Editor’s Note: This op-ed was sent to us by Old Lyme resident Elaine Stiles.
As an Old Lyme resident who cares deeply about sustainable growth and housing access, I am writing to express strong support for the proposed Halls Road Overlay District (HROD) and the development and planning principles that inform it. Old Lyme is a small town, but it is located near two interstate highways, a rail corridor that may soon be significantly expanded, and major employers that draw national and international work forces to the region.
Growth will continue to come to our community, and planning for the future is imperative. I support the Halls Road Overlay District because it offers controls and guidance for future development that will:
Offer community residents (present and future) much-needed housing alternatives to single-family detached units. Young single people, young households and families, and elders who want to downsize have few to no rental or ownership options in Old Lyme other than single-family, detached housing and its associated tax burden, maintenance burdens, and isolated settings. Thoughtfully arranged apartment or condominium units and walkable mixed-use development supports aging in place, attracts creative capital and future residents, and provides spaces for diverse household sizes and stages.
Reuse existing developed land to meet community housing needs. In the wake of a housing shortage (about 4.5 million units nationwide; in CT, less than 4,000 houses available on the market vs. more than 15,000 pre-pandemic), many communities also face a shortage of developable land. Reusing existing developed spaces to incorporate housing is a smart and environmentally sustainable move to address these critical shortages.
Create walkable commercial and community-oriented retail spaces. All communities, regardless of size, can benefit socially and economically from a denser commercial and retail core. The town decided in the 1960s (more than two generations ago) to move that density to the Halls Road area, which changed the character of Old Lyme from its historic land use patterns. It’s now time to retrofit that space for the next several generations with new spaces for a 21st century walkable retail and commercial district gives the town’s residents of all ages another destination where they can connect.
Offer better traffic planning, safer multimodal transportation options, and greater community connectivity. Walkable, bikeable spaces would be a boon to our young people, especially nearby middle and high school students, and better connect the cultural and commercial districts of Old Lyme. While maintaining parking supply, the HROD also gets people out of their vehicles and makes more allowances for non-car travel.
Encourage creative retrofitting of our existing tired, poorly planned strip mall retail spaces. All over the country, planners are discussing “retrofitting suburbia.” (See June Williamson and Ellen Dunham-Jones’ award-winning book, Retrofitting Suburbia.) The Halls Road Overlay District embraces these smart planning and design principles to remake Old Lyme’s designated commercial and retail space to be automobile accessible, but not dependent; incorporate mixed uses; and increase retail and service options here in town.
Change is coming, and Old Lyme needs to be ready for it. As the Halls Road Improvement Committee has stated, doing nothing is also a choice, and doing nothing has consequences. I am concerned about the fate of the Halls Road area without the HROD, its provisions, and its review procedures in place. Much of the development opponents erroneously fear the HROD will bring will indeed come, but not because of the HROD. Why not incentivize better development patterns than what zoning currently allows as a countermeasure to highly-profitable, but community impoverishing highway-oriented development?
In closing, I want to acknowledge the concerns of small business owners who currently occupy space in the existing strip mall developments on Halls Road regarding rent increases and displacement. No one wants to see businesses displaced, but it is unclear how the HROD, rather than property owners and developers, would be responsible for this outcome. If these parcels sell, there is no guarantee that new owners would not redevelop with the same result. However, I think the community would benefit from understanding if or how the HROD review board or another town entity might be empowered to negotiate rent stabilization considerations for existing businesses in new development under the overlay.
The HROD benefits our community and promotes a sustainable future for Old Lyme and helps prevent the as-of-right services outdated zoning and planning principles currently allow on Halls Road. These are the real threat to our community’s character and future.
Sugarbush—currently leased toFat Stone Farm—managedin ways that help declining forest birds
Mount Archer Woods volunteers helped remove invasive Barberry this past year, opening the floor of the sugarbush to more light and space, which allowed new maple saplings to thrive. All photos by Wendolyn Hill except where indicated.
LYME, Conn. – Mount Archer Woods, a Town-owned preserve in Lyme, has been recognized by Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Mapleprogram for its management of a sugarbush that is leased for tapping to Fat Stone Farm.
Through the Bird-Friendly Maple project (a collaborative effort between Audubon, Cornell, the New York State Maple Producers Association, and the Maple Syrup Producers Association of Connecticut), the Mount Archer Woods sugarbush—the forest area where maple syrup is produced—is managed in ways that provide more resilient bird habitat.
At 35 acres, the Mount Archer Woods sugarbush is currently the largest enrolled in Bird-Friendly Maple in Connecticut.
Maple seedlings thrive in Mount Archer Woods after removal of Barberry.
“Sugarbushes don’t just make for great maple syrup: As the production season winds down, they become nesting and foraging habitat for declining songbirds like the Scarlet Tanager and Wood Thrush,” said Suzanne Treyger, Senior Forest Program Manager for Audubon Connecticut and New York.
She notes, “On a wider scale, healthy forested landscapes provide benefits like carbon sequestration and storage, and watershed protection. By creating a more structurally and biologically diverse sugarbush, maple producers can play a vital role in conservation that benefits birds and people,”
As a recognized sugarbush, this area of the preserve is managed in ways that help these birds raise the next generation of their species.
What makes a bird-friendly sugarbush?
The Scarlet Tanager is one of the birds found in sugarbush. Photo: Travis-Bonovsky, Audubon/Woodland Trails Regional Park, Minnesota
Young trees and shrubs provide cover, food, and nesting sites for Black-throated Blue Warbler and Wood Thrush.
Snags (dead trees) are left standing to provide nesting sites for woodpeckers and White-breasted Nuthatch, and insects for Scarlet Tanager.
Downed trees and other woody material are left on the forest floor for birds like the Ovenbird and Ruffed Grouse to take cover, nest, and forage.
“We take great pride in the recognition by Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Maple program of the sugarbush area at Mt Archer Woods,” said Lyme Open Space Coordinator Wendolyn Hill.
She continued, “It is wonderful that in addition to supporting the traditional practice of maple sap collection, this forest can provide essential habitat for some of our most threatened songbirds.”
Hill explained, “The recommendations of the Audubon bird habitat assessment will be an invaluable guide for us in our efforts to protect and enhance the habitat there, as well as the land surrounding it.”
A volunteer holds up Barberry at Mount Archer Woods sugarbush.
“Earning Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Maple designation goes hand-in-glove with our organic certification, which also requires a commitment to biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem,” said Bill Farrell, Founder of Fat Stone Farm.
He added, “Lots of people in Lyme take healthy ecology seriously, and the presence of a variety of birds is one key indicator of environmental health. Earning Bird-Friendly Maple recognition shows how the work of many individuals is paying off.”
Farrell also commented that this year’s syrup is currently being bottled at the Farm.
The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action.
Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes.
With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come.
Divorce is often a very stressful and traumatic experience. Even the person who files for divorce may struggle to deal with their emotions. One of the ways that people get through the divorce process is by focusing on the future. They imagine their life after the end of the divorce to get through the hardest parts of the process.
Those trying to think about the future generally need to have a reasonable idea of what to expect. Someone who has dedicated decades of their life to a particular profession might start thinking about enjoying their retirement after divorce. They may hope to travel or achieve other personal goals during their golden years.
The pension that they accrued throughout their working life could have a major impact on their stability in their retirement years. Can divorcing spouses expect to keep their pensions instead of dividing them during a divorce?
People who settle stay in control
Every individual contemplating divorce has different circumstances and personal goals. For those who have funded pension benefits by working for years in the same profession, keeping that pension might be their biggest priority. Others might want to continue running a family business or to stay in the family home.
Spouses preparing for divorce generally have the option of pursuing an uncontested divorce. If they can work out a settlement with their spouses, they can potentially achieve the financial goals that matter the most to them. Someone willing to take on more marital debt or make concessions related to other assets could potentially retain a pension in an uncontested divorce scenario.
Litigation may make a pension vulnerable
Under state equitable distribution rules, the courts have the authority to allocate resources accumulated during the marriage to either spouse. There have previously been court cases where the state has affirmed that pensions are often subject to division during divorce proceedings.
Much of the asset division process relies on a judge’s discretion in litigated cases. They may have to directly divide high-value assets, including pensions, to achieve a fair outcome. Spouses have little control over the terms set by judges when they litigate.
Identifying personal priorities early in the divorce process can make it easier for people to achieve their goals. A spouse can theoretically preserve their pension if they have the right approach to property division negotiations or litigation.
Editor’s Notes: i) Suisman Shapiro is located at 75 State Street, New London, CT 06320. Their mailing address is 2 Union Plaza, P.O. Box 1591 New London, CT 06320. Visit their website or call 800-499-0145 — lines are open 24 hours a day.
ii) If you are involved in a divorce, the attorneys at Suisman Shapiro can assist you. Reach an attorney specialized in the matter at the number above .
Signs of spring … crocuses will soon be flowering once again.
Maureen Haseley-Jones is ‘The English Lady’
This winter, as in other winters when I need a blossom boost, I enjoy the fragrance of the paper-white narcissi that I planted in tall glass vases. I surrounded the bulbs with seashells from White Sand Beach here in Old Lyme and kept them in a dark cool area, ensuring the shells and the bulbs were moist as the roots developed.
When the bulb foliage reached about six inches, I moved the bulbs in their vases into indirect light, which encourages the blooms to open. Each morning on entering my lounge, I am met with the fragrance of these beautiful bulbs and, feeling refreshed, I am ready for my day.
I keep extra bulbs in a brown paper bag in the vegetable keeper in the refrigerator. I plant these bulbs when the first blooms have gone by and with this method, I have a succession of blooms and fragrance permeating my home into spring.
Before you know it, spring will be upon us together with the anticipation that resides in all of us gardeners, which is to get outdoors and plunge our hands into the soil.
That being said, there is so much to look forward to and I feel I must once again stress the importance for all of us to garden organically.
In this country and around the world, the results of pollution and chemicals are just some of the factors that are causing climate change. We are in a crisis, with invaders that have already battened down the gates and invaded our gardens. These invaders are destroying Mother Nature and your health in the form of poisonous pesticides and herbicides.
The main producers of these poisons are Monsanto, Bayer and other biological monsters, who have been decimating our planet, our soil, human health and committing all those egregious crimes purely for selfish profit.
Bees, for example, have been killed in the millions, because the EPA under the Trump administration allowed the spraying of over 14 million acres of land, with poisonous chemicals. Please note folks, that bees pollinate 70 percent of the world’s food and their demise is our demise.
Last year was recorded as the hottest year on record. Drought in the west of this country, resulted in dry tinder conditions, causing devastating fires that brought death and destruction to people in California, Oregon and Colorado. This extreme weather pattern continues here, bringing tornadoes and extreme flooding, followed by even stronger hurricanes due to the rise of our oceans, which is the result of warming water.
Across the world, extreme weather patterns have also had a tragic effect on extreme drought in Africa causing famine and death to that region and terrible earthquakes as we have seen in Turkey, Northern Syria, Japan and China. I am glad that the government in this country had begun to seriously address the Climate Crisis, but much more needs to be done … Editor’s Note: Sadly, the current administration does not seem willing to address the Climate Crisis seriously.
As gardeners, it is our task to help counteract these negative changes by using only organic methods of gardening on our own plots of land; what we do in our own gardens contributes to healing the planet. Over the span of 25 years on my radio show WRCH 100.5 FM and through my Garden Earth lectures, I received a commitment from thousands of people to discard all poisonous herbicides and pesticides and to garden organically. The response had been tremendously positive in the production of organic gardens grown in healthy soil.
Wild snowdrops are welcome sign of the approaching Spring. File photo.
It begins with what you put into the soil for the growth of the plants, and this is accomplished by adding liberal doses of my favorite stuff–Aged Manure, which you may procure, either from the farm or in bags from the garden center.
The following, is a paragraph from a book I am writing on gardening and the vital importance of the humus component to our gardens.
In 1937 Franklin D Roosevelt said that ‘the nation that destroys its soil destroys itself’
America has not heeded that warning. Precious soils in this country and around the world are being destroyed by dangerous practices in industrialized agriculture and poisonous chemicals, which completely disrupts our eco system and poisons all living things.
In your own garden you can build and retain a rich growing environment by building the Humus component. We are all carbon-based creatures as is all life on earth. Not only humans but also our soil microbes need carbon to flourish. And to attract carbon from the atmosphere into your soil you need to build the humus component.
HOW TO BUILD THE HUMUS COMPONENT:
Do not till soil – tilling breaks up soil structure.
First step – Add composted manure three times each season –beginning in spring when the soil has reached a temperature of 50 degrees. If the soil has not reached that temperature the soil organisms are not able to work with the bacteria in the manure to produce nutrients for the roots of the plants. Purchase a soil thermometer to check the soil’s temperature. This year, following deep frosts, the soil temperature may reach 50 degrees by the end of April to early May. Add the manure again in July to continue to nourish your growing plants and again in October to protect and nourish the roots of your plants through the winter. Manure is not a fertilizer; it builds soil structure and works with all the soil animals to keep a healthy disease-free growing environment.
Second step – Add wood chips in the form of brown fine bark mulch or wood chips that you produce from your garden of aged wood chips with a combo of leaves, twigs and branches.
These two major steps build the humus component. If you do this in your garden – not only, will you help to heal the planet but also produce the healthiest of gardens.
A question I am often asked is ‘Can I put manure over mulch, for example, on my mid-summer garden in July?’ The answer is ‘yes’ – the manure together with nature’s moisture and your own irrigation enables the manure to find its way easily into the soil and the roots of your plants.
WHAT EXACTLY DOES HUMUS DO?
Humus acts like a sponge and can hold 90% of its weight in water.
Because of its negative charge – plant nutrients stick to humus for nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and other elements, which prevents these from washing away and acts as nature’s slow- release fertilizer throughout the year.
Humus improves soil structure making it loose and friable, which helps plants root in the soil with better access to nutrients, water and oxygen.
Humus also helps to filter’ toxic chemicals from the soil, much like carbon-based water filtration systems that filter toxins from your water.
We cannot control industrialized agricultural practices, however, in your own garden you can make a difference. Feed the soil, and it will feed the plants.
This week I spoke with my friend Ann, who lives in Cheshire, in England, which is next door to my home county of Shropshire. Ann is an avid gardener and she told me that her daffodils are well above the soil and last week she started to plant seeds in the greenhouse. I was so envious, when Ann told me of her garden bloom, but our time will soon come.
PLANTING SEEDS:
It will soon be time for serious indoor seed-planting.
February 20 to March 20 is the time for serious indoor seed planting here. Check which garden centers are stocking organic seeds or go online for the organic varieties – one company that I use is “Botanical Interests”. Do not go overboard when buying packs of seeds as there are about 500 seeds in each packet. If you do purchase too many – have a seed sharing party with gardening friends.
Equipment to have on hand for seed planting are cheap envelopes (you probably have envelopes you discard from your mail) fresh sterilized potting soil mix, and sphagnum moss. Also seed trays, egg cartons and cardboard milk containers that are cut down also work well. Make sure all containers are scrupulously clean. Sphagnum moss works well as a planting medium as the moss can prevent a soil born fungus that causes “damping off” which causes seeds to rot before germination. I have, together with many gardening friends, used this method for years and have not lost seeds to “damping off”.
For tiny seeds, I use the moss as the planting mix and for larger seeds, I install a topsoil base and a layer of the moss on top of the soil. I mix fine seeds with sand before I sow; this method helps to loosen them up. Soak the seeds overnight before planting and just before planting spray them with warm water, never cold as cold water can delay germination. When they have germinated, water gently.
The best method of watering seedlings is to water from the bottom. But, if you feel you must top water, just mist with a fine sprayer, otherwise you will drown the delicate seeds, washing them out of the planting mix. Use new sterilized soil when seeding and do not use any leftover soil from last season, Leftover soil from the previous year can develop disease, which can ruin your seedling crops. If you are growing seedlings on a windowsill, place them on a south or west-facing sill; seedlings need light, not heat to thrive.
WINTER CARE OF HOUSEPLANTS
Houseplants can lift your spirits throughout the year. File photo.
I love my houseplants year round but in winter the blooming ones in particular lift my spirits. I talk to my plants enjoying my cyclamen and my blooming cacti, and the different foliage on the ivy, philodendron and spaphyllum which also clean the air in a stuffy home environment.
Keep your houseplants away from draughts and direct heat. If you are able, place humidifiers and air purifiers in the rooms of your home, which will benefit not only the plants but also your own health. Place pebble trays under the plants and keep the pebbles moist for additional humidity.
Spray houseplants every few days with lukewarm water and once every couple of weeks, put the plants in a sink or bathtub and allow lukewarm water to run freely over the plant to remove dust from the leaves and clean salt residue from the soil. The exception to the spray or soak rule is African violets, as African violets do not do well with wet leaves.
Aphids and white fly thrive indoors in winter and an organic sulphur solution called Safer works well to clean the soil of insect eggs and from the foliage. Perhaps you are fortunate like me to have Ladybugs in your home in winter; if so, allow these useful creatures to roam freely; the ladybug menu is aphids and white flies.
The best time to repot houseplants is from April through June but if a plant has become root bound with no visible soil, then you can repot them in February. Water the plant to loosen the roots from the soil, turn it sideways on a newspaper and gently slide it from the pot.
Cut away any dead roots and repot in fresh potting soil in a clean pot that is only two inches larger than the original. With the plant firmly in place and the soil one inch from the rim, water it gently and do not fertilize with an organic fertilizer until April. Plants need this dormant period to recharge.
A few suggestions for trouble-free foliage plants in the home are Rubber Plants, Spider plants, Ivy, Philodendron, Monstera and Spaphyllum. If you have a sunny window Aloes, Succulents and Cacti do great and are a trouble- free variety.
Blooming plants sitting side by side with foliage plants, enjoying one another’s company, give one an impression of a miniature garden.
A few suggestions of house plants that bloom are Cyclamen, African Violets, Kalanchoe, Primulas and Paper white narcissus. To prevent pets from chewing on the plants, add some cayenne pepper to the water when watering. I also enjoy my herbal plants, which sit in a sunny window. My favorites are Rosemary, Basil and Parsley which are great additions to any recipe.
POWER TOOLS:
Check any power tools that require maintenance or repair. February or March is the time to get them into the repair shop, because as soon as the weather breaks the shops get busy and you may not get your lawn mower back until August.
Check all tools and implements in the garage or shed. If you did not clean them off at the end of last season, plunge the shovels and spades into a bucket of sand; sand is an abrasive and will clean off any leftover soil and manure residue. Oil the wooden handles of tools with Linseed oil or some inexpensive vegetable oil; oil feeds the wood and keeps the handles splinter free. At the same time, check your hoses and fittings that may have sprung leaks since last year.
Make a shopping list of new tools that are needed – there are lots of sales in late winter for you to get a good deal. However, I suggest that you buy only quality tools and hoses; as the saying goes, “you get what you pay for”. Also check that there is enough twine, bamboo rods, wire ties or nails and peat on hand.
In March or early April when soil and manure are available purchase bags of composted manure from the garden center. On the other hand, if you have a farm close in your local area, that sells aged manure, acquire a small truck to acquire a load. If you decide on that method, ask the farmer for manure from the bottom of the pile – aged stuff. Manure needs to be at least six months old before applying to your soil, as fresh manure will burn your plants.
Check the paintwork on your wooden fences, arbors, decks and any other outdoor wooden structures. Then, purchase paint supplies so that on a dry day in March for painting, everything will be on hand.
Don’t forget to put paintbrushes on your list – I have a feeling you forgot to clean your old brushes last season, which means they are stiff as a poker, also remember sandpaper, brush cleaner and if possible, buy eco conscious paint. If you are painting benches and garden seats on a dry day, put them under cover before sundown.
White walls in the greenhouse reflect light so any areas that need retouching, use white paint. It’s so rewarding to see how much lighter and brighter the greenhouse is after a touch of paint and the glass is cleaned. However meticulously clean and tidy your greenhouse, you may find that white fly, greenfly and scale insects have found their way inside the greenhouse for warmth and so it may be necessary to spray with an organic spray. I mix an organic spray of orange peels in white vinegar and allow it to sit for two weeks before spraying – this works well and is very economical.
Walking around a garden that looks good and feels good in mid-winter is a real pick me up. Patterns emerge created by paths, walls and hedges. As you walk, enjoy the shapes of shrubs, the shadows of evergreens and the strong silhouettes of tree trunks and enjoy their shape and bark without foliage.
Keep the bird feeders full. I love to watch the birds in their quick flights across the garden to alight on the feeders, and their sudden bursts of song when the sun peaks through. It is so much fun to watch the “pecking” order and see the blue jays, who can be bullies and red cardinals, who like the blue jays can be rather territorial. Bringing up the rear, come the finches and house sparrows. And sometimes a bird appears that I do not recognize and out comes my binoculars and Peterson bird book.
If you notice squirrels swarming the bird feeders, add some cayenne pepper to the birdseed; if that occurs do not be concerned as the heat from the cayenne does not affect birds. And you may, choose a spot away from the feeders to sprinkle cayenne free birdseed on the ground so the squirrels can also enjoy a meal.
Winter has its own distinctive fragrance, the fog, in the morning when the air is very heavy, thick and damp – a damp even more bone chilling than rain. I can deal with that for a while and know that in about six weeks I will be inhaling the healthy nose clearing fragrance of the soil, rich and brown, well manured or covered with wood mulch, shredded leaves or salt hay. Winter fragrances are a potpourri, one moment sharp and cold like the north wind, whereas spring’s flavors are light and sweet.
If you find you have spent year after year throwing good money after bad, then it may be time to get a professional design. If that is so, don’t hesitate; if you want work to begin in the spring, a design takes time to complete. You may want to contact my son Ian, whose company LlanscapesbyIan.com shows his lovely natural landscape creations and Ian will work with you and your budget.
Have a great month and I’ll see you in your garden in late March. If you have any gardening questions, feel free to email me. MaureenHaseleyJones@gmail.com
About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.
