42.540885
-70.880843
Month: June 2015
Add a little cheery on a drab rain soaked day
Rain Rain Go Away!
So the pitter patter of rain all day and all night for the last 48 hours is no longer delightful! Well over 5 inches has fallen according to the flower pot 3/4s full alongside the Taj. Enough – drought or not there is such a thing as too much water…..
Lenny the Dog hasn’t been out for walk in 24+ hours – he runs down bus steps , pees quick and then back up soaking wet even with his raincoat on. Longer outside moments require rain gear for both of us, awnings out with a golf umbrella. Hoping for rain to stop and sun to dry things – we are starting to grow mold here. The woods get wet differently than city streets – leaves, trees and bushes stay wet longer and soak unsuspecting passersby. Everything looks darker green – all around us but also quite soggy! No flooding here as we have elevation with many ponds and streams that happily accept extra water around us. We are thankful for them and have again witnessed another difference in urban and rural lifestyles.
Cheers!
June 1 Update
After more than two weeks we are settled into our campsite – we have rugs out, tables, chairs, loungers, a bird feeder which is really a squirrel feeder and even a hummingbird feeder that actually attracts the little beauties. I hope to have a photo of them soon. They move so fast and one must be patient. This week will be our third full week here and we have gotten to know the area within a 30 minute drive time radius – various shopping centers (Lowe’s, Target, Dunkin Donuts, Mickey D’s, Starbucks), nurseries, wine/booze package stores, groceries (love that you can buy beer in most of these :-), the US Post Office and those ” quick we need to get that type of stores”. No 7-11s here – Cumberland Farms and those Quik marts attached to gas stations. Gas is higher here – not sure why. Price Chopper grocery – sort of a Whole Foods/Stop & Shop/ Market Basket all rolled into one located next to UCONN campus in Storrs – offers a discount on gas at Sunoco which is a good savings – you just need to remember to get it there. Price Chopper is a good store from our first experiences – lots of organic produce and a fish market we have tried already.
We have met more people at the Campground who are seasonal couples like us rather than weekenders. Many have been coming here for years and a few have already done what we are planning – touring America! The campground is probably around 40% seasonal, hose who pay for May to October – then those who pay for a fixed number of weekends, followed by the weekend campers. It is an interesting mix of humanity on a weekend – when the sites all fill up with motorhomes, 5th wheel trailers, campers and tents. There are lots of generations represented – kids of all ages and people from all walks of life. It is an interesting cross section of America. By Friday afternoon the rush is on to get set up at the camp site – kicking off two nights of barbecues, games, swimming, hanging out with friends with it all wrapping up Sunday afternoon as the line forms at the dump stations on the way to the camp’s exit. Watching the kids interact, whether playing basketball, in the pool, playing miniature golf, riding their bikes, or even painting pottery has given me a new appreciation for the benefits of this camping experience. I never went camping other than the backyard of friends as a kid – my parents were not interested although my Dad might have tried it but my Mom – never! Now I regret not doing it with my sons – in most cases it’s an inexpensive way to experience the outdoors, have some fun and meet new people. Rick’s family did do some camping so he brings valuable experience to this adventure. I bring my enthusiasm for trying something new! After just 3 weeks I am a believer and recommend it to all. We’d love to have our grandchildren come for a visit while we are here – we think they would enjoy it.
Next post there will have more photos…