Around the Neighborhood, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

A foggy, misty morning on a pond in rural Manomet makes it look more like summer than fall but, the few leaves turning color tell the true story - fall is definitely here.



A splash of red begins the annual show.



And over on the bluff by the ocean, more than just a splash.



Another splash of red begins the dance of fall along this unpaved lane.



And these wild berries by the roadside also carry the red theme of the season.  Ah Manomet, always the charmer.

Out and About, Chiltonville, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

I don't know what it is about this particular spot that so enthralls me but, I keep coming back time and time again to enjoy the setting of pastoral calm and beauty.  For the owner coming home to this place, I can imagine the day's tension just melting away as he/she drives slowly through the arching trees.



This may not seem like much but, for White Horse Beach on a calm fall day, these could be called "big" waves.

It's true, the gulls were not impressed either.

Fall, Brookwood Farm, Blue Hills Reservation, Milton, Canton, Massachusetts, USA

Brookwood Farm is a 70-acre property adjacent to the Blue Hills Reservation south of Boston and offers a pleasant spot for the public to wander around to enjoy the fall colors. It seems the color comes on quickly and leaves quickly, too. (Pun intended).  The well-known and photogenic Maple Lane was the subject of an earlier blog post at this link.



Sadly, an imminent strong wind and rainstorm will strip these limbs of most leaves in a few hours.



But they sure are spectacular before that happens.

Regardless, the fall skies are glorious as is every New England fall season.

Mayflower II, Plymouth Harbor, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

I recently wandered on-board the vessel Mayflower II in Plymouth Harbor. Soon, she will head south to Connecticut to spend the next two years in repair and restoration to be in tip-top shape to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrim's arrival in this area in 1620.



This area below deck is where the 100+ Pilgrims spent the entire 66-day voyage from England crammed together with adults, children, animals, and supplies in the cold, dark, and no doubt stinky space as it pitched and heaved traveling across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World.

I will try to remember that the next time I'm impatient and angry when my overseas flight gets delayed for an hour and I'm stuck in a climate controlled terminal with shops, restaurants, chairs, and restrooms.



One of the Pilgrim role-players in period costume enjoys a spot of sunshine above deck. Life is good in "America's Hometown."

Blue Hills Reservation, Milton, Canton, Massachusetts, USA

Blue Hills Reservation is a popular 6,000-acre state park about ten miles south of Boston and is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The reservation is one of the largest pieces of undeveloped conservation land within the metropolitan area. It is a great place to wander any time of the year but especially so in fall.



There is a paved service road to the top of Great Blue Hill (635' MSL) popular for walkers and bicyclists. Many hiking trails also weave through the forests. The above bicyclist was zooming downhill and I tried to pan as he went by to get a sharp subject with a blurry background to create visual speed. It ended up a blurry mess but, what I find interesting is that a few wheel spokes on each tire are sharply focused but nothing else is.  The camera was moving, the bicycle was moving and the wheels were moving - each at different relative speeds.



Many leaves have fallen as the season changes.



Nice trails through the forest - many carpeted in pine needles. (Panorama using a arcing motion as I panned the camera to create the curved perspective).



A hazy day but, Boston still looks good on the distant horizon as viewed from the observation tower on Great Blue Hill.



Looking southeast from the observation tower on top of Great Blue Hill.

An aspiring oak tree.......fall is a great season to be out and about in southeast Massachusetts.

Fall, Brookwood Farm, Blue Hills Reservation, Milton, Canton, Massachusetts, USA

Brookwood Farm is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation as a part of the Blue Hills Reservation. It's a convenient location to enjoy the fall color south of Boston but without the density of development one finds closer to the big city.

No further captions necessary - I'll let these images speak for themselves. I luckily picked a pretty day to visit.

































There is a lot to be said for the beauty of a four-season climate like we have here in New England. Though, if I were designing a planetary world, I'd try to figure out a way to not have the bitter cold that comes with winter. Just sayin'..........

Fall, Walk in the Woods, Myles Standish State Forest, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

The Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth covers a 26-square mile area with rolling terrain, many kettle ponds, and miles of pitch pine and scrub oak forests. It was very quiet on this fall weekday - perfect for a walk in the woods.



This cool looking mushroom was growing in the shade in a bed of pine needles.



A tall pine waving in the soft breeze - that distinctive hissing sound like nothing else in the world.



A wide trail covered in a spongy surface of fallen pine needles.



Reflections in one of the many kettle ponds.



It is quiet today - only the gentle breeze through the pines.



The nearby maples are starting to explode in color as the days grow shorter.



I think humans must be hard-wired to appreciate fall. I don't know anyone who doesn't find nature's annual show to be one of the great wonders of life.



Yep, pretty special.

"Music Man, Jr.," Priscilla Beach Theatre, Priscilla Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Priscilla Beach Theatre (PBT) completed its 2016 performance season with the fall children's workshop production of the classic, "Music Man, Jr." Above is the cast and crew for a final posed portrait.

The show was directed by Ross Magnant and produced by Bob and Sandy Malone, owners and guardians of PBT.

PBT's website says about the story: "Master showman Harold Hill is in town and he's got "seventy-six trombones" in tow. Can upright, uptight Marian, the town librarian, resist his powerful allure? The story follows fast-talking traveling salesman, Harold Hill, as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys' band he vows to organize. The catch? He doesn't know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian, whose belief in Harold's power just might help him succeed in the end in spite of himself. Based on Meredith Willson's six-time-Tony-Award-winning musical comedy, The Music Man Jr. features some of musical theatre's most iconic songs and a story filled with wit, warmth and good old-fashioned romance. The Music Man JR. is family entertainment at its best - a bold, brassy show that will have the whole town atwitter!"



It may "just" be a children's performance but, PBT still provides professional experience for these youngsters including sound, lights, costumes, venue, and production staff.

The following images were captured at the final dress rehearsal and are in order of occurrence within the show. (Click on any image for a higher resolution version if your device supports that action).



















































































































This was the final children's workshop for the 2016 season. Plan to come out to PBT next year and support our local youth in their theatrical pursuits! They are talented beyond their years and provide wonderful entertainment for all ages.