Walking the western trail of the Tidmarsh Wildlife sanctuary with Ryan and Darcy, August 17, 2024
We arrived slightly after Ryan and Darcy who were admiring the signage as we pulled up. The morning was slightly overcast and not too hot. As we left the sanctuary, we reflected on how being in nature had shifted since since the advance of apps. Covid was also a strong disruptor. Ryan and Darcy both work for the same organizations they worked for before Covid but they are both largely remote. The impaact of remote work and remote learning will resonate for years to come, and this shift in our behavior needs to be considered as we work on the master plan for this sanctuary.
On the overcast August morning, the light across the expanse of wild flowers was sensational. As we moved on, the bee loud sound in the Partridge pea glade at the edge of Manomet stream caused us to pause and listen deeply. As always, I admired the slate elements that formed the simple crossing.
Walking up through the meadow, we paused to admire the glacial erratic that is reminiscent of a whale and then walked on to pause at the overlook which invites one into the main restoration. After some exchange about libraries and the various groups using Ryan's design services, we wandered down through the woods, along the former channel and on the the western trail. Walking this trail in August when the vegetation has been trimmed back as it had been recently is a special treat. As we walked up a slight incline bordered with manicured grape vine the trail presented itself as if on a grand estate. The eupatorium added some lovely purple patches and the Atlantic white cedar that liked where they are have finally come into their own. As we walked along Ryan and Darcy recognized a number of birds which led us to travel with the Merlin app in hand. Darcy told me that even though her sister was never much interested in birds, they now shared screen shots. She commented that this sharing had brought them closer. An insight to remember as we start to articulate immersive experiences that might one day be offerings at the sanctuary.