In case you hadn’t noticed, “Wanderings and Walkabouts” took a somewhat long hiatus. That’s because I also took a somewhat long hiatus, which sounds like a sneaky way to say I took a vacation, but I can assure you that definitely was not the case. No, instead I was laid up in bed after (surprise!) surgery. Gallbladders aren’t really necessary anyway. After a long stint holding down the couch, I was getting antsy; I needed to get back to nature. So when my surgeon cleared me to swim, exercise and enjoy life to the fullest, I bolted for the door. Walls weren’t going to contain me any longer! …

McCoy Stadium may not have all the history and legend that Fenway Park does, but it also doesn’t have the high-priced parking, food or drinks. If you want to save more than a few bucks, the Pawtucket Red Sox are the team to watch. Opting for a cheaper alternative than shipping up to Boston, friends and I took a leisurely drive to Pawtucket for a PawSox game. We strolled up to the ticket window right as the game was starting. Every Tuesday tickets are buy-one-get-one free if you bring in a Kraft Cheese Singles package wrapper. Even without that great deal, tickets are only $7 for general …

Getting away from it all in the great outdoors is a wonderful concept, and one I wholeheartedly support. But if you’re like me and you are positively attached to your smartphone, here are 10 free apps that will make your time outside even better. If you choose to spend some money you can get even better versions of some of these apps, but the free versions are often packed with plenty of features.

Living down in Narragansett, there were few things that could entice me to take a trip to Providence. What could possibly make me trade ocean fog for “big” city smog? It usually revolved around shopping, eating something “ethnic” that wasn’t Italian, listening to live music, or sometimes just experiencing that city buzz that makes you grateful for the beaches and the salt air. After a few semesters at URI I discovered the option of taking a class at their Providence campus. I decided to try it out, and I think I was instantly won over by the fact that it was a three-hour class that met once a…

Instead of spending Saturday mowing the lawn, weeding the garden, folding laundry or doing any of the other dozen chores that could surely wait until Sunday, I prefer to spend it sprawled out on a blanket in the shade of leafy tree at Providence’s Dexter Field, watching other people exercise. We’re a nation of spectator sport lovers, and there is no reason kickball shouldn’t be added to that long list of things we would rather watch other people do. Don’t get me wrong, kickball is fun to play too, and I have fond memories of fourth grade, but the way the Providence Kickball League plays …

Black Point exemplifies all that is beautiful about New England’s rugged and rocky coastline – massive slabs of granite that have weathered the constant beating doled out by deep blue waters. They embody our strength, determination and stubbornness. The parking lot for Black Point is located off Ocean Road just north of Scarborough State Beach. A path leads through the woods from the north end of the dirt parking lot to the shore. The trees open up at a fork in the road. To the left you can head directly down to the rocks and scramble over boulders. The path to the right winds along the edge …

There’s no reason that your favorite four-legged friend should have to stay inside while you head outdoors this summer. And while they soon will be canine non grata at the beach, they do have a place all their own! I’m dog sitting for my dad this week, and while Owen was having a blast at the beach, I thought we might switch things up and take a trip to the dog park. Googling “dog park in Rhode Island” doesn’t offer a lot of results though. When I mentioned that to a friend, she was surprised because apparently there’s a dog park in Wakefield. I had no idea! Located conveniently nearby, the …

Tillinghast Pond sits near the Connecticut Border in West Greenwich, down back roads that wind along open fields and through forests of tall trees. We happened upon it while out for a Sunday drive and its placid deep blue waters looked too inviting to pass up. The best way to get there is to drive out Ten Rod Road, turn right onto Route 3 and then take a left onto Route 102. From there you head down the back roads, taking left onto Plain Meetinghouse Road and then a right onto Plain Road. The dirt parking lot will be on your right. The largest of the Nature Conservancy’s properties in Rhode …

If your hike can’t lead you to an expansive mountain vista, a waterfall is a pretty close second. Spilling over layered slabs of granite, Stepstone Falls, in the Arcadia Management Area in West Greenwich, is well worth the roughly one mile hike. While beach living has its perks, it was overcast and cool in Narragansett the day I went for this hike. When I reached the park it was sunny and about 10 degrees warmer. If you’re fogged in at the beach, don’t bust out the board games just yet - consider an excursion to Arcadia. Head out on good ol’ Ten Rod Road and turn right onto Escoheag Hill Road…

I’m sure you’ve all been there once. It’s the kind of unique geological feature that warrants a field trip sometime between the ages of 8 and 13. However, I had not been there until recently, and I must say, it deserves another trip back. Carved out of the rock by eons of wave action and erosion, Purgatory Chasm in Middletown is more than just a split in some granite. But even considering its impressive size, almost 50 feet deep and 10 feet wide, you would hardly ever know it was there. In fact, I’m a little embarrassed to say that I had no idea. Even when I was surfing at Second Beach and …

The weather is getting warmer – at least that’s what someone bribed the local meteorologists to keep saying – and you may have noticed that flowers are blooming. It’s also pouring rain. All are pretty good indications that Rhode Island is entering Spring! Soon you will actually want to spend time outside, instead of rushing from your car to the house as quickly as possible in an attempt to outrun the cold. But as you may have noticed since the snow melted, your yard looks like a war zone. It’s time to pull up your sleeves, dig the rusty tools out of the shed and get down to gardening! However…

With technology creeping into our lives at an alarming rate, it’s a wonder that we get to spend any time outdoors at all. And even if we do catch ourselves in the sunlight instead of basking underneath fluorescents, we’re often too distracted to make the best of it. Rhode Island, and this area especially, has such a plethora of outdoor activities to try that there should be no excuses for why you need to stay in and watch another marathon of Law & Order. The guy with the shifty eyes did it, okay? From hiking to kayaking and everything in between, this column will explore the outdoors and all …