new dog park

Ace and I were home alone this weekend so we set out exploring Saturday morning.

We discovered another leash-free dog park.

This is the fourth dog park that I've found.

Chicago burbs do an amazing job with their parks but when it comes to dog parks they don't advertise about them.

They are kind of hard to find.

I've searched on-line and only found two (a couple of the ones I already knew of).

The best way to find them is by just talking to people.

After I found this place, I was so excited that the next time I was at the dog park near my house, I started telling people about it.

No one knew of it's existence.

So I will keep talking to people and seeing what other places we can find.

It's kinda like a treasure hunt.

This park that I wanted to show you today is definitely a treasure!

It doesn't look like much when you first walk in.

lots of trails and open spaces.

I need to remember to bring Ace's ball next time.

Lots of little hidden trails leading to secret places.

Ace loves to run and explore them.

and then you come over the hill and get a peak at the river.

This is where it get really fun. Ace can go into the water (he's still a little timid about that)Ace loves this fence and all the "dog smells"

It's a big loop with lots of trails going off in all different directions.

This is the view as you head back to the entrance.

But my favorite part is all the flowers and trees all along the paths.

The rest is just pictures I took along the trails for you to enjoy.

Have a happy spring day!

parks! very serious business indeed

I've caught up on my NaNoWriMo writing so guess what that means?

I GET TO BLOG!!! yeah! woo hooo!!!!

I'm doing a little bloggie dance.

I thought I'd show you some pics of where Ace and I have been walking in the mornings.

this is one of the park districts in my area.

as I've said before, Chicago takes it's park seriously.....very seriously.

they have these mowed trails to walk. During the summer there are wild flowers everywhere.

I have no idea how many miles these paths cover but I've been walking them for a week and haven't made a dent in them.

This is one of the lakes the paths go around.

Ace likes to go out on the dock and look at the geese.

An old silo that has been converted into a lookout tower. The first time I went in here I was amazed.

A spiral staircase with three levels and a mural painted over the whole thing.

Area around silo. Fire pit and seating. Picnic tables.

an old barn made in to a picnic area.

I was most impressed by this building....

I thought it just had some bathrooms in it.

this is what I found inside the old barn. It's finished off like a little conference room.

there is Plexiglas on the ceiling so you can see way up into the old rafters of the barn.

this is the view out the front window.

I turned around to leave and saw this....

I felt like Alice In Wonderland with the bottle that says "drink me".

so I pressed the button....

and then this happened. And I said "oh my!"

And THIS came down out of the ceiling....

so Ace and I took a seat.

We watched a movie about the park and what it was in the past (I'll give you a hint...It was a farm!)

Ace thought the movie was very interesting.

He gave it 2 paws up!

on the way back to the car we past a butterfly house.

and some formal "English looking" gardens....

we didn't have time to check out one other building (I'm not sure they allow dogs in there)

I spotted this right before we left. Oh No! Puppy isn't supposed to be walking out on the trails!

That's ok! I didn't mention that there are miles and miles and miles of paved trails all around here too.

this was how Ace spent the next 2 hours after we got home.