Photo Sunday: A Hawk on a Sign

I used to take a lot of photos of odd signs. When #photosunday chose Words as the theme today, I looked through them to see what I had . . . and found a series of photos of a hawk sitting on a 43rd Infantry Division Memorial Highway sign in Newport Town at the intersection of Rte. 100 and Rte. 14.  Lousy light at that time of day. The hawk was undisturbed by my presence.  The 43rd served in the Pacific. "It was activated in 1920 as a National Guard Division in Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont." (Wikipedia)  More details can be found at Wikipedia and the Vermont National Guard. I am unable to find a resource that details this specific marker.

August, 2008

Click logo below for more Word photos.

_/\_/\_

Scenes from New Haven

Last weekend when John and I were in New Haven.

Above: I-95 North seen from above. Whenever we go to New Haven, John and I immediately go for a walk in the neighborhood and on the beach, pier and marina. The interstate cuts off the shoreline from the city of New Haven. Anna lives on Long Island Sound in the City Point neighborhood. The area is full of old homes from the oystering era a couple of hundred years ago. Anna and Aaron have done a lot of renovations to their house and John is helping them with the next phase.

As dusk fell, Anna drove us to meet Aaron at his new studio. I sat in the back and played urban photographer. It's not as satisfying as photographing nature in northern New England, but I got some interesting shots in.

Aaron's new studio is not even finished being built yet. It is in an old factory building that is being rennovated. This was the scene as we entered. This is just one area of the huge, huge building.

Aaron at his envy inspiring Mac Pro, trying to decide which restaurant we will all eat in that night. His little sister, Toni, and her family were also there. Be sure to look at Aaron's work at:

aaronkotowski.com

Aaron has barely begun to move into the studio. There is an interesting light above the door.

All of us here are gabbing before we leave for supper. The little girl is Arianna, Toni's daughter. She is the cutest thing on earth. Arianna's dad, David, is waggling his finger at her. Behind David is my daughter Anna on the left and behind David is Toni, Arianna's mom and Aaron's little sister. On the far right you can see Aaron's hands and John's shoulder.

Aaron has some of his lighting in the studio.

John and Aaron leaving the studio and walking to the car. The floor has been tiled but not grouted yet.

More urban photography: a sign near the restaurant that we ate at.

Delaney's Tap Room & Restaurant (where we ate)
Click the link for more info.

Arianna and Aaron enjoyed themselves all night.

Anna had to stop at the store on the way home and I tried one more sign photograph for the photochallenge.org March challenge.


_/\_/\_

The Last Surviving Soldier of the Revolution

"Born in Enfield, Conn. in 1760, Joel McGregor enlisted in 1777 and served five years. Taken prisoner by the British, he was confined eight months in the famous OLD SUGAR HOUSE in New York City. He settled in Newport (New Hampshire) in 1789 and was a resident for 72 years, dying October 31, 1861 at the age of 101. He is believed to have been New Hampshire's last surviving soldier of the Revolution."

I have found that at least three sugar houses in New York City were used as prisons for American soldiers during the Revolution. I will assume that the Old Sugar House on Liberty Street is the one which is spoken of on the plaque above. The conditions of the prisons were horrid. I am gratified that McGregor lived a long and hopefully peaceful life in New Hampshire after his suffering as a prisoner of war.

Go read the accounts of the Old Sugar House at Incidents of the Revolution and British Prisons and Prison Ships.

Technorati Tags: Joel McGregor Old Sugar House Prison Del.icio.us Tags: Joel McGregor Old Sugar House Prison Flickr Tags: Joel McGregor Old Sugar House Prison



_/\_/\_

Wheelock, Vermont

This is the Wheelock, Vermont town hall. My sister had her wedding here on February 10, 2001. I lived in Connecticut then and I couldn't get here because the weather was so awful all over New England that I had to turn back in Massachusetts. I told her to never get married in February again!

Last week I drove by this town hall twice a day on my way back and forth to the class "Teaching Mathematics to ADD/ADHD/LD Students." It was three intense eight hour days. I learned a lot and got a lot or resources for this coming school year.

Here is some more information about the founding of Wheelock:

WHEELOCK

The Dartmouth College Land Grant

When Eleazar Wheelock founded Dartmouth in 1769, he sought land grants to support the new college.

In 1785 the Vermont legislature chartered and named a town of 23,000 acres for Wheelock.

In the early 1800s substantial support for financially impoverished Dartmouth came from this one grant, a gift of Vermont.

Technorati Tags: Wheelock, Vermont, Dartmouth College
_/\_/\_

The Portland Montreal Pipe Line

::Portland Montreal Pipe Line:: About us

BG, a kind gentleman from Maine, e-mailed me about the Portland Montreal Pipe Line, whose warning sign I blogged about yesterday.  He sent me this link to the PMPL site. It's full of fascinating information: the pipeline opened in 1941 and is approximately 236 miles (or approximately 380 km) long.  It sends oil from Portland, Maine ("the largest oil port on the US East Coast") north to Montreal. It was built because of the need, during World War II, "to safely transport vital oil when enemy warships interrupted tanker traffic bound for refineries in Canada." I haven't heard of any problems with this pipeline. But when a problem happens, it will be a dozy. This is crude oil, and it's dangerous stuff. 

According to a Petroleum Administration Defense District map, this seems to be the only pipe line in New England.

Now I'm wondering if a hike along the pipeline (to Portland going south or to Montreal going north) is possible. Sounds interesting. There's a lot of history in this pipeline. Below is a very crude map, provided by PMPL, of the route the pipeline takes:

Thank you, BG, for the information.

Technorati tags: Portland+Montreal+Pipe+Line+Corporation crude+oil
_/\_/\_

WTF?

A sign found in the woods off of Duck Pond Rd, Barton

If I lived near this sign? You better believe I'd find a way to drill an itty bitty hole in this pipeline, attach a little narrow tube, and heat myself up this winter instead of staying close to 60°F (15.5°C). (I've been wanting to type WTF for months now. I finally got my chance.)

Technorati tags: oil pipeline

_/\_/\_

Long Pond, Westmore

Cedar Waxwing

We left for Long Pond in Westmore at 6 AM today in order to view loons. While waiting for the loons, I took these photos. The weather was beautiful, cold and clear. The mists, shadows and reflections were a joy to photograph.

Haystack Mountain

Spotted Joe-Pye Weed

Trail sign for Haystack Mountain

Technorati tags: Haystack+Mountain Long+Pond Westmore Vermont cedar+waxwing Spotted+Joe-Pye+Weed

_/\_/\_

Half Way To The North Pole 2

Technorati tags: Norton Vermont 45th+Parallel signs

_/\_/\_

Are You Too Close If A Moose Charges You?

Friday, at Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, I stopped at a "wildlife viewing area." I thought this meant the animals would be happily waiting for us to take their photos. (Yes, I'm joking!) This viewing area was right next to the road (and New Hampshire drivers are very fast and noisy), so I couldn't figure out what animal would be nuts enough to hang out here. I then ran across this sign. I have to post this photo because it states facts that are so obvious that you wonder why New Hampshire used a tree to make the sign:

Are You Too Close For Comfort?
Look for clues.

Always allow animals to carry out their normal behavior and activities. They will give you clues to let you know when you are too close. Pay attention to these clues and you will have a safe and responsible wildlife viewing experience.

YOU ARE TOO CLOSE IF:

1. The animal turns its back toward you, stops eating, changes direction of travel, or stands when resting.
2. An animal flees into the woods.
3. The animal you are looking at has its head up and ears pointed toward you.
4. The animals are nervous or jumpy whenever you move or make a noise.
5. A moose's ears are at a 45° angle and the hair on the bak of the neck is standing up.
6. An animal begins to charge you. Be afraid for your life.

Technorati tags: moose Dixville+Notch New+Hampshire

_/\_/\_

Photo Hunters: Rows of Graves

Dixville Notch, New Hampshire

Here lies buried the first and only settlers of Dixville until 1865, John Whittemore and his wife Betsey. Dixville had been granted to Colonel Timothy Dix in 1805 on the condition that thirty settlers be established here within five years. Colonel Dix died in the War of 1812. The town was taken over by Daniel Webster, a sponsor of Colonel Dix.

After the Whittemore's (sic) arrived in 1812 they endured extreme privations for three years. A road through the notch was opened, but not broken out in the winter, causing them to be isolated. In December, 1815 Betsey died. Her husband was obliged to keep her body frozen all winter before he could bury it. Following her death John moved to Colebrook where he lived until his death in 1846. He was laid to rest here by his wife's side.

New Hampshire State Parks

The other graves were not identified.

BETSEY, Wife of JOHN WHITTEMORE, DIED Dec. 15, 1815. AE. 36 y's.7m's.21 dys.

JOHN WHITTEMORE. DIED Jan. 19, 1846. AE. 69 y's. 10m's. 17 dys.

Google Earth view. To download the .kmz file so that you may view in your Google Earth, click here.

Technorati tags: PhotoHunt Betsey+Whittemore grave cemetery Dixville+Notch New+Hampshire Google+Earth+Challenge

_/\_/\_

First In The Nation

New Hampshire has held the first-in-the-nation presidential primaries since 1920. With the first presidential "beauty contest" in 1952, our citizens have personally met the candidates and by popular ballot have declared their preference for their party's nominee. Since 1960, Dixville has been the first community in the state and country to cast its handful of votes in national elections. On election eve 100% of the eligible voters gather in the Ballot Room of The BALSAMS. At midnight polls open and a few minutes later promptly close. The results are broadcast around the world.

The Balsams

Dixville Notch as seen from The Balsams.

Technorati tags: Dixville+Notch New+Hampshire The+Balsams

_/\_/\_

Two More Burke Shots

A foolish fellow on the peak of Burke Mountain

I have a thing for signs: taken from the car in West Burke
to test the lens wetness (which was somewhat cropped out).

Technorati tags: Burke+Mountain West+Burke

_/\_/\_

Sign of the Day

Technorati tags: Northeast Kingdom, Coventry, Vermont, Orleans County, signs

_/\_/\_

King Arthur Flour Part 2

As promised: King Arthur Flour, Norwich, Vermont. This is the sign at the small entrance to the company on Rt. 5. The bakery and store have everything that is in the online catalogue, but it's baked and bigger.

The bakery and store building.

I visited on April 7, 2007. That is why there is still snow.

The castle-like entrance to the store.

The entryway to the store and bakery.

You can never have enough money when you go to this store. I had lunch there. The sandwiches are ridiculously huge and extremely good. Half a sandwich for lunch and half for supper!

You can subscribe to a free newsletter from King Arthur. There is a subsciption field under the banner of the home page of the King Arthur site. This newsletter is where I get most of my recipes for my meeyauw's recipe blog. There is a recipe featured every week. This week the recipe is Puff Sandwiches.

There is also a print newsletter, The Baking Sheet, that you can subscribe to for $19.95 a year.

When you leave the store, you see this Baking Education building across the parking lot.

This is the door to the baking classroom. I was going to take a soup and sandwich class but it was cancelled. I absolutely will enroll for another class. There are children's classes in the summer and during other school vacations, and classes for professional bakers and cooks. Click here for the schedule. Also available on that page: free online classes and national baking classes.

Make sure you visit the site. If you are able to come to Vermont, visit the store and take a class. I have made a map for you so that you can easily find it on Google Maps.

_/\_/\_

Bumper Stickers

_/\_/\_

Howard Frank Mosher in Newport

Goodrich Memorial Library

Howard Frank Mosher, author of Marie Blythe, appeared at the Woodknot Bookstore in Newport on Friday, June 29. As soon as I heard of his appearance, Wingnut and I ran up there. I bought his new book, On Kingdom Mountain, and he signed it.

Orleans County Courthouse

Mr. Mosher and his wife both know D and M from school. He didn't remember me from last May when he signed Marie Blythe for me. But he repeated the story of Marie as being true and she is still alive in Brownington.

Orleans District Courthouse

He had returned the night before from a ten bookstore tour in Massachusetts and the next day he was leaving for a one hundred city tour. He didn't want to go because the weather in Vermont is the most perfect that you can find anywhere in the world in the winter.

View of Lake Memphremagog from the District Court

Wingnut and I took the time to take photos in Newport for this post. The courthouses are the scene of Midwives by Chris Bohjalian, an Oprah Book. The view of Lake Memphremagog from the courthouse is mentioned in one scene.

Wash Your Zebra Mussels!

_/\_/\_