Puffer's Pond

   I first heard about Puffer’s Pond in Amherst back in 2008. Some friends of mine had taken their children swimming there and told me that it was a very popular swimming hole in the Amherst area. I never had a chance to visit it (mostly because I’m never really out in that area on the weekends) but was still curious about it all of these years later.

   I finally got around to visiting it last week with a friend of mine who had been there before. There is no fee to enter the pond and the entrance we used only had a little tiny sign and looked like this:

   (I say “the entrance we used” because I am assuming that there are multiple entrances, but we couldn’t find where the other entrances were.) 

   We parked the car and walked up to a large grassy area where (mostly) college students were laying in the sun. There were trails going along both the left and right of the pond, however, I didn’t wear appropriate shoes for the trip so we didn’t walk very far.

   The part of the pond that we happened to be at had no beach, just a little ledge. The water below looked to be about 3 feet deep and had some people walking around in it. We could see a small beach across the pond but we could NOT figure out how to get to it!! 

   After doing some research online, I found an article from the Daily Hampshire Gazette that state that the pond is slated to have $36K in renovations this year. It also read,

“Other people who use the pond’s two beaches and nearby walking trails may notice that the wooden cribbing, used to hold sand in place and stabilize the pathways, are sagging.”

   Clearly, there were two beaches somewhere but we had no idea how to find them. I don’t feel as though I can give a fair review of this well-known swimming hole because I feel like there are many parts of it I didn’t get a chance to see. Perhaps I’ll take another adventure out there soon. Until then, enjoy a couple of images from my trip. 

To learn more about Puffer’s Pond, visit: http://www.amherstma.gov/index.aspx?NID=1316.

Monument Mountain & South Street Package and Variety (Another Secret Spot for Great Indian Food!)

   My family recently hiked on Monument Mountain in Great Barrington. We’ve been doing the same hike for awhile and decided to change things up. This was a refreshing new hike for us!

    
   We started out by taking the Indian Monument Trail. According to the brochure/map, it was “the most gradual, providing walkers with a leisurely ascent up a former carriage road.” You start on a path that runs along the side of the road where you can hear the cars buzzing by and you stay on that for quite a while. Then, you head directly through the woods, which was an easy path to take, but there wasn’t much to look at. The path was very straightforward and gradual, but I struggled with how boring it was. It made it seem longer. We took this path because we had our son with us and we weren’t sure of how difficult each path would get.

   Once we got near the top, there were some rocks that appear to have been chipped away at/formed to serve as steps.

    
   At the top, there were some large rocks that we could rest on to have a snack and enjoy the view. To get the best view for picture taking however, you have to climb on top of the rocks, which can be nerve-wracking for those who have children with them or who have a fear of heights. I wouldn’t say it’s the most kid friendly mountaintop I’ve ever been on. There are some steep cliffs and dangerous edges! But the view was beautiful!

   
   On our way down, we decided to take the Hickey Trail. This trail was a lot more fun!There were several log bridges that you had to cross (that weren’t too far off the ground)   and a cave with a tiny stream of water pouring over the edge of it. We all found this path to be far more enjoyable.

  
   There was also a third trail, the Squaw Peak Trail, that was supposed to have the best views, but we didn’t attempt it because the map said it ran along the top of steep cliffs and that sounded a little too risky to do with a child. If you’ve done this trail or know anything about it, write me and let me know! I’d like to know if it would be appropriate for children.

   Overall, my family had a great experience. If we go back, we will skip taking the Indian Monument Trail the whole way up and take one of the other trails. They seemed to have more interesting things to look at. I need a little bit of excitement while I’m hiking!

A few points I wanted to make:

- I would say this hike is probably best for kids 6 and up. I think younger kids are capable of doing the hike, but I would worry about where they’ll want to explore once they get to the top. Keep a close eye on them!

- There are no bathrooms or portable toilets, so make sure you use the bathroom before you arrive to the trails.

- Bring your bug spray! Once you’re going directly through the woods, the gnats and mosquitos can get a little crazy around your head.

- It states this in the map but I want to make a point of restating it, please keep your dogs on their leashes. We went past several people who did NOT have their dogs on leashes and this makes the hike more uncomfortable for other people, especially when you have children with you. Dogs are curious creatures and that doesn’t go away just because they’re on a hike! Several of the dogs we passed tried to approach us (and it wasn’t always in a playful manner) and it was a little scary. You never know when animals may decide to act out. Just keep them away from other hikers, it’s courteous.

One of the most exciting parts of our hiking adventure though wasn’t the hike. It was this:

   
   South Street Package and Variety near the corner of 143 and 8 (South Street) in Hinsdale. I know, it doesn’t look like much, but this caught our eyes as we were driving by:

    
   Any hole-in-the-wall Indian place that is buried in the hilltowns is worth a try for us! Most people probably wouldn’t even think to stop and try it, but we LOVE hidden finds like this!

   When you go in, it looks like a typical package store (that’s a convenience store for you Michigan folks!) but there’s a little dining spot in the back. Nothing fancy, but details like that aren’t important when you’re passionate about good Indian food!

 
   The owners were a very nice family from New Delhi, India. We chatted with the husband for awhile while his wife cooked our order. It’s always fascinating to learn about other people and what brought them to Western Massachusetts! I just love meeting new people!

   We ordered the Chicken Saag, Chana Masala, Chicken Tikka, Pratatha, and Raita and they were all DELICIOUS! We especially liked the Chicken Saag and Chana Masala! We practically inhaled it! Even my son loved the Chicken Saag and he normally won’t go anywhere near anything with green in it!

    
   The food was great and very reasonably priced. We will DEFINITELY be dining there again. If you are ever in the Hinsdale area and LOVE and appreciate good Indian food, please support this business.

A final thing I wanted to add...

   Please know that I do not make any money from this blog and get nothing for free. I am not asked to visit or review any of the places that I write about. I do this strictly for fun and as a way to catalogue my family’s adventures. Hopefully, it will inspire you to visit and support some of these businesses though and go on some adventures of your own. Thank you for reading and thank you for supporting local businesses!   

   To read a little history about Monument Mountain, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_Mountain_%28reservation%29. To read more reviews of the Monument Mountain hike, go to: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g41586-d2008981-Reviews-Monument_Mountain-Great_Barrington_Massachusetts.html. 
 

Top 5 Places to Eat in Michigan

   It’s funny what you miss when you move away from “home”. A recent visit with family had me thinking about my home state of Michigan and some of the places I liked to go when we lived there (specifically the restaurants). Although there are lots of good restaurants in Western Massachusetts, sometimes I really crave the food at some of the places we used to frequent in Michigan.

   This inspired me to compile my Top 5 Places to Eat in Michigan list. If you currently live in Michigan or plan on visiting, look these places up and give them a try. Then write me and let me know what YOU think of them!

Here they are in no particular order (although I did save the best for last).

1. Badawest in Flint. I LOVE BADAWEST! We make sure to eat there every time we visit Michigan. I’ve eaten at a lot of different places now and I can’t find better Middle Eastern food. Some of my favorite dishes are the Hummus (It’s so good and creamy that I could eat it off of my hand), Tabouli, Lentil Soup, and Shish Tawook sandwich. Only downside, the bread. It’s flat and not impressive. We used to go to a place near Sterling Heights when we lived in that area and they baked their own pita bread that was amazing (and gave you this delicious garlic spread with it). But you’ll be able to look past the bread once you taste the delicious food. I don’t think they have their own website, but you can find out more information and view the menu here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/badawest-restaurant-flint.
     
2. Bi Bim Bab in Novi. Delicious Korean and Japanese food, all in one spot (and for a decent price).  We have a pretty good Korean restaurant out here, but what I miss most about Bi Bim Bab are all of the tasty side dishes they bring out before your meal. Some family favorites are the Bulgogi, Sun Du Bu Chige, and the Dragon Roll. Only downside, the location is a little strange. It’s in a little mall that doesn’t really have a lot of other businesses in it (or at least it didn’t last time I was there), but who cares. That keeps it under the radar. You can visit their website here: http://www.bibimbabrestaurant.com/index.html.

3. El Azteco in East Lansing. I don’t think I can accurately describe how much my husband LOVES this Mexican restaurant which resides close to his alma mater, Michigan State. He used to go out of his way to eat at this place whenever he could when we lived in Michigan. The atmosphere is really nice and you can sit on the roof in the summertime and enjoy your Margarita or Sangria. Some of my favorite dishes are Topopo Salad and the Guacamole and Bean Tostadas. Only downside, it can get busy (and noisy) on the weekends in the fall when there’s tons of college kids around. Check out their website here: http://www.elazteco.me/ELAZTECO.ME/restaurant.html.

4. Stage Deli in West Bloomfield. This Jewish Deli offers a variety of tasty dishes. I don’t think I’ve ever ordered anything here and NOT liked it. I used to frequent their smaller location in the food court of Somerset Mall during my lunch breaks when I worked in Troy. Some family favorites are the Matzo Ball soup, Lox, Stock & Bagel, and the Mitch Albom Cobb salad. I also used to love buying a loaf of their House-Baked Seedless Rye bread to take home with me. Only downside, I can’t think of any. You can read about their locations and view their menu here: http://thestagedeli.com/.
 
5. Sposita’s Ristorante in West Bloomfield. Once you have a steak at Sposita’s, all other steaks at other restaurants will be a disappointment. We loved the cozy atmosphere and how low-key everything was (in comparison to Lelli’s, which is a similar restaurant). The owner was always very friendly and made you feel like an old friend. We always had great service and great experiences. The ONLY thing we order at Sposita’s is the Filet. IT IS THE BEST! Don’t waste your time ordering anything else. Go there for the steak! The Zip Sauce on the Filet is to die for!! We ask for an extra little cup of it on the side so just so that we have more! The only downside, the decor is a little out of date, it’s not particularly kid friendly (although it’s not un-kid friendly either), and the food is pricey. But you get A LOT of food for what you pay for your meal. It’s not just a meal, it’s an experience! First they bring out bread, then they bring you a salad with various toppings, then you get a cup of minestrone soup, then you get a small plate of pasta, then you get your entree which includes potatoes and a vegetable. It’s like a tasty train of food! I used to skip the plate of pasta because I wanted to leave room for the Filet (and I don’t eat a lot of pasta any way). We used to go there every year on our wedding anniversary (until we moved away). On our first anniversary, we brought the top layer of our cake (which you are supposed to freeze and eat on your first anniversary) with us for dessert. Our server took it in the back, put it on a plate with a candle, and came out singing “Happy Anniversary” to us! It was SO SWEET! Every year on our anniversary, I LONG for Sposita’s! I miss it terribly! Nothing will ever compare for me. It holds a special place in my heart. We’re already planing on going there next time we visit. I couldn’t find a website with their menu on it, but you can find the address and some more information here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/spositas-ristorante-west-bloomfield.     

Us at Sposita's for our 6th Wedding Anniversary, the last one we spent in Michigan.

The Bend (Part Two)

   You may remember my post about The Bend in Chesterfield from last summer (click here to read) where I said that I was disappointed. WELL, I decided to give it another try last weekend and I have to say that my opinion has changed. It was lovely! Now that my child is a little bit older and a more experienced swimmer, it was a totally different experience! There still isn't a sandy "beach" but if you have on water shoes the rocks are no big deal. There are also some patches of tiny rocks where you can put down your beach towel and lay comfortably. The water was very clear and surprisingly not too cold. There was a little current that was perfect for throwing your inner tube in and floating down the river (of coarse, not too far). There were families hanging out and collecting rocks and even people playing guitars. It was very peaceful and fun. I imagine if it were the 60's, this would have been a perfect hippie hangout!

   I still stand by my previous statement that I don't think it's the best beach for small children. There are lots of rocks that they can slip on, the water gets really deep really fast, and the current in the river can push swimmers downstream. But small children can still wade in the shallow parts and collect rocks. If your kids are a little bit older (I'd say 7+), this place is great! My family had a blast!

 

The Montague Bookmill

   Let me start by saying that I forgot my good camera for my trip to the Montague Bookmill and had to use my iPod, so I apologize for the quality of the pictures. I can’t believe I forgot to grab it in all of my excitement and rushing around! Anyway, hopefully you’ll still enjoy what you see.

   Nestled on the banks of the Sawmill River, the Montague Bookmill was originally a gristmill. It went through several changes and owners over the years and was eventually converted into a used bookstore in 1987. You can read a more in-depth history here. The Bookmill now also houses The Lady Killigrew Cafe, The Night Kitchen (a gourmet restaurant), one of the locations of the used music store Turn It Up, and Sawmill River Arts, a collaborative fine art and fine craft gallery. But I, being the book enthusiast that I am, was only really interested in the used books so that’s mostly what I took pictures of.

   The location was beautiful! The building was absolutely charming! There were tons of books everywhere, a real dream for an English major! It was very enjoyable to browse while listening to the roars of the waterfalls behind the building (as well as the folky music that was being played over the stereo). The windows let in these amazing rays of light that really lit the place up. It was the perfect image of a New England used book store.

One of my favorite sections of every book store!

The Children's section, another one of my favorites!

   After browsing, I stopped into The Lady Killigrew Cafe for some lunch. I ordered the No. 5, a honey ham, cheddar, whole grain mustard and marinated apple grilled sandwich. It was delicious! What REALLY impressed me though with the house salad that came with the sandwich. I don’t know what was in it, but it was unbelievably tasty! I’m already scheming about when I’m going to be able to go back and order an even bigger salad!

Beautiful lunch, beautiful view!

   The only negative points about the Bookmill that I feel as though I should mention are that it had no air conditioning (which can make it less pleasurable to browse when it’s 95 degrees out) and the books weren’t quite as cheap as I’m used too. Most of the books were half of the original listed price, which is still a good deal. But I know of other used book stores where I can pay less than $5 for just about any book that I want and they have just as big of a selection. I have a really hard time spending more than $5 on a used book when I know that I can get a better deal at other book stores, library book sales, goodwill stores, tag sales, and online (with shipping). Heck, our local transfer station has a whole tiny house dedicated to homeless books that you can take for free (but the selection is obviously very limited and the condition of some of the books is questionable)! But please don’t let these minor points discourage you from making the trip out to browse. It’s still completely worth it!

   On a side note, I wanted to mention that while I was walking through the parking lot to my car, I saw a car with a Michigan license plate. I’m always amazed to find out how many Michigan transplants are out here. I meet more people from Michigan than any other state (Just the other day I discovered that one of our local librarians grew up in Lapeer. We both shared a moment as we discussed how badly we miss the beautiful clear waters of the Great Lakes.).

   The drive home from the Bookmill was even more beautiful than the drive out there! There’s a gorgeous view of Mount Sugarloaf just as you’re going across the bridge into Deerfield. My crappy iPod picture I took from the car while I was driving just doesn’t do it justice. I decided to take a quick drive up the mountain to snap a couple additional shots of one of my favorite views in all of Western Massachusetts.

    To sum it up, other than the old man standing at the end of his driveway on High Street that flipped me off (Perhaps I was going too fast? I’m pretty sure I was only going 30. Perhaps he didn’t like my music selection? Some people feel very strongly about Sheryl Crow. I guess we’ll never know.) this trip was excellent! I hope you’ll check out the Montague Bookmill soon!  

To plan your trip to the Bookmill, go to http://www.montaguebookmill.com/index.html.  

Peace Pagoda

“It is imperative that we replace materialism and the economy-centered way of thinking, which have served as the fundamental principles of social organizations and replace them by community based on human solidarity and mutual aid and develop the life of Tangyo-Rai Hai, the offering of respect to everyone.” -The Most Venerable Nichidatsu Fujii, 1953 (It’s amazing how relevant this still is over 60 years later.)

  I’ve wanted to go to Peace Pagoda in Leverett since the moment I first heard about it (almost 2 years ago now). But I haven’t had time to drive out there and this winter has been particularly brutal. There haven’t really been any good days for picture taking until now. I knew I would have a day off on Friday, so if the weather was cooperating (and sunny), I was determined to go.

  Whenever I would talk about going to the Pagoda with other people, I usually got the question, “What’s so special about a temple in the woods?” The answer was, I didn’t really know! But I wanted to find out. I felt drawn to going there, I just had to see it. However, for some reason, I was really nervous about going out there alone. I’m not at all familiar with that area (Sunderland & Leverett) and, while doing research about the Pagoda, had discovered that there was some kind of speed trap nearby, which made it even more nerve-wracking (not that I speed, but sometimes speed limits are not clearly posted here in MA). Anyway, Friday came and I tried calling just about everyone I knew to see if someone would go with me but I couldn’t get ahold of anyone. I wasn’t going to let that stop me though. I printed out the directions, packed up some snacks and my camera and hit the road.

  The drive there was fairly easy. The route was very scenic and pretty, despite it being April. I imagine the best time to make the trip would be in the fall, when all of the beautiful colors are on the trees, but I couldn’t wait that long. My Googlemaps directions told me it would be on the right side of Cave Hill Road (when coming from MA-47 North) but it was actually on the left side of the road.

 

I saw the signs on the left at the last minute and drove past it and had to turn around.

  Once I was there, I drove down the road to a little clearing. There was a road to the left and what appeared to be a parking lot to the right. There was another car parked in the parking lot, so I chose to park and read the sign to see what I was supposed to do next. It turned out that unless you are disabled or older, you are supposed to park and walk, so I made a good call by stopping.

I grabbed my stuff and headed up the dirt road. On my left, I passed some kind of building that appeared to be under construction. I was glad that I wore my comfortable shoes because the path started to go uphill, which made it a little bit of a hike. I started to get a little nervous (I don’t think it’s ever relaxing to walk alone in the woods, there are bears here!). I started to wonder if I was even going the right way. Eventually I came to this:

on my right

on my left

I wasn’t really sure if I was supposed to go past the barricade or head towards the house (which I’m assuming was where some of the monks lived?). I assumed the barricade was only there to prevent cars from driving any further, so I climbed over it. As I walked along the path, I noticed beautifully stacked rocks everywhere.

I found this information about the stacking of the rocks: “It is a form of worshiping. Some people use it as a gesture or asking or wishing for good fortune to be bestowed on the stacker and his or her family. Each stone within the stack represents a particular wish and possibly, family member.” (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_meaning_behind_rock_stacking_in_peoples_yard)
 
  Finally, I could see the top of the Pagoda. At that particular moment, the sun happened to be shining down on it and it looked beautiful!

There were two women sitting on the bench in front of it.

I walked up and asked if they had been there before. They said yes. I told them that it was my first time and asked if there was anything I should know about it (e.g. was anyone going to get mad at me for taking a million pictures). They said that the only thing you weren’t supposed do was walk on the gravel in the rock garden. I thanked them and went off happily on my way to take my pictures.

I really can’t describe the feelings I felt at the Peace Pagoda. I was just so excited to be there! I had read on the website that part of the beauty of the Pagoda wasn’t just the temple that had been built or “the end result”, but the process of building it. It stated:

“It is the process of engagement that changes hearts, providing the tests of challenge and commitment that bring forth transformation.”

This idea was beautiful to me because that’s just how life is! It’s not about what happens in the end, we all face the same fate, but it’s about the journey and the process.

At one point, the women I had spoken too left and I was completely alone. I sat down on the bench in front of the Pagoda and tried to clear my mind. The silence was so peaceful. The warm sun was shining directly on me and it felt amazing. It was a relief from the bitter cold I’ve felt for the past 6 months. I was so happy that I had made the trip!

I could go on and on describing the things that I saw, but I’d rather you just enjoy the photographs I snapped for now until you can go and experience it for yourself.

  As I was walking back down the dirt path to leave, I heard faint drumming coming from the house I had passed on my way up. I tried to take some video of it, but after reviewing the footage later, I realized that you couldn’t really hear the drums. While I was standing there enjoying the drumming, a beautiful little butterfly flew by. I followed it until it landed and was able to take one final picture before my camera battery died.

What perfect timing! Had my battery died earlier, I wouldn’t have been able to catch that moment.

  Just as I got back to my car to leave, a family from Quebec pulled up. I could see all of the same nervousness and excitement from them that I felt when I first arrived. But upon leaving, all I felt was serenity. I guess being in the presence of a great act of peace will do that to you.

  I really believe you have to be actively seeking peace or working towards it in order to achieve it. It doesn’t just come to you, you have to look for it. Luckily, through my experiences in the past several years, I’ve learned a lot about finding inner peace and how to be grateful for what I have. Every single day for me really is a gift. I am thankful for my health, my family, and my friends, as well as several other material things (the list could go on and on). But I understand that I am not guaranteed any of those things and all of them could be gone in a second. I try enjoy every moment that I am given. I have also learned that the most important things in life aren’t things. It is the investment we make in other people. I’m constantly trying to invest in other people, even if it doesn’t always feel natural for me. So many people waste so much time and energy being hateful or spiteful towards other people. It’s really easy to go down that route. But most of the time, it stems from their own insecurities, jealousy or lack of understanding. I just don’t have it in me to hate like that. I have learned that I can enjoy and learn from my interactions with people that I know don’t like me or don’t understand me. I can choose to find my own peacefulness and happiness in this life. OK, I’ve gone off on a tangent now, let me get back to the Pagoda...

  I really hope you’ll be able to visit the Peace Pagoda for yourself. I definitely plan on going back with my family. I can’t wait to see it in the fall, I just know it will be absolutely beautiful at that time of the year! To learn more about the Peace Pagoda, visit http://www.newenglandpeacepagoda.com/.