others have grown but its more difficult and takes much more dedication to demonstrate how plants can be planted once to return year after year.
So what is a plant swap? Its an event where plant owners and want to be plant owners come together to swap plants. For free. No money should be involved at all.
What do people bring to a plant swap? Healthy, pest-free plants that they are ready to part with. They can be bare root or in pots or in newspaper.
How do you get started? Talk to people. Find people who are looking to clean up their garden, divide their plants or are looking for new plants.
Decide who will organize the event.
Pick a location. Parking lots are a great place but some organize their plant swaps indoors.
Choose a date and time
Decide if there are rules. I never had any. I just encouraged people to bring plants, mingle and discuss what they knew about the plants. It was helpful to have blank paper and pen and masking tape and marker to identify the plants if the donor had not already done so.
I brought tables and chairs. Tables for the plants and the chairs for me and anyone looking to rest or to chat. (Helpful hint: Covering the table with newspaper makes clean-up easier)
Promote the plant swap online, in newspapers, radio, community bulletin boards, garden centers, schools, colleges and your garden groups.
Arrange for clean-up of the site after the event.
Relax and have fun!
By the way, this can be done in small communities, neighborhoods, schools, churches, other events, farmers markets, concerts, and it can be done multiple times and by different groups.
The tulips are up! The tulips are up! Spring is really coming soon! The tulips are up! My war with the neighborhood squirrels continues. I admitted defeat in the porch cushion skirmish and just leave the sorriest looking you have ever had the misfortune of ever seeing cushion on the porch furniture all year round for the squirrels to pull the stuffing out of for their nests. I could not convince them that it was not good for their babies. When its time to sit on the porch the people cushions are brought out from the front hall and put back when we go in.
Anyway, now the rodents have discovered my tulips! Big thick sturdy buds about two inches high from the ground. I go out in the morning and tell them how good they are looking and how proud I am of their growth. Then what do I see just a few minutes later? One of the grey furry beasts sitting by my beautiful bud delicately peeling off a leaf and nibbling away just as happy as happy can be. I go rushing out to the rescue of my bud and meet the “Who me?” glare of the grey scourge. He doesn’t even run away. He just sat back and stared at me as if to ask, “Who are you to disturb my breakfast? Have you an appointment?”
Big shot human that I am loudly tells him to hit the road and motions with my thumb as the nibbling continues. A bit more forward motion on my part is met with a very decided glare and look of disgust from the grey trespasser before he waddles off. Not even a scamper or a run off! A slow, waddle and a look over the shoulder as if to say, “You don’t scare me human. I am not leaving because you scare me. I am leaving because all your noise has ruined my breakfast. I’ll be back later or maybe tomorrow but I will be back.”
I wandered around looking for more signs of spring and realized just how much green I was seeing. Most of the snow piles are gone so the grass is exposed and I would not be surprised if I wasn’t whining about having to cut my grass beginning in mid April.
The daffodils have broken earth but haven’t really taken off yet. I can never tell if the wisteria is really waking up this early or not. It just looks different. I don’t even know some of the plants I am looking at. It’s just that its 50+ degrees on a Saturday in Norwich and I needed to be outside enjoying it.
How about you?
Otis Library Executive Director Bob Farwell, wrote an eloquent Op Ed in the Norwich Bulletin titled, “Otis Library is an integral part of Norwich’s economic revival.” There is no doubt that Otis Library is performing its part but where are the rest of the potential players. The ones referred to on page 21 of Norwich’s Economic Development Strategic Plan where “The importance of a downtown to economic development cannot be overstated, particularly in attracting knowledge-based businesses and professionals to the community.” The entire plan appears on the city web site under the Government tab. The document envisions a successful economic revival based on strategic thinking and corresponding action.
But where are the other organizations and the programs? Norwich creates and sponsors with our tax dollars all sorts of organizations who pay very nice salaries to a selected few but, I repeat, where are the support programs? The continuing education and support programs for meeting and growing a business development program, information and communication technology training for developing businesses, fulfillment of administrative procedures, counseling for complying with tax regulations, labor laws and social security obligations, legal advice on licensing and intellectual properties raising expansion capital through traditional bank loans and more unconventional finance such as microcredit instruments, seed and first-round equity investments by venture capitalists and business angels.
Norwich, CT has loudly been making claims of being a global city but where are those programs? And I am not referring to a street fair. Where are the programs that address the challenges faced by immigrant entrepreneurs? Where are the classes designed to help develop the business language skills, financial literacy, understanding business culture and environment, counseling and assistance on administrative procedures, recruitment practices and legal compliance, credit facilitation?
Where are the programs of public education such as a recent Buffalo, NY presentation on “Agents of Change: How Immigrant Run Ethnic Food Retailers Improve Food Environments,” or “Engaging Immigrant Audiences in Local Museums?”
Will 1st Friday Norwich ever copy the examples of other cities with Global programs and develop a niche for artwork, photography and crafts by immigrants? Artwork, jewelry, paper bead works, recyclable mixed media for sale in a booth that may develop into shop like the Welcome Project in Cincinnati, or Heartfelt Tidbits in Camp Washington, or Stitch Buffalo in New York.
So now I have a question for you. When will you, the reader, Norwich supporter, resident, or taxpayer begin demanding the Norwich organizations work together and support the single goal of supporting Norwich’s Economic Development Strategic Plan to build a successful city? Otis Library can not do it alone.
It happened. I am not certain how or when but it happened. But last week it came in the snail mail. An advertisement for a luncheon at a retirement community with experts on how to downsize your home.
The sponsor is Stoneridge, An active retirement living community in Mystic. On either of two days Stoneridge is inviting everyone of a certain age to a free and delicious lunch prepared by their chef to meet experts from Moving Station and Caring Transitions. The representatives will be offering tips on sorting thru all of your possessions to keep or toss, how to sell furniture, antiques and other items you may no longer have room for and your family and friends don’t want or need. So who are these experts and why do I feel like prey?
Moving Station began in 1995 as a corporate executive and military service before targeting seniors moving to smaller homes. The company matches seniors with a nationwide network of senior communities and real estate management services such as selling the home, sorting and organizing the personal belongings and moving them to the new home and of course discounted financial consulting.
Using such a company has a lot of good points and can relieve some of the pressure at a very stressful time. According to their website Moving Station assigns a manager to you to learn about your needs, your timeline, finances, belonging selection, keep/give away/donate/sell/storage, VA benefits and long-term care insurance.
Moving Station offers three options as a real estate advocate 1. recommending real estate agents and negotiating price and offers. 2. A quick buy program and 3. A home purchase program with a sale guarantee.
The cost depends on which services you use and if your senior living community is listed with them as clients. The company reviews I read were positive but this is not the only option available.
Caring Transitions is the other company being presented by Stoneridge. Caring Transitions makes much wider claims and promises only certified professionals but I could not find out who was certifying the professionals. Each case is treated individually with a “compassionate, experienced professional” sorting through the years of memories, preparing the house for sale, liquidating assets and finding the perfect new senior living accommodation. Their advertisement says they focus on helping seniors find and move into a new home or facility that meet their needs (and their family’s needs).
Caring Transitions professionals sift through, organize and remove any unwanted possessions of their customers. Through their online auction and estate sales, they help sell those possessions that still have value and donate those lesser-valued items for a tax credit.
There was no mention of prices or percentages that I could find and I doubt that it is a free service.
As a senior citizen I am not feeling safe. I feel as if I am wearing a target on my wallet while my needs are invisible.
Someday I will learn. I will learn why Norwich, CT residents insist on only doing the same things, that have not worked in the past, over and over again. Testing to see if it will work this time. I will also learn why new organizations will only do the same fund raisers or events that the churches or small organizations are currently doing to shore up their coffers. Frankly I find that embarrassing and frustrating as well as considering it to be a form of legal theft. Just because you can, does not mean you should. A true professional knows this and tries their best to bring the new, the different and the not done yet. A true professional, prides themselves on showing what may be the same old things in a different light.
I want to learn why the new and the established organizations in Norwich, CT refuse to learn from other places promotions and events that have not been done locally but have been done in other places and would do well here in Norwich, CT.
For example – In 1994 Toby Keith released a country music album called Boomtown which contained a ballad titled,”Upstairs Downtown.” The words relate the tale of a young woman, moving out on her own for the first time as she struggles to earn a living and gain life skills. It has become an unlikely theme song in mid-west towns looking to reclaim their downtowns.
In 2005, Mike Jackson and Dan Carmody created and presented an upper story redevelopment program for an Illinois Main Street Conference using building owners, contractors, architects, city officials, preservationists, and downtown professionals to build community capacity to revitalize its underutilized assets and help stakeholders work together to create more robust downtown.
Not looking to copy ideas from local church fundraisers the Canton, MS Square Merchants, used the Upstairs/Downtown theme to grow an event that benefited a local group and showed off some available space. “Ever wonder what was upstairs on the square?”
“The Canton Garden Club in conjunction with Canton Tourism invite you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to tour some spectacular upstairs spaces in the Canton downtown area and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and beverages that reflect the atmosphere of each unique loft.”
Noblesville, Indiana has an annual event that,
“Without the building owners and tenants’ willingness to open their second and third floor spaces, this unique exploratory event would not be possible. The people, places and experiences within downtown Noblesville are what strengthens the connectivity of a community,” said Alaina Shonkwiler, event chairperson. “To be able to walk into an upper floor space, rooted in the history of Noblesville, and hear stories of how the floors still have burn marks from a fire in the early 1900’s or that there is a basketball court on the third floor of one of the buildings; that is what sets us apart and gives tour-goers a feeling of being deeply connected to Noblesville’s heritage.”
Norwich needs to work of developing better relationships with its many absentee landlords and offering to programs to help increase their incomes may or may not be desirable. Further investigation of their very well constructed website led me to a page called, “Incentives structured around your success.”
“Our local and state governments are more than business-friendly. Because we recognize the importance of healthy, growing businesses to our economy, we see companies as our partners in serving the community. That’s why Noblesville and the State of Indiana have decided to offer an array of incentives and grants to companies that choose to locate or grow here. We recognize that our community already offers many advantages to business, from our highly-accessible location, to our skilled workforce, to a vibrant lifestyle — but we see these programs that help companies thrive as one more great reason to choose Noblesville, Indiana.”
Then was a clear and easy to read list of Tax Abatements (with easy downloadable applications).
In Concord, NH there is Concord’s Annual Upstairs, Downtown Walking Tour a three hour event
“Just as the winds of October begin to bite into your bones, Intown Concord and Ledyard Bank present the Upstairs Downtown Haunted Tour.”
“Join us on our hunt for the haunted as we scurry through the rafters and slither into the underground, sharing the legends those lost souls who still reside all around us.
Tickets $40 per person – available for purchase here at Brown Paper Tickets ONLY. Tour limited to 150 participants.
The tickets are all the same – but you will be asked to choose a color group when you purchase (there are six colors/six groups). If you want all members of your party to be together, choose tickets in the same color group.
MEET AT Eagle Square – top of the fountain – at 5:00. The Upstairs, Downtown Haunted Walking Tour departs promptly at 5:25!
TOUR LOCATIONS ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE for those with mobility issues. Attendees should wear appropriate footwear for lots of walking and several flights of stairs. Upstairs, Downtown is a rain-or-shine event.”
In the city of Ottumwa “residents were given a tour of six buildings under renovation to see how it will reenergize downtown. Some of the buildings included a radio station, living spaces and others office spaces.”
But alas, in Norwich, CT, we celebrate every First Friday with open art galleries but the restaurants and bars don’t participate. Try getting a cup of coffee at the end of the evening. We bring in jumpy houses for children and street vendors from far away to take the money of the day back to their home communities while we ignore the local businesses unless you are a convenient bar.
If something was a success 50 years ago, Norwich is in line to bring it back. Of course that does not include a parade that brought joy and laughter and is very different from the boring, mundane and common parades we have every year. As residents, we do not even have enough confidence in our participants to use out of the ordinary themes to make our parades different from our neighboring towns. Once around the block is now fine for us.
I know that Norwich, CT can do better. I know that Norwich, CT can do any of these projects and a lot more. But they can only happen if we demand more from our paid, elected and appointed leaders. The money from NPU, the local banks and government was in your pocket first. Demand it be well spent and not frittered away.
Its time for the residents and yes, the local funders to demand more from the spending of their dollars.
Have you ever looked at the ducks at Brown Park in Norwich, CT? There is one fine fellow there with a black beak. I was told he is an Icelandic Duck identified by his dark beak. I don’t know for certain he is but I do know he enjoyed some of the corn kernels I tossed in the water so I had a better view of the ducks.
Then my eyes wandered to the back side of the gazebo where there was a murder. Surprisingly there was not a lot of screaming nor blood or even a body but boy was there a gathering of by-standers. Looking around and waiting patiently for someone with more authority to arrive and make an announcement of some kind. The ground was black with the onlookers jostling for the best position. It was a gathering of big black crows. I am used to seeing them high in the trees looking for juicy morsels to eat but this day the crowd was on the ground. I tossed them a few kernels of corn which earned me a glare as if to say, “Is this the best you can do?”Crows are predators and scavengers, that will eat practically anything. I read their diet consists of various road-kill, insects, frogs, snakes, mice, human fast food, even eggs and nestlings of other birds. An adult crow needs about 11 ounces of food daily.
Curious about why this large group might be on the ground I Googled “crows.”
I learned a group of crows is called a “murder” thanks to old folk tales and superstitions. There is even a folktale that crows will gather and decide the capital fate of another crow.
Crows are members of the Corvidae family, that includes blue jays. They are used as a symbol of death and dying because as scavengers they are found where people and animals are expected to die soon. They are loud, rambunctious, very intelligent and considered a pest by farmers trying to protect their crops and seedlings. Crows live all over the world, except for Antarctica.
Some people fear them because of their black feathers. Research demonstrated crows are actually very social and caring creatures, and also among the smartest animals on the planet. Crows use at least 250 different calls. The distress call brings other crows to their aid, as crows will defend unrelated crows.
They learn quickly, easily and can even make and use tools.
Crows mate for life with tight-knit families, and are very social roosting in huge numbers (in the thousands) to protect themselves from enemies like red-tailed hawks, horned-owls, and raccoons.
West Nile Virus has killed 45% of American crows since 1999, though they’re still listed on the Least Concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Learn more about crows at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/a-murder-of-crows-crow-facts/5965/
I never did discover why they were all on the ground.
Shhhhhh, Don’t tell anyone. It’s still a secret but after almost four years (It will be FOUR YEARS in June) of suggesting, requesting, lobbying, arguing, checking, campaigning, and finally demanding there is a mostly completed wheelchair accessible entrance to Mohegan Park Center in Norwich, CT. I hope there will be a ribbon cutting for this entrance. It has been a way too long battle for it not to have a little fan fare.
There are handicap parking spaces in all of the parking lots but its been a Herculean task to get wheelchairs and other equipment to the park center. No more. Now those with physical disabilities can enter the Park Center using the gate frame of the entrance from the old and long gone petting zoo to visit the statues, enjoy the spray of the fountain, wet a hook and perhaps catch a fish or two, watch the aerators in the pond, enjoy one of the celebrations at Park Center, or one of the gazebos.
Parking for a single handicap marked vehicle is in the Dog Pound lot. The parking space lines not been painted yet but the sign is up. First you have to know where the entrance to the Park is. The street sign at the end of the road across from the clay tennis courts disappears with amazing regularity but you go up that road and turn left and follow the road to the Upper Parking Lot and turn right to go to the Dog Pound.
There is still a great deal more work to be done before the almost 500 acre park is realized to its fullest potential but this is a big step. Better signage in the Park is another on-going project.
Thank you to the multiple directors and staff of Norwich Public Works who over the years have made this possibility a reality. Thank you to Mohegan Park Improvement, Development Advisory Committee members and committee Council representatives Philbrick and Browning and Councilpersons Gould and DeLucia for their backing of this project, their responses to letters and phone calls and their follow-ups.
This small project will make a difference in the lives of many more people than you will ever know and opens up a new phase in the development of Mohegan Park.
On April 7, 2019 at noon I removed the Bag of Citizen Science Lint experiment from the tree in Mohegan Park. It was placed there with the explanation tag during the Great Backyard Bird Count on February 16, 2019. Thank you to all who left it undisturbed.
According to the Audubon website www.allaboutbirds.org dryer lint is a bad thing to be left out for the birds to use as nest building material. Per the website the lint becomes crumbly after its rained on and dries. Our citizen experiment put a bag of dryer lint hanging from a tree in a mesh bag.
Today, the lint contents of the mesh bag appear fluffy with no notable decay or odor. When I opened the bag the contents were still soft to the touch and pulled apart easily again with no noticeable decay or odor. The contents were dry to the touch even at the center although the bag had been out in the rain within the past 48 hours.
I don’t know to call the experiment a success or a failure. It did not prove the Audubon assertion but maybe the bag was not left out long enough? While the lint in our experiment did not noticeably decay I don’t know if the lint is giving off gas or chemicals that might prove to be harmful to baby and small birds over time or with close contact.
So for the health, safety and welfare of our feathered and insect friends lets all side with caution and follow the Audubon direction of not providing, plastic strips (ex. Easter grass), tinsel, cellophane, aluminum foil, or dryer lint for nesting materials.
To help nature out during the nesting season the Audubon Society does recommend:
Providing safe environments for spiders as many birds use the silk of the webs as a glue for nests.
Maintaining a muddy puddle in the garden as some insects, animals and birds use mud for their nests.
Don’t rake the lawn and garden too early in the season as the blades of grass, small twigs and branches are all natural nest building materials.
Enjoy the sunshine and Happy Spring to All!
There should be a public list of the things outsiders find unique about Norwich, CT. I have never kept a list but I keep I wish I had with some of the answers I have been told over the years. Today I am addressing the banks with branches and offices in Norwich. Banks are always happy to take your money and lend you some when you don’t need it and give you a hard time borrowing when you do. According to the local newspapers, the banks of Norwich have been giving money away through programs and grants to brand new and unproven organizations with no track record of experience while forcing the older experienced programs to grovel for support.
I have also noticed the banks have plenty of money to give away for street fairs and parties but very little money for educational programs for children or more importantly for adults. Some of the banks even have on-line classes you can watch at home on your phone or computer. But there is not one penny of support from any of the local banks for business education for immigrants, women and other minorities.
I checked with a few other cities and came away with an astounding list of educational programs that have never been mentioned in hushed voice let alone spoken aloud with curiosity and pride. Programs that discussed how American Capital and Financing works and compares with the same in South America, Asia and Europe. What do you need to qualify for a loan, what does the paperwork look like and what does it mean? What are your responsibilities? What are the responsibilities of the lender? What experiences would be helpful? What types of local data are lenders looking for and where do you find it? There were classes in talent and skill development at many levels from novice to expert. How to present it. How to find it. How to build on it. What to look for in a lease, agreement and what to be on guard against. How to choose a partner. How to make a partnership work. How to hire in America, The definition of racial equity. Technology wasn’t a class in Facebook but was industry dependent from trucking with weights, measures, licensing, record keeping to shipping to airplanes and taxis, communications, and telephone etiquette. How to choose bookkeeping services, accountants, CPA’s.
At a local YMCA there were classes on Performance Data – How to live with your six to ten year goals; your three to six year goals; How to navigate the main street and what to do if you wander. Then there was the Innovation Academy.
Innovation Academy was for the the development of ideas for products and businesses. That was another huge catalog by itself with classes I found myself daydreaming about. Classes such as writing a business bio. Writing effective job service descriptions. How to write a job quote. How to write a menu. Keeping performance metrics. Building performance metrics.
One city known for its high immigrant population had classes called “Discovering Yourself” which was described as a self-evolving class to discover how skills in the country of origin may be used in America.
My point after all this is, the banks were front and center in these other cities, they offered speakers, financial services, and expertise. The banks clearly understood that in order to make money for their investors they had to demonstrate their interest. They had to be willing to take a risk with new businesses and sometimes new citizens. The bankers had reasoned out for themselves that the better educated and better prepared for the American business world their customers and lendees were the more profit they would make. All of this is going on around Norwich, while our banks invest in street fairs and bouncy houses while business, families and investments go elsewhere.
Norwich, CT has learned how to party. In 2019 we have street fairs planned once a month somewhere in downtown usually mixing alcohol, moving traffic and vendors from out-of-town.
I love street fairs but after attending two in Norwich, I long for the imagination and creativity that other cities demonstrate so easily. Local banks are financing the events but not advising them on how to effectively use street fairs to promote local businesses and organizations.
At street fairs in Manhattan it’s not unusual to find tailors and fashion designers and students set up and working on clothing, drapes and costumes. I admit I was fascinated at a tent set up by an acting school and how the students were redesigning clothing from a nearby jumble shop.
On Long Island, I attended a $2.00 street fair. All the food was $2.00. They got the idea from one of the small plate restaurants. People enjoy trying a variety of things and resented having to purchase a meal sized portion to discover they didn’t like it so the “$2.00 Fair” was born. Some of the portions wouldn’t fill up Barbie but were adorable. My hands down favorite was the cotton candy. Pop in the mouth sized clouds atop colorful tiny ice cream cones. I remember the two inch cones from when I was a kid but don’t recall if it was for anything other than ice cream.
Side Note – In Middletown, RI there is a seasonal walk-up ice cream stand where you can get a $1.25 or probably now a $1.50 ice cream sundae. A small scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, a squirt of whipped cream and half a cherry – delicious and the perfect size.
In Chicago a street fair was all about Polish Food and not just kielbasa. When I looked up fairs on the internet the variety was astounding and astonishing. Name something. Anything and there is a fair for it and if there is not a fair there is probably a convention but conventions are a whole other topic.
Norwich has to concentrate on using all that it has to offer and not send its money out of town and to seriously concentrate on providing for the safety of its residents. Alcohol and street fairs don’t mix.
A challenge to the Norwich area banks – Do more than throw your investors and depositors money around supporting alcohol in a city where drug, alcohol and gambling recovery, and treatment centers are on every corner. Invest in the education and training of the adults looking to start their own businesses. Teach the local resources how to be more of a resource.
Everyone looking to begin or increase their business could benefit by classes on what they should look for in a legitimate bank loan. How to read a rental agreement. How to protect yourself from your business debt. Who and How to pay for commercial property upkeep and improvements. How and when to collaborate with other businesses. How to overcome the language barrier. Business and commercial Licensing in America and in Connecticut. Look at the contracts you are asking your clients to sign, would you sign it?
Choose any one or more of these contacts as a place to begin –
Contact the Immigrant Learning Center in Malden, Mass for ideas and bring in their experts on what and how find and help the immigrants looking to use their business acumen.
Globaldetroit.com has a Cultural Ambassador and Mentor Program
Read money.cnn.com/2017/03/16 article on immigrant worker employment
Contact Welcomingamerica.org
or reach out to imigrantbiz.org
or cityalive.org
Special thanks to the bankofamerica.com/powerto/entrepreneur project.
So I was chatting with a long time resident of Norwich, CT about how names are lost through time. A name that is well known for a time will be completely forgotten and any deeds done by that person will be credited to another.
For example in the Norwich Bulletin of July 6, 1903 Henry P. Goddard, then of Baltimore, MD gave a very lengthy speech filled with his memories of old Norwich at the dedication of the Hubbard Gates at the Norwich Town Cemetery.
How many of the spoken by Mr. Goddard do you recognize? “When such Norwich born orators as Daniel C. Gilman, Donald G. Mitchell, Timothy Dwight, Edmund C. Stedman, and William T. Lusk have treated the subject one must be bold who essays it.” Who?
Daniel Coit Gilman (July 6, 1831 – October 13, 1908) an American educator and academic. Instrumental in founding the Sheffield Scientific School at Yale and subsequently served as the second president of the University of California, Berkeley, the first president of John Hopkins University, and founding president of the Carnegie Institution. He co-founded the Russell Trust Association, administrators of the business affairs of Yale’s Skull & Bones Society. His term of twenty five years as president of Johns Hopkins in 1876 is said to have been the start of postgraduate education in the United States.
Donald Grant Mitchell, aka Ik Marvel, (born April 12, 1822, Norwich, died Dec. 15, 1908), American farmer, clerk to the U.S. consul at Liverpool and writer known for nostalgic, sentimental books on American life, especially Reveries of a Bachelor (1850).
Timothy Dwight (1752-1817), not to be confused with his grandson, Timothy V. Dwight of Norwich. Dwight was a prominent New England theologian, educator, and poet. Born in Northampton, Massachusetts, in 1752, Dwight enrolled in Yale at 13 and graduated in 1769. Among his many professional achievements was the founding of a successful school in Greenfield Hill CT, in 1783. As pastor of the Congregational Church there and, he published The Conquest of Canaan— the first epic poem produced in America. He became the eighth president of Yale in 1795, serving until 1817. Dwight allowed for greater faculty participation in college government, that ultimately modernized and enhanced the relevancy of the curriculum to be offered future generations of Yale students.
Timothy V. Dwight was born in Norwich, CT, the son of James Dwight. His paternal grandfather, Timothy Dwight IV, served as president of Yale from 1795 to 1817. He was the great-grandson of Major Timothy Dwight and Mary (Edwards) Dwight, the latter’s father being the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, third president of Princeton. His mother was Susan, daughter of John McLaren Breed, by his second wife Rebecca (Walker) Breed, who was the daughter of Robert Walker, a judge of the Superior Court of Connecticut.
Edmund Clarence Stedman (October 8, 1833 – January 18, 1908) was an American poet, critic, essayist, banker, and scientist.
William T Lusk (May 23, 1838 – June 12, 1897) was an obstetrician and a soldier who rose to the rank of Assistant Adjutant-general during the first three years of the Civil War. Upon retiring from the Union Army, he finished his medical education and became a professor as well as president of the Bellevue Hospital Medical College and in 1882 wrote the text ‘The Science and Art of Midwifery. ‘
But the loquacious Mr. Goddard then recalled the historic women of Norwich, CT. The same women that have not been credited or acknowledged since. The musical accomplishments of Louise Downing
Reynolds. Misses Eliza Perkins and Lizzie Greene who founded the Norwich Soldiers Aid Society. He reminded his listeners that it was the women of Norwich who raised the monuments to Uncas and Miantonah, founded the Village Improvement Society, the Sheltering Arms, Rocknook Home, and the School House Club. So who were these women whose names do not appear on our many plaques on a rock? Where are their names and their mentions by all our new and well-read and very modern historians? Why is it so much more exciting to believe modern fantasies than to dig deep and discover the truths and the pride of what once was? Come on Norwich, CT historians dig deeper!
Memorial Day, this year, Monday, May 25, 2020 is not only celebrated as Memorial Day but for years at the Leffingwell House Museum it was the official “Planting of the Banana” day somewhere near the flag pole in the Silver Star Mothers Garden. [ The garden around the flag pole was created in the 1980’s to honor the Silver Star Mothers of Norwich who had a child wounded in military service. Later Blue and Gold plants were added to honor Mothers with children on active duty and those killed in action.] The planting of the banana began when the “Norwich Rose” was planted near the flagpole. The “Norwich Rose” was part of a promotion of Norwich, CT by Walter Way who gave hundreds of rose bushes to be planted throughout the “Rose City.”
My neighbor challenged me to find out why roses like bananas and if other plants like them too. This is what I learned of course from the internet. So it must be true.
12 Uses For Banana Peels In The Garden
What all are banana peels good for?
Banana skin or peels being nutrient-rich, make an excellent source of natural fertilizer for your yard and garden. They provide your plants with:
Potassium: This nutrient helps your plants grow strong roots, and it also helps enable good distribution of water and nutrients. Potassium helps regulate plant enzymes and supports your plants in growing stronger stems. All of this works together to help grow strong, sturdy disease and pest repellant plants.
Phosphorus: This nutrient also helps build healthy roots and shoots, and it is absolutely essential for the successful production of blossoms, pollen and fruit. Plants that receive plenty of phosphorus grow big and strong.
Calcium: Roots and stems are also dependent upon ample calcium for strength and proper development. Calcium assists in breaking down soil nutrients such as nitrogen, and it supports other minerals in moving through a plant’s system.
Magnesium: This mineral supports healthy photosynthesis, which is absolutely essential for all aspects of plant growth and health.
Use these tips to make the most of these valuable nutrients!
1. Brew Some Banana Peel Tea
Create an all-natural liquid organic banana peel fertilizer filled with potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen using just banana peels and water. This combination feeds and strengthens plants and helps them resist diseases and pests.
Brew This Nourishing Banana Peel Fertilizer Tea In Several Different Ways
# 1 Fill a large jar (2 quarts) about three quarters of the way with water. Set the jar of water in your refrigerator. Whenever you eat a banana cut the peel into small pieces and put the pieces into the water.
Keep the jar of boiled banana water in your refrigerator for about a week. When it is full, strain the peels out and mix the banana water with a gallon of plain water. Use this “compost tea” to water your plants and give them a healthy dose of minerals.
# 2 If you don’t want to keep a jar of chopped banana peels in your refrigerator, make small batches of banana peel tea for plants. Do this by placing banana peels in a 1 quart Mason jar filled with water. Allow the jar to sit (loosely covered) at room temperature for two days. Remove the peel and use the water as-is for watering plants.
Note: I would NOT use this on plants indoors without some testing!
Related Reading: Yes! You Can Use Old Tea Bags In The Garden
2. Don’t Throw Away The Soaked Peels!
Use soaked banana peels as fertilizer. Dehydrate them and then grind them into powder for working directly into the soil, or make a slurry of the soaked banana peels using your blender. Work the slurry into the soil surrounding plants for nourishment and also for a certain measure of pest control.
Dehydrated banana peel powder makes an excellent addition when starting seedlings. Mix a pinch into the starter mix in each pot be sure that your seeds get off to the best start.
If nothing else, remember to add the soaked banana peels to your compost heap or bin!
3. Pest Control
Working cut up banana peels into the soil surrounding your plants not only feeds the plants, it also will help naturally deter green aphids and other pests. You can also spray your banana peels compost tea directly onto plants to help repel aphids. As a bonus, your plants will absorb the minerals in the compost tea through their leaves.
4. Banana Peels In Compost
Whether you compost using a compost pile, a bin or a vermicomposting setup, adding banana peels (whole, chopped up, soaked or as a slurry) is a good idea. If you do add whole banana peels, be sure to bury them deeply near the composting coffee grounds so as not to attract pests such as raccoons and possums.
Soaking, chopping, grinding or making a slurry of banana peels makes the nutrients more readily available to plants and facilitates quick breakdown of the peel. For this reason, some pre-compost processing is desirable.
5. Amend Your Soil
You can use banana peels composted directly as a soil amendment in the autumn when preparing flower and veggie beds for the winter.
Chop banana peels up and work them into the soil or add them whole. Again, just be sure to bury them deeply under mulch if adding them whole since they may attract mammalian nocturnal invaders.
On the upside, they attract beneficial insects, worms and microbes that will work hard through the wintertime improving the quality of your soil.
Have you thought about, banana peels for roses?
Roses respond very well with brighter blooms and more flowers when they get “fed” banana peels and coffee grounds.
6. Plant A Banana Peel
When planting seeds outdoors give them a direct jolt of nutrients by planting a banana peel along with them.
Dig a trench two inches deep and at least long enough to accommodate the banana peel strip. Lay strips of banana peels flat with the inside facing up and put the seeds on top.
Cover with light, rich, well-drained soil and water, care for your seeds as usual. As they germinate, create roots and begin growing they will greatly benefit from the rich fertilizer created by the decomposing banana peels.
Thank you to all who have served, and currently serve and their families.
What is with the spreading of the fear and apprehension in Norwich? Everyone is always afraid of change regardless of slight and regardless of the company of others in a similar situation.
Why can’t the people we choose as leaders and employ to be our leaders, lead. The pandemic has placed every city and town in a place they never imagined to be and some will rise to the challenge and some will fall. Norwich has been falling for a very long time and it is time we say a collective, “Enough.”
How can we say, “Enough?” Let’s start by cleaning up our streets. Not just the main streets but the back ones and the side ones as well. Going for a walk? Carry a trash bag. Go out with the kids and the grand children and pick up the litter.
Have one household at a time in your area schedule a big pick up and don’t hesitate to add to it.
Norwich is more than just the downtown. All promotions should be citywide. For example – Norwich has an enormous amount of old buildings and homes for sale. Some may have a history and some are just old. But imagine the impact if the properties for sale or rent with an interesting history had, just for example, the silhouette of Christopher Leffingwell, one of the early entrepreneurs of Norwich, CT.
Instead of whining about the change in table space within local restaurants use the change to create some new specialties. For example – How about a healthy box lunch? Something’s simple, attractive and easy. Some places might even be able to have some boxes frozen or microwave ready. Yes most places already do that, but let’s really promote it. Same old box but with a fancier sticker.
Was it really last summer? Well anyway, I was out of town for an event and there was a booth with a selection of boxed meals from a number of different restaurants. If I remember correctly all the boxes were the same price regardless of contents. I don’t remember what I chose but I remember it was tasty.
Can you imagine being able, in one location, to choose from 36 Town, 99 Restaurant, Bella Fiore, Brick & Basil, Canggio, Fat Cat, Friendly’s, Great Oak, Harp & Dragon, Irene’s, Jack’s, Johnny’s, Joy’s, King Wah, LaStella, Lazizah, Mi Casa, Namoo, Norwich Golf Course, Occum Pizza, Old Tymes, Prime 82, Punjabi, Tulli’s Uncle D’s, and the Yantic River Inn?
Personally I am not a fan of moving tables out onto the street. I do not find it enjoyable to eat a meal at the same level and within a foot or so of a belching car exhaust and what if it rains? Has anyone put forth the idea of expanding the number of tables at our city parks? Just a few cement ones along the outer rims of our parks? Or at least increasing the benches? There is always someone touting how Norwich, CT has three main rivers, and a bunch of ponds and streams and over-sized mud puddles well then how about engaging some of our youth and action groups to clean up a few areas to install trash cans and picnic tables?
Norwich has a full hand of play shops in town. Why can’t they take turns putting on lunch time performances at the Brown Park Gazebo, or an after Five at the Field House at Mohegan Park? On a Wednesday Evening beginning at 5:15 and ending at 6. The play is in the field house and bring your own lawn chair to sit on the field.
There has been much discussion about Diversity Day and the Italian and Greek Festivals. This is a tremendous opportunity to expand the audiences through virtual experiences. This is a time when there can be multiple, close up and personal demonstrations of crafts of the various countries, including cooking, sewing (costume making, beading, embroidery, shoe making), occupations in various countries we don’t see here, how to steer a gondola, fishing techniques, dance, health and exercise in different cultures. Start working with the local high schools and colleges that have media and film training programs and look at your local cable companies and see which talk shows would be interested in having the dancers or singers or contestants on their shows. Talk to a local radio station about interviews, speakers, singers and special programs.
Stop telling me about everything that needs to be changed and change the focus to new looks, new horizons and new ways of “getting it done.”
Well thank the heavens that its spring and will soon be summer. Lunch at work is going to be a new adventure for so many. Its not the food so much as where are we going to be allowed to eat it.
The lunchroom with long tables will soon be a thing of the past. Possibly replaced by smaller tables to allow for greater social distancing. Did placemats really fall out of fashion or did we just get used to using the paper bag or wrapper in its place? I will be carrying my own knife, fork, and spoon. Do you know who’s fingers were last in the communal box of plastic ware?
For those lucky enough to be working in Norwich, CT there are quite a few outdoor spots with benches and picnic tables to escape the office and phones for those few minutes of lunchtime peace.
But what happens if it rains or its cold outside? Will we be relegated to sitting in our cars in the parking lot? Where will we be allowed to breathe without our mask on?
I am certain there will soon be rules for what is allowed and not allowed as designs for masks at work. Will there be one design for servers? Another for receptionists? Professionals? What will be the etiquette for telling someone they have a mark on their face shield?
What about phones? Are there disposable covers for the phones or will we need to adjust to the muffled and distorted voices of people speaking through a mask on a telephone?
How long should the break to wash your hands be? Are there ever going to be public restrooms again?
Will there be a return to the pay toilet and a coin operated soap and towel dispenser?
I just have so many questions as to who has touched what and when and who is going to be paying for all of the cleaning and protecting?
Shopping for clothing and shoes will be going under some changes too.
Just breathe. There are going to be a lot of very new and strange changes about to happen that we will have to adjust to, discover how the change can be improved upon and then wait for that change to occur. Everything in its own good time. Just continue to breathe and repeat. One thankful day at a time.
Our reaction to the Corona Virus has been a learning experience for us all. Lessons in what is truly important to us as individuals, families, employees, and employers.
What apparently we have not figured out is what is important to our collective communities. For example, we have not been able to grasp how we can work together to have community events.
Go big or go home has always been the American way and we don’t know how to slow it down or reduce it. If it cannot be held in the exact same way as it was done before, the event can’t happen.
Well, I say, yes it can. Events can still be held, but differently.
Music festivals can still happen but not in the same confined spaces. Go outdoors where there is more room to spread out and have more distance between friends and families. Understand that speakers and natural acoustics can help spread the sound of bands. It is not necessary to herd the observers.
Artist exhibits can be distanced further apart and aisles made to keep people moving in a single direction. Art shows could be filmed for local access television or placed on a dedicated web site of the festival. What a way to have an accurate count of interest? What about the local newspaper? Can they print in color? How can they help to support the arts?
Contests can be put onto multiple screens for greater viewing. Now would be a good time to make friends with the local cable company and take their classes on how to film, edit and produce for television. Most high schools have a media department and some have their own public or cable access channels. Now would be a good time to ask for the help of their students and advisors. Of course, it would be a really good opportunity for the school to demonstrate their community involvement and support not to mention the real life experience the students would receive and their might be some opportunity for community service credits or college application examples of service.
Radio does not have to be only music. Do you have a local radio station that can help with getting the live or recorded music onto the air and into the community? Is there a way that, for example, someone might be able to have a weekly telecast of events or progress reports of events? Very 1950 in style with lame jokes and name dropping of local people and businesses and what is being worked on?
Has anyone considered Norwich, CT to be a multiple venue site? Different events on each of the Greens located throughout the city with a coordinated guide of times and places? Could some of the churches help with parking and perhaps venues?
Social distancing is an opportunity to examine and re-examine, change, try out new and different ways of doing things. It may well be the catalyst that Norwich, CT has needed to make changes and improvements on how we do things.
I cannot stress how important it is to not cancel events without first examining the supporting bones of the event and then thinking who is the real audience, what are the events, what is the purpose of the event, when is the event, where is the event, do all events need to be in the same location? How can the event be held safely? It may well be that only parts of a larger event can be held but if you don’t look, and talk and discuss alternatives you will never know.
You may have already read this thank you but this time I’d like you to read it looking at it as a different way of presenting what is considered to be the normal. A different way of presenting what has been done in a new, healthy and safe way. A new way of presenting normal.
I want to establish a new normal that is different from the past models. It is possible to go back to our lives, activities, enjoyments and our jobs. We just may have to discover a few new ways and paths to do so. Where is your sense of adventure? How long has it been since you took that deep breath and made the leap into something new? Something different? Go ahead! Take the leap!
The May 3, 2020 Norwich Plant Swap was an outstanding success. Huge THANK YOU’s to all who attended and came from next door, and Hanover, Bristol and places throughout Connecticut.
There were lots of successful plant adoptions of indoor and outdoor plants. Jonni Ford from Zen Hollow Greenery in Hanover CT brought a huge selection of indoor tropical plants from her greenhouse. A wonderful couple brought elm trees ready for planting from his own adult tree. So many people brought seeds to share. One very industrious woman brought her collection of heritage seeds to share. Seeds that she had collected from her own flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs. She made it sound so easy. But, I know from personal experience, it’s not.
There are not enough words to thank St Vincent de Pauls for opening up their driveway and green lawn for us today. Without their help, support and cooperation this event would have been canceled.
Masks were worn. People parked and respected distances and the need of people to look at things carefully and to ask questions. A more civil and polite group could not be found anywhere. There were helping hands to help set up, helping hands with extra plant cups and newspaper and helping hands at the end to clean up.
Arranging for a plant swap is easy. The only rule is that all the roots, plants, seeds, seedlings, starters the whatevers are free. Everything is available for plant adopters to take home. Arrangements for leftover plants should be made in advance but not a requirement.
March 11, 1868 was important in one Norwich, CT community. According to the Norwich Bulletin article the embankment on Chestnut Street with a long history of cave-ins fell again on a Monday afternoon.
The break occurred where there was a large old oak tree. I can’t imagine what size it must have been for them to call it large and old. The earth in falling left the roots on one side bare. Witnesses said the tree swayed a moment and fell.
There was a small group of workmen directly beneath the tree and before they could escape or were even warned of the danger “the tree was descending with fearful rapidity.” None were injured as
happily some of the larger branches caught in a small nearby tree and the force of the fall was broken. The escape of the men was called “almost miraculous.”
Out of curiosity I checked the weather which was wet and annoying to many of the area farmers but what really disturbed me, so I feel compelled to share, were the reports of hoards of spiders throughout the area. So many that there were articles in many of the major newspapers and helpful hints to remove the nests and eggs from your garden.
“It is best to remove old leaves and twigs from the domestic areas of the garden as soon as the rains stops or in the early morning when the dew is fresh. The wetness will help the leaves and loose dirt stick together for easier removal.”
Indoors all should sweep with a damp but not wet broom in the corners of all rooms and to pay particular attention to areas hidden from general view such as under the bed and above the doors.
Inside cupboards and drawers should be emptied completely before cleaning and relining with fresh cloth.
All chimneys should be cleared of spring nests and cleaned thoroughly to prevent fire.
Rain is nothing new to the New England spring or summer. Keeping kids entertained on a rainy day is nothing new to parents either. So every once in while we need a reminder of what kept our grandparents entertained so we can discover it again. And so it is once again time for the Soap Bubble Races!
I found these directions in the May 25, 1911 Norwich Bulletin.
Soap bubble races are great fun and are exciting up to the very last minute. You can be only an inch away from the goal and lose by the bursting of your bubble.
Each contestant should begin by folding their own fan from a single sheet, Finally a use for the reams of junk mail wasted on me! I used bubble solution that I happened to have but you can always spend a little time in the kitchen creating your own solution. The ingredients are certainly simple enough I just never have a bottle of glycerin handy. Can’t find the bubble wand? Make your own wand out f pipe cleaners or use a straw to blow your bubble. Hint: use a slow, steady, gentle and even breath to get a big bubble.
The contestants should start evenly at one end of the room while at the other end of the room is the winning line. A seam on the carpet or even a piece of very visible string.
At the given signal each player blows a bubble and then shaking it to the floor fans it toward the finish line. The fan is used to keep the bubble moving toward the goal line and up from the floo. If the bubble bursts before any bubble has crossed the line, the player may go back to the starting line and begin again. The first player across the line is the winner.
To make the game more difficult, the bubble may be required to pass between two upright posts, instead of merely just crossing a line. A small table flipped upside down perhaps?
Another version of the game is to have a bubble blown be midway and players must fan the bubble in opposite directions until a goal is scored. Bursting the bubble on purpose earns a penalty.
Cats and dogs cannot be penalized for bursting bubbles.
My neighbor and I had a blast practicing our bubble blowing skills before the races too.
Relax, the skies will soon clear and we will all be able to enjoy dry and sunny weather again soon.
Help! Help! I have a tiny segment of Norwich, CT history that needs your help! Or the help of someone you may know!
Back in May 1916 Hydris Film Studios of Mt. Vernon, NY shot a film here in Norwich, Ct. The film was called, “The Romance of Norwich.” A largely amateur cast was headed by Margaret Kelly and David Sheehan. This was back in 1916 so its not the actor from Game of Thrones. Thank you for checking.
When it played for two weeks at the Auditorium Theatre the members of Norwich, CT society could see themselves on the street by the corner of the Shannon Building and in the crowd in front of Saint Patrick’s Church during the wedding scene. There was even a brief glimpse of the locals coming out of the Auditorium Theatre after viewing the pre-view production.
Did anyone keep a scrap book or a diary of the time? I have the newspaper write-ups but they are rather general and I am looking for more specifics.
According to the newspapers of the time, my only source of information, it was a really excellent film due its clear and distinct pictures in every scene and the well acted amateur cast had many well-known Norwich people.
Does someone locally have a copy of the film? Is it silent or a talkie? Has anyone got any family stories they would like to share of an ancestor being in the film? I have written the current Hydris studios but am very uncertain if they have anything at all to do with the Hydris Studios of 1916.
My brief glance around the internet turned up nothing and I won’t be able to get to the NY archives to search around there for a while. So help! Lets join forces and see if we can’t discover a copy of the film and have a local showing.
There was a very indistinct and grainy photo of a frame of the movie in the 1916 Norwich Bulletin but it became to me only a variety of gray shadows when I tried to make it clearer.
My thanks to all in advance for your willingness to help.
Weird. Weird. Weird and scary. I was out of town and had to make an on-line Amazon purchase. A purchase under ten dollars but I would be needing it when I returned home. Not a big deal. Annoying but not a big issue. That night I get a message my order has been processed and sent.
The next day I get an e-mail from Amazon that my order has been canceled and I need to give them my credit card number again, blah, blah, blah. I go to my wallet to check the number and the expiration date as I have been known to not switch to a new card when it comes in the mail. Nope all looks right. I know I have enough in the account to cover the amount. So I call the bank, the number on the back of the card, and ask if there is a reason the charge did not go through. Is there a problem with my account that I need to look into? After checking my information thoroughly, she looks up my account and says it looks like it went through, everything is fine and the company must have their wires crossed. Whew.
There are few things more frightening than being told your bank card or credit card isn’t valid when you are out of town.
The next day, I get another e-mail from Amazon my order is waiting to be sent and I need to verify my financial information or my account will be canceled. This time I check the return e-mail address and forward the notice to Amazon customer service with a note that this is SPAM and they are free to trace it back.
When I returned home my purchase was waiting for me and the purchase showed on my bank account the same day I made the purchase.
Just because something looks real at a glance does not mean it is real at closer inspection. If you don’t think it looks right, don’t open it. Don’t automatically answer a question because someone asks. Especially if its about your financial information. Report it to the company you are attempting to do business with. Go to their website to report it. Do not reply to the questionable e-mail. Do not call the numbers on the questionable e-mail.
Don’t hesitate to call customer service at the number on your credit, debit, bank card or you associate with your account. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for someone who you can understand clearly.
If you think you do not have the time to spend straightening the matter out at the beginning, you probably will have even less time straightening out your accounts later. Be suspicious. Trust no one. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
A recent visit to the Garde Theater in New London scored for me a a Spring Fresh 2019 Issue 1 of edible CT East with some of the yummiest fresh produce recipes. When Edible Nutmeg became too large to handle, Edible CT East was formed with lots of the same names and supporters.
If you are into photography you need to check out the Farm-to-Camera works of Adrien Broom. Simple, direct, complicated and beautiful all at the same time. I am a fan.
Joy Bauer and Lucy Schaeffer made me hungry with simple recipes. For example their twist on tuna salad was to make it Wild Salmon & Chickpea Salad to serve 1 or 2. 6 ounces of wild boneless or skinless salmon ( canned or fresh), 1 can of garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained), chopped onion, chopped red bell pepper, olive oil and red wine vinegar. Whisk and mix cover and refrigerate. Serve over lettuce or in a sandwich. I might add a few more herbs but you get the idea. What a great way to make canned salmon palatable.
Turmeric is the latest healthy craze and recipes put it in the most unlikely places. It is not as strong as my dislike of cilantro, but I still find it hard to swallow. I will admit it is an interesting tea flavor but for me it loses any health benefits by the sheer amount of honey I need to put in my cup to drink it so I almost skipped their recipe for Ginger Turmeric Cherry Tea.
(My neighbor and I had the best chat over this tea I would never, ever have tried on my own.)
One teabag, of black or green tea (regular or decaf), ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, pinch of ground black pepper and 2 ounces of tart cherry juice.
Boil six ounces of cold water, add the dry ingredients and steep the lot for 3 -5 minutes. Just enough time to heat the cherry juice on the stovetop or microwave and then strain the tea and the cherry juice into a large mug to enjoy. The color of the tea is beautiful and the cherry juice moves the turmeric into being a delightful background flavor.
From one of their advertisers I learned of the Litchfield Distillery Bourbon whiskey and from an article I learned how to display and use and pass forward my vintage dish wears.
Grab a copy the next time you are at the Garde in New London for more of the recipes and articles and join me as I chomp at the bit waiting for the next issue.
Is it ok if I do a little self bragging? If its not, stop reading right now, because this blog is all about me.
In particular the 1988 me. Yes I have been around that long and have I got the proof of it.
This trip down memory lane began as I was throwing away papers. The type of papers that collect over time in manila envelopes and are shoved into file cabinets or between books on book shelves and forgotten. Anyway, I was making an attempt to clean out a file drawer and found an envelope from the Southeastern Connecticut Tourism District. The District was headquartered in the Olde Towne Mill in New London and this was all so far back in time the area code for their phone was still 203.
The Southeastern CT Tourism District back then was comprised of maybe three paid staff and the rest of us were volunteers from each of the member towns representing both our business and our town. We took turns and met opportunities with enthusiasm and professionalism. As representatives of our towns we recognized what tourism and “heads on beds” meant to our individual and collective economic bottom lines. We all knew that while we were competitors, we also had to work together to reach the greater level of success we wanted to achieve. So we worked hard, fought a lot amongst ourselves to create a better end product and built the biggest and the best tourism district of its time.
For some what began as a volunteer act became a business – small number brochure placement and delivery, step-on guide services, and catering coordination. National and International marketing became a reality for Southeastern Connecticut.
The envelope was a treasure trove for me of only a vague memory. There was the original letter of congratulations that the Norwich Walks I had written and submitted for the best walk in New England for Walking World Magazine, New England Walking Atlas, had been accepted to be published by McGraw-Hill in the fall of 1988.
Apparently I also wrote a number of articles about Norwich and surrounding small towns for the 1989 Mobil Travel Guide too. Keep in mind this is well before there was even a thought of a casino in this area. In the envelope I found some of the galley notes with pencil marks, questions, answers and corrections.
Best of all I found references to places no longer considered worthy of being part of the modern walking tours. Who else remembers the 1660 John Baldwin House at 210 West Town Street when it was open to the public and frequently had demonstrations of hearth-baking and weaving?
The Buckingham Memorial building at 307 Main Street was open to the public and served as a memorial to all Norwich veterans and a Senior Citizen Center. Not in these notes but I even recall when there was an out door tourist information center on the front lawn there in the early 1970’s.
To be honest I don’t recall some of the details I wrote about. There were regular noon-time concerts at the Brown Park Gazebo? I do remember when Capt. Glass offered boat tours up the Thames River. But am at a loss now about a tour of the banks of Norwich over the years?
I wrote about walking, construction, face-lifting, renovating, plenty of parking, friendly merchants and an assortment of brochures being available at the Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce on Main Street.
Ah well, reliving those memories was fun. Look how far we have progressed since then. Sigh.
On Saturday, July 27, 2019 I had the privilege of spending the day, and I mean the whole day, from 8 AM – 4 PM with 60 or so of the most selfless people I have ever met.
I attended the Region 4 Disaster Training Day held at Kelly Middle School in Norwich, CT. It was primarily for the Red Cross volunteers and the Medical Reserve Corps volunteers and a few of the other organizations of volunteers who appear like magic when help is needed at fires, accidents and other natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods.
Organization and communications were the key to keeping everything and everyone occupied, interested and moving right along. Registration was simple and straight forward. If you pre-registered your schedule and name tag were already printed and waiting for you. If you were registering that day please print your information clearly and quick as a wink you had a name tag and a schedule. Pens were available if you hadn’t brought one.
The Welcome/Introductions were on time spoken with clarity and kept short and to the point. My ever grateful thanks for that and before I forget. Caution tape was strung from back rows to the center so attendees were encouraged to sit at the front of the auditorium without any of the usual begging and pleading that goes on.
Sheltering Updates were spelled out to everyone clearly. There was absolutely none of the “When you are at this level you need this information but not at this level.” Everyone was told of the changes, when they went or go into effect and the reasons why, even if they really had to guess at the reasons, they told us that too.
Active Aggressor Training was a speaker and two films. The first was slightly older than the second but it was explained why the speaker showed each. Do you know what to do in case of an active aggressor in your school? How about where you work? When you are out to lunch or dinner? What actions can you take to protect yourself, family, friends or others caught in a situation with you? How close do you really want to get to an Active Aggressor? What are the other options to keeping a gun handy in a house with children? I wonder if anyone else added extra cans of Wasp and hornet spray to their shopping list for this week. 25 – 40 feet sounds like a good distance to be way from an aggressive person. I can hurt what I can reach but the further I can stay away the better. OK, film two had a couple of minor flaws keeping it from being politically correct but we all got the points being made.
The next four sessions split us into group rotation so this is a description of my rotation.
Setting up a shelter is all about being prepared and ready in the midst of chaos. Everyone is welcome in a shelter. This is not the time or the place for prejudice. A shelter is a refuge of safety for everyone. Red Cross assistance is provided at no cost. Names and numbers are taken to help make connections and for accountability. Has everyone in the building that burned been heard from? Are they safe? Have all the people in the evacuated area been accounted for? How long are people expected to stay? Do they have what they need to survive? Eastern Connecticut has ten regional shelters and a volunteer staff prepared to help you.
What exactly do you get at a Red Cross Shelter and who is welcome? Everyone is welcome. Service Animals (Small horses and dogs, Check with FEMA) are welcome but pets may have a different shelter. Workers will do their best to accommodate any specific equipment, supplies, food, cultural or religious requirements. Family and Friends can know you are safe by registering on redcross.org/safeandwell.
Food, medical, and emotional support are all available but you are expected to be aware of the shelter schedule for meals, shower times, quiet hours, your children, checking in and out during the day, housekeeping, etc.
Setting up cots has a trick or two and we learned a few things should the need arise. If I ever have to evacuate I hope I can remember to bring my own folding lounger or a blow up mattress.
Snacks are always available but meals may be a Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) great for the military experienced but the lessons in how to follow the microscopic print were very helpful. The sanitation rules are very different than those in a house or even a restaurant. What remains safe after how long and “when in doubt , throw it out!” I now have a printed list to tack on the door in my pantry.
The health and sanitation rules are fundamental and strict. Hand hygiene is tops with environmental measures following EPA and manufacturer’s directions. Scrape, wash, rinse, sanitize and air dry.
Many thanks to American Ambulance for their “Stop the Bleed” presentation and exercise. I hope never to have to use anything that I learned. Learn about the program at Bleedingcontrol.org
The American Red Cross will install smoke detector alarms free of charge in your home. Just ask! Contact sue.bolen@redcross.org
It was a well executed great day! by Sue Rochester-Bolen, Red Cross Deputy Regional Disaster Officer, Connecticut and Rhode Island Region, 1031 Route 32, Uncasville, CT 860.625.0825. Thank you for all that I learned and have high hopes of remembering.
My apologies to the universe at large because the heat wave covering such a large part of the planet is essentially all my fault. Yes I am responsible for the heat wave. I have been doing so much lately to annoy the multi-rulers, lords, Gods and celestials that rule not just the planet earth but all the rest of at least eleven of our and the surrounding solar systems.
Indeed, I got too smart for britches and needed to be taught a few lessons. I spent a few extra hours at the library and put a few months worth of blog ideas onto a flash drive. I zipped the flash drive into a section my purse. I did not immediately put it away because I was staying at a friend’s home caring for her two large dogs while she recovered from surgery. One day I spilled my purse and the flash drive has disappeared. Not even a prayer to St Anthony has brought it back. Lesson: Put your things away where they belong immediately if you truly do value them.
Cars. I have a 1995 Volkswagen. I take care of my cars. Fluids, tires, engine checks and changes made regularly. I go to another friends house to pick up her recyclable newspapers for a project I am working on. A three minute, perhaps, errand. Nope. The ignition key refuses to turn and requires a AAA visit from Colchester. Then another stop and the car refuses to start. At all. Another AAA visit this time from a company from Wethersfield and a tow to Firestone in Norwich. Trying with all their might its still refusing to start in this heat. Lesson: Don’t brag about the trustworthiness of your transportation. It will then be forced to prove you wrong.
Computer. I had a Lenovo. It was nice. It worked. Not the best certainly but it was doing its job. Received one of those midnight updates and immediately seized up. Messaged Microsoft to be told oh yes, lot of complaints about the last update. You have to make an appointment to bring the computer to Danbury (Three hours away) and they will install the patch to make the computer work again. There may be a slight charge for the installation of the patch but not for the patch itself. So who should I bill my time, fuel and mileage to? Lesson: Just because something can be installed onto the computer from the clouds, does not mean it can be repaired from the clouds or even returned to its working condition before the last installation
I thought I’d be helpful and help a friend do some weeding. I brought extra gardening gloves, tools and even those huge paper bags they sell in stores for the disposal of leaves and grass. “Wear the gloves.” I say, “Don’t worry. Don’t need them.” says she. “Ouch!” when she tries to pull a pretty plant whose flower looks like Queen Anne’s Lace with thistle-type leaves. I couldn’t say I told you so when she had to go to the emergency room and be treated with a blast of antibiotics for the blisters that formed on her hands to the point that she couldn’t close or use her hands. She put the gloves on after she pulled the weed so they need to be cut up and thrown away as the oil from that plant can survive for as long as a year and infect the next person who who wears the gloves. Lesson: Wear gloves to garden and wash with oil releasing soap frequently. Plant oils can transfer easily through sweat and cause lasting damage to sensitive areas such as eyes and nostrils.
Phone. I have a land line. Its primarily for the answering machine/voicemail and robo-calls. I didn’t notice when it stopped working but when I did I called Frontier to report it. Seventy-two minutes later and mostly on hold listening to their machine tell me how important and valuable my call to them is, their system disconnected me. Lesson: I am not really important to Frontier and my only value to them is the check I am privileged to write them every month.
Utilities. I knew I would be away so I wrote out and mailed my monthly checks early. How silly is that? I should have known that NPU would get the check early and then send it back to me so I could put it back in the mail to them so they could charge me a late fee. What on earth was I thinking to even imagine paying them in advance?
Cooking. I like to eat and do get bored eating prepared food and the same foods on a regular basis so I try to kick it up a notch with new recipes and even the occasional cooking class and you never want to let me near restaurant menus of places I have never been or that serve foods I have never tried.
I am taking a Japanese Cooking class and I admit I am adoring some of the new food introductions I have been making. Long beans and green beans are becoming even more of a favorite than they have ever been. So where is my new supply of sesame cooking oil, black sesame seeds, dried mushrooms etc. Yup. You guessed it. They are still in the trunk of my car. While my new recipe is in my kitchen.
Lesson: Check the trunk before you leave your car at the garage for repairs. I am certain they are safe but I am not certain that they will not be affected by the heat if the car is left outside.
I am not certain about what I did to annoy all of the celestial bodies and rulers but if I promise to do my best to not ever do it again can everything please return once again to its convenient and working condition? Pretty please? With a cherry on top? Thank you.
Towards the end of September, on a Sunday evening, Sacramento, CA closes the bridge over the Sacramento River to vehicles. The bridge is swept and power washed before long garlands of greenery festooned with tiny lights are hung and long tables are set with elegant place settings to become a beautiful farm to table restaurant for almost 1,000 guests.
The evening begins with music and a cocktail hour followed by a four course meal with an underlying theme of gratitude for water, land, sky, field with dessert and coffee served on the nearby riverfront promenade. Advance tickets used to be $200 and I can’t imagine what they are now,
What if there was an organization or perhaps a few organizations joining forces for a similar type of fundraiser. Perhaps on a much smaller scale not set on an active bridge but perhaps on a walkway above a waterfall. Maybe catered by six different restaurants each choosing a specific course around an agreed upon theme.
The number of people would depend on the bridge but I would begin with a plan for 100 and if the advance tickets go well the number, with the cooperation of the restaurants. could go higher. The sponsoring organizations would be in charge of the ticket sales.
Norwich, CT is not Sacramento, CA. Everything is the same but different. We both have beautiful scenery that we are proud of. We both have local farms with wonderful produce. We both have wonderful restaurants.
It is long past time for Norwich, CT to do something different. Something that has not been done a hundred or more times before. Norwich, CT residents are clamoring for something new to the area. Something that can be made our own. Talk about this with your group, church or organization.
The days are getting warmer and while I was waiting for a meeting to begin I was flipping through a copy of the January/ February 2019 Food Network Magazine. There was an entire page dedicated to having a yogurt bowl for dessert. The pictured bowls looked delicious and simple enough for me to not only make and enjoy but expand on easily.
When I was invited to a dinner I thought about that page when it was suggested I could bring something for dessert. An old adage is “Know your audience,” or in my case its, “Know your host.” In this case my hosts live a healthy life style with lots of fresh food and exercise.
I don’t bake. The only pie I make with any regularity is filling a store bought cookie crust, with a cool whip, yogurt, unflavored gelatin and fresh fruit filling that I learned to make in college. I have expanded that filling into parfaits, a frozen treat, and a surprising buffet hit by putting the mix in orange peel halves.
Anyway, with grateful thanks to a local supermarket I was able to make a great Banana Split. In a pretty bowl (a gift to the host), I put in a layer of vanilla yogurt (I added some real vanilla bean to boost the flavor), slices of banana dipped in lemon water (so they wouldn’t go soft and discolor) went in next with a little fresh grated lemon rind, freeze dried strawberries added flavor and crunch just before serving with a generous amount of chocolate sauce. There was none left in the bowl at the end of dinner. Light and refreshing and almost healthy!
I can’t wait for my neighbors children to start school so I can surprise them one day with banana splits for breakfast.
What pies, dessert flavors and sweets do you enjoy? Now visit grocery stores to discover their available yogurt flavors and don’t hesitate to experiment with different ways to serve throughout the day.
The following came from the article I read but mix, match and make what you like.
Pumpkin Pie – Swirl pumpkin butter into vanilla yogurt and top with crushed gingersnaps. For variety try apricot butter.
Tiramisu – Layer coffee yogurt with lady fingers drizzled with amaretto and coffee syrup. Refrigerate overnight and top with toasted and crumbled ladyfingers and more coffee syrup. If you can’t find coffee yogurt make it by adding instant coffee to plain yogurt.
For the holiday Ambrosia fans. Don’t wait. Mix coconut yogurt with mini-marshmallows, shredded coconut, and diced colorful fresh fruit. If it looks too bland use colored marshmallows.
Baklava was not nearly as complicated as the real thing although finding all the ingredients can be a bit tricky. Stir in a few drops of rosewater into raspberry yogurt. Top with chopped salted pistachios and crushed palmier cookies and drizzle with honey.
In the original recipes they don’t say whether to use regular or Greek yogurt. I prefer to use Greek yogurt because I prefer a thicker and richer texture but you should use what you prefer. I read another recipe that dissolved flavored gelatin in water before adding to the yogurt and refrigerating. I can’t stop thinking of glistening little squares of gelatin in the ambrosia. Sorry I was distracted from my other hint- unflavored gelatin dissolved right in the yogurt adds firmness without distracting from the flavor and no, it does not remain grainy and crunchy.
Yogurt has come a long way since the gooey and sour tasting stuff I recall as a girl. Enjoy it and have fun with it. Play with your food.
By reading this blog, even only occasionally, you know that I spend a ridiculous amount of time perusing the old copies of other newspapers and the Norwich Bulletin. What no one has mentioned to me, is what I don’t write about.
One of the things I don’t write about are the deaths of children. Those under the age of fifteen. The needless and senseless deaths that were written about in the newspapers with more than necessary detail. Possibly the detail was also to be a warning to others to not make the same mistake. To not take the same risk. But I have still never read a story that did not affect me or disturb me in some way.
Of course there were accidents. There have always been accidents and there always will be but every spring in every paper from the 1700’s on there are the drownings. (There are stories in earlier papers but they are not in my usual reading) It was always a hot and sunny day. The children were just looking to cool off. One child dared another to take a leap into the water. The child was walking on the edge and slipped. No one heard the train, the bus, the car, or the carriage until it was too late. The water looked clear and shallow. No one realized how quickly it was running or how slippery the rocks were. One child slipped and another went into the water even though he didn’t know how to swim or was not a strong swimmer. So many stories of a single family losing two children because one fell in and the other tried to save him. The stories in such detail broke my heart and disturbed my already restless slumber as my mind gave vision to the details of the story.
For a while the residents of the City of Norwich understood that part of our collective responsibility for the future is to prepare, teach and train the children for the unknowns of the future. Water was a huge part of their present. Sailing on boats, warehousing, shipping, traveling, living on or near the water. Its beauty and invitation were always present. From the mid 1800’s to the mid 1900’s there were swim classes in Norwich, for boys of course. But they were free, available and probably just skirted around the basics of being able to float and a stroke or two the classes still may have saved one or two lives. The girls, I suspect learned from the boys when they were playing together.
We need to have basic swim classes that are free of charge. For children and adults that did not grow up around the water. Not lessons to become competitive swimmers but the lessons of what to do if you fall in the water. For example: how to float, breaststroke, and dog-paddle. How to breathe. How to signal for help. How to make a chain in the water. How to plant your feet in moving water. A basic half hour of time to save countless lives.
Basic swimming lessons are more than an investment in the present, they are an investment into the future of us all.
“The Mayor calls attention to the fact that the City of Norwich has buried itself the last year in repairing and putting into first class shape all of the walks abutting its property; and then very properly calls attention to the execrable condition of private walks, and if he did not express the hope that the civic pride of the owners would prompt them to go and do likewise, he doubtless thought that a hint would be better than a kick in calling attention to an undeniable duty of good citizenship.
There is nothing that gives a city a poorer name than neglected sidewalks, and there is a good advertisement for any place in clean and level sidewalks. Where negligence of this kind prevails as a rule no amount of advertising can overcome its effect.
There are too many neglected walks in “The Rose of New England,” and they did not help the sale of the property when it is on the market, or aid the town in keeping property values up.
Nothing makes a street more inviting than good walks and nothing speaks more plainly for the character and enterprise of the owners of owners of the property therein.
The Bulletin hopes private owners of property will follow the good example set them by the city.
The previous was published in the Bulletin May 26, 1911. Is anyone else feeling our City of Norwich is in a bad version of the movie “Ground Hog Day” where the same series of events are repeated over and over and over again until a lesson is learned. When will we learn that a successful city does not just fund making repairs when it can only be rebuilt but performing maintenance routinely serves to maintain its strength, safety and character.”
I recently saw a post and a photo of a deer being seen in downtown Norwich, CT on Face Book and was reminded of an article first published in the Norwich Bulletin November 6, 1895 and then published in the New York Times on November 10, 1895 because it was such an important occurrence.
From the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) website I learned that in 1648 Connecticut prohibited deer hunting. Probably because the Native Americans population had little effect on deer numbers but as the colonists numbers grew and more and more land was clear cut the deer could not find the shelter it needed to survive and hunting deer became easy sport.
So easy a sport that in 1677 Connecticut law prohibited the export of deer hides and venison. But the extermination of the deer continued and in 1893 Connecticut joined other Eastern states from Maine to Florida by passing a law giving complete protection to white-tailed deer for ten years but that was subsequently extended to 1917 or twenty-four years.
But in 1895 when the numbers of deer in the wild were still low, “A Deer Wanders in the Street,” was reported in Norwich, CT.
“A real live deer appeared in Norwich recently, and its movements were as free and unrestrained as if the city were its natural haunts. The deer was first seen at about 5:30 A.M. In the yard of C.P. Cogswell [President of the 2nd National Bank], on [38] Lincoln Avenue. The deer was frightened by the approach of a boy, and bounded through the street, and disappeared in the direction of Chelsea Parade. The deer was next seen on Chestnut Street, where a dog owned by James McCaffrey scented the big game, and gave chase. The deer left the dog in the lurch, taking a cross-street to Franklin Street. The animal was seen later trotting down to Franklin Square. The approach of a car frightened the animal, and it made a sudden turn, jumping over the head of a lad who was walking through Main Street. The deer sped through East Main Street toward the Preston Bridge. The Legislature of 1893 made it a grave offense to kill a deer in this state, so sportsmen would do well not to shoot at the creature if it should continue in this neighborhood.”
The path of the deer makes an industrious hike through parts of Norwich not usually included in other walks. Some of the streets have remained unchanged while others have no resemblance to what was. For example on Chestnut Street was a veterinary surgeon, a livery, boarding and feed stable, DM Wilson & Co. that did a bit of everything from carpet beating and steam cleaning to dyers, to harness and carriage making, repairs and painting, and cork cutting. It was also the home of the Norwich Nickel & Brass Works at that time known for display fixtures, paper mache clothing dress forms, and general electroplating with New York salesrooms at 142 8th Street, 2nd building east of Broadway, New York, New York.
So where is the Fort Sumter flag today? I started this blog months ago but then lost the flash drive I had copied the article to. So better late than never… or before I forget.
Once upon the Norwich Bulletin of May 31, 1895 was the story of a flag used in the Memorial Day Decorations in Norwich, CT. But what happened to the flag? Why are we not hearing its tale on each Memorial Day? The following is what the newspaper reported that day.
“Among the flags used in decorations yesterday and perhaps the most interesting was the old flag of Fort Sumter, the property of the late General James B. Coit.” There were so many questions asked the Bulletin of 1895 referenced an article it had written 30 years earlier.”
Please bear with me for this information commercial but in 2019 I needed a quick history refresher to know that Fort Sumter was built in 1829 at the entrance to the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina smack dab in the center of some of the busiest shipping channels of the time and where in 1861 the first shots attributed to the American Civil War were fired. The first dictionary definition of ensign is ‘a flag especially a military or naval one indicating nationality.’ And now back to the story.
Per the article “It appears that Major-General O. Gilmore was in command at Charleston Harbor and that Sumter was taken and stars and stripes placed thereon at 9 am February 18, 1865, and the dispatch as, “The first flag on Sumter was raised by Captain Henry M. Bragg, an aide-de-camp on General Gilmore’s Staff and having for its staff an oar and boathook lashed together.” – Bulletin, February 19, 1865.
The first flag raised over Sumter – “Letters received in this city on Thursday from Captain Campbell and Engineer Brown of the steamer “W.W. Coit,” now in its government service as General Gilmore’s staff boat, state that the “Coit” was the first Army boat to run up to Charleston, following the Admirals vessel, and that her ensign was the first Union flag hoisted on Sumter, – by Captain Bragg of Gilmore’s staff. The flag remained there at the date of the letter.
The Coit was built for and is owned by Captain W.W. Coit of this city [Norwich, CT] who, in buying his ensign, gave little thought it would replace the rebel flag on the spot where the war broke out. (Bulletin, March 8, 1865)
“Ensign Brown” referred to is the “Captain Brown” of Gales Ferry who looks out yearly for the comfort of the Yale crew.
The Coit was burned off Twelfth Street wharf, Washington, D.C., Sunday, November 5th, 1893.”
But calling the flag an ensign of the United States of America reminded me of the engraved stone at the base of the flag on Chelsea Parade for Samuel Chester Reid (1783-1861) who, at the request of U.S. Representative Peter H. Wendover, designed the very flag that was raised that day over Fort Sumter. Reid designed the current flag with thirteen stripes and a field of blue with room for more stars to represent each state as the number was certain to increase. The newly designed flag flew across the U.S. Capitol dome on April 13, 1818 and so I have no doubt it was a flag of his design that flew across Fort Sumter creating yet another Norwich, CT connection.
Samuel Chester Reid is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY.
Historical museums throughout the country are gearing up for the annual fall senior citizen and educational visitors. Educational exhibits of rarely seen artifacts and demonstrations with audience participation activities guaranteed to bring visitors and money to their worthy coffers.
Always check your demonstration with your local health department for compliance with local rules and regulations.
The traditional churning of the butter takes a long time and lots of strength and patience so for demonstration purposes in classrooms and on-site, students and visitors may be given a small plastic container (cold slaw takeout size) with a small amount of room temperature heavy or whipping cream.
Given a caution to be certain the lid is on firmly and a reminder that you need to keep the cream in motion for it to turn into the goal of rich, creamy butter.
[Insider giggle:Watch how many people will shake their booty to the song but keep the hand with the cream unmoving and steady.]
Then to the tune of “Row Your Boat” sing with a smile –
Shake, Shake, Shake the cream
Shake it round and round
Never stopping, never stirring
Until the butter’s found.
Keep repeating until you find the butter then pour off or sip the buttermilk. (Personal note: I am not a fan of buttermilk unless its mixed in something else. Salad dressing, pancake batter etc. so you can skip the sip part)
Rinse the butter with small amounts of clean water while pressing the butter with a wooden spoon or a Popsicle stick to express all of the remaining buttermilk. Be firm with it. Don’t be surprised if you have to change the water a few times until the drained water runs clear. Congratulations you now have ‘working butter.’
Now is the time you can choose to add and mix in salt and other seasonings to your working butter.
Mix well for even distribution throughout your butter.
Your options can be sweet or savory. There is always the traditional cinnamon and sugar, or perhaps a bit of jelly, jam or fresh fruit. Are you adventurous? Try savory with some fresh herbs – chives, parsley, thyme or finely chopped pickled peppers or hot pepper relish. Sweet hot pepper relish is surprisingly good on toast. Very rich tasting.
Enjoy your treat on crackers, bread or pancakes!
Suggestion: Coffee urns and iced tea jugs can be used for the running water as they can be set up outside of the working kitchen and refilled easily. I don’t suggest mixing and using everyone’s expressed buttermilk. Perhaps a local farmer or a garden would appreciate it.
Once more I was looking at recipes and re-discovered this oldie Adapted from The first American Cookbook, p. 34 and thought what a great fundraiser it would be for a colonial historic group. Very inexpensive to make and easy to prepare in advance and keep warm in an oven. At a dollar a cake a profit could be made. Plates and forks are a bit of over kill. These are fine served in a napkin with butter available to slather on.
Johnny Cakes
for about 8 large cakes
(Good for grades 3 and up)
2 cups Cornmeal
1 cup hot water
pinch of salt 1.Mix cornmeal and water together until the dough stays in a moist ball.
2. Let sit for up to 30 minutes.
3. Make dough into patties.
4. Cook with butter or oil in frying pan over medium heat.
5. Flip when bottom gets golden brown.
6. Serve warm with butter, honey, salt or other toppings.
This recipe is a bit more involved but it is delicious and I will be making my own version this fall as the weather cools a bit. It is Adapted from the Recipes from the Raleigh Tavern Bake Shop. After you’ve made it once you will begin to experiment with all sorts of fruits and veggies just as I am certain the colonists did. I made this in an oblong pan in layers but with small diced red and green peppers sprinkled about. So pretty when I cut it into squares! Once I used dry toast for top and bottom crust with a heavy hand of cinnamon and sugar on the top. I didn’t get to try it but, I am told it was good. If you don’t have apples its OK to use other fleshy fruits like pears.
Be sure to slice the apples and potatoes thin, no more than 1/8”, to be sure they cook through. Also I prefer to use large eggs but the choice is yours. Enjoy!
Onion Pie
(Good for grades 6 and up)
½ lb. Potatoes
½ lb Apples
½ lb. Onions
6 eggs
½ lb. Butter
Pastry Ingredients:
3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 c. shortening – (can include up to 1/4 c. butter)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. very cold water
1. Combine the flour and salt.
2. Cut in the shortening with knives or a pastry blender until the mixture is mealy.
3. Add the beaten egg and 1/4 c. cold water.
4. Gradually add the remaining water if necessary to make a soft pastry.
5. Chill well.
6. Divide pastry in half. Roll out each half of pastry to no more than 1/8 inch thick on floured surface.
Pie Recipe
1. Cut the onions, potatoes, and apples into thin slices.
2. Lay half of the pastry in a pie pan.
3. Spread ½ cup butter pats over crust.
4. Beat two eggs. Combine separately,1/4 tsp each Nutmeg, pepper, salt, mace.
5. Add layers of apples, onions, and potatoes until pie is filled, putting some beaten egg and spices between each layer.
6. Spread the left-over butter on top and cover with crust.
7. Cut a few slits in top for steam.
8. Cook in preheated 350 degree oven for l to l ½ hours or until golden brown.
9. Let cool then enjoy.
Nothing brings me more joy then when a friend challenges me to find a different recipe. I love the adventure of imagining new combinations of tastes and textures. From early printed cookbooks to on-line food blogs, I read them all.
The biggest issue I have though is recalling where I saw the recipe I am trying to recall. For example, a friend wanted a potato salad recipe that did not include mayonnaise. I had just seen a photo of one that looked delicious. Being the lazy person I am I did a Google search for potato salad. That turned up the usual all with mayonnaise. Then I looked specifically for no mayonnaise which led me to a number that simply substituted the mayonnaise for yogurt or vinegar.
Neither of the options was unusual or tempting. Or was a match for the photo I had in my mind but I did find this Autumn Sweet Potato Fruit Salad with Maple Vinaigrette that did capture my interest for this fall.
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cubed
2 Gala apples, cored and cubed
1/3 C. golden raisins
1/3 C. dark raisins
¼ C. raw cashews, chopped
¼ C. maple syrup
1/3 C. rice wine vinegar
1 T. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
In a skillet, sauté sweet potatoes in oil until tender (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool. In a large bowl, combine apples, raisins, cashews, and sweet potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup and vinegar. Pour vinaigrette over salad and toss until coated evenly. Refrigerate until ready to be served.
Hearing of my search a friend from Morocco shared this recipe. I made this and found it to be so rich in flavor it was a meal by itself although I paired it with slices of cantaloupe, honey dew and apple for a summer supper.
4 large white potatoes
1/2 small onion, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon allspice, divided
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
Boil potatoes until tender but not soft. Peel and cut into cubes. Place on flat tray with sides. Mix the lemon juice and olive oil and stir to coat. Let the potatoes absorb the liquid while you mix onion, salt, allspice and cinnamon and then sprinkle on potatoes. Mix gently while you transfer to the serving bowl. Garnish with oregano leaves.
Australians found a way to mix in Kale and of course make it on the barbie. I can’t wait to try this on my grill.
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more
2 pounds waxy fingerling potatoes
Kosher salt
1 pound shallots (about 12), unpeeled
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped cornichons
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 bunch kale, ribs and stems removed
3 scallions, sliced
1 cup parsley leaves with tender stems
Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; lightly oil grate. Boil potatoes until soft. Drain and return to saucepan.
Meanwhile, grill shallots, turning occasionally, until skins are blackened and flesh is tender, 15–20 minutes. Let cool. Halve lengthwise and scoop out insides (discard skins).
Whisk lemon juice, vinegar, and 3 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add cornichons, capers, and potatoes and toss to coat.
Toss kale and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium bowl; season with salt. Grill, turning often, until charred and crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Fold into salad along with scallions, parsley, and shallots. Do Ahead: Potato salad can be made 1 hour ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature.
The Minimalist Baker web-site gave a basic French Potato Salad direction without using chicken broth. I had seen the photo of Ina Gartens French Potato Salad but hers required chicken broth so I chose to share this recipe instead.
2 pounds baby potatoes
1 Pinch sea salt and black pepper
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup diced green onion
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 1/2 Tbsp spicy brown or dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste)
3 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
Boil potatoes until tender and slide off fork when pierced. Drain thoroughly.
When mostly dry, add to a large serving bowl. Seasoning with a dash of salt and black pepper and apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
Prepare dressing by mixing mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, and apple cider vinegar in a bowl and whisk to combine. While continuing to whisk, slowly stream in the olive oil to emulsify the oil and vinegar. Add the dill and whisk once more.
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt for saltiness, black pepper for spice, mustard for intense mustard flavor, vinegar for more acidity, or dill for herbal flavor.
Add the dressing to the potatoes along with the green onion and parsley (optional), and toss to combine. Taste the potato salad and adjust salt and pepper again. The longer it sits the stronger the flavors.
Serve warm, chilled, or room temperature. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Not freezer friendly.
There were so many more to discover once I began looking specifically for potato salads. The Koreans add apple and fish to theirs and hard boiled egg yolk is crumbled on top as decoration. Spanish Potato Salad has green olives and roasted red pepper. Puerto Rican Potato Salad also used apples. Romanian Potato Salad had olives and gherkins. You can travel the globe enjoying potato salad with and without mayonnaise.
It came in the mail. Hot off the press the Norwich Regional Adult Education catalog. Three convenient campuses in Norwich, Stonington and East Lyme. Almost 12 pages of classes and adventures! Most classes are held at the Teachers Memorial Magnet School in Norwich, CT.
There are the standards of course, four ways to earn a high school equivalency diploma and three additional courses to chart a career as a Certified Nursing Assistant, school para-professional or a licensed security officer. For families with children in school a mid-afternoon course to learn English, Customer Service Training and job shadowing opportunity.
There is also an English As a Second Language Class and a Free Citizenship Preparation class.
You can explore the culinary delights of through classes of five week Basic Cake Decorating, or Cake Decorating with fondant, A ten week class of Just Desserts, Seven weeks of Sensational Soups and Five weeks of smoking & preserving foods.
Learn the basics of Arts & Crafts. By making seasonal cards with stamps, glass etching, stenciling, tie-dye and macramé.
Health & wellness is designed to keep you moving after work when you need a break from the routines of the gym. There is an introduction to fruitarianism with a “fruit challenge” and a class on how to make healthy choices when it comes to eating. There is even a guide to Care for Aging Parents.
Language is limited to basic and intermediate conversational Spanish.
Two classes are offered on current events for those who just want to chat about major issues and society. Citizen Journalism is being offered for those willing to write about local happenings and news events for an on-line webpage they will create.
English for Academic Purposes [EAP] is to improve your abilities to listen, read, write and develop your vocabulary. On one night for free is a class in Public Speaking. Remember its not always speaking before an audience of hundreds. Sometimes its speaking clearly to two customers looking for an item to purchase, or saying thank you as you accept an award for being the great person you are.
Journaling can help you develop a home management plan or a personal vision.
Survival Sign Language covers the fundamentals of grammar, vocabulary and finger spelling.
Career Readiness and Technology offers a wide range of classes beginning with a free evening on using Facebook for business.
At Norwich Tech you’ll be able to take advantage of a full Driver Education Course.
Chelsea Groton Bank is offering a selection of personal money management classes for free.
Silver Mill Tours is organizing 10 tours of the usual places – lighthouses and shopping in Rhode Island, the Statue of Liberty, the 9/11 museum, the Bronx Zoo, Vermont Fall Foliage, Salem, MA,
Philadelphia Food Tour, Kittery, ME, Radio City Music Hall, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. No, they are not all on the same day. You have to check the catalog for what fits your schedule.
The 3 Rivers catalog will be out soon and they also offer Adult Education classes so be certain to check that before investing in one or more of these classes. In Norwich, CT we have the variety of classes you are looking for but we have to work a little harder at letting people know what and where and for how much they are being offered.
Someday, I would like to see offerings of the community, the Senior Center, the Recreations Dept, Dodd Stadium, The Golf Course, The Ice Skating Rink, and any other group that offers a program to the public in a single publication.
Ladies and gentlemen I would like to thank Patrick Hendricks. He and his attorneys stood their ground and filed a class-action lawsuit against StarKist Co. for under-filling certain 5 oz. Canned tuna products in violation of state and federal law between February 2009 and October 31, 2014.
Surprisingly, StarKist denied the under-filling of its products and denied it did anything wrong. But I am happy to say that in September 2019 all of the appeals have been resolved and the settlement is now final with the parties agreeing to a settlement to avoid the expense and risks of continuing the lawsuit.
Why should I care you ask? Well with a distribution of settlement proceedings occurring on September 20, 2019, I received a postcard in my snail mail on September 23, 2019 telling me to enjoy $5.03 towards the purchase of any StarKist can or pouch products but I must choose at least three products in any combination and size to qualify. It was by chance that I looked at the mail that day. Usually I just check the snail mail for bills and letters and toss everything else.
Thank you StarKist for being so prompt in providing the settlement.
According to what I could find on line “You are a Class Member if you are a resident of the United States of America who purchased from February 19, 2009 through October 31, 2014:
one or more 5 oz. can of Chunk Light Tuna in Water,
one or more 5 oz. can of Chunk Light Tuna in Oil,
one or more 5 oz. can of Solid White Tuna in Water, or
one or more 5 oz. can of Solid White Tuna in Oil (collectively, the “StarKist Products”)
To be honest, I do not even recall ever completing a questionnaire about how many five ounce cans of tuna I may have purchased between 2009 and 2014 but I can guarantee it was quite a few. I like tuna. Fresh and canned. I also choose to donate cans of tuna for food banks as its a protein and always in short supply. So I probably did complete a questionnaire without even thinking more about it.
Now, please excuse me while I search the ads for the best deal on StarKist tuna I can find. Its food bank time of the year and I can use all the help I can get to stock up for the donation promotions. What do you do with the buy one, get one free? The sample products? There is a Food Bank, Senior Center, Soup Kitchen and Animal Center near you that would greatly appreciate your donation.
Donate early. Donate Often. Thank you!
A small article in the August 1, 1906 Norwich Bulletin reminded me that Norwich, CT has always been multi-cultural. In the early 1900’s it was not about being loud and proud with flowing alcohol and bouncy houses in the center of the street. It was about quiet education and explanation to build understanding. Understanding that all people are the same and different at the same time and it’s all ok.
The article was called Tisha Be Av Celebrated by Pious Jews.
“Tuesday pious Jews all over the world commemorated the anniversary of the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar 586 B.C., and 656 years later by the legions of Titus and Vespasian. This is the national day for fasting and mourning known as the nineth of Av or the gloomy Tisha Be Av. This double destruction of the Holy City is considered by the clergy as the chief background for this black day on the calendar.
On the eve of the fast day the people, in stockings or slippers, seat themselves on the floor of the synagogue or on little benches lower than their regular seats. The Holy Ark is deprived of its curtain, the cantor, recites the Lamentations of Jeremiah and a collection of plaintive songs are sung.
Business in general is not interrupted during the day, but in the houses of the pious the candles to honor the dead are kept burning. After evening service the fast is ended.”
Lordy me do I love the internet! It must be fall as every morning my email is bombarded and bamboozled by all manner of requested and unasked for and sometimes completely unimagined bits of information. All of the information is brand new and available from the latest study completed ten to twenty years ago but only recently unearthed by this latest writer.
Healthline sent me an article (March 7, 2019) by Rachel Link, MS, RD on Parsley Tea having some impressive health benefits. Just steep some dried or fresh parsley leaves in some water and you are good to go for a healthy drink. Then she goes on to list some shockingly new information about parsley.
Seriously. Her listing of information confirms all that you learned in third grade science in slightly more adult terms.
1. Parsley is high in antioxidants. Those are the fighters against cell damagers and so may help in the fight against certain cancers.
Science can’t prove it, but parsley may help increase urination. So it’s not good to drink if you are already taking a diuretic.
Parsley is a good source of vitamin C and vitamin C helps the body to heal, build strong bones and immunity.
Parsley is a good source of vitamin K, helpful for blood clotting so not good for those taking a blood thinner.
It is possible but not confirmed (and not taught in most third grade science classes) parsley tea may help stimulate menstrual flow. So it may be a natural way to regulate a woman’s flow but pregnant women should be cautious of over stimulation leading to contractions.
Some animal studies demonstrate parsley helps control blood sugar levels (diabetes) but there is no human research studies.
So the bottom line is, all good things are fine in moderation. But more importantly, the article reminds us that as the temperature drops and we are looking to warm our insides with a hot drink that won’t jangle our nerves there are many, many alternatives to caffeine out there that do not come in fancy high-priced boxes and tins.
Many varieties of herbs can be grown indoors on your window sill and used fresh, dried or frozen. Read the label if you buy the dried as large manufacturers sometimes use preservatives, coloring agents and salt.
The article included easy to follow directions for making your own Parsley tea. My tea making directions are not as involved as hers and I use the stems and the leaves. I put water onto boil and went to my herb pot of parsley and cut three large stems. Rinsed and dried them. Then medium chopped them before crushing them and filling my tea strainer with as much as it would hold. I have assorted sizes of teapots from a single cup to a twelve cupper but for this a three cup pot will do well. I rinsed the pot with my hottest water and set it to rest with hot water while waiting for the kettle water to boil. Seeing bubbles in the kettle, I dump out the hot water and place my tea strainer in the pot and add the simmering water. Carefully placing the top on the teapot and draping it with a cover to keep it cozy and warm.
While its steeping is the perfect time to set out a snack plate of spreadable cheese on crackers as by the time you are done the tea is ready to be poured. You have to decide for yourself if you would like to add some lemon, sugar, or honey or hot pepper flakes. Sometimes a little chili powder. Tea can enjoy a little kick now and again.
This same method can be used teas of sage, mint, fresh ginger, lemon peels, orange peel, chamomile and more.
Directions from Healthline to make your own Parsley Tea.
Start by boiling one cup of water in a small pot or saucepan.
Prepare the parsley by rinsing off ¼ cup of fresh parsley and chopping it up or using two tablespoons of dried parsley.
Add the dried or fresh parsley to the bottom of your cup and pour water over it, allowing it to steep for five to ten minutes.
Use a fine mesh strainer to remove and discard the parsley leaves before enjoying your hot drink.
Parsley tea can be consumed as is or flavored with a bit of honey, lemon juice or sugar.
On the subject of the more things change the more they stay the same was an article in the December 13, 1903 Norwich Bulletin titled “Cemetery Changes Go No Farther.”
Injunction stopped the narrowing of River Avenue in the Yantic Burying grounds and they will not be completed.
According to the present indications, the suit of Asa Backus against the City of Norwich will be settled. Mr. Backus brought an injunction against the city for work started towards narrowing of River Avenue in Yantic Cemetery, it being the intention of the Superintendent, acting under instructions from the committee having the work in charge in the common council, to narrow the avenue and allow a number of single graves to be laid out there.
River Avenue is one of the prettiest in the cemetery, and there are many large lots facing it which would be greatly damaged if the proposed plan was carried out. Among the owners of lots there was Mr. Backus, who, upon learning of the contemplated change, had an injunction issued against the city, which put a stop to the work.
Since that time the great harm which would have been done by the change has been realized by the city officials, and no more work will be done and the injunction will not be contested.
The avenue, will remain as it has always been, and the suit will end where it is.
Always on the lookout for the unusual but yet familiar in the Norwich Bulletin issues of the past I present this Norwich and Vicinity Police Alert from the April 17, 1895 newspaper.
If anyone acts strangely the Officers waste no time in approaching him.
Report came to Chief Bowen on Tuesday that a man had been frightening children on the Plains, so he sent Officers Irish and Brown out, in citizens uniform, to find him. The officers traced the ma from place to place, through backyards and over lanes and Officer Brown finally caught him and lodged him in a cell. He gave the name of Orrin Ecclestone and he is charged with vagrancy.
Rumors that “Jack the Hugger” had established himself in Greeneville having been confirmed, Chief Bowen gave orders that the man be apprehended. The village police did some detective work, under charge of Sergeant Linton, and the name of the supposedly guilty party was learned. Michael Mathews is charged with the offense. He is but seventeen years old. Officer Stanley arrested him on Water Street on Tuesday morning.
The more things change the more they stay the same.
In my email every morning is a “wake-Up Call” by Katie Couric. Mostly it’s light news and information that would not attract my attention in the regular newspaper. On September 9, 2019 she wrote about going fly-fishing with some people from Orvis.
Orvis is a sporting company with a great new mission, to get more people out in nature and preserve the environment by attracting more women to the sport of fly fishing with a program called 50/50 On the Water. They even have an easy to follow website called Https://50/50onthewater.orvis.com Norwich, Ct has a population of women. Norwich, Ct has three rivers, multiple smaller bodies of moving water, fresh water lakes and ponds and many are recreational stocked fish areas. Does Norwich, CT already have similar programs already?
There are some really cool education and adventure programs being initiated across the country. Of course the leading programs are closer to their headquarters in New Hampshire and Maine but there is no reason why Norwich, CT should not be at least one of the leaders in Connecticut.
Once you go to the website there are all kinds of options worth at the very least a peek. The choices under menu are videos which range from instructional to funny, profiles of famous flyfisher people. Are you impressed I am using the politically correct term? A listing of some of the events that can give you an idea for events of your own. There is also a listing of resources which includes the contact information for Braided Fly Fish Northeast Chapter – Connecticut. Granted you can find them on Facebook and other social media sites but this website certainly makes it easier.
Then comes the more important section, at least to me its the most important section, planning. These kind people at Orvis give you great pointers on how to plan a single event or a course of events, from 101 to advanced, 1 day clinics and fishing outings.
The well done site gives tips for hosting speakers, incorporating conservation education, and how to deal with the intimidation of the sport, how to invite and include local vendors for equipment, gear and apparel. I never gave it a thought but the correct apparel should also fit correctly and while not a requirement in the beginning it can become a thing as you progress in the sport. So for me it’s a case of the more you know and can expect the better.
The article talks about raffles and swag and very importantly hot and cold non-alcoholic drinks, finger foods, and comfort to inspire people to linger and talk.
There is a recommendation to tie in to Costa’s Kick Plastic Effort. An effort to encourage reusable cups and glasses. Do I sense a marketing opportunity for local businesses?
Marketing tips that really push events with the least amount of effort. Yes there is still work involved, but its not as hard and complicated as it once was. Name the event, something catchy and easy to remember. Advertise on Social Media. Keep updates at the forefront fresh and alive. Announce the raffle prizes, activities, guest speakers and every other thing you can imagine. Even the menu can be the cause of an announcement.
Spread the word to local speakers, churches, clubs, radio, cable companies, gyms and schools.
Have signs leading to the event, have a check-in with greeters to welcome everyone, ask people to post on social media where they are and the hours of the event. If it’s possible have a readymade media photo-op in place.
Post to social media – it’s a great way to encourage youth attendance
Send thank you notes to your volunteers. You could not have done it without them and you’ll want to have a supply of ready and happy volunteers for your next event.
Send follow-up emails to your participants. Ask them for their input and advice. People want to have their voices heard and if they even suspect that their voices are being heard, they will be happy to volunteer.
What would I like to see in Norwich you ask? In the spring, I would like to see a fly-tying class in adult education. I would like to see the Norwich Department of Recreation hold a youth and adult fly fishing catch and release clinic. I would like to see multiple churches hold Family Fly Fishing Days. I would like to see some of the Diversity groups hold Fishing In the Old Country demonstrations. Some countries use nets, some use poles, some fish with their hands. How interesting and refreshingly new would that be? I know its not a bouncy house but an exercise for the mind unless there are a few demonstrations that allow audience participation and then its an exercise for the body. I mentioned fashion before and what initiative it would demonstrate if the local high schools and colleges fashion design courses would devote some of their skills to sport fashion and equipment design.
Imagine seeing a fashion show with just a specific sport in mind highlighting participants and observers. What new doors could be opened for an individual if their design became a highlight and was seen by company through the magic window of the internet? It could be a job or a scholarship that was never even imagined.
Some of you will point to me and say “Why don’t you do this?” Because I haven’t seriously gone fishing in close to 50 years. When I went with family and friends it was mostly off a boat in salt water, but there was lots of jetty fishing too. Fresh water fishing was limited but in at least one of the local lakes I have a clear memory of catching the fish as they would swim around our legs holding the fish up in the air and then releasing them. I don’ know if they were the same fish or different fish and I don’t know what kind they were. It was just kid fun and now a great memory. Kids today would be lucky to have such a memory and we have the opportunity to create one for them. I still have at least two of what I recognize as my feeble attempts at fly tying in a box. Another memory trigger but a class or a clinic should be by someone with experience.
I am willing to help. I can help an event sponsor with paperwork, ideas, planning, contacting and scheduling. What do you think? Do you think there is enough information here to start planning? How about investigating the possibilities before saying, “Nope, not a chance.” This can be another low cost promotional opportunity for our city and we shouldn’t let it pass by.
Come on Norwich, CT residents and organizations lets get together and lead instead of follow.
I was talking with someone on Saturday night while at the HarborFire at Brown Park after the Italian Festival and was reminded that the New Haven Chalk Festival is October 19, 2019 from 12 noon to 4 pm mostly on Broadway in New Haven.
It is going to be their fourth promotional event for the Shops at Yale. Everyone is invited to enjoy a day of art and entertainment in celebration of the local community in the heart of downtown New Haven and Yale University. The Shops at Yale invites all professional and amateur artists, students, and artist groups to participate. The Shops at Yale provide exclusive offers to retailers and restaurants, raffles, giveaways and more! This event is FREE and open to the public. Rain date, October 20.
How cool would it be to have something similar in Norwich, CT? Greeneville had a chalk event a few years ago and everyone appeared to enjoy it. The chalk artist was a very gifted local person who gave me the impression she enjoyed what she was doing and creating and the interactions with her of the crowd.
Bouncy houses are nice but do have a limited appeal.
Speaking of New Haven, CT the other event that came to mind was their “Think Festival” now its called the “International Festival of Arts and Ideas.” Let’s face it folks I have a better memory of from back in the day than what I do of lunch today. Anyway, regardless of its grandiose description of its history it really began as a single day festival and grew to two days and then a weekend and then longer. First they had to establish themselves and then bring the more powerful and better connected of New Haven on board. Not as hard to do when you have Yale University front and center.
When Anne Calabresi, Jean Handley and Roslyn Meyer founded the Festival in 1996, their long-term aim was to gather world-class artists and thinkers from around the globe, showcasing the city and the state as a major arts destination. Their Mission, as set by their founders, was to create an internationally renowned festival in New Haven of the highest quality with world-class artists, thinkers, and leaders, attracting and engaging a broad and diverse audience celebrating and building community and advancing economic development.
To take the powerful synergy that happens when authors, scientists, and leading innovators are presented alongside outstanding artists. They had that when great ART and big IDEAS come together, they heighten our ability to understand and imagine. Their Festival was modeled after the great European arts festivals including the Edinburgh Festival, which was founded in the ashes of World War II. The underlying goal of their festival and those worldwide is to bring people together in one place to increase international understanding, social cohesion, and celebrate diversity.
Granted it would not be as easy in Norwich as in New Haven with the backing of a great University but isn’t there in Norwich, CT some group that would like to create their own spin on bringing new collaborational and independent thoughts and actions to Norwich. Things that are different and new. Not a replica of somewhere else done by other people. Not plastic toys in the street. But booths and exhibits of thought provoking ideas with the future and not the past in mind.
Why do the residents of Norwich, CT accept so readily that their ideas are not good enough? That innovation cannot be local? When will the residents and taxpayers of Norwich, CT stop accepting a street party with the local money going into pockets outside the City of Norwich is better than promoting the people and the businesses of our own City?
It is long past time for the citizens, residents and taxpayers to rise up and say “No.” to the leadership with no imagination and no gumption. It is time for the citizens, residents and taxpayers to stand up for leadership with goals, with ideas, with questions and a work ethic to seek answers. Norwich, leadership has to be able to study and learn from other cities not just what it should not do but what we can do and how we should adjust ideas to our own setting. Norwich leadership needs to lead, follow or get out of the way so Norwich, CT can change and grow and become the leading city the historians claim it was at one time.
“Slow”, is not the correct term for the project of bringing “disc golf” to Norwich, CT. “Painfully slow” is probably a better description of this project. A small but dedicated group has been approaching people, businesses and groups for donations to make this small budget activity a reality in Mohegan Park in Norwich, CT. But they need your help!
I am new to the sport, with no previous athletic prowess to boast of. In fact, I admit to more closely resembling a bowling ball than the individual human bowler. But none-the-less I have become a true admirer of the sport and I want to see it brought to Norwich as a fun recreation for everyone of any age.
Some of the following information I learned from a Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) brochure and some from my own attempts at playing a round or two. The experiences I have had in my attempts to play have been an introduction to some of the nicest, friendliest, and most helpful and playful people I have ever met.
Disc golf is played like traditional golf but with a small sized flying disc. Whoever completes a “hole” in the fewest “throws,” – wins! Not comfortable with keeping a score? Then don’t. That’s fine too.
The “hole” is a metal net (similar to a basket ball net) with another “catch net” beneath it on a pole about seven feet off the ground.
It really is best to have proper equipment for a sport and the cost for a quality, professional disc is around ten dollars. No special, hats, shoes, socks, pads, braces or other special equipment required. The disc does not take up a lot of storage space, or require a specialist to keep it in playing condition. No having to get a larger car just to haul around equipment and stuff. On a really hot day I wish I had brought a towel and a jacket when a strong breeze before a storm blew through but really that was it. I didn’t even need a wallet as the courses were open to the public at no charge.
For the average person a round of disc golf only takes one or two hours outside in the fresh air. The courses I played on were mostly shaded by trees which made it extra nice on the hot days. Very unlike regular golf played mostly on open fields and areas.
Disc golf is truly a lifetime fitness sport for the physically able, the specially-abled, the disabled and the like me want-to-be-abled. Most recreational activities need me to be able to do things I simply cannot do right now but I want to them and they are a part of a goal I have set for myself to improve my quality of life.
There are over 3,500 courses throughout the USA and Canada so its easy to find an available course while on vacation and , bonus, most courses are free and open to the public. Disc golf is a family friendly sport that everyone can enjoy together. No worries if you are a world traveler as there are courses in 36 countries worldwide. I am very impatiently waiting for the day when Norwich, CT has a course and there are discs with a local logo I can bring on my travels to trade.
Disc golf is a combination of upper and lower body conditioning, mental concentration, and manual dexterity. In other words, its reaching down to the ground (to pick up the disc or place a marker), its focusing on a target, planning how to get around a tree or a bush, gripping and releasing the disc and walking. No bending, leaping, jumping, running or twisting. It’s not about how fast you can get through the course. It’s about enjoying a couple of hours outside. This is a sport every health professional can easily support.
What should you know as a new or just curious player?
Learn to play with a “golf disc.” Don’t go crazy. All you need is one or two. The regular recreational discs are larger and not the same so it can be frustrating trying to direct its travel.
Bring a friend. It’s always good to have someone to laugh with.
Keep it real. Don’t expect to throw like a pro. Everything takes practice.
Ask for help and advice. Ask the local players for tips and advice. They’ll be flattered!
Have fun! That is the whole goal of the game. To relax and have fun in the fresh air and natural setting.
There is also The Educational Disc Golf Experience (E.D.G.E) which was developed to provide teachers and coaches a sound program for teaching disc golf fundamentals and the allied skills. Learn more at www.edgediscgolf.org.
Donations and sponsorships to be used to bring disc golf to Norwich are currently available and encouraged. Checks can be made payable to “City of Norwich”. Please indicate “Mohegan Park Disc Golf” on the memo line. Donations can be mailed to the Treasurer at: Comptroller – City of Norwich, 100 Broadway, Norwich, CT 06360.
A $1,000 donation or more is a Founding Sponsor. Which will have your business, organization, or individual name or logo permanently affixed to the large welcoming board at the entrance to the course giving recognition and thanks for your generosity.
Be a gold sponsor for a $500 donation or more. Your donation will be matched with other gold sponsorships and be put towards the purchase of the material needed to construct a hole on the course. Your business, organization, or individual name will be displayed on a 12” X 8” aluminum sign and be affixed to a shared tee off post at a hole on the course for 5 years and your business, organization, or the individual name will be printed on the course scorecard for 5 years giving recognition and thanks for your generosity.
For a $250 donation or more your business, organization, or individual name will be displayed on a 12” X 4” aluminum sign and be affixed to a shared tee off post at a hole on the course
for 2 years. In addition, your business, organization, or individual name will be printed on the course scorecard for 2 years giving recognition and thanks for your generosity.
Donations of $249 or less are a bronze sponsorship and your donation will go towards any future maintenance or preservation needs of the course.
The City of Norwich, is a political subdivision of the State of Connecticut. As such, contributions used exclusively for public purposes are deductible under Section 170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Thank you for considering this project; any help you can give this project; and any for talking about this project.
Some people are just born with grit and determination. No matter the day or the circumstances they greet each day with a smile and each challenge as an opportunity for achievement.
Betty L. Barath was one of those people. She passed away back in August of 1995 but her legacy of hope continues with the hundreds of lives she touched through her organization, Project Independence of Eastern Connecticut or through her writing, the “Little Lion Who Couldn’t Roar” and through her many friends and family.
I have no idea why thoughts of her sprang into my mind but the memories of her had me smiling and chuckling for most of the day.
Betty remembered me as a little girl and never failed to regale me with a new story whenever we met. It wasn’t all that often but I always had a smile when it did. Life for Betty and her family wasn’t easy and no one worked harder than she to make it better for herself and for others.
Her son John was born with many issues but she wanted the best possible education for him. She made clear what was needed to meet and exceed her expectations to the Norwich Public Schools and then she diligently worked with the staff and Superintendent John Moriarty to make them and more happen.
John’s classmates were not left out as they learned that physical challenges don’t necessarily mean a person can’t do something, only that it may have to be done differently and there is no excuse for not doing it at all.
Her commitment to learning never stopped and she took classes whenever possible. A writing assignment for a Connecticut College class became the book the “Little Lion Who Couldn’t Roar.” by Betty Barath, Author and Kyung-hun Koh, illustrator Published by Carlton Press, 1980.
Time was a precious commodity and everyone needs help at one time or another. Betty knew many families with a mentally or physically challenged member and having time to run an errand or have a quiet cup of tea had to be scheduled and scheduling was just one more thing that needed to be scheduled. It was all very hard and very frustrating. So using her connections, she began in her own tiny home, an even tinier organization called, Project Independence of Eastern Connecticut. It wasn’t much just a few friend volunteers willing to give their time so residents of Norwich and the surrounding area with mentally or physically challenged family or friends had a structured respite resource for help, information and safe recreation.
There are much larger and more structured organizations available today thanks to people like Betty, her staff and volunteers doing the same work. But she can rest easier knowing her organization may be gone but her work carries on.
After writing this all down I still have no idea why she sprang into my thoughts today but I am very honored and happy that she did. Rest in peace, Betty Barath with our gratitude for all you did.
Hang onto all those receipts. In Connecticut consumers must now bring their own bags whether they are shopping for groceries, clothing, hardware or an evening take-out. I have no issues with bringing bags for groceries, I even understand the hardware store, but the clothing stores? Really? I have to bring an assortment of clean bags with me when I just happen onto a store having a sale in just my size? By clean, I mean a previously unused bag. I do not want my new clothes to smell like broccoli or bananas.
I am having nightmare visions of wandering from store to store in a mall making small purchases but having to show the mile-long receipts for each item as I attempt to leave each store with my new small purchase placed carefully in my single shopping bag.
The dream begins innocently enough I am just wandering thru a clothing store where I found a blouse or maybe a dress but I place it in my handy bag. Then I am in a shop or a department with gift items. I keep picking things up and putting things down and suddenly am dancing in the aisle with something held high by my hand in the air and then into the sack it goes. Then I am in a pharmacy I think. Two items go in the sack and I am waving long receipts in the air as if they are ribbons on a baton. I am then in a long hall dancing when there is a giant hand palm toward my face and it turns as if asking for the receipts/ribbons. More it motions, more receipts. I begin pulling receipts from the bag. Endless receipts. Long receipts. Short receipts. More receipts. More receipts the hand commands. I keep pulling them out of my bag and then I wake up.
What should I do? When I go to a mall should I bring a separate bag for each place I might possibly visit? Should I carry a single envelope for my daily receipts just in case I need to prove I paid for the items I have stuffed in my bag? Just today I stopped at the grocery. I bought a few items but didn’t have a bag so I put them in my purse. I am certain I was carefully watched that I left the store directly and did not stop in front of any display. I have since put my extra bags into the car in case I want to stop and shop somewhere again. A friend had me laughing with a story of how she went to a local chicken place to pick up dinner. When she paid they asked if she would be needing a bag. She was out grocery shopping so she said no and went out to her car for bags to carry her take-away.
Are all your bags disposable? Washable? Do you make additional cardboard liners for the bottom of your favorite bags to make them stronger? How many bags do you keep in the car? Do you have seperate bags for department store purchases? Do you save all your receipts for the day seperate from your purchased items?
Holiday shopping may get very interesting this year.
Just in case you are new to this blog or to me, let me be the first to tell you, I am nosy. Not about your personal, private affairs. I don’t care. I am nosy about where the legends and stories of Norwich are and where they got their start.
Once more I found a possible answer to a question I had not asked or was even, truth to tell, really interested in. On my Facebook feed was an advertisement for a museum quality reproduction of an 1857 map of Connecticut at https://shop.knowol.com/products/connecticut-map-1857?fbclid=IwAR2xEXsx6VTowKixQvvaw0kDT2PyT-c_nbObkfeFdDgqeh8DLlLI9_Od6V4. So I looked to see it in a larger scale.
More specifically I looked to see how Norwich had been colored in by Laura Roys in 1857. In the description it says Laura Roys, whose name appears on the map with the date, would have been about twelve years old and possibly a student at the Hartford Female Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut. Copying or tracing maps onto paper was a common assignment for students to practice geography and the skill of penmanship.
In the Leventhal Map Center collection is also a map of the United States also drawn by Roys.
From Wikipedia it is possible to see the map close up. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Map_of_Long_Island_sound_and_Connecticut_by_Laura_Roys_in_1857.jpg
When you do this and you look to the right of the map toward the Eastern border of Connecticut it is easy to see not the full blown wide face of a rose we have gotten used to seeing and associating with the “Norwich – the Rose of New England” but a good sized bud of a rose whose distinct petals are Franklin, Bozrah, Norwich and Lisbon. Norwich is one of the smaller petals and is located at the base of the rose bud. The Thames River forms a distinct stem and from the Thames river are tiny thorn like protrusions in Montville and Ledyard.
Is it possible that this is where Norwich, got the moniker, “the Rose of New England?” Did the fancy name really come because of a drawing of a map? To me it makes more sense than a sad and dreary poem by a stranger struck by the beauty of the harbor shape or a vision of a visitor coming to Norwich on horseback. Take a look and let me know your thoughts. I think its certainly odd enough to stand out to the map readers of the day. Not just the students, but the ship captains, the peddlers, and even the farmers. Remember, there was no GPS!
On Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at 6 PM at Slater Auditorium Norwich, CT will hear from its candidates for the Board of Education and the City Council.
The members of the Board of Education are directly responsible for the performance, diversity and values of our schools.
The board hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts and monitors the education budgets, monitors achievements, controls accountability plans and actively listens and communicates with the public.
The members of the Norwich, CT Board of Education, proudly give of their time to attend meetings, participate in training/development, and attend community and school events.
Can’t you give them an hour of respect to listen to their positions?
The public will also hear and see how potential alderpersons will represent the interests of the residents and taxpayers of Norwich, CT. What are their goals for the city? How will they effect the finances and strategic planning for major projects and infrastructure improvements.
Which candidates can work together to set budgets and policies and to make and execute long-range plans?
A Norwich City Council member makes a 24/7 commitment that affects their family and work commitments. Its early morning and late night meetings. It’s listening, investigating, and demonstrating creativity.
Don’t you want to know the people who will be in charge of spending your tax dollars and setting the mil rate to meet the budget of the city?
My e-mail addresses receive far too much stuff for me to track in any kind of an organized fashion. There always seem to be new friends with amazing ideas they can’t wait to tell me about. But every once in a while something will catch my attention and then I throw it out here in great hopes that someone with the correct types of talents and expertise will be able to bring it to their community.
This time it was a newsletter from Steve at NatureOutside <info@natureoutside.com>. This may have been my first communication from him as I don’t recall any previous communications. Anyway, my new friend Steve is an outdoorsman who likes to share his very creative ideas and skills.
I am not at all certain what animal tracks can reliably be seen in Norwich, CT besides deer, rabbit, squirrel, bird, swan, goose, duck, toad, cat, and dog but wouldn’t it be fun if someone helped you build a Tracker’s Pack – a pencil, paper, ruler so participants could be look for and identify some of the tracks and signs of the wildlife living in our backyards.
Steve discusses the smell of fox urine and I admit I may have spent a little too much time reading the labels on various types of bottled wildlife urine available on the shelf at the Norwich Agway and the various uses. (My ground hog seems to enjoy all the different scents I have poured into its den. ) Once I got past the ick factor, I became curious how the urines are collected and identified and processed for shelf life and I really wanted to sniff them as if at a fancy perfume counter but I didn’t.
In Steve’s class he shows some usual and some very rare and unusual foot prints with lots of stories about what is found and where. Norwich, CT has Mohegan Park with abundant wildlife and there must be someone locally who could present such a class. Perhaps for one of the October walks?
Each year as Halloween nears, the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Boulder Creek, California where Steve and the staff who work there present from 6:30 PM – 9:00PM a free 1-hour, ½ mile. Silly and slightly spooky night hike through the deep, dark, redwood forest called “The Missing Arm.” Slowly, slowly the volunteers and park staff reveal the haunted tale of Big Basin’s last lumber mill owner and his disastrous encounter with a grizzly bear!
The fictional story is told in the spirit of all good ghost stories shared around the campfire. But its been crafted to not be too spooky for children. It’s an easy hike, and the trail is stroller accessible and flat. Tours leave every 15 minutes with a different guide so there is plenty of room and opportunity for everyone to participate.
To have such a tour in Mohegan Park in Norwich, CT it would have to have the blessing of the Norwich City Council because the park is technically closed after sundown but it could certainly be done easily. Another option, which comes with a mostly true, story although to make it spooky would take a bit of embellishment is to have the tour at the Miantonomo Monument in Greeneville. Parking there for groups would be an issue but its close enough to a shopping center that might be convinced to participate for part of an evening. Spooky houses and cemetery tours are always fun but they can be found anywhere. The telling of the story of the death of Miantonomo can’t be told anywhere else with the same impact. Learn and share the tale. Come on Norwich Historical Society at least consider it!
It’s the time of year when organizations and churches are having awards programs, fundraisers, dinners, sales, and programs open to the public. Every single one of them asking the local newspapers, magazines, radio, commercial, cable and closed circuit television to promote them with free advertising, send a reporter and of course, a photographer to the actual event.
Well I am really sorry but today’s reality is, if you want your event reported anywhere, you are going to have to write it and photograph it yourself. It’s not that hard. Most of us who have completed the fifth grade in an American public school can do it.
Step 1. Write down:
a. Who – is sponsoring the event.
b. What – the event is. A sale, play, program, awards, athletic game, planning session, whatever it is. Be specific.
c. When – will or did the event take place?
d. Where – will or did the event take place? (name, street address, city and state. )
e. Why – Is it to honor someone? Raise money? What is the point of the event?
f. How much – is a ticket, or expected donation?
Who should they contact for purchase? Locations? At the door?
g. Do you have action photographs of the planning of the event? From last years event? Of this year’s event? Are the individuals identified? Attach whatever you have to your email. There may be specific directions for photographs on their website.
h. Who is the publicity person, phone number and email.
Step 2. Breathe. You can release the breath you have been holding and even unclamp your jaws. You have completed the hard part.
Step 3. Put the information from step 1 a thru f in into complete sentences.
Step 4. Read it over. Do your sentences make sense? Make the adjustments to make it understandable. Check the article you have just written that it has all of the information needed.
Step 5. Choose 1 – 5 photographs to be sent with your information. Identify each photo and who is in it.
Step 6. Add the name, phone and email of the contact person.
Step 7. Go to the appropriate web site of the media of your choice. Look for who to email the information to. Write down the name of the media you are sending the information to and the date of the submission. If there is an issue such as you don’t see or hear it on the media the questions asked will be who did you send it to and when.
Step 8. Complete the information as requested on line. Every organization has their own form asking the same basic questions. But you are prepared.
Paper down. Pencils up. Begin.
Leaf collection in the fall and brush collection are just two of the perks of living in Norwich, CT. This year the leaf collection is scheduled for November.
That means you can collect and use the fallen leaves for Halloween decorations. Do you remember the huge orange bags that when filled looked like giant pumpkins? Then lugging them to the transfer station after Halloween and before the Thanksgiving clean-up?
Well, in 2019 there are some new rules.
The Department of Public Works will pick up leaves in brown paper bags only.
The brown paper bags are for sale in grocery, department and hardware stores.
The filled bags will be picked up only during regular working hours.
Neighbors may combine their bagged leaves for larger pick-ups. a. Right-of-ways must not be blocked.
Bagged leaves must be at least 10 feet away from household garbage bags.
Bagged leaves left on the curbside will be collected beginning:
November 11 on the West Side, Thamesville, East Great Plains, Norwichtown, & Plain Hill and
November 25 in Greenville, Mohegan Park, Central, Laurel Hill, East Side, Taftville & Occum
Please do not rake or blow leaves onto any of the city streets, into or onto drain grates.
The reason that you want the grates to be kept free of debris, leaves, ice and snow is that melting water in the spring will cause flooding on the streets, and in basements if the grates are blocked. “My house is not affected by the flooding.” Good for you, but the taxes you pay to the city and the state will continue to rise to pay for the repairs to the streets and sidewalks caused by the flooding. The flooding, that only happens every 100 years except that its happening every spring thanks to engineered drainage that did not take into consideration the additional paved parking lots and expansions in the area. My neighbor didn’t think the water was really that deep at the end of the road. He thought his pickup was high enough to get through the water. His pickup made it to the center of the puddle and stalled. He was not happy to walk through the cold knee deep water and his truck became yard art for a long while.
The Department of Public Works tries to keep the grates clear when they plow the streets but the melting waters move quickly and pick up debris. The DPW employees love the extra hours and pay they collect from your tax dollars. They have to begin their clearing of the grates from the highest points and work their way to the lowest ones so if you are upset that they are not responding to your call fast enough, that’s the reason. But, you can do something to help. Keep the grates clear. I now have a pair of high boots, a short tooth metal rake and a clam rake conveniently located in the spring so in case of flooding, I can free up some of the debris and get the water moving. Are you a part of the problem or a part of the solution?
If you have questions or concerns contact Norwich Public Works at 860.823.3799.
To protect our plants and wild life a layer of leaves, about ankle depth, should be left where they naturally collect and around plants and shrubs, But a neat yard in the fall means an easier clean up in the spring!
I can’t express how excited I am about this. It is the first year when I am expecting the leaves will be on the ground before the pick up. I have to get more bags though. How about you?
Norwich, CT has a long history and association with chocolate. The association dates back to when Christopher Leffingwell when he was scrounging around trying to find an industry with a product he could supply to both the British and the rebellious Americans. Paper manufacturing was working out well but there is always room for another industry.
Anyway, forward to 2019 and I am still looking for new, different and innovative ways to bring chocolate to the residents of Norwich, CT. Well you can’t imagine my surprise when in my house cleaning I found a homeschoolzone.com article I printed on March 3, 2000 on making chocolate modeling clay.
It’s not hard. 10 ounces of dark, milk or white chocolate (chopped or grated chunks, chips or discs and 1/3 cup light corn syrup. Step 1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat until chocolate is all melted. Step 2. Stir the light corn syrup into the chocolate until it has a dough-like quality. If you have used white chocolate, add your choice of food coloring to your corn syrup before adding it to the chocolate for more even coloring. Be sure to mix it well.
Then place mixture between two wax paper sheets and spread until it is about a half inch thick.
Let the dough rest for three hours or overnight. The chocolate will become very pliable.
Who doesn’t just love an excuse to play with clay? So start with something easy like a rose. Form a small ball and then roll it in your hands to a point on one end and wider and flatter on the other. Then roll 10 small balls. Squish them flat with your thumb. Go ahead. Just as flat as you can. Wrap the first disk around the wider base and then continue on. You’ll soon have a lovely edible flower or rose. Put on Popsicle sticks, toothpicks or wooden skewers to use for arrangements.
The clay will dry after a few days in the air and unused clay can be stored in plastic bags or containers in cool, dry places.
This was such fun to test! I would like to see this at Senior Centers and Holiday Sales as a table craft for adults and children.
How do you play with your food?
It is almost Tuesday, December 3, 2019! Aren’t you excited? YOU should be excited and happy and glad too. Tuesday, December 3, 2019 is the International Day of Giving. Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world on December 3, 2019 and every day. Everyone, globally is encouraged to give money, time and of themselves generously.
I am honored to have been named one of the Giving Tuesday Ambassadors for the Arc ECT headquartered here in Norwich, CT. Arc ECT is an advocacy organization committed to protecting the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and promoting opportunities for their full inclusion in their local communities. Have you tasted the chocolate chip cookies created by very special hands in the local ShopRite bakery? Rich in texture, flavor and butter. The cookies ship well and make wonderful holiday gifts. They can even ship directly to the recipient for you. Avoid the crowds and shop locally from home. https://www.thearcect.com/shop-1 I am not certain if the Buckeyes are available on the web site yet but keep an eye out for them as they are rich and tasty too. Just in case I have messed up the ordering link e-mail bakery@thearcect.com or call (860) 449-1529 x 305.
In the spring, summer and fall there is the Farm Stand, at 1671 Center Groton Road, Ledyard, CT 06339 with its locally grown and harvested fruits, herbs and vegetables. The farm stand gets larger each year with currently a 22,000 square foot garden, an aquaponics facility that grows specialty greens and herbs, the additional space of a 3-season greenhouse, a sales shed, and a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) component. The plants are carefully tended by Arc ECT clients, members and friends which means that you can be a helper too. Five minutes, five hours, or five dollars are all helpful and mean a tremendous amount more than we all can imagine. Make it a stop on your regular shopping rounds and bring a friend or a relative or a neighbor that would enjoy some fresh local produce.
The Arc Emporium is at 22 Route 171 in Woodstock, CT with an ever changing stock of gently used items from tiny and delicate to large and sturdy. Give them a call at 860.928.4727 if you are looking for something in particular or take a chance on finding that perfect item you were looking for. I found a match for a flatware set I had given up ever finding and a great chair to refinish and a lamp with a gorgeous shade. On another visit I found nothing but had a really nice chat. Do you have a friend, relative or a neighbor that could do with a ride to the countryside? The Emporium is a perfect destination and gives you something new to chat about. What are you looking for and what did you see or find? What are your plans for your new to you treasure?
Every summer is the Arc at Camp Harkness for I/DD citizens and there are many more programs I haven’t mentioned too. The Arc Eastern Connecticut is focused on participation. Our donations, yours and mine, regardless of amount, help tremendously. But let’s face it, giving money and giving of ourselves makes us all feel happy and better about ourselves. Do you have someone on your gift list that is impossible to buy for? What they want or can use is out of your price range? You need to give them something but they already have more than they can use or are just plain too picky? A gift made to the organization of your choice will be just the right color and will be a perfect fit and I guarantee will gather no dust or require cleaning.
In addition, any amount donated is tax deductible and all donations given between November 29th and December 4th will be matched by Berkshire Bank. YOU will be responsible for twice whatever amount your donation is. Can’t you feel your back getting just a bit straighter just thinking about making that donation.
Here is how to donate: Write a check made out to “Arc ECT” and mail to Arc Eastern CT, 125 Sachem Street, Norwich, CT 06360 or go to TheArcECT.org and click on the donate button. Please post “Join me supporting the Arc Eastern CT at thearcect.org !” as your activities and support on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.
I am supposed to wait until “Thank You Wednesday,” December 4th, 2019 but I can’t wait that long so THANK YOU! In advance for joining me in supporting the ArcECT and all the other worthy organizations near and around the world. And thank you Berkshire Bank for matching all the donations!
Please share this blog freely. Many people with I/DD are in desperate need of our support.
How can it already be Thanksgiving? I feel like we just celebrated it a couple of weeks ago. So much planning and talking about food and menu’s and who is staying where and what are the travel day and can you get off work so we can leave early or stay later?
Previous Thanksgiving blogs have included the stories of the Huntington Sisters, poems written by some of the lesser known Norwich residents, and holiday recipes. Some of the recipes I included in my blog because they were so improbable in our time their ingredients were laughable, some were delicious just reading the ingredients.
I guess gone are the days when people wrote poetry that tease with a knowing nod and a wink and would bring a reply not in anger or a court room but with a lyrical reply written in rebuttal.
Even recipes that great-gramma made that are now a tradition once came off the label of a soup can. No one seems interested in the actual recipes with real ingredients. Does anyone care about a Thanksgiving meal without frozen, pre-packaged, add water and stir, heat and serve, and canned items. Cooking shows are at their height but cooking in the house kitchen is at it’s lowest.
I was paging through the WICH/WCTY recipe folder of loose pages with names I don’t recognize in the area any longer. The same is true for the Leffingwell House Museum recipe book and that was printed not that long ago. I miss seeing names I know with the mouthwatering recipes in the Church and organization fundraising cookbooks. Now the fundraising cookbooks have recipes and names from other cities and states and sometimes even countries that mean nothing to me and are probably completely made up.
So much for nostalgia. I am grateful to have a place to share my thoughts and discoveries of times past and for all the readers who take the time to glance it over and sometimes share their thoughts and discoveries with me. Have a wonderful, safe and healthy holiday season ! That entire time that extends from right this second to next year at this same time. Remember, its always somebody’s holiday just as it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere.
Tis the season for the second, third and fourth marriages and the every five years significant birthdays, anniversaries and retirements. “No gifts please, we are trying to downsize.” But should you attend empty handed? I can always donate to a local charity in their name but for some its a bit impersonal. Do they approve of the charity? Should the gift be local, national or international?
Maybe I should pay their membership dues to an organization I know they belong to? Movie tickets? Tickets to a local show or event? A fall foliage limo ride? A once a month get together at a favorite place? A newspaper/magazine subscription? A craft night out of their choice? Pet sitting so they can get away? Grandchild sitting so they can have an adult dinner with their children? Airport drop-off and delivery service without whining about the time or distance? How about a guarantee of pre and post yard sale help? Gardening, spring and fall clean-ups curtain changing or washing?
Surprising to me was how happy a couple was for a promise to take their two dogs on six trips to a local dog park for socialization practice. One dog is a senior of eight and the other is still a puppy of nineteen months. They had both been to obedience school and are pretty well behaved. Our visits last about two hours each. My friends use the time to do things around the house, go shopping or take a nap. I am getting two hours outdoor play time with the dogs which is good for me. It has worked out to be a win-win for us all.
How do you respond to “no gifts requested?” I read somewhere that the greatest gift you can give someone is time. Do you have a bit to spare?
One of my favorite on-line reads is Atlas Obscura as it daily compiles five or six unique bits of information I would never have discovered on my own. Its a free promotional vehicle for the lesser known people, places, events and facts. Norwich, CT could benefit greatly from this type of publicity instead of spending taxpayer dollars on advertising for select businesses and areas of the entire city.
On November 11, 2019 was an article from Central City, Colorado about disc golf course built through what remains of the long gone mining town Russell Gulch, Colorado.
The course is not easy to get to with steep trails at 9,150 feet above sea level and you need reservations to play.
Per owner Brian O’Donnell the front half of the course sprawls over steep terrain with ruins and rusted out vehicles. The back half plays through the standing ruins and the disc can easily go out of bounds by landing on someone else’s mining claim property. For more information contact https://www.pdga.com/course-directory/course/ghost-town
But what does this article have to do with Norwich, CT? Mohegan Park in Norwich would be a great place for disc golf course and there is a small group trying to build a course there that would be free and open to the public.
Disc golf is a great sport for all ages, individuals, groups and families. Disc golf requires no special uniforms, shoes or even much equipment. It helps though to have the special, smaller, heavier disc but its not a requirement. The disc is widely available for $10-15 and only one is needed to play.
Granted I have very limited experience but I have played. Find the basket to aim at. Toss the disc in the direction of the basket. Walk to where it lands. Pick the disc up and place a marker there. I stuck a pen in the ground because it was all I had with me. My friend then tossed and marked her spot with a stick. I returned to my pen and tossed the disc once more toward the basket where it landed on a bush. Then it was my friends turn and so it went on. No running, jumping, leaping or property damage. Nothing and no one was harmed in our game. Please note I am not saying how long or if or how many tosses it took for us to move between baskets and yes we filled in the holes we made with pen and stick. Eventually another group came along and told us the pars for the course so we could move along a bit faster. I am pretty sure we would still be playing the same hole now some months later.
Donations and sponsorships are being requested to bring disc golf to Norwich. Checks can be made payable to “City of Norwich”. Please indicate “Mohegan Park Disc Golf” on the memo line. Donations can be mailed to the Treasurer at: Comptroller – City of Norwich, 100 Broadway, Norwich, CT 06360. To volunteer or if you have any questions the committee chairperson is Kyle Seitz available at seitzk22@yahoo.com
A $1,000 donation or more is a Founding Sponsor. Which will have your business, organization, or individual name or logo permanently affixed to the large welcoming board at the entrance to the course giving recognition and thanks for your generosity.
Be a gold sponsor for a $500 donation or more. Your donation will be matched with other gold sponsorships and be put towards the purchase of the material needed to construct a hole on the course. Your business, organization, or individual name will be displayed on a 12” X 8” aluminum sign and be affixed to a shared tee off post at a hole on the course for 5 years and your business, organization, or the individual name will be printed on the course scorecard for 5 years giving recognition and thanks for your generosity.
For a $250 donation or more your business, organization, or individual name will be displayed on a 12” X 4” aluminum sign and be affixed to a shared tee off post at a hole on the course for 2 years. In addition, your business, organization, or individual name will be printed on the course scorecard for 2 years giving recognition and thanks for your generosity.
Donations of $249 or less are a bronze sponsorship and your donation will go towards any future maintenance or preservation needs of the course.
The City of Norwich, is a political subdivision of the State of Connecticut. As such, contributions used exclusively for public purposes are deductible under Section 170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Thank you for considering this project; any help you can give this project; and any for talking about this project.
With grateful thanks to the Osborne Collection of the Toronto Public Library I was able to participate in the reading aloud of “English History in Rhyme” by Mrs. Charles H. Gardner, (Mary Russell Gardner) Principal of School for Young Ladies, 603 Fifth Avenue, New York City. Published by the Author in 1885.
In the words of the author, ”A great point gained is that pupils take hold of the rhyme with enthusiasm, and do not realize while they are learning it that they are surmounting difficulties which have remained unconquered, except by those who have a phenomenal memory.”
The poem is written in a metrical summary so it comes cleanly and clearly off the tongue and leads the reader almost from line to line. Which may I say is a very long line as the history begins in B.C. 55 to A.D. 449. Then through the Saxon, and Norman Periods, the Plantagenet Line, House of Lancaster, Stuart, Brunswick years clean through the reign of “Albert died in ’61, Victoria lives to reign, And wields a wise, impartial sway o’er all her vast domain.” To continue on the summary, to bring it up to date, is the challenge to be faced and met.
But you know by now I would have to add a twist, can a metric history of America be written? The latest I found was by Larry Markus in 2018 and it appeared to begin in 1803 which is a bit late in the the development of America to me. There is another written in 1882 that is of America in rhyme with a report containing all of the leading dates. But did anything happen after 1882 that perhaps should be included? Do you perhaps have the skill to bring to rhyme and measure a new, clean and clear and up to date version of the History of the United States of America in metric measure?
I would love to read it! Perhaps a practice could be for the History of Norwich, CT in Rhyme?
Are you busy on Thursday, November 14 from 5:30pm – 7 pm? Well you should be. Lee Howard, the Day’s Community Editor will be at the New London Public Library to explain and offer tips on how to get publicity, photographs and video into the daily newspaper, weekly newspapers, and websites. There is closeby, free parking.
Lee will run through a list of PR writing tips and contacts and suggestions of how to make your photographs, stories and publicity pop. Articles and publicity are free. Advertising costs money. What’s in your budget? Bring your questions, problems and don’t forget your solutions.
Long past are the days when the organizations publicity person called the newspaper and the paper then sent a reporter and a photographer to the event. Now it is strictly do it yourself. Forget the rules and the writing style you were taught in school to make your piece as long as possible. Now it is, keep it as short and to the point as possible.
Who should attend, who is putting the fete on, what is going to happen or be seen, when is it going to happen, where and the cost are all you need. Identify the people in the photographs and be certain you have their permission and have spelled their names correctly. Send more than one photo. Don’t forget a contact name, phone number, website or email address too.
The newspapers do want to serve the community. The newspapers do want to promote your group. The newspapers can no longer be the ones responsible for everything. You, the members of the community and the organizations have to take charge and be in control of your information and project.
Lee Howard is always available to help with publicity, and is editor in charge of eight weekly newspapers in the region the e-mail address is l.howard@theday.com
Thank you Lee!
The passage of time is best documented by books. For example, it was very fashionable for teachers to write and publish their own text books and then peddle them to schools to create an income. James H. Penniman wrote a Graded List of Common Words Difficult to Spell in 1891 published by D.C. Heath & Co., Publishers.
After 73 pages filled with 25 words each came a page with “the following abbreviations advised by the Post Office Department. “Names of States should be written in full (or their abbreviation very distinctly) in order to prevent errors which arise from the similarity of such as Cal., Col., Ia., Pa., Va., VT., Me., Mo., Neb., Nev., N.H., N.M., N.Y., N.J., N.C., D.C., Miss., Penn., Tenn., etc., when hastily or carelessly written. This is especially necessary in addressing mail matter to places of which the names are borne by several post offices in different states.”
On page 75 is a list of the French words that I truly do wish was not just a list of words but that included had been their definitions. Only depot (da po) was followed with this note, ”a storehouse, not a railway station. “
At the bottom of the page is written, “The pronunciation of these words can be learned only from a French scholar.”
From pages 76- 78 are the rules for spelling. Never have I seen the rules more plainly stated. “The formation of derivative words is subject to a few rules which, notwithstanding the exceptions to them, may be of use.”
Rule I. Monosyllables, and words accented on the last syllable, ending in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, double the final consonant before an affix beginning with a vowel.
Occur.
beg forget hot blot
occurrence beggar forgetting hottest blotting
Rule II. Final “y”, preceded by a consonant, is changed to ‘I’ before an affix.
Rule III Words ending in silent ‘e’ drop ‘e’ on taking an affix with a vowel.
Plural of nouns. The plural of most nouns is formed by adding ‘s’, or when the noun ends with a sound that does not unite with ‘s’, (ch soft, s, sh, x, z,) ‘es’ to the singular: as, book, books; box, boxes.
The possessive case of nouns, singular or plural, is formed by adding an apostrophe and ‘s’; the man’s work; the men’s work. “
Then from pages 79 through 88 were the “Dictation Exercises” “The words to be studied especially are printed in italics. The exercises may be used also for parsing. The selections from Lowell, Hawthorne and Emerson are printed by the kind permission of Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
My favorite was number IV by Lowell, from an Address on “Books and Libraries.”
But have you ever rightly considered what the mere ability to read means? That it is the key which admits to the whole world of thought and fancy and imagination? To the company of saint and sage, of the wisest and the wittiest at their wisest and wittiest moment? That it enables us to see with the keenest eyes, hear with the finest ears, and listen to the sweetest voices of all time. More than that, it annihilates time and space for us; it revives for us without a miracle the age of wonder, endowing us with the shoes of swiftness and the cap of darkness, so that we walk invisible like fern-seed, and witness unharmed the plague at Athens or Florence or London; accompany Caesar on his marches, or look in on Catiline in council with his fellow conspirators, or Guy Fawkes in the cellar of St. Stephen’s. We often hear of people who will descend to any servility, submit to any insult, for the sake of getting themselves or their children into what is euphemistically called good society. Did it ever occur to them that there is a select society of all the centuries to which they and theirs can be admitted for the asking, a society, too, which will not involve them in ruinous expense and still more ruinous waste of time and health and faculties? “
Was it Winston Churchill or George Santayana who said that, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
The times, they have changed and so has what we have determined as historically important. I was reviewing a 1907 copy of Outline for Review American History by Newton and Treat of Lawrenceville School, New Jersey.
Page 12. The Founding of Colonies. Minor settlements, the Dutch fort, Good Hope, on Connecticut River (1623); and Plymouth colony, fur-trading post, Windsor (1633).
First important settlements, Lord Say and Seal’s grant; Saybrook (1635). The Rev. Thomas Hooker migrated with congregation from Massachusetts and settled Hartford, 1636. Adoption of Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639). – Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford. First republic in world to be founded on a written constitution.
New Haven Colony, 1638. – John Davenport and Theophilus Eaton. New Haven and neighboring small towns. The colony was weak and joined Connecticut, 1665.
Sorry. No mention of Norwich or Eastern Connecticut.
Conditions at the end of the seventeenth century. By 1700, New England Colonies – Population: Massachusetts, including Maine, about 70,000; Connecticut, 25,000; Rhode Island, 6,000; New Hampshire, 5,000.
Characterized by thrift, piety, and love of liberty. Town meetings for management of local affairs.
An aristocracy based mainly on education and religion. The clergy led all public affairs. The other professions less important.
Industries: mining, lumbering, tanning, and distilling. Nails, cloth, and similar things made for home use. Fisheries and whaling very profitable.
Social life: Boston and New Haven – prosperous towns – common school in each village. Homes comfortable. Puritan simplicity of dress, manners, and morals.
Sorry. No mention of Norwich or Eastern Connecticut.
Growth of the Colonies. The French and Indian Wars. King Williams War. Queen Anne’s War. King George’s War. Did you know Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island are called the charter colonies? What do you really know to be the causes of the American Revolution? Do you know the battles in New England and Canada? The actions principally in middle states and in the southern states?
How do you celebrate the Treaty of Peace signed at Paris, September 3, 1783?
Name the six causes of American success.
Unfailing courage and ability of Washington
Persistent spirit of the American patriots.
Alliance and support of the French
Weakness of the British commanders in the field.
The inability of the English to send reinforcements to their army because of other wars.
General apathy of British public.
Can you describe the United States under the constitution? The Presidents and the vice-presidents? Wars, blockades, admissions, treaties and disputes? Civil War in the East, West and South were all different. What made them so? Do you know the histories of the political parties? Federalist, Republican, Democratic, Whig? Which of the chief inventions of the nineteenth century still impact your life today?
To get into college, how would you respond these questions –
Compare the Hawaiian policies of Presidents Cleveland and McKinley. What precedent was there for the annexation of territory by joint resolution, instead of by treaty?
What was the “Albany Plan of Union?” What circumstances called it forth, and what came of it?
Give an account of Jackson’s attack upon the United States Bank. What was the Specie Circular? What are the provisions of the constitution designed to prevent the President from exercising such powers as were claimed in England by George III? And No I cannot answer any of these or any of the other questions at the back of the book.
Have you received, seen or heard a “thank you!” for volunteering for the City of Norwich, CT? In 40 years or so in quiet public service, I have received exactly one “Thank you!” and it was from the Office of the Secretary of State although the nomination was from a Department of the City of Norwich, CT.
So, here is my suggestion to Mayor Peter Nystrom as he works with our City Manager, our City of Norwich staff, our newly elected City Council and the host of volunteer agencies, services, businesses, residents, and taxpayers. I would like the City of Norwich, CT to participate in National Volunteer Month – April 2020. April 2020 will be dedicated to honoring all the volunteers in our communities as well as encouraging new volunteers to become active.
National Volunteer Week 2020 is slated for April 19th through the 25th and would be a great time to present a new and upbeat vision for the future of Norwich, CT.
Sometimes, the volunteers for the official committees of the City need help and assurance to understand the impact of their work so they can continue to find it motivating and rewarding.
A simple “thank you” can go a long way in making volunteers feel valued.
A simple handwritten “thank you” note is a simple and thoughtful way to give a volunteer something to hang on to and to show others that they are valued.
A 30 second thank you on your local cable, Facebook , radio or other social media /channels is a very public way to say “Thank you!”
Work with your local daily and weekly newspapers to create a Volunteer Spot or blog for recognition.
Large cities may have Mayoral Service Recognition Programs which may be a formal way to recognize adult, youth, and corporate volunteers that make a difference in the community. In New York City, all volunteers with 100 hours of service are entered into the NYC Service Mayoral Recognition Program and receive a recognition certificate signed by the Mayor for the hours volunteered in the previous year.
Using the open committee positions on the City of Norwich, CT website, the City needs to engage new people and make the current volunteers feel valued and motivated to retain them.
Saying “Thank you” does not cost money, and will not raise our taxes, (won’t lower them either) but the impact those simple words can make is invaluable.
Happy holidays and happy vacations to one and all! If you are looking to fill some time for adults and children the Winter 2020 catalog of the Norwich Recreation Department is out.
16 pages with youth, and adult activities for residents and out-of-townees. Its very exciting to see some new types of classes and activities with vacation camps and “Schools Out Day Programs.” The prices are about the same as in other towns but but if you don’t find what your child is interested in please check out what is available in the nearby towns.
Norwich Recreation partnered with The Rose Garden Ice Rink and has been able to secure a Friday evening, 7:10 pm – 9:00pm Laser Skate, a Saturday 2:50 pm – 4:40pm and Sunday 1:40 pm – 3:30 pm public ice skating times the Monday thru Friday public skate times vary and are all during school and regular work times.
New this winter is six weeks of vocal instruction for ages 6-10 and 11 and up. A safe babysitting course and a class designed for students in grades 4-6 on how to be safe at home alone.
On January 31 st there will be a Pajama Party to watch the Polar Express. Wear your comfy PJ’s and slippers and don’t forget a pillow and a blanket. The popcorn will be provided.
February 7th is family game night for all ages with a large assortment of Board games to play from 6:30pm – 8:30pm with snacks and group bingo with prizes.
On February 14th parents can leave the kids at the Norwich Rec Department from 6:30pm to 9:00pm to enjoy a night out while the kids are safely doing the same.
Teen game night will be February 28 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm with video game tournaments on the projection tv.
New for the adults is a foundations of cooking class with herbs and spices for 6 weeks and a Stock Market Basics class too. If you are looking to get physical there is Karate for Adults, Boot Camp Fitness and Adult Tennis.
There are a variety of yoga and tai chi classes, a morning only basic dog obedience class.
CPR & First Aid Certification Class is offered twice.
Would you like to see the Philadelphia Flower Show? Its only $135 It is unclear if that includes admission and tip.
For more information call the Norwich Recreation Department at 860.823.3791 or visit their website at www.norwichct.org/recreation
You can never be certain when or where a connection can be made. Peter S. A friend from Maine
is still searching for the Williams Family Clock. The last he knew it was sold to Israel Sacs in 1959. It was signed and had a little history on the inside cover dating to the original buyer, Park Williams.
Sometime in the 1970’s a Governor Winthrop style slant lid desk of curly maple and cherry with a huge knot of wood in the cover was sold and he is looking for that as well.
As more of us are cleaning, clearing and downsizing what may be too large or not in the fashion we want to be in anymore lets do a bit of examining and see if we can discover where it belongs.
It can be a bit of a discovery process. I have a huge collection of kitchen wares and am finding that what has been sitting mostly unused in a drawer or cabinet is so old its coming round again as a new shiny discovery.
I wish I were a baker as I have separate egg beaters, egg whippers for egg whites, an egg scrambler (different from an egg beater) and an egg mixer to be used for the larger eggs. I have them all and can identify them but to be honest, I use a fork.
How do you open your jars? I have a flat rubber disk that once advertised a candidate for elected office I use it once in a while but not very ofter. A graduated rubbery thing that goes from the size of a quart size jar lid to a soda bottle. The soda bottle top is handy sometimes the rest not so much. I like my pincher. Its a flat stick with holes to make the pincher piece size adjustable. Then its grasp firmly and twist to the side and voila the jar lid opens. One of these days I am going to collect all of the beer can and bottle openers in one big box. They keep appearing in the most unexpected places and never where I am looking for them. And there seem to be a lot of them.
Beneath more boxes and stored over there, are more chairs and a table I can only vaguely recall but when I finally uncover it so will all the memories flood back. Maybe I will take a photo for the memory and write the memories down. Its past time for things to travel on to create more memories for someone else.
Once again I am doing it wrong. As I was growing up and washing dishes, they never passed inspection. They were never clean enough and always had spots. Usually the spots were on the back but always there to be found. Now I am an adult washing my own dishes and still doing it wrong At least according to Proctor & Gamble makers of Dawn dish-washing detergent. So can I just add a small bit of the dish soap to some water in a spray bottle of my own?
Leaving dirty dishes in the sink makes me uneasy. I have visions of mice sitting in the sink enjoying meals of juices and crumbs. Ants on parade with tidy packets on their shoulders or the packets being passed down a line as if in a cheery cartoon. Do I not use soap at all? I am not a germaphobe but I do like squeaky clean. Grease or residue from a previous meal is not my first choice either.
Should I just switch to using only paper plates? Maybe using only the edible utensils and plates? Decisions. Decisions. I am all for progress but do we have to go all the way back to re-thinking and re-teaching the basics just so the price can be raised with a hat tip to the profit margin? Here is most of the article for you to read by yourself. If you are looking for me, I’ll be in the kitchen making a few more dirty dishes to not leave in the sink.
My current rant was triggered by the article Dawn says you’re washing your dishes wrong By Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Business Updated 9:10 AM ET, Tue December 17, 2019 New York (CNN Business)
Procter & Gamble (PG) says its old-fashioned liquid detergent, which debuted in 1972, just isn’t cut out for the job anymore, so it invented a new Dawn dish spray designed for how people are washing their dishes today.
More consumers are washing one or two dishes during “cooking downtime,” instead of letting them pile up and doing one big wash once they’re all done, according to P&G. The company says the old Dawn wasn’t intended to be used that way. Traditional dish soap is designed to combine with water and create suds to help get dishes clean, not to directly apply to dirty dishes or sponges.
Today, 61% of Americans prefer this “clean-as-you-go” method, according to P&G’s research.
“People are much more time-starved today” and they see the clean-as-you-go method as a “‘life hack,’” said Morgan Brashear, a home care senior scientist at P&G. “The product they were using wasn’t really keeping up.”
So after five years of research and development, P&G is introducing “Dawn Powerwash Dish Spray,” its first new form of dish detergent since Dawn soap in a bottle was released nearly 50 years ago. The new formula, which comes in a spray bottle, doesn’t require water to activate cleaning suds the way traditional dish soap does.
This new bottle of Dawn spray with a nozzle costs about two dollars more than the regular version of Dawn liquid soap. P&G hopes consumers are willing to trade up for the higher-priced version of because of the convenience the soap should bring to daily chores.
P&G has innovated with Dawn in the past with different foams and liquids, but says this is the first completely new form of soap since the 1970s. The company hopes the new spray will become one of the company’s most successful innovations since the launch of Tide Pods in 2012.
Washing dishes is consumers’ second least-favorite household chore, behind cleaning the toilet, according to P&G. Between scrubbing, waiting, and scrubbing again, consumers told P&G’s research teams that they were looking for quicker solutions. P&G observed customers doing chores and washing their dishes in their homes or at company offices.
“Their two biggest frustrations with the dish-washing process are the soaking and the scrubbing,” said Brashear, the home care senior scientist at P&G.
So P&G went to work. It says the new formula breaks down burnt and baked-on-food without having to use water or soaking the dishes. The company claims it works five times faster than traditional dish soap.
Dawn Powerwash will be available in stores and online beginning in January, coming in fresh, apple and citrus scents. A 16 oz. starter-kit bottle will retail for $4.99, while refill bottles will go for $3.99.
P&G knows it will have to prove to consumers why it makes sense to swap out liquid soap for the new spray, as well as teach them how to use it. The company plans to advertise the product online, through in-store displays and on national television to help introduce customers to the spray.
“We will be doing a lot of work making sure that the educational piece of it is kind of shouted from every rooftop,” said Brashear.
Last Friday I had an outstanding opportunity to see into the future. I was a judge at the Sankofa Education and Leadership, Inc. South Region of Eastern CT High School Debate held at the Marine Science Magnet High School in Groton, CT.
First let me say what a beautiful, modern facility it is and how proud both staff and students are of the building and its contents. At the end of the debates, furniture was returned to its accustomed place by the participants without a single comment being made by the adults present. That is a seldom seen sign of maturity even among adults who race to the door and leave the clean up to someone else after an event.
Four teams debated all from the Marine Science Magnet High School. Congratulations and continued success to Quinn Mignosa, Stephanie Weber, Catie Leuba, May Courtney, Tess Griffor, Arielle Frommer, Raymond Mercedes, Guillem Colom, Paige LeMay, Josh Avila, Alana Crispino, Gabriel Brooks, Taylor Di Filippo, Gareth Johnson, Sofia Gonzalez, Seth Trotochaud, Madeline Bosse and Matt Himburg. New London High School and Three Rivers Middle College did not participate.
The topic of the debate was: “Resolved: The United States Should Ban Bottled Water.”
A true debate forum encourages discussion of controversial subjects without descending to insult, emotional appeals or personal bias. From the event brochure, “A key trademark of debate is that it rarely ends in agreement, but rather allows for a robust analysis of the question at hand.”
For the participants its not just about learning and using the subject knowledge but developing and putting into practice critical thinking skills, developing effective research, organization, and presentation tools and practice developing strategies for public speaking. Public speaking is not always addressing crowds of hundreds or thousands. Sometimes public speaking is simply addressing one, two or three other individuals in a clear and concise manner. For example, when you are a member of a team or making a sales pitch for a product/service you have invented or are selling.
All of the team members had practiced both sides of the statement and presented their arguments well to judges; Rev. Lynell Axson, Ms. Mandy-Lyn Crispim, Ms. Beryl Fishbone, Ms. Laura Harrington, Dr. Susan Iwanicki, and Ms. Elizabeth Zachow and Moderators Mr. Enock Petit-Homme and Mr. Zechariah Stover.
I recently sent a Letter to the Editor of the Norwich Bulletin outlining yet another community fundraising plan requiring the cooperation of multiple groups and organizations to work together on a single project to raise funds for their group or project.
Before rejecting the project. Think about it. Give it serious consideration before saying “no.”
I wrote, Dear Editor: Wouldn’t it be nice if the Christmas Tree in front of the Norwich, CT City Hall could serve as a community fundraiser with a bit of imagination and similarity to the Winterthur Museum in Delaware. Winterthur has for years celebrated the season with a huge indoor dried flower Christmas Tree. It’s a huge project that has taken years of planning and practice. Yuletide | Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
The Norwich, CT community could do a similar project; substantially smaller, with the outside City Hall tree.
Norwich, CT is already known as the “Rose City,” so I propose that multiple types of silk (fake) roses (buds to blooms) in various colors, be sold by various Norwich groups as fundraisers.
For example: One rose = $2.00 donation, Six roses = $10.00, one dozen roses = $25.00
The flowers would then be wired onto the tree branches. A donation could be charged for those wanting to make and wire in their own bouquet. Small cards could be tied onto the blooms with the donors message or name. The groups might be best to begin wiring the roses in the upper third of the tree and work the way down, but I am far ahead of myself.
Each group would be responsible for the cost of their order of roses but the cost of the order would probably be substantially less if the groups placed their order together. There might even be one or more businesses that could arrange for wholesale price or donation.
I have since heard, “Would the tree become a fire hazard due to the flowers?” Keep the flowers away from the bulbs and the electric wires. “How many roses would have to be ordered at a time?” Depends on the supplier. “How many roses will it take to fill the tree?” How large is the tree? “Why that tree?” Feel free to choose another tree. “Do you mind if my organization does a smaller tree in our office as our own fundraiser?” Be my guest. “Does it have to be a tree? What do you think about making a wreath?” Great idea! “What about theft of the flowers?” Personally I am against theft. “Would silk flowers fade? Won’t they fade? What about the weather?” To these I suggest a field trip to any cemetery. “If all the organizations are filling the tree, how will people know who donated what?” Does it matter? But maybe each organization could choose a color particular for them. They would need to check with their supplier.
Seasons best wishes,
Beryl Fishbone
For reasons I never be able to understand NCDC, Foundry 66, The Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Community Economic Development Fund (CEDF) and Liberty Bank have been keeping a secret from the general public.
They have been offering for free an eight-week business education program covering financial management, record-keeping, risk management, marketing and tax planning hopefully among other offerings. According to what I found on the Liberty Bank website but not on the NCDC site, following the successful completion of at least six of the classes, participating business owners will be eligible for a $5,000 line of credit from Liberty Bank, with a potential matching line of credit from CEDF to assist with the creation, launch and growth of new small businesses.
In other cities, this type of education is part of the adult education program and any of the tuition-free classes are publicly and openly sponsored by the banks, Chambers of Commerce and Real Estate Investment firms. The information on the classes is on posters in bank lobbies, in the adult education listings, in the display windows of commercial real estate agencies, openly discussed on talk radio, pod casts, cable television and on the college campuses. Every person who glances at the poster, flyer, and advertisement is considered a potential client and customer. Every individual who requests information is treated as a professional in their field.
Other communities are doing everything they can think of to encourage unique and new businesses to establish themselves in their area. So why in Norwich, CT is this type of educational program being kept a secret? Is it being controlled to be available to only a select few? Who is making the decision as to whom the information about the classes is being distributed to? What is the criteria they are using for invitations to their classes?
If you are considering taking the leap to start your own business now is the time to talk with your local banks, that’s right, talk to more than one and see what they offer for education and how you can use it as an investment into your future. If you are looking for more than what is being offered locally check into the CTNext program http://www.innovationhartford.com/news/
Attend one or more of their meet up events. Learn from the experience of others how to evaluate business ideas early, how to bring them to life and to create sustainable companies. Make connections. Listen to CT Startup podcasts at http://ctstartup.com/ Don’t hesitate or be afraid. They are based in Hartford but the start-ups they help can be found throughout the state of Connecticut.
Here are some of the informative links they offer Resources for Woman-owned Businesses.
Connect with an Angel Investor , Resources for Student Businesses , Connecticut Web Development Firms , Connecticut Co-Working Spaces , Resources for Minority-owned Businesses , Resources for Veteran-owned Businesses.
Norwich, CT has plenty of potential and we, as residents and tax-payers need to bring it out of the shades of secrecy, and into the sunlight where it can shine blindingly bright.
A huge grateful shout-out of gratitude to Ace Hardware, 146 W Town St, Norwich, CT 06360. I have been searching for an extension cord that plugs into the wall and then had three to five separate leads so I could plug in the large square ac adapters that now rule my life.
A friend and I went to all and more of the expected places, Wal-Mart, Loews, Home Depot and even an electrical supply house. We checked the shelves and the holiday decoration areas. Everyone we asked knew what we were looking for and brought us to their supply of extension cords where we did not find what we were asking for. Maybe they only make power strips now? But there is an entire market out there for people who need to plug in multiple adapters and simply do not have enough outlets.
The adapters take up too much plug room and there had to be a solution we were missing. In desperation my friend and I stopped at Ace Hardware in Norwichtown. To be honest I did not expect much more than finding more of the usual power strips and power cords. I was wrong.
As we made our way down the aisle to electrical supplies a pleasant young man asked if we needed help. “Yes.” was the quick reply “we are looking for an extension cord that splits itself into multiple lines so that the bulky ac adapters have all the room they need.” He quickly led us to the shelves of extension cords of all shapes and sizes but not what we were looking for and then, a miracle! Just as we were saying thank you for trying, he pointed out a small package of three short plugs and wires.
One end of each wire would plug safely into a power strip and the other end would receive the plug from the adapter. These were called power extension cords. Not precisely what we were looking for but close enough! I have since learned that what we should have been asking for was a “power cord extension and splitter” or a “one to four splitter extension cord.” We had the words, just not in the correct order.
Before I end, a special note of appreciation to Backus Hospital for lighting their Christmas Tree. It quietly sits and glows atop their roof throughout the holiday season and it always generates a smile when its noticed. The hospital neighborhood notices!
Do you have a family member or close friend that paints or collects paintings? Landscapes, seascapes or portraits that go in the large bulky frames? I was helping to wrap some for donation and storage and we were faced with a problem when we ran out of the corner protectors. Triangle folded cardboard that protects the corners and the edges when the paintings are moved or left to rest on their side.
The cardboard cores of paper towels and toilet paper rolls with a single slit cut down one side slip right over most frames and can be folded neatly to protect the corners. No muss and no fuss and for many of us there is an endless supply. It made for an interesting break time as we called our friends asking if they had any paper roll cores to spare.
We were able to get what we needed but the adventure reminded me of how much I miss wrapping packages to mail and gifts in odd shaped boxes. Now my wrapping is a bit of tissue paper in a gift bag or fitting a card into an envelope.
Long ago I accepted the challenge of learning to wrap from small to shirt sized boxes without using any tape. I am out of practice now. Hidden edges were the nightmare challenge of another year as was hot wax sealing for a couple of years as I recall. Name tags on gifts? Don’t be silly! Can you guess your gift wrap? The design or color should have a special meaning just for you. The color of the wax will tell you who the gift is from.
Tables set at the entrances and exits of the mall staffed with tired and friendly people raising money for worthy causes by wrapping the gifts in your choice of paper and bows. At the table were the widest rolls of fancy paper available. The people could wrap even the largest of boxes and objects without a hitch or a problem. Well almost everything. Some items just had to do with a gigantic bow!
Speaking of bows. Does anyone still make bows with the little plastic button? I have a jar to donate if you do.
Who remembers the opening of a box, within a box, within a box, within a box that brought peals of laughter?
A delivery truck in front of a house was special. Something long awaited and from far away had arrived or maybe it was a surprise package from a person you knew in another state.
Times have changed but not the season. So gather with friends, family and neighbors. Tell stories, and jokes and laugh loudly and long.
Celebrate the winter by sharing warmth and friendship.