Tag Archives: foliage

November 10, 2015

Whitney And Thayer Woods (Cohasset, MA)

The unseasonably mild weather (at least mild for New England) has allowed for a longer than usual fall hiking season. Taking advantage of this unusually warm weather, I traveled to the South Shore jewel of Whitney And Thayer Woods in Cohasset, MA.

With the exception of a stray cloud here and there, a clear blue sky, bright sun and an intermittent breeze greeted me at the woods.

The park is a loop that covers a few miles. There is a bike trail and runners frequent the trails.

Although the peak of the fall foliage season has passed, there were still some vibrant orange, gold and amber colors hanging on to the trees.

A rolling stone gathers no…never mind.

There were quite a few dogs on the paths. It was a perfect day for dog walking. I have determined that getting most dogs to pose for the camera is about as easy as splitting the atom.

Lilly enjoyed the warm sun.

Chester was very excited to be at the park.

Olive was happy to see me. Don’t worry. She was a sweetheart.

I didn’t get this dog’s name. But he or she posed perfectly!

I have more shots from my trip to Whitney And Thayer. So, I am breaking up this blog into two parts. The second part will include some photos from the Weir River Farm located just outside of the wooded area. For a sneak peak and for some additional photos not included in this blog, stop by my Facebook page: New England Nomad

Check out my other blog, Mr. Wayne please. Thank you.

13 Comments | tags: Cohasset, dogs, foliage, leaves, Massachusetts, New England, Park, Photography, photos, rocks, Whitney And Thayer Woods, woods | posted in Cohasset, dogs, foliage, leaves, Massachussetts, New England, park, photography, photos, rocks, woods

November 5, 2015

Callahan State Park (Framingham, MA)

By New England Nomad

If you have a dog or if you are a pooch lover like I am and you live in the Massachusetts area, then you must make a trip out to Callahan State Park in Framingham, MA. In fact, they should rename it Canine State Park.

When I arrived at the park, shortly before 9 on a Saturday morning, the fairly ample parking lot was already almost full. It did not take long to find some cute canines to photograph. I had more trouble deciding which dogs to photograph.

Casey wanted to get an extra close up photo.

Lucky’s dad used a ball to get his attention.

Luna looked right at the camera for me.

Shelby wasn’t sure if he should play with his ball or pose for me.

Finn, an Australian cattle breed mix, wanted to say hi. Right after I took this photo, he ran up to me and snuggled with me.

Heboo dressed for the seasonably chilly weather with a sweater.

Ella gave me a big smile for her photo.

Duke (on your left) and Pete (on your right) were busy looking at their mom/walker.

Gracie looked sharp!

This guy was a great poser!

Leaves carpeted most of the trails and the foliage was not at its peak. But, there were still so many pretty views.

There is lots of open land for dogs to play or run around on.

There is a creek that runs across the park

It began to rain, only for a few minutes, when I was at the creek. It stopped just after I get a few shots of the rain making ripples on the water.

Callahan State Park also has a pond.

There is a little island in the middle of the pond.

This rock caught my eye.

The dogs went in for swim and one of them even retrieved a stick.

The park has a circular path which is great for joggers and anyone who wants to take a leisurely walk. The Greater Framingham Running Club held a 5k/10k run the day I was there.

The runner in blue and yellow waved to me. Who said runners aren’t friendly?

There are so many things you can do at Callahan State Park. This radio plane enthusiast took his plane out for a spin.

This father and son their bikes for a ride.

If you want to check out my other blog on WordPress, please click here. Thank you.

24 Comments | tags: creek, dogs, foliage, Framingham, Massachusetts, New England, Park, Photography, photos, pond | posted in bikers, creek, dogs, Fall, foliage, Framingham, Massachussetts, New England, park, photography, photos, pond, runner, toy plane, trees

October 21, 2015

Mystery Hill – a.k.a. “America’s Stonehenge” (Salem, NH)

By New England Nomad

From the moment you drive into the parking lot of Mystery Hill, (a.k.a “America’s Stonehenge”) in Salem, New Hampshire,(the other Salem in the New England region) you know it’s a special place.

There are strange rock formations and….

…a bridge in the front entrance welcomes you from the past.

and brings you to the future

But, the front entrance of America’s Stonehenge is only a tease. Once you exit the gift shop (it costs $12 for adults and $7.50 for kids), you are greeted by some Alpacas on the right. They are fenced but they are very friendly.

There are also a variety of time keeping devices which, to this day, still keep correct time.

But, some of the things I liked best were not the structures or rock formations but the statues, flowers, decor and the hollowed out canoe.

But, the main attraction are the rocks and rock formations. The name “America’s Stonehenge” is somewhat misleading. There are no structures that bear any real resemblance to the actual Stonehenge.

Even though Mystery Hill bears no resemblance to Stonehenge, there are some interesting facts about the site. Some of the rocks used in the structures at Mystery Hill were quarried using primitive stone-on-stone techniques and have been carbon dated as far back as 2,000 B.C.

Mystery Hill is a children’s play land. Forget about all of the rock climbing. They are also able to walk in some of the structures, such as, the Oracle Chamber and they wouldn’t have to duck to be able to walk in the smaller spaces.

There is a sinister legend that overshadows the light atmosphere of the attraction. According to legend, the area here was a spot for sacrifices. Stories of ghostly apparitions and huantings have been reported. I decided to go and see for myself.

I didn’t see or hear anything unusual, at least not of the other worldly variety. But, the legends still persist.

The area is pretty expansive. It claims to be 30 acres but feels much longer. The best parts of the area were the random rock structures and the views. And, of course, the foliage.

There is also an area where it is believed the Nov. 1st sunrise was watched from. It is amazing when you consider they could identifty the best place to view the sunrise, way before we had scientific devices to use.

Although the rocks and rock formations were impressive, my favorite part of the attraction was the alpacas.

30 Comments | tags: alpacas, America's Stonehenge, foliage, Mystery Hill, New England, new hampshire, Photography, photos, rocks, stones, trees, views | posted in alpacas, foliage, New England, new hampshire, photography, photos, rocks, stones, trees, views

October 13, 2015

Haunted Happenings (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Since it is Halloween is imminent and Salem is so well known for its Halloween attractions, I will be posting a series of blogs from the Salem, Massachusetts, area from my recent visits. If I took a photo of you or your dog and I haven’t posted it yet, I promise I will post it very soon. Also, I want to thank everyone (4 legged and 2 legged) and their folks who agreed to have their or their children’s photos taken. If you’re reading this, I greatly appreciate it.

Today’s blog features some of the sites, people and dogs of historic Salem.

There is something about Salem, or really any busy town or city, in the early morning hours. There’s a certain serenity in the early morning hours, especially when you contrast it with the throngs that will soon descend upon the town. While the city is still sleeping and the roar of vehicles seems a distant memory, street vendors prepare for a busy day and other early risers take to the empty streets. In a scant few hours, these city streets will be jammed.

There were some other early risers on the streets of Salem as well. I ran into Quincy while I was roaming the empty streets.

One of the things about Salem that attracts a lot of visitors, apart from the Halloween attractions, are the memorials and structures in the area. This particular structure in the heart of downtown Salem is the East India Square Fountain. In the warmer weather seasons, they often have water flowing in it. Designed as an abstract map of Salem, the two levels represent the pre-Colonial and contemporary shorelines of Salem.

A little farther down the road is the Revere Bell, a tribute to the citizens of Essex County which encompasses the most northeast section of Massachusetts, who have served in the armed services.

There is also a pretty arch near the Revere Bell that with overgrown foliage.

There were lots of people dressed up for the season

I also saw Chica

and Stanley during my visit

More photos from Salem and the Salem area to come…

7 Comments | tags: costumes, dogs, Fall, foliage, Massachusetts, memorials, monuments, New England, Photography, photos, Salem | posted in costumes, dogs, Fall, foliage, massachusetts, memorials, monuments, New England, Salem

October 11, 2015

Witch Trial Memorial (Danvers, MA)

By New England Nomad

When most people think of the witch hysteria that gripped the New England colonies in 1692 and 1693, they are likely to think it began and took place exclusively in Salem. However, although they are known as the Salem Witch Trials and Salem largely takes the infamy of the witch hunt, Salem does not hold that infamous title.

Salem Village, now known as Danvers, has the infamous distinction of being the beginning of the Salem witch hysteria. It is here in Danvers, Massachusetts, where a somber memorial stands as a constant reminder to remember this past and to never let something like this happen again.

Erected in May, 1992, the monuments lists the 20 people who were executed during the witch trials.

Each slab lists a quote of innocence from each victim.

The rays spilling in from the top of the memorial was a nice touch.

Some of the more poignant quotes listed on the wall are:

“Well! burn me or hang me. I will stand in the truth of Christ…” – George Jacobs, Sr

“Amen. Amen. A false tongue will never make a guilty person.” – Susannah Martin

The memorial also has a sculpture of “The Book Of Life” on top of a table that has a tribute etched in the base.

Attached to each side of the book are chains. Stark reminders of the pain they endured.

Someone left a flower at the memorial, a common occurrence at this memorial, particularly during this time of the year.

The memorial site has many pretty views to photograph from a variety of angles and the foliage added a nice touch. The foliage gave a serene feeling in contrast to the moving memorial.

In front of the memorial, there is monument that lists the generous donors who made the memorial possible. You may notice the red door on the house in the background. This is not unusual for the area. The houses in Danvers and the surrounding area were beautiful in their understated uniqueness and pretty yet rustic nature.

A sign, inconspicuously posted by the side of the road explains the origins and history of the site and surrounding area as well as the meaning behind the memorial.

3 Comments | tags: Attraction, Danvers, Fall, foliage, Historical, history, Massachusetts, memorial, monument, New England, road trip, Site, Witch, Witch Trials | posted in attraction, Danvers, Fall, foliage, historical, history, massachusetts, memorial, monument, New England, photography, photos, site, witch, witches

New England Nomad

Tag Archives: foliage

Whitney And Thayer Woods (Cohasset, MA)

Callahan State Park (Framingham, MA)

Mystery Hill – a.k.a. “America’s Stonehenge” (Salem, NH)

Haunted Happenings (Salem, MA)

Witch Trial Memorial (Danvers, MA)

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