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Friends of the Fells launches new “My Middlesex Fells” video feature

Each of us has our own distinctive relationship to the Fells, and every experience we have visiting the Fells can be completely unique from the last. This new video project from our intern Dexter Fadness attempts to capture some of the diversity of those experiences.

The first video in the series features Friends of the Fells board Chair Jeff Buxbaum, who talks about his own realization of this diversity and the joy of getting lost in the Fells.

We want to hear about your unique relationship to the Fells! If you’re interested in sharing your own personal experiences with our community, contact Dexter at dexterfadness@gmail.com. We also welcome your own submissions to the My Fells project we launched last year, featuring your own artistic interpretations of the Fells.

The Friends of the Fells are pleased to welcome our 2021 Video Production Interns Dexter Fadness and Paige Colley to our staff this summer. Dexter and Paige both bring media production experience and a love of the outdoors to the positions, and we are very excited to work with them over the next few months!

Dexter Fadness

Dexter Fadness

“When I was younger, I spent countless hours wandering the Fells with my Great Dane, Thea. Living in Winchester, just minutes from the reservation, we were in there every day, and when she died we scattered her ashes along her favorite trail. It is that connection and intimacy that I bring as the Friends of Fells’ new video intern. As a recent graduate from Bard College with a degree in Film and Electronic Arts, I have cultivated knowledge of writing, directing, editing, and producing video content. Those skills, and my experience working with veteran filmmakers such as Kelly Reichardt and Charles Burnett, will be put into action developing the Friends of the Fells video presence and sharing what makes the Fells so special.”

Paige Colley

Paige during the 2019 Concord Cheese parade posing in front of a 1,000 pound wheel of cheese.

“Hi everyone! My name is Paige and I’m looking forward to working with Friends of the Fells this summer. I’m originally from Anchorage, Alaska, where I enjoyed all sorts of outdoor activities from hiking to kayaking to skiing. I did my undergrad at NYU studying physics, although I have an appreciation for all things science, from astronomy to biology. I recently finished my journalism MS at BU, and am looking forward to staying in Massachusetts for a while and getting to know the Fells better.”

The first project that the interns will focus on this summer is a “Community Highlight” series featuring personal narratives from individuals with a love for the Fells. And for this video series, we need your participation:

What does the Fells mean to you? COVID mental health walks? Pet exercise? Fun with friends? A biological laboratory? Whatever your answer, we need YOU for a new video series. We are seeking on-camera participants who highlight the diversity of the Fells community, both in demographics (age, race, ethnicity, ability, sexual and gender orientation) and activity (biking, research, hiking, boating, restraining your dog from jumping in the reservoir). 😊 The Friends of the Fells welcomes everyone to this special natural resource.

We’re looking for an hour or two of your time to explore your Fells experience, filming content that will be edited into short videos.

If you would like to participate, or you know someone who would be perfect for this project, you can contact Dexter Fadness at 845-399-6662, or through email at dexterfadness@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing this project come together, and to all the new content that they produce this summer!

Last month, in honor of both Earth Day 2021 and the return of group stewardship opportunities in the Fells, the Friends of the Fells hosted a series of volunteer-oriented events throughout the park. Between Wednesday April 21st and Sunday April 26th individuals from 3 clubs and from across the community participated in one of six group events that were held in the Fells.

Volunteers joined in activities like trash cleanups, trail maintenance and repair, invasive plant clearing and meadow restoration, and solving some drainage and flooding issues by cleaning, repairing, and redirecting culverts and drainpipe outlets.

The Winchester HS Fells Club ready for work!

We would especially like to highlight the efforts of 3 organizations for their work this week: Girl Scouts Junior Troop 62732 of Medford, the “Otters” of the BPSA 92nd Mystic Scout Troop (www.92mystic.org), and the Winchester High School Fells Club!

Below is a gallery of the great work accomplished during Earth Week 2021:

Thank you to all the volunteers that participated in this year’s Earth Week events! Your efforts helped make this a successful week of stewardship for the Fells!

Missed out Earth Week volunteer opportunities? Not to worry– we will be adding many more group volunteer events in 2021, so keep an eye on our Program and Events Calendar for updates.

The Friends of the Fells welcomes volunteers of all ages and experience levels! Interested in volunteering, or have a service project to propose? Fill out our volunteer questionnaire:

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

Interested in arranging a group service event in the Fells? Contact Jesse at Jesse.Macdonald@fells.org.

Since the announcement of our ‘My Fells’ community expression project this past spring, members of the Fells family have shared their inspiring words, pictures, and videos with us. In doing so, they have provided us with a way to “share our shared love for the Fells” with all of you, as well!

We are very appreciative of all the submissions that have been shared with us so far! If you would like to share a ‘My Fells’ submission with us, here’s how:

Tell us how YOU experience the Fells!

In one minute or less, using whatever media you like, share your own version of My Fells with us. Use photos, video, poetry, prose. Post it to your choice of a YouTube or Vimeo account, Facebook page, blog, website, online photo album, Google Drive or Dropbox folder and send us a link.

Send your submission to myfells@fells.org.

Our next ‘My Fells’ submission comes from long-time member Shelby Meyerhoff. Her project, entitled Zoomorphics, is a series of self-portraits inspired by the plants, animals, and natural features of the Fells.

Zoomorphic #25 (Rocks), 2019 by Shelby Meyerhoff

Zoomorphic #28 (Monarch butterfly), 2019 by Shelby Meyerhoff

Describing her project, Shelby states:

“I start by painting on my own body, to transform myself into a new creature: a blue-ringed octopus, an owl, or a monarch butterfly. Then, alone in my studio, I set my camera on the tripod and pose. Although it’s make-believe, it doesn’t feel like I’m pretending. The emotions of this new creature well up inside me. I let my body move in unexpected ways. I am expansive, and I do not constrain myself….”

To see much more of this project, visit Shelby’s site:

https://www.shelbymeyerhoff.com/my-fells-expression.

UPDATE: Shelby’s Zoomorphics project can also be seen in person! The Series is on display at the Griffin Museum’s WinCAM gallery through Wednesday, November 4th, 2020, at 32 Swanton St. in Winchester, MA.

Next, we have a submission from photographer Kayla Johnson– three landscapes that convey the vibrancy of the Fells in spring:

by Kayla Johnson (@kaylawanders photography)

More of Kayla’s Fells photos (along with an excellent set of hike recommendations and reviews) can be found at her website:

kaylawanders.com/2020/05/10/local-hikes-in-the-middlesex-fells/

Since the announcement of our ‘My Fells’ community expression project last month, several members of the Fells family have shared their inspiring words, pictures, and videos with us. In doing so, they have provided us with a way to “share our shared love for the Fells” with all of you, as well!

We are very appreciative of all the submissions that have been shared with us so far! If you would like to share a ‘My Fells’ submission with us, here’s how:

Tell us how YOU experience the Fells!

Send your submission to myfells@fells.org.

Here is the first collection of our My Fells submissions. We hope that you will take as much inspiration from them as we do:

First, we have two video submission from our own Board President, Jeff Buxbaum of Medford. The first video was Jeff’s original inspiration for the project, created in 2015:

And here, another, more recent video submission created by Jeff:

Next, Lewis Dalven and Shelly Schou from Arlington shared their thoughts on the Fells in prose form:

I discovered the Middlesex Fells during this time of the pandemic. It has served as a refuge and sanctuary on many mornings that I have been taking morning walks there. I grew up in the middle of NH and was spoiled being around beauty so much of my life. I have been in the Boston area for the past 9 years and had not yet found the beauty like I discovered at the Fells. The discovery came at a much needed time.

— Shelley Schou

Since the CV pandemic began, my twice weekly visits to the Fells have been my main source of exercise, commune with nature time, and have helped to keep me balanced and hopeful. Fellow visitors…families with kids, walkers, runners, and bikers alike, have shown consideration, good cheer, and courtesy without fail. The greening of the foliage, the songs of birds and frogs, sounds of running streams all help to put worry at a remove. Our Fells are a treasure always, and especially now.

— Lewis Dalven

Next, we have a series of black and white photographs of the Fells shared with us by Joel Moses:

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These photographs are a just a small sample of his collection that he has amassed from across the Middlesex Fells over the past several years.

And last, here is another video submission by long time Friends member Bob Ghika. This video also features Friends of the Fells volunteer, botanist, and hike leader Walter Kittredge leading a group on the trails near Bear Hill. Also taking part in the video are former Fells Executive Director Mike Ryan and Dr. Bryan Hamlin, both longtime board members and Fells experts.

Bob’s video was created nearly a decade ago (give or take), and is well over our one-minute threshold, but we felt it entirely appropriate to include here with these submissions:

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Bear Hill by Bob G.

See the video at the MATV website

For more videos like this one, visit our new YouTube channel, where new content is being added weekly!

Many of you probably recognize the view in the photo above. That is, of course, the view of the Boston skyline as seen from the cliffs near Wright’s Tower. It was taken just the other day on a beautiful evening with a spectacular sunset. Still, I walked away a little disappointed. Without being able to actually climb Wright’s Tower, I felt like I was in the best spot to actually enjoy the setting sun. Though I could capture the beautiful evening light on the city, I missed the real action off to the west.

There are so many great views in the Fells, and plenty of places to watch the sunrise or sunset. Spot Pond is one of my favorites. No matter where the sun is rising or setting, you can always position yourself somewhere around Spot Pond to get the best view. Plus, the reflections in the water just add to the spectacular nature of a colorful sunset. Here’s a photo of the sun setting behind Spot Pond.

Sometimes it’s not about being in a place that has an amazing view. Especially for a sunrise, just being any place in the Fells is a great experience. Most of us get to experience some aspect of the sunset every day, but sunrise is special moment that takes some effort to enjoy. It’s easy to enjoy that unique morning light, no matter where you find yourself. Here’s shot from a sunrise hike around the Fells Reservoir a while back.

I know that many of you get to spend a lot more time out on the trails than I do, and I’m sure you’ve found some great spots that you find yourself going back to again and again to catch a sunrise or sunset. I hope you’ll consider sharing those spots in the comments below, so others can find them and enjoy them as much as you have.

Launching our My Middlesex Fells Video Series

Dexter Fadness

Paige Colley

https://www.shelbymeyerhoff.com/my-fells-expression.

kaylawanders.com/2020/05/10/local-hikes-in-the-middlesex-fells/

[Click on the thumbnails to enlarge]

[Click the picture below to open the video in a new tab. Note: the link brings you to an external site.]

What are your favorite sunrise/sunset spots in the Fells?

Write a comment below to share!