America’s Stonehenge in Salem, New Hampshire

On Saturday, September 12^th, Mary and I went to Salem, NH to visit America’s Stonehenge. Originally known as Mystery Hill, it is thought to be around 4,000 years old based on carbon dating of tree roots and charcoal found on the site.

As Mary and I walked around I took pictures of several stone chambers. In my photo attempts, I was sure I also got the number tag with each site so I would know which rock cavern was which. Unfortunately, most of the numbers are not in the pictures. I will have to go back and first take a picture of the number tag, then a picture of the structure. Any excuse to go back.

America’s Stonehenge was the subject of the TV show, “America Unearthed” featuring forensic geologist, Scott Wolter. On the show it was shown that a line drawn along the latitude of the summer solstice sunrise, straight across the Atlantic, goes right through two upright stones at England’s Stonehenge. That’s a thought worth pondering.

Each of the photos that follows can be enlarged by clicking on it.

This sign greets you as you turn onto the road leading to the parking lot.

The pathway to the site shows what the entire site is like under foot. One should be mindful of each step.

On a Feb. 1 to Nov. 1 alignment. Named Watch House because of it’s location outside the main site. Of course it could have been used for storage or shelter.

Just check out that stone slab overhead. If I remember correctly, this was one place that had a chain across the entrance. Might have had something to do with the overhead slab of stone.

This is the outside of one chamber, and

this is the inside of the same chamber. Check out the arch near the floor. What might it have been used for?

This sign gives info on the history of the site when owned by Jonathan Pattee.

There were a couple of chambers with a chain across the front. You didn’t have to tell us twice.

These roots make an interesting pattern…and to think they are growing into the bedrock.

A look deep inside one of the larger chambers. The stonework is incredible. Note the large ceiling-to-floor stone in the rear…looks to me like a tadpole.

A sign like this is an invitation to me. It’s like “Don’t touch. Wet Paint.” However, and Mary will attest to this, I followed the rules...this time.

An interesting path to a chamber you can see just beyond the walls. Check out the standing stone with another flat stone in front of it. Doesn’t it look like a seat (like a throne?). At the top left you can see part of the astrological alignment pavilion.

This passage way leads into the area of the sacrificial table.

This passage leads to (is part of) the oracle chamber. From here the shaman could view the gathering of the tribe around the sacrificial table. He/She could speak to the gathering through the “speaking tube.” It would be as if the gods were speaking to them. Of course the shaman would get down there without anyone seeing him/her. The camera flash lights up the passage, however I was walking without the benefit of any light. I was lucky to have barely noticed the large rock on the floor that I had to step up onto. The ledge on the left wall is like a bed, large enough for a person to crawl onto and be completely hidden. The activities outside could be observed through a small opening.

As one enters the passage to the oracle chamber, there is a passage to the right. It leads one out of the chamber without being seen. Mary was quite concerned about my going into the oracle chamber and when I came out I could hear her calling me. I, of course, answered.

The interesting thing about the entire system of chambers is how Mary and I reacted to them. One stopped both of us as we encountered a “wall” of energy that neither one of us wanted to go beyond.

There were several chambers that Mary wanted nothing to do with, yet I was completely comfortable around them. The biggest surprise for me was the oracle chamber. The very construction and lack of light should have kicked my claustrophobia into high gear. However, I was very comfortable down there.

This one gave me the willies. This was as close as I was getting.

This is the sacrificial table. You can see where the current owners of the site have outlined in red a groove that goes all around the outer edge of the stone. The groove looks like it was meant to drain blood. I personally do not think it was human sacrifice. I feel it was animal sacrifice only.

This is another view of the sacrificial table. Notice the standing stones at both ends of this area. The standing stone facing the camera has a face on it. Do you see it? The face is that of a bearded man wearing some sort of hat. His left eye is brighter than his right eye.

The astrological directions pavilion shows the directions of solstices, equinoxes and other dates of ancient holiday rituals and ceremonies.

This clay sculpture (fertility goddess?) is of modern construction by a local group for the purpose of celebrating ancient holidays. To the left you can see her head, and to the right, her breasts. Next is the ‘fire pit’ in her mid section. Her arms come around her body with her hands meet at the root chakra. Her legs are open with her feet coming together in the middle, indicating (my interpretation) the birthing process.

A great day spent at America's Stonehenge. I will be back.

Gluten Free? Say It Isn’t So!

Back in March, my naturopath strongly suggested I adopt a gluten free diet to see if my thyroid function would improve. I researched the subject and found that in some cases gluten can affect the thyroid gland. Hmmm.

I agreed to go 95% GF because there was no way I was going to eat GF pasta! If I eat out or if I’m at a friend’s house and they are serving regular, delicious food…I was going to eat it. Especially if it's garlic breadsticks or carrot cake!

I got the results of my blood test back in August (done on 8/15…so that’s 5 months GF). Damn! My thyroid function has improved to the point where the dosage of medication I’m taking is too much. Damn! It wasn’t supposed to be this way (according to me). Damn.

Going GF caused me to lose a few pounds. So the question is: did my thyroid function improve because of the weight loss because of the lack of gluten in my diet or was it the gluten itself that was affecting my thyroid? The answer is: it was the gluten itself. Damn!

So. Now what?

I have found a GF pasta that does taste good, and that means I can go back to regular bread. I have missed my potato bread so much. Hopefully I won’t have to make any more dietary adjustments. My regular doctor is adjusting my thyroid medication and my naturopath thanked me for the update.

All snacks and pasta now are gluten free. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. As long as I can have my potato bread…I might have three slices in the course of a week.

The dust has settled on this upsetting chapter in my life. 

Next?

Let’s Talk About Winter

After the winter of 14/15 that we went through, you might react to the subject in one of two ways: 1) delight in what cold felt like since Connecticut is at the end of its second heat wave of this summer, with high humidity ; or 2) you remember what cold felt like and you went running and screaming in a southerly direction. Either way, the signs of our upcoming winter are beginning to show themselves.

I can’t help but notice that the trees are starting to change color. It’s very subtle on most trees, but there are a few that are in almost full autumn array.

In conjunction with color change, the leaves are beginning to shrink. When I look out at the woods behind my condo, I’m beginning to see daylight in places that were once a solid wall of leaves.

Another sign of winter, and this looks like it could be a bad one (the winter that is, not the sign), there is a bumper crop of choke cherries this year on the trees around the complex.

Would you believe the birds are beginning to assemble outside my patio door? First it was the mourning doves and today a bunch of sparrows. They are rummaging around where the seeds get thrown on the ground all winter. Pretty soon I start feeling like I’m in the middle of an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

Last week the Old Farmer’s Almanac showed up on my Facebook page twice. Like I didn’t notice the first time that it’s predicting a worse winter than last year. Then, again on Facebook, I get a multi-colored map showing well above average snowfall for the mid-Atlantic coast right up through coastal New England. The rest of you folks are gonna git it too, so don’t go being so smug!

Here’s an observation of interest: no acorns and no squirrels. I’ve read somewhere that the acorns go on a cycle that has nothing to do with squirrels and vice-versa. However, when there are fewer squirrels born in the spring, I sorta kinda get the feeling that there is going to be an acorn shortage…and there usually is.

Some of you take off for Florida or some other winter-warm place. I do miss you when you’re gone, and always so happy to see you when you return with that obscene tan.

No matter how you choose to face the coming winter, there is no way to stop it. I have such deep New England roots that I don’t mind winter. I’m blessed with a nice warm home with enough food to get me through the storms, and a crew of shovel-toting guys who do the heavy lifting.

Perhaps the biggest reason why I don’t mind winters…I marvel (maybe delight even) at the power of Nature. How awesome these storms can be and what it takes for us to deal with the results of that fury. As long as I have friends with generators, I’m all set!

Enjoy!

Beginning the Harvest of the Fruits of My Labor

It’s still early August, but the bee balm has pretty much run its course. The front garden still has enough to attract the hummers, but the back garden was totally done.

I went out this morning to see what had to be done and make plans to do whatever tomorrow. Well. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was harvesting the bee balm. Actually I feel I saved the white phlox that was getting choked out!

This is with the bee balm cut out

I’m glad all I was planning to do was look and plan for tomorrow! Heaven only knows what I would have done if I went out there with a plan for today! 

Then I decided it was time to harvest the safflower plants. Most of them had already flowered and the energy was going into the seed pods at the base of the flower. I have absolutely no idea of what I’m doing, but I never let that stop me. I pulled the safflower plants out (they actually pull quite easily) and cut off the seed pods into a small wicker basket. I have no idea what I’m going to do with them now, but I’ll keep them dry (maybe out in the sun) and if they burst open, the birds will have an unexpected feast! It has been a wonderful experiment, but I’ll not grow safflowers again. Next year, when they start coming up (and they will) they will be treated as a weed. And you know what we do with weeds.

Much prettier with the safflower gone

With the safflower gone, the ornamental peppers have a better chance at getting more sun, air and rain. They have not started turning colors yet like the ones in the front garden. It could be the ones in the back don’t get as much sun. Something to think about for next year. Maybe put them in a different spot.

Speaking of next year…all three of my gardens are getting a make-over. The bee balm in the front is getting dug up and given away. That will make more room for a new configuration for the white and pink phlox in front. I’ll probably still have ornamental peppers, but beyond that my gardening mind is a clean slate.

The back gardens will see the bee balm moved as well as the white phlox getting a new configuration. I need something blue back there and may try foxglove. The delphinium this year was a disappointment. It’s finished blooming 2-3 weeks ago. I need something that’s going to last longer than that.

The sedum needs a huge cutting back! That will be separated into 4 plants next year. I’ll keep one and give the rest away. It will also find a new spot in the garden. I’ll see how the bleeding heart does next year. This year it started out weak, but right now it’s starting to look pretty good. I’ll wait on that. The rest is a big question mark. I’m trying for ‘less is more.’ However, I tend to get carried away. What I need is a lot more space and a gardener.

As you can see in the following picture, my front garden needs to have much less next year. The morning glories will absolutely not be allowed to grow. I planted seeds one year and I’ll have morning glory plants for years to come. You just can’t yank them out completely. Another plant to be treated as a weed! 

Still going strong

 So there you have it. Harvest time has arrived. It won’t be long before the bee balm in the front gets cut back. Then, little by little, month by month, the rest get cut back or pulled out.

I’m dreaming of next year already and I’m seeing spectacular! 

My Adventure With Electronics

Everything needed upgrading. I couldn't properly see Google Maps unless I upgraded my browser, Safari. I couldn't upgrade Safari unless I upgraded my operating system. Why? Because I'm working on a 2005 model MacBook using a 2004 version of Microsoft Office, that's why.

I think it's time for a new Mac! I have been saving up just for this occasion. I knew exactly what I wanted...a new MacBook "something" with a disc drive.

I think I got to the Apple Store just in the nick of time. The only model they had with a disc drive was a 2012 MacBook Pro. They don't make Macs anymore with a disc drive. SOLD!

I also bought the One-On-One, which entitles me to a year of one on one help...by appointment. I had planned on taking just the free classes, AND they told me more than one person  could use the same plan, so I sold my plan to a friend and I would use that if I ever needed personal instruction. 

Now for the nitty gritty. I needed to have the data from the old, transferred to the new. No problem they assured me. And, they would install the new version of Word for me...no problem. And this is where the problems began.

I was told I needed an appointment to bring my computers in. I made an appointment. I brought both computers in for transfer (and was told I didn't need an appointment) only to be told my current OS was one level too old to do that, and I would need to upgrade the old computer to the next level OS. OK. So, I called Apple, told them what I need and they send it out to me.

I take my disc in, along with my two computers, hand them the disc only to be told they NEVER download ANY software. Not only that...without the One-On-One plan, the transfer can't be done...it's part of the plan. I was told I could not use the one I sold to a friend, so I had to buy one for my self. 

Are you still with me?

I should explain that I get sweaty palms and hyperventilate if I have to download software. I sat there for over an hour downloading the new OS, Snow Leopard, while they watched over me. By this time I was suspicious of everything they told me, because up to now, everything I've been told has not been correct. Finally, everything was ready for the transfer of data. I said good bye to my two computers and went home to my iPad.

Two days later I get the call my transfer is complete and I can pick up my computers. So happy to have them home. But...the problems aren't over yet.

The OS upgrade to the old computer does not support my old version of Word, and, since I don't have Word on the new computer yet, I HAVE NO WORD PROCESSING PROGRAM. I'm in the middle of a small project and the people involved need to be able to share the document...I need to work in Word. 

Hahahahahahahahaha! 

I have an appointment on the 21st to install Word. I will do it and they will stand by for support. In the meantime. I will go to a friend's house and use her computer, printer and email for the project.

I'm creating this in Notes on my iPad and will upload it to my on-line journal using my old computer. 

Bwaaahhaaaaahhahahaha!

My Gardens Are Exploding!

Just about three weeks ago I posted the progress of my gardens. You can scroll down to see those pictures, and also, compare what I'm posting today as compared to three weeks ago.

My front garden. The poor winter damaged azalea in the back still looks pretty pathetic. The 2 ornamental peppers have a lot of growing to do. When they are full grown, they will take up most of that space. I haven't weeded here yet today, but I will as soon as the sun goes around to the back.

The rest of the front garden. The phlox is ginormous and the bee balm is out-doing itself. The petunias in the middle are gallantly pushing themselves front and center. The ornamental peppers are doing great.

Now, for the back gardens. To the left of middle you see my neighbor's mass of corruption sort of bent to the left. I went in there and cut back all his mint that was invading my garden...that doesn't count the mint that traveled under the barrier into my side.

Another garden area just exploding. The bee balm has taken over. I can barely find the white phlox in there. The blue delphinium towers over everything. All my gardens will get a redesign next year.

The sedum has gone wild. The wild safflower (or what I think is safflower) has started taking over. I had to take out one pepper plant because it had no place to grow. My neighbor liked what I had done with the stones and the fencing, so they continued the stones on their part and put up matching fence sections. The back area looks so good!

This is probably a weed. It looks like it could be in the lily family, though. Don't know. I have two of them that I will let grow to see what they are.