Repair the Snow Removal Damage!

In most places this weekend, the snow from over two weeks ago was melted. But it wasn't completely melted at the Parcel 6 corner and berm. There was still a filthy pile of snow sitting on the berm. Around it lay broken branches, sticks, leaves, gravel and even someone's undelivered newspaper. The landscape is in a shameful state and should be an embarrassment to our management company FirstService Residential and to our snow removal contractor BrightView. The landscape division of BrightView tried to blow leaves during the week in this area of the Loop Road but was either unable to clean up this mess because of the remaining snow or just didn't try. We understand that the snow has just melted, but the snow should never have been dumped like this. It has damaged the shrubs, the understory and the berm itself. We wonder where the supervision is here and who is responsible to the community for this mess. This eyesore needs to be cleaned up as soon as possible. 

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Signs of Life in the Winter Landscape

                                                        Photo: Tari Pantaleo

Join Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands for a walk through the fields of the Mapleton Preserve to look for signs of life in the winter landscape—be they plants, animals or birds, evidence of feeding, tracks or scat. It will likely be cold, and may be snowy or muddy, so dress for the weather. Hot chocolate will be served after the walk.

The walk will take place on Sunday, February 26, 2017, from 1 to 3 pm. It is free and all are welcome, but preregistration is requested. For more information and to register, call Karen Linder at 609-683-0483. Mapleton Preserve/D&R Canal State Park Headquarters is located at 145 Mapleton Road in Kingston.

FirstService Residential Drops the Ball—Again

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After the second snowstorm of the season, it is disheartening to see that our snow removal contractor BrightView has done more damage to the Parcel 6 corner and berm. The shrubs that were trashed in the first snowstorm were pushed back and covered with snow once again. This time snow was piled high, creating a filthy wall along the front of the berm. Lower branches of the trees were pulled down and broken in the process.

It's perplexing that our snow removal contractor would treat the landscape in such a harsh and damaging way when another part of their own company is responsible for its care in other seasons. What's even more discouraging is that our management company FirstService Residential hasn't done anything about it.

Photos: Paul E. Nolting

Black History Month

The Gift to Sing
by James Weldon Johnson

Sometimes the mist overhangs my path,
And blackening clouds about me cling;
But, oh, I have a magic way
To turn the gloom to cheerful day—
      I softly sing.

And if the way grows darker still,
Shadowed by Sorrow's somber wing,
With glad defiance in my throat,
I pierce the darkness with a note,
      And sing, and sing.

I brood not over the broken past,
Nor dread whatever time may bring;
No nights are dark, no days are long,
While in my heart there swells a song,
      And I can sing.

Photo: Carl Van Vechten