photos! great elephant migration

I headed into Boston Monday afternoon to visit The Great Elephant Migration. I considered visiting on Saturday but quickly realized that I didn't really want to drive and that the commuter rail doesn't run as frequently as I'd like on the weekends. Monday was a good choice for me. It was a train, walk, visit the elephants, walk, train day.

The 100 life-sized elephants are made of an invasive plant called Lantana camara by artisans in Southern India. Each is inspired by a live elephant.

There were many other people there with me, all fascinated by and enjoying the sight of elephants on Commonwealth Avenue.

Click here to view photos in the gallery great elephant migration :: Boston.

The exhibit is described in the WBUR article 100 elephants arrive in Back Bay with a message of coexistence.

dike walk repeat

I took advantage of the last day the Hellcat Cross Dike is open this year, returning to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge to walk it again.

view from the observation tower at Hellcat

photos! Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

I felt a need to wander through a (different) garden so I headed to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine. It's almost 3 hours from home; I opted to drive 2/3 of the way there on Monday, heading to the garden just after opening time Tuesday monring.

My senses were happy as I walked among late summer flowers and Thomas Dambo trolls.

Photos can be seen in the gallery Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens :: 2026.

Click here to jump to the gallery.

Green Twister coneflower

I saw a new-to-me coneflower today during a visit to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine, a Green Twister.

It's always fun to discover new varieties of flowers.

on the Hellcat Cross Dike

The Hellcat Cross Dike in the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is open for walking one week a year - and that week started today.

I walked the dike this morning, enjoying the scenery under cloudy skies.

And yes, if you look closely there are tiny specks in the sky; it was full of flying tree swallows.

sneezeweed

This bright yellow wildflower is "Common Sneezeweed".

I saw it yesterday in the gardens of Long Hill in Beverly, MA. It has heavy pollen and relies on insects for pollination, no sneezing!

partially open

When I checked the status of the beach closure at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge I was delighted to see this message:

Parker River NWR is pleased to announce that the refuge beaches at parking lots 2 & 3 have now reopened. Access to the refuge beaches is currently from parking lot 1 to the south border of parking lot 3. Help keep the remaining nesting threatened and endangered birds safe and thriving.

While low tide was pretty early this morning it wasn't too early for me to enjoy a walk on the beach.

It's good that the beach is closed for the piping plover nesting season each year but I'm always happy when the birds allow humans to return.

by the sea

Walking by the ocean brings me a sense of calm.

This morning I headed to the New Hampshire coast. I stopped to walk, capturing beauty with a photo whenever something caught my eye.

...wild roses, rose hips, and green leaves, a rocky coastline, blue ocean and sky...

photos! Fuller Gardens

Wandering among roses and dahlias was a perfect way to spend time in Fuller Gardens during my visit last Saturday morning. While the garden is primarily filled with roses my gallery shows more dahlias than roses. That clearly shows my bias.

Photos can be seen in the gallery Fuller Gardens :: 2026.

Click here to jump to the gallery.

roses & dahlias

I visited Fuller Gardens in North Hampton, NH today.

My timing was good; both roses and dahlias are in bloom and showing wonderful color.

gladiolus

This year's garden in Prescott Park (in Portsmouth, NH) includes a bed of gladiolus.

I'm fascinated by the colors and shape of these beautiful flowers.

rocky coastline

Saturday morning gave me the opportunity for a wonderful coastal wander. I headed to Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, MA for a walk around Babson Farm Quarry and some careful stepping on the granite at the ocean's edge.

The park is just under 25 miles from home as the crow flies; it's 14 miles further when forced to use the roads. Accessing the beauty of Halibut Point is worth the drive.

lavender

The lavender flowers of a Hosta plant stand before red background blooms.

I like the contrast of the colors.

changing sky

My walk in Odiorne Point State Park yesterday was timed perfectly. The sky was blue decorated with white clouds for much of the time; just before I reached the end the sky changed and I started to hear thunder. I was very lucky; heavy rain started right after I jumped into my car for the drive home.

Interesting... only 23 minutes separated these two photos!

a lily

Lilies have been jumping into my photos lately.

This one, wearing a bit of yellow and ivory, lives in the gardens of Prescott Park in Portsmouth, NH. I believe it is a Conca d'Or lily, a hybrid that combines Chinese Trumpet and Oriental lilies.

haze & smoke

Everything is shrouded in haze from wildfires in Ontario Canada. The sky today wore shades of yellow or brown instead of a more normal blue or gray.

This photo is from an afternoon walk in Harold Parker State Forest. It looks wrong to me.

flitter, flutter, butterfly!

Saturday morning I decided to visit the butterflies at the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory in South Deerfield, MA. I arrived as the doors opened for the day so I had some almost solo time with the butterflies before many more people decided to visit.

I always enjoy visiting the beautiful butterflies.

More photos can be seen in the gallery flitter, flutter, butterfly! 2026.

starflower

Tiny blue flowers caught my eye as I walked through a garden early this morning.

The flowers wear the name borage (or starflower). A quick search says it is an "edible herb known for its distinct cucumber-like flavor in both its blue flowers and prickly leaves".

rudbeckia hirta

It's the season of black-eyed susans, also known as rudbeckia hirta.

Their sunny yellow petals (sometimes tinged with a bit of reddish brown) create a bright splash of color.

pink

Coneflowers in pink are starting to emerge, a sure sign of summer.