Friends of Mark Twain (Cedar Hill Tour)

Today I tried something different. I went on a tour of a cemetery. Specifically, I went to Cedar Hill Cemetery for a 90 minute tour about "Mark Twain's Companions & Cohorts." I have heard many positive and interesting reports about this historic cemetery. During the winter, Richard and I almost got stuck driving around when I decided to check out the place since we were driving past it.

Main gate to Cedar Hill Cemetery.

The neat thing for me was that it was a FREE even for me because of the Let's Go Arts donation I made in lieu of United Way at work last Fall. And at the check-in for the tour, they offered me a FREE hardback book about the landscape architect who designed Cedar Hill. Keeping my son's advice about not adding to my clutter collection, I politely declined (besides, I didn't want to carry around a book for 90 minutes).

I think I must be somewhere in this picture but I can't find me.

Although Mark Twain (a.k.a. Samuel Clemens) is buried in Elmira, NY (I wish I would've remembered that when I was there in February), many of his Hartford companions & cohorts are interred (i.e., buried) at Cedar Hill Cemetery. The tour was conducted by Steve Courtney, a former reporter who has written and lectured about Mark Twain/Sam Clemens.

The tour rambled around the cemetery and stopped at the graves of such figures as:

• Reverend Joseph Hopkins Twitchell
• Isabella Beecher Hooker, and
• Charles Dudley Warner

There were more but I didn't write them down. However, I enjoyed the walk and the history. I plan to return and explore more of the cemetery as well as attend future tours.

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Links:

http://www.cedarhillcemetery.org
https://www.marktwainhouse.org/man/biography_main.php
http://www.fingerpostproductions.com/nook_farm/index.html
http://www.josephhopkinstwichell.com/bio.php
http://cedarhillfoundation.org/notable-residents/isabella-beecher-hooker

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Written Friday November 27, 2015 (better late than never).

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Ticket for July 1, 2015 (Wednesday)  Rock Cats game.

View of the field from the Terrace

One of the professional societies that I belong to has a summer networking session at a nearby minor league (AA) ballpark. Since all meetings are included in the dues, the only out of pocket expense for me was $5 for parking. The deal also included being able to bring a guest (Free). Feeling an allegiance to work, I asked applicable parties at the office but there were no bites.

Since the event included an all you can eat buffet before the game, my son, Richard, was willing to accompany me (I think there was nothing on TV that evening). The buffet consisted of hot dogs, hamburgers, ribs, salad, and chocolate chip cookies. Richard especially enjoyed the ribs and took home the leftover cookies (why let them go to waste).

I enjoyed yakking it up with other safety professionals about emergency egress and safety planning.

Richard (with his foul ball) and me.

Richard and I stayed to the end (we were the last) and watched the home team Rock Cats lose to the Phils, 3 - 1. Richard paid attention to most of the game and even got a foul ball (see picture above).

This is the last season for the Rock Cats. Next season they are moving to Hartford to become the Yard Goats. (Really).

Links:

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2015_07_01_reaaax_nbraax_1&t=g_log&sid=t538
http://www.hartfordplaysball2016.com/

Written Sunday August 23, 2015