MILLBROOK — For many children, one of their first times picking up a book all on their own is at their local library. And much of what they learn through their young lives, and what they see and hear at their library, becomes the basis throughout their academic careers. That includes everything from socialization to learning about a wide variety of subjects to participating in fun hands-on activities.
The Millbrook Library has long offered a varied and exciting array of programs for local youth. This year, after more than two year of COVID-19 programming that was drastically restricted, is library was able to re-institute a lot of its fan favorites and start up some new offerings, many in person.
After a few years at the library, the popular Children’s Literacy Coordinator Miss Abbey is now gone. She left to pursue other goals, but has young library patrons are in the very capable hands of Kate Anderson, the new children’s literacy coordinator.
With a wide smile and evident enthusiasm, Anderson is a perfect fit in the library’s Children’s Room, said Milbrook Library Director Courtney Tshalis. Building on programs already in place, Anderson is taking on the storytelling role, encouraging budding friendships and directing arts and crafts for little fingers and eager minds.
Anderson said she is excited about the job she started July 5. She recently made the switch from nearby Merritt Books and Toys in the village, just a few blocks away.
“I am honored to be joining the Millbrook Library as the children’s literacy coordinator, and am eager to connect with children and families in our community,” she said, “to both enjoy time together and to learn how best be of service. Please stop in.”
She added she’s enjoying the new role; she has plenty of hands-on experience already as a mom of two. She home-schooled one of her children for a time and worked extensively in a day care, in summer camps and has also done dome nursing, so clearly has a nurturing side to her.
While Anderson said she thoroughly enjoyed working at Merritt and misses the bookstore, she is exciting to be working at the library.
Merritt owner Kira Wisner was also sad to see Anderson leave, but happy for her, too.
“You made the right choice,” Wisner said she told her. “You’ll be great at it.”
Anderson said she’s still “getting the lay of the land” at the library and looks forward to meeting all of the library’s patrons — young and young at heart.
While her own taste in reading leans toward the eclectic, enjoying fantasy and enjoys audio books, she enjoys reading to children. And there are so many other activities to offer at the library, like a bank of computers available for children to use, thanks to a recent grant. There are also plenty of toys, like large stuffed turtles and a stuffed Labrador. Of course, lots of books and tapes for budding minds, and fun events like movie nights.
“I’m very excited to have Kate join our library team,” said Tshalis. “Even though she has only just started, I know that her creativity and kindness will be a wonderful asset to the children in our community.”
For details, go to www.millbrooklibrary.org or call 845-677-3611.
Jack Sheedy
Kelly and Bob McCarthy under the deliberately misspelled sign at their Kelly’s Kitchen Take 2.
The ornate wooden sign is deliberately misspelled: “Apathecary.”
It greets visitors as soon as they walk into Kelly’s Kitchen Take 2 in Colebrook, described on the store’s website as “a charming sanctuary where time-honored traditions meet artisanal craftsmanship.” Co-founder Kelly McCarthy said, “I work with energy, and I’m all about the herbal tinctures and working with naturopaths and more natural medicine.” She said the misspelled sign is meant to denote a section of the store as “a path to wellness.”
In that section are consigned products by local artisans, including decorative cutting boards, CBD sprays, herbal candles, honeybee pollen, pet shampoos, loose-leaf teas, jalapeno jams, greeting cards, handcrafted hats, inspirational photos and natural bar soaps.
Most of the artisans are based in Connecticut. All are from New England or the Hudson River Valley, McCarthy said.
Her husband and the store’s co-founder, Bob McCarthy, shepherds another aspect of Kelly’s Kitchen Take 2: prepared grab-and-go foods. And speaking of shepherds, one of his most popular dishes is shepherd’s pie, that classic comfort food made with ground beef, vegetables, potatoes, butter and cream. If it or another menu item is sold out, Bob can often prepare more while customers wait.
In coolers and freezers are soups, chowders, stews, casseroles, chicken pot pies, homemade sauces and spreads, desserts and fresh-baked breads.
Bob declined to name any one dish as his specialty. “My specialty is food made from scratch that tastes good,” he said. He boasts more than 40 years as a foodie, having apprenticed with an Austrian master chef before working at Farmington Woods Country Club and Beefsteak Charlie’s. He opened Lily’s of the Valley Restaurant in Simsbury, where he met Kelly, who was a server there.
As the name implies, Kelly’s Kitchen Take 2 is a reboot of their popular restaurant, Kelly’s Kitchen, which operated in Winsted from 2004 to 2015. When their lease ended, Bob became the chef at Bantam Market, preparing foods for the deli section. Kelly used her professional marketing experience to expand her holistic practice, working with people to educate and nourish them spiritually, she said.
When the building they now occupy recently came on the market, they saw it as an opportunity for a turnkey retirement business where they could combine their two areas of expertise. The location previously was home to Spice320, which also featured prepared foods and had a working kitchen and space for cooling, freezing and displaying foods.
As a destination for freshly prepared foods, it is a rare oasis, according to a young couple who identified themselves only as Maya and Rob. “I checked it online, and the reviews were so good that I was like, ‘I gotta go and check it out,’” Maya said.
Another customer, a woman from the Berkshires, said she and her husband come to Winsted once a week to shop. She first tried shopping at Kelly’s on a Tuesday, then on a Wednesday, but was disappointed to learn the store was closed on those days. “Now we have to change our shopping day to Thursday,” she said.
“People don’t need to retire,” Kelly said. “Stop looking at retiring from life, and instead, what can you still bring to the table? There’s so much magic within each one of us.”
Kelly’s Kitchen Take 2 is at 320 Colebrook River Road in Colebrook. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information, visit kktake2.com or call 860-379-7927.
Millerton News
Artists Yael Meridan Schori and Talya Baharal at Mad Rose Gallery’s preview of Stissing Center’s Art Auction.
The upstairs room at Mad Rose Gallery in Millerton was filled with paintings, photographs, drawings, sculpture and ceramics on Saturday, May 30, as artists, collectors and supporters gathered for a reception previewing Stissing Center’s 2nd Annual Art Auction Fundraiser.
The exhibition offers an early look at nearly 60 works donated by artists from the Hudson Valley and beyond, all to benefit Stissing Center’s year-round programming, including music, theater, dance, film, children’s events and community gatherings. The auction itself will take place at Stissing Center in Pine Plains on June 13 from 5 to 7 p.m.
The preview showcased a wide range of artistic styles and media, from Leora Armstrong’s atmospheric “Shape of Water XII” to Talya Baharal’s richly layered mixed-media painting “Shifting Boundaries.” Visitors also viewed works by internationally recognized artists including installation pioneer Judy Pfaff, photographer Ray Mortenson, painter Kit White and glass sculptor Natalie Tyler.
Several pieces reflect the Hudson Valley’s enduring influence on artists, including Shane Neufeld’s landscape “View Towards Stissing from Hill Top Road” and Brett McCormack’s pastoral “Orchard.” Other highlights included a wood-fired ceramic vessel by Paul Chaleff, dark and surreal drawings by Bob Dob, John Greene’s layered surfaces, Eadweard Muybridge inspired “Climberscape” by Gail Rothschild and photographs by Kerry Madigan, founder of Mad Rose Gallery.
The fundraiser is organized by an auction committee chaired by Neal Rosenthal of Mad Rose Gallery and including Jack Banning, Didi Barrett, Gwen Greene, Yael Meridan Schori, L. Parker Stephenson, Dorit Straus, Natalie Tyler and Douglas Walla.
“We love creating opportunities for people to connect through the arts,” said Patrick Trettenero, executive director of Stissing Center. “This event is a celebration of great art, generous artists and collectors, and a community that values creativity. We’re thrilled to partner with Mad Rose Gallery for an evening that supports the programs that bring people together at Stissing Center all year long.”
The preview exhibition will be on view at Mad Rose Gallery ahead of the June 13 auction. Mad Rose is open Thursday-Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m. Proceeds will support Stissing Center’s cultural programming throughout the year. For more information, contact Amy Jelenko, director of advancement, at advancement@thestissingcenter.org.
Bobby Graham & Matthew Marden
Bobby’s chicken enchiladas
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.
We share a love of Mexican food, and these chicken enchiladas have become a favorite at our table. Creamy, comforting and reliably crowd-pleasing, they’re equally at home on a busy weeknight or at a casual gathering with friends. The creamy chicken filling, green chilies and generous layer of melted cheese make it the sort of dish that disappears quickly and is requested often.Best of all, the dish can be assembled a day ahead and baked just before serving, making it a welcome option when you’d rather spend time with guests than in the kitchen.
Adapted from Courtney’s Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Sallier’s Seasonings, Imperial Calcasieu Museum, Lake Charles, Louisiana
Ingredients
•12 small corn tortillas
•2 cans enchilada sauce
•1 (8-ounce) can tomato paste
•1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
•1 onion, halved
•1 tablespoon whole peppercorns (optional)
•1 teaspoon salt
•2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
•1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
•4 (4-ounce) cans diced green chilies
•1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
•1 pound shredded Monterey Jack-Cheddar cheese blend
Equipment
•9-by-12-inch casserole dish
Preparation
•Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Add the onion cut in half, salt and peppercorns, if using. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 18 to 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let cool slightly, then chop or shred.
Tip: Strain and freeze the cooking liquid to use later as homemade chicken stock.
•In a medium bowl, combine the enchilada sauce, tomato paste and Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning. Stiruntil smooth.
•Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
•Arrange the tortillas on a baking sheet and warm them in the oven for a few minutes. This helps prevent cracking when they are rolled.
•In a large bowl, combine the chicken, sour cream, green chilies and jalapeño. Stir until evenly mixed.
•Dip each tortilla into the enchilada sauce, coating both sides. Spoon some of the chicken mixture into the center, roll tightly and place seam-side down in the casserole dish.
•Repeat with the remaining tortillas, arranging them snugly in the dish. If any filling remains, spread it evenly over the top.
•Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle generously with the cheese.
•Bake uncovered until hot and bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly golden, 30 to 35 minutes.
•Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with shredded lettuce and tortilla chips, if desired.
Make-Ahead Tip
Assemble the enchiladas up to 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate, then bake just before serving.
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Patricia Platt
The Yale Norfolk summer art program hosts open community drawing classes on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings.
For more than 80 years, the Ellen Battell Stoeckel Trust has endowed Yale University’s summer music and art programs in Norfolk. The renowned Yale Norfolk School of Art opened the 2026 summer season May 23, sharing its final week with Yale’s new music workshop. The art school is held in the historic Alfredo Taylor-designed Art Barn, located on a trail behind the 70-acre estate’s Whitehouse on the village green.
“Yale Norfolk brings together a diverse group of students who have demonstrated passion in artmaking and are exemplary community members,” explained the program’s co-director, Lisa Sigal. The student body is composed of 26 rising college seniors selected from more than 200 applicants. Participants come from across the country and from a growing number of international locations.Students live in dormitories on the estate alongside faculty and staff.
The faculty includes co-directors Sigal and Byron Kim, who will lead seminars with Yale professor Ayham Ghraowi and four teaching fellows.
“We cultivate the next generation of artists by providing immersive, community-driven residencies,” Sigal said. “It ends up being six transformative weeks.Students leave with a deepened creative practice and lifelong friendships. Teaching fellows leave knowing how to structure a class and inspire young artists. And everyone leaves the estate in tears.”
The public is invited to view student work during Open Studios at the Art Barn on June 28 from 1 to 6 p.m.
Each summer, students create a series of community art installations around Norfolk. Six to eight proposals are selected and then presented to the town’s selectmen for approval. Some projects are installed during the last weekend of June, others remain for weeks, and a few have earned permanent places in the Norfolk landscape.
This summer’s theme, “Seeing Through,” draws inspiration from the French philosopher Édouard Glissant, who wrote about opacity and its inverse, transparency, observing that “The opaque is not the obscure; rather, it is that which cannot be reduced.”
Visiting fellows and faculty will present free lectures exploring the theme over five Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. in the Art Barn. For a schedule of speakers, visit norfolkart.yale.edu
The art program also offers free community drawing classes throughout the summer. These began Saturday, May 30, and continue through the end of the music program on Aug. 23. The classes focus on life drawing with a live model. Drawing materials and paper are provided, and participants of all experience levels are welcome. Classes meet on the second floor of the Art Barn on Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon.
In addition to the Ellen Battell Stoeckel Trust, the Yale Norfolk School of Art is supported by the Yale School of Art, the Norfolk Hub, the Battell Arts Foundation and the Low Road Foundation. For more information, visit norfolkart.yale.edu.
Debra A. Aleksinas
Herbaceous peonies in full bloom.
At Salisbury Garden Center, potted peonies are beginning their brief but anticipated spring performance — heavy blossoms unfolding in shades of soft pink, crimson, magenta and white. Soon, the flowers will fill the air with fragrance as Northwest Corner gardeners admire the blooms many wait all year to see.
“We’re all a sucker for a peony plant,” Garden Center staff member Irene Cmuchowski said with a laugh, describing the enduring appeal of the flower’s oversized blooms, lush texture and unmistakable scent.
Despite changing gardening trends, peonies remain a longtime favorite in the region,
she said, not only for their beauty but for the emotional connection they often carry.
“People have them for decades, handed down from their parents and grandparents,” Cmuchowski said. In a sense, they become living heirlooms, she noted.
Under optimal conditions, peonies bloom for only about three weeks, leaving the delicate flowers vulnerable to torrential downpours, extreme heat or drought.
The Garden Center carries both traditional herbaceous peonies and woody peonies, also known as Chinese tree peonies, in colors ranging from delicate pinks and whites to deep reds and vivid magentas.
For centuries, Chinese tree peonies have occupied a celebrated place in Chinese culture, art and garden design. Often depicted in paintings, silk embroidery and poetry, the flowers became symbols of prosperity, beauty, nobility and honor. Their lavish blossoms — sometimes reaching nearly dinner-plate size — earned them the title “King of Flowers.”
Unlike herbaceous peonies, which die back to the ground each winter, tree peonies are woody shrubs that can live for generations, producing increasingly spectacular blooms as they mature.
Dan Furman of Cricket Hill Garden in Thomaston, Connecticut, a 7-acre specialty plant nursery known for its rare and unusual peonies, said tree peonies have long stood at the center of classical Chinese spring gardens.
“There are five flowering plants of the classical Chinese garden,” Furman explained. “Plum blossom in winter, tree peonies in spring, lotus in summer and chrysanthemum in the autumn. Of these, tree peonies certainly have the most impressive flowers.”
For Furman, the fascination with Chinese tree peonies runs much deeper than horticulture alone.
His parents, Kasha and David, established Cricket Hill Garden in 1989 and earned a reputation as being the most respected growers of Chinese tree peonies in the country.
“What first drew my family to Chinese tree peonies was their centuries-long cultivation
history,” Furman said. “There is a lot of culture there beyond just the horticultural.”
“Tree peony is a misnomer,” he added. “A better name would be woody peonies.”
The plants are deciduous shrubs that typically grow about 3 feet tall and wide, returning each year from permanent woody stems rather than dying back to the ground.
At Cricket Hill, enthusiasts travel from across the country seeking unusual and historic varieties prized for enormous blooms, nuanced fragrance and painterly colors.
Yet despite their reputation for elegance and rarity, peonies remain deeply personal flowers for many Northwest Corner gardeners — reminders of old homesteads, family gardens and spring traditions passed down through generations.
Their bloom may be fleeting, Cmuchowski noted, but their emotional hold endures.
“People wait all year for them.”
Millerton News
Pianist Benjamin Hochman joins principal players from the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for Music Mountain Summer Festival’s opening Benefit Concert and Reception on June 7 at 3 p.m. The program features works by Bach, Brahms and Fauré. Concerts at Music Mountain are in Gordon Hall, at 225 Music Mountain Road, in Falls Village. Tickets are now on sale, online at musicmountain.org or by calling the Box Office at (860) 824-7126.
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