Celebrating the Winter Solstice

Holiday lights at Edaville.

Where did the tradition of Christmas lights come from? Why do we light artificial candles in our windows and deck our homes in strings of white or brightly-colored bulbs? This modern convention is actually based on very old ways – bringing light to the shortest days of the year, and marking the Winter Solstice, which occurs here in the northern hemisphere on December 21 or 22 (the exact time varies slightly from year to year).

Certainly you’ve noticed how the sun sets a little earlier and comes up a little later each day as we head into November and December. By the middle of the twelfth month, many of us are leaving for work before the sun rises and returning home long after it has set. But we know that this is temporary – that the days will again grow longer . . . and warmer too. Once the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, has passed, daylight hours will increase, and continue to grow throughout the first half of the new year.

Since ancient times, cultures worldwide have considered the Winter Solstice a time for gathering together. Typical late-December rituals include holidays, festivals and celebrations of rebirth, mostly centered on the life cycle, so to speak, of the sun. For example, the Druids viewed the solstice as the time of death of the “old” sun and the birth of a new one, the beginning of the solar year. In the third century, the Roman Emperor Aurelian established December 25 as the birthday of the "Invincible Sun;" this was only part of a more elaborate Winter Solstice celebration. In the year 273, the Christian church selected this same day to represent the birthday of Jesus.

Anthropological studies have concluded that some early tribes feared that, as the days grew shorter and shorter in late fall, the sun would continue to wane, eventually leaving them in permanent darkness. So when the days began to grow incrementally longer once the solstice had passed, there was reason for celebration.

Winter celebrations had a practical purpose as well. The growing season was over. In order to survive the winter and early spring, a community would have to rely on what foods it had saved and stored, as well as what it could obtain by hunting and foraging. Generally, livestock were slaughtered at this time so that they would not have to be fed through the winter. So you can see why this was a time for feasting – it was perhaps the only time of the year that the people could eat fresh meat. In addition, beer and wine made from crops grown earlier in the year had finished their fermentation processes and were ready to consume. If that wasn’t enough reason for having a party, the threat of not living through the winter made it all the more compelling.

Nowadays we have modern conveniences that ensure, for most of us, fresh food in the fridge and the pantry throughout the year. Yet the Winter Solstice and the holidays that fall close to it (e.g. Christmas, Hanukah, Ramadan, Yule, New Year’s) are still opportunities to feast, to celebrate, to bring light to the darkness.

As much as we enjoy them, incandescent Christmas lights are not the most eco-friendly way to bring light to the darkness. Consider the new LED holiday lights, which look them same when lit, but use much less energy. If you’re curious (or simply aiming to be more frugal) you can calculate the cost of your own holiday display. Search online for an energy cost calculator for Christmas decorations, such as the one at http://www.christmaslightsanddecorations.com/energy-cost-calculator.aspx.

Or consider this alternative to Christmas lights, borrowed from Latin American culture. The luminaria, or farolito, is another way to brighten the dark days and nights. Made from small brown or white paper bags partially filled with sand, illuminated from within with a tea candle, farolitos are a Christmas Eve tradition, arranged in rows for maximum effect. You can line your driveway or the sidewalk in front of your home with farolitos, and invite your neighbors to do the same.

Happy Solstice!

Sources: www.circlesanctuary.org; www.wikipedia.org; www.religioustolerance.org

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
December 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Earth-Friendly Holiday Shopping

Holiday shopping season is upon us. Perhaps it’s due to the economy, or maybe just a desire for a less-complicated December, but many of us are aiming to do less this year. We are trying to figure out what’s essential as we prepare for Christmas, Hanukah, and other winter holidays. For example, my family has decided to keep our Christmas Eve/Day menus simple. Also, we are reminding each other that we “really don’t need more stuff.” Let’s remember that the winter holidays are first and foremost about family, friends and faith.

‘Tis the season for gift giving, though, and there’s the dilemma. How do we choose thoughtful, personalized gifts that communicate the joy of the season without creating more waste? Here are a few suggestions.

A Gift To Improve One’s Carbon Footprint – Consider all the waste that goes into packaging and shipping the products we buy online or purchase at national chains. The alternative -- shop locally! From jewelry to clothing to art to home furnishings, and so much more, there are lots of wonderful gifts to be found within a few miles of home. Some of my favorites include: Local Pottery in Hanover, Woodacre Farm in Pembroke, and The Focus Gallery in Cohasset.

A Gift of Education and Fun – Memberships to museums and other cultural institutions make terrific gifts. Your purchase supports the arts (which tend to get hit hard in a bad economy) and your giftee receives free admission for a year, as well as all sorts of other perks. For young families, consider local favorites like the South Shore Natural Science Center (www.ssnsc.org) or The Children’s Museum in Easton (www.childrensmuseumineaston.org). Or head up to Boston, where there’s something for everyone -- New England Aquarium, Museum of Science, Boston Children’s Museum, or any of the art museums.

A Gift to Reduce Junk Mail – A couple years ago, my sister gave my husband and me a subscription to GreenDimes (now called Precycle/Tonic). We gave the company every variation of our names and mailing address we could think of that had ever been used on a piece of mail, and they set to work reducing the amount of junk in our mailbox. It worked! We used to get a ton of glossy catalogs every day from Thanksgiving to mid-December. Now we receive only a few. Check it out at precycle.tonic.com

A Gift to Protect The Environment – A great gift for any occasion is a membership to one of our local environmental organizations. Your donation helps the organization to achieve its goals – land preservation, for example, or cleaner water – while the person to whom you give it enjoys the benefits of membership in the group (discounts activities, newsletters, and so forth). Some favorites of mine: The North and South Rivers Watershed Association (www.nsrwa.org), The Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts (www.wildlandstrust.org), The Trustees of Reservations (www.thetrustees.org) and Mass Audubon (www.massaudubon.org).

A Gift To Better One’s Community – What do you give the person who has everything? Who needs nothing? How about an investment in his or her community? Local food pantries, shelters and clothing banks always need financial support. Programs like Marshfield Community Christmas help to improve the holidays of the less fortunate. Plus there are animal shelters, hospice services, programs for senior citizens and veterans . . . the list goes on. Choose a charity your giftee would happily support and make a donation in his or her name.

A Gift For The Soul – When times are tough, what’s the first thing to be dropped from the To Do List? Special treats for oneself. Thus, gift certificates for massage, yoga, acupuncture, a facial, a pedicure -- the things we are reluctant to get for ourselves – are often the most appreciated gifts of all.

Alternatives to Wrapping Paper: While you’re considering the impact your gift-giving will make on the environment this year, also be mindful of the waste generated by the use of wrapping paper. There are several alternatives. You can repurpose magazine pages as wrap for small gifts, or – with your child’s permission – children’s artwork. Paper gift bags, boxes, and ribbon can be reused numerous times before they wear out. My favorite eco-friendly wrap, however, is a drawstring cloth bag. A couple years ago, I crafted a big set of these, in varying sizes, from fabric leftover from various projects. They can be used over and over again, passed on from one person to the next. You can buy them, or if you have the resources, make your own. They’re a lot less work, too.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

by Kezia Bacon-Bernstein
November, 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Fall Fun for Families

The author's son in a leaf pile.

Autumn is such a wonderful time of year to spend time outdoors. The summer heat has passed, and – at least on most days – the chill of winter has yet to set in. It’s time to get some fresh air and some quality time outside with the family. Most of the ideas listed below cost nothing, and depending on where you live, many can be done in your own back yard.

Collect Colorful Leaves – How many different colors can you find? How many different shapes? Take a walk in the woods and see what’s there. When you’re done, you can put the leaves back where you found them, or bring them home to make art projects. Press a collage of leaves between two sheets of wax paper (use a hot iron), or preserve individual leaves. You can string them together to make a garland or even a wreath. Keep them for yourself, or mail them to a friend living in a place where the leaves don’t change color.

Make a Pile of Leaves – And Jump In It – If your leaf collection gets big enough, you can rake it into a giant pile. Kids love to play with leaf piles – jumping into them, scattering them across the yard, or just sitting in them and pretending. Encourage them to use their imagination. Is it a nest? A landing pad? A bowl of soup?

Build Things With Sticks – Especially after a storm, the forest is filled with all lengths of sticks and fallen branches. Put your creative mind to work and these can be a fun alternative to building blocks or Legos. Long sticks can be bound together at the top to create a rustic tipi, or stretched across a stream (real or imagined) to make a walking bridge. Shorter sticks can be used like Lincoln Logs to create miniature log cabins and other structures.

Build Things With Stones – Rocks of all sizes can also make intriguing building materials. Find a rocky forest or field, or just go to the beach, and collect a variety of rocks and stones. You can make your own miniature stone wall, Stonehenge replica, or other sculpture. Or make a “hoodoo,” piling one stone on top of another, and another, and another, etc. at the edge of a walking trail, leaving a mysterious mark for others to ponder as they pass by.

Plant Bulbs For Spring – Many flower bulbs have to go into the ground in the fall in order to bloom in the spring. Choose an interesting variety or two at your local garden store, and select an area in your yard to which you’d like to add some color. Even the smallest hands can help with this home improvement project. Don’t forget to watch for green shoots and flowers when springtime comes!

Adopt a Tree – Choose a tree in your yard or in a place you visit regularly. Consult a field guide to learn all about the tree’s life cycle. Observe the tree each day and make a diary of your observations. Notice how the tree changes as the weather grows colder, what animals live in or near the tree, and so on.

Go On A Scavenger Hunt – Make a list of things you’d like to find in nature (a maple leaf, an acorn, a birch tree, some moss, a squirrel gathering food for the winter) and then choose one of our myriad conservation areas and get busy looking for them.

Walk on the Jetty – Several local beaches (Plymouth, Green Harbor Brant Rock) have rock jetties that you can walk on, some more challenging than others. If it’s not too cold or windy, scrambling over the boulders, being careful not to fall in the water can be an invigorating, adventurous way to spend an hour. Bring a snack to enjoy once you’ve reached the end of the jetty, where you can sit down and enjoy the view.

Go Birding – So many different varieties of birds pass through the South Shore while migrating south for the winter. Plenty more live here year-round. Bring along your binoculars and a field guide (or a knowledgeable friend), and stop by any nature preserve to see what you can see. Want more guidance? Our local Mass Audubon office offers regular birding outings for adults and families throughout the year.

Take a Walk – With the foliage at or just beyond its peak, the woods are a beautiful place to be in mid-fall, especially on those properties where you can see the colorful leaves reflected on the surface of a river or a pond. The meadows and marshes are quite lovely too. There are so many open space areas on the South Shore . . . too many to count. Check out one you’ve never visited before!

Get On The Water – The vibrant fall foliage also makes a delightful backdrop for a paddling or boating trip. If you don’t have your own, you can rent or borrow a canoe, kayak or perhaps even a small motorboat and explore our local rivers – the North, the South, the Jones, the Weir, and so forth. Just be sure to avoid going on a windy day. Want some company? Check www.nsrwa.org (and this newspaper’s community calendar) for paddling trips.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
October 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Preserving Agricultural Landscapes

Cows graze on a hilltop pasture at Weir River Farm.

It was in the middle of our third hayride at Mass Audubon's Daniel Webster Farm Day that it occurred to me that my son and I have been spending an awful lot of time on the farm this month. In addition to attending Farm Day, one of our annual fall rituals, we picked tomatoes, potatoes and a pumpkin at Weir River Farm's Market Garden in Hingham, sat on tractors and took a different hayride at the South Shore Natural Science Center's Corn Festival in Norwell, picked apples at Mounce Farm in Marshfield, and visited the cows at O'Neil Farm in Duxbury. Plus, every week we've stopped by Rise and Shine Farm in Marshfield to pick up our farm share (and if Abel's lucky, dig some carrots). We are fortunate to have so many farms, so close by.

Despite its agricultural history, the South Shore can no longer be described as a farming community. There may be farmlands hidden away here and there, but to get a real feel for the wide-open fields that large agricultural enterprises require, you have to go to Plympton or Middleboro or parts of Bridgewater. This wasn't the case 100 years ago, when farming was still a way of life around here.

Things have changed. Lands where once we raised cattle, or grain, or vegetables are now neighborhoods, strip malls, big box stores. It won't change back. That's why I am grateful for organizations like Mass Audubon, The Trustees of Reservations, and The Wildlands Trust for having the foresight to preserve agricultural landscapes.

It was 25 years ago that Mass Audubon purchased the 350-acre Dwyer Farm from Edward Dwyer, the last in a short line of owners that also included statesman Daniel Webster. Dwyer was ready to retire from farming, but did not want to see his land absorbed in suburban sprawl. Negotiations with the Conservation Commission had stalled, due in part to the property's $500,000 price tag. But thanks to the tireless efforts of Dorothea Reeves and other volunteers on the Committee to Preserve Dwyer Farm, numerous fundraisers, and an anonymous $100,000 donation, Dwyer Farm was saved from development and preserved as open space for future generations. "Nature doesn't last for us if we take it for granted," Reeves told the Marshfield Mariner. "This is paying off some of our debt to nature."

Since then, the Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary (Winslow Cemetery Road, Marshfield) has grown to over 500 acres. With rolling green meadows, an apple orchard, and vestiges of old agricultural structures, it still has the feel of a traditional New England Farm. It is also one of the most strikingly beautiful places on the South Shore. Audubon has added two miles of walking trails, wildlife observation blinds and platforms, boardwalks through red maple swamplands, and foot bridges over the Green Harbor River to facilitate exploration. It is open year-round, dawn to dusk.

Another agricultural landscape now preserved for posterity is Weir River Farm in Hingham (Turkey Hill Lane). Managed by the Trustees of Reservations since 1999, this beautiful 75-acre property was originally a country estate, founded in the early twentieth century. Most recently, it was the home of Polly Thayer Starr, an acclaimed painter. Ten acres of fields have been left open for pasture, evoking an aura of days long past. The Weir River flows through the northwest edge of the property. There are also 60 acres of oak and red cedar woodland, and a good old-fashioned barnyard, with horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, and a llama.

The Trustees of Reservations have made a point to preserve the farm's historic character while providing diverse wildlife habitat. This spring, on a hilltop field that once grew corn and winter rye, grower Cindy Prentice (with the help of hundreds of volunteers) put in a 2.5-acre Market Garden, with 90 varieties of flowers and vegetables, including 20 different kinds of sunflowers. The garden is open to the public twice a week for Pick Your Own; they also have a small farm stand. All summer long, Weir River hosts Open Barnyard on Saturdays, where visitors can meet the animals that reside there. The season culminates with the Fall Festival, with livestock viewings, live music, pony rides, pumpkins and more. Walking trails are open year-round.

Why should you visit Weir River Farm? Meghan Connolly, the property's Education and Interpretation Coordinator, has this to say. "When people first discover the farm, they often have the same reaction: 'a place like this exists on the South Shore?' There is something about this place that appeals to people of all ages and backgrounds. Whether it is a five-year-old collecting eggs for the first time, an eighty year old neighbor out for his daily hike, or a volunteer with their hands in the soil of our market garden, there is a community here that everyone can be a part of."

A third agricultural landscape now preserved for the enjoyment of future generations is the Historic O'Neil Farm in Duxbury (Autumn Ave.). By far the most recent of such acquisitions on the South Shore, the property was opened in part to the public in 2005, thanks largely to the efforts of The Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts. It is now run by its own non-profit corporation, Historic O'Neil Farm, Inc. Conservation restrictions and an agricultural preservation restriction are in place to ensure that the farmhouse, barn and outbuildings will remain, and that the 145-acre farm will never be developed as house lots.

The farm was founded in or before 1736, and has been in the O'Neil family since 1829. Current owner Carl O'Neil, along with his brother Edward, took over day-to-day operations in the 1950s; Carl himself has been running the dairy farm for the past 30 years, selling milk to Agri-Mark, a cooperative best known for Cabot Cheese. It is possibly the last working dairy farm on the South Shore.

While O'Neil asks visitors not to disturb activities in the barnyard, there is a new walking trail on the property, and another one in progress, both of which give you a sense of the land and how it is worked. While there, you might catch a glimpse of O'Neil plowing a field or letting the cows out to pasture. Once a year, on Farm Day, the entire farm is open to the public, with hayrides, animal demonstrations, and children's games and crafts. Private tours also may be arranged.

Besides being a fun place to bring the kids, farms like these - some working, some not - are a wonderful destination for anyone seeking a pleasant walk or the opportunity to spot some wildlife. They speak to our region's not-so-distant history, and remind us of the importance of keeping land undeveloped and open to the public.

"Agricultural landscapes are a window to our past, the classrooms of today's new farmers and an important piece of our food independence in the future," says Meghan Connolly. "Even non-working farms are an important feature in defining the unique feel of Massachusetts and provide critical habitats for grassland bird species and other wildlife."

by Kezia Bacon-Bernstein
September 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Visit Your Local Farmers’ Market

(Lynda Everett's beautiful and delicious tomatoes)

This is an ideal time of year to shop at the farmers’ market. Here in southeastern Massachusetts, the harvest is in full swing. Most vendors offer a wide selection of fresh produce, much of which is picked the same day it is brought to market. Cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, green and yellow beans, tomatoes, potatoes, onions . . . Stop by any farmers’ market and you are sure to find a bounty of these items – as fresh as can be, and super-tasty.

Shopping the farmers’ market is a wonderful sensory experience. You will see all sorts of vibrant colors, and smell fresh flowers and herbs. Many vendors offer food samples, so you can taste a chocolate cherry tomato, for example, or a bite of fresh blueberry pie. Some markets also offer live music. Most feature crafts, jewelry, and other retail items for sale.

In addition to satisfying your own needs for food and entertainment, shopping the farmers’ market is an excellent way to support the local economy. Although some area retailers stock locally grown produce, most truck or ship the majority of their fruits and vegetables in from California or other regions with long growing seasons. But at the farmers’ market, everything is local. Your dollars go directly into the farmers’ pocket, helping him or her to run the farm and support the family. It feels good to make such personal transactions.

Farmers’ markets can be social too. My son and I visit the Marshfield Farmers’ Market every Friday afternoon. Our first stop is the table for Rise and Shine Farm, from which my family purchased a farm-share in the spring. That means that each week we receive a full bag of fresh, organic produce grown right down the street from our house, in Marshfield. While there, we learn what’s ripening on the farm, find out about volunteer opportunities, and perhaps share a recipe or two.

Our next stop is organic grower Summer Dreams Farm, also based in Marshfield, where we buy additional herbs and veggies. Summer Dreams often offers unusual crops like squash blossoms, mulberries, and multi-colored swiss chard, plus a more typical array of greens, tomatoes, squashes and so on. While I chat with owner Lorrie Gampp, Abel ducks into the shade under her farm stand, to flirt with the other customers and watch for familiar faces.

By then, Abel is itching for his weekly treat from Carver Farm, which offers Marshfield-made breads, pies, baked goods and jellies. This year we can’t get enough of Sally’s cinnamon buns, with a 25-cent cup of lemonade or iced tea to wash them down. From there, we visit with Lynda Everett of Today’s Harvest (based in – you guessed it – Marshfield!). While Abel demonstrates his performance skills (lately he sings songs from “Mary Poppins” – and dances too) I stock up on tomatoes and sweet white cucumbers, one of Lynda’s specialties. The Everett children are often on hand too, ever-friendly.

All of this food is grown or produced right here in town. You can’t get more local than that.

We round out our shopping trip by buying more produce from Costa Farm and Freitas Farm, from Plympton and Middleboro, and from anyone else that might help us complete our shopping list. We could have gone to the grocery store and tossed similar stuff into our cart, and been in and out in twenty minutes. But instead we spent an hour outdoors -- making friends, sharing stories, and doing a small part to enrich the local economy. Perhaps the best part of shopping at the farmers’ market is that it makes us feel good.

Consider stopping by your local farmers’ market before the season ends, mid-fall. You’ll be glad that you did.

Local Farmers” Markets:
Braintree: Town Hall, Washington Street; Saturday, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm through 10/31.

Carver: Shurtleff Park, Route 58, across from Town Hall; Sunday, Noon - 4:00 pm
through 10/25.

Cohasset: Cohasset Common, Main Street; Thursday, 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm through October 8.

Duxbury: Tarkiln Community Center Grounds, Route 53; Wednesday, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm through 10/14.

Hanover: Hanover Mall, Circuit City parking lot; Saturday. 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
through 10/31.
Hingham: Bathing Beach Parking lot on Rt. 3A; Saturday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
through 11/21; and Downtown Square; Wednesday, 10 am - 2:00 pm
through 9/2.

Hull: Nantasket Ave. (Bayside) between Bay and Edgewater; Friday, 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm through 9/11.

Marshfield: Marshfield Fairgrounds, Route 3A; Friday, 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm through 10/16.

Plymouth: Stephen's Field, off Route 3A near Plymouth Center; Thursday, 2:30 pm- 6:30 pm through 10/29; and Courthouse Green on Court Street; Saturday, 9:30 am - 1:30 pm through October 31.
Quincy: Quincy Center, J. Hancock Parking lot, across from the Court House; Friday 11:30 am – 5:30 pm through 11/20.

Weymouth: Town Hall, 75 Middle Street; Saturday, 9:00 am -1:00 pm through 10/24.


(Lemon cukes and sweet white cukes from Today's Harvest in Marshfield)

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
August 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Saquish and the Gurnet

A view from Saquish Head. Photo by Sandy Bacon.

The South Shore is dotted with all sorts of hidden gems, special places, and best-kept secrets. Those in the know are often reluctant to share these places with others – because if too many people find out, they might not be special or beautiful anymore. But some of these gems are in plain sight, and accessible if you know where to go. A perfect example is the collection of hills and sand spits that run south and west from Duxbury Beach -- The Gurnet and Saquish.

If you head south from the seaward side of the Powder Point Bridge, on the dirt road that runs between Duxbury Beach and Duxbury Bay, you will pass three different beach access roads, a wooded area known as High Pines, and shortly thereafter, a sign that reads “Entering Plymouth.” The road continues, now on private property. Gurnet Lighthouse rises in the distance. After checking in at a guard station, you can continue uphill into the village known as The Gurnet. From there, making a sharp turn westward, you traverse a relatively long and narrow stretch of sand, which is Saquish Neck. Continuing up onto another highland, you arrive at Saquish Head.

The Gurnet and Saquish are different from the rest of the South Shore. Most visitors agree, when you go there, it’s like traveling to an earlier, simpler world.

The drive alone is worth taking. The changing views of the bay as you head south over the often rough and rutted road are just spectacular. At times you will pass close enough to large shrubs of beach rose to smell their sweet scent. You will also see grassy sand dunes, the pebbly bay shore, yellow spikes of mullein, and stands of sumac and cedar. This year, in mid-July, after a rainy spring, the bright greens in the landscape sparkled like emeralds.

The Gurnet is a drumlin hill, as is Saquish Head and nearby Clark’s Island. All were formed 20,000 years ago – like much of our landscape --with the retreat of the Wisconsin Glacier. Saquish Head was originally an island, but over time, sand accumulated between it and the Gurnet, creating a lovely stretch of barrier beach. Although connected to the mainland in Duxbury, these villages are all part of the town of Plymouth.

The 27-acre Gurnet was named either for a fish common to Devonshire, England, or one of several headlands in the English Channel. Humans have been active on this promontory for centuries. There is ample archaeological evidence of Native American use, and records indicate a possible visit by a Viking ship around 1004. In 1605, the renowned cartographer Samuel de Champlain mapped Clark’s Island and the Gurnet. When the Plymouth Colonists arrived in 1620, they found The Gurnet to be a reliable source for pine and clams. As European settlement in the Duxbury area expanded, the Gurnet and its environs were visited frequently for lumber, fishing, salt haying, and shellfishing. The first people to purchase land there were John Doty, John Nelson and Samuel Lucas, all in 1694.

A primitive lighthouse was constructed on The Gurnet as early as 1710, and replaced with a more modern one in 1768. This twin-beacon lighthouse was the first of its kind in America, and was for a time in the late 18th century the charge of Hannah Thomas, our country’s first female lighthouse keeper. Cannonballs, fire, and erosion each plagued the lighthouse over the years, and thus it was rebuilt several times and moved back from the edge of the cliff. It was converted to solar power in 1986, and still helps to guide boats into the harbor today.

The Gurnet also played a role in our region’s martial history. In 1776, a six-cannon battery known as Fort Andrew was constructed at Gurnet Point, overlooking Plymouth Harbor. Militia from Plymouth, Duxbury and Kingston manned it throughout the Revolutionary War. A life saving station was built there in 1878. Destroyed by the Portland Gale and rebuilt, it was eventually operated by the Coast Guard and functioned until 1956. Other, now departed, features of note on The Gurnet included farms, a dance pavilion, and an inn.

Saquish has a quieter history. Its name is a variation on a Native American word for clams (which were abundant for harvest there at low tide). Champlain’s map shows Saquish Head as an island, but by 1774, it was connected to The Gurnet by a sandy barrier beach, created as a natural consequence of tides, storms and shoreline erosion farther north. Plymouth Colony sold Saquish to Ephraim and George Morton in 1690. It was probably settled first in the late 1600s or early 1700s, with farmers, fishermen and later, the occasional rum-runner. Fort Standish was constructed there during the Civil War, a small structure with a gun mounted on each of its four corners, with locals taking patrol shifts.

The prevalence of mosquitoes and the relative inaccessibility by land (prior to 1898’s Portland Gale) kept Saquish relatively unpopulated until the ditching of the salt marshes in the early 20th century and the arrival of the Jeep after World War II. Then things changed rapidly. Fifty cottages were built on Saquish during the 1950s. Today there are 52 homes on Saquish Head, 120 on Saquish Neck, and another 55 on The Gurnet. These are generally passed down within families, not sold.

All of the land on Saquish and The Gurnet is privately owned. There are no paved roads, and no public utilities (although you do see plenty of generators, propane tanks, solar collectors and rain barrels these days). The roads are alternately thick with sand traps or deeply rutted—that is, if you’re not driving directly on the beach, which is also considered a “road” of sorts. It’s a 6-mile trip from the end of the Powder Point Bridge to Saquish Head, requiring 40-60 minutes of your time.

As these are private lands, I don’t recommend visiting Saquish or The Gurnet without permission. But if you can find someone to invite you there, be sure to take advantage of the offer!

Source: The Duxbury Beach Book, compiled and edited by Margaret M. Kearney and Kay Foster, published by The Duxbury Beach Reservation Inc., Duxbury MA; 2007.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
July 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Visiting the South Shore Natural Science Center

I have been writing this nature column for over fourteen years. Oddly, I have never featured Norwell’s South Shore Natural Science Center (SSNSC) in this space. What a tremendous oversight!

Do you know about the Science Center? It may qualify as one of the South Shore’s best-kept secrets. Founded in 1962, SSNSC has been active in environmental education for almost 50 years, working with area schools “to cultivate an awareness, appreciation and concern for” the natural world. They offer hands-on, interactive programs for preschoolers through Grade 12 -- in schools, at the Science Center, and at the beach and local nature preserves. They also offer programs for adults and families, throughout the year.

Originally knows as the South Shore Nature Center, the SSNSC got its start when a group of local naturalists and college professors, led by the renowned Norwell native, William G. (Cap’n Bill) Vinal, began running nature education programs out of a building in the town center. An old school bus named Flora brought children on field trips. In 1968, the group acquired land on Jacobs Lane in Norwell. The first Nature Center building, constructed in part by students from the South Shore Vocational-Technical High School, was dedicated in 1974. By then the Science Center was offering educational programs year-round.

Today the Science Center is comprised of a nature center on 30 acres, with six interpretive nature trails, and access to an additional 200 acres of conservation land. Outdoors there is also a summer house, an amphitheater, and a picnic area. Indoors includes a gallery, a greenhouse, a gift shop, classrooms and restrooms, and most notably, The EcoZone and other interactive exhibits.

Created with the help of South Shore native Jeff Corwin (of TV’s Animal Planet), and established in 2002, the EcoZone, is a multidimensional, interactive exhibit area that focuses on the ecosystems of southeastern Massachusetts, with special emphasis on wetlands habitat. Visitors can crawl through a hollow log and view a live pond – complete with frogs, fish and turtles -- from the bottom up; open tiny doors that reveal what plants and creatures inhabit a meadow; cross a wooden bridge; and learn first-hand about quaking bogs, vernal pools, nocturnal animals, and local reptiles and amphibians (snake-phobes, beware!).

Judging from my three-year-old son’s enthusiasm for the EcoZone, I’d say that it definitely helps to fulfill the SSNSC’s mission “to provide natural science experiences that educate, excite, and commit every generation to preserve the environment and to encourage responsible use, stewardship and enjoyment of our natural resource.”

The Science Center is also home to Bob the Iguana, a barred owl named Hedwig, an annual infusions of tiny red-bellied cooter turtles. Weekly programs such as Feed the Animals provide guests an opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with some of these creatures.

There’s always something going on at the Science Center. Vine Hall, the main gathering area, boasts a gallery of works by local artists that changes each month. The Nature Center Preschool runs throughout the school year – plus the Nature Adventures Summer Day Camp from June through August. Annual events such as Corn Festival, Maple Day, Perseid Showers Family Campout, Through the Garden Gate Garden Tour, the Water Watch Lecture Series (co-sponsored by Mass Audubon and NSRWA) and others provide entertainment and education for all ages. Visit www.ssnsc.org for a listing of current classes, programs, and events.

If you prefer a more solitary experience, be sure to check out the Science Center’s woodland trails. Most are easy hikes - perfect for families. Of particular note is the Tupelo Trail, a sensory trail developed for the blind and print handicapped, and the Sylvester Trail, which passes over a vernal pool. The trails are open every day, dawn to dusk (pets and smoking prohibited). Access is free of charge; you can pick up a map at the front desk. (Braille, large-print, and audio guides also available).

The South Shore Natural Science Center is located at 48 Jacobs Lane, off Route 123 in Norwell. Summer Hours (July and August) are Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30pm, and Saturday 9:30am - 1:00pm. Admission fees for indoor exhibits are $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for children (ages 2-15) & senior citizens (free for members). Admission to Vine Hall Art Gallery, the Nature Gift Store and the trails is always free for everyone.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
June, 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Choosing Local Foods

Homegrown pears from the author's backyard.

Have you heard the term “locavore?” In 2007, the New Oxford Dictionary named it the Word of the Year. A locavore is someone who eats food grown or produced locally -- within a certain radius (a county, a region or a certain number of miles). Being a locavore may seem sensible for someone who lives in California, for example, or another place where food is grown year-round. But around here? Is it even possible?

It is surprisingly easy to find locally-grown food here in Southeastern Massachusetts. There are a number of farms, orchards, and cranberry bogs right in our back yard; the popularity of farmers’ markets is on the rise; and we can purchase local produce, eggs, milk, bread, meat and plenty more at farm stands, Pick Your Own venues, and specialty stores. Plus a number of area chefs are seeking out local foods for their restaurant tables.

The following are some reasons to consider adding more local foods to your diet.

It’s Fresher, It Tastes Better, and It’s Better for You.

Locally grown produce doesn’t have to cross the country by plane or truck, or sit in cold storage for days. Most often it is picked within 24 hours of when it is sold to you, which is significantly shorter than what you’ll find in the average grocery store. Because local food doesn’t have to travel as far, it can be harvested at its peak. Produce from farther away has to be picked sooner and less ripe in order to survive the journey across the country – or around the world. (Compare the flavor of a freshly picked local apple to one flown in from New Zealand.)

Locally-grown food is better for you too. According to the FDA, some of the vitamins in fresh produce are depleted 50% or more within a week or two of being harvested. So if you choose a local tomato, you’re getting significantly more nutritional value from it.

You’re also lessening the risk of contamination. When you buy local, your food travels a much shorter route from the farm to the table. Thus it’s easier to track potential problems. You may even be able to talk with the farmer who grew it. This is especially relevant in light of the many food recalls we’ve seen of late.

It’s better for the local economy.
Buying local helps keep money in our communities. When you buy lettuce grown nearby, your money goes right back into the local economy, supporting the value of our real estate, the maintenance of infrastructure like roads and bridges, the quality of our schools. It can even help to enliven downtrodden areas.

Buying local supports our communities, but even more, it supports our farmers. Nationwide, farmers on average receive only 20 cents of each food dollar – the rest covers costs like transportation, processing, packaging, refrigeration and marketing. But if they sell directly to the consumer, they receive much more. Why should we support local farmers? For one, farms provide jobs. Furthermore, the taxes towns collect from agricultural development actually earn communities 70 cents on the dollar. Compare that to residential development, which costs a community $1.25 per dollar earned. When we support farmers, it gives them an economic incentive against selling their land to the highest bidder, which in turn helps us to preserve open space.

It’s better for the environment.
According to Rich Pirog of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, the average fresh food item on our dinner table travels 1500 miles to get there. Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and other best-selling books on food, elaborates on this point. “It takes seven to ten calories of fossil fuel energy to deliver one calorie of food energy to an American plate,” he writes. “Only a fifth (of that energy) . . . is consumed on the farm; the rest is spent processing the food and moving it around.”

It’s Social – and you can learn something.
Buying local helps to build community. Going to the farm stand and chatting with the grower, or running into a friend at the farmers’ market . . . we’re creating social ties that only strengthen our communities

Plus, buying local might encourage you to try something new. At the farm stand, you may find an item you haven’t tried before – squash flowers or mustard greens, bite-size plums or purslane. Local growers may offer more variety too – they are often willing to try out a new type of lettuce, for example, when a grocery store won’t because the demand isn’t there.

It can save you money.
Because costs such as cross-country transportation are not a factor, local food is often less expensive than what you find in the supermarket. You are eliminating the middle man. Blueberries at Tree Berry farm in Norwell last summer were $2.60 per pound to pick your own. They averaged around $2.99 per pint at the grocery store.

Can we do it year-round?
One of the major challenges of eating local is what to do in the winter when nothing much grows here. The first step is to buy extra when a certain food is in season. You can freeze strawberries, or make jam. You can turn an abundance of tomatoes into sauces and salsas. You can make pesto or pickles or fruit leather and stock it all away for the colder months. If you’re not adept in the kitchen, you can look to local producers of such products.

Another important consideration is simply to be conscious about the foods you choose. Can you hold off on apples from New Zealand next summer and wait for the local ones to come through in September?

Where To Find It
In the summer and fall, local foods are available nearly everywhere. Most towns host at least one farm stand, and Pick Your Own berry farms and orchards are scattered throughout the region. Even a standard supermarket stocks some locally grown produce in July and August.

In 2008 there were ten weekly farmers’ markets in Plymouth County and thirteen in Bristol County. What could you find there? Fresh-picked produce to be sure, but also eggs, baked goods, homemade condiments, seedlings, even lobster. Many area stores stock locally-grown or produced foods as well. Check out Good Health Natural Foods in Hanover and Quincy; Whole Foods Market in Hingham; and the Fruit Center Marketplace in Milton and Hingham, to name only a few. In addition, restaurants from the tiny Rockin’ K Café´ in Bridgewater to the renowned Tosca in Hingham feature locally-grown foods on their menus.

Two excellent resources for finding locavore fare are edible South Shore magazine, published quarterly in Kingston, MA; and the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership’s (SEMAP) Online Farm Guide, where you can search an immense database of growers to find farmers markets, farm stands, and other local food purveyors near you. Check it out at www.farmfresh.org. And save the date of September 28, 2009 for NSRWA's Food For Thought event at the Mill Wharf Restaurant, which features locally grown and prepared foods from numerous South Shore growers, chefs and caterers.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
May, 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Visiting Weir River Farm

Graham Schofield, 3, of Marshfield, checks out the chickens at Weir River Farm.

If you haven’t yet visited Weir River Farm in Hingham, now’s the time to check it out. Managed by the Trustees of Reservations since 1999, this beautiful 75-acre property offers something for everyone.

Like World’s End, its majestic companion to the east, Weir River Farm features a stunning view of Boston Harbor. The panorama from the top of Turkey Hill can be breathtaking. On a clear day, you might be able to see the North Shore.

Weir River Farm was originally a country estate, founded in the early twentieth century. Most recently, it was the home of Polly Thayer Starr, an acclaimed painter. Ten acres of fields have been left open for pasture, evoking an aura of days long past. The Trustees of Reservations make a point to preserve the farm’s “historic pastoral and agricultural character,” while providing diverse wildlife habitat. The Weir River flows through the northwest edge of the property.

There are also 60 acres of oak and red cedar woodland. A footpath from the top of Turkey Hill meanders down through the fields and the woods, and then divides into two trails. One trail leads to the barnyard, while the other directs visitors to The Grove. Intentionally reminiscent of a British woodland, The Grove features an open understory plus a garden path bordered with flowering shrubs and perennials.

The trails measure a total of 1.5 miles. Some are quite steep. Whether you’re hiking uphill or down, be prepared to feel your muscles at work! Trail maps are available near the parking areas.

Weir River Farm’s trails connect to those in the Whitney & Thayer Woods Reservation, which in turn connect to Wompatuck State Park and Hingham’s Triphammer Conservation Area. These parcels comprise the largest contiguous tract of open space on the South Shore, totaling close to 5,000 acres.

The barnyard is . . . well, a good old-fashioned barnyard. The restored barn and adjacent pens are home to a small number of horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens -- and a llama. Throughout the late spring and summer (beginning May 2), Weir River Farm offers Open Barnyard every Saturday from 10-2, where visitors can meet the animals and learn more about how they are cared for (free for TTOR members, $3 for non-members).

In season, Weir River Farm sells the all-natural eggs, beef and pork produced there. This year they plan to offer homegrown cut flowers and pumpkins as well.

Also, on Wednesdays from 10-11 beginning June 3, there is an Outdoor Story Hour. Other programs for adults and children, including the Farm Hands Camp for ages 5-12, are available throughout the year. Call 781-740-7233 for more information.

How To Get There: From Route 228 near the Hingham Town Library, turn onto Leavitt Street. Follow Leavitt for 0.6 miles, then bear left onto Turkey Hill Lane, and follow it to a dead end. There are two small parking areas.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
April 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 13 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.

Going to the Zoo

A lion at Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro, Massachusetts.


Now that spring is here, it’s time to start spending more time outdoors. We have plenty of options here on the South Shore – the beaches, the rivers, and plenty of sanctuaries, preserves and conservation areas. But perhaps you are looking for something a little different. Consider the zoo.

Until recently, it hadn’t occurred to me to visit any of our local zoos. I’ve been to some of the great ones – Washington DC, San Diego – but I think the last time I went to a zoo within a 50-mile radius more than thirty years ago.

Last spring we received a membership solicitation in the mail from Zoo New England (ZNE). If we joined, our family would be granted a year of access to both ZNE Zoos (Franklin Park and Stone Zoo), as well as their affiliates nationwide -- which includes pretty much all of the other zoos in our area. We decided to try it.

First up was the Franklin Park Zoo in Dorchester. Franklin Park has enjoyed a renaissance of late. In fact, it now feels like an oasis in the middle of the inner city. The zoo itself is divided into several sections. Serengeti Crossing features ostriches, ibex, wildebeests and a herd of zebras. Franklin Farm has chickens, cows, goats, and sheep, plus rabbits, a barn owl, and a Contact Corral for the warmer months. The Children’s Zoo includes prairie dogs, the amur leopard, a duck pond, and assorted reptiles and amphibians. And the Outback Trail has emus, kangaroos, kookaburras, cockatoos, and black swans. Bird’s World and Butterfly Landing round out the offerings.

The Franklin Park Zoo is large and well-spaced. Climbing a grassy hillside, you will see giraffes, lions, tigers, bongos, and camels. A landscaped path from which one can catch a rare glimpse the “real” city beyond the zoo walls leads to the Tropical Forest, home to a family of gorillas – as well as snakes, a pygmy hippopotamus, a dwarf crocodile, various birds and small critters, tapirs, and wild dogs. The gorillas are fascinating to watch – so similar to humans in their gestures and expressions.

Throughout the zoo, there are plenty of picnic tables, restrooms and (seasonal) snack bars, plus a gift shop and a large playground. In the warmer months, the zoo also offers a carousel and a small train on which children can ride. One final highlight: the Franklin Park Zoo is also home to a peacock, but you never know where you might find him. He struts around the grounds, spreading his plumage at regular intervals.

Our next visit was to the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island. Probably the largest in the area, this zoo is packed with attractions. Divided by geographical region, Roger Williams takes you to Africa (elephant, zebra, giraffe, cheetah, jaguar, crane, wildebeest, wild dog), North America (bison, red wolf, pronghorn, bald eagle, seal, penguin, farm animals), and Australasia/The Tropics (emu, kangaroo, anteater, flamingo, sloth, monkey, wallaby). Plus you can visit the Silk Road (camel, moon bear, snow leopard, panda), and Madagascar (lemurs, tortoise). Great care has been taken to create the feeling that you are moving from one natural environment to another. Ample foliage makes it a pleasant excursion on a warm day. There are plenty of rest rooms, benches and snack bars. For us, the highlight by far was the three elephants, and the informative talk given by one of their attendants.

Our final destination (so far) was the Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro. I had never heard of this zoo, until I saw it featured in – of all places -- People magazine. Capron Park’s main attraction right now is Ramses, a white lion who likes to play. Other zoo-bound lions tend to snooze the day away, but not this one. He loves preening for the guests. As does his cub, born last fall. This zoo is much smaller than the others, which means it is perfect for a visit with a toddler who refuses to sit in a stroller. Little legs can easily walk from one exhibit to another, and see all there is to see in just a couple of hours. Other featured animals include: snow monkeys, sloth bears, warty pigs, meerkats, a snow leopard, emus, kangaroos, a green tree python, owls and other nocturnal creatures, plus llamas and goats (that you are encouraged to feed). A new exhibit, Lemur Island, in the middle of a large pond, opens this spring. Restrooms, a gift shop and snack bar, and a new playground round out the offerings at Capron Park.

Two other local zoos are on our list of Place To Visit soon. The Stone Zoo, in Stoneham, features a bald eagle, black bears, reindeer, roadrunners, jaguars, and yaks. And the Buttonwood Park Zoo, in New Bedford, is home to bison, black bears, elephants, harbor seals, a bald eagle, river otters, deer, and coyote.

Do an Internet search for any of the zoos mentioned above and you will find visiting hours, directions, maps and almost everything else you need to plan your trip. In many cases, the warmer the weather, the more you will see the large jungle animals outdoors (many of them are kept inside in the colder months). Certainly you will see – and learn about – animals you would not otherwise find here on the South Shore.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
March 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org.

Cabin Fever

Abel and Chris Bernstein enjoy a winter stroll on Rexhame Beach in Marshfield.

This winter has been long and cold so far – and snowy. I was just beginning to wonder if I’d see bare ground again before April when that warm sunny Sunday arrived in early February and shook things up a bit. Could it be – our January thaw, only eight days off schedule?

Melted snow and ice ran in rivulets down the front steps at my parents’ house, where I was charged with snow removal duty (while they vacationed in Mexico). The snow was gone, but two inches of thick ice remained. Would it ever go away?

The wind blew so strongly that the pines shed not just twigs but small branches, smashing apart in the driveway where they fell. It was 49 degrees, warm enough to spend some time outside, but not safe to be in the woods with all that stuff falling down.

At home, I asked my son Abel, who is nearing age three, how he wanted to spend the afternoon. He began reciting the names of the toy trains he wanted to add to his collection, a sacred litany, hopeful. “And we can go today, to the store, to get them!” No, shopping was not the answer.

“Would you like to go to the beach?”

“I can bring my trucks! And play in the sand!”

After lunch we put on our sneakers – not our boots. It felt strange to resume contact with the bare ground, to let go of that extra layer of insulation underfoot.

“We can bring our beach chairs!”

Beach chairs . . . the warm sun . . . lounging. I feel a strong wave of envy surge and then float away. My hardworking parents, under the palm trees, alternately reading, swimming and eating. I wish we were there too, on the island, our idea of paradise. “Next year,” I assured myself. “Maybe next year.” It seems wrong even to fantasize about a tropical vacation in this economy.

Last winter was mild. We spent a lot of time outdoors, in the back yard, gathering sticks and “fishing” in the brook that skirts the edge of our property. This year is the opposite. Even on the days when it is warm enough to venture outside for more than a few minutes, the yard is iced over, encrusted with dirty snow. No wonder I feel depressed.

I don’t want to complain about the weather. I want to be outside. I want to breathe fresh air and feel the sun on my face. I don’t care if I have to wear a hat, coat, scarf, gloves -- and long underwear wouldn’t be a bad idea either – I need to get out of the house. Is it Seasonal Affective Disorder? Cabin Fever? It doesn’t matter. Yes, we are going to the beach.

At Rexhame, it is colder and windier than at home. Those five miles make a difference. Climbing over the dunes, I am surprised to see snow. Even on the beach, there are patches of hard, dirty snow! But beyond it are rocks, pebbles, and because it’s low tide, a long, flat expanse of wet sand. And the ocean! Suddenly I feel like there is much more air to breathe.

My husband, my son, and I make our way toward Beadle’s Rocks. Abel wants to sit on the sand and make roads with his trucks, but the sand is too damp and so we walk instead. We tell him that we can climb on the big rocks.

It’s too late in the day for seals, but the receding tide has left all sorts of puddles. Abel wants to splash in them. How do you explain to a two year old that some days you have to step over the puddles? Instead, we pretend that the big rock is a slide, and let him go down it, again and again, as much as he wants. He still manages to get his feet wet, darting off into the puddles with a sly grin.

It’s too cold to linger, so we make our way back to the car.

On the way home, we stop at Gerard’s Turkey Farm for sandwiches and french fries, which we eat in the car, right out of the bag. It’s not a vacation, but it kind of feels like one -- a much-needed change of pace and scenery, albeit brief. Maybe next week it will be warmer.

Only a few more weeks till spring!

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, Correspondent
February, 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org.

Outdoor Fun in the Wintertime

Winter is here. So far this one has been cold and snowy, and it’s unlikely that that trend will change. Have you been inclined to sit indoors, eat chocolate, and dream of warmer climes? I have -- but if I keep that up, I will be fat and listless come spring. It’s time to light a fire under our hardy New England bones, get outside, and enjoy the season.

But what to do? It’s difficult to walk on ice-covered roads and hiking trails. It’s no fun anyway, when the wind blows so strong and cold that no amount of layers can counteract it. But the fresh air can be invigorating, the sunshine can make you feel more lively -- and a little bit of exercise will bring color to your cheeks and get the blood flowing through your tired old veins. Step outside – and feel better.

Here are a few outdoor activities to consider this winter.

Spy on the Harbor Seals – At low tide on a relatively warm sunny day, you can find harbor seals on the rocks (and sometimes on wooden floats) up and down our coastline. Duxbury Beach and the road to Saquish are prime viewing spots, as are the road to Blackman’s Point in Brant Rock and the end of Damon’s Point Road in Marshfield. It’s fun to watch harbor seals frolic in the water and bask in the sun.

Skate on a Frozen Pond – Yes, it’s cold outside. Consider it an opportunity! It’s not often that our lakes and ponds freeze up enough to support ice skaters. Dust off those skates, bundle up, and find some ice. Once you get your “sea legs,” you may surprise yourself, pirouetting around the pond a la Dorothy Hamill. Not feeling graceful? Grab a hockey stick and see if you can get some friends together for a quick game.

Sled Down a Big (Or Small) Hill – Oh, the joys of freshly-fallen snow when it’s powdery and not covered with ice. Is there a plastic sled in the corner of your basement? A toboggan? An inflatable snow tube? An aluminum saucer? You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy the thrill of sledding. Every town has its favorite spot. Country clubs usually offer a variety of hill shapes and sizes. The ride down is fun, and the hike back up the hill will strengthen your legs and get your heart pumping a little faster.

See a Favorite Place With New Eyes – Let’s face it: cold and windy are not ideal conditions for a walk in the woods if you have to move slowly to avoid a fall. Slide a pair of Yak Trax or good old-fashioned crampons over your boots, and you’ll gain some much-needed traction on the ice. Then you can walk faster – and feel warmer as you go. There are plenty of forests to choose from on the South Shore – consider Willow Brook Farm in Pembroke or the North River Wildlife Sanctuary on the Marshfield/Scituate line. Notice how different – and beautiful -- the woods appear when covered with snow. You might also try snowshoes or cross-country skis.

Build a Snowman – You don’t have to be a child to enjoy constructing a snowman or any other kind of snow sculpture. If the conditions are right, it won’t take long to roll three big balls of snow and stack them for the traditional humanoid figure. Corncob pipes and button noses are optional – get creative with what you have at hand. I’ve seen snowmen wearing Hawaiian shirts and sunglasses, or dressed up as firefighters.

Cold Weather Safety Tips:
• Don’t go alone. Whatever you’re doing outdoors, bring a companion – or at least a cell phone – so you’ll have access to help in the case of an emergency.
• Dress in layers. Waterproof (or water-resistant) on top, and something warm underneath. Choose wool or synthetics like fleece or polypropylene for the bottom layer.
• Change your clothes immediately if they get wet.
• Keep your hands, feet and head covered – your face too if it’s very cold, wet or windy. Concerned that you’ll look dorky in a hat? Better that than freezing! You will lose 40% of your body heat through an uncovered head.
• Keep moving when you’re out in the cold. Staying still will permit the cold to set in, and once you get a chill, it’s hard to shake it.
• Don’t stay out in the cold too long. Take breaks when you can and go someplace warm.
• Drink warm beverages. Filling your tummy with something warm will help combat the cold as well. You can bring a thermos for outside, or drink cocoa, soup or tea when you go in. Avoid alcoholic drinks, which can dangerously alter the way your body senses cold.
• Keep Your Chin Up. Spring will be here before we know it.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein, correspondent
January 2009

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org.