Hampton is centrally located in what's known as Connecticut's Last Green Valley, nearly 1,000 square miles of greenspace by day and dark sky by night. Until the 1950s, it was a dairy farm community, and while it may be considered a bedroom community today, Hampton has many small family farms, one dairy farm, and enough conservation area to remain rural. How this area has escaped me all these years, I do not know. 

While I was taken by the scenery, it also smelled so good! In addition to the vineyard grapes, it was so apparent that the air was clean due to few cars and industry, as well as the greenspace. It smelled fresh; it smelled like farm; and when summer transitioned to fall, it had its own crisp, leafy smell. This may sound funny, I know, but it was so noticeable to me whether I was in the woods or on the bike seat along the roadways.      

And, how did I land here in 2020? The area is about an hour from family & friends I planned to connect with, it came recommended for cycling, and a new Airbnb listing showed up! While I did have one pleasant afternoon with family members, I was immersed in the beauty of this place. Driving elsewhere didn't seem to make a lot of sense to me. Driving seldom makes a lot of sense to me. 

Yet, the calendar turns tomorrow, so I'm heading a few hundred miles west to Cooperstown, NY for October. No baseball and no expectations. 

*Thanks to Earth, Wind & Fire for this memorable song to sing this month! Recorded September 1978. 

From the Berkshires I headed East toward the "hometown" to visit with a few family members and friends, as well as celebrate the second half of my birth month. There is no doubt in my mind now that at 64, people will still feed me, and given the calls, cards, texts, and surprises received, I do believe some people still need me. Putting aside the lack of postal delivery (Where is my priority mail?), and the arrival of Hurricane Laura residual, it was a great 48 hour celebration! Thanks to all of you who remembered and those of you who stayed out in the rain! Let another year begin.