Welcome to Silvermine!

My husband, Tony Doumlele, who passed away in 2008, and I have two children: Nick, who works in reality TV, and Kyra, a geriatric psychiatrist, who is married and has a two-year old, Tony. I work as a writer of historical fiction and an appraiser of fine and decorative art. I’m also an illustrator of 31 books including two large popups, Ancient Rome and Ancient Egypt, and the author of Mask of Dreams and Artimon. I have two pets, a dog named Aria, and a cat named Pine Nut.

I have served Silvermine in many ways: overseeing the rebuilding of the Silvermine School Library with another parent, Carla O’Brien; sitting on the Norwalk Planning Commission; serving as the Norwalk representative to SWRPA; former President of Norwalk Association of Silvermine Homeowners (NASH), (my work here has included negotiating the preservation of the Perry Ave. Bridge, promoting the use of appropriate field stone on the James St. bridge, and “running out the clock” on the potential development of BJs on Main Avenue); and, planning, researching, and running five historic house tours to benefit and install the Silvermine Center National Historic District (comprising 77 structures in three towns). I also am known as the unofficial historian of Silvermine!

How long have you lived in Silvermine?

1982

What three adjectives do you feel best describe Silvermine?

Historic, beautiful, community-oriented

What part does the Silvermine Community Association play in your overall sense of “being a Silverminer?”

SCA has always been the old social nucleus of Silvermine. It has been around a long time and through its programs: scholarship, talks, and get-togethers, knits the community together. NASH, on the other hand, always dealt with issues, rose out of opposition to putting a healthcare facility on the golf course, and was therefore newer and political in nature. The two complement each other and rise and fall depending on involvement and issues. And at SCA gatherings, it is always a plus to meet neighbors – beyond those I meet walking my dog. I look to SCA to celebrate, preserve and protect historic Silvermine.

What is/are your favorite SCA event/s?

• Pancake Breakfast with the Easter Bunny
• Fall/Spring Socials
• Silvermine Mixers at local spots

I very much enjoyed the house tours that NASH ran and SCA volunteered for. I hope you do more of them in the future.

What future events or activities would you like to see the SCA offer?

More of the same