Information:

Mamaroneck

New Rochelle

Rye

Rye Brook

Rye Neck

Scarsdale

White Plains

for those not listed above:

Ardsley | Bedford | Briarcliff Manor | Bronxville | Byram Hills | Chappaqua | Croton-Harmon | Dobbs Ferry | Eastchester | Edgemont | Elmsford | Greenburgh 7 | Harrison | Hastings | Hendrick Hudson | Irvington | Katonah-Lewisboro | Lakeland | Mount Pleasant | Mount Vernon |  North Salem | Ossining | Peekskill | Pelham | Pleasantville | Pocantico Hills | Port Chester | Somers | Tarrytowns | Tuckahoe | Valhalla |  Yorktown |

From LWV Chapters in the Sound Shore Area:

The timely issue of campaign finance in the midst of this presidential election year is the focus of the League of Women Voters annual luncheon at noon on Friday, April 27th at the Orienta Beach Club in Mamaroneck.

Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause NY, will tackle the controversial topic, “Money in Politics – Can Americans Beat the Odds and Establish Fairness in Campaign Finance?” at the luncheon that is co-sponsored by the LWV chapters of Larchmont-Mamaroneck, New Rochelle and Rye, Rye Brook and Port Chester.

The event is open to the public. To make a reservation, please mail a check for $45 payable to LWV Larchmont/Mamaroneck to LWV, PO Box 811, Larchmont, NY 10538. Please e-mail questions to lwv10538@aol.com.

Common Cause New York, and its national counterpart, is the citizen’s lobbyist for clean elections and ethical standards for our elected officials. CCNY is a leading force in the battle for honest and accountable government. This nonpartisan, nonprofit organization often works together with the League of Women Voters on public interest issues.

Susan Lerner was the executive director of the California Clean Money Campaign before assuming her current post as the executive director of Common Cause New York. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago and NYU School of Law.

The Sound Shore Leagues will invite local high school students chosen to participate in this year’s Students Inside Albany Conference (SIA) to report on their experience at the luncheon. Students from throughout the state participated in the League’s 4-day public policy training program March 25-28th in Albany. The program brought these student leaders together to educate them on how they can influence public policy and provided them with an opportunity to meet and shadow their elected representatives, debate current policy issues, tour the capitol, and more.

The League of Women Voters of the United States was founded in 1920 by suffragists who had organized over decades for passage of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. The League’s mission is to promote informed citizen participation in government. Membership is open to all citizens 18 and older, regardless of gender, and associate membership to noncitizens.

Missy Palmisciano of County Harvest

Anne Avenius, St. Augustine's

The Junior League of Westchester on the Sound (JLWOS) Spring Fling Benefit will honor “Sound Shore Superwomen,” says  member Sonya Cronin, Saturday March 31 at 7:30 at The Winged Foot Golf Club.

“We will pay tribute to five local women (non-JLWOS members) making significant contributions to the Sound Shore Community:

Anne Avenius of St. Augustine’s Church (Larchmont, NY)

Deborah Blatt of The Sharing Shelf of Family Services of Westchester

Melinda Lehman of Larchmont-Mamaroneck Hunger Task Force

Marissa Massa of Our Lady of the Rosary Church (Port Chester, NY)

Missy Palmisciano of County Harvest.

This special evening also hosts a silent auction accompanied by food, cocktails, and live music.

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Joe Carvin

Strap yourself in, folks, and try to follow this.

Joe Carvin announces today he’s running for Nita Lowey’s seat in Congress.

This is the Rye Town Supervisor that originally announced he would run for Senate against Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand.

Then on March 16, the day of the Republican convention in Rochester, he announced that he was bowing out of the race for U.S. Senator.

Wednesday, Mar. 21, Republican candidate Mark Rosen dropped out of the race and endorsed his friend Carvin.

Rosen dropped out of the race because a magistrate judge redrew the district lines, and Larchmont,  where he lives, and much of the Sound Shore, was drawn out of the district in which he intended to run. Harrison and Rye Town remain in the District, as doe Rye Brook, where Carvin lives.

The new Congressional districting  reduces New York’s congressional districts from 29 to 27, combines the southern portion of Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel’s 17th District (Mt. Vernon and Yonkers) and the southern portion of Democratic Rep. Nita Lowey’s 18th District (the Sound Shore area) to form the state’s new 16th District.

photo: Town of Rye

New 18th Congressional District. Sound Shore area was in the 17th

Congressional redistricting has claimed its first victim.

Mark Rosen, a Larchmont Republican who had announced his intention to seek the Congressional seat now held by Democrat Rep. Nita Lowey, dropped out Wednesday.

“Given the redistricting that was just announced, I regret that I can no longer run the effective race we envisioned with Congresswoman Nita Lowey. My kids go to Murray Avenue School. This is our home. And, we are not moving. The redistricting has me living outside of Ms. Lowey’s district, and I regret that I must leave the race.”

He lives in Larchmont, which like other areas of Westchester County,  moves into Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel’s district.

Lowey is getting all of Rockland County, which Engel had mostly represented, as well as the Bronx.

Rosen will endorse Joe Carvin, Rye Town Supervisor,  who dropped out of a run for U.S. Senate against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand last week.

On the State Senate side, Democrat George Latimer, current State Legislator, announced a run, which he told us will also be harder–to Democrats– due to redistricting:

“More Republicans in communities like Bronxville, Eastchester and Yonkers and Democrats in New Rochelle and White Plains were artfully carved out,” he told theLoop.

“This will be a much tougher seat to win than under Suzi (Oppenheimer)”

map courtesy Mark Rosen for Congress

Irvington

A plethora of listings from our friends at RivertownsGuide.com

Thursday, March 22 from 6pm – 9pm
Best Practices: The Do’s & Don’ts of Social Media [link] | Westchester Burger Company Rye Brook
275 South Ridge Street, Rye Brook
Presented by Westchester Business Connection. Appetizers included, cash bar. Networkin, A Great Social Media Education(Nothing Technical!!!) for “All levels of expertise.”. The event highlights feature: A presentation from Keith S. Chan from The Froogle Institute for Social Media. www.keithschan.com/about/ and www.FroogleInstitute.com

Thursday, March 22 from 6:30 – 8pm and Thursday, March 29 from 6:30 – 8pm
Home Buyers’ Workshop: Two-Part Series | The Warner Library, Tarrytown
Thursday, March 22: Buying a Home:What You Need to Know
Thursday, March 29: Securing a Home Mortgage
Both workshops are FREE. Registration is requested. Please call Reference at 914-631-7734. The Westchester Housing Council will present tips and recommendations for first-time home buyers. Co-Sponsored by Housing Action Council and Key Bank

Friday, March 23, 10:30a.m. – 2:30 p.m
KAPLAN testing service will offer a KAPLAN PRACTICE SAT Test | Warner Library, Tarrytown
for all interested students. Call the library at 914-631-7734 for registration information, or register at 1-800-KAP-TEST. Use Event Code:SKXY2332

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Voters in 15 villages in Westchester go to the polls today to elect local offices.

Contested elections in (alphabetically) Buchanan, Irvington, Pleasantville, Scarsdale, Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown.

Elections are uncontested in Briarcliff Manor, Bronxville, Elmsford, Hastings-on-Hudson, Larchmont, Pelham, Pelham Manor, Rye Brook and Tuckahoe.

Find out who’s running: Visit LoHud.com’s Village Elections 2012 guide.

It’s the end of the day at The Kneaded Bread in Port Chester and Jeff Kohn has sold 800 rolls and 300 loaves of artisinal bread: pullman square loaves, provolone, olive, multigrain and more.

“This is no museum bakery,” he says, proudly. Opened in 1998, long before Port Chester was a hot foodie destination, The Kneaded Bread’s downtown vibe, delicious breads and welcoming, warm bright cafe had no trouble creating a following.

“People didn’t think this concept was going to work in Port Chester 15 years ago, but we believed,” Jeff says, referring to his wife Jennifer. “Half way between the Rye and Greenwich train stations seemed like a natural. When we saw the ‘for rent sign,’ we thought ‘why not?’”

He also knew a little about the area, growing up in Rye Brook. “I was 12 when Rye Brook seceded from Port Chester.” Now, his children go to the same High School (Blind Brook) that he did.

The Kohns’ faith in the area paid off. The Kneaded Bread is a success and 7 years ago, they opened the popular Q restaurant and bar, known as the only authentic barbeque for miles.

photos: Polly Kreisman

If you’re sticking around, there’s plenty to do. Here are some suggestions from the Journal News to do with kids, and as always, watch our Coming Up column.

If you’re leaving for the break, listen up:  In light of a marked increase in local break-ins, police say prep the house to make it look like you’re not away.

Speaking at a crime prevention workshop last week, Town of Mamaroneck police urged residents to create a “vacation plan” that includes steps like putting house lights on timers and stopping mail and newspapers. Alerting neighbors to your departure is another wise move, they said.

In addition, the Town also has a “dark house” program that under which residents can notify police that their house is going to be vacant so they can keep a closer eye on it. Residents in other municipalities can request police drive-bys as well.

Holidays, vacations times and summer breaks are burglars’ biggest opportunities, police said.

photo courtesy audobon center on flickr

Cold turkey commute. Don’t even think about lighting up while waiting for your Metro-North train. Doing so could get you kicked off the platform, up to $50 in fines or a trip to jail.

The MTA‘s new ban on outdoor smoking starts today, following a months-long grace period the agency gave smokers to get used to the idea. The ban, which had a soft launch in November, prohibits smoking on Metro-North and Long Island Railroad outdoor platforms, as well as ticketing and boarding areas.

The ban does not apply to Metro-North stations in Connecticut.

Violators have gotten away with just warnings since November. But after several months of  leafleting, signs, announcements and electronic alerts, the MTA now expects passengers to play by the rules.

U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, who represents most of Westchester and parts of Rockland Counties in Congress, made fast friends with a group of New Rochelle High School seniors during a classroom visit Monday, inviting them to meet again online Tuesday night during President Obama’s State of the Union address.

“I don’t want to talk at you,” Congresswoman Lowey, a Democrat who represents New York’s 18th District, said.  ”I want to have a conversation.”

Lowey’s visit to teacher Darren Gurney’s AP macroeconomics class was a precursor to the virtual Facebook and Twitter chat with students she has planned for before and after the President’s speech. Students can participate by going to Lowey’s Facebook page  or using the hashtag #LoweyChat on Twitter.

She also will meet with New Rochelle High AP government students in Washington later this week.

Lowey reiterated several times her commitment to staying non-partisan during the classroom discussion, which touched on her priorities: creating jobs, investing in education and tax relief.

She did, however, come right out and say how important she thinks it is for young people to get involved in their government as soon as they are old enough.

“It’s sad to me that in this great country of ours such a small percentage of people vote,” she said.

“Whatever you do with your life, I hope you will take some time for public service because it is very rewarding.”

Photo courtesy of Paul Costiglio

Gedney Farm House

Preservationists are still “desperately” trying to save the 320 year old Gedney Farm House  at 734 E. Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck from imminent demolition by its owner, the Rye Neck School District.

Carol Akin, with Concerned Citizens for the Gedney Farm House, says advocates need to immediately come up with either $2,500 a month for maintenance costs, or a buyer for the property to thwart the District’s plan to raze it.

The house, built in the 1790s and one of the oldest in the area, dates back to George Washington’s first term as president.

“Our deepest desire is that someone will come forward,” Akin says. “We are looking for any glimmer of hope.”

The District has to put the building out to bid; it cannot  give it away to a taker willing to move it off the property.  Someone is interested in buying and relocating the house, but has yet to free up all the funding necessary, Akin says.

The house is not on the National Register of Historic Places or otherwise protected.

Gedney Farm House barn

photos: june marie sobrito

George Latimer at one of his "Coffee with George" meetings in Mamaroneck

Have you received an anonymous robo-call opposing George Latimer, the Democratic State Assemblyman representing a District, the 37th, stretching from part of New Rochelle to Port Chester?

The automated calls – which slam Latimer’s record – started just 12 hours after Democratic State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer announced on Thursday that she would not be seeking reelection. The recorded caller never states his name or affiliation. One recipient described the message as “nasty.”

The calls have been traced to an Albany-area law firm, McClung Peters & Simon, that represents the State Senate GOP, says Latimer, who is considering a run for Oppenheimer’s seat.  Repeated phone calls to the law firm were not answered.

These calls are also apparently illegal.  Anonymous robocalls that are political or advocacy in nature are prohibited under federal law, according to a campaign law expert.

Latimer says he views the calls as “very sad,” as much for what they represent as the skewed message they deliver.

“Attack politics before there is even a campaign underway,” he says.

He added, “It does tell me if I run, it will be an expensive, contentious race; less so because of Bob (Cohen, who already has a 2012 election website up), whom I think is a good guy, and more because of the Senate Republican majority that wants to capture the seat.”

photo courtesy George Latimer

Pane in 2006

Over in Greenburgh a judge is allowing the Manhattanville College dominatrix to go forward with her lawsuit against some local police officers.

If you don’t remember this story, Gina Pane of Rye Brook filed suit against the town of Greenburgh and its police department in U.S. District Court claiming she was harassed during a 2006 arrest at the Greenburgh Multiplex movie theatres.

She had been arrested on marijuana charges  but claims that while she was detained, police made lewd comments after discovering sex toys in her car, and one officer exchanged sex for an offer to drop the charges. That cop was later fired after an internal investigation.

more from LoHud

image: The Journal News file photo. Used with permission

Shopping carts are rolling away. Cars are shaking. Hold onto your hats — and just about everything else.  The strong winds that blew into Westchester this morning, prompting a National Weather Service Wind Advisory, are expected to stick around at least through midnight.

The gusts could reach up to 50 miles per hour, according to the Weather Service, meaning travel could be hazardous.

Flight delays at area airports were already growing long by early afternoon.  Flights at La Guardia, for example, were running an hour and 40 minutes behind schedule at 1 p.m. The speed limit on area bridges, including the Tappan Zee, had reportedly been reduced.

Although the winds are expected to die down overnight, forecasters are calling for a weekend that feels like winter. The Weather Service forecast calls for sunny skies with a high of 37 on Saturday and just 29 on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to bounce back a bit on Monday, the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, to a high of 39.

Rye Brook is a Village within the Town of Rye that established in 1982, when a group of citizens began a movement for independence from the Town.

I have always been told that Rye Brook seceded from Port Chester, but can find no documentation of this. Does anyone know if this is true or urban legend?

photos: Jacqueline Silberbush

In honor of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. the Volunteer Center of United Way has organized a day of service projects at the organizations below on January 14. Interested? sign up here! Or call 914-948-4452 for more information.

Volunteers can choose from 29 service projects at Academic Pathways (New Rochelle), Charles Brieant Community Center (Ossining), Children’s Creative Response to Conflict (Nyack), Family Services of Westchester (Yonkers), Ferncliff Manor(Yonkers),  FSW Sharing Shelf (Port Chester), Green Chimneys (Carmel), Groundwork Hudson Valley (Hastings), Institute of Applied Human Dynamics (Tarrytown), Mount Vernon YMCA, My Sister’s Place (Yonkers), Nepperhan Community Center (Yonkers), New Rochelle Public Library, Richmond Community Services (Yonkers), Rockland Country Day School (Valley Cottage) , Somers Manor, Therapeutic Equestrian Center (Cold Spring), Wartburg Adult Center (Mount Vernon), White Plains Youth Bureau, White Plains YMCA, White Plains Public Library, WJCS Kid’s Kloset (White Plains), and Yonkers Public Library – Will Branch.

photo: flickr

The State of New York is studying the cost efficiency of dissolving the Town of Rye, which contains the Villages of Port Chester and Rye Brook along with a portion of the Rye Neck section of the Village of Mamaroneck.

There has been much discussion in recent years about merging redundant services, such as Fire and Police Depts. in many areas of Westchester.

Come to a public forum January 12 at 7:00 pm at the Village of Mamaroneck Court Room to hear more and speak with representatives of these areas, who will discuss dissolution.

Eileen C. Kelly, 91 of Rye Brook, NY passed away on December 30, 2011. Born to Joseph and Lauretta Cahill on January 31, 1920 in Mt. Vernon, NY. She married Francis A. Kelly in 1943 in Mt. Vernon. She worked in Manhattan from 1937 to 1947 before her children were born. She retired from the Mt. Vernon Bd. of Education in 1983 after more than 20 years. She and her husband were members of St. Ursula’s Church in Mt. Vernon till 1994 when they became members of Our Lady of Mercy Church in Port Chester, NY. Mrs. Kelly was predeceased by her husband of 58 years and her son Richard. She is survived by her daughter Donna Napier of Rye Brook, NY, her grandchildren Brian (Sarah) Napier of Bronxville, NY, Kevin Napier of Atlanta, GA. and Kelly (Brett) Miller of Darien, CT. She is also survived by her adored great-grandchildren Owen, Audrey and Emily Miller.

Eileen was a former long-time member of New Rochelle Shore Club. She has been a member of Coveleigh Club in Rye since 1974 to present where she enjoyed tennis and lawn bowling. Eileen was also a member of the Rye Brook Senior Citizens. She and her husband spent much of their retirement time helping the less able. The family will receive friends at the Graham Funeral Home on Monday January 2 from 2 to 5 PM and 7 to 9 PM. A mass of Christian Burial will be offered at Our Lady of Mercy Church on Tuesday at 10 AM.

Graham Funeral Home

1036 Boston Post Road

Rye, NY 10580

914-967-0129

At some point someone will turn to you this holiday season and ask, “What are you getting?”

They will ask because they will see you selflessly driving from store to store, raggedly arriving at holiday parties with nary a moment to yourself, resulting in a sad sack attitude of why you even bother at all.

End this vicious cycle.  Forget the martyr girl auto response when people ask you what you’re getting and you answer, “I haven’t even thought about it.”  Don’t fall victim to the “I don’t need anything” line that only results in a measly collection of gifts that guess what, you don’t need.

For starts, always embrace the one for you, one for me rule.  Start early, and employ the rule often as possible, as though not invoking it will result in a penalty, like only drinking when you’re with other grown-ups.

Now consider who is on your list.

There is a fine line where giving people what they really need is concerned.

Take that friend with the assorted sunspots.  How about a ‘coupon’ for sunspot removal at that place in Rye Brook?  While you’re there, you could have your own sunspots removed by a hot burning device that leaves your skin charcoaled until it peels off, revealing slightly baby soft skin.  The invention of this sun damage reversal device is not unlike the invention of Confession in my Catholic early-years education that allowed a certain amount of sinning without worry, knowing that with one or two confessional ‘applications’, poof!  All gone.

You may not be able to afford to send your sister to one of the best plastic surgeons around over   in Rye for that droopy breast problem you noticed she has, since approximately $8,000.00 may not be in your budget and temporarily having her current breasts removed, if only for a moment, is not in her plans, you can march right into the Main Hosiery Shop on Mamaroneck Avenue and ask for Mary the owner who will tell you to unzip your coat, poke around appropriately and send you into the dressing room.

Moments later you will emerge 10 years younger below your neck area.  You can do all of this for your sister, friend and yourself since if you buy two bras right now for around $34.00, you get a third one free!

Naturally it’s to everyone’s advantage to be in a best shape possible heading into this gluttonous season and then the self-recriminating New Year.

Give and get your gift early over at a gym having a 2- for 1 personal training session. Of course you need to be a member to take advantage of these offers, but what better excuse to join a gym then to have a new body plan gift beckoning your guilty not-so-fit conscience?

Let’s not forget to celebrate the season with real down time.  My latest e-mails from Red Door Spas announce, Kim, Meaningful and Memorable Gifts!

They know who I am because my husband bought me a day at the Red Door last year which included everything from the hot stone massage to the Elizabeth Arden Essential Facial.  Over at The Westchester Mall, you can be sure your gift recipient will lose herself in the dimly lit halls, where you shuffle about in a robe and slippers, eating alone in the dark while strangers whisper to you as though you were mad.  Of course you can be specific about the service you purchase for someone, like Lactic Acid Peel for face/neck and décolleté posted under Face add-ons, but nobody likes gifts that are too suggestive.

I mean what woman was ever really thrilled with the brand new washer and dryer for Christmas?  My husband would have found himself taking a spin in the quick dry cycle but clearly husbands are not as dumb as they used to be.

I also like a Spa in Larchmont for that 60 minute detoxifying scrub and wrap, ($110.00) or if facial fillers like Juvederm at $500.00 to $600.00 a tube are out of your budget for that collapsing cheekbone problem, consider the Oxygen Therapy, 75 minutes, series of 6 for $1,100.00 for a temporary pumped up look.

Being selective and thoughtful about each recipient is the key to the perfect present.

The great actress Catherine Deneuve once said, “You either take it in your face or your ass,” pardon the French, but as the once Face of France, she knew whereof she spoke.  The translation from the French as I understand it is, if your rear end has a life of its own, chances are your face won’t yet be a tambourine.

That said, there’s nothing wrong with the sending of food or wine particularly if you will be there when the ‘gift’ arrives.

On GiltTaste.com/holiday, you can mend any bad cook’s ways by ordering up the D’Artagnan, Charcuterie selection of dry-cured Spanish Mangalica and classic pates.  Don’t forget the French cheeses!  And a standing rib roast from New York’s star butcher, Pat La Frieda.  Prices may vary as will availability unless you know just when this offer actually is.

Lastly, what home is complete without a Zagat Wine selection, 15 bottles for $69.99, worth $219.99?

Land yourself at this party on the late side.  In the event you haven’t taken the time to partake in all the generous offerings you have purchased for others, chances are no one will notice.

Kim Berns is a writer and interior designer living in Rye.

Whitson’s Culinary Group, which provided lunch services to schools in the Mamaroneck School District until 2010, overcharged dozens of school districts for lunches, according to an investigation by the State.

Whitson will pay more than $1.6 million in fines and restitution to the state and the districts, including 14 in Westchester and Rockland, the state attorney general’s office announced Wednesday. Blind Brook and Harrison were also overcharged, according to the settlement report.

According to the Journal News, an investigation by the Attorney General’s Taxpayer Protection Bureau found that Whitson’s Culinary Group of Long Island overcharged 30 districts and education providers for lunches between 2002 and 2010. The company received “off invoice” rebates from vendors but did not pass the savings along to schools, violating contracts and state and federal regulations.

The $1.6 million civil settlement includes full restitution for districts, $800,000 in fines and changes to the company’s rebate program.

photo: chidorian

Looking for something fun and enriching? Check out the new “Lifelong Learning” presentations at the Doral Arrowwood Resort in Rye Brook.

On a few Sunday mornings they bring a renown professor from a top school to discuss either Music Art, or Film with a class of 100 adults who want to be students again for a few hours.

The professors Doral brings in are the ones on various campuses that attract the most students.

On Aug 21st, Boston University music professor Jeremy Yudkin will teach What Makes Great Music Great? — Five Unforgettable Masterpieces.

September 4th Columbia University art professor Tina Rivers will teach The Five Paintings Every Art Lover Should See.

And on September 25th Yale film professor Marc Lapuula will teach Ten Films That Changed America.

The details are  www.doralall.com (or call 800 300 3438).

The price for each is $89 but pay less than half price (just $44) by using coupon code “LOOP” when registering. But  hurry, the June and July events at Doral completely sold out!

Art in Cameroon: Sculptural Dialogues at the Neuberger Museum at Purchase College offers sculpture with a storyline about the African nation of Cameroon.

Marie-Thérèse Brincard, the curator of the exhibition, has chosen to present a wide diversity of African culture; for example,  iconic sculptures from the Bangwa Fontem Kingdom, Kedjom-Kitingu Kingdom (also known as the Babanki Tungo Kingdom)  in the Cameroon Grassfields of Africa.

The Neuberger exhibition demonstrates how the sculpture interconnects.  Works include small figurines, bowls and stools, masks, tusks, beaded calabashes, and pipes, clearly illustrating the interacting influences among the different regions in Cameroon.

What is  popular in Cameroonian art is the representation of the “human icon”.   Hats, calabashes, among others, are symbols of power and dignity in Cameroonian villages.

Portuguese explorers inhabited the country in the fifteenth century. These explorers named the river Rio dos Camaroes which means “River of Prawns” after finding a variety of crayfish. Cameroon is rich with cultural dissimilarities, along with religious, ethnic, and political disparity. The multifaceted country was a German colony until 1916; however, its strong roots and its assortment of cultures remain vibrant between its two present rulers- Britain and France. The grassfields area of Cameroon is alluring because of its diversity due to its multiple kingdoms and chiefdoms that range in population.

The sculptures actually come from Germany.  These sculptures were brought to Germany when Cameroon was a German colony. When German rule came to an abrupt end after World War I,  interest in Cameroonian culture deteriorated.

First, the bad.

As seen on Gilder Place, Larchmont, Monday:

As seen on Carpenter Place in Mamaroneck Sunday:

Now, the good: A Snow Day, at Chatsworth School in Larchmont Sunday…the idea of Principal Gail Boyle…and building a village of snow people. No cars in sight.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

For those of us who can’t wait for Spring (uh…everyone…?), we’ve compiled a garden checklist to help combat winter blues, indoors and out.

Plan ahead
Now’s a great time to assess your garden. Perhaps you want to add some plantings or move things around. Some people keep a notebook or take photos during the growing season. These are really helpful when staring out at your snowy white canvas.

• Order seed starting kits, vegetable and flower seeds from catalogs, if you like starting from scratch.
• Start growing seeds. Some helpful tips here.
• Peruse magazines for gardens that you like, See how you can incorporate some of the ideas into your own property.

Heavy snow can break the branches of evergreens. Give plants a dusting off after a heavy snowfall.

Maintenance
You may be tiring of the snow cover that’s been hanging around since Christmas, but the snow is actually a protective, frosty blanket, insulating the plants below. During winter’s home stretch, we may get days that swing between warm(ish) and arctic. That will be the time to check on your newer plantings, making sure the warming and re-freezing has not heaved them above the soil line. If you see that’s starting to happen, try to push them back in and cover root zone with extra mulch.

• Prune away storm-damaged branches, which can tear the bark off shrubs and trees.
• After a heavy snow, take a broom and brush off the shrubs and tree branches that are bent under the snow’s weight.
• Take cuttings of forsythia, pussy willows, cherries for forcing indoors. Late February, early March is the time to prune most shrubs and trees, before they start to leaf out.

Indoors
Sun-loving houseplants are probably looking a little sad right now. Shorter days=sadder plants (and people!). Make sure they are in a southern-facing window.

• Houseplants grow more slowly during winter, so increase the time between waterings. The single biggest killer of houseplants is overwatering.
• Clean the large, smooth-leaved houseplants with a damp, soft cloth. Or give them a shower. They are probably a bit dusty by now, which interferes with photosynthesis.
• Inspect for insect pests. Browning leaves are a good indication you have spider mites. Look for fine spider webbing between the leaves or between the stem and leaves. The mites are easily killed by spraying them with a homemade soap solution. Simply add a teaspoon of dish liquid detergent to a 12 or 16 ounce spray bottle filled with water. Shake, then spray. The soap smothers their soft bodies. You may have to apply two or three times, whenever you see the webbing again.
• It’s a good time to repot plants, especially if it’s been more than a few years since the last transplating.  Plants do best in terra-cotta pots because the clay is porous, which allows for water and air exchange. If your old clay pots have a white, powdery mineral deposit on the outside, you can clean them by soaking the pots overnight in a solution of 1 gallon of water, 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup bleach. Or, remove as much as you can with a wire brush and then apply linseed oil. This will make the mineral deposits invisible.
• Go over your gardening contracts carefully. Many companies apply pesticides and herbicides. They are required to supply you with a materials data safety sheet for each product they apply. One note from this organic gardener: data sheets only cover the labeled, “active” ingredients. Ninety percent of most products are “inert” ingredients. The composition of inert ingredients are considered “proprietary information” and do not have to be disclosed. Many of these “inerts” are more dangerous than the labeled ingredients. Of course, you can always hire a landscape company that practices organic controls. Keeping your property in a natural balance is the best way to ensure a healthy environment.

Catherine Wachs is a Larchmont-based landscape designer. Her company, The Lazy Gardener, creates low-maintenance, high-style designs for residential and commercial properties.