Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Out for a walk in Sherman @ Deer Pond

Deer Pond Farm located in Sherman Connecticut is a gift to the Connecticut Audubon Society from the late Kathy and Walter Wriston. The Connecticut Audubon Society received a generous bequest in 2017, from the estate of Kathryn D. Wriston, of 835 acres of rugged hardwood forest, meadows, and wetlands straddling the state border of Sherman, Connecticut, and Pawling, New York.


Called Deer Pond Farm by the Wristons, the property includes a network of 20 miles of trails. All trails are accessible from the visitor parking lot at 57 Wakeman Hill Road, Sherman, CT. The sanctuary is now open year-round, seven days a week, from dawn to dusk. Parking and access to all trails is at 57 Wakeman Hill Road, Sherman.
Deer Pond Farm sits in the highlands along the Connecticut-New York border. About 620 of its 835 acres are upland forest; 125 acres are forested wetlands, and 59 acres is a meadow. About 100 species of birds have been reported on or near the property during the breeding season, including forest birds such as Broad-winged Hawk and Scarlet Tanager, marsh birds such as Virginia Rail, and birds such as American Woodcock, Eastern Towhee, and Chestnut-sided Warbler, which nest in young forests or shrubby areas.
Mammals include bobcat, several bat species, fisher, and long-tailed weasel, beaver and black bear. As many as 11 species of snake possibly live on the property. Numerous reptiles and amphibians breed in its 11 vernal pools. The Deer Pond Farm list includes spotted salamanders, slimy salamanders, dusky salamanders, and wood frogs.

Trail maps can be downloaded online for the Eastern Trail, and the Western Trail. CT Audubon Society trails remain open at this time. We ask that guests practice social distancing, enjoy the trails with members of your household, and if parking is busy, please consider choosing another site. Deer Pond Farm has 835 acres with several miles of wide trails – most around 10’ wide.

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Inside with the Institute for American Indian Studies

There are many inspirational stories about how different museums, companies, and individuals are coping with the social distancing restrictions brought about as a result of COVID19. The Institute for American Indian Studies https://www.iaismuseum.org has a few stories of its own and launched a series called “Inside with IAIS” in March that will continue in April and May.

Back by popular demand and social distancing restrictions, the IAIS is continuing its video series “Inside with IAIS". The educational staff at the Institute has pivoted from on-grounds educational programs to internet-based, distance learning programs that are entertaining and educational for the whole family. These programs will take place in April on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2 p.m. on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/IAISMuseum
On Wednesday, April 22, at 2 pm join Susan and Darlene for a look at two-eyed seeing and gardening. You will be amazed at what you can learn from plants. The highlight of this program is a look at Traditional Ecological Knowledge about plants and the lessons it can teach for our gardens today.
On Friday, April, 24, education coordinator and storyteller, Darlene Kascak, STN, will share another story at 2 pm from the rabbit bag.

To round out the month of April, on Wednesday, April 29 at 2 pm join Assistant Director and Lead Curator Paul Wegner for an explanation of how archaeologists use ceramics to uncover hidden histories of the past.

Today, also marks the beginning of Give Local that runs April 21 - 22. Your contribution to the Institute for American Indian Studies will help them teach important history. As an added bonus, this year we're also including a museum membership when you donate at the $50, $75 or $100+ level. Support your local Native American museum and enjoy all the benefits of membership! You'll have until 7pm tomorrow (April 22nd) to donate! Click here and Give Local today.

Friday, April 17, 2020

Merwinsville Gives Back in Upcoming Give Local Event

​Several times a year Give Local, a 36-hour community event that encourages donors to lend support to their favorite nonprofit organizations takes place. Hosted by the Connecticut Community Foundation and sponsored by Ion Bank for eight years, hundreds of non-profit organizations benefit. 


The goal of this event is to unite nonprofits with businesses, donors, and organizations to give back to their community. Since 2013, when this program started, Give Local, has raised more than $7.2 million dollars for the vital work of local nonprofit organizations. Every dollar given is stretched with bonus funds. Nonprofits also have the opportunity to win prizes.
This year, The Merwinsville Hotel​ in the charming village of Gaylordsville along with the New Milford River Trail Association is donating their Give Local pledges to participating organizations that are helping the most vulnerable in the area. They are suggesting that rather than making a donation to the Merwinsville Hotel, a historic gem, that people make a donation to Camella's Cupboard​, the Community Culinary School of Northwestern CT​ or Loaves and Fishes Hospitality House​. The Give Local event runs from April 21 through April 22 and ends at 7 pm. To donate click here​.
About the Merwinsville Hotel
The Merwinsville Hotel Restoration, located along the Housatonic Railroad in Gaylordsville, Connecticut, was a meal and rest stop which opened for business in 1843. The Merwinsville Hotel Restoration is a non-profit, living museum that continues the ongoing care, restoration and preservation of the Hotel to educate, inspire, challenge, and invigorate both present and future generations, and to raise awareness within the local community of the Hotel's contribution to the collective local history by promoting cultural events.​


Mattatuck Museum is collecting and documenting how COVID-19 has affected local community

The Mattatuck Museum is collecting and documenting how COVID-19 has affected our local community. By preserving local responses and the impact on Waterbury and surrounding residents, the Mattatuck Museum will be helping future researchers understand the local impact of these trying times.



To complement newspaper articles, local government press releases, and other traditional archival material that we will be collecting, the Mattatuck Museum is also looking to document people’s everyday lives and how COVID-19 has affected them.

What does your life look like now? How are you protecting yourself/your family? What kinds of activities are you doing to pass the time? How are you celebrating birthdays/holidays? What do you think people should remember about this time? 

Your voice and your experience matter to us. Please consider contributing to their collection! To Participate click here

What the Mattatuck Museum is looking for:
- Written narratives about your and/or your family’s experiences during COVID-19.
- Photographs of you and/or your family during isolation
- Photographs of artwork about COVID-19, or artwork created during COVID-19.
- Short videos can also be included.
What they aren’t collecting:
Please don’t include specific and personal medical information. Medical information is protected and private.
If you have a physical object that you would like to donate to the museum that either represents your experiences with COVID-19, or is an object you've used to protect yourself, please email Collections Manager, Wayne Eldred at wayne@mattmuseum.org. (Please include image(s) and description of the objects(s) in email correspondence.) 

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Weir Farm National Historic Site Modifies Operations

Weir Farm National Historic Site is announcing additional modifications to operations in response to guidance from the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners is our number one priority. The National Park Service (NPS) is working service-wide with federal, state, and local authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic.


Effective April 10, 2020, Weir Farm National Historic Site will be closed to all park visitors until further notice, including park grounds and parking areas. We will notify the public when we resume full operations and provide updates on our website at www.nps.gov/wefa and social media channels.
The NPS encourages people to take advantage of the many digital tools already available to explore Weir Farm National Historic Site including:

Thursday, April 9, 2020

LIME ROCK PARK ANNOUNCES POSTPONEMENT OF SEASON OPENER DUE TO COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

In lieu of the latest government and health official statements concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and after consultation with each circuit, SRO Motorsport America today announces the postponement of its races scheduled in May, including the Touring Car Festival at Lime Rock Park.



The TC America and Pirelli GT4 America races as part of the Touring Car Festival were originally scheduled for May 8-9 and will be rescheduled to a future date later in 2020. SRO Motorsports America officials plan on announcing the new date for the Touring Car Festival in the coming weeks.

The Lime Rock Park staff continues to place a priority on the health and safety of our staff, fans, spectators and competitors. We hope that you and your family remain safe and well during this COVID-19 crisis.

Please sign up to receive the latest news and information from Lime Rock Park by visiting www.limerock.com/jointhefanclub. Updated announcements will also be made on www.limerock.com and on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/limerockpark. For additional questions, Lime Rock staff can be reached by emailing info@limerock.com or by calling (860) 435-5000 (Mon.-Fri. 9:00am - 5:00pm).

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo Finds Ways to Lift Spirits throughout the Coronavirus Crisis

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoos gates are closed to the public, staff members continue to care for the Zoo’s animals, carefully following CDC and State of Connecticut safety guidelines. The Zoo has more than 300 animals on grounds, many of them endangered species. The animal care staff must feed, clean, offer training and provide enrichment each day to a diverse group of animals, from tigers and alligators to monkeys and owls, along with dozens more. 

On Friday, April 3, the Zoo is launching a new interactive opportunity for children and families. “Do You Have a Zoo at Your House?” asks children to draw pictures and write letters for their favorite Zoo animals or take photos of how they’ve created a zoo of their own at home, using plush animals, blocks, Legos or costumes. The Zoo’s website (www.beardsleyzoo.org) will include a page where the children’s art, letters, and photos will be posted for all to enjoy, as well as featured on the Zoo’s social media accounts. 



The Education staff has pivoted from on-grounds education programming to internet-based, Distance Learning initiatives for students of all ages. Zoo educators have filmed a variety of Next Generation Science Standards-compliant videos, making them available on the Zoo website, via social media, to broadcasting partners, and as resources for the state’s outreach to teachers. The Zoo offers Facebook Live sessions every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 2:00 p.m., with a different focus each day: Science-based learning from the Education staff, a Zookeeper Chat, or a visit with Zoo Director Gregg Dancho and an animal of his choice. 

Staff members are rising to the need of their friends and co-workers. One of the Farmyard’s Animal Care Specialists sewed colorful masks to help protect her colleagues. The Zoo’s Education Curator, in addition to overseeing on-grounds STREAM videos, is filming backyard wildlife for schoolchildren. The Peacock Café’s chef has locked the doors to the restaurant but is serving staff free meals through a side window.  Photographer volunteers have turned photos taken earlier into coloring sheets for kids, available on the Zoo website.

As a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, the Zoo relies on ticket sales, school visits, memberships, education program fees, donations and meeting and rental revenue to operate. Being closed is resulting in a significant impact on the operating budget. Any size donation to our emergency operating fund will assist in the care of our animals and team members. Donations can be sent to: https://www.beardsleyzoo.org/emergency-fund.html

About Connecticut’s Beardsley ZooLet your curiosity run wild! Connecticut's only zoo, celebrating its 98th year, features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species. Guests won't want to miss our Amur tigers and leopards, maned wolf family, Brazilian ocelot, Mexican and Red wolves, and Golden lion tamarins. Other highlights include our new Spider Monkey Habitat, Natt Family Red Panda Habitat, South American rainforest with free-flight aviary, the prairie dog exhibit with "pop-up" viewing areas, and the Pampas Plain with Giant anteaters and Chacoan peccaries. Guests can grab a bite at the Peacock Café, eat in the Picnic Grove, and enjoy a ride on our colorful, indoor carousel. For more information, and updates on the Zoo’s closed status, visit beardsleyzoo.org.

Friday, April 3, 2020

The Institute for American Indian Studies Hosts Inside with IAIS in April Monday, Wednesday, and Friday @ 2 p.m


 There are many inspirational stories about how different museums, companies, and individuals are coping with the social distancing restrictions brought about as a result of COVID19. The Institute for American Indian Studies https://www.iaismuseum.org has a few stories of its own and launched a series called “Inside with IAIS” in March. Back by popular demand and social distancing restrictions, the IAIS is continuing its video series “Inside with IAIS” in April. The educational staff at the Institute has pivoted from on-grounds educational programs to internet-based, distance learning programs that are entertaining and educational for the whole family. These programs will take place in April on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2 p.m. on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/IAISMuseum


The Institutes’ Staff Educators and Archeologists have filmed a series of videos that stream on Facebook. Each video has a different focus and story to tell. There are programs on archeological based learning, sessions on foraging and survival skills, as well as broadcasts on Native American Stories that teach a myriad of life lessons for young and old alike.



On Friday, April 10 and 17, Darlene Kascak (STN), a traditional Native American storyteller will entertain and educate with the popular “Tales from the Rabbit Bag,” and on Monday, April 6, there will be an archeological look at the importance of rocks.

If you want to stretch your legs in the great outdoors, take a virtual Nature walk with Institute Staff to learn how to ID plants, trees, and animals this spring on Wednesday, April 8. If you are a fan of survival shows, learn how to forage on Monday, April 13 – you will be amazed at the things you can find that have always grown right under your nose! On April 15, learn what clever tool Native Americans and, many other cultures from around the globe used to hunt with before the invention of the bow and arrow.


Check back often on our Facebook page for updates, new videos, Wisdom Wednesday, Medicinal Monday, and other programming so you can continue to learn from the comforts of home!
One way you can help the Institute for American Indian Studies during this time is to become a member. Our mission is to educate and preserve Native American history and culture and we need your help to accomplish this. Please click the link here and become a member today. As an IAIS Member, your benefits include unlimited free admission to the museum, reduced or free admission for special events, discounted workshop and summer camp fees, discounts in the IAIS Museum Shop, quarterly calendar of IAIS activities and workshops, invitations to exhibit openings and special events, and your choice of one of four books as a welcoming gift.



About The Institute for American Indian StudiesLocated on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have the 16th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present that allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT.

List of Inside with IAIS Videos



Difference between natural rocks and artifacts https://www.facebook.com/IAISMuseum/videos/636067410292358/