Mass Audubon Work for Wildlife Statewide Volunteer Day

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of volunteering for the Mass Audubon society by assisting in the clean up of a Sanctuary in Belmont, Massachusetts. There were six projects to choose from -- removing invasive brush plants from the meadow, adding wood chips to the trails, removing buckthorn from the wooded area, composting turnover, weeding the community garden plots and pulling back brush from the community garden. Matt thought buckthorn removal sounded fun and we headed off.

Buckthorn is a non native planting which was introduced by Europeans into their own gardens. It readily spreads and when it takes over it robs the soil of nutrients that the native plants need to survive as well as the sun they need to thrive.

Matt spent the three hours pulling out at the root along with about 15 other people, including our fearless leader Doug, while I processed the trees by cutting off the roots and piling up the branches. When our friend Kathy arrived she and I got to work hauling those branches to the edge of the trail so they could be chipped into mulch.

All in all it was a fantastic and fun day and we’re all looking forward to the next event this fall. I highly recommend checking out the Audubon website and volunteering next time there is an event in your area, the people were great and the day flew by!

Here are some photos of our day for you to enjoy.

The wheelbarrow fills with root cut offs!

Some of the crew gathers around Doug to get the scoop on our duties for the day.

Matt piles up buckthorn sticks.

Kathy says its all good in the woods!

About one third of the pile of buckthorn we cleared out Saturday afternoon.

The Trustees of Reservations has Two New Members!

Last year while we took our annual vacation to Martha’s Vineyard with our friends, Matt and I started looking into the benefits of becoming a member of The Trustees of Reservations. This organization runs many of the guard shacks to some of our favorite locations on the Vineyard but we both knew there must be a whole lot more to this organization’s benefits than simply getting into beach parking lots for free.

What we discovered is that there is a whole lot more!

Matt’s birthday just passed (on April 16) and sometime back in February I had decided to give him a gift of membership as I knew it was something not only he, but our whole family (and maybe even a couple friends!) would gain great use from.

He was so excited to receive a Supporting level membership as his gift but for those not in the know, I guess I should tell you just what that includes!

As a Supporting level member we get to enjoy the benefits of --
☼ Free access (for up to 4) at over 100 reservations, maintained and protected by the employees of the Trustees and its many volunteers, all across Massachusetts and the islands (including Crane Beach, a premiere beach in Massachusetts for Trustee members only).
☼ A free copy of the Property Guide, which shares vital information about every single place they maintain, and annual subscription to the quarterly magazine Special Places.
☼ Discounts at their two bed and breakfast locations as well as at tons of events across the state that occur year round.
☼ A full year’s membership to celebrate all the seasons!
☼ A car window sticker to proudly display our commitment to the cause.
☼ Knowledge that 75% of my membership dues went directly to support the annual operating costs of the organization’s properties.
☼ A tax deductable portion of the membership dues.

Needless to say there are TONS of ways to volunteer, donate time (or man power) or take advantage of the many special places the Trustees care for annually and we intend to visit or enjoy as many of them as we can over the next year!

Of course we are both looking forward to our annual summer Vineyard vacation and daily trek to the Long Point Wildlife Refuge (and beach!) more than anything else! Ah summer sunshine, salt air and seagulls who try to steal your lunch. There is nothing else that compares!

If you’re in Massachusetts and would like information on the Trustees visit their website, an individual membership only costs $45 (students and seniors receive reduced costs up to family membership levels). Although costs can reach $600 at the Sponsor level, most people, who are outdoor lovers such as us, would find a family level ($65) sufficient for their needs. Give them a call and see what would work best for your family and help preserve some of Massachusetts most precious and beautiful resources!

The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People

A good friend of mine gave me a hardcover copy of this book by David Niven, Ph. D. a bunch of years ago when I was leaving a job and setting off on a brand new adventure. She is one of the most positive people I know and this gift meant so much to me that although I have given many things away over the years this book has remained planted on my shelf and referred to often. It is a quick read and so uplifting. I would like to share ten of these secrets now and strongly encourage everyone to purchase this book right away for a good dose of happiness to the soul!

☼ Cultivate friendships.

☼ If you’re not sure, guess positively.

☼ Pay attention. You may have what you want.

☼ Volunteer.

☼ Make your work a calling.

☼ Get a good night’s sleep.

☼ Keep a pen and paper handy.

☼ Don’t ignore one part of your life.

☼ Give yourself time to adapt to change.

☼ Have a purpose.

Within each of these headers are a couple of corresponding pages with suggestions for ways to complete them, stories of people who have fulfilled them or quotes from people that relate to them. It also does not hurt that scattered all throughout the book are a whole bunch of smiley faces ☺☺☺ encouraging feelings of joy.

I hope you all have a happy day!