April 25, 2020 – Nauset Lighthouse – Massachusetts

Today Wilma and I Adventured to the Nauset Lighthouse (also referred to as the Nauset Beach Lighthouse) in Eastham, Massachusetts, part of Cape Cod. I actually have blogged about this Lighthouse in my “Throwback” blog but decided to highlight it again as I took minimal photos on the first visit, as well as Wilma had not visited this memorable Lighthouse. Shadow, My Mom, and I originally visited three years ago.

The Nauset Lighthouse was restored and relocated back in 1923. The Nauset Light Preservation Society currently maintains the Lighthouse and through private donations funded the restoration and relocation of the lighthouse. The Lighthouse has benches nearby and is located adjacent to the Nauset Light Beach.

I was excited to Adventure to the Nauset Lighthouse a second time as it is unusually colorful and absolutely scenic. We parked at the nearby beach and made the short trek over to the Lighthouse. Wilma was eager to explore, anticipating the enthusiasm in my steps. We found a scenic path to the side of the Lighthouse that led us to the top of the small hill and directly to the Lighthouse. The scenery was brown, yet had character. There were benches near the Lighthouse, and several educational kiosks. The roar from the ocean was fantastic, one of my favorite sounds of nature. We lingered around the area, making several rounds. On our way back I noticed several overgrown paths to the beach, so we ventured over to observe the scene. I was shocked to find us high above the beach, almost a large dune, yet we were in a wooded-like area. The site was just spectacular, and the sounds magnificent. I do not remember if we visited this beach on our initial visit, but definitely will be adding it to a future Adventure. One of my favorite photographs from today came at the Nauset Lighthouse of Wilma in the brown landscaping with the Nauset Lighthouse in the background. So glad both Shadow and Wilma were able to Adventure to the Nauset Lighthouse. I will include the photographs from our initial visit below at the bottom, but you also can search for the Nauset Lighthouse in my search box to read more about our first visit in April 2017. Definitely one of the beautiful Lighthouses in New England (Rating: 4).

April 2017 Visit

April 25, 2020 – Eastham Windmill – Massachusetts

Today Wilma, and I Adventured to the Eastham Windmill in Eastham, Massachusetts, part of Cape Cod. The Eastham Windmill is the oldest working Windmill in Cape Cod. The Windmill was built in 1680 in Plymouth, and moved numerous times before arriving at the current location. As expected the Windmill has been restored over the years. It currently is open to the public in summer months providing tours of the operation. The Eastham Windmill also fresh-ground cornmeal which is sold to the community.

We had a special Adventure to the Eastham Windmill as this was our first ever Adventure to a Windmill! The Windmill was the centerpiece of the Town Center, located in a small park. It was surrounded by rustic fencing, and many benches around the border. We began exploring at the official sign of the Windmill, at the forefront of the Park. The nearby fencing was lined with gorgeous, bright white and yellow daffodils, sending my mind to thoughts of Dutch culture. After appreciating these pretty spring flowers we found another opening and headed straight to the Eastham Windmill. The Windmill was quite picturesque, and very tall. We viewed it from all angles, even discovering small Christmas lights on the turbines. Such a marvelous, and distinctive structure.

After snapping endless photographs, as per our usual custom we sauntered past the Windmill over to a small gazebo, and a radiant “Memorial Buoy Tree”. These Memorial was devoted to a local resident who had passed. Such a beautiful tribute that clearly has been treasured by his dedicated communicated.

I am not sure if you are thrilled to learn but we might have a new theme for our future Adventures. Well, not really theme, don’t you worry, but we do look forward to visiting other Windmills in the future. So delighted we could discover the Eastham Windmill today (Rating: 3.5)

April 25, 2020 – Three Sisters Lighthouses – Massachusetts

Today Wilma and I Adventured to the Three Sisters Lighthouses in Eastham, Massachusetts, part of Cape Cod. These three fifteen foot towers were built in 1836, The Nauset Lights. They later became referred to as The Three Sisters as they were said to appear as woman who were wearing white dresses and black hats. The Three Sisters fell into the sea, and were replaced by twenty foot towers. They eventually were decommissioned and purchased and restored by the National Park Service. The National Park Service provides regular tours are available.

We had a fun Adventure to the Three Sisters Lighthouses on a warm and sunny April day. I was excited to locate these lighthouses, as there are few left in Massachusetts that I have not yet discovered. I spotted them as we drove by but it appeared the parking was closed so we parked at the nearby beach, soon locating the path labeled “Three Sisters Lighthouses. We walked down a nice paved path, past several homes before arriving at the Three Sisters Lighthouses. The Lighthouses were simple, yet unique, and pretty in their own way. They were located near one another, standing out well from the bright green grass. We visited each lighthouse checking out the details, each very similar to one another. My little hound Wilma was quite overtaken by smells in the area, and enjoyed quite the nasal sensory experience (haha). We had this location to ourselves, and took our time exploring. There were several picnic tables, some beautiful bright yellow forsythias and an educational kiosk. So glad we discovered the Three Sisters Lighthouses today, quite a unique trio (Rating: 3.5)

April 25, 2020 – Craigville Beach – Massachusetts

Today Wilma and I Adventured to Craigville Beach in Barnstable, Massachusetts, part of Cape Cod. Craigville Beach is a public beach located on Nantucket Sound. There is a daily parking fee required in-season. As expected Craigville Beach is popular for swimming, sunbathing, walking and socializing.

We had a colorful Adventure to Craigville Beach as we arrived bright and early to admire the sunrise. I was relieved upon arrival to find an empty beach, although several visitors were noted to be sitting in cars. Immediately we headed to the water’s edge, and heard sounds of birds, and the waves, a peaceful oasis. Wilma was absolutely thrilled to be at the beach, often darting back and forth trying to run. We walked along the shore, peaked at shells, and appreciated the full sensory experience. Wilma participated in some chaotic digging, and appeared quite brave entering the water, seeming to understand the term “go swimming” meant to head toward the water. I thought about our beach bum Shadow trotting by our side, he would have been so happy to enjoy a beach morning. Glad he had so many Adventures to the beach. We spent about an hour at the beach, as we relished some coastal therapy. Such a peaceful morning at Craigsville Beach (Rating: 3.5)

Throwback Adventure – Jordan Pond, Maine – August 2015

In remembering our Shadow I decided to re-post some of our favorite Adventures on our “Throwback Adventure” Thursdays. Shadow had amazing solo Adventures, Adventures with Buster, and Adventures with Wilma. He was one lucky boy! The post today was from a trip to Jordan Pond in Acadia Park that Shadow, Buster, and My Mom took back in August 2015. One of my favorite memories was the journey Shadow, Buster, and I took around the gorgeous Jordan Pond. There were boardwalks, rocks, bridges, and mountains, breathtaking beauty. Forever precious memories! Please see below for my original post including photographs and a video.

In August 2015 My Mom, Shadow, Buster, and I journeyed to Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park, Maine. Sadly Buster has passed away since, but he definitely enjoyed his share of adventures. He had an amazing zest for life, led by his joyous howl, and happy tail. We made many memories on adventures, that we fondly treasure. He will always be missed!!

Jordan Pond was formed by the Wisconsin Ice Sheet during the last glacial period. It has mountains to the west and northeast. The loop trail around the pond is less than four miles long, and is mostly flat. On arrival I found the area to be quite touristy, but as we began to traverse the trail around the pond we were surrounded by nature, and stunning beauty. The perfect shaped rocks, gorgeous water, and the mountains, combined to provide a picturesque landscape. The day of this journey it was a bit foggy, which added a mystical feature to the photos. As per usual I took numerous photos of the boys on our adventure, and the stunning landscape. This was definitely a trip I will always treasure. It was one of the most gorgeous spots we have visited on our many years of adventures (Rating: 5)

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April 22, 2020 – Battle Road Trail, Part III – Massachusetts

Today Wilma, and I Adventured to the Battle Road Trail in Concord, Massachusetts. The Battle Road Trail is an almost ten mile round trip Trail, connecting historic sites from Concord to Lexington Massachusetts. The Trail focuses on the Battle of 1775 which began the American Revolution. It crosses wetlands, forests, and farmlands, and contains various landmarks and kiosks along the way. The Trail is part of the Minute Man National Historic Park.

We had a gusty Adventure to the Battle Road Trail. This was the first time we have been to this section of the Battle Road Trail, so I am therefore titling it “Part III”. This is our third and final blog of this special Trail, as we have now officially traversed the entire Trail. It was sad to complete this journey without our Shadow but we were pleased that he was able to appreciate almost the entire Trail as today was the smallest portion of our three part Adventure. Today Wilma and I parked at the last lot at Meriam Corner. Apparently we did the Trail backwards as my research indicated this was actually the beginning of the Battle Road Trail..oops! After parking we headed toward Nathan Meriam’s home, the only historical building on this last section of the Trail. Wilma posed on a bench nearby, and at the home. We then walked around this historic building, quickly locating some bright colors in several flowers, including: Narcissus, Hyacinths, and Periwinkles. More and more signs of spring to brighten our day!

We then returned to the parking lot and continued on the Trail, heading in the direction of our previous Adventures. There were few other visitors exploring, and we did not even spot one dog friend. The sky was filled with perfect clouds, and the wind roaring. There were several benches along the way, kiosks, and several very short boardwalks. We sauntered through the fields, and woods, before entering the edge of farmland, and soon arrived at the farthest location of which we commenced “Part II” of our Battle Road Trail Adventures. (I believe that official location was “Carty Barn” per my best guess from the map).

Wilma seemed a bit apprehensive again today, but yet the wind was quite wild, possibly causing her some uncertainty. Yet she may still be building her confidence without chill Shadow trotting by her side, reassuring her that everything will be alright. However she still was quite energetic to be out and about. Wilma has had a sore leg on and off so we have been doing a little less walking, and backyard time, causing us both to be especially thrilled to be out and about. So we did our best to walk slowly, and I took time to cherish the precious moments from our first Adventures with our sweet Shadow. If you would like to see our previous two Adventures with Shadow to the Battle Road Trail you can type “Battle Road Trail” in the search box, and all three Adventures will be listed from your search. The Battle Road Trail is definitely an original place to explore in our New England (Rating: 3).

Weekly Video/Photo

I am updating my Weekly Video/Photo portion of my blog, due to the devastating loss of our Shadow. The plan will still be to still 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. However, I will be concentrating future posts on Shadow, as we grieve his loss.

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. As you may know we were devastated to loose Shadow on April 3, 2020. He was 12, and thankfully living a long and pain free life! I will use this section as a therapeutic remembrance of our Shadow, sharing many spectacular Adventures and moments.

Today’s feature is a short, simple, yet endearing video of sweet Shadow relaxing on the couch with me. You really can see glimpse into his gentle soul. He was the best listener I ever did know. How can you not fall in love?! Another moment we will treasure.

April 19, 2020 – Androscoggin Swinging Bridge – Maine

Today, Wilma, My Mom, and I Adventured to the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge connecting Brunswick and Topsham, Maine. The Androscoggin Bridge is a pedestrian, suspension bridge crossing the Androscoggin River. It was built in 1892, and later rehabilitated in 2006.

I debated posting this blog, as it is a bit random. However, we had a day of Adventures in Maine, all of which I had blogged about previously, so why not document this picturesque bridge. I found the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge accidentally when driving, and was excited to locate such a unique bridge. The bridge was high above the rushing Androscoggin River, providing lovely views down stream. There were benches near the bridge to sit and relax. We soon began our journey across the bridge which was quite the wiggly and windy experience, at moments I even thought I could loose my balance. Wilma seemed to enjoy the walk but did seem slightly uneasy with this wobbly experience. I of course immediately thought about Shadow and his likely reluctance of this shaky bridge, which actually made me smile. After crossing this long an amazing bridge we checked out the other side, finding some trails, and beach-like areas, before crossing back to the other side.

It has been challenging, and quite sad heading out on walks, Adventures, and today, our first new Adventures without our sweet Shadow. Nevertheless we also find great peace in these times exercising, enjoying the moments, and exploring new places. It is nice to know we can continue to enjoy Adventures, although we wish Shadow was by our side, rolling around in the grass, and swimming in the seas. However, we will continue on, and savor all the memories we had with Shadow, and with Buster. I know it will get better with time, and I am glad we have so many of our past Adventures captured in photographs. So glad today to enjoy our Adventure to the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge (Rating: 3.5)

Remembering Shadow and Buster Together

So today I thought I would remember Shadow and Buster’s spectacular Adventures TOGETHER. They were instant best friends, playing constantly, until the very end when Buster passed at the young age of seven. I adopted Buster as a puppy approximately a year after adopting Shadow as a puppy. We started our Adventures in Florida, especially enjoying the beaches, Hillsborough State Park, and Lettuce Lake. While residing in Florida we took two road trips to Massachusetts in the summer months, and also met family in Virginia for a vacation. Once relocating to Massachusetts we continued to explore, enjoying various State Parks, the beaches, the mountains and the woods. Endless fun and memories! I cannot believe they are both gone, just heartbreaking. Hoping they are frolicking together enjoying their fantastic reunion. Although I could never post all of our favorite photographs, this is a large collection of many wonderful moments! Here are the boys…they are Forever in our hearts!

Throwback Adventure – Arethusa Falls – New Hampshire

In remembering our Shadow I decided to re-post some of our favorite Adventures on our “Throwback Adventure” Thursdays. Shadow had amazing solo Adventures, Adventures with Buster, and Adventures with Wilma. He was one lucky boy! The post today was our Adventure to Arethusa Falls in the White Mountains. This was a gorgeous Falls, and in addition we discovered a side trail that allowed us to view smaller Falls, as well as some fresh water sips and dips for Shadow. Forever precious memories! Please see below for my original post including photographs and a video.

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 some cases you will also see journeys that occurred before our little lady Wilma became part of our family, as in our Throwback Adventure today.

In June 2017 Shadow and I had a breathtaking Adventure to Arethusa Falls in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Arethusa Falls, sometimes referred to as Tuckerman Falls, is sourced by the Bemis Brook. It is almost 200 feet in height and is one of the tallest waterfalls in New Hampshire. The trail to Arethusa Falls is approximately a three mils round-trip hike. Part of the Trail is paralleled by the Bemis Brook Trail while following the Bemis Brook, and leading you past the Bemis Brook Falls and Coliseum Falls. It is a popular area for hiking, and ice climbing in the winter months.

One of the most amazing Adventures I have ever taken was this hike I took with Shadow to Arethusa Falls. I remember the trail to the Falls was clearly labeled, filled with rocks, a bridge or two, and other hikers along the way. The main trail was not very inspiring, but the elevation gain was definitely a good work-out. I was super impressed with my rockstar Shadow, (nine at this time) as unlike me, he did not miss a beat!

Upon arrival at the Falls we were immediately drawn to the massive height at the Falls. It was thin in depth,and musical in sound, as misty water streamed over the rocks. We hoped from rock to rock finding a nice place to rest, enjoy the waterfall, and eat a little snack. It was definitely one of the most impressive waterfalls I have seen, and the experience of an exhausting hike made the Adventure even better. We relaxed and enjoyed the Falls for awhile before heading back on the main trail.

On our return trip we cut over to the Bemis Brook Trail. The Trail over to the Bemis Brook Trail was quite steep. I actually remember sitting down and scooting to make sure I did not fall. Upon arrival at the bottom we were pleased at the site of a lovely waterfall, before following the Brook and spotting at least one other waterfall along this trail. There were places for Shadow to swim and drink from the brook. The mountain water was pure in color, gorgeous, and magical in sound. It was so fun to find this side trail as I believe I did not know about these other lovely waterfalls before heading on this journey. This lovely trail completed a day of absolute Perfection! I would highly encourage you to visit the magnificent Arethusa Falls and the Bemis Brook Trail. I will forever remember this special Adventure with my Shadow. Please see a quick video and some photographs below. (I am hoping at a future date I will be able to get the longer video to download) (Rating: 5)