Along the Mass Central Railtrail in Rutland, wearing cooling scarf, cooling vest, with water mister on hand nearby
In summer, sweat is an important body function, part of keeping us safe from overheating. Inconvenient, for sure; unattractive, perhaps, but there you have it–our body’s way of helping us cool off on these hot, July days mid-summer. Continue reading
Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks
The Blackstone Gorge was on my way home and it is just the right time to look for mountain laurel in this area. The past several years I’ve managed to visit at the right time. As I wandered along the river’s edge, it looked like I was too early. Continue reading
Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks
Visiting Acadia National Park is a balancing act for my family–I need easy walks, while my husband enjoys more challenging trails. But the carriage roads draw us back again and again, providing safe, off road places for us to enjoy riding our tandem bike. Sometimes the weather is simply not conducive for biking–too wet, colder than some of us like for bike riding, or various other reasons.
And since most of the trails at Acadia are challenging, we search out new easy walks– Continue reading
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A parade of eiders, traveling west along the banks of the Cape Cod Canal
After a whole lot of rain, we were ready to get out to stretch our legs so we headed to the Cape Cod Canal. It’s early spring and we were curious to see if the herring were heading up the fish ladder that is near the visitor center on the north side of the canal.
We headed down the stairs to the bikeway that travels alongside the canal, and saw people gathered all along the path, staring out at the canal. No, there was no large ship passing through right then. Instead, we spied a parade of eider ducks, several hundred birds, male and female, paddling within feet of the shoreline, against the current. Continue reading
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In the greenhouse at Wellesley College
The trails hereabouts were all clear as we approached spring, until we were hit with a late season blizzard, and so it’s back to icy trails and the challenge to find safe places to walk. When my hiking buddy Jennifer suggested visiting Wellesley College’s Botanic Gardens, my first thought was, “Yeah, no ice!” I did not, however, expect to be transported back to the years of my childhood. Continue reading
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On the shoreline of the Quinapoxit river, opposite the Mass Central Railtrail in Boylston
We have spent the past several summers riding our tandem bike along the available railtrails within about 3 hour’s drive from our home in Bellingham, MA. We have two substantial portions of railtrail, the Blackstone River Bikeway and the Upper Charles Trail, both within about 15 minute’s drive from us, and a portion of a third proposed trail, the SNETT, within easy walking distance of our home.
Sometimes we are lucky enough to discover additional options for travel quite near to railtrails we’ve explored in the past. Our recent “explore” near the Wachusett Reservoir in north-central MA revealed a new spot where we’ll be able to travel on our bike when the weather is warmer. Continue reading
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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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View from Rollstone Hill, Fitchburg
My preference is to take easy walks, walks where I can relax, look around, spot birds, notice cool fungi or other interesting things along the trail. But I also enjoy seeing new places. We never know before we go whether we’re going to have an “Easy Walk” or whether we’ll encounter a place with more challenging footing. Continue reading
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View from North Street, Upton, MA
The Whitney property, on North Street in Upton, was our destination today. My walking partners, Bill and Marcella, are friends who are dedicated volunteers, who help care for their local conservation properties, and work to visualize where to place trails for better access. Continue reading
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Wild Cranberries
Many years ago my friend Ellen Chagnon walked with me in the sandpits behind Silver Lake in Bellingham, MA and said, “It feels like there should be cranberries…right here,” as she bent down and picked a wild cranberry. Thus began my love affair with wild cranberries. I have returned over the years many, many times to this spot, and others like it. I’ve found wild cranberry plants along the Pamet Trails at the Cape Cod National Seashore. We’ve enjoyed cranberry blossoms in spring at Acadia National Park, Mt. Desert Maine.
Wild Cranberry bog
But it has been to the trail right at my back yard that I have returned over and over. Proximity makes this natural, of course, but this proximity has also provided a glimpse of how a wild fruit can survive and often thrive. Of course, there have been years when I’ve found perhaps a total of ten berries in the entire patch. Other times the berries were so abundant the mice chewed the berries and used them for bedding, while still leaving quarts of berries for us to enjoy. And one year the fruit was filled with worms–ughh!
Picking buddy, Pam
I ventured out on a fall morning in the bright sunshine recently with my friend Pam. Usually I haven’t been able to wait and start visiting the cranberries too soon. Underripe berries, extremely tart and not very red would remind me to be patient. Other years the fall rains begin and flood the berries, making them unreachable. This year I’ve had a lot happening, and rather than being too early or too late, it was the perfect time to visit.
Can you spot the red jewels in this patch?
Most wild cranberries are smaller than the berries you’ll find at the store. But “our” variety is larger than commercial berries. My neighbors who have lived in this area for years tell me there used to be commercial bogs back in the area where these wild berries grow. Perhaps this spot is a remnant of those abandoned bogs.
Cranberry bog at Patriot Place, Foxboro, late fall
There is a cranberry bog and nature trail directly behind Patriot Place in Foxboro, MA, parking is next to the Bass Pro shop. And even more fun–it’s almost time to see the bog at harvest time.
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.
Filed under Blog posts--Easy Walks
Marjorie Turner Hollman 