The "Wayward Walker"

 

"New to Me" is this blog by the "Wayward Walker."

 I'm quite enjoying the vicarious experience of visting some places I'll probably never visit in person, especially now, as I am still recovering from an Achilles Tendon injury.

 I miss walking both on and off all the trails that call to me, that often reveal stonework of many kinds... 

The one I just re-read again just now, for example:

"I try not to fall into the trap of claiming everything I find is of Indigenous origin. In this case, there is more evidence leading to the conclusion these piles are not waste rock piles. The obvious questions are:

• Why would the farmer place them in the center of a field and not out of the way?
• Where did all these stones come from? They had to have been brought here from another location. I did not see any ledges in this area.
• Why would a farmer take the time to build these piles instead of just dumping them?
• What was this section of the farm used for? It does not appear to have been heavily cultivated. It was fairly wet in sections even though we have not had a hard rain in months. There were plenty of larger stones in place that would have been removed if the land was used either for crops, a hay field, or even a pasture. 

I will do some further research on this piece of land but I believe on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being it is a Native American site of some kind, I'll give it a 6."

The Wayward Walker: Farmer's Waste Rocks or Native American Stone Piles

Another:

The Wayward Walker: Stone Walls - An Investigation Part One

More Timelines on Turtle Island

 Some maps (and SHEEP) as well:

https://wakinguponturtleisland.blogspot.com/2025/05/timelines-on-turtle-island.html

Why Did I Take that Picture?

 

It took a few minutes to remind myself why.

At first I thought it might have been an image of the "other side" of this remarkable effigy:

I took the photo because it’s another suspected 

Diamondback Terrapin Effigy "composed of small stones"

On a “stone wall,” or Qusukqaniyutôk…

Both are not too far from that Shoreline Path:

Lots of Links:

https://wakinguponturtleisland.blogspot.com/search?q=diamondback

Snakes with Diamonds

Farmer Smith in Watertown CT

 

Farmer Smith in Watertown CT

  Had a Farm and a Farmhouse

Over by Smith Pond,

Oddly enough.

 

Image lifted from Watertown Historian and Author Mr. Charlie Crowell

Farmer Smith had a baseball diamond in 1934??

The historical record documents

No Indian Name for the pond as I recall,

Except that Mr. Crowell says: “Camp Mataucha.

Located in Watertown at Smith's Pond,

Was named after a fictional Indian chief,”

And “It was Charles Smith who owned the pond and surrounding farm.”

 

So Farmer Possibly Smith

Or some other older farmer

(Since Indians didn’t build “stone walls”)

Cleared a field or perhaps a pasture above the road

And made a linear garbage heap of stones

Along Smith Pond Road

Tossing stones – many of them boulders

Under the cross and rail property fence that was

Pig Tight, Horse High and Bull Strong

 

The wire fence can be seen rusting away here and there

A post or two but also in the tree trunks

And the chestnut rails of that alleged “first fence” are long gone,

Leaving just those boulders and stones

“Piled haphazardly,” some will tell you…

 

But take another look,

Tell me what you see.

Isn’t that a pattern?

Head and body, horn rest and a heart stone???

 

And of course I hear you shouting the P-word:

"He thinks every stone wall is a snake...

The First Puritan Minister in Bethlehem's "Cartway Gate:"

And if I could remember where Eddie lives

I would tell you:

Thank you, Eddie!!

Nonnewaug Road:

I suppose I should show more examples.

I suppose I will as I locate them...