"ANSONIA — Tuesday was a time for Valley residents to celebrate their blessings as local clergy took part in an Interfaith Service of Thanksgiving. Nearly 200 people attended the event at Church of the Assumption.
The participating clergy hailed from several faith traditions: Roman Catholic; Congregational; Episcopal; Jewish; and Buddhist.
The Rev. Robert F. Condron, pastor, Church of the Assumption, welcomed worshippers to the evening service. The Rev. Ed Stueckle, pastor, Second Congregational Church, Derby, read aloud President Obama’s Thanksgiving proclamation.
One of the participants, the Rev. Donna G. Ives, pastor, First Congregational Church in Derby, said a colleague commented before the service that “this is history in the making.” Ives said clergy members “were all amazed with the turnout.”
The Rev. Marcia Eveland, pastor of First Congregational Church in Ansonia, said clergy members plan to make the service an annual Thanksgiving tradition.
She credited the Rev. Amy Welin, pastor of Christ Episcopal Church in Ansonia, with much of the planning. “It all got going after she (Welin) spoke with Father George (Burnett from Church of the Assumption) this past Good Friday. Father George committed to hosting the Thanksgiving service at that time,” she said.
Eveland employed her puppet ministry as she called the children in the congregation down to the front of the sanctuary. She and “Booregard,” her longtime puppet “friend,” entertained them as she talked about religious pilgrims.
People brought offerings of non-perishable food donations for the Valley Food Bank.
Worshippers sang “We Gather Together,” “Come Ye Thankful People,” “God Bless America” and “Now Thank We All Our God.” Cantor Joshua Konigsberg of Congregation B’nai Jacob in Woodbridge sang several prayers in Hebrew.
In addition to Condron, Stueckle, Ives, Eveland, Welin, and Konigsberg, participants included Maj. Theresa Burkholder from The Salvation Army in Ansonia; the Venerable Thick Minh Duc from the Phuoc Long Buddhist Temple, Ansonia, and Jack Brady, deacon, Church of the Assumption.
Sponsors of the service were: Christ Episcopal Church, Ansonia; Church of the Assumption, Ansonia; Congregation B’nai Jacob, Woodbridge; First
Congregational Church, Ansonia; First Congregational Church, Derby; First United Methodist Church, Ansonia; Holy Rosary Church, Ansonia; Phuoc Long Buddhist Temple, Ansonia; St. Joseph Church, Ansonia; St. Mary’s Church, Derby; The Salvation Army, Ansonia; Second Congregational Church, Derby; Three Saints Russian Orthodox Church, Ansonia."
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I usually don't have any issues with turkey storage, but Saturday night after we had our belated Thanksgiving dinner I seem to have had problems. I couldn't fit the giant ceramic turkey platter in the refrigerator, so I found this mixing bowl. 
We just returned from taking our kids back to the University of Hartford. They have a busy three weeks of school work ahead with the end of the semester fast approaching.
... almost. 
This cheery watercolor depicts a sun-dappled scene along the beach at Bradley Point in West Haven, Ct. on Long Island Sound. 
When I got finished experimenting with sepia and antique and color fade editing applications I ended up with this. I had to stop, I was driving myself cuckoo. 
It's fun to experiment! I find myself leaning so far into the screen that I get a crick in my neck. Does that happen to you?
I was happy to capture our Rigby reading the news Sunday morning. In these photos he's undecided on the way he looks at current events.
I'm not sure if Rigby is in favor of the House Democrats' health-care plan or not.
