12. Boston Museum of Science

Week 12 10/15/15

We seem to be alternating between outdoor and "civilized" outings. 

Neither of us had been to this museum in many years so it was time for a trip. We found most of the exhibits geared toward schoolchildren - lots of buttons to push, computer screens and cards to flip. We skipped many of them. The text and lectures seemed very simplified in most cases. During one animal show (a Screaming Hairy Armadillo) which took place after the kids left on their buses, the demonstrator apologized for her talk, saying it was prepared for a child audience. I'm sure many children get a lot out of it, but it was sad to see others just pushing buttons and not taking any interest in the content, or else interacting with their cell phones.  

We enjoyed the new Human Life exhibit (but at the same time, kind of missed the old one) and the exhibit of the museum's own history which included some cases that were of the "cabinet of curiosity" type - crowded with interesting juxtapositions that leave one with unanswered questions.

Here I am with one of the old dioramas we both remembered from so long ago. We appreciated the quality of the curved murals in the backgrounds. This one is sort of like our back yard, complete with groundhogs.

11. Perfect fall day

Week 11 10/7/15

Paul and I visited several spots on this day so it took a while to get the facts together. Here we parked at a small Sudbury Valley Trustees reservation called Black Cat farm and then wandered into Wayland's Sedge Meadow conservation restriction land. It's hard to tell in this small photo, but he is admiring a crabapple tree.

Next was Walbach farm which is home base for Sudbury Valley Trustees. They have a nice house which we didn't enter, and a program of events each season. We saw several sycamore trees in the woods, but not in the photos below. We liked the trails.

Here we have a photo of one of several plantings of sweet fern (we think) at the summit of Round Hill, another Sudbury Valley Trustees spot. There is a community garden adjacent. 

We ate our picnic at Great Woods National Wildlife Refuge. We'll come back with a canoe another day, which is a trip Paul took with his brother Phil several years ago. 

Final stop was Brue's woods (SVT), a small reservation which is apparently used frequently by the adjacent public school. No photo here.

10. The Big E - Cream puff in the rain

Week 10 9/30/15

Eastern States Exposition

Neither of us had ever seen the Big E. I wanted to go to an agricultural fair this fall so we opted for the biggest one around. Some of the animals were on hand - llamas, alpacas and sheep. I guess the horses and pigs arrive later. Here are a few healthy-looking llamas. We watched some of their friends in the competition ring.

Not to be outdone -- the vegetable kingdom. Paul poses with some prizewinning squash.

We enjoyed both the New England states displays and the historic buildings at Storrowtown Village. The village buildings were mostly in the era of our house, and one farmhouse was very close in many ways. Someone suggested coming back to Storrowtown Village in early December for a holiday display.

The "signature treat" of this fair is cream puffs. We decided to skip the deep fried cheesecake.

9. The road taken/not taken

Week 9 9/23/15

Trustees of Reservations Areas in Central Mass

The first stop was Redemption Rock which is a tiny 1/4 acre reservation in Princeton at the site of the colonial hostage negotiation and release from captivity of Mary White Rowlandson (and others) by the Nipmucs, Narragansetts and Wampanoags. The Mid-State Trail passes through this way, so we followed it a couple of miles. Paul had hiked part of this trail with his brother, Charlie, and another part, up to the top of Mt. Wachusett with his brother, Phil.

Our second stop was Elliott Laurel in Phillipston. This is a 33-acre reservation which should be bursting with laurel blossoms in the spring. We enjoyed the meadow but didn't spot any monarchs.

Below is a beautiful hemlock grove in Elliott Laurel. The trails were a bit confusing and didn't seem to match the map. One area was very steep and promised an overlook but we did not get that far this trip.

Finally, after lunch we went to Petersham to visit a series of three reservations. North Common Meadow is 25 acres consisting of mostly a meadow area with a pretty pond and some apple trees. We ate a few. Here is Paul picking our snack. I tried to capture a shot of him leaping to the ripe apples but they came out blurry.

Brooks Woodland Preserve is as it sounds. I like to look for little details like this mushroom-covered log. Paul seeks vistas. 

The trail we chose in Woodland Preserve should have taken us just north of a wetland area. We compared our route on the map with the numbered signs along the way. After number 7, the trail petered out and we suspected that beaver activity had caused the trail to be washed out. I waited while Paul scouted around, crossing some dams and working his way back. We decided to backtrack and take a more northerly set of trails. Here are some of the beaver lodges.

We didn't make it to the third reservation, Swift River, this time. 

8. Roger Williams Zoo

Week 8 9/15/15

We planned to see some of the grounds of Roger Williams Park and also the zoo, but ended up spending our whole time at the zoo. It was a beautiful day with no crowds and we had a good view of most animals despite the heat.

The Rose Garden, Botanic Garden and Japanese Garden will be added to our list for another day.

We watched these red pandas for quite a while.

On this trip I learned the best response when your partner worries about being a bit "high maintenance" that day. One should say, "That's OK. I have a lifetime maintenance contract."

7. Gloucester

Week 7 9/8/15

This was a bit of a crowded week, but we took an opportunity to piggy-back a weekly outing with Paul's scheduled practice round for the Mass State Super Senior Championship Tournament. 

We first went to Stage Fort Park, a lovely facility, site of Gloucester's first settlers in 1623. We were happy to hear that we avoided a parking fee by visiting after Labor Day. We shared a picnic, then walked on some trails past the old fort and a place to sit overlooking the harbor.

Later, we walked around Gloucester city a bit and had dinner at the Cape Ann Brewing Company before heading home.

6. Wenakeening Woods

Week 6 9/3/15

An unexpected plumbing failure in our house put the damper on our adventure plan for this week. But it was a nice day so we spent several hours walking several trails in Wenakeening Woods in Holliston, owned  by the Upper Charles Conservation Land Trust. The trails connect with land owned by Bettania religious community and the Holliston Rail Trail. Bettania now allows people to hike their trails. (Plan for another day.)

A Boy Scout Eagle project is responsible for the handsome signage stations.

Paul suggested that I pose behind the tree. I wonder what I should think of that suggestion.

This is a large, active yellowjacket nest.