Scantic River State Park

After discovering there was a state park so close to my old stomping grounds where I grew up, I was very curious to see what it looked like. The last time I was in the area of Melrose I was about 16 yrs old and hoping trouble would find me.
I remembered this area much differently than it turned out to be now. This road was virtually empty when I was a kid...maybe a couple of old farms tucked into the scenery here and there. Well, like so many other things it changed big time while I wasn't looking! The old farms (looking like they are about to fall down any minute) are still there but they are surrounded by wealthy looking large homes and manicured lawns. I promise I will get some photos of those farms for a future post. I just LOVE the character of old farms, don't you?

The instant I saw the old dilapidated bridge where the trail starts, I was very interested in what that bridge was used for and where it used to go. I'm not sure I can find out those answers but that's something else I'll be looking into.

The trail itself is a challenge of wet clay and sudden slipping even in areas that look like they should be dry. I found myself wishing I had on some real hardy hiking boots instead of the sneakers that I was trying to keep dry. I'm hoping that this trail is a work in progress because to be called a state park it certainly needs a lot more work. No doubt they rely on volunteers to do the work and that as well as the economy are what I'm going to blame this trails shortcomings on.
I'm quite sure this trail is beautiful in the summer and fall because the river winds through it and there are sweet little benches stationed in various areas that look like perfect spots to sit and relax. It's got plenty of charm to spare...it's just a work in progress.

I've posted a few of the highlights on the trail but there is much more to it than what you'll see in the here. It's about 2 miles long and really has some personality...just don't forget your boots.

 

Nice little area to sit and think

Wonder where this bridge used to go...

Drops of dew glisten in the sun

You're kidding me, right??

This is passing as a bridge too? Yikes!

Scrap metal will have to go too...

 

The Day After Thanksgiving

 

 

I decided as soon as I woke up that I was going to be late to work. It's not that I woke up late..it's that I just didn't think it would really matter. That's one of the reasons why I don't mind working the day after Thanksgiving. There is really not that much to do; a lot of people come in late and we usually leave early too....easy day.

And then I found out how thick the fog was when I stepped outside to potty the dogs. It was actually so thick when I was leaving that I was afraid to pull out into the main road. I just couldn't see anything farther than a few feet from my car. The rest was a solid wall of white...a little nerve racking.

So I took these shots on the way to work. If I didn't have to go to work that day I would have gone to Old Main St just to gets pictures of some of the farms in the fog. I bet that would have been great! Next time.....next time. :)

 

Foggy Afternoon Walk

It was unusual to have this much fog in the middle of the afternoon so I took Nick for a walk in it. She wasn't impressed at all..but I was.

Oh Come On Now!!

Today I took a very long and very cold hike with Bell. She is usually very good when Nick isn't around and I had that in mind when I decided she was coming with me. I also was remembering the last trip with the both of them and me wrenching my arm painfully trying to hold them back from some innocent dog that they decided needed to be mauled for fun. Yes....my dogs have a gang mentality when together. I hate it but it's true. If they had a support group for this I'd be the main member.

I'm not kidding when I say it was cold. The pond was frozen; a breeze was blowing and I didn't have my "puffy pants" on! I was freezing! And through it all Bell seemed just fine...having the time of her life.

And when I left them both at home for about an hour I was shocked to come home to THIS!! Mutilation of my plant AGAIN!! There was a baby gate protecting it and Bell should have been happily tired from our outing. But instead she give me THIS!!??!!

 

Nicki, you are my new favorite!!

Thanksgiving 2012

 

Well it all started with Mom and just getting her to Justin and KC's new house for Thanksgiving. I know...it sounds like a simple thing and that's part of the reason why I volunteered to bring her. But somewhere around the 4th time I had to remind her what she was supposed to cook and the 5th time I had to remind her what time I was picking her...well it started to unwind a bit. I'm not the worlds most patient person to begin with and I was starting to feel the strain.

It became clear that my options were to have a glass of wine and pack the car with all her stuff while letting her talk non-stop OR have a major freak out that I'd be sorry for later. I will admit I almost did the freak out thing....it comes natural to me. But I decided none of it mattered (no matter who thought it did) so I took the time to have a glass of wine; talk about nothing and packed the car much more calmly.

When we arrived at Justin's house I was in a much better frame of mind and ready to introduce Mom to Carlos...one of Justin's friends from work. I should let you in on the plan that Justin, Carlos and I had worked up in advance. The plan was for Carlos to speak slightly too loud Spanish to Mom while speaking his usual perfect English to the rest of us but no one was going to act like it was odd and certainly not explain anything to Mom. I thought for sure Carlos was going to chicken out...he's rather shy sometimes. But he didn't. He launched into several rapid fire paragraphs of loud Spanish right at her as soon as Justin introduced her. He didn't even give her a chance to say a word...just started rattling out what sounded like extra loud gibberish to me and giving her an extremely animated face while he was at it. It was great...just perfect! I was sure my head was going to explode from trying to hold back laughing. But Mom won the day. She didn't get rattled one bit, she stood there listening politely to whatever he was saying to her and when he finished she politely said I don't know what that was all about but it's very nice to meet you! THEN we all started laughing and believe it or not Mom never even asked us why we were laughing. I think this joke flew straight over her head. I don't think she made the connection that he was speaking English when she walked up to the group and only spoke Spanish to her. Doesn't matter....we all enjoyed it anyway and the two of them became quite chummy during the rest of the day.

 

 

 

 

The rest of the day consisted of food; drink; laughs and just plain fun! Everyone brought different dishes...some were great some were somewhat less than great but we all ended up full and most of us ended up over full. Justin made a deep fried turkey which was my first. I liked it very much and I won't be eating that more than once a year! Just because it tastes great doesn't mean it's good for you. (and I have tried deep fried oreos but was not impressed with them at all)

 

Carlo's son Joseph provided entertainment while we waited for the turkey to be ready.

 

Justin and Carlos have a 'bromance' going on. tee hee

Halloween 2012

 

 

My Halloween this year was not the typical Halloween. I still wore a costume (you just try to stop me!) and I still went out to a Halloween party. I just changed the scenario a bit by taking my Mom with me. Lets face it, it was time...it was over due....it just had to happen. Mom needed to go out in costume! And I had just the right costume in mind. Mom needed to be dressed up as Pimp Momma!

Now you may be thinking to yourself...what the heck is a Pimp Momma? Well I really don't know for sure...but I figure if she's wearing a necklace of fake diamonds that spells out Pimp and she's my momma, well the rest is understood isn't it? And of course no Pimp Momma would leave the house without at least two feather boa's; a gaudy hippy-like dress; an extra special purple pimp hat and a whole lot of attitude!!

We had a great time!!

Kaylee's Visit to Riverview Farm

I took Kaylee to the Riverview Farm as a late birthday gift to her. I had promised her a pony ride. She picked the smallest one who was named Scooter. Somehow I always thought Scooter belongs more to a dog than a pony.

She had a great time and we ended a great day with home made ice cream. Yum!

New York Botanical Gardens

I didn't expect to have as great a time as I did at the Botanical Gardens so my back up plan was to skip next door to the Bronx Zoo. (yes, skip!) I've been to the Bronx Zoo and I know I'd enjoy another visit there. As it turned out there was no need for an escape route. I loved the Botanical Gardens!

One of my concerns about visiting the gardens at the end of September was that I thought mostly everything in the flower family has gone by at this time of the year. Well, I'm sure the gardens are even more spectacular in the Spring and Summer...but even at this time of the year there is so much to see that it was difficult to get through it all in one day. And now I know that just because my yard is relying entirely on the die hard dahlia's to provide a bit of color, they are in no way the only flower or even plant that can provide color and intense beauty at this time of the year.

I'm posting some of the best flowers and plants I saw while I was there. And I have to say some of the photography is pretty darn good too...even if I am tooting my own horn! My eyesight being what it is now I was truly shocked to see how good some shots came out. I point; I shoot and I hope for the best. I never check what I have until I'm done. I was really lucky this time!  Enjoy!

Note: Since first writing this I ran into problems making a video of my photos so I'm posting still shots instead. And with that first frost we had about a week ago all my dahlia's have been killed. So sad to see them go!

More Than Just Flowers

The botanical gardens also house several interesting old buildings, one of them being what is currently called the Lillian and Amy Goldman Stone Mill. The mill was built in 1840 and originally was used to produce snuff. It was called the Lorillard Snuff Mill then. It's the oldest standing tobacco mill in the country; the mill ceased operations in 1870.

 I LOVE old buildings so I looked this info up...however although I've heard of snuff before I never knew what it really was. So I looked that up too. (I had the notion that snuff was somehow related to cocaine!) As it turns out snuff was a very finely ground tobacco and used by sniffing it into the nose to get a quick nicotine rush. (that must be why I thought it was cocaine). Who knew I'd be learning about snuff on a trip to the botanical gardens?

We took the tram tour by the mill first but then came back on foot to get a better look. I couldn't very well JUST take pictures...I had to wander the grounds too! There were people setting up the ground floor in preparation for some kind of function but they didn't seem to mind me wandering around outside to take pictures.

Water levels are low here (like mostly everywhere else right now) but it was still pretty. However it was the stone arch that was the bridge over the river that really caught my eye. Stone just makes everything look elegant to me.