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KMR Arts Holiday Event with Artist Beth Rundquist

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tech <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Chachi.jpg" style="width: 288px; height: 371px;"></p> <p>Just in time for the holidays, <a href="http://www.kmrarts.com/">KMR Arts</a> presents Beth Rundquist, an internationally recognized portrait and landscape painter, who has created a specialty niche with her Silhouettes body of work. Beth will be at KMR Arts to exhibit her work and accept commissions Friday, December 4, from 10-5pm and Saturday, December 5, from 10- 5pm. The Silhouettes are a fab, fresh, modern take on the Victorian cutout silhouette. Rundquist’s pieces are available in modern color combinations: think turquoise blue on chocolate brown, acid green on lemon yellow, or hot pink on pale lavender...They are available in a range of sizes from 8 x 8 inches to 24 x 24 inches.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Pair.jpg" style="width: 288px; height: 322px;"></p> <p><br> McCarver Root says, “When I saw Beth’s work at a friend’s house, I was enchanted by these groovy, modern interpretations of the Victorian silhouette. Beth’s art is personal yet it reaches beyond portraiture.”</p> <p>In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, silhouettes became popular as cheap, quick ways of capturing likenesses. Often created by amateurs, especially women, they are now known as sentimental keepsakes of the Victorian variety, sweet mementos of anonymous everyday people from the past memorialized in ink, paint, or cut paper, and even painted onto porcelain. In the 19th century a silhouette artist was often times a woman, an amateur, who wanted to create a souvenir of her beloved. Pliny the Elder, writing around the 1st century AD, told the story of a 5th century Corinthian girl, Dibutade, who traced her lover's shadow, cast by candlelight, because he was leaving on a journey and she wanted to keep his image with her.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Charlotte.jpg" style="width: 252px; height: 351px;"><br>  </p> <p>Another modern artist whose work incorporates the silhouette is Kara Walker. Walker’s rich, beautiful and disturbing work depicts silhouetted scenes addressing the historical legacy of violence, mistreatment and revenge between blacks and whites. Using the silhouette, a black-and-white medium popular during the era of 19th century American slavery, Walker brilliantly subverts the sweetness of the form, updating it into something too urgent and incisive to be anything but modern.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/aka%20silh.jpg" style="width: 332px; height: 300px;"></p> <p><br> Appealing to both the established collector and the first time buyer, <a href="http://www.kmrarts.com/">KMR Arts</a> continues to celebrate photography. Kathy McCarver Root is a photography dealer, working with individual and corporate clients to purchase and install fine art photography. McCarver Root gained her experience over two decades while working as a photography editor for books (Lillian Bassman, Bulfinch, Weekend Retreats, Rizzoli) and prestigious magazines (Esquire, US Weekly, and InStyle). Kathryn McCarver Root named one of Litchfield County’s 50 Most Influential People by Litchfield Magazine. For more information, call: (860) 868-7533, email: info@kmrarts.com or visit their website by clicking on the link <a href="http://www.kmrarts.com/">here</a>.</p> <p> </p>

Housatonic Valley Association Auction Celebrates 25 Years

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tech <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/102102up.jpg" style="width: 683px; height: 348px;"></p> <p>This Sunday, November 8th, the Housatonic Valley Association's annual auction to benefit the environment will honor auction founder Diane von Furstenberg. The auction will take place at 1 p.m at the Washington Primary School located at 11 School Street, Washington Depot.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/hva_DVFChristine2007bPomperantz-cc.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 335px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Diane von Furstenberg and Christine Baranski- Photo courtesy of Litchfield Magazine</p> <p>Actress Christine Baranski, currently a co-star in CBS's "The Good Wife”, will be joining other celebrities such as Anderson Cooper, Diane von Furstenberg, Seth Meyers, Mia Farrow, and Meryl Streep to co-chair this important fundraising event. These stars have homes in Litchfield and Berkshire Counties and are dedicated to the mission of the association.</p> <p>As noted on their website, the Housatonic Valley Association, "a tri-state nonprofit citizen’s environmental group, works to conserve the natural character and environmental health of its communities by protecting and restoring the land and waters of the 2,000-square-mile Housatonic watershed from its source in the Pittsfield, Massachusetts area to Long Island Sound for this and future generations."</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/housatonic-river-2-2.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 375px;"><span style="font-size: 0.7em; line-height: 1.3;"> </span></p> <p>The auction will feature such items as a week’s stay for six people at a gated resort in the Dominican Republic; a vacation in a five-bedroom, 12th-century limestone village home with an extensive wine cellar in southwest France; a trip to a charming cottage in County Cork, Ireland; a $500 gift certificate from Manolo Blahnik USA; a bourbon tasting party for 25 people at the Litchfield Distillery; four tickets to see the last Connecticut performance of Garrison Keillor and the Prairie Home.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/hva_HappyBidderHSD2013-cc.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 332px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Last Year's HVA Auction</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Catalog-Cover-2015.jpg" style="width: 288px; height: 373px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">This Year's Auction Catalog</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Housatonic_river.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 450px;"></p> <p>To learn more about the Housatonic Valley Association, please click on the link <a href="http://www.hvatoday.org/who-we-are/">here</a>.</p> <p>To donate, please click on the link <a href="https://secure.etransfer.com/EFT/Donation480/donation1.cfm?d2org=HVA&d2tool=donate"> here.</a></p> <p> </p>

Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes and Fall Fun, Oh My!

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tech <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/17.jpg" style="width: 508px; height: 337px;"></p> <p>There is great fun to be had this Halloween weekend at county farms where pumpkins abound and corn mazes provide fun for the whole family! Please make sure to call ahead to make sure hours of operation remain the same and the patches and mazes are open. We have all the phone numbers listed at the bottom of the page.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/PhotoLargeslide53.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 413px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Dracula among the Pumpkins</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Images-of-children-in-a-pumpkin-patch-Austin-Child-Photographer-Katie-Eaton-Photography-5.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 333px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Great fun for children!</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Harris%20Hill.00_jpg_srz" style="width: 410px; height: 386px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">A Variety of Pumpkins</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/2931949921_e9d89a8113_o__1_%20(1).jpg" style="width: 524px; height: 393px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">An Aerial View of the Bunnell Farm Corn Maze</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/dscf1774_geh8.jpg" style="width: 540px; height: 405px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">A Kid's Hay Maze at Bunnell Farm</p> <p>Here is a list of County Farms you can choose to visit this upcoming weekend:</p> <p><a href="http://angevinefarm.com/pumpkins/">Angevine Farm</a>: You can pick pumpkins in the field, visit the pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field and tractor-pulled hay rides. 40 Angevine Road, Warren, CT 06754. Phone: 860-868-7226.</p> <p><a href="http://www.averillfarm.com/">Averill Farm</a>: They have a pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, Honey from hives on the farm, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises).250 Calhoun St, Washington Depot, CT 06794. Phone: 860-868-2777</p> <p><a href="http://bunnellfarm.org/Corn_Maze.html">Bunnell Farm</a> - Pick your own pumpkins, horse and tractor drawn hay rides, visit the farm animals and a corn maze. They also have a flashligt maze this Friday and Saturday evening. (Bring your own flashlight!) 524 Maple Street, Litchfield, CT 06759. Phone: (860) 567-9576.</p> <p><a href="http://www.harrishillfarm.com/#!pumpkins/c1n0f">Harris Hill Farm</a>: Pumpkin patch-pick in the field, corn maze, child-sized hay bale maze, tractor-pulled hay rides and farm animals. 106 Ridge Road, New Milford, CT 06776. Phone: 860-354-5856.</p> <p><a href="http://www.newspaper-marketplace.com/republican-american/view/logue-farms-inc/pick-your-own-pumpkins/23448995"> Logue Farms</a>: Pick your own pumpkins, hayrides, corn maze and other fall items including cornstalks, cider and apples.<br> 59 Artillery Road , Woodbury, CT 06798. Phone: (203) 263-5969.</p> <p><a href="http://www.marchfarm.com/home.asp">March Farm</a>: Pumpkins, Pick-your-own apples, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, corn maze, haunted corn maze and tractor-pulled hay rides, Fresh eggs, Cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises) and petting zoo.160 Munger Lane, Bethlehem, CT 06751. Phone: (203) 266-7721.</p> <p><a href="http://www.ruwetfarm.com/">Ruwet Farm</a>: Pumpkin patch-pick in the field, corn maze, kiddie (mini) corn maze, tractor-pulled hay rides and haunted house.<br> East Pearl Road, Torrington, CT 06790. Phone: 860-866-6338.</p> <p><a href="http://southfarms.org/">South Farms</a>: corn maze, kiddie (mini) corn maze, child-sized hay bale maze and pony rides. 21 Higbie Road, Morris, CT 06763. Phone: 860-567-9847.</p> <p>ENJOY ALL THESE GREAT FAMILY ACTIVITIES ON OUR COUNTY FARMS!</p>

Spectacular Designer Barn Sale In Roxbury, CT

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tech <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/3.jpg" style="width: 480px; height: 480px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">1940's Green American Pottery</p> <p>"The details are not the details. They make the design." This quote by Charles Eames resounds with all who love interior design. There will be exquisite details to add to your home including decorative objects, furniture, lighting and more at the Designer Barn Sale in Roxbury, CT. The event is next Saturday and Sunday, August 22nd and 23rd From 9 am - 5 pm each day.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Barn.JPG" style="width: 541px; height: 537px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">The Buccolic, Beautiful Setting for the Barn Sale</p> <p>Renowned interior designer Glenn Gissler is doing the sale in collaboration with his long-time friend Tom Luciano – who co-founded the now well-known antique store Historical Materialism in NYC before moving to a fabulous storefront in Hudson for many years. Between these two design powerhouses, there many stunning pieces in the sale from seating, floor lamps and table lamps, artwork, cabinets, iron pieces, ceramics, tables, antique textiles and curiosities.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/4.jpg" style="width: 402px; height: 441px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">19th Century Gothic Starburst Hat Rack</p> <p>As confirmed by the host <a href="http://gissler.com/">Glenn Gissler</a>, the large barn is full and the delightful design pieces are spilling onto the lawn. We have our eye on several of the items but here is a taste of what will be in the sale.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/1.jpg" style="width: 598px; height: 751px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Chipped Wood Bureau</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/5.jpg" style="width: 540px; height: 540px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Cobalt Blue Drip Glaze Lamp</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/2.jpg" style="width: 598px; height: 567px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Mid-Century Spider-leg Oval Chairs</p> <p>To see more images and for more details, visit Glenn Gissler's blog by clicking on the link <a href="http://gissler.com/glenn-gissler-designer-barn-sale-in-roxbury-connecticut/"> here</a>. While you are there, subscribe to this fascintaing design blog that is always inspiring, informative and fun! For directions to the barn sale, please view on Google Maps <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/dir/41.561466,-73.2892712/Roxbury,+CT/@41.553791,-73.301545,14z/data=!4m8!4m7!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x89e7f1f4d2ef4dcb:0x57893b1ecaf56b6b!2m2!1d-73.3087285!2d41.5564843"> here</a>.</p> <p>We are thrilled to have know Glenn as a client and a friend many years and to have introduced him to the lovely home that he has transformed so beautifully.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/House%2C%20560%20px%20width%20%20(1).jpg" style="width: 560px; height: 371px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">A Lovely Property in Roxbury, CT</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Designer%20Barn%20Sale%2Cjpg.jpg" style="width: 560px; height: 792px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;">MARK YOUR CALENDARS!<br>  </p> <p> </p>

The Harts Gallery brings Groundbreaking Contemporary Art to Litchfield County

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tech <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Storefront%20Harts%20Gallery.jpg" style="width: 560px; height: 420px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">The Harts Gallery Window Front</p> <p>Artists, collectors and enthusiasts who love painting, sculpture, mixed media and creativity have been eagerly anticipating the debut of the Harts Gallery this summer. The inaugural exhibit, 'Love and Sacrifice', will have an opening reception this Saturday, August 1st from 5- 9 pm and the show will run through September 30th.</p> <p>This provocative collection of work will feature six local artists many of whom have exhibited in New York, Los Angeles or London and will be shown for the first time in Litchfield County. These talents include photographer Evan Abramson, mixed media/installation/sculpture artist Lauren Booth, photographer Tealia Ellis-Ritter and painter Sebastian Tillinger as well as local renowned mixed media artists Elizabeth MacDonald and Peter Wooster.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Evan%20Abramson.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 367px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Evan Abramson</p> <p>Evan is an award-winning filmaker and photographer born in New Yrok City. Together with his wife Carmen Elsa Lopez, he writes, directs, shoots and produces films including their 2011 documentary Carbon for Water which has won nearly 20 festival awards. </p> <p>Evan’s photography has been published in National Geographic Adventure, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian Weekend Magazine, FT Weekend and The Sunday Times.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/colt%2Bpistols%2B(reduced%2BHue-Sat)-NEW%20Ritter.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 432px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Tealia Ellis Ritter</p> <p>Tealia Ellis Ritter is an American photographer born in Illinois, who now lives and works in rural Connecticut. Ellis Ritter views photography as an explorative process, often examining personal experience, family history and photography's layered relationship to time and memory.</p> <p>Her work has been exhibited internationally, most recently by Aperture, The New Yorker, at PRC: Exposure, on Women in Photography, by the Corcoran Gallery of Art, at Catherine Edelman Gallery, by Taschen NYC and at the Humble Arts “31 Under 31” exhibition.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Peter%20Wooster.jpeg" style="width: 550px; height: 436px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Peter Wooster</p> <p>Peter Wooster is renowned for design and renovation work for such luminaries as Stephen Sondheim and James Taylor. He has redesigned extremely successful venues such as the restaurant Orso in Manhattan and its sister locations in Los Angeles and London.</p> <p>More recently, after a stroke, Wooster sought alternative methods of creative expression. He drew in charcoal and dabbled in watercolor and made dazzlingly colorful pictures in colored pencil. Emerging from a fascination with playing with colored paper and overlapping them, his artistic expression was channeled into intensely soulful collages.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Elizabeth%20MacDonald.jpeg" style="width: 500px; height: 767px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth MacDonald</p> <p>Potter and sculptor Elizabeth MacDonald of Connecticut and New York works in clay. Her most intriguing designs are rectangular slabs with an archaeological or geological effect. <br><br> Earth-toned layers and striations of these shapes give the effect of a mountainous landscape and geode like beauty. This artist strips aways the most basic layers to reveal the haunting, gorgeous details under the earth.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/orange-2white_neon%20Lauren%20Booth.jpg" style="width: 566px; height: 494px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Lauren Booth</p> <p><br> Lauren Booth's professional life in the visual arts took root in London of 2001 where she opened her first studio and began selling and showing her work. In 2011, she relocated to rural Connecticut where she currently lives and works. She collaborates with other talented people, creating works in neon, resin, bronze and other media.<br><br> Her most recent work with light and resin has taken on a more experiential quality as the pieces react to the changing light around them. These pieces have come together over several months of sketching, pouring resin, polishing, working with fabricators and re-inventing them.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Tillenger.jpeg" style="width: 550px; height: 562px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Sebastian Tillinger</p> <p>Sebastian Tillinger grew up in Roxbury, CT and now lives in Washington, CT. He sees this part of the world is very special. Influenced by emotion, he struggles with impermanence, and within that search he stumbled upon a state of being that transcends time.</p> <p>The artist voices his truth, " I paint because I'm alive and I am vibrating color. My eyes have always sensed a veil of color in front of all the images I see. These paintings hold moments in time. The intention is important. I work every day to make sure I'm not living anyone's life but my own."</p> <p>One of the gallery owners, Pilar DeMann told us the impetus for opening the Harts Gallery, "Carmen Abramson and I started the gallery because both our husbands are artists and we know so many artists. Modern art is not strongly represented in our community and it seems you have to go to New York or other areas for it. We thought the community would love to see some unique art from local artists (to start) and we also thought that this is just what is missing from Bank Street."</p> <p>The Harts Gallery, the first contemporary art gallery of its kind in Litchfield County, is located in the town of New Milford, Connecticut at 20 Bank Street, a historic 5,000 square foot storefront. Don't miss this wonderful new exhibit of local artists works which opens August 1st and will be shown through September 30th.</p> <p>For more information on the Harts Gallery, please click on the link <a href="http://www.thehartsgallery.com/">here</a>.</p> <p><br><br>  </p> <p><br>  </p> <p> </p>

The Washington Green Fair has Fun, Food and Activities for All!

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tech <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/tumblr_nqh9h4mhGG1tdir62o1_540.jpg" style="width: 540px; height: 360px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">A Wagon Ride with Magnificent Percheron Horses</p> <p>This Saturday, July 11th, the Green Fair returns to Washington, CT with activities for families and numerous booths of plants, home baked goods and vintage delights. The fair opens at 10 am and runs until 2 pm. There are plenty of parking spaces available next to the Washington Green (follow the signs) and the address for those using a GPS device is 6 Kirby Road, Washington, CT.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/tumblr_n8lv21KREj1tdir62o2_1280.jpg" style="width: 580px; height: 387px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Talented Local Musicians peforming at Last Year's Fair</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/tumblr_nqh8opaWfu1tdir62o1_540.jpg" style="width: 540px; height: 360px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Games that the Whole Family will Enjoy!</p> <p>The doors to a gigantic tag sale open an hour earlier at 9 am. Here you will find vintage linens, hard to find board games, china and glassware as well as clothing and decorative onjects. The silent auction items has been generously donated by local residents and businesses and include hotel stays, restaurant and local merchant gift certificates and gift baskets, golf clubs and bag, landscaping services, fly fishing lessons and more... The thrilling live auction starts at 12:30 pm with guest auctioneer Bill Faribairn.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/tumblr_nqrhl79pzV1tdir62o2_540.jpg" style="width: 540px; height: 540px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Exquisite sculpture donated by Paul Doherty and David Behnke will be in the Live Auction</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">If you need some great summer reads for the beach or by the lake, the book sale at the meeting house has fiction, gardening, cooking and a large selection of children's titles to choose and fill a box or bag.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/tumblr_nr595kVowx1tdir62o1_1280.jpg" style="width: 580px; height: 387px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Aisles and Aisles of Books!</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/tumblr_n8lv21KREj1tdir62o5_1280.jpg" style="width: 580px; height: 387px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Delicious Baked Goods of all Varieties.</p> <p>For lunch there is an open-pit BBQ and pig roast as well as hot dogs, hamburgers, pork sandwiches, egg sandwiches, and more! The Green Fair will have wonderful activities and games for children including a bouncy house, dunk tank, face painting and hay rides. It is a perfect day to enjoy with the whole family.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/tumblr_n8lxswpddC1tdir62o1_1280.jpg" style="width: 560px; height: 747px;"></p> <p>For your interest, take a walk around the Washington Green Historic District which consists of a group of 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century buildings on and near the Green in the Town of Washington, Connecticut. This includes the Gunnery School, which is next to the Green. The houses are made of wood, painted white, giving the district an overall Colonial/Colonial Revivial look. This Saturday, July 11th make the Green Fair and this historic area your family fun destination.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p> </p>

Steep Rock Association Programs bring Nature to Life

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tech <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/unnamed.jpg" style="width: 250px; height: 171px;"></p> <p>The Steep Rock Association has unveiled their spring and summer programs for 2015. There is a wonderful selection of courses which highlight the customs of animals in nature, wildflowers, organic gardening and more. Here is a program that looks at the mysterious life of reptiles:</p> <p style="text-align: center;">Riverside Reptiles</p> <p>Saturday, March 28<br> 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.<br> Location: Max Theatre at Rumsey Hall School (201 Romford Rd, Washington Depot)<br> Audience: All Ages; all children must be accompanied by an adult<br><br> Back by popular demand, naturalist Brian Kleinman returns with his impressive collection of reptiles and amphibians. This interactive, “hands on” learning experience will introduce us to numerous examples of these two similar yet different groups of animals, and explain why the populations of many reptile and amphibian species are declining world-wide. Well-known for his engaging rapport with children, Kleinman allows his audience to get up close and personal with the wonderful world of lizards, toads, snakes and turtles. New to his collection of fascinating creatures is a baby alligator!</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/unnamed%20(1).jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 225px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">The Shepaug River Then and Now</p> <p>Thursday, April 2<br> 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.<br> Location: Wykeham Room at The Gunn Memorial Library (5 Wykeham Rd, Washington)<br> Audience: Ages 12 and older; all children must be accompanied by an adult<br><br> The history of the town of Washington is centered along the Shepaug River. Meaning “Rocky River” in the Algonquin language, the Shepaug has provided the vital waters needed to sustain the town’s earliest farms and mill industries and has continually given nourishment to the varied wildlife that lives near or in its waters. Today, the Shepaug River provides Washingtonians with numerous recreational possibilities and is at the core of Steep Rock Association’s efforts to preserve critical habitat. Calling rivers “good allegories for the passage of time”, Curtis Read reprises and updates his “Shepaug Now and Then” presentation, originally given in 1998 to kick-off the “Celebration of the Shepaug” exhibition.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/unnamed%20(2).jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 233px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Organic Gardening with Winvian's Chef Eddy</p> <p>Sunday, April 12<br> 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.<br> Location: Washington Montessori School (240 Litchfield Turnpike [Rte. 202], New Preston)<br> Audience: Ages 12 and older; all children must be accompanied by an adult<br><br> Judea Garden is proud to open its 2015 growing season with this rare opportunity to hear Winvian’s award winning executive chef Chris Eddy, “a crusader for adventurous cuisine”, talk about Winvian’s commitment to growing its own ingredients for the table. Chef Eddy is a well-known advocate of sustainable non-gmo (genetically modified organism) gardening practices that he applies to Winvian’s own three-quarter acre garden, planted with the herbs and vegetables used in his restaurant dishes.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/unnamed%20(3).jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 200px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">An Evening Woodcock Walk</p> <p>Saturday, April 18<br> 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.<br> Location: Macricostas Preserve (Christian Street)<br> Audience: Ages 12 and older; all children must be accompanied by an adult<br><br> The American woodcock, also known as the “timber doodle,” is a shy and elusive bird that spends most of its time hidden from view. In the early spring, however, the male woodcock leaves the safety of protective ground cover at dusk to perform a unique mating ritual that combines a distinct call and an aerial display that has been called, “one of the magical natural sights of spring time in the east.” The program will include a brief introductory overview of the life of the American woodcock, followed by a 1 – 1 ½ mile hike along the fields of Macricostas Preserve. Participants should wear weather-appropriate clothing, walking shoes and bring a flashlight.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/unnamed%20(4).jpg" style="width: 225px; height: 300px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">The Natural History of Spring Wildflowers Lecture</p> <p>Saturday, May 3<br> 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.<br> Location: Washington Montessori School (240 Litchfield Turnpike [Rte. 202], New Preston)<br> Audience: Ages 12 and older; all children must be accompanied by an adult<br><br> Steep Rock Association and the Washington Garden Club are pleased to welcome well-known wildflower author Carol Gracie to talk about the native wildflowers that brighten our woodlands in spring. More than just a delight for the eye and a lift for the winter-weary spirit, each wildflower plays an important role in nature by providing food for pollinators, which in turn help disperse the flower’s seeds. Join us as we learn about the fascinating life histories of some favorite spring wildflowers.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/unnamed%20(5).jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 300px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">The Natural History of Spring Willdflowers Hike</p> <p>Saturday, May 3<br> 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.<br> Location: Hidden Valley Preserve (Main Parking Lot, Bee Brook Rd)<br> Audience: Ages 12 and older; all children must be accompanied by an adult<br><br> As an accompaniment to her lecture (see above), wildflower expert Carol Gracie will lead a wildflower identification hike at Hidden Valley Preserve. Space is limited.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/unnamed%20(6).jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 200px;"></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Things That Fly</p> <p>Saturday, May 3<br> 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.<br> Location: Hidden Valley Preserve (Main Parking Lot, Bee Brook Rd)<br> Audience: Ages 12 and older; all children must be accompanied by an adult<br><br> As an accompaniment to her lecture (see above), wildflower expert Carol Gracie will lead a wildflower identification hike at Hidden Valley Preserve. Space is limited.</p> <p>After the long winter, these programs offer the perfect opportunity to both enjoy and learn about nature!</p> <p>To register for any of these amazing programs, click<a href="http://www.steeprockassoc.org/whats-happening/explorations-in-nature/#Mailinglist"> here</a>.</p>

ASAP! Workshops and Events enrich Washington Community

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tech <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/ThreeBeast1.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 179px;"></p> <p>The After School Arts Program's mantra is 'enriching lives through the arts'. This non-profit organization enhances the lives of young people by providing the opportunity to express themselves in music, the visual arts and in creative writing.</p> <p>Founded in 1999, ASAP' has continued to expand programs and workshops offering them to more age groups and in more Connecticut towns. This March, a variety of workshops will begin; from fashion to maple sugaring and the art of making masks.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/maplesugaring1.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 216px;"></p> <p>Workshops:</p> <p><strong>Fashion Fun with Lesley Neilson-Bowman</strong> (Grades 3-5)</p> <p>Washington Primary Art Room, Washington</p> <p>Begins Wednesday, March 11th</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Maple Sugaring</strong> (All Ages! A Family Special!)</p> <p>Flanders Nature Center, Woodbury</p> <p>Saturday, March 14th</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Sing! Shout!</strong> (Pre K)</p> <p>Sari Max</p> <p>Wersebe Hall, Washington Green</p> <p>Begins Wednesday, March 18th</p> <p> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/missionASAP.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 234px;"></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Magnificent Masks</strong></p> <p>Lesley Neilson-Bowman</p> <p>Burnham School Art Room, Bridgewater</p> <p>Begins Thursday, March 18th</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Potions & Lotions</strong> (Grades 3-5)</p> <p>Jessie Mayer</p> <p>Burnham School Art Room, Bridgewater</p> <p>Begins Thursday, April 23rd</p> <p> </p> <p>It is also time for submissions for the tenth annual Celebration of Young Writers which will take place at The Gunnery School on May 30th. The deadline for submissions is Monday, March 23rd and you can obtain more information by clicking on the link <a href="http://afterschoolartsprogram.org/asap-events/celebration-of-young-writers/"> here</a>.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/young_writers_montage1.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 259px;"></p> <p>In celebration of the 10th anniversary, there will be a special event at The Gunnery which will honor <a href="http://denisleary.com/">Denis</a> & <a href="http://annleary.com/">Ann Leary</a> and <a href="http://www.susannasalk.com/">Susanna Salk</a>, all of whom were instrumental is the shaping, staging and development of this event from the very start.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/DenisLearyandYoungWriter1.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 346px;"><br>  </p> <p>The Frank McCourt Prize for Excellence in Teaching will also be presented there will be a Benefit Auction, which allows ASAP to continue its mission of providing artistic and cultural opportunities for all children.</p> <p>To read more about the wonderful work of the After School Art Program or to register for workshops, please click <a href="http://afterschoolartsprogram.org/">here</a>.</p>

In Our Neighborhood: A Visit to Bantam, CT

tech <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/cinema-outside-2.jpg" style="width: 235px; height: 198px;" class="featured"></p> <p><span>The Bantam Cinema is Connecticut's oldest continuously operated movie house. Opened in 1927 as 'The Rivoli', it originally showed silent movies accompanied by a Wurlitzer organ. There were several owners since that time but in 1990 it was thoroughly modernized by Lisa Hedley who also co-founded the Mayflower Spa. She started the 'Meet the Filmaker' series in which writers, actors and directors (Mia Farrow, William Styron and Arthur Miller to name a few...) discussed their work with the audience. In 2007, Ms. Hedley sold the cinema to David Koch, Sidney Koch and Elizabeth Merz who continued the series and brought Daniel Day-Lewis, Rebecca Miller and Joan Rivers to the theater.</span></p> <p><span>Coming this January are three unique films:The Imitation Game, a story of war hero Alan Turing who in 1952 is arrested on charges of indecent activity; Foxcatcher which stars Steve Carell and tells of the relationship between a multi-millionare and two wrestlers and lastly, A Most Violent Year which highlights a particularly bloody period in New York City. To read more about the Bantam Cinema and for movie times, click <a href="http://www.bantamcinema.com/">here</a>.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/Wood's%20Pit%20BBQ.jpg" style="width: 324px; height: 243px;"></span></p> <p><span>Before or after your visit to the cinema, a great local BBQ is right next door. Woodie, the owner of Wood's Pit BBQ, learned his culinary skills and knowledge of Mexican dishes during a long excursion in and around Arizona. He made another journey to the South including the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida to learn the magic of authentic pit BBQ and how to create the secret 'dry rub' that is still used today. Woodie can be found in the kitchen every morning, six days a week to make sure the tradition of great cooking continues in the restaurant. Some of the local favorites include pulled pork, ribs and fajitas. The maragritas are definitely worth a try and are made frozen, up or on the rocks. To see more menu options, click <a href="http://woodspitbbq.com/">here</a>.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/indeximg.png" style="width: 480px; height: 205px;"></p> <p>Another great place to visit in the town is the Bantam Bread Company. This is perfect place to purchase artisanal breads and rustic pastries made fresh every day. The shop also features many local products including honey, maple syrup, cheese, seasonal organic fruit and vegetables as well as the work of local artisans. They also carry a wonderful selection of imported and regional cheeses as well butters. You can also find unique jams and jellies, mustards, oils, vinegars, sauces, tea and coffee. For more details on what is in the store, please click <a href="http://www.bantambread.com/">here</a>.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/l.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 400px;"></p> <p>A must stop in Bantam is the <a href="http://www.arethusafarm.com/">Arethusa Farm</a> Dairy Ice Cream store. All the delicious flavors are made locally on the farm with the milk from their own dairy herd. You can also buy a wide range of Arethusa cheeses to take home. Right next door is Al Tavolo, a gourmet bistro run by the owners of the Arethusa, which is the epitome of a farm to table restaurant. The roasted beef tenderloin with a farm fresh cheese crust or the roasted Amish chicken ballantine wrapped with rillette are just some of savory dinner choices on the menu. This is exquisite spot for a dinner with friends or a celebratory meal. See more Al Tavolo menu options by clicking <a href="http://arethusaaltavolo.com/">here</a>.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.usmre.com/5739/blog/70b1eb7ab9a0b0367f8b28f42c404aba_full_size.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 200px;"></p> <p>Make it your New Year's resolution to vist Bantam, CT, one of the most charming towns in Litchfield County!</p>

Fall Registration For the Shepaug Soccer Club Now Open - Weekenders Welcome!

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tech <blockquote> <blockquote> <p style="text-align: left">Registration for Shepaug Soccer Club's 2014 Fall season beginning September 6th is underway and going strong! Offering several programs that are recreational as well as competitive, Shepaug Soccer Club is open to Bridgewater, Washington and Roxbury residents yet weekenders are always welcome in the program.</p> <p style="text-align: left">Don't wait to register your child for boys/girls U8-U14 travel teams as the Shepaug Soccer Club operates on a first come, first serve basis and ends on June 30th (with a possible extension to July 15th if space allows).Registration for clinics and instructional activities for kids between the ages of 3 and 7 is also currently open and will remain so until filled with an August 31st deadline.</p> <p style="text-align: left"><a href="http://www.shepaugsoccerclub.com/Registration/Default.asp?n=34190&org=shepaugsoccerclub.com" target="_self" title="">Click here to register online or if you'd like more information on the Shepaug Soccer Club.</a></p> </blockquote> </blockquote>
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