tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14325569210715806292024-03-18T22:47:22.340-04:00wash wildDon Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.comBlogger216125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-801305328355158332024-03-10T18:36:00.000-04:002024-03-10T18:36:39.314-04:00The Phyllite Zone<p><span style="font-size: large;"> Time to get this border situation straightened out once and for all. No, I'm not talking about <u>that</u> border. Not the one in the news all the time. Problems at the southern border require underlying issues like corruption, lack of economic opportunity, gun violence, unsustainable birth rates and this country's insatiable gluttony for cheap labor be addressed. Given the state of our politics do you really think that is going to happen? Me either.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> So let's deal with the border between New York and Vermont instead. This should be easy, even fun by comparison. First we'll start with a bit of advice for my realtor friends: "STOP IT!" Stop offering Washington County property with 'Green Mountain views'. Yes we have beautiful views to the east (and west) but the mountains along the NY/VT border are the Taconics, not the Greens. The Green Mountains are further east in central Vermont and only visible as a distant horizon from a few places in Washington County.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eMLci9MYt5j2Ywk3r14tw3ienKqRgPweNGNNw5nzFNIgpvZdj1n5K5yP-flJJM4vTKDiBRanYbzxzo546HgfpHAc3dy6T1GVOOJDQ4Tl_W3J6iqF70WdyVcpCE_DcCEKFLzMlbVS2uQZUVPfua-0MiXbn2wH0qe3Tti0-uMQBh_YYHY4j6lviTflrg0/s405/NortheastAppalachiansMap.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="405" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4eMLci9MYt5j2Ywk3r14tw3ienKqRgPweNGNNw5nzFNIgpvZdj1n5K5yP-flJJM4vTKDiBRanYbzxzo546HgfpHAc3dy6T1GVOOJDQ4Tl_W3J6iqF70WdyVcpCE_DcCEKFLzMlbVS2uQZUVPfua-0MiXbn2wH0qe3Tti0-uMQBh_YYHY4j6lviTflrg0/w640-h494/NortheastAppalachiansMap.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Find the Taconics? Look for the narrow strip marked 'T'.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The map is a bit off. The Taconics should fill in a little more towards</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">the 'A' Adirondacks where the purple border zig zags.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Next, let's put slate in its place. It's been hogging all the glory for too long. Yes, it's beautiful, useful and of great economic significance in a narrow belt from Granville up towards Poultney and Fair Haven. But most of the mountains that lie along and just east of Washington County's border are made of phyllite. May not be as well known but it's a pretty neat rock well worth getting to know and that's what we'll do in this post.</span> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrUeSr0E79XP-zYPAczLaE8pvqqZCfXH0DexhZ-YGOpViA-JaWSZnw5YytAekpaDp6ifDTA34uPIVMGywtQJhSBi6mZBv2Dp_aUW9GokIVgfnAOiI-e4K5tsB9cFBaHOYf3KT9CulapIDCh9AuqTP34ELSGTP9MfoD-1A6zN5-K-Zia1aoJkl4A733I8/s760/il_570xN.1079200751_h72i.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="570" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrUeSr0E79XP-zYPAczLaE8pvqqZCfXH0DexhZ-YGOpViA-JaWSZnw5YytAekpaDp6ifDTA34uPIVMGywtQJhSBi6mZBv2Dp_aUW9GokIVgfnAOiI-e4K5tsB9cFBaHOYf3KT9CulapIDCh9AuqTP34ELSGTP9MfoD-1A6zN5-K-Zia1aoJkl4A733I8/w480-h640/il_570xN.1079200751_h72i.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Detail of an old geologic map. The slate belt along the NY/VT border.</span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCv_n1ZWMYeDVnYGjqsSJ3oIohI4dPJl2IoEw0bLYUpEGQQ9ehlPPqkvgWJwcuTJnJZ7Qn8dmZffrlZm5GeB6X3yXR8KDWrj7QYcDzukFkMb4gRnvWrGrMf5jYp56zitXIEyK9Pm5-rAoBO2ZhpiL6ryhyphenhyphenlVUWo2qfzi6BPEOwGlVk13VGV2_M0pxEGo/s1600/303884c0c8409a4b5ff6c0c399664749.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCv_n1ZWMYeDVnYGjqsSJ3oIohI4dPJl2IoEw0bLYUpEGQQ9ehlPPqkvgWJwcuTJnJZ7Qn8dmZffrlZm5GeB6X3yXR8KDWrj7QYcDzukFkMb4gRnvWrGrMf5jYp56zitXIEyK9Pm5-rAoBO2ZhpiL6ryhyphenhyphenlVUWo2qfzi6BPEOwGlVk13VGV2_M0pxEGo/s1600/303884c0c8409a4b5ff6c0c399664749.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqk1F9lAnPTMGw3iTdAvkI71yIux99PxwHFE_OT-ymfL5kqlWBVmJ35QaxovRXnlPL0HLPMBeLQ-ccsXCguE4Qfm0E29nS4KyAi9xPxM-zZK3IeXJ_h_PQKrdSmSruKQtMitsTPZxwHQaVo-Xzm-8LTuEBAB_scccr32WCkvg0ZxqbMDViSWxHt8AHnJQ/s1600/303884c0c8409a4b5ff6c0c399664749.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqk1F9lAnPTMGw3iTdAvkI71yIux99PxwHFE_OT-ymfL5kqlWBVmJ35QaxovRXnlPL0HLPMBeLQ-ccsXCguE4Qfm0E29nS4KyAi9xPxM-zZK3IeXJ_h_PQKrdSmSruKQtMitsTPZxwHQaVo-Xzm-8LTuEBAB_scccr32WCkvg0ZxqbMDViSWxHt8AHnJQ/w640-h480/303884c0c8409a4b5ff6c0c399664749.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Slate</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCv_n1ZWMYeDVnYGjqsSJ3oIohI4dPJl2IoEw0bLYUpEGQQ9ehlPPqkvgWJwcuTJnJZ7Qn8dmZffrlZm5GeB6X3yXR8KDWrj7QYcDzukFkMb4gRnvWrGrMf5jYp56zitXIEyK9Pm5-rAoBO2ZhpiL6ryhyphenhyphenlVUWo2qfzi6BPEOwGlVk13VGV2_M0pxEGo/s1600/303884c0c8409a4b5ff6c0c399664749.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCv_n1ZWMYeDVnYGjqsSJ3oIohI4dPJl2IoEw0bLYUpEGQQ9ehlPPqkvgWJwcuTJnJZ7Qn8dmZffrlZm5GeB6X3yXR8KDWrj7QYcDzukFkMb4gRnvWrGrMf5jYp56zitXIEyK9Pm5-rAoBO2ZhpiL6ryhyphenhyphenlVUWo2qfzi6BPEOwGlVk13VGV2_M0pxEGo/s1600/303884c0c8409a4b5ff6c0c399664749.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCv_n1ZWMYeDVnYGjqsSJ3oIohI4dPJl2IoEw0bLYUpEGQQ9ehlPPqkvgWJwcuTJnJZ7Qn8dmZffrlZm5GeB6X3yXR8KDWrj7QYcDzukFkMb4gRnvWrGrMf5jYp56zitXIEyK9Pm5-rAoBO2ZhpiL6ryhyphenhyphenlVUWo2qfzi6BPEOwGlVk13VGV2_M0pxEGo/s1600/303884c0c8409a4b5ff6c0c399664749.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOxt5FwRZqI3c2vxMWHtO-UWD9VXu6FlDsX6qIATnU8P185ScBR6MapqZxsoIweDyRIssjGbDuTaU_SbO8QTOcavCN6pNY3qOjb2EBSH1J_k8-Fmi2V8ZBPSjnHp72vu0bMJZmLwUUPHt4qlOmxURj16NwDyPcExxej_yTESZIwRGteS9WZEkhoGLW0w/s500/phyllitevtroadside-58bf18873df78c353c3d839f.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="500" height="509" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOxt5FwRZqI3c2vxMWHtO-UWD9VXu6FlDsX6qIATnU8P185ScBR6MapqZxsoIweDyRIssjGbDuTaU_SbO8QTOcavCN6pNY3qOjb2EBSH1J_k8-Fmi2V8ZBPSjnHp72vu0bMJZmLwUUPHt4qlOmxURj16NwDyPcExxej_yTESZIwRGteS9WZEkhoGLW0w/w640-h509/phyllitevtroadside-58bf18873df78c353c3d839f.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Phyllite</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The slates and phyllites along the border originated as clay muds eroded off the edge of proto-North America some 500 million years ago. Over time they settled to the sea floor, were buried and then lithified into shale. Eventually they got caught up in a plate collision called the Taconic Orogeny that subjected them to heat, pressure and metamorphism. Metamorphic rocks are classified according to grade, or how much they have been changed. In the Taconics the grade tends to increase from west to east or from lower elevations to more mountainous. Thus we find the higher grade phyllite to the east of the slates and mudstones that underlie the lower hills to the west.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2keC1lfVZPusNYUWUTPp8QfvqExqXDSqO_xmXQQfxfsh4AgC1Izll7_P1k3urLYQ2g0TJlKZAjGHNBFYbllBwlSwLOV-Ef477nm04pbYIH_RfGRfhZ-MLj4xr08HwoP9k3mGAb8PNX-c3wMKISEZJXigPhdApMDpLnt1C_AIf3r9zuSKidEwxVlWh1g/s512/unnamed.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="512" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU2keC1lfVZPusNYUWUTPp8QfvqExqXDSqO_xmXQQfxfsh4AgC1Izll7_P1k3urLYQ2g0TJlKZAjGHNBFYbllBwlSwLOV-Ef477nm04pbYIH_RfGRfhZ-MLj4xr08HwoP9k3mGAb8PNX-c3wMKISEZJXigPhdApMDpLnt1C_AIf3r9zuSKidEwxVlWh1g/w640-h438/unnamed.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image</span></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Foliation and fissility are two terms associated with these rocks. Foliation refers to a layering caused by mineral grains aligning from pressure and fissility describes a tendency to split into sheets. They are related characteristics seen in both slate and phyllite. Mica flakes are what give phyllite its satiny sheen, best seen in freshly exposed surfaces. Also diagnostic is a crinkled or wavy appearance. The color I've seen locally is a grayish-green. A very pretty rock.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAti0vzk4IJRqK28LK0B3h1R_bAq6-PQuYrxgaGFO46hgQld9iFK2c5TSEu1hq-imdlDqYvqv6V0da3Sb7Qs7ZRkVs25ysXlxFs914cvAg1eS9FKLwNX_ndEZtO_uD76HvFwAuwwF-Px1EvVWBYkm7mp7KSPStE1DuzQryhI606rM4rgSjVs5DPS3rT6o/s4000/IMG_8976.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAti0vzk4IJRqK28LK0B3h1R_bAq6-PQuYrxgaGFO46hgQld9iFK2c5TSEu1hq-imdlDqYvqv6V0da3Sb7Qs7ZRkVs25ysXlxFs914cvAg1eS9FKLwNX_ndEZtO_uD76HvFwAuwwF-Px1EvVWBYkm7mp7KSPStE1DuzQryhI606rM4rgSjVs5DPS3rT6o/s320/IMG_8976.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> So where do you see this beauty? Hikers will see outcrops on St. Catherine, Haystack, Mt. Antone, Equinox, Grass, the Folded Rock Trail and Two Tops among others. People looking for a roadside ledge should check out the cut on Rt. 313 between the rest area pull-off and the Vermont state line midway between Cambridge and Arlington. Watch for traffic (and falling rocks!) but you can usually find recently dislodged shards at the base of the cut. Thank the Battenkill and the DOT for slicing thru the ridge to let us look inside. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yEfdnhSL-fhp2WBpfdm29sGncIkzOWrQLWM8l73rJqFM84MJhacmETrzAQNl9S3-FQJko4XpEi8RIMaJtZS0_2SopeOy95IenqfppaRwmxoHZ5VoruH6Jmbv2sjvUeG0Q2FNO_R8iOzyqf6m_bZsGEhhCvD-Bz_RvlAFrMX3VtBsAJNsMQOabOOf2r0/s2816/DSCN0495.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yEfdnhSL-fhp2WBpfdm29sGncIkzOWrQLWM8l73rJqFM84MJhacmETrzAQNl9S3-FQJko4XpEi8RIMaJtZS0_2SopeOy95IenqfppaRwmxoHZ5VoruH6Jmbv2sjvUeG0Q2FNO_R8iOzyqf6m_bZsGEhhCvD-Bz_RvlAFrMX3VtBsAJNsMQOabOOf2r0/s320/DSCN0495.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGVlaSToGKEpDCN4ku6UZzQRn9QWSLLBlgCAfFhEfzJAnU1WSpVHpKe_zZQ5OGDb2TC4KR2-FhGsvUVIqyKhw3xZYup0EC1RlJrp7cvVJ5BN0NkXEPqz2iUxP-yQwSMcOQ-wW0wCWF_GTj-7BYbW0CPWAreN5eMr31EEwwO_WA-YAQ4LrkJzhBe61Il0/s2816/DSCN0508.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="2112" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGVlaSToGKEpDCN4ku6UZzQRn9QWSLLBlgCAfFhEfzJAnU1WSpVHpKe_zZQ5OGDb2TC4KR2-FhGsvUVIqyKhw3xZYup0EC1RlJrp7cvVJ5BN0NkXEPqz2iUxP-yQwSMcOQ-wW0wCWF_GTj-7BYbW0CPWAreN5eMr31EEwwO_WA-YAQ4LrkJzhBe61Il0/w480-h640/DSCN0508.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIcwGDdBDUYvAECCDqZKFgo-M1nYWX5uKmNQv65hTnx26ufucGmP-I9shXOKEAUhWPeDqx6S6YV5dCnym_DfsHSmJHWH4oD4nehSgc9X50fwS_fQIoWpUBABQnq5A39uGmtmhKLTxqaAZ4B53xODg21KJPDpVKQpAXfHqegxW3DNn47q4fhiCJ1mvgsA/s4000/IMG_9188.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIcwGDdBDUYvAECCDqZKFgo-M1nYWX5uKmNQv65hTnx26ufucGmP-I9shXOKEAUhWPeDqx6S6YV5dCnym_DfsHSmJHWH4oD4nehSgc9X50fwS_fQIoWpUBABQnq5A39uGmtmhKLTxqaAZ4B53xODg21KJPDpVKQpAXfHqegxW3DNn47q4fhiCJ1mvgsA/w480-h640/IMG_9188.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rock and roll</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My bike resting on the 313 phyllite ledge</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TlBblb2rxzEhFyOvYElrp6kmvdwGlZytMceeTgaHq1wbQh9EGN0tOLtN13Vu1aaacwaLYbZICfeERNTGpcpWKTfrxB-r0L2wdXxKpBf4q3ggyRNu7q_TgsTKwkUvtmj0UjRMLt3aDt6iyc6dtnTPNi9sFm66PpqR6UgFysLuQQ_MfxkrJ4C7KPwCnRc/s2706/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-10%20at%206.19.29%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="2706" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TlBblb2rxzEhFyOvYElrp6kmvdwGlZytMceeTgaHq1wbQh9EGN0tOLtN13Vu1aaacwaLYbZICfeERNTGpcpWKTfrxB-r0L2wdXxKpBf4q3ggyRNu7q_TgsTKwkUvtmj0UjRMLt3aDt6iyc6dtnTPNi9sFm66PpqR6UgFysLuQQ_MfxkrJ4C7KPwCnRc/w640-h172/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-10%20at%206.19.29%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Phyllite Zone</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A Google Earth screen shot from high above Cossayuna looking east</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Merck Forest, Bear, Equinox, Red, the Battenkill Gap and Grass Mountain left to right </span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><p></p>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-76719625718057673802024-02-17T19:43:00.001-05:002024-02-17T19:43:53.527-05:00What a Saint<p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> Would you like to be known for your faults? Me either. But with mountains, faults can be the key to understanding their origin and history. Take St. Catherine Mountain for example. It forms the eastern backdrop to Vermont's Lake St. Catherine in the Towns of Poultney and Wells. It is part of a north-south range of hills and mountains with very steep west facing sides that reach their apogee at Pond Mountain. Here, impressive vertical cliffs tower 600 feet and more above the village of Wells. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmsqKFjUveNqXnVln-nxvrXSfRBSAv1aaq4nH_Hnvi9Qm_5Hc6B2DEHznzm98hcInRQnWpbviS-EqJ8rb5H4lhHjAdTXEp14ajyszkkGe88IsjQRSIZHCCAFcL3KTdGO5O-bAjEeWmuTkI0buTjpP75CQdyZ6ywr0lEYBslqybwApTH7YMn-PImi87iU/s2072/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-15%20at%208.24.26%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="2072" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmsqKFjUveNqXnVln-nxvrXSfRBSAv1aaq4nH_Hnvi9Qm_5Hc6B2DEHznzm98hcInRQnWpbviS-EqJ8rb5H4lhHjAdTXEp14ajyszkkGe88IsjQRSIZHCCAFcL3KTdGO5O-bAjEeWmuTkI0buTjpP75CQdyZ6ywr0lEYBslqybwApTH7YMn-PImi87iU/w640-h314/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-15%20at%208.24.26%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;">Google Earth screen shot of Pond Mountain looking north</span></span></div><span><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFMOzwe8cDaFcjNTiCWYSMjcqPILZciIwzhN-IL6iFwpKNhquX5XZgcCUG_XqcSa0evM7sw_VSlv6FYKxidw6i4AkbOn-tLhdF5Q3Nj-K2P9T3dUJD4DNR_yirWsU9DwJ5vO1PicoIWi3Lin8KO3Mxu2_cmXFilBYS2VDh6a-ySejJjRmfPpWiXSM_l4/s4032/image_50405889.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFMOzwe8cDaFcjNTiCWYSMjcqPILZciIwzhN-IL6iFwpKNhquX5XZgcCUG_XqcSa0evM7sw_VSlv6FYKxidw6i4AkbOn-tLhdF5Q3Nj-K2P9T3dUJD4DNR_yirWsU9DwJ5vO1PicoIWi3Lin8KO3Mxu2_cmXFilBYS2VDh6a-ySejJjRmfPpWiXSM_l4/w640-h480/image_50405889.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gwenne took this pic of the Pond Mountain cliffs</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking east from Rt. 30 just north of Wells</span></div><br /><span><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> The dramatic topography here is the result of thrust faults where large chunks of the Earth's crust were pushed westward during a plate collision 450 million years ago. Called the Taconic Orogeny, it gave us the hilly landscape of New York's eastern border. </span></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhpEexXMJrw_E7_WPOMaf4mwi2V_Ke5DFMy-A_icJj2LIPFEZdo_B0TxJFE5od1P8sw4We9SI4HDq25_wl80AQAi4oNlH9BvMsHI-5AeN1Odf9pKcFyTbEefF5HcudVA2JDRJyvIz8pgUghVp1Gng5O7Sq7nXXbmiSY9tkkFct4B8oWXvElC-S9oKpXlo/s4000/IMG_0408.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhpEexXMJrw_E7_WPOMaf4mwi2V_Ke5DFMy-A_icJj2LIPFEZdo_B0TxJFE5od1P8sw4We9SI4HDq25_wl80AQAi4oNlH9BvMsHI-5AeN1Odf9pKcFyTbEefF5HcudVA2JDRJyvIz8pgUghVp1Gng5O7Sq7nXXbmiSY9tkkFct4B8oWXvElC-S9oKpXlo/w480-h640/IMG_0408.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On this geologic map the heavy dashed line down the center</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">marks the position of a thrust fault</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> To those of us who love to explore (my hand is raised), features like this ridge and cliff have an hypnotic draw. I've long dreamed of starting in Wells (with coffee and a pastry at the Wells Country Store!) before climbing along the spine of the range and finally coming down for a well deserved swim/beer/cookout at Lake St. Catherine State Park.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iNV602MCQh-9yPLUMUEJYi9ngXj_WmqWBpt0LNinmxzkuLTNQiBzJ4sVqZIPGIE6XddD2jc1I-Qw-klUuW3V4pARZXqt11eAjOxf_9kY5sB-_ttSCypZ2NN716MrTc8GB1BttkWOkXp-SkBjNUzhyl0mQrn-50SmCndEzaJwuishLkmxSmu9A3rcykQ/s4000/IMG_0407.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iNV602MCQh-9yPLUMUEJYi9ngXj_WmqWBpt0LNinmxzkuLTNQiBzJ4sVqZIPGIE6XddD2jc1I-Qw-klUuW3V4pARZXqt11eAjOxf_9kY5sB-_ttSCypZ2NN716MrTc8GB1BttkWOkXp-SkBjNUzhyl0mQrn-50SmCndEzaJwuishLkmxSmu9A3rcykQ/w480-h640/IMG_0407.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My fantasy hike starts with an ascent of Pond Mountain at the </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">bottom right and continues along the ridge over St. Catherine</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mountain with a descent to the Park just off the top of the map</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Alas, it is not meant to be. To the best of my knowledge most of the route is privately owned with no public access. Most, but not all. Thanks to the <a href="https://slatevalleytrails.org/">Slate Valley Trails</a> and a generous landowner there is a path to a vantage point on St. Catherine Mountain that should not be missed. Gwenne, Zia and I hiked it recently and it gives an enticing taste of what the whole ridge walk could offer.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheISkkhg2_JKSikO9YKT5CRpe7T-CEjbZyJIOW1ytLgOeX27kkuoVK-ntkMUXIbK022Ho6MC0wZ4-Wb9fZ0wGNq_iJiMCYNvCFGnnuNOTsh_dJnpRnu357SuGn5Etob2KoIYh_KLEcrK99LoDOIJmeDXtttow2VXT9E7RvliojeGEZOa3dRk1nkGwT19I/s2352/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-16%20at%203.40.35%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="2352" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheISkkhg2_JKSikO9YKT5CRpe7T-CEjbZyJIOW1ytLgOeX27kkuoVK-ntkMUXIbK022Ho6MC0wZ4-Wb9fZ0wGNq_iJiMCYNvCFGnnuNOTsh_dJnpRnu357SuGn5Etob2KoIYh_KLEcrK99LoDOIJmeDXtttow2VXT9E7RvliojeGEZOa3dRk1nkGwT19I/w640-h358/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-16%20at%203.40.35%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The hike starts at the red balloon on the right.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Two trails lead up the mountain to a viewpoint in image center.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lake St. Catherine is on the left.</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> To get to the Lewis Deane Nature Preserve take a right off Rt. 30 just before the state park entrance (Rt. 30 is the scenic road along the east side of Lake St. Catherine between Wells and Poultney, Vermont). Drive a little less than a mile on Endless Brook Road to a small parking lot on the right. The trail crosses the brook on a new footbridge to open meadows where there is an informative kiosk, some small ponds and a sentry on a hilltop.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kOkopsA0h6R0NNIBi4bxoj5qkj1AHXmj3rH-4QKzdwLwyd1XbT1Bw28z8xeXOMSZ6k_KZcH4iEHQKu9dezUu1vIBh3ChB-5Gaejs_-9IlZMPywwo2dhivSDnWTq-TBcegUQmLuJU3ab_EPWMFuRwrIuuhqute40-HmQ_St6GaNM1BHiZThYLujkVIJk/s4000/IMG_0402.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kOkopsA0h6R0NNIBi4bxoj5qkj1AHXmj3rH-4QKzdwLwyd1XbT1Bw28z8xeXOMSZ6k_KZcH4iEHQKu9dezUu1vIBh3ChB-5Gaejs_-9IlZMPywwo2dhivSDnWTq-TBcegUQmLuJU3ab_EPWMFuRwrIuuhqute40-HmQ_St6GaNM1BHiZThYLujkVIJk/w480-h640/IMG_0402.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bridge over tumbling waters</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8oMNsy5XNGl0jQsbI-JHKHbj4SIVZJQCYwMwJd7jnQTlp4g2CMFQCsX8DdzZ2BeNBIqfhARlHDHUQz474hPfyrLIXIvKmTD9Nk-5urQmwo9zlFLHAr_CAHmynQ7hs13se4-YX8aWSsQ6v4EV2_YHOPRUJqyL9pJBhau4EJrTkQnei_c-eERzM3mLZLvk/s4000/IMG_0397.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8oMNsy5XNGl0jQsbI-JHKHbj4SIVZJQCYwMwJd7jnQTlp4g2CMFQCsX8DdzZ2BeNBIqfhARlHDHUQz474hPfyrLIXIvKmTD9Nk-5urQmwo9zlFLHAr_CAHmynQ7hs13se4-YX8aWSsQ6v4EV2_YHOPRUJqyL9pJBhau4EJrTkQnei_c-eERzM3mLZLvk/w400-h300/IMG_0397.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6wA6gjzChg2uPYw3_3R9JPCZDx46LIXxHpxlPjmLY4ybjDu_JsM_c77hPmwMQ27vX0fLVF_dewpgiFmyB2qoEckBCuDTGObXfIzrfyMnbhKVXpF1lD62vkpjRdwhOOz4vfOWY6gHsooqh2El_um4v6ON6UwG3b1MG4Z2h_-qhtu_qyGPnFV9SdaNM5o/s4000/IMG_0395.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6wA6gjzChg2uPYw3_3R9JPCZDx46LIXxHpxlPjmLY4ybjDu_JsM_c77hPmwMQ27vX0fLVF_dewpgiFmyB2qoEckBCuDTGObXfIzrfyMnbhKVXpF1lD62vkpjRdwhOOz4vfOWY6gHsooqh2El_um4v6ON6UwG3b1MG4Z2h_-qhtu_qyGPnFV9SdaNM5o/w300-h400/IMG_0395.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gwenne and Zia with the King of the Mountain</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88xJ7KVcTYlO4VkPTQyBKq8NKYU63FLj40PO9qT9uC2w1qUf0wlsS9OxYJYLqF28b2PJMUvFI9qxY2CN39CZ6ejxyDzidqRnisEDejTinuCXMq3LTjKseuoNJ8GIAUq6MUlqhFrpCzKZ4MkPyftbV_9cE9l_HQf-gc1Kv3VvG5ZadKgn_GdeIo1OXEOM/s4000/IMG_0396.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88xJ7KVcTYlO4VkPTQyBKq8NKYU63FLj40PO9qT9uC2w1qUf0wlsS9OxYJYLqF28b2PJMUvFI9qxY2CN39CZ6ejxyDzidqRnisEDejTinuCXMq3LTjKseuoNJ8GIAUq6MUlqhFrpCzKZ4MkPyftbV_9cE9l_HQf-gc1Kv3VvG5ZadKgn_GdeIo1OXEOM/w480-h640/IMG_0396.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> In 2002 the landowners donated this 85 acre property to Green Mountain College for use in teaching, research and recreation. When the college closed in 2019 the land reverted back to the original owners who continue to let people hike here. There are two trails to the top of the ridge. We took the short and steep yellow trail up and returned via the green trail for a loop of several miles.</span></div><br /> <span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvuZnNr4ZpvhpKom_uin8REvg97qoIF6RSFGspezAqZO2p9JA0Y-YJpiLoJZaQhyZNC1-RVsCDOvA1Rv9baJI0SdxdcLTIaltinop_ys58nfWELa4G_x0TsTFlYR3qEa8HnHqqUQOW9QJWcOCUud8qHbd0T0w-PbVqRdcDySPWX_6QK4NjDC_z8fIkCA/s4000/IMG_0398.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvuZnNr4ZpvhpKom_uin8REvg97qoIF6RSFGspezAqZO2p9JA0Y-YJpiLoJZaQhyZNC1-RVsCDOvA1Rv9baJI0SdxdcLTIaltinop_ys58nfWELa4G_x0TsTFlYR3qEa8HnHqqUQOW9QJWcOCUud8qHbd0T0w-PbVqRdcDySPWX_6QK4NjDC_z8fIkCA/w640-h480/IMG_0398.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Up the yellow trail</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><p></p></div></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> The forests are a mix of hardwoods and evergreens with some sections of dense hemlocks. Careful observation will reveal signs of past land use such as grazing and logging. Rock outcrops are of greenish gray phyllite, layered and tilted. They originated as off shore muds more than a half billion years ago before taking a wild ride of 50 or 60 miles to end up here. No wonder they're crooked and crumpled.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> After hiking a mile or so you arrive at the top of the ridge and an amazing view. There is a wetland directly below and the lake just beyond. Quarries of the slate belt are visible with the hills of Washington County leading your gaze to the Adirondacks on the horizon. Faults aren't such a bad thing if they give you a panorama like this!</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UG5h72MYXMYBC5kN4T31wOpIblw8o-JajDiaGPBQQhlCuBhz7lEKZJ4710JNE9cpn2jl_3Q5f4ce88S6Gu3eNE2zMLsjmzuQYJYg9U1fvOkhEfLcYOGl5bcHiK-um05wp2nihRvgSsDFx0XixHSjky8PueHt6VvaxYgDo3CEB0zId2xf6kv2Ne0fUkM/s4000/IMG_0400.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UG5h72MYXMYBC5kN4T31wOpIblw8o-JajDiaGPBQQhlCuBhz7lEKZJ4710JNE9cpn2jl_3Q5f4ce88S6Gu3eNE2zMLsjmzuQYJYg9U1fvOkhEfLcYOGl5bcHiK-um05wp2nihRvgSsDFx0XixHSjky8PueHt6VvaxYgDo3CEB0zId2xf6kv2Ne0fUkM/w640-h480/IMG_0400.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> I suggest taking the green trail back down. It switchbacks at a gentler grade and takes you thru some interesting forest stands. The long even slope down a hogback to Endless Brook is a delight and the final section to the meadow follows the stream.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> The state campground would be an ideal basecamp for adventures in this area. There are other Slate Valley trails nearby and one of my favorite bike tours leads from here to Poultney, Middletown Springs, Pawlet and Wells. The swimming holes of the Poultney River are just up the road and for refreshments you have several options in Poultney and the rustic elegance of The Barn restaurant down by Pawlet. It's a saintly place to spend time exploring.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> Let's finish up with some interesting images of the area that I found on the Web:</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJmZvb-5mHK3IKwITUC8MHYdjGLKzT87ejsNw9Q3vj7MmWQYjzxMCfiSFxjvpLpizTU0j2fnZAKO0VG5apHkUgXyb1ZzkdeV1-35SyrwXBJUC3SLzpwrlw_O_oMz87gJmMiN_HD5Nbqgo0JPrAKUdz0XN9z0KnIxf7x1cYXRGyOsaryIRrcGA60Bv79Y/s1664/Little%20Lake%20undated.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1664" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJmZvb-5mHK3IKwITUC8MHYdjGLKzT87ejsNw9Q3vj7MmWQYjzxMCfiSFxjvpLpizTU0j2fnZAKO0VG5apHkUgXyb1ZzkdeV1-35SyrwXBJUC3SLzpwrlw_O_oMz87gJmMiN_HD5Nbqgo0JPrAKUdz0XN9z0KnIxf7x1cYXRGyOsaryIRrcGA60Bv79Y/w640-h400/Little%20Lake%20undated.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking south with the Pond Mountain cliffs and hills of the fault scarp left to right</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJyuCtmd7XJRO1HlJCV8pWzq9uNO_6c-SflAHkOksXsAImjkYe3yLn4VVg4mrlaeIL5_b_Dh8jZPZR_ea7Hd67jyKmSRPh_93Z6mmTrBFStpt5J3_LUyx1e0pNbgffTypZbjC0VKt-v6hh41N46vXmu243tcySZisQOgHjSa5Gng3HoCxdkbkIHz14OQ/s1696/Lake%20St%20Catherine%20from%20Pond%20Hill%20in%20Wells.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1696" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJyuCtmd7XJRO1HlJCV8pWzq9uNO_6c-SflAHkOksXsAImjkYe3yLn4VVg4mrlaeIL5_b_Dh8jZPZR_ea7Hd67jyKmSRPh_93Z6mmTrBFStpt5J3_LUyx1e0pNbgffTypZbjC0VKt-v6hh41N46vXmu243tcySZisQOgHjSa5Gng3HoCxdkbkIHz14OQ/w640-h392/Lake%20St%20Catherine%20from%20Pond%20Hill%20in%20Wells.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking north past the steep west face of Pond Mountain</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPX5RKIY_v8yFHGSjuZ8Eqq4WTD20mDgLGJwjX3b-RXFeMTCHRw2idyeNorYt9CPOLP6zkFUOOF1HDfA2dVZndv-2h3TOKWLTujEgijBFd_d5lJcrpcVpG9bYu4bcU6HjcPu5EuMsc_Hy-3N35dEjZkSn6f_Dt4CGSaT7GRUhv3fDIczLRn90QVUrIyY/s1198/Aerial%20view%20from%20Northern%20end%20of%20lake%20undated.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1198" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwPX5RKIY_v8yFHGSjuZ8Eqq4WTD20mDgLGJwjX3b-RXFeMTCHRw2idyeNorYt9CPOLP6zkFUOOF1HDfA2dVZndv-2h3TOKWLTujEgijBFd_d5lJcrpcVpG9bYu4bcU6HjcPu5EuMsc_Hy-3N35dEjZkSn6f_Dt4CGSaT7GRUhv3fDIczLRn90QVUrIyY/w640-h428/Aerial%20view%20from%20Northern%20end%20of%20lake%20undated.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking south with St. Catherine Mountain, the cliffs of Pond Mountain</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and other hills of the fault scarp angling from left to upper right</span></div><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> And finally, a web image of a beautiful oil painting by Andrew Orr. Pond Mountain from across Little Lake:</span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_hABT6QNNW2W-kaHq3pe9Yx7pOB-nh-xWooQXOjnwJ4qYp3ZMYqHPTsDJsLD5Fff1EzqEm0AvrKbhak1VuMcfSfiwjVWy_BNRtgZpP4hta0cfEVVwTnOIXRrH4hksvrAA23erNxRZKnrOsmS1dGdhxiZu5C5bkCc1xQ5b8sjwlHTeppy5nqJ6f6evak/s2864/download%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1404" data-original-width="2864" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_hABT6QNNW2W-kaHq3pe9Yx7pOB-nh-xWooQXOjnwJ4qYp3ZMYqHPTsDJsLD5Fff1EzqEm0AvrKbhak1VuMcfSfiwjVWy_BNRtgZpP4hta0cfEVVwTnOIXRrH4hksvrAA23erNxRZKnrOsmS1dGdhxiZu5C5bkCc1xQ5b8sjwlHTeppy5nqJ6f6evak/w640-h314/download%20(1).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></span></div>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-70037369408117249662024-01-28T16:14:00.002-05:002024-02-05T10:14:57.996-05:00Industrial Revolution<p><span style="font-size: large;"> The Village of Salem is a 'blink and you missed it' type of place. Best not to blink because what you'll miss is some of the most interesting architecture found anywhere. Take the eastern approach on Co 153 for example. There are a number of attractive residences and then in short order one passes the following:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOz0dlGFs-f29Pp0bPkirG0GROu6bjrikcaD10w3hhWrC3NL33-Bct805EhrMdf3Ln3Ixt3DebzKkp5uyo5pS51rhj4_-JzUT-YwVFAQ25ursnhCEyACKl7QoYZ70kp8kBIZ6DR2ZE1sl8wTOBt1X_teu57dRtDTDMesK3ttjkM_w6clMxXL-a6hPWUWg/s4000/IMG_0377.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOz0dlGFs-f29Pp0bPkirG0GROu6bjrikcaD10w3hhWrC3NL33-Bct805EhrMdf3Ln3Ixt3DebzKkp5uyo5pS51rhj4_-JzUT-YwVFAQ25ursnhCEyACKl7QoYZ70kp8kBIZ6DR2ZE1sl8wTOBt1X_teu57dRtDTDMesK3ttjkM_w6clMxXL-a6hPWUWg/w400-h300/IMG_0377.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Courthouse Community Center</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lHuBfz7AigffCv6DSY3yEdTTJfq36rlNXpAxCzAzZXUAotSwN5mpuqt-ZdI4kgdjXyylKrVOPU7hZ7NHhQ4Paps7EL8UQARMFK6cFufw1_PwDNSFs4THfAAHMQjgK62oLYlie-62QNxic__Mz2dE0c4XW3wy6rkGJl-dAXvbroR1J9EL42Mt1uicxS0/s4000/IMG_0380.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lHuBfz7AigffCv6DSY3yEdTTJfq36rlNXpAxCzAzZXUAotSwN5mpuqt-ZdI4kgdjXyylKrVOPU7hZ7NHhQ4Paps7EL8UQARMFK6cFufw1_PwDNSFs4THfAAHMQjgK62oLYlie-62QNxic__Mz2dE0c4XW3wy6rkGJl-dAXvbroR1J9EL42Mt1uicxS0/w640-h480/IMG_0380.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The school campus</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFF33mAOdVJ4TDnf0-Fp3lnRruBzR05PgAVIP-qlFACGMI_Bvu_yYMBbL0xEGgTeGVNq3xgpAgoZ0DBXzWF3ArX5nqiDH01GNFZA-_B3wGVREpOyznQ0kN1T5m7pRPEvQWhrlgYoTVZbiKrph_25OJcTxoJu84191H-xqzPE1P-1ojPYbzXTeoIy262YY/s4000/IMG_0378.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFF33mAOdVJ4TDnf0-Fp3lnRruBzR05PgAVIP-qlFACGMI_Bvu_yYMBbL0xEGgTeGVNq3xgpAgoZ0DBXzWF3ArX5nqiDH01GNFZA-_B3wGVREpOyznQ0kN1T5m7pRPEvQWhrlgYoTVZbiKrph_25OJcTxoJu84191H-xqzPE1P-1ojPYbzXTeoIy262YY/w300-h400/IMG_0378.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Episcopal Church with its stone belltower</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8o-4eriLPlgYr1i2Ao2Lc-6jOukfxyelovKtaYTqqx25eaHIk0aRIMZY9bOm6BXWDpbnNjpD32uRpYV2LUvsiXt1nmMMMCE0R_czStznSl0hXaznQHwzMlsPHZ8jaNlplUoELy8XeQMPrXKskJMtqr50Padtzd8ogQjS4YrtFZy1i1weU7Ut4HOib3M/s4000/IMG_0381.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8o-4eriLPlgYr1i2Ao2Lc-6jOukfxyelovKtaYTqqx25eaHIk0aRIMZY9bOm6BXWDpbnNjpD32uRpYV2LUvsiXt1nmMMMCE0R_czStznSl0hXaznQHwzMlsPHZ8jaNlplUoELy8XeQMPrXKskJMtqr50Padtzd8ogQjS4YrtFZy1i1weU7Ut4HOib3M/w640-h480/IMG_0381.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The imposing Fort Salem Theater</span></div><br /> <p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Come into town from the west on Co 30 past the entrance to SAW and its whimsical sculptors and The Old White Church is not to be missed.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixGvgoALAobkhhsj8swspdvJeW-YCELFvL1Ky2arc5zrTOt-TSF3ueYP2efS73q2Bbc0iqZwI90eDLY_Cl_CfuFa2PD1SBsVDKCa0KHel_0Pz8CkA8JNRqJRO0u54TZbjRHFNY3rkdtsAelt4C_1ZdMWg5QzrCAiDT3boFMarPlyLMwqMMS0UgC7UvC34/s4000/IMG_0376.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixGvgoALAobkhhsj8swspdvJeW-YCELFvL1Ky2arc5zrTOt-TSF3ueYP2efS73q2Bbc0iqZwI90eDLY_Cl_CfuFa2PD1SBsVDKCa0KHel_0Pz8CkA8JNRqJRO0u54TZbjRHFNY3rkdtsAelt4C_1ZdMWg5QzrCAiDT3boFMarPlyLMwqMMS0UgC7UvC34/w480-h640/IMG_0376.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Swoop in from the north on Rt. 22 and, in truth, the most popular building is the Stewarts Shop. Ok, but once you get your milk, coffee, beer and gas take a minute to notice the old train station across the street. It's small, unimposing but with its own simple charm and tells of days gone by when railroading was a big thing here.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2sGezhDa1bmNSiL4w426IKvOdjRGiuG_hY_tAkk4kHZibA5BLXCDMN3q3ajeS7vHB9SHmAq9ts7tT2ERSoQQ59QxeeUMfXQ9mMCRdpD_VcTB12CpgrKdch-vYXNILkDYTLMloWOVaro1Vz_xjFT51C_WAO45aKHuTv8FrmEghSEuXRKhbO4LCWsVPm4/s4000/IMG_0382.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2sGezhDa1bmNSiL4w426IKvOdjRGiuG_hY_tAkk4kHZibA5BLXCDMN3q3ajeS7vHB9SHmAq9ts7tT2ERSoQQ59QxeeUMfXQ9mMCRdpD_VcTB12CpgrKdch-vYXNILkDYTLMloWOVaro1Vz_xjFT51C_WAO45aKHuTv8FrmEghSEuXRKhbO4LCWsVPm4/w640-h480/IMG_0382.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> Finally there's the Rt. 22 southern approach. Try to look the other way when you go by the Dollar General because there is a real treat coming up. The stately three story brick and stone structure that exudes an aura of 'old industry'.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnDK19EaiP8Gv2S9G8-to0A4Brx85bNWLGMCS9qlViTpS9HIrmbbbmKoyBN554BlBbcKiNgChyphenhyphenpdzUpHkCn0fv-0h_M46j2636Pa6cCqaeqM0lW0Ba0Y-pxTmj-yLzXC-zdmc5plVqYx8PNnAePvuCGSwlJV4seXUDvSG97482X5HVsNVviQUfArPKLU/s4000/IMG_0374.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnDK19EaiP8Gv2S9G8-to0A4Brx85bNWLGMCS9qlViTpS9HIrmbbbmKoyBN554BlBbcKiNgChyphenhyphenpdzUpHkCn0fv-0h_M46j2636Pa6cCqaeqM0lW0Ba0Y-pxTmj-yLzXC-zdmc5plVqYx8PNnAePvuCGSwlJV4seXUDvSG97482X5HVsNVviQUfArPKLU/w640-h480/IMG_0374.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYHSUde-uEGeh_eHiwJnwSmN0Wnrepv7mvquAUpsn8Ux1UWAsDG6FAWvSIM2ycuxt6BhtDGHk2sHAIA6K6qBmHfaIEYTtVMIw0YlslOPxxN3NK2N83OmC4gyZEa2T6XlcdreAbzNYELbTa5E6uhNNzhS7argywD5_4Kvf7VjFPdKjRK7Hpm9ENNTChI-o/s4000/IMG_0375.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYHSUde-uEGeh_eHiwJnwSmN0Wnrepv7mvquAUpsn8Ux1UWAsDG6FAWvSIM2ycuxt6BhtDGHk2sHAIA6K6qBmHfaIEYTtVMIw0YlslOPxxN3NK2N83OmC4gyZEa2T6XlcdreAbzNYELbTa5E6uhNNzhS7argywD5_4Kvf7VjFPdKjRK7Hpm9ENNTChI-o/w400-h300/IMG_0375.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Mention Washington County and most people think of agriculture, not industry. But that's misleading. Ever since initial settlement abundant waterpower has been utilized for industrial production. Anybody who paddles the county's streams will tell you about encountering washed out dams and the stone work of long abandoned mills. Sadly, 'abandoned' does seem to be a trend here. The recent leveling of GE's presence in Fort Edward and Hudson Falls being a prime example. And there are many other former mill sites as well. I had to go to Salem for parts last week and and in a brief half hour trip I checked out the following:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLetl4NiQuHAL22FIAeXPYA08AAizwmryVYA2maGW70nh23pNdgAfziSYnVpbN08D_zdRcPl_E-CnsZMlddSnnEGSAlTkshiQBzcF4_fvnvD91xNyymbX5wYI6M-x0ZOMIzJ9yUqWJjzhsmD9oli9oIZ6_gcs4LAihGgYCfhKaznPc7CFnCoPvpus9Rc/s4000/IMG_0362.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLetl4NiQuHAL22FIAeXPYA08AAizwmryVYA2maGW70nh23pNdgAfziSYnVpbN08D_zdRcPl_E-CnsZMlddSnnEGSAlTkshiQBzcF4_fvnvD91xNyymbX5wYI6M-x0ZOMIzJ9yUqWJjzhsmD9oli9oIZ6_gcs4LAihGgYCfhKaznPc7CFnCoPvpus9Rc/w400-h300/IMG_0362.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNIxGYqXdeCaCi4-67UmDkxYCOqhopMsVgSHolt5n85T_jKm6HMO-QSfULaizifp91PIbqpfSq29mzjrKkxQONYQ0cCBdj1vzFLp86bOEx1i8UnFapKISFlXMOFbzUjhRnm6aLhlU5lyTjfPvBpJYcBr7M-Kucx7nwAADs6kLa2IiZI9Wg3CWXNwzO4k8/s4000/IMG_0361.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNIxGYqXdeCaCi4-67UmDkxYCOqhopMsVgSHolt5n85T_jKm6HMO-QSfULaizifp91PIbqpfSq29mzjrKkxQONYQ0cCBdj1vzFLp86bOEx1i8UnFapKISFlXMOFbzUjhRnm6aLhlU5lyTjfPvBpJYcBr7M-Kucx7nwAADs6kLa2IiZI9Wg3CWXNwzO4k8/w640-h480/IMG_0361.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The falls at Fort Miller have long powered a number of mills. All that's left are some graffiti enhanced cement structures surrounded by chain link fence.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP55GZMfMPDYimqzQN_KrH9deJ292VGA-C8QPxby2RlZ1epNdUUj8e4_8cz6lWrJPo0Njx8PATcJZQJg5ka2_B25p0z9rQ0JgeowSb61Bh_cSdOmgG2dMQedAV4dJX23hhFYjSMbiFaVjJaliWpPdbRxZ4aBHekt3o2MhaCB2RSCNOkF7Jh-r_T4h3ogs/s4000/IMG_0364.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP55GZMfMPDYimqzQN_KrH9deJ292VGA-C8QPxby2RlZ1epNdUUj8e4_8cz6lWrJPo0Njx8PATcJZQJg5ka2_B25p0z9rQ0JgeowSb61Bh_cSdOmgG2dMQedAV4dJX23hhFYjSMbiFaVjJaliWpPdbRxZ4aBHekt3o2MhaCB2RSCNOkF7Jh-r_T4h3ogs/w640-h480/IMG_0364.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInnDCexr2ulc6HtM5poSvK6e-JTyvh6pjEvfMjt7Z_UoSOxGqEURr46a-ZHZl6172kvwiX2UteiAj3AKY9lvPotBG_dpxcrpxvGrP2AI6cwByoqhWrEXHaqog_o5fEko6BnM4GcplbYmLQcX37wMLGs6fFSh_oitPZlipCZUwVA5_bNLhMXtdHdKC55U/s4000/IMG_0366.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInnDCexr2ulc6HtM5poSvK6e-JTyvh6pjEvfMjt7Z_UoSOxGqEURr46a-ZHZl6172kvwiX2UteiAj3AKY9lvPotBG_dpxcrpxvGrP2AI6cwByoqhWrEXHaqog_o5fEko6BnM4GcplbYmLQcX37wMLGs6fFSh_oitPZlipCZUwVA5_bNLhMXtdHdKC55U/w400-h300/IMG_0366.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7MzkHey1tm7zkjZlg4Iql7V5JpDxBXallV52ApksoGnUF2L3MiAtXwWYWNzF16lM8PaaFPqOYfIPd2j0AsdIlqTZ_zPLQ5HdZg-jYmW9X7nnHqhj8KEEjfTWq6ioOea-T-x3H5stZMQ05FzjpVyomeYZyk5_eJLf3EInYvmO_P4ZiwZnK-xWzn-t-VY/s4000/IMG_0367.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7MzkHey1tm7zkjZlg4Iql7V5JpDxBXallV52ApksoGnUF2L3MiAtXwWYWNzF16lM8PaaFPqOYfIPd2j0AsdIlqTZ_zPLQ5HdZg-jYmW9X7nnHqhj8KEEjfTWq6ioOea-T-x3H5stZMQ05FzjpVyomeYZyk5_eJLf3EInYvmO_P4ZiwZnK-xWzn-t-VY/s320/IMG_0367.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </div> A few miles down the Hudson in Thompson is the site of a former paper mill. I can remember riding the bus to school in Schuylerville and looking across the river when it was an ongoing operation. Many of my friends parents worked there. Now it is mostly razed with a few interesting structures still remaining. Fishermen (even in January!) assure me it's a public park and OK to access the water here. I'm not so sure. Note that Smokey Greene (1930-2023) had a tavern here that was a favorite stop for workers after they finished their shifts.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGb8Q4G3i2gEWvpbiCwYgFJ6UY26gq7eQ-JKldLtIkexkkI2LpHthqp7hOKPr5m3KCk06OXuo-lA9PVH7DIfIi6UjfV_ULPWlf3liX5LpRHXEAuv3Ky-m0hgImp9t2DSZzQyluxi0xR70-fSc8XiuJCZkfPEF6yLhsYFobqPer32RcvKXIAYxCN2kk3vk/s4000/IMG_0370.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGb8Q4G3i2gEWvpbiCwYgFJ6UY26gq7eQ-JKldLtIkexkkI2LpHthqp7hOKPr5m3KCk06OXuo-lA9PVH7DIfIi6UjfV_ULPWlf3liX5LpRHXEAuv3Ky-m0hgImp9t2DSZzQyluxi0xR70-fSc8XiuJCZkfPEF6yLhsYFobqPer32RcvKXIAYxCN2kk3vk/w640-h480/IMG_0370.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <br /> On the edge of Greenwich Village along the Battenkill are the ruins of the Skybel Tissue mill. Another chain-linked wasteland that kids have no problem sneaking into. You can canoe down to the dam here (be careful) with the site actually looking attractive from the water. Occasional talk of redevelopment but that seems increasingly doubtful. Many people wish something would happen here.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrkes6jL1M9fPRWwi0rTwql8uca4cIFBFY75PkiDgNRTnoYk2tWeZpYnkJfKOTHi7z4spLXtlhW0rv19i2R-F2-8RED-zIA-SVi5hEkJWu9hY6Jz83ExsRoP_q7UCaQsvOBkZcsw3UiGt417kBd9xrIBLn2o2ItsRPd-cKvO5gb1apBySHMKY3wAQkmQ/s4000/IMG_9228.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrkes6jL1M9fPRWwi0rTwql8uca4cIFBFY75PkiDgNRTnoYk2tWeZpYnkJfKOTHi7z4spLXtlhW0rv19i2R-F2-8RED-zIA-SVi5hEkJWu9hY6Jz83ExsRoP_q7UCaQsvOBkZcsw3UiGt417kBd9xrIBLn2o2ItsRPd-cKvO5gb1apBySHMKY3wAQkmQ/w640-h480/IMG_9228.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqcRJKyWYoT1xglkDH_7ATctWPA6gX7NbJ-I9RX2yUwZhNNOdJdMrJmNILZ6iXk8LSmb7dAfEGQKIkS_rdHK2S2F2_WMp0HgYMaFbHGs-Mp4RF4YUQ4k8H2BMXBYqWl7DsIGhlMEhNW4ioVGYtZxC8_fWztqt8QZdBPKeBWcXU1RkMnlDVnLlcjBpRgs/s4000/IMG_0372.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqcRJKyWYoT1xglkDH_7ATctWPA6gX7NbJ-I9RX2yUwZhNNOdJdMrJmNILZ6iXk8LSmb7dAfEGQKIkS_rdHK2S2F2_WMp0HgYMaFbHGs-Mp4RF4YUQ4k8H2BMXBYqWl7DsIGhlMEhNW4ioVGYtZxC8_fWztqt8QZdBPKeBWcXU1RkMnlDVnLlcjBpRgs/w400-h300/IMG_0372.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Further upstream is the post-industrial eyesore of Bio-Tech between Rt. 29 and the river in Battenville. With the refurbishment of the Susan Anthony house across the road and anticipation of it becoming an historical attraction it's time to do something with the derelict and slowly collapsing mill structures.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Not trying to burden you with a post-apocalyptic sense of doom so much as to empathize the sense of hope that comes from the recent reinvigoration of the garment factory building in Salem. Since 2021 Jon and Deana Ketchum, a married couple who went to school in Greenwich, have been busy renovating the building to house their furniture making business as well as to serve as their home. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEVLgrQLJMFnenh5eTSBaSmDjejBgPD1zvsi5YlS33DXTuD-UHq3gqql61zyJNLb-wtyl9O-xCQgvBoJGxexb5jDQLiKC7mT8oRL430ZFEQlhlccXVN_tKhV0X4nfAOjutqHkRIIh7DqVzUE6Lz-uMyUhWMC3K358FRxFBVw2YBv9H5St8GBuxKDG67g/s700/Chronicle_Story_2021_Photo.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEVLgrQLJMFnenh5eTSBaSmDjejBgPD1zvsi5YlS33DXTuD-UHq3gqql61zyJNLb-wtyl9O-xCQgvBoJGxexb5jDQLiKC7mT8oRL430ZFEQlhlccXVN_tKhV0X4nfAOjutqHkRIIh7DqVzUE6Lz-uMyUhWMC3K358FRxFBVw2YBv9H5St8GBuxKDG67g/w640-h426/Chronicle_Story_2021_Photo.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijse3U60_6hqFSBzrA1S-qx-2BkLKjHi-5VCirdIgrwe1FMesLkLOwzDW3hZnKM1irswPGYEnZ6-aA28v0Jt7S7UNQ150zNnyWvUuGAfG3cM-zC1SQSk2yYZADZ97h7syLCJ7BPfeDeX2cevlbyZmhw1z-4zFPZ56NqFRI9HYA9szPO69-CA_fUY1j2kI/s1360/HyggeTable_Staged_Website_1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1360" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijse3U60_6hqFSBzrA1S-qx-2BkLKjHi-5VCirdIgrwe1FMesLkLOwzDW3hZnKM1irswPGYEnZ6-aA28v0Jt7S7UNQ150zNnyWvUuGAfG3cM-zC1SQSk2yYZADZ97h7syLCJ7BPfeDeX2cevlbyZmhw1z-4zFPZ56NqFRI9HYA9szPO69-CA_fUY1j2kI/w640-h426/HyggeTable_Staged_Website_1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">New Collar Goods Table and Chairs</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(web image)</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> So uplifting to see what can be done with these vintage buildings given a vision and a lot of hard work. Let's hope the Ketchums have sparked a new industrial revolution in Washington County.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;">Take a look...</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> * The Salem garment factory renovations have been documented in Youtube videos <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FHP4H55xUM">here</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ddjPLh04dY">here</a> and <a href="vhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLh9oWF7Wrg">here.</a> There was also a feature on something called the Magnolia Network titled <u>Home Reimagined</u>. Unfortunately I couldn't find it but maybe you'll have better luck. New Collar also has a website and a facebook page to learn more. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> * Note that Jon and Deanna will be speaking about their renovation of the mill at the Salem Courthouse on Thursday, February 8 at 6pm.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOvDELP3ImdjSYe6Fw2p4Up8kI9Zhkbi5hUpRxflIXQLwe_ufBlvoFLByam2Lz3YqAD_Ll5VMh7jfxbBkjajgxkSAlebszQgUgkfbGUrnF6ZXIkphrtsPlVSxbVm8N7pBEpz30SiWzNSnL36UjSFQ_22PKvP6IgRYGf6X-a9oZdKGRg0bsrKEBD6TsLk/s225/download%20(8).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDOvDELP3ImdjSYe6Fw2p4Up8kI9Zhkbi5hUpRxflIXQLwe_ufBlvoFLByam2Lz3YqAD_Ll5VMh7jfxbBkjajgxkSAlebszQgUgkfbGUrnF6ZXIkphrtsPlVSxbVm8N7pBEpz30SiWzNSnL36UjSFQ_22PKvP6IgRYGf6X-a9oZdKGRg0bsrKEBD6TsLk/w400-h400/download%20(8).jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-61795685547188655392024-01-09T16:28:00.000-05:002024-01-09T16:28:15.235-05:00A Low Way to Go<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCgp0Y4lZGn2sj8RWTHD4T1IQtfJqIGx9oEIgV4TVgm5EOBg8IdAXBshVRMbUX7raKB999ce5kNjgZxDZYe-pCElfpyR9I8hF1x5YViZt4JfM1BMdxAzDtdzlkr5tE0yyKOIz9iJT1QZaFrhXzK09X_YXTDPzZvQzB7pH0pZqv9YcN2qA8RfHjtb7nEc/s2246/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-31%20at%206.47.13%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1226" data-original-width="2246" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCgp0Y4lZGn2sj8RWTHD4T1IQtfJqIGx9oEIgV4TVgm5EOBg8IdAXBshVRMbUX7raKB999ce5kNjgZxDZYe-pCElfpyR9I8hF1x5YViZt4JfM1BMdxAzDtdzlkr5tE0yyKOIz9iJT1QZaFrhXzK09X_YXTDPzZvQzB7pH0pZqv9YcN2qA8RfHjtb7nEc/w640-h350/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-31%20at%206.47.13%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Map of canal with Mechanicville/South on the left and Fort Ann/North to right</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The stepped horizontal line at bottom is a profile of locks and flatwater elevations </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span> <span style="font-size: large;"> 2023 is in the books and that means the Champlain Canal is another year older. 201 years old to be exact. To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the opening of the canal the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership created a six panel mobile display focusing on different aspects of the waterway. There may be one somewhere in our area but I haven't found it yet. In the meantime you can see the display online <a href="https://champlainvalleynhp.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Champlain-Canal-Bicentennial-Traveling-Exhibit.pdf">here.</a> </span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUjkcd82uvezg-rYqhzXmCx8M3X6K1Gzg1RuhiaH6vSmoBlxmkskjkKuu7aMZ7nKt5P4UGeuJAwOaJIGyTXxROuI-IM2m9NCwmB5U4AEpUNIqFU0nkzxL5LuX0EUbPLPvtrkVodfPwNWtB7_s_dlGBf9cTPQyS42M3BWiZM3zrhbp0j38853PmhwSJmYU/s1290/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-09%20at%204.05.15%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1290" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUjkcd82uvezg-rYqhzXmCx8M3X6K1Gzg1RuhiaH6vSmoBlxmkskjkKuu7aMZ7nKt5P4UGeuJAwOaJIGyTXxROuI-IM2m9NCwmB5U4AEpUNIqFU0nkzxL5LuX0EUbPLPvtrkVodfPwNWtB7_s_dlGBf9cTPQyS42M3BWiZM3zrhbp0j38853PmhwSJmYU/w640-h434/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-09%20at%204.05.15%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Image from the canal display panel</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> A list of the organizations devoted to Lake Champlain is longer than the lake itself. In the unlikely event that a wave of ambition washes over me I'll do a post sorting thru them and their various missions. Till then I hope you enjoy the panels and the canal. </span></div></div>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-54961123265305025292023-12-24T13:23:00.000-05:002023-12-24T13:23:21.494-05:00Santa Knox<p><span style="font-size: large;"> What's on your Christmas wish list?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> 59 pieces of artillery?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I hope not.</span> </p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> But in the early winter of 1775, cannons were exactly what General George Washington was longing for. The British were occupying Boston, and the American colonists wanted them out of there. While our army held the higher ground above the city, they didn't have the firepower to take advantage of their position. What they needed weighted 60 tons and was 300 rugged miles away: heavy weaponry captured by Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold and Seth Warner from the forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point earlier in the year.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ou_bbfT1ESuGII_I12FljhnAS9htkKb7YIChDsadV7rJ4ZE4UIHQ-vAVJ8TUxeoiCJ_O7qwQ9uVP72xqBxHheFBuwXMEagz6P0UBAqPNk6p8Azr2PyxyukbjiUI_rrOn6FWYySWdq81MFgWFHrXNoMfDMNugb9-PXuhA6XUnNCfSbIppipfTbC5HdBY/s2000/LEAD_tivo-crop-2000x1125.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="2000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ou_bbfT1ESuGII_I12FljhnAS9htkKb7YIChDsadV7rJ4ZE4UIHQ-vAVJ8TUxeoiCJ_O7qwQ9uVP72xqBxHheFBuwXMEagz6P0UBAqPNk6p8Azr2PyxyukbjiUI_rrOn6FWYySWdq81MFgWFHrXNoMfDMNugb9-PXuhA6XUnNCfSbIppipfTbC5HdBY/w640-h360/LEAD_tivo-crop-2000x1125.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Americans capturing Fort Ti</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">web image</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Fortunately for General Washington (and for America's independence), a 25 year old Boston bookseller had the Christmas spirit. He said, "No problem George. I'll get them for you." His name was Henry Knox and what he accomplished over the next two months has been hailed "one of the most stupendous feats of logistics" of the entire war. Knox's "noble train of artillery" went thru our area (Lake George and the upper Hudson Valley) about this time of year and it's a good time to remember (and honor) the heroism of our ancestors.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsiLRTc27OuyFdZ1YpoGeySgOY3R0O6mfTMbqRdM6DDh70BrW2u0CXWJQaDbSXSfdF1Y4phzFqiceCgAxQ8yuPwHG7vSV01Fkzat9QLXxkPSCFqf6ifPeEmtsl8XfZkiYvPWVBBvOi_5p8mmW7RfmcGdV0RAp0LeDTqYbLzwGH4btMdEsqrc_HyDFAvM/s650/MGen_Henry_Knox_.jpeg%20(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsiLRTc27OuyFdZ1YpoGeySgOY3R0O6mfTMbqRdM6DDh70BrW2u0CXWJQaDbSXSfdF1Y4phzFqiceCgAxQ8yuPwHG7vSV01Fkzat9QLXxkPSCFqf6ifPeEmtsl8XfZkiYvPWVBBvOi_5p8mmW7RfmcGdV0RAp0LeDTqYbLzwGH4btMdEsqrc_HyDFAvM/w271-h400/MGen_Henry_Knox_.jpeg%20(1).jpeg" width="271" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnwB83dRip_37bAxO_2aC5vbJgiiwwWwzb2xHxvZqec6PFISUHkMNxXSGZSwFJhM1exE6Fs5IqrbWKuYTaRWk867D542BLrcmS9maFFkJa823KiHqJjibX4DE5XlZEvTqiD5A5J5ek3ls_ZW7-WvwF2FRw9npemBNi3ESp0fZYD_XCXLkQUFIXZ1807E/s520/520px-Siegeofbostonartillery.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="520" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnwB83dRip_37bAxO_2aC5vbJgiiwwWwzb2xHxvZqec6PFISUHkMNxXSGZSwFJhM1exE6Fs5IqrbWKuYTaRWk867D542BLrcmS9maFFkJa823KiHqJjibX4DE5XlZEvTqiD5A5J5ek3ls_ZW7-WvwF2FRw9npemBNi3ESp0fZYD_XCXLkQUFIXZ1807E/w640-h484/520px-Siegeofbostonartillery.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> First let me recommend two websites I consulted, then we'll take a closer look at the Washington County segment of Knox's expedition. <a href="https://www.hudsonrivervalley.org/documents/401021/1055071/TheKnoxTrail-History.pdf/22f6ed9d-2a89-448d-ad82-0413e2017149">Here</a> you will find a good overview of the event and <a href="https://www.hudsonrivervalley.org/documents/401021/1055071/The_Knox_Trail_2017_update_VanBuren.pdf/da4130de-960d-45d7-8d62-c2bb5920700b">here</a> is a guide to the monuments that mark the route. There are 30 (32?) of these monuments in New York and another 27 in Massachusetts. They were originally placed in 1926-27. I've found three in Washington County with several more nearby in Glens Falls and Schuylerville.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bjJJ3Axioe8DB3zw4_d4eWpOaXK0zNOvmcnxyJ5KAOJ-FbGMtfp_dFilq4882LEO26NMs-tHy_isfWPb0Oh9h3RhGal7oHqVDHlV_oGv3OvJJesdlwzSFyHBCUo4xX39QFMAhcz9T5Acev3kGZ5VNgKxfZ_mOJdHIDXDWQRpo4aDDPfEtv0LUKRPGLk/s275/images%20(12).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bjJJ3Axioe8DB3zw4_d4eWpOaXK0zNOvmcnxyJ5KAOJ-FbGMtfp_dFilq4882LEO26NMs-tHy_isfWPb0Oh9h3RhGal7oHqVDHlV_oGv3OvJJesdlwzSFyHBCUo4xX39QFMAhcz9T5Acev3kGZ5VNgKxfZ_mOJdHIDXDWQRpo4aDDPfEtv0LUKRPGLk/w400-h266/images%20(12).jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cannons at reconstructed Fort Ti</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">web image</span></div><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Knox arrived at Fort Ticonderoga on December 6, 1775 and immediately began moving cannons using boats on the La Chute River, then ox carts to Lake George before transferring to boats again for the trip down the lake to where Lake George Village is now. This was a trying ordeal with cold and headwinds, boats running aground and boats sinking, all with the looming specter of the lake freezing over and trapping them. Finally, by mid-December all the cannon made it to the south end of the lake and then the problem became waiting for enough snow to use sleds to move the heavy cargo over nearly non-existent roads.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZ7Y3AUPVTLwQol_dEVW8uMEvUqNCv0PM3xry9v0uutiVtk50FpOjO4c7w4P-DSS_IyODXwqsGGnTXR5s_r6NMXTk5P1gJmhM29Czk8gMocmsafJLQuiUpx3MJaZBwO-8zEabNrH5_bdhH7hfuMTcn9Pg-Od4ylPajLomZKOtoeQR-4nDrNSyNOQzy5o/s2816/DSCN4491.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKZ7Y3AUPVTLwQol_dEVW8uMEvUqNCv0PM3xry9v0uutiVtk50FpOjO4c7w4P-DSS_IyODXwqsGGnTXR5s_r6NMXTk5P1gJmhM29Czk8gMocmsafJLQuiUpx3MJaZBwO-8zEabNrH5_bdhH7hfuMTcn9Pg-Od4ylPajLomZKOtoeQR-4nDrNSyNOQzy5o/w640-h480/DSCN4491.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;">A long, long way to go - northern Lake George</span></span></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> 80 yoke of oxen and 42 rugged sleds were needed so Knox went alone on foot and horseback towards Albany to procure them. He got more snow than he bargained for with a huge storm as he passed thru present day Schuylerville on his way south. Here is the Christmas Day excerpt from his journal: "...only got about 2 miles when our horses tir'd and refus'd to go any farter. I was then obliged to undertake a fatiguing march of about 4 miles in snow three feet deep thro' the woods there being no beaten path...I had almost perished with the cold." </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtInMpm_bugNIou5BpnXIXeh5ZdnTcc3BpYjFMViH7s4bmsbi5ItKHvaos4vCkr23PvH9prqCIW_AyOAQkxYQuEWXoQocNMIKwhWOtjIMni5OCp4EEdKqG3Mj22AbF7vDTihMoRDY-qE3DNyxjbTmbNaHzfZYkXkl1GeTXZN065e_LyUW1sXklD56PcoM/s2816/DSCN0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="2112" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtInMpm_bugNIou5BpnXIXeh5ZdnTcc3BpYjFMViH7s4bmsbi5ItKHvaos4vCkr23PvH9prqCIW_AyOAQkxYQuEWXoQocNMIKwhWOtjIMni5OCp4EEdKqG3Mj22AbF7vDTihMoRDY-qE3DNyxjbTmbNaHzfZYkXkl1GeTXZN065e_LyUW1sXklD56PcoM/w480-h640/DSCN0016.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Hudson River - Knox crossed here via ferry on Christmas Eve</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Lack of roads and bridges required several crossings of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. This was treacherous because they were iced over but hardly thick enough to support the weight of ox, sled and cannon. After several harrowing incidents all were finally beyond Albany on the east side of the river with 'only' the mountainous Taconics and Berkshires left to surmount. Surmounted they were and by late January Washington had his Christmas cannon. Once the artillery was set up the British got the message that they had wore out their welcome and quickly left the city, an event celebrated as Evacuation Day. The rest, as they say, is history.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEUKn3yNh9FhDSXDR7pevvVMom_W8FrhmcCqemm8XcTTAXYDwtucGuztkK_7jHmRcMIA8sMUjcfwQ4omWmTHFQms4IIijoUZBJgNgCMvCG9h_U_Li4hZqQE2gTfwdFKegdeE0rQjKvpQtSHndnbhxvcgT4d2LBDVOO1KTRBjGudPQVsvkb1UvtthFyzU/s1024/17march1776britishboston.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEUKn3yNh9FhDSXDR7pevvVMom_W8FrhmcCqemm8XcTTAXYDwtucGuztkK_7jHmRcMIA8sMUjcfwQ4omWmTHFQms4IIijoUZBJgNgCMvCG9h_U_Li4hZqQE2gTfwdFKegdeE0rQjKvpQtSHndnbhxvcgT4d2LBDVOO1KTRBjGudPQVsvkb1UvtthFyzU/w640-h480/17march1776britishboston.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;">web image</span></span></div><span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> It would be quite an adventure to follow the entire trail from Crown Point to Boston but you can easily trace the local section in less than an hour (although that feels like cheating compared to what Knox and his men endured). Here are a few of the local monuments: </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafnmNabZOapOQlkQ1icb_R7y8i037CW8lUy9P0Qr5bIcuizsfHoSSzGIdPTOAJHMp1bAaLTe9WX6ncXJkiCuLU_3Fp5Sg6XL00GaHUC9E1G7KgGcwm3PU2A3v9azxwlQmRbBTGDDbK4jM6snrHvNvcDQPQVS65UJ_zpUecScBnAgL99uDUaqWSCiKaL8/s4000/IMG_9549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafnmNabZOapOQlkQ1icb_R7y8i037CW8lUy9P0Qr5bIcuizsfHoSSzGIdPTOAJHMp1bAaLTe9WX6ncXJkiCuLU_3Fp5Sg6XL00GaHUC9E1G7KgGcwm3PU2A3v9azxwlQmRbBTGDDbK4jM6snrHvNvcDQPQVS65UJ_zpUecScBnAgL99uDUaqWSCiKaL8/w240-h320/IMG_9549.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In front of the Hudson Falls Library</span></div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BEgcRnQtniez1orprLimfoZM6LaINKXmdmvPedgjvJXfLZSKwsLpANf4iY678ylFhRdCApL6k6xYlk5uRsoj1MN5_gGJyHCfJd3CesHJVNTzZIB8NPjGoyyhM1a2y2MhfV0VJiN1YCAdiupFtvDpHbSTBlnMjsdfZ_batN4kejfXO6Xl_V_XQwqAvlk/s4000/IMG_9535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_BEgcRnQtniez1orprLimfoZM6LaINKXmdmvPedgjvJXfLZSKwsLpANf4iY678ylFhRdCApL6k6xYlk5uRsoj1MN5_gGJyHCfJd3CesHJVNTzZIB8NPjGoyyhM1a2y2MhfV0VJiN1YCAdiupFtvDpHbSTBlnMjsdfZ_batN4kejfXO6Xl_V_XQwqAvlk/w300-h400/IMG_9535.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By the Fort Edward School</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span></div><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8u2st_h8Um6Ut4R2h05SUJbqL3A8qPqVx5euwFOI_ZBzACZDq_8HQ1vl90t5GG1TR8VI_PIY2P2T8GNI8aAwBy2s1GLo7QsjL5WyIQJ5O8E0SDYawaWtq-RqZyiNTvaVpb-dIKjrO2aEMggcxylnMuew-jtcgL_B6iPCF40KdOxFmq_ObVZAwMA_uI_Q/s4000/IMG_9504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8u2st_h8Um6Ut4R2h05SUJbqL3A8qPqVx5euwFOI_ZBzACZDq_8HQ1vl90t5GG1TR8VI_PIY2P2T8GNI8aAwBy2s1GLo7QsjL5WyIQJ5O8E0SDYawaWtq-RqZyiNTvaVpb-dIKjrO2aEMggcxylnMuew-jtcgL_B6iPCF40KdOxFmq_ObVZAwMA_uI_Q/w480-h640/IMG_9504.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Along Rt. 4 at the turn-off to Fort Miller</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O9G0m-62qAx-xADq1rhxyW1c8Ca3d6FfS6SjDsj5VhAYhd-R3oVxcAPqFrVUy4u7lI8EF3I733vYSzsTrG7Tzvp6azoeGE-OOGYNQFabwUYeoob3pmbHSi66lTTElcQAw3sIUjj3s2XYyIe3IWUwddHc0it-1_9o5Gfai9A6JPgiQn3kq3OzlRpZph8/s2816/DSCN0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3O9G0m-62qAx-xADq1rhxyW1c8Ca3d6FfS6SjDsj5VhAYhd-R3oVxcAPqFrVUy4u7lI8EF3I733vYSzsTrG7Tzvp6azoeGE-OOGYNQFabwUYeoob3pmbHSi66lTTElcQAw3sIUjj3s2XYyIe3IWUwddHc0it-1_9o5Gfai9A6JPgiQn3kq3OzlRpZph8/w400-h300/DSCN0011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the pocket park in Northumberland, Saratoga County</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidP75mHPVSxyQQ84yaLjY8BT8dVHsIaO-1xf7UdhjRKjbJjfQNvrPKYfuxEnhehxy4SxRnUKRnj6p0OpTg53uPXNKwCgB44wUJhkhyDNKb26BtBvzBaR_qH1rdZw1HEg5WWUxal3g9f66LyBP2SEPxPNgV_E3da6JxPspE8t1MGQxynGf1s_fGI4tCok/s2816/DSCN0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidP75mHPVSxyQQ84yaLjY8BT8dVHsIaO-1xf7UdhjRKjbJjfQNvrPKYfuxEnhehxy4SxRnUKRnj6p0OpTg53uPXNKwCgB44wUJhkhyDNKb26BtBvzBaR_qH1rdZw1HEg5WWUxal3g9f66LyBP2SEPxPNgV_E3da6JxPspE8t1MGQxynGf1s_fGI4tCok/w640-h480/DSCN0008.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Michelle Vara's whimsical sculpture celebrating the heroic event</span></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkE7EyzWoAVfydnlnrudSuvSk6M0pVJSh2yUJu3Tul099F3gcQl-bjpy8REY6THz0_c6EQnQ7KwHggtFXw7cNMv_ElPYMXgAGsHROo9Y6zflNzOp2os7pY03VlUe-M9tjxLg02I6djdzeNJ0qlQO7tB-Rtv7rT1TLV_11xIi2Ra2GHAarJ4k5KjDvkgPw/s2816/DSCN0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkE7EyzWoAVfydnlnrudSuvSk6M0pVJSh2yUJu3Tul099F3gcQl-bjpy8REY6THz0_c6EQnQ7KwHggtFXw7cNMv_ElPYMXgAGsHROo9Y6zflNzOp2os7pY03VlUe-M9tjxLg02I6djdzeNJ0qlQO7tB-Rtv7rT1TLV_11xIi2Ra2GHAarJ4k5KjDvkgPw/w400-h300/DSCN0007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Schuylerville at the south end of town</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj07NMV92bMiMjlKDoxu_tspZoGtWg5qKpdG3bAhClxz0NLLL5XwsvL3hTByXxTRzMrxqFjRkDyw0Gvkz78vM6LCLm0yI-YRx-GM3uZVchZmvruR__h26YHuj62kAfklFenh9c2CHs5CXjHoqi_r-fF_nJc8IcwpmrBdyVuXhnzLVavjzof6ZXCnv30kc/s2816/DSCN0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="2112" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj07NMV92bMiMjlKDoxu_tspZoGtWg5qKpdG3bAhClxz0NLLL5XwsvL3hTByXxTRzMrxqFjRkDyw0Gvkz78vM6LCLm0yI-YRx-GM3uZVchZmvruR__h26YHuj62kAfklFenh9c2CHs5CXjHoqi_r-fF_nJc8IcwpmrBdyVuXhnzLVavjzof6ZXCnv30kc/w237-h316/DSCN0004.JPG" width="237" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> In this gift giving season it's well to remember that the gift of liberty did not come easily. Wishing everyone a cozy, serene holiday.</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">BY THE WAY...</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> If you're in Northumberland to follow the Knox Trail you might want to check out the pocket park by the falls and possibly climb Starks Knob (short but steep). From the top you have a birdseye view of Knox's route from Lake George. I remember when the limestone slab on top of the Knob had a bronze plaque attached detailing the site's significance. Years ago miscreants decided to chisel it off and cart it away. I wonder what pleasure they got out of their strenuous (the thing had to be heavy) act of vandalism? It's not easy to preserve history. All the more reason to value the many monuments to the past found thru out our area. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnshVnAij8kqQrRwyAOh5xV5-js0-yy9Y6Ab-ek7dM43xiEXEMwtbCP2_q3C78n3oYTBjmA6OLz8gLI8sveg0CGjXWMX1qXT4h7lP50CZMSXyylcilCytG_yw8FdgksGVFTMprehiPrwfL06OhV6cvW7Z6rv49D7cg1UYsaOsW6txEwuoowJTat3tmxI/s2816/DSCN0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnshVnAij8kqQrRwyAOh5xV5-js0-yy9Y6Ab-ek7dM43xiEXEMwtbCP2_q3C78n3oYTBjmA6OLz8gLI8sveg0CGjXWMX1qXT4h7lP50CZMSXyylcilCytG_yw8FdgksGVFTMprehiPrwfL06OhV6cvW7Z6rv49D7cg1UYsaOsW6txEwuoowJTat3tmxI/w400-h300/DSCN0015.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the Northumberland pocket park</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqVizCldeQSWGReVQSUEXXqQ31cd1GSgZutPOaAfCcWGevpTtANDE1qXNtKGCOhxtr86YcIbUdO6IWPnK33I-6jzvt9O6fmGztF79M8DuvZOIR5aAl5k55THuJwO02Dd0sbevKC_DEMeC1n3du9dj5tjohFPakuzqyTB-PCL600iDXiOnUiWPpl5Uw6c/s2816/DSCN0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqVizCldeQSWGReVQSUEXXqQ31cd1GSgZutPOaAfCcWGevpTtANDE1qXNtKGCOhxtr86YcIbUdO6IWPnK33I-6jzvt9O6fmGztF79M8DuvZOIR5aAl5k55THuJwO02Dd0sbevKC_DEMeC1n3du9dj5tjohFPakuzqyTB-PCL600iDXiOnUiWPpl5Uw6c/w640-h480/DSCN0014.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Starks Knob view</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIAZsFz89rwE1w9t-6vba_C7LVDy6HoUvC3TpjP0QLb1vtMimJxjdUXILzMEgcVEpRkSiWO1AjNpUcn8oI2AHJibrIUfHaBPqJG-KI4t9DAk33wOGuW0NsdjhySQ20RoQ-M4PgjQOxIm3tpLvdE5PXyK3toQmNgTV1WJZE3u9uuXToOcNc1HvrRIvr6g/s2816/DSCN0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="2112" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIAZsFz89rwE1w9t-6vba_C7LVDy6HoUvC3TpjP0QLb1vtMimJxjdUXILzMEgcVEpRkSiWO1AjNpUcn8oI2AHJibrIUfHaBPqJG-KI4t9DAk33wOGuW0NsdjhySQ20RoQ-M4PgjQOxIm3tpLvdE5PXyK3toQmNgTV1WJZE3u9uuXToOcNc1HvrRIvr6g/w300-h400/DSCN0012.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The pilfered bronze plaque has been replaced</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">with this less impressive one</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-73454602992206807602023-12-18T12:45:00.000-05:002023-12-18T12:45:37.663-05:00Skipped Stones<p><span style="font-size: large;"> "You've got rocks in your head!"</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Not exactly a compliment, but in my case it's true. Ever since my last post about stone walls I've had a head full of rocks. They are items that were inadvertently omitted and have been rattling around my noggin ever since. Time to get them out of there and make room for other silly stuff. </span></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTnxOOXy-xxAJh_YhlZgISJ_XaCOhS7P1MZyvoKBybcWHIjX5OhZ9ETOrmkKqbBtqydEKSSfOSeb-hthQvcvfVMv8ipLesM4XjI_NyN9jncyZebbCOyrZLnWWUdMV6vrYRHj09W_DP4mR9dPHVFZgT13WKAIkhNKARS04CluO0tFPLpLDdRKenQ9FRvo/s4000/IMG_0354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTnxOOXy-xxAJh_YhlZgISJ_XaCOhS7P1MZyvoKBybcWHIjX5OhZ9ETOrmkKqbBtqydEKSSfOSeb-hthQvcvfVMv8ipLesM4XjI_NyN9jncyZebbCOyrZLnWWUdMV6vrYRHj09W_DP4mR9dPHVFZgT13WKAIkhNKARS04CluO0tFPLpLDdRKenQ9FRvo/w640-h480/IMG_0354.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Content Farm entrance near Coila</span></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="https://thestonetrust.org/resource-information/how-to/?gclid=CjwKCAiA-P-rBhBEEiwAQEXhH85YvUlF6x-EZkuHOjLVs80JBA_fA3ASJ3lmwBCn-N_yVlpVy9na5RoCd6wQAvD_BwE">The Stone Trust</a> in Dummerston, Vermont is a great resource. You can take workshops or connect with skilled craftsmen thru them. Browsing their photo galleries is inspiration and delight. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQT3ill8LHXOLKPjCTMXoSUT5tE5Eow8SdLVRgJ2QJipaTRH23ppPCaWkbSBDMOrn3AUjK_EBGBeBQPLLqAs8jCBk00kJFOKqOiUUKMtKwzwB2V6C8Q7oGYCqSX4bTTa0wUDu1oi5gRCeyGMzGmdprvinoinbcdteLF8mfut730dBRJjfgEfMCGIo9qM/s2048/two-day-feature-image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="2048" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQT3ill8LHXOLKPjCTMXoSUT5tE5Eow8SdLVRgJ2QJipaTRH23ppPCaWkbSBDMOrn3AUjK_EBGBeBQPLLqAs8jCBk00kJFOKqOiUUKMtKwzwB2V6C8Q7oGYCqSX4bTTa0wUDu1oi5gRCeyGMzGmdprvinoinbcdteLF8mfut730dBRJjfgEfMCGIo9qM/w400-h216/two-day-feature-image.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A Stone Trust workshop</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I know there are local stone masons but unfortunately don't have any contact info. If you see a recently constructed wall or feature that you like, maybe try asking the homeowner who built it. Lot's of varieties of quarried stone available locally: of course there is slate around Granville, marble in western Vermont, gneiss and other hard rocks often marketed as granite along Rt. 4 between Fort Ann and Whitehall as well as sandstone and limestone. Gravel pits also separate out larger rocks for sale. These are often a mix of types that have been rounded by action of ice and water. I'm sure the Slate Valley Museum in Granville can help you find stone and people to work it. The Rt. 4 commercial stone yards will also know who to get in touch with. <a href="https://www.champlainstone.com/">Here's</a> a link to Champlain Stone's site to get you started.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFdKezLIkOgiDtAp6ifZKlPoRG5ofsvrLl18_lp2aUCljOEICbkiFRI7dy0gvxzEk3zGxFQOTNKJ513JHYWh5Xblr8_w8adhg4ylradf4k14E1ilL5w2RFFFrP1REwBPa4BL2Lnw-HsmdBP1lXmbQ6-ANtW0bTzEe45RCDAlo7huFbCNYQGHiL2BYmVI/s2700/Fireplaces-20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFdKezLIkOgiDtAp6ifZKlPoRG5ofsvrLl18_lp2aUCljOEICbkiFRI7dy0gvxzEk3zGxFQOTNKJ513JHYWh5Xblr8_w8adhg4ylradf4k14E1ilL5w2RFFFrP1REwBPa4BL2Lnw-HsmdBP1lXmbQ6-ANtW0bTzEe45RCDAlo7huFbCNYQGHiL2BYmVI/w426-h640/Fireplaces-20.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From the Champlain Stone website</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> For a quiet walk in woods laced with old stone walls there's no better place than New Skete in White Creek. At the Monastery find the trails on the right in back of the kennels. Wander and enjoy. And thank the Brothers who created and generously share these enchanting paths.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXj2XyPtBK4m6auyfrFK8hyQObkh6IdqbeoB7_n4JRilpIbg81aM9P0WFvJetCT1vpheDSS1SHfBjkj_juCcPnWZFcMY5fv1L-GUS0VrjIM7beXTR3Q403gOMAKXW7HDpNeQGBVnKH6qkVdJTQQeuupUVoEPCkWVuoH0D13RqTgBXTnzIrAJZoQuTmSpo/s2816/DSCN4758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="2112" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXj2XyPtBK4m6auyfrFK8hyQObkh6IdqbeoB7_n4JRilpIbg81aM9P0WFvJetCT1vpheDSS1SHfBjkj_juCcPnWZFcMY5fv1L-GUS0VrjIM7beXTR3Q403gOMAKXW7HDpNeQGBVnKH6qkVdJTQQeuupUVoEPCkWVuoH0D13RqTgBXTnzIrAJZoQuTmSpo/w480-h640/DSCN4758.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxtuar63FxqbKxulPhHtn7xYigpBDd7w01v-o4CNWlT02KAwv8I6uhgUTKXqm47NyRX0Iizk_3YMgX0YlPCg5c-SUsRU1l8HeScS89JYhckvc_rW4hv-rjyEOWXUn16PgpbJxTnQVZoVZHoVnRHr5EgpeHhjh-FPCxsCFgMb4CqrZ_0vxohQO90BNrRI/s2816/DSCN4769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxtuar63FxqbKxulPhHtn7xYigpBDd7w01v-o4CNWlT02KAwv8I6uhgUTKXqm47NyRX0Iizk_3YMgX0YlPCg5c-SUsRU1l8HeScS89JYhckvc_rW4hv-rjyEOWXUn16PgpbJxTnQVZoVZHoVnRHr5EgpeHhjh-FPCxsCFgMb4CqrZ_0vxohQO90BNrRI/w640-h480/DSCN4769.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> If you have time to go further afield a visit to <a href="https://opus40.org/">Opus 40</a> in Saugerties, New York can be a revelation. Here you can wander 6.5 acres of stone sculpted landscape created by Harvey Fite over the course of a lifetime. I believe they've closed for the season but the stone will be there waiting for you next spring.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTArqm2eqmJrAmCq2N7AJzOuynypr6WNY2rcp23Adb4v-Br58_GEpi7eBaB4sxcheL5WO4qMUuP_GUdeEtBIYGhOKVfVrc88j60Y7tukei717ADUBWNYvYifAyCThedkYS0JHhJcJs17XHn8AoEA59-SSoOyk70zKMX4XfVG1cul5JnbBVTxn_iihHmmg/s2553/Opus-40-in-Summer-scaled-e1687829610715.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="2553" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTArqm2eqmJrAmCq2N7AJzOuynypr6WNY2rcp23Adb4v-Br58_GEpi7eBaB4sxcheL5WO4qMUuP_GUdeEtBIYGhOKVfVrc88j60Y7tukei717ADUBWNYvYifAyCThedkYS0JHhJcJs17XHn8AoEA59-SSoOyk70zKMX4XfVG1cul5JnbBVTxn_iihHmmg/w640-h290/Opus-40-in-Summer-scaled-e1687829610715.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Finally, I want to share a photo of a rather nondescript wall that nonetheless is near and dear to my heart. This is one Gwenne and I built many years ago when we were young and foolish (now I'm just foolish). It framed the entrance to our first house in Bacon Hill. A simple structure but what a lot of work. Building it has given me tremendous respect and appreciation for everything created from stone that I've come across since.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguz-SxeARAa-TJ2smfNXWcsgLwz7xNh-546fcs-iu2HgH3UKMw1-E7z1417O79cmnslmVclPGEZIIpKeFuCmZFzybyWG_4OEbfKK7nOXa_91rr4adayEItRpvpms9cq2TQRJzuy3rJexqbkxBlWE9SlOTLUL38u3GHseK8iUlE6rzMPpzLyNOyIXYmWKE/s4000/IMG_0352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguz-SxeARAa-TJ2smfNXWcsgLwz7xNh-546fcs-iu2HgH3UKMw1-E7z1417O79cmnslmVclPGEZIIpKeFuCmZFzybyWG_4OEbfKK7nOXa_91rr4adayEItRpvpms9cq2TQRJzuy3rJexqbkxBlWE9SlOTLUL38u3GHseK8iUlE6rzMPpzLyNOyIXYmWKE/w480-h640/IMG_0352.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-33897077234017719352023-12-05T11:21:00.000-05:002023-12-05T11:21:43.943-05:00Stoned<p><span style="font-size: large;"> A long time ago there was a little boy who slept under a much loved quilt. It was his 'blankie'. That little boy was me and the quilt was nothing like the intricate works of art more at home hanging on a museum wall than covering a kid's bed. My quilt was a hand-me-down of random fabric scraps sewed to a sheet in a simple grid of squares with some kind of felt in between.</span></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8wo3PYYhQZhX9IakUtzVJwG7q0Sn2lalymaLGU8J3l0MFQJswUhzu4gJTRuSXXFblD0YDg7MinXI9Sr2UFTdEYsFiWUZuHB3C6z8Q4vAnC5pKLFQbv1ANvL0RRtn-BwLYxN7adsDWCksIdQ8mdu6lVqeyu3Ui-RhlGI39rludq32B53vUJwWw3dz/s2000/Rainbow+Scrap+coin+quilt.+Stitched+in+Color.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1516" data-original-width="2000" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8wo3PYYhQZhX9IakUtzVJwG7q0Sn2lalymaLGU8J3l0MFQJswUhzu4gJTRuSXXFblD0YDg7MinXI9Sr2UFTdEYsFiWUZuHB3C6z8Q4vAnC5pKLFQbv1ANvL0RRtn-BwLYxN7adsDWCksIdQ8mdu6lVqeyu3Ui-RhlGI39rludq32B53vUJwWw3dz/w640-h486/Rainbow+Scrap+coin+quilt.+Stitched+in+Color.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Beautiful but not mine</span></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I'm not really sure why I remember that quilt all these many years later. Maybe it was a connection to an all but forgotten ancestor (perhaps a great, great grandmother) so frugal that every bit of worn cloth was put to use. I can imagine her sitting by a kerosene lamp on long winter nights, cutting and stitching, slowly creating something that would be treasured for generations to come. Maybe it was the calming orderliness of the pattern, turning a hodge-podge of colorful cloth pieces into a coherent whole. Maybe it was just the way it made me feel...safe, protected, cozy. Neither the cold nor the boogie man could get me when I snuggled under my quilt.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Washington County's landscape is sometimes described as a patchwork quilt. Small fields and woodlots (the swatches of fabric) sewn together by stone walls and hedgerows (the stitching). It's a picturesque image best captured in the paintings of Grandma Moses.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEial6V0e1zgudbd8tpLBkuzGD8n6ZuBUNyWpSmYOHQ7TFqNSjUcGOYqkEv_LZ7MxpyXcHYF2_D7iMopdPYqm5pT6N9JwssAyBWExxKh3CxLerVBTbv7tpcGEwVvzGqI9tf4iJ2ZzmHRUjBmeqNOLGbhXIgOIyZv-LoWyKcoGOonAbyVwQDAWw0njics/s2000/granda_moses.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1506" data-original-width="2000" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEial6V0e1zgudbd8tpLBkuzGD8n6ZuBUNyWpSmYOHQ7TFqNSjUcGOYqkEv_LZ7MxpyXcHYF2_D7iMopdPYqm5pT6N9JwssAyBWExxKh3CxLerVBTbv7tpcGEwVvzGqI9tf4iJ2ZzmHRUjBmeqNOLGbhXIgOIyZv-LoWyKcoGOonAbyVwQDAWw0njics/w640-h482/granda_moses.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Grandma Moses painting</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From the web</span></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: large;"> It's a landscape that proffers the same emotional comfort as my childhood blankie. Our forefathers carved out the fields, built the stone walls, brought a human scale to what once seemed like a vast, forbidding wilderness. They created a place that still feels protective and nurturing. To many, it just feels 'right'.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> While going thru my Washington County photos recently I was struck by how many of them included things built from bedrock. It as though those who came before us left their signature in stone. Lots of walls, of course, but other structures as well. In this post I want to take a look at this legacy. Let's call it a celebration of stone.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTnrTY6-5WvIBkRLzKTy5UHhkyyJk3psVw1XTL1g2vLHnNfMenYWLcNb7hZd9Ynftrot2ZDErEdrH6IDb0aDqr6OpD5l3QzQgGv8iVLlBASUAUjma_FXjSEurxQQQilX9DJOXyBKZmQsqFTN4kst6BOw0_oU3JERd7p_Y4JpA1qWTylBFk46_MBJA/s4000/IMG_0119.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTnrTY6-5WvIBkRLzKTy5UHhkyyJk3psVw1XTL1g2vLHnNfMenYWLcNb7hZd9Ynftrot2ZDErEdrH6IDb0aDqr6OpD5l3QzQgGv8iVLlBASUAUjma_FXjSEurxQQQilX9DJOXyBKZmQsqFTN4kst6BOw0_oU3JERd7p_Y4JpA1qWTylBFk46_MBJA/w640-h480/IMG_0119.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> You've probably heard the origin story of stone walls told something like this: the glaciers came, ripping and tearing at the earth beneath them as they plowed their way south. It was a cold crush until something, a warming climate most likely, stopped their march and began melting them back. Some of the stuff they had sheared off was smeared beneath the ice and the rest was dumped out as solid water turned to liquid. Gradually vegetation reclaimed the land and animals wandered in, including the first humans. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> But it wasn't until thousands of years later that a new people from Europe arrived, people whose background and culture involved land ownership, clearing, tillage and animal husbandry. Soon their newly opened fields were producing both crops of grain and of stone as the stirred and disturbed soil belched out the debris the glacier had left behind. With a need for fences to mark boundaries and to keep animals out of crops it made sense to move the rocks to the edge of the fields, killing two birds with one stone if you will.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> At least that's the kindergarten version of how our stone walls came to be. For a deeper dive there are several books you might enjoy:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQISIVvPeDcPoF_CK7WcJ5CSnzCU5NVkhp2pjeQYd-hY1m5iy_Cur3u0o_K8_Tq-rgun-xlc--qMp1IZRfrYtpSNVwnfPwEZKNBAEUdbR1vhjNSwjTtJDGOxUHUcZSOEth7HqXTIB8KsyPl6d2ykjBIxL23QRqrKn74cz0BRDkDiWC4B0Q2Y1TVGG/s500/51nMkqJNLIL._SX398_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQISIVvPeDcPoF_CK7WcJ5CSnzCU5NVkhp2pjeQYd-hY1m5iy_Cur3u0o_K8_Tq-rgun-xlc--qMp1IZRfrYtpSNVwnfPwEZKNBAEUdbR1vhjNSwjTtJDGOxUHUcZSOEth7HqXTIB8KsyPl6d2ykjBIxL23QRqrKn74cz0BRDkDiWC4B0Q2Y1TVGG/s320/51nMkqJNLIL._SX398_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> * Susan Allport's <u>Sermons in Stone</u> is a good primer. Illustrated with line drawing by David Howell, it's a fun read touching on many different aspects of stone walls: their natural and cultural history, various types and uses, stories and characters associated with them.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLp_uq4ZDMxXA4WPvIuSmPsWB2eT_MqVBqfFZxl6gveqiIOxmT0vZ71--OFXMlGCgbw3qn4ar0Q_tRrt9ED-xbPAUehY_w0pZuAgps78bEol2i7NQgshRlkhs5d8Z2w5I24dbTOqjmfMYoJUqiSKGPTQofm1Qo3Fh7llTMAJWDEfdSEbIN3ZBuA0q/s499/51iAWyYTZ3L._SX340_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLp_uq4ZDMxXA4WPvIuSmPsWB2eT_MqVBqfFZxl6gveqiIOxmT0vZ71--OFXMlGCgbw3qn4ar0Q_tRrt9ED-xbPAUehY_w0pZuAgps78bEol2i7NQgshRlkhs5d8Z2w5I24dbTOqjmfMYoJUqiSKGPTQofm1Qo3Fh7llTMAJWDEfdSEbIN3ZBuA0q/s320/51iAWyYTZ3L._SX340_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> * Robert Thorson takes you a little further in <u>Stone by Stone</u> and <u>Exploring Stone Walls</u>. He is a geologist giving his books a scientific tone but an easily accessible one. Read these and you'll see much more than a pile of stones trailing off thru the woods.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlGawysyqbVq7lZfcv9FajEn6Te12kES3x6gOlk3D7Zd2n3oEUlDx0ohPvfNR0OerK9bREjF82cDFluqI8Yfu9BvZ2OUM2EHq07SvYuB7tATLYJJO7-1fu6NzY7Hrn3ajY6plA2_HMr8ui3e6QpFlEZOmUbPXGvZotrJhDWyXiOyeG4Ibyh6_21kk/s936/71Fz-wCOaUL._SY830_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="936" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlGawysyqbVq7lZfcv9FajEn6Te12kES3x6gOlk3D7Zd2n3oEUlDx0ohPvfNR0OerK9bREjF82cDFluqI8Yfu9BvZ2OUM2EHq07SvYuB7tATLYJJO7-1fu6NzY7Hrn3ajY6plA2_HMr8ui3e6QpFlEZOmUbPXGvZotrJhDWyXiOyeG4Ibyh6_21kk/s320/71Fz-wCOaUL._SY830_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> * Finally, there is Kevin Gardner's <u>The Granite Kiss</u>. The author comes from a family of active wall builders and this is something of a 'how-to' focused as much on the aesthetics and soul of the wall as on practical technique.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Here follows a somewhat random sampling of 'stoney' images. You can see many more wandering the back roads of Washington County. Happy hunting...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-sYR4jGr2j6PAHFpIZIYKqMPyDp3atOusnEH3N1SFAZscddkDeQEtuLqkZq9GbYFwW-cbWs7XwrOWxWuHbh9c6fPbHB7IGXrseHQQdO0SZZiSfo6nRv_IQXvq4TuC9lhkxnbvnfj3q5wL4Rlgvf8HWODIJHzIsL13_vH4aznNj5TVo7PYNP3B5hQdDE/s4000/IMG_0331.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-sYR4jGr2j6PAHFpIZIYKqMPyDp3atOusnEH3N1SFAZscddkDeQEtuLqkZq9GbYFwW-cbWs7XwrOWxWuHbh9c6fPbHB7IGXrseHQQdO0SZZiSfo6nRv_IQXvq4TuC9lhkxnbvnfj3q5wL4Rlgvf8HWODIJHzIsL13_vH4aznNj5TVo7PYNP3B5hQdDE/w640-h480/IMG_0331.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></div><span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxhHdo1oxlqHWSm4C1xl7x72Yug4wY0HthKSCZem0RngjgCkBH5Xu2mYxswcLHwuwsrkdZkLWzRZgpNd7wuVsju4KADGHVeXfJ0S7VO9d6JpZwiJSuhhoTtTdSHhiCKY34QCLxiEaR90bQx-cyWgN1DyhfWgWSNQkgm6dy6ZslWTmwpAyHjopJDjt7pA/s4000/IMG_0333.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxhHdo1oxlqHWSm4C1xl7x72Yug4wY0HthKSCZem0RngjgCkBH5Xu2mYxswcLHwuwsrkdZkLWzRZgpNd7wuVsju4KADGHVeXfJ0S7VO9d6JpZwiJSuhhoTtTdSHhiCKY34QCLxiEaR90bQx-cyWgN1DyhfWgWSNQkgm6dy6ZslWTmwpAyHjopJDjt7pA/w400-h300/IMG_0333.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_5haTPUeYukx0PvkIS76TfDfa9HQzSwigk4wiwc0VigF-vAlOhvK7BPUAcw2Ccwabm2xkvKTErxWSauONDQVamXXlz-PykpJ_zBtKUUAlR0qCes8cqhVfDiM7dRd-uYMbxjIaKlmZrgbu5OwLVZxTYkwLIRGCXJHoEm8WiqsWQLjcJIomfHhC7nDdv4/s4000/IMG_0335.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_5haTPUeYukx0PvkIS76TfDfa9HQzSwigk4wiwc0VigF-vAlOhvK7BPUAcw2Ccwabm2xkvKTErxWSauONDQVamXXlz-PykpJ_zBtKUUAlR0qCes8cqhVfDiM7dRd-uYMbxjIaKlmZrgbu5OwLVZxTYkwLIRGCXJHoEm8WiqsWQLjcJIomfHhC7nDdv4/s320/IMG_0335.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhRNcm9_uw1OdOGIRpSbbaTL96dXeIgdP6g6HjWcR_7rgF8OegVFX_SwPNaZoDPk-PVt4VrAjc3ZrNN3NAtsMjv2boCxlEUU_v2rhfk6t7PUiMRcuUVMwi2dC6tV2nP-mLegLjbLq_qEy1Usz8zVUGPg_aGsWGVZYa2yAxPQRICRIbAEF0FrojD27BLU/s4000/IMG_0329.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhRNcm9_uw1OdOGIRpSbbaTL96dXeIgdP6g6HjWcR_7rgF8OegVFX_SwPNaZoDPk-PVt4VrAjc3ZrNN3NAtsMjv2boCxlEUU_v2rhfk6t7PUiMRcuUVMwi2dC6tV2nP-mLegLjbLq_qEy1Usz8zVUGPg_aGsWGVZYa2yAxPQRICRIbAEF0FrojD27BLU/w640-h480/IMG_0329.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> This retaining wall is a familiar sight to those driving on Rt. 29 in East Greenwich. It's a mosaic of marble and limestone blocks creating the distinctive white/gray checkerboard effect. Reminds me of some modern art. One of the marble pieces has the enigmatic lettering seen above. The picturesque District School No. 12 sits above the wall. You can find interesting fossils in the limestone. Best to park on McDougal Road which Y's above the Rt. 29 wall. There is more wall on both branches of the Y and some of it makes for fun bouldering (but don't say I sent you when the cops show up). Also check out the low wall of local field stone surrounding the East Greenwich Cemetery on McDougal Road, comparing it to that of the retaining wall which came from distant quarries. Note that there's a similar though smaller wall a few miles west in front of the Susan Anthony House in Battenville. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54Anp5aEjQif78JpPMRSesU9ElrJCrj3-F6VG-Z_AYRqiS4_e7Cb_rCbjsS-OXhxHlD3U0JRq42KtOy4DsT-GkRIpfMH37JnUc7HWKXiPb2H0ysXTCR7dDIicTnKJfGsyPvskkNB_iL7swW5z6b90UaJlQCurVZXoMVvaEGsOgj6x2EtstLKLDGGASyY/s4000/IMG_0336.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54Anp5aEjQif78JpPMRSesU9ElrJCrj3-F6VG-Z_AYRqiS4_e7Cb_rCbjsS-OXhxHlD3U0JRq42KtOy4DsT-GkRIpfMH37JnUc7HWKXiPb2H0ysXTCR7dDIicTnKJfGsyPvskkNB_iL7swW5z6b90UaJlQCurVZXoMVvaEGsOgj6x2EtstLKLDGGASyY/w400-h300/IMG_0336.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The East Greenwich Cemetery wall</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9SNJCjG5Kk0DwMfyOAHIOmrBwDpc04ujeXOBbtOAxWOSB4JA2kG7J160KEOSSz2wLtjcw6-IG-tRBWL9JSW7pEJ-SSJeYsTrL9PVg8ixqs7vLeS-LGm3-dmjmyLOBrcpTUfcwPHcu8EjnoUobzIVXY6PRwkZ-qBf-c2yvY7vx209DLAxz-ADyKCnqJY/s4000/IMG_0325.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9SNJCjG5Kk0DwMfyOAHIOmrBwDpc04ujeXOBbtOAxWOSB4JA2kG7J160KEOSSz2wLtjcw6-IG-tRBWL9JSW7pEJ-SSJeYsTrL9PVg8ixqs7vLeS-LGm3-dmjmyLOBrcpTUfcwPHcu8EjnoUobzIVXY6PRwkZ-qBf-c2yvY7vx209DLAxz-ADyKCnqJY/w640-h480/IMG_0325.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Also along Rt. 29 just outside of Greenwich you'll see these carefully crafted piers</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">They support a deck overlooking the Battenkill which is on the other side of the road </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghK04xQgBOkjzHI8YNdoKOsObAz2uTDsPWDOAB6K_-PCRF-5Mmt_G906usF602xbiBmmF54gKlFASZAI7zy_g8eQOXecYVUvtARqoIyHRJT-zW6ETWDQMrb5UBhkgs5jmZ1waYRlEK11ZGRgvtPUe10gQm89YHi9X302480cd-52374B2AHCqac_yv_Jk/s4000/IMG_0326.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghK04xQgBOkjzHI8YNdoKOsObAz2uTDsPWDOAB6K_-PCRF-5Mmt_G906usF602xbiBmmF54gKlFASZAI7zy_g8eQOXecYVUvtARqoIyHRJT-zW6ETWDQMrb5UBhkgs5jmZ1waYRlEK11ZGRgvtPUe10gQm89YHi9X302480cd-52374B2AHCqac_yv_Jk/w300-h400/IMG_0326.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QjQmTiPV9Pk3aSub34nc0YkotBYQ3t4iVIEBcnN8AKBNZEXMA4BjH7-Mdzw_WYyMMhZLbUSdTpLFm7W9stWAGoS9ue5DtJHtxMQ3FC6_Uh1sq2zI6rwZ7mCAmGknA9P0bfXuqSPTe_j7L1TKB7ElC7i9uXvx7SUzQDHZekOQnUygLwwnltZT6WCsIKA/s4000/IMG_0340.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QjQmTiPV9Pk3aSub34nc0YkotBYQ3t4iVIEBcnN8AKBNZEXMA4BjH7-Mdzw_WYyMMhZLbUSdTpLFm7W9stWAGoS9ue5DtJHtxMQ3FC6_Uh1sq2zI6rwZ7mCAmGknA9P0bfXuqSPTe_j7L1TKB7ElC7i9uXvx7SUzQDHZekOQnUygLwwnltZT6WCsIKA/w640-h480/IMG_0340.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrSI-zaB2dY19CYOcWAP4BX5mDU66Udfo7Dnn_OLrLpxhMasjijO-tqqmhSQXxuPeWbvTJ7jjRvEqRzJ1TGGTWXReUfGOE2Ux3bYtyUxSgKlFnds_Y_HzcUU4h_1vErEdhxC06ffBsIMwLYw-Z3KVPeySNKZ3OBb5NE7UvPKLfDuuRGOa8Df1BImeAZ0/s4000/IMG_0339.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrSI-zaB2dY19CYOcWAP4BX5mDU66Udfo7Dnn_OLrLpxhMasjijO-tqqmhSQXxuPeWbvTJ7jjRvEqRzJ1TGGTWXReUfGOE2Ux3bYtyUxSgKlFnds_Y_HzcUU4h_1vErEdhxC06ffBsIMwLYw-Z3KVPeySNKZ3OBb5NE7UvPKLfDuuRGOa8Df1BImeAZ0/w400-h300/IMG_0339.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojoVDqlHPXE7fz0Fn-FqgYePDrHc2lsdmMdEM1VnAHHjnZoZgn5WW9_2Naipe1-DKs6OOaGsCfJk9luJ8XWlK4kuVOlng5kjoMhuDl18asOyyrKVZiBe2O0RYKYz3l_j4LxxSW3tVyTNs2yhyphenhyphenegBOC2kGjWdUPpcHyVqZ8SqqhEjaZxfnKf5zjHzeO-0/s4000/IMG_0338.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojoVDqlHPXE7fz0Fn-FqgYePDrHc2lsdmMdEM1VnAHHjnZoZgn5WW9_2Naipe1-DKs6OOaGsCfJk9luJ8XWlK4kuVOlng5kjoMhuDl18asOyyrKVZiBe2O0RYKYz3l_j4LxxSW3tVyTNs2yhyphenhyphenegBOC2kGjWdUPpcHyVqZ8SqqhEjaZxfnKf5zjHzeO-0/w640-h480/IMG_0338.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> The three photos above are from a wall along Rt. 22 north of Cambridge. Sort of looks like a medieval fortress. They are called copestones when set vertically on top. You also see this on a series of mysterious pillars along Chestnut Hill Road near the lane leading to New Skete in the Town of White Creek. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-W2uY-l_wKv7DKcA2tTjd9beqkJxRzEKEYR6S5Wrid9Ah1KqwbhUjzYxMNZBcDu_iA3Z3LspfSHCd9Labn1xlGgTIZKIkc6wN3lp5rjH85oE9Ib-ne1OhBZpwzIPeo_FJy24GpVpY1yzmvDwaIoAsJ7cnWa_nvV-2vbB_X8DL2qkat4UFCqeeZAhgnro/s4000/IMG_0140.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-W2uY-l_wKv7DKcA2tTjd9beqkJxRzEKEYR6S5Wrid9Ah1KqwbhUjzYxMNZBcDu_iA3Z3LspfSHCd9Labn1xlGgTIZKIkc6wN3lp5rjH85oE9Ib-ne1OhBZpwzIPeo_FJy24GpVpY1yzmvDwaIoAsJ7cnWa_nvV-2vbB_X8DL2qkat4UFCqeeZAhgnro/w640-h480/IMG_0140.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Nearly every house in the hamlet of Eagleville has some kind of stone landscaping. You can see them in a short walk uphill from the covered bridge. Here's just one:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYX-b8UNNLsB56l3ic7eIuSvlFsVTwy5E7a9eN9-h3JujwVz1_IaGnMipli8__Y57hhrzkuSssiSlj97ifYGbU1JQHivMgh6MrPsDJsqU6HlqQPSBAEJCqLssRhkLn1TTyuqm50iV_HiRj8bHzV6qAARhyphenhyphenJ0Jc5Nx1wqEsfRrnCROI9h8WVAN9BKHvw6I/s4000/IMG_0337.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYX-b8UNNLsB56l3ic7eIuSvlFsVTwy5E7a9eN9-h3JujwVz1_IaGnMipli8__Y57hhrzkuSssiSlj97ifYGbU1JQHivMgh6MrPsDJsqU6HlqQPSBAEJCqLssRhkLn1TTyuqm50iV_HiRj8bHzV6qAARhyphenhyphenJ0Jc5Nx1wqEsfRrnCROI9h8WVAN9BKHvw6I/w480-h640/IMG_0337.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> A little further up in the hills off Steele Road someone's (perhaps overly) ambitious project is listed for sale. It's a local version of Stonehenge.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPuu0IkQYOhAa7C11bwtL4EfUzBRZ4YIkxsGykJtWBNQ1vnZfAxBcjqj9Yre9hA1VXXxj0yMyLqQrKpmwPOH6viKOGLN5zzJSu6ctCrTvW-kovwhPwpSu8voMVXN9zaO3L9Djh4NwGCUHItFgACkXUjpgQ0NwyBng_g5AmsAzZ_3h9r5Ky4O2fsYehbw/s960/da9a2d22ac59ddfca27a8ab0a6f91c06l-m960613249od-w480_h360_x2.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPuu0IkQYOhAa7C11bwtL4EfUzBRZ4YIkxsGykJtWBNQ1vnZfAxBcjqj9Yre9hA1VXXxj0yMyLqQrKpmwPOH6viKOGLN5zzJSu6ctCrTvW-kovwhPwpSu8voMVXN9zaO3L9Djh4NwGCUHItFgACkXUjpgQ0NwyBng_g5AmsAzZ_3h9r5Ky4O2fsYehbw/w640-h480/da9a2d22ac59ddfca27a8ab0a6f91c06l-m960613249od-w480_h360_x2.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image from real estate ad</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Along Rt. 372 approaching Cambridge you'll see several interesting structures.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDYN8gGsI78XsH6apFUk4QgUfhMpS8jX8wd20duGDGX7muXKNEaebs6iu-g9doveaOyU6HrAmNJ8eT90I9Q_n9uaWDXmp9fKYSMU9qKUqEbxgeYlhzBnvZxDd2arAAN3BaOTO0INwYXvTCtNUiPZhg2T6jpoNGzMG8B1tlx0SHNIqPPZWJDygAVMnxiY/s4000/IMG_0348.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDYN8gGsI78XsH6apFUk4QgUfhMpS8jX8wd20duGDGX7muXKNEaebs6iu-g9doveaOyU6HrAmNJ8eT90I9Q_n9uaWDXmp9fKYSMU9qKUqEbxgeYlhzBnvZxDd2arAAN3BaOTO0INwYXvTCtNUiPZhg2T6jpoNGzMG8B1tlx0SHNIqPPZWJDygAVMnxiY/w640-h480/IMG_0348.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsWlG6JM3useq9M-JVW6lL7JU25-aetvuj7ExgHjbzNxBgWnwo0NOiR-BxsoI0QC2_7DacWjDtVvl11k7rxivCz_01QGjoBh0VSiD5fqWyirXN-l3C95yP6piakX7viDW47tx_Fgj5Sps2HWxgY3kAVFMAVGIMC4gwhQ8Z2onBvKztrI_opNG0WfXvtQ/s4000/IMG_0347.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsWlG6JM3useq9M-JVW6lL7JU25-aetvuj7ExgHjbzNxBgWnwo0NOiR-BxsoI0QC2_7DacWjDtVvl11k7rxivCz_01QGjoBh0VSiD5fqWyirXN-l3C95yP6piakX7viDW47tx_Fgj5Sps2HWxgY3kAVFMAVGIMC4gwhQ8Z2onBvKztrI_opNG0WfXvtQ/w400-h300/IMG_0347.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Artfully crafted entrance to a driveway</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClqtww0JBkKwaKytOMuNQ6szLTjFhdYfjq9qGdxMJBU-m4AiYa935uXEzx6ZJTNmJttQnGZDJRYoQtJecnH5V30ISn6hyphenhyphenOdpsRq74rxtX51tzOgdUs8u6hkzSaGmFU8yBCSB0BlhRdMgZ6bSWz6wyBa-yIujRZGv7q40m0JJqB4pBPi0fUDqz04H-QsI/s4000/IMG_0345.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClqtww0JBkKwaKytOMuNQ6szLTjFhdYfjq9qGdxMJBU-m4AiYa935uXEzx6ZJTNmJttQnGZDJRYoQtJecnH5V30ISn6hyphenhyphenOdpsRq74rxtX51tzOgdUs8u6hkzSaGmFU8yBCSB0BlhRdMgZ6bSWz6wyBa-yIujRZGv7q40m0JJqB4pBPi0fUDqz04H-QsI/w300-h400/IMG_0345.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6wffDAlxtpGBSL-0lYQHeoxp2LoJhF8NmzPTi009gkzq0aEBlkEcYzv1nl2yZpDgT_abCvs90ybC9DbsG3ScjxcGbh2X3W1bS_5e1HJt1v1G1vuzt1Zkdvwa2I7Cc_IEC_9QI6rb_aOt0yqJ2nMkmOdY9oJJCSLtkvWCtX-fWXiZmDruZfb8ntleIwY/s4000/IMG_0346.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6wffDAlxtpGBSL-0lYQHeoxp2LoJhF8NmzPTi009gkzq0aEBlkEcYzv1nl2yZpDgT_abCvs90ybC9DbsG3ScjxcGbh2X3W1bS_5e1HJt1v1G1vuzt1Zkdvwa2I7Cc_IEC_9QI6rb_aOt0yqJ2nMkmOdY9oJJCSLtkvWCtX-fWXiZmDruZfb8ntleIwY/w640-h480/IMG_0346.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A stone dam and sluiceway with Frosty the Snowman standing guard</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAsy-ooz95yoRxbSm5ZsXtgR9jpos98K0XeL0WMQfU0YMU8qwRPvjDj5p3iw5_RCzJPnQRs8OdTviEuXuykx_878LxmNNkfPWc_Ls6YlJdkEjN5nvVbBQX7k2ZMmt7mjdYqSPITa1L3i3ei4lCe-h03E_hLE1jnjnt2AkxAGZliB4_cOIre5Jnk1DB_I/s4000/IMG_0343.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAsy-ooz95yoRxbSm5ZsXtgR9jpos98K0XeL0WMQfU0YMU8qwRPvjDj5p3iw5_RCzJPnQRs8OdTviEuXuykx_878LxmNNkfPWc_Ls6YlJdkEjN5nvVbBQX7k2ZMmt7mjdYqSPITa1L3i3ei4lCe-h03E_hLE1jnjnt2AkxAGZliB4_cOIre5Jnk1DB_I/w400-h300/IMG_0343.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLQIMlWOcRIztwvg4vT5-C_6GtmZS4skHswNLYAUbD1w03D-P1UhnNExB_zFu4T2tSzWFL6PMEAhA5YFqypRnNGpB50yZADtzyuCKSq1cic_aS5Im4lTnIE9zjhmCu2te4BobAYd3lDboyg7HpVwCTr123PTY8NQzhZ4o6AWS40DHBaLKYRX-c-U5_Ss/s4000/IMG_0342.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLQIMlWOcRIztwvg4vT5-C_6GtmZS4skHswNLYAUbD1w03D-P1UhnNExB_zFu4T2tSzWFL6PMEAhA5YFqypRnNGpB50yZADtzyuCKSq1cic_aS5Im4lTnIE9zjhmCu2te4BobAYd3lDboyg7HpVwCTr123PTY8NQzhZ4o6AWS40DHBaLKYRX-c-U5_Ss/w640-h480/IMG_0342.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Abutments where the road crosses a small tributary of Cambridge Creek</div><br /> </span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_8FLqL8azK6yxfPAVIFY0HifiLIA5AlE8Cr-SZ19NKK5Y1_xYnQxHwQ2fPgMBUzHLsKNLOBneRl7U7ST1cdF4VRqpi37gu7gds34wVP0uBr_PEeQwrLju4htGFfsiLy66klUcdgkYfB_CPtxQeisY_jr5m4lnwEiaa4MdUCPu3ddS5sQ0iW1qf5_md4/s4000/IMG_0300.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_8FLqL8azK6yxfPAVIFY0HifiLIA5AlE8Cr-SZ19NKK5Y1_xYnQxHwQ2fPgMBUzHLsKNLOBneRl7U7ST1cdF4VRqpi37gu7gds34wVP0uBr_PEeQwrLju4htGFfsiLy66klUcdgkYfB_CPtxQeisY_jr5m4lnwEiaa4MdUCPu3ddS5sQ0iW1qf5_md4/w480-h640/IMG_0300.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A slate wall with steps built into it surrounds the old burying ground in Salem</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Who would want to climb out of a cemetery?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjH-WHkgSMuWQ258uUSOerLbtEPaVk2U_y_FIHxiZuBOHfa1IaRa0GZG9ZaVUhFq-TGH-jjQqiJ3W1jXO6xM8ZKoC1oc8QB7sQDVfO1ssicj9FzC_vfvF4hg0bABJ0ezgw_ZtiVAQE7NliwTHii6sA09T2MZk5bkoBp08_c0EPEBFBJX48ZL65DJd7MLA/s4000/IMG_0246.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjH-WHkgSMuWQ258uUSOerLbtEPaVk2U_y_FIHxiZuBOHfa1IaRa0GZG9ZaVUhFq-TGH-jjQqiJ3W1jXO6xM8ZKoC1oc8QB7sQDVfO1ssicj9FzC_vfvF4hg0bABJ0ezgw_ZtiVAQE7NliwTHii6sA09T2MZk5bkoBp08_c0EPEBFBJX48ZL65DJd7MLA/w640-h480/IMG_0246.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This collection of small stones at Wiawaka serves as a memorial</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8hPGdVggEW8QjaUNseB2daV3SCWyteSuAtwQnJqQpxqsU8Hm_n45tBnWF60T9NG4fmHMB7SW6v3M5Rg_I15KPyMEtfdi4tQDwTAyWE-LDU_yYdEvxEwWnT7xAm4_rD9kowbHF-__f-XZ4wEO_Bmj24kTmZmzH_W2D4GqJ6b1jk24sRM1efBt1ee-WP8/s4000/IMG_0225.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8hPGdVggEW8QjaUNseB2daV3SCWyteSuAtwQnJqQpxqsU8Hm_n45tBnWF60T9NG4fmHMB7SW6v3M5Rg_I15KPyMEtfdi4tQDwTAyWE-LDU_yYdEvxEwWnT7xAm4_rD9kowbHF-__f-XZ4wEO_Bmj24kTmZmzH_W2D4GqJ6b1jk24sRM1efBt1ee-WP8/w480-h640/IMG_0225.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5F7fi3-QLPKxhVytKgSow-xPgX2AqcfKDbZ35Re6xDvIO5fnzKgbRhIhnYjq6qFLXOyRqqHZXjPQGV1ZSohp2twK8LYsplAZKVLfCwz0qi5n7Kva2l8pPsn5A7RD34HF-Pu_qDMba2Fe3NbpyKybGiy0terX6-eaRoXdy6TlZ5e0_LcQPsnUJaqk13Q/s4000/IMG_0226.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5F7fi3-QLPKxhVytKgSow-xPgX2AqcfKDbZ35Re6xDvIO5fnzKgbRhIhnYjq6qFLXOyRqqHZXjPQGV1ZSohp2twK8LYsplAZKVLfCwz0qi5n7Kva2l8pPsn5A7RD34HF-Pu_qDMba2Fe3NbpyKybGiy0terX6-eaRoXdy6TlZ5e0_LcQPsnUJaqk13Q/w400-h300/IMG_0226.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: large;">I believe the images above are from Dean Road in the Town of Kingsbury. On one side of the road rocks were simply dumped to get them out of the field while across the street is a more careful constructed wall. Just to the north there is a moraine where the glacier stalled in its melt back. As torrents of water flowed away from the ice front a large swath of rounded rocks of Adirondack origin were left behind. It's why local farmers are known to use foul language at times.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Many of the Kingsbury walls may have been built by Reverend George S. Brown, a free African-American who lived and worked in the area in the 1800's. You can read more about this interesting guy <a href="https://www.chapmanmuseum.org/made-to-last-stone-walls-and-a-man-with-a-mission/">here</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfuppxX9WU60dUCcIsHxVooNyU1In4ZEd4cPxZUD29e9GSnQLURek8AlwM8jSgmjED-ie1jdANUJ8IARxq9vKUJDn9Zb7PGXLSdbWPHrXuBdgc5timeyVpq1eE2JEfKZHxTmCO0nlbHhyphenhyphenhax6uimmsKZ5inr9fXFXG3vanLpRYh3f4oJu9IlkOkA_F0A/s4000/IMG_9707.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfuppxX9WU60dUCcIsHxVooNyU1In4ZEd4cPxZUD29e9GSnQLURek8AlwM8jSgmjED-ie1jdANUJ8IARxq9vKUJDn9Zb7PGXLSdbWPHrXuBdgc5timeyVpq1eE2JEfKZHxTmCO0nlbHhyphenhyphenhax6uimmsKZ5inr9fXFXG3vanLpRYh3f4oJu9IlkOkA_F0A/w480-h640/IMG_9707.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Quarried limestone formed the building blocks of the original</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Champlain Canals many locks and aqueducts</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I've got many more photos of stone walls (probably too many) but while each is in some way unique all the images can start to look the same after awhile. Let's wrap up for now. I've also neglected the many beautiful stone houses found thru out Washington County. Perhaps there needs to be another post in the future. For those who want to dig deeper <a href="https://www.vermontpublic.org/podcast/brave-little-state/2023-04-13/where-did-all-vermonts-stone-walls-come-from">here</a> and <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/new-england-stone-walls">here</a> are some links to interesting stuff. But maybe it's time to get away from screens and go look for stones... </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpQQDwJKFP7M2gwbRsD52OhicAonGUgwQFEZjbLODmFAvpW9HWpfP4k7cVn-6mGoHQbw9VIQzKOAG3triCy1UZtE9pEh725hengqQ94o_PSWYe92KqPEEQ2Eql3ZiH6renYdkHQ1KLXk-2gHkIjFa5kvwOzwbuTkcXEgSMOl-gUnphDZGI2NVwh1zjfw/s4000/IMG_9317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpQQDwJKFP7M2gwbRsD52OhicAonGUgwQFEZjbLODmFAvpW9HWpfP4k7cVn-6mGoHQbw9VIQzKOAG3triCy1UZtE9pEh725hengqQ94o_PSWYe92KqPEEQ2Eql3ZiH6renYdkHQ1KLXk-2gHkIjFa5kvwOzwbuTkcXEgSMOl-gUnphDZGI2NVwh1zjfw/w640-h480/IMG_9317.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-62795248401045363192023-10-30T12:30:00.001-04:002023-10-30T15:30:14.812-04:00Rockwell Kent Revisited<p><span style="font-size: large;"> I keep running into Rockwell Kent. Sounds spooky since he died in 1971. But what I mean is that his artwork has been showing up here and there. In exhibitions and articles his legacy lives on. He was a fascinating guy who lived and worked in the Taconics of Vermont and the Adirondacks of New York. For those unfamiliar with him, here's a brief introduction. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9F3LFXC3Ss9RGbDiM745LmrACulibgltVKXY-cASN9GNDmwS_mL8b95GpDlOouHR6UBT6BQYM6zaggx3rZHQIKL1QxFSQsiPfDOHFxe2wBWaT5KjuYiFFXssDWUCGBtIcP71Ib6OOBotKazDC8p2HVa7CTJIukGfaDfj3SexyAf0cdGJDwXhcUXpf7s/s2576/Rockwell_Kent.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2576" data-original-width="1884" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs9F3LFXC3Ss9RGbDiM745LmrACulibgltVKXY-cASN9GNDmwS_mL8b95GpDlOouHR6UBT6BQYM6zaggx3rZHQIKL1QxFSQsiPfDOHFxe2wBWaT5KjuYiFFXssDWUCGBtIcP71Ib6OOBotKazDC8p2HVa7CTJIukGfaDfj3SexyAf0cdGJDwXhcUXpf7s/w293-h400/Rockwell_Kent.jpeg" width="293" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Kent was born in 1882 and died in 1971. While he is best known as a painter and commercial artist he was multi-talented with stints as a carpenter, explorer, writer and dairy farmer! He traveled extensively while also marrying and divorcing extensively as well. He lived in a number of places with Asgaard Farm in AuSable Forks, New York being his home from 1927 till the end of his life. He was a Socialist and ardent supporter of left-wing causes which sullied his reputation and caused him grief in conservative 1950's America.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2objydLl05jSVsFXWwHSzHR2ecTJqJnCVYl7HC-4F_6sDKb8xYnDZz73lremwGY6ulMyZBnNSA2vXShorVWgoHzxkHwkoAny9N2oo-zXnft2hz3ZbL9D8syBPzKSWofqFrB6JiEt4TxBrLVzv0G2s4lwBpfgtI5WRqDqRhri-HtBx04SZHdmrOlfQUg/s1120/August_Rockwell-Kent.bmp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1120" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2objydLl05jSVsFXWwHSzHR2ecTJqJnCVYl7HC-4F_6sDKb8xYnDZz73lremwGY6ulMyZBnNSA2vXShorVWgoHzxkHwkoAny9N2oo-zXnft2hz3ZbL9D8syBPzKSWofqFrB6JiEt4TxBrLVzv0G2s4lwBpfgtI5WRqDqRhri-HtBx04SZHdmrOlfQUg/w640-h426/August_Rockwell-Kent.bmp" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Asgaard Farm by Rockwell Kent</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image</span></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> SUNY Plattsburgh holds a large collection of the artist's work and curator Scott Ferris is an acknowledged Kent scholar. There was a comprehensive exhibit in the campus's Feinberg Library Gallery this summer which I throughly enjoyed. It gave a good overview of the varied mediums Kent was proficient in with explanatory panels to put the art in perspective. I believe they have ongoing exhibits of Kent's work but do check before making the trip.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dTNfSU7IPYAZpkX7GlINRkLBEpO8KZGYebZ1g4wPYXaqw8p5FqXTWnqmzDNl4sEfl8cGH1A_WMhtr7Tf09BUitbYyWoVpAByzHoTmIVEdNpNu5-clriNG23hWY5CTrNNG_HugfymqlbwHmibKXHIBCdsWtWt1X_dLJAXrwJJ-FjWxIxmijjkqAZr-dY/s4000/IMG_0199.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dTNfSU7IPYAZpkX7GlINRkLBEpO8KZGYebZ1g4wPYXaqw8p5FqXTWnqmzDNl4sEfl8cGH1A_WMhtr7Tf09BUitbYyWoVpAByzHoTmIVEdNpNu5-clriNG23hWY5CTrNNG_HugfymqlbwHmibKXHIBCdsWtWt1X_dLJAXrwJJ-FjWxIxmijjkqAZr-dY/s320/IMG_0199.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSUAw8_l3bQI9xjPUrqdPIeWySc45dMJl6dqN0u2up4BVTLDWwyyGWluqW2gyLCkOGk3PK5EsuItRb5PilynwLGlvZr4_-p5emPZsIkd74QVN2i5ysXa5V1KOdz-eAAGTq36wjSZHmqeUNiqVQC-l6qPqadGSMoezkgtXvizB40DpfDnPjSjreoHdaG2E/s4000/IMG_0196.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSUAw8_l3bQI9xjPUrqdPIeWySc45dMJl6dqN0u2up4BVTLDWwyyGWluqW2gyLCkOGk3PK5EsuItRb5PilynwLGlvZr4_-p5emPZsIkd74QVN2i5ysXa5V1KOdz-eAAGTq36wjSZHmqeUNiqVQC-l6qPqadGSMoezkgtXvizB40DpfDnPjSjreoHdaG2E/w640-h480/IMG_0196.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0juIc8RWzH_EV9UUiMsVfnr7dxT32OSqEJHp9YzfpFTkXRG4RW5j0g9WjvhOyUN0nr8WkC1xcGKhd5vYj2t6H0bfqeIKfMLH9GDVpEsRsDN0s63VF3MGXnaft_N1Mj0iAh0vuVhxc8OLElaBb0eY-Ve6PFBsmE_9-fDCcLcAq7HNFC4n2EDfRFBQiE90/s4000/IMG_0198.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0juIc8RWzH_EV9UUiMsVfnr7dxT32OSqEJHp9YzfpFTkXRG4RW5j0g9WjvhOyUN0nr8WkC1xcGKhd5vYj2t6H0bfqeIKfMLH9GDVpEsRsDN0s63VF3MGXnaft_N1Mj0iAh0vuVhxc8OLElaBb0eY-Ve6PFBsmE_9-fDCcLcAq7HNFC4n2EDfRFBQiE90/w400-h300/IMG_0198.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicxfU6UBfoaobM7wmoDBajuptBSpUKc9L-Lgaqd-RSd0HnhyMNlLVOV_JQE5SyP6sEq3v8JgpK1kKoDaPCbbhY8AHNBEI_Fg1f-tndPP1L_hC6wAKjoTHOrj2GG_wOk4okxISG58om8eRPiXyO2d8IXQYkAKUB6D2epFyk-pnNG_dPVs9ZTAj9xgCVDx0/s4000/IMG_0194.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicxfU6UBfoaobM7wmoDBajuptBSpUKc9L-Lgaqd-RSd0HnhyMNlLVOV_JQE5SyP6sEq3v8JgpK1kKoDaPCbbhY8AHNBEI_Fg1f-tndPP1L_hC6wAKjoTHOrj2GG_wOk4okxISG58om8eRPiXyO2d8IXQYkAKUB6D2epFyk-pnNG_dPVs9ZTAj9xgCVDx0/w300-h400/IMG_0194.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> If in the North Country you might also want to visit Asgaard Farm where David Brunner and Rhonda Butler milk goats and make award winning cheese in the same barns where Kent operated a dairy for many years. It's a beautiful, welcoming place with a farm store selling local products.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kjrsropOpNxvbQqPJShjTr3buB7heV2v20RCIpR-YTUz5xld33ia3haxuADbmeDA9NZhqjzKf2fcPr5fZzDr4CDVCMKX3xygFeRZ03XjWcA7KoaR4glRG9lEHJIN1usg_F_oroJCbZiC3DVBwiUB8CCVPAd5w6nb9hGOEtCPInNOsKGVWvJ6X1Pkpk8/s4000/IMG_0195.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0kjrsropOpNxvbQqPJShjTr3buB7heV2v20RCIpR-YTUz5xld33ia3haxuADbmeDA9NZhqjzKf2fcPr5fZzDr4CDVCMKX3xygFeRZ03XjWcA7KoaR4glRG9lEHJIN1usg_F_oroJCbZiC3DVBwiUB8CCVPAd5w6nb9hGOEtCPInNOsKGVWvJ6X1Pkpk8/w480-h640/IMG_0195.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnqEacbP6G2BRPV30xUMdpwHaDM9lLQp2-qqb5xy_jX_regxUUY27itPv91b0UGbNgGzOLev3nhSDTLOa98VBF5vuevm7wWqrrPz7UkV2lAOKCS5JX8P8h39_z7QTGhAtpbh3kI1b4hQhW5jbV4iQQ8upBdtVeQqIjgGqjPPlXmooudJ3uWXByMkHsoQ/s4000/IMG_0191.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnqEacbP6G2BRPV30xUMdpwHaDM9lLQp2-qqb5xy_jX_regxUUY27itPv91b0UGbNgGzOLev3nhSDTLOa98VBF5vuevm7wWqrrPz7UkV2lAOKCS5JX8P8h39_z7QTGhAtpbh3kI1b4hQhW5jbV4iQQ8upBdtVeQqIjgGqjPPlXmooudJ3uWXByMkHsoQ/w400-h300/IMG_0191.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From Kent's time operating the farm</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGLuBYHO1adCXPlEcsWrii1PcOcNzWWE-TIsMoTyyr5U7tP7YJCV8IIEYxgy6QeH3_Tkq4iywDCdKM9QpKelcLLbY9udpjLcNBxX5IqK22VSjLvrU7QaAEed3AQzqpgbAs0HCYJbTnM2gjQkuvnc2yejvg8fU7FrZxwdvfP9b7JBtpjRYxsw5jlx6gb8/s500/1390430848_62e2c5840653_1628248987.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="500" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGLuBYHO1adCXPlEcsWrii1PcOcNzWWE-TIsMoTyyr5U7tP7YJCV8IIEYxgy6QeH3_Tkq4iywDCdKM9QpKelcLLbY9udpjLcNBxX5IqK22VSjLvrU7QaAEed3AQzqpgbAs0HCYJbTnM2gjQkuvnc2yejvg8fU7FrZxwdvfP9b7JBtpjRYxsw5jlx6gb8/w640-h424/1390430848_62e2c5840653_1628248987.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Entrance to Asgaard today</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> In Vermont you can see a few of Kent's paintings in a joint exhibit hosted by the Bennington Museum and the Southern Vermont Arts Center. They have over 200 works by a variety of artists from the collection of Lyman Orton entitled <u>For the Love of Vermont</u>. Better hurry though because the show closes on November 5.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdACMZdspnoV2bbIUI8Vz3m4LVt5rpvsN3nuXsY0BClDJfjCvBUrVaEMo8Xgui_q-SVs8PDM_VI0LfdouSSKlwPeaXaolyZOOJuy-BSWzxGLIT6hbGD3XLIBEOfZj6j5Nbfc7AuKtEjoizZX8oAQqnn_Q8roHG-1QNjIzYkNnTME3qhnBf-46OVm6AAMY/s402/HoosickValley.jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="320" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdACMZdspnoV2bbIUI8Vz3m4LVt5rpvsN3nuXsY0BClDJfjCvBUrVaEMo8Xgui_q-SVs8PDM_VI0LfdouSSKlwPeaXaolyZOOJuy-BSWzxGLIT6hbGD3XLIBEOfZj6j5Nbfc7AuKtEjoizZX8oAQqnn_Q8roHG-1QNjIzYkNnTME3qhnBf-46OVm6AAMY/w510-h640/HoosickValley.jpg.jpg" width="510" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hoosick Valley by John Ford Clymer</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">at entrance to SVAC exhibit</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8EzlHR5tMRWYmWBjufWLRmx7n4vbrWIuGCMTf2laC5LgKgMab8G6rVWyGKP1fywohM5b_JkSTx55-bZJ3xCoj81brF6SjqVBFbq2KVlPZhWPCdkL3ofM9lVZkXR92izHCvlUvpOIDJzWf8n_A8zsnNf9xE90v_3W5Tcf-r0CquT6PArxaZhkqMv1btM/s4000/IMG_0322.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8EzlHR5tMRWYmWBjufWLRmx7n4vbrWIuGCMTf2laC5LgKgMab8G6rVWyGKP1fywohM5b_JkSTx55-bZJ3xCoj81brF6SjqVBFbq2KVlPZhWPCdkL3ofM9lVZkXR92izHCvlUvpOIDJzWf8n_A8zsnNf9xE90v_3W5Tcf-r0CquT6PArxaZhkqMv1btM/w300-h400/IMG_0322.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At SVAC</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFd8Fz0Ye5t5ThE9FLUTxCZmGsfJkc-2XW1olgH-gRdHFAYRAaw5F-GQCYEYoPGw7iqbCBNhjxWuRrgZmdmoYyUQOyq9LL0jqOIwqNWsO23Eejk6QZeq-Y40S_MAAMR2wq_ClVIfsxSoLxAwAUdMAAh-c4KIj71WtEOALhpik3OV2VduzHqDx2ACjtSF4/s4000/IMG_0321.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFd8Fz0Ye5t5ThE9FLUTxCZmGsfJkc-2XW1olgH-gRdHFAYRAaw5F-GQCYEYoPGw7iqbCBNhjxWuRrgZmdmoYyUQOyq9LL0jqOIwqNWsO23Eejk6QZeq-Y40S_MAAMR2wq_ClVIfsxSoLxAwAUdMAAh-c4KIj71WtEOALhpik3OV2VduzHqDx2ACjtSF4/w640-h480/IMG_0321.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A Kent painting at SVAC</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Rockwell Kent lived in Arlington, Vermont from 1919 to 1925 at Egypt Farm on Red Mountain. Many of his painting from that time include views north to Mt. Equinox and south down the valley towards Mt. Anthony. For insight on the Arlington years <a href="https://benningtonmuseum.org/library/scholarly/rockwell-kents-egypt-shadow-and-light-in-vermont.pdf">here's</a> is a link to an article by Jamie Franklin.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHm8ymDPoKbMqG4NWy6yp1nEfICwyCfRdrzQ_44m3QGZFqloG_JsNfxwE0953Jh8EQMFK_G8Zodp3X8Y6zO7XPm_5m9tQwwnOQ7WMArSOwyEXqemUhSTlJ75Rg0O7VEjfzek3Z04sJGS_fIcUS5AeqGB1WIHS7vY40_qlp2KYXuSCyWHrWP2lYY7tcTGM/s4000/IMG_0319.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHm8ymDPoKbMqG4NWy6yp1nEfICwyCfRdrzQ_44m3QGZFqloG_JsNfxwE0953Jh8EQMFK_G8Zodp3X8Y6zO7XPm_5m9tQwwnOQ7WMArSOwyEXqemUhSTlJ75Rg0O7VEjfzek3Z04sJGS_fIcUS5AeqGB1WIHS7vY40_qlp2KYXuSCyWHrWP2lYY7tcTGM/w640-h480/IMG_0319.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This Kent painting of Mt. Equinox is on view at SVAC</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> You can find a great deal more about Rockwell Kent on the web and in print. He was interesting, talented and inspired by the landscape all around us. </span></p><p><span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGfbnCMz386AkEl3Som_WCN_L2JuMil5ZvZHE6n_6RkiX-v2OWXtfzelTmjDQa0CGXUNXSOq6ysP56jd4RTlToNDxX3WHdLF-KvLsV6Yk5zRrRyDBA9yKkxgDnqn9Uh9I_SN52zbO-nM18A6Jffl1-fs-25k6hfceh_ktgFTdyn_C2zlNy7Z0s9OpsQQ/s1186/Screen%20Shot%202023-10-30%20at%2012.24.15%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="844" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGfbnCMz386AkEl3Som_WCN_L2JuMil5ZvZHE6n_6RkiX-v2OWXtfzelTmjDQa0CGXUNXSOq6ysP56jd4RTlToNDxX3WHdLF-KvLsV6Yk5zRrRyDBA9yKkxgDnqn9Uh9I_SN52zbO-nM18A6Jffl1-fs-25k6hfceh_ktgFTdyn_C2zlNy7Z0s9OpsQQ/w456-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-10-30%20at%2012.24.15%20PM.png" width="456" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;">Rockwell Kent</span></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-70175268104201182312023-10-25T13:25:00.001-04:002023-10-26T16:58:10.872-04:00What a Crypt<p><span style="font-size: large;"> We liked to scare ourselves silly.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> A few neighbor kids and myself. This time of year. Halloween.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> There was this small, all but forgotten graveyard. Just a few half toppled stones on a knoll near my house. We would hang out there on dark nights when the moon was scudding in and out of clouds. Soon enough someone would say,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> "Did you hear that?"</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> "Over there!"</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> "I think I saw something move."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Then one of the younger boys would say his mom wanted him home for supper. Another would claim he had homework to do and all of a sudden the rest of us were hightailing it back to warm, bright living rooms and an evening of boring black and white TV. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57zkkplbwne8LHGm05-sn_8y_EkFO4_F4cMi79XOF5o91KSqqM5uRivKZjil9vqIx95Ek7b57e7vxpOGLCPzmGR2bG3ATHhUC2q1Dt22nBLqlQacEpCa0xOoFtUQcuOgvFgY74y4kmWdNnEc9mr8T2XAG27MZEfvLfV-wZbJTks_I-2pKNIjN2GzXu_0/s4000/IMG_0317.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57zkkplbwne8LHGm05-sn_8y_EkFO4_F4cMi79XOF5o91KSqqM5uRivKZjil9vqIx95Ek7b57e7vxpOGLCPzmGR2bG3ATHhUC2q1Dt22nBLqlQacEpCa0xOoFtUQcuOgvFgY74y4kmWdNnEc9mr8T2XAG27MZEfvLfV-wZbJTks_I-2pKNIjN2GzXu_0/w480-h640/IMG_0317.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Last stone standing</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">All that's left of my childhood spook spot</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I'm sure others smarter than myself (and with more time on their hands) have analyzed our fascination (and fear) of death and graveyards. More power to them. I'm not going that deep. It's a pop cultural thing this time of year and I just take in all the skeleton and tombstone lawn decorations with a smile.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> But I do still find myself attracted to graveyards. I like the variety of trees and shrubs, the grain of rock used for memorials (mostly marble, granite and occasional slate), the inscriptions and the history told by the stones. Lately another feature has caught my attention. Call them vaults, mausoleums or crypts. Most larger cemeteries have one and their architecture ranges from simple to ornate. They're a unique part of the landscape by day and good for a chill after dark. Here's a gallery of a few from Washington County. You might want to visit some on your own. Preferably on a night when the wind is rattling leaves and you've got a few easily spooked friends by your side. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">GREENWICH...</span></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnDjCA8dV6PN4VUrrfv42BX3b0qMsE015OE29s6c-r5q6YFvt1szVskHdV4p8j_igXB_jf90ga6CXcgi230d7GDi2vTnz12WyR9uNRy0aCT8lF7BxKehmiMOEQ-P2OXFg2WUvlknsOYDiVrrDiSIgC_oVVJICqfxale5qSRK6oPXLGxsgFm6Vh3nlug2Q/s4000/IMG_0285.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnDjCA8dV6PN4VUrrfv42BX3b0qMsE015OE29s6c-r5q6YFvt1szVskHdV4p8j_igXB_jf90ga6CXcgi230d7GDi2vTnz12WyR9uNRy0aCT8lF7BxKehmiMOEQ-P2OXFg2WUvlknsOYDiVrrDiSIgC_oVVJICqfxale5qSRK6oPXLGxsgFm6Vh3nlug2Q/w480-h640/IMG_0285.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSfP-RSV1bqK_0_UikPXzTxXAV07iSFK27T2CclGUV5f-8Ou_2pU-9VV6dd9cADFhW3UOkFc637WL44OQfsoSD2BPuUbtdcc2EqnTLW9EXImlmhR2YeBaQ3ZnlcWUzHyoTjwTFkWXjWG6AeYxcfZEjpmy7m54AjH2zt0OdWUzVJRfTN4Zixw9DM3QTGw/s4000/IMG_0287.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSfP-RSV1bqK_0_UikPXzTxXAV07iSFK27T2CclGUV5f-8Ou_2pU-9VV6dd9cADFhW3UOkFc637WL44OQfsoSD2BPuUbtdcc2EqnTLW9EXImlmhR2YeBaQ3ZnlcWUzHyoTjwTFkWXjWG6AeYxcfZEjpmy7m54AjH2zt0OdWUzVJRfTN4Zixw9DM3QTGw/s320/IMG_0287.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRoRpCi4qk7O23r4GIU6pKyxVzw1FkBBQT5CYmAbZzfN2L4_ud2YgY_93B5c7Wcm9866xXGDJokFzAXEgK5GRKDFcHXJuTvzVtsx8hHKHIv1vGTabK-T0Ki9uUexzkQMZkrJtJcIRNF54ZNA3H11lbxYKQgsccwFekMGVLzZhMkW30Yj55YytAlI_WfI/s4000/IMG_0286.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRoRpCi4qk7O23r4GIU6pKyxVzw1FkBBQT5CYmAbZzfN2L4_ud2YgY_93B5c7Wcm9866xXGDJokFzAXEgK5GRKDFcHXJuTvzVtsx8hHKHIv1vGTabK-T0Ki9uUexzkQMZkrJtJcIRNF54ZNA3H11lbxYKQgsccwFekMGVLzZhMkW30Yj55YytAlI_WfI/w640-h480/IMG_0286.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP23jviFxCxqoh0jQnyq9dzmoOmCo06cp94BaZ1d7NwntMRlhCTCqX9EHWk_9R0u9dY-ydW8-oXtRaMv1cOlag0TR4tBP2DItPBn7tOUATGIgI78nq1G2f5Rw29ld7_4yweLVFQfrmE-aY72vU6y-rzmlM1mhfsdyCnfR4Cdm_dheAIxOjwPLGBOf-o24/s4000/IMG_0289.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP23jviFxCxqoh0jQnyq9dzmoOmCo06cp94BaZ1d7NwntMRlhCTCqX9EHWk_9R0u9dY-ydW8-oXtRaMv1cOlag0TR4tBP2DItPBn7tOUATGIgI78nq1G2f5Rw29ld7_4yweLVFQfrmE-aY72vU6y-rzmlM1mhfsdyCnfR4Cdm_dheAIxOjwPLGBOf-o24/w400-h300/IMG_0289.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUhnaMntCGRCWAd5W23HBDU1LrKs2DhCQJXMjIuO9LqxV8b6DzIiNYCNaTsO8-JRWEKB2IcCDmQn5sP3Z3uAH3Hfjebvxy0pNgc_m1nYfQ2OSse6w3bs1gwyT7YQ_0YNGxk1kMO5UB1ftFNkSbQdQbDDk7JXWtEEEdIBY0EKzZvMY92VXA_huGIqdRgk/s4000/IMG_0288.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUhnaMntCGRCWAd5W23HBDU1LrKs2DhCQJXMjIuO9LqxV8b6DzIiNYCNaTsO8-JRWEKB2IcCDmQn5sP3Z3uAH3Hfjebvxy0pNgc_m1nYfQ2OSse6w3bs1gwyT7YQ_0YNGxk1kMO5UB1ftFNkSbQdQbDDk7JXWtEEEdIBY0EKzZvMY92VXA_huGIqdRgk/w300-h400/IMG_0288.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNoGAA4sM5q2GcKBg3snd6FtMQ1xaLQ7Wqur2Uy-YjgE8FFtRj-NMD2fgfxPH1GhRiDH9E7hiiPT7yVJcSW17NqQXblP3KTh7YHuRMTgSnOsHbbRx6tKhfE94LcaVhwsUq0yuspyLLIqBHvfRcWTgbm1E1DUBlgeqazVt8_6v5dEDyTY1wU53TLZsRXw/s4000/IMG_0291.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNoGAA4sM5q2GcKBg3snd6FtMQ1xaLQ7Wqur2Uy-YjgE8FFtRj-NMD2fgfxPH1GhRiDH9E7hiiPT7yVJcSW17NqQXblP3KTh7YHuRMTgSnOsHbbRx6tKhfE94LcaVhwsUq0yuspyLLIqBHvfRcWTgbm1E1DUBlgeqazVt8_6v5dEDyTY1wU53TLZsRXw/w480-h640/IMG_0291.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24Btpt4nPif60PwFwJ6sObO6rjhBx5zUSw5WwvNEN2sGODHt4XwQifUSx6uuC9xDOdRQ3wRWPl7Pm2smn6lZj59pO_ERL3TIiv_ETLNmq0zJugsgGIAcMWLb5mCltfOTvW1puBQTrso8O2FY29pVdvR9wi9vzoQcpK_cUS8L2RxZlQSm-E_hQiQJ4ms4/s4000/IMG_0292.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj24Btpt4nPif60PwFwJ6sObO6rjhBx5zUSw5WwvNEN2sGODHt4XwQifUSx6uuC9xDOdRQ3wRWPl7Pm2smn6lZj59pO_ERL3TIiv_ETLNmq0zJugsgGIAcMWLb5mCltfOTvW1puBQTrso8O2FY29pVdvR9wi9vzoQcpK_cUS8L2RxZlQSm-E_hQiQJ4ms4/w300-h400/IMG_0292.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">HEBRON...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XSIaZ9LWfW6zjXJ4EJg3fmtLLDD1aeEw6sUq5HoXu2J4hTwqoDLs-1gc4TuEiNvZKATNW4mXFfywRFmEB3pdZDkV2qYwEKIxBV-FPmk2pzyV5DntJdo4UJd6A24s0Lg_CNeGeYqMw9zzbQIB8CgqFIxTqstBwSFhyphenhyphenwQj3En9FurTSQn9-UFjFsWySZo/s4000/IMG_0294.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XSIaZ9LWfW6zjXJ4EJg3fmtLLDD1aeEw6sUq5HoXu2J4hTwqoDLs-1gc4TuEiNvZKATNW4mXFfywRFmEB3pdZDkV2qYwEKIxBV-FPmk2pzyV5DntJdo4UJd6A24s0Lg_CNeGeYqMw9zzbQIB8CgqFIxTqstBwSFhyphenhyphenwQj3En9FurTSQn9-UFjFsWySZo/s320/IMG_0294.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfuFnjBe994iKYBrgKBLfhIaE2S4kXbyGt2mvsQ7LE4kiKwFsx53a3w-rLDAogTU96wN9ooDnheW2y-AJ05rbUseU_84wQJL8bE94f9sg7C__86qGWNoiiHlmyMgeQLu-fwQpPFrVOHC75fhFK6k16os2lFkVl2IlF9W2Wq0GZw5inyIKP9YzEZjWLyRM/s4000/IMG_0293.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfuFnjBe994iKYBrgKBLfhIaE2S4kXbyGt2mvsQ7LE4kiKwFsx53a3w-rLDAogTU96wN9ooDnheW2y-AJ05rbUseU_84wQJL8bE94f9sg7C__86qGWNoiiHlmyMgeQLu-fwQpPFrVOHC75fhFK6k16os2lFkVl2IlF9W2Wq0GZw5inyIKP9YzEZjWLyRM/w640-h480/IMG_0293.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Enter at your own risk</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFQgrB5sHzGz0055DewwQCgVf14-8UCjLlW5QZrQcRr5pIWlrnQ0GMWlE3DhOowf06iglg-ZSbY-RVHB5W-1qYIosYMtR7vcNKwArU4nUAvORs2eyEeDKidjl7TlorMV_aK11WMUjaOeyQKr1uqTKscrIwOvwusE__QxE-GdAD3P44lmLX8PpkZPgffE/s4000/IMG_0295.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFQgrB5sHzGz0055DewwQCgVf14-8UCjLlW5QZrQcRr5pIWlrnQ0GMWlE3DhOowf06iglg-ZSbY-RVHB5W-1qYIosYMtR7vcNKwArU4nUAvORs2eyEeDKidjl7TlorMV_aK11WMUjaOeyQKr1uqTKscrIwOvwusE__QxE-GdAD3P44lmLX8PpkZPgffE/w400-h300/IMG_0295.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">View from the top</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Many crypts are built into banks</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">SALEM...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJePcqB6iBZQ0nXp67gwbSpeUSkTsioQkeaq_wBPEeE7xYwjABBeBT58y-1jViHF2ffjgkWhD8JXCpFH5kW6F-mfNObTwchG-pVQZG4rFaRGqOvnT9MrSeBifrRPerADt8aWMWc3mDrQ9Y8mhG49jZ89q2MqghbdFTOkvqhMTM_wSOukAtuGQAZvgv5Q/s4000/IMG_0297.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJePcqB6iBZQ0nXp67gwbSpeUSkTsioQkeaq_wBPEeE7xYwjABBeBT58y-1jViHF2ffjgkWhD8JXCpFH5kW6F-mfNObTwchG-pVQZG4rFaRGqOvnT9MrSeBifrRPerADt8aWMWc3mDrQ9Y8mhG49jZ89q2MqghbdFTOkvqhMTM_wSOukAtuGQAZvgv5Q/s320/IMG_0297.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTEsouO46sYRp_AzS4rIeslwDV8cv2AHNXgxTDHKfFKVBVWtJw2GtE0FvYEOLi5PFxdi8MKPiIsvXfVVntZxgFQEHFWuiSOiUsjF1qwHALy-LqDhc0CHc_0l0LcPFxPiCiDarjtGd5eb2BbV6iqcVN_EHI0SFKpG8rL8OJ9HJ0SpfPP7WEF0dlW7T-I8/s4000/IMG_0303.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTEsouO46sYRp_AzS4rIeslwDV8cv2AHNXgxTDHKfFKVBVWtJw2GtE0FvYEOLi5PFxdi8MKPiIsvXfVVntZxgFQEHFWuiSOiUsjF1qwHALy-LqDhc0CHc_0l0LcPFxPiCiDarjtGd5eb2BbV6iqcVN_EHI0SFKpG8rL8OJ9HJ0SpfPP7WEF0dlW7T-I8/w400-h300/IMG_0303.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There are close to a dozen of these mounds in the Old Burying Ground</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm guessing they are over vaults </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidggEF6MxW2AgAj7gdHwxLiAWwuxc1s7qFayv-OhXvG4i9NSsjDH_VuWMKpqqa3p4Qy9OTkS7mXJ1HacUIX3N63OP_mCB-b6T4NZxHnzOiRmXe6NoGXM5BZKnLp8T2bFHlil0kEdBgezJF-kcxinIghhVQt181DNnQ8wMVIzCc5YwAeCz0smeEjyvpDxs/s4000/IMG_0299.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidggEF6MxW2AgAj7gdHwxLiAWwuxc1s7qFayv-OhXvG4i9NSsjDH_VuWMKpqqa3p4Qy9OTkS7mXJ1HacUIX3N63OP_mCB-b6T4NZxHnzOiRmXe6NoGXM5BZKnLp8T2bFHlil0kEdBgezJF-kcxinIghhVQt181DNnQ8wMVIzCc5YwAeCz0smeEjyvpDxs/w400-h300/IMG_0299.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvy7nvnV-u95DmBvGr6dGcbqaE6zFoEIW70wBmGDl5HvMG7osLSuX3ILgJCn0Narg45jAPhdn32t1hgZQ3J3JqTH5VASF46dyD9XHWsWEk2I7AvEdsRMRWanwwZzNBKyly6xw6EHd00CsKDGYUK-YwcsimmfCIVLjxloa20lgd7B0w4igyAoun-qBUbzI/s4000/IMG_0304.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvy7nvnV-u95DmBvGr6dGcbqaE6zFoEIW70wBmGDl5HvMG7osLSuX3ILgJCn0Narg45jAPhdn32t1hgZQ3J3JqTH5VASF46dyD9XHWsWEk2I7AvEdsRMRWanwwZzNBKyly6xw6EHd00CsKDGYUK-YwcsimmfCIVLjxloa20lgd7B0w4igyAoun-qBUbzI/w640-h480/IMG_0304.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At Evergreen Cemetery</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcgkdX5SW5Q2VkslHvT4G25U2LAjdAqJ6QKW8q2TmrBr-BAzyt90ehJBH5TW0CrxYnd0AsNYKASXiKNaJAv-pk_2ZVjoCT1zvCaoYMu3PCZ-cCykz8uGO6GwMWh1HwVlWlAIkB1YzBH5RgL_3J9F0k4fF2hlnOJBC0TbkEV7Jw22JUX_8_Hsbi-vK6oc/s4000/IMG_0305.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcgkdX5SW5Q2VkslHvT4G25U2LAjdAqJ6QKW8q2TmrBr-BAzyt90ehJBH5TW0CrxYnd0AsNYKASXiKNaJAv-pk_2ZVjoCT1zvCaoYMu3PCZ-cCykz8uGO6GwMWh1HwVlWlAIkB1YzBH5RgL_3J9F0k4fF2hlnOJBC0TbkEV7Jw22JUX_8_Hsbi-vK6oc/w300-h400/IMG_0305.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D2dRGf4Rz3TlgxEa5P4O92aaLGCFX7DnKgqpMWnBWHA3ROayNc8ehegHPqYNd9Aa3Lk46xa4wc2Ktc6HrtplrkzT2SdKpVC9efAS5oOM5wRdxXW8oZ7NEyyP-jXNREkMWrSKY5EJu5U3n0uB0WVX4RAFjJPBDMKiasiMQmd70hcF9P7mw4qYE10dt5o/s4000/IMG_0308.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D2dRGf4Rz3TlgxEa5P4O92aaLGCFX7DnKgqpMWnBWHA3ROayNc8ehegHPqYNd9Aa3Lk46xa4wc2Ktc6HrtplrkzT2SdKpVC9efAS5oOM5wRdxXW8oZ7NEyyP-jXNREkMWrSKY5EJu5U3n0uB0WVX4RAFjJPBDMKiasiMQmd70hcF9P7mw4qYE10dt5o/w480-h640/IMG_0308.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Two statues once adorned the door to this family vault</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">unfortunately, the one on the left has broken off</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyOJ-r0NReMZ7f-2fNiSdiiMDl3XkH_iWe_Bll8vhUma-qumdf0dqrhRU3kvlHEEEMMWJ8UFz_-rPz4xtyJCG77Pi0a3tMxusIqs841SmpTWtdEjM4KpFvSy9d4V7OR96BI1JcWrM8rH3KC_hFTdMtkJDQTq-p29hyphenhyphenayligoeF5vbyMWS9yKtuxXjVQg/s4000/IMG_0309.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyOJ-r0NReMZ7f-2fNiSdiiMDl3XkH_iWe_Bll8vhUma-qumdf0dqrhRU3kvlHEEEMMWJ8UFz_-rPz4xtyJCG77Pi0a3tMxusIqs841SmpTWtdEjM4KpFvSy9d4V7OR96BI1JcWrM8rH3KC_hFTdMtkJDQTq-p29hyphenhyphenayligoeF5vbyMWS9yKtuxXjVQg/s320/IMG_0309.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">CAMBRIDGE...</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9IrNcK_jnyA9R5Wi-0qQZFTE-qOEtU1lZ-xiFxTwmKyLPi3kFGrMUBa882Yr8mm_xH7rwCrZLAj8qijlzwaY-omuy93qdwMvmNLNRSrzaLXjRe_ROCNwnqPUwb2F0O9S6B_kDaO4nM_dJu6M7PcIGfpFzxAj2cKAb7XE3ovKzOesWZ6gUZxdCd7pUAk/s4000/IMG_0310.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9IrNcK_jnyA9R5Wi-0qQZFTE-qOEtU1lZ-xiFxTwmKyLPi3kFGrMUBa882Yr8mm_xH7rwCrZLAj8qijlzwaY-omuy93qdwMvmNLNRSrzaLXjRe_ROCNwnqPUwb2F0O9S6B_kDaO4nM_dJu6M7PcIGfpFzxAj2cKAb7XE3ovKzOesWZ6gUZxdCd7pUAk/w640-h480/IMG_0310.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Imposing Greek Revival mausoleum at entrance to Woodlawn Cemetery</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhc78Vh3jeuT9tZFJMTFq4YnlYk92UP-ca6laBi_2__zEXFs_x-xYnuf0cpXCP2vVaQWpCnGaOLbLB6MCuOHRVEBOjwcoAxrB3RfAsY5U6CQ19iRJtK_XGzzifFQ091hs2PpdCA86QeqilUH7OGb-tGy6FwAWmjxD-SBxNXH6Bx46n-kfLgu0zR7_QRw0/s4000/IMG_0312.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhc78Vh3jeuT9tZFJMTFq4YnlYk92UP-ca6laBi_2__zEXFs_x-xYnuf0cpXCP2vVaQWpCnGaOLbLB6MCuOHRVEBOjwcoAxrB3RfAsY5U6CQ19iRJtK_XGzzifFQ091hs2PpdCA86QeqilUH7OGb-tGy6FwAWmjxD-SBxNXH6Bx46n-kfLgu0zR7_QRw0/w400-h300/IMG_0312.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbmT-Fbcl2RC50lqr8YtGyYpDsInSE6JojvRbMjejLWxuHBuCkjRZQiYLbSEAHTBeHqzafSyRcrudDRWqilUYBkN88GO2POAem2pWM2xCHMFMoN_LrRfyVZ6CHRlxAZmTYcHJCg8wdtfYSHJhJnwrBbzCOo9rZ-zoNCuedXv_4QoyIS5Df9epaI9meoU/s4000/IMG_0313.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbmT-Fbcl2RC50lqr8YtGyYpDsInSE6JojvRbMjejLWxuHBuCkjRZQiYLbSEAHTBeHqzafSyRcrudDRWqilUYBkN88GO2POAem2pWM2xCHMFMoN_LrRfyVZ6CHRlxAZmTYcHJCg8wdtfYSHJhJnwrBbzCOo9rZ-zoNCuedXv_4QoyIS5Df9epaI9meoU/w640-h480/IMG_0313.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Smaller but similar style</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">a private family vault up on the hill</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0KqH79b0T9fy1v2nmbwwb5sBS1JtnFdcmGGGrLcCCzKF9zffkXAbb5BJnEuMpuUL-5QjF06T3-JVgUWD_o6GTbC0Lvyox2jTbDFnadWR6976rz-J6TboYV1K94bZeeyJzJHpeUU9VW_a4aOmWZwI8mjtlDAJ-tOjqEGqsXO90MAoljBsqItwpQrd07w/s4000/IMG_0314.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy0KqH79b0T9fy1v2nmbwwb5sBS1JtnFdcmGGGrLcCCzKF9zffkXAbb5BJnEuMpuUL-5QjF06T3-JVgUWD_o6GTbC0Lvyox2jTbDFnadWR6976rz-J6TboYV1K94bZeeyJzJHpeUU9VW_a4aOmWZwI8mjtlDAJ-tOjqEGqsXO90MAoljBsqItwpQrd07w/w300-h400/IMG_0314.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A look inside</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Apparently some people never wanted to 'go underground'</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">SCHUYLERVILLE...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22ZS2NhAnkQRcQpuKy2Y-9UjA77zpma_ErtBobPE32iUiiaWkuWDjScnRBdKUr5v-Kb5mq9mcg8P15TPLCyVO5kjNQDD7I2qscrf_m_LQetMUwaIGsEGbny0IJMCPh4PW5qjFIzmVYkRSJ-bW0QT0oZOl4q9sXvEwAO6_UTUoSDCb2QdW1VcL5NXt-GM/s4000/IMG_0064.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22ZS2NhAnkQRcQpuKy2Y-9UjA77zpma_ErtBobPE32iUiiaWkuWDjScnRBdKUr5v-Kb5mq9mcg8P15TPLCyVO5kjNQDD7I2qscrf_m_LQetMUwaIGsEGbny0IJMCPh4PW5qjFIzmVYkRSJ-bW0QT0oZOl4q9sXvEwAO6_UTUoSDCb2QdW1VcL5NXt-GM/w640-h480/IMG_0064.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Big blocks of limestone and heavy metal doors</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Prospect Hill Cemetery in the shadow of the Monument</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Have a 'crypty' Halloween...</span></div>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-25260230645736562542023-09-29T15:54:00.001-04:002023-09-29T18:41:35.647-04:00Cossayuna...pedaled/ paddled/ paged<p> <span style="font-size: large;"> Listening to friends talk about the fun things they did over Labor Day weekend got me thinking, "Maybe it's time to start planning some summer stuff". Not that I'm known to procrastinate or anything like that. So before it's "Going...Going...Gone" I managed to squeeze in a couple of summery outings to Cossayuna Lake. Also found some interesting reading about the place that I'll share as well.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOSsjR0vkUxjSjmtYnv9tysDki0YFdGLdMGXrXgC0g3op_Br2E-tvpbiWV_K09W0paK-qCyfKTBerRyLN9LJQEU4F5lmbgs99BABTFHAQqLiP7Ki6rW9zY1tUt6_dJZSdzDnMlIOzMfIZLDAiCwO8Cd8SuxW1egWLFXtsUfduXA-GI791gpAlSYbFinw/s1930/Screen%20Shot%202023-09-18%20at%2012.02.12%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1930" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqOSsjR0vkUxjSjmtYnv9tysDki0YFdGLdMGXrXgC0g3op_Br2E-tvpbiWV_K09W0paK-qCyfKTBerRyLN9LJQEU4F5lmbgs99BABTFHAQqLiP7Ki6rW9zY1tUt6_dJZSdzDnMlIOzMfIZLDAiCwO8Cd8SuxW1egWLFXtsUfduXA-GI791gpAlSYbFinw/w640-h384/Screen%20Shot%202023-09-18%20at%2012.02.12%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cossayuna Lake looking south</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A drone shot from a recent real estate ad</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Let's start with a little geography and a little history. The lake is located in central Washington County, mostly in the Town of Argyle but with the hamlet at its south end and some of its eastern shore in the Town of Greenwich. It's about three miles long and maybe half a mile wide. I've seen a grab bag of numbers but it appears to be +/- 700 acres in size and seems to be the largest lake wholly within Washington County. It's located within the folds of the low Taconics where most of the ridges tend to run north/south. The local bedrock looks to be a gray/green phyllite. Surrounding hills rise from 400 to 500 feet above the water making for nice scenery. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsg49JVw-eRAqOkEMSGypJjbRnDt5LWWCYFO41DZFpPvecudwfnnifC05NJ_T6YXnCerUHaimzuoOAIIGeRIlrVML382nyXwxjMwFiuCpvVVTsSvwtYlMLme-35BmgCvYUgTul2BsvmKxxYH89ZSbO0MdHqx1GMJsZGCPEf905zFyjM5ymMFndTjG_lgA/s4000/IMG_0259.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsg49JVw-eRAqOkEMSGypJjbRnDt5LWWCYFO41DZFpPvecudwfnnifC05NJ_T6YXnCerUHaimzuoOAIIGeRIlrVML382nyXwxjMwFiuCpvVVTsSvwtYlMLme-35BmgCvYUgTul2BsvmKxxYH89ZSbO0MdHqx1GMJsZGCPEf905zFyjM5ymMFndTjG_lgA/w640-h480/IMG_0259.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Asters, goldenrod and phyllite</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXScMhqJLovtM6vfLVO03gn-ydA8WrStYFJKy2lO7lYk40xxOUi8hUHqo2Os_EWF0Mbbqe-VjDY2SXUVBmsOXh4VRpkuHG9JdxX5v4H6znHrgLQR909o4PezstxaKU1IKZJNpynITo03FFfE_B7GDNHpdrl7XqCBpYUXYblp4ONPpJJFUl0FYosGlhPMA/s4000/IMG_0279.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXScMhqJLovtM6vfLVO03gn-ydA8WrStYFJKy2lO7lYk40xxOUi8hUHqo2Os_EWF0Mbbqe-VjDY2SXUVBmsOXh4VRpkuHG9JdxX5v4H6znHrgLQR909o4PezstxaKU1IKZJNpynITo03FFfE_B7GDNHpdrl7XqCBpYUXYblp4ONPpJJFUl0FYosGlhPMA/w300-h400/IMG_0279.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Watering the lake</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">this rivulet flows in on the west side</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Most of its feeder streams are just little trickles with the largest draining Summit Lake which sits 250 feet higher to the west. The outlet is on the south end, sometimes called Cossayuna Creek and sometimes Whittaker Brook. There are a couple of ponds along the outlet, apparently created in the past by small dams to harness the water power. After flowing thru Carter Pond and its associated wetlands the outlet stream empties into the Battenkill River and thence into the Hudson. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDci7p54-xvCA3Zerjx_YRaRBzeA5sOb8BJyT4PivjS52Q0lzfrwCay0hrc1KLYnokWjFfUDRLiDN4P2JTggg0felJaBzCaHE2hLmp19TI-LVOf9mn8L9i5V4YA4248ICnt70FJiwIICreBfZ1giCvxNcJoLMzKmmwBOu_k9JoE00ZyT3ugP182_3hsE/s4000/IMG_0280.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDci7p54-xvCA3Zerjx_YRaRBzeA5sOb8BJyT4PivjS52Q0lzfrwCay0hrc1KLYnokWjFfUDRLiDN4P2JTggg0felJaBzCaHE2hLmp19TI-LVOf9mn8L9i5V4YA4248ICnt70FJiwIICreBfZ1giCvxNcJoLMzKmmwBOu_k9JoE00ZyT3ugP182_3hsE/w300-h400/IMG_0280.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The outlet at the south end</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> It is a rather shallow, eutrophic lake only 25' at it deepest and less than 10' deep in many places. This results in areas of thick aquatic vegetation, but also in lots of warm water fish. It is known for its large and smallmouth bass as well as pike, perch and various panfish.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> The fish, fowl and game made the lake attractive to Native Americans. They called it Quabbauna, the lake of three pines, for several towering trees on the west shore. Europeans arrived in 1765 but there was little development until after the revolution. The Allen family massacre of 1777 happened just a few miles west of Cossayuna, gruesome proof of how dangerous the area was in those early times.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKE3BymE9sljq7KJGAAKuyjcq2mYeikrA7O-LVhqVoLJJeT8LhLvbYC_F1bgwlFIw5LSH7xxAd6VbJFmDHxSuD1NIHxB6goIZ1AlokCpdccpswnCvvHfCfWeo0THWsidJyqlL1t6dER1WYJV8MHIqYglUoS0h0EC8YK6xkfs3lNBUt5GTwEPKMVwkvyg/s4000/IMG_8685.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKE3BymE9sljq7KJGAAKuyjcq2mYeikrA7O-LVhqVoLJJeT8LhLvbYC_F1bgwlFIw5LSH7xxAd6VbJFmDHxSuD1NIHxB6goIZ1AlokCpdccpswnCvvHfCfWeo0THWsidJyqlL1t6dER1WYJV8MHIqYglUoS0h0EC8YK6xkfs3lNBUt5GTwEPKMVwkvyg/s320/IMG_8685.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Water powered sawmills were built on the outlet stream before 1800 and various operations continued here into the early 1900's with a small village clustering around. The surrounding area was lightly populated with subsistence farms until the late 1800's when a new crop began to be cultivated: vacationers. A number of boarding houses took in guests with The Oaks on a west side peninsula being the most extravagant. It featured a large hotel, dancing pavilion and excursion steamer.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzLkbH2sXW98C5TStmJQ7d4Ocfm9sliuRwL_FNxGNbuZKuajSGowlosuD9-TUV3NxDgyJyNTBrJYe15IBosKGVJWoJRgAXUqpELKa1PlflkVq_zrwwm3PCoc2avqfRVyEGwA3ycI1QN6W6-BCUHCvPz29yvK0AK_1ngXaqbH-3zoY6mT4fW8_5-EyONvg/s954/4128-3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="954" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzLkbH2sXW98C5TStmJQ7d4Ocfm9sliuRwL_FNxGNbuZKuajSGowlosuD9-TUV3NxDgyJyNTBrJYe15IBosKGVJWoJRgAXUqpELKa1PlflkVq_zrwwm3PCoc2avqfRVyEGwA3ycI1QN6W6-BCUHCvPz29yvK0AK_1ngXaqbH-3zoY6mT4fW8_5-EyONvg/w640-h370/4128-3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> After The Oaks burned in 1915 there was a transition to a cottage based summer scene and that's what you find today. The lake is garlanded with private seasonal homes and the only public access is at a state boat launch on the northeast corner. Fishing and boating are popular and while I'm sure people swim from their own docks there aren't any beaches open to the rest of us</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLRqQaTVoh_OJdpbRcBaz3LV5ynemHcczYc4FAyh0BN65-SjgdrrHjt0bzcyDbHhGn61QrtaWqXpPSuOa_mDeKwLBPrge70I-P5nMq727U8sDdGx5Amj0F912vYaZpP_47xsLEnkvF_KJsuVjOlXCN1ky7Q_LAmaIJ2UeVR7tcgBnw1HwZ0V79cprmJg/s2048/img_3313.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLRqQaTVoh_OJdpbRcBaz3LV5ynemHcczYc4FAyh0BN65-SjgdrrHjt0bzcyDbHhGn61QrtaWqXpPSuOa_mDeKwLBPrge70I-P5nMq727U8sDdGx5Amj0F912vYaZpP_47xsLEnkvF_KJsuVjOlXCN1ky7Q_LAmaIJ2UeVR7tcgBnw1HwZ0V79cprmJg/w300-h400/img_3313.webp" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2TUfoDytNMRHLG22r1OqjNWGs_qXIsjtS1ANweRvGVp7AX4d2xJn33dPHhdB-w_yI2tWQ3DOOikSPbCDgXF1urUc_Y_tutLyEQSttjxS0tyABw_-VjrEi-qqVi_Vk4sFqB_0Do6jwuVvq2nK2WeZOfdxTVyQ-cY2FuHkyPN1CxZdTyYs1qtCGXemHgg/s2000/img-6497.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2TUfoDytNMRHLG22r1OqjNWGs_qXIsjtS1ANweRvGVp7AX4d2xJn33dPHhdB-w_yI2tWQ3DOOikSPbCDgXF1urUc_Y_tutLyEQSttjxS0tyABw_-VjrEi-qqVi_Vk4sFqB_0Do6jwuVvq2nK2WeZOfdxTVyQ-cY2FuHkyPN1CxZdTyYs1qtCGXemHgg/w400-h300/img-6497.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fun at Cossayuna (as long as you're not a fish)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">images from CLIA gallery</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Perhaps the best way to get a feel for the lake is by biking around it. I parked by the Veterans Memorial at the village pond on Co. 49 and did a counterclockwise loop up East Lake Road and back down Co. 48. It's an easy ride of less than ten miles with no hills to speak of. If you want more challenge just take any of several side roads that lead away from the lake where you'll probably want a gravel bike for these steep and dirty climbs. Rather than a lot of description I've put together a little photo album of what you'll see.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxDBx8e6dembcZ6fWJcDyT934nbJ2NB9DOIrueDw3YkvyRYMx2MBQPPIrTfp7FzqU0HToICsYDYx-yfiRKev4rZUmFfJce5U8nrjTtGZU0h5ywXKB9sWrcQ2ePzyUBEW8QrJnoZSvVpz8oizFlKnVxKaW-s2H0gXxBPPKHIUtbgNDiiEBnPKhcLJHjxI/s4000/IMG_0284.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxDBx8e6dembcZ6fWJcDyT934nbJ2NB9DOIrueDw3YkvyRYMx2MBQPPIrTfp7FzqU0HToICsYDYx-yfiRKev4rZUmFfJce5U8nrjTtGZU0h5ywXKB9sWrcQ2ePzyUBEW8QrJnoZSvVpz8oizFlKnVxKaW-s2H0gXxBPPKHIUtbgNDiiEBnPKhcLJHjxI/w300-h400/IMG_0284.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Veterans Memorial with the village pond</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">just visible beyond a wall of knotweed</span></div><br /><p></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ80hoxFrVZ2zUC3LTFyjnWsve4NzvB9mddqkod6ZJZbEfTAq87oVNXE4mX__djaS9RKxgCZr2kIzUgvjDwJaqSkfRLkISVNI6EiJtPX5P0Yd13phKml51S9I7jod_yW94aEknPaV8g3AMN98kOPemiAmXUpeMq0kLGkEgcVWhLT6nW_imI3zcm9GY31Q/s4000/IMG_0248.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ80hoxFrVZ2zUC3LTFyjnWsve4NzvB9mddqkod6ZJZbEfTAq87oVNXE4mX__djaS9RKxgCZr2kIzUgvjDwJaqSkfRLkISVNI6EiJtPX5P0Yd13phKml51S9I7jod_yW94aEknPaV8g3AMN98kOPemiAmXUpeMq0kLGkEgcVWhLT6nW_imI3zcm9GY31Q/s320/IMG_0248.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;">Books by the Fire house</span></span></div><span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAH3jtnSHw-Df5MWBOXUTv4NIaRAQeg4_rQeL1OlgS-jRuIvF7lbYEJA7fjhsNBdrqe6kJPuQZC5haIlNQMyjiSbxjQ0KOiN0USDaI72C2r-wEa1QWFscdWJTEbCAYGUdePpjLae_kyxiq_j2AoKDbsSXK0c73470y7YvlJi_TiD1iBQPg82zG5odPdmc/s4000/IMG_0250.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAH3jtnSHw-Df5MWBOXUTv4NIaRAQeg4_rQeL1OlgS-jRuIvF7lbYEJA7fjhsNBdrqe6kJPuQZC5haIlNQMyjiSbxjQ0KOiN0USDaI72C2r-wEa1QWFscdWJTEbCAYGUdePpjLae_kyxiq_j2AoKDbsSXK0c73470y7YvlJi_TiD1iBQPg82zG5odPdmc/w400-h300/IMG_0250.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking across the lake to the former site of The Oaks</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXa2BNU3bAUt--pwlCsKIjc6tnnw4VMi0SCg7xPVu2nf6sI8hoyuuOOsV3oLvS23HcjnHV95KIf3uHpXyG1EBIDrP3JC7k87i5hfgD5v9mvuzxIoW-SjFL6DhuBw61chm5qg1xj_WaVbib8vao5xoE6eZ5Dv2tjA5VkbnwEU_DUMyooVsDvpzVPCk71kg/s4000/IMG_0255.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXa2BNU3bAUt--pwlCsKIjc6tnnw4VMi0SCg7xPVu2nf6sI8hoyuuOOsV3oLvS23HcjnHV95KIf3uHpXyG1EBIDrP3JC7k87i5hfgD5v9mvuzxIoW-SjFL6DhuBw61chm5qg1xj_WaVbib8vao5xoE6eZ5Dv2tjA5VkbnwEU_DUMyooVsDvpzVPCk71kg/w640-h480/IMG_0255.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJH3aBFFw-Iv1iZ3JTV2258OKANOluT33I4_088OsPPVQZS_bJsxaX2HynQ7eQlcXmUnc7unzR89VSshej7vSocB8e3dig9oHc_AWIe-w-OA-3JMKlFDpZ-xIdYPA01fiwa0367FPfA42TjNGiW1zNmQA5Ft7nxMQqrCcrQp1AuqRr3ZNPlV8AzXJZhoU/s4000/IMG_0253.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJH3aBFFw-Iv1iZ3JTV2258OKANOluT33I4_088OsPPVQZS_bJsxaX2HynQ7eQlcXmUnc7unzR89VSshej7vSocB8e3dig9oHc_AWIe-w-OA-3JMKlFDpZ-xIdYPA01fiwa0367FPfA42TjNGiW1zNmQA5Ft7nxMQqrCcrQp1AuqRr3ZNPlV8AzXJZhoU/w400-h300/IMG_0253.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the Cossayuna Lake Improvement Association</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5l9SrciZdu-0D2sRJeBgMTGd4R7UQrp007dEQuhobdgY6H9tg1-8xcrVi9YxB9qZ-XprUL69FWOmX-zILDcatSKW4sjXbNdOtkx1kx-oTqhweKfdGnYfOPy7OBUW0-Km2PlDFuup_gAqgwNPyEE2jPjztLS-rGy0r0VE-fSsGXtTC7oZzD1KMHja4oE/s4000/IMG_0249.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5l9SrciZdu-0D2sRJeBgMTGd4R7UQrp007dEQuhobdgY6H9tg1-8xcrVi9YxB9qZ-XprUL69FWOmX-zILDcatSKW4sjXbNdOtkx1kx-oTqhweKfdGnYfOPy7OBUW0-Km2PlDFuup_gAqgwNPyEE2jPjztLS-rGy0r0VE-fSsGXtTC7oZzD1KMHja4oE/s320/IMG_0249.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7cq4M5HxURv3Kom2oFqInC9t87aj7xBqtJttwhkwyNDYLC8aYyVQbeyFPd3qLcHEQ0bLj72GNeYa8Bn3--WMhGokRBKEVn3Pmsi59iZ_9RrtmtvV81jBv2eUDpPSWwumKQp_gQzxbrg0sWQyfxHg1Hdw5F4nb9bxUB4mkn9tu_-nWNMlkrRpTDdVgrI/s4000/IMG_0262.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7cq4M5HxURv3Kom2oFqInC9t87aj7xBqtJttwhkwyNDYLC8aYyVQbeyFPd3qLcHEQ0bLj72GNeYa8Bn3--WMhGokRBKEVn3Pmsi59iZ_9RrtmtvV81jBv2eUDpPSWwumKQp_gQzxbrg0sWQyfxHg1Hdw5F4nb9bxUB4mkn9tu_-nWNMlkrRpTDdVgrI/s320/IMG_0262.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Neighborhood watchmen</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrS60YLovQkF3MX4fZ5VOlFRf1Umi_Tkqg7joTUnu4VbGgry9OfULwP2EpLWxie7wWOwdbHKt9fRVUfk9yL2fovr-OAWL73IoHlBh9mLG0chh9_I-ffbwzyS3faNhB39-UusS1eEzrjxa9Mpkb66qCcTdX_8vDZFZhYwj8289wna7Ky26hqAgaCKbucE/s4000/IMG_0257.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrS60YLovQkF3MX4fZ5VOlFRf1Umi_Tkqg7joTUnu4VbGgry9OfULwP2EpLWxie7wWOwdbHKt9fRVUfk9yL2fovr-OAWL73IoHlBh9mLG0chh9_I-ffbwzyS3faNhB39-UusS1eEzrjxa9Mpkb66qCcTdX_8vDZFZhYwj8289wna7Ky26hqAgaCKbucE/w300-h400/IMG_0257.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fishing just offshore</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEXxCZcv3yVVmj781k7KGc2S6XAbPhkqj3nRdnZttCN3LakGJb5_1LVdXmwSbAY_wRkGGhBHGYe7dQdFzWnKXVCRcKELFbQT5ZIp0Pb7Q0bmopGrWS_2LBwkRtkbbULfQ958b8RDZ48Qc-SCiHnYel8Xg9rV0yUqo4LATS9xhSTxXmCIv0ZG6hA9XZxY/s4000/IMG_0269.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEXxCZcv3yVVmj781k7KGc2S6XAbPhkqj3nRdnZttCN3LakGJb5_1LVdXmwSbAY_wRkGGhBHGYe7dQdFzWnKXVCRcKELFbQT5ZIp0Pb7Q0bmopGrWS_2LBwkRtkbbULfQ958b8RDZ48Qc-SCiHnYel8Xg9rV0yUqo4LATS9xhSTxXmCIv0ZG6hA9XZxY/w640-h480/IMG_0269.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Big Island looking south</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwNNpSw33mh4OzOZASSTFOkus0v-d0RBARTwv2klZ2fWCJ8jD_Ogh-sKWO6-yV0esh3ynjAbNGsHSbH5Uk_IuAgaOLuoCDpNNtF8PL_3ZGbC6HAqERT-goKtrQYuPaPsAVUNgDaCi2KM4YipNHcowQfoqqMmIpa-YZ5DeoSgLXiB9eQE2Lmayu5uU-tc/s4000/IMG_0273.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwNNpSw33mh4OzOZASSTFOkus0v-d0RBARTwv2klZ2fWCJ8jD_Ogh-sKWO6-yV0esh3ynjAbNGsHSbH5Uk_IuAgaOLuoCDpNNtF8PL_3ZGbC6HAqERT-goKtrQYuPaPsAVUNgDaCi2KM4YipNHcowQfoqqMmIpa-YZ5DeoSgLXiB9eQE2Lmayu5uU-tc/s320/IMG_0273.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At Little Troy looking north</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHIKLe56_8xnEyVMOvRtkOD2ZN5d-7dn28w5n36-3g5IbFpFxzGBi-BWGVNPaaXy-VEet40-M5AyFrZOb1jm-L6QVcob7WP1l_xxihDiUnvGgGaNdqU627UCtYP2mIbZrQQ00eMwY5eBZUMf0wqx753DSWEZqegekjEQjE121ABkfxwb-yJXw35cSWZ4/s4000/IMG_0276.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHIKLe56_8xnEyVMOvRtkOD2ZN5d-7dn28w5n36-3g5IbFpFxzGBi-BWGVNPaaXy-VEet40-M5AyFrZOb1jm-L6QVcob7WP1l_xxihDiUnvGgGaNdqU627UCtYP2mIbZrQQ00eMwY5eBZUMf0wqx753DSWEZqegekjEQjE121ABkfxwb-yJXw35cSWZ4/w300-h400/IMG_0276.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the site of The Oaks</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's all private and not very welcoming now</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPOQ63Q4iaXXjyJDlacaKXdcW5G-kDn2jVR6prYeWuQyhMc-APV3dz8TGveeDX4yCYYTAXyANa82kc4bvQECvNle2qY2jPzwPlYY3604XISiGPmfn6ZWzXiJy7vaFhQ4QMqkSXJXPNvuVU3BrzkH_mjLCKKxhP66FpqZ9MShKj1QSuEDwRVtJlKueEtk/s4000/IMG_0277.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPOQ63Q4iaXXjyJDlacaKXdcW5G-kDn2jVR6prYeWuQyhMc-APV3dz8TGveeDX4yCYYTAXyANa82kc4bvQECvNle2qY2jPzwPlYY3604XISiGPmfn6ZWzXiJy7vaFhQ4QMqkSXJXPNvuVU3BrzkH_mjLCKKxhP66FpqZ9MShKj1QSuEDwRVtJlKueEtk/w400-h300/IMG_0277.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A funky roadside stand</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3OsCUN2k7YUEJt1IY9v_LvSVAmJwwOFYXoE64SptJFuqYgzKyQAWfb2t-ZJw8ETAq4RkLg9VfXqolLwpVVkuyMxrM2qR45rhSiMEPS0o0dnwB-8sGwPQt9ilC7SvvE5Pen7ZBtFbJ2kIgu7j7cflSDXtbw_zt-8pwaqRrywDaoeOT9cZt3wHx4pQTHk/s4000/IMG_0281.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3OsCUN2k7YUEJt1IY9v_LvSVAmJwwOFYXoE64SptJFuqYgzKyQAWfb2t-ZJw8ETAq4RkLg9VfXqolLwpVVkuyMxrM2qR45rhSiMEPS0o0dnwB-8sGwPQt9ilC7SvvE5Pen7ZBtFbJ2kIgu7j7cflSDXtbw_zt-8pwaqRrywDaoeOT9cZt3wHx4pQTHk/w300-h400/IMG_0281.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Need directions?</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIqKXufxRC1DNkjfrIKV1E1Mutk88PMIyMAi8D1f-s8gc11QacBRUqbl_epQYc-y3bh6gkpSEiiiIhBvY2WZsCmJ3DgO03qdfx5boZSfTKmFhe3lKT27gTYpugdPLpEya3uuLjbvmPTNiO8cjC0sDuFCqdkGduR_JlsPHmgKfBAhWzNLZIBqO7JKZ2Ew/s4000/IMG_0283.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIqKXufxRC1DNkjfrIKV1E1Mutk88PMIyMAi8D1f-s8gc11QacBRUqbl_epQYc-y3bh6gkpSEiiiIhBvY2WZsCmJ3DgO03qdfx5boZSfTKmFhe3lKT27gTYpugdPLpEya3uuLjbvmPTNiO8cjC0sDuFCqdkGduR_JlsPHmgKfBAhWzNLZIBqO7JKZ2Ew/w640-h480/IMG_0283.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Lakeville Baptist Church back in the village</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Loop completed!</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> It's a lake so the obvious way to explore it is by boat. Obvious but perhaps not best if the only boat you have is a canoe. Back in August we put in at the DEC launch site on the northeastern end of Cossayuna. It's the only public access that I'm aware of and mostly used by those looking to fish. Big Island lies straight out from the put-in and we paddled out making a circuit around its attractive, wooded shore. It is privately owned so you can't land but it's pleasant to drift alongside.</span></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUH4BLODyx_0Ok_s1N9UgDBr2EHG6sVZKWU9C22jyN_Q5IjteNNvVXWaAj8076YT42tmTgcZMQQQav9xHuN9dK-jdimADZ3RzBdGNUfSFWNyh5OaO91hyts0YgeOuRg1Fk2_18sUMLmMUhLcel4F63GQ36u3m6sIu3o47BjAN3M5xRHO9lZBcF9nhaNs/s4000/IMG_0217.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUH4BLODyx_0Ok_s1N9UgDBr2EHG6sVZKWU9C22jyN_Q5IjteNNvVXWaAj8076YT42tmTgcZMQQQav9xHuN9dK-jdimADZ3RzBdGNUfSFWNyh5OaO91hyts0YgeOuRg1Fk2_18sUMLmMUhLcel4F63GQ36u3m6sIu3o47BjAN3M5xRHO9lZBcF9nhaNs/w400-h300/IMG_0217.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The boat launch</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGOJbHcceU4S8bYBAEFCwfXP3xiST01MjXirpYI1uYRygL0fIXt-qM95QozHo9zDUDVLqdkuvEaZVcaKIKGvPaFfdAcjQGbgXtxFWvrrszJZOCz9FDiGaLE6efHJiossd0BDyc2cvshp2xEkBb_Ah34O5zj8kNQbtJppzt3x6w0e0Oi1Tiza_Z6KH9Eg/s1284/73205-view.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1284" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGOJbHcceU4S8bYBAEFCwfXP3xiST01MjXirpYI1uYRygL0fIXt-qM95QozHo9zDUDVLqdkuvEaZVcaKIKGvPaFfdAcjQGbgXtxFWvrrszJZOCz9FDiGaLE6efHJiossd0BDyc2cvshp2xEkBb_Ah34O5zj8kNQbtJppzt3x6w0e0Oi1Tiza_Z6KH9Eg/w640-h476/73205-view.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">web image</span></div><br /> </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYwJWJ3Eddt0BA0qlqUk00cdp2ZVOvWnvzdPyLh0_cyt6uFIzGzR3zhE1qe9ZQGkxwRq2Sa3e02MmBBP8hYGTJsZwdIs3M7Mere8OI3uk_NVclF7-9d4-u-HzFAr0MZqPak3kJseNcCryHPzyMsuJHRkEBzp-5kgKlQWk_pbGiO2-0FmNWzhNzX8Lu6s/s4000/IMG_0216.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYwJWJ3Eddt0BA0qlqUk00cdp2ZVOvWnvzdPyLh0_cyt6uFIzGzR3zhE1qe9ZQGkxwRq2Sa3e02MmBBP8hYGTJsZwdIs3M7Mere8OI3uk_NVclF7-9d4-u-HzFAr0MZqPak3kJseNcCryHPzyMsuJHRkEBzp-5kgKlQWk_pbGiO2-0FmNWzhNzX8Lu6s/w400-h300/IMG_0216.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On the lake</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> From Big Island we headed back towards the eastern shore with its many waterfront camps. Unfortunately it was a hot Saturday afternoon with lots of jet-skis and motor boats churning the lake. A stiff breeze picked up and pretty soon it was choppy enough to make paddling feel like work. My take is to come here in the off-season, on a week day or early or late in the day. A quiet morning outing when the leaves are changing could be magical and it is definitely doable to tour the whole lake in a few hours time. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;">MORE...</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> Cossayuna's not awash in commercial attractions and that's part of its charm. That said here are a few places you might want to check out. At the southern end of the lake on Co. 49 is the Lakeside General Store. Definitely worth a visit but unfortunately only open during the summer season. Get something to eat or drink and soak up the relaxed ambience of the back patio.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbposnQmvmtE__gm4skAtCP_svXfC_b2Mu3cTL0MYoYJL1KY6VLPNoS2sHUxGeMCI5L9dtrWlR__alk94o6iX9X3JCiCF8zpHk8niXzwuBF2uFSJl5sLBGhe6JnyrZ5RQblQTgts0fUYKQCI9zraRrKWh5o9o2gnVOtmkpxBziy2fK0i60u55c1HcubUw/s4000/IMG_0220.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbposnQmvmtE__gm4skAtCP_svXfC_b2Mu3cTL0MYoYJL1KY6VLPNoS2sHUxGeMCI5L9dtrWlR__alk94o6iX9X3JCiCF8zpHk8niXzwuBF2uFSJl5sLBGhe6JnyrZ5RQblQTgts0fUYKQCI9zraRrKWh5o9o2gnVOtmkpxBziy2fK0i60u55c1HcubUw/w640-h480/IMG_0220.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnHb17t6WB_KyS7areWPlDcGnCGsHmAQ7OE_flJuJMmXW_pVlHvDsYhg_9MhdMPP6EkqgMqfdpcaDZuMTYbelyYOYiLcUXgicSVYv3c1_fqR1DxNpkraFxn2R7Uorav2HsNNKBP9PHDZ84mku6dDSMkny6LGszd046okFzlBuACY_iNxDXkucFhtDvfhA/s4000/IMG_0221.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnHb17t6WB_KyS7areWPlDcGnCGsHmAQ7OE_flJuJMmXW_pVlHvDsYhg_9MhdMPP6EkqgMqfdpcaDZuMTYbelyYOYiLcUXgicSVYv3c1_fqR1DxNpkraFxn2R7Uorav2HsNNKBP9PHDZ84mku6dDSMkny6LGszd046okFzlBuACY_iNxDXkucFhtDvfhA/w400-h300/IMG_0221.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeoPqeeSJQ_2wfs98CHnxNhUr8UAIjrsnSR0lW8c7ERTYXWsRETeeBVDFt4JTikhQTzyLKSnHImKYXXAEuu2Mz9-JiVDDfewvhjdajqmP4cpDTJQJiID22s18DaeU0jYidfid2LIjd6E6Ou1etKAG_ioKvN_6objG7qqJ2KwWgc0z9bqh1Dnmf10paHs/s4000/IMG_0219.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeoPqeeSJQ_2wfs98CHnxNhUr8UAIjrsnSR0lW8c7ERTYXWsRETeeBVDFt4JTikhQTzyLKSnHImKYXXAEuu2Mz9-JiVDDfewvhjdajqmP4cpDTJQJiID22s18DaeU0jYidfid2LIjd6E6Ou1etKAG_ioKvN_6objG7qqJ2KwWgc0z9bqh1Dnmf10paHs/s320/IMG_0219.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> A short distance down Riddle Road off Co 49 will bring you to the Owl Pen book barns. It's a great place to spend a few hours browsing the stacks. The quiet dirt road is also a favorite for walking or running. Check <a href="https://www.owlpenbooks.com/">here</a> for when they are open.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJo5-hVK-B9SBqmf1xwVGz0v6-uowlnz8irIFE1ucq9-UAQ2OnFETzuI-itrLdknRjsw0wZxCT3h999X_3Msg3ZMVPZW4nqwKDA_SnVsHIoUKot3MulPB31Uvlpcbsyaj4H5jfrSsqgHoWUgM3GLvBdY5jQZbcbjh4tugySGyHFA4cd5uFCfOQfL366Q/s1000/Owl-Pen-2_Web.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJo5-hVK-B9SBqmf1xwVGz0v6-uowlnz8irIFE1ucq9-UAQ2OnFETzuI-itrLdknRjsw0wZxCT3h999X_3Msg3ZMVPZW4nqwKDA_SnVsHIoUKot3MulPB31Uvlpcbsyaj4H5jfrSsqgHoWUgM3GLvBdY5jQZbcbjh4tugySGyHFA4cd5uFCfOQfL366Q/w400-h240/Owl-Pen-2_Web.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the Owl Pens</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(web image)</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> Head east up Bunker Hill Road from the bend in Co 49 and you'll find a farm store, an old schoolhouse, The Bunker Hill Inn (a B&B) and, in season, Campbells maple syrup.</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49B-tjrQ0oFWg0EIDmyy_sOCSqMF4XqjjuXzwoQq-DaEgwYWYzMNPv-sWDXecBmVNUHf3aFGJpJ-5cayggpcrAzQsTA6aY7dLn0zZG516We7NvwfzLbJp7H08Lj5GBhzuXCLe4qerX5ajrfxfZQbTHhELxXsUJm2burtlh6fmqzqL4lNYYLUcqGJxKao/s700/bunker-hill-inn.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="700" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49B-tjrQ0oFWg0EIDmyy_sOCSqMF4XqjjuXzwoQq-DaEgwYWYzMNPv-sWDXecBmVNUHf3aFGJpJ-5cayggpcrAzQsTA6aY7dLn0zZG516We7NvwfzLbJp7H08Lj5GBhzuXCLe4qerX5ajrfxfZQbTHhELxXsUJm2burtlh6fmqzqL4lNYYLUcqGJxKao/w400-h300/bunker-hill-inn.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">web image</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"> South of Cossayuna on Co 49 is the Carter Pond Wildlife Management Area. There's a nature trail here and a place to put-in canoes. </span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1BBKU2_sEJXoVkPZpuRSpBTqdsqzVqxOzpEzt60g1vNjGhjGvocAz5VegqwVIdx7I8kNMwuj3yTA0QzkG34i-Z7D06cN2DoP8sq-vNgKY_cEinDYKjaNl9Of68X1Z7Oe-psw6wj06Smz0wvd_jQnVpvYa8EaAIDFPMa9z0MZqnkATJsq1zoKk5BceSY/s1600/2014-04-13%2014.01.29.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1BBKU2_sEJXoVkPZpuRSpBTqdsqzVqxOzpEzt60g1vNjGhjGvocAz5VegqwVIdx7I8kNMwuj3yTA0QzkG34i-Z7D06cN2DoP8sq-vNgKY_cEinDYKjaNl9Of68X1Z7Oe-psw6wj06Smz0wvd_jQnVpvYa8EaAIDFPMa9z0MZqnkATJsq1zoKk5BceSY/w300-h400/2014-04-13%2014.01.29.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">web image</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><p></p></div></div></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"> The Cossayuna Lake Improvement Association has a clubhouse on East Lake Road. Check them out <a href="https://cossayunalake.com/">here.</a> While on their website be sure to browse the gallery of photos to sense the camaraderie the lake engenders.</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3i0A0_AF9Bidee7gwLIDz4ncs4jRr5uotb8-HIgaFEPwrqTH9LeAVT7j8jXFtbXzeg-sSiAH7ZjEuZxpk_Ia0CrzXdO87iX6Ix5EhVwqYKHWbXjXiubQFGh40b9-jDZ3ex2WP4zWy1Z6k018DwCwo7Edpgp4jmU-RxurYFv2rMb41Y7Kz26SU7Fq2FE/s4000/IMG_0252.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3i0A0_AF9Bidee7gwLIDz4ncs4jRr5uotb8-HIgaFEPwrqTH9LeAVT7j8jXFtbXzeg-sSiAH7ZjEuZxpk_Ia0CrzXdO87iX6Ix5EhVwqYKHWbXjXiubQFGh40b9-jDZ3ex2WP4zWy1Z6k018DwCwo7Edpgp4jmU-RxurYFv2rMb41Y7Kz26SU7Fq2FE/w400-h300/IMG_0252.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> As I made my bike loop I noticed that Quack Ups restaurant at the intersection of Co's 48 and 49 appears to be closed. Have heard that the town line between Greenwich and Argyle runs right thru the building. Back when Argyle was a 'dry' town if you wanted a drink with your meal at Quack Ups you had to sit in the Greenwich part of the establishment! Always wanted to check this out in person (definitely want a drink) but now I'll never get a chance. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJE0Ybwj-3a-2VhyicPpTcXUU5ozZj9nEY1fYRk8rHSnPdsJUEKVetudqeTz0eHADY7z4qgevRKUCpbhVRbzBAhFZeZmkRflaYyLA3daTCcsKmo2hnU6J7O2c9HEfPl5TSBd6Klg1AcG4oM2s9Tarmo0aGcYFfWjnUdd0a8Z4G32ffUItj_XnWr-GLbHY/s4000/IMG_0275.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJE0Ybwj-3a-2VhyicPpTcXUU5ozZj9nEY1fYRk8rHSnPdsJUEKVetudqeTz0eHADY7z4qgevRKUCpbhVRbzBAhFZeZmkRflaYyLA3daTCcsKmo2hnU6J7O2c9HEfPl5TSBd6Klg1AcG4oM2s9Tarmo0aGcYFfWjnUdd0a8Z4G32ffUItj_XnWr-GLbHY/w300-h400/IMG_0275.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What more could you ask for?</span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> Rose Bain's <u>Lake Cossayuna and Vicinity - History and Portraits</u> <u>of the Past</u> is full of information, old photos and includes several columns by Joseph Cutshall-King who lived here until his recent passing. It's a book I highly recommended. You'll also find sections on Cossayuna in <u>Argyle, My Argyle</u> and <u>I Remember Argyle</u>, both compilations by The Argyle History Group.</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMB4Pr1_xWEcGE7QfLdibXrOXYfdbKSnDNUxH6u1EV_dlGCHkqYniuWZdEEmG1umrA2-cM6lboOILYjXbdH48Rys432qCg1fmPImr2BaNAlj3q4H52JNproiWJdjxp3yWFvkTWXOEqYRBJCEFL4BWofBDAqYsAGMbbfYUv65-b8bg1WItUiqZBFn1Q27A/s522/61HazGd1-wL._SY522_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="403" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMB4Pr1_xWEcGE7QfLdibXrOXYfdbKSnDNUxH6u1EV_dlGCHkqYniuWZdEEmG1umrA2-cM6lboOILYjXbdH48Rys432qCg1fmPImr2BaNAlj3q4H52JNproiWJdjxp3yWFvkTWXOEqYRBJCEFL4BWofBDAqYsAGMbbfYUv65-b8bg1WItUiqZBFn1Q27A/w494-h640/61HazGd1-wL._SY522_.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"> * For the geologically curious you might try to find a copy of L.B. Platt's 1960 Yale University doctural thesis: <u>Structure</u> <u>and Stratigraphy of the Cossayuna area New York</u>. Then there is geologist and Argyle native Michael Huggins interesting take on Charles Wolcott's 1884-85 search for fossils in the hills near Cossayuna with tips on where you can look today. Find Huggins' essay in <u>Argyle, My Argyle</u>. Also worth looking for some of the NEIGC and NYSGA guidebooks to field trips in the area. Good luck. </span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;">*Finally let's wrap up with a few images taken from recent real estate listings that will give you a feel for around the lake:</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ZC5yP8FT6YD16BaI5rjfT_WI_RHr17EG406525a-AG6FNh5rG9UwlcCZparU22ceY5JS6qQ4_ebAT8lpjQ-KOg_apZ8_o8lzqFy_ycACCJ1xGNh5KaooOWIiNeYOL3WgjNcaEhPxajbwbHcUa9icG4Jb92qWSUF8k5NjMooB1BExXkFfQJuxB6XDxOw/s960/85eb25ea95b7918c9dee997bb8539042l-m190227012od-w480_h360_x2.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ZC5yP8FT6YD16BaI5rjfT_WI_RHr17EG406525a-AG6FNh5rG9UwlcCZparU22ceY5JS6qQ4_ebAT8lpjQ-KOg_apZ8_o8lzqFy_ycACCJ1xGNh5KaooOWIiNeYOL3WgjNcaEhPxajbwbHcUa9icG4Jb92qWSUF8k5NjMooB1BExXkFfQJuxB6XDxOw/w400-h300/85eb25ea95b7918c9dee997bb8539042l-m190227012od-w480_h360_x2.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">According to the write-up this west side structure was once The Cossayuna Hotel</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Offered at $309,000</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXhvbvR0sb6GUzrUqjOEALs7qBdZDO9IIo_hzEpralYup7nHMjTXmRnbmHmvkHc7D5glx-xXLN85wHlax1zc1YWxjCYPGgICMgVEDeRq6BLIdV_2QU0jga6ftCfFa_UDtivlG36gNd4kGKFKQ9dQk4JDwxN-htz5fwvx1Opj3Sf7GuKUhfRwI_1THKmI/s2048/e5bbc699d0aa71a2b8f7fa4c8309c84al-m4210037249od-w1024_h768_x2.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXhvbvR0sb6GUzrUqjOEALs7qBdZDO9IIo_hzEpralYup7nHMjTXmRnbmHmvkHc7D5glx-xXLN85wHlax1zc1YWxjCYPGgICMgVEDeRq6BLIdV_2QU0jga6ftCfFa_UDtivlG36gNd4kGKFKQ9dQk4JDwxN-htz5fwvx1Opj3Sf7GuKUhfRwI_1THKmI/w400-h266/e5bbc699d0aa71a2b8f7fa4c8309c84al-m4210037249od-w1024_h768_x2.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">View towards lake from another west side property</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pending at $399,000</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWyuzhT2LswN29IIrP8Nn51cD7iHpoLpj2qfy99jpTBMmVv7CtCJzYIO2JqESGwY9mvlW0Nz35aNYfDN8gOrh39oDrtGp0xRCzZMeXPivKELOGvFfMxZ0qZxfvWE7AjRb6c5qcu65CQyvk2wMfcADUaCSjyM4xT_tZWamyU6cCLuGorU58reQub9VNFE/s960/906ffa7b66f62197d19b61c6478b91ecl-m2859148477od-w480_h360_x2.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWyuzhT2LswN29IIrP8Nn51cD7iHpoLpj2qfy99jpTBMmVv7CtCJzYIO2JqESGwY9mvlW0Nz35aNYfDN8gOrh39oDrtGp0xRCzZMeXPivKELOGvFfMxZ0qZxfvWE7AjRb6c5qcu65CQyvk2wMfcADUaCSjyM4xT_tZWamyU6cCLuGorU58reQub9VNFE/w640-h480/906ffa7b66f62197d19b61c6478b91ecl-m2859148477od-w480_h360_x2.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This colorful place is on Co 49 in the hamlet</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">lake access via outlet stream</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">$269,000</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJBtSdgGPN1BvsKq3RPwqbmoVTRzbB99c8zCjoxtxSvj5C4ObFEov-mqFVs9d2ISK5UDyLFEy_RSepabBCm4uoZ8BXJXpTAEvDUgURJVXMzNvzNhjId-M8AioQEeHw-RxJZf0TTx5fKZOak7IBynzyWgAobkG1Vimlf23zHmNZ5LcZFiZJ2v3JBWUSvE/s960/756e61c5ef21aa05421944698bcf8db8l-m282273600od-w480_h360_x2%20(1).webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJBtSdgGPN1BvsKq3RPwqbmoVTRzbB99c8zCjoxtxSvj5C4ObFEov-mqFVs9d2ISK5UDyLFEy_RSepabBCm4uoZ8BXJXpTAEvDUgURJVXMzNvzNhjId-M8AioQEeHw-RxJZf0TTx5fKZOak7IBynzyWgAobkG1Vimlf23zHmNZ5LcZFiZJ2v3JBWUSvE/w400-h266/756e61c5ef21aa05421944698bcf8db8l-m282273600od-w480_h360_x2%20(1).webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The old schoolhouse on the Millpond recently sold for $142,500</span></div><br /></div>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-17973163019136972842023-08-08T12:56:00.000-04:002023-08-08T12:56:33.692-04:00Muddy Waters<p><span style="font-size: large;"> There's Muddy Waters (the great Chicago bluesman) and then there's muddy waters (murky streams and ponds). A recent paddle on the Poultney River immersed me in the lower case variety. Since then clarity/turbidity have been on my mind (we'll skip the clarity/turbidity of my thought processes for now).</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Z93ddMDnqHJYpf5Q-K6MjG6RM6Ej6GOmH_evyFfhecAUudnEN9mhD-Ohe5MkGAUe0KWuRWeSZM_4bZMbVG0XjXsfSIAhn3T3fnEPpJvHn2Hz3z7_zy5jyg02CxgfHRNrcEbv2ckZC2MSfv5PRHV5_vmgJEQzmbJvfAMyzW8aHNLJduZon4u1DV2SCBU/s4000/IMG_0185.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Z93ddMDnqHJYpf5Q-K6MjG6RM6Ej6GOmH_evyFfhecAUudnEN9mhD-Ohe5MkGAUe0KWuRWeSZM_4bZMbVG0XjXsfSIAhn3T3fnEPpJvHn2Hz3z7_zy5jyg02CxgfHRNrcEbv2ckZC2MSfv5PRHV5_vmgJEQzmbJvfAMyzW8aHNLJduZon4u1DV2SCBU/w640-h480/IMG_0185.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On the border</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The bow of the canoe is on the stateline, NY left and Vermont right</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking downstream at East Bay Road bridge</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p> <span style="font-size: large;">Holly, Tom and I launched our boats on the Vermont end of the East Bay Road bridge and headed upstream. The southern end of Lake Champlain reminds me of a hydra with its tentacles (the tributaries) coalescing to form the body of the lake. There's Wood Creek, the Mettawee, the Poultney and South Bay (feed by Pike Brook and South Bay Creek ) as well as numerous other small streams. On most maps the Poultney becomes East Bay somewhere below Carvers Falls. But it still feels more like a river and as we shall soon see there may be an interesting reason for that.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFh3cSZbdRdAr4_3MlsK-bYCaiKi3GI9FEGlkOZAdMsmGObvcCgUopRqkSO3scmGbSCxHDw9wLVonVL4NokRWUVmolT0UTyTTRj98kzXsWKgh34Tw_hL6Wf5MxA6ZG0CUnpkR18WHze6vPz1-OUXbBvuOxc7UdbfpBZ2j3tO6-q7wP55ry5B6-Ll4Cl4/s4000/IMG_0214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtFh3cSZbdRdAr4_3MlsK-bYCaiKi3GI9FEGlkOZAdMsmGObvcCgUopRqkSO3scmGbSCxHDw9wLVonVL4NokRWUVmolT0UTyTTRj98kzXsWKgh34Tw_hL6Wf5MxA6ZG0CUnpkR18WHze6vPz1-OUXbBvuOxc7UdbfpBZ2j3tO6-q7wP55ry5B6-Ll4Cl4/w480-h640/IMG_0214.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In this illustration by Libby Davidson the Poultney, the Mettawee and South Bay join to form the southern reach of Lake Champlain</span></div><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> About those muddy waters, the simple explanation lies in post-glacial history. Large meltwater lakes once occupied what is now the Hudson-Champlain lowlands. As the glaciers receded turbid streams carried vast amounts of sediment into those lakes with the finest of these sediments, the clays and silts, drifting towards the low centers.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismV67pKrJiVBnhFnMAN2pQElpx_gRoCZBFqG9hZkhrQ-kRSOxq9EmMmmOdLSF70BsonYnK2ADqRHzDXqJ79IfEnXOuSLgD5PZm2Iar8SPLMoKKSvyJ1y4qdvfw0-HZ8KEwYqqt0_AqTCaL2NMw9CeKs7Gk2wfHg0oOfW6Mtwfhr6Ao752FrrDYKf8M6g/s4000/IMG_0215.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismV67pKrJiVBnhFnMAN2pQElpx_gRoCZBFqG9hZkhrQ-kRSOxq9EmMmmOdLSF70BsonYnK2ADqRHzDXqJ79IfEnXOuSLgD5PZm2Iar8SPLMoKKSvyJ1y4qdvfw0-HZ8KEwYqqt0_AqTCaL2NMw9CeKs7Gk2wfHg0oOfW6Mtwfhr6Ao752FrrDYKf8M6g/w640-h480/IMG_0215.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On this soil map areas labeled 5 and 14 are lake deposits with high clay content</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Today, over 10,000 years later, most of the high elevation streams and ponds are clear with a light load in suspension. But lower sections of Fort Edward, Fort Ann, Kingsbury and Whitehall have the heavy soils that cloud the water.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuapnXXMjquw5Cv792Z8H13FQCgYQLWQNzouisWqZgDFqGllrwrIAqkDZUq5KnLOoP2FAqJl0a8Q7wEXIaxiMi_NGlbzccfX3twbhMoaMbxIH7wQvyfqfwvJilcBMpW_t2P91kGDM2gLtNwaYJrdnGIX9Q9OOJcb_1LZqRIMLRqYp7P5K_te3CflGqCw/s1363/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-29%20at%203.59.25%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1363" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuapnXXMjquw5Cv792Z8H13FQCgYQLWQNzouisWqZgDFqGllrwrIAqkDZUq5KnLOoP2FAqJl0a8Q7wEXIaxiMi_NGlbzccfX3twbhMoaMbxIH7wQvyfqfwvJilcBMpW_t2P91kGDM2gLtNwaYJrdnGIX9Q9OOJcb_1LZqRIMLRqYp7P5K_te3CflGqCw/w640-h406/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-29%20at%203.59.25%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The clear, dark waters of Pike Brook flow from the Adirondack uplands into low, milky South Bay</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Google Earth web image)</div></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> Timothy Dwight who traveled the Northeast extensively in the early 1800's was not pleased with this area. Of the route from Granville to Sandy Hill Dwight wrote, "...the few streams were a succession of puddles, lying in a loathsome bed of clay between steep, ragged banks, and of the color of dirty suds...A person accustomed only to the limpid streams of New England can form no conception of the disagreeableness of this fact."</span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Fortunately, we didn't let Dwights's bad attitude cloud our enjoyment of the Poultney. Yes, the water was "the color of dirty suds" but the banks were lined with a profusion of wildflowers, eagles soared overhead and the limestone cliffs of Warner Hill were striking. We weren't into marathons, instead going just a few lazy miles upstream before turning back. The ambitious with time on their hands might be able to go all the way to Carvers Falls.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCZ9ZJs1LzKHaD-hCCoSqi5i3XyeZArGgi464dwZmwQGX76S8Z9Kr1r1KgQO4e7u9fHx7Vx7OKJ29-IP6HhMI5kysIrONtHA9xts63Y65loEiWLSeZGD81hvIpVdIH1f-MpXQtMGFxTcZtESc2KSP4jRMGNKPWk-b2dOl08v39MwvWe8hGQQeBK0bVeQ/s4000/IMG_0187.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCZ9ZJs1LzKHaD-hCCoSqi5i3XyeZArGgi464dwZmwQGX76S8Z9Kr1r1KgQO4e7u9fHx7Vx7OKJ29-IP6HhMI5kysIrONtHA9xts63Y65loEiWLSeZGD81hvIpVdIH1f-MpXQtMGFxTcZtESc2KSP4jRMGNKPWk-b2dOl08v39MwvWe8hGQQeBK0bVeQ/w400-h300/IMG_0187.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp76CSO2LkrKcxkf4e5ZtbPZwe3TyVJSImkGU7W2QdJP07Z5u-kdY3r0o3iYvmpiG55sg83bbQLwhVIKDpJV-shb6TDMfFIGDax5EA_fdJuaUjhAmBg4e25fQcO0ivM-H8nrIS1oMp-QML-ixXh4WhRHbJL6b1xk7K4Pj9rd8xMMO8uny1JId_RIFF4HY/s4000/IMG_0184.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp76CSO2LkrKcxkf4e5ZtbPZwe3TyVJSImkGU7W2QdJP07Z5u-kdY3r0o3iYvmpiG55sg83bbQLwhVIKDpJV-shb6TDMfFIGDax5EA_fdJuaUjhAmBg4e25fQcO0ivM-H8nrIS1oMp-QML-ixXh4WhRHbJL6b1xk7K4Pj9rd8xMMO8uny1JId_RIFF4HY/w640-h480/IMG_0184.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lila dog scouts the way in the green 'pack' canoe with Holly in the kayak and the cliffs of Warner Hill beyond</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> Below the falls at Carvers the lower river was at one time more of a deep water bay. According to research by Paul Marangelo of the Nature Conservancy this changed dramatically in 1783 when the Poultney broke thru a ridge, changing its course and washing a huge amount of sediments downstream. There was so much material deposited that it turned a bay navigable by schooners into a shallow stream just barely passable by</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">canoe</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrytBiIsUWZnTSrqPbu_9-LcSu08RPTCCY9offy0DqG6mCGvVCscRLQiHT76HNHSksl4rfcabBoKkCZ7imjglXfKphWvWu_AILFZqFeCEVij3lYi4VwhKL2Ojd9zPobUEKLUv2F__cun-dtAQQ9-J484ymD3LPlBl-p1VkbysQmnlSukBfAQT_EELQ4E/s873/Screen%20Shot%202023-08-08%20at%2012.29.56%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="782" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrytBiIsUWZnTSrqPbu_9-LcSu08RPTCCY9offy0DqG6mCGvVCscRLQiHT76HNHSksl4rfcabBoKkCZ7imjglXfKphWvWu_AILFZqFeCEVij3lYi4VwhKL2Ojd9zPobUEKLUv2F__cun-dtAQQ9-J484ymD3LPlBl-p1VkbysQmnlSukBfAQT_EELQ4E/w574-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-08-08%20at%2012.29.56%20PM.png" width="574" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Scene of the crime: the Poultney River with Rt. 11 bridge bottom right and Carvers Falls at top</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(Google Earth web image)</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> The site of this event is in the stretch downstream from the present day Rt. 11 bridge into Vermont. It is on private property and only accessible by canoe. I've never paddled here so can't give any advice. I have seen guidebooks that claim you can run the river from Poultney Village on down but expect ledges, rapids, strainers and other challenges. Obviously not for everyone. There is good access at Carvers Falls but you would be paddling upstream from there and I'm not sure if that's possible. If anyone does this part of the river I'ld love to hear about it.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZAMfIEUIZk2MvQnWpFx3xBRXSMaMv0DjIoYy0t1LdVhoh764UOR4qamwfhiJs4aJNvTZY1oZKcILJiw0FQfX2daPs8aTFNQADSN9yjpD0yMvZsCEEboNQVE-q72Vo_R4PVCGTlqfW42vuFIsqFZP4-b6PxbIeEmiXmJV3R7IgfJeVFjli6Xwkk8opAI/s4000/IMG_0205.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZAMfIEUIZk2MvQnWpFx3xBRXSMaMv0DjIoYy0t1LdVhoh764UOR4qamwfhiJs4aJNvTZY1oZKcILJiw0FQfX2daPs8aTFNQADSN9yjpD0yMvZsCEEboNQVE-q72Vo_R4PVCGTlqfW42vuFIsqFZP4-b6PxbIeEmiXmJV3R7IgfJeVFjli6Xwkk8opAI/w300-h400/IMG_0205.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Poultney River below Rt. 11 bridge</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanoagUudc0Sn3TYePIDI4XyKFq5WIG6qKuvyc4CXwzz6ZCzneokIky1ZgRrs7iMK7_eg0Gk8CaUbSH6XUjY2z9JN_9Ajh-ssMXHp_d19PVOBxm7N1Z_D2U1zbusVNJHfsd9_Jt6aJAEpWIUEwSp0yBGJ0VZgM_mKTUmknypg5o62aHOED4w5AGtTfvpA/s4000/IMG_0206.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanoagUudc0Sn3TYePIDI4XyKFq5WIG6qKuvyc4CXwzz6ZCzneokIky1ZgRrs7iMK7_eg0Gk8CaUbSH6XUjY2z9JN_9Ajh-ssMXHp_d19PVOBxm7N1Z_D2U1zbusVNJHfsd9_Jt6aJAEpWIUEwSp0yBGJ0VZgM_mKTUmknypg5o62aHOED4w5AGtTfvpA/w640-h480/IMG_0206.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Poultney River above Carvers Falls</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> In <u>Feel like going Home</u> Waters sings "Brooks run into the ocean, man, that ole ocean ran into the sea". I like paddling them brooks, even the muddy ones 'the color of dirty suds'. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> * <a href="https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS900US900&sxsrf=AB5stBhuUepZcDgWnw_HtaAnpzQpiCYEjg:1691505980951&q=muddy+waters+i+feel+like+going+home&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgFuLSz9U3MCw3NqusUOLVT9c3NExJq4gvscy10BL0LS3OTHYsKsksLgnJD87PS1_EqpxbmpJSqVCeWJJaVKyQqZCWmpqjkJOZnaqQnp-Zl66QkZ-bCgAs0yXQVgAAAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjuyoTpps2AAxWWF1kFHW5AAawQri56BAgwEBg&biw=1680&bih=824#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:a9c8f55b,vid:yxCBUI_0gQs">Here's</a> a link to Muddy Waters singing <u>Feel like</u> <u>going Home</u>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> * And <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLVvFQD2Xqg&t=273s">here's</a> a link to Paul Marangelo talking about his research on the Poultney. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqq298qr4ZdQroG8TD1UvnOmFc9z5Q01DgFAcm1Rjy-Wy7sMeMsDIA1eBy_TwR3eLxYJPI1j9VLz72a4Ghi3JebiK2xw-ywOwLYtCNlP20tyt_XgD8KhUD1Hd3VV4ClfQq5w4b13UT3iNoBPj2yiOYHSCy5l2AW2QBBisRpuDk7qPiUBIxdgk7DgOyYY/s4000/IMG_0208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqq298qr4ZdQroG8TD1UvnOmFc9z5Q01DgFAcm1Rjy-Wy7sMeMsDIA1eBy_TwR3eLxYJPI1j9VLz72a4Ghi3JebiK2xw-ywOwLYtCNlP20tyt_XgD8KhUD1Hd3VV4ClfQq5w4b13UT3iNoBPj2yiOYHSCy5l2AW2QBBisRpuDk7qPiUBIxdgk7DgOyYY/w300-h400/IMG_0208.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-61293853670369071072023-07-01T12:44:00.001-04:002023-07-02T09:56:08.306-04:00Randoms<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5YlPV9f2hwctijeAaxzcmrWI9tPp1pVE3DDL2vhp_vBFiHU5k6ufyptxedhJSYCX6wwn-wJPQIQqm0RM2zsbTBToIXCJxDX-yhPgeLo-neVg7D3FtUcupGxCIrriXzoW48tlswDRrw7M7n8TwXsV0-IOK3Wh5_7pWVQ8ipa-22lnKKJlhfr9aeM1RNk/s4000/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5YlPV9f2hwctijeAaxzcmrWI9tPp1pVE3DDL2vhp_vBFiHU5k6ufyptxedhJSYCX6wwn-wJPQIQqm0RM2zsbTBToIXCJxDX-yhPgeLo-neVg7D3FtUcupGxCIrriXzoW48tlswDRrw7M7n8TwXsV0-IOK3Wh5_7pWVQ8ipa-22lnKKJlhfr9aeM1RNk/w640-h480/IMG_0201.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Miracles never cease. America has made it to another birthday. From the middle of the Battenkill River in patriotic downtown Eagleville I'ld like to share a few random items of interest. Keep your beer cold, your fireworks dry and have a great holiday.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> * Sad to hear of Ralph Lee's passing on May 12, 2023. His Mettawee River Theatre Company has been a summer tradition for much of my life (the troupe was founded in 1975). Lee was a master puppetry and mask maker. Ironically, one of his most famous creations, the 'land shark' from early SNL episodes, was quickly thrown together from materials at hand. Later creations are stand alone works of art. Most of the Mettawee's productions were done outside at the magic hour as day segued to night. He often drew on "folk material from one culture or another" and the stories felt timeless, with mythological characters and themes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I remember being out for a run on Dunnigan Road near Salem one evening. I came around a bend and was confronted by several fantastical masked creatures towering on stilts and cavorting on the lawn of a farmhouse. It was the Mettawee players rehearsing at their summer headquarters! That's a run I'll never forget. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Lee was given a full <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/arts/ralph-lee-dead.html">obituary</a> in the <u>New York Times</u> and there is an oral history that he recorded archived on the website of the Folklife Center</span> <span style="font-size: large;">at Crandall Library.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZN16rO9iJ0e_u2s_qf1T9jFns8ZB-r2jK5prvJCeqM-CBfB0gxjZqpMJ9lonn-pn60coW_JnNRZoqmhftguQWMEohl7k5Fw829B5tmS5QRKoBc5nfqIQKahj2W7E0mWSD9wTyk9TemfEoyUQAiczPItkriDOx3u82eEsYkANtth929TQ6pxiPzX_nxDs/s1476/15Lee-superJumbo.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="1476" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZN16rO9iJ0e_u2s_qf1T9jFns8ZB-r2jK5prvJCeqM-CBfB0gxjZqpMJ9lonn-pn60coW_JnNRZoqmhftguQWMEohl7k5Fw829B5tmS5QRKoBc5nfqIQKahj2W7E0mWSD9wTyk9TemfEoyUQAiczPItkriDOx3u82eEsYkANtth929TQ6pxiPzX_nxDs/w640-h426/15Lee-superJumbo.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ralph Lee with some of his creations</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">web image</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> * I don't usually cover the celebrity beat but have got to mention super swimmer Lynne Cox's recent visit to our area. Lynne joined local athlete Bridget Simpson for a leisurely workout at Ti Beach on northern Lake George. Also known as Tiroga or Black Point, this lovely spot is located (just barely) in Washington County. In my humble opinion this is the best beach in the world (with the possible exception of the topless beaches of the French Riviera where I hear the scenery is quite nice). </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Lynne is a legend in the world of marathon swimming, noted for her 1987 crossing of the Bering Strait from the United States to the Soviet Union and for her ability to tolerate cold water as chronicled in <u>Swimming to Antartica</u>. She also has several other books to her credit as well as being a popular motivational speaker. She's a real inspiration and having tasted Lake Georges' pristine waters let's hope she returns again and again. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdRlfkujNOkJbXACjdXFNE6UMI2X0PLeg3V8bInCfyA8ctIYZ5WWnjhL5niKA5Dpugyaow2RiJE-uwzGzeuSn70f4ACZ8VNIZj4Cil4fVfgxrTK-jMJjkVbMb6ZwOmUNddPyMuyKjZMDhyaxfwy1avd-VL55UqzMDv17EkyH0dqTt61pD6EmxP8zrn18/s1080/IMG-5170.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqdRlfkujNOkJbXACjdXFNE6UMI2X0PLeg3V8bInCfyA8ctIYZ5WWnjhL5niKA5Dpugyaow2RiJE-uwzGzeuSn70f4ACZ8VNIZj4Cil4fVfgxrTK-jMJjkVbMb6ZwOmUNddPyMuyKjZMDhyaxfwy1avd-VL55UqzMDv17EkyH0dqTt61pD6EmxP8zrn18/w640-h426/IMG-5170.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bridget Simpson, Lynne Cox and Jim Cunningham at Ti Beach</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(I believe Bridget took this photo)</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzaSoeTeOWvuxwZJkjDRwjCphe6-I-19qa6p-CM-od36Ro4oQb1f31CBDPcDr54XoKcFAixylqhEyqMEu_9zSyV8dGElP18Nb1afgi7lwxodSyFBTA-i-q6Om70J5aXnW_2tFBJ32HIiNuteUKE0C5dj2MoJY4QVzCpuXSXSHE-B57yNtSA6hBnajCu7A/s1280/beach.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="1280" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzaSoeTeOWvuxwZJkjDRwjCphe6-I-19qa6p-CM-od36Ro4oQb1f31CBDPcDr54XoKcFAixylqhEyqMEu_9zSyV8dGElP18Nb1afgi7lwxodSyFBTA-i-q6Om70J5aXnW_2tFBJ32HIiNuteUKE0C5dj2MoJY4QVzCpuXSXSHE-B57yNtSA6hBnajCu7A/w640-h376/beach.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ti Beach on Lake George with Rogers Rock in background</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(web image)</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"> * While on the subject of swimming and Lake George there's an event at Wiawaka Center for Women later this summer. S.W.I.M. week on August 22 thru 25 commemorates the 65th anniversary of Diane Struble's historic first complete swim of the length of Lake George. The acronym stands for Strong Women Inspire Me and since 1958 there have been quite a few very strong women (also a few not so wimpy men) who have accomplished the feat of swimming Lake George (called a crossing in swimming parlance). Gwenne has been working with Wiawaka and other swimmers to organize this event honoring her mother and all who attempt the challenge of Lake George. More information <a href="https://wiawaka.org/">here</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxF_E0hlnmBWLv3CJ_7FZnMXLiVnuX6p1at6tFS3D6KEjJJJXxGAvmo9QZsflK-eyHA6C1VMNpk2S5xfq2B-BPaw_-a-3xFnJJkRwkSAY9rdbd80PqE5sAsRWXIz8_z1KkIy8ZfmOqx5Nb3ZFCFSB4TgkQvzKEiYHK85cmxUBqVSLhrNfhBRQyC-_FOv0/s2560/20210610_Wiawaka-7-scaled.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="2560" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxF_E0hlnmBWLv3CJ_7FZnMXLiVnuX6p1at6tFS3D6KEjJJJXxGAvmo9QZsflK-eyHA6C1VMNpk2S5xfq2B-BPaw_-a-3xFnJJkRwkSAY9rdbd80PqE5sAsRWXIz8_z1KkIy8ZfmOqx5Nb3ZFCFSB4TgkQvzKEiYHK85cmxUBqVSLhrNfhBRQyC-_FOv0/w640-h480/20210610_Wiawaka-7-scaled.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image</span></div><br /></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Also in the news at Wiawaka are plans to conserve 47 acres of uplands the Center owns with help from the Lake George Land Conservancy. I believe this will eventually be open to the public with trails and views of the lake.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUnYSrOpLcB38cRLXuTZL060EdNrCUoMG3Fs3VwOKxNAeNh_dBOSW8I4vUzfhKqj-K_jNyvCqgRh_TtcFRL_8RbJ7srPy4ICu5IRbeV9JQvLGTo2-QKFTK706VuL-ToOtbhVU-MdtDfNq3WeVoyO9aD86BwxuXBuUETc99NkAecgbmpgUbkl0wlU6ISc/s1240/Wiawaka-Map-for-Marketing-web-v3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUnYSrOpLcB38cRLXuTZL060EdNrCUoMG3Fs3VwOKxNAeNh_dBOSW8I4vUzfhKqj-K_jNyvCqgRh_TtcFRL_8RbJ7srPy4ICu5IRbeV9JQvLGTo2-QKFTK706VuL-ToOtbhVU-MdtDfNq3WeVoyO9aD86BwxuXBuUETc99NkAecgbmpgUbkl0wlU6ISc/w640-h320/Wiawaka-Map-for-Marketing-web-v3.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> * Speaking of the Lake George Land Conservancy, a big upcoming event is the July 5th Hike-A-Thon with guided hikes (and paddles) around the lake. There are over 20 options this year and a party open to all afterward. More details <a href="https://lglc.org/event/11th-annual-lake-george-hike-a-thon/">here</a>. A traditional part of the event is photographer Carl Heilman talking shots of participants from a helicopter. Great organization, terrific event and Carl is amazing but at the risk of being 'scrooge' I have to wonder if we don't have enough noise and engines spewing carbon. Maybe it's time to lose the chopper?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bgl6D8QmyQuD4rBWWDQP7apxtlg98EHMa356Q6eEKJOozzIjnApUNBYMiFqV3x_wWcTcb--UYcVpo5TeG1RVifcB4Hd4ceJnMyv59lfZ-QsXH6P1jAk3RqPiuHhsz74LYyA6Ymc5H_XbF7V7vOYEWgxZjy4lYTUQBxm53NEnoFtU8gbNJ_0482jRRQA/s500/event-HAT.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bgl6D8QmyQuD4rBWWDQP7apxtlg98EHMa356Q6eEKJOozzIjnApUNBYMiFqV3x_wWcTcb--UYcVpo5TeG1RVifcB4Hd4ceJnMyv59lfZ-QsXH6P1jAk3RqPiuHhsz74LYyA6Ymc5H_XbF7V7vOYEWgxZjy4lYTUQBxm53NEnoFtU8gbNJ_0482jRRQA/w640-h480/event-HAT.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jExOlgxW3D9MWnXCX3ffoJJ1144Vn9-aza7cjTTNhN7l1oUeGRDKltmQVCDFz-obF1Wtkm2AbgG1KaNx6Y-8a3ia3nAYWX6h3UOWLQOZRDpvpjm0Y5nVx_fZBnLwTuQOl4hnU1DCYTCkR7m5Y-KIwKDMxGqpYTcvt4OKNU5qcVI7tfWN18xMJz1L2_A/s2560/20220705_Hike-A-Thon_AnthonysNose_JimCoutant-2-scaled.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="2560" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4jExOlgxW3D9MWnXCX3ffoJJ1144Vn9-aza7cjTTNhN7l1oUeGRDKltmQVCDFz-obF1Wtkm2AbgG1KaNx6Y-8a3ia3nAYWX6h3UOWLQOZRDpvpjm0Y5nVx_fZBnLwTuQOl4hnU1DCYTCkR7m5Y-KIwKDMxGqpYTcvt4OKNU5qcVI7tfWN18xMJz1L2_A/w400-h266/20220705_Hike-A-Thon_AnthonysNose_JimCoutant-2-scaled.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Both images from LGLC site</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> * Here's a few other events I've heard about:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ Saturday, July 29 a guided paddle from Rt. 4 rest area (near Fort Miller) to Hudson Crossing Park with lunch and activities. I canoe this section of the river frequently. I think you'll enjoy it. Just wish the stretch above the Fort Miller dam was more accessible. It's really sweet there. For more info: eriecanalway.org</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ Thursday, July 27 from 6-8pm a guided bike tour of canal history with beer! Starts from the Visitors Center in Schuylerville.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ Also for bikers, also in Schuylerville, Adirondack Ultra Cycling offers tours on July 9 and September 10.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ Sticking with cycling there's mountain bike races in Poultney, Vermont July 15-16 (slatevalleytrails.org), time trials on West River Road, Saratoga County Tuesday evening, July 11 at 6:30pm, mountain bike and trail running races at Gurney Lane Park in Queensbury August 5-6, a cyclefest and gravel rides at the Schaghticoke Fairgrounds on September 9 (mohawkhudsoncyclingclub.org), and the Tour de Vine 35M bike ride starting in Cambridge at 12pm on October 7. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Now for a little recreational real estate browsing.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> ~ Ready to go back to school? There's been a couple of repurposed Washington County one roomers for sale recently.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8saEug4Q5xQ0YCqeWIYDlISHHeihmoCeedbe_o1Tdw5ZtJobiIZWJDNa5NZ433CEDhCDvpY42cPf_KWzKRqGh4sdcFHPVHdgViFqJSykCpV7gov55UrFj-TcolCiGmhU9kzCY1ItZXMTPgF5a4jOL-KACQ79VEsVkWSpaCmtJXymZzWXE1u0kinDOkY/s960/2e89c93da3dc4d4f40a3239157cd65e7l-m2932665768od-w480_h360_x2.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8saEug4Q5xQ0YCqeWIYDlISHHeihmoCeedbe_o1Tdw5ZtJobiIZWJDNa5NZ433CEDhCDvpY42cPf_KWzKRqGh4sdcFHPVHdgViFqJSykCpV7gov55UrFj-TcolCiGmhU9kzCY1ItZXMTPgF5a4jOL-KACQ79VEsVkWSpaCmtJXymZzWXE1u0kinDOkY/w400-h300/2e89c93da3dc4d4f40a3239157cd65e7l-m2932665768od-w480_h360_x2.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Formerly district school #8, now a cute home</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rt. 313 between Cambridge and Vermont border</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YoTrUKWPcY6YxbxQC7y6YdFr_xdW31cx9bD8DvaqMjv2AtzLAe8EWFKT7i5nwAJBN_DpUocMNlcUU_LKDfnaPOEYP5ht1nvdRQmWjvV2vmI9ipW9bZlbSZnMtVZfRbbkdwAsKBPPWRcLZ_IjAouV1DQ0-4crrRggIktDjMtuaxnCnPYvgsqMaGBLK48/s960/756e61c5ef21aa05421944698bcf8db8l-m282273600od-w480_h360_x2.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YoTrUKWPcY6YxbxQC7y6YdFr_xdW31cx9bD8DvaqMjv2AtzLAe8EWFKT7i5nwAJBN_DpUocMNlcUU_LKDfnaPOEYP5ht1nvdRQmWjvV2vmI9ipW9bZlbSZnMtVZfRbbkdwAsKBPPWRcLZ_IjAouV1DQ0-4crrRggIktDjMtuaxnCnPYvgsqMaGBLK48/w640-h426/756e61c5ef21aa05421944698bcf8db8l-m282273600od-w480_h360_x2.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">District school # 14 located at the south end of Cossayuna Lake</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywQPXuPkOvIe-jaKBRsuUuqeZiDpDI4zZXPwQA_3ZZ6SeMrfBwtZAt7sLTht38xkYW8KraEEobG800TceHEE1CK78X6qPYWf45NekyK9yXEgr2Yao5U9FYGNjRB-fIdWQxRsLEw99Jbp8rU7oNIb-vcleeeLG2_a0M1AfdoVQdsroajFd6mkknsfhggI/s1480/img_20200325_125333.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1110" data-original-width="1480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywQPXuPkOvIe-jaKBRsuUuqeZiDpDI4zZXPwQA_3ZZ6SeMrfBwtZAt7sLTht38xkYW8KraEEobG800TceHEE1CK78X6qPYWf45NekyK9yXEgr2Yao5U9FYGNjRB-fIdWQxRsLEw99Jbp8rU7oNIb-vcleeeLG2_a0M1AfdoVQdsroajFd6mkknsfhggI/w400-h300/img_20200325_125333.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The kitchen of Gramp's Old School in Greenwich</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Not for sale but you can book a stay</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(web image)</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Another interesting property has been listed in the Town of Easton. Realtors should market this one to wildlife. Located along Co. 113 this 50 acre parcel has a conservation easement (no building), wetlands and Hudson River frontage. If this were in public ownership it could be managed for waterfowl and also offer access for paddlers. While the Hudson borders Washington County for many miles there are few spots where people can get to the water. The river belongs to all of us but if the shore is all private and posted how do we enjoy it?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUbmoFGeJ-1ylGO9yEMGDXuCDO0wCVJbmxwDerF7SZWImiDr_WooBzmZ3B1yWGIZt_nRftTGg7bXhgluPzKkF5gpVEUHbx1274U2hlTavH9hF1JhmSa1yjs-MJQ24HZiPAd7pBUP20sBCTQXozsEOSdH6Xbc-Vp51LrWnxGzPU2dCsMiET_FLbFjp86c/s960/a5f68c1d6e559d658ea2d6efcbd8f2cfl-m3896196359od-w480_h360_x2.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUbmoFGeJ-1ylGO9yEMGDXuCDO0wCVJbmxwDerF7SZWImiDr_WooBzmZ3B1yWGIZt_nRftTGg7bXhgluPzKkF5gpVEUHbx1274U2hlTavH9hF1JhmSa1yjs-MJQ24HZiPAd7pBUP20sBCTQXozsEOSdH6Xbc-Vp51LrWnxGzPU2dCsMiET_FLbFjp86c/w640-h426/a5f68c1d6e559d658ea2d6efcbd8f2cfl-m3896196359od-w480_h360_x2.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hudson River shoreline in Easton</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(web image)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The one that got away...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> In the Town of Fort Ann nearly a thousand acres surrounding a pristine mountain lake was recently on the market. Crossett Pond had been the site of a boy scout camp in the past and then was owned by the Miller family of Glens Falls. When they decided to sell, the land and lake were available for several months until a wealthy real estate developer bought it for his private estate.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> The east side of Lake George is a very popular recreation area suffering from overuse. Washington is one of the few counties in New York that doesn't have a state campground. This property could have been a great addition to adjacent public lands but there seemed to be no interest among state of local officials. Maybe it was because the state was too busy dumping hundreds of millions of dollars into the ridiculous 'Olympic Facilities' at Lake Placid (can you say kickback?). Meanwhile most local officials are too overburdened and strapped for cash to have a vision for the future that includes long range investment. The result is that the county is losing population and looking a little frayed at the edges while opportunities like Crossett Pond are lost.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg815RzAQLvPn9MRZLG565Qfo4HRfV5xbX9pf_IqAFU-CVnw_GSyIskWpAbglTk6NSn3C9Hx0KFxh2M6NtcNtKgWM5DPwWTHKF6oLu5KPcIUlI95paeFTdz7uagXgOzJfOsbxkltFMr9IN6XfnsvOu97l6GIcpskxN5DBPxmEhR4gpS2WE-i_mWfBdKYPA/s259/download%20(7).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg815RzAQLvPn9MRZLG565Qfo4HRfV5xbX9pf_IqAFU-CVnw_GSyIskWpAbglTk6NSn3C9Hx0KFxh2M6NtcNtKgWM5DPwWTHKF6oLu5KPcIUlI95paeFTdz7uagXgOzJfOsbxkltFMr9IN6XfnsvOu97l6GIcpskxN5DBPxmEhR4gpS2WE-i_mWfBdKYPA/w400-h299/download%20(7).jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Crossett Pond</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(web image)</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrMNXLGJ3Ss">Here</a> is a link to YouTube drone footage of Crossett Pond that runs for several minutes. It's pretty much the only way you can see this lovely spot.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> * In other news out of Albany the legislature passed a bill banning 'kill contests'. These are events where people compete to see how many animals they can shoot in a given time period. Some upstate legislatures painted this as urban liberals foisting their values on rural lifestyles. In our relationship with guns and wildlife I'm reminded of the Phil Collins song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrMNXLGJ3Ss">Long long way to go</a>. </span></div><br /><span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQoz6K115dVwRRdYGDTndVzwZIsDyjQdN_JREVl0j09SlofQDTjX5soka4xigAGLXVrdYAjflNWxm-CRpGKdChbgNO8FpK2KB5PwIJHz5pwUtdCnyOrL1H1J9v9Q0-h7uLoYQR65_EZNb5aKAVW2vsESU_np8Db-O3EQuDrFUcp5adxb1ajIHJjDG8ns/s800/Willdife-Hunting-Contests-1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="800" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQoz6K115dVwRRdYGDTndVzwZIsDyjQdN_JREVl0j09SlofQDTjX5soka4xigAGLXVrdYAjflNWxm-CRpGKdChbgNO8FpK2KB5PwIJHz5pwUtdCnyOrL1H1J9v9Q0-h7uLoYQR65_EZNb5aKAVW2vsESU_np8Db-O3EQuDrFUcp5adxb1ajIHJjDG8ns/w400-h204/Willdife-Hunting-Contests-1.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">web image</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> * Finally, if you're looking for art, exercise and controversial issues all wrapped in one fun package it's time to head up to Middlebury, Vermont for a round of Feminist Miniature Golf. Located in the hockey rink at the college, this installation promises to be an awareness-raising good time. More info <a href="https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2023-06-23/taking-a-swing-with-reproductive-rights-middlebury-colleges-mini-golf-course-aims-to-educate">here.</a> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7REbOI1o2NPJSHt5mI7cOJBIIVphcQf9sdD52xcJAb4lSY9e-7wnlvkuJ2OAMSZDf4JdI9EOS1n8eH_aJML07Dr6YEzJ65X3GrpnWhzi1i-FxDiZ2ZP-zf5qF1afcA-fP3yu8mZHiIiOEsB1xRbxsCjJITyOaogIagJT4eTFdOYhO_dmchnQTnat2h90/s1760/download.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1760" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7REbOI1o2NPJSHt5mI7cOJBIIVphcQf9sdD52xcJAb4lSY9e-7wnlvkuJ2OAMSZDf4JdI9EOS1n8eH_aJML07Dr6YEzJ65X3GrpnWhzi1i-FxDiZ2ZP-zf5qF1afcA-fP3yu8mZHiIiOEsB1xRbxsCjJITyOaogIagJT4eTFdOYhO_dmchnQTnat2h90/w400-h271/download.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Todays Double Take...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3WdqpWgBZL8Km0zy6tFR9zzrL8UgZDaVhvSVjHMfSGBSGBitjv2wgTUj-P1_uFYSJn6el5bXvUdpiQVQL9tDxa3jSYd9YMqbasJjxJkLwcGuMapmc1R922IMSninTnOjJejos1TmYKwsRBG9xBSj5j6SGsYB1JgqKYghkBsPu58KGR_z3S4RHV5FGqA/s4000/IMG_0091.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3WdqpWgBZL8Km0zy6tFR9zzrL8UgZDaVhvSVjHMfSGBSGBitjv2wgTUj-P1_uFYSJn6el5bXvUdpiQVQL9tDxa3jSYd9YMqbasJjxJkLwcGuMapmc1R922IMSninTnOjJejos1TmYKwsRBG9xBSj5j6SGsYB1JgqKYghkBsPu58KGR_z3S4RHV5FGqA/w640-h480/IMG_0091.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This bird's in a hurry to get to one of the events I mention</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Seen along Rt. 22 in Dresden</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-13514268961417390722023-06-27T18:45:00.000-04:002023-06-27T18:45:03.850-04:00Painted River<p><span style="font-size: large;"> "Glad I'm not an artist."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I was at the Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester. There to view art, I found myself looking out the window at the lower slopes of Mt. Equinox instead. It was a gray, rainy day. Not exactly the crisp greens and blues typically seen in so many landscape paintings of New England. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgB1KMgJH7wzFMOrRSwSfKWanbxRyszgUPWgTTOK1leG9fESdc8f8S5hYcHBNd6uTgQQzCHgJHMVstMVvIRwBnZ_wxMfeTWVeIL2AWIkaaD9tpEXxfDXsCAWTwNWgshU9VomfXAIoGXilQ3pufqLhq_OF1Df8aHVp5kgXaqA0MgUpJLDCODajFE4J4ow/s4000/IMG_0190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgB1KMgJH7wzFMOrRSwSfKWanbxRyszgUPWgTTOK1leG9fESdc8f8S5hYcHBNd6uTgQQzCHgJHMVstMVvIRwBnZ_wxMfeTWVeIL2AWIkaaD9tpEXxfDXsCAWTwNWgshU9VomfXAIoGXilQ3pufqLhq_OF1Df8aHVp5kgXaqA0MgUpJLDCODajFE4J4ow/w400-h300/IMG_0190.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Yet I was mesmerized by the scene before me. Misty fog wafting up out of the forest to mingle with lowering clouds. A lone White Pine towering above the surrounding canopy. The Art Center buildings adding scale and contrast. Tough for an artist to match the atmospheric mood Mother Nature had created.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Two exhibits were showing on the day of my visit. <u>Alberto Rey:</u> <u>Cultural Landscapes</u> focused on the Battenkill River and the artist's interest in biological regionalism. Each large scale painting was accompanied by a quick sketch done at the site, a photo and a few notes. I found the approach quite effective, an interesting window into the artist's creative process. Less pleasing was a video installation of Rey painting in his studio. This consisted of rapid time lapse stills of a painting in the process of forming. It made me dizzy watching it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrg0Ycmb63Rav7u1tqfyfv5VpcWd2URl6wAe1Do7uHmuDb4G9_SXcBMe-qukSSO_ZnBgdrUMUlAdpsv7Q0P_5PEs11Vb1IXu5PJPhePZ1-G_mLAk_-X_e-dtPfXx1OJtieiEFkqDosArjIWqSfFPi0MHhI7kyHoIWOz_zPoqKYOUTyV83md1ewhZQlYps/s679/11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="679" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrg0Ycmb63Rav7u1tqfyfv5VpcWd2URl6wAe1Do7uHmuDb4G9_SXcBMe-qukSSO_ZnBgdrUMUlAdpsv7Q0P_5PEs11Vb1IXu5PJPhePZ1-G_mLAk_-X_e-dtPfXx1OJtieiEFkqDosArjIWqSfFPi0MHhI7kyHoIWOz_zPoqKYOUTyV83md1ewhZQlYps/w400-h296/11.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rey painting</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(web image)</div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Rey is incredibly prolific and an adjoining gallery showcased some of his other series including works focused on his native Cuba, on icebergs, on extinct species and on other rivers. I'ld like to recommend you see the exhibit but unfortunately it closed last Sunday, June 25. The best I can offer are a couple of links: <a href="https://battenkill.weebly.com/battenkill-paintings.html">here</a> you can view the Battenkill paintings and <a href="https://albertorey.com/">here</a> is Rey's website.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakGkkgKtJuGVgO010CNABHg6LzcmXIWLMYoC4TR0qKUS75Bm8El4NLFSMADquODRYkUAEI-3pxsQ6cMw1codYhQIkbkM7GtpCC7c5njIX6DObXIQfK9q77vMJpCJljRh9KWaaNxTbVLSF6JKjLYQx3tTQC5sp7c4GnVOkK_xeBMznCHFJKoKHBLxIheY/s1100/roaring-branch-r-smaller_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1100" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakGkkgKtJuGVgO010CNABHg6LzcmXIWLMYoC4TR0qKUS75Bm8El4NLFSMADquODRYkUAEI-3pxsQ6cMw1codYhQIkbkM7GtpCC7c5njIX6DObXIQfK9q77vMJpCJljRh9KWaaNxTbVLSF6JKjLYQx3tTQC5sp7c4GnVOkK_xeBMznCHFJKoKHBLxIheY/w640-h371/roaring-branch-r-smaller_orig.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;">Alberto Rey</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;">(web image)</span></span></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Up until July 16 is the <u>Spring/Summer 2023 Members</u> <u>Exhibition</u>. Hundreds of creations in a wide variety of mediums almost overwhelm. The artists come from all over New England and New York and a lot of familiar names from Washington County are here. I noted J. Metzger's assemblages because I always enjoy driving by his funky place in Battenville, where the very yard is an assemblage. Two moody landscape photos by Alex Baker also made an impression. If you go I'ld like to hear what sticks with you.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYm36Oox96KXsp-dtRSBfnn8OEB5t20xhLWclsltR03QuW8zGNSKLAZZxrHCdh3YaBlqNwLBSV3gaiynErEyaBkYhiIJrz5OCVec8NQ5IQ9_bTEDy5RC6k3G2gfpYR0GwdeMfVgSOERVDEzRUZLP1X5ikOvpaglyR-xdyoktyEaPIH8B8IHbEJNEHKp8s/s4032/IMG-5150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYm36Oox96KXsp-dtRSBfnn8OEB5t20xhLWclsltR03QuW8zGNSKLAZZxrHCdh3YaBlqNwLBSV3gaiynErEyaBkYhiIJrz5OCVec8NQ5IQ9_bTEDy5RC6k3G2gfpYR0GwdeMfVgSOERVDEzRUZLP1X5ikOvpaglyR-xdyoktyEaPIH8B8IHbEJNEHKp8s/w400-h300/IMG-5150.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Jack Metzger</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHB3XuMPh2YcMsx4s5ZzldK8JHZModcllTzCJ7W-z4vF5GrQKKaEbvyqkSb_070RmFwN4jqjw08oMkZlJnGjVzZ_0UL7GBRRu9ArShvL6KIgESX7jc9vaJDpGcPxj4mchHn6M6dE-wszjxijwLYZ2VFntJS4I1IlCUTXHzKyisJKK5MLRAP0Os1bDFGs/s4032/IMG-5159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHB3XuMPh2YcMsx4s5ZzldK8JHZModcllTzCJ7W-z4vF5GrQKKaEbvyqkSb_070RmFwN4jqjw08oMkZlJnGjVzZ_0UL7GBRRu9ArShvL6KIgESX7jc9vaJDpGcPxj4mchHn6M6dE-wszjxijwLYZ2VFntJS4I1IlCUTXHzKyisJKK5MLRAP0Os1bDFGs/w640-h480/IMG-5159.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgnm_tXAVmDWuiKi9xsVcIBI2ym1yPn0be31vcluCRYQ0a9fqcDty9wLU9VrnpkXceejYSz-qVfzUlFaXOdBFv02Dw7cYd8mmkGMPHIrgWDbViFWQYvUS7QB15dulNWnfUnAEDg-qQvMCDMSsyG1Yzzpev6QCIECa7jzVQwt_KDgStNQMkeqIlGDMxTY/s4032/IMG-5162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgnm_tXAVmDWuiKi9xsVcIBI2ym1yPn0be31vcluCRYQ0a9fqcDty9wLU9VrnpkXceejYSz-qVfzUlFaXOdBFv02Dw7cYd8mmkGMPHIrgWDbViFWQYvUS7QB15dulNWnfUnAEDg-qQvMCDMSsyG1Yzzpev6QCIECa7jzVQwt_KDgStNQMkeqIlGDMxTY/w300-h400/IMG-5162.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Note that an upcoming show is a joint collaboration with the Bennington Museum. <u>For the Love of Vermont</u> is drawn from the Lyman Orton collection and opens at the SVAC on July 22. The image accompanying the exhibition announcement is a painting by Rockwell Kent. He used both the local Taconics and the Adirondacks as subject matter (as well as many other places) and you can see a big cross section of his work at SUNY Plattsburg. I hope to have more on that in the future.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KN_iS3rMyn35UWB8w2-FrsMzDQcUbSNR4tyBHC4cQ6NptdNhWgT9tcKudLfCX6_1wqTn9uBf0A05qsApQaWXOUjqT91LG65ggWoITxSoQNMa9yeFB2wqn67yWdm4RsuSyPGAsfMTKZyk86ihKMjUL6vxFlC_bz6WSdV9m_D7LBLwG4Zlg5p-Xv6Abgo/s2560/Rockwell-Kent_Mt-Equinox-Summer-scaled.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1985" data-original-width="2560" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KN_iS3rMyn35UWB8w2-FrsMzDQcUbSNR4tyBHC4cQ6NptdNhWgT9tcKudLfCX6_1wqTn9uBf0A05qsApQaWXOUjqT91LG65ggWoITxSoQNMa9yeFB2wqn67yWdm4RsuSyPGAsfMTKZyk86ihKMjUL6vxFlC_bz6WSdV9m_D7LBLwG4Zlg5p-Xv6Abgo/w640-h496/Rockwell-Kent_Mt-Equinox-Summer-scaled.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rockwell Kent</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Also at SVAC you might want to walk the Botany Trail or hike on the Equinox Preservation Trust trails that connect to the Arts Center. There are numerous performances scheduled in the Arkell Pavilion and an onsite restaurant called the curATE cafe with inside and patio dining. The complex is accessed by a long winding drive thru a sculpture park complete with flocks of wild turkeys on the day we were there. To get the whole picture visit their website <a href="https://www.svac.org/">here.</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrHTH5XG2d7bWMWmo1i_dxZBjSQW-fiwd1A3y_s3h570m3JGf26C3-t6hOABAGods5y7c3B_Itrl7itcNGD5ecGP0dP7UF_loe7xxgmfF3KyW1Sz8qpvG0ZVCzUonIYY-zbIuu21uWYklBjMMQXrMYDYN-T8PmoIWNJpY8XTSDcsDyd5Z3KCZiG2QX5Q/s4000/IMG_0189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrHTH5XG2d7bWMWmo1i_dxZBjSQW-fiwd1A3y_s3h570m3JGf26C3-t6hOABAGods5y7c3B_Itrl7itcNGD5ecGP0dP7UF_loe7xxgmfF3KyW1Sz8qpvG0ZVCzUonIYY-zbIuu21uWYklBjMMQXrMYDYN-T8PmoIWNJpY8XTSDcsDyd5Z3KCZiG2QX5Q/w480-h640/IMG_0189.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span> <p></p>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-44626160707267623442023-06-12T21:23:00.000-04:002023-06-12T21:23:12.963-04:00Rock & Ramble<p><span style="font-size: large;"> Since farming is (marginally) more lucrative than blogging I've been spending most of my time working in the fields lately. But now, with several much needed showery days, I've found a few minutes to profile a couple of neat local places you might enjoy.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> 'Local' is a somewhat amorphous concept but I think of it as places I can visit in an hour or two's easy drive. The classic day trip. From the upper Hudson Valley that includes a tempting smorgasbord of four distinct mountain ranges: the Adirondacks, the Taconics, the Greens and the Catskills. You could even make a case for the Berkshires being a fifth option. So many hills, so little time.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUBG272UjfIDtbPOkw7V9KVVoGsnoqme48niqUkYhdioTY_l1L1qdXgmYBNEfYE828W7obZglKStnhRnpOWTLk86EF1dQjSm3Kn4avSbQyWNlEnnB-NJixOrTUtO7T05Q7im0b9Nn4vJA4hHSEmofhATcJjtL3WuKDXyRPMpXvdEuT3cUty-HB2wx/s405/NortheastAppalachiansMap.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="405" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUBG272UjfIDtbPOkw7V9KVVoGsnoqme48niqUkYhdioTY_l1L1qdXgmYBNEfYE828W7obZglKStnhRnpOWTLk86EF1dQjSm3Kn4avSbQyWNlEnnB-NJixOrTUtO7T05Q7im0b9Nn4vJA4hHSEmofhATcJjtL3WuKDXyRPMpXvdEuT3cUty-HB2wx/w640-h494/NortheastAppalachiansMap.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJ33pXVNAyFCpnDj2oNayOw_FZmds2iCbsGK3fxLZfp7e-meqLfS1_B2LBMCingdsmYQYEvU6xAH634qx9-I5YoLpeHSiBt9n6oRMLOCJDPl5n21D46kHT3obXvlVqtaxRDorLQnRB3oM76S8SedqwU9j4xe3Y4GVLXbutFsHQKaE7GMTduQONtvO/s4000/IMG_0145.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJ33pXVNAyFCpnDj2oNayOw_FZmds2iCbsGK3fxLZfp7e-meqLfS1_B2LBMCingdsmYQYEvU6xAH634qx9-I5YoLpeHSiBt9n6oRMLOCJDPl5n21D46kHT3obXvlVqtaxRDorLQnRB3oM76S8SedqwU9j4xe3Y4GVLXbutFsHQKaE7GMTduQONtvO/w640-h480/IMG_0145.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Marsh and open water at Inman Pond</span></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">ROCK...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Inman Pond is like an old friend to me. We may go a few years without seeing each other but then there's a happy reunion. The pond is in the Adirondack foothills on the east side of Lake George. From Rt. 149 in the Town of Fort Ann head north on Buttermilk Falls and Sly Pond Roads to a parking area just past the trailhead. The short hike follows a gradual ascent along Bishop Brook. In short order the trail splits near the swampy outlet of the pond. Taking the left fork will lead you to several shoreline campsites and fishing spots. Keep going until a seemingly impregnable rock face looms up. Follow herd paths around and up onto this outcrop for an airy vantage point high above the pond.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0dD0Vz-XFgTyrNNeU3ks5K16_pKDuKq6GtP1RcEyRGVktrSg27IKF9XuouY4o0KB5xTfZ2SJ8lV7dUh2ta9DhHVMhKoizZNTBA1T9wybt09qO2KkPfHSVU-LbcZrQudvLkQXIjh1xVVkz-xB7Z6YsJBTfYeQoyMjIDYl5qnm9TYr2V1Xynk-ERns/s4000/IMG_0146.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0dD0Vz-XFgTyrNNeU3ks5K16_pKDuKq6GtP1RcEyRGVktrSg27IKF9XuouY4o0KB5xTfZ2SJ8lV7dUh2ta9DhHVMhKoizZNTBA1T9wybt09qO2KkPfHSVU-LbcZrQudvLkQXIjh1xVVkz-xB7Z6YsJBTfYeQoyMjIDYl5qnm9TYr2V1Xynk-ERns/w480-h640/IMG_0146.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bottom...</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnERuc0wOVcJ0cnweFGK7meC1q0_Ht5asXAezUuyEdewDyqwuP4VdoGXDIE7EmYCHejItw2C3ywdR0exLAfscCZ3w5YjRoqhtbjF4LfaYA7KBdYzMvYoG-mwdyUuzDA44YGMyEm065mj8kQgWjTzg1Ww7mO5u-C1Bywzs2hXRRS3Pa9V4nbu3PVadr/s4000/IMG_0156.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnERuc0wOVcJ0cnweFGK7meC1q0_Ht5asXAezUuyEdewDyqwuP4VdoGXDIE7EmYCHejItw2C3ywdR0exLAfscCZ3w5YjRoqhtbjF4LfaYA7KBdYzMvYoG-mwdyUuzDA44YGMyEm065mj8kQgWjTzg1Ww7mO5u-C1Bywzs2hXRRS3Pa9V4nbu3PVadr/w400-h300/IMG_0156.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">...and top</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> This is a great place to picnic, read, nap, even indulge in activities that might make me blush. If you've got a geologist handy bring him along. At the base of the cliff, in an overhanging alcove, are a variety of rock types and features you can explore. Across the pond on the other side of a ridge lies Crossett Pond (recently sold to a wealthy developer). You may be able to skirt the upper end of Inman to go down the other side but it's boggy and I'm not sure where the line between public and private land lies.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOvbpUIcLcGlZEG2Dv0YTxasqQRWQXrjmm-cdzC-lwDhkmhhOyb4XuLHw1petiPxrEnDDMiqSjbBRhDCIsq7W29TJFr2mOCiZprwo_nJphzpj-6BkmELeft0_WRw-rqWW2kZ-_UkIjrLJ-yuzXuRyMhYR-NKA-xytsYEcuudA0KFYYLRMezguOPzJ/s4000/IMG_0149.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOvbpUIcLcGlZEG2Dv0YTxasqQRWQXrjmm-cdzC-lwDhkmhhOyb4XuLHw1petiPxrEnDDMiqSjbBRhDCIsq7W29TJFr2mOCiZprwo_nJphzpj-6BkmELeft0_WRw-rqWW2kZ-_UkIjrLJ-yuzXuRyMhYR-NKA-xytsYEcuudA0KFYYLRMezguOPzJ/w300-h400/IMG_0149.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJkeqoyIuo8YDOj5dZHope3xN2vTODMN-5wmY7P9HRLeUXPVEnCDB3LxDrhvnAZTlmOu42zlUxdRaNRcrQedxTHUi6XMxt9teCk-n2I1BadrWM0JNXuqSo_1zMWdA2mBvXj043VFVhmIXPMCn4KVjEYNqeoNq54Qt-mMWbJFgAXbqOdmaAUmBqD2b/s4000/IMG_0148.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJkeqoyIuo8YDOj5dZHope3xN2vTODMN-5wmY7P9HRLeUXPVEnCDB3LxDrhvnAZTlmOu42zlUxdRaNRcrQedxTHUi6XMxt9teCk-n2I1BadrWM0JNXuqSo_1zMWdA2mBvXj043VFVhmIXPMCn4KVjEYNqeoNq54Qt-mMWbJFgAXbqOdmaAUmBqD2b/w640-h480/IMG_0148.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajn4ctMZBaO5hh38Lb_u93cypQscEruOAhnfkHpXgT3AKarNJv9r59f5liVA4zrK6KT_XD9xpeKrZyOj6Aaiq9okjwQyfrrmjgftas5AqbdLkVunD1tZifoAeJqPM9ZBLetJr8gmHe1qjAsKSmsGxzJHBFm2hB6ejkLwsgyWJXXXGZbomHBdw9w23/s1642/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-09%20at%204.29.16%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1642" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajn4ctMZBaO5hh38Lb_u93cypQscEruOAhnfkHpXgT3AKarNJv9r59f5liVA4zrK6KT_XD9xpeKrZyOj6Aaiq9okjwQyfrrmjgftas5AqbdLkVunD1tZifoAeJqPM9ZBLetJr8gmHe1qjAsKSmsGxzJHBFm2hB6ejkLwsgyWJXXXGZbomHBdw9w23/w640-h424/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-09%20at%204.29.16%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> <span style="font-size: large;"> The only place I know to swim is on the shore opposite the high rock perch where a small ledge drops into deep water. I used to come up on short, brisk trail runs and it was always a delight to slip into the water after working up a sweat. I also remember hauling a rope and climbing gear to clamber up and rappel off the rock. Oh, to be young and foolish again! Now days I'm content to lay back and absorb the tranquility of this lovely spot.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFLcg1LxCm0x4e1bUI7yEdgYH32S3wwlw9oA_1ntseoGy_BXMB9qhRlfwbP8zJiZU-LEpa_X-I-Q_sOYjj9Xj2GhLitWr536VgmUUTWbgwymAGgmopGChB9IWTG0tAQmxrG89KA_FGv7fFmIph_JruueiANUViiQemS9SxFMX54WetJsesx58dOKV/s4000/IMG_0154.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFLcg1LxCm0x4e1bUI7yEdgYH32S3wwlw9oA_1ntseoGy_BXMB9qhRlfwbP8zJiZU-LEpa_X-I-Q_sOYjj9Xj2GhLitWr536VgmUUTWbgwymAGgmopGChB9IWTG0tAQmxrG89KA_FGv7fFmIph_JruueiANUViiQemS9SxFMX54WetJsesx58dOKV/w640-h480/IMG_0154.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> On our way back out we met a family from Granville - mom, dad, and three, maybe four kids. They were returning from an ambitious climb up Pilot Knob. It's worth noting that there are multiple destinations from the trailhead, including Pilot Knob and Buck Mountain as well as a popular climbing ledge in the col between them. Like I said, so many hills, ponds, streams and rocks...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilgGMj2DVAqPoPeyEAN9d1LcQ1VBr1rjrukoZv8S9HRAzzRSYGveBzV4_Dy7bEVRcJr6a3mHJY06EjPh_XjDmaSCJcLnGWlFsbOQLwVRMU7ns4q-NTjjg49uKfdgeIuyke2hP5_NZtSOpj9B1Fpxh818RI7W3kLXaBKWBun6fMYPlHE0FNuiBAVPBl/s4000/IMG_0165.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilgGMj2DVAqPoPeyEAN9d1LcQ1VBr1rjrukoZv8S9HRAzzRSYGveBzV4_Dy7bEVRcJr6a3mHJY06EjPh_XjDmaSCJcLnGWlFsbOQLwVRMU7ns4q-NTjjg49uKfdgeIuyke2hP5_NZtSOpj9B1Fpxh818RI7W3kLXaBKWBun6fMYPlHE0FNuiBAVPBl/w640-h480/IMG_0165.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">RAMBLE...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOVy6KqpQqjXypjnosyszDNB7t-p86zzFKPl5z9x7IHBmKL3qFF-AJGUX1ikGfXMgwGUZKCzPWjSsjhMIDYIg0Gnh3qtHbBWQHmorDhbAcMv0bO1c04C66sr4K1D4TWlfFElFi-JuAiEC8IWZmrywW3Ngf6PKMV0izlWWEWiZOCruFevudC2GKB7_/s4000/IMG_0171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOVy6KqpQqjXypjnosyszDNB7t-p86zzFKPl5z9x7IHBmKL3qFF-AJGUX1ikGfXMgwGUZKCzPWjSsjhMIDYIg0Gnh3qtHbBWQHmorDhbAcMv0bO1c04C66sr4K1D4TWlfFElFi-JuAiEC8IWZmrywW3Ngf6PKMV0izlWWEWiZOCruFevudC2GKB7_/w640-h480/IMG_0171.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The path to the park</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Want to stroll thru a Japanese Garden without enduring a very long (and expensive) flight? Let me suggest the Taconic Ramble State Park in Hubbardton, Vermont. Get ready for a unique and memorable experience.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5j8p3zx62GWUgFZRmghmodhZJCIaVao4BTH9GBxFb8yqdwYfHdpmeKPSJXKXsR-1X0nFALlyNgBjjZOtD7EfMRVRb5HxZlCa9ZkEYHpBmKl_sllIWTXlghFwaT_jRd5ZMgjGO9m9cWqeaCTf6baa5ElJDQubUYHGYieRay6elxwMY3R8GMeSE-3iY/s4000/IMG_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5j8p3zx62GWUgFZRmghmodhZJCIaVao4BTH9GBxFb8yqdwYfHdpmeKPSJXKXsR-1X0nFALlyNgBjjZOtD7EfMRVRb5HxZlCa9ZkEYHpBmKl_sllIWTXlghFwaT_jRd5ZMgjGO9m9cWqeaCTf6baa5ElJDQubUYHGYieRay6elxwMY3R8GMeSE-3iY/s320/IMG_0172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> When Gwenne, Zia and I stopped by on a sparkling spring day it was a 'deja vu all over again' revelation. I had hiked here long ago but this trip felt like a fresh discovery. That first visit was prompted by rumors of an eccentric couple sculpting their own magical fairyland in the Vermont hills, while also inviting others to come and enjoy it. Carson 'Kit' Davidson and his wife Mickie were New York City creatives who wanted a country place to escape the urban hustle.They eventually purchased over 400 acres of meadow and ridge terrain and set to work enhancing it with trails, benches and the iconic Japanese Garden. While they were alive they welcomed anyone seeking peace and beauty. After their passing they left the land to the people of Vermont with an endowment for its upkeep. In a world plastered with POSTED signs, how inspiring is that!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZH9VAUqn7s55dMRr-qIx7Lrm26vJcf9w7C21oENbN0qboDMZiyuPZbapZZdyZI-38dSUgk1ihFCFh1sBmRjXWVtzpqoO2oYD6w-U2FCntBolSn9r35OOuW1u1S2MhqbXVc82ggqdtaEzuiqFZ6hQqhLCGI-CDJbggu2BuyokDVsfRuRyDjLQkDti0/s4000/IMG_0170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZH9VAUqn7s55dMRr-qIx7Lrm26vJcf9w7C21oENbN0qboDMZiyuPZbapZZdyZI-38dSUgk1ihFCFh1sBmRjXWVtzpqoO2oYD6w-U2FCntBolSn9r35OOuW1u1S2MhqbXVc82ggqdtaEzuiqFZ6hQqhLCGI-CDJbggu2BuyokDVsfRuRyDjLQkDti0/w640-h480/IMG_0170.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2N3Cg1yhmORSAgttC9VmPdd3lFuCKyvPnIH6vnvZWC9DIQJvydF0i3wj9XaxIYJ3WJxtdLo5I4kgING9z2Lf-avk20IJkaYJ4gIbxoduhPTIqOGBjqCqw2v8lVm5Dp5-Gu-Iw2ZB6xA-ZohFShvIualTsnmHbF1HiuEQRwtnUtfw4_G18281KndxI/s4000/IMG_0173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2N3Cg1yhmORSAgttC9VmPdd3lFuCKyvPnIH6vnvZWC9DIQJvydF0i3wj9XaxIYJ3WJxtdLo5I4kgING9z2Lf-avk20IJkaYJ4gIbxoduhPTIqOGBjqCqw2v8lVm5Dp5-Gu-Iw2ZB6xA-ZohFShvIualTsnmHbF1HiuEQRwtnUtfw4_G18281KndxI/w480-h640/IMG_0173.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Today the land is a free state park with minimal facilities. It's a place to ramble, taking in the views and wandering thru lush fields and forests. The trails are divided into east and west areas and you could spend several days hiking all of them. We explored the Garden and then went up to Mount Zion Minor and Moot Point on short but rugged paths. The waterfalls trails to the east will have to wait for a return trip. And return we will. The Davidson's enlightened attitude of sharing their paradise makes this a 'feel good' place not soon forgotten.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VXEtv8mMoFMi1wE2cqTkBZ6V9ePVJdaLQmVw1GDUWoU_93NMFzSZ_jZyIxFujAUvxhU-2sOL3RZKj2gkI7JBBePOqqtFMZjXIDxn1fmE1UqbgW-GfdhqAqeo4JUwm0tw3GsY8OL_80bx1VxJ5potTv7zl26rNidKQoKmwbRRrlXgm48hQGrcjGlc/s4000/IMG_0177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VXEtv8mMoFMi1wE2cqTkBZ6V9ePVJdaLQmVw1GDUWoU_93NMFzSZ_jZyIxFujAUvxhU-2sOL3RZKj2gkI7JBBePOqqtFMZjXIDxn1fmE1UqbgW-GfdhqAqeo4JUwm0tw3GsY8OL_80bx1VxJ5potTv7zl26rNidKQoKmwbRRrlXgm48hQGrcjGlc/w640-h480/IMG_0177.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiax48riR6wLw_i3-q7mCDeRVkcv-BEjyn4IX50DGtAFCl7EUgyUF99qESIEgWEcdMKw202ugzElKJkogOzvrQ5FlfARq9q_y5r1wNffi3tnLOAbblhIzzdgkw0mKo-s-E4gaiDhJjxgmDQ3m_FqfY6LvHwSDMuCgwabPm46VF6p8HM9KHl8TX8V0-o/s4000/IMG_0175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiax48riR6wLw_i3-q7mCDeRVkcv-BEjyn4IX50DGtAFCl7EUgyUF99qESIEgWEcdMKw202ugzElKJkogOzvrQ5FlfARq9q_y5r1wNffi3tnLOAbblhIzzdgkw0mKo-s-E4gaiDhJjxgmDQ3m_FqfY6LvHwSDMuCgwabPm46VF6p8HM9KHl8TX8V0-o/w300-h400/IMG_0175.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbY70HYBP9PeWBZBWgC6g4D6M08t2isQeT2PRbgg175UopPSMsWHOkZygW4Q56gcVbV8B1b3zTFXvXXN0U5HTMZncDGYgejWY6x3zttVtw3kBa_lAotM19RW2CNbFHlDlTXyCkhbnzK7PGLZLb6DhOzJq_Ap8UC3xlD9izcU-kOxXQT_rp5xL3xuOI/s4000/IMG_0169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbY70HYBP9PeWBZBWgC6g4D6M08t2isQeT2PRbgg175UopPSMsWHOkZygW4Q56gcVbV8B1b3zTFXvXXN0U5HTMZncDGYgejWY6x3zttVtw3kBa_lAotM19RW2CNbFHlDlTXyCkhbnzK7PGLZLb6DhOzJq_Ap8UC3xlD9izcU-kOxXQT_rp5xL3xuOI/w480-h640/IMG_0169.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Photo of Kit and Mickie at the entrance kiosk</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(sorry about the reflection)</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> * Here's a link to the park's <a href="https://vtstateparks.com/taconic.html">website</a> for more information.</span></p>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-38534532945422307812023-04-29T20:27:00.001-04:002023-04-29T21:23:06.407-04:00Odd Orchards<p><span style="font-size: large;"> Say 'orchard' and 'apple' would be my response. Until last week. That's when I spent a couple of hours exploring two conifer seed orchards in southern Washington County. I didn't see any apples but did find an interesting variety of trees bearing cones rather than fruit. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> One grove is located in Mt. Tom State Forest, accessed from Lincoln Hill Road and the other is in Chestnut Woods State Forest, accessed from Chestnut Hill Road. Both forests are in the Town of White Creek near the Vermont border southeast of the Village of Cambridge.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrOXoyZxHQDM9hH9A4lK4kenhxgBIhkHBc0vdk6HZdkNHQgCpSzjpHkbW9gCGQ3PeKMW7-lMdOAr_OcBXeMZMCvPIAD8cV_5p7OfG-dnBluZ3rmTz0AxuNvbptzvT-mD65V9hwYI2Y9KGFh0rJq_UNtlPdP3mh5n3KlE4QwZH0Nhj0KTfGdoN727v/s990/Screen%20Shot%202023-04-29%20at%206.07.52%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="990" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrOXoyZxHQDM9hH9A4lK4kenhxgBIhkHBc0vdk6HZdkNHQgCpSzjpHkbW9gCGQ3PeKMW7-lMdOAr_OcBXeMZMCvPIAD8cV_5p7OfG-dnBluZ3rmTz0AxuNvbptzvT-mD65V9hwYI2Y9KGFh0rJq_UNtlPdP3mh5n3KlE4QwZH0Nhj0KTfGdoN727v/w640-h480/Screen%20Shot%202023-04-29%20at%206.07.52%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mt. Tom and Chestnut Woods State Forests shown on lower right side of map</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> The orchards are used by DEC's Saratoga Tree Nursery for the production of seed from 'desirable' trees. At the Mt. Tom site there are Scotch Pine, European Larch, Jack Pine, Norway Spruce and Red Pine. At the Chestnut Woods location Norway Spruce and Japanese Larch predominate. The trees were planted in '60's, '70's and '80's in an 18' by 18' grid. Today, they are large, mature and densely clustered.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDYAAGyssXTM3VpJnqF4HbSmQMssVu49E41uYH69EwC9qjg0FNomm4QI62UEUY1TfmUiByGb2Hmjq_seIDURCbf_1aH5qVgJE4T9mA_-NAV8c3XM05kc-bUn4ydkuE3P2JT18q21R5cBMD-zHACunBChbgSUHwmGuCo2jhV8m6Jvyg0XKxu2cyWVU/s1304/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-20%20at%207.33.48%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="1084" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDYAAGyssXTM3VpJnqF4HbSmQMssVu49E41uYH69EwC9qjg0FNomm4QI62UEUY1TfmUiByGb2Hmjq_seIDURCbf_1aH5qVgJE4T9mA_-NAV8c3XM05kc-bUn4ydkuE3P2JT18q21R5cBMD-zHACunBChbgSUHwmGuCo2jhV8m6Jvyg0XKxu2cyWVU/w532-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-20%20at%207.33.48%20PM.png" width="532" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The seed orchard is where the green shade on the map connects with Lincoln Hill Road</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQP2z6ghz2ehPzmOYKUIQ2R8QlPVxs0gmLzJk1P-QiQ3Z7OxJnoEwxoCZOEk-01Kit9qIL36s3GkG8m0o_0EmlivseEvkJucInIZu3AIkDxIbJM54MM_73DECp81rP6l3spA5ngLrNcb4SNJKDMdgNhBTm7dzq8CSkNJtp5XQsydVYJKvw4iccCxgd/s666/image002.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="666" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQP2z6ghz2ehPzmOYKUIQ2R8QlPVxs0gmLzJk1P-QiQ3Z7OxJnoEwxoCZOEk-01Kit9qIL36s3GkG8m0o_0EmlivseEvkJucInIZu3AIkDxIbJM54MM_73DECp81rP6l3spA5ngLrNcb4SNJKDMdgNhBTm7dzq8CSkNJtp5XQsydVYJKvw4iccCxgd/w640-h614/image002.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> The Mt. Tom orchards are on the north side of Lincoln Hill Road where a rough dirt lane angles uphill. Look for a brown metal post that probably once had a sign but no longer does. Best to park here and walk because the lane is blocked by a fallen tree. As you wander up you'll see some scraggily Scotch Pine with its orange upper bark and 2"- 3" long needles in clusters of two. Continuing along an access road the next planting to your right is European Larch. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lgVMqMqstYt6i3cGzHGXbFPuJccC0JI69DCfSh3N8vxiNNoFGQOLKzxvd0pQLGkGQFzlaoFwI8h-4KKk-DoUrnDU5Uj7Jc9Rk4idIvrT5hOKwDwQs7xaaa-aEDOhKSp-85wz0zMRi-D8yafkVoAdaFekc6FQlcaxqyVEq8pQhaNzqXCzkFSjB5iC/s4000/IMG_0128.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lgVMqMqstYt6i3cGzHGXbFPuJccC0JI69DCfSh3N8vxiNNoFGQOLKzxvd0pQLGkGQFzlaoFwI8h-4KKk-DoUrnDU5Uj7Jc9Rk4idIvrT5hOKwDwQs7xaaa-aEDOhKSp-85wz0zMRi-D8yafkVoAdaFekc6FQlcaxqyVEq8pQhaNzqXCzkFSjB5iC/w640-h480/IMG_0128.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Two Scotch Pine frame European Larch in the distance</span></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NN7p1N0_iAafd8JciWo6e4Zar72bSwCy06qtovEQu5m_QVYleRrhpMjQXJyhCobPoXhI2xAS9yZmnkhdoI6iRv5YS7_kwWZjQFnDQf0d7L0KYYVMyP1HI1JTKp238fy4xtq2fSJh686rAv-3tEh7KZRvLGveWuPyyTFRDSP_NIe3NmCESJMXE7Zq/s4000/IMG_0129.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4NN7p1N0_iAafd8JciWo6e4Zar72bSwCy06qtovEQu5m_QVYleRrhpMjQXJyhCobPoXhI2xAS9yZmnkhdoI6iRv5YS7_kwWZjQFnDQf0d7L0KYYVMyP1HI1JTKp238fy4xtq2fSJh686rAv-3tEh7KZRvLGveWuPyyTFRDSP_NIe3NmCESJMXE7Zq/w300-h400/IMG_0129.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Larch greening up</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Beyond the Larch in what appears to be a gap filling in with weeds and brush you can see a few tall trees. These are Jack Pine and while I didn't venture into the brambles I only counted about a dozen individuals. Finally the path you are following enters a crowded stand of Norway Spruce. Here the ground is littered with cones. One last group of conifers can be seen by walking to the left up thru an open hardwood forest towards a ridgeline where there is a cluster of Red Pine.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMNyvKS9HCnqXj910JUV7Ggwu2Ojc0Gbzr3s2M7TPNdIH9_kBPci7OfOhThMd24ulRLvZcXTGLN_mUdPsYPScKs7SNCyvBHC49wOuvaD43bJ7OLKaoyCiAFZj7glFF5dhZnXoX8Jr8caDsjsfNkDNUK66s1gyuYowD5RwDibINa_cx8a9XEJQS2h1/s4000/IMG_0133.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMNyvKS9HCnqXj910JUV7Ggwu2Ojc0Gbzr3s2M7TPNdIH9_kBPci7OfOhThMd24ulRLvZcXTGLN_mUdPsYPScKs7SNCyvBHC49wOuvaD43bJ7OLKaoyCiAFZj7glFF5dhZnXoX8Jr8caDsjsfNkDNUK66s1gyuYowD5RwDibINa_cx8a9XEJQS2h1/w640-h480/IMG_0133.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Several Jack Pine in the distance, Norway Spruce on the left</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjvlWDZtdbWxF7TVJwUUeVddsIfXPWGv853KcCaHd0qMtl1MwFU2Gxskm4KEAzZPR__zzQjdROpjp98T1eh3MmYatF2VkueG6E1PBvRI3DV0BuzKsOrVC2Hv-iHLahpx_hHHb476ZGH-m7K0JXr12tEGCrssu35mxepBUC95lMnWMJVlxRBt30jso/s4000/IMG_0135.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjvlWDZtdbWxF7TVJwUUeVddsIfXPWGv853KcCaHd0qMtl1MwFU2Gxskm4KEAzZPR__zzQjdROpjp98T1eh3MmYatF2VkueG6E1PBvRI3DV0BuzKsOrVC2Hv-iHLahpx_hHHb476ZGH-m7K0JXr12tEGCrssu35mxepBUC95lMnWMJVlxRBt30jso/w300-h400/IMG_0135.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Red Pine showing typical 'bushy' needle clusters</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> They may do a little bush-hogging but the orchard seems to get little maintenance. Hardwood trees are invading the conifer orchard along with native White Pine. The Norway Spruce and European Larch seem to be doing OK but the Scotch and Jack Pine not so great. While there, look for an interesting 'lane' created by two parallel stone walls to the left of the spruces, apparently a relic of livestock grazing from times gone by.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOor-m9q_I3YXqzkye0ZE8R7sOc4ykR4ycI40NQakbbHEWYntchcE2nnhwVFOO-jg4eDKqrlIwJjZ5t5ZYUNmHYb6l-5I3Kvl9BX4YEhu1cvrN-Eryk14kVEMoQ0FPTZJ2u1V8yqJymvWPN_7lKpbygOEGZPb28AdOzXDE0A5OobJ6_wbGExrHlk1g/s4000/IMG_0134.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOor-m9q_I3YXqzkye0ZE8R7sOc4ykR4ycI40NQakbbHEWYntchcE2nnhwVFOO-jg4eDKqrlIwJjZ5t5ZYUNmHYb6l-5I3Kvl9BX4YEhu1cvrN-Eryk14kVEMoQ0FPTZJ2u1V8yqJymvWPN_7lKpbygOEGZPb28AdOzXDE0A5OobJ6_wbGExrHlk1g/w400-h300/IMG_0134.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cow (or sheep) highway?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The lane between stone walls.</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> To see the stands in Chestnut Woods State Forest drive east on Lincoln Hill Road to a four way intersection, turning left onto Chestnut Hill Road. Soon you will see a sign for Chestnut Woods State Forest but this is <u>not</u> where you want to go. Continue driving up thru a scenic notch, then downhill until there's a woods road on the right just before the entrance to Pompanuck Farm. This road <u>is</u> where you want to go but <u>don't</u> try driving up it. I did but you are smarter than me. It's just barely passable with a hi-clearance 4x4 that you don't care much about. It's a death wish for other vehicles. Best to find a place to park off the side of the town road and walk up the woods road.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5976krARJxYfR3NNiTEoIeDfFA0isVyThzh6yMC0pZ8JqvBWf93xXev5ukNP6-m4lA-1In9jsii-OUw_2LmP7njJ0h4pCPdrWOHZGJsNC7C7DHwLqvp8zSXAsn6Fz900knkbSBoMATUZ84K7TD1ZavJTDdlCUpQgtWBfZWnbfUzYNYMHqH8dCAqoR/s1200/Screen%20Shot%202023-04-29%20at%206.41.54%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1056" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5976krARJxYfR3NNiTEoIeDfFA0isVyThzh6yMC0pZ8JqvBWf93xXev5ukNP6-m4lA-1In9jsii-OUw_2LmP7njJ0h4pCPdrWOHZGJsNC7C7DHwLqvp8zSXAsn6Fz900knkbSBoMATUZ84K7TD1ZavJTDdlCUpQgtWBfZWnbfUzYNYMHqH8dCAqoR/w564-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-04-29%20at%206.41.54%20PM.png" width="564" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The ROW to the northern part of Chestnut Woods doesn't show on this map</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's located just to the right of the question mark shaped squiggle, map center</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioFwo9ULDbGlYw_uJBVtii8KBuJ4qkXwrubsa-jmbay4wh6bMPgacrw5uX8FZzA7hGrJkmhoVI81cvPyL9po2leqaAYeejLP3U85UGUzuep19ydrmcOKWy5GugszLqovPDghw2BHA9wKcazzOOe9vx8m4C2DFLZvMeJHZBDajH_9PlFl9UYtrCI2OU/s765/image008%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="502" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioFwo9ULDbGlYw_uJBVtii8KBuJ4qkXwrubsa-jmbay4wh6bMPgacrw5uX8FZzA7hGrJkmhoVI81cvPyL9po2leqaAYeejLP3U85UGUzuep19ydrmcOKWy5GugszLqovPDghw2BHA9wKcazzOOe9vx8m4C2DFLZvMeJHZBDajH_9PlFl9UYtrCI2OU/w420-h640/image008%20(1).png" width="420" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> As you ascend the Right of Way look for a yurt off to the left (apparently part of Pompanuck) and then a cleared pull-off a little further. This is as far as I drove. I believe this is the boundary of the state forest. The plantations begin here. They seem entirely unmanaged, almost a part of the natural forest. I remember Norway Spruce on the left and Japanese Larch to the right, but there were other conifers mixed in as well. After a short walk I came to a clearing that seems to be mowed and kept open. It's a scenic spot with a variety of trees, both evergreen and deciduous, around the edges. Since it was late in the day I didn't continue further or examine the orchards but this could be an interesting area to explore. From the upper clearing the Vermont border is less than a mile to the east but it might be a tough mile since there is a high ridge in between. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSibyERz4Rvzl14ed1pV1151jSWfGAkTHEhUEQ2gL1KqPb1xFu93nuTwgAkx8FzCQM5F8WZr-47hlmDcu01dVDaX9wOBqXUQsDINuazdlIAd8F_Ez5nXZfbBmmyd8ZRBTA-45kcl6Z2DnZUbSCrlUyHQbGqhNGJuJAbLdC6Mo1b0SobiAcKLgqnjjh/s4000/IMG_0136.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSibyERz4Rvzl14ed1pV1151jSWfGAkTHEhUEQ2gL1KqPb1xFu93nuTwgAkx8FzCQM5F8WZr-47hlmDcu01dVDaX9wOBqXUQsDINuazdlIAd8F_Ez5nXZfbBmmyd8ZRBTA-45kcl6Z2DnZUbSCrlUyHQbGqhNGJuJAbLdC6Mo1b0SobiAcKLgqnjjh/s320/IMG_0136.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRJlaS0ev04_mQi3aH6RUsiEBX5CNzgWHzy7O6Uw_CrNUWoZSMqcy2jRHgZ4BtRKnC9d0-BrOZW-rdAt02HknVw0K-BhXRDvYGGcmOpi_dCpdBf-5vAAdRl3LGeGvhMlB2oK3EctIZQFNe-ojrcLyJP6HIZFsbR8u9alonkXOhituj7IiMa_qb5Hk/s4000/IMG_0138.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRJlaS0ev04_mQi3aH6RUsiEBX5CNzgWHzy7O6Uw_CrNUWoZSMqcy2jRHgZ4BtRKnC9d0-BrOZW-rdAt02HknVw0K-BhXRDvYGGcmOpi_dCpdBf-5vAAdRl3LGeGvhMlB2oK3EctIZQFNe-ojrcLyJP6HIZFsbR8u9alonkXOhituj7IiMa_qb5Hk/w640-h480/IMG_0138.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the clearing</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Finally...</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> * Conifers are cone bearing seed plants. Most are trees but a few are woody shrubs. They are economically important for softwood lumber, for use in paper making and as landscape plantings. Chances are you have some around your house. They predominate in northern latitudes and at high elevations.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xpD-b--i_OXYbcZOOx5G0yOIs6qH2S1usBYo8Ie-pjbgMcWmB7gKmzsNW8TNxCIVvMwtvgsCABvuKBMOx7kr2TI4HLo6ew0jNewi7K9S96_O20_gTh-xQucEysWx5ueNar32DhPd0E-zKxRXnct1U_mln0x5PlUmJQanJvJDZVLBEN6QrjTDcOO9/s1200/1200-552323-480320265.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1200" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xpD-b--i_OXYbcZOOx5G0yOIs6qH2S1usBYo8Ie-pjbgMcWmB7gKmzsNW8TNxCIVvMwtvgsCABvuKBMOx7kr2TI4HLo6ew0jNewi7K9S96_O20_gTh-xQucEysWx5ueNar32DhPd0E-zKxRXnct1U_mln0x5PlUmJQanJvJDZVLBEN6QrjTDcOO9/w400-h250/1200-552323-480320265.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> * Larches, aka tamaracks, are deciduous conifers that drop their needles in the fall and grow new ones in spring. The needles are in clusters on warty knobs close to the branch. They are a beautiful pale green color when first emerging this time of year. The two species in the orchards are introduced Japanese Larch (Larix kaempfori) and European Larch (Larix decidua). Both favor upland habitat. There is also a native American Larch (Larix laricina) more adapted to wetlands. Locally, do you think Argyle's Tamarack Swamp might be a good place to look for those?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Zf1H8zPROtmDp13fS4OFmnXTJVTkP9twotxHBOv9qPbn-rOxw-22QNlYn7v5I7j8uxDoykaSDXG351YiMe0YL07t-KVmlHTM3BPf0VgBGbUEBMYSHYC2siv9FgWsRwjLE2ktfdIhkp0roT4VMJwhM0trJ1hnlx0qui1okd2PSH7OR0h1RK4q1p3I/s4000/IMG_0139.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Zf1H8zPROtmDp13fS4OFmnXTJVTkP9twotxHBOv9qPbn-rOxw-22QNlYn7v5I7j8uxDoykaSDXG351YiMe0YL07t-KVmlHTM3BPf0VgBGbUEBMYSHYC2siv9FgWsRwjLE2ktfdIhkp0roT4VMJwhM0trJ1hnlx0qui1okd2PSH7OR0h1RK4q1p3I/w300-h400/IMG_0139.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Larch needles emerging</span></div><br /> <p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> * For more on the Saratoga Tree Nursery go <a href="https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7127.html">here.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> * If all this 'orcharding' leaves you with an appetite you might want to stop at the Round House Bakery at Pompanuck on Chestnut Hill Road. Here's a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RoundHouseBakery/">link.</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDrisLuYhJinR24BQgvpjDHJRnGzmg6I9GiWyJfX6a3hf-m7_9ZuqRvUjQxNcVguKMKuoaLON8TV8wVhQw8bVWLPVhTkog0vo2TS4UTuxBoGJ-G-YIjANvdxru197SwUW2wrf0SrFyuKP-gHNlauymm0FhleyR7o9PUmBsCVqrR-5VNUXBzv7a4OU/s2048/294754429_444121794391227_6261819566755576796_n.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDrisLuYhJinR24BQgvpjDHJRnGzmg6I9GiWyJfX6a3hf-m7_9ZuqRvUjQxNcVguKMKuoaLON8TV8wVhQw8bVWLPVhTkog0vo2TS4UTuxBoGJ-G-YIjANvdxru197SwUW2wrf0SrFyuKP-gHNlauymm0FhleyR7o9PUmBsCVqrR-5VNUXBzv7a4OU/w640-h480/294754429_444121794391227_6261819566755576796_n.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> * I want to thank NYS DEC foresters Ben Thomas and Rebecca Terry of the Warrensburg office for help with this post. </span></p>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-29582709799671090122023-04-23T20:33:00.001-04:002023-04-23T20:33:43.919-04:00Canals at Crandall<p><span style="font-size: large;"> I've spent a lot of time working with backhoes. Most of that time was digging trenches for drainage tile on farm fields. The goal is a ditch about two feet wide and three to five feet deep. A diesel tractor with an hydraulic pump supplies the power to rhythmically scoop out dirt a few linear feet at a time. Perforated plastic pipe goes in and the opening is then backfilled. It's slow, dirty work and it has given me tremendous appreciation for the canal builders of the early 1800's.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4cr3d48vOQCOVHAwb-U-Hwya6C_xtind2bIz4KumNKXbaHzMZw9T7Zw5UJX_Oj3cDY_Ti-NuZ3BDB5NbHe1r-pznAxoiLen8Pno3bgY3nxFDW5jWEkixV83kbl-A-IKM1mAhJVxgq1zBdwpgp7QOXOahgcKV0hnvEA322YLC62K01ePH_E1FXfUZ/s600/ChamplainCanal1895HowardPyleFull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="600" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4cr3d48vOQCOVHAwb-U-Hwya6C_xtind2bIz4KumNKXbaHzMZw9T7Zw5UJX_Oj3cDY_Ti-NuZ3BDB5NbHe1r-pznAxoiLen8Pno3bgY3nxFDW5jWEkixV83kbl-A-IKM1mAhJVxgq1zBdwpgp7QOXOahgcKV0hnvEA322YLC62K01ePH_E1FXfUZ/w640-h434/ChamplainCanal1895HowardPyleFull.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Their trench was much bigger (originally twelve feet wide, four feet deep and 62.6 miles long) and they dug it with crude tools and muscle power - human and animal. Try digging even a small hole with a shovel in heavy clay and you'll get a sense of what was involved. Hit bedrock and the task gets even harder. The completion of the Champlain Canal in 1823 is a feat worth celebrating and that's what two exhibits currently on view at Crandall Library does.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNg-q3yLwXjLIxXdZ0nNWYkIlWcOwxYY0VaLT_R7QW5kfiDHOabei90EKMFJ2PM6ufVjFUTWjWZjUpU3NuN3oNmPKfYwt38Mc7_CC5GRWdd1_1rqxz2bqBwNskL3vp6LyWyPLlwftXfJXKiEJN9f6xaAy2_vE4YA21l3CLFlk-X3NuCgU_WsQuu22U/s4000/IMG_0114.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNg-q3yLwXjLIxXdZ0nNWYkIlWcOwxYY0VaLT_R7QW5kfiDHOabei90EKMFJ2PM6ufVjFUTWjWZjUpU3NuN3oNmPKfYwt38Mc7_CC5GRWdd1_1rqxz2bqBwNskL3vp6LyWyPLlwftXfJXKiEJN9f6xaAy2_vE4YA21l3CLFlk-X3NuCgU_WsQuu22U/w480-h640/IMG_0114.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> In the upstairs mezzanine gallery a variety of works in different mediums make up the <u>Through Inland Waters: Champlain Canal at</u> <u>200</u> show. Over thirty artists have contributed oils and acrylics, watercolors, pastels, pen and ink, photography and textile creations. The result is an expansive, pleasing mix of ways to see the canal. While the exhibit is only up until April 28 the art will remain online <a href="https://www.crandalllibrary.org/folklife-center/folklife-gallery/past-folklife-exhibits/through-inland-waters/">here</a>.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qPz3yHi3G8hCeM8qoXiq3D0yfZisNQZNSqMA4DVRWxR-3fVDK4Kcjz8y6hO4D4xc0p4Yc30hJaHV4tv45gToAMYVcJRiIn3YuakwZOSWeqViRtWlkR5PO_zSoN5sGGfoSISx2bMx2XRiDPDrGhydE5L3X3WZqJCTQH9YhtxkzEut4qKV59GYyTx5/s4000/IMG_0111.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qPz3yHi3G8hCeM8qoXiq3D0yfZisNQZNSqMA4DVRWxR-3fVDK4Kcjz8y6hO4D4xc0p4Yc30hJaHV4tv45gToAMYVcJRiIn3YuakwZOSWeqViRtWlkR5PO_zSoN5sGGfoSISx2bMx2XRiDPDrGhydE5L3X3WZqJCTQH9YhtxkzEut4qKV59GYyTx5/w640-h480/IMG_0111.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkBKSUMWgDVyXXm_btie-A226bRJaOkKvKG7xHZD6LAQx_sagttvA07PIslxCQ5dbMg3IFq3ukA4DP8rSy1SpWMcHma1NfKZ7rnmLunAfP6SjQZR-TVw4fExIUDb56kmd8TjiwYvG0_klhyuDRqqJnKR6mZiTQuSss4x4MJmpmjQ6AcZlAeyX4-PU/s4000/IMG_0113.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkBKSUMWgDVyXXm_btie-A226bRJaOkKvKG7xHZD6LAQx_sagttvA07PIslxCQ5dbMg3IFq3ukA4DP8rSy1SpWMcHma1NfKZ7rnmLunAfP6SjQZR-TVw4fExIUDb56kmd8TjiwYvG0_klhyuDRqqJnKR6mZiTQuSss4x4MJmpmjQ6AcZlAeyX4-PU/w300-h400/IMG_0113.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJUo3rAfCm41BCRKiABAivEU90T-ufAfhtC945TGKvqVpQGMILuAJgb4qp-xiU310PbRbprZK1kibUZC8_z3FWwuELM30D80fwZqwFTVv0uhbF2wYAmUUT6d6AHn93f6TlCp2NQY3X5UgUtY2L6J0OJv0wUo99wNmUydxk0ZA1y7NG4cNdlSDw77e/s4000/IMG_0112.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJUo3rAfCm41BCRKiABAivEU90T-ufAfhtC945TGKvqVpQGMILuAJgb4qp-xiU310PbRbprZK1kibUZC8_z3FWwuELM30D80fwZqwFTVv0uhbF2wYAmUUT6d6AHn93f6TlCp2NQY3X5UgUtY2L6J0OJv0wUo99wNmUydxk0ZA1y7NG4cNdlSDw77e/w400-h300/IMG_0112.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM49fEtRZvHCvxwGgBMCBvrViyDHXSNRFTv8vr6ZpVhpHD5J_bQ1Y3J1moghf8xRBAXpIwoUa6S6Mju64Ja8b7Vud2f_qo7vYWwXmolovzK6Q2jIcJLO0VxCIXp0bFhSAFQG1VM0W9o0N_rzgQN2Mj2RsAprZ6CsfKJyBhhBc0suxzutvcEWZBiNjR/s4000/IMG_0109.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM49fEtRZvHCvxwGgBMCBvrViyDHXSNRFTv8vr6ZpVhpHD5J_bQ1Y3J1moghf8xRBAXpIwoUa6S6Mju64Ja8b7Vud2f_qo7vYWwXmolovzK6Q2jIcJLO0VxCIXp0bFhSAFQG1VM0W9o0N_rzgQN2Mj2RsAprZ6CsfKJyBhhBc0suxzutvcEWZBiNjR/w480-h640/IMG_0109.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Downstairs in the Folklife Gallery <u>Champlain Canal Stories</u> is on view till the end of the year. This exhibit is tied together by a series of survey maps of the canal as it existed shortly after completion. The maps stretch from Whitehall to Waterford and are quite detailed. Historical photos, drawings, artifacts and current navigation charts round out the offering.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrSZPXSCfa-dhgBcWGBrcmQrVOo7Gm7-sJk7r_VszZilLm02HT4lhcNV2sUPaLYKmIdI0hUGHal5T_BdBdwjYGqDGBana7rioPSCd1DbOvE2Xme2KKTyVZvL0WnSL80lUyhDSmWkJjqAsGCbaTkW9uDwcZeLA5Zmrt6T-eMsiDUncN62sbcyLAHVA/s4000/IMG_0105.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrSZPXSCfa-dhgBcWGBrcmQrVOo7Gm7-sJk7r_VszZilLm02HT4lhcNV2sUPaLYKmIdI0hUGHal5T_BdBdwjYGqDGBana7rioPSCd1DbOvE2Xme2KKTyVZvL0WnSL80lUyhDSmWkJjqAsGCbaTkW9uDwcZeLA5Zmrt6T-eMsiDUncN62sbcyLAHVA/w480-h640/IMG_0105.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxPJPBjKOmTBu7GKj_kPDszHNivZGHCyaKFxY4BfxztZpzZXDJtgiQf8Y0tOPKhc9i18a-SFh62-YnEfTWVIeqUii6XjMOIaYUxi6W7SRqHsurjenaSTZfPzsDBoR95xCLpgNEDG3JXw265JCMeInGULqOybZPn9-jjLMxXL8ElznyDCNDwTr0mC2/s4000/IMG_0106.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxPJPBjKOmTBu7GKj_kPDszHNivZGHCyaKFxY4BfxztZpzZXDJtgiQf8Y0tOPKhc9i18a-SFh62-YnEfTWVIeqUii6XjMOIaYUxi6W7SRqHsurjenaSTZfPzsDBoR95xCLpgNEDG3JXw265JCMeInGULqOybZPn9-jjLMxXL8ElznyDCNDwTr0mC2/w640-h480/IMG_0106.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEKqiV81opCApWhen6YeHbRTBqhWw8zDeAQHxAd17dMiqdDJ7-CDvEvB4L9yr_uI5fz2d6-mbt3gOrRXm8qVnvAu752OBpqsAaTFAymh0cUnT9FhQyS6IScCC5AdN5k_LZhmQwqNgb_wFDHRmCJ1LU1lgvZ2DMVT8qrdwBVz4qslcph7OAS50MiJ9/s4000/IMG_0108.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEKqiV81opCApWhen6YeHbRTBqhWw8zDeAQHxAd17dMiqdDJ7-CDvEvB4L9yr_uI5fz2d6-mbt3gOrRXm8qVnvAu752OBpqsAaTFAymh0cUnT9FhQyS6IScCC5AdN5k_LZhmQwqNgb_wFDHRmCJ1LU1lgvZ2DMVT8qrdwBVz4qslcph7OAS50MiJ9/w300-h400/IMG_0108.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Note that a free concert of Erie Canal songs and stories on Thursday, April 27 at 7:00pm complements the exhibits. You might also enjoy reading about the canal in books such as <u>The Champlain</u> <u>Canal: Mules to Tugboats</u> by Captain Fred G. Godfrey and <u>A History of the Glens Falls Feeder Canal</u> by Michael LaCross.</span></p><p><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuWaJkszsT-rJ63e4DMFwac9svxVi3NwmkXAUtUsNoVLzHBV8vqIeF0sLnK_mtwsHuu3GDfAlhT5c9VIC6LnUjf233jGuXm82v30vT4FukFru90yTUSmhOEsLlgmIM5ur7oAO4_X6ZTrTOJjNSFWjeROd_QIFaVNqk4Z44skTL5zlEePcYe2PK7pF/s4000/IMG_8713.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuWaJkszsT-rJ63e4DMFwac9svxVi3NwmkXAUtUsNoVLzHBV8vqIeF0sLnK_mtwsHuu3GDfAlhT5c9VIC6LnUjf233jGuXm82v30vT4FukFru90yTUSmhOEsLlgmIM5ur7oAO4_X6ZTrTOJjNSFWjeROd_QIFaVNqk4Z44skTL5zlEePcYe2PK7pF/w640-h480/IMG_8713.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lock 9 of the Barge Canal</span></div><br /><u style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></u></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Of course, nothing beats exploring the canal in person. Remember that there are actually two canals: remnants of the original Champlain Canal along with the modern Barge Canal which opens for cruising in the spring. Even if you don't have a boat the locks are fun places to visit with their park like atmosphere. For cyclists, the Empire State Trail connects several of the locks making for an interesting tour.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMtBARztyL1NzjU9qTFR0pI_cEn-2LmoG20_dtbtpDBYyYbQOFbQUEH8bpRhMhwZBkX6yUWTz37q7XqXQIqTRq2okyN6hDoPgIKDJWQP-vzNirlU7E4zHARmTOo4ZXXCxKSGOJqoWvkJRcGtH7xqx_jDcL47ggGXzvTue0BjKxhihJu6NYZ14vf2v/s4000/IMG_0142.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMtBARztyL1NzjU9qTFR0pI_cEn-2LmoG20_dtbtpDBYyYbQOFbQUEH8bpRhMhwZBkX6yUWTz37q7XqXQIqTRq2okyN6hDoPgIKDJWQP-vzNirlU7E4zHARmTOo4ZXXCxKSGOJqoWvkJRcGtH7xqx_jDcL47ggGXzvTue0BjKxhihJu6NYZ14vf2v/w640-h480/IMG_0142.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Canal boat basin from Bound by Fate brew pub deck in Schuylerville</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(had to set my beer down to take this shot)</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> To see what remains of the old canal try visiting Schuylerville, the Lock 12 mini-park near Fort Miller, Fort Edward or the Towpath Road in Kingsbury. Also the Feeder Canal thru Glens Falls and Hudson Falls with its adjacent walkway and the impressive Five Combines locks below Burgoyne Avenue are a great destination.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHSgbN8R3BdsfB6CQfYQ4ZQID3_CoDjdSenkNS8wFT2d1QCApH9rzOp7plXBjDEG1jcKPbVqFnDYKKNDg54IOq_TNrBkp8ASZHJgcEQvYhuPHEnHVS7Rl9eCXQ2MhLmimaEtOAHU9TCTgxygLG6SbItiCtd__m4siIte3t_MnIPLya_CK0w2EnSL5/s4000/IMG_8992.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHSgbN8R3BdsfB6CQfYQ4ZQID3_CoDjdSenkNS8wFT2d1QCApH9rzOp7plXBjDEG1jcKPbVqFnDYKKNDg54IOq_TNrBkp8ASZHJgcEQvYhuPHEnHVS7Rl9eCXQ2MhLmimaEtOAHU9TCTgxygLG6SbItiCtd__m4siIte3t_MnIPLya_CK0w2EnSL5/w480-h640/IMG_8992.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lock 12</span></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfz1MhWg1nw_iJfAO4qN3WxE2gUG06AaLx8_w-j8-oOlvLCNQ6b4VJds1_cOSbTCotGTMbKVdlkTn_mc3jBeVbBq02DYsJFUf3V0X2s5LObnhf-D_jyMgSI0-9CstT01lVKN4uNsXZxRplWjkzJYVjGQ0dXtoZZ2DYoiU5F4TihAw6R7SkDqUe910/s4000/IMG_8876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfz1MhWg1nw_iJfAO4qN3WxE2gUG06AaLx8_w-j8-oOlvLCNQ6b4VJds1_cOSbTCotGTMbKVdlkTn_mc3jBeVbBq02DYsJFUf3V0X2s5LObnhf-D_jyMgSI0-9CstT01lVKN4uNsXZxRplWjkzJYVjGQ0dXtoZZ2DYoiU5F4TihAw6R7SkDqUe910/w640-h480/IMG_8876.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Old locks at Fort Ann</span></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-14091635529875712912023-04-04T12:35:00.002-04:002023-04-04T12:35:20.780-04:00Mushroom Meg<p><span style="font-size: large;"> I use to carry a torch for Middlebury. This was back when Holly was looking at colleges. The small Vermont school had a lot to like. A top notch liberal arts education in a classic New England town surrounded by all manner of outdoor recreation. At only a little over an hour from home I figured it would be easy to see our daughter now and then. I imagined sneaking in weekend hikes, bikes and skis together.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> This was before I fully understood the maelstrom of the college years. Before she heard the Bulldog's bark and debunked for New Haven, Connecticut. Four hours away was too much for me to fit between milking cows morning and night, so for six years I didn't see a lot of the kid. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> But I still had Middlebury. It's a beautiful campus in a town that's vibrant without being overwhelming. And there's all those mountains, streams and backroads to explore. So I've continued to pay the occasional visit, sometimes driving up Rt. 22, other times taking Vt. 30. Both are scenic delights. The northern Taconics, the Greens and the Champlain Valley just feel comfortable to me.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOqgXQ9k5A-tV7FfMsKQTh6be3oFYolj4NWceojdwQWxuYKML2fgzL_PWEm4Tv7_-jzCY0cJE7CNvOsg_2Uq_JtqpUt-5wO-8ys7V0Uy0B56bu3trtBgsEdmm0nSvbPyWQykOj5tJMmlaWAYFqcumLeyZ3guNC3YpOrDO5kNG5Dxj3C3KlviNlqYl/s700/600096_2_s1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="700" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOqgXQ9k5A-tV7FfMsKQTh6be3oFYolj4NWceojdwQWxuYKML2fgzL_PWEm4Tv7_-jzCY0cJE7CNvOsg_2Uq_JtqpUt-5wO-8ys7V0Uy0B56bu3trtBgsEdmm0nSvbPyWQykOj5tJMmlaWAYFqcumLeyZ3guNC3YpOrDO5kNG5Dxj3C3KlviNlqYl/w640-h342/600096_2_s1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> <p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> My most recent trip to Middlebury was just a few days ago. Ironically, it was with Holly, whose college days are now in the rear view mirror. We had a busy Vermont agenda that included stops in Bristol, Montpelier, Barre and Rutland, but there was just enough time to squeeze an hour for Middlebury into the schedule. The plan was to check out the <u>Urban Cadence</u> exhibit at the college's Museum of Art. Alas, the student who was on Sunday museum duty partied a little too hard the night before and didn't show up to open the galleries. Despite assurances that she would be there "any minute now" we couldn't wait. So, no art this time, but on the way out I picked up a couple of free newspapers - <u>Seven Days</u> and the student published <u>The Middlebury Campus</u>. I'm glad I did because both publications mentioned an intriguing woman who I want to tell you more about.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFUcwdUxJ8Ng-XTFs1VdZfkXrHDTskhnBh0Mzh2IBzkxUjg_Psz8J_1qeBPamJ1x9cS6B82HVanQkvxuh6sCfsHq2efgvH0UvJFBvHvZJXebUxPjtkLWgfKxMg1Zxc6tjoCv_ls2FclxmhEayQlAnSzajnhJjWrQ2to36m4gpnRx9DHGUxR1750S7/s251/download%20(6).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="201" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFUcwdUxJ8Ng-XTFs1VdZfkXrHDTskhnBh0Mzh2IBzkxUjg_Psz8J_1qeBPamJ1x9cS6B82HVanQkvxuh6sCfsHq2efgvH0UvJFBvHvZJXebUxPjtkLWgfKxMg1Zxc6tjoCv_ls2FclxmhEayQlAnSzajnhJjWrQ2to36m4gpnRx9DHGUxR1750S7/w321-h400/download%20(6).jpeg" width="321" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Her name is Meg Madden and mushrooms are her claim to fame. Or, more precisely, gorgeous images of mushrooms. Madden is a Middlebury local who says "being a renaissance woman, I have dedicated my adult life to the pursuit of knowledge and hands-on experience." That pursuit has included stints growing flowers, working as a carpenter and cabinet maker, creating jewelry and now focusing on all things mycological.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7uG2IqNGISEgGCb1qObZhY4Z2ZvlmcZbN6FAB4WhLyZHmKlhZPoMLRIuMDfDwsgn_PZk9fq5uIkMhJzFBcNdZimzQa2okOYm4RigqCtUB1HF2wTaqUyeK7oOpfkMYo9aKFAuMYuAP4fbDE_cRQ49QXB_G_AwmIJhOtWwehDxpHDGufSg5Pu3w5Cz/s3465/93206358-b234-4246-8592-937f653b694e.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3465" data-original-width="3465" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7uG2IqNGISEgGCb1qObZhY4Z2ZvlmcZbN6FAB4WhLyZHmKlhZPoMLRIuMDfDwsgn_PZk9fq5uIkMhJzFBcNdZimzQa2okOYm4RigqCtUB1HF2wTaqUyeK7oOpfkMYo9aKFAuMYuAP4fbDE_cRQ49QXB_G_AwmIJhOtWwehDxpHDGufSg5Pu3w5Cz/w640-h640/93206358-b234-4246-8592-937f653b694e.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> She leads mushroom walks thru-out Vermont, did a BioBlitz looking for fungi last fall, is working on documenting every fungus found in the Green Mountain State and has recently written <u>This is a</u> <u>book for people who love Mushrooms</u>. Obviously a busy girl.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SYW3j0Ju3OfsBKdgFRn-ZPgcpYCedXL4SJAre3rI2VbFatosu5tCdxF3SbSvvhI42XtQrrJujqG69yChx7d5A2q6vxG4f5BYlhQJxYt76IQBquHWx6SyLex5yNzm_bhnSTBny-rvi8u_4-XGXYWWQmOsbOqqM4s1208eg8xRvCLQ0HgF0HGt7DKj/s225/images%20(11).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SYW3j0Ju3OfsBKdgFRn-ZPgcpYCedXL4SJAre3rI2VbFatosu5tCdxF3SbSvvhI42XtQrrJujqG69yChx7d5A2q6vxG4f5BYlhQJxYt76IQBquHWx6SyLex5yNzm_bhnSTBny-rvi8u_4-XGXYWWQmOsbOqqM4s1208eg8xRvCLQ0HgF0HGt7DKj/w400-h400/images%20(11).jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> What fascinates me about Madden is her willingness to follow her inclinations, to turn a whim into a field of expertise and a way to support herself. Many of us have something we're passionate about but it's placed on the back burner as we focus on 'practical matters', our 'regular job', on 'making a living'. Not Meg. She just seems to go for it, trusting that her enthusiasm and creativity will carry her through. As she said in one interview "Embrace being uncomfortable." She may not be the best person to go to for a loan but, boy is she inspiring.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28efXbyQ2dONTBOaalHKECuJYjoFZ1Jg2Mpl4ylZwfZQo92Qbv5Ez53ey4DVWlpBiOc-oURnJ-UVRnQxnOmC02p4vdd4K48IDi9IKmfXaP9-8uvvKoADDKtoixoIiUQKJXpH84fasKPWOcRbaNhqOol94Xz0VB1g8noDvNE4sRtK7Qs1fE94DyOVd/s1074/image-asset.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="969" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28efXbyQ2dONTBOaalHKECuJYjoFZ1Jg2Mpl4ylZwfZQo92Qbv5Ez53ey4DVWlpBiOc-oURnJ-UVRnQxnOmC02p4vdd4K48IDi9IKmfXaP9-8uvvKoADDKtoixoIiUQKJXpH84fasKPWOcRbaNhqOol94Xz0VB1g8noDvNE4sRtK7Qs1fE94DyOVd/w578-h640/image-asset.jpeg" width="578" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Meg in her garden</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">web image</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> If you want to buy her book, go on one of her nature walks or just see more of her photos try Goggling 'Meg Madden'. I know she has a very popular Instagram page. Of course, locally we have Sue Van Hook, the mycologist based in Cambridge who leads occasional guided trips. Going on an outing with a knowledgable leader and a group of enthusiasts is a great way to learn and so much fun. With a little bit of effort you should be able to find birding, wildflower, geology and, yes, mushroom walks. Try the Pember Museum, Merck Forest, Audubon, Grassland Bird Trust and Ag Stewardship Association websites to see what's upcoming. See you out there... </span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WNAVA-aruePDdSWq_0GunWo4NND7m7eKQsIB7QgnRm9Ey0pjfKMv27drtlrojJiAwHFR-Jqmqgg8qYJ0nL3q97v_X2jEecbhd_FmyZ9c9nkMbosLL5SRAiWtcFzv4Tpdagmd3ec8E7l6AR8OwTJth_BEOHf1Vh-KFQdul-xLWl6s7izBk3A5DRUF/s800/865788164d06de7a0b3ffeb3f6e2a64c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WNAVA-aruePDdSWq_0GunWo4NND7m7eKQsIB7QgnRm9Ey0pjfKMv27drtlrojJiAwHFR-Jqmqgg8qYJ0nL3q97v_X2jEecbhd_FmyZ9c9nkMbosLL5SRAiWtcFzv4Tpdagmd3ec8E7l6AR8OwTJth_BEOHf1Vh-KFQdul-xLWl6s7izBk3A5DRUF/w640-h360/865788164d06de7a0b3ffeb3f6e2a64c.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Meg Madden </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">web image</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p></div></div>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-3427833008922262622023-03-23T14:50:00.000-04:002023-03-23T14:50:44.992-04:00Mount Tom Notched<p> </p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> This may be a case of saving the biggest (and best?) for last. Over time I've posted about exploring the state forests of southern Washington County. All except for one. That would be Mount Tom State Forest. At 1724 acres it's more than double the size of any of the others. A lot to explore so let's get started.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> This large, irregular shaped block of land lies southeast of the Village of Cambridge near the Vermont border. You can drive a clockwise circle around it by going out Ashgrove Road (Co. 67), turning right onto Chestnut Hill Road, then taking another right onto either Lincoln Hill Road or, going a little further into the hamlet of White Creek to access Co. 68. Finally, one more right turn will put you on Rt. 22 back to Cambridge. It's a scenic drive of farms and forests, streams and mountains easily done in a leisurely half hour.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7xrm4MTnJvBijDMJCVsfyf-keQCJ4r592FidaNrXnnMbkBKLZroUY6NShHT4jNvbwzPlD3FsP38xX3d_KAjIwGsO3tmV7DY7J6J8XwgCFzXF94uCYCQZPEMvAHeulHxrC98wSW_hChnROJ8CcGdWsjyvcrPvpymwbqxWOK3m_e4cq5XUNsXChVoi/s1304/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-20%20at%207.33.48%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1304" data-original-width="1084" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY7xrm4MTnJvBijDMJCVsfyf-keQCJ4r592FidaNrXnnMbkBKLZroUY6NShHT4jNvbwzPlD3FsP38xX3d_KAjIwGsO3tmV7DY7J6J8XwgCFzXF94uCYCQZPEMvAHeulHxrC98wSW_hChnROJ8CcGdWsjyvcrPvpymwbqxWOK3m_e4cq5XUNsXChVoi/w532-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-20%20at%207.33.48%20PM.png" width="532" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> The easiest way to immerse yourself in Mt. Tom might be a traverse of the Notch Truck Trail. As the name implies, this is a rough road best suited to 4x4 trucks and then only in summer and fall. It bisects the eastern side of the forest from Chestnut Hill Road to Lincoln Hill Road. No 4x4? No problem. This is a fine route on foot, mountain bike or horseback. One other option is to ski it. That is what I did on the first day of spring. It's a nice little trip but not without its challenges.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIynYopZuuEWBEbGU199rrk2ZxLUIVPGAWOQdScUqtsOxj0ywwca6RYs--1Hof3UMFCZk-9g9c-Rk-gXicVsg7rWSoml6365N6O-b0oCuBL74gs-Ig9Gh5pbV9llUhvYqzIORgcIpRCxhGYLMk5F_HmSp-RmliviiWTJbasEllMNSDUtFRc4-fbFod/s4000/IMG_0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIynYopZuuEWBEbGU199rrk2ZxLUIVPGAWOQdScUqtsOxj0ywwca6RYs--1Hof3UMFCZk-9g9c-Rk-gXicVsg7rWSoml6365N6O-b0oCuBL74gs-Ig9Gh5pbV9llUhvYqzIORgcIpRCxhGYLMk5F_HmSp-RmliviiWTJbasEllMNSDUtFRc4-fbFod/w640-h480/IMG_0103.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I risked the travel and am glad I did</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> My first mistake was to start from the Chestnut Hill Road end. When there's snow (sort of needed for skiing) there's no place to park. It wouldn't be Washington County if they made an effort to accommodate the visitors that are encouraged to come. A few swipes with a plow is all it would take. After pulling off the road and into the snowbank as best I could, the next hurdle was mashed potatoes. At least that's what I think they call the wet, heavy spring snow I encountered. It's tough to make turns in but doable for straight ahead X-C touring. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKpxvOTAnTzxj1BUY9LuwR4I_MMxuxvM_wi8_bnkwW-IWQrIBx_FXON713Th8S5oUXSVxJ1Pa9P_XxCTkls_hOd_mKX6mZfQtZ7uFLnLOH71kMuE-ldMglSrky9eSWVqNIIwBel9XMvtDA3QgcIxSdAirf0YkX5JgEsJVKJTdJ278NoP0azOBGsUF/s4000/IMG_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKpxvOTAnTzxj1BUY9LuwR4I_MMxuxvM_wi8_bnkwW-IWQrIBx_FXON713Th8S5oUXSVxJ1Pa9P_XxCTkls_hOd_mKX6mZfQtZ7uFLnLOH71kMuE-ldMglSrky9eSWVqNIIwBel9XMvtDA3QgcIxSdAirf0YkX5JgEsJVKJTdJ278NoP0azOBGsUF/w480-h640/IMG_0102.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> A sign, a gate and a gentle slope quickly leads to a crossing of Pumpkin Hook Creek which was flowing busily on this warm, melting day. Then comes the longest uphill of the trip. It warms you up nicely and there's the promise of a fun run down on the way back. Most of the Notch Trail is actually level to gentle grades, somewhat surprising given the rugged terrain surrounding it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ajIgaQP50LGKL3S1D-qcIvfKdUX29qobpRrsjEPSkDoBJPO88qx7WDuKFPfJ4W7B3RWeaUruvh0zSGPxUe9YRnMljo4H-cypqyLffHE51JdoO-RRvwpySn396fy29dL5t0CblNzmONApeM5ghH_UozaTVH7rJVy2pymz5tE1Sjql3PxuQCe7FQof/s4000/IMG_0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ajIgaQP50LGKL3S1D-qcIvfKdUX29qobpRrsjEPSkDoBJPO88qx7WDuKFPfJ4W7B3RWeaUruvh0zSGPxUe9YRnMljo4H-cypqyLffHE51JdoO-RRvwpySn396fy29dL5t0CblNzmONApeM5ghH_UozaTVH7rJVy2pymz5tE1Sjql3PxuQCe7FQof/w640-h480/IMG_0095.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Broken and bent trees from a recent heavy snowstorm were the biggest obstacle I encountered. Chainsaw work will be needed before the route is drivable. Other than that it was an easy ski until the far end where direct sun had melted most of the snow exposing dirt and rocks.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59aEm1DFscStFzE8LyBK9FAdPztEyg8nR1NkVTBzuspM_aff1IHoNxG5YF-AhqcCRPF9f9NX-_-8a4mOGBmZ00L2rsGZ6QJdMRIYng8VlDywQTDWvnc0G8v5dwkrJcU2Te5W10l6dCiVVlBj23rkqCv1h0zV5t6gSgvJQmNaktG967XLMNWFHKCq7/s4000/IMG_0094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh59aEm1DFscStFzE8LyBK9FAdPztEyg8nR1NkVTBzuspM_aff1IHoNxG5YF-AhqcCRPF9f9NX-_-8a4mOGBmZ00L2rsGZ6QJdMRIYng8VlDywQTDWvnc0G8v5dwkrJcU2Te5W10l6dCiVVlBj23rkqCv1h0zV5t6gSgvJQmNaktG967XLMNWFHKCq7/w300-h400/IMG_0094.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Lincoln Hill end of the Notch Trail</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> You're at the wrong place if you want precise time and milage info. I gave up on watches and such a long time ago. My best guess would be that it's a couple of miles one way and can be done in a relaxed hour out and another hour back. From Lincoln Hill Road the Notch Trail is plowed for a ways and there is parking where the trucks turn around. This might be a better place for a ski start.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRiNvNgdEqb3RmNlt5_eNHawc03XEeVQtAmLZMb6dm5PxaOxyk5gq0NGLV-qwiCTow4kL4JRToFDjr_OOPaWO4nzqJy1gnZeV5kKbjmEnNdcnVBEGz9SO2tWWqiSLs7qvd5eSOpIpg_SafwUThAWF5NfFqfMQTYfqZyWZdpGZ7PSippnRd_QHO6Bff/s4000/IMG_0096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRiNvNgdEqb3RmNlt5_eNHawc03XEeVQtAmLZMb6dm5PxaOxyk5gq0NGLV-qwiCTow4kL4JRToFDjr_OOPaWO4nzqJy1gnZeV5kKbjmEnNdcnVBEGz9SO2tWWqiSLs7qvd5eSOpIpg_SafwUThAWF5NfFqfMQTYfqZyWZdpGZ7PSippnRd_QHO6Bff/w480-h640/IMG_0096.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /> </span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> A few observations: the trail traverses an attractive mixed hardwood forest with lots of hemlock sprinkled throughout. There are small rivulets and pools of water beside the path for much of the way. Rugged ledges and dislodged boulders hem the road in places and there are a couple of unobtrusive camps mid-way, apparently private in-holdings. There may be snowmobiles at times and though ATV's are prohibited...well, you know how that goes. The only other tracks I saw were those of a snowshoer coming in from the south end. Light use seems to be the norm but it's probably best to avoid during hunting season.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnxYdC7Bk4rtnXrCrR1MYy1oyPQ9Bn7jFh95M1EtNH4FBmRIQigofxrsHRFYC1xojfEwj69ecJBRcIn_e19KHEKSR1S-INU9kbwNQqGPQqb3OTHgBUmVSM3wkg0bcoUR_NLWntyNbHQTyZF76pcdik52XcL27I0cQPZMvbqSfWzOfzXjdsyjgnG5K/s4000/IMG_0100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnxYdC7Bk4rtnXrCrR1MYy1oyPQ9Bn7jFh95M1EtNH4FBmRIQigofxrsHRFYC1xojfEwj69ecJBRcIn_e19KHEKSR1S-INU9kbwNQqGPQqb3OTHgBUmVSM3wkg0bcoUR_NLWntyNbHQTyZF76pcdik52XcL27I0cQPZMvbqSfWzOfzXjdsyjgnG5K/w300-h400/IMG_0100.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Birch, boulder and byway</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYQLoJ5P-QxQTt4uFNZzR33X90ebTozgUxlL1nkw6HEiodIC7AVbGqikUQqMqzMuqcyhfalCf0Xx3HVJXgzPnJ0hu4DD5QaAl4jFJ2qCg0jYLk-BgNrMGxPJh5xp840nDkkciBGW1A1lEex01OenA-h46zw7jCbcyZSlU-5t56btz-ClmFcWzMjIU/s4000/IMG_0099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYQLoJ5P-QxQTt4uFNZzR33X90ebTozgUxlL1nkw6HEiodIC7AVbGqikUQqMqzMuqcyhfalCf0Xx3HVJXgzPnJ0hu4DD5QaAl4jFJ2qCg0jYLk-BgNrMGxPJh5xp840nDkkciBGW1A1lEex01OenA-h46zw7jCbcyZSlU-5t56btz-ClmFcWzMjIU/w480-h640/IMG_0099.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Q0eVgcUeSHpn8eX4BMAqYXQI2UAjhRyt1Mx49emALPC8m_batfTm6y34tszuF89WexrD5x1CR5jABEPXF51Dn6j1LQVYP8zgYRI1Z33tLhw3WHkxkfPwqhZpeoPJP7m4KDgBxZwX3fe3g2ehPw_N9Rga6K0Q6K7P-aepl-ECBF-klhXSndrk-2Fy/s4000/IMG_0101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Q0eVgcUeSHpn8eX4BMAqYXQI2UAjhRyt1Mx49emALPC8m_batfTm6y34tszuF89WexrD5x1CR5jABEPXF51Dn6j1LQVYP8zgYRI1Z33tLhw3WHkxkfPwqhZpeoPJP7m4KDgBxZwX3fe3g2ehPw_N9Rga6K0Q6K7P-aepl-ECBF-klhXSndrk-2Fy/w300-h400/IMG_0101.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> The Notch is just one small part of the state forest. Other points of interest include an abandoned lime kiln and quarry, various summits and wetlands, a tree seed orchard and the site of a former settlement. And the Mount Tom that gives the forest its name? I'm not sure where that is. Guess I'll have to come back and try to find it.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix66Z3CQs6ACnXFu4utleI3Ch6EAY3zrGm3bwnBL1PuURdy2Jnj-cYVvGZBLqIfcOO70l550bVQSV09rt4RqDyIgae4eqzIOXSJATHsmgUki6r6o1lShWK6NvedMwab_DRlWZThCUu_MgW41nmv9qotgd7icR8fEwJKFE7LcyAovFXOGk1y_lYs5t2/s4000/IMG_0104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix66Z3CQs6ACnXFu4utleI3Ch6EAY3zrGm3bwnBL1PuURdy2Jnj-cYVvGZBLqIfcOO70l550bVQSV09rt4RqDyIgae4eqzIOXSJATHsmgUki6r6o1lShWK6NvedMwab_DRlWZThCUu_MgW41nmv9qotgd7icR8fEwJKFE7LcyAovFXOGk1y_lYs5t2/w300-h400/IMG_0104.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /> </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-46523264401987548522023-03-16T18:15:00.000-04:002023-03-16T18:15:32.432-04:00On Canvas & Screen<p> <span style="font-size: large;"> Passing along a couple of items on relationship with place as reflected in art.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAVE4SNVtQASWfSi3A39vKZSowwYT6d7KYOf-ZkcvmiEuUdEAhxN0mJjanb57Odo4ny9kT1MOGHiPMyXv_BDC2Pmh5iu5shUV1sypsPQW-jnnSkOZkTrJaBJAyLfRDv0G2ZaAQhpxQ3EJYXZ2INjer5n9H58ky2VlMzf-5z3By-ZODxaAXnMe7JES/s2048/330759398_1188397625179930_3090257241764586717_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1689" data-original-width="2048" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAVE4SNVtQASWfSi3A39vKZSowwYT6d7KYOf-ZkcvmiEuUdEAhxN0mJjanb57Odo4ny9kT1MOGHiPMyXv_BDC2Pmh5iu5shUV1sypsPQW-jnnSkOZkTrJaBJAyLfRDv0G2ZaAQhpxQ3EJYXZ2INjer5n9H58ky2VlMzf-5z3By-ZODxaAXnMe7JES/w640-h528/330759398_1188397625179930_3090257241764586717_n.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> The Laffer Gallery in Schulerville currently has an exhibit of over 200 works by Harry Orlyk. Based in Salem, he paints landscapes on location, even in winter, while ensconced in his black Dodge van. For those familiar with southern Washington County the fields, streams and barns he puts on canvas are recognizable old friends. The show is up till March 26 and Orlyk will be at the gallery on Saturday, March 18 at 6:30 pm for an artist talk. Gallery hours are Thursday - Sunday from 12 to 5 pm. Visit their <a href="https://thelaffergallery.com/">website</a> and facebook page for more info.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFDnsKVj5SwaomapcQigf3KPPnwZFV3H6Tp6wgv--Qd1fJPqfjP9xd5Nx85dV6hk9FH9TihD_T3RwRwfvLpfP2S9LUCjN2-csxFdDFUzZ6T1XvdePAMTnmZrdJNiwUaojDJE7gkUzKZkJuIqEwFmiEeMf8w32jXzBLRxHXn9gWUm_arslP2tBBxyF/s1600/335278329_1766873430373530_4292752139658449235_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFDnsKVj5SwaomapcQigf3KPPnwZFV3H6Tp6wgv--Qd1fJPqfjP9xd5Nx85dV6hk9FH9TihD_T3RwRwfvLpfP2S9LUCjN2-csxFdDFUzZ6T1XvdePAMTnmZrdJNiwUaojDJE7gkUzKZkJuIqEwFmiEeMf8w32jXzBLRxHXn9gWUm_arslP2tBBxyF/w250-h400/335278329_1766873430373530_4292752139658449235_n.jpeg" width="250" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><span style="font-size: large;"> In <u>Days of Heaven</u> there are scenes of reapers all but lost in endless fields of wheat. These sequences have special resonance for me. Family lore tells of my great-great-grandfather bringing the first mechanical reaper to Washington County. He would move from place to place with horses, machine and crews of men bringing in the late summer harvest. Today, whenever I drive by a field in Easton or Argyle I wonder, did my ancestor from over a hundred years ago once work here?</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFE6_tLmPW5a7arqPSEOYslD_FR4GktomGojLpMuZ-4S3Q-bmEDh2nQa_YIGY1L4sjV0j7I6cLXR0DyY7omy3S_UxCkk1-eqtNuE81G2T1_IQXlyjFNNb4ZQ3__TeQ-9KfikFoGPg4hyEIirPW3rImB1IMKFa0v0Fu1yjqMNsQvUjB7mPj1alfbgYn/s160/daysofh2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="120" data-original-width="160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFE6_tLmPW5a7arqPSEOYslD_FR4GktomGojLpMuZ-4S3Q-bmEDh2nQa_YIGY1L4sjV0j7I6cLXR0DyY7omy3S_UxCkk1-eqtNuE81G2T1_IQXlyjFNNb4ZQ3__TeQ-9KfikFoGPg4hyEIirPW3rImB1IMKFa0v0Fu1yjqMNsQvUjB7mPj1alfbgYn/w400-h300/daysofh2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Still from <u>Days of Heaven</u></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> Terence Malick's 1978 film is oft cited for its beautiful cinematography. It takes place in early 1900's Texas but was actually filmed in Canada. It somehow manages to convey both the beauty and the harshness of the American heartland as well as the struggle and joy of those who worked it. Richard Gere, Brooke Adams and Sam Shepard anchor the love triangle plot and there's Linda Manz's unforgettable narration. What's its message? Maybe something that can't be put into words. Something that can only be conveyed thru images and the emotions they provoke. One of the most sensitive evocations of place ever captured on film. <u>Days of Heaven</u> can be streamed and is available on DVD from local libraries.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2XP8L5UQGu8KQ5JyJ-8mwyZiTLQenZ1YNLV1FnTHEkuBNMubDx33QGNuK5p5PWzkAlhRAPZrICvrAI7BrUn3XBcpcrEs-YSqfJHJ8MSQTE4NNXbexK5xa2edpBggy68rztw8nJjPiDvKU2s0nmXw7xFF2HqnQYiSRtscSoFcL_oUh4ua9yjbtlZj/s400/homepage_EB19971207REVIEWS08401010327AR.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2XP8L5UQGu8KQ5JyJ-8mwyZiTLQenZ1YNLV1FnTHEkuBNMubDx33QGNuK5p5PWzkAlhRAPZrICvrAI7BrUn3XBcpcrEs-YSqfJHJ8MSQTE4NNXbexK5xa2edpBggy68rztw8nJjPiDvKU2s0nmXw7xFF2HqnQYiSRtscSoFcL_oUh4ua9yjbtlZj/w640-h360/homepage_EB19971207REVIEWS08401010327AR.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-14299275178351334902023-03-06T20:21:00.000-05:002023-03-06T20:21:45.089-05:00Reach for the Sky<p><span style="font-size: large;"> "I want to see towers" slurred the inebriate sitting next to me.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> While putting a little distance between the guy and myself, I thought: "Keep drinking buddy. Pretty soon you'll be flat on your back looking up. Then these bar stools will look like towers."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> But that didn't seem like charitable advice so instead I suggested he give himself time to sober up before heading southbound on the Thruway. Three or four hours later you'll be agog in towers, I told him. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Later I had my regrets. What if he took my advice? All the traffic, all the muggings he'd have to endure just to see concrete, glass and steel scratching the sky. Maybe he could have gotten his tower fix right here in the North Country. They wouldn't have the name TRUMP plastered on them but that's a good thing, right? So I put together this guide to local towers. Just to be helpful. Next time, next bar, next drunk, I'll be ready.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUEuHmlkr9-J4OCFWEdgFyKPPTPsqxyY-ZoMvUlTvFa8jN530iqcnMgWIGj99fI9g3yXs66Y8ejTM2eIwdA56kmPKNZ8cNb-LFCRmsWu6139MyslIsdLT9-ClpuX_D3OV2CIvQKPWcDoQbsdGqLHhRCeNeeZCQ8n4HD2090t1A4osOlT_ELBACxi_/s4000/IMG_0006.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUEuHmlkr9-J4OCFWEdgFyKPPTPsqxyY-ZoMvUlTvFa8jN530iqcnMgWIGj99fI9g3yXs66Y8ejTM2eIwdA56kmPKNZ8cNb-LFCRmsWu6139MyslIsdLT9-ClpuX_D3OV2CIvQKPWcDoQbsdGqLHhRCeNeeZCQ8n4HD2090t1A4osOlT_ELBACxi_/w640-h480/IMG_0006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGM21UTR_0kwoc7bzKuhtzmHE3hEWOluI4NCOC2iNBtHD0YjG2ZN8IumlQH7vIx0fOkktHLrxs4f_aFyqYhkAhPvD6VqDTZrGAiOu0P1A3K5fLmc-4grFk6WK3GUfyUFPiNUos-mRbYhGCamQb1Y1PaQ8Gld6I4aftE7jUkZDzLwqlzl3Pxubpad0U/s4000/IMG_0004.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGM21UTR_0kwoc7bzKuhtzmHE3hEWOluI4NCOC2iNBtHD0YjG2ZN8IumlQH7vIx0fOkktHLrxs4f_aFyqYhkAhPvD6VqDTZrGAiOu0P1A3K5fLmc-4grFk6WK3GUfyUFPiNUos-mRbYhGCamQb1Y1PaQ8Gld6I4aftE7jUkZDzLwqlzl3Pxubpad0U/s320/IMG_0004.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOH0DxYNRc2-mE1ZSugrEOcIRyI_fcwzeb0H1Ya3LDjOVqCa5UYcoNQv6gNCGBH4gtvlzWWFE4CX84PcdFZBmtCrSepSxocuMZf5s8aY_nSiRAzXXnFistRCIz64dJtQBDXffAuvN_gDiGp2BKVXcAWJfV_9BvS2L61EGAFRgfgl2S_p7SGaUHpkM/s4000/IMG_0003.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOH0DxYNRc2-mE1ZSugrEOcIRyI_fcwzeb0H1Ya3LDjOVqCa5UYcoNQv6gNCGBH4gtvlzWWFE4CX84PcdFZBmtCrSepSxocuMZf5s8aY_nSiRAzXXnFistRCIz64dJtQBDXffAuvN_gDiGp2BKVXcAWJfV_9BvS2L61EGAFRgfgl2S_p7SGaUHpkM/w640-h480/IMG_0003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Granville's Tower of the Golden Dome represents something of a homecoming for me. Many years ago I made this an annual pilgrimage. I would first stop and chat with the farmers who owned it, then walk up thru their pasture to the top of the hill crowned by the oddity. The spot had a mystical feel conducive to quiet contemplation. Then life got busy, decades went by and the tower became just a distant memory. Until several years ago when nostalgia drew me back. But things had changed. New roads, new houses, no farm. It was disorienting and I left in despair, wondering if my old haunt even existed anymore.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Eventually some detective work and a gracious landowner combined to bring about a reunion. Earlier this winter, with permission and good directions, Gwenne, Zia and I trudged up the final slope to once again stand in awe of this strange and sublime monument. The inscription carved into the marble lintel reads something to the effect: "That thou mayest watch here to our return". A suitably mysterious message for a structure that looks almost medieval. You can, of course, find out more about the towers history (hint: James Waldron Gillespie). Or you can just delight in the fact that such wondrous places are out there "watching for our return".</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7r7wMEO0qiBvb5fJKW22ivr2sqvkjHmzzcxDBwABW7GFyU9eP5DuilHnm-NocRx7BzAYuxlJZNHEJFkwv-iysFWoD8hjFRA_kTGRf5lDdUyF3Wqznk8782hDyh6tFLObVQOZm5XVPYCFWjzhZISQFfZbm330Ss4cKoLChG1n1cJWlHp3IOCPS0H9M/s4000/IMG_0015.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7r7wMEO0qiBvb5fJKW22ivr2sqvkjHmzzcxDBwABW7GFyU9eP5DuilHnm-NocRx7BzAYuxlJZNHEJFkwv-iysFWoD8hjFRA_kTGRf5lDdUyF3Wqznk8782hDyh6tFLObVQOZm5XVPYCFWjzhZISQFfZbm330Ss4cKoLChG1n1cJWlHp3IOCPS0H9M/w480-h640/IMG_0015.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gwenne and Zia at the Pinnacle</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KcgenHHwCV5MIDSFyykaSFpl9u-S_uDR5Pt7PfBIFFBHYVYl_tMkJXKT42HduKTiOpoS7G3yWhd4wGSGjrJsIaCgpwVdS4vzbO8snWqIkEq9y7Kr0P5opuxSdx40hGY6C0XKPouf7EJbp-BZkeGRcyyMQH3LFIuF2Nby65l-r3u_7zHGQNYMd8Jj/s4000/IMG_0019.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KcgenHHwCV5MIDSFyykaSFpl9u-S_uDR5Pt7PfBIFFBHYVYl_tMkJXKT42HduKTiOpoS7G3yWhd4wGSGjrJsIaCgpwVdS4vzbO8snWqIkEq9y7Kr0P5opuxSdx40hGY6C0XKPouf7EJbp-BZkeGRcyyMQH3LFIuF2Nby65l-r3u_7zHGQNYMd8Jj/w300-h400/IMG_0019.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9xqqqISrCuanuDtgwaO6c5uTTRW7kI8HK0isLkFrgg2F8ponKUzuDVxSKI1rbqqZ8XCmCvpXKn4ew5wkQ8OH-rMzPC8Sbb1F3bsWVUeaVFJhFiUKZnqFRiUpd1DK4r0GgMygY9_-7pHqMeSHKZQuuxrCA3ASXwXTg5FX-Ig5JfNDD4gF4sPWZgq_/s4000/IMG_0013.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9xqqqISrCuanuDtgwaO6c5uTTRW7kI8HK0isLkFrgg2F8ponKUzuDVxSKI1rbqqZ8XCmCvpXKn4ew5wkQ8OH-rMzPC8Sbb1F3bsWVUeaVFJhFiUKZnqFRiUpd1DK4r0GgMygY9_-7pHqMeSHKZQuuxrCA3ASXwXTg5FX-Ig5JfNDD4gF4sPWZgq_/s320/IMG_0013.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxJipaAESKUywPUoh309cVZZe-TaGdca6w5qpQhBNTF4gjq5HIv88hrHk9-64pkYCiDrCsd1fTbsgiJCk4DaS3vhwYm5bnPQf1tac5OKhUpZBcf62Rrtd1lIotbG-uYC3PZh7xjuzNiZ22ha_hAeHPI0Inb7u6PFVbpibndA9VIs7HCphxTWySOv8/s4000/IMG_0017.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxJipaAESKUywPUoh309cVZZe-TaGdca6w5qpQhBNTF4gjq5HIv88hrHk9-64pkYCiDrCsd1fTbsgiJCk4DaS3vhwYm5bnPQf1tac5OKhUpZBcf62Rrtd1lIotbG-uYC3PZh7xjuzNiZ22ha_hAeHPI0Inb7u6PFVbpibndA9VIs7HCphxTWySOv8/w640-h480/IMG_0017.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> You'd think something like the Tower of the Golden Dome would be a unique, one-of-a-kind type of thing. But you'd be wrong. On the same afternoon we were in Granville we drove the relatively short distance to Dorset, Vermont for a 'two-tower' day. The Pinnacle is the name of both a hill and a tower on the hill's summit. In Dorset turn off Rt. 30 onto Pinnacle Lane to find the trailhead. There are a number of short easy trails that wind around the hill. You could spend a couple of hours here hiking, reading the informative signs and enjoying the tower. If it wasn't for Gwenne and Zia I'd still be there examining the amazing diversity of rocks it's built from. Thank God for rich eccentrics and the 'follies' they've bequeathed us.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Sticking with the genre of stone towers let's look at a few that fall more in the industrial/utilitarian realm.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNDZgKKAervnVBt1ukRhp-BwRHN1MoxcfPyD2VsAf4JJf5tBRzZJUN8qO3SHpTABUX1o9Z0GvkneqvPh8pBNAhuI-8Y5ikVSxr3VWwV2RpVbgKaHDn5ThadB8xn5j2FsoQQg9IAiUOavS57xvVEWrSK-ItH2STsEjp3s3fD23_9-tLjcjZgZf8Y_x/s1011/88360952_2873259016123429_6129786116649254912_n.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1011" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUNDZgKKAervnVBt1ukRhp-BwRHN1MoxcfPyD2VsAf4JJf5tBRzZJUN8qO3SHpTABUX1o9Z0GvkneqvPh8pBNAhuI-8Y5ikVSxr3VWwV2RpVbgKaHDn5ThadB8xn5j2FsoQQg9IAiUOavS57xvVEWrSK-ItH2STsEjp3s3fD23_9-tLjcjZgZf8Y_x/w640-h458/88360952_2873259016123429_6129786116649254912_n.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then...</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQA972lxSFr1Fw9cxyz2ObGOjWrd8M0IQIyD18kZ6LtMdQes6oGjqkE1H5dYlrMKVELtN0insQZJThdVhF_CAFCoXB2-XN7pxf2Qs8l9gx3iUlvZ4CJ0L5eGD2Rw00Kfyrwub2yh-YizKIxqVYv4nr5uFs6GnakumSkd0e1YhbRkLQhwmM0hXyDWkj/s4000/IMG_0061.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQA972lxSFr1Fw9cxyz2ObGOjWrd8M0IQIyD18kZ6LtMdQes6oGjqkE1H5dYlrMKVELtN0insQZJThdVhF_CAFCoXB2-XN7pxf2Qs8l9gx3iUlvZ4CJ0L5eGD2Rw00Kfyrwub2yh-YizKIxqVYv4nr5uFs6GnakumSkd0e1YhbRkLQhwmM0hXyDWkj/w480-h640/IMG_0061.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">...and now</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> From quarry to kiln to canal was the program at Bald Mountain, Town of Greenwich in the mid-1800's when a thriving lime industry was going strong. A couple of the hulking kilns still hide in the woods, reminders of an industrial past.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTQRwHt4NfhCSfwRUGYkvny752dsDup_dgKh6OHcJuf0NE0zKtfPArepsK1ktQhJSQxkgX3Gk6M2EnhAGcjOAzwwE0r2qDVlrHuRNTbBFasF5U3TLRm7QQtjFSRSyyXAn1xjyi9SavBHB3dDV-7pWDseATPQMEHmu0biKz9swOM7YDAw4mE0HT3fQ/s4000/IMG_9878.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTQRwHt4NfhCSfwRUGYkvny752dsDup_dgKh6OHcJuf0NE0zKtfPArepsK1ktQhJSQxkgX3Gk6M2EnhAGcjOAzwwE0r2qDVlrHuRNTbBFasF5U3TLRm7QQtjFSRSyyXAn1xjyi9SavBHB3dDV-7pWDseATPQMEHmu0biKz9swOM7YDAw4mE0HT3fQ/w480-h640/IMG_9878.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> Further north in the Town of Fort Ann this behemoth stands sentinel in deep forest. It's the Mt. Hope Blast Furnace, once used for smelting iron ore. I've hiked in many times in the past but now a group called Friends of Camp Little Notch blocks access. It's sad when an area's historical legacy is taken away from long time residents by outsiders.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZotyZ3FyuUolG0-NtMr2kWSYRJ6V5C1ObTIKk3aoAzRBBm6852_7RMfJkytRC9D_obh2jDxw6UDG0WOwvULprXACPGjVsDDI6dFQH1R-eL1ZOT96liizmekKyzqnKXHV245rMEvNU3ICyceptkRrrveRhoe1xZQi9txxSuL51XEurN7JcwrNii4wk/s4000/IMG_9633.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZotyZ3FyuUolG0-NtMr2kWSYRJ6V5C1ObTIKk3aoAzRBBm6852_7RMfJkytRC9D_obh2jDxw6UDG0WOwvULprXACPGjVsDDI6dFQH1R-eL1ZOT96liizmekKyzqnKXHV245rMEvNU3ICyceptkRrrveRhoe1xZQi9txxSuL51XEurN7JcwrNii4wk/w400-h300/IMG_9633.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWgYeBxO6qgFB3oo7ZC1buRySh-UITiI5Gp7qTXdFr1rBDAQ1DwU69fJk5GJWrFVGIgRfBIl4LtICtzlNXP_bM8L7mMbsyEgmE5d7zor8F4AfL98hLE45oep2AkmoyjtvkefeE1ud3R8aFfgAHYwvh_zopZlErHdH4fPo7e55cB8cPGtax33hbaAP/s2816/DSCN1078.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="2112" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWgYeBxO6qgFB3oo7ZC1buRySh-UITiI5Gp7qTXdFr1rBDAQ1DwU69fJk5GJWrFVGIgRfBIl4LtICtzlNXP_bM8L7mMbsyEgmE5d7zor8F4AfL98hLE45oep2AkmoyjtvkefeE1ud3R8aFfgAHYwvh_zopZlErHdH4fPo7e55cB8cPGtax33hbaAP/w480-h640/DSCN1078.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIf1BJfn9nqfFVrXVc9oH5qgScMYc8fDWmxMwH2cMSYKMHtdQ5rjNMJ_ecioG7d1MYjrUeozYmr9BrWueaTGdVbd2Sob7DofKfd-82q8DGZlYia67Gl3SfpOmD24M1hKQXH8ChPZM20TbVmQW2JLfLRkm8w7SA2zMEDOeO5Rhxj0LlEI2Z0kC45jF/s4000/IMG_9120.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIf1BJfn9nqfFVrXVc9oH5qgScMYc8fDWmxMwH2cMSYKMHtdQ5rjNMJ_ecioG7d1MYjrUeozYmr9BrWueaTGdVbd2Sob7DofKfd-82q8DGZlYia67Gl3SfpOmD24M1hKQXH8ChPZM20TbVmQW2JLfLRkm8w7SA2zMEDOeO5Rhxj0LlEI2Z0kC45jF/w400-h300/IMG_9120.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> Maybe this is stretching the definition of tower a wee bit but there are a number of old bridge abutments that 'tower' above you when in a canoe and they can be quite impressive. I know of ones in the Hudson, Battenkill and Moses Kill and there may be others.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslm85GriQaji0eF-r7iH48IASns6sU8nCjJ2d0c-et5WPblBZ7OqAtCDpXtEIbFfqVThMtLktPyOdLdd6ZL2ukV0ODEmZnEkIKxGEFJtcBe5vIT5ONJDAGab3iENbToHSWVT_nXe_N4PMl7ORQGttA-BvSFksiKtJcv30RGr_w1URw7u-MSNUbmMk/s4000/IMG_0062.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslm85GriQaji0eF-r7iH48IASns6sU8nCjJ2d0c-et5WPblBZ7OqAtCDpXtEIbFfqVThMtLktPyOdLdd6ZL2ukV0ODEmZnEkIKxGEFJtcBe5vIT5ONJDAGab3iENbToHSWVT_nXe_N4PMl7ORQGttA-BvSFksiKtJcv30RGr_w1URw7u-MSNUbmMk/w300-h400/IMG_0062.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHw5Dh_Dtb_jWEFFsIswlYp3APfd88xFsBrpaAKnY_H6msQNjD-0YEDNyCP8ZcBljri8PbT5WKTiijqixA5AGOprLyM1_wgqsW7AHoqhbxuvjxwG5ZSv8PJ2MiU1Me1VPcIJNQ_6JpPwnxCqRcAnJ7rKX_y6rkKDRAD25fI-na8WQtpJ-F-JmtqK1p/s4000/IMG_9928.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHw5Dh_Dtb_jWEFFsIswlYp3APfd88xFsBrpaAKnY_H6msQNjD-0YEDNyCP8ZcBljri8PbT5WKTiijqixA5AGOprLyM1_wgqsW7AHoqhbxuvjxwG5ZSv8PJ2MiU1Me1VPcIJNQ_6JpPwnxCqRcAnJ7rKX_y6rkKDRAD25fI-na8WQtpJ-F-JmtqK1p/w480-h640/IMG_9928.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> The undisputed champions of area towers are the Schuylerville Monument (154') and the Bennington Monument (306'). Both commemorate Revolutionary War battles.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> Sticking with the genera of soaring stone for a moment, here are a few more I've come across:</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7QNzfkIdSUVpjNZtUQ0mzSlgNxuTOWE2kKBNJzO-B-f9_T-9l8jtfr87EHzNtDh0z_2WEj706YJ82wSJovp26w5EAIynTNRjrlg3nyYudesYIXQCvpjCIDQs8urUioejcOmunp_3DcwvNIAvOlWPc0WNMDtoJvbUmQuU08jv2mOAsoFbNT2eO84A/s4000/IMG_0077.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7QNzfkIdSUVpjNZtUQ0mzSlgNxuTOWE2kKBNJzO-B-f9_T-9l8jtfr87EHzNtDh0z_2WEj706YJ82wSJovp26w5EAIynTNRjrlg3nyYudesYIXQCvpjCIDQs8urUioejcOmunp_3DcwvNIAvOlWPc0WNMDtoJvbUmQuU08jv2mOAsoFbNT2eO84A/w480-h640/IMG_0077.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The impressive entrance to Whitehall's Skene Manor</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV23bxHIKtUsZGZAuAJaTegkqQQjTRwGXOim4EHMtPsQgFswVW85KMU3vXG_e0nDnK0Q5z4hyjq8TvaeKjxBfnrLo88t6TkUn87dii9378V-UyBSVKsgpkZhi3GDn7MQFo8uRa-4zgqJCHeTKJTevzI6sJM1I6ABAuvrL-9Gg3tleV1sn1mhAfLsl5/s4000/IMG_8529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV23bxHIKtUsZGZAuAJaTegkqQQjTRwGXOim4EHMtPsQgFswVW85KMU3vXG_e0nDnK0Q5z4hyjq8TvaeKjxBfnrLo88t6TkUn87dii9378V-UyBSVKsgpkZhi3GDn7MQFo8uRa-4zgqJCHeTKJTevzI6sJM1I6ABAuvrL-9Gg3tleV1sn1mhAfLsl5/w480-h640/IMG_8529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Perfect symmetry invites you into the</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mountain Grove Memorial Chapel, Huletts </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sqv4BlCR6gOWvzBucqdw0D4SxQzUGFCKjGQ8wHd9T4J4-2ZCdXSbjptt090vpJSAIZM84-EEDn6fNSxCUXeNlXDgIljlqLg17FQwD3hsThS3709-LhfvPhkqVyToov2oRoYnRVdy_pJIINeyzpgo4EPDuyUT9RKm-vOOExGDv7ZR3iLT-0GvxDoo/s4000/IMG_0080.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sqv4BlCR6gOWvzBucqdw0D4SxQzUGFCKjGQ8wHd9T4J4-2ZCdXSbjptt090vpJSAIZM84-EEDn6fNSxCUXeNlXDgIljlqLg17FQwD3hsThS3709-LhfvPhkqVyToov2oRoYnRVdy_pJIINeyzpgo4EPDuyUT9RKm-vOOExGDv7ZR3iLT-0GvxDoo/w400-h300/IMG_0080.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Back in Whitehall is this mini-castle with its</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">corner towers</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipBIWqWzCeGI_eWcTvjzP1-hnFtOPD7sNWrnPTW46I_Orr3ElemFVcEbQhYTYNfmuwxduhfslzauPHGqrlF3xgT2I8twtdUyPjEApYGip4li3Qr1QtRKveAnALbZ1NkJ48zo3xB20QugBKfpr-qFsJzJRpg2gdPUtjEnz6pDTjeIiXWC-BXydUJYO/s4000/IMG_0079.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipBIWqWzCeGI_eWcTvjzP1-hnFtOPD7sNWrnPTW46I_Orr3ElemFVcEbQhYTYNfmuwxduhfslzauPHGqrlF3xgT2I8twtdUyPjEApYGip4li3Qr1QtRKveAnALbZ1NkJ48zo3xB20QugBKfpr-qFsJzJRpg2gdPUtjEnz6pDTjeIiXWC-BXydUJYO/w480-h640/IMG_0079.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Just up the street the facade of Our Lady of Hope</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">lifts our gaze heavenward</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's capped by a shining copper roof (not visible in my photo)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">that's a Whitehall landmark</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4SGQ23GbBJ6124FUI85EgIvYE0weKvfgzH052vWtyQrBFk4qsbfVQUkiArGTocn1cdp4ogYVhTKca_sumSCaQCUoUgAoBSi8tjBDJ_E3s-nRjzEY8lpmQ-Wf-fEux7o-6Nf3T17qAHQML9PW184GnvdEgrIUwsOcBHkwoP9xOgzIx68fT_Q_TXfT/s2816/DSCN0983.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4SGQ23GbBJ6124FUI85EgIvYE0weKvfgzH052vWtyQrBFk4qsbfVQUkiArGTocn1cdp4ogYVhTKca_sumSCaQCUoUgAoBSi8tjBDJ_E3s-nRjzEY8lpmQ-Wf-fEux7o-6Nf3T17qAHQML9PW184GnvdEgrIUwsOcBHkwoP9xOgzIx68fT_Q_TXfT/w640-h480/DSCN0983.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Up in Putnam cliff, chimney, portico, steeple and monuments all</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">strive for the sky at the United Presbyterian Church.</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> And a couple more church steeples in...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdm4eFCIof-pyfTY9FVuK_orEWEmuTSAz2lyjSLLolvUFNuzown-54j0cyDezr1L1sU-nY5RbDymCXbL7MQw9j775eQucl4yKSE58GGcBN4eX1OMrajX_6pUaGA92kLRx5kxuvCFZZ4QCSSbvOeVK7cenfPvnynsVBnNtZFO4AmfGYKZf7LSSwLrX/s4000/IMG_0058.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdm4eFCIof-pyfTY9FVuK_orEWEmuTSAz2lyjSLLolvUFNuzown-54j0cyDezr1L1sU-nY5RbDymCXbL7MQw9j775eQucl4yKSE58GGcBN4eX1OMrajX_6pUaGA92kLRx5kxuvCFZZ4QCSSbvOeVK7cenfPvnynsVBnNtZFO4AmfGYKZf7LSSwLrX/s320/IMG_0058.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Greenwich</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfF9aJbhpNr6Tch8H9rifwVmmfBK9oKWfgCJahIGfUqpgnOdkgf_Qsx1xutEd2N3Usvp_ScgwKAOofJNyT8XM5e3gkoAyQnGQSMhjY6RKQ5ybs8BaoPmLdP_eC13kGB5idNQlTxacsYzTXBZl5MsENT5MIqTGwt-H4-c-iwCnplodWWHi3i0ndIaJ/s4000/IMG_0034.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfF9aJbhpNr6Tch8H9rifwVmmfBK9oKWfgCJahIGfUqpgnOdkgf_Qsx1xutEd2N3Usvp_ScgwKAOofJNyT8XM5e3gkoAyQnGQSMhjY6RKQ5ybs8BaoPmLdP_eC13kGB5idNQlTxacsYzTXBZl5MsENT5MIqTGwt-H4-c-iwCnplodWWHi3i0ndIaJ/w300-h400/IMG_0034.JPG" width="300" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cambridge</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> How about the exquisite New Skete Bell Tower?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZloeW9QUiZ4zlYlK1ND3OMZiykfyiWjXnQlZd72ZfjbGHD3eYyPNvkt6UBkoPBqhacrKsY4YkMRF7Ar_oTkWS1sUUjoJkw8hwkf-Pc099zK_5EkDI5mc0ycxoHoLSWdAbv1L6YrRPpCQ9FYGk-tQuXYMGpjdYWvmIVsaTNs49uCo2ptVwP13Njx9/s4000/IMG_9629.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZloeW9QUiZ4zlYlK1ND3OMZiykfyiWjXnQlZd72ZfjbGHD3eYyPNvkt6UBkoPBqhacrKsY4YkMRF7Ar_oTkWS1sUUjoJkw8hwkf-Pc099zK_5EkDI5mc0ycxoHoLSWdAbv1L6YrRPpCQ9FYGk-tQuXYMGpjdYWvmIVsaTNs49uCo2ptVwP13Njx9/w480-h640/IMG_9629.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Some cemetery monuments tower impressively.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnf1Z_rttMXPVOURZcJywank4Mukl7VjCUH9mpQdyI9gNAiKvegY_7eyTGk9MKONV5Kq00RMHeF72TNPvlc7BYxQLGwfwvXMTHM6LGeMYrK0cAZZd_otyQ-AlXwcURx0lKbgLVj6gi6jigp1Nb7SAsS7auXz4KeMoa1vVHtKfD4MXLFDPCRuCBfgtq/s4000/IMG_0027.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnf1Z_rttMXPVOURZcJywank4Mukl7VjCUH9mpQdyI9gNAiKvegY_7eyTGk9MKONV5Kq00RMHeF72TNPvlc7BYxQLGwfwvXMTHM6LGeMYrK0cAZZd_otyQ-AlXwcURx0lKbgLVj6gi6jigp1Nb7SAsS7auXz4KeMoa1vVHtKfD4MXLFDPCRuCBfgtq/w300-h400/IMG_0027.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Philip Embury's grave</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Woodlawn Cemetery</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cambridge</span></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcK6JILGe378pEVcjHbIMF7y18WfiOk9Dfnuq62fKLop4B-T-scXEGlsIr_bCCbXISMt9VKf2DrzukhS5cmnOsP-BIKuNho4idUk9lXCTPhYcyFch5QQSc7by1bX_OWuU25n4ThPGRBfVjxr9Av-ax0c0PBHbhbm3fSMMWknocULhEs0EI1w--1Wx/s4000/IMG_9666.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcK6JILGe378pEVcjHbIMF7y18WfiOk9Dfnuq62fKLop4B-T-scXEGlsIr_bCCbXISMt9VKf2DrzukhS5cmnOsP-BIKuNho4idUk9lXCTPhYcyFch5QQSc7by1bX_OWuU25n4ThPGRBfVjxr9Av-ax0c0PBHbhbm3fSMMWknocULhEs0EI1w--1Wx/w391-h350/IMG_9666.JPG" width="391" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This cross sits on a hill near the entrance </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">to Evergreen Cemetery in Salem</span></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamDU4OxRZb1vfkUquYUk7qscNVZ-p1jjx0dlZ4sB8rXKq-Hh9E-w4iY6t-TJBUkCogcv1mHgQm5SlIQ3j1lZki4ltzQl6rKZTJS7BB9Y1YkO1mAUceVuqK1OR-vFUebqN1U15m8GGqu8WdksU-KjgkcqT4HPQd4CX6GlXY_vzNFvZ7fk2Xg9F70PS/s4000/IMG_9838.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamDU4OxRZb1vfkUquYUk7qscNVZ-p1jjx0dlZ4sB8rXKq-Hh9E-w4iY6t-TJBUkCogcv1mHgQm5SlIQ3j1lZki4ltzQl6rKZTJS7BB9Y1YkO1mAUceVuqK1OR-vFUebqN1U15m8GGqu8WdksU-KjgkcqT4HPQd4CX6GlXY_vzNFvZ7fk2Xg9F70PS/w480-h640/IMG_9838.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Col. Williams obelisk perched on its large boulder</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lake George</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBE6mGa4utAIb9NZB7WyW3yf9-cc2bAOPlM9aknQF1ioLU0akgoVLyf9mWnfcMmCJu9MqL_cAGg5RX-I8Q1VCmzM7LGT6YPnpANxpKt-LB0-ur3UQfWSL2D0IBAtJd4MS_nwE8XMAgRyNfH2osl_AbPwnyABOreq97OJeB0VdoQSBgnfZXpdn4D1mi/s4000/IMG_9538.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBE6mGa4utAIb9NZB7WyW3yf9-cc2bAOPlM9aknQF1ioLU0akgoVLyf9mWnfcMmCJu9MqL_cAGg5RX-I8Q1VCmzM7LGT6YPnpANxpKt-LB0-ur3UQfWSL2D0IBAtJd4MS_nwE8XMAgRyNfH2osl_AbPwnyABOreq97OJeB0VdoQSBgnfZXpdn4D1mi/w480-h640/IMG_9538.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At Juckett Park in Hudson Falls</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> In farm country silos to store feed are ubiquitous and often the highest structures around. They can also store other materials as well. I may do a whole post on various types so be forewarned. Here's a small sample of these useful towers:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHDIv6b_PlI_MItEx_V3O_b1-JxHpMiTMrzNl3WWM-s9PksRrOf48vLgKEYRtUA44hfADsDvGUwIOmQvLOoHfJlzfmdRLUJKlCf7cocWY8YqTc1RfSE1ALOiNZY2BrIjUsoa4tZEJ28i9jYozFAlI8Bq5szUFZPDK_ncBUTbFsqfzdofRxiy9e54t/s4000/IMG_0055.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHDIv6b_PlI_MItEx_V3O_b1-JxHpMiTMrzNl3WWM-s9PksRrOf48vLgKEYRtUA44hfADsDvGUwIOmQvLOoHfJlzfmdRLUJKlCf7cocWY8YqTc1RfSE1ALOiNZY2BrIjUsoa4tZEJ28i9jYozFAlI8Bq5szUFZPDK_ncBUTbFsqfzdofRxiy9e54t/w300-h400/IMG_0055.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A big blue Harvestore dwarfs an old cement stave silo</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In Ashgrove beside White Creek</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRqjjtBSk7-H2KsgaYdqi6mdsnAWPofoS_Z-4eux9VLfwYAwvHJx--fQY7g2iN4oWWmXY2gWbm01_WpYjV2W4WB9zUsF_sGy1FxyzXPmMhDvPOvInchb-pfq27-vD-PgtojoEEBUpynRioIl4DDuKJKlM9IEMZeUAK7V2_nxVqEgaaPVQdTKiU4pY/s4000/IMG_0069.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRqjjtBSk7-H2KsgaYdqi6mdsnAWPofoS_Z-4eux9VLfwYAwvHJx--fQY7g2iN4oWWmXY2gWbm01_WpYjV2W4WB9zUsF_sGy1FxyzXPmMhDvPOvInchb-pfq27-vD-PgtojoEEBUpynRioIl4DDuKJKlM9IEMZeUAK7V2_nxVqEgaaPVQdTKiU4pY/w480-h640/IMG_0069.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cement silos at the soon to be closed cement plant</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From the Feeder Canal Trail, Glens Falls</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOm6zfzrkA04HhHSTNcgFpe3bBGfHtgc6fEwomDnH3Tps6U8bPjArcTR5YLSix4ZSWOHqq5kR7kg6b3Rtt-KTfw7u5M7q2rCiTAxJRSzZY1oxjXslBUr-iXSZCQ4nOPgEJDLNtFv2kMk_VCmcHLk0TtQsNr7ljRahLLqAZXwjAKQNsXoHtUvrkCfEP/s1165/6375411ed4368.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1165" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOm6zfzrkA04HhHSTNcgFpe3bBGfHtgc6fEwomDnH3Tps6U8bPjArcTR5YLSix4ZSWOHqq5kR7kg6b3Rtt-KTfw7u5M7q2rCiTAxJRSzZY1oxjXslBUr-iXSZCQ4nOPgEJDLNtFv2kMk_VCmcHLk0TtQsNr7ljRahLLqAZXwjAKQNsXoHtUvrkCfEP/s320/6375411ed4368.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From the bottom looking up</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Another view of the cement silos from the web</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnL5FEZ7yrNglLHCJlEKdD9ogmaR_4DUvqafXc6qx7f-nWUsqfaZLtHWjKpRwX9u91YvzywuoZ5cGRlsWZVLziIyh0lKBrMwcMscDqqSh01885-Z4RAqacZm5esz8_JstpUZOw38whwWJRuLeuPR0EM14VIlmdoaV3GzCyLbTe06kEC3NkA0iRHEC/s4000/IMG_0074.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnL5FEZ7yrNglLHCJlEKdD9ogmaR_4DUvqafXc6qx7f-nWUsqfaZLtHWjKpRwX9u91YvzywuoZ5cGRlsWZVLziIyh0lKBrMwcMscDqqSh01885-Z4RAqacZm5esz8_JstpUZOw38whwWJRuLeuPR0EM14VIlmdoaV3GzCyLbTe06kEC3NkA0iRHEC/w640-h480/IMG_0074.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The recently restored coal silos in Hudson Falls</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">also along the Feeder Canal Trail</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Cell towers are, of course, and unfortunately, common on the landscape but only Pilot Knob has a Frankenpine!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2elQ8l1tiPjIGPDbArHdAn4VC7SDBr8gYI-CoNTWG8ZEETNZxQkD2B_durPz-q8WvfAhZ867z4ue_v1gG_RQRMDDSE0YtWkZZeygiz96SO_JPhrObbdLIVSTaYhmFo7oRGUysA49_8yX59PkZDJpa35cxphZ6UxNW6vBtqab6kud-JZK6k-r_BKbK/s1024/rawImage.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="677" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2elQ8l1tiPjIGPDbArHdAn4VC7SDBr8gYI-CoNTWG8ZEETNZxQkD2B_durPz-q8WvfAhZ867z4ue_v1gG_RQRMDDSE0YtWkZZeygiz96SO_JPhrObbdLIVSTaYhmFo7oRGUysA49_8yX59PkZDJpa35cxphZ6UxNW6vBtqab6kud-JZK6k-r_BKbK/w265-h400/rawImage.jpeg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Building the Pilot Knob 'Frankenpine' cell tower</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">web image</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYqicqjII3ORlkUQl5xcE1z4YcjfKhjvdUlxgoyXBhHTH0--JmesJRYDUtXTv2gwYpNYWBH6gOLjXZNMquzsvvu1INuhVkBxJi9wo3Ng0qpCdc0KynznSCyYjumx4sRoO9xNm9KdQ6l67R41tVcU8drdQqF_-icxVzAo_VNXEU4k_G4BxnI63HE-h/s4000/IMG_0032.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYqicqjII3ORlkUQl5xcE1z4YcjfKhjvdUlxgoyXBhHTH0--JmesJRYDUtXTv2gwYpNYWBH6gOLjXZNMquzsvvu1INuhVkBxJi9wo3Ng0qpCdc0KynznSCyYjumx4sRoO9xNm9KdQ6l67R41tVcU8drdQqF_-icxVzAo_VNXEU4k_G4BxnI63HE-h/w300-h400/IMG_0032.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Is it a cell tower disguised as a water tower or vice versa?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's in Cambridge and there's an open ladder going up the right leg.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I used to like to rock climb but that is way too scary for me.</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Then there are the forbidding guard towers at the prison in Comstock. When I drove by there recently I didn't even want to stop long enough to snap a photo, so I let Google do it. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ERyEbjujSMrR-u_7237MKY2qoR3sQYdYCmW14LPy58erx1txe4UmMRuEkTsvmTCdiCzod5mw54bEbosdT8rnELzGP_h8z3xRhEVaXwmkaUtwVRTS3JQz1omil3dplQBcz8pSisoOEvAM2AX5t_SycI9v4TE1OnghI-SrTzc_hCjNPgpznomJj6nf/s2176/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-05%20at%208.15.50%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="2176" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ERyEbjujSMrR-u_7237MKY2qoR3sQYdYCmW14LPy58erx1txe4UmMRuEkTsvmTCdiCzod5mw54bEbosdT8rnELzGP_h8z3xRhEVaXwmkaUtwVRTS3JQz1omil3dplQBcz8pSisoOEvAM2AX5t_SycI9v4TE1OnghI-SrTzc_hCjNPgpznomJj6nf/w640-h220/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-05%20at%208.15.50%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Screen shot from Google Street View</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> On a clear day you <u>used</u> to be able to see forever. Washington County has a couple of fire towers and I've climbed both of them in the past. Now they are closed. But it's no big deal, all you are missing is gorgeous views.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FAUuY4ojz9TkH1UJyDjWWY7hCNvw4rbX_GEvY-t195Ba3ujv8F8ITeirsE7uWpmC3YRl2YdyAWAjT9qXDsJNWshFoDQPM1phP_tIYSyRrcWufLAPFuuZBDsL9QKiBLDzuf--POuJR1PCmb2w_aWySZ-XsNRu3sbEI0OqBDE5_xQMf6M_9yaeDTs_/s2816/DSCN4933.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FAUuY4ojz9TkH1UJyDjWWY7hCNvw4rbX_GEvY-t195Ba3ujv8F8ITeirsE7uWpmC3YRl2YdyAWAjT9qXDsJNWshFoDQPM1phP_tIYSyRrcWufLAPFuuZBDsL9QKiBLDzuf--POuJR1PCmb2w_aWySZ-XsNRu3sbEI0OqBDE5_xQMf6M_9yaeDTs_/s2816/DSCN4933.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0Qi8fYQKJzFmFXywM971wjXwNstEox_Hva9_rzRGxm6uYWRHZiXhhEVOq9tQK26LBkBNWosi_0oBCVbXP0yc17wt-_1Znw3qsBu7Ov1kpd6zxPbtjXgqw6nP6zKSzYcyDtqwdnSQrOSjSet_n1r7-1z8xBQM0z89GTdNDqso8xqQ-bNVZMqv1age/s2816/DSCN4937.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0Qi8fYQKJzFmFXywM971wjXwNstEox_Hva9_rzRGxm6uYWRHZiXhhEVOq9tQK26LBkBNWosi_0oBCVbXP0yc17wt-_1Znw3qsBu7Ov1kpd6zxPbtjXgqw6nP6zKSzYcyDtqwdnSQrOSjSet_n1r7-1z8xBQM0z89GTdNDqso8xqQ-bNVZMqv1age/s320/DSCN4937.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FAUuY4ojz9TkH1UJyDjWWY7hCNvw4rbX_GEvY-t195Ba3ujv8F8ITeirsE7uWpmC3YRl2YdyAWAjT9qXDsJNWshFoDQPM1phP_tIYSyRrcWufLAPFuuZBDsL9QKiBLDzuf--POuJR1PCmb2w_aWySZ-XsNRu3sbEI0OqBDE5_xQMf6M_9yaeDTs_/w400-h300/DSCN4933.JPG" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Wind turbine, solar panels, tower - Black Mountain</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvE5wcHj30lWT4bpAVLofTzHcBuvtRZtw5C2uHCnpHblFKIWzgQot-z9aE84rrp6KZOZwYLOp85V4DtrU6-QtKr-6L6p1jXs9d60ckB6T_gK17Ldq-c4yfXUkIm6qRBR59eqOgjkoz-8A4JCf9lCySfDYNvglYe6-E3Wjvc9dbR5Vxnf0LnYzA5lu/s2816/DSCN4943.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="2112" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvE5wcHj30lWT4bpAVLofTzHcBuvtRZtw5C2uHCnpHblFKIWzgQot-z9aE84rrp6KZOZwYLOp85V4DtrU6-QtKr-6L6p1jXs9d60ckB6T_gK17Ldq-c4yfXUkIm6qRBR59eqOgjkoz-8A4JCf9lCySfDYNvglYe6-E3Wjvc9dbR5Vxnf0LnYzA5lu/w480-h640/DSCN4943.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As high as you can get (legally) in Washington County</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The tower on top of Black Mountain</span></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hScKHGVV7knUzYoxwBhW-34UyQUFlX613i3qiXzCK4IWUy-7dW8EoAbztI1abWAtuKEDnpOB7Xr4BG_AprwF78DhIFdqTqeflawTBlas34fqMVoHG1sCcQIWIEW4sRCyQk9qgb3xOly3xWGnHT3u5AMd4o_kBWDPf8q_utJOxJ47DMRGQPH5nK8_/s4000/IMG_8571.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hScKHGVV7knUzYoxwBhW-34UyQUFlX613i3qiXzCK4IWUy-7dW8EoAbztI1abWAtuKEDnpOB7Xr4BG_AprwF78DhIFdqTqeflawTBlas34fqMVoHG1sCcQIWIEW4sRCyQk9qgb3xOly3xWGnHT3u5AMd4o_kBWDPf8q_utJOxJ47DMRGQPH5nK8_/s320/IMG_8571.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoM70_sF16l0gkJCnkZdSkhdYbtB-kUjJugnlbF1ZPSGYCbnKj0igSkQ-1dzlZrxQVm0MPCsvN8fkeyGsXFQOhlZ6sR5rgh6zk-OdiSg0L3RsveJMrMgmPzNdwdmM08FftXzKtDzJbYaTlhMsK8hh2L0YbdhQzTe5IJzMG0OYOu2eYSfepCA32iMIj/s4000/IMG_8574.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoM70_sF16l0gkJCnkZdSkhdYbtB-kUjJugnlbF1ZPSGYCbnKj0igSkQ-1dzlZrxQVm0MPCsvN8fkeyGsXFQOhlZ6sR5rgh6zk-OdiSg0L3RsveJMrMgmPzNdwdmM08FftXzKtDzJbYaTlhMsK8hh2L0YbdhQzTe5IJzMG0OYOu2eYSfepCA32iMIj/w480-h640/IMG_8574.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Two photos of the Colfax firetower in the Town of Jackson</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Formerly a nice destination with great views from the top</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now closed and apparently used as a cell tower. Gab on...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"> There used to be a lot of tall smokestacks when Washington County was more industrial. A few still stand but many have come crashing down as they deteriorated and became liabilities.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQ9SWtr9jXDuDUboxsUJ2yDK2AxfZEHM852EhZCvY8YeiM_JC5tnwQ7XOZvnoo_IG39nnfCBHJoUvugL7BOQSzfSrwzufww0qssmDHhgOEDDXKuRekDPQ64Y548j2IYbMKUOmhMtvIkShfDyDyPFPoCoPD5Vlol9slxAFn0gVzKWY_dISztb6pqi5/s1000/il_fullxfull.641237615_ciry.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1000" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQ9SWtr9jXDuDUboxsUJ2yDK2AxfZEHM852EhZCvY8YeiM_JC5tnwQ7XOZvnoo_IG39nnfCBHJoUvugL7BOQSzfSrwzufww0qssmDHhgOEDDXKuRekDPQ64Y548j2IYbMKUOmhMtvIkShfDyDyPFPoCoPD5Vlol9slxAFn0gVzKWY_dISztb6pqi5/w640-h416/il_fullxfull.641237615_ciry.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then and...</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07Dg2QOd8SOzQq5KpM3fw-MHzg61ghOfK1cLK3icShF2w0EiYHIy4Nm6DFcGxiKaP5t5SI6jhBsNX7Fh06YnXPS1lOWTwti3srs6pvNYs2-nTZS2CkjB83ePPUq9D3-Ym0cEP7XvT_qIxbQbZljC3uSnwxKhHoVl1F_DYie5hFQwk2GplwdwCLn0T/s634/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-05%20at%209.42.54%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="460" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07Dg2QOd8SOzQq5KpM3fw-MHzg61ghOfK1cLK3icShF2w0EiYHIy4Nm6DFcGxiKaP5t5SI6jhBsNX7Fh06YnXPS1lOWTwti3srs6pvNYs2-nTZS2CkjB83ePPUq9D3-Ym0cEP7XvT_qIxbQbZljC3uSnwxKhHoVl1F_DYie5hFQwk2GplwdwCLn0T/w290-h400/Screen%20Shot%202023-03-05%20at%209.42.54%20PM.png" width="290" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"> The two images above are of the Champlain Silk Mill stack in Whitehall. It still stands and you can see it as you cross over the canal on Rt. 4 heading east. I was there just the other day but without a telephoto lens it's hard to get a good shot so I used these pictures from the web. All the buildings in the old post-card are gone with the chimney alone sticking up like a (very big) sore thumb. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Speaking of sore, the trash plant in Hudson Falls is definitely a sore spot for many in the local area. It has to be the tallest stack in Washington County.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1Gi41ccnc8Oli6LZ1kuOn1bJU6LpXGtrzvFjsef_CJ2gfrgfwjTy9MO5dxb15cn_bFRPXDdAHXLdw6IMUscDJ93I5RUwccpWXZgc-BK4r_DnJ4kXdS6HYhsXSSn3E8Ei4U-F-R2TqEWCP5F57Et1WrWg5HoEIkmpM8ZteuO-9u9iegfW-JBDcilG/s289/hudson-falls-listing.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="289" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1Gi41ccnc8Oli6LZ1kuOn1bJU6LpXGtrzvFjsef_CJ2gfrgfwjTy9MO5dxb15cn_bFRPXDdAHXLdw6IMUscDJ93I5RUwccpWXZgc-BK4r_DnJ4kXdS6HYhsXSSn3E8Ei4U-F-R2TqEWCP5F57Et1WrWg5HoEIkmpM8ZteuO-9u9iegfW-JBDcilG/w400-h314/hudson-falls-listing.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Web image</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66wo_uzVYE2UfszM2hcCZlCjxY6UJiMIMU0ollmTUMEWgjT-lb58_GntKxekpAYIqBrV70Az_MKE4p7fpT3sedVCJozuhUWl1vky4bnk8DmyYjdVKjFDRejqmUicodP3Y2UZn1B3ICQtAW7LjjAGVRY96lfJPWFOsLYfJDH17ugtX9KAAt-0_Fv9K/s4000/IMG_0060.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66wo_uzVYE2UfszM2hcCZlCjxY6UJiMIMU0ollmTUMEWgjT-lb58_GntKxekpAYIqBrV70Az_MKE4p7fpT3sedVCJozuhUWl1vky4bnk8DmyYjdVKjFDRejqmUicodP3Y2UZn1B3ICQtAW7LjjAGVRY96lfJPWFOsLYfJDH17ugtX9KAAt-0_Fv9K/w300-h400/IMG_0060.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Another phallic symbol at the H&V plant in Clarks Mills</span></div><br /></div></div><br /><span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbu2ogyiE7yKh5jHjt-mfB-GElrAAcBaRxHPguZpfuv2TEQIjAHtkftZ8g58A4zrFM0CdrayaFFp3_koGW2-MJ3NUPUoyXmnqpnB8WEXpVUKMVbMEpXlBP8aV6_PqCOeREA9wfmIRHcSHAR23xqztj4vuRFDir1MnIG2_MNfd6AeqxoCP6Mx2cikiN/s2654/191009-Glens-Falls-CL-32-2000x2654.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2654" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbu2ogyiE7yKh5jHjt-mfB-GElrAAcBaRxHPguZpfuv2TEQIjAHtkftZ8g58A4zrFM0CdrayaFFp3_koGW2-MJ3NUPUoyXmnqpnB8WEXpVUKMVbMEpXlBP8aV6_PqCOeREA9wfmIRHcSHAR23xqztj4vuRFDir1MnIG2_MNfd6AeqxoCP6Mx2cikiN/w482-h640/191009-Glens-Falls-CL-32-2000x2654.jpeg" width="482" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">An old photo showing the fate of many obsolete stacks</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This one was at the cement plant</span></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I actually have more photos but it's past my bedtime so let's wrap this up. Obviously, I won't be going to New York City to see towers anytime soon, not when we have a virtual forest of them up here on our end of the Hudson. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnF_5EcwMvG15fOb-d94cb0QXHld6pX-W4nyouEF95KJRVy5HG0FuKriLD0jA3BaxTcbWVNsKWvGkIcje3-H2FVpTiYMF5_yFeiA8XC6SWKozjkv_zkbP7UHAYT7kzP1hoFwDgbPnr0oiEWAviZBjbXNhW2NcLedSTkFql43Im6ELhLlcILN7gP_g/s4000/IMG_9981.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnF_5EcwMvG15fOb-d94cb0QXHld6pX-W4nyouEF95KJRVy5HG0FuKriLD0jA3BaxTcbWVNsKWvGkIcje3-H2FVpTiYMF5_yFeiA8XC6SWKozjkv_zkbP7UHAYT7kzP1hoFwDgbPnr0oiEWAviZBjbXNhW2NcLedSTkFql43Im6ELhLlcILN7gP_g/w400-h300/IMG_9981.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-22919073761118511002023-02-28T14:29:00.001-05:002023-02-28T14:33:55.647-05:00Origin Story<p> <span style="font-size: large;"> <u>Paris, Texas</u> begins with an enigma. What is the gaunt figure stumbling thru the desert looking for? By the end of the film you'll have to decide if he's found it. And maybe you'll question if his search parallels one of your own.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUKklwNA70HUlTXyOP12CjQ7fm14oLw1BQsD_bzpxW-KoTDuSRMFXVdarafJWX21xIWrutkTVmsCzN9yxkUyuTYuVYD0iCtYMhXZsRLkzdeZbOvGfcHpWVdUVhu78p9KlAb9pAAHGEfKpGFVCk9WhOTftR18CskVJSgnkwwZkJfq_68tL5d8tzZ5s/s1920/EB20021208REVIEWS08212080301AR.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUKklwNA70HUlTXyOP12CjQ7fm14oLw1BQsD_bzpxW-KoTDuSRMFXVdarafJWX21xIWrutkTVmsCzN9yxkUyuTYuVYD0iCtYMhXZsRLkzdeZbOvGfcHpWVdUVhu78p9KlAb9pAAHGEfKpGFVCk9WhOTftR18CskVJSgnkwwZkJfq_68tL5d8tzZ5s/w640-h360/EB20021208REVIEWS08212080301AR.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> The first scene is of a landscape so v</span><span style="font-size: large;">ast that it could easily swallow all the traumas, failures and losses that blow thru our lives like tumbleweeds. But in that vastness there is also the possibility of atonement and redemption. Images and music create a sense of emptiness and longing. The camera looks down railroad tracks that seem to stretch to infinity while a character wonders, "What's out there?"</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEJWxG4o5v4pex2DQtz7zz1rNbo7r9X8g-loEQUtbfbYHT_djHJ-idYLgX-UTpG9V_LkxTLvAtWsLmlGjjdz-voTfDEGSZPRuHkHka4EZsfp4L7ll2i8ck3DORRGvOvHlV1VcfNgZWlb5ldJJ4TOXMotwTlYrMRexJNIess9x6Q_JXa7tK9_XJrKU/s1280/maxresdefault.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEJWxG4o5v4pex2DQtz7zz1rNbo7r9X8g-loEQUtbfbYHT_djHJ-idYLgX-UTpG9V_LkxTLvAtWsLmlGjjdz-voTfDEGSZPRuHkHka4EZsfp4L7ll2i8ck3DORRGvOvHlV1VcfNgZWlb5ldJJ4TOXMotwTlYrMRexJNIess9x6Q_JXa7tK9_XJrKU/w400-h225/maxresdefault.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> The mute wanderer's name is Travis, played by Harry Dean Stanton in the performance of a lifetime. The story follows him in an arc from lost to found, from running away to accepting responsibility. He has to acknowledge his mistakes and rise above them for the sake of those he loves.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> We follow Travis on two neon-bathed road trips thru the Southwest. First with his brother Walt to Los Angeles and then with his son Hunter to Houston. There are scenes of trains, planes and automobiles. We see California's tangled highway overpasses and the stark high rises of Houston. There is a restless, relentless coming and going but you see few faces, few people. Everyone is encased in their steel shells and the sense of isolation is palpable.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM446QTixuoUNPCxV3hlFFDjVjvqyse6uo-zYKMvt_iyv29LCoJH6MAZqeQOdiY7l_OjVDBx7WE9tKlc6kzp_U6vImZdjmaSmcyPjtKdyTHTf_gM8QmfwIYOSlESuVUcg8_bLkRl87XjDWhYcByK1GokABox2ayhLiwFKrjgAsXPp-o_PgPJFURvIX/s275/images%20(9).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="183" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM446QTixuoUNPCxV3hlFFDjVjvqyse6uo-zYKMvt_iyv29LCoJH6MAZqeQOdiY7l_OjVDBx7WE9tKlc6kzp_U6vImZdjmaSmcyPjtKdyTHTf_gM8QmfwIYOSlESuVUcg8_bLkRl87XjDWhYcByK1GokABox2ayhLiwFKrjgAsXPp-o_PgPJFURvIX/w426-h640/images%20(9).jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> The broken family at the center of the picture, Travis and Jane and their son Hunter, need to know where they've come from to find a way forward.There's a revealing scene with seven year old Hunter telling his father about the Big Bang and the creation of the universe: "There was an explosion and ... pfttt ... sparks everywhere ... " There's father and son looking at family albums and home movies of happy times gone by. There's Paris, Texas (a real city by the way) that here functions more as a symbol than a setting. It's where Travis believes he began and where he wants to return to. Where he wants to put down roots, even if, as Hunter points out "We're going to live on dirt?" And finally, in the emotional heart of the film, there's Travis recounting their origin story to Jane as they both must transcend the past for the sake of their son's future.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZexvQYsrdu2OHNRRK3M5ESPsm2N-7lQu2C1YUbdaPwxfdXrOjNYMF7NUKoKoJ9gpawnNMZkSeSro2gEYy3viMTagE24wGCEb0FgquoWZwLJVdTjYZ5iEzvF1WxG68tqX1qgOGuoTZX6K2yOny9OkNENMLiV3767jsCFsC7tfugPYWosukGdivzcx/s289/images%20(7).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="289" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZexvQYsrdu2OHNRRK3M5ESPsm2N-7lQu2C1YUbdaPwxfdXrOjNYMF7NUKoKoJ9gpawnNMZkSeSro2gEYy3viMTagE24wGCEb0FgquoWZwLJVdTjYZ5iEzvF1WxG68tqX1qgOGuoTZX6K2yOny9OkNENMLiV3767jsCFsC7tfugPYWosukGdivzcx/w400-h241/images%20(7).jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUW72tHrl7JGqHV0SQ0bQzI8f0Zr78PlAqap4-df2RgJSKDjPpTH87W7WESdMHM50U5UdkPhLTlRuiC6B_525ec0AxEWaMDhq6D0Vp3OJtwgsFqU-KkY6th8C-Wfx8qs6xGMOJud_SDOJmSBlroNReTVo0daerNPL4Z5kzZDiL4ndapCKklB5h1Nwm/s295/images%20(6).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="295" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUW72tHrl7JGqHV0SQ0bQzI8f0Zr78PlAqap4-df2RgJSKDjPpTH87W7WESdMHM50U5UdkPhLTlRuiC6B_525ec0AxEWaMDhq6D0Vp3OJtwgsFqU-KkY6th8C-Wfx8qs6xGMOJud_SDOJmSBlroNReTVo0daerNPL4Z5kzZDiL4ndapCKklB5h1Nwm/w640-h371/images%20(6).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> <u>Paris, Texas</u> won the Palme d' Or at Cannes in 1984. It's a great example of the collaborative nature of cinema. Wim Wenders directed a core group of five actors from a screenplay that was itself a combined effort of Sam Shepard and L.M. Kit Carson. Cinematographer Robby Müller created the mesmerizing visual look of the picture and slide guitarist Ry Cooder contributed music that matches the landscape and emotions to perfection.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJvgzOtyGTmY9Wg6zsYO-WmW3AhFK2X5_YHkTn3AEaGfqPU8tjrLcH_CXuwsrwQqhDDva1gG0QfjsFBEKXPh5De3jdZrqTUEG9GTmyRoRLUFojQW2SKYzwqOfQF5IV-gARPnJBdg_y2pSCNbF5HkbWsuWPrbVsOnVFmOqDafeh3GjqOppKkrtXahN/s275/unnamed.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJvgzOtyGTmY9Wg6zsYO-WmW3AhFK2X5_YHkTn3AEaGfqPU8tjrLcH_CXuwsrwQqhDDva1gG0QfjsFBEKXPh5De3jdZrqTUEG9GTmyRoRLUFojQW2SKYzwqOfQF5IV-gARPnJBdg_y2pSCNbF5HkbWsuWPrbVsOnVFmOqDafeh3GjqOppKkrtXahN/w640-h426/unnamed.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski and Wim Wenders</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIDmqhIQZDgReCGtePZ2kom4wdaDzpXyZnSN9G_wNLMDJiXlzJk2rBevvY-oX6eQTR2xnAac4NqeIWtRoheuS0XJ4GTtUYlohNYvC_cfirRa9AnXn-chF0Ed5XSSrWqDkwfJ-aVEXmLTpc6nsk-SKZIMsR63ex_erGJk7xUNnoEDbh1fwVgLuKRrr/s281/images%20(10).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="179" data-original-width="281" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIDmqhIQZDgReCGtePZ2kom4wdaDzpXyZnSN9G_wNLMDJiXlzJk2rBevvY-oX6eQTR2xnAac4NqeIWtRoheuS0XJ4GTtUYlohNYvC_cfirRa9AnXn-chF0Ed5XSSrWqDkwfJ-aVEXmLTpc6nsk-SKZIMsR63ex_erGJk7xUNnoEDbh1fwVgLuKRrr/w400-h255/images%20(10).jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ry Cooder</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Although the film is held in high regard by critics and industry professionals it was never a big box-office success. No shoot-outs or sex scenes and only one slow motion car chase. Wenders, who is German, also received some push-back from American audiences. "What does this foreigner know about our culture and landscape " type of stuff. Watch <u>Paris, Texas</u> and I think you'll agree, he knows quite a bit. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY759Ydj3GJxcdfvLRiJL2FNOLwnCisdzve7D3uO2VNkzrtqSYVHGiJVELw97vM2XocSetvJMCx9dRR60TKHLTQGJvlW4EjapEu0AyIDA2hQ3rS6FQjGWhagMk0wSKYOJ6HK2MUBIcc8AeEavNlR1AcRkZQTcJzFWaVpULlNvztcgADWQ2f6nHvsdg/s300/images%20(8).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY759Ydj3GJxcdfvLRiJL2FNOLwnCisdzve7D3uO2VNkzrtqSYVHGiJVELw97vM2XocSetvJMCx9dRR60TKHLTQGJvlW4EjapEu0AyIDA2hQ3rS6FQjGWhagMk0wSKYOJ6HK2MUBIcc8AeEavNlR1AcRkZQTcJzFWaVpULlNvztcgADWQ2f6nHvsdg/w640-h358/images%20(8).jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiR6lEvIHC6mW3K6uBn0Lyo31HGd9zKgXFiKgP8kkEIWiPrvoyjL3cciZPnQDyJvmuZP5lMH5Z65iE5psvd8omHi4EnR4V-x7CcDTg1hN6Know_oeTx3PKK5wJimiNmeNEkM9HNZf_EQj3iGpklHrDe-0FOSnE4Vwouz5vG1Hu8-MwDphHY-OdJASA/s267/images%20(4).jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="267" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiR6lEvIHC6mW3K6uBn0Lyo31HGd9zKgXFiKgP8kkEIWiPrvoyjL3cciZPnQDyJvmuZP5lMH5Z65iE5psvd8omHi4EnR4V-x7CcDTg1hN6Know_oeTx3PKK5wJimiNmeNEkM9HNZf_EQj3iGpklHrDe-0FOSnE4Vwouz5vG1Hu8-MwDphHY-OdJASA/w400-h283/images%20(4).jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-12317842178157104942023-02-23T12:42:00.002-05:002023-02-23T17:14:24.107-05:00Heavenly Hook-Up<p><span style="font-size: large;"> Nothing like a little voyeurism to get the juices flowing. Especially when it involves watching Roman gods masquerading as planets. Two of them, Venus and Jupiter, are currently having a little tête-à -tête in the evening sky. Look to the west as the sky darkens and you can't miss them. Venus is currently lower and brighter with Jupiter hovering above, but night by night they are drawing together and on March 1st they will be close enough for the goddess to give old Jove a smooch. Astronomers call it a conjunction, while I call it convenient to have a nice sky show in the early evening hours. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fvNwLyH2V2wBss_Q3hlgYejrWoHvgtYIdCPuM1AuNRT3oxBGGC_TwbCWwLPwQ8SAc0U4xFm17WrAILPxEgP2NbJND2sYpOEszyOJ56TCKAwzGw82umCrBjmw-Z_TjtKohvQ_2g6Pgcs_unUim__H2zHvU6r20RhYsPsLOEzalLp3qbiYS8fKIoZ3/s1373/WEBvics23_Feb22ev.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fvNwLyH2V2wBss_Q3hlgYejrWoHvgtYIdCPuM1AuNRT3oxBGGC_TwbCWwLPwQ8SAc0U4xFm17WrAILPxEgP2NbJND2sYpOEszyOJ56TCKAwzGw82umCrBjmw-Z_TjtKohvQ_2g6Pgcs_unUim__H2zHvU6r20RhYsPsLOEzalLp3qbiYS8fKIoZ3/w420-h640/WEBvics23_Feb22ev.jpeg" width="420" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From Sky and Telescope website</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Although the pair will look chummy from our perspective they are actually separated by more than 400 million miles in space. No hanky-panky possible. Another interesting fact: while Jupiter is much the larger of the two, Venus appears brighter because it is both closer to the Sun and to us here on Earth and it also reflects more light, giving it a higher albedo than Jupiter. With both what you are seeing is sunlight reflected off the tops of clouds. While you're watching the planets, notice the shimmering stars of Orion and nearby Sirius. They produce their own light by fusion ( like our Sun ) but because they are vastly further away they don't appear as bright as Venus and Jupiter.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> You might also keep an eye out for the northern lights. The Sun seems to be getting a little more active which increases the chance of aural displays. Carl Heilman, the talented Adirondack photographer, has posted some nice shots on Facebook of aurora taken from his home at Brant Lake. I'll also pass along a photo that originally appeared on the APOD. It was taken in Norway, just in case you want to climb a mountain and be dazzled.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRBBn4FOVWqw__VfOCIG6tTc1ClA5YISrkJP7rq-wHDkw3nuUKhqlYTlRhSrsiL1JY80uQyobCJJyrvT7Im_JBVl_Hb8eGG6zhRxl3Vqy-0CFm5PumfWsyaJ8FGLVd3r3iaccf8Dc1sMJbJV9EJ3UpOReywB_N222hpa741Y6L438M6Np8UZz08dZ/s1178/greencompany_rive_960.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRBBn4FOVWqw__VfOCIG6tTc1ClA5YISrkJP7rq-wHDkw3nuUKhqlYTlRhSrsiL1JY80uQyobCJJyrvT7Im_JBVl_Hb8eGG6zhRxl3Vqy-0CFm5PumfWsyaJ8FGLVd3r3iaccf8Dc1sMJbJV9EJ3UpOReywB_N222hpa741Y6L438M6Np8UZz08dZ/w522-h640/greencompany_rive_960.jpg" width="522" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Max Rive image</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Springs coming, the sap is flowing and the sky is putting on a show. What's not to like? </span></p>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-88120544096612004872023-02-03T15:32:00.002-05:002023-02-03T15:35:26.315-05:00Who Are You?<p><span style="font-size: large;"> "He was a good man."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I remember as a youngster hearing older friends of my family speak of my grandfather. I listened respectfully but didn't really have any reference. Mom never talked much about her father. I'ld never seen a photo of him and I'm ashamed to admit that until recently I didn't even know what his first name was.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I did know that the family name was Varney and that he had worked at a store in Wilton during the tough years of the early '40's. I'm not talking about the malled, big boxed, franchised chaos near Exit 15. What old-timers know as Wilton was the close-knit community at the foot of Mt. McGregor where Rt.9 and Ballard Road meet. The store was located on the northeast corner of the Wilton-Gansevoort Road and Northern Pine Road intersection. I believe it was owned by a Charles Van Rensselaer. It's gone now, razed or burned years ago.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtPKerwm9Rj93ML7dxFzBNt0ycAjpIH_pp6neN4ultMpoa3fgyQGWYDpvCBz1zWeJcP-cOFvBqrb2gTT-vcrhfvEAbL2gSOO8ttYQxLQc1ieVmlRUOdi5owZAXhlayYEZOaHyD8e2DXrIU7YZlYK1Lrs6yhW_XIi2bc1hD9zMra5sJhObbYYD9JXu/s1050/Hist10016.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1050" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtPKerwm9Rj93ML7dxFzBNt0ycAjpIH_pp6neN4ultMpoa3fgyQGWYDpvCBz1zWeJcP-cOFvBqrb2gTT-vcrhfvEAbL2gSOO8ttYQxLQc1ieVmlRUOdi5owZAXhlayYEZOaHyD8e2DXrIU7YZlYK1Lrs6yhW_XIi2bc1hD9zMra5sJhObbYYD9JXu/w640-h494/Hist10016.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rHp2XEpALfxC8M9uLByeV-Cf5HU77OpZGb0bYcpyVc30Il4GtP8eao1BK1uZDdcNg7niB2y6Tgh5-1UzMUcKliM8fPL6YyqrIhdWtIzlR9u-ef7h9YoBQ-aFt7yOQjS5dawG5OPKhzIA1aRkfZo_Z6l6WWoErOatsDEdNxrFnDKESRk6jjklUtkF/s4000/IMG_9996.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rHp2XEpALfxC8M9uLByeV-Cf5HU77OpZGb0bYcpyVc30Il4GtP8eao1BK1uZDdcNg7niB2y6Tgh5-1UzMUcKliM8fPL6YyqrIhdWtIzlR9u-ef7h9YoBQ-aFt7yOQjS5dawG5OPKhzIA1aRkfZo_Z6l6WWoErOatsDEdNxrFnDKESRk6jjklUtkF/w400-h300/IMG_9996.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then...</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6U-fLk0glp4JkXXSWeoXlFD8TsGZzjUG9tZUR9RWzOL5kdkZ669ZP85fU59p9VfE4I9ftrgGpqrwD2hNUT33tspjWI6aKW8XYqF4nprCkmmXX7UrQqhZBNDn_zKsvsmV1mXToOWQncgaurJhCtL79qmu1Q3T1h6HB36Mw7INrCkeMCfQPLCp9o8UH/s4000/IMG_9995.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6U-fLk0glp4JkXXSWeoXlFD8TsGZzjUG9tZUR9RWzOL5kdkZ669ZP85fU59p9VfE4I9ftrgGpqrwD2hNUT33tspjWI6aKW8XYqF4nprCkmmXX7UrQqhZBNDn_zKsvsmV1mXToOWQncgaurJhCtL79qmu1Q3T1h6HB36Mw7INrCkeMCfQPLCp9o8UH/s320/IMG_9995.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And now...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> With WWII raging, most of the men were off fighting in Europe or the Pacific. Women and children, the elderly and the disabled were left to sacrifice and make do. Some of them were already bereaved widows and orphans. Family lore tells of my grandfather delivering groceries to those with no way to the store, of making sure that those who couldn't even afford a few dollars for food had enough to eat. He kept track of the neighborhood kids whose dads were overseas, becoming a father figure to those who hung out on the store's porch. He bought candy out of his own nearly empty pockets to brighten the day of the little ones.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDvEoIWiXTZ6904kLhtiKOlfyhg9rG8gDBbayU81THGyVfFTH4UDFeEqXgd-FmvHHD9R_MFFlAywELPpyM4sSaOAeYO7x0LLbxyMqqfWRzBKtTn-5YWe66IteOx5BR5uQDfZ_EM5eBL2N2gNJhbMIfPd7vVaIHTYQIABnvJ6e67BN09lbzcbvlJWw/s950/fc611770bad4bc92b619c86a39cf5581_XL.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDvEoIWiXTZ6904kLhtiKOlfyhg9rG8gDBbayU81THGyVfFTH4UDFeEqXgd-FmvHHD9R_MFFlAywELPpyM4sSaOAeYO7x0LLbxyMqqfWRzBKtTn-5YWe66IteOx5BR5uQDfZ_EM5eBL2N2gNJhbMIfPd7vVaIHTYQIABnvJ6e67BN09lbzcbvlJWw/w538-h640/fc611770bad4bc92b619c86a39cf5581_XL.jpeg" width="538" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Family and friends</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My grandfather and grandmother are third and fourth from left in backrow</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My mother is little girl standing in front of her mother</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Then, in the final desperate months of the war, my grandfather was drafted just a short time before aging out. He left Wilton, never to return. All I know is that he was in a tank closing in on Berlin when he became one of the conflict's last casualties. His body was interred along with thousands of other soldiers in a massive cemetery in the Netherlands. For years afterward a Dutch family, forever grateful for the sacrifice of the Americans, placed flowers on his grave, writing and sending photos to my widowed grandmother.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcdc4FXGHqinMpCAQIc_Z5JogNJM_ptkifcY-eaK5XpZppRiKIliEBqR-lySDyBBpEL-5iLau_9RdDZs9-EhcYYc99izoDmqmSKIzTKTKIXsnA6eEaHH1m31x-HqzAFALPg5Eu87Sg4s6LN6-c_PBJSdPVK51UwSwN7sSXPu2yPD54K-JwOu4Fw6F/s1024/Henri-Chapelle-American-Cemetery-2-1024x768.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcdc4FXGHqinMpCAQIc_Z5JogNJM_ptkifcY-eaK5XpZppRiKIliEBqR-lySDyBBpEL-5iLau_9RdDZs9-EhcYYc99izoDmqmSKIzTKTKIXsnA6eEaHH1m31x-HqzAFALPg5Eu87Sg4s6LN6-c_PBJSdPVK51UwSwN7sSXPu2yPD54K-JwOu4Fw6F/w640-h480/Henri-Chapelle-American-Cemetery-2-1024x768.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> My mother was a young teenager when she lost her father. She endured some lean, hard years afterward. Maybe it's the ugliness in Ukraine, the suffering of people there, but lately I've been thinking about how events shaped Mom, and in turn molded me. She always loathed injustice, never trusted government authority and she was always extremely frugal. All traits that, with a little introspection, I see in myself.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Which brings me to Bennington, Vermont. To a little day trip I took there recently. Exploration is in our genes. Humans are restless, always wondering what's beyond the next hill. Thus the travel 'industry'. As I write this I have a friend wandering the backcountry of Big Bend National Park. Another buddy is going to Costa Rica and a couple of long time hiking pals are in Antartica communing with penguins! They're sending back great pictures and I'll admit to a little envy. I also know that I could never do things like that. It's the attitude about money that I got from my mother. I have such a hard time spending it on things that aren't basic necessities. Things like travel or entertainment. Still, the itch to 'go' is there so I scratch it as best (and cheaply) as I can. Like spending the exorbitant sum of $30 on my Bennington escape. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLhT31uZbzgyBQcqfZySvoY16RXYBveX4Y8lnfJTf-8jskVMkbnArnkG19ea2ZIzSe9HZyj4dlApzu_BLIFG2xmzqCJ7pk6GoRqqfJomJkkWMPlFMhvYpO_moTxjyl_LdgSKUwK_VANrsxgrb2fgzW-ncy0K2txe1hmOQBFXg0s4hNS0-5IYfq0b7/s5184/Big%20Bend%20(50).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3888" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLhT31uZbzgyBQcqfZySvoY16RXYBveX4Y8lnfJTf-8jskVMkbnArnkG19ea2ZIzSe9HZyj4dlApzu_BLIFG2xmzqCJ7pk6GoRqqfJomJkkWMPlFMhvYpO_moTxjyl_LdgSKUwK_VANrsxgrb2fgzW-ncy0K2txe1hmOQBFXg0s4hNS0-5IYfq0b7/w480-h640/Big%20Bend%20(50).JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hot...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Jim Appleyard's photo of Boquillas Canyon in Big Bend National Park</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUPrtAycAORrfPEt8s_Fkn_ejqmHHJ49ud1iRbsm8Mr64Bi27uAFEwkZHSvGyE0d3w6V0Sg5GNwZ7AHCmhW1pLHvbdiP5x3nCq2iQe3dxNFDxI176T4p2x6s35hBlUG2NraMc2QtsYf74sKX0RUM6EVHK--RyRNmCPikSviGbyJma62IjtxRS1S3-/s720/Steve%20Mackey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUPrtAycAORrfPEt8s_Fkn_ejqmHHJ49ud1iRbsm8Mr64Bi27uAFEwkZHSvGyE0d3w6V0Sg5GNwZ7AHCmhW1pLHvbdiP5x3nCq2iQe3dxNFDxI176T4p2x6s35hBlUG2NraMc2QtsYf74sKX0RUM6EVHK--RyRNmCPikSviGbyJma62IjtxRS1S3-/w640-h480/Steve%20Mackey.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">...Cold</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Steve Mackey's photo of penguins in Antartica</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> About a third of my budget went for gas. From my house it's about an hour's drive across the Hudson and thru the Taconic foothills to the Vermont Valley where Bennington hunkers. It's scenic, pretty countryside on a connect the dots route thru Greenwich, Cambridge, White Creek and North Bennington. It was a Sunday morning and Kings Donut Cart was out but there was a long line so I didn't stop. Love their goodies but I could have easily spent $5 there. You know what they say about a penny saved...</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9MjlBZpTBuMQt-o4jUEwq1nQOyDU3zQeoAHLKL4aSsHGIdVDQRztUPP175rl4WDMePsfsWLrG-HqqJdfSK5izwOLXZ5rS_CFqbgiedvSlbNKboZDEQ3iXDsEDjhoXmNz6SiUbRoyrFEjdUQTyuKDVqwpB580ApJm5sHkJPLLvNPyQRwOwvfSJNQE/s960/270080563_4639860296050992_7307089405888495779_n.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9MjlBZpTBuMQt-o4jUEwq1nQOyDU3zQeoAHLKL4aSsHGIdVDQRztUPP175rl4WDMePsfsWLrG-HqqJdfSK5izwOLXZ5rS_CFqbgiedvSlbNKboZDEQ3iXDsEDjhoXmNz6SiUbRoyrFEjdUQTyuKDVqwpB580ApJm5sHkJPLLvNPyQRwOwvfSJNQE/s320/270080563_4639860296050992_7307089405888495779_n.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EISYKPhUOlOA4D1pdGuc5TGkM4eo52cmWkL50kTijewDYyT8bn-O_zMvEmhgCZGKtbFM3ULhcrYpwgSSRrY0SrIdktXtNcfjXSPrNs7wy1r8e9ID-w6LxHom6vBYVcg_75FqB4YXov07gTwH5Ql4DB3bWaGXHbO6fTOf669A8QMbs0LIdXektg-e/s414/273729977_4811435155560171_9221566950960471347_n.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="414" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EISYKPhUOlOA4D1pdGuc5TGkM4eo52cmWkL50kTijewDYyT8bn-O_zMvEmhgCZGKtbFM3ULhcrYpwgSSRrY0SrIdktXtNcfjXSPrNs7wy1r8e9ID-w6LxHom6vBYVcg_75FqB4YXov07gTwH5Ql4DB3bWaGXHbO6fTOf669A8QMbs0LIdXektg-e/w400-h400/273729977_4811435155560171_9221566950960471347_n.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;"> The next $10 of my splurge went towards admission to the Bennington Museum. I was interested in the <u>Parks and Recreation</u> exhibit but alas, they had already taken most of it down. Still, there was plenty to see. They have a whole gallery of Grandma Moses paintings and another room chronicling the Battle of Bennington, an event which actually took place just across the border in New York. Other current shows were the spooky <u>In the Shadow of the Hills</u> and a pictorial history of the Walloomsac Inn, quite a spooky place in its own right. Note that the museum closes over the winter but will reopen in April with some new exhibits.</span><p></p></div></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85l6Rz9yWR7SacIHdmaq7mlpwdtHi5vXKo8QR1GLcnjDQUNI7jytQ5J5LWGIir8caxR6OPLirysCp-Rj64iIJ5AjsLtvPuGKRcX9MsLMdD_fqAl5DXaL9ZYBR7JHG2MUGBrmm2ltDrO3qyylUhCfK5gOF4zKkDZ6fH8wwj1r2PlmAxuDeR6-9pKK-/s4000/IMG_9917.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85l6Rz9yWR7SacIHdmaq7mlpwdtHi5vXKo8QR1GLcnjDQUNI7jytQ5J5LWGIir8caxR6OPLirysCp-Rj64iIJ5AjsLtvPuGKRcX9MsLMdD_fqAl5DXaL9ZYBR7JHG2MUGBrmm2ltDrO3qyylUhCfK5gOF4zKkDZ6fH8wwj1r2PlmAxuDeR6-9pKK-/s320/IMG_9917.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmk9-DEv9M3wOonSjDSw8W7dVtj3ruhdXvF3OkhJaRWQioDFGL-JwRG-LFccgrmUHhspqVOq88hqYx7IX-5jRwYVBeQmAWnE0iuu_LTCSodEPRMeURuhn53uy4TEom_l7CULUR0O3wL1lQB7x2ZdD3TxLD6WAgYOzrjtElUjz5BIZqONm6d1JrWstv/s4000/IMG_9912.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmk9-DEv9M3wOonSjDSw8W7dVtj3ruhdXvF3OkhJaRWQioDFGL-JwRG-LFccgrmUHhspqVOq88hqYx7IX-5jRwYVBeQmAWnE0iuu_LTCSodEPRMeURuhn53uy4TEom_l7CULUR0O3wL1lQB7x2ZdD3TxLD6WAgYOzrjtElUjz5BIZqONm6d1JrWstv/w400-h300/IMG_9912.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzwIoBmYC-mUEKkNvdNdtR1mhiAcU4YIW9MtTwJ-6fUETvL3IV6-ALmSJNV1057h7gvrLtNCQ9n1SjCi-CDDCFwoRqgA9Sog7Jn5hdk-0l1GgFL71f1FvHQT3puq6_vebfkgdo_iFf5U31Grr74VkGvbc4z7T753ZKcOM-FTblzx63IJUtFZHLLO8/s4000/IMG_9914.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzwIoBmYC-mUEKkNvdNdtR1mhiAcU4YIW9MtTwJ-6fUETvL3IV6-ALmSJNV1057h7gvrLtNCQ9n1SjCi-CDDCFwoRqgA9Sog7Jn5hdk-0l1GgFL71f1FvHQT3puq6_vebfkgdo_iFf5U31Grr74VkGvbc4z7T753ZKcOM-FTblzx63IJUtFZHLLO8/w640-h480/IMG_9914.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">'Friendly' faces in the Shadow of the Hills exhibit</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The one at upper left sure looks like Shirley Jackson</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> Looking at art always makes me hungry ( in truth, just about everything I do makes me hungry! ). So, after the museum the next stop was a no brainer. I took the short drive over to the Blue Benn Diner and slid onto a stool at the counter. Within minutes I was digging into a hot roast beef sandwich with gravy, mashed potatoes and a side of veggies. Haute cuisine? Well, no. Satisfying and cheap? You bet. For $10 I was fat and happy. This place has been putting smiles on faces since 1948. Now you can even buy a coffee table book - <u>Sonny's</u> <u>Blue Benn: Feeding the Soul of a Vermont Town</u> - celebrating the diner in words and vintage photos. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkDHBgH82wEDqIpWnpLsUTMUoE4kfjILeus_8IrktxOPA99C1l-CSWYgR75kW_GFFs0cttZZlHxN8TM42yrEwSegjPm0VzspLNMwKqokLojNV1srbHdC-leiWv3e7pGl_BGwLuLH_7LjIHGnvS4s9Nb5mDkGk5Eq_PMj1-7UuIZsg0zrT_tUnfdAT/s770/blue_benn_cover_low_rez-770x595.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="770" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkDHBgH82wEDqIpWnpLsUTMUoE4kfjILeus_8IrktxOPA99C1l-CSWYgR75kW_GFFs0cttZZlHxN8TM42yrEwSegjPm0VzspLNMwKqokLojNV1srbHdC-leiWv3e7pGl_BGwLuLH_7LjIHGnvS4s9Nb5mDkGk5Eq_PMj1-7UuIZsg0zrT_tUnfdAT/w640-h494/blue_benn_cover_low_rez-770x595.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOg8BVj2D7iSYPHjlNcEPtEyTsQ4VWTJokebJJlEkg3eYoI87ALHVvv97YV6cPaO6c03-o6ypNO_j6ZIJ9djh24C3Q-LJPBz7FVc8dRvKEx6RTY434nLnJ2QomypsDKSPkZ1UoZOi3eNomEoYJW69lImAGNWuaQULBcLAmHs7rqJiQHq95d6G0TLH/s2560/DSCN3068-scaled.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1920" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOg8BVj2D7iSYPHjlNcEPtEyTsQ4VWTJokebJJlEkg3eYoI87ALHVvv97YV6cPaO6c03-o6ypNO_j6ZIJ9djh24C3Q-LJPBz7FVc8dRvKEx6RTY434nLnJ2QomypsDKSPkZ1UoZOi3eNomEoYJW69lImAGNWuaQULBcLAmHs7rqJiQHq95d6G0TLH/w300-h400/DSCN3068-scaled.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKxKeUaawYrD6OU0b0nS6ZWH8FBmJvOLzux8TtVQnwqiaLm7Ta-5I6_rXCRR25PLLjA9jq8Me9_XIpExTNlVGFQFcMCPV7VXm0klzuhPLkIsxtoP6q8DJemLc2mWvVwMk2WrD4mb5BMUSFjKQzrsPhLz_2wkyUdMAYYGsaoIhGDBSoucsNrGROpCb/s1620/IMG_2870.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1620" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKxKeUaawYrD6OU0b0nS6ZWH8FBmJvOLzux8TtVQnwqiaLm7Ta-5I6_rXCRR25PLLjA9jq8Me9_XIpExTNlVGFQFcMCPV7VXm0klzuhPLkIsxtoP6q8DJemLc2mWvVwMk2WrD4mb5BMUSFjKQzrsPhLz_2wkyUdMAYYGsaoIhGDBSoucsNrGROpCb/w640-h426/IMG_2870.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> With still a little time left in the day I headed back to Old Bennington ( up the hill beyond the Museum ). The juxtaposition of the Old First Church's formality directly across the street from the shambling Walloomsac Inn always tickles me.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg62U_ug9Y7wvRfo8xaIzDmOyG0YjyKw0MBZeTFUQL3tI8TwX8HerkkdVP0Ta_NaeUYKWd4qZ4tFHYFjneaWUjRNzn1fZPOcNPdEMZdb2Za78gHFSTlIhvwtdFZLBHlzKZ2u-2mCng5E0X9EdGQmkKwViCrDr6393QuTTBVXTBaWicDx-y5vREyBmFx/s4000/IMG_9920.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg62U_ug9Y7wvRfo8xaIzDmOyG0YjyKw0MBZeTFUQL3tI8TwX8HerkkdVP0Ta_NaeUYKWd4qZ4tFHYFjneaWUjRNzn1fZPOcNPdEMZdb2Za78gHFSTlIhvwtdFZLBHlzKZ2u-2mCng5E0X9EdGQmkKwViCrDr6393QuTTBVXTBaWicDx-y5vREyBmFx/w480-h640/IMG_9920.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloLrLroUE_x_yZJQJA3SAjlRnw4LtkX2gq40WYFK0JyCBUXDd2XHcpmFw7Gfxr93XbCNJMZ0sMhwjkScuL8cf3jkVfagf4xX7BtvZVg_ismgJ_-cKfFHNjwvGrK14CZI7lcLWw8pPpTqrstmDGE9tby9aDVUS2OVzVEp34KC2_BBKsyOKYuSPx5lP/s4000/IMG_9919.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloLrLroUE_x_yZJQJA3SAjlRnw4LtkX2gq40WYFK0JyCBUXDd2XHcpmFw7Gfxr93XbCNJMZ0sMhwjkScuL8cf3jkVfagf4xX7BtvZVg_ismgJ_-cKfFHNjwvGrK14CZI7lcLWw8pPpTqrstmDGE9tby9aDVUS2OVzVEp34KC2_BBKsyOKYuSPx5lP/w400-h300/IMG_9919.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> From there I walked down thru the cemetery to visit Robert Frost's grave, where the inscription reads: "I had a lover's quarrel with the world."</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBI37SSzKPP1-wBDtp6Kbe6ERpjQ4tOqeun9-kvWcPoO3l4gb73OcwXTuIq6sSEE9Q1_JDwdESNyAsuPMfS_A6WpRLUcYwYJrRByJ5jYshD4EUj-GBNmKw9IeUo18Dc9pZUKPc_JkkzxOF_BOgm40EmzgstXkgc2JTSF45hBKghJ1QtwbSHaHV9Lv8/s4000/IMG_9925.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBI37SSzKPP1-wBDtp6Kbe6ERpjQ4tOqeun9-kvWcPoO3l4gb73OcwXTuIq6sSEE9Q1_JDwdESNyAsuPMfS_A6WpRLUcYwYJrRByJ5jYshD4EUj-GBNmKw9IeUo18Dc9pZUKPc_JkkzxOF_BOgm40EmzgstXkgc2JTSF45hBKghJ1QtwbSHaHV9Lv8/w640-h480/IMG_9925.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The exquisite fence that encloses the cemetery</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzP26tTVEIHWUKdf32-g9h9SsPgVqE7167HIeHah9MpEpHFpg_K_cz_5z8X4v9HdQ76xEVSgFjL_6N1vM6zkr3O2-uy7CHlVZu-K4tiLspHIrK7W2CK0wWPVTV-LqUhlK1V8EtetJDPQirbmSx8o-2f32E8TyGB8hDqGFf_kUM36duG1wgxn47NtB-/s4000/IMG_9923.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzP26tTVEIHWUKdf32-g9h9SsPgVqE7167HIeHah9MpEpHFpg_K_cz_5z8X4v9HdQ76xEVSgFjL_6N1vM6zkr3O2-uy7CHlVZu-K4tiLspHIrK7W2CK0wWPVTV-LqUhlK1V8EtetJDPQirbmSx8o-2f32E8TyGB8hDqGFf_kUM36duG1wgxn47NtB-/w400-h300/IMG_9923.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcD4MahpsCQMFgeqWp_7wHIGvsHLmjrs7jv_-21HvcdLu9H5xYJGRfzPCJBhVRpQ4IFDdnuT3F4LuzcRVq-sDXY64I2cXpJDR19qWq4m5xM8xTa1KYGBpixhVOrRDjITS_EZQmmKyIH4VnoC9G0sY9W8nP4uV0MP8tlyIp7K23bzC1RI4w5p7TQZn_/s4000/IMG_9921.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcD4MahpsCQMFgeqWp_7wHIGvsHLmjrs7jv_-21HvcdLu9H5xYJGRfzPCJBhVRpQ4IFDdnuT3F4LuzcRVq-sDXY64I2cXpJDR19qWq4m5xM8xTa1KYGBpixhVOrRDjITS_EZQmmKyIH4VnoC9G0sY9W8nP4uV0MP8tlyIp7K23bzC1RI4w5p7TQZn_/w480-h640/IMG_9921.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Frost's grave on a frosty day</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Next stop was just up the street at the Bennington Battle Monument. It's a state historic site open during the warmer months, when there's a fee to take the elevator to an observation level about 2/3's of the way up. My preference would be the original 417 step stairway but I'm not sure if it's still used. From October to May you can walk around the monument but not go inside. It's definitely impressive although I'm still quite fond of our Schuylerville Monument ( hometown pride ). What really amazes me is that all the stone you see, estimated at 19 million pounds, was dragged here from a dolostone quarry in the Town of Kingsbury, Washington County in the late 1800's.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJpxASAH_eS4hx0pmQhyFTtGr9fZRwO2E54SPOPcjH81Uv368WKGV4hc-FtWyyfNcWaTx8Bc0PAQbJIrUTaXVEzhPmpGyjMW420_S7K6aeocKpnxyzBtPtRl8mJbcsznYRpFe55Xy3-R_A05AbxsaxzxLtZhUWV4_J63tC1pH13ch5uexjEcIJ5y2/s4000/IMG_9928.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJpxASAH_eS4hx0pmQhyFTtGr9fZRwO2E54SPOPcjH81Uv368WKGV4hc-FtWyyfNcWaTx8Bc0PAQbJIrUTaXVEzhPmpGyjMW420_S7K6aeocKpnxyzBtPtRl8mJbcsznYRpFe55Xy3-R_A05AbxsaxzxLtZhUWV4_J63tC1pH13ch5uexjEcIJ5y2/w480-h640/IMG_9928.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /> </span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> "I KNOW WHAT I KNOW, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">- lyrics from <u>What I am</u>, a song by Edie Brickell</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> With dusk settling it was time to head home. I was sorely tempted to stop at Brown's Brewing in Hoosic Falls ( by now, both hungry and thirsty again ) but I knew that would nearly double my day's expenditures so I resisted. One thing about driving alone in the evening: it gives you time to think. It felt like the repercussions of a young girl's loss many years ago were riding in the truck with me. The events of 1945 shaped my mother and she in turn shaped me. I had inherited values and habits that grew out of her deprivations. They say there were three maxims carved in the wall at the Temple of Apollo at Delpi in ancient Greece: "certainty brings ruin", "nothing in excess" and, most famously, "know thyself". Perhaps, if we all took a little time to think about why we believe what we do, to dig into where our personal truths came from and to accept that other's experiences were different, it would be a better world.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">One last note...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RgwLTNy_FSlxb2pk_KngPJIi9z8yElalNcBUDc8eF0oGXfu8xY5ilrm_cOLTv-gf_p7E3fP7lIoLCgcABatUGHm6-kAGlUmuYlkD-1uNyaiLx6o_fjxQb5M9hFk3OxA4brHiPKNEP_eXcdJ9BwjhJmvBltySotcxhcBATlFQb4BTNXw3fLdzP5tF/s1200/16ED5011-2798-460D-A28A7586F99767E7_carouselimage.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1200" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RgwLTNy_FSlxb2pk_KngPJIi9z8yElalNcBUDc8eF0oGXfu8xY5ilrm_cOLTv-gf_p7E3fP7lIoLCgcABatUGHm6-kAGlUmuYlkD-1uNyaiLx6o_fjxQb5M9hFk3OxA4brHiPKNEP_eXcdJ9BwjhJmvBltySotcxhcBATlFQb4BTNXw3fLdzP5tF/w400-h166/16ED5011-2798-460D-A28A7586F99767E7_carouselimage.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I've heard there's an exhibit at the Wilton Town Hall honoring the community's WWII families. I plan on checking it out first chance I get. Sadly, as long as the world keeps producing Hitlers and Putins there will be a need for people like my grandfather Maynard Varney and countless other brave service men and women to protect us. </span></div>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-32307564075902675242023-01-17T15:02:00.000-05:002023-01-17T15:02:48.187-05:00Peace Place<p><span style="font-size: large;"> It was a perfect winter day. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Blue sky, bright sun, mild upper</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">twenties.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Perfect, except...there was no snow.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Normally Gwenne and I would head out for a ski tour on a nice Sunday in January. Do a little exploring, look for someplace new. But not this year, not on bare ground. So, no skiing but maybe we could still do some exploring, find someplace new.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Sometimes you just have to cast off, get moving, be open to whatever. We paused at the end of our lane, a moment of indecision, then headed south. Soon I started to notice things. A Knox monument at Starks Knob. Then another in Schuylerville and later a third in Stillwater. Made a note to myself: do a little research into the events they commemorate. Then there was the trail work along the old canal towpath beyond the Schuyler House. Was this part of the Empire State Trail? Have to look into that. Going by Coveville I remembered how I'ld always wanted to paddle the odd little appendage to the Hudson's shoreline. Was it an old glacial meltwater channel? Not sure but it would be fun to find out. Further along we passed a couple of boat launches offering easy access to the river. Put them on the list for next summer.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHr1G8qJHz94X05htU0xy5-gA8C8KtGGbvDBysW0QhQeJdGJQJSDZ66NZ_j5Zc1qVMta36lkxWuY7IC0zo_c0zBaK8cMV-HxLoN4iuld3uA0LM5nMDEuJVQTECaE289MMtpxJv257t-6oKWz3WrAkPb9Y4fH-EYuzHyVLFNG9DncCu05GACa9dedz7/s1424/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-14%20at%205.28.15%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1342" data-original-width="1424" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHr1G8qJHz94X05htU0xy5-gA8C8KtGGbvDBysW0QhQeJdGJQJSDZ66NZ_j5Zc1qVMta36lkxWuY7IC0zo_c0zBaK8cMV-HxLoN4iuld3uA0LM5nMDEuJVQTECaE289MMtpxJv257t-6oKWz3WrAkPb9Y4fH-EYuzHyVLFNG9DncCu05GACa9dedz7/w640-h604/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-14%20at%205.28.15%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Cove lies in the teardrop formed by the Hudson River on the right</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and Rt. 4 on the left</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Stillwater presented a choice. Continue south to check out Peebles Island, or cross the river here and see what we could find to the east. Rensselaer County is something of terra incognita to me so east got the nod. The Lock 4 park beckoned. It's an interesting place but I've been there several times before. We drove on, paralleling the Hoosic River before gradually ascending up onto its glacial delta. Interesting to note that both the Washington County Fair and the Schaghticoke Fair are located on identical landforms: level, well-drained gravel deltas deposited in glacial Lake Albany.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> We crossed the Hoosic at Valley Falls trending south on a long, lovely stretch beside the Tomhannock Reservoir. Then the way lead up onto the Rensselaer Plateau, a high, hilly area that's part of the Taconics. Pushed here from the east during the orogeny 450 million years ago, it's noted for outcrops of graywacke, a hard sedimentary rock originally deposited in deep marine basins by turbidity currents.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hO7x-7l7MaTBV94KUkb36rUf12061nsF8InmzIS55zxgxXrIA07z2GK4Oq3nTbYlL0oaIBBzoCKRG5p_RjDrWAmJ_wYyeWKY2bc5q9Eix5ZiDxdq-JItFrFRNq51C_utAweCjOEjh3eZomW7pfuMfIGcnUNRwIIvDuwxMI53LT8pKhagFuu-oSYR/s760/2fa0b1_988af865606d45f4b12325a27b0a1982.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="556" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hO7x-7l7MaTBV94KUkb36rUf12061nsF8InmzIS55zxgxXrIA07z2GK4Oq3nTbYlL0oaIBBzoCKRG5p_RjDrWAmJ_wYyeWKY2bc5q9Eix5ZiDxdq-JItFrFRNq51C_utAweCjOEjh3eZomW7pfuMfIGcnUNRwIIvDuwxMI53LT8pKhagFuu-oSYR/w468-h640/2fa0b1_988af865606d45f4b12325a27b0a1982.webp" width="468" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p> <span style="font-size: large;"> We continued to gain elevation, eventually coming to the small village of Grafton. Here there were signs pointing towards something called The Peace Pagoda. Gwenne looked at me. I looked at her. Neither of us had ever been to a Peace Pagoda before. Who knew when we'd get another chance? We followed the signs.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjor4kMyoiLpVJFjkIW19MJ-RzGK9Y6n8qwww3IwKfT5h8pIVFCOZRP_UJCgLuwl4VAYImq_27v-THfQaFFyMmV02yuhmDNoxPVbD3tMFt16SvbveasIw1zuVKjt9pw8_cghMZf3d1QUgljuV7pIfRFE8nJD4BEGICdn_5l7EjxGrWf1OF8tuwOs6AT/s4000/IMG_9990.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjor4kMyoiLpVJFjkIW19MJ-RzGK9Y6n8qwww3IwKfT5h8pIVFCOZRP_UJCgLuwl4VAYImq_27v-THfQaFFyMmV02yuhmDNoxPVbD3tMFt16SvbveasIw1zuVKjt9pw8_cghMZf3d1QUgljuV7pIfRFE8nJD4BEGICdn_5l7EjxGrWf1OF8tuwOs6AT/s320/IMG_9990.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Higher, deeper into the woods. Along dirt roads, past stone walls. Then there was a sign: 'Park Here' with a lane leading off to the right. Another sign suggested a trail wandering into the forest. We took the trail, followed hand painted arrows, wound over rocks and around boulders. Soon enough we could see a dazzling glow as the afternoon sun reflected off something beyond the trees. When we finally stepped into a clearing, there it was ... our first, our only 'Peace Pagoda', magnificent in the late-day light. It was a revelation. To come on to something like this so unexpected in what could charitably be called the middle of nowhere.</span> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5T5xnAHyDN36C2IMZvOnJEE7aT3JrY6uLlfs7YPlpLCKta94KP3rfU3g2U1vrikzSydFkoZR7dq6GdmDQTsJdTid6-glX4FaNMzUl_VTaKG7jgwWCnRYp_SxLnvJTqa96c08Q3peRz6aFX-T4m674vVUBGyrvQHPX5ZCT4WJAYt365a27NUwzlx4/s4000/IMG_9980.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5T5xnAHyDN36C2IMZvOnJEE7aT3JrY6uLlfs7YPlpLCKta94KP3rfU3g2U1vrikzSydFkoZR7dq6GdmDQTsJdTid6-glX4FaNMzUl_VTaKG7jgwWCnRYp_SxLnvJTqa96c08Q3peRz6aFX-T4m674vVUBGyrvQHPX5ZCT4WJAYt365a27NUwzlx4/w640-h480/IMG_9980.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAj0BPAx4Y04BPzxZbdM6NmNNFdrjmsA3uKjID9uz9JBs1D9oTYwS7yYvWDaDNSuW2AFGAlgHnbax4O2BzJJdG9OhBn4LiQdLpO_092Q2Gcj5kB8Yjc0XmvfiL9lQqVzP_ceYEtgtIO1SV5oT0xxcZyHqyb81RLv4nq5TabaYRi1UWvr0CevRLREsx/s4000/IMG_9969.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAj0BPAx4Y04BPzxZbdM6NmNNFdrjmsA3uKjID9uz9JBs1D9oTYwS7yYvWDaDNSuW2AFGAlgHnbax4O2BzJJdG9OhBn4LiQdLpO_092Q2Gcj5kB8Yjc0XmvfiL9lQqVzP_ceYEtgtIO1SV5oT0xxcZyHqyb81RLv4nq5TabaYRi1UWvr0CevRLREsx/w300-h400/IMG_9969.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35wo8THGgyrJBrqSr0JToO3wBPB6qb_DpPEDW8io5Tn6HIGPcmv2wGpq_edSreqH3s-PTsg9EWMT0atxXrS4y4_flzLGW1Ere07ccFHvYI-ydVmTu5RfbK1ei3AS6ssd5u0N2neo7kG8bLxmuA5Fvd1wzHPfnCC8wy_QCt49-K8yBO5HYGjexue6W/s4000/IMG_9971.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35wo8THGgyrJBrqSr0JToO3wBPB6qb_DpPEDW8io5Tn6HIGPcmv2wGpq_edSreqH3s-PTsg9EWMT0atxXrS4y4_flzLGW1Ere07ccFHvYI-ydVmTu5RfbK1ei3AS6ssd5u0N2neo7kG8bLxmuA5Fvd1wzHPfnCC8wy_QCt49-K8yBO5HYGjexue6W/w480-h640/IMG_9971.JPG" width="480" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXk_H2Oa9G7GxfCWuCxtrwHTAUPTqiaWgt1HIQ4Fs8PuQxdhIVSoCrC6lFJ2la5DYq5vE3fnyEOfzJvVkl_RyIvlTfKSKNMNxlpftJ2KmiQ5svE_Ni282IsrMEcf5LvnoNOORolj9B5R4JVcTglW06PRGyLWWplVoqTTHj-I47siAGHI_yAM-Ml6XK/s4000/IMG_9983.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXk_H2Oa9G7GxfCWuCxtrwHTAUPTqiaWgt1HIQ4Fs8PuQxdhIVSoCrC6lFJ2la5DYq5vE3fnyEOfzJvVkl_RyIvlTfKSKNMNxlpftJ2KmiQ5svE_Ni282IsrMEcf5LvnoNOORolj9B5R4JVcTglW06PRGyLWWplVoqTTHj-I47siAGHI_yAM-Ml6XK/w300-h400/IMG_9983.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfumIwYI3D9ypECTvDMWSJJUxHOKG58uiVCm-0lADXu_FBztyB1RnWVMu1avSWUsuxumzY0qBVADOhoitipI4uCOayghtwx63Zl03AkvyODMljpxcUT5r8ioQexfJWdRxbZNJSca12K9Gk-H-wKolNe4n70hOZG4FMYsgh22NOuwFLpZFsjQse4jT7/s4000/IMG_9992.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfumIwYI3D9ypECTvDMWSJJUxHOKG58uiVCm-0lADXu_FBztyB1RnWVMu1avSWUsuxumzY0qBVADOhoitipI4uCOayghtwx63Zl03AkvyODMljpxcUT5r8ioQexfJWdRxbZNJSca12K9Gk-H-wKolNe4n70hOZG4FMYsgh22NOuwFLpZFsjQse4jT7/w640-h480/IMG_9992.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> We spent an hour, maybe more, walking around the Pagoda, taking in the life of Buddha as celebrated in signs and bas-reliefs. We found other monuments on the grounds and looked into the adjacent temple where services are held twice a day. We learned of Nichidatsu Fujii and Jun San and Hank Hazelton's roles in creating the Pagoda. Finally, we walked back down the trail, glad to have gone exploring and filled with wonder at what we'd found. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmIEkyjxV9mrzhkOgzRYOx2KCRKIG0o1F7J5_GjKs3sPp-yuoxmefNF9oqkdZcJkHX9iUk9n6siTMPyiHo9TGSlA4k4VtDkmSzqORwfOB-PmcwHnBjTjcSafY31CKVXr5ulHhWpvoJfgmCxfzkQ_fepwSJlidAylEe9eHmR6bjJL49qXrLtL3u6Xo/s4000/IMG_9967.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmIEkyjxV9mrzhkOgzRYOx2KCRKIG0o1F7J5_GjKs3sPp-yuoxmefNF9oqkdZcJkHX9iUk9n6siTMPyiHo9TGSlA4k4VtDkmSzqORwfOB-PmcwHnBjTjcSafY31CKVXr5ulHhWpvoJfgmCxfzkQ_fepwSJlidAylEe9eHmR6bjJL49qXrLtL3u6Xo/w300-h400/IMG_9967.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> </span> <p></p>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432556921071580629.post-63986063868185413352023-01-13T18:36:00.001-05:002023-01-14T09:23:30.778-05:00More Power to You<p><span style="font-size: large;"> We see waterfalls as scenery. Our ancestors saw them as essential. It's hard to overstate the importance water power had to early European settlers in New England. They had intuitively tapped into one of the four fundamental forces of nature. That would be gravity, of course. (If my memory serves me, the other forces are the electro-magnetic and two types of nuclear bonds...all of which we have come to understand and use.) </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> It's gravity, that mysterious attraction mass exhibits (warping time and space according to Einstein), that causes water to flow from high to low. In the past people learned how to tap into that flow, learned that moving water could turn a wheel and that wheel, thru ingenious connecting mechanisms, could saw lumber, grind grain and do countless other tasks useful to them.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KV3OLwPyyPmlAP2bvROnmDIX24PQKaDcXHSoBtZj_-kRbF2ZmChFORkZ7svRmD5PxCK9qGhsJ5rQIIGIcv5rfDh2R0cbKyoc2sC6v7k3ndLOMIqgzwMWKl0Fj-0Y49DevVrwlYtlY2rqQQjCySYDXPhI5Gr2ntc7Nf2qyUc0eMOoc8VoGoPGnmZ7/s4000/IMG_9846.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KV3OLwPyyPmlAP2bvROnmDIX24PQKaDcXHSoBtZj_-kRbF2ZmChFORkZ7svRmD5PxCK9qGhsJ5rQIIGIcv5rfDh2R0cbKyoc2sC6v7k3ndLOMIqgzwMWKl0Fj-0Y49DevVrwlYtlY2rqQQjCySYDXPhI5Gr2ntc7Nf2qyUc0eMOoc8VoGoPGnmZ7/w640-h480/IMG_9846.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> A good place to contemplate the impact of water power is Bakers Falls on the Hudson River (aka Hudson Falls). There's a park on the Saratoga County side with an informative panel on the sites history. Here you can look out on the damed falls or walk down a lane blasted out of rock to access the river from below.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXa5zIXnGghBtvwIJ3Qe0Rr9cjwak1ZhTMu5eSe07CNsA1eWfu5DMHnbr084Bp09eRuJX7xTVfQuS41RHLfS4THXSHWjxrH5MjAzQdpAqegzv9TvE7AuyCIt0TmMVIpnltM955dT9YgCELZvNwjwPTwT1F6Idv4U5d8PNpkcOvInQ-EIhDfuGH8AxS/s4000/IMG_9806.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXa5zIXnGghBtvwIJ3Qe0Rr9cjwak1ZhTMu5eSe07CNsA1eWfu5DMHnbr084Bp09eRuJX7xTVfQuS41RHLfS4THXSHWjxrH5MjAzQdpAqegzv9TvE7AuyCIt0TmMVIpnltM955dT9YgCELZvNwjwPTwT1F6Idv4U5d8PNpkcOvInQ-EIhDfuGH8AxS/w640-h480/IMG_9806.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCMdlaKMXdyUzSziD6ROiS0zzmn-62mQ9OqyoQpxYBsCb-qXxnzgDBnaZ_njXhlSoQnDpY1Bj4zoZMeMHTDhMIwJpOKpDAzuxR25l3DaSkavqa7OXR-8yA7vVjZkb-PwMa5UhG-CC-xoSosTNJNgnTg0qp1jaSK7Pk6yDu3rp5XbgZyl1bT3bYvUh/s4000/IMG_9807.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCMdlaKMXdyUzSziD6ROiS0zzmn-62mQ9OqyoQpxYBsCb-qXxnzgDBnaZ_njXhlSoQnDpY1Bj4zoZMeMHTDhMIwJpOKpDAzuxR25l3DaSkavqa7OXR-8yA7vVjZkb-PwMa5UhG-CC-xoSosTNJNgnTg0qp1jaSK7Pk6yDu3rp5XbgZyl1bT3bYvUh/w400-h300/IMG_9807.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Above and below views of Bakers Falls</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Note that all the rivers flow is diverted thru the hydro plant</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The falls are dry</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Let's set the stage with a little geology. This is a transition zone from limestone bedrock upstream to shale downstream. The limestone built up along the edge of the ancient North American continent over 450 million years ago. Then, as tectonic plates converged, the limestone was warped downward into a trough that filled with mud eroded off rising mountains to the east. We call the remnants of those mountain the Taconics. This mud lithified over millions of years into the shale that the Hudson cuts into from Bakers Falls southward. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjwiwmAaS3ww5IF3DvOow4DYxbTj9q7_7_CbGPPpXjDwWeoWn6sD8dAxIedb0bXGlw_VQfSKc0HRG0-SaC9q-0LO_ZIt0o3Mlu6G9baiGYegPC5NePdARc6j_oA-f_fhfeAFoU5P5TXan9NZTe09GMnPvH2EyQ2sp4u4uVr-ZzL0zcVqirRZjhPUe/s4000/IMG_9905.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjwiwmAaS3ww5IF3DvOow4DYxbTj9q7_7_CbGPPpXjDwWeoWn6sD8dAxIedb0bXGlw_VQfSKc0HRG0-SaC9q-0LO_ZIt0o3Mlu6G9baiGYegPC5NePdARc6j_oA-f_fhfeAFoU5P5TXan9NZTe09GMnPvH2EyQ2sp4u4uVr-ZzL0zcVqirRZjhPUe/w640-h480/IMG_9905.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bedrock geologic map with Bakers Falls center right and Glens Falls top left.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Shale in green, other colors are limestone.</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> What's curious is that the shale, while younger and thus deposited on top of the limestone, now sits at a lower elevation than its carbonate predecessor exposed upstream. Such are the interesting (and sometimes confusing) arrangements the Earth's restless crust creates. Travel a short distance from Hudson Falls to Glens Falls and the river's bed goes from shale to limestone. Go a little further up river to Spier Falls and you'll see much older 'basement' rocks such as metamorphic gneiss.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHaClW9ZypfyRjQtKWW2JUJyoGRW1IA4CTWqOGTnQgYrtOmLaKG03TQPi6XpI0K0uqh1dpqDOv40-ef7136vS_ubmIl5dvDa8dVWU9v2OUkFZI0nVxmz4Zk0RscSr2JgOUXu0jUR-kVSQjEcNGNteUrneWOtbe7GMpFgAXY7eMk6Wlx_AKprqkFW6/s4000/IMG_9826.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHaClW9ZypfyRjQtKWW2JUJyoGRW1IA4CTWqOGTnQgYrtOmLaKG03TQPi6XpI0K0uqh1dpqDOv40-ef7136vS_ubmIl5dvDa8dVWU9v2OUkFZI0nVxmz4Zk0RscSr2JgOUXu0jUR-kVSQjEcNGNteUrneWOtbe7GMpFgAXY7eMk6Wlx_AKprqkFW6/w640-h480/IMG_9826.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Layered limestone at Glens Falls</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"> Both Glens Falls and Bakers Falls have steep-sided, narrow canyons or gorges below the falls. This suggests that they have eroded upstream in geologically recent times. The course of the river from west of the city of Glens Falls to Fort Edward probably dates only from the end of the last glacial period about 13000 years ago. Prior to that there were several drainage channels that converged near present day Albany. Glaciation, with its scouring and filling rearranged the patterns to what we see today. </span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin50zlO34zrfr08uBwA2z3SduLR7trTGN_K-T1tbcPtVuA3WwzhzQyOqo8Gs6zWSc0Vc3to0JS2lGrmpiClykMnIieXYZYHSgPbsFTzA4BrY0Cq71vZgYBWGbZI0sjPNWefGcL3fwly1IZixCL61ajAbSYk7HOmLZDtDVwOpyWh7P1ORDMQubv9uXl/s960/slide_5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin50zlO34zrfr08uBwA2z3SduLR7trTGN_K-T1tbcPtVuA3WwzhzQyOqo8Gs6zWSc0Vc3to0JS2lGrmpiClykMnIieXYZYHSgPbsFTzA4BrY0Cq71vZgYBWGbZI0sjPNWefGcL3fwly1IZixCL61ajAbSYk7HOmLZDtDVwOpyWh7P1ORDMQubv9uXl/w640-h480/slide_5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Brief definitions of geologic terms associated with Bakers Falls may be helpful:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Carbonate</u> - the minerals calcite and dolomite that form sedimentary rocks such as limestone, dolostone and marble</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Calcareous</u> - rocks composed partly or completely of calcium carbonate</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Calciphile or Calcicole</u> - plants that thrive in calcareous (lime rich) soil</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> With regards to the last term, if you walk down the rock cut lane that leads to the bottom of the falls on the Saratoga County side you'll see what appears to be light colored layers of limestone within the shale. Apparently water seeping thru these layers creates the right conditions for calciphiles. A deeper dive can be found <a href="https://saratogawoodswaters.blogspot.com/2022/09/cliffside-marvels-hudson-views.html">here.</a> If you have a canoe you might want to paddle upstream from the Sand Bar launch in South Glens Falls to view a similar layered outcrop of shale and limestone and associated plants along the bank of the Hudson diagonally across the river from Havilands Cove.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWD3R6gR0zQvMNYGV49oxT3oofFdHfs4wgBqhIdprvx4Cbdiu1K1AeN1h_QqdrNMz2XNyJODyFW2yR6fUPhJFxkQzVrqZDEDjIOlBl-sFuAg_jFdc9jFnN1zxFUoUIJHAs8r89qTlZ3XUJ_-kJinIq-x1dYW9vC8Zfn2-ORw1kK4DmPitYlwCcET1/s4000/IMG_9812.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWD3R6gR0zQvMNYGV49oxT3oofFdHfs4wgBqhIdprvx4Cbdiu1K1AeN1h_QqdrNMz2XNyJODyFW2yR6fUPhJFxkQzVrqZDEDjIOlBl-sFuAg_jFdc9jFnN1zxFUoUIJHAs8r89qTlZ3XUJ_-kJinIq-x1dYW9vC8Zfn2-ORw1kK4DmPitYlwCcET1/w640-h480/IMG_9812.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Light colored layer of limestone embedded in darker shale at Bakers Falls</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">COMINGS & GOINGS...</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> So the rocks were deposited many <u>millions</u> of years ago and the glaciers advanced and retreated many <u>thousands</u> of years ago. Then, after the ice there was water. Huge meltwater lakes that eventually drained to make way for the rivers and streams of today. Plants and animals reclaimed the barren ground and people followed. Archeologists have found evidence of their camps at Fort Edward, near Fort Miller and along the Snook Kill. The Hudson was their travel corridor and a source of fish and fowl. But the falls and rapids above the rivers bend at Fort Edward precluded upstream progress so this became 'the great carrying place' where overland trails struck off for Lake George and Wood Creek/Lake Champlain. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98agyaAs3M9SiAOZiVaB2UM01xHNa24BjlyVJlXRMjmaxpXTG06GrzW1eYZdEmZ5TFy4F3ayzA708Lkc-BoWEII4iTFkaUPIdE3-3iN3W8qB4Yz6FgIm60nkySodR1v1zTzuHvhd8wBrw6qRGJPWmblAfnm3qqLLfhj47SXC1o906MkO3tF1kkDzG/s1200/main-image.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1200" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh98agyaAs3M9SiAOZiVaB2UM01xHNa24BjlyVJlXRMjmaxpXTG06GrzW1eYZdEmZ5TFy4F3ayzA708Lkc-BoWEII4iTFkaUPIdE3-3iN3W8qB4Yz6FgIm60nkySodR1v1zTzuHvhd8wBrw6qRGJPWmblAfnm3qqLLfhj47SXC1o906MkO3tF1kkDzG/w640-h490/main-image.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">John Hill painting of Bakers Falls with early mill</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> With the coming of Europeans there was a long series of clashes between the French and English that also involved their Native allies. Eventually, after enough blood had been shed, the situation resolved and permanent settlement began. Albert Baker arrived in 1764, building a house, wing dam and saw mill at the falls that now bear his name. Peace was short lived and during the Revolution the British burned most of Sandy Hill (today's Hudson Falls) including Baker's mill. After the war Baker returned to rebuild his saw mill, subsequently adding a grist mill and a carding and woolen mill.</span></span></div><div><span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSM4kAFZnZl5Yay7BLa5yz-zYZbogOehMUeB2Ug0ko8cRbmihu6sbRrFjBHKbIrCb_1tQU8V7jGNrBPrRBuO8FZT8387spGnj1V6uMuRBcu8Kw6rbNleKkbS7wpLKwYzu2MzT26RQgfYpeDgL5ow5116bMfgY9oU3hkfclDKweBc6kdCta4Luc4WJL/s4000/IMG_9818.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSM4kAFZnZl5Yay7BLa5yz-zYZbogOehMUeB2Ug0ko8cRbmihu6sbRrFjBHKbIrCb_1tQU8V7jGNrBPrRBuO8FZT8387spGnj1V6uMuRBcu8Kw6rbNleKkbS7wpLKwYzu2MzT26RQgfYpeDgL5ow5116bMfgY9oU3hkfclDKweBc6kdCta4Luc4WJL/w640-h480/IMG_9818.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpmW13T_Fvd9xxtN-S-7kwW5Cmgz_2bbtmfTTe9R8oDedLvu2OErUrStJO6hdl2wGFa-VH21dbscjCs-442u87_5pkW-QT6wmZ8pcf2HviZVeQ9p45pcZB8H3WU1Z83XAY3_I75hQUCWa0ncvM--23jY8_SBRPKN8lt1YIi6TcPPigFahc0VjXCaj/s4000/IMG_9823.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpmW13T_Fvd9xxtN-S-7kwW5Cmgz_2bbtmfTTe9R8oDedLvu2OErUrStJO6hdl2wGFa-VH21dbscjCs-442u87_5pkW-QT6wmZ8pcf2HviZVeQ9p45pcZB8H3WU1Z83XAY3_I75hQUCWa0ncvM--23jY8_SBRPKN8lt1YIi6TcPPigFahc0VjXCaj/w640-h480/IMG_9823.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Baker Cemetery in Hudson Falls</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> As it became safer and easier to travel, a nascent tourist industry developed. It is still going strong today. Lake George was always a prime destination but many sightseers stopped to view Glens Falls and Bakers Falls along the way. Some kept journals or published their impressions. Here are a few excerpts:</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;">* Timothy Dwight was a prolific traveler who left four hefty volumes chronicling his journeys in New York and New England. He visited Glens Falls a number of times. His impressions from 1798:</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> "The perpendicular descent of the water at this place is seventy feet. The forms in which it descends are various beyond those of any other cataract within my knowledge. All the conceivable gradations of falling water, from the mighty torrent to the showery jet d'eau, are here united in a wonderful and fascinating combination."</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> "Originally these falls were in the neighborhood of Fort Edward, five miles below their present station. During a long succession of ages, the river has gradually worn this deep channel backward to this place."</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> "The rock over which the Hudson descends at this place is a vast mass of blue limestone, horizontally stratified; and, I believe, exactly resembling that which produces the falls of Niagara."</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> On a return visit in 1811 Dwight was dismayed with changes at Glens Falls:</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> "To my great mortification I found it encumbered and defaced by the erection of several paltry buildings, raised up since my last visit to this place ... Another was a wretched-looking cottage standing upon the island between the bridges. Nothing could be more dissonant from the splendor of this scene, and hardly anything more disgusting."</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> Ah, progress. While Dwight mentions being at Sandy Hill several times I could find nothing in his <u>Travels</u> about Bakers Falls.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdE49TZleQ2eefrHGXcfCTJT87szAftYuU-DQJOyX2T65Z1O434I7-LoT3TV8ctH1z9IpuASbmJFHlU-Dl7IycmgeFpay71kp-4VUvt51qv2nx8KQs2S9YxHKstn-f_xnjrvpW1b-2AoXauwBeV9o3xTh4pB8vtPDJARu8oGj0-NLL90MNpImfJ2FU/s4000/DP-12921-001.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3162" data-original-width="4000" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdE49TZleQ2eefrHGXcfCTJT87szAftYuU-DQJOyX2T65Z1O434I7-LoT3TV8ctH1z9IpuASbmJFHlU-Dl7IycmgeFpay71kp-4VUvt51qv2nx8KQs2S9YxHKstn-f_xnjrvpW1b-2AoXauwBeV9o3xTh4pB8vtPDJARu8oGj0-NLL90MNpImfJ2FU/w640-h506/DP-12921-001.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">John Hill's 'Glenns Falls'</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;">* Benjamin Silliman was a protege of Dwight's at Yale and emulated his mentor by writing of his travels to Quebec in 1819. He gives us a good description of Bakers Falls:</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> "The entire fall is seventy-eight feet; but it takes place at several leaps, and forms succession of violent, tumultuous rapids, not inferior in grandeur to Glens Falls, and superior to them in picturesque effect; these falls are really quite as well worth visiting as the more celebrated cataract a few miles above."</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> "... a handsome picture is presented by the veins of white calcareous spar, which in great numbers, intersect the black slate rocks, and give them a tesselated appearance ... "</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> Silliman mentions a gunpowder manufactory located here and then gives us a morbid accounting of recent fatalities at the falls:</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> "Another man in a boat was impelled into the current, and finding his case hopeless, calmly shipped his oars, and submitted to his fate. A man in a dark night walked off the high bank at the bridge, on the eastern side, and fell seventy-five feet; and a Frenchman, about the same time, drove a wagon and horses over this precipice; it is scarcely necessary to say that they all perished."</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2Ci1SP0iplTTu5ZzLH4ai-U6sC5N6adRAp2Q4EtnGM_UXfGrqLpRKrAA-KRLXHVHrqI-92G3gCOnYhMctL38lDbGJGmNcTRTTAYDNe4GznQSjDNKgBL1Ys5oX8PEAodbkRsoMWcmfbYo4lw77GoYiK_02fxODPMnEbuMY8IBddO-Lm3pVoOWJ4nK/s448/ltlCE16D8EEDF17462A1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="448" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2Ci1SP0iplTTu5ZzLH4ai-U6sC5N6adRAp2Q4EtnGM_UXfGrqLpRKrAA-KRLXHVHrqI-92G3gCOnYhMctL38lDbGJGmNcTRTTAYDNe4GznQSjDNKgBL1Ys5oX8PEAodbkRsoMWcmfbYo4lw77GoYiK_02fxODPMnEbuMY8IBddO-Lm3pVoOWJ4nK/w640-h472/ltlCE16D8EEDF17462A1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bakers Falls around 1828 by J.G. Milbert</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;">* British Naval Captain Joshua Rowley Watson toured up the Hudson Valley in 1816. His trip diary and many of his sketches and watercolors can be found in <u>Captain Watson's Travels in America</u>. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> "Breakfasted at Kingsbury, the Scenery here is very beautiful, and the falls of Baker worthy of notice ... they tumble over dark rock with great force ... "</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> "The view looking down from this spot is also pictoresque, the rocks in some places perpendicular, and the woods of Pine, Elm and Oak add much to its beauty. I had ful amusement at Kingsbury ... "</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> It's interesting to note that while sketching Watson learned of a child who had fallen in the river above the falls and had been snatched to safety just before being swept over the brink. Obviously a dangerous place. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> Later in the day he proceeded to Glens Falls with this impression:</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> "I was greatly disappointed at this spot, having heard most exagerated descriptions of its scenery, and the height of the cateract."</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> I copied Watson's diary exactly so if the spelling seems a little funky blame him, not me. I've never seen any of his paintings online. The best I could do is photograph them from the book. The one of Glens Falls came out better than those of Bakers Falls so that is what you see here. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLPLeMj1OcCnCsbAtbO18T1ubN0oWK44DhsP4cy_DPLvnp_7ZXRtEDvCoMSZ0O9AqHR7zrY_1uhaZFZhA3xJ9MN-nHiJx3E9mbCsMEJE4dfk6ygZOg36vvE6geFLT8ZmlZ6MSbi9llOaK62XY1qiNDYFE0XfXUTmPvBq3Tqjy3kloBbaqlKnVX4lR/s4000/IMG_9959.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLPLeMj1OcCnCsbAtbO18T1ubN0oWK44DhsP4cy_DPLvnp_7ZXRtEDvCoMSZ0O9AqHR7zrY_1uhaZFZhA3xJ9MN-nHiJx3E9mbCsMEJE4dfk6ygZOg36vvE6geFLT8ZmlZ6MSbi9llOaK62XY1qiNDYFE0XfXUTmPvBq3Tqjy3kloBbaqlKnVX4lR/w640-h480/IMG_9959.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Glens Falls 28 July [1816]</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Joshua Watson</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> Ever since Albert Baker's first mills, industry has clustered near the falls. Union Bag, Sandy Hill Corporation and General Electric are among the notable manufacturers that located here. GE is, of course, notorious for its pollution of the Hudson River with PCB's. Today all of the companies' buildings in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward have been razed. As this is written demolition of the former Allen Mills and Powerhouse is ongoing. Located on the Washington County side of Bakers Falls, it was a textile mill from the mid-1800's with its associated hydroelectric powerhouse built in 1907. You can see them across the river from the Saratoga County side but look quickly because they will soon be gone.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNMg2zCNoztdlRThv3e_knCrulDxycDnIOPEvugwe0yf_aNLtXWnE1nMTA6cSRoKFlIwIZSoQ9HLr2xVvtsQQ8ESGhUuHtWopnJw4sPCk7lEhGT6Zs1cWP2iZDKEPcOxmfS0zunnjPbWOVTy_PM3O5gCmhGjS5JZ4sczcHxYG61ytxpkl1__S1L7P/s1078/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-06%20at%2012.45.34%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="814" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNMg2zCNoztdlRThv3e_knCrulDxycDnIOPEvugwe0yf_aNLtXWnE1nMTA6cSRoKFlIwIZSoQ9HLr2xVvtsQQ8ESGhUuHtWopnJw4sPCk7lEhGT6Zs1cWP2iZDKEPcOxmfS0zunnjPbWOVTy_PM3O5gCmhGjS5JZ4sczcHxYG61ytxpkl1__S1L7P/w484-h640/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-06%20at%2012.45.34%20PM.png" width="484" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This drawing shows where PCB's seeped into the Hudson</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">from the GE plant at Bakers Falls.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From Northeastern Friends of the Pleistocene</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2008 Field Trip Guidebook</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_tvYHn_QG28_dQ-LWmM3WsUO-FMUxBf52jvl3jKXFHO04mSfg1--stfkALtLLjipFLgEmSpxHvdgwsNTH5XsLd9Fox97jsTt2OYUXYIlko_ozpdsASrQu7z4KG5Ix2-yVfqBRDlz0-97-o9cyWfQDSkekEsUADDkB6QF7NCB3bkCqFyGUQGP_I5i-/s2756/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-06%20at%201.01.49%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1268" data-original-width="2756" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_tvYHn_QG28_dQ-LWmM3WsUO-FMUxBf52jvl3jKXFHO04mSfg1--stfkALtLLjipFLgEmSpxHvdgwsNTH5XsLd9Fox97jsTt2OYUXYIlko_ozpdsASrQu7z4KG5Ix2-yVfqBRDlz0-97-o9cyWfQDSkekEsUADDkB6QF7NCB3bkCqFyGUQGP_I5i-/w640-h294/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-06%20at%201.01.49%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Google Earth Screen Shot</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> This Google Earth image shows the Hudson River entering from lower left with Glens Falls at upper left and Bakers Falls on the middle right. The gray circular area just below the river in the top middle of the image is a quarry in limestone. Note the thin line linking to the north bank is a conveyor that carries the rock over the water to a cement plant. As the river bends in the upper right corner another visible line is where the old Fenimore (Upper) Dam used to be. Downstream several dots are just barely visible crossing the river. These are piers that were meant to carry a railroad bridge that was never built. The two lines at the tip of the island above Bakers Falls (they look like a bow) are the old and new road bridges connecting Hudson Falls to Moreau. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNEra32dwXkFHllSqns-HhSMt8OfMUrKG8WFshvS1N1FKNdHU3n9R4OjM5CNZlGXpqMEy2qIdZYmlCjJQyIZ42RMYpRJ3yUOFiEy97WN9-BMgMRRzUjEFHIgrU-ctns3EVavSEP7wxR945STHIcJtci_xsSNNcjW4ogu6b79D49hKNWkNvdlXImfi/s4000/IMG_9811.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNEra32dwXkFHllSqns-HhSMt8OfMUrKG8WFshvS1N1FKNdHU3n9R4OjM5CNZlGXpqMEy2qIdZYmlCjJQyIZ42RMYpRJ3yUOFiEy97WN9-BMgMRRzUjEFHIgrU-ctns3EVavSEP7wxR945STHIcJtci_xsSNNcjW4ogu6b79D49hKNWkNvdlXImfi/w400-h300/IMG_9811.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Nowadays there is good access to the river below Bakers Falls. You can put a canoe in and enjoy a sporting run down to Rogers Island or a DEC boat launch on the Saratoga County side. Years ago, shortly after they removed a dam at Fort Edward, I remember paddling in something called the Sludge Water Derby here. The river moves right along but I don't recall it being particularly challenging or dangerous.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiickQixB3dm5AScsI0SabpBiLcXC-B6VrMkbu7hFbIjaDvOREzsI5DQJ6o-wK2jkBqDGw5Q_pXZrQD3i0fY2fNev2rYNVqFjqJEmWQHlXeun5ELK6I_1lkcpU97UCHe4HPYgv3-Ay-iyPrudv-41AEuLFS0VJHVmRPrpn0xcOvcddMixOUTEMKJcjz/s2816/DSCN4280.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2112" data-original-width="2816" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiickQixB3dm5AScsI0SabpBiLcXC-B6VrMkbu7hFbIjaDvOREzsI5DQJ6o-wK2jkBqDGw5Q_pXZrQD3i0fY2fNev2rYNVqFjqJEmWQHlXeun5ELK6I_1lkcpU97UCHe4HPYgv3-Ay-iyPrudv-41AEuLFS0VJHVmRPrpn0xcOvcddMixOUTEMKJcjz/w400-h300/DSCN4280.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the DEC boat launch on West River Road</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> That's not the case for the section between Glens Falls and Bakers Falls. Canoe access at Glens Falls is virtually nonexistent with industrial plants occupying both banks. You could try to 'Ninja' your boat into the water from the Coopers Cave viewing platform but that would almost assuredly result in the boys in blue showing up to 'serve and protect'. The run downstream would be tricky with numerous small islands and several drops to negotiate. You would definitely <u>not</u> want to capsize with Bakers Falls waiting for you downstream. Still, the limestone box canyon and sprinkle of islands make this stretch of the Hudson intriguing. Perhaps with the imminent closing of the cement plant and the conversion of the former Ciba-Geigy site to a solar farm there could be a way for the public to enjoy this area in the future.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINbiHLvCxWvnE7BKvCihc_OYAx8T1Tn4euiksWUkAFsv4gsi-IfDQIXqV0NkksoBXYIbuXKYdN2KN1p10I_egDxEdtXxAdSrt5QeGuefPXd4q0qKlpEwKZbuBMqV_Fwmd5-l_42nG--sqPGVQji46ODAQFKgGMP-IC324C8CLtLSr3x4BtipCz4mD/s4000/IMG_9832.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINbiHLvCxWvnE7BKvCihc_OYAx8T1Tn4euiksWUkAFsv4gsi-IfDQIXqV0NkksoBXYIbuXKYdN2KN1p10I_egDxEdtXxAdSrt5QeGuefPXd4q0qKlpEwKZbuBMqV_Fwmd5-l_42nG--sqPGVQji46ODAQFKgGMP-IC324C8CLtLSr3x4BtipCz4mD/w480-h640/IMG_9832.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking down the Hudson from the Rt. 9 bridge</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Finch Pruyn mill on the left, Coopers Cave viewing platform bottom right </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Those with a particular interest in this section of river might want to check out Walter F. Burmeister's 1974 paddling guidebook: <u>The</u> <u>Hudson River and Its Tributaries</u>. He used a rope(!) to lower his boat down the old spiral staircase to Coopers Cave from the Rt. 9 bridge between South Glens Falls and Glens Falls. There follows a description of the route from Glens Falls to Bakers Falls where he once again used rope work to get into the gorge below the falls. Here is his impression of Bakers Falls: "Prior to the dam construction craze and the hunger for cheap water power, this was a magnificent cataract at the head of an equally dramatic box canyon. A sheet of water dropped over 60 feet in a wild and truly impressive setting." </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">FINAL THOUGHTS...</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"> * I've mentioned Coopers Cave at Glens Falls several times. It was named after James Fenimore Cooper who visited the area in 1824 and used the locale in his <u>The Last of the Mohicans</u> novel. It's interesting to note that the section of the Town of Moreau near Bakers Falls is known as Fenimore in another apparent homage to the author.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGjMEjffYUQjdzG88xYf5x_0X8Z5Ql19lDxpRIBJfGPhgac7IxxFBSyS41Bk6tNsXsEFlSQReka-RBN-e9MEAehhbPxj3PFi4qv9UbzlcwgpzOlOTKnuBEmn8sqr89sCR2OfTllorMEcXVm9eKuz2SsydZofl64q5tO3v4IV_OVVuTuqXtNKIp787/s4000/IMG_8668.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGjMEjffYUQjdzG88xYf5x_0X8Z5Ql19lDxpRIBJfGPhgac7IxxFBSyS41Bk6tNsXsEFlSQReka-RBN-e9MEAehhbPxj3PFi4qv9UbzlcwgpzOlOTKnuBEmn8sqr89sCR2OfTllorMEcXVm9eKuz2SsydZofl64q5tO3v4IV_OVVuTuqXtNKIp787/w300-h400/IMG_8668.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;">* Several years ago both the Salem Courthouse and the Georgi Museum hosted a <u>Mills on the Kill</u> exhibit which documented the manufacturing sites on the Battenkill River. Historians Judy Flagg and Sally Brillion have done research on these sites and would be good sources of information on early waterpower in Washington County. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbkwaYeqV_HtYBXQ-nGlKHVeX0I8ksa2IWaWhiiGgbHpyWsEVOff0X30xNTTF15a5wdwTaLYF49m_qiN8swqJ9rlyqVTr7fivXtpKuvQQbAP5DismP7d0TuJX-dXpYbg2Zs-Ga83pg1jYdNYjrLs1JVMtTE2yxz4HpKPETIWkyqjRcqZWMZ-y4D9M/s1024/ISqxq4gji9puan0000000000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbkwaYeqV_HtYBXQ-nGlKHVeX0I8ksa2IWaWhiiGgbHpyWsEVOff0X30xNTTF15a5wdwTaLYF49m_qiN8swqJ9rlyqVTr7fivXtpKuvQQbAP5DismP7d0TuJX-dXpYbg2Zs-Ga83pg1jYdNYjrLs1JVMtTE2yxz4HpKPETIWkyqjRcqZWMZ-y4D9M/w640-h426/ISqxq4gji9puan0000000000.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Foundation and machinery from the Eagleville Woolen Mill on the Battenkill</span></div><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">* Anyone interested in early water-powered industry may want to visit the Harwood Mill in East Hartford. Originally built by Hezekiah Mann around 1810, it has since been restored by Floyd Harwood. <u>The Log Village Gristmill</u> tells of this labor of love. The mill can be seen at the Andelyn Farm on Co. 30. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfk9rUyrY0J1EE5RXE91DiD7HFmznFVB79uByUoREHLXKxbSR5I69XUgZVwykgAD5cdE-WTZ2wSrrY0YbHy9UUtXfyU0f4UtnlWzR2dQjjngJj71YaLV_NGyPN6hZ1ZIedGlXpCunAyEacFbd-L72tQgdcLujSOTXR5GBlQ5ZxRVWKSWQVIiw1LFB/s499/51m-yyJXJ9L._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="332" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfk9rUyrY0J1EE5RXE91DiD7HFmznFVB79uByUoREHLXKxbSR5I69XUgZVwykgAD5cdE-WTZ2wSrrY0YbHy9UUtXfyU0f4UtnlWzR2dQjjngJj71YaLV_NGyPN6hZ1ZIedGlXpCunAyEacFbd-L72tQgdcLujSOTXR5GBlQ5ZxRVWKSWQVIiw1LFB/w426-h640/51m-yyJXJ9L._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;">* Boralex is the Canadien company that operates the hydro facility at Bakers Falls. They currently have three solar farms planned for Washington County that will total well over a thousand acres. One is in Easton along Windy Hill Road near the fairgrounds. Another is nearby in the Bald Mountain area. The third, and largest, is in the grasslands area of Fort Edward/Argyle. That one is particularly controversial because it impacts the birds that use the area. While it may have benefits, the push for solar development also has repercussions. These installations are often targeted for open farmland. Yes we need clean energy but we also need food and it should be considered that agriculture is still Washington County's number one industry. Why not place the panels on GE's recently vacated properties in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward? After all, GE stands for 'general electric'... </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJblVktyh3p8bnyTpXEtXisjRN8fkQbel6U-CS6SX0zwaHXCsVhpJaKHDEJaLlaDA4yfnJPQHKGF4mb3YQwGF6mCsOJUKPFeeK6L7GIm7CW823zm4ehmSXdA_hS_9pT2M5dTNI8FP-XtZFReYrrclG0eMs-4FGh9g4XxbLXuttClT4BQYHMwa7ygV/s3507/NY53map0422.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2480" data-original-width="3507" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJblVktyh3p8bnyTpXEtXisjRN8fkQbel6U-CS6SX0zwaHXCsVhpJaKHDEJaLlaDA4yfnJPQHKGF4mb3YQwGF6mCsOJUKPFeeK6L7GIm7CW823zm4ehmSXdA_hS_9pT2M5dTNI8FP-XtZFReYrrclG0eMs-4FGh9g4XxbLXuttClT4BQYHMwa7ygV/w640-h452/NY53map0422.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Map of parcels slated for solar development in Fort Edward and Argyle</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;">* Finishing up on a personal note, my Dad used to tell me about a mill where he worked as a boy. It was on the Snook Kill near Gansevoort in Saratoga County. For old times sake I stopped by to have a look the other day. The mill itself is long gone but you can still see the water intake ditch and remnants of the dam that created a mill pond. Afterwards I visited with Harry Thomas who owns the land where the mill was located. He shared his memories of the place and showed me two mill stones he had recovered from the ruins. It was a moving experience to connect with these artifacts from my families past. Finding traces of history in the landscape is always exciting and there's no better place to look than along the streams that powered the lives of our forebears.</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJifu0wNLs6eL6ySgbxyrTbZTGH288frycotec3S4JYHy9Iqfw6DW-IefojogqywDRqu0elBYI7k-2JenhQ6PKbRSgNU6SdUAupw-kiBHdNnSBPJPk82f_dNA2tyw_SYdNMIGoEBl2VVYfT8QJh_m0qeX14eqg86FnH-q-yj262tRM2VpTdndaIodn/s4000/IMG_9963.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJifu0wNLs6eL6ySgbxyrTbZTGH288frycotec3S4JYHy9Iqfw6DW-IefojogqywDRqu0elBYI7k-2JenhQ6PKbRSgNU6SdUAupw-kiBHdNnSBPJPk82f_dNA2tyw_SYdNMIGoEBl2VVYfT8QJh_m0qeX14eqg86FnH-q-yj262tRM2VpTdndaIodn/w480-h640/IMG_9963.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A gate structure and channel that funneled water to the mill</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYaPAKuqzi4rrWPlOG1pFMjuRG6WQ05Qi27bAmtep33oSBgUHUQHYD2gd8NklPsAftTWc4fj7_HIxTjauj2o27392pRC8Rp-c1YkkhVFWSNWmjH0vyGmvkQYek7Gy6_mf2RRnvDODHuIjFJLj6zTH57Ur8_ZFz1d16siifJam1V2VnSzqOoJFvX_N/s4000/IMG_9965.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYaPAKuqzi4rrWPlOG1pFMjuRG6WQ05Qi27bAmtep33oSBgUHUQHYD2gd8NklPsAftTWc4fj7_HIxTjauj2o27392pRC8Rp-c1YkkhVFWSNWmjH0vyGmvkQYek7Gy6_mf2RRnvDODHuIjFJLj6zTH57Ur8_ZFz1d16siifJam1V2VnSzqOoJFvX_N/w640-h480/IMG_9965.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Part of an old mill dam hugs the bank on the right</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Snook Kill drops over Big Falls downstream</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEKbJUXRTlE3T2sTG7d181M-svyoGN9tJuWQI8bmIzeLfWI0WB2ulpfy4BDNUrZY1Z_eU0XLfumx4xkVnKdYi57oHEgwDeOwZ6f0lTwZUsAS8tPeTceIZOE_OlW7XLW5AnxcD0kVboucMz4Nt44in1PEqmiAD1zQGAUZS9uQhB3kSwk5_Oj6HHm0I/s4000/IMG_9966.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEKbJUXRTlE3T2sTG7d181M-svyoGN9tJuWQI8bmIzeLfWI0WB2ulpfy4BDNUrZY1Z_eU0XLfumx4xkVnKdYi57oHEgwDeOwZ6f0lTwZUsAS8tPeTceIZOE_OlW7XLW5AnxcD0kVboucMz4Nt44in1PEqmiAD1zQGAUZS9uQhB3kSwk5_Oj6HHm0I/w640-h480/IMG_9966.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The granite stones that ground the grain</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div>Don Butlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17404334048604521877noreply@blogger.com0