Author Archives: Marjorie

Classrooms frozen in time

Plantation elem. 1st grade

1st Grade, Plantation Elementary, Look for the little girl on the far right at the back with glasses and the white head band. Yes, I wore glasses for one year.

Do you have a box of photos waiting to be sorted and scanned? Maybe others that need to be placed into photo albums? Me too. I’ve worked at this before, and thinned down the pile substantially, but there are still photos that don’t really fit into the categories I was using–family and close friends.

When I was growing up we not only got individual school photos taken of each of us each year throughout my elementary school days, but our entire class was also captured for posterity, along with our teacher. Continue reading

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Traces of Farm Life

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Sign that caught our attention, on Wattaquadock Hill Road in Bolton, MA

It was a cold weekend, and my husband wanted to explore, so we set off. Despite the cold (it never reached above 22f and the wind made it feel much colder) we were dressed for the weather and we were ready to get out and move. Continue reading

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Exploring the Ten Mile River Watershed

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Hardy folks of the Ten Mile River Watershed Council, on the trail at the Fish Hatchery in N.Attleboro

Last weekend we had a kickoff meeting for our newest project. And since the project is an effort to document and share the trails and canoe put-ins of the Ten Mile River watershed, our meeting was held outdoors. No matter that the temperature hovered in the teens. The volunteers of this water conservation group are a hardy lot, and cheerfully headed out with me on the trail at the Fish Hatchery on Bungay Road in North Attleboro. Continue reading

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In search of the SNETT

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View from one of the Bridges along the Blackstone River Bikeway/SNETT. This completed 4-mile portion of trail encompasses both the north-south railtrail, as well as the east-west SNETT.

With the recent completion of the Blackstone River Bikeway–at least the four mile section from Blackstone through Millville and into Uxbridge, there is renewed attention, and great interest, in seeing these kinds of projects move forward. The East-West SNETT (Southern New England Trunkline Trail) intersects with the north-south Blackstone River bikeway for these four miles of railtrail.

The SNETT has received a lot of press in the past several years as different community groups and public officials seek to assist in the development of this 6-town linking railtrail (from Franklin to Bellingham, Blackstone, Millville, and Uxbridge, out to Douglas)but it’s been a slow process. Continue reading

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Time with grandparents

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Grandma and grands having fun on Choatie the turtle at Choate Park, Medway

Each time I spend time with my grands, I am struck at some time by how differently I am able to interact with them, contrasted with the time I spent with my own grandparents. Bonds with my own grandmothers were strong, yet one worked full time almost her entire life, leaving us happily ensconced at her beach house retreat while the other cared for her increasingly frail mother, and thus was never very free to spend much time with us.

Each generation and each family has different life situations–there are no “right” ways to be a grandparent. Continue reading

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Asking for help

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On the trail at Birchwold Farm, Wrentham

Maybe it’s just me, but I have a terrible time asking for help. I’m much happier being the one who is helpful, has the right answers, knows just the right place to go to obtain whatever help you might need. Yes, it’s a learned trait, and one I came by naturally. My mom was the one people often turned to. They knew that if she didn’t know the answer, she would be able to suggest who could help. She called it, “Kuhl’s consultant service,” always said with a smile. (“Kuhl” was our last name.)

I worked very hard to avoid being the one who needed to ask for help until life events took over and there was little choice. Finding myself a single parent, boy, did I need help! Later, because of illness, I needed even more help. Thankfully, my life is much more stable these days, but there is still a lot I need help with. I was reminded of this today, as we set out for Birchwold Farm in Wrentham with our snowshoes, to enjoy the recent snowfall. Continue reading

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N. Attleboro Fish Hatchery-Getting Acquainted with the Ten Mile River Watershed

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Bridge over the Bungay river, lowing toward the Fish Hatchery in N. Attleboro

We visited the “Fish Hatchery” in North Attleboro on a gorgeous blue-sky winter morning. https://www.fws.gov/northattleboro/visit.html

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Plan to visit Monday through Saturdays– the hatchery is closed Sundays and federal holidays. Continue reading

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A question and a story

Don & M 3-7-09

My dad and I

Do you know when you’re going to die? Well, I don’t know the answer to that, for you, for others, for myself. But since I’m a storyteller from way back, here’s a story:

You know, my dad was lucky. Three months before he died, Dad sat in his living room watching four of his teen grandchildren gathered on the floor around him, reading chapters of his soon-to-be-published memoir. He and I had spent a number of weekends together over the previous several years, working together to help document his life lessons and experiences. I clarified details of stories that didn’t quite hold together, drawing out more information. The more he shared, the more he remembered other events. Continue reading

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Walk-Fit: or, Making Friends

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Liz (on the right) getting the troops organized

I met Liz Myska along a trail as we joined others who had ventured out to help with a trail cleanup. For those who have never participated in these events, they are very social. Yes, we’re making the trail cleaner, but if you’re not careful, you may make friends who could change your life! Liz is one of those type of friends Continue reading

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Rainbows

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Prisms fill my window and kitchen with color and light

An unexpected Christmas gift years ago from my dear cousin became the start of a small collection I’ve added to over the years. When I received this first gift I had no idea the joy it would give. A simple glass prism, it was at one time, I believe, part of a crystal chandelier. Continue reading

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