OLD LYME — The Old Lyme Land Trust (OLLT), the Old Lyme Open Space Commission and the Old Lyme Inn are sponsoring a “Hiker’s Happy Hour” on Wednesday, June 2.
A guided walk will leave at 4:15 p.m. from the red trailhead in the Champlain North Open Space, located at the end of Wyckford Lane, just north of the I-95 exit 70. People preferring an easy, level walk can just go a short way to the Barbizon Oak, a 300-year-old historic landmark.
All are welcome.
After the hike, people will re-group at the nearby Old Lyme Inn for a 5 to 7 p.m. friendly happy hour, with half-price drinks the first hour. You need not hike to enjoy the event; the happy hour at the Inn will begin at 5 p.m. for hikers and others alike.
Additional “Hikers’ Happy Hours” are scheduled for Sept. 1 and Oct. 6, with locations to be announced.
Information on the Champlain North Open Space and its trails may be found at: https://www.oldlyme-ct.gov/open-space-commission/pages/champlain-north.
Hikers should wear comfortable walking shoes and bring insect repellent.
In the event of rain, meet at the Old Lyme Inn for Happy Hour instead of the trailhead.
CT Trails Day–Riverside Preserve Community Work Day
Date: Saturday, June 5, 2021
Time: 9:30 am -11:30 am
Place: Riverside Preserve, Salem Rd, Lyme CT
Contact Email: [email protected]
We invite you to take part in a Community Work Day to improve the site of a Pollinator Meadow and nature trail at the Lyme Land Trust’s Riverside Preserve, a haven for butterflies and other pollinators along the bank of the Eightmile River. Learn to recognize the native and invasive plants in the meadow. Native wildflowers that benefit pollinators will be identified and nurtured. Find out which plants are invasive and help us remove them. Leave with the knowledge and resources to create a pollinator patch of your own.
Bring tools: a pair of work gloves, clippers/loppers, a shovel, and a water bottle.
The walk is sponsored by Lyme Pollinator Pathway, an initiative of the Town of Lyme, and the Lyme Land Trust.
Reservations required: [email protected]
OLD LYME — Lyme Academy of Fine Arts has announced an outdoor summer concert series titled, Sounds on the Grounds, which kicks off tomorrow evening, Thursday, June 10, with performances by Chris Gregor from 5 to 5:45 p.m. followed by Brad Bensko and Kathleen Parks from 6 to 8 p.m.
All are welcome and admission is free. Masks are advised for those who are not vaccinated and children under 12.
The series is being produced in partnership with Nightingale’s Acoustic Café.
Tomorrow is the first of four Thursday evening, outdoor musical events during which attendees can savor a cold beer, glass of wine or craft cocktails, as well as delicious food truck fare. Lawn games will also be available and children can enjoy a few hours of safely social, family-friendly fun.
The full schedule of concerts is as follows:
Thursday, June 10:
5 – 5:45 pm Chris Gregor
6 – 8 pm Brad Bensko and Kathleen Parks
Thursday, June 17:
5 – 8 p.m. Java Groove
Thursday, June 24:
5 – 5:45 pm John Brown and the Backporch Pickers |
6 – 8 pm Eight Mile River Band
Thursday, July 1:
5 – 5:45 pm Midnight Anthem |
6 – 8 pm Steve Dedman and Plywood Cowboy
LYME —‘The Farmer’s Market at Tiffany Farms’ in Lyme opens for the season this Saturday, June 12, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Vendors will include
- Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm
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Biscotti and Beyond
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Bittersweet Farms
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Chatfield Hollow Farm
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Confections by Tonie Marie (new – confections!)
-
Dondero Orchards
-
Fat Stone Farm (returning!)
-
From the Farm
-
Long Table Farm
-
Maple Breeze Farm
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Marna Roons. (New – macaroons!)
-
Sankow Beaver Brook Farm
-
TALK Seafood
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Tiffany Farms Pasture Raised Beef (started in September and was a HUGE success!)
-
Traveling Italian Chef
-
Wave Hill Breads
The final concert in this summer series will take place Thursday, July 1, and feature Midnight Anthem playing from 5 to 5:45 p.m. and Steve Dedman and Plywood Cowboy taking the stage from 6 to 8 p.m.
LYME/OLD LYME — After the great success of last year’s inaugural Rogers Lake Boat Parade, another one is planned this year starting at 2 p.m., Sunday, July 4, from the Hains Park area.
Both motorized and non-motorized boats are invited to participate but all must be festively/patriotically decorated! In order to achieve a timely start, participants should arrive around 1:45 p.m.
Once the parade has begin, all boats should follow the designated lead boat or join at your respective location.
The route will be one counter-clockwise lap around the lap.
Boats should stay within 100 ft. of the shore at ‘No Wake’ speed and no swimming in or near the parade is permitted.
Dan Stevens, pictured above, will join Steve Dedman of Plywood Cowboy and The new Fusion Quartet on Saturday for a free concert at the Lyme Grange Fairgrounds.
LYME — This Saturday, July 10, a free, front-porch style concert will be held at the Lyme Grange Fair Grounds at 1 Sterling City Rd. in Lyme, Connecticut starting at 6 p.m.
Local favorites Steve Dedman of Plywood Cowboy and Ramblin’ Dan Stevens will trade songs and stories from the road. The New Fusion Quartet, a group of young musicians from Lyme-Old Lyme High School, will open the evening.
All are welcome. Bring family, friends and your own picnic and seating. No alcohol is allowed on the fair grounds.
The event is sponsored by the Lyme Public Hall and Local History Archives to celebrate community.
The Lyme Public Hall & Local History Archives, Inc. (LPH&LHA ) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation of Lyme’s history, culture, and community through the preservation and use of the historic hall, archives and historical programs. The LPH&LHA thanks Ramblin’ Dan and the Lyme Grange for their enthusiastic support for this community gathering.
More information at lymepublichall.org
LYME — Join the Lyme Land Trust for a Sound Bath, Sunday, July 11, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Diana’s Field in Banningwood Preserve, 19 Town St., Lyme.
A Sound Bath is an exhilarating event that brings a feeling of peace and rejuvenation. This Sound bath concert is presented by Rooted Endurance.
Sound Bath is a relaxation technique and meditative experience whereby participants ‘bathe’ in the sound waves produced by the complex harmonics of the human voice as well as instruments such as chimes, gongs and singing bowls.
Sean and Colleen Alexander, of Rooted Endurance, provide a multifaceted sound immersion performance that invites a delightful exploration of your internal self.
Create space for self-healing, sound massage, contemplative listening, relaxation, and rejuvenation; move prana (life force) through the body; deliver a deep, energetic reboot to the nervous system; and allow you to let go of everything that is not supporting you.
The results are waves of peace, heightened awareness, and relaxation of the mind and body.
You are welcome to bring your own water, mat, light blanket or sheet, and pillow and eye covers for this enjoyable experience. Bring a picnic to enjoy after the concert.
A suggested donation of $10 minimum will be collected on the day of the event, with all proceeds to benefit The Lyme Land Trust.
Registration not required.
For more information, visit the Rooted Endurance website at https://www.rootedendurance.com/or email [email protected]
GREENPORT, Mass./LYME/OLD LYME — The Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) will host three virtual Clean-up Coffee Hour sessions leading up to their 25th annual Source to Sea Clean-up being held this fall, Sept. 24-26.
The annual Source to Sea Clean-up is a river clean-up coordinated by CRC in all four states of the 410-mile Connecticut River basin (NH, VT, MA, CT). Each fall, thousands of volunteers of all ages and abilities clean trash from the Connecticut River and its tributaries on foot or by boat.
Join CRC at these virtual Clean-up Coffee Hours to learn more about how to get involved in the Source to Sea Clean-up:
· Registration and Site Selection: Wednesday, July 14, 12 – 1 p.m.
· Trash Disposal and Tallies: Wednesday, Aug. 11, 4 – 5 p.m.
· General Q&A: Thursday, Sept. 9, 5 – 6 p.m.
Additional details and links to register for these online events can be found at www.ctriver.org/events.
“These coffee hours will be a fun, informal way to get familiar with this year’s Source to Sea Clean-up,” says Stacey Lennard, CRC’s cleanup coordinator. “Anyone can come with questions about the process, or just come to meet other group leaders and volunteers. The Source to Sea Clean-up strengthens community while cleaning up our rivers and streams. It’s an opportunity for you to make a difference.”
The Source to Sea Clean-up is one of the largest river cleanups in the country. Thousands of volunteers participate each year to remove trash along rivers, streams, parks, boat launches, trails and more.
To learn more about how you can register for the Source to Sea Clean-up, connect with a group, choose a trash site, and tally your trash, tune into any of these three Clean-up Coffee Hours.
Since 1952, Connecticut River Conservancy has been the voice for the Connecticut River watershed, from source to sea. They collaborate with partners across four states to protect and advocate for the state’s rivers and educate and engage communities. They bring people together to prevent pollution, improve habitat, and promote enjoyment of your river and its tributary streams. Healthy rivers support healthy economies.
To learn more about CRC, or to make a contribution to help protect your rivers, visit www.ctriver.org.
OLD LYME — Play Beach Blanket Bingo Wednesday evening, Aug. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. at White Sand Beach.
This event is hosted by Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau (LYSB).
Bring your beach blanket, chairs and bug spray. No food will be served.
This event is open to all Lyme and Old Lyme families.
Check LymeLine.com or the LYSB website after 5 p.m. on the day of the event for possible weather postponement.
LYME — A very large patch of invasive European water chestnut was discovered last week in a remote location in Whalebone Cove in Lyme that can only be reached by canoe or kayak at high tide.
On Sunday, Aug. 15, the Friends of Whalebone Cove (FOWC) are organizing a ‘Paddle & Pull’ volunteer work party to remove the water chestnut starting at 3:30 p.m. Anyone who has a kayak, canoe or boat is welcome to join the work party. Bring a water bottle, life jacket/PFD and sun block.
The Paddle & Pull will last about two hours. Meet at the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry Boat Launch (east shore), Ferry Rd. (Rte. 148), Lyme, CT 06371.
In the past several years, FOWC has managed to control the spread of European water chestnut in Whalebone Cove and seeks to prevent it from becoming established, because if that should happen, it will change the Cove’s ecology and destroy its natural habitat eco-systems on which species that live in the area rely to survive.
This invasive creates a canopy on the water surface that crowds out native plants and destroys habitat for turtles, fish, birds and other animals. It decreases the oxygen in the water that fish need to survive. Its rosettes cover entire coves and ponds impeding fishing, hunting, swimming and boating, while also killing native plants that birds and marine wildlife need for survival.
Once established, European water chestnut is difficult to control. It can, however, be eradicated and prevented from spreading by removing plants before they have a chance to drop their seeds, which usually starts in late August.
This type of water chestnut has invaded and taken over many other locations in the Connecticut River.
There will be additional “paddle & pull” work parties scheduled later in the summer.
For more details, email [email protected]
OLD LYME — In March 2021, a group of interested residents of Lyme and Old Lyme met on Zoom to plan the Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden (LOLFSG), a garden dedicated to growing and donating all produce to local food pantries. As the end of summer draws near, the group is delighted to share their progress and invite readers to visit the site.
The LOLFSG will be holding two Open House/Work Sessions on two upcoming Saturdays, Sept. 18 and Sept. 25 from 8 to 11 a.m. at the garden, which is located behind the field house and playground at Town Woods Park. All are welcome.
Jim Ward, who conceived the original idea for the garden and has been the driving force behind its development, explained, “Board members are anxious and excited to share the progress we have made in establishing the garden and look forward to answering any questions concerning our vision.”
In the months following the inaugural meeting, the LOLGSF participated in a crowdsourcing fundraiser sponsored by Sustainable CT in which 82 donors helped raise $8350. With $7500 of those funds being matched, the LOLFSG was able to purchase fencing materials and broke ground at Town Woods Park in June.
Ward commented enthusiastically, “Through the dedicated efforts of volunteers, an eight-foot deer fence has been erected, the installation of an irrigation system is in progress, three raised beds have been built and additional in-ground beds have been prepared. We are on track to plant and harvest our first crops in Spring 2022!”
As the number of LOLFSG members increases, volunteers of all ages are invited to join the organization. Ward invites readers to consider volunteering, visiting the garden, or continuing to support the LOLFSG financially.
He notes, “Our next steps are to complete the installation of the irrigation system, install electricity, erect a storage shed and garden (plant, weed, water, harvest). Updates and additional photos are available through Facebook, Instagram or at the LOLFSG website.”
OLD LYME — This Clean-Up of White Sand Beach is part of International Coastal Cleanup Day, which is being celebrated worldwide Sept. 18. Volunteers are needed for this local effort, which is the fifth annual #DontTrashLISound day.
This year’s campaign, run by the Connecticut and New York Sea Grant programs with support from the Long Island Sound Study, will consist of cleanup events in both states, social media posts and giveaways of “Protect Our Wildlife” stickers for reusable water bottles and travel mugs
Volunteers tend the Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden at Town Woods Park.
OLD LYME — In March 2021, a group of interested residents of Lyme and Old Lyme met on Zoom to plan the Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden (LOLFSG), a garden dedicated to growing and donating all produce to local food pantries. As the end of summer draws near, the group is delighted to share their progress and invite readers to visit the site.
The LOLFSG will be holding two Open House/Work Sessions on two upcoming Saturdays, Sept. 18 and Sept. 25 from 8 to 11 a.m. at the garden, which is located behind the field house and playground at Town Woods Park. All are welcome.
Jim Ward, who conceived the original idea for the garden and has been the driving force behind its development, explained, “Board members are anxious and excited to share the progress we have made in establishing the garden and look forward to answering any questions concerning our vision.”
In the months following the inaugural meeting, the LOLGSF participated in a crowdsourcing fundraiser sponsored by Sustainable CT in which 82 donors helped raise $8350. With $7500 of those funds being matched, the LOLFSG was able to purchase fencing materials and broke ground at Town Woods Park in June.
A view of the Community Share Garden showing the three raised beds in the background.
Ward commented enthusiastically, “Through the dedicated efforts of volunteers, an eight-foot deer fence has been erected, the installation of an irrigation system is in progress, three raised beds have been built and additional in-ground beds have been prepared. We are on track to plant and harvest our first crops in Spring 2022!”
As the number of LOLFSG members increases, volunteers of all ages are invited to join the organization. Ward invites readers to consider volunteering, visiting the garden, or continuing to support the LOLFSG financially.
He notes, “Our next steps are to complete the installation of the irrigation system, install electricity, erect a storage shed and garden (plant, weed, water, harvest). Updates and additional photos are available through Facebook, Instagram or at the LOLFSG website.”