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. 

Tanglewood Through the Years

2026 - Looking from the shed out to the lawn. Believe it or not this is just for the morning rehearsal. It's much more crowded for the main concerts. And in the hot weather, everyone tries for spots under the trees.

2026 - Our view from our inside seats for the rehearsal - full Tanglewood Choir and Orchestra for Beethoven's Nineth Symphony.  

This the earliest photo I found. That's Debbie D'Arpa on the left, then baby Jenny, Kathy Herald (my old roommate) Marty and Russ Wolf, myself and 2 year old James. 

Tanglewood is the summer home of the Boston Symphony since 1937. It's located in Lenox, MA in the Berkshires and also has 3 music schools on the spacious grounds, It also hosts the Festival of Contemporary Music, jazz and popular artists, concerts and frequent appearances by James Taylor, John Williams and the Boston Pops. During the season the Symphony performs 7 to 8 weekends. Each weekend there are two evening concerts, a Saturday morning rehearsal, and a Sunday 2 PM final concert.

1984 - Sandy Francour, David Wood and Pam 
Gilpatrick

Pam, Russ, Doug & Susan Youmans, Scott and in 
front David & Leslie Silverstein and Debbie.

Zoë, Jenny and James

I've been attending weekends there since 1971. The first years I went with friends and either stayed in B&Bs or camped. That continued with Scott until we had children. Then we rented a cottage nearby for a week. The Wolfs, David Wood and Silversteins always joined us and later Dick & Debbie, and Doug & Susan.  

Russ & Marty, Tim, Julie, Sandy, Doug and Tom

1987 - Heather, James, Scott and Jenny

Before kids, we often went to several concerts but after their arrival it was the Sunday afternoon performance. We'd come early and set up on the lawn at the back, where the kids could roam around. And we could mostly keep them quiet during the concert itself. As you can see from the photos, we got dressed up as befitting the setting. And the lunches were pretty elaborate too! 

1988 Sandy came to all the early ones, until she moved to California. Here with Susan, Tom and in the foreground Julie, Jenny and Sean.

The kids got dressed up for this occasion and didn't even complain.

Latter when the kids were older we moved closer to the stage and didn't have to discipline them. I love this photo of James, lounging!

1990, Sandy, and behind her and to the left,
Lesa and Bob DeFeyter. Molly and Marty.

James, Marty and Molly

 

They loved going and later, even some of the music. We continued doing this every summer until at least 1992. I can't find photos after that (although it may be that the enormous numbers of digital camera photos overwhelm my search). I'm sure we went after that but no photos. That is until more recently when they've started again. I found some in 2014 and 2021. 

1991 One of my favorite photos of Scott and I and Sean

1991 - Heather, David's niece and husband, Sean & James, Lesa & Bob and David

1992 Pat Bagnell, Scott, Heather and David

2014 - It was an adult trip this time with Dick & Debbie - great picnic and then we sat inside!

Just a few years ago in 2021 we spent a weekend with Sean & Will. It was a real feast as we did evening concerts Friday and Saturday . Then on Sunday we went to Jacob's Pillow. Our most recent visit was August 22nd when Scott and I attended the Saturday morning rehearsal of Beethoven's Nineth Symphony. Amazing! And we sat inside. Photos from this year are at the beginning of the post.

1921 - It was a very hot day and we managed to find a shaded spot for our picnic and then sat inside for the concert. 

2021 - Posing at the end of the lawn where we used to set up camp! We went to two concerts there that weekend as you can see from the different outfits!

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Cooking Class

One of the 2 fruit tarts from the 2017 class

The pork tenderloins, top one first stage with roasted
 garlic and herbs and below after being wrapped.

The second tart

I've been giving cooking classes once a year to benefit Pierce's Store.  Eight students join me around 3 PM and we cook a three course meal together. Then we sit down and eat it! The first one was in 2017  and our menu was Broccoli Fritters with Lemon Yogurt,  Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloins with Roasted Garlic & Herbs, Baked Potatoes with Sour Cream  & Chives, Tossed Green Salad and for dessert Fresh Fruit Tarts with Whipped Cream. Students pay $35 for the class and if they take a meal home for their spouse, another $25. All the money goes to Pierce's Store.

We did Tiropitas for an appetizer in the Greek meal.

In the years following I've generally picked a theme. Our second year it was Gluten Free, then an Appetizers & Dessert meal on the third. Due to COVID I skipped 2020. But in 2021 we had a Greek menu and the following year visited Brazil.

This is the first group shot I could find and it's the 2022 Brazil Class. Top row from left: Linda Berryhill, Ed Hemmer, John Berryhill, myself, Daphne Hemmer. Bottom row: Donna & Dick Swartz, Ed Sawyer and Sally Deinzer. Donna lived in Brazil many years ago and inspired the Menu. It was Bacalhau (Salt Cod, Potato and Onion casserole), Feijoada, Farofa, and for dessert two kinds of Brigadeiros.

The 2024 Mexican Class - Pam Grace, Chryl Martin, Sally Deinzer, myself, Jo Fretz, Ronnie Bower,  Jean Marie Walker, Sandy Bragg and Ed Sawyer. I'm up in the back. 

I'll give you another menu for 2023 when we featured Mexico. Guacamole & Chips, Gorditas, Chicken Enchiladas Chili Verde, Fried Plantains, Black Beans & Rice and for dessert, a Tres Leche Cake! We moved out of the country theme the following year on a suggestion from one of the students - Pies, Pies and More Pies. How did we do that? Cornish Pasties for appetizers, Chicken Pot Pies for the main and Blueberry and Apple Crumb Pies for dessert. 

Weezie making her Cornish Pastie

Ed showing off his and wife Deborah's

Blueberry and Apple Crumb pies

Top row: Ed and Debby Sawyer, Sandy Bragg, Weezie Duda
Bottom row: Sally Deinzer, myself, Pam Darrow, Linda Maguire
 and Ronnie Bower.

We went back to an old favorite in 2025 - Appetizers and Desserts. This was quite a feat as we produced 2 cold appetizers, two hot ones and then a Chocolate Cake AND 2 Fruit Tarts.  At the beginning of the next season, the Pierce's Board asked if I'd consider doing two - so many people wanted to come (and they would of course, get twice as much a donation).  I do enjoy the sessions so agreed.

Appetizers and Desserts 2025 Class - Chryl Martin, Pam Darrow, Liesbeth Van de Heijden, myself, Reese Watson, Jean Marie Walker,  Kim Royer, Sarah Titterton and Ella Haysett. The table is set for dessert - two fruit tarts and a Chocolate Raspberry Cake!

In July the first class was a visit to the Philippines. I spent two years there in the Peace Corps from 1966 to 1968. So it was fun dreaming up a menu of favorites from there. We made Lumpia for appetizers. It's a Philippine version of Fresh Egg Rolls. The main course was Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk and Pancit, Filipino Lo Mein. These items all show the Asian influences on their cuisine but dessert highlighted their Spanish colonial period - Flan and Pastillas. 

Chryl, Daphne and Weezie

Jean Marie, Ronnie, Laura and Linda

Since our Brazil class, I've served a welcome cocktail, inspired by the theme. Brazil's national drink is Caipirinhas. Margaritas naturally for Mexico for example. Fruit cocktails are best in the Philippines so we had Painkillers. This turned out to be a challenging menu as it involved a lot of prep work and unfamiliar methods. But everyone came through wonderfully. 

This years' Philippine Class: Jean Marie, Daphne, myself, Laura Black, Linda Maguire. Bottom row: Ella , Weezie, Ronnie and Chyrl. 

In the Fall my second class will visit France, with famous chef Julia Child. As always my technique is to get 8 students signed up and then present them with possible dates for the class (that work for me). Then they give their selections and the date with the most student availability wins. Sometimes I only end up with 6 or 7 students but there are always people waiting for an opening! It's all fun for everyone.