I can't believe we're already this far into June! Where does the time go? We've had a series of grey days, some rain (not too much), but fairly dreary and I haven't felt much like getting out.
Last week I finally decided to get off my butt and do something, so off we went to Litchfield and visited Topsmead State Forest.
A DEEP property, their website describes it as, "Nestled in the Litchfield Hills, Topsmead State Forest remains a precious piece of a past era with fine craftsmanship and understated wealth evident throughout the former summer estate of Miss Edith Morton Chase."
The English Tudor-style house typical of the Cotswolds, was built in 1925 and you might feel like you are stepping back in time as you walk around and discover all the wonderful architectural details, the stone patios, and lovely gardens.
The home is made of stucco, brick, and cypress. I haven't toured the interior yet, but I understand that free guided tours are offered on weekends between June and October. You can check for the hours on the website linked at the bottom of this post.
A closer look at the window box that is visible in the previous picture (right side)
One of the gardens where you might look for butterflies and an occasional Hummingbird.
There are usually more flowers in the garden. I guess this visit might have been earlier than last year. We'll make an attempt to return there soon.
A Bobolink was in the tall grasses. There were many of them, but there was a lot of wind this day and most were staying low in the grasses. I did see a pretty male with this female, but I wasn't able to snap a pic.
An interesting place to sit on the rocks under the canopy
of the trees. It reminded me of when I was a child and we would build "forts" in the woods using bent over branches, and we'd gather underneath to play.
You can walk through the woods or through fields, or just spread a blanket on the lawn to relax and take in the beautiful view of distant hills. Bring a sandwich (no grills allowed) and enjoy a quiet picnic if you like. Please leave only footprints.
Garden flowers
You might want to take along some binoculars and do a little birding. We've seen Bobolinks, Bluebirds, Orioles, and all sorts of sparrows there. If you're lucky, you might see a few small animals, too.
This bird was walking along the edge of the field. I don't think the smaller (and possibly nesting) birds in the grasses appreciated its presence. These birds are known to be nest raiders.
After leaving Topsmead, we took the scenic route home, driving through nearby White Memorial. We spotted this turtle laying eggs
And these wild irises were growing in the grasses close to a pond. I saw some bright yellow ones, too, but they were beginning to go by, as the season moves into summer, so I didn't take a photo.
And as we were about to leave to go home, this Great Blue Heron appeared. We watched it for awhile and then we were on our way back home again. A nice day.
Some recommended links:
I discovered this interesting story about the Topsmead property in the New York Times archive. They did a wonderful write-up about it:
More about Topsmead S.F., (hours, etc.), you can visit this page:
White Memorial Conservation Center:
Other things you can do while in Litchfield, CT:
Until next time...
1 comment:
What a nice surprise to see you! Thank you. I left Facebook in March after ten years of being there and I think I'm experiencing some withdrawal symptoms, missing you and everyone. :)
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