A little reading along the trail–StoryWalk® at the Fish Hatchery in North Attleboro

Pretty pond to walk around at the fish hatchery–the pond is actually Bungay Brook, dammed at this spot to creatr the pond

The rain held off so Christine and I enjoyed the cooler breezes as the weather changed and headed out to the Fish Hatchery in North Attleboro, after enjoying lunch together at the Unlikely Story bookstore in nearby Plainville.

Enjoying the story on the trail

Christine has spent much of her life working with children, and I wanted to share with her the Storywalk® that is posted along the nature trail. The trail circles the pond behind the fish hatchery buildings and is an easy walk in most any season.

Christine coaching me on proper method for selfies

We  noticed that the pond was easier to see than what I recalled from prior visits. Was this because of tree damage from last winter?

Lots of fresh leaf litter on the ground, courtesy of hard-working gypsy moths munching throughout the forest

Or perhaps the gypsy moths, working very hard right now to destroy the local oaks, are removing lots of foliage and making it easier to see the water? Whatever the cause, the water views were lovely.

Bungay Brook flowing freely, before finding its way into the dammed pond behind the fish hatchery

Bungay Brook was rushing under the small bridge that crosses the stream–I love the sound of flowing water, and was hoping Christine would see (and hear) this trail at its best. We were not disappointed.

Step by step, we read the story

And each stop along the Storywalk® gave us more clues about how trout come from trees. Huh? Christine was not buying this.

All around the pond, we caught beautiful views of the water. The lily pads have not grown in, so the water is clearer than when I have visited in the late summer or fall.

Beautiful water views were waiting from every direction as we traveled around the pond

And despite the leaf cover, we finally noticed that the rain had begun. The rain was still falling gently as we wrapped up our walk, the drops creating graceful circles on the calm water’s surface.

Gentle rain just beginning to fall

We got to the end of our walk, and our story, and had seen the circle of life, from leaf litter to all the creatures that consume the detritus and later become part of the food chain, all the way up to the fish (that are raised in the fish hatchery!) The circle of life, indeed. A sweet way to spend some time with a dear friend.

Marjorie

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors, and is the author of Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, More Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, Easy Walks and Paddles in the Ten Mile River Watershed, and Finding Easy Walks Wherever You Are. Her memoir, the backstory of Easy Walks, is My Liturgy of Easy Walks: Reclaiming hope in a world turned upside down.