Steam

Essex Steam Train

Here's another view of the steam locomotive in Essex.  I was hoping this picture would convey some sense of the power of these engines driven entirely with the energy contained in heated water.  It's pretty fascinating to me.  On a much smaller scale, and without as much soot and smoke seen above,  steam also powered the Stanley Steamer.

Stanley Steamer, Mystic Seaport Antique Auto Show, 2011

Essex Steam Train

Essex Steam Train, Essex, CT

The steam train in Essex is running on weekends, I think, through the holiday season.  You don't see engines like this too much any more.

Rocking Chair

Niantic, CT

Along most city streets, one can find benches of various sorts for shoppers to rest.  This is the first rocking chair I've seen out on a main street.  And on top of that, it's pink, with the nice inscription which you can read below.  We all need to start enjoying.

Town Clock

North Stonington, CT

I think every New England town has a town clock located in the town's center.  Here's one I found in North Stonington.  It's been a while since the face has been cleaned, but the time was correct. 

A Belated Happy Thanksgiving

My Backyard, Niantic, CT

I should've posted this yesterday in honor of Thanksgiving, but I was doing a good part of preparing my own Thanksgiving turkey for a family dinner.  So this is a belated Thanksgiving wish to everyone.  These guys visited my backyard a couple of weeks ago.  They're very skittish and hard to photograph, but I was able to get a few acceptable shots.  This is only about half of the rafter. For some reason, they did not visit here yesterday.  I'm sure they are thankful for that.  I know I have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season.

Strawberry Banke

Strawberry Banke, Portsmouth, NH

If you ever get the chance to visit Portsmouth, NH, you owe it to yourself to visit the Strawberry Banke Museum.  This is a museum which comprises an old neighborhood of Portsmouth known as Strawberry Banke and Puddle Dock.  It traces over 375 years of history with its restored buildings and exhibits.  It's a fascinating place.  We visited here last May and also enjoyed many of the other attractions found in Portsmouth, including a stop at the Portsmouth Brewery.

Chagrin Falls

Chagrin Falls

Just some shots of Chagrin Falls, in of all places..... Chagrin Falls, Ohio.  I wonder what came first, the town's name or the falls' name.  In any event, it's a lovely town in the state of Ohio.

Vineyard

Jonathan Edwards Winery

The vines were still green a couple of weeks ago, but I think this season's crop of grapes had been harvested.  The vines are barren now.

Old Building

Norwich, CT

I'm always interested in old, abandoned buildings.  As the saying goes, "if these walls could talk",  I'm sure there would be some interesting stories to tell about these buildings.  I'm not sure if these are being demolished or not.  If they are being demolished, it's being done carefully with a lot of re-cycling.

Big Tree

McCook Point Park

I'll have to do some research to try and identify this tree.  I don't think I've ever seen a tree with so many thick branches coming off of such a short, stubby trunk.  I'm thinking this a European Beech tree.  If not a notable tree of Connecticut, it should be.

Niantic Bay

Niantic Bay

This is a view of Niantic Bay, taken from McCook Point park in Niantic.  It was a crisp autumn morning, but sunny.  We've already had some snow this year, but you wouldn't know it from this picture.  Some parts of the state were hit very hard.  We had only a little snow, and mostly rain.  

Thomas Oyster Co

 Mystic Seaport

I go to Mystic Seaport many times throughout the year and if you read this blog long enough, you'll probably see many of the pictures I've taken there.  It takes you back to the time when shipbuilding was a major industry in Mystic.  Along with the ships and boats on display, there is a complete seaport town with buildings dating from the mid to late 1800's.  For some reason, whenever I visit the seaport, I find myself taking pictures of the same things.  I must have dozens of pictures of this particular building, each one slightly different.  I know that the next time I go, I'll see the Thomas Oyster Co again, and again I'll take a picture or two as if it were the first time I've seen it.  

Memorial Bench

Olin J Stephens Memorial Bench, Mystic Seaport

There are many ways in which people are memorialized.  Buildings, roads, bridges, monuments and the like are erected to remember those who have gone before us, and who have had an impact while here on earth.  Benches are a particularly nice way to be remembered.  This one remembers Olin J Stephens,  yacht builder and trustee of Mystic Seaport.  I'm not sure if I'll ever accomplish enough in my life time to warrant a memorial of any kind, but if it should come to pass, I would want to have a memorial park bench.

The Lynx

 The Lynx, Mystic Seaport

This is The Lynx, a replica of a schooner which fought during the War of 1812.  This replica was built in Maine in 2001 and now serves as a educational vessel, teaching the history of  privateers and of sailing vessels during the early 1800's.  You can read more about The Lynx here.  The ship is spending the winter here in Mystic.  About the time I learned this ship was going to be docked in Mystic Seaport I ran across some other images of the ship in the blog, North Country Ramblings, by photographer James Bullard.  His blog is one of many I read regularly, enjoying his pictures of New York state's Adirondack region.  For comparison, you can see one of his images here.  As you can see, a lot of the rigging has been removed in preparation for the winter.  When fully rigged these ships are a thing of beauty.  These pictures hardly do The Lynx justice.  I'll have to return in the spring when the ship is about ready to depart so that I can catch her under sail.

Sunrise over Niantic Bay

Niantic Bay

Well, alright, it's a little past sunrise over Niantic Bay.  I'm still trying to get up early enough to catch a real sunrise here.