Category Archives: Blog posts–Easy Walks

by Marjorie | March 18, 2019 · 11:53 am

Ice opening up-spring is coming

Beautiful view of Trolley Crossing Farm in Bellingham, from the SNETT

What a strange winter we have had in southern New England. Snow (expected) followed quickly by rain (not so nice) since the rain turned everything into heavy, ice-filled landscape. And then we received almost fourteen inches of snow overnight–a joy to see, but it was so deep (for me) and soon crusted over. Thoughts of outings in deep, crusty snow were not very appealing for me, and those of us who have balance issues. Continue reading →

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Tagged as blackstone river watershed council, Blackstone Valley, SNETT Bellingham

by Marjorie | February 22, 2019 · 6:19 pm

Snowy-icy trails in winter

Fun at the Franklin Sculpture park

Time with energetic grands during February vacation means trying to figure out where to head outdoors where kids will have fun and Grandma will not break her neck! The sun was shining, we’d grabbed a quick lunch, then headed right around the corner to the Sculpture Park in Franklin. Continue reading →

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Tagged as ducks in winter, Easy Walks in Massachusetts, franklin ma accessible trail, franklin ma handicapped accessible trail, Franklin Sculpture park, fun in the snow

by Marjorie | February 20, 2019 · 4:43 pm

Snowy Owls in Winter

Snowy owl posing atop the Sachuest visitor center

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

We have seen snowy owls at Sachuest National Wildlife Refuge in years past, but this year was a little over the top in making it easy for us to view the winter resident. As we drove up to the Refuge, we saw a line of cars parked, with people standing all over the parking lot. Right at the crest of the visitor’s center building, the snowy posed, in clear view. At Sachuest in February, it’s all about the owls. Continue reading →

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Tagged as easy walks in RI, newport, newport ri, Sachuest wildlife refuge, snowy owls, winterwildlife

by Marjorie | January 17, 2019 · 5:02 pm

Winter Walking-St. Vincent’s Hospital, Worcester

Liz (on the left) chats with St. Vincent’s staff prior to the start of the program

My friend Liz Myska is a force of nature, some folks say. She makes friends wherever she goes, and is amazing in her ability to persuade others to help with her great ideas. Five years ago, she wanted to combine offering a safe place to walk in the winter with an opportunity for her and her other visually impaired friends to help people in the community learn how to better assist those around them who are visually impaired. Five years later, her winter walking program continues. These winter walks have all taken place at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Worcester, taking advantage of their amazing, three story atrium, complete with a three story waterfall, live trees, flowers in season, and comfortable seating near the waterfall. Continue reading →

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Tagged as st vincents hospital atrium walking program, St vincents hospital walking program, train to be a sighted guide, visually impaired training for sighted people, walk fit worcester

by Marjorie | January 14, 2019 · 12:38 pm

Quiet Easy Walk on the SNETT, Blackstone, Near Farm Street

Portion of Harris Pond seen from the SNETT, Blackstone

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

The finished portion of the SNETT/Blackstone Greenway has received a lot of press, but a section east of there, still in Blackstone, offers some pretty views of Harris Pond that makes this section of the trail a real pleasure to visit. The trail between Farm Street and Rt. 122, as well as east of Farm Street, headed over to Bellingham, is not only high and dry, it offers water views along the trail, sometimes on both sides of the raised trail. Continue reading →

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by Marjorie | January 7, 2019 · 3:45 pm

Nahant in Winter

Along the shoreline in Nahant

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

We were north of Boston and ended up exploring the coastline of Nahant, which feels much more like the rocky Maine coastline than a town within sight of Boston. We drove over the narrow causeway that is the only access (other than by boat) to Nahant, kept going, and stumbled across the Marine Science Center, operated, and presumably owned by Northeastern University, on a coastal spit of land in Nahant. Continue reading →

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Tagged as boston skyline, boston skyline views, fox dens nahant, marine science center nahant, nahant beaches, Nahant in winter, northeastern marine science center, rafts of seabirds, winter seabirds new england

by Marjorie | December 28, 2018 · 12:54 pm

Easy Walks, No Ice–Holliston Rail Trail and SNETT in Bellingham

Enjoying the story walk along the Holliston Upper Charles Trail

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

While we have had some snow already, the trails at the moment are ice-free. The past several days we have been able to get out on our local rail trails with no boots needed. The Holliston section of the Upper Charles Trail is packed stone dust, as is the Bellingham section of the SNETT, from Center St. to Lake Street and over to Prospect Street, which some folks may think is not quite finished. What I have learned is that the crushed stone dust surface is much easier on my feet than pavement. I can wear sneakers or street shoes and be quite comfortable. The trails are clearly marked, and while not crowded when we visited, both trails had plenty of other walkers also using the paths. Continue reading →

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Tagged as easy walk MA, family fun mA railtrails, HOlliston first night, Holliston story walk, holliston upper charles trail, SNETT Bellingham, Upper Charles Trail

by Marjorie | December 26, 2018 · 4:32 pm

Christmas on the Cape

What we saw in the canal from the Bourne bridge–hundreds of eider ducks, male and female. A dating site for ducks?

We took a day to explore together on Cape Cod, and found some wonderful surprises along the way. From our house, the Bourne Bridge (on a good –that is light traffic–day) take about an hour. Christmas morning there were few people on the road with us as we headed south from Bellingham. No trucks, and very few cars. As we went over the Bourne Bridge, we spotted a large boat passing underneath us, and then realized there were thousands of birds also in the canal, right near the bridge. Continue reading →

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by Marjorie | December 21, 2018 · 2:00 pm

Bird Park, E. Walpole, in Winter

Happy Grandma Sue, at Bird Park

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

I had grand plans for my visit with Sue, a long-time friend, and former neighbor, who now lives just down the street from Bird Park in East Walpole. We would visit with her new grandson, then head over to check out the new boardwalk in the town forest. Continue reading →

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Tagged as Bird park, bird park frog pond, bird park walpole, grandmas enjoying babies, Trustees of Reservations, winter walks in massachusetts

by Marjorie | December 19, 2018 · 4:53 pm