Life in Newtown, CT

This is my backyard in Newtown, CT.  Coming from Long Island, I find it fascinating!  It's an odd shaped yard with wetlands at the end of it (it's a little swampy, but confined to the reeds).  Beyond the reeds is open space that can never be built on.  I think it's 20 acres, my husband thinks it's 50 acres.  Some day, I'll go to Town Hall to find out.

My backyard has a life all its own.  When my dog, Riley (the real estate dog), is outside, I see him in the backyard.  He runs around and checks things out.  What they are, I don't know, but he's very busy checking them out.

We have two feral cats that hang out in our yard.  They look the same, but one is bigger than the other.  Sometimes, they just sit in the yard - other times, they are stalking prey.  They are usually in our yard together, but not close to one another.  Then there is the orange cat.  It used to be in our yard everyday in the later part of the afternoon.  I haven't seen him in awhile.  I hope he's okay.

We have deer in yard.  One morning, I watched a momma deer with her two babies.  The babies were frolicking in the yard.  One went over near the momma who then chased it away.  Ends up that momma was in the tall grasses to the right of my yard.  The other deer was not the momma and she soon left my yard.  The babies went over to their momma and I watched the one nurse.  It was so cool.  Many nights, I come home and there is a whole herd of deer in my yard.  I frequently see them in the open space beyond my yard.  I call them "my deer friends". 

I have seen all sorts of birds in my backyard.  In the morning, the crows are on the ground checking my yard for whatever they eat.  I have seen many types of hawks in the air flying over my home.  They circle and glide around in large circles.  Every once in awhile, I see them swoop to the ground for their prey.  One day, a hawk I was watching circle overhead grabbed its prey in its talons & flew to the top of neighbor's roof.

This summer, baby birds were sitting on the rail of my deck.  I think they were chimney swifts (yes, I have those, too).  The momma bird would fly in with food for her babies, feed one and then leave again.  She did this a few times.  The babies were there for hours.  I didn't see them leave - I assume they flew on their own.  I always wondered.

Just a few days ago, I looked out the kitchen window and saw a woodchuck back by the high reeds.  He was rooting around in the yard back there looking for something to eat.  I thought he was cute.  This was my first sighting of a woodchuck in my yard (I've seen them near my office

I realize that blogging about my backyard might be conceived as being corny or silly, but it's a pretty amazing place.  I love to watch the seasons change and the different animals who pass through it.  My backyard has a life all of its own and I'm glad that it's mine.   

BOB & RICHELLE WARD have this home listed for sale. SOLD 11/7/08 - $440,000

For more information email us!

Bob & Richelle Ward, Realtors, ABR
Prudential Connecticut Realty
www.connecticuthomesforsale.com
(203) 470-9818

Are you thinking of moving to Newtown, CT and would like to know more about the different sections of town?  In this blog entry, we'll give you a brief desciption of each section.  Here we go:

• The Borough - is basically the center of town in Newtown near the flagpole.  Homes in the Borough pay an extra tax (the Borough Tax) and many residents have public water and sewers.
• Dodgingtown - is located along Route 302 and borders Bethel.  It is rumoured that Dodgingtown received its name way because the Bethel tax collector would come to collect taxes and the residents would say they were a part of Newtown.  When the Newtown tax collector came to collect the taxes, the residents would say that they were a part of Bethel.  Essentially, they were dodging the tax collector.
• Hattertown - is located in the Southwest section of Newtown (Hattertown Road will bring you right there).  Hattertown received it's name because hat manufacturing was a big industry in Danbury and Bethel.  Some hatters from Danbury relocated to Hattertown and opend up shop.  The hat business in Newtown didn't last too long, but the name remains.
• Huntingtown - is located in southern Newtown close to Monroe and to the the west of Route 25.  Huntingtown was where the Jewish population in Newtown lived.
• Botsford - is located adjacent to Huntingtown, but on the east side of Route 25.  Botsford is an old Newtown name & I assume it was named for the family.
• Sandy Hook - is a large section of Newtown.  Sandy Hook Center is the "downtown" of Sandy Hook.  Sandy Hook is where the industrial part of town was approximately 100 years ago.  People who lived in Newtown proper considered Sandy Hook to be more of a working class area, as many of the workers lived within walking distance of work.  These two parts of town are now on par with one another.  There are many newer homes in Sandy Hook than in other parts of Newtown.
• Hawleyville - is located near Exit 9 off I-84.  A lot of railway lines used to pass through Hawleyville, but not any more.  There is still rail service through Hawleyville, but now 2-3 trains pass through.  Hawleyville is where the "teaball" was invented.  This later became the teabag.
• Taunton - is located south of Hawleyville - also near Exit 9.  Taunton Lake has non-motorized boats on it.

There were other sections of Newtown, but you rarely hear of them now.  An example is Palestine.  All that is left of Palestine is a road with its name and a schoolhouse.  Cedarhurst is another example.  Cedarhurst is a water community located along Lake Zoar.

We hope this is helpful to you.  If you have any questions about the sections of Newtown, please email us.

Bob & Richelle Ward, Realtors, ABR
Prudential Connecticut Realty
www.connecticuthomesforsale.com
(203) 470-9818

Newtown, like many other small towns in America, holds a Labor Day Parade every year and town residents turn out in droves.  Newtown's parade is a big event and many of the town's residents are a part of it.   I have been both a spectator and a participant in Newtown' Labor Day Parade.

As a spectator, I lined up on Main Street (one of the streets along the parade route) with the thousands of other town residents.  The excitement of waiting for the parade to begin is almost intoxicating.  Everyone is meandering toward their parade positions while happily greeting friends and neighbors along the way.  As you hear the parade coming down Main Street, the excitement continues to build.  All of a sudden, the first group is before you and it's followed by the next group and then the next.  An assortment of local firemen, firetrucks, floats, dogs, horses, the high school band, Scout troops, Shriners in their funny cars, Knights of Columbus and others that I've forgotten to mention pass in front of you for a glorious 2+ hours.

While watching the parade, the majority of my time is spent searching for people I know.  I watch the parade and wave and cheer for those who are walking in the parade and talk to friends who pass by where I'm seated.  I see people that I haven't seen in months and we exchange snippets our lives and what has happened since we last saw one another.

As a parade participant, I have marched twice in the parade - both times with my dog, Riley.  We marched in support of Canine Advocates, a local non-profit that is raising money for the town's new dog pound.  Riley and I arrived to the line-up location and waited for the parade to begin.  Once we begin walking down Main Street, people I know yell out my name and wave to me and I wave back.  Riley walks along the roadside on his leash while people of all ages pet him.  Some people offer him water and treats.  Some people take Riley's photo.  Just about everyone tells me how cute Riley his and ask what breed dog he is.  The first time we marched in the parade, Riley didn't make it to the finish line - this year, he completed the entire parade route!

Whether I have been a parade spectator or a parade participant, I am always tired when the parade is over.  This year, Riley and I went home and took a long nap when we were done. 

The next day at the office, the parade is the BIG topic of conversation.  We all talk about who we saw at the parade.  Some talk of parades in the past and some are already planning for the next parade.  Newtown's Labor Day Parade is an event that brings the town together for a few hours of enjoyment.  I'm already looking forward to next year's parade.