Hidden Beauty, Coltsfoot

Not a dandelion, though the sunny yellow flower may fool some. This charming wild flower appears in April and is not easy to spot, hidden in the leaf litter. The plant shown here grows in Middlefield, on the border of a mown field. For information about herbal uses of the plant, see www.botanical.com.

Winter Beauty, And About Siberian Huskies

Darleen Plourde with her Siberian Husky, Breezy, at the recent Winterfest held on the grounds of the Lyman's Apple Barrel Farm Store in Middlefield. Whispering Pines Siberians is a family-owned kennel, located in northern Connecticut.

Plourde and her sled dogs met families and talked about what they do - dog sledding. "We like to educate people about Huskys, so we talk about what they like to do and about the breed's natural inclinations," she said.

Those who missed the details about dog sledding and meeting the dogs, don't fret. Plourde and other members of the Connecticut Valley Siberian Husky Club plan to be at the 19th Annual Hebron Maple Festival on Saturday, March 14.

For details on how to find them at the festival (Saturday only), visit www.hebronmaplefest.com - many activities take place in and around town, so check ahead for exact location as well as other events taking place on Saturday or Sunday.
Photography by Anders Helm

Dinosaur Tracks In Stone, Walk This Way

The Connecticut Valley is full of dinosaur footprints and trackways.

One such location is a little-known park in Middlefield, Conn., where a small park allows visitors to view up tilted rocks with dinosaur footprints preserved in stone. The old quarry once owned by Professor W.R. Coe and was the property of the Yale Peabody Museum for an outdoor exhibit. At one time the tracks were painted so they would appear more distinct. Now owned by the town of Middlefield, a small sign proclaims Powder Hill Dinosaur Park. The neat and sturdy (now privately-owned) home opposite the fenced-in area (across the street) was once the home of Professor Coe.

Follow the tracks in the floor of the quarry and try to imagine the dinosaur walking along the mud in Triassic era time. Those who examine the layers carefully will also uncover petrified ripple marks and mud cracks, now preserved in stone.

Directions: Take Route 66 from Meriden (east) or from Middletown (west) onto Route 147. Turn south and turn on Powder Hill Road. About 1/4 mile past the now dormant Powder Ridge Ski entrance, the park is on the right.