INK MAGAZINE - JULY 2021

A guide to finer living in Connecticut & abroad JULY 2021

Vol 16 Issue 186

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Vol. 16 Issue 186

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Feature Stories

Departments

Kim’s Shore She Shed

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Fresh is the Only Way She Rolls!

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CleanGrout.net

No More“Dirty Little Secret”

The Huneebee Project Helping to Save Bee’s as well as People.

Mortal Moments

The Art of Ron Bence

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Ask Ashley - Keeping your Mental Health Strong Music Mirth & Mojo - CHIRP, CT for Music Lovers Crusty Old Diver - Forged in Connecticut, Revisited The Cheesemonger - Covid & Updates On the Vine - Blends, Why Would you Drink Them?

Life on Sugar - Cakes by the Beach

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SUMMER IS HERE! Time is sure moving fast. Just walking around it’s so nice to see all the smiling faces. Actually, it’s nice to just see faces. It feels as though we have perhaps come out the other side of all this. Our thought’s and well wishes go out to those who lost someone in their lives. For them, it isn’t over yet and will not be for a very long time. In this issue (and in most issues) we offer up to you people that are impacting others lives in a positive way. The “Honeebee Project” offers teachings and awareness to young people that may not have the opportunity to learn on their own. Artist Ron Bence turns his passion for photography and the beauty that he saw in objects forlorn and discarded into beautiful and if you look hard enough “heady” pieces of art. Kim Morgan of the “Shore She Shed” has taken a used truck and with the help of her boyfriend turned it into a business on Harvey’s Beach that makes everyone happy! Having eaten there myself, the food is great and combined with it’s beach locale, it’s well worth the visit.

Michael and Melissa Smith of CleanGrout have really found their niche in a tile service that if your looking is really not all that easy to find. They actually did all the work on INK’s Studio/Gallery in Westbrook an we are beyond satisfied! I hope you have a great July 4th with friends and family and as always we hope you enjoy this issue of INK! Jeffery Lilly

Contributors

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Thunderhorse Rising

Ashley Alt - ask ashley Susan Cornell - editorial Caryn B. Davis - editorial/photography Alison Kaufman - music mirth & mojo Jim Lalumiere - editorial Art LiPuma - on the vine Chelsey Lilly - events

founder / publisher

Rona Mann - editorial Daniel Lev Shkolnik - editorial Carolina Marquez-Sterling - design Paul Partica - the cheesemonger John Tolmie - editorial Kate Tolmie - photography Joe Urso - ad design

Advertising

Contact us to receive our media kit with detailed advertising information.

Jeffery Lilly - Publisher 860.581.0026 Bob Houde - Advertising Director bob@inkct.com 860.303.6690

Rona Mann - Greater Connecticut six07co@att.net - 401-539-7762 Richard Malinsky - Shoreline richard@inkct.com - 215.704.9273

On the Cover: Coreopsis Flower, Photo by Jeff Holcombe

visit inkct.com

All content of INK Publications including but not limited to text, photos, graphics and layout are copyrighted by Inkct LLC. Reproductions without the permission of the publisher are prohibited. Inkct LLC is not responsible for images or graphics submitted for editorial or by advertisers which are not copyrighted or released for use in this publication.

Inkct LLC - 314 Flat Rock Place Unit F125, Westbrook, CT 06498 - email: submissions@ink-pub.com - visit www.inkct.com

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– Chateau Le Garí presents –

The 1st Annual Bayou Boogie Limited Capacity – get your tickets early!

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On the grounds of Chateau Le Garí

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AskAshley

How To Keep Your Mental Health Strong This Summer Let’s keep the good (mindset) vibes rolling

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h summer. Feels good, yes? Like we deserve it? Double yes. While we’re all very much looking forward to chasing ice cream trucks, bumming it on the beach, and hitting as many outdoor events as we can, the lack of structure that comes with summertime can often lead to anxiety. And anxiety is not our friend.

But! With the help of some simple summer rules to stick to, we should feel much more in control of our stress levels when stress gets the best of us. So instead of waiting for those pings of worry to hit when we least expect them to, let’s be proactive about protecting our mindset health in this sweltering heat, shall we?

Keeping our mental health spirits up this summer requires two things: 1. Establishing a routine 2. Practicing self-awareness Allow me to explain.

• Establishing a Routine With new and exciting things happening this time of year — Summer camp! Parties on the porch! Flexible work schedules! Beach vacations!

— it can take us longer than usual to get back to business as usual

because our focus is on having fun — which isn’t a bad thing, at all, but it can lead to us feeling guilty about wanting time off from reality. This, then, causes anxiety.

We’re really not that different from toddlers if you think about it. We thrive on routine just like they do. They wind down from the day by getting bathed and read to, while we wind down with a glass of wine in our comfy chair. And maybe by getting bathed, too.

Establishing a new summer routine is key in ensuring we feel both productive and relaxed each day. So, maybe you implement an evening walk with your partner to chat about your day instead of defaulting to your winter pattern of watching mindless TV. Maybe you set up a weekly lunch rotation with friends or coworkers to break up your week and make you feel like you’re reaping the benefits from one of the best things about summer — patios.

The point is to have something to look forward to doing, with the intention that you return to your to-do list refreshed and energized.

• Practicing Self-Awareness Without getting too mental health practitioner on you, self-awareness is “the conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives, and desires.” It’s being acutely aware of why you feel the things you do, and why you behave the way you do.

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All of this is wrapped up in external factors like our physical environment, who we interact with each day, and whether or not we feel supported in our daily life (financially, mentally, and emotionally.) But, self-awareness is mostly rooted in how we perceive ourselves in various situations.

The more self-aware we are, the more control we have over creating the life we want.

All of that said, making note of when we’re feeling good (happy, safe, secure, grateful) is equally as important as understanding when we’re feeling “bad,” aka depressed, anxious, lonely, etc.

Think about it this way. We go to therapy and turn to friends when things are off in our lives, largely because we’re looking for a solution to our problems, but also because it feels better to get issues off our chest.

But what about when things are going great? Shouldn’t we be turning to the people we love and trust when we’re feeling happy, too?

I remember reading a passage from Glennon Doyle’s book, Untamed, where she was talking about her struggles with anxiety and depression, making the remark that “the crazies are my people.” What she meant was, she prefers to hang out with people who’ve got spunk, yes, but also people who understand, support, and uplift her — people who inspire her to be better.

That really stuck with me because we all have “Up Selves” and “Down Selves,” like she says. We all go through good seasons of life where we feel lucky, happy and thankful, and we all go through tough seasons of life, where we have to work harder to get back up again. The better we understand what makes us feel“up”and what makes us feel“down,”the better we’re able to celebrate the wins of life and cope with the losses.

So! Because summer is notorious for that carefree, laid-back attitude, make sure you’re being mindful of why exactly you’re feeling awesome. Is it because you’re spending more time outdoors? Do you love having the ability to bring your laptop outside? Is it the aroma of fresh flowers you picked up from the farmer’s market? Does being by the water soothe you?

By taking note of when we are happy — when we feel like our strongest, most confident, most resilient selves — we don’t have to dig so deep in the trenches to figure out “how to get happy” again.

Bonus mental health tip: Cut (way) down on social media and screen time. Summer doesn’t last long here on the East Coast (as we are all well aware), so soak it up as much as you can. Our screens will be there for us in the Fall.

Takeaway

Establish a daily routine that works for you, and stick to it. Be mindful of when you reach that peak state of true, genuine happiness. Make note of what and who makes you happy, and keep it handy for the “down” days.

Have a fabulous and fun month of July!

Keep up with Ashley by subscribing to her weekly Happiness Hacks newsletter, where she gets real about modern mental health, woo woo wellness, and free-spirited parenting: https://ashleyalt.substack.com/.

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Summer in New England July 9 to August 8, 2021

Opening: Friday, July 9, 4-8 pm Jeanne Smith Pastel Demonstration 4 pm

Anne McGrory Surf Chasers, Pastel, 15 x 33”

Tom Hughes Under the Oaks, Oil, 30 x 36”

Susan Powell Fine Art Jeanne Rosier Smith First Blush, Pastel, 18 x 32”

679 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT 203 . 318 . 0616 www.susanpowellfineart.com

Frank Vincent DuMond and His Students

June 19 through October 3, 2021

Frank Vincent DuMond, Approaching Storm, ca. 1920, oil on canvas, collection of Douglas & Marcia DuMond.

The Prismatic Palette:

The Prismatic Palette celebrates the art and teaching legacy of Frank Vincent DuMond (1865–1951), a key figure in American art and art education.

Lyman Allyn A R T

M U S E U M

625 Williams Street New London, CT 06320 www.lymanallyn.org

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Fresh! ! s l l o R e h S y a W y l n O The Kim’s Shore She-Shed

by Rona Mann / Images by Jeff Lilly

Kim Morgan Owner

Kim Morgan and Crew at the Shore She-Shed

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s a little girl, she frolicked in the sand and surf at Harvey’s Beach in Old Saybrook.

As a teenager, she spent all summer on that beach, lying on a blanket, working on her tan.

Yes, Kim Morgan grew up on this beach, appreciates the sandbars, can accurately tell when the tide is going out or coming in, and above all, she respects it and the people who enjoy this shore treasure as much as she. Known as one of the best beaches in Connecticut and one of the top 25 in the United States, this 100-yard long little piece of paradise known for fishing, boating, and swimming is beautifully clean, has a sizable parking lot, is handicapped accessible, and for years was only lacking just one thing, a sunny blonde with a good idea.

“There was nowhere to get a hot dog, a soda, or even a bottle of water,” says Kim. “You had to bring in your own or go without.”A self-taught chef with an inherent

love of food, Morgan decided after acquiring a permit from a very amenable and supportive town, to buy a food truck. When she first began some eight years ago, her stock in trade was hot dogs. They were popular

made to order. There’s no prepping rolls ahead which can turn soggy. There are no half-cooked hot dogs or fries which are warming on the grill for hours. Everything is fresh every day, and nothing is prepared until you stand at that she-shed and tell the smiling faces within what you’re hankering for. And there’s an awful lot to hanker for!

Why not begin with a jumbo deep-fried pretzel? Yes, we said “deep-fried.” Today every bar and restaurant seems to have an appetizer of large pretzels, but Kim Morgan doesn’t do the norm - ever! She takes it to

“There was nowhere to get a hot dog, a soda, or even a bottle of water,” says Kim. “You had to bring in your own or go without.” and still are, but Kim Morgan never does the ordinary. She never thinks the ordinary.

“I’m always looking for that niche. I like to be different.”

Morgan found that niche with a time-honored shore favorite: lobster rolls. From the beginning, they were an instant hit at the beach, and a good part of the reason they still are is that Kim insists everything from Kim’s Shore She-Shed not only has to be fresh but every single menu item must be

the next level by dropping the pretzel in the fryer for just a minute to seal in the flavor and make the outside crunchy. Inside, that big old pretzel is still soft and chewy and comes with cheese sauce for the dipping.

Frozen fries? Not at Kim’s Shore She-Shed.

Here the fries are hand-cut every day and served hot and fresh when you want them.

There are also onion rings, fried dough, 10” hot dogs on toasted buns, award-winning chili dogs for those who like ‘em just a little outside the box, and both Angus burg-

13 ers and cheeseburgers to munch while you’re gazing out at the sandbars. Make sure to ask about Kim’s Firecracker Relish. It’s got 25 secret ingredients in it, takes 5 days of brewing time, and is an unqualified hit on the beach.

Of course, there are grilled chicken sandwiches with lettuce and tomato, clam strips, grilled cheese sandwiches, and even grilled cheese with lobster, but the absolute crowning glory here - Kim’s niche within a niche - are her lobster rolls. Have them hot in a brioche roll with melted butter, and just taste the sweetness; of if you insist she’ll make you a fresh cold lobster roll with special seasoning, and just enough mayo to not camouflage the flavor of the lobster itself, straight from the sea. Kim’s lobster comes in daily, and her supplier has already picked the meat over to remove shell fragments. Then it’s cut in delicious bite-size chunks, and individually bagged in 4 oz. portions. When you order a lobster roll at Kim’s it’s steamed for just a minute or so, and soon you’re eating what is arguably the best lobster roll on the shoreline. For those who are gluten free, Kim’s also thought of you and has gluten-free rolls so you can enjoy the taste of the shore right along with everyone else.

So, how do you wash all this great food down? There’s bottled water, soda, lemonade, and unsweetened ice tea, and to make your meal even more memorable, Kim’s got Libby’s Italian ice in a variety of flavors. Forget all the others you may have tried, this is the real deal.

Even if you’re not a beach person, or it’s a chilly day, but you’re thinking, “I wish I could get one of Kim’s lobster rolls or fries or that firecracker relish on a dog,”you don’t have to wait. Simply drive to Harvey’s Beach, tell the attendant at the parking booth you’re going to Kim’s, and there’s absolutely no fee whatsoever to park while you’re eating your food. Better yet, call ahead, and Kim will have it waiting for you, and always the byword is “fresh.”

Fact is, Kim’s Shore She-Shed is so popular and so completely

14 dedicated to pleasing people with fresh food that the local hotels and resorts in the area run shuttle buses of people right to the food truck. Not only does Kim care enough to have gluten- free, but she is extremely allergy aware, so there is absolutely no peanut oil ever used in her frying. Only canola oil is used. “We do not cut corners or mess with people’s health. I want customers to come back, not get sick,” Morgan says.

And come they do from the beaches and from the hotels. From out of town repeat visitors as well as locals who like knowing what they’re getting is the very best product and getting it from someone who puts her heart and soul into every order every day.

Folks like Kim’s food and sunny smile so much they have asked about hiring

“But I have so many new friends in my customers and so much fun doing what I do every day, my way.” the food truck for parties. While that’s not possible right now, it’s a serious thought down the line. Right now Kim, her two employees, and her boyfriend, Jimmy are fixtures on Harvey’s Beach seven days a week from 11AM to 6PM, and that’s how it’s going to be straight through Labor Day. “I don’t have the tan I used to have when I would just live on this beach in summer,” says Kim ruefully yet with a smile. But I have so many new friends in my customers and so much fun doing what I do every day, my way.”

Kim’s way is simple. It’s that niche of being just a little bit different but always fresh and made to order at the She-Shed.

It’s just how she rolls.

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You can’t miss Kim’s Shore She-Shed. Just come down to Harvey’s Beach at 29 Plum Bank Road in Old Saybrook, and you’ll see the she-shed the minute you pull in. Ordering ahead? (860) 235-6350 or Please visit the new second Shore She Shed location at Clinton Town Beach, Waterside Lane, Clinton ct.

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CHIRP CT - Where Music Lovers Flock Together

By Ali Kaufman

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here are scores of people with great ideas.

More rare are the ones whose dreams are not to enrich themselves monetarily but to truly uplift their community and benefit others. I am thrilled to introduce you to a unicorn who has found a way to turn her ide-as of Concerts Happening in Ridgefield's Parks, aka CHIRP, into a reality that has been bringing people supporting together, musicians, and spreading joy for decades.

Barbara Manners has always been a music lover. That did not help impress her thoroughly piano unimpressed teacher as a child, nor does it mean she can carry a tune, but what she does possess is a fascination for the magic of music. That fire was stoked after the shattering events of 9/11 ripped through our country. But let me first go back to 1995 when Barbara spearheaded the formation of The Ridgefield Playhouse which opened its doors in September of 2000. That feat was a new accomplishment for the lawyer who gave up her high-powered job and salary as General Counsel to a Pharmaceutical Company when her adored baby boy, David seemed to prefer his nanny! David provided another push towards music for Barbara,

literally at first, as he hit his teenage years, and she was always hitting the road, schlepping him to concerts in New York. The idea of music in the park began to ruminate, then came 9/11. David’s long-planned and anticipated Bar Mitzvah was scheduled for the weekend after. Un-sure as to how to proceed, Barbara shared with me the sage advice her rabbi imparted to her,“You go on," and that is exactly what they did.

Witnessing the release the music and gathering with loved ones afforded the guests was a turning point, so the decision was made that day to move forward, find a way to bring the community together to heal.

Launching into Parks & Rec, she found them so receptive that they became her co-sponsors and built the “temporary stage” in Ballard Park that is still there 20 years later.

Knowing that it was going to take every bit of what she had to pay the bands, getting the word out was going to be a challenge, so Barbara next went to the Ridgefield Press where publisher, Thomas Nash was instrumental in procover-age/advertising the viding needed to spread the word. With these

Damn Tall Buildings

two important components lined up she received the full support of First, (and fellow), Selectman Rudy Marconi and started raising funds to get this project off the ground. That first season she produced nine concerts on a budget of 10k.

Included in that lineup were bands like Four Bitchin’ Babes and Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem.

Keep in mind, these concerts are FREE, no perks for donors, no special reserved parking, everyone is equal and wel-come. Well, except for your pets, the park prohibits them. Also important to note is how Barbara asks people to pick their spot to sit according to how they want to listen. Up-front?

Then, “Let the people closest to the stage give their undivided attention to the show,” Manners said. "Head to the back of the area to chat and socialize, most im-portant of all, please respect each other. You won’t find other groups fundraising or food trucks but you are welcome to bring a picnic, or frequent the numerous restaurants

Carsie Blanton

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all within walking distance." The shows go on rain or shine as this event is the holy grail of all events and has a plan B. They move into the nearby Ridgefield Playhouse if the weather is uncooperative.

This year CHIRP celebrates 20 years of bringing excellence to the heart of Ridgefield, even during the hellacious season of Covid we had in 2020, Barbara managed to pull off 12 shows with strict safety precautions and the willingness of the guests to adhere to pre-registering, masking, “Pod” setups, and contact tracing. Not one transmission was reported back. This 20th anniversary season has grown to 27 concerts, from June to September 2nd when The New Orleans Suspects will wrap it up. Held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, you can expect a crowd but not to be crowded, I caught Carsie Blanton’s booking (her first live show back!), and was completely comfortable gathering with the most people I’ve seen together since the pandemic began.

Up until the last season Barbara had never booked a group she had not seen live. It is important to her to get a feel for their audience interaction. For a woman that calls herself tone

deaf, she sure does know how to pick ‘em! St. Paul & The Broken Bones is a perfect example.

She literally happened upon them when she followed her ear to a party put on by a radio station during SXSW in Austin, Texas. She booked them on the spot, they were unsigned, unknown, and by the time they hit CHIRP’s stage in 2013 they had been signed by Thirty Tigers and were garnering fees of 50k.

I have long admired Barbara since we met backstage at Rhythm & Roots years ago, getting to know her better has only grown my admiration and respect for her as a per-son and for all she does to lift up her community, spotlight musicians, and pump finan-cial gains into her town. Ridgefield is supremely blessed to have this music-loving, whip-smart, can-do gal as a resident, and I am incredibly grateful to call her a friend.

This season is no exception to her reputation of excellence. The lineup is populated with an eclectic mix of extraordinary artists who will once again broaden attendees' musical horizons as well as bringing back favorites. I asked Barbara about going for-ward, and she optimistically responded, “There is going to be an outpouring of people, not only for live music but Broadway and the like. When Willie Nile people feel comfortable they will flock back.”Whoever thought that the simple act of gathering, sitting next to a stranger, or hugging a friend would become such a poignant act?“Everything takes on a greater meaning, things that we never gave a second thought to. It is very much a heightened awareness that we should all hold on to.” Barbara concluded.

For the full line up, how you can financially support CHIRP and other details, please check them out online at CHIRPct.org they also have a Facebook page that will keep you up to date https://www.facebook.com/ChirpCT

Barbara Manners with her June INK!

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A “Dirty Little Secret” Gone Thanks to the Professionalism of CLEANGROUT

by Rona Mann / Images Courtesy CleanGrout

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t’s not exactly cocktail party conversation, but cocktail party conversation is usually frivolous and vapid, and this is too important for casual chit-chat between the wine and cheese pairings.

Yet this is a story about pairings. It’s about the “dirty little secret” you may be harboring in your otherwise clean home, a secret of which you may not necessarily be aware, and it’s about pairing that “dirty little secret” with the solutions from CLEANGROUT. Your tile and grout due to normal wear and tear, years of showers and baths, settling, and just general use may be harboring mold, mildew, and bacteria, things that over time can cause serious problems, shorten the life of your tile, and possibly lead to more serious outcomes.

It’s no reflection on your housekeeping. Things break down over time, and your tile and grout are no exception. That’s why you need to call CLEANGROUT, the premier tile and grout service in Connecticut and make an appointment to do a thorough free analysis of all the tile and grout in your home. Not just the bathrooms, but the kitchen, backsplash, and flooring tiles both inside and outside your home should be checked to ensure a long life and a good look.

CLEANGROUT, operated by Melissa and Michael Smith for more than 15 years does this and only this. They don’t clean carpets, they don’t sell tile and other flooring, they do one thing and they do it well: CLEANGROUT covers the full spectrum of cleaning, sealing, repairing, and replacing everything tile, grout, and caulk in order to not only sanitize and rid all bacteria but to preserve and protect the aesthetic value restoring it to as close to the original state as possible.

For thousands of years, people have been using ceramic tiles to decorate and protect floors and walls because they are both durable and cost-effective. They are a prime choice for kitchens and baths. But maintaining that clean and smooth appearance of the tiles can be a challenge because of the dirt that builds up in the thin grout lines that hold those tiles in place. Humidity in bathrooms only serves to enhance the growth of mold, exposing people to possible health issues. That’s why you need experts whose entire business is devoted to this and only this. That’s why you need Melissa and Michael and the crews of CLEANGROUT.

Before

Above: Owners Millissa and Michael Smith by Jeff Lilly.

After

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Before

After

They have developed multiple systems for cleaning, sealing, and repairing using only PH-neutral chemicals that will safely fight mold and mildew, systems that are then executed with equipment that is specific to tile and grout cleaning, not something you rent from the supermarket to also clean carpeting. CLEANGROUT workers individually scrub each grout joint with water heated to 280 degrees and 70 psi, which is the measurement of force per square inch. This all translates into a faster process and surfaces left fully sanitized and dry with no moisture or dampness. At that temperature, mold and bacteria cannot live so you can feel fully protected and assured that your “dirty little secret” is out.

It’s simple arithmetic that simple maintenance requires less out of pocket than having to replace tiles due to the serious damage a buildup of dirt, mold, and mildew can cause over time. If you make certain the tiles and grout are cleaned regularly by a professional, it can last for years and in most cases look like it did when first installed.

Before

After

Before

After

Melissa and Michael are proud of the work they do, overseeing every job and making sure homeowners are getting the very best result.

That’s probably why after 15 years of working throughout the entire state of Connecticut (everywhere but Litchfield County), they are constantly recommended by installers, tile retailers, realtors statewide, and what they value most, by the people for whom they have worked. A look at their website at: www.CLEANGROUT.net and you’ll see unsolicited testimonials that say in part:

T E S T I M O N I A L S

looks fantastic, and the fact that you were able to do it on such “It short notice really shows your dedication. Your team was very professional and courteous.”

want to say thanks for the beautiful job on my white tile “Just bathroom floor! The bathroom gets so much traffic, especially

after coming in from the beach. I cannot believe I don’t have to replace it!”

are so thankful that you cleaned our kitchen before “We the holidays!” tile looks new, and no longer has mold. I appreciated that “The they have been in touch to follow up with me to ensure I was satisfied with their work.”

Before

After

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Before

After

Michael and Melissa want to stress that their meeting with you and analysis of any problems and what they suggest to rectify them is a free visit, so take a good look the next time you’re in the shower, the bath, the kitchen, patio, anywhere you have tile.

Then call CLEANGROUT. By the way, you won’t get prices thrown at you when they come. They write everything down, then go back to the office and write up an extensive professional proposal individually designed for your home, suggesting what should be done and what the estimated cost will be

for each item whether it’s cleaning, sealing, or repairing. That way if you’re budgeting, you may choose to do what is necessary for you right now and have them come back in a few months. You’re going to love the job CLEANGROUT does because it’s all they know, all they do, and they do it so well.

Your “dirty little secret” will not only be out, but over. CLEANGROUT. Like the song says, “Nobody does it better.”

And that’s something to talk about at a cocktail party!

Above: A few Steps of the Cleaning Process

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BEFORE

AFTER

For a personal appointment and free analysis to keep your tile and grout sanitized and looking like it was just installed, call (203) 373-7555, and either Melissa or Michael will make that appointment. www.CLEANGROUT.net

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Forged In Connecticut

A Crusty Follow-up

By John Tolmie / photos by Kate Tolmie and Matt Berry

M

att Berry is a native son of Connecticut and a master swordsmith of international renown. He has been featured twice on the History Channel’s hit show, Forged in Fire, where he took home first place on his second appearance. In the March 2021 issue of Ink Publications, Matt was kind enough to share the forging process of the final installment in a series titled “The Serpentine Swords.” It has been Matt’s mission to replicate ancient steel technology that had been lost for over a thousand years and centuries ahead of its time.

The new metallurgic recipe birthed blades held by iron-fisted barbarians who would make history and become rulers of freshly conquered domains. However, only a precious few of these swords made from Ulfberht steel have been unearthed to date as the meticulous labor of archeologists across Western Europe unhurriedly untangle the mysteries of Saxon and Viking culture. Their

findings have been the road map Matt has followed to ensure his Serpentine Swords are as authentic as their ancient metallic cousins.

Matt celebrated with the completion of his final sword. As promised, he again invited Ink Magazine to visit with him to commemorate his beautiful deadly labor of love.

The exquisitely formidable Serpentine blades appear organic with their wood grain textures, each stemming from intricately detailed hilts emblazoned with Nordic and Celtic knotwork.

“It may not look like it, but this sword is enormous.”, Matt says of a particular Serpentine Sword, “It’s two and a half inches wide and a

meter long and really heavy, but in the right hand, you can do a lot more with it. It’s also quite different than this one.” Matt points to an additional sword whose blade is wrapped in blue protective towels to guard its perfect finish. The sword sings quietly with a vibrating sheen as the cloth is removed. Matt then sets the swords side-by-side for comparison. The difference in size is barely perceptible to the untrained eye. However, the hilt and on the shorter swords handle does seem noticeably misaligned. With everything else symmetrical, why would the swordsmith attach a cocked hilt? “This is a lefthanded sword.” Matt answers before the question can be asked, “Here try it with your right hand.

It might feel a little weird.” The sword is light and balanced in the right hand. But when held in the left hand, the blade rests more comfortably against the palm and is angled perfectly for ideal cutting. “Feels better, right?”, a smile of affirmation confirms as Matt continues to explain, “The customer who ordered this is left-handed. His name is Björn from Norway and he’s coming to pick it up in person, so I’ll find out if he’s actually six-foot-six Viking or not.” Matt chuckles, “Anyway, the sword lines up with the motion of your hand better. At first, archaeologists thought the offset was caused by damage over time from being in the ground for so long. But it wasn’t bent that way from being buried for centuries. It wasn’t a mistake made by the swordsmith either my friend. These ancient swordsmiths knew exactly what they were doing, and everything detail they made to these swords was done for exceptionally specific reasons.” Like Matt, the swordsmiths of the ancient world catered to their clientele with attention to the smallest detail making weapons that performed with an

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efficiency that felt like a natural extension of the user’s arm as if they were born with it.

Requiring a bit more space, Matt beckons outdoors for a demonstration on proper weapon balance and a few sword handling techniques.

With a warning, Matt hands over Björn’s from Norway’s sword while he carries the beefy Serpentine. “It’s a rule of mine that I never sharpen a sword until I make a sheath for it, but my customer didn’t order one, so, be careful.” The advice is duly noted. Once outside, Matt loosely grasps the sword’s handle between his thumb and two fingers.

With the blade pointing to the ground, Matt swings his hand like a pendulum. The action reveals the axis at the blade’s midpoint. “See where the blade stays still? That’s the sweet spot in the cutting direction.” Matt grasps the sword in a fist, points it skyward and, thumps the hilt with his free palm causing the flat of the blade to quiver from side to side. “See where the blade vibrates the least in this direction? That is the area of greatest impact and where you’d want to hit people.”Matt then taps the sweet spot on a resin planter that generates a bright metallic song from the blade. “The real test is feeling no vibration in the handle as it hits something, and this blade does just that.”

Facing one another, albeit, at a safe distance, the Master Swordsmith reveals a few moves that are outright intimidating and a bit terrifying. “You want the sword to move naturally as you fight.”Matt instructs as his blade

dances,“I can block here and then reposition with ease. Each sword is customized for the user, so every sword is balanced differently.” Attempting to emulate Matt is not that simple, with his arms swinging as if he were born with a sword in hand. “When you move, the sword should be telling you how to use it. The sword must be in sync with the fighter.” An uncomfortable chuff escapes me as Matt strikes a pose as if to attack. Facing the tip of an Ulfberht sword engenders a rush of adrenaline that many must have felt, even more so, in the bygone barbaric age of face-toface war on the bloodied fields of combat. Matt laughs and lowers his sword as he says, “Imagine having to really fight someone in a situation

like this!” Imagination abounds in this writer’s mind that grew in appreciation for the warriors of old and immense gratitude to live a time well after the age ruled by the tip of a sword.

Visit Matt at www.hopkinsforge.com or take a ride to Wolcott, Connecticut where you’ll find him at Dragons Breath Forge crafting another weapon in homage to Odin and the swordsmiths of old.

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“The grow in e profod I get otial otial just kids is profod. inking out . It’s ltle ings, ... ges in how ey view inses  ink out o intcneedness to ne,”

at a public defender’s office for two years and with parents who were subjected to abuse and neglect petitions. I saw firstthand the way the judges and other players in the justice system treated black families differently than white families, especially when it came to visitation and placement.”

Taylor’s original idea was to create a social enterprise that trained and employed youth in the making and sale of beeswax candles. Her intention was to forge a new system, one based on dignity and self-worth that built youth up, rather than tear them down, to give them a shot at becoming leaders in the supply chain.

She felt it was important to not only source the beeswax locally, but also get to know the beekeepers and how the wax was produced. But after meeting with the beekeepers and experiencing the bees, her vision changed from candles to keeping.

She took a beekeeping class and promptly ordered the hives and the bees.

At first, fi Taylor was uncertain if kids would be receptive to learn ning the art of beekeeping and gardening, but the response was so overwhelming, it necessitated the Huneebee Project to change chan nge their status as a limited liability corporation to a nonprofit organization. The first pilot program was launched in 2018 and has since blossomed into 11 honeybee colonies spread across community gardens and empty lots throughout New Haven.

“The LLC was an intentional decision to create a new system that gave youth ownership. But the demand for these training opportunities and employment were greater than what we could meet.

As a nonprofit, we hope this will allow us to increase our reach and the number of youth we can train and employ,” says Taylor. “Right now, the youth are our only paid employees. Even I am a volunteer.”

“It’s vy eutic.

Iw wasn’t  outgoing ps, p se.

I st struggled wh xie. But as I get focused foc cused  e bs,  settles my mind  d d calms me down. It mes my day bett be ett d gets me out of whev md I was in.”

Each cohort, which is comprised of a group of 5--6 youths ages 15- 23, are requirred to attend a four-month long Beek keepers in Residence program and are assig gned a mentor who is certified master beeekeeper. During that time, they not only bu uild, install and maintain active hives throu ughout the city, but they participate in mindfulness ndfulness practices, resume development,, attend bee related lectures, and integratee self-expression through the creative arts. The goal is for each trainee to eventually ually be able to care for the hives and gardens dens independently.

“In order for them to graduate, they have to attend seventy-five ty-five percent of the workshops, and they do. A lot of these kids struggle to show w up at school which ing,” Taylor says. is why this is so striking,” “But we have a team in place to help with barriers. We have transportation, and all youth is connected to mentors, who for the most part, are trained licensed mental health professionals.”

The kids come mostly from referrals through the Yale Child Study udy Center, a partner of HuneeHunee bee and d Taylor’s place of employment where shee works with children and families in n the Center’s Intensive In-Home Child and d Adolescent Psychiatric Services (IICAPS) program. Priority is given to youths who have been, or currently are, involved in child protective services or foster care. After graduation, they can apply for employment with the Huneebee Project. Thus far, 16 youths have graduated from the program with six actively employed as peer instructors, garden site managers, a bee apprentice and a manager of hive sponsorships.

Seventeen-year-old Alex Guzman is the organization’s first bee apprentice, which is a one-year position. She works under a mentor and is learning how to manage the site on her own.

“I put on my suit and check he hives, to see if there are eggs in th and that nothing is going wrong g. I love it. It’s super exciting and it’s help ped me a lot,” says Guzman. “It’s very theerapeutic. I wasn’t an outgoing person, per sse. I struggled with anxiety. But as I get focused on the bees, it settles my mind and calms c me nd gets me down. It makes my day better an out of whatever mood I was in.”

Taylor recalled the first time she met ould only Guzman, a shy teenager who wo uestions. offer one-word answers to her qu of their Now, Guzman has become one o most outspoken advocates. For eexample, the Huneebee Project wanted to put in a but for the pollinator garden in vacant lot, b pproval city to sanction it, they needed ap gement from the local community manag team. Guzman presented at this meeting to 40 individuals, which included some of

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the city’s y mo ost in nfluential citizens. Though g Guzman n may have beeen rightfully r nervous, Taylor said “she knocked it out o of o the park”. Following the presentation, they weere granted g the consent to lease the lot and implem menteed the garden and hive there.

“This is only y one example of the transformation we see. It’s so asstou unding,” Taylor says.

The Huneeb bee Project P is funded through grants, private donors and a income generated from hive sponsorship ps an nd marketplace sales. This is another area where the youths y have an opportunity to develop rea al wo orld skills by creating products and marketting them. t For instance, they harvest, produce, jarr and d sell honey but they also design the labels and coord c dinate the photo shoots for advertising. Curren ntly, the t honey sells online at Honeycone Craft Ice Crream in Chester, and at Atticus Bookstore Café in New w Haaven where it is used in the creation of salted ho oney new produ uct, Fe tion with Marlow M they hope to t lau their gardeen site planters, mugs m a ethics thi refle flectt th tho ose off th the organization. i ti “The grow wth in just thinkin ng abo they intera act wit carry them mselve changes in n how interconneectedn For morre in nformation log onto www Photograph her - www w

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MO MOR M MORTAL O ORT OR RT RT RTA TA AL A L

The T he Ar Art A rt r t o of f Ro R Ron o Benc on Be Bence en ence e nc e nce nc

MOM MO M MOMENTS OME OM O MEN M ME EN E N NTS NT T TS S By y N Nanccy LaMar Na M -Ro -Rodgers R gerss / Photos otoss by

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In both quiet and explosive, tight and confined, cramped and expansive spaces, Ron Bence places the discarded and found objects of his world. His sculptures don’t hang on the walls of the Hygienic Art Gallery, but rather they live and breathe there. As I pull myself closer to the installed designs, I am drawn into the lives captured within. I touch the gadgets, gears, tools, scraps of metal, doorknobs, blocks, clocks, miniature furniture, etc., and it is as if the world created inside the box comes alive with all the stories that these discarded objects have collected over the course of their inanimate existence. These abandoned pieces sit, stand, tilt, tumble, and dangle as symbols of our collective and achingly common human experience.

What Ron Bence has done is he has taken these ordinary objects and combined, repurposed, and rearranged them in such a manner that has breathed new purpose and meaning into these cast-offs.

But Ron’s story starts with a camera. “I had an attraction to photography, and my neighbor who was into theater, handed me all this information, a big book, and an entire Canon set-up,” he explains. Bence dived into the experience and soon was exploring the moments and landscapes that surrounded him and as he notes, “it very quickly became my creative outlet.” At that time, Bence was working with traditional photography and darkroom techniques and learning as he explored. “Back then photography was definitely an art form. Everyone takes pictures now, but it’s not the same.

I spent a great deal of time studying the art.”

When Ron’s personal life went through a drastic change and upheaval, he delved even more into his photography. “After my separation, I spent a good deal of time by myself and my camera became my best friend.” This personal space required reflection, and Bence remembers seeing a sign on a business, Bird’s Eye View and realized that was what he was seeking; a way by which to stand back and look at life from a new perspective. “I remember seeing that sign for the photography business, and that was just it. I knew that I could see the world from a different perspective, I knew that’s what I liked, the idea that I could get lost in it.” And through getting lost in perspective, Bence found so much of the humanity and poignancy of our everyday lives; the treasured, the tragic, the beautiful, and the heartbreaking. He describes his attitude toward capturing these moments like a hunter. “I just found it so rewarding to seek and find these finer moments and then be able to show someone something that they perhaps had never seen before from that angle or view. That’s what I’m attracted to.

That’s what keeps me interested.”

These found moments of our natural and human landscape would soon intermingle with the found objects that Bence now uses for his sculptures. The idea of documenting life through found objects started with a piece of driftwood and some rocks on a strip of beach.

“There’s this particular strip of beach that I go to, and I started collecting driftwood, and I would also collect rocks during the season and then build a sculpture with the rocks after the season was over. This, I guess, was the beginning of creating sculptures from the things I found around me.” Bence goes on to explain that he would go back and check every few weeks and loved both the evolving and the eroding of his sculptures as they began to naturally transform.

Bence began collecting the everyday objects as he moved through his day job and his own daily, personal experience. Everything from the industrial items he would see at work discarded nuts and bolts, pieces of steel - to whatever he would discover at scrap yards, on the ground in an urban landscape, or kicked up from under layers of dirt, old chess pieces, hubcaps, etc. When finding and storing these lost objects, Bence never gave much thought to what he would do with them, but just knew that for some reason he was drawn to them.

These inner workings and his exploration of self and the world around him have morphed into Bence’s current collection. As he explains, it was a matter of seeing these commonplace and banal pieces through a new lens and with a new appreciation. Bence’s desire to connect with people and their stories transformed these ordinary objects into sculptures that seek to tell these stories. At his recent exhibit at The Hygienic Art Gallery in New London, a discarded collection of screwdrivers titled Family stands upon a piece of driftwood and the neighboring sculpture is crafted from a hose faucet, an old school crank pencil sharpener, a weathered iron rope holder, and several other metal and wood objects of unknown origins.

This piece too creates a family, standing side by side with different heights and widths, each with their own roles, connected by the granite foundation that holds them strong.

This notion of picking up something that had been tossed, became the catalyst for his foray into sculpting these stationary sets that serve as theatrical plays whose acts and meaning are in the imagination of the viewer.

As we stand in front of his piece titled Anger Management, Bence explains how “the sculptures just form themselves.” He sees the nooks and crannies of his boxes and curio cabinets as blank canvases. “I never know where something is going to end up within the entire sculpture, but for me, it is a process of trying to find the balance in the chaos.”

Bence describes spreading several of his found items across an entire table and then allowing the process to happen. “I just let it develop, and, in a way, it becomes like puzzle pieces that may make sense when they all come together.”

"AFTER MY SEPARATION, I SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME BY MYSELF AND MY CAMERA BECAME MY BEST FRIEND.”

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“I NEVER KNOW WHERE SOMETHING IS GOING TO END UP WITHIN THE ENTIRE SCULPTURE, BUT FOR ME, IT IS A PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIND THE BALANCE IN THE CHAOS.”

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Bence’s inspiration comes from the ordinary, but as we move through the collection, one can see how the ordinary becomes the exceptional, the unique. These are not just objects that have found themselves housed in a new container, but rather these are living, breathing experiences replete with all the thousands of moments each object was privy to, while held in human hands.

Perhaps one of the most moving sculptures is one titled Mortal Moments, a box that is in and of itself a tribute to life and the inevitable end of it. Bence has layered this piece in such subtle ways that the tiny heart on top of the watch is made even more heartbreaking when you hear why. Tucked inside the smaller spaces, Bence has woven the remains of the day, the lessons of the times and the experiences of the people, the cultures, and lifestyles, that have passed, like the sand through the hourglass that he has placed so fittingly, above the tableau.

What is next for Bence? He doesn’t have an answer. What he does know is that he is still incredibly curious every day and that is what keeps him inspired. He is in awe every single day of the tiny things, the big things, the abstract, and the concrete. He moves through the world observing the absurd and the divine and whether through the lens of a camera or the story of a found object, he makes sense of his world through the sculptures. He puts out into the world, his commentary about life’s rollercoaster ride of joy and heartache, of bliss and despair, knowing that in the end as his Mortal Moment piece so eloquently expresses, “this too shall pass.”

To find out more about Ron Bence and his work, email him at mortalmoments@aol.com

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THUND DERHORSE DERHORSE R RISING

by D Daniel Lev Shkolnik

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I If magic means “ influence at a distance,” then Thunderhorse was a magician.

Above right: East Rock, New Haven, a steel engraving from a study

by Casimir Clayton Griswold (1834-1918), engraved by Samuel Valentine Hunt (1803-1893) This shows the Mill River.

Above left: East Rock and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in New Haven, Connecticut, viewed from the roof of Sheffield-SterlingStrathcona Hall at Yale University.

In June 2014, Iron Thunderhorse cut off his GPS ankle monitor and fled the Texas prison system. The 70-yearold man, who claimed to be the Grand Sachem and Legal Sovereign of the Quinnipiac tribe, traveled for two months across the American heartland from Texas to Connecticut. Legally blind, he arrived in New Haven with diabetic foot ulcers and climbed East Rock Park to commune with ancestors once more in the twilight of his life. There, he later wrote in his court papers, “the spirits assured me everything would work out and I would not leave home again.”

In August of that year, he was arrested trying to withdraw money in downtown New Haven using an ID that was over 20 years old. After a trial and appeal, Thunderhorse was extradited back to Texas to serve the remainder of his 99-year sentence.

The story of Iron Thunderhorse is worth telling because he is the central figure of the attempted revival of the decimated Quinnipiac tribe—a revival that challenges notions of what it means (or doesn’t mean) to identify as Native American today.

I first came upon Thunderhorse while researching the Quinnipiac myth of Hobbomock, a giant whose body is said to lie beneath Sleeping Giant Park.

Through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, I discovered the old webpage (inactive since 2017) of the Algonquin Confederacy of the Quinnipiac Tribal Council (ACQTC) of which Thunderhorse was founder and “Grand Sachem.” The more I read, the more I realized that Thunderhorse was both mind and soul of the modern Quinnipiac tribe. He ran the ACQTC (a 501(c)(3)), published frequently in columns like the Branford Review, married (by proxy during a moonlit ceremony) Ruth “Little Owl” Thunderhorse (formerly Ruth Duncan), and won the confidence of dozens of people through his letters—all from his jail cell.

If magic means “influence at a distance,” then Thunderhorse was a magician.

But as I continued my research, something seemed strange.

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Dempsey offers a more forgiving notion of tribal identity: “ As my friend Slow Turtle once said: ‘a tribe is the people you feel that you belong with. ” Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Map of Connecticut Circa 1625 Indian Trails, Villages, Sachemdon

For one, neither state or federal government recognize the ACQTC as an official tribe. From photos, the ACQTC members looked ... rather pale. Several of them, I later learned, had no Quinnipiac heritage but were “adopted” into the ACQTC and given honorary by names like “Coyote-Song” and titles like “supreme medicine man.” Most of the culture—from clan political structure to ritual traditions— seemed to come through Thunderhorse’s study and best-guess reconstructions of Quinnipiac practices.

This patchwork of lineage and culture is not unheard of in contemporary tribal nations, many of which may never fully recover what was lost through centuries of cultural and societal destruction perpetrated by the United States. And while tribes sometimes do honorary adoptions, what was strange to me was the looseness of the ACQTC’s membership practice.

Brown ash Quinnipiac basket, ca. 1850, Courtesy of Connecticut Historical Society

Today, claiming Native American ancestry can be a valuable currency in New Age healing culture. Fraudulent shamans, ceremonialists, and craft-dealers abound.

A January 2017 feature in The New York Times Magazine illustrates just how seriously some nations take authenticity. Online forums like New Age Frauds and Plastic Shamans (NAFPS) have emerged to suss out imposters profiteering off Native culture (or imitations of it). Both NAFPS and another thread on woodlandindians.org scrutinized Thunderhorse and the ACQTC. There was a general sense of skepticism on both forums about the legitimacy of the ACQTC, but some members were familiar with Thunderhorse and had sympathy for him and his efforts.

In Connecticut court, the verdict was less ambiguous. Defending himself in his 2014 extradition trial, Thunderhorse submitted over a hundred hand-written pages arguing he was a leader of a native American tribe and entitled to sovereign immunity. The Superior Court Judge ruled against his claim.

Dutch map (detail) showing the early 17th Century Quinnipiac Courtesy of Connecticut Historical Society

Though according to Dr. Jack Dempsey, a scholar of Native American history in New England and honorary member of the ACQTC, the questions of tribal authenticity are not black and white—and likely never were. “Tribal identity

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“ Tribal identity is a ver y fluid f thing. This social complexity dovetails with current anthropological p g understanding.. Their r little motto now is ‘primitive means complex.. ”

Algonquin Village of Pomeioc, North_Carolina, 1885.

is a very fluid thing,” he says. “This social complexity doveetails with current anthropological understanding. Their little motto now is ‘p primitive means complex.”

According to Dempsey y,, Thunderhorse also has a notablee form of credibility: his Wampano. From 1995 to 2000, Thunderhorse served as advisor a to Dempsey on the Wampano dialect that appears in his republication of o the 1637 book New y says the letters Thunderhorse sent him from prison English Canaan.

Canaan Dempsey “not only matched what we do have [regarding the Wa Wampano dialect] but filled a lot of blanks.”

When it comes to Thundeerhorse’s heritage, howeverr,, Dempsey isn’t so sure.

Thunderhorse and his sup pporters repeat (with some variation) his Native lineage.

His Wikipedia page says his mother was a grandniece of Sakaskantawe (Flying Squirrel Wo Woman) and thaat his stepfather was an Ojibway tribal member from Quebec. This lineage restss on his word, as do his repeated claims of being the rightful Grand Sachem off the Quinnipiac.

These descriptions avoid less flattering facts about the purported Sachem. pp ters repeatedly tout his Native heritage, what’s seldom While he and his support mentioned is that Iron Th hunderhorse was born W Wiilliam L. Coppola; his father was an Italian immigrantt. What’s more, the ACQTC was mute about his criminal history y. Dempsey said he could never figure out why he was in jail. According to the Texas Department of C Criminal Justice, Thunderhorse was sentenced in 1977 for aggravated kidnappin ng, rape, and robbery. Ruth Thunderhorse and other supporters repeatedly maaintained his innocent.

With Thunderhorse’s 2014 jail break, his Quinnipiac cultural revival may have o y,, the organization’s webpage is defunct. I could hit its high- water mark. Today not contact Ruth Thunderrhorse nor any of the other members listed as part of the ACQTC besides Drr. Demp psey. Dempsey himself last spoke with Thunderhorse around 2014 when both h he and painter David Wagner a traveled to Te Texas to testify at nderhorse’s behalf, but to no avail. a parole hearing on Thun Younger Iron Thunderhorse

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There is vivid appeal to the notion that out of th he smokey history of colonial genocide, a rightful heir to a supposedly extinct tribe has returned. It seems too good to be true. And maybe it is. Though in the self-du ubbed Sachem’s defense, it’s not entirely clear what authenticity means regarding g a culture that’s nearly obliterated and largely undocumented. If you try to revive aan ancestral culture from what remnants remain, are you wrong to do so? Perrh haps a Thunderhorse, as much as any of the partial descendants of the scattered Quinnip piac, had enough authority to take the pieces of this culture and carry them forward intto the 21st century y.

To oday y,, tribal nations debate among themselves— —sometimes fiercely—what qualifies as belonging to a certain tribe. Strict ru ules about blood quantum and whether family names appear on old tribal listss have torn some communities apart. Dempsey offers a more forgiving notion of tribal identity: “As As my friend Slow Turtle once said: ‘a tribe is the people you u feel that you belong with.’”

For a time at least, it seems Iron Thunderhorse was able to gather a gr group of people who felt like they belonged togetherr, an nd in today’s fragmented world, that’s not nothing. From the ‘90s into the ‘10s, members of the ACQTC gathered he on the banks of the Long Island Sound and in starry Connecticut farmland. They designated holy sites like Sleeping Giant and stood tood hand- in-hand for the 300th anniversary of the Old Stone Church in an act of rremembrance and reconciliation.

Above: The replicated Algonkian village - Institu ute of American Indian Studies.

Below: Iron Thunderhorse Mugshot

ng. So much so that, near the end of Thunderrhorse believed in what he was buildin cross America to East Rock ridge in his life, he cut his ankle bracelet and trekked acr a mystical act of communion with the ancestrall past. He was a man who hoped that the Quinnipiac would not become a mere historical fact fact, that W Wa ampano could one day be taught to children, and that Hobbomock, symbolic of the Quinnipiac people, would one day rise from slumberr.. No doubt some hope this prophecy might still be fulfilled.

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Photo by Paul Partica

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The Cheesemonger Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop, Centerbrook CT

Covid & Updates

A

t the time this article went to press it appeared that we were seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Memorial Day just passed so we were waiting to see if our new found freedom, no masks and total opening up of everything, was the right move.

Time will tell.

The last year and a half was certainly a tough time for all. We were one of the fortunate businesses that were allowed to remain open since food is a necessity. For the first time ever, we brought in fresh produce to help folks make complete balanced meals. During this time we were only doing curbside pickup. Customers were happy to get the product in a safe manner but did miss the sampling before buying. That was disappointing for both our customers and our staff.

We were now surrounded in plexi-glass walls with people talking through masks so basically we couldn’t hear anything. Lip reading was not an option. The compressors behind us only added to the dilemma.

Then there’s the phenomenon in business known as the 80 – 20 rule. This means that 20% of your product line is 80% of your sales. For us it was more like a 95-5 rule. Between curbside and no sampling, we sold tons of what people knew and liked. This included Fromage D’Affinois, Tres Leches, Beemster goudas, English cheddar, and lots of Reggiano Parmigiano for both cooking and eating. It was a tough time to introduce anything new. You just had to take our word for it and fortunately most of our customers did just that.

As difficult or scary as things were, we need to take a moment and think of the dedicated medical staff and all front-line workers who went far and above their call to duty. We thank you. Compared to them, we had it easy.

Updates On a positive note, during this time supplies were pretty good and there were many new items to mention. Sampling will start soon and that should put a little fun back in the business. The following are a few items we thought were worth mentioning.

Coppinger (Morbier style cheese) made in the USA This was a recent find for me. We haven’t carried Morbier for some time since the FDA stopped the import of this cheese using ash in the middle. This unique cheese was made of two layers of cheese, one from the morning milk and the second layer from the evening milk of the cow. The layer of ash in the middle of the cheese was used to stop a natural rind from forming until the second layer was added. Different versions of Morbier

were introduced but they all fell short, in my opinion, with different types of approved centers.

Coppinger is a raw semi-soft slight washed rind cow’s milk cheese made in Tennessee by the Sequatchie Cove Creamery.

The washed rind gives the cheese a slight pungency similar to Oma Swiss Gruyere, or Appenzeller only milder. In comes in a small four-pound wheel looking very similar to French Morbier only smaller. I was impressed by the flavor and I actually prefer it over Morbier. The cheese is on the mild side with a buttery fresh grass flavor, and the ash is flavorless. It only serves a purpose of separating two different milkings.

Roncal (Spain) This cheese comes from Roncal Spain in the Basque region near the French border. It’s similar to Manchego only a little sharper in flavor with a firmer texture such as Italian Pecorino Toscano. The cheese is only four months old, made from sheep’s milk and animal rennet. It was the first cheese to be granted a PDO status (name-protected cheese) in 1981. This signifies great quality.

Dancing Fern There’s hardly a week that will go by without someone asking for French Reblochon. This beautiful raw milk cheese has not been allowed in the country ever since the FDA stopped the imports of all raw milk cheese under 60 days old. Its combination of soft ripening and slight washed rind makes this a cheese mongers favorite. This cheese comes in a small wheel averaging about one pound.

Phyllo Crisps It’s hard to believe how fast this new cracker became so popular.

Anyone who tries a box is soon back for two. For example, the Cranberry Oat phyllo crisp flavor comes from phyllo pastry sheets topped with cranberries, oats, honey, pumpkin & sunflower seeds.

Other flavors are Apple Cinnamon, and Apricot Honey.

All flavors pair well with cheese, with the blue and soft ripening cheeses being outstanding choices. The product comes from Croatia. They may be a little hard to find at first but the search is worth it.

So, here’s hoping for a back-to-normal life and making covid-19 history.

Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop www.cheeseshopcenterbrook.com

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By Art LiPuma, “The Wine Seller” SeaSide Wine & Spirits, Old Saybrook

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Enjoying a Great Blend Why blend grapes anyway?

S

everal of the reasons are to give wines different flavors, body, texture, scent, and color generally to tantalize all the senses. It is more unique to see a wine that is 100 percent of a varietal than blended like most wines are.

In most countries, the wine only has to be 70-80 percent of the grape to be listed as the sole varietal on the label.

One of the most well- known areas for blending wines is Bordeaux, France. For their reds, they may choose to blend any one or all of the following: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petite Verdot. The whites from this area can consist of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle.

Another popular area in France is Southern Rhone which usually blends Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre in their red wine. Some of the popular white grapes that are blended; Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, and Roussanne. Some wines are even blended with red and white grapes. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a good example of this which is blended with as much as thirteen grapes.

Italy has a pristine wine nicknamed "Super Tuscan." Originally, there were just a handful of wineries that made this blend which was a combination of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. These were, and still are, expensive and high quality wines. Unfortunately, the status of the term has been lost with many of the vineyards from Tuscany calling their wines “Super Tuscan” regardless of the quality or price.

Many Riojas in Spain are blends mostly of the Tempranillo, with or without portions of Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Syrah to list a few. There are also blended white Riojas of Viura and Macabeo. Garnacha Blanca Chilean blends use the following grapes in many of their reds: Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Sirah while its neighboring country, Argentina, blends their reds with similar grapes except for Malbec, which is their predominant grape, whereas Chile’s is Carmenere.

Argentina’s second most well-known grown grape is Bonarda. White wines could consist of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Torrantes, and Viognier.Portugal has its own indigenous grapes including Tinta Roriz, Tinto Nacional, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot.

Most sparkling wines and Champagnes are blends. Champagnes are made from three grapes; Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. However, the Champagnes that are labeled Blanc de Blanc are made from just Chardonnay. Other sparkling wines are made from local grapes of that particular country.

The United States is no different with extensive blending of wines from the east coast to the west coast. With terroir (environmental factors) and climate being so different from state to state, there are many different grapes grown. Each state also grows its own grapes given the circumstances of area. For example, Connecticut grows the Vidal Grape for blending, which is a dry, white grape which is not grown in California or any of the year 'round warmer climates. In California there are wines labeled “Meritage” which are wines blended from the same grapes of Boredeaux. In the states, it only has to be 75 percent of the grape varietal that is listed on the label and most of the wines that come from the wineries are not 100 percent. The ever-so-popular Rosés are blends of red including sometimes white grapes. As mentioned, the need for blending is very useful for the versatility of wine-making throughout the world. Not to say, there aren’t many wines throughout the world that are 100 percent of the varietal.

The use of blending aids in keeping the vineyards wine consistent through the vintages.

This is another reason one should keep trying different wine rather than sticking to one because of the huge selection available.

Cheers!

Art LiPuma

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LIFE ON SUGAR

By Heather Kelly, Carrie Carella Photos by: Winter Caplanson, Connecticut Food and Farm

Cakes by the beach ... and other delightful summertime sweets Ahhh summer…

filled with so many food activities like picnics, BBQ cookouts, eating ice cream fast enough so it doesn’t drip down your arm, toasting (or burning – whatever your preference) s’mores, slurping on watermelon wedges, and eating CUPCAKES (of course)! “What’s that”, you say?

“Cake in the summer?”. YES. And here are a few reasons why…

Our bakery team LOVES working seasonal ingredients into our cupcakes, especially when we pair them with non-traditional ingredients as well.

For example, one of our alltime favorites is a beautiful cupcake we call CORNIE: a buttermilk vanilla cake that we bake with cream corn kernels. The cake is dense and moist. Delicate, but also hearty. We frost it with a sweetened condensed milk buttercream which is a perfect pairing for the corn based cake. It is not too sweet and very, very creamy.

It then gets topped with a pool of local, fresh blueberries, and rimmed with Corn Flakes cereal. The cereal adds a perfect light crunch. It’s almost like a breakfast cupcake, if that’s a thing (it should be) – cereal with fruit and milk. DELICIOUS. Other non-traditional ideas to create into cupcakes are summer cocktails (alcoholic and non) that have a fruit inspiration. One of our most popular and requested flavors is BLACKBERRY MARGARITA. We take our traditional vanilla cake base, zest some lime and add a splash or two of CT Local Juicery RIPE Margarita Mix to the batter, along with fresh

chopped blackberries. After the cakes are baked and cooled we core and fill the center with a tequila spiked lime curd, which is then all topped with a black raspberry and lime zested swirled frosting, and rimmed with a salt and sugar concoction. It’s a little boozy and a lot refreshing!

And of course you can’t forget ice cream and cake – they’ve been buddies for a long time! We love a lot of the creameries that our little state has to offer like Grassroots in Granby and J. Foster’s in Avon. They have so many creative flavors that it is easy to combine with whatever your choice of cake or cupcake may be. You can bake a basic vanilla, chocolate, or red velvet sheet cake and layer it by spreading ice cream in between the layers, adding some fillings like cookie bits, caramel sauce, fresh fruit, whatever your heart desires, and then finish it off by frosting the outside of it and freezing it. So refreshing after a big plate of BBQ on a hot day!

Keep an eye out for our monthly menu on our website www.noracupcake.com to see what flavors and local ingredients we’ll be highlighting each month. Also log on to our website to find us out and about all over the state, and even in MA and RI! NoRa Cupcake 700 Main Street Middletown, CT noracupcake.com

JULY EVENTS

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Tuesday Night Trivia Live Trivia is back! Little Pub live trivia nights are held in our enormous dining room complete with a giant projection screen. Reservations suggested.

Space is limited. Tuesday Nights 6:30-8:30.

Birds and Bees Farm Brunch It’s a Birds and Bees Farm Brunch Weekends at Little Pub. All Egg Dishes feature Farm Fresh Eggs from the happy hens in The Little Pub Chicken Coop, and all honey used comes from the Little Pub Honey Company apiaries.

THE 2021 Concerts in the Garden LINEUP Saturday Nights 7 - 9 pm.

July 3 - Local Honey July 10 - ODNT July 17 - Parker's Tangent July 24 - Arrowhead and Friends July 31 - Someone you can XRAY August 7 - Tiny Ocean August 14 - Gary Torello and Friends August 21 - Butter Jones August 28 - Shorebreak

Reservations suggested. Space is limited. Sunday 11:00AM-3PM. Little Pub Old Saybrook, 1231 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 (860) 339-5591 more info at www.littlepub.com/oldsaybrook

Live Music under the tent at Little Pub

There will be dancing. Live Music is back at Little Pub. We’ve booked dates with Rock Bottom, Jamie’s Junk Show, Green Hill, and other local favorites. Outside under the beer garden tent or inside if weather is bad.

Little Pub Old Saybrook, 1231 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 (860) 339-5591 more info at www.littlepub.com/oldsaybrook

ROCKS 21 - Mystic Sunday Brunch Rocks 21, in Mystic, CT serves up a delicious and modern Sunday Brunch each week. Highlights include lobster crepes, breakfast tacos, steak eggs benedict, boozy carmel lattes, mimosa towers and live music, all with the most beautiful views in Mystic! Brunch served every Sunday, 10am-2pm.

Rocks21.com 3 Williams Avenue, Mystic (860) 536-8140 Please join us for

THE NEXT CHESTER FIRST FRIDAY ART STROLL July 2, 2021, 5 - 8 pm Listen to the sweet sounds of Arrowhead on the porch while enjoying some of the oldest and the newest paintings of my home and travels.

CONCERTS IN THE GARDEN Spring Street Studio, Chester Seasonal concert series of eclectic international and local singer songwriter artists from cool jazz to blue grass. $20 suggested donation - BYOB and picnic - Outdoor Bistro Style Seating in the Amphitheatre Rain or shine!

Choose your favorite bottle at the Chester Package Store across the street, get your picnic from any of Chester's fine restaurants and grab a growler from the Little House Brewing Company next door.

Susan Powell Fine Art, Madison, CT Summer in New England July 9 - August 8, 2021 Opening Reception to meet the Artists: Friday, July 9, 4 to 8 pm, wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served. Jeanne Rosier Smith will be painting a seascape in the gallery garden beginning at 4 pm. Susan Powell Fine Art has hosted this popular summer exhibition showcasing nationally acclaimed artists celebrated for painting the shoreline and landscapes of New England for the past 18 years. Among the artists participating in the show are: Del-Bourree Bach, Paul Beebe, Peter Bergeron, Zufar Bikbov, Tom Hughes, Anne McGrory, Leonard Mizerek, Cora Odgen, Deborah Quinn-Munson, Jeanne Rosier Smith, and Katie Swatland. The gallery is located at 679 Boston Post Road, Madison near the fire station. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 11 am to 5 pm, Sundays and anytime by appointment. For further information, please call (203) 318-0616, email us at susanpowellfineart@gmail.com and visit www.susanpowellfineart.com to see works in the show.

The Red House, Salem CT Color Abstract Painting Class

July 16 Come with a creative spirit and let the color and shapes inspire and guide you as you paint with a fluid hand to create a colorful landscape. All supplies are provided. You will be guided with creative encouragement by professional artist Julianna W. Cameron.

Friday, July 16, 6-8pm, Class Fee: $40. The Red House Cultural Arts Center, 22 Darling Road, Salem. (860) 608-6526 salemredhouse.com.

From Our Garage to Yours

ANTONINO AUTO

GROUP

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