125. Family Reunion

Week 125  11/20/17 - 11/24/17

It seems strange to me to describe Thanksgiving with my own family as a reunion, but that's what is is now. Because Julia, John, Ben and Gillian's visits only overlapped for a little more than a day, we had dedicated time with both Julia and Ben.

Julia and John arrived last week so that John could work at a conference in Boston. Julia spent the time with us and with many of her good friends. We know she likes Irish music so we took her to the seisiun at Green Briar Pub. She loved it and said she was envious that the participants could play and were having so much fun. I have posted pictures of this seisiun for another adventure and didn't take others this time, but Julia recorded some of the music in her Instagram "Juliagraceland" on November 21.

We took her on another repeat adventure - the Medfield State Hospital campus. We had a beautiful day for that walk.

There is a TV satellite dish under these weeds.

Ben and Gillian arrived the day before Thanksgiving and she drove to New Jersey the day after to visit with her father. Ben stayed on with us until Sunday when he left for a conference in Las Vegas. We had time for visiting with other family as well as his first visit to the Dave Hoag Boardwalk.

123. Civil War remembrance

Week 123  11/11/17

When remains of six civil war veterans from Medway were discovered, the town erected headstones in the Oakland Cemetery, near some other Civil War veterans. On this Veteran's Day, the town remembered the six soldiers.

A Civil War reenactment group helped with the ceremony. Here they gather with others outside the Village Church.

Town officials spoke and led a brief ceremony for Veteran's Day including a proclamation from the Board of Selectmen.

We walked from the church to the cemetery for the dedication. On the way we saw THREE EAGLES flying above. Neither of us has ever seen an eagle in Medway, although people at the farm saw one recently.

The six stones were shrouded until each was dedicated.

Jeanne Johnson and Sheila Dubrawski from the Historical Commission and Historical Society read biographies of each of the soldiers. Because one was officially listed as a "deserter," a detailed explanation was delivered so we would know about the political disruption and confusion that caused this designation. The soldier was a sharpshooter and in a position where he had no other option than to leave one organization and later join another when he was eventually killed in action.

A Civil War salute.

122. A day with the Ameses

Week 122  11/3/17

It was a nice day for an outdoor adventure. We headed for the Governor Oliver Ames estate in Easton. The original mansion was torn down a long time ago and replaced with this house which is not in fit state to open to the public.

There are many large ornamental trees on the property. If you look closely, you can see Paul measuring the diameter of this beauty.

This is a rectangular area that I think was a game court of some sort, but now has a utility pole in it. Just behind on the left is a boccie court.

An old sugar maple.

We walked on most of the trails and found interesting trees, plants and seed pods. The estate borders Langwater Pond and Shovelshop Pond. The Ames family ran the Ames Shovel Shop. The photo below shows a building on the Langwater Estate which we think is still privately owned but portions are being renovated by an interest group - Trustees maybe?

Paul and I ate our picnic lunch near this studio on the Ames Estate. There is a fireplace and sink inside. I spent the entire lunch time explaining to Paul why we need a studio on our property and where we might put it.

After lunch we headed for Borderland State Park. What an active place! Even on a fall weekday it was full of people playing frisbee golf, horseback riding, dog walking, etc. There is a nice visitor center with maps and some specialty tour information about the gardens and the mansion which was build by Oakes Ames (son of Oliver) and Blanche Ames. He was a Harvard botanist and she was a feminist and artist. She also must have been a bit of an engineer because she designed a swimming pool for the family and after her death nobody could figure out her pump system.

We decided to take the 3+ mile hike around Leach Pond and it was a good decision - a nice flat and varied walk took us through farmland, woods, fields and bogs.

I'm sure this cabin saw its share of parties. 

This area is still being farmed. The farmhouse, build by Dr. Asahel Smith, a "clairvoyant" doctor in about 1839.

Near the mansion, Paul found a very uncomfortable seat.

This fountain is near some doors leading to Dr. Ames' labaoratory.

I want to show the expanse of the front lawn of the mansion.

119. Heart and Soul in Colorado

Week 119.  10/8/17

This trip across most of the US to deliver Julia's things (including a antique dresser that she and set of china that she inherited from the two sides of her family) was a sensory and emotional journey for us, as was the time we spent with Julia and John. They were able to take a day off from work so the four of us could take a long weekend together.

Knowing that I've long wanted to travel the Ridge Trail road in Rocky Mountain National Park, Julia and John tentatively planned this for our first full day with them. This road is closed most of the year due to snow. Although there was snow, the park decided to clear the road and open it one last day -- so we went! It was truly another world up there. We have driven this elevation and higher in the past when crossing the Rockies, but this particular road, the way it traverses the high ridge, was a unique experience.

After descending off the Ridge Trail, we joined the herds of humans who were watching the herds of elk during rutting season.

Back at the house, we always enjoy a hike through the open space lands owned by the city of Broomfield. Each city seems to have a large open space area, crossed by trails with ponds, benches and sculpture. This open space is at the end of Julia and John's street. We see lots of wildlife and plants there - meadow larks, hawks, waterbirds etc. And of course there is a great view of the Rockies and foothills.

There is a nice pond with waterbirds behind us in this photo, but it's hard to see here.

For an overnight trip we considered Dinosaur National Monument, but decided on Colorado National Monument this time, mostly because it is somewhat closer and our time was limited. We were not disappointed!

Foliage and skies were on full display for our trip. The aspens and cottonwoods were spectacular and the many shades of color in the undergrowth treated us with variety.

We arrived in the evening at Grand Junction where we stayed in a nice hotel and found several options for good food. This city decided some years ago to attract tourists by displaying lots of public sculpture. There are dozens of pieces with lots of variety.

The outdoor piano caught our attention first. It is placed next to a memorial to Rex Howell, a broadcast pioneer.

This park was explored, mapped and championed by eccentric mountain man John Otto and it became a national monument in 1911.

We drove home to Broomfield late in the afternoon so Julia and John can go to work tomorrow. Paul and I spent the day at the Denver Botanic Gardens, an extensive display of all sorts of greenhouses, regional plantings, scientific displays and education. This time of year does not show the outdoor garden displays in top form, but it was uncrowded and still very beautiful.

The greenhouse and orangerie, was a real treat with levels for viewing the canopy, lower level with water birds, waterfalls and a wide variety of plants and trees.

Because we visited in October they had set up displays for Halloween with "fierce plants."

Posing in the Japanese garden.

After the Botanic Gardens we took a walk around a few blocks to visit Cheesman Park before heading back to Broomfield.