Dane Park

[urbpan]

Yesterday I took Charlie to Dane Park, a geologically significant piece of land in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Brookline.


I don't know much about the geology, but signage indicates that this place contains rare (for eastern Massachusetts) evidence of volcanic activity.  From what I could determine, this boulder is composed of volcanic ash (but I could be wrong).


In many places there are veins of quartz.


Mostly we liked to clamber on the rocks.


The pitchfork I found back in March was still there.


The place clearly had a human use before it was a park, but I haven't learned what yet.


Charlie tried to pull down a hanging dead branch.  Good exercise!


I looked for living things, most of which were very small.  These tiny decomposing mushrooms (Coprinus disseminatus?) have been colonized by a dramatic white mold.


These patches of lichen were smaller than a penny.


And I found my old friend the globular springtail on the surface of a Russula mushroom!


And it just wouldn't be a hike in the New England woods without deer ticks.

Comments

[urb-banal.livejournal.com]

oh Charlie. I confess i am not a "dog person" but there is nothing like the joy a dog can express!

I love lichen. The colours are so beautiful.

[ms-cantrell.livejournal.com]

ok - deer ticks are disgusting. having been a kid in the ozarks, with no knowledge of bug spray, i am very familiar with their disgustingness.

charlie is such an awesome dog.

[elainetyger.livejournal.com]

Very nice pictures, especially the mushroom/lichen, quartz, and pitchfork.

[rudbekia.livejournal.com]

What a happy dog! Looks like a good place for a fall walk in the woods, too.