Betty's Neck and the Cranberry Bog: a photo essay

  Photo Essay Contest

After weeks of calamities and near disasters in the recent months, including illness in the family (just about everyone participated!), and a sudden need to care for my wife's poor mother when her knee went out for a few weeks, I was able to take a little time off to visit my mother for a long Mother's Day weekend. I hadn't seen her in a year, believe it or not, and it was long overdue. I flew to Boston to save time, and luxuriated in the rare occasion for me - the consummate provider, nurturer, and caretaker - to be pampered a little. Amazing how strange it felt to have someone ask ME what I want to eat or drink? LOL! And to be treated like that again, albeit for a short time, was just what I needed. 

One of the forays I was able to enjoy was a walk around a new area that has been recently bought by the town (Lakeville, Mass.) It's not far from my mom's and cousins' homes. Betty's Neck, a 480-acre peninsula on Lakeville's Assawompset Pond, a large public water supply, was also the homeland of some descendants of Massasoit, an eminent Wampanoag sachem or chief during the early 17th century. and borders a working cranberry bog that also provided some fun photo ops.

We wanted to catch the sunrise, and in mid May on the east coast, that meant being AT the trail head at 5:15. Unfortunately, the day dawned very cloudy. But it was still a wondrous experience. Here is one of the trails that we started out on.

I had to walk very slowly, because I'm recovering from a bad bout with asthma that's kept me out of work for almost three weeks now. But the doctor said it's better to do a little and rest, then push a bit further, than to sit in bed all day. That just makes your muscles weaker and it takes a lot longer to recover. Makes sense to me. I've done this before both ways, and I definately do better if I keep moving and try a bit more each day.

Of course I looked down and sank onto wet knees to capture many of the shots. It was a perfect "wet knees" morning! This pile of sawdust was beneath an ant colony. Wonder if they are "carpenter" ants?

These mushrooms were growing up the arch of a tree trunk. 

Because it was so gloomy overhead, it was tough to get many well-lit shots. But as we emerged from the woods, we wandered over to the cranberry bog and the buildings beside it. There were some interesting subjects there!

This little shack, so brilliantly colored a most appropriate cranberry color, was too cute not to photograph. I hope we weren't trespassing!   (The reward was for anyone seen damaging the property.)

I loved this blue painted wooden cranberry crate. And here are a few more shots of them, all piled up like good soldiers waiting for the next crop. These actually may be "vintage" boxes and I'm not sure if they actually use them in current day farming practices. 

  Towering to the sky.

 Some interesting textures and colors here.

From way down below.

Closeup of emerging ivy on retaining wall.

This little bullfrog was rather complacent in his watery lodge under the muddy bank. He bid us adieu until the next time!