A few years ago I did a painting of thistles at Ramsdell Park. Ramsdell Park is supposed to be a Pheasant preserve but I have to admit I’ve never seen a pheasant there. But that’s not to say they are not there. The meadow is THICK! When I think of Ramsdell Park I don’t think of Pheasant really. I think of Thistles. Thistles are thick throughout the meadow. In the summer it’s a great place to photograph butterflies if you can brave the mosquitos. There are some bogs in the park where Red-winged Blackbirds rest on Cat-tails, which never looks very comfortable to me…but that’s where they sit. My favorite time to visit Ramsdell is in the winter. I take my cross country skis and make a few loops around the meadow. If it gets too windy I can hide out in the woods for a while. I’m patiently waiting for the first good snow to get out and ski some trails. Even though I do most of my skiing at Hidden Lake Gardens now I still enjoy the rolling meadows of Ramsdell when I get a chance.
The Heron 