Happy Birthday to Us

The rains yesterday stopped long before dawn's early light, which was just as well as the Norwich Semiseptcentennial was happening no matter what (though between us, I think a plague of locusts or a rain of frogs might have been cause for pause).

But the sun came out and smiled as some two hundred plus crowded onto the Royal Mohegan Burial Grounds, now a pocket park of remembrance, across from the Chelsea Parade. Dozens of reenactors helped us celebrate andd witness the signing (again) of the Norwich deed in which, on 6 June 1659, the Mohegan tribe sold approximately nine square miles of land at the confluence of the Shetucket, Thames and Yantic Rivers, later and forever (so far) to be known as Norwich, for seventy pounds of silver.

The event had descendants of the original deed signers and members of the Mohegan tribe reenact the events as recorded from a variety of sources and is the start of a month's worth of celebrations, large (as in laser shows) as well as more quiet (meaning tours of the Rose City's cemeteries) between now and July 5th. There's a calendar right here that contains everything and anything to do with the celebrations, so now you're in the know and consider yourself invited.

It's been a rough year and more for a lot of us, and quite frankly, even when things were good across the USA they weren't all that good here in Norwich so we've been scuffling a bit of late. But everyone likes a party, even a birthday party and we can all use the smiles. We may have a bit more cornbread than we'd like by the time the celebrations are over--we are stubbornly traditional, sometimes more than our own good can stand--but I'm pretty sure we can always find some ice cream and cake for friends who come to visit.
-bill kenny