December 22, 2019 – Fort Taber Park – Massachusetts

Today Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to Fort Taber Park in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Fort Taber Park is an oceanfront Park in Clark’s Point which includes a museum, Fort Rodman, a playground and a walking and bicycle path. On top of the Fort you can find the Clark’s Point Lighthouse. In the summer months the Park is also popular for swimming, and picnicking.

We had a gorgeous Adventure to Fort Taber Park. We were quite lucky to get a warm and sunny New England day adding quite the picturesque coastal scene. Shadow and I had been to Fort Taber Park about three years ago, but only visited briefly as it was the end of the day of a long day of exploring, and dusk was upon us. I therefore was quite thrilled to more thoroughly explore this area. The Park was quiet with few other guests. We began following the paved trail around the Fort Rodman, taking the outside loop to ensure a coastal experience. The sun was shining brightly, just beautiful. We sauntered around, taking many pictures. The Fort was tall, and grand, clearly 19th century history. I attempted to get a photograph of the Lighthouse, but not a simple task being located on the very top of the Fort. We enjoyed walking around, lots of rolls, and numerous photos per our usual Adventure.

Besides exploring the outer grounds of the Fort itself we enjoyed some time on the beach which had contrasting colors, and ice throughout adding a unique scene. We then wandered down the lengthy pier, which appeared from afar to bring you to the foot of the Butler Flats Lighthouse. Wilma was quite curious about all the shells, and smells, the shells appearing to have been dropped onto the pier from birds above. The sun sparkled off the water, creating a lovely scene. We spotted some boat from afar, and took or time checking out the view.

We enjoyed every moment of our Adventure at Fort Taber Park taking in the sights, sounds, and smells. Such a perfect location that combines recreation, history, and coastal splendor. Definitely a special place in New England. We look forward to returning again in the future (Rating: 4.5).

Winter 2017 Adventure

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Throwback Adventure – Pearl Hill State Park – Massachusetts

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. Many of these Throwback Adventures will include our Buster, who was known for his crazy tail, his happy howl, and his zest for life. We miss him dearly…he is forever in our hearts!

In July 2011 Buster, Shadow, My Mom, and I Adventured to Pearl Hill State Park in Townsend, Massachusetts. Pearl Hill State Park is a 1000 acre Park that is popular for camping, biking, hiking, and swimming. There is a seasonal fee to enter the park.

We had a green-filled Adventure to Pearl Hill State Park on a sunny summer day. I believe we may have visited the Park on one other occasion but this is the only one that I was able to locate photographs. We enjoyed the trails, found a pond, snapped many family photographs and enjoyed catching up and exploring. In the majority of my years in Florida I worked in a school district so would drive up in the summer with Shadow and Buster to visit family. We were glad we could Adventure to Pearl Hill State Park (Throwback Adventures will not always be rated).

Weekly Video/Photo

If you regularly follow my blog, and the weekly/video photo I would recommend skipping on to paragraph three, specific to this week’s video/photo. I have decided to add a weekly video/photo section to my blog. This blog will display a video or photo, usually highlighting an Adventure, while I might also sneak in some that are humorous, adorable, or just other fun dog moments.

So if you have followed my blog from the beginning you will know that I adopted Shadow as a puppy, and about a year later adopted Buster as a puppy. We had many wonderful years together before experiencing the devastating loss of Buster at just seven. It took a long time for our hearts to heal, but almost a year later we welcomed little Wilma into our world.

Today’s feature is a short video of Shadow and Buster back in November 2018. We were taking Christmas photos and they decided to have some fun. There are so many humorous and blooper moments that I have had with my dogs, so it is always fun to get one on video. So much for a photo shoot on this day. Hope you might enjoy a laugh!

December 14, 2019 -Gloucester Harborwalk – Massachusetts

Yesterday Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to the Gloucester Harborwalk in Gloucester, Massachusetts. The Harborwalk is a walkway and walking tour along Gloucester’s waterfront and historic district. The Harborwalk is a 1.2 mile path that has an additional 1.6 miles of an “extended walk”. It follows 42 granite “Story Posts”, and has an option for “smart phone” informational connections at the marked “postcard” locations.

We had a foggy Adventure to the Gloucester Harborwalk, on an unusually warm December day. Although we have been to Gloucester numerous times this was the first time we followed the official Harborwalk (and extended walks) throughout the town. We were pleased to find free parking and began our walk along the waterfront. I loved seeing the scenic boats, and numerous lobster traps, a genuine coastal experience. The path followed the water, weaved in and out of various areas, and often followed the main roads, passing local shops, restaurants and landmarks. It was a bit challenging to stay on track as I continually had to pull out my phone to view the online map, which was not largely detailed. Throughout our Adventure I enjoyed watching Shadow and Wilma take in the new smells, they almost look like tourists at some points staring off into the water to experience the sounds and sights. Surprisingly Wilma seemed a bit uneasy at some of the coastal smells, even though we have had many previous coastal Adventures.

My favorite parts included: the famous Gloucester’s Fisherman Memorial, the coastal sites, walking adjacent to the water, and the holiday decorations throughout the town. Along our travels we located someone decorating a Christmas tree with buoys, just perfect! I loved seeing lights on the trees, the holiday wreaths, and other various decorations in sight. One of my favorite photographs was one of Wilma peering at the statue of Fitz Henry Lane statue, quite humorous. If I only knew what goes through her curious, little mind. Overall I did not find the Harborwalk too interesting, but of course we enjoyed a long, often fast-paced walk, and another new Adventure. Just as I often say “Don’t let the rain stop you”! (Rating: 3).

Throwback Adventure – Sanibel Island – Florida

Shadow, Buster, and I had two separate Adventures to Sanibel Island back during our time living in Florida. Sanibel Island is located on the West Coast of Florida, and is approximately 15 miles in length. It is a popular tourist attraction, known for the beaches. A causeway connects Sanibel Island to the mainland. There is a fee to enter the Island.

We had beach-filled Adventures to Sanibel Island. I absolutely loved Sanibel Island, and the fact that it was so dog-friendly. There were beautiful beaches, with many shells, and the Sanibel Lighthouse. It was quite unique to find a Lighthouse in Florida. We spent lots of time wandering the beaches, and relaxing, the boys often playing and digging away. Definitely a peaceful, and gorgeous spot.

In searching for photographs I was able to locate a variety from our visit back in March 2012. Definitely memorable vacations in Sanibel Island. I hope some day we can make it back to this special oasis (Throwback Adventures will not always be rated).

Weekly Video/Photo

Today’s feature is a photo of Shadow and Wilma from the Arnold Arboretum, an Arboretum of Harvard University in Massachusetts. It was take last month at one of our many visits. This is a beautiful location, and is a great place for a dog walk. In this photo the orange leaves of autumn are scattered over the ice of winter as the seasons merge. If you live locally I would definitely recommend you visit the Arboretum, although of course much more colorful in the spring and summer. If you want to read more about our first Adventure to Arnold Arboretum you can type it into the search box. On to Winter we go!

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December 7, 2019 – Sawyer’s Crossing Covered Bridge/Cresson Bridge – New Hampshire

Yesterday Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to the Sawyer’s Crossing Covered Bridge, also known as the Cresson Bridge. The Sawyer’s Crossing Covered Bridge is located in Swanzey, New Hampshire and crosses the Ashuelot River. It was originally built in 1771, and later rebuilt in 1859. It is one of the bridges located on the Ashuelot Rail Trail.

We had a deja-vu type of Adventure to the Sawyer’s Crossing Covered Bridge. In researching several covered bridges I had noted that there were several in Swanzey, all bright red in color. The Sawyer’s Crossing Covered bridge was one of the two I chose to explore. We arrived, again pleased to see the parking lot was plowed, the location covered with fresh snow. We dove over the plowed bank, and wandered over to the bridge to snap some photographs, and yes some more practice for our Christmas card. The River was still at this location, and the bridge smooth, versus the lattice style of the Denman Thompson Bridge. We walked along the shore, again cautious to get too close and end up over the snow covered edge. The bridge was located in a quiet residential area, and was quite scenic. We walked up to the sign near the front of the bridge, but traffic was observed to be too dangerous to attempt a walk through the bridge. There were some snow covered picnic benches nearby. It was a short but pleasant visit to the Sawyer’s Covered Bridge. I recall few snow covered Adventures to covered bridges, and our Adventures to these two lovely bridges definitely did not disappoint (Rating: 4).

December 7, 2019 – Denman Thompson/West Swanzey Bridge – New Hampshire

Today Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to the Denman Thompson/West Swanzey Bridge in Swanzey, New Hampshire. The Denman Thompson Covered Bridge was built in 1832 and crosses the Ashuelot River. The Bridge permits one-vehicle travel, and has a walkway on one side. There is a small park and picnic area adjacent to the Bridge.

We had a snow-filled Adventure to the Denman Thompson Covered Bridge. I was excited to visit a new covered bridge, the weekend after our first snow storm. I was pleased to see the parking area was plowed so we could safely leave our car and explore. We immediately heading to the Bridge. The snow was deep, adding an interesting aspect to our exploring. The scene was beautiful, the snow covered the park and bridge, while the River water flowed steadily. The Bridge was adorned with Christmas lights, and a wreath to celebrate the season. I was cautious to not get too close to the edge of the Park, unclear where the slope began and the water started. We posed for a bit and enjoyed the Winter wonderland.

After exploring the side of the Bridge we sauntered up to the sidewalk, and strolled under and through the Bridge. I appreciate finding a bridge that contains a walkway, providing safe travel under. There was a lovely view from the Bridge down the River. The location was peaceful and had little traffic. After observing the sites we made our way back to the River’s edge to snap a few more photographs. As you can see below we are practicing for our annual Christmas card, although I did save some of my favorites for a future post. Definitely a gorgeous New England Bridge (Rating: 4).

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Throwback Adventure – Castle Island – Massachusetts

In April of 2018 Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to Castle Island in Boston, Massachusetts. Castle Island is located on the shores of Boston Harbor. Castle Island was formerly an Island, but was connected in 1982 by land, therefore creating a peninsula. At the top of the land is Fort Independence, the oldest fortified military site in British North America. Castle Island is the home to the Popular Sullivan’s restaurant, and is a favorite summer spot for Boston locals.

We had a windy Adventure to Castle Island. I was quite pleased to visit Castle Island as it is a location I had heard about often. As on many occasions we decided to explore Castle Island in off-season. There were paths along the Fort, and airplanes flying throughout. We enjoyed walking next to the Fort, the walls towering high above us, and checking out the views. Castle Island was not the cleanest spot, but I guess that is to be expected in a more urban setting. We were glad to visit a new location and enjoy a long walk. As per my usual Throwback blogs I had some difficulty locating photographs, but I did find some to represent our Adventure as well as a video along our stroll (Throwback Adventures will not always be rated).

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First Snow of the Season

As my fellow New Englanders are aware, we had our first snow of the year, an almost three day storm. In my part of Massachusetts we had approximately eighteen inches of snow! I was thrilled to have two days off from work and spend lots of time with my two best friends! Wilma was very excited about the snow running happily, and spending lots of time searching for the ball as it moved around under the snow. Constant entertainment, and laughs. I threw her some snow balls which she of course caught, she enjoyed keep-away with a stick, and of course I spent alot of time throwing the ball, her favorite backyard activity. As for Shadow he preferred lounging on the blanket, cuddling with Mom, and playing with Wilma. Even though they love playing, Shadow is often encouraged by Wilma so it is fun to see him engage her in playful moments. Although different personalities, energy levels, and ten years apart they really are best buds, and the perfect balance.

In addition to hours of play-time we practiced for our annual Christmas card. I will share these photographs soon! So although there are pros and cons to being a New Englander and dealing with snow, I can say we definitely enjoyed the first storm. Below you will see some photographs and videos from the last couple of days. Let the Winter begin!