Tag: Ct News

Signs of Spring at Audubon Greenwich

Slowly in March winter begins to withdraw and signs of spring slowly show themselves. There is no better place than to experience the signs of spring than at the Greenwich Audubon Center in Greenwich Connecticut.

Winter Break Adventures ~ Join the fun in February

On Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. – 11 a., the Audubon is hosting a program on Wheat and Gluten. Rachel Khanna will return to Audubon Greenwich to talk about what’s going on with wheat and gluten in our foods and how it affects our health. Join her for a one-hour session to learn about these ingredients and get the right information. $10. Space limited. RSVP toRakhanna@optonline.net. Also on March 2 there is a program on the Early Signs of Spring from 1:30- 3 p.m. Join Ted Gilman for fun and early spring natural history during a hike down the Discovery Trail, up to Mead Lake and back to the Center. This is for ages 5 & up. The walk is on easy to moderate terrain. RSVP to Ted at 203-869-5272 x230.

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On Saturday, March 9th from 1 – 2 p.m. there is a family bird watching event where participants will review winter birds, bird feeding and first returning migrants. Help conduct our weekly ‘Project FeederWatch’ bird count and help report these results via the Internet to Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. For ages 5 & up. RSVP to Ted at 203-869-5272 x230. Also on the 9th there will be a new art gallery exhibit titled New England Bird Watercolors by J. J. Audubon. Join art expert Joel Oppenheimer and other guest speakers from 6:00-8:00 pm to learn about Audubon’s field work in New England and to learn natural history notes about the species on display. The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9-00 am-5:00 pm and Noon to 5:00 pm on Sunday. There is no charge for the reception but donations accepted at the door. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served. RSVP requested to greenwichcenter@audubon.org or 203-869-5272 x239.

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On Saturday March 16 from 2 – 3:30 p.m. families can learn how to make a nestbox in order to host bird families in your own yard or neighborhood by providing nestboxes for various species of birds. Ted Gilman will show a variety of nestboxes and the birds, which use them, as well as discuss their placement and maintenance. Families wishing to build their own nest box can pre-order a kit through the Audubon Nature Store or select from a variety of pre-assembled boxes in the store. For ages 5 & up. RSVP to Ted at 203-869-5272 x230 to attend and/or order nestbox kits. Also on March 16 there is a Woodcock watch from 6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. Participants will help staff search for one of the rites of spring as we watch and listen for the crepuscular calls and aerial performance of these woodland sandpiper relatives. Participants will also listen for any newly emerged Spring Peeper tree frogs. Event for ages 6 & up. RSVP to Ted at 203-869-5272 x230.

On March 30 from 1 p.m. – 3:30 there is a Birding 101 Workshop: Bird Watching Basics for Adults. This is an introduction to ornithology and the tools/skills used in bird study. Enjoy a walk; learn how to use binoculars, guides, and other resources that make birding so much fun. Ideal for adults and interested youth. $12 adults; No Charge for youth. RSVP required to Ted at 203-869-5272 x230.

Audubon Connecticut and Audubon Greenwich is located on 613 Riversville Rd. in Greenwich and can be reached by calling 203-869-5272 or visiting http://greenwich.audubon.org.

For area information www.visitfairfieldct.com

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The Litchfield Historical Society, along with the Torrington Historical Society and the League of Women Voters of Litchfield County, are pleased to introduce two documentaries with riveting new footage illustrating the history of civil rights in America. These three organizations will offer a series of programs once a month in February and March in 2014.

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Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities that uses the power of documentary films to encourage community discussion of America’s civil rights history. NEH has partnered with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to develop programmatic and support materials for the sites.

The Litchfield Historical Society is one of 473 institutions across the country awarded a set of four films chronicling the history of the civil rights movement. Each film is available on the historical society’s website to view before each formal program led by local humanities scholar. The schedule of films is as follows:

Thursday, February 20, 2014 7:00 pm, Torrington Historical Society: “The Loving Story”

Our second civil rights film discussion will take place at the Torrington Historical Society. Led by Tom Hogan, former lawyer and legal history professor at UConn, we will take a look at a groundbreaking case that dealt with the legality of interracial marriages. The documentary brings to life the Lovings’ marriage and the legal battle that followed through little-known filmed interviews and photographs shot for Life magazine. Participants will view film clips from the HBO documentary.

Thursday, March 20, 2014 7:00 pm, Litchfield Historical Society: “Freedom Riders”

Litchfield blogger and history professor Pete Vermilyea brings to light the activities of the freedom riders in the last of our film series. Freedom Riders tells the terrifying, moving, and suspenseful story of a time when white and black volunteers riding a bus into the Deep South risked being jailed, beaten, or killed, as white local and state authorities ignored or encouraged violent attacks. The film includes previously unseen amateur 8-mm footage of the burning bus on which some Freedom Riders were temporarily trapped, taken by a local twelve-year-old and held as evidence since 1961 by the FBI.

Each of the films was produced with NEH support, and each tells remarkable stories of individuals who challenged the social and legal status quo of deeply rooted institutions, from slavery to segregation. Created Equal programs bring communities together to revisit our shared history and help bridge deep racial and cultural divides in American civic life. Visit www.neh.gov/created-equal for more information.

The Created Equal film set is made possible through a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, as part of its Bridging Cultures initiative, in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

These programs are free and open to the public. Registration is required—please register by calling (860) 567-4501 or emailing registration@litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org.

For more information on these programs, please check our website, www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org/tours/createdequal.php or call 860-567-4501.

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Meerkats” And “Africa” Exhibits Extended Into 2013

Amazing Meercats Extend their Stay

Visitors to The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk are getting more chances to be entertained and fascinated by a special collection of exotic African creatures, including six amusing meerkats.

The special exhibit “Africa: From the Desert to the Sea” will stay open for another five months, through Jan. 20, 2013. And its companion exhibit, “Meerkats,” has been extended through Labor Day 2013. Previously, both had been scheduled to close after this Labor Day (Sept. 3).

The meerkats are very popular with visitors young and old to the Aquarium. The extention of ‘Africa’ through the holidays and into the new year allows the Aquarium the necessary time to prepare for their next special exhibit.

Meerkats (Suricata suricatta) are members of the mongoose family that live in social “mobs” in the Kalahari Desert, in the southern African nations of Botswana and South Africa. (Timon, the comical sidekick in Disney’s “The Lion King,” is a meerkat.)

The Maritime Aquarium’s “Meerkats” exhibit features six sibling meerkats – three males, three females – born in July 2009 at the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, Utah. Their Aquarium exhibit offers lots of opportunities for climbing, digging and exploring. For young Aquarium visitors, a special viewing bubble lets children pop up right among the meerkats.

The animals are so popular that the Aquarium installed a “meerkat cam,” for visitors who want to check up on the animals’ activities remotely. (Click on it at www.maritimeaquarium.org.)

The “Africa: From the Desert to the Sea” exhibit displays some of the fascinating but lesser-known aquatic creatures of Africa, including lungfish, electric catfish and colorful cichlids and reef fish.

Both special exhibits are free with Maritime Aquarium general admission, which is $13.95 for adults, $12.95 for seniors 65+, and $10.50 for children 2-12.

A new special exhibit, “Dangerous Creatures,” is scheduled to open on Feb. 16 in the space currently occupied by “Africa: From the Desert to the Sea.”

For more information about The Maritime Aquarium’s exhibits, IMAX movies and programs, go online to www.MaritimeAquarium.org or call (203) 852-0700.

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A Taste of Litchfield Hills Aug. 25 – 27

From comfort food to gourmet dishes and live entertainment to an outdoor shopping bazaar, the 27th annual Taste of The Litchfield Hills will offer a menu of fine fare and fun at a new location.

New England’s oldest food and wine festival will be held Saturday & Sunday, Aug. 25-26, 2012, at its new location, Harwinton Fairgrounds, 150 Locust Road, Harwinton, Conn.

Since 1985, the festival has annually attracted thousands of guests for a sampling of the region’s food and wine, plus upscale shopping and live entertainment.

This year’s menu will feature such dishes as BBQ pulled pork, braised short ribs, chicken and black bean chili, fresh prosciutto Panini, lamb shawama pita wrap, lobster hush puppies, lobster mac and cheese, grilled pizza, New England clam chowder, seared sea scallops, sesame chicken and many other items. Sweet offerings will include apple cider cinnamon donuts, banana & toffee pie, fruit smoothies, old fashioned kettle corn, white chocolate apricot squares and many other delicious desserts. The 2012 Menu is available for download at www.LitchfieldFestivals.com.

Foodies will enjoy “grazing-sized” portions of house specialties prepared by chefs from regional restaurants, bistros and other purveyors of fine food with prices ranging from $4.00 to $8.00 per item. Table seating will be available in the festival’s Culinary Tent and outdoor picnic pavilions. Plus, guests are invited to picnic on the grounds with their own lawn chairs and blankets.

Participating culinary vendors will include @ The Corner (Litchfield), Backstage Restaurant (Torrington), Faddy’s Donuts & Ice Cream (Bloomfield), The Green Room Café (Winsted), Indochine Pavilion (New Haven), Infinity Bistro (Norfolk), Jake’s Wayback Burgers (Torrington), Kelly’s Kitchen (Winsted), KJ’ Grilled Pizza (Torrington), La Cupola Ristorante & Inn (Litchfield) and Noujaim’s Specialty Foods (Torrington).

An assortment of imported Italian wines from Don Tomasi Winery will be available for purchase by the glass. Samuel Adams Boston Lager beer, plus a variety of soft drinks also will be available for purchase.

Live entertainment will include country singer-songwriter Courtney Drummey (Saturday, 12-3 p.m.), jazz recording artists The Christine Spero Group (Saturday, 4-7 p.m.) and blues artists The Andy James Band (Sunday, 1-4 p.m.).

Guests will also enjoy an upscale shopping experience in the festivals outdoor bazaar featuring such unique gift items as artisan-crafted jewelry, gourmet food products, kitchenware and other products and services.

Hours for A Taste of the Litchfield Hills will be 12 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, and 12 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012.

Ticket prices are Adult (age 12-64): $10 On-Site or $8 Advance Purchase; Senior (age 65+): $8 On-Site or $6 Advance Purchase; and Child (Under 12): Free admission. Advance tickets and more information are available at www.LitchfieldFestivals.com. Admission does not include food and beverage, which are purchased separately.

Harwinton Fairgrounds is located off Route 4 on Locust Road in Harwinton, Conn., just a few minutes from the intersection of Routes 8 & 118 and is an easy day-trip from Albany, The Berkshires, Hartford, The Hudson Valley, Metro New York, New Haven and Springfield.

With its antique shops, art galleries, covered bridges and quaint villages, the Litchfield Hills is an ideal vacation destination for the three-day holiday weekend. Lodging options include dozens of bed and breakfasts, country inns, resorts, hotels and motels. Tourism information is available from the Western Conn. Convention & Visitors Bureau at 860-567-4506 or www.LitchfieldHills.com.

About A Taste of The Litchfield Hills

Since 1985, A Taste of The Litchfield Hills has annually attracted thousands of guests for a sampling of the region’s food and locally-produced wine, plus live entertainment and upscale shopping. More Info: http://www.LitchfieldFestivals.com

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Civil War Living History Encampment in Easton

Company F of the 14th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry

The Historical Society of Easton is celebrating the 151st Anniversary of the Civil War on Saturday, July 21st from 10 AM to 3 PM with a Civil War Encampment Day at the Bradley-Hubbell House located at 535 Black Rock Turnpike, Easton. The Encampment will consist of soldiers and civilian re-enactors from Company F of the 14th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry that will portray the original 14th CVI’s daily life and activities.

Of all the regiments Connecticut sent to the Union armies in the Civil War, the most famous was the 14th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. The regiment marched and fought with Lincoln’s Army, the Army of the Potomac and participated in 34 battles and skirmishes. The 14th Connecticut lost more men killed in battle, in proportion to its size, and captured more prisoners, cannon and battle flags than any other Connecticut regiment.

The re-enactment will provide a glimpse into the daily life of the 14th CVI starting with a military drill and firing demonstrations, preparation for the noon meal on an open fire pit as well as a presentation of camp skills such as rifle loading, knapsack and blanket rolling. Civilian women will present how the home front helped the North win the war and demonstrate medical care and family life during the conflict. Additionally, period children’s games will run throughout the day.

Music of the period will be highlighted at 1 PM with vocal pieces led by Jen Eastman – Lawrence that depict the popular mood and sentiment of the antebellum, war-time and post- Civil War periods. Following the musical performance, a brief discussion by Jeff Lawrence about the origins of modern baseball will take place. “The Massachusetts Game”, one variant codified in 1858, will be demonstrated on the Bradley-Hubbell grounds and open to public participation!

A popular misconception of the Civil War is that exclusively white Anglo-Saxons fought it, but many ethnic groups took part in this great struggle. However, few people are aware that the Chinese were among them and the highest ranking of those, Joseph Pierce, fought with the 14th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. Irving Moy will present a program about Pierce’s Civil War experience along with Gary Horton, retired teacher and historian.

Company F is unique in offering both the military and civilian aspects of the Civil War Era. For more information about them visit their web site: www.cof14thcvi.com.

Admission to the daylong event is $5.00 per person.

About the Easton Historical Society

The program’s sponsor, The Historical Society of Easton manages two historic properties: the Adams Schoolhouse (c. 1850) and the Bradley-Hubbell House and Farmstead (c. 1816) listed on the National Register. For more information call the Society at (203) 261-2090. www.historicalsocietyofeastonct.org.

For area information www.visitwesternct.com

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Shelton Historical Society’s Vintage Vehicles Antique & Classic Car Show June 17

Enjoy a day with Dad and Granddad peeking under the hoods of the cars they remember from their youth at the Shelton Historical Society’s Vintage Vehicles Antique and Classic Car Show on Father’s Day, June 17th. Two wheels or four, from Model T’s to muscle cars, there’s bound to be something that will trigger a memory or maybe a chuckle from every visitor. The event will take place at Shelton History Center, 70 Ripton Rd. from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Best In Show – 2011

Past shows have featured everything from a 1928 Rolls Royce Phantom, to a restored rickshaw that was used as an ambulance in the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, to a 1911 wood paneled Model T. A Locomobile produced locally in Bridgeport in 1921 was a one-of-a- kind entry last year. Nearly every decade of automotive history from the 20th century has been illustrated on the shaded grounds of the Shelton History Center with more recent muscle cars, Mustangs, and Army Jeeps joining many Ford Model A’s and T’s. All vehicle owners generously share information, their cars, and their hobby with the public.

There is still time for owners of antique and classic vehicles of all kinds to register to participate in this special event. Entry forms may be found at http://www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org or by calling (203) 925-1803. Pre-registration costs $8.00 but will be $10.00 on the day of the event.

Awards in five categories will be presented to crowd favorites. Visitors will enjoy tours of the buildings at Shelton History Center, refreshments, and voting for their favorite vehicles. Admission is $1 for dads, $5/adults and $10/family. Proceeds will benefit the educational programs of the Shelton Historical Society. For additional information including directions, please call (203) 925-1803 or visit www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org.

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