Fall Walk

It’s delightful to explore the common flora and fauna of Central Massachusetts on a cool autumn day.

Eastern Grey Squirrel

Adult Squirrels can consume about one and a half pounds of seeds and nuts each week.
Goldenrod
Eastern Blue Jay
Oriental Bittersweet
The first Dark-eyed Junco of the season.
Common Milkweed

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.

Pumpkin Patch Games

Farm-style versions of classic indoor and outdoor games are a treat for all at Bemis Farms Nursery on fall weekends.

Take a ghostly picture….

And pick a perfect pumpkin from the patch. Then test your skills on…

Squash Tic Tac Toe,
Checkers,

Milk Jug Toss,

Kan Jam (played with frisbees),
Ladder Ball (shown at the far left),
and an adaptation of the table top soccer game foosball.
Then try your hand at a farm version of Kerplunk ,
and wander around a “pumpkin tree” !
Can you toss a witch hat?
Have you ever tried pumpkin bowling?
Don’t forget to follow the Pumpkin Path!

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!

Agronomy

The American Society of Agronomy tells us that agronomy is a “science and practice that looks at agriculture from an integrated, holistic perspective”.

The Agronomy Farm Vineyard in Oakham, Massachusetts is one of over 50 wineries in the state.

Agronomy’s 1.85 acre vineyard was planted in May of 2014 with half of the vines a red varietal, Marquette and the other half a white varietal called Cayuga.

The Winery is a destination for visiting as well as catered events.

The stencil “A” Agronomy trademark can be seen throughout the grounds.

Relax under a canopied patio near the pond!

Relevant Yesterday and Today

This classic New England style church in Oakham, Massachusetts (population 1,621) dates back to 1766. The Churchyard Cemetary, circa 1790, includes Revolutionary War soldiers.

SAR stands for Sons of the American Revolution, and honors those who served in the Revolutionary War.

For over 257 years, this site has been a gathering place for solace and reverence.

Where Rabbits Run and Humans Walk and Reflect

More late summer images from Wachusett Meadow.

Eastern Cottontail Rabbits have proliferated this year at the Meadow.

Raised-Lettering on signs, as well as an audio informational program available at the visitors center, allow the visually impaired to more fully experience the meadow along the All Persons Trail.
The North Meadow is a popular easy hiking area.

Cattails in the North Meadow are vivid harbingers of fall.
A section of the All Persons Trail leads to the South Meadow.
Bas relief sculptures aid in identifying tree and barn swallows.
Visitors to the All Persons Trail can greet Wachusett’s endearing sheep on the way to the South Meadow…
…and then continue on to a sunny resting spot .

Backyard Music

Last March, I traveled to Backyard Music in Willimantic, Connecticut, to pick up my first handmade folk harp.

(Short audio at the end.)

Willimantic is famous for its frogs, which greet you as you travel across the town’s main bridge.
True to its name, the Backyard Music Shop is behind the owner’s colorful Victorian home.
Owner and musical instrument maker, Dave Magnuson, has been creating harps, banjos and dulcimers here for 35 years.
Dave has a wide variety of unique instruments in his shop, both old and new.

An hourglass shaped dulcimer hangs beside a plainer trapezoidal dulcimer. On the far left, a banjo is fashioned from a wooden box.
Dozens of harp necks stand ready to have strings added. Note the circular banjo soundboxes on the far left.
Here’s my new harp. The wooden neck is strung with 22 strings, and the soundboard is made of heavy duty cardboard. I’ve named it Maeve, which means “she who rules”. In Irish Mythology Maeve is a queen.
All harpers learn “Scarborough Fair”. Here’s my early recording of that famous folksong from the Middle Ages. Maeve and I were getting to know each other at that time.

Sorghum?

This local field is usually planted in corn. However, this year I noticed that the plants are more pointy at the top with closely planted rows, and have copious weeds in between . An internet research leads me to believe it is sorghum, which is used as silage.

WordPress farmers, feel free to comment!

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?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

To refresh and renew the front yard, combine seeds and plant cuttings collected last fall with duct tape and spray paint.

Duct tape strengthens the old resin chair, while “spring green” spray paint lends a pop of color to the furniture.
Last fall’s coleus cuttings have taken off in the recent wet weather.
Inside or outside, the succulent green kalanchoe flourishes.
Six cosmos seeds saved from last year go a long way to enliven this year’s flower bed!
Scarlet Runner bean seeds are easy to dry, and never fail in succeeding years.
Bright bean flowers are magnets for a variety of birds and insects.
Last year’s nasturtium seeds have bloomed yet again.
The “outdoor living room” under the hemlocks is a cool and breezy place to chat with friends and neighbors.

Living Local, Part Two

Worcester County, where I live, leads the state in the number of farms.

Within a few miles from me, I enjoy visiting this farm.

How pleased I was to see that it is open!

It’s sweet corn time in Massachusetts!

Aw, shucks, I’ll buy a dozen.

In order to create a super fresh vegetarian meal, I add my own home grown cukes, tomatoes, arugala,

Green and yellow beans,

Swiss chard and kale. Colorful and nutritious. I’m grateful.

“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.

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.

Rock Harbor Haze

Even as far back as early May, the effects of the Nova Scotia wildfires could be seen in the unusually orange evening skies on Cape Cod.

Rock Harbor, Orleans, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
From a distance what looks like a fisherman is actually a worker testing the water and soil quality of the harbor.

“A Chance of Showers and Thunderstorms”

That’s the weather forecast each day here in Central Massachusetts. As a result, this year’s garden is surely taking its time to grow!

This tomato variety is named Fourth of July, and promised tomatoes ready to eat by that date. Although they have a while to go, they are surely farther along than my other varieties.
Evening Primrose
The first Bee Balm to bloom.
Sweet 100 Tomatoes just flowering.
Calendula self-seeded from last year.
Hydrangea
Arugala (Second Planting)
Lady Bell Peppers
Blue Lake Pole and Bush Beans

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.