Given the less than ideal  weather today (gloomy, overcast sky with nagging showers), I decided to visit a “basic” park close to home.  Just about 30 minutes south of Boston, Ames Nowell State Park seemed like the perfect place for an uneventful, short jaunt.  I was soon to be proven wrong. Ames Nowell is named after, you guessed it, Ames Nowell, the grandson of the 35th governor of Massachusetts.  Ames Nowell purchased the land during the the Great Depression when the previous land owner could not afford the taxes for the land. One of the more usually mundane aspects of the park that is usually taken for granite (sorry) is the stones and rocks that are strewn about the park.  They seem to be lined and piled in designs and formations.  In fact, the entire park seems to be set up with design and aesthetics, perfect for a photographer.        Ames Nowell is a 7,000 acre state park with roughly 10 miles of trails (I didn’t walk quite that much but it felt close to that) that encircles the vast Cleveland Pond.  Although I didn’t walk the entire trail,  I was able to capture quite a few birds during my hike like this goose, for instance.       Suddenly, I heard a honking noise.  It was momma duck calling and waiting patiently for her (rather large) goslin (no, not that Goslin). There was also this duck who showed me some flying skills       There were dogs a plenty at Ames Nowell. I ran into Griffey I met Rusty and Marcus (Marcus is the dog, not the man) Flowers and various plant life is also aplenty in the park.  Daisies and lilies among other plants thrive in the park            Being that it was a windy day, the water on the pond created some captivating ripples.               Ducks, geese, swans and dogs weren’t the only creatures I found at Ames Nowell.  I spotted this blue dragonfly buzzing among the trees and plants. Ames also has a number of wooden bridges and walkways over the marshy and rougher terrain.  This particular bridge had a brook running under it.     

Finally, as I was about to leave for the day, I saw this family of geese being fed by a little girl

Then, they made their way to me, perhaps looking for dessert.

Closer and closer they approached as I photographed. Knowing how protective momma geese can be, I kept my distance until this happened.   After eating a balanced breakfast, they left just as fast as they came, babies in the lead.