Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Save Lake Topanemus

I have been going to Lake Topanemus for a few years now; I discovered it one afternoon during my lunch hour. If you read my earlier post, Mayor of the Park, you have already been introduced. Lake Topanemus is a 22-acre man-made lake that is enjoyed by boaters, fisherman and nature-lovers alike. I don't think there has ever been a time when I visited during fishing season and didn't see at least one boat and a number of people standing on the banks wetting their lines. I often see egrets, herons and cormorants competing with the fisherman to see who comes away with a better catch. If you look hard enough and are quiet, you may catch some turtles sunning themselves on a large branch or log in the lake.

There has always been an abundance of vegetation around the perimeter of the lake but I have noticed more algae and what can best be described as a film over the water. There is a Facebook page named, Freehold Pond - Lake Topanemus, (click here to go to the page) that I like to check out from time-to-time and I noticed there were posts about the water quality. I contacted the administrator and asked about the problem. The response is shown below, in it's entirety:

"The lake is a 22 acre impoundment pond. There have been numerous studies over the past 30 years. The lake is eutrophic1. It was treated with an herbicide and algaecide for two years. Then two years ago, treatment ceased. As a result, the weeds and algae return from May - September. Unless treated, the lake will be covered by June. The Lake Topanemus commission stopped treatment without seeking expert advise. Through much effort, hoping the treatment will resume in June. Cost is borne 2/3 Twp 1/3 Borough. Problem is complex. Chemicals are most cost effective means. Dredging would be best but expensive. Chemical treatment is NJDEP approved. There are those who believe the lake should be left alone, let nature run its course. However, man made lake, man made problem, man made solution. I have 30 years of reports/studies. Lots of talk, no action until recent treatment."

As you can see, the lake is an incredibly beautiful place to be on a nice day and it would be a great loss if it were allowed to continue along it's current path. The images above were made over the last few years and are just some of my favorites. I could spend hours sitting on one of the lakeside benches watching all of the activity on the lake and listening to the birds in the trees.

The images below were taken during a lunchtime walk this afternoon. You can see the buildup of algae and how dull the water looks. It is sad to think that it is only going to get worse in the coming months if nothing is done.

For further information or to offer assistance, check out their Facebook page or Twitter feed.


All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

Thursday, May 11, 2017

The Twilight Zone – All-Time Top Ten Episodes

“the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Twilight Zone” All-Time Top Ten Episodes list. The Twilight Zone is a television series, which originally aired from 1959 thru 1964 and was created by Rod Serling. There were 156 episodes, all narrated by Rod Serling and all in black & white. The series provided a rather unique and, at times, disturbing look into the topics of the day and the human condition. There were stories with a supernatural storyline like a young boy whose imagination became real, stories dealing with visitors from outer space, the after-life and real-life fears like nuclear war. It took ordinary people and put them in extraordinary situations, except for the ones with astronauts – they are not “ordinary” people. The original series went off the air in 1964 but was revived for a brief run in the 1980’s (1985-89) and 2000’s (2002-03) but the revivals never caught the public’s imagination like the original. I particularly like the episodes with a surprise twist at the end and the ones with Burgess Meredith. I grew up watching the show in re-runs and so have my children. My wife is a fan, particularly of the Billy Mumy episodes It’s a Good Life and In Praise of Pip, but she isn’t likely to sit through a marathon like I am. The list below represents my Top 10 and they all came without having to give it a thought. I could easily expand this list by another 5 or 10, or more, because I am thinking of other episodes as I write. Now, without further ado, I present my list in no particular order:
  • Time Enough at Last
  • The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street
  • To Serve Man
  • Mr. Dingle the Strong
  • Living Doll
  • A Game of Pool
  • It’s a Good Life
  • The Masks
  • Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
  • The Obsolete Man
As mentioned earlier there are terrific episodes that would have made the list had I gone for 15 or 20 instead of 10. Some of those are People Are Alike All Over, Number 12 Looks Just Like You, Eye of the Beholder, Ninety Years Without Slumbering, Printer’s Devil, The Silence and In Praise of Pip. In fact, of the 156 episodes there are probably only a handful or so that I don’t particularly care for but I couldn’t tell you which without looking at a list. If you have never watched The Twilight Zone I encourage you to do so and let me know what you think. If you are a fan I would love to hear what you think of my list – what doesn’t belong and what I missed. Leave a Top 10 of your own in the comments below. The graphics were downloaded from Pixabay and a composite was created by the author using Photoshop.

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Hiking Through History: Monmouth Battlefield - Part IV; The Sutfin House

This installment is somewhat different than its predecessors in that it is about a single entity in an historic site. The house was built in 1731 and stands alone amidst the corn and a lone tree. It was owned by Derick Sutfin and at the time of the battle he lived there with his wife, Mary, and four of their eight children. They also owned a number of slaves who are believed to have slept in the upstairs loft of the house. The farm, at one time, covered 265 acres where the family raised livestock and grew grain. He produced wheat, rye, apple cider, beef, pork, poultry, honey and dairy products. There were also other structures on the land but the farmhouse is the only one left standing.

The image at the top of this post is a wide shot of the farm and battlefield. I took this photo while standing at the top of Combs Hill where the Visitor Center now sits. The house is approximately a mile away from where I was standing.

I have hiked this part of the park before and written about the other trails but I had only seen the old farmhouse from a distance. I started the hike on the Washington Trail but when I got to an opening in the fence I turned onto the Farms Trail and Colonel Cilley Trail which took me on to the Sutfin Farm and towards the old farmhouse. It is the Colonel Cilley Trail which ultimately passes by the house. I have always been struck by the weathered appearance of the house and I wanted to take a lot of photos. I took a few shots from different parts of the trail as I approached and then some up-close. As I was walking around the house looking for some interesting features to photograph I started feeling a bit uncomfortable. The house is closed up but many of the upstairs windows are without glass and there are holes in the side of the building so there are many places where you can see inside. I found myself concentrating more on what might be inside the house than I was on photographing the outside. The longer I was there, the more uncomfortable I felt. I just couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't alone and that I was being watched.

Ridiculous! Right? Absolutely! The reality is the longer I was there, the stronger the feeling got until I couldn't stay any longer. I had to leave the house and I couldn't get away fast enough. So it was back to the Colonel Cilley Trail, heading southeast until I came to a wooden fence identical to the one along the Washington Trail behind me. This is where the Colonel Cilley Trail heads north and the Farms Trail goes south. I took the Farms Trail and followed it back to the parking lot.

I couldn't stop thinking about my experience at the house and so the next day I decided to take my walk through the Sutfin Farm again, this time taking the Colonel Cilley Trail which would, once again, bring me to the Sutfin House. As I was walking along I came across a fellow hiker, a gentleman I had actually seen the day before but he was too far away to stop and chat. This time we were on the same trail heading towards each other and when we were close enough we exchanged "hello’s.” I asked him if he was on the trail yesterday and he said he was. I then asked him if he had ever experienced the sensation of being watched like I had the day before. Much to my delight, he said he had. We talked a little more and then I continued along the trail and soon found myself approaching the house. I was coming from the east whereas the day before I came to it from the west. I took some photos while approaching the house but as I drew closer the strange sensation started coming over me again and so I didn't stop until I was well past the house. I have discovered that the hiker and I are not alone - check out a great post by Patrick Browne called Monmouth Battlefield: Just Me and the Ghosts. You can also check out Chuck's Paranormal Adventures, he has done a number of investigations at Monmouth Battlefield (I participated in one and will write about that at a later date) and has some interesting observations of the Sutfin House. I have since learned that, though no one with the New Jersey Parks System or Friends of Monmouth Battlefield has experienced anything like I had, there have been recent reports of "things" from visitors.

Are there spirits walking the grounds of Monmouth Battlefield or stuck inside the Sutfin House. I don't know. I don't even know if I actually believe the possibility even exists but the bottom line is - I don't think I am going to get close to the house again unless I have others with me.


All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Out of the Darkness - Suicide Prevention and Mental Health

Suicide....

What a difficult word to read, to talk about. It is even difficult for me to type it. Understanding suicide is even more difficult; in fact, I am not even sure any of us can fully understand the decision to end one’s own life but we need to continue to try. It is only by trying to understand that we can begin to help those who feel there is no alternative. We know the numbers - more than 42,000 suicides in the United States in 2015, for every suicide there were 25 attempts and suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. The cost to society is immeasurable as each life lost robs us of the potential held by that individual. Imagine how different our world would be today without the contributions of Thomas Edison, Jonas Salk, Benjamin Franklin and Mother Teresa, to name but a few. Each life lost is a loss of another potential great contributor to our world.

Get involved

So, by now you may be thinking - "Yes, it is horrible but what can I do about it?" I'm glad you asked. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a great place to start. Whether you have contemplated suicide, know someone who has, been affected by the suicide of another or just want to learn more they have resources available to you. You can also become actively involved with the organization by participating in, or volunteering for, one of the more than 300 "Out of the Darkness" walks held throughout the year. You can find a local walk by visiting the foundation's website - if there isn't one near you, contact the local chapter in your state and ask about starting one.

Why I got involved

I have served as a volunteer event photographer and committee member for the Jersey Shore Out of the Darkness walk since 2014 and can tell you that it is one of the most incredible events I have ever been associated with. I became involved for very personal reasons. In the summer of 2010 a friend, Scott, took his own life and I do this work to honor him. I learned of AFSP after seeing photos his wife, posted on Facebook. The family had participated as a team in a walk in Philadelphia and I knew that I wanted to get involved. It took a few years but I finally got a chance to shoot the 2014 Out of the Darkness walk in Manasquan. I met Scott, a devout Deadhead, through my son’s Boy Scout troop and got to know a fun-loving, mischievous man who cared deeply for his family and the scouts in the troop. When I learned of his death I was stunned and saddened. How could someone as seemingly happy and outgoing as him do something like this? I don’t know but if helping raise awareness to the cause can help spare someone like Scott, count me in.

Sadly, I have other personal reasons for being active with AFSP. While working for the walk I got to know someone who had been struggling for a long time and we had a discussion about it last year. He was very open about it and I learned a lot from our talk. He relayed stories about helping others get through their dark times and he had a great outlook. I then learned of his suicide later that year. This was someone I barely knew but the news was very difficult for me to hear. I think Eddie's death was difficult because it showed me that the struggle never ends and no one is "out of the woods" when it comes to mental illness.

You Are Not Alone

If you are struggling, please remember this – you are not alone and you don’t have to go through it alone. Talk to someone – a loved one or trusted friend. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone you know there are other places you can turn to – AFSP is one of those places. I will list other resources at the end of this post. What is important to remember is that you matter. I know it is a bit cliché but you are the most important thing in the world to someone and they cannot envision life without you. I think many of us have had periods in our lives when we feel we cannot go on and others would be better off without us. I have met hundreds of the families and friends of suicide victims through AFSP and have seen how their loss has affected them. For them, life goes on but there is an emptiness, a void that cannot be filled.

What can we do?

We, as a society, tend to treat mental illness like any other - we treat it for a little while, the patient gets better and then we can forget it. I am not a medical professional but my understanding is that this isn't so and my experience appears to back that conclusion. By being involved with AFSP and Out of the Darkness, I hope to bring attention to the problem and encourage others to get involved. I have been worked with other organizations over the years and great advances are being made in those areas but it seems like this is one segment of society that isn't. I find that to be unacceptable - don't you?

How to Get Involved

Please consider volunteering or participating in a walk in your area. If you would like more information you can check out the AFSP website at http://afsp.org or send me an email at valencia32photo@gmail.com and I will put you in touch with someone.

Where to Get Help

  • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) – http://afsp.org
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
  • Crisis Text Line – text the word TALK to 741-741

Note: Tweet: AFSP provides help to anyone who needs them – whether you or someone you know. They are there to help in any way they can.


All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

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