Documentary filmmaker James O’Connor, left, Housatonic Valley Association Conservation Director Tim Abbott, center, and Senior Land Protection Manager Julia Rogers (right), assess a forest canopy.
CORNWALL — For the third time in a row, the nonprofit Housatonic Valley Association has earned a five-year accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, a national distinction which recognizes the organization’s conservation work throughout the Housatonic Valley region.
Founded in 1941, the Cornwall Bridge-based association is the only regional watershed organization dedicated to protecting the natural character and environmental health of the entire tri-state region from the Berkshires to Long Island Sound.
It has been accredited since 2014 and is one of 479 accredited land trusts in 46 states and territories, including 27 organizations in Connecticut, 12 in Massachusetts and 44 in New York.
In making the renewal announcement on April 25, longtime Executive Director Lynn Werner said the Land Trust Accreditation program drives excellence throughout HVA’s operations and builds trust and good faith with its donors and conservation partners.
“We’re proud to be a part of an incredibly strong network of accredited organizations working together to protect precious woodlands, wildlife, water and open spaces where we can connect with nature across generations.”
Werner, who joined HVA in 1983 and was appointed executive director in 1995, recently announced she will be stepping down from her position this year.
During her tenure, the association had earned the original accreditation as well as the subsequent two renewals. Werner had noted that the search process for her successor is “well underway” and the board is expected to share news of that appointment before the end of June.
The organization’s Conservation Director Tim Abbott pointed out that there are relatively few accredited land trusts that are also watershed organizations.
“HVA saves thousands of acres of land every year by supporting the sound transactions of our land trust and agency partners with our expertise, resources and regional conservation partnerships. Although we rarely add land and easements to our own conservation holding,” he explained, “accreditation ensures that our fundraising negotiations, recordkeeping and deal structures deserve the full faith and support of our partners and the communities we serve.”
Connie Manes, executive director of the Kent Land Trust, which in 2010 become the second Connecticut land trust to be accredited, lauded HVA’s recent renewal on behalf of her organization’s board and staff.
“Accreditation has been transformative for our organization, and I firmly believe the high proportion of accredited land trusts in our state’s Northwest Corner sets us apart with respect to conservation impact and long-term environmental sustainability,” she noted.
By achieving this latest renewal, said Manes, the Housatonic Valley Association, leader and underwriter of the premier Regional Conservation Partnership known as the Litchfield Hills Greenprint Collaborative, demonstrates to its partners and stakeholders an expectation of professionalism and adherence to high standards of organizational ethics, governance, fiscal responsibility and conservation.
“I hope funders and private donors will take note, for there is no better assurance of the long-term return on their investments.”
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission was established in 2006 as an independent program of the national Land Trust Alliance and is governed by a volunteer board of diverse land conservation and nonprofit management experts.
According to its website, the accreditation seal is a “mark of distinction” and being accredited helps land trusts stand out. In surveys of accredited and renewed land trusts, 100% report that the distinction helps the land trust community maintain the trust of Congress, the Internal Revenue Service and the public
“We have heard numerous land trusts who report of receiving a specific donation or a grant because of their accredited status.”
Ruth Epstein
Renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, who died Oct. 1, 2025, will be honored April 10 at Marvelwood School during the Firefly Environmental Arts Project, a student-driven event blending art, science and environmental action.
A talk on Goodall by author Priscilla Woolworth will anchor the program, part of a larger gathering focused on sustainability. The Firefly Environmental Arts Project is described as “a collaborative sustainability initiative engaging students and professionals in the tri-state corner to build community through shared experiences in nature and the arts.” Student environmental ambassadors from several schools are central to the effort.
Firefly was created last year by Kent residents Deborah Schlee, a nature photographer, and Carl Raab, a science educator and author. “Our goal is to try to get people engaged and involved in the environment,” Schlee said. “We knew that various schools were having their students do things about the environment, but they were not always doing it together. We wanted to build community through shared experiences.”
Friday’s event will feature an exhibit of nature-inspired artwork by students and professional artists, including sculpture, painting, photography, recycled art and poetry. Students from Housatonic Valley Regional High School and Marvelwood, Millbrook and South Kent schools will speak about their environmental efforts aligned with Goodall’s work. A video created by third grade students at Kent Center School will also be shown.
Goodall, a pioneer in primate ethology, is widely regarded as the world’s leading expert on chimpanzees, known for her decadeslong research on their social and family life in Tanzania. Woolworth, who was a friend of Goodall’s, will discuss how that relationship inspired and deepened her commitment to environmental stewardship. She has been named a Green Pioneer by Time magazine and runs an online eco-friendly store.
Woolworth is the author of “Lola Lots of Love Always,” a book for young women about living sustainably and making healthy choices for themselves and the planet.
Schlee said her environmental book club read one of Goodall’s books, further deepening her admiration.
The free event will be held at Marvelwood School Performing Arts Center, 476 Skiff Mountain Road in Kent. The art exhibit and refreshments begin at 5 p.m., followed by the keynote speaker and presentations at 6 p.m.
Natalia Zukerman
Indigo-dyed and printed linen, probably American, Mid- to late 18th century.
In an age of fast fashion and disposable wares, Sharon resident Titi Halle, a leader in the fields of textiles and costume, has spent decades immersed in a world where clothing endures, sometimes for centuries.
“I had very little idea that 300-year-old clothes survived,” Halle said. “Or that you could make a living out of it.”
That was before she met Cora Ginsburg in 1980, one of the country’s leading dealers in historical textiles and costume. Halle took over as owner of Cora Ginsburg LLC in 1997 and has built a career around preserving and interpreting garments that tell stories far beyond their seams. The work she does spans everything from museum consulting to sourcing rare pieces through auctions, private sales and travel.
She will bring that expertise to Sharon this spring as part of a two-part series on early American textiles and clothing.
The first, “The Fabric of Early American Life: Textiles at Home in the 18th Century,” will take place Sunday, April 12 at the Hotchkiss Library of Sharon. A second program, “Dressing Up in 18th-Century New England,” follows on May 3 at the Sharon Historical Society & Museum, featuring a display of period garments including shoes, stays, petticoats, and cloaks.
“America produced very little in the 18th century,” Halle explained. “So, if you’re looking at silk and cotton, those were commodities that traveled. They were luxury goods.”
That global exchange is central to what audiences will see. Printed cottons from India, silks from Europe, and locally made wool and linen reflect a world far more interconnected than we often imagine. At the same time, they reveal the labor — mostly women’s work — behind domestic life.
“I don’t just collect complete objects,” said Halle. “I collect small pieces and documents. It’s the best way to learn — and I’m always happy to share that experience.”
That spirit of sharing will be central to the upcoming exhibits. Halle plans to bring not only rare textiles but also fragments that visitors can handle — an unusually tactile opportunity in a field where preservation often keeps objects behind glass.
The clothing itself, she noted, offers its own revelations.
“These aren’t the kinds of clothes you worked in,” she said. “You can’t lift your arms much higher than your shoulders. They’re not terribly comfortable.”
What has survived, then, are often the “best” garments — the ones reserved for public life or special occasion. Through them, a picture emerges not just of how people dressed, but how they moved, traded, and understood the world around them.
For Halle, who has lived part-time in the region since the 1980s, bringing this work to Sharon feels both professional and personal.
“These are things people can look at,” she said. “And things they can touch. They won’t crumble.”
In other words, history not as something distant, but as something tangible — woven, worn, and still very much alive.
Both events are free, but registration is required for April 12 at the Hotchkiss Library at hotchkisslibrary.libcal.com. And for May 3 at the Sharon Historical Society, rsvp at rsvp@sharonhist.org.
Kerri-Lee Mayland
Objects that show age over time can be beautiful treasures.
Your home does not need to be perfect to be beautiful. In fact, the marks, softened edges, and quiet signs of daily life are not flaws to be erased, but stories to be embraced.
That idea has a name: patina. It is the natural aging of materials over time — the result of wood touched again and again, metal worn by air and use, fabrics settling into the rhythm of a lived-in space. Some may see it as damage, but it is better understood as evolution: the gentle, authentic record of a home being used as it was meant to be.
For years, design of all kinds leaned toward the pristine — homes that felt almost too perfect to settle into. But perfection, while beautiful at first glance, can create what feels like a museum or showroom. Such a space asks you to maintain it, to protect it, to exist very carefully inside it.
Patina offers the opposite.
It lets you exhale.
A dining table with a few marks from family dinners does not need to be replaced. A brass faucet that darkens over time becomes richer, not worn out. A leather chair that creases and softens becomes more inviting; these are the pieces I search for when clients want an instantly lived-in look. These changes are not signs that something is going wrong. They are signs that something is being used exactly as it should be.
This is where patina becomes more than a design choice. It becomes a mindset, a lifestyle.
It allows you to let your home live a little, too.
In practical terms, to incorporate patina, you must choose the right materials, ones that will age well. Natural wood is perhaps the most forgiving and rewarding. Look for finishes that are matte or lightly sealed rather than overly glossy. Woods with visible grain and variation will develop character over time, rather than showing wear in a way that feels damaged.
Metals are another opportunity. Unlacquered brass, bronze and copper are designed to change. Instead of resisting fingerprints or water spots, they respond to them, deepening in tone, creating variation, becoming uniquely yours. In kitchens and baths especially, these materials bring warmth that polished chrome simply cannot replicate.
Leather, too, is a favorite of designers for this reason. It softens, creases, and gains depth with use. A well-made leather chair will look better in five years than it does today. Linen and other natural textiles follow a similar path, becoming more relaxed and comfortable over time.
Vintage pieces naturally carry patina with them, which is part of their appeal. A worn wooden chest, an antique mirror with slight foxing, a set of timeworn stools—these elements anchor a space. They immediately give a room a sense of history, even if the rest of the home is newly designed.
The key, however, is balance.
A home filled entirely with aged pieces can feel heavy and old. But when patina is layered alongside clean lines and newer elements, a sense of calm emerges. The space feels both fresh and grounded. A modern sofa paired with a weathered coffee table. Crisp walls against an antique cabinet. It is this contrast that makes a home feel thoughtfully designed rather than overly styled.
And then there is the emotional shift.
When you embrace patina, you release yourself from the pressure of constant perfection. You stop noticing every small scratch or imperfection because they are no longer mistakes — they are part of the story. Your home becomes a place to live freely, not carefully, and that shift changes your mood and outlook.
It reflects a deeper understanding: that beauty is not found in preserving something exactly as it was, but in allowing it to evolve into what it becomes.
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D.H. Callahan
This year’s line-up is (clockwise from top left) Jane Curtin, Joanna Gleason, Deborah S. Craig, Michael Emerson.
On Sunday, April 12, the long-running public radio program “Selected Shorts” returns to the Stissing Center in Pine Plains.
Whether torn from the pages of history or pulled from the ether of the imagination, short stories have the power to build entire worlds in just a few digestible pages or paragraphs. But as powerful as they can be, they are rarely given the recognition or appreciation they deserve.
In 1985, Symphony Space on Manhattan’s Upper West Side created Selected Shorts, aiming to give short-form literature a greater audience. Selected Shorts puts the words of established and emerging authors into the mouths of some of the greatest actors of the stage and screen.
Since its founding, Selected Shorts has been a regular stage show at Symphony Space, a radio program, a podcast and, in this case and others, a traveling performance.
With a rotating line of hosts and actors bringing the literature to life, attendees at the Stissing Center will be treated to performances by Joanna Gleason, Deborah S. Craig, Michael Emerson and the legendary first-season “Saturday Night Live” cast member — and original Conehead — Jane Curtin.
Tickets at thestissingcenter.org
Bobby Graham & Matthew Marden
Each month, Dugazon owners Bobby Graham and Matthew Marden share a recipe inspired by the traditions, stories and sense of welcome at the heart of their shop in Sharon, Connecticut. Visit Dugazon at 19 W. Main St. Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and online at dugazonshop.com.
I remember all the trips growing up going to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to see my grandparents. My grandfather, Bainbridge Dugazon, always had a pot of gumbo on the stove. The gumbo was shared with family and friends over a meal of crusty French bread and a crisp green salad. And don’t forget your favorite hot sauce — Tabasco, Louisiana Crystal — all available at Dugazon.
We also loved to visit Phil’s Oyster Bar on Government Street for their gumbo when it wasn’t made at home. I can still smell it now. Here is a favorite recipe for chicken and sausage gumbo. Enjoy — it’s one of Louisiana’s signature dishes.
Jeff Holt
(adapted from “Cooking Up a Storm” by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker, editors)
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Total time: About 3½ hours
Ingredients
•1 (3- to 5-pound) hen, cut into serving pieces (bone-in preferred; boneless breasts and thighs can be used)
•Salt, to taste
•Dash of black pepper
•1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning
•1 cup vegetable oil
•1 cup all-purpose flour
•2 cups chopped yellow onion
•1 cup chopped green bell pepper
•½ cup chopped celery
•About 2½ quarts chicken broth (store-bought is fine)
•2 bay leaves
•½ teaspoon thyme (fresh or dried)
•1 pound andouille sausage, sliced ¼ inch thick
•¼ cup chopped green onions
•2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
•Hot cooked rice, for serving
Preparation
1. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning; set aside.
2 .In a large Dutch oven, combine the oil and flour over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the roux turns a deep brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
3. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook, stirring, until very soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add the chicken broth and stir until smooth. Add the chicken, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Partially cover and cook until the chicken is fork-tender, 2 to 3 hours, adding more broth as needed to keep the gumbo loose and soupy.
5. Add the sausage and simmer for 30 minutes more. (For deeper flavor, brown the sausage in a frying pan before adding.)
6. Adjust seasoning to taste, then stir in the green onions and parsley. Remove the bay leaves.
7. Serve over hot rice, with crusty French bread, butter, a crunchy green salad with French vinaigrette and hot sauce.
Lakeville Journal
Singer-songwriter Leslie Mendelson performs at The Grace Note at The Stissing Center in Pine Plains on Friday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. A Grammy Award-nominated artist, she blends folk, pop and Americana with a warm, expressive style.Tickets at thestissingcenter.org
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