Healthy Indulgence Night & Julia Havey

I have never been one to keep a New Year's  resolution, I never allowed myself to have enough will power to see a resolution through, every year I make promises that I will exercise more, and eat well,  even put myself on a diet. It's sad to say I have never kept one of these resolutions, so I just stopped making them. This year, however I won't make any resolutions, but I have a few goals that I'd like to start as soon as possible.

I was looking through my e-mails the other day and came across an interesting event that I found was informative to those who find dieting to be a difficult challenge, but want to live a healthier lifestyle but still want to "indulge". 

New Morning Natural and Organic in Woodbury are inviting people to indulge with their Healthy Indulgence Night on January 11 at 6 p.m. The event will feature weight loss expert Julia Havey, courtesy of Natural Factors.  It's a free evening devoted to good health with  "Diets Don't Work" from 6 to 7:30 p.m. However, the whole event runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Ms. Havey life's work is to help people lose weight, without dieting.  She is the author of several weight loss books including the "Vice Busting Diet".  Copies of the book will be free the night of the event with the purchase of a PGX product. All Natural Factors products will be 30 percent off - the event night only.

The Provender at New Morning, will be preparing delicious healthy foods and organic wines from 6 to 8:30 p.m. They will offer crudites and fresh tofu herb dip.  There will be a host of New Morning's partners sampling food and drinks including the ever popular Boxed Goodes of Litchfield.  Guests will want to try handcrafted organic bitters from Vermont's Urban Moonshine. There will be a demonstration of Golden Earth Chakra Oils, and Enzymedica products.  Stop and visit with New Morning's nutritionist Alison Birks.

This event is entirely free, but New Morning Natural and Organic is encouraging everyone to please RSVP to Ms. Havey's talk.  For more information, visit www.newmorn.com and 203-263-4868.  New Morning Natural and Organic is located 738 Main Street South in Woodbury. 

The Heartfelt Country Shop in Bantam

If you're looking for a last-minute holiday gift for the holidays, there is a real gem in the heart of Bantam.  The Heartfelt Country Shop, located in The Clothes Tree consignment shop building on Bantam Road (Rte. 202).  The shop opened earlier this month and has quaint country gifts that would be perfect for any home. 

Photos by Daniela Forte

There, people will find country-themed furniture, country framed landscapes, figurines,  pillows, quilts and blankets.  But that isn't all, there are candle sconces, wall hangings, wreathes for the holidays and keepsake and garden items. 

When I was in the shop late last week, I couldn't help but think how warm I felt while I was in the shop, and and the immediate greeting of various holiday scents was a wonderful welcome.  For those of you that are last minute shoppers that don't want the rush of the holidays, stop by The Heartfelt Country Shop in Bantam.

The Heartfelt Country Shop is located at 906 Bantam Road in Bantam. For further information, you may contact shop owner Kathy St. Sauveur at 860-689-6536.

The Isaac Camp House in Washington, Connecticut

I recently drove up Route 202 in New Preston to shoot some photos of the Isaac Camp House located in the Macricostas Preserve, a 368-acre nature preserve owned by the Steep Rock Association in the New Preston section of Washington.

My interest in shooting a few images came after I had read an article The Litchfield County Times recently received from the Connecticut Preservation News, a bimonthly newsletter/magazine from The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, a non-profit statewide organization.  The November/ December issue is highlighting Connecticut's Archaeological Heritage. 

As I was flipping through the pages of this newsletter, I came across an article about the archaeology of the Isaac Camp House and Shop, which was built in 1760 and is believed to be one of the oldest standing homes in Washington.

The home was a focus of archaeological investigations in 2009 that uncovered the beginnings of the agriculture industry, according to the article written by Lucianne Lavin, the director of Research and Collections for the Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS) in Washington.

 In 2009, the IAIS received a survey and planning grant from the Commission on Connecticut Culture & Tourism to conduct an archaeological survey focused on the Camp House and its surrounding lands. 

According to the article, the purpose of survey was to guide the Steep Rock Association in restoring and interpreting the house. To complete the survey, Camp family records and documentary research was used as an outline of the household organization and the location of the former outbuildings within the property.

Isaac Camp was born in Milford in 1740 and grew up during a rapid growth of population in Connecticut's coastal communities which was fueled by trade and immigration with neighboring colonies and the old world.  The documents the IAIS uncovered that Mr. Camp married Jane Baldwin in 1763, he served in the Revolutionary War and died in 1793 in New Preston.

I have always found history to be fascinating and history in Litchfield County comes alive for me on a regular basis.  For example, this survey from the IAIS uncovered structural remains located near the west elevation of the house along with materials such as nails and bricks really giving the researchers a good idea of how Mr. Camp lived as a farmer. 

To read more of the article in the newsletter, visit http://www.cttrust.org/.

Welcome!

Hello Everyone!
Welcome to my blog "The Things We Get" for The Litchfield County Times.  While many readers of The Litchfield County Times have seen my byline each week, I thought I'd formally introduce myself to you and tell you all a little bit of what of my blog will be about. 

I have been writing for The Litchfield County Times for over three years now, primarily reporting in the towns of Woodbury, Bethlehem and Southbury along with other towns in Litchfield County. I also contribute stories to our monthly LCT magazine, along with our seasonal magazine Passport.  I really enjoy reporting in this region and often find myself in awe at all the beauty that is Litchfield County.

Okay, but enough about me, this blog will center around the "things" we get in our e-mails and our regular snail mail that we find interesting, but don't quite know what to do with.  I will be looking through everything from press releases, to books and anything in between.   We want to put the spotlight on what we get regularly.  So please, I hope you enjoy my blog and visit frequently. Thank You.

-Daniela Forte