November, 2021 Newsletter
Volunteers Making New Canaan Beautiful
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Dear New Canaan Beautification League Members and Friends,
If it’s November, why are impatients and roses still blooming abundantly? Why haven’t coleus and ferns fizzled out? And why are those tropical dipladenia (work well as cut flowers, by the way) still going strong? Seems like we are often exposed to unpredictable events and situations, aren’t we? However, as gardeners we are regularly learning to adapt our practices for successful gardening.
Bouquets of thanks to all eighty members and guests who attended and many who worked to make our Fall Luncheon such a glorious success! Special thanks to Gloria Simon & Sara Hunt for organizing and planning; Kirsten Gregorio and the Programs Committee for scheduling guest speaker Page Dickey (so knowledgeable and engaging); Betsy Sammarco & Fanny Moran for newsletter and invitation communications; Jackie Harmody for beautiful table centerpieces; Elm Street Books for offering autographed copies of Uprooted for purchase (sold out!).
We are looking forward to Kyle Riccaboni’s naturalistic demonstration “Nature’s Beauty Brought Indoors” this Wednesday, November 3rd. The program will be held at the Nature Center with a Zoom option for home viewing (see the link in this newsletter). While more parking spaces have been created at NCNC, we always encourage carpooling.
Celebrate winter joy by helping with our Holiday Greens & Gnomes Workshop!!! Industrious elves, Laura & Andrew Ault and Kathleen & Peter Murphy, will be delighted with your help for our annual civic project in conjunction with New Canaan Garden Club. Save the date: Wednesday, December 1st at NCNC. You will find the sign up link in this newsletter.
Check out the many wonderful ways that our Traveling Trowels members have been digging in on important undertakings like planting bulbs and planting up Town Hall planters and relocating plants from the library to Waveny Care Center to make way for construction.
Leaves are falling and time is flying! Continuing to nibble irresistible Halloween 🎃 treats? Ready to turn the clocks 🕰 back by an hour? Planning a traditionally festive Thanksgiving with family and friends? 🦃 As always, we wish you the very best in all that you do!
Warmly,
Carol & Karen
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Carol Seldin loves to give away bouquets of flowers from her own bountiful garden. Here she is before our November board meeting at Waveny House with three stunning examples of dahlia bouquets. photo: Karen Hanson |
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Wednesday, November 3
9:30-11:30
New Canaan Nature Center
"Winter's Beauty, Brought Indoors."
Kyle Riccoboni, floral designer and owner of a new business, Modern Houseplant, will show us how beautiful the winter season can be when we think outside the box. Nature has many wonderful textures at this time of year, and by saving and drying materials from your garden, you can create some beautiful wintry creations.
ATTENDEES MUST BE VACCINATED FOR ALL PROGRAMS.
For those wishing to see the program via Zoom, click on the link below at the time of the program (no registration needed):
Meeting ID: 843 5722 4861
Passcode: 06840
You can follow Kyle on Instagram @modernhouseplant
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Join Us For Lunch After the Program
Please join your fellow NCBL members for lunch following this Wednesday's Program.
We will meet at Cava Restaurant, 2 Forest St, New Canaan, CT 06840 at 12 noon.
A delicious prix fixe lunch is $23.
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Holiday Wreaths and Greens Workshop |
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Be a Part of our Biggest-Ever Holiday Greens Workshop on
December 1!
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It’s that time of year again, and this year, we want to make it extra festive! The Holiday Greens Workshop is a unique opportunity to contribute to New Canaan’s festivity, and this year, we have creative projects for every kind of maker to contribute. Never made a wreath before? That’s fine! This year’s workshop will encompass three sessions, so you can:
- help to build a wreath for our town’s civic buildings
- contribute to the creation of Faith Kerchoff’s darling garden gnomes
- decorate the planters outside Town Hall
- add bows and finishing touches to smaller wreaths and roping for God’s Acre
- build an outdoor planter for residents of the Waveny Care Center to enjoy.
This is the season to share your holiday spirit with the town. So bring your own clippers, wirecutters, and gloves, and get ready to adorn the town by joining this beloved tradition.
All attendees must be fully vaccinated. There are three time shifts available that day. By clicking the button below you can see information about those shifts and will be able to sign up to help:
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Call for Greenery and Materials |
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If you have access to holiday-friendly outdoor materials, like pinecones, pods, interesting branches from larch trees, hollies, or winterberry, please consider collecting some for our workshop!
PRUNERS, TAKE NOTE: If you need to prune junipers and evergreens, please do so right after Thanksgiving (Tuesday 11/30 is the PERFECT day!) and bring to the Nature Center for the Greens Workshop on December first. We love larch branches, japanese umbrella pine, floppy cedars, winterberry, ilex, arborvitae, false cypress, white pine, and large pinecones.
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Sara Hunt and Kathy Lapolla bundle decorative branches at the Holiday Greens Workshop in 2020. |
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Fall Luncheon Note of Thanks |
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Thank you to everyone who made the Fall Luncheon so successful!
-Kirsten Gregorio, Nancy Malling and the Program Committee for the delightful speaker.
-Jacqueline Harmody and her team for the beautiful flowers.
-Fanny Moran, Lisa Ferrante and Betsy Sammarco for the excellent publicity.
-Joel Reynolds, Dave Hunt and Roger Williams for setting up the curtains.
-The Membership and Hospitality Committees for greeting members and guests and checking vaccination cards.
-And last, but not least, Sara Hunt, my great co-chair who did so much to make the event happen so graciously.
Gloria Simon
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Carol Seldin, Kirsten Gregorio, speaker Page Dickey, and Karen Hanson |
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Eighty people attended our 2021 Fall Luncheon. |
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Civic Beautification | Traveling Trowels |
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Town Hall, Bulbs at Waveny Care, and Mead Park
The Town Hall planters were planted for fall with help from Kathy Lapolla, Jill Ernst, Debbie Simpson, Anka Jones, Stephanie Hutter, Eniko Szatai, Lois Himes, Faith Kerchoff, and Yvonne Hunkeler.
The red grasses and potato vines from summer were kept for the fall plantings. Many thanks to Tony and Jimmy from the town crew who came and picked up the old discarded plants.
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Yvonne Hunkeler & Jill Ernst plant bulbs at Waveny. The bulbs were recycled from the town hall pots. |
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Mums were planted at Mead Park by the Gold Star bridge. |
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The mailbox drop-off area on Pine Street was still full of color when these photos were taken on October 28: |
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Waveny Planting
In preparation for the new library, Mose Saccary led the town crew early one October morning and dug up plants at the library. They were then delivered to Waveny Care Center for replanting and reuse. Faith Kerchoff, Stella Clarke, Betsy Bilus, Kathy Lapolla, Robin Bates-Mason, Jill Ernst, Lois Himes, Eniko Szatai, Angela Materna, Pat Thatcher & Peter Murphy helped to place and plant them. All this was made possible through the efforts and organizational skills of Betsy, Stella, Kathy, and Robin. Thank you so very much to all!
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The Town crew takes a break. |
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Jill & Eniko work the earth. |
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Betsy Bilus finds another planting spot. |
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Grasses were among that many plants reused that day. |
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We received two notes of thanks for this project:
Wonderful photos of beautiful people with very large hearts! We are so very thankful to all of you and for your support.
Warmest regards,
Russ
Russell R. Barksdale, Jr., MPA/MHA, FACHE
President and CEO
Waveny LifeCare Network
Dear All,
Thank you so much for the creativity, time and hard work you all put into organizing, digging and planting to help us bring color and beauty to the landscape design of our Waveny Farm Road Campus. This has been quite a project and most of you were involved for several months. Special thanks to Robin and Betsy for coordinating the logistics for the project on Friday and for Faith and the Travelling Trowels! We couldn’t have done it without you! (Please forward on to NCBL volunteers who I don’t have direct contacts for).
We are so grateful to the New Canaan Library for the donated plants, and to the Town Highway Department team for digging up and transporting the plants first thing on Friday and coming back later to clean up the remaining dirt. Much appreciated!
On behalf of Waveny LifeCare Network and all those we serve – Thank you!
Sincerely
Stella
Stella Clarke
Executive Director of Community Engagement and Volunteering
Waveny LifeCare Network
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Weed Street & Route 106
Oh what a difference a day & Barbara Wilson make ...
The triangle at 106 and Weed Street was run over about a month ago. Barbara Wilson designed and arranged the planting of Fothergilla, variegated sedge, dwarf butterflybush, Coreopsis, wandflower and Hibiscus moscheutos. Thank you, Barbara!
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... and after Barbara has worked her magic. |
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More Triangles Around Town |
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Marvin Ridge & Old Norwalk Road |
Greg Brown has created his own triangle at the end of his driveway. |
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Cascade Road & Ponus Ridge |
Sweet Gum tree installation at
Routes 106 & 123
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We are adjusting to our new sprinkler system and loving the fact that the azaleas are getting watered!
Three new areas have been cleared of the ivy ground cover. These areas will have room for more exciting plants and bulbs while allowing the azaleas to breathe, where they were choked with ivy before.
We have 2 new resident birds (actually statues): a goose and a heron. They were given to us by our landscaper, Luis. A customer was moving and she gave them to him and now they reside by the bridge and bog.
We received a donation of an Andromeda, two azaleas and a Rhododendron from Eastgate condos on East Avenue, thanks to Marcy McKee. Thanks to Jill Ernst, we received three rhododendron from a landscape project at her condo.
Thank you everyone!
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Yvonne Hunkeler has planted Boston fern below benches dedicated to Olive Lee and Ann Gillerlain. |
More clearing was done in the May Apple area. |
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New residents: the goose and heron. |
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Waveny Care Center Flower Arranging |
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We are lucky to be mobile and unencumbered by health issues. Why not cheer those who are not so fortunate by volunteering an hour or so of your time to make bouquets at Waveny Care Center?
Experienced volunteers are needed to work with new volunteers for a few dates in December.
to offer your help!
Flowers can be sourced from your garden (or other members' gardens), area stores (Stew Leonard's, Costco, Walter Stewart's, Acme, East Coast Wholesale Flowers, Trader Joe's) and local churches. Even vegetable gardens can provide fragrance and visual interest in the form of herbs and sprigs of aromatic foliage. Reimbursement is available.
Thanks for your enthusiastic support.
Waveny asks that all volunteers be vaccinated, and please bring a mask.
COVID testing is not currently required for entry, but this could change depending on external conditions. If a testing requirement is reinstated, it will involve a 15-minute COVID test administered onsite by Waveny staff. We will advise of any changes and are grateful for your understanding. Detailed guidelines will be provided to every volunteer.
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A big thank you is in order to the following businesses who have donated flowers to NCBL for our Waveny Care Center cause:
The Market at Pound Ridge Square, Pound Ridge, NY
Stop & Shop, Darien
Carol Seldin also donated a lot of flowers from her own garden!
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MRS. TROPE’S CHICKEN CHILI
Ingredients:
1 precooked rotisserie chicken – remove skin and cut breast meat off bone and rough chop/shred bite-sized chicken pieces (1 pound of ground sirloin can be substituted) or ground chicken
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large white onion – chopped
2-3 large cloves of garlic - minced
1 medium zucchini – shredded or cubed (your preference)
2 medium red, yellow or orange peppers (your preference)
3/4 cup frozen corn
4 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin powder
2 tsp. sugar
salt/pepper to taste
1 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
1 can either white cannellini beans or red kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 large can of crushed tomatoes (I use Progresso or Pastene brand)
2 cups chicken broth (I use Knorr chicken bouillon cubes)
Directions:
Heat oil in heavy pot (Dutch oven style), sauté onion, and garlic for 2-3 minutes on medium heat being careful not to burn. Add peppers, zucchini and spices (not sugar) and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the crushed tomato, beans, corn and sugar then gradually pour in the chicken broth. Simmer on low heat, partially covered for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Additional broth can be added if the mixture is too thick).
During the last 15 minutes of cooking time, add the chicken and stir and cook the remaining 15 minutes.
Serve over white rice and top with cheddar cheese.
Submitted by Ann Tropeano
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Please welcome our newest members:
Angela Materna
Interests: Triangles, Lee Garden, Traveling Trowels, Garden Tours, Flower Arranging, Programs, Photography
Claire Perkins
Interests: Triangels, Traveling Trowels, Garden Tours, Programs
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New member 'bud' Angela Materna plants with her 'bloom', Lois Himes. |
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If you have changed any of your contact information (home address, email address, or phone number), please let membership know. |
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Happy or sad, please let me know if one of our NCBL members, needs some support or cheer in the form of a note and maybe, some flowers.
Many thanks for your thoughtfulness!
Libby
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Looking for 'Blooms'
We want to be sure everyone feels welcome.
We have new members joining us each month and we need volunteers to be 'blooms' to help us welcome our 'buds'. Just share your enthusiasm and alert them to upcoming events.
For more information or to volunteer, please contact Jill Ernst.
203-972-0320.
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Lois Himes is the Bloom for Bud
Angie Materna.
Valerie Monaghan is the Bloom for Bud, Claire Perkins
Gay Clarke is the Bloom for Bud,
Jane Shoenholtz
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Thank you to the following businesses who have generously donated to NCBL!
The following businesses have contributed to NCBL’s annual appeal. If you visit one these businesses please say “thank you” to the owner/manager for their support of NCBL. If you get any noteworthy feedback please send an email to Patricia Spugani and Amy Weber Reid. Thanks!
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Anthony’s Hair Salon
New Canaan Eye Associates
TR Building and Remodeling
Brad Reh Jewelers
A1 Cellars Wine and Spirits
Hutchinson Tree Care Specialists
Manfredi, New Canaan Fine Jewelry
Franco’s Wine Merchants
Gelatissimo
Toggs, LTD
Wadia Associates
Karp Associates
Pennyweights
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Prior NCBL Webinar Links Available |
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You can find our past recorded programs on our YouTube channel.
We only need 7 more subscribers to bring us to 100!
Once we get to 100 subscribers we can have a custom url to our channel.
Click on the icon below and hit subscribe!
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Farmers Market October 23 |
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Robin Bates-Mason and Karen Hanson staffed the NCBL booth at the Farmers Market in October. Carol Seldin donated the plants used as décor which were later given to NCBL members. |
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Spotted Lantern Fly Program |
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Monday, November 15
7:00pm
NCBL is a sponsor for this very important program about this pest that's made its way to the United States.
Join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link at the date/time above:
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There are only three species of witch-hazel native to the United States and only one of those species, American witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is native to the eastern United States. In November, when other trees and shrubs in our area drop their leaves, American witch-hazel bursts into flower bloom. Being one of the only nectar and pollen sources around at that time, they serve an important role for the small gnats and bees that stick around until late fall. It also serves as a larval host plant for the Spring Azure butterfly.
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above: native Witch Hazel starting to bloom in October on Chichester Road after a rain. |
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Hamamelis virginiana has a rich Connecticut history. It's played an important role in our state's farming and economy as the astringent witch hazel, is extracted from the shrub. E.E. Dickinson in Essex was one of the world's largest producers of the astringent at one time, and in Easton, Gilberties organically grows Hamamelis virginiana for Thayer's, a company that manufactures products using witch hazel today.
You can learn more about this very interesting plant with important local ties at the below links:
Witch Hazel Has Deep Roots in CT:
Listen to this entertaining podcast as two naturalist walk the eastern woods discussing American Witch Hazel:
Brooklyn Botanic Garden has a wonderful article about American Witch Hazel here:
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William’s Grove, a new garden near the donkey enclosure at the Nature Center, was created in June of 2021. The space was cleared from enormous invasive vines during previous three summers. The garden in the photos is only two-months old, but it has been loved by so many birds and pollinators and was especially loved by hummingbirds!
The garden was built on donations from, and the help of, Bill Flynn, Kathy Lapolla, Sofia Tournass, Camilla Austin, Sandy and Stephany from the Herb Garden, William Sweet, and especially with help from Walt Jaykus , who was so creative and helpful in the new garden. We will continue helping birds during the winter!
Thank you Olga Sweet for this submission, and for your efforts in creating this garden!
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NCBL Gnome Ornaments Available this Year |
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Faith Kerchoff organizes handmade New Canaan ornaments for the NC Museum and Historical Society. This year, our own NCBL gnome will be one of the ornaments!
Click below to download the order form
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You can also visit the New Canaan Museum and Historical Society website to order:
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NCBL VESTS
We are taking orders for our new green fleece vest that has an embroidered NCBL LOGO.
They are $45. Check, cash or paypal.
Sizes available: XS-S-M-L-XL- 3X-4X (the sizes run a bit large).
They are being made by 84 Sports in New Canaan.
Send or drop off money to Faith Kerchoff.
(Faith is wearing a medium in the photo above.)
Also, if triangle/traveling trowels volunteers would like long-sleeve T-shirts,
let Faith know. They are free.
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Nature in action: Yvonne took this picture of a praying mantis eating a wasp in her yard. |
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Our NCBL Newsletter is used to distribute information regarding NCBL activities and announcements that pertain directly to our stated mission. The newsletter shall not be used for political issues, or for the promotion of merchandise or services unless such merchandise or services are part of a joint venture with NCBL. |
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visit our website:
New Canaan Beautification League
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