Two Hours in Ocean city

Before things turned sour on Saturday, we had a good time in Ocean City, New Jersey.  I'd never been to the Jersey Shore before, not being fond of beaches much less the eponymous tv show.  We were going to spend Saturday at the boardwalk before Sunday's big competition, where we've spent most Memorial Days in the last several years.

I have only been to one other boardwalk, the one at Coney Island, where I enjoyed the sea otters at the Aquarium and the hot dogs and waffle fries at Nathan's.  Otherwise, it was kinda grimy.  But Mama and the Bud had been to O.C. two years ago for competition, when I'd stayed home with feverish Sis, and enjoyed themselves; they wanted to share it with us.

I knew to take it easy, doctor's orders on clear liquids only and not too much walking.  I had a pina colada Polish water ice which was mostly sugar and delicious.  And took many breaks--we also only walked two blocks!  It was delightful.  The beach was crowded but not packed, as was the boardwalk, with its nice wide wooden walkway and line of quirky shops.  There was Johnson's popcorn, Manco & Manco pizza (with a long line), Shriver's fudge and taffy, Freilinger's fudge and taffy, softserve ice cream place, Polish water ice place, Taylor pork roll place, curly fries place, the kite place.  And we stopped off to browse through many of them.  The candy places were such fun--bins of taffy, cases of fudge, assorted colorful lollipops, and tubs of "penny" candy.  Plus all manner of knicknacks, mostly beach based.  Sis and I got henna from one of the shops, little mandala-like designs on our hands.  And Bud got a set of nine-chain like rope tricks, which he demonstrated on the beach. 

Candy presses

Then we played putt-putt.  Lots of putt-putt places to choose from--Congo, pirate, medieval, haunted.  Bud chose Congo's Lost City, which was quick and fun.  And then he got a hole-in-one on the last "free game" hole and won a game!  Which they went straight to play while I sat and admired the water, the kites, the sky, the beach . . . and then the abdominal pain hit and our little excursion took a bad turn.  Still, it was fun while it lasted and I'd like to go back.

Next year for Memorial Day . . . .

Beach Book

It's a week of early dismissals here, with school almost over.  I think we have a party every afternoon!

Yesterday, it was our Mother-Daughter Book Club meeting, which was held at a local beach.  And, yes, we did manage to discuss the book!  It was L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, which I had never read.  

And in truth, I didn't finish.  I started it late and the first several chapters were rather slow going.  It did pick up--with vignettes on Anne's life on PEI (Prince Edward Island.)  In fact, that vignette structure is very familiar from other "girl's" books such as the Little House series and even Little Women--the crisis at school, the crisis at the ball, the crisis at church, the crisis in the kitchen, etc etc etc.    Montgomery combines the lyrical and poetic imagination of her protagonist (the White Way of Delight, Dryad's Bubble, etc etc.) with a materialistic account of her surroundings--all those flowers, her "wincey" dress, various dress designs, the different types of tea sets, all the food (boiled pork and cabbage, raspberry cordial/currant wine) and richly drawn character studies.  I'm definitely enjoying it now and will finish it soon.

We did some activities, such as choose your own name like Anne wants to be called Cordelia.  I was "Meg" (from Little Women, also clearly feminine, which mine name isn't and it so bothered me as a child unable to find bookmarks or shoelaces or whatnot with my name and some pink, always rockets), Sis chose "Alex," and Bud was "Kevin."  (He was hanging around and so he got to choose a name, too.)  We designed the kind of dress Anne would like (with those puffed sleeves!) and tried to guess the nicknames she gave various land features.  And then the kids played a kind of red light/green light with one being Aunt Josephine.  

It wasn't PEI, but it was indeed a beautiful day at the beach.  The kids played in the shallows, finding hermit crabs and avoiding the razor-sharp clam shells.  I couldn't find any sea glass, just a bunch of rocks, no doubt from long-ago glaciers sweeping over the area and now coming down the rivers.  I also didn't find any arrowheads or the like (though I'm not sure I'd recognize stone tools on a beach) from the native inhabitants who used the site as fishing grounds, pre- and early-contact.  


I did find some nice stones and decided, last minute, to decorate one and leave it on the beach.  An Art Rock Drop . . . the kids and I have decided to leave several in various places this summer.  My first one, with just the Sharpies on hand, has the quote from Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tonys sonnet.

The full text of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s sonnet:

My wife's the reason anything gets done. She nudges me towards promise by degrees. She is a perfect symphony of one. Our son is her most beautiful reprise. We chase the melodies that seem to find us Until they're finished songs and start to play. When senseless acts of tragedy remind us That nothing here is promised, not one day This show is proof that history remembers. We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger. We rise and fall, and light from dying embers Remembrances that hope and love last longer. And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love; Cannot be killed or swept aside. I sing Vanessa's symphony; Eliza tells her story. Now fill the world with music, love, and pride. 

A Chilly Walk

Snowy owls have been seen on our coastline. And so today, despite head colds (we figured it would either not affect our colds or make it worse--we're the same as we were, but we did dress for the 20F weather), Mama and I made our way down to the beach where a photographer snapped some great photos on Monday (the first publicly-documented sighting this year.)  We walked the rocky shoreline but didn't see any owls.  We spoke to a local photographer who hadn't seen any today either.  He said it's more about luck than anything else, especially with all the various spots the owls could go in our town and others nearby.  But we enjoyed the walk, having never been on this stretch of shore before, and even got a nice view of the lighthouse.   I made a donation, at the office, because no doubt I'll be back looking for those lovely owls.  Not for a photo--I just have my phone--but just to see a live one in the wild.

By the way, Pop, it is the place you and Gommie walked, just as you said it was.  It's open on weekdays during office hours but is otherwise off-limits.

Of Shells and Sea Glass

My Texas readers will shudder to know that, on a morning that saw the mercury bottom out around 26F, I went to the beach with a friend.  Sure, we had coats, but it wasn't windy so we didn't need hats or gloves, which is just as well, because we communicate in ASL and I feel more clumsy in gloves.


We first had a nice breakfast at a local diner with a great view and then walked around the area talking about the devastation caused in the area by Hurricane Sandy, life on the coast, the cost of beach houses, health, kids, families, Thanksgiving, who she knew in which houses, various businesses nearby, the usual stuff.  She has lived here much longer than I have and so knows more of the local spots.

We ended up strolling on the beach and I told her how we'd found sea glass on Block Island and she started to pick up pieces.  Without really trying, she found 20+ pieces, including some pretty aquamarine.  I found the blue on my own, which was exciting, and one of the aquamarine (which look like white in the photo.)  The whites, greens, and browns were everywhere.  She says she has a huge jar of them, including purple and red, which are rare.  I have only recently become aware of sea glass but am quite enthusiastic . . . even if, in reality, it is garbage that has washed ashore, proof of our damage to the planet.  In fact, I thought that was why they are sometimes called "mermaid's tears," but my friend sent me a link that said that the story went that mermaid's cried a tear for every sailor lost at sea.

We walked for an hour or more, talking about various marine life she had seen, marveling at whelks, crabs, coral, and teensy shells that Sis loved when I brought them home.  We vowed to do it again soon, on this beach and others, plus other spots around town.  We might even seek out the Snowy Owl together.

But, by the time it gets here from the Arctic, though, I don't think we'll enjoy walking the beach looking for sea glass as much.

Block Island 2015

We had a glorious 3-day weekend on Block Island, taking the kiddos back to where Mama and I vacationed a year ago.  And it was fantastic!

Friday
The weekend celebrations actually started Thursday evening, with our attending the Indigo Girls concert at the Beacon in NYC.  But that is a whole separate post.

Needless to say, we didn't get much sleep Thursday night and had intended to sleep in and skip school, but the kids had class pictures at school and wanted to go.  So we were up as usual and the kids had their group photo first thing.  We picked them up at 10 a.m. and raced to the ferry, knowing it was going to be tight timing.  Full of adrenaline, we played license plate games ("Noshing Jackal Hordes" anyone?) and find the ABCs for two hours, working the alphabet backwards and forwards.

But we made it, even with the dense fog that was rolling into the southern New England shore.  By the time we boarded the ferry from Port Judith to Block Island, we couldn't see a hundred yards in any direction, if that.  And yet we still rode up top, in the blowing, wet fog; we were all wet-haired almost immediately.  It wasn't super cold, though, and we laughed the whole way (luckily, we'd eaten our lunches waiting in the ferry line instead of saving them for the ride as we had planned.)  Bud jumped every time the fog horn blew, approximately every two minutes.

We stayed at the 1661 Inn, where we stayed last time, in a gorgeous big room, in its own separate house on the property.  It had an airy, bright sea-colored room with a gas fireplace (and an Anton Otto Fischers maritime painting c 1919  over the mantel) and a huge porch, plus a giant bathroom with a jacuzzi bath and two "rainforest" showers.  Luxurious.  We voted it second-best hotel room ever, after the Lainston in Winchester.   The whole inn is lovely--and the hydrangeas were even still in bloom!

We didn't stay long but headed out to see what we could see, with our first visit to the nearby Southeast Light.  The kids ran around the yard, marveling at the fog while Mama and I took photos.  Perfect weather for a supposedly haunted light.  The fog horn was blaring the whole time.

We then headed to the other end of the island, to see the labyrinth and other lighthouse.  Well, we saw the beach where the light was but couldn't see as far as the light.  We could, however, enjoy the labyrinth and walked the whole path.  I wasn't quite as philosophical as last time, though I did notice that walking it as a family, however separated, gave the experience new meaning--we high-fived as we passed one another and occasionally waited along the way for a hug.  At the end, Bud lead me on to the end.  You could run with the symbolism of all of that.  Still, they took the whole path more joyfully that the grown ups, reveling in the full physical experience of a maze on a hill in the fog.

We made a stop at the local grocery store for snacks and then went back to the room.  Bud wanted to have a tub in the jacuzzi and we all enjoyed relaxing in the room, even with no view.  The fog really was a singular experience and lent wonderful atmosphere to our first day; I'm just glad it cleared overnight.

We had an amazing early dinner at Eli's:  artichoke veloute with a crabcake, warm goat cheese and arugula salad, breads with olive oil, tuna nachos, a short rib burger, a roasted chicken breast, filet mignon with roasted vegetables and gnocchi, chocolate bread pudding, lemon mousse cake, and an incredible butterscotch pudding.

And it was still early, so we enjoyed the fireplace and sat doing some of the activities we brought along--coloring books, crochet, yo-yo.  Eventually, we went to bed, with the increasing winds rattling the whole little building in which we slept.

Saturday

The wind died down by dawn, having cleared away all the fog.  Sis was up first and out on the porch to watch the sunrise.  She's been waking early since the time change made 7 am into 6 am.  We all joined her.  At any given point in the trip, I was taking photos with my cellphone while Mama and Sis took photos on two of the cameras she brought.  Sis is just like Mama and they take many of the same views.  It was a beautiful sunrise and then we all sat on the porch, drinking tea and hot chocolate, coloring and doodling in the morning light, waiting for breakfast.

Mmmm, breakfast!  Omelets to order, tasty morning glory and lemon poppyseed and pistachio muffins, pancakes (French toast the next day), potatoes, ham, bagels, toast, juices, coffee, tea--what a way to start the day!!

Right after breakfast, one of the owners of the Inn took us on a tour of their farm, complete with exotic animals.  The kids enjoyed feeding, petting, interacting with, and even just seeing the two Bactrian camels, lemurs, kangaroo, Flemish Giant bunny, a giant tortoise, an African crane that danced for Sis, llamas, yak, and other creatures.

Then we went to the Northern Light fiber arts shop--yep, yarn!!!!  The kids enjoyed both the multi-colored yarn and the big yellow lab-mix dogs.  And I picked up some lovely yarn, for a hat, mittens, and a blanket.  Bud learned to weave on a lucet and got one to use at home.  Sis picked up a felting kit and worked on it over the weekend to create a picture of the Southeast Light.


Kite-flying was next.  The warmth of the weather was unbelievable.  We needed jackets but not much else.  And so we headed to the beach to fly two kites Mama had brought, a synapse self-inflating kite and a parafoil or something-or-other.  They had such a good time flying the kites in the not-too-strong breeze.  I searched the beach for seaglass, finding just a few pieces, but enjoying the search.



By then we had worked up an appetite and headed to Bethany's Airport Diner, where Mama and I had eaten on our last trip.  What a huge disappointment!  We waited by a dirty table and were roundly ignored for upwards of 10 minutes, when finally one server said to another, nodding at us, "Do you want to clean that table?"  "No," she replied.  And kept ignoring us.  We left, of course,  Were they rude because they're rude?  Tired?  Or because we're not locals? a lesbian family? bi-racial?  A painful experience but a good teachable moment for the kids.  Shame on them.  It was the only negative event in three days.  But we had a fabulous, friendly, tasty meal at Kimberly's.  Bud licked the bouillabaisse bowl clean, while Mama inhaled the fried oysters.  Sis and I enjoyed more usual fare, a burger and a meatball grinder.

We did a little shopping and, in chatting, learned from the store owner the best beach to find seaglass. I promised I wouldn't publicize it, though.  We made plans to go the next day, at low tide, as recommended.

We spent some quiet time waiting for sunset, enjoying the room and our activities--felting, reading, coloring, crocheting, jacuzzi, sitting on the porch.  We shared some nibbles with the other guests and then headed out to see sunset at the lighthouses.  There wasn't much color at the Southeast Light, so we headed to North, on the rocky beach, and stayed there until well after sundown, building rock cairns, rock mandalas, throwing stones, watching the waves, reflecting.  I bet we were out there an hour or more, a testament to the mild weather.  I even walked in the dark halfway down the rocky beach, though we didn't get as far as the light.

Dinner was takeout from the Old Island Pub, and more sitting around the room.

Sunday
Another pretty sunset, cooler temperatures and a perfectly clear and cloudless day, our first there.  We  watched from inside and did our thing, then ate another delicious breakfast before heading out for the day.  We were going to the seaglass beach, that is after taking a family photo at the North Light, hopefully for use as our Christmas picture.  We got the picture, perhaps, and drove to the other secluded beach.

It was rocky and immediately rewarded our search efforts with various pieces of glass.  We threw back all the glass that was still shiny, in hopes that it would one day become seaglass (though, it occurred to us later that maybe that wasn't the most green of choices; and we'd already discussed that the very existence of seaglass was a testament to the fouling of the environment.)  We found lots of green and brown and white, a few blue, a couple of yellow; some was more frosted or had more softened edges that others, we weren't super picky.  More than anything, it was a wonderful morning on the beach.  Walking, thinking, searching, throwing rocks into the waves.  We spent our whole morning here, returning to town with just enough time to check out, grab supplies for a ferry-ride lunch, and get in line at the dock.

The ride back across to the mainland was gorgeous; you could see clear across.  It was cold and bright, but we were some of the only people on the top deck.  We never like to ride downstairs.  Who knows what you might miss?  No seals this time, just a trawler with hundreds of birds and more flying to it.

We all loved the weekend and couldn't choose our favorite parts.  We all agreed that next year we should stay three nights so we could do some hiking and have extra down time.  And we all liked November--no other people around, "atmospheric" weather that encouraged hibernation, a nice break from school.  We'll definitely do it again.

Until then, I inadvertently collected a few pictures about Block Island itself, and finish with them here.  Together, they served as inspiration for my own doodles during our down time.  I'll post my doodle later, if I finish it.

From the window of a closed souvenir shop

From a tire cover on the truck in front of us on the ferry going over

An old map with notations about things not on newer maps, like the "third" lighthouse in the north

Gommie's Week: The Beach

I'm not sure how many people think of the beach when they think of Connecticut--almost as if we exist in some kind of permanent New England fall--but we do have them.  Sure, nothing like Rhode Island or the Cape, but still right here, quick and easy access.

So today, we went to the beach.  We took the usual hats, towels, sunscreen, and water; Gommie thought to bring our porch umbrella, which was a great idea.  I remembered my comfy captain's chair.  And off we went!

We intentionally went at low tide because Sis wanted to look in the tidal pools.  No horseshoe crabs this time, though.  But they got a lot of wonderful wading in, especially to and fro on the various sandbars.  And as the tide rose, they could do some swimming.

I was surprised to see four different people I know.  I guess I forget that people go to the beach in the summer, since it was really our first trip there to spend some time (I'd dropped Sis off at a birthday party a month ago, which had given me the idea in the first place.)  One of these friends was very adept with planting beach umbrellas and helped me when mine blew over.  She planted it in the sand and did this press-swivel motion, like stirring a giant cauldron, and it dug quickly into the sand and stayed put despite the strong breeze (the other friend had advised us to wet the hole first--but both of our umbrellas fell over!  I'll stick with this technique.)  She said she learned it from a cute cabana boy in Spain!

It was especially great to have Gommie there because she likes the beach and waded straight into the water and then went back from round two and three.  She marveled at the large seagulls, looked for horseshoe crabs (I think they found a dead one), swam out to the sandbar, and made it more fun than I would have.  Instead, I sat in my chair, with my hat on, under the umbrella, sketching in my notebook.  You can see my sketch in the bottom of the photo.  Midway through the excursion, everyone came back to the shade and we ate from the concession stand--strawberry popsicles, Oreo bars, hot dogs, chicken fingers, and fries.  And, surprisingly, I don't think any of us ate any sand!  That has to be a first.

We stayed for three hours and inherited a left-behind purple shovel.  All in all, a good day at the beach.

Owling

We've heard that the snowy owls are back in the area and so, tonight, we headed out owling.  After reading how to be quiet and scan low to the ground since snowy owls fly low looking for prey, we dressed warmly and brought the binoculars Pop gave us.  But we were not layered enough for a stiff wind and temperatures below freezing on the beach.  Still, we spotted seagulls, ducks, and geese, and a very pretty sunset.  But no owls.  Probably too windy. We ended the evening with hot chocolate.

But we'll try again.  

Summer Fun: Beach Day