Denise Goldberg's blog

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

fading

The petals of a zinnia show two colors, the original bright pink, and a fade to a shade of light brown. I find the two-tone fade to be interesting.

zinnia

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

view from above

The tower at the Hellcat Wildlife Observation Area provides a different view of the landscape.

Areas that showed as bright green during the summer now show both a transition into browns and a bit of bright red.

view from Hellcat observation tower, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

inland side of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Monday, September 28, 2020

a new boardwalk

Today felt like a good day to take a walk on the newly completed boardwalk trail at the Hellcat Wildlife Observation Area.

I headed to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge late in the morning. That allowed me to explore the boardwalk and then walk the beach while the tide was heading out. While the old boardwalk consisted of two loops with stairs, the new boardwalk is fully wheelchair accessible. It is a single loop with 3 out-and-back spurs.

map of boardwalk, Hellcat Wildlife Observation Area

It was a delightful walk!

Here's the view from the end of one of the spurs of the boardwalk.

view from end of spur of the boardwalk, Hellcat Wildlife Observation Area

Sunday, September 27, 2020

framed

Calm water is framed by evergreens and plants wearing the bright colors of autumn.

autumn color in Harold Parker State Forest

Saturday, September 26, 2020

changes

A bit of fog fell across the landscape this morning, pulling me outside to look for changing colors. I headed to the Shawsheen River Reservation to walk a trail that wandered between field and river. Goldenrod created a bright yellow splash on the ground that complemented the leaves above.

autumn color in the Shawsheen River Reservation

Thursday, September 24, 2020

asters

Asters bring bright color to the garden as other flowers fade.

asters

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

outdoor sculpture

This year's Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay show opened on Sunday, September 20th. I headed to the park Monday morning to wander through the sculptures.

The announcement of the show is here. Things were a little different this year. Instead of paper maps there were a few large map signs posted, plus a guide app for your phone (at mapapp.sculptureatmaudslay.org).

One of my favorite sculptures this year was titled Inner Light, Outer Radiance, created by Able Heart Studio. It showed a (plastic) man holding streamers that led to painted CDs that moved in the wind.

Inner Light, Outer Radiance Inner Light, Outer Radiance

Click to see more of the sculptures in the gallery outdoor sculpture at Maudslay :: 2020.

Monday, September 21, 2020

floral color

Rudbeckia hirta 'Cherokee Sunset' continue to decorate the garden with strong color.

Rudbeckia hirta 'Cherokee Sunset'

Saturday, September 19, 2020

maple wearing red

Chilly air overnight appears to be making a difference in the appearance of autumn color. While most of the trees here continue to wear an altered shade of green, a single maple tree has provided a pop of red.

maple leaves in red

Friday, September 18, 2020

watercolor

The reflection of trees in Collins Pond shows qualities of a watercolor painting.

The leaves have started to fade with one tree wearing a bit of brown. I look forward to watching autumn's transition as I continue to walk in the woods.

reflection, Harold Parker State Forest

Thursday, September 17, 2020

on the coast

Yesterday's walk at Odiorne Point State Park was at close to high tide. It was a good day to see gulls and cormorants sitting on rocks, to listen to the sound of the wind and the ocean, to absorb the calm of the environment.

a view from Odiorne Point State Park

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

a flower & a bee

Bees are moving more slowly but they are still feasting on flowers.

a bee feasting on a dahlia

Monday, September 14, 2020

in the wind

A sunflower tips slightly toward the ground as it moves in the wind.

sunflower

Saturday, September 12, 2020

looking

This sand sculpture features a woman looking through an eye with a telescope. I find it fascinating.

Eye of the Beholder, by Thomas Koet

Eye of the Beholder, by Thomas Koet

Part of the Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting Classic, it was created by Thomas Koet and it is titled "Eye of the Beholder".

Friday, September 11, 2020

mystical

Clouds and ocean fog reflect on wet sand, creating a scene that is both calming and mystical.

ocean view from Hampton Beach, NH

Thursday, September 10, 2020

sculpted in sand

The Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting Classic is usually held in June. This year's competition was delayed until September, courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I thought about visiting last Friday while the sculptors were at work. I changed my mind after seeing photos from the initial day of the competition showing crowds at the overlook points with people standing too close together, some wearing masks and some not. I decided that this year I would have to be satisfied with only seeing the finished sculptures.

It's amazing that such beautiful and intricate pieces of art can be created using a medium that is as fleeting as sand.

Lady in Repose sand sculpture
"Lady in Repose", created by David Andrews

Wednesday, September 09, 2020

low tide

It was a good day for a low tide walk at Crane Beach.

low tide at Crane Beach

Monday, September 07, 2020

patterns

The wings of a butterfly show intricate patterns.

acraea butterfly

Sunday, September 06, 2020

colors of Rudbeckia

This beautiful flower wears the name Rudbeckia hirta "Cherokee Sunset". It's a late summer flower that brings a touch of autumn to the garden.

Rudbeckia hirta 'Cherokee Sunset'

Saturday, September 05, 2020

falling petals

A dahlia wears about half of its petals as the end of the growing season approaches.

dahlia

Friday, September 04, 2020

seeking butterflies

Today felt like a good day for butterflies.

My favorite, Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory in South Deerfield, MA, opened today for the first time since the the beginning of Covid. Given that there was limited access and with the possibility of being turned away I figured driving a half of an hour was better than driving two hours - so I headed to The Butterfly Place in Westford today. I will probably visit Magic Wings later in the month.

While The Butterfly Place is quite small, it still provided a good butterfly visit.

butterflies

Thursday, September 03, 2020

a taste of early autumn

I've seen a few leaves wearing autumn colors, and I've seen faded flowers. It feels early to see signs of autumn but the season is clearly on its way.

maple leaf wearing autumn color

echinacea

Wednesday, September 02, 2020

dreamy

A walk in the woods continues to show green as the predominant color.

in Maudslay State Park