A beautiful fall day in October of 2001, I woke up to what would be a life changing day! My now husband had planned to propose in the Blue Hills, and he designed a day-long scavenger hunt throughout the Blue Hills, that involved poems he wrote as clues for each location. Each poem was an analogy to something about our five years on and off relationship. It was the most romantic date I’ve ever had!

We went mountain biking, played golf at Ponkapoag golf course, walked on the Bog Boardwalk and had a picnic, hiked on Chickatawbut and finished with a horseback ride when he popped the question and I was so speechless, it took me a while to say yes! I was so shocked; I didn’t even look at the ring for quite a while! Our friends and family later joked that he tired me out first so I would say yes 😉

We’ve now been happily married for 16 and a half years. We met twenty-two years ago at the after school care where my six-year-old son was going! We became friends, fell in love and I saw what a great dad he would be right from the start! We got married about five years later and had a boy and a girl who are 12 & 13!  we’ve been hiking the Blue Hills since our kids were toddlers! We all love the Blue Hills!!    #LoveBlueHills

• Vicky Varnum