Author | Lightnews

Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 3d

Ugh and it gets even better. This city sucks on so many levels. Honestly, it’s the main reason I am inactive on Facebook. Sure, every town has people like this, but Waltham breeds them, from our outdated government to poor street design

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 3d

Waltham resident for 24 years here and nothing has changed. No bike lanes, wide, fast streets, ribbon cutting for a new parking lot, and I forgot to mention, she’s on term 6! Young voters need to get out and vote (council elections next week, mayoral in two years, need to keep the momentum going)

Gravel Influencer @gravelinfluencer.bsky.social · 8d

"I don't believe in the concept of bike lanes because ... we live in a climate that has a winter."

The Mayor of Waltham everybody!

From the Waltham community on Reddit: Mayor McCarthy can't stand that Waltham is a city three miles from Boston

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 3d

These guys were all over the bike path yesterday (eastern MA). They must get blown out of nearby trees. I made sure to dodge them all :)

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 3d

Ah, yup the bark is a dead giveaway. Even at that age Chestnut Oak will start revealing furrowed bark

Even here in oak dominated southern New England, we mostly have red and white oak. The others (black, burr, bear, etc) become more common towards the coast, or on inland rocky outcrops.

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 4d

I’m not the best when it comes to identifying Oaks but that could be Chestnut Oak, which is also rare up there. This is a Chestnut Oak I planted back in spring.

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 4d

Another successful weekend volunteering with Waltham #landtrust stewards. We planted over 200 shrubs, trees and perennials in our efforts to restore the ecology at Woerd Woods. The first photo reveals a carpet of Zizia Aurea seedlings from plants we put in last spring. #nativeplants #ecoregion59

Golden Alexander (zizia aurea) seedlings carpeting the forest floor in a woodland

Three red twig dogwood cuttings planted along the banks of a freshwater marsh

Disturbed areas of leaves reveal where we planted today. Here in this drier woodland we planted yarrow, anemone, bluestem goldenrod, and blue wood aster.

White turtlehead, blue flag Iris, and silky dogwood shrubs, wrapped in cages for rabbit protection, along the banks of this freshwater marsh. A brown trail directory sign sits on the right.

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 4d

Sugar Maples are top tier trees.

-fall foliage, ranging from pale yellow to bright red
-casts deep shade that keeps forests cool in summer
-delicious maple syrup
-supports 200+ species of Lepidoptera
-shade resistant seedlings can compete w/ invasive species
-can live to 400 years old
#nativeplants

Sugar Maple fall foliage. A young tree in the foreground that is still turning color, while in the background, on the other side of the fence, stands a larger maple with fully orange leaves

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 4d

Yesterday’s view from Prospect Hill Park in Waltham, with the Boston Skyline in the distance.

A clearing on the top of a hill reveals peak fall foliage and the Boston Skyline to the east on the horizon. Gray puffy clouds with streaks of pink from the sunset behind me.

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 6d

Riding a bicycle to work does not stop me from taking home native plants that would otherwise be trashed for restoration work. Also, drivers seem to give me more space when I have a whole shrub sticking out the back. Plants > people, as they say. #nativeplants #onelesscar

A bicycle with a milk crate strapped on the back with a Silky Dogwood shrub

A bicycle on a bike path with Elderberry, Spirea Alba, and Aster sticking out of a backpack in a milk crate strapped onto the bike rack

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 6d

I often get this while riding a bicycle; a driver nearly endangering themselves and the oncoming drivers because they can’t wait 15 seconds to pass me while going around a blind corner, just to turn at the next intersection.

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 7d

The best time of year❤️🍁

A few late season asters hang on while the fall foliage peaks. There is no shortage of color this time of year in New England
#nativeplants #ecoregion59

A few Aromatic Aster and Annual Fleabane still in bloom. Fall foliage in the background.

Two Sugar Maple trees and a Black Walnut with vibrant orange and yellow foliage against a partly cloudy sky. In the foreground, the shrub and herbaceous layer has pops of yellow and orange foliage.

Red twig dogwood stems, which have lost their leaves, stand out against the landscape

Aromatic aster in bloom while Goldenrod goes to seed. Red foliage on the red twig dogwood. In the background is the yellow foliage of a Birch tree.

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 8d

0.94” rain this morning. 5.33” for the month so far. Waltham, MA @wx1box.bsky.social

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 8d

Here’s her concept of a bicycle lane: a 4-5 foot width sidewalk with street trees and telephone poles, to be used two way by bicycles and pedestrians. On a 25mph side street that sees less than 2,000 vehicles per day.

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 8d

Sadly; incumbency runs deep here and she keeps re running as any new mayor would dismantle her strategy: micromanage and meddle with every city office to keep things her way. The townies keep voting for her. We have an engineering and planning dept yet she’s designing our streets?!?

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 8d

After 7 years of meetings & studies to make a street safer for all, our 6 term mayor ignored all the requests for traffic calming, instead proposing a “bicycle lane” on a 5’ wide sidewalk with telephone poles. No one asked for a bike lane; yet she has this to say🙄

www.reddit.com/r/Waltham/s/...

From the Waltham community on Reddit: Mayor McCarthy can't stand that Waltham is a city three miles from Boston

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 10d

We can thank the Red Maples for that. They are pretty consistent year to year

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 10d

Getting close to peak foliage here in eastern MA. Just in time for a front with heavy rain and wind. Even in the “bad” years, there is still color to be found, especially on the Sugar Maples

A variety of trees changing colors of yellow, orange and red. The Norway maple, which is invasive, is still completely green.

A Sugar Maple with varying shades of orange and yellow leaves

A birch tree with yellow leaves. The lawn underneath is also covered in leaves. In the foreground is some spent goldenrod and swamp aster, with yellowing foliage and developing seedheads.

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 12d

So proud of my city❤️
#nokings #waltham

www.reddit.com/r/Waltham/s/...

From the Waltham community on Reddit: Photos of Waltham today.

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 12d

Bought my first Ebike. Looking forward to my morning commute next week.

An aventon electric bicycle on a sidewalk

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 12d

My Gray Birch tree (Betula populifolia) with yellow foliage. Grown from a seedling, this tree stands 30 feet tall yet is only 12 years old. #nativeplants

A single trunk white barked birch tree with yellow fall foliage against a clear blue sky

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 17d

Folding laundry has turned into a game of which pile is the most comfy to sit on

A gray cat standing on laundry waiting to be folded

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 17d

My jewelweed croaked, everything else seems fine though. Still have a few aromatic asters in bloom but everything else is pretty much wrapping up for the season. Except for the witch hazel, which are just blooming now.

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 19d

The Dark Eyed Juncos are back. Several weeks earlier than last fall. #birds #migration

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Jeremy @jp0610.bsky.social · 22d

Farewell Warblers & Catbirds, welcome Dark Eyed Juncos, bizarre looking ducks

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Reposted by Jeremy

Eric Fisher @efisherwx.bsky.social · 22d

The exodus is underway. A lot of birds headed back south tonight

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