AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

Hello Everyone,
It’s always a little hard this time of year to believe that summer is drawing to a close. Nonetheless, it was a very busy summer at Topsmead and there is, as seems always, a lot to share.

BUT - First and foremost, we have a new workshop offering!
Artist and teacher Judith Bird (www.judithbirdart.com) will lead this 2-hour session with an introductory talk followed by time in the fields, walkways, and woodlands of Topsmead.  No previous art or writing experience necessary! For details and to register, please download the flyer HERE.  Any questions just email me at friendsoftopsmead@gmail.com !

August saw the completion of our first year as a friend’s organization. We are patting ourselves on the back but also taking a little time to take stock.  WE NEED YOUR INPUT…. Please take a few minutes (it really is just a few) to respond to our members survey and let us know what you think.  Go to:   https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/QBB3bU

Thanks to months of planning by garden designer Caroline King and to the generosity and hard work of many supporters, the new Orintas Family Butterfly Garden is now a beautiful reality. I hope you have had a chance to visit it. SO, just last weekend, we celebrated this success. We held a British Tea Party—one which our late benefactor, Miss Edith Chase, might have enjoyed - and took time to acknowledge everyone's efforts. We also held a silent auction with profits going towards garden maintenance. It was a truly lovely day with the event enjoyed by all. The auction was a great success as well!

The Monarch Butterfly project with local students was also a huge success this summer with more than 80% of the butterflies raised flying off into the sunset. 😊

You might also notice several new FTSF sponsored/supported features at Topsmead. The DEEP installed lighting and outlets in the shed (also known as the Garage) adjacent to the Chase House. Too, FTSF put up a user-friendly map both in the Garage and in the parking lot to help folks find the butterfly garden. We also installed a donation box at the parking lot in hopes that visitors will help fund ongoing enhancements at Topsmead.

Finally, the FTSF Board heartily thanks the volunteers who stayed at the gate on three separate Sundays to open it as needed. It was an experiment with accommodating those with disabilities and allowing drivers to go up to the Chase House to drop off passengers. We learned that there is small, but notable latent demand for easier access to the area of the house for those in need and which we will work to address in the coming year.

We are sad to see summer end, but we are proud of what we accomplished. We are also working on a number of projects for the fall. We also plan to be at the White Memorial Nature Day on September 28th, if you want to stop by and say hello! Please stay tuned, plan to join us for the workshop, then visit us at White Memorial, and to attend the annual meeting in October. Then, we hope you will join us in celebrating our first year while helping us plan for the next one.
Happy Labor Day – the last summer hurrah!
Carol Gould

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