Ansonia Nature Center program to focus on foxes, folklore

Sept. 17 is National Fox Day! 

Celebrate these wily critters with this fun, family-friendly program at 2 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Ansonia Nature Center. Learn about the two species of fox we have in Connecticut and the roles foxes have played in folklore around the world. 

FREE for all ages. Registration required at ansnaturectr@ansoniact.org.

The Nature Center is at 10 Deerfield Road.

This is a press release from the Ansonia Nature Center.

Paranormal investigator to present New England Legends at Derby Public Library

**Due to unforeseen paranormal circumstances beyond our control, this event has been postponed to August 22 @ 6:30 PM**

DERBY - LIVE and IN-PERSON at Derby Public Library. 

Based on Jeff’s popular weekly podcast and his Emmy-nominated television series on PBS and Amazon Prime, the program presents highlights from his own adventures and work. The bizarre is closer than you think!

For over 20 years, Jeff has been exploring the unexplained. He seeks out history, folklore, ghosts, monsters, and legends all over the world and in your backyard. 

New England Legends offers a tour of haunts, monsters, aliens, and weird history from our region. Drawing from a library of hundreds of legends, this program is different every time it’s given.

The Library is at 313 Elizabeth St.

Registration is requested at https://bit.ly/3ciNlXI

For more info on Jeff, please visit https://jeffbelanger.com/media-room/

This is shared from the Derby Public Library Facebook page.

Storyteller to present New England Legends program at Derby Public Library

DERBY - LIVE and IN-PERSON at Derby Public Library!

Based on Jeff’s popular weekly podcast and his Emmy-nominated television series on PBS and Amazon Prime, the program presents highlights from his own adventures and work. The bizarre is closer than you think!

For over 20 years, Jeff has been exploring the unexplained. He seeks out history, folklore, ghosts, monsters, and legends all over the world and in your backyard. 

New England Legends offers a tour of haunts, monsters, aliens, and weird history from our region. 

Drawing from a library of hundreds of legends, this program is different every time it’s given.

The Library is at 313 Elizabeth St.

Registration is requested at https://bit.ly/3xNqV9q

For more info visit https://jeffbelanger.com/media-room/

This is shared from the Derby Public Library Facebook page. 

Professional storyteller to entertain children at Ansonia Library event

 

'Turnback Tuesday' features Library's painting of The Leatherman

Turnback Tuesday is boasting this incredible painting that Derby Public Library has in its collection: The Leatherman.

Much mystery and folklore surround this man. Dressed totally in leather, he would travel an endless 365-mile circle through Connecticut and Hudson rivers. This oil-on-canvas painting was done by a little-known artist, A. V. Durand in 1892. Durand lived in Derby in the 1880s. It was donated by Mrs. Mary Knight Kennedy.

The Library is keeping history alive! Make sure and stop by for a visit.

Thanks goes to the Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week.

Famed ghost hunter to present free program at Seymour Public Library

SEYMOUR - Ghost Hunter Extraordinaire Jeff Belanger will be at Seymour Public Library at 7 p.m. Oct. 1 for an in-person free program,Ghosts & Legends. The Library is at 46 Church St.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m for this special evening event and shut at 7:15 p.m. 

Registration is not necessary but masks must be worn by staff and guests. 

This program is an adult program, suitable for ages 15 and above.

This is shared from a Seymour Public Library event page on Facebook.

Derby Historical Society postpones annual meeting

From Daniel Bosques, executive director, Derby Historical Society:

Amid the current COVID-19 situation, a later date will be announced for our Annual Meeting. 

Membership renewals will still be accepted via mail or via PayPal at http://derbyhistorical.org in the meantime.


New England Folklore and the 

Tales of the Land
*Postponed*

Dear Members & Friends,

The Board of Directors of the Derby Historical Society would like to invite you to our Annual Meeting. 

The meeting will begin with a brief business portion to elect our Officers and Board of Directors followed by an update on our Restoration Project of the General David Humphreys House & Museum. 

The General David Humphreys House is our link to the American Revolution. It serves as our home base for many public events and our award-winning A Day in 1762, a hands-on colonial history educational program for students in the Valley towns and beyond.

Our presenter this year is Dr. Stephen Gencarella, author of “Wicked Weird and Wily Yankees: A Celebration of New England's Eccentrics and Misfits”, as well as “Spooky Trails and Tall Tales Connecticut: Hiking the State's Legends, Hauntings, and History”. Dr. Gencarella is a professor at UMass Amherst and specializes in New England folklore. Come for a special presentation of New England Folklore and the Tales of the Land with Dr. Stephen Gencarella. 

A reception with light refreshments will follow the presentation.

Membership renewals will be accepted by mail, at the door, or via PayPal donation by visiting our website at derbyhistorical.org. An application is attached to this email for those who are unable to attend. We encourage you to renew your membership. Your financial support is greatly appreciated and is very much needed to ensure that we are able to continue in our mission of preserving the Valley’s history and culture.

We look forward to seeing you at our Annual Meeting. Please feel free to extend this invitation to anyone who might be interested in becoming a member of the Derby Historical Society. Thank you for your continued support of the Derby Historical Society.

Click here for the printable membership form: https://gallery.mailchimp.com/3a79ac2188170e3441f4525f1/files/9ecb28e7-1ec1-402b-ac12-2d7dbcb1e540/DHS_Member_App.pdf

Here's a link to Dr. Gencarella's site: https://thetalestheytell.com/

New England folklore expert to speak at Derby Historical Society meeting

DERBY - The Derby Historical Society Board of Directors invites the public to its annual meeting at 1 p.m. March 29 at First Congregational Church, 137 Derby Ave.
A brief business portion will be held to elect  officers and Board of Directors followed by an update on restoration of the Gen. David Humphreys House & Museum at 37 Elm St., Ansonia. 
The Humphreys House is the community's link to the American Revolution. Humphreys was aide-de-camp to Gen. George Washington. 
The House serves as home base for many public events and the award-winning A Day in 1762, a hands-on colonial history educational program for students in the Valley and surrounding towns. 

Guest speaker will be Dr. Stephen Gencarella, author of “Wicked Weird and Wily Yankees: A Celebration of New England's Eccentrics and Misfits,”as well as “Spooky Trails and Tall Tales Connecticut: Hiking the State's Legends, Hauntings, and History.” 

Gencarella is a professor at UMass Amherst and specializes in New England folklore. 

A reception with light refreshments will follow. 

Membership renewals will be accepted by mail, at the door, or via PayPal donation by visiting derbyhistorical.org. 

An application is attached for those who are unable to attend. We encourage you to renew your membership. 

Your financial support is greatly appreciated and very much needed to ensure we are able to continue in our mission of preserving the Valley’s history and culture.

Click here for a printable membership form: https://gallery.mailchimp.com/3a79ac2188170e3441f4525f1/files/9ecb28e7-1ec1-402b-ac12-2d7dbcb1e540/DHS_Member_App.pdf

Here's a link to Dr. Gencarella's site: https://thetalestheytell.com/

This is a press release from Daniel Bosques, executive director, Derby Historical Society.

Storyteller to talk about ghosts, legends at Seymour Public Library

Learn about Old Glory Saturday at Plumb Memorial Library in Shelton

Some Facts and Folklore About Old Glory
Plumb Memorial Library
65 Wooster St., Shelton
11 a.m. Saturday, June 22

DAR sponsored program: Some facts and folklore about Old Glory during the American Revolution and how patriots buried at the Huntington Burial Grounds served during the Revolution. 

Register online: http://engagedpatrons.org/EventsRegister.cfm?SiteID=2661&BranchID=826&Branch=Plumb+Memorial+Library&EventID=380187&PK

This is shared from the Shelton Library System Facebook page.

Recuperation journey: Fairy ring update

Now this is rather weird...to me anyway!

The grass underneath my aforementioned fairy ring was mowed today, but the mushrooms barely got mangled. Most of them are still intact.

I can't understand it, other than to believe that it has become an enchanted part of the front yard!

Recuperation journey: Learning about fairy rings

We currently have this phenomenon occurring in our front yard. Our son who was home for the weekend knew what it was, he had read about it. That was lucky because I was stumped! It's called a fairy ring.

Quoting from Wikipedia: 

"A fairy ring, also known as fairy circle, elf circle, elf ring, or pixie ring, is a naturally occurring ring or arc of mushrooms. 

"The rings may grow to over 10 metres (33 ft) in diameter, and they become stable over time as the fungus grows and seeks food underground. They are found mainly in forested areas, but also appear in grasslands or rangelands. 
"Fairy rings are detectable by sporocarps in rings or arcs, as well as by a necrotic zone (dead grass), or a ring of dark green grass. Fungus mycelium is present in the ring or arc underneath.

"Fairy rings are the subject of much folklore and myth worldwide—particularly in Western Europe. While they are often seen as hazardous or dangerous places, they can sometimes be linked with good fortune."

Well that clears that up! 

If you squint you can see the dark green grass forming a circle where the mushrooms are growing. 

I started to get silly and I put one of my gnomes in the ring, to see if anything magical would happen. See below:

So far, all's quiet.