130. First Christmas Away From Home

Week 130  12/22-26/17

... that is the title of a song by Stan Rogers. Yes, this was literally the first Christmas away from home for me. Sixty-four Christmases at my parents' house plus other Medway family homes. And this Christmas seemed just as comfortable as those. Ben and Gillian invited us to Baltimore. Gillian's mom, Sherry was there also. I might as well copy what I posted in Facebook today because that covers most of it!

Paul and I were invited to spend Christmas in Baltimore with our son and his wife Gillian. We had nice weather, saw an improv show, went to a Christmas market, had a beer at a tavern, wandered streets with lights and music, saw a movie at an indie theater and made marzipan fruits. On Christmas afternoon they were preparing a feast of roast beef, several spectacular sides, dressing, sauces and a cherry pie. The parents wanted to help but we were getting in the way. Ben said, “You three, I’d like you to please go upstairs until dinner is ready. I set up the TV with ‘A Christmas Story.’ Just push the button.“ Sherry, Paul and I obediently marched upstairs, sat on the big bed and pushed the button. We laughed lot. When the movie was over we went downstairs to find the meal being served, friend Lynda to greet us and this beautiful table.

In the Facebook post I forgot to mention that the night we arrived, Gillian and Ben took us to the house of a couple they are both friends with. The house is only a few blocks away and as the weather was quite warm and clear all weekend (especially compared with blizzard at home!) we walked. Just as soon as we arrived and were introduced to some other family members of our hosts, two police cruisers pulled up just outside and blocked off the street. We were a bit nervous until we looked further and saw at least 300 people holding candles and beginning to sing Polish Christmas carols! This street was on the carollers' route because of a senior living home nearby. The parade was led by a motorcycle carrying Santa in a side car. After that auspicious beginning we had a nice visit sipping holiday drinks and chatting. I hope I can find one of the photos I took of the parade. (I've been having trouble coordinating photos between devices.)

Here are some more photos of the long weekend. I think Ben and Gillian were exhausted after all this!

Julia made this afghan for Gillian and Ben's first Christmas as a married couple.

The people who live on 34th street set up a huge display for the public every year. Some people opened their porches and even their houses!

I loved these innovative decorations at the canning company.

129. LaBelle Winery

Week 129  12/16/17

It seemed like a nice day for a drive, so we headed north toward Amherst New Hampshire. On the way we stopped at the Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center on Route 2. Interesting place. They have some antique apple sorting and cider pressing equipment in with the souvenirs and snacks.

Our destination was LaBelle Winery. The winery is owned by Amy LaBelle and her husband, Cesar Arboleda. Amy's father, Fran is a good friend of my sister and her husband. He and I were best man/matron of honor at Lucy and Lenny's wedding. We started by perusing the shelves. They have a large selection of wines and we could see the vineyard areas outside. The building is large, modern and very attractive and includes a large function room, small function room, restaurant seating and small performance space on a patio. We took a tour and had a tasting. We found many we liked, so stocked up on 1/2 case of reds, whites and dessert wines to take home with us.

128. More Christmas Stuff

Week 128  12/9/17

Who has time for anything else this time of year?

We try to go to the Boy Scout pancake breakfast every year. It brings back memories of Ben's scout days and we always see people from town we want to talk to. This time it was our next door neighbors who sat with us and got caught up on our lives. We bid on several silent auction items but didn't get any notification so I guess we didn't win anything.

We also took an evening stroll through Fatima Shrine which is right near our house. We picked the least cold/windy day of the week to go, I think. This has changed a lot through the many years of Christmas displays but always has lots of people enjoying it.

124. Dave Hoag Boardwalk

Week 24  11/18/17

Dad would have been so proud. A couple of decades ago he got together with other like-minded folks who cared about recreational trails. He proposed the idea of a hiking corridor through town lands which would involve purchase of property, political persuasion and lots of planning, among other challenges. Several people took up the reins after he was no longer able to participate, including Paul. Now, much has been done and a vision for the entire project is in sight. The major hurdle was crossing Chicken Brook at an area where it is encompasses a wide swath of wetlands. A boardwalk was needed. There are several bridges on the trails which were built and installed by the trail club, but the boardwalk required professional expertise. Medway voted $100,000 for the design, building and installation of a boardwalk which was completed on schedule. Soon after, Jim Wieler, president of the Medway Trail Taskforce and Upper Charles Conservation Trust, and Glen Trindade, a Medway Selectman, simultaneously proposed naming the bridge for Dad. Within a couple of days, a grand opening was planned, before winter was upon us. Many (over 100?) residents and most of the familiy were there. Brownies and other Girl Scouts made signs and brought food. Soup, bread and cakes were made and served. Speeches were delivered and Mom cut the ribbon.

An EMT drove Mom and Nick 1/2 mile from Adams Street to the boardwalk in this enclosed and heated ATV.



One of the signs says "Go Team Hoag!"

127. Christmas tradition

 Week 127  12/3/17

We attended Christmas Vespers at Wellesley College as we did last year. Most attendees seemed to be folks from the town but we saw some familiar friends who are faculty and staff in the mix. The music of the Wellesley College Choir and the Wellesley College Chamber Music Society were heard joined and separate. Candles were lit, organ, harp, vibes, flute and piano played beautifully, speakers read seasonal passages. We start the season.

126. Paul in the media

Week 126  12/1/17

We have been planning for some time to attend a live broadcast of the Jim Braude and Margery Eagan radio show on WGBH at the Boston Public Library. These take place mid-day on Tuesdays and Fridays and we had taken the train into Boston on another occasion to watch the show, but that day it was cancelled.

We were in luck today. We took some seats at a table up front and settled down with hot drinks. Everyone was watching the news feeds because Michael Flynn was about to plead guilty. The guilty plea was announced right after the show started. I left the room for a minute and when I returned, Paul was not at our table. I soon saw him setting up with the engineer to be the first questioner at the mike. He asked about the reaction of the stock market to the proposed tax changes.

Next we walked to Boston Common to find the Christmas tree which was lit last night,

We examined the Soldiers and Sailors Civil War monument on Boston Common

We noticed this mark of the original shoreline in Feneuil Hall plaza for the first time

The Faneuil Hall plaza Christmas tree

On our way to the subway we stopped at Boston Market and looked around. Paul talked to this guy for a while. He makes popovers too.

 

We finally went to Atwood's Bar in Cambridge.

125. Family Reunion

Week 125  11/20/17 - 11/24/17

It seems strange to me to describe Thanksgiving with my own family as a reunion, but that's what is is now. Because Julia, John, Ben and Gillian's visits only overlapped for a little more than a day, we had dedicated time with both Julia and Ben.

Julia and John arrived last week so that John could work at a conference in Boston. Julia spent the time with us and with many of her good friends. We know she likes Irish music so we took her to the seisiun at Green Briar Pub. She loved it and said she was envious that the participants could play and were having so much fun. I have posted pictures of this seisiun for another adventure and didn't take others this time, but Julia recorded some of the music in her Instagram "Juliagraceland" on November 21.

We took her on another repeat adventure - the Medfield State Hospital campus. We had a beautiful day for that walk.

There is a TV satellite dish under these weeds.

Ben and Gillian arrived the day before Thanksgiving and she drove to New Jersey the day after to visit with her father. Ben stayed on with us until Sunday when he left for a conference in Las Vegas. We had time for visiting with other family as well as his first visit to the Dave Hoag Boardwalk.

123. Civil War remembrance

Week 123  11/11/17

When remains of six civil war veterans from Medway were discovered, the town erected headstones in the Oakland Cemetery, near some other Civil War veterans. On this Veteran's Day, the town remembered the six soldiers.

A Civil War reenactment group helped with the ceremony. Here they gather with others outside the Village Church.

Town officials spoke and led a brief ceremony for Veteran's Day including a proclamation from the Board of Selectmen.

We walked from the church to the cemetery for the dedication. On the way we saw THREE EAGLES flying above. Neither of us has ever seen an eagle in Medway, although people at the farm saw one recently.

The six stones were shrouded until each was dedicated.

Jeanne Johnson and Sheila Dubrawski from the Historical Commission and Historical Society read biographies of each of the soldiers. Because one was officially listed as a "deserter," a detailed explanation was delivered so we would know about the political disruption and confusion that caused this designation. The soldier was a sharpshooter and in a position where he had no other option than to leave one organization and later join another when he was eventually killed in action.

A Civil War salute.

122. A day with the Ameses

Week 122  11/3/17

It was a nice day for an outdoor adventure. We headed for the Governor Oliver Ames estate in Easton. The original mansion was torn down a long time ago and replaced with this house which is not in fit state to open to the public.

There are many large ornamental trees on the property. If you look closely, you can see Paul measuring the diameter of this beauty.

This is a rectangular area that I think was a game court of some sort, but now has a utility pole in it. Just behind on the left is a boccie court.

An old sugar maple.

We walked on most of the trails and found interesting trees, plants and seed pods. The estate borders Langwater Pond and Shovelshop Pond. The Ames family ran the Ames Shovel Shop. The photo below shows a building on the Langwater Estate which we think is still privately owned but portions are being renovated by an interest group - Trustees maybe?

Paul and I ate our picnic lunch near this studio on the Ames Estate. There is a fireplace and sink inside. I spent the entire lunch time explaining to Paul why we need a studio on our property and where we might put it.

After lunch we headed for Borderland State Park. What an active place! Even on a fall weekday it was full of people playing frisbee golf, horseback riding, dog walking, etc. There is a nice visitor center with maps and some specialty tour information about the gardens and the mansion which was build by Oakes Ames (son of Oliver) and Blanche Ames. He was a Harvard botanist and she was a feminist and artist. She also must have been a bit of an engineer because she designed a swimming pool for the family and after her death nobody could figure out her pump system.

We decided to take the 3+ mile hike around Leach Pond and it was a good decision - a nice flat and varied walk took us through farmland, woods, fields and bogs.

I'm sure this cabin saw its share of parties. 

This area is still being farmed. The farmhouse, build by Dr. Asahel Smith, a "clairvoyant" doctor in about 1839.

Near the mansion, Paul found a very uncomfortable seat.

This fountain is near some doors leading to Dr. Ames' labaoratory.

I want to show the expanse of the front lawn of the mansion.