By: Maria Moore

“Have you ever hula’d with a farmer?” Joanne Dahill of the New Hartford Farmers’ Market asked in her teaser email this past Thursday. And Friday afternoon, August 27 we found out the answer. Here’s many who hula’d with the farmers ~ and a couple of others who enjoyed the show…

Here are the ones who hula’d at the Farmers’ Market:

"On your mark..." Joanne Dahill starts off the hula contest on the Green at Chapin Park during Friday afternoon's Farmers' Market. Photo: Maria Moore

Joanne Dahill hulas with the kids at the Farmers' Market on Friday afternoon, August 27. Photo: Maria Mooreore

How many hulas can you hula with? This young man asks... Photo: Maria Moore

"How'd they do that?" This young lady seems to wonder... Photo: Maria Moore

Making it look oh, so easy! Photo: Maria Moore

If you're Mary, it IS easy! Photo: Maria Moore

He's thinking about trying to hula... Photo: Maria Moore

The youngest hula hooper almost gets it right. Photo: Maria Moore

A cool dad, Shawn Zenuh joins in the action. Photo: Maria Moore

A cool mom/vendor hears the call... Maria Moore

... and takes on her daughter with the hula. Photo: Maria Moore

Awarding the gift certificate to Blue Sky Foods. Photo: Maria Moore

Is it fun to hula? Photo: Maria Moore

Three young ladies having fun. Photo: Maria Moore

What hula hoops are all about! Photo: Maria Moore

And here’s a few who didn’t hula with our farmers

From left to right, the New Hartford Fire Department crew, the volunteers at the Bakerville Library booth, the young book aficionada and the young man petting the dog all didin't hula. Photo: Maria Moore

Luke Alibozek entertains his audience including the young man at the Passiflora stand who listening appreciatively to the music. Photo: Maria Moore

From left to right, Cara and mom Anita at the Barden Farm Stand were not seen with a hula; nor were Aaron Evans-Janes and Bob Moore who were too engrossed in "techie talk" and other shoppers at the market. Photo: Maria Moore

Dianne Litchfield takes a break from the Bakerville Library stand to chat with Dan LaPlante.

Antique Truck & Fire Engine In HDR

HDR photography is a combination of multiple exposures that once combined, reveal the highest highlights and deepest shadows resulting in an image that exposes even the minutest detail. That outcome is then processed even further to create a highly illustrative result which may be tweaked to soften or emphasize the final look. Although it is possible that variations of this effect may be obtained with one to three images, a true HDR image is comprised of five exposures. GeminEye Image utilizes five frames for the full HDR effect. HDR imagery is not just for cars… homes, flowers, architecture, and landscapes all make for good HDR subjects.

Susan Wacht of GeminEye Images will be showcasing her HDR images on Sunday, July 11th, exhibiting at the 9th Annual Charity Benefit Car Show in Simsbury on Iron Horse Boulevard from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The show is being presented by The Valley Collector Car Club, Inc. and draws show cars and spectators from all over Connecticut, Western Massachusetts and New York. In 2009, 427 cars were on display and the event drew more than 2100 spectators. Numerous local charitable organizations were the recipients of monies from this annual event.             ……………………………….Photography/Text: Susan Wacht, GeminEye Images

About the images: Both images are HDR (High Dynamic Range) images The first image, that of the yellow truck is from the same series of HDR images for which Susan received a “Best in Show” distinction in the “Art EI” (Art Tech/Electronic Imaging) Category at Connecticut Professional Photographers Association (CPPA) back on April 26th at the quarterly print competition. That category is for images that have been significantly changed from the original(s) using computer manipulation. The second image is an HDR image of the old Pine Meadow Fire Engine which was sold about 18 months ago.

For more information about GeminEye Images, please visit the GeminEye Images website.

To learn more about the Valley Collector Car Club and the 9th Annual Charity Benefit Car Show on July 11, please visit the Valley Collector Car Club’s website.

By: Maria Moore

This past Sunday, a beautiful spring day like today, residents gathered behind Town Hall to take part in the rescheduled Earth Weekend Spring Cleanup.  With the sun starting to break through the clouds, the group was welcomed by Madeline McClave of the Land Trust and Alison Murdoch of the Conservation Commission.

One of the youngest participants takes a break to swing on a vine

Participants were instructed on how to identify invasive plants they would encounter during the cleanup and how to best remove them, and then they dispersed to join the work group of their choice.   Some joined Paul Mahoney of the Conservation Commission and drove out to Steele Road to maintain the Jones Mountain trail;  others joined Dan Eddy of the Rec Commission and walked over the 219 bridge to work on Callahan Park; while those remaining worked their way along the river front up to Riverview Park across from the Post Office on Route 44.

Participants worked steadily cleaning up their chosen spot and they filled multiple bags with trash and the bed of a dump truck with brush.  And just as importantly, they built friendships and strengthened existing ones as they helped each other identify an invasive, or cut down a large vine, or carry a huge pile of brush they had just cut.  On just such a day as today, last Sunday, May 16, those who gathered behind Town Hall to work on tending our environment, came away with something very special: the feeling of having been part of a group that tended our environment, as it cared for members of our community.

Many Thanks: To each of the wonderful volunteers who made this cleanup such a special event to be part of!

Many Thanks: To the members of the New Hartford Land Trust and the Conservation Commission for bringing our community together for this 10th Annual Earth Weekend Clean Up.

Many Thanks: To the local businesses and organizations which helped support the Cleanup (in alphabetical order): Foothills Delery, Hoffmann Hardware, NewHartfordPlus, Radwick’s Coffee Shop, Renaissance Farms, …

A small group waiting for the cleanup to begin. Photo: Bob Moore

A work group along the banks of the Farmington River. Photo: Maria Moore

Madeline McClave points out invasives to an Honors student from Northwestern Regional #7. Photo: Maria Moore

A group working along the path next to the river. Photo: Maria Moore

One of the Regional #7 Honors students brings in a pile of brush while Madeline McClave gets some trash bags for volunteers. Photo: Maria Moore

Is it an invasive or not? Eloise Farmer, a retired science teacher, consults her manual to help identify a plant for Tammy Casey. Photo: Maria Moore

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By: Maria Moore

Passiflora Cafe opened up a little earlier than usual this past Tuesday morning ~ especially to welcome members of the New Hartford Business Council (NHBC) for a Morning Mingler. And what a treat it turned out to be! Beginning at 7:45 a.m. until well after 9:00 a.m. local business owners and others from neighboring towns networked with each other and caught up on the latest news while enjoying the delicious food set out for them by Karen Tyson, owner of Passiflora.  Shortly after 9 a.m. a group of business owners headed over to the Town Hall for a special meeting on the proposed zoning regulations, leaving their colleagues to continue mingling…

Reminder: It’s A Jungle Out There! Please sign up for the NHBC Jungle Safari Year-End Gathering on Wednesday, June 2. RSVP by May 22 (today!) to nhbusinesscouncil@yahoo.com.

Many Thanks: To Karen Tyson for her warm welcome of her fellow business owners to Passiflora’s. No wonder that Passiflora’s was just chosen as the ‘Best Community Meeting Place’ by Yankee Magazine.  Congratulations, Karen for a well-deserved distinction!

Many Thanks: To Phil Worley, Executive Director of the Canton Chamber of Commerce and member of the New Hartford Business Council Board of Directors for providing us with photos of the Morning Mingler at Passiflora.

To see more photos of this Morning Mingler:  Please visit the NHBC Facebook page.

Karen Tyson, owner of Passiflora with (from left to right) Bart Baxter (Barnum Financial Group and Co-President of the NHBC), Mike D'Apice (Money-Mindfulness Coach and Membership Chair of Canton Chamber of Commerce), and Paul Amenta (Little Brook Engraving). Photo: Phil Worley

Gardner Graves (Realty Works) with Susan Wacht (GeminEye Images) and Ron Miller (Ace Marketing). Photo: Phil Worley

Allison Bannerman (New Hartford Wine and Beverage) talks with Dawn Whalen (in center, COMPUTER EXPLORERS and Co-President of NHBC) and Phyllis Webb (on left, Magic Fluke Company) while seated in front Peg Budny (Peggy's Personalized Promos) talks with Deb Kuszaj and a third person. Photo: Phil Worley

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By: Maria Moore

Saturday, April 24 was a perfect day for Opening Day for Youth Sports at Brown’s Corner: brilliant sunshine with just a touch of chill to the air. Our photographer arrived a few minutes after the close of the opening ceremonies, but she wandered around, snapping photos of the young players and their accompanying fans: parents, grandparents and even several great-grandparents. Following are some of her photos.

If you have photos you would like us to include in this photocolumn, please email them to Maria at newhartfordplus@gmail.com. If you have video please email us and we’ll arrange to pick it up from you.

A young player hits the ball on Saturday, April 24. Photo: Maria Moore

The action on the field on Saturday, April 24. Photo: Maria Moore

For more photos, please see page 2

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