The latest from the Gang ... 

Ninety members attended our favorite dress-up holiday brunch at the stunning Pleasant Valley Country Club. In the cheerful atmosphere, we enjoyed good food with our friends, met new ones, and shared stories about events, trips, and plans for the New Year. We also appreciated the attendance of one of our founding members, Joan Stafford.

Special thanks to Mary Weinert for contributing beautiful table centerpieces. These all found homes with our members.

While organizers and volunteers make our events possible, participating members make them memorable. Thank you all.

Marco A

Don S Mary Beth S, Ines A, Maggy C, Stephanie O, Nonie L, Jan G, Lawrence R, Susan R, Maureen D, and Marco A. Taking photo: Miriam.

Twelve members joined for 4.3 miles of a pretty forest hike on quiet trails. The hike included the Audubon Society Sanctuary and the Trustees of Reservations land where the former Sharon Sanatorium for Pulmonary Diseases operated. Only three of the five original buildings remain standing.
After the hike, members sat at the picnic tables to socialize and share snacks. Once again, Stephanie delighted the group with her delicious oatmeal, white chocolate chip, and cranberry cookies.

Stephanie O

Elsie L, Linda M, Maggie C, Joan S, Joe C, Nonie L, Stephanie O, Cathy P, 
Maureen D, Hyman and Sandy S 

The South Mystery group enjoyed a nice get together with 11 members who attended. The weather was great for a walk, with blue skies and cool temperature. We gathered at Big Bear Hole Pond at Massasoit State Park for a brief talk about the history of the park followed by a walk past the location of the old factory that over the years served as a cotton mill, a grist mill, and a manufacturing facility for board boxes.  We continued along one side of Middle Pond and walked to Lake Rico for a view of that beautiful lake. After the walk we were ready for lunch and adjourned to the Stoneforge Tavern for food and socialization.  

Elsie L

Deb G, Linda M, Anne H, Judy T, Karen S, Mary I, Pam K, “Smitty”,
Barbara M, Dawn M, Nancy C and Carole B

The North Mystery Group enjoyed a very interesting tour at a museum in New Hampshire that is privately owned by a friend of Carole B's family who started the remarkable collection as a hobby. There were three barns filled with antique trucks, milk trucks, tractors, and signs galore, all in pristine condition. Memories flooded back for all of us as we viewed display cases filled with candy, gum, and a wide variety of nostalgic memorabilia from days gone by.

Carol B

Chris B, Jan G, Cindi A, Carol B, Jane P, Meredith P. Photo by Robert R

The weather on November 4 was spectacular for a walk around Gates Pond in Berlin, MA. It was also a great place for folks who walk at different paces. We followed the outdoor activity with lunch on the patio at the 110 Grill at Highland Commons, just around the corner from the new L.L.Bean store that was having its grand opening that day! Needless to say, we all enjoyed being outside in early November!

Cindy A

Carol B, Lainey O, Chris B, Meredith P, Jan U (Al G taking picture)

October 22 was a beautiful fall day on which 6 of us went to the Addison Gallery of American Art on the campus of Phillips Academy in Andover. We viewed the Scottish born photojournalist Harry Benson’s black and white four stories from the 1960’s era: Building of the Berlin Wall; The Beatles First American Tour;The James Meredith March Against Fear; and, The assassination of Robert Kennedy. All of which captured defining moments of this tumultuous period in history. Afterwards we walked the beautiful trails behind the gallery followed by lunch at The Bartlett Andover.  We all agreed the day was fun and it was so nice to get together.

Carol B

Front row: Eileen H,  Lucille S, Barbara H, Cathie P, Joan S, Maureen D.
Back row, Joseph Z (actor) Lynn M(  actress), Nonie L, Joan L (guest) Terry S. (guest).

7 members and 3 guests of the  Mystery Group South, enjoyed a mystery presentation with a talented cast of 2 Lynn Moulton as Lizzie  and other characters  and Joseph Zamparelli   as  the District Attorney and other characters. The venue was at  Camp Kiwanee in Hanson.

They took part in a Mock Trial  for Lizzie Borden as members of the  jury. Did she or didn’t she take an axe?   Verdict 41 Guilty to 22 not Guilty.

Cathie P.

Hikers standing on the huge dolman rock: Marco A, Stephanie O, Maureen D,
Larry and Tina L, Ines A, Kathy and Paul W. Photo by Jill Falk

Twelve members joined in this gorgeous blue sky day to hike 4.5 miles of forest on winding trails. The hike included highlights of ancient prayer rocks, the nose boulder, and the dolman rock formations.

After the hike we sat at the picnic tables to socialize and share snacks including delicious oatmeal white chocolate chip and cranberry cookies baked by Stephanie.

Stephanie

All twenty-two of us couldn't have asked for a better day!  The weather was perfect, and the leaf colors were terrific.  Thirteen of us went on the 10-mile ride, meandering through the leaf filled wooded areas, the farms, the protected area in Carlisle where we saw the beaver habitat and wood duck boxes on the water - a bog, a swamp?  I'm not sure what it is called. The wood ducks are very colorful, medium sized birds that build their homes in the brush or trees near more shallow waters.  They are ok in cold weather, but I don't know if they migrate anywhere for the winter. We didn't see any. As we moved on we went over the Concord River where we saw some people kayaking.  As the ride progressed, we went through the area called Huckins Farm area where there are a number of horse farms and trees with most spectacularly colored leaves as you can see in the pictures.
The nine 20-milers came in shortly after the 10-milers, which showed how slowly we went, stopping often to enjoy the scenery and the colors.  The food again was terrific.  We even had a pizza. The 20-milers all said they enjoyed the ride immensely too.
   Alas Bedford Farms Ice Cream was closed that day.

Thank you all for coming!

Mary W

Thank you Mary for organizing our Spring and Fall Rides!
You look wonderful surrounded by Fall colors.

What a beautiful fall day we had for our tour of the historic Eustis Estate in Milton which was built in 1878 for the prominent Bostonian family of W.E.C. Eustis.  The tour provided detailed information about the Aesthetic Movement in architecture in the late 19th century plus stories of the original residents and duties of their domestic staff.

After absorbing all the history of the home and walking around the grounds, our group left to get lunch at The Trillium Brewery nearby. It was a good end to an interesting day.

Kathi W