The South Natick Dam (removal 01)

I'm working on a book about the South Natick Dam. This is a place on the Charles River in Massachusetts near my home. It's about a ten minute walk and I've been drawing different aspects of it daily for over ten years. After much debate, planning and hand-wringing the decision was made to remove the iconic structure and let the river resume its natural course.

Work started a few days ago with the opening of a pair of flood gates so that the cement spillway structure can be demolished. I've been trying to document the process in a personal way, as I have for the past decade. Still, I feel ambivalent and a sense of loss. Nature of course will adjust very quickly and that will be interesting to witness.

06-29-26-floodgate

06-30-26-fishladder

06-30-26-dam

07-01-26-cattails-spillway

07-01-26-dam-ducks

In the last drawing here, a family of four ducklings and mother rest on top of the dry and soon to be demolished spillway. A grackle takes advantage of the new surface to forage.

More Rabbits!

06-07-26-rabbit-hawk

06-11-26-rabbit

06-10-26-rabbit

06-05-26-rabbit

 

Spring: Rabbits

 

05-22-26-rabbit

05-23-26-rabbits

05-06-26-rabbit

05-14-26-rabbit

2025 Observations: books for sale

 I've collected all my 2025 nature observation drawings into four quarterly books plus a summary volume that includes personal reflections on things I saw and things we (Americans primarily) all experienced in the last year. Here are some previews and ordering information.

Observations 2025
Order here
prices range: $14-20

Earth Day 2026

 I remember the first Earth Day. We did a river clean up in my town. Seems like we've made very little progress as a species since then. Slow down and commune with Nature. If nothing else you'll glimpse a few moments of actually being part of something bigger and more generous than human nature.

Sings of Spring

04-16-26-merganser02
pastel, ink

04-17-26-woodpecker
pastel, ink, crayon

04-11-26-grackles
ink

04-06-26-robins03
ink

04-06-26-cattails
ink, pastel, crayon

 

April 3rd

 

2014: The river was over the stone walls
(04-03-14-flood)

2016: it must have been raining
(04-03-16-geese)

2017: The river was flooded again
(04-03-17-island)

2023: Returning grackles
(04-03-23-grackles)

2024: April is for grackles
(04-03-24-grackle01)

2025: An early great blue heron
(04-03-25-heron)

2026: only one mallard in a swiftly flowing river
(04-03-26-duck)

Recent Ink

03-22-26-turkeys

03-20-26-grackle

03-14-26-broadmoor01

03-04-26-geese02

03-25-26-island

03-03-26-geese02

2026: First Great Blue Heron

I was surprised to see my first great blue heron of the year at the dam this morning. I do have a sketch of one flying over from February last year but they usually arrive and settle in late March or April. I hear that they spend the winter months near the coast where the water doesn't freeze so much.

The river has opened up a lot in the last week after a few days of warm temperatures. It stalked about and poked in the usual spots. It even hopped in, belly-deep to hunt in the old cattails. My guess is that it won't stay; the water's too high and that's where the best fishing is, just below the spillway. Now if the heron would tell my tulips and daffodils that it's safe to come out!

03-13-26-heron01

03-13-26-heron03

04-19-21-heron01

04-22-21-heron01

Mallows: Then and Now

It's pretty hard to connect the summer mallows with their winter versions. In each moment, they are completely and utterly themselves. 

08-14-15-mallow

07-28-21-mallow

09-06-25-mallows

10-01-25-mallows

10-16-25-mallow01

10-20-25-mallow

02-18-26-mallow01

02-18-26-mallow03

02-18-26-mallow02

Sycamore Seeds

I am always enchanted by the pendulous seed balls of sycamore trees throughout the winter. They are Nature's Christmas ornaments. But with a big snow coming to Massachusetts later today, I wonder how many will fall to the ground weighted down by snow and ice. We shall see. Stay warm and vigilant good people!

11-23-20-sycamore

01-07-22-sycamore

11-26-22-sycamore

01-28-23-sycamore

11-29-23-sycamore

01-22-26-sycamore