Tag Archives: Rail Trail

A New England Mini-Vacation: Bookstock and the Bridge of Flowers

Bait and Switch, birds, Bridge of Flowers, Connie Johnson Hambley, flowers, gardens, Hummingbird, Hummingbird Hawk Moth, Leslie Wheeler, Letter from a Dead Man, mystery, Nature, New England, Rail Trails, Shelburne Falls, Sisters in crime New England, summer, suspense, Vermont, , , , , , , , , , ,

Last weekend, we had a mini-vacation in Vermont, connected to my day at Bookstock.  What a great time!  We’re so fortunate to be living in New England.  Friday afternoon, we took a leisurely drive up to Brattleboro to have an early supper at our favorite bakery on Main Street.  In a space overlooking the river and mountain, we watched a thunderstorm roll in while we enjoyed a scrumptious olive tapenade/goat cheese/walnut salad and a cappuccino.  The storm passed; we rolled out for Springfield, Vermont and the Toonerville Rail Trail.  It’s not a long trail, only seven miles round trip, but it runs along the Black River and through some gorgeous Vermont mountain and woodsy scenery.  I even managed to spot some Phoebes and Thrushes!  The river ran fast and muddy.  I’m not sure if that was just from the recent rainfall.  Whatever the case, there were some notable rapids.  This should be a nice ride in the colorful New England fall.

The next day was my stint at the Sisters In Crime-New England Table on Woodstock Green at Bookstock.  I had a wonderful time with two of my favorite writers, and pals, Leslie Wheeler and Connie Johnson Hambley.  Leslie has a new book out in Rattlesnake Hill and Connie has completed her Jessica trilogy.  If you’re looking for some exciting and enjoyable summer reading, these are great choices – as are Letter from a Dead Man and Bait and Switch!  We have the best conversations on writing, the great stuff to do in New England, our families, etc.  We also had a lot of fun talking to and getting to know readers and writers visiting our table.  I can’t say enough about the great opportunities Sisters in Crime offers both readers and writers (published or not).  And one of the best benefits is meeting the other members of the group.  I’ve made some swell (as Anne Sheridan would have put it in a movie) friends here.  At our booth, the three of us couldn’t help telling interested readers how enjoyable we found each other’s writing!

 

Last day of our vacation, Yang and I went to Shelburne Falls and visited the Bridge of Flowers.  If you’ve never been there, this is an old foot bridge that has been planted on either side of a central path with all kinds of different, beautiful flowers and shrubs.

There are zinnias, roses, red hot poker, delphinium with bachelor buttons, Rose of Sharon, bee balm – you name it. Here are some lovely lilies.

 

 

 

Isn’t this rose a treat?

These dahlias and the sunflower are all set for the Fall !

 

 

Here I am, delighted to be with a shrub with which I share a name!

 

 

 

 

 

God knows what the heck this thing is!  I hope aliens didn’t leave it!

 

 

You can see from the pictures how gorgeous the flowers are.  Several years back, a terrible flood wiped out the bridge garden; but, as you can see, it has been restored with resounding success.  Some of the flowers will last several seasons of the year, while some are more seasonal and will be replaced with flowers and plants appropriate to the autumn, later.

So many people enjoy the garden!  However, as I will show you, humans aren’t the only ones who delight in the Bridge of Flowers.  Yang got several wonderful pictures of one of the many Tiger Swallowtails taking a sunny Sunday brunch on the Bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was also a  Hummingbird Hawk Moth, which people frequently mistake for a Hummingbird.  Gorgeous and otherworldly, isn’t it?

Then, we got some shots of the real deal:  this female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird.  She adored the Bee Balm and the Red Hot Poker!  She was also fairly undaunted by most of the humans at her restaurant.  Yang got some superb shots, didn’t he?    I’m happy to say that we also saw another such bird on our stroll through town and that the hummingbird who usually visits us each year at home has made several appearances already!  All in all, a delightful weekend!

 

Wood Thrush Image:  https://www.freeclipartnow.com/animals/birds/Wood-Thrush.jpg.html
All other images, author’s collection

 

Spring Bicycle Ride

abandoned factory, black cat, cats, Nature, New England, North Central Pathway Trail, Rail Trails, , , ,

We recently did the North Central Pathway rail trail. It technically extends between Gardner and Winchendon, though there is a break of about a mile that has not been developed yet.  It’s a beautiful paved trail that runs through clear, lovely, green woods in a straight path.  At the Winchendon end, we cycled down toward a sports/recreation area,Winchendon1 but right off the trail is this cool abandoned factory and what appears to be a ware house. It’s all next to a set of falls and canal off the river. Since there weren’t any “No Tresspassing” warnings or locked gates, we  checked out the area, being careful not to take any risks of falling or hurting ourselves.

 

 

Here’s a picture of a smoke stack;Winchendon2 somehow the rest of the factory seems to have fallen away – although there was a building behind it that looked as if it might have been part of the original manufacturing site.  Look at how gorgeously azure-blue the sky was that day.  The sun was so bright, I had to wear my shades – prescription, of course, or I’d have been riding off the road.

In this other Winchendon3shot of the chimney, you can better see the tree growing up around it and what’s left of the building behind it.

 

 

 

There were man-made falls next to the buildings and a canal running along it for water power. The scene was beautiful.  Winchendon5I have no idea what they made here.  Since this town was the rocking horse capital, perhaps that’s what they produced?

 

 

We got back on the trail for our return ride, passing a pond that had some Barrows Golden Eye Ducks.  Would that they  had been close enough to photograph.  These are diving ducks.  So it was a hoot to watch the flock sit up on the water, flap their wings, then dive down and disappear beneath the surface for a stretch.  Then, up they’d all pop.  Now you see them, now you don’t, now you do!

We did get to photograph some cute critters, though – at least I think they are cute.  So, here’s the trigger warning:  PICTURES OF A SNAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I almost ran over a little one of these guys when he was trying to cross the trail. I guess he wanted to get to the other side.  Playing chicken?  He was too small for me to see right away, but Yang assured me he was okay. Winchendon9 Then, I came across his big sister right here.  A beauty, eh?  I don’t know what kind this one is.  His/her color is coppery with darker markings, so it doesn’t look like a garter snake to me.  What do you think? Can anyone answer my query?

Here Mr. or Ms. Snake seems to be saying:  “I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. Demile!”Winchedon8

So, for those freaked out by this lovely creature, here are some soothing images.  First, the ginormous (for us, anyway) Winchendon13pumpkins Yang and I grew last year.

Then, Yang, himself, always a calming influence. Wynchendon6

And, of course two of the most adorable black cats in the world, NatashaWinchendon14

Winchendon15and Rosalind.

 

 

Adventures on the Cumberland Rail Trail

birds, Rail Trails, turtles, , ,
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Sunday’s ride at the Cumberland, RI rail trail was wonderful. The path is rimmed by trees and shrubs, “reducing all that’s made to a green thought in a green shade.” Except, that description leaves out the rollDSCN1874 of the Blackstone River on one side and the lazy calm of the canal on the other. Wild life abounds as you zip along a well-paved route, with just enough hills to work off a few calories, but not enough to leave you prostrate. And then, what chugs up, must glide down! All eighteen miles of round trip!

Anyway, back to the critters! We saw this fellow lazing in the sun in all his turtlely glory. Look at those luxuriously stretched out hind tootsies! Pretty big for a painted turtle, eh? DSCN1859Apparently, there are also quite few snappers in the river and the canal––but none of them threatened us. Do you think we could escape if one charged?

There was also plenty of feathered fauna to enjoy, too. We could hear all kinds of delighted, playful, trilling and teasing from catbirds, red-winged blackbirds, sparrows, and cardinals. Isn’t spring bird song grand? DSCN1854We also caught sight of this lovely swan, whom one trail-stroller informed us was part of a pair that was brooding a clutch of eggs on an island in the river. And here is proof that the fishermen on the river aren’t all of the homo sapiens DSCN1876variety. I’m sorry I missed my pal the Green Heron, but who can complain about seeing a Great Blue?

The Cumberland trail is just a lovely, relaxing, happy rail trail to cruise. Look at how much fun the other Dr. Yang is having!

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5/27/15