Category Archives: New England

September 6, 2017

Hermann’s Royal Lipizzan Stallions (Woodstock, CT)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: August 19, 2017

Location Roseland Cottage, 556 Route 169, Woodstock, CT

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Website: Hermanns Royal Lipizzan Stallions

Highlights: stallions performing tricks and ridden by their trainers

Tips:

  • bring your own chair or a towel as they do not provide them at the venue.
  • visitors are allowed to enter one hour before the scheduled event
  • be sure to take in a tour of Roseland Cottage if you have the time

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There was a lot of horsing around going on at the Roseland Cottage in Woodstock, Connecticut last month.

The Lipizzan Stallions galloped into the Roseland Cottage for a day of professional horse riding and horse tricks.

The Lipizzan Stallions traveled all the way from Myaka, Florida to entertain the one hundred or so visitors at Roseland Cottage.

Not all of the horses and animals kept at the Lipizzan Stallions shelter are Royal Lipizzan Stallions. For instance, Willie The Rescue Pony, seen here getting ready for the show, is one of the horses they have taken in.  He even performs at the show.  They also take in dogs, cats and any other animal that finds its way to their shelter.

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The highlight of the show were the Royal Lipizzan Stallions. The horses performed tricks and trotted in formations.

The horses are such beautiful animals.  The way they moved and the way the horse trainers and riders controlled their every movement was a joy to watch.

The Lipizzan breed is considered the rarest and most aristocratic breed of horses in the world.  They were first established by Archduke Charles at Lipizza which is now part of Yugoslavia.

Since only a few hundred Lipizzan Stallions have ever existed at any one time, their future lineage is somewhat in question.  But, they may have General Patton to credit for their continued bloodline.

During World War II General George Patton authorized a secret plan to save the Lipizzans.  The stallions, who would surely have been killed if the Russians arrived before their rescuers, were saved during this secret mission. Two of the people involved who played a key role in their rescue were Colonel Herrmann and his father, Colonel Ottomar Herrmann,  A movie by Disney titled, Miracle Of The White Stallions depicts their rescue.

The Lipizzan horse show was held at the Roseland Cottage.  We didn’t have time for a tour.  But, the grounds are very pretty.

While dogs are not allowed at the show, I did see Yog,i, a 3 and a half year old Cavanese (part Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and part Havanes), and his dad watching from the sidewalk.  Yogi also barked out his approval from time to time.

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Below are some videos of the Royal Lipizzan Stallions event

 

9 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in connecticut, dog, horses, Lipizzan Stallions, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Roseland Cottage, stallions, Uncategorized

September 5, 2017

Wheels & Waffles (West Springfield, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: August 19, 2017

Location: Eastern States Exposition Center,  Avenue Of The States, 1305 Memorial Ave, West Springfield, MA

Cost: Free

Parking: There is ample parking located at the entrance

Dog Friendly: Yes

Website: Wheels N Waffles

Highlights: classic cards dating back to the early 1900s, waffles

Tips:

  • The “Avenue of the States” (where the event was held) got the name because it has a replica of each state’s house of each state in New England on its premises
  • The Wheels & Waffles event is usually held at the Eastern States Exposition Center twice each summer, annually

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What goes better together than wheels and….waffles?  Well, that was what was on the menu at the Eastern Exposition Center last month.

There were some novelty card there too like this “General Lee” Dukes Of Hazzard replica car.

And this replica of Herbie The Love Bug

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If only I was better at identifying cars with the years they were built.  Unfortunately, that’s not my forte.  But, I still appreciate the curves, style and power of these vehicles.

Look at those fins and designs.  Those beautiful, beautiful fins…

Not all of the cars were from the 50’s and 60’s.  In fact, some of you may have owned some of these more recent classics.

I’ve always loved long, shapely cars.  So, of course this was my favorite.

Of course, as the name of the event suggests, there waffles provided by the Storrowton Tavern.

 

The “Avenue Of The States” didn’t get its name by accident.  The grounds have a replica of each original state house for each of the six New England states.  Below is the original state house of Massachusetts.

Here is what the Boston State House actually looks like (courtesy of everstockphoto.com)

Wheels & Waffles is a dog friendly event and I’m really not sure what I thought were more beautiful, the dogs or the cars.  OK, it was the dogs.

CJ is a 5 or 6 year old Jack Russell Terrier.

Lola is a 3 year old Lab.

Gunner is a 2 and a half year old Lab mix.

Below is a video of the Wheels & Waffles event

Please like me on Facebook.

 

 

17 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in cars, dogs, Eastern States Exposition Center, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized, West Springfield, Wheels And Waffles

September 3, 2017

Governor John Langdon House (Portsmouth, NH)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: August 26, 2017

Location: 143 Pleasant Street, Portsmouth, N.H.

Hours: (summer hours listed)

Friday – Sunday
June 1 – October 15
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Tours on the hour.

Last tour at 4:00 p.m.

Closed July 4 (as well as other major holidays)

Cost:  $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $4 for students

Free for Historic New England members and Portsmouth residents.

Parking: There is free parking in the lot on Pleasant St next to Citizens Bank and metered  or 2 hour parking throughout the city

Website: Governor John Langdon House

Tips:

  • tours start on the hour from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

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One of the oldest homes in the Portsmouth, New Hampshire area, the Governor John Langdon House remains one of the most popular homes to visit in the historic homes in the Portsmouth area.

Built in 1784 by the three time governor (at the time called “President”) of New Hampshire as well as General in the American revolution and signer of the United States Constitution, John Langdon, the Langdon House has 4 rooms on both of its floors.  Many of the elaborate interior designs are attributed to prominent woodworker Ebenezer Clifford.

It was very interesting hearing about how little subtle things that we may not notice meant a lot to the dwellers of the house.  Such as the ornate architecture which signalled someone’s wealth and station in life.

Another indication of wealth in terms of decor and design of a house at that time is doors.  Yes, doors.  The more doors you had in your home was considered a sign of wealth.  The funny thing is that in the photo below one of the “doors” (the one on the left) is actually a false door.  It gave the impression that the house is of

Although his father did own slaves and servants were afforded meager living quarters, Governor John Langdon did not own slaves (according to historian and site manager of the Langdon House) Peter Michaud.  Langdon also reportedly opposed slavery and even went so far as to send letters to politicians in Washington expressing these sentiments.  But, working and living in the Langdon House was not an easy life.  The servants quarters were located in the third floor above the living and sleeping quarters on the second floor.  The tour does not show these rooms.  But,

If you look closely you will see how the house follows the rules of symmetry (another hallmark of a house owned by a person of wealth). If there is one window in one room, then the room across the hall would have the same.  If there were two windows, the room adjacent or across from it would have two, etc.  And some of the windows are ver ornate.  If toy look through the window, you may notice there was a wedding during our visit.  Periodically, during out tour of the house we would hear applause from outside of the house.

It’s hard to believe but on both sides of the house there was a clear view of the city and water.  Trees and buildings as well as other developments know obscure these views.

The rooms of the Langdon House show, what was considered at the time, luxury and opulence.

It was also interesting to view and learn about the various items in the rooms such as this humidor and a liquor serving device.

No details were spared in the construction of the house.  For one, unlike many houses at the time, the steps were wide and not as steep as most houses of the time.  Also, the design of the  The column, spiral and baluster shaped sequence was a sign of wealth as well.  In some cases, if the home owner did not have a lot of wealth, he would often have this sequence of railings pictured below until about half way through the staircase.  Then, he would have only the cheaper column railings until the end of the staircase.  This is not the case at the Langdon House.

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The kitchen area was, for its time, advanced.

The contraption shown below was used to let the servants know when a meal was ready to be served.

As you can see in the second photo, the straight line (vertical) to the right in the top section of the machine went to an up and down (horizontal) in the same part of the machine.  This alerted the servants that the food was ready to be served.

Much like the house itself, the grounds of the Langdon House are also well kept.

Dogs aren’t allowed in the Langdon House (an exception may be made for service pets).  But, I did see this smarty pants named Einstein, a 4 and a half year old Lab, Retriever and Chow mix, while I walked back to my car from the house.

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Today’s featured New England related blog post is Eric McCallister Photography.  The Portsmouth based photographer photographed a wedding at the Langdon House some years ago.  You can find him on Facebook here.

4 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in dog, Governor John Langdon House, house, New England, new hampshire, photographs, photography, photos, portsmouth, Uncategorized

September 2, 2017

“Sea to Shore: Sculpture Inspired by the New England Seacoast” (Portsmouth, NH)

By New England Nomad

Dates Of Visits: July 29, 2017 & August 26, 2017

Location: Governor John Langdon House, 143 Pleasant St, Portsmouth, NH

Cost: Free unless you want to photograph the statues inside the Langdon House

Parking: There are several parking lots (notably the free parking lot next to Citizens Bank on Pleasant St) and street parking available throughout the city

Handicapped Accessible: The outdoor exhibits are but the Langdon House is not handicapped accessible.

Dog Friendly: No

Website:

Highlights: sculptures displayed on the grounds of the Langdon House

Tips:

  • You can photograph or view some of the statues outside of the Langdon House.  If you want to view all of them (there are about 20 to 30 more inside the house), you have to pay the admission price to enter the house – I highly recommend paying for the tour even if only so you can view the sculptures inside the house
  • If all the lots are full which is common this time of the year, (free) street parking and some metered parking near the center of town can be found on some of the side streets such as Parrot Ave.
  • All of the sculptures shown in this post are available for sale

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Land meets shore at the latest sculpture exhibit at the Governor John Langdon House in Portsmouth, Hew Hampshire.  The “Sea To Shore” sculpture display currently on display on the grounds and in the Langdon House.

The exhibit, which is on display until October 15, uses stone, metal, wood and other materials from the New England area with many of the themes of the New England seacoast.  The exhibit includes 45 pieces from

This sculpture titled “Fish With Travelers”was made out of granite by stone art enthusiast Thomas Berger. Talk about a fish out of water.

There are 10 more sculptures shown below that are on display on the grounds at the Langdon estate.

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Fisherman by Madeleine Lord made of welded steel.

Backstroker by David Adilman is made of Vermont gray marble.

Flotsam And Jetsam by Morris Norvin made form reclaimed steel barrels.

Serpentine by Irene Fairley made from Vermont marble.

Fragrant Flow by wood artist Jeffrey Cooper made of teak and bluestone.

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Moon Swings by Douglass Gray  made of steel.

Brown Crab by Thomas Berger made of fieldstone.

Urchin Sphere by Karin Stanley made of granite.

Genetically Modified Squid by Thomas Berger made of fieldstone.

Vertical Water” by Karin Stanley was not being displayed when I took the photos of the outdoor sculptures.

Inside the Governor John Langdon House there are many more sculptures.  You have to buy a ticket to view the sculptures (a tour of the house is included…blog post about the tour to follow soon).  I gladly forked over the $15 for the both of us to view them.

There are 34 sculptures displayed in the first floor parlor, hallway and dining areas.

Net by Amanda Sisk is made of mixed media.

Forever Free by Pete Spampinato made of bronze with an alabaster base.  Pete tends to feature animals in his work.  He says he did not begin sculpting until he retired.  He was inspired by the hardships animals had to endure during a trip to Africa.

Colossal Shell Goddess by Lindley Briggs made of resin and apoxie.  Lindley, in contrast to Pete, says her interest in the human figure has been rekindled.  Lindley says, “the boundaries between fantasy, reality and surreality are not necessarily firm.” She enjoys exploring these boundaries in her work.

Carousel Lobster by Jeffrey Briggs is made of fiberglass and resin.  Jeffrey builds carousels of all varieties as well as other works of art.  His latest work can be found at the carousel on The Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston.  He often collaborates with Lindley (the sculptor featured above his sculpture).

Birds Of a Feather by Douglass Gray made of steel.

Gull by Alan Weinstein made of plaster and paint with a granite base.  Alan mainly paints.  But, he has branched out with his sculptures.

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Madonna 3 With Gorilla by Jeffrey Cooper made of cherry wood.  Sounds good enough to eat.

Sirena & Consorts With Sea Of Shells by Lindley Brigss made of apoxie and cast marble.  I especially like how the gorilla appears to be looking at the woman quizzically in the statue in the last photo.

Slaveship HMS Brookes by Martin Ulman made of mixed media.  The 43.5″ high ship sculpture was modeled after the British slave ship, “Brookes.”  The slave ship was used during the 18th century and it was said to carry 484 people, although it carried many more than that according to ship records and stories told by sailors.  The conditions were dreadful as Maya Angelou’s quote expresses.

Neptune by John Vasapoli made of oak.  John says is love of sculptures and his love for music have been the main factors for driving his creative energy.  John has sculpted many statues of iconic musicians and singers such as Miles Davis and Duke Ellington.

Secrets Of The Sea by Nancy Diefenbach is made of marble and glass.  She says her joy is creating one-of-a-kind artworks in marble.  She likes to shape her thoughts through her carvings.

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Water Muse by David Adilman is made of limestone.

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Water Nymph by Elise Adams made of alabaster.  Elise began her career as a sculptor after working 30 plus years as a chiropractor.  Art had always been a love of hers.  But, she was discouraged from following this career path while she was growing up.  I think it’s fair to say we’re all happy she did change her career path.

A Vineyard Excursion by William Bloomfield made of alabaster.  After taking a stone carving course in the 70’s, William says he was hooked.  However, “life got busy” as he put it and he did not take up sculpting until 2006 when he enrolled in some classes at The Chautauqua Institution’s School of Art.  He says that from his initial exposure to stone carving more than 30 years ago he discovered that an essential element of my creative process is to let go of any preconceptions he might have of what the stone might evolve into before I put chisel to stone.

Turtles  by Pete Spampinato made of bronze with an alabaster base.

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Approaching Storm by Judith Morton made of steel and fiberglass.  Judith says she “loves to come face to face with a cold hard block of stone.”  She describes the process of sculpting as a “give and take” until the block of stone is warm and yielding from all of her carving.  She also describes the process as being sensual for both the eyes and the hands.

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Pastry Chef by Susan Neet Goodwin made of clay and multimedia.  Susan says her first piece that included the human face was a response to the Iranian hostage crisis. Since then many of her sculptures have become vehicles for political and humanitarian concerns.  As you may notice by herr other works of art, Susan’s art has a certain theme through it.

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Mermaid With A Trident by Mara Sfara made of bronze and marble.  Mara says her art offers a glimpse into the lives and feelings of the gods and goddesses from Greek mythology.  She also likes to inject humor into her pieces.

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Valley by Danielle Gerber made of copper.  A native of New Hampshire who moved to Maine, Danielle says her body of work is spurred from her love of forming metal and the natural patterns created through water and wind erosion.

Rolling Wave by Judith Morton made of steel, wood and sand.

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Hump  by Derrick Te Paske madde of butternut.  A professor at Framingham State University, Derrick says he is  primarily concerned with theoretical principles and digital production/reproduction methods. His art involves wood and other common tangible materials while employing tools and processes which are decidedly low tech, and results in unique and very physical objects.

Follow Your Dream by Melanie Zibit made of bronze and marble.  Melanie compares the sculpting process as being similar to writing a thoughtful essay or cooking a good meal for those you care about.  She says the process of creating art is like an act of love because you are sharing something deeply personal from one human being to another and sharing something personal spiritual and beautiful.

Circle Sea by Dan Rocha made of wood, metal, metal leaf and plastic.  A Massachusetts resident, Dan has won a number of awards for his works of art.

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Eagle Ray by Irene Fairley made of red Tenneessee marble.

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Eastport Cannery Worker  by Susan Neet Goodwin made of clay and multimedia.

 

Canyon by Danielle Gerber is made of bronze, brass and spray paint.  This sculpture shares the same theme as her other sculpture, Canyon.

Synthesis  by Kathleen Brennan made of hydrocal plaster.  Kathleen has several exhibitions currently on display throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Seahorse Green by Mara Sfara made of lucite and gemstone.

Binocular Beasts by Derrick Te Paske made of cast bronze and glass eyes.

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Aureus Piscari  by Kimberly JB Smith made of multimedia items (it is a 2 sided display).  A resident of New Hampshire, Kimberly is most known for her 2d and 3d compositions that include recycles and repurposed materials.  She uses paint, paper pulp and collage to create traditional and nontraditional materials in her creative process.  When she isn’t creating art, she enjoys teaching and publishing educational articles.

Homer’s Boat With Siren by Dan Rocha made of wood, metal, metal leaf and plastic.

Colossal Shell Goddess by Lindley Briggs made of resin and apoxie.

Wave by Valery Mahuchhy made of resin.  Valery says he knew from an early age he wanted to be a sculptor.  His art is on display all over the world.

Eve On The Beach by Josie Campbell Dellenbaugh made of bronze.  Originally from Albany, NY, Josie is best known for her stone carving.  One of her more prominent carvings is the Monument For Our Native Peoples in West Rutland, Vermont.

 

Heron Annoyed by James Pyne made of composite materials.  A resident of Maine, James focuses on birds in his art.  He describes birds as, “the most beautiful creatures on Earth.”

Dogs are not allowed in the Langdon House.  But, I did see a few dogs while I walked to the house.

This little cutie named Izzie is a 6 year old Havanese.

Today’s featured New England based photographer is Eric Gendron. Based out of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Eric photographs all over the New England area.  But, he primarily shoots in the New Hampshire and Maine area.  What I like most about his photography is that he can take the ordinary, like a park bench for instance, and turn  it into something beautiful and majestic.  You can follow him on Facebook here.

 

 

 

 

 

13 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in art, New England, new hampshire, photographs, photography, photos, portsmouth, sculptures, Sea To Shore, Uncategorized

August 25, 2017

Retreat Farm (Brattleboro, VT)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: August 6, 2017

Location: 350 Linden St, Brattleboro, VT

Hours: Open Wed-Sun 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (closed Mon & Tue)

Cost: $7 for adults, $5 for children and seniors, free admission for children under 2

Trail Size/Difficulty: roughly 1.5 miles, Easy

Fitbit Stats: 1.59 miles, 3,327 steps, 297 calories burned

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Parking: There is parking for about 20 vehicles in the parking lot

Website: Retreat Farm

Retreat Trail Map: Retreat Trail Map

Highlights: animals, educational, trail, family friendly

Tips:

  • Don’t forget to take the roughly 1.5 mile Nature Trail behind the farm
  • you can get in the pens with some of the animals
  • if you do go on the trail, try going up the “Skyline Spur” trail
  • follow the signs to the Nature Trail or Lil’ Lamb Loop to access the shorter mile long trail behind the farm
  • Located right next to Grafton Village Cheese Co

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It’s easy to find Retreat Farm.  Just follow the pinwheels.  If you’re lucky, you might even be able to take one home.

The signs and some of the advertising for the Retreat Farm tout it as a “children’s farm” but it is fun for the entire family.

Retreat Farm has a variety of birds and animals in their barn.  They also allow you to go into the animal pens of some of the animals and pat some of them.

There are also three piglets: Basil, Olive and Rosemary.  They moved around a lot.  So, it was hard to keep track of each one.  But, I am pretty sure Rosemary is the first one pictured with the white and brown pattern.

Carlos, an 11 year old Brahma-Red Holstein bull, has been a resident for some time at the farm.  Standing over 7 feet tall, Carlos is truly a gentle giant.  In fact, he is so gentle visitors can feed him by hand.

Naturally, there are lots of toys and activities for children to partake in and places for adults or younger people to sit while their children or nieces or nephews play.

There is also a short trail (about 1.5 miles) behind the farm.  The trail is actually part of a much longer 9 mile Retreat Trail.  But, as long as you stay on the trail behind the farm you should not end up on this larger trail.

I found people of all ages and fitness levels on the trail.  It’s pretty straight with a few inclines.  But, I would rate it as being easy.  There is one very shallow and narrow stream that you will have to cross.  You can basically walk right through it.  So, it’s not a big obstacle.  The views are very nice on the trail.  There are also various plants planted along the trail such as False Solomon Seal.

If you do decide to go on the shorter trail and avoid the 9 mile trail, follow the signs to the Nature Trail or the Lil Lamb Loop.

Along the main trail, there is a side trail wit a staircase called Skyline Spur.

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The short flight of stairs take you up to an area where, during the winter, there is a ski jump.  This ski jump will be used as one of the venues for the Olympic trials for the next Olympics.

Pets are allowed on the trails behind the Retreat Farm, which are open to hikers and snow shoers year round.  I saw this cute dog on the trail.  Avive, a friendly 2 and a half year old Irish Setter, greeted me when I got off the Skyline Spur trail.

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One of the gems of the much longer Retreat Trail is the Retreat Tower.  It’s not very far from the farm.  Due to time constraints, I could not take the trail to the tower.  However, Brandy Ellen and her companion were able to hike to it, take some photos and provide a good synopsis of their hike and a summary of the history of the tower. It has quite a storied and sad past.

Take A Hike…

 

 

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in animals, birds, dog, hike, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Retreat Farm, Uncategorized, Vermont

August 22, 2017

Grafton Village Cheese Co (Brattleboro, VT)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: August 6, 2017

Location: 400 Linden Street, Brattleboro, VT

Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Parking: There are about 15-20 parking spaces in the lot in front of the store

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Highlights: a store that sells hand made cheese on site as well as an assortment of other snacks, household items and novelty items

Website: Grafton Village

Tips:

  • It gets very busy, especially during the summer and fall.  So, you may have to park across the street (the road can be very busy so use caution) or on the side of the road in front of the store
  • Retreat Farm, a family friendly farm, with animals and a short trail is located next to the Grafton Village Cheese Co

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Vermont is known for more than just maple syrup, Ben and Jerry’s and its lakes.  Tucked away along the mountains and lakes of Vermont stands one of the oldest cheese making companies in Vermont, the Grafton Village Cheese Company.

The original store, called the Grafton Cooperative Cheese Company, was founded in 1892 by dairy farmers who gathered together in a cooperative to make their surplus raw milk into cheese.  Before we had refrigeration, many of the cooperatives in the area would turn the abundant creamy milk into food that could be stored for longer period of times.  They’ve come along way from these beginnings.  As technology progressed, so did the Cooperative.

Unfortunately, the original cooperative burned down in 1912.  But, a non profit organization restored the company in the 1960’s and they have been a mainstay in the area ever since.

But, don’t let their name fool you.  Grafton Village Cheese also sells a variety of spreads, snacks, tea and other

Walking through the store, I was reminded of the general stores that used to seem to be around every corner when I  vacationed with my family as a child.  The barn-like wooden structure and

I love the rustic feel of the store and the area.

 

 

They have a wide selection of cheeses, chocolates, salsas and spreads.  And, if you’re lucky, you might be able to taste test samples of the  various jams, salsas and other jellies and spreads.

 

 

The store also supports the community with environmental, educational and philanthropic efforts.  You’ll find the donation boxes along the checkout counter.  There is also a farm next to the store that I will cover in my next blog post.

The staff at the Grafton Village Cheese Company are super friendly.  They posed for me with their signature product.

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The video below shows how they hand make the cheese at the store.

4 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Brattleboro, cheese, Grafton Village Cheese Company, New England, photographs, photography, photos, store, Uncategorized, Vermont

August 20, 2017

Castle Craig (Hubbard Park, Meriden, CT)

By New England Nomad

 

Date Of Visit: August 12, 2017

Location: Hubbard Park, 843 W Main St, Meriden, CT

Hours: open daily to hikers 7 a.m. until 4:45 p.m.

Cost: Free

Parking: There are about a dozen parking spaces in the front of the Hubbard Park and ample parking in the back of the park.  There is also ample parking in the parking lot at the tower.

Highlights: 32 foot tower at Hubbard Park that offers views of the Hartford, CT skyline and Mount Tom in Massachusetts as well as the Meriden, CT area

Website: Castle Craig – Wikipedia

Tips:

  • The gate to drive up to the tower opens at 10 a.m.
  • You can hike up to the tower when the park opens at 7 a.m.
  • The trail to the tower is open to vehicles only from May 1 – Oct 31
  • If you decide to hike to the castle, parking in the back of Hubbard Park is a better spot to park than in front of the park because it is closer to the trail to the castle
  • When hiking or driving to the tower, you will encounter two forks in the road – take a left both times

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As if the wide trails, beautiful scenery, assortment of birds and Mirror Lake at Hubbard Park wasn’t wonderful enough, there’s one more jewel of the park that takes a little bit more effort to get to.  But, it’s worth the trek.

Located atop Hubbard Park in Meriden, CT, Castle Craig offers expansive views of the Hartford skyline, the Meriden, CT, area as well as views of Mount Tom in Massachusetts.  And, on a clear, day Long Island Sound is said to be visible.

The 32 foot tower stands on a 976 foot East Peak.  It also has the distinction of being the highest point 25 miles of the east coast from Maine to Florida, according to the plaque (although this claim has been challenged – in any event it’s pretty high up there!).  To be more precise, it would be fair to say East Peak is the highest peak closest to the Atlantic between Maine and Key West

You can either hike to the tower (the trail is open to hikers year round) or drive to the tower on Reservoir Rd (the road is open to vehicles from the beginning of May until the end of October).  We decided to drive to the top.  The road is a two way road.  So it can be narrow in some spots.  There are some nice spots to stop and look around but it’s hard to find spots wide enough to pull over.  I was able to take a photo of this body of water on the way up.

The origin of the name and design of the tower are in dispute.  Some claim it is named after a similar castle in Scotland called Craigellachie.  Others claim Hubbard was inspired by a Norman French Tower.  Still others argue that it is modeled after a 12th Century Turkish tower on the Danube.   As you can see it’s a hotly contested point of interest.

The paved trail to the tower is 3 miles each way, although there may be some nature trails you can seek out.  The trail difficulty is medium with a few steep inclines.  But, I did see people of all age groups and apparent fitness levels (I even saw one person with a knee brace and other people with other injuries) make their way up.  We would have hiked it if we had the time to do so.  So, pretty much anyone can make it to the tower.  Just be prepared if you do as it can be challenging in some areas.

The parking lot at the tower is pretty big (there is room for about 40-50 vehicles).  But, it seems most people choose to hike or even jog to the top.  In fact, we saw dozens of walkers on our drive to the top and only half a dozen cars in the lot at the tower.  Kudos to Connecticut for being such health nuts!

The tower and a rock with information about the tower are only a short walk from the lot.

Six flights of stairs takes you to the top of Craig Castle.

The views from Castle Craig are jaw dropping.

While I was walking to my car, I saw this grasshopper trying to blend into his or her surroundings.

Below is a video taken from the tower.

Today’s featured link is Hiking 101 who blogged about her Castle Craig Hike.

Hiking 101 posts about hikes in various locations in Connecticut and other areas as well as other mainly hiking related topics.

Please like me on Facebook to view photos, posts and other content not included in this blog.

8 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Castle Craig, connecticut, Hubbard Park, Meriden, New England, tower, Uncategorized

August 18, 2017

Hubbard Park (Meriden, CT)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: August 12, 2017

Location: 843 W. Main St, Meriden, CT (about 30 minutes southwest of Hartford, CT)

Hours: Open daily sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free

Parking: There is a small parking lot for about a dozen cars at the front of the park.  There is additional parking along the side of the park and at the back of the park.

Park Size/Trails: 1,803 acres, easy trails

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Website: Hubbard Park

Highlights: lake, birds, trails, pool, tennis courts, play area for children, dinosaur track, picnic spots

Tips:

  • There is ample parking allowed in the back of the park
  • You need a special pass to use the pool at the park and it’s not open during the weekends
  • A trail that you can hike or drive up takes you to Castle Craig

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Hubbard Park in Meriden, CT, is not your average park.  With its trails, bodies of water, recreation areas and a winding trail to Castle Craig, Hubbard Park is a great place to spend the entire day.

There are streams, bridges and trails to the right of the entrance to the park.

The lake at Hubbard Park, Mirror Lake, is the highlight of the park.  Turtles, birds and frogs inhabit the lake and fountains are placed throughout the lake.

Hubbard Park attracts a lot of birds, particularly Canadian Geese.

But, there are more than just Canadian Geese at the park.

The ducks, geese and other birds are so used to being around people, and being fed by people I suspect, that they seem to be waiting for people to feed them.

This goose was tired from all of the activity at the park.

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There are also dinosaur tracks at the park.  The origins of the tracks remain a mystery.  You can see the prints in the puddles from rain earlier in the day.

Walter Hubbard, president of the Bradley & Hubbard Manufacturing Company, donated most of the land at the park in 1901.  John Olmsted, the son of Frederick Law Olmsted who designed Central Park, helped design Lake Meriden.

From the park, you can see the jewel of the Hubbard Park area, Castle Craig.  In my next post, we will explore this beautiful tower.

Dogs are allowed at Castle Craig.  Because of its ample space and wide trails, Hubbard Park is a great place to take your dog.  Below are just two of the many dogs we saw there.

Mollie is a 9 and a half year old Dalmatian.

Beck is a 10 year old Border Collie mix.

Today’s featured link is Out And About Mom.   Out and About Mom explores the many family friendly spots in Connecticut.  A few years ago, she posted about the Festival Of Silver Lights, a family friendly light display at Hubbard Park.

11 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in bridges, connecticut, dogs, ducks, Hubbard Park, Meriden, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized

August 16, 2017

Beyond Walls (Lynn, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: July 29, 2017

Location: Lynn, MA

Cost: Free

Parking: There is street parking and some parking lots available throughout the city

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Website: Beyond Walls

Map of Mural Locations: Beyond Malls Mural Map

Tips:

  • A good landmark to enter into your GPS is The No Matter What Club (33 Spring St, Lynn). You can find parking in one of the lots near there or try to find street parking (I parked short term in the lot at 173 Oxford St)
  • If you take public transportation, the Lynn stop on the commuter rail (aka Central Square-Lynn) on the Newburyport/Rockport line is located in the heart of the city where the murals are easy to find
  • Most of the murals are on Munroe, Exchange, Oxford, Spring and Central streets

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In an effort to revitalize their city and bring people to their city, Lynn decided to add some color to the city.

The Beyond Walls Festivals took place between July 13-23.  During this week and a half time frame, artists came from all over the world to post their art throughout Lynn.

There were 15 murals total  I found all of the murals except one that is located at the state house (#15 on the map) and I saw a few extra surprises along the way.

What struck me most about these murals is the vivid colors and how the creativity of their projects.  There’s something about being outside in the open doing something you love.  I would love to be able to do this.  If only I could paint.  I’ll stick to photography I guess.

The murals below are listed in the order that they correspond to on the map which I have attached the link to above for your convenience if you decide to look for them yourself.  (https://www.beyond-walls.org/)

1

This mural was hard to photograph without gaining special access to the building roof, this mural was painted by the team of Nicole Salgar and Chuck Berrett (NS/CB).  Nicole (from Florida) and Chuck (based in New York), have been working as a mural painting team for many years.    This mural can be found at 33 Central St.

 

2

This mural, at 27-31 Spring St, was painted by Marka27, a native of Juarez, Mexico.  He draws much of his inspiration from his Mexican heritage.

 

3

Some of the murals proved harder to see and access than others.  This mural by Chris Coulon (aka Tallboy) and Brian Denahy, both of the North Shore area, was not accessible from the street.  It is located at 31 Spring St.

 

 

4

David Zayas from Puerto Rico painted this mural at 33 Spring St.  He tends to show his work through portraits of women, children and animals.

 

5

Team Rekloos, three artists from Boston, painted this mural on the back of the building at 69 Exchange St.

 

6

This mural was painted by Angurria from the Dominican Republic.  It can be found at 516 Washington St.  I like the simplicity of this one.  It’s simple, yet it is makes you wonder: who is this mural based on?  Who is the person that inspired this mural?  What is her name and what makes her so special (besides her natural beauty)?

 

7

Don Remix, an artist from Miami, painted the mural at 129 Munroe St and 515 Washing St.  Don tries to make a connection between nature, city and being.  In this mural, the bricks represent the city, the wood represents nature and the combination of wood and brick symbolize the human and animal element.

 

8

Bruce Orr and Good To Go (both from Lynn) painted the mural below on the back of the building at 129 Munroe St and 515 Washington St (the second mural posted).

Bruce has worked as everything from an art teacher and art therapist to a puppeteer.  He also plays the drums in his spare time.

Good To Go is an all male public arts team based out of Lynn.

 

9

Look at that bone structure.  The mural at 114-120 Munroe St was painted by Cedric “Vise” Douglas and Julez Roth.

Cedric, an artist from Boston, is the founder and Creative Director of the Up Truck which is a mobile art lab designed to engage underserved Boston communities through art and creativity.

 

10

Georgia Hill, all the way from Australia, painted this mural at 79-87 Munroe St.  Georgia specializes in black and white lettering, as you can see by this mural.

 

11

This lovely mural at 65 Munroe St was painted by Cey Adams.  Cey, an artist  from New York City, draws much of his inspiration from pop culture, ’60’s pop art, comic books and social and cultural themes.

 

12

Cambridge, MA, native Caleb Neelon painted this mural at 33 Munroe St with help from Lena McCarthy.

Neelon enjoys a diverse range of activities.  In addition to street painting, Neelon, who has authored or collaborated on 2 dozen books, has worked as a curator at museums as well as working on documentaries.

Lena McCarthy is an accomplished visual artist.  She has an exhibit called, “In Search Of Open Spaces” that is currently on display in the atrium of the Joseph Moakley Courthouse (1 Courthouse Way, Boston, MA)

 

13

Fonki, an artist from Montreal, painted this mural at 18 Munroe St.  Originally from France, Fonki discovered graffiti at the age of 15.  Since then, he has mastered his craft and has been featured in exhibitions for such famous groups as the Christie’s auction house.  Anyone who can’t relate to this mural, specifically the heart being tossed in the air, has obviously never been in love.

 

14

This mural at 173 Oxford St was painted by Temp & Relm, both from Lynn.  The lettering is kind of faint.  But, the artists took an old, outdated, uncomplimentary phrase about Lynn; “Lynn, Lynn…city of sin” and put a new twist on it, “Lynn, Lynn…city of firsts.”

 

The last mural is located at City Hall Square (3 City Hall Square, Lynn, MA).  Unfortunately, I was not able to photograph this last mural.

Some of the murals and art work in Lynn were either not listed on the official website or were not part of the actual Beyond Walls Festival.  But, they are still worthy of being mentioned here.

This mural is one of my favorites.  It has so many parts to it.  For one, the artwork is beautiful.  But, there’s so much more to it.

From the many important historical figures who resided or had some connection to Lynn (such as Frederick Douglass, former Red Sox ball player Harry Agannis and Maria Mitchell, an American astronomer who discovered a comet which later became known as “Miss Mitchell’s Comet”) and the illustrations of the workers who made Lynn such a prosperous city, the mural gives a colorful history of the city.  The quotes from Vincent Ferrini and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (who both also have a connection to Lynn) are a nice touch also.

 

This is another mural or art work that I found in my travels.  The phrase says:  “Love Her Beauty.  Respect Her Body.”

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Today’s featured New England link is to the link to Irish Se7en’s website.

Irish Se7en primarily shoots in the North Shore area north of Boston, specifically Lynn, Marblehead, Nahant and Swampscott.  But, he also photographs areas in and around the Boston area.   He also uses a drone to get photos from a different perspective. His photographs are amazing.

You can like his Facebook page here.

Please stop by and like my Facebook page.

 

 

 

26 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Beyond Walls, graffiti, Lynn, Massachusetts, murals, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized

August 12, 2017

Prescott Park Gardens (Portsmouth, NH)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: July 29, 2017

Location: 105 Marcy St, Portsmouth, NH

Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free

Parking: Street parking is available on Old Bay St and Marcy St.  There is also a lot on Old Bay St.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: No

Highlights: fountains, flowers, plants, trees, family friendly

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Portsmouth is known for its beautiful places.  So, it’s no big surprise when you come across a scenic view or a pitcuresque downtown area.  What is more unusual is a beautiful garden in a public setting.  Well, Prescott Park Gardens certainly seems to fit the bill.

Considered part of Prescott Park, Prescott Park Gardens is located next to the main garden at Prescott Park.

Even though it is only  a small area, the garden at Prescott Park is overflowing with colors and beauty.  Despite all of the trees, flowers and fountains and the high volume of visitors, it didn’t seemed cramped there. Even with the dizzying array of flowers, the park still seems quaint and understated.  I can only imagine how peaceful it must feel there when it’s not a busy time of day.

 

Despite the huge crowds it attracts, the park is kept in pristine condition.

 

The fountains at the garden give the area a serene feel.  Just watching the water and listening to the calming, rhythmic sounds of the water splashing is soothing.

 

Some people found some creative ways to cool down at the garden.

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Below is a video of the garden at Prescott Park.

Today’s featured link is Don Gargano’s photography website.  Don primarily shoots in the Portsmouth and New Castle, New Hampshire areas as well as Maine.  I have followed him for some time on Facebook and you can check out his page here.  Coincidentally, he has a photo of the garden at Prescott Park on his profile page!

13 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in flowers, fountains, garden, New England, new hampshire, park, photographs, photography, photos, portsmouth, Uncategorized