As months of work on Jackson’s 5-way intersection crawl to a close, the frustrated motorists who will soon have the artery into downtown returned to them are all wondering one thing.

What about some art?

The Jackson Town Council will consider that question at its 6 p.m. meeting tonight. Council members will then decide whether public artwork should be installed along West Broadway, near the 5-way intersection.

The nonprofit Jackson Hole Public Art has gathered interest from private donors willing to contribute around $250,000 to the project if the council supports the idea.

The organization made the request to the council, saying art could help create a gateway that would “announce the entrance into the heart of town,” according to a plan for the project filed with the town for the meeting.

A $5.75 million overhaul of West Broadway now under way includes lighting, landscaping and new sidewalks at the 5-way, but the project doesn’t include any “gateway treatment,” the plan reads.

Ideas for an art installation there include additions to the railings of the Flat Creek bridge and artist-designed seating around the intersection.

Costs to the town would include annual maintenance and insurance for the artwork.

Jackson Hole Public Art Director Carrie Geraci could not be reached Friday afternoon for comment.

If approved, a request for qualifications would be put out nationwide to find an artist for the job.

It’s the epitome of the classic Colonial, its white clapboard exterior gleaming in the bright sunlight, its stately beauty accented with traditional green shutters and a dark roof cloaking a near 4,000 square-foot home — the rooms of which can only be described as having gracious dimensions.

It has a history, too, this house that went up in 1929 on Linden Drive SE. It was built by the late publishing scion Herbert Stamats. And it was “McKay built,” a proud phrase applied decades ago to homes of only the highest design and structural quality. McKay being at the time the built by well-known architect and builder Bruce McKay.

Add to that the fact that in 1930 Grant Wood did an oil painting of the home and now a replica of that stylized work hangs over the fireplace, and you indeed have a historic home.

After the Stamats family, the house went on to ownership by, among others, the Hedges, the longtime realty family in Cedar Rapids. And now for the past 22 years its fifth owners are Larry and Linda Bergdale. He is one of the founding partners and then retired principal and chairman of TrueNorth Cos., an insurance and financial strategies entity.

She is the Trustee of the House, so to speak, a woman who feels a strong bond to its innate beauty and history, and one who is bent on being a good steward, passionately retaining its authenticity while blending its vintage charm with the amenities of modern life.

“I’ve spent the last 20-some years on it,” Linda Bergdale says.

And a stellar job she has done. Bergdale is, surprisingly, a prime do-it-yourselfer, taking layers of old wallpaper off, stripping and refinishing woodwork, painting rooms and incorporating her design ideas into each area. She doesn’t work with a decorator, feeling confident in her own choices and innovations.

Indeed, it’s as if Bergdale looked at the house as a canvas and created a beautiful picture. And husband Larry have his own opinions in decorating ?

“I’ll tell you a story that Larry has told a friend,” Linda says with a laugh. “He told him ‘Linda could paint the entire house and I wouldn’t notice!’ ”

Says Larry: “My wife’s first love is this home, and the yard and landscaping. It’s her hobby.”

The couple are parents of two daughters and a son who live in Cedar Rapids, Houston and Australia. Linda, 64, and Larry, 65, might be at a point where downsizing or moving to a warmer clime would be appealing.

That said, however, Linda Bergdale will tell you that “I wanted a house my grandkids could grow up in and would love. A house that they could play and run around in. I loved my grandparents’ house when I was growing up and I wanted my grandchildren to have the same memories.

“My daughter was visiting once with her children, who were playing hide-and-seek, running up and down the stairs, making a lot of commotion. She asked me (during the conversation) if we didn’t want to move to a smaller house. I said ‘Do you hear the children? That’s the greatest sound in the world. That’s why I want to be here.’”

Larry Bergdale says, “It’s her decision we stay here,” but adds From his own perspective, he adds that “I’m a history major. … I’ve always enjoyed the history of this house. That’s been a bit of the glue that binds us (here).”

The traditional exterior only belies the classic interior. It’s a blend of antiques, antique reproductions, family pieces or antique shop “finds,” and rooms full of lovely oak floors that segue to numerous oak furniture pieces. There are Queen Anne wingback chairs keeping company with a great-grandfather’s handmade chair brought from Germany. Handsome room-size rugs in Oriental patterns leave honey-colored borders of hardwood floors.

Rooms that needed total renovating – the kitchen and master bath – took months of planning by Linda Bergdale. Colors throughout the home are muted and soft; there’s nothing bright or “punchy.” The home’s classic features, traditional furniture, and low-key colors come together to provide an atmosphere of beauty, peace and tranquillity.

The house sits on a near acre of land, has four levels and 12 rooms in all, including five current bedrooms (the sixth and seventh bedrooms were converted to an office and nursery), four full- and two half-baths and three fireplaces. The third level was once servants’ quarters. Fun fact: The bell that once called the servants still works.)

This area also contains a sitting room, bath, bedroom and a spacious playroom for the couple’s four grandchildren when they visit. The house also has a 2.5-stall heated garage.

In today’s market, Larry Bergdale estimates the home to be in the upper $500,000 range.

It’s the main floor that shines, though, this level holding the classic but comfortable living room; a dining room with a modified bow window; the remodeled kitchen; a narrow room now Linda’s office that was once the library, and the family room for casual comfort.

The focal point of the generous 25-by-15 foot living room is the white wood-paneled fireplace with the reproduction of Grant Wood’s oil painting of the house above the mantel. The 1930 original is aptly titled “Overmantel Decoration” and now rests at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.

A 14-by-10 Karastan rug in burgundies, teals and ivories is a thing of beauty. Wood-paned windows are another hallmark of the house, and this room has four. Two facing the front yard have attractive smock-topped and balloon-bottomed curtains. Between the windows is a Queen Anne table with a voluminous faux ivy plant that brags about its splendid foliage by cascading over the table edge. An oak curiolike cabinet graces a wall; it’s a piece from Larry Bergdale’s late uncle.

One of the priceless features of the home is the new dream kitchen.

“We just gutted (the old kitchen),” Linda Bergdale says. “It took a whole summer to complete.”

The 20-by-12-foot room is populated by an immense granite island, soft cream-colored cabinetry accented by “old” bin pulls and a cozy oak breakfast nook. Appliances are GE Monogram, including a stainless steel French door refrigerator, gas stove and dishwasher.

At one end of the family room is a paned door looking out on a 12-by-12-foot deck that beckons one to spend some time on white summer furniture, taking perhaps, a mint julep while shaded by a green garden umbrella. Below is a lovely secluded backyard with a small pond usually sporting bright flowers.

The master bath is a tribute to the bath-maker’s art, and is another room carefully planned by Bergdale. The room was gutted and now has a heated floor finished in hexagonal tiles to keep the vintage look; an outsized shower with the popular rain showerhead; a pedestal lavatory, and all custom-made cabinetry. Bergdale was careful to keep the original arch that now introduces the generous shower.

In the nursery, Linda Bergdale painted stars on the walls and inserted a mirror in an old window frame, painting on the frame a crescent moon, stars and the words to a nursery rhyme, a delightful touch for the little ones.

The lower level, or basement, houses a “movie room” (Linda Bergdale is a big movie fan) that has a 50-inch TV, comfy leather furniture, a raised hearth fireplace and a wet bar with microwave.

Recalling the first moment she walked in the front door, Linda Bergdale says “I just caught my breath. Each room I walked in, I just caught my breath. … I hope the next people love it as much as I do.”

And Larry Bergdale? The one-time history major sums his feelings: “I’ve always loved old traditional homes.”

Monday, 21 October 2013

Draft
Main Road Master Plan available for public comment

Christchurch City Council today released the Draft
Main Road Master Plan for public comment. The Plan has been
prepared to support the recovery and rebuild of the Main
Road corridor from Ferrymead Bridge to Marriner Street in
Sumner in response to the damage caused by the
earthquakes.

The Draft Plan is available to view from
Monday 21 October 2013 in any of the Council’s libraries
and service centres. The Draft Plan and a summary document
are also available online at www.ccc.govt.nz/haveyoursay

The final
date for written comments is 5pm on Friday 22 November
2013.

Urban Design and Regeneration Unit Manager Carolyn
Ingles says the feedback received will help enhance the
Draft Plan and guide any changes to make sure it best
reflects the community’s aspirations and hopes for the
future of the area.

“We have a clear steer from the
community that people are keen to see the potential of the
estuary and the beach enhanced through accessible, open,
well-designed spaces.

“The Draft Plan introduces ideas
such as enhancing visual links between the centres and the
estuary, and the redesign of Scott Park for windsurfing and
watersports, to take advantage of its estuary-edge location.

“People have also told us they want to see the two
local shopping areas developed as safe, welcoming places to
visit and shop, with improved parking, transportation
networks and streetscapes. The Draft Plan reflects these
ideas by proposing streetscape enhancements such as
landscaping and integrated seating to unify the Redcliffs
village centre. The Draft Plan also suggests road design and
traffic management measures such as a gateway treatment,
traffic speeds and traffic signals.

“The Draft Plan
aims to reinforce the role of Soleares Avenue / McCormacks
Bay as a community hub for the hill suburbs around Mount
Pleasant. One of the suggested actions is to rebuild the
Mount Pleasant Community Centre and kindergarten on their
existing sites, but repositioned to create a centralised,
multi-use place for the community to access a range of
social and recreational activities. This initiative will
also promote dual use of the forecourt space for parking and
events, such as the Farmers’ Market,” she says.

“We
need to continue to hear from the community at this crucial
stage in the master planning process. I would, therefore,
encourage locals and other interested parties to get
involved – all ideas and comments are welcomed,” she
says.

A submission form is available:
• online at www.ccc.govt.nz/haveyoursay
• at
Council service centres and libraries
• at the back of
the full and summary Draft Main Road Master Plan.
The
submission form can be:
• emailed to MainRoadMPlan@ccc.govt.nz

• posted to
o Freepost 178
Draft Main Road
Master Plan
Strategy and Planning Group
Christchurch
City Council
PO Box 73012
Christchurch
8154
• Hand delivered to Civic Offices, 53 Hereford
Street.
The Council is also holding drop-in sessions
where people can view the Plan, discuss its content with
Council staff and make submissions.

Come along and have
your say:

o Thursday 31 October, 3.30am–6.30pm

Redcliffs Bowling Club, 9 James Street, Redcliffs.

o
Monday 4 November, 3.30pm–6.30pm
Christchurch Yacht
Club, 167 Main Road, Moncks Bay.

o Wednesday 6
November, 3.30pm–6.30pm
Mt Pleasant Yacht Club in Scott
Park, Main Road, Mt Pleasant (just over the Ferrymead
Bridge).

To view the Draft Main Road Master Plan click here

To view the Summary Draft
Main Road Master Plan click here

For more information
visit www.ccc.govt.nz/suburbancentres

-ends-

© Scoop Media

By SKEETER TOWER

Last month my column focused on the coming visit of a volunteer group of city planners, attorneys, builders -Partners for a Livable Western New York -coming to Dunkirk to offer a candid appraisal of our waterfront, the area requested for focus by city officials.

Due to the immense amount of interest and inquiry, I am following up with the feedback we received at the SUNY Tech Incubator, Saturday, Sept. 28.

Article Photos

Submitted Photo
Stearns Court was called an asset in the revitalization of Dunkirk.

First, accolades to the social action committee of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Northern Chautauqua, Academy Heights and Washington Parc Neighborhood Associations, COI and The Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation for assisting with advertising and preparation.

Gina Kron of Tim Horton’s donated coffee, bagels, and hospitality for the standing room only crowd at the Incubator. We were grateful for use of SUNY’s centrally located space in our target area and follow up support from the Lakeshore Economic Development Group.

The first segment of the morning included an introduction to the mission of Partners for a Liveable Western New York , and a “listening session” for our ideas and concerns about the waterfront and business neighborhood. Afterward, seven consultants walked with about 80 residents around Central Avenue and Lake Shore Drive, listening, questioning, and observing. Later the consultants delivered their observations.

The positives

The consensus was that we have a beautiful location on Lake Erie, the western most city with a harbor in New York state; that boat slips are a bargain at only $500 for the season; that we have a multitude of accessible offshore shipwrecks to explore. The pier is an incredible asset. They were impressed with the quantity of 19th century structures with “good bones” still available to us for restoration and reuse. In the worst case scenario, if the power plant is not repowered with cleaner options, it opens up opportunities for funding of other waterfront projects.

With the Boardwalk as a starting point, and Route 5 roadwork to be scheduled next year, we have a timely opportunity to develop a “Waterfront Village” feel, using all the best principles of Complete Streets. Dunkirk could follow the lead of the recent resurrection of the village of Hamburg or the historic and popular Niagara-On-The Lake in Ontario by becoming more pedestrian-friendly, with benches, landscaping, flowers, trees, bike racks, safe crosswalks, open, inviting storefronts, street art, and a variety of food options.

The Partners were impressed with Stearns Court off Central Avenue. An inviting space, it is in need of activity. There are spaces and walls to accommodate city murals which would add interest and vitality to the area. The Graf building on the old Masonic Temple site was one location mentioned, as well as railroad overpasses. They thought the Ehlers Building was in a perfect location for an active restaurant/meeting place kind of enterprise. They were impressed with the flowers and plantings at First Niagara Bank and St. John the Baptist Episcopal church. They loved our lamp posts; thinking they had class. They spoke of the bike trail as an asset and rails to trails access as a bonus. They noted Dunkirk’s historic link with Pittsburgh (Van Buren Point and Bay residents). Pittsburg is prospering, so the advice was to market in this direction.

Problems

According to the partners, the rusting, unsightly, neglected railroad embankments and overpasses with the city of Dunkirk welcome signs and logo attached, send the message that “We are done. Dunkirk is not open for business.”

They emphasized that Route 5 needs a total makeover. There are no crosswalks. The street encourages fast traffic right by the places where we hope visitors will stop and spend time and money. Signage is “bad” and basically non-existent to guide visitors to city offerings, such as the Lighthouse, Historic museum, parks, shopping and businesses. The gateway from Route 5 onto Central Ave business section is “horrible.” The city must entice people to go down this major artery.

They commented on the lack of landscaping in front of buildings; no flowers, with the one exception of First Niagara Bank. Brackets for banners on the street are available yet empty. They noted grass growing in the sidewalk and weeds actively growing downtown. Litter is an embarrassment. Building after building is windowless, or with a sealed off look, giving the impression that nothing is going on. Derelict buildings indicate that code enforcement is lacking.

At a minimum, they suggested planting grass where the Masonic Temple once stood until a new developer arrives. They advised “Don’t be so desperate for jobs that you accept an unsuitable building in that empty lot.” Making the pier a parking lot is a “tragedy”, when there are so many better alternatives available, such as in cities from Portland, Maine to Chicago, Ill. to San Diego, Calif.

They detected a sense of division and despair in our region. Their recommendation: Actively and intentionally move beyond the divisions of Dunkirk and Fredonia, North and South county. They pointed to the multitude of private clubs which they believe are sapping the entrepreneurial spirit and making it impossible for businesses to compete. Such a large number of clubs is an anachronism in most “alive” places today.

Suggestions

Market the city and market to people we want to attract. Develop attractions on the water for sailors, divers, fishermen, artists, entrepreneurs and business people. Give visitors something to do so they want to visit and stay for awhile.

Build housing and amenities to keep senior citizens in the community. Build housing for young professionals. Try to engage a developer such as Buffalo’s Rocco Termini to do a “young professional” building as a tax credit deal; at minimum, get his advice. Engage the young local entrepreneurs at the SUNY Incubator. Establish regulations where no more than 10 percent per block is “tax free”. It’s a complex issue with so many properties off the tax rolls. Break up the concentrations of poverty and services. Spread out the non for profits and residents in need of assistance so there is a chance to mingle and move out of poverty.

Repaint the bridges. If the railroad won’t do it, use “Tactical Urbanism”(take it into your own hands and get it done). Clean up the city. Toronto, a high tax city, shows that taxes don’t determine where people want to live. There are two hundred cranes working in downtown Toronto.

Partners for a Livable Western New York believe Dunkirk’s form of government is obsolete. “Have a revolution and change to a city manager form of government. Don’t stay stuck with a form of government from the 1800s.” Focus on regionalism.

Share resources, merge schools. An outstanding school system will attract professionals and thoughtful parents. Make demands for police presence and code enforcement.

They said, “You need to do this as citizens. Get in their face. Get police on the ground, not driving around. If you are not doing this you are not doing your job as citizens. Form unpaid auxiliary police and code enforcement teams to get the job done without increasing the budget.”

Trains will stop here only when we make the area a destination for travelers, not just a place to leave. Businesses will come here when it is a place managers and employees want to live. Get communities together along the lakefront to do zoning (Form-based Zoning) Visit Geneseo for signage ideas.

Dunkirk needs more jobs and more people. Start by making the place more beautiful. Plant trees. Come together to focus on five to 10 things to get started. Focus on one area and build out. There is no magic bullet. It will happen house by house, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood.

Partners for a Livable Western New York recommend reading “Walkable Cities,” “Suburban Nation,” “The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America’s Man-Made landscape,” and “City comforts: How to Build an Urban Village.”

They invited all interested parties to attend the New Urbanist Conference from June 4-7 when Buffalo hosts leading city planners from around the world in sharing the best ideas for livable cities. Check the internet for the film “Buffalo: The Best Planned City.”

Concerned citizens and city officials will gather on Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. at the SUNY Incubator Central Avenue, Dunkirk to continue discussions and select priorities to Revitalize Dunkirk. Come. Bring your energy and your ideas. It can happen.

Comments on this article may be directed to lifestyles@observertoday.com

1 – ‘Bernhardt on
Broadway’ at the Muskegon Museum of Art

Antonio Zoppi Portrait of Sarah Bernhardt (in costume for Mary Queen of Scots)
1884, oil on canvas
In memory of Edward B. Rhodes, gift of his wife, Catherine Muskegon Museum of Art, 1992.249. Carol Dunitz will perform as Bernhardt in a one-woman show on Oct. 24 at the Muskegon Museum of Art.Courtesy

“Bernhardt on Broadway,” a one-woman show about late 19^th-century
actress Sarah Bernhardt, will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 at the
Muskegon Museum of Art, 296 W. Webster Ave.

The musical covers Bernhardt’s professional and personal
life, and will include 12 songs. The show stars Carol Dunitz, a
professional writer and speaker who wrote the music, book and lyrics.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The event includes French-style refreshments by the Cheese Lady.

The museum is hosting the event in conjunction with one of
its latest exhibits, “The French Connection: Nineteenth-Century French Art from
the Tabler Collection and Related American Art from the Baker/Pisano
Collection.”

Tickets are $35 each and are available at the MMA’s gift
store, at the door or by calling (231) 720-2580. For more information about the
show, visit www.bernhardtonbroadway.com
or www.muskegonartmuseum.org.

2 – Free native
landscaping gardening session at Lakeshore Museum

The Lakeshore Museum Center, 430 W. Clay Ave. in downtown
Muskegon, will cover native landscaping during a free gardening workshop at 6
p.m. on Oct. 24.

Chad and Christina Hipshier will discuss using native plants
for landscaping and the benefits gardeners can expect to see. Chat Hipshier is
a project manager for the Muskegon Conservation District and Christina Hipshier
is a lead grower for Hortech Inc. in Spring Lake.

The gardening session is being held in conjunction with the
museum’s “Naturally…Peanuts” exhibit. Registration for the event is requested.
To register or to learn more about the program, contact the museum at (231) 722-0278
or visit www.lakeshoremusem.org.

3 – Philosophy on Tap
at Hennessy’s Irish Pub and Restaurant

The Muskegon Area Arts and Humanities Festival will host a
philosophical discussion over beer at 7 p.m. on Oct. 23 at Hennessy’s Irish Pub
and Restaurant, located at 855 Jefferson St. in Muskegon.

The free Philosophy on Tap event, a new addition to the
festival, will follow in the tradition of history’s greatest thinkers and
discuss the ideas surrounding the festival’s theme “faith and reason” over food
and drink.

The discussion will be led by Muskegon Community College
professor Conor Rody. Participants are also encouraged to read “Letter to a
Christian Nation” by Sam Harris before attending.

For more information about the event, visit www.ahfest.org.

4 – ‘Between the
Reeds’ at the Nuveen Community Center for the Arts

Pintail Drake carved and painted by Rocky Freed. His work will be on display at the Nuveen Community Center for the Arts through Nov. 2.Courtesy

Hand-carved wooden duck decoys and the birds that live in
and around the water’s edge are the focus of the Nuveen Community Center for
the Arts’ latest exhibition, “Between the Reeds.”

“Between the Reeds” will showcase work by award-winning West
Michigan carvers Rocky Freed, Clare Stephens and Merle Lemmon. The Nuveen Center
has also displayed paintings, photographs and other two-dimensional artwork by
professional local artists to round out the display.

The exhibit will run through Nov. 2 and will be open from
noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays. The Nuveen Center is located at
8697 Ferry St. in Montague. For more information about the exhibit, visit www.artswhitelake.org or call (231) 894-2787.

5 – Herbal butter how-to session
at Walker Memorial Library

Walker Memorial Library, 1522 Ruddiman Drive in North
Muskegon, will host herbalist Marcia Willbrandt at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 22.
Willbrandt will show attendees how to create their own herb butters, cheese
spreads and salad dressings. Attendees will also take home recipes to share
with family and friends.

The event is free and open to the public. For more
information, visit www.madl.org or call (231)
744-6080.

Lisha Arino covers arts and entertainment, as well as other
topics, as needed, for MLive/Muskegon Chronicle. Email her at larino@mlive.com
or follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.

Here are the best of recent blog posts from Patch sites all around Maryland.

Want to share your thoughts on local politics, sports or entertainment? Start a blog. If you need help, email susan@patch.com.
 
The government shutdown is over but is the stress of the situation may still be felt by many. Blogger Stacie Beard offers some coping advice in her post You Can’t Furlough Stress – Or Can You? on Bel Air Patch.

Have you been trying to change your habits and end up beating yourself up instead? Then you’ll definitely want to read this post by Nettie Owens, owner of Sappari Solutions, on Havre de Grace Patch, offering a no-nonsense approach with a dash of humor.

Did you have a class ring in high school? Blogger and private investigator Greg Mazzella writes about a recent case where he tracked down a ring’s owner in his post Class Ring Finds Its Way Home After 60 Years on Odenton-Severn Patch.

Want some fall landscaping ideas? Look no further than Tim Hamilton’s blog on Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch.

If you’re looking for fall recipes, check out Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls from blogger Carol Woelfel Thames on Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch or Oma’s Chunky Applesauce from blogger Ellen Francis on Silver Spring Patch.

Help ensure all the little ghosts and goblins are safe while trick-or-treating with some tips from Annapolis Patch blogger and insurance broker Jeff Greene in his post Keeping Your Kids Safe on Halloween. He offers a safety tip sheet you can print and use to talk to kids now and hang on the refrigerator to review before the big night!

The chairman of Change Maryland, an independent non-partisan group with more than 60,000 members, wrote about bringing together Democrats and Republicans, on Annapolis Patch.

Are you interested in blogging on Patch but not sure how to get started? Contact Susan Jenkins at susan@patch.com for details.

The Guilford County Prison Farm site north of Gibsonville might be best suited for a data center, Alamance County Area Chamber of Commerce President Mac Williams said.

Williams said Friday that there are “different ideas floating around” on how the site could be developed. Williams said a data center makes sense since most are found in rural settings and don’t require a lot of traffic. He acknowledged that it could also be a good site for manufacturing.

“The idea of using the site as a data center has merit,” Williams said.

Williams said the prison farm at 7315 Howerton Road has potential, but a lot of work remains to make it a ready made site to attract business.

Officials from Alamance and Guilford counties met on Oct. 2 in Raleigh with N.C. Secretary of Commerce Sharon Decker to discuss preliminary plans on how the site’s infrastructure could be developed to attract business. The prison farm, on the Alamance-Guilford border, was passed over last year by a prospective company.

The potential regional partnership plan to develop the Guilford County Prison Farm is being called the Haystack Project.

Williams said after a company decided not to develop Project Swordfish at the site officials continued to work to determine how the land’s infrastructure could be developed. Williams said discussions on how the property could be used are “not going away.”

Williams said the site would also be ideal for manufacturing. How to develop the site’s infrastructure remains a challenge for local officials.

Alamance CountyManager Craig Honeycutt said Friday there are currently no meetings planned with GuilfordCounty or the state for further discussion on the matter. Honeycutt was one of several local officials who attended the Oct. 2 meeting in Raleigh which included Burlington City Manager Harold Owen and Gibsonville Mayor Lenny Williams.

GuilfordCounty jail inmates do landscaping and maintenance projects at the prison farm. Last year, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office said it was willing to move some of its operations away from the prison farm to another location just south of the existing site to make way for future development.

Williams declined to comment about Project Swordfish on Friday. After eliminating the Guilford County Prison Farm as a potential site in September 2012, the unnamed company continued to consider Hawfields for Project Swordfish, a project large enough to mean 450 new jobs and a $96 million investment. Local officials expect a decision later this year on whether Hawfields will be selected.

Graham City Manager Frankie Maness said Friday that the company is still considering Hawfields for Project Swordfish and that he last spoke with a company representative last week.

 

Here are the best of recent blog posts from Patch sites all around Maryland. Want to share your thoughts on local politics, sports or entertainment? Scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Start a Blog” under “Post Something” on your Patch homepage. If you need help getting started, send an email to susan@patch.com.

In Chevy Chase, Ellouise Schoettler wrote about how an old photo of candy apples brought back a memory of a fun side trip she once took with her daughter.

Did you have a class ring in high school? Blogger and private investigator Greg Mazzella writes about a recent case where he tracked down a ring’s owner in his post Class Ring Finds Its Way Home After 60 Years on Odenton-Severn Patch. Find out the origin of the ring that a Maryland woman found at a flea market.

The government shutdown is over but is the stress of the situation may still be felt by many. Blogger Stacie Beard offers some coping advice in her post You Can’t Furlough Stress – Or Can You? on Bel Air Patch. “Bad things happen and you can survive them. Try to remain calm and move on,” she writes.

“The only way to bring about real change in Maryland is to find a way to bring Republicans, Independents and fiscally conservative Democrats together,” wrote Larry Hogan, chairman of Change Maryland. If you haven’t heard of Change Maryland, it is an independent non-partisan group with more than 60,000 members. To find out more, click here to read their blogs on Annapolis Patch.

Want some fall landscaping ideas? Look no further than Tim Hamilton’s blog on Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch. “This time of year, everyone is thinking cool-weather annuals and vegetables including pansies, mums, cabbages, kale, and lettuces,” he writes. “But don’t forget about other, lesser-appreciated annuals such as sunflowers, celosia, snapdragons that thrive in cool, fall weather.” Read more in the Gardening with Greenstreet blog.

If you’re looking for some new fall recipes, check out Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls from blogger Carol Woelfel Thames on Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch or Oma’s Chunky Applesauce from blogger Ellen Francis on Silver Spring Patch.

Help ensure all the little ghosts and goblins are safe while trick-or-treating with some tips from Annapolis Patch blogger and insurance broker Jeff Greene in his post Keeping Your Kids Safe on Halloween. He offers a safety tip sheet you can print and use to talk to kids now and hang on the refrigerator to review before the big night!

Are you interested in blogging on Patch but not sure how to get started? Contact Susan Jenkins at susan@patch.com for details.

Autumn is the perfect time for a little garden reflection and renewal. Lectures and a good book might provide a bit of insight as you finish this summer’s harvest and begin planning for next year.

A good read

Released Oct. 1, Elizabeth Gilbert’s The Signature of All Things (Viking, $28.95) is a thought- provoking novel overflowing with botanical and natural history that many gardeners will find fascinating. Gilbert, whose 2006 memoir Eat, Pray, Love, became a best-seller, weaves themes of evolutionary biology and natural selection so smoothly with the life of character Alma Whittaker that they merge seamlessly into a world where readers will lose track of time.

This mesmerizing story is set from the mid-18th century into the late-19th century against a backdrop of horticultural meccas like London’s Kew Royal Botanic Gardens and Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam, and excursions around the globe to places like Tahiti and the mountains of Peru.

Near Philadelphia, the fictional Whittaker estate, White Acre, founded on a family fortune gleaned from sales of botanically derived medical treatments, reflects an intensely passionate interest in horticulture. Here, Alma devotes much of her life to studying mosses, relatively unclassified at the time, yet upon taking a close look, intriguing.

Gilbert intersects the paths of actual explorers, plant collectors and theorists such as Joseph Banks, Alfred Russel Wallace and Charles Darwin, with Alma’s, filling in details and issues of the time with precise, enlightened dialogue and vocabulary. How did quinine come to be used? What does it take to grow the vanilla orchid? We gardeners can learn a lot here.

Gilbert also builds a powerful emotional statement about the meaning of life-force into not only the study of evolution and survival of species, but of Alma’s own realization of a deeper meaning in her experience of what life is all about. Like-minded tree huggers and plant geeks might need a bit of quiet reflection to soak in that essential truth, or signature, of all things.

’50 Shades of Green’

Join The Arboretum’s curator of native plants, Todd Rounsaville, as he spotlights some of the diverse strategies plants have developed to reproduce themselves. If you know what to look for, you can find them everywhere. Rounsaville points out, “For every conceivable life- supporting niche on the planet, there are plants. Flowering is the pinnacle of their existence, and they all do it in fascinatingly strange ways depending on the e nvironment.” And yes, there will be photos.

Just a couple examples: our native Jack-in-the-pulpit, which can be male or female, changing sex back and forth depending on the age and size of the individuals; and native mountain laurel, which has stamens that are spring-loaded like a bear trap to smack pollen onto insects. Some flowers imitate bees, while others produce heat.

Delve deeper into the wonders of the plant world with this fun and fascinating topic, which will be presented at 6 p.m. Nov. 12 at The Arboretum’s visitor center, 500 Alumni Drive. Admission is $5 for the general public; $4 for members of Friends of The Arboretum. Pre- registration is required by calling (859) 257-6955 or emailing dmbast0@uky.edu

Perennials workshop

Here’s a chance to observe and interact with Richard Weber and John Michler, two of Central Kentucky’s great garden designers, as they collaborate to demystify the process of perennial garden design in a start-to-finish planting of an actual garden bed. Site analysis, bed preparation, plant features, design considerations and planting specifics will be covered.

Michler, a well-known Lexington designer and co-owner of Michler’s Florist, Greenhouses and Garden Design, and Weber, resident landscape architect at Springhouse Gardens, are sure to offer great ideas and advice during this presentation. Go dressed for outdoor weather, rain or shine.

The program is 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 26 at Springhouse Gardens, 185 West Catnip Hill Road, Nicholasville. Admission is $15. For information, and the required reservation and prepayment, call Julie at (859) 224-0033, email greatplants@springhousegardens.com or go to the events page at Springhousegardens.com.

Beautiful landscapes

This year’s special Gardeners’ Lecture Series speaker, presented by the Fayette County Master Gardeners and Friends of The Arboretum, will be Katy Moss Warner, American Horticulture Society president emeritus and former director of Disney’s horticulture and environmental initiatives.

An advocate for the many benefits beautiful landscaping provides to communities, ranging from improved business and economic sustainability to general public satisfaction, Warner is an engaging speaker willing to share ideas backed up with statistics and stories. She lists a few key ideas to use: “Beautiful planted flower pots, particularly flowers in hanging baskets, announce that a city takes care of its plants — and its people,” Warner says. “Well- maintained beautiful landscaped areas deter litter, graffiti and crime, making neighborhoods safer and cleaner,” and “Beautiful landscapes motivate tourists to return, businesses to want to locate there, and residents to be proud of their city.”

Vice Mayor Linda Gorton agrees that this idea is one from which our community could benefit; the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council has given a small grant from its neighborhood development funds in support. “We’re going to figure out how to become even more beautiful than we are now” Gorton says.

In addition to the lecture, Warner will facilitate a separate discussion among interested public and civic leaders about America in Bloom, a nonprofit organization that offers a structured program for organizations wanting to participate in a contest where landscape enhancements are evaluated and awarded commendations while picking up some expert advice. For a closer look, America in Bloom judge Evelyn Alemanni has created an information-packed booklet, Discover Plants, which discusses the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of quality landscaping. It is available at Americainbloom.org.

The lecture will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the University of Kentucky HealthCare Pavilion in Albert B. Chandler Hospital, 1000 South Limestone, with free parking in the hospital parking structure across the street. Admission is $10, $5 students. For lecture information, call (859) 257-6955. To inquire about the America in Bloom discussion on Thursday, email janet.raider@gmail.com.

Susan Smith-Durisek is a master gardener and writer from Lexington. Email: durisek@aol.com. Blog: Gardening.bloginky.com.

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• Indi is pictured enjoying the ever lasting daisies in the garden of David and Linda Handscombe at Pomonal. The garden will be open this weekend as part of the Pomonal Open Garden weekend.

POMONAL – The Australian Plants Society is hosting its Open
Garden Weekend tomorrow and Sunday from 10am-5pm to raise money for the Pomonal
Hall.

Tickets are $20 per person and children enter free. Maps and
tickets will be available from the Pomonal Hall.

Six gardens within close vicinity of the town centre will be
open for viewing across the weekend. Here is a preview of each:

Wayne Farey’s 3.5 acre native garden in Cassell Court is an
ever evolving labour of love. The beautifully landscaped garden featuring many
ponds, dry creek beds, rustic sheds and aviaries has an emphasis on Grevilleas
both species and hybrids, some of which are grafted. The extraordinary garden
has grown from a bare paddock with one tree in 1998 to a beautiful show piece
and you’ll pick up many landscaping ideas here.

Phil William’s 4.5 acre garden in Wildflower Drive is a
mature native garden with many new plantings, big trees and wildlife habitat.
It’s a glorious collection of Australian flora with many plants clearly named.
As a special treat Phil’s house block and bush block, which are not usually
open to the public, will be on display.

Beverley and Kevin Grace’s five acre Tunnel Road garden was
30 years old before it was destroyed in the Mt Lubra bushfire in 2006. Now a
replacement garden, it is an eclectic collection of plants and is a work in
progress. It features Proteas, Leucadendrons, Leucospermums and Geraldton wax
for cut flowers. There are annuals, perennials, roses, shrubs and thousands of
bulbs as well as deciduous trees as fire diverters and there is a fabulous
native garden made from soil washed down in a storm after the fire.

Another victim of the Mt Lubra bushfire was the garden of
Linda and David Handscombe in Long Gully Road. Also a work in progress, it
features many 13 year old shrubs that have survived and regrown and many garden
beds completely replanted in the last seven years. The garden features a
landscaped pond, a wetland, gravel mulched garden beds, native and South
African cut flowers and a large collection of Carnivorous plants.

Brian Mullens’ rambling two hectare garden called
Boorooloola (Aboriginal for perpetual water) is 65 years old. Growing in stages
over the years it features many natives including Banksias, Grevilleas and
Eucalypts as well as exotic irises, roses and succulents from all areas that
will survive in this climate. Its special features include a fishpond, an old
wagon, a landscaped dam and soft flowing lawns. The views to the Black Range
are stunning and wrens, honeyeaters, parrots and thrushes abound in this
spectacular garden.

Leon and Joyce Sachse’s 3.5 acre garden at 2111 Pomonal Road
was originally purchased in December 2001 and was an overgrown block with sheep
grazing on wild oats and other grasses. It is now a picture perfect mix of
mostly natives and some deciduous trees with a fishpond, a gazebo and
beautifully mulched garden beds and five of the original six pear trees that
adorned the block.

New gardens are always underway and excess house water is
being directed into an exciting pond development.

You can bring a picnic lunch to eat in any of the gardens
and light refreshments can be purchased from the Pomonal Hall Committee
fundraising barbecue and the Pomonal General Store.

For more information about this weekend’s open gardens
contact Linda 5356 6352, 0407 700 843 or dlhandscombe@bigpond.com