98. Bogastow Brook

Week 98  5/14/17

South End Pond in Millis is one of Paul's regular fishing spots. It's a quite beautiful spot for relaxing and we always see people fishing from the shore. Another benefit is that there is canoe access to bot the Charles River and Bogastow Brook.

Most of our paddles through Bogastow Brook have involved some portages and nearly scraping the bottom with our canoe in several spots. The channel is usually very narrow and twisty. Not today! We have never seen the water so high. Paul was looking for a Trustees property that he says is only accessible from the brook. We stopped where he thought it would be, and he walked around a bit - found a pathway after bushwhacking a ways - but there were no signs and he's not sure he found it.

We paddled upstream further than either of us had ever been and were eventually stopped by this beaver dam.

After the brook paddle, we took a leisurely turn around the pond. Paul caught this keeper crappie just a few seconds after casting. He broke his fishing rod a little later but continued to fish, somehow. We ate this fish for dinner a few days later.

97. Real Steam Punk

Week 97  5/10/17


Boston Waterworks Museum


This museum has been on our list for a while, and today was the day to go. The building housing the pumps is beautiful.

There are quite a few swanky condos in the building too, overlooking Chestnut Hill Reservoir. Nice address!

The architect is named Vinal which is a name in my family, but I don't know if this guy is related. The photo shows a carved stone likeness of him which is in the corner of the building.

This beautiful building is labeled "Machine Room!"

Here's the inside where there are three huge coal-powered steam pumps. The docent (who spoke only to Paul), told him that there are several engineering innovations here. We looked at old footage of the building of the Quabbin Reservoir, maps of the entire system, a reenactment video showing that this water system made vast improvements in health, safety and lifestyle for citizens.

96. "Cousin" Margaret

Week 96  4/30/17

Following a tense three days in the hospital and lots of medical tests and procedures (turns out I'll be OK), we decided to see a talk by Margaret Atwood at Wellesley College. We had already requested tickets and figured that sitting in an audience wouldn't be too strenuous. I was fine.

Photos were not allowed but I took a shot of the covers three of her novels in my library.

Margaret Atwood was a delightful and entertaining speaker. She talked about the creative process, teaching and learning writing, and her early years.

In preparation for this visit, in which the author spent time in classes and workshops with students, many students participated in several book groups, each group reading one of the novels. After the author talk, a representative from each of the book groups asked a detailed and well thought-out question on behalf of their group.

95. Wildflower Paradise

Week 95  4/26/17

This week we drove to the Berkshires area and explored Bartholomew's Cobble in Sheffield, Mass. What a treasure this place is! For several weeks they particularly celebrate wildflowers because of the large variety of native plants they have, mostly in the woodlands and near the streams. They also have one of North America's greatest diversities of ferns. I was glad we were here on a rainy day because everything looked and smelled so fresh.

This is one of the largest cottonwood trees in the state. The range said we could go inside. No.

We also enjoyed the variety of terrain - the massive rocks (cobbles), steep hills, a river, several streams and a grand view from Hurlburt's Hill, 1000 feet elevation from the visitor center.

Despite the fact that I took a bad backward tumble off of a slippery bridge into a stream, it was a wonderful day. I had brought an extra shirt and a fleece vest, but traveled home with wet pants, socks and shoes, as well as bumps and bruises on my head, back and arm.