Monthly Archives: October 2019

Whats in your bag?

Hang onto all those receipts. In Connecticut consumers must now bring their own bags whether they are shopping for groceries, clothing, hardware or an evening take-out. I have no issues with bringing bags for groceries, I even understand the hardware store, but the clothing stores? Really? I have to bring an assortment of clean bags with me when I just happen onto a store having a sale in just my size? By clean, I mean a previously unused bag. I do not want my new clothes to smell like broccoli or bananas.

I am having nightmare visions of wandering from store to store in a mall making small purchases but having to show the mile-long receipts for each item as I attempt to leave each store with my new small purchase placed carefully in my single shopping bag.

The dream begins innocently enough I am just wandering thru a clothing store where I found a blouse or maybe a dress but I place it in my handy bag. Then I am in a shop or a department with gift items. I keep picking things up and putting things down and suddenly am dancing in the aisle with something held high by my hand in the air and then into the sack it goes. Then I am in a pharmacy I think. Two items go in the sack and I am waving long receipts in the air as if they are ribbons on a baton. I am then in a long hall dancing when there is a giant hand palm toward my face and it turns as if asking for the receipts/ribbons. More it motions, more receipts. I begin pulling receipts from the bag. Endless receipts. Long receipts. Short receipts. More receipts. More receipts the hand commands. I keep pulling them out of my bag and then I wake up.

What should I do? When I go to a mall should I bring a seperate bag for each place I might possibly visit? Should I carry a single envelope for my daily receipts just in case I need to prove I paid for the items I have stuffed in my bag? Just today I stopped at the grocery. I bought a few items but didn’t have a bag so I put them in my purse. I am certain I was carefully watched that I left the store directly and did not stop in front of any display. I have since put my extra bags into the car in case I want to stop and shop somewhere again. A friend had me laughing with a story of how she went to a local chicken place to pick up dinner. When she paid they asked if she would be needing a bag. She was out grocery shopping so she said no and went out to her car for bags to carry her take-away.

Are all your bags disposable? Washable? Do you make additional cardboard liners for the bottom of your favorite bags to make them stronger? How many bags do you keep in the car? Do you have seperate bags for department store purchases? Do you save all your receipts for the day seperate from your purchased items?

Holiday shopping may get very interesting this year.

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .

Origin of the Rose of New England

Just in case you are new to this blog or to me, let me be the first to tell you, I am nosy. Not about your personal, private affairs. I don’t care. I am nosy about where the legends and stories of Norwich are and where they got their start.
Once more I found a possible answer to a question I had not asked or was even, truth to tell, really interested in. On my Facebook feed was an advertisement for a museum quality reproduction of an 1857 map of Connecticut at https://shop.knowol.com/products/connecticut-map-1857?fbclid=IwAR2xEXsx6VTowKixQvvaw0kDT2PyT-c_nbObkfeFdDgqeh8DLlLI9_Od6V4. So I looked to see it in a larger scale.
More specifically I looked to see how Norwich had been colored in by Laura Roys in 1857. In the description it says Laura Roys, whose name appears on the map with the date, would have been about twelve years old and possibly a student at the Hartford Female Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut. Copying or tracing maps onto paper was a common assignment for students to practice geography and the skill of penmanship.
In the Leventhal Map Center collection is also a map of the United States also drawn by Roys.
From Wikipedia it is possible to see the map close up. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Map_of_Long_Island_sound_and_Connecticut_by_Laura_Roys_in_1857.jpg
When you do this and you look to the right of the map toward the Eastern border of Connecticut it is easy to see not the full blown wide face of a rose we have gotten used to seeing and associating with the “Norwich – the Rose of New England” but a good sized bud of a rose whose distinct petals are Franklin, Bozrah, Norwich and Lisbon. Norwich is one of the smaller petals and is located at the base of the rose bud. The Thames River forms a distinct stem and from the Thames river are tiny thorn like protrusions in Montville and Ledyard.
Is it possible that this is where Norwich, got the moniker, “the Rose of New England?” Did the fancy name really come because of a drawing of a map? To me it makes more sense than a sad and dreary poem by a stranger struck by the beauty of the harbor shape or a vision of a visitor coming to Norwich on horseback. Take a look and let me know your thoughts. I think its certainly odd enough to stand out to the map readers of the day. Not just the students, but the ship captains, the peddlers, and even the farmers. Remember, there was no GPS!

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .


2019 Political Debate Night

On Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at 6 PM at Slater Auditorium Norwich, CT will hear from its candidates for the Board of Education and the City Council.

The members of the Board of Education are directly responsible for the performance, diversity and values of our schools.

The board hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts and monitors the education budgets, monitors achievements, controls accountability plans and actively listens and communicates with the public.

The members of the Norwich, CT Board of Education, proudly give of their time to attend meetings, participate in training/development, and attend community and school events.

Can’t you give them an hour of respect to listen to their positions?

The public will also hear and see how potential alderpersons will represent the interests of the residents and taxpayers of Norwich, CT. What are their goals for the city? How will they effect the finances and strategic planning for major projects and infrastructure improvements.

Which candidates can work together to set budgets and policies and to make and execute long-range plans?

A Norwich City Council member makes a 24/7 commitment that affects their family and work commitments. Its early morning and late night meetings. It’s listening, investigating, and demonstrating creativity.

Don’t you want to know the people who will be in charge of spending your tax dollars and setting the mil rate to meet the budget of the city?

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .

New Tour Ideas

My e-mail addresses receive far too much stuff for me to track in any kind of an organized fashion. There always seem to be new friends with amazing ideas they can’t wait to tell me about. But every once in a while something will catch my attention and then I throw it out here in great hopes that someone with the correct types of talents and expertise will be able to bring it to their community.

This time it was a newsletter from Steve at NatureOutside <info@natureoutside.com>. This may have been my first communication from him as I don’t recall any previous communications. Anyway, my new friend Steve is an outdoorsman who likes to share his very creative ideas and skills.

I am not at all certain what animal tracks can reliably be seen in Norwich, CT besides deer, rabbit, squirrel, bird, swan, goose, duck, toad, cat, and dog but wouldn’t it be fun if someone helped you build a Tracker’s Pack – a pencil, paper, ruler so participants could be look for and identify some of the tracks and signs of the wildlife living in our backyards.

Steve discusses the smell of fox urine and I admit I may have spent a little too much time reading the labels on various types of bottled wildlife urine available on the shelf at the Norwich Agway and the various uses. (My ground hog seems to enjoy all the different scents I have poured into its den. ) Once I got past the ick factor, I became curious how the urines are collected and identified and processed for shelf life and I really wanted to sniff them as if at a fancy perfume counter but I didn’t.

In Steve’s class he shows some usual and some very rare and unusual foot prints with lots of stories about what is found and where. Norwich, CT has Mohegan Park with abundant wildlife and there must be someone locally who could present such a class. Perhaps for one of the October walks?

Each year as Halloween nears, the Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Boulder Creek, California where Steve and the staff who work there present from from 6:30 PM – 9:00PM a free 1-hour, ½ mile. Silly and slightly spooky night hike through the deep, dark, redwood forest called “The Missing Arm.” Slowly, slowly the volunteers and park staff reveal the haunted tale of Big Basin’s last lumber mill owner and his disastrous encounter with a grizzly bear !

The fictional story is told in the spirit of all good ghost stories shared around the campfire. But its been crafted to not be too spooky for children. Its an easy hike, and the trail is stroller accessible and flat. Tours leave every 15 minutes with a different guide so there is plenty of room and opportunity for everyone to participate.

To have such a tour in Mohegan Park in Norwich, CT it would have to have the blessing of the Norwich City Council because the park is technically closed after sundown but it could certainly be done easily. Another option, which comes with a mostly true, story although to make it spooky would take a bit of embellishment is to have the tour at the Miantonomo Monument in Greeneville. Parking there for groups would be an issue but its close enough to a shopping center that might be convinced to participate for part of an evening. Spooky houses and cemetery tours are always fun but they can be found anywhere. The telling of the story of the death of Miantonomo can’t be told anywhere else with the same impact. Learn and share the tale. Come on Norwich Historical Society at least consider it!

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .

Your Publicity

It’s the time of year when organizations and churches are having awards programs, fundraisers, dinners, sales, and programs open to the public. Every single one of them asking the local newspapers, magazines, radio, commercial, cable and closed circuit television to promote them with free advertising, send a reporter and of course, a photographer to the actual event.

Well I am really sorry but todays reality is, if you want your event reported anywhere, you are going to have to write it and photograph it yourself. It’s not that hard. Most of us who have completed the fifth grade in an American public school can do it.

Step 1. Write down: a.Who – is sponsoring the event.

b.What – the event is. A sale, play, program, awards, athletic game, planning session, whatever it is. Be specific.

c.When – will or did the event take place?

d.Where – will or did the event take place? (name, street address, city and state. )

e.Why – Is it to honor someone? Raise money? What is the point of the event?

f. How much – is a ticket, or expected donation?

Who should they contact for purchase? Locations? At the door?

g. Do you have action photographs of the planning of the event? From last years event? Of this years event? Are the individuals identified? Attach whatever you have to your email. There may be specific directions for photographs on their website.

h. Who is the publicity person, phone number and email.

Step 2. Breathe. You can release the breath you have been holding and even unclamp your jaws. You have completed the hard part.

Step 3. Put the information from step 1 a thru f in into complete sentences.

Step 4. Read it over. Do your sentences make sense? Make the adjustments to make it understandable. Check the article you have just written that it has all of the information needed.

Step 5. Choose 1 – 5 photographs to be sent with your information. Identify each photo and who is in it.

Step 6. Add the name, phone and email of the contact person.

Step 7. Go to the appropriate web site of the media of your choice. Look for who to email the information to. Write down the name of the media you are sending the information to and the date of the submission. If there is an issue such as you don’t see or hear it on the media the questions asked will be who did you send it to and when.

Step 8. Complete the information as requested on line. Every organization has their own form asking the same basic questions. But you are prepared.

Paper down. Pencils up. Begin.

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .

2019 Leaf Pick-Up

Leaf collection in the fall and brush collection are just two of the perks of living in Norwich, CT. This year the leaf collection is scheduled for November.

That means you can collect and use the fallen leaves for Halloween decorations. Do you remember the huge orange bags that when filled looked like giant pumpkins? Then lugging them to the transfer station after Halloween and before the Thanksgiving clean-up?

Well, in 2019 there are some new rules.

  1. The Department of Public Works will pick up leaves in brown paper bags only.
  2. The brown paper bags are for sale in grocery, department and hardware stores.
  3. The filled bags will be picked up only during regular working hours.
  4. Neighbors may combine their bagged leaves for larger pick-ups. a. Right-of-ways must not be blocked.
  5. Bagged leaves must be at least 10 feet away from household garbage bags.

Bagged leaves left on the curbside will be collected beginning:

November 11 on the West Side, Thamesville, East Great Plains, Norwichtown, & Plain Hill and

November 25 in Greenville, Mohegan Park, Central, Laurel Hill, East Side, Taftville & Occum

Please do not rake or blow leaves onto any of the city streets, into or onto drain grates.

The reason that you want the grates to be kept free of debris, leaves, ice and snow is that melting water in the spring will cause flooding on the streets, and in basements if the grates are blocked. “My house is not affected by the flooding.” Good for you, but the taxes you pay to the city and the state will continue to rise to pay for the repairs to the streets and sidewalks caused by the flooding. The flooding, that only happens every 100 years except that its happening every spring thanks to engineered drainage that did not take into consideration the additional paved parking lots and expansions in the area. My neighbor didn’t think the water was really that deep at the end of the road. He thought his pickup was high enough to get through the water. His pickup made it to the center of the puddle and stalled. He was not happy to walk through the cold knee deep water and his truck became yard art for a long while.

The Department of Public Works tries to keep the grates clear when they plow the streets but the melting waters move quickly and pick up debris. The DPW employees love the extra hours and pay they collect from your tax dollars. They have to begin their clearing of the grates from the highest points and work their way to the lowest ones so if you are upset that they are not responding to your call fast enough, that’s the reason. But, you can do something to help. Keep the grates clear. I now have a pair of high boots, a short tooth metal rake and a clam rake conveniently located in the spring so in case of flooding, I can free up some of the debris and get the water moving. Are you a part of the problem or a part of the solution?

If you have questions or concerns contact Norwich Public Works at 860.823.3799.

To protect our plants and wild life a layer of leaves, about ankle depth, should be left where they naturally collect and around plants and shrubs, But a neat yard in the fall means an easier clean up in the spring!

I can’t express how excited I am about this. It is the first year when I am expecting the leaves will be on the ground before the pick up. I have to get more bags though. How about you?

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .

American Baked Potato

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .

Chocolate Clay

Norwich, CT has a long history and association with chocolate. The association dates back to when Christopher Leffingwell when he was scrounging around trying to find an industry with a product he could supply to both the British and the those rebellious Americans. Paper manufacturing was working out well but there is always room for another industry.

Anyway, forward to 2019 and I am still looking for new, different and innovative ways to bring chocolate to the residents of Norwich, CT. Well you can’t imagine my surprise when in my house cleaning I found a homeschoolzone.com article I printed on March 3, 2000 on making chocolate modeling clay.

Its not hard. 10 ounces of dark, milk or white chocolate (chopped or grated chunks, chips or discs and 1/3 cup light corn syrup. Step 1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat until chocolate is all melted. Step 2. Stir the light corn syrup into the chocolate until it has a dough-like quality. If you have used white chocolate, add your choice of food coloring to your corn syrup before adding it to the chocolate for more even coloring. Be sure to mix it well.

Then place mixture between two wax paper sheets and spread until it is about a half inch thick.

Let the dough rest for three hours or overnight. The chocolate will become very pliable.

Who doesn’t just love an excuse to play with clay? So start with something easy like a rose. Form a small ball and then roll it in your hands to a point on one end and wider and flatter on the other. Then roll 10 small balls. Squish them flat with your thumb. Go ahead. Just as flat as you can. Wrap the first disk around the wider base and then continue on. You’ll soon have a lovely edible flower or rose. Put on Popsicle sticks, toothpicks or wooden skewers to use for arrangements.

The clay will dry after a few days in the air and unused clay can be stored in plastic bags or containers in cool, dry places.

This was such fun to test! I would like to see this at Senior Centers and Holiday Sales as a table craft for adults and children.

How do you play with your food?

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don’t hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs .