Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

White Horse Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA


So why is this iron post stuck in the sand on White Horse Beach? Is it to tether a boat or is someone expecting a white horse to need a place to tie-up?

At low tide looking north toward Priscilla Beach.

Stairways to heaven - walking either direction on these stairs will lead to a wonderful place....... a beach at the bottom or an oceanfront home with a forever ocean view at the top.


Wrong Tool for the Task, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA


A rake would be a better choice......or, an even better choice would be a warm climate where the very idea of a snow shovel draws puzzled looks.......


Monday, November 14, 2011

Westport and Westport Point, Massachusetts, USA

Westport is on the southern Massachusetts coast about 30 miles southeast of Providence, RI, and 60 miles south of Boston, MA. Its name comes from being the westernmost port in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the mid 17th century. The town is now mostly residential, has a large farming community, and the Horseneck Beach State Reservation is a popular summer destination.

How is this for a sweeping lawn with a beautiful vista?

The quintessential New England look is common - weathered cedar shingles and white trim.

And roses bloom in November.  The town also has a winery and vineyard - not that Massachusetts is normally associated with wine-making but, the soil is dark, rich New England loam on well drained gravel, the climate is cool but moderated by the warm waters of the gulf stream, and it has the right amount of rain and sunlight. After all, southern France, northern Spain, and central Italy all share the same latitude with southern Massachusetts.

And dry-stack stone walls are everywhere, both in the town and throughout the countryside.

Many of the old restored homes along the main street contain placards citing the original owners - shipwright, home builder, shopkeeper, etc.  I wonder what qualified someone back then to be designated a "gentleman?"

The harbor area of Westport Point.

Art and/or myth, a mermaid watches over the docks.

Part of a stained glass window at a local church.

And from the mouths of babes.........

A beautiful day in a peaceful small town.


Saturday, November 12, 2011

What Is It About Chairs? Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA


As a culture, it seems that we do love our chairs. For example, "hey, that's my chair," or, "I want that chair," or, "I was gonna sit in that chair," or, "get out of my chair!"........

Whether an armchair, deck chair, adirondack chair, dining chair, department chair, board chair, desk chair, office chair, bean bag chair, folding chair, recliner chair, massage chair, pod chair, easy chair, wheelchair, dental chair, electric chair, rocking chair, camp chair, chippendale chair, kneeling chair, swivel chair, club chair, lawn chair, plastic chair, wingback chair, wicker chair, ergonomic chair, first chair, musical chair, Queen Anne chair, or high chair, we do love our chairs.

 And don't forget stool, car seat, loveseat, saddle, sofa, and chaise lounge, which aren't exactly chairs but they do serve the same purpose: a place to put one's rear end.

It wasn't until the mid-range of the last millenium that chairs enjoyed widespread use.  Prior to that time mostly just royalty or clergy enjoyed regular use. (IKEA could have made a killing back then). What did people do for all those early years without chairs? Where did they sit? Did they sit? Did the early languages have a word for "sit"? When company came to visit what did you say instead of "please come in and have a seat?"

Some people sit often and/or for long periods - in the car, at work, at a movie, at a sports or entertainment event, on a train, bus, or airplane, at home, on the toilet.  In fact, it might be that sitting is one of the most popular human activities now - go figure - in fact, I think I'll just sit down and think about it.

 

Friday, November 11, 2011

Bartlett Pond, White Horse Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA


Is kitty getting ready to dive off the dock? Catch a fish? Chase a swan or goose? Go swimming?

Or, is kitty getting ready to jump on the kayak and ride around the pond with me?

Or, is kitty just going to lay around doing nothing and enjoy a warm and unseasonably beautiful Fall day?
"Eat, relax, nap" then repeat - seems to be kitty's lifestyle - much like a certain retired person who shall remain unnamed. We can learn a lot from animals.......... 

Thursday, November 10, 2011

A Country Lane, White Horse Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA



A quiet country lane less than half a mile from the beach. The days are getting noticeably shorter, the shadows longer. Some folks say that this year's Fall colors weren't very pretty.

From my perspective, I would disagree.



Wednesday, November 9, 2011

A 20th Birthday, White Horse Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Yesterday was our son's 20th birthday.  Since he's away at university, we had to celebrate it without him - wow, he sure missed a good vegan chocolate-and-cranberry cake hand-made by his Mom!  I bet she'll make another one when he comes home next time. (And yes, the "zero" on the cake is actually a "six" in disguise - reuse, recycle, repair).

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Myles Standish State Park, Duxbury, Massachusetts, USA


What is it about walking in a pine forest that seems to soothe the soul?.......

.....the spongy, soft carpet of needles underfoot........

......the wind whispering through the branches, the aromatic scent, and the remembrance of pine sap all over your hands when climbing trees as a child.

But the forest is not a static place - the next generation has already gained a foothold.

And for you English major geeks, as Chaucer said in the 14th century, "Mighty oaks from little acorns grow."  Maybe so - if it can win the battle with the pine seedlings for enough sunlight.

Soon, the hushed silence of snow will blanket and protect this world as the cycle of nature continues without pause or end.



Saturday, November 5, 2011

A Cranberry Harvest, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA


Massachusetts is second only to Wisconsin as the largest state producer of cranberries in the United States. Here is how they get to your food plate or drinking glass........

Cranberries grow on vines in sandy soil.  They don't grow in water - but rather the bogs are flooded at harvest time to facilitate the harvesting operation (it is possible to dry-harvest but is more labor-intensive to do so).
 
After flooding the bog, the ripe berries are loosened from the vines with this mower-like machine.  The  berries then float to the surface.

The floating loose berries are then corralled to prepare for collection and shipment.

The white pipe at the bottom of the picture sucks the berries out of the corral and up into the truck for loading.

The berries receive a final rinse and visual inspection to remove any unwanted leaf or twig debris.

Then, the berries are loaded into the truck for shipment to a final processing/packaging facility.

Cranberries are the official state berry of Massachusetts - bet you didn't know we even had a state berry? And cranberry juice is the official beverage - who'd have thought that up?

As the collection progresses, the loop is continuously tightened by the workers, steadily shrinking the circle until all the berries are loaded. (See the video clip at the end of this post to watch the berries being collected  into the hose).

And when the truck is full, the berries head down the road to become food or drink.

In the "gee whiz" department, did you know that John Lennon said "cranberry sauce" at the end of the song, "Strawberry Fields Forever?" 

Video clip of cranberry harvesting.