Your guide to the heart of Litchfield County:
Discover local stories, hidden gems, and must-know events.

Alexis Rockman and Jenny Offill:
Responding to an Uncertain Future

Join acclaimed painter Alexis Rockman and award-winning novelist Jenny Offill for a conversation about how art can confront the environmental crisis. Through contrasting approaches—Rockman’s monumental, scientifically-informed paintings visualize ecological transformation, while Offill’s intimate, fragmentary prose captures how climate anxiety infiltrates everyday life—both artists offer powerful perspectives on our changing world. ArtWrite’s Maggie Levine will moderate this timely discussion about creativity in the face of uncertainty and how art helps us process, imagine, and respond to our rapidly transforming planet.

Admission to the event is free but reservations are encouraged.
RSVP by 6/25 to: [email protected]

Spring Hill Vineyards
292 Beebrook Road, New Preston
5:30 PM
https://www.maggielevinewrites.com

Saturday, June 28th from 10AM-2PM
Lunch is included.

Presented by Jeanine Chayka

A journey of discovering YOU and creating a Self Care routine to finding who you lost along the way.

The Retreat will allow you to ” Make YOU a Priority” by discovering self care routines that bring you back to the present moment and adding in joy into your daily life.

Participants will experience:

Morning meditation along with sound vibrations to grow, relax and heal the mind, body and spirit.

Group sharing to open the channels to let go of old habits and routines.

A shared walk on the Labyrinth ( weather permitting)

This will be a full journey inward to grow and reset for the summer months.

The retreat will end with a 45-60 minute Sound Bath Meditation.

Wisdom House Retreat and Conference Center
229 E Litchfield Rd
Litchfield, CT 06759
https://www.wisdomhouse.org/program-calendar/inspired-vibrations

Saturday, August 23rd from 9:30 AM-3:30 PM
Lunch is included.
Presented by Rt. Rev. Br. Mark D’Alessio

Mary Oliver is a favorite of poetry lovers of all ages for her lyrical, intimate, and sensitive poems, many of which use nature as a lens for exploring a wide spiritual spectrum of human emotions, from love and joy to sorrow and despair. The best Mary Oliver poems remind us to pause and take a breath, revel in our surroundings, and encourage us not to take anything for granted.

Join us this August for our annual Mary Oliver Retreat Day, led by Br. Mark, one of Wisdom House’s most popular facilitators. Through reflection, discussion, and contemplative practice, we’ll explore the ways in which Oliver’s poetry teaches us to see the world with greater simplicity, and deeper wonder and gratitude. Together, we’ll support each other awaken to life’s everyday miracles and embrace poetry as a spiritual practice.

Whether you’re familiar with her poetry or encountering her work for the first time, we hope that this year’s theme. The Beauty of the World, will move you with some of her best poems, including her own favorites — and perhaps inspire you to write some poems of your own.

Though, sadly, Mary Oliver passed away in 2019, her poems serve as a poignant reminder to be present in every moment, whether it be a joyous occasion or a quiet, somber one. Join Br, Mark for an in-person retreat day poetry, reflection, and spiritual discovery as we, too, can learn what it means to be “saved by the beauty of the world.”

Guests are welcome to come overnight Friday, August 22 through Saturday, August 23. See the room options using the registration page on our website.

Wisdom House Retreat & Conference Center
229 E Litchfield Rd.
Litchfield, CT 06759
https://www.wisdomhouse.org/program-calendar/mary-oliver-2025

Ice Cream at OWL!
Tuesday, June 24th from 6:30-7:30 PM

Registration begins June 17.

Celebrate the start of Summer Reading with a premium ice cream truck serving soft serve vanilla, 2-3 flavors of scoops, sundaes, waffle cones, and classic novelty ice creams! Everyone who registers for Summer Reading is eligible for this special treat.

Oliver Wolcott Library
160 South Street
Litchfield, CT 06759
https://www.owlibrary.org/childrens-events.aspx

Our 2025 Summer Concert Series calendar!
We’re looking forward to welcoming you to the Morris Town Beach / Morris Town Green this Summer for some amazing live music!

The Morris Town Beach / The Morris Town Green.
https://www.morrisct.gov/entities/beach-recreation

At long last, the trip of a lifetime has arrived—REFLECTIONS OF ITALY!

Join us as we travel to the beautiful country of ITALY in the Spring of 2026. A visit to experience the culture, architecture and cuisine of Italy seems to be on everyone’s Bucket List. We’re thrilled to offer you the opportunity to check it off of your List!

Reflections of Italy is the perfect tour, covering ALL of the most popular destinations in the country: Rome, Florence and Venice and OH so much more! It is a superb itinerary if you’ve never been to Italy or even for our more seasoned travelers. No one can get enough of Italy!
Morris Community Activities (Morris Beach and Recreation / Morris Senior Center) have partnered with AAA Northeast / Collette Tours to bring you this once is a lifetime experience. You will enjoy 10 days / 9 nights in Italy.

Some of the highlights of your experience include, but are not limited to: ROME, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, Assisi, Perugia, Cortona, FLORENCE, Chianti Winery and Cooking Class, VENICE, Murano Island, Lake Como and so much more!
We’ll be staying overnight in Rome, Perugia, Florence, Venice and Como.
Your tour includes 12 meals: 8 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 3 dinners. The pasta! Oh the pasta!!

This adventure includes your round trip air fare from a New York City airport along with ALL of your transfers including transportation to and from the airport from the Morris Town Hall. It also includes hotel accommodations, 12 meals along with activity / museum entry fees, a tour guide that remains with the group for the entire trip and more! Some gratuities are not included.

Travel dates are April 15 – April 24, 2026. Cost per person, double occupancy—$5,299. Single / triple rates are available upon request.

Would you like a copy of our color brochure? We’d be happy to send you one! Simply email us at [email protected].

Ready to book? Reach out to us at [email protected] or directly to our travel partner, Karen Basilone of AAA Northeast at [email protected].

OR click the link below to register directly on our customized website for this adventure!
https://gateway.memberchoicevacations.com/link/1299317

Limited seating available – don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to travel with those from your own Community!

Italy- Rome, Florence, Venice.
https://www.morrisct.gov/entities/beach-recreation

Summer Storytime & Stay To Play returns at the end of June.
Join us: Saturday June 28 at 10:30 AM
All Ages Welcome!

Come to OWL for an all ages storytime in the children’s room Saturday at 10:30 then stay to play.

In addition to our puppet theater, wooden blocks, train set, and dollhouse, we also have an ongoing Scavenger Hunt with fun prizes for winners as well as a special weekly craft for older children. And most importantly come in to browse our collection of print books, Nutmeg nominees, and Wonderbooks!

Oliver Wolcott Library
160 South Street
Litchfield CT 06759
https://www.owlibrary.org/childrens-events.aspx

40 Years of Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy…with the Best Yet to Come!

Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy was founded in 1985 in Litchfield, CT by world-renowned ornithologist and long-time Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, S. Dillon Ripley (1913-2001), alongside his wife, Mary Livingston Ripley, a respected entomologist.  The mission of the organization was – and continues to be – rebuilding rare and endangered waterfowl populations and repopulating waterfowl habitats.

Dillon Ripley is credited with the first conservation breeding efforts of several waterfowl species, such as the Red-Breasted goose, the Nene goose, the Laysan teal, the Emperor goose, and the Philippine duck, all of which were seeing significant population decline in the wild.  Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy is proud to carry on Dillon Ripley’s visionary efforts and to remain innovators in the field of waterfowl conservation.

Today, the Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy is one of the only collections of rare and endangered waterfowl in North America and is home to nearly 100 species totaling more than 500 birds from around the world, including ducks, geese, swans, pheasants, shore birds, raptors, and passerines, all of which are experiencing population declines in the wild.

Birds are one of the only truly global groups of species, found on every continent and moving between continents, and are therefore at the forefront of conveying information about our changing world as temperatures rise and wetlands disappear.  They provide a range of indispensable services to humans — pollinating plants and transporting seeds.  They also provide a less tangible service — lifting our spirits with their songs and beauty.  Many find it intuitive to save land, but imagine if that land were to become empty and silent.

The aviculture team at Ripley are conservation breeding specialists, safeguarding the irreplaceable genetics of our waterfowl species if — or more likely when — these species become extinct in the wild. Every bird, egg, and chick at Ripley is strategically planned and serves a vital role in our mission to ensure these species survive for generations to come.

https://my.onecause.com/event/organizations/bb06270b-187c-4b33-89fc-e019fb6a10ad/events/vevt:82c13e3d-301f-4fc9-95e4-65a10b5511a8/home/story

Learn more about our work at www.ripleyconservancy.org.

55 Duck Pond Road, Litchfield, CT 06794

Come celebrate our contributions to conservation at our 40th Anniversary Benefit on June 28th —  a celebration decades in the making!
Honoring George Archibald
Founding Trustee, Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy &
Founder, International Crane Foundation

Join us as we travel to Pennsylvania and experience all of the culture, history and cuisine that this second state has to offer! With highlights of historic Philadelphia and Amish Country in Lancaster, we’ll enjoy a fun – filled 3 day / 2 night adventure!

Morris Community Activities (Morris Beach and Recreation / Morris Senior Center) has partnered with AAA Travel to bring you this wonderful wee-getaway to the Keystone State!

Some of the highlights of your experience include, but are not limited to: guided tour of Philadelphia (Liberty Bell!); guided tour of Amish Country; Magic & Wonder Dinner Theater; NOAH at the Sight & Sound Theatre; 2 breakfasts / 2 dinners; and so much more!

We’ll be spending 3 days in the Keystone State.
Your tour includes 4 meals: 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners.
This adventure includes your round trip deluxe motor coach transportation departing conveniently from the Morris Town Hall at 3 East Street, Morris. (Gratuities for our Tour Director and our Bus Driver are not included.)

Travel dates are September 15 – 17, 2025.

Double occupancy rate – $679. per person
Single occupancy rate – $829. per person
Triple occupancy rate – $649. per person

A deposit of $200 per person is due upon registration to secure your reservation. Final payment is due by June 27, 2025.

If you’d like a copy of our color brochure, please email or call us! [email protected] / 860-567-7437.
Questions / ready to book? Please email us at [email protected].

Philadelphia and Amish Country in Lancaster, PA

https://www.morrisct.gov/entities/beach-recreation

Feijoada isn’t just food—it’s Brazil in a bowl. Join the Carioca Alessandro Piovezahn and learn how to craft this iconic black bean and pork stew, loaded with smoky brazilian sausages, tender pork loin, smoked pork ribs and the bold flavors that make it a national treasure.

But the feast is just getting started. Imagine this: golden, crispy pork cracklings that shatter with every bite, cassava fries with just the right amount of crunch, and fluffy white rice to soak up all that rich, soulful stew. Bright, juicy orange slices add a pop of freshness, while vibrant sautéed collard greens bring earthy balance to the table. Smoked pork chops deliver a deep, smoky hit, and warm, garlicky bread dares you to take another bite. Toss in a sprinkle of toasted cassava flour for a nutty finish that ties it all together. And of course, no Brazilian spread is complete without a zesty Caipirinha in hand and the sweet, creamy crescendo of Pudim de Leite Condensado to close the night.

This class goes beyond cooking—it’s a celebration of culture, flavor, and life. Sign up, roll up your sleeves, and bring a slice of Rio to your kitchen!

The Silo Cooking School
44 Upland Road
New Milford CT
860 355 0300

Brazilian Feijoada w/ Caipirinha on June 28th @ 11am to 2pm