August 22, 2020 – Nathaniel Allen Recreation Area (NARA Park) – Massachusetts

**Please note my blog crashed for several days but thankfully it is up and running – you therefore may have missed the last post if you area regular follower, and may not have been able to open it in general – I am relieved that everything is back on track**

Yesterday Wilma and I Adventured to Nathaniel Allen Recreation Area (NARA Park) in Acton, Massachusetts. NARA Park is located on a pond, and is popular for fishing, swimming, and picnicking. The Park has an amphitheater for summer concerts. The walking trail intersects with the Bruce Freeman Trail.

Wilma and I had a surprising Adventure to NARA Park, locating it completely by accident. We were walking on the Bruce Freeman Trail and were traversing a part just past where we had walked before and suddenly there was NARA Park. Such a pleasant surprise! Upon arrival we found the beautiful NARA pond, with gorgeous reflections of the clouds shimmering on the water. We began wandering down a trail finding children fishing. Soon we located an area with lovely water lilies, quite entertained by the frog panic as we explored the shore. Wilma found a log to climb, savored the smells, and was energized by the hopping frogs. From there we headed on the boardwalk and around the path. There were beautiful wild flowers, and numerous locations to enter the water. We soon walked by the beach, and guests picnicking before arriving at the main building. We met several people working at this location. They were so friendly and we enjoyed chatting for awhile, Wilma cherishing every bit of attention and a long belly rub. From there we continued on the path before returning to Bruce Freeman Trail. Since we found this lovely location by chance we did not have a map, but I believe we explored the majority of this location. It has been a long time since we found something accidentally and it is these simple days that make my day. Such a wonderful Adventure to the lovely NARA Park (Rating: 4).

July 1, 2020 – Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (Acton) – Massachusetts

Today Wilma and I Adventured to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in Acton, Massachusetts. The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail is a twenty five mile Trail that includes the towns of Lowell, Chelmsford, Westford, Carlisle, Acton, Concord, Framingham, and Sudbury. The Trail is 10 feet in width and is popular for: biking, skiing, walking, jogging, and rollerblading.

We had a surprisingly lovely Adventure to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. I was eager to take a walk on this Trail but did not have high expectations specific to scenery. We parked in a designated parking area on Route 27. Upon arrival we were greeted by the loud songs of cheerful frogs, perking up the ears of my curious Wilma. The Trail entrance was quite formal lined by black fencing and scattered with flowers. From there we turned right and began our walk. The Trail was framed by a scenic wooden fence. I was pleased to find the Trail quite wide, perfect for a mixture of those walking, running, and biking, and of course a safe distance in these days of COVID. We could hear the traffic on Route 27 but overall it was a peaceful setting.

The Trail was continually framed with rustic fencing, a simple feature that I appreciated. It did not take us long to arrive at a wetlands area filled with pussy willows, frogs, and birds. I was quite elated to find this knowing we were only exploring a small portion of this Trail. There were several more of these wetlands areas along the way, we even located some benches for visitors to sit and relax.

It is always nice when an Adventure exceeds my expectations. Wilma seemed hot today, even laying down for a quick nap, so we only walked about an hour. We definitely will be back to visit the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (Rating: Adventure will not be rated as only a small section of this 25 mile Trail was explored).

May 13, 2020 – Acton Arboretum – Massachusetts

Today Wilma, My Mom, and I Adventured to the Acton Arboretum in Acton, Massachusetts. This was our second Adventure to the Acton Arboretum as My parents, Shadow, Wilma, and I visited exactly two years ago. The Acton Arboretum which is situated on some of the 65 acres of conservation land in Acton. It has a short trail system, and provides numerous gardens to explore. The Arboretum offers self-guided tours, available for download.

We had a colorful Adventure to the Acton Arboretum. I decided to blog again about this Arboretum as it has been two years since our last visit. We had quite the challenge finding parking as spots were greatly reduced due to COVID. This was quite frustrating, but after a very long delay in plans we were able to locate a parking spot…let the relaxation and floral therapy begin!!

We took our time slowly exploring various corners of the park, both My Mom and I snapping constant photographs. We had no route, no plan, and no map, appreciating the spontaneity of the moments. The Park had many blooms, although was still in the early phases of spring. I absolutely loved the boardwalks, ponds, and a bright red bridge. There were benches along the route allowing one to stop and appreciate the gardens. One of my favorite parts was a trail through the woods that included boardwalks and was scattered with bright yellow Celandine, blue bells, and various other wildflowers. The colors were vibrant and just spectacular. Along the way we saw several animals including a Baltimore Oriole, radiantly orange, and a sweet little turtle relaxing in the pond.

Throughout the evening Wilma enjoyed screaming at the squirrels (yes literally!), posing as requested, and becoming overzealous at the sight of any furry friend. We spent about two and a half hours exploring, enjoying great company and appreciating all the sights and smells of spring. Such a simple, but lovely place. I expect we will be the Arboretum again, hopefully long before another two years (Rating: 4).

May 13, 2020