October really is a fine month to be in New England. It is filled with sunny days and trees turning colors and leaves flowing in the winds. It's our last horrah before winter sets in so in general we are taking the time to adjust and have fun before it becomes gloomy for months on end. As a New Englander born and raised I think we enjoy and adjust to season changes the best we can. We may grumble and even curse at  Mother Nature's fury at times but we also find joy in the better days that do come our way. It's all about not being spoiled perhaps. Endurance as well I suppose.

October for me has for many years meant going back home to Connecticut. Going to the "county fair" people would catagorize it. For years I have gone back for the Apple Harvest. Mostly I go back to share some good old CT season change with family. The Goddaughter's birthday is October and she must be spoiled. It's more about that feeling of homecoming and seasons though really. It's about doing those things that make memories. This year was extra special for me and I hope it has memories for both the munchkins. Now that they are in their 20's there is more of a feeling of family and good times and shared experiences I think. In a way it's sad to see them grow up, in another it is pure joy to see what great kids they have grown to be. I look at Barry and can still picture the little kid with the big smile and the dutchboy haircut of those pure gold locks. Surprised to see no Mohawk and a beard at this point too. I still see Marianne as a tiny little waife of a thing in her OshKosh overalls and her bottle tucked in the front pocket for safe keeping and handiness. Surprised at her independence and beauty in both looks and heart.

The Berlin Fair. I haven't been in 20 years. It was great. It hasn't changed a single bit to my surprise. Marianne and I roamed around looking at the bunnies, the cows, the vendors. We had Fried Dough and Apple Cider. We bought cowboy hats, a Twisted Tea and watched the Truck Pulls. It was great. Bobby was there too and enjoyed it with us as well. He's a great guy and I'm glad they have each other.

The Berlin Turnkpike. I stayed at the Hawthorne at roamed up and down the Turnpike. Haven't done that since I had a Camaro and thought I was bada$$. LOL. It was fun. It has changed some but, not really. I had Breakfast one morning at the Olympia Diner. Also went to Fridays and had a nice dinner and drink with Barry. He also showed me his talents in the parking lot. He did his juggling including juggling knives which just freaked me out. He did magic tricks of which I now have a piece of rope in my coat pocket that everytime I reach my hand in there makes me smile. He did not do his fire eating however he showed me his burns. Jeesh!! Funny stuff. Great to have a nice dinner and drink with him as well as having him drive me around and about on the Turnpike. What a good kid. he talked about girls too. Very cool. Wishing him a great time with his 'date' this weekend . Have fun at Six Flags with the gal anyway it turns out sweetie.

Of course I spent some time photographing and pictures will be following at some point here when I get things settled. I went into downtown New Britain and got Shadow Ads...my gosh, I delivered papers around these as a kid and am now going back to take pics..dodododo. I also had breakfast at Miss Washington Diner. What a hoot that was. Some odd guy babbling about the Elks Hall and putting a red nose on the Elk. Some freaks in the parking lot arguing with each other and one trying to break into a car. All kinds of drama. Not unusual really. LOL. Sad that I was there with Camera and all on two different occassions and that is the only picture of the place I could find. Odd. Silly of me even. Sigh.

Old haunts. I had to go riding around a bit and get some old rides out of my system since I was there and all. Being it Autumn just added to the enjoyment of it. I went to the Res and although I didnt close my eyes I did manage to get up to about 50 around the curves and over 'the bump' to get airborne - if you know the place then you know what I'm talking about. LOL. I also stopped into Rogers Orchards and picked up Apples....yummmy!!! I also went into Pick your own Apples area to get some photos....LOVED smelling the pine and Apple mix of this time of year. Pictures unfortunately can't give you that but, they can remind me of it anyway. I then made my way around about those back roads over to Crescent Lake and took a few shots. Then I went up to Burlington. Thank goodness for my handy co pilot Kevin since I kept taking wrong turns. Jeesh! Why I couldn't get that one right I will never know.  I was also trying to find the Cemetery that Great Granddad is in in Unionville again too, unsuccessfully. But, got up to Burlington and got right to the Falls. Kevin had never been up that way so, it was funny to see someone else say "Hell No would I ever jump off here!". My sentiments exactly but, still fun to visit. Also fun to visit Camp Shade and The Green Lady Graveyard. Both of which Kevin also didn't know about previously. Only two stones left up there so I guess at some point here I should wrangle up the photos I took 20 some odd years ago of the stones that were there then. Still a pretty spot especially in Autumn. Great info on the Graveyard and legends, etc : Seventh Day Baptist Cemetery. I also stopped down at Martha Hart Park. I spent so much time there as a kid it's not even funny. The dang swings still look the same!! There are now fountains in the lake though. A few years ago they dredged it and cleaned it all up because it was turning to swampland. It was the best place to go hunting for tadpoles and the woods had great little windy trails. I lost one of my dress shoes in the muck when I was little. Mom was so mad. I also fell through the ice here and lucky for me it only went up to my waist. This is also one of the fishing derby places of my childhood. Fun stuff though and the fountains I guess are okay.

All in all a great and wonderful trip with some great memories and fun times had by all. It's all good!!

Pictures are up!!

http://pandafan.tabulas.com/gallery/oct-2008/

For the locals really but, everyone is welcome to read

I went into QTown center this morning to find quite a few interesting things I have not seen previously.

The Jury Room. Cool looking Orange and Black marquees on the corner across from the Court House. When did this arrive? Has anyone been there? How's the food?

    Open since May? Good gosh where have I been hiding??

        http://www.patriotledger.com/entertainment/dining/x120336481/TASTE-TELL-The-Jury-Room

    Delmonico's? Seperate Scotch Bar? Cool.

    14-ounce rib eye for $27 - In Quincy!? lol

Alba. Moved across the street to the old bank building? That must be nice considering the only complaint I had about the old place was not enough room around the tables. I'm thinking there's lots more room now but, who knows? Anyone?

Thomas Crane Library. Fall Book Sale this weekend. Again, I wont be around so, I won't be making it. Someday, maybe.

What else is going on there today though? What with all the lighting and equipment and tents being set up on the front lawn? I couldn't find anything in the calendar. Interesting. Even more interesting that the closed off that parking along the street. Thanks. The only day I've gone to the Post office in like 6 months. Like it wasn't hard enough to drive around the block repeatedly to get a space already!!! Argh. It is however why I ended up parked and looking at the Jury Room so, there ya go.

It's all Chucks fault .

Thank you.

Okay so, good times were had at the local by all and although no one brought a camera there's still that good old stand by of crappy cell phone pics.

Enjoy.

http://pandafan.tabulas.com/gallery/the-local/

Bon Voyage and Tally Hoo and all of that - can you picture the WB cartoon?

I am putting up the pics from the recent festivities in QTown. Fun was had by all. Food was simply fabulous. Great to see everyone and spend a nice day by the pool and all of that.

Enjoy the pics!

http://pandafan.tabulas.com/gallery/lobster-steamers-or-bowls-of-meat-anyone/

Pics in the gallery:

http://pandafan.tabulas.com/gallery/october-mountain-state-forest-2008/

So my trip was not only a great mini vacation but also a celebration of sorts as well for the Mazda 626. It turned 100,000 miles when I got there and got out and about. It’s the little things in life sometimes that you have to look at and enjoy. I bought the car in Dec 1995 with 4 miles on it so, to still have it at this point is good in most respects. The fact that it continues to provide me with vacation adventures is fabulous as well. Honestly though, this one gave her a good kick in the butt. She still held out for me and did a fine job and I have a few nice shots of her to make her feel good since I can’t afford another one at the moment. This trip made me yurn for a  truck again though.

So, the Yurts at October Mountain State Forest are great. Although Yurt #1 only has two sets of bunk beds – the bunks are wide – enough for two regular sized folks. It had the lovely electric lighting and fan but, the outside light was only available by Mr. Park Ranger and then, it was turned on for your visit so – I was told that like everyone else – I opted for no light at all outside. There was no large deck on this one but, it was okay and it wasn’t the finely manicured and tailored Yurt area like Otter River. They also had little heater in the Yurt and if only I had put that baby on before going to bed last night it wouldn’t have been so dang bad when I was awakened at 3am by a low cell phone battery. The dang thing beeped all morning because it was too darn cold to get out from under the sleeping bags until some light hit the sky and well, until the coffee was brewed and all of that.

The thing about the State Parks during off season is the quiet. There was 1 RV and 1 other tenter both nights. An additional tenter and a camper truck combo showed up last night. That’s it. How nice. It also adds to that whole available hot water too. Plus this time of year there are no Kids. I don’t mind kids, in fact I like them but, when I’m on vacation in the woods I like the sound of nature, that’s all.

So a bit of a review of the camping area and then we’ll get on to the Park itself.

October Mountain State Forest

Lee, Massachusetts (Berkshires-South)

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/octm.htm

47 campsites on 3 levels.

Level 1 = Bath House and RV and tent camping area along with Check In Station. (If they aren’t there, the Headquarters is about 500 yds down the street).

Level 2 = Bath House and tent camping. If I was tenting I would consider the 40-50 numbers in this area since they are all in the pines with nice layer of soft pine needles and along the brook is nice to lock out some of the other noises.

Level 3 has the 3 yurts and only 2 of those are open to on line reservations, 1 is walk up only, and two tent areas. One of the tent spots is actually kind of cool with stone steps up to it. Both are next to the brook so, that’s nice too.

The Bath Houses were clean and checked regularly and always stocked completely full with items and the hot water for the shower was just simply wonderful and long lasting. The Rangers were all very nice and accomodating and helpful. That's also a benefit of off season. They knew exactly who I was when I walked into headquarters. Funny. Funnier still to be asked if I needed this or that or the other thing. I don't know if that's typical or just because I am of the female persuasion but, they realized pretty quickly I have done this before. Still cute of them to ask.

The information boards down by check in station on Level 1 and by Bath House Level 2 had maps and information that you should definitely stop by at take a look at – some interesting maps not available on line. Still, with the size of this place, there could be a lot more (my only gripe is that the place was HUGE and needs more detailed maps…I would love a week there). There is a slight hum you hear all the time and my guess is that it’s from the large power station near by. There’s also some odd jet engine in the back yard type of sound about twice a day that I have no idea where it comes from.

The place is filled with Red Squirrel, Chipmunk and Screech Owls (I think they are at least). There were lots and lots of different types of frogs all around the place which is probably due to the variety of available habitats. They only have the occasional Black Bear and they don’t even have Bear Safe Dumpsters so, it’s not like Mohawk where they come right up on the porch and say hello.

The various spots and trails are too numerous to list and certainly a two night stay doesn’t get you a great deal of time to explore but, I did what I could and will have pictures in the gallery as soon as I feel anything from my hips down again enough to get the film developed.

Trail Map

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails/OctMtn.gif

One of the more popular trails (other than The Appalachian) is Shermerhorn Gorge. I almost did it. Twice even, once from each end but, it was best to not push my luck. I did take a ride out the first late afternoon to see what that side of the park had to offer. Started at Woods Pond and Roaring Brook Rd. Nice little pond, fairly good dirt roads, well marked parking and trails. There were a few times the Park Map came in handy so, don’t leave home without it. You do a lot of gate number look outs to confirm where you are here so, become familiar with that on the maps.

The second day I did the loop going out Rt 20, up Becket Rd, Over the Appalachian, visited Buckley-Dunton Lake, up County Rd and onto West Branch to October Mtn Reservoir.

Then I decided to take a quick jaunt with just one camera hand held on the Interpretive trail through Washington Mtn Marsh Trail. That was a mistake. I should have brought the pack filled with camera gear. Still, had a nice hike that I have to say is simply lovely accommodations for motorized or wheelchair accessibility. To a point of course, it gets sketchy after a while but, is clearly marked for those with such items so, no worries. This is also where I flushed up something. I am telling myself it was a good sized deer but, my mind keeps telling me to keep telling myself that. About 4 feet off the trail in some pretty dense thicket at the base of a hill I woke something from a very deep sleep that I heard basically gasping and breathing heavily as it lumbered up the hill. I of course shat myself stiff and then walked two more paces to realize it only went about half way up the hill and that got it moving again all the way over. I never heard a hoof of any kind. That’s the thing that haunts me on that one. In a pine forest with a rocky ledge hill and no hooves to be heard when spooked. Humph. Yeah, okay, it was a deer. Maybe it was a deer with slippers on? Times like that I think a Bear bell would be handy. I try not to be too quiet though so, someone was way too happy to not have anyone coming through for a long time I guess. Or you know maybe he was full and snoozing off the afternoon. Which helps too so, that’s fine. I’d say it could have been a hermit man with sneakers on but, if so the guys needs to get in shape because the huffing and puffing didn’t sound so good.

After that I went back out West Branch and over Lenox-Whitney to Shermerhorn Rd and visited Felton Lake. Which brought me the other end of Gorge Trail and the second – “nah…I won’t push my luck” thought. And then back down around to Woods Pond from the other way on Roaring Brook.

I completed a nice big circle and did some nice easy trails. With a 4x4 I would have to stay a week. With a good set of feet I might have to stay two. I would definitely go back and do it again and spend more time when it’s warmer weather. 2 rolls of color and 4 rolls of Black and White so, lots of shots to enjoy to come.