Live, In-Person & on Zoom:

Mark Scarbrough returns to OWL this Spring; leading us through 8 weeks of some of his favorite Flannery O’Connor works.

Flannery O'Connor is considered one of America's greatest fiction writers and her writing often reflects her Catholic faith, and frequently examined questions of morality and ethics. When she died in August of 1964, The New York Times called her “one of the nation’s most promising writers.” 

O’Connor is now as canonical as Faulkner and Welty. More than a great writer, she’s a cultural figure: a funny lady in a straw hat, puttering among peacocks, on crutches she likened to “flying buttresses.”

Discussion Schedule:

March 14: A Good Man is Hard to Find; A Circle of Fire; and Good Country People

March 21: The Artificial N----r and The Displaced Person

March 28: Wise Blood: chapters 1 - 7

April 4: Wise Blood: chapters 8 - 14

April 18: The Violent Bear It Away: chapters 1 - 5

April 25: The Violent Bear It Away: chapters 6 - 12

May 2: Greenleaf; The Enduring Chill; and The Comforts of Home

May 9: Everything That Rises Must Converge; The Lame Shall Enter First; and Revelation

MARK SCARBROUGH is a former English Professor and author who teaches seminars on Virginia Woolf, William Faulkner and Toni Morrison. He also hosts three literary podcasts.

The library will have copies of Flannery O'Connor's works to borrow and titles are also available to download as e-books or e-audios to OWL library card holders.

Registration required for in-person attendance.

The Hickory Stick Bookshop is happy to be celebrating the 12th Anniversary of Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday April 26th 2025!

This year The Hickory Stick Bookshop will have the following things going on -

* Celebratory mimosas!

* Find the Libro.fm Golden Ticket (the audiobook platform supporting independent bookstores)

* To coincide with Washington’s celebration of National Poetry Month, For   The Love of Poetry, we are inviting customers to come up with some Book  Spine Poetry that they can type up on our antique typewriter.

* Visit our Poetree

* Blind Date with a Book

* Guess the Shredded Book

* Indie Bookstore Day Tote Bags

* Special Indie Bookstore Day merch

* We are also part of the CT Passport program which encourages people to visit all participating indie bookstores in CT over the course of the weekend, to win huge prizes.

Independent Bookstore Day (IBD) was established in 2013 to promote, celebrate, and highlight the value of the independent bookstore community. The day has been observed on the last Saturday of April every year since 2013. This year there are over 900 stores participating across the country.

Independent Bookstore Day is organized by the American Booksellers Association, a national not-for-profit trade organization, that works with booksellers and industry partners to ensure the success and profitability of independently owned book retailers, and to assist in expanding the community of the book.

Indie Bookstore Day is our favorite day of the year. It’s a way to celebrate bookshops and book buyers and we always have a lot of fun. We hope you can join us for our celebration!

For more information - http://www.indiebound.org/independent-bookstore-day

The Litchfield Farmers Market is one of the few year-round markets in the Connecticut. The weekly Saturday market offers fresh seasonal produce, fruit, berries, herbs, sustainably sourced fish; artisanal cheeses, breads and baked goods, local honey, maple syrup and gifts - all raised, grown or crafted by 15+ local vendors. 

The market occasionally hosts live music and supports non-profits from throughout the Litchfield area.

INDOOR MARKET - November through mid-June (intermittent Saturdays through the winter months -- check the website for dates.) Open Saturdays 10am - 1pm at the Litchfield Community Center located at 421 Litchfield Road, Litchfield, CT.

OUTDOOR MARKET - mid- June through October located at Center School, Litchfield.

Saturdays in April at 10:30 AM

All Ages Welcome!

Saturday Storytime is BACK! Come to OWL for an all ages storytime in the children's room every Saturday at 10:30 then stay to play. We also have an ongoing Scavenger Hunt with a squishy prize for winners. And most importantly come in to browse our collection of print books, Nutmeg nominees, and Wonderbooks!

Live, In-Person & on Zoom:

We invite you to explore a selection of Yeats’ work with us! 

William Butler Yeats is a foremost Irish poet of the 20th century. Yeats’ poetry encompassed Irish history, mythology, and politics. He is considered a master poet for his command of imagery and emotional lyric poetry. He is universal. Poets and people in every country study him and the Irish celebrate his life and contribution to Ireland, and to the canon of world literature. 

Approximately one month before, we will have a packet of the selected poems for this discussion. We encourage you to read the poems beforehand.

Jim Kelleher lives in Goshen with his partner Queenie Troy and the wild birds they feed. Jim has taught in many schools, currently WCSU, published many books including most recently You Don’t Have To Thank Me For This, and lived many dreams, among them Woodstock, the Boston Public Schools, California, Jim’s Fine Carpentry, and Cape Breton Island, Canada. He is dedicated to poetry, democracy, and living out his life in peace.

Sandy Lee Carlson is poet laureate emerita of Woodbury and a school teacher at Region20/Lakeview High School. She hosts the Orenaug Poetry Group on the second Saturday of each month in Woodbury. She and her husband run Orenaug Mountain Publishing. Find out more about Sandy and her poetry at sandycarlson.net. 

Litchfield HIlls Rowing Club and Litchfield Hill Fitness invite you to a free Erg (rowing machine) class, followed by an Open Boathouse at the Rowing Club. Come and lean how to get one of the best full body workouts on the Erg; and come visit the boathouse on picturesque Bantam Lake. You may discover a new passion

Step right up to our delightful BLT - Bagels. Lox. Tefillin. event! Join us on Sundays from 10:00 to 10:45 AM, running from July 4th to August 25th, for a heartwarming experience.

Wrap Tefillin, recite a prayer, and relish in the scrumptious bagels, lox cream cheese, paired perfectly with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. It's more than just a meal; it's a chance to truly connect, to embrace your Jewish traditions, and simply enjoy each other's company. Don't worry if you don't have your own Tefillin - we've got you covered with our guidance and equipment.

No prior knowledge required - just bring yourself and an open heart. This event is family-friendly, so bring along the little ones for a meaningful and delicious experience. Come hungry, leave happy - we'll take care of the rest!

. Join the LHAS Nature Explorers at Boyd Woods to look for all the aquatic critters coming to life in the ponds and streams. Catch a glimpse of frogs and spotted salamanders. Listen for spring peepers and wood frogs. Maybe spot a Jack-in-the-Pulpit or a lovely trillium. Come ready to get your hands WET! Wear waterproof footwear for pond exploration. FUN! Appropriate for kids and adults. Meet at the Boyd Woods parking lot on Route 254 in Litchfield. Pre-registration is appreciated at lhasjunior@gmail.com. For questions, call Vickie Dauphinais at 860-805-9167. Heavy rain cancels.

The Hickory Stick Bookshop is delighted to welcome editor Graydon Carter, who will be in conversation with author Lisa Taddeo about his new book “When The Going Was Good”. This event, which will include a book signing, will take place on Sunday April 27th at 2.00 pm at The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens in Washington Depot.

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the pages of Vanity Fair to the red carpets of Hollywood, editor Graydon Carter's memoir revives the glamorous heyday of print magazines when they were at the vanguard of American culture.

When Graydon Carter was offered the editorship of Vanity Fair in 1992, he knew he faced an uphill battle--how to make the esteemed and long-established magazine his own. With curiosity, fearlessness, and a love of recent history and glamour that would come to define his storied career in magazines, Carter succeeded in endearing himself to his editors, contributors, and readers, as well as many of the faces that would come to appear in Vanity Fair's pages. He went on to run the magazine with overwhelming success for the next two and a half decades.

Filled with colorful memories and intimate details, “When the Going Was Good” is Graydon Carter's lively recounting of how he made his mark as one of the most talented editors in the business. With his inimitable voice and signature quip, he brings readers to lunches and dinners with the great and good of America, Britain, and Europe. He assembled one of the most formidable stables of writers and photographers under one roof, and here he re-creates in real time the steps he took to ensure Vanity Fair cemented its place as the epicenter of art, culture, business, and politics, even as digital media took hold. Charming, candid, and brimming with stories, “When the Going Was Good” perfectly captures the last golden age of print magazines from the inside out.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Graydon Carter is the founder of Air Mail. Before this, he was a staff writer for both Time and Life. He cocreated Spy, edited The New York Observer, and for twenty-five years was the award-winning editor of Vanity Fair. Carter further planted a flag in Los Angeles with the legendary Vanity Fair Oscar party. He is also the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning producer of more than a dozen documentaries and one hit Broadway play. He and his wife live in Greenwich Village and Connecticut.

Lisa Taddeo is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller “Three Women”, which she adapted as a dramatic series on Starz, the novel “Animal”, and the short story collection “Ghost Lover”. She has contributed to The New York Times, New York magazine, Esquire, Elle, Glamour, and many other publications. Her nonfiction has been included in the Best American Sports Writing and Best American Political Writing anthologies, and her short stories have won two Pushcart Prizes. She lives with her husband and daughter in Connecticut.

This event is free and open to the public.  If you are unable to attend this event, you may reserve signed copies of “When The Going Was Good” by calling The Hickory Stick Bookshop at (860) 868 0525, or shop our website 24/7 at www.hickorystickbookshop.com.  

Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII, the groundbreaking 1972 film directed by Adrian Maben, returns to theaters, now digitally re-mastered in 4K from the original 35mm footage with enhanced audio.

Set in the hauntingly beautiful ruins of the ancient Roman Amphitheater in Pompeii, Italy, the film captures Pink Floyd performing an intimate concert without an audience. Filmed in October 1971, the performance features unforgettable tracks such as “Echoes,” “A Saucerful of Secrets,” and “One of These Days.” The breathtaking visuals of the amphitheater, captured both day and night, amplify the magic of the performance, creating a unique and immersive experience. Additionally, the film includes rare behind-the-scenes glimpses of the band working on The Dark Side of the Moon at Abbey Road Studios.

This meticulous restoration led by Lana Topham delivers stunning image and sound quality, featuring a theatrical and home entertainment mix from Steven Wilson in 5.1 and Dolby Atmos. These upgrades enhance the film's depth and clarity while preserving the authenticity and spirit of the original 1972 release. Inspired by the golden warmth of Pompeii’s iconic setting, the remaster transforms this timeless piece into a masterpiece of sight and sound. Experience Pink Floyd like never before through this pioneering audio-visual remaster!

Tickets at bantamcinema.org: https://www.bantamcinema.org/movie/pink-floyd-at-pompeii---mcmlxxii

Come join us for a FREE COMMUNITY YOGA class at Charym in Litchfield every Monday at 5pm. This class is for both the young, and not so young, designed to help you release aches and pains while building strength and flexibility. Whether you're new to yoga or looking for a gentle practice, this class offers a sequence of basic postures that stretch and strengthen the body. The flow is moderately paced, allowing you to move with ease while focusing on proper alignment and mindfulness. Each posture is taught with an emphasis on safety and awareness, helping you feel more grounded, centered, and stronger with each class. Come as you are and experience the benefits of yoga in a supportive, welcoming environment.

Live, In-Person & on Zoom:

Join Nancy Schuler in this exercise class for senior women. You can attend the class in person, here at the OWL, or online in the privacy of your home. The class features stretching and exercises that can be done in a chair or standing, and lifting of 1 or 2 lb. weights. All exercises are gentle and easy to understand. Exercise has been proven to help one's cognitive abilities, blood pressure, insomnia, digestive issues, depression, strength and independence. The Alzheimer's, Diabetes and Heart Associations all recommend exercise for healthy ageing.

No prior experience is necessary. Bring in a set of light weights for this class - 1 to 2 lbs.

NEW: Baby Story Time

Tuesdays in April at 10:30 AM

Perfect for 0 - 12 months, but fun for everyone!

Meet us in the Children’s Room for Baby Time! This calm, cozy program is designed for pre-walkers who aren't quite ready for the high energy of Rhyme Time. We will focus on nursery rhymes, lullabies, and bonding with your baby.

Learn about the journey of The 7 Pillars of wisdom and how this insight can benefit you in your daily life. Explore Hindu Vedic Hymns, Chinese Ethics and Mysticism, and Noble Truth, Hebrew Tanakh, Christian Prophecy, Koranic , Astrophysicism.

For more than 60 years, Leonardo has been a teacher in Secondary Schools, Colleges, in Adult Faith and Adult Learner Communities. He has been teaching Literature, Latin, Italian, History, Music, Theology, Drama/

Theater, Philosophy.

* Pre-registration required.

Tuesdays April 15 - April 29, 2025

Every other Tuesday

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: The Litchfield History Museum (7 South Street)

FREE

Registration not required

Join us for a bi-weekly knitting social meetup at the Litchfield Historical Society, where you can meet other knitters, get your questions answered about tricky patterns, and expand your knowledge. No experience is necessary, just a desire to learn to knit! Bring a project to work on and enjoy the company of your fellow crafters. It's a great place to roundtable your ideas and workshop any hiccups you might be encountering in your project.

Hosted by Alexandra Herst, a local knitting & crafting enthusiast, is a deep believer in the capability of anyone to master the complexities of knitting, she takes the approach of empowering beginners through education to further their skills and encourage their creativity!  

Join local historical costuming enthusiast Abigail Yanaway to...

• Ask questions about 18th century sewing Access resources related to 18th century sewing
• Get help with your own 18th century projects
• Meet other people interested in historical sewing
• Join other historical sewing enthusiasts to work on projects together

Join the Housatonic Valley Association for a Dine Out for a Cause fundraiser, hosted by Da Capo of Litchfield! A portion of the proceeds from Da Capo's hearty Italian dishes sold that evening will support HVA's conservation work in the Housatonic Valley and beyond.

The only conservation organization dedicated to the entire tri-state Housatonic Watershed, the Housatonic Valley Association acts to protect the natural character and environmental health of the region, from the Berkshires to Long Island Sound, through restoration projects, land protection, and educational programs.

Live, In-Person:

In partnership with the Litchfield PTO and The Litchfield Prevention Council, OWL is pleased to continue our ongoing series pertaining to screen use by our youth. This event is open to our entire community. Come and learn the latest research as well as what we can do to ensure play-based childhood in our community.

Presented by Kristen Giordano

Are you ready to break free from stress and cultivate a deeper sense of peace and joy? Through guided experiences, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how your mind works, uncover the subconscious patterns that drive stress, and learn practical self-hypnosis techniques to enhance gratitude, positivity and happiness. Whether you’re looking to find more calm, improve focus, enhance spiritual attunement or let go of self-sabotaging behaviors, this workshop will empower you to harness the power of your mind and step into a more joyful, intentional way of living.

Lunch is included.

Rhyme Time & Playgroup

Wednesdays in April at 10:30 AM

Perfect for 18 - 36 months, but fun for everyone!

Lots of rhymes, a sprinkling of songs, and one or two shared board books round out this library program that is perfect for little ones who need to get those wiggles out. Stay to PLAY! After the rhymes, stay for some unstructured play time with other kiddos.

Bus Trip to Mohegan Sun

Thursdays in May at 10:30 AM

Perfect for 3 - 5 year olds, but fun for everyone!

Join Mrs. Tricia for a classic library storytime - books, songs, bubbles, and more! Come for early literary skills, social connections, and fun! We will focus on one special picture book author each week.

Presented by Br. Mark D’Alessio

Three Thursdays: May 1, 8, 15 • 6:30PM to 8:00PM • via Zoom

Throughout history, mystics have offered us a map to the depths of the soul, a way of encountering the Divine within and beyond. Their wisdom is not reserved for a chosen few – it’s an invitation for all who long to live with greater depth, presence, and connection with the sacred.

Join Br. Mark for an on-line retreat that will support you to explore four ancient, traditional mystical paths — contemplative stillness, the via positiva of awe and wonder, the via negativa of letting go, and the via creativa of divine expression — each offering a way to encounter God within and our truest self with presence, stillness, and deeper awareness. 

Through silence and reflection, poetry, art, and sacred texts, movement and nature, we will enter into the wisdom of mystics like Julian of Norwich, Meister Eckhart, Teresa of Avila, Hildegard de Bingen, Rainer Maria Rilke, Teilhard de Chardin, Thomas Merton, and contemporary mystics Thich Nhat Hanh, Thea Bowman, Ilia Delio and Richard Rohr. 

Each Thursday evening, we will explore how their insights can guide us toward a life of greater presence, authenticity, and communion with the Sacred. Other retreat highlights will include guided reflections and teachings on the four mystical paths and the wisdom from eastern and western mystics; contemplative practices such as visio divina, centering prayer and breathwork; eco-spirituality as a mystical practice; sacred writing, creative expression, and journaling exercises; and, shared community conversation and personal integration time. 

Whether you’re just beginning to explore the mystical path or have walked it for many years, Br. Mark invites you to join us for this experiential opportunity to deepen your relationship with Divine Mystery, your inner self, and the outer world. Come as you are ready to listen, ready to wonder, ready to journey into the heart of Being. All are welcome. 

Online via ZOOM

Author of Slither: How Nature's Most Maligned Creatures Illuminate Our World

In-Person & on Zoom:

“Stephen Hall is not just a terrific science writer, he’s a terrific writer, period.” 

- Michael Pollan

Join us as we explore with author Stephen Hall his spellbinding scientific and cultural study of snakes, the fascination and fear they inspire, and how surprising new science is indelibly changing our perception of these stunning and frightening creatures.

For millennia, depictions of snakes as alternatively beautiful and menacing creatures have appeared in religious texts, mythology, poetry, and beyond. But where there is hatred and fear, there is also fascination and reverence. How is it that creatures so despised and sinister, so foreign of movement and ostensibly devoid of sociality and emotion, have fired the imaginations of poets, prophets, and painters across time and cultures? 

Stephen S. Hall has been reporting and writing about the intersection of science and society for more than 40 years. In addition to numerous cover stories in the New York Times Magazine, where he also served as a Story Editor and Contributing Writer, his work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, National Geographic, New York Magazine, Wired, Science, Nature, Scientific American, Discover, The Sciences, Hip-pocrates, Smithsonian, and more. He is also the author of six critically acclaimed non-fiction books about contemporary science. He currently serves as an adjunct professor of journalism at New York University, and previously taught graduate seminars in science writing and explanatory journalism at Columbia University. 

Registration required only to attend in-person.

Live, In-Person & on Zoom:

Mark Scarbrough returns to OWL this Spring; leading us through 8 weeks of some of his favorite Flannery O’Connor works.

Flannery O'Connor is considered one of America's greatest fiction writers and her writing often reflects her Catholic faith, and frequently examined questions of morality and ethics. When she died in August of 1964, The New York Times called her “one of the nation’s most promising writers.” 

O’Connor is now as canonical as Faulkner and Welty. More than a great writer, she’s a cultural figure: a funny lady in a straw hat, puttering among peacocks, on crutches she likened to “flying buttresses.”

Discussion Schedule:

March 14: A Good Man is Hard to Find; A Circle of Fire; and Good Country People

March 21: The Artificial N----r and The Displaced Person

March 28: Wise Blood: chapters 1 - 7

April 4: Wise Blood: chapters 8 - 14

April 18: The Violent Bear It Away: chapters 1 - 5

April 25: The Violent Bear It Away: chapters 6 - 12

May 2: Greenleaf; The Enduring Chill; and The Comforts of Home

May 9: Everything That Rises Must Converge; The Lame Shall Enter First; and Revelation

MARK SCARBROUGH is a former English Professor and author who teaches seminars on Virginia Woolf, William Faulkner and Toni Morrison. He also hosts three literary podcasts.

The library will have copies of Flannery O'Connor's works to borrow and titles are also available to download as e-books or e-audios to OWL library card holders.

Registration required for in-person attendance.

the ticking tent is the original brocantes-style shopping market. featuring over 60 curated artisans, antiques dealers, vintage jewelry & boutique brands for the home and more. at t.t.t. we believe in the art of discovery & the finest craftsmanship. vetted by its founders christina juarez and benjamin reynaert, the ticking tent is bursting with unique, beloved and sought after treasures from the most talented artisans and bespoke brands from across the globe.

On this World Labyrinth Day, join Marcie Swift to immerse yourself in her powerfully healing harp notes, guided imagery, and enchanting story-telling. Walk in our beautiful labyrinth to the harp’s healing vibrations, quiet your mind, recover your balance, and release worry and pain. Allow Marcie’s exquisite notes to fill you with the wonder and delight of the Divine’s embrace.

Lunch is included.

Date: Saturday, May 3

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Location: The Litchfield History Museum

Cost: Free for Members, $10 for non-Members

Registration Requested

Join us Saturday, May 3 at 10:00 am for a walking tour exploring Connecticut's complicated history with slavery through the life of William Grimes, a man who escaped from slavery in Georgia and wrote his autobiography in Litchfield in 1825.

Walking tours each last about 1 hour. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a bottle of water. Free for members and $10 non-members.

This tour is a part of our series "Think What I Have Felt: Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of Life of William Grimes, the Runaway Slave".  

These events are generously presented through a combination of grants, sponsorship, and in-kind donations. The Litchfield Historical Society would like to give a special thanks to Connecticut Humanities Council, Teno A. West of West Group Law PLLC, Belden House, Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP, Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, and Bantam Cinema & Arts Center.

Saturdays in May t 10:30 AM

All Ages Welcome!

Saturday Storytime is BACK! Come to OWL for an all ages storytime in the children's room every Saturday at 10:30 then stay to play. In addition to our puppet theater, wooden blocks, and train set, and dollhouse! We also have an ongoing Scavenger Hunt with fun prizes for winners as well as a special weekly craft for older children. And most importantly come in to browse our collection of print books, Nutmeg nominees, and Wonderbooks!