Addie, shedding her winter coat while eating some brush
One last visit with Julie’s goats… Another lovely, sunny, spring day.
an iris coming soon…
the goats have some gnomes in their yard
The goats were busy grazing and browsing, as goats do, and they were fun to watch. Brie even put on a little show. Julie though she might be pretending to be a dog…
Brie
being silly
“Whatcha doing, Brie?”
Some of my readers may remember Betsy, the little goat who had a rough start in her life. (see here for the story) I’m happy to report she has thrived with her new family and weighs as much, if not more, than she should now.
Betsy
I want to go about like the light-footed goats. ~ Johanna Spyri (Heidi)
Crackers (hoping for a cracker!)
My apologies to Chai because I don’t seem to have gotten a picture of her! 🐐
Such a pleasant midday visit with the charming goat gals and then a great family history chat with Julie afterwards. I was delighted to see that Julie has a loose leaf ring binder system for storing her genealogy records that is similar to mine. I think she is the only person I know who loves collecting ancestors as much as I do.
3.3.23 ~ Sheep Farm remains of 18th century grist mill dam
We first came to this open space property three years ago, at the beginning of the pandemic, and have been here many times since. Since we know we’re going to North Carolina in a few months this visit seemed special because we were well aware that we may never pass this way again.
standing on top of the dam looking upstream at Fort Hill Brook
A few days ago I spent some time sorting through my “walks” index file, pulling our favorite walks out of the rotation so we might visit them one last time before we go. Please forgive me for this very lengthy post. I want to save as many picture memories as possible!
the lower side of the dam
Usually we walk down to the waterfall and back up the hill, but this time we explored two side trails. First we walked upstream to the dam and walked out on it until the break which lets the brook through now. Then we hopped down off the dam and walked along the brook, getting a different view. With no leaves on the trees yet we could see a lot of the features in the woods.
dam in upper left quarter of picture the break to restore the water flow is visible between the two dam sections the dam is above the waterfall, behind me
By the time it came to the edge of the Forest, the stream had grown up, so that it was almost a river, and, being grown-up, it did not run and jump and sparkle along as it used to do when it was younger, but moved more slowly. For it knew now where it was going, and it said to itself, “There is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” But all the little streams higher up in the Forest went this way and that, quickly, eagerly, having so much to find out before it was too late. ~ A. A. Milne (The House at Pooh Corner)
turning around, looking down over the waterfall to the footbridge below
We had never been at the top of the waterfall before. Tim even went out over it a little bit. My legs didn’t seem long enough to jump down where he was.
Tim at the top of the waterfall
from near the top of the waterfall
Then we found the main trail again and made our way down to below the waterfall. I was looking forward to getting pictures of an old tree with amazing roots extending into the brook.
an impressive glacial erratic on along the trail down to the waterfall
the back of the old tree with amazing roots
looking at the waterfall from the footbridge downstream
looking at the waterfall from the opposite side of the brook
the front of the old tree with amazing roots
After crossing the footbridge and getting the above pictures we decided to follow a new trail for a little bit. Sheep Farm South, a property adjoining this one, was purchased by the Groton Open Space Association in April 2021. New trails were created on it and linked to the existing ones on Sheep Farm. So we started down this one which passes by a large moss covered outcrop. It was taller than Tim.
there were many kinds of mosses on this large outcrop
a dripping icicle at the end of a branch sticking out of the outcrop
layers at the top of the outcrop
moss sprouting out of lichen
looking back along the outcrop
moss at eye level, a different perspective than usual
After we passed the outcrop we found a path that went up above it and walked through the woods a bit until we circled around and spotted the waterfall below us. I’m pretty sure the little vine below is partridge berry. It looks like the plant my brother-in-law identified for us at Connecticut College Arboretum, although not as lush looking.
partridge berry (Tim found it!)
waterfall viewed from up high above the outcrop
scorias spongiosa on beech leaves
scorias spongiosa coating beech twigs
one side of the old tree with amazing roots
Before crossing the footbridge I noticed a side view of the tree with the water hugging roots. It was a rough trip back up the long hill to the parking lot because Tim’s sciatica started acting up, but he made it. Perhaps we strayed a little too far this time but we did get to see a lot of things we haven’t seen before.
one side of broken tree with hole
other side of broken tree with hole
Packing boxes have arrived and I’m feeling overwhelmed with the enormity of the task before us but it was great spending a little time outside in the woods we will miss so much.
Besides the Autumn poets sing A few prosaic days A little this side of the snow And that side of the Haze — ~ Emily Dickinson (The Poems of Emily Dickinson, #123)
After a few muggy, rainy days it felt wonderful to get out for an autumn walk in good weather. It was only in the 40s Friday so we wore our winter coats and headed for Sheep Farm. I realized we had been here in September 2021 and November 2020 but never in October. Fall is in full swing now here. We started down the yellow trail.
10.28.22 ~ Sheep Farm
glacial erratic viewed from the yellow trail
new trail markers on the trees
There were so many leaves on the trail we made good use of the new trail markers to stay on track. Love walking on dry, crunchy leaves…
leaves, moss and lichen on a glacial erratic
waterfall in Fort Hill Brook
amazing root system
The drought seems to be over (or almost over) judging by the water flowing in the brook. The drought map for Connecticut puts us on the line between “none” and “abnormally dry.” We decided to cross the footbridge over the brook and get another view of the waterfall.
waterfall viewed from other side of the brook
the same root system viewed from the other side of the brook
footbridge and huge tree with its amazing roots
The we turned around, heading up the hill and branching off onto the red trail.
golden yellow and burnt orange
other side of glacial erratic viewed from the red trail
tree with leaves in shades of green, rusty orange and brick red
On our way back to the car we encountered a very large group of mothers and children of all ages. They just kept coming and coming and the air was filled with their happy, excited voices. I wondered if they were all being homeschooled. When we got back to the parking lot we laughed because when we had arrived earlier ours had been the only car parked. Now there were a dozen (we counted!) SUVs surrounding us. Can you tell which car is ours? They sure gave us plenty of elbow room!
It felt so good getting out for a long walk in the woods on a cool, crisp autumn day! First we enjoyed the meadows at the entrance to Coogan Farm.
milkweed pods
abundant goldenrod blooming everywhere
bee and asters
can you find the bee?
a stump that was growing out of the crack in a huge boulder
Following a path past the Giving Garden we came to the Gallup Orchard Trail, which winds through the woods before arriving at a forgotten orchard that was recently discovered and is being studied and restored.
a wolf tree welcoming us to the Gallup Orchard Trail, a relic from farms of the past when trees along the edges of open fields could spread their branches without competition from other trees
leaf, berries and orbs
ducked under a broken tree
marking the end of the woods and entrance to the orchard
Dating back to the original 1654 Gallup homestead and actively farmed by the Greenman brothers during the age of shipbuilding in the 1800s to feed their shipworkers at what is now Mystic Seaport Museum, the orchard contains clues that will help us uncover the history and heritage of the land. ~ Anna Sawin (“Apples and Pears, Oh My!” ~ Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center blog post, March 9, 2020)
pear on tree
apple on tree
fall color in the distance
The orchard is on a hill. We entered at the top of the hill and when we found our way down to the bottom we found this sign. The bottom entrance is off the Stillman Mansion Trail. We followed that trail back to the parking lot and encountered a cute little song sparrow, who wasn’t singing, only staring at us apprehensively.
song sparrow
Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall. ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby)
American burnweed ~ pilewort (thanks to Eliza for the identification)
Tim’s 4th-great-grandfather, Aaron Newton Case, son of Aaron and Margaret (Meacham) Case, was born 24 January 1788 in Simsbury (Hartford) Connecticut, and died 14 February 1870 in Cambridge Junction (Lenawee) Michigan. He married, 26 November 1812 in Windsor (Hartford) Connecticut, Laura Amanda Roberts, who was born 17 November 1792 in Bloomfield (Hartford) Connecticut, and died there 15 November 1829, daughter of Lemuel and Roxey (Gillett) Roberts.
Aaron owned a farm in Simsbury [Bloomfield] until 1832, when he was about 44, and after Laura’s death, he moved to Windsor, Ohio where he purchased a new farm. The 1850 census has him living in Windsor with two of his grandsons, William N., age 3, and Martin E., age 0, and a 16-year-old named Robert Adkins. In 1860 he was living there with his son, Galusha, daughter-in-law, and their six sons. He lived there until 1867, when he was about 79, and then moved to Cambridge Township, Michigan. Apparently Aaron remained a widower for 40 years until his death. He lies buried in Cambridge Junction Cemetery. Laura lies buried in Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church Cemetery in Bloomfield, Connecticut.
image credit: P Welch at Find a Grave * In memory of LAURA A, wife of Aaron N. Case, who died Nov. 15, 1829 aged 38
Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church Cemetery Bloomfield, Connecticut
image credit: Jeannieology at Find a Grave * AARON N. CASE DIED FEB. 14, 1870 AGED 82 YRS.
Cambridge Junction Cemetery Cambridge Township, Michigan
Aaron & Laura were the parents of five children:
1. Luarana Amanda Case, born 9 February 1814 in Bloomfield, died 23 April 1883 in Glenville (Cuyahoga) Ohio. She married 16 July 1836, in Ashtabula (Ashtabula) Ohio, Pharis Wells Cook, who was born 8 March 1813 in East Granby (Hartford) Connecticut, and died 2 July 1882 in Glenville, son of Jesse and Chloë (Phelps) Cook. Laurana & Pharis were the parents of three children.
2. Galusha Aaron Case, born 24 November 1815 in Simsbury, died 29 June 1886 in Detroit (Wayne) Michigan. He married Susan Adeline Bedell, who was born c. 1822 in Schuyler (Herkimer) New York, and died 1 January 1897 in Detroit, daughter of William and Margaretha (Lepper) Bedell. Galusha & Susan were the parents of six sons.
3. Capt. Hermon Roberts Case (Tim’s 3rd-great-grandfather), born 10 April 1818 in Simsbury, died 17 February 1890 in (Lenawee) Michigan. He married (as his first wife) 28 December 1841, Mary Doty, who was born about 1820 in Euclid (Cuyahoga) Ohio, and died 16 March 1845 in East Cleveland (Cuyahoga) Ohio, daughter of Asa Doty. Hermon & Mary were the parents of a daughter. Hermon married (as his second wife), 5 March 1848, Paulina Elizabeth Minor (Tim’s 3rd-great-grandmother), who was born 2 April 1822 in Mendon (Monroe) New York, and died 9 March 1898 in Cambridge (Lenawee) Michigan, daughter of William and Naomi (Reniff) Minor. Hermon & Paulina were the parents of four children.
4. Hiram Newton Case, born 13 October 1822 in Connecticut, died 17 July 1901 in Orwell (Ashtabula) Ohio. He married 12 February 1846 in Ashtabula, Mary Amidon, who was born 12 March 1822 in Ashford (Windham) Connecticut, and died 23 February 1901 in Orwell, daughter of Henry and Clarissa (Roberts) Amidon. Hiram & Mary were the parents of four children.
5. Lemuel Hurley Case, born 4 July 1824 in Connecticut, died 1896. He married 19 November 1850 in (Ashtabula) Ohio, Mary Nye, who was born about 1823 in New York, and died 23 January 1909 in (Cook) Illinois, daughter of Abel and Mary (Stoyell) Nye. Lemuel & Mary were the parents of three children.
Our goat friends Addie, Crackers, Chai and Brie have a new sidekick who we got to meet yesterday. Betsy is much smaller than Chai and Brie, even though she is the same age as they are, nine months old. She had a rough start in life but now she has a good home and new companions. And she has her tail up more and more often these days.
Brie and Betsy
Addie
Since our last visit we learned that the holiday tree we brought the gang was polished off in no time. See that story here.
Panzer
Betsy
Betsy and Tim
Betsy loves eating grass most of all and is not as interested in grain or goat cracker offerings.
Betsy
Julie and Betsy
Betsy is in very good hands now! 💕 And we had a lovely afternoon catching up with friends. Back at home, I was delighted to find that spring had arrived in my garden.
2.2.22 ~ Haley Farm State Park, Groton, Connecticut cloudy, no shadows
We got our groundhogs out for a nice walk this morning. Meet Basil and little Basil, if you haven’t already. For those of my new readers who don’t know the story, Basil is named for my paternal grandfather, who was born on Groundhog Day, February 2, 1882 in a village near the city of Stanislav, now known as Ivano-Frankovsk, Ukraine. When Pop arrived in America in 1909, instead of translating his given name, Wasyl, to its equivalent in English, Basil, he started using the name William, by which he was known for the rest of his life.
fun in the snow
hiding in the stone wall
the path not taken
the path taken
After taking the pictures we decided to walk through a meadow, a path we hadn’t had a chance to follow yet. It was lovely covered in snow, still on the ground four days after the blizzard. But today the temperature got up over freezing so it is starting to melt.
Looks like Friday will be a mess with an ice storm. I was grateful for this lovely day.
the meadow was surrounded on all sides by stone walls
O barren bough! O frozen field! Hopeless ye wait no more. Life keeps her dearest promises — The Spring is at the door! ~ Arthur Ketchum (The Atlantic Monthly, February 1904)
Friday afternoon we had a lovely visit with four very charming goats, and their guardians, our friends Bob & Julie. The kids, Chai and Brie, are seven months old. We brought them a treat to eat, our holiday tree. 🌲 I had a blast with the photo op!
Bob and Chai
Chai loves to be held, although she’s starting to grow out of that a little.
Addie (above) is a fainting goat, which I learned from Bob is a goat with a hereditary condition that may cause her to stiffen or fall over when startled. Thankfully our presence didn’t startle her.
Tim makes a new friend
The fir tree was a hit, at least when the goat crackers weren’t being offered. 😉
Julie with Addie, Brie giving a kiss and Chai looking on
Clearly, Julie and her goats adore each other. It was so heartwarming to see. 💕
queen of the glacial erratic, a quick detour on her way back to her barn
We walked with them back to their barn and got to see where they spend the night. What a treat and change of pace this visit was for us. Thank you, Bob & Julie!
I guess my feet know where they want me to go Walking on a country road ~ James Taylor ♫ (Country Road) ♫
rusting away
We didn’t last too long out there, but we hadn’t had a walk since December 15th — because of all the holiday preparations and a long visit with family and bad weather — so we decided to go anyway, in spite of the temperature being 21°F/-6°C. With the light northwest wind the feels-like temperature was 10°F/-12°C. But the sunshine was bright and abundant!
frozen pool off Haley Brook
The brief moments I took my hand out of my glove to take these pictures were enough to turn my fingers painfully cold. Even quickly sticking the fingers back in the Thinsulate glove didn’t help. (All my other thermal layers were working superbly, though!) So that sent me back to the car to warm my hands in the warm air from the heater. Sigh. After we got home I looked online for some warmer mittens and will try them out as soon as they get here…
ice forming over running water
In our hurried pace back to the car we encountered an elderly man walking in the opposite direction. He gave us a very wide berth. We exchanged muffled good mornings but it was obvious that some of us are still trying to stay six feet apart, much like we were at the beginning of the pandemic. It made me reflect on how it was the same way with people when the Black Death was spreading in Scandinavia around 1350.
Haley Brook
Fourteen days later Kristin saw for the first time one sick of the plague. Rumor that the pest was raging in Nidaros and spreading through the country-side had come to Rissa — how, ’twas not easy to understand, for folk kept their houses, and every man fled to the woods or thickets if he saw an unknown wayfarer on the road; none would open his door to stranger-folk. ~ Sigrid Undset (Kristin Lavransdatter: The Cross)
ice
Although we had a lovely visit focused on our family for the holidays there was the background worry about the continuing spread of covid. The positivity rate in Connecticut was 9% before the visit. After they left we saw it jump from 15% to 18% to 20% to 22% to 24%. We may be “done” with this pandemic but it certainly isn’t done with us. Our town has gone back to indoor mask mandates.
sunlit frozen beauty
I may be crazy, but we’re expecting a snowstorm, a good old-fashioned nor’easter tomorrow, and I am looking forward to it!!! Perhaps I should be careful what I wish for but it would be nice to feel a little bit of normal for January for a change.
