Tag Archives: animals

December 31, 2024

A Year Of Photography 2024 (New England)

Locations: All over New England

As the year winds down, I wanted to share some of my favorite photos from 2024!

Because of my schedule and commitments, I don’t always get to post photos from all of my travels around this beautiful region. I also noticed sometimes I will edit only a few photos from one photo shoot before going onto editing photos from a different photo shoot. So, I haven’t fully edited all of the photos from several of my photo shoots. I will make completing one task before moving onto another task a resolution so this won’t happen going forward!

Another thing I do sometimes is I post my photos from some photo shoots on my Facebook or my Instagram profiles instead of WordPress. So, I thought this would be a good opportunity to share them on here!

Each year, I make goals or plans for my photography. One of my plans for this year was to spend Halloween in Salem, MA. I was able to get a hotel room and stayed the whole day there! It was something I have always wanted to do! There were so many incredible Halloween costumes and decorations!

One of my other plans for the year was to photograph more wildlife. While you can’t always make something like that happen since a lot of it does come down to luck or being in the right place at the right time, l do think you can prepare for the opportunities. I was fortunate to photograph these beautiful critters.

Too bad this lady was looking at her phone when this happened.

I took these photos of a snake in March, when the temperatures were still cold in the morning but warmer in the afternoon.

How did I get so close to a big garter snake like this? Well, essentially, this snake was sluggish due to the cold weather. Garter snakes hibernate (technically they experience a process called brumation which I’ll explain later) through the winter, usually from late October through March or early April. But, if we have some warmer days they may come out sooner. This little guy or lady “froze” in a process called brumation (as opposed to hibernation). In colder temperatures, you may see snakes like this one here seemingly “frozen” as if they were perhaps dead or in a state of dormancy much like a person staring at their phone.

Hibernation of cold-blooded animals like snakes is called brumation. While mammals technically hibernate, snakes, reptiles and some other cold blooded animals experience a process called brumation. The difference between hibernation and brumation is that during brumation snakes can wake up to drink, go to the bathroom, and bask in the sun. But, just like hibernation, they still spend most of their winter in a dormant state.

Have no fear, as the Audubon specialist working there told me they often “unfreeze” when the temperatures increase (much like what bees do when the temperatures dip) when it gets warmer.

I did check on him or her before I left and the snake was still there undisturbed.

I also photographed some sunrises, a sunset and a full moon!

Cliff Walk, Newport, RI

Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH

Independence Park, Beverly, MA

Revere Beach, Revere, MA

Webb Memorial Park, Weymouth, MA

Webb Memorial Park, Weymouth, MA

And, of course, I made several trips to my favorite lighthouse at Winter Island, Salem, MA!

Stanley Park in Westfield, MA, celebrated their 75th anniversary. To commemorate this anniversary, the park officials invited all of the people who were married there to come back for a reunion! This couple looks like they’ve barely aged!

Another exhibit I was able to photograph was the Flora In Flight art display at the New England Botanical Garden. Designed by Poetic Kinetics, Flora In Flight is meant to inspire audiences and connect them with the environment through visually striking experiences.

Recently, I made it out to the Christmas By Candlelight in Sturbridge, MA!

I also photographed some of the sand sculptures on the Yarmouth Sand Sculpture Trail.

So, I had a busy 2024! But, there is much more I want to see and show everyone in the upcoming year! I also plan on editing the remainder of the photos from the photo shoots above!

Thank you all for stopping by my posts!

I hope everyone has a happy, safe and successful 2025!

24 Comments | tags: animals, beach, brumation, Nature, New England, Old Sturbridge Village, Photography, photos, Salem, sand sculptures, sunrise, travel, wildlife | posted in beach, New England, Old Sturbridge Village, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, sand sculptures, travel

November 15, 2024

6th Annual Farm Parade (Southwick, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date of Event: October 19, 2024

Location: College Highway, Southwick, MA (2 hours southwest of Boston, MA, 30 minutes northwest of Hartford, CT)

Cost: Free

Parking: Free parking was available at some of the local establishments including the shopping center on College Highway

Universally Accessible: Yes

Pet Friendly: Yes

Summary: Horses, cows, dogs, chickens and even a few people marched in the 6th annual animal parade to raise funds for the Polverari-Southwick Animal Shelter.

Parades usually feature people as the main participants. However, the Farm Parade in Southwick, MA, is a little different. Animals were the main attraction at this parade. Officials projected that 75 to 100 animals of all kinds were expected at the parade.

The parade was free for all who came to watch. But, there was a $20 fee to enter the parade. The proceeds went to help the Polverari-Southwick Animal Shelter.

The Powder Mill School marching band provided the musical entertainment for the event.

Another big attraction of the parade were the tractors, cars and other modes of transportation in the parade.

Since the parade was just before Halloween, there were lots of people dressed up and some of the vehicles were also decorated for the season!

But, out of all of the vehicles in the parade, the ones posted below are my favorites.

What fun it must have been to ride around in your own mini tractor or vehicle.

The people who went to the parade weren’t left out of the fun! As you may have noticed in the photo above, some of the people on the vehicles threw candy and beads to the onlookers!

Although it wasn’t required, some of the visitors dressed up for the event!

The farm parade has been growing in size over the years and I look forward to seeing what the following years have in store!

14 Comments | tags: animals, events, featured, Halloween, Massachusetts, New England, news, parade, photographs, Photography, photos, Southwick, travel | posted in animals, Massachusetts, New England, parade, photographs, photography, photos, travel

March 26, 2023

Winter 2022 (New England)

By New England Nomad

Dates of Visits: Winter, 2022

Locations: All over Massachusetts

Some of you may wonder what am I up to when I don’t post on WordPress. Admittedly, I don’t post on here as often as I would like to or should post. But, I am still out photographing things!

I don’t always post on here whenever I take photographs, especially if it’s from place I go to frequently. So, I thought I would post photos from last winter with a brief description of the photos. I found this post to be fun. I also think it helps show what I’ve been up to in between blog posts! I hope to do this after each season. You can find photos I don’t post on here on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/newenglandnomad/ or Instagram new.england.nomad_

Wollaston Beach, Quincy, MA (Feb 4, 2023)

I took these photos on the coldest day of the year. The actual temperature was -9 degrees with a -31 windchill factor. I dressed warmly (basically 2 eyes poking out of a balaclava and every part of my body covered as frostbite can set in very quickly on unprotected skin in these conditions). All I could think of during this shoot was the planet Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back movie. I wasn’t going to go out on that day figuring it was dangerously cold and my bed would be much more comfortable. But, I heard and saw other photographers talking or posting about how they were eager to go out in the elements. This got my competitive juices flowing! I also figured it is a once in a lifetime (hopefully) event. So, off I went! I came home after and tried to warm up the remainder of the day!

Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary (Marshfield, MA)

I took this photo of Piebald deer at Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary in Feb, 2023

When I first spotted this deer, I thought he or she was molting (a process when some birds and animals shed their fur or feathers). But that only usually happens during the fall or spring. So, it was too early for that.

After asking a friend who knows about these things and doing some research on my own, I realized the deer had a condition called Piebaldism. No, Piebald is not a new type of pastry or desert!

Found in a variety of animals including humans, Piebaldism is condition that involves the absence of mature melanin-forming cells (melanocytes) in certain areas of the skin and hair.

The deer below has a rare genetic abnormality called Piebald. Piebaldism is found in some white tail deer. But it is not very common. Only about 2% of the white tail deer population has this disorder. However, it can cluster among herds and be spread among entire herds in a particular area

Besides the distinct coloring of their fur, Piebald deer also exhibit other features visible in the photo such as skeletal misalignment, shortened legs, crooked legs, bowing of the nose, deformed hooves, shortened jaws as well as internal organ deformities.

Piebaldism is the result of a genetic abnormality that leads to a lack of pigmentation in certain places on the body. It is not clear what causes this abnormality as there have not been enough extensive studies to know for certain. It does appear to be spread genetically,

You can find piebaldism in other animals as well. Horses, dogs, foxes, cattle, cetceans, pigs and even snakes also may exhibit this abnormality. While they may experience some challenges, most animals with this condition often live full and overall healthy lives.

I also spotted this seemingly one legged Great Blue Heron. practicing their balance. Many birds do this as a way of keeping one of their legs warm. Their feathers offer their legs warmth during the colder seasons.

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary (Topsfield, MA)

I often visit this sanctuary. So I have quite a few photos from there. I have selected some of my favorites. But, first I wanted to post photos of one more colorful residents, Jasper.

Jasper, a Redtail Hawk, can often be found gliding through the air or, if you’re lucky, hunting his prey (some photos are of a graphic nature)

I was also able to make it out there just after a snowfall.

While some of the residents do migrate, there are quite a few who stay year round.

Bird feeding, by hand no less, is a popular activity at the sanctuary. They especially appreciate it during the winter

I’ve also been photographing sunrises and sunsets throughout the colder months. These are a few of my favorites from the past season.

Independence Park, Beverly, MA

Revere Beach

Riverwalk, Springfield, MA

And, of course, I photographed a few holiday displays

7 Comments | tags: animals, birds, Massachuetts, New England, Photography, winter | posted in animals, birds, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, sunrise, sunset

August 23, 2021

2021 Westfield Fair (Westfield, MA)

By New England Nomad

Dates Of Event: August 20-22, 2021

Location: Westfield Fairgrounds, 137 Russellville Road, Westfield, MA

Cost:

General Admission: $8.00
Seniors: $6.00
Children under 12 FREE with a paid adult admission

$2 per car for parking

Parking: There is ample parking available on the fairgrounds

Pet Friendly: No except for service pets

Universally Accessible: Yes

Website: http://www.thewestfieldfair.com/

Summary: A fun filled family friendly event in Westfield, MA

It may seem like summer is winding down. But don’t tell that to the visitors at the Westfield Fair.

Thousands of people from the Northeast flocked to the 93rd Westfield Fair last weekend which featured a variety of fun events and activities for the entire family.

One of the more popular events at the fair is the Junior Dairy show where a group of young ranchers got to show off their cattle handling skills.

Some cattle needed more encouragement to comply.

I was impressed at how the kids managed to handle such large animals with relative ease.

Another one of the more popular attractions at the fair is the animal petting barn. For one dollar, visitors can feed the seeminlgy always hungry goats, pony and other animals.

Although the truck pull and demolition derby are popular events, the kids also get to show off their driving skills at the Kids Power Wheel Race.

There were also a variety of events and activities for children including face painting

And a beauty pageant

There was also a play area, motorized ride on toys and fun activities for the little ones.

It was good to see people having fun in such a fun, wholesome event, especially since the event had been canceled last year. But, it didn’t go off without a hitch, unfortunately.

Usually, the fair runs from Friday through Sunday. But, the festivities for Sunday were cancelled due to Hurricane Henri.

4 Comments | tags: animals, fair, photogtaphy, photos, Westfield | posted in animals, fair, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Westfield

May 8, 2019

Baby Animals On The Shaker Village (Hancock Shaker Village,Pittsfield, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: April 13, 2019

Location: Hancock Shaker Village, 1843 West Housatonic St, Pittsfield MA

Cost: Adults $20 ($18 for Seniors, AAA members, MTA cardholders, and active and retired U.S. Military)
Youth $8 (ages 13-17)
Children (12 and under) are free

Hours:

Hours mid-April through late-June 10am-4pm

Summer and fall hours July through October 10am-5pm

Parking: There is one average sized parking lot with additional lots for overflow parking

Handicapped Accessible: The Visitor Center, restrooms, galleries, store, cafe, and all meeting spaces are wheelchair accessible. Compact-dirt pathways and boardwalks throughout the Village provide access to the gardens and grounds, as well as the mile-long Farm & Forest Trail, which also features interpretive signage. Some buildings in the historic Village are wheelchair accessible via ramp, including the Round Stone Barn and the Trustees’ Office & Store. Keep in mind, however, that most buildings in the historic Village are NOT wheelchair accessible. Wheelchairs are available free of charge with advance reservation

Pet Friendly: No, but service animals are allowed.

Website: Hancock Shaker Village

Highlights: historic homes, animals, educational tours, demonstrations

Summary: The baby animals have arrived at Hancock Shaker Village. In addition to the baby animals, there are tours of the historic homes and educational opportunities for visitors at the village.

Spring in New England can only mean one thing: baby animals at Shaker Village!

Each year, dozens of animals arrive at the museum for the new season. The animals are housed in the appropriately named Round Stone Barn. The barn, which was built around 1839, was burned to the ground December 1, 1864. One hundred tons of hay, ten bushels (roughly 93 gallons) of provender and two adjoining sheds went ablaze during this fire. It was rebuilt during the mid 1870s.

Sheep, goats, pigs, chicken and other animals were present during my visit. People were encouraged to go into the pens with the animals and pet them or take photos.

But, there weren’t just babies at the village. Older animals, in some cases the mom and dad of the babies, were also at the museum.

Being located so close to the mountains and countryside of New York (we actually drove through New York for a brief period of time), the views from the farm were beautiful.

The farm also includes historic homes. The self guided tour has signs with information about each house with background about each place.

One of my favorite buildings is the Blacksmith’s shop. The Shakers made all of the metalwork used for their buildings. In the Blacksmith’s shop, which was built in 1874, a blacksmith conducts demonstrations of how they make the hardware they use. He was the third generation blacksmith in his family and the last. No one else in his family wanted to continue the blacksmith trade.

There is also a room with tanning vats, a cider press and a turbine.

But my favorite buildings from that era were the homes, offices and stores. The Trustees Office and store and family living quarters housed the souvenirs people would buy during their visits. It was also the place where people on business trips could place orders for goods.

The buildings and sheds on the farm give the premises a very old time feel.

There was also a play area for children where they could play with toys from that era and play with other toys. There was also face painting, horse rides and a balloon shaping artist.

The only really difficult part of the photography session, besides the animals moving when I took their photos, was photographing the blacksmith. It had all of the elements of a challenging photo shoot: low light, motion when he used the tools to make the hardware and the fire which was in stark contrast to the low light in the room. I wanted to show the flame on the stove and the light on the tool he was using. So, I didn’t want to boost the ISO or aperture too much. So, what did I do?

The hard part for me is when there is motion and low light. You want to use a fast shutter speed to photograph motion (500 or higher). But, when there’s not a lot of light you need to use a slower shutter speed. I didn’t have my tripod with me (and the museum doesn’t allow tripods on their property). So, I used a fast shutter speed (500) and lowered my aperture to the lowest setting (3.5). To make up for the lack of light I boosted my ISO to 2000 which is pretty high. I knew that I could add noise reduction to address the noise or grainy photo from the high ISO in the editing process (which isn’t without its drawback that I will address in a future post).

It was important to capture the motion without seeing any blur and I wanted to make sure the fire looked as realistic and was an accurate display of what I saw, so I went with a high ISO. Even if I did have my tripod with me it wouldn’t have been very useful as I needed a fast shutter speed rather than a slow shutter speed to capture the motion of the blacksmith. You can always adjust the image by using noise reduction and using a higher or lower contrast and exposure setting when you edit in LightRoom or PhotoShop, although you do want to get the best photo as possible in the camera to avoid having to edit it too much. I did end up using a low exposure in LightRoom to show how dark the room was when I took the photographs and to highlight the light from the fire.

Below are some of the photos of the blacksmith which show how I had to adjust the settings to capture his motion and the light from the fire. As you can see from the photo, the high ISO (2000) allowed me to capture both the motion of the blacksmith as he used the pulley to add oxygen to the fire to keep it going and you can see the sparks clearly from the fire. The noise reduction tool unfortunately can take away some of the details. But it was a give and take. I used the noise reduction to get rid some of the grain from the high ISO knowing that some of the features (like the background) may be a little dull.

2000 ISO, 18 mm, 3.5 aperture, 1/500 shutter speed.

2000 ISO 18 mm 3.5 aperture 1/500 shutter speed

I had to use a fast shutter speed (500) to capture the motion of the tool he was using without getting any blur and I sacrificed my ISO (technically I probably could have used a lower ISO, and I do have some photos of the blacksmith with an ISO of 1250). I think I was playing it a little too safe with the high ISO

I ran into the same situation photographing the animals. The barn was not well lit and the animals move around a lot. I just had to use a high shutter speed (500 or 1000) and a low aperture (3.5 for most shots) and I was able to keep the ISO relatively low (around 400 for most shots) . Again, I was able to use the settings in LightRoom to add color and bring out some contrast in the photos.

Shooting outside was not too hard, especially since I had some cloud cover which prevented sun glare and other issues you can run into when the sun is bright. However, I have to fess up that I did have a 640 ISO (I should have bumped it down to 100 or so) because I forgot to adjust it after photographing the animals i the barn. So, always check your settings when you’re changing locations at a photo shoot!

2 Comments | tags: animals, baby animals, bulls, cows, goats, Hancock Shaker Village, Massachusetts, museum, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, Pittsfield, sheep | posted in animals, Massachusetts, museum, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized

November 8, 2017

The Farm At Carter Tree Hill (Marlborough, CT)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: July 22, 2017

Location: 86 E. Hampton Rd, Marlborough, CT

Hours: the website says to call for hours (860-906-7866)

Cost: Free

Parking: There is free parking for a couple dozen cars. More parking may be available in nearby lots when they have special events

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Highlights: Family-friendly working farm with an eatery, general store, bed and breakfast, carriage house for events and farm animals

Tips:

It’s easy to miss the farm if you’re not looking for it

Website: The Farm At Carter Hill

Now that I have posted most of my posts from Salem up (I may have a few more to post later), I am catching up posts about places I visited this past summer and this fall.

One of the more enchanting places I visited this summer was a place I found by happenstance. During a trip to a park in Connecticut, my passenger and I noticed an old pickup truck parked by the side of what appeared to be a farm.

Tucked away off Route 66 in Marlborough, CT, Carter Tree Hill Farm has a farm, general store, barn used for entertainment and events.

The animals in the farm area are very playful and friendly. They really seem to like to play on their car. My favorite part of the farm, the farm area has several goats, chickens, ducks and even a peacock.

It was late July during my visit and the flowers were in bloom. Vibrant flowers were scattered around the farm and gardens.

The peak time to visit Tree Hill Farm is probably during the warmer seasons and fall. It must look very pretty there during the autumn with all of the leaves on the trees changing color. I also think it must feel good to be able to spend one of the first mild spring days there drinking a beverage outside after one of our long cold winters.

During the summer, Carter Tree Hill Farm shows movie on their projection screen.

The Carter Tree Hill Farm consists of a general store, outdoor eatery, bed and breakfast, ice-cream and outdoor pavillion for weddings, carriage barn for private parties or events and Hogs Breath Tavern as well as an animal farm.

The friendly staff made us a coffee and pored me an orange juice at no charge and allowed us free rein to explore the property.

The affable staff at Tree Hill Farm work hard to keep the garden and flowers clean and pretty. You can tell they take a lot of pride in their work by the way the property is kept after. We also spent a while talking to a worker about how much he loves to work on his plants and vegetables at the farm.

There is also a an old time filling station (not in use) and a barn where you can buy home made jellies (try the marmalade), other snacks and other merchandise at Carter Tree Hill Farm. Look at that gas price!

With its ample space, colorful plants and flowers and barns and animals to watch, Carter Tree Hill Farm is a great place to bring the entire family.

2 Comments | tags: animals, connecticut, farm, goats, Marlborough, New England, photographs, Photography, photos | posted in animals, connecticut, farm, Marlborough, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized

August 25, 2017

Retreat Farm (Brattleboro, VT)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: August 6, 2017

Location: 350 Linden St, Brattleboro, VT

Hours: Open Wed-Sun 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (closed Mon & Tue)

Cost: $7 for adults, $5 for children and seniors, free admission for children under 2

Trail Size/Difficulty: roughly 1.5 miles, Easy

Fitbit Stats: 1.59 miles, 3,327 steps, 297 calories burned

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Parking: There is parking for about 20 vehicles in the parking lot

Website: Retreat Farm

Retreat Trail Map: Retreat Trail Map

Highlights: animals, educational, trail, family friendly

Tips:

Don’t forget to take the roughly 1.5 mile Nature Trail behind the farm
you can get in the pens with some of the animals
if you do go on the trail, try going up the “Skyline Spur” trail
follow the signs to the Nature Trail or Lil’ Lamb Loop to access the shorter mile long trail behind the farm
Located right next to Grafton Village Cheese Co

It’s easy to find Retreat Farm. Just follow the pinwheels. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to take one home.

The signs and some of the advertising for the Retreat Farm tout it as a “children’s farm” but it is fun for the entire family.

Retreat Farm has a variety of birds and animals in their barn. They also allow you to go into the animal pens of some of the animals and pat some of them.

There are also three piglets: Basil, Olive and Rosemary. They moved around a lot. So, it was hard to keep track of each one. But, I am pretty sure Rosemary is the first one pictured with the white and brown pattern.

Carlos, an 11 year old Brahma-Red Holstein bull, has been a resident for some time at the farm. Standing over 7 feet tall, Carlos is truly a gentle giant. In fact, he is so gentle visitors can feed him by hand.

Naturally, there are lots of toys and activities for children to partake in and places for adults or younger people to sit while their children or nieces or nephews play.

There is also a short trail (about 1.5 miles) behind the farm. The trail is actually part of a much longer 9 mile Retreat Trail. But, as long as you stay on the trail behind the farm you should not end up on this larger trail.

I found people of all ages and fitness levels on the trail. It’s pretty straight with a few inclines. But, I would rate it as being easy. There is one very shallow and narrow stream that you will have to cross. You can basically walk right through it. So, it’s not a big obstacle. The views are very nice on the trail. There are also various plants planted along the trail such as False Solomon Seal.

If you do decide to go on the shorter trail and avoid the 9 mile trail, follow the signs to the Nature Trail or the Lil Lamb Loop.

Along the main trail, there is a side trail wit a staircase called Skyline Spur.

The short flight of stairs take you up to an area where, during the winter, there is a ski jump. This ski jump will be used as one of the venues for the Olympic trials for the next Olympics.

Pets are allowed on the trails behind the Retreat Farm, which are open to hikers and snow shoers year round. I saw this cute dog on the trail. Avive, a friendly 2 and a half year old Irish Setter, greeted me when I got off the Skyline Spur trail.

One of the gems of the much longer Retreat Trail is the Retreat Tower. It’s not very far from the farm. Due to time constraints, I could not take the trail to the tower. However, Brandy Ellen and her companion were able to hike to it, take some photos and provide a good synopsis of their hike and a summary of the history of the tower. It has quite a storied and sad past.

Take A Hike…

Leave a comment | tags: animals, birds, Brattleboro, dog, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, Retreat Farm, trails, Vermont | posted in animals, birds, dog, hike, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Retreat Farm, Uncategorized, Vermont

April 21, 2017

Family Farm Fest (Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: April 15, 2017

Location: Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Rd.
Sturbridge, MA

Cost: Adults $28.00
Seniors (55 and over) $26.00
College Student (with valid college ID) $14
Youths (4-17) $14.00
Children age 3 and under Admitted Free

(if you do visit again within 10 days of the purchase of your ticket, your second visit is free)

Hours:

March – April
Open Wednesday – Sunday | 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

Open Daily | April 15 – 23 | 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

May – October
Open Wednesday – Sunday | 9:30 am – 5:00 pm

(hours vary upon the season)

Parking: Free parking with the purchase of a ticket is available for about a couple hundred cars.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes. Old Sturbridge Village offers handicapped parking, and , upon request, wheelchairs for some visitors. Only about half of their historic buildings are wheelchair accessible

Web Site: Old Sturbridge Village

Warmer temperatures and longer days of sunlight are not the only things coming to Old Sturbridge Village. The baby animals have also arrived!

Just in time for April school break, Old Sturbridge Village is home to a variety of barnyard animals. It is always a treat seeing the baby animals at the living history museum.

I have already made multiple visits to Old Sturbridge Village (click here to view my original post about my first visit there in July of 2016) and I am sure to make many more visits when they have fun events like this one.

Although they did not have as many animals as the Strawbery Banke Musuem’s baby animals exhibition, Old Sturbridge Village still had a wide variety of animals to view and, in some cases, pet.

Many of the animals, particularly the little ones, were pretty tuckered out after all that traveling and playing.

Meet Jake (on the left) and Patrick (on the right). They are donkeys who were rescued from a farm in Texas and are looking for a good home, if you’re interested!

In the fields in the middle of the common area, there were chickens, alpacas and pigs and other animals in their pens.

This mommy hen was digging for food for her chicks.

There were also living actors playing parts of the people from that era (the 1830s). They also interacted with the audience and they were very informative.

Fun fact: it took a shoemaker about one whole day to make…that’s right one shoe. One. Well, I guess it’s a “fun fact” unless you’re one of the shoemakers.

Okay, nerd alert: I could listen to these living actors (I hope they’re “living”) all day. But, I couldn’t spend too long as I had photos to take and only so much time to spend there. One day, I plan on just spending the entire day and taking it all in.

These aren’t real actors in case you were wondering (although in the first photo, the woman looking mannequin looks like a ghost). These mannequins are dressed in common attire of the day.

The kids got a blast out of the firing of the musket (he was shooting blanks).

Thiss gentleman was building the frame of a house, with a little help from some friends.

Of course, I couldn’t resist taking photos of the beautiful buildings and landscapes at the village.

9 Comments | tags: animals, Massachusetts, New England, Old Sturbridge Village, photographs, Photography, photos, Sturbridge | posted in animals, historical, history, Massachusetts, museum, New England, Old Sturbridge Village, photographs, photography, photos, Sturbridge, Uncategorized

April 5, 2017

North American Alpaca Show (West Springfield, MA)

By New England Nomad

Dates of Event: March 31-April 2, 2017 (photos taken April 1)

Location: Eastern States Exposition Center, Mallory Building, 1305 Memorial Ave, West Springfield, MA (2 hours west of Boston, MA)

Cost: Free

Parking: ample parking is provided, free of charge, at the rear and side of the Mallory Building

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Highlights: Alpacas, Alpaca shows, products made from Alpaca fleece

Web Site: North American Alpaca Show

Known for their seemingly ever present signature smile and calm demeanor, alpacas are one of the more popular animals in the New England area. Alpaca farms have been springing up more and more in the Northeast area. In fact, the New England Alpacas Owners and Breeders Association (NEAOBA) lists 85 breeders in the New England and New York area. Many of these breeders and owners met last weekend at the Eastern States Exposition Center in West Springfield, MA. The owners and breeders came as far away as Phoenix, New York and parts of Maine and Vermont.

Besides being absolutely adorable and generally calm animals, alpacas are said to be very smart animals. They often tend to pack together, you know like you expect from alpackas. Okay enough word play. For now. As you can see from the photos below, they do like to be close to each other.

But, I did manage to get a few Alpacas on their own to photograph which was hard to do since they were all packed in there together (I told you I wasn’t done with my word play). There are so many different colors and sizes. Fun facts: the average alpaca can grow to be 150 to 175 pounds! They also have a life span of 15-20 years and can grow to be as tall 3 feet at the shoulders and 4.5 feet tall by the head.

I also liked this “Alpaca photo bomb”

Alpacas are shown and judged (they all received ribbons from to last place) and they are generally calm while they are being shown, except when their personal space is encroached. But, overall they were very graceful.

Some of the alpacas appeared to mouth the metal fencing of their pens. This is not uncommon. In fact, one owner said he keeps baby teething rings for his alpacas and they enjoy using them.

Most of the alpacas were very friendly, albeit a little guarded. But, once they warm up to you, they were very social. In fact, they seemed to pose for me. That is what I noticed most about them. They seem to have a lot of personality.

There were also several people selling many products made from alpaca fleece. They sold a variety of products made from alpaca fleece. They were even selling alpacas made from alpacas (fleece). Being an animal lover, I inquired about the shearing process and I was informed that it is a simple, quick process that does not hurt the animals.

One of the cool things about these cuties is how they communicate to each other in a variety of ways such as through posture, the movement of their tails and some of them even make a noise the owners and breeders call “humming”.

23 Comments | tags: alpacas, animals, Eastern States Exposition, fun, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, West Springfield | posted in alpacas, Eastern States Exposition Center, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized, West Springfield

October 6, 2016

Chestnut Hill Reservation (Allston/Brighton, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Visited: September 24, 2016

Location: Beacon St, Brighton, MA

Hours: open everyday dawn until dusk

Cost: Free

Parking: There is a free parking lot next to the reservation that accomodates about 100 vehicles, there is additional metered off street parking

Park Size:20 acres, 1.5 circular trail loop

Time To Allot For Visit: 1 to 2 hours

Trail Difficulty: Easy

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: nice views, reservoir, easy circular trail, popular with cyclists, joggers and dog walkers, lots of birds and other wildlife, shoreline fishing is permitted

Lowlights: trail can get congested

Web Site: Chestnut Hill Reservation

Trail Map: Chestnut Hill Reservation Trail Map

Created in 1870 on marshes and meadowland to provide the city of Boston with an additional water supply, the Chestnut Reservior, the reservoir now acts as a pretty body of water encircled by a 1.5 mile circular trail loop. The reservoir was taken off line in 1978 and is no longer needed for a water supply for the city of Boston. But, it is still maintained as an emergency backup source for water. Now, a plethora of birds and other aquatic animals thrive in the reservoir.

While the reservoir itself is only located in the Boston area, Chestnut Hill area of the park, which includes parts of Boston, Brookline and Newton, includes a swimming pool, skating rink.

The reservation has some beautiful views of the Brighton/Allston, Chestnut Hill and surrounding areas. The clouds provided a pretty, albeit threatening, touch. There are pretty flowers along the trail and, as you can see from some of the photos, the circular loop around the reservoir is very easy with only subtle, if any, inclines. You can see the two skyscrapers of Boston (the John Hancock Tower – the glassy blue colored building on the left – and the Prudential Tower – the brownish building with the long antenna on the right). You can also see the stylish top of one of the buildings of the Boston College campus in the first few photos of this group.

There is also an abundance of wildlife at the reservoir. Mallards, Cormorants, Canadian Geese and a variety of other birds inhabit the reservoir.

This Cormorant had just got his or her lunch. In the last photo the Coormorant had eith er lost the fish or just swallowed it (you can choose to believe whichever makes you sleep easier tonight).

Birds aren’t the only inhabitants of the reservoir. Turtles and other aquatic animals occupy the reservior as well. It’s a little hard to see butt at the bottom of the second photo there is a huge turtle.