Throwback Adventure – Castle Island – 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 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!

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 photo from the Arboretum at Farandnear Reservation in Shirley, Massachusetts this past May. Shadow and Wilma are posing near one of the gardens. The Arboretum is simple, and beautiful, and there are extensive trails throughout the property. A lovely and quiet local Reservation. You can read more about our first Adventure to the Farandnear Reservation by typing it in the search box, It is hard to believe the flowers are already gone for the year. Time for the snow!

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Throwback Adventure – Lettuce Lake Park – Florida

Shadow, Buster, and I Adventured to Lettuce Lake Park when we resided in Florida. Lettuce Lake is a 240 acre county Park in Tampa, Florida. The amenities include a 1.25 walking loop, boardwalk, playgrounds, and picnic areas. The Park contains the Hillsborough River and offers canoe and kayak rentals. There is a $2 fee to enter the Park.

We had numerous Adventures to Lettuce Lake Park. Just the thought of the Park brings back many fond memories as we often frequented the area. This was actually the first place that we took Buster for a walk, when he was just small puppy. Buster had no interest in walking on a leash, and preferred laying down and greeting guests. It makes me smile just thinking about it. Often we had friends join us, and also made friends with fellow dog walkers. I even recall one particular visit where I was quite excited to wear my Patriots’ sweatshirt, as the cooler weather occurred quite infrequently. Simple, but pleasant memories. It was difficult to locate pictures but these three provide a quick snapshot of this special location. Hope to visit again in the future (Throwback Adventures will not always be rated).

Weekly Video/Photo

Today’s feature is a video from Campton Falls, also known as Beebe Falls in Campton, New Hampshire. Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to this falls back in July of 2018. It was a gorgeous, singing Falls, surrounded with spectacular colored rocks. It was a little challenging venturing to the bottom of the Falls, but we managed to get there. Such a lovely Falls! You can read more by typing in Campton/Beede Falls in the search box, but please enjoy this video as a summary of this picturesque Adventure.

Throwback Adventure – Fisherman’s Walk – Maine

We have had several Adventures to Fisherman’s Walk over the past five years. Fisherman’s Walk is a paved and gravel trail that parallels the York River in York, Maine. The path begins near the Wiggly Bridge, and ends at Harbor Beach. It is broken by streets at some locations and is less then two miles round-trip.

We have enjoyed all of our Adventures to Fisherman’s Walk in the scenic town of York. I always smile when I can share Adventure that ALL of my pups had the opportunity to visit, and Fisherman’s Walk is one of those Adventures. The Fisherman’s Walk is a lovely coastal stroll, quiet, and peaceful. We enjoyed viewing attractive boats, scenic docks, and of course you cannot go wrong with a trek along the coast. Great memories of our coastal time at the Fisherman’s Walk. See below for a mix of photographs from our various visits (Rating: Throwback Adventures will not always be rated)

Weekly Video/Photo

Today’s feature is a video from our sunset visit to Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park in Maine. We had a spectacular Adventure to Cadillac Mountain last April, one of the most beautiful spots in New England. We actually visited twice on this trip, as I could not resist heading back to catch the sunset at this gorgeous location. I love this video as it really looks like Shadow and Wilma are watching the sunset, and appreciating the beauty. Definitely a must-see Mountain for those who Adventure to Maine. If you want to read more about our Adventures to Cadillac Mountain you can type in “Cadillac Mountain” in the search box to read about our Adventures (there are actually two posts, one on our Adventure with Shadow and Buster – on a very foggy day, and one on our Adventure with Shadow and Wilma – on a clear day). Enjoy!

November 16, 2019 – Battle Road Trail, Part I – Massachusetts

Today Shadow, 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 well-needed Adventure to the Battle Road Trail on a brisk November day. Having been sick, and with a family member in the hospital we have not been on any new Adventures in the last week or two. And although we have enjoyed many local walks, I was thrilled to head off on a new Adventure, even though I am far from feeling well.

We spent about two and a half hours traversing the Battle Road Trail, and nearby paths, exploring over half of the East Section of the Trail. Some of the landmarks we visited included: the Paul Revere Capture Site, the Hartwell Tavern, the Jacob Whittemore House, the Samuel Hartwell House Site, and the Captain William House. The Trail was simple, but varied terrain, the anticipation of the next landmark added some elation to the journey. We often walked at a quick pace, but of course took some time to sniff out the new landscape. Due to the chilly weather I was surprised to see many others walking the Trail, including: families, furry friends, bikers, and runners. Shadow and Wilma even got to say hello to a happy toddler who was very enthused about meeting the pups.

Throughout the day Shadow loved many rolls in the hay-like grass, while Wilma was quite obsessed by the sheep, who were loudly vocalizing their “baaa”. I think my favorite part, besides a long walk with my two best buds, was the historic homes along the Trail. I loved their unique architecture, and the often scenic placement amidst the fields. And although I have not stopped coughing since this Adventure, I could not be more happier that we had a long walk on the Battle Trail. We will definitely be visiting the other half of the Battle Trail in the near future. A unique way to combine exercise, the outdoors, and history (Rating: 4).

Throwback Adventure – Coburn Covered Bridge – Vermont

In February 2019 Shadow and I Adventured to the Coburn Covered Bridge in Montpelier, Vermont. The Coburn Covered Bridge was built in 1851 and crosses the Winooski River. It is the only bridge in Montpelier.

We had a brown Adventure to the Coburn Covered Bridge. The Bridge was one of our many stops on the way to our main destination. Absolutely nothing about this Bridge was memorable, although I guess it is generally not fair to judge anything in the winter of New England. The landscape was dry, the Bridge cracking, and the River still. On a good note it was nice to find a bridge away from the business of a neighborhood, in a quiet country location. We were still glad we could to visit the Coburn Covered Bridge (Throwback Adventures will not always be rated).

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Weekly Video/Photo

Today’s feature is a video from our Adventure to Dunn State Park earlier this month. We were traversing the trail around the pond at this simple, but lovely Park. We spotted what I believe to be a heron off the trail, on the pond’s edge. I wish I was filming a little lower as Shadow was quite enthused when he saw this elegant bird soon causing it to fly off. An exhilarating moment to add to our day. You can read more about this Park by searching for Dunn State Park in the search box, and reading our detailed blog. And although far from a professional video, I still thought I would share. Enjoy!