Recuperation journey: Making a pie

Believe it or not, yours truly made a chocolate pie. 
Those who know about my minimal skills in the kitchen are no doubt surprised. 

But the recipe I happened upon looked so easy I had to give it a whirl. 
It only has three ingredients: chocolate, whipped topping, and chocolate cookie-flavored crust. 

Step 1 ^ Open packages.  :)

Step 2 ^ Mix.

... and finished product.


Looks good to me, but I never said it was good for you!

Learn about turtles, butterflies, mushrooms, more at Ansonia Nature Center

ANSONIA - The Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center, 10 Deerfield Road, offers a variety of fun and educational programs in August.

BUTTERFLIES AND DRAGONFLIES – Aug. 6, 1 p.m.

Enjoy your Sunday afternoon at the park on our guided hike. Explore the Redwing Pond and our meadows for these beautiful six-legged, four-winged insects. 

The guide will show you our native butterfly gardens and teach you the benefits of native plants to our Connecticut butterflies and dragonflies. 

FREE. Registration required. 

FULL STURGEON MOON HIKE – Aug. 6, 7:30 p.m.

The Native American fishing tribes are given credit for the naming of this Moon, since sturgeon, a large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water, were most readily caught during this month. Join our staff on a hike in our meadows to watch as this reddish moon rises. Each child must be accompanied by an adult. Number of participants is limited, please pre-register. 
FEE: $3 per person. Wear appropriate footwear. 

MUSHROOM IDENTIFICATION FOR BEGINNERS – Aug. 12, 10 a.m.

Join a foraging family who hunt, photograph, identify, and love to eat the fungi in New England for a discussion and walk at the Ansonia Nature Center. 
We will dispel common myths, learn how to safely identify mushrooms with visual clues and guidebooks, and discuss mycophagy, the cooking and eating of wild mushrooms. 
After the lecture we’ll walk the property to search for wild fungi and put our newly learned skills to the test.
FEE: $5. Registration required.

ROCKS IN SPACE: Perseid Meteor Showers – Aug. 12, 7 p.m.

Come to Ansonia’s darkest location for some unusual night sky viewing with Bob Carruthers and the New Haven Astronomical Society.  In addition to a chance to see the annual meteor showers, there will be a short talk about meteorites. 
You and your family will get to view and touch meteorites from around the world. This night will be the peak of the showers! 
No need to bring anything except for warm clothing and a chair. Telescopes and binoculars are not necessary. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 
FREE. Registration required.

TURTLE TALK – Aug. 26, 1 p.m.

Anthony Pierlioni is Senior Director of the TurtleRoom, an online radio show dedicated to these fascinating reptiles and the people who love them. 
He’ll share his knowledge and some turtle species with us.

He is a member of the Turtle Survival Alliance, Turtle & Tortoise Preservation Group, New York Turtle & Tortoise Society, and New England Herpetological Society, as well as the online sites TurtleForum.com, TortoiseBoard.com, and TortoiseForum.org, where he can be found as Anthony P. 

You can contact him at anthony@theturtleroom.com. 
Registration required.

CATTAIL MAT WEAVING – Aug. 27, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sept. 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Join Ranger Dan for a two-part series on cattails. Week 1 we will begin to collectively work on a mat made from the cattail reeds, and week 2 we will add the finishing touches to our mat. Learn how Native Americans from the Eastern Woodlands would use these reeds! 
Pack a bag lunch, and be prepared for swampy conditions. 
This program is for adults only. FEE: $6 per person covers both weeks. Please call to register.

ONGOING WEEKLY PROGRAMS

CREATURE FEATURE – Saturday at noon
Have you always wanted to pet a dove or hold a bearded dragon?  Here’s your chance!  Come meet the Nature Center’s Resident Animals every Saturday at noon!

GUIDED HIKE- Sundays at 1 p.m.

Have you ever wondered where the owls nest or where the deer sleep?  Join an Ansonia Nature Center Park Ranger on a Guided Hike every Sunday!

MONDAY NIGHT TRAIL RUN – Mondays in August and September, 5:30-6:30 pm

This is a call to all of the runners who want something that is out of the ordinary! Ranger Dan will lead you through our 156-acre network of trails, while you burn off the weekend's extra calories. We guarantee that this FREE program is the best way to start off your week.  
Please register and wear appropriate footwear. 

FAMILY ORGANIC GARDEN PROGRAM – Tuesdays, August through November

ANC will be continuing family-friendly activities in our organic garden. Learn about growing a variety of fruits and vegetables. Dress appropriately; keep in mind you will get water and soil on your clothing. 
FREE, with the potential to take home fresh local produce! 

Please call 203-736-1053 to register for all programs.

This is a press release from the nature center.

Recuperation journey: Photographing wildlife

I finally captured a photo Friday evening of this critter, taken through a front-door screen. He's looking for mulberries on the ground. The berries attract and feed all sorts of wildlife. Methinks this is a groundhog. Am I correct?  

Celebrate Shelton to present Downtown Sounds this summer

Downtown Sounds Summer Concerts & Food Trucks is generously sponsored by Celebrate Shelton and Liberty Bank, with support from R.D. Scinto, City of Shelton, Electri-Cable Assemblies, Valley Community Foundation, TD Bank, Hocon Gas, People's United Bank, Caloroso Eatery & Bar, Sikorsky Credit Union, Venman & Co, OEM Controls, Kindred Spirits & Wine, D'Addario, Honey Cell, Peralta Design, Doggie Styles, and J&L Enterprises.

*There is a suggested contribution of $5 to sustain Celebrate Shelton's efforts. This year, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Lower Naugatuck Valley Boys & Girls Club in Shelton.

Shelton Historical Society to hold rescheduled classic car show

A vintage Chevy pickup photographed at last year's show./ Submitted photo 

SHELTON - The Shelton History Center’s Vintage Vehicles Antique & Classic Car Show, usually held on Father’s Day, was postponed and will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. July 16 at 70 Ripton Road.  

Visitors will be able to peek under the hoods of the cars they remember from nearly every decade of the 20th    century. 
Two wheels or four, from Model T’s to muscle cars, there’s bound to be something that will trigger a memory from every visitor.  

Sometimes a fire truck shows up; a 2016 entry included a penny farthing, or high-wheeled bicycle. All vehicle owners generously share information, their cars, and their hobby with the public.   

Sponsors of this year’s show include the Derby-Shelton Rotary Club, People’s United Bank, and the Valley Community Foundation.  

Owners of antique and classic vehicles of all kinds may register to participate in this special event.  

Entry forms may be found at www.sheltonhistoricalsociety.org, or by calling 203-925-1803. Registration costs $10.  

A new award category for Most Unique was added for this

year so six prizes will be presented to crowd favorites.  

Proceeds from last year’s show benefitted repairs and improvements to the Brownson 

House that had been damaged during a rainstorm in late October 2015. The house was recently reopened to the public with a completed 1913 appearance and will be available for tours along with the other buildings at Shelton History Center.  

Visitors will enjoy refreshments and voting for their favorite vehicles. 

Admission is $1 for dads, $5/adults and $10/family of four. Proceeds will benefit the educational programs of the 

Shelton Historical Society, whose mission is to “preserve elements of the community’s history in order to create connections between Shelton’s past, present, and future generations through education, maintaining a museum with its collections, and providing a voice in the community 

regarding matters of historical significance.”

For more information or directions, call 203-925-1803, visit the website listed above or see www.facebook.com/SheltonHistoricalSociety.   

This is a press release from Tracey Tate, executive director, Shelton Historical Society.

Summer concert series continues Tuesday on Derby Green

Shoproductions.com photo

Dr. Ya Ya Dirty Rice Revue. 

DERBY - The Dr. Ya Ya Dirty Rice Revue will perform Mardi Gras-style music at 7 p.m. Tuesday on the Derby Green.

The band's signature gumbo party performance is one of a series of summer concerts sponsored by the Derby Cultural Commission.

Ansonia author to discuss book about heart attack, recovery at Library

Sharing from the City of Ansonia Facebook page:

"Ansonia resident Joe Mauro will promote his recently published book, "I Am Joe’s Heart (Attack)," with a book signing/discussion at the Ansonia Public Library, [53 S. Cliff St.,] at 6 p.m. July 13.

"Mauro, a retired meteorologist and a heart attack survivor at age 43, writes a whimsical and factual account of his life experiences and events leading up to, during, and post-heart attack recovery.

"Later this month, July 30, Mauro’s promotional book tour will take him to the renowned RJ Julia’s Bookstore in Madison with a signing/discussion there. The signing/discussion is free, open to all and takes place in the 2nd floor Reference Room of the Ansonia Public Library."