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Capturing nature in writing at Great Mountain Forest’s inaugural writing retreat
Jacquelyn Drain
Aug 18, 2026
The retreat featured frequent walks through the woods around Yale Camp to take inspiration from nature.
Photo by Jacquelyn Drain
FALLS VILLAGE, Conn. — I know nothing about nature aside from my reverence for its beauty. I took one environmental science class nearly four years ago but that is the extent of my knowledge. Despite this I had the pleasure of being surrounded by not only nature enthusiasts but also experts at the inaugural Yale Camp Writers Retreat held at Great Mountain Forest.
The background of the retreat was an essential, calming character. The rustic and historic Yale Camp, founded in 1940, is nestled amongst 6,500 acres of woods on Canaan Mountain. With 15 hiking trails, the forest is home to beautiful scenery and creatures.
The retreat was created by author Tom Shachtman in honor of local writer Hal Borland. Borland lived on a farm on Weatogue Road in Salisbury, Conn., towards the end of his life where he wrote all but one of his classic books such as “When the Legends Die” and “High, Wide and Lonesome.”
All the retreatants varied heavily in background but we all came together to discuss the common interests of writing and nature. From corporate finance to lawyers to students, we all brought our individual expertise into the discussion and connected at meals and free time, forming genuine social bonds with strangers over a single similar interest.
After arriving around noon on Friday, I set up my bunk, introduced myself to my roommates for the weekend and began to outline my goals and mindset heading into the retreat. There is no better setting to journal than sitting on a porch in a rocking chair looking out at the vast trees and rolling hills of the Northwest Corner.
The first day I went on a guided nature walk to Old Man McMullen Pond. There was a perfect reflection of the light blue sky and bright clouds on the still surface as rushing water poured over a beaver dam next to the pond. I sat on a bench looking out at the magnificent sight in awe.
Over the course of the weekend I attended three different sessions led by varying nature writers. Todd Davis, a writer, poet and environmental science professor, discussed the importance of the natural world and how he conveys it in his writing, connecting nature to human experiences without exploiting it. Former Director of the Sharon Audubon Center Eileen Fielding gave a beginners’ explanation of ecology, which was personally much needed, and provided examples on how to communicate scientific information to be easily digestible for readers.
The most enlightening experience for me was poet and environmentalist Evelyn Reilly’s session on Ecopoetics, an idea created by poet Jonathan Skinner referring to how writing can change our relationship with the environment. In preparation for this session I was instructed to bring a nature poem by another writer that I enjoyed and a poem of my own creation. Before this assignment, I hadn’t written a poem since probably third grade. It was a daunting task, to say the least. But I put my head down and told myself it doesn’t have to be profound, you don’t have to be the next Mary Oliver, just write something. After I wrote it, my mom insisted on seeing it and when she began reading it out loud to my dad, I ran into the other room plugging my ears to not cringe at my work.
I showed up to the session on the second day, palms sweating, 14 copies of my poem in hand as well as a Rupi Kaur poem from her collection titled “Home Body.” Toward the end of the session, after discussing what it means to be an ecopoet and analyzing several examples, we broke off into groups of three to discuss. When it came time to discuss my poem after hearing from some of history’s greatest, I was shocked to receive positive feedback. Though I greatly desired approval from my peers, concerningly, I realized as they were reading it that it didn’t matter. I was happy with the message it conveyed and its connection between human life and nature. It didn’t need to be one of the great works of art, it worked well and that’s all that matters.
This retreat marked a much needed time of reflection, grounding and reconnection to why I write.
Having attended a religious high school, retreats are not a new experience for me. However, this was my first time being embedded in nature with the sole focus of writing. My relationship with creative writing is similar to that of an old friend whom I drifted apart from because I had neglected to give it attention and time. This three-day experience gave me the opportunity to reconnect with what it means to be a writer.
Despite being hugely out of my comfort zone surrounded by many new people — all of whom are much more experienced than myself — I received a sign that I was in the right place.
My favorite movie is “Dead Poets Society” and the film introduced me to the book “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau. In the movie, the main character paraphrases a line from the book which reads, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” Reading the book has always been on my bucket list but landed on the back burner for many years.
The first night of the retreat featured a raffle for campers to choose from a selection of books. When my name was called toward the end I approached the table and my eyes immediately darted to a 1939 copy of the book. I immediately grabbed it and couldn’t put it down the rest of the weekend. I knew that book was there for me and I was in the right place to learn how to suck out all the marrow of life, as Thoreau professes.
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North East apartment conversion moves to public hearing
Jacquelyn Drain
Aug 18, 2026
Lilly Simons and Lauren Simons are proposing to turn the building at 185 Route 44 into an eight-unit apartment building. The structure once served as a restaurant and then as office space but has been vacant for several years, Lauren Simons said.
Photo by Nathan Miller
MILLERTON — The Greyhouse Apartment conversion occurring on 181-185 Route 44 made progress this week toward bringing the first housing to the Town of North East’s boulevard district following the area’s rezoning in April.
The North East Planning Board continued discussions on site plans for the apartments at their meeting on Aug. 12. The project, proposed by local petroleum distributor GRJH Inc., seeks to convert a former office building into eight apartments. Plans call for five one-bedroom apartments, two two-bedroom units and one studio.
At the meeting, mother-and-daughter duo Lauren and Lilly Simons presented on the changes made to plan drawings following the board’s last meeting on July 22. Since the meeting, the owners have agreed to install one EV charging station per the zoning requirements. Additionally, an inspection was done and concluded that the septic tank is not compromised in any way.
Despite these changes, there is still more that must be done in order to finalize the plans.
The town’s zoning law requires that a sidewalk be installed in front of the complex because it is in the boulevard district. However, there currently is no sidewalk along Route 44 to connect to at either edge of the property.
“We really can’t incorporate sidewalks without the rest of the development happening alongside with our budding property,” said Lauren Simons. “Do you want us to put a four foot sidewalk in front of our property going nowhere?”
Without existing sidewalks to connect to, consistency and location are large issues if individuals decide for themselves where and when sidewalks are installed.
“You’re basically saying whoever does it first decides for everybody where it’s gonna be,” said Dale Culver, chairman of the board. “What if the guy that finally starts the sidewalk decides ‘I don’t like their trees so I’m gonna put the sidewalk here,’ and then they are forced to take out those trees. I can see it happening.”
To curb this confusion, the board will draft an addendum for all plans moving forward until grants are found to create a pathway across Kelsey Brook and to install sidewalks on the road. The passage will state that property owners understand that they will be financially responsible for adding sidewalks in accordance with what the town decides in order to ensure consistency.
“Until we have a way for crossing Kelsey Brook, it is ludicrous to talk about putting sidewalks in,” Town Supervisor Chris Kennan said.
There was significant debate on whether or not the complex is required to provide an affordable housing unit. The zoning law states that if a complex has 10 apartments there must be one affordable housing unit. Beyond 10 a rounding system is used, meaning if there are 16 apartments that translates to 1.6 which would then be rounded up, requiring two affordable units. Confusion stemmed from whether or not the rounding applied to properties with fewer than 10 apartments which would then require the Simons to include an affordable unit.
“It’s just common sense to me that the language is crystal clear,” said Board Member Leslie Farhangi. “Less than 10 means no affordable housing unit needed therefore it stops, you don’t even go to the next section to consider rounding.”
The plans also include an office space on the first floor. The board stated that because the complex is not to be used for business purposes, it must be clearly defined that the office will not be rented out and will be used as a leasing office.
The board directed that before the next meeting, GRJH Inc. must present clarified information about the proposed lighting. Additionally, they must add the phrase “on site rental office use” to the plans to specifically define the proposed leasing office.
A public hearing has been set for Aug. 26 on the condition that the outlined changes be made to the plans with submission to the board at least a week before the hearing.
“We don’t want to hold the project up if it is going to create sorely needed units in our town,” Culver said. “But knowing on your end that the details have to be there.”
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Jeff Rosati
Millerton News
Aug 18, 2026
WEST CORNWALL — Jeff Rosati, 72, of West Cornwall, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on August 11, 2026.
Born in New Milford on January 18, 1954, Jeff was the devoted son of the late Kathren Valtrum.
After graduating from New Milford High School, he began his career with Eversource as a meter reader, dedicatedly serving the company for 42 years before retiring in 2014 as Chief Garage Mechanic.
In 1979, during a chance meeting while getting a haircut, Jeff met the love of his life, Bernetta (Marshall). Their love story was one for the record books, sharing a deeply devoted marriage of 45 years.
In 1983, Jeff and Bernetta found their forever home in Cornwall, building a life centered on hard work and quiet kindness.
In his retirement, “Little Jeffy” was happiest being outdoors or in his barn. He loved tinkering on projects, tending to his garden, and caring for his hummingbirds. A treasured friend who was always willing to lend a helping hand, he could often be found happily mowing the lawn or pulled over roadside on his beloved John Deere tractor catching up with neighbors.
Jeff will be profoundly missed by his loving wife, Bernetta; the Marshall family of Crane, Texas; and countless friends across Cornwall who held him dear.
A Graveside Service will be held at North Cornwall Cemetery, Rattlesnake Rd., West Cornwall, CT on Thursday August 20 at 11:00 a.m.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
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William O’Connell
Millerton News
Aug 18, 2026
AMENIA — William (Bill) O’Connell died peacefully surrounded by family at Sharon Hospital on Aug. 12, 2026, due to complications of cancer. Bill was born into a large Irish Catholic family in Bay Shore, New York, on March 3, 1964. After Bill completed kindergarten, the family moved upstate, settling on Depot Hill in Amenia, New York, where he was a lifelong resident. He attended Catholic School at Immaculate Conception, transferring to Webutuck Middle School in the sixth grade. He graduated from Webutuck High School in 1982.
As a child he was an avid (obsessed) fisherman, asking for a new fishing pole every year for his birthday. He was given permission to skip school every opening day of fishing season. He cherished fond memories of growing up as a “Depot Hill Gang” member. He enjoyed playing soccer, basketball, and baseball throughout high school. While hitchhiking home from his job as a lifeguard at the Millerton Town Pool, good looks and charm got him discovered. First as a print model, then as an actor in eleven television commercials and as an extra in a couple of movies. Anyone who knew him at that time was fair game for a ride to the train station or directly into the city for the many auditions he went to. He was a painter by trade, working in partnership with his brother Michael, at O’Connell Painting for many years serving the tri-state area. Bill was adventurous, loved to travel, and spent several months on a walk-a-bout through Australia and New Zealand. Bill was always up for a concert, a Giants game, or picking the freshest berries on the way to a cool fishing spot. He was well known locally at many recreational leagues for indoor soccer, darts, pool, cards, and golf. He was quite a competitor at everything he enjoyed. Bill and Michael organized the annual O’Connell Paint Can Open for many years, with loyal enthusiasts flying in to attend year after year. In the latter years, complications from multiple ailments made his life increasingly difficult, dulling his natural shine. The bright spot of that time was how patient and attentive he was while caring for his mother, Frankie. Being present in her daily life so she could remain at home. This obituary was lovingly composed by his siblings, who loved him dearly.
Bill was predeceased by his parents, John & Evelyn O’Connell, and is survived by his three siblings; Karen Grimaldi (Mark) of Salisbury, Connecticut, Michael O’Connell of Florida, and Kathleen Lacko of Casper, Wyoming; two nieces and three nephews, Connor Washburn (Hannah), Mickaela Grimaldi, Liam Girmaldi, Kenny Lacko, and Marykate Lacko, dozens of cousins, and countless friends who will miss him tremendously.
A graveside service and burial will take place on Thursday, Aug., 20, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Amenia, New York. Rev. Andrew O’Connor will officiate. A reception in Bill’s honor will follow at the Amenia Steakhouse. Memorial contributions may be made to the Amenia Fire Company & Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 166, Amenia, NY 12501. To send an online condolence to the family, flowers to the service or to plant a tree in Bill’s memory please visit www.conklinfuneral.com Arrangements have been entrusted to Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546.
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Joyce Gertrude Cassetta
Millerton News
Aug 18, 2026
MILLBROOK — Joyce Gertrude (Kirstein) Cassetta of Millbrook, 96, passed away peacefully on Monday, Aug. 10 at Maplewood. Joyce was born Sept. 15, 1930, in Ossining New York to Ethel (Travis) and Franz Kirstein. She was the second eldest of 6 children, and the only member of her family to graduate high school. Joyce married Michael A. Cassetta (deceased) of Tarrytown in 1950. Joyce and Mike built their first home in East Irvington where they raised their family. Joyce was an outstanding cook, avid gardener, enjoyed curling and ice skating. Joyce also served over 50 years in the Eastern Star. She is survived by 3 of her 4 children, 3 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. She has one surviving sister, Shirley. Our deepest gratitude to those who cared for her, especially her son Mark. Joyce will be laid to rest at Hillside Cemetery.
Stephen M. Brandt
Millerton News
Aug 18, 2026
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