As we come into September, those of us lucky enough to stay on Nantucket begin reclaiming some of our favorite spots. I walk every morning with my high energy dogs, and I pick and choose places to walk based partially on the fact that I want to go where there are few people and other dogs. I also get bored easily, so I try to mix up these walks, try new places or visit trails at different times of the year. One of our favorite trails is the Shawkemo Highlands. I’ve always called them Shawkemo Hills, but recently the Nantucket Land Bank put new signage at the trailhead with the “Highlands” label, and that moniker fits.
Tag: Nantucket Nature
Taking Time to Notice the Rain
I woke this morning borderline astonished that the coffee maker had done exactly what it was supposed to do.
This is not particularly impressive technology. A timer, some water, ground coffee, a heating element. Humanity has accomplished greater things. But there it was at five in the morning, a pot of coffee already made, and with it something I hadn’t quite expected… twenty minutes I would ordinarily have spent making it myself. I took the coffee and sat down.
When Darkness Reveals the Light
There are some things you don’t realize you’ve stopped seeing until you see them again. For me, this summer, it was lightning bugs.
Summer Lightning: Fireflies
This week we’re all about fireworks on-island. We jockey for the best spot and hope the fog that typically coats the Gray Lady takes a break for the festivities. If you look a little closer at the edges of fields and forests this time of year, you might be treated to your own personal light show in nature. We’re talking about fireflies!
Always Be Curious
There’s a wonderful Walt Whitman quote that had my attention today. The esteemed poet, writer, and all-around observer of his fellow humans said, “Be curious, not judgmental.” Sage advice, right?
A Small Purple Flower with a Big Impact
There once was a plant from Nantucket
Purple flowers so gorge they would pluck it
Blue-eyed grass is her name
A rare species they claim
So please don’t put in your bucket
At the Center of an Economic Revolution
Did you know that there once was a tree that spiked an economic bubble in the US? And there are Nantucket ties with a legacy that we can still see (and visit) on the island today?