Sunday, May 31, 2009

Camp Aunt Patty is Open!!!

It’s going to be a great summer with lots of activities and you are invited to join in! This is far from a completed list, yet it can give you the idea that there is NO EXCUSE for a poor summer vacation.

Grand Opening of the new Connecticut Science Center will be opening next month! This has been a long awaited event, with hands-on, minds-on interactive experiences.

The two aquariums – Mystic & Norwalk have so much to see – there’s the northern fur seal and steller sea lions,Polly one of the harbor seals, 3D films, FROGS, and lots and lots to see – there may even been penquins in the near future!

Of course there is time to track around the two different parks , the Dinosaur State Park–the Dinosaur Place hmmm those large creatures walked the grounds all around Connecticut.

How about a ferry ride on the oldest ferry in the country? What about the 2nd oldest ferry? Take a ride on the oldest carousel? A visit to Gillette’s Castle. If you would like to try letterboxing , like an outdoor scavenger hunt, – I’m up to it!

We can go to the UConn animal barns – see the beef cows, sheep and horses – and if we plan it right, see the dairy calves. Of course after such a trip, we will have to try the ice cream that is made fresh from those very same cows.

Have you ever road the Trolleys here? Probably not, yet all is not lost as we can get at ride: Start at the Tolley Museum at the Shore Line Trolley Museum in East Haven or what about the Steam Train ? Did you ever take a river boat cruise on the CT River?

Into Poetry – then the sunken garden poetry festival at the Hill-Stead in Farmington is world class – a wonderful night under the stars.

We can visit the homes of Harriet Beacher Stowe and Noah Webster, and a host of incredible notables that made Connecticut their home.

The history tour could take us to the Old State House, Sturbridge Village, the State Capital,
then of course some battle grounds that date back to the 1600's.

Then there are festivals upon festivals, blue grass, jazz, oysters, antique auto's, planes, and the plain old days of just being in New England. There are plays - notably Shakespear in the park, and lots of concerts! There are places to see and go that I haven't thought of yet. Got some ideas.... pass them along.

So Make your Reservation request now! Tick Toc Tick Toc! It's the summer 2009 - Lets make it a summer to remember. Check back for more ideas and of my own haunts around the State!

Friday, May 29, 2009

Virtues

This is the time of year that I get caught up on the never ending reading list and become inspired. I've been listening to one book that had a chapter on our favorite $100 guy, you know the one with the key and lightening, the one that helped pen the US Constitution... have you guessed who,





Yep our buddy Ben. He was truly an interesting man, brilliant, well read / written, a truly great observer of the ordinary. He was a perpetual student. He was always learning and improving himself. He developed the list below so that he could make himself better today than he was yesterday. You can try just a simple exercise ---- the morning question to you "What good shall I do this day?" and at the end of day, the evening question "What good have I done today?". Read the list below, you may find that you are doing some or all of them. May you be inspired.......................





Benjamin Franklin's Thirteen Virtues.
1. TEMPERANCE.
Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE.
Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER.
Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION.
Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY.
Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY.
Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY.
Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE.
Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION.
Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS.
Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11.TRANQUILLITY.
Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY.
Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY.
Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Memorial Day



....... grills are getting fired up, some folks have brought in the hummels, the flag, actually hundreds of flags have been put out in town, friends and families will be getting together to celebrate the first of the three day weekends of the summer season. Thanks to those employees at the State that took the first day of their furlough.

There will be small displays of fireworks throughout the area, and there will be hundreds of parades thoughout our land. Some folks will work on those "to-dos" and the hardware box stores will do a bustling business?

Do you know when Memorial Day was first observed? Try May 5th 1868! It was observed to remember the Union and Confederate soldiers buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Do you remember the paper red poppies? I do - a poignant memory of my childhood. I wore the paper poppy in the button hole of my coat.


To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."


Take a moment to remember those that have passed...... those that are serving us today.