This morning we saw a convergence of weather front, the remnants of a wet snow covering everything and warm air and cold snow which brought the fog in. Sterling, Massachusetts and neighboring West Boylston are frequently picturesque, but this morning was special. Gone like an eclipse, we were able to capture a few moments.
Category Archives: Nature
Seed Money
Seed Money
There is a very nice wooden box on my desk that contains hundreds of pennies, nickels, dimes and 
quarters. The coins look like money but are really made of paper. These coins were my gift for being one of the 1,100 backers of this project on Kickstarter.com.
The paper coins can be planted. Each coin contains seeds to grow a colorful flower or herb or vegetable. Yes, these coins are called “Seed Money”. The Seed Money is hand-illustrated and engraved on thick custom papers and each is embedded with seeds. Buy them in rolls just like real coins.
You can secretly plant them in different places you travel or give them away as tokens of appreciation or give an entire roll of Seed Money away as a gift for someone special. Here is what you can get:
- Pennies: flower mix (Don’t worry, nothing invasive!)
- Nickels: hearty greens mix (such as kale, chard & spinach)
- Dimes: herb mix (such as thyme, dill, oregano, parsley & basil)
- Quarters: salad mix (lettuce, carrot & tomato)
And if you are really taken with the concept, you can design your own Seed Money (Minimum order is 10,000 coins)!
You can visit our office to receive your own Seed Money coin or reach out to Leafcutter Designs. They are located in Berkeley, California. Find them on the web at http://leafcutterdesigns.com.
Hidden Beauty in Central Massachusetts
Central Massachusetts Rail Trails
The Central Massachusetts Rail Trails are a gem for nature lovers of all kinds. With miles of trails along old rail routes, the views are amazing, the nature is plentiful and the peace tranquil and energizing. A walk, bike ride or jog is the best way to take it all in. Pack a lunch if you plan to stay a while but certainly carry some drinking water. The map shows a recent ride I took starting in Rutland and ending in Barre. It was a 7 mile ride through the woods and past ponds and brooks.
In some cases, tunnels were put in under roads and in others bridges were built over waterways or ravines. Along the way, you might find a few hikers, bikers and maybe some horse-back riders. You may see some fisherman, dog-walkers or kayakers. You will certainly see and hear the birds of the area along with migrant swan, geese, duck and Herron.
The trail is part of the Wachusett Greenway a stretch of Massachusetts Rail Trail which are old rail lines recaptured for the use of the public. Wachusett Greenways’ mission is connecting the Wachusett communities with Trails and Greenways. Their major project is building and helping to maintain 30 miles of the Mass Central Rail Trail through Barre, Oakham, Rutland, Holden, West Boylston and Sterling.
Click on any of the pictures below for a full size image. If you get a chance, take a run out to Rutland or Barre and have yourself a nice walk in the woods.
Wachusett Greenways, Rutland, MA
Wachusett Greenways Tunnel
Trail cut into mountainside
Stump Art in the middle of nowhere
Bog
Dieing Forest - Living Watershed