On March 10th from 7pm to 8:30pm, the Skylands Sierra Club Group will welcome guest speaker Kevin Mitchell, Director of Lusscroft Farm. Mitch-ell will introduce all that the farm has to offer for those who seek the beauty of nature and the rural heritage of Sussex County.This program is free

and open to the public. It will be held at the Unitarian Fellowship, 1 West Nelson Street, Newton.Lusscroft Farm, with

its early 20th century

buildings, surrounding grounds and inspiring scenic vistas, holds a unique place in the Garden State's agricul-tural history. Located on Neilson Road in Want-age Township, the land was purchased by retired executive James Turner and developed as a dairy farm between 1910 and 1930. In 1931, Turner donated the 1050 acre farm to create the North Jersey Branch of the NJ Agricultural Experiment Station, which operated until 1970. For more information,

call 973-600-4960.

Hackettstown High School classmates of 1975 are requested to contact Cindy Mincev-ich at 908-637-6171 to update their contact information for their 40 year reunion planned for Memorial Day weekend. Kindergarten regis-

tration for Blairstown Elementary School will be held on May 2nd, and May 9th for all pupils entering kinder-garten in September 2015. Kindergarten pupils must have reached their 5th birth-day by October 1st, 2015. Registration docu-ments required to be brought to the school office before your screening date are a completed registration form, which can be found on the school website under forms; childs birth certificate

with the raised seal; signed doctors certifi-cate of immunizations; and, if you do not have a student registered at Blairstown Elementary School, you must provide proof of residence. Please call Eileen at 908-362-6111, ext. 109 as soon as possible to schedule your kindergarten screening appointment. Attention parents of

future kindergarten students: Knowlton Twp. Elementary School is planning for the 2015-2016 school year. At this time, they would like to identify as many children as possible who will be eligible for Kindergar-ten in September. To be eligible for kindergar-ten, a child must be five years old by October 1st, 2015. If you have not already done so, and

you have a child who will be eligible for next years kindergarten class, call the school at 908-475-5118, ext. 200 as soon as possible. Dates for screening of next years kindergarten students will be released at a later date. Parents will receive details in the mail. Knowlton Twp.

Elementary Preschool is now accepting regis-trations for fall 2015. Children must be four years old by October 1st, 2015 and must be toilet trained. The program runs Monday through Friday from 9am to 11:30am when school is in session. Transportation is not provided for this program. If interested, please call the school office at 908-475-5118, ext. 200.Attention Blairstown

Seniors: The first Blairstown Seniors trip of 2015 is sched-uled for April 22nd to Brownstone to see American Band-stand staring Joe Zisa and featuring Eric Kearns. Any Blair-stown resident over 55 is welcome. Sign-up is

Wendesday, March 25th at Town Hall at 1pm. For more information, call Mickey at 908-362-8919. Applications are now

available for two scholarships that the Chester Lioness Club annually offers to students residing in Chester, Mendham or Washington Township in Morris County. Each scholarship may be up to $1,000. Crite-ria for selection of candidates for these scholarships include academic record, class-room and extracurricu-lar activities, commu-nity activities, individual interests and hobbies and outstanding accomplishments in activities that demon-strate leadership and service. Financial need is also a consideration. These scholarships are available not only to public high school students, but those attending private schools, as well. Appli-cations may be obtained in the College Resource Center at both West Morris Mendham and West Morris Central High Schools. The com-

pleted form must be returned to the College Resource Center at the high school by March 27th. A letter requesting an application may be sent to the Chester Lion-ess Club in care of Anne MacMillan, 15 Cora Lane, Chester, NJ 07930. Completed applications must be forwarded to the Lion-ess Club by May 1st. For more information about the Chester Lion-ess Club, contact Holly Simmenroth, Publicity Chairperson, at 908-879-5932.Public Notice: In

accordance with the Adequate Notice provision of the Open Public Meetings Act, please be advised that the 2015 meeting sched-ule for the Warren County Transportation Advisory Council is as follows: March 12th, May 14th, July 9th (location TBD), September 10th and November 12th at 1:30pm. Meetings will be held in the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Meeting Room at the Wayne Dumont Jr. Adminisration Building, located at 165 Co. Rt. 519 South in Belvidere. Public Notice: In

accordance with the Adequate Notice provision of the Open Public Meetings Act, please be advised that the 2015 meeting sched-ule for the Warren County Mental Health Board is as follows: March 17th, April 21st, May 19th, June 16th, July 21st, August 18th, September 15th, Octo-ber 20th, November 17th and December 15th at 5pm. Meetings will be held in rooms 123A and

B at Warren CountyCommunity College,located at 475 Rt. 57 in Washington.Our Spring Prom and

Bridal editions will bepublished March 25th through April 15th! Email thepressads@g mail.com to save yourad space!Happy birthday

wishes are sent toPeggy Impeciati,March 6th; and Bran-don Morris, March 6th; We love hearing from

you! Send yourbirthdays,

anniversaries and tidbits of info to:

The PRESS,1 Broadway,

Bangor, PA 18013thepressmail@gmail.comVisit Us 24/7 online atthepressnewsonline.com

RE/MAX Ridge Real Estate, with offices in Blairstown and Wash-ington townships, proudly announces another milestone achievement this past year. As in previous years, RE/MAX Ridge outperformed by earn-ing 20 percent of the 2014 top-producer awards with just 5 percent of the Warren County Board of REAL-TORS membership.RE/MAX Ridge real

estate agents Joanne Van Valkenburg, Carol Paglia and Gail Masson- Romano earned the prestigious 2014 NJ Association of Realtors (NJAR) Circle of Excellence Awards.These top-producer

awards show that the good news in the real estate market contin-ues, Gail, Broker-Owner of RE/MAX Ridge said. RE/MAX Ridge experienced an upturn in sales in the housing market back in the fall of 2011. The momentum continued through 2014. And 2015 is already off to a great start with homes going under contract at a fast pace.I believe the NY

metropolitan area is once again discovering the beauty, tranquility and value of northwest New Jersey. The national improvement in the housing market combined with our considerable assets--open space, great com-munities, quality schools and much more--make us a very attractive destination. And we market our assets to prospective buyers aggressively!Carol, a bronze level

2014 NJAR Circle of Excellence award recipient, said, The RE/MAX Ridge team of full-time agents has

worked hard to achieve their success. I had a very productive year. We work hard for our clients. The business is out there and do what-ever is needed to achieve our clients objectives. I see every-one in this agency work-ing overtime. And we are making a differ-ence.Joanne, another 2014

NJAR Circle of Excel-lence award recipient, added, The atmosphere in this office is positive and the agent-supportive philosophy of RE/MAX Ridge has helped me to enjoy another very productive year. We did well during the difficult years since 2007... and

the improvement in the market during the past few years only enhances our position. We go out each day with the expec-tation that we will find buyers for our homes and its apparent by our production that we are accomplishing our goals on a consistent basis. Gail, herself a recipient

of the NJAR Circle of Excellence award at the silver level, appreciates everyones efforts. I am very proud of our

award winners and of our entire team of full-time agents, Gail said. We have a wonderful group of hard working, considerate and good-natured real estate professionals. Working

with this team is very rewarding. And while many in

the industry are still wondering about what comes next... our RE/MAX Ridge team continues to ensure results... by working hard and marketing hard to find buyers... no matter how the housing market behaves.Congratulations to the

RE/MAX Ridge NJAR Circle of Excellence winners and the entire RE/MAX Ridge team. They can be reached at NJResidence.com, in Blairstown on Main Street at 908-362-7200, or in Washington on Rt. 31 at 908-689-4444.

The Kinnara Ensemble, an a cappella choral group, will present a concert of works by Monteverdi and Ginas-tera on Sunday, March 15th at 3pm, at Christ Church in Newton. The performance will include Monteverdi's Sestina, Ginastera's Lamentations of Jeremiah and other works. Christ Church is located at 62 Main Street Newton. Comprising 32 voices,

Kinnara Ensemble is a professional choir based in Princeton. Singers who hail from all over the country rehearse together for a week in residency together as they prepare for each concert series. Vocalists also perform with other professional groups,

such as Conspirare, The Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Apollo Master Chorale, Tucson Chamber Artists and Skylark Ensemble. Kinnara Ensemble

Artistic Director J.D. Burnett enjoys a varied career as a conductor, singer and teacher. He is Assistant Professor of Music and Associate Director of Choral Activities at the Univer-sity of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music, where he conducts the Mens and Womens Glee Clubs and the Collegium Musicum, and teaches courses in choral litera-ture and conducting. Tickets will be avail-

able at the door or by contacting Joe Mello at jmello435@gmail.com or 862-268-4720.

Ridge and Valley Charter School Open House: March 4th, 8:30am-10:30am. 1234 Rt. 94, Blairstown. Register at 908-362-11140.

Coping w/ Depres-sion Presentation & Open Forum: March 5th, 7pm. Bridgeway, 93 Stickles Pond Rd., Newton. Hosted by NAMI Sussex. Guest speaker Susan Scheel, MS, LAC, NCC, will cover the symptoms of depression, common triggers & coping skills, effectiveness of Cogni-tive Behavioral Therapy in treating depression. FMI, call 973-214-0632.

1st Friday Writers: March 6th, 7pm. Cath-erine Dickson Library, 4 Lambert Rd., Blair-stown. Bring your writing for friendly, frank critique or come just to visit. FMI, call 908-362-8335.

Read To A Pet: March 7th, 11am. Catherine Dickson Library, 4 Lambert Rd., Blair-stown. Sign up to read to a pet for 10 minutes. FMI, call 908-362-8335.

"Spay"-getti Dinner Fundraiser: March 8th,

3-6pm. Sussex Elks Lodge, 152 County Rd. 565, Sussex. Live music, cash bar, vendors, 50/50.

Family Movie Night: March 11th, 6:30pm. Warren Co. Library, 2 Shotwell Dr., Belvidere. Come watch a movie that recounts a day in the life of a grumpy young boy who has everything go wrong, all in one day. Rated PG. FMI, call 908-475-6322 or visit www.warrenlib.org.

Evening Lit Group: March 11th, 7pm. Catherine Dickson Library, 4 Lambert Rd., Blairstown. Evening book discussion group. FMI, call 908-362-8335.

Kids Crafts: March 13th, 4pm. Catherine Dickson Library, 4 Lambert Rd., Blair-stown. Ages 5-12. Sign up is necessary. FMI, call 908-362-8335.

Boy Scout Troop 140 7th Annual Spaghetti Dinner: March 13th, 5pm-7:30pm. 1st UMC, 10 Stillwater Rd., Blair-stown. Eat-in or take-out. FMI & tickets, call Lori: 908-362-7460.

Hope Twp. Class of

2015 Tricky Tray Fundraiser: March 13th, Doors open 6pm. Hope Twp. School, 320 Johnsonburg Rd., Hope. FMI, visit hopetown shiptrickytray.shutterfly.com.

Fred S. Burroughs North Jersey Chapter Annual Fund Raising Banquet: Saturday March 21st 6:30pm. Andover-Sparta Rd., Sparta. Prizes, Raffles, and more. Reservations can be made online at nnjtu.org, tickets avail-able by contacting Sue Reed at 908-850-8773 or sbreed@optonline.net. RSVP by March 13th.

St. Patrick's Day Dinner Dance: March 14th, 6:15-11pm. McNulty Hall. Snow date: March 15th. Spon-sored by St. Jude Ladies Guild & Knights of Columbus Council #12430. FMI & tickets, call Robert Ho at 908-382-1525 or Lorraine Meister at 908-459-5114.

Morning Lit Group: March 16th, 10am. Catherine Dickson Library, 4 Lambert Rd., Blairstown. FMI, call 908-362-8335.

Free Bankruptcy Semi-nar: March 18th, 79pm. Project Self-Sufficiency, 127 Mill St., Newton. Registra-tion reqd. To register, call 973-940-3500.

Adult Jeopardy: March 19th, 7pm. Catherine Dickson Library, 4 Lambert Rd., Blairstown. Registration reqd. Ages 18 & up.

FMI, call 908-362-8335.

Young Adult Book Club: March 19th, 2:45pm. Catherine Dickson Library, 4 Lambert Rd., Blair-stown. Ages 12 -15. Sign up reqd. FMI, call 908-362-8335.

Computer Class for the Very Beginner Microsoft Word Part 2: March 20th, 10am. Catherine Dickson Library, 4 Lambert Rd., Blairstown. FMI, call 908-362-8335.

A l l - Yo u - C a n - E a t Pancake & Sausage Supper: March 21st, 4:30-7pm. Walnut Valley UMC, 4 Vail Rd., Columbia. Carry-out avail.

North Warren Regional Marching Band BashFundraiser: March 21st, 7-11pm. 187 Rt. 94, Blairstown. Hosted by NWRMB Parent Association. Join the Band Parent Asso-ciation for a fun evening of cocktails to raise funds for new tubas for the band. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the band!

Hello, fellow readers! On a recent frigid after-

noon, a light dusting underway and uncer-tainty when the snow could wreak havoc, I joined 100 and a half other Fergus fans at the Frelinghuysen Arbore-tum in Morris Town-ship. Fergus Garett is a gardening rock star to dig-in-the-dirt folks and fans of Christopher Lloyd. For close to 25 years, Fergus has been the head gardener of the 15th-century Great Dixter estate in East Sussex, England; the family home of the late Christopher Lloyd, a legendary bachelor gardener who rose to fame as a plantsman, author of 20 books and a weekly gardening columnist for 40 years, never missing a dead-line, even when hospi-talized.Fergus Garretts friend-

ship and admiration of Christo, Lloyds well-known nickname, was evident as he spoke. His contagious British accent cadenced along with the glorious slides of the lively, ever-changing spaces of the 55-acre estate. Some-times Christopher Lloyd cast off traditions of the color wheel, Garrett

explained, boldly plant-ing yellow and pink flowers together. Or he ripped up a 70-year-old rose garden in place of what was reported a brazen kaleidoscope of sub-tropical plants, which stirred letters of complaint from the public.The garden is not stale

in any way. Its a living place. There is always change, Garrett said, but it is not change for changes sake, just to shock people and make headlines. Its change because it was a natural improvement. Garrett added, Its

normal in a garden, isnt it, that you fall out of love with certain plants and new plants come and combinations change. Trees grow and cast shade on the border underneath it so the border underneath changes.After chocolate-

covered strawberries, I white knuckled it home as the snow had turned into a heavy dump. But what inspiration! Lessons from Great Dixter where I hope to visit someday. And when I do, Fergus Garrett signed in my copy of The View from Great Dixter; Christo-pher Lloyds Garden Legacy, Dear Mary, Come and visit (tea and cake!)Garden dilemmas?askmarystone.com Please visit me at the

upcoming Springfest Garden Show! Ill be there every day and on Thursday, March 12th at 2pm, my colleague Marty Carson and I will give a talk on Deer Resistant Plants You May Not Know About. Look forward to meeting you there!

Martin Schmalenberg is a different kind of artist. Having lived and studied in Japan, and formerly the Head of Asian Studies at Blair Academy, he offers a special insight into the cultural, philosophical and aesthetic apprecia-tion of bonsai to his educational programs, which are presented around the country. A long-time bonsai and suiseki artist and prolific writer on these art forms, Marty will demonstrate this ancient practice of long-term cultivation and shaping of small trees to Spring-fest visitors throughout the four-day Springfest Garden Show. Martys day-long

bonsai demonstrations will take place in the beautifully decorated caf at the Springfest Garden Show, held March 12th through 15th at the Sussex

County Fairgrounds, in Augusta. The caf, decked out in an Asian motif, will transport visitors to a serene garden scene as they relax with lunch or snacks. More demonstrations

and lectures, along with beautiful garden exhib-its, great garden shop-ping and landscaping ideas galore, await visitors daily from 10am to 5pm. Admission is $12 for adults, $9 for seniors and free for children under 15.Springfest is a fund-

raiser for a division of the non-profit Sussex County Farm and Horse Show/New Jersey State Fair, a 501(c)(3) corpo-ration. For more infor-mation, visit springfest gardenshow.org.

(NAPSI)Restore , refinish, repurpose: The Rs have it when it comes to decorating your home. You can give used furniture new life with some imagination and a little bit of elbow grease. From turning a discarded door into a stately headboard to making a coffee table out of a wooden pallet, the possibilities are endless when you do it yourself.Your local flea market,

or even your own attic, is a great place to start. Keep an open mind during your search for the perfect piece, and remember that even the dingiest furniture can be easily transformed.To help, wood finish-

ing expert Bruce John-

son offers these tips: Check the wood for

excessive dryness or splintering. A light sand-ing and dust removal will prepare the piecefor refinishing. For beautiful results

in a short amount oftime, choose a one-step product such asPolyShadesits a rich stain color and clearprotective finish, all inone. Using this product, let

the first coat dry com-pletely before applying additional coats. For quick and easy

touch-ups of nicks and scratches, use MinwaxStain Markers in a colorthat matches your wood.Follow with Minwax Paste Wax for a hand-rubbed finish.

Zany. Crazy. Off the wall. Hilarious. All adjectives used by those who have seen Uncle Floyd in action. Here's your chance to see it! Uncle Floyd, a cable

star before there was cable TV, is bringing his zany sense of humor and antics to The Inn at Mill-race Pond in Hope for a special performance on Saturday, March 14th.Show time is 9pm, with

dinner reservations beginning at 7pm. Tick-ets for the show are just $15 each. There will be a special comedy show menu for this event. As seating is limited, reser-vations are recom-mended.Easily recognizable by

his out-of-fashion signa-ture plaid suits and straw hat, Uncle Floyd is a true icon. A part of the NJ metro scene since the 1970s, his show, the Uncle Floyd Show, has appeared on many UHF (now that's a long time ago!) and cable systems over the years, not just in NJ, but throughout the US. Many refer to his TV show as "TV's

strangest adult kiddie show." He can also be heard weekly on Sirius Satellite Radio, as a regular on "The Wise-guy Show."His incredible memory

for the smallest of facts is amazing and becomes a hilarious part of his show as he recalls com-mercials and jingles from another era. In addition, Uncle

Floyd regularly performs his unforgetta-bly funny shows at nightclubs throughout

the tri-state area, wherehe enjoys a solid fanbase and mixes comedy with song while playing rip-roaring tunes on thepiano. He has openedfor Chubby Checker, Connie Francis, JerryVale, Pat Cooper, MelbaMoore, Leon Redbone,Jimmy Roselli andhundreds of other bigname stars.Uncle Floyd has also

appeared on numerous TV shows and movies, including "Good Morn-ing, Vietnam," "Law &Order" and "Cosby." Hehas recorded several CDs. The Inn at Millrace

Pond, a historic bed andbreakfast and restaurant,is just minutes from Rt. 80, Exit 12, located in the heart of Hope at 313 Johnsonburg Rd. alongRt. 519. For more aboutThe Inn at MillracePond, to make a reserva-tion for this hilarious event or book a room for the night, call 908-459-4884; ask about the 20percent off room ratewith the Uncle Floydshow! For more, visitinnatmillracepond.com.

The newly opened, Simply Day Spa is located at 26 Rt. 94 in Blairstown in the build-ing previously occupied by The Brass Rose. It is a wonderful asset to our local resource of businesses. The family-operated

business is run by Peter Chang and his mother Sarah Chang, who have morethan 20 years expe-rience in the spa and wellness industry. They are so happy to fill the void left by the closing of The Brass Rose. Anyone who had the luxury of receiving services in that building previously will experience the same luxury now. The facility is beautiful,

clean and relaxing. The services are wide rang-ing; specific and combi-nation services are also offered. From the nail techs and estheticians to the massage therapists, all the staff is highly

skilled and dedicated. When you walk in the

front door, you are greeted by a friendly receptionist who obvi-ously knows how to optimize your spa expe-rience. You will also see the pedicure chairs all lined up facing a big screen TV with a great sound system. The chairs look like thrones of comfort. Coming to Simply Day

Spa will be a time to heal

and rejuvenate. The staff knows just how to do that for you, especially after this long hard winter. Simply Day Spa is certainly a place to escape. You don't have to book a travel vacation somewhere else now to feel like you got away. Right here in Blairstown, you have the perfect place to take you away.See page 9 for money-

saving offers.