The American Revolution, Lexington, Massachusetts, USA

If you are from the United States and haven't seen this statue or a picture of this statue ever before in your life then you haven't been paying attention.  This statue of a minuteman was erected in 1899 on the Battle Green in Lexington, Massachusetts to commemorate the contribution and sacrifice.  The Minutemen of that era were citizen-soldiers ready to takes up arms against the British in the fight for freedom and independence.  It was here that the "shot heard 'round the world" was fired on April 19, 1775, to begin the American Revolution.

Now considered hallowed ground, the Battle Green was unremarkable to the local citizens until President Grant and others descended upon the Green to commemorate the Centennial in 1875.  The turmoil of 100,000 people got the townsfolk's attention.  After that experience, preservation efforts proceeded for the Green and adjacent properties.

This is downtown Lexington of today.  It is one of the wealthier suburbs of Boston, with the median residential selling price at $764,000 (source Zillow.com).  The streets are not made of gold but many of the business marquees sure look like gold.......... 

Raze a House? or, Raise a House?, Winchester, Massachusetts, USA

So you want a bigger house, do you tear it down and start from scratch or, raise it up and build under it or, take the roof off and build upward?  These folks decided to raise it up.  What a concept - it's the ultimate in recycling.

And here's what it's supposed to look like when completed.

The American Revolution, Massachusetts, USA

Throughout the Boston metropolitan area many sites commemorate some historical event from the 1700's illustrating our fight for freedom.  Minuteman National Historical Park is such a place and currently spans parts of  the towns of Lexington, Bedford, and Concord.  The events on April 19, 1775 along this route, Battle Road,  mark the beginning of the American revolution.

This is Battle Road Trail which winds through the park following the historical route.  Not far from this location is where Paul Revere was captured by the British.  If you look at drawings from that period you will observe that most of the land was cleared for farming.  Today, much of this area of Massachusetts is tree covered.


The restored Captain William Smith House is located mid-way along Battle Road.

A nicely gnarled old tree.

Hartwell Tavern. A tavern in those days had to offer services to both foot travelers and their horses.  And when not resting in the stable, the horses could stick their heads in the windows to play checkers .  And notice the width of the planks on the floor and walls.  Bet you can't buy those at Home Depot or Lowe's.......

I wonder what the REAL story is from those days.  I wonder because in my former professional career, I saw how the press would report an aviation event - mostly accurate but almost always missing key and important information and perspective.  I imagine the press does that with almost every subject.  Reporting is nearly always somehow altered by the perspective of the reporter. So, it makes me wonder how accurate is our understanding of the events from 200-plus years ago when accuracy of events today is so elusive?

Please DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER - you will be exposed to mild political ranting if you do.

Listening to the Republican Debates this fall further demonstrates my point.  Everyone may look at the same event but each will see and interpret differently.  As another example, eyewitnesses will often have startlingly different reports after witnessing an accident or crime. 

Looking at our own nation's past, other events in the world, and today's political battles, I reach this conclusion:  When one bunch of people attempt to impose their ideas on another bunch of people the result is hate, discontent, and/or war and death.  Why haven't we learned that such a technique seldom works without lasting damage, bloodshed and/or economic disaster?  Why don't we learn?  Why don't we evolve to a better way?  We have spent or squandered so much of our national resources, both the  lives of our young soldiers and our nation's financial treasure, while our own needs increasingly go unmet. What have we gained?  Why don't we learn? One of the candidates said we have 900 military bases in 130 countries around the world.  Why is that?  Especially while we have closed hundreds of bases here on American soil.   I'm not generally an isolationist but, enough is enough.  Isn't it time we focus on our own homeland instead of so many others around the world?  Paul Revere rode a horse in the middle of the night to alert a few hundred people - in today's world we can email, text, or tweet to reach millions.

A Random Walk, Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Random sights in the Back Bay area of Boston. 


Patriot Day, Nine-Eleven, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Today, in the Boston Public Garden, adjacent to the Memorial to the Massachusetts Family Members Lost on September 11, 2001, American flags wave in remembrance of our loss.

We will not forget.

Banjos and Fiddles, Lowell, Massachusetts, USA

Yes, that is correct, fiddles and banjos.  This free event is now in its 32nd year and held annually in Boardinghouse Park in Lowell, Massachusetts.  Today's audience had hundreds of folks sitting pleasantly outdoors in the waning days of summer, listening, chatting, cheering, knitting, eating, whatever - just hanging out.  It was not too hot, not too cold, not  too humid, not too dry - it was just picture perfect weather for outside entertainment.

Note the see-through stage at left - and no backdrop. More on that later.....

There were about 80 contestants for this year's event.

The view from the audience's perspective.

The view from a performer's perspective.

A full stage view from a performer's perspective. 

What connection does a trolley have to fiddles and banjos?  Well, the tracks run closely behind the stage.  The back of the stage is behind the ivy shown above at left.  Must be a little disconcerting to the musicians to have a trolley go clanging by behind them .....

...like this!

Meanwhile back in the audience, this child, rendered incognito by my edit, was not able to open this cooler. He immediately whined to his grandpa for help.  It didn't take rocket science to open the cooler.  What happened to that inquisitive, perserverant, challenge-seeking, problem-solving mind he was born with?  Why didn't he sit and puzzle with it a while before asking an adult, and why did the adult do it for him when asked?  I'll hold my tongue instead of  making some snarky gene pool comment.....

All was not lost however, another child was enthralled listening to the live music from the best seat in the house - on top of his daddy's shoulders.

And below are two small samples of what made him smile........

Roof Decks, South Boston, Massachusetts, USA

There are generally only so many ways to finish the top of a house and most people just stick with the basic pointy two-sided roof - not so in "Southie."  With spectacular views available of downtown Boston or the surrounding harbors, roof decks are popular.  Here are a few examples:

Starting with the fancy.....

....to the enclosed room style.......

...to an extra bedroom......

...to adjacent rooms on connected houses.......

....to the open air version.....

......even the simplest style affords a view that goes on forever.

And this silver dude was in someone's front yard pointing towards the nearby roof decks - go figure.