Community news for the Farmington Valley edition

Simsbury Public Library hosting author program, Fostering Change series, more

SIMSBURY – The Simsbury Public Library, 725 Hopmeadow St., is hosting the following programs. Call 860-658-7663, ext. 2112, or visit
http://www.simsburylibrary.info/ for more info.

An Evening with Author Elizabeth Berg (Virtual) will take place Monday, March 20, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Celebrate the release of Berg’s newest book. This event will be moderated by Tina Panik, Avon Library, and is co-sponsored by the Avon, Farmington, and Simsbury Libraries. Pre-orders are available through Canton Barnes & Noble. Registration is required.

The Fostering Change Series will begin on Tuesday, March 21, at 6:45 p.m., and is a new series of community conversations to foster change with the Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation’s Rabbi Gavi. The three-part series will focus on the history of Judaism, the arc of Jewish theology, and antisemitism. Registration requested.

General Benedict Arnold’s Treachery will take place Wednesday, March 22, from 7 to 8 p.m. Damien Cregeau will provide a PowerPoint slideshow on the various aspects of General Benedict Arnold’s acts of treason. This presentation will illustrate that Arnold did a lot more damage than just selling the plans for West Point in September of 1780.

Medicare & Beyond will take place Thursday, March 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. The Father/Daughter Team of Lou and Jessica Pelletier will sort through the Parts (A – Hospital; B – Physician and Outpatient Coverage; D – Drug Coverage) and review the pros and cons of Medicare Supplement Plans and Medicare Advantage Plans.

Simsbury Garden Club hosting gardening in small spaces program

WEST SIMSBURY – The Simsbury Garden Club will present “Gardening in Small Spaces” on March 20 at 11:30 a.m. at The Apple Barn, 60 Old Farms Road. Local artist and gardener Eileen Anderson will discuss how to plant the small unused spaces in the garden. Refreshments will be served before the program. Cost to attend is a $10 guest fee for non-members.

Stargazing program taking place via Granby Library

WEST GRANBY – Star Gaze with the Granby Public Library will take place Wednesday, March 22, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Holcomb Farm, 113 Simsbury Road.

The presentation for teens and adults begins indoors with a brief overview of astronomical terms, images of sights to spot in the night sky, and other helpful tips. Then the group heads outdoors for star gazing under the guidance of seasoned astronomers and their powerful telescopes. Visit https://www.granby-ct.gov/granby-public-library-system for more info or to register.

Trout Unlimited bittersweet beatback taking place March 25

NEW HARTFORD – The Farmington Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited is again planning a March project to remove invasive species on the Farmington River Watershed Association’s Frey Property. This parcel is located on the East bank of the Farmington River directly across from the Satan’s Kingdom parking lot in New Hartford.

Volunteers will spend two to three hours outdoors working along a section of the river to cut bittersweet vines and other invasive plants. Bittersweet vine foliage can weigh heavily on treetops, obstruct healthy tree growth and produce pernicious orange seeds so attractive to the birds.

Temperatures should be seasonal in March but weather is uncertain, so Saturday, March 25, is the chosen date. Visit www.fvtu.org in case of weather uncertainty and plan to wear appropriate clothing.

Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. at the parking area on Puddletown Road (Farmington River Turnpike) in New Hartford, just upstream of Frey Road and across the river from the Satan’s Kingdom parking lot. Puddletown Road is a quick left off of Breezy Hill Road, approximately ¼ mile east of the Satan’s Kingdom bridge on Rt. 44. Volunteers should wear work clothes, work boots and heavy gloves. Don’t forget tick protection. Bring a lopper and pruning shears or a small bow saw. Chain saws for thick vines may be useful. Coffee and donuts will be available early, and hot dogs for lunch.

RSVP by calling 860-678-7245 or 347-491-9301 or by emailing williamcase@comcast.net or seafarer0520@att.net.

Gallery on the Green hosting March exhibits, opening reception

CANTON – A “Member/Guest Exhibition” plus a solo show by Terre Lefferts and a Small Group Show will open Friday, March 17, and run through Saturday, April 15, at Gallery on the Green, 5 Canton Green Road.The exhibits are free and open to the public from 1 to 5 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday during this period. The opening reception is Saturday, March 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. Visit www.galleryonthegreen.org for more information.

Unearthing History webinar continues with LIDAR Revolution in Earth Surface Mapping

AVON – A partnership of the Avon Historical Society, Avon Free Public Library and Avon Senior Center will present the first lecture in their third annual five-part webinar series “Unearthing History: The Discovery of a 12,500 year old Paleo-Indian Site along the Farmington River in Avon, CT.”

“The LIDAR Revolution in Earth Surface Mapping” will be presented by Will Ouimet, Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences, University of Connecticut. (LIDAR = Light Detection and Ranging) Dr. Ouimet was present for the discovery of this site as well as conducted LIDAR scanning one year ago along the Farmington River to show the extent of the original site. It will be held on Thursday, March 23, beginning at 7 p.m. via Zoom through a link from the library. It is available free of charge. Visit www.avonctlibrary.info to register.

Dr. Ouimet’s presentation will explore the use of airborne laser scanning (e.g., LiDAR) throughout New England and how it has revolutionized investigation into the geologic history of the region and the last 300 years of landscape and land use change.

The third annual “Unearthing History” series, sponsored by a grant from the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Committee, is being held in response to the 2019 excavation of a 12,500-year-old (10,000BC) Paleo-Indian site six feet below ground during a CT Department of Transportation construction project of the now completed bridge on Old Farms and Waterville Roads at Route 10 in Avon.

The survey uncovered more than 20,000 artifacts and features that are characteristic of the Early and Middle Paleo-Indian periods. Currently, this site is the oldest archaeological site of its kind in Southern New England.

The second webinar, “Hunting Techniques of the Paleoindian,” will be held on Thursday, April 20, at 7 p.m. Visit www.youtube.com/user/afplct to watch the webinars from the 2021 & 2022 series on YouTube.

Meditation, author programs taking place at Avon Library

AVON – The Avon Public Library, 281 Country Club Road, is hosting the following programs. Call 860-673-9712, ext. 7234, with questions.

A virtual event, Meditation and the Brain, will take place Thursday, March 16, at 7 p.m. Join Dr. Manish Saggar, an Asst. Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine and a long time meditator, who speaks nationally on this topic. Dr. Saggar will explore psychological, as well as traditional views, on how meditation benefits us on numerous levels. He will also share certain studies that show how meditation enhances brain functioning. There will be a short meditation session. Visit https://www.avonctlibrary.info/event/meditation-and-the-brain for more information.

Once We Were Home: Author visit with Jennifer Rosner (in-person) will take place Saturday March 18, at 1 p.m. Rosner was one of the first authors the library hosted virtually when the pandemic began.

This is a new novel based on the true stories of children stolen in the wake of World War II, and is co-sponsored by the Avon Library, Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies, Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford, Mandell JCC, Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation, and Voice of Hope. Visit https://www.avonctlibrary.info/event/once-we-were-home-jennifer-rosner to register.

Earth’s The Right Place For Love: Virtual Author Event with Elizabeth Berg will take place Monday, March 20, at 7 p.m. Berg transports readers back to Mason in the 1940s to share how Arthur Moses, a shy young man, becomes the wise and compassionate person readers loved in The Story of Arthur Truluv. The event is co-sponsored by the Avon, Farmington, and Simsbury Libraries. Visit https://www.avonctlibrary.info/event/earths-the-right-place-virtual-event-with-elizabeth-berg for more information.

Junior Repertory Company presents ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’

MIDDLETOWN – Oddfellows Playhouse Junior Repertory Company is staging C.S. Lewis’ classic novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The production will run March 16 to 18 at Oddfellows Playhouse, 128 Washington St.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is brought to life by a cast of 15 young actors, ages 12 to 14, who make up the Junior Repertory Company. Directed by Justin Pesce, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe features scenic design by Dan Schmidt, costume design by Rebecca Welles, lighting design by Douglas Murry, sound design by Mike Skinner, and properties design by Caleb Warner. The dramatic adaptation was written by Joseph Robinette.

Performances will be at 7 p.m. March 16 to 18, with a 2 p.m. matinee performance on Saturday, March 18. Tickets for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are $18 for adults and $10 for students, with a “Pay-What-You-Can” preview on March 16. “Big Heart” tickets for $25 are available for anyone wanting to support Oddfellows’ work with young people, the arts and social justice. Tickets may be purchased at www.oddfellows.org or by emailing info@oddfellows.org or calling 860-347-6143.

GFWC Newington/Wethersfield Woman’s Club to meet in March

NEWINGTON – The GFWC’s March meeting will take place at 6 p.m. with coffee, and a meeting start time of 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 23, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1655 Main St.

This year, the GFWC Signature Program intends to increase awareness of and help prevent the widespread occurrence of domestic violence and sexual campus assault.

GFWC-Newington/Wethersfield will work together with various organizations by raising awareness and working together to advocate for survivors of domestic or sexual abuse in local communities.

The meeting will feature speakers from Interval House and the Sexual Crisis Line. All are welcome to attend.

CT Fly Fisherman’s Association hosting monthly meeting

WETHERSFIELD – The Connecticut Fly Fisherman’s Association will meet from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Monday, March 20, for its monthly meeting at Pitkin Community Center, 30 Greenfield St.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. The featured speaker is Dr. Andrew Bade, DEEP, Supervisor of Inland Fish Management Programs. They will speak on wild trout management, the state of the Farmington River and new fisheries changes. Visit www.ctflyfish.org for more information.

March Into Spring taking place at Soup Symposium

WETHERSFIELD – March Into Spring at the 18th annual Soup Symposium, sponsored by the Hardy Plant Society of New England, CT Chapter, will take place Saturday, March 18, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Wethersfield United Methodist Church, 150 Prospect St.

Instead of charging a higher price and buying lunches, organizers keep the fee as affordable as possible and ask attendees to donate some food – soups, breads, desserts, etc. Cost to attend is $55. The fee includes speakers; a potluck lunch of hearty homemade soups, breads, coffee and desserts; and access to vendors.

Tom Christopher, nationally recognized gardening author and editor, will speak on “Growing Greener: Strategies from the experts for making your personal landscape healthier, more beautiful, more sustainable, and more fun.”

Nancy DuBrule-Clemente, garden designer and founder of Natureworks Garden Center, will speak on “Creating Colorful Gardens with Ecology in Mind.” These days, everyone wants to plant with a purpose- feed the bees, provide larval food plants for butterflies and moths, food for caterpillars that feed the birds… and more. But there is no need to sacrifice color and aesthetics.

DuBrule-Clemente will share her passion for creating ‘Happy Habitats’ that offer color every month of the growing season. Contact 860-822-6589 or email strollgarden@aol.com for more information.

Nutmeg State Orchid Society show, sale taking place in West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD – The Nutmeg State Orchid Society presents “Come See Our Bloomers” show and sale at the West Hartford Meeting and Conference Center, 50 South Main St., on March 18 and 19. Orchids from all over the world will be on display by their hobbyist, five commercial growers selling orchids, and Sister Societies. There will also be artisans selling their crafts. This is an American Orchid Society sanctioned and judged show.

Doors open Saturday, March 18, from noon to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, March 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10, children 12 & under attend for free. Hourly door prizes will be awarded. The location is wheelchair accessible. Free parking validation is provided at the adjacent lot. Enter your license plate # in the Lobby Kiosk by the Admission Table.

For photographers, on Sunday, March 19, doors will open from 8 to 9:45 a.m. for photographers only. Tripods will be allowed at that time and must be removed at 9:45 a.m., but attendees can continue to stay at $10 per person.