Tag Archives: dogs

January 25, 2017

Fort Foster State Park (Kittery Point, ME)

Date Of Visit: January 21, 2017

Location: Pocahontas Rd, Gerrish Island, Kittery Point, ME

Cost: $10 per vehicle; pedestrians or bicyclists $5 adults/$1 under 12 (free during the off season)

Hours: Dawn to dusk for pedestrians; gates open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (presently closed for the season, opens in May)

Parking: The gate was up during my visit so everyone parked along the road in front of the entrance. When the parking is officially open, there are parking areas available.

Park Size/Trail Difficulty: 88 acres, easy trail difficulty

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: fort, trails, family friendly, play area for children, jetty, views of Kittery, lighthouse

Web Site: Fort Foster State Park

As a disclaimer, since it had previously snowed in Maine and the weather turned much warmer, the trails were slushy and muddy and I didn’t have my boots on. So, I wasn’t able to walk the entire trail system at the park. However, the trails I did walk were pretty even and easy to navigate with a few slight inclines.

Named after John Gray Foster, a Major-General in the United States Army, Fort Foster Park has so much to offer the entire family. Kids (and a few adults) will love plating at the playground area, especially the playhouse with the tree growing out of it.

Or, if you’re a military history buff,you will enjoy the various military installations. This is one of the forts at the park.

The trees at Fort Foster State Park are particularly majestic.

The southernmost park in Maine, Foster Park also has a pier with wonderful views of the Piscataqua River and the Whaleback Lighthouse. To the right of the lighthouse isWood Island Life Saving Station on Wood Island. It looks like a bridge or perhaps another pier in the water to the left of the pier on the way to Eood Island. I loved how the clouds played with the landscape and gaave an ominous yet beautiful backdrop to the river. .

The tide was low and the sand was surprisingly firm,. So I was able to walk out pretty far and get some shots of the water and the landscape across the water. The Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse can be viewed across the river in the final photo.

The Piscataqua River, which flows into Portsmouth (NH), is a busy waterway for birds and boats. I saw quite a few of both in or above the river.

It’s funny how you see so many funny things on the trails at parks. Anyone lose a shoe or croc?

Fort Foster State Park is a dog friendly park. I saw many cute dogs at the park during my visit. But, as one visitor told me, during the spring and summer the park is packed with dogs. Since it was an unseasonably mild January day, I ran into a fair share of them.

While I was walking the path to the park, I saw a man throwing a ball to a cute dog. So, of course, I had to ask for a photo. Charlie, a 1 and a half year old Feist, is looking so intently at his dad because he wanted him to throw the ball to him.

As I walked along the park, I saw another beautiful dog in a beautiful setting. Omar, an 8 year old Greyhound, is a rescue who used to race. He is now retired but he still likes to run and play. And, as you can see by the photos, he loves his mom.

Missy, a Golden Retriever, and Ruby, a Flatcoat Retriever, (from left to right) both 6 months, are sisters. Because of the sharp, dark color of Ruby’s fur and the shadows from the sun, it was hard to pick up her features. But, trust me she is beautiful.

Java The Pup is an 8 year old (almost 9) Poodle. Not only is he cute, he also does tricks!

Below is a video (360 degrees no less) of the low tide at Fort Foster.

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12 Comments | tags: boats, dogs, Fort Foster, Kittery Point, lighthousses, Maine, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, trees | posted in boats, dogs, family friendly, Kittery Point, lighthouse, Maine, photographs, photography, photos, trees, Uncategorized

January 14, 2017

New England International Auto Show (Boston, MA)

By New England Nomad

Dates Of Event: January 12 – 16, 2017 (photos taken January 12)

Location: Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, 415 Summer St, Boston, MA

Cost: Adult (13 and older): $15, child (6-12): $6, children under 6 get in free

Hours:

Thursday, January 12, 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday, January 13, 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Saturday, January 14, 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday, January 15, 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Monday, January 16, 10:00 am- 6:00 pm

*Box Office closes 1 hour prior to the end of the Show each day.

Parking: There is ample parking at the Exhibition Center ($17 to self-park, $30 for valet parking) .

*you can also take the red line on the MBTA. The Convention Center is about a mile walk from South Station, or you can take the Silver Line to the World Trade Center stop. The Convention Center is a short walk from the World Trade Center stop*

Handicapped Accessible: According to the website for the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, the building is handicapped accessible and there is “ample” handicapped parking. There is also a golf cart that transports visitors from the entrance to the escalators.

Dog Friendly: Service dogs may be allowed

Web Site: New England International Auto Show

As a prelude to my post, I would like to acknowledge this as my 200th post. I wanted to thank everyone who has viewed, shared, liked and/or commented on my blog. I genuinely appreciate your support. Here’s to many more posts!

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Are you in the market for a new car? Do you have an extra couple hundred thousand to throw around? Then, I’ve got the place for you.

The Boston Convention & Exhibition Center is hosting the New England International Auto Showthis weekend. But, if you haven’t hit your number yet there is still sure to be a car for you.

There are cars of all makes and models for the taking. All the major car companies showcased their vehicles.

While there were many mid priced vehicles, there was a special section for exotic and special vehicles, thankfully. I tend to find most “mid priced” vehicles to look all the same (it’s the reason why I walk up to at least 2 other vehicles before I find mine in a parking lot but I digress). The vehicles below do have this issue.

This Porsche 911 Targa 4S can be yours for the rock bottom price of $151.

And that wasn’t even the most expensive car on the show room. Some of these Ashton Martins were priced at over $300,000. They’re still waiting for my check to clear.

Of course, I had to stop by and check out the Mustangs!

There were a few other classic cars at the show as well.

Randy is a bomb sniffing dog. This 2 year old Labrador did a great job keeping everyone safe.

6 Comments | tags: Boston, cars, dogs, Massachussetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos | posted in Boston, cars, dog, New England, photos, Uncategorized

January 2, 2017

Feeding Time At Stanley Park (Westfield, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: December 28, 2016

Location: 400 Western Ave, Westfield, MA (about 2 hours west of Boston, MA and about 20 minutes west of Springfield, MA)

Cost: Free

Hours: Presently open everyday 8 a.m. -4:30 p.m. (hours change depending upon the season)

Parking: There are a few different parking areas. The main parking lot on Western Ave has room for about 200 cars.

Handicapped Accessible: The playground area, fields and picnic areas are but the trails and many of the walkways are not.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: hiking trails, birds, wildlife, pond, flower garden, statues

Often considered the jewel of Westfield, Massachusetts, Stanley Parkis one of the prettiest parks in Western Massachusetts and it looks even more picturesque after a snowfall.

Due to the recent cold spell and snow, the pond and much of the vegetation at Stanley Park had been iced over so they were eager to get some food. As a disclaimer, most parks do not encourage you to feed birds. But, if you do, there are certain foods you should never feed to ducks. Bread is the biggest no-no on most list. These are some better foods to feed to birds.

At any rate, visitors like to feed the birds at Stanley Park and that gave me an usually good chance to photograph some beautiful ducks.

There were so many birds congregating at the pond waiting for a nibble of food.

Luckily, one of the visitors at the park, Jim, brought some food for the hungry birds.

Jim’s dog took the birds in stride.

I have photographed Stanley Park before and, since it is very close to my mom’s house, I always try to make a visit out there as often as I can.So, you may sees posts about this park from time to time.

Stanley Park, or Stanley as it is more commonly known as, is a popular spot for dogs like Sansa is a 5 month old Siberian Husky.

Below is a video of feeding time at Stanley Park:

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13 Comments | tags: birds, dogs, ducks, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, pond, Westfield | posted in birds, dogs, ducks, ice, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, pond, snow, Uncategorized, Westfield

December 8, 2016

Benson Park (Hudson, NH)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: December 5, 2016

Location: 21 Kimball Hill Rd, Hudson, NH

Cost: Free

Hours: Open everyday dawn until dusk

Parking I saw about 50 or so spots in the parking lot area

Handicapped accessible: Yes, but not on the hiking trails

Dog Friendly: Yes

Size of park and trails: 160 acres, 3 mile loop

Highlights: 9/11 memorial, ponds, trails, birds, playground, wildlife, big and pretty trees, “Woman With The Shoe”, “The Gorilla House”

Formerly known as Benson’s Wild Animal Farm and later New England Playworld, Benson Park was once a vast zoo that entertained countless visitors with their animals and attractions. The zoo may no longer be there but Benson Park still entertains visitors with its natural beauty.

Benson Parkwas bought by the state of New Hampshire and then transferred to the town of Hudson in 1998. It has since been converted to a play area and nature center. However, some remnants of the zoo remain which you will see later in this post.

The trails at Benson Park are easywith a few inclines.

The park now boasts a 3 mile loop and several ponds and streams. The ponds were partially frozen due to the cold weather and snow that was falling. It created some interesting shapes on the ice.

The park is a wonderful place for birding. There are a wide variety of birds at the park from egrets to much smaller birds like cardinals and robins. Cute birdhouses are scattered throughout the park to attract birds.

It snowed earlier in the day and it was still snowing when I arrived at Benson Park. The snow made the views at the park even prettier than usual.

I hope momma bird took her chicks out before all the snow.

While I didn’t see any wildlife, I did see lots of evidence of them in the snow. I would have loved to see just one of them up close.

The first thing you’ll notice as you enter Benson Park is the tasteful and somber September 11th memorial. Since some of the planes involved in that fateful day left from Boston’s Logan International Airport, some families in New Hampshire were directly affected. In fact, David Kovalcin, a resident of Hudson, was on Flight 11, the plane that crashed into the North Tower at the World Trade Center.

The memorial consists of several stone markers with the times and locations of each attack. A clock with the accurate time of each attack is engraved at the top of each monument. There is also a monument to each branch of the military that works to keep us safe.

There are benches surrounding the memorial to sit and reflect.

A steel beam from an elevator shaft at the World Trade Center is also at the memorial site. The nine-ton beam is from an elevator shaft on the 21st floor of the North Tower. Another bam stands next to it, representing the two towers at the site.

On a happier note, just beyond the September 11 memorial, there is a play area for children.

Just past the playground area is the “Gorilla House.” Tony the Gorilla used to live in this cage when the park was a zoo. The sign on the wall at the Gorilla House states that he used to watch tv and play in the Gorilla House when the area was a zoo. But, I couldn’t feel anything but a little sad and bothered by it. I know that is how we treat animals (which is a whole other issue for me) and he most likely was treated well enough. But, I always find it bothersome to see a majestic animal like that confined in such a way. The perspective you get from looking out through the bars from his view is poignant. In any case, children enjoy playing inside the cage and I think Tony would have liked it that way. A mural of what appears to be Tony is painted on the wall.

Fun fact: Colossus (aka Tony the Gorilla) ran for President against Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan in 1980. Rumor has it voters didn’t agree with his pro banana free trade stance.

Another fun attraction for children (or young at heart adults) is the Old Woman In The Shoe, baased on the nursery tale of the same name. The attraction is actually considered a historical monument. It’s slightly larger than my apartment.

Benson Park is a great place to take your dog. I saw a bunch of cute dogs during my visit.

Kuma (Japanese for “bear”), a 10 month old Akita from Maine, had fun playing in the snow.

Issy (short for Isabel), a 1 year old Lab mix, posed perfectly for me!

On my way to my car I saw this cutie. Daisy is a 4 year old Yellow Labrador.

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24 Comments | tags: Benson Park, birds, dogs, Hudson, New England, new hampshire, Park, photographs, Photography, photos, ponds, snow | posted in birds, New England, new hampshire, park, photographs, photography, photos, ponds, snow, trees, Uncategorized

November 25, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving (Robinson Park, Agawam, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: November 24, 2016

Location Robinson State Park, 428 North St, Feeding Hills Rd (Agawam), MA

Parking: about 10 parking spots are avaiilable in the back entrance on Feeding Hills Rd. There is additional parking in the main entrance and by the beach area.

Cost: Free this time of the year when the park is unstaffed, $8 MA vehicle, $10 non-MA vehicles during “season”

Size: 1,025 acres

Handicap Accessible: Yes, but some parts of the main trail, which is paved, have sharp inclines.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: pretty views, wildlife, biking/hiking trails

Thanksgiving in Western Massachusetts. What could be more emblematic of New England? As it turned out, I’m not the only onr who feels this way.

As I approached the back entrance to Robinson State Park, every parking spot was taken (some spaces were parked 2 cars deep). I did find a spot just in front of the main entrance )the gates were closed on this holiday, however). Who knew a park would be so busy on a holiday? At least that is how I used too think. Now, it makes complete sense.

In the past, I never understood why people would spend Thanksgiving Day, or part of their Thanksgiving, at a park or some other outdoor attraction. People should be home with their family, watching football or the parade and stuffing their faces, the younger me would say to myself. But, now I get it. What better place to spend the early mornings of Thanksgiving? What better way and what better place to be thankful, especially at one of my favorite paarks. In fact, I like it there so much I have posted about Robinson Park in the past. But, I took a few different trails that I had never hiked on before this time. At 1,025 acres, Robinson State is so big it could take days to thoroughly walk or even bike all of the trails. So, I figured I would work up an appetite for my Thanksgiving dinner with a jaunt there.

The trees were barren and leaves carpeted the ground. Only a few months ago these brooks were teeming with frogs and other amphibians.

I always love to see that one plant that has survived the elements.

Theere is also a lot of eviddence of what the park used to be like. A beam stands in the Westfield River, a reminder of the railroad bridge that once ran through the area.

This looks like a damn or some other waterflow management system that is now dry save for a brook that dribbles on by below.

I came across this falcon during my hike. I was surprised at how close I got before the bird flew away.

I also came across lots of squirrels. This one was resting ona tree limb enjoying a snack

Robinson Park is a dog friendly paark. I saw and heard lots of cute dogs during my time there. All of the dogs I photographed happened to be rescues. It was very refreshing to see so many rescued dogs there.

Annie, a mixed breed rescue, struck a pose for me.

Jessie, on the left, is a 3 year old Lab mix. Shadow, on the right, is a 13 year old Lab mix as well. They are both rescues.

Daisy, a yellow Lab rescue from Tennessee, had fun playing with her stick.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

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12 Comments | tags: Agawam, dogs, flowers, Massachussetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, trees | posted in Agawam, dogs, flowers, Massachusetts, New England, park, photographs, photography, photos, trees, Uncategorized

November 22, 2016

2016 Ethan Howard Memorial Charity Rig Race (Auburn, NH)

By New England Nomad

Dates Of Events: Nov 12 & 13

Location: Little Lake Massabesic, Depot Rd, Auburn, NH (about an hour north of Boston and 30 minutes south of Concord, NH)

Cost: Free to attend, registration fees apply if you participate in the event

Parking: Ample parking was provided on the grounds and there are additional lots on Depot Rd

Handicap Accessible: Yes

Highlights: sled dog races

Web Sites: Ethan Howard Memorial Rig Race

New England Sled Dog Club

Named after the late Ethan Viktor Howard, the Ethan Howard Memorial Rig Race is an 2 day annual dog racing event held in Auburn, New Hampshire. In addition to working for Manchester Water Works (which is located near the venue of the race), Howard was an avid sled dog musher and outdoor enthusiast.

The Ethan Howard full day racing event includes racing rigs of 2,4 and 6 dogs. There were also races with bicyclists and their dogs. The racing rigs raced first because of the weather conditions. The colder weather conditions, which are more evident in the morning, affect the cyclists more than it affects the rig racers. As the weather warms, it is easier for the cyclists to race.

Some of the rigs used for racing are shown below. Whips or any other devices are not used to encourage the dogs. Lead dogs respond to the vocal commands of the racer. Many of the racers encouraged their dogs with phrases of appreciation such as, “good girl/boy” and other chants.

I was able to photograph from the sides of the racing trails. But, with my telephoto lens, I was able to take a few photos while I stood on the trail and still had time to get out of everyone’s way.

Some of the dogs looked as though they were looking at me and mugging for the camera as they ran by.

Little Lake Massabesic is a wonderful park. The trails were pretty even with some slight inclines. It is perfect for runners, hikers and cyclists as well as the occasional sled dog racer. The distance of the trails for each race was different. But, they ranged from 1 to 3 miles.

You could see evidence of how hard the dogs were working on the trail.

Indie, the black and white spotted dog on the left, and Virgil, the brown and white marked dog on the right, were particpating in the race later that day. I thought the markings on Indie and the shape of Virgil’s ears were very striking.

There is a misconception about sled dogs and their guardians. It is one that I, too, used to think. Some people think the dogs are mistreated or abused. Nothing could be further from the truth. The guardians of these dogs love them as much as we love our pets. The dogs also enjoy racing and are bred and raised to race. Much like how a horse or human runner likes to compete and run, so do these dogs. And the connection between the dogs and guardians couldn’t be any more obvious.

Not all of the cute dogs I saw were competing in the races.

Theo is a 5 year old Wooly Husky.

Henry, a 15 month Husky, Pointer and Greyhound mix, was very excited to go to the race!

Lexie is an 8 month mixed breed. I think I see some Retriever in her.

A few more dogs I saw at the event.

Video of one of the 8 dog sled racing teams.

8 Comments | tags: Auburn, dog sledding, dog sleds, dogs, New England, new hampshire, photographs, Photography, photos | posted in dogs, New England, new hampshire, photograph, photographs, photography, photos, sled, sled dogs, Uncategorized

November 14, 2016

Massasoit State Park (East Taunton, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: November 6, 2016

Location: 1361 Middleboro Ave, East Taunton, MA (about 45 minutes south of Boston, MA)

Cost: Free this time of the year. Seasonal prices are not posted on the web site or at the park.

Hours: Open Daily 7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (hours may vary depending upon the season)

Parking: There were roughly 50 to 60 parking spots in the lot

Handicap Accessible: No. The side trails can be very rocky and, in some areas difficult to navigate. The main road is paved but cars and other vehicles do travel along the road often.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Time To Spend During Visit: 2 to 3 hours

Highlights: pretty trees, pretty views, bodies of water, dog and horse friendly, cranberry bogs, boat launch (the seasonal camping sitees have not been opened since the 2008camping season)

Web Site: Massasoit State Park

Trail Map: Massasoit State Park Trail Map

Named after the sachem, or leader, of the Wompanoag Confederacy, Massasoit State Park boasts 1,207 acres of trails, 5 bodies of water and a beach area. Add to that some pretty sweet views.

The first thing you’ll notice, and perhaps the main attraction, at Massasoit State Park are the cranberry bogs. The colors of the cranberry and the trees clash to make some pretty contrasts, particularly during foliage season.

The trails at Massasoit State Park are mostly easy with a few moderate inclines. There were a few boardwalks and makeshift bridges made out of trees and other debris.Many of the trails were carpeted with leaves.

Signs of foliage were everywhere. Trees burst with orange, red, yellow and green this time of the year.

Massasoit has 5 ponds and a beach area. The bodies of water are surrounded by pretty trees and vegetation.

Swans and other birds inhabit the ponds.

As you can tell by the photos, the weather changed about, oh, 16 times during the day. In other words, it was your typical New England day. It rained, hard at times, for short periods of time and the sun crept out as well.

Another thing I noticed at Massasoit State Park are the rocks. There are white rocks placed throughout the park and other big rocks with crystal-like elements in them.

The park is also popular with cyclists. I saw dozens of cyclists during my visit. This friendly cyclist was nice enough to let me photograph him.

With its wide paved trail and abundant side trails, Massasoit is the perfect place to bring your dog and I saw several dogs enjoying the fall weather during my visit.

Rex is a 6 and a half year old Blue Tick Coon Hound. Never heard of a Blue Tick Coon Hound? Join the club. Apparently, Blue Tick Coon Hounds are hunting dogs that are prevalent in West Virginia, which is where Rex is from.

Granger is a 4 year old Black Mouth Cur.

Cocoa is a 10 year old Chihuahua and terrier mix breed. He lives nearby and visits the park often.

I also saw these two playmates at Massasoit.

Grace, a 2 year old Doberman and Sydney , a 1 year old Golden Doodle, affectionately played at the park.

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13 Comments | tags: dogs, foliage, Massachusetts, Massasoit State Park, New England, Park, photographs, ponds, swan, trails, trees | posted in dogs, foliage, New England, park, ponds, trails, Uncategorized

November 5, 2016

SoWa (Boston, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date of Event: October 30, 3016

Location: 375 Harrison Blvd, Boston, MA

Hours: Every Sunday, May 1 – October 31, 10-4 with special events throughout the year

Cost: Admission is free

Parking: There is limited free parking on Thayer St for up to 90 minutes. There is also metered on street parking and garages on Albany and Harrison streets and other garages in the area.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: Graffiti artists, vendors, dj, costume contest

Web Site: SoWa Boston

SoWa, South of Washington (Street), is an outdoor entertainment/shopping/food festival held in Boston on every Sunday from May until October (weather permitting). I made it to the last SoWa of the season on October 30. There will be another SoWa Winter festival scheduled for the weekend of Dec 2-4 at the Harrison Ave venue.

Before I entered the venue, I saw lots of graffiti on the exterior of the area and on some nearby buildings.

SoWa was held in an empty lot off Harrison Blvd, a busy side street in Boston. You could see views of the skyline from the parking lot.

For a small area, they had a lot to do there from pumpkin decorating, a costume contest and a dj with dancing. Bon Me, Sante and Chik Chak had food trucks there, providing a variety of food choices.

As a side note, it is really so much more than a shopping festival. I really had alot more fun than I had expected. The people are very friendly and the entertainment, as you will see, was very, well,…entertaining.

People,as well as dogs, came dressed up on costume to SoWa.

The great thing about SoWa and other local shopping and entertainment festivals is that you get to promoted and support local artisans. I found a few interesting shops there.

Another thing that really stood out to me was how it is such a family friendly atmosphere. I didn’t hear one person swear or do or say anything unruly. In fact, many of the artists had their children stop by and spend time with them as they worked on their piece.

Also, the camaraderie they have for each other was noticeable. It didn’t seem like they were competing against each other, even though they took a great deal of pride in their work. Artists shared spray cans, complimented each other and jokes with each other.

The artists worked on blank canvases and started with their own sketches from pictures or diagrams they had on sheets of paper. I am not sure but I think they added their own flavor to some of the artwork.

The tools of the trade.

As they kept working, you could see the art coming together. They worked fast. Most started at 11 and were done by 4. I appreciated how they kept adding tone and contrast too the art in an effort to perfect their piece. They weren’t satisfied until every piece was just so. In fact, I had to leave a little after 4, after being there for several hours. So, some of the pieces may not have been completely finished by the time I left.

As they kept working, you could see their art come together. it’s very cool how they seem to work so casually and yet, at the same time, so deliberately.

The completed versions of their art works contrasted sharply from the begining of their art or the way it looked half way through.

SoWa is a pet friendly event. Since this particular event took place the day before Halloween there were quite a few dogs in costume at the event.

I actually met a few cute dogs before the event started.

Eloise is a 2 year old YorkieTerrier rescue dog with an Instagram account! You can follow her on her travels at @eloisethedog (https://www.instagram.com/eloisethedog/).

Penny is French bulldog. I had to stand next to her mommy so she would look at me!

At the actual event, I met a variety of dogs.

Fitz, a Yorkie, looked very patriotic in his red, white and blue outfit.

Otis, a 9 month old and 90 pound bullmastiff/bulldog mix, was helping his mom sell collars. You can check out his mom’s store at Wiggle Collars.

Lyla is a 7.5 month shark, I mean mixed breed. I like how everyone stood around her as I photographed her as though it was a real photo shoot.

Twain, dressed as a pumpkin, is a 4 year old terrier mix.

Gus, dressed as Tootsie Roll, is a one and half year old Lagotto Romagnolo. There, say that three times fast. Lagotto Romagnolos are better known as Italian Waterdogs.

Sissy (the dog on the left) and Lilly (on the right) are 10 month old Yorkies.

Zoey, a 7 month old chihuahua, wore her spider outfit to the festival. Her pet parents, Kyle and Jessica, were working at Intrinsic Journeys when I saw her.

Birdie, a golden retriever, was one hot dog!

Rogue, a 1 year old Shih Tzu mix, wore a very creative costume.

And there was this wonder dog whose name and breed I did not get.

Below are two videos. The first video is of the artists working on their art. The second video is a video of the works of art in their final or near their final stages.

Please connect with me on Facebook to view photos, videos and other content not included in this blog. Here is a sneak peak at something that I posted from my Facebook page:

Creepy or cool? You be the judge.

Periodically, the Fort Point area in Boston by the Congress St Bridge will host different floating art works. Last year, there were (floating) sheep in the water. Now, there are orange people in the water.

Created by Ann Hirsch and Jeremy Angier (known as A+J Art + Design), “S.O.S.” (“Save Our Swimmers”) is a statement on the immigration and refugee crisis. The 22 orange “people” are said to be refugees clinging on for dear life.

Most seem creeped out by it, except the cormorant who found a nice place to rest.

(photos taken 10-12-16)

cormorant-orange

11 Comments | tags: art, Boston, dogs, graffiti, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, SoWa | posted in art, Boston, dogs, Massachusetts, New England, Uncategorized

November 3, 2016

Halloween In Salem (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: October 31, 2016

Location: Salem, MA

Parking: Parking is always difficult In salem during the Halloween season. Tourists and travelers are urged to take public transportation. Streets are also shut down during the day which makes parking even more difficult.

Handiscap Accessible: Yes

Dog friendly: Yes

Where else would anyone want to be on Halloween than Salem, MA?

Known world wide for its tragic history of the Salem Witch trials, Salem, MA, has turned a tragedy into a money maker. Each year, tens of thousands of people flock to Salem during October to get a taste of the spooky side of the city. But, as the photos below show, it’s not all witches and scares in Salem, although there were a lot of witches there duringmy visit!

For kicks, I took the train in to Salem. Normally, I prefer to drive. But, the workers at the visitors center stressed to me that it is better to drive. I like having my own vehicle because I can leave whenever I want to, I don’t have to wait for the scheduled trains and since I live very closse to Salem the drive is easily under one hour under normal circumstances. I timed my travel times and it takes a little longer going by train (about half an hour longer). I had to make two train transfers so that added to the travel time. Plus, I left during the day while everyone else would be at work or school. So, the driving and lack of parking wouldn’t have affected me as much since I left during in the morning. In the future, I would probably never go by train again but it may be useful for people coming from longer distances within Massachusetts.

Salem is a beautiful city and it was no different on Halloween. Salem was very festive for the big day. Many homes, businesses and other buildings were decorated.

Of course, there were lots of people dressed up for Halloween. The most common costumes were Donald Trump, witches, Mike Myers and, somewhat surprisingly, Jason.

Of course, what would the wicked witch be without her flying monkeys?

What’s great about the costumes is that people from all backgrounds, ages and sizes get dressed up and enjoyy the day!

Of course, the couples, friends and family that dressed up looked great.

The rest of the dressed up visitors were just as scary, pretty and funny. The costumes were very creative and, at times, kind of scary!

And what would a trip to Salem be without dogs? There were so many dogs dressed up for their big day!

Jazzmine proved that witches hats aren’t just for humans.

Sophie was a devilish dog!

Roxie the rufferee, a 2 and a half year old pittbull, lab, terrier mix, was very excited to be in Salem!

Zao “the man”, a 5 year old Brussels Griffon in a banana costume, posed like a pro . I think this is his Pinterest page:

Zao on Pinterest

Dodger, a golden retriever, proved you don’t have to wear a costume to look cute!

And some of the other dogs I saw in Salem…

Not all of the cute animals in Salem were dogs, though. Hamlet was in Salem to drum up support for Question 3 (a law that would expand the sizes of cages animals are kept in at farms and other places where they store livestock)

There were also street performers at Salem. This card magician, Darren Yong, attracted a lot of crowds.

You can find him here on the internet: Darren Yong Live

Here is a video of one of his tricks

Once again, Salem didn’t disappoint me this Halloween! I hope you all had a great Halloween!

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November 1, 2016

Happy Halloween (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Dates Of Visits: October 22 & 29, 2016

Location: Salem, MA

Parking: Very limited during Halloween but you can find lots of parking at the New Liberty and Congress St parking garages and there is metered parkign available as well after Halloween season.

Handicapped Accessible: Salem’s streets are handicapped accessible and most buildings are as well.

October is full of scares and excitement in Salem, MA. And this year was no different. I saw so many cool, funny and, yes at times scary, people, pets and other things this year in Salem. Since I saw so many interesting things in Salem, I am breaking up my posts into several posts so I don’t go overboard with my images in each post since they can take a very long time to download, especially on mobile devices. And, believe it or not, there are so many interesting things in Salem all year round (not just during Halloween) but particularly during the fall. From the street performers, the, in some cases, elaborate decorations and the historical aspects of the city, tthere are so many things to post about. I will post the highlights from my Halloween day visit very soon.

Today’s post focuses mostly on the costumed people and the pets of Salem. I still have many more photos of costumed people that I will post soon. But, for the sake of time and space I am including these photos in chronological order from the earliest to the most recent. There were quite a few politicians at Salem (Donald and Hillary were even seen together). Poor Bernie was by himself and could only shrug his shoulders and say “Sure” when I asked for a photograph.

Some of the costumes are self explanatory, others not so much. I’ll help where I can.

The three women with sticks and shades on are the three blind mice. In the second to last row of photographs next to Jason and his monster friend are the 80s candy “Nerds.” In the bottom row to the left are the cat and “crazy cat lady.”

Throughout my visits to Salem this past month I saw so many cute dogs. Whether in costume or au naturel, they all looked very cute!

Lulu is an 8 year old Australian Sheepdog. I love the different colored ears and the way she looks likes she is smiling in the second photo.

What a wonderful pose Bella struck for me! The 1 year old Havanese (yes I had to look it up too) looks cute in her Stegosaurus costume.

Honey got into the festivities with her black and orange collar.

Eva is a 2 and a half year old mixed breed rescue dog. Another happy dog in the city.

Fenway is a 5 year old Papipoo (Papillon Poodle mix). He also has his own Facebook page at Fenway’s Aventures as well as an Instagran account @FenwaysAdventures a Twitter account @FenwayPuppy as well as a Snapchat account: @TheFenwayPuppy. He’s got more socal media accounts than I do!

Unfortunately, I when I washed my pants the list of dogs and their ages and breeds were still in my pants pocket and my memory isn’t what it used to be. So, I apologize for not remembering all of these beautiful dogs’ names.

It is also important to remember what Salem is largely known for by the public, besides the fun and scary stuff. Each year, descendants and others honor the victims of the witch hysteria that unexpectedly put Salem on the map for fun and friendly tourism. At the Salem Witch Trials Memorial on Liberty St, roses are placed on each victim’s granite stone memorials during the week of Halloween. Passerbys and those with a connection to the victim, through blood or otherwise, often leave notes, cards, flowers and other items as well. Coins are a common item left behind by tourists and others sympathetic to the victims of this dark time.