August 24, 2012

Waiting On Fenway

As any die-hard Red Sox fan knows, it's not been very easy rooting for the home team lately. But that didn't stop us from taking in a game the other night. After all, Fenway is celebrating 100 years, and what better way to spend a summer evening than sitting under the stars eating a hot dog and cheering them on regardless of their record and their current situation. So that's what we did.


My youngest daughter's favorite player was traded not too long ago. It was bittersweet for her to attend the game without being able to watch him play. But, it was good to see Dustin Pedroia steal base, hustle down the line, score a run, and play like he still loves baseball.


We missed the tribute to Johnny Pesky, but Red Sox legends Dwight Evans, Fred Lynn, and Jim Rice were on hand to celebrate the 100 year anniversary.

We were also fortunate enough to take part in the Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon. Between the two nights, they raised more than 3 million dollars for the cause. I don't think there was a dry eye in the park when they heard the National Anthem or watched the tribute to cancer patients up on the big screen.

August 20, 2012

Remove Beach Sand in a Snap

A day at the ocean can certainly leave you feeling refreshed, but it can also leave you quite sticky, too. That's why I always pack a bottle of baby powder in my beach bag. Just sprinkle the powder over (and in) every part of your body and voila, no more sand. It absorbs moisture so the sand just slides away. (This is a must if you have little ones in diapers!) And speaking of moisture, it's a great way to cool down your sheets, too. Just dust your sheets on a hot, sticky night and slip right in.

Did you also know it can...
  1. Dry shampoo your pets. Just give them a good rub.
  2. Remove grease stains from clothing. Just rub in and dust off. Repeat if necessary.
  3. Clean your playing cards. Toss cards into a bag and add a little powder and shake away.
  4. Slip on rubber gloves. Dust hands with powder first.
  5. Remove mold from books. Air dry first and then sprinkle powder between pages. Gently brush away powder.
  6. Get rid of ants. Add powder under doors and along window sills.
  7. Untangle a knot in a necklace. It acts as a lubricant.
  8. Fix a squeaky floor. Just apply between floorboards.
Here are some more quick and easy uses for common household items from Good Housekeeping.

August 16, 2012

Scientific Discovery

My youngest daughter loves science. So much so, that's she's thinking about studying marine biology. If you love science too, then you have to check out the Marine Biological Lab in Woods Hole. We spent a beautiful day there exploring the campus. This research and educational facility attracts students and scientists from all over the world. And if you're watching Shark Week on the Discovery Channel right now, you'll no doubt see the MBL listed in the credits for some of their documentaries. These are just some of the photos I took around campus. Thank you Todd, Sonya, and Jamie!


In this beautiful stone building there are tanks filled with different kinds of fish used to research everything from the human nervous system to neurological disorders. Nine 5,000 gallon tanks sit on the roof and continually pump sea water into each one.


Behind the stone building, you'll find a quaint harbor filled with all kinds of boats and, of course, the quintessential gray-shingled homes commonly found up and down the New England coastline.


Don't miss the aquarium while you're there. (It's free!) You'll learn all about the local ocean waters. You can even touch a starfish if you dare. We watched a couple of harbor seals show off as we were leaving to go on more of the tour.


This is Martha's Vineyard. It looks close enough that you could swim across for a visit, but it's better if  you can take the ferry just up the road.

August 7, 2012

Rock Climbing

When my children were younger, they loved to climb on the rocks and cliffs at the beach. We took in a little salt air over the weekend and I caught this young man climbing up, over, and around looking for buried treasure, a lost sea creature, or stray shell as the tide slowly swept back out to sea. 

It's amazing to me that New England beaches can look so different. If you travel to the Cape, you'll find tufts of hot sand and miles of eelgrass, but on the coast of Maine, you'll find hard-packed wet sand, and jagged rocks complete with tidal pools that make a perfect spot for young children to splash around in, make drip sandcastles while still wading in the water, and warm up after dipping their toes in the icy Atlantic. 

August 2, 2012

Over the Moon for Cape Cod

On our way back from watching the Chatham Anglers play the Orleans Firebirds (our favorite team) in Chatham, we then watched the moon dance along the shoreline over Pleasant Bay. We pulled off just for a few minutes so I could capture this image. The photo is not very good, but even if it were, it wouldn't have done the image of the moon reflecting on the water justice. It was beautiful and the perfect way to end an evening of eating peanuts and popcorn at a baseball game surrounded by my family. I had all three of my children with me for several days over the week of the 4th and I couldn't have been happier. Once we were all in bed reading (though my son got away with my no technology rule and watched a movie on his iPhone) and after hearing laughter, the rustle of pages, and a round of good-nights, I turned to my husband and said, "It doesn't get any better than this."

August 1, 2012

Home

Years ago, I thought I wanted to live on the seashore. I still do, but I also want to live among the trees like I do here in my cottage in the woods. I want both. The best of both worlds can be found on Cape Cod. Between the national seashore and the inland flats, sit kettle ponds and scrub pines that beckon you to rinse away the salt water and float your worries away. If I want to hear the roar of the ocean, I'll head over to Nauset or Coastguard Beach. If I want to be lulled by the soothing sea air and walk along the flats for miles, I'll head over to Crosby Beach or Rock Harbor. But if I want to swim, really swim, nothing beats a fresh water pond... in my humble opinion.

We've been tossing around the idea about moving to the Cape for years. At first (when I still thought there was a chance we could do both), we thought about buying a summer place. Then we thought, we already enjoy our summer place, let's just move there when we retire. Then because retirement seems (and is) so very far away, we thought about moving there after the girls go off to college. We honestly don't know what will happen, but I do know that I need to go back home more often until we figure it all out.

Someday, I want to be able to get in the car and visit family and friends without the hassle of a 5-hour car ride. I want to be able to show up for some holiday cheer and still be in bed by 10:00. I want to "pop in" or "stop by" because we happen to be driving through town (after a polite phone call requesting permission of course. If there's anything I've learned about family, it's that you do have to respect everyone's privacy.). And that's the reason we want to go home: family.

The salt air and bog roads have been whispering in our ears for a while now. And now, they're whispering in our children's ears, too. My son has already moved to Massachusetts and the girls have both announced that when it's time to settle down someplace, that place will be Cape Cod. Time will tell. For now, I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that we'll all be together again in the not so distant future, all of us watching our grandchildren race down those bog roads and splashing around in the waters we call home, for many years to come.