On a sultry Fourth of July evening in the Cape Cod town of Chatham, a red sun drops beyond the tall, dark trees behind the left-field scoreboard. Red-white-and-blue bunting drapes the length of the outfield fence. The evening sky, its lacy clouds edged in pink, gives the warm, feel-good sense of a Maxfield Parrish painting; […]
trees
Tree Planting Guidelines
A tree is an investment into the future, so it’s important to give every tree you plant the best chance of thriving. Choosing the right tree for your location and needs is the first step. But once you get the tree home, how do you ensure that it will be around to shade your children […]
He was lionized as the first man to reach the North Pole on April 6, 1909, then later accused of “the biggest lie of the 20th century.” Still today, Robert E. Peary remains an enigmatic hero. This Yankee Classic was originally published in April, 1989. At high tide Eagle Island is 17 acres of rocks and trees […]
Mount Hunger
I only met her once. I remember thinking she looked like a witch. She looked a little bit like the plastic skeleton from my fifth grade classroom. She had long, gray, stringy hair that hung down in clumps and her teeth seemed gray too. Her clothes were torn and filthy. She called herself Emma. She […]
Also read: Along the United States/Canadian Border Today From Yankee magazine January 1984 Right on the edge of Lake Champlain, a few miles north of Alburg, Vermont, is a quiet country lane called the Line Road. As it crosses into the United States from Canada, it becomes a dirt road and veers away from the […]
My niece Emma is learning how to fly-fish. Her 8-year-old body sways against a summer sky. Her arms memorize the to-and-fro of the cast, the feel of fishing line gliding across her palm as she launches it skyward. Nearby, adventure guide Josh Hardt watches his pupils–Emma and her father, Paul. After an hour’s tutorial, they’re […]
What happens when sleeping roads wake up? Do they become beauties or nightmares? Vermont is about to find out. Until recently, the state’s sleeping roads had been hibernating in a dormant law that says that any road ever established by a town remains a town road unless it has been officially discontinued. That sounds innocuous, […]
When I first came here to Mary’s farm, I named the place “Stillpoint” because it was so quiet here and because it was the still point in my turning world. It still is that, even as the world turns ever faster. The stillness in the early spring is especially profound, with the fields still deep […]
United States/Canada Border
No roads follow the neat borderline between New England and Canada that you see on the map. Instead, you have to traverse, back and forth, in and out of Canada–a rough stitch that has pulled the two countries together since before either of them was a nation. This is the story of that line–a line […]
Steve Silk: Spring Bulbs
“Create bold swaths of color by planting seven or more bulbs in each cluster,” advises Steve Silk. “It’s better to use many of a few different kinds, rather than a few of many varieties. And to extend the season, plant early-, mid-, and late-flowering bulb varieties, especially with tulips and daffodils.” For photos and commentary, […]
How to Care for Crabapple Trees
Garden designer Gordon Hayward, author of nine books on gardening, shares tips for how to care for crabapple trees. Garden designer Gordon Hayward, author of nine books on gardening, advises doing some research before buying any crabapple, since not all varieties are equally suited to every garden setting. Most important, look for one that ranks […]
Early Blooms in New England
Gardeners know winter really does end, and spring color always returns. Pansies, daffodils, and forsythia commonly herald the vernal transition, but still other blooms also contribute to a stunning early-season display. Here’s how three New England gardens host diverse plantings that strut their stuff in April and May.Get Our FREE Yankee Best New England Vacations […]