June 2024:  Family Reunion in Randolph

Cousin Jon Stoddard organized a family get-together of the Stoddards for the end of June, and invited the rest of us Folsoms to partake.  I managed to find a couple of weeks off in my busy (yeah, right) schedule, and Kate scored two weeks at an Airbnb in Randolph, where I headed via Portland, Maine.  I would drive back there (an easy two hours) after one week to pick up Patti, who had left pooch Charlie in the able care of Roscoe's Ranch.  I met up with Kate and Ger at Doug Mayer's home in the Midlands of Randolph, a very comfortable place with a great view of "The View".  We did a few loops along the Pasture Path and Randolph Hill Road, birding and photographing.  Kate and Ger made it to Lookout Ledge, Dome Rock ("easier than I remember it" said Kate), and Pine Mountain ("harder than I remember it" said Tom).  Ginny Umiker took us on a couple of excellent birding walks, to Pondicherry and along the abandoned railway in Randolph.  Not too many ticks.  I was able to pad my Trip List significantly just sitting on the deck, thanks to Merlin.  A treat was a tour by Julia Umiker's workplace in Berlin, a nine acre indoor hydroponic growing facility (North Country Growers) where Julia is the Plant Manager, putting many under-employed Berliners to work.  After a week I scooted down to Portland to pick up Patti, and we spent a day there doing a little sightseeing and birding.  Back in Randolph we had suprisingly good weather, with a bit of rainy days.  The trip eneded with a couple of family gatherings, Saturday with the Stoddards at their place in Jefferson (The Carter House), and Sunday at Ginny's... lots of food.  Then it was back to Portland for the long flight home.

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