School's out - it's park & playground time! PART 1

The kiddies will be out soon and while you may or may not have a pool or lake to attend, below are some local playgrounds for you to check out.  I will write quite a few posts about parks as there are so many. Please add to my list (or email me) and add notes about any park.  I will edit all entries to we have a huge masterlist!

TRACTS/OPEN SPACE/UNDEVELOPED

Hicks Tract, Knollandale Rd, Millington : Entrance to the Hicks Tract at the end of Knollandale Road, Millington. Open space and trails that run from Millington behind the Millington School to Stirling. OK, not really a playground but a nice walking/strolling tract and maintained hiking path. map at http://bit.ly/ND3K74 Lots of strollers, runners, bikes and dogs use this tract but almost never concurrently. It is shaded by the surrounding tree foliage so take advantage of this resource on super hot days or in the afternoons when you want to cool down.


Pine Hills Tract Haas Rd, Bernards Township, 10 acres undeveloped land. Never heard of it till I started researching parks.  Amazing that there is a resource nearby that MANY people have never heard about.  Let me know if you have been here. Map at http://bit.ly/KMH2UP

Passaic River Trail, The trail is being developed along Long Hill's open space at the north bank of the Passaic River. Not sure if it is the same as the below.  Let me know if you know.

Passaic River County Park http://bit.ly/LptwKI

Located along the Passaic River in Long Hill and Chatham Townships, Passaic River Park is part of an effort to protect the river from development and encroachment. A total of 769 acres including more than 5000 ft. of shoreline, are available for leisurely hiking, picnicking, softball, fishing, ice skating and cross country skiing.


Green Acres funding, totalling $20,000, assisted with the initial preservation effort. The Township of Chatham also donated acreage. The Clover Hill Additions were funded through the Green Trust and federal land and water conservation grant dollars. The Clover Hill acreage, located in Long Hill Twp., are separated from the Chatham Township section by several miles.

Park Features

• Athletic Fields
• Picnic Areas: Non-reservable 
• Picnic Areas: Reservable 
• Picnic Shelter: Reservable 
• Trails

Things To Do

• Hiking
• Fishing
• Picnicking
• Snowshoeing
• X-Country Skiing

^*Requires permit/advanced scheduling

Hayefields‎, Crest Drive, Bernards Township map at: http://bit.ly/NDjS8O
6.5 Acres of open space protected land.  Again never been here, more information welcome.


Clover Hill developement, Millington
A private development playground with some play equipment and courts. Paid for by the local estate residents.


Coddington Farmstead, Warren NJ http://www.warrennj.org/wtrec/index.htm map at http://bit.ly/KFTcDi
Houses Art classes at the farm house. However it is also a historical site and has trails for hiking. Again never been here, let me know if you have.

Codington Woods (Open space site 3A) 45 Acres

Rough and rocky blazed trails form two loops, together exploring the entire tract. The southern loop includes a fruit orchard of old but productive apple, pear, and cherry trees, two farm fields now overgrown with bushes and young trees, a large open grove of mature maples and oaks, and a former sheep pasture now colorful with dogwood, cedar and birch trees and flowering shrubs. The northern loop is dense with very large old hardwood groves and vines typical of a virgin piedmont forest. Throughout are rows of basalt rocks cleared from tillable farmlands, and occasional old iron farm machinery.

Trail Access points: Behind the homestead, at the hydrant by #23 Mt. Horeb Rd., and at cul de sacs named above. Parking is available near all points. Terrain is dry and shady. Wildlife: Turkey, Fox, Coyote, Deer (including albino strains) all smaller mammals and many bird and insect species. This tract provides the only tree cover for wildlife movement between second & third mountain ridges when combined with Mt. Horeb Springs tract.

NEXT WEEK MORE PARKS, STAY TUNED!

Further afield: 

All Children's Playground in Quibbletown Park	Academy Street, Piscataway
Alvin P. Williams Memorial Park at Sewaren Peninsula	Cliff Road, Woodbridge	39 acres featuring playing fields, open picnic grove, playground, overlook pavilion and gardens, bike/walkway, nature study area
Boyd Pond Tot Lot
Carousel for All Children
Cheesequake State Park	300 Gordon Road, Matawan	live exhibits of fish & turtles, swimming & boating, nature trails, picnic areas, playgrounds
Colonial Gardens Playground	Kearny Drive
Colonial Park	Franklin Township	568 acres featuring picnic areas, playground featuring innovative, barrier free equipment,
Columbia Park	Dunellen
Donaldson Park	2nd Ave, Highland Park	90 acres featuring 4 tennis courts, 2 basketball courts, 3 baseball fields, 4 soccer fields, 4 reservable picnic groves, 2 open picnic groves, 2 playgrounds, boat ramp and pond
Duke Island Park	Bridgewater Township	332 acres featuring bike trails, picnic areas, playground featuring innovative, barrier free equipment
Fords Park	King George's Post Road, Woodbridge	18 acres featuring 2 street hockey rinks, 2 tennis courts, 2 basketball courts, 1 baseball field, 1 reserveable picnic grove, bike/walkways, 2 playgrounds and pond
Johnson Park	River Road, Piscataway	473 acres featuring 8 tennis courts, 1 baseball field, 2 softball fields, 1 soccer field, 5 reserveable picnic groves, 2 open picnic groves, 3 playgrounds, animal haven, 2 ponds, olde towne village, bike/walkway, 2 cricket pitches
Joseph Medwick Park	Post Blvd, Carteret	82 acres featuring 1 baseball field, 1 soccer field, 1 roller hockey rink, 2 reserveable picnic groves, 1 open picnic grove, 2 playgrounds, walk/bikeway
Merrill Park	Middlesex Turnpike, Woodbridge	179 acres featuring 4 tennis courts, 2 basketball courts, 3 baseball fields, 2 softball fields, 1 soccer field, 1 football field, 7 reserveable picnic groves, 2 open picnic groves, 3 playgrounds, progressive playground, animal haven
Middlesex County Parks	There's recreational and cultural activities for the general public throughout the year.	http://co.middlesex.nj.us/parksrecreation/index.asp
Middlesex County Parks	There's recreational and cultural activities for the general public throughout the year.	http://co.middlesex.nj.us/parksrecreation/index.asp
Mountainview Park	Rt 28 Middlesex, NJ	Right next to Middlesex High School - has basketball, tennis courts, horseshoe league and a great fenced in play area for Toddlers.

An ode to my husband, yes I mean you Mike!

Don't look so surprised Mike, this post is for you!

Like many couples we vacillate between getting ready to call a family lawyer and tolerating our spouses. Of course we have some good times too, or we wouldn’t be together.

But in honor of Father’s day and my husband’s birthday I thought I would write a post about Dads today, (ok there has to be a little humor too).

Dads today:

They are super involved with their kids; I swear my father sometimes would forget we were there.  My husband needs to be accosted to leave the house, and to not get so involved with the kids.

For years I pretended that I was about to cook which is why I couldn't change the baby's diaper, however we ate heat and eat foods.  But hubby dutifully changed the baby's diaper anyway - despite the facts. :)

I don't think my father could change a baby's diaper at gunpoint.  My mother left him 'in charge' of us (meant we did what we wanted or what he said while he watched TV and we got him beers) and my sibling pooped and he drove 15 mins to a friends house for the friends Dad to change the diaper - yes, that was Dads back then. My mother then was advised to take us (3 kids 3.5 yrs apart) shopping (without a car) with her in future so she can take care of such things while she was shopping.  But that was typical of Dads back then.

My husband goes to medical appointments and knows the doctors and ailments fairly well.  My Dad didn't know where the doctors were, I think he only went to the doctors once with one of us girls while Mum was home nursing my brother with the measles.

My husband can get the kids ready in the morning, almost without help.  He may forget it is Pizza day or Show and Tell or to pass notes to the bus or teacher but he will dress them (so they are not naked, matching clothes is for moms), feed them something (most of the time) and pack their lunches and bags.  I don't think my father could do any one of those tasks unprompted. That was considered woman's work back then.

My husband can return a call to the teacher (with consultation from Mum sometimes) and send emails to teachers, coaches, after school activities etc.  He can also be encouraged to set up play dates with some handholding and reminding of the rules.  I love not having to be the only one handling everything Kid related. Also I like when I check notes/emails/status with him.  My father’s view of play was sending me out to the fenced yard and let loose.  I think he went to a parent teacher meeting once, maybe twice my whole schooling.  Dads didn't have to get involved in schooling back then.

He can pick up a child and give him a snack often without reminding (as if they didn't remember how ravenous they were after school as a kid).  He can get them ready for another activity too, if warned.  My father was never around when I got back from school or if he was, he was too busy doing things to get involved in trivialities as such. 

He can shop & cook with (some support if it is to be healthy and easy).  My father use to make a huge mess for my mother the half a dozen times he cooked. My husband cleans up, my dad I don’t think ever did dishes.  In fact I am not sure I saw many men back then do dishes either.

He can put the kids to bed (he won’t do mom things like make sure that child ate or went potty earlier so he doesn’t get up, but that is a mom thing anyway).  But the important fact is that I feel comfortable going out at night if I want/need to.

He has been trained to get up at night if needed by the kids, and once nudged he will go.  I am not sure my father even knew we got up.  Dads didn’t do that back then.

Not trying to beat up on my Dad just trying to point out how far Dads have come these days.  My Dad was typical of many men back in the day.  My husband is a little more amenable than others but I think it is safe to say many Dads today do MUCH more than their Dads did.

Anyway HAPPY FATHERS DAY Mike and HAPPY FATHERS DAY to my Dad too!

And Happy Fathers Day to all you Dads out there.

XO