By John Hankins My wife Beth and I live in the southern part of Mansfield, directly adjacent to the southern terminus of the Nipmuck Trail. The presence of the trail across the street from our house is not a coincidence. We bought the house nearly 30 years ago because the trail gave us instant access […]
Sometimes All You Need to do is Ask Read Post »
You rarely know who or what has unseen eyes on you during a casual stroll in the forest. In this case, it’s a half dozen turkeys, more curious than afraid. At least, theirs are the only eyes I’m aware of. I’ve walked the loop at Hemphill Woods before, admired the age-old wall stones carefully crafted
Some Hidden Hemphill History Read Post »
Sometime twelve to twenty thousand years ago, this familiar boulder ceased its laborious inching along under a retreating wall of ice and came to rest on a south-facing cliff between what would become Mohegan and Nipmuc territory. I can’t see our future. I can barely see my own past. And this after seventy-plus years and
I was more than a little uncomfortable yesterday beginning the hike up Utley Hill alongside Columbia Lake Brook. “Walking it Back” suggests undoing a position, an action, or a decision – and in this case, the vivid memory that needs reversal lies in my own head. I’ve avoided this particular Joshua’s Trust area for ten
The barberry and bittersweet thin out as we get further from the road, replaced by ferns and hemlocks. Automobile noise is supplanted by bird sound. A flock of robins surround us and complain; “Tut tut tut”, a sound that has been perfectly described as disapproval and annoyance. “Don’t you try anything, humans.” Invisible chipmunks too
Where Am I This Time? Read Post »
(sorry, I couldn’t resist. Dunham Pond was for me what Walden was for Henry David.) -Bob Kortmann A few weeks ago, I received an email in my inbox from Bob Kortmann. Not all the emails I receive from unknown individuals are kind so I was pleasantly surprised when I opened Bob’s email and he wanted
