There's a soft purple haze in the Ram Pasture these days called purple loosestrife and as pretty as it looks, we shouldn't grow too fond of the view. It seems the aggressive perennial has moved in and taken over the Deep Brook wetland. This invas
Thereâs a soft purple haze in the Ram Pasture these days called purple loosestrife and as pretty as it looks, we shouldnât grow too fond of the view. It seems the aggressive perennial has moved in and taken over the Deep Brook wetland. This invasive, nonnative species is filling Connecticut wetlands at an alarming rate and plant experts agree that purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) needs to be eradicated.
Newtown resident David Macauley stopped by The Bee last week to share his point of view about the problem plant. âWe should be pulling it out of there,â David said, âmainly because wherever purple loosestrife grows, other plant species that are beneficial to wildlife and provide food and nesting material get crowded out.â This isnât good news for migrating birds. We know the Ram Pasture is a favorite fall and winter stopover for lots of geese and ducks, and it seems they prefer cattails, sedges, bulrushes, and ferns.
Meanwhile across the way, a friendlier invasion is taking place. Native wildflowers planted several years ago by Sarah Middeleer at 7 South Main Street are in full bloom right now. Light blue chicory, white Queen Anneâs lace, purple coneflower, and black-eyed Susans have formed a tall hedge catching the eye of any passing motorist heading north on Route 25.
Bruce Goulart was 1,692 in the Lake Placid Ironman, the race that combines a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike race and finishes with a marathon. Bruce did that all in 15 hours and 13 minutes. Not bad for a guy over 50! Then he shows up and works on Monday at his construction job. Although it is true that Bruce did not break the Ironman record, I think his previous record of eight marathons in eight days is still high up there in the win column.
 Joe DeMaida and Rodd Blessey, the youth ministers at St Rose, want everyone to know that they are planning to bring Christian music artist Martin Dorman to Newtown for a concert on Tuesday, August 11, from 6 to 10 pm. Tickets are $20 for adults, $12 for youth 18 and under, and family packages are available. Call 426-2572, ext 17, for more information.
Softball isnât usually a contact sport, but Susan Leniart may have thought differently Monday night. Suzy plays on the Amica Insurance team within the Parks & Rec womenâs softball league, and she was pitching to a player on the Special K team when the batter hit the pitch so fast that Suzy didnât have time to react. The softball hit her on her lower abdomen, leaving her with a softball battle scar. She quickly started to bruise up, and was very sore the next morning when she came in to The Bee. Along with an ice pack to lower the swelling, Suzy comforted herself with knowledge that her team won the game.
Jim Smith, who recently stepped down as chairman and member of the Newtown Health District Board of Directors, was honored Friday, July 23, at a reception at the Taunton Lake home of Dr Tom Draper and his wife Pat. Dr Draper serves as medical advisor to the Health District. First Selectman Herb Rosenthal presented Mr Smith with a certificate of appreciation for his ten years as chairman of the Health District. In attendance, in addition to Health District staff, members of the board, and friends, was former Health District Director of Health Mark Cooper, who is now first selectman of Southbury.
Congratulations to Jim Bayles on his amazing swim from Cape Cod to Nantucket to raise money for the Epilepsy Foundation. (Jimâs daughter, Kate, has epilepsy.) It took him 5 hours and 43 minutes on Tuesday morning. The water was a chilly 56 degrees when he started at 5:40 am. Jimâs previous marathon swims have included crossings of the English Channel and Long Island Sound. Heâs even swum around Manhattan. By swimming to Nantucket, Jim avoided the impossible task of getting a ferry reservation to the island in the middle of summer.
Finally, donât forget to notice the second full moon this month on Saturday night, July 31. That makes it a blue moon, which is just about as rare as three paychecks in one month ââ another happy circumstance happening next month here at The Bee. Saturday night will be the Full Thunder Moon, so maybe it will rain and we wonât be able to see it.
Iâve got to go work on my plans for that extra paycheck, but Iâll be back next week since the boss says I still have to earn it. So be sure toâ¦
Read me again.