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Massachusetts 351 (40)

Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 01/06/2012
21:31
A photo a day this leap year
» Massachusetts 351

Just for fun I'm taking a photo each day in 2012. Apparently, it's a leap year, so it'll be 366.

So far it's been a fun creative outlet and an easy way to chronicle daily life in Massachusetts. The photos have to be from my smartphone to make uploading easy enough to complete each day; so picture quality is sometimes suspect. And I'm using a Polaroid-type filter, which I might end up loving or hating in the end.

Anyway, here's what I've got so far...

What creative projects are you planning on 2012?

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 12/31/2011
14:30
One family from Hudson's 2011
» Massachusetts 351

Thought some of you might enjoy this. We took a stab at the annual holiday letter this year in the cards we mailed out...

Season’s greetings everyone!

Another year has gone by and because I’m not as good as I should be at keeping in touch, here is a family update...

Will spent his terrible twos not being quite as terrible as he could have been. His top phrases of 2011 included “Will you play with me?” and “No Levi.” Each of which was uttered several dozen times per day. His favorite activities in 2011 included play dough, puzzles, blocks, toy cars - and throwing rocks in bodies of water. He does like being a big brother, so far, but still does not like eating more than a dozen foods, 11 if you don't include juice pops. He likes to set up his trains in the bathroom and believes wearing shoes is a punishment. For Christmas he told Santa he wanted “Diesel.” Not action star Vin Diesel from the movie Fast and Furious, but a curmudgeonly character on the Thomas the Train show.

Laura spent 2011 in the hardest role of all: living with three males. She spent the first half of the year as uncomfortable as you might expect and the second half more comfortable, but also more tired. She’s looking forward to getting a good night’s sleep when she retires. I honestly don’t know how the moms of the world do it. Recently, she said this revealing quote with her characteristic wit: “I sometimes think you boys are all conspiring against me.” I’m sure it’s sometimes tough for her to discern which of the males in her house whine the most; my guess is the 32-year-old. But Laura does her best to balance it all: breadwinner, bread maker, baby soother, boss lady, Star Wars hater.

In many ways my 2011 was a lot like previous years. I spent a considerable amount of time on highways after I missed my correct exit. I deliberated until December to spend money I got for my birthday in July. I continued a love/hate relationship with the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches Will and I eat almost every day for lunch. The highlight of my year, besides the birth of my second son of course, has been trying to start a community garden in town. The irony is I don't have much of a green thumb. So I'll probably just let Will run our plot in the spring. When I’m not working various part-time journalism jobs, I’m taking care of the cherubs a few days a week, crashing stay-at-home mom playgroups and story times.

Levi spent half of 2011 in a comfortably warm and peaceful semi-darkness where everything was perfect and quiet. And the other half of the year he spent wondering who he wronged in a previous life to be stuck with such a wacky dad and even wackier brother. Levi enjoys messing with anything Will is playing with and chewing on anything that will fit in his mouth, including his own shoes. He is a curious introvert who makes you think he’s harmless, but if you turn your back for a second, he’ll scoot across the house and climb up some piece of furniture looking for trouble. His goofy grin confirms how proud he is of himself for achieving such feats. For Christmas he asked for world peace, but instead he’s getting more bibs for his unrelenting drool.

Wishing you tidings of great joy, Bobb

Just a few hours left to 2011. Forgive me if the ubiquitous family photo slideshow of the year is a bit trite. We just can't help ourselves.

If you'd like some theme music while you watch, our family enjoyed this tune in 2011. Just press play simultaneously on the slideshow and the song for the full effect.

Wishing you joy, love, and peace in 2012. Safe travels!

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 12/07/2011
19:00
MA351 featured on BostInno.com
» Massachusetts 351

Here's a nice profile story of our little Project. A reporter for a start-up known as BostInno.com called and put the article together. We're very grateful for the chance to spread the word about Bay State adventures.

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 12/06/2011
15:33
Forming the Massachusetts 351 Club
» Massachusetts 351

UPDATED: I need to reschedule this event. We could try a different date this spring or wait until next year. I'm up for people's suggestions.

###

Perhaps it is time for Massachusetts 351ers to unite.

One of the best parts of this experience - attempting to visit and photo every municipality in the state - has been hearing about other people's similar missions.

Vermonters have the Vermont 251 Club (active since 1954). I think its time we Bay Staters do something similar.

Here's the idea: to be a member of the Massachusetts 351 Club you have to "enjoy traveling the main streets and back roads of the Bay State."

That's it. No dues. No application. No test. Though most members will be thinking about, in the middle of, or finished with a quest to visit every town in the state.

What's the benefit? One day each year, every willing Club member will come together at a predetermined location and hang out. We can share stories, photos, tips. And food.

Maybe down the line we could invite a special speaker each year. Wonder if Doris Kearns Goodwin is available. Or Gov. Patrick. Or Matt Damon.

But I digress.

I declare the best place to meet would be the geographic center of the state, a town called Rutland. And what better establishment to patronize than one named Tavern On The Common?

When? In honor of the anniversary of our fair state's statehood, I suggest the annual gathering of the Massachusetts 351 Club should happen at lunchtime on the Saturday following the date the state joined the union, Feb. 6, 1788.

So the first annual meeting of the Massachusetts 351 Club should happen:

Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, at high noon.
At the Tavern On The Common, 249 Main Street, Rutland, MA 01543.

Who's with me?! If you think you can make it, please shoot me an e-mail at massachusetts351@gmail.com.

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10:10
Peabody
» Massachusetts 351

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09:46
Hatfield
» Massachusetts 351

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09:44
Goshen
» Massachusetts 351

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09:43
Colrain
» Massachusetts 351

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09:32
Whately
» Massachusetts 351

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 12/04/2011
21:58
Sorting out the towns
» Massachusetts 351

OK, after much sorting and double-checking and formatting, I believe our official town count is 182 193. If I am not mistaken, Laura and I have visited 182 193 of 351 municipalities (that's cities and towns but not villages) in Massachusetts.

Over the years, some pictures got misplaced on various computer folders. A handful of the snapshots were so terrible that we're not going to count them - we'll have to return for more legit photos in those towns.

Laura and I spent this weekend without the kids in Western Massachusetts and were actually able to make some MA351 progress. We stayed in a wonderful Bed & Breakfast in Colrain called High Pocket. And we managed to get four more towns (Goshen, Colrain, Whatley, and Hatfield) before rushing home to pick up the boys from their grandparents' house.

The takeaway from the trip: There is so much farmland out in northwestern Massachusetts. It really is amazingly quaint, quiet, and beautiful out there.

When I got home, I got right to work determining what our town count is officially at. I think I finally got the list accurate, in a Flickr set, alphabetically. So here it is:

If you'd like some musical accompaniment while watching the slideshow, play the video below simultaneously.

Enjoy!

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 11/17/2011
14:39
Shopping on the edge of Hudson, Berlin
» Massachusetts 351

Wherever you go, there you are. But where exactly is here when you're sitting in a parking spot with a town sign next to you?

It's not some version of limbo. It's a parking spot in front of the BJ's in Hudson ... or Berlin ... or both. I pick in this particular spot just to amuse myself - even though there are often spaces closer to the entrance.

If I angle the car just right, I can be in Berlin sitting in the front seat, while the boys are in Hudson in the back seat.

Read more of this blog post at telegram.com/hudson

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 11/07/2011
21:30
Growing a mustache for charity in Hudson
» Massachusetts 351

This is the lesson I take away from my six-day experiment: Never underestimate the generosity of family and friends.

Last November I heard about Movember.org, and ever since I had been debating whether I too should grow a mustache to raise money for the fight against prostate cancer.

Pro: Raising money for a good cause is rewarding.

Con: I look ridiculous with a mustache.

Read more at my Hudson Living blog.

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 11/05/2011
19:45
The case against the Wegmans (in Northborough) hype
» Massachusetts 351

Let's get this out of the way up front: I don't have anything against Wegman [www.blogger.com] It is probably a nice store. I bet I will shop there someday. My wife has been eager to get to the Northborough location since Opening Day.

What I take issue with is the hype surrounding Wegmans.

Which media organization talked to small business owners in Northborough and surrounding towns to ask what they thought about the arrival of Wegmans? Is there only one side to this story?

Read more at my Telegram.com/Hudson blog.

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 10/25/2011
17:22
The other side of Hudson's river
» Massachusetts 351

Living in a town is like forging a relationship. The courting, the discovery, the disagreements. The reoccurring question: Is this a good lifelong partnership?

That's what it's like for me anyway as I pass the days, months, and years living in Hudson. Some things I like. Some not as much. But I am committed to learning all I can about this place, to enjoying my time here, and to leaving it a little better than how I found it.

And that's how the toddler and I ended up on the Assabet River last Saturday, paddling upstream and then floating back, enjoying the foliage, spotting a rare mink along the shore, making sure we didn't tip our rented kayak into the chilled autumn water. What better way is there to get to know a place than navigating its channels?

Read more at telegram.com/hudson

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 10/03/2011
20:35
Eyes like a Hudson hawk
» Massachusetts 351

What is it about toddlers that makes them so good at noticing details? And what is it about us adults that makes us so oblivious to them?

These queries first appeared when we thought our 2.5-year-old had a superhero-like ability to spot sounds and sights almost beyond adult sensory range. Then we figured out most kids are like this. They notice airplanes dozens of miles away, just specks on the horizon really. Plenty of times I've said, "Hmmm, I'm not sure there is a plane out there right now ... oh wait, there it is." Kids and air traffic controllers are usually right when it comes to the skies.

Other special ability sightings include birds, squirrels, fire trucks, police cars, "diggers," and any car that's the same make and model as his grandma's.

Read more at telegram.com/hudson

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 07/30/2011
10:20
Beware of Dragons (Massachusetts)
» Massachusetts 351

I saw this image floating around Facebook and had to share. Growing up in "Florida," going to college where the dragons are, and now living in the "Midwest," this map is a pretty accurate portrayal according to friends who grew up near the Hub. Hey, until I went to college, while I had been to "Canada" many times, I had never been west of Interstate 495! I would have added to this map the "Badlands" for Rhode Island and "A Place You Drive Through on the Way to NYC" for Connecticut. In all seriousness, though, it's amazing just how much our little Bay State has to offer.

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 07/20/2011
21:05
A Pooh adventure (Westborough)
» Massachusetts 351

“If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together, there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart, I'll always be with you.”
-Winnie the Pooh

Brought the 2 1/2-year-old out to his first movie last weekend. He had no idea what to expect, and his mouth was just wide open for the first 20 minutes. The previews were so loud they hurt hurt my brain. I was reminded of when I was a kid and my father took me to a monster truck rally and we left because it hurt my ears. But my big guy made it to the main event and lasted until the last 15 minutes when he decided it was time to run around the movie complex. Another little boy passed us in the hall on the way out at about the same time and when I asked his grandma how old he was, she said 2 and a half.

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 07/16/2011
10:36
Just getting started (Hudson)
» Massachusetts 351

I'm helping organize a community garden in Hudson. It seems every surrounding town has one, so it's about time one takes root here. We've already got a website and Facebook group. Now we need more volunteers and a site. With any luck we'll be planting seeds in the spring.

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 07/06/2011
17:46
That boy sure is a runnin' fool (Hudson, Sudbury)
» Massachusetts 351

On one of our recent treks into nearby woods, the 2-year-old ran toward my camera. I took a bunch of photos and realized some stop motion experimentation might by in order. One thing is for sure, this kid loves running in the forest. (Tip: If you hit the HD button, the video will look a little nicer.)

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 06/22/2011
20:22
The joy of existence (Middlesex County)
» Massachusetts 351

(Great Meadows Wildlife Refuge, Sudbury)

I'm more a spiritual than religious person, but the pastor at our church is inspirational. In a note to congregation members as summer neared she provided some much-needed guidance as we learn to balance the new addition to our family...

"I challenge you all to take some Sabbath time this summer! Take one day a week to accomplish nothing. Commit to sitting still and being with God for ten minutes each day. Turn off your cell phone on the weekends. Say "no" to things that sap your energy and spirit. Sing out loud in your car. Walk through the woods in silence. Notice your children, your dog, or the birds and how they so naturally dwell in wonder and joy of existence. Give thanks to God for being alive."

We've taken it all to heart, but particularly tried to have one peaceful day per week. It's helped keep us grounded. Hope you faithful readers are finding ways to find moments of peace this summer.

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 06/20/2011
17:56
Stream of consciousness (Hudson)
» Massachusetts 351

The 2.5-year-old and I recently headed down the street to Danforth Falls in Hudson for a quick hike. The Big Guy knows by now that beyond the waterfall is a pond that is perfect for throwing rocks in - a favorite pastime.

But on this recent trip, the trail from the waterfall to the pond had been washed out. The stream, apparently, decided that in addition to its regular route to the waterfall, it would also flow down the path.

We had fun investigating, but we'll need to find a new way to get to the rock throwing pond. -b

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 06/18/2011
11:21
Telling his story (Marlborough)
» Massachusetts 351
When they're not tripping on their own feet, picking your vegetables before they're ripe, and peeing on your beanbag chair, toddlers can be pretty amusing, especially when it comes to storytelling. Our 2.5-year-old likes to pull out our books and pretend to read, "One time a big fat..."

Well, to make a long story short, the other day at about dinnertime we got detoured in the car and stuck in traffic. The two-month-old was crying and then the Big Guy started screaming, "No more crying!" I could feel my sanity oozing from my ear so I finally pulled over at the Marlborough Bertucci's.

The Big guy and I went inside to order a pizza, and while we waited he colored and helped fill in the blanks of this Mad Libs-type story. The answers he gave were pretty fun overall, but the best was when I asked for a number, "E," he says. Then later in the story I asked for another number, "I already told you, E." No a different number. "Oh, F."

So here is "Will's Delicious Recipe":
- Fill a large cup (a container) with salted milk (a liquid) and bring to a boil.
- Add broccoli (a vegetable) and bake in the oven until it turns green (a color).
- Stir well with your spoon (a body part). Toss in E (a number pounds of pickled white cheese (type of cheese).
- Spread the concoction over a bird's (pet) tail and cook (action word) around the kitchen hollering "pig"! (a crazy sound).
- Once it has cooled, season with salt (a spice) and freshly ground potatoes (a vegetable).
- Sprinkle some M&M's (your favorite candy) over the top.
- Reheat until it reaches F (a number) degrees.
- Place bouncy-sized (type of ball) scoops into a digger (type of footwear) and and garnish the serving with a side of lilacs (type of flower).
- Serve to your friends Chloe (a friend) and Tara (a friend), and say, "Will's (your name) delicious recipe!"
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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 06/07/2011
17:13
We're in a magazine! (Millbury-based baystateparent)
» Massachusetts 351

Check out this month's edition of baystateparent magazine for a five-page article with color photos on the Massachusetts 351 Project. I submitted our photos and wrote the piece for this wonderful parenting publication and they designed the package beautifully. You can flip through the online version here. We're on Page 33...

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 06/02/2011
19:12
Brothers in harmony (in Hudson)
» Massachusetts 351

The past six weeks have been an adjustment for each member of our family. And a blessing.

One of our favorite songs has often come to mind. It's called "Murder in the City" by the Avett Brothers (lyrics in italics):

I wonder which brother is better. Which one our parents love the most...

I sure did get in lots of trouble. They seemed to let the other go...

A tear fell from my father's eyes. I wondered what my dad would say...

He said, 'I love you, and I'm proud of you both in so many different ways.'

Always remember there was nothing worth sharing, like the love that let us share our name.

When we daydream about our boys' relationship as adults, we sometimes like to picture them as bearded bandmates.

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 05/31/2011
12:27
Swinging for the fences (Hudson, Assabet River Rail Trail)
» Massachusetts 351

Thank the Gods above for rail trails. Where we live in Hudson, there aren't many recreational opportunities. It's a semi-urban environment, but the Assabet River Rail Trail runs right through town and it offers an easy excuse to get outside. Maybe there's a rail trail near you.

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 05/21/2011
16:24
Investigate, Explore, Discover! (Stow)
» Massachusetts 351

There is nothing our family enjoys more than being outside. Each one of us is at our best as human beings when out in nature - and at our worst when we're indoors too long.

One of our favorite places near home is Pine Bluff Recreation Area in Stow. There is a pond, playground, soccer field, and some trails. Recently, we got a close-up view of the winter erosion of Lake Boon's shore.

The water had washed away significant dirt supporting the root systems of giant pines. It was a tad bit scary letting him climb up under these massive trees, but they seemed stable for the moment.

After all these roots extend farther into the earth than we can imagine.

And if you turn your back for a second, your toddler is bound to push the boundaries. In our family, though, we don't mind getting wet or dirty in pursuit of adventure.

In fact, sometimes we'll go to extremes for a chance to get outside, hence this duct tape belt. We like to follow the mottos of two of our favorite PBS shows:

Investigate, Explore, Discover! -Sid the Science Kid

Get outside. Get into nature. And make your own discoveries. -Dinosaur Train

Thanks TV for telling us to turn you off.

-b

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 05/09/2011
16:53
Petal Puddle Power (Hudson)
» Massachusetts 351

We took this photo on Mother's Day on our way to visit new arrival Levi and Mama at the hospital. There is a small window each spring when the trees outside our home bloom with gorgeous flowers of pink, purple and white. Walking around the yard, you can catch great wafts of soap-like fragrance coming down from the trees. It's all over too fast. The petals fall, in this case in a puddle, though I'm not sure what brought them all to the shore of this tiny parking lot lake. Maybe the cool spring wind? The thing about living in New England is that after a bitter winter you almost forget moments like this will return. -b

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 04/26/2011
12:05
This advice is rock solid (Acton)
» Massachusetts 351

The Acton Library has this granite block as the centerpiece for its memorial garden.

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 03/21/2011
13:11
Jammin' at the play center (Maynard)
» Massachusetts 351

It's raining. It's snowing. It's too hot. They're bored. They're whining. If you're a parent (especially a stay-at-home parent) you've gotta have an ace in the hole at your disposal: an indoor play center. They're built to entertain kids - but they're greatest value is saving parents' sanity.

Ideally, you want it nearby. And, if you're also a penny pincher like me, you want it to be affordable.

Lately, we've being going to a new indoor play center in Maynard called Jam Time. They have slides and a ball pit and a bouncy house.

They even have a cool bridge with a see through floor. Remember that scene from Indiana Jones when he has to take a "leap of faith" across that invisible bridge? It's kind of like that.

But best of all - according to our 2-year-old - they have a Thomas the Tank Engine train table. We have a train table that he plays with all day. But that doesn't stop him from hovering over the same thing if he can find it outside the home.

In the past we went to an indoor play center in Northborough, but it's closed now. Over the winter we had a tot membership to the Westborough YMCA which has a crazy, indoor elevated tube thing for kids - and a pool. The Discovery Museums in Acton are great but just a bit out of our price range for regular visits. We've even resorted to the McDonald's indoor playground once or twice. (If you're on the Cape, there's a great kids museum in Mashpee.)

But Jam Time has a special: $5 on Mondays from 3-5:30 p.m. (and they don't charge for parents). Which is a perfect price for me. And a perfect venue for a tyke who's into trains.

Let us know if you know of any other indoor play centers for kids in Massachusetts!

-b

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 03/17/2011
12:38
Taking our cheeky one to his first live theater performance (Worcester)
» Massachusetts 351

Our son Will is obsessed with Thomas the Train. He thinks the library's main purpose is to supply us with Thomas DVDs. He constantly sings the theme song: "Thomas is the cheeky one!" Some of his favorite catch phrases - "Bust my buffers!" - come from Thomas. And even though his has a train table at home, if we go someplace new that has a train table, that's where he spends all his time. Laura and I, unlike some parents, don't mind Thomas' slow pace and lack of flashiness. So when I learned from baystateparent magazine that Thomas the Musical was coming to the Hanover Theater in Worcester, we jumped at the chance to use some money we got for Christmas for a family outing.

We'd been curious about the theater's renovations and found it was gorgeous.

Will was awestruck at first, but by the end of the show he was dancing all over the place. In the picture above, Will is reaching out for another kid's Thomas toy - even though he has his own Thomas in the other hand.

-b

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 03/01/2011
13:21
Snowed in no more
» Massachusetts 351

It's easy to feel claustrophobic during the long winter season in New England, so I've always made it a priority to get outside. I used to ski and snowboard, but it's just too darn expensive these days, especially with a growing family and a tight budget. Recently I got a Groupon to learn how to cross country ski at the Weston Ski Track. But at the last minute, I decided to take a snowshoe lesson there. Good decision. A few weeks later and I'm testing out my new snowshoes on the Assabet River Rail Trail just a few feet from our front door. Snowshoes seem good so far: Don't need a whole bunch of equipment to fuss over. Don't need a lift ticket. Don't need a half day to devote to it. No talent necessary. Just put on your snowshoes and walk around in the snow. We're looking forward to becoming a snowshoe family. -b

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 12/23/2010
09:31
Happy Holidays from the Massachusetts 351 Family to Yours
» Massachusetts 351

Edaville USA, Carver, Massachusetts

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 12/21/2010
13:21
Higgins Armory in Worcester is a Blast
» Massachusetts 351

Did you know there are knights in shining armor in Worcester? The Higgins Armory Museum has them on display along with so much more.

Will and I enjoy getting free library passes and trying out new places a few times per month. We finally got to Higgins last week. I was pretty skeptical this would be anything I'd be impressed by, and even more dubious Will would enjoy the trip.

He's almost 2 and doesn't really know and/or care about knights, kings, swords, dragons etc. But he likes building sandcastles, so I told him we were going to see the big castle and he was cool with that.

My little dude naps at noon, so we got there at 9:59 a.m. on a Friday, just when they opened, and stood outside freezing before being let in after a few minutes of door banging.

The only other people there were a bus load of students on a field trip. Will enjoyed walking right into the middle of a pack of students and listening to the tour guides, which completely threw them off. Perhaps he reminded them of an elf that had escaped from one of their displays.

I took way too many photos because there was just too much awesome stuff on three floors of medieval museum pieces, some centuries old, and plenty of hands on activities for kids. Here are a few pictures that will give you a taste of why this place is worth the trip:

The Great Hall is lined with knight's armor, helmets, weapons, muskets. Everything you'd need to storm a castle in 1392. Will enjoyed having me hop him from bench to bench the most.

Here is how much a knight could see in battle. Not exactly a confidence booster.

Here is my little knight romping around a giant chess board. In this room he could dress up, play with plastic knights, read books, make color rubbings. I want to return when he's ready to face me in chess.

The museum includes tons of artifacts, from ancient Greece to Samurai, but it also has a fun room dedicated to the mysterious with displays of a dragon, mermaid, bigfoot and all kinds of oddly cool creatures.

Of course the "toy" castle was a huge hit. "Quick, raise the drawbridge before that gigantic baby monster destroys us!"

Whenever we leave a new place I ask Will what he liked about it. Driving away, we had just a few minutes before he passed out. Apparently, he liked the "horsies," which were life-size to show knights jousting; the "alligator," which, translated, means the elevator; the "helmets," which he got to try on; and the "dinosaurs," the dragons in that creepy curiosities room. He also pointed out that he did not enjoy sharing the toy knights at the play castle with another little boy there with his grandma. "Mine, mine, mine," which translates to, "Off with his head!"

-b

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 12/16/2010
07:41
Finding Massachusetts-grown food in the off season
» Massachusetts 351

Made a great discovery the other day while driving to Will's playgroup: A new place nearby to get veggies and apples until the winter farmers markets start up.

Our family tries to eat as much locally-grown produce as possible, which is easy during the growing season. We've taken steps to preserve - through canning and freezing - a lot of summer stuff to last through the winter. And we have dreams about becoming true locavores and only eating what's in season or self-preserved. But we're not quite there yet.

Finding places to buy a staple like potatoes can be tricky this time of year. Most farm stands and farmers markets have shut down as Massachusetts ushers in the snowflakes. I've been picking up potatoes and apples at Carver Hill Orchard in Stow, but they close for the year on Dec. 22.

So this week Will and I headed out to Applefield Farm in Stow, where we went a few times last year. Their stand had a good variety, and I think they're open through the end of December. But as we pulled into the lot we realized they are closed the one day of the week we were there: Wednesday.

We drove back toward playgroup and noticed a sign for Derby's claiming they had apples and veggies. We must have driven by there 100 times and never gone in. These kind of places don't exactly have neon signs that make them impossible to miss.

Anyway, they have everything we need until the Wayland Winter Farmers Market starts up in January. Will and I picked out onions and potatoes from Western Massachusetts, carrots from the dormant Small Farm, and apples from Derby's orchards. We also snagged a few honey sticks because Will likes them.

So keep your eyes peeled. You may discover, right under your nose, a great local farmstand that is still open and eager to serve you.

-b

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 12/13/2010
07:10
Visiting Edaville Railroad in Carver before it is too late
» Massachusetts 351

A few years back, Laura and I were driving west on the Mass Pike on a pilgrimage to see James Taylor at Tanglewood. The traffic just getting off the highway (at the last exit before New York) was backed up for miles. Then it snaked through the back roads of the Berkshires, taking us hours just to get from the Pike to the music. It was worse than any concert at Great Woods or Foxborough, and I haven't seen anything like it in a while.

But as we were leaving Edaville Railroad in Carver Saturday night, the super long line of cars flowing in through the side streets reminded us of that JT show. We guessed that the people coming in at 6 p.m. wouldn't be on the holiday-themed ride until 9 that night, taking into account the herd of people and strollers we saw waiting to board one of the two trains in the park.

The scene baffled us. In recent months we had heard Edaville was struggling - it turns out the amusement park is for sale and if an owner isn't found soon it could close. Laura had never been there. And I had just a few memories while living in Wareham as a tot. With Will around we had an excuse to check it out before who knows what became of the historic landmark.

When we arrived at opening time (Will sporting is corduroy train overalls), we were within the first dozen cars that pulled in. But the staff was positioned like they expected a U2 show. We laughed that they looked a bit optimistic. What was this place anyway? Another Wally World?

Turns out the creators of Edaville have accurately mapped the inner workings of the minds of 2-year-old boys. There are trains of all sizes - which are pretty much magnets for kids - strategically placed all around. But there is so much more that makes the not so cheap price of admission worth it. And people in the hundreds of SUVs, mini vans and station wagons pulling in Saturday night knew that. Edaville didn't look like a struggling business to us. In fact, it felt just the opposite - thanks to the geniuses who can read kids' minds.

Of course the iconic 2.5 mile train ride was tons of fun. The train cars are warm and well-maintained with large windows and plenty to look at. It was Will's second train ride (you can read about the first here) and he was loving it. If you go, just make sure you try to beat the rush for the ride once it gets dark out.

Trains are certainly the park's specialty, including smaller ones that six-foot adults barely fit into.

And bigger ones that don't go anywhere at all. Turns out, Will was obsessed with the smallest trains of all - the small, wooden toy choo choos set up on Thomas the Tank Engine tracks inside the main building.

Though the ball bit (dubbed a cranberry bog because of that crop's deep roots in the region) distracted him from crowing about having to share Henry, Thomas' green friend, for a few minutes.

There was a fire truck, a giant roller for flattening roads, a working antique carousel, and even a bulldozer, the latter of which Will just recently figured out how to say using three syllables. Santa was there to take present requests and his statue was outside...

Which Will enjoyed posing for by acting like he had just summitted some impressive mountain.

But the moment that tugged on our heartstrings the most was seeing out little boy, who just two years ago couldn't hold his own head up, on a ride by himself. This one was made specially for the little kids. Beforehand, we were sure he would freak out and we'd have to stop the ride to comfort him. But he loved it. And he didn't need help from us. It's the kind of moment that reminds us we'll be teaching him to drive and sending him off to college in a blink of an eye.

Hopefully, between now and then we'll be able to return to Edaville to make a few more memories. There's a sign on the premises that says: "It's not Christmastime until you've been to Edaville." Maybe the genius of Edaville is not just catering to kids, but subliminally reaching their parents who long for those special times together as a family.

Edaville gets our MA351 stamp of approval. Please visit so they're overwhelmed with support, convincing a solid buyer to come forward, which will force this wonderful place to stay open indefinitely.

-b

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 11/18/2010
13:52
Willy the Kid
» Massachusetts 351

So far our little guy enjoys timeouts and rides in police cars. I should probably make sure he never sees one of my favorite movies, Young Guns, so he doesn't get any ideas about becoming the next Willy the Kid.

This morning we tagged along with the Together We Can Family Network on a tour of the Marlborough Police Station, or as Will calls it, "the police car station."

He had his police man toy ready to go - which the other kids were very interested in.

(Oh, on a side note, before we got out of the car to start the tour, he made me "change police man diaper.")

The highlight of the building tour (besides the M&M machines Will found important to point out) was the cells, though I was disappointed the bars you see on TV had been replaced with doors. How are the other lawbreakers supposed to hear the sweet harmonica music from a few cells down?

Will asked if he could go to sleep on the bed. I told him I didn't think Mama would like that.

As we walked away I noticed he no longer had his drink in his hands. "Will! Got get your juice!" Maybe he was leaving it there in case the next occupant was thirsty.

But nothing tops the police cars.

At this point, I couldn't get the theme song from Cops out of my head. He was so ticked off when the "ride" in the back of the cruiser was over that he refused to get in the group photo with the other kids in front of the car.

A few minutes later, he took out his aggression on the training dummies.

Wait a minute! Can't they use someone else's name for this angry, lifeless, punching bag?! I suggest Barney, Thomas, or Caillou.

As the tour wrapped up and kids started heading home, I asked Will if I could take a picture of his police badge sticker. He wasn't having it. He wanted to go back inside and see the cells.

But I'm nothing if not diligent.

When I asked him on the ride home what he thought of the adventure, he said, "No share police man, Dada." Got it, you don't have to share him as long as you promise never to get yourself a real ride in his car.

-b

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 11/08/2010
12:04
Willy on the MBTA
» Massachusetts 351

There is nothing trickier than being a stay-at-home parent on a rainy Monday. Most museums are closed, few libraries have Monday activities, and the wetness rules out outdoor stuff like hikes, farms, and playgrounds.

So at the last minute, I decided to take Will on his first train ride. We had 15 minutes to get ready before a 20 minute ride to the South Acton commuter stop, and a 10 minute walk from wherever we could find parking. The train left at 9:24 a.m.

Let's just say that's easier said than done. Will is going through an "I don't like to wear pants" phase. And dad once again left something on the roof of the car to fall off and smash (this time my glass bottle of juice).

The entire car ride there, Will kept on saying, "Ride the choo choo train, Dada." I was just hoping this whole adventure would work. Would we find a legal place to park? Would the train come on time? How hard would it rain on us? Did I remember enough snacks? Where exactly did we plan on getting off? Would we be able to catch the train back or miss it and have to wait for another right through nap time?

Thankfully, Will wasn't scared when the enormous train rolled up. The conductors seemed pretty psyched (well, as psyched as a MBTA worker could be I guess) to have an almost-two-year-old taking his first train ride. One gave him a used Charlie card.

For $2.50 we rolled past the West Concord stop (where I worked for five years before becoming a stay-at-home dad), then past the Concord stop, and all the way to Lincoln. Maybe a 20 minute ride in all. I called a friend on the way to confirm the Lincoln stop had a cafe for us to hang out in.

We went over to the Whistlestop Cafe, grabbed a chocolate muffin, played with some plastic animals for about 20 minutes, and then hopped back on the train to South Acton. It was only a few minutes late.

Overall, Will was in awe during the entire experience. But toward the end he was getting sleepy (thanks obsolete Daylight Savings Time) and he passed out on the car ride home.

Laura has a theory I subscribe to: Will and I should do one fun thing for him each day we're home together. There are plenty of chores and errands to run, but we want our little sponge to just soak up the experiences of life. Sure, we're sacrificing my full-time salary to help keep the house running, but that needs to be balanced with Will's needs. The train ride was a great rainy Monday success, so I think we'll try it again sometime and maybe go farther. Maybe, as Will would say, we'll go to infinity and beyond.

-b

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 09/30/2010
12:42
The Wonders of Walden
» Massachusetts 351

Walden Pond in Concord means a lot to a lot of people. For us, Concord has always been a mecca. Laura loves the Alcotts. I grew up worshiping the Transcendentalists and the central quote highlighted the film Dead Poets Society: "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately..." A well-worn copy of Walden sits on our nightstand.

In college, during the early years of us dating, Laura and I made a pilgrimage to Walden Pond. About a decade later, we decided we wanted our children to be born in Concord - at Emerson Hospital - so that it would always be listed on their birth certificates.

Ever since Will was born, we've wanted to take him to Walden Pond. I'm guessing Thoreau would be bummed out that his sanctuary has become a tourist destination, but it's still worth a look. This week - with a library pass making parking free! - Will and I stopped by on the way to pick up this week's CSA farm share at a nearby Concord farm...

To get Will to be cooperative when we set out on adventures, I have to phrase things in ways that he can relate. So before we set out for Walden, I asked him if he wanted to "go throw rocks in the pond." Of course, that is one of his favorite activities so he was up for the trip. And while there weren't many rocks, we did find some over-sized acorns to toss.
Right near the parking lot, there's a replica of Thoreau's hut, and a statue of the man who Will called "the man." I wonder if he would've appreciated a game of wiffle ball with a 21-month-old.

Inside the hut, we made Will's visit official.

To a tot, the walk to the site must seem like a thousand miles, particularly when all you really want to do is stay at the beach and throw more acorns in the pond while watching all the people swimming across it.

After passing some old-timer swim club, seeing some topless European grandma bathing, and getting passed by a high school cross country team, we made it.

Which thrilled Will who must have thought: "This Thoreau guy must have been pretty cool to have such a great collection of rocks."

Though I'm sure Will wished he could have colored on some like the ones we found.

Lacking markers or crayons, Will proceeded to pick a rock the size of his head up and hurl it against this tree repeatedly - to the jaw-dropping amusement of a few tourists checking out the former hut site nearby. One even took out his camera to document Will's antics and complimented his Red Sox shirt.

It was definitely worth the walk.

That said, Will was happy to get back to the water, where he found an abandoned digger and a few legit rocks to toss...

And a ladybug we named Henry.

-b

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 09/28/2010
08:19
Towns We've Officially Been To (Updated with Peabody)
» Massachusetts 351

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Massachusetts blogs (US-MA), 09/13/2010
08:23
pittsfield
» Massachusetts 351

Sept. 2010
Pittsfield is here in Berkshire County

For more about Pittsfield, visit its Wikipedia entry.

Also, please feel free to leave comments below about your favorite things about Pittsfield.

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