Category: Local Attractions

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

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.

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.