mermaidcamp

mermaidcamp

Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water

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Best Dog Park Ever

October 1, 2025

Minto-Brown Dog Park

We are on the road with our dog, looking for a good time. We found it at Minto-Brown Island off leash dog park in Salem, Oregon . I frequent dog parks as a pet sitter so I have visited a wide range of facilities designed for dogs. Never have I seen such an elaborate space for canine contentment. Charlie agrees. This place is the total bomb. Old orchards of apple, walnut, cherry, and chestnuts surround a giant field of grass. Pathways through this forest are part of the off leash privileges. It’s very exciting to the dogs to be free in this setting. He met many fun and friendly people and dogs, who ran with him until he was exhausted.

I cannot recommend this park highly enough. Charlie woofs in hearty agreement.

The Gilded Age, by Mark Twain

September 22, 2025

First edition cover

The phrase gilded age came from the title of a humorous novel written by America’s undisputed king of wit. It was written with fellow author Charles Dudley Warner to satirize the state of affairs after the Civil War.

We are listening to the audio book, produced as a radio play, using different voices for the characters. The book comes alive as the actors portray well defined parts in a well told tale of high comedy in a historic setting. The descriptions of daily lives are vivid enough to make the listener part of the action. The dialog defines each player to the T.

I’m writing this before finishing the book (Twain and Warner wrote in the forward that they expected to have the book reviewed without being read). It is a perfect book for our times. The writing reminds us that history repeats itself with regularly. I highly recommend reading it now, for insight and lots of laughs.