Saturday, October 24, 2009
Middlesex County
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Take a hike
So on the first nice Sunday we packed up our little one and headed next door to Sudbury. We had originally planned on going to some conservation land close by, but decided to risk it and try out Great Meadows Wildlife Refuge. We like to push our limits like those Mount Everest climbers!Laura and I had a great time hiking through the trails and trying out our new baby holder contraption. But Sweet Baby Will just did what he does on all our great family adventures: sleep.
Still, we had a nice first family hike and plan on many, many more. Great Meadows gets a thumbs up from us if you're looking for a quick family outing.
-b
Monday, March 16, 2009
Winter's finish line, at last
Anne Bradstreet, Colonial-era poet.
(NARA Park, Acton)Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Still around
Faithful Massachusetts 351 Project followers! We're still around. Thanks to all the well wishes regarding our newest addition to the 351 team: Will.
As you can imagine, we've been overwhelmed with new parenthood these past few weeks. One thing about a baby born in January is that you kind of have to hibernate until the warm weather comes around. So we haven't been getting out anywhere new lately, besides a family wedding in Connecticut.
With Wee Little Will on board, we're no less dedicated to the Project. In fact, we're excited to get him involved in upcoming town pictures starting this spring.
As far as posts are concerned, we'll of course be updating with our signature takes on towns we've visited. But we're still determining how best to handle other posts and toying with the idea of taking on an approach of raising a child in the Bay State. We'll see.
Anyway, we hope you'll continue to check back in. I having a feeling that as soon as winter breaks this site will be quite active once again!
-b
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Andover
Andover is here in Essex county
Our story: A good friend of ours from college grew up in Andover (I'm wearing his old sweatshirt in this picture, but interestingly enough I don't think he was actually ever on the ski team). He was born in South Africa, but spent a majority of his life here in Massachusetts. His family lived in this great old house in town, the kind that I wish we could some day live in and that is full of history. His dad is a true renaissance man and very talented at most anything he tries out. So living in an old house was not a problem for him since he could figure out how to fix things up on his own. Sadly, I cannot.
The house had one of those old basements that still had a dirt floor. Not really a useful space, but it gave you an idea of how long it had been there. There was also a separate garage out back where our friend's father worked on building/fixing up a Jaguar in his free time (I told you - renaissance man). Our friend and his family now live in Florida, but every time we go through Andover we think of him and the crazy tales he and his father would share with us when we would visit.
So we've heard: Andover has a downtown that offers folks a variety of places to eat, grab a cup of coffee or do a little shopping. The town has been pretty successful in keeping up its a thriving downtown atmosphere and it is one of the many things about those who live in it enjoy.
The town of Andover is probably best known for being home to one of the most elite private high schools in the country - Phillips Academy Andover. Notable alumni from this school include Patriots coach Bill Belichick, actors Humphrey Bogart and Jack Lemmon, and former presidents George H. W. Bush and his son George W.
Along with educating former and future presidents, Phillips Academy also is home to the Addison Gallery of American Art. The museum houses a variety of works by varied American artists from John Singer Sargent to Jackson Pollock. You'll have to wait until next spring to visit though since the museum is currently undergoing renovations.
~Laura
Monday, February 2, 2009
Wilmington
(June 2008 with Wilmington native and guide Cheryl)Wilmington is here in Middlesex County
So we've heard: Laura and I don't know much about Wilmington besides the tour our friend Cheryl gave us. We had embarked on a mission to take a bunch of pictures in her neck of the woods and by the time we set up to shoot this last one an ominous storm was setting in.From what we can tell, Wilmington is a nice suburb of Lowell and a great commuter spot for those heading to Boston or anywhere along Route 128. The town manager sums up the community on its website this way:
The essence of Wilmington is captured in the spirit of its people. Wilmington is a community that values its children and reveres its seniors. It is a community with a generous heart and an open mind. It is a community that welcomes change but respects tradition. The Town of Wilmington encourages every resident and every visitor to enjoy the splendor of its resources. We are a community proud of its past and energized by the prospect of a bright and happy future.
The past he's referring to includes Wilmington residents who help start the American Revolution in Concord and also participated in the battle of Bunker Hill. Some of the towns resources include Silver Lake, Camp 40 Acres, the Town Common, and Rotary Park. And the Bruins share an affection for Wilmington because they practice at Ristuccia Ice Arena.
Cheryl tells us a few good places to get food in town include: Focaccia, As Good As It Gets Cafe, and Rocco's.
But I'm most interested in finding out more information about the Boston Derby Dames, who are based in Wilmington.
-b
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Goodbye Mr. Frost
Here's what happened 46 years ago today according to Mass Moments:
In 1963, Robert Frost died, the most popular and renowned American poet of the twentieth century. But his success was a long time in coming. It was as a student at Lawrence High School that he discovered he had a gift and a passion for poetry. His first published poem appeared in the school newspaper in 1890. It was another four years before he sold his first — entirely forgettable — poem to a New York newspaper. Almost two decades of failure followed. Only after a three-year stay in England, did Frost finally find his poetic voice and become the man who won four Pulitzer Prizes and received so many honorary degrees that he had his academic hoods made into a quilt.
Read more on this topic here.
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