Tag Archives: Piedmont

February ramblings!💐🌸🌻🎂

img_20161204_155713-1
Go, Dorrie, go!

IMG_20170115_134513468
Dorrie does NOT wear fur – she just models it! 🐯🐶🐵🐸

By Dorrie Maynard

First, I would like to talk about my vehicle. I call it the bat mobile. Others sometimes refer to it as the Giving Van. It is beginning to be known around Worcester as the vehicle that hands out pet food on some days and necessitates to the less fortunate on other days.

It is a vehicle that is hard not to miss – a 2007 Black Toyota FJ Cruiser. I was the first person in Worcester to own one. I happened to be driving by
HarrToyota and they had one on
display. I went in with a few
friends. We had all decided that I
wasn’t buying, just looking. After I took it for a test drive, I asked: “Where do I sign?” I filled out the paperwork and waited for my “special order” to come in. It was the first new car I had ever purchased! I was so excited and, because it was so unique looking, every time I drove it, people would look and point! I vowed to keep it clean always!

Well, to those who know me, you know that never happened! My “truck” is always filled with things that are either coming or going. Almost every family member of mine has cleaned and/orsorted that vehicle out at least once. My nieces have done it several times. To people who don’t know me: if you ever happen to walk by my truck, you will think that someone is living in there
or living out of there! There are bags of bread, pet food, blankets, hats/gloves, “blessing bags,” chargers, and just general “stuff.”

IMG_20161215_190507787
Dorrie’s cutie pies!

People call me all the time and tell me that they have things they need to get rid and ask if I could come and
get them, as they know I will always find homes for whatever they are getting rid of. I drive regularly to Shrewsbury and have driven to Auburn a few times in
the past month. I love sorting things and making gift packages of items that are going to various locations. I
bring things to Abby’s House for women, the Mustard Seed soup kitchen, …

12122613_513028305523065_3293635038582036282_n-20-10-073
At a fund-raiser outside the glorious Mustard Seed for Dorrie’s CENTRAL MASS KIBBLE CONNECTION!!!

… WARL, a private, in-home cat rescue, a dog shelter in Connecticut. I also give to people that I know personally who are in need.

I am very fortunate that people who know me, know that I have this ability to “spread the love” or “share the wealth.” I hate to see things end up in the
trash or at the side of the road when I probably know someone who can use whatever is being re-homed.

I am considering starting a small non-profit that would enable me to pick up items from people and give them tax donation slips for their goods. At home I have a very large basement – I could start to warehouse items. I would run a free service to those in need and free pick up or drop off to people who want to just pass along their good, useable items.

Items would include but not
be limited to: household items, small furniture, linens, pots/pans, clothing, small appliances, etc. Of course, stipulations would have to be made: all items would need to be in clean, workable condition, as I would not
want to have to end up having to hire a dumpster to remove items that I could not pass on. … Just something
that I am thinking about as the 2017 begins.

Some other thoughts that are dancing in my head: all the pets that were adopted over the holidays that hopefully won’t end up back where they came
from or worse!

IMG_20161207_143423503
Dorrie adopted these beauties …

… and has given Rose’s little Cece so many cute toys! Thanks, Auntie D!

20170110_094023-1
pics: R.T.

20170217_081401-1

Like Craigslist “free” to a good home. I
am confident that most animal rescues and shelters do their best to make sure these “failures” are few and far between, but I am sure there are some that cats and dogs that slip through
the cracks.

Several years ago,I had been looking for another dog after my first dog passed away, so I put it out there to all my friends that I was on the hunt. I was looking for an older, small female to be a companion to my other dog. A friend emailed me about a craigslist ad, “free to a good home.” The dog seemed perfect other than they described her as “protective.” I remember calling the
woman and begging her to keep the dog until I could get there to meet her. She mentioned that she had had several other calls that said they would just “take the dog.” I wanted to bring my current dog for a meet and greet to see if they would be comptable.

It was a Friday night drive to Dorchester in the middle ofrush hour. It took me 2.5 hours to get there. I got
lost several times and was ready to give up when the very kind woman offered to start walking to meet me. She described what she was wearing and I described
my “bat mobile” to her. We eventually met up and she directed me to her
house. When we arrived, I walked in and Princess attacked me, nipped my pants and practically lunged at my dog. I thought: This isn’t good, but I was patient and kept trying to get Princess to come near me. She was so attached to her owner and her kids, but they were moving and could not take her as their new lease did not allow dogs. I ended up saying, “What the heck, I’ll take
her and make it work!” I did give the woman $100 as she looked
like she could use it to help with moving expenses.

I brought Princess into my house and she has lived up to her name ever since!

IMG_20170207_175738749

Princess is still “protective” and does not like strangers, especially men, but once guests are in my home and she knows the are “safe,” she does come around. I have no idea what her past was like, I know that I am her third and final owner, that she had been
“bred” and had had several litters. I guess that is why she gets along so well with my 3 year old dog that was
another rehoming find. They play like puppies even though Princess is 11 years old! They sleep together, play together, and eat together. I have found my pack!

Last and final rant. The streets of Worcester then and now. Many people know that I owned and operated a very “iconic” store on Highland Street. It was once known as the famous Shakie Jakes. I was there and loved
every minute of my owning my own business for 10 years, directly across the street from the Sole Proprietor.

It was a perfect spot for my business. I had always dreamed of running a resale shop but always found a million reasons why I couldn’t or shouldn’t. However,
when the opportunity came my way of following in the foot steps of such a landmark store, I had no more reasons
why I couldn’t.

However, owning and operating a small business is not all it is cracked up to be. Times change, my life
changed, other responsibilities became more important and, eventually, I decided to close shop. I will never regret following my dream of owning a resale store!

Unfortunately, the neighborhood changed, and the clientele started to become less and less desirable. Living in the
area, I found the same to be true as well. The small local businesses of Highland Street have all turned into a barber shop, a packaging/mail business, a nail and eye brow salon and a money exchange business. I am not saying they aren’t good for the neighborhood, but they are certainly not the Highland Street businesses that most remember, supported and loved to visit.

And with all that said, I will end my rants for early 2017 and look forward to sharing more stories and interests with you in the future!🌸🌻🌷

If anyone would like
to reach me for comment or questions, please feel free to email me at djmbytheelm@aol.com. All best to all!

20170214_072827-1-1
Jett 💙 the dog treats Dorrie gives him (and Lilac)! Dorrie passes out free dog and cat food to pet owners in need at the Mustard Seed, in Piedmont, every month.

Green Hill Park Neighbors!

But first…in Piedmont, a neighborhood celebration at the “Peace Park,” corner of Winslow and Pleasant streets … and watch for the painted piano! – pic:R.T.

20160817_144451-1

********

By Edith Morgan

For have lived here, two houses down from Green hill Park, for years – and would not live anywhere else. We are not the most exclusive neighborhood, nor the wealthiest (unless you count the 400 acres of natural beauty just under our noses) – but we enjoy the benefits of all that this great park has to offer, without having to own the area. And maybe because it is so close, we are inspired to try to imitate what nature puts here.

I was driving down one of the nearby streets, and stopped to admire a spectacular yard, filled with all sorts of flowering bushes , grasses, vines, and other plants. There was very little grass – but everything was in bloom, even though it is now late in the season. A beautiful black butterfly flitted by as we talked on the sidewalk, bound for the butterfly bush in the corner. Graceful grasses, over four feet tall, waved gently in the breeze, and the wooden fence was twined with morning glory vines, ready to bloom. Every where something was growing and blooming, thriving …

When I asked where all these plants came from, I was told that most were started from seed, and others were purchased at the end of the season locally, on sale: they were what I call my poor little orphans, the plants that have dried out or look nearly dead, but with a little TLC and some severe pruning can be convinced to revive and take root. Over the years, at this time, I have learned to go to the back of the garden area at Lowe’s , etc. where there are often racks of half dead plants for sale for almost nothing. It’s always a gamble as to whether they will respond, but it is worth a try….. I guess I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the ignored ones – but I also have some one-of-a-kind , more exotic plants , just for variety and extra challenge.

After I left the beautiful front yard garden abutting Green Hill Park, I returned home, where our best friend brought us two baskets of his special home grown tomatoes. This is the height of the season, and there is really nothing to compare to tomatoes still warm from the sun, perfect, and of all sizes – and so many different flavors! I know that some of them make excellent sauces, but I couldn‘t resist eating several right away.

We got to talking about three of the tomatoes, Hungarian Heart tomatoes, huge, heavy, and of unusual shape, allegedly free of seeds, each looking like some sort of sculpture. The seeds are imported from Hungary, and the plants produce the biggest, most strangely-shaped tomatoes! One may weigh several pounds and weigh down the plant!

We got to reminiscing about our tomato experiences: at the end of the season, the green tomatoes are collected, and made into pickled tomatoes. And I recalled that as a child in France, we had green tomato jam .
As we get older, we think more and more about planting flowering perennials, so we will not have to replant or mow all the time in the future. Grass is so boring compared to all those other plants!

I was in Piedmont earlier today, at Family Health Center …

20160728_153008
I love my docs on Queen Street! -Rosalie Tirella

Check out their neighborhood health fair!

LOGO (1)

Annual Neighborhood Health Fair

August 12

Family Health Center of Worcester, Inc. welcomes you to join us for our annual Neighborhood Health Fair on Friday, August 12

At 26 Queen St.

11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Our health fair theme, “One Big Happy Family,” celebrates the global family located right here in our community. We hope you can join for this exciting, fun, family-oriented event that will rejoice in the vibrancy of our diverse city!

The Neighborhood Health Fair is an outdoor event held at 26 Queen St. which promotes health, fitness and fun!

Family Health Center staff will offer health screenings and insurance enrollment assistance to interested community members!

There will be food, music, games, balloons, face painting and much more!

BE THERE!!!!

Murals! Always in style!

We pushed for this amazing urban art several years ago on this website and in ICT. And kept on pushin’! Now it’s happening! EVERY WHERE in the Big Woo! Here’s the side wall of The Raven club in Piedmont:

20160630_151558-1

20160630_151542

20160630_151528

It blesses “Congress Alley,” Worcester’s musical mecca in the 1960s … an urban space where artists and hipsters gathered together to make art and music, celebrate L-I-F-E, read their poetry and alter their minds with groovy substances.

20160630_151629

Go, Chris B. and Piedmont, go!!!

pics/text: R.T.

Piedmont’s Peace Park – always in style!

IMG_5385

Worcester Tree Initiative news …

Saturday, April 23

We invite you to come help clean up an inner-city park, The Peace Park, at the corner of Winslow street and Pleasant streets!

Our faithful Tree Steward Karen Carreiro is a Master Gardener and she tends to the park throughout the year.

We want to help her get the park into tip top shape for spring by picking up trash and cleaning up the trees as needed.

We hope you’ll join us at 9 a.m. on the 23rd to help!

For more information, call the WTI at 508-852-6400

Coolio! Stone Soup celebration! In Piedmont tonight!

image019

Stone Soup Is finally done, YES! we finally got the 3rd floor done!!!!

Come celebrate with a concert!

Tonight! Thursday, March 10

7 p.m. at Stone Soup

4 King St.

DAVID ROVICS IN CONCERT

This Benefit Show is an open event, but artists have to live! We are suggesting $10-$20 sliding scale so David can keep on the road doing what he loves and sharing it with all of us.

Come to hear his stories from the road.

http://www.davidrovics.com/

He will be accompanied by Matt Feinstein http://www.songsofliberation.net/

Be there!!!

Worcester’s Family Health Center in Piedmont …

… has a relatively new satellite clinic near Webster Square, on Park Ave (in the old Eddy’s pants building). FHC is my health center, so I popped by the Webster Square clinic today to get my yearly FLU SHOT!

FLU SHOTS WORK! GET YOURS NOW OR IN OCTOBER. FHC TURNS NO ONE AWAY. FREE!

The CITY OF WORCESTER Department of Public Health also accommodates – it runs several FREE FLU CLINICS IN THE CITY. Happening soon …

– R. Tirella

I took a few pics: the exam room, moi and the wonderful FHC nurse who gave me my vaccine!

CAM00875

CAM00871

CAM00877

Go, Family Health Center, go!!!!

Yay, Piedmont neighborhood! As I was zipping around Worcester yesterday …

… I was delighted to see something new “blooming” at Chandler Elementary School, the Piedmont inner-city school we got city officials to put a slide set/play-scape in (see it, in the background?) earlier this year:

CAM00241

… raised garden boxes!

CAM00244

Three of them!

Folks in this urban neighborhood are raising their own veggies! Just one more way to keep our kids healthy and strong!

As InCity Times celebrates its 14’th birthday, it’s victories like this spiffed-up school yard that make ME HAPPIEST OF ALL!

So break out the vegan ice cream! Buy a ton of Kettle Corn at Main South’s REC Farmers Market!

DSCF1220

Run a couple of laps around Maloney Field outside with Ron Charette (on left in pic, below) and his South Worcester Neighborhood Center crew on Camp Street!

DSCF0943-1

Celebrate with us! I am SO PROUD OF MY NEWSPAPER AND ALL THE WONDERFUL WRITERS AND ARTISTS who’ve made InCity Times so unique! Thanks to our wonderful advertisers and, most of all, READERS LIKE YOU!

You are my family!

– photos/text – Rosalie Tirella

(kettle corn and Ron Charette photos by Ron O’Clair)