PLACES--FARMINGTON RIVER--CT..

BEAUTIFUL-RELAXING-INSPIRING-SOOTHING TO MY VERY SOUL..THE FARMINGTON RIVER FLOWS FOR EIGHTY-ONE MILES AND IT'S AQUIFERS AND RESERVOIRS SUPPLY WATER FOR ONE THIRD OF CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS..
IN YEARS GONE BY I SPENT MANY HOURS KAYAKING IN THE MORE AGGRESSIVE WATERS OF THE RIVER..MY KAYAK HAS LONG SINCE BEEN RELEGATED TO ONLY A MEMORY (HIT TOO MANY ROCKS AND MY TOUCHY BACK WON'T ALLOW ME TO EVEN CONSIDER THE SPORT ANYMORE).

 A FEW YEARS BEFORE THE KAYAK MET IT'S WATERY DEMISE I DID PURCHASE A CANOE FOR THE MORE TRANQUIL WATERS OF NOT ONLY THE RIVER BUT SEVERAL OF THE LAKES AND PONDS WHICH I AM FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE ACCESS TO..THE CANOE NOW SITS PATIENTLY IN THE BACK YARD AWAITING IT'S FATE..KINDA HATE TO GET RID OF THE THING-LIKE CLOSING A CHAPTER IN MY LIFE..

 THIS WEEK I THOUGHT I'D SHARE JUST A FEW PHOTOS OF THE BEAUTY THAT I NEVER GROW TIRED OF WITNESSING WHEN I PUT ON MY WADERS AND VENTURE INTO THE KINGDOM OF THE TROUT...IN THE PHOTO ABOVE YOU CAN PICK OUT MY FISHING PARTNER-JAY MORIN OFF TO THE RIGHT..A FLY FISHERMAN EXTRAORDINAIRE!! OUT FISHES ME ALL THE TIME..

 THE PHOTO TO THE RIGHT AS WELL AS THE ONE BELOW ARE TWO VIEWS OF THE AREA WHERE THE RIVER TAKES A DRAMATIC TURN NORTHWARD..THE FARMINGTON FLOWS IN ALL FOUR CARDINAL DIRECTIONS (THE ONLY RIVER TO DO SO IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE)..BEFORE THE ICE AGES THE FARMINGTON EMPTIED INTO LONG ISLAND SOUND BUT AS THE GLACIERS RETREATED THE DEBRIE LEFT BEHIND FORMED DAMS AND LAKES THERE BY CHANGING THE FLOW OF THE RIVER..NOW THE RIVER FLOWS INTO THE CONNECTICUT RIVER ITSELF...

 THE QUINNIPIAC AND MILL RIVERS ARE PORTIONS (OR REMNANTS) OF WHAT IS CALLED THE 'PREGLACIAL FARMINGTON RIVER'..THIS ALL WORKED OUT JUST GREAT FOR ME--ALL OF THESE MAGNIFICENT VIEWS OF THE RIVER ARE NO MORE THAN FIFTEEN MINUTES FROM MY DRIVEWAY...

 A COUPLE PHOTOS OF SOME OF THE LOCAL OCCUPANTS FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT--OFF TO THE RIGHT -I BELIEVE THAT'S A CIGARETTE BUTT IN THE BIRDS NEST..IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS THERE WERE FOUR EGGS PRESENT--LAST TIME I LOOKED THERE WERE FOUR HUNGRY MOUTHS TO FEED FOR SOME VERY BUSY PARENTS..

 I JUST HAD TO STOP AND MAKE SURE THIS HANDSOME FELLOW MADE IT  ACROSS THE ROAD SAFELY BEFORE I CONTINUED ON MY WAY..HE IS A SOMEWHAT CAMERA SHY 'EASTERN BOX TURTLE'....

OFF TO THE RIGHT IS ABOUT THE BEST  PICTURE I COULD GET  OF THIS 'TIGER SWALLOW TAIL' BUTTERFLY.UNFORTUNATELY HE DIDN'T SEEM TO WANT TO  SHOW OFF HIS PLUMAGE..

IN 1994 CONGRESS DESIGNATED SECTIONS OF THE FARMINGTON RIVER AS 'WILD AND SCENIC' WHICH LENT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PROTECTION TO THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE AREA..UNFORTUNATELY MANY TRAILS HAVE BEEN OPENED WHICH IN TURN ALLOW ACCESS TO PEOPLE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE NOT HAVE GONE OUT OF THEIR WAY TO ENJOY THE SIGHTS..I WAS GOING TO POST SOME PHOTOS OF THE REFUSE LEFT BEHIND BY UNTHINKING INDIVIDUALS BUT DECIDED AGAINST DOING SO..WHY SHOULD I SPOIL THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE PLACE BY SHOWING YOU SUCH DISPLAYS OF DISREGARD FOR  THIS PRISTINE WONDERLAND??BAD ENOUGH THEY RUIN IT FOR OTHERS I WOULD RATHER NOT RUIN THESE VISIONS FOR YOU...

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NEXT WEEK--PRETTY COOL BIKE RALLY

HOPE THE WEATHER DOESN'T WRECK IT

BUT SOMETIMES ME STARTING MY BIKE IS LIKE AN INDIAN DOING A RAIN DANCE

*SEE YOU SOON*

JIM

(AS ALWAYS-CLICK PHOTOS FOR GREATER DETAIL)