A mere two months ago, we watched a beautiful sunset on an unseasonably warm Labor Day evening, marking the unofficial end of summer in New England. As the crickets and katydids loudly greeted the nightfall, we anticipated the shorter days and cooler nights that would kickstart the colors in one of the greatest displays of […]
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Historic Graveyards | New England’s Gifts
For all the tragedy of the stories in their stones, New England’s historic graveyards are restful places.
A visit to the “Brooklyn of the Berkshires” town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, including a stay at Hotel on North and afternoon at Hancock Shaker Village.
Peak Color Fading Throughout Most Of New England
On Tuesday evening, shortly after sunset, I watched the full Hunter’s Moon rise above a gently rolling field in northern New England. The trees along the forest edge had already been stripped of their leaves, and their silhouettes were strong and spooky against the moonlight. Considering that Halloween is somehow already upon us, the timing […]
The change was abrupt. A cold front rushed through New England and temperatures dropped, as rain, and then snow, began to fall. After a generally warmer-than-normal autumn, it was rather shocking to be reminded that sometimes in New England, autumn means pulling out the winter hat and gloves! By Sunday morning, skies had cleared, but temperatures all across […]
A guide to some truly homegrown (and world-changing) New England plants. Photo/Art by Rose James When you travel down the aisles of your local supermarket, you’re seeing the products of thousands of years of food history. Some of that history began in New England. Plants like blueberry, cranberry, and maple were cultivated by Native Americans […]
Well, some of the Best Legendary New England Sports Figures. In a region as rich in sporting tradition as New England, it’s tough put a limit on the number of legendary figures, so when we set out to include a few as gifts in our special 80th Anniversary Issue (“80 Gifts New England Gave to America,” September/October 2015), […]
Picking the right autumn destination is no easy feat. For the perfect fall experience, here are ten favorite New England foliage towns.
The Farmer’s Life: Hard Pressed
Apple season brings an autumn ritual and a toast to dear friends. I feel like I’m just going around in circles,” I complain to Dave, but there’s a twinkle in my eye. Every fall I bucket up some apples, and haul them over to my neighbors, Dave Brown and Ann Ingerson, to make cider on a […]
Early New Englanders invented the Cape Cod house out of necessity, but its charm and ingenuity made it an American icon.
Finding Peak Fall Foliage Columbus Day Weekend
Finally, we have reached the big foliage weekend! In the northern New England states, Columbus Day weekend is typically the third biggest tourism weekend of the year, and the region celebrates in style with many fantastic festivals, fairs and events! Local residents have planned hikes and drives and traditional fun for the long weekend as […]
No other arboretum in North America is so old. Few boast more trees and shrubs gathered from around the globe. Arnold Arboretum, Harvard’s magnificent library of trees, 281 acres between South and Centre streets in Jamaica Plain, has always had two tasks: first, to provide a museum of well-ordered woody plants; second, to provide random […]