HealingNatureCT

Photo by Cassandra Day

Friends,

Here’s a summary (prepared by Cherry) of our Hikes for Friendly’s, which are detailed here. We were written up today in the Middletown Press!

Hiking for Friendly’s: 2015-2018

2015
June 8: Airline Trail, Portland and Cromwell Friendly’s- Where it all began!
July 13: Sprague Preserve, Franklin  and Willimantic  Friendly’s
August 17: Tyler Mill Preserve, Wallingford and North Haven Friendly’s
September 8: Ragged Mountain and Southington Friendly’s
October 27: Barnes Memorial Nature Preserve and Bristol Friendly’s

2016
March 4: Mattabesset River Trail and Cromwell Friendly’s
August 26: Lantern Hill and Mystic Friendly’s
October 11: Great Meadows and Wethersfield Friendly’s
December 21: Scantic River State Park and Enfield Friendly’s

2017
January 20: Northwest Park, Windsor and Windsor Locks Friendly’s
February 24: Milford Point and Milford Friendly’s
April 20: Naugatuck State Forest, Beacon Falls and Naugatuck Friendly’s
May 24: Windsor Locks Canal and East Windsor Friendly’s

Sky’s the Limit #5

Colonial New England was famed for its use of water power to drive the machinery in its mills. The potential energy that could be harnessed from flowing water was based on the steepness of the elevational drop in the streambed; the greater the drop, the more the potential power.

Water was raging during our visit!

(Text from the DEEP site) Iron making was one of the many industries to use water power. Iron ore was processed in a blast furnace and produced iron that could be formed into a wide variety of items necessary in 18^th century America. It is from a former iron furnace on this site that the park draws its name. And this furnace was especially of value in the revolutionary war when it was a major supplier of horseshoes, a commodity greatly needed by the Continental Army. As times changed…

And so we start.

Pileated woodpecker holes

We heard peepers… spring IS coming!

Beautiful scenic overlook of Salmon Cove… kayaking soon…

Empty sunflower seeds and a small hinge in the base of the tree… a mystery

Yummy lunch at Two Wrasslin’ Cats, East Haddam, CT

Fourth time’s the charm! Due to weather and health issues, we’ve had to postpone our FINAL visit to Friendly’s for weeks. Finally, today we are ready to head out. And it’s a nice day, in the 50s and sunny. Cherry arrives with Spring in her hands – a lovely bouquet for me!

Since our last meeting, Cherry has lost her cat to a rare heart condition and we acknowledge the loss of Willa. Then we take the half hour drive to Crescent Lake. A bit breezy when we arrive at 10:30, we choose the shortest trail around the lake, about two miles, which provides lovely views. I talk about recent experiences where I felt very centered and clear; Cherry says that happens to her when she’s in nature and realizes how interconnected we are with all living things.

Some of the path is water-logged but there are enough protruding roots…

September 11, 2017

A day of extraordinary weather sends us on our way to our next Friendly’s in Danbury. We head west on I-84 and Cherry updates me about a recent family event. She, her sisters, and stepmother gathered at one sister’s home for a delightful, relaxing weekend. They thought about having a T-shirt made for their “reunion”—maybe next time! Both Cherry and her stepmother had cat issues before making it to the get-together, but all worked out.

Our nearby hiking site, Collis Huntington State Park, is a bit southeast of Danbury and we enter on its southeastern boundary. We start on the Aspetuck Valley Trail and head westerly to the park boundary. Trails are well marked and relatively flat as we continue on the blue trail a little more than a mile. The area is lovely, quiet, and peaceful. We share connection: I tell her about my newly discovered…