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More Than Maple 🍁

More Than Maple 🍁

Bald Eagle Birdwatching, Fairy House Creation, Holistic Demo

Tyler DiGiovanni
January 23, 2025

Good morning, Quiet Corner! Today is Thursday 1/23, and that means it’s National Pie Day. No, not the math one in March, this is the legit day to eat an entire pie by yourself. Apple, peach, pumpkin (believe it or not, you can eat it year-round, not just in the fall), sweet potato, what ever tickles your fancy, today is the day to have it for dessert!

In Today’s Quiet Corner Buzz:

Eyeing Eagles 🦅
Fairy House Fun 🧚🏠
Holistic Demo 🔮

Let’s dive in!

-Tyler DiGiovanni

BRIEF BITES

Race - Mark your calendars, the Romantic Willimantic Chocolate Festival is coming to town on Feb. 8th. For the runners out there get ready for the “Cupid Made Me Do It” race, the two mile road-race will benefit the Windham Area Interfaith Ministries. The race begins at 10am.
Art - The Top Shelf Gallery in Hampton (at the Fletcher Memorial library, 257 Main St.) kicks off its next art show, Retrospective, with an opening reception on January 25. Featuring the stunning acrylic and watercolor works of Hampton artist Marlies Thomen, the exhibition will showcase her pointillist masterpieces throughout February and March.
Solar Project - A proposed solar project at Windham's former landfill faces cancellation due to a staggering $26 million grid interconnection cost. Connecticut-based Verogy planned the 0.975-megawatt installation, but the unexpectedly high expense threatens to halt the renewable energy effort. The future of the project now hangs in the balance.
Town Manager - After months of searching, the Town of Windham has named Robert Zarnetske of Madison as its new town manager. The announcement came Tuesday night after the Town Council finalized contract negotiations during an executive session. Zarnetske is set to bring fresh leadership to the community.

Eyeing Eagles 🦅

Did you know that bald eagles visit The Last Green Valley en masse every January? Well, you do now, and this Saturday at 10am Chief Ranger Bill Reid from the Quinebaug Valley Trout Hatchery (131 Trout Hatchery Rd, Central Village) is going to take you on a little trek to (possibly) see them.

There’s no guarantee that you will see any, but they’ve chosen the area for the frequency of sightings. You might catch them perching, hunting, and flying (maybe a little of each, who knows?). I think it goes without saying, but this takes place outside, so dress warm. The terrain is mostly flat, so you don’t need to be an experienced hiker to tag along.

Bring some binoculars, a camera, old-timey pirate telescope, or whatever else you would like to use (I’m going to suggest leaving the iPad at home to the person that was thinking of bringing it) to snag a glimpse of these majestic birds. You’ll hear some facts about bald eagles, as well as get some materials about the eagles. Registration isn’t necessary, but appreciated so they can have enough materials to pass out. You can call (860) 774-3300 or email Chief Ranger Bill Reid at [email protected] to sign-up/ask questions.

Fairy House Fun 🧚🏠

Who doesn’t need a little whimsy in their life? BLOCK 134 (134 Main St, Putnam) is holding a fairy house crafting class on Sunday 1/26 from 2-4pm. The talented Rena from Tunk City Studios is going to be leading the class on how to create a fairy house that’s uniquely you! My kids love poking around the fairy garden my mother has set up in her backyard (and honestly, it’s fun for me too!).

All materials will be provided, and the class will cost $40. If you want to register, call (860) 382-3635 sooner than later. They need a minimum of 8 people to run the class, so the sooner you call the better. Cash or Venmo is due the day of.

Holistic Healing Open House 🔮

Alright, so at this point in the newsletter, you’ve most likely seen us post about an event that features what is considered unconventional healing practices. While a lot of people dismiss anything other than medicine you can get in a doctor’s office, there are those who believe in something “else.”

Crystal Visions (40 Railroad Ave, Plainfield) is giving you a chance to check out what holistic medicine is all about on Sunday 1/26 from 11am-3pm. Pop in to learn about Reiki, Reflexology, Massage, and other Holistic healing techniques. You can even get a sample healing, for free (although, the practitioners do accept donations if you feel inclined).

If you’ve ever been curious about this approach to health and healing, this is the perfect way to dip your toes in.

BEE LINE EVENTS

1/24

Ashford | Enriching Your Horse’s Life | 7-9pm $ - Join other like-minded horse folks in discussing how to maximize enjoyment in your horse’s life. Fresh baked desserts, fruit, chocolate, wine, coffee, tea, and non-alcoholic spirits will be offered. Cost is $50/person. Register here.

Putnam | Kid’s Night Out | 5-7:30pm $ - Hale YMCA (9 Technology Park Dr) is holding an evening of games, fun, and pizza for kids ages 4-11. Drop them off and go have a nice meal or some peace and quiet at home for a little bit. Free for members, $30 for non-members. Register here.

Putnam | Somatic Healing Event | 6-7pm $ - White Moon Holistic Healing is holding a Somatic Healing Class at Smoke & Mirrors (171 Providence St). Tickets are $15 and can be purchased here.

Putnam | The Curious Savage | 7:30-10pm $ - The Bradley Playhouse (30 Front St) is starting their run of The Curious Savage, you can find a description and tickets for the play here, along with the other dates it’s running. Tickets are $26 and under for certain groups.

Thompson | Dog Agility Class | 11am-3pm $ - The Ocean State Agility Club (51 Porter Plain Rd) is holding a clinic with Laura Dolan on independent obstacle performance skills. You’ll need to contact Julie Kenney at [email protected] to reserve a spot and then finish the registration here. $175 Member price for a working session/$50 audit. $185 for non club members/$60 audit.

Windham | Art Switch Challenge | 3:30-5pm - The Windham Public Library (905 Main St) is holding an evening of collaborative art, with swaps seemingly at random. For ages 12+, please call (860) 465-3079 to register.

Woodstock | Woodstock Academy Hockey Fundraiser | 6-8:30pm - Taylor Brooke Brewery (794 Somers Tpke) is hosting an evening of raffles, silent auction items, live music, beer, wine, and the Hungry Lion food truck. There’s no entry fee, instead you can spend money on the fundraising items (Bruins tickets will be an option!).

1/25

Danielson | Logees Cafe Opening | 9-4pm - Logees (141 North St) is pairing with the Rose Room Cafe to bring a little caffeine and some sweet treats to the greenhouses. Grab a coffee and enjoy a stroll through the jungle they have growing. A perfect way to spend a chilly day.

Killingly | Comedy Show | 8-9:30pm - Black Pond Brews (1001 Hartford Pike) is holding an evening of laughs and brews. Grab a pint or two and bring your funny bone. You can grab your ~$28 tickets here.

Pomfret | Sno-Ball | 5-8pm $ - Windham-Tolland 4H Camp (326 Taft Pond Rd) is holding a “fun-raiser” with dinner and dancing. There will be a DJ, door prizes, and a We-Li-Kit ice cream bar. All proceeds will benefit the Jim Logee Campership Fund. Register here or call (860) 974-3379. Adults/$20, Kids 10 and under/$15. Group photos/$8.

South Windham | Gentle Yoga | 8-9am - Guilford Smith Memorial Library (17 Main St) is holding an easy 40 minute yoga session to get you limbered up for the day. Email [email protected] to register. Bring your own towel and water bottle.

Woodstock | Vision Board Workshop | 1-3:30pm $ - Body by Design (3 Route 171 Suite 5) is inviting you to envision what you would like to accomplish in the new year. A chakra meditation will kick off the evening, followed by creating a vision board. For more information and to register, click here. The cost is $40.

1/26

Danielson | Soup on Sunday | 5pm - Westfield Church (210 Main St) is offering a free meal to anyone in the community that would like one.

Pomfret | Evening of Dance and Convo | 7pm - The Pomfret School is holding a free public dance performed by world-renowned dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company. While the event is already booked to capacity, you can watch the performance here.

1/27

Brooklyn | Food Explorers | 4pm $ - This one is for young cooks in grades 2-6. On Monday, the first of four classes will start, with chocolate being the theme of this set of classes. It costs $70 for all four classes, which will run on Mondays (except Feb 17th). You can register here.

Live Music

1/23

1/24

1/25

1/26

Trivia

1/23 - Trolley Pub - Willimantic | 7:30p

1/23 - Chubby Dog Coffee - Danielson | 7p

1/23 - Midway Restaurant - Ashford | 7p

THE HIVE’S PICK

Image Courtesy of Pebble Brook Maple Farm Instagram

So, today’s Hive Pick is somewhere that I never knew existed until recently. A little backstory, I was driving in Woodstock, and wanted to snag a picture of something on the side of the road (it’ll pop up on our social media at some point). I parked near a car that had pulled off, and saw the owner picking up garbage off the side of the road that for sure wasn’t hers (what an awesome person, right?!).

We briefly chatted about some picturesque spots in the Quiet Corner and handed me her business card for Pebble Brook Maple Farm (230 Kenyon Rd, Hampton). It’s a family-owned and operated farm that sells….maple syrup (never saw that coming, right?). Naturally, I had to swing by (the drive itself was really scenic) and check it out.

She also had mentioned that they had Highland cows, which were hanging out near the side of the road, which provided some great pictures. I was too late this year, but come to find out, they also sell Christmas trees in November/December (and for a great price too!). I grabbed some syrup and headed home to whip up a batch of waffles to test it out (I had to make some more, just to make sure it was as good on the second batch. Spoiler. It was.). As soon as I’m running low, I will be making the trip back out to Hampton. I suggest you do the same and support this awesome family!

ECSU SPORTS

1/25 - Men and Women’s Track and Field @ Wesleyan University Indoor Invitational | 10a

1/25 - Men and Women’s Swimming vs. University of St. Joseph | 1p

1/25 - Women’s Basketball vs. Massachusetts Boston | 3p

1/25 - Men’s Basketball vs. Massachusetts Boston | 5:30p

That’s it for this week’s Quiet Corner Buzz. If you have a place you think should be a Hive Pick, shoot us an email to let us know! In the meantime, please share this newsletter with someone who drinks way too much coffee.

Talk soon,

Tyler

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