newsandviewsjb

NEWS&VIEWS by Jacqueline Bennett

Posts by newsandviewsjb

Bells of Ireland Delight the Senses

Posted on March 2, 2013

Write-Up & Photo by Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb.com   With the approach of St. Patrick’s Day it is common to see a bounty of shamrock and clover decorations. Another lovely ornamentation to consider in celebration of the upcoming St. Paddy’s holiday are Bells of Ireland that delight the senses. A few years back I saw them featured in a March issue of “Country Living Magazine” and immediately set out to find a bunch – they are so beautiful, a wonder of nature that is simply a joy to behold.   Ironically, Bells of Ireland are said to originate in Turkey but it is easy to see how they acquired their name. Graceful long stems that grow between two to three feet tall of bell-shaped leaves in…

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Sugar Meister Makes Maple Magic at Northwest Park in Windsor, Connecticut

Posted on February 22, 2013

Article & Photos by By:Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb For twenty-seven years the Sugar Meister of Northwest Park, a.k.a. Chuck Drake, has been making maple magic in Windsor, Connecticut. Working as a volunteer, Drake has overseen growth of the park’s maple sugaring program from seven up to 210 tree taps. Using a wood-fired evaporator, within a five week period the program hand produces between forty to sixty gallons of pure maple syrup annually and hosts demonstrations of the process each weekend from mid-February to mid-March. A March 23 Friends of Northwest Park Pancake Breakfast will culminate the yearly maple sugaring ritual where as many as 600 breakfasts are expected to be served at the park. “The key is always making sure you have liquid in the…

Categories: Maple syrup production, New England, NEWS

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Love Is A Quilt My Mother Made

Posted on February 16, 2013

Write-Up & Photo by Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb   Each morning before I sit down to write, I straighten out the hand-crocheted quilt I have lying behind me over the back of my chair. As I did so on Thursday, Valentine’s Day, my eyes fell upon a tag in one corner that reads, “Made with love by MOM.” Given the holiday, it got me thinking about what love is.   My mom always sent Valentine’s Day cards to everyone in the family and to her friends. It was a bit of a pet peeve for me for a while. I felt Valentine’s was a day that should be for lovers, not for cards to mothers and others. I would say, for that there is Mother’s…

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Snow, Snow Everywhere – Big Dig Continues in Connecticut After Blizzard

Posted on February 12, 2013

Story & Photos by Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb.wordpress.com Four days after Blizzard Charlotte/Nemo hit New England, the big dig continues in Connecticut which saw some of the highest levels of snowfall – as much as 40 inches. A travel ban has been lifted in the state but freezing rain on Monday compounded concerns for motorists and Gov. Dannel Malloy has said he expected it would take ten days before all roads are clear. There have been seven storm related fatalities and more than a dozen roof collapses reported. The governor has asked municipalities to make clearing school roofs a priority and he is allowing municipalities flexibility in snow disposal including use of waterways. Utility companies are assisting with snow clearing and some 250 Ct National…

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Snowbound in Connecticut

Posted on February 9, 2013

(Writer’s note-Awoke to 29 inches of snow outside at 5:45 a.m. and snow still falling. The snow is too high to open my doors so for now I’m snowbound in Connecticut.) Early this morning Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy ordered all roads closed as the state continues to be pounded by a blizzard that is immobilizing parts of New England. “The only vehicles that should be on any road right now are emergency response and recovery vehicles with capacity to maneuver in heavy snow,” Malloy twitted, “This is a record breaking storm. It’s going to take time to dig out of the snow.” Thus far, about 36,000 Connecticut Light & Power customers are reportedly without power. In anticipation of what has been dubbed Blizzard Charlotte…

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New England Braces for Blizzard, More Than 800 Plows Prepared In Connecticut

Posted on February 8, 2013

Write-Up by Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb.wordpress.com New England is bracing for a blizzard expected to hit later today, last overnight into Saturday morning and bring at least two feet of snow in some areas plus high winds. In preparation, according to Gov. Dannel Malloy here in Connecticut the State Emergency Operations Center is slated to open this morning at 9 a.m., more than 800 state and contractor plows are ready to go, a good supply of salt mixtures is stockpiled throughout the state and non-essential state workers have been told not to report. State police are recommending motorists stay off the roads during the storm. A spokesperson for Connecticut Light & Power said 400 linesmen are on stand-by with crews already positioned in staging areas.…

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LeAnn Rimes Renditions of National Anthem Outstanding

Posted on February 4, 2013

newsandviewsjb.wordpress.com Some are heralding a “bluesy” rendition of the USA national anthem “devoid of lip-syncing or lyric flubs” at yesterday’s Super Bowl game in New Orleans. My preference is a couple of outstanding performances of the “Star-Spangled Banner” delivered by country artist LeAnn Rimes. One in 2004, aptly described as “stunning”, was before the start of a NFL Patriots/Colts game and another in 2011 at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Both are available on YouTube. Meanwhile, the Sandy Hook Chorus performance of “America the Beautiful” at Super Bowl XLVII, accompanied by Jennifer Hudson, rocked the Superdome. Kudos!

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Woodturning Exhibit at South Windsor Public Library

Posted on January 28, 2013

Write-up & Photos by Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb Yesterday I planned on covering a maple-sugaring event in Windsor, Connecticut that was cancelled. However, I came upon an interesting exhibit on display at the South Windsor Public Library on Sullivan Avenue.             A woodturning exhibit by the Central Connecticut Woodturners is on display at the South Windsor Public Library. According to a synopsis about CCW also on display, the organization was founded in 1994 to support the education and skill development of woodturners in central Connecticut. Since then, its members have played an instrumental role in construction aspects and continued maintenance of a working replica of Amistad, such as sanding and finishing the natural wood finish of the 19th Century sailing vessel,…

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Outplayed & Outcoached – Disappointing AFC Championship Loss for New England Patriots

Posted on January 21, 2013

Commentary & Photo by Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb In the postgame words of New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, his team was “outplayed and outcoached” during the AFC Championship match-up against the Baltimore Ravens January 20 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. There’s an understatement. Despite leading at halftime the Patriots may as well not have taken the field for the second half. Back from the locker room, they seemed to lack the desire to win. Their season was brought to a screeching halt by a Ravens defense and offense that swooped over the Patriots in front of a home field crowd in a 28-13 loss. Uncharacteristically, the Patriots didn’t just lose – they lost badly. “We just couldn’t make critical plays when we needed…

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Don’t Call Me “Honey”

Posted on January 15, 2013

Mish Mash by Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb In my posts I generally report on news events but today’s is a mish mash about a bit of what’s on my mind… I continue to be bothered by the epidemic of clerks addressing customers as “honey” or other unprofessional, inappropriate terms. I’m fed up with the concept of  “dress down” having spawned a norm of sloppy dressing. I love the CBS hit drama “Blue Bloods” but am annoyed that the powers-that-be reportedly could not find their way to accommodate Jennifer Esposito as she deals with celiac disease and have kept her on in her outstanding role as Danny’s partner. Could we possibly rediscover “ing” in this nation? It is understandable if one is a country music singer (and I…

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