Journal
Spring Arrives Slowly At Lake Irena And Community Park.
It was a sunny day in May, many, many years ago, when I first visited Lake Irena and the surrounding woods of Community Park in Hazle Township, Luzerne County. I know I wasn’t in grade school yet when my dad first took me and my siblings there. I believe it was in 1963 or 1964, a…
Read MoreA Long Overdue Return To Big Meadows In The Shenandoah National Park
After my short visit to Kings Gap State Park in Cumberland County on Memorial Day I was on the road again. This time I was driving 3 hours south to the lodge at Big Meadows in the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. It’s hard to believe I last visited, and camped, here over 38 years…
Read MoreA Peaceful And Pleasant Hike In The Big Meadows Of Shenandoah National Park.
It’s has been 38 years since I had slept in Big Meadows in the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. The last time it was in the campground with my baby brother Mike after graduating from law school in nearby Washington D.C. This time I awoke in the quint and comfortable Big Meadows Lodge. It was…
Read MoreAnother Hike State Game Lands 119, And Still No Bears.
It is nearing the end of June and I still haven’t seen any bears in my backyard, in Hazle Township Luzerne County. It is the first time almost twenty years I haven’t had one or more visit my bird feeders. And, so far, I haven’t seen any bears my many hikes here in Northeastern Pennsylvania.…
Read MoreA Lot Of Birds, And A Cool Frog, But No Bears: A Hike In The Pinchot State Forest.
I returned to the Crystal Lake access in the Pinchot State Forest in Luzerne County last Sunday. Once again I was going to explore the swamps and wetlands around this large lake in search of the bears. I know they live here, I have encountered many bears on hikes here in previous years. But not…
Read MoreDominican Republic Day 1: A Late Afternoon Walk In The Santo Domingo Zona Colonial
The Billini Hotel , where I am staying my first three nights here in the Dominican Republic is located in the middle of the historic Zona Colonial in Santo Domingo, the first European city in the Western Hemisphere. After a quick check in at my hotel late Wednesday afternoon , which included a delicious non-alcoholic…
Read MoreDominican Republic Day Five. An Afternoon Walk And A Tour Of The Beautiful Altos De Cano Hondo Resort.
After my morning boat excursion, I spent the afternoon editing photographs in my room at the beautiful Altos De Cano Hondo Lodge/Resort at the edge of the Los Haitises National Park in a remote section of the Dominican Republic. It is a part of the Paraiso Cano Hondo resort. And it truly is paradise. This…
Read MoreDominican Republic: Day Six: Birds, Butterflies and Blooms At Altos De Cano Hondo Near Los Haitises National Park
I awoke early on Monday morning during my stay at the Altos de Cano Hondo resort. It is located at the edge of the Los Haitises National Park in a remote part of the Dominican Republic. I was the only guest staying at the resort that night but there was still hot coffee awaiting me …
Read MoreDominican Republic Day Seven: An Informative Hike in The Los Haitises National Park With My Guide Wilfred
Los Haitises National Park is described by the Dominican Republic travel website as “one of crown jewels” of the Dominican Republic’s national park system. Encompassing over 600 square miles “Los Haitises ” translates into “hilly land” in the native Taino language. I learned this firsthand on a wonderful guided tour of the park with Wilfred, …
Read MoreAirports, Airplanes And Another Adventure: Mississippi Day One
As with most of my better qualities and many interests, I have to thank my dad for my love of airports, airplanes, and adventure. He would take me and my siblings to the small Hazleton airport, located a few miles from my home in Northeastern Pennsylvania after work and on Sunday afternoons. He loved watching…
Read MoreMississippi Day One: Exploring The Charming Gulf Towns Of Pascagoula And Moss Point
How did I wind up in the charming little town of Pascagoula, Mississippi is a good question. I am not sure. I will say it was totally random, having never heard of the city until about a month ago. I wanted to get away and relax. . My visit to the Dominican Republic was fun …
Read MoreMississippi Day Two: A Sunrise, Pitcher Plants And Woodpeckers But No Sandhill Cranes.
I awoke refreshed on Thursday in Pascagoula Mississippi. Sleep will do that to you. Especially when you are traveling. I still needed my coffee and was delighted to have a Kurig coffee maker in my room. As I sipped on my coffee I was deciding where to watch the sunrise. I knew my next destination…
Read MoreMississippi Day Seven. A Walk Before The Rain On The Campus Of The University Of South Alabama
Before my recent visit to Mississippi and Alabama I never heard of the University of South Alabama. I chose the Holiday Inn Express hotel where I was staying in on my last night in the Deep South since it was close to the Mobile Botanical Gardens which I planned to visit. Unfortunately the Botanical Gardens…
Read MoreAnother Foggy And Rainy Walk On Long Beach Island, New Jersey
My foggy and rainy New Year’s visit to Long Beach Island on the New Jersey shore continued Sunday. A steady rain was falling when I awoke early in the morning. The rain didn’t stop me from my early morning walk. So , after a cup of coffee I again put on my rain gear and…
Read MoreArctic Air Arrives In Northeastern Pennsylvania: A Frigid Hike in the Susquehanna Wetlands
After a frigid Saturday, the Arctic air settled in and it got even colder here in Northeastern Pennsylvania on Sunday. It was -2 degrees when I awoke in my home in Hazle Township, Luzerne County. As usual I decided to hike in the Susquehanna Wetlands. So, after a cup of coffee I was driving in…
Read MoreFlorida Day One. A Hike On The Old Ingraham Highway Trail In The Everglade.
After a late arrival Friday evening, I awoke early at my hotel in Florida City in southern Florida. I left my home in Northeastern Pennsylvania and was back in Florida to get some sun and again explore the Everglades and Keys. I have been vacationing here for a few years now . There are many…
Read MoreFlorida Day Eight: Key Largo. An Opossum, A Spider And A Lot Of Birds On My Last Hike In South Florida.
I awoke early on my last day in Key Largo and South Florida this year. I wanted to get in one last hike at the Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park before I headed north to Fort Lauderdale. I was staying near the airport my last night in Florida. I had seen many…
Read MoreSnow Geese, Tundra Swans , Hooded Mergansers And More At Middle Creek
Last Saturday I returned to the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster County with my brother Mike and nephew Mikey. We hoped there would still be some snow geese on the lake at Willow Point. It was late in the season and we were worried they may have already migrated north. They didn’t. There…
Read MoreA Hike On The Lehigh Canal At Weissport: No Wood Ducks But A Lot Of Fishermen, A Few Birds And Beautiful Scenery
After my visit to the Susquehanna Wetlands on Friday, where I saw so many critters, including some elusive wood ducks, I decided to hike along the Lehigh Canal in Weissport in Carbon County on Saturday. I made this decision because I had seen wood ducks here before. In fact some of my most beautiful photos…
Read MoreBlue Skies, Sunshine And Some Critters At Community Park.
These past few weeks we had a lot of clouds and rain here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Not this week. We had clear blue skies and sunshine for three days in a row. On Thursday. some cumulus clouds formed in the blue skies. It was still a bit cool on Monday afternoon, when I took my…
Read MoreEurope Days Five And Six: Hungary . My Last Evening And Morning Hikes Through The Streets Of The Castle District in Budapest.
After my long hike on Saturday morning , exploring the streets of Budapest, I returned to the Budapest Hilton Hotel atop the Castle District overlooking the city . I spent the afternoon editing the many photos I took and reading a little about the history of the city. By late afternoon I was hungry, in…
Read MoreEurope Day Six: Hungary To Slovakia. A Scenic And Informative Three Hour Drive With A Stop In Historic Holloko
After my Sunday morning walk I had breakfast at the Hilton Hotel in Budapest, Hungary, packed and checked out of my hotel at 10 a.m. I was leaving Hungary and my driver , Marek was waiting to transport me to the Slovakian city of Kosice. I would stay here for five days, hoping to find…
Read MoreEurope Day Eight: Slovakia: A Hike In The Hills Outside Of Kosice.
On Tuesday morning, my second full day in in Slovakia, I decided to hike in the woodlands near Kosice. I didn’t rent a car, as originally planned, on this trip (I got my first International Divers license for the trip). I had arranged, on Wednesday, for a driver to take me to look for…
Read MoreEurope Day Nine: Slovakia Another Walk Through Old Town Kosice.
It was my third day in Slovakia when I awoke on Wednesday morning. I was excited . I was looking forward to my drive to Smolnik , the village I believed my maternal grandfather’s father was born. I arranged for a driver to take me there and tour the surrounding countryside. I hoped to find…
Read MoreEurope Day Nine: Slovakia : No Relatives In Smolnik But A Wonderful Drive Through The Mountains And Countryside
After my early morning walk through the streets of Kosice , I was looking forward to my drive to the village of Smolnik. I learned Smolnik was a small village situated in the mountains of eastern Slovakia about 35 miles west of Kosice. It has a population of a little under a 1000 residents. I…
Read MoreA Kingfisher, An Eagle and Wood Duck, Oh My! Another Hike In The Susquehanna Wetlands
It is hard to believe, for me anyway , that Summer arrived last week. Spring passed so quickly. But , it was a perfect summer morning when I awoke Saturday. There was hazy sunshine, a light breeze and pleasant temperatures in the low 60’s. Of course, I decided to take the half hour drive to…
Read MoreNo Bear, But Some Birds And A Snake On The Greater Hazleton Rails To Trails.
On Saturday evening I received a text from a friend that there was a large male black bear on the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails in Hazle Township, Luzerne County. So, of course on Sunday morning I was driving to the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails to look for the bear. I decided to start…
Read MoreCan It Be July Already? Another Hike In The Susquehanna Wetlands
It was Saturday morning and, even though I had many great places to hike here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, I was going to the Susquehanna Wetlands in Salem Township, Luzerne County. It seems I always find something interesting here. I was still amazed at my trifecta sighting of a bald eagle, belted kingfisher and wood ducks…
Read MoreA Visit To The Daniel Boone Homestead And A Walk Along French Creek.
After my late breakfast at the Sunset Diner in Birdsboro, Berks County, I continued my exploration of the historic area by visiting the nearby Daniel Boone Homestead. As I child I watched the popular television show about Daniel Boone. I remember reading an article about his homestead in the Reading Eagle when I was in…
Read MoreExploring Early American Industrial History At The Hopewell Furnace In Berks County
I was hiking on the Lake Loop Trail around Hopewell Lake in the French Creek State Park last Friday morning when I left the trail and ventured into the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. It is only a short distance from the lake. I had been here once before. I loved hiking through this scenic…
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