Category Archives: dog

October 14, 2017

It’s Alive! Part I (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

 

Date Of Visit: October 8, 2017

Location: Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex St, Salem, MA

Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00 – 5:00.  Closed Monday

Cost:

Adults $20, seniors (65 and over) $18, students (with ID) $12, Youth (16 and under) and Salem, Mass. residents (with ID) admitted free*. (*Does not apply to youth in student/tour groups.) For late nights, $12 after 5 pm.

*events and some exhibits may be have a separate fee*

Parking: there are several parking garages in Salem ($20 to park the entire day this time of the year),  The best one to park at for this exhibit is the Museum Place Mall parking garage on Church St as it is directly across from the Essex St entrance of the mall.  You may also find limited street parking if you’re lucky for .75 an hour, 4 hour max.

Dog Friendly: No

Website: Peabody Essex Museum

Highlights: collection of movie posters and memorabilia from vintage sci-fi and horror films, videos and music of Kirk Hammett and Metallica

Tips:

  • The entrance is on Essex St (not Charter St)
  • You can view the impressive Yin Yu display at the museum for an extra $6 a person charge.  It is worth the extra fee (and you will see why soon)
  • This exhibit is running until Nov. 26, 2017

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Metallica in a museum.  Something doesn’t sound right.  But, don’t be so quick to judge.  They actually go together like big hair and a hot guitar solo.  But, don’t wait too long to see it.  This exhibit is only being shown until Nov. 26.

Kirk Hammett and the Peabody Essex Museum, located in the heart of Salem, have teamed up to showcase his movie poster collection.  Now, before you scoff at this exhibition, you must realize just how vast his collection (there are hundreds and I photographed them all).  But his collection goes far beyond just movie posters.  His collection includes movie props, life size figures and oh well I don’t want to give it all away just now.  Suffice it to say, I want a room like this in my next home!

One of the truly interesting aspects of the exhibit is the stories behind the memorabilia.  There are movie posters which were either thrown out, papered over or left behind by theater owners or production companies with little or no concept they may be sought after items so many years later.  There are cheaply made movie props which are very valuable now.  And there are the games and action figures most of our moms threw out when we outgrew them but are very valuable either sentimentally or monetarily.  If only I held on to those Luke Skywalker figures.  I even cut the hand off one so it would be more “life like” (spoiler alert).

For better or worse, depending on your point of view, you’ll be hard pressed to find a movie poster from anytime after two very successful movies from the late 1970’s.  I thought it was great being a fan of older horror movies.  Plus, I also found out about some movies I wasn’t aware of that I can check out now.  I think this will be the case for most visitors at this exhibit which is a great thing when you think about it.

There’s also the music and some of his guitar collection.  A video of Kirk explaining hs collection and samples of his music playing on a loop while you admire his sci-fi and horror movie memorabilia give the exhibit just the right feel.  The music complements the memorabilia perfectly.  Hearing Kirk’s riffs on For Whom The Bell Tolls…as you view the assortment of zombies, vampires and other other worldly beings is the pure bliss.  One thing I noticed was how they seemed to re-use the same actors for horror films, even if it was for different movie monsters.  Talk about being typecast.  Poor Boris Karloff!

Metallica and movie posters equal a very happy Nomad indeed.

A couple of things.  Firstly, I wanted to post this on Friday the 13th for obvious reasons.  But, as I am typing this, it does not look like I will make that deadline.  And, secondly, due to the vast amount of posters and memorabilia, I am going to have to break this post into two or possibly three parts.

The movie posters are hung with care by category. such as “the undead”

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and darker fiction (this move scared the hell out of me!)

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You would have to try very hard to not notice the advertisements for the exhibit.  Of course, I couldn’t resist asking one of the staff there, “So, do you have an ‘It’s Alive!’ exhibit?”  The sarcasm was not lost on her.

 

Upon entering the exhibit, you are greeted with a short clip of Nosferatu

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You are then directed to the rest of the exhibit, where another sign states my three favorite words, yes, “photography is encouraged.”  Were you expecting something else?  OK, “dinner is served” is a close second.

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The exhibit begins with a movie prop called a Zapatron made out of aluminum, iron, bakelite, paper, paint and casein-formaldehyde resin by Kenneth Strickfaden.

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The movie poster collection begins appropriately enough with one of the most recognizable and perhaps even beloved characters, Frankenstein and the various offshoots from that movie franchise.

 

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Frankenstein, 1931.  This three sheet poster was discovered in the boarded over projection booth of a remodeled theater.  It eventually found its way into Kirk’s hands.

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This is another poster for the 1931 Frankenstein.  

 

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Yet another movie poster for the 1931 Frankenstein film.

Although the exhibit was set up well, it’s impossible to not have some reflections and lighting that may hit the posters in an unflattering way and , of course, using a flash under these circumstances would actually make it worse.  I also had to take some photos from a certain angle that minimized glare and reflections from showing.  So, it did make some of the photography challenging and time consuming as I had to check each image on my screen before I moved on to the next poster.  But, I still loved doing this shoot!

In the interest of saving space and time, I am going to try to combine the photos from each genre into groups of photos.  The remaining photos from the Frankenstein group are popular offshoots of the Frankenstein movie franchise like The Bride Of Frankenstein.

 

Clockwise from the top left: The Bride Of Frankenstein (three posters from 1935), Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman (1942), Abbot And Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), Son Of Frankenstein (two posters from 1939) and Frankenstein (1931)

The next group of movie posters were  related to the Mummy movies.  Much like the Frankenstein franchise, mummy movies have been a staple of any horror fan’s collection.

 

Going clockwise from the top left: The Mummy (two posters from 1932), the Swedish release of The Mummy titled Mumien Vaknar (1933), The Ghoul (1933) and The Mummy’s Tomb (1942).

Of course, what would a movie monster memorabilia collection be without Dracula and his various copycats or copy bats?  Sorry. I couldn’t resist.

 

Clockwise from top left: Nosferatu (circa 1931), Dracula (three posters from 1931), Blacula (1972), Mark Of The Vampire (1935) and Dracula’s Daughter (two movie posters from 1936).

Werewolves have always been a mainstay of the horror genre.  This is no different when it comes to movie poster collections.

 

 

Werewolf Of London (both from 1935)

These films are not related but I grouped them together for the sake of saving space and because the posters looked similar.  As a side note, I’ve been described as being like the poster on the right from time to time.  OK, I’ve said too much.

 

London After Midnight (1927) and Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1932)

These two movie posters are from movies that were based on two famous Edgar Allen Poe books.

 

From left to right: The Raven (1935) and The Black Cat (two movie posters from 1934)

Aliens and outer space are another common theme in this exhibit.  Me thinks Kirk likes his sci-fi.

 

Clockwise from the top left: Invaders From Mars (1953), The Day The Earth Stood Still (1953), Invasion Of The Saucer Men (1957), Alien (1979), Star Wars (1977), The Angry Red Planet (1960), The War Of The Worlds (1953) and When Worlds Collide (1951)

Creatures, particularly creatures from under the sea, are also prominently displayed at this exhibit.

 

From left to right: Creature From The Black Lagoon” (1954), It Came From Beneath The Sea (1955) , Monster From The Ocean Floor (1954).

There are also some posters of explorers who experience some adversity in different ways.

 

From left to right: Fantastic Voyage (1966) and II 7 Viaggio di Sinbad (The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad) (1959)

Sometimes I wish I could be this guy.

 

From left to right: The Invisible Man (two movie posters from 1933) and The Invisible Ray (1936).

While dogs are not allowed in the museum (with the possible exception of service dogs), I did see Churchill, a 2 year old Great Pyreneese on the way to my car.

Well, I hope I have whet your appetite for more movie posters and maybe a few other types of memorabilia which I will include in part II of this movie poster series.

Thank you for reading and I’ll see you soon…hopefully!

Below is a video of the It’s Alive! movie poster kick off event with a discussion of the collection led by Kirk Hammett.  (video courtesy of Radio Of Horror)

 

 

 

9 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in dog, It's Alive, Massachusetts, Peabody Essex Museum, photographs, photography, photos, posters, Salem, Uncategorized

October 13, 2017

Witch House (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: October 1, 2017

Location: 310 1/2 Essex Street, Salem, MA (about 10 minutes north of Boston, MA)

Hours: Open March 15-November 15, daily 10am-5pm
Call for Winter Hours / Extended Hours in October

Cost:

Guided House Tour
Adult $10.25 Senior $ 8.25 Child (7-14) $ 6.25
Self-guided House Tour
Adult $8.25 Senior$6.25 Child (6-14) $4.25 Children Under 6 are free

Parking: there is street parking (75 cents for a maximum of 4 hours) if you get there early.  Otherwise, there are several parking lots and garages that charge $20 for the entire day of parking.  Generally, I park at the Museum Place Mall at Church St since it is closest to all of the attractions in Salem and within walking distance to the Witch House

Handicapped Accessible: No

Dog Friendly: No, although service dogs may be allowed

Website: The Witch House

Highlights: historical artifacts, knowledgeable staff, actual home of “with hunter” Judge Johnathan Corwin

Tips:

  • The entrance is in the rear of the building (off North St)

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“It’s October”, a passerby yelped to a disgruntled driver as he barely squeezed his sedan into the last available street parking spot.

Yup, it’s that time of the year again in Salem, Mass.

Although Salem has proven itself to be so much more than just an autumn destination, fall is still Salem’s biggest time of the year.

It’s unfortunate much of the draw to Salem is related t the witch hunt of 1692.  However, it does provide a learning opportunity and it also gives us a chance to remember the past in the hopes it won’t happen again.

One of the best places to get a no frills education about the Salem Witch Trials is the Witch House on Essex St., just one mile away from the actual hanging spot of these accused witches.

The last standing building directly related to the Salem Witch Trials, the Witch House has a dark, storied history.

As I walked around the house I couldn’t help but think of the innocent people who had been tortured into confessing and the backdoor deals that were made to avoid being accused or convicted of being a witch.  In this very room, John and Elizabeth’s (his wife) parlor or best room, people’s fates were sealed.  In total, 24 people would either be hung (19 in total), 1 person was pressed to death and 4 people died in prison.

The home was bought in 1675 by Corwin, a local magistrate, and his wife Elizabeth (Gibbs).  Elizabeth was a wealthy widow having been previously married to Robert Gibbs.  They would have 10 children together.  Six of their children would die before the age of 25.  Only 2 children lived long enough to have families of their own.

The other room on the first floor showcases many of the tools and herbs used during that time.  As you can see in some of the photos, each historical artifact has a sign or placard next to it with an explanation or story behind the piece being displayed.

The Witch House has six rooms (if you count the foyer areas on two floors.  While not all of the items in the house are directly from that time, many of  the items in the building closely mimic the items of that era.

These chairs, for instance, are very similar to the chairs and tables used that time.  In fact, the 5 chairs at this table are symbolic of the 5 judges (out of 9) needed to convict someone of being a witch at that time.

On the table are copies of the pages of journals, diaries and court records of the inquisitions and court proceedings.

Judge Johnathan  Corwin, who resided here, was said to have questioned the accused at times using extreme measures such as tying people’s arms behind their backs to a chair similar to this one.  It forced more than one innocent person to confess.

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The windows and furniture featured in the house are very well crafted.

In the first room of the first floor there is a sealed off area that shows the inside of the walls.  The architecture of that day may be outdated but it still holds up to this day.

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Up a short, narrow, windy staircase, the second floor has two bedrooms.

In one of the rooms sits a machine for sewing or knitting.

This doll,  also known as a poppet, which was found in the wall of Bridget Bishop’s home, was said to have been a voodoo doll.  The catch is that most people at that time left these types of dolls in their walls as a sign of good luck.  Instead, In Bridget’s case, it was said to have been used to curse others.  Cute little fella, isn’t he?

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Dogs are not allowed in the Witch House (exceptions may be made for service dogs).  But, I met Abita, a 3 year old Lab mix, on my way to the house.  Abita was adopted from the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem, MA.  What a cutie.

The video below comes courtesy of samuelaschak. It gives a more detailed historical background of the building and the historical highlights of the Corwin family and Salem.

23 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in dog, historical, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, salem Witch Trials, Uncategorized, Witch House

September 21, 2017

Ender’s Falls (Granby, CT)

By New England Nomad

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Date Of Visit: September 9, 2017

Location: Rte 219, Granby, CT (about 25 mins northwest of Hartford, CT, 30 mins southwest of Springfield, MA)

Cost: Free

Hours: Open daily, sunrise to sunset

Parking: There is a large parking area for about a couple dozens cars next to the trail

Handicapped Accessible: No

Dog Friendly: Yes

Trail Size/Difficulty: .8 miles round trip, easy

Fitbit Stats: 5,848 steps, 2.41 miles, 668 calories burned

Website: Ender’s Falls

Highlights: waterfalls, scenic, flowers

Tips:

  • When entering the park, go to the left to see the waterfalls
  • Watch for and follow the pink tags on the trees to stay on the easiest, most traveled trail
  • the rocks by the waterfall can be slippery, especially in the morning or after a rainfall
  • the best times to visit is after a rainfall or in early spring when the snow and ice on the stream are melting
  • Fishing and swimming (more on this later) are allowed at the falls

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Part of the 2,000 acre Ender’s Fall State Forest, the waterfalls at Ender’s Falls is one of the most photographed and highly regarded waterfalls in all of Connecticut, if not New England.  Although I enjoyed the falls at Wadsworth Park, I think I would agree.

There are 5 waterfalls at Ender’s Falls.

The hardest part of photographing Ender’s Falls is finding the waterfalls.  Some are pretty easy to find, particularly the first one at the end of the entrance to the park.

However, due to how the sound travels and the lack of ability to view some of the stream from higher ground, it’s hard to determine what may be a gushing waterfall and what is just the sound of water running along the stream.

And, let’s talk about the paths to the stream.  Due to the steep decline of the terrain and the fact it had rained the previous day, it was no joke going down the side of the trail to get to the stream.  So, while the main trail on higher ground is easy with some moderate inclines and a few downed trees, if you choose to travel closer to the stream, it can be difficult.  In fact, I stumbled upon this news story about the dangers of the trails at the park.  But, I’m a trained professional.  So, I was alright.  Follow the pink tags to stay on the trail.

The rocks and trees by the waterfalls have some amusing, interesting and heartfelt graffiti on them.

The graffiti in the first photo (top left) on a rock high above the stream refers to track number 4 on the self titled “Third Eye Blind” cd.  I’ll let you Google that for a sec.  Even the casual Third Eye Blind Fan knows what the song is.  The second and third photos (going clockwise) include a phrase that refers to a TLC song.  You get it.

Ender’s Falls is a truly beautiful place, particularly with summer quietly coming to a close and fall starting to make an entrance.  There truly is nothing more beautiful in New England than the blending of these two seasons.  I love it and I look forward to more colorful photo shoots in the upcoming weekends!

My only gripe is how the trail at Ender’s falls just seems to stop at both ends of the trail.  And, to be fair, it’s not just something that I have noticed at Ender’s Falls.  In fact, it’s fairly common.  Due to the developments in the area and the obvious barriers such as roadways that have been constructed, the trails just seem to end without warning.  I can only imagine they went on for much longer distances in the past.  At least at the end of the trail to the right of the entrance stops at the bridge, giving you some warning ahead of time.  There is a narrrow path in the brush at one end.  But, it didn’t seem to go anywhere.

When you can get down to the stream safely, I do recommend it, though.  The closer view does offer some pretty views.

Ender’s Falls is a great place to take your pooch.  But, it may be too rocky and difficult terrain for some older dogs.

Gemma is a 3 month old Black Labrador.

Below are some videos of the mighty waterfalls:

This is a video posted by YouTuber Just Living  who is clearly braver (or crazier) than I am!

7 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in connecticut, dog, Ender's Falls, Granby, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized, waterfalls

September 17, 2017

Granby D.O.G.G.S. Park (Salmon Brook Park, Granby, CT)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: September 10, 2017

Location: Salmon Brook Park, 215 Salmon Brook Street Granby, CT (20 minutes northwest of Hartford, CT)

Cost: Free

Hours: open daily, sunrise to sunset

Parking: There are several parking areas.  The best place to park for the dog park is behind the big soccer field at the end of the road at the main entrance.

Highlights: table, chairs and bench, 1 acre for the dogs to play in, water source, two entrances/exits, double gated entrance

Website: Granby D.O.G.G.S. Park

Tips:

  • each visitor is allowed to bring 3 dogs each visit
  • No children under 8 are allowed in the dog park
  • The dog park is located in Salmon Brook Park

IMG_2791The D.O.G.G.S. part of Granby D.O.G.G.S. Park may stand for Dog Owners of Granby Getting Social.  But, it seems like the dogs that tend to get social there!

The one acre park, which has been open since November of 2005, has tables, chairs and a bench for dog sitter and guardians to sit and lovingly watch their dogs.  The park also has toys and a water source.  While dogs are allowed off leach at the park, they must be able to follow voice commands.

 

The large park, which has mulch over most of the park, gives dogs of all shapes and sizes lots of room to roam and chase each other and trees to play hide and seek.

 

During my visit to the dog park, there was a “Canine Swim” fund raiser at the pond in Salmon Brook Park, just a short walk from the dog park.

A $10 fee was charged for each dog that wanted to play in the water at the pond.  The funds were being raised to put toward maintenance of the dog park.

The dogs loved running around and into the pond.

 

Some of the many beautiful dogs I met at the dog park and fundraiser are shown below:

 

Roxy is a 12 year old mixed breed.  She is a therapy dog who likes to visit children, the elderly and anyone else who needs a little “dog therapy.”

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Cooper is a 7 month old Boston Terrier.  Cooper has complete heterochromia; he has two different colored eyes (his left eye is blue, his right eye is brown).

 

Gabe is a Great Pyrenees.  His guardian wasn’t sure what his age was exactly.  He and his parents found him on the side of the road and decided to take him in.

 

Heidi is an 8 year old Golden Retriever.  She loves to “retrieve”.  Get it!?

 

Molly the is a 5 year old Collie.

 

The aptly named Bear is a one and half year old Newfoundland.

 

From left to right, Ruby (named after Ruby Tuesday) is a 3 year old Saint Bernard.  Her brother, Ollie (named after Olive Garden) is a 2 year old Saint Bernard.  Anybody else getting hungry for lunch?

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Today’s featured link is a blog post by Out And About Mom about Salmon Brook Park, where the dog park is located.  I have featured Out And About Mom on my blog before.  She tends to blog about Connecticut attractions exclusively  and she does a great job in her posts.  Her post about the playground area at the park can be found here.

6 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Canine Swim, connecticut, dog, dog park, dogs, Granby, Granby D.O.G.G.S. Park, New England, Salmon Brook Park, Uncategorized

September 6, 2017

Hermann’s Royal Lipizzan Stallions (Woodstock, CT)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: August 19, 2017

Location Roseland Cottage, 556 Route 169, Woodstock, CT

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Website: Hermanns Royal Lipizzan Stallions

Highlights: stallions performing tricks and ridden by their trainers

Tips:

  • bring your own chair or a towel as they do not provide them at the venue.
  • visitors are allowed to enter one hour before the scheduled event
  • be sure to take in a tour of Roseland Cottage if you have the time

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There was a lot of horsing around going on at the Roseland Cottage in Woodstock, Connecticut last month.

The Lipizzan Stallions galloped into the Roseland Cottage for a day of professional horse riding and horse tricks.

The Lipizzan Stallions traveled all the way from Myaka, Florida to entertain the one hundred or so visitors at Roseland Cottage.

Not all of the horses and animals kept at the Lipizzan Stallions shelter are Royal Lipizzan Stallions. For instance, Willie The Rescue Pony, seen here getting ready for the show, is one of the horses they have taken in.  He even performs at the show.  They also take in dogs, cats and any other animal that finds its way to their shelter.

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The highlight of the show were the Royal Lipizzan Stallions. The horses performed tricks and trotted in formations.

The horses are such beautiful animals.  The way they moved and the way the horse trainers and riders controlled their every movement was a joy to watch.

The Lipizzan breed is considered the rarest and most aristocratic breed of horses in the world.  They were first established by Archduke Charles at Lipizza which is now part of Yugoslavia.

Since only a few hundred Lipizzan Stallions have ever existed at any one time, their future lineage is somewhat in question.  But, they may have General Patton to credit for their continued bloodline.

During World War II General George Patton authorized a secret plan to save the Lipizzans.  The stallions, who would surely have been killed if the Russians arrived before their rescuers, were saved during this secret mission. Two of the people involved who played a key role in their rescue were Colonel Herrmann and his father, Colonel Ottomar Herrmann,  A movie by Disney titled, Miracle Of The White Stallions depicts their rescue.

The Lipizzan horse show was held at the Roseland Cottage.  We didn’t have time for a tour.  But, the grounds are very pretty.

While dogs are not allowed at the show, I did see Yog,i, a 3 and a half year old Cavanese (part Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and part Havanes), and his dad watching from the sidewalk.  Yogi also barked out his approval from time to time.

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Below are some videos of the Royal Lipizzan Stallions event

 

9 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in connecticut, dog, horses, Lipizzan Stallions, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Roseland Cottage, stallions, Uncategorized

September 3, 2017

Governor John Langdon House (Portsmouth, NH)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: August 26, 2017

Location: 143 Pleasant Street, Portsmouth, N.H.

Hours: (summer hours listed)

Friday – Sunday
June 1 – October 15
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Tours on the hour.

Last tour at 4:00 p.m.

Closed July 4 (as well as other major holidays)

Cost:  $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $4 for students

Free for Historic New England members and Portsmouth residents.

Parking: There is free parking in the lot on Pleasant St next to Citizens Bank and metered  or 2 hour parking throughout the city

Website: Governor John Langdon House

Tips:

  • tours start on the hour from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

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One of the oldest homes in the Portsmouth, New Hampshire area, the Governor John Langdon House remains one of the most popular homes to visit in the historic homes in the Portsmouth area.

Built in 1784 by the three time governor (at the time called “President”) of New Hampshire as well as General in the American revolution and signer of the United States Constitution, John Langdon, the Langdon House has 4 rooms on both of its floors.  Many of the elaborate interior designs are attributed to prominent woodworker Ebenezer Clifford.

It was very interesting hearing about how little subtle things that we may not notice meant a lot to the dwellers of the house.  Such as the ornate architecture which signalled someone’s wealth and station in life.

Another indication of wealth in terms of decor and design of a house at that time is doors.  Yes, doors.  The more doors you had in your home was considered a sign of wealth.  The funny thing is that in the photo below one of the “doors” (the one on the left) is actually a false door.  It gave the impression that the house is of

Although his father did own slaves and servants were afforded meager living quarters, Governor John Langdon did not own slaves (according to historian and site manager of the Langdon House) Peter Michaud.  Langdon also reportedly opposed slavery and even went so far as to send letters to politicians in Washington expressing these sentiments.  But, working and living in the Langdon House was not an easy life.  The servants quarters were located in the third floor above the living and sleeping quarters on the second floor.  The tour does not show these rooms.  But,

If you look closely you will see how the house follows the rules of symmetry (another hallmark of a house owned by a person of wealth). If there is one window in one room, then the room across the hall would have the same.  If there were two windows, the room adjacent or across from it would have two, etc.  And some of the windows are ver ornate.  If toy look through the window, you may notice there was a wedding during our visit.  Periodically, during out tour of the house we would hear applause from outside of the house.

It’s hard to believe but on both sides of the house there was a clear view of the city and water.  Trees and buildings as well as other developments know obscure these views.

The rooms of the Langdon House show, what was considered at the time, luxury and opulence.

It was also interesting to view and learn about the various items in the rooms such as this humidor and a liquor serving device.

No details were spared in the construction of the house.  For one, unlike many houses at the time, the steps were wide and not as steep as most houses of the time.  Also, the design of the  The column, spiral and baluster shaped sequence was a sign of wealth as well.  In some cases, if the home owner did not have a lot of wealth, he would often have this sequence of railings pictured below until about half way through the staircase.  Then, he would have only the cheaper column railings until the end of the staircase.  This is not the case at the Langdon House.

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The kitchen area was, for its time, advanced.

The contraption shown below was used to let the servants know when a meal was ready to be served.

As you can see in the second photo, the straight line (vertical) to the right in the top section of the machine went to an up and down (horizontal) in the same part of the machine.  This alerted the servants that the food was ready to be served.

Much like the house itself, the grounds of the Langdon House are also well kept.

Dogs aren’t allowed in the Langdon House (an exception may be made for service pets).  But, I did see this smarty pants named Einstein, a 4 and a half year old Lab, Retriever and Chow mix, while I walked back to my car from the house.

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Today’s featured New England related blog post is Eric McCallister Photography.  The Portsmouth based photographer photographed a wedding at the Langdon House some years ago.  You can find him on Facebook here.

4 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in dog, Governor John Langdon House, house, New England, new hampshire, photographs, photography, photos, portsmouth, Uncategorized

August 25, 2017

Retreat Farm (Brattleboro, VT)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: August 6, 2017

Location: 350 Linden St, Brattleboro, VT

Hours: Open Wed-Sun 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (closed Mon & Tue)

Cost: $7 for adults, $5 for children and seniors, free admission for children under 2

Trail Size/Difficulty: roughly 1.5 miles, Easy

Fitbit Stats: 1.59 miles, 3,327 steps, 297 calories burned

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Parking: There is parking for about 20 vehicles in the parking lot

Website: Retreat Farm

Retreat Trail Map: Retreat Trail Map

Highlights: animals, educational, trail, family friendly

Tips:

  • Don’t forget to take the roughly 1.5 mile Nature Trail behind the farm
  • you can get in the pens with some of the animals
  • if you do go on the trail, try going up the “Skyline Spur” trail
  • follow the signs to the Nature Trail or Lil’ Lamb Loop to access the shorter mile long trail behind the farm
  • Located right next to Grafton Village Cheese Co

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It’s easy to find Retreat Farm.  Just follow the pinwheels.  If you’re lucky, you might even be able to take one home.

The signs and some of the advertising for the Retreat Farm tout it as a “children’s farm” but it is fun for the entire family.

Retreat Farm has a variety of birds and animals in their barn.  They also allow you to go into the animal pens of some of the animals and pat some of them.

There are also three piglets: Basil, Olive and Rosemary.  They moved around a lot.  So, it was hard to keep track of each one.  But, I am pretty sure Rosemary is the first one pictured with the white and brown pattern.

Carlos, an 11 year old Brahma-Red Holstein bull, has been a resident for some time at the farm.  Standing over 7 feet tall, Carlos is truly a gentle giant.  In fact, he is so gentle visitors can feed him by hand.

Naturally, there are lots of toys and activities for children to partake in and places for adults or younger people to sit while their children or nieces or nephews play.

There is also a short trail (about 1.5 miles) behind the farm.  The trail is actually part of a much longer 9 mile Retreat Trail.  But, as long as you stay on the trail behind the farm you should not end up on this larger trail.

I found people of all ages and fitness levels on the trail.  It’s pretty straight with a few inclines.  But, I would rate it as being easy.  There is one very shallow and narrow stream that you will have to cross.  You can basically walk right through it.  So, it’s not a big obstacle.  The views are very nice on the trail.  There are also various plants planted along the trail such as False Solomon Seal.

If you do decide to go on the shorter trail and avoid the 9 mile trail, follow the signs to the Nature Trail or the Lil Lamb Loop.

Along the main trail, there is a side trail wit a staircase called Skyline Spur.

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The short flight of stairs take you up to an area where, during the winter, there is a ski jump.  This ski jump will be used as one of the venues for the Olympic trials for the next Olympics.

Pets are allowed on the trails behind the Retreat Farm, which are open to hikers and snow shoers year round.  I saw this cute dog on the trail.  Avive, a friendly 2 and a half year old Irish Setter, greeted me when I got off the Skyline Spur trail.

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One of the gems of the much longer Retreat Trail is the Retreat Tower.  It’s not very far from the farm.  Due to time constraints, I could not take the trail to the tower.  However, Brandy Ellen and her companion were able to hike to it, take some photos and provide a good synopsis of their hike and a summary of the history of the tower. It has quite a storied and sad past.

Take A Hike…

 

 

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in animals, birds, dog, hike, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Retreat Farm, Uncategorized, Vermont

August 11, 2017

Prescott Park (Portsmouth, NH)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: July 29, 2017

Location: 105 Marcy St, Portsmouth, NH

Hours: open daily, sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free

Parking: There is a parking lot located on Old Bay St as well as street parking throughout the area

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: No

Website: Prescott Park

Highlights: flowers and plants, scenic, family friendly

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Bursting with color and fragrances, Prescott Park is sure to impress even those with the faintest of green thumbs.

A gift from Sarah and Josie Prescott in 1940, Prescott Park has come a long way from its industrial beginnings.   The highlight of the park, at least during the summer, has to be the garden that sits at the entrance by Old Bay St and Marcy St.  But, Prescott Park has more than just flowers there.

Prescott Park is much more than the garden that I focused on during my visit.  In fact, it is such a big area that they hold concerts with such popular artists as Aaron Neville and Valerie June and other events at the park.  During my visit they were holding a children’s party where a play was being performed.

 

 

There are two memorials at Prescott Park.  The first memorial is a fountain which is dedicated to  a fountain dedicated to Charles Emerson Hovey, an Ensign in the United States Navy and Portsmouth, NH native, who was killed in action on September 24, 1911.

 

 

The next memorial is less obvious.  A sign and anchor stand in front of the prominent flower bed at the front of the garden.

 

 

The sign in front of the flower bed states “A Salute To An Ordinary Hero.”  This “ordinary hero” was Billy Juse, a New Hampshire native, who died in an underground tunnel while he was working on the Deer Island Project during the 1990’s.  He was 34.  Since he and another coworker, Tim Nordeen, died on the same day John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s body was recovered, his story was overlooked in the news.  One solemn reminder remains in the park.

There are also view of the Piscataqua River, a popular spot for boating and kayaking.

 

 

There are benches, art and pretty trees and flowers on the way to the garden at Prescott Park.

 

 

Prescott Park has a variety of beautiful and colorful plants and flowers.  Since we’ve had so much rain and

 

 

The flowers ranged from the common to the unique.

 

 

To the left in the photo is Pelargonium Geranium Timeless Orange (yeah they look red to me as well),  To the right is the Pelargonium Geranium Timeless Pink.  Yeah, I know all of the types of flowers in the world.  Kidding.  They all had their names neatly written on them on cards by the flower beds.

Now for the truly scary part of the tour. The dinosaurs have invaded Prescott Park.  This is a great way to get kids interested and involved in viewing the flowers and plants at Prescott.  I

 

 

Sadly, dogs are not allowed at the flower garden area of Prescott Park.  But, I did see lots of dogs like Teddy, a 10 year old Pomeranian,  passing by on Old Bay Street which is next to the flower garden.

 

 

Today’s featured link is a link to an article that appeared in the Boston Globe magazine about the tragedy on the Deer Island Project in which Billy Juse and some of his co workers perished: Deer Island Tragedy

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8 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in dog, family friendly, flowers, New England, new hampshire, park, photographs, photography, photos, portsmouth, Prescott Park, Uncategorized

August 8, 2017

Revere Beach International Sand Sculptures (Revere, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: July 29, 2017 (competition took place July 21-23)

Location: 850 Revere Beach Parkway, Revere, MA

Hours: open daily 24 hours a day

Cost: Free

Parking: Street parking is available.  There are also parking lots nearby that charge a flat rate for all day parking.  Parking rates vary depending on the time of the year.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: sand sculptures

Website: Revere Beach Sand Sculpting Festival

 

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Playing in the sand isn’t just for children.  Each year, some of the most accomplished sand sculptors across the globe converge on Revere Beach to compete for the title of Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Champion.  This year, 15 sand sculptors threw their sandals in the ring to compete for this coveted title.

Since we had a lot of rain recently, some of the sculptures had some damage to them.  In fact, one sand sculptor was pretty much entirely damaged.  I usually try to attend the actual sand sculpting event but I had a previous engagement that weekend.  The sculptures were only one week old.  But, they did have visible damage in the photos.

It didn’t feel the same without the crowds, the hustle and bustle of the street vendors and street performers.  Each winning sand sculpture was marked with their place and a quick bio of each sculptor.  So, without further delay, the winners are….

First place went to Pavel Mylnikov from Moscow, Russia for his sculpture “Soul Evolution.”

Jonathan “Jobi” Bouchard from Montreal, Canada came in second with his sculpture “Two Energies”.

The third place winner and winner of the “Sculptor’s Choice Award, was “In Justice We Trust”, by Andrius Petkus, from Lithuana.  Unfortunately, it destroyed by the weather or some other forces.  Below is a photo of the sand sculpture from Revere Beach’s Facebook page as well as Cheatsheetoflife’s website..

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The fourth place sand sculpture was “Dunkaroos!” by Abe Waterman from Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Fifth place went to Leonardo Ugolini of Forli, Italy for “The Monstrous Gorge.”

There were many more sand sculptures worthy of recognition.  The following sand sculptures did not win any awards.  But, they are still worthy of being mentioned.

“Remembering Self” by Morgan Rudluff from Santa Cruz, California.

 

Dan Belcher from St. Louis, Missouri, sculpted “Rock. Paper Scissors.”

One of my favorites, “Even Though We’re Oceans Apart, You’re Always Near In My Heart” was sculpted by Sue McGrew of Tacoma, Washington.

“Whisper In The Dark” was sculpted by Dmitry Klimenko of St. Petersburg, Russia.  The sculpture was dedicated to H.P. Lovecraft, a New England native (Providence RI) who died 80 years ago this past March.

Deborah Barrett-Cutulle, of Saugus, MA, sculpted “Wishful Thinking.”

This sculpture,”Who Are You” by Susanne Ruseler of Ultretch, Netherlands, had a sculpture of a boy next to the dragon before it was destroyed by the weather.

Below is a photo of the sculpture from Cheatsheetsoflife’s website.

 
“Look Up” was sculpted by Marianne Van Den Broek from Key West, Florida.

Steve Topazio, from the United States, sculpted “The Sand With The Dragon Tattoo.”

I could not find a name nor the name of the sculptor for this sand sculpture.

Paul Hogard from Bulguria won the “People’s Choice” Award for “Save The Elephants.”

Dogs are welcome at Revere Beach.  I met Tony, a 4 and a half year old pit bull mix, there.  He’s such a natural poser!

There is no set date for when the sculptures will be taken down.  The website for the event states they will stay up until the weather erodes them.  Some of them were already beginning to erode when I went to visit last weekend.  But, some of them may still be up now!

Today’s Featured website is Cheatsheetsoflife.

Cheatsheetoflife took some wonderful photos of the sand sculptures during the sand sculpting festival.

18 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in dog, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Revere Beach, sand sculpting, Uncategorized

August 7, 2017

Bare Cove Park (Hingham, MA)

By New England Nomad

 

Dates Of Visit: July 28 & 30, 2017

Location: Bare Cove Park Drive, Hingham, MA (about 20 minutes south of Boston)

Hours: open daily, sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free

Parking: There are several parking areas.  The main parking area on Bare Cove Park Drive has room for about 40-50 vehicles

Trail Size/Difficulty: 484 acres, easy trails

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Fitbit stats: 3:16, 985 calories, 10,069 steps, 4.21 miles

Highlights: scenic, water, family friendly, dock house with historical military items, wildlife

Website: Bare Cove Park

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I made two visits to Bare Cove Park.  The first time I visited the park was July 28th.  I got there late on the 28th and the lighting was poor.  So, I stopped by two days later, Sunday, July 30.

As you can see by the photos, there are some beautiful sunsets at Bear Cove.  Unfortunately, the lighting wasn’t very good, though.

 

Once the site of a U.S. Naval depot (more on this later), Bare Cove Park now is the home to a variety of wildlife.  I found many birds during my visit.  There are also supposed to be fox, deer and other animals at the park.  I didn’t see any of them.  But, I did see evidence of them.

If you look closely at the little bird photo at the end, the bird has his or her lunch.

 

There was a crisp pre-autumn chill in the air when I made my way to Bare Cove Park.  It reminded me of the mornings you whittle away before the college and pro football games start.  But, I’d rather spend my day at Bare Cove anytime.

The views are simply amazing.

 

The thing that stood out to me mostly are the variety of pretty trees and flowers at the park.

 

Bare Cove is only 484 acres and it’s very easy to get around, even without a map of the park.  Trust me, I didn’t even get lost and I always get lost.  The trails are easy with hardly any inclines and they are mostly paved if you stay on the main trail.

 

Because of its proximity to Boston, Hingham was considered an important location for the military to produce ammunition and other supplies during World War II.  The magazines, or manufacturing  buildings, ran 24 hours, 7 days a week and employed thousands of people at is peak.

The dock house (only open Sunday from 12-2) has a variety of items from World War II that were manufactured in this very same area.

 

There are also two memorials outside of the dockchouse as well as other items from the days of the hey day at Bare Cove.  The ammunition depot was closed in the early 1970’s.

The memorial to the left, lying vertically on the ground, is dedicated to the men and women who worked at the ammunition depot during World War i, World War II and the Korean Conflict.

The memorial to the right standing up is dedicated to naval crew members who were lost when some ammunition exploded on a ship they were loading.

 

While dogs are allowed at Bare Cove the park is not considered a “dog park” per se.  All dogs are expected to be leashed or respond immediately to voice commands.  In my visits there all of these dogs fit into both or either category.

Here are a few of the cute four legged visitors at Bare Cove that I ran into during my visits.

Hickory is a 7 year old tree walking coon hound.

 

Bronn, named after a Games Of Throne charcater, is a 9 month old Newfie.  His mommy was teaching to fetch.

 

Gracie is a super friendly 2 year old pitbull.

 

Tundra (on the left), a 2 year old Golden Retriever, just got finished with his swim and was getting ready to go home.  His sibling, Piper (on the right), didn’t want to leave..

 

During my first visit, on the 28th of July, I met a very nice lady with three dogs.

America is a 10 year old mixed breed dog who got that name because the dog is a mix of many breeds, kind of like how America is a mix of all kinds of people.

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Sophia is a 6 year old chihuahua.

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Lily is a 10 year old Lab and Collie mix.

 

 

Bruiser is a 6 year old part pitbull.

 

Below is a video of fireflies at Bare Cove Park.  The lack of light and various animal aand bird noises give it a little bit of a spooky feel.

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Today’s featured link is a link to a 30 minute documentary that explains the history of Bear Cove Park.  The documentary was put together by Scott McMillan, the very same man who gave me a detailed tour of the dockhouse.

 

12 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Bare Cove Park, dog, flowers, Hingham, historical, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, scenic, trees, Uncategorized