Food and Culture

It was another spectacular weekend and we keep wondering when we have to pay for abundant sunshine and comfortable temperatures. On Saturday evening we went to the Eugene O'Neill Theater http://www.oneilltheatercenter.org/ in Waterford, CT with the Eisenharts. The grounds are breathtaking and it is a great place to see a new works. We saw THE BOOK CLUB PLAY which might be coming to theater near you very soon. It was a play about a documentary about a Book Club whose members spent very little time reading or discussing books.

On Sunday we had a big harvest which included yellow beets the size of tennis balls! Yellow beets have been a challenge so this was victory! The beans, potatoes and hubbard squash are coming in too. So much to eat, so little time.

Visit from DiAnn

Packed with some fantastic North Carolina beach weather, DiAnn (Sheri's Mom) landed in Connecticut for a visit at Hangman Hill. The timing for her trip was good not only for the weather, but coincided with New London Sailfest and the NS Agricultural Fair. Her visit also included a trip to the North Fork of Long Island to see the sights and visit with her cousin Susan. We fit in a few walks and plenty of time with her Granddog Kokee.

July 14, 2007 Sailfest Finale - Fireworks

We joined our friends the Eisenharts and JoAnn's extended family for the Groton-New London Sail Fest fireworks this year. We hunkered down on the lawn of the Pfizer Kids' Day Care facility in New London which afforded us a great parking spot, fantastic views and a quick get-away. The firewords were sponsored largely by Foxwoods Casino and based on the extensive show they provided not too many people are winning there these days. It was an impressive show.

43rd North Stonington Agricultural Fair

The fair was a huge success this year, mainly because the weather was fantastic. We did come away with ribbons for the potatoes and black currants, however, we think everyone from NS that entered won a ribbon. We enjoyed participating though, we felt a part of the community and if you ask us, our potatoes were best! The dog show, Fair Queen contest, and tractor pull were up to the usual standards and the best was the zebra at the petting zoo! We didn't suffer too much from ice cream, hot dogs, burgers and fries, and are working on our garden strategy for 2008.

North Stonington Agricultural Fair

The 2007 North Stonington Agricultural Fair Starts tomorrow. Hopefully the weather will clear so that we can find the fairground, which is just on the other side of Hangman Hill. We have been experiencing "Old" England weather the last few days. We hope the sunny skies return for the fair and a visit from DiAnn, Sheri's mom. This year we are entering our potatoes, black currants and lavender for competition, so stay tuned. You can check out the NSAF at http://www.northstoningtonfair.org/.

4th of July

We celebrated our Independence Day by paddling a section of the Pawcatuck River between Bradford and Ashaway (RI). This river is a mere 10 minute drive from our home. The Wood-Pawcatuck River System which feeds into the Atlantic at the border of Connecticut and Rhode Island is one of the most pristine rivers for paddling in New England. Most of the rivers are largely free of development and limited to an occasional canoe or kayak. What you will find this time of year are turtles sunbathing on fallen trees, egrets, blue herons, king fishers and yellow, pink and white water lilies.

Black Currants

This weekend we harvested our biggest crop of black currants so far. This is the third season for black currants at Hangman Hill. Each year the crop is better than the last. If you haven't tried black currants they are fantastic and you can read more about them at http://www.maplelane.com/pages/TheDay.html. Maple Lane Farm, the largest black currant grower in the U.S., is just down the road in Preston, CT. It wasn't always legal to grow black currants in the U.S, but fortunately the U.S. Department of Agriculture came to their senses. These little berries are chock full of antioxidants and flavor. They are amazing in pies and tarts, as juice and preserved as jam.

Happy Canada Day

We are celebrating Canada Day today enjoying another spectacular day in Connecticut. The weather has been superb, sunny, not too hot, not to humid, although a little rain would be welcome. The two weeks of abundant sunshine means our fruit and veggies are looking good. It is really nice to cruise quickly through the produce section at the grocers knowing we have lettuce, greens, peas, potatoes, raspberries, black currants, gooseberries and lots of fresh herbs at home. Bruno is on the final stages of the deck renovation and we have had our first cocktail on the new deck.