Tag: canton

June 1, 2019 – The Bradley Estate – Massachusetts

Somehow this blog posted before I finished it so I have deleted that, and here is the final blog posting…

Yesterday Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to The Bradley Estate in Canton, Massachusetts.  The Bradley Estate was inherited by Doctor Arthur Tracy Cabot before being acquired by his niece Eleanor Cabot Bradley in 1945.  It is a 90 acre property that includes the estate, fields, woodlands, and gardens.  The Estate is a popular location for weekend weddings.  It is owned and managed by the Trustees of Reservations.

We had a peaceful Adventure to The Bradley Estate.  We arrived to find the property almost empty from visitors.  There was as $5 parking fee, but yet our admission was free due to our Trustee membership!  I had researched the property ahead of time so had known that dogs were not allowed in the formal gardens, but were permitted on the trails.  We decided to head over to the front of the Estate to take some photographs.  There were flowers of varied colors along the paved road, many with unique shades.  I took numerous photos before soon arriving at the Estate.  The Estate was lovely with gardens on either side.  Although there were no “no dog” signs I decided not to venture too far adjacent to the property unclear of the forbidden boundaries.  Instead we then veered over to the trails and began on our hike.

I was quite pleased to find some more flowers along the trail, many adorning the rocks.  This provided quite the picturesque scene. There were Azalea’s, Rhododentron, wildflowers and more.  We wandered past what appeared to be a farm, and some fields before heading into the woods.  The trails were simple, but tranquil, birds chirping, and an occasional smells of fragrant flowers flooding the air.  There were several moments when the sounds of busy roads overtook the nature walk, however overall it was quite serene.  The trails were not labeled, and somewhat confusing but having studied the map before our journey I figured I was in the right general direction.  At one point we arrived at the back of the Estate, a nice surprise along the way.  This helped me to know we were on the right track to our trip home.

Throughout our hike Shadow and Wilma often trotted side by side seeming to be energized on this beautiful morning.   Some of my favorite parts of the trails were:  the colorful flowers along the path, the bright greens of spring, the tall ferns on the trail, and a rustic fence along the way.  So as you may guess this is yet another property I discovered through the Trustees of Reservations.  Although I was bummed that we could not explore the gardens, we definitely had a lovely Adventure to the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate (Rating:  3).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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)

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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!