Linda's Southeastern CT Real Estate Blog

It was a great spring day here in Connecticut and I found myself thinking about one of my favorite summertime adventures - a trip to Buttonwood Farms in Griswold.  There are  2 reasons to go there.

First, is the photo opportunity.

The owners at Buttonwood Farms plant 10 acres of sunflowers, providing 300,000 magnificant blooms framed by blue skies and stone walls. Every year they sell bunches of these flowers and donate the proceeds to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  People and their cameras show up from all over the state to visit.  I go back each year to see if I can take an even better photo!

Second, is the very best home made ice cream in Connecticut. 

My favorite is peppermint stick, while my assistant Kerry is still  talking about the peach cone she had last year.  Check out  these flavors.  Fortunately, it is only about 25 minutes from my real estate office in Ledyard and once the sunflowers have finished blooming, the ice cream is still there.

Edited:    Photos from 2005 and 2006.  The next crop will be ready this summer!  Can't wait!!

Every Friday on my Eastern CT Real Estate Blog I post a photo for Photo Friday. Some Fridays, a photo idea comes easier than others.....

I've been a resident of Ledyard, CT since 1972 and have always been fascinated with the stone walls that line roads and form borders all over town. I was admiring a stone wall that bordered a listing of mine on Gallup Hill Road in Ledyard, when someone suggested I check out the stone walls that line the entrance to the Gallup Hill Cemetary just down the road. Hard to believe I missed this for over 35 years! While admiring the stone walls, I realized I had my photo for Eastern CT Photo Friday. I came home to do a little research on Gallup Hill Cemetary and then found myself researching stone walls in New England. I learned about the Stone Wall Initiative which promotes the appreciation, investigation, and conservation of stone walls in New England. I also learned that there are over 20,000 miles of stone walls left in Connecticut. I have a number of stone walls on my own 8 acres in Ledyard but I found myself stopping to take more stone wall photos as I seem to have become a student on the subject.  All because of Eastern CT Photo Friday!

On March 10th, Carnac of Connecticut was in a panic.  "The Rainers are behaving, this is no fun at all!"   But as March moved on, the Rainers didn't disappoint as the shenanigans began. And this month,  Edna McMahon from Michigan,* even stopped by with a couple predictions of her own.  Today the pressure didn't let up as the Carnac Chant was heard throughout the rain.

And so..... right on schedule, here are Carnac of Connecticut's April 1^st predictions:

1.  Erin Brockovich files a class action lawsuit for clients wronged by inaccurate information received at Active Rain's Q&A.   After Brokovich wins 30 million dollars for the plaintiffs, Universal Studios makes a movie titled  "Wrong answers in the Rain".   Julia Roberts plays Erin again.  Broker Bryant and Kristal Kraft play themselves as Rainers who posted warnings.  (HERE and HERE )

2.  The first Active Rain Conventionis held in Bellevue, WA.  Awards Nite is the highlight of the event  with over 8000 Rainers in attendance.  Awards include the previously announced Painie in the Rainie Award, The Lamie in the Rainie Award and a new award known as The GRainie Award (GREEN + Rain).  The award is presented to co-winners, JaneAnne Narrin and  Dena Stevens by presenters John Kerry, who said he voted against Jane and Dena before he voted for them and  Al Gore, who proclaimed that he actually invented Active Rain.  Conservatives and Vast Right Wing Conspiracy members  Brian Brady and Linda Davis turn their backs during the presentation.  

3.  Marc Blasi and Chris Griffith, frustrated by an obviously broken flag thingie, start a new group, the vigilante justice group and begin smacking down plagiarizers.  Jonathan Greene is the first member to join and barks "We don't need no stinkin flag thingie." 

6.  The Codgers, having learned  everything there is to know about real estate on Active Rain, decide to open their own brokerage "Codger's Condos & Cottages".  Each customer is greeted with a "Codger Collectible Cup"  full of hot organically & shade-grown, Fair Trade, Sumatran Roast coffee.  Their hand crafted real estate signs become collector's item and everyone wants one. Their listing inventory swells. 

7.  Just as the Rainers get used to the very latest and newest new dashboard, another later and more newer new dashboard is introduced.  Let the whining begin!!

8.  *The moderators decide that all of the whining about gold stars is not the best use of their time. They give back the keys to the vault to Jonathan Washburn, who decides it is time to let everyone decide on their own if their post is worthy of being featured. The following day there are 562 featured posts, each exceptional in its own way. 

9.  In the year 2008, 4 out of every 5 Real Estate Agents and Mortgage Officers across the land are members of Active Rain.  It's a doggone blogging miracle as the Carnival of Crap becomes a daily feature!

10.  *A Project Blogger 'mentee' comes clean, admitting that all of her posts are being written by her ultra competitive mentor.   Uh, oh.  Rule Change.

11. Jane Fonda sees Craig "Let Peace Reign on the Rain" Schiller on NBC . As you may recall,  Jane turned down Craig recently when he asked her on a date.  Now realizing her mistake,  Jane asks Craig to attend a private screening of her films. Craig responds with a half a peace sign gesture.

12. Speaking of celebrities, Rick and Ines's photo on Active Rain makes the cover of People Blogging Magazine.

13.  More Active Rain Groups are added with such stellar additions as "Bloggers blogging about blogging".

14.  And in the "Here we go again" category,  one of Lenn Harley' s maps is spotted on "The Amazing Race" being used by the first place team as they race through Virginia.   We all know what that means.  Say it all together:   LAWSUIT

15.  An Active Rain Blogger creates a utility which instantly downloads Google Images to Localism.  In 24 hours, he amasses 4,300,292 points.  It's a Localism  miracle!!!

And finally, Dr. Phil makes his monthly visit.  This month's advice:  Bloggers don't take yourself quite so seriously.  No one else does. 

January 1st Carnac Predictions

February Carnac Predictions

March Carnac Predictions

Watch again  for Carnac of Connecticut around May 1st!! 

Carnac Photo by Craig Schiller