INK MAGAZINE - OCTOBER 2020

A guide to finer living in Connecticut & abroad OCTOBER 2020

Vol 15 Issue 176 inkct.com

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Our experts have direct access to the world’s leading medical knowledge and clinical trials.

Because we’re Connecticut’s connection to the prestigious Mayo Clinic Care Network.

MiddlesexHealth.org/Mayo

October 2020

Vol. 15 Issue 176

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Feature Stories

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Departments

PIECES, Old Saybrook

“These are the Things That Speak to Me”

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Six Summit Gallery

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Soon-to-Be Art Hub of New England

Hartford’s Park River A Subterranean Kayak Trip

Eastern Connecticut Paranormal Society Things That Go Bump in the Night

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Ask Ashley - Finding “Pockets of Joy”

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Hopping Around CT - CT Valley Brewing Co.

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Crusty Old Diver - Catching Up with Friends

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Life on Sugar - Spooky Sweet

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Music Mirth and Mojo - Blue Star Hemp

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A few days ago after placing my order I was waiting in line at the drive thru to get a coffee. It was a hum-drum type of affair. We all know the drill. After clearing the deck of the five cars that were ahead of me it was finally time to get my hands on the object of my current affection. After handing me my order and as I reached for my wallet, the women in the window says “don’t worry about it, the person in the car ahead of you already paid so your all good.” I was kinda shook. It took me what must have been a long fifteen seconds to compute what she had just said. I then smiled, thanked her, and drove off. It’s amazing how this seemingly small act of generosity affected my day. A total stranger, a good neighbor had struck a chord with me. It’s been a very tough year for us as a collective. People are afraid, they’ve lost jobs, and they’ve lost loved ones. We are all being pushed, pulled, and divided into teams. I have since paid for the persons coffee in the car behind me in the drive thru. Give it a try sometime, the value of a smile these days is at a premium. Pass it on.

Jeffery Lilly founder / publisher

Contributors 46

Are There Angels Among Us?

Stories of Guardian Angels.

Ashley Alt - ask ashley Susan Cornell - editorial/photography Caryn B. Davis - editorial/photography Alison Kaufman - music mirth & mojo Heather Kelly - life on sugar Jim Lalumiere - hopping around ct Art LiPuma - on the vine Rona Mann - editorial

Carolina Marquez-Sterling - design Melissa Nardiello - design Paul Partica - the cheesemonger Vincent Scarano - photography John Tolmie - crusty old diver Kate Tolmie - photography Jan Tormay - editorial Joe Urso - design

Advertising

Contact us to receive our media kit with detailed advertising information.

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A Tail of Two Cities Arrow & Nico

Jeffery Lilly - Publisher 860.581.0026 Bob Houde - Advertising Director bob@inkct.com 860.303.6690

Rona Mann - Greater Connecticut six07co@att.net - 401-539-7762

Cheryl Powell - Greater Connecticut cheryl@ink-pub.com - 860.608.5749

Richard Malinsky - Shoreline richard@inkct.com - 215.704.9273

John Tolmie - Eastern Connecticut john@inkct - 860.460.0005

On the Cover: Ferry Park in Rocky Hill By Kyle Lee

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All content of INK Publications including but not limited to text, photos, graphics and layout are copyrighted by Inkct LLC. Reproductions without the permission of the publisher are prohibited. Inkct LLC is not responsible for images or graphics submitted for editorial or by advertisers which are not copyrighted or released for use in this publication.

Inkct LLC - 71 Maple Avenue, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 - email: submissions@ink-pub.com - visit www.inkct.com

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BE ORIGINAL Original Art | Original Gifts | Original Lifestyle

Everything here is made by LOCAL artists and artisans.

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“These are the Things That Speak to Me”

Visit PIECES and Turn Around!

by Rona Mann / Photos by Jeffery Lilly

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he first thing you’ll notice when you enter Pieces, the wonderful gift and home adornment store in downtown Old Saybrook is… ...well, we can’t say what would be the first thing you’d notice, because it might be a painting, or delicate colorful glass birds or perhaps bar glasses or vintage reproduction furniture, or maybe it’s“Finlay,”the sweet, gentle sixyear-old Wheaten Terrier who clearly enjoys holding court daily in this wonderful shop.

than an “owner,” won’t ever assume she knows exactly what will catch your eye the first time.

But once you become a frequent visitor to Pieces, and you will indeed be drawn back again and again, she will get to know you personally, so that she can shop for you and bring back the exquisite, the whimsical, the unique, and “the things that speak to me” from all parts of New England (and beyond) just for you.

Everything about Pieces is unusual, including the opening of Fact is, Pieces is an emporium the store! How many folks and a testament to good taste opened a brand new business Finlay with objects carefully and persmack in the middle of a Pansonally chosen for both you and your home; demic and have absolutely no regrets? Sounds and let’s face it, everyone’s taste is different. preposterous to some, but to Jen Holdsworth That’s why Jen Holdsworth, who considers and her husband, Bob, it made perfect sense. herself a curator of fine and fun things rather They owned a very successful, but stressful

Owner, Jen Holdsworth

medical billing business in Connecticut for more than 20 years. In 2017 they decided to sell a portion of it, and Jen chose to refinish and repurpose vintage furniture; and more importantly, “spend time with my boys before they went off to college.” When she speaks of her “boys,”Holdsworth fairly lights up, so filled with love and pride is she of her 18-year-old twins.

Both are now college students, having had that

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like Pieces,”and no mere Pandemic nor anything else would keep her from the realization of that dream.

unfortunate last high school year and “strange” graduation that befell every high school senior in America this year. “But they handled it very well,” Jen adds. “I was proud of them. She was also proud of the fact that both young men were EMTs for Groton Emergency and have chosen different, but rewarding careers. “My

one son wants medicine and eventually aspires to be an ER doctor, while my other son has always wanted to go to school in Washington, DC, and perhaps go into politics.” She shudders, then laughs.

When the boys were finishing up their senior year, Holdsworth was finishing up the dream she had had for many years, preparing to birth it into reality.“I had always wanted to have a shop, a gallery of beautiful things. I had always wanted to get to personally know the artists who created them. I had always envisioned a place

Jen Holdsworth laughs easily and is very forthright when she meets you. She is delightful, warm, down-to-earth, and holds nothing back...especially when it comes to the artisans whose work she proudly displays. Pieces is open five days a week (hours and contact information may be found on their website).

But it’s on those two days off per week that Jen thinks nothing of getting in the car and driving hundreds of miles to visit a new artist, find others, and bring back custom-designed pieces for her clients. Because the tastes of customers are so varied, so are the “pieces” you’ll find at Pieces.You simply cannot call what you see here “merchandise,” because this is not a store stocked chockablock with inventory. Here is art and artisan work carefully created, lovingly culled, and “placed” rather than “displayed” to give you ideas, to peak your curiosity, to get you motivated and inspired, decorating your own space or choosing a gift for a friend or loved one.

11 made dog collars and leashes; and if you brought your furry love along with you, there’s a cache of dog biscuits by the front door for salivation and gustation outside while you’re busy inside.

Pieces. It’s not a“gift shop,”but you can certainly find one-of-a-kind hostess gifts, wedding gifts, or any occasion gifts within its doors. It’s not a local souvenir place, but you can certainly find 06475 making its mark distinctively within these walls. It’s probably, well, you decide. With each item you get a piece of Holdsworth’s mind, a story or two from the smiling curator, which makes you owning this piece all the more special, since Holdsworth can tell you the name, the location of the artisan, and even how it’s made, adding yet another whole other dimension to owning these wonderful things or gifting them.

Few stones have been unturned. There are beautifully photographed note cards on one table, then turn around! A complete baby area with delightful and not-the-usual handmade stuffed animals, books, and gurgling whimsy will coyly grab your attention.

Turn around! Finlay is begging - not for a treat - but for your attention to show you the well-

Turn around yet again and see the jewelry displayed, handcrafted, each piece unique. Put on those earrings and get ready to entertain with solid granite cheese boards from the Granite State of New Hampshire, all in different sizes, and they swivel! There’s plenty of fun barware to accompany the cheese too: heavy glass bar glasses and On the Rocks, a solid granite alternative to chilling your favorite beverage without ice cubes.

Love things fashioned of hardwood? Well, turn around and see what a Nebraska artisan named Baldwin has brought to the party at Pieces with magnificent hand-crafted wooden toys featuring both movable and removable parts. Look again at the colorful Vitriesse hand blown glasses and ornaments, the handwoven baskets, the antique-appearing apothecary chest and roll-up desk, Caskata pottery, wooden bowls from Vermont. Yes, Jen Holdsworth has put a lot of miles on her car going to meet these artisans so that she could carefully choose your pieces for her Pieces.

Make it a point to visit Pieces the next time you’re in downtown Old Saybrook, or don’t wait till then. Make it your own special journey...you deserve Pieces for yourself, for those you love, for your home.

Enter, and see what your eye catches first. Take a look, then look again. Then turn around and find this, or look across the space and find that. Or maybe as you’re bending down to pet Finlay, you’ll spy yet another “treasure.”This is the joy of Pieces.

Every time your turn around, there’s something else.

Go take a look, turn around!

Pieces is at 188 Main Street, right where on lively, vibrant Main Street in Old Saybrook. www.PiecesHomeDecor.com (860) 339-3108

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Ask Ashley

10 Ways Endure and Thrive in a Pandemic Creating “Pockets of Joy” in Your Everyday Life

What are Pockets of Joy? Van Ness (Queer Eye’s spunky grooming J onathan expert) looks for them everywhere he goes. He is

famously quoted for saying “You have to create little pockets of joy in your life to take care of yourself.”

Pockets of Joy is also a book by Roxane Battle, to which she refers to them as “Those fleeting moments when you feel like everything is going to be okay.”

In light of the pandemic (8 months in now), and the quickly approaching presidential election, I am providing a mindful reminder that not only are we allowed to find joy in trying times, it is vital we do so.

Here are 10 ways to find joy during the pandemic 1. Brighten your space. Bringing color into your life, by painting your office, adding colorful pillows in your living room, or drinking out of a bright orange co昀ee mug are small ways to boost your mood when you need it.

2. Play dress up. It is amazing what a little lipstick or a new pair of shoes can do for your confidence. Repurposing your outfits can feel just as good as getting something new, so don’t think

you need to splurge for this to work. Break out that hat or belt that’s been collecting dust in your closet. Try a new makeup look or hairstyle for the fun of it. These small but purposeful things play a great deal in your energy levels.

3. Bring Paris to you. Or Mexico or Japan. Since traveling is somewhat o昀 the table right now, why not create a cultural theme in your home? Cook a French or Asian dish with music and wine to match. And, it doesn’t have to be elaborate. The point is to do something new that brings you joy, not stresses you out.

4. Host a wine tasting. While this probably won’t be an everyday thing, it could be a weekly or monthly thing. Get your quarantine bubble together for some wine and cheese. You can support local shops in the process, and it’s a great way to break up the mundanity of the work/school weeks. Not into wine? Start a book club, host a creative workshop, or have a bake-o昀 for some friendly competition.

5. Schedule friend dates. These can be in person over co昀ee, or virtually (also over co昀ee). I have been doing this with a few of my girlfriends since the beginning of quarantine, and it is such a nice way to keep each other accountable while sustaining our friendships. Remember that staying connected (not via social media) is crucial to our mental and physical health.

photo by Kelsey Chance

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photo by Anthony Tran

6. Make someone smile. The barista, a waitress, the mailman, anyone you come across in your daily life. While you’re standing in line for coffee or waiting for your Zoom call to start, take a minute to recognize that you have a lot to be grateful for, and let that gratitude shine by making someone else feel good.

Compliment your neighbor, smile at the bus driver, and thank your coworker. These little things go a long way.

7. Be nice to yourself. Recite self-mantras each morning, like “I deserve happiness” or “Today is going to be a great day.” Remind yourself that sweating the small stu昀 is not productive. Being kind to yourself allows you to be kind to others. It’s a practice, but one well worth the e昀ort.

8. Organize something. While this might not sound fun, choosing one thing to clean out (like the kitchen pantry or hall closet) is so much more attainable than telling yourself you will clean everything. It’s true what they say. A clean home is a happy home. And an organized home leads to an organized mind.

Progress, not perfection, here.

9. Switch up your self-care. By now, self-care has become fully integrated in our lives. We prioritize it like we prioritize eating and working out. If your self-care habits typically consist of reading a good book and taking a bubble bath, try something else. Like taking a dance class or learning a new language. In sum? Be intentional with your “me time.”

10. Don’t forget to laugh. I always say that if a day goes by without me laughing, I messed up. We have to grant ourselves

permission to be silly and let loose. The rigidity of daily routines and pressures from work are things we all deal with. What matters is how we deal with them. Watch a funny movie, play a funny game, or just be goofy with your partner or kids. Oftentimes laughter really is life’s best medicine.

The key is to keep these things simple, as they are meant to be found (and practiced) in your everyday life.

Find things that make you happy, and do them every day.

So you see, Pockets of Joy can be whatever you say they are. And keep in mind they can be found anywhere -in your career, your marriage, parenthood, and beyond.

If you’re into improving your mental health, keep up with my Happiness Habits newsletter at ashleyalt.substack.com.

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Seven Artists To Watch

Kathy Anderson, Kelly Birkenruth Grace DeVito, Susan Jositas, Anne McGrory Deborah Quinn-Munson Jeanne Rosier Smith October 2 - November 7, 2020

Anne McGrory, Chickadee Pair Pastel/Gold leaf, 12 x 7”

Kathy Anderson, Peonies and Red Roses Oil, 12 x 16”

Kelly Birkenruth, Laughing Glass, Oil, 11 x 14”

Susan Powell Fine Art 679 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT 203 . 318 . 0616 www.susanpowellfineart.com Jeanne Rosier Smith, Morning Shimmer, Pastel, 17 x 40”

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The Impresario of Westbrook

Soon-to-Be Art Hub of New England: Six Summit Gallery

By RONA MANN Photos J. Lilly

You could call Leo Feroleto a lot of things.

Artist. Curator. Music Producer. Film Producer. Wall Street Type. Stager. Gallery Owner, and someone absolutely tickled by folks of all types and all stripes who “entertain” him.

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100 million people go through Port Authority each year, 300,000 a day. It’s the busiest bus station in the world and the last bastion of old New York, so why shouldn’t I put art there?”

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irst and foremost, Leo Feroleto is a local guy, a Westbrook native. Although he works nationwide, he was born and brought up right here on the shoreline and therefore is positively delighted to have recently opened his Six Summit Gallery and Grand Art Salon in the Westbrook Outlets.

That’s right, those Westbrook Outlets, home to clothing stores and sneaker outlets and gift emporiums and furniture and now home to a wonderful gallery and arts center, soon to be the art hub of New England...that is, if Leo has anything to say about it!

“We were advised by many not to open a gallery in a shopping center,” Feroleto says, with a naughty smirk because as soon as enough people advised against it, he decided it was indeed time to do it. “We view it as a structure that is very easy to get to as it’s right off a major highway.

It’s a place that protects both the people and the art from the elements and is located next to similar structures with diverse objectives.”

This is what delights and powers Feroleto...being different, swimming against the tide, and in the process, making his own wonderful waves.

It’s what worked for him for the last ten years at Six Summit Gallery in Ivoryton, what’s worked for him as he opened gallery spaces in Miami,

Los Angeles, and New York, and what continues to work as he catapults forward through a life in the arts, never looking back, but standing out as he forges his own path his own way.

How about a gallery – or two – or three in a bus station? Yes, Feroleto’s done that as well and wildly successfully as he has three separate spaces in Manhattan’s Port of Authority.“People told me not to do that either,” he laughs, “but

Like a successful impresario, Feroleto has a myriad of installations, shows, and productions going on all at once in many venues, but right now, he is concentrating on his location in the Westbrook Outlets.

“We have a special affinity for Westbrook, since we cut our teeth on its playgrounds, not even a mile away.”

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One of our featured artists in our Grand Art Salon, Gunnar Magnus, spent his summers in Westbrook, and every time he comes by he says, ‘this is such a trip.’”

But one worth making, not just for the artist, but for the curious shopper who may not naturally be drawn to a world of art. That’s precisely what Leo Feroleto thrives on, the person who will stop in unannounced and

share a story with him. “I love to be entertained. I love people, so I’m also interested in anyone who wants to stop in and bring something to the table. They don’t have to know anything about art. I just want to meet them and hear what they’re about.”

Feroleto’s view of art galleries differs from most curators; then again, Leo Feroleto is quite different from most.

He doesn’t believe in a pristine atmosphere where the high brow patrons tiptoe about, speaking in hushed tones.

He wants Six Summit to always be fun, loud is good too! He wants to hear laughter, he wants to add music, performance, fashion shows – in short, he wants to create a vibrant, pulsating center of art that bring in the uninitiated right along with the well-schooled patrons of the arts. And why not?

There’s something here for everyone from sculpture to paintings to metal art - from original photos of Andy Warhol to a home that travels on chicken legs with a Slovakian witch holding court and ridicule over culture.

It took Leo a lot of work to tear down the vestiges of the old retail establishment that had occupied the space

previously and turn it into Six Summit Gallery and Grand Art Salon, but one of which is he is arguably proud. Each and every artist is local and represents the very best of the last ten years of Six Summit Gallery. The old cash boxes are redone with Venetian plaster from Old Head Plaster by Daragh McLoughlin, there are hand-made sculptures and prints by Leon Jensen and William Kent, and one of the most notable installations has got to be Baba Yaga

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Eats, a four-year project that wowed New York from sculptor Ailene Fields depicting the Baba Yaga Witch taking full aim at different parts of our pop culture.

Price points at Six Summit are as varied as the art that’s depicted. “I have work here that sells for $50. dollars to over a million,” Leo says, and I don’t even care if a visitor buys anything. I just want to bring them into a world of art they may have not before experienced. Not long ago, a little girl about three years of age Ferleto guesses was walking by the gallery with her mother. The door was open, and she spotted the arresting sculpture of a frog prince, the work of the late and very great Leo Jensen, whose work is well known throughout Connecticut for the famous Willimantic Frog Bridge sculptures.

Having absolutely no filter whatsoever, and with the wild abandon only a three-year-old can generate, she freed herself from her mother’s hand, ran in, and fairly screamed, “That’s awesome!”

More? Feroleto has curated the art at Chamard Vineyards in Clinton“for years.”And curates the largest art and fashion platform in New York

City, Los Angeles, and Miami for five years. In New York, Feroleto also curates The Leo House, holds a special affinity for the Hells Kitchen neighborhood near Port Authority, has worked in Hudson Yards and the Garment District, and just opened a gallery in Laguna Beach. Two hotels within walking distance of this new gallery will also have their art curated by Feroleto.

“I want people like that little girl to run in and scream or tell me a story or do something outstanding. If they do, I’ll give them a free print,” he says, pacing the 7000 square foot space as he speaks.

Suddenly, Feroleto stops for a moment, thinks about his last statement, then gives that trademark smirk and adds, “Of course I’m the judge and jury of what’s outstanding and fun.” He is indeed.

Then the impresario of Westbrook emits a hearty belly laugh, looks around for a moment,

and grows quiet. Obviously, he is lost somewhere in thought, no doubt planning his next delicious adventure. Or perhaps he’s thinking of that three year-old and realizing that what’s so special about Six Summit Gallery was summed up by that pure cry of “That’s awesome!”

Sure is.

Six Summit Gallery and the Grand Art Salon are found at the Westbrook Outlets, Exit 65 off I-95 314 Flat Rock Place, Westbrook (860) 581-8332 Instagram: @sixsummitgallery Images and price lists are on Instagram: @GrandArtSalon

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Joe McCarthy Drummers Wanted Latin GrammyÂŽ Award Winner!

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opping Hopping Around CT.

Connecticut’s Field of Dreams CT Valley Brewing Co.

When one thinks “local” in the beer community, they often think of brewers using local hops and fruit. When Steve and Lori Palauskas (both former pilots and lifelong aviation aficionados) think local, they encapsulate all that is Connecticut. Steve has

Photos and profile by Jim Lalumiere

been homebrewing for 30 years so when the idea came about ten years ago to start a brewery, central Connecticut seemed the perfect place. The couple staked out a layout for their brewery on their property and imagined what the brewery would look like. Steve had some great recipes and Lori had faith. So much faith that they secured hop contracts well before they even had a brewery. From the ground up, they built what would become CT Valley Brewing Company in South Windsor.

The once barren field that previously held only a few trees became a brewery housed within the airport hangar of their dreams.

The immediate feel one gets when walking into the brewery is comfort: a winery atmosphere with a bar vibe. Lori wanted a “wrap around porch” feel inside and out and feels that their brewery is not as much about the beers per se, but about the community space itself. Plush leather couches, wooden high tops and a spacious bar are surrounded

by pictures and models detailing Connecticut’s rich aviation history and industry that built 90% of the nation’s aircraft during WWII. The outside stone patio is decked out with Adirondack chairs and a fireplace, the perfect setting for families, friends and neighbors. The weekends not only see the patio and couches full, but also families on blankets enjoying the three acres of lush grass and shade. Outside food can be brought on premise and food trucks ranging from Brazilian fare to lobster rolls are on-site every Thursday-Sunday. Not content with

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only offering beer, Birdhouse Coffee shop opened last December within the brewery, with fresh roasted coffee and soft-serve ice cream for those not partaking in alcoholic libations.

If community is the force behind the brewery, variety is the force behind the beers. CT Valley’s brewing portfolio ranges from your traditional IPAs, porters, and lagers to beverages on the fringe such as fruited sours, spiked smoothies and CBD-infused seltzers. Embracing the haze-craze, CT Valley’s flagship beer is Trailblazer IPA, which according to Steve was the first commercial beer to have “New England IPA” on its label. Hop Whammy NEIPA uses local wet hops from the Litchfield Hills, giving the brew a very green fresh flavor and

aroma. Coffee roasted in-house is used not just for an early morning pick-me-up, but also goes into Coffee Obsession Stout.

CT Valley offers two single-hop series, Galaxy and Mosaic, showcasing how each individual hop can change a beer. “Brew what is fun” Steve says. “If not, you might as well go work for Budweiser.”

Most labels on the 16-ounce cans are very Connecticut-centric, with the brewery logo being the F4U-Corsair, our state airplane.

Ace of Aces Lager and Double Wasp Doppelbock salute Connecticut’s aviation industry. Devil’s Hopyard IIPA and Satan’s Kingdom Cascadian Dark Ale give a nod to our adventure spots, while beers such as The Sailor’s Dream and The Light Keeper exemplify our nautical roots.

Diversity is the spice of life and for CT Valley that means stepping outside the comforts of traditional beer, letting head brewer Jay Desroches get creative with many different styles. Their Spiked Smoothie line boasts nine fruit flavors such as Peach Raspberry and Blueberry Acai and can be blended with ice for a frozen drink. A shot of Old Grandad whiskey could always be added to the mix, which happens to be a popular drink at the brewery bar. The Sour series offers fruited sours that are perfect for summer with flavors like Strawberry Bliss and Pom Passion. Seltzers and CBDinfused seltzers are brewed on premise and are another calming thirst quencher for those who don’t partake in beers.

A community that buys local, thinks local, and that has been the motiva-

tion behind CT Valley since day one. Lori feels it’s important for breweries to see where the hops and grains they use come from and how they are produced. CT Valley has always given back to their community and being in the Covid-19 era, they feel that is more important now than ever. They sponsor such events as yoga, garden club, and Books and Brews.

Walks and Wheels takes place every Thursday and includes donated bikes for people to keep, with a contribution to the Jimmy Fund.

With a one-person sales team in the form of Jeff Nelson, CT Valley Brewing Company can be found in 16 states and as far away as Russia and Spain, with expansion to more states imminent. As far away as the beers get though, CT Valley will always embody what it means to be from Connecticut.

CT Valley Brewing Company 765 Sullivan Ave. South Windsor, CT Hours: Wed – Thurs : 2pm-9pm Fri -Sat : Noon-10 pm Sunday: Noon-6 pm Jim Lalumiere, lover of all that is hoppy, malty and sour.

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7th Annual Oktober"Nest" Sunday October 11th Live Music 3:00-5:00

Prizes and Giveaways Select Draught Beer Specials

Pumpkin Paint Night

Tuesday October 20 5:30pm to 8:00pm $25pp Includes House Margarita, Appetizers, & Pumpkin Limited spaces available-Reserve Early email cuckoosnestevents@gmail.com

Fall Inspired Drink & Food Specials Ph 860-399-8189

1712 Boston Post Rd~Old Saybrook

www.cuckoosnest.biz

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Catching Up With The Natives Photos and editorial by John Tolmie

Every year The Boys gather at the National Hot Rod Association’s drag races, but, thanks to the pandemic, our tickets were refunded and our coveted ‘Mancation’ had been canceled. However, with the time already set aside, The Boys decided to take a trip north into the misty mountains of Vermont. The Cow Barn Lodge in Mount Tabor would be home for a few days of boyish tomfoolery.

The antique barn had been converted into a modern five-bedroom lodge and was stocked with every accouterment a man-child could dream of. Corn hole, ping pong, billiards, horseshoe pits, an indoor driving range, grills, and a huge fire pit, would keep The Boys more than entertained. The night of our arrival was spent decompressing with beer and laughter as we reveled around the crackling fire. The spirit of the mountains relieved us of our troubles as the brilliant stars loomed above. Soon our eyes grew heavy and

ever-increasing yawns interrupted our palaver.

We turned in a bit earlier than expected, but rest was required, as tomorrow we would hike and fish the mountain streams in search of native trout.

As the dawn cracked over Mount Tabor, we trekked to a secret fishing spot we had discovered from the loose lips of our host. He even provided a few lures, calling them his“secret weapon”. The gurgle of the cold and crystal clear mountain stream grew louder as we bushwhacked our way in.

The banks were rife with growth so I tossed my sandals aside and hopped into the chilly river

Crusty old

Diver

water. Wading upstream barefooted, I cast into the eddies that swirled behind protruding rocks. Taylour, my buddy’s son, accompanied me upstream as we slowly advanced and whispered to one another. For the first mile or so, we were unsuccessful. Native trout are extremely particular and only strike lures that emulate their seasonal food source. In the early spring, they feast on hatchling insects. In the late spring, they gobble salmon and trout eggs.

In the summer they feed on small fish and aquatic insects. We could see the trout chase our lures, but the fickle fish refused to bite anything we threw their way.

With luck having avoided us so far, we arrived at a primeval beaver dam and decided to climb to the top. On the opposite side of the dam, a small lake had formed. Trout are fond of deeper waters, especially in the summer, preferring

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the cooler bottom. Wasting no time, Taylour cast to the left and I to the right working along the edge of a brush laden island. Suddenly my rod bent and shook feverously. Taylour encouraged me to take it easy and let the fish fight. It was a short yet fierce effort, but the hook was set and soon the fish was in my hand. It was a native brook trout and it was beautiful. The colors along its scales looked as if they had been painted on by an artist. I gingerly removed the small hook from its mouth and lowered it into the water until it sped off to hide beneath the bubbling surface. Catching a native brook trout had been on my bucket list for many years. They are elusive and are even difficult to catch. I took a moment to reflect and thanked Mother Nature while indulging in a gulp of crisp mountain air. Taylour and I high fived and eased our way down the precarious slope of the beaver dam and headed back.

Wading down-stream we continued to fish. Taylour finally landed a nice brown trout and I caught another native brook trout. We commiserated about the importance of these fragile species. Dammed rivers, overfishing, and toxic pollutants have all impaired the stocks of native trout across New England.

Raising trout in captivity and releasing them into the wild has helped offset some of this decimation, however, the sole purpose of farmed raised trout is for sport fishermen, accomplishing little to assist the river's delicate ecosystem.

The Boys began to gather and share photos of the days catch as we waited for one last straggler. Finally,

Scott appeared out of the brush with rod and reel in one hand and a massive trout in the other and hoots at us in triumph. It was a farmed and stocked rainbow trout that measured around eighteen inches long; a perfect sized fish for the grill. Being a little jealous, I brooded for a brief moment at the size of my friends catch. A hand rested on my

shoulder and my fishing companion for the day reminded me what the two of us had just experienced. He smiled and said,“Size doesn’t always matter, does it, bro?” I agreed wholeheartedly. With another check on the bucket list completed, we headed back to the lodge where cold beers and grilled steaks awaited us. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

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Kayaking in the Dark Beneath Hartford Profile and Photos by Susan Cornell

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n the hottest day of summer, a small but intrepid group of kayakers gathered at the boat launch at Great River Park in East Hartford. We were on a DaVinci Code/Indiana Jonesesque quest to explore Hartford’s Park River which flows beneath Hartford for four miles, with an additional two-mile-long auxiliary tunnel. Kayaking underground, in pitch-black darkness, in the bowels of the Capital City, with eels, trash, and who-knowswhat is not for everyone, but for some of us (at least myself), this has been high on the bucket list.

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Years ago, guided tours were offered to the public, but the City of Hartford halted them due to safety and liability concerns. You need more than a headlamp, reflectors, boots, and rope; you need the experience of someone who’s done this before (a cell phone isn’t going to help you down there).

I’m not even sure our little adventure was allowed since there were no signs indicating yes or no...so, carpe diem!

Images Courtesy of The Connecticut Historical Society

The Park River, known prior as the “Little River,” used to enter Bushnell Park near the State Armory and flowed past the State Capitol. At the end of Bushnell Park, the river took a turn near Pulaski Circle, passed under Main Street, and then made its way to the Connecticut River, known as the “Great River.”

Horace Bushnell proposed “City Park” in the 1850s along the banks of the Little River, aka the “Hog River,”aptly named since pigs fed in the pastures along its banks creating a terrible smell. Bushnell wanted a park in the city to clean up the river. Rather than having tanneries, tenements, dumps, and swine, the new scenic Bushnell Park could be enjoyed by factory workers, professionals, and families alike.

Plus, the park made a great first impression for train travelers.

Bushnell Park opened in 1865 and the river also received a name upgrade to the Park River. But after the historic floods of 1936 and 1938, the decision was made that the Park River should be buried. Construction under the direction of the United States Army Corps of Engineers started in 1940, and the river was entombed in dual 20-foot by 30-foot concrete conduits from the Capitol to the Connecticut River. This project was completed in 1944, and while it was a success at the time, along came the flood of 1955.

At this point, it was decided that more of the river needed to go underground. When I-84 was constructed during the ‘60s, additional sections of conduit were built by the State Highway Department under the direction of the Greater Hartford Flood Commission.

Under the Park River Local Protection Project (authorized in ’68), the United States Army Corps of Engineers built the final sections and an auxiliary tunnel to the Connecticut River. The entire project was completed in 1981, so now we have almost six miles of tunnel and a scenic sewer beneath us to explore.

Our flotilla of ten donned headlamps, personal flotation devices (PFDs), boots or water shoes (definitely not flip-flops or Crocs), and rope and paddled from the launch across the Connecticut River to the conduit’s entrance on the left. If you do this, definitely do not enter the right tunnel which has discharges from Hartford Steam that shoot out into the conduit. Also, this is a group of kayakers who met on Facebook, not a guided tour. A buddy system is key as there are chambers and forks that can be confusing; remember, navigating with AllTrails is not going to work in the land (or water) down under. Two in the group had radios, and a first aid kit was available.

Once you enter the concrete tunnels, it gets dark really fast. The water is not exactly clean, but then again it wasn’t as bad as I had imagined. There’s an upside to darkness – we couldn’t see everything that floated by. With headlamps we could spot catfish, including some really big ones, and many, many eels. Thank heavens, absolutely no rats! The water level was extremely low, so we needed to walk along the sides while pulling our kayaks with the rope and always being fully focused on not slipping on wet concrete and into the water.Traveling through the conduit in

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Above Left: Flood of 1936 : Front Street, Hartford Top Right: Flood of 1936 : Bushnell Park, Hartford Middle Right: Flood of 1936 : Temple Street, Hartford Images Courtesy of The Connecticut Historical Society

low tide in the middle of summer is not ideal, but kayaking when the tide is super high can also ruin your day since if the water level in the Connecticut River is too high, you won’t be able to get in or out. In our case, it would have been nice to have more water so we would not bottom out while kayaking and we would not have to drag the boats as far, much of the time scraping the bottoms.

We passed an upside-down automobile far into the trip, which really made one wonder how and why it got there. Stolen and driven part-way when the water was low, and then relocated with flooding?

We eventually reached the “Mixing Room,” a massive concrete chamber where the north and south branches come together. Here’s where you really don’t want to get lost. There’s an auxiliary conduit here somewhere which would be difficult to get out of if you were to fall in.

When we started our subterranean adventure, the outside air temp was around 100 degrees, but down below, away from the sun and heat wave, it was probably a balmy 75 degrees, making this a great choice for escaping extreme summer conditions.

A bit more paddling and walking our kayaks brought us to the Pope Park entrance, with some of the most spectacular graffiti along both sides of the tunnel. A tagger was busy at work when we arrived and kept a low profile for obvious reasons. We got out of our yaks for a leg stretch, water, and snacks, but between the heat and the massive amount of trash, it wasn’t ideal for a picnic in the park. We found everything from a used prom dress to a syringe to donuts and empty liquor bottles.

Our next egress, quite close to the Mark Twain House, allowed some climbing up the sides of the walls and kayak-surfing down the concrete incline.

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We paddled our way out through the mixing chamber again and retraced our steps. At times, you can hear sirens from the ambulances above. It always seemed disorienting,nd if you stray away from others in the group, you may find your mind wanders through the darkness, imagining the snakes in “Raiders of Lost Ark,” the possibility of an earthquake and collapsing tunnels, a dead body floating by, or plain-old Hartford rats.

But at the conclusion, there was The Light at the End of the Tunnel. No snakes, bodies, earthquakes or rats.

And that light shone on the Connecticut River, the “Great River,” which took us back to Great River Park. Bucket list – check! Once in a lifetime – maybe twice. After all, we don’t kayak much in the winter.

I wonder if it’s warm enough down there for shorts.

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THings that go Bump in The night The Eastern Connecticut Paranormal Society Profile by Caryn B. Davis Photos Courtesy of the Eastern Connecticut Paranormal Society

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C

hris O’Connor was just three years old when he had his first paranormal experience. He saw a Native American man standing in his family’s yard. He was too young to fully comprehend that what he was seeing was not actually a living person but the presence of someone who had passed away long ago.

O’Connor’s mother also possessed this gift of mediumship. Like her son, she had the ability to see apparitions and connect with the spirit world, so she was able to mentor him as his abilities developed.

O’Connor now uses his talent in a professional capacity. He has worked with many paranormal investigation teams since 2003 before co-founding the Eastern Connecticut Paranormal Society (E.C.P.S.) with David Bray, a psychic empath. The pair met several Halloweens ago when they were invited independently to the infamous Enfield, Connecticut, “Demon House.” The house, which was featured on the Discovery Channel’s “A Haunting,” and on the Animal Planet series “The Haunted,” was built in 1771. It is reputed to be the site of at least twenty-two horrific murders, deaths, and suicides.

Bray learned about the house through a “meet and greet” event hosted by the homeowners that were posted on Facebook. He was already interest in the supernatural, so it piqued his curiosity. As a teenager, he was drawn to haunted cemeteries and the like, but he also had an uncanny knack for knowing the unknowable, such as who was on the telephone and personal details about people he had just met. For example, he had observed a man at a party one night and knew this person had witnessed his own father die of a heart attack. He was able to confirm this later through a friend who knew the man. Bray was invited back to the house to help with the actual investigation and met O’Connor at that time.

“Malevolent spirits are mean.

They were a jerk on earth, and they are a jerk over there, and they look for opportunities to wreak havoc,”

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“Chris impressed me, and we became friends,” Bray recalls. “But he was also able to help me make sense of my own experiences.”

They formed an official partnership in 2016 and since then have investigated various hauntings at private residences, museums, inns, and cemeteries with help from two other team members. During these investigations, they usually encounter three types of spirits - residual, intelligent, and malevolent.

“Residual spirits are stuck in a time loop and keep playing one piece of their life over and over again. Their movements are habitual. For example, at 8PM every night you might hear a set of footsteps walking across the floor, but it only happens at 8PM,” says O’Connor.

“These spirits are harmless and unaware they’re dead,” adds Bray.

Intelligent spirits, on the other hand, know they are dead but are attempting to communicate information to the living, pass on a message, or just want their stories told. They have an attachment to the property and may have died in the home. Or, they are captivated with someone in the house who is deceased or alive. This compulsion could be positive or detrimental.

For example, in a house in Milford, Connecticut, they were able to ascertain a teenage boy had committed suicide there in 1969. His spirit was trying to send a message to a member of the current family but, they weren’t listening. He was concerned for this person’s safety who was living there with an alcoholic and felt the environment was toxic.

He was trying to tell this individual they should leave the home and find a new place to live.

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Then there are those malevolent spirits, which are inhuman, demonic, or evil and intend to cause harm, although these cases are extremely rare and are less than one percent of what the E.C.P.S. investigates.

“As the psychics on the team, we don’t want to know anything before going into the home.

It’s a way we validate our 昀ndings. You can’t say we used anything in advance,”

“Malevolent spirits are mean. They were a jerk on earth, and they are a jerk over there, and they look for opportunities to wreak havoc,” O’Connor says.

Before agreeing to an investigation, O’Connor and Bray’s other team members conduct a rigorous phone interview with the prospective client and gather data. They look for inconsistencies in the claim, and through careful screening, determine if the case is a truly paranormal one, or psychiatric. When they decide to take on a case, O’Connor and Bray prefer to be kept in the dark regarding the details to ensure their findings will not be tainted or later misconstrued.

“As the psychics on the team, we don’t want to know anything before going into the home. It’s a way we validate our findings. You can’t say we used anything in advance,” Bray says.

Their colleagues go in first with a K-II meter and take a baseline reading of the home. The meter is used to detect any spikes in the electromagnetic field, and if it has a high reading, this could indicate spirits are present. Their photographer takes detailed photographs and video of every room and the objects in those rooms using infrared and full spectrum cameras.

“We do this so if anything moves, we have documentation it wasn’t originally like that,” Bray says.

After this, O’Connor and Bray enter the dwelling and start an EVP (electronic voice phenomena) session using an audio device designed to capture disembodied voices.

“Chris and I ask questions and try to communicate with whatever may be in the home. We do this in the areas where Chris feels there is activity.

If we are getting answers, we keep the questions going and see where it leads.” Bray says.

47 O’Connor often receives visions and information before arriving at the location that can be as varied as the name of the spirits, their occupation, sex, age, personality traits, or what era they are from. Once inside, he attempts to connect with them, the land or the house itself, and then guides the team to those places where he senses strong energy.

Sometimes the evidence they gather is inconclusive, and other times it’s overwhelming where they have heard voices and seen multiple apparitions.

Sometimes their clients simply want a paranormal, historic biography of their property in which case the team searches property deeds, census records, genealogy websites, etc. to piece together a timeline of who lived in the house and when. But all this is performed after the actual investigation. Other times they are brought in just to teach their clients how to handle a paranormal situation and to better understand it.

“A client may think something is going on, but they are not sure. They might be getting scratches they can’t explain or things are being moved or thrown around in their house,” O’Connor says. “Some clients think they have a gift, and it’s being challenged, or they don’t know how to use it to calm the activity down or how to explain it. So we do a lot of educating. That is one of the things we do the most.”

E.C.P.S. does not sensationalize or dramatize any paranormal experience.

Their goal is to find the truth, whatever that may be.

“Paranormal is beyond normal and beyond the scope of science. It’s everything leftover that cannot be explained,” says Bray. “A lot of teams go in claiming they got rid of entities, but how can you get rid of something if you don’t know what you are dealing with? We go in and try to answer the who, what, why, when, and how questions and go from there.

We don’t assume anything.”

For more information log onto www.easternctparanormal.com.

“Paranormal is beyond normal and beyond the scope of science. It’s everything leftover that cannot be explained,”

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Are there Angels among Us?

By Jan Tormay

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I sti氀 have absolutely no idea how I did not receive even a scratch. People were amazed at how lucky I was.”

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U.S. Army Helicopter Pilot Denise Howard believes “someone” was looking out for her during a rocket-propelled mortar attack in Iraq in 2007 and when she drove over a cliff in the Colorado Mountains 2002.

or centuries, people have been praying to guardian angels.

Considered spiritual beings sent by God, angels are part of many cultures and religions – including Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

Author Karen Paolino Correia writes in her book, “101 Ways to Meet Your Angels: Affirmations and Exercises to Connect with and Learn from Your Angelic Guardians,” that “Anecdotal evidence supporting that belief can be extrapolated from the ancient Hebrew texts, the early Christian writings in the New Testament, sacred verses of the Qur’an, and the written and oral esoteric teachings of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism based on symbolic interpretation of their scriptures).”

I believe I have been personally helped by angels over the years. The first time occurred in the early 1980s when I was returning from a town meeting at about 11:30 p.m. to file a radio report at WELI Radio in Hamden, Connecticut. As I exited onto an off-ramp, I heard a voice inside my head (which I now refer to as “thought-speak”) simply say, “Stop.”

Stunned, I dutifully pulled off to the side of the off-ramp. Within a minute or two, someone drove through their red light at the end of my ramp. If I had not been forewarned, I am sure that I would have driven through my green light and been hit by that car.

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Above: by Stunning Art Below: by David Sasalcius

There is no doubt in former U.S. Army Helicopter Pilot Denise Howard’s mind “that someone” was looking out for her during 2 life-threatening experiences. After opening her door to listen to the audible alarm reporting an incoming attack in Iraq in 2007, she said she heard “a loud boom” and a rocket-propelled mortar hit the ground 50 feet behind her trailer office.

“I had wood chips and sawdust in my hair from where shrapnel had hit the wood overhang in front of my office,” said Howard in an email.

“When I looked at the door… there was a silhouette of holes from shrapnel and flying debris around where I had been standing…Some of the holes were mere inches from my head. I still have absolutely no idea how I did not receive even a scratch…People were amazed at how lucky I was.”

Also, while living in the ColoradoMountains in 2002, Howard began having monthly and then nightly dreams about driving her car off a cliff. At first she said she thought the dreams might be symbolic “of something going on” in her life.

Eventually, she had the car “checked out and nothing was wrong.”

Then, one morning on her way to an appointment in October, she took a different route due to construction. “As I drove around the corner that was in the shade, my car hit black ice and proceeded to cross the road and go through a small space between guardrails and (went) over the cliff.

The car started to roll down the hill, but was suddenly stopped, driver side down.

It (the accident) had finally happened. I crawled out through the passenger side and took a look at the car.”

A small tree was holding the entire weight of a Toyota Corolla by 6 inches of its front end.

If the car had continued to fall, it could have hit “a huge boulder, which could have crushed in the roof” or rolled upside down into the creek, said Howard, now an online video producer in her early 50s living in Southeastern Connecticut.

“It was chilling to see what could have happened to me.”

Twenty-three-year-old Julie survived being hit and dragged 200 feet by the driver of a one-ton passenger van filled with Seattle, Washington basketball players on the afternoon of December 3, 1969. While she

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Above Art: by Joe Prachatree Bottom Left: by Ussama Azam Bottom Right: Hahahel Angel of Missions by Unknown

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“I do the praying. God does the healing.”

Photo of Julie Brousseau: In 1969 Julie Brousseau (then Julie Scholz) survived being hit and dragged 200 feet in Seattle, Washington.

crossed the street to buy some candy for her sister who was in the hospital, her horrified mother watched the accident unfold from their car. Julie suffered a broken leg, cracked pelvis and collarbone and lost 3 units of blood when the skin on her right side was sheared.

She said her tight rope belt got caught on something under the vehicle and held her between the tires as it was dragging her.

“That is the miracle.”

The doctor told Julie’s mother and husband at the time that she would die before morning, but he was wrong.

After three weeks in the hospital (and lying on her back for about 14 days), Julie asked her physician repeatedly if she could go home for Christmas and the answer was always, “No.” Then on December 23, her doctor told her he would prove to her she could not go home by asking her to lift her hips off the bed. She lifted her hips high and “his jaw dropped to the ground…because your pelvis doesn’t heal in 3 weeks. Mine did,” Julie said. After proving that she could also get out of bed by herself, go to the commode in a wheelchair and get back into bed, he let her go home Christmas Eve to her sons, 4-year-old Joe and 1-and-a-half-year-old Jason. She did not have to return to the hospital, but she did have to wear a full-length cast on one leg for 6 months.

After divorcing her first husband, she married Brad Brousseau 28 years ago. They live in Gales Ferry, Connecticut, where she also owns a health insurance agency.

Julie Brousseau said she also serves “God as a hands-on healer…I do the praying. God does the healing.”

Divine Intervention Divine intervention is described on yourdictionary.com as “A miracle or act of god (or gods) that causes something good to happen or stops something bad from happening.”

Some people believe such activities are just lucky coincidences.

Others don’t believe there is any such thing as a coincidence.

Instead, they view such occurrences as “God-winks.”

Author Jan Tormay

Shortly after Denise Howard’s mother died, she said she was driving to a Cub Scout leader training and she “couldn’t get her mother out of her head…and I couldn’t stop crying…and get control of myself.” When she came to a stop sign, Howard said the voice on her GPS changed to her mother’s voice, which she described as “kind of squeaky and whiny when she was trying to talk and not cry…and I just lost it. I started laughing so hard.”

This GPS “voice change” continues to happen periodically, she said, and when it does, her sons say, “Hi Grandma.”

Howard said she researched “spirits” online and learned that “one of the easiest things for them to manipulate supposedly is electronics, so who knows?”

Once while preparing to take a shower at my former Norwich, Connecticut home, I heard through thought-speak a comforting voice like a mother talking to a child. “You don’t like spiders and there is one under the hamper.”

I was then shown a picture in my mind of what the black spider looked like. I tipped the hamper and sure enough, the exact spider I saw in my mind was there. If I had been in the shower and saw the spider, I might have slipped and gotten hurt. Of course, since I disturbed the spider it moved toward me and we had a 20-minute stand-off. Finally, I got up the nerve to kill it.

Also, I wonder if I met an angel one morning in the 1980s when I pulled over onto the highway’s emergency lane, because of a flat tire. A truck driver immediately sees me, pulls his rig over and runs across the divide. He didn’t say anything, just smiled, changed the tire and quickly ran back to his truck. He wouldn’t take any money. All I could say was, “Thank you.”

If you would like to share your near-death experiences or divine-intervention stories, email jantormay@comcast.net.

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LIFE ON SUGAR

By Heather Kelly, Carrie Carella Photos by: Winter Caplanson, Connecticut Food and Farm

SPOOKY SUGAR Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting, Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing,-For a charm of powerful trouble, Like a hell-broth boil and bubble."

Macbeth (IV, i, 14-15) We’re now in the month of Hallows Eve - how can you not love a holiday that celebrates both equal parts mischief and spending a whole night collecting sugar? The lead up and party prep is almost half the fun - and we’ve got plenty of ideas on how you can transform your treats for the occasion. Considering the current state of affairs with Covid-19, you may want to keep the festivities at home this year, and for that, we have lots of suggestions to bring the fun and sugar to the party!

Nothing wrong with a little DIRT cake dressed up with a gummy worm to get the kids (and adults) in theme. Much more appetizing than its name lets on, this cupcake is a huge hit with OREO lovers. The more chocolate, the better.

Our tried and true recipe features a chocolate cupcake filled with chocolate pudding, chocolate buttercream frosting, covered in oreo crumbs and green sugar with a gummy worm poppin’ right out. If you’re not so much a chocolate person (say it ain’t so!) you can add in a cream cheese and cool whip mixture to layer with the chocolate pudding to cut the richness. As long as the gummy worm is on top, you’re good to go!

To double the usage of the gummy worms, we have also make POISON APPLE cupcakes; purple vanilla cake, stuffed with apple pie filling, topped with green vanilla frosting, rolled in green sugar, and then we scoop out a side of the frosting to look like a bite from the apple, push in a gummy worm and you have recreated Snow White’s nemesis.

Looking to step up the gore factor? Our DRACULA creation is as blood red as it can get and easy to make. Take a chocolate cupcake, core out the middle and stuff with cherry pie filling, take some red food coloring and mix into your vanilla buttercream to get that deep, deep red. A little sprinkle on top makes all the difference, too. Dusting some red glitter sugar on top will make it so eye catching that no vampire will be able to resist.

Lastly, you can’t go wrong with edible googly eyes. You can pick these up at any craft store in the baking section, and they will make any cupcake into a cute little monster, a creepy mummy, or a freakish alien! We took inspiration from the Monsters, Inc. movie and made our own Mike Lebowski character cupcake; green vanilla cake, with green vanilla frosting, rolled in green sprinkles, googly eyes and VOILA – meet our Mike!

We’ll be making the final tweaks to our upcoming HALLOWEEN 2020 Menu to have it available in store at our Middletown location for Mid-October. Let us do the work for you and impress your little ghouls just in time for trick or treat! *We have re-opened our storefront as of September 9th 2020 and you can visit us Wednesday through Friday noon – 6pm, and Saturday and Sundays noon – 4pm at 700 Main Street, Middletown, CT.

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A “Tail”of Two Cities A Bond that Protects Us All

by RONA MANN

Branford, Connecticut

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Westerly, Rhode Island

ot really cities per se - but towns – vibrant, popular communities hugging the shoreline that attract people to their beaches in the summer, yet year ‘round have businesses, restaurants, events, and activities that make them perennially popular destinations.

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“As I child, I went to all the PBA (Police Benevolent Association) picnics and basically grew up in the department. I was always around cops, so I guess it was inevitable.”

Both these towns have highly professional and competent police forces, fully committed to the safety of their communities and the protection of their people. They serve to give the community a sense of security and well being.

As an adjunct to their force, each of these specific departments has a K-9 officer which gives them added benefits and many more professional advantages than a police department without these valuable officers. Their keen sense of smell helps them to detect items a human officer could miss, like drugs and bombs.

They can also be trained to search for flammables and explosives, track missing persons in search-and-rescue situations, and protect their partners.

Melissa Carney had not originally intended to become a police officer, but her DNA knew better. Following her high school graduation, Carney, a native of West Haven, enrolled in Rhode Island College’s Theatre Department with aspirations of perhaps becoming a professional actor. However, her father was a police officer as were both of her grandfathers. “As I child, I went to all the PBA (Police Benevolent Association) picnics and basically grew up in the department. I was always around cops, so I guess it was inevitable.”

After her first year at RIC, she realized that law enforcement was in her blood, and a friend convinced her to transfer to the University of New Haven and their famed criminal justice program. While there, Carney indulged her love of lacrosse, joining the team as a walk-on and leading to an eventual job as lacrosse coach at Branford High School, a position she has held for the past eight -soon to be nine - years. That was followed by a graduate degree from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and then the police academy with its highly rigorous demands, but she felt her lacrosse training had well prepared her for the precision of the program. At 22 Melissa Carney was her family’s newly minted police officer. “My old Chief here at the Branford Police Department asked me during my interview what I wanted to do in police work. That’s when I first expressed interest in the K-9 unit.” It took six years, but one day an “Arrow” came into her life, shot his way straight through her heart, and neither of them has been the same since.

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“ Niko stood right out as the best match for me.”

Brian Bruno has been a patrolman on the force in Westerly, Rhode Island for 10 years, three of those years paired with his partner,“Niko.” Bruno was anxious to become a K-9 officer since he has always had an intense interest in the narcotics side of police work.

“Having a canine furthers my abilities as a police officer,” he says.

“It’s another tool.”

Ah, but Officer Niko is far more than a “tool.” Born in Slovakia and sent to the United States at the age of 14 months for the express purpose of performing police work, Niko working in concert with his partner, Bruno, is fully trained in bite work, apprehending and tracking suspects, and finding lost people and articles. The pair trained locally with Danny Lane, himself a 21-year veteran of the Waterford, CT Police Department and handler of three dual-purpose K-9s. His resume goes on to include years as President of the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association, and he has amassed an enviable body of police work, having been a certified trainer in narcotics and patrol since 2009.

More than half of all the German Shepherds used for police work in the United States come from the Czech Republic where they are specifically born and raised for this highly specialized line of work. Niko’s training in bite work had begun back in Slovakia before he was ever flown to the United States and ultimately was chosen by Bruno himself to be his partner. “I looked at 10 different dogs, testing them for their temperament, willingness to hunt, and seeing if they were in any way timid. Niko stood right out as the best match for me.”

Bonding usually takes about a year. Bruno said in the beginning Niko was sometimes stubborn about training, but eventually came around. All his commands were learned and are given in Czech. “Now he is very protective of me, always by my side.” Niko is 100% a working dog, even at home. Although he plays and is a much-cherished member of the family when at home, he is most definitely not a house pet. “He’s 100% always at attention.”

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“Very, very tough. I had to learn to scale a six foot wall and throw a heavy bag over it.”

Last year Niko was given a protective vest from a Boston-area non-profit, TillieStar Compliance Solutions. The vest was purchased from Vested Interest in K-9s, a Taunton, Massachusetts non-profit that supplies most of the protective vests to canine officers nationwide.

Since 2009 they have provided over 4000 vests to K-9s in all 50 states, protecting them from both bullet and stab wounds. All vests are sponsored by a specific donor and can run anywhere from $1800 to $2300. This vest has given Niko an added layer of protection in dangerous situations, which gives his partner, Patrolman Bruno an extra layer of confidence.

Recently, Niko and Bruno were chosen by Vested Interest in K-9s to be on their national 2021 calendar which has just gone on sale recently.

If you’d like to purchase one through Officer Bruno, the entire Westerly Police Force and its ongoing K-9 program will benefit, as 100% of the money goes directly to these programs. In addition to Officers Bruno and Niko, the Westerly PD now has a second team, Officer Tim Manfredi had “Sipko” as his partner for nearly 12 years. When the canine retired and went home to live with Manfredi, his son, “Primo” took up the gauntlet and is now Manfredi’s partner. Great bloodlines cannot be denied.

Officer Melissa Carney has a slightly different story. Arrow, who was also born and raised in Slovakia, was chosen for her sight unseen by a trainer and breeder in upstate New York after speaking with Melissa’s chief; however, once they met, they both picked each other. Training is a dual process, equally as difficult for the human officer as for his/her canine. Departments and K-9 teams spend endless hours preparing for street deployments. Carney and Arrow trained at the Connecticut State Police Barracks which Melissa pronounced, “Very, very tough. I had to learn to scale a six foot wall and throw a heavy bag over it. The training takes three to four months, and right in the middle of it, I broke my finger, had to have surgery, and then start all over again. Unlike Niko, Arrow’s commands were learned and given in English. In the Branford PD Carney

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“If I let him, he’d be the best friend of the bad guys,” holds both the title of Sergeant and also Shift Supervisor, while the other cops on the force call her partner, “Lt. Arrow.”

The very affable German Shepherd who loves everyone, especially children, is still very much a puppy, bringing anyone he meets his ball in the hopes that they will play with him. “If I let him, he’d be the best friend of the bad guys,” Carney chuckles. Still, her K-9 partner earned his chops early on by finding four suspects who were hiding in a marsh.

“We’ve only been on the road together a year, and already he’s had seven tracking finds.”

Canines used in police work are very costly, as much as $10,000 or more which doesn’t generally include training and handling. Carney’s partner was paid for in part by what the officer calls, “asset forfeiture money.” It is money confiscated that came about as a result of crime or illegal activity.

Dogs like Niko and Arrow forever have their partners’ backs, bonding with them for life. They also bond with their communities, enriching and putting a positive face on the entire police department and how they interact with the people they serve...something we need now more than ever. There is no newspaper article, radio spot, nor sign that could bring that point home better than the presence of a K-9 officer and his/her partner out in the community, meeting, greeting, educating, allowing children to hug and pet, and being good citizens. It’s the strong bond these officers share with each other, and it’s the power of that wagging tail they share with everyone.

Several weeks ago, Sergeant Carney was married in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Her wedding was small, but memorable; for as the wedding party processed down the aisle, so did two four-legged groomsmen...her pet dog, “Groot,” and her partner, Arrow.

After all, what would a wedding be without family and the guy who’s got your back?

Interested in purchasing a Vested Interest in K-9s calendar and helping the Westerly force and their K-9 program? Contact Officer Bruno and Niko at: bbruno@westerlypolice.org

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Blue Star Hemp

A World Away, In Our Own Backyard

By Ali Kaufman

My visit to Blue Star Hemp transported me far away from the constant bar-rage of breaking news and inner chatter to a place of calm where beautiful, useful plants and ideas grow. The expansive property in Madison backs up to acres and acres of woodland, providing spectacular views and sunsets that stun. Being that it is harvest season, the air is perfumed by the full-bodied Hemp plants or“The Ladies” as they are lovingly called. Owner, Peter On-ofrio lives onsite with his wife, Sarah and two children, a son and daughter whose laughter and energy made the sunny day even brighter.

Peter’s vision of what he and his team have created goes way back, almost to the very beginning. As a child he wanted answers to life's big questions and has not stopped asking them and learning. Taking giant leaps of faith is a way of life for Peter, who in the late ‘90s bought a one-way ticket to Australia and found a passion for the culture and the didgeridoo, a wind instrument creat-ed by the Aboriginal Australians.

Continuing his travels to New Zealand and Southeast Asia reinvigorated Onofrio further. Although

he ultimately bought a return ticket, he has traveled back to Australia and New Zealand at least nine times since.

Fast forward to another trip Peter and his wife Sarah took to participate in the Gathering of the Peacemakers held in North Carolina where they took part in wilderness workshops survival taught by kindred soul, Kevin Tincher. Their friendship was cemented and has remained strong over the years. Kevin happened to be standing in the middle of a hemp field when he had the inkling to ring up Peter.

Growing this “kissing cousin”of the Cannabis plant had just become legal in Connecticut, and the deep question Peter had been wrestling with of “what comes next” just received an answer.

Peter wasted no time getting started and was just the 15th person to secure a license to grow hemp in Connecticut.

Sarah’s Masters degree from UCONN in Horticul-tural Agriculture Science was a natural fit. Kevin’s connection to

plants began as a small child and continued over 30 years of studying Herbology with na-tive elders; he also has a masters in Holistic Health and Herbology. “We are constantly being given the tools for us to heal the planet and ourselves,” Kevin shared, further explaining that showing people how plants can help com-mon ailments like poison ivy or a bee sting opens the door to wanting to learn more.

While Peter and his family are hands-on everyday, this collaborative effort with North Carolina based partner, Kevin Tincher, has found its groove, and Blue Star is making its mark as “the” place for locally sourced CBD products. Each plant they grow is watered by hand and treated to the best care they can give. Practicing Dr. Masaru Emoto’s “Message in the Water”theory of thoughts, sound, and intention impacting living things, they even

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play the didgeridoo in the fields for The Ladies.

The plants are the star of the show, but there is so much more to explore here! The Buddha Barn is a funky space that has hosted a number of music events, guest speakers, and yoga work-shops. “We want people to enjoy themselves here,” Peter shared as we walked the grounds, then added, “I crave those light bulb moments of under-standing and peace, slowing down and actually being filled up by the joy of just being present.”

The ceremonial stone fire circle has openings at the four points of the com-pass and was blessed

by Mohegan Tribe Elder, Two Dogs. Peter’s authentic connection to the Native American People has blossomed over the years to include a lodge they have on premises built by Sequoyah Trueblood, who was previously a Green Beret who served in Vietnam. They also grow Sweet Grass which is bundled and used in cleansing and healing ceremonies, it adds to the magical feel of the space.

The finishing touches have just been put on the new tasting room, and I am sure by the time you read this they may have built something else!

Peter’s thought, Vibration + Intention = Healing is real, and you feel it being there, surrounded by so much of it.

This month they will celebrate the harvest on Saturday October 24th with an event that includes music by Now Machine, tours of the grounds, didgeridoo workshops, and goody bags to take home. Add to that, some of the best pizza I’ve ever had

made in their giant outside oven! Space is limited, and you must reserve ahead as they need to make sure Covid safety protocols are fol-lowed. This event is for age18 and over, but Blue Star definitely has kid-friendly events and would make for a fun family outing. Make sure to check the schedule before heading over.

For all the details, products, wellness offerings, event information and hours please visit https://discoverbluestar.com To learn more about the didgeridoo. http://didgequest.com/about/ They also have a terrific Facebook presence at Blue Star Health and Wellness and on Instagram at discoverblues-

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