Tag Archives: reeds

After a Brush Fire

Posted on by
20

Last weekend we took a short walk on the Poquonnock River Walkway because we had heard on the news that there had been a brush fire.  Fortunately the fire broke out behind the Poquonnock Bridge Firehouse, but it ignited several patches of brush along the walkway before the firemen got the flames under control.  Everything is so wet there it is hard to imagine how the fire might have started.

There were many birds busy in the reeds and trees lining the walkway.

It’s disheartening to see all the illegally discarded garbage exposed by the fire.  Wish I knew why some people cannot make the effort to dispose of their waste materials properly at the “transfer station.”  When I was little we called it a “dump” and we took to heart all the public service ads on TV encouraging us not to be litter bugs!

For my sister and me Saturday trips to the dump were fun!  Perhaps once or twice a month Dad would load up the back of his pick-up truck with our family’s trash.  Beverly and I would then climb into the cab and snuggle up to our papa as closely as we could.  This was back before the days of seat belts.  The reason we held on tight was that the passenger door would sometimes swing open when the truck turned a corner.  (The problem was eventually repaired.)  What a thrilling adventure!  And the chance to feel the strong arms of our father holding us securely, the chance to feel like precious cargo!

On the way home from the dump we got to ride in the back of the pick-up truck!  We begged and pleaded and were sometimes rewarded with a side trip up and back down Route 320, a road with many wonderfully smooth bumps – riding over them would make us feel like we left our stomachs on the truck while our bodies were lifted into the air by some mysterious force for a fraction of a moment.  These days I’m sure Dad would be arrested for endangering minors, but for me these were the spicy experiences of my young life!

The whispers of shared ecstasy are choral.
~ George Steiner
(Grammars of Creation)

Haley Farm in the Winter

Posted on by
16

Groton is also home to Haley Farm State Park.  Last year in February Beverly and I took a long walk here, too.  This winter I have not been as interested in getting outdoors, but it’s nice to remember when I had a bit more energy, and blog about last year.  Above is a lovely view of Palmer Cove from Haley Farm.

The backside of Canopy Rock, above.  It seems to be a place for kids to hang out and leave artwork.  We didn’t see any litter, which was thoughtful of them.

In the above side view picture the “canopy” part of the rock is clear.  In the distance is the Amtrak railroad elevation.  In the picture below is a tunnel under the railroad tracks, originally used for livestock – it must have been small livestock – clearance is only 4 feet!  Can’t imagine a cow crawling under there!

If one doesn’t mind crawling through, our map tells us that on the other end of this tunnel are paths connecting to the trails in Bluff Point State Park.  We didn’t attempt it, curious or not, we’re not engineers but we wouldn’t want to be under there if a train should zoom by overhead.  A little close for comfort, too.  At least we could see the light at the end of the tunnel.  But, still…  If we turned around now, we could see Race Track Pond, or actually the reeds surrounding it.

We decided to follow a deer trail, figuring they would know the easiest way through the reeds to find the pond for a drink of water.

We did find a spot where the ice had been broken through and guessed that might be where the deer would find their water.

I please myself with the graces of the winter scenery, and believe that we are as much touched by it as by the genial influences of summer.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
(Nature)

It was beautiful with the long winter shadows of the reeds on the snow-covered ice.  We didn’t know it then, but we were to be inexplicably unable to retrace our steps.  Lost!

When a man named Caleb Haley owned the farm he built a lot of stone walls around his pastures, using an ox drawn stone-puller.  I meant to photograph some of them on our way out, but, we were very cold and had very likely been walking around in circles trying to figure out a badly drawn map.  When we finally saw the entrance (exit!) I quickened my step and fell on an icy spot of snow.  Wrenched my shoulder so badly it still hurts a little even now, a year later.

So perhaps this year, maybe in the spring, I’ll return and try to get some stone wall pictures!

Winter by the Sea

Posted on by
4

We had a lovely snowfall last night, the thick wet kind that sticks to and stays on the trees.  After I shoveled the car out, we took off to do many errands.  Everywhere we drove we were treated to scenes from a winter wonderland.

This little house across the street from us is always a pleasure to see when I open the shades in the morning.  The color of it lets me imagine I am in Scandinavia, and the architecture reminds me of Cape Cod.  (It’s called a ¾ Cape Cod house, because two windows are on one side of the front door, and one window is on the other side.)

Snowlight everywhere…  Groton Reservoir:

Off Beach Pond Road:

Baker Cove:

Off Thomas Road:

A new batch of snow is starting to fall as I write this, but all errands are done and we’re tucked inside with a fresh supply of hot chocolate and marshmallows.  Life is good!

Full moon flood…

Posted on by
5

Six inches of rain for us from this storm!  Connecticut is having its worst flooding since 1982.  We live at one end of a road that cuts between two salt ponds.  Our son and daughter-in-law live a mile down at the other end of this road.  (Shea took the first picture from her end.  I took the rest of the pictures from our end, which is just around the bend in Shea’s picture.)

We both live up on relatively high ground so we’re safe and sound.  The white high water mark pole in the second picture is to measure storm surges in case we ever get a hurricane again as bad as the one in 1938.  We’ve been instructed that we would need to evacuate if a category 3 or higher hurricane were ever to make its way here.  What an exciting day it has been!

My daughter-in-law Shea wrote on Facebook:

OK just got back from rescuing my sister from work… She had to walk through water above her knees in order to get to us.. Got home and found out that the National Guard has all three ways to get to my house blocked… One of them was nice enough to move the road block so I could drive through the bumper high water… GO JEEP!!!!!