Long Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

A rock jetty on Plymouth's Long Beach is in the foreground with Rocky Hill/ Manomet Hill in the distance.  This is Plymouth's largest and most popular summer beach. Parking is close to the sand, a restaurant is on site, and public restrooms are available.

Although the jetties along this stretch of beach are designed to help protect against beach erosion, the sand comes and goes, year in year out.  This year, the southernmost portion seems to have had much of its sand scoured out by storms.  Perhaps this winter it will be replenished. This panorama at low tide shows the rocky intertidal area - click to view full width.

Sunset, Bartlett Pond, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Here's an especially pretty early fall sunset on Bartlett Pond.  It is not often the surface of the water is so still as to provide such a good reflection.

Priscilla Beach Theatre Restoration, Priscilla Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

With the barn restoration structural work completed, the focus shifts to overall project general contractor Kelleher Fine Builders, Inc. of Kingston, Massachusetts, who is moving ahead with all the other work to complete Priscilla Beach Theatre's (PBT) restoration. The main entrance and box office has been framed in since last week's update.

Now in their 78th year, PBT is the oldest barn theatre still in operation in the United States. The restoration will be completed in time for next summer's performance season - "Fiddler on the Roof," and "Chicago" are already scheduled. My most recent blog post on the restoration is at this link, or, you can type "Priscilla Beach" in the search box in the right column of this blog.

Just three short months ago in late June, it looked like this.

And in late May just before the major work began, it looked like this. (Note the yellow lamppost has survived all this time and is still standing).

The new restroom complex has been closed in, the final trim applied, and the roof readied for shingling.

The site has been cleaned up, dirt piles leveled, dumpsters emptied and much debris removed.

View from upstage right. Normally, I can hide from bright light sources but this miniature sun now hanging from the ceiling has me stymied.  It's bright like a mercury-vapor street lamp - great for lighting the workspace, no cords lying on the floor to trip over, but not so great for making pictures.

View from upstage center.

In case you're looking for a contractor.

The plumbing work is being performed by TDM Plumbing and Heating, Middleboro, Massachusetts, and is underway in the new restroom complex.

Inside the restroom area.

The theatre's structural steel bracing discussed in a previous blog post will eventually be enclosed in the internal walls within the restrooms.

Elsewhere on the campus, the first hints of fall leaves are visible. Inside the Geronimo Black Box Theatre (at left), rehearsals are underway for the upcoming production of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," directed by Conni DiLego, with performances on October 24, 25, 26, and November 1, and 2. Call 508-224-4888 for tickets.

And lastly, this old organ prop has been inside the theatre during the entire restoration so far. It's like an inanimate mascot.  It appears in different places but hasn't left yet. Perhaps it's hearkening ahead to the day when the boards will echo with the footfalls of performers and the sounds of their voices raised in chorus as the Priscilla Beach Theatre reopens next summer's performance season with the classic "Fiddler on the Roof." 

By the way, Wikipedia says this about Fiddler, "The original Broadway production of the show, which opened in 1964, had the first musical theatre run in history to surpass 3,000 performances. Fiddler held the record for the longest-running Broadway musical for almost 10 years until Grease surpassed its run. It remains Broadway's sixteenth longest-running show in history. The production was extraordinarily profitable and highly acclaimed. It was nominated for ten Tony Awards, winning nine, including Best Musical, score, book, direction and choreography. It spawned four Broadway revivals, a highly successful 1971 film adaptation, and the show has enjoyed enduring international popularity. It is also a very popular choice for school and community productions.[1]"

Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival, South End, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

The 14th Annual Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival was held recently in Boston's South End neighborhood on Columbus Avenue between Massachusetts Avenue and Burke Street. The outdoor performances and street festival are free and open to the public. Tens of thousands attend to hear jazz, Latin, blues, and groove performers. It's like a big block party with loads of food, fun, music, kids, and vendors.

An army of orange-shirted staff helped keep everything running smoothly.

Over the six-hour event, fifteen separate acts each performed for about an hour spread over the three stages.  A few images of some of the performers follow:

There were many food vendors selling their wares to the hungry crowd.

I am always happy to find vegan offerings at public events.  It is becoming more common all the time to find vegan food for those of us who don't want to support the killing of animals.

There were many interesting diversions for the kids, too.  The bubble man was a big hit making his soap bubbles in the gentle breeze. Some were big.......

....and some were small.......

......but all the bubbles clearly awakened their childish delight.

 

There was an "instrument petting zoo" for the kids to try out a wide range of musical instruments including horns, woodwinds, strings, and this drum set.

The pets seemed to enjoy the day, too.

Another very popular act was Bloco AfroBrazil, a drum/percussion group that moved along Columbus Avenue performing among the appreciative crowd.

Their leader had a constant smile as he directed the band through the street crowd.

The rockin' crowd moved and swayed along to the driving beat.

Some fans were especially moved by the powerful rhythms.

It was a great day and a great event with summer-like warmth and bright blue skies. A great day to be outside and alive among happy people and beautiful music.

Dramatic Clouds, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

It is remarkable how different a familiar place can be when you add a crisp cool breeze and a brilliant blue sky filled with dramatic clouds. View to the north from White Horse Beach. Flag Rock is the white speck on the right side horizon.

View to the north at Priscilla Beach. Flag Rock is poking up at right.

View to the south at the bluff area of White Horse Beach.

View to the south. Flag Rock is poking up at left.

Priscilla Beach view to the north.  (Panoramic images - click to view in full width). Fall is always spectacular here - cool breezes, low humidity, bright clear days - maybe my favorite time - just like Baby Bear's porridge in the Goldilocks story - not too hot, not too cold - just right.

Sunset, Old Sandwich Road, Chiltonville, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

One of the pleasures of photography is that often, it makes me look more closely at what I am actually seeing.  In this scene, I looked more closely at the detail along the road ........

....and chose to make this image. Then, looking even more closely at just a part of this scene.......

..... led me to focus on this tiny portion of the original landscape view.  Then, through the magic of software processing I applied a watercolor effect. For me, a big challenge is seeing the potential end result from the initial view - having creative vision.

I would like to have painted this scene - that is, if I any talent to paint, which I don't - to sit there in the fading light as the shadows grew long, as the air took on a chill, to the sound of a horse snorting in the distant meadow, and the birdsong giving way to a symphony of insects. Yep, I would have enjoyed that, too.