Showing posts with label Lebanon CT.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lebanon CT.. Show all posts

Friday, November 11, 2011

Weather Vanes Series; Point to Stories Part 1

       I love weather vanes. They show you a little about the place or people that live and work below their direction. They  are steady and withstand storms and always helping show the way of the wind. They are whimsical and historical and creative and simple all in one.
                                                                       
My favorite weather vane adorns the top of Whitney Hall .at the University of Connecticut. On this day the wise owls are pointing to the College of Agriculture and the Second Congregational Church whose weather vane is equally beautiful.
                                                                   
Let this weather vane point you in the direction of some great stories, here are owl story links to go with it:
Incredible Story from Simon and Schuster books watch the video on the site:

www.wesleytheowl.com

more: www.owlpages.com/articles.php?section=Owl+Stories

No Owl Section would be complete without a spot dedicated to Jane Yolen's, Owl Moon!

                                                                     

Here is the Second Congregational Church and although you can't quite make out the weather vane I love how the steeple is lighted. The vane is  gilded  and  has been a landmark in town and on the campus of the University of Connecticut since its construction.
                                                                    


The Historic Congregational Church at Lebanon, CT sports this artistic gilded weather vane.

Some links to stories of and about church:
 First Church of Christ Mansfield Center UCC, will soon host a special storytelling event "The Gospel of Mark Alive" presented by Storyteller Rev. Bert Marshall  November 27 at 2 p.m. You can see a blog post about the event at:
www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2011/11/gospel-of-mark-alive-storyteller-rev.html

Need a laugh here are some humorous stories with a church theme I recommend the
 Story of the Two Little Boys!
www.gatewaytojesus.com/humorouschurchstories.html

Hear Jonah's Tale on You-Tube:

Another Lebanon, CT. weather vane from the top of the Town Hall of an early sulky racer. These weather vanes were pattered after the images of Blackhawk a famous Morgan Horse Stallion. 

Lore of Blackhawk:
www.morganhorse.com/about_the_morgan/photo_archive/black_hawk

www.morganmuseum.org/html/amhistory.html

This was really a form of early advertising  of his racing record and his record as a breeding stallion. Certainly putting this atop your barn in that day was a proclamation to high quality stock below!

The weathervanes of the era are  highly sought after early American Folk Art check out this sale of a Blackhawk vane at the famous Christie's in  2002, can you believe $14,100.00! See it here:

www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=3859833

This is part 1 of the Weather Vane Series, I will post more vanes which will point you to more fun and enlightening resources. Look for those posts in coming days and weeks. Subscribe or follow to be sure not to miss a single weather vanes post.

Blacksmiths and Artisans made the weather vanes of yesteryear here is a post with links to the Blacksmith trade and stories;
www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2011/08/village-smithy.html

Hope you have had fun wandering my resource collection if you liked something share it with a friend please.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Little Lebanon Llama

I was driving through the town of Lebanon CT. a place so steeped in colonial American history, but on this day it wasn't the classic colonials, the mile long green or the  huge church spire that caught my eye. My attention was grabbed by a tiny creature just over the fence from the road. I stopped the car, backed  up and pulled off along side this new little life. How lucky that day my camera bag was in the co-pilot seat. Inspired by the long lashes and inquisitive little face I got out and took a few bits of  video and created a little short movie.
  Let me introduce you to the Little Lebanon Llama.
                                                         
This sent me in search of links to Llama stories.

Amazon has the classic story Is Your Momma A Llama?
                  www.amazon.com/Llama-Stories-Growing-Scholastic-Collection/dp/B00019G4PA

Here is a Llama Lover Support Group:
                  www.experienceproject.com/groups/Want-A-Pet-Llama/74282

A Wonderful Story of Roger the Guard Llama
                  www.highlightskids.com/Science/Stories/SS0700_rogerthellama.asp

From the Andrew Lang Fairy Tale Collection - Lilac Book
                  www.online-literature.com/andrew_lang/lilac_fairy/13/

I'm always attracted to the animal stories! To the animals as well, I have been fortunate to be able to get to know a huge assortment of creatures over the years.

Here are some of my other animal centered blogs that might interest you.
 www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2010/08/maze-ing-give-donkey-and-ice-cream-cone.html

www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2010/08/what-is-lippitt-morgan-horse.html

www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2011/07/museum-squirrel.html
         

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Artisan Breads - What's The Story Here?

Second  post in the series "What's the Story here?"


Making, baking, ovens, history and more good bread! I love the story "The Smell of Bread" a Russian folk tale in the collection by Yury Kazakov (1965).

   This blog was inspired by watching bread baker Dave Emigh at Mansfield General Store on Saturday July 16, 2011. www.MANSFIELDGENERALSTORE.com  He set up his portable bakery in the parking lot and went to work using an incredible oven the Le Panyol.
                                             A crowd quickly gathered to see the oven

Making Bread and Pizza in a Wood Fired Oven
                                                                              
                              
                                                                                 
     Watch a video short with Dave Emigh, Bread Baker
                                                  



Bead Baking Resources

www.kingarthurflour.com 

www.breadexperience.com

www.artisan-baking.com
Ovens   - colonial:
   1780-81 Lebanon, CT. played host to the French army during the winter. They had arrived with General Rochambeau to aide the rebellion which resulted in the birth of our nation. But...not without bread. Encamped at Lebanon the soldiers built ovens to have the comfort of good bread.
       read more about French Bread Ovens and see an illustration at this link:
http://superiorclay.com/oven/article-breadbuilders.phpout

To read more about the French troops and see a relic of  a camp this link will take you there:
www.skyweb.net/~channy/Roch.html

 For a really fun website on pizza/bread ovens visit: www.traditionaloven.com

For more information on the copper topped oven demonstrated by Dave Emigh at Mansfield General Store look to this website:  www.lepanyol.com  it uses the special clay Dave told me about, Terre Blanche quarried in Larnage, France. Other Le Panyol ovens are in use at King Arthur Flour, Norwich VT. and  Stone Turtle in Maine www.stoneturtlebaking.com