Stonington

 Returning from Cape Cod, we stopped to visit another friend in the lovely borough of Stonington, on a peninsula jutting out from the Connecticut shoreline.  

We had lunch in a friendly local place.  We learned that the former owner is a photographer whose works provide local color on the walls.

Down a side street, an odd tower is from a decommissioned church that has become a private home.

Water Street has a delightful mix of shops and homes, all in the distinctive architecture of the area.

Hydrangea

 Yesterday I went with friends to the Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich, Massachusetts, to see its annual hydrangea show.  

They have hundreds of different hydrangeas around the land.

And day lilies.  And trees and perennials and annuals.

Beautiful place.

Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary on Wellfleet Bay

 Walked with longtime friends yesterday.

The air is poor.  Smoke from Canadian wildfires has blown down here on Cape Cod.

Fiddler crabs are everywhere.

Sandpipers were among the only birds that were visible.

Still, it was an enjoyable walk.

Why Did the Turkey Cross the Road?

 

To show the cars who's boss, of course.

Edward Steichen

 The noted fashion photographer Edward Steichen lived in nearby Redding for many years.

Steichen's house overlooks this lake.  Steichen owned 421 acres of forested land.  He eventually decided to sell off all but 38 acres.  He offered the rest to the Town of Redding for a park.  A dozen Redding residents came up with a plan to buy the land by selling off some and donating the rest to the town.

Steichen was the chief photographer for Vogue and Vanity Fair.  

These are two of his images.  In 1947 Steichen was appointed director of photography for the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan.  Steichen prepared "The Family of Man" as an exhibition.  In book form, The Family of Man sold 3 million copies.

Charles Ives House

 Back in Connecticut for a few days before heading over to Cape Cod to visit longtime friends.  I read that the longtime summer home of composer Charles Ives in Redding is for sale.  So, I had to drive past.

The Charles Ives House (ca. 1913) is the 18-acre West Redding summer retreat where the famed modernist composer lived and created his signature works, including Three Places in New England. The iconic Arts and Crafts estate was designed and built by Ives himself.  It was listed for $4 million and is under contract.

Ashland

 My car is a Tesla.  I had to go to a supercharger to fill the battery before leaving.  That took me to Ashland.

Someone has a business carving and painting large figures.

A bald eagle on a stone column stood at the entrance of the craftsman's business.

Further down the road, I thought an man was standing there.  Nope.  

It was a lovely and typical New England country road.

When I reached the center of Ashland, there was a Civil War monument.

With the car charged, it was time to head back to Connecticut.