Here we are, on the cusp of a new year.Before we welcome 2017, let me share with you a few fun places that I visited during the four seasons of 2016. Perhaps it will provide you with ideas for your own explorations in the year ahead.

We hiked the old rail bed to a spur trail and up a hill to the Tri-State Marker.

The Tri-State Marker is a five-foot tall obelisk on the exact spot where Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island meet.

We picked the right day for our snowshoe hike since it was one of the snowier days we had last winter.

But my favorite day of the winter season is when I help friends Steve and Karen Broderick tap sugar maple trees at their Town Line Tree Farm in Eastford.

Steve puts out a few hundred taps and, depending on the season, he and Karen will make 50 to 70 gallons of excellent maple syrup.

A day spent in the woods is always a good day and tapping day 2016 was a glorious sunny day with a few wispy clouds and temperatures climbing into the high 30s.

An inquisitive black-capped chickadee landed on a nearby branch, crooking his head in my direction as if to check my tapping handiwork. I think I passed inspection.

Later that afternoon, the sap started to flow and we could hear the drip, drip, drip, into the collecting buckets.

As winter slides into spring and March trudges into April, one of my favorite activities is to help the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection monitor bald eagle nests.

I never tire of seeing these majestic birds and we are lucky to have several active nests in The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor.

It was a frantic April morning when one of our volunteers called to tell me that part of a bald eagle nest had fallen down.

Though we had yet to see any eaglets, the adult eagles had been seen in the nest and we were hopeful the new nest would be successful.

I scanned the ground to see if any eaglets had fallen out of the nest, and seeing none, focused on the nest for several minutes. Suddenly, up popped a fuzzy little head and 10 seconds later a second head.

Within a few minutes a shadow cast over the tree, and into the nest landed one of the adults clutching a fish in its talons.

Breakfast was served and all appeared well with the family of eagles. By the end of June both eaglets were fully grown, took their first flights, and successfully fledged.

In late spring I joined 20 intrepid paddlers for a Connecticut Trails Day paddle on the Shetucket River.

The Shetucket had recently been awarded National Recreation Water Trail designation by the U.S. Department of Interior and we were glad to celebrate with an enjoyable paddle.

The weather was sunny and warm and the steady strong Shetucket current gently pulled our canoes and kayaks downstream.

Summer is farmers market season and the opportunity to purchase locally grown and tasty veggies, fruits, meats, cheeses and breads.

Living in Putnam, I can choose between the three weekly farmers markets in Putnam as well as one in nearby Danielson and one in Brooklyn.

Most days of the week there is a farmers market within a 10-mile drive of my house.

My favorite memory of the 2016 farmers market season was early in the summer when I purchased fresh radishes.

Radishes mature quickly compared to other vegetables and can be found well before the arrival of favorites such as tomatoes and corn.

When I got home I cut off the stems, cut the radishes in half and sprinkled a bit of salt on the cut ends.

There is nothing like the tangy zap of a fresh radish that says summer is here.

For me, the summer always ends with The Woodstock Fair. The Autumnal Equinox may still be a few weeks off but summer is slowly winding down.

My favorite place at the Woodstock Fair is the antique Brunn Barn located adjacent to the south gate.

The large red barn is a beautifully-restored 19^th century barn full of many implements commonly found on working farms of yesterday. The collection is extensive and visitors to the barn marvel at the many hand tools and animal-powered implements.

Set apart from other buildings and located on a hill above the fairground, the Brunn Barn is a quiet and perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of the fair.

Nestled above the din of the carnival rides and busy vendors, the barn provides a unique juxtaposition between the traditional agricultural fair of years gone by and the very modern event with high-tech rides and entertainments.

The Brunn Barn is where I go to pause and feel the ceaseless movement of time connecting our region’s farming heritage and traditions. Farming is still a critical part of our region and in many ways what makes The Last Green Valley such a beautiful place to live and work.

The farm stand, grounds and orchard were filled with people picking apples, listening to music, taking horse-drawn wagon rides, and enjoying a range of foods and freshly-pressed apple cider.

We came home with a bushel of Cortland apples, my favorite!

In mid-October I had the muscle-aching opportunity to partake in a healthy fundraiser for the Quinebaug Valley Community College.

Tackle The Trail is a 20-mile run on the Air Line Trail and helps raise needed funds for our local college.

This is the second year that staff from The Last Green Valley has participated as a team. Each of us ran one of the five legs that traverse the length of the trail from Pomfret to Willimantic.

I ran the last leg of just more than three miles, and thankfully for my aging body, it is one of the shorter stretches of the trail.

Thankfully, we didn’t finish last, though we were close to that dubious distinction.

Participating in an event that supports a local organization or cause really brings a spirit of togetherness.

None of my team members are expert runners and we certainly weren’t the youngest team that ran that day. We laughed, compared muscle aches, and most importantly enjoyed a day together supporting something we care about. It was a beautiful sunny autumn day to remember.

Each season brings an opportunity to create new memories here in The Last Green Valley.

As you look to the months ahead, I hope you’ll join me in the New Year as we care for, enjoy, and pass on this beautiful place we call home.

Bill Reid is chief ranger of The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor and has lived in the region for 35 years. He can be reached at bill@tlgv.org.

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