July 6, 2019 – Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site – Massachusetts

Today Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site in Brookline, Massachusetts. Frederick Law Olmsted is known as the founder of American landscape architecture. He titled his estate “Fairsted”, where he established the first full-scale landscape architecture office. He famously designed thousands of landscapes around North America. The property includes outdoor quarters, ranger led tours, and an indoor museum of the estate. There is no cost to visit this Historic Site, but donations are appreciated.

We had a steamy Adventure to the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site. Our journey began bright and early, as I was hoping to avoid a predicted hot and humid day. We quickly found parking, which was clearly marked by signs. We began walking down the street, and headed through a scenic awning, marking the entrance of the Site. We soon arrived at the main building where we found a descriptive brochure, and began ambling throughout the property. I for some reason expected a large manor, however it was very compact. We therefore wandered down every little path, and spot we could find. There were bright flowers, including lilies, and roses. The residence was simple, but picturesque, with green ivy-like leaves adorning the sides of the building. In several spots we were able to peer in seeing some of the museum displays. I was quite surprised how hot it was at this location, Shadow often tried to dive under a bush, while Wilma quickly was laying down and panting herself. I guess it worked out being a tiny estate, leading to a short visit.

As you would expect the buildings were not dog friendly, so we were not able to see the entire site, but enjoyed our outdoor tour. I debated blogging today, but figured it might be of interest to some visitors, especially those found of landscape architecture, and its’ history. Quite a simple Adventure today, but always pleased to visit a new location (Rating: Decided not to rate this location as we were only able to explore half of the Site.)

July 1, 2019 – Ware – Hardwick Covered Bridge – Massachusetts

Today Shadow, Wilma, My Mom and I Adventured to the Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge in Gilbertville, Massachusetts. The Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge was built in the 1800s. It spans the Ware River, and is one of the few original covered bridges in the state.

We had a fun Adventure to the Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge. We had just finished a walk at Dunn State Park in Gardener Massachusetts. Dunn State Park is a small, and simple park yet quite pretty. I decided not to blog about Dunn State Park today as I have done so previously, however you can read this blog at: https://wp.me/p9RZ48-1s6, or by typing it directly into the search box. (This is my first attempt at linking a direct website to an individual blog so bear with me if it is not successful on this first try.)

We arrived at the Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge to find parking a bit limited so my Mom and I took turns walking through and along the Bridge. We were also able to wander down to the waters edge to take some photographs and enjoy the sounds of the rushing River. The Bridge was especially lovely from the side with a colorful wood grained panel framing the top of the lattice windows. The red front did not appear to match the style of the side, however added some bright color to the structure. We sauntered back and forth, pleased to see minimal vehicle traffic and no other visitors. A short but nice visit to the Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge today (Rating: 3)

June 30, 2019 – Vandenberg Esplanade – Massachusetts

Today Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to the Vandenberg Esplanade in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Vandenberg Esplanade is a paved trail along the Merrimack River that is approximately one mile in length. I believe it may be part of the Lowell Heritage State Park.

We had a nice Adventure to the Vandenbert Esplanade. If you ready my last blog you are already aware that my weekend started out quite frustrating with car issues cancelling our weekend Adventures. However, we visited the Heritage Ice Cream and Restaurant, a somewhat local spot, and accidentally discovered the Vandenberg Esplanade across the street. Although a simple, urban park I was thrilled to find an area to explore, knowing my car was in rough shape.

I decided to drive to the parking lot, versus crossing the very busy Pawtucket Road. It took some time to find a spot where u-turns were permitted, but once we did we quickly located the parking lot. We strolled along the paved path, Shadow and Wilma enjoying the city smells, and exploring a new site. The River view was scenic, benches aligning the path, and bright green trees throughout. There was a storm heading in from afar, making for quite the picturesque sky, and even a brilliant lightning strike across the River. There were many people walking, some socializing on benches, and of course some dog walkers. Two visitors asked me some questions about Shadow and Wilma, commenting about Wilma: “she is still stubborn isn’t she”? which actually brought a smile to my face as I often think that to myself. Although she did not do anything in particular to bring on the comment, I still found it humorous. We are continuing to work on training, but there is no doubt that she is our PAWFECT pup! Admittedly I often get compliments on how well my dogs are behaved! 100% PAWFECT pups!

Although it was not too hot on our Adventure today, Shadow appeared a bit warm so we only walked for about thirty minutes or so, attempting to keep at a continual and steady pace. Shadow attempted several times to head down the stairs into the water, but there was alot of trash in the River, so I decided otherwise. Poor guy! (PS – Don’t worry he got a neighborhood swim in this morning 🙂 ) We had a pleasant walk along at the Vandenberg Esplanade, a nice surprise find (Rating: 3)

June 30, 2019 – Heritage Farm Ice Cream and Restaurant – Massachusetts

Today Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to Heritage Farm Ice Cream and Restaurant in Lowell, Massachusetts. Heritage Farm has homemade ice cream, burgers, and sandwiches. It was established in 1976 by the current owners, however previous to that date it was an ice cream shop as well. Heritage Farms is known for sponsoring free entertainment, for their Classic Car show, and for being a contributing member of the community.

We had a refreshing Adventure to the Heritage Farm Ice Cream and Restaurant. I started the weekend feeling quite frustrated, again having car issues which forced me to cancel our weekend Adventures. However, I decided to risk a somewhat local stop providing some variety to our daily neighborhood walks and backyard fun.

We definitely appreciated our visit to Heritage Farms, which had a vintage, and patriotic vibe. I quickly ordered two dog ice creams, and decided on an orange sherbert cooler for me. Only one size available for my cooler creating an extra-large experience, but of course I did not have any problem sipping it down. The Farm was very quiet, so we were able to sit for a bit and enjoy our tasty treats. There was a cute little merry go around for the little ones, and some mechanical cars for riding. The “Farm” was nicely decorated, with white petunias, american flags, and colors preparing for this July 4th week. I would have preferred the “Farm” to be away from the main drag, however, a bit unrealistic in an urban setting like Lowell. A unique stop, and although the ice cream was quite pricey, the taste was well worth the cost. If we are ever in the area again, we might just visit have round to at Heritage Farm Ice Cream and Restaurant (Rating: Ice cream: 5, Outdoor Restaurant: 4, Location: 3).

June 18, 2019 – Bear’s Den – Massachusetts

Yesterday Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to Bear’s Den in New Salem, Massachusetts. Bear’s Den includes a short trail to a scenic waterfall, a stream, a secluded gorge, and contains ruins of an old mill. The waterfall is a cascade falls, approximately twelve feet in height, and is sourced from the Swift River. The Reservation was given its’ name due to a black bear being shot on the property. Bear’s Den is owned and managed by the Trustees of Reservations.

We had a rainy Adventure to the Bear’s Den Reservation. We were quite thrilled to have a weekday Adventure as our three days off in the summer has begun! I expected the weather to become rainy, but we were determined to visit Bear’s Den, so we carried on! I was pleased to arrive at a small and empty parking lot. I had read there was hunting at this location so decided to adorn the pups in their bright orange armor! We headed down a green surrounded trail into the great outdoors. There was an informational kiosk a bit down the path with a map. Soon we heard the singing of the stream, and headed straight to the water. Shadow of course attempted a dip in the shallow water while Wilma found a fallen tree to climb, and a stick to chew. We took our time in this area walking around the shore, jumping on the rocks, and wandering around the mill remains.

The trails were not clear, however we followed the sounds and quickly located the waterfall from high above the gorge. We were pleased to find a path down to bottom of the gorge, and directly in front of the waterfall. The gorge area was spectacular, with caves in the rocks, lovely green, and the tall boulders surrounding us as we peered at the waterfall. The Falls had two main sections, separated by rocks in the middle. It was small, but yet just right. We relaxed for awhile taking in the scene. Both Shadow and Wilma spent some time sitting, while Wilma also enjoyed some rock jumps, and Shadow often could be found searching for the quickest path to the water. Wilma seemed a bit uneasy at times looking around cautiously, my mind repeatedly expecting a bear sighting Thankfully we did not see a bear!

Bear’s Den was a peaceful and special location. It was hard to capture the Falls in photographs, so I would encourage you to view the videos below. So glad we could Adventure to this location (Rating: 4).

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 photograph of Buster and Shadow at Stanley Park, in Westfield Massachusetts. I love this photo of them standing synchronized in front of the covered bridge! We were quite impressed by the lovely Stanley Park, and had a wonderful visit. This photograph brings back lots of great memories of our Adventures with Shadow and Buster. We sure do miss our Buster!

If you want to read more about Stanley Park please search for Stanley Park in the “search box” for more information on this Adventure. (On a mobile phone you can find this at the very bottom of the page, and on the computer you can find it to the right of the blog.)

Enjoy!

June 1, 2019 – Crescent Ridge Dairy – Massachusetts

Today Shadow, Wilma and I Adventured to Crescent Ridge Dairy in Sharon, Massachusetts. Crescent Ridge Dairy is a Farm that includes a shop, farm animals to view, and an ice cream stand. They specialize in local produce, and homemade products.

We had a mouthwatering Adventure to Crescent Ridge Dairy after our nearby hike at The Bradley Estate. It was great to arrive at this ice cream stand to find no lines! I checked out the menu and quickly decided to choose cookie doe ice cream with whip cream, and of course a dog ice cream for my two best friends. Once our order was ready we headed over to a shady area to gobble up our ice cream. So tasty! I was actually unable to finish my ice cream, however packed it up for a future treat. We walked around the property and found some benches in the back, and farm animals on the side. Wilma was thrilled to see the goats, and it appeared as if she wanted to play with them. It definitely brought a smile to my face. Shadow was more interested in trying to find leftovers under the tables, my always hopeful boy! We were quite happy to visit Crescent Ridge Dairy today (Rating: 4, Dog Ice Cream: 5)

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).

March 25, 2019 – Dinosaur Footprints – Massachusetts

Today Shadow, Wilma, our two friends, and I Adventured to Dinosaur Footprints in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Dinosaur footprints is the location of more than 130 tracks carved into sandstone. Researchers believe this prints are from two-legged carnivorous dinosaurs, by the great Tyrannosaurus rex, and from various fossils. The property is owned and managed by the Trustees of Reservations.

We had a paleontological Adventure to the Dinosaur Footprints on a warm spring day. We were excited to have friends along with us on today’s Adventure! We followed a short path down to the sandstone where we found numerous dinosaur prints engraved in the rock. Some of the prints were small and others were large, some hidden, and some clear. It was fun to imagine their paths as they walked many years ago. There were informational kiosks along the way providing lots of information about the site.

We continued walking where we found water streaming through two cement holes and down, forming a scenic, rocky area. We hopped along careful not to slide on the slippery rocks. We did not find any additional tracks in this area but enjoyed exploring. From afar we could see the Connecticut River, a large River with flowing current. It was the perfect backdrop to this unique location.

So as you may guess this is yet another property I discovered through the Trustees of Reservations. We enjoyed our lesson in history today at this distinctive site. So glad we could visit the Dinosaur Footprint property today (Rating: 3, Company – Perfection!)

Throwback Adventure – Wendell State Forest – 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 August 2013 Shadow, Buster, My Aunt, My Uncle, My cousin, My cousin’s son, and I visited Wendell State Forest in Wendell, Massachusetts. Wendell State Forest is 7500 acres of forest land which includes several ponds, streams, and trails. It is popular for swimming, fishing, hunting, and biking.

We visited Wendell State Forest almost six years ago on two lovely days. I was picking up my cousin’s son Cameron for the weekend so we choose Wendell State Forest to meet as it was centrally located. Wendell State Forest ended up being a great find as we had a wonderful time. There were two main activities we especially appreciated. First, we spent plenty of time on the beach! Cameron enjoyed some swimming, hunting for salamanders, and catching guppies. Shadow and Buster loved sitting in the beach and of course the cool water, while I was able to catch up with family. There was not a sole around which made the beach especially tranquil. Nearby we found a bridge where Cameron located a variety of snakes sunbathing in the rocks, although far from my favorite site, it was fun seeing Cameron’s excitement in these long scaly creatures.

Our second main activity was a hike around the pond, also quite barren from guests. Cameron often walked ahead with Shadow while the rest of us mostly walked a bit behind with Buster. We found some picnic benches along the way, a little wooden bridge, and plenty of natural scenery.

It was a fantastic Adventure, especially as we also were also able to visit with our extended family. Really the perfect location for children to learn and appreciate nature. Cameron is growing up to be such an amazing kid, now fifteen and such a kind teen, so fun to spend time with! He recently was accepted as a camp counselor soon to be leading excited young ones on Adventures of their own. We will always have found memories of our Adventures to Wendell State Forest.