Roseland Cottage History

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber 

Starting in 1870, Henry C. Bowen, a businessman, hosted the country’s largest Fourth of July party in Woodstock, Conn., at his Roseland Cottage. The event featured many, many, many speeches; so many, that Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes tried to get out of going in 1877. Bowen didn’t drink, and President Ulysses S. Grant had to sneak a cocktail on the porch at the first party in 1870.

Our Largest Woodpecker in The Last Green Valley

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber and Photos by Wayne G. Barber 

Pileated Woodpecker,   Male and his lover in 2021

Crow Sized woodpecker with a black back and bright red crest. Long grey bill with a red moustache. Leading edge of wings is white, flashes brightly when flying.

Female: same as male, but has a black forehead and lacks the red mustache.

Juvenile: similar to the adults, only duller and browner overall.

Nest: cavity; malt and female excavate; 1 brood per year.

Eggs: 3-5 white, unmarked

 Incubation: 15-18 days, female and male will share duties. female has the day shift and the male has the night shift.

Non-migrator

Favorite food is carpenter ants.

Our backyard loudest drummer.

Spring is in the Air.......

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber 

“In the Thompson Hills, March is a woodpecker drumming in a new season. Red Wing Hawks and Mourning Doves pairing up. It’s the liquid trill of tree frogs and the plaintive notes of peepers heralding the return of spring. It’s wild geese winging their way northward over the North East Quiet Corner and blue jays chattering of new days to come. It’s the sun writing tomorrow’s message on the earth. It’s a time when winter lingers in the lap of spring. It’s gusty days and calm days, chill days and warm days. It’s April whispering from the ridgetops while March goes whistling down the Connecticut Green Valley. It's the maple nectar in the buds and crevices that the red squirrel and titmouse, chicadees and sap suckers, wood peckers or the smokey steamy oroma of a sugar shack on Rt..193. It’s song sparrows in the alders and robins strutting in the pasture. It’s a velvet-coated bumblebee hunting for a nest site and a honeybee buzzing for the first taste of pollen. March is the first daffodils making the whole world golden.”

As we worked outside a few days ago , re-conditioning our family car from road salt and sand I was reminded of the late spring snowfalls. Spring of the year is coming on fast in Thompson, Connecticut and while the sunshine is warm on my face the shadows under the trees make me wish I had a bigger coat on. Inspiration to post from Mr. John Harris

1,500 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine arrive at Day-Kimball Hospital

Posted by Wayne G. Barber 

PUTNAM, Conn. — The first doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine made their way to Connecticut Tuesday afternoon at Day Kimball Healthcare in Putnam. Day Kimball received 1500 doses, all of which are going to educators. Kyle Kramer, CEO of Day Kimball said “The enthusiasm of teachers getting the vaccination, the fact that they have that burden lifted off their shoulders, that feeling that they can be safely in classrooms, it’s such an amazing opportunity for us to be a part of history, and we’re so proud to be able to deliver the vaccine to our teachers”.

 

Rare Whales Spotted East of Boston; Protection Urged

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber

 Rare whales have been detected east of Boston, prompting the federal government to take steps to try to protect the animals.

The whales are North Atlantic right whales, which number only about 360 in the world. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution detected the presence of the whales 35 nautical miles east of Boston on Jan. 25.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has created a voluntary vessel speed restriction zone or “slow zone” in the area.

The agency is asking mariners to go around the area or travel through it at 10 knots or less.