#73-80 Shirley, Groton, West Stockbridge, Auburn, Medfield, Mills, Norfolk, Foxborough

Groton - Massachusetts has its share of hoity-toity schools and The Groton School is certainly one. FDR is the most famous alumni, along with just about every other male in both Teddy Roosevelt’s and FDR’s lineage. It’s now coed and has a $380 million endowment for 380 students. Tradition prohibits students from walking across the lawn on the Circle which is shown in the picture.

Shirley - ‘Farandnear’ is a delightful Trustees property in Shirley. This photo is of the former cranberry bog on site. Charles Goodspeed, named the property because, at 50 miles from his home in Wollaston, it was “far” enough to require a two-day journey by horse to reach, but “near” enough to be a vacation home.

Exit 1 off the Mass Pike. West Stockbridge is a quaint small town (pop 1,400), complete with General Store, independent hardware store, and this extract store. Lots of cute restaurants and galleries which cater to vacationing Bostonians and New Yorkers.

Auburn - Located between the 1st and 9th holes of the Pakachoag Golf Course, this memorial marks the site where Robert Goddard launched the first liquid fueled rocket, which ushered in the space age

Medfield - We initially considered posting a picture of Drew Bledsoe/Curt Schilling’s home in Medfield, but we thought you might enjoy the puppy pic from our hike there a bit more!

Millis - The Charles River wanders through Millis. This trail is called “Cedariver” and it’s a Trustees of Reservations property.

Norfolk brought us to our first walk on Mass Audubon property. We saw swans and beaver dams on either side of the boardwalk.

Foxborough - Home of the 6x Super Bowl Champions! 🏈 🏆 ! Seems soooo long ago.