Denise Goldberg's blog

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

solo

I'm fascinated by dahlias and the many different forms that they take. This one is known as a Single Dahlia.

dahlia

For a list of dahlia types, go to www.gardenia.net/plant-variety/dahlia-types.

Monday, June 29, 2020

green

A frog sits on a lily pad in the Wiggle Waggle at Bedrock Gardens.

frog

I'm so happy he agreed to pose for me!

Sunday, June 28, 2020

photos! Bedrock Gardens

Bedrock Gardens is a special place, a place I hadn't visited in too long.
That changed for me on Friday.

From the Bedrock Gardens web site:

Bedrock Gardens is an emerging public garden that integrates unusual botanical specimens and unique sculpture into an inspiring landscape journey. This 37-acre site is transitioning from a historic farm and private garden to a public oasis of art, horticulture and inspiration.

Bedrock Gardens is a journey, based on the principle that a garden needs to provide places to go, places to pause and reset, and interesting things to see along the way.

It's in transition from private property to a public garden. It is open from Tuesday through Friday plus two weekends a month, a big change from the previous one weekend a month during the warmer months of the year. More open times and the fact that the garden just opened for the year meant I was able to wander the property without the company of many people.

I enjoyed my wander, soaking in the beauty of the gardens and sculpture.

in Bedrock Gardens

sculpture, Bedrock Gardens

To see more photos, click to the gallery Bedrock Gardens :: 2020.

Friday, June 26, 2020

watching

As I walked down a trail at Bedrock Gardens this afternoon I met a dog, watching.

sculpture of a dog

Isn't he a wonderful sculpture?

Thursday, June 25, 2020

a Crane Beach walk

Bright sunshine, blue sky, ocean water... It's always a good day for a walk on the beach.

Crane Beach, Ipswich, MA

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

bright

Wild roses paint the garden in bright pink.

wild roses

Monday, June 22, 2020

starflowers

Tiny starflowers create a splash of subtle color in the garden.

starflowers

Sunday, June 21, 2020

resting

As I walked along River Road in Topsfield, I passed a field full of sheep, resting.

sheep

Friday, June 19, 2020

to Portsmouth

After what seems like forever staying close to home I decided to venture to a neighboring state yesterday. I headed to Portsmouth, NH for a walk by the Piscataqua River and a visit to the gardens of Prescott Park.

I'm still fascinated by the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge spanning the Piscataqua River between New Hampshire & Maine.

Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, Portsmouth, NH

My ultimate goal was to visit the flowers in Prescott Park.

flowers

roses

Thursday, June 18, 2020

a flower switch

Yesterday's late day garden visit showed that while the bearded iris season is ending, the Japanese iris season is just beginning.

Japanese iris

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

along the coast

The coastal section of Halibut Point State Park is a mix of rocks and green.

The actual coast is made up of chunks of tilted rocks while the path just inland of the water switches between a very narrow slot in the undergrowth and smooth granite.

Halibut Point State Park

Monday, June 15, 2020

to Halibut Point

While most state parks in Massachusetts remained open during the coronavirus stay-at-home, the parking lots of some coastal parks were closed. That allowed local residents to visit but essentially closed the parks to those of us who weren't in walking distance of the park. One of the parks that I was unable to visit was Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, MA. That changed recently when the parking lot was reopened.

I headed to Rockport early in the morning yesterday. I didn't want to drive that distance only to find the parking lot was full. There were a few other people there when I arrived at 8:30 AM but there were plenty of open spots in the lot.

It was a lovely day to circle the quarry and to walk on the slanted rocks along the coast. I could hear the sound of the ocean as soon as I started down the path into the park, about a third of a mile from the water.

Halibut Point State Park

For more photos of my wander in the park, click to the gallery Halibut Point :: 2020.

Saturday, June 13, 2020

afternoon light

A friend and I both needed a sanity walk late this afternoon so we headed to Topsfield to walk a loop starting at a church on River Road. I'm so glad we discovered this walk last month; it's one that will be wonderful to return to during different seasons.

While we stood on a bridge over the Ipswich River the light changed, highlighting these trees and their reflections.

trees reflecting in the Ipswich River, Topsfield, MA

Friday, June 12, 2020

a different angle

The petals of a bearded iris highlight both shape and color when viewed from above.

bearded iris

Thursday, June 11, 2020

purple

The deep purple color of this bearded iris caught my eye.

bearded iris

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

rabbit, rabbit

As I walked in the garden late yesterday I shared the space with many rabbits. This one was sitting in one of the cold frames. He looked at me as I knelt close to the ground to look at him.

rabbit

Monday, June 08, 2020

magic light

Entry to Crane Beach in Ipswich is currently by reservation only. Luckily a friend has a beach membership as well as a reservation; I joined her for a beach walk late yesterday afternoon.

The light was simply amazing.

The line near the horizon as shown in this photo is somewhat deceptive. It is the point at which the smooth inland waters meet moving ocean water. My eyes could easily recognize it as land instead of water.

Crane Beach, Ipswich, MA

Note that I chose to walk without my camera yesterday, focusing more on the beach and the ocean than on photography. This photo was captured with my phone.

Saturday, June 06, 2020

peony in pink

A peony opens, creating a splash of pink.

peony

Friday, June 05, 2020

look up

Some murals are easy to frame with my camera, some are harder.

This one lives high on a building, making a case for looking up as I walked. Capturing it required framing and reframing in order to avoid power lines crossing in front of the mural.

mural, Katherine, by Paola Delfin
Katherine, by Paola Delfin

Thursday, June 04, 2020

a flower identified

Yesterday I saw flowers on a tree that I didn't recognize. I was lucky; a stranger who was in the same space shared the name with me.

These beautiful pink flowers live on a Kelsey Locust tree.

flowers on a Kelsey Locust tree

Wednesday, June 03, 2020

iris season

As I walk by gardens I am noticing more iris in bloom.

iris

Monday, June 01, 2020

on the walls in Salem

My walking these days has been primarily in neighborhoods near home, quiet areas in towns close to home, and state parks that have remained open during the stay-at-home advisory. I've been itching to get to some of my favorite photo locations but until recently I stayed away. With the state moving into the first phase of reopening I gave in to my desire to visit the murals of the Punto Urban Art Museum in Salem, MA.

Sunday morning was a good time to visit. There were others out walking. Almost everyone was wearing a mask and remaining apart.

Many of the murals are large and on the walls of buildings that are very close together. You can see the murals as you stand in an alley but it's very difficult to capture some of them with a camera - even with a wide angle lens. Smaller murals sit in the squares of a wall surrounding a power station. The smaller murals are replaced every year while the larger murals on the sides of buildings are more permanent.

untitled
Untitled, by Scott Debus

If you'd like to virtually wander through the murals, click to the gallery murals in Salem :: 2020.