Activities

The Unique Activities of Meadow Lakes

On this page, we capture information about recent and future Meadow Lakes interest groups and events.

Don Smith, a resident and accomplished pianist, entertains us on many special occasions. We cannot thank Don enough for his beautiful music. Don received the Shackleton Award given by Jay Zimmer, Executive Director of Meadow Lakes, for his unique contribution to the community. Congratulations, Don!

To see what Michael Ching, Director of Opera Memphis has to say about Don, go to the Opera page by clicking on the orange bar at left.

SPECIAL EVENTS

AND PRESENTATIONS

Time, date and locations of programs sponsored by the Resident Activities Department in the coming month are listed on the Schedule Page. (Click here.)

OUR LIBRARY

The Meadow Lakes Library includes about 7,000 books, not all recent but of great interest. There are, in addition, books on tape, current DVD's and some VHS tapes, as well as paperbacks that may be taken away on trips. Resources also include encyclopaedias and archived Meadow Lark issues from previous years. Books by current residents are available too.

Residents enjoy the privilege of communicating online with the Mercer County Library. In alternate weeks, Librarian Jennifer Woringer comes to Meadow Lakes from the local branch, bringing us books not available here. Jennifer is an expert resource for online information as well.

Jennifer Woringer comes to Meadow Lakes on Fridays at 10:00 a.m. Look for her in the auditorium and ask her about downloading audio books from the Mercer County Library to a CD or MP3 player for temporary use.

RESIDENT ACTIVITIES

"The vibrancy of a community can be measured by checking out the variety of its activities."

Judith Hawk

At a recent Forum meeting, Chris Harman and Judith Hawk, our Resident Activities Directors, described several programs that deserve residents' attention.

Judith will continue to host Memoir Writing and Favorite Poems. Judith directed the second Meadow Lakes Follies written and scored by Doris Kaplan and Don Smith. Other programs since, also by Doris Willens Kaplan and Don Smith, have included "Wordplay from Alice in Wonderland" and "Great Books! A Musical Romp." (Please see the Events page for photos.)

Several exciting trips have been scheduled and are listed on the Trips page. Judy does such a good job of planning these events that we know there are many more we haven't yet heard about. So, Stay Tuned!

COMPUTER GROUP

Located in Lower 13, the Computer Room is available for use by all residents. A member of the Computer Group is available each week on Monday from 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. to answer computer questions.

Monthly sessions are offered by members of the Computer Group on Monday at 1:30p.m. to assist new users with the computers, whether their own or those in the computer room. Everyone is asked to attend a brief orientation before using the equipment in the computer room.

The Computer Group meets monthly from September through May at 1:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month. At each meeting the program is addressed to the interests of our users.

Coming Meetings

Sept. 13 [Labor Day is 9/6] The residents who have bought new computers with Windows 7 talk about the experience, the good and the bad, what to look for, and will share any advice they may have.

Questions or to volunteer, Contact Irwin Merker, x6789.

Jay Zimmer, Executive Director, is shown here cutting the ribbon at the opening of the computer room.

CROQUET

Croquet, more correctly know as Wimbledon or Six Wickets, is the championship sport of Meadow Lakes. Groups play all year on a schedule of their own choosing, in fair weather on one of our three well-manicured courts or, during cold and rainy weather, on the indoor court in Hallway 48L.

On Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day residents gather on the croquet courts for a mixer. In a mixer, experienced and inexperienced players play together and at the end of the morning receive small prizes in recognition of the day. As in the past, Trudy Lindsay coaches croquet players each Monday morning.

Gloria Mineo addresses the ball as Eunice Gallena, Edythe Masten, and Bob Kendall look on.

SINGING AROUND THE PIANO

On alternate Friday evenings after dinner, we all love to sing around the piano.

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The Princeton Garden Barbershop Chorus rehearses every Tuesday in the Auditorium (except when the Opera is here) from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. Spectators are welcome.

Opera NEW JERSEY

We are indebted to the Springpoint Senior Living Foundation Encore program for making Opera New Jersey a reality at Meadow Lakes. All of us enjoy the beautiful music and the opportunity to mingle with the artists as they live on the premises and rehearse here.

FOR PHOTOGRAPHS OF CAST AND REHEARSALS of Die Fledermaus, GO TO THE PAGE ENTITLED "Opera Pictures", or Click here.

BIRDING

Enthusiastic birders from Meadow Lakes led by experienced birder Kathy Easton of Plainsboro have enjoyed several delightful trips. Kathy is knowledgeable about other flora and fauna of the area and in sharing her knowledge gives much pleasure to the group.

On June 18th, some Meadow Lakes enthusiasts toured Baldpate Mountain with Kathy. They observed 25 species:

Turkey Vulture
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Cedar Waxwing
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch

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Thirty birds were observed by residents who traveled to the Mapleton Preserve and the D&R Canal last November. On this occaseion, Irwin Merker reported, "We got to see a pair of turkey vultures preening on a chimney and then taking off. The bluebirds were very nice to see, but the most interesting was a number of double-crested cormorants. They were migrating and had stopped for a bit of fishing in the canal. We could see them dive and come up with a fish in their beak which they then swallowed. We could even see the sac in the neck bulging from the fish."

On almost every trip, there have been spectacular sightings. On a trip to Sandy Hook October 21st, of 28 species seen, the most unusual sighting was the sage thrasher which posed on Plum Island at Sandy Hook. There were lots of kinglets around and sometimes they were only three feet away from the group.

According to Dr. Irwin Merker, the sage thrasher was gone by the next day so this sighting was extremely lucky! He reported that "We saw what was almost a 'one-day wonder.' " The sage thrasher, or mountain mockingbird, is the smallest of the thrashers. "It has a melodious song, reminiscent of a mockingbird's song. It's not well studied; much of the literature on the species is anecdotal, relating to its wandering habits during migration. It's found mostly in shrub-dominated valleys and plains of the western United States."

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There will be three birding trips in the Fall, just now being scheduled for Mid-September, Mid-October and Mid-November.

Watch for a posting.

Residents who enjoy birds are welcome on these trips. Watch for announcements and sign up in the auditorium.

Residents enjoy a sunny day on the court.

THE THRIFT SHOP

HOURS: WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY, 10 A.M. TILL 1:00 P.M.

Resident Volunteers coordinate the work of the Thrift Shop. Twice a week the shop is open for visitors who come to look over and buy the merchandise that is for sale. Clothing, art work, furniture, lamps, appliances, needles and thread, odd dishes, greeting cards and luggage are among the treasures buyers find when they visit the shop on the first floor of Building 15.

A team of three dedicated volunteers has formed a steering committee for the Thrift Shop. They are: Eileen Kendall, Elizabeth Wadsworth, and Nina Danielson.

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Items are donated by residents and it is true that one person's junk is another person's treasure. Profit from sales of Thrift Shop items is donated to the Residence Assistance Fund.

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COME IN AND LOOK AROUND!

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Meadow Lakes Living

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