Featured image: The marker at the Bunker Hill Monument commemorating the famous Battle of Bunker Hill in Boston's Charlestown neighborhood on June 17, 1775 (photo by Cheryl Landes) The National Park Service has closed the Bunker Hill Monument in the Charlestown neighborhood northeast of downtown Boston until further notice because of icy conditions. The monument, a … Continue reading Visiting Bunker Hill Monument in Boston in the winter? Check weather conditions first.

Featured image: Faneuil Hall in Boston Photos by Cheryl Landes The National Park Service closed Faneuil Hall, Boston's historic meeting center and marketplace, for extensive renovations yesterday. The closure includes the permanent Visitor Center and Great Hall. Faneuil Hall in downtown Boston The Visitor Center moved to a pop-up location at 15 State Street and … Continue reading Faneuil Hall in Boston closed for renovations until spring

Featured image by kaboompics, courtesy Pixabay Update, January 8, 2018: Tickets are sold out for the ball, but volunteers are still needed. I received this update in an email today from the City of Vancouver Parks & Recreation. The City of Vancouver Parks & Recreation seeks volunteers ages 16 and older to help at the … Continue reading Volunteers needed for Father Daughter Valentine’s Ball February 2-3 in Vancouver, WA

Featured image: Swimmers jump in the frigid water at Lake Wenatchee during the 2017 Polar Bear Plunge. (photo credit: Don Seabrook, The Wenatchee World) The 25th Annual Jim Sofie Memorial Polar Bear Plunge at Lake Wenatchee State Park in Leavenworth, Washington, was cancelled on New Year's Day after organizers learned they need to provide liability … Continue reading Polar Bear Plunge at Lake Wenatchee cancelled New Year’s Day, but guided snowshoe hike is on

Featured image credit: Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment A century ago, the first giant lighted ball dropped in Times Square in New York City as the old year ended and the new one began. But how did this tradition start, and why do we welcome the new year this way? Watch this video to … Continue reading Why does a lighted ball drop in Times Square on New Year’s Eve?

Featured image: A scene in Massachusetts on February 10, 2015, during a record-breaking snow season in New England (photo by Cheryl Landes) One winter while living in the Northeast, I was driving on Interstate 684 north of White Plains, New York. It was a sunny day, but the day before, a foot of snow fell. … Continue reading If you don’t scrape the snow and ice from your car in these states, you could get a big fine

Featured image credit: Weston Ski Track Celebrate Winter Trails Day on Saturday, January 6, by learning how to snowshoe or cross-country ski at Weston Ski Track in Weston, Massachusetts, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. If you're interested in snowshoeing, simply show up; no registration is required. Weston Ski Track will have free demos of snowshoes from Tubbs, … Continue reading Free snowshoe and ski lessons at Weston Ski Track January 6

Photo by Cheryl Landes From January through March, as many as 5,000 Rocky Mountain elk migrate to the Oak Creek Wildlife Area, 15 miles northwest of Yakima, to feed on the hay provided by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. WDFW started this program in 1940 to reduce conflict between the elk and local … Continue reading Winter elk and bighorn sheep watching near Yakima

Photos by Cheryl Landes During a recent late afternoon trip to downtown Seattle, I grabbed a latte at a coffee shop and watched passersby along Sixth Avenue near Dimitriou's Jazz Alley. This neighborhood has always been active with people, but there was something different--more people walking dogs. Everyone headed in the same direction, north along … Continue reading Doggone downtown fun awaits at Amazon Spheres Dog Park in Seattle

Featured image: Homolovi State Park in Winslow, Arizona (photo credit: Arizona State Parks & Trails) Updated December 29, 2018 Take a hike for the new year! Choose from more than 400 hikes in state parks nationwide during the annual First Day Hikes on January 1. Explore nature and get a good workout at the same … Continue reading Get outside on New Year’s Day with these First Day Hikes