According to the calendar, the 2012 autumn season officially arrived this past Saturday morning! Nights are becoming increasingly cooler, as darkness outlasts daylight. A few frosts have nipped the gardens in the far north, ending the growing season with tomatoes still ripening on the vine. The summer birds have gone silent, and many have already […]
landscape
New England’s autumn progression is in a bit of a holding pattern this week as we wait for the tropical air associated with Isaac’s remnants to pass. It’s not at all unusual to have a warm week or two in September, and tropical remnants work through New England with regularity as well, so I don’t […]
A Year After Irene, a New Normal in New England
This week marks the one year anniversary of the landfall of Hurricane Irene, and subsequent devastation and disruption that the storm caused throughout our region. The storm was a tremendous reminder of the forces that shaped the land and landscape that we love, and that though we celebrate her beauty, Mother Nature’s power is not […]
A Brief History
7000 B.C. The first maples appear on the New England landscape. New Jersey tourists soon follow. September 1818 Mass.’ Topsfield Fair, now one of the oldest existing agricultural fairs in the country, opens. September 7-8, 1846 Henry David Thoreau, with friends, makes his first ascent of Maine’s Mount Katahdin. His finding: “Nature was here something […]
The Encyclopedia of Fall: F is for Fungi
Foraging–the fine art of scouring the countryside in search of edibles–predates the ubiquitous farm-to-table movement by at least two million years. Even today, it’s not a bad skill to master, and certainly in New England it’s hard to imagine anything more inherently Yankee: free-ranging off the land (or free anything, for that matter) plus tasty […]
What is acer saccharum? New England’s beloved sugar maple, of course.
The Undue Fear of Missing Peak Foliage
This past weekend, a cold front came through New England, bringing some much needed rainfall and a wonderful break from the heat. When I awoke early Sunday morning to do some fly fishing in the mountains, temperatures were in the lower forties, and there was a crispness to the air. Heavy mist was coming off […]
Oh, Canada, Their New and Native Art
Oh, Canada (not to be confused with the Canadian national anthem O Canada) is a survey of contemporary art from Canada at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) in the far western Mass. Art mecca of North Adams (through April 1, 2013). I am indebted to my colleague Greg Cook of the Boston […]
Slide Show: Country Roads in New England
Follow one of New England’s country roads and you’re likely to discover a world alive with color and charm — especially during foliage season. Our talented readers have bumped their way along many a back road to bring you this slide show of the roads that wind through New England’s landscape.
Extend the gardening season with these ten simple gardening tips and suggestions to prolong the life of flowers and plants.
Sean Litchfield is a Boston-based editorial and fine art photographer. A Cape Cod native, Litchfield holds a BS in Photography and works in large and medium format film as well as digital. He produces earnest, beautiful images that evoke the deep sense of uneasiness that marks the contemporary landscape. Ordinary scenes are rendered extraordinary, evocative […]
A garden just isn’t quite the same without a few birdbaths dotting the landscape. Well maintained birdbaths placed in inviting locations for wildlife entice a plethora of native birds and other thirsty woodland creatures to garden areas, providing endless hours of quiet entertainment and enjoyment. Birdbaths also create plenty of photo opportunities and observations worthy […]