A decision on purchasing a bucket truck to remove hazardous trees has been postponed with the Board of Selectmen’s vote to cancel a previously scheduled Town Meeting to approve the purchase. The decision to delay action came after Selectmen heard questions, concerns, and alternative options for tree removal which were raised at an October 21 meeting of the Board of Finance.

Initially, the Board of Selectmen at their October 7 meeting voted to purchase a $175,000 bucket truck in order to remove hazardous trees. Drought and the gypsy moth infestation of the last few years caused the demise of many old oaks and consequent danger to pedestrians and vehicles on town roads. In addition to the hundreds of trees already removed, 500 more were identified as hazardous in July, with Eversource responsible for approximately half of these. The amount budgeted for tree removal this year was already spent by the time the Selectmen met in October, only four months into the fiscal year.

Though the Selectmen believed the purchase of a bucket truck to be the most efficient solution, members of the Board of Finance at their meeting on October 8 raised several concerns with this approach, including the expense. The Finance Board asked the Selectmen to explore other options for cost comparisons, such as purchasing a used truck, leasing the vehicle, financing the purchase through a loan, continuing to out-source tree removal, and collaborating with other area towns on the purchase, noting that the truck would not be used daily as the crew tends to other maintenance responsibilities. Members also expressed unease with spending a substantial amount of money now due to the unknown costs of providing emergency services for the Town from April 1, when the Ambulance Corps disbands, till the end of the fiscal year.

Finance board members were also concerned with a vote by the legislative body at a town meeting rather than a referendum, where most decisions that involve this amount of money are decided. Members also objected to the timetable – with the proposal initiated on October 7 and a town meeting scheduled for approval two weeks later – which they claimed did not allow sufficient time for people to become informed.

Chief among the concerns raised, however, was the safety of our crew. Though First Selectman Cahill said the crew would be safer with a new truck than they are with the equipment currently in use, Kathy Donahue suggested renting a bucket truck for a month at a cost of $4,000 to ensure that crew members felt comfortable at those heights, pointing out the vast difference between 25 feet in the air and 75. The majority of finance board members voiced support for this proposal.

The Board of Finance scheduled a second meeting on October 21 after more information was gathered with specifics on costs. Based on the board’s discussions, the Selectmen, who were in attendance along with a half dozen residents, met immediately after the meeting and voted to cancel the October 24 Town Meeting, deciding instead to rent a bucket truck for now and revisit the issue in the near future.

Dayna McDermott

In the mid 1980’s I had just completed a business trip to Derby, England and boarded a flight from Heathrow Airport to JFK. I was located on the window seat in the business section of a 747. A short time later, a distinguished, senior gentleman, impeccably dressed, sat next to me on the aisle seat. My first thought was that he was probably not a person who would be much of a conversationalist, so I said “hello” and he responded in kind. After we took off and reached cruising altitude I decided to engage in a conversation with the gentleman. I asked if he was on business or pleasure, and he told me that he was an aerospace consultant doing business in Europe and had recently retired as a Vice President at De Havilland Aircraft, Canada. He then asked if I was on business, and I told him I worked for Pratt & Whitney and was evaluating measurement equipment in the midlands. The mere mention of Pratt & Whitney changed this man from proper and conservative to a person full of emotion, both in his eyes and face. He raised his voice slightly and asked, “What is wrong with the management of United Technologies and Pratt & Whitney for changing the traditional P & W eagle logo to that foolish looking modern thing?”

I explained to him that no one I knew at Pratt & Whitney liked the new logo, and we were hoping that they would change back to the traditional eagle. He then said, “Never touch corporate logos as they are just too important.”

I told him that I never met anyone who disliked the new P & W logo more than he did and asked if he would mind sharing the reason for his strong feelings. With his face flushed and emotion in his eyes he said, “I will tell you why. I was a World War II pilot and my flights took me over the North Pole region, and every time I made those flights I thought I would never see my family again. The cockpit was freezing, window iced and water dripping off the gauges. Periodically I would rotate my three index fingers in a circular motion to melt the ice off the side cockpit window. This allowed me to see out and view those P & W eagle logos. That gave me great comfort because I knew those dependable Pratt & Whitney radial engines would get me home. That is the reason that traditional P & W eagle is important to me.”

Little did I know on that day I would sit next to the ultimate satisfied P & W customer whose life depended on P & W radial engines during World War II. Looking back, I am sure glad that I engaged him in conversation as it was an emotional moment for the both of us. It was one of my proudest moments as an employee of Pratt & Whitney and re-enforced the importance of the corporate logo and respect for the Pratt & Whitney name. In 1987, P & W changed back to a slightly modified original traditional eagle and I couldn’t help think how that must have pleased the gentleman who I flew with on that day. I only wish I had asked for his name.

Wayne Kilpatrick

One of Hampton’s most famous homes is “The House the Women Built” which Susan Griggs in Folklore and Firesides describes as “a monument to the energy and courage of the women of the Revolution” who assisted Sarah Hammond with the construction of her home using the timbers her fiancé, Uriel Mosley, felled right before he answered the patriots’ call to arms. “Maids and matrons, working like men, hoisted beams, and joists, which, mortised and pinned, went into place like clock-work” to erect the home which Sarah and Uriel lived in for half of a century and still stands today. Two hundred years later, neighbors gathered together to complete construction on a home for another Hampton family who lost their patriarch in a tragic accident. In between, there were, undoubtedly, many communal projects, including barn-raising, a collective action common in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Building homes for friends and for their animals is a way of life for our new neighbors, the Mennonite families, and they’re no longer alone in this endeavor as a barn was recently raised on the property of Pat and Jamie Boss, who share their story and photographs of the progress here. We thank them for their contribution to the newspaper and to a tradition of “our rural heritage”.

First Light Farm: We Give Thanks

Everyone has their own reasons to give thanks during the Thanksgiving holiday season. Good health, financial security, a job you enjoy, finding an app to safely secure all your passwords. The list is unique to everyone and can be endless. This year Pat and Jamie Boss have a unique reason to give thanks, one that not many people get to experience anymore, the deep appreciation for good family and friends who helped raise a barn. Although the timber frame structure this group of people raised in an afternoon is not technically a barn, but actually a backyard retreat, it was nonetheless a “barn-raising”.

This barn raising was the realization of a three year old dream for Pat and Jamie. The two are very interested in timber frame structures since they live in a converted barn. While doing some research on timber framing in the summer of 2016, they found a school that offered timber frame instruction classes. One class offered the chance for the building constructed in the class to be purchased. Working with Will Beemer, the school’s owner/director, a building plan was created and the class was scheduled for the following year. In June 2017 they attended the Heartwood School for the Homebuilding Crafts in Washington, Massachusetts. Along with 20 other students and school interns, Pat and Jamie sawed, chiseled, kerfed, bored and drilled large timbers for a week, ultimately crafting the wood into a 12’x16’ timber frame structure. The structure was assembled on the last day of class to fine tune the fit, then subsequently disassembled and transported to the Boss home in Hampton. Here it waited for its final assembly.

In late August an open invitation was sent out soliciting volunteers to help “raise a barn” and thankfully people agreed to help. On Sunday, September 8^th, the day was finally here for the timber frame structure to be raised. On this beautiful late summer day, the fun started with a BBQ, while team members acquainted themselves with one another. Family members got to meet friends and neighbors for the first time while old friends got to catch up with one another. After a brief review of the overall plan and the all-important discussion about job site safety, gloves and hardhats were made available for those needing them.

Construction of the structure had already started a week earlier as Jamie prepared the site by installing and leveling the 8’x8’ timber sill of the building on concrete piers. Now starting from the north end, the team began by assembling and raising the first bent and safely securing it. A bent is comprised of two posts and a tie beam connecting the posts. This was the team’s first effort together and it went very smoothly. Next was the challenge of raising the second bent. This is where the process really requires a lot of team work as wind braces and girts all need to be inserted into both bents as the second is raised into place. What makes the process particularly challenging isn’t just managing all the moving parts, but that some of those parts are 7”x 8” pieces of lumber twelve feet long. Add in the fact that 99% of the workforce tackling this effort was over the age of 50, meant that Jamie spent hours developing a plan that supplemented brute force with the diesel powered kind. Pulleys, ropes and a Kubota tractor did some of the heaviest lifting in the beginning but the people on the team made it all happen. Working together they made all the pieces fit perfectly. Now onto raising the third and final bent. This bent holds the door frame, so making sure all the pieces fit together was important. Just like before, girts and braces needed to be fit into both the second and third bent as they are joined together. Once again, teamwork was key and everyone did a marvelous job making it all come together.

Up until now, the weight of the timbers had been manageable, but the next step in the process meant lifting a top plate, an 8”x 8” timber eighteen feet long, up in the air, and down onto three bents and four wind braces. All seven tenons need to fit into the matching mortice slot on this huge and heavy beam. Using ropes and pulleys, the beam was lifted to a position where it could be aligned and set into place. Starting at one end, with the opposite end held high in the air, the team guided each tenon into place. Some of the joints required a little extra persuasion. This was done by using a very large mallet commonly called a “commander”. Nothing but shear muscle power and determination made this happen. It was impressive to watch. The placement of this beam was celebrated and the team moved onto the installation of the second and final top plate. Armed with the knowledge and experience from raising the first beam, the installation of the second one went much easier. Although lifting and moving and aligning an 8”x 8”, eighteen foot long timber and fitting it on seven joints is no easy task, they made it look simple. Everyone could now rest knowing they had successfully completed what they set out to do some four hours earlier. A few days later the roof rafters were joined and secured in place by Jamie and Jim McMillen.

The timber frame structure is now completely assembled and is ready for the next phase. The roofing will be put in place, followed by walls, a floor, a door and some windows. This is all thanks to the generous help of family and friends. Pat and Jamie want to share their deep appreciation for all of the help and hard work to everyone that “raised a barn”. To the women who got the day started by cooking the food to fuel the efforts, and to the men and women who worked together beautifully, that pushed and pulled the large timbers into place and to the people who showed up to cheer everyone on. They are Dayna, India, and Juan Arriola, Jamie Boss, Jr., Taylor Boss, Bob Burgoyne, Linda, Marisa, and Roger Burten, Anne Christie, Andrew and Liam Delaney, Chris, Dick, and Sue Dodge, Sue Hochstetter, Franklin and Gloria Lowe, Mary and Jim McMillen, Steve Russo, and Sue Way.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Pat & Jamie Boss

Ahhhhh!” Lily screamed as she darted from the coop to the safe tree.

“Don’t be afraid Lil, the hawk’s not here,” Doug said.

“It’s not the hawk I’m worried about,” Lily panted, trying to catch her breath.

“What then?” Doug asked. He looked around the yard. Porridge was chasing a bug. Gert was resting on a branch and Checkers was sunbathing next to Gert. Everything seemed fine. Just then, Brownie emerged from the coop. Lily hid behind Doug. “Oh, her again,” Doug sighed.

“She’s a meanie,” Lily whimpered. Brownie was the oldest chicken in the hen house. And the biggest.

“Just try to stay out of her way,” Doug suggested.

Lily was new to the group and only a few months old. “She’s so pretty,” Porridge announced when Lily first arrived. “I like her pure white feathers and very red waddle and comb,” Checkers added. “I’m Gert,” Gertrude offered as she welcomed Lily to the flock. Brownie had been in the chicken coop at the time and had not gone over to meet her.

“Come with me,” Porridge called to Lily, “I’ll show you around.” Gert, Checkers and Doug, the little rooster, followed behind. “This is so exciting!” they all exclaimed. Porridge showed Lily the sand patch where they all took dust baths, the rock wall where all the yummy bugs lived, the old wheel barrel that provided shelter from the wind and rain and, most importantly, the safe tree. “When Doug gives the signal, run as fast as you can and hide under this tree,” Gert said firmly to Lily. “The hawk won’t be able to get you under all these branches.”

Lily looked up and shuttered. “I won’t forget”.

Porridge continued the tour. “Come on!” she hollered as she took off toward the coop. The three hens and the little rooster all ran after Porridge, following her to the coop. The area in front was closed in with wire walls and a roof. It had a chair and two branches to perch on. “This is where we hang out when it’s raining,” Porridge said as she hopped up on the black chair. The other three chimed in all at once: “Here’s the water! This feeder has my favorite food! I like laying in the sun right here!” There was much to see and everyone was thrilled to be able to help Lily get acquainted with her new surroundings. “This little door leads to our house,” Porridge extended her wing and escorted Lily into the red coop. The coop was tall with a big door in the front and a window on either side. “Wow!” Lily exclaimed.

“Look over here,” Checkers called. “Follow me.” Checkers led Lily up the ramp to the second floor. Big, wide eyes met them at the top. “Oh, hi Brownie,” Checkers said to the large hen who was nestled deep in a pile of shavings. Brownie, who had been watching the bustle from inside the chicken coop, grunted, stood up and abruptly stomped past Lily and the others and lumbered over to the wheel barrel to pout.

“What’s wrong with her?” Porridge asked. Everyone shrugged and went back to the tour.

Doug showed Lily where he liked to perch. “When I sit here, I can see everyone. I’ll protect you while you are sleeping,” he assured.

Lily got to explore every inch of her new home. “There is one thing you need to remember,” Gert instructed. “There are three nesting spots. We can use this one and this one.” Gertrude pointed to the one in the corner and the one on the third floor by the perches. “But this one is Brownie’s.”

“Oh! That’s a nice spot!” Lily admired. It was indeed, the perfect nest — private, as it was under the stairs; cozy, as it wasn’t too big so the shavings stayed nice and fluffy; but mostly it was perfect because it was next to the window.

“We can see the chipmunks and squirrels playing from here. They are so fun to watch,” Porridge said as she stood in Brownie’s nest box looking out the window.

“We’d better move along,” Doug suggested. “Brownie is already cranky. We don’t want to upset her any more than she is.” All agreed and promptly jumped down to the first floor and outside to play.

Later that day, Lily felt the urge that girl chickens feel. She searched the yard. She did not see Brownie. “I hope she’s not inside,” Lily worried as she quietly shuffled over to the coop. But as she stepped inside, Brownie angrily stood up and glared at Lily. “I’m sorry to disturb you. I can’t hold my egg in any longer. May I please come in? I promise to not bother you and I’ll be ever so quick.” Brownie settled back down, put her beak in the air and looked away. Lily walked timidly past Brownie and sat down in the nest box on the opposite side. After a short while, Lily let out a sigh of relief and stood up. She peeked around the corner to see if Brownie was still there. She was. Lily crouched back down onto her egg. She felt scared and discouraged and softly began to cry. Not knowing how to handle this, Brownie quietly left her nest and went out to the others.

“Where’s Lily?” Doug asked Brownie.

“Her? She’s inside.” Brownie sullenly replied.

“Why don’t you like her?” he asked. Though Doug was also young and fairly new to the group himself, he had no problem taking charge of the five ladies. In turn, the five ladies had no problem letting Doug lead the group as they found comfort in his authority. ‘Hmmph’ was all Brownie could manage to say. “Lily looks up to you Brownie, we all do.”

Brownie raised her head. “I’m old and I can’t run as fast as all of you and my feathers aren’t as vibrant and I can’t hear very well anymore,” she mumbled, feeling very sorry for herself. Gert overheard and ran to her sister. “You are older than us, but you aren’t old. I can’t run fast either, but hey, we can still run!” Gert was second oldest. Porridge and Checkers were only a few years younger than them. “Lily is new to the group and unsure of herself. We need to help her get adjusted, just like you helped me and just like you and I helped Porridge, Checkers and Doug.” Brownie thought about this for the next few days. She stopped glaring at Lily. She even occasionally let Lily have the coop to herself when she needed to lay her egg. As the weeks went by, emotions between Brownie and Lily calmed. Brownie was still jealous of Lily though, and chose to pay her no attention.

One day, Doug did let out his warning call. All five hens bolted to the tree and dove under the branches to safety. Brownie happened to catch a glimpse of Lily. She was trembling and had tears in her eyes. Brownie couldn’t stand it any longer. She ran over to her youngest sister and put her wing up and around Lily to comfort her. The others looked over, astonished! Much later that same day, Lily once again shyly entered the chicken coop, cautiously walked up the ramp, past Brownie and into the nest in the corner to lay her egg. She was careful to be very quiet so as not to disturb her older sister. Although Brownie had comforted her only a few hours earlier, Lily was still a little afraid of Brownie. But before Lily could get comfortable, Brownie stood up suddenly and moved off her coveted nest. She looked over at Lily. “Go ahead, you can use this spot.”

“Oh, no. I couldn’t possibly,” Lily stuttered. The older hen insisted and gave Lily a gentle push. As soon as Lily stood, Brownie sat down in the corner nest box where Lily had been sitting. Very slowly and in total disbelief, Lily walked over to the prized nest box.

“Go on, sit,” Brownie encouraged. Lily gently sat. The shavings felt warm and lush. The privacy under the stairs was wonderful and you could, indeed, see everything from this spot by the window. Lily glanced over at Brownie. This time, Brownie did not stick her beak in the air and turn away. In fact, this time Lily thought she saw a tiny smile on her older sister’s face. Lily smiled back. She sank deeper into the plushy nest. She watched the chipmunks through the window and saw Doug and the rest of the gang playing in the yard. Lily felt safe. She felt happy and loved.

“Cluck, cluck, coooooo,” she whispered to Brownie. Brownie chuckled and cooed in return, “I love you, too”.

Cindy Bezanson

“We make a decision every time we remove, or introduce, a plant to the habitat.”

Such was the premise of a recent presentation at the library on “birdscaping”. A simple principle we’ve all applied, mostly for the purpose of aesthetics. We’ve experienced the impact of a crab apple upon its planting, with its bowers of spring blossoms and later with its glossy fall fruits; and the venerable old trees removed from our village this year strike us at first like missing teeth from a familiar smile. Implications for the natural world are not as immediately evident, though it takes only a season to realize the peril to our gardens of an unbridled bittersweet, or to the hostas which scorch when a leafy canopy of oaks is lost to gypsy moth defoliation. When consequential changes occur, the repercussions to wildlife are less readily perceptible to us, yet once we realize the bees or the hummingbirds are missing, it leaves a troublesome hole in the garden. Fortunately, while it might take a little longer to detect, it’s quicker to fix than the sudden absence of shade or the eradication of bittersweet.

In order to protect and promote the presence of birds in our yards, we must understand the environment in which they prosper. Ours is an early successional habitat, wherein one plant group is replaced with another over time. Exposed ground, grasses and wildflowers, fills with small shrubs and tree seedlings, which slowly grow into a young, and eventually mature, forest. The cycle has occurred naturally for thousands of years, the necessary deforestation due to fire and water: lightning strikes during dry conditions and land flooded with the activity of beavers. Every stage of development is essential to certain birds, many requiring more than one type depending on need – a habitat for nesting, for example, or for food.

The first rule in birdscaping is to rid your property of invasive weeds, which wreck havoc as they destroy the plants birds depend on. It seems as if certain invasive trees and shrubs are grown for their fall foliage, as evidenced in their deliberate inclusion in landscapes. But there are always viable, and valuable, substitutes. Rather than relying on Norway maples to supply us with golden autumnal crowns, use birches, natives with shimmery yellow leaves and edible seeds; and instead of burning bush, which ignites in October with brilliant crimson flames, plant blueberry, another native which provides as glorious a fall display as well as summer fruits. Often the trees we plant for aesthetic purposes, such as the dogwood for its ivory bracts in spring, burgundy fall foliage and winter silhouette of lacy, horizontal tiers, prove very beneficial to birds. Observe your property throughout the year and note the birds that visit, when they return in spring, their breeding habits in summer, the fall migration, and especially the year round residents who remain through winter. Basically, cater to the birds that live in your own habitat by providing a welcoming environment.

Trees and shrubs with fruits and berries are havens for birds. Crabapples top the list with spring flowers and fall fruits, treasures for bees and birds and the garden. Plant holly and evergreen cedar for their winter fruits, serviceberry, a native which offers summer fruits along with snowflake flowers in spring and a mosaic of harvest hues in autumn, the several varieties of viburnum with arrays of cherry red, indigo, pink, scarlet, and crimson berries, clethra for the nectar and the seeds of its fragrant spires of summer flowers, and beauty berry with clusters of violet flowers followed by amethyst berries which persist till Christmas. The elderberry that seeded itself near our window proved the preferred place for nesting cardinals and convinced us of the worth of allowing wild shrubs to self-sow in the garden. We no longer remove chokeberry, pokeberry or inkberry, encourage raspberry and blackberry canes when they sprout along the stonewall, and vines of Concord grapes and Virginia creeper when they twine on the trunks of trees. Cultivate columbine, bee balm and coral bells to attract hummingbirds, and let thistles self-sow for goldfinches which rely on their seeds and their down for nests. Brush piles are hospitable places for birds in the winter, and dead trees at the perimeters of the property, far from where people play, walk, or mow, for cavity dwellers. Place bird houses everywhere – they’re so charming and simple to make, and bird baths in the shade since water heats in the sunshine.

When you plant for birds you’re planting for insects, “the little things that run the world,” biologist E.O. Wilson famously stated. With the exception of gypsy moths, “Something’s eating my plants!” is usually good news. Many of the native plants essential to insects visually enhance our gardens: sheaves of goldenrod threading purple sprays of aster; black-eyed Susans mingling with echinacea, their similar forms uniting the sharp contrast of their colors; mauve spears of turtlehead and billows of Joe Pye weed rising over crests of pink phloxes. Umbels of Queen Anne’s lace supply the nourishment for swallowtail caterpillars, the butterfly weed which sprouted profusely in a thyme lawn this year resulted in multitudes of monarchs, and the tall stalks of boltonia, a flurry of tiny white flowers in fall, were visited constantly by both butterflies. The bulbs and perennials we cultivate provide a steady supply of nectar to attract bees throughout the gardening season, from the golden challises of spring’s crocus to the raspberry saucers of autumn’s sedum.

Remember especially the importance of the plants after the flowering season and leave their fruitful remains for the winter. The bristled cones of echinecea and rudbeckia, the seed pods of Siberian iris and baptisia, the studded spires of turtlehead and lamb’ ear — all of these will nourish visitors through the harsh months of winter. Of all the reasons to plant sunflowers, and there are several, chief among them are the seeds they produce for the chickadees. This, to me, is the sunflower’s finest hour.

The more I consider seeds, the further I wander from my original gardener. I’m less of a colorist because of the swapping of asters and balloon flowers and phloxes surprising me every season with their new assortment of colors, ranging from the palest pinks and lavenders to the deepest violets and fuschias. I’m not as meticulous a planner — where the seeds of wildflowers, buttercups and daisies, cinquefoil and Queen Anne’s lace, goldenrod and Joe Pye weed, sprinkle themselves among the careful orchestration of perennials. And because of the birds in winter, which I observe feasting on the spent coreopsis, their footprints in the snow circling the liatris stalks after a storm, I no longer consider myself a tidy gardener.

Dayna McDermott

In Ireland, the journey is almost always as impressive as the destination itself. Such was the case traveling from Connemara to Achill Island, first along the “Sky Drive”, which they call “exhilarating” and we would describe as “not for the faint of heart”. The narrow (even for Ireland’s standards) road on the side of the mountain rises like a roller coaster, and offers spectacular views of the ocean comparable to those of the Cliffs of Moher. The second was the route through the valley within the Twelve Bens, a mountain range with panoramic views of the quartzite summits and the sparkling fiords.

The most famous mountain in the area is Croagh Patrick, named for Ireland’s most famous historical figure. It seems we encounter St. Patrick everywhere in Ireland – at the Hill of Tara where he preached to the pagan clans using the shamrock, in the National Cathedral named for him in Dublin, at the Rock of Cashel where he baptized the King of Ireland. Our final and most famous encounter was in County Mayo in the form of Ireland’s holiest mountain. It was here in 441AD that St. Patrick fasted for 40 days, according to legend, and drove the snakes from Ireland, though we now know, there were never any serpents there. A statute was placed at Croagh Patrick in 1928 for the more than one million pilgrims who annually climb there to pay homage to Ireland’s patron saint, with 25,000 reaching the summit on Reek Sunday for a special Mass.

Our destination, however, was Achill Island, one of Ireland’s remote islands, though unlike the Aran Islands, Achill is accessible by bridge. Here we visited the Deserted Village of Slievemore, a row of nearly one hundred abandoned, stone homes on a hillside along a mile of lonely road. These small cottages were once summer homes for migrant workers, part of the farming system of “booleying” which dates from Medieval times to the mid-19^th century. Without their thatched roofs, only their crumbling walls remain, a chilling testament to the past. It’s a still and haunting place, this ghost of a village with its skeletal vestiges on a hill behind a cemetery. The desolation is felt here, the hopelessness and despair, in the knowledge of a whole community forced to leave their ancestral homes and scatter to the winds during the Potato Famine. Walking with the sheep, which are plentiful here, I wondered if any of the descendants of the original inhabitants had ever returned. We took time to sit and absorb the beauty of the surroundings — the stone-wall threaded mountains, the rock strewn hills, the sharp cliffs along the strand visible in the distance – and thought of those who made the ultimate decision to leave the only life and land they’d ever known and chart a course into the unknown.

We spent the evening and night in Westport, a quaint town in County Mayo considered one of the most picturesque. A tree lined promenade along the Carrowbeg River, crossed with stone bridges cascading flowers, is at the heart of the village. Originally called Cathair na Mart which translates to “Stone Fort of the Beeves”, it is a favorite among hikers and cyclers due to its location in the Great Western Greenway and near Croagh Patrick, and locals – it was recently voted “the best place to live” in the entire country.

Prior to our departure from Ireland we returned to Dublin to spend the day. This cosmopolitan metropolis, economically and culturally thriving, is steeped in a history that started with the Vikings in the 900’s. Having already experienced the Kilmainham Gaol, the Book of Kells, and the Literary Pub Crawl, there was one place left we wanted to visit: the General Post Office, which is in use yet houses a museum detailing the 1916 uprising. The GPO served as the rebels’ headquarters after seizing government buildings as part of their insurrection against English control. It was on these steps that the proclamation declaring Ireland an independent republic was read, and it is in these columns that bullet holes are still visible, and it was here that the 1000 patriots surrendered to the 20,000 British soldiers who crushed them militarily. But it was also here that the embers of liberty were ignited, and that the British finally realized they would never extinguish those flames.

On our last day in Ireland, we mostly meandered through Dublin: strolled along O’Connell Street, the main thoroughfare named for one of the heroes Ireland will never let the Irish forget; crossed the Ha-Penny Bridge that no longer exacts a toll; stopped for a drink in the colorful Temple Bar neighborhood; shopped on Grafton Street, Ireland’s version of 5th Avenue, where we purchased an Aran Island sweater and an Irish racing cap for our daughter, a warm keepsake of her ancestral land, relaxed in St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin’s Central Park, an oasis in the city, and dined in the Bank on College Green, ornate as Grand Central Station. One last Guinness, and a final toast.

Shortly after we arrived home, we realized – we want to return. We’ve discovered that this is a typical response of those who visit Ireland. There’s still so much more to see, places we wish to revisit, spots where we want to spend more time. It’s not only the beauty that’s around every corner. It’s the people. We felt welcomed wherever we were. The Irish are very warm and friendly, proud of their heritage, and humble, with a wonderful sense of humor, and always a story to tell.

Juan Arriola

Somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean right now is a sixteen-story floating hotel with bedrooms for 4,900 guests. It has fifteen bars, seven restaurants, three pools, indoor skydiving, and two theaters. Sixteen hundred crew members are charged with the ongoing task of keeping the passengers comfortable, fed, and entertained. This is where I come in.

I am a stage technician for a cruise ship, and my job is to handle the logistical and technical aspects of entertainment. An average day for me includes setting up jazz quartets, scheduling the stage technician team to put on the three different main stage production shows, organizing staff for the multiple fly-in acts we have every week, and setting up, and taking down, a medley of other things around the ship. I am part of what is called the ‘Cruise Division’, the people whose job it is to make cruising fun. That includes all the entertainment staff hosting the trivias and scavenger hunts, our youth staff team, all of the sports team who run the volleyball games, the roller discos, the bumper cars and surf simulator and circus school. Oh, and our in-house TV studio people. My colleagues in the theater include a small army of dancers, singers, aerialists, professional musicians, and more. On some ships the entertainment squad also includes high-divers or an ice skating cast, but not this one, though I have worked in the ice rink on a smaller ship.

The technicians (other people like me) are called ‘blackshirts’. We have two main venues to take care of on this ship. Our main theater is where most of nightly MainStage entertainment takes place. Here is where you will find your jugglers, Celine Dion tributes, hypnotists, concert pianists, magicians, ventriloquists, comedians, and on one bizarre occasion a shadow puppet specialist. It has a Victorian themed cabaret and a Vegas showgirl show. I always feel short when I’m backstage in the theater because we have twelve showgirls running around back there and they’re all required to be 5’8” before they put their heels on.

Then there’s the giant glass cave that takes up the entire back of the ship which is where I spend most of my time. The room I work in on the ship cost $42,000,000, and for good reason. We have a 25’ x 110’ projection screen that turns into an IMAX theater. We have six 7’ x 4’ LED screens mounted on robotic arms originally designed to weld cars that can dance in time to music. People pop up out of the floor and drop out of the ceiling. It’s a veritable cave of wonders. I’m sure that from where the audience is sitting the show looks fantastic, but from my show-time position under the stage, it’s mostly very dark. My workspace is pretty much a cellar filled with heavy machinery and lots of people in sequined spandex. During the show I’ll wait for a cue in the music, hold a button down, and a chute like a human-sized dumbwaiter will drop a section of the stage floor down to my level. We call these ‘toaster lifts’.  I’ll load a dancer into the chute, wait for another musical cue, then send them back up. Then I run away to move an entire staircase off a rolling platform. While the dancers are out there dazzling everyone, the tech team is in the ceiling and under the floor, moving around giant set pieces as quietly as possible in the darkness while not running anyone over. Before all else, our job is about safety.

Working on a cruise ship is an all-encompassing lifestyle, and there are certainly some glamorous aspects of the job I do. I got to climb a mountain in Alaska over my lunch break the other day, and when I was finished working for the evening I went upstairs where my friends were teaching a trapeze clinic, after which I was asked if I still had the energy for indoor skydiving. (I’m afraid I did not.) Sometimes when I go to the gym I can see pods of dolphins or whales or the sunset over Alaskan Mountains. I work with people of approximately 60 different nationalities, so the crew bar is a pretty multilingual place. The social aspect can be pretty great too. The other night I went to a pajama party where twelve world class musicians and a DJ were hosting a jam night. A professional beat-boxer came in and did a set just because he felt like it, and a literal breakdance battle broke out. It’s a bit like living in a movie musical. Oh, and I seldom get up before nine in the morning.

There are of course downsides to all this. I sleep late because I work late — it’s not unusual for me to finish work after one a.m. I have one massive seven month workday that has no weekends or public holidays, and I live in a tiny windowless room with a roommate that is usually not of my choosing. Internet is four dollars an hour. I eat in the equivalent of a high school cafeteria three meals a day unless I happen to be in port.  If someone bothers you, you cannot get away from them because they are always there. At work, at lunch, at dinner, in the bar, in the bathrooms, potentially even in your room if you’re unlucky. Privacy is hard to come by.  Particularly frustrating is having to be nice to all the guests all the time even if they are rude to you. Some people come onboard with the attitude that since they paid for the cruise, they own the ship now, and therefore also you. I understand customer service, but it is a hard thing to do for seven continuous months. I frequently miss Christmas at home while having to make sure hundreds of random tourists are having a magical holiday experience. And, yes, occasionally I do get seasick.

Then, of course, there are the parts of my job I would describe as just weird. Every time a ship crosses the equator, you have to have an ‘equator crossing ceremony’. If you have never crossed the equator before, you are referred to as a ‘pollywog’ and get hazed by the other crew. Cruise ships don’t do equator crossings very often, so they make a big spectacle of the ceremony for the guests. The first year I was working on ships I was a pollywog, so I was brought up to the pool deck with some other hapless new kids and was ceremoniously coated in flour, raw eggs, spaghetti and sauce, and slapped with a giant fish by a guy dressed as Poseidon in front of  hundreds of laughing tourists. Then I had to stand on a tarp so the guests could take pictures with me and my fellow pollywogs (from a few feet away so we didn’t get them dirty.)

The cruise industry is terrified of Norovirus and other gastrointestinal illnesses (our catchall term is ‘GI’) so we constantly have to sanitize everything. We call this the Outbreak Prevention Plan — ‘OPP 1’ for short. If more than six people in six hours report nausea or vomiting to our medical team, ’OPP 2’ kicks in. Every frequently touched surface (elevator buttons, bannisters) gets sanitized every fifteen minutes, and we have to sanitize the theaters. We do this with a highly pressurized canister of chemicals on a rolling cart attached by a hose to a telescope shaped gun. Kitted out in goggles and an air filtration mask, one person drags the canister-cart around while the other sprays all the seats in the theater. We look like ghost-busters. If this fails to stop the outbreak, we level up again (OPP 3) and stop all self-service food on the ship, which means that every person other than the captain suddenly has a second job serving scrambled eggs in the buffet. Once a month I am required to bring my shower head to a divisional meeting. I have to drop it in a bucket of bleach and let it soak for the duration of the meeting and then sign a bunch of paperwork stating that I understand it is important to sanitize my showerhead and I hereby agree to also wash my hands a lot.

For the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve, my division gets together and blows up thousands of balloons, which get stuffed into nets the size of baby whales and my colleagues and I have to carry them into the main street of the ship and suspend them from the ceiling so we can release them at midnight. Balloon drops are incredibly stressful because it’s really obvious when something goes wrong, like the string to release them gets tangled or you accidentally drop a blimp-sized net of balloons on a giant crowd of drunk people. New Year’s is worse because you have to time the balloon release correctly to coincide with the countdown, but then you get the joy of watching all those beautifully dressed people immediately lose their composure and start stomping balloons to death.

Sometimes birds land on the ship in port and find their way into the guest hallways, and if you find one you have to try to contain it until you can get ahold of the chief horticulturalist onboard. It is a surreal experience to have to try to corral a seagull into a broom closet.

Any complaints aside, I love my job. I’m still not over the fact that someone built this floating masterpiece and crammed it with millions of dollars’ worth of theater toys and then trusted me to be in charge of them. I have been to at least 60 different countries since I started working here, and I get to travel and do work that I love at the same time. That being said, I’m glad I came home when I did. I’ve literally been around the world and can say with confidence there is no place like Hampton in the fall.

Erin White

The results are in…

Because we’re a newspaper, we feel obliged to take a poll at least once a year to ask residents a local, state and national question, such as – What’s the best treasure you ever brought home from the town dump? Your favorite restaurant in Connecticut? How are you informed of national news? The responses to this year’s poll:

Local Poll: Do you still have an outhouse on your property?

A surprising 30% of the 53 property owners who participated still have outhouses, though none in use, including two – and even three – holers!

State Poll: What’s your favorite season in Connecticut?

Of the 66 participants, 42% selected summer, 30% voted for fall, especially inviting on one of the mildest afternoons of the year, 16% chose spring, particularly older people who said it has come to mean for them that winter is over, and 12% named winter, mostly children looking forward to snow – specifically snow men, snow sledding and snow days.

National (ity) Poll: What is your heritage?

We’re a wonderful mixture of cultures with 36% claiming Irish descent, 34% English, and 30% German. Two percent of townsfolk have Italian, Welsh or Scottish roots, 1% have Native American, French Canadian, Polish and Eastern European origins. Two participants listed Swedish, Portuguese, Dutch or Mexican ancestry, and there was one person whose lineage included Hungarian, Austrian, Swiss, Czech or Russian.

Seven people, or 1.8% of the participants, listed single heritages: Russian, German, Irish, Scottish, Welsh and French Canadian, while five people called themselves merely “Americans”, with one saying she was always told she was a “Swamp Yankee” and three others saying they were “Heinz 57”. Of these, two postscripts stated, “who knows, really?” and another explained, “We had a sailor in the family”.

The bottom line – we all come from someplace else, and we all belong.

I Remember –

My first day at Bell School,

Back when we picnicked at the cemetery on Memorial Day,

Milking cows,

The Little River Grange.

Living in Hampton village and the fun I had,

Bike riding with best friends,

Feeding cows at the pole barn.

The scent of acorns at Goodwin Forest,

The smell of fresh cut lumber at my father’s saw mill,

Of freshly mown hay fields.

My art teacher Mrs. Kramer,

My music teacher Mrs. Wade,

Woodstock.

Watching the hippies drive by our house to go to the beach,

Being discriminated against,

JFK’s assassination,

Man walking on the moon.

The General Store in the 70’s,

Having coffee at the store, sitting on its porch and talking with locals.

Giving birth,

Building our house,

My parents.

A lot of stuff.

Written by Community Members at the Fall Festival

Selectman: Bob Grindle

Helping to craft budgets that address our town’s priorities despite challenges at the State level; working with the Board to maintain and improve our town’s roads, roadsides, services and buildings; supporting the many events, special occasions and memorial services and celebrations as well as simply pitching in wherever a bit of extra time or effort might be useful and needed…eight years go by quickly when working in small town government. Thanks for the opportunity and I hope to continue.

Selectwoman: Stephanie Bayne

I have lived in Hampton with my family since 1992, been on the DTC for 12+ years. I also served as the Deputy Democratic Registrar of Voters for several years and am a CT Certified Election Moderator. As a member of the Hampton Congregational Church I’ve served on several boards and committees and worked regularly at the Church’s community events. Hampton is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. I especially see the need for finding a balance between the town’s rural character and a wide range of sensible future opportunities. This is a great little town and I look forward to the chance to give something back.

Treasurer: Ellen Rodriguez

I have served as Hampton’s Treasurer since 1991 and I believe that my experience, expertise and commitment to provide efficient, excellent and timely accountability in handling all the town’s finances has earned me another term in office. I have a proven ability to work with Hampton taxpayers, Boards, Commissions and elected officials and look forward to the challenges of working with the newly created position of Tax Collector as an appointed position.

Town Clerk: Shannon Haddad

Shannon is a Hampton native whose roots go back eleven generations. A graduate of Hampton Consolidated School and Parish Hill Middle-High School, she has worked with Laurie Berard in the Tax Collector’s office and for the past few months with Leslie Wertam in the Town Clerk’s office, assisting whenever Leslie was out of the office. A wife and mother of three, Shannon is skilled at balancing the many commitments of rural life and civic involvement.

Board of Finance: Alyssa Languth

Alyssa Languth first moved to Hampton in 2009 and is currently a Program Manager for the New England Office of the Corporation for Supportive Housing.  Prior to this role, Ms. Languth was a Senior Consultant for the Ciccolo Group, a planning and community development consulting firm in Boston, where she provided technical assistance and planning guidance to municipalities across Massachusetts, specializing in long range capital planning.  She is eager to get more involved in the community she calls home.

Board of Finance and Planning and Zoning Commission (2020): Diane Gagnon

I’ve lived in Hampton for twenty years and am involved in the community in various ways. I serve as a member of the Conservation Commission, as an alternate on the Inland Wetlands Commission, a board member on the Hampton Gazette, and a member of the Friends of Goodwin Forest. I am also directly involved with the Senior Luncheons and the Annual Memorial Day Barbecue. Hampton keeps me busy and I look forward to continued service to the town.

Board of Education: Mark Becker

I am running for another term on the Board of Education of Hampton Elementary School.  As a lifelong resident of Hampton and the parent of an elementary school student and a recent HES graduate, I know I will continue to be a valuable asset to the Board of Education.  I have worked as an engineer at Electric Boat for the last twenty-one years. I currently supervise ten engineers and constantly make critical decisions that affect submarine construction.  I have the skills necessary to work in small and large group settings. Change is on the horizon for our schools and I feel that I can remain open-minded, while keeping the best interest of the students in mind.

Board of Education: Rose Bisson

I have been a member of the Hampton Board of Education for the last twelve years. During that time, many changes have occurred at Hampton Elementary School. Our student count has fallen and we have been working to reorganize so that we provide each child with a complete education while we also lower expenses to match the lower count. This has involved training staff members, writing curriculum, schedules and new routines. I look forward to continuing this work until it has been completed.

Board of Education: Matt Flegert

Matt, a recent Hampton resident, has served on the Board of Education since 2017 and looks forward to another term if Hampton’s voters endorse him.

Board of Education: Mike Jacobson

Mike, a long time Boy Scout leader in his home town of Hampton, hopes to gain a seat on the Board of Education and looks forward to serving the community in yet another capacity.

Board of Assessment Appeals & Zoning Board of Appeals (2020): Aaron Tumel

As a life-long resident of Hampton, I’m enthusiastic to be a first-time candidate for both Zoning Board of Appeals and the Board of Assessment Appeals. With a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and a job working with a successful local business, I have the skills and attitude to be both an effective communicator and a listener. When citizens cast their vote, they deserve open, straight-forward candidates, who make every effort to respond to their wishes. I appreciate this opportunity to run and hopefully serve the town of Hampton!

Planning & Zoning Commission (2019) Pat Cascio

I raised my family and lived in Hampton for 40 years. I volunteer with the Inland Wetlands and Waterways, Conservation Commission, Hampton Seniors, Hampton Neighborhood Watch Group and hope to contribute to the Planning and Zoning Board.  I care about the design and direction our town takes. I care about transparency, honesty and reliability of good teams. I say teams because we need to work together. I care.

Zoning Board of Appeals (2019): Linda Seretny-Navin

Linda, a long time Hampton resident, has served on the Board of Assessment Appeals since 2011.

Constables: Chris Bayne & Jeff Smith, Sr.