Another School Year Over

I am somewhat amazed that I can still remember certain things about the 18 years I spent attending Vernon Elementary School in the 1960s.
I remember starting 3rd grade screaming, crying, and begging my mother not to make me go into Mrs Kies classroom, I think during my hysterical breakdown i told my mother she was the meanest teacher in school, and she ate kids she didn't like. Turns out she was a awesome teacher that I still remember today.
I remember my first day of kindergarten and meeting Steve Eitelmen. We were friends back then, and we see each other now and then, but sadly it is at his or my parents funerals.

I remember Patti, Chip, Butch, and my first crush, Kathy Houle. I remember Mrs Andersen and Mrs McCarthy. I remember everyday giving my chocolate Ring Ding that my mother packed in my lunch to Mrs Young. I also learned you can't buy good grades with a daily Ring Ding.

After driving the kids to and from school approximately 358 times this year, and driving Jordan to the middle school something like 89 times for her Violin lessons, Last week we celebrated the last day of school for the kids, and it was Jordan's last day at Vinton Elementary School.

I can not begin to imagine that there is a better School or group of teachers that we could have trusted with the incredible job of educating the kids. Its one thing to learn math reading and writing, its a whole different ballgame when you teach a child to love reading and learning. Jordan has attended Vinton Elementary School from Kindergarten through the forth grade and in that short period of time she has, sung some beautiful songs in the school choir, acted on stage in a wonderfully produced play, participated with a project each year in the school science fair, performed alone on stage in the Vinton talent shows, and played the Violin at a number of concerts. I now realize, that emotional feeling with the watery eyes I experienced while she was on stage, was called pride.

She entered Vinton school 5 years ago as a shy little kid, and now as she leaves Vinton for Jr High, she has become a young lady filled with confidence with a love for books, and a hunger for knowledge.

Andy Rooney said;
Most of us end up with no more than five or six people who remember us. Teachers have thousands of people who remember them for the rest of their lives.

Like the thousands of students that have passed through Vinton, I am sure that Jordan will never forget, Dr Palmer, Mrs Terry, Mrs LeFevre, Mr Toomey, Mrs Csere, Ms Hain, and all the incredible Folks at Vinton.
Thanks to all of them for the enormous and positive influence you had on Jordan.

Tommy has moved on to the second grade and during his time in the first grade, I witnessed incredible growth everyday. I think I was in the 4th grade when I learned some of the assignments he has completed.
We had to beg a little, but he joined the choir, which means he had to give up some recess time, but we were able to enjoy watching him on stage. He also entered the school science fair while in the first grade.
During school sponsored no TV week, they hold different events at school in the evening. One of those events is bingo and when Tommy won, he had a choice, he could pick a toy, or pick lunch with the school principal. Two years in a row he chose lunch with Dr Palmer.

The last few weeks of school have been extremely difficult for me. After driving him to school 179 times, and walking him down to his classroom each morning, I would always get a hug or two from him before he went into his classroom. He broke my heart about 3 or 4 weeks ago when he informed me he is to old for hugs at school and that men shake hands.

The years are passing by far to fast and I really need time to slow down!

Happy Uncle's Day

Tommy thought that Uncles Day should be spent checking on the cows up at Uconn.
He also thought we should leave the girls home to do girl things, and the boys should head up to the barns.

Unlike Jeanne and Jordan who gag at the smells of a cow barn, both Tommy and I are fans of the fresh scent of cow poop, and when we talk about cows and cattle, we talk Holsteins, Jerseys, Guernseys, beef vs dairy.

As far as the Boy is concerned, any excuse to visit the Barns at Uconn, is a good excuse and when I asked if he wanted to go to school here?, he said, "no he wants to work here". And the best part about our excursions to Uconn, its free!

Above Tommy checks out one of the young Jersey calves, and below he checks on some of the beef cattle.



We spent over a hour in the dairy barn, and after the cows made their way through the milking parlor, Tommy unofficially helped the farm hands usher the cows back to their holding pens.
He is not afraid to walk up to any of the workers and ask questions, and they always take the time to answer.
He may only be 7 and going into the second grade, but Uconn has already become a great learning experience.



I had a really nice Uncle's day, and as I look at the picture of my father with his parents taken sometime in the late 40s early 50s, I can't help but think how much he is missed, and how much he is missing.
"HAPPY FATHERS DAY Pa"

Right/Wrong Side

Unless your willing to swim across a river, you must pass over the railroad tracks to visit our homestead. There is no way in or out, without crossing the tracks.

So this has me thinking, are we on the other side of the tracks, or the wrong side of the tracks? Or could it be that everyone else is on the other side of the tracks, and we are exactly were we should be?

In May of 1847, a charter was granted by the state of Connecticut to the New London, Willimantic & Springfield RR, which authorized the corporation to build from New London to the Massachusetts line.

The first section of tracks, from Norwich CT north to Willimantic CT, opened in September 1849, and the tracks from Norwich CT south to New London CT opened in October of 1849. The section of tracks that borders our homestead in Mansfield CT, from Willimantic CT north to Stafford CT opened in March 1850, and the tracks from Stafford to Palmer Massachusetts opened in September of 1850.

The name has changed many times over the years from the New London Northern Railroad, the Vermont Central, and today it is The New England Central Railroad.

Today the NECR hauls freight, but in its early days, passengers would travel by train to New London Ct and board a Steamship to New York City.

When I bought this property, I inquired about the rail line and the previous owner told me, "after a while you hardly notice it". I would have to say this is not exactly true, when a train is approaching, Tommy and I usually stop what we are doing so that we can watch the train pass by. Many times we will walk up the road for a closer view.

Even after all these years I never get tired of watching and dreaming of a life as a Hobo. I remember many years ago, I was hitch hiking across the country when I met a fellow traveler who looked like a Hobo, and talked like a Hobo, and he offered to show me how to catch a train.
After spending part of a day sitting on a hill overlooking a train yard, and watching really, really, fast Amtrak type trains speed by, I decided maybe I should stick to hitch hiking.

Times have changed and today we will stay satisfied just watching the trains go by.

Its not just trains that travel the rail line. This would be a really cool job riding the rails in a pickup.

The stone on the side of the tracks is called ballast and here they are dumping more ballast.


In the past the crossing leading to our house would rattle your teeth. In a joint effort, the town and the railroad repaired the crossing, and in the picture below they use a machine that pulls the old ties out, and slides in new ties.

The guys from public works did a awesome job repaving and now the crossing is one of the smoothest in town.

An easy 2-3 mile hike north, the old South Coventry train station still stands, and I believe it now is someones home.

When hiking along the railroad tracks, its not hard to imagine the same place in a different time.

I think we will always remember living on the other side of the tracks.

Baby Boom

This spring has turned out to be a very prolific time of year around the farm.

Using or incubator we have hatched out a gosling named Wilbur, baby turkeys,(poults) and approximately 25 baby chicks.

We also have some very dedicated mothers. Momma goose hatched out 5 little goslings. Momma duck hatched out 3 tiny ducklings. Two of our hens hatched out 3-4 babies each, and Hope our Turkey hatch out 3 baby chickens. We also have another 15 turkey eggs in the incubator.

Now the big challenge that has become a nearly full time endeavor, is keeping all these tiny little fuzz balls from becoming a tasty little hors d'oeuvre.


Momma duck brought her newly hatched babies down to the river, and I really believed that was going to be the last time we would see them. Thankfully she came back that evening and moved herself and her 3 babes into the cage we used to lockup Wilbur at night. She seems content so we leave her locked up.


Mr and Mrs Goose along with their five babies are doing very well and will remain locked up for another couple of weeks.

A Fond Farewell

She was a fine camper and she served us well, but it was time to say goodbye.

On Saturday a couple of gals came down from Maine and picked up our beloved camper. It is very satisfying to know that she will be cleaned up and start a new exciting chapter.
Rumor has it, in the near future, she may make a trip out to Yellowstone or Yosemite.

Often we are asked, "how did you survive 3 months in a camper"? I find myself attempting to put it into some type of perspective.

Living in a camper with 2 adults, 2 kids, 3-4 cats, Laundromats, my snoring, Violin practise, outdoor outhouses, homework, 90 degree days, Thanksgiving, freezing temperatures, and a 100lb dog with gas. All I can say, "It was an "ADVENTURE", and we "WON'T" be doing that again anytime soon, so I am very grateful that someone will get some enjoyment out of her, and she won't be slowly decaying in my backyard.

The Stump Vs Cousin Bill

I am in no way a anti stump person. I have no problem looking at a stump. But sometimes a stump is in the way and it really needs to go.

I have worked on one particular stump now for over 2 years, and I had predicted I would win this battle and remove this stump somewhere in the year 2015, or 2016 at the latest. I have dreamed about winning the PowerBall Lottery. Not because it would offer us financial freedom, but because I could buy a powerful machine to remove this stump once and for all.

My nephew Bill was out here with his truck to move our camper, when I decided to present him with the challenge of the stump. Bill also happens to be one of Tommy's heroes. Some of Tommy's favorite things to do are, spending time with his cousin Bill, or Bill's Dad, Uncle Willie, or cows. Tommy once asked me why Uncle Willie is proud of his son Bill? I told him because his cousin Bill grew up to be a very kind hearted young man, who loves his family, is good to his friends, and is not afraid of hard work.

After the tornado's wrecked parts of Massachusetts, Bill and a friend loaded up their chainsaws and headed up to help others, and when they were offered money for their services, they refused to accept any payment. Peg and Willie should be proud,I know I am.

Tommy now thinks we should offer cousin Bill $100 to buy his truck, and I think about the battle with the stump is finally over.