It's a sad day for me today. It is my last day sitting with my 99 year old friend at the nursing home. I start a month long (but could be 3 months) leave replacement as a Transitional Aide. I'm happy that I got the leave replacement job but I sure will miss chatting with my friend. I will always remember her wisdom, stories and friendship. I can always visit so I shouldn't be sad.

While going through some of my grandfather's pictures, I came across one that said "Ron's Birthplace N. Branch, NJ". (Ron is my uncle, my mother's brother).
My mouth dropped!
That picture just answered my question that I've had since researching my 'roots' quite a few years ago.
I had been down Vanderveer Ave and took pictures of the houses, some small and some large, wondering which one was the house that my mother was born in. I just assumed it was one of the smaller ones at the beginning of the block or one at the end by the dairy farm. The family owned everything on that block including the cemetery across the street that goes back to the 1700's... almost all Ten Eyck's. I even did a THREE page layout of the street for my Ten Eyck scrapbook.

Page 1 is with the first house you come to is actually a Historical House... The Jacob Ten Eyck house

Page 2 is the house that I thought was so nice "Ridge To River Farm". I was so intrigued by this house that I wrote a letter to the owners asking about it. They said that they know it was once a ten Eyck house for many generations but didn't know beyond that. They said I can have a tour whenever I'm in the area again! My Grandmother told me that there was a big long house on the block that even had a Grand Ballroom in it!

Page 3 showed the end of Vanderveer Ave with more houses and the Dairy Farm that they owned. We also met a 2nd cousin that we never knew existed!

How cool to find this picture to now know the truth of which house was their's.... the one with the ballroom!
I'm so glad I went through EVERY one of the millions of pictures that my Grandparents saved instead of just tossing them out.

BETHLEHEM, CT GARLIC FESTIVAL

Yesterday PJ, P, N and I went to the Bethlehem, CT Garlic Festival. we had such a great time. It was a beautiful day to be outside tasting such delicious foods... dips, jelly's, oils, vinegars, garlic, garlic & more garlic!

There was a pig roast in the food section

I thought these were interesting.
Love it!


PJ and P tasting the flavored vinegars and oils at the JD Gourmet's booth. http://www.jdgourmet.com/
I had to get my pic taken with Mike of JD Gourmet

We stopped at Pizza and Brew on our way home because .... IT"S TRADITION!

PLANTING FIELDS ARBORETUM

Yesterday Scott, Alyssa and I took a ride to Planting Fields Arboretum. It was such a beautiful day to be outside with nature! But first, we went into the Carmelia House. This is the wrong time of the year to see them flowering but I love the old structure.
Hydrangea
The back of the Coe house
The side of the house

This is a sun dial. In all of the years I've been going there (since the 70's!), I never noticed it. It took Scott to call my attention to it! It is a 1/2 day sun dial that has Roman #'s along the "u" shape to tell you what time it is!



Scott doing the "Zukowski Happy Dance"
CROCUS in MID OCTOBER!!!!!


Celosia


The cottage made for the Coe's children

Then LOTS and LOTS of pics of flowers.









This is made of various cedar trees.





That's it! We had a very enjoyable day!