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The Weedlin of Tatum Park Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

Ericles: I spent hours rebuilding the weedlin when it was destroyed. I can't completely replace it. Time for someone else to fight the muggles. I'm done with hiding/maintaining caches.

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Hidden : 8/31/2008
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   other (other)

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Geocache Description:

A kid-friendly cache & a short walk around the North side of Tatum Park where, if you're lucky, you'll get to meet one of the last Weedlins in all of New Jersey.

The Mythology: If the Ents are the shepherds of the forest, then the Weedlins are the shepherds of meadows & wildflowers. They're part of the landscape of nature itself. Like weeds they're plucky, mischievous & protective of their lands. The ancient Greeks called them the Lemoniads. The Native Americans left them offerings. Colonial Farmers gave them their modern name but revered them for renewing the fields & protecting the land from erosion. Now a days they're hard to come by but I've discovered at least one living in Tatum Park. I hid a cache nearby which, if the Weedlin hasn't eaten it yet again, shouldn't be too hard to find.

The Legend: In the Summer of 1779 the land of Tatum Park was a small farm owned by a family that was struggling to just keep the farm running. To make matters worse, British soldiers were occupying their land. Young Emily had a magnificent garden of native flowers, but the wildflowers that grew in the meadows were her favorite. Emily watched with irritation as the troops made camp in a field that was being allowed to grow natural that season. They crushed down her beloved wildflowers & greedily ate the berries she had been cultivating all Spring.

One of the soldiers took notice & saved a large bouquet of flowers, which he presented to her one morning. Despite their differences, the two fell in love. Though she never tried to change his mind, her love of the land was infectious & soon after being deployed into battle the young soldier defected to the Colonial Army. He promised to marry her when he returned. He wrote to Emily frequently over the next year but one day the letters stopped coming. The years piled up, the war ended & she lost hope & began to despair. She was inconsolable. As Emily's health began to fail so did the farm. Crops withered, fruits dried on the vine & not a flower could be seen on the property.

On the occasion of the first frost in 1783 Emily took a walk in the North East meadow, sat down to rest under a willow tree & never woke up. She was buried in that same meadow. On Christmas Eve of that season her lover finally returned. He had been captured by the British & sent over seas as a prisoner of war. The revolution ended before he could stand trial & eventually he was able to make his way back to the colonies. Her soldier was saddened when he heard the news of her death but war had hardened him & he could shed no tears. Emily's mother led him to the gravesite. As he knelt by Emily's final resting place, her Mother placed a bundle of dried flowers alongside the headstone. The soldier recognized the flowers as the very bouquet he gave her when they first met. His heart finally broke & he began to weep.

On the first day of Spring life returned to the farm when a lone Morning Glory bloom unfolded to greet the dawn. It had sprouted alongside Emily's grave where her love's tears fell to earth.

The Hide: Bring the kids! Take the Dogwood Hollow trail & a short unnamed trail to within 15 feet of the cache. You'll be hunting for a non-traditional cache container hidden in a traditional way. The Weedlin kept stealing my original containers so I moved the cache a little further outside the meadow. If you find one of these original cache containers (possibly near the Weedlin) please feel free to grab it and rehide it. The containers are ready to go with a pencil, log & swag. Just mention in your log that you snagged one of the Weedlin’s caches. In this way the beneficial, if mischievous Weedlins can expand their habitats!

The Park: Monmouth County's Tatum Park contains 366 acres of woods & fields including a playground & six miles of trails. You can park at either the Red Hill Road or Holland Rd activity centers. While in the area be sure to visit Emily's old homestead & the possible remains of her flowerbed: Deep Cut Gardens.


This cache is certified Central Jersey!

Closes at Dusk Meadows For Necessities Nature claws Pack a lunch! May be camo Wont take long Intended for kids Cachemobile Friendly Central Jersey!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Qba'g ohfujunpx. Oruvaq yvir gerr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)