First Marble Quarry
Oldest Quarry in U.S., 1785
Here, near Mt Aelous, Issac Underhill opened the first marble quarry in 1785. Dorset quarries were most active in the early 1800’s when small slabs were used for hearths, doorsills and headstones. With better transportation and saws, larger blocks were quarried. **
** above lifted from the sign that stands at the entrance to the site.
Come the summer, this place is a popular swimming hole for locals and tourists alike. Definitely some bragging rights for anyone who braves the deep water by the end of May.
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book,
current favorites,
VT,
water
See below. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves of specific types of milkweed plants; the eggs hatch into larvae/caterpillars which then feed on the milkweed, storing enough energy to take them through the pupal/chrysalis stage of development. Milkweed plants are toxic to birds and mammals, and the butterflies store those poisonous compounds in their exoskeletons, making them distasteful if not outright lethal to likely predators.
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autumn,
VT
The family that found this chrysalis two weeks earlier checked regularly on its progress. Maybe that was why they were so excited about sharing the news with me – a total stranger who happened to be walking past their driveway – that the butterfly had just emerged. This beautiful monarch (check out the blue in the wings) was slowly working its way to the top of the rock; still orienting itself, it seemed, to its new form. Or maybe it was checking out the upcoming flight plan and was a little shocked – a 2500 mile migration to Mexico ?? Really ???
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autumn,
book,
current favorites,
macros,
VT
This balloon was airborne each morning I was out, probably lifting off before sunrise. I like how the wind and air currents are implied in this image, and how the rows of corn look a bit like underwater vegetation. It’s a glimpse of that huge ocean of air we all live in.
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abroad,
at play,
farms and fields,
summer,
vertical
