10 Books to Celebrate Fall
Books are a great way to ring in a new season. In the fall, there's the added bonus of cuddling up with a blanket and a good book! Here's a list of some of our favorite autumn reads. Bring on the cozy! Look What I Did with a Leaf - Morteza E. SohiWe're Going On a Leaf...
DIY Beeswax Autumn Garland
As seasons go, Fall is definitely my favorite. Crisp, cool air makes for perfect hiking weather and the colors! The changing colors I just can't seem to get enough of. But if one thing is for certain, Fall goes by fast, and before we know it those vibrant leaves are...
20 Family-Friendly Fall Foliage Hikes
When it comes to fall foliage, nothing beats the spectrum of colors on display in the Berkshire hills. Leaf peepers rejoice as the forested landscape erupts into shades of copper, cornelian, cranberry, gold, and every hue in between. From late September to October,...
A Dream Forgotten – Getty Memorial Conservation Area
In 1972, Raynard Getty, a high school science teacher, began developing 50 acres behind the Dalton school into a conservation area. In conjunction with classroom studies, Wahconah students, alongside Getty, worked on extensive plans to create a wildlife refuge, 4 1/2 miles of nature trails, two tree farms, a large fieldstone fireplace, and a small pond. A teacher truly ahead of his time,
Getty described his vision as, “a quiet area where students can go to think and meditate.”
Bird Brains – Geese Lessons
Lately, the nights have been loud with katydids and I’ve been grabbing a sweatshirt for my morning walks. Fall is definitely in the air. The geese flocks in our nearby ponds are getting restless, somehow sensing the southward journey. As the days become shorter, instinctively they’ll know it’s time to migrate.
We’re all familiar with the breathtaking sight of a flock of geese winging overhead in that “V” formation but did you know that it is a pretty perfect example of teamwork?
Bird Brains – Bird Behavior Bingo
The bird world is full of some wacky stuff. From Anting to Drumming, there are so many things to discover when you take a moment and observe.
Read a bit about some of these behaviors and then take it outside! Print out the Bird Behavior Bingo worksheet and see how many of these behaviors you can spot on a walk around your neighborhood, local park, or wildlife sanctuary.
Mom’s Day Out – Berkshire Camino
Top Hikes for Accessibility in the Berkshires
Being outdoors and in nature is beneficial in so many ways. From healing health benefits, building community connections, education, or just having some fun, the outdoors is a gift. And that gift...
Bird Brains – Anting Antics Activity
Pooh Sticks Paradise – Margaret Lindley Park
When we visited in May, we didn’t think to much of the swimming area in regards to the global pandemic. It was too early to swim and Covid still seemed like a temporary inconvenience that would be sorted in no time at all. Cut to August and everything’s still closed, we’re gearing up for remote learning, and our Berkshire bubble is a maze of masked mortals waiting for the other shoe to drop. The only thing I could do without these days is the constant reminder of all the things we took for granted before the pandemic.
WildMath – Outdoor Array Hunt
Man, homeschooling has got me feeling all types of ways. Stressed ✔️ scared ✔️ overwhelmed ✔️✔️ but I'd be lying if I wasn't a little excited (like the eensiest, let's not go overboard here) 😬This is a unique opportunity to be involved in the kid's learning at a...
The Caveman Cometh – Tory Cave Falls
Where We Went: Tory Cave Falls - October Mountain State Forest, Lenoxdale, MA When We Went: Mid-June 2020 Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10): 2 Boots, (3 Boots to get to the cave) Trail Length: Just over 0.5 miles roundtrip How Long it Took Us: 1.5 hours...
Mom’s Day Out – The Mount
"...the Mount was to give me country cares and joys, long happy rides and drives through the wooded lanes of that loveliest region, the companionship of a few dear friends, and the freedom from the trivial obligations which was necessary if I was to go on with my...
Raei Bridges – The Rusty Anvil
Raei is the CEO, founder and lead guide at The Rusty Anvil, a local Berkshire organization that connects marginalized communities, People of Color, and LGBTQ+ individuals with the natural world through wilderness trips, wildlife study, and outdoor skills. Raei is also...
Gold Diggers & Cave Crawlers – Widow White Reserve
Where We Went : Widow White Reservation - Lanesboro, MA When We Went : Early April & again in Late May Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : Steep in places, but mostly easy walking on wide wood roads 2.5 Boots Trail Length : NO...
10 Quotes for Summer Solstice
10 Quotes for Summer SolsticeSummer Solstice. The longest day of the year is at hand. Taken literally, solstice means that the sun stands still. But like naturalist Hal Borland said, "There is no standing still in any season. The earth turns, and the year turns, and...
This One’s For Beginners – Old Mill Trail
Where We Went : Old Mill Trail, Hinsdale MA When We Went : July 2019 Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 1 Boot Trail Length : 1.5 miles, up and back (about 1 hour) First 0.7 miles is Accessible Trail, the remainder crosses Route 8 and follows the Housatonic River downstream....
Faded Footsteps – Arrowhead Nature Trail
Where We Went : Arrowhead Nature Trail, Pittsfield/Lenox MA When We Went : Mid-April Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 1.5 Boots Trail Length : 0.5 Mile How Long it Took Us : 1 Hour Overview : "Leviathan, white whale - Call me Ishmael. Sailor, novelist - A failure until...
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
I took this picture on a recent hike and didn‘t think twice about it. I was going through my camera roll and it struck me differently. Tay usually writes the blog posts around here, but since it's Mother's Day, I wanted to try and write down how this picture makes me...
Cattle Calls & Waterfalls – Glendale Falls
Where We Went : Glendale Falls, Middlefield MA When We Went : Mid-March Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 3 Boots Trail Length : 1/4 Mile to the base of the Falls How Long it Took Us : 1.5 Hours Overview : For a town with a population of less than 600, Middlefield sure has...
Pooled Echoes of the Past – Duncan Brook Reservoir
Where We Went : Duncan Brook, Dalton MA When We Went : 1st Week of April Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 2.5 Boots (based on lack of trails) Trail Length : No Marked Trails How Long it Took Us : 2 Hours Overview : In 1957,...
20 Open-Air Spaces for Berkshire Families
With every aspect of our lives suddenly disrupted, nature and outdoor activities provide essential stability, stress-relief and distraction to the current crisis. Lucky for us, the Berkshires is bursting with open-air spaces. With Spring on the horizon and increasing...
Concerto For A Crisis
I've been struggling with what to write these days. We're hiking more than ever to fill the empty time, yet when I sit down to write a review, the words feel forced. And not because my heart's not in it, no - my heart has never before been more tied or in tune...
Great Spot! – Kennedy Park
Today my Iphone photos reminded me that we did this hike April 13, 2019. And here I sit, one year to the day wondering why I never put this review down on paper. It's a rainy day, much like the one that brought us to Kennedy in search of the red-spotted newts. But...
Ticked Off
Once springtime hits and the first flutters of mild weather breeze in, we're all ready to get outside after a long, dreary winter. But with the spring thaw comes the onslaught of a nuisance of a different kind, the devil's parasite - yup. The tick. But as the wise old...
Calm Against Confusion – Diane’s Trail
Where We Went : Diane's Trail - Monterey, MA When We Went : First of March Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 1.5 Boots Trail Length : 1.5 mile loop trail How Long it Took Us : 1.5 Hours Overview : In 1913, social reformers Agnes and William Gould, moved to Monterey and...
5 Reasons To Walk In The Rain – Ashuwillticook Rail Trail
airheWhere We Went : Ashuwillticook Rail Trail/Lanesborough entrance When We Went : Mid-June Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 0 Boots! (except for our rain boots) Trail Length : 11.2 Miles (We only walked about 1.5 miles before turning around.) How Long it Took Us : 2...
Treasure Hunting – Mountain Meadow Preserve
Where We Went: Mountain Meadow Preserve / Williamstown, MA & Pownal, Vermont When We Went: Last day of August Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 0.5 Boot - 1 Boot Trail Length: 4.1 miles of trails - Trail surrounding Mountain Meadow is less than 1-mile loop How Long it...
Roots Both Bitter & Sweet – Longcope Park
Where We Went : Longcope Park - South Lee, MA When We Went : Early January Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 1.5 Boots Trail Length : Loop Trail, just under 1 mile (Blue Blazes) How Long it Took Us : 2 Hours Overview : Janet Longcope Park is 46-acres of eastern hemlock,...
Ghosts In A Granite Graveyard – Historic Becket Quarry
Where We Went : Historic Becket Quarry When We Went : Mid-August Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 1.5 Boots Trail Length : Varying Lengths - Quarry Trail is under 3 miles round trip How Long it Took Us : 2.5 Hours Overview : Along with Autumn's colorful arrival comes the...
50 Things To Do On the Trail
Sometimes keeping spirits up and minds occupied is more exhausting than the actual hiking! These games and activities will help you and your children stay engaged and interested out on the trail. Keep scrolling for all 50. 50 Things To Do On The Trail Follow...
Maple Seed Dragonflies
Helicopters, whirlybirds, twisters, propellers, or whirligigs - whatever you call the seeds of the maple tree, they are a source of fun no matter your age. The scientific term for these flying wonders is samara. We have so much fun flying these outdoors! After seeing...
Where There’s a Hill, There’s a Way – Constitution Hill
Where We Went : Constitution Hill, Lanesborough MA When We Went : Late February Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 6 Kid's Sized Boots (I'll explain.) Trail Length : 1.7 miles Constitution Hill Trail How Long it Took Us : 3 hours Overview : In the current political climate...
Amidst Ancient Air – Bullard Woods
Where We Went : Bullard Woods Lenox/Stockbridge, MA When We Went : Mid- February Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 2 Boots Trail Length : 1.4 miles loop trail How Long it Took Us : 2 Hours "Bullard Woods: A sanctuary for wildlife and human spirit" Overview : Bullard Woods...
Dalton Dynasty – Crane’s Pond
Where We Went: Crane's Pond - unofficial trails adjacent to the Boulders off of Gulf Road, Dalton MA When We Went: Both April & November Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10): 1 Boot Trail Length: 1/2 mile of walking, various trails How Long it Took Us: 1.5 hours Overview:...
Rocks & Recollections – Thomas and Palmer Brook
Where We Went : Thomas & Palmer Brook - Great Barrington When We Went : Early February Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 1 Boot Trail Length : .5 mile Pasture Trail / About a mile up wood road How Long it Took Us : We were there almost an hour before M dunked himself...
Sorry For Grousing – Dorothy Frances Rice Wildlife Sanctuary
Where We Went : Dorothy Frances Rice Wildlife Sanctuary - Peru, MA When We Went : June 1st Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 1 - 2 Boots Trail Length : Varied trail network totaling 5 miles - All marked by colors - We hiked the Pond trail, Pink Trail, Yellow Trail, and some...
Benefits of Beavers & Bloedel – Field Farm
Where We Went : Field Farm, Williamstown When We Went : Mid- November Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 1 Boot Trail Length : 4 Miles of Trails How Long it Took Us : 2 Hours Overview : This former land of the Mohican and Mohawk tribes is tucked away in a valley...
Air Bug & Bee – Indoor Nature Connection Day 7
Do bugs shelter in place? You better bee-lieve it! Their reasons may be a little different than ours but they too need a safe nook to nest and hibernate. We can help our insect pals by building them a bug hotel. Hang it in your garden or backyard, just don't expect...
Eat Like an Insect – Indoor Nature Connection Day 6
Today we'll be investigating how different kinds of insects eat and how their mouthparts are specially adapted to eat the food in their environments. This interactive activity allows kids to try to eat like different insects and learn how their unique mouths dictate...
Spring-O! Indoor Nature Connections Day 5
It's officially Spring and nature is bursting with change! Tree buds are on the verge of opening and numerous Ever smelled the rotten odor of the skunk cabbage? Or see the earthworms resurface after a Spring rain? How many signs of Spring have you experienced before?...
Indoor Nature Connections: Day 4
Spring rain may not need our help but all those extra toilet paper rolls do! Here's a project that went right down the tubes... Tape 'em together and get your dance on. Gather Your Supplies: Cardboard Tubes (Toilet paper, Paper Towel, Wrapping Paper, etc.) Paper...
Indoor Nature Connections: Day 3
Sensory Sit Spot A sit spot is simply a place in nature that you visit regularly. It can help you expand your senses and cultivate awareness while observing the world around you. You can choose to do this outside if you wish, but with so many stuck inside, I wanted to...
Indoor Nature Connections: Day 2
Race to the Rainbow In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, put an Irish spin on a color matching activity! We've combined an easy arts & craft project with a fun scavenger hunt. 1. Print out the template using this link. (You can draw your own or you use colored...
Indoor Nature Connections: Day 1
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Indoor Nature Connection // 7-Day March Mini-Course
Let’s face it. This is tough on everyone. And it's gonna be a rough couple weeks for families thrown out of their typical routines and cooped up at home. Under these new circumstances, we may have no other choice but to spend most - if not all - of our time indoors....
In the Shadow of Purple Majesty – Greylock Glen Meadow
Where We Went : Greylock Glen - Adams When We Went : Mid- May Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 0.5 Boot Trail Length : Handicapped Accesible Greylock Glen Meadow Loop Trail - 1.7 miles // Moser Farm Loop Trail - 2.2 miles How Long it Took Us : 2 Hours "I pointed to a hill...
Diamond In The Rough – Steven’s Glen
Where We Went : Steven’s Glen - Richmond / West Stockbridge, MA When We Went : Mid-June Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 2 Boots Trail Length : 1.4 miles round trip / 45 minutes How Long it Took Us : 2 hours Overview : One of the more overlooked waterfalls in the...
Tall Tales & Torrents – Wahconah Falls State Park
Where We Went : Wahconah Falls State Park - Dalton, MA When We Went : April 2019 Difficulty (Boots 1 - 5) : 2 Boots Trail Length : 0.6 miles up and back / 45 minutes to 1 hour How Long it Took Us : 2 hours Overview : A wide, unmarked road leads to the base of Wahconah...
Leave It To Beaver – Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
Where We Went : Mass Audubon Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary / Lenox, MA When We Went : End of June Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 1 Boot Trail Length : 7 miles of trails (All Persons Trail: 0.3 miles) How Long it Took Us : 2.5 Hours Overview : Gee whiz, Wally!...
So Nice, We Hiked It Twice – Natural Bridge State Park
Where We Went : Natural Bridge State Park (North Adams, MA) When We Went : Early June - both times! Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 2 Boots around the Bridges Area - 1 Boot on the Elder Trail (Healthy Heart Trail) Trail Length : The Natural Bridge "Trail" is a short 0.3...
Gone Pishing…
To those in the know - AKA bird watchers - "pishing" is a universal term used to describe the various sounds one can make to entice smaller birds to come a lil' bit closer. The jury's still out as to why this works, although there are quite a few theories: The "pshh"...
First Day Hike – Trees & Transitions
2020 rushed in and we kicked off the 1st day of the New Year with...what else?! A hike! Joined by my sister and her family, our group headed back to Glen Meadows for some bracing air and open sky. We got both in spades,...
Trekollections 2019 – A Look Back & Ahead
"The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a big hearty yes to your adventure." - Joseph Conrad I've never been much of a resolution maker, let alone a resolution keeper. January 1st would arrive with the usual, "eat better, exercise, drink more...
5 Activities for Winter Tree Week
"No one can walk in a road cut through pine woods without being struck by the architectural appearance of the grove, especially in winter when the bareness of the trees show the low arch of the Saxons. In the woods on a winter afternoon one will see as readily the...
Winter Hike – Canoe Meadows
Where We Went : Mass Audubon Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary / Pittsfield, MA When We Went : February 2019 Difficulty (Boots 1 - 10) : 1 Boot / 1.5 Boot with snow on the ground Trail Length : Sacred Way Trail 1.2 miles / 1 hour How Long it Took Us : 2.5 hours...
Wolf Trees on a Wolf Moon – Road’s End Wildlife Sanctuary
Where We Went : Mass Audubon Road's End Wildlife Sanctuary / Worthington When We Went : January 10th Difficulty / Boots 1 - 10 : 2 Boots Trail Length : 1 mile How Long it Took Us : 2.5 Hours Overview : January 10th -...
BFH’s Holiday Gift Guide 2019
Guys, it's that time of year and mannnn...already I wanna buy ALL. THE. THINGS. And like anything involving my wallet, shit can get outta hand QUICK. But here's the thing, we recently moved and along the way, I attempted to purge an ungodly amount of toys, games,...
8 Winter Hikes for Families
Winter is a wonderful time of year to hike. Blankets of snow and the crisp, cold air bring a fresh perspective to many of our favorite, familiar places. Views are clearer and unobstructed, bugs are a non-issue, and animal tracks turn us all into snow...
7 Winter Solstice Rituals (+ Free Printable)
During the busy holiday months it's so easy to get caught up in the rush and bustle, swept into the commercial cyclone and miss out on moments to reflect, connect, and renew. Celebrating the Winter solstice can be the...
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