Category: Connecticut Travel

Join lead Museum Educator Valerie Rodgers at the Mattatuck Museum on Wednesday, March 8 at 10:00 a.m. for a folk art experience celebrating the rich cultural legacy of the Baltic country of Lithuania. Participants of this workshop will learn margučiai, the Lithuanian art of egg decorating, using the scratch and carve method.

The workshop is $8 for Museum members, $12 for non-members, and free for BRASS members. All supplies will be provided. No experience necessary. Pre-registration is appreciated.

Located in the heart of downtown Waterbury’s architectural district, the Mattatuck Museum is a vibrant destination, known locally and regionally as a community-centered institution of American art and history. For more information on all of the Museum’s programs, events, and exhibits visit the website at mattmuseum.org or call (203) 753-0381.

Most visitors to Iceland tour Reykjavík, the popular Golden Circle and the southern coast with just a small number of visitors traveling to one of Iceland’s best-kept secrets – the Westfjords located in the country’s northwest corner. Isolation and poor roads have preserved this largely uninhabited region in relatively unspoiled wilderness. Here ancient glaciers carved dramatic fjords lined with steep mountains now dotted with tiny fishing villages.

The area is also home to Europe’s most westerly point and one of the world’s greatest bird cliffs, with large numbers of puffins, razorbills and other seabirds. Arctic foxes can be seen as well as numerous wildflowers including several species of orchids. Another area that does not receive many visitors is nearby Flatey Island. It is only a mile long and a half-mile wide with one farm road and no cars or trees. Winter population is five people but it is a bird- and nature-lovers paradise during warm months.

On Friday evening, March 3rd Naturalists and photographers Barbara and Peter Rzasa will present a slide show of the geological features, birds, and flowers that can be found while traveling through Iceland’s Westfjords, Flatey Island and Western Iceland. On display will be their collection of Iceland’s volcanic rocks as well as guidebooks, literature and nature field guides. Join them as they provide information and interesting stories, and a brief overview of Iceland, its people and its natural history.

The program will be held at 7PM at the Flanders’ Studio which is located on the corner of Flanders Road and Church Hill Road in Woodbury.
The cost is $10 for members or $15 for non-members. Those interested may register online at www.flandersnaturecenter.org or call 203-263-3711, ext. 10, for more information.

About Flanders
Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust acquires, preserves and manages land; and uses the land to promote understanding and appreciation of nature, art and the environment. Founded by artist, farmer and environmentalist Natalie Van Vleck, Flanders provides a variety of environmental education programs year-round, designed to bring a deeper understanding of art, nature and farming to children, youth and adults in the Woodbury region and throughout Connecticut.

A fun family activity that is hands-on! Come Build Westport using 70,000 LEGO building blocks!
“Come Build Westport – One LEGO at a time” will take place Sunday, March 12, at Christ and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 75 Church Lane. The program is designed by award-winning architect Stephen W. Schwartz and sponsored by Karen Bergemeyer Home, a kitchen and bath design firm located at 175 Post Road West in Westport.
The event gives families the opportunity to make LEGO replicas of vintage homes and commercial buildings selected by the Historical Society. “The goal,” Schwartz says, “is to make the public aware of the town’s rich architectural heritage, so that when they are out and about they might notice the design features that make some of Westport’s buildings notable.”

The list of buildings includes such iconic Westport landmarks as National Hall, Saugatuck Congregational Church, the former Westport Bank & Trust Building, Tavern on Main, Christ and Holy Trinity Church and the Society’s Wheeler House.

The buildings are located near downtown on both sides of the Saugatuck River, and many are on the National Register of Historic Place. The list will number 55 buildings, and Schwartz will pick 50 that lend themselves to LEGO construction. “Churches are always good,” he says, “because they have a spire.” The event will accommodate 50 families.
Schwartz says the program was born 18 years ago when his daughter, a second grade teacher, asked him to show her class how towns and cities are planned. Today the architect and his wife travel the country staging the LEGO program. All are for the benefit of local historical societies.

The finished buildings are to be placed on a floor map of downtown Westport measuring 17 ½ by 25 feet, Schwartz says. “Then we talk about the architectural history of Westport a little bit to make people aware of it,” he adds. “That’s the point of the workshop.” The final step is to reduce the floor map to an 11-by-17-inch Westport Architectural Treasure Hunt Map that the families take with them on a walking tour of downtown.

Learn more about Schwartz’s program at buildingblocksworkshops.com. Mr. Schwartz, an architect, specializes in the design of retail spaces and has won numerous prizes for work at the Mall at Short Hills and other venues in northern New Jersey. His firm is located in Livingston, N.J. Schwartz says the workshops have no connection with the LEGO company itself and that all are made possible by the sponsorship of local businesses and organizations.

There is a $35 donation and is limited to the first 50 families and then a waiting list will be started! There must be at least one adult present to help the kids think through their project. Viewers are welcome at 3:45 pm at no charge.

An outdoor buffet in winter may not sound tempting to most of us, but to our national bird, the regal American bald eagle, it is a rare treat. When fishing grounds in their homes further north freeze over, these graceful birds make an annual journey to the Shepaug Dam on the Housatonic River in Southbury, in Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills.

They favor this spot because the turbulent waters of the dam not only prevent freezing, but push fish to the surface, easy pickings for eagles who can swoop down and feast on their favorite dish. Thrilling to see in full flight, the majestic bald eagle can measure 34 to 43 inches in length with a wingspan of six to seven and a half feet.

Their flight speed is between 36 to 44 miles per hour. Everyone is invited to view these fascinating winter guests at the Eagle Observation Area near the Shepaug Housatonic Hydroelectric Station. An organized eagle watch takes place every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through March 12. Admission is free but since space is limited reservations are required; group and individual reservations are accepted. In addition to eagle viewing,the CT Audubon will host a birds of Prey show on Saturdays throughout the viewing season. This year for the first time reservations can be made on-line .

The shelter, maintained by FirstLight Power Resources, is located 1000 feet from the river, affording safety for the eagles while providing an excellent vantage point. High powered telescopes are set up on tripods for visitors. Knowledgeable Audubon volunteers are on hand to assist in spotting and answer questions about the birds.
The volunteers maintain a helpful website, http://shepaugeagles.com, with information about eagles and recent visitor statistics. Reservations can be made on this site.

Nearly 148,000 people have visited the observation area since it was opened to the public in 1986. On an average day in past years, six or seven eagles were sighted, but lucky viewers on the best days in the past have spotted as many as 15 to 21 eagles in action. Chances are best on cold clear days when the surfaces of most other rivers and ponds have frozen. Visitors are advised to dress warmly in layers and to allow plenty of time to wait for the eagle action to begin.

To sign up for a monthly newsletter on Litchfield Hills or Fairfield County www.litchfieldhills.com

The Norwalk Historical Society is hosting the family program, “Quilt Stories”, in celebration of Black History Month. Families will learn about African American folk artist, Harriet Powers’ storytelling quilts and make a paper story quilt craft. Long time quilter, Rita Phillips, will be the special guest. This program is ideal for families with children ages 4 – 10. “Quilt Stories” takes place on Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 1:00pm at the Norwalk Historical Society Museum. Admission is $3.00 per person, with a maximum of $15 per family and registration is required at info@norwalkhistoricalsociety.org or 203-846-0525. If the event is canceled by the Norwalk Historical Society due to inclement weather, it will be rescheduled for Sunday, February 26, 2017 at 1:00pm. The Norwalk Historical Society Museum is located at 141 East Avenue. The front entrance is accessible from the Norwalk City Hall parking area at 125 East Avenue. The Museum is in the red brick house with blue double front doors, next to the Norwalk Health Department.

For thousands of years, people have used images to pass down stories. Harriet Powers used quilts. Born into slavery in 1837, once freed Harriet Powers used the quilting skills she had learned as a child to help provide for her family. Little did she know that one day her story quilts would become priceless examples of African American folk art. During this hour long program, families will hear the story of her journey from slave to artist and learn how she used quilts to tell important stories from her life. Special guest Rita Phillips, long time quilter and member of the Goodwives Quilters, will give families an in depth look at how quilts are made. Quilting tools will be on display as will a variety of quilts handmade by local children. The program will conclude with a crafting project, where families will create their own story quilts using paper. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Rita I. Phillips’ interest in sewing began in California where her grandmother taught her to hand sew. After relocating to Norwalk with her family, Rita took up quilting with the Goodwives Quilters and since 1977 has been working with students of all ages to create quilts. She is active with several Fairfield County historical societies as well as CT Piecemakers Quilt Guild, Goodwives Quilters, Peace by Piece and Norwalk Senior Center. In 2011 she helped create the Norwalk Quilt Trail and her quilt, “Norwalk, Fabric of Diversity” graces the front of the book “Community Building in the 21st Century” edited by Stanley E. Hyland.

For more information and to register your family for “Quilt Stories” visit http://www.norwalkhistoricalsociety.org, e-mail info@norwalkhistoricalsociety.org , or call 203-846-0525. The Norwalk Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The Gallery @the SHS of the Sharon Historical Society & Museum presents an exhibition and sale of photographs by eight members of the Housatonic Camera Club, which runs from January 14 through March 3, 2017. All purchases support the Sharon Historical Society & Museum’s mission.

The Housatonic Camera Club was started in the mid-1950’s by Sharon resident Ward Hutchinson and is now composed of members from communities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York who meet to share their love of photography, their experiences, travels, and expertise, and to educate one another and the public. Members work in prints, film, digital, color, and black & white mediums. Members exhibiting in this The Gallery @the SHS show are Jeffrey Breitman, William DeVoti, Lazlo Gyorsok, John Landon, George Mudge, Birgitt Pajarola, Jane Rossman and Bert Schmitz.

The Gallery @the SHS is located at the Sharon Historical Society & Museum, 18 Main Street, Route 41, Sharon, CT. The Gallery and Museum are open Wednesday through Friday from 12-4, Saturday from 10am-2pm and by appointment.

For more information and directions to The Gallery @the SHS, call (860) 364-5688. For additional information about the Sharon Historical Society & Museum and The Gallery @the SHS, visit www.sharonhist.org.

Photo: Jane Rosssman http://www.housatoniccameraclub.com