• Temp: mid 30’s, mostly cloudy, breezy
• Playlist: Best of the Hollies, John Conlee, Yard Birds
• Burrage walk
• Miles: 4.4
• Total time: 2hrs 4min

Burrage consists of open areas of cranberry bogs, wooded areas and lot of water. Was once a swamp of white cedar. The white cedar is once again slowly taking over. If you a birder this would a great place to visit with waterfowl, marsh birds, and migrating passerines. Wood Ducks breed here in good numbers, and Virginia Rails can be heard calling.

There are three entrances to the Burrage, two in Hanson and one in Halifax. Babysitting Ellie who is the best grand-dawg a guy could ask for.

This entrance goes into a working bog. Bogs change in color depending on the season. Winter time you get this maroon color.

The foreground is swamp and in the background you can see the the cedar trees migrating forward slowly re-taking ground they lost many years ago.

Swans are very possessive of their territory. This pond had this one guy and a few dozen geese. It as funny to watch as he would swim quickly to one of the geese getting close enough for combat before the goose would fly fifty feet. The the swan would re-peat the action with another, and another , and another. Poor guy it was a losing battle.

Ellie going down the Indian Cross-way. NA used it to navigate through the cedar swamp. Might have been related to those NA.

She could have very easily walked across the make shift bridge but as usual a nice swim in freezing cold water is always better option for Ellie!

• Temp: mid 50’s, partly cloudy
• Playlist: Diane tagging along today
• Bog walk
• Miles: 7
• Total time: 3hrs 24min

Darrell’s and Grace away we walked to their house to pick up the grand dawg and then to the bog.

Beech trees have the ideal bark to leave your initials. In this case it’s a eye and brow. Beech are found on high ground away from wet and usually in groves. They produce a nut, small triangular shape and ripen in the early fall. Beech trees may hold their leaves through the winter. When you find a grove most likely there will be initials from past lovers. One would wonder if the romance held through the years or they may still be lovers but on the side…… if you get my drift 🙂

The two ladies lead the way, but not sure which lady is leading.

Ellie, sometimes known under the alias Ellie_the_brew_dog on Instagram never misses the chance to take a swim.

This deer didn’t make it. Looks as though coyotes may have had a feast from missing bones

Not bragging but we make a nice couple.

• Temp: Mid to upper 30’s
• Playlist: My favorite wife talking
• Round Pond Duxbury
• Miles: 4.6
• Total time: 2hrs 16min

It looks abandoned but it is filled with equipment for running and harvesting a cranberry bog. Makes for a nice picture

Another burl in Duxbury.

• Temp: High 20’s sunny windy
• Playlist: Best of Beach Boys, Herb Alpert, Benny Goodman
• Nantasket Beach
• Miles: 6
• Total time: 2hrs 7min

A long flat stretch of land is not my idea or ideal place to walk. But the water has drawn me today. Usually it is Di and me walking along looking for sea glass. But there was none to be found today except for a few measly little pieces. The best discoveries are made after you have a few Northeaster storms which we have escaped this year and I’m not complaining. 2015 was a fine year for collecting.

This is the end of the line for walking. The beach area disappears into a rock breakwater wall. Nice houses up on top.

Boston Light House is off in the distance.

I really like the water whether it’s a fresh water pond or the beach. But today I had to turn the volume up. Way too noisy for me with the waves crashing in conjunction with the wind. Not complaining, (well maybe a little) anytime I’m in the outdoors I’m happy.

• Temp: mid-high 40’s
• Playlist: Best of the Buckingham’s, Best of Frank Sinatra, Best of the Turtles
• Cranberry Water Shed Kingston
• Miles: 6
• Total time: 2hrs 44min

Been her before more than a few times. Pictures posted in previous post. Sort of a mental health day. Just want to get back to normal, but really don’t know what normal is anymore.

• Temp: low 40’s partly sunny
• Playlist: Best of the 60’s (various artists) Herb Alpert Village People
• Ames Nowwel state park Abington
• Miles: 5.9
• Total Time: 3hrs 6min

One of my new favorites with a lot of trails to explore. Decided to walk some of them. You usually find something interesting every time out but today it was a little more as a few of the pictures self explain.

Just a skim of ice left in the cove’s on the northern end of Cleveland Pond.

I run across a these shelter structures once in awhile. I guessing you would put a tarp over the logs and have a nice place to sleep. Looking around at all the trash more than one party has taken place here

Have to take the color when you see it during the Winter.

Fairly large burl for this area on a oak tree. The burl forms from defect on the tree, injury breakage etc. They are more valuable than straight lumber because of the interesting pattern in the grain. Used in a variety of ways, projects including gun stocks, furniture, inlays and wood turning. Also turned into veneer will stretch the use.

Accidentally stumbled across this from catching the garland shining in the sun light. Had to walk 75 feet off the trail through brush to get to it. I have no idea what this is about. Some sort of grave.

Hanging from a tree and other stuff on the ground. Some claim it’s a ritual others say a grave of pet. What? It takes a lot to creep me out but this did. Not carrying any defense today I decided I had seen enough and left.

• Temp: low 30’s
• Playlist: Wife talking 🙂
• Forge Pond Trail leading into Colby Philips Trail, West Hanover
• Miles: 6
• Total time: 3hrs 8min

Forge Pond Trail starts at the Forge Pond Park which was at one time a big ass corn field back when there were dairy farms in the area and then for eating corn. Wisely it was purchased by the town of Hanover which turned it into a recreation area including many ball fields and a nice paved walking trail.

Important note: this summer, 2020 they will be hosting South Shore Food Truck Association on Tuesday’s. Food trucks, how can you go wrong?

Found a few other trees decorated while walking this Winter. Only can hope that the decorator clears them out before the the 4th of July.

Woodpecker hole in a old dead tree the will provide a nesting spot.

The stones have been restored not to original condition but to acceptable condition. The cemetery includes the Darling family

Very nice river, the Drinkwater, after a small walk from the park. I sure would not want to be drinking out of it. Looks like you might be in the wilderness.

Small brook crossing. Looks as she is freaked out but to the contrary just she’s pissed that I won’t let her swim across.

Our grand dawg at her best. The bridge crosses the the Drinkwater River. Ellie who has never seen water she doesn’t like managed to sneak in for a swim even with the temperature near 25.

• Temp: High 40’s
• Playlist: That Thing You Do, Glen Miller, Sam The Sham and The Pharaoh’s
• Ames Nowell State Park
• Miles: 3.9
• Total time: 1hr 57min

Really getting to love this place. So many trails to explore. Because it it is still Winter there is not a lot of color and I am waiting for Spring as I’m sure everything will change.

I will often take a small break not only to relax but to take in the wonder of the surroundings. Seems the older I get the more I enjoy the ambience of nature

Either the tree has grown or the guy putting it up had a long ladder.

Love to see any color this time of year

After a few nights of cold the pond has frozen over. The ice is on it’s way out and you can tell from the color. Although it shows up blue in the picture from the sky above it’s really a color of grey. With experience you can tell from the color weather you want to walk on it.

Did a little research and it seems some guy in the 1920’s bought the land surrounding the damn to do market hunting unlawfully (asshole) and wanted to change the name of it. It was in 1918 that congress enacted the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

• Temp: Low 40’s
• Playlist: One Hit Wonders, Johnny Cash
• Bog walk
• Miles: 7
• Total time: 2hrs 43min

Another day to chill out. No pictures. Still not right, physically and sometimes mentally.

• Temp: Mid 30’s Sunny
• Playlist: Madeleine Peyroux Diana Krall Blood Sweat and Tears Cold Play
• Wompatuck State Park
• Miles: 12.3
• Total time: 5hrs 12min with several breaks

Today I turned 67. Where the Hell did all those years go? So I did what I have always wanted to on my b-day but never have, who knows for what ever reason. Always something that had to be done. I wanted to do ten miles but when I looked at the map I realized it would be more. And I did suffer a bit the next day.

There is a previous post with the photo minus the snow. There are few brooks like this in the park that are the way they were four hundred years ago.

At one time there were a few farms in the park. This is a well from one of them. If you look you can find several more scattered. All have been covered to keep everybody save.

This is what’s left of Wildcat Pond. It has pretty much dried up. I’m not sure if it was a natural pond or just a damned brook. Either way it was shallow and if I had to guess there was never a wild cat.

Arron Reservoir. Man made back in the seventies. It worked out well for the state. They allowed people in to cut trees, clearing the land during the oil shortage of the seventies. At least we won’t have to endure that shit again as we are energy sufficient as a nation. At 140 acres it provides non motorized boating and excellent fishing

One of my favorite places in the park, Heron Pond. Something about the trail running along the southeast side that makes it special. They probably have forgotten but I would like some of my ashes spread here.

South Field with snow. Many deer tracks and not a lot of human tracks. When snow and cold come knocking some people turn into wuss’s.

My lunch for the day. At the end of South Field stands a platform/stage. Makes for a spot to eat and enjoy the scenery. I also brought two mandarin oranges for a quick boost of energy for later in the day.

So for the day: I enjoyed it immensely. Warm enough for enjoyment but cool enough to know it was Winter. Hate to admit I was beat the next day doing 12 miles. But need the exercise.