The forecast for Sunday is 35 degrees and a risk of snow. We hope they are wrong
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Category Archives: East
Spring has finally arrived in Connecticut
Crocus are nearly done. Daffodils fill the flowerbeds and emerge randomly around the yard. With every stroll along the river the undergrowth is a little greener as buds pop, encouraged by the warming rays. Red buds and tulip trees add their splash of color that seems to intensify by the hour. The world smells green and earthy. Robins and crows are searching out nesting sites and high in the sky flocks of shadow birds pass over on their journey to summering grounds. Their movement is a siren call to me, I am getting restless.
For today I’ll settle for some nearly perfect deck time with feet up and a cool drink.
New Haven bound
It is a bright beautiful morning and on its way to 70+ degrees. Carol, Kent and I head toward the shore for the day. We ran a couple errands now we carve out a few hours to check out New Haven. A stroll on the Green takes us past Center Church that is built over what is claimed as the oldest Colonial cemetery in the country and the Yale quad. We have to check it out. Magnificent brown stone castles ring courtyards some filled with blooming dogwood. Carol even rubbed the lucky toe of the Woosely statue. Then there is a reminder that this stately place is a campus; a gaudy bounce house in one corner and a cluster of “kids” slathering Vaseline on watermelons (we didn’t ask).
We stroll a farmers market on Wooster St. where artisan breads and cheeses are everywhere but we manage to resist since we are enroute to lunch is at Frank Pepe’s Pizzaria Napoletana. We have to try the “famous Tomato Pie”. The spinach & gorgonzola pie calls out to us as well….we will need a box. The pies are definitely not classic pizza as we know it but they are delicious.
A stop at Fort Hale Park gives a chance to stroll along Long Island Sound and check out a beautiful fishing pier. There is lots of fishing happening but we don’t see any catching. We spot one sailboat.
Heading home we just have to stop at Guida’s for some ice cream…peach, peanut butter pie and moose tracks make for a perfect ending to a great day.
Of course they did
The Bushnell in Hartford is filled with familiar tunes from movies and musicals delivered at the hands of the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. It seems like the performers enjoy the evening us much as the audience. We even get to sing along. There is a feeling that the performance is not quite complete when they close without playing Stars and Stripes. Not so fast, there is an encore…Stars and Stripes; giant unfurling American flag and all.
Family Christmas
Brian and Johnna hosted the Sayre Family Christmas this year. Mike and Tracy joined Lynn and I for the trip to Houston.
We added a stop in Louisville on the way south. Turns out 3500 miles in 5 days in the “Rudolf” Focus
is a little more driving and riding than all preferred even with such good company. But, given issues with weather and air travel it might still have been a good idea. We enjoyed our time in Houston and the chance to see Brian and Johnna’s new home.
After Houston we spent a few days with Lynn’s family in PA before Mike and Tracy headed back to NY and Lynn and I to CT for some more remodeling at the historic Hale House(circa 1884).
Picture of the Week
A little snow this morning at Carol’s house.A different winter plan
We usually look for some structured task to occupy the coldest months of the year. When it is cold and/or rainy it is too easy to just sit around in the Motorhome and be lazy. Past tasks have included a state park and a wildlife refuge in Texas. This year we are going to try our hand at house repairs. Carol, Lynn’s sister, owns a home built in the late 1800’s, and if you have ever lived in one you know how much maintenance is required. The biggest issue is location. It gets cold in Connecticut and they get snow. Both totally against our adopted “snowbird” guide to locations. But, we’ll give it a try.
So, we needed to place the motorhome into storage. I found it a nice home in a rural part of Pennsylvania close to Lynn’s mother’s house. And yes some things are indeed cheaper in the country so the location made sense. Well the new facility was running a little behind it’s occupancy date so we ended up temporarily storing the motorhome then moving it into covered shelter a few weeks later, during a visit to mom’s house.
We got a nice early start to minimize traffic around NYC as we traveled to PA. Things were going well in spite of the heavy wind and rain until the Focus just quit at about 60mph in the left lane on I-81 near Harrisburg. My initial diagnosis was “out of gas” but the gauge says 1/8+. Well as luck would have it we were close to an exit with a gas station and a fuel can. Gas added, it started back up. Drove to a close exit and topped off the tank and indeed it was empty! That’s a new wrinkle, don’t trust the gauge or the “miles to empty” reading on the dash. I don’t like it but I can deal with it for now. We finished our visit and the motorhome move and headed back to CT.
The Focus wasn’t idling right and was hard to start when we bought gas. Seems like time to seek help. I explained the symptoms at the local Ford dealer and they pulled out a Technical Service Bulletin summarizing all the issues. Seems Ford is having failures with the Fuel Vapor recovery valve(collects gas vapors from fuel tank filling) and later sends them through the engine for combustion). When this valve fails it collapses the fuel tank and damages the fuel pump and sensor. Great! and oh by the way it is not under warranty. Needless to say Ford is currently on the “naughty” list awfully close to Christmas. But, with a new tank, fuel pump sending unit and vapor recovery valve all appears well.
It’s why we are here!
Today it’s off to Niagara Falls. By 10AM we are parking the car and hitting the trail that traces the cliff tops of the Niagara River Gorge toward the falls. At first it is quiet and peaceful with panoramic views of Canada across the river far below. 
As we pass under Rainbow Bridge the roar of the falls reaches us. We walk on. Crowds thicken a bit and the familiar bar guardrails begin. The roar grows louder and wind lifted spray bathes us all even here at the top of the falls. It is the kind of place that just puts one in awe of nature. There is a lot of development here but the falls can still overpower all that man puts up to compete with it.
Color coded ponchos are everywhere. Every 15 minutes a boat jammed full of blue (Maid of the Mist, USA) or red (Hornblower, CA) bug-sized dots makes to loop from dock to just below Horseshoe Falls to bathe its passengers in the famous mist. Throngs of yellow dots wander the scaffolding and decks along the gorge wall beside both falls to get their fix of both mist and sometimes actual splash as water thunders onto the rocks beside them. A four strand zip line sweeps along the Canadian shore providing what I am sure are fantastic views (not that I have any interest in experiencing that first hand).
It is much more peaceful again as we wander on around Goat Island to check out the magnificent Canadian Rapids and Three Sisters Islands.
No trip to the Falls is
complete without a look from the other side. We walk Rainbow Bridge and the Canadian gorge rim for wonderful views of both falls. They do have the better line of sight. It is only 3PM and wind driven rain pelts us as we return across the bridge. Maybe we will come back tomorrow evening for the lighted views and fireworks.
One last stop, an elevator ride down to the gorge floor to explore the remnants of the Schoellkopf Power station. 
Two-thirds of this early (1904) power generating station was destroyed by rock slides in 1956. It is a tribute to both human ingenuity and tenacity in harnessing the power of nature and to nature’s regular reminders that she is really the one in charge and if you mess with her too much she will repay in equal or better measure. This elevator provides access to the maintenance facility for the Maid(s) of the Mist. A huge 220 ton crane lifts the boats to dry dock right here in the gorge where they are battened down for the winter.
France, England, America, England, America
Old Fort Niagara has stood sentry
over this point on Lake Ontario for over 300 years with a role in the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and War of 1812. Earthen fortifications surround structures ranging from simple log cabins to an elaborate stone “Castle” built by the French. If these wall could talk!
The museum houses remnants of a huge 1809 Niagara Garrison Flag. It was captured during the War of 1812, presented to England as a trophy of war, held by British war heroes and finally returned to the USA in 1994 when it was purchased by the not-for- profit, Old Fort Niagara Association. Quite the historical find.
Re-enactors livened up the walk through with cannon fire, musket volleys, lively fife and drum ditties, a barrel making demonstration, and a lesson on the life of wash
maidens circa 1700 and 1800s. The view is fantastic too as the Toronto skyline is outlined on the far shore of the lake.
Interesting…the French flag used to be white on white fleur-de-lei. Not an easy one to rally around I would say.
A big name in carousels, Herschell
All across the country we have seen (and I have ridden) many carousels that were built in nearby North Tonawanda at the Herschell factory. The factory is a museum now and they still run one of the vintage carousels. Of course we have to visit.
Fun tidbit: Herschell was the only manufacturer to include a frog in their stable of carousel figures. He is very cute.
The tour starts with
the woodworking shop where simple slabs of poplar and basswood are planed, fitted and glued to create solid, sturdy blocks that are then transformed to magnificent carousel creatures. In the early 1900’s, this room was filled with apprentices, journeymen and master carvers each doing their part to bring out the intricate shapes and patterns. Parts are strewn about, legs, heads, tails, and bodies. It is the master carver’s task to assemble and put on the finishing touches….then it’s on to the paint room. Coat after coat of primer is followed by hand painted coat then tack bringing the individual horses to “life”. It all comes together in the roundhouse where platforms, cranks, motors and gears along with the splendid steeds are combined to create a magical carousel.
One of the very
earliest machines built in this factory now runs in that roundhouse. I rode it of course…Kent did too this time!
Bonus: the museum 
has an operating music reel punching machine. That’s the punched paper strip that makes the carousel organ play. This machine uses a hand made master as a template and punches out working copies for distribution to player organs and pianos. As the strip passes over vacuum ports of the sound pipes, punched holes allow air flow and result in sound. Impressive and ingenious.
There are organs in various states of restoration all around the shop. The one accompanying the operating carousel is nearly complete; they haven’t rebuilt the bass drum and cymbal modules yet. I love to watch them play, especially the ones with bells and mallets.