Fall in Concord

I awoke this morning and felt the urgent need to be around nature. One of the things I miss the most about living in Japan is the natural beauty I could find close by on a daily basis. Here in Boston, this city can become quickly overwhelming, like nails on a chalkboard. I knew my spirits desperately needed recharging.

The last week I also intended to take a trip to Vermont to photograph the height of Fall in New England but it didn’t happen. So this morning, I popped up and Googled beautiful Fall places around Boston to see. One site recommended the famous Walden Pond.

I’m sad to admit that I’ve been a little slow to explore the beautiful towns around Boston, but I was elated to find that Concord, MA is a short thirty-minute drive. So I packed up Benji and two of my cameras and headed out to explore Walden Pond.

When I arrived, I felt a heightened sense of calm and relished the fresh air. I stopped off for a few photos ops along the way before parking at a lot across the street. It costs $8 a day to park, but once you do, you can explore the forest and walk around the pond.

I was sad to find out that pets were not allowed at the pond, but I did bring Benji’s bag so I zipped him up unfortunately and carried him on me the entire time. But he too was quite happy about breathing some fresh natural air for a change.

My first impression of Waldon Pond was “holy shit!” My jaw dropped at the soft shade of blue reflecting on the pond and framed perfectly with red leaves. The water looked so soft and pure, I can see why it’s a popular place for swimmers in the summer.

Visiting in the Fall is likely the height of its beauty. Though winter looks equally impressive. It’s unbelievably serene, though it helps that it was vastly empty on a quiet Wednesday afternoon.

The sky was overcast with peaks of sunlight illuminating the colors on the leaves. The temperature felt a comfortable 65 degrees.

Fall in New England is different than Fall in Japan. The colors in Japan are just as vibrant or perhaps even more beautiful, but the festivity here is joyous. Pumpkins line the porch of every Colonial styled house, the colors of Fall paint the streets and frame the homes, while small cafes proudly serve locally brewed hot cider and pumpkin lattes. There’s a warmth to life here that makes me actually appreciate Fall in an even more profound way. Now, if only I had a fireplace to cuddle up to. I fear I’d never leave my wool socks and my Kindle.

I’m going back to Walden Pond this week, so I’ll post more photographs and information of the pond itself in a later post.