Niagara Falls did not disappoint us…
Our relaunch out on to the road (details in another post), brought us to one of the most powerful and beautiful water falls poised between two countries. Frank and I have both visited Niagara Falls as teens, but we had no recollection of the sheer power and majesty that fell before our eyes as adults. Continue reading Niagara Falls
Bakerwoods is a wonderful smaller sized working family farm with a plethora of animals on site. You might see free range fowl, goats, sheep, cows, horses, rabbits, turtles, llamas, and four dogs. Located in North Eastern Connecticut’s “Quiet corner”, it is a peaceful location nestled in the trees complete with a small lake and marsh area.
Down by the lake is a great place for a tea party on the gazebo (please call ahead to schedule).Children enjoy the I-Spy Gnome trail, which winds through the woods around the lake. For adults there is the Ancient Path Trail for quiet walks or bring the children (our children enjoy them both), but the Gnome trail is much more fun! There is a food wagon on site with family friendly pricing, and very good food. You can enjoy locally produced Hosmer Mountain soda with your meal. Fishing is allowed, catch and release only. They often host fishing contests and small concerts on premises.
You can enjoy feeding the animals, so bring some quarters to make your children even happier. We have visited Baker’s Woods numerous times, it is a great place to unwind and enjoy your family! A great place to visit in any season, so if you are in the area be sure to drop in and say hello to Nancy and Al, the owners and workers of Baker’s Woods Farm.
Things to know
Baker’s Woods
Address: 513 Bebbington Rd, Ashford, CT 06278
Link: http://visitbakerwoodsfarm.com/
Season/Hours: Open April 15th through October 15th
Wed-Sat 10:00-6:00 Sun 12:00-6:00
Being blessed to personally know a missionary family who have devoted their lives to serve at G.A.i.N., we were offered a private tour of the facilities. The impression this organization left on our hearts was HUGE, inspiring us to return to rural Pennsylvania to serve at one of their week-long packing events. The simplicity of what they do in the day to day operations of the ministry is what stuck my heart strings the most. The building is simple, rather large and seems to run like a well oiled machine. Continue reading G.A.I.N.-Global Aid International Network
RINGING RO
CKS:
Ringing Rocks Road, Upper Black Eddy, PA 18972
215-757-0571 (phone only goes to voice mail)
Ringing Rocks In Upper Black Eddy, PA is a magical place and totally worth the trip. It is free entry and parking!This is a county park that has an interesting huge boulder field you can climb on, and many of the boulders have a unique property that they produce a ringing tone when struck with a hammer or another rock. This is a unique experience and is best for kids from ages 5 and up. The majority of the rocks ring when struck, but not every rock rings. It is an experience you can’t get just anywhere. About 10 minutes from the boulder field there is a small waterfall.
Getting to the park is on small and curvy country roads. We did bring our 29 foot Motor Home with our tow car. However, we wouldn’t recommend trying to get a rig much bigger then this into this parking lot. The parking lot is a wooded lot with several “spots” to back into. Each spot has a picnic table and a few have bq grills. On a crowded day, parking is available along the roads prior to the entrance of the lot. There is a port a potty located in the parking lot, however it is not cleaned often. There isn’t much upkeep in the parking area or facilities.
It is a short, easy 5 minute walk to the field of boulders from the lot. We brought a small hammer and it worked like magic when hitting the rocks. It’s like playing a xylophone with a hammer. Our only regret is not bringing a hammer for each person. Definitely spend the money on some cheap hammers before setting out on this adventure. This is the kind of park that brings the kid out in all of us.
There is no admission charge to enter the park.
Things to know:
As you leave the hustle and bustle of the Gulf shore busyness, you find yourself driving into an empty landscape. There a few ranches and fields full of cattle and horses, but not much else. The destination is so isolated, you start to question your decision to find it. There is no cell service the closer you get to the area. Thankfully the GPS seems to continue to work to help you find this amazing destination. You will pass through iron gates to a small parking lot. There is room for some small RV’s in the parking lot during off season, however we don’t recommend it.
Inside the gate, stands a giant silver castle with ornate stained glass windows on every wall. The entire structure was built on the artistic whim of a man with a vision and all recycled materials or trash. To the side of the castle is a natural made partial moat, in which the artist chose to build a ship. The restaurant in the Boat in the Moat and on the lovely terrace under the trees offered a variety of food options. Inside the castle, visitors can take a guided tour of the great halls and the artist’s personal home space. Each incredible piece of art was constructed out of trash and recyclable material. It is an amazing piece of architecture and artistic genius. When we visited the Castle, Howard was still alive and we had the opportunity to speak to him briefly. He started demonstrating prodigy type art pieces at age 4. His first carving is on display in his home.
We highly recommend spending the day, taking the inside tour, walking along the hiking trails and enjoying lunch on the Boat on the Moat on the terrace. If you want to avoid crowds and enjoy the castle grounds at your leisure the best time to go is between October to December OR April to June. During snowbird season, it gets really busy and is less enjoyable.
http://solomonscastle.com
Hours of Operation:
Tues – Friday 10 am to 3 pm
Sat – Sunday 11 am to 4 pm
Closed Mondays and Months of August/September
Adults $12.50, Children under 12 $5.00
We were able to tour the entire ship both above deck and below (unless restoration work is being done on portions of the ship). There are placards providing information throughout the tour which we found very useful in teaching our children about the history of this ship. You can climb Continue reading The USS Texas, Houston