A Weekend in Gloucester!

Good Harbor beach is always packed in good weather but restricted parking keeps it reasonable.

I took this photo of the beach off the internet so you could see how big the area is. This is at low tide

A bridge crosses an inlet to the marches at the 
far end of the beach from Gail's home. 

We spent a wonderful long weekend at our friend Gail's second home in Gloucester, MA in early September and the weather was perfect. I met Gail's husband Harvey back in 1969 and we were close friends until he passed a few year's ago. White Shutters was his parent's second home and I've been going there for over 50 years. It is at the far private end of Good Harbor Beach and overlooks Salt Island, which is connected to the beach by a sand bar that appears briefly at low tide. We always enjoyed going out there to explore. Our kids grew up with Gail and Harvey's two children, Leslie & Colin and Colin is my godson. 

Brian, Pat, Scott, Gail and Carole out on the front porch.

Other old friends, Pat and Brian, were visiting from California and came up for the day. And another old friend Carole, who lives full time nearby came to visit as well. We had some lovely times together talking, walking and dining. Besides Good Harbor beach, Long Beach is also just a short walk away. We visited both but the water is too cold for my taste (now, it wasn't when I was young!). 

Scott and I also enjoyed an afternoon out at Rockport at the end of the Cape Ann peninsula. This has a fine protected harbor and some more great beaches, although smaller. We came several times in our sailboat, Scott Free. Originally the home of the Agawam tribe, it was first explored by Europeans by Samuel de Champlain in 1605. Like Gloucester it was a fishing port but now it's an artist and tourist center. Gloucester still has a big commercial fishing industry. We enjoyed the views of the beaches and water - and the really fine galleries and shops. 

Long Beach has a boardwalk along the whole length
and a line of charming cottages facing the beach. 
Pat and Gail having a stroll. 

Behind the main street in Rockport are parks and
small harbors and beaches

Most of the houses have small but lovely gardens

A jetty allowed us to look down along a rocky
stretch lined with homes & shops

There are several enclosed secure harbors

Gracious homes and typical New England churches
still remain downtown. 

One of the beaches near the end of the downtown.

The shops also had delightful flower boxes and pots.

It's Fall Already?

 

The Youngstrom's Annual Garden Party - group shot. It includes Scott's brother Brent, his wife Wilma and their daughter Wandi (over on the left middle row). 

The Gareden Party table set with a side
dish pot luck. Our 
hosts made turkey, lamb and salmon,

Heather and Phyllis, our neighbor and friend,

This summer went by so fast and now it's September. I feel though that the fall doesn't really begin until after Labor Day so here's a scattering of pictures and stories to fill you in on what's been happening since my last post which mostly covered through July. 

Scott, Rowan, Will and James - dinner at our RV
during the Birthday Party weekend.  We 
stayed at a KOA in Northampton. 

Scott's cousins Eric and Lisa with Aunt Muriel at
Lisa's Birthday Party at their home in Amherst, MA 

Yosi, Lisa's partner doing a "Saturday Night 
Fever" dance. He kept this elaborate party a
secret from Lisa until the last minute!

Sean, Kolya, Rowan and Morgen at our RV

Lisa, Sean and Rowan

On the positive side the highlights would be the Blueberry Festival at Pierce's, the Northeast Organic Farming Assoc cookout at Evening Song Farm here in Shrewsbury,  the Youngstrom's Annual Garden Party, "Rent" at the Weston Theater, a Dinner Party at David & Silvana's, Scott's cousin Lisa's 65th Birthday Party, the Champlain Chamber Music festival, the Shrewsbury Library Haystack Dinner & Dance, and a Lobster Fest.  Plus Scott's brother Brent came up from N.J. with his wife Wilma and daughter Wandi for a week. Scott's cousin Lisa joined us for 3 days as well. 

Heather at Pierce's Store. She does 2 four
shifts a week as a volunteer.

Bone Builders is a national exercise program for Seniors, run by volunteers. Scott and I go twice a week at our Meeting House. It's a one hour workout with weights. 

The cast of Fiddler on the Roof posing outside the Opera North tent on the Connecticut River. We are long time subscribers to their 3 shows every summer. It's held at the Blow Me Down Farm, a National Park Service Historical Park. It's the former home of the Cornish Colony.  Opera North presents 2 operas and one musical

We also go north to the Champlain Chamber Music festival in Shelburne, VT. Here's the view over Lake Champlain to NY from the venue. 

On the negative side in brief, I had a third melanoma removed, which got infected, and continued problems with bursitis, but HEY that's getting off lightly at my age. And of course our usual preoccupations - Pierce's store, the library, Bone Builders, Book Clubs, Bridge Club, Rutland Garden Club, the Farmer's Food Center, my garden, and politics (especially for Scott).  And Scott and I belong to The Mint, a Rutland Maker Space that houses artists, craftspeople, start-up companies etc. It is totally volunteer run after losing their staff when grant money ran out (under current administration). 

The Mint - One small corner of the huge facility

The main entrance with distinctive mural

Heather's small 8 x 8 studio at the Mint. She's working on a 
painting for Rowan's room, one of two featuring Sean & Will's
favorite characters from books and film.