Denise Goldberg's blog

Thursday, September 30, 2021

mushrooms at Maudslay

My walks in the woods have turned into mushroom walks this fall. While I follow a trail for the most part, I also find myself wandering off of the trail, always keeping an eye out for interesting mushrooms.

Here are a couple from Maudslay State Park.

mushrooms

mushrooms

If you'd like to see more mushrooms, click to the gallery wandering Maudslay :: 2021.

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

seed pods

Before the leaves change, trees are loaded with seed pods.

I wonder how many will seed new trees as opposed to serving as food for little creatures.

seed pods

Monday, September 27, 2021

cliff walk

Newport, Rhode Island's Cliff Walk runs for several miles, providing a place to walk well above the ocean.

A set of somewhat steep stairs of stone allowed for a closer look at the rocky coastline.

cliff walk, Newport, RI

Sunday, September 26, 2021

green to red

A single leaf is wearing autumn color.

autumn colored maple leaf

Saturday, September 25, 2021

mushrooms

The varieties of mushrooms growing along trails through the woods, on trees, and on lawns is simply amazing. I don't remember seeing so many different types in a small area in previous years. Perhaps our wet summer contributed to their growth.

Here are two favorites from a recent walk in Harold Parker State Forest.

mushrooms

mushrooms

To see more mushrooms from my recent wanders, click to the gallery autumn :: 2021.

Friday, September 24, 2021

berries in black

Before the leaves turn, berries appear.

chokeberry

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

contrasts

Yesterday I wandered through the gardens in Portsmouth's Prescott Park. Some flowers remain in full bloom while others have faded, nearing the end of their floral life.

I find both to be beautiful.

dahlia

rudbeckia hirta

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

across the water

It was a crisp fall day, a good day for a walk along the Piscataqua River in Portsmouth, NH.

Memorial Bridge, Portsmouth, NH

Monday, September 20, 2021

a blue sky day

It was a good day for a walk in the woods, a blue sky day. My walking destination today was Goldsmith Woodlands in Andover, MA.

At the end of the trail, trees reflect in the waters of Foster's Pond.

looking across Foster's Pond

Sunday, September 19, 2021

faded

A leaf hangs on, faded, wearing autumn brown. Behind it there are trees that continue to wear leaves in green.

leaf, faded

Friday, September 17, 2021

shaped like a flower

As I was walking in Harold Parker State Forest this afternoon I saw a large fungus shaped like a flower. It was growing at the base of a tree.

Isn't it amazing?

fungus shaped like a flower

Thursday, September 16, 2021

changing leaves

While it feels a bit early some trees here have started to show autumn colors. Leaves in red and orange caught my eye as I walked this morning.

autumn leaves

Wednesday, September 15, 2021

sanderlings

These little birds seem to be in a state of constant motion.

I love this description of their behavior, posted on the Sanderling page of Cornell University's All About Birds site:

They gather in loose flocks to probe the sand of wave-washed beaches for marine invertebrates, running back and forth in a perpetual “wave chase.”

sanderlings

sanderlings on the beach, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

yellow

Goldenrod creates a splash of yellow along the edge of the beach.

goldenrod

at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

sculpture at Maudslay

This year's Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay show opened on Sunday, September 12th. I headed to the park Sunday morning to wander through the sculptures. I returned with a friend on Monday for a second look.

As expected, some of the sculptures really pulled me in. My favorite of the show was a horse striding near the trees, his skin made of the bark of white birch trees.

Betula, a horse sculpted of birch bark

If you're in the area I recommend a visit to Mausdaly State Park while the show is in place. It is scheduled for removal on Sunday, October 3, 2021.

To see more of the sculptures, click to the gallery outdoor sculpture at Maudslay :: 2021.

Sunday, September 12, 2021

pale & bright

A dahlia wears two shades of red. One is pale, the other bright.

dahlia

Saturday, September 11, 2021

missing

A window in an old mill building in Lawrence is partly intact. Missing panes and encroaching plants drew me in.

window in an old mill building in Lawrence, MA

Friday, September 10, 2021

a mushroom

It's good to look around - and down - when walking through the woods.

This single mushroom created a wonderful pop of color.

mushroom

Thursday, September 09, 2021

early color

While most leaves remain green as we edge into autumn, there are some trees wearing a bit of red.

autumn leaves

Wednesday, September 08, 2021

fall flowers

Asters bloom late, decorating gardens with bright color from late summer into fall. This one brings a pop of lavender to the landscape.

aster in lavender

Monday, September 06, 2021

dahlia delight

A walk in the gardens of Prescott Park yesterday delighted my senses with flowers in varying stages of bloom. While some flowers enter a stage of decay, dahlias remain in prime condition.

This dahlia in yellow presents beauty as it opens.

dahlia

Sunday, September 05, 2021

a monarch

A monarch butterfly is attracted by a bright red flower.

While it seemed to be in a constant state of motion it stayed still long enough to pose for a photo.

monarch butterfly

Saturday, September 04, 2021

sunflowers

It was pure luck that I checked the state of the sunflower field on the Colby Farm page early last Wednesday. The "sunflower" page said that the field would open in September but the home page said that Wednesday, September 1st was the last day the field would be open, blaming the impending storm for the early closure.

I was happy to be able to walk through the sunflowers before heading to a planned wander at Maudslay State Park.

The sunflowers were an amazing sea of yellow.

sunflowers

sunflower

Friday, September 03, 2021

clouds

The clouds decorating the sky over Crane Beach this afternoon were simply amazing.

clouds over Crane Beach

Thursday, September 02, 2021

waves

The music of the waves enhanced my walk by the sea.

inbound tide, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Wednesday, September 01, 2021

turning tide

The tide has changed directions, switching from outbound to inbound.

Shells sitting at the tide line will soon disappear as they are swallowed by the ocean.

shells on the beach