The Fairfield Public Library is considering offering free, professionally run instructional art programs for older adults – those who are considered a baby boomer and beyond.
According to its website, the library may seek a grant provided there is enough interest in offering such programs for this segment of the population. To get an idea who might be interested, the library is conducting a survey – both online and on paper, the latter being available at the main library on Old Post Road.
The art disciplines considered include the performance arts, collage, drawing, filmmaking, painting, photography, handicrafts, scrapbooking and printmaking. The survey also asks for input on the most desired times of day to offer these programs.
The survey must be completed by July 9. The online survey can be accessed here.

Today’s topic is gardening (what a shock, coming from someone like me, a weekend gardener), past and present.
First is the committee handling the restoration and maintenance of the gardens at the Burr Homestead, perhaps Fairfield’s most important historical structure. The committee recently was given, by the Board of Selectmen, its charge to recommend improvements to the gardens, the work on which began in the mid-1990s. The committee will work with the Department of Public Works, the Historic District Commission, the Fairfield Museum and History Center and the tree warden. Private donations will pay for the work.
I ran into a few of the committee members about a year or so ago at the Fairfield Museum when I was doing research on the Civil War and they were perusing documents and photographs of the Burr mansion. I was intrigued by their work, and am glad to see that they will be pursuing the goal of restoring the gardens at the Burr.
Second is the annual Pride in Our Homes contest, sponsored by the Greater Fairfield Board of Realtors. When I was editor of this newspaper I looked forward to helping promote the contest and organizing the article and accompanying photographs. Reading about and seeing the great lengths some of our neighbors go to beautify their properties is inspirational, especially weekend gardeners like myself who are still learning about how and what to plant and where.
This year’s winners are Tony Pontecorvo (a personal acquaintance), who took the top prize of Home Landscaping, which recognizes his entire property. Tony’s philosophy is simple. He told the Fairfield Citizen, “Basically, I just plant what I like,” and admits that part of his effort to beautify his property is because he dislikes grass.
The other winners are Debbie Rogart, who won in the Curb Appeal category for her front yard, and Ian Parmiter, who won for Outdoor Living.
The winners, including second- and third-place finishers, received gift certificates from Oliver Nurseries, Colonial Gardens and Ganim’s Garden Center.
To get a true picture (and see the photos of their properties) of the effort by these homeowners, read the Fairfield Citizen article.

I’m a hot-weather person. I cannot understand how anyone enjoys the cold days of winter. So I am not exactly worried about the next two days, when the temperatures are going to be in the 90s. But for some others, preventing heat-related illness is a must.
The town’s website has the following tips so we can stay cool during these next few days:
Your best defense against heat-related illness is prevention. Staying cool and making simple changes in your fluid intake, activities, and clothing during hot weather can help you remain safe and healthy. See a list of 6 tips to prevent heat related illness below.
Additional tips on preventing heat-related illness are available on the Center for Disease Control website. You can find tip sheets there like: Extreme Heat Prevention Guide, Hot Weather Tips, Heat Stress in the Elderly, Heat Stress for Workers as well as responses to Frequently Asked Questions.
Here are some basic tips from these guides for staying comfortable and safe in the heat:
1) If possible, stay indoors and stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air-conditioning, go to air-conditioned public places such as libraries, the Senior Center, a mall or the movies. even a few hours in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.
2) Taking a cool shower or bath will help.
3) Drink extra fluids (nonalcoholic) regardless of your activity level. Avoid liquids that contain caffeine, alcohol, or large amounts of sugar- these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Very cold drinks may cause stomach cramps. Do not wait until you’re thirsty to drink. If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on diuretics (water pills) ask your physician how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
4) Dress for the heat: Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. If you have to go outside, wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher.
5) Check regularly on infants and young children, people 65 or older, people who have a mental illness and those who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure as they are at higher risk for heat related illness.
6) Never leave a child, a high risk adult or a pet in an unattended car. Even with the windows down, temperatures inside vehicles can rise rapidly and present a danger.

To accommodate the $108,000 cut to its 2012-13 operating budget, the Fairfield Public Library and the Fairfield Woods branch are altering their hours as of July 1, according to the library’s website.
The new hours for the main library will be Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to allow for commuters and other workers to get to the library before the weekend starts, according to the website. The main library will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday to allow for some programs and evening access to materials, study rooms, the computer lab and reference service. The main library will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday. Also, the main library will be open Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. starting Sept. 16. The branch will be open Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will be closed all Sunday.
“We will do our utmost to provide quality service when we are open and to get the word out that patrons can access online databases, downloadable resources, and put holds on materials when we are closed,” said Town Librarian Karen Ronald on the website.
For more information, visit http://www.fairfieldpubliclibrary.org.

One night a couple of summers ago I was awakened by rustling outside my bedroom window. It was quite loud, and annoying, so I got out of bed to see who or what was making all the racket. The sensor light behind my garage had been triggered so I got a good look at what was standing under the grove of trees. He/she was digging under the leaves and such undoubtedly looking for food. When I appeared in the window, the animal looked up at me and stared for a few seconds. No dog would have had the presence of mind to see me at a second-floor window. It was then I was certain it was a coyote.
I live on a busy street on the east side of town, but wild animals of all sorts have been known to camp out here – turkeys, turtles, raccoons, skunks (regular visitors who like to hide under my deck), deer, woodchucks and fox. It’s a venerable zoo around home some days.
Of all the animal residents and visitors, the coyote disturbed me the most. If my cat were an outdoor one, she surely would have been a meal for the coyote.
This incident came to mind when I read the Fairfield Citizen article about five dogs that are suspected to have been killed by coyotes. The incidents appear to have all occurred in the Mountain Laurel-Galloping Hill road areas.
Animal control officers are asking owners to keep an eye on their pets. “We haven’t had any dogs attacked while they were with human beings. They seem to be going after dogs that are alone,” Animal Control Officer Paul Miller told the Citizen.,
The article described coyotes as resembling a small, lanky German shepherd with wide, pointed ears, a long muzzle, yellow eyes and an uncurled, bushy tail carried low to the ground. They typically weigh between 30 to 50 pounds. That is exactly how my visitor looked.
Miller suggested that cats or dogs not be fed outdoors as coyotes will eat just about anything.
For more information on how to protect your pets or what to do if you come across a coyote, visit www.ct.gov/dep/wildlife.

My grandfather was fond of proclaiming that he was Irish. From my year-long research into my family’s ancestry, I have discovered that, yes, Poppy (as we called him) was indeed Irish as his mother’s side originated from there. But he also was German, on his father’s side. (In case you are curious, Irish and German are small portions of my heritage; the majority of my background is Italian.)
Nonetheless, Poppy was proud of his Irish heritage and would have enjoyed the Fairfield County Irish Festival, an annual event that takes place this weekend – June 15, 16 and 17 at Fairfield University – presented by FEILE.
According to the festival’s website, “From its inception, the Fairfield County Irish Festival has been a huge success and has become the premiere showcase of the best of Irish entertainment, food and a special hospitality that welcomes all who come during the weekend.” You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy.
The three-day weekend features Irish step dancing and music, numerous vendors in the marketplace, and lots of food selections from traditional Irish fare to typical festival kinds.
One of the highlights is the Donnelly Cup Tournament, named in honor of Kim and Tim Donnelly, Fairfield jewelers who were killed in a robbery at their downtown store in 2005. The organizers say on the website, “Kim and Tim Donnelly were an institution at the Fairfield County Irish Festival, vendors of beautiful handcrafted and Irish jewelry … The tournament was conceived as an annual celebration of the lives of two special people who cherished the importance of loved ones and laughter, enjoyed sports and were important to the Irish community.” Teams from Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania compete in the “football” (read, soccer) tournament to secure the coveted trophy.
The festival hours are Friday from 6 to 11 p.m., Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for students with a valid ID, $20 for a three-day pass and free for children under 16 accompanied by their parents.
For more information, visit http://irishfestival.org.

One of the finest and most successful awareness-raising and fundraising events of the year will take place this weekend at Fairfield Ludlowe High School. The American Cancer Society’s annual Fairfield Relay for Life fundraiser steps off at 6 p.m. Saturday and ends at 6 a.m. Sunday.
Hundreds of people in teams participate in this overnight event by camping out and taking turns walking laps around the Ludlowe track. Participants accept donations to walk laps around track.The money raised will go toward research, education and treatment of cancer.
According to news reports, the Fairfield relay has raised more than $2.5 million in its 15 years, and in 2011, about 2,000 people participated. Add to that the spectators and supporters and there were more than 4,000 people.
The opening ceremony takes place Saturday from 6 to 6:30 p.m., followed by a survivor lap and a caregiver lap from 6:30 to 6:45 p.m.; a free survivor reception from 6:30 to 8 p.m.; a luminaria ceremony from 9 to 9:30 p.m., and a fight-back ceremony from 11 to 11:30 p.m. On Sunday, a closing ceremony is planned from 5:45 to 6 a.m.
Additionally, Pantene Beautiful Lengths will collect ponytails, which also can be cut by donors at the salon of their choice in advance or free at this weekend’s relay by Trendsetters Salon.
Even if you are not participating in the event, you still can donate to the cause. To do so by credit card, visit www.relayforlife.org/fairfieldct. To do so by checks, made payable to American Cancer Society, drop them off at the registration table after 3 p.m. Saturday.

I have not received one yet, but many of my fellow residents might be getting a delinquent tax notice from the town. Just in case you have not been paying attention, apparently approximately 7,000 notices were mailed Friday that incorrectly state that those taxpayers owe $2 or less on their accounts. Town officials say a software snafu is to blame and they suggest that the recipients of the erroneous mailing ignore it.
Chief Fiscal Officer Paul Hiller said in a prepared statement, “The town regrets this error and will correct this problem immediately. Any taxpayer who had received this notice will have their account corrected.”
Maybe town officials ought to give a close look at this software to ensure this does not happen again.
For questions or more information, call the tax collector’s office at 203-256-3100.