Views From Mount Sugarloaf (Massachusetts) on a Clear Day by Todd Henson

A wide view from atop Mount Sugarloaf in Massachusetts

In early October my folks and I travelled to Massachusetts for a family reunion. It was a fairly short and busy trip so I didn’t create many photographs, but we did drive to the top of Mount Sugarloaf which is within the Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation in South Deerfield. There’s an observation deck up top that provides quite a view of the surrounding area. On that afternoon there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, allowing a clear view as far as the eye could see.

The photo at the top of this post is a 13-image panorama showing what I thought was an attractive piece of the view, with the Connecticut River and some patches of more colorful foliage towards the right, and some taller buildings in the distance to the left, with mountain ranges in the distance.

The photo below is looking down on Sunderland and the bridge over the Connecticut River. You can see little pockets of colorful foliage here and there, but it was still mostly green. This view is further to the left of that of the opening panorama.

Sunderland, Massachusetts, as seen from atop Mount Sugarloaf

And finally, below is the widest view I captured. It is a 27-image panorama. I handheld the camera, oriented it vertically and slowly rotated, pressing the shutter at overlapping intervals to capture as much of the area as possible. It’s quite a view. Towards the right you can see larger patches of colorful foliage, and all the way to the left you can see the church in Sunderland. I wasn’t quite able to capture the river the entire way over, largely due to poor handheld panning technique.

A very wide view from atop Mount Sugarloaf in Massachusetts

If you ever visit the area and decide to drive up to the observation deck do be careful. The road can be quite narrow with periodic wider spots where a car can pull aside and let those going the other way pass. It was a bit nerve racking. 🙂 Also, there is a fee and they collect it up top just before the parking area, so be prepared for that.


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Violet Wood Sorrel by Todd Henson

A soft view of violet wood sorrel

I absolutely love the color these violet wood sorrel add to the woodland trails where we find them. The violet against the greens around them is such a wonderful combination. And their delicate nature can really be enhanced by the softness of a very shallow depth of field. I found these in the middle of May 2022 and I look forward to finding more next year and of sharing them with you.

A small cluster of violet wood sorrel


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Venus’ Pride by Todd Henson

Venus’ Pride

Looking back through the photos I’ve created this year I realize I skipped over showing you some of the spring wildflowers. So I thought today we would look back at some examples of Venus’ Pride, also known as large bluets, that I found in late May and early June. They are small and delicate looking, and have multiple flowers clustered in the inflorescence. Some of those I’ve photographed appear almost completely white with just hints of color, while others do show off some nice coloration. I hope you enjoy them.

Hanging with Venus’ Pride

Groupings of Venus’ Pride

A cluster of Venus’ Pride


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