Sister weekend

Official "Tryout for Sister Weekend" - something we have been planning to do for a long time. My sister Ellen (sister 3 of 4) came out to Litchfield on the tail of a surprise weekend, cooked up by her husband Michael. It didn't matter that it is a 7 hour drive from western NY to get here. To spend one short evening and morning before turning around to head back home. Embrace the moment, enjoy life to its fullest. No one knows what tomorrow will bring so live today like it is your last! Right Mike?
Sushi, dancing, kayaking, daffodils, great conversations. Nice!
Late Sunday morning we stopped by Kris's to borrow her two kayaks, picked up some panini from On Common Ground (plus a bottle of wine from home), and headed up to White Memorial. Launched the boats from Bissell Road bridge and headed west towards Bantam Lake. Ellen, Michael, Julek and me. I haven't kayaked during the day too much so it was interesting to see the difference in lighting and wildlife activity. Most of the wildlife you see at sunrise is sleeping or laying low now so very little action today. The water lilies are just starting to break the water surface.


We kayaked up river to Town Beach, landed, ate lunch, then returned back up the river to Bissell bridge. Our highlight of the day was a small turtle sunning himself on a log.
We did run across a pair of swans near Town Beach. I was curious if it was the same pair we always see at Little Pond.

Hot Spring Day

Went out on Wednesday (April 7th) with friends Denise Butwill and Pat Donovan - we launched from the Litchfield Town Beach about 10 am. There were quite a few people putting their kayaks in the water at that time. It was an incredibly warm day for early April. I think a temperature record was set before the end of the day - about 90 degrees! We went from the beach into the Bantam River. The beaver dam that's not too far from the mouth of the river was almost entirely under water because of all the recent rain. There have been times where we've had to get out of the kayaks and haul them over the dam - but on this day it was effortless to paddle right over. We saw lots of birds, a turtle hanging out on a log, and most interesting, a goose of some sort (maybe someone can identify once I get the picture up!) that was very content sitting in the sun on top of a beaver's lodge...and yes I looked up online what a beaver's house is called - it is a lodge!

We had a very pleasant paddle up the river, continuing under Chickadee Bridge and to the spot along Whites Woods Road where we often launch. At that point we debated turning around, but Pat said "let's at least get to Little Pond" and Kris said "the way back will be easier because we'll be going with the current." So, on up the river, under Sutton Bridge, into Little Pond - saw a great blue heron in the area of Little Pond, and the white swan that seems to always be there too. Very peaceful and hot at this point - a couple was fishing from Sutton Bridge and a few people were walking around the boardwalk. After relaxing a bit there, we started to head back, ready for our nice easy ride with the current carrying us. However - did not quite work out that way - as we began, the wind really picked up, and we had to work hard to paddle against the wind! We did have some breaks from that with certain turns in the river that got us out of the wind, but for the most part, it was quite an arm workout to paddle against the wind. The goose was still in the same spot on the lodge when we went back, and we also saw a beaver swimming around - which we thought was pretty unusual for that time of day - it was around noon, when they are usually sleeping. As we got back into the lake the wind was pretty strong and there were waves on the water to paddle against - got back to the beach around 1:00, tired but very happy with the ride and the weather, and wishing we had thought ahead to pack a picnic lunch to have at the beach - hopefully next time we'll remember to do that. Can't wait to go again!

First day out!

Sightings: beaver, geese, mallard ducks, great blue heron, cardinal, chickadee. Heard turkeys.
Sunrise: 6:30 am
Temp: 45 F
Moon: 3/4 moon, setting in the south.

We are both excited to get the kayaks out. When I leave the house at 5:40 am, the moon is still out, and I've only had a few hours sleep. I'm wondering if this was a good idea.
I meet Kris at our common meeting point - by the bridge just after Bissell Road. I'm late, Kris is on time. Normal! We put our kayaks in, both promising each other that if one of us flips our boat, we will not be declared a wuss and can go home. It's cold.

We head east, towards the sunrise. The water is really high after the flooding rains of last week which makes navigation easy for us. No weeds, dams or logs to maneuver around. Nice. We head up the Bantam River towards Little Pond, stirring up a few beaver, ducks, geese along the way. The world around us is a mix of orange, red and yellow, muted sweetly with fog coming off the water.


Under the Little Pond trail bridge, under the boardwalk bridge and into Little Pond. The sun is just coming up. One lonely photographer is on the boardwalk with his tripod, watching the changing light I'm sure.


Kris and I spot a swan and track him for maybe five minutes. His wings are posed in such a way that you can almost visualize sitting on his back like one of those swan boat rides you see in amusement parks. He is majestically white, looking mighty strong. We grant him plenty of personal space. This is our halfway point, so we turn back down the river.

Almost at our endpoint Kris spots a very small beaver working dilagently on a dam. He looks very young and is oblivious to our approach, like a young child engrossed in play. He finally notices us and quietly slips under the water, but without the trademark tail-slap of his elders.