Denise Goldberg's blog

Saturday, October 31, 2020

brrr!

It was 19 degrees (F) when I woke up the morning, brrr! The temperature means the trees are still wearing a coat of snow from yesterdays storm.

The weather forecast calls for a high in the low 40s, supporting a comfortable outside walk later in the day.

snow-covered leaves

snow-covered leaves seen during yesterday's storm

Friday, October 30, 2020

a winter's walk

Snow started falling overnight, accumulating into a blanket of white.

While it's still autumn, this morning's walk was a winter walk from both temperature and precipitation standpoints. I heard the crunch of snow beneath my feet and I saw falling snowflakes. Warmer days will return before winter settles in; today brought a sense of the coming season.

snow on autumn leaves

snow on berries

Thursday, October 29, 2020

oak leaves

Rusty brown has replaced the summer green of oak leaves. Acorns litter the ground, creating a slippery surface.

Both are a sign of the season.

oak leaves

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

reflection

The sky wore layers of clouds and the water was still. Trees show a shimmery reflection in the quiet waters of Field Pond.

reflections of trees, Harold Parker State Forest

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

rusty

Trees wearing rust-colored leaves are sandwiched between evergreens.

trees, Harold Parker State Forest

Sunday, October 25, 2020

bright

Berries in bright red decorate the landscape.

berries

Friday, October 23, 2020

fading

Colors are fading, showing rusty shades along with some bare branches.

faded autumn color along a canal

Thursday, October 22, 2020

an impressionist reflection

Reflections of trees and leaves create the feeling of an impressionist painting.

reflections in a pond, Harold Parker State Forest

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

subtle color

The colors are quiet, showing the continuing advance of autumn.

autumn color

in Valley Forge National Historical Park

Monday, October 19, 2020

glasswing butterfly

The transparent wings of a glasswing butterfly provide a sort of camouflage, the ability to blend in with background plants.

glasswing butterfly

Sunday, October 18, 2020

red

Maple leaves in bright red move in the wind.

maple leaves

Friday, October 16, 2020

pops of orange

I repeated a favorite walk in Topsfield, MA earlier this week to check the state of autumn color. While green paints the ground and some of the trees, many trees are wearing bright colors.

trees wearing autumn color

Thursday, October 15, 2020

along the North Pool dike

As I walked south along the North Pool dike in Parker River National Wildlife Refuge I saw a trail sandwiched between water and highlighted by bright red glasswort. Interesting cloud cover enhanced the red.

North Pool dike

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

two sides

I find it difficult to capture both sides of a butterfly's wings. Both are visible when flying but it seems that each butterfly chooses to sit still either with its wings open or closed.

In my visit to the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory last week four types of butterflies allowed me a photographic glimpse of both sides of its wings.

Cairns Birdwing butterfly:

Cairns birdwing butterfly

Blue Morpho butterfly:

Blue Morpho butterfly

Dead Leaf butterfly:

Dead Leaf butterfly

Malachite butterfly:

Malachite butterfly

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

autumn color

Trees painted in autumn colors pop in the rain.

autumn color, Harold Parker State Forest

captured at Collins Pond, Harold Parker State Forest

Monday, October 12, 2020

glasswort

In honor of National Wildlife Refuge Week, the North Pool Dike Path in the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is open for walking this week. I headed to the refuge today to take advantage of this uncommon opening.

As I walked along the dike I noticed patches of bright red in the salt marsh. Luckily I was able to ask a refuge staff member for its name. The plant is glasswort, a succulent that thrives in saline environments. It wears bright red as the season turns to autumn.

The splashes of red are wonderful.

glasswort, in the salt marsh at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Sunday, October 11, 2020

milkweed

It was a windy afternoon; I was amazed that the seeds of this milkweed hadn't already dispersed.

milkweed

Saturday, October 10, 2020

a butterfly visit

Like most places, the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory closed for several months because of COVID-19. I checked their site periodically, hoping to find that they had reopened. Last week I saw that Magic Wings was open again with reduced days and hours. I quickly planned a drive out to western Massachusetts to visit the butterflies.

Visiting hours are set in 2-hour blocks starting at 11 AM and running through 5 PM. Each block is limited to 50 visitors, and the conservatory is emptied at the end of the time block.

I spent some time chatting with staff and found that there were designated individuals who worked through the closure to feed the birds and animals, to provide food for the butterflies, to make sure plants were watered and growing well, and to continue propagating butterflies.

It was a sunny day with bright light pouring into the space. The butterflies were very active with some resting and eating and many flying overhead. I had a number of the beautiful creatures decide to ride along with me, in my hair, perched on my shirt (a teal green color that seemed to attract the butterflies), even walking down my bare arm.

What a delightful visit!

Malachite butterfly

Malachite butterfly

More butterflies from my visit on Thursday can be seen in the gallery flitter, flutter, butterfly! 2020 starting with this photo and ending here.

Friday, October 09, 2020

in motion

Moving mirrored squares are attached to an abandoned building in Turners Falls, MA. I stood and watched, fascinated by the motion.

mirrors in motion

Wednesday, October 07, 2020

leaves in transition

A maple tree is wearing leaves that are at the midpoint between green and red.

leaves in transition

Tuesday, October 06, 2020

fading flowers

Flowers nearing the end of the blooming season present a different kind of beauty. I enjoy all stages of a flower's life cycle, from the initial emergence to faded petals.

fading flowers, zinnia

Monday, October 05, 2020

clouds & a bridge

Layers of clouds decorated the Memorial Bridge in Portsmouth, NH this morning.

Memorial Bridge, Portsmouth, NH

Saturday, October 03, 2020

red

Berries on a tree provide a pop of red.

berries

Friday, October 02, 2020

lion's tail

Leonotis leonurus, also known as lion's tail, splashes bright orange color in the garden.

Leonotis leonurus, also known as lion's tail

Thursday, October 01, 2020

by the sea

It was delightful weather for a walk along the coast today.

Kittery, Maine

as seen from the tip of Cutts Island in Kittery, Maine