Summer Camp @ Institute for American Indian Studies 2019 Explore, Create & Discover!

Spend the summer of 2019 @ The Institute For American Indian Studies!  Our camp programs offer an immersion into the natural world and culture of Connecticut's Eastern Woodland Native American people through the exploration of our replicated 16th century Algonkian Village, our forests, three sisters garden, and museum.  Experienced and professional educators provide young and curious minds with exciting programs that engage and educate.

The programming for the Institute for American Indian Studies Summer Camps have been created to inspire and engage children from ages  5-12 and 13 to 16 in explorations of the natural world and history of Connecticut's first inhabitants on Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with extended camp options available with pre-registration.  Young people from ages 13 - 16 can apply to a counselor in training program.  Interactive activities include traditional stories, crafts, team building activities, and games that bring history to life in age-appropriate contexts. Kids will explore hands-on exhibits in our museum as well as in our outdoor replicated 16th century outdoor Algonkian Village and Three Sisters Garden located on 15 unspoiled acres,  go on hikes to Steep Rock and the Shepaug River, and visit our traditional herb and flower garden.  The week specific programming includes a group project that allows campers to practice the skills that they have learned to create something to take home and share with their friends and family or to leave at the museum for future visitors to enjoy.  Kids will make friends, enjoy the summer and learn about Native American culture.

Weekly camps with different themes run from July 8 -August 16, 2019.  Kids that love archeology and wonder what tools archeologists use to discover the past will enjoy Digging Detectives: Archeology Week, July 8-12.  If your children are interested in food, Eating with the Seasons: Foraging in the Forest from July 15-19 teaches children how Native Americans were able to thrive in the natural world using their knowledge of the forest and rivers.  Crafty Creations week on July 22-26 is sure to inspire the budding artist in your child. In this program, kids will learn about crafts, music, arts, and storytelling from a variety of Native American cultures, past and present.

To experience the beautiful natural environment at The Institute as well as to sharpen outdoor survival skills, Get Out! Woodland Survival, July 29 - August 2 will teach children outdoor living skills from knot tying and navigation to the safe use of fire in an outdoor setting and much more.  On August 5-9, Tech It Out! Not So Primitive Technology will uncover the mysteries of the past and show kids how Native Americans figured out creative ways to thrive in their environment.  The creation of tools, the construction of shelter and how to find food in the natural world that surrounds them will be on this week's agenda.  The final program of the summer, Nature Nuts: Forest and River Ecology from August 12-16 teaches the valuable lesson that all living things are connected.  This important life lesson will be taught through games, stories, crafts and more.

For complete registration information, visit http://www.iaismuseum.org. Pricing is $228 for members of The Institute for American Indian Studies and $285 for non-members; families with two or more children registered to get a family discount. Registration forms and a non-refundable deposit of $100 is due by May 17, 2019.  The summer camp director is Gabriel Benjamin and he can be reached at gbenjamin@iaismuseum.org.

THE 2nd ANNUAL NORWALK CITY HUNT

Norwalk Now presents Norwalk City Hunt, an interactive “Amazing Race” throughout the Wall Street and SoNo neighborhoods of Norwalk, CT. This high-spirited afternoon of clues and challenges takes place Saturday, April 27 with a meet-up time of 10:30 AM at O’Neill’s Irish Pub.

Participants (21 and older) compete in teams of 4 and are guided through the hunt on the City Hunt phone app. From there, a series of location clues, questions, and challenges are tackled with the successful completion of these activities being answered, recorded, or photographed on the team leader’s phone and submitted. Participants will be walking, running, or catching a Norwalk Now Circulator Van or Wheels2U bus, which will shuffle them between neighborhoods to the over 40 destinations participating in the hunt.

“Here we go again, “says Norwalk Now Director Linda Kavanagh, excited for another entertaining afternoon of crazy antics and camaraderie, “The hunt challenges participants on all levels, from how well you know the city of Norwalk, to solving mind-bending clues and completing unusual tasks, most of which result in hilarious pandemonium.”

Destinations are comprised of Norwalk Now businesses, supporters, and public domains. The final destination is found by solving a series of clues along the journey. Upon completion of the hunt, the after party begins, where the winners will be announced. The team completing the most challenges in the shortest amount of time is the winner. Prizes include a $500 Norwalk Now gift card package and Free Parking gift bundles for the runners up.

Tickets are $40 per person ($140 for a team of 4) and include the City Hunt challenge and phone app, NCH swag, and the after party. Sign-up solo and form your team at the meet-up or sign-up your foursome at WWW.NORWALKNOW.ORG

VIEW VIDEO

Meet-up: O’Neill’s, 93 North Main Street, South Norwalk, CT

After Party: You’ve got to solve the clues to get there!

Barnum, Jumbo & Dumbo!

From the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport... With the showing of Disney’s live-action/CGI feature film DUMBO, it is no wonder that there is “a little Barnum” in the story.  The Barnum Museum in Bridgeport thought they would take this opportunity to share some interesting bits about Barnum’s legendary elephant JUMBO, and illuminate the ties to the story of Disney’s acclaimed, animated film DUMBO.

The 2019 film, directed by Tim Burton will loosely follow the story-line of the beloved 1941 Walt Disney film DUMBO.  Although it’s reported that there will be no speaking animals or snappy Disney show tunes, fear not! The film will take viewers on a heart-warming journey of the adorable large-eared elephant’s discovery of flight!

Like many Disney-animated classics, the original Dumbo film was not an original Disney’s concept.  Based on the children’s story Dumbo the Flying Elephant by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl, the book was intended to be published as a Roll-a-Book.  The Roll-a-Book design was a newly patented device where the illustrations could manually scroll from left to right giving the effect of an ongoing visual narrative.  Advertised as ‘a fast-moving adventure story packed with mystery and surprises,’ it is believed that Dumbo was only produced in a ‘test copy’ as no known editions survive.  However, a prototype version was seen by a Disney story manager who brought it to the attention of Walt Disney.  The story captivated the hearts and imaginations of animators and Disney himself, and an agreement was reached with Roll-a-Book publishers who sold the rights to the Dumbo story and illustrations to Walt Disney Productions in 1939.

So where does Barnum fit into the story?  In 1882, P.T Barnum made an offer to the London Zoo to buy their acclaimed African elephant, Jumbo.  Known as the “Children’s Giant Pet,” Jumbo stood over 11 feet tall and weighed 6.5 tons. The sale provoked an outcry from the English public, who protested Jumbo’s departure, but the Zoo’s decision was final.  Arriving in the United States in time for his debut on Easter Sunday in 1882, Jumbo joined Barnum’s Greatest Show On Earth.  To this day, Jumbo is heralded as the first international animal super-star.

Born in 1907 in Syracuse, NY, Dumbo the Flying Elephant author Helen Aberson likely grew up with stories about Barnum’s legendary Jumbo.  Although Aberson’s story is not a factual account of Jumbo’s history, in her book she writes: “That night, the circus train carried two very sad elephants. One was Mother Ella. The other, little Jumbo. They had put him in the donkey car. And on his water pail, they had crossed out the ‘J’ in Jumbo and painted a big ‘D’. And from that moment on, little Jumbo was known as DUMBO.” 

While little Dumbo is never referred to as Jumbo in the 1941 film, Dumbo’s mother is indeed Mrs. Jumbo.  In Disney fashion, Aberson’s tale of a sad little elephant was transformed into an uplifting story.  Walt Disney said:  “Right from the beginning, Dumbo was a happy picture….Since we weren’t restricted by a set story, we gave our imaginations free play. When a good idea occurred to us, we just put it in the picture. And we all had a wonderful time.”

Walt Disney’s DUMBO went on to be a Disney classic, netting almost $2.5M between its 1941 October premiere and New Year’s Day.  Dumbo was actually the very first animated feature that Disney released on videotape in 1982.  With the upcoming movie remake, it’s certain that the enchanting story will continue for future generations to enjoy.

So, once again, a small bit of Barnum’s impact lives on in the modern culture.  Molded, refined and shaped for our modern tastes and sensibilities, it’s a wonder how our spirit and imagination can still be lifted by the glory and majesty of a wondrous elephant….no matter how big or how small.

Fascinating facts about the real Jumbo!

• Jumbo’s name is most likely a combination of two Swahili words: jambo, meaning “hello” and “jumbe” meaning chief.  Because of Jumbo’s popularity in America and England, advertisers began to use the word “Jumbo” in promotional material to mean anything LARGE!  We still use the word “jumbo” in modern language today and it is defined in the dictionary as: huge, enormous, vast, immense, gigantic, monumental, tremendous and stupendous!

For information on Jumbo: https://barnum-museum.org/collections/

For more information on Dumbo history:

• https://www.mouseplanet.com/12316/The_Original_Dumbo
• http://jimhillmedia.com/alumni1/b/wade_sampson/archive/2004/12/27/the-original-story-of-dumbo.aspx
• http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Essays/DumboRollABook/DumboRollABook.html

Farm Tea @ Flanders Nature Center May 5

To celebrate Flanders Nature Center’s first beginnings as a working farm, the Art Committee of Flanders will host a 1920s-themed Farm Tea on Sunday, May 5, from 4-6 pm in the original Flanders farmhouse, at the corner of Flanders Road and Church Hill Road in Woodbury.

In 1926, on a visit to friends in Southbury, 25-year-old New York artist Natalie Van Vleck fell in love with a farm on Flanders Road in Woodbury. She promptly persuaded her parents to buy it, and so set in train the events that led to the jewel in the crown of Woodbury, Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust.

Van Vleck was a gifted painter in the Modernist style, and additionally an artisan who worked in metal and wood. As time went on, she came to be a highly skilled farmer and ultimately preservationist of the natural landscape, which became one of the first Land Trusts in Connecticut.

To celebrate her accomplishments, the third annual traditional Flanders Farm Tea will feature a selection of teas as well as local jams, homemade cakes, scones, sandwiches, and cookies. A highlight will be a raffle for a basket filled with locally sourced items, including a handmade needle-felted sheep.

The Farm Tea will further herald summer with a talk by plant expert Fabienne Audette on wildflowers that can be found in the meadows and woods in the Van Vleck Sanctuary and a display of Natalie Van Vleck’s paintings that feature plant life. The talk will be held in The Studio, which is situated a few steps away from the farmhouse. Van Vleck not only designed and oversaw the studio construction, but also made the iron door handles, oak tables, and furniture, much of it still in the studio.

We look forward to taking you back in time to the 1920s, to when farm teas were commonplace, and to when a young New York artist fell in love with the beautiful landscape, subsequently making it her home where she painted, then went on to farm those original 200 acres and purchased more land, now accessible to all as the Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust.

Reservations are necessary by calling Flanders at 203-263-3711, ext. 10 or visiting flandersnaturecenter.org to purchase tickets. The raffle drawing is included in the $25 ticket for the talk and tea.  Proceeds from the Tea will support the preservation and the furthering of Van Vleck’s artistic legacy. Please reserve early since space is limited and last year’s tea sold out.

                                                      

                                                    About Flanders

Flanders is a community organization dedicated to preserving our environment and history through land acquisition, conservation and management, and using its stewardship of land to foster better understanding and appreciation of nature, art and the wonders of the natural world. Our vision is a future in which our important forests, wet lands, agricultural lands and wildlife habitats are preserved forever, and in which we follow best practices for land stewardship, be a leading center for environmental education for all ages, partner with all levels of government and private organizations to conserve our natural heritage, and insure the financial resources needed to achieve these goals.

Baby Leopards Named @ Live Cam Working @ Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo

The two new Amur Leopard Cubs, some of the rarest and most endangered cats in the world born at the Beardsley Zoo located on Noble Ave. in Bridgeport nine weeks ago are thriving. They are very important protection this species that are critically endangered with less than 100 in zoos around the world and 30 to 50 in the wild.  As a member of the Accredited Zoo Asscoationthe Beardsley Zoo plays an integral part in making sure endangered species survive and thrive and are here for generations.

 Within the first 24 hours, these rare cubs had to be taken away from their first-time mother because she was over grooming them with her rough tongue.  Due to mon's zealous overgrooming the black female leopard cub had to undergo emergency surgery for her tail.

Dedicated and professional zoo "moms and dads" keep an eye on the cubs 24/7 and are responsible for feeding them, monitoring their health and making sure they have plenty of fun things to play with. Zoo staff affectionately called leopard moms and leopard dads watch the Cubs 24/7, clean up after them. track their health, and feed them six times a day.   They also monitor their growth and weight and food intake as they weaned.   Without the professional and dedicated staff, the world might have lost these rare creatures.

In keeping with Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo tradition, hand-reared baby animal names are chosen by their professional care staff, recognizing the depth of the round-the-clock, seven-day-a-week commitment required for newborn care.

Here's why the names were chosen:

Orion was a hunter in Greek mythology, a perfect fit for an Amur leopard, an apex predator who hunts for survival. One of the most conspicuous constellations in the night sky, the trio of stars’ widespread recognition fits an endangered leopard whose role as an ambassador for his species assures his own recognition. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythology, Orion is known as the “swordsman of the sky.”

Kallisto is another well-known constellation, more frequently referred to as Ursa Major. In Greek mythology, Kallisto was a nymph, a divine spirit who maintains nature for the environments where they make their homes. The origin of the name in Greek means “most beautiful,” a tribute to the female Amur cub’s striking appearance due to her melanistic coat color, an extremely rare black color variant.

The cubs won't be out for public viewing for about six weeks in the meantime, the zoo has set up a Leopard Cam that operates from 8:30 a.m. - 8 p.m.  It is a true joy to watch them play.

Get into a Spring Mood @ Colorbends House and Garden

The Colorblends House & Spring Garden will be open April 1- May 12, 2019.

In spring, visitors to the Colorblends House & Spring Garden can  stroll through an evolving display of color as snowdrops, crocuses, daffodils, tulips, and other spring-flowering bulbs come into bloom. Design ideas and creative blends abound in this intimate garden, which is a collaboration between Bridgeport-based Colorblends Wholesale Flowerbulbs and distinguished Dutch  garden designer Jacqueline van der Kloet.

The garden and restored 1903 Colonial Revival  mansion  are at 893 Clinton Avenue in Bridgeport’s  Stratfield Historic District. Access is easy from I95, the Merritt Parkway and US Route 1, and street parking is plentiful.

An Evening with Jacques Pepin

A program benefitting the Stamford Museum and Nature Center is taking place on Saturday, May 18 in the Knobloch Family Farmhouse on the grounds of the center.  The guest of honor will be with renowned Master Chef, Jacques Pépin. Chef Pépin is a 16-time James Beard Award winner, celebrated author of 29 cookbooks, host and star of 12 acclaimed PBS cooking series, philanthropist, educator, and recipient of France’s highest distinction, the Legion of Honor.  Please contact Karen Meizels at 203-977-6546 or kmeizels@stamfordmuseum.org to secure your sponsorship.

This intimate evening for 150 guests is sure to delight the senses with a four-course seated dinner, curated and prepared by Tim LaBant, Chef and Owner of Schoolhouse at Cannondale. Chef LaBant graduated from Johnson & Wales University with high honors and numerous awards.  He went on to work with the Emmy Award-winning Chef, Ming Tsai, best known for his popular television show “Simply Ming.”  Tim also developed strong skills in French cuisine during his years as a chef at the Four Star and Five Diamond L'Espalier Restaurant in Boston. There, he worked under Chef/Owner Frank McClelland, which helped him develop big flavors using unique ingredients and a combination of new and classic techniques. Tim continues his education by trailing in the kitchens of great restaurants like Le Bernardin, and Aureole, and building his library of cookbooks.

The evening’s menu will feature simple ingredients with direct influences from Chef Pépin. Each course will be expertly paired with spectacular wines and a sommelier will be on hand to discuss each pairing with guests.

Top sponsors will enjoy a private cocktail reception with Jacques Pépin. Hors d’ouevres will be prepared by Chef Raquel Pablo-Rivera and her students. Chef Raquel Rivera-Pablo, owner of A Pinch of Salt, graduated with highest honors from the culinary program at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) after completing her externship at Le Bernardin in NYC. She was also invited to be one of the founding chefs of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” Initiative. Chef Raquel provides cooking programming for children and adults at Easton Community Center, Hall Neighborhood House, YMCA Ralphola Center, Wakeman Boys & Girls Club, LifeBridge/FreshConnections, senior centers and the Bridgeport Farmers Market Collaborative. She also provides at-home cooking classes and private cooking events in commercial kitchens in NYC and Fairfield County.

About

The Stamford Museum & Nature Center is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art and popular culture, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The Museum is a vital cultural and educational resources for the community, and a focal point for family activity, lifelong learning, and inspiration. As the SM&NC’s largest fundraiser, proceeds from the evening will directly support the rapid growth and development of our educational and cultural programming. A portion of the proceeds will also be given to the Jacques Pépin Foundation. The Jacques Pépin Foundation is committed to transforming lives through culinary education. The Foundation promotes Jacques’ generosity and passion for cooking by supporting individuals that seek, and organizations that create pathways to success through culinary professionalism, skills and technique.

Looking for Daffodils in Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County

We are looking for the first signs of Spring in Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County so we decided to watch for daffodils that herald spring with their bright yellow blooms.  We expect spring's blooming bonanza to erupt in color over the next three or four weeks.

In the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut, thousands of daffodils will bloom in the next three to four weeks over ten acres of woodlands and fields at Laurel Ridge Foundation in Northfield and we will be there to check their progress.

A walk among the daffodils at Laurel Ridge Foundation is a rare early spring outing in an unspoiled oasis. The wild natural landscape of gently sloping woodland, fields, and aged stonewalls overlooks a small lake dotted with two tiny islands. The parkland and one of the islands is completely carpeted with gold and white blossoms, a glorious sight that is nirvana for photographers.

In Fairfield County, we are keeping tabs on Weir Farm National Historic Site in Wilton CT. Most daffodils here are found on the historic property surrounding the Visitor Center. You will also find them in open fields and growing alongside the site's many stone walls.

Once the home and workplace of J. Alden Weir (1852-1919), Weir Farm is now considered to be the best-preserved landscape associated with American Impressionism.

Red Panda Webcam Live @ Beardsley Zoo

The Beardsley Zoo has just announced that its red panda viewing area has a live webcam that allows zoo lovers to take a peek at how these beautiful and rare red pandas live.  The camera hours will feature a live feed from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. The red panda cam may be reached by clicking here.

Red pandas have a taste for bamboo, but unlike their larger relatives, they eat many other foods as well: fruit, acorns, roots, and eggs.  Similar to giant pandas, they have a modified wrist bone that acts as a sixth digit or thumb.

While the red panda’s scientific names mean ‘fire-coloured cat,’ they actually have more in common with bears and raccoons.  Their soft, dense fur covers their entire body, including the soles of their feet.  They use their long, bushy tails to balance when they’re in trees – and also to cover themselves in winter.

This mild-mannered animal can defend its territory by standing on its hind legs and using its sharp claws to strike out if threatened.  The red panda can also release a strong odor from scent glands at the base of the tail that may make a predator think twice about a red panda meal.
The Zoo is located on 1875 Noble Ave. in Bridgeport and is open from 10 am to 4 pm.

Connecticut Architecture: Stories of 100 Places

On April 10 at 6:30 p.m. the Torrington Historical Society is welcoming Christopher Wigren from the CT Trust for Historic Preservation.   The lecture will take place in the Carriage House Gallery behind the Hotchkiss Fyler House.  Admission to this event is $5 for non-members.

Wigren's presentation based on the recent publication, Connecticut Architecture: Stories of 100 Places. Discover the wealth and variety of architecture in our state including Colonial structures, Modernist houses, and refurbished nineteenth-century factories. The state’s history includes landscapes of small farmsteads, country churches, urban streets, tobacco sheds, quiet maritime villages, and town greens, as well as more recent suburbs and corporate headquarters. The buildings, neighborhoods, and communities that surround us have an impact on our sense of place.

In his guide to this rich and diverse architectural heritage, Christopher Wigren introduces readers to 100 places across the state. Written for travelers and residents alike, the book features buildings visible from the road, including three Torrington structures.  A project of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, Connecticut Architecture reflects more than 30 years of fieldwork and research in statewide architectural survey and National Register of Historic Places programs. Copies of Connecticut Architecture will be available for sale at the program.

Christopher Wigren is an architectural historian and Deputy Director of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation. His articles and essays have appeared in the Hartford Courant, the New Haven Register, and Connecticut Explored magazine. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut.