Eric V and I met Seth from WHIP (Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program) to walk around the woods. The picture is at the culvert up the road that Bob fixed a couple years ago. Still holding. Seth, for WHIP, would write a proposed land management contract for us to sign and would reimburse 75% of the cost of any work we did, if the proposal were accepted. We were under the impression that this group would pay for part of the management plan being developed by ConnWoods (for the Forest Legacy requirements), but that is incorrect. Instead, WHIP would come up with their own plan and if we sign the contract, we would agree to to manage the property and get reimbursed for 75% of that cost. Sound confusing? IT IS! Bottom line, Eric V. will talk to Anna Ruth and decide whether to go ahead with the WHIP proposal.

While we were there, John O'Connell (sp?) from ConnWoods was finishing up his gathering of information for that land management plan. He stopped by after Seth had left and we had a good chat. He was disappointed for us that we would not get help paying for his plan. He thought there should be some state or federal money to help and would ask his coworker if he had any ideas.

During the course of the conversation, he asked if we knew of any old metal working mills along the brook, because he had found some charcoal dumps on Larry Frye's (sp?) land. (Kruger/Brooks' former property that abuts Thicut). He was intrigued by the sword factory. He said he was a little surprised not to find any charcoal making areas on Thicut property, but they are hard to find unless you are really looking, and the proximity of the ones on the other property made sense, now.

Eric V. and I

• Had tea
• checked out the house
• tried again to flip the water heater fuse/switch with no luck
• turned on and off the water, pump, and filter
• listened to the phone messages (I called Anna Ruth to relay the two calls from Yale/Vassar friends)