Tag Archives: Foliage

Fall Preveiw

September 7, 2017Autumn, Fall, Foliage, Nature, New England, Uncategorized, WorcesterAutumn, Foliage, Nature, New Englandhealy24yang

People have been a bit sad over the ending of summer, but we’re forgetting the glorious colors of autumn. Already some of the trees, vines, and bushes are shifting into hues of scarlet, maroon, gold, orange, brilliant yellow. And don’t forget the breathtaking contrast with the pellucid blue skies of the season. So, I thought you might like a little preview of the beauties in store for us, courtesy of the reservoir in West Boylston and the hills around my home.

Right across the street from the stone church in West Boylston are some wonderful trails through the woods and around the reservoir. You can enjoy the calming umbers of fallen leaves in this flowing brook, with just a highlight of pine and hemlock green.

Or maybe you’re looking for something to make your eyes pop! Like the scarlet magnificence of this beauty, exquisitely contrasting with the greens shading into yellow, blending with the fiery oranges bursting from yellow – all against the compliment of that pure October sky.

Here is a more individualized look at one of those green-morphing-yellow tress. A maple, maybe? First the long shot.

Now, she’s ready for her close-up, Mr. DeMille!

Perhaps most beautiful of all is this panorama of the brilliant hues on the opposite shore, across an arm of the reservoir. Breathtaking, right?

And of course it’s no fun to take a walk through all this gorgeous scenery without someone to share it! Here’s my special companion. I’ll bet you can guess who.And look at that warm coat! Do you still remember how it feels to have a little nip in the air?

I don’t even have to go far from home to enjoy the fall finery. Look at some of the trees surrounding where I live.

Finally, there’s that wonderful October sky, pure blue with the graceful swirl of silver, grey, and white clouds. So, the coming autumn isn’t that bad, after all, is it?

Autumnal Woodlawn Cemetery – No Blinking!

November 4, 2016Autumn, birds, Cemeteries, Don't Blink, Fall, Gothic, herons, Nature, New England, tomb stonesAutumn, birds, Bronx, Cemeteries, Foliage, Nature, New England, Woodlawn Cememteryhealy24yang

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Three years ago, Yang and I took an autumnal visit to Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. This was our second visit. Our first was in the summer, and we took many photos of the gorgeous sepulchres with their ornate carvings of lions and sphinxes, as well as beautiful stained glass inside. This time, with the fall leaves beginning their metamorphoses into vivid colors, we concentrated on the outdoor imagery. I love the way this angel is framed by the flaming curve of the branch and leaves above it.

I also found this figure fascinating, straining for freedom, emerging from his marble prison – perhaps to burst the bonds of the body’s clay and fly away on the sharp wind of the north to eternity.

We found this image especially beautiful, the soft orange of the tree leaves providing a brilliant background contrast to the soft grey/white of the stone and the gentle and flowing draperies of woman portrayed here.

This woman draped meltingly over the tomb stone in her anguish was a deliciously melancholy image to ponder. I actually manged to find a piece similar to this monument from Toscano to add to my own Halloween graveyard in my front yard this year.

I’m fascinated by this monument. My guess is that the chap memorialized in Roman senatorial garb must have been a judge or a high political figure. I hope he met a better end than Julius Caesar! I thought the warm orange of the tree behind his imposing statue made an appealing contrast. Stern but not harsh features on this chap.

Happily, we found a wonderful living denizen in the cemetery. Woodlawn also contains a beautiful reflecting lake, and this Great Egret found it just the ticket! Of course, he was probably more up to fishing than reflecting – a bird’s got to eat!

There were other typical Victorian monuments, wonderfully complemented by the fall colors. Here is a mother with her children. One hopes this is not a comment on the high mother/child mortality rate but rather a celebration of deep feelings between parent and children.

I was intrigued by this praying woman, high atop her monument. She almost has an aspect of the Catholic Virgin Mary, not what you would expect in a seemingly predominantly Protestant cemetery. Again, the autumn trees provide a pleasurable contrast to the cool white and grey-aged stone.

This cemetery is indeed a pleasure to stroll through, just be sure to bring your camera – whatever season you visit!

Here’s a link that gives you a virtual tour.

October Images Part Two

December 6, 2015Autumn, Fall, Nature, New England, Rail Trails, UncategorizedAutumn, Fall, Foliage, Neponset, New England, Rail Trailshealy24yang

It’s December today, but we have no glittering snow icing, cool blue in the shade or soft pink in the sunset. Just dead, crusty leaves and bare, scraggly branches. So, how about one last lingering look at October’s brilliance? These shots are from two trips, one afoot and one a-wheel!

Yang and I found a new bicycle ride outside of Boston, The Neponset River Trail, which runs along the river out to the Blue Hills. Here is a portion that cuts along and across a canal (via a bridge of course!). The trees look striking, reflected in the water, and must provide a lovely view to people living in the mill converted to apartments.

We started the ride from Pope John Paul Park, where the river is almost an estuary. If you ride away from Milton, the river broadens and becomes tumultuous as it races toward the ocean.

That’s not in any of these shots, though.

Yang had a good time! We both had to pause for a rest on the way back!

Our other recorded trip was to the wilds of the forested hills of Leicester. It was a lovely Friday afternoon, shortly after Yang got out of classes. The colors here were a blend of yellow and toasted orange.

The red golds of autumn were not yet lying in the gutter dead (tip o’ the hat to Graeme Edge).

The hat in this shot would be my marine blue beret, which I bought in France last spring. As long as we’re on international wardrobe, my in-laws from China gave me the coat when I visited them last autumn.

Delving into the woods, we came across the backwash from a pond. The autumn sky’s pellucid blue is such a striking complement to green pines and the fall colors.

Hiking back to our car along the road, the evening began to close in, so that the last flare of the sun created a vibrant flame of color in the trees.

All that tramping and beauty makes a body hungry. So Yang and I repaired to Le Mirage for sustenance. As you can see, Mr. Piranha made short work of his meal.

Sadly, this was the last night of this wonderful restaurant. Le Mirage is now closed, and so lovely meals, good times, and good friends are now relegated to memories. Much thanks to Diane, her family, and her staff.

October Images

November 23, 2015Autumn, birds, Nature, New England, UncategorizedFoliage, Great Blue heron, Nature, New England, Piliated Woodpeckerhealy24yang

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This past week has given us a great deal of ugliness – and beauty, too, in the responses of support for those who have been attacked but not necessarily bowed. Here is a little bit of beauty from New England sent out to all the world in hopes of giving some comfort, distraction, happiness. Please enjoy.

First, I have images from our bicycle ride in Cheshire, Connecticut. I saw plenty of remarkable birds. Here is a neat shot of a Great Blue Heron. He blends in with the leaves, doesn’t he? We were so fortunate to get this close a shot.

We also saw this neat flock of mallards enjoying a swim together in the canal next to the trail.

This was one of the several pairs. Clearly honeys. The foregrounded leaves of salmon to yellow emerging from green captures fall elegance.

The same couple swim toward some delicate red berries. The lady duck seems to have an itchy tootsie.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a shot of the most exciting bird of the day. A Piliated Woodpecker! Those guys are gigantic! Like pteranodons! I don’t have a picture of my own, so I am borrowing a photo (with proper accreditation). This guy was bigger than the large crows with whom he/she was tussling. I would that I could have gotten close enough with my camera. So, thank you Andrew Brown at Wikipedia.

Our October holiday weekend took us on plenty of day trips. On our drive home from a rail trail ride, Yang brought us through Stafford, Ct. where we stopped at sunset for these gorgeous colors.

The reflections of the fiery maples and oaks on the pond at sunset were magnificent!

Here are Yang and I in some pictures, so you know we were really here to take the photos.

What a lovely bouquet of all the lushest fall colors.

I have some more pix, but I don’t want anyone to pass out from foliage overdose – so I’ll save them for a Part 2.