In remembrance of those who have served . . .

In honor of men and woman who have served their countries on Veterans' Day, I thought I would share this beautiful poem by Sophie Jewett:

The water sings along our keel,   

The wind falls to a whispering breath;

I look into your eyes and feel

No fear of life or death;   

So near is love, so far away   

The losing strife of yesterday.

We watch the swallow skim and dip;

Some magic bids the world be still;   

Life stands with finger upon lip;

Love hath his gentle will;

Though hearts have bled, and tears have burned,

The river floweth unconcerned.

We pray the fickle flag of truce

Still float deceitfully and fair;

Our eyes must love its sweet abuse;   

This hour we will not care,

Though just beyond to-morrow's gate,   

Arrayed and strong, the battle wait. 

Congratulations . . .

To the Boston Bruins for on their first Stanley Cup victory in 39 years!  My husband thinks it's bad luck for the team if I actually watch a sporting event on TV, so I didn't actually see it live - but there are many happy hockey fans in Massachusetts this morning!

Dead of Night Ghost Tour . . .

Last night I took my youngest son on a Dead of Night Ghost Tour in Plymouth, Massachusetts.  For a paranormal fan, it was a great time!  We started at the Plymouth waterfront and were met by the tour owners and their 15 year old Pug, Boo (my son thought Boo was one of the best parts of the evening!).  We picked up our lanterns and embarked on our tour.

We walked through some of the oldest neighborhoods in Plymouth, and listened to tales that had been told to our guide by previous occupants of the homes and buildings.  One of the first tales was of a beautiful building that is now condominiums and retail space that had previously been a tavern and a hotel.  Last year the ground floor of this building was occupied by a dress store - the owners finally gave up and moved because they arrived in the morning several times to find the mannequins had been undressed during the night.  Owners of the residential units claimed to hear women arguing during the night - when they were alone in the building.  There are currently two real estate for sale signs on this building . . . I wonder why?!!

We moved on to Burial Hill, a cemetery located on top of a hill overlooking the town and harbor.  Walking around in complete darkness in a graveyard is a little creepy.  We visited the graves of some of the earliest residents of Plymouth and learned about their lives.  The guides encouraged us to take photos into the darkness to try to capture spirits.  I took one photo that had a circular pattern of orbs that could be a group of spirits.

We walked through one area where the guides told us people cameras and electronic devices have acted strangely in the past.  While in this area I tried to take a photo looking back up the hill, as there was a feeling that there was someone looking at us.  Unfortunately, my camera would not operate!  Normally the only time I get the "busy" message on my camera is when I am deleted photos from the card - but in this section it came up on my screen every time I tried to take a photograph.  Once we left this certain section - it was fine!

If you like the paranormal and want to learn a little about the local history of Plymouth, spend an evening with Dead of Night Ghost Tours.  They offer a few different tours, and also hold paranormal "ghost hunting" expeditions in local homes.  But beware . . .  you never know what you might see!

Plimoth Plantation . . .

Do you ever wish you could go back in time and see how people lived in the 1600s?  Time travel isn't possible, but a trip to Plimoth Plantation can give you a glimpse of how people lived during those times.

Plimoth Plantation is a "living museum" that recreates the settlement established by English colonists in 1627.  It contains replicas of the building and homes these colonists lived in, along with people who reenact some of the actual settlers.  The residents can be seen building, cooking and farming - doing the same things they would have during the early days.  They speak, act and dress as if they were still in the 1600s and you are just a visitor to their time.  During my visit a few weeks ago, I asked a woman if what she was wearing (a rather heavy dress) was something that would have been worn during the summer months in the colony; she quickly replied that those were her clothes - what else should she be wearing?!

At the Wampanoag village,  you can see Native Americans building canoes, tending gardens and cooking food typical of the time period (some of the kids I was with were rather upset to see a rabbit turning on a spit over a fire).  In this part of the museum you can also learn about family life for the Wampanoags, and it was interesting to learn how different life was - children were very respectful to their parents and other elders, there was no domestic violence, and the elderly were treated with reverence.  Unlike in the English settlement, the residents are dressed in period clothing, but speak to you like people of this era.

Another interesting part of Plimoth Plantation is the Crafts Center where many of the objects used in the village exhibits are created and repaired.  Visitors can see some beautiful wood pieces being crafted, along with various textiles such as rugs and clothing.  There is a store adjacent to the Crafts Center where some of the objects can be purchased.

If you are fortunate enough to visit during the Fall, Plimoth Plantation offers a Thanksgiving meal with the residents of the English Village, where you can dine on foods that were eaten during the first Thanksgiving, and find out about what really happened at the harvest celebration of 1621.

During the upcoming summer months, take a trip back in time to Plimoth Plantation!  The museum is located three miles south of Plymouth Center, and is open March 20 through November 29, 7 days a week.  Along with the museum, you can also visit the replica of the Mayflower which is located in Plymouth Harbor.

Arlington National Cemetery . . .

On this Memorial Day Weekend, take some time to reflect on the true meaning of this holiday - to remember those who fought for the our freedom and who made the ultimate sacrifice for their countries.

Arlington National Cemetery is located just outside Washington, D.C. in Arlington County, Virginia. On over 600 acres, it is the final resting place for veterans and military casualties from the Civil War to the Iraq/Afghanistan conflict which is still ongoing.  It is situated on land that was once owned by General
Robert E. Lee's wife, Mary Anna, who was a descendant of Martha Washington.

Visiting the cemetery is an interesting and emotional experience.  We visited on a beautiful Spring day - the flowers and trees were in full bloom.  My sons couldn't understand why we were going to visit a cemetery, but soon learned that this was something so much larger and significant.  One of our first destinations was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a monument dedicated to American servicemen who have died without their remains being identified.  We witnessed the changing of the guards - a solemn ceremony that is carried out every half hour during daylight in the summer, and every hour during daylight in the winter and every two hours at night, regardless of weather conditions.  A guard has been on duty at the site continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, since July 2, 1937.

Arlington is the burial place of many notable historic figures, such as President John F. Kennedy, along with two of his brothers, Senator Robert Kennedy and Senator Edward M. Kennedy; President William Howard Taft; Audie Murphy, the most decorated member in the history of U.S. Military; boxing champion Joe Louis, and famous bandleader Glenn Miller who disappeared over the English Channel in 1944.  Miller's body was never found, but he has a memorial headstone that was placed in 1992.

While you are enjoying this beautiful weekend, take some time to remember those who have gone before us.  This beautiful poem, "Memorial Day", was written by noted poet Joyce Kilmer, who was killed in action in World War I:

The bugle echoes shrill and sweet,

But not of war it sings to-day.

The road is rhythmic with the feet

Of men-at-arms who come to pray.

The roses blossom white and red

On tombs where weary soldiers lie;

Flags wave above the honored dead

And martial music cleaves the sky.

Above their wreath-strewn graves we kneel,

They kept the faith and fought the fight.

Through flying lead and crimson steel

They plunged for Freedom and the Right.

May we, their grateful children, learn

Their strength, who lie beneath the sod,

Who went through fire and death to earn

At last the accolade of God.

In shining rank on rank arrayed

They march, the legions of the Lord;

He is their Captain unafraid,

The Prince of Peace . . . Who brought a sword

Battleship Cove . . .

Wednesday was a bleak, rainy day . . . a good day to hang in and watch movies? No! After having been trapped in the house for a few days due to a stomach bug, I decided to venture out for a walk and get some fresh air!

Where did I go? Fall River, Massachusetts - home of Battleship Cove.

Battleship Cove is a floating museum that houses the U.S.S. Massachusetts, the U.S.S. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. and the submarine U.S.S. Lionfish.

The U.S.S. Massachusetts (nicknamed "Big Mamie" by her crewmembers) was built in the Fore River Shipyard in my hometown of Quincy, Massachusetts, and was launched in September, 1941.  She fought in the Solomon Islands and the Philippines during World War II; it is also believed that she may have fired the the Navy's first and last 16 inch shells of the war.

Because of her service during WWII, citizens of her home state of Massachusetts raised money for her transfer to the Massachusetts Memorial Committee, and in 1965 she was towed to her current location at Battleship Cove where she was opened as a museum. She is one of eight surviving battleships built by the United States Navy.

The destroyer at Battleship Cove, the U.S.S. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., was named after Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was was killed in action in WWII; it served in the blockade of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

The U.S.S. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.

The USS Lionfish, the only submarine at Battleship Cove, patrolled the waters of the Pacific during WWII, and was the only ship in the Navy named for the lionfish (a fish found in the West Indies and the Pacific).

The U.S.S. Lionfish

Battleship Cove hosts hundreds of field trips, scout overnights, veterans' groups and tourists every year.  Since 1965, it has added more educational exhibits to introduce the younger generations to the history and sacrifices made during World War II.

My sons on a scout overnight trip to the U.S.S. Massachusetts

Battle Road Trail . . .

Welcome to "Wordless Wednesday" . . .

Along the Battle Road Trail in Concord, Massachusetts

America's Home Town . . .

A mere 20 minute ride from my home is one of the most historic towns in the country, Plymouth, Massachusetts.  Located forty miles south of Boston, Plymouth is known as “America’s Home Town”, the place where the Pilgrims first set foot in the New World. Well, this is technically not true – but the myth seems to linger! The Pilgrims set out from England in search of a better way of life, and after months of grueling travel on the Mayflower in unimaginable conditions, they made landfall in November, 1620 . . . in Provincetown, Massachusetts. After exploring the Provincetown area and several other sites on Cape Cod, they eventually landed in Plymouth Harbor in December, 1620. Although it is said that they first stepped ashore onto Plymouth Rock, there is no factual evidence to support this claim.

Plymouth is a large town (the largest area-wise in Massachusetts) with a lovely downtown area and water front.  There is so much to see in this historic town that I could go on for hours!

Statue of William Bradford in Pilgrim Memorial Park

By far the most famous landmark in this town if Plymouth Rock. This poor rock has been moved many times since its supposed identification.  It was originally located at the waterfront, was moved to Plymouth Center (it broke in two during the move), then was moved to Pilgrim Hall, and finally to the location where it sits today, under a granite monument right on the water in Pilgrim Memorial State Park

Plymouth Rock, at high tide

Monument around Plymouth Rock

Located steps from Plymouth Rock is the Mayflower II, replica of the original ship that brought the Pilgrims in 1620. It is open for tours, but beware - if you have any kind of claustrophobia, I would settle for viewing it from the outside – it is very tight in the lower decks.  If you do venture on board, try to imagine sailing on her with 100 other people through rough seas for 66 days – it is incomprehensible!

The Mayflower II from Pilgrim Memorial Park

The Mayflower II from Plymouth Town Pier

As a booming tourist location, there are many hotels, motels and inns to choose from. One of the most popular in the area is the John Carver Inn. A large hotel with many different types of rooms (including suites with fireplaces), a Pilgrim themed pool, and the Beach Plum Spa, it is a favorite with tourists and locals alike. The restaurant in the John Carver is the Hearth n' Kettle, a personal favorite of mine – don’t expect glamorous, fine dining - but the portions are large and the food is always good!

The Pilgrim Cove pool at the John Carver Inn

If a quick lunch is what you are looking for, I recommend Pebbles on the waterfront (my youngest son’s favorite place to eat!); they serve burgers, fried seafood and ice cream.  Pebbles is located directly across the street from the Mayflower II.

Pebble's Restaurant

When it comes to dining, you can find any kind of cuisine you fancy in Plymouth - Mexican, Indian, Italian, and of course, local seafood.  One of the longest operating establishments in Plymouth is Ernie's Restaurant on Court Street, which has been in business for over 65 years. With a menu ranging from sandwiches, seafood and hearty entrees like pot roast and turkey (how could you come to Plymouth and not eat a turkey dinner?) there is something for everyone. 

 

After a long day of sightseeing, take a break and enjoy some nightlife at The Cabby Shack.  Located directly on the waterfront, it has become a popular hangout for tourists and natives over the past few years. The Cabby Shack offers entertainment nightly including trivia nights, dueling pianos and local bands.  Its recent claim to fame that it was featured on the Food Network’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate” – their clam chowder is supposedly delish (I plan on testing this theory one day next week for lunch).

The Cabby Shack

During the upcoming summer season, make a trip to Plymouth for history, food and ocean views! Visit their website and plan a historical getaway!

P.S. - It was bleak and rainy the day I visited - which is why some of the photos are so dark!  I recommend visiting on a warm, sunny day!

Sandy Hook . . .

Every summer we make the trek to the New Jersey Shore for a week of sun, beach going and "boardwalking".  Last year we made a day trip to Sandy Hook, which is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area ("GNRA").  The GNRA covers 26,607 acres in four separate areas:  Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, New York and the area we visited in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

Sandy Hook is a 7-mile long barrier island that contains three beaches (with one of the beaches being "clothing optional"), a lighthouse, Fort Hancock (a former Army fort which was built to defend the entrance to New York Harbor and was in use from 1874 until 1974), and a fully-operational base for the U.S. Coast Guard.  It is ideal for nature lovers as it is home to many species of birds, and is intertwined with paths that are ideal for walking and biking.

Gun battery at Fort Hancock

Because of its strategic location, Sandy Hook Lighthouse was built to help ships entering New York Harbor.  Built in 1764, it is one of the oldest operating lighthouses in the United States, and has survived the elements and a brief occupation by the British during the Revolutionary War.  It stands 85 feet and is almost one and a half miles (2.4 km) inland from the tip. Sandy Hook Lighthouse is part of the Sandy Hook Unit of  Gateway National Recreation Area.  It was declared a National Historic Landmark on the 200th anniversary of its first lighting. 

Outside view of the lighthouse and keeper's cottage

Climbing to the top of the lighthouse

The light itself was automated in 1962 and is currently operated by the National Park Service.  On a clear night, the light is visible from 19 miles out to sea.  The day we visited we got a rare treat as the light was inoperable.  Something had gone wrong with it the previous evening, the staff was waiting for a specialized repair crew to come in from New York City to repair it; we were able to closely view its inner workings.

The lighthouse building was restored in 2000, and is filled with exhibits about the history of the light.  Tours are available with a park ranger; as the lighthouse is small it is rather tight quarters at the top but the view is worth it!

View toward Gunnison Beach (clothing optional beach)

The one downside to Sandy Hook was the swimming.  The beaches are large, well-kept and offer stunning views of the ocean and the shipping lanes into New York Harbor.  Because of their close proximity to a large urban area, the water was not as clean as we would have liked; but the surf was high and the kids thought it was great (my husband was less than enthusiastic about it - and I didn't even go in).  There are large bathhouses complete with bathroom and shower facilities (very clean) and a large snack bar.

If you find yourself in New Jersey on a warm summer day, plan a visit to Sandy Hook to view the lighthouse and the other historic venues.  We were fortunate to be able to visit on a weekday - on weekends the parking lots fill quickly, and because it is a barrier island there is only one road in and out, which can create serious traffic jams in the summer months!

A Capital Weekend . . .

In spring, there is no better place to visit than Washington, D.C.  Warm air, blossoming flowers (including the famous cherry blossoms) and the numerous historic venues make it an ideal weekend destination; be warned, you will wish you had at least a week to visit all this city has to offer!

The Capital

But we only have a weekend, so let's cover a few a few a few a few a few locations.  First order of business, choosing accommodations.  My choice is The Ritz Carlton, Washington, D.C., located between Washington Circle and Dupont Circle.  With over 300 rooms, fine dining (including a bistro by world famous chef Eric Ripert) and the Sports Club/LA onsite, you could have an enjoyable weekend without ever leaving the hotel.  Rooms range from the ultra-posh Club Presidential Suite, to a more reasonable Deluxe Room, pictured below:

Photo courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C.

It is difficult to decide which monuments to visit first.  One could spend weeks in this city and not have a chance to view them all.  The National Park Service operates all the major sites in the D.C. area, with the most visited being the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Capital.

The reflecting pool looking toward the Washington Monument

The Lincoln Memorial

All National Park Service monuments are free to the public, but the Washington Monument does require a reservation to visit the top, as does the U.S. Capital, which requires tours to be reserved in advance.  Tickets go quickly, and in the peak months of April through September tickets are often booked months in advance.

The Lincoln Memorial

Although it is a very easy city to walk, the Washington, D.C./Virginia area has a superb subway system - the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority.  Clean, efficient and convenient, it was one of the nicest subway systems I have ever encountered; even during peak commute times it was a pleasure to travel on.

Riding the WMATA

The good thing about traveling in D.C. - you don't have to feel guilty about your calorie consumption because of of all the walking involved!  Now it's time for dinner!  My choice:  The 1789 Restaurant in Georgetown.  It has been chosen by Gourmet Magazine as one of the top dining experiences in the Washington, D.C. area.  With choices that range from local East Coast seafoods, including Burgundy Snail Pot Pie that sounds interesting, and sumptuous desserts like Griddled Coconut Pound Cake, it seems like a choice that will not disappoint.

The Carroll Room at The 1789 Restaurant

Photo courtesy of Washingtonian.com

After some research, it seems that the nightlife is in the D.C. area is quite diverse - from local hangouts to sophisticated wine bars, there seems to be something for everyone.  Since it is sometimes difficult to distinguish neighborhoods (and there are some you would rather not visit), let's try a hotel comparison and visit the The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown for a nightcap at the Degrees Bar and Lounge.  Styled in the fashion of lounges of the 1940s, it has an impressive menu of specialty drinks and beers, including the "Starburst", a delicious sounding mix of Stoli raspberry vodka, Absolut Kurant, Chambord and pineapple juice.

It's Sunday morning and coffee is essential!  For a Starbuck's lover, Washington, D.C. is heaven, with over 50 locations to choose from!  After we have our caffeine, let's move on to one more destination in the D.C. area before we head home.

A short subway ride away is The National Zoo.  Located in Northwest Washington, D.C., the Zoo was founded in 1889 by an act of Congress "for the advancement of science and the instruction and recreation of the people.”  It became part of the Smithsonian Institution in 1890.  It currently features approximately 2,000 animals in its 163 acre location, which includes a panda habitat featuring Mei Xiang and Tian Tian the pandas.  Currently, Mei Xiang is expecting so she is currently not visible at the habitat.

The Panda Habitat at The National Zoo

Washington, D.C. is an interesting vacation destination at any time of the year, but especially in the early spring.  The world famous cherry blossoms are due to peak on April 4th, and the National Cherry Blossom Festival is currently underway until April 11th, or visit the Washington, D.C. tourism website to find the events this historic area has to offer.  It is a great place to come to reflect about the history of our great nation!

My youngest son, "reflecting" at the Reflecting Pool