Governor Dannel P. Malloy comes to Sharon

So Hartford came to Sharon today, with the Big Kahunna himself, Governor Dannel P. Malloy(D) stopping by Sharon at about 12:30pm at The Sharon Ridge Apartment Complex. He was here to give us a verbal commitment from the State of a $165,000 STEAP GRANT for The Sharon Housing Authority. He also gave a commitment of $100,000 to The Sharon Housing Trust. The Sharon Housing Authority is going to be building I believe twelve more apartments at The Ridge, and the Housing Trust is expected to break ground soon on another single family home, to be located off Low Road.


The Governor looked sharp in a nice suit, his hair all in place and very professional. He spoke very nicely to all members of the boards who were represented there, a member of the press and a few other would-be press folks. Two folks who reside in the complex ventured out to hear the address and were quite surprised by all of the commotion. They too seemed appreciative that "The Gov" took time out and make the presentation. I was impressed that he shared a few minutes from his busy schedule afterwards and spoke with numerous members personally. I was also impressed that he recognized Mike Silverman and others for their countless hours of work over years to this project. Projects of this nature do not happen by themselves. They take huge commitments of time and energy from many folks on different levels. I applaud Mike, Gene Lattimer and all the others who have served on this committee for years. The Ridge seems to be a great thing, and some expansion should only help it and all of Sharon. To paraphrase something I heard today from the governor I think, that it takes all kinds of people, from all walks of life, to make a good and active community. True words...

Admiring a gift of Rick's Reserve Red!

A Christmas to Remember...

My back has been in the pits for the last few day, so I am doing basically what I have to and nothing more.  Right now I am icing it...... With that said, I am very blessed in my life and one of my greatest blessings is my family. So, today's entry is a pic of my kids from Christmas morning, just a few days back now.  Maybe boring to some, but it's about all I have left for pics till I feel better. And since I get to look at my own blog, hey, I'm prejudice, I admit it.......I love these guys!

Oh Fr..........please give me another chance......

Did you ever have something that you always thought nobody really cared two hoots about one way or the other and then come to find out, it really meant something to someone, maybe on the positive side, or maybe on the negative side? I learned a while back just that very kind of thing. So tonight's dedication is a " give me another chance Fr........please?"

.....and on the 27th of December, it rained....

And How!

The "Light" House

When I was a kid, it was Dr. Fisher's for the lights in Sharon. Of recent years, my neighbors The DiMartino's I think are the most well-lit house in Sharon....  :)

Sharon Congregational Church at night

Merry Christmas -- 2011

Hey now wait one cotton-pickin-minute...

The gas gauge was unusually low in my truck so I visited our local Shell station for a fill-up this evening. I started pumping away when I noticed $3.099 on the price sign on the pump. Whoa! Somebody made a boo-boo. That was the posted price on the large signs over the blends. The small price was the correct (unfortunately for me) one at 3.599. Sharon, the home of really high priced gas.


I went and told the clerks quickly, who immediately corrected the mistake. If I had been a pain and wanted to push it, I believe (from my old station days) I could have done so. The sign which was wrong I believe to be as the "legal" price.(again from my old days of selling petrol) However, it doesn't matter as I would not report them for that honest mistake.


I am in retail, and have been for years. Mistakes happen. I have been caught by folks who have gone both ways. Some say, no problem, others say uh-uh, you gotta do the price marked, no matter what. Thanks friend. If it's a dollar, well, it's a dollar. But when you lose  ten or twenty, which has happened, well, that hurts a small guy. xtramart is not a small guy by any means, but I've been there. I know the meaning of a buck, especially when it is mine!


I think I might stop to see the manager tomorrow and see if she wants to buy me a coffee for being a good guy. :)

Christmas Pageant

With the religious holidays fast approaching, christian churches worldwide are preparing to celebrate the birth of their Lord, Jesus Christ, on December 25th. Today in Sharon, at the Congregational Church, the annual Christmas Pageant was put on by members of the church school program.


This years event was very well attended by lots of guests and family members and I think that all participants and observers all had a great time. Kudo's to Shari Marks, Judy Albright-Perotti and a number of other members for lots of time spent planning and teaching of our youth.

 A bit different from my days. No old hooks for the shepherds. No straw spread all over making a whale of a mess! A dvd helping to tell parts of the story, microphones to help amplify little voices and a strong choir of young girls with some really magnificent voices.


As the pastor said before the start, pageants not only show todays youth, but it makes members of the audience remember theirs......and that it did.


This promises to be a busy week for me (all of us probably), so not sure how many posts will be up. About all I can say is, check in!

Squirrel soup

Okay....crazy post I readily admit, but I am serious, though in a funny sort of way, if that makes sense. Does anyone else out there, beside me, think that there is an over-abundance of grey squirrels this year? In the picture below there are five, or there was when I went to take it. There are squirrel road-kill everywhere I go it seems locally. They are running all over ( until they get run over that is)! What is going on? Is global warming affecting this and playing with the balance of nature? Do we need to have an "open season" and get the shotguns out of the closets?


Seriously. Take a look around your neighborhood and tell me when you see me if you think at all the way I do...

One more look from today...

Holy Smokes......Eagles!

So I am back with a post in just few days....Shoot me! A customer told me of this male and a female eagle, so I just had to go grab it this morning, shortly before noon. I had never seen one before........so exciting!

Something's gotta change...

Dateline:Sharon.
I am bored with my blog.
I love my blog, for what it is, but I am bored with it.
It is boring, and I don't want to do a boring blog.
I just said that, didn't I? Told you I was bored.
Bored may not be my only problem. Perhaps it's......"deeper"....

I doubt it. Basically, I'm just bored.

It's become a chore. It's meant to be fun, for you, the observer, and for me, the author. I doubt it's been fun for either of us of late.

I need to think about it. What to do with it. Get some feedback. Weigh it. Discuss it. Pray over it. I need to pray about a lot of things.

I am thankful. Thankful I could do this blog. Thankful I am not afraid to take a break, to try to figure it out. Thankful to Harry & Cindy. And Bob in Virginia. And Tom. And Bobby. And Jack & Jeanne. And a whole host of others too. You know who you are. Part of the hundred or more each day who stopped by to just look-in. I feel bad to take time off, but I am pretty dry right now.

I have some pictures. But pictures need to do something. To tell a story. To show something that would not be seen. To bring thought, and feelings. I am not sure that has been happening for some time now. I liked my bit on the house, in black and white, from last week. That's the only thing in weeks I have liked.

That's not enough. Or good enough.

I need a break.

I bet I'll be back, but I don't know when. Maybe next week. Maybe next month. Perhaps in June. How about.....sporadically? I don't know.

I'm bored with my blog, but I said that. Thanks.

Lastly, I'll close with, check back. I hate to lose you. You're my friends.
Merry Christmas, if I don't see you. I can say that.

about these bushes........

~during the summer months, I never pay much of a  never-mind to two of these shrubs off North Main, but when the holiday season hits here as it has, and the decorative lights come out, they always catch my eye. Round in shape, small bottom, then ever increasingly larger as they go up, and then to a flat top! How...... unique shall I say? 

Hot time, in the cold town, tonight!

     So tonight at six pm, the fire company hosted their annual "light parade". Starting at the clock tower, north thru town, down Cemetery Hill Road and back to firehouse was the route.There were numerous vehicles, firetrucks in disguise, wagons, carts, motorcycles and more. While not quite as exciting as the one a few weeks back that I attended over in nearby Pine Plains, NY, but it was still a good time for those who attended and participated. It was followed by hot chocolate and cookies at the firehouse for all. Very much appreciated, as it was a chilly night! I hope the fire department holds steady and continues to have this event each year, and not fold because of poor attendance. Rome wasn't built in a day! I am working on early  groundwork to co-ordinate this event with the tree lighting which was just last week. Get the whole town involved, like in Pine Plains. Get organizations to do floats. Get towns people to do personal fun floats. It was a real party in Pine Plains. It could be that here too!
     Loved the rower from Kent Fire Company tonight!

Hot time in the ol' town tonight...

Gosh what a fun night! A number of the stores in the plaza (not all unfortunately) chose to stay open past their normal hours, as part of a small "holiday" celebration/ chance to shop/ chance to see friends/ chance to support local business. The Bodhi Tree was busy with folks checking out local artisans wares and enjoying a sip of bubbly. The SFM offered some nibbles free of charge (sushi anyone?) and Rick's Wine had a awesome wine tasting. Becky's Salon was open for a birthday party for her daughter and a chance for folks to come in and say hi as well. The big parking space filler for the plaza tonight though was a fund raising event held at "The Black Goose". Bob and staff opened up to four local bands to each do a small set and raise money for the Sharon Fuel Bank. A $10.00 cover was charged at the door and I am only guessing but I bet 100-150 people attended over the course of the evening, perhaps more, to make it a great success! The Goose has just gotten their wine and beer license recently so they were selling those items and a different menu of nibbles and snacks just for the event, and seemed quite busy to this observer. The place was packed, and I really thought it was great how the town was into it....


There were lots of smiling faces at all of the events, and it was great to see so many support all the events..... Hometown fun, at the plaza!

Sharon Historical Society

     Oh what a difference twenty-four hours makes! This time yesterday it was pouring rain, and had been most all day and evening. The wind was blowing, the temperature was dropping and within a few hours snow was falling. Up here on my part of the hill, the grass and walks got a good two inches and the driveway a bit less. And so it begins I guess....

Gay-Hoyt House

Rain anyone?

Big fog again first thing this morning followed by rain, heavy at times, all day. Right now, at 10:19 pm it is pouring, and I just put my snowplow on my truck as it is supposed to turn to snow. 
Just great.


"hello, Southwest? Can you get me out of here...........tomorrow!!"

King House on a Sunny morning 12/03/11

Foggy morning estate

     Did you all experience the fog this morning? Whoa...pretty thick, thick like pea soup! The south end of town was really socked in while I was out and about. And by Long Pond Road it was pretty thick as well.
     Found this South Main address was pretty surrounded with fog and it helped give it a really photographic opportunity.....hope you like it.

Guinea Brook Culvert

     Up in the Ellsworth Section of Sharon is where Guinea Brook begins. It meanders around up on the top of the mountain before working its way over to Route 4, then down the mountain and eventually ending in the Housatonic. Where one of our town roads crosses it there has been a rebuilding project going on which has finally come to a conclusion. There was a setback in the project when one of our storms washed out much of the work that had been done, so the contractor had to almost start over at zero, Whatever, the project is done, the road is paved, the safety fences are installed and water is flowing unimpeded. To this layman, it looks like a job well done.

Out and about....

     I have taken this day off from work each of the last three years and just try to do a bunch of fun things with Clare. We started the day at the Christmas Fair @ The Sharon Methodist Church, then on to Lakeville to the town grove to s spectacular artisans fair, then to the Lakeville Methodist Church Fair, then to Falls Village to Toymakers for lunch, P.D. Walsh's store also in Falls Village and then to the high school for a christmas tree purchase. Then it was home and change clothes and off to West Hartford for some speciality shopping for ornaments, some supper, then a shoe store for work shoes, back to T-town to see the lights on Main Street and The Christmas House and then finally back to Sharon, with a stop at the tree on the green. Rather a full day. How was yours?

T-Town Lights

We had to go to Torrington, or as I affectionately call it, "Torrinton" to collect on some business rebate dealings on Thursday evening. After that we had supper, then on our way out of town we were quite impressed by the street decorations and decided to swing around and grab a photo, though taken with just my cellphone camera. I wanted to post just to support that community as well as the decorations all really looked quite nice, but the photo doesn't really do it justice. Need to go back to "T" town with my real camera and see what I can work up. I am proud to support my fellow local businesses, but also like parts of Torrington and what it has to offer as well.


Out and about tomorrow (Saturday) at church fairs and tree sales ( maybe some lunch out somewhere too!). Hope you all have a good Saturday and support those you can. Talk to you later...

Nice Job!

     Anybody besides me enjoyed the amazing transformation by the new owner of the old house next the methodist church parsonage? Wow! Looks great!