Spring in Suffield

[urbpan]

Last weekend I went to visit my Dad in Suffield Connecticut. These lovely violets were growing below a downspout.




The Connecticut River Valley is one of the few places in New England where you can grow tobacco. These long barns are used to store and dry out the harvested plants. This one seems to have had its roof finished by someone using up a bunch of spare shingles.


The Connecticut River itself is mighty. ("Connecticut" is a mangling of the native words meaning "big river.")


The park begins in Suffield, and ends up in Windsor Locks. The town Windsor Locks is named for the "locks" in the canal, which I should understand better, but have to do with moving boats up and down the canal.



This is where the canal begins. Lots of people enjoying the area that day!


Charlie went down to swim in the canal.


Charlie left muddy trails in the clear water where he was swimming--although he may have been treading as much as swimming.


My dad claims that some of his students have crossed the bridge by walking on the structures underneath. The bridge goes from Suffield over to Enfield, the town where my dad has taught high school for 2/3 of his life.


Just walking up to take this picture was adventure enough for me.


Some folks have a strong need to make their mark.

Comments

[elainetyger.livejournal.com]

I like the mud trails!

[callipygian80.livejournal.com]

Great shots! I only ever get to see those barns from the sky.

Curiously, even though I'm a lifelong resident of CT, I never knew about the tobacco farming until I moved to the Hartford area as an adult. And even then, it's only because I see them at the airport. I must be too young, plus I'm a southeastern CT denizen.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

It's funny how different the various parts of Connecticut are, even though it's such a small state. I've been to the old saybrook area a bunch, to new london once, and passed through bridgeport on my way to nyc. Never been to the southeast part.

There are still active tobacco barns in Suffield and Agawam, but you have to drive around more to find them these days.

[bosoxmom.livejournal.com]

I like your pictures..especially the violet one. They are one of my favorites. I never knew about tobacco growing up North. I always thought of it as a Southern product...that it wouldn't grow in the NE...That barn is pretty neat too...now I gotta look and see if there was any tobacco growing out here...new barns to look for!!