A Week That Went to Hell

The week started off well. Jace and I both had good checkups at the doctors. On Tuesday, I did two of my major weekly chores: food shopping and laundry. Jeff and I returned to the gym on Wednesday and had good workouts. I also took Jace for a hike on the western part of the Norwalk River Valley Trail--the first time for Jace. He loved it. Two people told me he looked happy. Another said he was impossibly cute. 

Thursday night I started sneezing and coughing. My throat hurt and I was chilled. I've been sick ever since. I feel better today, but am still spending most of the day in bed. Jace has been very attentive. Cynthia has been a big help, lending me a thermometer, walking Jace in the afternoons, and buying tissues and throat lozenges for me. I've tested negative for Covid twice, so I think this is a bad case of the flu.

Jeff's birthday is tomorrow. I don't think I'll be up to going out. I'll make it up to him.

Seen

Today as I was driving from one errand to another, I saw a car with a Christmas tree tied on top--a few days later than I expected. It made me smile; now the Christmas season is really here. 

Later I took Lola to Cranbury Park. At one point, we heard a strange tapping noise. Lola paused, and I paused to watch her. Sometimes she gets spooked by unusual noises and retreats. Then we heard some birds. Two flew to a nearby tree. They seemed to be dancing. Then a third bird appeared. I recognized them as woodpeckers. I had to check google to get more specific. They were Pileated Woodpeckers. It's nice to see and learn about new bird species. 

Good Things

It's unusual for me to look back on a week and feel good about it. Usually I think about what I should have done and didn't get around to doing. 

Not that this week has been perfect, but I'm pleased. I had a good reaction to the story I read in Monday's writing class. Then I immediately got an idea for next week's story. I finished the story yesterday morning around eight and made a few edits today. 

Lola and I had some wonderful walks. I've been letting her off leash wherever its allowed. On Thursday we returned to Bradley Park in Wilton. It may have been the first time this year. Lola loved it; she ran down paths, sniffed, and listened when I called her. Good weather helped. 

I had a good workout at the gym today, especially my cardio on the bike. It was my third visit this week. On days I didn't make it to the gym, I exercised here. I also had a good check up at the dentist.

Finally, I did some cleaning/organizing in our second bedroom. I filed some papers, threw out some, shredded others, and packed some for storage. Some of the work didn't need to be done today, but I know it will have to be done before we move, and I'm glad I got it out of the way. It freed up some drawer space too. 

Not the sexiest week, but productive.

Along the Trail: New Canaan Nature Center

Yesterday was beautiful: temps in the 70's, sunny, with low humidity. I wanted to go somewhere different with Lola and decided on New Canaan Nature Center.  We had been there once before for New Canaan Dog Days. I'm now on their email mailing list, and an email said that the trails were open.

I had forgotten to check the address before we left, but I know the road it's on. What I didn't know was that the sign had been taken down. I drove past it and went a mile or so out of my way. Jeff checked his phone and found the address. I drove by it again because no sign. We found the entryway on our third pass. 

I was surprised by how many other people were there: two kids on bikes, pairs of walkers, and many with dogs. The first path led us to an exit to a road. Along the way we saw this artwork:

Other trails kept looped around fields and woods at the Nature Center. We walked there about an hour. I took a quick look at the Birds of Prey. I had seen in an email that there is a red-shouldered hawk there. I think I saw one, but the cage labeled red-shouldered hawk was empty. An adjacent cage could have held that hawk but was unlabeled. I tried to compare it to my picture, but couldn't be sure.

I didn't think to take a photo of the hawk at the Nature Center. D'oh. Maybe next time.

Walks with Lola

Yesterday was beautiful: sunny with high temperatures in the 70's and low humidity. I took Lola to Cranbury Park. We hadn't been there since early February. The winds of Isaias hit the park hard. We saw several downed trees, most had been pushed off the trails, some sawed, and some we had to walk over.

I let Lola take the lead on hikes unless she wants to go a muddy trail or if we're pressed for time. I  was surprised that she didn't head for trails behind the dog field. She usually goes from the Blue to the Green to the Yellow Trail. Yesterday we walked the trail behind the dog field, mansion, and carriage house to the main entrance and then to our car.

I saw this well that I must have driven by hundreds if not thousands of times. You see so much more by walking.

Today we took a long walk around the neighborhood. Lola has recently expanded her normal walks. She started down hospital hill, but then I led her on streets she hadn't been before (down Phillips to Ferris and back up Truman to Magnolia) We talked to a beagle fan watering his lawn, and then saw this a few door down;

 Beagles  rule.

Chipmunks on the NRVT

Yesterday Jeff, Lola, and I walked on the NRVT from Sharp Hill Road almost to Route 7. We turned around because the tree pollen was high and really bothering me. Otherwise, it was a beautiful day.

I noticed several chipmunks along the trail. Two were perched on branches, and I was able to snap this photo.

Mid-Week Miscellany

It's hard to believe that January is already gone. It seemed to fly by. Next week is Valentine's Day, and February will be half over.

Jeff and I were talking about going out for Valentine's Day. We don't like the special expensive menus, and places will probably be crowded. Valentine's Day is also the day we can begin drinking again. We'll probably go out for a drink and pick up sushi and come home. Maybe watch a movie.

I'm continuing with a good gym routine: I've already gone to the gym more this year than I did through April last year. I'm walking with Lola most days with an occasional weekend day off. I try to think about things I can be writing as we walk.

We enjoyed two days with 50 degree temperatures this week. I took Lola to Cranbury Park and the west side of NRVT in Wilton. I have to say we've had a mild winter. I am hesitant to write this, as if the gods of winter will suddenly wake up and hit us with cold and snow. As much as I'd like to see mild weather until spring officially arrives, I know it's still winter and we're due some tough winter weather.

I'm still working on cleaning/organizing. It's a slow process. I've got tax papers all over the dining room table, along with a few other papers to be filed. I won't get one 1099 until next week and then I want to have everything ready for the accountant. I'm missing one of my mother's 1099's, so I have to track that down. 

I took a box of boots, hats, and pocketbooks to Goodwill today. Yesterday I took things to PAWS (a leash, pee pads, and a few other things.) It's not much, but at least those things are out of this place. Small successes. 

It looks like a wash-out for tomorrow. I'll make it a homebody day--do laundry, make butternut squash and carrot soup, do more organizing work. Find some dry time to get out with Lola.   

The End of the Road (Yellow Trail)

After I voted yesterday, I took Lola to Bradley Park in Wilton. We haven't been there in a while. My goal was to finish what I call the second yellow trail.

I think Lola was a bit impatient with me. She wanted to run down the trails. I was carefully stepping among the fallen leaves, tree roots, branches, and rocks. She slowed down when we were on flat terrain, and I could have sped up.

We started on the orange trail and went clockwise around the park. Lola started to turn down the first yellow trail. I pulled her back and continued to the second yellow trail on the bottom of this map. (If I count the yellow trails clockwise from the parking lot starting point, it is the fifth yellow trail.)

This was our third try, and we finally made it to Woodchuck Lane. It  had been too muddy on our previous attempts.

It was a lovely autumn walk.

Autumn Saturday with Haunted Happenings

We hadn't heard of Cherry Lane Park until we saw it on a map on the Wilton loop of The Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT.) Last week after we walked the NRVT, we drove by Cherry Lane Park.

This past Saturday afternoon, Jeff, Lola, and I headed to the park (here's the trail map on page two.) We started on the orange trail, but got off on the blue-white trail which was too short. Then we found the orange trail again and continued our hike.

I call it a hike because it wasn't a smooth path like the NRVT. We had to navigate tree roots and acorns, and go up and down hills. I'm serious about the acorns: there were so many in places that it was dicey walking downhill.

We hiked for an hour. It was a beautiful autumn day, and Lola loved exploring all the new scents.

***

We've gone to the Haunting on Mill Hill for the last three years. This year Jeff told me about Haunted Victorian Ghost Stories at Lockwood-Mathews mansion. I asked which one he wanted to do. In typical Jeff fashion, he said "Why not both?"

Lockwood-Mathews: Haunted Victorian Ghost Stories

This was our first haunting of the evening. We walked around the first floor of the darkened mansion.  Early in the tour, a volunteer was reading a story and the tour guide screamed in my face: I was standing next to her. I'm proud to say I didn't react at all.

The ghost stories were good, but they suffered because the volunteers were reading them--and holding flashlights to see their scripts. That took me out of the moment. I liked that volunteers were hiding in the shadows. I recognized one guy among the mannequins before he started talking. Some were lying on the floors calling out, and there was a good use of piano to punctuate some of the stories.

The stories also suffered by attempts to include descriptions of odd things that happened at the mansion itself. These weren't particularly scary such as there was a sound of footsteps upstairs, but no one was there.

Overall, I thought the event was a bit too hokey.

A Haunting at Mill Hill 

I wouldn't have been as critical of the Lockwood-Mathews event if I hadn't been to A Haunting at Mill Hill. This was our fourth Haunting.

At Mill Hill, actors perform the stories--and they do it with relish. We started inside hearing one story, then we split into two groups and walked through the cemetery to learn about other deaths. This year including a funny story about two socialite sisters who died together. I also learned something: the term lobsterback for British soldiers.

Wedding Getaway: The Hikes

We hiked every day on our getaway. On the first day, we made a quick stop at Lovers Leap State Park and later hiked at Kent Falls. It's a short walk up the falls (a quarter mile) but steep.

The next day we visited Millerton, checked out the Antique Center, Harney & Sons Tasting Room, and hiked along the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. Here are a few shots along the trail. Jeff and I liked the arrangement of rocks.

.

The next day after checking out Reed Street and Riverside Park in Coxsackie, we headed to Kaaterskill Falls.  Signage to/at the park was rudimentary. We found an empty space in a parking lot, but learned from a visitor that there was an uphill climb to the falls (okay) but we'd have to wall along a winding path along the side of the road. I was unsure about navigating that with Lola. The visitor said there was another trail from the top of the hill, so we headed there. 

We walked from a Historic Society building along another rail trail (not as easy a hike as Harlem Valley, but relatively easy for the most part.) It was a 3.6 mile walk. As we approached the fall lookout, we realized there was a parking lot about .3 miles from the lookout. D'oh.

Here's a photo of the falls. 

I must admit that I expected more. Someone said I should have gone in the spring. We enjoyed the hike, but were a bit disappointed in the falls.

 On Saturday, Jeff researched Hannacroix Falls just north of the wedding site. We got off to a late start and had to pick up sandwiches and salad for the wedding party. Jeff set the timer on his phone to 15 minutes, so we could turn around and get the sandwiches on time. After lunch we checked out a short hike at Four Mile Point Preserve and walked around Riverside Park. 

We returned to Hannacroix Falls on Sunday for about an hour. Unfortunately, I didn't get very good photos, but we got a new hike on our last day away. 

On My Mind

This post has been over a week in the making. That is I wanted to write a general post for about a week. Just didn't get to it for whatever reason. The longer I waited to post, the more things I thought about. Here goes.

Dog Park Friday 

After a slow start when it seemed to rain every Friday, we've enjoyed four consecutive DPF's with great weather.  Our first DPF of the season started small: three people, two dogs, one bottle of wine. Doesn't Lola look lonely?

The last few weeks were much better with about a dozen people and six or seven dogs (and more wine.)

Beer

Last Saturday, Jeff and I went to the Craft Beer Festival at Oyster Shell Park. It was a perfect day, unlike last year when it was so hot. We liked walking there and back so we could take advantage of trying all the beers. We also had some liquor from local distilleries and non-alcoholic beers to sample.

Jeff's dad's birthday was Friday; he would have been 93. His nickname is Zot. Several years ago, Jeff and I came across this beer:

We gave it to Jeff's dad for birthday, father's day or something. Obviously, he never drank it and Jeff inherited it after his death. We toasted Zot Friday night.

Walking

Nice weather with a light schedule the last month has made it easy to take longer walks with Lola. I'd say we average an hour walk each day. We spend a lot of time on the NRVT and at Taylor Farm. There's also Winslow Park, Schenck's Island, Bradley Park, and Cranbury Park.

I read somewhere that just 20 minutes outside can have a beneficial effect. It's vague because I'm too lazy to research this now. I'm enjoying being with Lola (until she rolls in poop) and having a (mostly) peaceful time and place to think. Just wish the pollen count would plunge.

Reading and Writing

I'm saving this for another post.

The Mysterious Yellow Trails of Bradley Park

Jeff, Lola, and I often walk at Cranbury Park. Lola loves to walk on the yellow trail. Since we usually enter by the ADA Trail or the right-hand turn off the dog entry path, we walk from one end of the trails to another when we take the yellow trail. It takes about an hour-and-a-quarter to an hour-and-a- half. It's a nice walk when we have enough time, the weather is decent, and the trail isn't too muddy.

Bradley Park has has a yellow trail--actually it has four unconnected yellow trails. I don't get it. Did the blazers run out of color?

The first time I took a yellow trail, it led to the perimeter of the park close to the main entrance, but there was no exit from there. Another trail led to Old Farm Road. Lola and I took that trail today and then returned to the orange trail (the main trail.) We started down a second yellow trail but it led to an area that was too muddy for my liking, so we returned again to the orange trail. I promised Lola we'd try that second yellow trail again when it dries out.

Maybe someday we'll solve the mysteries of the yellow trails.

Walking with Lola: Photo and Poetry Edition

I've been taking several photos but haven't posted them in months.

Now's the time. Here's an old photo of Heroes Rock on the Norwalk River Valley Trail between Sharp Hill Road and Skunk Lane.

Here's another old picture with the "seating area" next to Heroes Rock.

A new addition that looks like a pillow.

I feel the same way.

All you need:

Snowy images from our walks: footprints at Oyster Shell Park. 

Sherwood Island in early March:

It's the end of National Poetry Month. I didn't make it to three Norwalk poetry events, didn't write a poem, haven't posted any since the 1st. 

Here's a poem I wrote on a January walk with Lola at Oyster Shell: 

A shroud of fog hangs over the harbor

As traffic roars by

Lola sniffs among the reeds searching for answers to questions I will never understand

A raindrop beads my eyeglasses

My exhalations--wisps of pale smoke

Still Lola sniffs and searches

As I ponder questions of my own.

Here's another poem inspired by an Oyster Shell walk:

striated shell shard

of sienna and oystershell

pocketed for study

Saturday at Lake Mohegan

Last Saturday was perfect for a hike; we headed to Lake Mohegan. We took our usual route around the lake. Things were different: felled trees and a steep drop-off at dog beach. Closed trails had been reopened.

I said it may have been our first visit this year. Jeff didn't think so.

I checked this blog.

I didn't post about it.

I don't remember for sure.

That doesn't mean it didn't happen.

High Activity Days

Jeff bought a Link GPS smart collar system for Lola last week. It's become my new obsession. Jeff entered Lola's age and weight, and the system recommended 48 minutes of daily activity. Lola has exceeded that for all six days that she wore the collar. Thursday was our lowest activity day with 94 minutes (just two minutes short of double our goal.)

We had a active weekend: 201 minutes on Saturday and 199 on Sunday. On Saturday we walked over to Blue Cactus to pick up lunch, and later we hiked Cranbury Park for an hour-and-a-half. On Sunday we visited Southbury Dog Park and later the Norwalk River Valley Trail. (Just a shout-out to myself--I also went to the gym for 45 minutes on Saturday.)

We've been blessed with a string of very nice days that make it easy to be active outdoors. Tomorrow will be our first challenge. Rain is predicted for much of the afternoon. Lola and I will have to get out early.

2017 Hits

Last Sunday New Year's Eve morning, I wrote about my annual goals in my journal.

I had seven categories of goals: I succeeded in three and failed in four.

I'll start with the successes.

* Stop drinking for six weeks--roughly from just after New Year's Day to Valentine's Day

* Read 12 books. Not particularly ambitious, but I found that I usually over-estimate the number of books that I read. This year I read 15:

1. The Boleyn King
2. Outlander
3. V is for Vengeance
4. Hardball
5. Body Work
6. Women of Wonder
7. W is for Wasted
8. Fall Out 
9. Deep Pockets
10. A Dog's Life
11. Brushback
12. X
13. Breakdown
14. Critical Mass
15. Walden, or Life in the Woods (Selections from the American Classic)

I read about half of Kinsey and Me--the short stories. I didn't care to read about Sue Grafton's alcoholic mother.

I started Backwoods & along the Seashore (Selections from The Maine Woods and Cape Cod). I think I read two selections.

I re-read The Handmaid's Tale and Game of Thrones

I don't care that 10 of the books were mysteries. I enjoyed them.

* Explore 10 new hiking spots. I explored 12.

The first seven are in Wilton, Numbers 1 through 4 are different legs of the Wilton portion of the Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT.)  2. portion of NRVT has become one of our favorite spots. Schenck's and Bradley are now part of our normal walk/hike location rotation. I won't return to 5. until it's developed--too ticky. Wilton Woods is a great spot for a long, challenging hike. We had planned to return in the fall, but didn't get many nice fall days this year. 9. and 10. are in Norwalk. We had been to Oak Hills before with Spike, but the trails are new--it's okay for a short walk, as is Farm Creek. Irene's Woods is located at White Silo Farm & Winery in Sherman Connecticut; Still River Greenway is in Brookfield. These will be rare hiking/walking locations.

1. NRVT Route 7 to Sharp Hill Road
2. NRVT Sharp Hill Road to Twin Oak Lane  (recently extended to Skunk Lane)
3. NRVT Wilton Center through Merwin Meadows Park to Upper School Loop
4. NRVT Wilton Center through Merwin Meadows Park to High School Loop
5. NRVT Apparent to-be-developed loop from Route 7 west
6. Schenck's Island
7. Bradley Park
8. Wilton Woods
9. Oak Hills Park
10. Farm Creek Nature Preserve
11. Irene's Woods
12. Still River Greenway

2017 misses will follow.

Today at Bradley Park

I haven't gone to the gym in a while (I don't want to check just how long.) Today I chose to take Lola to Bradley Park. As long as I don't let Lola take me off a main trail, we get a good 30 to 40 minute fairly vigorous hike. At Bradley, the paths are rough with tree roots, stones and branches, now covered in dead leaves. We walk up hills and climb stone walls.

Bradley is a little off the beaten trail--I would have never found it by chance. Luckily, a man I met walking Lola at Schenck's Island told me about it.

Usually Lola and I have the park to ourselves-all 82 acres. Today was no exception. The temperatures were only in the 40's, but it was sunny and pleasant. Lola bounded up and down hills, sniffed out scents and tried to dig under fallen tree trunks.

I thought of Spike and how lucky we were to be able to let him go off leash. Lola remains tethered to me for her own good (and my peace of mind.) She still enjoys herself.

Final Thoughts on our Interlaken Getaway

We went away last weekend for two main reasons.

The first was that Jeff and I hadn't been away together for three years. Even though we were gone for only three days, it was wonderful. As we drove up Route 7 and approached Merwinsville (really Gaylordsville) in New Milford, I realized that I was smiling. I love going to Lakeville, Millerton, Harney's tea tasting room, wineries, and hiking trails.

The second reason was to get Lola away. Our friend Annette had invited us to visit her in Baltimore with Lola. I was concerned about Lola's ability to handle a five-hour trip plus any time alone at Annette's house. So an overnight trip with a drive longer than a hour would be a good start.

Lola did well. She was a little skittish as we walked through Kent, better in Millerton which had less traffic. She loved the grounds of Interlaken. We knew she would, and that was one of the reasons we selected Interlaken. We also got a good package--Interlaken's Autumn Getaway.

Positives of the trip: getting away in general, Lola adapting well to new places and being mellow when entering rooms with many people, letting people pet her, hiking up Kent Falls, walking the Harlem Valley Railroad Trail, visiting DiGrazia, Sunset Meadows and Cascade Mountain Wineries, and Litchfield Distillery, tea tasting and shopping in Millerton

Downsides of the trip: getting away on one of the coldest days of the season, our disappointment with Morgan's. In the past, we found several delicious options on the menu. This season the selections were limited and pedestrian  (a boring selection of appetizers and salads--New England clam chowder--yawn) and no specials. My first entree of skirt steak was delicious, desserts were good, but the rest of our selections were just okay. What a disappointment for our favorite restaurant.

Regardless, a great getaway.

Interlaken Getaway--Day One

We choose this weekend for our getaway because Jeff is off today for Veterans Day (observed.) We didn't plan for record cold.The weather has definitely put a crimp in our hiking plans.

We left shortly after 10. Our first stop: Di Grazia Vineyards. We haven't been there in years, so we did a tasting. We left with a port and a dessert wine.

Our next stop was Kent. We walked around a field with Lola, stopped at my favorite store. and picked up sandwiches to go. Lola was skittish and uncomfortable walking in town.

A short ride up Route Seven, we arrived at Kent Falls State Park. As expected, Lola loved it; she bounded up the trail. But she did seem disappointed that she couldn't go down into the water.

We're settled now in Woodside House, after a walk. Lola also loved going down to the lakeside. Looking forward to a delicious dinner.

Lola the Brave

Today on the Norwalk River Valley Trail in Wilton (Sharp Hill Road to Twin Oak Lane) Lola was intrigued and scampered up this pile of rocks. Her descent was a bit more cautious. 

It's so much fun to hike with Lola. She is so happy to get out on the trails and always enjoys herself.