Beginning of the hike with displays of the watershed we all live within.

The Middleton Stream team and the Ipswich River Watershed members joined together for a Middleton
hike on a beautiful crisp fall Sunday afternoon. About thirty people of all ages, led by biologist and
author Pike Messenger of Middleton left the pavement to explore our wetlands, forests and historical
sites.

Francesca Way. A Quick stop at the Curtis Mill historical site off Peabody St before we head into the forest.

With stops at the Curtis Mill sculpture and an outside look at the 1707 Smith-Wilkins home and
former blacksmith shop, we then headed north to the land of the beavers. The wetlands were beautiful
this time of year and the young people especially enjoyed smelling small twigs of yellow birch, a bit like
wintergreen or root beer, sometimes with a mild vanilla undertone such as the smell of Ponderosa pine
bark.

Danielle Panneton Zenga and her daughter and friend enjoy the hike.

Pike pointed out the beaver dams that keep water in the watershed and provide habitat for
migrating birds as well as amphibians. It was a fine day, a few hours immersed in nature on protected
lands that are a gift for all of us to enjoy.

Emily Whitney and Sydney Zenga, so many interesting nature finds on the hike!