Dates visited: December 16, 2015 and December 21, 2015
Tucked away one of the many side roads of West Springfield, MA, is an unexpected place.
The Maple Brook Farm is home to a variety of alpacas. It’s not everyday that you get to see alpacas grazing from the road so I thought I would stop by.
They tend to cluster together so it was hard to take photos of them alone.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The driveway to the farm is usually open, at least during non holiday daylight hours. When I went to visit, there was no staff or anyone else there but the public is welcome and there is no charge. I just wish I knew what alpacas eat. I would have brought them a treat.
The grounds of the farm are well groomed and there are many structures and statues that liven up the area. It is definitely worth a visit.
Every year during the holidays, I make my annual trip to Yankee Candle Village in Deerfield, MA.
The flagship shop of New England, the Yankee Candle Village is known for his decorative and at times eccentric displays. But, during the holidays they go the extra mile.
From the moment you walk onto the property, the Yankee Candle Village welcomes you with holiday cheer and some unique decorations.
Inside the store, there is an assortment of holiday decorations and not just holiday decorations. Wizard of Oz statues, model cars and other displays can be found throughout the shop.
There are Christmas trees galore. Every where you look it seems there is a tree decorated in a unique way.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
There are also Christmas village light up displays located in one room. They also have a Halloween village set up.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
There is also a stream with koi fish
Try as we might, we could not find Santa. He wasn’t at his regular place
He wasn’t at his desk either
Finally, I found him in the shopping area
There is also an area where customers can make their own candles with the colors and scents they choose. They can also have a candle made in the form of their hands whether it be a fist, peace sign or index finger extended (no middle fingers allowed)
There is also a fountain in the shopping area and a mechanized band that plays for the children. It looks kinda creepy to me, though.
As I left the shop and day turned into night, the lights from the trees and decorations outside lit up the area. It was raining pretty hard so some of the images produced spots that almost look like snow. Sadly, it was only raindrops. There will not be any snow on Christmas for us this year.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
There are also many automated attractions at the shop. For instance, in the front of the store there is a toy train that runs along the wall.
Every 4 minutes, it “snows” at the Snowplace Factory in the North Pole of the store.
To get a full appreciation of the light display, I am including a short video showing off all the lights outside the store.
Spending a crisp autumn day at Myles Standish State Park makes you long for summer days.
Since it is so big, Myles Standish has several parking areas. I parked at the main parking area where the ranger headquarters is located on Cranberry Rd. There were about 30 or 40 parking spots at this parking area. It wasn’t a problem finding a spot when I went but I bet it fills up quickly if you don’t go early during the spring and summer. Myles Standish also has camp sites for tents and some for RV’s. It costs $8 for MA residents and $10 for non MA residents to visit for the day when the park is open for the season. It is free off during the off season.
As beautiful as the forest is in late fall, it must be even so much prettier when all the flowers are in bloom or during foliage season. The wind was just strong enough to give the water a little ripple effect.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
There were birds a plenty at Myles Standish. The woodpecker in the second photo was too busy pecking to be scared away.
Myles Standish is a huge forest and it extends into several towns. There are 16 ponds, 13 miles of hiking trails and 15 miles of biking trails in Myles Standish. I stopped by Fearing Pond.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
There was also quite a few pretty trees and vegetation at the forest.
My one gripe about Myles Standish is the amount of trees they had cut down. It wasn’t clear why they had the trees down. But, it was unsettling nonetheless.
There may be nothing more festive than the holidays in the city. The city is so alive. Lights illuminate the dark city streets. Children gaze at all the trees and decorations. Even adults get into the spirit of the season. This was not more evident than at Faneuil Hall in Boston.
There are many statues and memorials at Faneuil Hall. This statue of Samuel Adams stands in front of Quincy Market. You can see some of the lights in the background. There is so much to photograph in the area and I will include other shots from the area in a blog post another time. I wanted to focus mainly on the holiday decorations and lights in this post.
Trees are lit up throughout Faneuil Hall.
Stores and restaurants also decorate for the season.
The main attraction has to be the tree, though. The lighting was not very good so I included a few different photos in the slideshow below.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Some of the lights blinked, which was hard to get in the photos. So, I have added a video below to show off the really cool display
Bear Hole is not just a name give to the much traveled reservoir in West Springfield.
Tales of bear, deer and other animals have been told from many visitors at the park.
I didn’t see any bear, though. I only met the occasional dog (from top left to right Figueroa, Lily, Jyp, bottom from left to right Oreo and Connor)
and owl
The main attraction at Bear Hole is the waterfall.
and the pond it flows to
The trails are clearly defined (unless you go off trail to get a closer look at the waterfall and pond as I did from time to time). And runners and cyclists use the trails frequently.
Click below to view the video of the waterfall in all its splendor.
Once a seasonal campsite for Native Americans as well as the site for a fertilizer factory and a missile launcher warehouse, Webb Memorial State Park has gone through many changes over the years. It has since been cleaned up and developed into one of the lesser known jewels of the South Shore of Massachusetts.
Named after William K. Webb, a World War II and police officer from Weymouth, Webb Park is a popular spot for joggers and other outdoor enthusiasts. There are many different paths that offer various pretty views of the skyline of Boston and the surrounding cities.
You can see planes flying to and from Boston’s Logan International Airport. They are so loud you can hear them clear across the harbor.
There are also several monuments at Webb State Park.
This memorial is named after John Cole, a former resident of Weymouth, MA.
This memorial is dedicated to Chief Engineer Donald F. Haviland. Haviland was on the Henry Bacon which took heavy damage from enemy bombers. He refused to take a seat on one of the lifeboats because the lifeboats were running out of room and not everyone could fir on the lifeboats. Haviland gave up his seat on the lifeboat to a younger person and he died when the ship sunk. He is certainly worthy of our admiration and this token of our appreciation. This memorial certainly makes you think.
Another monument memorializes the Grape Island Alarm which was a Revolutionary War battle where a Weymouth militia fought back the British Navy.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
There is also a memorial dedicated to Domenic J. Sansone.
There are a variety of birds in the area. I was lucky enough to photograph this woodpecker
a sparrow
and this female cardinal. You might have to enlarge the photo at the top of one of the branches toward the right side of the tree.
I also spotted this bird. Another one that might be a little hard to see unless you zoom in.
There were many additional land animals at the park during my visit. (top left to right – Nandi, Molly and Ziggy, bottom left to right – Ellsbury, Louie and Olly)
There were so many beautiful spots at Webb Memorial Park. I have included a few more miscellaneous images in the slideshow below.
Most people are aware of the more popular attractions in Plymouth, MA, such as Plymouth Rock and Plimoth Plantation. But, there is another hidden jewel in Plymouth.
Located only a few miles from Plymouth Rock, the Jenney Grist Mill is a replica of the mill which was originally located in the Plymouth Colony.
When I went to visit the foliage was still peaking in the area.
But the real gem of the grist mill area is the pond.
Who would ever think people would travel from all over the country and all over the world just to see a rock? Yes, a rock. This is not just any rock, though.
The rumored landing spot of the Mayflower, Plymouth Rock is one of the more disappointing yet often visited sites south of Boston, MA.
Despite it’s popularity, the rock at Plymouth Rock is not the actual rock the Mayflower struck. In fact, the rock has been said to have been moved at least three different times and the rock has been said to have been damaged several times, breaking in half at one point. Not only that, but the passengers of the Mayflower initially landed in Provincetown in Cape Cod.
While the rock itself probably isn’t the actual rock the Mayflower struck upon its landing and it’s not the actual initial landing spot of the Pilgrims, it is symbolic of the voyage the persistence of the people who landed there.
Located in walking distance of the Mayflower II, the rock is located at the bottom of a pit and protected by a fence.
The rock is located in a structure with pillar columns.
The harbor is usually teaming with activity.
There is also a monument located across the street from Plymouth Rock. The Pilgrim Mother was donated in 1921 to celebrate the Tercentenary of the Mayflower landing by the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Last week, I posted about my visit to Whitney And Thayer Woods. I wanted to break the post into two parts because it would have been too big to do as one post and there were quite a few photos I wanted to share. So, without further ado, Weir River Farm…
As you emerge from the dense Whitney and Thayer Woods, you see a welcome scene: open space and scenic views.
One of the more endearing features of Weir River Farm are the trees
There was also a fancy rock formation.
On a clear day, like the one from the day I visited, you can see Boston and other surrounding areas
Holy Cow! Weir River Farm had their cows grazing when I stopped by.
I saw Hudson, a 6 year old Newfoundland at Weir River Farm
After visiting Plimoth Plantation, the next obvious destination was the Mayflower II. The Mayflower II, an exhibit of the Plimoth Plantation, is a replica of the original Mayflower. It is located only a few miles from Plimoth Plantation in the Frazier Memorial State Pier.
Before you board the boat, you are informed the people on the boat are still living in the 17th century. They are not aware of cellphones, automobiles or any other modern day comforts. There is a replica of the Mayflower Compact in the entrance to the boarding area.
Actors on the boat discuss the duties of crew members and portray people from that era. This man reminded me of James Franco, particularly because of his dry sense of humor.
The quarters of the Mayflower were not the most comfortable. Not exactly Carnival Cruise.
The views from the harbor were very pretty.
Meet Porsche, a service dog I saw as I was leaving the pier.
New England Nomad 