Happy New Year, Princeton Landing!

Happy New Year, Zurich!

© MySwitzerland.com

"Anyway, it's about old friends . . . "

Who Has Seen the Wind?

Who has seen the wind?

Neither I nor you.

But when the leaves hang trembling,

The wind is passing through.

Who has seen the wind?

Neither you nor I.

But when the trees bow down their heads,

The wind is passing by.

— Christina Rossetti

Merry Christmas, Princeton Landing!

We wish our readers good tidings of great joy!

'Twas the night before Christmas . . .

A Visit from St. Nicholas

by Clement Clarke Moore

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So up to the housetop the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

Holiday Greetings . . .

. . . from my godson and fellow nature lover, Tom Kulik!

Merry Christmas

Sal

Matt

Pat

Stacy

&

Vesele Vianoce, Walter!

Photos: Teuscher (1–4), Vollenweider (5)

O Christmas Tree

2009 Trader Joe's Favorites

Click to enlarge the image

Holiday Greetings From The Grants

The following message is in reply to our "Season's Greetings" post yesterday. It's from Dave Grant, former FVCSA Board President and tennis pro, and his lovely wife Suzanne. The Grants moved to South Carolina from Princeton Landing this past summer. They asked us to share their holiday greetings with their friends in the community.

Wow! What a wonderful message. Sure is nice to have a President and wife who understand the value of the Internet and who add such value to the community. The site is magnificent and very informative.

We are deeply touched by the message/thought and fondly remember so many great friends and neighbors. Am sure glad you got the picture before Saturday, as we saw on the Weather Channel that my beloved tennis courts must be loaded. Please send our best wishes to all the fine people in the community and tell them we are well and enjoying the South and if they are fixin' to travel to the western part of SC, they are most welcome.

Happy New Year to all,

Dave and Suzanne

Nature Guide: Poinsettia

Although they haven't been used as Christmas decorations for as long as holly and mistletoe, brilliant red poinsettias are also a popular holiday plant. There are more than a hundred brightly colored varieties, including some that are orange, pale green, cream, pink, white or marbled. Our Nature Guide Jon Latimer provides some more information.

"Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a species of flowering plant found in Mexico and Guatemala. Although most of the plants we see grow up to two feet high, in the wild poinsettia grows as a shrub or small tree, sometimes reaching a height of 16 feet. Its colorful bracts, which are modified leaves, are sometimes mistaken for flower petals. But the flower of a poinsettia is actually the small green or yellow blossom found at the center of each group of leaves. Poinsettia also has dark green leaves that are 3 to 6 inches long.

"To keep your poinsettia healthy, it is best to keep it in temperatures of 60° to 70°F during the day. A sunny window works well, but don't let the plant touch a cold windowpane. Keeping it at 55° to 60°F at night will extend its blooming time. Water only when the soil is dry and do not fertilize while the plant is in bloom. Be careful not to break a stem. Poinsettias are not poisonous, but their milky sap can irritate the skin.

"The common name 'poinsettia' comes from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico. Poinsett was interested in botany and wandered the Mexican countryside looking for new plant species. In 1828 he found this beautiful shrub with large red flowers growing next to a road. He brought cuttings back to his greenhouse in South Carolina and introduced the plant to the US.

"Poinsettia's association with Christmas dates back to colonial Mexico. According to legend, a poor young girl wanted to present a gift to celebrate the birthday of Jesus. She was inspired by an angel to gather weeds and place them in front of the church altar. Crimson 'blossoms' sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful poinsettias. The plants have been included in Christmas celebrations ever since."

After the Storm

Season's Greetings

Merry Christmas

Dave & Suzanne

From

Paul & Karen

&

Your Friends at Princeton Landing

little tree

by e. e. cummings

little tree

little silent Christmas tree

you are so little

you are more like a flower

who found you in the green forest

and were you very sorry to come away?

see i will comfort you

because you smell so sweetly

I will kiss your cool bark

and hug you safe and tight

just as your mother would,

only don't be afraid

look the spangles

that sleep all the year in a dark box

dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine,

the balls the chains red and gold the fluffy threads,

put up your little arms

and i'll give them all to you to hold

every finger shall have its ring

and there won't be a single place dark or unhappy

then when you're quite dressed

you'll stand in the window for everyone to see

and how they'll stare!

oh but you'll be very proud

and my little sister and i will take hands

and looking up at our beautiful tree

we'll dance and sing

"Noel Noel"

Ready for the Snow

Last Night of Hanukkah

Nature Guide: Holly

A sprig of holly with its shiny green leaves and bright red berries is another symbol of Christmas. A holly shrub is also an eye-catching plant in the landscape, especially during winter when many other plants have lost their leaves. Our Nature Guide Jon Latimer shares some information about this seasonal favorite.

"Holly (Ilex) is a genus of approximately 600 species of flowering plants. Our most common species is American Holly (Ilex opaca), which is widely planted as an ornamental shrub, hedge or tree. American Holly is native to the eastern United States, from coastal Massachusetts to central Florida, and west as far as southeastern Missouri and eastern Oklahoma and Texas.

"In the wild, holly typically grows as an understory shrub in forests. It develops slowly but can survive in either dry or wet conditions. Its white flowers are pollinated by ants, moths and other insects. If eaten by humans, its red berries may cause nausea and vomiting, but they are an important survival food for songbirds, including thrushes, mockingbirds, catbirds and bluebirds. Holly's prickly leaves also offer birds protection from predators and bad weather.

"In ancient times, followers of some pagan religions developed the custom of placing holly leaves and branches around the outside of their homes during winter as a symbol of hospitality. The ancient Romans decorated their houses and temples with holly to celebrate the midwinter feast in honor of the winter solstice. Early Christians adopted this tradition and decorated their homes with holly to celebrate the birth of Christ. As Christians increased in influence, holly lost its pagan associations and became a symbol of Christmas. Today we celebrate the holiday season with wreaths and garlands of holly."

Photo by Larry Stritch, US Forest Service

Ilya The Manatee's Release

Here's the video from Miami Seaquarium of Ilya the manatee's release into Biscayne Bay. Congratulations to the capable Seaquarium team!

Ilya the Manatee Home for the Holidays

Photo courtesy Miami Seaquarium

Ilya (left) and his friend Glade

Ilya the manatee, who was stranded in New Jersey waters and dramatically rescued in late October, was released back into the wild this morning. Ilya's release follows six weeks of intense rehabilitation at the Miami Seaquarium, where doctors were watching the sea cow's weight and checking his blood. Once doctors deemed it safe, the 1,110-pound Ilya was loaded into a crate for the transfer and released into Biscayne Bay.

Ilya has been outfitted with tracking devices so scientists can keep an eye on him. Ilya has also been added to Save the Manatee Club's Adopt-A-Manatee program. You can adopt Ilya online here.

We've been following this story and are happy that Ilya is back safely in southeast Florida waters where he belongs. We hope he enjoys being home for Christmas.

This Week at Princeton Landing

On Tuesday and Wednesday Brickman will be applying dormant granular fertilizer to the lawns in the community. They are also continuing with the leaf cleanup. Work will be done in the following parcel order: 4, 3, 2, 10, 11 and 12. Property manager Sal Pirrera reports that other than routine work orders, there's nothing on the maintenance schedule this week.

A Great Miracle Happened There

To our Princeton Landing neighbors

celebrating the Festival of Lights,

Happy Hanukkah to you and your loved ones.

Lawn Maintenance

Property manager Matt Lubas reports that Brickman posted signs today to notify residents that they will be applying dormant granular fertilizer to lawns in the community. The work is scheduled to begin next Tuesday.

Nature Guide: Mistletoe

Kissing under the mistletoe is an ancient holiday tradition that is observed in many countries. In its natural setting, however, mistletoe's characteristics are less romantic. Our Nature Guide Jon Latimer explains:

"Mistletoe is a partial parasite (known to botanists as a 'hemiparasite') that uses its roots to penetrate a branch or trunk of a tree and absorb nutrients from its host. But mistletoe is also capable of subsisting on its own by producing food through photosynthesis. There are more than 1,300 species of mistletoe, but the one most often used as a Christmas decoration is American mistletoe (Phoradendron spp.). It has greenish-yellow leathery leaves that grow up to two inches long and sticky white berries that appear in fall. American mistletoe grows on a wide variety of trees and ranges from Florida to New Jersey and as far west as Texas.

"American mistletoe berries are poisonous to people, but they provide essential food for an amazing number of birds, butterflies, insects and mammals. American robins, mourning doves, bluebirds and pigeons eat mistletoe and also use it for cover and nesting sites. So do squirrels and chipmunks. But mistletoe also gains from these relationships. Its sticky seeds are often carried on a bird's beak or feathers or on a mammal's fur to new host tress where they produce new plants.

"There is a rich heritage of folklore related to mistletoe. The ancient Greeks believed it had mystical powers. The Celts and Germans worshipped mistletoe, especially when it was found on an oak tree. Our custom of decorating houses with mistletoe at Christmas is a survival of a Druid tradition of decorating with mistletoe to celebrate the winter solstice. During the Middle Ages, branches of mistletoe were hung from ceilings to ward off evil spirits, or sprigs were placed above doorways to prevent witches from entering. Mistletoe was also believed to bestow fertility, and kissing under the mistletoe was associated with courtship and marriage. According to tradition, one berry should be removed from the sprig of mistletoe after each kiss. When all the berries are gone, the kissing must stop."

Photo by Steve Baskauf, US Forest Service

This Week at Princeton Landing

Property manager Sal Pirrera reminds everyone that community-wide gutter cleaning continues this week. Be aware that workers will be walking on rooftops.

Novo Nordisk Christmas Tree

In what has become a local holiday tradition, our neighbors at Novo Nordisk have once again brightened the season with their beautiful and distinctive Christmas tree. We're fortunate to have such a festive welcome home as we approach Sayre Drive on Route 1 South.

"Two Buck Chuck" Coming to Trader Joe's

Many Trader Joe's fans were disappointed when they found out that the store wouldn't be carrying "Two Buck Chuck," the Charles Shaw California wines that cost between $1.99 to $3.49 a bottle, depending on the region. Well, here's some good news. According to today's West Windsor & Plainsboro News, the new Trader Joe's in West Windsor will be getting a liquor license. The township was able to make the license available as the result of a census survey that showed enough residential growth to grant another license. Even though the license has been awarded, it may take another three to four months before liquor will be sold in the store. Trader Joe's is located in the Square at West Windsor shopping center on Route 1 at Meadow Road.

Attention Parents: Holiday Event

Princeton Shopping Center will host Party with Santa & Snowy on Saturday, December 5, from 12:30 to 3:00 pm. Santa Claus and Snowy the snowman will arrive by fire engine at the main courtyard entrance at 12:30. The party will take place in the Holiday Party Room located in the store next to Ace Hardware. Rhythm 'n Balloons will provide holiday rock and roll. Bring your camera to take a photo of your child with Santa and Snowy. Children will receive a gift and are invited to take part in a holiday craft project. Princeton Shopping Center is located at 301 North Harrison Street in Princeton Township. Click here for directions.

Advertise on Princeton Landing News

If you're a regular reader of Princeton Landing News, you may have noticed that we now have a category in the right-hand column called Sponsor Links. As our audience has grown and the content has evolved, running the blog on a day-to-day basis has required an even greater commitment. So we have decided to accept advertising. We think that by including advertising from quality local and national businesses we will enhance the blog and make it even more useful to our readers. If you're interested in advertising on Princeton Landing News, click here to send an ad inquiry.

Nature Guide: Reindeer

In his 1822 poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas, Clement Clarke Moore chose eight tiny reindeer to pull Santa Claus' sleigh because he knew they lived in the cold regions around the North Pole. In 1939 Robert L. May created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and added him to Moore's team, giving us our modern version of Santa's transportation. Our Nature Guide Jon Latimer shares some information about the real wild reindeer, known as caribou in North America.

"The reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) is a species of deer that has adapted to life on the Arctic plains (or tundra) and nearby forest and mountain areas of North America and Eurasia. Reindeer are sociable animals, living in herds that may contain as many as 500,000 individuals. Food is scarce in this harsh environment, so reindeer herds are almost constantly on the move. They migrate in spring and fall, covering more than 3,000 miles each year, the longest migration of any terrestrial animal.

"In March or April, reindeer leave their winter grounds and move to their calving grounds. Calves are born in May or June. In fall, which is mating season, males compete to attract a harem of as many as 14 or 20 females. They spend winter forested areas and must paw through the snow to find lichens or grasses to eat. This behavior led the Native American Mi'kmaq to name them 'qalipu,' meaning 'snow shoveler.' This name was passed along by French explorers and became our word caribou.

"Their reindeer is well adapted to its cold, barren habitat. Their coat has two layers of fur, a dense woolly undercoat and longer overcoat consisting of hollow hairs. This thick overcoat traps air to provide insulation and gives buoyancy in water, allowing reindeer to swim across wide rivers during migration. Reindeer have broad hooves that change according to the season. In summer, when the tundra is soft and wet, their footpads become soft and provide extra traction. In winter, the pads harden and shrink, exposing the rim of the hoof, which can cut into ice and snow to keep the animals from slipping. The reindeer is the only species of deer in which the female has horns, perhaps to help her complete for scarce food. Antlers of both males and females are shed and replaced each year.

"The reindeer's range has decreased dramatically due to hunting and the destruction of its natural habitat by humans. But reindeer are an important resource for the people of the arctic regions. They are raised for their meat, hides, antlers and milk and used for transportation. Reindeer are not fully domesticated, however. They generally roam free and traditional reindeer herders move with their herds during their annual migration."

This Week at Princeton Landing

We hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. Today is the voting deadline for the FVCSA Board of Directors. Anyone still wishing to vote must bring their completed ballot to The Smith House by 4:00 pm. Tonight at 7:30 pm there is a public hearing on the proposed adoption of a revised capital reserve policy. The association's annual meeting is tomorrow night at 7:30 pm at The Smith House.

Property manager Sal Pirrera reminds everyone that community-wide gutter cleaning will start today and go on through the next two weeks, weather permitting. Property manager Matt Lubas tells us that leaf removal will continue for the next couple of weeks as well.

Advent Begins

© swissworld.org

Advent windows in Lucerne, Switzerland

November Night

by Adelaide Crapsey

Listen . . .

With faint dry sound,

Like steps of passing ghosts,

The leaves, frost-crisp'd, break from the trees

And fall.

Happy Birthday, Caroline

Photo by Cecil Stoughton

Happy Thanksgiving

Freedom from Want

Norman Rockwell, 1943

Forrestal Village Holiday Event

Click here for details.

Palmer Square Holiday Events

The Palmer Square Annual Tree Lighting will be held on the Green on Friday, November 27, beginning at 4:45 pm. Santa Claus will be on hand to light the tree, a 65-foot Norwegian spruce that holds over 32,000 lights. The event will feature Holiday Brass and a performance by the Princeton High School Choir. There will be a reading of the poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. After the tree lighting, Snow, Sleigh Bells, and Saxophones will perform from 6 to 8 pm.

On Monday, December 14, at 5 pm, the Annual Hanukkah Celebration will take place on Palmer Square North Plaza in front of Mediterra restaurant. There will be the lighting of the Menorah and music by the Odessa Klezmer Band.

Every Saturday and Sunday afternoon in December and on Christmas Eve, musicians and carolers — and Santa Claus — will stroll throughout Palmer Square. Click here to go to the official Palmer Square website.

This Week at Princeton Landing

It's a short work week at Princeton Landing. Our management office will be closed on Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving.

Property manager Matt Lubas reports that landscape contractor Brickman will continue going parcel by parcel removing leaves from fronts, backs and beds, and doing the final mowing. With the short holiday week and rain in the forecast, leaf efforts may be limited, however. The focus will be more on the fronts of homes, walkways and driveways to make everything as safe as possible for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Property manager Sal Pirrera says that community-wide gutter cleaning will begin on Monday, November 30. We appreciate this heads-up. Otherwise the sudden stomping on the roofs can be a little disconcerting.

50 Years of "The Sound of Music"

Fifty years ago this past week, The Sound of Music, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. For those fortunate enough to have seen Mary Martin as Maria, this must bring back memories. For the rest of us who grew up with the 1965 film version and the incomparable Julie Andrews as our Fraulein Maria, we can only wonder where the time has gone and appreciate how lucky we are to have had this wonderful musical in our lives.

Tell Us What You Think: The Front Entrance

This week a new seasonal foliage display was installed at the front entrance to the community by our landscape contractor, Brickman. Use the Comments link below to tell us what you think. Click the photo to see a larger image.

Ilya the Manatee's Rescue

Here's something for you wildlife lovers who have been following the odyssey and rescue of Ilya, the manatee who was stranded in New Jersey waters. This video, filmed and edited by Bryan Kaus, shows the incredible rescue of Ilya at a Linden refinery.

Since his rescue and return to Florida, Ilya has been recovering in a tank at the Miami Seaquarium with a female manatee named Glade. When the veterinarians think he is ready, Ilya will be released into southeast Florida waters.

Watch Ilya's remarkable rescue:

This Week at Princeton Landing

It sounds like it will be a quiet week at Princeton Landing. Property manager Sal Pirrera would like to remind those interested that there will be a Covenants Committee meeting Tuesday night at 7 pm and a Landscape Committee meeting Wednesday night at 7 pm.

Property manager Matt Lubas reports that Brickman is blowing leaves from the fronts and backs of homes and doing a final mowing. They are also edging the walks for the last time this year.

Annual parcel meetings take place throughout the month. Click on the the calendar link at the top of the right-hand column for the schedule.

Lake Carnegie — Saturday, 4:19 pm

Rainy Day

Photo by YoungDoo Moon

Homesick for a rainy day in Zurich.

The Day-Shapes of Dusk

At a Window

by Carl Sandburg

Give me hunger,

O you gods that sit and give

The world its orders.

Give me hunger, pain and want,

Shut me out with shame and failure

From your doors of gold and fame,

Give me your shabbiest, weariest hunger!

But leave me a little love,

A voice to speak to me in the day end,

A hand to touch me in the dark room

Breaking the long loneliness.

In the dusk of day-shapes

Blurring the sunset,

One little wandering, western star

Thrust out from the changing shores of shadow.

Let me go to the window,

Watch there the day-shapes of dusk

And wait and know the coming

Of a little love.

Veterans Day

In Memoriam: Fort Hood, Texas

" . . . your loved ones endure through the life of our nation. Their memory will be honored in the places they lived and by the people they touched. Their life's work is our security, and the freedom that we all too often take for granted. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranquil town; every dawn that a flag is unfurled; every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — that is their legacy."

— President Barack Obama

This Week at Princeton Landing

Things will be a lot less hectic around the community this week since our contractor L.N. Rothberg & Son finished up according to schedule. On the construction and maintenance front, property manager Sal Pirrera tells us, "All is quiet this week."

In the area of landscape, the massive leaf cleanup continues with property manager Matt Lubas informing us, "Nothing new to report this week . . . just leaves."

Parcel Projects: Parcel 4

L.N. Rothberg & Son repairing catch basins and paving.

News From Terhune Orchards

For our neighbors who attended Terhune Orchard's Read & Pick Program about apples which was filmed by NBC News 10, our friends at the farm inform us that the story will air on Monday, November 9, at 5:45 am and 6:45 am.

Terhune Orchards is also taking orders for Thanksgiving pies and turkeys. The fresh turkeys (12 lb minimum) from Pennsylvania are hormone and antibiotic free. Special Thanksgiving store hours are Tuesday and Wednesday, November 24 and 25, from 9 am to 7 pm and Thanksgiving morning from 9 am to noon. Terhune Orchards is located at 330 Cold Soil Road in Princeton.

94 Acres

Nature Guide: Muskrat and Opossum

It's not as easy to see most mammals as it is to see flowers or birds. Mammals keep out of sight and some of them are nocturnal. If you're patient and you know what to look for, two small mammals you may see in our area are the muskrat and the opossum. These two are active at night and you are most likely to encounter them at dawn or dusk. Our Nature Guide Jon Latimer gives us some information to help us recognize these small animals.

"The muskrat is found wherever there are lakes, streams, canals or wetlands. Smaller than a house cat, it has short, dense fur which is medium to dark brown on its back and lighter brown or silvery on its belly. A muskrat's long tail is scaly and flattened from side to side, which helps it swim.

"Muskrats spend much of their lives in water and can stay under for up to 15 minutes. They often follow trails that they make in swamps and ponds, feeding on aquatic vegetation, clams and frogs. They do not store food for the winter and when the water freezes, they follow their trails under the ice, searching for food. In spring they often fight other muskrats for territory and potential mates.

"Muskrat family groups consist of a male and female and often as many as 10 or 11 young. They build nests to protect themselves from cold and predators. Where the water is deep enough, they dig a burrow into the bank with an underwater entrance. In marshes, they construct a conical lodge out of vegetation and mud.

"The Virginia Opossum (also known as a possum) is the only marsupial native to North America. This means that females carry their young through early infancy in a pouch, like a kangaroo. Also about the size of a house cat, an opossum has a pointed nose and a scaly prehensile tail that looks similar to a rat's tail. An opossum's face is white with black ears and its body is whitish gray. At night, its eyes shine dull orange when struck by light.

"An opossum is usually solitary. During the day it sleeps in the hollow of a tree, often with its head tucked under its body. At night it forages for fruits, worms, frogs, insects and garbage. It may wander widely, especially in fall. When it feels threatened, it will show its teeth and hiss and give off a disagreeable smell. If cornered, an opossum may "play possum" and appear to be dead. It really isn't playing, though. Research has shown that this reaction is an involuntary response to extreme fear.

"Females produce two litters each year, sometimes containing as many as 15 young. Babies, which weigh around 1/15 of an ounce at birth, stay in their mother's pouch for the first two months. Later they may ride on their mother's back, holding on to her tail with theirs."

Photo by Cody Pope

Parcel 6 — 9:39 am

This Week at Princeton Landing

There's a lot happening around Princeton Landing this week. Our massive leaf cleanup continues. Property manager Matt Lubas reports, "The recent rain brought down a lot of leaves. This week is supposed to be dry, so leaf removal is a priority." Brickman started the outer parcels today and the inner parcels will follow. In addition, Brickman also planted dianthus at the front entrance to replace the mums. Matt says, "Dianthus is a cool-season annual that is more deer resistant than the typical violas or pansies. They flower red and pink."

Property manager Sal Pirerra tells us that contractor Rainbow G & J Painting should complete the Parcel 2 project by the end of this week. Paving contractor L.N. Rothberg & Son expects to finish the Parcel 11 project by the end of the day Tuesday. The community-wide road patching and catch basin repair, also by L.N. Rothberg, should be completed by the end of this week.

The schedule for annual parcel meetings is posted on the blog calendar for November. To view it, click on the calendar link at the top of the right-hand column of the blog. Residents will be receiving information on the FVCSA board elections within the next few weeks.

Terhune Orchards — 12:37 pm