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People have been riding horses for thousands of years. I got the chance to ride one at Triple W Riding Stables recently, and it was very clear why horseback riding is still around today. Meant for both work and casual riding, the horse I climbed on was obedient and friendly. All the employees at Triple W went to great lengths to make sure I had an authentic experience.

Named Kizmit, my veteran horse listened to everything I told him, which was a lot. The really great thing about Triple W is that you can take your horse wherever you want. It's real riding and not a follow-the-leader format. I loved that! Being able to take the horse off by myself was a thrill. I was channeling my inner Rocky Mountain rancher. Of course, he snuck in a few bites as we trotted along, but I was more than happy to let him enjoy a snack.

We rode up into a big open field with a view for miles. My horse and I stood at the top of the hill, overlooking the countryside, just me and him. For that moment I felt like I was a real rider and Kizmit was my own personal horse. It was EXACTLY what I wanted. Check out Triple W's website for more information, and if you want some advice, ask for Kizmit. Just make sure he grabs a quick bite before you head out.

Can you believe we are approaching Labor Day weekend? Where did the summer go and how do I get it back? Don't get me wrong, autumn in the Pocono Mountains is spectacular, but I'm a summer girl at heart. I loved the 90 degree days and blistering sun but I along with most of you will welcome the fall season with open arms while enjoying one last weekend filled with sun, fun, food and music! Where "pray tell" will the sun, fun, food and music be? At StroudFest of course! 

StroudFest is this Saturday, September 4 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine! If you are an early riser why not start the holiday weekend off with a 5k race then you will be able to indulge in all the delectable treats you will find as you meander through the Fest. Registration begins at 7 a.m. and the race starts at 8 a.m.  You'll be fast and furious as you make your way through Stroudsburg all the while previewing what's to come.

As I mentioned earlier there will be sun, fun, food and music, which means everyone will be happy so bring the entire family. For you music lovers be prepared for live entertainment on four stages and for all the foodies out there make sure you wear pants that expand so you have room for everything the fest has to offer. Don't forget to bring a nonperishable food item as the United Way of Monroe County will be on hand collecting them for our local food pantries. As the major sponsor of the event, the United Way (UW) is also kicking off this year's campaign at StroudFest with a goal of raising 1.2 million dollars. 

Visit the UW booth at the corner of Main and North 7^th streets and visit their partner agencies' booths for a chance to win an overnight stay at Great Wolf Lodge ($350 value). Be sure to stop by the main stage near the courthouse at 3:30 p.m. for some electrifying announcements. If you would like to make a monetary donation to the United Way of Monroe County please contact me. Enjoy this last weekend of the summer season, and I'll catch you on the flip side.

Ciao for now...

Wow, I can't believe that it's Labor Day Weekend and time to make plans for that final summer fling in the Pocono Mountains! You will find me at Shawnee Mountain celebrating all weekend long at the 16^th Annual Garlic Festival on Saturday and again on Sunday between 10:00am and 6:00pm!

The great folks at Shawnee really know how to put on a fantastic festival! Each year Garlic Fest gets bigger and better, and this year there's no exception to the rule! The scent of garlic will mix with the sweet mountain air and tantalize your taste buds!

Garlic Fest is sure to have something for everyone, so bring the whole family and enjoy! There will be over 50 food and craft vendors that will be offering everything from garlic ice cream to garlic themed arts and crafts! As I've said before, it's never too early to do some Christmas shopping, so you just might find that perfect gift for the garlic lover on your shopping list.

There will be plenty of fun-filled activities for the kids including magic shows, juggling shows, face painting and much more! There will even be a farm animal petting zoo. Although I'm well past being a kid, I still like checking these things out and seeing the smiles on all of the little faces as they take in everything that's going on!

In between sampling a few of the many delicious garlic dishes that Garlic Fest has to offer and visiting the creative craft vendors, you may also want to check out the Educational Tent! Learn about the history of garlic and how to cook with garlic among other things. Representatives from the Pocono Wildlife Rehab Center will also be under this tent with some of their furry friends. They will be giving tips on how to safely help the wildlife in the Pocono Mountains! Being an animal lover, I'm definitely not going to miss this!

Garlic Fest would not be complete without beer and wine, and of course music! So make sure that you grab your beverage of choice along with your dancing shoes and check out the two outdoor stages as several local bands and musicians will be cranking out tunes of various genres all day long! I like almost all types of music and hope to hear all of the bands featured at Garlic Fest, but if you've read some of my other blogs you already know that I'm true Southern Rocker at heart. If you share my enthusiasm and you too are a fan of southern rock make sure to join me at the main stage and rock with the Blue Emerald Band on Saturday and Sunday at 11:00am and again at 3:00pm! This awesome band has been together for over 30 years and sound just as good as if not better than ever. In case you didn't notice they are a personal favorite of mine.

As always, I enjoy hearing from you! Let me know how you plan to spend Labor Day Weekend in the Pocono Mountains! I hope to see you at the Pocono Garlic Festival!!

Once again I am speechless.  For me that is rare considering I like to talk... a lot!  This past Thursday I visited Dingmans Falls in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation and I could not believe the beauty of this particular section of the park.  Not only is it serene, but it's incredibly easy to hike which makes it great for hikers of all levels.

Let's begin at the Visitors Center.  The Dingmans Falls Visitors Center is 100% kid friendly.  Kids and adults alike can get a hands on approach by visiting one (or all) of the many exhibits.  After you are finished examining the different displays, kids can pick up a Junior Ranger Activity Booklet and/or a Junior Naturalist Activity Booklet.  The booklets allow children to explore and learn about the natural areas of the park.  As they hike, children can fill in the answers to a series of questions from the booklet.  Once the hike and the questions are completed, the children can return to the Visitors Center to receive a Junior Naturalist badge.  The park offers many different programs for you and your family to participate in.

In addition to the gorgeous waterfalls, one of my favorite features is the boardwalk style trail.  This makes it "stroller accessible" and easy for toddlers who want to walk but need a flat and smooth surface to do so.  I already know that Nicholas would have a blast walking through the shady trees of the forest.

The particular morning I visited, the sunlight was splintering through the trees and the morning fog was rolling off of the creek.  It sounds beautiful, doesn't it?  I highly suggest you see it for yourself.  I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.  Until next time... Celebrate family, friends, and traditions. 

What's red, orange and yellow all over? I'll give you a hint, it's not peppers, McDonald's or Play-Doh. It's fall foliage in the Pocono Mountains of course! Autumn is a truly spectacular time in the region. Ok, so you may be thinking to yourself why is this crazy girl talking about fall already since Labor Day hasn't even passed; however, this year is slightly different from most. Due to the summer's lack of rain and dry conditions, some of the leaves in our region have already started to change and it's not even September!

During the autumn months, we showcase over 127 varieties of trees, shrubs and plants. To add to this complex mix, three different zones of coloration across our four-county region. In layman's terms, this means that different areas of our region experience different colors and the ultimate prime peak colors at separate times due to elevation, weather, moisture, etc. Thus, all the more reason you need to tune into my Fall Foliage Forecast! And don't worry, I don't create these reports from scratch, I seek assistance from the experts at the forestry offices.

As a Bureau, we have let visitors and residents alike aware of the color changes for over 20 years now, but this year will be different. In addition to the phone line, online and social media components, we are throwing in a mobile option! So starting September 2 and every Thursday thereafter, call 570-421-5565, visit the Fall Foliage Forecast webpage, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or text POCONOS to 77950 in order to get the weekly reports to let you know where, when and how the leaves are changing.

Witnessing prime foliage in the Pocono Mountains is an amazing experience not to be missed. Because this year's coloration is already so early, does this mean peak colors will happen a lot earlier? I don't have the answers now, so be sure to follow my Fall Foliage Forecast and find out! Here's to an exceptional 2010 fall season in the Pocono Mountains!

It is getting cooler, the leaves anticipating some color, and the mornings have that "crisp" feeling.  It all means one thing to sports fans - college sports are coming! With school starting back up, I for one, am heavily anticipating checking out Division II East Stroudsburg University's home games this season. There is nothing like college rivalries.

A quick glance at the schedule shows women's volleyball and soccer in action on Friday, September 3.  The football team, ranked 16^th in the country, opens at home on the 11^th of September against Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I expect the stadium to be bustling for that one as the warriors look toward another great season.  Women's field hockey, ranked 5^th in the country, plays at home on September  12 against Adelphi at 1pm.  Check out the athletic department homepage for all the scheduling and stats for the season.  

The dropping temperatures are a harbinger for college athletics. The games are so close, only one more week. I've never been more excited to say, "I'll see you in the stands."

Something starts to happen once August rolls into town. We all feel it but may not know what it is. We often think it has to do with the pending end of the summer season, or the excitement that the kids will soon be back in school. And some believe it's that fall will quickly begin it's trek through the Pocono Mountains. The truth of the matter is we are anticipating the start of the football season. There is nothing that quite compares to the tingling that occurs when the first rustling of training camp reports hit the wires, or you're friends start calling to make sure your ready for your fantasy draft. 

Now I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that football has always been a huge part of my life, but I can honestly say for the past seven years it's been one of my best friends and worst enemies. Last year I took my love for the game to a new level and joined a fantasy league. I guess you could say I was a walk on. This league just so happens to be made up of my brother, eight of his closest friends from high school (who for obvious reasons I now consider my friends) and me. Yes, I am the only girl because someone backed out at the last minute, and they knew I wanted in! We make the perfect 10.  Anymore teams and you're picking benchwarmers by round nine.

After a tumultuous first year I was more than eager to construct the perfect team. With our draft day quickly approaching I began scouring the web for the top fantasy picks and prayed I would have a decent number in the lineup. Turns out I ended up picking sixth, and I don't think it was a blessing. I remembered the things that angered me the previous year. Like... I didn't have a great running back or wide receiver from either of the teams I chose my quarterbacks from. So I tried to rectify that situation. I focused on what I was doing while trying to pick up on last year's winners' strategies. Doing that led me to pick two running backs from the same team! Not part of the plan and in the end I'm scared! Being the only girl puts the pressure on. There is no way I want to end up last and wouldn't it be incredible if I beat all the boys? 

In case you haven't realized it from what you have read so far, football is a social sport and none of us want to sit home alone and watch a game. If you want to have a stellar football season, join a fantasy league and do your draft in the Pocono Mountains! There is still time this season but if you, like me, have already made your cuts keep us in mind for next year. Believe me, we make it easy, and you'll have more fun than you would in your friend's basement!

Ciao for now... 

Even though the last weekend of August is here, there are still plenty of sensational summer events and awesome activities to enjoy in the Pocono Mountains! This weekend, I am planning to be at Lake Wallenpaupack's first ever Annual Wally Fest!

This weekend long event will be held Friday-Sunday and be packed with a variety of activities throughout the Lake Region.

I am planning to begin the weekend around 9pm on Friday at Ehrhardt's Pub by sipping on a few summer cocktails, and listening to some Rock and Roll performed by Wally & The Paupacks!

After a good night's sleep at one of the region's fabulous lodging facilities, I plan to be at the Open Market Fair at the Lake Wallenpaupack Visitors Center. The market will feature art, music, food and design and will open at 10am and run throughout the day until 6pm.

If I'm in an adventurous mood, I may decide to learn how to Kayak! Demonstrations by Alice's Wonderland will be held on Saturday between 10am and 3pm on the shoreline in front of the Lake Wallenpaupack Visitors Center.

If you like gazing at the water and the boats, I'm sure that you won't want to miss the boat parade (rain date Sunday). A parade of decorated boats will begin at 2pm and end in front of the Tafton Dike judge's platform. You may also want to tour the lake on Wallenpaupack Scenic Boat Tours. Did I happen to mention, that you will receive a souvenir photo if you are on board between 11am and 3pm on Saturday!!

As you know, I love to shop! Saturday evening, after dining in one of Hawley's many great eateries, you will be able to find me strolling through the quaint streets of Hawley, wandering through one great shop after another!

Sunday also offers a day packed full of fun! I have been threatening my son with my latest idea of learning how to play golf, so I think I may spend Sunday afternoon at Costa's Family Fun Park practicing my drive at the driving range. Who knows I might even get lucky and win a prize by hitting a ball closest to Wally!

Visit http://www.facebook.com.wallylakefest/ for more information.

As always, I want to know how you are spending the final summer weekends in the Pocono Mountains! I hope to see you at Wally Fest!

 

Ah yes! It's that time of year again. The kids are getting ready to head back to school and parents are trying to fit in last minute family plans before they are bombarded with PTA meetings, after school activities, and messy school projects. 

Not sure what to do? How about a midweek getaway to the Pocono Mountains! The timing is perfect and so are the rates. Many resorts, hotels, and motels offer great midweek special offers, which include excellent amenities. One of the perks of saving money on your midweek lodging is you have more cash in your wallet to go school shopping so your kids can have the hottest outfits to impress their friends with on the first day of school. 

Aside from school shopping, be sure to get that much needed relaxation before the "insanity" begins. Treat your family to a relaxing day of canoeing down the Delaware River, hiking in one of the state parks, or horseback riding at one of the many stables. No matter what you decide to do the most important thing is to spend these last few days of summer together without being on a time schedule. Stay up as late as you can and sleep in as late as you want because before you know it, the alarm will be going off and the school bus will be waiting at the end of your drive way.

Luckily for me, I still have a few more years to enjoy with Nicholas before he starts school. And like all parents say, enjoy the time you have because it goes by in a blink of an eye. Until next time... Celebrate family, friends, and traditions.

Ok, I am going to be a very bad PR person right now so shhh don't tell anyone! I have to admit that I had never been to Boulder Field prior to this past weekend and I have probably sent over a dozen journalists there. See, I told you it was bad! Since I have heard rave reviews from all of my colleagues who have been, I finally decided I needed to go myself.  This weekend, I embarked on the adventure with my significant other and friends.

Now, I have to confess I have seen pictures before. From looking at these, I had made the assumption that this field is full of rocks, similar to pebbles. WRONG! The name is correct because many of the BOULDERS were twice the size of my boyfriend who happens to be 6'3. We even had a contest who could find a boulder which equaled four Joes!

While we were crossing the boulders, the four of us happened to get in a discussion on how exactly this National Natural Landmark happened to be formed. You are literally in the middle of the woods and BAM! all of a sudden a 3.5-mile field of thousands of boulders appears. I promise you this spectacular sight is unlike anything you have seen before. 

So the quick answer from the park is glacial formations. However, I decided to dig deeper and see how glaciers could really form a site like this. From what I understand, during the most recent glacial period, approximately 20,000 years ago, melting glaciers carried the boulders from ridges and deposited them into a valley which is now Boulder Field. This completely makes sense once you visit and understand the layout of Hickory Run State Park.

I highly recommend making a stop on your next trip to the Pocono Mountains! I do have to caution you that some of the boulders are loose and shift when you navigate across them so please take caution. However, the park was full of young children when I was there, and I was even left in the dust by a puppy, so I promise it's not that difficult.  

I'm glad I've shared my Boulder Field conundrum with you so instead of wondering in awe on your visit, you can relish in the natural beauty!