Franklin Park Zoo

Posted on June 29, 2011June 29, 2011 by Dusty Roads

Another wonderful day, sunny and warm. I had to go to work for just an hour for a mandatory meeting. The meeting was at 11:00 in the morning so it kind of limited what I could do for the day landing right in the middle like that. So after the meeting I decided to run some errands while I reviewed my options for the afternoon. As I was driving up Rt 128 I saw a sign for the Franklin Park Zoo. That is on my bucket list but I hadn’t planned on that for today…still there was the sign…maybe that was where I was meant to be today.

So I wrapped up my last errand and headed north on RT 28.

Franklin Park Zoo is another Urban Zoo. This time within the confines of Boston. Rt 28 becomes a main road known as Blue Hill Avenue though Mattapan into Dorchester, both subsections of Boston. They are neighborhoods similar to the boroughs of New York City.

Traffic was heavy and I missed the entrance to the Zoo the first time and had to turn around and retrace my steps. When I found parking it was in a secondary, unpaved lot. That one was almost filled too.

The paved path from the parking lot to the zoo entrance was marked by stencilled “hoof prints”. The kids ahead of me on the path were finding these stencils a lot of fun.

I was at the Franklin Park Zoo a couple of years ago but so far nothing looked familiar, not even the entrance which I seemed to remember had a large statue in front of it. I was wondering if I was having a “senior moment” as I paid my admission and asked for a map.

Admission is a bit pricier than Buttonwood Zoo and their senior discount starts at 62 so I paid the full fee of $16.00. As I looked at my map I began to understand why it looked so different. This was the Zebra Entrance. I was at the Giraffe Entrance when I came here before! I wasn’t losing my mind.

Franklin Park is much larger than Buttonwood and has many more exotic animals. They have some fun interactive exhibits too but first things first. It was almost 2pm so lunch was on my mind. There’s an indoor-outdoor snack bar call the Giddy-up grill.

As far as I know that’s the only option for food. You can get candy and snacks at the gift shop but I wanted something a bit more lunch-like. I hesitate to say more healthy!:)

I ordered a cheeseburger and onion rings and a bottle of juice. Nothing was cooked to order. It was all in warming ovens. It showed in the taste, the hamburger was warm but the bun was hard, very hard. There was a wilted lettuce leaf , a tomato slice topped with a pickle slice. I only ate a few bites as it had a strange flavor that I just couldn’t put my finger on. I chose to sit outside so the little birds appreciated my “fussiness”. I had better luck with the onion rings which were very good.

As I sat at the little table under an umbrella I watched the carousel revolve and a couple of male peacocks with tail feathers trailing that would make a bride’s train look short! They never displayed but they were still beautiful.

The Franklin Farm was on the other side of the tables. Here are farm animals, horses, goats, sheep, chickens, to name just a few, some of which are available for petting as long as a staff member was present.

After lunch I started to work my way back to the entrance so I could go through the Zoo in an orderly fashion but I kept getting side tracked.

My first detour was to an aviary. Here ducks were swimming around and although there was a feeding station, they weren’t too interested in the offerings the kids were throwing into the water. As you crossed the bridge you soon saw why, there was a big feeding tray and it was freshly filled so it looked as if everyone had already eaten their fill.

As I exited I saw a dirt mound off to my right. I decided to check that out before I went back to the entrance. What a nice surprise.

There were those little prairie rodents! Yup, a small colony of prairie dogs. As I approached the sentinel dog went on alert but he didn’t “bark” or whistle. It was pretty clear that these guys were used to people and didn’t consider us a threat. It made taking pictures at lot easier than in the wild. That little sentinel dog was quite a ham. It was as if he was posing for you. Then he ran down into a hole , popped back out and threw him self down on the dirt, little paws stretched out as if to say…I’m done..too tired.

He was such a little drama queen.

That’s a good place to break for today. More tales from the Franklin Park Zoo and pictures coming up next post.

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I was just thinking

Posted on June 28, 2011June 28, 2011 by Dusty Roads

I was just thinking the other day that sometimes I don’t take time to fully appreciate what a beautiful area I live in. Since I started writing this blog I’ve been going at top speed to try to find new material, places and experiences to share. It’s awesome to be finding out so much about the area I live in but it occurred to me the other day that sometimes I get so caught up in all that “exploring” that I forget to appreciate the everyday moments.

For example, I was driving to work a couple of weeks ago. It was a Sunday because it was very early, around 6:15 am and the soft, golden light was enough to take my breath away. I remember thinking to myself that this is what photographers mean when they talk about the “Golden Hour”.

On that drive I also saw turkeys, several turkeys as a matter of fact, on the side of the highway as well as on the side road to the office. I also spotted a red tail hawk. It swooped right in front of the car so there was no mistaking it.

The blue heron was in the river at the Herring Run. It was a “Bambi” kind of morning.

And speaking of “Bambi” the same day at the end of my shift as I was on the on ramp to the highway I spotted a deer! It was standing in the middle of the sand and gravel pit. It’s white tail was whipping back and forth like mad. In fact I don’t blame it for being mad. More and more of the fields and forests around this area are being raised for construction. But I am getting off track.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the sunsets. We don’t get those brillent sunsets every night but there are enough to really get your attention . My Sunday drive home at shift end has given me some awesome sunsets.

I was just sharing how nice southern Massachusetts can be. It’s days like that when I see the beauty of my surroundings that I don’t ever want to move. On the other hand, ask me when it’s snowing and freezing and I’m shoveling a pile of that white stuff and I’ll tell you that Hawaii is in my future! 🙂

When I retire I hope I’ll be able to get a trailer and hit the road to see all the things I’ve missed. I’d like to spend time in every state staying as long as needed to fully see the hidden treasures of each area. One week vacations just are not long enough.

In the meantime I am going to try to appreciate my own area more. Take a minute from my busy life to look around at the nature and flowers that surrounds me every day and of course, share those moment with you!

Let me tell you a story about a man named Charlie

Posted on June 17, 2011June 17, 2011 by Dusty Roads

…On that tragic and fateful day.

He put 10 cents in his pocket, kissed his wife and family,

went to ride ont he MTA.

We all know the tale of Charlie and the MTA ..he never returned , no he never returned…

Sadly on our return trip on the MBTA, a “Charlie” went to ride at Wollaston Station. As of this writing no one knows what happened. All that we, the public and other passengers know is that a young man was hit by a red line train and there was no miracle. The young man did not make it. Was it an accident? Was it suicide? Was he drunk, impaired by some other substance? Was he distracted by his phone, texting? or an i-pod? We may never know. Hopefully the family will learn the details and be able achieve some kind of closure.

My heart goes out to the family and to the engineer and the conductor on that train. It was surely traumatic for them, a life changing event.

But I want to comment on the actions of the rest of the MBTA; how the tragic affair affected the rest of the passengers and there were many as it was rush hour.

So let me start at the top. We left the MFA and decided to walk (I know, I’m a glutton for punishment) because I wanted to get some pictures at the Christian Science Center. It is a beautiful spot and I recommend that anyone visiting Boston take a minute to stop by.

Using the benches along the sidewalk and taking frequent rest stops, I was finally able to get to the Christian Science Center and get some pictures. Yea!

After another rest stop it was back to the OP Shuffle (No offence but it’s the “old person” shuffle. As a card-carrying member of AARP I can say that. I was bent over and had to shuffle my feet . I couldn’t pick them up) Pretty funny now but it wasn’t at the time.

We stopped at Border’s Cafe for a fruit smoothy and then hooked up with the Green Line. If I had hopes of relief there I was sorely (Pun intended) mistaken. It was standing room only and even though it was 4:30 (rush hour) we had to wait 30 minutes for a train, not the normal 10-15.

Arriving at Park St we changed to the Red Line where conditions were no better. We finally got on a train where we hung from poles and straps and my back screamed in protest. I was counting the stops when 2 stops from where the car was parked we were thrown off the train. A medical emergency in Wollaston we were told. You’ll have to take a shuttle bus.

We were herded off the train and up to the platform where there was 1 bus. Yup, just one. I took advantage of our misfortune by snagging a seat on a bench but the relief was short-lived. It was quickly apparent that if we wanted to have any chance of getting in a shuttle that we would have to stand on the curb and push into the fray when the buses pulled in.

We got on the 4th or 5 th bus..standing room only..again. As the bus pulled into Wollaston Station we saw the crime scene tape and the ME’s van pulling out. We knew it was something bad then. The few passengers for Wollaston exited and the bus turned around to take the majority of us to Quincy Center where we would get off the bus and back onto the train. Standing room only…again.

One of the other passengers used her cell phone to get the latest news and told us a man had been hit by the train in front of ours. That was all we knew and as I write this it is all I have been able to find out.

We finally made it to Quincy Adams Station where my car was parked. As we exited the garage we did a time check, 7:15! 2 hours an 15 minutes for a ride that shouldn’t have taken more than 1 hour! I dropped Nancy off about 15 minutes later and pulled into my complex at 8pm.

The sad part of all this is that this is not the first accident like this on the “T”. I tried to get the numbers of similar incidents for 2011 but couldn’t find any however I did find plenty of news clips about train hits and close calls going back to 2009. So I can’t help but wonder, what steps have the MBTA taken to prevent these kinds of accidents? And with experience with this type of thing, why aren’t they more prepared to provide for their other passengers? No one wants accidents or injuries but that’s why they are called accidents. Shouldn’t the T have contingency plans in place? Our driver said he didn’t even know what station he was supposed to be driving to! I give the “T” a C- for their response to the emergency.

As for my back, a visit to my doctor secured some muscle relaxants and although not 100%, I am well along on the road to recovery!

Into Boston to the MFA on the MBTA

Posted on June 15, 2011June 15, 2011 by Dusty Roads

It’s a beautiful Monday in June. The Sun is shining and there’s a nice breeze, a perfect day for a little jaunt into Boston. I had to make a brief stop in Randolph and then I was parking at the Quincy Adams T-station for a ride on the red line.

I was meeting my friend Nancy at the MFA (Museum of Fine Arts) on Huntington Ave, Boston. I wanted to see the Chihuly Exhibit. I became enamoured of his work when I saw a chandelier in a casino at the Atlantis Resort in Nassau the Bahamas. I remember I stopped dead and exclaimed” WOW Look at that!”. Luckily the friends I was with knew the piece was a “Chihuly” . That one introduction made such an impression that 7 years later I recognized the name when I heard about the exhibit.

It’s a temporary collection so I was anxious to get into see it before it moved on.

I hadn’t been to the MFA in years so I checked the web page for the address and their directions for coming in on the MBTA. I also went to the MBTA web site and entered my start and end location in their “trip planner”. Both advised to take the redline to Downtown crossing and change to the orange line. Get off at Copley Place and walk 7 minutes to the MFA.

Flower Vendor in Copley Square

Be warned…they are wrong! A better way is to take the red line to Park St. Station and change to the Green line. One of the green line trolleys stops right in front of the MFA! But I didn’t have that information when I started out so in Copley I asked directions from a doorman who directed me down Huntington..maybe a 10 minutes walk. He must be a runner because even a jogger wouldn’t have got there in 10 minutes.

I walked and walked and periodically asked directions always being told to keep walking. Along the way I took pictures of the sights of Boston. Boston is a great city for strolling and enjoying the sights. It’s full of history and old buildings with wonderful architecture.

I also saw the green line trolley stops and could have grabbed a trolley at any one of them but the people I asked made it sound like I was almost there each time I asked.

City Reflections

It was a beautiful day for a walk but I had hurt my back a couple of days before and was not at 100%.

Duck Tours

Where I started out strong as I continued to walk my lower back began to spasm and pretty soon my thighs were burning, then my knees.

Old Town Trolley! The Best Trolley in Boston

By the time I reached the Christian Science building I was done in. I wasn’t even taking pictures anymore .Just cut me off at the waist and give me a new lower body all I wanted to do was to find the that museum. By the time I spotted the MFA even my ankles and feet hurt. I was hot, thirsty, in pain and cranky and it only made it worse when my friend Nancy pointed out the Green line stop right in front of the building.

Appeal to the Great Spirit at the MFA

I’m not used to having to cry “uncle” over a simple walk but this one nearly “did me in.”

Appeal to the Great Spirit

At the ticket booth I told them I had a complaint about their website. I told them how following their directions put me in Copley Square and that it was not an easy 7 minute walk like it said on their web page. The girl at the desk wasn’t even surprised. She said it was a glitch and their IT guys were working on it! No ‘I’m sorry ‘ or anything as she swung right back into her speech about upgrading to a membership!

It was now 1 pm so Nancy & I decided to have lunch in the cafeteria and let me cool off. I got my first glimpse of the exhibit on the way to the cafeteria.

Chihuly

I think it ‘s going to be worth the aggravation.

Inside the MFA

There’s a restaurant and a cafeteria. The restaurant is quite pricey so we went to the cafeteria. That wasn’t too bad. They had the usual cafeteria fare; hot dogs, hamburgers, salads, pizza, chicken fingers, things like that. I settled for a slice of pizza and a large cold bottled water. I added a package of cookies for desert. That totalled out at about $7.00. I would have gotten a discount if I had a membership.

We took our time over lunch so by the time we headed off to the exhibit my frame of mind, if not my body was in a much better place.

Turner Falls, Flowers and Pot holes

Posted on May 20, 2011May 20, 2011 by Dusty Roads

When my friend Nancy , her kids and I went to Magic Wings in Deerfield we came back to RT 2 this way and had seen the falls at Turner Falls. That day they were really flowing. Today I had to make my way over a bridge that was under construction and couldn’t see the falls at all.

When I reached the other side I saw a building marked Great Falls Discovery Center .

I found the parking area and headed down in hopes that they could tell me what happened to the falls. On the way I smelled lilacs! At first I didn’t see any lilac bushes so I wondered if it was my imagination. I slowed down as I approached the building and got a whiff again. That’s when I spotted the small white lilac bush. I love lilacs so of course I had to take a picture. I wish I could bottle that fragrance too!

“Time to smell the flowers” over I entered the Great Falls Discovery Center. I was impressed. It was huge and the displays were both educational and entertaining. The Center is run by the National Fish and Wildlife refuge. I was only there for a few minutes but I wish I would have had more time to explore. The ranger explained that the flow of water over the falls is controlled. If some of the flow is being directed to the hydroelectric plant then the falls themselves will be smaller. When the plant opens the spillway, the flow increases. She told me I could follow the path around the building and across a little bridge and I would be able to see the falls.

There is also a canal that runs alongside the river.

Before I left she also mentioned that they have a fish ladder exhibit that was opening on Sunday. It sounded interesting but since I would be in Arizona I explained that I wouldn’t be able to see it then. I would try to return at a later date.

I followed the path and crossed a foot bridge over the canal. The path then wound down a little hill. I spotted a tree that a beaver had felled and then I heard the falls.

A young man was standing on some rocks fishing. He pointed out where the falls were and explained that the water was low right now. He said if we heard a siren we needed to head for high ground in a hurry. The siren means the hydro-electric plant is about to open the spillway.

I watched the falls for a few more minutes and headed back up the path. After all, I still had more stops to make.

Back at the car I realized that the directions to get back to RT 2 that I picked up weren’t correct. I found myself driving around a bit before I got myself back on track. Once back on RT 2 westbound I started looking for the Bridge of Flowers. This was a must see stop for me this trip.

It has been years since I first went to the Bridge of Flowers. I thought it was in North Adams but I was wrong. It’s actually in Shelburn Falls. The Bridge of Flowers is the only one of its kind in the world. Originally built as a trolley bridge around 1908. The bridge crosses the Deerfield River between the towns of Shelburn and Buckland. Around 1928 the trolley was abandoned.

The bridge is a 400 foot, 5 arch concrete span. In 1929 Antoinette & Walter Burnham suggested converting the old trolley bridge into a giant flower bridge. It took about a year before it became a reality. The bridge is planted with over 500 varieties of flowers, all planted and tended by volunteers. The flowers are chosen to assure that there will be blooms all growing season. The first blooms begin to flower in early spring and last all through late fall.

While I was in Shelburn Falls I figured I might as well take a look at Salmon Falls and the Glacial Pot holes.

These are natural pot holes that formed over several hundred million years. It was getting late in the afternoon and I sill had the rest of the Mohawk Trail to finish before 6pm arrived so I didn’t have much time to explore. In the “old days” I can remember going right down to the rocks and exploring up close but today I didn’t see any place to safely get down to the pot holes. Still the falls were beautiful and the pot holes clearly visible from a wooden deck.

It was time to move on. The Mohawk Trail winds down as it enters New York and I mean that quite literally. The last bit of the Western section is a series of hairpin turns and switch back curves.

The drive is extremely picturesque. From the Elk on the trail