The Graduate

 I was in Providence yesterday for an event honoring a legendary professor who has served the university for 65 -- yes, 65! -- years.  That gave me time to walk around and see things I hadn't seen recently as well as new things and old things I had never noticed when I was there.

Walking past the Economics building where I spent many hours, a graduate and her mother were taking pictures.  I volunteered to take some photos on her phone and then asked if I could take one on mine.  She just picked up her doctorate in Economics and is moving to teach at University College Dublin.

St. Mary's Church

 

While I was in Stamford, Connecticut, I passed this beautiful Catholic church.  I had to stop for a moment.  

The bright light against the facade and the rich blue skies showed the church perfectly.  Unfortunately, I was in a hurry so I couldn't take the time to go inside.

Chelsea Piers Connecticut

 I was in Stamford, Connecticut, recently to watch a granddaughter in a swimming meet.  It was held at Chelsea Piers Connecticut, a simply massive sports facility.  CPC has a huge indoor Olympic swimming pool, two hockey rinks, a soccer field, a climbing wall, multiple gymnastic facilities, etc., etc.

Macedonia Church

 Macedonia Church occupies a prominent location on West Avenue in Norwalk.  It is a large and striking yellow brick and white marble building.  Originally a Methodist church, it was built in 1897 - 1898.  The building had, unfortunately, been largely neglected with little or no preventive maintenance for decades.

In 2013 - 2014 the Norwalk Preservation Trust took steps to raise awareness about the building's condition.  In 2014 Macedonia Church bought the building and has since then worked to raise the funds to restore it.  Macedonia Church is a nondenominational congregation led by Black evangelical preachers.

One stained glass window was designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany.  Another bears the likeness of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism.  Unfortunately, the church was closed when I passed by, so I was unable to get inside to see them.

Episcopal Church

The Wilton Planning and Zoning Commission has approved a developer's plan to convert an abandoned Episcopal church into ten residential units.

It is an attractive old structure on a promontory above U.S. Route 7.  The units are planned to be homes ranging from three to five bedrooms and between roughly 1,900 and 3,600 square feet.

I am glad that the church will be redeveloped into useful residences.  Too often old structures like this abandoned church are just torn down.

Mental Health Awareness Month

 This field of green and white pinwheels is on a grass plot at the front of the Wilton library.  The 290 green pinwheels represent the number of calls in 2025 to the Wilton mental health crisis line. 

The 435 white pinwheels represent the 3 in 5 Wilton residents thought to be suffering from mental health challenges who did not reach out for help.  Wow!

Danica

 Danica is Connecticut's urban and community forestry coordinator.  She came to Ridgefield last Saturday to talk with the Ridgefield Tree Committee and other interested residents about the health of urban trees in Connecticut and ways to improve tree health.

Danica has a Ph.D. from Yale's School of the Environment.  She has previously worked in rural Maine, and big cities like Philadelphia and Manhattan.  Now she has statewide responsibilities in Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Ridgefield is one of 23 Tree Cities in Connecticut.  From Danica's perspective, tree health is as much about people as trees.  People planting the right trees, pruning them wisely, watering them when needed, etc.  And, more governmental and private investment in tree research is needed.