Christmas Carolers, Carver, Massachusetts, USA

There is something magical to me about human voices raised in four-part harmony without any instrument accompaniment. I attended a party where the hosts had brought in this joyful quartet of carolers.











As their songbooks note, their name is the Very Merry Dickens Carolers, a group out of Cumberland, Rhode Island.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Seasons Greetings, or whatever other holiday event you celebrate this time of year!

Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Market District, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Boston's Market District includes the Quincy Market - Faneuil Hall Marketplace, the Haymarket Pushcarts, and the Boston Public Market. All three are centrally located in downtown Boston. I went there recently to see the free outdoor light and sound show, "Blink!"

Living 50 miles south of Boston always creates a dilemma when I go to visit. Automobile traffic is usually heavy and slow. Alternatively, the subway is sometimes crowded and slow and the platforms are cold in winter. So picking the right time to drive becomes a fine art. The best window is usually between 10am and 2pm - the morning inbound traffic has subsided and the early afternoon outbound traffic hasn't begun. The traffic ballet is a delicate act - one minor accident or flat tire that blocks a lane (not to mention wet weather) can throw the whole system into chaos for hours.

So I got there early and wandered around before the light show began at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. It was an incredibly warm day for mid-December.



"The Old State House is a historic building in Boston, Massachusetts, at the intersection of Washington and State Streets. Built in 1713, it was the seat of the Massachusetts General Court until 1798, and is one of the oldest public buildings in the United States. One of the landmarks on Boston's Freedom Trail, it is the oldest surviving public building in Boston, and now serves as a history museum operated by the Bostonian Society. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960." (Source: Wikipedia).



The three story brick building seems so out of place amidst the skyscrapers and fuscia-clad pedestrian with white go-go boots. (Is "go-go boots" still a useful contemporary term or, am I showing my age?) The balcony in the center of the brick façade is where the Declaration of Independence was first read to the Boston citizenry in 1776.



A street performer demonstrates his art for an appreciative crowd near Faneuil Hall.



When did the statement, "Exit Only," become, "Not An Entrance." And more importantly, why?  Park Street station on the Boston Common.



This squirrel is not sure if I am friend, foe, or food source. On the Boston Common.



Tourists mug for the camera in front of the Massachusetts State House. Judging by all the shopping bags from nearby stores, I think someone was out Christmas shopping today.



As the daylight fades, I walk back toward the marketplace.......



....to observe the darkening sky and brightening decorative lights.











































Across the street in Christopher Columbus Park, the arches are appropriately bedecked for the holiday season.

Boston - never a disappointment to visit in any season.

Santa Visits Priscilla Beach Theatre, Priscilla Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Santa stopped by Priscilla Beach Theatre (PBT) recently to pick up tickets for next summer's performance season. He wasn't certain which were the best seats so........



....considering his special status, he was permitted to go inside ........



.....and try out different seats. His conclusion?



Every seat at PBT is a good one!



I'm not going to say how many tickets he bought but, I will say he REALLY likes PBT and the high standards for quality performance they bring to the stage.

If you want to be happy like Santa, contact PBT online at this link or by phone (508-224-4888) to reserve your seats.  The summer 2016 lineup is already set with a different performance each month from May through October.  Both subscription and individual performance tickets are on sale now. Each performance of every show on the Barn Stage sold out during the 2015 performance season and will likely do so next year!

"HO, HO, HO.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"

Out and About, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

I was out and about recently on a crisp, cloudless, fall day. Above, the arc of White Horse Beach at low tide. (Panorama - click to view in full width).



In Manomet, I stopped and watched these tree trimmers at work.  Fascinating occupation - wielding a chainsaw while hanging from a rope and harness - think about that.



He has to carefully cut off big branches in pieces and then his partner lowers the log to the ground.



Low tide in the bay below Manomet Bluff. (Panorama).



Low tide on the beach in Manomet. (Panorama).



The leafless look along the bluff. (Panorama).



Meanwhile, over in Chiltonville, it almost looks like spring! I wish.

Late Afternoon, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

This spectacular Japanese Maple is one of the few holdouts among the local tree world. Any day now, in one fell swoop, these leaves will be a red carpet on the ground.



Oddly, the late afternoon sunlight brought out amazing color on this roadside bush.



View from the bluff in an easterly wind - Stage Point at far left. Most of the beach is in shadow already.



And now, for a winter preview, the leaves are all gone, and winter's favorite color is here to stay - gray.

Dreamers, Priscilla Beach Theatre, Priscilla Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Many of you readers have asked me over the past year about my apparent fascination/obsession/cheerleading and frequent focus in this blog on Priscilla Beach Theatre. Well, I've been thinking it over and here's your answer:

A few years ago I wandered into the Barn Stage at Priscilla Beach Theatre. The wind whistled through the rotted sections of wall and rustled the leaves inside on the floor. Support structures were rotted from rain and weather damage because the building had deteriorated over a decade of neglect. I probably shouldn't have even been in there.

But now, a year and half later, Priscilla Breach Theatre just finished its sold-out performance season in the newly restored Barn Stage. How is that possible?

It is about the power of dreams. Bob and Sandy Malone, owners and guardians of PBT, didn't just decide randomly one day to sink a ton of money, energy, time, and effort into a dilapidated old barn theatre. It started with a dream - a vision - to rejuvenate this icon of local American theatre.

There were many who said it couldn't be done - tear it down and start anew was the chorus of advice. The obstacles were daunting but, the Malones persevered.  Putting one foot in front of the other, they moved forward with a singular purpose and determination to achieve this dream.

And through their dream, they have created a place where the dreams of others can blossom. I've been there many, many times during the past year and seen the excited, alive, jubilant, energized kids and adults living their own dreams through this theatrical campus.

Drama is a world of make-believe as old as humankind - storytelling in word, song, and movement. The Malones provide a venue for thousands to enjoy the opportunity to create, speak, sing, dance, and act. The venue also provides an opportunity for thousands more to watch and hear the performances.

Who among us has the motivation and determination to take the risk and chance to follow their dream? Not too many of us but, the Malones did. And their action was and is an inspiration to me and the countless aspiring actors and actresses who have benefited from the restored availability of this campus. What the Malones have done at and for Priscilla Beach Theatre is worthy of note and celebration - and I chose to do that in this blog.

Amidst the madness and chaos of our modern world, there is the occasional oasis where life is lived intensely - a place where dreamers can dream and their dreams can come true. Priscilla Beach Theatre is such an oasis. Dreamers make our world come true.

Thanks for asking - sorry I took so long to answer.



Pre-restoration - May 2014.



Rotted decking - May 2014.



Swirling leaves on the floor - May 2014.



Bob and Sandy Malone (and family) at the ribbon cutting ceremony on July 10, 2015



July 2015.

You can revisit all my posts about Priscilla Beach Theatre at this link. Posts covering only the restoration and construction project are at this link.