Pratt Farm Journal, No. 1 Dec. 30, 2013

I am going to try to visit Pratt Farm here in Middleboro as much as possible this year, principally for walking exercise, but also to chronicle what I see.  Here is the first day's walk.
Post 1

I arrived at a fairly dreary and cloudy time, very little color or light. Fortunately, digital photography sees almost more
than the human eye sees, or rather compensates greatly for the given light. 
No flash was used with any of these shots. 
This magnificent tree-root complex is to the left of the path, just out of the parking lot on Rt. 105.

There are wonderful paths throughout the farm

You photograph what you can this time of year.

Left over from the Fall

Off the main trails, into the woods.
There has been a lot of damage, especially from intense winds from the season before.
There are huge tress blocking many paths.

I love the pale green against the dark bark

A multitude of lichen species attacking this log.

Just hints of green, surprising you.

I understand these are getting rare.

The ancient rocks, slowly being devoured by moss, lichens, water.

I've not seen this before, it would almost appear to be flowering.

Spectacular Quartz outcropping, about 5 feet long,
memories of Shining Rock, in Brevard, NC

Some Ferns are still surviving.

The

The Dan Diethelm bench overlooking Stoney Brook Pond.
As wonderful a place as can be to have a memorial

This was almost a foot across.

A curmudgeon's face, enjoying a cigar.

Another memorial, to Jay Greene

Here is today's walk.

Dec. 30, 2013
2-3:00 P.M.
Cloudy, Temp. 32, No. wind
All images Canon 7D, 70-300 IS USM L Lens.

Christmas in Groveland

Doug and Susan travelled to Groveland after church to be with Erin, Ken, Jackson and Oliver, and Scott,  Cheryl, Alex and Carter joined us.  I got something I least expected, something Susan was dead set against, but after consulting with the children, she okayed a Keurig (!!!!).  No more leaving the house without a hot thermos of coffee for the trip!  Life is good!
We had dinner, and then heard Jackson and Oliver sing with their choir at their candlelight concert. 
Very impressive.

Carter discovers the Jackson-Oliver cache of small toys

Alex was a bit afraid of the dogs, Arthur and  Millie, but he got
a bit better as the evening progressed.

Oliver's space station.

People react this way  to Carter

"It's a fire truck!!!"

Jackson "fixing" Alex's truck

This is the "Hawaii House"

Oliver showing Cheryl "Calvin and Hobbs"

Some of Oliver's "Loot"

Dinner was Erin's Grandmother's recipe for Sweet and Sour Meatballs,
 Salad, and then Cheryl's famous
Chocolate and Peanut Butter "Gems".

Granma sneaked a picture of Grandpa

We weren't allowed to use cameras during the concert, so I don't have a picture
of Jackson and Oliver but they and their choir were magnificent!

The First Religious Society of Newburyport UU