Category: landscape

Take a Seat…

and enjoy the possibilities within a garden.

Hydrangeas lend a “secret garden feel ” to this conversation area.
Tall phlox provide a shelter for solitary meditation.
This wooden bench folds for winter storage. A just-picked garlic crop dries beside it on an all season table.
Coleus and evergreens stay cool in the shadier area near the road where neighbors walk by or come to visit.

The hand made wooden bench in the zen garden was fashioned from recycled stair steps. It is a perfect place for reflection.
There is room under the apple tree for picnics and conversation. Potted young plants enjoy the shade, as well.
Gardening celebrates life and growth!

Shinshin

“Shinshin” is a Japanese term for the deep silence of a fresh snowfall, or the “sound of no sound” as soft snow absorbs sound. It evokes a sense of calm and stillness, and is a favored time for photographers and nature enthusiasts.

Holden, Massachusetts/ The Morning of January 19, 2026

It’s a Color Blast

The Arctic Blast last evening delivered extraordinary, if fleeting, sunset colors that swirled around my rooftop. After the vivid colors faded, temperatures sunk to 6° F., the coldest of the season. Wind chills felt as low as -5°F. My blog’s title “From My Window” can be taken quite literally in this case.

Holden Massachusetts

First Fall Color

Foliage around Wachusett Meadow’s Wildlife Pond glows in the late afternoon sun.

The beaver lodge is enveloped in color.
Canoes await at the pond edge.
Sumac trees, such as the one in the left of the photo, are among the first trees to change color.
A closer view of the beaver lodge.
The sheep graze just above the pond.
View from the Observation Pier.
A long view of the pond as the sun begins to set.

Zen-style Gardens at Pleasant Bay Village

Pleasant Bay Village, Chatham, Cape Cod , MA

The Koi Pond is surrounded by specimen trees and rare plantings.

Garden sculptures by local artists enhance the grounds.
One of numerous waterfalls on the seven acre property.

Japanese Maples formed the basis of the gardens in the 1980s.

Seats for quiet contemplation are tucked into corners throughout the grounds.

Butterfly Wings

(Short audio included at the end of the post.)

During my recent blogging break, I have been learning to play the folk harp.

This is a Fireside Harp from Backyard Music, made of cardboard.

The shape of the harp reminds me of the wings of a butterfly that visits my garden.

A rain storm came up just after these photos were taken, but I’ve included a short audio with a rainy backdrop, which can be played along with these photos.

Eleanor Plunkett, by Turlough O’Carolan, arranged by harpist and composer Anne Crosby Gaudet, performed by Julie Mankowsky.

Bobolink Field

This spacious field is a favored walking spot for both people and dogs on leashes. However, during the late spring Bobolink nesting season, special care is taken to protect these ground-nesting birds, while still enjoying their bubbly songs and low ground flights.

Moore State Park, Paxton, MA


Golden Landscapes

The late fall continues to provide glowing opportunities for sunset photography at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary.

Overlooking the Wildlife Pond

The Farm Pond

A Long View of the Crocker Barn

Farm Pond and Fields Beyond

North Meadow

South Meadow

Quinnetuket Picnic

“Quinnetuket” is the Native American word for Connecticut, and means “beside the long river”. The Connecticut River is the longest river in New England, flowing southward for 406 miles through four states. As it runs through Northfield, Massachusetts, the Riverview Picnic Area provides a wonderfully scenic place for a picnic in any season.

More Than Water

Quabbin Reservoir is one of the largest unfiltered water supplies in the United States. The 412 billion gallon reservoir covers 39 square miles with 181 miles of shoreline, providing 3 million people with drinking water. And yet, a visit to the reservoir offers so much more than water!

Birders can see Bald Eagles and other birds from the Enfield Lookout. The former town of Enfield was abandoned to make way for the reservoir.
Foliage and water view from the Enfield Lookout.
New Hampshire’s Mt. Monadnock as seen from the Lookout.
Water views from the Main Gate.

Although the foliage is past peak, the woods glow with golden and brown tones.

The Quabbin Tower provides an expansive view of the reservoir.
Miles of hiking trails are perfect for those who prefer off-the-road treks.
Numerous picnic and scenic areas provide a welcome rest.

Trails of different levels of difficulty offer something for everyone.

Quabbin is known as a prime destination for photographers.
The Quabbin Spillway is much dryer than in previous years.

Great views from the Winsor Dam are accessible to all.

A New Year’s Wish: Lonely Fences, Revisited

A winter walk along the winding road to St. Joseph’s Abbey during the Omicron upsurge.

Aging wooden fences line the twisting, hilly, half-mile long road that leads to St. Joseph’s Abbey. The views of fields and distant hills are lovely and uplifting. The walk to the top takes stamina, and provides time for meditation.
Occasionally, one notices posts and railings that need repair.
A closer inspection shows the effect of time and weather.
Closer to the top, the hills beyond come into view.
Finally, the land levels off.
The journey is complete.
Inside the abbey, visitors can rest in the quiet glow of stained glass.
May we all find moments of rest and hope in the New Year.

“Many Waters”

The Quabbin Reservoir takes its name from the Algonquin word meaning “many waters”.

The Quabbin Reservoir is one of the largest unfiltered water supplies in the United States, providing drinking water for 3 million Massachusetts residents. It covers 39 square miles with 181 miles of shoreline.
“Quabbin” is an Algonquin word meaning “many waters”. The word was used by the Nipmucs, who first inhabited this area of Massachusetts. Built between 1930 and 1939, the reservoir is the largest inland body of water in Massachusetts. It is a primary water supply for Boston, 65 miles to the east.
At the Enfield Lookout, New Hampshire’s Mt. Monadnock can be seen in the distance.

More than 50 access gates surround Quabbin, giving visitors access to the over 200 miles of forest roads throughout the watershed.

“Mountain Place”

“Wachusett” is an Algonquin word meaning “mountain place”. Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, MA has been a popular destination for hikers, skiers and sightseers for centuries. Local tribes, such as the Nipmucs, camped here. In the nineteenth century, Henry David Thoreau explored this mountain and described his visit in one of his journals.

Mt. Wachusett reveals an iconic view of New Hampshire’s Mt. Monadnock.
Wachusett’s ski lifts are popular with sightseers in the fall.

The Bicentennial Trail is one of ten trails of varying difficulties frequented by hikers each year.