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It is a distant memory, cold and old, dustedoff now as a long-neglected, rediscoveredbook might be. It matters, somehow, that

this nearly-forgotten evening happened within amid-nineteen-sixties year. Perhaps it could bethat the late autumn wind cooled and creakedthe leafless, lifeless-looking trees even more thenthan now; again, somehow. Or, perhaps it is onlybecause those October thirty-firsts were actuallyspookier then, at least to the one whose memoryof the night it is. Those Halloweens containedno costumes of bleeding skulls or vividly maimedsouls. They were, simply, or perhaps, not so sim-ply, ghostly, hauntingly spooky nights. On this one night, dusk, as dust, had settled

slowly upon the small New England town of theboy’s youth. Supper had been a hurried affair,gobbled by giggling goblins anxious to get outinto the night. Low voices and footsteps of otherspooks were already upon the steps; knocks andbone-chilling knob-rattling had already begun atthe front door. The boy of 10-or-so was more than ready to

go out. By accident or plan, his siblings had al-ready slipped into the night without him. Hewas very alone; at least he hoped that he wasalone, as he ventured into the much too chillynight air. The cold breeze stung his eyes as hepeered through the rubbery-odored mask of hiscostume. He began the long walk through thefrozen-dead, musty-smelling leaves covering thesidewalk. The youth hurried past the frightfulrow of thick and dark, moonlit-maples that linedthe way. He was very afraid that the dry crunchof death in those old leaves would alert of hispresence whatever ghoul or ghost might be lurk-ing behind one of those trees. As he walked onin the increasingly-inky black, he dared not peekeven slightly around any of them. It was a surething that not EVERY roadside tree hid somewitch or ghastly ghoul, but the boy knew that hewas certain to pick the one which did, if he wereto dare to look. By sheer will, or by chance, the youth suc-

ceeded in surpassing the haunted trees, and suc-cessfully trick-or-treated at many houses on thestreet. Every inch of the way he thought about

the one house he dreaded visiting most; the houseof the witchy-looking old lady. Sure, she seemedkind in the daytime, but you didn’t see herhumped old back or the wrinkly look in her eyesin the daytime. Her house was cold as a tomb, atleast, such was her porch, at night, in late October.The boy knew this well from the year before, butthat year he had been with his brothers and sisters.As he walked, the scuffing, leaf scraping sound ofevery step seemed to taunt him with the words:Every… witch… awaits… the child… whocomes… alone… The boy’s small hands were nearly freezing by

the time he reached the old lady’s small dark housefar down the street. He managed to climb to thetop of the worn and creaky steps. He stood therea moment, and then worked up enough courageto open the narrow door which entered onto thewitch’s small, windowed porch. The rusty doorspring, worn to its own insanity by countless othersmall boys who were fools enough to enter here,he thought, screeched a hateful, taunting an-nouncement of the boy’s arrival. This it repeated,mocking its original scream, as the door slammedtightly shut between the lad and the world outside. The long, enclosed tomb of a porch offered no

relief from the cold, but some little relief from thenight wind. The only light therein was that of amaddening, perfectly-placed jack-o-lantern whichhideously smiled up at the boy from the floor, atthe farthest corner of the room. The porch ex-uded the sooty-sweet smell of that candle-litcarved pumpkin. This strange aroma mingledwith that of crisp, cold Macintosh apples whichfilled a wooden crate at one wall. “What couldpossibly be the use of cold apples to a witch?”The boy briefly pondered. The one who disguised herself as a regular,

kind old lady during the daytime was very cun-ning indeed. Her trap for little boys was a porchtable full of the biggest and best treats in the town.

Those very famous treats were the single reasonthe boy was even on this terrifying porch. Therewas a tray which held beautiful candied applesand another laden with huge, wax-paper-wrappedpopcorn balls. A bowl between them overflowedwith candy corn; the boy’s favorite. Thoughts ofpoison apples and boiling cauldrons momentarilyfilled the child. He then nervously picked his treat,and got it safely into the candy-stuffed pillow casehe carried. Hearing the nighttime witch walkingacross her kitchen floor toward the door to theporch, he headed out, past the screeching door,down the creaking steps, and toward home. If shehad ever invited any little boy into her home, thatboy certainly had never come back out, hethought, as he briskly walked. This boy, that night,had, somehow, survived another visit to thathouse. He had even gotten away with the biggest,most delicious popcorn ball of all! His only fearthen was in getting past the street-side ghouls thatcertainly stared at him from behind some of thosehuge old maples. But, the horror still was, behindwhich ones? It is a fact that Halloween was different in the

nineteen sixties, before the age of sugar and plasticholidays. There was just something hauntinglypowerful about the cheap paper cutouts, cheesycardboard skeletons and black and orange stream-ers of those years. Fold-out paper pumpkins andeerie (and probably dangerous) cardboard candle-holders lit the yards. Homemade, totally safe treatsfilled pillow cases and paper bags of those whodared to face the night. Those were night-prowl-ing, costumed, youthful vagabonds, young soulswhose parents had no fear at all that they wouldnot return home safely. Halloween nights were ones of simple, frightful

fun, in those years. Cartoon ghosts and goblins,fake witches and funny Frankenstein monsterswere all that stalked the streets or the innocentimaginations of children then. True evil hadnothing to do with those nights at all. The ghouls of Halloweens long-past may live

on only in aging, dusty memories, but the darkand distant nineteen-sixties Halloween you justread about really did happen. At least, that’s howthis old trick-or-treater remembers it.

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The world of the internet was predicted bysome to be a passing fad, Nobel Prize win-

ning economist Paul Krugman said, “By 2005or so, it will become clear that the Internet’simpact on the economy has been no greaterthan the fax machine’s.” Yet the online worldhas led to the demise of classified ads as weknew them. Uber ended calling a cab formany. Amazon changed retail. Why not a newtype of digital money?Well, it’s happened, but how? After all, you

can take a piece of paper out of your wallet orwithdrawn from your bank that has the officialnotice of the government that it is a real dollar.That dollar could buy around three gallons ofgas in 1966 and now can fetch about a fifth asmuch and continues to deteriorate. No wonderthere are people thinking about an alternative.My son made an attempt to explain Bitcoin

to me. It would be a kindness to call his effortsa moderate success. Still, I purchased a smallamount of some of the more well know cryp-tocoins and proceeded to follow them with anenthusiasm that was little more than apathy.

Until a day came when bestirred to checkprices, a shock ensued. The value of my smallstake had more than doubled. Such an eventwill pique one’s curiosity if anything will.With few resources, I began to search for

help. Unfortunately, there are not many in ourregion.There is a meetup group in Western Mass,

and I attended a monthly get together of en-thusiasts. My request for a book suggestionthat would enlighten a dilettante was answeredwith the suggestion Digital Gold: Bitcoin andthe Inside Story of the Misfits and MillionairesTrying to Reinvent Money by Nathaniel Pop-per. It was a good choice.What the book is not is a how to in becom-

ing rich in the new money. Nor will one gaina deep understanding of the blockchain centralto most cryptocurrencies. Mr. Popper has writ-ten is a fine history of the attempt to disruptthe monetary system as we know it. He has in-cluded a useful technical appendix that ex-plains terms.The idea of Bitcoin started in 2009. Some-

one calling themselves Satoshi Nakamoto,who has never been seen and remains a mys-tery, started posting on an obscure mailinglist.He “envisioned a digital analog to old-

fashioned gold: a new kind of universalmoney that could be owned by anyone andspent anywhere.” There would be only 21million Bitcoins “mined.”To non-mathematicians and non-techies,

the concept of “mining” Bitcoins will be dif-ficult to explain completely. The author doesa good job of making the idea understand-able, but a perfect job is probably impossible.Your reviewer’s vague comprehension is

that for some value to exist, there has to be“proof of work.” That is, someone had todo something considered effort and it had tobe evidenced somehow.It is evidenced by existing in the

“blockchain.” The idea was that “the hold-ings of every user, would be tracked andrecorded by the computers of all the people

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On Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies

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BOOK REVIEW

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using the digital money, on a communallymaintained database that would come to beknown as the blockchain.” (page 21)Other necessary aspects that would be part

of the digital currency would be that it wouldbe peer to peer and not need a trusted thirdparty. Satoshi got a community of likeminded peo-

ple working more or less together and the proj-ect moved, maybe lurched would be better,forward. Forward, however, it did go.The community was loose, but the term

“Cypherpunks” can be applied to many ofthem. They tended to be libertarian leaningwith a suspicion of government and fear ofwhat the digital age might do to personal pri-vacy. Most of the names mean nothing to the

public and some are still anonymous. Still,what they created is now huge and maybe notwhat they expected.A few of the early personalities, not the true

developers, are guests of government. Undera nom de guerre of the “Dread PirateRoberts,” Ross Ulbricht built a website “SilkRoad,” that facilitated anonymous drug pur-chases paid for in Bitcoin. He almost got awaywith it, but the Unabomber will probably bereleased before the pirate gets out.Mark Karpeles ran Mt. Gox, some might

say into the ground. It was a Bitcoin exchange

that saw the theft of much of its clients’ assets.He may yet do time. Some pioneers of Bitcoin are still around,

but marginal to the main event. Martti Malmi,one of Satoshi’s first collaborators works intech related to bitcoin. Amherst’s Gavin An-dresen became the chief person maintainingBitcoin in its early history, but now has no offi-cial connection.The misfits, as they are called in the subtitle

to the book, have seen their influence diminish.The plutocracy, noticing what was possible,wanted in.One of the first was Argentine entrepreneur,

Wences Casares. In dealing with the problemsof living with his county’s unstable peso, he sawthe potential of an electronic currency thatheld value.Others followed. The huge venture capital

firm, Andreessen Horowitz was interested.PayPal saw possibilities as did Bill Gates. Somemight say they were like vultures, but that theysaw value was a validation. No one is going toinvest huge sums in a mirage.So, can Bitcoin live up to its promise of

being “universal money that could be ownedby anyone and spent anywhere.” The answeris yes and no. If you own bitcoin, you couldbuy a lot, but you would not want to.The author noted this on Pages 219-220,“Economists who had taken note of Bitcoin

also pointed out that the virtual currency actu-

FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Digital Goldally had built in incentives discouragingfrom using it. The cap on the number ofBitcoins that could ever be created---21 mil-lion---meant that the currency was expectedto become more valuable over time. Thissituation, which is known as deflation, en-couraged people to hold on to their Bitcoinsrather than spend them.”One wonders if Popper or even Satoshi

had ever heard of Gresham’s Law? This isthe economic principle that states “badmoney drives out the good.” If you havea currency like the dollar that is constantlyworth less and gold coins that maintainvalue against it, you will put the gold in thesafe deposit box and spend the bucks.Because of that, the dream of a new

medium of exchange is dead. You will notbuy your books on Amazon or even yourhashish on the Dark Web with it. One may,however, put it away and watch it gainagainst the dollar as it has recently. Preserv-ing purchasing power until the day you needit is not terrible, even if it is in somethingthat does not pay interest.How this will all play out is to be seen.

Since the book has come out, the price ofBitcoin has soared and some commentershave said $20,000 is not without the realmof possibility.Venture capitalist Fred Wilson was an

early investor with Wences Casares and wasmentioned in Digital Gold. He recentlyblogged about donating 142.85 Bitcoins tothe Bitcoin Foundation in 2013. That wasworth $5000.00 back then. According toWilson “That gift is almost $700k at today’sprices.” Mr. Wilson wanted to make apoint, “And that point is that you can’t keepspending something that goes up as muchas Bitcoin has. So, I don’t spend Bitcoinanymore. I hold it. It’s a store of valuenow.” His point is well taken.In other news, on September 12th, the

head of JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon,called Bitcoin a fraud and said it was goingto “blow up.” Dimon is a smart lad, but wehad to bail him out for billions in 2008 somaybe we don’t have to lose too much sleep.There is some cause for alarm. Paris

Hilton is going to be part of the release of anew coin, Lydian. If it has come to this, an

PAGE 8


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When was the last time, if ever, you stoodoutside and closed your eyes for five min-utes? What do you remember hearing? If you close your eyes for five minutes,

what would you expect to hear? Birds in sur-rounding trees? Can you see them in yourmind? My favorite spot is on our back porch

from where we feed birds. I have reached apoint of familiarity so as to distinguishunique bird sounds, one from the other. At one point when we had more frequent

visits from the hummingbirds, I recognizedtheir voices if listened closely enough. Is the air crisp or warm? Now that fall is here our days start crisp

and warm up without heating up. Maybethat’s why so many people choose fall astheir favorite season.Which aromas do you notice? There are scents in the air that bring me

back to first grade when we gathered leavesto iron between two sheets of wax paperthat we hung around the class. It’s comfort-ing to notice that throughout these 50-plusyears the same scents appear reliably in theair. Looking at this mindfulness of your sur-

roundings, pulling through memories, mightarouse other senses and lead you to morepeaceful moments.Meditation is often misunderstood, with

people overlooking its health benefits. Thebody has an underappreciated ability toheal itself when in the hands of peacefulmeditation. Taking the time to be aware of your sur-

roundings can give your body a sense ofcenterednesss and clarity of mind. When struggling with a stubborn prob-

lem, perhaps a peaceful moment and tweakto your frame of mind is the quickest pathto a desired solution.In this fast-paced world, few people take

the time to pause. As a result, health issuesare on the rise from the never ending pres-sure of the rat race we find ourselves sucked

into. The stress caused by this rat race literallycauses your brain to emit hormones such ascortisol and adrenaline that when chronicallyproduced are harmful to your entire body.High blood pressure, heart disease, chronic in-flammation, and a weakened immune systemare just some examples of chronic stress. Un-fortunately we very rarely can just quit runningthe rat race before it kills us. Many turn to mul-tiple medications for physical ailments that re-sult, and each one has its own side effects andconsequences. Before you know it, you’re look-ing back at the days when your health didn’tget in your way and you enjoyed life more, butthere are steps you can take to change that.Meditation pauses can literally change the

chemical production to healing chemicals suchas DHEA, serotonin and gamma aminobutyricacid, or GABA. DHEA hormones have a di-rect impact on your lifespan. Doctors can evenuse your DHEA levels to determine your phys-iological age that is a more accurate health age

than just your “years”, and the higher yourreading, the better. Meditation can boost yourproduction of DHEA. Every one of us has theability to utilize that by spending five minutes(which might seem long) any chance we get.Your outlook tends to be more positive andyour physical being responds in a healingmode. Tension and anxiety are reduced and asa result, your mind clears and becomes sharper.The feel of the air, sounds and scents will

hold in your memory for years to come. Naturehas a way of healing your body and calming

your mind and we are lucky enough to live inan area with plenty of nature’s riches. Here inNew England we have the benefit of the fourseasons that have their own unique beauty. Ourscenic calendars can attest to that. Just takinga slow breath of air through your nose caneven tell you what season it is. Are we in yourfavorite season now? What does your favoriteseason sound or smell like? Just contemplatingthose things can use up your five minutes. Ifyou start your day with this, time won’t seemas limiting. Open your eyes and you’re on amore positive footing. Reboot before you try tobe productive. Now that you’ve invested thetime it took to read this, why don’t you give ita try.

On Reflection ...Just breatheBYMELODY BELLIVEAU

“Taking the time to be aware ofyour surroundings can give yourbody a sense of centerednesss

and clarity of mind”.


One of the most importantfunctions of any financial in-

stitution is to keep your money safe.Banks and Credit Unions are de-signed with vault, locks, combina-tions, cameras, monitoring systemsand many other security features todeter the bad guys from stealingyour hard-earned money. Alongwith that, there are also many con-trols that financial institutions havein place which protect your personalinformation as well. And the folks atyour local institution play an activerole in that.As banking spreads further and

further outside the walls of thebranch, there are places now thatthe cameras cannot see, places be-yond the door of the vault, nolonger behind lock and key whereyour bank is able to protect it. Thatis where it lies with you to do yourpart to protect your money and yourinformation.You keep your cash in your wallet

or pocketbook, your checks are in asafe place at home, and your debitcard is close by where you knowyou’ll find it when you need it. Youknow where your driver’s license is,your social security card is in the safe

under your bed, along with yourbirth certificate, and passport.You may have a security systemat your own home, a gated drive-way, a watchful neighborhood, ora “Beware of Dog” sign. You’vetaken the proper precautions tomake sure your personal infor-mation doesn’t get in the wronghands.Fast forward to now. Technol-

ogy has made easier to accessyour accounts from anywhereyou can access your phone, or In-ternet. In the past, the bad guyswould find the tools to break intothe safe, or intimidate bank staff,but as banking has spread further

from the brick and mortar, andbecome more advanced andmore complex, so have the ac-tions from criminals.It is because of this, that your

institution needed to increase se-curity levels and have adapted toprotect you against cybercrime. l.With each new trick, each newtool that the cyber criminals haveat their disposal, financial institu-tions have more levels of defenseagainst people who want to in-vade a financial institutions elec-tronic systems. More and moresecurity is being added by themto protect their computer sys-tems, such as encrypted connec-tions and communications toprovide secure information toyou on your personal device. Theuse of firewalls and anti-virussoftware, along with bank em-ployees being trained to followcertain protocols to be sure weare handling your money andyour information safely and se-curely.Protecting your money is also

a consumer’s responsibility. Hereare ways and tips you can do yourpart to keep your informationsafe.

4 Keep your software up todate. When you are using any de-vice, the programs and apps youuse often have regular updates orwhat are known as patches.These in fact often contain up-dates which protect from recentthreats.

4 Use Anti-virus software.Anti-virus software can preventmany types of malicious softwarefrom harming your computer

Book Review

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iconic airhead promoting a crypto-coin, the bubble may be about toburst.Bitcoin and newer releases are big

business. Still, there is nothing phys-ical to back them. Then again, sinceNixon closed the gold window, thereis not much backing the dollar. Afew decades ago the whole phenom-

enon would have been unthinkable,but if Fred Wilson is right, it is anamazing investment. If Dimon is,the eventual collapse will be a finan-cial Hurricane Harvey. If you would like to view an inter-

esting introduction to the subject,google Intro to Blockchain – And,by the way, what the heck is proofof work? By Jim Flynn. n

FROM PAGE 6

INSIDE BANKING

PRO F E S S I O NA L IN F O R M AT I O NFRO M A LO C A LBA N K I N G EX E C U T I V EF O R R E A D E R S O FTH E ST U R B R I D G E TI M E S MAGA Z I N E

By MATT DEBETTENCOURTSAVERS BANK

Keeping your money safe ... outside the safe

Whenlooking atproductsfor yourcomputer, only usesoftwarefrom

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FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Keeping yourmoney safe

which can put your information at risk4 Use a firewall on your home com-

puter. This can protect you from outsideattackers that may try to access yourcomputer from an external network,like the Internet.

4 Only use products from reputablecompanies. When you are looking atsoftware to use on your computer, besure to use software from companiesyou know and trust. IF you do not knowthe company, do your research.

4 Be careful where you connect tothe internet. There are many publicplaces that offer free Wi-Fi that may notbe secure. Be mindful when you accessyour banking or account informationon networks like this.

4 Be alert when using your com-puter on the internet. Know where youare clicking, and avoid pop-ups that sayyou “won something”.

4 And when using your smartphoneor mobile device:

4 Avoid apps that may contain mal-ware. Again, be sure to download fromreputable companies.

4 Use a password for your mobiledevice.

4 Consider mobile security software.4 Back-up your mobile device.The holiday shopping season will

soon be upon us and cyber criminalsare busy at work trying to find ways tosteal your money. Now is a great time totake these measures in your own homeand on your computers, smartphonesand tablets in order to protect you frombeing a victim of cyber crime. n


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My addiction and recovery

It has been five years since I made the decisionto change my life path to one of healing andrecovery. I was a clinician at the brink ofchanging careers when I decided to get sober.Willingly and with eternal gratitude, I have beensober since July 2012 when I chose to admit tomy addiction and find the resources I needed toalter a life path that would only lead to an earlydemise, if not jail or institutionalization. I havebeen fortunate in my recovery, but it has notcome without a lot of hard work and persever-ance….it never does. And the hard work thatgoes hand in hand with recovery never ends, butit does get easier. I believe that it is time for so-ciety to learn more about addiction. In myopinion, the general misunderstanding aboutaddiction is a dual one:A) It is a choice to be or become an addict;

andB) Once you quit, you never have to think

about it again.I can promise you, I never grew up with the

goal of becoming an alcoholic. Choice and de-

cision making certainly played a role in this out-come, but one never knows when the line fromsocial use to addiction will be crossed. Peoplewho end up abusing substances on a regularbasis are, in most cases, searching for a solution,but it is almost always not their primary prob-lem. In early recovery/post detox, it is essentialto ask the question, “What purpose is your drugof choice serving you?” The answer to this ques-tion will often lead to the deeper treatable issue(s)which can only be addressed once the individualhas gained sobriety (via detoxification, self-helpgroups, etc.). The physical addiction to a sub-stance takes very little time to eliminate, but thepsychological addiction is why relapse is so com-mon and why long term treatment is necessary.Thanks to my own recovery, a newfound pas-

sion for clinical work in Substance Abuse andMental Health was revived. So, when the posi-tion for Coordinator of the new Co-OccurringPartial Hospitalization Program at Harringtonbecame available, it seemed like a great oppor-tunity to be able to use my clinical skills and per-

sonal experience to help others with the disease.PHP level of care is meant to divert individ-

uals from the hospital level of care or to provideaftercare for those who are being dischargedfrom the hospital to outpatient treatment butwho may need the added structure and supportof day treatment. With this in mind, we havetried to develop a program that is both intensiveand very personal at the same time. There aremedical staff available on-site to manage anymedical issues and medication stabilization.There is also a clinical team to facilitate groups,one-on-one treatment, family treatment, andprovide individualized aftercare planning.The program incorporates the basics of

learning to identify triggers and developing per-sonalized coping skills along with the necessaryeducation about mental health issues. A thor-ough psycho-educational approach is used toaddress trauma, depression, anxiety, and manyother underlying psychodynamic issues. We alsouse the group dynamic and cognitive behavioraltechniques to begin the learning process of how

I cannot tell you how many times I have had someone tell me “You don’t soundlike an addict” or “You don’t fit the profile of an addict.” My response used tobe defensive and now I simply respond “What does an addict look like fromyour perspective?” And hopefully, it provides an opportunity for discussion because these types of comments only emphasize the need for societal education on addiction and recovery.


Supporting recovery strengthens our families and our communities,encourages public awareness and helps people begin their recoveryjourneys. Harrington Recovery Services offers choices.

Harrington’s Co-OccurringDisorders Unit (CDU) offersinpatient treatment for individu-als with mental health issuescompounded by substanceuse.

Our Partial HospitalizationProgram (PHP) is a safe,structured, outpatient treatment

program that offers a higher level of care for clients who need a struc-tured program for continued crisis stabilization or additional skill build-ing to integrate back into their community.

You can help yourself or someone you love take the first step towardrecovery. Prevention works. Treatment is effective. People recover.Make the call.

For additional information, or to make a referral, please call our

Central Intake Department at (508) 765-2725

Prevention Works.Treatment is Effective.

People Recover.

Make the Call.

Mental and substance use disordersaffect millions of Americans.

Harrington Recovery Services at Webster340 Thompson Road, Webster, MA

harringtonhospital.org/services

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to change cognitions in order to effec-tively change behavior. At the core ofall of this is the process of learninghow to increase self-worth and man-age emotions as a crucial piece to suc-cessful long term recovery and health.You see, a life of recovery can be

both incredibly challenging but infi-nitely rewarding simultaneously.There are a number of studies that arejust surfacing which claim that the op-posite of addiction is connection. I

would not have understood this un-less my own treatment did not onlyfocus on how to get sober, but ad-dress my core issues and build mylife skills which, in turn, increasedmy self-worth. I believe that whenyou develop the ability to careabout yourself and gain emotionalhealth, the urge to escape is re-placed by a desire to finally be con-nected and to be of service toothers. n


By Elisa KrochmalnyckyjWith bountiful trick-or-treating in newer

neighborhoods like the Preserve and olderneighborhoods like Cricket Drive, followed bythe time-honored Horribles Parade at theTown Common, there’s no place like Stur-bridge on Halloween.“It’s quaint,” said Lisa Hunter-Mason, who

has lived in The Preserve since it was developed. Hunter-Mason has watched Halloween in the

Preserve grow from a small neighborhoodcandy exchange to a throngs-attracting festivalwith elaborate decorations, and even moviesprojected onto the side of a house with popcornfor all. “It’s like a little party-town,” she said. “It’s

fun, very high-energy, and it’s full of excite-ment.”The draw of trick-or-treaters to new, easily-

walkable developments like the Preserve hasebbed the number of trick-or-treaters in theolder, more established neighborhoods like

Cricket Drive. Those older neighborhoods usedto be one of the only choices in Halloweenspast, said resident Brenda Huettmann.“When we first moved to Cricket Drive 17

years ago, we’d buy like 600 pieces of candy andit would be gone,” she said. “People alwayswanted to go to our house for trick-or-treating.It was a fun, safe neighborhood where theycould hit a lot of houses. I’m sure it was thesame with the Shepard Road neighborhood andother older neighborhoods.”Huettmann, who now lives at Walker Pond,

said fewer outsiders go to Walker Pond, becausewhile trick-or-treating is open to everyone, manyof the Halloween festivities are neighborhood-only.Among the other older establishments fa-

vored by trick-or-treaters are Old Farm Road;Hillside Drive and Ridgeview Road off ofShepard Road; and Woodside Circle, which isacross Cedar Street from Cricket Drive.At 7 p.m. on Halloween, when trick-or-treat-

ing ends, all neighborhood roads, old or new,

lead to the Town Common for the Horribles Pa-rade.The parade of “horribles” — trick-or-treaters

— starts at the common, loops around the li-brary and down Maple Street past the cemetery.It returns back to the common for a costumecontest with prizes courtesy of the Lions Club,and hot chocolate and cookies courtesy of theFire Department.Fire Chief John Grasso said he’s been waiting

for the Horribles Parade since even before hetook the job in Sturbridge in February. “One of the things that I looked forward to,

that attracted me to this town and made meapply here, is all the community events I readabout,” he said. “Especially the Horribles Pa-rade, because Halloween is one of my and myfamily’s favorite things to participate in. We loveHalloween.”Grasso admits that even during something as

entertaining as Halloween night on the TownCommon, the safety-officer in him takes over, asit tends to do with everyone in the department.

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“We do have fun, but we haveto do our job to keep people safe,”he said. “I’m always thinkingabout the precautions we talkabout each year: walk in groups,use a battery-operated light, makesure your costumes are flame-re-tardant, and if you are wearing amask make sure your eye holesare cut big enough.”For Grasso, the Horribles Pa-

rade is a perfect example of whatmakes Sturbridge so appealing.“Sturbridge has that small,

hometown feel where peopleknow everybody, and there are alot of community activities,” saidGrasso, whose wife and three sonsmoved with him when he took thejob here. “When we started doingresearch and learning about theevents in town, like the HorriblesParade, it made us feel very com-fortable coming here.”“He would make his costume,

and proudly go down there,” shesaid. “One time he was a guy inthe shower. It was so hysterical.Really, really funny. He used ahula-hoop and a shower curtain.It was just fun.”The other year he won he

dressed as a gas grill.“We went down to the dump

and pulled buttons off an old gasgrill, and he used glow sticks, andit all looked like he was grilling hishead,” she said. Huettman said that for years, she

was amazed by his ingenuity — untilher son explained the real thoughtprocess behind the costume.“One day, years later, I said ‘re-

member you had that great ideafor that gas-grill costume?’ Andhe said ‘you know, I picked thatbecause when you asked me whatI was going to be for Halloween,we were sitting on the deck, andthe grill was the first thing I saw!’Meanwhile, I had had all thesegreat memories of how he was soclever.”The first year that Hunter-

Mason lived in the Preserve — 13years ago — only some of thehouses had been built. The neigh-bors who had already moved in,many of whom like Hunter-Mason had young children,started a tradition where everyone

got “spooked.”“Back then, the doorbell would

ring, and there would be three lit-tle gift-baggy type of things on mydoorstep, for my three kids,” shesaid. “You’d put a little ghost inyour window to show you hadgotten ‘spooked,’ and then it wasyour turn to spook someone else’shouse.”Hunter-Mason remembers the

first time a Preserve neighborwent above and beyond for Hal-loween.“It was a house across the street

from mine, and this lady lovedHalloween,” Hunter-Mason said.“She didn’t decorate until the dayitself, but the whole thing was to-tally decked out — big fuzzy spi-ders in her yard, the whole thing.She gave out the most amazingHalloween packages with king-size candy bars, pencils…it waslike a goody bag at a kids’ party.” The tradition continued as

more and more houses in theneighborhood were built andfilled. Then, Hunter-Mason no-ticed, people from outside theneighborhood started to show upfor trick-or-treating.“First it was other kids from

town that we recognized, so thatwas okay. But then a few yearsago, the whole town started com-ing,” she said, then stopped her-self and laughed. “Or so it feltlike. The doorbell was ringingfrom the minute it was 5 o’clockright up until 7 o’clock, whentrick-or-treating ends. Little tinykids all the way up to high-school-ers.”Hunter-Mason started out by

giving out chocolate bars, buteventually, had to scale down toless expensive treats.“I was buying them by the hun-

dreds,” she said. “When I got to500 pieces, I started buying thingslike Dum-dums.”Despite the volumes of trick-

or-treaters that literally fill thesidewalks and spill out onto thestreets, Halloween is always agreat night, Hunter-Mason said.“It’s pretty civil,” she said. “I’ve

never seen vandalism. I’ve neverknown of anyone to egg an housen

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By Elisa Krochmalnyckyj

Do you think it’s important that Sturbridge’srestaurants and stores be clean and sanitary?Are wetlands conservation and open-space

protection things you care about?Do you have an opinion on how new buildings

in town should be designed so they fit in with thetown’s character?Then the town has a position for you on one

of its boards or committees.There are volunteer boards and committees

that oversee town staff in each of these areas —the Board of Health, Conservation Committeeand Open Space Committee, and Design Re-view Committee — are all looking for residentsto apply for openings on those boards and com-mittees.“It’s a great way to have the community run

the way you think is best, and its a great way tolearn more about how the town works,” saidTown Administrator Leon Gaumond Jr. “Theonly way a town like ours will be successful is tohave volunteer work of citizens.”Virtually at any time, there are a half-dozen

or so of vacancies on the town’s 30-plus boardsand committees.“If you are at all interested in something, we

have boards and committees that cover that in-terest, that cover the gamut of work that needsto be done in a town,” he said. “Even if there is

no vacancy in a particular area right there,there are still plenty of ways to get involved.”Town Clerk Lynne Girouard said the best

way to find an area in which to have a hand isto look for something you really think is impor-tant.“Are you passionate about waterways in

town and want to keep them pristine?” shesaid. “Then join the Conservation Committee.If you love recreation and sports, then join theRecreation Committee.”Girouard suggests that anyone thinking

about joining a board or committee go to oneof its meetings to see what it’s like.“Sit in on a meeting,” she said. “Talk to the

people in the department at Town Hall. Lookat their schedule, and see how much time ittakes up, because some entail more than others.Some meet once a month, some meet two,three, four times a month.”Most importantly, she said, find a board or

committee that matters.“Find something that you care about,” she

said. “Make it something you feel passionatelyabout.”

Board of HealthThe Board of Health position that is vacant

is an elected one, but because one of the mem-bers left before the end of the elected term, areplacement will be appointed until the springtown election.That appointment will be made by a joint

committee of the Board of Selectmen and theremaining Board of Health members, who willinterview everyone who has asked to be consid-ered for the post.“Of all the positions, the Board of Health

one is probably the most critical,” Gaumondsaid.Town Clerk Lynne Girouard agreed.“The Board of Health is one of your most

influential boards,” she said. “The state hasrules, but the state is not going to come in andenforce them. That’s what our Board of Healthis for.”That board is charged with monitoring

everything that has to do with public health.“If someone comes in and complains that an

establishment is not very clean, the town willgo and inspect it,” she said. “Whether the towngives them three days to get it clean so we canreinspect, or shuts them down is up to the

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Board of Health.”While the Board of Health does

require some members to haveknowledge of public health, not allmembers need experience.“Members don’t all have to be a

doctor or anything,” she said. “A lotof members don’t have a lot of ex-pertise, but they go to conferencesand annual meetings to learn aboutit.”

Design ReviewThe Design Review Committee,

which has two positions available, isan advisory committee to the Plan-ning Board, and is perfect for some-one who thinks it is important thatthe design of new buildings in townfit in with existing buildings, Gau-mond said.“The Design Review Committee

gets to look at proposed plans firstto consider things like signs and de-sign features, so that the plans lookthe way the committee is used toseeing things in Sturbridge — so wedon’t look like a Las Vegas strip,” hesaid.Gaumond used the new CVS

store just built on Route 20 as anexample. “If you look at the CVS’s in

other towns, they look like bigsquare boxes,” he said. “Our De-sign Review Committee workedwith the Planning Department to

give us a different approach to whatour CVS might look like.”There are also vacancies on Stur-

bridge’s recently created AffordableHousing Committee. That commit-tee helps the town meet its require-ments for affordable houses — notjust the state’s requirement, butwhat’s required to keep Sturbridgefamilies able to stay in Sturbridge.“One of the sad facts of living in

Massachusetts is that in many com-munities it is unaffordable for ourchildren or our parents to live insame community we do,” Gau-mond said. “People’s children grad-uate from college and realize ‘oh, Ican’t live in Sturbridge anymore. Ihave to live in a new town.’ Or yourparents want to downsize theirhome, but what opportunities arethere to still live here?”The Affordable Housing Com-

mittee would be asked to seek outopportunities to increase the num-ber of affordable-housing units.“It could be a Habitat for Hu-

manity project, it could be seniorhousing, it could be that maybe thetown buys a foreclosed home, takespossession of it and sells it as an af-fordable unit — there are lots andlots of different opportunities to in-crease the number of affordableunits in a town,” Gaumond said,adding that there are unused funds

PAGE 18


r MUSINGS FROM LONG HILL s

BY RICHARD MORCHOE

THE DARKNESS CONTINUES

LEGALBRIEF

M O N T H L Y L E G A L A D V I C E

F O R R E A D E R S O F

T H E S T U R B R I D G E T I M E S M A G A Z I N E

STURBRIDGE ATTORNEY

ROBERT A. GEORGE, ESQ.

In the September 2017 issue of the Stur-bridge Times Magazine I wrote about thehorrendous killings of two dwarf goats. It wasdisturbing on many levels including the seem-ing ritual aspect that might portend greaterevildoing on the part of the perpetrator or per-petrators.It was hoped by now that the case would

have been solved, but that has not happened.With few clues, it was not unexpected.Since the last issue went out, something sin-

ister has happened on Long Hill Road. That,or your columnist has an imagination that isworking overtime.A lovely aspect of our rural idyll is that the

privacy we enjoy has allowed us to feel almostas if we lived in our own private country.Other than UPS or FedEx and invited guests,we are left alone.In mid-September that changed. We awoke

to find all our ducks missing without a trace.One might say that that often happens out inthe country and we have had our share oflosses to predators in the past, but this time, itwas impossible to explain.When we arrived in West Brookfield, it was

with delusions of homesteading. We have sincelearned a lot about what is feasible and whatmight not work. Not that we do not still makeoccasional mistakes.In keeping young poultry outside, the best

procedure we’ve learned is to use electric net-ting. With that, we have not lost a chick or

duckling or young turkey to any four-leggedcreature. We have to take measures againstflying predators, especially owls, but that is it.When I came out to feed and water the

ducks and saw them gone, the scene was dev-astating, and inexplicable. One end of thefence had been knocked down but there wereno feathers strewn about as one might expectwith some hunting animals.Having used the same method of fencing

for at least a decade and a half, all the dan-gerous animals that would love to make ameal of our birds, have never breached thebarrier.Even if something pushed the fence

down, leaving no trace is hard to fathom. Afox is fastidious and will take the whole bird,but they are solitary hunters and would notget several in an evening. They are also smalland would not be able to push down a sec-tion of fence the way it was found. Bears are often resident in the wildlife

management area across the street, andcould crash through and scoop up the oddduck. But electricity is known by beekeepersto deter our ursine friends. Our own bee-hives are not far from where the ducks werekept. We have electric fencing around them,and a bear adventurous enough to brave ashock would prefer honey to fowl. Raccoons, weasels, fisher cats and other

small critters would love to sink their teethinto any of our little feathered friends, but

There’s nothing fair about child support.If you’re paying, you’re paying too

much. If you’re receiving, you’re receivingtoo little. But that doesn’t stop the Com-monwealth from trying, every few years, tomake if fairer.It wasn’t too long ago they revamped the

guidelines to make what lawmakers consid-ered to be a more equitable formula for de-termining who pays how much. Nowthey’ve made two new changes.The first takes into account the age of the

child who’s being supported. Most childsupport orders don’t stop until the “child” isan adult-aged 23 years old. This didn’t seemfair to lawmakers who figured that olderchildren who are away at college and oftenearning their own spending money cost lessthan younger children who are poopingthrough diapers, wearing down soccer uni-forms and burning through calories of foodas they grow up.The new guidelines can lower child sup-

port payments once the child turns 18.The new guidelines also attempt to cor-

rect for the cost of health insurance. Oftenthere is one parent who is ordered by thecourt to keep the children on his health in-surance policy from work.Under the old calculus, there was no con-

sideration given for the health insurancepayments. Now the courts give a credit towhichever parent is paying that bill, so thatif you’re getting child support and payinghealth insurance, you’ll get a little more. Or,if you’re paying child support and payinghealth insurance, then you’ll pay a little less.This seems fair. Doesn’t it?Well, probably not you’re the mother of

an 18-year-old child who gets child supportfrom dad, who, incidentally, also pays for thefamily’s medical insurance.

CHILD SUPPORT


have never challenged our enclosure. Before wewent over to our current system, they werehappy to make a meal now and again at our ex-pense, but that was then. One could picture a deer running through,

but if it had knocked the netting down, it wouldhave continued to run and would have takenout the other end. Again, as this has never hap-pened in the past, it is unlikely now.Officer James Early came up to investigate.

He spoke to me as well as the neighbors. It was,of course, doubtful there would be much hecould find out. One neighbor thought he mighthave seen a duck on his land. Others down theroad have lost cats to what they believe werecoyotes. Officer Early suggested it was probablypredator animals. Certainly, if one were toapply Occam’s Razor, that would be the mostlogical conclusion, with all the furry little guyswith sharp claws or fangs roaming about LongHill.However, you can probably see where we are

going with this. Yes, the area is teeming withhungry creatures, but why was one able to suc-ceed now when for maybe fifteen years therehas been no successful attempt to take our smalllivestock?Your columnist is almost embarrassed to sug-

gest the possibility of a human as the culprit.Heck, I am embarrassed, but there is no way toexplain it. Only a two-legged malefactor wouldbe able to drop the fence, herd the ducks to theother end and collect them in a transport crate

and move off without a trace.Of course, this begs a few questions as to

who would do this. One cannot see the ducksfrom the road and our next-door neighbors arenot the type to be a party to anything like this.Then again, up on Ridge Road the goats werenot visible from the street.Over 40 years ago when I was misspending

my youth in the Boston cab business, we had asaying, “paranoia is a higher state of conscious-ness.” It was a job not without some danger.Since then, I’ve never had the feeling thatmalevolent actors were close. The probabilityis that I am overlooking something, but myfence had been heretofore a little Fort Knoxand the electricity was on and functioning. Cue the Twilight Zone theme music. n

“Officer James Earlycame up to investigate.He spoke to me as well asthe neighbors. It was, ofcourse, doutful therewould be much he couldfind out.”


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FROM PAGE 15 have a vacancy, as they have somebasic knowledge of the commis-sion,” he said.The timing on filling the vacancy

on the Open-Space Committee isimportant, which has one vacancy,because the town is scheduled toupdate its open-space plan this year.“People interested in open space

and recreational spaces might beinterested in serving,” he said. “It isa great opportunity to work with agood group of people to set forthwhat they think Sturbridge shouldhave in its future.”

Boards and CommitteesThe town’s appointed commit-

tees include: • Agricultural Commission• Betterment Committee• Cable Advisory Committee,

available for such uses.

Conservation, Open-SpaceThe two open positions on theConservation Commission are newones, as they are alternate positions,meaning those members would notbe called on to vote unless anotherregular member couldn’t vote. “If one of the regular members

weren’t able to attend, or if therewere a conflict of interest and aregular member couldn’t vote, thenan alternate member would becalled up and sit in on the discus-sion,” Gaumond said.That position provides a perfect

way for people to learn about theConservation Commission, he said.“The alternates give us a pool of

people to pull from if and when we

• Charter Review Committee• Conservation Committee• Council on Aging• Community Development Advisory Committee, • Design Review Committee• Finance Committee• Historical Commission• Insurance Study Committee• Master Plan Implementation• Open-Space Committee, • Personnel Committee• Planning Board• Special Events Committee• Sturbridge Cultural Council• Lakes Advisory Committee• Sturbridge Tourist Association• Trails Committee.

Boards and Committeesthat comprise electedpositions:• Board of Assessors, • Board of Health• Board of Selectmen• Library Board of Trustees• Sturbridge School Committee• Tantasqua Regional SchoolCommittee.The Zoning Board of Appeals

comprises five elected membersand two appointed members.Anyone interested in serving on

any of these can contact Gaumondat 508-347-2500..

Getting involved in running Sturbridge HarringtonHealthcareFlu Clinicscontinue intoOctoberHarrington HealthCare System’sPreventive Health Department isscheduling flu vaccine clinics incollaboration with HarringtonHospital, the Massachusetts De-partment of Public Health andyour local Board of Health. Thereis no charge for the flu vaccineand no co-payment, but insuranceinformation must be presented,including Medicare information ifyou have it. You must be age 18 orolder to participate.

Tuesday, October 3, 201710 am – 11:30 pm, Harrington UrgentCare Express,78 Sutton Avenue, Oxford1 pm – 2:30 pm, Harrington UrgentCare Express,10 North Main Street, Charlton

Thursday, October 5, 20171 pm – 2 pm, Wales Senior Cen-ter, 85 Main Street, Wales

Tuesday, October 17, 201710:30 am – 11:30 am, Dudley Senior Center, 71 WestMain Street, Dudley1 pm – 2 pm, Joshua Place, 22Joshua Place, Dudley


PETQ&AWITH KATHY MENARD

Q. How do I get my dog to stop scratchingthe door to come in or go out of the house?

A. Stop opening the door for him when hedoes it. Instead, teach him to sit before youwill open the door. As you reach for the doorhandle if he gets up pull your hand awayfrom the door knob and tell him to sit. Reachfor the knob again and when he gets up pullyour hand away again. Within 5 or 6 timesof pulling your hand away he should stay sit-ting so you can actually open the door.

Q.My dog has started charging people whocome into my home and has actually bittenone person. How do I fix this?

A. First off, you need to prevent your dogfrom biting anyone. Do not allow anyone tocome into your home without your being ableto put the dog on a leash or in a crate or otherroom with the door closed first. The dog canonly bite someone if you allow it, so pleaseprevent it. The next thing you need to do isget professional help from someone who spe-cializes in aggression. This behavior will con-tinue to escalate until you do.

Q. I was feeding my border collie a reallygood dog food but recently switched to a foodI thought was even better, but she is blowing

Scratching the door, shedding coat

her coat now. Should I go back to the otherfood?

A.Most dogs blow their coat twice a year so itis possible this has nothing to do with the foodchange (coming into heat and/or being spayedcan also trigger it). However switching foodsoften triggers them to blow their coat so it ispossibly the food change. I would leave her onthe new food and see what her coat is like whenit comes in. If it is equally as good as before, I

would leave it. If it comes in and does not lookas good then consider changing back to theother food.

Kathy Menard has been a dog trainer for over 35years and is certified through the CertificationCouncil for Professional Dog Trainers. She hastrained under three world-renowned Schutzhundtrainers for 14 years and has competed in theAmerican Kennel Club and the sport ofSchutzhund, earning over 15 titles. Kathy is theowner of Compatible Canine in Fiskdale, MA.


STURBRIDGE

ROASTERS

YARDWORKSBy Tom Chamberland, ISATom Chamberland is the Tree Warden for the Town of Sturbridge and a Certified Arborist

Caring for what grows in your yard

October: Fall flowering shrubs and flowersIs the only fall color in your yard from the leaves of

trees? Or a pumpkin? Does your landscaping tend to looktired when August and September roll around? Thenmaybe it's time to consider growing some late summer/fallflowering shrubs and perennial flowers. The selectionsbelow begin blooming in late summer but have good stayingpower, continuing to blossom well into October. Here are4 great selections to have that provide several color choices.I have all four growing in my yard!

Two Perennial Flowers:Asters are daisy-like perennials with starry-

shaped flower heads. They bring delightful colorto the garden in late summer and autumn whenmany of your other summer blooms may be fad-ing. The plant's height ranges from 8 inches to 8feet, depending on the type. You can find astersthat come in many assorted colors, at gardencenters in the late summer and fall. This plantcan be used in many places, such as in borders,rock gardens, or wildflower gardens. Asters alsoattract butterflies to your garden! Asters prefercool night temperatures but need full to partialsun. Give them plenty of water at planting. Addmulch after planting to keep soil cool and preventweeds. Stake the tall varieties to keep them up-right and remember to pinch the young shootsto encourage bushiness. Cut asters back in win-ter after the foliage has died. And as an addedbonus, because they will spread, you can divideevery 2 to 3 years in the spring to maintain yourplant’s vigor and flower quality and share them

with your neighbors.Sedums: are a perennial plant with thick, suc-

culent leaves, fleshy stems, and clusters of star-shaped flowers. There are many varieties andcolors of sedum plants, which makes them suit-able for almost all types of garden designs. Uselow–growing sedum varieties as ground coversand in rock gardens, and taller varieties for backborders. Sedums are hardy, easy to care for, andmake great cut flowers, too. Plant sedums inearly spring in well-drained, average to rich soil.Low-growing and vigorous species will toleratepartial shade, but most sedums do best in full sun.Once established, sedum plants require littlecare. Check your plants regularly to make surethey are not too dry and water when needed.After flowering, cut back the plants to maintaintheir shape or contain them in one area. Andjust like Asters, you can divide your plants in thespring or fall to control their spread. Throughoutthe summer, divisions and cuttings root readily.

Two Shrubs: Witch Hazel: is a large deciduous shrub with

colorful, fragrant flowers during the late fall thatcan be grown best in full sun where the flowersglow like fiery embers in the backlight of the lowwinter sun. They prefer well-amended soil andregular water and are tolerant of acid or alkalineconditions. Once established, witch hazels arevirtually maintenance-free and resistant to mostpests and diseases. While most varieties reach 10-

20 feet high and wide at maturity, witch hazelscan be kept smaller with pruning once they arefinished blooming. Prune before summer so thatthe following year’s buds can develop. Suckeringtwigs that form around the base should be re-moved. Once new flower buds appear, branchescan be cut and forced to bloom inside. Our na-tive American Which Hazel, (Hamamelis vir-giniana) is commonly found in wooded areasfrom Canada to Georgia. Clusters of citrus-scented petals appear in late fall before the leaveshave dropped. Known for its medicinal proper-ties, the bark extract is used as a time-honoredremedy for a variety of skin and other bodily ail-ments. Witch hazel is not deer resistant; however,they are seldom severely damaged. In otherwords, they aren’t a deer’s favorite food, but theywill eat them on occasion.

Rose of Sharon:Despite its name, the decid-uous flowering shrub we call rose of Sharon isn’ta rose at all. Native to Asia and India, this plantwith exotic-looking blooms is actually a hibiscus(Hibiscus syriacus), a member of the mallowfamily. Rose of Sharon is mentioned in the OldTestament, although scholars think that the ref-erence, which appears in the Song of Solomon,is a mistranslation of a Hebrew word for crocus.Rose of Sharon, is lovely, the large single or

doubled flowers are often wavy-looking, givingthe impression that they’re made of crepe paper.They open in late summer to fall, when few other

NEXT PAGE


It’s not just about fitness; it’s about wellness

HEALTH&FITNESSBy Julie GerrishPERSONAL TRAINERJULIE GERRISH FITNESS, STURBRIDGE

sturbridge’s fitness expert

Buy�One�DinnerGet�the�Second�Free

at�Publick�House�

It is a question that popped into myhead the other day: Define theword FITNESS. The dictionary de-fines it as, “the condition of beingphysically fit and healthy,” and, “thequality of being suitable to fulfill aparticular role or task,” and I thinkthose two definitions do a good jobof defining the word, but I wonderwhat it means to you, and if youwould describe yourself as being“fit?”For me, fitness means being physi-

cally and mentally well, and beingable to do the things I want to do. Iwant to feel good, look good andthink good thoughts. I want to beable to teach a challenging HIIT

class and complete all the obstaclesin a Spartan race without being inpain after. I asked my 21 year-olddaughter what fitness means to herand she said, “Total well being.” Oneof my clients, 54 and a writer in NewYork City, defines it as, “feelingstrong; feeling like I can do whateverlife throws at me and enjoy it.” I re-alized as I was writing this article thatit’s not just about fitness, it’s aboutwellness.There is a definite trend toward

wellness in America, and companiesare taking notice. Weight Watchershas changed it’s marketing, saying onits website that it focuses on “yourwhole self, not just your weight,” and

shrubs are in bloom. Depending onthe variety, the flowers may be violet,blue, pink, red, lavender, purple orwhite, and they often have a dark“eye” in the center. Hardy to USDAzones 5 to 8, rose of Sharon is an easy-to-grow, undemanding plant, happyin full sun to part shade. It prefersmoist, well-drained soil but is tolerantof many growing conditions, includ-ing periods of drought and exposureto pollution, which makes it excellentfor suburban gardens. Few pests dam-age the plants, with the exception ofJapanese beetles.Rose of Sharon can be planted in

spring or fall; the plants tend to leafout somewhat late in springtime, sodon’t be alarmed if yours gets off to aslow start in the growing season.Prune in late winter or very earlyspring, if you want to control the sizeof your plants. Cutting back to two orthree buds per branch will help en-courage larger flowers. I simply letmine grow naturally. Just don’t prune

in the summer since rose of Sharonblooms on the current season’s wood(new wood), you’ll be removing yourflowers.Rose of Sharon attracts butterflies

and hummingbirds. They make agreat hedge or living fence, or usethem as a backdrop for shorter shrubsand flowers. Spacing depends on thesize they are expected to reach at ma-turity, so read the tags or labels. Roseof Sharon also makes an excellentlow-maintenance potted plant.Our yards can and should, provide

year around interest, and although inthe fall we may get caught up in fallleaves and bright orange pumpkins,there are many other ways to havesome fall flowers and their colors inour yards. n

Tom Chamberland is the Tree Warden forthe Town of Sturbridge and a Certified Ar-borist. He enjoys caring for plants that growin his yard and welcomes reader suggestionsfor future articles. Email him at: [email protected]

it helps you “score benefits that gobeyond seeing a smaller number onthe scale.” An August online articleby Self Magazine (“The Big, Boom-ing Business of Wellness,” 8/4/17)cited recent statistics from the GlobalWellness Institute, a non-profit re-search and educational resource forthe wellness industry, that the U.S.spends the most money on wellnessin the world. All this focus on well-ness translates into a wealth of infor-mation to sift through, whether it beonline, in the news, or on television.I use many different sources for myhealth and wellness information,from social media sites like Instagramand Facebook to online blogs.

Some of my favorite online sites:wellandgood.com, mindbodygreen.com, deliciouslyella.com, and goop.com. These sites run the wellnessgamut from workouts to recipes tofitness fashion and more. Some ofmy favorite Instagram gurus are@harleypasternak, @sweatlife_nyc,and @bodybyboyle. As a fitness professional, I am but

a piece of the wellness puzzle. Inyour quest to achieve wellness, trynew things, talk to friends aboutwhat they’re doing, and check outinformation online and in your areaabout all of the available opportu-nities we have to reach our best self.

Sturbridge YardFROM PREVIOUS PAGE


Sturbridge Times Readers’ Choice Best of Greater Sturbridge Awards

OFFICIAL BALLOT RESULTS PUBLISHED IN OUR FEBRUARY ISSUE

FOOD AND DRINKS

General Excellence ______________ in ______________New Restaurant ______________ in ______________Breakfast ______________ in ______________American Style ______________ in ______________Comfort Food ______________ in ______________Fast Food ______________ in ______________Italian Food ______________ in ______________Asian ______________ in ______________Vegetarian Options ______________ in ______________Vegan Friendly ______________ in ______________Steak ______________ in ______________Budget Restaurant ______________ in ______________Gourmet ______________ in ______________Bakery ______________ in ______________Seafood Restaurant ______________ in ______________Fish Market ______________ in ______________Wine & Cheese ______________ in ______________Bar Menu ______________ in ______________Small/Quick Market ______________ in ______________Pizza ______________ in ______________Cocktail ______________ in ______________Appetizers/Tapas ______________ in ______________Cup of Coffee ______________ in ______________Healthy Food ______________ in ______________Soup ‘n Sandwich ______________ in ______________Farmers’ Market ______________ in ______________Delicatessen ______________ in ______________Ice Cream ______________ in ______________Dessert ______________ in ______________

ENTERTAINMENT Family Entertainment ______________ in ______________Indoor Sports ______________ in ______________Late-Night Dining ______________ in ______________Live Theatre ______________ in ______________Neighborhood Bar ______________ in ______________Gathering Place ______________ in ______________Golf Course ______________ in ______________

SHOPPING Clothing, Women’s ______________ in ______________Clothing, Children’s ______________ in ______________Clothing, Consignment ______________ in ______________Clothing, Work Clothes ______________ in ______________Antiques/Collectibles ______________ in ______________

Criteria: We are looking for the best service, quality, consistent reliability in every category within the followingcommunities: Sturbridge, Fiskdale, Auburn, Brimfield, Brookfield, Charlton, Dudley, East Brookfield, Holland,Leicester, North Brookfield, Oxford, Palmer, Southbridge, Spencer, West Brookfield, Wales, Warren. Businessesoutside these communities are not eligible. List name of business/person and location you are selecting.

One vote allowed per person/family. Xeroxes are accepted this year.BALLOTS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY DECEMBER 1, 2017.Mail your ballot to:Sturbridge Times Readers’ ChoiceP.O. Box 200, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675

Unless indicated by an asterisk * -- all businesses

must be locally-owned(NO CHAINS!)

VOTE LOCAL!


Insurance coverage that stands out from the rest of the crowd.At McGrath Insurance we believe the things that matter most to you deserve superior protection: your business, your family, your employees, your home, your car, and more.

Our team of experts will develop a custom insurance plan to meet your unique needs and budget, giving you Freedom from Worry® to enjoy all of life’s adventures.

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Primitives Shop ______________ in ______________Place to Buy Art ______________ in ______________Sporting Goods ______________ in ______________Gifts ______________ in ______________Jewelry ______________ in ______________Artisan Jewelry ______________ in ______________Furniture ______________ in ______________Greenhouse ______________ in ______________Lawn & Garden ______________ in ______________Recreational Equipment ______________ in ______________

SERVICESAesthetic spa ______________ in ______________Dental / Orthodontist ______________ in ______________Personal Trainer ______________ in ______________*Gym ______________ in ______________Yoga ______________ in ______________Pet Trainer ______________ in ______________Pet Store ______________ in ______________Pet Groomer ______________ in ______________Pet Boarding ______________ in ______________Hair Salon / Barber ______________ in ______________Manicure/Pedicure ______________ in ______________Boat/Marine Service ______________ in ______________* Financial Advisor ______________ in ______________* Bank/Credit Union ______________ in ______________Insurance Agency ______________ in ______________Auto Dealership ______________ in ______________

Law Office ______________ in ______________Accountant ______________ in ______________Interior Designer ______________ in ______________Auto Mechanic ______________ in ______________Landscapers ______________ in ______________Fine Cabinetry ______________ in ______________Fix-It Person ______________ in ______________Plumber ______________ in ______________Electrician ______________ in ______________Veterinarian ______________ in ______________Painting Contractor ______________ in ______________

YOUR INFORMATIONName__________________________________________________Address____________________________Town_________________Phone_______________________Email________________________

* To recognize outstanding service in professional categories where we relyon expert guidance, categories designated with an asterisk are allowable fornational chain entries.

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IF YOU ARE ONLY VOTING FOR CATEGORIES ON PAGE 1You can write the above identifying information on a piece of paper and sta-ple it to the page, or if you’re xeroxing, write it on the back.


Stonework | Outdoor Living Spaces | Trees & Plantings | Landscape Maintenance | Lawns

Green Boys Landscapes Inc. | 774.230.2940 | www.greenboyslandscapes.com

Our Hardscape division is scheduling projects for this winter & Spring 2017.

Call now to start planning and designing your custom out-door living space!

We travel throughout New England! Interior Masonry Pro-jects too!(fireplaces, kitchen island veneers etc…)

FALL CLEANUPS & LEAF REMOVAL **WE SELL OUT EVERY YEAR SO DON’T WAIT! CALL NOW TO GET AN ESTIMATE**

Prices start at $160.

Fall Cleanups include:

Cleaning Leaves & Debris from all turf areas, landscape beds,

pool areas, patios, deck & driveways Cutting back perennial flowers and removing annuals

Lawn Mowing Removal of leaves and debris from site

ALSO AVAILABLE IS OUR YOU RAKE EM’ WE TAKE EM’ SERVICE (call for details) You Rake Em’ We Take Em’ requires you to get your leaves within 10’ of the road and driveway. This services is billed per hour on site.

Prices are based on property size and time needed to perform services. $160 is the minimum. For Fall Cleanups.

Documents

STURBRIDGE TIMESsturbridgetimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ST-1017W.pdf · H E C RO NICL F S TUB GY LV THE STURBRID GET IMES MAGAZINE 3 STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE THE THE STURBRIDGE