Local harvest supper served in Putney
PUTNEY - The second annual Local Harvest Lantern Supper will be held on Friday, Sept. 14, at Putney Central School.
Sponsored by the Putney Co-op, Transition Putney, Christopher Irion, and the Community Supper committee, this year's meal will include a pig roast, barbecue chicken, roasted corn, vegan tempeh entree, side salads, apple crisp and ice cream dessert. The meal is open to all by donation, and service begins at 6 p.m.
The showpiece of the event is a community art project, led by Christopher Irion, of hanging paper lanterns painted by area schoolchildren. These lanterns illuminate the tables of the outdoor feast, making it a truly special evening for all who attend.
If you would like to volunteer for setup, service, or cleanup, email Paul LeVasseur at paull@sover.net.
Youth Market Day is Friday at BF Farmers' Market
BELLOWS FALLS - On Friday, Sept. 14, there will be a Youth Market at the Bellows Falls Farmers' Market, when children will become entrepreneurs selling their own homegrown or homemade products alongside the regular vendors.
The farmers' market runs Fridays from 4-7 p.m. at the Waypoint Center on Depot Street next to the Amtrak station.
The Youth Market, which has happened annually since the market's inception in 2004, is held in conjunction with the regular Friday market, but youth are given a special area to sell their own products. During past Youth Markets, young people have sold a variety of their own creations including handmade crafts, homegrown flower bouquets, baked goods, and hot prepared foods.
The Howling Kettles will be providing the entertainment for the evening. For more information, visit www.bffarmersmarket.com.
Windham World Affairs Council begins fall lecture series
BRATTLEBORO - The Windham World Affairs Council begins the fall 2012 lecture season on Friday, Sept. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the International Center at World Learning.
Having recently returned to Vermont from Pakistan, speaker Javed Chaudhri will address “The Rise and Faltering of the Islamic Republic: News of a Personal Investigation into the State of Affairs in Pakistan.” His comments, based upon innumerable conversations and insights while in the country will explore the aftermath of U.S. “withdrawal” from Afghanistan and the consequences for Pakistan.
As a Windham County neighbor who understands his audience as fully as his topic, Chaudhri is uniquely positioned to outline the reality on the ground in Pakistan. Born and raised in Pakistan, he graduated from Marlboro College with High Honors in History, and returned to Pakistan for five years to work for Unilever. In 1971, he returned to the United States to attend the New School in New York City and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, from where he earned a graduate degree in Anthropology.
He taught briefly at the Community College of Vermont, and then settled down in Montreal. In 1980, he again returned to Pakistan shortly after the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, and stayed for 20 years, traveling to India, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. He became a well-known and successful business manager and consultant, taught business in graduate school and re-established close ties with many of the political and military personalities as well as business leaders whom he had grown up with.
The lecture will be preceded by a 6:30 p.m. social reception and a very brief annual business meeting at 7:15 p.m. that will include the formal nomination of new board members and a statement of finances. All events will occur in the International Center building (first floor) on the south end of the hilltop campus.
'Memento Mori: The Art & Commerce of Gravestones in Southern Vermont' presented in Grafton
GRAFTON - On Saturday, Sept. 15, at 1 p.m., at the Brick Church Meeting House, Bennington Museum curator Jamie Franklin will give a slide lecture that will highlight the artistic and commercial aspects of gravestone carving in Southern Vermont from the late 1700s through the early 1800s.
Following the lecture, from 2-4 p.m., Franklin will lead a guided tour of both the Middletown and Burgess Cemeteries in Grafton, which contain a number of outstanding stones, including the famous Park stone, considered a masterpiece of early New England folk art. Wine and cheese will be served at the Brick Church Meeting House after the cemetery tours.
Franklin will compare and contrast the use of marble versus slate to carve stones, as well as the differences in carving style, focusing on eastern Vermont's “Rockingham Group,” which included the Wright family of stone carvers as well as western Vermont's master carver Zerubbabel Collins and his distinctive style. Wear comfortable shoes for the cemetery tours and dress for the weather.
This program is co-sponsored by the Grafton Historical Society and the Grafton Public Library and is generously funded by Tania Evans in honor of past Grafton resident Jean Whitnack.
Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association hosts annual Accessibility Day
WESTMINSTER - The Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association (WHPA) will again host Accessibility Day, on Saturday, Sept. 15.
This is a once-a-year opportunity for a vehicle ride to a special site for those who are unable to hike, along with those who can hike, to be led by Arthur and Carol Westing. Meet at 11am at the Westminster West Church. Call 802-387-5737 to register for a ride. All join for a picnic at a peak on the Windmill Ridge.
The WHPA was established in 1991, and includes The Pinnacle, which is the highest and most scenic peak (about 1,683 feet) in Westminster. It is located on the Windmill Ridge, straddling the Brookline/Westminster line. The view from the Pinnacle overlooks Hedgehog Gulf in Brookline and westward to Mount Snow and Stratton Mountain, over 20 miles away.
The Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association lands now consist of around 1,808 acres in Rockingham, Athens, Brookline, Grafton and Westminster. These publicly-accessible lands include an extensive hiking trail system and wildlife sanctuary. For more information, visit Windmillhillpinnacle.org.
Yoga for kids class starts at BMH
BRATTLEBORO - Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is offering a special Yoga instruction class for children ages 7-10 this fall, designed to help increase focus skills, center the body, calm the mind, and strengthen self-esteem.
Parents are invited for screening and information on Wednesday, Sept. 19 from 4-5 p.m. in Brew Barry Conference Room 1, located in the main hospital building on the BMH campus. Classes begin on Friday, Sept. 21 in the BMH Exercise Room and run through Friday, Oct. 26.
Instructor Elaina Denney will work with the children to create an environment of fun, joy and respect for one another as each child masters poses for their specific needs or desires. Registration is $35 per child or $50 for siblings. Two scholarships are also available. Call 802-579-2303 with questions or to register.
Geologist offers rock identification workshop
SAXTONS RIVER - Recognizing the difference between igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks is the goal of a workshop in the art and science of rock identification being offered at Main Street Arts.
Charles “Chuck” Ratté, former Vermont state geologist, will lead three classes on Thursdays, Sept. 20, 27 and Oct. 4, from 7 to 8 p.m., with a field trip scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The workshop will teach participants to look for properties that distinguish each of the major rock types from one another.
The fee for the course is $42 for MSA members and $56 for non-members. Registration can be made by calling MSA at 802-869-2960 or e-mailing info@mainstreetarts.org. Generous scholarship assistance is available.