Congratulations to all those involved in making this year's fair a huge success, and to Mother Nature for providing a beautiful day. Many visitors each year look forward to visiting Batsto Village. The Village is located on County Road 542 and is easily seen from the highway. The mansion towers high above the landscape and there are many other buildings of interest. There were many crafters selling quality merchandise, others displaying vintage cars and trucks, and farmers giving demonstrations of distinctive farm equipment. The grounds easily accommodated parking and one never felt as if they were in a congested area. People sat by Batsto Lake, toured the historic sawmill, visited the Nature Center and the Batsto Mansion. Batsto was once privately owned, but its ownership is now the State of New Jersey. The Village dates back to the 1700's and it certainly played a part in our nation's history.
The Mansion has been restored and quite the attraction of the Village. There are scheduled tours of interest, but there is a fee for the tour.
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It was a pleasure talking to this gentlemen. He was very willing to display his Civil War artifacts.
A musical demonstration and verbal presentation was quite entertaining.
This is a side view of the Batsto country store. It's very fascinating visiting the past.
It appeared the visitors were happy with the displayed crafts contributing to the country theme.
I enjoyed looking at the classic vehicles, but my friend is totally into early transportation.
These attracted the children. Boys especially wanted the Harley Davidson truck.
I stood on a bridge watching families enjoying the day and children skipping stones across the lake. This is what it's all about.
Now we entered the putt, putt, smoke and demonstration of farm equipment. It was fun to watch since the equipment was all in operation.
The "cowboy" was wood burning Batsto Village New Jersey on a cedar shake. He was very cordial and people were willing to wait in line for his craft.
The shake cost $1.00, but it is a great memento.
It was a beautiful fall day and my friend and I had a very nice time.
The "Jersey Devil's" legend continues since the story of its existence remains part of the Pine Barrens heritage. Some might say it is simply folklore, while others believe the creature continues to roam the sandy roads of the pinelands. There have been reliable individuals including police, and others who have reported witnessing an animal like being reportedly having wings, a horse's head, horns, and cloven hooves. All documented reports seem to differ, but he never has been depicted as a natural human being. The Jersey Devil was born to a woman known as Mother Leeds. It supposedly was her 13th child, and since she grew tired of children she wished it to be a devil. And so the legend begins!
She cursed the day she and Leeds were wed.
Heavy with life she held her head
and cried to the midwife, silent and grim,
"Twelve children I have given him!
Still young, I am old, and sick with wear.
Twelve hungry mouths, twelve burdens to bear!
I was fair and strong when the banns were read,
with velvet cheek and flaxen head,
sparkling eye and silken of limb,
but I had to go and marry him!
What would I give to escape this life ---
to have no pain, be no man's wife,
no children to tend, no chores to be done,
to be young once again, to have some fun!
Oh what I would give to end this birth,
This horrible night weight, this obscene girth!
I'd like to bear the Devil's child --
all claw and fang, all fierce and wild --
Such sweet revenge to Leed's face
when he finds a beast in the baby's place."
The wood fire leaped and began to crackle,
the room was filled with a demon crackle.
The woman screamed, and the quiet returned.
In the dim, still room her pale eyes burned.
She shivered and shook with fear and dread.
"I didn't mean it, those things I said."
"Hush my dear," the midwife said,
"Your labor's begun, best go back to bed."
The woman writhed on her dank, soiled cot.
The fire blazed and the room grew hot.
It bathed the walls in a hellish red.
The midwife swabbed her damp forehead
and drew the child from its mother's womb.
A hideous shriek ripped through the room.
A claw shot out and scratched the cheek
of the midwife now to numb to speak.
It slashed and tore, and left her dead,
Then turned, and lifting its horse-like head,
gave a sanguine smile to its mother there,
a giggling idiot, twisting her hair,
her youth regained, but to no avail.
It stroked her face with its serpentine tail,
gave a practice shrug of each leathery wing,
then flew up the chimney in one spring.
Now it prowls the pines in the damp of night,
when a gibbous moon spends its sickly light,
A child of darkness who leaves in the sand,
A cloven hoofprint, the mark of a hand,
a broken branch, or a claw...who knows?
But the wise pinewoods man never goes
alone in the Barrens late at night.
He fears the heron's azure flight;
avoids the red orchid, passes it by;
leaves it to suckle the carrion fly;
starts at the sudden crack of a twig.
Something is moving there----something big!
There are charms to be carried. Don't tempt the fates.
The Jersey Devil watches and waits!
And so the legend continues...
When the conditions are "just" right somewhere over the Pine Barrens you will find the most spectacular rainbow {s}. Webster's Dictionary defines a rainbow as an arc or circle that exhibits in concentric bands the colors of the spectrum. We have the extraordinary opportunity to be witness to the beauty and wonder of one of nature's magnificent exhibitions.
The pot of gold might not be at this rainbow's end, but if you look closely you will see it is a double rainbow. Really neat !
A rainbow can disappear quickly so get your camera ASAP if you want to capture a truly spectacular display.
