Category Archives: Massachusetts

South Natick Dam Park (Natick, MA)

Date Visited: August 13, 2016

Location: 9 Pleasant Street South

Hours: Open daily, dawn til dusk

Cost: Free

Parking:  There is free unmetered off street parking available but only a dozen or so cars can fit on the side street.  You may be able to park somewhere else nearby and walk to the dam.

Time To Allot For Visit: half an hour to an hour

Dog Friendly: Yes

Web Site: South Natick Dam Park

Highlights: pretty waterfall, birds, pretty architecture, family friendly

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Established in 1933 on the site of a former grist mill, the South Natick Dam Park attracts people far and wide for its pretty waterfall and scenic views.  Construction of the South Natick Dam was completed on September 2, 1933.  It replaced a timber dam that had been built at the site since 1760 by Matthew Hastings.

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Millstones from the grist mill, which had served the area since colonial times, are embedded in the paved area of the area surrounding the dam.

There is also an island in the middle of the river, that you can see in some of the photos, which is named for Horace Holyoke, one of the characters from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Old Town Folks.” This character is based on her husband Calvin Stowe who was a South Natick native.

Since the water was at such a low level, I was able to walk down to the base of the dam and take some photos from where the water would normally be.

The South Natick Dam Park is adjacent to the Charles River’s dam, and is a popular spot for visitors, both human and animal.

 

A fun and unexpected stop on my way home from Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, the South Natick Dam is a great place to take your dog for a walk, photograph or just sit at one of the benches and take in the beauty of the area.

 

 

 

 


Boswell’s Books (Shelburne Falls, MA)

Date Visited: September 6, 2016

Location: 10 Bridge St, Shelburne Falls, MA

Hours:

Mon – Wed: 11:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m.

Thu & Fri : 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Sat: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Sun:   10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

(hours may vary depending on the time of the year)

Parking:  There is unmetered  off street parking available (2 hour limit) and a free parking area off Baker Ave with about 30 -40 free spots (take care not to park in the spots reserved for businesses and other tenants in the area) and additional off street parking.  Parking is difficult during peak times

Dog Friendly: Probably Not

Web Site: Boswell’s Books

 

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Few things go better than cats and books.  And Boswell’s Books is proof of this.

Formerly named the Bridge Street Bookshop until 1991, Boswell’s Books was originally named after one of the previous owners’ cats, Boswell.  Since then, the book store has gone through some changes, including changes in location and changes in ownership.  But, the one mainstay has been Boswell.

The current feline resident of the bookstore, a 7 year old female tuxedo cat, is the fifth Boswell.

We found her resting in the front window taking a much deserved cat nap.

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Boswell’s books has cute decor and, even though they may not be as big as some of the other bookstores, they make good use of the space they do have.

They even have acommodations for everyone, people and felines.

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Boswell’s also holds special events such as book signings and book readings.  It’s a must-see if you’re in the Shelburne Falls area!

There are so many fun places to visit in Shelburne Falls.  In fact, one need only to walk along Bridge Street to find some wonderful places to shop.  I have always found these smaller, independtly owned businesses to have  such friendly and great service. Plus, it’s always good to support locally owned businesses.

Mocha Maya’s Coffee House (47 Bridge St) is a cozy little coffee shop where you can bring your recently purchased book to read and have a coffee, sandwich or blended drink.  They also host musical events.

Unfortunately, the Trolley Stop Antiques and Collectibles shop was not open during our visit.  As you can see, the shop has some very unusual products.

Even if you don’t want to stop in at any of the shops or diners, Shelburne Falls is a great place to walk around and appreciate the views and the atmosphere.

Boswell wasn’t the only pet I saw at Shelburne Falls.  Catfish (named after legendary New York Yankee pitcher Catfish Hunter) is a 4 year old (he will be turning 5 in November) Leonberger.  Leonberger’s are a large breed dog that were popular in Germany.  They were originally bred to be a symbolic dog that would mimic the lion in the town crest of Leonberg in Baden-Wurttemberg in Germany.  He’s truly a gentle giant.

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Bridge Of Flowers (Shelburne Falls, MA)

Date Visited: September 6, 2016

Location: 22 Water St, Shelburne Falls, MA (1 hour west of Springfield, MA, 1.5 hours east of Hartford, CT and about 2 hours west of Boston)

Hours: Open April 1 – October 30, 24 hours a day

Cost: Free

Parking: There is available off street parking (the 2 hour unmetered parking limit on Bridge St is strictly enforced) and a free parking area off Baker Ave with about 30 -40 free spots (take care not to park in the spots reserved for businesses and other tenants in the area) and additional off street parking.  Parking is difficult during peak times.

Size: 400 feet long, 18 feet wide

Time To Allot For Visit: 30 minutes an hour.

Dog Friendly: No

Highlights: pretty flowers, scenic views, memorials, works of art, a master gardener is available on the bridge during peak weekends to ask questions about your own plants and gardens

Lowlights: bridge can get congested since it is narrow

Website: Bridge Of Flowers

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Built in 1908 for a measley $20,000 (roughly $500,000 in current day’s money) by the Shelburne Falls and Colrain Street Railway, the Bridge of Flowers is now home to a wide variety of flowers, trees and even some works of art.

Originally, the bridge was used as the main mode of transportation for the community.  However, once cars became more popular, the train was used less and the company went out of business.   Since the bridge could not be destroyed because it carried a water main between the towns of Colrain and Shelburne Falls, it was decided to do something with the bridge. Then, in 1929, the Shelburne Women’s Club sponsored Antoinette Burnham’s idea to transform the bridge into a garden.

More than 35,000 people visit the bridge ever year.  Yet, it is still something of an unknown attraction, even in New England.

Much to the consternation of my company, I can be very particular about my photos (although my guest on this day didn’t complain).  I tried my best to take photographs of the bridge without any visitors on the bridge or with as few people as possible on it and wow did it take a while to get those shots which just goes to show how much foot traffic it can get.  But, I did eventually get my shots of an empty or close to empty bridge.

This post is photo-heavy.  As much as I tried, it was very hard to choose flowers to include and which ones to not include.

The hardest part of this photo shoot was selecting the best photos to post.  The flowers are so pretty and the view nothing short of jaw dropping.  The flowers are also beautifully arranged.  I especially liked how the flowers complimented the landscape.

 

Birds and bees like the flowers, too.

Flowers and trees aren’t the only attractions at the Bridge Of Flowers.  Memorials and art are scattered throughout the bridge.

One of the works of art at the Bridge of Flowers is a stained glass window designed by Nancy Katz and created by Mark Liebowitz at the Garden House.  It is illuminated during the evening.

 

This water fountain is also at the area past the bridge.

I noticed this in one of the flower beds.  What is it?  A coded message?  A plan for a secret rendezvous?

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Also, and not least, there are war memorials on the bridge.  This memorial honors the veterans of World War I and World War II of the Buckland and Shelburne areas.  While it honors all of the veterans of these wars, the names of those made the supreme sacrifice from these areas are engraved on the plaque on the stone.

This memorial honors the veterans of Korean and Vietnam wars.  The names of the peolpe from the community who lost their lives in these wars are engraved on the plaque on the stone.

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Another great thing about the bridge is they plant flowers each month and it is “peak season” for different flowers at different times (their planting schedule is on their web site).  So you’re sure to see something new and pretty any time you go.  However, I would suggest going during the summer or, preferably, the fall.

Similar Places I Have Visited In New England:

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Glacial Potholes And Salmon Falls (Shelburne Falls, MA)

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Eindsor-Cornish Bridge (Windsor, VT and Cornish, NH)

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Wiggly Bridge (York, ME)

 


Glacial Potholes & Salmon Falls (Shelburne Falls, MA)

Date Visited: September 6, 2016

Location: Deerfield Ave, Shelburne Falls, MA

Hours: Open everyday, 24 hours a day

Cost: Free

Parking: There is off street parking with a 2 hour limit and police do take notice

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: waterfall, glacial potholes, flowers, birds, shops, attractions

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The Salmon Falls and Glacial Potholes attraction in Shelburne Falls, MA, is a beautiful “two-fer.”  “Three-fer” if we include the bowling alley adjacent to the Salmon Falls and Glacial Potholes attractions.  IN fact, it is more accurately described as a “many-fer”s there are many attractions and beautiful attractions to the Salmon Falls area.

Although it may be best known for The Bridge Of Flowers (post to come shortly), beauty and grandeur abound Salmon Falls/Glacial Potholes area on Deerfield Ave.

The glacial potholes were ground out of granite during the high water of the Glacial Age.  The whirlpool action of the waves and the gyrating stones created the prominent holes in the stones.  It is said some of the grinding mills can still be seen in the smaller potholes.  Over 50 potholes exist in the confined area known as “Salmon Falls” when the the Native Americans resided here.  The potholes vary in size from 6 inches to 39 feet in diameter.  The 39 inch diameter pothole is considered the largest pothole on record.  And you thought the potholes on our roads were bad.

 

Salmon Falls, as it was dubbed by the Native Americans, was a common area for hunting and fishing.  The waterfall still gives some pretty views against a once industrialized scenery as the backdrop.

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What makes the Salmon Falls and Glacial Potholes area are the small shops and antiquated buildings that give the area a very old fashioned small town feel.  This is true for pretty much the entire community of Shelburne Falls.

There is a bench for sitting, feeding the birds and just taking in the beauty around you.

Almost as a prelude to the much heralded Bridge of Flowers (which is located only a short walk or drive from the Salmon Falls and Glacial Potholes area), flowers and trees bound the Salmon Falls area.

If you’re lucky you might even find a feathered friend to photograph.

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Deerfield Ave, the road that leads to Salmon Falls and the Glacial Potholes, still has the old town feel that adds tot he charm of the area.  In fact, the entire Shelburne Falls area still has many “mom and pop” shops and independent businesses rather than chain stores.  It was nice walking around without being bombarded by convenience stores and restaurant chains that seem to scar so many other towns.

The Shelburne Bowling Alley is one of the oldest bowling alleys in the country.  In operation since 1906 (and yes it is still open for business currently), the Shelburne Bowling Alley could easily be mistaken for a barn or some other structure from a different time.

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There is also a variety of art throughout the area.  Some of the art I noticed looked different from the art I have seen in previous visits.  So it appears they do change it up every so often.  The art honors the history of the area and gives information about the area.

Below is a video of the falls at Salmon Falls.  It was an overcast and somewhat windy day when we first arrived at the Falls so you may hear the wind in the video.  But, most of the sound is from the rushing waters of the Falls.

Similar Places In New England I have Visited:

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Wadsworth Falls State Park (Middletown, CT)

 

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Cascading Waters (Worcester, MA)

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Bash Bish Falls (Mount Washington, MA)


Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary (Pittsfield, MA)

Date Visited: September 3, 2016

Location: Holmes Rd, Pittsfield, MA (it is not clearly marked – it is about 2 miles down the road on the right hand side if you coming from the east)

Cost: Free but donations are appreciated

Parking:  There is room for about a dozen cars (see photo below)

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Trail difficulty: Easy

Park Size: 253 acres, 3 miles of trails

Time To Allot For Visit: 1 to 2 hours

Dog Friendly: No, dogs aren’t allowed on MA Audubon trails.

Highlights: pretty plants and flowers, a lot of wildlife, ponds, home to a community garden

Lowlights: Park is a little hard to find, some trails may be inaccessible or difficult to hike particularlywhen it rains

Web Site: Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary

Trail Map: Canoe Meadows Trail Map

I am always surprised at how some of the more beautiful areas to visit seem to be tucked away in the most unlikely places.  It’s almost as though they are meant to be kept a secret for just the few people who are adventurous enough to find it.  Such is the case with Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary.  Tucked away on a busy side street in the otherwise sleepy town of Pittsfield, MA, Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary (ironically, you can’t launch a canoe or any watercraft there) is a haven for birds, the occasional water faring mammal or amphibian and beautiful flowers.

The paths at Canoe Meadows are clearly defined and there are benches, bridges and boardwalks along the trail.

What stood out most to me about Canoe Meadows are the colorful plants and flowers and the trees.  The colors of the plants are so vibrant and the trees are nothing short of majestic.  I love the mix of pink, purple, white and yellow flowers as you can probably tell by my photos.

There are also a lot of bees at Canoe Meadows pollinating this time of the year.  There is a bee inside this flower.  You may be able to barely see the bees sticking outside of the flower.

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There are plenty of birds at Canoe Meadows.  They do like to hide.  So it is hard to get good photos of them.

I spotted this heron as he was flying away.  I just wish I saw the bird earlier.

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I also saw this chipmunk, one of the more common residents of the meadow.

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There were also lots of frogs at the meadow.

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Unfortunately, I did not see any of the otters, beavers and other critters that are said to inhabit this meadow (although I did see evidence of their existence there).  If you go early in the day or are very quiet, you may have better luck.  Good luck if you do try!

Similar Places I Have Visited In New England:

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Dorrs Pond (Manchester, NH)

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The Nature Trail And Cranberry Bog At Patriot Place (Foxborough, MA)

Please connect with me on one of my other social media sites to see videos, photos, links and other cool stuff not included in this blog!  Thank you.

Facebook (New England Nomad)

Instagram (@new.england.nomad_)

Twitter (New England Nomad)

 


Richardson Brook Wildlife Sanctuary (Tolland, MA)

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Date Visited: August 20, 2016

Location: New Boston Rd. (Route 57) Tolland, MA

Hours: Open everyday, 24 hours and day

Parking: There is not a designated parking lot or parking area.  You have to pull over to the side of the road on Route 57.

Cost: There is no fee but donations are appreciated

Trail Difficulty: Easy

Size: We took the 1.6 mile Brook nd Charlotte trail loops

Dog Friendly: Technically, no, MA Audubon does not allow dogs on their trails.  But, I suspect people do bring their dogs.

Highlights: brook, secluded, trails are not very steep, short and easy trail

Lowlights: trails are a little hard to follow (look for the blue and yellow marked trees), lack of visible wildlife, hard to find especially if you don’t have a passenger to help you look for it

Richardson Brook Wildlife Sanctuary

Richardson Brook Wildlife Sanctuary Trail Map

Richardson Brook is not the easiest trail to find.  In fact, it took a few turnarounds and nifty parking to find a safe place to park and enter the trail.

The trail for Richardson Brook is pretty easy.  The only catch is looking for the marked trees to follow since the trail is not clearly defined all the time and it can get a little confusing, even with the markings on the trees to follow. It could be very easy to get lost.  Visions of Camp Crystal Lake flashed before my eyes a few times.

The big payoff is the brook which was not running very hard during my visit.  But it was still very pretty.

We saw some little critters and colorful mushrooms along the way.

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Water bugs, frogs, salamanders and baby salamanders were abundant, even if they did try to camouflage themselves.

Although we did not see many birds we did hear them and we did see evidence of other animals.  I am also convinced that if you were determined to find other wildlife you wouldn’t be disappointed.  If you had a lot of time to spend and you went off trail you could definitely find bigger wildlife.  Just look out for Jason!

The video below of Richardson Brook really captures the beauty of the trail.

Similar Places I Have Visited In New England:

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Cascading Waters (Worcester, MA)

 


World’s End (Hingham, MA)

Date Visited: August 28, 2016

Location: 250 Martin’s Lane, Hingham, MA

Hours: open everyday, 8:00 a.m. until sunset

Cost: $6 for adults, annual memberships which include free admission are available for $47

Size: 4.5  miles of continuous trails, 251 acres

Parking: there are three parking areas with roughly 20 spots each.  When I left at 1:00 p.m. the lot was full and there was a line of about half a dozen cars waiting to get into the park.

Time To Allot For Visit: 2 hours

Dog Friendly: Yes

Trail Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Highlights: scenic views of the Boston skyline and surrounding area, wildlife, occasionally they display exhibits at the park, benches to sit along the trail, pretty trees and flowers, perfect for walkers, joggers, runners, cyclists and even horseback riders and anowshoeing during the winter

Lowlights: limited parking (if you follow the reservation Twitter they post alerts when the lot is full)

Website: World’s End

World’s End Trail Map

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I “misunderestimated” World’s End.  I figured it would be an “easy” quick jaunt (I usually save my easier treks for Sundays).  So, I slipped on my Chuck Taylor All-Stars and figured I would be home in a few hours.  Not the best choice of footwear in retrospect.  The trails can be rocky (particularly if you go off trail) and deceivingly steep in some areas.

There are a lot of side trails and it’s easy to get confused and cover the same area twice (or more) which can add quite a bit of time to your journey.  In fact, for a while, I thought World’s End would never end. It’s a good idea to take a map of the trails with you.  But, the trails are clearly marked and easy to negotiate with some slight inclines.

Undoubtedly, the main attraction for many visitors at World’s End are the views of the Boston skyline.  World’s End affords several views of the skyline and surrounding areas.  From the shoreline views to the views atop the highest point on the top of one of the many views of the rolling, hilly trails, the views are majestic.

World’s End is teeming with wildlife, particularly birds.  They’re very good at camouflaging themselves so you might have to squint to see a few of them.

But, the real gem of my visit was this deer I spotted on my way to Rocky Neck, one of the more secluded areas.  We stood mere feet away from each other staring, until she finally took off.

There are not just an abundant of bird life in the water.  Being a picture perfect summer day with low humidity and a slight breeze and calm waters, it was ideal for many of the boaters, paddlers and other seafaring folks.

This boater wanted some privacy, apparently.

World’s End has many other charming features such as this huge rock and an elevated viewing area for bird watching.

Of course, sometimes the more simpler things can be the prettiest features of the park.  These flowers, tress and views off the water caught my eye.

Some people took advantage of the shore to skim some stones.

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If there is one photo that sums up a trip to World’s End it is this photograph of a hammock with a bicycle next to it.  World’s End is the perfect place to lie out in a hammock with only the sounds of nature to keep you occupied and maybe a good book or your Itunes collection.

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There is also an art exhibit on display until Oct. 31, 2017.  The display was created by Jeppe Hein, an artist based out of Copenhagen and Berlin.  He is known worldwide for his interactive exhibits.  The exhibit is called, “A New End”.  According to the website for the exhibit, Hein wants to invite visitors to reflect and to transform how we view a familiar place like World’s End.

There were dogs-a-plenty at World’s End during my visit.  World’s End is a great place for dogs to play around in since there are many open, grassy areas and, of course, water to frolic around in.

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Casey is a happy, 8 year old English Pointer mix.  He is a rescue.

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Gus is a 2 year old Ridgeback mix.  He was very excited to be at the park!

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Tande is an 8 month old Portuguese Water Dog.  If Tande looks familiar, you may have seen a similarly looking dog on the news.  The President also has the same breed of dog. Tande came all the way from the Odysea Portuguese Water Dogs breeder in Colorado.

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One of my easiest subjects to photograph ever, Bella is a gentle 7 year old Shetland Sheepdog.

I also saw a variety of other dogs playing in the water and running around.

viewsofanemergencyrn was kind enough to nominate me for the One Lovely Blog Award.  Thank you!  I usually don’t post about these awards but I figured I would play along since she was so nice to mention me and I wanted to acknowledge her.  She is a sweet, strong person and a survivor (read her post to see what I mean).

So, the rues are I have to mention 7 random things about me.

  1. I didn’t take up photography seriously until last year
  2. I  love dogs and all animals (big surprise there) but they also seem to love me – the key is to not show fear and be confident and friendly around them (they can sense fear)
  3. I am a pescatarian (I only eat seafood and do not eat meat, primarily)
  4. People often say I bear a strong resemblance to Donnie Wahlberg (but I can’t sing like him)
  5. Although I love dogs, I don’t have one (I have a cat instead)
  6. Until my work schedule got too busy, I had been an active literacy tutor at my local library
  7. I run (and/or walk) 3 miles (at least) a day everyday

The rules say to nominate other bloggers to participate.  But, I’m going to skip that part.  In my experience, people have usually already posted a blog like this in the past and don’t want to do it again, or they don’t participate or they seem to be too busy.  But, thank you, once again for the mention, viewsofanemergencyrn!  I do appreciate you and I look forward to reading more of your posts.  You all should also!

Similar Places I have Visited In New England:

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Webb Memorial State Park (Weymouth, MA)

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Blue Hills Reservation (Milton, MA)

 

 

 


New England Morgan Horse Show (Northampton, MA)

Dates Of Event: July 26-30, 2016

Location: Three County Fairgrounds, 54 Fair St, Northampton, MA

Hours:  The day I went there was an all day event, climaxing in a celebratory event in the evening at he fairgrounds.  The events began at 10.

Cost: Free

Parking: There is a free parking lot across the way from the fairgrounds which holds about 40-50 cars.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Fun For One: Not so much, unless you really love horses

Highlights: horses, competitions, skilled riders of all ages

Lowlights: lack of concession stands, seating for most spectators is not close to the riding area (you can stand at the fence to watch though)

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Every year, the New England Morgan Horse Association holds a special event to display the best riders in their organization (some come as far as Idaho and even farther away).  The 5 day event displays riders of every age group and skill set.  While the youngest riders stick to walking and a light trot, some of the more experienced riders showed off their advanced skill sets like this harness rider.

The poise and skills of all of the riders in every age group was remarkable.  Just watching children smiling and having a fun time while riding such powerful and majestic animals was impressive.  I felt a surge of pride for these kids I didn’t even know!

One class of riders was as young as 11 and under.  But, they were great.  At their ages, I was riding the coin operated horses outside of the department stores at the mall.  Something I was not aware of is the riders will often make “clicking” or “kissing”sounds to communicate with the horse.

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We could not stay for the all day event.  But, the two hours we spent was jam packed with competitions, shows and riders trotting with their horses.

I didn’t see much along the lines of concession stands, except for a lemonade truck.  But, since it is a free event, you could leave to get lunch at one of the many fine dining establishments in the Northampton area (try Jake’s or Sylvester’s) and re-enter at your leisure.

One of the great things about the event was the attire of the riders.  From the glitzy too the more traditional, they all looked great.

And yes, they even let dogs into the event.  In fact, I saw quite a few dogs at the horse show like Rylee, a 5 year old flat coated retriever.

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And Annie, a Jack Russell mix.  Annie’s mom saved her at a rescue shelter.

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Similar Events In New England I Have Been To:

None

Similar Events In New England I Have Not Been To Yet:

Arabian Horse Association Of New England

Equine Affair

 

 

 


Scott Tower (Holyoke, MA)

Date Visited: July 30, 2016

Location: 8 Scott Tower Rd, Holyoke, MA, behind the Community Field Park at 51 Community Field Park, Holyoke, MA

Hours: Open everyday, no hours listed but it can be dangerous at night

Cost: Free

Parking: Roughly a couple of dozen parking spots are available at Community Field

Dog Friendly: Yes

Time To Allot For Visit: Between half and hour and an hour

Highlights: the tower, pretty views of West Springfield and the surrounding area, wildlife, plant life, easy mile hike

Lowlights: Graffiti all over the tower (all. over), a lot of broken bottles and other litter on the premises, some stairs to the top of the tower have holes in them or are missing, tower not accessible by car

Fun For One: Yes

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The walk to the tower is an easy mile walk with a few moderate inclines.  An easy way to locate the trail to Scott Tower is to look for the overpass.  Walk directly under the overpass and stay on the asphalt trail.  There are a lot of side trails and trees, plants, graffiti and remnants of what looks like used to be a waterfall or wall.  Now, the party days are way behind the Nomad but zig zags and 4:20?  Well, I guess things don’t change that much after all.  You crazy Holyoke kids.

Below is a side by side comparison of what the tower reportedly looked like in its heyday (July 16, 1972), a photo of what it looked like in May 31, 2004 and what it looks like now (July 30, 2016).  Yes, it’s pretty cringe worthy.

As a footnote, the tower was originally built in 1942.  Also, there used to be a fence around the tower which you can see at the bottom of the second photo taken in 2004.  The fence seemed to work as there is very little if any graffiti on the tower in the second photo.  Of course, the fence was torn down (presumably by visitors) and the graffiti and vandalism escalated.

There was also a lot of rustling in the brush from squirrels, chipmunks and other types of wildlife.  The vulture on the pole we saw on the way to the tower seemed like a bad harbinger.

Once the main attraction of Craft Hill at Anniversary Hill Park, Scott Tower is now a shell of what it once was.  Graffiti and litter cover the tower and it appears to be in disrepair.  In fact, you can see some remnants of what look like what used to be tables or shelters.  Even with all of the graffiti and litter, the tower is still impressive.

Not all of the graffiti was just messy chicken scratch.  Whenever I go to a landmark in MA, especially Western MA, there is bound to be some artistic renderings.  There wasn’t anything too artsy there but these images did catch my eye.

 

Scott Tower has two areas for observation.  There is an observation deck on the second floor and there is an enclosed area at the top of the tower.  The tower offers views of nearby Mount Tom and the Holyoke area.  The views are pretty sweet.  Just be careful if you  do go to the top.  Some of the stairs are missing or have holes in them.

It’s pretty far down from the second floor of the tower.

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The tricky thing about accessing Scott Tower is you have to park at Community Field Park (use the entrance off Cherry St).  The entrance is behind the park.  There is usually a gate up that you can easily navigate around.  You will have to pass under an overpass on your way to the tower.  It is about a mile walk to the tower.  You will see many side trails on your way to the tower but stay on the main trail for the easiest, most direct route.

While I was at Community Field Park before we began the walk to Scott Tower, we saw this beautiful dog.  Remy is a 4 year old Black and Tan Coonhound

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Below are some videos of a walking tour of the tower.  I really had to watch my step in the first video.  So, it’s mostly a video of the stairs and me wheezing.

I had to stop the second video so I could take some photos of the openings in the tower and the walls.

Just as an aside, I am regularly updating my categories at the top and bottom of my posts.  The “fun for one” category at the top simply means it can be fun to do by yourself.  Being a single person, I often take this into account before I decide to photograph or visit places.  I went with my mom this time so it was a lot of fun but it was something you could do by yourself or, better yet, with a dog!

Similar places in New England I have visited:

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Poet’s Tower, Greenfield, MA

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Bancroft Tower, Worcester, MA

Similar places in New England I have not visited (yet):

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Scargo Tower, Dennis (Cape Cod), MA

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Newport Tower, Newport, Rhode Island

 


Salem Willows (Salem, MA)

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Date Visited: July 23, 2016

Location: 167 Fort Ave, Salem, MA

Hours: The website for Salem Willows shows their hours as being daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. but you can get in to the park before 11.  We got their just before 10 and there was already some people there.  I think the hours are the hours of operation for the restaurants and other businesses in that area.

Cost: Free

Parking:  There are about 60 metered parking spots.  The meters cost 25 cents an hour.  There is also about 50 additional free parking spots in a nearby lot and off street parking is available.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: Family friendly, arcades, restaurants, willow trees, harbor, scenic walking path, grassy areas to grill, relax and for kids to play, jetty, place to rent surfboards and other aquatic sporting goods

As I entered Salem Willows I couldn’t help but think of my childhood of carnivals and traveling shows.  My friends and I would be so excited when the fair came to town.  Now, the fair is always in town.  In these days of sit down eateries and chain restaurants, it was refreshing.  If you d go, try the slushies or get a cone at Cappy’s!

Salem Willows has changed so much since its original opening in 1880.  Willows Pavilion which featured a skating rink and restaurant dominated the landscape.    Now, the area where the takeout food vendors are located still keeps the name of “on the line”.  But, the restaurants are much different.  In place of the sit down, grand restaurants stand take out vendors and ice cream shops.

There is also a stage for bands and other entertainers to perform.  Named after former  Salem resident and veteran, the Robert F Hayes Band Stand holds a summer concert series every year as well as holding other events.

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But, there is so much more to Salem Willows than nostalgic stroll past the smell of flour dough and the buzzing and ringing from the vendors and arcades.  Salem Willows is also, as the name would suggest, known for all of the willow trees planted to offer shade and beauty to the area.

The mostly shady loop around the bay and back too the parking area is an easy half mile walk.  Along the way there are benches to sit on and a jetty to fish off or just enjoy the views. The views from the bay were very pretty.  A variety of flowers and scenic views frame the busy blue waterway.

There was a lot of activity on and in the water at Salem Willows.  That is a man swimming in the last photos

There is also a place to rent surf/paddle/body boards and other watercraft and flotation devices.

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Salem’s love of art is evident even in the most unlikely places.  These trash cans and rocks displayed some of the street art of Salem.  I especially like the art on the rocks.  Each block has a different symbol of the area painted on them.

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Salem Willows is a great place to bring your dog for a short walk.  Dixie, a 4 year old Maltese, was enjoying the seasonal weather and cool breeze when she stopped to pose for photos for me.

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Video of “on the line” from Salem Willows