Elyse's
Country Journal

Field a team and join the Great Mountain Forest Orienteering event on Sunday, September 22nd where an estimated 100+ participants will be organized into teams of 4-6 people whose goal is to reach as many points of interest within GMF as

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” Carried with them and planted by the early settlers, apples represent a perseverance and sense of renewal through their adaptation and ability to flourish in varying

Swarms of dragonflies have recently created ephemeral evening displays throughout the Southern Berkshires.  After weeks of summer heat, sporadic September storms have brought welcomed cooler evenings – and an abundance of insects. Dragonflies, true to their revered totem, have proven

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29th at 4pm: The Historic Festival opens with one of longest automotive parades in the Northeast, the Vintage Race Car & Sports Car Parade presented by Salisbury Bank. With bystanders viewing from the roadside, more than 120 cars

It’s all about the chase.  When hiking there is always a destination in mind – some remarkable reward at the end of the the trail.  However, the greater thrill of hiking is the continual quest for discovery along the way.

Nature Activities for Families Sunday, August 4, 2019, 11:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m. Behind the Norfolk Library, 9 Greenwoods Road East, Norfolk, CT Come join a Weekend in Norfolk for some interesting and creative activities. They will be doing bark

August 2, 3, & 4: A Weekend in Norfolk! MUSIC, ART & NATURE COME TOGETHER FOR THREE EXCITING DAYS! A weekend in Norfolk offers three exciting days of music, art, nature, food, and fun. There will be a wide variety

Canaan Railroad Days is celebrating its 55th year in bringing an amazing festival to the Northwest Corner of North Canaan, CT. This weekend you can enjoy Saturday night fireworks, live music, a car show, street festival, Roaming Railroad Train Rides,

14th Annual Jane Lloyd Fund Clambake: Saturday, July 27th, 2019 from 2:00pm-8:00pm on Satre Hill, home of the Salisbury Winter Sports Associations ski jumps. Clambake tickets are advance sale only. Don’t miss out, purchase your tickets now: click here. The Kiln

12 Laurel Way and 22 Maple Avenue, Norfolk, CT Saturday, July 27, 2019, From 9 am – 4 pm Dealers/Homeowners offer Glass, Porcelain, Linens, China, Paintings, Furniture, Tools and More. See you there!

AMENIA NY – July 27th, 2019. Times: 10 am until 4 pm. Rain or Shine. The Amenia Garden Club is blooming and we are delighted to invite everyone to attend A SPECIAL PLANT SALE, at the Durbridge Garden at 37

Save July 7 at 4 pm for a delightful summer afternoon on the beautiful grounds of Noble Horizons where you can enjoy the exquisite harmonies of The Valley Chordsmen.  This all-male barbershop harmony chorus has been singing throughout the area

Sat., July 6 9:00 a.m. to noon Meet at GMF’s Forestry Office, 201 Windrow Rd., Norfolk, CT Tom Fahsbender, a 9 year volunteer with Connecticut’s Riffle Bioassessment by Volunteers (RBV) program, will lead this workshop. RBV is a volunteer water

Vines of berries are woven throughout the Southern Berkshires, making summertime the sweetest time of year.  While wandering the Foothills and Hudson Valley regions, the quest of berry picking brings us closer to our agricultural roots while also providing nature’s sweetest

Salisbury’s “Twin Lakes” are notorious for their idyllic setting and allure to outdoor enthusiasts.  It’s common knowledge that days on the lake are always accompanied by jubilant laughter and carefree smiles.  Local legends of the Housatonic region reaffirm this passionate spirit. The

For many of us, we grow into our names.  A selective few, however, are born with an identity so strong that they define themselves. Robert ‘Bullet’ Sherwood was one of those people. Although Bullet’s nickname has an ambiguous origin, likely

June is Pride Month and we will kick it off this weekend with the Hudson Valley Pride March & Festival.  New Paltz, NY will be decorated with extravagance as our community joins together to continue the pathway of New Paltz

“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.” Each year America joins together on the last Monday in May to pause, reflect and honor the

Sat., June 1, 2019 1:00 p.m. Join GMF Forest Manager Jody Bronson and Dr. Charles Canham, GMF Board Member and Senior Scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies on this hike. Participants will meet at GMF’s Administrative Offices at

Women’s Support Services of the Northwest Corner (WSS) is hosting its 19th Annual Trade Secrets® on Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19, 2019. Each year thousands of garden lovers trek to the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut for what has

Waterfalls are alive with energy; each having its own distinct personality.  Many local waterfalls are accompanied by folk tales or legends that explain their reputations – some soft and gradual, others more severe – each one a unique expression of

   Keeping a small flock of chickens facilitates a connection with an all-around more wholesome lifestyle.  Raising chicks provides an opportunity to experience the natural rewards of nurturing fragile beings who will eventually reciprocate plentifully throughout the course of their

Thoreau’s Last Lecture: Fall Color in the Autumn of Life by David Leff Sat., May 11, 2019 4:00 p.m., Douglas Library, Canaan CT Suffering with his final illness, Henry David Thoreau journeyed to Waterbury, Connecticut to deliver the last lecture of

Vernal pools are home to innumerable species who rely upon this muddy softening of the earth each spring. Recent rainfall has extended this period of vernal magic this year. This distinctive type of wetland habitat provides a unique environment for

On April 27, at 11 am Noble Horizons welcomes award-winning journalist and filmmaker Sam Eaton, who will present, “Climate Change: Can We Avoid the Tipping Point?” Sam Eaton has covered complex global issues from the front lines of more than

Join your GMF friends to celebrate Earth Day around a campfire as we read poems of the late Mary Oliver and enjoy some special music. Mary Oliver, a Pulitzer-prize winning poet of the natural world, died in January at age

Yale Norfolk School of Art Lecture Series May 23-June 20, 2019 For further information please contact Dawn Whalen, Executive Director, Norfolk Foundation, Inc., 860-542-7185 www.norfolkfoundation.net This summer Yale Norfolk School of Art will offer a thematic program, made possible by

Cinco De Mayo Concert on Sunday, May 5, 2019, at 7 PM held at the St. John’s Episcopal Church in Salisbury, CT. With world-renowned musicians Violinist Bob Stern and Guitarist Gil Gutierrez. To learn more about their amazing talents and

Spring’s triumph over winter inevitably inspires thoughts of transformational “spring cleaning” and no one transforms like Marie Kondo of the hit Netflix series “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.”  Learn her KonMari Method™ of ‘sparking joy’ on Saturday, April 6, at

The Berkshire Region is renowned for its beautiful landscape and talented community. Summer Camps throughout the area reflect this creative passion and offer a multitude of options to immerse yourself in that which you love or expand your interests and