Follow the Trail with Bill Reid,
The Last Green Valley's Chief Ranger
American eel’s journey is an amazing one
“As long as the tide ebbed, eels were leaving the marshes and running out to sea. Thousands passed the lighthouse that night, on the first lap of a far sea journey. And as they passed through the surf and out to sea, so also they…
Green Darner Dragonfly an Amazing Acrobat
On a hot and humid July night, I stood gazing out over a friend’s three-acre horse pasture abutting the Natchaug River when I witnessed a sight I had only ever heard about. In the lower pasture I noticed a dragonfly air force squadron patrolling the…
August Means Start of Agricultural Fair Season
“By August’s end the warblers are moving through here again, on their way south. But more quietly than they came north in May. I see them, but I have to listen to hear them. The Summer wanes, well before the Equinox.” From, “Beyond Your Doorstep:…
Brooklyn is a small town full of history and heroes
Brooklyn is one of my favorite towns in The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor. Located at the intersection of Route 169 and Route 6, I travel though Brooklyn frequently as I make my way around the The Last Green Valley. From historical heroes, to…
Buckthorn Can Overtake A Forest
Invasive plants are attempting to take over our forests and fields. From winged euonymus (burning bush) and Japanese barberry to oriental bittersweet, multiflora rose and autumn olive, our region is becoming overgrown with harmful invasive plants. I have written about these problematic plants and the…
For a Touch of Sweetness, Visit Your Local Beekeeper
“The only reason for making a buzzing-noise that I know of is because you’re a bee…The only reason for being a bee that I know of is making honey….and the only reason for making honey is so I can eat it.” Winnie the Pooh in…
Meet the Oriole, Summer’s Songster
“To hear an oriole sing May be a common thing — Or only a divine.” Emily Dickinson from “The Oriole’s Secret” Last month, I heard an unfamiliar sound in our backyard. I strained my ears to try to identify the vocalist performing so melodiously from…
Countless Activities in Region This Summer
Welcome to July. Summer might have officially started June 21, but for me this month is when the summer season finally settles in for its all-too-brief three-month turn on the calendar. To help you get in the July mood, here is a short list of…
Doctor From Region is Father of Anesthesia
On a picturesque country road in Charlton, Mass., stands a large, antique Georgian house. It is two stories, with imposing chimneys and a long ell attached to one side. The house speaks to an era when wood fires heated homes and provided hearth-cooked meals. The…
Summer Solstice Ushers in Farmers Market Season
The longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice will begin at 6:07 a.m. Thursday (probably before most of us rise from our beds) and mark the official astrological beginning of summer for the Northern Hemisphere. I looked up the definition of the Summer Solstice…
June a Busy Month for Nature and TLGV Rangers
“The big surge of green is past. Now there will be several weeks of urgent growth before the Midsummer lull when that growth will be completed, and energies will go into seed maturing. Trees are more uniform green. Meadows are lush. Farmers begin to cut…
Nathan Hale was an Original American Patriot
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who gave their life for our country while serving in the armed forces. Many towns will hold parades, invite dignitaries to make speeches and lay a ceremonial wreath at a war memorial. New flags are placed…