“Made a new friend when I got drenched during downpour on MRG this afternoon. He was crossing from river to pond behind Cinemas between P&C access road and steel umbrella. Made my getting drenched worth the additional 2 mile walk back to my car worth it as the downpour continued.”
Thanks to Dan Moriarty for sharing this snapping turtle encounter! (Might this be an egg-laying SHE?)
The two apple trees at the MRG Overpass Pollinator Garden (by APD) are now in bloom . . . fingers are crossed that we will have no mid-May frost, such as in 2023, that limited much of our Upper Valley apple crop!
Its been cold and gray with an occasional brilliant Spring day and then back to the cold and the gray. But there is hope as the daffodils appear in the Pocket Park by the tunnel. They are not native plants and may not be the first choice for many pollinators . . . they are there to lift the spirits of humans who have made it through the winter.
And behold: Bloodroot in the MRG Overpass Garden on Mascoma Street. Bloodroot is a perennial flowering plant native to Eastern North America. It has no nectar, but its pollen is sought by mining bees and sweat bees. Deer, woodchucks, and turkeys also use blooodroot as a food source. The flowers open their petals to the sun when the temperature reaches 46 degrees Fahrenheit. This was late afternoon and chilly; the petals were already closing.
The Lebanon, NH Arts and Culture Commission, also known as Lebanon Artways, is looking for artists to design and create public art in the Downtown Lebanon Tunnel. The tunnel serves as a connection between the Mascoma River Greenway, and Northern Rail Trail. The Tunnel is located beneath Hanover Street and the Lebanon Mall, with entrances near Goss Logan Insurance (western entrance) and the Ledyard Charter School (eastern entrance). Submit all materials online and if you have any questions, contact Recreation, Arts & Parks Programs Coordinator Kristine Flythe
Sorry for the late notice but did you know that Winter Ride Your Bike to Work Day is tomorrow!? Can you use the MRG to get to work?
Get into the spirit of winter commuting, and participate in International Winter Ride Your Bike to Work Day tomorrow, February 9. If you’re working from home, consider taking your bike to the store, to visit a friend, or just for a ride around your community! Take the time to reflect on whether your neighborhood has adequate bike infrastructure, how winter biking makes you feel, and if you want to do it again! (Thanks to the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission for this info.)
Conditions seem ideal today. There are currently three tracks open on the MRG: the track on the left is cleared for walkers, runners, and bikers. To its right, are the tracks of cross country skiers. The farthest track on the right has been used by someone with cleats on their boots. And the Great Pyrenees dog up ahead, seems to be blazing her own trail. (No stranger to snow, during World War II, Great Pyrenees dogs were used to bring supplies of artillery over the Pyrenees Mountains in between Spain and France.) She is in her element.
A good day to be out on the MRG!
Thanks to Joan McGovern for today’s photo – looking eastward from the overpass parking near APD.
The MRG Tunnel may have been one of the brightest, most colorful spots to be in Lebanon this rainy weekend, as Todd Matte and Kirsha Frye-Matte worked on their tunnel mural.
(Photo thanks to Joan McGovern)
And cold and damp as it was today, John Garroute was working on his mural “Patchwork” another vibrant spot. With a nod to Lebanon’s former textile industry, he offers a patchwork of images of Lebanon: modes of transportation (by foot, train, car, plane, bike) the beauty of our natural world of trees, river, sky, and some of our architectural heritage (City Hall, Packard Covered Bridge) . . . a vibrant addition to our downtown tunnel. We are hoping these murals will be mostly complete this Saturday, in time for the Halloween FunFest scheduled for October 28, noon-2pm.
Prior to the Mascoma River Greenway, there were few places in Lebanon from which one could appreciate the beauty of the Mascoma River. River views are one of the highlights of a walk or bike ride along the MRG.
Looking North from a bridge at the bend of the river
The otherwise hidden beauty behind the “Miracle Mile” shopping plaza!
Former dam area near the approach to Glen Road
(Thanks to Michael Townsend for these wonderful Fall photos!)
The Mascoma River Greenway 