Most of us living in Westfield experienced an interesting period of 18 hours.  We had a calm evening of early spring.  This morning many were caught by a surprise.  It was a typical winter scene.  The trees and the ground were covered by layers of snow. 

Driven by excitement, I ran to Brightwood Park and met my friend and fellow FOBP directorA , JPL, who was already in the park.  We enjoyed the beauty of the park so much and both decided to record what we saw to share with friends and neighbors.  The fence of the Demonstration Garden was coated with snow.  The cages for the newly planted trees once again looked like tents with a nice white blanket on top.

In one of the pictures of geese swimming, at the center top you may find the face of a reindeer overlooking and smiling.

Within 4 hours, the park changed its dress from winter to spring， By noon most of the snow was gone, as seen in the last two pictures.

 I went to the park around 7:30 a.m. after the season's first snowfall. It was very quiet. I saw no people or animals, just footprints of one other visitor and mine and of a few other creatures.  I could tell that deer and racoons were nearby.  What interested me the most was the footprints in a straight line, with the prints evenly spread out.  I don't believe there was a one-legged animal.

When I walked past the bridge of the dam, I had a strange feeling that someone was watching me.  It turned out to be the ice hanging on a tree branch, with two small holes looking like eyes.  Nature seemed to have a sense of humor by celebrating Halloween on February 28.  I waited a few moments for the "boo!".  

The weather forecast called for a cloudy morning.  When I was about to set out on a walk in Brightwood Park, I was excited to see the sun working out and breathing heavily.  

The fog was heavy and persisting in the park.  It created an ideal condition for a stage show of the wonder of nature.  The rays of the rising sun and their reflections in the pond, propelled by the gentle breeze, generated a special effect like someone was spinning a wheel next to the stage light.

Walking in the woods, I saw a log with an artistic pattern drawn by fungus.  The pond appeared extremely calm and peaceful.  

A very large number of geese were stranded in the pond by the fog.  They wandered around and waited desperately for the sky to clear. A lone goose flew by and dropped its landing gear.  After making a circle, it landed in the water with a splash, and honked loud as if it was making a reconnaissance report.  Before long, the squadrons responded by starting their engines and took off in formations, by leaving the fog and the ducks behind. 

Have a nice day.

On the second day of the new year, I went to Brightwood Park to watch the ducks, with special attention to the ring-necked ducks.  The three new visitors seemed to get used to my presence.  One even started to make faces at me.  I wonder if this was the big brother of the trio, as the guy was always in the front when the trio marched into the water.  They partied well with the mallard ducks.  One pair of mallard ducks diligently pursued the new friends in the pond.  The ring-necked ducks searched for food by diving.  Watching them diving was like appreciating a water ballet performance.

The geese and the mallard ducks were probably conditioned by people feeding them here and other places.  Upon seeing me, they swam and even flew toward me.  Watching the movements I felt like a VIP examining a parade of navy fleets equipped with aviation forces.  They even performed exercises of  rescue missions from an ice trap.

I was thankful to the Creator and all the parties in the parks for bringing me so much fun at the opening of the new year.  I hope you and others can enjoy the parks as much as I do.  Have a wonderful 2023!

Recently, the large pond of Brightwood Park became a popular stop-over place for many migrating geese.  Watching them can be fun as, sometimes, they behave like humans.  For example, while crying and looking around for a friend, one goose almost hit the butt of a diving fellow.  Feeling as if he had been rudely treated, the goose got mad and kept screaming at the other.  Not sure if this was a male-female chasing episode.  

I was also happy to see a trio of male ring-necked ducks looking like floating cotton balls.  Watching them carefully I found a unique character in each face, like siblings acquiring a little bit of each part from their parents to form individual identities.  These ducks are more timid compared to mallard ducks and Canada geese.

After being in Boston for a week, when I took a walk at Brightwood Park yesterday I found the foliage almost over.  Two turtles were still enjoying the sunlight around noon time.  Judging by the difference in the look of their shells, I guessed there was a parent (or grandparent) accompanied by a youngster.

A few maple leaves were still hanging on a tree,  Four were dancing in the wind as a group.  Another one dressed in a darker color was doing a solo.  The audience happened to be a few remaining leaves on an oak tree.

On the trail leading to Fanwood Avenue entrance, two years ago I found on a slope a tiny patch of orange-colored lichens-like plant.  I was happy to see the plant still being there .  The fallen leaves surrounding formed a frame for the beautiful little creature.

On the back trail, berries of red and purple colors could still be found.  I was wondering if the birds decided to spare them for my entertainment.

A hole on an oak tree near the dam and bridge caught my attention.  After peeking inside I was amazed by the decorative fungi on the wall and a clean and neat wooden floor, looking like a place ready for rent.  Not sure who had been living there but sure enough, the residents kept the place very well.