Category: Local Attractions

Above the Crowd

Each year the small Central Massachusetts town of Sterling, Massachusetts (population 8000) welcomes around 40,000 visitors to the Sterling Fair over a three day period. How fitting that each year the ukulele group I belong to, The Sterling Strummers, gives a concert there.

After the concert, I took some quick captures of the sights on my phone. The brightly colored billboards stood out against the clear blue sky, and later I learned a few things about fast food trends and classic old-fashioned ride decor, as well.

“Fair” warning: Many of the following photos are not for weight watchers!

Deep fried oreos were very popular. You can make them at home with or without a deep fryer.

No fair can be without a classic Ferris Wheel, originally designed as a monument to outshine the Eiffel Tower.

The Silly Symphony Swings are decorated with Venetian scenes, dating back to European designs.

The carousel has ornate jester faces, which have their roots in medieval tournaments and festivals. Decorations served to hide the mechanical work under the roof.

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Dubai coffee, pizza, cannoli or candy apples? It’s all here in Sterling, Massachusetts.

My Local Survivor

I live a few miles from Mt. Wachusett in Princeton, Massachusetts, the highest point in Massachusetts east of the Connecticut River. It is a monadnock, a rock that resisted erosion better than the surrounding land and stands alone above the lower hills. I think it is appropriate that this isolated peak that endured hundreds of millions of years in this manner is also called a “survivor“ mountain.

This “survivor” can be seen rising above the lower lands from numerous settings in the surrounding towns, and is a celebrated landmark in the region. Here, it rises above the farmland in Sterling, Massachusetts.


Earlier this spring, a roadside walk near the mountain’s base revealed both its rock structure and a quintessential spring woodland vista. Boulders tumble along the hilly roadside, and a hardwood forest grows among the rocks.

Caves and shelters are covered by maple alumroot, a member of the coral bell family, common in New England.

The alumroot looks surprisingly like a carpet of maple leaves.

Monadnocks contain singular large upstanding rocks called “glacial erratics”, which were likely deposited during the last ice age over 400 million years ago.

The top third of this glacial erratic displays reddish colored rock tripe, an edible lichen known as “famine food” . It was consumed by early European explorers, indigenous peoples, and George Washington’s starving troops during the winter at Valley Forge. It is very bitter and must be boiled before eating.

Hardwood tree roots share space around and on top of large boulders. Tree trunks sometimes grow in the rock space itself. In contrast, a common red maple sapling is just beginning to grow in this crowded area.

This “cave” is formed by metamorphic rocks ( rocks that have been transformed by heat, pressure and chemical reactions deep within the Earth) . Natural rock shelters such as these are believed to have been used by the Nipmuc people, who made their home here before European colonization. In fact Wachusett means mountain place in the Nipmuc/Algonquin language. These caves were likely used for protection from the elements, or for the storage of food.

Trees growing out of rocks and bending toward the light are demonstrating phototropism, the manner in which plants naturally grow towards light sources.

Celebrate this survivor, but beware when driving!

Ears To You

In these troubled times, moments of laughter and seasonal festivity can provide relief from the never ending news cycle. Here are some photos from a spring visit to my local vintage shop, which both adults and children can enjoy.

What did one rabbit say to the other? You’re ear-resistable.

What do rabbits say before they eat? Lettuce pray.
What is a rabbit’s favorite dance style? Hip-hop.
What did the rabbit say to his wife? No bunny compares to you.
Why do bunnies like to stay together? Because they’re just one big hoppy family.
What did the carrot say to the bunny? Do you want to grab a bite?
Why don’t rabbits get hot in the summer? They have hare-conditioning.
What do you call a line of rabbits hopping backwards? A receding hare line.
Where does a bunny go if he loses his tail? A retail store.
Somebunny is thinking of you this spring!

Thanks to Punsnet for their joke listings.

My Jurassic Valley, Part 1

The Beneski Museum of Natural History at Amherst College, Massachusetts houses the world’s most extensive collection of fossil dinosaur tracks, primarily from the Connecticut River Valley, where I grew up. 
 These tracks from the Jurassic period are around 190 million years old. In addition to dinosaur tracks, it showcases actual dinosaur body fossils, casts from a variety of historical periods, and an exhibit of stones from all over the world.

Although this Tyrannosaurus rex (T.Rex) cast is not from the Jurassic Period, it inspires visitors to touch, measure and experience the cast close up, and immerse themselves in the world of dinosaurs.

Edward Hitchcock began his study of dinosaurs when the existence of dinosaurs- even the word, “dinosaur” -was unknown. A deeply religious man, he did not believe in evolution at first, but he did believe in the scientific method. By the end of his life, he was a supporter of evolution. The Hitchcock Ichnology Collection contains more than 1,100 slabs of fossil tracks and traces from the Connecticut River Valley. They provided the first evidence of dinosaurs in North America.

Many footprints are displayed along the wall for easy viewing, as if in an art gallery. The collection of tracks is known as “the stone book”.

These tracks were made by small to medium-sized dinosaurs. Hitchcock originally thought they were bird tracks.

A track close up.

Not only are fossils on the walls, but here you can see actual dinosaur prints placed at waist level on the museum’s fossilized dinosaur trackway. The large flat sandstone slabs display various footprints and impressions left by dinosaurs that once roamed the Connecticut River Valley during the Triassic and Jurassic eras.

Truly a hands-on exhibit,

and a chance to walk with the dinosaurs.

Jurassic Morning is a diorama created by artist Will Sillin. This artwork depicts the Connecticut River Valley as it appeared 190 million years ago during the Jurassic period.

The Connecticut River at Northfield, MA today.

Top Seeds

Diverse and energetic birds welcome visitors to Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary. Feeders are placed just steps from the parking lot, allowing everyone to experience nature up close, no matter their mobility level.

Purple Finches and a Goldfinch

Male Purple Finch

Female Purple Finch

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Grackle

Tufted Titmouse

Evening Grosbeak

Northern Cardinal

In Your Own Time

There’s a clock for every taste at our local clock shop.

North Brookfield, MA

Christmas-Themed Cuckoo Clock

Ice Cream Retro Kitchen Clock

The Valencias Sunflower Clock features a reproduction of a 1910s antique fruit crate label.

Internet Clock

The Melting Salvador Dali Clock of the 1970s was meant to hang from a shelf.

Although this Bottle Cap Clock looks handmade, it was mass produced.

Ansonia Style Mantle Clock.

Wire Transfer Wall Clock

Victorian Style Clock

Cat and Fish Wall Clock

Authors Ridge

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, Massachusetts is often described as a literary pilgrimage site for those who come to pay respects at Authors Ridge, where they may visit the graves of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Louisa May Alcott.

It is a bit of a climb to the top of the Ridge.

Henry David Thoreau’s family marker. Visitors often leave pencils at Thoreau’s site, both as a tribute to his writing , as well as his family’s ownership of a pencil factory. (I did not see any pencils during my visit.)
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s grave site. In 2006, his wife and daughter were interred beside him.
The Alcott Family Marker

Flowers, stones and written tributes have been carefully placed on Louisa May Alcott’s Grave.

A stone marker leads the way to Emerson’s grave.

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s rose quartz stone.
The inscription is from Emerson’s poem, “The Problem,” which reads: “The passive Master lent his hand/ to the vast soul that o’er him planned,” reflecting his Transcendentalist ideas about the divine in humanity.

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Stone, Glass, Wood / 1888-2026

The Gale Free Library of Holden, Massachusetts exemplifies adaptive reuse architecture, where old buildings are updated for modern uses while still preserving their historic character.

Built in 1888, the library was originally a high school.
Historic stained glass windows are being restored.
The original stone exterior melds with a modern interior extension.
An enlarged historic photograph greets visitors to the second floor.
Wood beams and lighting soften the stone, while the rooflighting above floods the space with light.

The Children’s Room is currently being updated, but a peek through the door hints at learning and fun to come.
In the reading room room traditional statuary and stained glass windows are enhanced with tiny golden lights.

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Traveling Uke

Several months ago, I joined a ukulele group. We strum together each week, sharing songs from long ago right up to the present day. We also perform at local nursing homes, senior centers and town events. Our performances last summer included a Christmas in July celebration, a luau and a local town fair. It’s fun to see the smiles that ukulele music brings to the faces of our audiences. We also enjoy being part of the global resurgence of the ukulele’s popularity in the 21st century.

This affordable and portable instrument is capable of a wide range of styles and uses. Here, the ukulelist Cynthia Lin leads a simple Hawaiian rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow while hundreds play along. Here, virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro demonstrates the full capabilities of the ukulele with his rendition of of Bohemian Rhapsody.

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A Cathedral in the Pines

A lightly edited version of a previous post.

New Hampshire’s Cathedral of the Pines  is an open-air complex built as a memorial to the American war dead. It includes a multi-denominational sanctuary and features a scenic view of nearby Mt. Monadnock.

Continue reading “A Cathedral in the Pines” →

Cathedral of the Pines, Part One

New Hampshire’s Cathedral of the Pines  is an open-air complex built as a memorial to the American war dead. It includes a multi-denominational sanctuary and features a scenic view of nearby Mt. Monadnock.

The Women’s Memorial Belltower is believed to be the first monument in the United States devoted to women’s service and sacrifice.

The Altar of the Nation was recognized by Congress in 1957 as a  National Memorial to American men and women who lost their lives in war. The stones that make up the main body of the Altar come from all fifty states and from every United States President since Harry Truman.

¡Delicioso!

Third Generation farmers from Nicaragua roast and sell coffee from around the world in this delightful Holden, Massachusetts coffee shop.

Wall murals help customers visualize coffee beans on the vine.
Brilla means “shine” in Spanish.
Learn more about the farms and coffee here.
A coffee bean ceiling!

Roasted coffee can be purchased in-store or online.
The on-site roastery.
French Toast and Huevos Rancheros on a bagel.
Traditional style furnishings.

September Sunday

My small local state park offers a variety of ways to relax and experience nature in any season.

The 300 acres of Rutland State Park provide opportunities for hiking, dog walking, swimming, boating, biking, fishing and picnicking. This family friendly park is truly a photographer’s treasure trove!

A Country Road

North Brookfield and New Braintree, Massachusetts

Past the apple orchard….
By the traditional bales of hay….
Hydrangeas are in full bloom.
A willow tree has been upended by a recent storm.

Driving by spacious fields….
We must be getting close to …
A farm stand.
Do you like Butter and Sugar or Yellow Corn better?

“Chowdah” and More

Relaxed seaside eating on Cape Cod.

New England Clam Chowder
Lobster Features Prominently on Restaurant Signage.

Lobster Roll, Chowder, Slaw and….

Fried Clams with Onion Rings are popular.
Seafood Choices Abound!
Baked Scallops
Crab Cakes

Swordfish With Traditional Corn on the Cob and a Baked “Tater”
And for the “Landlubber”: Bourbon Beef Tips and…
Sweet Potato Waffle Fries!

Seaside decor adds ambience for both surf and turf.

Tree of Life: Birch Through the Ages

On display at the Museum of Russian Icons In Clinton MA.

“As far back as the Stone Age, parts of the birch tree have been used across Northern Europe and Russia. Craftspeople and homemakers learned to use the tree for wallpaper, lumber, medicine, tea, shoes, writing paper, and other creative applications. Birch wood and bark quickly became a common material for more decorative forms of folk art as well. Woodcarving adorned buildings across Russia, and even the homes of peasants were decorated with spectacular birch carvings.”

Birch Box
Birch Figure

Rattle

Siberian artist Vladimir Tulyak created highly detailed and delicately hued icons from layers of birch bark.

The Madonna and Child

Christ the Teacher

There Was A Crooked House

The Bird Store and More in Sturbridge MA offers hundreds of bird-related items to catch a bird lover’s fancy. The adjoining courtyard features a whimsical crooked house called the Sherwood Forest Stables, which stores birds seed and attracts a host of well-fed creatures.

Donkey Hodie in Massachusetts

Alta Vista Farm, Rutland, Massachusetts

According to Wikipedia:

Inspired by the funny, quirky side of children’s television pioneer Fred Rogers, Donkey Hodie is set in the whimsical land of Someplace Else. The imaginative puppet series follows the adventures of Donkey Hodie, an enthusiastic and charming go-getter who takes on each day with curiosity, resilience, and sincerity, and her pals Purple Panda, Duck Duck, and Bob Dog. The social-emotional series is designed to empower children ages 3–5 to dream big and overcome obstacles in their own lives, to work hard and persevere in the face of failure, to be resourceful and discover they can solve problems on their own—and to laugh themselves silly along the way.

Uncovering the Past

The Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge is one of eight covered bridges in Massachusetts. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Wikipedia states that:
At 137 feet, the Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge is the longest covered bridge in Massachusetts.
Built in 1886, it spans the Ware River at Hardwick and Ware, Massachusetts.
The siding does not fully cover the sides, leaving a strip exposed for light, and extends partway inside each portal.

The bridge notably survived a major flooding event in the 1930s, when the textile mills in Hardwick were destroyed.

Ice Hike

A “cool” surprise awaited me on a recent return trip to the Mass Rail Trail at Charnock Tunnel.

An arctic blast greeted me on a visit to the Charnock Tunnel, a section of the Mass Central Rail Trail in Rutland, MA.

The recently painted mural inside the railroad tunnel is in stark contrast to the ice just feet away.

Hiking sticks are a must on this trail.

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.

Paper Flower Power

The paper flowers at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston, MA “pack a punch”.
Hundreds of flowers, some several feet across, create a bold statement against the backdrop of traditional New England architecture.
Enormous blossoms enhance the bright red and yellow hues of winterberry bushes below them.
The strings of electric lines are lit each evening for the popular Night Lights display.

A Towering Tribute

Bancroft Tower in Worcester, MA was designed to look like a miniature Romanesque castle.
Made of natural stone and granite, it is 56 feet high.
It was erected in 1900 in honor of George Bancroft: Worcester native, Secretary to the Navy, Founder of the U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Minister to Great Britain and Germany.

Mindfulness

Photographs from a visit to the grounds of the Barre Center For Buddhist Studies in Barre, Massachusetts.

At the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Barre, MA thoughtful landscaping and architecture are designed to encourage reflection and contemplation in or out of doors.
Stone walls, sturdy trees, benches and other wooden elements recur throughout the grounds. Circular and domed shapes enhance architectural elements.
The large domed bell with striker is hung from a aged tree. In Buddhism, the bell is sometimes said to be the sound of the Buddha’s voice.
A dome-shaped stupa (a Buddhist monument housing sacred relics associated with the Buddha) is surrounded by greenery and stone walls.

The Meditation Hall features large circular windows. Circles are associated with enlightenment in Buddhist thought.

Wooden floors and exposed beams enhance the inside of the hall.

Pillows or benches are used for meditation.
The meditation bowl, or singing bowl, is rung to signify the beginning and end of meditation.

The vegetable garden is enclosed by a handmade willow fence. Garden sections are now being planted, as the Center will welcome on-site students once again this fall.

A wooden Thai Spirit House sits at the edge of the garden.

A “Sweet” Protest

In New England, mid to late February is the start of the maple syrup making season.

Up until the Civil War, using maple sugar was an act of political protest for many northern abolitionists, who refused to use cane sugar produced by slave colonies in the Caribbean. New England forests had been over logged to build ships for the slave trade of the era. Abolitionists attempted to reseed decimated areas with maple trees, and use maple sugar rather than cane for their needs.

The “Sap Castle” in Rutland, MA welcomes visitors to view the sugaring process and learn about its history during February and March.

The family living in this house have been making maple syrup for three generations.
Two kinds of taps: traditional metal and modern plastic.
The sap castle in operation, with smoke from the wood-fired stove billowing out of the chimney.
The sap boiler, also called the sap evaporator.
The wood fire is kept roaring!
Final filtering.
Testing the sugar content of the syrup.
This simple window display shows the grades of syrup.
The 24/7 self service maple syrup box. It runs on the honor system.
Choose your syrup, and slide your payment through a nearby slot.
A rock “maple leaf” guards the castle.

Made, Re-Found, Restyled

Local artisans and antique dealers combined forces to re-purpose an old mill. The result is an inviting atmosphere to shop for handmade and one-of-a -kind items while supporting talented neighbors. A relaxing atmosphere helps shoppers explore numerous rooms chock full of unique items not found in standard shopping venues.

Shop local!

Fruitlands

The Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, MA is situated on Prospect Hill, the site where Bronson Alcott and Charles Lane founded a short-lived experimental utopian community in 1843. The view from the hill is still beautiful today.

The Fruitlands Museum relates that:

“Fruitlands has been host to some of the most famous people in America. Thoreau walked Prospect Hill and admired its view; Ralph Waldo Emerson, a supporter of Alcott’s, visited here; and Louisa May (then 10) would relate her experiences at Fruitlands in her books Transcendental Wild Oats and Little Women.”

A New Year In New England

December brought snow, ice and temperature fluctuations, lending itself to a variety of seasonal photo opportunities.
Happy New Year from New England!

Wachusett Meadow Audubon, Princeton, MA
Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston, MA

Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston, MA
Old Sturbridge Village, MA
Tower Hill Botanic Garden
Wachusett Meadow Audubon, Princeton, MA

All Aboard the Fairy Garden Train

Looking for a way to involve kids in holiday decorations? How about having them create a richly colored, imaginative holiday fairy garden?
Tower Hill Botanical Garden used natural items such as greens, berries, seeds, nuts, stones and wood to create this child friendly garden. A train set runs through a grapevine tunnel and past mossy greens and birch bark houses.

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A Wayside Christmas Visit

Longfellow’s Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts is the oldest Inn still operating in the United States. It has been serving travelers along the old Boston Post Road for almost 300 years.

I lived in a colonial home built in 1791 for a number of years, so I recognize and appreciate the architectural sturdiness, twelve over twelve windows, pediments, stone walls and other 18th century features.

While I was eating a delightful traditional New England meal today at the Inn, two thoughts came to mind. Did Longfellow ever imagine that the Wayside would still be thriving in 2017? And had he also enjoyed a glorious Indian pudding like the one I just ate?

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Quabbin Reservoir

“Quabbin Reservoir is one of the largest man-made public water supplies in the United States. Created in the 1930s by the construction of two huge earthen dams, the reservoir is fed by the three branches of the Swift River, and seasonally by the Ware River. Quabbin’s water covers 39 square miles, is 18 miles long and has 181 miles of shoreline. When full, Quabbin holds 412 billion gallons of water.

The New Salem and Enfield lookouts offer magnificent views of the reservoir. In order to flood the vast area of the Swift River Valley in the 1930s, the entire population of four towns had to be relocated. Hundreds of homes, businesses, a state highway, a railroad line, and 34 cemeteries were also moved or dismantled. Over 6,000 graves were relocated from the Valley to Quabbin Park Cemetery.”