Port Jefferson was crawling with costumed characters and Christmas spirit on Saturday and Sunday for the 20th annual Charles Dickens Festival.
Residents and visitors took rides on horse-drawn carriages, met Santa Claus, heard music from the 19th century and checked out a puppet parade.
By Talia Amorosano
It’s fall, and you know what that means: Winter is around the corner. And we all know what that means is near — that biting cold that makes you want to wrap yourself up in a warm blanket and enjoy a cup of steaming hot-something in front of a cozy fireplace.
There’s only one problem: You don’t have a fireplace. Or you do, but it doesn’t meet your specific needs. With so many different kinds of fuel, functions and forms, it can be difficult to know which fireplace is the right fit. So if you haven’t already warmed up to the idea of installing a new fireplace in your home, read on to see what each type has to offer.
FUEL OPTIONS
Wood: If you’re into that cozy rustic vibe, a wood-burning fireplace is best at creating the classic woodsy ambiance associated with log cabins and homemade pies. It gives off that “burning wood” smell (sometimes of hickory or maple) literally, and the sound of crackling logs is the perfect accompaniment to a night of board games with friends around the living room table or a quiet evening alone with a book. On the down side, this kind of fireplace takes lots of work to clean, can clog the chimney and create smoke if not maintained correctly, and while it provides heat in a small space, it sucks the warmth out of other areas of the house.
Gas: According to the Hearth, Patio and Barbeque Association, the popularity of gas fireplaces is on the rise, probably because of the balance of ease and efficiency that they strike. Gas fireplaces offer more use options than wood fireplaces do, often featuring blowers, timers and fans, which give the user more complete control. On the other hand, while many gas fireplaces feature realistic-looking logs and embers, they don’t replicate the smoky smell or crackling of a real fire, and the option of using fallen trees as free fuel is lost.
Electric: Like wood fireplaces, electric fireplaces function well as space heaters. However, they don’t emit harmful fumes (such as carbon dioxide from wood and carbon monoxide from gas) into the home. They are easy to use, requiring nothing more than a simple plug-in and switch-on to function and aren’t easily corroded; but they will also lose power if your home does, and if used often, can be costly components of an energy bill. If you don’t have time for something high maintenance but like the aesthetic value that a fireplace brings, an electrically powered fireplace might just be for you.
INSTALLMENT OPTIONS
Wall mounted: These kinds of fireplaces must be attached to a chimney and require major construction if a chimney is not already present. While this can be expensive, it can also add value to a home. They are built into a wall and usually lend themselves to the burning of real wood or gas fuel but can also accommodate electric.
Free standing: Depending on the fuel type, these fireplaces can be attached to a ceiling or completely free standing and can require a vent pipe to act as a chimney. They usually don’t require much construction and have the appearance of large cabinets.
Portable: Perfect for a home built without space for a huge fireplace, portable fireplaces are small, decorative and typically much less expensive than built-in or free-standing fireplaces. However, these fireplaces are more aesthetic than functional, typically not able to heat a large area or space.
By Mary DeMaio
It’s a crisp Friday afternoon in mid-autumn at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. The clock reads 4 p.m. The weekend has finally arrived; an opportunity to take it easy. The cross-country team is off from practice, but the faint whispers of heavy breathing can still be heard from the track. The shadow of only one athlete is present.
Even on his off days, 21-year-old senior Sean Ferguson can be found going that extra mile.
It’s that work ethic which has enabled him to come back from what doctors labeled a career-ending injury two years ago, to becoming one of the top Division 1 runners in the nation this year.
At the end of his winter-season sophomore year, the Smithtown native ran at a championship conference meet and suffered detrimental complications to his heel. He had to stop running altogether and was sidelined for a year, causing him to miss one cross-country and two track seasons.
During his layoff, he visited four doctors, some of whom predicted he would never be able to run again. But Ferguson refused to give up. Finally, in October 2014, after receiving seven injections in his hobbled foot and getting lots of rest, the pain started to subside and he began rehabbing.
He spent a year working with athletic trainers, strengthening the muscles in his heel through rigid resistance exercises every day before he was able to start running competitively again.
“Finding the motivation to keep working despite not knowing if I would ever be able to return again was extremely difficult,” Ferguson said.
But thanks to his mental fortitude, Ferguson overcame his injury and is now better than ever. Most recently, on Oct. 31, Ferguson won the Northeast Conference championship 8,000-meter race, beating out 70 runners.
“Sean is determined, focused and is so humble,” said teammate Trevor Guerrera. “He has broken multiple meet records and still is the most down-to-earth person I know.”
Christian Morrison, Ferguson’s cross-country coach at Sacred Heart said, “Sean has progressed tremendously because he is single-minded about being the best runner he can possibly be, and he’s coachable and easy to work with. He’s tough and isn’t afraid to suffer and push himself during a race to run as fast as possible.”
When Ferguson steps on the line, he said he has four goals: to race well, to run fast, to be competitive and, most importantly, to have fun.
“I just really try to take in the moment and enjoy what I’m doing while I’m still able to do it,” he said.
Ferguson said his mental approach is what gives him an edge on other runners. Fixating on time tends to trip up many runners, he said. They are, what he calls, “slaves to the watch.” Ferguson, however, said he pays more attention to how his body is feeling and focusing on putting his best effort forward.
“Running is mostly a mental sport, you can train as well as anyone but if you don’t truly believe you are the best, you won’t be,” said David Wood, Ferguson’s cross-country coach at St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School in West Islip. “By senior year, Sean believed he could run with anyone even if in reality he couldn’t.”
What Ferguson has long believed has finally become reality.
At the start of his season on Sept. 5, he defeated 60 runners at the Stony Brook University Invitational en route to a first-place finish. He also set his school’s record for the 6K with a time of 18 minutes, 35 seconds; the previous school record was 18:52. It was the fastest that anyone has ever run on that course.
A week later, at the Rhode Island Invitational, he came in first place out of 100 runners, crushing his school’s 5K record, setting a course record and beating every runner on Providence College, highly ranked in the country. Ferguson finished the race in 14:50; the previous school record was 15:28.
The wins and records kept piling up. All together during this year’s cross-country season, Ferguson ran six races, won five of them and set four course records. At the New England championship in Boston he was injured during the middle of the race, but he pulled himself together and just focused on finishing, coming in 23rd place.
Unfortunately, Ferguson was not able to run in the trial race to qualify for the National Championships in Louisville, Ky., because he hurt his calf at practice.
But there’s always next season.
Although slated to graduate this May from Sacred Heart, where he’s studying history and maintains a 3.87 GPA during his first six semesters, finishing with a 4.0 in three of them, Ferguson has one year of college athletic eligibility remaining. Due to his heel injury, Ferguson received a medical waiver from the NCAA that allows him to compete if he chooses to enroll in graduate school. His decision to stay at Sacred Heart or go elsewhere is still up in the air.
For now, he’s focused on training for winter track when the season begins Saturday. He’s expected to be a top competitor in both the 3K and 5K races.
“I have high expectations for myself because I got hurt,” said Ferguson. “The cross-country season didn’t end the way I had hoped and that is something I want to rectify.”
There’s a new spot in Northport for those looking to kick back with a cold one.
Sand City Brewing Co. opened its doors in October as the only brewery in village, with all beers made on-site.
What started off as a hobby for owner Kevin Sihler has became quite the business venture.
“I started home-brewing 10 years ago,” Sihler said in a phone interview. “As soon as I started, I wanted to perfect the craft. It was a hobby I got interested in and then I became infatuated with it and it took over my life — and my house.”
Sihler said his friends, Bill Kiernan and Frank McNally, started helping him back when he was brewing in-house and eventually became partners with him in Sand City Brewing Co.
The brewery is located on Main Street in the village, at a spot that has seen many different tenants, including The Spy Shop and The Inlet, over the past few years. But this did not scare off Sihler at all — if anything, he loves the spot.
“The location is great for a brewery,” Sihler said. “The alleyway off Main Street gives us more seclusion.”
The Centerport-based Blind Bat Brewery was originally looking to set up shop at this space in 2014. However, the owner, Paul Dlugokencky, could not come to terms on the lease with the landlord and left the location.
The tasting room is casual and relaxed, and welcomes both dogs and children.
According to Sihler, about 300 pounds of beer are brewed on any given day. Sihler said he likes to experiment with different styles, and add a unique twist to standard flavors.
Southdown Breakfast Stout, a popular beer, is brewed with coffee, chocolate and oats. Day Drifter Oatmeal IPA is also brewed with oats and is Sihler’s twist on classic India pale ale.
Since opening, Sihler said the tasting room is always crowded
“We are literally selling out of beer before we can brew it,” he said.
Aside from single glass tastings and a flight of five different beers, growlers are also available for purchase.
Sihler, a Northport resident, said he always wanted to set up shop in Northport.
“There’s a quaint feeling in this town,” he said. “The small town environment of getting to know your neighbors — I like that feeling.”
He said Sandy City Brewing Co. is actually named after a local hot spot in Northport, Hobart Beach Park, which many refer to as “Sand City.”
“It portrays the image of a relaxed place that everyone can relate to,” he said.
Sand City Brewing Co. is open Thursdays through Sundays.
Although he is retired, Fred Drewes’ plate is still pretty full.
The former biology and environmental science professor at Suffolk County Community College now has an entire park to tend to.
In 1988, Drewes was granted a sabbatical to do a hamlet study of Mount Sinai. He projected what he would like the community to look like in 25 years and suggested a central locale for a park.
“It was an ‘Ivory Tower’ idea,” he said. “I thought a central park would help bring people together and provide a focal point for community activities. Bonding with neighbors and friends and being refreshed by a park environment.”
With the help of Lori Baldassare, the then Mount Sinai Civic Association president, among other members, the civic purchased a 0.8-acre property with a New York State grant in 1999, and in 2001, Suffolk County purchased the adjoining 17.2 acres with the help of the newly formed Heritage Trust, a nonprofit, of which Baldassare is the president.
“He was very passionate about the community,” Baldassare said of Drewes. “Fred had a vision and he followed through on it.”
Although he was on a bike trip to 44 countries around the world at the time that the piece of property was purchased, Drewes dedicated his trip to the cause, and it was dubbed a Ride for a Park. While in his travels, he frequently wrote letters to a third-grade class and had pieces published to share his story, while also spreading word of the soon-to-be new park and help raise funds.
Not long after his return, in 2003, the park began to be developed, and from there, Drewes’ vision began to come to life.
An adventurer, the 79-year-old Mount Sinai resident traveled by bike, walked and camped on a seven-month backpacking trip around the world, hiked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine and traveled around East Africa and South Africa, even living in Tanzania for two years while teaching at a college there, and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.
“I enjoy experiencing and seeing the landscapes of different places and enjoy those views,” he said. “I also enjoy the interactions that I had with people along the way.”
Those feelings fueled his desire to create similar experiences within his park, he said. Working closely on the landscape, he created a scenic environment and a Heritage Center that houses local activities for families and children.
“On any given day during the week, you probably would find him at the park,” Baldassare said. “You have to look at the park to see; his contributions certainly make a difference at Heritage Park. Without them, it wouldn’t be the same place.”
Bob Koch, of Koch Tree Services in Mount Sinai, said Drewes originally got him involved in working on the landscaping to help amend soil issues with the ground being so compacted that it made it difficult for plants to grow. Koch installed the Christmas tree that’s decorated every year, worked on the Parade of Flags event by planting each state’s tree along the Avenue of America and recently planted some young cherry trees down part of the pathways.
“Most of the things that I’ve done was Fred’s mind-set, and I was the muscle behind it,” Koch said. “It was his ideas and thank God we have him, because he prevented a Home Depot from going there and now it’s a beautiful walking park.”
Along with the Parade of Flags event, Drewes also reads “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to children around the holidays while they eat cookies and sip hot cocoa. He also works with the Boys’ and Girls’ Scouts and local Eagle Scouts with different projects at Heritage.
Koch said Drewes went to a lot of local businesses to get them involved in the park, which helped further integrate the community to its new central location. He planted many native trees like sugar maple, serviceberry, river bitch, dogwood, white pine and red oak and made a smiley face out of daffodils that emerges in the spring.
“I see his eyes light up when it’s filled with people using the park on a summer day,” Koch said. “I think we’re all very fortunate. For me, he was the guy that was instrumental in getting me involved in the park. I love him dearly. I’m appreciative for him getting me involved.”
To show his appreciation, Koch installed a Quercus bicolor tree with a plaque underneath it that reads: “Fred Drewes, a visionary who has tirelessly worked to make this park a reality.”
Drewes said the mission of Heritage Trust is to preserve the flavor of the area’s rural heritage and feels rewarded that people are complimentary and gracious in their comments about the work he’s done to preserve and showcase it.
“We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback — it makes us want to continue our efforts in the park,” he said. “I relish and always enjoy my volunteer work up there because it gives me the opportunity to have a hobby, because I enjoy working on the landscaping that I do there, but also to see people enjoying the park; the walking paths; the landscape; the pass of activity to have quiet moments with family to have kids run around in a free-spirited way,” Drewes said. “I spend a lot of time and effort at the park and I’m gratified that I’m able to do that still at my age.”
By Bob Lipinski
I am absolutely the best holiday shopper and everyone loves my gifts. My secret? I do all my shopping in a liquor store — wine shop, if you prefer — and it takes less than one hour. Forget those long lines, crowded malls and roads that resemble parking lots. I have never had a gift returned because it doesn’t “fit,” it’s the wrong color or size, it’s out of style, or “I already have one of these.”
There are countless holiday gift packs of wine and distilled spirits, some even contain glasses to enjoy the beverage. From cardboard boxes, tins, ribbons, bows and wooden boxes, each is colorfully decorated and makes a great gift. If you’re uncomfortable making a selection or really don’t know that much about wines and spirits, simply ask one of the store’s employees for assistance.
Some of my suggested wines and spirits for the holidays that won’t break your pocketbook are:
Bubbly
Cavicchioli Lambrusco “Vigna del Cristo” (Emilia-Romagna, Italy)
Roederer Estate “Brut” (Anderson Valley, California)
Wines
Ferrari-Carano “Fumé Blanc” (Sonoma, California), white
Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel (Lodi, California), red
Sella & Mosca “Cannonau Riserva” (Sardinia, Italy), red
Nino Negri “Quadrio” (Lombardy, Italy), red
Spirits
Jim Beam “Black Label” Bourbon Whiskey (Kentucky)
Old Forester Bourbon Whiskey (Kentucky)
The Famous Grouse “Blended Scotch Whisky” (Scotland)
Black & White Blended Scotch Whisky (Scotland)
New Amsterdam Vodka (USA)
Svedka Vodka (Sweden)
Now, if you want to go all-out and impress, here are a some more suggestions:
Bubbly
Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill “Brut” (Champagne, France)
Besserat “Blanc de Blancs” (Champagne, France)
Wines
Gundlach-Bundschu “Chardonnay” (Sonoma, California), white
Olivier Leflaive “Puligny-Montrachet” (Burgundy, France), white
Clos du Val “Cabernet Sauvignon” (Napa, California), red
Domaine Alain Burguet “Chambolle-Musigny” (Burgundy, France), red
Zuccardi “Reserva Malbec” (Mendoza, Argentina), red
Spirits
Chivas Regal 18-Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky (Scotland)
Booker’s Straight “Small Batch” Bourbon Whiskey (Kentucky)
Diplomatico Reserva 8-Year old Rum (Venezuela)
Prunier XO Cognac (France)
Also, recently, I had the opportunity to taste a simply delicious rosé wine from Provence, France, which will certainly be part of my holiday celebration. Maison Belle Claire Rosé is salmon-colored, with a luscious bouquet and taste of fresh fruits, cherries, peaches, strawberries, and orange. It is light, dry and refreshing, with plenty of fruit. Serve it chilled as part of your holiday brunch celebration.Now, what do I want as a holiday gift? A bottle of Baker’s, 107 proof, 7-Year-Old Bourbon, and a long straw to keep me happy on a cold winter night.
In the words of the late Clifton Fadiman, an American writer, editor and book reviewer for The New Yorker, “Wine is alive, and when you offer it to your fellow man you are offering him life. That is why there are few better gifts to send than a case or two — or a bottle or two — of wine. It is not that when drinking it, they will recall the donor — if you crave such vulgar satisfactions, it is more efficient to send them a chair with a pair of spurs set in the upholstery. It is that, when drinking it, they will become more conscious of themselves, of their own capacity for joy.”
Bob Lipinski, a local author, has written nine books, including “101: Everything You Need To Know About Whiskey” and “Italian Wine & Cheese Made Simple” (available on Amazon.com). He conducts training seminars on wine, spirits, and food; and is available for speaking engagements. He can be reached at www.boblipinski.com or [email protected].
In February of this year, the Ward Melville girls’ and boys’ fencing team swept the Suffolk County championships for the ninth straight season. The boys extended their match streak to 124 with the win, and although the girls had their 195-game streak snapped last year, will look to start a new one as the girls begin the road to what could be their 14th straight Suffolk County crown.
Five senior fencers were sent off to college last year, with Carly Weber-Levine competing at Stanford University, Ilana Solomon playing for Columbia University, Michael Antipas competing at University of Notre Dame, and Angela Zhang and Michael Skolnick fencing for Cornell University and Vassar College, respectively.
While the girls lost Solomon, the boys team returns her younger brother, Danny, who is a sophomore this year.
The loss of Antipas will be felt heavily, along with Marc Dalrymple and two other seniors, but the Patriots return a slew of underclassmen looking to fill the shoes of those lost.
Antipas was the last of three family members to fence at the school, and his presence will be missed. He, along with his sisters, Demi and Alexa, combined for a 346-2 varsity record.
The girls lost three other seniors along with Weber-Levine to graduation, but this Patriots team also returns a ton of sophomores and a handful of juniors to the lineup.
The season will test what those underclassmen have learned from some of the greats before them, and the teams will be tested when they travel to Newfield on Wednesday, for the first meet of the season, at 5 p.m.
The teams will host Commack the following day, Dec. 10, at 5 p.m., before competing in a tournament at Brentwood on Dec. 12. The tournament is set to begin at 9 a.m.
By Charles J. Morgan
Madison Square Garden’s “A Christmas Carol-The Musical” opened on Saturday, Nov. 21, at Oakdale’s CMPAC. That massive venue unveiled an equally massive cast with electronically fed music, and came up with a tightly executed rendition of that theatrical classic.
Your scribe takes pleasure in discussing Ronald Green III’s costumes. It may appear odd that costume design would appear first in a review, but your scribe was so impressed with Green’s effort, producing as it did a totally authentic representation of Dickensian, mid-Victorian dress.
Green’s attention to detail was seen even in a short vignette of a properly bewigged judge and a uniformed London bobby in Act II. All the cast members were costumed in varying versions of mid-19th century attire; some painstaking research was done here. Authenticity was called for and Green delivered.
The leading role of the penurious, miserly, arrogant opinionated, skinflint Ebenezer Scrooge was played stingingly by Brodie Centuro, no stranger to CMPAC. He accurately depicted the penny-pinching, negative nature of Scrooge, and with skillful “range-ability” revealed the lurking charity in the old codger with notable skill. This is what the craft of acting is all about: to exhibit sincere, believable change.
The principal ghost is that of Scrooge’s old partner Jacob Marley, laden with chains, each link made of bills from his accounting desk, and had Don Dowdell torturing the soul of Scrooge very effectively.
He was followed by three ghosts: Christmas Past-Steve Cottonaro, Present-Kyle Petty and Yet-To-Be-Alison Carella. Cottonaro and Petty were outstanding with Cottonaro all over the boards and Petty in royal garb working with dancers. Carella had the somber, deadly part of pointing to gravestones with guess-who’s name on one of them. Carella did it forcefully and with impact.
Mark Slomowitz played Mr. Fezziwig, the contra-Scrooge. Along with his wife, played by Kaylyn Lewis, he held an annual ball full of merry music and dancing. Theirs was the life-affirming attitude. Slomowitz was his usual adaptable self, as when he played Luther Bilis in South Pacific. Lewis is possessed of a powerful singing voice that reached all the way to Sayille … at least.
The loyal, hard-working Cratchit family had its head, Bob, played by Bobby Peterson, Katie Hoffman as his wife and Skylar Greene, Daniel Belyansky and Jack Dowdell (the lovable Tiny Tim) as his children. This grouping was the very opposite of Scrooge. They even toast him at Christmas dinner.
Fred, Scrooge’s nephew, is handled neatly by Joseph Bebry. He was the link between Scrooge’s loneliness and the family. And he brought it off with palpable accuracy.
The ghosts parade Scrooge through his life. At 8, he’s played by Jack Dowdell; at 12 by Daniel Belyansky and at by 18 Matthew W. Surico. This trio managed to sort out just the right tempo to reveal the evolution of Scrooge from promising young businessman to scolding curmudgeon … not an easy acting-directing task. A lot of children and bit players, with many doubling, rounded out the cast.
Notable was Dana Abruzzo as “Blind Hag,” who delivered a Teresias-like prophecy to Scrooge, biting in its impact.
Choreography was done by Kristen Digilio. She moved the characters around the crowded boards with precision and grace. Set design was by the unstoppable Patrick Grossman, who brought out the 19th Century outdoor setting with the same accuracy that showed his talents with non-naturalistic interiors. Overall direction was by Terry Brennan. Her directorial challenge here was with the enormous size of the cast, yet Brennan surmounted it handily.
Outstanding musical numbers included “Link By Link” by Marly, Scrooge and Ghosts. It was a moral, cautionary tale delivered eerily by the two with ethereal accompaniment. Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim’s duo, “You Mean More to Me,” was a tender ballad with understated pathos. “A Place Called Home” by Scrooge at 18 and in old age with Emily, played by Ashley Beard, was a sort of hymn to unrequited love. The lively, merry Mr. Fezziwig’s Annual Ball was a welcome merry romp.
This production was far from an “annual” seasonal show. It represented the essence of technical and aesthetic prowess only to be expected from the folks at CMPAC.
CM Performing Arts Center, 931 Montauk Highway, Oakdale, will present Madison Square Garden’s “A Christmas Carol” through Dec. 29. Tickets range from $20 to $29. For more information, call 631-218-2810 or visit www.cmpac.com.
By Rabbi Sharon L. Sobel
When I was growing up, Hanukkah was literally a “festival of many lights!” As the oldest of six children, my parents gave each one of us our own chanukiyah. (Note: A menorah is any multibranched candelabra. A chanukiyah is a menorah specifically designated for Hanukkah. It has nine candle holders: one for each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, plus one for the “shammash” — the helper candle that is used to light the other candles.)
Every morning during Hanukkah, each of us would carefully choose which color candles we were going to light that night. My mother placed a table in front of one of our living room windows with all of the chanukiyot (plural form of chanukiyah) circled strategically around. The mitzvah — the commandment — of Hanukkah is to publicize the miracle. Hence the directive to light the candles in a window. My siblings and I loved watching all those candles burn and glow!
I have a collection of many beautiful and unique chanukiyot now. But the one I still use every year on Hanukkah is the one I used growing up, the one I inherited from my mother. It is not beautiful, but it takes me back to my childhood, it reminds me of my mother and helps make me feel as if she is part of my Hanukkah celebration, even though she is no longer alive. That feeling helps the flame of my candles glow even more brightly.
It is no accident that Hanukkah, our festival of lights, occurs during December. These are some of the darkest days/nights of the year: We are approaching the winter solstice. Once again, Hanukkah reminds us that during the darkest time of the year, we human beings have the power to kindle lights against the darkness. We have the power to brighten the lives of others.
For those who celebrate Hanukkah, let me suggest that we can make the flames of our own Hanukkah candles burn even more brightly by dedicating at least one of the nights of our own Hanukkah celebration to a family tzedakah (social justice/charity) project instead of giving gifts to each other. The word tzedakah comes from the root tzedek — which means “justice” and “righteousness.” We don’t simply give tzedakah because it makes us feel good, but rather out of our sense of responsibility to God and to taking care of others in the world around us.
There are a number of different provisions for tzedakah outlined in the Jewish tradition. They all center around one basic principle: No matter what form our tzedakah takes, we must make sure that we never compromise anyone’s dignity, honor or self-respect. In fact, the highest form of tzedakah is when we can help someone to help themselves, so that they will no longer be dependent upon the help of others.
This year, may the light of the Hanukkah candles ignite the spark of justice, passion for human rights and freedom for all.
Chag Urim Sameach! May you have a Happy Festival of Lights!
Rabbi Sharon L. Sobel is the Rabbi at Temple Isaiah in Stony Brook.
By Ellen Barcel
Well, the holidays will be here before you know it. Is there a gardener on your list who’s giving you a hard time? What do you get him or her that you haven’t given already? Of course, there are always gift certificates to your favorite nursery, new gardening shoes or a new tool. Gardening books and subscriptions to gardening magazines are nice, but are you looking for something unique? Different? Here are some ideas that you may not have thought of.
If your gardener has blueberries or other plants that birds love to dine on, consider a crop cage. The ones that I’ve seen range from $60 to $100. The cages are large enough that the gardener can actually walk into them — they even have doors. Made from steel and nylon netting, they protect from not only birds but deer, rabbits and other wildlife.
Smaller varieties, called popups, are lower, just 42 inches high and provide the same protection for smaller plants. Both varieties are green, so they blend in with the rest of the garden but get the job done. These smaller varieties range from about $25 to $70 depending on size. Even smaller varieties of plant protection are just a foot high for even smaller plants like strawberries and lettuce. They cost about $20 each. Another really nice present if you’re gardener is doing battle with Bambi and friends is any one of the various deer repellents available.
Garden decorations are also available. Depending on the taste of your gardener, you could go classical (like Greek statues, sundials, bird baths or bird houses) or whimsical garden art, like statues of birds, colorful glass bottle trees, glass orbs or even glass flowers. One of my favorites is a set of three “flowers” made from old water spigots, painted in bright colors. Another is a flower made from knives, forks and spoons. Stop by your local arts and crafts fairs that flourish in December for a whole variety of garden art.
Being more practical, consider a new composter. I’ve seen one that is a tumbler, basically a barrel on a stand. There’s a side door that allows you to add material to be composted. There’s also a crank on the side that allows the gardener to turn the barrel easily, even every day. This makes the chore of turn over the compost pile really easy. It also speeds up the composting process. Some of these composters boast compost in just eight to 10 weeks. I’ve even seen one brand that has two separate chambers — one for almost ready compost and the second for a new batch you’re just starting.
For the mycologist (an expert in fungi), or just a mushroom lover, consider a mushroom growing kit. Grow the common button or even portobello mushrooms. The grower decides just how big or small their mushrooms are by how long they let them grow. A terrarium or unusual planter keeps greenery growing in the house.
For the lover of butterflies, consider a butterfly house to go along with the beautiful plants that attract them.
If you decide on a new potting bench, make sure you take some measurements first so that it will fit in the appropriate area. If the bench needs some sort of finishing, include a can of paint, stain, etc. and some brushes, perhaps with a promise to help come spring.
And, if your gardener comes in the house complaining of aches and pains from “overdoing” it in the yard, a new heating pad might make you an angel to them.
Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions and/or comments to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.
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