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Thursday, July 9, 2009

Joseph Allen Skinner State Park

I usually bring a whole folder of adventures to go on after work with me each day. The last couple of weeks I haven’t really been inspired to go visit any of them. Today after work I let my truck go where it wanted and it wanted to go down Bray Road at Atkins Farm toward Rt. 47.

This is a beautiful farm area much like the farm I have photographed behind the malls on Rt. 9. As I was driving I actually saw a sign for the malls on Rt. 9 so I guess I wasn’t far off the mark. I headed down Rt. 47, generally aware that I was near the Skinner State Park area. I saw a trailhead parking area and decided to explore that.

The first thing I thought when I walked into the woods was how much I LOVE the smell of the woods. There is no other smell that makes me as happy as the smell of a forest. Second on my list of smells would be the ocean but I get there far less than I do the woods.

Anyway, I didn’t go too far as it was late afternoon and I had nothing with me except my camera. I did manage to take a few pictures on my short walk.

One of the first things I saw were these beautiful Beech trees, scarred from people carving their initials in the bark. I know some people think it is romantic or that they are immortalized but to me it is a lack of respect for another living thing.

Beech tree along the trail at Joseph Allen Skinner State Park

Anyway, a little further on I heard the sound of trickling water. It was coming from a tree where a very small stream was running through the roots. While the front of the tree looked solid the back of the tree was hollow.



A stream trickling over the roots of a tree at Skinner State Park in South Hadley, MAHollow tree at Joseph Allen Skinner State Park in South Hadley, Mass


I snapped a picture of the trail I was on and a stream I crossed.


Trail in Joseph Allen Skinner State ParkStream at Joseph Allen Skinner State Park


There were some interesting trees along the way. One had quite a bit of moss growing rather high up on the tree. The other picture is showing a tree that is leaning on another much smaller tree, using it like a crutch. I wonder what those two trees will look like in 20 years.


Moss covered tree along the trail
Small tree acting as crutch for larger leaning tree


And of course the "orange mushroom".

Orange mushroom

I enjoyed these woods and I think I will take this detour more often. Afterall there is a whole big mountain here to explore .


3 comments:

  1. When you get all the way up to the Summit House you're in for a treat! Not that I hike it - I drive it. I really like your posts. I hope you post more often & I'm adding your link to my blog.(valleykidstuff.blogspot)
    Thanks for your post!
    Sara

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  2. Thanks Sara.

    I just came back from a week of camping in Vermont so I have some catching up to do.

    I recently subscribed to your blog as source of inspiration for adventures to go on (I'm still a kid at heart). I wish they had blogs around when my son was growing up. What a great way chronicle a childs youth.

    I guess I will have to wait for the grandchildren to arrive.

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  3. It's kind of like a baby book online. I have another blog with just tons of pictures of the kids for grandparents and other relatives who are far away. I started the valleykids blog because I was constantly meetings moms who wondered what to do with their kids. Also I think nature is SO important for them. I hope your camping trip was wonderful - check out Tully Lake campgrounds in Royalston, MA also. it's walk-in, but the sites are beautiful as is the lake, and it is close.
    adventuring with grandparents is so awesome for little ones - my kids went kayaking with theirs just the other day. we are blessed!!

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