Saturday, July 30, 2011

Summer sights in country life

This kind of a summer day reminds me of when I was a kid and spent every spare minute I could with my Poppa, who lived right next door to me. We would be in the garden digging, planting, picking, getting hot & covered with dirt endlessly.

Jogging on this beautiful day was perfect in itself and for giving me time to appreciate what I saw in front of me now, and for giving me time to remember the "good old days" with Poppa.

Today and then:
The corn and sunflowers were as high as an elephant's eye.
Day lilies, butterfly bushes, Rose of Sharons, coneflowers, phlox and more are in full bloom, surrounded by the buzzing of industrious bees, butterflies, hummingbirds.
Deer are tiptoeing through the woods and along streams.
Cows are mooing and swishing their tails at those pesky flies.
Veggie stands and Farmers Markets are set up everywhere.
Clouds drift into shapes that you can see so clearly, then quickly morph into a brand new shape.

How did you spend your summer day today, and was it similar to your many summers past??
I hope you got the enjoyment out of your summer day and your community as much as I did mine!
I am a Putnamaniac because I love the country summer sights!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Buttonwoods Farm Sunflowers delivered by my neighbors to me!

Buttonwoods Farm is one of the places on my list of "places to visit".

They have fields of sunflowers, and donate monies earned to Make a Wish.

They also have ice cream.

NOW you understand why Buttonwood Farm is on my list of places to visit.

My next door neighbors just delivered these sunflowers to me, since they had visited Buttonwoods today for their first time! How gorgeous are they???? They are super heavy and look so beautiful on my table.

Learn more about Buttonwood Farm. I am so there soon!

I am a Putnamaniac because sunflowers and neighbors are awesome here!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Sweet Evalina's Stand is sweet and much more than a stand!

Early this morning I met up with my old pal, Tony, from Woodstock. He suggested Sweet Evalina's Stand, right on Woodstock Hill, Rt 171.

Since I had never been, the suggestion was great in my book! And it sure is a cool little place.

Sitting on a big pond, covered with water lilies, it is a neat spot in an of itself. Sweet Evalina's has a take-out window with umbrella covered picnic tables on the side, and on the inside there is a little convenience store type area, a take-out counter, a coffee counter, and a separate dining area overlooking the pond. Tony & I sat inside, chatted, and gobbled up a delicious breakfast!

Sweet Evalina's also offers specialty pizzas for all seasons. This spring they made asparagus pizza, and our waitress told us that now they have a zucchini pizza going on! Sounds great, and I will be sure to try it out.
I am a Putnamaniac because you can go for a nice Sunday morning breakfast with your pal at Sweet Evalina's!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Double shot of fun today for only $5!

Putnam is a great place! You can't help be a Putnamaniac with so much to do!

Today I had a double shot of fun, for a total of $5! How do you beat that anywhere??

First stop was Fort Hill Farms for their Bluegrass & blueberry day with best of friends! It was all free...a horse drawn hayride, a tractor drawn hayride, sample of some awesome Farmer's Cow ice cream, walked the gardens, met a two day old cow, samples of Farmer's Cow lemonade..  Yes, it was hot, but man it was so gorgeous and fun! We rode to the top of the hill and could see into both RI and MA.

Next stop was the Green Valley Blackhawks football game. They are a part of the New England Football League. The Blackhawks won 26-8 and are now 2-0 on the season! There was a nice crowd was there, and those players can really move. As the season moves on, they can only improve!

I hope you got out and had some fun in your community today!

I am a Putnamaniac that enjoyed a double shot of fun for just $5 today!

Friday, July 22, 2011

So much deliciousness at the Quiet Corner Creamery!!!

Last fall I went to a fun downtown Putnam event, and the Quiet Corner Creamery had a booth set up.

Battle Royal began - me and all the self control I could muster, vs the sweet deliciousness of homemade ice cream... I lost that battle, and marched right up to their booth and sampled a delicious homemade cone of apple pie ice cream.

OMG! Seriously...it was like eating my grandmother's apple pie, doused in ice cream, in a cone!

Since then I have resisted. Why, I don't know!

Today I stopped in to the Quiet Corner Creamery, bought a few medium sized cups (which were HUGE sevings) of a few different flavors...strawberry cheesecake, snickers, and chocolate peanut butter, to drop off to some very nice hard working young folks in town.

They are lucky they got the delivery...that ice cream looked spectacular! Today I won that Battle Royal. Perhaps tomorrow I will reward myself with a cone of cherry vanilla!

I am a Putnamaniac because the Quiet Corner Creamery has so much deliciousness!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Hot fun in the summer time, and dogs in the pool!

So, yeah I have been one busy Putnamaniac lately.

Too busy enjoying stuff in and around Putnam to actually stop and write it down. I will love to reflect back on the summer days in the middle of the winter. Summer is just so much more enjoyable and preferable to me!

I've had the pleasure of working with a great couple of gals at Down To Earth Gardening recently, sweating it up, getting filthy, creating beauty, scratching poison ivy....

An unusual find is one of the customers' dogs.

I am not a dog person, or even an animal person by any means, but these two "hounds" tickle me pink! They run up and greet us with wagging tails, one with a ball continually in her mouth. Tim Wakefield could throw all day to this girl, and she would shag 'em all.

You squirt the hose, and they try to "bite" the water as it is streaming by.

Best of all, on a hot day like today, they hop right into the pool for a swim. Not a kiddie or doggie pool, but the in-ground people pool, doggie paddling as they go. What a sight!
This is not a picture of my two new friends, Australian shepherds named Oreo and Fonzie, but it is close enough...

Enjoy the summer days and the unusual fun you find in strange places!

I am a Putnamaniac because I have hot fun in the summer time and seeing the dogs in the pool!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

New Bakery and Ice Cream Shoppe slated to open!

And just when you thought Putnam could not get any better:
That is correct - the sign says it all!
Coming Soon - Verrilli's Bakery and Ice Cream Shoppe.

This place has an ideal setting, overlooking the river, Rotary Park, and all of downtown Putnam. What a vista! I can't wait to sample some of their offerings once Verrilli's Bakery and Ice Cream Shoppe has opened!
I am a Putnamaniac because new and delicious businesses are coming to town!

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Blackhawks Football season opener today!

I love to find out about all the fun things to do and that are always happening in Northeast CT.

It seems that there is something new everyday! The fun and entertainment are virtually endless.

Well, I am just learning about the Green Valley Blackhawk Football team.

Their first game of the season is today, at 4pm, at Ellis Tech High School in Danielson. They have half time entertainment, too!

As the summer anticipation builds for the NFL season to get started up, and with that still in limbo at this time, the Green Valley Blackhawks offer competition and entertainment to satisfy your football hunger now.

Check these guys out. Click here for the roster. It sure looks like they will hold their own!

Then come and cheer them on at a game with me soon!

I am a Putnamaniac because we can cheer the Green Valley Blackhawks on to victory!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

River Fire is this Saturday!!!

No surprise that I love Putnam's River Fires...since, well...they are in Putnam! One short mile from my house, no less!

This Saturday is the first River Fire of the year, accompanied by this year's "Al Fresco" music series. Each year there is an "Al Fresco" theme, and although I've loved them all, this year's theme is Motown Al Fresco, so we will get to enjoy all those great Motown hits!

Dinner at my house, courtesy of the Putnamaniac's fine entertaining skills, at 6pm. The music starts in Rotary Park at 7pm, and the River Fires will be lit at half time. The Motown tunes will then continue...  What is better than that???

Local businesses, WINY Radio, Putnam Bank, and Wheelabrator Putnam, make these events possible. Great small town local support gets it done.
I am a Putnamaniac because I love the River Fires, concerts and friends that enjoy them with me!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The simple things....

Today I saw a couple of simply cute things, no matter how you slice it...They made me smile!


I saw an older couple out for their early evening walk, strolling along, holding hands. Nice.

I saw a bunch of ducks cooling themselves in the river, and a dad and his young son feeding them some bread. All parties were happy! Nice.

Then in this not so great section of town, where there are a lot of multi-family rental homes, one in particular has virtually NO yard.  Everyone is always sitting on the front steps and even on the sidewalk in their lawn chairs. It looks like about 85 people live there, because there is always such a crowd. This afternoon the ice cream truck had stopped there and the little kids were all getting a treat. These kids were so happy! Joy beamed off their little faces, as they licked as fast as they could, before their special treat melted away. These little kids clearly don't have a lot, and you could tell just how happy they were to have an ice cream. Wouldn't it be great if everyone appreciated the little things like getting an ice cream from the ice cream truck?

I am a Putnamaniac because seeing simple things like this every day makes me happy!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Celebrating local talent from years ago - author Gertrude Chandler Warner

There is the cutest little railroad car in Putnam, sitting on the cutest little piece of track - sitting on the other side of the tracks from our downtown dining/restaurant/happening area.

It is the Gertrude Chandler Warner Museum.


The museum is located in this boxcar in Putnam, simply because:
1) Gertrude was born in Putnam in 1890.
2) She wrote a children's book series, called The Boxcar Children Mysteries.

 If you have kids, and like to go on little adventures with them, I would recommend taking a ride to Putnam and checking out this cute little museum, The Gertrude Chandler Warner Museum.

If you would like to learn more about Gertrude Chandler Warner, click this link.

While you are in town, there is also a nice River Walk to enjoy and a bookstore (Wonderland Books), too!

See you soon...
I am a Putnamaniac because we have a children's author to honor with a cool little museum!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

You can jog over to your friend's house on a summer day!

It was gorgeous out today! My time of year! Sunny, hot, with a little breeze, and everything looked fresh after a dousing rain last night.

Optimal conditions for loving life!

So after working on the computer for a while, I took advantage of the day and jogged over to my friend's house in Woodstock. Since we are working on updating the brochure for her company, Down to Earth Gardening & Design, I took over the progress so far for a little feedback. We had a nice visit, I took her input and hit the road back to Putnam.

The roads from my house to her house are on my list of jogging routes, and enjoyable for a number of reasons. Great country roads, under the shaded canopy of trees, along the river, with a couple of waterfalls thrown in for good measure, birds singing their summer songs, butterflies flitting by.
How can you beat that?

I hope you have such a beautiful route to jog from your home to your friend's home, too.

I am a Putnamaniac because you can take a nice jog over to your friend's house!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

I feel the need, the need for speed...at the Thompson Speedway

I love the Thompson Speedway! I used to have the time and schedule to go every Thursday night a few years back. Since they I have tried my best to get back often, but that has been only once a year for the last couple of years.

However, tomorrow is the first big Thursday Night Thunder that I get to go to this year! My sister and brother in law are up visiting on vacation, so we, along with Uncle T will be hitting the bleachers for a fun night of local small track racing!

I can't wait to see my old pal, Mr. Kingsbury in the Budweiser booth, and I will be cheering for Scott Houghton's team, JC Motorsports...

If you enjoy racing, and are close by Northeast CT, this is a great place to visit. Very entertaining, and you will quickly be cheering your favorite racers! Plus it is a cool location to spend a hot summer Thursday night. 

Gentlemen, Start...Your....Engines!

I am a Putnamaniac because the Thompson Speedway is just 10 minutes away!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Art Attacks have been hitting Putnam on First Fridays!

Putnam does this cool thing on the first Friday of every month; "First Fridays". Pretty obvious and descriptive name, hey?

This started in May, then happened again in June, and recently July's first Friday was celebrated. I have yet to be present in town on any of these past first Fridays, but come heck or high water, I will be there for August!

The cool things they do on "First Fridays" are Art Attacks. Random acts of art. Seriously. It is great entertainment for all the folks in town, dining on the restaurant patios, or strolling to a show at the Bradley Theater, or at the Black Box Theater at the Complex Performing Arts Centre, or shopping, or just out walking...You never know what is going to happen.

Most of us are fans of the flash mobs that are always being featured on morning TV "news" shows, youtube videos, and that we all share on Facebook. I love that stuff! Well, right in Putnam, you have the chance of seeing some sort of live "art" on the first Friday of each month.

Here is a glimpse of what has happened in the first 3 "First Friday" Art Attacks:
May: Watch as a van full of dancers close off Main Street and perform
June: Artists paint beautiful scenes in town
July: See pictures of graffiti artists doing their work on one of the last buildings in town that will be rehabbed soon by the owners
August: Come meet me and we can check out the Art Attack of the month!

Videos and pictures courtesy of WINY Radio

I am a Putnamaniac because we have an Art Attack every month!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Best deal of the day at the Putnam ReStore!

Guess which shopping hating, tight wadded Putnamanic got the BEST deal of the day today in the Putnam Habitat ReStore????

That's right. It was me!

The ReStore was loaded with all sorts of donations this weekend - cabinets, dishwashers, end tables, tvs, lights, and so much more.

At the end of the day I spotted a cute little music system, with AM/FM radio and a cassette player (yes... I still have some of my old cassette tapes that I have had for years, and just can't part with them), and 2 nice speakers.... for $5.

A customer was in the store and spotted this beauty when I was hooking it up and testing it. He seemed interested, so of course I would have let him have it. I didn't really need it, just wanted to have an addition for my porch. As it turns out, he chose another small radio alarm clock, so I got the big score! I even paid twice the asking price, figuring $10 was still a great deal, and the money goes to a good cause - to build the home that is our current project in Brooklyn, CT.

Support local organizations in your town. Every little bit helps.

I am a Putnamaniac because even non-shoppers can enjoy shopping and helping out a good cause!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Boom Boom Boom, even brighter than the Moon!

If for nothing else, you would become a Putnamaniac for the 4th of July Fireworks!

Click and check out the finale, and I was part way under a tree!!! 

I am a Putnamaniac because we have FANTASTIC fireworks!

Friday, July 1, 2011

Daily Bread...we all need it

Our condo's first food drive was a success! I delivered 2 big boxes, loaded with food, as well as 6 bags of canned and boxed goods to the Daily Bread in Putnam. It took me 4 trips to my car to unload it all.

It goes to show that if everyone chips in just a little, they can make a big difference in their community.

I am a Putnamaniac because we do chip in to make a big difference locally!