Holiday in the Country 2011 | Eastern Edition | Hersam Acorn Newspapers

8/3/2019 Holiday in the Country 2011 | Eastern Edition | Hersam Acorn Newspapers

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Special Section to: The Valley Gazette I The Stratford Star I The Milford Mirror I The Amity Observer I The Trumbull Times I Faireld Sun I The Huntington Herald I The Monroe Courier I The Easton Courier

Holiday CountryHERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERS

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y mother always ice skatedwearing hockey skates. Itwasnt because she was agreat athlete or even fan-cied herself a tomboy. For

instance, mother didnt swim; instead she took dips,covering her hair with a brightly flowered bathingcap. Most days she wore spectator pumps accompa-nying a smart shirtwaist dress, always with classicpearls, as was the style of the 1960s. But put herout on a frozen lake in the winter, and on came theworn, black hockey skates and an oversized navywool sweater, a large red R centered in the middle.The R stood for Rangers, as in New York Rangers.

After high school, mother worked in New York Cityas a secretary, dating one of the Ranger players.You like to skate, gee thats swell, me too. Fooledthem, she did. This was no giggling, prima donnalooking for attention. Mother commanded respecton the ice, meeting up with the Ranger boys afterwork to take to the pond in Central Park.

Mother could skate. Skate really well. Growing upin a non-well-to-do family during the Depression,skating on the ponds in New Jersey was a sportthat didnt cost anything. Used hockey skates couldbe picked up at a rummage sale for 50 cents. Sheloved to skate in that oversized sweater, loved skim-ming around the ice, back bent to flush the wind,head down, arms swiping the air for speed. Oncewinter set in, shed bundle us up in heavy parkas,two pairs of mittens, extra wool socks and off wedall go my older sister, mother and me down toBogerts Pond in Westwood, N.J., skating until wellpast dusk.

Bogerts Pond is a narrow, long sliverof water, meandering along forabout a mile. Once the site of a mill, now a dam holds thewater, keeping the pond full. Abridge crossed the dam, where

Skating on Bogerts

M by Priscilla Whitley

Skating continued on page 8


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2 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers November 23, 2011

The Nutcracker mSTILL CASTS ITS SPELL

During this season of giving, theres nobetter gift to share than a love of thearts. The Fairfield-based ConnecticutDance School annually invites Bridgeportschool children to a performance of the holiday classic, Tchaikovskys TheNutcracker. For a nominal cost, childrenin kindergarten through sixth grade aretransported by bus to the Quick Centerfor the Arts, at Fairfield University, for adazzling spectacle of choreography, cos-tumes and music.

Katie Hayward, a first-grade teacher atLongfellow School, said that her studentshad a wonderful experience last year.It was a special treat that we neverwould have been able to afford if not forthe reasonable cost made possible by theConnecticut Dance School, Ms. Haywardsaid. For all of my students, it was theirfirst time seeing a ballet and, for manyof them, it was their first time seeingany type of live theater performance. Itwas something that they really enjoyed.

Based on E.T.A. Hoffmans story, TheNutcracker and the Mouse King, the

ballet opens on Christmas Eve. WhenClara, a young girl, drifts off to sleep, shedreams about a Nutcracker Prince whowhisks her away on an exciting adven-ture to the Land of the Sweets beforefacing off in a fight against an evil MouseKing with seven heads.

Artistic director Alan Woodard, who is at the helm of TheNutcracker, attributes the ballets popularity to a nostalgicrecollection of childhood fantasies. Its easy for the audi-ence to drift into the beauty and magic of this special musi-cal tale, he said.

For the past 20 years, Connecticut Dance School (CDS)students, ages six and older, audition for a part in the holi-day production. This year, two CDS veterans, Mary KateConnolly and Kelsey Warkentin, will portray the leading roleof the Sugarplum Fairy. Even the youngest dancers at theschool, though, take part as candy canes and snowflakes.

General manager Valerie Pullman said that the dancers line

by Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn

Artistic director Alan Woodard shows off this years Sugar Plum fairies, Kelsey Warkentin,left and Mary Kate Connolly, both of whom have been students at the school since they were kindergarteners.

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November 23, 2011 Holiday in the Country Hersam Acorn Newspapers 3

up outside of the auditorium for a meetand greet with the Bridgeport students,following the December performance. Ithink this is the highlight for many of thekids who come to see the show, said Ms.Pullman. The looks on their young faces,when they see the dancers up close, ispriceless. This connection between theaudience and the performers is whywe continue to offer this show to theBridgeport Public Schools.

Bridgeport educator Carolyn Wrightagreed with the importance of bringingtogether students from suburban andinner-city schools. It is a win-win situa-tion, she said.

Director Woodard said that the dancerslook forward to this special performance.It is essential that our CDS studentshave this contact with young, neighbor-ing children who do not enjoy all theadvantages that are given to others inFairfield County.

For the Bridgeport students, TheNutcracker offers an opportunity tostudy literature, music and dance. Ms.Wright said, The students study thestory before they view it so they are real-ly into the plot of the performance. TheNutcracker inspires my students. Theycome out excited and motivated to writeabout their experiences and feelings. It istruly a memorable time!

Ms. Pullman said that the schools boardof directors work hard to raise the $5,000needed to stage the one-day performancefor the Bridgeport Public Schools. Weget donations from individuals and cor-porate support, too, she said.

The Nutcracker will be performed onSun., Dec. 11, at 1 and 4. For more infor-mation, call CDS at 203-384-2492. Thespecial student performance is on Mon.,

Dec. 12. The Connecticut Dance School isat 42 Halley Court, Fairfield.

Bridgeport students especially enjoy a chance to meet with the dancers.

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the World (Abrams).

Dorothy Sim-Broder, owner of WrittenWords Bookstore in Shelton, suggests arecent highly anticipated literary arrival Christopher Paolinis last book in the

Inheritance series, aptly titled: Inheritance .The handsome hard-cover boxed set,also available, will make a special gift forsomeone who appreciates the fantasygenre, she says.

While a bibliophiles wish list may consistof other big titles like Bill OReillys Killing

Lincoln , Dorothy says that consumersshould not miss some special gift bookson the market. For instance, The White

House by Vicki Goldberg, is a rich visualhistory of White House life during the past200 years, and The Library of Congress

Illustrated Timeline of the Civil War , whichDorothy describes as perfect for the his-tory buff.

She also alerts shoppers to the latest edi-tion of 1,001 Movies You Must See BeforeYou Die (to spark some of the best

after-dinner conversations) and for the

ultimate Star Wars fan The Jedi Path byDaniel Wallace, an ancienttraining manual for the Jedi-wannabe, says Dorothy.

For our little picture-book read-ers, one cant go wrong withTomie de Paolas latest, StregaNonas Gift and Jan Bretts Home

for Christmas , Dorothy says.

Dr. Georgia F. Day, owner of Rainy Faye Bookstore in Bridgeport says,Generally, the best-selling books dur-ing the holidays are regional books,or books that deal with Bridgeport. Afew examples are Only in Bridgeport byLennie Grimaldi, Bridgeport Baseball byMichael Bielawa, Bridgeport (PostcardsHistory Series) by Andrew Pehanick and

Bridgeport at Work by Mary K. Witkowski.

For a personalized touch, Georgia saysthat she could obtain autographed copies.These are collectors books. People dobuy them, and they send them to friends

DETAILS

Books on the Common : 203-431-9100; booksonthecommon.com.

Written Words Bookstore : 203-944-0400; writtenwordsbookstore.com.

Rainy Faye Bookstore : 203-336-6911; rainyfaye.anthology.com.

Collected Stories Bookstore : 203-874-0115; col lectedstoriesbookstore.com.Books continued on page 8

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HARMONIZE THE HOME WITH HOLIDAY FENG SHUI

Oh, tannenbaum, oh tannenbaum ...lost amidst the glitter and sparkle, tisthe season when excess may completelymar the true holiday meaning.

Now, before you inflate another reindeeron the lawn, pause and get into a fengshui frame of mind, which really is whatfeng shui is all about you not thestuff!

Having decorations because everybodyelse is having decorations thats notthe holiday spirit, says Ned Farrell, a cer-tified feng shui consultant and entrepre-neur based in southern Connecticut. Ithas to come from inside, just like every-thing in feng shui, because feng shuiis really about the individual, not thespace. We use the space to benefit our-

selves. Were using the space as a tool tofeel a certain way, or meet a certain goalin our life.

Feng shui in Chinese means wind andwater. Its the ancient Chinese art of liv-ing a balanced, harmonious life by creat-ing an environment sans the neces-sity of renovating or remodeling con-ducive to ones good health, wealth and,overall, well-being. Understanding theenergy flow (chi, the Chinese word forenergy) throughout ones inner and outerlife is the main principle of feng shui.

For instance, during holiday time, Nedadvises celebrants to forsake theirnotions of more is better, and, instead,show off the decorations that help themachieve the feel-good vibe of the occa-

sion. Beyond cheering up ones quarters,the feeling behind the selections, forexample, may spark a favorite memoryor help carry on a tradition.

All of these decorations and lightingsand accouterments that we have are justsymbols of not only what were feelingon the inside, but what we truly care forand what we truly want in our lives,Ned explains. The holidays are just anatural extension of that. Were celebrat-ing love, light, our lives and our timetogether.

During the holidays, which occur duringthe darkest and coldest time of the year,the feng shui philosophy correspondswith a persons natural instinct of crav-ing light, heat, warmth, food and nature.

by Anastacia M. Lytwyn


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So the holiday decorations that we haveare just a natural extension of what ourbodies are already craving. Its good toallow that stuff into our lives, especiallythat time of year, Ned says.

Therefore, when you scout the attic orbasement this year for seasonal good-ies, keep aesthetic balance in mind.Ned cautions decorators to equate over-indulgence in holiday decor with over-eating and over-drinking; tastefulness isalso key in preparing the home for theholidays. Whatever we have, we wantto allow the things in our space to havespace.

Many of his personal consultationsinvolve eliminating unnecessary things.A good way to decide what decorationsgo on display is to take a critical inven-tory: Which of these decorations are themost important? Which are the onesthat make me feel good?

While decorating, consider feng shuicures, or focal points, that adjust theenergy of a space and leave room forpositive influences. When we put some-

thing in our space, were supposed tobe reminding ourselves of who we wantto be and what we want to see in ourlives, Ned says. For religious Christians,a manger, for instance, could serve as afeng shui cure that helps focus attentionon the true meaning of the holiday.

The next part of the equation, accordingto the feng shui expert, is how to makethe decorating itself be fun and enter-taining. Decorating with friends andloved ones can feed the spirit as well asthe soul.

Whether decorating alone or with oth-ers, Ned says, what is of utmost impor-tance is to mix things up and changethings around for the holidays. As youalter rooms, the feeling of stagnancydisappears, making the surroundingsnot only interesting but also positivelyaffecting the psyche.

At the entry to the home, a lighted frontdoor is another important element of feng shui. The front entrance is theface of the house, while the door is themouth (the chi, again). A simple wreath

or other decoration will enhance theoverall effect of arriving home, even if you use another entrance.

Back inside, another feng shui tip is toclean the fireplace in order to disperseany stagnant energy. Ned says thatwhether lit with fire or candles, the fire-place should be the focal point, insteadof the television, and it should exude aconversational feel.

Also, for the most part, keep the bed-room free of holiday decor. The bed-room is a place where we heal andrest, and we get away from everythingelse our place to rejuvenate, Nedsays. Holiday motifs may have a coun-ter effect by reminding us of the extrachores we need to do.

Experience holiday bliss, the feng shuiway.

Ned Farrell helps his clients improve theirlives through the proper application of

feng shui principles. He can be reached at 860-828-1046 or [email protected].

When it comes to decorating, says consultant Ned Far-rell, choose to display only the items that bring you a sense of harmony with the spirit of the season.

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wed sit to lace up our skates before set-ting off.

The winters seemed colder back then,and the ice thickened to a solid black wellbefore the holidays. Every day after school,the three of us, skates tied together, slungover our shoulders, walked the one blockto the pond, mother always leading theway. Shed lace up quicker than any of us,pushing off in a classic hockey position.

There was freedom on the ice for eachof us. My sister quickly glided over to herfriends where theyd hold hands, pullingeach other along, pretending not to peerat the boys. Mother, puffy ear muffs keep-ing her dark hair off her face, took longstrides down to the edge of the pond, thenquickly back again. Having graduated fromdouble blades to my sisters old, crackedgray figure skates, powder blue pom-pomstied to the laces, I skated along pretendingto be the Princess of the Ice. Wed skatethrough the afternoon, down to one end,up to the other the pond filling withpeople as the day went on. Hours werespent out on this pond, with only a breaknow and then for hot chocolate out of theold green thermos.

Try as I might, I could never keep up withmother. I glided tentatively. She and theice, though, were one, and Id watch herturn quickly, now expertly skating back-wards, throwing her head up to smell thecold air. I was in such awe of her abilityto move without the slightest bit of effort.And then she was beside me, skating

around in circles, grabbing me by thehands, making me believe I could skate asfast as she could.

This was a different mother than appearedanywhere else. Not the proper, well-cutwoman who ran her own design business.Out on this peaceful pond, she seemed torevert to that young girl skating with thosehockey boys, much as we all enjoy a visitback to the times that were only aboutourselves. I also saw on the ice a motherbrave and independent, the way conven-tional mothers of that time werent sup-posed to be. I coveted that navy sweaterwith the big R on the front, and I havealways tried to seek my own version of something different from what the worlddeemed proper.

Wed skate until the horizon turned thatsteely blue of the winter sky. Out in themiddle of the pond, someone would light afire in a rusty steel drum, and time didntmatter. At the far end of the pond, wherethe water narrowed, eventually turninginto a creek through the woods, a deer or

two might stand silently on the shore. Wewerent allowed to go down that far alone,as the ice thinned in the shallow creek.Though on occasion, mother would takemy hand and wed glide silently almostto the edge where, for a moment, I felt Icould reach out to pet the doe. Ears alerttheyd turn quickly off into the woods.Mother would bend down and whisperto me, Oh, Cilla, arent we the luckiestpeople in the world. The two of us thenskated slowly back to rejoin the others, asdusk settled in.

who no longer live here.

As far as collectors books go,Milfords Collected Stories Bookstorecarries some unique gift-giving booksdestined to become heirlooms.Owner Susan Shaw says that seriousshoppers need go no further thanUlysses by James Joyce. Published byShakespeare & Company, with origi-nal paper wraps and rebound in fullleather with gold stamping, the booksells for $900. Alternatively, considerTales of Mystery and Imagination byEdgar Allan Poe, which is a near-finefirst edition selling for $600. What

book enthusiast would not want toown a near-fine first edition with orig-inal dust jacket of To Have and HaveNot by Ernest Hemingway? A steal for$650.

Less pricey suggestions include Pebblein the Sky by Isaac Asimov, whichis a fine first edition of the authorsfirst book, $200; Poems of Childhood, with illustrations by MaxfieldParrish (1904), $85; Ayn Rands The

Fountainhead (Easton Press), a leather-bound edition with marbled end-papers for $85.

With all these sizzling titles, holidayshopping is easy, fun anything butbookish.

Books from page 5

Skating from page 1

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When shopping for a book as a gift, the pleasure is doubled, since its delightful whenyou nd the perfect one, plus you have the fun of roaming among the aisles, stopping here and there to dip into a book that catches your eye.

Something of Bevs


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Pre-Lit Christmas Trees

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Holiday in the Country 2011 | Eastern Edition | Hersam Acorn Newspapers