Author’s Ridge is a place oft written about. There are many who have reflected upon it with great insight and historical knowledge. Not presuming to have a similar immersion with regard to this hallowed ground, I wish only to share my observations noted from an early morning sojourn into Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

The cemetery itself is not comprised of endless rows of headstones. The area looks as if it was carved into the hillsides, one arc sloping into another, dotted with burial markers. The narrow roads allow you to pass on foot or by car and weave in and out of Sleepy Hollow. After proceeding down what are well marked roadways toward Author’s Ridge, you’ll come to an actual end where the road simply stops and to your right is the Ridge itself, as shown in today’s picture.

At the peak of this slope are the family plots of Hawthorne, Alcott, Emerson and Thoreau. While the markers for the family units are of significant size, the individual headstones reflect the character of those who lived. Henry David Thoreau’s stone is perhaps just under a foot tall and simply reads “Henry”. I have heard it is often adorned with stones, sticks and the like, as it was this morning… a commemoration from today’s naturalists/conservationists to what they consider to be a founding father of the movement.

Memorial Day weekend has been everything one hopes it will be during those dark months of winter. We have experienced a brilliant, clear sky with warm temperatures and a steady breeze.

I love these three days, our summer sampler. My girls are in bathing suits, the sprinkler is on and their dolls are parked carefully in strollers under the apple tree. This would be a nice freeze frame for summer in total. And while I hope and intend to have much of July and August spent in this carefree manner, I also brace for the question of ….”what can we do now?”

We are in the home stretch, three or four weeks left until the end of the school year. This last month sometimes can feel like a condensed version of the past three months. There is a ceremony for everything, creating closure is definitely not an issue in the school lives of a five and seven year old. So, while we plunge forward for the final push I randomly decided to take a photo of something entirely unrelated to the buzz that surrounds us presently, but instead, makes me think of a soon-to-be lazy afternoon spent strawberry picking or hiking close to a nearby Concord farm.

Finally, our reward. The long gray skies have given way to color. Everywhere throughout Concord the lilacs are in bloom and no place more so than this Concord Center home that dresses each year in such beautiful finery. The lilac bushes and vines give the town a feel of yesteryear, characterized by a fragrance and visual beauty that is oh so welcome. They announce Spring’s intention to stay for the duration.

Lilacs were at the height of popularity in the 19th century when much of the design and building of this historic town center was still evolving. Main Street, Concord is adorned in both apple blossoms and lilacs presently. They are a wonderful gift to the here and now from times past.
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Addendum: Thanks to all the avid readers of and subscribers to The Concord Life. I appreciate the ongoing support and helpful comments from those around Town concerning specific entries. With regard to this entry, while Concord was indeed blanketed in lilacs during this past month, I was enlightened by a local reader that the house photographed is actually adorned in Wisteria, a beautiful woody climbing vine of a similar color and design that also flowers in Spring.

This is one of those unusual spots around town that attracts a combined universe of locals and visitors. Miles of rivers, the same that were traveled by Henry David Thoreau in his time, are open for exploration. The South Bridge Boat House offers those without kayak or canoe the chance to rent for an hour, afternoon or day and the freedom to roam the waterways of Concord and Sudbury. You may find others traversing the same route but dipping in at different points. These are more likely the locals from Concord or surrounding towns.

Concord a few years ago was voted healthiest town in Massachusetts. This is not entirely a surprise as there is a big contingent of local kayakers and cyclists both of whom, if you’re coming to visit, you are sure to see out in force. It is one of the nicest things about this area. People truly do realize what they have in their midst. And instead of driving by what others readily flock to, the environmental jewels of the area are recognized and actively appreciated.

The South Bridge Boat House is located about a quarter of a mile outside of Concord Center heading toward West Concord on Route 62. It is located at 496 Main Street and can be reached at 978-369-9438. They just opened for the season a few weeks ago and will remain open into the late Fall.

In Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic book, Anne of Green Gables, the protagonist, Anne, describes an impossibly beautiful route as the “White Way of Delight”. This footpath is our very own White Way in early Spring. Starting across the street from The Colonial Inn on the opposite site of Lowell Road, it stretches behind Main Street and crosses over Mill Brook with the use of a wooden bridge.

This is a wonderful way for any visitor on foot to experience the quieter side of Concord Center. It is a terrific alternative to the main roads especially on days the roads are congested with cars or bikes. If one takes the path, they will end up in the parking lot behind Main Streets Market & Cafe. Several yards to the immediate left is a picturesque alley between the Cafe and the Bank. Wind your way up and it will drop you off at the crossroads of Main St. and Walden St.; a perfect place from which to start any exploration of the Town.