Congratulations Tim Wakefield on win 200! It was a long time coming, but great to watch!
Koala Kitchen
http://www.koalakitchen.com/
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
22,000 for Jeff Gordon
Congratulations Jeff Gordon on leading your 22,000th lap!
Koala Kitchen
http://www.koalakitchen.com/
Koala Kitchen
http://www.koalakitchen.com/
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Good Luck Happy Feet the Penguin
Hopefully everything works out well for Happy Feet.
See story at msnbc.com
Koala Kitchen
http://www.koalakitchen.com/
See story at msnbc.com
Koala Kitchen
http://www.koalakitchen.com/
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Big Papi!
David Ortiz's 1000th RBI with the Red Sox!! On a Grand Slam!!
Koala Kitchen
http://www.koalakitchen.com/
Koala Kitchen
http://www.koalakitchen.com/
New Haven Road Meet
On Saturday, we went to the New Haven, Connecticut Road Meet. We started out with lunch at the Southport Brewing Company in Hamden before breaking into groups for the tour. We owe a big thanks to Anthony Costanzo for the maps and directions or we would have been lost the moment we left the parking lot.
[Where is this?]
Old Connecticut Route 17 Marker
[Where is this?]
This is supposed to be a stub for the unbuilt East Rock Connector, but it just looked like part of the parking lot to me.
[Where is this?]
The monument in East Rock Park. We wanted to go there back in March, but the park was still closed for the season.
[Where is this?]
Panoramic photo of the new Interstate 95 bridge being built over New Haven Harbor. This view is from Quinnipiac Park on James Street.
[Where is this?]
A wind turbine near Quinnipiac Park.
[Where is this?]
Our next stop was in Trumbull, more or less west of New Haven. We visited a Junction CT-25 sign that had definitely seen better days.
[Where is this?]
The road meet's final stop was in Stevenson where we saw the Stevenson Hydroelectric Dam. It was built on the Housatonic River in 1919. It created Lake Zoar which is the fifth largest freshwater body in Connecticut.
[Where is this?]
On the way back to the restaurant, we took the Wilbur Cross Parkway (CT-15). Just before our exit, we passed through Heroes' Tunnel (formerly West Rock Tunnel). It's the only vehicular tunnel to pass beneath a land feature in all of New England.
After saying our goodbyes, my son and I set out to complete our collection of Declaration of Independence signers in Connecticut (Collect All Four!).
[Find Kelly]
Kelly sitting on the historic marker for The Old Burying Ground in Norwich. The text reads:
[Find Kelly]
The memorial to Lafayette's twenty soldiers who died in Norwich in 1778.
[Find Kelly]
Kelly is sitting with Hannah Arnold's gravestone. The nearby plaque reads:
[Find Kelly]
The burial crypt of Samuel Huntington, a man with an impressive résumé. In addition to signing the Declaration of Independence as a delegate from Connecticut, he signed the Articles of Confederation, was the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled, and later the 3rd Governor of Connecticut.
William Williams replaced Oliver Wolcott in the Second Continental Congress. As such, he did not vote on the Declaration of Independence, but did sign it. Williams was also a pastor and merchant in his home town of Lebanon, and is buried in the Old Cemetery there.
[Find Kelly]
The Trumbull or Old Cemetery in Lebanon
[Find Kelly]
Kelly at the grave of William Williams
We love Sonic Drive-in and had planned on having dinner at the new one in Manchester, but when we got there it was packed. While this is great for Sonic, it didn't work out so well for us, so we went up Buckland Street to the Johnny Rockets at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor. We had a great dinner and are looking forward to the next road meet.
Koala Kitchen
http://www.koalakitchen.com/
New Haven
[Where is this?]
Old Connecticut Route 17 Marker
[Where is this?]
This is supposed to be a stub for the unbuilt East Rock Connector, but it just looked like part of the parking lot to me.
[Where is this?]
The monument in East Rock Park. We wanted to go there back in March, but the park was still closed for the season.
[Where is this?]
Panoramic photo of the new Interstate 95 bridge being built over New Haven Harbor. This view is from Quinnipiac Park on James Street.
[Where is this?]
A wind turbine near Quinnipiac Park.
Trumbull
[Where is this?]
Our next stop was in Trumbull, more or less west of New Haven. We visited a Junction CT-25 sign that had definitely seen better days.
Stevenson
[Where is this?]
The road meet's final stop was in Stevenson where we saw the Stevenson Hydroelectric Dam. It was built on the Housatonic River in 1919. It created Lake Zoar which is the fifth largest freshwater body in Connecticut.
New Haven (again)
[Where is this?]
On the way back to the restaurant, we took the Wilbur Cross Parkway (CT-15). Just before our exit, we passed through Heroes' Tunnel (formerly West Rock Tunnel). It's the only vehicular tunnel to pass beneath a land feature in all of New England.
Norwich
After saying our goodbyes, my son and I set out to complete our collection of Declaration of Independence signers in Connecticut (Collect All Four!).
[Find Kelly]
Kelly sitting on the historic marker for The Old Burying Ground in Norwich. The text reads:
The Old Burying Ground
The cemetery dates from 1715. One of the first to be interred here was 21 year old Simon Huntington, who died from a rattlesnake bite, probably while haying.
Today, only 1,300 tombstones remain visible. It is thought that perhaps thousands may have been buried here. The headstones bear the names of many Norwich founding families. Among them are 69 individuals who fought in the struggle for independence. Together with these, are buried French soldiers, our allies during the Revolution, and the mother of Benedict Arnold, Hannah Waterman Arnold. Other early settlers of Norwich are buried in an older nearby cemetery, but those grave markers too have long since disappeared.
Nestled into the hillside is the red brick tomb and resting place of Samuel Huntington. He was elected President of the Second Continental Congress from 1779 and served until July of 1781. This was the Congress which framed the Declaration of Independence, to which he was a signatory for Connecticut. He was also Chief Justice of the state and its governor until his death.
Marker donated by Major J.D. Robertson Family.
[Find Kelly]
The memorial to Lafayette's twenty soldiers who died in Norwich in 1778.
[Find Kelly]
Kelly is sitting with Hannah Arnold's gravestone. The nearby plaque reads:
Once upon a time in Norwich...
an 18 year old Benedict Arnold stood on this spot and watched as they lowered his long-suffering mother into her grave. Benedict himself was an apprentice, bound by indentured servitude to his mother's cousins, the Lathrop Brothers. His father was suffering from alcohol-induced dementia, believed caused by his sadness over losing four children: Absalom, Elizabeth, Mary, and an earlier son named Benedict, who died an infant in 1739. The children are all buried here.
Hannah Arnold died on August 15, 1759; her husband some years later. Young Benedict moved to New Haven with his sister, Hannah, and became extremely successful. He married Margaret Mansfield who died June 19, 1775. In New Haven, Arnodl founded and commanded the 2nd Connecticut Foot Guard. During the American Revolution, he was a hero and became George Washington's finest field general, winning many victories. Benedict Arnold built and commanded America's first naval fleet of 16 vessels. The crew included 30 Marines that engaged the British in America's first naval battle at Valcour Island on Lake Champlain, October 11, 1776.
After the Battle of Saratoga, October 7, 1777, British General John Burgoyne said of Arnold, "It was his victory." Then a major general, Arnold was severely wounded and crippled for life. Assigned to Philadelphia, he married Margaret Shippen from a neutralist-loyalist family. She was later awared a lifetime pension by King George III for "Her service to the Crown in the Colonies." General Arnold, after the marriage, betrayed his young country and retured his loyalty to the Crown and planned to surrender West Point, which he later commanded, and General Washington to the British. To this day, he is America's most infamous traitor.
As British brigadier, he was ordered by Commanding General Henry Clinton to rout the privteers from the Port of New London. On September 6, 1781, troops under the command of Benedict Arnold burned the City of New London. Other British troops, under the command of Lt. Colonel Edmund Eyre, attacked Fort Griswold in Groton where many lives were lost in what was described as a massacre.
Local citizens, outraged at the treasonous act, descended as a mob on this cemetery and removed the gravestones of the father, Benedict, and the infant son, Benedict.
The only epitaph that remains is to Hannah King Arnold:
IN MEMORY of Hannah he well beloved Wife of Capt. Benedict Arnold & Daughter of Mr. John & Elizabeth Waterman, (She was a Pattern of Piety Patience and Virtue) who died August 15, 1759 AEtatis Suae 52"
This plaque sponsored by Bill & Peg Stanley
[Find Kelly]
The burial crypt of Samuel Huntington, a man with an impressive résumé. In addition to signing the Declaration of Independence as a delegate from Connecticut, he signed the Articles of Confederation, was the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled, and later the 3rd Governor of Connecticut.
Lebanon
William Williams replaced Oliver Wolcott in the Second Continental Congress. As such, he did not vote on the Declaration of Independence, but did sign it. Williams was also a pastor and merchant in his home town of Lebanon, and is buried in the Old Cemetery there.
[Find Kelly]
The Trumbull or Old Cemetery in Lebanon
[Find Kelly]
Kelly at the grave of William Williams
Manchester/South Windsor
We love Sonic Drive-in and had planned on having dinner at the new one in Manchester, but when we got there it was packed. While this is great for Sonic, it didn't work out so well for us, so we went up Buckland Street to the Johnny Rockets at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor. We had a great dinner and are looking forward to the next road meet.
Koala Kitchen
http://www.koalakitchen.com/
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Happy Birthday USA!
That's right, July 2nd is the real birthday of the United States of America. On this day in 1776, the Second Continental Congress passed the Lee Resolution. Presented by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia it read:
Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances.
That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.
Two days later, the Congress merely approved the Declaration of Independence, telling Great Britian what it could do.
No less than John Adams, delegate from Massachusetts and later the second President, believed in July 2. John's letter to his wife Abigail on the 3rd in part said:
But the day is past. The second day of July, 1776, will be memorable epocha in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations, as the great Anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp, shews, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward forever.
We merely celebrate on the 4th because that is the date on the top of the Declaration, but always remember that the brave men of the Congress proclaimed us free from Great Britain on the 2nd.
Koala Kitchen
http://www.koalakitchen.com/
Monday, June 6, 2011
Hudson River Valley road trip
This weekend we went on a road trip to meet up with the folks from the roadsidefans group to see diners in the Hudson River Valley.
We started with a return visit to Golden Harvest Farms to get cold apple cider and apple cider donuts. We just cannot recommend these enough.
[Where is this?]
Approaching the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge for our first crossing of the Hudson River. We planned on 2 crossings, but ended up doing it 4 times.
[Where is this?]
The Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge
Our first stop was going to be Kingston, New York, but I missed the exit and ended up down near Highland before we could exit the New York Thruway. We decided to cross the river on the Mid-Hudson Bridge into Poughkeepsie and head up to Hyde Park. If you ever need to use the Mid-Hudson Bridge to go east into Poughkeepsie and then get on US-9, beware, it is a left entrance onto US-9. Now, I'm not violent by nature, but if I ever meet the guy that designed this, he's gettin' an ass whoopin'.
[Where is this?]
Mid-Hudson Bridge Toll Booths
[Where is this?]
Mid-Hudson Bridge
We apparently missed a sign and momentarily headed south on US-9. After turning around we headed up through Hyde Park and arrived at the FDR National Historic Site. We've done the house tour before and recommend it, but today was just a quick visit for photos.
[Find Kelly]
Kelly outside the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center. Of FDR's three vice presidents (John Garner, Henry Wallace, and Harry Truman), I wonder why they named the visitor center after Wallace?
[Where is this?]
The rose garden where Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt are buried.
[Find Kelly]
Kelly at the grave of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. Besides being the 32nd President, Roosevelt was also Assistant Secretary of the Navy and Governor of New York.
We then continued north into Rhinebeck for our next stop. If Rhinebeck sounds familiar, it is because Chelsea Clinton was married there on 31 July 2010.
[Find Kelly]
Kelly at the grave of Vice President Levi Parsons Morton in Rhinebeck Cemetery. In addition to VP, he was also Governor of New York, United States Minister to France, and a United States Representative from New York.
[Where is this?]
I saw this headstone near Morton's and just had to wonder if Thomas Holy Suckley had a tough childhood.
When we were done in Rhinebeck we probably should have headed straight to lunch, but we really wanted to visit Vice President George Clinton. We had failed on three previous tries in 2006, 2009, and 2010 because it was too late in the day. So when we finally were in the area in the daytime, the draw was irresistible. We headed back over the Hudson on the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge and dropped down into Kingston.
[Find Kelly]
Clinton is buried in the Old Dutch Chuirchyard on Main Street. He was a Brigadier General during the Revolutionary War and twice Governor of New York. Clinton was Vice President for Thomas Jefferson and James Madison; one of two men to be Vice President for 2 different Presidents (the other was John C. Calhoun). As far as anybody knows, he is not related to President Bill Clinton (who was born William Jefferson Blythe III).
[Where is this?]
After leaving Kingston, we crossed the river for our final time that day and headed to the Elizaville Diner. We arrived about 20 minutes late, but were warmly welcomed by the folks from roadsidefans. We ordered lunch and started swapping stories about all sorts of stuff.
A couple of people had to leave after lunch, but the rest of us ran a 4-car convoy over to Millerton to see the Oakhurst Diner and Gilded Moon Framing shop.
[Where is this?]
The Oakhurst Diner. I just love that stainless steel.
The Gilded Moon is located in a converted 1903 bank building. We met one of the artists (I'm sorry I don't remember his name) and he gave us a tour of the building and showed us some of his work.
[Where is this?]
A view of Main Street from the Gilded Moon.
[Where is this?]
The vault door from when the building was a bank.
[Where is this?]
Most of the group was very tired at this point and headed home, so instead of backtracking to the Red Hook area, we took US-44 to Canaan to see the outside of Collin's Diner.
We continued east on US-44 and as we drove through New Hartford, what did I see? Could it be..... SATAN?!? (with apologies to The Church Lady). I like Connecticut, but they have some weird stuff there. Well, maybe I like it because of the weird stuff.
On the way back north through Granby we stopped for dinner at the Rancho Viejo (formerly Guadalajara Grill) restaurant. I don't know how authentic the food is, but it sure is good! We shared nachos (which was very large) then I had the Enchilada Combo while my son had the Pollo Fundido platter.
Just over 300 miles after we started, we were back home. Very tired, but we had a great day.
Koala Kitchen
http://www.koalakitchen.com/
We started with a return visit to Golden Harvest Farms to get cold apple cider and apple cider donuts. We just cannot recommend these enough.
Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge
[Where is this?]
Approaching the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge for our first crossing of the Hudson River. We planned on 2 crossings, but ended up doing it 4 times.
[Where is this?]
The Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge
Mid-Hudson Bridge
Our first stop was going to be Kingston, New York, but I missed the exit and ended up down near Highland before we could exit the New York Thruway. We decided to cross the river on the Mid-Hudson Bridge into Poughkeepsie and head up to Hyde Park. If you ever need to use the Mid-Hudson Bridge to go east into Poughkeepsie and then get on US-9, beware, it is a left entrance onto US-9. Now, I'm not violent by nature, but if I ever meet the guy that designed this, he's gettin' an ass whoopin'.
[Where is this?]
Mid-Hudson Bridge Toll Booths
[Where is this?]
Mid-Hudson Bridge
FDR National Historic Site in Hyde Park
We apparently missed a sign and momentarily headed south on US-9. After turning around we headed up through Hyde Park and arrived at the FDR National Historic Site. We've done the house tour before and recommend it, but today was just a quick visit for photos.
[Find Kelly]
Kelly outside the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center. Of FDR's three vice presidents (John Garner, Henry Wallace, and Harry Truman), I wonder why they named the visitor center after Wallace?
[Where is this?]
The rose garden where Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt are buried.
[Find Kelly]
Kelly at the grave of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. Besides being the 32nd President, Roosevelt was also Assistant Secretary of the Navy and Governor of New York.
Vice President Levi P. Morton in Rhinebeck
We then continued north into Rhinebeck for our next stop. If Rhinebeck sounds familiar, it is because Chelsea Clinton was married there on 31 July 2010.
[Find Kelly]
Kelly at the grave of Vice President Levi Parsons Morton in Rhinebeck Cemetery. In addition to VP, he was also Governor of New York, United States Minister to France, and a United States Representative from New York.
[Where is this?]
I saw this headstone near Morton's and just had to wonder if Thomas Holy Suckley had a tough childhood.
Vice President George Clinton in Kingston
When we were done in Rhinebeck we probably should have headed straight to lunch, but we really wanted to visit Vice President George Clinton. We had failed on three previous tries in 2006, 2009, and 2010 because it was too late in the day. So when we finally were in the area in the daytime, the draw was irresistible. We headed back over the Hudson on the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge and dropped down into Kingston.
[Find Kelly]
Clinton is buried in the Old Dutch Chuirchyard on Main Street. He was a Brigadier General during the Revolutionary War and twice Governor of New York. Clinton was Vice President for Thomas Jefferson and James Madison; one of two men to be Vice President for 2 different Presidents (the other was John C. Calhoun). As far as anybody knows, he is not related to President Bill Clinton (who was born William Jefferson Blythe III).
Elizaville Diner
[Where is this?]
After leaving Kingston, we crossed the river for our final time that day and headed to the Elizaville Diner. We arrived about 20 minutes late, but were warmly welcomed by the folks from roadsidefans. We ordered lunch and started swapping stories about all sorts of stuff.
Millerton, New York
A couple of people had to leave after lunch, but the rest of us ran a 4-car convoy over to Millerton to see the Oakhurst Diner and Gilded Moon Framing shop.
[Where is this?]
The Oakhurst Diner. I just love that stainless steel.
The Gilded Moon is located in a converted 1903 bank building. We met one of the artists (I'm sorry I don't remember his name) and he gave us a tour of the building and showed us some of his work.
[Where is this?]
A view of Main Street from the Gilded Moon.
[Where is this?]
The vault door from when the building was a bank.
Collin's Diner
[Where is this?]
Most of the group was very tired at this point and headed home, so instead of backtracking to the Red Hook area, we took US-44 to Canaan to see the outside of Collin's Diner.
We continued east on US-44 and as we drove through New Hartford, what did I see? Could it be..... SATAN?!? (with apologies to The Church Lady). I like Connecticut, but they have some weird stuff there. Well, maybe I like it because of the weird stuff.
On the way back north through Granby we stopped for dinner at the Rancho Viejo (formerly Guadalajara Grill) restaurant. I don't know how authentic the food is, but it sure is good! We shared nachos (which was very large) then I had the Enchilada Combo while my son had the Pollo Fundido platter.
Just over 300 miles after we started, we were back home. Very tired, but we had a great day.
Koala Kitchen
http://www.koalakitchen.com/
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