Mark Twain

The famous American author, Samuel Clemens (best known as Mark Twain) and I have something in common! We both lived in Elmira, New York and Connecticut. He is known for book titles such as ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ and ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’. I grew up in Elmira, NY for 15 years before going off to college and then moved to CT.

Elmira, NY

Elmira, NY is the home to Mark Twain’s summer property, Quarry Farm. It perched on the hilltop overlooking Elmira and Chemung River. The house remains there to this day and currently owned by Elmira College. The Center for Mark Twain Studies (CMTS) was also established when Quarry Farm was gifted to Elmira College. Through an application process, the CMTS offers Quarry Farm Fellows for scholars which allows them to reside at Quarry Farm for up to 4 weeks. While it is a private residence, the house is visible from the road. 

Mark Twain’s octagonal study also was donated to the college. It used to be 100 yards from the Quarry Farm where Mark Twain wrote many of his works. The study is on Elmira College’s main campus in downtown Elmira. I grew up passing it often as it is visible from the main street (Park Place). I’ve had several school field trips to the study too. The study is a small octagonal shaped building, it has some Mark Twain’s books on display and historical photos of his life. The study is opened for tour from Memorial Day to Labor Day on Mondays-Fridays 10am-4pm. 

Also on the EC campus there is an exhibit inside Cowles Hall, the building that is right next to the study. The exhibit focuses on his time in Elmira, his family and Elmira College connections. The hours are same as the study touring hours. There is a statue of Mark Twain and his wife, Olivia Langdon on the campus. 

Mark Twain’s family is also buried in Elmira at Woodlawn Cemetery. The family plot can be visited either on your own or the trolley tour. The trolley tour is offered by The Chemung County Historical Society in July and August. The trolley will take you by Quarry Farm, the study and the cemetery as well many other historical sites that is not related to Mark Twain. 

Hartford, CT

Although he spent more time in Elmira, his main residence was in Hartford, Connecticut. The Hartford home currently operates as The Mark Twain House & Museum. It is opened for tours daily 10am-4:30pm, with tickets purchased in advanced. The Victorian Gothic Revival house has 3 floors with 25 rooms. Twain also had Tiffany & Co. to decorate the ceilings and walls in the house, which was beautifully done. The family lived here for 17 years before their financial instability forced them to move to Europe. 

After the family moved, the house was owned by several families. Facing demolition in 1929, a non profit organization focusing on preserving Mark Twain’s memorial purchased the home. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1962. 

I visited the grounds for the first time during summer. I was stunned by the detailing of the beautiful home. Inside was even more stunning. I also learned about the paranormal encounters that some guests have had while touring the home. If you didn’t know, one of Mark Twain’s daughter died in the home from an illness. Ghost Hunters even did an episode at the house one year. The museum hosts Graveyard Shift Ghost Tours during Octobers! I’ll have to return to join this tour in the fall. 

 Virtual Tours

Mark Twain House, Hartford: view here.

Quarry Farm, Elmira: view here.

This blog is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

Celebrate International Firefighters Day in Connecticut

Every year on May 4th, International Firefighters’ Day [St. Florian’s Day] is observed. The date was chosen because St. Florian had passed away on this day. St. Florian, the patron saint for firefighters, he was the first known commender in firefighting. 

In Connecticut, there are a few places to go and learn about firefighting history:

The Fire Museum — Manchester, CT

The Connecticut Firemen’s Historical Society was established in 1970. Many of memorabilia and history were becoming lost to other states. The society was formed of firefighters who worked to preserve the history and keep it in Connecticut. The museum is in a restored fire station. The United States Navy Seabees and many other volunteers helped to fix up the station. Now it is a museum that stores some apparatus, firefighting equipment and more. The hours are from 12-4pm on Fridays and Saturdays [April-November]. If you have a larger group wanting to tour the museum, it is encouraged to call ahead. Admission is by donation. 

Fire Museum — Manchester, CT.

I went to this museum and was stunned at how beautiful it was, the collections were preserved so carefully it was very impressive. The 1901 wooden firehouse was bigger than I expected it to be, but the self-guided tour took at least a hour. In one of the rooms, there were photographs from the CT Fire Photographers Association. It was fun to recognize some photographers that I follow on social media. I throughly enjoyed touring the firehouse and would highly recommend it to anyone for a visit. The museum is hosting an open house with antique fire apparatus show on June 4, 2022 from 10am-3pm. Visit the website here for more info. 

The fireman’s pole is still intact here, but couldn’t do a slide on it!

The photos gallery of CT Fire Photographers Association.

Posing with one of the apparatus at the museum.

Museum of Fire History at The Carousel Museum — Bristol, CT

The museum preserved the firefighting legacy of Carlyle “Hap” Barnes, who was an avid collector of equipment, memorabilia and technology. The collection consists of over 1,000+ pieces of apparatus, some dating back to 17th century. Opened Wednesdays-Saturdays 10am-5pm and Sundays 12-5pm. Admission fee is $8/adult, $7/seniors + students, and $5/kids age 2-14.

Fire Fighter fireboat at Mystic Seaport Museum — Mystic, CT

The Fire Fighter currently docked at Mystic Seaport Museum once helped with recovery efforts during September 11th. It has the ability to pump 20,000+ gallons a minute, which made her the most powerful fireboat in the world. The Fire Fighter was the longest serving fireboat for New York, decommissioned in 2010. The historical vessel is available for guided tours during Mystic Seaport Museum hours.

I have visited the Fire Fighter many times in the last few years when she visited City of New London then Mystic Seaport Museum. It is always so fascinating to walk around this historical vessel and think about all it has gone through. It’s like that saying, ‘only if those walls could talk’. The guides are always knowledgable about the history of the boat. As it was mentioned, it served during Sept. 11th - there is a piece from the rumbles that was created into a cross and now mounted on one of the doors on Fire Fighter. During summers, they sometimes do water works where they use the pumps. It’s such an amazing historical vessel.

Fire Fighter fireboat — Mystic, CT.

Around the state, there are many historical fire stations that have been restored, functioning as private residences (do those people still slide down the pole?!) or abandoned. I can’t list them all here as there are that many through out the state. I love to look for old fire stations and photograph them on my travels. 

Engine No.6 Pizza — Norwich, CT.

An art gallery — New London, CT.

I also enjoy seeing historical fire stations that still operates currently and some stations that have older fire trucks. I’m always looking for LaFrance trucks because my great grandfather painted the lettering on some of the trucks when he worked at the plant in my hometown of Elmira, NY. 

An antique LaFrance Westport (CT) firetruck.

Thank you to all firefighters for what you do to keep the communities safe and always there for us! A special thank you to my brother, my favorite firefighter who I am so proud of! 

April check in

Here are some what has been making my heart happy lately:

Family 

I had special guests in town to visit me one week. My parents came from Upstate NY for their spring break. Some of my favorite memories with my parents includes eating breakfast at Carson’s in Noank. I love the ambiance and the retro feeling that it has. Gilmore Girls fans, it’s similar to the ambiance of Luke’s Diner! We also went to Waterford one day - walked around Harkness Park and they saw Seaside Sanatorium for the first time. If you don’t know about Seaside, it is a former hospital used to treat tubercoulious. The property has became a small park now, the abandoned buildings are fenced in. There’s a lot of beautiful detailings on the buildings but unfortunately vandalism has ruined some. I also introduced my parents to Book Barn. With my love for books, I was excited to go to one of my favorite spots! My dad was overwhelmed with all the books at Book Barn, ha! The ship, Mayflower also departed Mystic one day while my parents were here so we all went to watch. It’s always amazing to watch those huge ships go down the Mystic River. We also went to Avery Point/Eastern Point Beach in Groton, as it is one of our favorite spots. We found the bookstore for the first time and I got a great deal on a new Avery Point hat, it was only $7! 

Essex

My parents and I made the trek to Essex, CT - about a 40 minutes drive from Mystic. Essex has their ongoing Daffodil Days event, it started mid March. The daffodils were in bloom! As soon we got off the highway, we were greeted with a daffodil field! The main street was decked out with daffodils on storefronts, homes, etc. It felt very festive! It was my first time seeing the Daffodil Days event as it is an annual tradition in Essex. It’s definitely worthwhile to go visit Essex during the spring. 

Daffodil Days — Essex, CT.

Libraries

This month had a lot going on for libraries. National Library Week was April 3-9 and April 5th was the day to recognize our library workers. I actually saw a new-to-me library last week. I wanted to see the movie ‘Belfast’ which my local library didn’t have available. I took advantage of the interlibrary loan program and went to Wheeler Library in North Stonington. They had the movie but I was curious about the historical library building so I nosed around. I found the book sale cellar which had an amazing selection, even the newer books were $3! I was super impressed. Once I visited the upper level, it blew me away! It was so beautiful and reminded me of Trinity Library in Dublin (because of those busts!). I was stunned that it took me this long to see the library and now I want to visit more in the area! I took my parents to Mystic & Noank Library to show them how beautiful it is there too! 

Wheeler Library — North Stonington, CT.

Strawberry Poke Cake

I follow several gluten free/dairy free accounts on Instagram. Again, I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have them to come up with recipes! They were a huge help when I started this journey a couple years ago. One of them shared Easter desserts, and I saw the Strawberry Poke cake. It brought back childhood memories - my Grandma would make the exact same cake for Easter. I had missed it so much and completely forgotten about it. So happy to find a recipe that works for me!

Spring 

It finally feels like spring. The weather’s been warmer in the range of 50-60’s. In the beginning of April, my husband participated in the Frostbite Regatta at Mystic Seaport. It was fun to see those colorful Dyer Dhows in the Mystic River. I realized that is one of the signs of Spring in Mystic. They have spring sailing classes every Spring and Summer. We’re definitely getting excited that sailboat season is coming soon. All the flowers blooming also excite my photographic soul! 

Deaf Authors

April saw not just one but TWO newly released books from Deaf authors! It was an exciting month to see more from the Deaf world. One of the books, ‘True Biz’ by Sara Novic was chose for Reese Witherspoon’s book club April pick. This already has been a year to remember for the Deaf community! 

Wishing you a Happy Spring! 

Catholic Church + Deaf Accessibility

With Easter last Sunday, I have been thinking about my childhood memories of going to the church and the traditional Easter gatherings with my family. I grew up Catholic, even attended Sunday school up until 4th grade. 

On Instagram, I saw a post sharing that only 2% of Deaf people know Jesus Christ. There are approximately 400+ million of Deaf people worldwide. Honestly, that post didn’t surprise me. It took me back down memory lane of growing up in the Catholic Church and the accessibility issues that I had. 

My mom was the sole interpreter for the Church masses. Of course, she would be standing next to me, and she couldn’t interpret EVERY single word.  Adding to this we were seated in the back and not all of the speakers were clearly for people sitting that far away. I also have to be transparent, I was a child/teen at same time so yes, there were times when I didn’t always listen out of boredom. 

St. Patrick’s Church - Dublin, Ireland - 2015.

Sunday school was a hour long of religious education based on grade levels. I was among peers my age/grade. I remember every morning we all started school by standing in the lobby reciting ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. The only memory I have from this, is how I would use this time to people-watch. I had a volunteer interpreter who helped me out in the classroom. I recall that she knew some basic ASL but she wasn’t certified. We had our own corner of the table, while other kids sat in groups. I attended for a few years and don’t recall any friends that I made, likely because I was isolated in the corner. I don’t have a clear memory of why I stopped attending, but I believe that my parents saw that I wasn’t getting an education out of Sunday school. 

I also stopped attending church weekly (we went every Sunday). I only went for special occasions such as Easter, Christmas, Mother’s Day, etc. It didn’t bother me that I was missing out, I was actually relieved. That continued through my college years until the last year. I got curious and tried to find a Catholic Church in Rochester, NY that would have an interpreter. Rochester, NY is home of the largest Deaf community. I couldn’t find any, or maybe I wasn’t looking in the right places. I had a close friend who was going to a Baptist church she brought me to some events. I met other Deaf Christians. I went to a Bible meeting, it was conducted in ASL. They discussed, shared thoughts, prayed, etc. I went to a few masses where they had an interpreter for the Deaf section (approximately 20 people). The church even had a blow up screen that was focused on the interpreter for people in the back to see. It was very accessible. As much I wanted to have that, I didn’t have connection with the Baptist beliefs as I am Catholic. 

I didn’t look into the church again until I moved to Connecticut. One year I was thinking about how I wish I had a better understanding of the religion that I was raised in. Especially more so after I was married and talking about having kids. I thought long and hard how our future kids would learn about being Catholic when I wasn’t confident in knowing the religion that well myself. I decided to email several of local Catholic Churches around the area asking if they were willing to hire interpreters. I received ZERO replies. 

Kylemore Abbey - Connemara, Ireland - 2017.

After a while, I felt desperate. I emailed them again and asked if they had any parishioners who knew ASL and would volunteer their time to help me during the masses. Again, ZERO replies. I contacted two different Dioceses (a region of Catholic Churches that is ran under a bishop). There was a church locally in Norwich/Preston (20-25 minutes away) that had an interpreter right before I moved to the area. Unfortunately, they didn’t have enough Deaf participants to keep the interpreter. They were nice enough to email other Dioceses and tried to find a solution for me. 

A few years later, I found a couple of Roman Catholic Churches with interpreted masses that were in Providence, Rhode Island which would be a hour and half commute from where I lived. I didn’t feel committed to making that drive weekly. Especially if I was alone. I dropped the ball on this as I didn’t see it as a priority. 

During the pandemic, what a game changer! I was able to live stream masses, there was even a Deaf priest in Boston, MA. I was amazed to watch several masses where the ENTIRE THING WAS IN SIGN LANGUAGE. I didn’t think I’d find a Deaf priest as I had been focused on interpreted masses. It was really cool to watch that. I was so excited about finding this access and I finally was learning a bit. Unfortunately, the live streaming didn’t last long as they returned to in-person masses. I was really disappointed.

Black Abbey - Kilkenny, Ireland - 2015.

I am currently in an interfaith household. Before we got married, I attended some of the Deaf Hillel club events in college. The Rabbi who ran the Deaf Hillel was also the Rabbi who married us. The events were all signed in ASL. I recall bringing my then-boyfriend (now husband) to Passover dinner. Everyone signed. I learned so much about Passover and its meaning because the Rabbi signed the entire time. I felt guilt sometimes because I felt like I knew a LOT about the Jewish religion more than Catholic. All it took was having accessibility!

It’s always frustrating to have limited accessibility. It also doesn’t help when the religion itself is so complex. Even within the same religion, people have different beliefs and ideologists. There are so MANY types of religion, yet ZERO access for us. Many Deaf people don’t know religion. I felt like it was something important because a huge part of my childhood revolved around growing up in the Catholic Church. 

It took a long time for me to stop feeling guilty for something that is out of my control (lack of accessibility). I had been so focused on finding the accessibility that I forgot to spiritually connect in my own time. There had been few years when I didn’t feel like I was Catholic. I realized that I don’t need to be in a church to proof that I’m Catholic. I’ll continue to believe in what I know already and spiritually connect in my own way. Hopefully someday I can walk in a Catholic Church and have the accessibility provided as it should be for everyone. 

St. Mary’s Cathedral - Killarney, Ireland - 2015

March check in

It’s been a while since the post I wrote about what makes my heart happy (read here). I thought I’d check in with what’s been going on since end of January. 

Snowstorm

We got one more big huzzah snowstorm. The highlight of which was going to Mystic Seaport when they were normally closed, they opened for a day to members so that we could see the snowy grounds. My photograph soul was fulfilled that day! 

Mystic Seaport - February 1, 2022.

Stay at Luxe Villa 

My birthday rolled around in early February which was coupled with an opportunity. I wrote a blog about a ‘stay’. I stayed at a new villa on the grounds of Norwich Inn and Spa. It was a fun experience, my first ‘stay’ blog that I wrote. I enjoyed it a lot and I hope there will be more in the future! 

At the restaurant inside Norwich Inn & Spa.

Cat and books 

February was a slow month, the cold weather keep us indoors more. My father-in law got a new cat named Barnaby, he’s adorable and my pup is very curious about the cat! I found more places to buy books that I *don’t need*. I never thought to check out Goodwill and some libraries were hosting ongoing book sales. 

Meet Barnaby!

Mystic Deaf History

I got to see a piece of history! If you recall the Mystic Deaf History blog (here), I explained that the original Mystic Oral School (formerly known as Whipple School) was in Ledyard before they moved to Mystic. The original Whipple School is a farmhouse so it has been a private residence. It was listed on the market and no, I didn’t purchase it! I wanted to SO BADLY! I had so many ideas for what I’d do with the space to preserve the history. I visited the historic farmhouse during an open house, it was amazing to see the history! Only if those walls could talk!

Those wooden beams on the ceiling were everywhere in the historic farmhouse.

Family time 

My parents visited during Presidents Day weekend. It always uplifts my soul when my family comes to town. We kept busy by going out to restaurants, exploring new spots and more. It was so nice going back to our favorite restaurants in person, restaurants that we haven’t visited in a long time. The visits always seems so short but I am grateful for the time with family. 

With my parents and husband at Inishmor Pub in Colchester, CT.

Re-charge 

March gave me a bit of a boost because spring is coming. We had a few days of great weather, the buds on our lilac bushes are growing and longer days now that the sun setting at 7pm. St. Patrick’s Day rolled around, so of course I enjoyed everything Irish. I watched a few new-to-me Irish movies. The re-charge also motivated me to give the website a long due change after 3.5 years. The website has organized categories that shows more blogs, two categories has sub-categories, a SEARCH feature! and cover photos finally shows on mobile version.

Mystic is ready for St. Patrick’s Day!

Wall Street Journal / CODA 

Most recently, I had been feature in a Wall Street Journal article here, about open captioning in the movie theaters. I was thrilled to have this opportunity to share my thoughts. This comes after ‘CODA’ winning 3 awards at the Oscars. What an exciting time for the Deaf community! I have no words, how it feels to see a historic win (first Deaf male to win an Oscar) in my lifetime! Marlee Matlin had been the first Deaf person to win an Oscar in 1987, before I was born. It’s been a long 35 years for MORE to happen and it finally did! I only hope that we won’t have to wait another 35 years! 

Not the actual newspaper but this is how I announced about the article that was published online!

Deaf

It’s been a busy year already for the Deaf community and it’s only March! The ‘Signs of Survival’ book came out earlier this year about a hearing sister and deaf sister who survived the Holocaust. Another book is coming out next month, ‘True Biz’ which I am looking forward to. It is written by a Deaf author. The book ‘El Deafo’ was adapted to a TV series on Apple TV this year too, it’s an adorable kids show to help understand deafness. The Super Bowl had sign language performers during the half time show. Unfortunately it was on a separate screen, so I had the computer laptop while watching the half time show on the TV. It was fun to watch the ASL performers. We always had issues not being able to see them during Super Bowl half time shows every year. This year was first time for the dedicated streaming to show them the entire time. I know there were issues with people not having access to the livestream, having to sign up, etc. so it’s not entirely perfect but it’s a start, I hope! We saw ‘CODA’ at the Oscars, but there was another Deaf documentary ‘Audible’ which was produced by a Deaf person nominated for an award. They didn’t get the win, but it’s amazing to see doors opening more and more for the Deaf community! 

A screenshot of two Deaf performers signing the songs during Super Bowl Half time show.

Artist Recreation

One last thing that made me happy recently, I always hoped that my photographs would inspire an artist to do an artist’s recreation. A photograph of the ferry passing a home in Groton, CT caught the eyes of Daniel Kenyon at DK Artwork. He painted a beautiful watercolor version of the photograph. The prints are available at his Etsy shop here. 

I’m looking forward to what Spring will bring, as I know I will be back to photographing a lot more once the blooming starts! I have a list of new places to see, hoping to see more of New England again. Let me know what makes your heart happy! 

Waterford, CT

Happy first day of Spring! We saw some nice spring weather last week. On Friday, my little family hopped onto I-95 to Waterford, CT. It’s only 25 minutes from Mystic. We headed to the beautiful Harkness Park. 

Harkness Park is practically a garden by the sea with a beautiful mansion. The mansion is named Eoila, former summer home of the Harkness family. It sits on 230 acres overlooking the Long Island Sound (hello panoramic views!). The Harkness family owned it until it was gifted to the State of Connecticut in 1950’s. 

Most often photographed spot at Harkness Park.

The mansion has 42 rooms! There are usually tours but I’m not sure if they will be continuing this summer. Many weddings have been hosted there. It makes a gorgeous setting for those photographs! The mansion is available to rent for private parties, luncheons, etc. The contact information is on the website here.

Pretty flowers in the garden by the mansion (note: this was May 2021).

There are plenty of paths to walk around on the grounds, including one that takes you right through the gardens. I feel like I’m in the movie ‘Secret Garden’. The gardens provides insta-worthy backdrops, I used my pup as a model! The flowers really thrive here in late spring and summer. I also love visiting the 110 years old Japanese maple tree, it reminds me of the tree I had in the yard of my childhood home. 

Harkness Park also has a seaside trail, you can enjoy the smell of the salty air while watching ferries go by. This is the perfect spot for picnics! There are tables with BBQ as well as restrooms. The park is so spacious, that many come to fly kites too. It’s really fun to see colorful kites in the sky! The day I went there, there were people reading books, playing catch and kicking soccer balls around. There are spots for fishing down by the waterfront area. 

During summers, they have a small gift shop, the money goes back into the park. The park is opened daily 8am - sunset. There is a parking fee for out of state residents. 

My pup enjoys strolling the grounds with me!

Harkness Park is neighbors to Camp Harkness, a beautiful 102 acres land consisting of beach, playgrounds, cabins/cottages, animals, etc. Camp Harkness is one of very few state parks dedicated for residents with disabilities. There are been several events there, so be sure to watch the website here, if you have a loved one with disabilities. They host an annual deaf picnic there too.

Waterford Beach Park is a beautiful quarter mile long beach located close by Harkness Park. There is a parking lot with a long boardwalk which allows you to trek down to the beach. The views from this beach are worthwhile! Very beautiful and relaxing there. I enjoyed bringing my pup who loves the beach! They allows dogs from September to June on the beach. You can see the Ledge Light in New London from there! Do note that there is a fee for out of state residents to park and lifeguards are on duty from June-Sept. 

Last year, I tried out a new-to-me spot after exploring around Harkness Park one day. Cowlick’s Creamery for some ice cream! They have non-dairy options which is a win-win for me. I enjoyed the Dole pineapple soft serve. They also have a Dole Pineapple Refresher - a drink option with pineapple juice with pineapple soft serve which I’m looking forward to! My pup enjoyed the ‘pup cups’ - vanilla ice cream with a milk bone. They aren’t opened for the season yet however. Last year they opened at end of April so keep that in mind if you visit Waterford after April!

Delicious pineapple soft serve ice cream at Cowlick’s!

My pup enjoying her ice cream and bone!

If you prefer to eat breakfast/lunch, don’t look any further than ‘Where Pigs Fly’ cafe. It is owned by the same folks of ‘Somewhere in Time’ in Mystic. If you know, then you know it’s good! One of the best in the area for breakfast/lunch! 

Waterford is close by New London and Niantic if you want to make a day or weekend out of it. My recommendations for New London is here and Niantic here. Fun fact, did you know that Waterford was named after Waterford, Ireland? The mall, Crystal Mall located in Waterford has chandeliers from Waterford Crystal. I love this tidbit as an Irish gal! You won’t regret visiting this beautiful town on the shoreline!

Gorgeous flowers at Harkness Park (note: this was October 2021).