Easily Distracted by Goats!

As you can probably see, I have put on some weight.... 🙁 Others around me seem to be losing weight and I keep letting them know I think I found it but no one seems to want it back.....

Personally, I never was one to love exercise. I have tried the gyms and cardio, only to have wasted money and feel like I was about to collapse. Yoga and walking were always more my speed of things. Shopping was my cardio and the furthest I would go for joining a sports team is bocce leagues! Despite all of the exercise hype out there and influencers showing their sweaty abs, I am sure I am NOT alone on this!

So what's a gal to do!?!? Well this one decided to walk more.... I bought myself a FitBit and recruited a friend in the same position and we decided to meet up after work a few night a week at the MillCreek MetroParks Farm paths. This in itself was going to be a commitment and few nights in, I was already off focus when I discovered the actual "farm" part of this area we had chosen...

You can walk right into the barn there and pet these baby farm animals... needless to say my walking ambitions have now turned into petting these cuties several nights a week.... but honestly, who wouldn't be distracted by all this cuteness?!?!

Ride on the Chatanooga

Always on the hunt to discover some new adventure or hidden attraction, I found a posting for open hours to ride a train in the heart of Youngstown's decaying steel mills. The thought intrigued me so one Sunday morning over the holiday weekend I am headed to the East side of Youngstown to the Youngstown Steel Heritage Museum for my very own train ride. 

I am not going to lie, on arrival it looked as decayed as the rest of the steel mill areas through the outskirts of Youngstown. I seriously was sitting in my car wondering what I had just drove myself into, unsure I was even at the right location due to lack of signage. As other vehicles began to pull in for the public hours, I realized I was in fact in the right place.

The museum was opened to preserve the heritage of the steel mill industry in the area. They had many relics available for show and preservation.

Now don't get me wrong, if it weren't for these men joining together this history may be lost to the future. However, we were visiting based on the train ride.... the area outside also was dedicated to preserving the steel mill industry and its railroad system. There were many areas on display to preserve this....

The next step was to actually board this train and take the ride... which I thought would be traveling through some of the shut down mill areas. The tracks were also every narrow, surprisingly narrow compared to those you would cross on the road in current use. The engineer explained that they were called Narrow Gauge tracks and in fact were only 24" across. 

The crowd who came on this open house Sunday all boarded the train and imagine all of our surprise when we chugged along forward about 150ft and then backwards the same 150ft of track three times! While this might give you a chuckle, as it did me, I am by no means downplaying the valiant effort of these men who banned together to preserve this piece of local history. The museum has only been in effect for less than a year and I truly look forward to their expansion in the coming years with more donations and funding. Besides.... where else in the city borders of Youngstown would you be able to hop on the back of a caboose for a photo op?

Top and shorts JCrew Factory, shoes Sperry

Paula Bunyan

There is a new trend taking place in cities lately of pretending to be in the country, not just in décor but in activities as well. Given this it was no surprise that indoor axe throwing began to show up as a weekend activity. This sounded like fun to me and a great way to let out some stress! Count me in!

Fat Axes in Niles was one of the first to pop up and where I met a friend for a Sunday afternoon like no other. The venue is set up with lanes a bit like a bowling alley. The rules were simple and clearly posted, lol.

I found my inner "Paula Bunyan" and got serious! Who knew after a few throws it would also be a great upper arm workout and that I'd be on target enough to actually get a bullseye!!!!

 Jean by Miss Me (similar here), Tank from H&M, boots are Ariat Heritage Fatbaby Bootsl

Other locations throughout NE Ohio have popped up as well like the Rhine Haus Brier Hall in downtown Youngstown, All American Axe Throwing with locations in Akron and Canton, and Class Axe outside of Cleveland to name a few. 

Canines and Vines Event

I am lucky enough that the area where I live in NE Ohio is surrounded by wonderful wineries. I couldn't even count how many are within an hour's drive, many being even less than that. With this not only comes to bountiful availability of wonderful local flavors in a bottle but also the myriad of events they hold.

What better way to spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon than to visit The Vineyard at Pine Lakes in Columbiana for a Canine in the Vines event to benefit a local animal shelter? Not only was it beautiful to take a stroll with Dante right in the vineyard between rows of grapes but it was also a great event to get him out and socialize a bit more. 

What events have you found to take your pup to? How do you help a new pet socialize? Comment below.

TShirt from TSC, shorts from St. John's Bay (JCP), shoes Sperry, bag by LV (Neverfull)

Happy Trails to You!

In randomly searching online for local day trips to take, I located an animal sanctuary nearby that I was never aware of. Happy Trails Farm is a farm that takes in abused and neglected farm animals. Normally when you hear about animal abuse on the news, it's dogs and cats; you never really think about a goat or a pig being abused....

This sanctuary serves a need that I never had realized before. They work with law enforcement and animal control to take in neglected farm animals, including those roosters from cock fighting, Amish buggy horses past their prime, and goats neglected by owners. They rehabilitate the animals and then try to find them new homes if they are able. The farm offers interactive tours weekends through the summer and was a blast to visit.

I took my Mom for a nice early Mother's Day weekend on the opening weekend of the farm for the season. We had a private tour and got up close and personal with many of the farm residents.It was a muddy day from the rain overnight the night before but we threw on our "barn boots" and made the best of it.

 This goat's name was Grace.... she was very curious what my mom may have had in her purse.

 MaKayla was a beautiful goat but had a birth defect in her front leg that caused her to limp.

 Crispin loved climbing into everything.

 Who would have ever thought I would ever be rubbing the belly of a 1200lb pig!

 Even the bird's knew making a nest here would be living on "easy street."

 You can't tell much here but this former cockfigher's feathers have a beautiful leopard-like print.

It was touching to see that the farm even has it's own pet cemetery on the grounds. When an animal passes on the farm they are laid to rest here with a wooden marker under the watchful eye of a St. Francis statue.

 This little log cabin was the original shelter ever built on the 15 acre farm for it's first 2 pig rescues. Now two new pot belly pigs inhabit it.

I can't remember this sheep's name but once they let her out of the pen she ran and played just like a puppy would!

 It was definitely a fun way to spend a Saturday! If you are interested Happy Trails Farm is a non-profit that accepts donations to assist their animals. Tours can also be booked on their site as well as an online store.

Boots by Ariat Fatbaby Barn Boots, Jeans JCrew Mercantile Jeans, jacket older but similar here.