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HOMESEPTEMBER 2009 HERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERS

‘Do It Yourself’ RepairsAnd Ones You Don’t

Let The Fun Begin!At Chatfield Farms’ Clubhouse

Things to do That are fun and free

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• 2 • • HOME • Hersam Acorn Newspapers • • September 10, 2009 •

by Robin Glowa

“Have you ever been here?” asked Celine Aiken with excitement. “You don’t have to say a whole lot. Once you’ve seen Chatfield Farms, you’ll see why it sells itself.” Celine and her husband Kevin have recently moved from Trumbull, just in time for the opening of the Fieldstone Club, Chatfield Farms’ magnificent, award-win-ning clubhouse.

Celine and Kevin are absolutely delighted with their new home and tremendously enthusiastic about the amenities offered at the Fieldstone Club. Celine explained,

“When Kevin and I first toured Chatfield Farms, Kevin was immediately sold. He said to me, ‘I can see myself here.’ I thought it was a dream, and I am so thrilled that the dream has come true! We moved in and watched the clubhouse coming together. The expertise, care and wonderful architecture that’s gone into it is incredible. It just became prettier and pret-tier every day.”

Like many of the residents of Chatfield Farms, Kevin and Celine are proud grand-parents. “We have three grandchildren,” said Celine, “and they are so welcome here, which is very important to us. Also, Kevin and I both have heart issues. I have noticed

Let the fun begin!Clubhouse completes resort-style living

The Fieldstone Club at Chatfield Farms in Beacon Falls celebrates its grand opening Sept. 13, from 12 to 4 p.m.

Indoors, there’s an aerobics and fitness center and an exercise studio.

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• September 10, 2009 • • HOME • Hersam Acorn Newspapers • • 3 •

other residents with health concerns, and I was so thrilled to see that the pool area has a special lift that will assist people with getting in the pool. It opens up a whole new world, and is just one of the many details that makes life here so special.”

“We’re so excited about the second half of our lives,” said the Aikens. “Moving here to Chatfield Farms has filled us with adrenaline. Sometimes people our age are looking into the dark at this stage, but we’ve found the light, and we feel like we have so much to look forward to.”

Wyndham Homes, builders of active-adult communities, has made Chatfield Farms a true lifestyle community for residents 55 and older. The Fieldstone Club is the pièce de résistance, having garnered national recognition for its design. With a stunning pool, tennis court, outdoor bar, huge firepit, aerobics and fitness room, the Fieldstone Club proves just how committed Wyndham Homes is to making Chatfield Farms the most outstanding lifestyle community in New England.

The clubhouse design is a result of countless interviews with active adults and clubhouse managers throughout the Northeast to determine what worked and what did not work in clubhouses. As a result of this intensive research, the club offers every activity and amenity active adults desire.

Julie Miller, lifestyle coordinator for Chatfield Farms, said, “The clubhouse is the heartbeat of this community. Most of the people who move here are looking for a lifestyle. Their kids are grown, now it can be about them, and they can enjoy so much here.”

Julie continued, “The main level of the clubhouse is for socializing and parties. The lower level is the fitness area, where we have aerobics and all the machines. There is even a dedicated massage room. If one of the residents wants a massage, they just let me know and I book their appointment.

“We have a wonderful library,” she said. “Many residents donated books when they moved in, and one of our resi-dents, who was a librarian, has organized all the books, and has even set up a card catalogue. It’s amazing how everyone wants to be involved.

“I have the best job here,” said Julie, “and I love the hom-eowners. It’s my job to make sure everyone is having fun. I get great help from the members of the social commit-tee, who are my eyes and ears. They tell me what kind of trips and club the residents want.”

Residents enjoy the wide variety of clubs and activities at Chatfield Farms, including a book club, poker night, photography, scrapbooking, bridge, a mahjong club, a

golf league and pickleball, a cross between table tennis, badminton and tennis. Julie has arranged exciting trips to such destinations as Fenway Park, Goodspeed Opera House and the Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest. Julie said, “One resident said to me recently, ‘It’s like a resort, I can’t believe people actually live here,’ and I just think that real-ly sums up the experience here at Chatfield Farms and the Fieldstone Club. I am thrilled that everyone is so happy and excited about the club and the activities here.”

Wyndham Homes chose Lita Dirks & Company as the interior designers of the Fieldstone Club. The expansive 10,000-square-foot space is a mixture of elegance, com-fort and utility. Using Wyndham Homes’ research as a basis, the firm’s goal was to create an interior space that was warm, invigorating, inviting and timeless.

Named Best Clubhouse at an Active Adult Community by the 50+ Housing Council of the National Association of Home Builders, the Fieldstone Club is a gorgeous example of sophistication blended with a wonderful level of fun.

This jewel of Chatfield Farms will celebrate with an official grand opening on Sunday, Sept. 13, from 12 to 4.

As a top innovator in its field, Wyndham Homes is always looking for new ways to meet homeowners’ desires. Many people now are looking to downsize, and Wyndham Homes just introduced a new model home called the Emerson. This is a slightly smaller version of other mod-els offered at Chatfield Farms. The 1,404-square-foot home addresses the need for a home that will combine the luxury 55+ residents desire with maximum space, efficiency and affordability. This bright new star combines convenience, beauty and function, with a flowing floor plan perfect for entertaining friends and family.

To tour Chatfield Farms and the Fieldstone Club, call the sales center at 203-723-7366 and speak with Connie or Rob.

Chatfield Farms is at 639 Skokorat Road in Beacon Falls; Web site, www.chatfieldfarms.net.

With a pool, tennis court, bar and huge firepit, the outdoor activities are many.

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by Karen Dydzuhn

I love my home. I love the beautiful landscape filled with colorful shrub-bery that was planted with true devotion by the original owners in the mid 1950s.

I also adore the built-in bookcases in the living room and cabinets in the kitchen, which were handmade by the family’s future son-in-law.

However, I should never have become a homeowner. You see, I do not like having to call some-one when things go wrong. I went from living in my parents’ home to a college dorm to an apartment, and I really like having someone else — be it my father or mother, a superintendent or landlord — on hand when there is something to be fixed.

Believe me, I know how fortunate I am to have married a “handy-man.” My husband just happens to be skilled in fixing, building and refurbishing things. And I swear I never knew about any of these tal-ents when I said “I do.” However, it certainly is a plus and has saved us thousands of dollars in the past 10 years.

His accomplishments have included, but are not lim-ited to, digging a large drainage ditch in our backyard to reduce wetness in the basement, manually demolishing our concrete back porch and doing all prep work for a deck we had installed, and tearing down moldy paneling in a playroom downstairs.

He and his brother completely renovated our bathroom by taking out an old- fashioned tub and toilet and put-

ting in more modern fixtures. They also tried to create new closet space by removing a wall, only to find a brick chimney behind it. So, there is now brick on one side of the bathroom.

However, they still know more about home repairs than I do, even though they were raised in New York City and I grew up in the suburbs.

I have to admit that when it came to houses, I was pretty clueless. For example, when my husband and I rented our first house in Connecticut, I was shocked to learn that we were responsible for mowing the lawn, trimming the

bushes, bringing the garbage to the dump and shoveling snow from the driveway. Also, I could not believe that we had to pay the water bill.

What water bill? It never occurred to me that when I turned on the fau-cet to take showers, do the dishes and wash my face that someone was paying for this privilege. I don’t know where I thought the water came from all these years. It was just one of many things I took for granted in the various places I lay down my head.

I can recall the scary feeling in the pit of my stomach when I turned on the kitchen faucet to wash a sink full of dirty dishes and only droplets came out. All right, let’s try this again. I tried the right handle this time. Again, only a thin stream of water. I immediately called the plumber.

When I finally reached someone in person and told him my problem, the plumber said, “It sounds like your well could be dry.”

What??? My well is dry? Although I knew we had a well and were not

hooked up to the town’s main water line, it didn’t occur to me that well water could actually be depleted. “It’s been a dry season,” the plumber explained. I was not interested in discussing the weather with him. I simply wanted water to do the dishes.

And, don’t get me started on the issue of septic systems and sewers. That whole concept is so disgusting that I cannot even write about it without feeling squeamish. Yet it is such an important job, and the man who services our septic system is one of my favorite home profession-

‘Do it yourself’ repairsAnd ones you don’t

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als. He returns phone calls promptly and patiently answers my questions. And above all, when my septic system shut down during the holiday season because of over use by the many visiting family members, my septic man promised that all it needed was a good cleaning, not a $20,000 overhaul.

For our family, Christmas seems to be the season when major home repairs need to be done. At a time when I should be wrap-ping presents and icing cookies, it seems like something breaks, leaks or fails to work properly. This year it was the plumbing.

The week before Christmas, I called my husband at work to inform him there was a “huge leak” from a pipe in the laundry room. This was really nothing new. For years, we have had various leaks in those pipes, but my husband has managed to replace pieces himself. Sometimes it took him a full day of going back and forth to the hardware store to get the right pipe and whatever other gadgets were necessary, but he temporar-ily solved the problem. We both knew it was a “Band-Aid” approach, but we could not afford anything else.

This time, however, my husband advised me to call a plumber. “Really?” I questioned. “Can’t you fix it?”

“Not this time,” he said, somberly.

My husband is adept at home improvement, but as an intel-ligent man, he knows his limitations. Before referring me to the Yellow Pages, he reminded me about the fire he started with the blowtorch during his last adventure in plumbing.

Although I was worried about the time and money the project would entail, I was fortunate to find a wonderful man who proposed replacing all the pipes in the laundry room for a very reasonable price. And, he said, he would be able to complete the project by Christmas Eve.

And thus it came to be that not only did I show off my glow-ing Christmas tree when family and friends came to visit on Christmas Day, but I also had rows of brightly colored pipes for them to admire.

During my years as a home owner, I have come to appreciate home-improvement stores. I knew my priorities had shifted when I was the one to initiate a painting project for Labor Day weekend. “Let’s paint all the cabinets white to lighten up the kitchen before winter,” I suggested.

My husband looked at me in disbelief because I usually spend the final days of summer soaking up the sun at the beach.

Maybe I finally realized that although a great deal of love fills our home, the dwelling itself sometimes needs tender, loving care. And whatever little improvements I make come back ten-fold in terms of our investment in a home where our children continue to create blessed childhood memories.

by Donna Clark

September is the month to rethink what we have planted and to jot down any changes. This is true for both flower and vegetable gardens.

This year was certainly anything but normal con-sidering the amount of rain and the cool tempera-tures. I don’t usually have trouble with slugs, and I should have caught on earlier that I needed to put slug bait down. Now I have large holes in the foliage of my hosta plants, and it’s a little too late to make a difference. I will get after it now, though, because the slugs winter over.

Actually, I was kept busy with many pests who called my garden home. There was the friendly rab-bit that hopped over from the neighbors’ each day. I thought one rabbit would not be too bad. Well, she had seven babies in my back flower garden. Yes, they sure were cute, but they promptly ate all the asters, gomphrena and achillea. I sprayed hot pepper wax every other day, but that did not seem to help. Now a few weeks have gone by, and I seem to have only one rabbit left. I think the neighbor cat helped out.

Summing up summer

Red Dragon Wing Begonia, Ruby Super Elfin Impatiens and blue Browalia are a winning combination in a planter. — Donna Clark photo

Garden continued on page 7

INTO THE GARDEN

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by Karen Dydzuhn

Sports, music, karate — these are just a few of the many extracurricular activities available to youngsters today. In fact, par-ents could easily spend thousands of dol-lars a year on enrichment classes.

Fortunately, however, there are many activ-ities and programs offered locally that are exciting, educational and — most impor-tant to families’ budgets — free!

The best place to begin is at your home-town library. Encouraging reading is only one aspect of librarians’ jobs. They will, of course, recommend age-appropriate books, magazines, DVDs and videos. They will also provide parents with informa-tion about special events, such as week-ly 30-minute story times for preschool children, as well as music and arts and crafts programs. Most libraries also offer older children the opportunity to discuss award-winning novels during weekly book clubs. Occasionally, the library will host a popular children’s singer and a visit from a children’s author.

Children’s librarian Lynn Zaffino said that even babies are invited to join a singing and movement class each week at Easton

Public Library. Every Tuesday morning at 10:30, moms, dads and caregivers can be found sitting on the carpeted floor in the department’s multi-purpose room, singing

simple rhyming songs and performing fin-ger plays with their little ones.

Two-, three- and four-year-olds are encour-aged to join one of the story and craft pro-

grams led by Cathlin McKissick, program-ming assistant at Easton Public Library. Each week, the children work on a themed project.

Both programs are held year-round and registration is required, said Ms. Zaffino.

Throughout the year, Ms. McKissick also oversees several creative art projects for older elementary-aged children and “tweens.”

Although plans for the fall programs had not been finalized at press time, Ms. Zaffino said that the library typically offers a Family Movie and Game Night. “This year, we are also planning a special celebration in honor of Grandparents Day,” she added. Check the Easton Public Library Web site at eastonlibrary.org or call 261-0134 for more information.

The Children’s Book Parade on Saturday, Oct. 17, is another popular family activ-ity held at Easton Public Library. Parents,

children, grandparents and even family pets are encouraged to dress up as favorite characters from books. Prizes are given in several categories, such as Funniest, Most Original and Best Ensemble.

THINGS TO DO

That are fun and free

Hometown libraries offer many activities, such as story hours, book clubs, art programs, and movie and game nights.

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Families walk in a parade from the Town Green, located adjacent to the fire-house, down to the library. Judges meet contestants both at the Green and again in front of the library. Upon arriving at the library, everyone is invited to enjoy refreshments provided by the Friends of the Easton Library. Moon bounces, games and crafts, such as decorating a pumpkin, round out the day’s fun activities.

This year, many local libraries will spon-sor special programs in conjunction with Teen Read Week, which is October 18 to 24. The Easton Public Library plans to give out raffle tickets based upon the number of books each teen reads that week.

Residents are invited to visit the library in the town where they reside; however, most libraries open their programs to everyone. It’s worth checking the mul-titude of programs offered by various local libraries online or in person.

Librarians, however, could also provide you with information about other free activities for children and parents. For example, Shelton’s School Readiness Council recently received a $50,000 state grant to improve the city’s child-development programs.

According to Cara Mocarski, a member of Shelton’s School Readiness Council, these funds will be used to support efforts “to have healthy children who are achieving success in school and in life. The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive community-wide plan for young children from birth through eighth grade that encompasses early child care, education, social, emotion-al, behavioral and physical health, and family support,” she said. The council already publishes two free booklets, “Parents Resource Guide to Licensed Childcare Providers in the Valley” and “The Lower Naugatuck Valley Childcare Resource Guide.”

In addition, free handouts will be avail-able to interested parents at Shelton Day, a celebration of the city, this fall. A steering committee, comprised of rep-

resentatives from Shelton’s businesses, clergy and schools, plans to identify the “top issues affecting young children,” said Ms. Mocarski.

She is pleased with the community’s response thus far to the overall project.

“The members of our steering commit-tee are passionate about the subject,” she noted. “However, this is something that affects all of us in the community. The first few years of a child’s develop-ment are critical to a child’s life.”

Plans are under way for roundtable discussions, which would be open to the public. The topics are “Parents and Teachers Working Together to Prepare Children for Kindergarten” and “Children’s Development in the Early Years.”

For more information about children’s programs, including sports teams, after-school care and music lessons, parents in the Valley should contact the Greater Naugatuck Valley Boys & Girls Club. Although some activities might require a nominal fee, most are funded through grants.

Visiting a pumpkin farm and going on a hayride, nature walks at town-owned parks and simply playing in the park are more low-cost ways to enjoy the autumn season.

The woodchuck came back several times, and each time I tried a new trick that seemed to work. I knew where his hole was located (under the fence with the neighbors, again), and I poured Woodchuck Solution from the Deer Solution folks on a rag and put it down the hole. Then I poured more on the ground around the entrance. The spray didn’t work on the plants, but pouring it on the ground kept him away for a month.

The tomato blight never arrived at my house, but the early blight was bad this year because of all the rain and cold weather. It made the plants look sick, and the tomatoes were a bit smaller. The zuc-chini got some fungus on the stems and promptly died. I have replanted for a fall crop with high hopes for some zucchini soup for the freezer.

The green beans and peas were excel-lent, and what a wonderful potato crop. The onions are so large I am giving them to everyone who stops by. I guess you are getting the picture. Rain and cool tem-peratures are good for some of the crops and death for others.

I visited several schools in Ridgefield this summer to check on their new vegetable gardens. They appeared to be doing very well — first prize went to the Scotland School and second to Scotts Ridge. The gardens were nicely planned and plant-ed. I would advise them to improve the soil this fall with aged manure or com-post. The soil level in a raised bed should be almost to the top of the boards hold-ing the bed.

Flame is a new phlox that we really like, and this is the second year we have added it to the gardens. It comes in light pink, lilac, pink and purple. The two colors we are using are white and pink. This phlox really does stay short and can be used in the front of a border. The height is 15 to 18 inches, and the bloom time is June through August. These phlox were blooming in June even in our cool weather.

Pam insisted we try Penta Northern Lights this year, and I’m glad she did. It is entirely different from the other Pentas. The color is light lavender and the height is about 12 inches. I’ve used it in pots with Euphorbia, and it holds its space and gives a really dreamy bloom.

I want to report on the Cuphea Totally Tempted that we were so excited about this spring. We planted it in containers and in the ground. The plants in the ground are really super, while the ones in the containers with other plants are dead. Where Cuphea was planted by itself in a container, it is still doing just fine. They do not like to be dry, and they also need extra fertilizer.

One good tip when planting a container — include Euphorbia Diamond Frost. If one of the plants bites the dust the Euphorbia will fill in.

Sometimes you have to get back to basics. One of the containers we planted this year is really spectacular. It is two different reds — Dragon Wing Begonias and Impatiens Super Elfin Ruby with blue Browalia. The container is white, one of those new light-weight ones. This was spectacular on a shade patio.

I was working in the vegetable garden a week ago and saw some baby sparrows hiding under the peonies. Mom was on the fence instructing them, and then I heard the hawk. He landed right on a branch near them. He was poised to attack, so I scolded him and said that if he couldn’t get the rabbits and voles, he should leave the birds alone. He ignored me until I turned my back to resume my work; then he flew away. The sparrows were saved.

One of our valued older clients always has some stories to tell us. When we arrived to clean up her garden, she was watching a bluebird house with field glasses, waiting for the babies to fly away. Nothing happened while we were there, but she passed on one bit of wisdom: egg-yolk yellow is not a pleasing color in the garden.

Questions or comments: [email protected].

Garden continued from page 5

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by Polly Tafrate

“What’s peak?” asks our guest from Kansas, as she watches the evening news in our New Hampshire cottage. “The news-casters keep pointing to maps when they talk about it.”

I have to chuckle. Of course the concept of peak would be foreign to her. But to those familiar with New England lingo, that word is as well known as black flies, frost heaves and leaf peepers.

I explain that the media tries to alert viewers when the fall foliage is the most vibrant — its peak.

To the dismay of many, nature doesn’t always cooperate with Columbus Day weekend. Often that’s too late for peak, but never too early. In actuality, there’s a span of several weeks when the mountains, hills and valleys are spectacular.

LEAF PEEPERS

New England looks good in plaid

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New Englanders know when foliage season is approaching without having to look at their calendars. The most obvious hints are the flame-tipped leaves of reds, oranges and yellows that appear overnight. Subtler indicators are the wild turkeys seen peck-ing at rose hips along the roadsides, orange signs posted for hunters at sporting goods and general stores to designate them as Deer Registration Stations, and scores of signs stuck in people’s front yards promot-ing candidates in the November elections. Not to be ignored is the infiltration of cars and trailers with license plates from Texas, Ohio and Florida. “We’re sticking around to see the colors,” these visitors will tell you, whether you ask them or not. Make no mistake, leaf peeping is a season of its own, just like the other three —snow, mud and summer (aka July).

Driving north during peak, you’ll pass many tour buses, or they’ll pass you. You’re both headed to the same place, only they have firm reservations. King Arthur Flour, the world-famous baker’s store in South Norwich, Vt., is one of their favorite stops. Anyone is welcome, but if you see the

buses parallel-parked in their lot, you know the place will be swamped. Last year they offered free homemade pancakes with “real” — that word in New England always comes before the words — maple syrup. Another popular Vermont destination is the Farmway Store in Bradford. They claim to be “Complete Outfitters for Man and Beast,” and that they are, selling everything from country clothing to saddles to live-stock feed. A huge and recently built gift barn is adjacent to the bus parking lot.

One of the hardest things will be choosing what to do. Local papers, library bulletin boards and roadway signs will guide you toward these events — pancake breakfasts, craft fairs, flea markets, yard sales, fall festivals, auctions, book sales — they’re

everywhere. Or you may want to stop at an orchard to pick apples and munch on homemade donuts — one won’t be enough. If you like to cook, stop at the numerous farm stands to buy squashes, potatoes and any fruits the frost hasn’t blessed. The difference in taste is astound-ing. It’s also a neat time to buy your Halloween pumpkins, gourds and decora-tive mums. For the more active folks, the back roads offer some of the most scenic and peaceful spots to walk or bike. Hikers and rock climbers — you’re in for a treat.

One thing you’ll quickly learn about New England is its ever-changeable weather. It can be delightful with cool, crisp, clear sunny days and evenings filled with the aroma of wood smoke and a hint of the frost to come, which will make you grateful for your car’s seat-heater. But the weather can also be fickle. There have been weekends of torrential rains and wind, which caused the leaves to fall prematurely. Another year it was unseasonably hot, humid and hazy, encouraging many to stay close to the lakes and forgo the traditional fall activities.

Getting to some of these destinations can take time, so pack your patience along with your walking shoes, fleece and gloves. Speed limits are subject to change as leaf peepers think little of stopping, getting out of their cars and walking along the road two or three abreast in search of the per-fect picture. Rather than being annoyed, just pull over and capture your own Kodak moment.

When you get hungry for dinner, you can go to a restaurant, where you’ll probably have to wait in line for a table. Another option is church suppers, where the food is always home-cooked and delicious. Their menus vary from turkey to ham and beans to spaghetti. One of our favorites is held in Groton, Vt. — a chicken-pie supper that usually feeds about a thousand people. Residents prepare and bake the chicken pies and biscuits, make gallons and gallons of gravy to accompany the pie, peel and mash more than 350 pounds of potatoes and butternut squash, and chop bushels of cabbage for the coleslaw. Hundreds of

Autumn continued on page 10

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apple and pumpkin pies and rolls are made by bakers in town. All this is accompanied by homemade cranberry sauce, sweet pickles and gallons of coffee and tea. There are four sittings, every hour starting at 4:30. For this one you need reservations, but for the multitude of others you just walk in.

Finding a place to sleep is like looking for a place to stay during parents’ weekends at college. Those in the know make reserva-tions weeks, months and sometimes a year in advance. The quaint inns, summer rental cottages, hotels, and motels are likely booked, as the receptionist on the other end of the phone will tell you, “for foliage.” Some natives open their homes to “the peepers.” No, not as in bed-and-breakfasts, but rather like the old-fashioned tourist homes where the shared bathrooms are down the hall.

New England’s fall colors are not something anyone should miss. In fact, the Northeast Kingdom (the northern parts of Vermont) is listed in the book 1000 Places to See Before You Die, where it is described as “fall foliage Nirvana.”

Over the years my husband and I have learned some things about leaf peeping, the main one being to leave Columbus Day week-end to the tourists. In fact, this year we’re heading north at the end of September. Think we’ll hit “peak”?

Autumn continued from page 9

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