Wellesley’s beautiful & scary October snowstorm

October 30, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

It’s a snowy October day in Wellesley, but not a snow day under COVID-19 rules.

Animals are checking out the early snow, as seen here by Jean Bae, who shared this photo of a buck near the Wellesley Farms train station.

snow buck october — Photo courtesy of Jean Bae

The buck appears to have handled the weather better than local drivers. Wellesley Police have been busy responding to accidents.

WPD working a single car overturned crash on Route 9 East after Oakland St. One lane gets by. Minor injuries. pic.twitter.com/NRfok2SEQx

— Wellesley Police (@WellesleyPolice) October 30, 2020

WPD working another crash Route 9 East prior to Route 16. Left lane gets by. pic.twitter.com/TG2Bd1YMR8

— Wellesley Police (@WellesleyPolice) October 30, 2020

I got out early for a run when it still looked like a mix of fall and winter, rather than full-on winter.

leaves and snow october

cheney bridge elm bank — Cheney Bridge at Elm Bank Reservation

Meanwhile, if you can get out safely to sled, here are some Wellesley sledding spots. Just note that one more pandemic restriction will be that you can’t sled on Severance Hill at Wellesley College unless you’re a member of that campus community.

Morses Pond temporarily gets a new gate, courtesy of Mother Nature

August 5, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

morses tree down — Tree blocking path to Morses Pond beach

Wellesley uses the metal gate on Turner Road to block access to Morses Pond and its parking lot. Mother Nature on Tuesday added a second barrier, in the form of a felled tree during the storm, to make it even harder to access the beach off-hours.

I happened by at around 7:15AM to find the felled tree blocking access just after the little bridge before the check-in station at the beach. Dog walkers were in a tizzy, spreading the word among themselves that you were going to have to be pretty athletic if you wanted to walk pupsie around the small pond.

Give the Department of Public Works credit though. Those guys were on it by 7:30AM, clearing away the tree and debris presumably in time for the beach to open up.

Keep your Wellesley dog cool as temps soar over the weekend

July 16, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

With a heat wave forecasted to hit Wellesley (and other places) starting this weekend, Animal Control Officer Sue Webb reminds pet owners to take extra precautions with their animals to keep them safe. “Watch your dogs in this heat,” she says. “Walk them early or late, not in the high heat of the day. One dog had to go to the emergency vet when he collapsed on a walk in the woods. Also if you can’t walk on the pavement in your bare feet, don’t expect your dog to want to walk on it either.”

wellesley dogs — Duke, a cockapoo (left) and Whistler, a Whoodle, are two Wellesley dogs who really know how to keep their cool during the summer.

Fortunately, Webb reports that the dog who needed emergency attention has recovered fully, but she says people should take it seriously when they notice their dogs panting more, getting tired, and wanting shorter walks. The loyal nature of dogs can be their biggest downfall. Webb says that when dogs are out on walks , “They try to keep going with their owner. If the owner has a way to go back to the car, they may end up having to carry the dog, which isn’t easy when it is a medium-to-large dog like a Labrador.” (There are 392 Labs registered in Wellesley, making them the most popular dog breed in town.)

What can drive problems

The summer months are not the time to bring your best bud along to ride shotgun during errands. Don’t leave your pet in a car on hot days, ever. Not even for a quick minute, or if you leave the windows open, or even if the car is running and the air conditioner is cranked up. Car temperatures can easily rise to over 100 degrees within ten minutes. After that, they can get up to 120 degrees or higher, fast. Dogs don’t have a chance against that kind of heat. Also, it is illegal in Massachusetts to leave animals in vehicles where they are subject to danger from extreme weather conditions.

A little time at the spa

Let your pet laze around and enjoy this time that’s named just for him — the dog days of summer. During the intense mid-day heat, keep walks to a bare minimum. Better yet, limit walks to early in the morning or after the sun goes down.

If your dog really needs some outside time, park your pooch under a shade tree for a little while, with his water bowl close at hand. Add ice to his water every now and then. If you have one of those elevated pet cots, now’s the time to break it out. They increase air flow on alls sides of your pet, which helps keep him cool. A baby pool filled with cool, refreshing water would complete the spa environment.

Just know that shade doesn’t provide all that much protection, so keep his time outside limited. The best place for your dog during extreme heat is inside.

Danger signs:

If your pet is suffering he won’t be subtle about letting you know. Look out for these signs of trouble, which could indicate heatstroke or dehydration:

heavy panting
glazed eyes
rapid heartbeat
difficulty breathing
excessive thirst
lethargy
lack of coordination
profuse drooling
vomiting
body temperature of over 104 degrees (normal is 101 – 102.5)
a deep red or purple tongue
seizure, collapse, or unconsciousness

If these signs present, seek immediate medical attention for your dog.

Let’s all keep Wellesley’s 2,800 registered dogs nice and safe all summer. Heaven knows, they’re worth the extra effort. Who’s a good human friend? You are, that’s who.

Storm tries to take down Wellesley Town Hall

July 3, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

A quick but destructive storm moved through Wellesley on Thur. evening. Strong winds took down trees in neighborhoods throughout the area, including Town Hall. During a Fri. morning walk, we spied a sugar maple on the east side of Town Hall that had dropped a major limb which glanced the 137-year-old historic building, covering the exterior air conditioner compressor unit. There did not appear to be damage to the building. Within minutes of our phone call, a couple of DPW workers were on the scene to assess the damage. As they made plans to remove the limbs, I asked if the rest of the tree would have to come down. “Not today….,” was the wary answer, lest he be dealing with a rabid tree hugger.

Wellesley Town Hall, damaged tree

Storm brings Father’s Day gifts of downed trees

Mother Nature whacks Wellesley trees

Waban arches part of Wellesley post-storm clean up

Sunday storm brings Wellesley Father’s Day gifts of downed trees

June 22, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

We didn’t know that Mother Nature was known to give gifts on Father’s Day, but on late Sunday afternoon she whipped through Wellesley to drop off a few little things, like trees and over an inch of rain. How did she know that area dads had been dreaming of localized flooding and downed maples? If you happened to give the special dad in your life a sump pump and a chain saw, then congratulations. You have officially nailed the art of gift-giving.

Thanks to our sharp-eyed readers who sent along pics of Father’s Day Storm 2020:

Wellesley storm, Brook Path — A large tree blocks the Brook Path. Flo the dog seems unperturbed. Just another photo op, credit to RE.

Wellesley storm, Hunnewell tennis courts — A large pine tree came down on the aqueduct side of the Hunnewell tennis courts. With high winds came over an inch of rain. Photo credit: MC

Wellesley storm, Wildon Rd. — Tree down across the aqueduct at Wildon Rd. Photo credit, Elizabeth May

Earlier this month, another crazy storm roared through Wellesley. That one resulted in a tree blocking Rice St. and felled trees at the Wellesley Country Club and Great Plain Ave.

More:

With better weather, Morses Pond shaping up as next Wellesley hot spot

May 6, 2020 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

Move over Brook Path. Now it’s time for Wellesley to figure out how to handle growing crowds at Morses Pond as the COVID-19 crisis continues.

Morses Pond mask sign Readers have begun to ask about the beach area at Wellesley’s Morses Pond. Kids have been bugging parents to let them hang out there. But is it open? Can people swim in the pond? Good questions.

We checked in with Recreation Department Director Matt Chin, who said, “all State and Town regulations regarding face covering and social distancing applies to anyone utilizing a Town park. As for swimming, there is signage at the Pond indicating that no lifeguards are on duty, and there are risks associated with swimming.”

Chin pointed out that the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) oversees and manages the pond and beach area, and that Rec manages programs there during the summer months. Because the gate at Turner Road is closed, the Morses Pond parking lot is not accessible.

However, people may park at the Turner Road area, as neighbors know only too well, and walk down to the pond. The trails system at the pond is open. The beach is also accessible, although the playground equipment is off-limits. The pond and beach area closes at sunset.

The NRC at this time has not put into place any additional rules related to the use of Morses Pond beyond those enacted at the state and town level. But the NRC has a meeting on Thursday, May 7, so don’t be surprised if this comes up.

When we swung by the pond on Wednesday at around 530pm, with temps feeling colder than the 51 showing on the iPhone, the park and trails were peopled but not busy. We saw a smattering of people with and without masks walking dogs with and without leashes. And yes, we saw one of those dreaded packs of unmasked teens huddled on bikes and skateboards.

morses pond playground off limits — Morses Pond playgrounds, like other public ones in town, are off limits due to COVID-19 concerns

Governor Charlie Baker’s order requiring masks or cloth face coverings in both indoor and outdoor public places went into effect May 6 and says that anybody over the age of 2 in a public place “whether indoor or outdoor and is unable or does not maintain a distance of approximately 6 feet from every other person shall cover their mouth and nose with a mask or cloth face.” There is an exception for people unable to wear masks due to medical conditions.

The Board of Health and the Board of Selectmen issued a supplemental order to Baker’s order, which includes specific guidelines for outdoor activities in Wellesley. Based on DPH Guidance, this local order gives parents discretion for children ages 2-5.

Although we’ve seen pictures of large groups of people at the Morses Pond Beach area, it may be an exercise in futility for town officials to regulate and enforce that kind of behavior, particularly as the weather warms up. Town officials’ appetite for further enhancing regulations is likely not there given the recent brouhaha when the Boards considered banning runners and cyclists from the Brook Path.

The State is expected to update its orders on May 14. At that time, certain rules may be relaxed, perhaps leading the town to follow suit. In the meantime, it seems likely that the nicer and sunnier the days get, the more people will gather at MOPO.

Morses Pond

More: Recreation Commission: Wellesley summer camps registration is “paused”

Snowy Wellesley, special April edition

April 18, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

A surprise spring snowstorm hit Wellesley overnight and lasted through mid-morning, covering daffodils, forsythias, and magnolia tree blooms in a blanket of white. Count this last blast of winter as a mid-April shower, not a killing frost. Our hearty New England flora should all be fine once tomorrows temps rise into the 60s.

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Last Wellesley saw late-season snow was back in March 2016.

Wellesley forsythia