After repeated requests and an extension of the deadline, Mr. Cahill has declined to submit a statement on his candidacy.

The polls will be open for the Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 2, from 6AM to 8PM in the Meeting Room in the Lower Level of Town Hall. Covid protocols, including masks and distancing, regular sanitizing and disposable pencils, will be employed in the polls. Handicapped accessible parking spaces will be designated in the lower level parking lot, where curb-side voting will also be available on Election Day for those unable to enter the polling place.

Absentee ballots are available from the Town Clerk during regular Town Hall hours, Tuesdays from 9AM to 4PM and Thursdays from 10AM to 7PM, up until the opening of the polls. The Ballot Deposit Box at the top of the ramp at Town Hall will also be available for submitting ballots up until 8PM on November 2.

The Registrars will hold a limited registration session from 9AM to 5PM on November 1 in their Office at Town Hall for those whose rights as to age, citizenship, or residence matured after the October 26 deadline. Election Day Registration is available on November 2 in the Registrars’ Office only to applicants who are in line by the close of the polls.

Dayna Arriola and Mary Oliver

“Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it.” Susan B. Anthony

Did you know?

A new report from the States of Change project looks at how generational change could affect future elections. The authors base their projections on the eligible electorate (people who are American citizens and age-eligible to vote — that is, 18 years of age), and they look at possible changes over the next four elections out to 2036. They note that the eligible voter population is aging. “Those 65 years old and older will make up a larger share of eligible voters” — going, they say, from 21 percent in 2016 and to 28 percent in 2036 while those ages 18 through 64 will shrink. The size of the senior share and their greater propensity than younger age groups to vote gives them disproportionate clout at the ballot box now.  Via Twenty20

Hampton Seniors Club encourages everyone to vote on Election Day! There is accommodation to anyone that needs assistance voting.

Folks, we have some good news! The Hampton Seniors will be providing a meal this month. Our luncheon will be Wednesday November 10^th at noon. There will be flank steak, potatoes and veggies as well as a vegetarian chowder and of course, dessert.  Meals will be ready for pick-up at the Community Center, $5 for Hampton residents over 55years. Please RSVP by November 3^rd to hamptonseniorclub@gmail.com or contact Lisa Grady at 860-428-9565.

The Hampton Seniors Club is extremely grateful for all the work and efforts of member Kathy Donahue for arranging to have Paul, the Walgreen pharmacist, back this year for another flu clinic. Also, a special thanks to Diane Gagnon, Jessica Samios and Peter Witkowski for all their help.

                                                           Andrea Kaye, Senior Vision’s Committee Member

In the past few years, the numbers of senior citizens increased in Hampton.  The advent of the pandemic is also an issue, for many traditional supports are now inadequate. Winter is almost here and now is the time to rethink the offerings needed for our oldest residents. Some assistance is critical for those who wish to stay in their own homes.

Many seniors are in need of specialists located outside the area served. Medical Transport needs to be expanded to include a way to reach doctors and facilities not in Eastern Connecticut. It is also noted that the major grocery stores do not deliver to Hampton. This is a priority for many who no longer drive. The third critical priority is for a designated site in Hampton allowing supervised activities a few hours a week. This would provide a social outlet for some and support for their caregivers.

In addition to these priority services, specific needs can be addressed by matching professionals or townsfolk. This is not a request for volunteers but for paid providers of specific chores. They are broken down by category below and if interested, please contact the hamptonseniorclub@gmail.com with the job, your name, and contact information (email or phone number):

• Household maintenance: Cleaning, holiday help, seasonal yard work, trips to Transfer Station.
• Personal Care: Nail trimming, haircuts/barber
• Physical Activities: assist with Physical Therapy regimes
• Pets: pet sitting/vet trips
• Technical Support: computers/iphones/ipads
• Library: pick-up and delivery.

Programs provided by members of the Seniors Club include luncheons, clinics, trips and demonstrations. This new project will build on a strong base of support received with the appreciation of all. In addition, the Town of Hampton’s Agent for the Elderly, Jane Cornell, is available to link seniors to those who can help with specific needs from insurance to financial planning. It is planned that a publication titled Resources for Hampton Seniors will be printed and distributed early in the New Year or sooner!  Please respond to hamptonseniorclub@gmail.com to include your name, contact information and service provided in this new brochure.

Jean Romano

In “Our Rural Heritage” series, we’ve featured barns that sheltered cows, horses, sheep, chickens, goats and carriages, barns that have been used for community dances and pajama parties, for garages and for storage, as a farmer’s market and a repair shop, to house refugees after World War II, and one converted into a museum at Trail Wood.  This is the first barn we’ve visited that has been renovated to increase the home’s living space, and the second to use a portion of the space as an art studio. It’s also one of a few that is attached to the house.

Early in its history, the property at 209 Main Street changed ownership frequently. Land records indicate that Lewis Spencer purchased the parcel from Frank Deming, who owned the farm at 211 West Old Route 6, for $100 in May of 1904 along with “the sharing of a well for buildings which may be erected”.  In October of 1904, Spencer sold the land, dwelling and barn to Mildred Wetherell for $500.  In 1906, the property was sold to May Jewett for $1,300 and it would remain with the Jewett family for many years.  Mr. Deming sold an additional strip of land to May Jewett for $1 in 1908, and there was another transaction, though the deed is not specific, between Jennie Chapel, who purchased the farm from Deming, and May and William W. Jewett in 1933, the estate eventually falling to Amy Jewett in 1950. Notably, for those who grew up in Hampton, the Morses owned the place throughout the 60’s and early 70’s, after which time the property saw  a few more transactions before the 1988 purchase by current owner, Marny Lawton, who is responsible for the renovations detailed in this article.

It’s hard to imagine, sitting in a room that combines comfort and art so perfectly, that animals were once sheltered here. Hard to imagine that this space accommodated a horse stall and a cribber, and that there was a chicken coop with a pen opening onto the backyard. While renovating the barn, names from around town appeared behind the sheet rock – Wayne + Mary-Lu, Marg + Donald.  During the 60’s, this was one of the houses along the “Magic Mile”, where the fifty to sixty kids who lived in the village were always welcomed.  Of this particular place, Jo and Alan Freeman relayed their father’s saying in a “Random Recollections” interview a few years ago, “They open a bag of chips and some pop and call it a party!” — a memorable line because of its familiarity to many of us. As are the names on the wall –familiar to many of us.

A cattle trough for water was in the attic of the house, the owners of the property at 211 West Old Route 6 honoring “the sharing of a well” written in the early deed.  Plumbing relied on gravity, with water rushing downhill, up to the attic trough, and then down to the bathroom. I remember my father telling me that the well in front of our place once supplied water to the house at the end of the road. Though undoubtedly filled in from disuse, the well is still visible near the street.

Equally difficult to envision is that the backyard was once home to goats and sheep. Now a deck extends from the house to a courtyard, where sun spills in the morning and late afternoon and a shady respite is provided mid-day. Spring’s bleeding hearts, hellabores and azaleas flourish here, boxwood and a variety of hostas provide textural interest, and the ivory lace caps of a hydrangea vine drape over the stockade fence in the summer.

When excavating for the deck footings, Marny discovered a gravestone which was used as a footing for the barn. “Lydia Mariet Fuller, born July 14, 1843, daughter of Lydia and Mason O. Fuller, died New York City” and then the carving trails away. It is not an uncommon find in the yards of the town’s old homes. And perhaps this one is less mysterious than most. The Fuller family informed Marny that Lydia’s middle name was spelled “Mariot”, so perhaps the stone was not used because of this error. According to the family, Lydia died on July 14, 1849, at the age of six, from “congestion of the brain” and is buried in the North Cemetery. Though intact, the stone was cracked when Marny discovered it, which could have also been the reason it wasn’t used.

The view of the house from the street informs us that an artist lives here. The Victorian vernacular painted in three subtle tones of white, the antique lanterns, wicker on the porch, ornamental trees, and gardens that provide interest in every season — all illustrate the artistry. The upstairs of the barn is where the tools of the trade are stored and the skill and the creativity come alive, for the hay loft has been converted into an art studio for the renowned artist who makes this her home.

The room accommodates shelves filled with texts on art and personal notebooks on paint formulas, vast collections of pigments and of paint brushes, portable and plein air easels, test panels and canvases, and works of art in various stages of completion. Natural sunlight, as well as fresh air, pours into the room through the Palladium windows.

Marny is a representational painter working in oil and egg tempera; she first clears up a common misunderstanding – egg tempera is not egg tempura.  You cook with and eat egg tempura, which means frying with a batter, but you paint with egg tempera. There’s further confusion in that most people remember tempera as the type of paint they or their children used in kindergarten.  This is accurate, but tempera paint describes a water-based paint that cleans up with soap and water and is produced to be non-toxic.

“All types of painting media need a binding agent for the pigment. For tempera paint it is typically water, starch or cellulose, calcium carbonate, and pigments.  The binding agent for the pigment in oil is typically linseed, walnut or safflower oil; for watercolor or gouache it is gum arabic; for encaustic it is usually beeswax, etcetera. But the pigments for all are the same vast array of magnificent colors both natural and synthetic,” Marny explains. “The binding agent for egg tempera is an egg yolk.  Just as in baking, you separate the yolk from the whites — a lot of painting means a lot of meringues or omelets, but then you must pierce the yolk sac to release the pure yolk into a jar. This then is what you use for painting, mixing it with water and pigments. Painting in egg tempera is not as forgiving as working with oil and takes considerably more time.”

The color of the yolk is derived from the hen’s diet and ranges in color, but it oxidizes as it dries, or cures.  Many think it is more fragile and not as long lasting as an oil painting, Marny says, reminding us, “If you’ve ever had your car egged at Halloween you know how tough dried egg yolk can be.” Egg tempera paintings in museums date from the pre-Renaissance, 13^th, 14^th centuries and earlier, and with proper care, are as brilliant as the day they were painted, she says. “Egg tempera is no more fragile than oil and generally does not yellow with age like oil, although both can still be dented, scratched, ripped and otherwise destroyed if not handled properly.”

According to Marny, there is no odor to the yolk while painting.  As long as the egg was fresh it should last one to three days depending on when the hen laid the egg.  The painting has no odor at all, she says.  The surface must be rigid so egg tempera paintings are found on wood or other rigid surfaces since egg yolk can crack when bent.  These surfaces are also organic so they must first be treated with hide glue, then about six to twelve layers of gesso that absorb and hold the pigment. Marny uses an ancient gesso recipe using marble dust instead of chalk, noting, “When completely dry, this is as durable as, well, marble.” She says the whole process gives the artist a sense of being an alchemist in the ancient tradition, almost like working with the Old Masters.

The focus of Marny’s work is contemporary realism with abstractions found in her realistic subjects.  She has received recognition in numerous national and regional exhibitions: Salmagundi Club and Allied Artists of America in New York City, the Guild of Boston Artists and Copley Society of Art in Boston, New Britain Museum of American Art and Connecticut Academy of Fine Art, to name a few. Her work has been featured in popular publications such as American Art Collector, Southwest Art, as well as the Minneapolis-St. Paul cultural magazine, TOSCA Twin Cities.  Most recently her egg tempera painting, Pear on Granite No. 2, pictured, was chosen to be included in the journal Inside AWA-Advancing Women Artists that was also part of a separate presentation of contemporary female artists from around the world in collaboration with the Giovanna Garzoni exhibit, a 15^th century painter, at the Uffizi Galleries and Medici Archive Project in Florence, Italy.

Visiting with Marny Lawton is a lesson in possibilities.  The transformation of a horse stall and a corn crib into a cozy den, a pen for sheep and goats into a charming garden, a hay loft into an art studio, and an egg yolk and a bit of earth into a magnificent painting.  A lesson in possibilities, in creativity, in magic.

Dayna McDermott

For more information about her artistic process see Marny’s “Backstories In Art” blog (see 2018). The link can be found on her CV at the web site at: https://www.marnylawton.com/

She was known as Phyllis, Sister, Cousin Phyllis, Mom, Aunt Phyllis, Grammie, Great Grammie and Mrs. Stone. Regardless of what you called her, she was always there with love, grace and care to greet you, to talk to you and ask how you were. Many recall that she always remembered their names…She remembered everything….I always looked up to her as a little girl. She was so hard-working, and knowledgeable and could bake and cook in a way that no one else could…She was my best friend, and we shared the greatest simple moments together, like going down the hill to We-Like-It for ice cream where undoubtedly she would know every single person there, again calling them by name…going down to the dam for walks when we were younger. She would bring us a picnic lunch and we would walk and just talk about anything that was on our mind. She had a listening spirit and she could listen for hours and hours…It’s hard to find one word to describe my Grammie. We all knew she was strong and slighhhhtly stubborn, but I think we can all agree – she was the most empathetic, kind soul we’ve ever met and will probably ever meet in our lives.

From a young age she had a lot of responsibilities…In many ways, her childhood shaped her into the hardworking, compassionate person she ultimately became. Once an avid lover of square dancing, she met the love of her life in 1952 while out square dancing with friends…during her final days, I asked her to tell me about how my grandfather proposed. She began with “you know I worshipped the ground your grandfather walked on”…They were married on October 3, 1953 – with their reception at no other place than the farm…We all know my grandfather was the first selectman of Hampton – but Phyllis was the first selectwoman of the farm! Organizing the meals, the schedules and occasionally driving the hay truck and doing anything else she could, she quickly immersed herself into farm life. And – it’s not any simple breakfast she would conjure up every day…I’m pretty sure every diner in America named the “Farmer’s Breakfast” after her! I can remember visits to the farm as a child for all holidays and summers. We would swim in the pool, climb in the hayloft and take visits down to the pond. Grammie would have a way of making sure you were always having a good time – and were fed well…There was something magical about being on the farm, whether it was the atmosphere of hard work, or the love in every moment, everyone always looked forward to their visit. Who knew opening the car door and smelling cow manure could be so nostalgic! When walking in the door you would always be treated with a smile and a hug, and a cookie in the cookie jar.

Phyllis enjoyed her time with Windham County 4-H teaching her daughter to sew and cook – and also taught leadership courses. She touched so many lives, and most recall her kind, patient spirit during their time at 4-H, describing their experience as her having a powerful impact on their life. We would go to the old Town Hall with her when she was the Tax Collector…When the new building opened, she was so excited to have a bigger space to share with residents. A lifelong friendship with Peggy Fox made quite the dynamic duo in that building! It is also where her assistant at the time – Laurie Berard – would find herself with a mentor and friend. We watched Grammie have great conversations with every person who came in the door. I mean, who is actually happy to talk to their Tax Collector??? She was patient and understood every situation, and helped as much as she could.

The pride Phyllis had in her home community of Hampton is unmatched. A longtime member of the Congregational Church, she devoted her life to serving God and her community. A Sunday school teacher, a deacon, a Ladies Aide member and a close friend, she wore many hats in the church.  I’m sure everyone has been served a piece of her pies at a fair or fundraiser! Regardless of how she was feeling or what else was going on, those pies got baked and brought to the church. She had a very special relationship with each person in the church community. Some often joke that she was the grandmother in town that was standing in for all other grandmothers…I actually remember asking at one point who was actually related to us and who wasn’t! It did not matter if someone was in our family tree, every child or person in the church that would touch my grandmother‘s life was instantly family and will always be family.

The spirit of her kindness is forever embedded in so many. There’s no doubt that she touched every life in this room, by offering a gentle moment, a cry, a hug when you need it at the most or just a simple smirk, with that twinkle in her glass-blue eyes . She will be greatly missed by everyone, but her soul is in so many of us now. She made a profound impact on my life, as she did with others. Equally as important is the impact every single person had on her. The support of this community is unwavering. She was fiercely independent, so needing to rely on others did not come easy for her. The love she showed to so many through the years was given right back to her…My family is incredibly grateful – thank you.

excerpts from the Eulogy of Amy Woznyk, Phyllis’s Granddaughter

Me, a farm girl? I would’ve never thought it possible. Yet there I was, not in Hampton for even a week and we had already adopted six baby chicks… “Hampton. Hmmm.” I had no clue there was a ‘Hampton’ Connecticut until my husband came home one day, all excited about a new listing he had found in the real estate section of the paper. On the long ride up, I contemplated the commute I’d be taking to and from work. “This ride is nearly an hour one way”, I whined.

“Wait till you see this place,” he replied. And there it was! We knew it the second we turned up the driveway. The yellow house was up a slight hill and nestled amongst tall oaks, maples and pines.

“Beautiful!” I exclaimed. The sellers, a very sweet couple, let us know that the house was built in 1985 by Ellis Tech – the local high school a few towns over.

“That’s pretty cool,” my husband and I replied. A tour of the home’s interior and 10 acres confirmed what we both had already decided. “This is the one!” Papers were drawn up and a short while later, we were moving into our new home. The drive to and from work was long. I learned to enjoy my alone time and used it as an opportunity to relax and reflect. We settled into a routine and started to explore Hampton. When my son came home for a visit, we all went for a hike at Diana’s Pool. As my daughter’s homework list grew, we spent more and more time at the town library and enjoyed long walks in Goodwin Forest and around Pine Acres Lake. We had various gatherings at the Grange and even participated in some yoga classes there. Along the way, we met the nicest people. It became clear to me that this is where I belonged.

Those six chicks finally got their adult feathers and were able to be moved outside. We built them a cute little coop and located it in the side yard, just outside our window, so we could keep an eye on them. Having a horticultural background, my husband couldn’t wait to get his hands in the soil. He planted the most beautiful flowers around our house and throughout the yard. What a fantastic display of colors, shapes and scents it is when they all start to bloom! Shortly after that, land for the gardens was being tilled, and another area was being groomed for future cattle or sheep. To make room for pasture, and also to allow saplings to mature, some of the bigger trees were cut. We tried to select the ones that were compromised or leaning so we didn’t have to lose the majestic ‘grand-daddy’ trees.

Wanting to become more involved, I joined the Gazette newspaper. I had the privilege of interviewing many locals for the farming section of the paper. One was a local beekeeper. I was never a fan of insects with stingers but as he and I spoke, this seasoned beekeeper encouraged me to ‘lean in and take a closer look’. He explained what was going on in the hive and why, and that the bees were more interested in what they were doing than in stinging me. Intriguing! I was hooked right then and there! It wasn’t long before I was leaning over my own hive! I learned how to take that one hive and make a second. And just last month, I had the good fortune of being right there, working in my bee yard when one of my hives swarmed. It only flew ten feet and landed on a low branch, not far from the hive it had just swarmed from! I caught that swarm and now those bees are in a box of their very own. We now have three thriving hives!

In the meantime, my husband and our neighbor purchased cows together and raised them for meat. The ‘meat’ part was hard for me, but I enjoyed giving them lots of treats and love. Two years ago, we decided to switch to sheep. I agreed on three or four…we now have ten. The sheep are also being raised for meat and we donate the wool. None of the babies get named. I’m told, you don’t name what you are going to eat. As hard as I try to not get involved, I cannot resist going out to the sheep shed to visit with the flock. My husband and I were thrilled to witness one of the moms give birth to three, healthy lambs! They are just adorable! “A great life, and one bad day,” is what my husband says to comfort me.

Over the years, our blessings have been many. We have cherished friends and neighbors, plentiful produce from our gardens, beautiful bouquets from our flower beds and lots of honey and fresh eggs. I’ve learned to appreciate the meat from our sheep and I look forward to the satisfaction of splitting wood for our wood stove. I used to listen to John Denver as I was growing up. I loved his song ‘Country Roads’ and used to think of how great country life must be. Hampton isn’t exactly ‘in the country’ but I absolutely love our quiet little corner of paradise. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing about my chickens’ adventures and I thank everyone for allowing me that privilege. Life is busier than ever, and although I work locally and no longer commute, I’m taking some time off from writing. I’ve learned so much about farming, but I have a long way to go. I want to thank everyone for helping us get to where we are today. We are here for all of you, too. You know where to find us, we’ll be here, hanging out on our little chicken farm.

Cindy Bezanson

Once a year this column features one of our neighbor’s gardens, usually in the summer months, when we’re in the midst of flowers, surrounded with their colors, immersed in their scents, witnessing the benefits the birds, the bees and the butterflies have reaped from our efforts. This is the first garden I’ve featured so late into the fall; it’s rare to have such a spectacular garden so late into the fall.

Dot Blocker’s gardens are filled with flowers throughout the growing season, beginning in earliest spring when daffodils paint the landscape in cheerful clumps and ruffled rows. Viburnum and japonica perfume the air, while the flowers crowning the fruit trees share their lofty space with purple lilacs at the entrance to the arbor sheltering the blueberry bushes. Later in spring, rhododendrons dot the landscape in shades of pink, from palest pastel to brightest fuchsia. While few have missed this spectacular array, the gardens in back of the house aren’t visible from the street. Here a circle of bachelor buttons, indigo petals surrounding crimson centers, bursts in one garden, while an apricot bearded iris is stunningly coupled with a rusty-red iris in another. In a third garden, the bright orange cups of California poppies swirl around stalks of dark purple lupine, and in another, old-fashioned pink columbines dance with purple irises – these line the fence of the vegetable garden and fill pockets along the stone wall that separates the lawn from the field, complimenting the pink azaleas planted there and the welcomed wild violets.

Particular attention is paid to entrances. Structurally strong yuccas demarcate the entry to the property; later in the season their ivory colored bells will rise like sentries above the foliar swords. The clematis “Nelly Moser” winds its profusion of powder pink petals, striped with a deeper pink and punctuated with purple anthers, around the wrought iron filigree at the front door. The path to the rear of the property is lined with clumps of pulmonaria, splotched foliage and bright pink buds opening to bright blue blossoms, interspersed with annuals and tender perennials, marbled and silvery foliage from which apricot and wine-colored flowers rise.

Shrubs and trees also play an important structural role in the backyard. A large, old honey locust tree acts as an anchor, its leafy canopy providing shade for the Adirondack chairs resting beneath it and hosting a splendid view of the fields, forests, and pond beyond. Variegated willow spills its foliage in the southeast corner, emerging lemon-lime, turning cream and green in summer, and a shimmery yellow in fall. Other focal points include “beauty bush”, sprinkled with pink blossoms in spring, a mountain laurel cultivar with cups a deeper pink than the native, and a coppery Japanese maple. In early summer, a crimson shrub rose contrasts in color, texture and form with the dark purple foliage of barberry and the silvery needles of blue spruce. Elsewhere, heirloom Siberian irises smolder with the mahogany leaves of ninebark, which will later brighten with the white umbels of goutweed, and a sprawling burning bush shelters a little red wagon filled with a pot of perennials.

In early summer, perennial shrublets line the vegetable garden fence, an assortment of powder-puff pink peonies, an unusual and stunning baptisia with bright yellow and dark purple racemes.  Later, the white, pink and red fronds of astilbes form a ribbon across the front of the house, anchored with a mauve colored hydrangea and another with lace-cap blue blossoms. The pale yellow “Moonbeam” coreopsis, cream-colored feverfew, and golden black-eyed Susans cavort in a garden in the front lawn. Summer also brings an assortment of lilies, all striking against the brick house — a bright orange with ruffled petals, soft tangerine and warm marmalade, lemon and banana yellows. There are also exotic cultivars – plum purple with a yellow throat, another with a plum purple throat edged with cream petals.  In the large garden in the back yard,   six foot wands of cimicifuga with black foliage and white racemes, and the equally tall fennel, with mustard colored seed heads and feathery fronds smelling of licorice, rise over the scarlet and purple beebalm the hummingbirds adore, all skirted with variegated hosta and an assortment of coleus with foliage of chartreuse and maroon, brick red and lemon yellow.

Later in the season, the walk between the front and back door is lined with bright pink phlox skirted with the tendrils of blue perennial geranium, sprays of pale pink mallow, and spurts of purple echinecea to liven the scene. In one garden, the shrublet perskovia with its lavender blossoms and silvery foliage joins the pale yellow coreopsis and a pearly pink yarrow for a gentle, pastel pairing. In another garden, the dark golden rays of rudbeckia partner with orange and yellow throated lilies. Many gardens host a beautiful assortment of phlox – a bright, bubble gum pink, a lavender coupled with hyssop’s purple spears, pale pinks with dark throats, magenta, and a third hydrangea is draped with lace-caps of pink, white and blue. In the large garden in back, other herbs flower along with the bee balm and the fennel, tiny white petals of thyme, lavender spurs of mint, purple pom-poms of flowering onion.

In the fall, chrysanthemums cushion the front steps. A circle of raspberry sedum “Autumn Joy”, the “Moonbeam” coreopsis and the silvery lavender perskovia, and a pale yellow and pink lantana create an unusual seasonal display of pastels. Dahlias in sunrise and sunset hues pair with rubdeckia in one garden, orange impatiens in another. “Montauk” daisy spreads cheery rays in its own garden underneath the mountain laurel, repeated at the far reaches of the property. A traditional hydrangea, with racemes maturing from cream to mauve, borders the deck, small mounds of purple asters line the ramp with variegated euonymus climbing its rails. A potted red hibiscus reigns at the top of the deck, and a potted palm, over 40 years old, relaxes in the corner. Between the ramp and the house, a shrub rose blooms for the third time this year, with tropical looking coral and pink blossoms. A holly, with glossy foliage and clusters of ruby red-berries, will provide interest in winter. Marigolds and pumpkins cheer various places in the lawn, the burning and blueberry bushes are afire, and in the garden, purple New England asters mingle with the pale blue wild varieties, chrysanthemums burst with blossoms of gold, purplish pink, and copper, and the coleus shines in its finest hour — rusty red with a lime edge, lime leaves splashed with maroon – inviting visitors to rest in the Adirondack chairs underneath the locust tree, which affords a panoramic view of the surrounding fields, burnished in the autumn light, and a glimpse of the distant pond, eclipsed with blaze of yellow, scarlet and orange foliage. It’s a glorious view of a glorious season from a glorious garden.

Dayna McDermott

Dear Auntie Mac,

New neighbors arrived soon after Covid struck in March of 2020, and by the time I was vaccinated, we’d plunged back into the depths of the pandemic.  Because of this, I have not extended the courtesy of meeting the “new folks next door.”  It seemed unwise to introduce myself, pre-vaccination and while the virus spread, and what feels awkward now is — Howdy!  Welcome to the neighborhood! – two years late. I know I’m not alone in this social quandary.

A Good Neighbor

My Dear Neighbor:

Auntie Mac certainly finds no fault in suffering from new-neighbor avoidance; she completely understands the desire to not zip over with banana bread before the movers have left the driveway. However, as you undoubtedly know, the pandemic alone cannot be held responsible for lifting the drawbridge of communication between your castle and the as-yet unknown invading army. It is time to, as Lars would say, suck it up and take a firm stand on the moral high ground, from which I have always found the view to be superior.

While Auntie Mac has always been a devotee of genteel subterfuge, she believes that in this case, honesty is indeed the best policy, albeit packaged as a thoughtful gift. You are fortunate that your conscience roused itself from its nap at the outset of the holiday season. Never has the time been better to introduce yourself to your neighbors, via a charmingly decorated note left in their mailbox. Extend your most profuse apologies for not introducing yourselves sooner. Commiserate that the pandemic has put everyone’s social interactions in a bit of a confusing tailspin. Embroider the truth a bit by suggesting that you were eagerly waiting for a glimpse of them taking a walk past your house in order to make an unobtrusive introduction, but alas, you saw them not. But now as the holidays approach you have been seized with a desire to host a small, safe gathering at your home and would they do you the honor of attending a pre-winter tea at a time and day convenient to them? You would be most eager to find out how they find their new home, and if they have not yet availed themselves of any community activities, nothing would give you more pleasure than to provide detailed information and tips. And certainly they may bring their 5-year-old grandchild and three Pomeranians to your house–whyever did they have to ask first?

Auntie Mac must at this juncture also gently point out that newcomers are also, in their own way, responsible for initiating exploratory forays into their new community. It may well be that your new neighbors are feeling some of the same awkwardness for not, as the interlopers, announcing themselves to you sooner. If this is the case, then there will be plenty of apologizing and self-admonition to be passed round with the canapés—which I find is nearly as good a social lubricant as the brandy you will have on hand in case things go south and you are removing Pomeranian fur out of the carpet for weeks to come. Bon chance!

Your Auntie Mac

Bob Grindle: Selectman 

After nearly 48 years in Hampton I continue to find pleasure in living in our small community…from the deeply personal pleasures, like walking our scenic trails and stargazing under our dark northeastern Connecticut skies behind the town hall to the ease of civic engagement and working to solve local problems. Serving on the Board of Selectmen over the past ten years has only strengthened my belief that small town government works best when everyone shows up and expresses their opinion and “puts their (effort) where their mouth is” by giving a bit of time to help get the tough jobs done. Voting is one very good way of making that effort and I thank you for your support.

John Tillinghast: Selectman

I have lived in Hampton for 41 years.  During that time, I have served as a Selectman, Region 11 Board member, and was a member of two school building committees. I have also been a Boy Scout leader for 30 years. I now hope to once again serve as Selectman.  I believe that my experiences in town government and other activities in Hampton give me the background to be an effective member of the Board. Thank you for your support.

Shannon Pearl Haddad: Town Clerk

I am delighted to serve as your Town Clerk. It has been rewarding and I look forward to continuing to serve as I work toward certification. I have completed four of the six courses and will complete the process in 2023. I am also seeking a seat on the Board of Education where I am passionate about supporting our students, staff, and town.  I thank all those who have supported me, and I hope to continue to serve Hampton.

Ellen Rodriguez: Town Treasurer

The past 1½ years have been challenging, but I am fortunate to access technology to continue my accounting duties without interruption. I provide accurate and timely financial reports and I am always available to respond to your questions. I am an important link between employees, vendors, selectmen and board members and I consider my work to be valuable to all town residents. I hope that you will support me once again as I look forward to another term.

Joan Fox: Board of Finance

My background in mathematics and my long time public service in Hampton qualifies me to serve on the Board of Finance. For the past one or two years I have attended several finance board meetings either in person or via zoom. My goal will be to work cooperatively with the other town boards serving our citizens while maintaining accountability for our finances. I look forward to working with our finance board members. Thank you for your support.

Jacqueline Agnone: Board of Education

I am running for the Board of Education. I will come to the job with an open mind, creativity and the objectivity necessary to perform all of the functions of a school board member. I am excited to devote the time and energy that this growing community deserves. I moved to Hampton two years ago and have a daughter in Kindergarten. I would appreciate your vote.

Maryellen Donnelly: Board of Education

A love of learning and curiosity are talents nurtured at Hampton Elementary. We examine how each child learns and progresses in skills, both academic and the ability to work with others, fundamental to any vocation. As a Board of Education member for the last 12 years and retired teacher, I stay informed and work with others so that children learn in a safe environment and we remain within budget. I request your vote and thank you for your consideration.

Diane Gagnon: Board of Education

Since my retirement, I’ve become very involved in the community, serving on the Inland, Wetlands & Watercourses Agency and the editorial board of the Gazette, preparing the Seniors’ Luncheons and Memorial Day Barbecues, and last year, helping with holiday celebrations at the elementary school. My time on the Board of Finance has proven to me the importance of the sound financial decisions that must extend to the school. Our town can provide an excellent education that is also affordable.

Kevin Grindle: Planning and Zoning

I look forward to continuing to serve the community of Hampton by protecting our rural agricultural character, promoting responsible development patterns and encouraging land preservation throughout our Plan of Conservation and Development.  I bring nearly twenty years of professional landscape architecture, planning, permitting and engineering experience to our planning & zoning commission.  I am confident that my professional experience, and many years of service to the Town of Hampton helps with a diverse understanding of the goals of the community.

The candidates for Constables, Democratic candidates Chris Bayne and Jeff Smith, and Republican candidates Matt LaFontaine and  Dan Postemski are incumbents seeking re-election.