Hiking & Sports

Photos
First is a stand of birch trees. The second is a mere stone. A mere stone is used to mark boundaries. This one marks the boundary of once privately-owned land from state-owned. Today it is all one. See Sunday's hike.

Great weekend
On Saturday Kathy, Jess and I went out for breakfast and to pull names for Christmas. I don’t remember how many years ago we started pulling names. When there are 10 adults and increasing numbers of little kids every year, Christmas can get outrageously expensive. Ergo, pulling names. I think Jess and her Uncle Andy have had the most fun with this—giving each other gag gifts several years in a row.

Sunday was a perfect day for a hike and that’s what we did. My friend Jon and I joined a group of about 25-30 people to hike a new land acquisition in Glastonbury. Two tracts of land (32 acre Brielo and 78 acre Terwilliger properties) have been acquired for protection by the Dept. of Environmental Protection as additions to the Mashomasic State Forest. It was a great 2 mile hike. There was one very challenging hill, but the rest was fairly easy. Because of the leaves on the trail and loose rocks under the leaves, walking was an adventure. It sure was a good workout.

And of course if there is animal poo anywhere near the trail I’m the one who is going to step in it. Yep. I did. On the way back to Jon’s house I could smell something and told him one of us stepped in something. It turned out to be me. Tomorrow I’ll take the stiff brush to my hikers—again!

We got a lot of ideas of where we’d like to do more hiking. As long as the weather is cool/cold we don’t have to worry about the abundance of rattlesnakes up in those rocky ridges, ledges and outcrops. Once the weather is warmer I will be hiking elsewhere!

Eagles vs. Patriots
Did the Eagles give the Pats shivering fits last night or what? I stayed up until the Pats scored in the 4th Q to put them ahead 31-28. I had to go to bed. First thing this morning I was looking for the final score. What a relief to find I hadn’t missed anything – like an Eagle’s score. The only other team to play the Pats to a close score (24-20) was the Colts. Next up, Patriots @ Ravens. Should be an easy win for the Pats, but these are games they can’t take the opponent for granted.

Basketball
The Lady Huskies won the tournament championship (Paradise Jam) in the Virgin Islands by soundly beating Duke 74-48. It is amazing how Maya Moore changes a game when she comes in off the bench. No wonder Pat Summit was mad and doesn't want to play UConn any more. The ladies are a lot of fun to watch - as usual.