ONE OF A KIND SITUATION

Litchfield, CT - On the left is the former Litchfield County Jail and on the right is The First National Bank of Litchfield. This is the only place know that a bank and a jail share the same wall; just a little more trivia for you.
 

PLANT LIFE ALONG THE RIVERBANK

Trillium - Beautiful flower with three leaves and three flower petals.
 

False Hellebore - Often mistaken for Skunk Cabbage; this is a very toxic plant. 

Fiddleheads - Shoots of the Ostrich Fern; they are edible when picked when the shoots are a few inches from the ground and boiled for at least 10 minutes.
 

LYMAN BEECHER HOME SITE – HARRIET BEECHER STOWE BIRTHPLACE

Litchfield, CT - This is where Lyman Beecher, famous Congregationalist Minster lived. He and his wife Roxana had eleven children; Harriet Beecher Stowe being the most well known. Other famous siblings were Henry Ward Beecher a minister in Brooklyn, NY; he was active in the abolitionist movement, Catherine Beecher founded many schools for young woman and Isabella, who was active in the suffrage movement.

This house is actually a reproduction on the Beecher Home site.
 

MONUMENT WHERE LYMAN BEECHER’S CHURCH STOOD

Litchfield, CT - The monument is on the site of the church where Lyman Beecher preached. Also noted that up the street is where Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry Ward Beecher were born.
 

DAFFODIL FIELDS FOREVER

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills
When all at once I saw a crowd
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze...

...For oft when on my couch I lie
In vacant or pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

William Wordsworth
1804
 

Daffodil - People enjoying the view 

Daffodil - Located in the Northfield section of Litchfield 

Daffodils - These daffodils were planted for all to enjoy by Virginia and Remy Morosani in 1941
 

WINCHESTER SOLDIERS’ MONUMENT

Winchester (Winsted), CT - This is the Winchester Soldiers' Monument to honor the 300 Winchester men who served in the Civil War. It was dedicated September 11, 1890. This monument sits on top of a hill and is 63' 10" high; it was built at a cost of $14,000. There is an 8'3" bronze figure of a soldier bearing colors; he weighs 2000 lbs. and costs $2500.
 

WHITEWATER KAYAKING

These fellows took advantage of the heavy rain we had the last day and a half to do some whitewater kayaking. I was out walking the "girls" and just as we were going to leave we saw these four guys putting in just above were the truck was so I pulled out my trusty camera and took a few photographs. They were moving pretty fast so I was only able to get a few. 

That was fun! 

This kayaker was testing out his nose plug and perfecting his Eskimo roll.
 

Dive...Dive...Dive 

HITCHCOCK CHAIR MUSEUM

Riverton, CT - This was the Union Church in Riverton, CT, built in 1829. It is now the Hitchcock Chair Museum and showcases the beautiful chairs made by the Hitchcock Chair company which was started by Lambert Hitchcock in 1826.

BLOODROOT

I saw a patch of bloodroot along the side of a dirt road and stopped to snap this picture.
 

WEBB HOUSE – WETHERSFIELD CT

Wethersfield, CT - It is said that in this house Washington and Rochambeau planned the campaign ending at Yorktown in 1781. There is a sign outside that says that but I have read that that might not be true. Enjoy the picture!
 

SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI

The Society of the Cincinnati was formed in 1783 by officers of the Continental Army. Membership was limited to officers that served in the Continental Army and also included officers in the French Army that assisted the Continentals, and the eldest male descendents of both. The society was named after the Roman dictator Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus who had assumed total control of Rome to meet a war emergency. When the battle was won he returned control to the senate and went back to plowing his fields. Cincinnati, Ohio was named for him. George Washington was the first national president of the society. This organization still exists today. It has about 3500 members in one French and 13 U.S. branches (representing the original states).

Info from Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia
 

YANKEE OR RED SOX PEANUTS?

Here is a quandary for merchants, should they stock Yankee or Red Sox peanuts. This is a problem especially in Connecticut which is between New York and Boston so the fans allegiance is split. For the most part, people living in Fairfield County Connecticut, basically a suburb of New York, are Yankee fans. The rest of the state would be Red Sox fans. Of course this is a broad statement and I'm sure the farther you go north the more Sox fans there will be.
 

HITCHCOCK CHAIR COMPANY

Riverton, CT - Lambert Hitchcock made his famous Hitchcock chairs in this building from 1826 - 1840. The factory is now in New Hartford, CT and this building is the main store. Up to a few years ago, some of the stenciling was done in this building.
 

HITCHCOCK CHAIR CO. – FARMINGTON RIVER

Riverton, CT - As many factories are, the Hitchcock Chair Company is located on a river; this is a picture of the Farmington River. Many times when I went into the store I would look out the window and wish that my house was right there and that was my view.
 

PICNICING ON PATRIOTS DAY

Granville, MA - This nice couple allowed me to photograph them while on a picnic in Granville Gorge with their dog Coco. In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Patriots Day is a holiday. As you can see it was a bright sunny day.

Patriots Day commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord which were fought on April 19, 1775. It is in these battles that Paul Revere and William Dawes rode to awaken the country; Samuel Prescott joined them enroute. Paul Revere was captured and Dawes and Prescott got away. So, it is not Paul Revere that should get credit but Dawes and Prescott.

Info from American Revolution.com
 

NAUGATUCK – HOME OF NAUGAHYDE

Naugatuck, CT - Naugatuck was settled in 1702 by Samuel Hickox Jr. of Mattatuck now called Waterbury. It is a very industrial city manufacturing many products including rubber, footwear, synthetic rubber, plastics, chemical products, iron castings, candy cutlery, clocks, metal stampings, buttons, cosmetic cases, household hardware, fabricated glass components, and aircraft instruments. Inventions and patents of Charles Goodyear we instrumental in pioneer operations of Uniroyal, Inc. Naugatuck was also a main stop for several stagecoach lines between 1700 - 1800. Here's a bit of trivia, Naugahyde is a product of Uniroyal Engineered products located in Naugatuck. The manufacturing plant is in Ohio; Naugahyde is named for Naugatuck, CT. Contrary to popular belief, it in not made from skins of Naugas.
 

WALKING IN THE STATE FOREST

It was beautiful day for a walk cool, crisp, and sunny. I took my dogs out for a walk in the state forest.