Today was one of those amazing New England weekends.  The temperature was perfect for a top-down drive.  We didn't want to spend the entire time on the road, so we packed up the car and took a forty minute drive out to Walden Pond. 

We also thought it would be a good opportunity to give our new Canon IS2's "foliage" camera setting a workout.  We were quite impressed with the IS2's responsiveness, especially with the speed in which it was able to autofocus and capture this shot of the Great Blue Heron flying across Walden Pond.  The shutter lag was so minimal that we were able to shot reflexively... a key factor in capturing nature action shots.

The "foliage" setting worked well with reflected colors as well as high contrast shots.  Some of the brighter areas did get washed out, but there was quite a bit of detail in the darker sections.  Quite acceptible for an "automatic" setting.

On the grounds is a replica of the 10x15 "house" which Thoreau built in 1845 for $28.  The plans are available in the gift shop ($30) should you want to try your hand at building one.

If you have time and can get out to Walden Pond, we would highly recommend it.  The colors are intense and the trails are quiet.  Spend a few hours experiencing what Thoreau must have felt over 150 years ago, then go get a latte at Starbuck's and get ready for Monday.

Spring Outing:

1. The Gear

2. The Onyx Hotel

3. Hiking the North End

         The Freedom Trail

         Faneuil Hall

         Harborwalk

         The neighborhood

Winter Outing:

1. The Gear

2. Heading to Jackson

3. The Inn

4. The Outing