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...

Bearidolia

 Bearidolia:

bear·​ei·​do·​lia ˌbehr -ˌī-ˈdō-lē-ə -ˈdōl-yə : the tendency to perceive a bear in a random or ambiguous visual pattern, to see shapes or make pictures of bears out of randomness.

From Mr. Smarty Pants’ Dictionary 

  

 "Wild animals, as pointed out by F.G. Speck (1931: 28-29), are in general considered to exist in clan relationship with humans. The latter are said to be "kings among animals." Clean pure animals of the forest are referred to in terms of human relationship and their spirits must be propitiated before they can be sought for food. If the supernaturals are appeased through sacrifices, the animals will allow themselves to be taken, but if the proper ceremonies are not carried out, they can never be approached by humans. Therefore, a hunter is obliged to pray and sacrifice tobacco before starting on the hunt. The Delaware consider the bear and deer to be the greatest of all animals. The bear is also called "Our Grandfather." Both animals are considered closely akin to the Indian, but the Delaware believe that the bear has the most human-like traits..."

Gladys Tantaquidgeon in "Folk Medicine of the Delaware and Related Algonkian Indians (1972,1995)" (pg. 60)

https://wakinguponturtleisland.blogspot.com/2010/03/taking-part-rock-pile-without-taking-it.html

(“Pareidolia is the tendency for perception to impose a meaningful interpretation on a nebulous stimulus, usually visual, so that one detects an object, pattern, or meaning where there is none. Pareidolia is a specific but common type of apophenia,” writes Mr. Wikipedia.)

Anti-Bearidolia is the refusal to see an obvious bear:

See also:

SHEEPophenia: the tendency to see obvious Indigenous Serpent Effigies as “sheep fences” on a cultural landscape shaped by centuries (100s of years) of colonial land use following millennia (1000s of years) of Indigenous presence on that same landscape…

Timelines on Turtle Island

SHEEPish "Stone Fence" Thoughts 

   I was just fooling around when I made this one morning:

But then I got a little serious the next morning:

 

And then, that evening:

This morning: