It’s Only Natural
Spring amphibians: they slither, they hop, they are small and slimy, and they are important to Norfolk’s ecosystem By Susannah Wood We’d been watching the weather, and Monday night, April 7, looked like it might be good—about 40 degrees and wet. Wiley and I set off at 10 p.m. with flashlights and rain gear. The […]
The Botelle Beat
By Ann DeCerbo After 12 years of service, Botelle superintendent George Counter will retire at the end of the 2013/14 school year. Although he resides in Thomaston, CT, Counter is often seen at Norfolk town meetings and events. He affectionately refers to Botelle as the “civic center of Norfolk” and has worked to strengthen connections […]
Eye on Town Government
By Wiley Wood At the Board of Selectmen’s regular meeting on April 1, 2014, a letter from a Norfolk resident prompted a discussion of crime prevention. First Selectman Sue Dyer had investigated the possibility of hiring a constable to help the resident trooper with his duties. Her research revealed that the town would have to […]
Norfolk’s February Weather
Eighth Snowiest on Record By Russell Russ Old Man Winter made his presence known in December, established himself in January and decided to stick around through February. No temperature records were broken, but it was a cold month. And then there was the snow. Again not record shattering, just regular and steady snowfalls […]
The Botelle Beat
Team Activities and Spirit Week Make for a Lively and Busy Month By Ann DeCerbo The last month has been busy at Botelle School. Among the highlights was a visit from Mallory Bagwell, Ph.D., who led Botelle students in a geodesic dome workshop. The event, which relied heavily on cooperation and clear communication, […]
The Botelle Beat
Community Volunteers and a Winter Concert Enliven Winter Term By Ann DeCerbo On Wednesday, February 5, Botelle School participated in the statewide Read Aloud Day. An annual event sponsored by the NW Connecticut Chamber of Commerce, Read Aloud Day stresses the importance of reading to elementary school students. Botelle Curriculum Coordinator Rachel Incillo recruited […]
Norfolk’s January Weather
Good Old-Fashioned Winter By Russell Russ In 2014 the weather station began its eighty-third year of continuous weather observation and the year started off with Old Man Winter showing us what he’s made of. January is on average our coldest and snowiest month, and it was true to form this year. Three days this […]
Face Plant!
The wing span of 36 inches and the absence of ear tufts suggest that the owl that made this impression in the snow was a barred owl (Strix varia). They feed on rodents, which they take from the air, mostly at night, seizing them with their powerful talons. The photograph was taken with an iPhone […]
Winter Birds
By Lindsey Pizzica Rotolo Most of us, at one point or another, question why we stay in the Icebox of Connecticut throughout the winter months, but do you ever wonder why the birds do? When observing a little black-capped chickadee chipping away at a backyard feeder with four inches of snow on it, do you […]
Norfolk’s December Weather and a Yearly Summary for 2013
Fairly average December closes out fairly average year By Russell Russ Up to the third week of the month it looked like we would have a colder than average December. A few warm days just before Christmas, including two back to back record warm days, changed all that. The high of 59 degrees on December […]
