May 13, 2018 – Massachusetts – Acton Arboretum

Today, I wanted to add a little tribute to my Mother on this Mother’s Day. I planned the adventure to the Arboretum with my amazing Mother in mind. I am so lucky, and grateful to have such a wonderful Mother, who has always provided me love, encouragement, and support. As a young child we spent a lot of time enjoying the great outdoors, camping, walking in the woods, and learning about creation. Little did I know I would eventually be blogging my outdoor adventures. In my blog today I want to give my Mom a shout out, and say “Thank you for EVERYTHING you are, and have done for me. I am so grateful”. We are happy to have my parents join us on the adventure today.

Today we visited the Acton Arboretum, which is situated on some of the 65 acres of conservation land in Acton. It has a short trail system, and provides numerous gardens to explore. The Arboretum offers self-guided tours, available for download. It is often difficult to find garden locations that are dog friendly, so I was quite pleased to find this location.

We enjoyed our time at the Arboretum on another beautiful Spring Day. It is early in the garden season, but we still found beautiful landscapes and floral color to photograph. The trails included some bridges, and boardwalks, and lots of little benches to sit, and relax. Shadow enjoyed a swim in a little pond, and Wilma excitedly greeted anyone in her sight. It was a simple park, but so nice to stroll around with my parents, and to enjoy the beginning of spring. (Rating: 3, although the company was perfect!)

Throwback Adventure – Lonesome Lake – July 2017

I will have sections of my blog that I will title “Throwback Adventure”, and will plan on posting them every Thursday. These are journeys we have taken before I started the blog, but are well worth sharing.

In July 2017 me and Shadow journeyed to Lonesome Lake in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. (Wilma had not yet joined our world). Lonesome Lake had been on my “must explore” adventure list, and we found a perfect day to venture on this hike. Lonesome Lake is a body of water that is located in Franconia Notch in the White Mountains, just south of Cannon Mountain. You can only reach this Lake by a hike, which creates a magical journey. There was some reconstruction on the trail, so we were directed toward an alternative route. The trail was a tough trail for me, but it seemed to be quite effortless for Shadow. He was nine at the time (now ten) and did not miss a beat. Upon arrival we hiked around the Lake, and Shadow enjoyed cooling down with numerous dips in the Lake. It was very crowded at the Lake, but yet there was little traffic on the trail around the lake. There was an AMC hut located at the Lake which provided snacks, bathroom breaks, and even lodging. This hut was not dog friendly, but we were able to wander around and check out the area. Heading back from the Lake, was of course a breeze. My only disappointment in this hike was I imagined a more accessible beachfront where you could relax and enjoy sitting by the Lake. However, it was very crowded, no sandy shores, and hard to find little outlets to the Lake. Luckily this was not a barrier for Shadow who was able to sneak in many swims. I absolutely love a hike that leads to a landmark that cannot be reached otherwise. Definitely a memorable day of hiking, and adventures. (Rating: 5)

May 5, 2018 – New Hampshire – Beede Falls and West Rattlesnake Mountain

Today we visited Beede Falls, located less than a mile on Sandwich Notch Road (on the Sandwich side) in Sandwich, NH. The Falls are about 37 feet tall and form into a beautiful sandy pool below. There is a small cave under it called “Cow Cave”. We were able to explore this little area, and see the Falls from the side. We wandered along the trails in the area, finding a charming bridge nearby. Shadow enjoyed wading in the water, while Wilma preferred chewing on some sticks. There were other dogs visiting, which is always a fun time. This was a lovely spot, and we were lucky to have a perfect spring day to explore. (Rating: 4)

After our visit to Beede Falls we journeyed to West Rattlesnake Mountain. The Trailhead began in Holderness, NH. This hike goes to the summit of West Rattlesnake Mountain. It is about 450 foot elevation gain, and I believe it is about a two mile hike. The trail was well maintained, and definitely good exercise. The summit revealed outstanding views of Squam Lake, and its many islands. There were large boulders, and plenty of places to sit and relax. The breeze was refreshing, creating a wonderful atmosphere to relax. We stayed up at the summit for some time, before heading back down the trail. I was definitely not disappointed with the summit views. (Rating: 4)

April 23, 2018 – Getaway to Connecticut – Day Two

We started a relaxing Day Two of our getaway in Connecticut waking up at a beautiful, dog-friendly accommodation called Green Acres Bed and Breakfast. Green Acres is an early eighteenth century farmhouse located in Simsbury, CT. I felt immediately at home upon arrival, being greeted by the innkeepers’ three rescue dogs. This property was beautifully landscaped with fountains, and a pool. We stayed longer than planned chatting with the owners, who were quite hospitable. Although it is easy to find a place that allows dogs, it is hard to find one that is truly dog friendly. This was a dream find for a crazy dog mama like myself. Before we departed I enjoyed an elegant breakfast, and left feeling like a queen. It is definitely a place we plan to stay at again. (Rated: 5)

Our first stop on Day Two was the Stratton Brook State Park in Simsbury, CT. Stratton Brook State Park was Connecticut’s first state park to be completely wheelchair accessible, and is a designated “Trout Park”. This was a very simple park, but had some lovely trails through the woods, over a creek, and even several ponds, popular for fishing. Shadow enjoyed a swim in the creek, while me and Wilma watched from the little bridge above. We then discovered another adorable covered bridge, perfect in shape, and bright in color. I love scouting out covered bridges. They sometimes make me feel like a professional photographer, stunning in their own solidarity. (Rated: 3)

For our second stop we briefly visited Collinsville, CT. Collinsville is considered a small village in the town of Canton, CT. Collinsville was built around the Collins Company factory. These factory buildings were powered by the river, and have since been rented out to local businesses. We traversed the bridge over the Farmington River, taking photos along the way. Just a quick stop before we headed off to a more dog friendly area, a little too industrial for me. (Rating: 2)

Next we journeyed to Enders State Forest in Granby, CT. This was definitely my favorite location of our Connecticut getaway. The Enders State Forest incorporates nearly 2100 acres of wilderness, including the Salmon River, and approximately five waterfalls abutting the trails. The sounds of the babbling brooks, numerous hide-outs along the River, and steep, rocky views provide quite the sensory experience. Some good exercise along the trails, but yet a relaxing retreat. Definitely a true gem of a park. (Rating: 4)

Our next stop was one of those spontaneous pit stops, directly along the roadside. This location was the Barkhamsted Reservoir, Saville Dam. The Saville Dam is on the Farmington River, and forms the Barkhamsted Reservoir, the primary water source of Hartford, CT. We had driven by this area once before, but this was the first time we had some extra time to wander, and of course shoot some photos. The sun was beaming on the Reservoir, and the view amazingly picturesque. One of our humorous moment occurred at this site. As some of you may know Wilma just turned one, so has many unpredictable moments of joy, and really just utter chaos. On at least three occasions she began rolling on her back, and started flailing down the hill. I attempted taking a video, which I will post below. I am not sure if I captured the moment for my audience, but definitely did capture a memory. The Barkhamsted Reservoir and Saville Dam may be a place to explore more at a future time. (Rating: 4)

Our last stop of the day was at Soldier’s Monument in Winsted, CT. Although I am far from a history buff, I love the gorgeous landmarks that are created to memorize, and honor those who sacrifice their lives for others. The Soldiers’ Monument and Memorial Park is a Memorial for the American Civil War. It was initially dedicated on September 11, 1890, while renovations and additions have occurred since. It is a small area, but very picturesque with the main monument located at the top of a little hill. (Rating: 3)

So this brings me to the end to our Two Day Connecticut getaway. We had a wonderful time exploring, and look forward to our next new Adventure. Evidence of a successful vacation can be seen below, the best travel buddies I know!

April 22 and 23, 2018 – Getaway to Connecticut

My first blog starts as we journey into Connecticut for a two day getaway. On our drive to Connecticut we broke up the trip with a visit to the Westville Dam Recreation area in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. This Dam was designed and constructed by the US Army Corps of engineers, and was completed in 1962. We traversed around the Quinebaug Lake on the 1.8 trail loop. It was a beautiful morning the sun was streaming through the trees, the water sparkling, and the beginning of blooming buds in view. This trail varied from a feel of natural beauty, to a more commercial feel. This short trail was a favorable way to stretch our legs. (Rated: 2)

We then arrived at our first stop in Connecticut, the West Cornwall covered Bridge in West Cornwall, Connecticut, spanning the Housatonic River. Although this bridge was last modernized in 1973 it is estimated that it may have been in this location as early as 1762. Wilma’s agile frame jumped from rock to rock, while Shadow enjoyed wading in the cool River water. We stopped to take some photos, and enjoyed a stroll along the river. (Rated: 4)

Next we journeyed to the Kent Falls State Park in Kent, CT. Pulling into the parking lot my eyes were promptly drawn to Kent Falls, a massive waterfall, plunging 250 feet in less than a quarter of a mile. As we wandered toward the Falls we walked beneath the Kent Falls covered bridge, a lattice bridge, spanning just 37 feet across. We then followed the Housatonic River directly to the bottom of Kent Falls. The waterfall provided several opportunities to climb, with various cascades streaming down. Although a beautiful waterfall I found this site to be very touristy, which seemed to dampen my excitement in this brilliant site. There were several trails in this park, but I decided to keep moving, as we had many appealing sites planned. (Rating: 3)

Next we journeyed to Bull’s Bridge in Kent, CT, spanning the Housatonic River. The first instance of this bridge was in 1760, while the current bridge was built in 1842. This stop was a nice surprise as in my hasty research I located a bridge, neglecting to see all the other brilliant sites. Our hike in this area led us to rushing river rapids, a dam, and numerous trails with stunning views. This was one of those locations that we really could have explored for the day. (Rating: 3)

Our last stop of the day was at Macedonia Brook State Park in Kent CT. This park has trails that lead to the mountain peaks, offering views of the Catskills and Taconics. Our visit to Macedonia Brook Park was short, as dusk was upon us, and we did not traverse the mountain trails. We wandered briefly, and enjoyed the sounds of the babbling brooks, and an adorable “must-photograph” bridge. I think this photo of Shadow and Wilma became my favorite picture of the day. A peaceful and quiet place to wrap up Day One of our getaway. (Rating: 3)

The Adventures of Shadow and Wilma

Fall

I have thought about starting a blog or website for many years, and today am taking the big plunge. My blog will highlight my two passions colliding: my rescue dogs, and scouting out the great outdoors. Our adventures mostly take place in New England, with some of my favorites including: waterfalls, lighthouses, covered bridges, beaches, the woods, and the mountains. I will rate our journeys from 1 (low) to 5 (high), attempting to compare it to other commensurate stops (example: lighthouse to lighthouse, beach to beach…). In addition I will share additional dog lovers’ tips, moments, thoughts, and milestones. Although writing may not be my forte I hope this blog will provide you locations for adventures of your own, and maybe even a connection with a fellow dog-lover. Please join us as I begin my blog: “Adventures of Shadow and Wilma”, (while remembering Adventures with Buster along the way.)

“The journey of life is sweeter when traveled with a dog” – Author Unknown