August 21, 2018 (Part I) – Rexhame Beach – Massachusetts

Today Shadow and I journeyed to Rexhame Beach in Marshfield, Massachusetts. This was a rare, and unique journey as Wilma spent the day with her puppy friends, while Shadow and I ventured on today’s Adventure. As those of you who follow my blog already know, I am recovering from surgery, and I felt this was a good first step back into our Adventure. Shadow is super well-behaved, and extra calm, while Wilma has constant energy and unexpected wild moments. While I love every moment of Wilma’s entertaining energy, I decided to jump back into our Adventures with my Shadow

Rexhame Beach is on the South Shore of Massachusetts. It is one of the few coastal New England beaches that permit dogs all year around. There are also trails nearby, included along the South River. A fee is required to park during the Summer months.

We had a wonderful, relaxing, and uplifting Adventure to the Rexhame Beach. It was so nice to be out exploring again, and spending a summer afternoon at the Beach. I was stunned on arrival to see the parking lot was predominantly empty. Although it was a cloudy, cooler day, it was a pleasant surprise to find such a quiet location. We walked through the fence near the dunes before arriving on the Beach. The Beach was covered with colorful round rocks, adding texture and color to the sand. The waves were medium in size, but roaring, and current- driven. Shadow appeared uneasy with the waves, but we waded a bit before finding our perfect sandy spot on the beach. Shadow quickly enjoying rolling in the sand, digging, and some extra-relaxed napping. We spent time, taking in the sounds and sites, letting the worries of life fade away. The peace of a tranquil beach setting cannot be underestimated. Pure perfection!

After spending some time at the Beach we found a trail leading over to the “River”. We were told about the “River” by a fellow dog lover, and were awed by this unique feature. Shadow quickly jogged to the River, heading in for an immediate swim. We met some other dogs enjoying romping off-leash. There were benches along the trail, and some colorful flowers. Although nothing fancy, I really loved this find, and I think Shadow too.

We were so happy to have a wonderful adventure, and find a dog friendly beach. So glad to be headed back to our life of Adventures. We missed the company of our little Wilma Mae but we still had a fabulous afternoon exploring Rexhhame Beach, and the nearby trails (Rating: Beach – 3, Experience – 5).

Throwback Adventure – July 2016/November 2017 – Old Scituate Lighthouse

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 2016 Shadow, Buster and I visited the Old Scituate Lighthouse, while in November 2017 Shadow, Wilma and I returned to visit the Old Scituate Lighthouse in Scituate, Massachusetts. The Old Scituate Lighthouse is also referred to as Scituate Light. It is a historic lighthouse which was built in 1811, later being purchased by the town of Scituate. It is located at Cedar Point in Scituate Harbor, and as expected is a popular location for painters.

We have enjoyed our trips to the Old Scituate Lighthouse. It is a special location, which allows a close-up view of a coastal New England Lighthouse. The Lighthouse is located directly on the shore, enabling visitors to go down to the water’s edge. It is gorgeous, and picturesque, providing a genuine New England experience. I loved our first visit to the Lighthouse, so decided to take some holiday photographs for our most recent holiday card. Therefore you may have a giggle or two as you view some humorous photographs, of course along with a fabulous landmark. I highly recommend a visit to this spectacular lighthouse in Scituate (Rating: 5).

November 2017

July 2016

April 7, 2018 – Massachusetts – Nantasket Beach

On April 7, 2018 Shadow, Wilma, and I visited Nantasket Beach in Hull, Massachusetts. Nantasket Beach is part of the Nantasket Beach Reservation, and is a popular location for summer beach-goers.

I often plan my coastal beach adventures in the off-season, when many are dog friendly, and devoid from excessive visitors. This day of our adventure to Nantasket Beach was extra special, as Shadow had recently recovered from surgery. It was a gorgeous spring day, with a refreshing breeze. The Beach was beautiful, sand to perfection, while covered with perfectly rounded, and colorful rocks. We strolled around, while Shadow and Wilma stopped to smell, and inspect all objects in our path. They enjoyed some time playing together, which always melts my heart. My only disappointment in this beach was being located so close to the road, and parking lot. I guess that can be a common feature, but yet I prefer beaches that are completely away from the hustle of life. However, we had a wonderful time exploring Nantasket Beach (Rating: 4)

July 19, 2018 – Massachusetts – Sully’s Ice Cream Stand

Today Shadow, Wilma, and I visited Sully’s Ice Cream Stand in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Sully’s Ice Cream Stand has been family owned since 1986, and is known as “home of the super scoopers”. Sully’s has over 100 flavors, even including several sugarless options.

We enjoyed our little outing to Sully’s Ice Cream stand. The stand was very quiet, and we were able to place our order at the window immediately. There were many flavor choices but I settled on coconut chip, while Shadow and Wilma’s ice cream came with a treat frozen into the ice cream. There was limited seating, and the stand was right on a busy road so I elected to take our ice cream home. As soon as we arrived home, we quickly gobbled up our ice cream, enjoying every bite! I expect we will venture to Sully’s Ice Cream Stand again (Rating: 4).

Throwback Adventure – Stanley Park – August 2016

In August 2016 Shadow, Buster, and I visited Stanley Park in Westfield, Massachusetts. Sadly Buster has passed away since, but he definitely enjoyed his share of adventures. He was an amazing boy, and will always be missed. Stanley Park is a non-profit, privately owned park, that is approximately 300 acres in size. It includes: gardens, trails, playing fields, and a duck pond. The park was established in 1945 by philanthropist Frank Stanley Beveridge.

We stopped at Stanley Park after a wonderful visit with family. The park was beautifully landscaped, and highlights of our visit, included: a variety of bridges, an old working mill, the duck-filled pond, an old rustic church, and even a live swan! We enjoyed walking along the trails, and photographing the gorgeous scenery. This was as stop that I planned, but did not do any detailed research, so we wandered around without a map. However, I do think we found some of the highlights of this magnificent park (Rating: 4).

Throwback Adventure- Bridge of Flowers – July 2016

On July 22, 2016 my Mom, Buster, Shadow, and I visited the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. The Bridge of Flowers is a footbridge that connects the towns of Shelburne and Buckland. It once was a trolley bridge, and is now covered with flowers, literally a “bridge of flowers”. The Bridge of Flowers was created in 1929, and is now considered a nonprofit, maintained by gardeners and volunteers.

The Bridge of flowers is a stunningly beautiful, and rare find, being a complete bridge of colorful and aromatic flowers. The flowers are vibrant in color, fragrant and are flawlessly landscaped. Although the area is dog friendly, dogs were not allowed on the actual bridge. I was lucky to have my Mom with me who took care of Shadow and Buster while I did a quick stroll along the bridge. A unique and magnificent experience, definitely a must-see! (Rating: 5)

June 24, 2018 – Massachusetts – Moore State Park

Today we visited Moore State Park in Paxton, Massachusetts. Moore State Park is approximately 400 acres, and was a former home to grist and saw mills. Portions of the park are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has a pond, trails, and various “Mill Village Features” on the grounds.

This is actually the second time that we have been to Moore State Park, the first time was with Shadow and Buster in July 2013, and the second trip today, with Shadow and Wilma. My GPS was not too cooperative today, but we were able to locate the Park after an unplanned detour. We started our journey down a paved road, with beautiful, natural landscape adorning the sides. We soon arrived at the pond where there were several rustic wooden rocking chairs, picnic tables, and a gazebo-like structure to sit and enjoy the view. The more we walked I began to have some flashback memories of our initial journey, remembering that we had been caught in a downpour, before relaxing for a bit in the gazebo-like structure. I believe that visit was a shorter stop, while today we spent about two hours exploring.

I decided to start on some trails, before coming back through the viewing area. The trails were not well marked, but I was quite glad I had printed a trail map, which helped me navigate the forest, and not worry about getting lost. We started on Judy’s Secret Garden Loop Trail, and then connected to the Stairway Loop Trail. The trails were kind of blah, but we enjoyed walking along the pond, and finding some cute rock benches along the way. The trails were very peaceful, with the sounds of birds singing. Shadow enjoyed some swims, while Wilma jumped onto all large rocks in her path. The trails were very quiet, and we only saw one couple walking their dog. It is always nice to find a tranquil nature trail, away from the bustle of society.

After our walks on the trails we headed to various areas of the park to find some of the “Mill Village Features”, and take some photographs. These included: the Old Sawmill, the Bat House, the Chalet Foundation, the Enchanted Bridge, and the Artist Overlook. I took photographs of four of these “Features” which you can view below. This was one fun component of the Park. Definitely a unique Park to explore (Rating: 3)

July 2013:

Jun 23, 2018 – Massachusetts – Sullivan Farms

Tonight Shadow, Wilma, and I visited Sullivan Farms in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts. I had heard they were a dog friendly ice cream stop, so thought we would check it out. Sullivan’s makes their own ice cream, and have a small menu of meal items. There is an outdoor window to order, picnic benches, and a gazebo in the back to sit, eat, and relax. Sullivan’s Farm is located on a busy road, but the seating in the back helps to provide a bit more of a quiet atmosphere.

Shadow and Wilma were immediately excited upon arrival. I guess that happens everywhere we go, but yet I do believe they knew some tasty ice cream was on the way. Customer’s were happy to greet them, which always makes me smile. Shadow and Wilma each had their own dish, each cup with two treats adorning. Definitely the perfect dog ice cream option! It was raining, but we were able to find a bench under a tree that kept us reasonably dry. It is amazing how fast they inhale a cup of ice cream. Definitely two happy, and refreshed pups. I myself decided to get an ice cream float, quite a delicious treat on a Saturday night. I expect we will visit Sullivan Farms again (Rating: 4, Dog Ice Cream – 5)

June 23, 2018 – Greycourt State Park – Massachusetts

Today we visited Greycourt State Park in Methuen, Massachusetts. This Park is a recreation area that covers 24 acres atop the partially restored ruins of the Charles H. Tenney estate. Grey Court, which is also referred to as Tenney Castle, was built in 1893. It was the centerpiece of the Charles H. Tenney estate. The Tenney family were a successful business family, world known merchants in the business of hats. The Tenney Castle was later destroyed by fire in 1978.

This Park was not easy to find, but luckily I had done some research ahead of time, and knew exactly how to locate it. We parked at City Hall, and hiked from the Historical Society down the paved road to the park. It did not take long to locate castle ruins up on the hill. Many tall trees and green landscape surrounded this spectacular landmark. The paved trail took us up a small hill, and directly to the ruins. We strolled through the beautiful architecture, taking many photos. I was awed by this castle ruins, and enjoyed studying the many architectural features. There was an old water fountain, lots of holes to peer through and beautiful arches, and pillars. Standing in the ruins really made me feel like I was on an international journey, almost magical.

Once we had finished wandering the ruins we sauntered past and found some dirt paths. There were no markings, or directors, but we weaved in and out of the trails. I found them a bit humdrum, and was disappointed to hear clear sounds of cars and construction. However, we found some unique trees, and were able to get some always valued exercise.

After we finished at the trails we headed back to the castle ruins for one last visit. We sat for a bit next to the ruins, where Shadow and Wilma enjoyed their normal rolls, and some time playing together. We only saw a couple people on our visit, mostly locals walking through the area with their dogs. It was a fun little spot, and definitely a cool ruin to explore (Rating: 3).

Throwback Adventure – Bash Bish Falls – Massachusetts

In May 2017, Shadow, my Aunt, my Uncle, and I visited Bash Bish Falls in Mount Washington, Massachusetts. (Wilma had not yet joined our world). In my blog today I cannot help but note how fortuitous I am to have such a wonderful Aunt and Uncle. They are encouraging, kind, and giving, and always make me feel special and loved. It was fun to have their company, on this spectacular spring adventure.

Bash Bish Falls is located right on the border of Massachusetts, and New York, and is the highest waterfall in Massachusetts. The Falls include a series of cascades that are approximately 200 feet tall. The final cascade is 80 feet tall, split into two, by a large protruding boulder. Bash Bish Falls begins in a spring on Mount Washington, although is technically located on Bash Bish Mountain.

We started our journey to the Falls from the Massachusetts trail. The parking lot was difficult to find, but the trail was clear on arrival. The trail is approximately two miles in length. It sloped up slowly, running besides the beautiful, singing, babbling Bash Bish Brook. Shadow therefore was able to enjoy some sips and dips in the brook along our journey. On the opposite side of the brook we noted some cabins, which likely were part of the Bash Bish Falls State Park. I was amused by a sign along the way indicating the Massachusetts, New York border, and was quite diasppointed that I was not able to locate a photograph. However, it was a lovely trail, and quite the nice perk to fill the hike with great company, and conversation, catching up on all the moments of life.

Upon arrival at the Falls we witnessed a stunning, and dramatic view, the Falls roaring, and immense. As expected a crowded area, with ongoing snaps of photography. There were picnic tables, and of course areas along the rocks to sit an enjoy the site. A beautiful day enjoying nature’s magnificent beauty (Rating: 5)