Besides great ice cream, Buttonwood Farm in Griswold is known for Sunflowers for Wishes. With acres of sunflowers planted for a good cause, it is a photo opportunity for professionals and amateurs like me. Sunflowers can make even an amateur look good. You can find more of my Buttonwood Farm photos on my Buttonwood Set on Flickr.
Today, on our nations’s birthday, we celebrate our freedom with friends, food, fireworks and flags. The flag pictured here is not the largest, and it isn’t seen by many people, but it is MY flag, the one I fly everyday in my front yard.
This flag is a symbol of my pride in America and also a tribute to those in the military, who unselfishly give service to our nation.
Thank you to those that serve. God Bless America.
P.S. You’ll find everything you want to know about the American Flag at the USA Flag site!
The owners of Buttonwood Farms in Griswold plant 10 acres of sunflowers each year providing 300,000 blooms framed by blue skies and stone walls. They do it all for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut! Bouquets of cut sunflowers will be available the week of July 19th in exchange for a $5.00 donation.
People and their cameras show up from all over the state to visit and also enjoy the farm fresh homemade ice cream sold there. I never try to pass up a photo opportunity that includes ice cream so maybe I’ll see you there!
P.S. Their peach ice cream is to die for!
It’s been 5 years since the historic Supreme Court decision Kelo v. City of New London. It seems that New London won a round in the Supreme Court, lost in the court of public opinion, and then lost again when Pfizer decided to close its research and development headquarters.
It is ironic that almost 5 years to the day of the Supreme’s decision, New London came out on top again, when it was announced that General Dynamics had reached a preliminary agreement to purchase the Pfizer complex.
It is great news for the region even as feelings about the whole mess still simmer. I’ve been asked more than once for the use of my photo taken on Hamilton Street in New London, not far from the Fort Trumbell neighborhood that was the setting of the controversy. The book, The Little Pink House, has been written. Can a movie be far behind?
The Town of Ledyard will celebrate Memorial Day on Sunday with a parade starting at 1:00PM. The parade begins at the Ledyard Fair Grounds and ends at the High School on Gallup Hill Road. The theme is "Let Freedom Fly Forever." The parade is organized by the Ledyard Lions Club.
I love Memorial Day Parades. I'm proud to say I'm patriotic. I choke up when I hear the Star Spangled Banner and get goosebumps when I see flags. As you enjoy a parade, a picnic or the Indy 500 this weekend, please stop to remember the brave men and women who have served our country.
I was at the Republican State Convention on Friday and Saturday as a delegate from Ledyard. I’ve been to the State Convention before but never one with so many choices and competitive races. The experience was just about the right mix of exciting, boring and fun.
The convention was held at the very modern Connecticut Convention Center. Congressional District 2, of which Ledyard is a member, was seated at the rear of the convention hall. That means we were the last to vote on every ballot. With few Republican office holders in our corner of the state, we literally took a back seat to the activities.
We returned to our hotel rooms at 11PM on Friday. I don’t quite understand why technology hasn’t found its way to political conventions in CT. What took two full days could easily have been completed in one. Of course, quicker voting wouldn’t have allowed for all the arm twisting, vote changing, and postering. And what would a political convention be without that?
A mother was out walking with her 4 year old daughter. The daughter picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth.
The mother took the item away from her and asked her not to do that.
"Why" the daughter asked. "Because it's been laying outside, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs", the mother replied.
At this point, the daughter looked at her mother with total admiration and asked, "WOW! How do you know all this stuff?"
The mother had to think quickly...."uh....All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mommy Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy."
They walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but the daughter was evidently pondering this new information.
"OH...I get it" she beamed. "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the daddy". "Exactly" the mother replied with a big smile on her face and joy in her heart.
Happy Mother's Day to the readers of my blog who are moms! You passed the Mommy Test.
Cross Sound Ferry to Long Island
One of my favorite trips is via the Cross Sound Ferry to Long Island. For anyone who has made the trip, you’ll know that Plum Island is just part of the scenery along the way. While most people are familiar with the light house that has stood on the property since 1869, the island is also home to the high security Animal Disease Center currently owned by the Department of Homeland Security. The Department has recently announced their intention to move their facility to Kansas and are planning to conduct an environmental study of the property to get it ready for sale.
I must admit my first thought when reading the news was what a great location it is for a For Sale sign!
I started blogging here in March of 2005. I moved my blogging activities to a new home about a year later, where I shared my views of real estate and other good stuff about Eastern Connecticut. In the meantime, I turned this place into a photo blog of Ledyard.
In 2010, I've decided to return to my original blogging home and blog Simply about Ledyard. Throughout the year, I'll be adding more local content as well as some real estate information. For those that stop by just for the photos, you'll find them here as well!
It's good to be home!
