Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life. Show all posts
Friday, January 03, 2014
Happy New Year!
Area two had their own Polar Plunge New Year's day with one hearty soul leaping into the frigid water to start off 2014 with a splash. You snow birds down south don't know what you are missing!
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Sunday Telegram Tells Beaton Farm Story
Sunday, May 19, 2013
SUTTON — There is hardly a more classic rural New England landscape than in Sutton.
Rolling hills unfold in a patchwork of fields and stone walls. Weathered barns stand against the wind. Orchards, dairy and horse farms dot knolls sloping to sparkling ponds.
That view — and the town's cultural heritage — is changing, as open space succumbs to development.
Selectman Michael A. Chizy, who serves as board chairman, has lived in town almost 60 years.
“Where cornfields used to be, now there's houses,” he said.
Another quintessential parcel, the 100-acre Beaton Farm Property that was once part of historic Waters Farm, overlooking Manchaug Pond, may be the next to be developed.
The current owner, who has received property tax benefits for 73 acres on the site under the state Chapter 61A program for agricultural land, plans to sell the property. Under state law, when land comes out of agricultural, forestry or recreation space protection, the town has the right of first refusal to buy the land.
Selectmen agreed April 16 that the town was not in a position to purchase the parcel, but assigned the nonprofit Manchaug Pond Foundation to act on its behalf to try to raise $1.32 million by July 16, the deadline set by law, to buy the 73 acres.
“Taxes have gone up,” Mr. Chizy said. “People can only afford so much. I don't think the town would purchase it (if money couldn't be raised privately).”
The College of the Holy Cross has submitted a $1.9 million proposal to purchase the full 100 acres, including 73 acres under Chapter 61A, plus roughly 26 acres along the pond in Douglas, on which to build a 30,000-square-foot retreat center.
Ellen M. Ryder, director of public affairs for Holy Cross, said, “It is so beautiful. It's what attracted us to it in the first place.”
She said that retreat and contemplation are an integral part of a faith-based education. The college used to hold one-day or overnight retreats, often conducted in silence, at a facility in Narragansett, R.I., but that site was no longer available. Since the 1980s, students and staff have had to travel at least an hour to other locations.
Phyllis M. Charpentier, corresponding secretary for the Manchaug Pond Foundation, said the group has nothing against the college.
But she wants to preserve the scenic open space that is enjoyed by visitors from all over, the historic quarry in the woods that once supplied Blackstone Valley mills with stone, the pristine trout ponds and brooks that run through the property to 875 feet of shoreline on Manchaug Pond, and the working stables that house 19 miniature horses.
“If we do not succeed, everything will be sold: the house, the barn, 26 acres abutting the pond and the fields,” Ms. Charpentier said. “We're looking to keep it undeveloped so the streams feeding Manchaug Pond stay as they are now. It's the last quiet cove.”
Marty Jo Henry, Manchaug Pond Foundation's first vice president, said the land was a priority habitat for endangered species and served as a wildlife corridor linking Sutton State Forest and Douglas State Forest. She has photographed bald eagles, osprey and heron soaring overhead there.
“It's a big stopping point for migrating ducks heading up to Canada,” Ms. Henry said.
The stone-wall-bordered overlook at the top of the fields, with a panoramic vista of the 380-acre Manchaug Pond below, provides an ideal viewing spot for bird watchers and others, including wedding couples who have portraits taken there.
That “viewshed” was highlighted a dozen years ago in the master plan for Waters Farm, a living-history farm preserved to portray 19th-century agrarian life. The Waters homestead, which was built in 1757 by Stephen Waters and is on the National Register of Historic Places, is across the road from Beaton Farm and looks out onto the fields and hillside to Manchaug Pond.
National Park Service Ranger Chuck Arning said, “You'd like to see the way it might have been in the 1800s.”
He cited passages from the Waters Farm master plan: “This amazing view is a powerful experience for the first-time visitor because it is so unexpected and so dramatic. The view is evocative of how the land may have looked more than 250 years ago — regardless of its actual appearance. The momentary sensation of being in another time anchors Waters Farm in the mind of the visitor as an important place, a place where you can feel connected to the past through the power of this unique setting and experience. Preservation of views should be a primary goal.”
But preservation takes money, time and a lot of hard work.
“The problem is, we need such a large amount of money in such a short time,” said Andrew J. Mosher, Manchaug Pond Foundation treasurer.
“The situation the foundation finds itself in, scrambling to pull together funds to purchase open space before it is sold for development, isn't uncommon, according to Rob Warren, Massachusetts director of protection and policy for The Nature Conservancy.
“I think it's important for people to understand that lands that are enrolled in Chapter 61 programs are not permanently protected lands. That's at the discretion of the landowner,” he said.
Mr. Warren said that because these properties typically become available on short notice, many land trusts work with landowners ahead of time to get them thinking about placing their property in permanent protection, through conservation restrictions, donation or sale to a conservation organization.
Towns that have adopted the Community Preservation Act, which Sutton has not, may be in a better financial position to acquire open space. The Community Preservation Act creates local funds, through a surcharge of up to 3 percent on real estate levies, for preserving open space and historic sites, promoting affordable housing and developing outdoor recreation facilities.
Open space committees can also plan strategically for land acquisition.
“Any of that sort of foresight is helpful, Mr. Warren said. “Having planning in place ahead of time helps a community respond. The 'white knight' is a true rarity,” he said, referring to a donor who swoops in to help buy land.
He added that towns should be aware of the economic benefits of protecting land, which costs far less over time than providing services for developed parcels, despite the additional tax revenue.
Contact Susan Spencer at susan.spencer@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanSpencerTG.
Group races to save Sutton landscape
A robin takes flight from a fence post on land
the Manchaug Pond Association wants to save from development. (T&G
Staff/RICK CINCLAIR)
The Manchaug Pond Foundation is racing to raise $1.32 million by July 16 to buy the Beaton Farm Property overlooking Manchaug Pond. (T&G Staff/RICK CINCLAIR)
The Manchaug Pond Foundation is racing to raise $1.32 million by July 16 to buy the Beaton Farm Property overlooking Manchaug Pond. (T&G Staff/RICK CINCLAIR)
SUTTON — There is hardly a more classic rural New England landscape than in Sutton.
Rolling hills unfold in a patchwork of fields and stone walls. Weathered barns stand against the wind. Orchards, dairy and horse farms dot knolls sloping to sparkling ponds.
That view — and the town's cultural heritage — is changing, as open space succumbs to development.
Selectman Michael A. Chizy, who serves as board chairman, has lived in town almost 60 years.
“Where cornfields used to be, now there's houses,” he said.
Another quintessential parcel, the 100-acre Beaton Farm Property that was once part of historic Waters Farm, overlooking Manchaug Pond, may be the next to be developed.
The current owner, who has received property tax benefits for 73 acres on the site under the state Chapter 61A program for agricultural land, plans to sell the property. Under state law, when land comes out of agricultural, forestry or recreation space protection, the town has the right of first refusal to buy the land.
Selectmen agreed April 16 that the town was not in a position to purchase the parcel, but assigned the nonprofit Manchaug Pond Foundation to act on its behalf to try to raise $1.32 million by July 16, the deadline set by law, to buy the 73 acres.
“Taxes have gone up,” Mr. Chizy said. “People can only afford so much. I don't think the town would purchase it (if money couldn't be raised privately).”
The College of the Holy Cross has submitted a $1.9 million proposal to purchase the full 100 acres, including 73 acres under Chapter 61A, plus roughly 26 acres along the pond in Douglas, on which to build a 30,000-square-foot retreat center.
Ellen M. Ryder, director of public affairs for Holy Cross, said, “It is so beautiful. It's what attracted us to it in the first place.”
She said that retreat and contemplation are an integral part of a faith-based education. The college used to hold one-day or overnight retreats, often conducted in silence, at a facility in Narragansett, R.I., but that site was no longer available. Since the 1980s, students and staff have had to travel at least an hour to other locations.
Phyllis M. Charpentier, corresponding secretary for the Manchaug Pond Foundation, said the group has nothing against the college.
But she wants to preserve the scenic open space that is enjoyed by visitors from all over, the historic quarry in the woods that once supplied Blackstone Valley mills with stone, the pristine trout ponds and brooks that run through the property to 875 feet of shoreline on Manchaug Pond, and the working stables that house 19 miniature horses.
“If we do not succeed, everything will be sold: the house, the barn, 26 acres abutting the pond and the fields,” Ms. Charpentier said. “We're looking to keep it undeveloped so the streams feeding Manchaug Pond stay as they are now. It's the last quiet cove.”
Marty Jo Henry, Manchaug Pond Foundation's first vice president, said the land was a priority habitat for endangered species and served as a wildlife corridor linking Sutton State Forest and Douglas State Forest. She has photographed bald eagles, osprey and heron soaring overhead there.
“It's a big stopping point for migrating ducks heading up to Canada,” Ms. Henry said.
The stone-wall-bordered overlook at the top of the fields, with a panoramic vista of the 380-acre Manchaug Pond below, provides an ideal viewing spot for bird watchers and others, including wedding couples who have portraits taken there.
That “viewshed” was highlighted a dozen years ago in the master plan for Waters Farm, a living-history farm preserved to portray 19th-century agrarian life. The Waters homestead, which was built in 1757 by Stephen Waters and is on the National Register of Historic Places, is across the road from Beaton Farm and looks out onto the fields and hillside to Manchaug Pond.
National Park Service Ranger Chuck Arning said, “You'd like to see the way it might have been in the 1800s.”
He cited passages from the Waters Farm master plan: “This amazing view is a powerful experience for the first-time visitor because it is so unexpected and so dramatic. The view is evocative of how the land may have looked more than 250 years ago — regardless of its actual appearance. The momentary sensation of being in another time anchors Waters Farm in the mind of the visitor as an important place, a place where you can feel connected to the past through the power of this unique setting and experience. Preservation of views should be a primary goal.”
But preservation takes money, time and a lot of hard work.
“The problem is, we need such a large amount of money in such a short time,” said Andrew J. Mosher, Manchaug Pond Foundation treasurer.
“The situation the foundation finds itself in, scrambling to pull together funds to purchase open space before it is sold for development, isn't uncommon, according to Rob Warren, Massachusetts director of protection and policy for The Nature Conservancy.
“I think it's important for people to understand that lands that are enrolled in Chapter 61 programs are not permanently protected lands. That's at the discretion of the landowner,” he said.
Mr. Warren said that because these properties typically become available on short notice, many land trusts work with landowners ahead of time to get them thinking about placing their property in permanent protection, through conservation restrictions, donation or sale to a conservation organization.
Towns that have adopted the Community Preservation Act, which Sutton has not, may be in a better financial position to acquire open space. The Community Preservation Act creates local funds, through a surcharge of up to 3 percent on real estate levies, for preserving open space and historic sites, promoting affordable housing and developing outdoor recreation facilities.
Open space committees can also plan strategically for land acquisition.
“Any of that sort of foresight is helpful, Mr. Warren said. “Having planning in place ahead of time helps a community respond. The 'white knight' is a true rarity,” he said, referring to a donor who swoops in to help buy land.
He added that towns should be aware of the economic benefits of protecting land, which costs far less over time than providing services for developed parcels, despite the additional tax revenue.
Contact Susan Spencer at susan.spencer@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanSpencerTG.
Saturday, February 09, 2013
Snowing and Blowing on Manchaug Pond
Haven't lost power here on Manchaug Pond but it is snowing and blowing with low/no visibility. Send your photos here or on Facebook and I'll post them!
Also, you have to love Manchaug Pond's distinctive shape which is easily recognizable on the weather maps!
Here's the links to monitor the power outage maps:
http://outage.nstar.com/outage/outagemap.aspx
https://www1.nationalgridus.com/PowerOutageMap-NY-RES
Also, you have to love Manchaug Pond's distinctive shape which is easily recognizable on the weather maps!
Here's the links to monitor the power outage maps:
http://outage.nstar.com/outage/outagemap.aspx
https://www1.nationalgridus.com/PowerOutageMap-NY-RES
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
While the boats are away... the seaplane!
The seaplane used the opportunity to buzz down the channe, land on lake and boat around from one end of the lake to another.
It was a grand sight!
Sunday, September 02, 2012
TONIGHT: 8:30PM Lighting of the Shoreline
Tonight MPF members and friends will light flares, campfires and tiki torches at 8:30 PM at their beaches and shoreline in a show of solidarity and appreciation.
Join us!
Thursday, February 02, 2012
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Power Restored!
Hurricane Irene left the area littered with debris of branches and leaves primarily from oak and pine trees. Large trees came down on all roadsides around the lake and even into the lake!
During the storm, the rain gauge overflowed after reaching 5 inches with no one willing to go out in the wind and heavy rains to empty it.
Monday and Tuesday brought cool air putting nighttime temps in the 50's, with daytime blue skies and sunshine making the cleanup much easier.
Sunday, July 03, 2011
Boat Decorating Contest a Blast! The unofficial photos...
There were those who didn't enter...
... and then there were those who did! About 20 entries gathering on Blueberry Island to overwhelm the judges whose task was to choose the 3 best vessels!
All winners to be sure! With lots of laughs shared by participants and spectators!
... and then there were those who did! About 20 entries gathering on Blueberry Island to overwhelm the judges whose task was to choose the 3 best vessels!
All winners to be sure! With lots of laughs shared by participants and spectators!
Judges official comments and photos to come! Stay tuned!
WHO do YOU think is our BEST effort this year?? Comment below!
Saturday, July 02, 2011
A Request for Flag Etiquette... How do I hang the flag on my house?
Display of the American flag
| |||
Behind a Speaker?
|
Display horizontally behind and above the speaker's head.
|  | |
Flat against a wall?
|
Display horizontally or vertically with Canton at flags own right. (or to viewers left)
|  | |
In a window?
|
Display vertically with Canton at flags own right. (or to outside viewers left)
| | |
Displaying an American flag on a Flagpole
| |
More than one flag on a pole?
|
The US Flag should always fly above other flags and should be the same size or larger than the others.
|
One flag each on many poles?
|
The US Flag should always fly on it's own right. When flying with other country flags all flags should be the same size and fly at the same height as the others.
|
Can I leave my American flag out at night?
| |
The US Flag should always fly in light. If you can see the flag clearly either by mounting a light directed towards it or because of street lights or house lights than it can remain outside during the night. It may also be economical to bring your flag in during harsh weather to save it from excessive tearing. Most flags are considered all-weather however if you buy a 2-ply polyester flag it is the industries strongest and longest lasting flag available. |
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Everything I need to know I learned from Noah's Ark...
A Douglas resident found this in Sunday's church bulletin and thought we on Manchaug Pond would enjoy it!
Everything I need to know I learned from Noah's Ark...
1. Don't miss the boat.
2. Remember that we are all in the same boat.
3. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
4. Stay fit. When you're 600 years old someone may ask you to do something really big.
5. Don't listen to critics, just get on with the job that needs to be done.
6. Build your future on high ground.
7. For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
8. Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
9. When you're stressed, float a while.
10. Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic by professionals.
11. No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.
Everything I need to know I learned from Noah's Ark...
1. Don't miss the boat.
2. Remember that we are all in the same boat.
3. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
4. Stay fit. When you're 600 years old someone may ask you to do something really big.
5. Don't listen to critics, just get on with the job that needs to be done.
6. Build your future on high ground.
7. For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
8. Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
9. When you're stressed, float a while.
10. Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic by professionals.
11. No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Sacred Sunday: Snow and Shadows
Just in: our photo and quote for the day:
"Heard the weather... More snow!?! Surely they can't be serious!"
"Heard the weather... More snow!?! Surely they can't be serious!"
Monday, January 31, 2011
More Stylin Shoes from Manchaug Pond!
More fashion footwear on Manchaug Pond. This time from the north end of the lake.
...seems the neon ice grippers did not help this fellow.
...seems the neon ice grippers did not help this fellow.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
In the News: Manchaug Bisque!
It's all in the name! and "Manchaug" is on the menu at a near-Webster Lake eatery, Bistro Eighty Ates. A reader wintering in Florida brought this review by Worcester Magazine's Zeke Williams to our attention. Here's what Mr. Williams had to say ....
"We started with an order of the Crock of Manchaug Bisque – a saffron-kissed mixture of a smooth sherry-cream base made with juicy pieces of lobster, shrimp and scallops. The flavors were fresh and vibrant. I am just not sure why a place looking to be “big city” would name a starter dish after a small lake and/or village in rural Sutton."
So what do you think?
Did "a place looking to be big city" name its now famous "Crock of Manchaug Bisque" after "a small lake and/or village in rural Sutton"?
"We started with an order of the Crock of Manchaug Bisque – a saffron-kissed mixture of a smooth sherry-cream base made with juicy pieces of lobster, shrimp and scallops. The flavors were fresh and vibrant. I am just not sure why a place looking to be “big city” would name a starter dish after a small lake and/or village in rural Sutton."
So what do you think?
Did "a place looking to be big city" name its now famous "Crock of Manchaug Bisque" after "a small lake and/or village in rural Sutton"?
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
In the News: Shoes!
Yahoo news yesterday morning had a lead story on a pair of shoes, one green and one pink, worn by an actress to Sunday night's Golden Globe Awards .
Thought I would give you a look at some of the shoes four women of Manchaug Pond are wearing this season when they step out on Manchaug Pond: (photos taken this past Sunday)
Ladies, send in a photo of your favorite pair of shoes this season for Manchaug Pond!
Thought I would give you a look at some of the shoes four women of Manchaug Pond are wearing this season when they step out on Manchaug Pond: (photos taken this past Sunday)
Ladies, send in a photo of your favorite pair of shoes this season for Manchaug Pond!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Sunshine and clear skies make for winter sports on Manchaug Pond
Clear blue skies and warm sunshine today and over the weekend make snowmobiling, ice fishing for pickerel, and snowshoeing the things to do on Manchaug Pond
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