Tag Archives: Willowbrook Cemetery

Daffodil-ightful!

Seven years ago, Westport resident Debra Kandrak had an idea: Paint the town yellow.

Today, her one-woman crusade pays off beautifully.

Every autumn, she uses a wide variety of outlets — social media, emails, “06880” — to encourage Westporters to plant daffodils.

She brings her message to friends, strangers, businesses, and town organizations and committees. Her message is simple: Plant bulbs.

Every spring around this time, we are blessed with the results of her — and their — work.

Once again, the gorgeous yellow flowers are everywhere.

From neighborhoods like Greens Farms to the Westport Library, around mailboxes and street signs, by the Cribari Bridge, in traffic islands and at the entrances to Staples High and Bedford Middle Schools, Debra’s yeowoman efforts pay off for all of us.

As perennials, each year brings more and more explosions of color.

And every spring, Debra says, she finds flowers in areas she had not seen before. Here’s what she found today:

One stretch of Morningside Drive South …

… and another.

Lansdowne Condominiums, Post Road East.

Hillandale Road

Green’s Farms Church.

Compo Beach

Charcoal Hill Road. (All photos/Debra Kandrak)

 

Of course, daffodils bloomed even before Debra’s crusade.

The flowers lining the front of Willowbrook Cemetery on Main Street have delighted everyone passing by for years.

Here’s a bonus photo, from Claudia Sherwood Servidio:

(Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

We’re happy to feature more spring-in-Westport photos. Email them to 06880blog@gmail.com.

After the winter we’ve had, it’s time to celebrate a new season!

(“06880” regularly features Westport’s beauty — in words and images. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

Pic Of The Day #3276

Daffodils return to Willowbrook Cemetery (Photo/Dan Woog)

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Willowbrook Cemetery (Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

Another Wonderland

What a winter!

Westport has been blessed with a series of weekend snowfalls.

They’re light enough to not cause major disruptions.

But heavy enough to create beautiful scenes.

Today was another photographers’ delight.

All over town, residents were out snapping — and sending their shots to “06880.”

Here are some favorites.

Willowbrook Cemetery (Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

Greens Farms, from Southport Beach (Melissa Makris)

Beachside Avenue (Melissa Makris)

On call (Photo/Melissa Makris)

Hillandale Road (Bob Weingarten)

Whitney Street (Photo/Richard Fogel)

(Photo/Melissa Makris)

Condo view (Photo/Diane Lowman)

Longshore (Photo/Carrie Kuhn)

Painting The Town Yellower Than Ever

In October of 2019, Debra Kandrak had an idea.

A few years earlier she started a memory garden on her property, in honor of loved ones lost.

Daffodils were among the first to bloom, each spring. The yellow bulbs are beautiful — and a welcome sign that new life everywhere is about to explode.

Debra already had hundreds of the flowers. She knew and loved Willowbrook Cemetery’s display on Main Street too.

Willowbrook Cemetery daffodils (Photo/Alina Damian)

But she wanted to see thousands more, all over town. And fall was the right time to plant them.

She started a campaign, called “Paint the Town Yellow.” With support from “06880,” she asked residents, business owners and town officials to participate.

They did — in spades.

Every spring since, Westport has been awash in daffodils. Seeing them on roadsides, in front of businesses, and nearly everywhere else, we can’t help but smile.

Debra does too. And she thinks of her memory garden.

Last September, when Staples High School senior Max Harper died, Debra suggested that daffodils be planted in his memory.

Half a year later, we see the fruits of their labors. New daffodils are joining older perennials, to the joy of us all.

Near the Longshore golf course 1st tee.

In front of the Parks & Recreation office, also at Longshore.

Grace Salmon Park …

… and nearby, on Compo Road South.

North Avenue, across from Staples. (Photo/Jennifer Kobetitsch)

One view of Willowbrook Cemetery, off Main Street … (Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

… and another. (Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

Prospect Road, at Greens Farms Road.

Hillspoint Road.

Riverside Avenue. (All photos/Debra Kandrak, unless otherwise noted)

(As Debra Kandrak and many others paint the town yellow, please click here to send some green to “06880.” Your donation helps us spring ahead, in our daily coverage of Westport. Thank you!)

Pics Of The Day #2915

Willowbrook Cemetery: The view from Main Street …

… and a close-up (Photos/Andrew Colabella)

Pics Of The Day #2888

Willowbrook Cemetery and Main Street, in today’s fog

(Photos/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

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One view of life near Willowbrook Cemetery …

… and another (Photos/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

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Willowbrook Cemetery (Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)

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Willowbrook Cemetery (Photo/Claudia Sherwood Servidio)